Pastor's Message

June 28, 2026

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

This weekend we hear the last part of Jesus’ missionary instruction to the Twelve as he sends them out to preach, “The Kingdom of heaven is near” (Matt. 10:7). That message is less a news bulletin than an invitation to live in a new way, one that applies both to the disciples and to those who hear them. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7) Jesus articulated his teaching on the Law and the commandments, providing a kind of personal ethical pattern for the lives of the disciples.

But something more happens here in the missionary proclamation. The Kingdom of God is less personal than collective. As we listened to the beginning of that commission two Sundays ago, we heard the foundations of what Pope Leo XIII would set out in 1891 as “Catholic Social Teaching,” the attempt to connect a personal morality (such as we hear in the Sermon on the Mount) to the more complex world of social interaction. That Catholic Social Teaching has become even more important in the last 130 years as the popes and the teaching office of the Church look to the big questions that have emerged in the last 150 years: economic systems, property, the rights of workers, war and peace, the rights of nations, hunger, migration, and so on. Most recently, Pope Leo XIV uses it as the foundation of his encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas: On safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence.”

How then should we live in this interconnected world? Four key principles characterize Catholic Social Teaching: human dignity, the common good, solidarity, and subsidiarity. The popes have developed these in more detail, but we hear the structure in Jesus’ missionary instruction. Created by God, in the image and likeness of God, all people share human dignity, a dignity not defined by intelligence, wealth, position, or anything external to us. It is a dignity that no one can take away. Jesus gives the disciples power to restore people (“Heal the sick.” ‘Drive out demons.”) precisely because of that dignity. Second, the Kingdom of God is a common good; it belongs to us in common—no individual or ethnic group or country or business owns it; Jesus tells the disciples, “Freely give what you have freely received.” Third, the disciples themselves go out together, in a kind of solidarity. Much as Jesus creates a community by gathering disciples to himself, the disciples do the same. This connection among those in Christ is not something accidental: St. Paul gives that solidarity the name “the Body of Christ,” a powerful image that we who are baptized into Christ Jesus are baptized into his death and resurrection (Romans 6:3). The last principle, subsidiarity, may seem less familiar. It refers to the need to handle matters at the lowest, most competent level or levels. We get a sense of it when Jesus tells the disciples to begin their proclamation to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. Start where you live.

The last part of Jesus’ instruction, which we read today, ends by calling attention to our solidarity with Jesus and with one another. Disciples love Jesus first; that loves orders all other loves. The disciples share as a common good all the rewards promised to the prophets and righteous ones. They work at the smallest levels of their competence—even sharing a cup of cold water—because of the dignity that belongs to each person, even the little ones.

The missionary instruction speaks to us as well as to the Twelve. Each thing that Jesus says to them, Jesus says to us. Like the Twelve, we love Jesus first; that love orders all of our other loves. We too share as a common good all the rewards promised to the prophets and righteous ones. We too work at the smallest levels of the Gospel—even sharing a cup of cold water—because of the dignity that belongs to each person, even the little ones. Jesus invites us to a way of living (losing our lives for his sake) radically different from what the world around us offers.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

June 21, 2026

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

In Matthew 10:26-33, we find Jesus instructing His disciples as He sends them out to preach and heal. The scene is set in a humble dwelling in Capernaum, where Jesus has gathered his closest followers for final instructions and encouragement. The room is simple, with a few wooden chairs and a table where they sit together, the warm glow of oil lamps casting a soft light on their faces.

The disciples, including Peter, James, John, and the others, are listening intently as Jesus speaks to them about the challenges they will face. He reassures them not to be afraid, but to trust in God’s protection and guidance. The atmosphere is charged with a mix of anticipation and apprehension, knowing that they will face persecution and hardship along the way.

As Jesus imparts his words of wisdom and encouragement, the disciples feel a sense of unity and purpose. They are eager to go out into the world and share the good news, despite the risks involved. Jesus instills in them the courage and conviction they will need to fulfill their calling, reminding them that God values each of them deeply and will watch over them as they carry out his work.

Jesus’ instructions to the apostles is a reminder to us to have the courage and confidence to witness to our faith without fear. There are three parts to his sermon. The first is that we should not fear people. The second, rather fear God. And then third, specifically fear Christ. So where do we see preaching enter this? Jesus says, what I tell you in the dark, say in the light. And a lot of things that I tell you privately in the dark. You are say those things in the openness and light of day. The word for proclaim is often translated to preach. To preach is to proclaim. To proclaim is to preach.

Jesus sent the apostles as he is sending us to accept a mission that will be received by some and hated by others. Jesus insists that we most must employ the most ordinary of methods. We are to use plain, open, straightforward preaching which will manifest in the way we live our faith in Jesus . We are reassured that God is always with us as we try to absorb His teaching that God holds the power over both body and soul. If we place our trust in Him and live our lives according to His will, He will provide us with the strength and courage to face any challenges. It is a comforting promise that Jesus reminds us that we are never alone.

Jesus’ teaching calls for our fearless proclamation of the Gospel and promises eternal reward for those who remain faithful. This verse is a powerful reminder of the strength and protection that comes from having faith in Christ Jesus It encourages us to trust in God’s love and to boldly proclaim our belief in Him without fear. We show our commitment to following His teachings and living a life rooted in faith and love by acknowledging Christ boldly. God is always by our side, ready to guide and protect us. So, let this verse be a source of encouragement and empowerment for us. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God endures forever.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge – having wisdom. The fear of the Lord in Scripture is a deep respect, reverence, and awe of he Lord. It is a reverential fear that arises out of respect, honor and love of God, Such a response brings about an obedience and is essential for all who love Him. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life and those who fear the Lord in this way will have the blessings of God in this life and then next!

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

June 14, 2026

A Message From Fr. David Olaniyi

Called Into the Field of God’s Compassion

Imagine a farmer standing at the edge of his field, the sun low, the harvest heavy and golden. He’s had a good year, better than expected. Everything is ready, but the farmer is only one person. He cannot possibly bring it all in by himself. A rich harvest is a blessing, but it can also be a burden if there are no hands to help.

Jesus in our Gospel reading of today (Matthew 9: 36 -10: 8) sees a field ready for harvest but too few laborers to gather it. Seeing people who are tired, confused, searching, hungry for meaning, and longing for healing, His heart was moved with pity. The harvest is rich, but the laborers are few. The need is real. So, he calls twelve ordinary men—fishermen, tax collectors, brothers, friends—and sends them out. He gives them precise instructions on what to do. He equips them. He limits their first mission to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” It is a small beginning and not the end.

Before his Ascension, he widens the mission dramatically: “Go, make disciples of all nations.” The whole world becomes the field. And every disciple becomes a laborer. The laborers are no longer only the Twelve or the Seventy-Two he later sent out. He threw the mission wide open to include every disciple, every believer, every baptized person. All of us.

He is counting on all of us to reach out to everyone. He is sending us into the fields of our families, where someone may be quietly struggling; into our workplaces, where someone may feel unseen; to our parish community, where someone may be waiting to be welcomed; into our communities, where someone may be longing for hope.

Jesus is not overwhelmed by the abundance. He is delighted by it. What he needs are willing hands, open hearts, and disciples who understand that the mission is not a task for a select few but for all of us. It is the shared work of all who have been baptized into his life.

If we feel unqualified or not sure, we won’t be the first. The apostles felt the same.
But Jesus equips those he sends. He strengthens those he calls. He works through those who say yes, even when their yes is small. The harvest is rich, and we are the laborers.

May we step into the field with courage, compassion, and the quiet confidence that Christ walks with us, works through us, and never sends us alone.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

June 7, 2026

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

“The Eucharist is the heart and the summit of the Church’s life, for in it Christ associates his Church and all his members with his sacrifice…by this sacrifice he pours out his graces of salvation on his Body which is the Church”
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1407).

The Eucharist: The Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ

The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ gives us a great opportunity to celebrate (possibly with a Eucharistic procession after Mass) in a special way the gift of Christ himself to us and to reflect on the place of the Eucharist in our lives. The readings of the Mass of the solemnity, among other things, describe the Eucharist in the context of various sacrifices offered to God at different stages of our salvation history. The first reading, the book of Exodus, describes how Moses mediated on behalf of the people of Israel in offering a sacrifice to God, a covenant which was sealed with the blood of an animal. The second reading, the letter to the Hebrews, describes the sacrifice of the New Testament, in which Christ is both the mediator and the sacrifice. The Gospel describes Jesus’ final Passover meal with his disciples, where he instituted the Eucharist, the sacrament of his body and blood.

In the Eucharistic celebration (The Mass), we celebrate and immortalize the great sacrifice of Christ, an everlasting victory over sin and death. The words of the institution of the Eucharist, which the priest repeats during consecration at Mass, describe the Eucharist as both a sacrifice and a meal that Christ invites us to take, eat, and drink. It is the spiritual food of the soul which brings us nearer to Christ, increases the life of grace within us, helps us to avoid sins and their occasions, and brings us to life everlasting (John 6: 52-59). The Eucharist will serve these purposes in our lives if we participate in it with faith, devotion, and attention. The attention we give to the liturgy of the word prepares us for the liturgy of the Eucharist. The word we have shared becomes a source of our strength as we live in the sacred space to become Eucharistic people.

We become Eucharistic people by allowing the life of Christ to direct and guide us. Also, it is by our conscientious effort to imitate the life of Christ, whom we share in his body and blood, that we become the Eucharistic people. In the feast of today, we ask ourselves and reflect on: Do I believe that what I receive in the Mass is really the body and blood of Christ? If I believe, what efforts am I making to receive it worthily? Does the Eucharist I receive have any effect on my life? What aspect of my life do I need the healing presence of the Eucharistic Jesus? We pray that the good Lord will give us the grace to accept and appreciate the gift he has given us in the Eucharist. Amen.

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him” (John 6: 54-56).

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

May 31, 2026

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

Last Sunday, the great feast of Pentecost brought to completion the three major stages of salvation history. First, the stage of God the Father—the Creator and Maker of all things—was revealed in the time of Israel, the patriarchs, and the prophets. Second, the stage of God the Son—the Redeemer and Savior—made visible in the earthly life and mission of Jesus Christ. And third, the stage of God the Holy Spirit—the Sanctifier and Giver of life—present in the time of the Church, from the apostles to our own day. Now, following Pentecost, the Church leads us into the celebration of the mystery that holds all of this together: the Most Holy Trinity—three divine Persons, yet one God.

The teaching on the Blessed Trinity is indeed a mystery. But a mystery, in the Christian sense, is not something completely unknown; rather, it is something so deep and profound that it cannot be fully grasped by human understanding alone. We are invited not to solve the mystery, but to enter into it with faith. One helpful analogy often used is that of the sun. The sun itself can be compared to God the Father, the source of all. The rays that come forth from the sun can be seen as God the Son, who is sent into the world and makes the Father known. The warmth or heat of the sun represents God, the Holy Spirit, who is felt within us, giving life, strength, and transformation. Though distinct, they are inseparable—one reality experienced in different ways. While no analogy is perfect, it offers a glimpse into the unity and relationships within the Trinity.

Today’s readings reflect this mystery in a powerful way. In the first reading, the Book of Exodus, God reveals himself as “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.” This shows us the loving heart of the Father, who desires a relationship with his people. In the second reading, Paul the Apostle offers a Trinitarian blessing: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.” Here, we see how the life of the Trinity is shared with us as a blessing and a gift.

In the Gospel, we hear one of the most beautiful expressions of God’s love: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…” (John 3:16). In these words, Jesus reveals the deep unity and love between himself and the Father, a love that overflows for the salvation of humanity. This love is not meant to remain distant—it is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, drawing us into communion with God. The entire plan of salvation begins and ends in the Trinity. We are created by the Father, redeemed by the Son, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. As we continue our journey of faith, may we grow in awareness of God’s presence in our lives. May the love of the Father guide us, the grace of the Son strengthen us, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit sustain us. And may we become living witnesses of this divine love in the world. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

May 24, 2026

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

The Scriptures use a variety of images for the Holy Spirit. First come the images of moving air: The Acts of the Apostles describes a sound “like a strong driving wind”; Jesus breathes on the disciples, saying “Receive the Holy Spirit”; in another part of the Gospel of John, Jesus compares the Holy Spirit to the wind “that blows where it will” (John 3:8); Psalm 104 compares God’s Spirit to the breath that gives life and renews us. The air moves because living things move. Second, our very speaking—using our breath to make words—reflects the Spirit’s work. The crowds gathered for the feast from all over the Jewish world “heard them speaking in their own language … of the mighty acts of God”; St. Paul reminds the Corinthians that “no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.” These are living words, whose speaking and hearing signify life. Third, the Acts of the Apostles describes the Spirit as light, like “tongues of fire.” No one walks in the dark, as Jesus explains to the disciples. (John 8:12). Fourth, Jesus tells the disciples that the Spirit acts as memory, reminding them of all that Jesus taught (John 16:12ff).

The images themselves—wind, language, light, memory—all suggest not only something alive but also a kind of all-encompassing environment. The air surrounds us as does light. We live in a sea of words and memories. But, like all environments we tend not to notice them since those environments are always there, always constant in our lives. Or, perhaps better, we notice them only when something goes wrong: I can’t breathe, I can’t see, I can’t remember, I’ve lost the word I want. The Spirit emerges from these images as both constant and vital. We cannot live without the Spirit. We cannot experience God except by the Holy Spirit. But we seldom notice because the Spirit sustains us in being.

Think about the Holy Spirit, then, as another way that God wants to be known. The Holy Spirit is how God maintains us with a constant love, even if we turn away from God. And the Spirit is no stranger. St. Paul again tells the Corinthians that the Spirit appears in different kinds of spiritual gifts, but always the same Spirit. If we do not sense the Spirit’s presence, the fault lies not in the Spirit, but in ourselves. Step back a bit: We can recognize the Spirit’s presence through the gifts: the works we do, the words we speak, the memories of the Lord Jesus—all come from the Spirit.

The Pentecost sequence (Veni, Sancte Spiritus) uses a similarly sweeping set of images to remind us of where to look for the Spirit: light (again and again), parental love, source of all we have, comfort, rest, refreshment, solace, warmth; all those things we need to live, that make our lives livable.

Our Catholic tradition draws on the prophet Isaiah (11:2–3) to apply the idea of the Holy Spirit as the environment of our living to each of us individually. If there is an external environment, there is an interior environment, too. We receive the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel (right judgment), fortitude (courage), knowledge, piety (reverence), and fear of the Lord (wonder and awe). Each these gifts describes not a thing—for the Holy Spirit is not a thing—but a way of being, a way of acting, an interior environment.

We pray, “Come, Holy Spirit,” yet the Spirit has already come; we could not even begin to pray without the Holy Spirit. What we ask, as we always should, is to recognize God among us and in our lives. Come, Holy Spirit, come.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

May 17, 2026

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

In the gospel today we hear Our Lord’s final instructions – His Last Will and Testament. Just before leaving the apostles Jesus reminds them of what He expects of them. Earlier He had sent them out to spread the Kingdom of God. Those who go out to preach do so with His authority. In Matthew’s version of the ascension Jesus now adds this great promise, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Mark says that the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it. And Luke emphasizes that they will be “clothed with power from on high”, with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

The Ascension of Jesus into heaven marked a new beginning for the disciples as it was the moment when they began to understand more deeply the person and mission of Jesus Christ and the mission that awaits them in the years to come. This mission was spelt out by the ascending Lord in the Gospel Reading of today (Mt 28:16-20), “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you.”

Left alone, the disciples could not realize this mission. Left alone, the apostles and disciples of the ascending Lord, could not ascend. They needed the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, the promised Paraclete, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is only through the assistance of the Holy Spirit that we, disciples of the Lord, can live in the world and at the same time transcend the world. It is through His active presence in us that are we able to ascend! The Holy Spirit is the One who brings us in contact with the content of the hope we have in Christ.

The Ascension of the Lord is not his going away from us, but rather his coming infinitely closer to us. Consider your sense of the presence of Jesus, of Him being with you, present to you, listening to you. This is no small thing: Our spiritual life is based on the premise that God is close to us, that we can talk to Him, and that He desires intimacy with us. And then, think about the call to mission: that each of us have a role, a purpose, that what we do and say is important and necessary. We should all be asking ourselves about how we are participating in this mission.

Salvation comes from knowing Jesus. Everything changes when Jesus comes into our lives. He is light, He is truth, He is beauty. He is the only way to happiness and He wants everyone to know that. To make that clear, the special preface prayer which is used for the Mass today says that Jesus Christ, mediator between God and man, judge of the world and Lord of hosts, ascended not to distance himself from our lowly state, but that we, His members, might be confident of following where he, our Head and Founder, has gone before. In other words, He has passed from our sight, not to abandon us, but rather to be more close to us.

Jesus returns to the Father because his mission on earth is complete and His mission has been effective. God’s purpose has been achieved through the Incarnation, Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus. God’s purpose for us is Heaven, and Heaven is now open to human beings. When Jesus ascended into heaven, He took with Him our human nature. He is therefore our hope. Where he has gone we hope to follow. He has gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us. We could sum up the acceptance of our mission in terms of missionary discipleship: A disciple is someone who has encountered Jesus, heard the Good News of his life, death and resurrection and chooses to actively follow him. A missionary disciple is one who continues to grow in relationship with God, can easily share his or her relationship with God with others and goes outward to help others find God for themselves. We need to pray together united as one family, one body so that we can fulfill Jesus’ Last Will and Testament!

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

May 10, 2026

A Message From Fr. David Olaniyi

The Quiet Strength of Christian Hope 

On this Sixth Sunday of Easter, as we hear the promise of Jesus, “I will not leave you orphans,” we also take time to honor the women whose love has been among the clearest signs of God’s nearness in our lives. Mother’s Day often draws attention to the “big” moments, yet motherhood, like so much of faithful love, is shaped mostly by small, hidden acts: the daily sacrifices, the quiet attentiveness, the steady presence that often goes unnoticed until it is missing. It is the ordinary, faithful labor of love.

Today, we honor not only biological motherhood, but the broader gift of nurturance itself. Mothers by birth, adoption, mentorship, and spiritual care reflect the quiet strength lifted up in today’s readings. As we give thanks for them, we pray that the peace and joy of the Risen Lord may continue to abide with them.

The readings today invite us to reflect not only on what we believe, but on how those beliefs shape the way we live and speak. In the first reading (Acts 8:5–8, 14–17), the Good News takes root in Samaria, spreading through joy rather than confrontation. In the second reading (1 Peter 3:15–18), Peter offers firm and timely counsel: “Always be ready to give an explanation… but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear.” This is not a call to win arguments or silence critics, but to stand firmly in what is right and to let our hope be revealed through steady faith, patience, and love.

Such patient, reverent love is difficult in a world shaped by quick reactions, sharp words, and public confrontation. Our instinct when we feel attacked or misunderstood is often to respond forcefully. We worry that gentleness looks like weakness, that patience means surrender, and that if we do not fight back, we will lose ground. But Peter teaches us otherwise. A clear conscience, he reminds us, is a stronger defense than a sharp tongue. Moral integrity speaks more powerfully than verbal victory.

Christian witness is not about overpowering others, but about faithfulness expressed through humility, perseverance, and hope. This is not passivity. In the Gospel (John 14: 15-21), Jesus calls it love in action: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Obedience here is not sentimental or abstract. It is a disciplined and faithful way of life that refuses to mirror the hostility of the world. It takes courage to remain faithful when retaliation would feel easier. It takes strength to choose the moral ground even when the battleground appears more satisfying.

And Jesus is not asking us to do this all by ourselves. He promises the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who stands beside us to guide and strengthen us when we are weak and don’t know how to respond. The Holy Spirit is the quiet presence that makes gentleness possible and transforms hope into action. Active hope does not wait passively with folded hands; it waits with a faithful heart, a clear conscience, and a willingness to love even when love is costly.

As we move toward Pentecost, we are invited to practice this kind of hope. To witness through fidelity rather than force. To keep God’s commandments not out of fear, but out of love. And to trust that the Holy Spirit is already at work within us, shaping lives that speak more clearly than any argument.

Happy Mother’s Day!

May 3, 2026

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Jesus – the Way, the Truth, and the Life!

“To be a witness to Christ is to be a witness to his resurrection. Encounters with the risen Christ characterize the Christian hope of resurrection. We shall rise like Christ, with him and through him” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC # 995).

The Easter season gives us a great opportunity to continue reflecting deeply on the resurrection of Christ, which, in its full content, is the basic doctrine and crown of the Christian faith. St. Paul emphasized, “And if Christ has not been raised, then empty is our preaching, empty too is our faith” (I Corinthians 15:14). Our faith in the resurrection of Christ gives us the strength to persevere in our Christian journey, knowing that if we live with Christ, he will show us the way that leads to the truth, and the truth that leads to life with him in heaven forever.

The book of the Acts of the Apostles, which we have been reading this season of Easter, gives us the testimonies of the disciples who built the first Christian community on the foundation of Christ’s resurrection. The gospel of John we read today is part of the farewell message Jesus gave to his disciples before his passion and death. Jesus encouraged them not to let their hearts be troubled, but to have faith in him and in God. Even though the disciples were confused, anxious, and worried, Christ’s resurrection made them great witnesses to the gospel. Consequently, their lives of exemplary faith attracted people to join and share in the life of Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life.

Jesus continues to invite us day by day to follow him. He wants us not to be overwhelmed or overcome by the challenges life gives us, but to look unto him for the wonderful examples of faith and perseverance. By our baptism, God has made us his own, just as St. Peter points out in the second reading, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own….” He wants us through his son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to continue to choose him to show us the way that will lead us to the truth we need, and the truth that will guide us to fullness of life in him.

Being a witness to the resurrection of Jesus does not always mean doing extraordinary things. Often, it is found in the quiet faithfulness of daily life: choosing kindness over anger, forgiveness over resentment, truth over convenience, and hope over despair. As we continue this Easter journey, may we open our hearts more fully to the risen Christ. May we allow his resurrection to transform our lives, to deepen our faith, and to renew our hope. And may we, like the first disciples, become joyful and courageous witnesses to the truth that Christ is alive—yesterday, today, and forever. Amen.

“If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you” (Romans 8:11).

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

April 26, 2026

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

People often refer to the Fourth Sunday of Easter as Good Shepherd Sunday since three out of the four scriptural readings we hear today address the theme of God as our shepherd. The first reading does not, instead continuing the sequential readings from the Acts of the Apostles where we hear Peter’s preaching on the first Pentecost.

But we respond to that with the well known Psalm 23, which begins, “The Lord is my shepherd,” and goes on to describe God’s care for us in images drawn from the pastoral life of ancient Israel when virtually all rural families kept sheep and most boys spent some time as shepherds. God does for us what shepherds do: God leads us, gives us safe places to rest, guides us, and protects us from even the worst of threats and fears. God does these things because this is who God is: “He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake.” This reflects a remarkable theological ability in which Israel understands its relationship with God through the relationships it observes in nature or in human affairs. At the same time, Israel recognizes that where we might care for sheep out of self-interest (wool, meat, and so on), God acts “for his name’s sake,” that is, not for self-interest but out of love.

In many ways, Israel’s whole history of salvation has shepherding or sheep as a background. Jacob worked as a shepherd to earn the dowry to marry. His sons led the family flocks when they hatched their plot to get rid of their brother, Joseph, whom they sold into slavery in Egypt. The slaughter of sheep, the marking of the lintels with their blood, and the Passover meal saved Israel from destruction at the time of the Exodus. The annual preparation and sacrifice of a paschal lamb forms the central memorial of the deliverance from slavery. David, the future great king of Israel, comes from his care of the flocks to become a military hero and leader. The psalms regularly refer to God as Israel’s shepherd. Many of the prophets worked as shepherds when God called them. As prophets, they reminded Israel using those pastoral images even as people moved from farms to cities. The metaphors of the lamb, the flocks of sheep, and the shepherd define how God relates to people: as a leader, healer, nurturer, protector, provider of water, source of kindness and goodness, and ever-present.

The image persists in Christian theology. The second reading today, from the First Letter of St. Peter, sees the sacrificed Passover lamb and its shepherd as images of Christ. “By his wounds you have been healed. For you had gone astray like sheep, but have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.” In Christianity, Christ is both sheep and shepherd, adding a key dimension to the theology of Israel.

Jesus uses and expands the imagery of sheep, flocks, and shepherds. In his preaching, shepherds can be good or bad; sheep enclosures provide extra protection; and, perhaps most importantly, the shepherd has a voice. Jesus likens himself to the gate through which the sheep must pass—an added protection. And, he points out, the sheep need to hear the voice of the shepherd. Voice always matters because it signifies being alive. Before the age of recording technologies, people could only hear living sounds, and they could only hear when they were themselves alive. Jesus underlines that fact of life as part of the relationship with the shepherd. This, of course, reflects the view of the Gospel of John that begins by telling us “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.“ That Word lives and gives life to those who hear. The Word signifies both the reality and the presence of God. To hear God‘s Word means to be in God‘s presence. This significantly adds to the understanding of the shepherd because, in Jesus’ telling, the shepherd enables us to hear the Word of God. In Christianity, the shepherd of Israel is the living Word of God. For Christians, the idea of a shepherd includes life itself.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

April 19, 2026

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

A Gospel within the Gospel
Commentary from the Irish Association of Catholic Priests

The Emmaus story is like a gospel within the gospel. It is so rich a lesson that it serves as a summary of our own bonding with Jesus Christ. For these disciples on the road to Emmaus, the future looked grim indeed. For the previous few years, life had been exciting and they were captivated by the Gospel message of Jesus. But it emerges that they hadn’t grasped some vital parts of what he had said. We can empathize with them, because mostly we too tend to pick and choose the parts of his message that please us, and fail to take seriously other words of the Lord.

After his death on the cross, they felt all was lost. But Jesus used the Jewish scriptures to enlighten them. The prophecies declare the divine promises and reveal the saving plan of God. The Scriptures have power like an electric current and are inspired by the Spirit of God. When he opened the meaning of God’s Word to them, they began to understand his cross in a totally new light. They saw it not as a total disaster but as the start of a new age of grace.

Once arrived in Emmaus, they recognized him also in the breaking of bread. The prayerful sharing of a meal among friends was a living symbol of friendship and trust. What was special about the way Jesus broke the bread is an intriguing question. Perhaps it was the spirit of self-giving that he invested in the act that showed them who he really was. There was a level of focus, of sharing and of sacredness unique to Jesus, something they had experienced previously, before his passion. His presence touched their deepest hungers, and the bread he broke was not just physical. It was food that they opened their hearts as well as their mouths to receive.

