As we continue to reflect on our Lord’s Bread of Life Discourse in the sixth chapter of St John’s Gospel, what better way to help our meditation on this Sacrament of Sacraments than to hear what the saints had to say?

“Sir, give us this bread always” is the request of the crowds after they pursue Christ and are told about the “true bread from heaven.” However, Christ had already attempted to correct them because of their carnal and earthly desire for mere food. Their request seems sincere, but it is misguided, as they had followed him because of his multiplication of the loaves.

For the next few weekends, we will be focusing on the all-important sixth chapter of St. John’s Gospel. This is the chapter that contains the “Bread of Life Discourse” wherein Christ affirms again and again that the bread with which He will feed us - unlike the manna in the desert - really will satisfy our hunger eternally. He shockingly claims that His “flesh is true food” and His “blood is true drink”. 

Our Lord gives His Apostles advice that applies also to all of us: “Come away to a deserted place and rest for a while.” It has always been necessary for Christians to find time for silent meditation, both daily and on longer annual retreats. The argument could be made that it is more necessary in our day in age than it has ever been, due to the constant noise and chaos with which we are surrounded, and the frenetic pace at which most people live on a day to day basis.

In St Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, from which we hear in the Second Reading today, he uses the phrases “chosen before the foundation of the world” and “he destined us”. Does God know what we are going to choose before we choose it? Are we really free? Do we believe in destiny? 

Well-intentioned people will often tell you “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” However, the Scripture verse that they are presumably referencing actually states “God won’t let you be tempted beyond your abilities” (1 Cor 10:13). What’s the difference?

God made everything, right? Actually, today’s First Reading from the Book of Wisdom tells us explicitly “God did not make death.” This is an important truth to keep in mind since so many people react to the death of a loved one with the question “Why did God decide to take them now? Why did they have to die? How is this God’s plan?”

With humble gratitude, I thank the entire Parish Community for your prayerful support of my vocation. One year ago Msgr. Osborn accepted my discernment papers for a second time; the first being forty-five years earlier under the tutelage of Father Nadrach. The year passed quickly—I was commissioned here at Saint Ann last August and entered Sacred Heart Major Seminary later that month. One miracle after another has brought me to the conclusion of my first year of studies.

Greetings to the Church of Saint Ann,   With humble gratitude, I thank the entire Parish Community for your prayerful support of my vocation. One year ago Msgr. Osborn accepted my discernment papers for a second time; the first being forty-five years earlier under the tutelage of Father Nadrach. The year passed quickly—I was commissioned here at Saint Ann last August and entered Sacred Heart Major Seminary later that month. One miracle after another has brought me to the conclusion of my first year of studies.

As I mentioned last week, I was certain that I probably forgot to thank someone or some group…A very special thank you to all members of our St. Vincent DePaul Society who give more hours than I can even count, (Not to mention their own money) to assist those in need in our community…stay tuned next week to see how many other groups I have failed to mention.

As I mentioned last week, I was certain that I probably forgot to thank someone or some group…A very special thank you to all members of our St. Vincent DePaul Society who give more hours than I can even count...

St. Anthony of Egypt once prophesied “A time is coming when people will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will mock him saying ‘He has gone mad, he is not like us.’” It seems safe to say that we are in such a time now, where ideas and moral values that were once held to be certain and common sense are now considered to be archaic and crazy. 

At Pentecost - by God’s grace - we were able to begin Perpetual Adoration. Today, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, we are able to give fitting thanks to God for so great a gift. This solemnity, instituted by Pope Urban IV in 1264, is intended to give the Church Universal an opportunity to give due honor to the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. What makes this Feast even more beautiful is the hymnody composed by St. Thomas Aquinas. In particular, please prayerfully read the Sequence for this feast, which you will hear at Mass - Lauda Sion.

On behalf of Fr. Marotti and the entire St Ann Parish family, I would like to thank the many volunteers that do so much for our parish. 

We are in a very exciting new stage in our parish life - we get to witness the merging of two schools very committed to the mission of Catholic education. The Light of Christ      Academy is a rare gift to our parish. Given my love of teaching and my strong conviction that a deeply Catholic education is the best kind of education available, I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity that we have as a parish community to support and grow our school. 

The celebration of the Ascension is a celebration of the culmination of our Lord’s redeeming work here on earth, and it is the final glorification of Christ in His humanity before the Second Coming.

This weekend we celebrate First Holy Communion for our little ones. While the Mass will be at 2pm, it’s good for all of us to be reminded of how important this day is, and we should recall our original devotion from the first time we received. Below are some beautiful quotes from St John Vianney:

Our Lord uses the image of the vine and the branches to reinforce how we literally can do nothing good or meritorious without relying on His grace, His divine life, which He shares with us through the sacraments. In the American Seminary in Rome, the chapel is designed such that a green marble sanctuary floor continues down in the middle aisle, with arms of the green marble extending out sideways under the congregation.

As I mentioned in last week’s bulletin column, it is important for our entire parish community to understand how unique and wonderful our school is. In that last column, I gave a brief description of what is meant exactly by “Catholic Classical” education. Please go back and read that if you didn’t get a chance.

As excitement builds about our school, Light of Christ Academy, I’d like to use the next couple bulletin columns to educate and inform our parish community on what makes our school unique and distinctive. Other schools in our Diocese have even expressed interest in following the same model! Let me first give you an explanation of what we mean by a “Classical” school. Below is the definition of Classical education which I wrote for the Diocesan Office of Schools.