News - February 2018 RSS Feed

What was the “righteousness of the Pharisees” our Lord was complaining about in today’s Gospel? Simply put, the Pharisees liked looking good rather than being good. They were interested in fine clothes, places of honor, and grandiose titles.

Most of us have had a favorite chair through the years. Looking back on my growing-up years in Brooklyn, I remember that “Mom liked to sit here” and “Dad liked to sit there.” That was their chair. Today the Church celebrates the Chair of St. Peter, a sign of unity, love, and service.

In the Gospel for today the people wanted a sign from Jesus. He gave them the sign of Jonah, who spent three days in the belly of the whale and then was saved. Lent is a time to accept Christ’s invitation to mend our ways, to change our ways, to live more generously than before.

Let’s ask Our Lord to give us the insight to forgive even when we have no motive or incentive to do so. Only then can we hope to receive the forgiveness to enter heaven. I have a difficult time forgiving anyone who wrongs me.

We will find God in the least of the brothers and sisters, the hungry and the thirsty, the stranger and the imprisoned. The Church gives us the magnificent scene from today’s Gospel early in Lent to guide us through these 40 days.

The Lord doesn’t want a big splash from us this Lent. Sacrifice and oblation he desires not: what he wants is a heart open to his grace. Lent is an old English word for springtime. Just as we expect spring to bring warm weather and gentle rains to produce vegetables and flowers, the Church wants us to open up to the warmth and rain of God’s grace.

Through the Prophet Isaiah, the Church specifies what is to be accomplished through our Lenten observance: a new way of being and living in the world, a way of being and living that carries with it a permanent blessing.

In today’s first reading the Prophet Isaiah tells us the kind of fasting the Lord desires: Releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own (Isaiah 58:6-7).

Father Paul Borowski, C.Ss.R., Provincial Superior (center), celebrates Mass on Epiphany 2018 at St. Peter the Apostle Church in Philadelphia. The Perpetual Help Center–the office that provides communications, promotes devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, and raises funds for the Province–is moving!

We’re so grateful for everyone who has given to help the Redemptorists serve the poor, preach the Gospel, and promote devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Your goodness makes such a difference! The following friends gave February 4 through 10: A. R. Garruto, Ada DeVor, Adele Venezia, Adie Tanega, Alexander Pricenor, Alfred Drumm, Alice Christenson, Alice Wuerch, Aloysius Leopold, Ana M. Chang, Andrea M. Cruz, Angela Frank, Angela Paul, Anita Hatch-Miller, Ann T. Corley, Anne Kelly, Anthony Barrasso, Antonio Romano, April Mayo, Arthur J. Wojtowicz, Barbara Anne Sousa, Barbara Brownholtz, Barbara Carty, Barbara Herman, Barbara Motala, Bernadette Joyce, Bert Zabala, Beverly Brown, Bonnie Bleess, Bruce D. Rivest, Camille Chiappetta, Carl Brockmann, Carmen S. Goncalves, Carole L. Taft, Caroline Begley, Carolyn McNamara, Catherine A. Girard, Catherine R. Conry, Cecelia A. Bustamante, Charles Hoffer, Charles Kostak, Charles Trees, Cherylee Trenkamp, Christen T. Breitfeller, Christine Don, Christine M. Powell, Christine R. Zembicki, Cindy Stueve, Claire Heath, Claire R. Jaxon, Corazone Maramag, Daniel Allman, Daniel J. Morvant, Daniel McGowan, Danuta Irla, Darlene M. Kowalkowski, David Knapp, Dawn Tambi, Dean Santos, Deborah Rummell, Diana R. Butler, Dinorah Gutierrez, Dolores Bright, Dolores C. Novelli, Dolores Maas, Donald F. Houck, Donald Triana, Donna Spangler, Doris C. Garratt, Dorothea Van Hoy, Edith McGlynn, Edmund B. Wutzer, Edward A. Hurdle, Edward Asam, Edward N. Newsum, Eileen Borges, Eileen McCann, Eileen Taylor, Eileen Ward, Elaine Vareberg, Eleanore Hajj, Elena DiMaria, Elizabeth A. St. John, Elizabeth Gravelle, Elizabeth Matacia, Ellen Foran, Ellen Lee Kiel, Ellen Olimpo, Emerita H. Turner, Erlinda M. Matiga, Ernest Glass, Estrella Wannie, Eugene Fenech, Eugene Hamilton, Fe G. Uriarte, Felicitas Evangelista, Felicitas Torre, Florence Chesonis, Fran Miselis, Frances Ryan, Francine Heaton, Frank Marshall, Gabrielle Haley, Gary Batungbacal, Gene Wierzgac, Genevieve Peters, Genevieve R. Green, George Gorman, George Sweeney, George Van Eron, Georgie S. Mouton, Gerald E. Ries, Gerald J. Naticchi, Geraldine M. Brown, Gerard Haderlein, Gerard W. Slacum, Gertrude Gately, Gladys V. Looten, Gloria Bourk, Gloria Wyrsch, Greg A. Kennedy, Gregory M. Noonan, Gregory Wellspeak, Gretchen Brennan, Harry Thoms, Helen Donato, Helen G. Talbo, Helen Lagod, Helen Sherman, Henry A. Strecker, Henry Bentz, Herminia V. Flores, Herta C. Fuchs, Hilary H. Becker, HyunWoo Kim, Ignazio J. Rosso, Irene M. Schepis, James A. Halsell, James Beaton, James D. Leone, James J. Berenz, James J. Goetz, James McCauley, James P. Flammio, James Pollard, Jane Murphy, Jane Rohrs, Jean A. Grubbs, Jean P. Mullins, Jeanette Fleig, Jeanine B. Jacquin, Jeanne Chen, Jeanne Lyle, Jessie Chiccone, Jessie P. Flesher, Jim Caskey, Joan Lavigne, Joan Monti, Joan Saehloff, Joan Tomaszewski, Joanne M. Sweeney, Joanne Pawlak, Joanne R. Sendler, John Brancale, John Cummings, John F. McElhinney, John Giordano, John Kawalec, John Kujawa, John Neubauer, John R. Kempczynski, John S. Broussard, John Sedlak, John T. Koszalka, Joseph A.

In today’s Gospel Jesus tells us that to find our true selves, we must deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow him. Yesterday we began our Lenten observance with a day of fasting and the sign of ashes on our forehead.

Today we receive ashes on our foreheads to help us remember that we are dust—people living on borrowed time. We grumble when our stuff or our skin starts to crumble. We cry when we sit at the funeral of loved ones or stand at the grave looking at the box holding their remains.

We’re so grateful for everyone who has given to help the Redemptorists serve the poor, preach the Gospel, and promote devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Your goodness makes such a difference! The following friends gave January 28 through February 3: ACT Rebar Contractor Inc., Aida Dominguez, Al Valadez, Al Zak, Albert Lanzo, Alfred Spansel, Alois R. Kirchhofer, Ana M. Minuth, Andrea L. Baier, Andrew Makowiecki, Angela Dressen, Angela Melillo, Anita L. Airone, Anita Wakefield, Ann Caravolas, Ann M. Bafundo, Ann M. Feeley, Ann Mescal, Ann T. Corley, Anna Backofen, Anna C. Jozwiak, Anna C. McDonnell, Anna M. Conti, Anne B. McManus, Anne M. Goldfield, Anonymous, Anthony Vaccaro, Antoinette Masterantonio, April Mayo, Archie Parsley, Arthur J.

We’re so grateful for everyone who has given to help the Redemptorists serve the poor, preach the Gospel, and promote devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Your goodness makes such a difference! The following friends gave January 21 through 27: Adrienne J.