The Emmaus story speaks to people of all ages. We can see ourselves in these two weary travelers on their journey, the faith and hope they have lost, the future they have hoped for fallen apart. And yet they met an unknown friend walking the road with them, who gave them a fresh insight, and connected the new world with the world they knew. And, of course, he is present in a particular way in the Eucharist, in the breaking of bread, full of the many meanings that breaking bread had for Jesus himself, during his life and after the resurrection.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

April 12, 2026

A Message From Fr. David Olaniyi

We Are Held by the Mercy That is Greater Than Our Failures

As we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday, we are reminded that the mercy of God is not about what we have done or failed to do, but about the love that holds us, heals us, and invites us to begin again. Today’s celebration proclaims a hope that meets us in our weakness and restores us in love.

God’s mercy is bigger than our sins, our failures, our regrets, and even our locked doors. Divine Mercy Sunday is not a celebration of our worthiness, but of God’s astonishing willingness to meet us exactly where we are. We often imagine that our sins are too great, too repeated, or too shameful to bring before God. At times, this fear keeps us from approaching God through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. But the truth is that big sin only reveals bigger mercy. God’s love is not intimidated by the messiness of our humanity.

In today’s Gospel (John 20:19–31), we find the disciples hiding behind locked doors, weighed down by fear, shame, and guilt. We know that feeling well. We recognize the voice that sometimes whispers, “You should have been better.” Jesus does not wait for the doors to be unlocked. He enters the very place they lock themselves in. Nothing locks Jesus out – not fear, not shame, not guilt, not disappointment. That is the heart of Divine Mercy Sunday; no matter what has locked us in, Jesus steps in. He speaks peace. He shows mercy.

When Jesus breathes on the disciples and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit…whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,” he gives the Church a priceless gift of stepping in and showing mercy in his name. Jesus knows that we fail, that we fall, and that we sometimes lock ourselves behind doors of fear and shame. For this reason, he gives us the Sacrament of Reconciliation which is a living sign that mercy is always available, always stronger than our sin, and always ready to help us begin again. The confessional is the place where shame loses its power and grace takes its place. Let us never take this gift for granted, but continue to return to it with trust and hope.

We often label Thomas as “the doubter,” because people tend to remember the wrong more easily than the good. We forget his courage, his loyalty, his willingness to go and die with Jesus when it truly mattered, and his profession of faith. Today we see the gift Thomas brings to the Church. He is honest, searching, and courageous enough to say out loud what others only hold in their hearts. Jesus meets him not with scolding, but with tenderness. He invites him to touch his wounds, reminding us that mercy is not abstract; it is personal, real, and patient. Thomas gives us permission to bring our questions, our wounds, and our doubts to the Lord. His story reminds us that faith grows not by pretending, but by encountering mercy.

In our first reading (Acts 2:42–47), we see how the early Christians lived in a way that made God’s mercy visible through generosity, compassion, unity, and joy. Divine Mercy Sunday invites us to live the same way. Mercy is not meant to be hoarded; it is meant to be shared. As we continue our Easter celebration, let us extend to others the mercy God has extended to us. Let us forgive as we have been forgiven, be patient as God has been patient with us, and open the doors we have kept locked so that his peace may flow outward.

Today is not about proving ourselves worthy. It is about allowing Jesus to walk through our locked doors and trusting that his mercy is greater than our sin. It is about receiving forgiveness and becoming instruments of mercy and peace in a wounded world.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

April 5, 2026

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Christ is Risen, Alleluia!

With hearts filled with joy and gratitude, we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ—the victory of life over death and light over darkness. On this glorious day, the Church proclaims the central mystery of our faith: that Jesus, who suffered, died, and was buried, has risen from the dead and opened for us the way to new and everlasting life. According to the Fathers of the Church, Easter Celebrations is “the peak of all feasts and the queen of all solemnities.” It has in its full content the fundamental doctrine and crowning of the Christian faith, which St. Paul speaks: “And if Christ has not been raised, then empty is our preaching, empty too is our faith.” (I Corinthians 15:14). This shows that Christianity would have been stillborn if Christ had not risen.

Throughout the holy season of Lent, the Church invited us into a sacred time of preparation through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving so that we might renew our relationship with God and with one another. It was a time for reflection, repentance, and conversion of heart. As the parish community of St. Frances Cabrini, we walked together on this Lenten journey, embracing the many opportunities offered to grow in faith and discipleship. Through our communal prayers, Lenten devotions, Stations of the Cross, acts of charity, and participation in the Sacraments, we sought to draw closer to the Lord who never ceases to love and call us.

Now we enter the great and joyful season of Easter, which the Church celebrates for fifty days, culminating on Pentecost Sunday. These fifty days are meant to be lived not as a single day of celebration, but as a continuous season of rejoicing in the risen Lord. During this time, we are called to continue nurturing our spiritual lives by receiving Holy Communion frequently, celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation regularly, spending time with Sacred Scripture, and allowing God’s Word to shape our thoughts, words, and actions. As disciples of Christ, we are also called to bear witness to the Resurrection in the way we live—through acts of kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and service to those in need.

The Resurrection reminds us that hope is never lost, and hope does not disappoint us (Romans 5:5). Even in moments of struggle, uncertainty, or suffering, we trust that the Lord is always at work, bringing new life where there was once darkness. May the light of the risen Christ guide our hearts and strengthen our faith so that we may live as joyful witnesses of His love in our families, our parish, and our community. On behalf of our parish staff, I wish each of you and your loved ones a blessed and joyful Easter. May the peace of the risen Christ fill your homes, renew your hearts, and strengthen you in faith. May Almighty God bless you and your families and may the joy of the Resurrection remain with you throughout this Easter season and always.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

March 29, 2026

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Never Give Up: Trusting God in Times of Suffering!

Today, on Palm Sunday, we celebrate the Sixth and final Sunday of Lent, the Sunday before Easter, which marks the beginning of Holy Week. In today’s celebration, the Church commemorates Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when olive and palm branches were spread along His path as He entered the holy city to accomplish His Paschal Mystery. The crowds welcomed Him with joy and acclamation, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Yet we know that this joyful welcome would soon turn into rejection and suffering. The most distinctive ceremonies of this day are the blessing of the palms, the procession, and the proclamation of the Passion.

The red vestments worn by the presider symbolize the royalty of Christ, whose kingship we acknowledge and celebrate today. However, Christ’s kingship is very different from worldly power. He does not reign through force or domination, but through humility, love, sacrifice, and obedience to the will of the Father. His throne is the cross, and His crown is made of thorns. The procession with palms is therefore not simply a triumphal march. It reminds us that Christ walks with His people on the path toward Calvary and the great act of redemption. As we participate in this liturgy, we unite ourselves with Christ and express our willingness to walk with Him, even when the path leads through suffering and sacrifice.

The Passion reading from the Gospel of Matthew reveals the humility, determination, and perseverance of Jesus in the face of immense suffering. The First Reading from the prophet Isaiah speaks about the suffering servant who remains faithful despite persecution. The Second Reading reminds us that although Christ was in the form of God, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even to death—death on a cross. Because of this obedience, God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name above every other name.

In the Passion narrative, we see many forms of suffering that also appear in our own lives: denial, betrayal, abandonment, fear, anxiety, humiliation, mockery, and physical pain. Jesus experienced all these realities. He was betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, abandoned by many of His disciples, falsely accused, mocked by soldiers, and condemned to die on the cross. Yet in the midst of all this suffering, Jesus never lost His trust in the Father. He remained faithful to His mission and surrendered everything into God’s hands.

In our own lives, we too experience different kinds of suffering and struggles. Sometimes we face disappointments, failures, misunderstandings, illness, loneliness, or moments of deep uncertainty. These difficulties can make us feel discouraged or even tempted to give up. But the Passion of Christ reminds us that suffering does not have the final word. God can bring hope out of despair, strength out of weakness, and life out of death. Like Jesus, let us place our trust in God, who is always faithful and who never abandons His people. May this Holy Week be a time of grace, renewal, and deeper faith for all of us. And may we learn from Jesus the courage to persevere, the humility to accept God’s will, and the hope that comes from knowing that God is always with us. Amen

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

March 22, 2026

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

The small details matter in the Gospels and in our spiritual lives. The Gospel account of Lazarus’ death and raising by Jesus notes that Jesus loves that family. The message from Martha and Mary simply said, “Master, the one you love is ill.” A few lines later, the Gospel repeats, “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.”  Even though those statements appear twice, they seem removed from the action of the events. However, everything unfolds in the light of that love.

When Jesus arrives—four days after the death of Lazarus—Martha’s reaction is both informed by faith and, in a way, blinded by faith: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” She is certain that Jesus would have prevented the death of her brother. In fact, she is so certain that she does not understand that something greater may await them, that Jesus did not choose to heal him for a greater purpose. Yet she still believes that “whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” That conversation serves as a poignant reminder that Jesus’ love for Martha, Mary, and Lazarus does not spare them from suffering and grief. We struggle at times to hold these things together in our minds: Jesus loves Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Lazarus dies. Martha and Mary face devastating grief. We ask, how did a loving friend let this happen? We find it even harder to hold those ideas together in our own lives.

With the Gospel of John we can be certain that this account is not just about a first century Judean family. It does not just describe Jesus’ love for Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. This Gospel account addresses our concerns as well. When we ask, “How did a loving friend let this happen?” we are also asking how or why does a God who loves us let us suffer or let those whom we love die. We need to keep in mind the larger perspective of the Gospel, which reminds us over and over that God loves us. Earlier in the Gospel, we read that God so loves the world that God gave us his only begotten son (Jn 3:16), and later in the Gospel that, in Jesus’ words, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you” (Jn 15:9). And yet, God’s love does not spare us from evil. What does that mean?

Before they left for Bethany, Jesus told the disciples that Lazarus’ illness was not to end in death but for the glory of God. Jesus explains to Martha that he is the resurrection and the life. The same applies to us. When we face suffering, loss, or even death, the love that God has for us means that these things will not end in death but in the glory of God. These things that so devastate us help us to know that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. We need to see ourselves in Martha and hear her words in our sorrow.

When Jesus comes to the tomb and calls Lazarus by name, he does so with the love that he has for him, for Martha, and for Mary. Lazarus responds to that voice of love. That’s the point of the Gospel.

That’s the point for us, too. No matter our circumstances, we will always hear the voice of love that calls to us. In the words of the Song of Songs, love is stronger than death (Song 8:6). Or, as St. Paul puts it, “He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?” (Romans 8:32).

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

March 15, 2026

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

“I once was lost but now I’m found / Was blind but now I see,” says the hymn Amazing Grace. Many times we ask for Jesus’ healing and nothing seems to happen immediately. Maybe, after asking for his healing, we should go on our way and realize that healing takes place gradually as time goes by. “Lord, that I may see” is a practical and simple prayer. It is a short prayer, but when it comes from the depths of my heart, it is a powerful prayer.

In today’s Gospel, the healing of the man born blind invites us to focus on the physical and spiritual aspects of sight and light. In the first part of today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus’ response to a widespread belief of his time: that misfortune and disability were the result of sin. That belief is why Jesus is asked the question of whose sin caused the man’s blindness—his own or his parents’. Jesus does not answer directly but instead gives the question an entirely different interpretation. Through this man’s disability, God’s power will be made manifest.

We read in today’s Gospel that the man born blind receives his physical sight. At a deeper level though he also receives spiritual sight. God alone can penetrate the darkness. “Even darkness is not dark for you / And the night is as clear as the day” (Psalm 38). The man born blind gradually comes to a greater understanding about who Jesus is and what it means to be his disciple, while the Pharisees (those who should see) are the ones who remain blind. The Pharisees who thought they had spiritual sight become progressively spiritually blind in their refusal to reflect on God working in and through Jesus’ healing power. The Pharisees will not allow the sign to lead them; they will do all in their power to discredit the sign. The healing is controversial because Jesus heals on the Sabbath. The disciples also assume this man’s physical blindness is the result of sin. Jesus does not go there! Blindness is an occasion for the works of God to become manifest.

The blind man for Jesus is a fundamental human condition he has been sent to alleviate. As the story unfolds, we notice that the man’s eyes were really opened, and that includes the eyes of his soul. Clearly Jesus was intent on healing the whole person – body, mind and spirit. At the beginning of the story the man is quickly cured of his physical blindness and his cure will be a sign – a physical level of the spiritual need to move from darkness to light. The blind man gradually moves from physical healing to spiritual sight. t’s hard to know why Jesus went through the ritual of the spittle, the mud, and the water, in order to heal the man. What follows may help us perceive more deeply the activity of Jesus’ intention. In Genesis God made “clay of the ground” breathed into it, and the human person became a living soul. Now Jesus spits, a symbolic gesture that conveys Jesus’ inner reality, makes clay, and anoints the man’s eyes. Jesus is completing creation. He opens eyes to see and respond to the Divine Source of Creation.

Jesus has just done the work he was sent to do – to complete creation by opening spiritual eyes to see and respond to the Divine Source. The blind man becomes not only a witness to what happened to him on the physical eve but also witnesses to the spiritual truth that was manifested in his physical healing – the truth about the one who opened his eyes! The blind man begins to see with his physical eyes but a deeper vision begins to dawn slowly on him – He says later in the text that Jesus is a prophet. He is able to understand that Jesus must come from God. Finally, when he meets Jesus again, Jesus reveals himself as the Son of Man – he calls Jesus ‘Lord’. In this moment, the man born blind shows himself to be a man of faith and worships Jesus.

Unlike the Pharisees when we speak of the Faith we need to do so with humility and respect. Prayer, fasting and almsgiving are our traditional therapies to awaken our spiritual sight. Prayer, on a deeper level, puts us into close contact with Jesus, just like the blind. Jesus might as well be touching us. In fact, he is even closer to us than that. Acts of kindness – almsgiving- activate the love that has been poured into us in Baptism so that it becomes an active energy in our lives, releasing joy and light. During Lent we too deepen our understanding of Jesus and his desire to heal us and give us strength. We deepen our sight, ask him for healing, and experience his deep love for us as his brothers and sisters and children of a Loving Father!

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

March 8, 2026

A Message From Fr. David Olaniyi

God Writes Straight on Crooked Lines

God does not wait for perfect conditions to begin His work. He brings grace out of failure, hope out of confusion, and life out of places that seem barren. Again and again in Scripture, we see that God writes straight on crooked lines.

Our first reading and the Gospel this Sunday present two powerful scenes of thirst in two communities of people who are far from perfect. In the desert, the Israelites grumble, accuse, and doubt God’s presence, convinced they have been abandoned. In the Gospel, Jesus encounters a Samaritan woman whose life bears the marks of broken choices and unresolved pain. Neither the Israelites nor the woman comes before God with exemplary faith or spotless lives. Yet together, these stories reveal something essential about the human heart; we are thirsty people, and we often try to quench that thirst in ways that can never truly satisfy. Still, it is precisely in their imperfection that God meets them, providing water in the desert and living water at the well.

Like the Israelites, we have all asked at some point, “Is the Lord in our midst or not?” Yet even in doubt and complaint, God remains faithful, and our thirst becomes the place where His presence is revealed.

The Samaritan woman comes to the well at noon, the hour of hiding, when the heat drives others indoors, and the brightness leaves no room for curious eyes or whispered judgments. Jesus does not wait for her to fix her life, clean up her story, or present a polished version of herself. He meets her in the heat of the day, in the place of her isolation, and begins a conversation that gently uncovers her deepest thirst. He does not shame or condemn her. He reveals her dignity and turns her truth into the doorway of grace.

We have our own “noonday habits,” the places we retreat to when we feel ashamed, inadequate, or overwhelmed. We may not carry water jars, but we carry memories, regrets, and fears we would rather keep out of sight. We all know what it is like to avoid the gaze of others, or even the gaze of God, because we are not proud of the story we carry. Lent invites us to recognize our crooked lines, the regrets we carry, the habits we struggle to change, and the parts of our story we wish were different. Our liturgy today reminds us that God works most powerfully in what we consider messy and unworthy. He meets us where we are. He does not erase our past or discard it. He redeems it and uses it. God writes straight on crooked lines.

So let us not hide our imperfections but bring them honestly before the Lord. Let us come to Him with our thirst, our questions, and our broken places, trusting that He is already at work within them, drawing grace where we once saw only disappointment.

As we continue our Lenten journey, may we trust that no part of our story is wasted. Even the crooked lines, placed in God’s hands, can become a beautiful witness of mercy, healing, and new life.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

March 1, 2026

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Listen to Him!

The Lenten observances we undertake help deepen our relationship with God and with one another, as today’s readings invite us to do in different ways. In our first reading (Genesis 12:1–4a), we hear of God’s blessing upon Abram (Abraham) and how he faithfully listened to God’s direction. His willingness to listen and obey became the foundation of God’s promise.

Similarly, in the Gospel (Matthew 17:1–9), we encounter the Transfiguration of Christ. Jesus uses this profound and mysterious moment to strengthen the faith of his closest disciples as he prepares them for his coming Passion. From the cloud comes the voice of the Father: “This is my beloved Son… listen to him.” This call to listen is addressed not only to Peter, James, and John, but to all of us. Faith begins and grows by listening to and accepting God’s word in our lives (Romans 10:17).

The words of Pope Leo XVI in his 2026 Lenten Message, themed “Listening and Fasting: Lent as a Time of Conversion,” invite us to become more attentive to the many ways God speaks during this holy season. The Holy Father reminds us that making room for the word through listening is essential to authentic relationship. The willingness to listen is the first way we show our desire to enter into communion with another. The Holy Father states:

“In revealing himself to Moses in the burning bush, God shows that listening is one of his defining characteristics. Our God is one who seeks to involve us. Even today, he shares with us what is in his heart. Listening to the word proclaimed in the liturgy teaches us to listen more deeply to the truth of reality. Amid the many competing voices in our personal lives and in society, Sacred Scripture helps us recognize and respond to the cries of those who are anguished and suffering.”

This season of Lent is an excellent time to reflect and ask ourselves how well we listen to Jesus in the choices we make each day. God speaks in many ways—through Scripture, the promptings of a well-formed conscience, the events of our lives, and through one another. Just as Abraham, Jesus, and the disciples listened to God, may we ask the Lord to open our ears and hearts to hear his voice. May he transfigure us to become more like him. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

February 15, 2026

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

Every family has its own stories. They form part of what makes us who we are; in fact, they do more than that in shaping us, inspiring us, and teaching us. Some stories are fanciful, some more serious, but each tells us something. I remember the stories of my mother’s learning to drive on the delivery truck of the bakery where my grandfather worked—resilience, pluck, teenage determination, and more. Or secret agent type stories of my father‘s brother, a lawyer, smuggling inheritance money to his clients’ relatives who were trapped in Eastern Europe during the Cold War. That’s family.

Today we revisit the stories of our religious family, those stories that tell us who we are before God. We begin with a sad, but true story—it’s a story of sinfulness. Its truth lies less in the details, but in what we recognize as so very human about our willingness to turn away from God. The story describes how easily tempted we are, the first in an all too long line of those temptations which look so good but which can do such damage to us. It’s not simply a theoretical story but a story that works its way through all of human history. Saint Paul recognized that when he acknowledged that this wasn’t just one thing or one person’s story; he recognized the claims that sin has on each one of us because each one of us repeats that sin. Ever there we long in our own ways to return to God.

The Gospel, however, offers a different story. The story of Jesus is one that offers us precisely the hope of return. It is a story that tells us that the inevitability of sin forms yet another lie embedded in that initial story. Just because sin has its roots so deeply in our humanity does not mean that we are trapped by sin.

Jesus tells a different story. His story is one in which God’s truth reveals the lies of the Tempter. Each of the temptations Jesus faces forms a fundamental part of being human: the temptation to be self-sufficient, the temptation to make God serve us, the temptation to possess the world and to define our value in what we own. In the face of each of these temptations, Jesus reminds us that we can say no. He speaks the truth for us: We depend on God and every word that God speaks. We can trust God without testing God—no need to jump off the temple to know that God protects us. And, most forcefully, Jesus declares that our value begins in the love that God has for us, not from what we do or from what we own.

And so we begin this Lenten time. It’s an ancient time that during which we ask each other to make a place for God in our lives. We encourage one another as we walk with those preparing for baptism. We live the Christian lesson that we do not believe alone but the in a community of believers, a new humanity. And in the community, we learn to tell new stories, stories of trust, stories of redemption, stories of love.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

February 15, 2026

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

Sirach says, in the choices we make every day we are choosing in one direction or the other. We choose based upon the costs, benefits and risks involved. Often our choices are about self-protection or making ourselves feel happier. For Sirach in life there is one fundamental choice to be made — the choice between life and death. Where will I spend eternity? This ultimate criterion should affect all other choices. What good does it profit a person to gain the whole world, and lose one’s soul? (cf Mark 8:36)

Bringing this to an everyday level we need to reflect: could our daily lifestyle be described as life-giving? Do we choose to help sustain and nurture life for ourselves and others? Or do we choose to diminish or ignore the good of others? Do we try to make our world a better place? While Jesus sets us a very high standard, Sirach and Jesus invite us to evaluate our habitual ways of choosing.

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus might appear to be exceeding even the Pharisees strictness in the interpretation of the Law. “Until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.” Many Christians (and others) have a core feeling that religion is essentially about strictness and restraint; and so they feel that the more rigid they are, the more religious. We need to understand this passage very carefully.

The Jews were proud of the Law of Moses – God had given it to their ancestors, as something precious and unique. In that Law was contained the will of the one true God and there the Jewish community could find all that they needed to be faithful to God. For Jesus too the Law is important, but not in the center. Jesus communicates another priority: God’s Reign is coming; the Father is looking for a path to open among us for the building of a more human world. It’s not enough for us to just keep Moses’ Law. It’s necessary to open ourselves to the Father and to collaborate with God in building a more just life. Clearly, it’s not enough to fulfil the law that orders: “Don’t kill”. It’s also necessary to root out of aggression, looking down on others, insults or revenge. Whoever doesn’t kill fulfils the law, but if we don’t free ourselves from violence, then God who seeks to build a more human world with us still doesn’t reign in our hearts.

The Sermon on the Mount offers Jesus’ followers high moral ideals, not a set of firm commandments. Jesus forbids not merely murder but also lesser forms of injuring others. The importance of forgiveness is so great that it comes before fulfilling religious duties strictly. This is what Jesus suggests: “leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your neighbor.” We must respect not simply people’s right to life but also their right to dignity and self-respect. In our society we see aggression and offensive insults cast about just to humiliate, look down on others, wounding their dignity; words born of rejection, resentment, hate or revenge. Words spoken without love or respect poison our living together and cause damage.

The motive under which the Christian lives is the motive of love; our one desire is to show gratitude for the love with which God loves us in Jesus Christ. The Scribes and Pharisees in Jesus’ time aimed to satisfy the law of God; and to the demands of law there is always a limit. The Christian aims to show gratitude for the love of God; and to the claims of love there is no limit in time or in eternity. Jesus sets before us, not the law of God, but the love of God. Long ago Augustine said that the Christian life could be summed up in the one phrase: “Love God and do what you like.” When we realize how God loves us, our one desire of life is to answer to that love. That is the greatest task in all the world.

Law provides structure and order, while love fosters connection and empathy. Laws are designed to protect individuals, but love can motivate acts of compassion beyond legal requirements. The law of God is the governing rule of His Kingdom, just as nations have laws and ordinances that are the governing rule. True love is expressed when we keep the Commandments of God towards our neighbor and God’s law is fulfilled when our neighbor is properly loved. “The Ten Commandments are an adventure in human growth. We are not so much convicted by them as we are to be transformed by them,” writes Sr. Joan Chittister. Furthermore, Abbe Henri de Tourville offers this advice: Say to yourself, God loves me beyond all I can imagine or put into words. Let this be at the heart of your being and become the whole of your devotion and never let go of it. You will soon find that this is the way to find God.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

February 8, 2026

A Message From Fr. David Olaniyi

Shining The Light of Christ and Sharing His Favor

Jesus, in the Gospel reading (Matthew 5:13–16), tells us, “you are the salt of the earth…you are the light of the world.” He is not asking us to become salt or to work hard to be light; rather, He tells us who we are. The question is not whether we are salt and light, but how we allow God to use us as such.

Our liturgy today reminds us that the candle placed in our hands or in the hands of our parents and godparents at baptism by the priest was not a decoration, but a mission. It symbolized the truth that Christ’s light now burns within us; not to be hidden, not to be extinguished, but to be carried into the world. Every time we see a candle in church, we are reminded of our identity. We carry the flame of Christ.

When we consider salt and light, we may think they have nothing in common, but they do: they exist for others. Salt does not season itself; light does not shine for itself. Their whole purpose is outward. In the same way, our lives should not be self-focused, but oriented toward God and neighbor.

Jesus deliberately chooses salt and light to describe our identity as children of God. Salt and light were two of the most essential elements in the ancient world; ordinary, accessible, and used daily. Salt preserves what is good, enhances flavor to bring out what is hidden, heals wounds, and purifies. Light, on the other hand, reveals what is true, guides those who are lost, and warms to give life. Salt and light are subtle but powerful. Their presence is felt without announcement.

The prophet Isaiah, in our first reading today (Isaiah 58:7–10), gives us concrete examples of what it looks like to shine as a child of God: share your bread with the hungry, clothe the naked, and do not turn your back on those who need you. He says that is “how your light shall break forth like the dawn.” Our light flows naturally when we live with compassion, justice, and mercy.

As important as they are, they both can lose their value. Salt can lose its taste and become mixed with impurities, while light can be hidden when fear, shame, or complacency cover it. Jesus invites us today to guard the gifts we have received. We can lose our saltiness when we compromise our values to fit in, become indifferent to injustice, allow bitterness, gossip, or cynicism to shape our hearts, and when we forget who we are. Being salt and light is not about big gestures; it is about simple, consistent everyday faithfulness.

As we go about our activities this week, let us make efforts to let our light shine by speaking words that heal rather than harm, encouraging those who feel discouraged, standing up quietly but firmly for what is right, bringing out the best in others instead of criticizing, and, most importantly, preserving relationships through forgiveness and patience. Being salt and light does not require perfection. It requires availability, compassion, patience, generosity, and love.

May the flame we received at baptism burn brightly in our words, our choices, and our presence. And may our lives help others taste God’s goodness and see His light.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

February 1, 2026

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Blessed Are You!

It was a great joy to begin 2026 with my family in Nigeria. As part of our family tradition, we gather on New Year’s Eve to talk, pray, and celebrate together, patiently waiting until midnight to enter the new year with shouts of joy. It is always a special time for my large family. One cherished tradition is taking turns to express—through prayer—our hopes and desires for the new year. I am always uplifted listening to my nephews and nieces, ranging in age from five to twenty-three, voice their heartfelt intentions. In summary, their prayers center on joy, peace, success, protection, and perseverance in the face of difficulties, all rooted in trust in God. These intentions beautifully reflect the motto my parents established for our family: GOD FIRST.

The readings for today align closely with these New Year experiences I shared with my family. In the first reading, the Prophet Zephaniah (2:3; 3:12–13) invites us to live a life in which God truly comes first, saying: “Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth, who have observed his law; seek justice, seek humility. “Similarly, in the second reading, St. Paul reminds us of the special choice God has made of each one of us—created in his image and likeness—and of the continual choice God makes to dwell with us. As St. Paul emphasizes: “It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.”

