When Father Jason Keas, pastor of Divine Redeemer Parish, and Capuchin Father Alex Diaz, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, first approached me with a vision of uniting the two parishes into a diocesan shrine, I was touched by the prayerful discernment of these holy men, as well as their humility and charity in being mindful of the needs of each parish as well as the diocese.

We are once again journeying together in the season of Lent.  The liturgy of Ash Wednesday invited us to return to the Lord with all our hearts.  Now, on the First Sunday of Lent, we go with our Lord out into the desert.  

In just a very short time, we will be beginning the season of Lent. Often, in the busyness of our lives, this holy season of Lent can creep up on us. All of a sudden it is Ash Wednesday, and we have done little to nothing to prepare for this penitential season.

As we continue on this Jubilee Year of Hope, February is the month of the Holy Family and Pope Francis has urged that “every family should look to the icon of the Holy Family of Nazareth.” (Amoris laetitia, 30)

Happy New Year! As we begin 2025, many of us are making our traditional new year resolutions on how we might live our lives better, develop healthier habits, and so on.

This is also a great opportunity to consider spiritual new year resolutions, especially as we begin the Jubilee Year of Hope. There are many spiritual resolutions we might consider, but I would like to suggest three that will help us to grow in being witnesses of joy and hope in our world.