St. Christopher

Dear Parishioners,

A blessed week to you all! A word of congratulations to our recent high school graduates:  Steven Quinn and Andrew Meduna!  May the Lord continue to bless you as you enter the next stage of life!

This weekend’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles focuses on Saints Paul and Barnabas's travels in proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ to a pagan world longing for light.  The distance covered by foot and ship is rather impressive, at least 10,000 miles, especially considering how people work for 10,000 steps a day!  What moved them to such distances wasn’t the need for exercise or a desire to explore.  It was the imperative mission of bringing the person of Jesus Christ to every land and every people.  Saints Paul and Barnabas had encountered someone who changed everything!  The God-Man who fulfilled every promise to their forefathers.  He had overcome the chains of death and sin and now desired to share this freedom with all who came to him.

We are bearers of this good news.  Christ has shared the fire of his love with us.  We carry this fire into our homes, work, schools, and travel.  As we head out for the summer on vacation and travel afar, like Saints Paul and Barnabas, we take our Faith and the Lord Jesus wherever we may go.  Therefore, to continue our good Christian practices and attitudes for prayer, I offer this helpful app I have used on vacation Masstimes.org, to find a parish near you for Mass.   I sincerely hope you and your families have a restful break. I will be taking my yearly retreat at the end of July, followed by some vacation in Colorado.   As I was told in the seminary, “Never take a vacation from your vocation.”  In this case, our vocation is to be Holy – to become a Saint!  Our vacations should be an opportunity to continue our relationship with Christ rather than walk away from it.  May God bless you all this summer!  Below is a prayer to St. Christopher, which I encourage you to pray on your travels.

St. Christopher’s Novena

O Glorious St. Christopher, you have inherited a beautiful name, Christ Bearer, as a result of the wonderful legend that while carrying people across a raging stream, you also carried the Child Jesus.  Teach us to be true Christ Bearers to those who do not know Him. Protect all of us that travel both near and far and petition Jesus to be with us always. Amen.  (Mention your request)

Saint Christopher, pray for us.

Recite one ‘Our Father’Recite one ‘Hail Mary’Recite one ‘Glory Be’”

In Christ,

Fr. Luke Fleck