In the Gospel (Matthew 5:1–12), the Beatitudes invite us to live a life of true blessedness. God’s blessings are given freely to each of us, yet we are called to cooperate with grace by living out the virtues that lead to genuine happiness. The model of joy presented in the Beatitudes often stands in contrast to what we see and hear in today’s world. The Beatitudes remind us that true happiness is not found in power, wealth, or comfort alone, but in a heart rooted in God. To live the Beatitudes is to trust that God is at work even in moments of weakness, sorrow, and struggle. It is a call to believe that God’s grace is sufficient and that faithfulness, rather than worldly success, is the true measure of a blessed life.

In my pastoral ministry, I have witnessed this lived out in powerful ways. I think of parishioners who continue to serve generously even while carrying heavy personal crosses—families facing illness, individuals navigating uncertainty, or those quietly persevering through loss. Their joy is not loud or flashy, but it is deep and rooted in faith. In their humility, mercy, and perseverance, I see the Beatitudes made visible. They remind me that blessedness is often found not in having everything resolved, but in trusting God daily and choosing love, even when the path is difficult.

Each of us is invited to ask: among the Beatitudes, which one is God calling me to live more deeply in my life and in my relationships? Is God calling you to be poor in spirit—humble, meek, pure of heart, merciful, hungry for righteousness, or persevering in doing good?

Let us ask the good Lord to help us live the Beatitudes faithfully, so that we may experience true blessedness both here on earth and in the life to come. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

January 25, 2026

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

This weekend we celebrate the Sunday of the Word of God. Pope Francis established this day in 2019 to help the Church focus on the study of the Scriptures and to foster deeper engagement with the Bible and to work for Christian unity. In the preparation materials published by the Vatican, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, writes that this year’s theme comes “from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians: ‘The word of Christ dwells among you’ (3:16). What we have received from the Apostle is not a simple moral exhortation, but the indication of a new way of living. Paul does not ask that the Word be merely listened to or studied; he wants it to dwell, that is, to take up stable residence, to shape our thoughts, guide our desires, and make credible the witness of the disciples. The Word of Christ remains a sure criterion that unifies and renders fruitful the life of the Christian community.” Taking up the call of the Synod that we become missionary disciples, the archbishop urges us to rediscover the primacy of the Word of God through listening and prayer.

The Word of God in the Scriptures is the same Word of God who became flesh and dwells among us, Jesus the Lord. Just as we find life in the risen Christ, so we find the path to life in the Scriptures. This Sunday reminds us that we need to make the Word of God our own, not only as we hear it in the Eucharistic liturgy but also in our homes and in our prayer. In the preparatory documents for today, Dom Mauro-Giuseppe Lepori, O.Cist., the Abbot General of the Cistercian Order, tells us, “One can live without listening to the Word who creates us with love, but in this way he or she experiences, as so many do today, an inconsistent life, a dissipated life, escaping from our hands, unable to hold it. Instead, we are given the grace to live by listening, to live ready to listen to the Lord who is constantly at the door of our freedom, knocking and asking to enter.”

How can we do this? We can begin by taking a few minutes every day to read or listen to the Scriptures, either from our family Bible together or from a personal Bible. We need to make it a habit to read the Scriptures, perhaps by connecting it to something we won’t forget—like a meal or exercising. That Word of God is readily accessible, through online sources like the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website ( https://bible.usccb.org/ ), which offers daily readings (both in text or oral forms), from widely available Bible apps with daily meditations for phones, or from YouVersion, an ecumenical group that offers 3,500 Bible translations in 2,300 languages ( https://www.youversion.com/ ). There is no reason that we cannot make the Bible our own. One could also join a Bible study group here at the parish or pray a Bible-oriented version of the Rosary. We can also incorporate the Bible as part of our Eucharistic adoration. (For ideas on how to do this, see the guidelines, in The Word of Christ Dwells Among You, at https://www.evangelizatio.va/content/pcpne/en/attivita/parola/2026/sussidio.html.)

Today’s observation fits well with what we hear in the Gospel today: Jesus sees Peter and Andrew, James and John, and speaks directly to them, “Come after me.” That’s the same word Jesus speaks to each of us, inviting us to open our hearts and minds to him. The Word of God wants to dwell in us, but we need to respond. The Book of Revelation has Jesus say this, “Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together” (Rev. 3:20).

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

January 18, 2026

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

Scripturally, Ordinary Time focuses on the words and deeds of Jesus as he proclaims the Kingdom of God to the people of Israel and, through them, to the world. During these weeks, we hear Jesus teach with wisdom and creativity, we witness his effectiveness as a preacher, and we marvel at his miracles. Ordinary Time invites us to deepen our relationship with Jesus as we learn more about who he is and what it means to follow him.

The readings today emphasize the call to discipleship and recognizing Jesus as the Lamb of God. The first reading from Isaiah highlights God’s chosen servant and the mission to bring justice. The prophet Isaiah in the first reading reveals that although the people have been released from captivity and are returning home, they are discouraged and uncertain about the future. Isaiah heard a call to bring a message of hope to his beleaguered people who were being held hostage in Babylon. Isaiah responded to his call by first remembering that the Lord had called him from his mother’s womb to be a prophet of God, and then Isaiah delivered the good news to his people that God would soon bring them back to Israel and make them a light to all nations. The prophet presents himself as the Servant of God, called from the womb to speak God’s word and restore hope.

John the Baptist heard a call to be a forerunner of Christ, to prepare the way of the Lord, and he answered this call by preaching the need for repentance, by baptizing many people — including Jesus — and by testifying that Christ is the One on whom he saw God’s Spirit rest and the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
In the Gospel John the Baptist points to Jesus and declares, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” John the Baptist is carrying out his role of witness. John’s water baptism is a simple preparatory rite of conversion, disposing people for salvation. Jesus, upon whom John has seen the Spirit come down and rest, is going to ‘baptize with the Holy Spirit’. Jesus is going to impart the Spirit of God.

Jesus found his first disciples among those who were influenced by the preaching of John the Baptist. He had showed them the value of self-control and of prayer; he urged them to listen to the inner voice of God, with repentance and a faithful heart. The high point of John’s short ministry was his meeting with Jesus. Not only did he get to baptize Our Lord but he also helped some of his own followers to go with Jesus and become the first Christian disciples. Through him, Andrew and his brother Peter, and Philip and Nathanael became apostles of Jesus.

By virtue of our baptism, we belong to Christ and as such, are called to be holy people by walking in his footsteps. We may have already in words expressed our faith in Jesus Christ many times. Sometimes, however, being unsure of the identity and mission of Jesus Christ, brings doubt. Today we are called upon once again to truly believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, our Savior. At the same time, like John the Baptist, all of us are called to witness to Jesus. We, like John, are asked to make Jesus Christ known to the world not primarily as a great miracle worker, nor a wonderful teacher but as God’s only Son, who lived and gave his life on the cross as ransom for our sin.

This Sunday’s Scripture encourages personal reflection on our own call to follow Christ. From Isaiah to John the Baptist, the message is clear: we who are called – called to speak God’s word, to strengthen one another, and to point the way to Jesus Christ. The Gospel recounts John the Baptist identifying Jesus, inviting us to follow Him. God wishes us Christians also to help other people to know and love him. If we were more committed to our own Christian calling, we would be more effective in influencing others towards religious commitment. Words will only be effective when backed up by the actual example of their own faith and prayer.

We have many times expressed our faith in Jesus Christ. However, often times, being unsure of the identity and mission of Jesus Christ, we have experienced doubt. Today, therefore, we are called upon once again to truly believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, our Savior. At the same time, like John the Baptist, all of us are called to witness to Jesus. We, like him, must make Jesus Christ known to the world.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

January 11, 2026

A Message From Fr. David Olaniyi

The Baptism of the Lord

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, a moment that stands as both a revelation of who Jesus is and a commissioning for the mission he is about to begin. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus steps into the waters of the Jordan to be baptized by John. As he rises from the water, the heavens open, the Spirit descends like a dove, and the voice of the Father proclaims, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” This moment reveals the divine sonship of Jesus and marks the beginning of his public ministry.

To understand the depth of this event, our first reading from Isaiah 42 offers a prophetic lens. Isaiah speaks of the Lord’s chosen servant, one upheld by God, filled with the Spirit, and sent to bring justice to the nations. This servant will not cry out or shout; he will not break the bruised reed or quench the smoldering wick. Instead, he will bring forth justice with gentleness, steadfastness, and compassion. God declares, “I have called you for the victory of justice… I have grasped you by the hand.” This servant is sent to open the eyes of the blind, to free captives, and to bring light to those who dwell in darkness.

In Jesus’ baptism, we see this prophecy fulfilled. The Spirit rests upon him, just as Isaiah foretold. The Father identifies him as the chosen one. And from this moment forward, Jesus begins the work described by the prophet: healing, teaching, liberating, and revealing the mercy of God.

John the Baptist’s role in this story is essential. His mission was to ready the hearts of the people for the coming of the Messiah. His baptism was a baptism of repentance. Those who came to him acknowledged their sins, expressed their desire for conversion, and were immersed in the waters of the Jordan as a sign of new beginnings. Yet John knew that his ministry was only a prelude. He proclaimed that someone greater was coming, someone who would baptize “with the Holy Spirit and fire.” John recognized his own unworthiness, saying he was not fit even to undo the strap of Jesus’ sandals.

This makes Jesus’ request for baptism all the more striking. John himself is startled: Why should the sinless One submit to a baptism meant for sinners? Why should the Messiah stand in line with those seeking repentance? Jesus’ answer is found not in words but in the humility of his actions. He enters the waters to identify with the people he came to save. He chooses solidarity over separation, humility over privilege. By stepping into the Jordan, Jesus sanctifies the waters of baptism for all who will follow after him.

This feast invites us to reflect on our own baptism. Just as Jesus’ baptism marked the beginning of his public ministry, our baptism marks the beginning of our life in Christ. It is not simply a ritual from our past but a living identity. In baptism, we were claimed as beloved sons and daughters of God. We were anointed by the Holy Spirit. We were called to be light for the world, just as Isaiah describes; people who bring hope, healing, and justice wherever we go.

The baptism of Jesus challenges us to imitate his humility. He welcomed sinners, reached out to the marginalized, and showed compassion to those who were overlooked. Today’s celebration invites us to do the same. We are called to welcome those we might be tempted to judge, to extend mercy rather than condemnation, and to recognize the dignity of every person as a child of God.

As we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, may we hear the Father’s words spoken to us as well: “You are my beloved.” May we renew our commitment to live as disciples of Christ, guided by the Spirit, rooted in God’s love, and sent forth to share the Good News with all we meet. And may the grace of our baptism continue to shape our lives, our choices, and our witness in the world.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

January 4, 2026

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

What Gift Do I Offer to the Newborn Baby—Emmanuel?

On the Solemnity of the Epiphany, we celebrate the manifestation of the newborn Jesus—not only to His own people, but also to the Gentiles, that is, to the whole world. Christ is the light who enlightens all nations and gives the fullness of life to all people. Thus, the prophet Isaiah proclaims in the first reading (Isaiah 60:1–6): “Arise! Shine, for your light has come; the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” In the same spirit, Saint Paul, in the second reading (Ephesians 3:2–3a, 5–6), calls himself a steward of God’s grace, entrusted with the mission of sharing this gift with all people.

In today’s Gospel (Matthew 2:1–12), we see how different people reacted to the news of Jesus’ birth. First, there is King Herod, who felt threatened and insecure upon hearing of the birth of a new king. In order to protect his power, he ordered the killing of countless innocent children. Next, we observe the indifference of the chief priests and scribes. When questioned about the newborn king, they showed little interest and failed to act on the good news. Finally, we encounter the Magi—wise men from the East, likely from Mesopotamia—whose response stands in stark contrast.

The Magi offered Jesus their finest gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold, the king of metals, symbolizes that Jesus is born a king—not a king in the worldly sense, but one who reigns through service, humility, and sacrifice. Frankincense, a gift offered to priests and used in temple worship, symbolizes Jesus as the great High Priest who opens the way of salvation for all people. Myrrh, an embalming balm, foreshadows Jesus’ suffering and death, revealing His mission to lay down His life so that we may have life, and have it in abundance.

Today, we are invited to reflect on the gift we offer to Emmanuel. Do we welcome Him with the hardened heart of Herod, the indifference of the chief priests, or the generous devotion of the Magi? The best gift we can offer Jesus is our own life—freely given in trust, faith, and love. As we journey in the new year, 2026, we are filled with hope. Our trust in God reminds us that our hope is a “hope that does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). Let us turn to God for the strength we need in this new year—to be our best and to do our best. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 28, 2025

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

Perhaps more so than the other celebrations around the birth of Jesus, the feast of the Holy Family makes less sense as an historical feast than as a commentary or starting point for our present day reflection. Yes, of course Mary and Joseph and the child Jesus formed a family—a family that we reverence. However, the scriptures say very little about that family or how it lived, except for the time the family presented the infant Jesus in the temple, the time it experienced the persecution of Herod, and the time of their trip to the Passover feast in Jerusalem during Jesus’s teen years.

This feast invites us to reflect into ways. First, we can think about our own families. Just as God embraced our humanity in Jesus, so God embraces the idea and the reality of the human family and sanctifies it. We should remember that it is in our families that we can meet the incarnate Lord. Those family times, both good and bad, are times that we experience our moments of a kind of sacramental meeting of the Lord. We should avoid idealizing the Holy Family—telling ourselves that they are perfect even as we recall that we lack such perfection—because they too have their own difficult moments, as we remember, for example, when Jesus stays behind in the temple. It’s not a surprising kind of teenage behavior and Mary and Joseph lived through it. We find those same opportunities of living through difficult times in our own families. Those difficult times and the good times offer us an invitation to pray for each other and to pray in thanksgiving. Today’s feast invites each of us to call family members to mind, one by one, to pray for them, and to give thanks for them.

Second, we see in the life of the family of Jesus something that appears very contemporary in terms of challenges that families can face. As a young child, probably less than two years old according to the calculations given to the Magi, Jesus had to flee with his family from persecution. Warned in a dream, Joseph took the family and fled in the middle of the night from Herod and his murderous threats. They became refugees, leaving their own country and seeking shelter across the border in Egypt. There, they found a welcome and a place of safety. We learn little about that except the fact, but that fact mirrors the experience of many people today, people in their millions who flee persecution, violence, war, hunger, and the destruction of their homes. We ourselves may not be refugees or may not know refugees, but we are called to reflect on what we can do for those in such need. Just last month, when asked about this, Pope Leo told journalists, “I would like to invite all Catholics—and also people of good will—to listen carefully to what they [the U.S. Bishops] have said. I believe we must seek ways of treating people with humanity, with the dignity that is theirs.” We can start by seeing the Holy Family in the families of those seeking help.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 21, 2025

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

We have arrived at the end of our Advent season. On this fourth Sunday of Advent, the mood of the liturgy shifts from the intense calls to conversion to a focus on the events immediately surrounding the birth of Jesus.

In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah speaks in the year 734 BC when King Ahaz was facing a very powerful enemy. Isaiah urged Ahaz to have faith in the Lord’s power to deliver Jerusalem, and he offered the king a sign from the Lord. King Ahaz simply would not rely on God to help him through the greatest crisis in his life. He preferred to trust in his soldiers and his military plans. When the king hypocritically refused to turn to God for help, Isaiah angrily proclaimed that a sign would be given him anyway, the sign of a virgin with a child whose name shall be called Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” The promise that God is with us was not for Isaiah’s time only, it is also for our own.

In the gospel, we hear that before Mary and Joseph came together, Mary is found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. It is clear that the child is not Joseph’s, but rather God’s own Son. Joseph faces a mystery in Mary’s life and decides to “divorce her quietly.” God intervened to clarify the situation through an angel who reveals to Joseph in a dream that Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and that he should not be afraid to take Mary as his wife. For Joseph the unexpected pregnancy of Mary was not a sign to confirm his trust either in her or God; it was a contradictory sign.

This reality must have been baffling for St Joseph. Close to Mary as he was, and finding her pregnant without any involvement by him, Joseph could only accept in faith what God’s messenger told him, that the child was in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit. With great patience and humility, Joseph accepted the part for which God had chosen him, as guardian and foster-father to our Lord and Savior. This kind of faithful acceptance is asked from each of us as “God-with-us.”
As it was for Joseph, our gospel today reveals to us that the signs God gives are not always the ones we would choose for ourselves. God gives signs for those who are willing to take on the darkness of doubt in openness and sincerity. Both in the first reading and in the gospel, we hear the name Emmanuel, “God with us.” Again, God is with Joseph in the midst of a great mission to watch and raise the mother and Son of God.
Do we also turn to the true God only as a vague source of possible help in moments of crisis? A fuller kind of faith would see us relying on God’s helping presence in every moment of life – literally, God-with-us. How important is Jesus for our religious belief? Jesus shares our lot, our life-experience and our troubles. At Christmas we will concentrate on the simplicity and poverty of Our Lord’s birth: how human he was, born of a young woman in the discomfort of a stable. That shows him as one of us, the human side of “Emmanuel.”

Advent is a time when we are invited to know more about Jesus, to know more about the scriptures that help us understand Him and most of all to believe more and more in His salvation at work in our lives. Matthew’s Gospel reflects our own striving to understand Jesus. He clearly believes that the life of Jesus was something very special and that Jesus is Son of God in a remarkable manner. Matthew gives witness that his whole life has been changed because of Jesus. By showing how ordinary Joseph was, how he could fit his life to God’s plan for salvation, in Joseph we are given an example, a prod, and confidence to accept with encouragement how to prepare ourselves for the way for the Lord.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 14, 2025

A Message From Fr. David Olaniyi

The Third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday, meaning rejoice. We rejoice because we are drawing closer to the celebration of the birth of Jesus – Christmas.

The joy we celebrate today does not distract us from the spiritual work and discipline of Advent; rather, it reminds us that our Savior is already at work and drawing us closer to Himself. Therefore, today’s celebration should not weaken our preparation; it should intensify it. We remain people who are waiting, watching, and readying our hearts.

The external signs of today’s liturgy-the rose-colored vestments, the lighter tone of the prayers, and the warmth of the readings- all point to the nearness of Christ. The Scripture passages offer us encouragement, hope, and deep consolation. Many of us may be carrying burdens as the year comes to an end. Some may be walking through a season that feels dark, cold, or silent. Others may be disappointed by relationships that have stalled, by unfulfilled dreams, or by people who have let us down. We may long for a new beginning. Into these very places, today’s readings speak powerfully. Isaiah announces that our God is coming and when He comes: “the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed; the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongues of the mute will sing for joy. Those whom the Lord has ransomed shall return.” This is the promise of God: He draws near to heal, renew, and set us free. The second reading deepens this hope by reminding us, as James says, to be patient and steadfast. We do not rejoice because everything is perfect, but because we trust the God who is faithful, already at work, and drawing us closer as we wait.

As we rejoice in God’s promises, the Gospel calls us to look to John the Baptist, whom Jesus praises as the greatest among those born of women. John points not to himself but to the coming Messiah, even from his place of uncertainty and imprisonment. His life teaches us that preparing the way for Christ is not about self-promotion but about fidelity. John’s humility challenges us to resist the urge to craft false images or seek admiration. Instead, we are invited to live with sincerity, authenticity, humility, and quiet service so that our lives, like John’s, point others to the One who truly saves. Each of us has been given gifts meant to build up God’s kingdom. As Advent moves toward its climax, may we offer those gifts generously and joyfully.

May this Gaudete Sunday awaken in us a deeper hope, a renewed patience, and a humble openness to welcome Christ who comes to heal, to free, and to save.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 7, 2025

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Produce Good Fruit as Evidence of Repentance!

The Advent season—much like Lent—invites us in a unique and profound way to repentance, metanoia, a true change of heart in preparation for the celebration of Christmas. This repentance begins with sincere spiritual introspection, and the fruits of this conversion must be reflected in our relationships with God and with one another. Thus, St. Paul reminds us in today’s second reading (Romans 15:4–6) to “think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

In our first reading, the prophet Isaiah (11:1–10)—the prophet of hope and promise—directs our attention to the peace and harmony the coming Savior will bring. Of this Savior, Isaiah proclaims: “Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.” Our Responsorial Psalm echoes this vision, proclaiming, “Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever.” These readings stir our hearts toward being people of justice and peace. In fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, John the Baptist appears in today’s Gospel (Matthew 3:1–12), calling us to prepare the way of the Lord through repentance. He challenges us directly: “Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.” True repentance must be visible, tangible, and transformative.

During this Advent season, there are many fruits we can bear as evidence of our conversion. Begin by asking: What areas of my spiritual life is God inviting me to renew? Perhaps it is finding more time for prayer, meditation, or spiritual reading. Perhaps it is offering greater generosity to those in need, participating in outreach programs, or reconciling strained relationships. It may also be an invitation to become an instrument of peace and harmony within your family and community—allowing harmony to begin within your own heart and flow outward to others. May the good Lord help us recognize the many ways He calls us to show true evidence of repentance. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

November 30, 2025

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

You Must Be Prepared!

The Church’s five liturgical seasons—Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time—offer us grace-filled opportunities through their rich liturgy, spirituality, and theology. Advent is a sacred season of preparation, inviting us to ready our hearts to celebrate the most significant event in human history: the Incarnation—the birth of Christ at Christmas. Throughout this season, the Scriptures repeatedly call us to prepare for this great feast.

During Advent, we encounter two prophets in a special way: Isaiah, who foretold the coming of Christ and revealed His mission as the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:5–6), and John the Baptist, the precursor and forerunner of the Messiah. John’s urgent call to readiness echoes in today’s Gospel (Matthew 24:37–44), urging us to remain vigilant for the coming of Jesus Christ. At the foundation of this preparation is St. Paul’s exhortation in the second reading (Romans 13:11–14): “Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

Jesus is the Light of the World. The Advent wreath and its candles vividly remind us that Christ’s light is meant to overcome every darkness within us so that we may truly become children of light. As we gaze upon the soft glow of the Advent candles, may we remember that Christ desires to shine in our hearts, empowering us—now and always—to reflect His light through our words and actions.

I also wish to express my heartfelt gratitude for your generosity, which sustains the SFC Social and Outreach Ministries. Thank you to all who volunteered on Saturday, November 22nd, for our annual Thanksgiving food distribution led by our Men’s Club Ministry. We are equally grateful to everyone who served at our Thanksgiving Meal on Thursday, November 27th, in partnership with Loaves & Fishes. We look forward to our Christmas food drive giveaway on Saturday, December 20th.

Throughout this Advent season, we have also prepared various spiritual programs to help us enter more deeply into the mystery of Christ’s birth and to celebrate Christmas in God’s love and joy. I warmly encourage your participation in the different parish activities, especially our Parish Advent Retreat from Tuesday, December 2nd to Thursday, December 4th.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

November 23, 2025

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

This celebration of Christ the King serves as a summary and repetition of all that we have heard and prayed this year. In that sense, we meet nothing new. But it still seems a bit strange to us: The solemnity gives the title of king to Jesus, though he denied before Pilate that he was a king and though the rulers of the people ridiculed him under that title. And the title itself seems strange to us, living in a democracy that rejected royal rule 250 years ago. What are we to make of this feast?

The Second Book of Samuel describes the kingship of David as marking him as the one “who led the Israelites out and brought them back,” as the shepherd who cared for them. This kind of kingship—not pomp and ceremony, not imperium—certainly applies to Jesus who leads us in God’s paths safely through dark valleys (even the valley of death) and who feeds us in the banquet of his own self, even in the sight of our enemies. This is also the way we have witnessed Jesus acting and teaching throughout this year.

The Letter to the Colossians applies Jesus’ own language of the “kingdom of God” (where God’s will is done) to Jesus himself. He who proclaimed God’s kingdom is the one who leads us into that kingdom, delivering us from the power of darkness through redemption, the forgiveness of sins. And thus, through his own teaching, his own death, and his own leading by example, Jesus accomplishes what he proclaimed. Through his death and resurrection, the Letter to the Colossians—in one of the great theological insights of the New Testament—declares that Jesus “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” Again, he goes before all things, holding all things together in his shepherding, beginning and ending all things, even life and death, reconciling all things, a peacemaker by the blood of his cross.

Finally, when we consider all things, it is the blood of the cross that makes Jesus a king. Only on the cross do we recognize the kind of kingship that Jesus proclaims: not what the mocking inscription noted (“the King of the Jews”) but the kind of king who goes before us and will “remember me when you come into your kingdom,” The kingship of Jesus is a work of service, a leadership by walking with us, a revelation of God’s love for us.

This indeed recapitulates all that we heard this year as we have read Luke’s Gospel, from the words of the angel to Mary, “He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” to Jesus’ words on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

This king merits celebration and praise.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

November 16, 2025

A Message From Fr. Robery McKay

The Church’s year is drawing to a close. During the coming weeks, the liturgies invite us to look forward in hope to the glorious fulfilment of God’s plan for creation. Last Sunday we reflected on the after-life and about entrusting our future into God’s hands. This week we get a clearer sense that life is short and that each of us will face the moment of death. We may also wonder how to interpret the gospel predictions about the end of this world and the day of judgment. There are those who claim to know the exact date of the Lord’s coming. Notice how Jesus warns against believing in such predictions. Even though he himself used the idea of the coming day of judgement as a motive to turn people’s hearts back to God, he also said that “no man knows the date, not even the Son, but the Father only.”

In these last Sundays of our church year, we are encouraged to look beyond our immediate worries, troubles, interests and selfish concerns since we are exiles and wayfarers on this earth and we are drawing ever nearer to our ultimate home in heaven, with a longing to be with Jesus Christ in the life to come. It is useless speculating about when Jesus will return in glory. Jesus’ message to us is to be ever watchful, to let the thought of what is to come be a reminder of the shortness of our present life. The apocalyptic imagery was used in the early Church to express hope for world-wide justice at the end of time. If we love God we need not be alarmed, for love casts out fear. Until the day when the Lord calls us, we go on preparing to meet him.

There can be no doubt that it can be a challenge to live out our faith. It might seem like the simplest thing to do is to be quiet about our faith. We might say we’ll do anything to keep the peace. Keeping quiet might seem the easiest way to keep the peace but Jesus doesn’t call us to keep quiet. He calls us to give testimony to our faith. The time to change our lives, to learn more about our faith is now. We are called to live like Jesus Christ every day. Christians must never think that they are living in a settled situation. The Christian lives in a permanent state of expectation. We must live forever in the shadow of eternity, in the certainty that we are people who are fitting or unfitting themselves to appear in the presence of God. There can be nothing so thrilling as the Christian life!

How then can we prepare for the coming of Jesus? One way we can prepare for the coming of Jesus is to stay watchful and alert. Just like how a fig tree’s budding branches indicate that summer is near, we must stay attentive to the signs that the return of Jesus is drawing closer. We can be ready for his coming by staying spiritually awake and aware.

Another way to prepare is by staying faithful and standing firm in our beliefs, even during times of difficulties and trials. The Gospel verses talk about the distress of nations and people being fearful of what is coming but encourages us not to be overwhelmed by these circumstances. Instead, we can strengthen our faith, trust in God’s promises, and remain steadfast in our devotion to Him.

Lastly, we can prepare for the coming of Jesus by living a life of prayer and seeking a closer relationship with God. We can align our lives with God’s will and be prepared for the day when Jesus returns by grounding ourselves in prayer and seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit. Through prayer, we can find the strength and wisdom to navigate the challenges of this world while keeping our focus on the eternal hope of Jesus’ second coming.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

November 9, 2025

A Message From Fr. David Olaniyi

The Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

The Archbasilica of St. John Lateran in Rome, whose dedication we celebrate today, is the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome—the Holy Father. It is honored with the title Omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput (the mother and head of all churches in the world). This feast is not merely a commemoration of a historic building in Rome, but a celebration of the universal Church itself, united under one faith, one baptism, and one shepherd. The Lateran Basilica stands as a powerful symbol of the unity, holiness, and living presence of the Church as the Body of Christ, reminding us that though we are diverse in culture and place, we are one in Christ.

As we celebrate the feast of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, we are invited to reflect deeply on the meaning of sacred space, the centrality of worship, prayer, and community in our Christian life. Today’s celebration calls us to renew the connection between the visible temple of stone and the spiritual temple of our hearts, to value our unity and communion as one Body, and to rededicate ourselves to lives of faith, holiness, and renewal as members of the Catholic Church.

Ezekiel’s vision in our first reading (Ezekiel 47:1–2, 8–9, 12) of water flowing from the Temple is a profound image of life, renewal, and divine abundance. It reveals that the true temple, the presence of God among His people, is not static but life-giving and ever-expanding. This living water symbolizes the grace that flows from God, bringing healing, reconciliation, and new creation wherever it reaches. When we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit and allow God’s grace to flow freely through us, our communities are renewed, divisions are mended, and hearts are transformed. This feast, then, invites us to examine our own lives: are we channels through which God’s life flows, or are we allowing pride, sin, or indifference to obstruct the current of His grace.

In the Gospel (John 2:13–22), Jesus cleanses the Temple, driving out those who had turned His Father’s house into a marketplace. This act is far more than a protest against commerce; it is a call to spiritual renewal. Just as Ezekiel saw life-giving waters flowing from the Temple, Jesus reminds us that the dwelling place of God must remain a space of prayer, mercy, and love. The Temple of the Lord cannot be a place of distraction, corruption, gossip, resentment, greed, division, injustice, or indifference. Today, Jesus invites each of us to look inward and allow Him to cleanse our hearts of whatever defiles or desecrates the temple of God in us.

St. Paul, in our second reading (1 Corinthians 3:9–11, 16–17), deepens this message by reminding us that we are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in us. The Church, therefore, is not primarily about bricks and mortar. It is always about people built upon the unshakable foundation of Christ. Every act of faith, love, charity, and service adds to this living temple, making God’s presence visible in the world.

The Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica calls us, then, to more than the remembrance of a consecrated building in Rome. It is an invitation to renew our dedication to the living God, that our lives may shine with His glory and become sacred dwelling places of His presence in the world.

As the living stones of God’s Holy Church, may our words and actions bring healing and bear witness to the beauty of God’s presence in the world.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

November 2, 2025

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

All Soul’s Day!

Today we celebrate the Feast of All Souls, a day when we lovingly remember our departed brothers and sisters who are still being purified before entering the fullness of God’s presence. This feast reminds us of the Communion of Saints—the sacred bond between the Church Triumphant (in Heaven), the Church Suffering (in Purgatory), and the Church Militant (on Earth). Through our prayers, Masses, and acts of charity, we assist the souls in Purgatory and strengthen the unity of faith that connects us beyond life and death.

The Church teaches that Purgatory is a place of purification for those who die in God’s grace yet are not perfectly cleansed. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that this purification “achieves the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven” (CCC 1030) and is “entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). As Scripture says, “nothing unclean will enter [heaven]” (Revelation 21:27).

The words of Jesus in the Gospel give us hope: “Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will never reject anyone who comes to me… This is the will of my Father, that everyone who believes in the Son may have eternal life, and I shall raise them on the last day.” (John 6:37, 40) These words assure us that God’s mercy is boundless.

Those who have died in His friendship are not forgotten; they are journeying toward eternal life, and our prayers can help them along the way. As we light candles and pray throughout this month of November, may we entrust our loved ones to Jesus and remember our own call to live faithfully each day. Death is not the end; it is our passage to eternal life in Christ. May God grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed and may His perpetual light shine upon them. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 26, 2025

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

In marriage and other human relationships we often notice how two unlike personalities complement each other – one partner may show a natural flair for leadership and the other is happy to follow that lead. Among ourselves, the taking of initiatives will be shared back and forth, neither partner being fully passive with respect to the other. With God the picture is somewhat different – Our God is the powerful giver and we are the dependent receivers.

Our dependency on our Creator is our way to peace. As so succinctly expressed by St. Paul: “when I am weak, then am I strong; I can do all things in him who strengthens me” (2 Cor. 12:10; Phil. 4:13.) The other apostles also attributed all their cures and conversions to the power of God, working through them. When we are humble in God’s presence God will accomplish great things in us.

Humility of this kind is not always understood by us. Perhaps we ask: is it really a good thing to feel small? or does it harm our ego and our self-confidence? Genuine humility recognizes the essential truth about ourselves – an honest self-appraisal, in God’s presence. We know we are not perfect. There are times we are sinful in our selfishness and lack of love and we thus recognize our need for mercy, forgiveness and understanding. The Publican in today’s Gospel felt this need for honesty, as he stood in the Temple of God. “Lord, be merciful,” he said. Look what happened to him. He went home with his sins forgiven and with a heart relieved.

The Pharisee, however, has lived an admirable life and is a good example of fidelity within the Jewish tradition. He makes his virtue known – he has kept all the rules, from fasting and almsgiving to honesty and purity. Alas, his virtues made him to forget that he is weak and sinful, like other people. He goes so far as to despise others and by this attitude, he undermines his other virtues. His pride turns him from speaking to God, to talking about himself. His prayer dies.

This warning may apply to our church’s attitude, towards God and others. Many of us remember the days of seeing faith and obedience only through obeying all the rules and regulations and we were told to remain faithful to those and not deviate in any way and that we would so merit heaven. If religion is all about a way of keeping people from going to hell, then it is rather empty. Spirituality is not about externals, it’s what God does for us that fills us with joy.

The way to holiness is to discover that in my selfishness through sin the closer I come to God. It is a long journey from the Pharisee at the front to the tax-collector at the back. It is a journey of repentance and of facing up to the truth. It is a journey that Life will provide if I have the courage and honesty to find it. If I still think that I should be up at the front with the Pharisee, then my life will be riddled with guilt and I will never find peace.

The tax-collector knew his place before God. God is my Creator, in whom I live and have my being. I am a sinner and have no right to think myself superior to anyone else. “There, but for the grace of God, go I.” In humility we ask God to keep us from judging others. Our humble prayer is: “God, be merciful to me a sinner.”

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 19, 2025

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

This marks the third week in which we read from Luke’s Gospel about how Jesus thinks about faith. Each time connects faith with prayer. We began with the disciples asking Jesus, “Increase our faith.” Jesus responds with a question/parable in which he asks the disciples, “Which one of you, if you had a servant, would serve that person after work? Wouldn’t you rather have the servant serve your dinner first?” Here, Jesus teaches us that our faith involves recognizing that we live in a relationship with God, that we are God’s servants. Instead of demanding things or, in effect, ordering God around, our faith consists of recognizing that we “have only done what we should.” To increase our faith and to have prayers answered means that we need to align ourselves with God’s will. That is Jesus’ prayer in the Our Father and in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Your will be done.”

Last week, we witnessed a different unfolding of faith, told from the aftermath of an encounter with Jesus. Ten people with leprosy asked Jesus to have pity on them, most likely coming to Jesus because they had heard of his compassion and his miracles. When Jesus asked them to do something simple—“Go, show yourselves to the priests”—they did it, and they were cleansed. But only one came back to give thanks and to praise God. Here, faith responds to what God does. The relationship that we have with God includes acknowledging what God does for us and offering thanks. The more we offer thanks, the better we become at recognizing God’s actions in our lives. We are God’s servants, but servants whom God loves and cares for. Faith involves trust and leads to action of some kind or another.

Today, Jesus tells another story/parable that builds on our experience. Wouldn’t we, like the judge, do what we are supposed to do if someone pesters us enough? Jesus concludes, “Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night?” Our faith relationship with God should lead us to call out to God, in Jesus’ view, constantly. God wants to hear us, but also wants us to ask for what we need. Again, in the words of the Our Father, “Give us this day our daily bread.” If faith is the relationship with God, the more we feel comfortable in asking, the more that the relationship grows; the more the relationship grows, the more comfortable we feel in asking.

The first reading from the Book of Exodus reminds us of something else here: the more we help one another, the easier it becomes. Jesus reflects this, too, when he tells the disciples, “I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.” (Matthew 18:19).

In these weeks, we learn a great deal about how Jesus views faith. It is a relationship with God in which we serve the God who loves us; our main prayer is for God’s will. Faith responds with thanksgiving. Faith grows through constant prayer, as we ask for what we need. And faith finds its roots and support in the community as we pray together.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 12, 2025

A Message From Fr. David Olaniyi

The Healing Power of Gratitude

For us Catholics, gratitude should not just be about saying “thank you”; it should be a way of life that forms our attitude towards God and those around us. It should not just be about good manners or politeness, but the spiritual posture that guides our relationship with God and people.

Our gospel reading for today (Luke 17:11–19) captures the heart of gratitude. Jesus meets ten lepers who stand at a distance and cry out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” In reply, He instructs them to go and present themselves to the priests. As they go, they are healed. Of the ten who were healed, only one returned to express gratitude for the blessing received. Jesus asks, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” Jesus may not have told them to return, yet He surely expected gratitude from them all. Gratitude flows naturally from a humble heart, but the ungrateful will always find reasons to withhold it, no matter how much kindness they receive.

In the time of Jesus, leprosy carried severe social, economic, and spiritual consequences. Those afflicted were declared unclean and shunned by society, including family and community members. They were forbidden from living with others, working, or participating in worship and public life. Beyond physical suffering, leprosy was often seen as a sign of divine punishment, leaving victims burdened not only with pain but also with shame, guilt, and isolation. With no known cure, a diagnosis of leprosy then was almost like a death sentence. So, when Jesus healed the ten lepers, He restored far more than their physical health; He gave them back their dignity, community, and hope. Yet, despite receiving such a profound gift, only one of the ten returned to express gratitude.

Being grateful for the gifts we receive opens the door to even greater blessings. Jesus said to the one man who returned, “Rise and go; your faith has saved you.” He was not only healed in body but also made whole in spirit. His gratitude transformed physical healing into a deeper grace of being saved. Gratitude, therefore, does more than acknowledge what we have received; it draws us closer to the giver. Gratitude helps us move from receiving a gift to entering into a relationship with the giver. The nine were healed in body, but the one who gave thanks was healed in spirit. Gratitude does not just acknowledge what we have received; it connects us to who has given.

Gratitude transforms the way we see the world. It moves us from focusing on what is lacking to appreciating what is present, from complaint to celebration. It shifts our perspective from scarcity to abundance, revealing joy and fulfillment that no material possession can give. While gratitude naturally brings happiness, for us Catholics, it should not be valued only for the emotional comfort it provides, but also as a spiritual discipline that opens our hearts to God’s continual presence.
No matter what is happening in our lives at this time, we are invited today to count our blessings and give thanks to God for them.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 5, 2025

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Active And Living Faith!

Faith is a gift from God, and our relationship with Him depends on how open we are to receiving this gift and allowing it to become active and alive in our lives. Faith shapes and directs our walk with God. In today’s Gospel (Luke 17:5–10), the disciples, having witnessed the practical ways Jesus lived out His faith in the Father, turned to Him in prayer: “Lord, increase our faith.” They longed not only to know about God but to truly know Him through a deeper relationship.

Our first reading (Habakkuk 1:2–3; 2:2–4) provides an excellent background: “The just one, because of his faith, shall live.” Similarly, in the second reading (2 Timothy 1:6–8, 13–14), Paul exhorts Timothy: “Stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.” Faith, when active and living, blossoms into the use of God’s gifts in us and challenges us to serve others. As St. James reminds us, “Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:17) Let us, like the disciples, ask the Lord to increase our faith—a faith that is not passive but alive, fruitful, and expressed in love. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

September 28, 2025

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

Jesus’ parable about the rich man and the poor man named Lazarus, which we hear in the reading from Luke’s Gospel today (Luke 16:19–31), draws our attention to three things well known to his first-century audience. First, it reconstructs the social situation of an Israel divided by wealth. As we heard in the brief reading from the Book of the Prophet Amos (dating from the eighth century BC), divisions between the rich and the poor plagued Israel at least from shortly after the time of David, despite the Mosaic Law’s attempts to maintain equality among the Israelites. Amos found the situation intolerable, although by the time of Jesus, it seems to have become more of an accepted part of the social landscape. Here, we are probably more like the first-century Israelites—we know that there are the conspicuously wealthy and those without homes or food, but it seems just part of the system. We can’t do much about it, we conclude. But maybe we can. Not surprisingly, all of the recent popes have called attention to this as a violation of Christian practice. Pope Leo just a few weeks ago, as well as Pope Francis, Pope Benedict, Pope John Paul II, Pope Paul VI, and Pope John XXIII, have all done so. Jesus uses that social division, which so many of his hearers took for granted, as the setting for his parable. It should at least make us think about the situation.

Second, the parable presumes a reckoning, if not in our history, then in God’s judgment. In Jewish terms, the poor find comfort in the “bosom of Abraham,” that man of faith who trusted in God’s covenant promise and in God’s faithfulness. So too does Lazarus, who rests, free from hunger and suffering, receiving the benefits of God’s covenant promise. But the rich man does not inherit that covenant—he is not among those poor whom Jesus calls blessed; instead, perhaps only after his death does he comprehend Jesus’ warning, “Woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation” (Luke 6:24). The parable further explains that those divisions between rich and poor, so jealously guarded in the present, won’t be overcome in God’s judgment: “a great chasm is established,” one that we may have helped to build. The rich man is surprised by it.

Third, and this may well be the point of the parable—one made all the more poignant in the light of the death and resurrection of Jesus—we resist accepting any challenge to what we see as normal. We have all that we need to live according to God’s covenant and promises: Moses and the prophets speak to Israel and to us. As he does in all of his parables, here is where Jesus holds up the mirror for us to see ourselves: “If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.” It’s so very human: we believe what we want to believe, and we resist any messages that say something else, whatever the evidence. Why do we do this, we ask, but we know that we do.

Paul’s letter to Timothy encourages and advises us. We have heard Jesus. We can change. “Pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Compete well for the faith.” To that we can only answer, Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

September 21, 2025

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

Today’s reading from Amos (who is sometimes called “God’s angry prophet”) is an example of his courage to protest openly against the materialistic, rich, and sophisticated leaders who were so greedy as to exploit the poor. Amos’ concern is the nature of God, the role of the individual, and the role of the social system that causes poverty, discrimination, and oppression.

Amos presents his listeners with concrete images of those who tamper with scales, violate the slave girl who should be treated like a member of the family, or make exorbitant demands that cannot be met. At the very core of Amos’ message is that the Lord holds out hope for any who will forsake evil and follow the good.

The second reading is from St. Paul’s first letter to Timothy 2:1-8. Paul affirms that our first responsibility as believers is to enter the presence of God and get our own attitudes and thoughts right before him. Then, with clear hearts, we can receive His thoughts and know His ways in prayer. When our own attitudes are corrected and realigned, it usually changes the way we pray concerning others, because our words reflect the Father’s heart instead of our own personal preference or opinions.

In the Gospel, the parable is about a dishonest steward who is commended for his prudence; one cannot serve both God and money. The experience of being torn, of the human dilemma of feeling the pull both of what’s truly good and what’s only apparently good. “Jesus said, ‘No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other.’” (Luke 16:13).

Jesus went on to point out that the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind of people than are the children of light. That is the point — the only point — that Jesus praises. Christianity is about people — respecting them, loving them, and helping them. The liturgical prayer of the faithful community, Paul’s letter insists, should show justice as well as charity to all people.

I expect we’ve all had to live with remorse and guilt that accompany compulsive action. We have experienced the painful feeling of being torn between conscience and action. Often, in our decision-making, we know what we ought to do, but there are times when we want to do what’s right, yet are unsure about what we need to do. As Thomas Merton once expressed in prayer: “My Lord God, I believe that my desire is to please you in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. I know you will lead me to the right road. I trust you always and do not fear that you will leave me to face my perils alone, for you are always with me.”

How do we, followers of Jesus Christ, measure success? It is our union with God that demands that we take up the cause of the poor, the elderly, the vulnerable, and those about to be born. To the degree that we allow God to work through us, to that degree our lives are successful. God gives us His Holy Spirit to empower us. He strengthens us with His Word and His very Body and Blood. He gives us the courage to stand up for the poor, the vulnerable, those about to be born. By nourishing our union with God, we will live as Christians. Then our lives will be successful.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

September 14, 2025

A Message From Fr. David Olaniyi

Exalting the Holy Cross, Embracing the Way of Love

This weekend, we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. But why do we honor the very instrument once used for the execution of Jesus? We celebrate the exaltation of the Holy Cross because by the death of Christ on it, he brought salvation to the world. God transformed an instrument of death into the source of life, hope, love, and salvation. In the Cross, we see the depth of the love of God for humanity. The Cross stands as the instrument of Christ’s victory over sin and death. What was once a symbol of shame and suffering has become for us the greatest symbol of hope and love. The Cross is the bridge between human brokenness and God’s redemption. It reveals suffering but also radiates hope. On the Cross, love and suffering meet. What the world viewed as failure, God transformed into triumph. As Scripture reminds us: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16).

As we contemplate the reality of the feast of today, we are reminded that the Cross is not merely a symbol we wear or display in our homes and churches; it signifies hope, salvation, victory, and the transformative power of God. The Cross holds a central place in our Catholic faith. In it, we see the power of God to transform pain into new life, weakness into strength, and death into resurrection. The Cross invites us to view our own struggles, sacrifices, and acts of love as participation in Christ’s saving work. In exalting the Holy Cross, we acknowledge that the crucifixion of Jesus is not just a historical event, but a living reality in our lives. Every time we make the sign of the cross, we mark ourselves with God’s victory over sin and death. In making the sign of the cross, we acknowledge the depth of God’s love for us, the sacrifice of Christ, and invoke the Holy Spirit.

The feast of the exaltation of the Holy Cross is an invitation to love, serve, and be humble. In a world that often prioritizes convenience, comfort, and personal desires, the Cross points us to a higher path, the way of sacrifice, humility, and self-giving love. St. Paul, in our second reading of today, in his letter to the Philippians, presents us with the ultimate act of humility and love – the self-emptying of Christ. Christ, through the act of love and humility, brought salvation to the world. In honoring the sacrifice of Christ, let us strive to imitate his virtues of love and humility in our own lives.

As we celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross today, we are called not only to honor it with words and gestures, but to let its mystery shape our daily lives. The Cross teaches us to witness through love, to bear challenges with patience, to choose forgiveness over revenge, and to carry our own crosses with faith and hope. Let us hold fast to hope through the Cross. Just as the serpent in the desert brought healing to those who looked upon it in our first reading, Jesus invites us in the Gospel to look upon the Cross as our source of hope and salvation.

“We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You, because by Your Holy Cross, You have redeemed the world.”

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

September 7, 2025

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

The Cross of My Life!

A story is told of a man who constantly complained about the challenges and difficulties he faced in life, blaming God for giving him such heavy crosses to bear. One night he had a dream. In the dream, he found himself in a room filled with crosses of every size and weight, each representing the struggles people carry in their lives. He was invited to choose another cross in exchange for his own.

As he walked around, he discovered that every cross was heavy—some even more than the one he carried. Finally, the only cross he thought he could manage was the one that turned out to be his very own. This story reminds us that each of us has a cross in life. The invitation is not to escape it, but to recognize it, embrace it, and follow Jesus with it.

In today’s Gospel (Luke 14:25–33), Jesus says: “Whoever does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Discipleship is not a part-time task; it requires total commitment—in good times and in bad. Life is not always a bed of roses. Each day brings its own troubles, and it is in carrying our cross that the depth of our faith is truly tested.

The crosses of our life come in many forms—spiritual, emotional, financial, or physical. Sometimes they arise from our own choices, sometimes from the actions of others, and sometimes simply from life itself. Whatever their source, what matters most is asking God for the strength and wisdom to carry them.

Our First Reading this Sunday (Wisdom 9:13–18b) reminds us: “Who can know God’s counsel, unless God has given wisdom and sent his holy spirit from on high?” With this in mind, we turn to the timeless words of the Serenity Prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

August 31, 2025

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Humility

One of the central themes in today’s readings is the virtue of humility. Our first reading, from the Book of Sirach—one of the Wisdom books—offers this touching admonition: “My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God.” In the Gospel, Jesus uses the parable of the wedding banquet to make humility concrete. He reminds us that true honor comes not from seeking our own praise, but from allowing God and others to lift us up: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

From the Old Testament to the New, humility is recognized as a defining virtue of those closest to God. Moses was praised as the humblest of men (Numbers 12:3). John the Baptist was called the greatest, not for power, but for his humility (Matthew 11:1–11). And above all, Jesus himself was exalted because of his humility, as St. Paul writes: “Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant…” (Philippians 2:5–11).

It is important to remember that humility is not humiliation, nor is it denying our gifts, knowledge, or identity. I recall a classmate who was a medical doctor before entering seminary. Out of fear of pride, he tried to hide that fact. But true humility is not denial—it is acknowledging who we are and what we have, while recognizing that these are gifts from God to be placed at the service of others. As St. Paul reminds us: “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).

The virtue of humility allows us to be grateful for our achievements, to live with authenticity, to admit our faults, to forgive ourselves and others, and to seek forgiveness from God. There’s even a lighthearted story of a priest who asked his parishioners to read the Gospel of Mark, chapter 17, for discussion the following week. When he later asked who had read it, some raised their hands—though, of course, the Gospel of Mark has only 16 chapters! The exercise was meant to reveal not just attentiveness, but humility in admitting what we do not know. Let us then pray for this virtue: the humility to accept who we are, what we know, and what we have—so that all may be used for the greater glory of God. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

August 24, 2025

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

The prophet Isaiah offers an expansive vision of God’s salvation: Thus says the Lord, “I come to gather nations of every language; they shall come and see my glory.” In that vision, people come to know the Lord through those whom God sends: “from them I will send fugitives to the nations … that have never heard of my fame, or seen my glory; and they shall proclaim my glory among the nations.” In that vision, we have a part to play because we are sent, not in power but as fugitives. That becomes more explicit in the Gospels when, after his resurrection, Jesus tells the disciples, “Go, therefore, to all the nations and make them my disciples; baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

This missionary role belongs to the whole Church and cannot be outsourced to one or two groups of people. It does not belong exclusively to priests or religious or missionaries. The great fourth-century bishop and preacher St. John Chryostom challenged his people and us with this homily: “Nothing is colder than a Christian who is not concerned about the salvation of others. You cannot use poverty as an excuse: the widow who offered her two coins will accuse you. You cannot bring up the humility of your birth: the apostles were simple people, born of humble folk. You cannot use ignorance as an excuse: they, too, were illiterate. You cannot put forward weakness: Timothy was also weak and suffered many ailments. Everyone can be of use to their neighbor if they want to do everything they can. … Do not say: it is impossible for me to draw others along; if you are a Christian, it is impossible for this not to happen” (Homilies on Acts 20:4, PG 60, 162–163).

The recently concluded Synod on Synodality recognized this by stating that we are all called to be “missionary disciples.” To follow Jesus as a disciple means that we simultaneously become missionaries. That conclusion of the Synod brings together the consistent teaching of the Church since the Second Vatican Council. In its decree Ad Gentes [To the nations], the Council declares, “since the whole Church is missionary, and the work of evangelization is a basic duty of the People of God, this sacred synod invites all to a deep interior renewal; so that, having a vivid awareness of their own responsibility for spreading the Gospel, they may do their share in missionary work among the nations” (#35). In his encyclical Evangelii Nuntiandi [To proclaim the Gospel], Pope St. Paul VI explains how we do that “for the Church, the first means of evangelization is the witness of an authentically Christian life … Modern people listen more willingly to witnesses than to teachers … it is therefore primarily by her conduct and by her life that the Church will evangelize the world, in other words, by her living witness of fidelity to the Lord Jesus” (#41). Pope Benedict XVI summarized that missionary work as charity: our love of neighbor bears witness to God’s love. As Jesus teaches in today’s Gospel, it is not enough to say “we ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.” We need to act.

In this light, the Gospel’s question, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” seems less about us than about what we can do for others.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

August 17, 2025

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

This Sunday the Church invites us to reflect on the courage of prophetic witness – standing firm in faith even when faced with opposition. This theme is a call to all believers to live out their faith with integrity and courage.

Both Jesus and Jeremiah loved the common people and displayed a burning desire for their welfare. Both were rejected by the powers-that-be of their time: Jeremiah’s role was to help his people rebuild their faith – rather than preaching externals like Law, circumcision, sacrifice and Temple. He preached a religion that was inward, a more personal relationship with God; Jesus too challenges the people of his time (and us) to overcome selfishness, challenges us to experience new life in God through the Spirit. A thousand years later, St Augustine was of similar mind. “Seek God within” was his motto. “Enter into yourselves, for truth dwells within you.”

Jesus warns the disciples that the time for decision has arrived. His coming into the world coincides with the time for decisive choices: the option for the Gospel cannot be delayed. And in order to make this call clearer, he alludes to the fire that he himself came to bring to earth. He says: “I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled” The Gospel for this Sunday is part of Jesus’ teachings to the disciples during his journey to Jerusalem, where death on the cross awaits him. Jesus is inflamed by God’s love and, to make it spread throughout the world, he expends himself personally, loving up to the end, that is, up to death, and death on the cross (cf. Phil 2:8).

To explain the purpose of his mission, Jesus uses the image of fire – the fire of love, lit by Jesus Christ in the world through the Holy Spirit. It is a universal fire. He is filled with the Holy Spirit, and with his light and his strength, he unveils the mysterious face of God by giving hope to those considered lost, breaks down the barriers of marginalization, heals the wounds of the body and the soul, and renews a religiosity that was reduced to external practices. This is why he is fire: he changes, purifies. As someone once expressed – faith is not a “lullaby” that lulls us to sleep! True faith is a fire, a living flame to keep us wakeful and active.

Jesus confides his most ardent desire to his friends and also to us: spread the fire of God’s love on earth. That is how we will be recognized as his true disciples. The fire that Jesus speaks of is the fire of the Holy Spirit, the presence living and working in us from the day of our Baptism. The fire of God’s love is a creative force that purifies and renews, that burns away human misery and selfishness. Jesus’ Spirit within us transforms us, regenerates us and makes us able to love. Jesus wants the Holy Spirit to blaze like fire in our hearts. True faith is a fire, a living flame to keep us awake and active. The Gospel does not leave things as they are; when the Gospel is preached, listened to and received, things do not stay as they are. The Gospel provokes change and invites conversion. It is just like fire: while it warms us with God’s love, it wants to burn away our selfishness and enlighten the dark sides of life.

We admire the many communities and groups who dedicate themselves to the service to the sick, the poor and people with disabilities in order to live according to the Gospel spirit. There is a need for disciples of Jesus Christ who know how to respond with new charitable initiatives. The Gospel proclaimed and lived spreads like a beneficial fire, overcoming all division among individuals, social categories, peoples and nations. The Gospel truly manifests itself as a fire that saves, that changes the world beginning with a change in the heart of each one. With this fire of the Holy Spirit, we are called to become, more and more, communities of people who are guided and transformed, full of understanding, people with expanded hearts and joyful faces.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

August 10, 2025

A Message From Fr. David Olaniyi

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1.

Faith is a gift that allows us to trust in the goodness and love of God. It doesn’t wait for clarity; it walks forward in conviction. Faith doesn’t remove uncertainty; it gives confidence in the One who holds all things. As people of faith, we may not know what the future holds, but we are confident because we know who holds the future.

This Sunday’s second reading (Hebrews 11:1–2, 8–19) invites us to contemplate the profound relationship between faith and hope. Faith is not merely belief; it is a confident trust in God’s promises, even when they are not yet visible. Faith and hope stand as dual lanterns that guide us through the night. Hope looks forward to what God has promised; faith lives as though that promise is already true. Throughout scripture, numerous examples illustrate this truth. Noah built the ark before the flood came (Hebrews 11:7). Abraham left his homeland without knowing his destination (Hebrews 11:8). The woman with the flow of blood reached out in faith, believing healing was possible even when doctors had failed her (Mark 5:25–34). Mary accepted the angel’s word, not knowing how it would unfold (Luke 1:38). Despite formidable challenges, these biblical examples of faith persevered, their faith in God sustaining them through their trials. Faith does not make things easy; it makes things possible. It is not the absence of struggle; it is the strength to endure it. What Jesus promised us is not ease but presence. In John 16:33, He says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”. Our faith is not blind; it sees with spiritual eyes.

In our gospel reading (Luke 12:35–40), Jesus calls us to be ready, not with fear, but with expectation. We are called to be faithfully ready. This readiness is not passive waiting; it is active trust. The call to “keep your lamps burning” (Luke 12:35) is a call to spiritual vigilance. It invites us to prepare for the Lord’s coming with hearts attuned to His presence and minds anchored in trust. To keep our spiritual flame alive, we must continually nurture our faith through prayer, contemplation, and acts of service. Complacency dims the light; intentional devotion keeps it burning brightly. Our readiness is not born of fear but flows from love and faith that is quietly expressed in the everyday grace of kindness, compassion, and unwavering trust.

When asked what she would do if told she would meet the Lord within the next 24 hours, someone replied, “I would change nothing, I already live as though the time is now.” Such a response reveals a life anchored in spiritual readiness, not mere anticipation. Can we say the same? Are we living with such intentional faith?

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

August 3, 2025

Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Rich In What Matters to God!

The Eucharistic celebration (Mass) is the highest form of prayer. The Mass comprises all Forms of Prayer (Vocal, Meditation, and Contemplation) and all Expressions of Prayer (Praise, Thanksgiving, Contrition-Forgiveness, and Supplication-Petition). In every Mass, God invites us to enter a dialogue with him. A dialogue that entails speaking and listening to him with intention and attention, as St. Augustine reminds us: “When we pray, we speak to God, and when we read the Scripture, God speaks to us.” The Word of God we listen to helps us to “seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God…” as our second reading (Colossians 3:1-5, 9– 11) for this Sunday invites us to do.

In our first reading, the book of Ecclesiastes (1:2; 2:21-23), one of the wisdom books, admonishes us about the reality that nothing is permanent. It describes both our life successes and failures as vanities. The tone of this message can make one begin to think that all our toil and labor are in vain. But the main message here is to be constantly mindful of the temporality of everything before us, especially our riches and fame, but to enrich ourselves continually with things that matter to God, which are enduring and eternal.

Similarly, the Parable of the Rich Fool in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 12:13-21) invites and challenges us to reflect on how we manage and use the gifts God has blessed us with. God called the rich man in the Gospel, ‘You Fool’ because his riches got into his head, and he believed that the quality and length of his life depend on how much he has acquired or hoarded for himself. The rich man forgot that his riches should be a blessing to others. Instead, he thought only about himself.

Jesus wants us to reflect on how we use the riches we have acquired. Does our wealth make us arrogant, conceited, and proud? Are we unduly attached to riches that we evaluate our lives by what we have? Do we remember that the more riches we have, the more opportunities we have to win God’s blessings with them? Pope Francis reminds us, “If the Lord has gifted you with riches, it is to do lots of good things for others in His name” (Pope Francis Tweets, August 28, 2018). We pray that the good Lord will give us the wisdom to use the riches he has given us so that they become for us sources of blessing, and we use our riches to become rich in what matters to God. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

July 27, 2025

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

As usual, the disciples speak for us when they ask Jesus to “teach us to pray as John taught his disciples.” Jesus answers them and us, teaching us how to pray in words, attitudes, and even doubts.

In such a short prayer—markedly shorter in Luke’s account than in that of Matthew’s Gospel, the version we typically pray—we use the words of prayer to praise God, to align ourselves with God’s plan (God’s kingdom), to ask that God care for us as God knows we need, to ask God’s forgiveness, and to seek God’s protection. Our attitude in prayer takes on the attitude of Jesus: that God’s will always comes first, that we seek the kingdom that Jesus proclaims, a kingdom marked out in God’s compassionate love. It’s only then that we ask for what we need one day at a time, but even as we do that, we express our trust that God knows what we need better than we do. We need not only the necessities of life, but forgiveness and protection. Interestingly, Jesus embeds in this prayer what he teaches in his preaching: if we want God’s bread, we need to share our bread with others; if we want God’s forgiveness, we need to forgive each other. Expanding this is the purpose of the mini-parables.

Even if we suffer the temptation that our prayers go unanswered, we should have confidence in our prayers: if we would get up to help a friend, how much more will God surely help us. If we know what our children need, how much more does God know what we need?

Stepping back from this moment of learning how to pray, we can see how the prayer that Jesus teaches builds on the biblical tradition. In fact, today we learn seven aspects of prayer from that tradition.

First, prayer presumes a closeness, a familiarity, a family relationship with God: “Father,” we pray, just as Jesus called God “Father.” God is not distant nor uncaring. God loves us and, as the psalmist sings in Psalm 100, “we belong to God.” Second, prayer consists of praising God. “Hallowed be your name.” As we sing in Psalm 139 today, “In the presence of the angels, I will sing your praise.” Third, prayer expresses our thanksgiving. Again, with Psalm 138, we begin, “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with all my heart” because our prayer reminds us of what God has already done for us: “you have heard the words of my mouth”; “when I called, you answered me.” We pray with confidence because God is faithful: again with Psalm 138, “The Lord will complete what he has done for me.”

Beginning with praise and thanksgiving, we move to a fourth aspect of prayer: Jesus teaches us to pray always for God’s will. “Your kingdom come.” One temptation in prayer is to lose sight of God’s plan, to fail to see that we are part of that divine plan. When we do that, we fail to ask for what we really need, like the child asking for a snake instead of a fish. That connects to a fifth aspect of prayer: like the prayer of Abraham in the Book of Genesis, our prayer is intercessory. We pray for each other, we ask God’s mercy for each other. As Jesus teaches, we pray, “give us our daily bread; forgive us our sins,” not “give me” or “forgive me.” We are part of God’s plan and God’s kingdom together.

The sixth aspect of prayer connects to the first: we can trust God. “When I called, you answered me. … The Lord will complete what he has done for me.” Jesus teaches us to pray with confidence. Finally, Jesus teaches us to persevere in prayer. Jesus concludes his mini-parable, “I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.” The final lesson in Jesus’ school of prayer is that we should never stop asking, trusting that God knows what we need and will give that to us.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

July 20, 2025

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

I invite you to imagine that you hear a knock on the door of your house, see yourself going quickly to answer it and, without hesitating, open the door and invite Jesus to come in. Sense and feel how you are welcoming your guest. Jesus is there seeking solitude after healing many townspeople who were sick; pausing to rest and sit by a well during an exhausting journey; being strengthened by his friendship with Mary and Martha. Let us observe Jesus in an everyday setting among people that he loved and who clearly loved him. Jesus also visits us in our moments of quiet solitude and prayer.

Martha and Mary were clearly very attached to the Lord, and he treated them with respect and affection. Think where Jesus was going when he visited Martha and Mary. He was on his way to Jerusalem – to die! His whole being was taken up with the intensity of the inner battle to bend his will to the will of God. After a frustrating dialogue with the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus came to visit his friends, for peace and calm. All he wanted was quiet.

Jesus is not saying that what is more important than feeding the hungry is enjoying their company and loving them. What Martha does not see is that the best kind of welcome we offer others is when we forget ourselves and focus on what our visitor really needs. Mary sensed correctly that when Jesus came to visit them on his way to Jerusalem, he wanted conversation with them not food. Mary’s contemplative intuition grasped instinctively the main reason for Jesus’ visit – he was there not to receive but to give, not to be served but to serve. He had something to share, and he wanted them to listen to him. The crucial sign that we may be following in Martha’s footsteps a little too closely is a waning prayer life.

This encounter between Jesus and the two sisters suggests a theology of contemplation – that is, how to receive the Lord’s visit. Sometimes when we pray quietly, it is the Lord who comes knocking on our door because he has something to tell us. In prayer, Jesus comes to us to share with us the Word of life. He comes to visit not because he needs us but because we need him. Like Martha, we too can be distracted and “worry about to many things” and thus miss the better part, the one thing necessary – to listen to the Word of Jesus. Certainly, what is needed for a fulfilling, meaningful, and fruitful life is to stay as close to Jesus as possible.

Clearly from our experience of life we know that the world is made up of Marthas and Marys – doers and dreamers! Our attentiveness to Jesus must not be eclipsed by our mundane daily bustling about. It is hard for the active person to understand the person who sits and contemplates. It is easy to get distracted from the important role prayer plays in life. Who are the Marys in our church today? They are those who find time in their hearts for prayer and for going to church. Others work creatively in their writing rooms or studios, patiently building their dreams for a better world for future generations. We need to make space for God in our lives, to listen at some time each day, and to ask the Holy Spirit to be our guide. As the psalmist said: “Come,” my heart says, seek his face!” Your face, Lord, do I seek (Psalm 27:6). We seek the face of God mostly through prayer. Saintly people seem to have an exceptional grasp of God’s plan for the human race and have shared that knowledge with the rest of us. In our first reading at Mass today we observe how Abraham’s encounter with God was deeply personal; he was called the friend of God.

We are, of course, aware that within us we have both a Martha and a Mary – we are workers of good deeds and seekers of God. While both facets of life are essential, what good is the former without being connected to the latter? As best we can, let us not get too distracted by the demands of the moment and rather be like Mary. What is most essential for our faith is prayer and personal connection with Jesus Christ. God seeks above all our turning to God with our whole heart, with our full face, facing God’s face. I came across this affirmative statement: Prioritize the better part, which shall not be taken from you, ever!

I love the simplicity of this prayer composed by Joyce Rupp.

When my life becomes too crowded and I sorely need to pause and be renewed, remind me, Teacher of My Soul, how you rested and went apart from the pressures of your life. Grant me wisdom and courage to do the same.  

During the time

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

July 13, 2025

A Message From Fr. David Olaniyi

When Compassion Becomes Inconvenient and Love Costly

The parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37 challenges us to act with love and compassion towards all, including those we consider enemies and those we might be tempted to ignore. Jesus, in this parable, offers us a powerful teaching on love, compassion, and neighborliness.

During the time of Jesus, a Samaritan was not expected to be kind and loving to a Jew because Jews and Samaritans were mortal enemies. So, when Jesus in our gospel reading today presented the Good Samaritan as the only one who cared for a Jew, while two respected figures of the Jewish nation and religion, a priest and a Levite, did nothing to help, he was making a groundbreaking declaration. The audience of Jesus must have been shocked to hear that the hero in his story is the “distrusted social outcast” and not the religious elites.

It was inconvenient and costly for the Samaritan to stop and care for the victim who was beaten, stripped, and left for dead. The Good Samaritan was on a journey. He had his own plans but then prioritized caring for a stranger and showing compassion over commitments. He bandaged his wounds, used his own oil and wine, placed him on his animal, and paid for his care at the inn. He didn’t ask who the man is. He simply saw someone in need and acted.

The point Jesus makes to his audience is simple: a Samaritan could be as much a neighbor to a Jew as another Jew. Being neighborly is more than sharing the same features, space, looks, religion, culture, and ideology. Jesus in that parable did not praise the Samaritan’s beliefs or background. He praised his compassion and love. When compassion and care become inconvenient, we face a choice: prioritize comfort or embody Christ’s love.

Who is a neighbor? A neighbor chooses to act with compassion and care. You can share a flat with someone, and yet you are not a neighbor to them, and they are not a neighbor to you. The questions for us today are: Do I see beyond labels? Am I willing to risk discomfort to show love and compassion to others? Am I willing to love with action, not just sentiment? How much of a neighbor am I to my spouse, my kids, my parents, my coworkers, my schoolmates, and people around me? How loving and compassionate am I to those who are different from me?

In a world fragmented by differences, Jesus is inviting us today to embrace unconditional and unwavering love. May we strive to embody Jesus’ teachings, fostering a world of love, kindness, and compassion.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

July 6, 2025

Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Peacemakers

One of the things we pray for and work toward in our lives is peace. We pray for peace in our hearts, homes, workplaces, communities, and the world. Once we have peace, life becomes more livable and enjoyable. The lack of peace in our various life situations affects what we do. Today’s readings, among other things, invite us to reflect deeply on peace, particularly the reminder that each time we gather to celebrate the Eucharist, Jesus sends us on a mission of peace.

In the first reading, Isaiah, the prophet of hope and promises, delivers a message of hope and peace to his people after their exile, a period of great suffering. We all know this prophecy was fulfilled in Christ, whom the prophet Isaiah called the “prince of peace” (Isaiah 9:5). Jesus came, taught peace, and lived out peace. (Luke 2:14, Matthew 5:9, John 14: 27). Today in the gospel, he sends out the 72 with different instructions, especially to be agents of peace. “Into whatever house you enter, first say, Peace to this household.’

In the Eucharist, Jesus empowers and sends us to continue the mission of peace in different life situations in which we find ourselves. We pray in the Mass after the Lord’s Prayer for him to grant us peace in our day. That is continual peace. Only when we have this peace can we begin to share that with other people. We cannot give what we don’t have. Once we allow the various things that happen in our lives to affect and deny us the peace of mind we are supposed to have, it will undoubtedly influence others around us.

To be a peacemaker means imbibing the virtues of humility, patience, forgiveness, tolerance, and understanding. We cannot have these virtues if we don’t pray and work for them. What and what in our day-to-day life takes away our peace? Knowing what takes away our peace will help us ask for God’s help in overcoming the challenges. We pray as St. Paul prayed in the second reading, that the Spirit of God might be with us all so that we may become agents of peace. “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

June 29, 2025

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

Today’s celebration is a double feast, not only in the sense that we celebrate the two apostles Peter and Paul, but in the sense that we celebrate both the apostles and the Church. Both saints have other feasts on the calendar (the Conversion of St. Paul on January 25 and the Chair of St. Peter on February 22), so this feast must point to something different. Both the fact that Peter and Paul appear together today and the focus of the readings on their roles in the Church direct our attention to what they do rather than to who they are. Paul summarizes this in the second chapter of his letter to the Galatians where he writes that God gave Peter the ministry to the Jewish people while God sent him to the Gentiles. Both proclaim the faith of the risen Christ. Peter and Paul, then, represent the obedience to Jesus’ command to proclaim the Gospel to all the world. That command both builds on and builds up the faith the Church.

Each thing we hear today urges us to think about the Church and our role in it.

The Gospel, from Matthew 16, highlights Jesus’ declaration that Peter’s faith is the rock on which Jesus will build his Church, a faith that itself rests on Peter’s insight into the person and mission of Jesus. That faith, which is also the faith of the Church and our faith, comes as a gift from God—“flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.” Such faith cannot be suppressed by persecution nor by earthly power nor even by “the gates of the netherworld,” a point illustrated in the Acts of the Apostles by Peter’s miraculous deliverance from prison.

Paul’s imprisonment, too, shows the power of God in the Church. In his letter to his companion and friend, Timothy, he describes it as his “being poured out as a libation,” a sacrifice to God. He affirms his own faith, “The Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. … The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat.” That is the faith of the Church, the faith of Peter against which not even “the gates of the netherworld” can prevail. Both Peter and Paul share this faith.

This faith that characterizes the lives of Peter and Paul and the Church has many facets. It declares that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” It proclaims the death and resurrection of Jesus. It places an unshakeable confidence in God’s loving protection. The faith of the Church, which we acknowledge today, is both a content—a statement about Jesus—and an attitude or action, a trust in God. We cannot separate the two. It is not faith to believe a fact about Jesus without acting on that. It is not the faith of the Church to trust God without have Jesus as the focus of that trust. The faith of the Church is faith in Jesus and trust in his saving action. Such faith, as St. Paul teaches, combines with hope and charity. It gives us the ability to love one another as Jesus has loved us. It gives us confidence in God. And it combines action with proclamation. Peter and Paul model both for us.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

June 22, 2025

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

Sitting together for a meal can generate a special feeling of togetherness. Each of us will have our own memories of table companionship or fellowship. Many of these will be happy experiences of celebration and laughter, of love received and shared. Some memories of table fellowship may be sad, times when we were more aware of one who was absent than of those who were present. Jesus shared table many times with his disciples. It is likely that, when sharing food with his disciples, he also shared with them his vision of God’s kingdom. At table, the disciples imbibed something of Jesus’ mind and heart and spirit. Of all the meals he shared with them, the meal that stayed in their memory more than any other was their last meal together, what came to be known as the last supper. Today’s gospel gives us Mark’s account, his word-picture, of that last supper.

This last meal Jesus shared with his disciples stood out in their memory, capturing the imagination of generations of disciples right up to ourselves. He did more than share his vision with the disciples; he gave them himself in a way he had never done before, and in a way that anticipated the death he would die for them and for all, on the following day. In giving himself in the form of the bread and wine of the meal, he was declaring himself to be their food and drink. In calling on them to take and eat, to take and drink, he was asking them to take their stand with him, to give themselves to him as he was giving himself to them.

It was because of that supper and of what went on there that we are here in this church today. Jesus intended his last supper to be a beginning rather than an end. It was the first Eucharist. Ever since that meal, the church has gathered regularly in his name, to do and say what he did and said at that last supper — taking bread and wine, blessing both, breaking the bread and giving both for disciples to eat and drink.

Jesus continues to give himself as food and drink to his followers. He also continues to put it up to his followers to take their stand with him, to take in all he stands for, living by his values, walking in his way, even if that means the cross. Whenever we come to Mass and receive the Eucharist, we are making a number of important statements. We are acknowledging Jesus as our bread of life, as the one who alone can satisfy our deepest hungers. We are also declaring that we will throw in our lot with him, as it were, that we will follow in his way and be faithful to him all our lives, in response to his faithfulness to us. In that sense, celebrating the Eucharist is not something we do lightly. Our familiarity with the Mass and the frequency with which we celebrate it can dull our senses to the full significance of what we are doing. Every time we gather for the Eucharist, we find ourselves once more in that upper room with the first disciples, and the last supper with all it signified is present again to us.

Source: Association of Catholic Priests – Sunday Homily Resources 

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

June 15, 2025

A Message From Fr. David Olaniyi

Trinity Sunday

We have marked Easter with the joyous celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. We concluded the Easter season with Pentecost; a celebration in honor of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. Today, Trinity Sunday, we celebrate all Three Persons of the Trinity: Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. This feast beautifully weaves together the distinct yet unified Persons of the Most Holy Trinity.

The three Persons of the Blessed Trinity are distinct but united in the one Godhead. Not three persons in one person or three gods in one God, but three persons in one God. Trinity is one of the deepest mysteries of our faith. Over the years, scholars and theologians have tried to present this mystery in clear and distinct terms, but God is always more than what we can say in human language. We do not understand God as we understand other realities. The feast of today gives us the opportunity to think about the nature of God and use human language and symbols, as limited as they are, to express our understanding of God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

St. Augustine in trying to understand the mystery of the Trinity along a seashore, encountered a child attempting to pour an entire ocean into a small hole he made in the sand. When Augustine approached the child to say what he was trying to do was impossible, the child responded by saying, “What you are trying to do – comprehend the immensity of God with your small head – is even more impossible.” The Trinity is a profound mystery that is beyond human intellectual comprehension. It is a mystery that can only be understood through faith and love. It is not a concept to be dissected using human intelligence, but a relationship of love to be embraced.

God the Father is distinct from the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Son is distinct from the Father and the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is distinct from the Son and the Father. They all retain their identity in the divine Nature. We have three persons united in one Godhead. Their unity is founded on Love.

What are the lessons we can learn from Trinity? Love is of the very nature of God. The divine communion in the Trinity invites us to reflect on our own relationships and how we embody love in our daily lives. Unity and love are deeply interconnected. Love is the foundation for understanding, true empathy, and connection. Like we have in the Trinity, we are called today to embrace love as a daily practice rather than just a feeling. We should let love transform the way we interact with people through simple acts of kindness, patience, active listening, compassion, and empathy.

Trinity is a unity in diversity. Unity is not uniformity. It is about celebrating differences that strengthen the whole. In unity, differences are not obstacles but opportunities for growth. A world rich in diversity is a world rich in possibilities. True unity acknowledges differences without forcing conformity. It is important in our relationships to celebrate the uniqueness each person brings to the table. Respecting people with different backgrounds, perspectives, and beliefs is a cornerstone of meaningful human connection. After all, the world would be pretty dull if everyone thought the same way and had the same ideas.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

June 8, 2025

Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Come Holy Spirit And Fill the Hearts of the Faithful!

Today is the Solemnity of Pentecost, fifty days after Easter. We recall the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and remind ourselves of the gifts of the Spirit we receive in our baptism and confirmation. Jesus had promised his Apostles that he would send them the Holy Spirit to be with them always. He would be their helper and comforter. On this day, the Blessed Trinity is fully revealed, completing the three stages of the salvation history. The stage of God the Father, the Creator, the stage of God the Son, the Redeemer, and the stage of God the Holy Spirit. the Sanctifier and the Vivifier, the age of the Church.

Pentecost means 50th day. In the Jewish calendar, Pentecost was celebrated on the 50^th day of the after Passover. There were three great Jewish Festivals to which every male Jew living within 20 miles of Jerusalem was legally bound to come, the Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacle. Thus, we read in first reading many people of different languages who have gathered and they all witnessed the coming of the Holy Spirit. The event of the Pentecost is the fulfillment of the promises Jesus made to his disciples before his ascension.

On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came down visibly on the Apostles in tongues of fire and they received the power to confess that Jesus is Lord as St. Paul remarked in the 2^nd reading “No one can say Jesus is Lord unless he is under the influence of the Holy Spirit.” The Apostles confessed the faith and became great witnesses to the gospel they professed, even shed their blood for the sake of the gospel. The gifts of the Spirit transformed them from selfish and timid men into giants of courage, faith, and love. It was the mission that the disciples started on the Pentecost that continued till date. So, Pentecost marked the beginnings of the Church and her mission to all peoples, tongues, and nations.

On this day we pray that the Holy Spirit which we have already received will always be alive and active so that it will fill our hearts and rekindle in us the fire of love. We remember that the center of all that Jesus taught his disciples was love. He spoke about it and showed it by laying down his life. The gift of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles revived the same spirit of love which they had at their initial stay with Jesus before the passion that scattered them and left them helpless and hopeless.

The spirit inspired them to speak the language of love which everybody heard. If the gifts of the Spirit are to bear fruits in our lives, we must cleanse or purge away our selfishness and other tendencies that quench this fire of love in us. The gifts of the Spirit are God’s gifts to us; the fruits we bear from these gifts are our gifts to him. St Paul gives 12 fruits of the Spirit- charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity (Galatians 5: 22-23). We pray that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of love will strengthen us so that we use will the gifts God has given us to speak the language of love always. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

June 1, 2025

Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

You Shall Be My Witnesses!

Today we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord into heaven, the Second Glorious Mystery. Jesus’ ascension into heaven is different from the taken-up into heaven of Enoch, the Father of Methuselah (Gen. 5:24, Sirach 44:16) and Elijah (2Kg 2:11-12). The two did not die. Instead, they were taken into heaven as a special privilege. Jesus, in his case, suffered, died, resurrected, and stayed in the flesh for more than 40 days before ascending into heaven, where he sits at the Father’s right hand, from where he will come again to judge the living and the dead. Our first reading, Acts of the Apostles, and the Gospel of St. Luke describe the events of the Ascension of the Lord.

Jesus stayed behind for more than 40 days before his ascension, which was significant. He built the community of the disciples into the community of witnesses to the truth made in his resurrection because he knew very well that there would be no witness without witnesses. Thus, he told them, “You shall be my witnesses….” In this case, the disciples did not disappoint him, as they had disappointed him during his passion. Jesus empowered his disciples through the message of his resurrection, which became central to the mission and ministry of the disciples, as we read in the book of Acts of the Apostles.

We are the disciples of our time. Jesus calls: “You shall be my witnesses.” He spoke to his first disciples face-to-face because he was physically present with them. Jesus remains present with us. His presence is in his Word we read, the gathered assembly, in each of us, and the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, the Sacrament of the Sacraments. At the end of each celebration, we are all commissioned to “go” as Christ commissioned his disciples today. Jesus invites us to go and live out what we have celebrated. In the Eucharist, we celebrate the love of God, forgiveness, and peace, and we acknowledge our unworthiness. All these invite us to be the vanguards of God’s love, forgiveness, and peace we have received.

We become faithful witnesses to the resurrected Christ by our efforts to live what we celebrate in the Eucharist. We ask ourselves how our weekly or daily encounters make us faithful witnesses in our words and deeds. Also, we must remember that what matters most is not how many times we go to Church or pray but how we allow these encounters to influence our daily lives. As we prepare for the feast of Pentecost next Sunday, we pray that the Holy Spirit’s gifts will help us strive to live a life worthy of our Christian vocation and the Sacraments we celebrate. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

May 25, 2025

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

The Synodal Life of the Church

In the days after the election of Pope Leo XIV, journalists worked hard to discover some of the factors that led the Cardinals in the conclave to their decision. Several things stood out: his life as a missionary, his representing different cultures and languages in the Americas, his leadership of the Augustinian order, and his ability to listen. Cardinal Cupich offered the example of his role as head of the Vatican office of bishops where he worked with people from the universal Church to hear and articulate their concerns and recommendations (recognizing the difficulty of that, the Cardinal summarized it as “he runs a good meeting”!). One of the younger delegates to the Synod spoke with some amazement of how the then Cardinal Prevost sat at the round table with the delegates and listened, that this 19-year-old’s view of the Church mattered as much as those of the other, older delegates.

That, of course, perfectly illustrates the purpose of the Synod on Synodality—that the Church become a listening Church. Synods, stressed so much by the Second Vatican Council, are designed to allow more voices into the Church’s self-understanding. Until that synod, bishops alone had a voice, but Pope Francis recognized the need to hear everyone. The final document of the Synod situates this by quoting the Second Vatican Council’s document on the Church, Lumen Gentium: “It has pleased God, however, to sanctify and save men and women not individually and without regard for what binds them together, but to set them up as a people who would acknowledge Him in truth and serve Him in holiness” (LG 9, quoted in para. 16). The Synod document continues in this vein: “Gathered from every tribe, language, people, and nation and living in different contexts and cultures, the synodal process gave us the ‘spiritual taste’ (Evangelii Gaudium 268) of what it means to be the People of God. The People of God is never the simple sum of the Baptized but the communitarian and historical subject of synodality and mission still on pilgrimage through time and already in communion with the Church in heaven” (para. 17). In other words, the Church must listen and speak to one another and to the world.

The idea of a synod goes back to the beginnings of the Church as we hear in today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles. For that first generation of Christians the existential question was whether one had to follow all the Jewish religious practices to become a Christian. In the fuller report in chapter 15 of the Acts of the Apostles (we hear only a part of it today) Paul and Barnabas reported the missionary experience throughout Greece and Asia Minor; others spoke about the experience of Jerusalem and Judea. The apostles and others, after listening, come to their decision, guided by the Holy Spirit. This is the Spirit that Jesus promises, as we hear in John’s Gospel today, “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” The early Church confidently believed that they could hear the Holy Spirit when they listened to each other.

We have that some confidence. The recent synod’s decisions emerge from that. “Synodality and mission are intimately linked: mission illuminates synodality and synodality spurs to mission.” Moreover, “Synodality is not an end in itself. Rather, it serves the mission that Christ entrusted to the Church in the Spirit. To evangelize is “the essential mission of the Church. It is […] the grace and vocation proper to the Church, her deepest identity” (Evangelii Nuntiandi 14). By being close to all without distinction of persons, preaching and teaching, baptizing, and celebrating the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, all the local Churches and the whole Church respond concretely to the Lord’s command to proclaim the Gospel to all nations” (para. 32). Guided by the Holy Spirit, the Church is a missionary church, proclaiming good news to the poor, and all of us missionaries. The missionary Pope Leo is an example.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

May 18, 2025

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

Love is what love does

Reinhold Niebuhr, professor at Union Theological Seminary for more than 30 years, was asked if he could name the time and place of his salvation. His answer was “2,000 years ago on a dusty hill named Golgotha outside Jerusalem’s wall.” The point he was making is clear; it was then that Jesus gave us the most visible demonstration of God’s enduring love for humankind.

Jesus lived and died for others and never ignored the cries of the poor and the needy. He cured the sick, gave sight to the blind, raised the dead, and pardoned sinners. The love of Jesus was, and is, a constant and generous donation of self. His death on the cross was an act of supreme divinity and shows that God’s love transcends all barriers and is not restricted even towards those who hate and murder the most beautiful example of human life which has ever been lived. It is for this reason that we can say that love is fashioned in the shape of the cross.

Our Gospel today brings us back to the night before Jesus dies and where he is
gathered with his disciples. This Sunday’s Gospel message, from Jesus’ Last Supper Discourse, invites us to forget ourselves and thereby find our true self, totally dedicated to God and others without counting the cost or shrinking back in fear. The New Jerusalem begins with the sacrifice of the Lamb of God on the cross.
An essential part of being a follower of Jesus Christ is a willingness to love. “I give you a new commandment: love one another. Such as my love has been for you, so must your love be for each other.” These words of our Lord are given as something to embrace – a challenge to put into practice. It is easier said than done! The teaching of Christ is a way of life, a way of love, manifested in words and deeds. “Love one another, as I have loved you.”

Jesus makes it clear that Christianity is fundamentally identified by love. A Christian is recognized not by creed but by an ability to reflect the love of God in their life. John’s Gospel does not present a sentimental view of love. This is a type of love that is shown in service and sacrifice. Following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, we are called upon to show genuine interest for the welfare of others, even those whom we may find no attraction toward. We disciples are to carry on Jesus’ messianic love. We must show to those entrusted to us by God a love extended to the sacrifice of our own good and life.

The call to each of us as Christians is to imitate Jesus day by day. It is not always easy to know just what to do in given circumstances of life, let alone have the courage and strength to put into practice what we sense we are called to do. The next big question therefore is this ‘What is love?’ There are some straightforward things which we can say about Jesus’ love

Jesus showed love by giving attention to others and their needs
Jesus showed love by serving others in caring ways
Jesus showed love by offering unconditional acceptance and forgiveness

The love of Jesus is not about fine preaching or sentimental feelings. For Jesus, love is what love does. Christian love is (and has been) the hallmark of Christianity. We see it lived in the witness of the martyrs. We see it in the example of the lives of the saints. We see it in the holy women and men who live and love daily, making small and large sacrifices for others. We are not alone is our living out the love of God for us in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We are promised the abiding presence of God’s Holy Spirit, alive and active in the Church, in her Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist, and in our lives, assisting us in our struggle to do good.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

May 11, 2025

A Message From Fr. David Olaniyi

Good Shepherd Sunday

Every fourth Sunday of Easter is known as Good Shepherd Sunday. It is also the vocations Sunday because it is the Good Shepherd who calls us into his vineyard.

Reading through the bible, especially the Old Testament, we see that God is often called the Good Shepherd. The biblical writers’ depiction of God as the shepherd of Israel stems from the dedication, commitment, and love they saw in ancient shepherds for their sheep. Their sheep meant everything to them. They were willing to sacrifice everything to protect their sheep. Only brave and courageous people were shepherds because they had to protect their sheep from wild animals when leading them to food. A good example of an ancient shepherd is David, who displayed his courage by confronting Goliath.

There is some kind of unwritten agreement between the shepherd and their sheep: the shepherds, on their part, took care of the sheep, protected them, and led them to food. The sheep, on their part, must know their shepherd, recognize his voice, listen to him, and follow him. For things to go smoothly, the shepherd must carry out his duties to the sheep, and the sheep must, in turn, listen and follow. Jesus referred to this in the Gospel reading of today when he says, “The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Jesus, our loving shepherd, would go to any length to protect and save us. The value God places on our souls is evident in the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for us. As the owner of the sheep, Jesus is not like the hired man who is only interested in making his wages. He will go to any length to protect his sheep. He puts the safety and life of his sheep before his own. What the sheep must do in return is just listen and follow. The important questions we should ask ourselves on Good Shepherd Sunday are: Do I recognize Jesus as my Shepherd? How do I experience his guidance and protection in my life? In what ways do I have to listen more and follow better? Do I show gratitude for the love and sacrifice of Jesus for me?

The Good Shepherd is not a shepherd for wolves, lions, or other wild animals, he is the shepherd for sheep. To be under his guidance and protection, the sheep must remain sheep. The sheep cannot say because there are wild animals around me who are threatening me, then I would become like them. That automatically takes them out of the fold.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

May 4, 2025

Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Do you love me? … Feed my lamb!

After his resurrection, Jesus took time to appear to his disciples at different places and times for 40 days before his ascension into heaven. He wanted to clear every doubt about the resurrection and strengthen his disciples so they would become faithful witnesses of his resurrection. The after-effects of Christ’s efforts are the contents of the book of the Acts of Apostles, which we read through the season of Easter in our first reading. Today, John’s gospel tells us about Jesus’ appearance to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias. Today Jesus spoke directly to Peter, the head of the disciples.

Jesus wanted Peter to reaffirm that faith he professed earlier in the gospel when he said: “Lord to whom shall we go, you have the message of eternal life” (Jn 6: 68-69). Thus, Jesus asked Peter three times, do you love me? Peter answered yes three times, contradicting the three times he denied Jesus and reaffirming his courage, which is evident in Peter’s testimonies, especially as we see in our first reading today. As we encounter Jesus in the Eucharist, he calls on every one of us to live in his love of him and to feed each other with the same love. We pray that we become faithful witnesses to God’s love in practical ways. Amen.

We thank the families who have prayerfully participated in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). With 337 families participating and $259,482 in pledges, we are at 108% of our $240,380 parish goal.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

April 27, 2025

Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Jesus, I Trust in You!

Today is the second Sunday of Easter, also Divine Mercy Sunday. Pope (St.) John Paul II on May 5, 2000, the Sunday after Easter of the Jubilee Year 2000, declared this Sunday as “Divine Mercy Sunday” and established the Feast of Mercy as requested by Our Lord through St. Faustina. On the vigil of Divine Mercy on Sunday, April 2, 2005, Saint John Paul II died. In all these, we celebrate the love and mercy of God, which culminated in the resurrection of Christ: the victory of Christ over death, sin, and Satan.

The message of mercy can be broken down into three parts, which are as simple to remember as A, B, and C.

A — Ask for His mercy. We must first realize that God is merciful! He wishes us to ask for His Mercy — upon ourselves, our nation, and the world! B — Be merciful to others. He wants us to receive His Mercy and let it flow through us to others. He wants us to extend love and forgiveness to others just as He does to us. C — Confidence and complete trust in God. God wants us to trust Him, to know and truly believe He is God. For this reason, on the image of Divine Mercy, Jesus had St. Faustina paint the words “Jesus I trust in Thee.”

Today’s readings invite us to reflect on this infinite Mercy of God. The first reading, the book of the Acts of the Apostles, summarizes how the first Christian community bore witness to the resurrection through the life of love and mercy, a practical example of what Jesus commanded them to do, as St. John describes clearly in the second reading. The Gospel continues the account of Jesus’ appearance after the resurrection, which we have been reading throughout this Easter octave. The Gospel has three central messages: the pouring of peace to the disciples, the commissioning-empowerment with the gift of the Holy Spirit, to bind and lose (the basis of the Church teachings on the Sacrament of Reconciliation), and the case of Thomas.

Let us reflect more on what Thomas did. We may blame Thomas for being doubtful, but we must remember that because of his doubts, the fact of Christ’s resurrection was not clear, even to other disciples. Worthy of emulation is Thomas’s humility; as soon as he was cleared, he testified, “My Lord and My God,” accepted the message entirely and went ahead to bear witness to it. In humility, we are called to take our faith’s truths and witness what we believe. We pray that the good Lord will open our hearts and minds to welcome the truth of our faith in all its fullness and to trust in him. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

April 20, 2025

Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Christ is Risen, Alleluia!

The year 2025 is a jubilee year for the entire Church and our St. Frances Cabrini’s (SFC) parish community as we celebrate the 70th year of the creation of our parish. Bishop Cantu, on November 16th, 2024, on our parish feast day celebration, inaugurated this journey towards this jubilee celebration and reminded us that this journey should be a spiritual journey. Through different programs these past months, we have reminded ourselves of the importance of spiritual renewal in each of us, our families, and our entire community in this jubilee year.

As a parish community, we had opportunities during Lent to participate in different spiritual programs built around fasting, prayer, and almsgiving that prepared us to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ this Easter, which lasts until Pentecost Sunday. The resurrection of Jesus brings great joy because it is the bedrock and foundation of our Christian faith. St. Paul emphasizes, “And if Christ has not been raised, then empty is our preaching, empty too is our faith.” (I Corinthians 15:14).

What does the resurrection of Jesus mean? Is it simply the raising of a corpse or simple restoration of life as in the case of Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5: 21-43), Lazarus (John 11: 1-43), and son of the widow of Naim (Luke 7: 11-17)? These analogies are poor enough to describe the full import of Christ’s resurrection adequately. His body was not restored to human life but completely transformed beyond the limitations of space and time. Christ’s body took a glorified state.

The joy of Easter should be grounded in the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord entails building and sustaining our relationship with him, in and out of season. This relationship guides and guards us through our life journey. I invite you to look out and participate in the parish’s different opportunities this Easter season and our jubilee year to help us strengthen our relationship with our risen Lord. On behalf of the priests who minister here at SFC and the parish staff, I wish you and your family the joys of this Easter season.

Thank you to the families who have prayerfully participated in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). With over 311 families participating and $245,922 in pledges, we have exceeded our parish goal of $240,380!

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

April 13, 2025

Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Journey of Perseverance!

Today is Palm Sunday, which formally commences the Holy Week. The most distinctive ceremonies of the day are the blessing of the palms, the procession, and the reading of passion. The red vestment worn by the presider today symbolizes the royalty of Christ, which this feast celebrates. The procession is not a triumphal march but Christ’s journey with his people to Calvary and the great act of redemption, a journey of perseverance. We identify with Christ’s disposition to accept the cross for our salvation by a joyful entrance in this liturgy.

The Gospel passion we read describes the humility, determination, and perseverance of Jesus in the face of his suffering, which the 1st and 2nd readings point out in different ways. Just as Jesus journeyed to Calvary, he invites us to journey with him in the various aspects of the sufferings we face in our lives. Let this Holy Week help us reflect more on Christ’s sufferings, as they relate to us in different ways, and ask him to be with us so that our life journey will be a journey of perseverance. Amen.

Thank you to the families who have prayerfully participated in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). Our ninth week of ADA puts us at $245,922! With 311 families participating, we are at 102% of our $240,380 parish goal, and we have reached our diocesan goal.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

April 5, 2025

Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Forward Ever, Backward Never!

Through today’s readings, God invites us not to grieve past mistakes but to learn from them and live above them. The Word of God, Prophet Isaiah, addressed to exiles in the first reading, is also addressed to us, “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see I am doing something new!” Similarly, St. Paul invites us to learn from his life; he lived “forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead….” Likewise, the Gospel presents the story of the woman caught committing adultery. This Gospel has many moving parts. Firstly, the shame the prosecutors put on the woman. What of the Man? Secondly, they set Jesus to the test and wanted him to support their acts of injustice.

Jesus, in his response, challenged both the prosecutors and the woman. Jesus questioned the prosecutors, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her,” This changed the whole story and made the prosecutors abscond. The goal of Jesus in this Gospel was not to disregard the law of his people but to speak and react against laws that perpetuated injustice and unfairness. Hence, his words to the woman, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on, do not sin anymore.” The Gospel reminds us of our God, who doesn’t condemn us but wants us to turn a new leaf and look forward to a promising future. Let us ask the good Lord to help us live continuously in his mercy and be instruments of his mercy to others. Amen

We thank the families who have prayerfully participated in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). Our eighth week of ADA puts us at $232,952. With 299 families participating, we are at 97% of our $240,380 parish goal and we have reached our diocesan goal.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

March 30, 2025

Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

God’s Mercy: Infinite And Definite!

The first and second readings today are well connected. In the first reading (Exodus 3:1-8a,13-15), we read the beginning of God’s saving work for the chosen race through the call of Moses. God identified himself as an ever-living God: “I am who I am,” liberated the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, and led them through the journey to the promised land even though the people grumbled at the slightest discomfort. Thus, St. Paul admonishes us in the 2nd reading (1 Corinthians 10:1-6,10-12), “Do not grumble as some of them did.”

The difficulties we face do not mean that God has abandoned us. Recognizing the ever-abiding presence of God helps us face these difficulties. Also, the ever-living God invites us to true repentance and bearing fruits of the Gospel, as the Gospel (Luke 13:1-9) reminds us. As we continue our Lenten journey, let us ask God to give us the wisdom and strength to recognize his presence and follow in his footsteps. Amen.

We thank the families who have prayerfully participated in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). Our sixth week of ADA puts us at $172,561. With 261 families participating, we are at 72% of our $240,380 parish goal and have reached our diocesan goal of $140,380. We will continue to update you on our progress.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

March 23, 2025

Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Ever-Living God!

The Eucharistic celebration, like every other prayer, is a dialogue. God speaks to us through the words of the songs, prayers, and readings, and we speak to him through our prayerful responses. The season of Lent calls us to listen and know what God is telling us about our relationship with him and one another. The first reading is the story of God’s encounter with Abraham, the father of our faith. Abraham built his faith in God by listening to him.

We read the story of the transfiguration in the Gospel today. A special moment in the transfiguration event was when a voice from the cloud confirmed Jesus’ sonship and invited us to listen to him. Lent is a special season when we call on God to transfigure us. God cannot transfigure us if we do not listen to the different ways he speaks to us. Let us ask the good Lord to open our hearts and minds to welcome his word and allow this word to transfigure us. Amen.

We thank the families who have prayerfully participated in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). Our fifth week of ADA puts us at $151,531. With 227 families participating, we are at 63% of our $240,380 parish goal and 100% of our diocese goal.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

March 16, 2025

Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Listen to Him!

The Eucharistic celebration, like every other prayer, is a dialogue. God speaks to us through the words of the songs, prayers, and readings, and we speak to him through our prayerful responses. The season of Lent calls us to listen and know what God is telling us about our relationship with him and one another. The first reading is the story of God’s encounter with Abraham, the father of our faith. Abraham built his faith in God by listening to him.

We read the story of the transfiguration in the Gospel today. A special moment in the transfiguration event was when a voice from the cloud confirmed Jesus’ sonship and invited us to listen to him. Lent is a special season when we call on God to transfigure us. God cannot transfigure us if we do not listen to the different ways he speaks to us. Let us ask the good Lord to open our hearts and minds to welcome his word and allow this word to transfigure us. Amen.

We thank the families who have prayerfully participated in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). Our fifth week of ADA puts us at $151,531. With 227 families participating, we are at 63% of our $240,380 parish goal and 100% of our diocese goal.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

March 9, 2025

Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Temptations: Moments of Grace or Sin?

Today’s Gospel from St. Luke invites us to reflect through the examples of Jesus’ victory over his temptations on how we overcome the temptations of our lives. To be tempted is not sinful; it can be a moment of grace. Jesus, through his victory over his temptations, was equipped with the grace to continue his ministry. As in the case of Jesus’ temptations, we are always tempted through our attractions, desires, and tendencies. As we undertake the three Cardinal Works (Prayer, Fasting, & Almsgiving) during this holy season of Lent, let them help us turn our temptations into moments of grace. Amen.

We thank the families who have prayerfully participated in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). Our fourth week of ADA puts us at $126,245. With 194 families participating, we are at 53% of our $240,380 parish goal and 90% of our diocese goal. We will continue update you on our progress.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

March 2, 2025

Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

By Their Fruits, You Shall Know Them!

Luke’s Gospel today is grounded in our first reading, the book of Sirach, which is a series of sayings of Jesus as part of Luke’s Sermon on the Plain. One outstanding invitation the Gospel gives us is to bear good fruits, especially the fruits of patience and not judging others. Luke challenges us to remove the wooden beam (log of wood) in our eyes before looking for a splinter (fragments) to remove from somebody’s eyes.

Let us continue to pray for the virtue of humility, which helps us depend on God’s grace and remember that none of us is perfect. Being mindful of our struggles will help us be more patient and tolerant. As we begin the Holy Season of Lent this Ash Wednesday, let us ask the Lord to help us bear good fruits. Amen.

We thank the families who have prayerfully participated in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). Our third week of ADA puts us at $102,670. With 153 families participating, we are at 43% of our $240,380 parish goal.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

February 23, 2025

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

The Gospel this week does not challenge our understanding as much as St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians does. We continue to hear Jesus instruct the people about how to live in God’s kingdom. He draws extensively on his Judaic heritage, a heritage somewhat familiar to us. Jesus is not the first person to practice or to counsel love or compassion for our enemies, as the example of David and Saul shows. But Jesus goes farther. While David based his response on respect for one God had appointed as king, Jesus offers a more universal ethic. In the kingdom of God that Jesus proclaims, all people receive our love and respect—even those who make demands on us, even those who don’t like us, even those who seem inconvenient, even those we don’t know. To treat others well who treat us well—for Jesus this is common sense and not necessarily God-like. We should be kind and merciful because God is kind and merciful, not because someone deserves it. If we deserve it, Jesus teaches, it is not mercy; it is payment. We may find this difficult to do, even if we don’t find it hard to understand.

Paul’s letter, though, falls into the “hard to understand” category. It doesn’t help that we read just a few verses from a much longer part of the letter where Paul tries to describe the resurrection. In faith, we believe not only that the resurrected Jesus lives (for this, Paul cites his own experience of meeting the risen Lord) but also that we ourselves shall live, resurrected like Jesus.

The Corinthians and the Greek culture in general had no sense of this at all. In fact, when Paul spoke about the resurrection in Athens, the people turned away from him. The Corinthians, whom Paul knew better, asked him to explain it. He does this in stages. First, he reminds the Corinthians that Jesus is raised from the dead, a teaching consistent among all the disciples and witnessed by many. That resurrection is proof that Christ has died for our sins and that his death is effective. Second, Paul points out the contradiction of those who deny the possibility of resurrection (the common Greek position): if there is no resurrection, he points out, Christ has not been raised, we die in our sins, all the disciples have lied, all who believe are deluded, and all who risk their lives for Christ are hopeless. Third, the practical questions of the Corinthians (what kind of body is raised? What will we be like?) show the limits of our understanding and imagination. We only think of our bodies as we currently experience them. Using the example of a seed growing into a full plant, Paul tells the Corinthians that our bodies are like that seed—we become something related but different, a “heavenly body” with its own beauty and characteristics.

Fourth, and finally, we come to what we hear today, the resurrection as the normal order of creation. The mortal (the physical body) comes first, then the immortal (what Paul calls the spiritual body, that is, a body imbued with the Spirit of Jesus). We now share in the nature of the earthly, represented by Adam; after the resurrection, will share in the nature of the heavenly, that is, in God’s nature, represented by the risen Christ.

We find all of this hard to imagine because our imagination takes its inspiration from what we see, what we touch, what we hear; that is, we cannot imagine what it would be like to live in a way different from how we live now. But that future is what God creates in us.

Jesus asks us to take the first step by imagining how to live in mutual respect and love. We may find that difficult to do because we find it hard to imagine living differently. All the more do we find it hard to imagine a completely different kind of being ourselves in God.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

February 16, 2025

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

In today’s gospel, we hear Luke’s version of the Beatitudes. They may sound familiar but because of our familiarity with Jesus’ words, we don’t take them seriously enough. In effect, they are like shooting stars or flashing lightning or rolling thunder! In today’s Gospel Jesus mentions four beatitudes here, and four woes. Each of them goes against the wisdom of the world. This helps emphasize a recurring theme found through Luke’s Gospel known as “the reversal of fortune.” Jesus thus contrasts two expressions of hearts – happy and sad. Happy people are the poor, the hungry, the sad, and sad people are the rich, the full, the laughing. God gives the wealth of the Kingdom of God to the poor while those who have made themselves rich may not receive the riches of the Kingdom of God. Sounds odd, doesn’t it? According to G.K. Chesterton, Jesus promised his people three things: they would be fearless, greatly happy, and in constant trouble.

Like Jesus, Jeremiah in today’s First Reading delivers his message twice over – in the language of a curse and the language of a blessing. Moreover, like Jesus, he states his values in the present tense, meaning now. Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, and cursed is the one whose heart turns away from the Lord. Jeremiah compares those who draw their life’s inspiration from God to a tree near the water’s edge, whose roots drink in the life-giving water, and those who trust only in humankind to a barren bush in the desert, growing in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth (v. 6). Jeremiah is trying to help us live with the right focus.

What inspires us to seek happiness in Jesus’ way rather than in the world’s? In our search for happiness and inner peace, we can’t live with one foot in this world and the other foot in the next. Part of the answer is found in today’s portion of St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians Paul speaks of immortality, eternal life, and resurrection. Notice it is eternal life not future life as our life in God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit has already begun! We are created to know God and to be loved by God. We can trust in God because of his perfect sacrificial love for us. When we see God’s love in Jesus on the Cross, we know Jesus is the one where we should place our roots. We put our trust in God because God loved us first; He has trusted us first! God gives us living waters through the Holy Spirit. Blessed are those who trust in the Lord! [Jer. 17:7]

To be “blessed” is to be in the right relationship with God. Those who are poor understand that something is lacking for them so they open themselves to something more – the Kingdom of God. Those who are hungry long for something more so they look for what will truly fulfill them – God.

Being a Christian is not easy. When we live in faith and trust in Jesus Christ, when we drink the waters of the Holy Spirit our problems don’t go away but the Lord does walk with us. The sermon featured in today’s gospel was delivered by Jesus Christ on a level ground. On this level ground, Jesus Christ juxtaposes the reality of joy, happiness, and inheritance of the kingdom with the reality of sorrow, poverty, and persecution. He proposes a solution in the embrace of the kingdom of God.

The acceptance of the kingdom of God presupposes engagement and sacrifice rather than indifference. Equal opportunity in His kingdom amounts to solidarity, empathy, compassion, and tolerance. Openness to this reality prompts a solidarity that is based on the fact that no one is perfect. The strong shall support the weak, while the weak shall appreciate the strong. By doing this, sorrow is turned into joy. To meditate on the law of the Lord means to constantly open ourselves to the Lord speaking to us and showing us how to live. “Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.”

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

February 9, 2025

A Message From Fr. David Olaniyi

For many, if not all, the unknown is daunting. We seek control to ensure order, security, survival, to have a sense of accomplishment, to alleviate feelings of uncertainty and unpredictability, and sometimes to mitigate fear. If it is possible, most people would like to avoid the surprises that life throws at us. There is a level of peace, confidence, and comfort with “being in control”. Life, however, is filled with variables beyond our control and because we are inherently imperfect and prone to mistakes, our capabilities are limited. True peace and comfort come from acknowledging our limitations and trusting fully in God who has absolute control over life, heaven and earth.

Trusting in God does not mean refusing to plan, not doing our best, or leaving things to chance. It means, having done our best in planning, preparation, and execution, we let go of our concerns and anxieties about the future knowing that God is in control. Trusting God is about embracing His goodness and love with unwavering certainty, especially when the path ahead is not clear. Simon Peter and his companions, Andrew, James, and John, being professional fisher men, would have done due diligence before going to the lake of Gennesaret as we have it in our gospel reading of today (Luke 5:1-11). They would have been fishing in that lake for years. They knew the right gear to use and the best time to have a good catch, hence they went at night. Even with the best preparations in place, they struggled through the night, coming up empty-handed. They would have thought it was not their lucky day.
Most people faced with similar circumstances to Simon Peter and his companions would have been pushed to their limits, lost their calm and courtesy. They would not be in a condition to listen to a stranger, never mind doing him a favor. First, Jesus got into Simon’s boat and “asked him to put out a little from the shore” for Him to teach the crowd. He obliged Jesus without complaining. When He had finished teaching, He said to him, “put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch.” Simon Peter’s response to Jesus showed that he didn’t think it was a good idea but out of respect and politeness, he did what was asked of him. The result was a miracle. This story highlights the importance of obedience and faith even in uncertain situations. The response of Peter to that miracle “go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man,” mirrors Isaiah’s response to seeing the Lord of Hosts seated on a high throne in our first reading (Isaiah 6:1-2,3-8). He said “what a wretched state I am in! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips.” When they experienced the power of God, they acknowledged their limitations, embraced humility, and surrender to God’s sovereignty.

To surrender control, trust in God’s sovereignty, and let go to let God, we must relinquish our pride, fears, insecurities, and embrace humility. We must recognize our limitations, just as Isaiah, Paul, and Peter did in our 1st, 2nd, and gospel reading. When Jesus said to Simon Peter, “don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people,” He was calling him to let go of his doubts and fears to trust in God’s plan for him. That is the message for all of us this Sunday. We are invited to trust in God’s love and timing. To let go of our desire to control and manage every aspect of life. Like Peter, trusting in the providence of God, let us cast that net of faith even when we are uncertain.

Trusting that God is always working for our good, we pray through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary that we all will find the courage to surrender our fears, anxieties, and desires to Him.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

February 2, 2024

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Dear Brothers & Sisters,
It has been a blessing serving as your pastor, especially witnessing all your commitments to growing our St. Frances Cabrini (SFC) parish community. As we journey together in celebrating and renewing our parish on the 70th anniversary (1955-2025) of its creation, I have always been edified to see how so many of you are growing in your relationship with Christ and witnessing His presence and love daily in our parish family.

Every year, the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA) invites us to renew our stewardship commitment to our local church and our parish, Supporting Our Mission Together. Your generosity toward the ADA sustains vital diocesan ministries that strengthen our families, parishes, and Catholic schools, foster a culture of vocations, provide faith formation, and reach out to those in need with hope and healing. 2024 was a tremendous success. The diocesan goal of $7.1 million was surpassed, with pledges exceeding $9.9 million. Our overall diocesan goal for 2025 is $7.325 million and the SFC share of this goal is $140,380.

Here at SFC, we will also benefit from your support of the ADA. All funds collected above our diocesan goal of $140,380 will be rebated directly to our parish to support our ministries and church maintenance. Thank you for your generosity towards the success of our 2024 ADA campaign. In 2024, our diocesan goal was $139,113 and our parish goal was $210,000. So far, the total pledge is $233,806.75 with 329 families who have participated. The rebates we have received have been very helpful in supporting our church’s renovation projects. Looking toward 2025, our parish goal is $240,380 and we will use our rebate to continue maintaining and improving our church.

I sincerely thank each of you who have already committed to this year’s appeal. If you have not had the opportunity to do so, please prayerfully consider how you can support Christ’s mission in the church by making a gift to the Annual Diocesan Appeal in love and gratitude for all the ways God has blessed you. Our sacrificial gifts and prayers unite us with the faithful from all the other parishes in our diocese to fulfill the church’s mission by making Christ present and transforming lives in His love in our parish and throughout our Diocese of San José. Please join us in Supporting Our Mission Together.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

January 25, 2025

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

We must study a bit of language to appreciate what we hear in the Scriptures today fully.

The word “Gospel” literally means “the good news” and we get a sense of that as we listen to St. Luke today. He writes about the beginnings of Jesus’ public ministry, a time after his baptism and temptations, a time when more of his contemporaries came to hear about Jesus. In the wider context, Luke introduces his Gospel by telling his patron Theophilus that he wants to fill him in with more information about the faith he has received. Since the name Theophilus means “loved by God,” it could well apply to each of us. St. Luke writes not only for a first-century Christian but for us. He writes so that we can prepare ourselves to “realize the certainty of the teachings you have received,” that is, to hear good news.

In providing a kind of mission statement, Jesus does not disappoint. Invited to read in the synagogue, he chooses Isaiah’s acknowledgment that God has anointed him “to bring glad tidings to the poor,” “to proclaim liberty to captives,” and to give sight to the blind. Jesus will fulfill—even in our hearing—what God has promised. The Isaiah prophecy offers what serves as a summary of what Jesus does. This is all good news, which we shall see as though in real-time as it unfolds in the life of Jesus. It also serves as a reminder that God does not forget us.

This reminder and fulfillment are not without precedent. About 500 years before, when the Israelites, returning from Babylon, heard the reading of the book of the Law (the story of God’s covenant with Israel), Nehemiah told them not to be sad or to weep for past sins, but to celebrate, “for rejoicing in the Lord must be your strength.” This, too, tells of good news, of God’s faithfulness. We sing of that in Psalm 19, “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul . . . giving wisdom to the simple.” More good news.

Like Luke’s Gospel, today’s final good news comes from the first-century Christians. St. Paul writes to the church at Corinth, who wrestled with an issue that appears several times in the Gospels among the apostles: Who is the greatest? It’s a very human question to ask, growing up as we do to compare ourselves to others. Even if we deny it, our culture is extremely status-conscious. To respond, Paul chooses what will become one of the most famous analogies in Christian theology: We Christians are the body of Christ, made the body of Christ through baptism into the one Christ. That baptism joins us together in Christ. And so, each of us has a part; the glory of one serves the glory of all. Competing and comparing only keep us from seeing the reality of Christ. Christ makes us together as the source of good news for the world. We have become what we began to hear about as good news.

And that is the good news.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

January 19, 2025

A Message From Fr. Robert Mckay

In John’s Gospel, Jesus and his disciples were invited to a wedding at Cana, as was Jesus’ mother, Mary. The other Gospels do not provide an account of this story. The sign Jesus performs at the wedding feast is celebrated as an epiphany or a manifestation of Jesus’ divinity. The awareness, however, of Jesus’ impending passion and death is ever present in John’s Gospel. Notice how the language used anticipates Jesus’ passion. Jesus says to his mother that his hour has not yet come and when introducing the story of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet, John relates that Jesus knew that his hour had come. So, in John’s Gospel, Jesus is very much in command and aware of all that is to happen to him.

Notice also the language used in the interaction between Mary and Jesus. The word “woman” is misleading if we simply feel that it sounds rough and abrupt. Jesus said “woman” on the Cross to address Mary as he left her in the care of John. In the context of today’s Gospel Mary demonstrates a trust in Jesus’ ability to address the need that has arisen. The disciples believe in Jesus after the miracle and Mary believes in the effectiveness of Jesus’ word before it. She trusts that whatever he says will work. Mary is influential in Jesus’ first sign. She will also be present at his Crucifixion, a witness to the final manifestation of his divinity.

Marriage and wedding feasts are images used in Scripture to describe God’s salvation and the Kingdom of God. Here, at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, John’s Gospel establishes that Jesus is going to re-interpret and fulfill God’s promise to Israel. Jesus establishes the New Covenant and hints at what this New Covenant will be like. The significance is made evident in the action that Jesus performs. Asked to address the awkward situation that the absence of wine at a wedding feast would create, Jesus’ miracle produces enormous quantities of wine—six jars holding thirty gallons each are filled to overflowing with choice wine. The real bridegroom who served this superior wine, Jesus, has “now” appeared, ushering into the world God’s abundant goodness and grace in a definitive way. The miracle centers on wine because abundant wine is symbolic of God’s presence in the world in the eschatological age (Amos 9:13; Joel 3:18). The tale of this miracle in verse 9 confirms that the divine reality behind the miracle is more important than the miracle itself. The final verse tells us the miracle at Cana is the first of Jesus’ “signs.” It “revealed his glory,” and as a result “his disciples believed in him.” By referring to Jesus’ miracles as “signs,” John’s Gospel shifts attention away from the miracle itself toward the greater reality to which it points.

This extravagant response to a simple human need is a vision of the abundance of God’s kingdom. For John, Jesus’ miracles are “signs” that reveal the salvation, abundance, and new life now present in the world through Jesus, revealing Jesus’ glory as God’s Son through whom salvation enters the world. According to John’s Gospel, the proper response to such revelation is faith, as the disciples demonstrate here. The gospel challenges us to believe that if we consciously claim the presence of Jesus Christ in our lives, we can have abundance, even where scarceness exists. It challenges us to respond generously when confronted with human need. We respond as best we can, fully confident that God can transform our efforts, bringing the Kingdom of God to fulfillment among us.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

January 12, 2025

A Message From Fr. David Olaniyi

Baptism of the Lord!

Today we recall the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the River Jordan. At the baptism of Jesus, the heavens open, the Holy Spirit descends like a dove, and the voice of God the Father declares, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). This reveals the divine sonship of Jesus and initiates his public ministry.

The role of John the Baptist was that of preparation; to prepare the way for Jesus. His baptism was a baptism of repentance. Those who came to him to be baptized acknowledged their sinfulness, made a public repentance, and were baptized in the river Jordan. John baptized with water, but he acknowledged that someone more powerful than him (Jesus) is coming “who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Luke 3:17). If John the Baptist himself acknowledged that he was not “fit to undo the strap of the sandals” of Jesus, and Jesus had no sin to repent of, why did he go to John to be baptized?

John the Baptist himself was surprised that Jesus came to him to be baptized when he had no need of it. Jesus went for baptism to identify with the people he had come to save, to show the way to follow, and to set an example of obedience and humility. The celebration of today challenges us to be like Jesus in welcoming all, even those we consider to be sinners. It encourages humility on our part and obedience to the will of God.

The baptism of Jesus marks the start of his public ministry, where he begins to preach, teach, and do good. This is an invitation for us all to reflect on our own baptism and renew our baptismal promises to live as children of God. Baptism marks the beginning of a new life in Christ. It is a commissioning for mission. Every baptized Catholic is called to actively participate in the mission of spreading the Good News. Our baptism involves a commitment to follow Jesus and live according to his teachings. It is a commitment to love and spread the goodness of God to all.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

January 5, 2024

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

The Best Gift!

On the feast of Epiphany, we celebrate the manifestation of the newly born baby – Jesus, not only to his people but to the Gentiles, meaning to the whole world. Christ is the light that will enlighten all nations and give the fullness of life to all people. The prophecy of Isaiah we read in the first reading (Isaiah 60:1-6) describes how the light of the Messiah will glorify and overcome every darkness. In line with Prophet Isaiah, St. Paul, in the second reading (Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6), calls himself a steward of God’s grace, who has been called and sent to share the gift of God’s grace with all people.

The Gospel today (Matthew 2:1-12) describes how the wise Men from the East came to Bethlehem to pay their respects and offer gifts to the newly born king of the Jews. We see in the Gospel how different people reacted to the message of the birth of Jesus. First is King Herod. He felt insecure hearing about the birth of a new king. To protect his kingdom, he ordered the killing of more than two thousand innocent children. Second, we see the indifferent reaction of the chief priests. The way the chief priests responded when asked about the news of the newly born king showed that they paid limited attention to it. Third is the reaction of the Magi – three wise men from east Mesopotamia.

The Magi offered the best gifts to Jesus, the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold – the king of metals, symbolizes that Jesus was born to be a king, but not in the worldly sense, but rather a king that will reign through the life of service and sacrifice. Frankincense is a priest’s gift, the temple’s sweetest perfume. It symbolizes that Jesus is the priest who will open the door of salvation to all people. Myrrh is the gift, an embalmment bam, which represents the mission of Jesus to lay down his life for us so that we may have life and have it in abundance.

We must reflect and ask ourselves about the gift we give to Jesus. Is our gift to welcome the newborn king, the Savior, the gift of heartedness as Herod, which leads us to spiritual destruction? Is it a gift of indifference as the chief priests, leading to not always paying attention to the spiritual gifts we need? Is it the best gift the Magi gave? The best gift we can give to him is our life. We do that through our total trust and confidence in him, and it entails entrusting everything we do to the hand of God and seeing the hand of God in everything that happens to us. Let us turn to God for the strength we need in this new year to be our best and to do our best. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 29, 2024

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Holy Family: A Model for Us!

Within the Octave of Christmas, we always gather to celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family – the family of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. The family God used to complete his mission of coming to be with us so that we become one with him. In this feast, we celebrate the gift of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, who said yes to the will of God for the salvation of all of us. The Holy Family becomes a model to us in the different positions God has called us in our various families, either as fathers, mothers, or children. Thus, today’s readings call our attention to other family situations.

In addition, today’s readings invite us to reflect on our responsibilities toward making our families a place where love, unity, and peace abide. Hannah, in the first reading (1 Samuel 1:20-22.24-28), thanked God for the gift of Samuel and dedicated Samuel to God as she promised. In thanksgiving to God, she said, “I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted my request. Now I, in turn, give him to the Lord”. The Gospel of Luke (2:41-52) tells us about the Holy Family through the missing of Jesus and his finding in the temple. How the Holy Family handled the crisis of the missing Jesus is an example for us to emulate.

At the center of the first reading and the gospel is the invitation St. John gives us in the 2nd reading (1 John 3:1-2.21-24) to follow the examples of God’s love for us in loving one another. To measure how much you contribute to making your family a loving home, ask yourself how much of the three A’s and P – Attention, Affection, Appreciation, and Prayer you give. We all need to give, as well as receive, the three A’s and practice the P to love and feel loved. Attention – How much time do we give to our family as a dad, mom, child, or even friends? Affection – How much do we care to know the concerns of others in our family? Is it always all about us? Do we feel sensitive to somebody who is hurting in the family? Appreciation – Are we quick to find fault and slow to recognize the good others have done in the family?

Prayer – How much effort do we give to make our families a home where we pray and encourage each other to pray? We remember the saying, the family that prays together stays together – Does this saying mean anything to us? Do the prayers and sacramental life my family participates in help us to stay together and be a family where love, patience, forgiveness, understanding, and peace always reign? One outstanding thing in the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph was their trust in God’s will, which was a stronghold for them in different life situations. Likewise, prayer calls us to continue unceasingly to present our families and ourselves to God. Let us ask the good Lord to help us to be the best for each of us in our families.

Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 22, 2024

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

We began this Advent season by reflecting on how Jesus told the disciples not to fear the end; he explained that the end marked a new beginning. For Jesus, the hope of that new beginning, of the revelation of the reign of God deserved an eager welcome. The hope of something new characterizes his desire; in fact, that kind of hope categorizes all our desires. The Letter to the Hebrews describes Jesus as eagerly coming into the world to do the Father’s will. For Jesus, the desire to do the Father’s will gives the purpose and direction to his life.

We can best describe Advent as the season of desires. We pray to know our desires; we pray to align our desires with God’s desires since God works to fulfill those desires, even beyond our imagining. God’s desires for us move us well past what we might desire on our own, as the prophet Micah assures that little town, “You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah, too small to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel . . . his greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth; he shall be peace.”

These last days of Advent invite us to think about how we might react to desires fulfilled. What might we do when we discover the magnitude of what God does for us? Luke’s Gospel presents Mary as an example. Lifted so much higher than anything she prayed for, even than her prayer for the coming of the Messiah, she knows how God has fulfilled her desire. What does she do?

Mary does two things: she hastens to the hill country of Judea to help her elderly cousin Elizabeth with her pregnancy. As we learn from Mary’s Son, Mary’s response to God’s gift lies in service: the one who has come not to be served but to serve marks his life with service even before his birth. Second, Mary sings God’s praises. With Psalm 80, she prays, “Give us new life, and we will call upon your name.” And she does.

Though we do not hear it this Sunday, we know Mary’s song of praise. “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit exalts in God, my savior. For God has done great things for me, and holy is his name.”

Here is how we should act when we find our desires fulfilled. This is how Jesus put it when asked about the commandments that please God most: To love God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind; to love our neighbor as ourselves. Mary (and Jesus whom she carries) models this dual love in serving Elizabeth and in singing God’s praises. This final lesson of Advent offers us the best possible preparation for Christmas.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 15, 2024

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

Our Church exhorts her members to rejoice on the Third Sunday of Advent. One line in the first reading puts it in dramatic terms. Zephaniah says the Lord “will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals.” Because of you! Have you ever imagined that God might be singing because of you? Have you ever let your image of God expand that far? Have you ever let God sing you into existence, in the most profound sense of the word sing? Can you imagine this?
We want to celebrate who we are as God’s children, but we often don’t know how! Perhaps the main reason we find it so difficult to celebrate genuinely is that we seem to lack the capacity to simply enjoy things, to take life, pleasure, love, and enjoyment as a gift from God, pure and simple. However, we do occasionally succeed and genuinely celebrate when we feel ourselves more deeply connected to others, widened, made larger, made more aware, made more playful, and sense more deeply the love and joy that lie at the heart of life.

Advent is a preparation for the celebration of a gift that is, in large measure, already realized. Jesus has established God’s kingdom of love and peace, is growing, and will reach fulfillment in the Second Coming of Jesus. The readings at Mass today provide reasons for the joy God wants us to appreciate and enjoy. The part we read on this Sunday’s first reading comes from a hymn celebrating the survival of the faithful remnant of Israel. It is sung, therefore, by a group that has passed through tough times. Amid those difficulties, the faithful have come to know the presence of God so vividly that they can picture that the Lord “will sing joyfully … as one sings at festivals.”

How did they get to be rejoicing survivors, we might ask? In an earlier chapter, the prophet had said, Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth, who have observed his law; seek justice, seek humility; perhaps you may be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger (Zeph 2:3). This is not cheap joy; it comes through difficulties and is worth the effort!

Paul, in a captivity of his own while in Roman custody, also exhorts his Philippians to rejoice. Like others who have been able to deal prayerfully with the enforced solitude of incarceration, Paul has come to know the presence of the Lord. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Second Reading)

Our liturgical readings for this Sunday blossom in the Gospel of Luke – the prophetic challenge of John the Baptizer! The Baptist made it clear that the coming of God in the person of Jesus would mean good news to those whose lives were “fruitful” in ways that show repentance. When questioned by the crowds as to what precisely “fruitful” living entailed, he replied concretely: don’t cheat, don’t extort, don’t falsely accuse, be content with your wages, and share food and clothing. In this Sunday’s Gospel, each segment (the crowd, the tax collectors, the soldiers) asks John the Baptist the same question: “Teacher, what should we do?” He answers: “Let your life sing.” Let your life be what it is: God’s joyous, interwoven, and consonant melody, sounding outwards in deepest joy. Do these things, and you will be sounding the true melody of your life! Under the reign of God, your life and what you do with it matters. Whatever your role in life is, live it justly, and the world will be a better place.

At the end of the day, the liturgy’s encouragement to rejoice has little to do with mood and much to do with waking up to the good news of the incarnation. The way of life revealed in Jesus is both consoling and demanding. While most of us do not face exile or imprisonment, we face the challenges of living justly and sharing with the needy. The very purpose of the celebration is to heighten and intensify the meaning of something (a birthday, a wedding, a major achievement, a victory, a graduation, the birth of a child, or the beginning or end of a year). To celebrate an occasion is to heighten it, share it, savor it, and enlarge it. We also celebrate to link ourselves more fully to others, to be playful, to intensify a feeling, to bring ourselves to ecstasy, and, more commonly, just to rest and unwind.

Jesus Christ came and declared a wedding, a feast, a celebration at the heart of life. God has given us permission to enjoy life and its pleasures. We are God’s song. Let it sing. Share your cloak and food, collect only what is owed, and do not extort. Do these things, and you will be sounding the true melody of your life! Rejoice, again, I say rejoice!

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 8, 2024

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Lightening the Darkness of Our Lives!

When we look closely at the liturgy of Advent, it is closer to that of the Lent than other seasons. However, something unique about Advent is the advent candle and wreath. We will light a candle every week of the season, as we started last week and have done today, the beginning of the 2nd week. Christ is our light, and he enlightens our life. We remember we were given the light of Christ during our baptism, and Easter, we call “Christ our light – Thanks be to God.” Christ is our light and our hope. Hope entails preparation, which is one of the things this season of Advent calls on us to do.

Today’s readings describe how God used different people at different times to bring His light of hope and encouragement to His people. In the first reading, the book of the Prophet Baruch – the scribe to the Prophet Jeremiah, God, through him, brought words of hope, encouragement, comfort, and promises of restoration to His people while they were in exile. Similarly, the prayers of St. Paul in the 2nd reading reflect words of encouragement and hope. He prays that God, who began good work in us, will complete it in Christ. Equally, John the Baptist in the Gospel of Luke today reminds us that our hope in the coming of the Savior should show itself in how we prepare the way for the Lord.

Just as God used Baruch, Paul, and John the Baptist to bring his words of hope to his people, he wants us to make ourselves available to be used to make his words of hope reach others. As we look at the light of the advent candle, it is supposed to call our attention to what aspect of our life we want God to bring in the light of hope so that it will overshadow the darkness of despair. St. Paul prays that God, who began good work in us, we complete it in Christ. Could we recall something good we did that brought hope and consolation to us and others recently? Whatever it is, God calls us through our good deeds to be sources of His light of hope.

Things usually don’t always work out how we expect them to, and life’s disappointments and failures can plunge us into the darkness of despair and hopelessness. Even the mistakes of our lives can hurt and prevent us from looking up and seeing the loving mercy and forgiveness that God always offers. This season of Advent reminds us that the light of Christ’s presence can enlighten any darkness we go through. As we journey in this season of Advent, each of us should embrace the light of hope God gives us by preparing and opening our hearts to his enduring love. Let us ask God that the light of hope this Advent will continue to enlighten us and take control of the darkness that beclouds the hope He gives us in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 1, 2024

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Pray that you have the strength…!

The Church’s liturgical year begins with the First Sunday of Advent, generally the last Sunday in November or the first Sunday of December, depending on whichever gives four Sundays before Christmas. We discover that the liturgy of Advent is nearer to that of Lent than other liturgical seasons (Christmas, Lent, Easter, & Ordinary Time), especially when we look at the color of the vestments, the omission of the Gloria, and the penitential tones of some of the hymns. The season of Advent covers not only the preparation for the celebration of the coming of Christ but also his ever-abiding presence among us and his final coming when he completes the work of redemption. In Advent, we celebrate the past and the present and prepare for the future.
When we look at today’s readings, they are connected to three stages of Christ’s coming, namely, the promise of the coming of the Messiah, which we read in the first reading in the book of the Prophet Jeremiah (33:14-18). The incarnation through which Jesus lived among us and left us with love to be the center of what we do, which St. Paul describes in the second reading (1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2) while praying that God will “make us increase and abound in love for one another and all.” Similarly, the Gospel of Luke (21:25-28, 34-36) describes the second coming of Christ with the words we have been reading for a couple of weeks on the end of time.

Jesus, in the gospel, elucidates the events that will be associated with the final coming and invites us to “Stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” And: “Pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations….” Prayer is the dialogue with God. It is the backbone of Christian living. It is the food of the soul that nourishes and strengthens us spiritually. We communicate with God through prayer and continuously feel his presence in every event. We learn how to pray by praying. It is one of the best gifts we can give to our spiritual life during the Advent season.

The first Advent Candle we lit this weekend represents hope. Prayer gives us hope amid the fear and uncertainties of life. Deepening our life of prayer is deepening our life in Christ. Balanced prayer life has to be continuous, comprising praise and thanksgiving, contrition, and supplication. That we pray does not mean that God will answer all our prayers and solve all our problems, but prayer makes us accept the will of God in our lives and know that the will of God will not send us where his grace will not abide with us. I invite you to find more time to pray personally and as a family and to join our SFC community in different prayer opportunities scheduled for this season of Advent. May the good Lord make this season fruitful for us. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

November 24, 2024

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

Last January, we first met Jesus after his baptism, proclaiming, as the Gospel of Mark tells us, “the gospel of God.” This is what he said: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” As we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King, we need to remember that Jesus does not preach about himself nor about kingship, but about God and the reign of God. The kingdom of God that is at hand, as he describes it in all the parables we have heard, refers not to a place, but to God’s activity. That insight remains central to any title or role that we might recognize in Jesus. If it is God’s reign, then God bestows it on Jesus; he does not claim it for himself.

But what is it that Jesus receives?

As we learn in the Hebrew Bible, ancient Israel had longed for a king, like those that ruled the other nations around it. They rejoiced in David, Solomon, and the others from the House of David. The prophets dreamt of kings in their visions of the night and clearly saw the shortcomings of the kings in Israel. The Jews of Jesus’ day chafed against Roman rule, against Herod and the other kings imposed by Rome. This does not seem to be what Jesus proclaimed; the Kingdom of God was not swapping out one ruler for another.
God’s reign, as Jesus describes it and acts it out, includes times and places of forgiveness of sins, of driving out demons, of healing the sick, of feeding the hungry crowds, of restoring sight, of raising the dead. God’s reign works among us like seeds growing in all kinds of soil, like small seeds becoming big trees, like tenant farmers rejecting the landlord’s son. Unlike most kings, God works quite hard in that reign of God. And God invites us to become part of it.

That reign differs dramatically from what the disciples (and we ourselves) might think it should be. The disciples asked Jesus for top positions in the Kingdom of God that he proclaimed. Thinking it like the ancient kingdom of Israel or even Herod’s kingdom, they wanted seats at his right and at his left; they wanted power. Here is his answer: “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10: 42–43).

That should have prepared us for the shocking end of Jesus’ ministry, the one time that the Gospel calls him a king. At this death, the inscription read, “the king of the Jews.” What Jesus does in his proclamation of the reign of God is to redefine kingship, to turn it on its head: not power, but love. The reign of God reveals the nature of God, a God who loves the world and invites us to become part of that.
Today when we give Jesus the title, “the Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe,” we celebrate not what we imagine a king to be but what God reveals as the true reality of the reign of God, revealed on the cross.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

November 17, 2024

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

We move toward the end of the Liturgical Year by stepping back and looking at the big-time picture. The Christian message is readiness to meet Jesus, whenever he comes. We will have to give an account of all our doings. The books must be in order. Are our everyday decisions helping to make us ready? Even if ours is not the generation to see the second coming, each of us must face our personal day of judgment. Each day we are faced with multiple choices – pointing us in particular directions, sometimes good, sometimes less so. Are we prepared?

How do we prepare ourselves? How do we get ready? How will we be sure that the Lord recognizes us? What are the right choices to make during our day? The Lord comes to us in many ways, both as gift and challenge. Our vision of the last things should not sink us in pessimism or despair. We use expressions like “burning your boats” or “burning your bridges,” which seem to suggest a radical option with no turning back. Rather, the question that should be asked is: How ready are we for the second coming of Jesus Christ since our faith tells us that some generation in history will experience the Parousia (the second coming of Christ). Having your lamp alight is a gentler image suggesting meeting the challenges of life rather than fearing them. As the prophet Daniel chanted (First Reading):

The wise shall shine brightly
like the splendor of the firmament,
and those who lead the many to justice
shall be like the stars forever.

The question posed in both Old and New Testament is “What will the outcome be?” or “Where is this world headed?” More personally, the enquiry is “What is my own destiny in the life to come?” About that day or hour no one knows and just as well, otherwise life would be difficult to cope with. Our faith emphasizes that the big-time picture is incomplete unless we recognize that the Creator of all has become fully evident in Jesus of Nazareth, especially in his death and resurrection because these events constitute a victory of cosmic implications. We find, in our best moments and sometimes in our worst moments, that this affirmation of victory and cosmic vision frees us sufficiently from fear so that we can get on with our life housekeeping.

The upshot of our lives is to love and evoke love, no matter where we may be. The outcome of life is to receive with full heart the gift of Jesus Christ’s once-and-for-all redemptive act. It is to sing, with the psalmist: “For you are my God, you alone are my joy. Defend me, O Lord.” It is to welcome the opportunity of each moment, each breath. Welcoming Jesus is what really makes us Christians, sharing the spirit of his first followers who said “Maranatha” — “Our Lord, come!” We are invited to live our lives within an awareness of eternity, seeing this life as preparation for, and building towards, an endless life with God.

How should we believers await the coming of the Lord?

Actively, with our lamps burning, not asleep. We can never say we have arrived; we have it all made. We keep on working until the end.

Joyfully, for if we are ready, then it will be a joy to welcome the bridegroom and enter into the marriage feast.

Hopefully, for we await him who in his sacrifice lives to make intercession for us. In him we have confidence because he comes to reward us who have remained faithful and whose names are written in the book of life.

Stated differently: let us get smart. Examine carefully what we are able to do and with what effect. We are not helpless, no matter what we feel.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Let our courage rest in divine help.

I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope. When you call me, when you go to pray to me, I will listen to you and bring you back. (Jer 29:11)

During the Advent season we will be reminded constantly of this truth: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

November 3, 2024

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Giving as an Act of Faith

All Saints and All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) celebrations on the 1st and 2nd of November are very significant as we come toward the end of the Liturgical Year. These celebrations remind us of the transient nature of our earthly life and invite us to seize the opportunity we have to work toward embracing the gratuitous gift of salvation that God has given us in Christ (Revelation 7: 10). The Eucharist we celebrate continues to prepare us to gain this salvation which Christ will give to “those who eagerly await him” as the second reading today states clearly.

The first reading and the Gospel today present two widows who expressed their faith in God through their acts of giving at different times and situations. In both cases, the widows gave in the face of scarcity. What propelled these widows to give despite their hopeless and helpless situations? Our readings present two striking answers to this question. First, in order for us to share our gifts with others, we must have faith and trust in God, whose gifts to us are infinite. It was a disposition like this that motivated the widow in the first reading to accept and act on the words of the prophet Elijah. Second, God blesses each and every one of us with gifts. These gifts are given to us so that we become gifts to others. The poor widow in the Gospel acknowledged and acted on this. Thus, she won the praise and admiration of Christ for her total self-giving.

God calls us to share the gifts (time, talent, and treasure) he has given us with others in different ways. We ask ourselves: Do we accept or deny these gifts? Do we always find a way to excuse ourselves from sharing these gifts? What happens when people do not acknowledge the gifts we share with them? Do we get so discouraged and forget the source of our gifts? Do we still give for the sake of God, who gives us despite ourselves? Do we know that our faith shows itself in how we respond and use the gifts God has given us? (James 2:17). Do we know that these gifts are given for us to use to win God’s gift of salvation? Let us ask the good Lord to help us to accept the gifts he has given us and become true gifts to others for his greater glory. Amen.

We thank those who participated in the listening sessions we had for these past two weekends. Your feedback is invaluable to us. The Parish Council will be collating all the feedback from the listening sessions and the surveys and begin to craft our Parish Pastoral/Strategic Plan. Meanwhile, some of the input from the sessions need immediate attention, which we will begin immediately to address them towards the continuous growth of our parish. In addition, I look forward to your participation in celebrating our Parish Feast Day on Saturday, November 16th, at 5.00 PM Mass. This celebration, that our Bishop Oscar Cantú will lead, serves as a kickoff to our journey towards the 70th anniversary celebration of the creation of our parish in 2025. Please RSVP if you plan to join the reception that day after the Mass.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

November 3, 2024

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

LOVE

Most Sundays, we conclude our prayers of the faithful by praying the Diocesan Prayer for the Eucharistic Revival. We always conclude by praying that we remain in God’s love through the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Love. The Eucharist invites us constantly to appreciate the love God has for us. It challenges us to experience and show this love in our relationship with God and one another. Strikingly, today’s readings, among other things, invite us to reflect on the three dimensions of this love – the love of God, the love of oneself, and the love of neighbor- the greatest commandment. Our love for God guides and directs the other two dimensions of love.

Jesus, in Mark’s Gospel (12:28b-34) today, in answering one of the Scribes who asked about the greatest commandment, repeats the words of the first reading of the Book of Deuteronomy (6:2-6). He invites us to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul and to love our neighbor as ourselves. The question can be: why do we have to love God? Simply, we have to love him because he loves us first. Out of his love, he created us in his image and likeness, redeemed us in his love, and will save us in his love, which our second reading, the letter to the Hebrews (7:23-28), describes for us. We show that we love him by our efforts to do his will and not our own, which sometimes opposes his will- “If you love me, you will keep my commandment” (Jn. 14: 15).

The second part of this greatest commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves. It presupposes that before we can love our neighbor as God wants, we must love ourselves according to God’s love. Love of oneself is not limited to taking care of our physical needs, food, clothing, leisure, or other comforts; it also includes taking care of our spiritual needs. When we have a balanced love of ourselves according to God’s will, we can use it as a yardstick to measure our love for our neighbor.

The third dimension of the love God calls is the love for our neighbor. Who is this neighbor? A question like this was asked to Jesus in Luke 10: 29-37, leading to the Good Samaritan parable. The parable helps to define who our neighbor is. Our neighbor goes beyond someone who lives in the same area or vicinity as us but anyone who needs our help anytime and anywhere. Our neighbor can be a widow, an orphan, a beggar, a disabled, a stranger, or even somebody we live in the same house can be our neighbor who needs our love, attention, and compassion. Let us ask the good Lord, the source of love, to shower his love in our hearts so that we can truly experience it and share it with others. Amen

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 27, 2024

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

Mark tells us that Bartimaeus followed Jesus “on the way”—a New Testament phrase that the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles use to describe someone faithful to Jesus: to be on the way. How did Bartimaeus become a disciple of Jesus? A number of things came together for him and they matter to us as well.

Sometimes we end up in the right place at the right time, even if it seems improbable or accidental. Being there is no guarantee, though, that we will know what to do. Bartimaeus’s meeting with Jesus illustrates a process of both.

First, Bartimaeus was indeed at the right place and time. He did not know that Jesus would be coming out of Jericho by that gate nor did he seem, like Zacchaeus (another citizen of Jericho whom we meet in the Gospels—the one who climbed a tree to get a glimpse of Jesus) to have planned out what he would do. Perhaps Bartimaeus was simply in his usual spot. The gate from Jericho leading to the road to Jerusalem would have been a good spot for a beggar, with lots of pilgrims passing by, pilgrims well disposed to gaining a bit of merit for a good deed done to a blind man. And so there he was.

Second, but Bartimaeus was prepared. From so many pilgrims traveling along the road he had certainly heard about Jesus. It’s not that surprising that he listened carefully; his success as a blind beggar would have required that. And so, he had heard the Jesus healed people, that Jesus showed God’s compassion to people, and that Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God. And so when he heard the noise of a large crowd going by and learned that it was Jesus, he knew what he had to do.

Third, Bartimaeus does not hesitate when the opportunity presents itself. He shouts, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” That was enough to get Jesus’ attention. And, as Bartimaeus hoped, Jesus acted compassionately, asking “What do you want me to do for you?”

Fourth, Bartimaeus knew exactly what he wanted and he did not hesitate to ask for it.

Fifth, Bartimaeus was free, perhaps more so than other people in Jericho. As soon as Jesus restored his sight, he followed Jesus, needing to take nothing with him, leaving his cloak behind. He was willing to leave not only that but all that was familiar behind. That’s how he became a disciple.

What seems a simple narrative of Jesus’ restoring sight to a blind man becomes a guide to discipleship or us. What must we do to follow Jesus? We could interpret what we hear as a way to follow the example of Bartimaeus. Those five steps map out a direction for us. We need to be aware of our surroundings and we need to pay attention to what is going on around us. At every opportunity, we should not hesitate to call out to Jesus and to ask for what we want. Those may be the easier steps. The last one, however, demands more. We should be free enough to leave the old ways behind and to follow Jesus.

To be on the way… not to arrive, but to move along, to know where we’re going. We can’t do it blindly, as Bartimaeus recognized, unless, of course, someone is willing to heal us and to lead us. And that’s Jesus.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 20, 2024

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

One With Jesus, The Suffering Servant of God

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, instead of consoling him, instead ask him for a favor in the great triumph of the Kingdom: “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” Their response sounds so insensitive – how arrogant! Jesus could hardly believe it! Jesus must have been so disappointed, so he challenges them: “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I must drink or be baptized with the baptism which I must be baptized?” Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, the cup is a symbol usually given to the Prophets when God revealed their calling to them. That destiny always involved suffering and pain, and so it is the cup of bitterness. Jesus therefore knows that going to be baptized means that he must die. Their response is: “We can drink of the cup, and we can be baptized with the baptism,” not understanding at all what they are talking about. Jesus softens as he looks at them and states “Yes, someday you will have to drink the cup and someday you will be baptized in this kind of baptism. But to give you places in heaven, that is not for me to decide, that is for the Father.”

When the other disciples become aware of the request made by James and John, they protest. They too want to be winners and not losers. These are the men who seek the authority of the world. Jesus is offering the authority of God. The authority of God abides in loving – learning how to love the way the Father loves, how Jesus himself loves by laying down his life for God’s people. Now the cup represents the overflowing blessings and abundance that God graciously pours into our lives. Just as Jesus willingly embraced the cup of suffering and judgment, we are encouraged to endure our own trials and tribulations, knowing that redemption and transformation can arise from such experiences. Jesus reminds us to recognize, appreciate, and share His goodness with others. The great mystery of God is not that we serve him, but that it is he who serves us. God’s love as revealed in Jesus’ love is so great that he will give us everything, including his own Son.

God comes to us in silence and in quietude, in love and in caring. “Where is God?” people say. God is wherever you want Him to be. If we would just listen, would be able to hear His word. If we go out and find the people who need help and who need this kind of love — to be understood, to be cared for, to be respected, to be healed and to be saved — there we will find the authority of God. As disciples of Jesus, we are sent into this world to listen and to heal, to care and to reach out, to learn how to love as God loves. God gives His only begotten Son that He should offer His life so that we might understand that God’s love is so great that He gives us everything He possibly can!

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 13, 2024

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Promoting the Dignity, Unity, and Respect of Marriage and Family Life!

The Eucharistic celebration – the highest form of prayer, is a special moment in which God speaks to us in different ways, namely through songs, prayers, and readings. The Word of God, which we experience through these means, is meant to encourage the good we do and challenge us to overcome the weaknesses of our lives. This change can only happen if we have the disposition to participate fully in the liturgy. This worthwhile disposition to the Word of God makes it “living and effective,” as our second reading (Hebrews 4: 12-13) points out clearly.

The personification of wisdom in the first reading (Wisdom 7:7-11) flows from the book’s background, which is the brainchild of King Solomon. The early part of his kingship shows how he chose wisdom over riches (I Kg 3: 5-14). Thus, the exact reflection on riches and wisdom that connects us to Jesus’ seemingly impossible analogy in Mark’s gospel (Mark 10:17-30) today; “it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom.” In the context of this gospel, one may conclude that Jesus detests riches and sees it as a curse rather than a blessing. Is this true? No! Instead, Jesus wants to bring to our awareness the destructive dangers of riches, which do not in any way undermine the blessings they bring.

Jesus wants us to reflect on two things about riches: How we acquire and use them. These two things determine if riches become a blessing or curse to us. First, we have to ask ourselves: What we have, small or big, how did we acquire them; were they acquired justly or through crook or hook? (1 Timothy 6: 6-10). Second, how do we use the riches we have acquired? Do our riches make us arrogant and proud? (1 Corinthians 4: 7). Are we unduly attached to riches (as the young man in the gospel) that we evaluate our lives by what we have rather than who we are? Are we wasteful and extravagant or stingy and mean with our riches? Do we remember that the more riches we have, the more opportunities to win God’s blessings with them? (Luke 16: 19-31). We pray that the good Lord will give us the wisdom to acquire and use properly the riches he has given us so that they become for us sources of blessing and not curse. Amen.

We are in the third week of launching our Parish Pastoral Plan Survey, which follows the six priorities of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan: Worship, Outreach, Youth & Young Adults, Family, and Structural Renewal. Thanks to those who have participated. The online version of the survey is on our website and weekly newsletter. You can find the paper version of the study behind the church. Please remember that your feedback through the survey is critical in helping us craft a parish strategic pastoral plan for the growth of our SFC parish community.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 6, 2024

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Promoting the Dignity, Unity, and Respect of Marriage and Family Life!

On this Sunday, the first reading (Genesis 2:18-24) and the Gospel (Mark 10:2-16) center on the institution of marriage and the invitation to promote dignity, unity, and respect for marriage and the family. Not all of us are in the vocation of married life, but we are directly or indirectly products of marriage and family. Thus, these readings invite us to reflect on aspects of marriage and family that concern us. The background to the first reading is that God created both man and woman in his image. So likewise, every human being is made in the image of God, and nothing takes it away from us.

We are called to respect and recognize the image of God in each other, which invariably will sustain any relationship, be it in the family, marriage, or worshipping community- the Christian family. The story of the creation of a woman to be a helpmate to the man reminds us that God created us to be there for one another and help one another make the best meaning out of life. God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” Life is not meant to be lived alone because nobody is an island. To live is to live for the other. We are the stewards of God’s gifts.

Marriage is not a bed of roses. We need tolerance, patience, love, forgiveness, and understanding to make a marriage work. Home is not where bickering and blames are the order of the day, but where peace and love reign. We need patient endurance to make the best of our married vocation. God calls us through this vocation so that through them he would bring us to his glory, as the second reading (Hebrews 2:9-11) reminds us.

Another aspect of the gospel we are called to reflect on is the issue of putting asunder in marriages. Our effort as a Christian community is to pray and support family unity, especially through good words of advice and encouragement. It is good to ask ourselves the advice we give to people going through crises in their marriages and relationships. Is it advice that uplifts or brings more divisions and confusion? We are called to promote marriage and family’s dignity, unity, and respect. We pray that the good Lord will help us to do this now and always. Amen.

We are in the second week of launching our Parish Pastoral Plan Survey, which follows the six priorities of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan: Worship, Outreach, Youth & Young Adults, Family, and Structural Renewal. Thanks to those who have participated. We received many responses in the first week, and we hope to receive more in the second week. The online version of the survey is on our website and weekly newsletter. You can find the paper version of the study in the back of the church. Please remember that your feedback through the survey is critical in helping us craft a parish strategic pastoral plan for the growth of our SFC parish community.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

September 29, 2024

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Self-Centeredness as an Obstacle to Christian Living!

In the Eucharist, we celebrate Christ’s total self-giving and selflessness, one of the themes the readings today invite us to reflect on. In the first reading, God asked Moses to assemble seventy elders to receive God’s spirit and assist Moses in leading the people. When the elders gathered, the spirit of God came and rested on them, and they prophesied. At the same time, two men, Eldad and Medad, who were not in the camp, received the same spirit and prophesied too. A young man reported the strange thing to Moses to the hearing of Joshua. Joshua wanted Moses to stop him, but Moses wished all to receive God’s spirit. Thus, we see in Moses one who wants others to share in the gifts God has given to him.

Similarly, in the gospel, the disciples reported to Jesus how they wanted to prevent someone from driving out demons because he was not among them. Jesus, who came to share God’s love with all, reassured them that they should not stop anybody because God’s love and gifts are abundant to those who love and trust him. These two events invite us to reflect on the abundance of God’s love and gifts and how we appreciate and open our hearts to welcome the gifts others have and the good deeds others do. This abundance should fill us with hope and reassurance.

Jesus presents other striking messages in the remaining part of the gospel. First, Jesus warns of the danger of scandal: misleading others. The life we live speaks so much more than what we say. Action speaks louder than voice, and example is better than precepts. At the end of each Mass, we are commissioned to witness the gospel by our words and deeds. Our life may be the only bible another person may read. Being faithful witnesses shows how we are patient with one another, tolerating, understanding, and forgiving others for the sake of Christ.

Finally, Jesus invites us to ask ourselves what leads us to sin. Many things can lead us to sin. For example, St. James presents to us in the 2nd reading today the danger of selfishness when we maltreat the poor and the less privileged. In all these, we discover that the central message is to watch our ego-self. Let us ask the good Lord that these messages about living beyond oneself will always manifest in our lives. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

September 22, 2024

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, the detective hero of Canadian author Louise Penny’s Quebec-set mysteries, tells people that throughout his career in homicide, he has found only one motive for murder—fear. People fear for their safety, position, wealth, and reputation. Observing his disciples, Jesus proposes a similar life-directing motive. “What were you arguing about on the way?” That question also matters for us, since, in early Christianity, “the way” referred to following Jesus. What do we argue about as we try to follow Jesus? They had discussed, the Gospel tells us, who was the greatest. That matters to us, too.

That temptation of wanting to be the greatest always remains with us, perhaps deeply rooted in our humanity, one of the lingering effects of original sin. We want to value ourselves. And we do that by comparing ourselves with others. We want to matter in some ways more than others matter. And somehow, we want those others to know it. We compete: can I be the fastest, the smartest, the richest, the best dressed, the most attractive, the most connected, the most accomplished? Even the saints do it. During his conversion, St. Ignatius Loyola, on reading the lives of the saints, apparently goaded himself by saying, “If St. Francis can do that, so can I”; “if St. Dominic can do that, so can I,” hinting that he might do it better. (At least he wanted to compete in holy things!) Jesus recognized precisely this ambition as the problem. The habit of comparison and its attendant ambition keeps us from following him. In effect, we become more focused on ourselves than on Jesus or the things of God.

How can anyone find glory or reputation in following one who “is to be handed over to men” who will kill him? Where is the purpose in that? Where is the glory in being “the last of all and the servant of all”? No wonder the disciples did not understand the saying.

St. James asks the same question of the early church, but perhaps more pointedly: “Where do the wars, and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not your passions that make war within your members? You covet but do not possess. You kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. You do not possess because you do not ask.” If we stepped back a moment and asked for what we need from God, we would realize that what we have comes from God and not from ourselves. Where is the competition or the reputation in that? How can we compete over what God freely gives to all?

One of the less helpful results of social media comes from its amplification of the ambition that Jesus warns about. We see what others have and want more. We rank people as influencers. Students now say that they desire a career as an influencer. That may be bad enough when it comes to fashion or acting or sports, but some apply it to religious practice. Some take pride in pointing to Catholic influencers—the more followers, the better, they imply. But Jesus never counted followers or influence. His reading of the commandments put God first and neighbor second. If we must complete, then let us compete in service as “the last of all and the servant of all.”

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

September 15, 2024

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

Today’s gospel reflects the central turning point of the Gospel of Mark. So far, in his account, Mark has revealed Jesus as a healer, exorcist, and wonderworker. The authority Jesus displays reveals an “authority” that offends the Pharisees, who see themselves as champions of accepted belief. Now Jesus turns to his disciples and to us, the hearers of the Gospel, with the question: “Who do you say that I am?”

Jesus wants to learn how people view him and describe him. Jesus was a prophetic figure who proclaimed God’s word. Yet, saying that Jesus was a great prophet does not go far enough, so he asks his disciples more directly, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ Peter’s answer went beyond the answers other people had offered, ‘You are the Christ, the Messiah.’ When Jesus began to reveal who he really was and what that entailed Peter became very uncomfortable. Peter wasn’t able to hear Jesus talking about himself as a broken, failed, rejected Messiah.

Jesus was not the kind of Messiah that was expected. At this point in his ministry, he understood that far from leading a movement to drive out the Romans, he would end up on a Roman cross, crucified like a common criminal. God chose a suffering man to be the savior of weak and suffering humanity. Today, Jesus tells us: “no cross, no crown.” Jesus came for a purpose, and he discovered more and more about his mission. Everything that happened to Jesus was foretold by the prophets long before. Because Jesus could accept his failure and his brokenness, he was at home with the failure and brokenness of others. The broken, the failures of this world, flocked to him, and in his presence, they came alive.

Christ crucified is all around us, and the power of his resurrection is at work everywhere. Our attentiveness and care for each other, especially for the poor, is not a tactic that will win us paradise. It is rather our grateful response to God’s promised love for us in our own poverty and disability. Perhaps we recognize those vulnerable around us – the proverbial old bag lady in the back, so marginal to the world, or the quiet penitent near the door, reluctant to approach the altar. We will more readily accept our own brokenness and failures if we know in our heart of hearts that we too can approach the Lord as one who can make us whole. The Eucharist has been described as bread broken for a broken people. The Lord who was broken on the cross for us is present in the Eucharist as our Life-Giver. We approach the Lord in the Eucharist in our own brokenness, asking to be made whole and asking for the grace to sit with others in their brokenness.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

September 9, 2024

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Ephphatha- Be opened!

It is always an opportunity to gather to celebrate the Eucharist through which we encounter Jesus in Word and Sacrament. The words from the readings, prayers and songs invite us to reflect on how they touch and challenge us. Our first reading today, the prophecy of Isaiah (35:4-7a), the prophecy of hope came to his people in the face of their fears. These words are relatable because our lives will never be devoid of fear and worries. Every day brings new challenges to us that can be depressive and even make us anxious about the future. Yet, when we remember these words of hope, they help us to continue and not to give up. They remind us that even in the darkest moments, there is always a glimmer of hope, a light to guide us forward.

Isaiah’s prophecy of hope and consolation was fulfilled in the person of Christ, who came that we all should have life and have it in abundance (John 10: 10). The compassionate and merciful Jesus invites us to come to him with our burdens, fears, doubts, and anxieties so that he will shower his peace in our hearts. His presence is a constant source of comfort and strength, a reassurance that we are never alone in our struggles. Very striking in today’s Gospel (Mark 7:31-37) is this word: “Ephphatha-Be opened.” If you are familiar with the liturgy of baptism, you will remember that liturgy refers to this passage in praying that the ears and mouth of the newly baptized child would be opened to hear the word of God and speak out the faith in Christ. If we were baptized as infants, we experienced that during our baptism. We gather to encounter him so that he keeps opening our ears to hear his words because faith comes through hearing (Romans 10: 15) and for us to continue to be witnesses to our faith in words and deeds.

We have to reflect and ask ourselves, do the words we hear bring us hope and courage or despair and fear? Also, do the words from our mouths uplift or demoralize, encourage or discourage, build or destroy others? In addition, the words of the letter of St. James (2:1-5) in the second reading invite us to reflect on how we treat people, especially how we talk to them. What is it that guides us in the way we talk to people? Are we influenced by one’s background, status, class, race, or color? God showers his love to all of us, not minding who we are and what we have. He doesn’t discriminate at all. Let us ask the good Lord that the words we hear can bring us hope and strength and that we become sources of hope and consolation to others by the words that come from us. Amen.

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:15)

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

September 1, 2024

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Be Doers of the Word!

A very indispensable part of the Mass is the Liturgy of the Word. In the Liturgy of the Word, the readings, proclaimed to our hearing and the homilies, should help us reflect more on the readings and how we can apply them to our lives. One of the themes of today’s readings invites us to reflect on how we allow the Word of God we hear to influence our daily lives. In the first reading (Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8), Moses, the lawgiver, gave his people the farewell message as they were about to enter the Promised Land, which he didn’t arrive with them. He admonished them to keep the norms and laws God gave them, which would make their relationship with God very strong and would attract the admiration of other nations on how close their God is to them.

Similarly, the second reading, the Letter of St. James (1:17-18, 21b-22;27), which we have as our second reading for the next five Sundays, is filled with different exhortations. Strikingly, it invites us to be doers and not only hearers of the Word of God, especially doing the work of social justice – the care of the poor, oppressed, and the less-privileged. Our Gospel today, the Gospel of Mark (7:1-8, 14-15,21-23), is on the encounter of Jesus with the Pharisees and the Scribes. Jesus had issues with the Pharisees and the Scribes not because of their strict observance of the laws but their hypocrisy. They were mainly interested in judging others and never paid attention to their lives. Their religious strictness was lip service and ritualistic and never grounded in compassion and love.

Consequently, an important invitation to all of us today is to allow the faith we profess in the Creed, the faith we express in our prayers, and the faith we celebrate in our liturgies, especially the Eucharist, to influence our words and actions. Hence, in every Mass, we are presented with readings to help us reflect on different aspects of our relationship with God and one another. The question should be, what aspects of my life need the Word of God to touch, either for a change or the strength to continue doing the good I am doing? Let us pray that the opportunity to encounter him in the Word and Sacraments will help us to continue to be doers of His Word. Amen.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

August 25, 2024

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

One of the most controversial passages in scripture is found in Ephesians 5:21-32. I read about someone who claimed: “I ripped Ephesians out of my Bible.” The problem with that response is the loss of important details in the letter about Christian life and love – phrases such as “chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before [God] in love” “rooted and grounded in love” and “be kind one to another.” Ripping Ephesians out of the Bible all just seems like too high of a price to pay! Let’s rather reflect on Ephesians from this standpoint: The Puritans called marriage “the little church within the Church.” In marriage, every day you love, and every day you forgive. It is an ongoing sacrament — love and forgiveness (Bill Moyers). To use the words of Sam Keen: “An ongoing marriage is a crucible within which two persons are constantly being de-structured and recreated.”

The author of the letter to the Ephesians reflects on marriage as a parable of the relationship between Jesus Christ and his Church. The strong reliance on Scriptural inspiration about the unity of husband and wife in marriage is taken from Genesis 2:24 and the command to love one’s neighbor from Leviticus 19:18. When analyzing Ephesians more deeply we learn that the marriage relationship is transformed from one in which the wife is simply subjected to the husband without qualification into one in which the husband is to devote himself unreservedly to the love of his wife. The emphasis rests no longer on the duty of the wife to the husband but on the husband’s love for his wife! The doctrine of the Church on marriage is based on the theological understanding of the union between Jesus Christ and his Church.

Marriage for us Christian folk is a sacred partnership of equals, a special kind of relationship that involves intimacy as well as hard work, shared vision as well as the honoring of individuality, mutual support as well as challenge. In his attempt to explore more deeply how marriage between a husband and wife reflects the love of Jesus for his church, Father Ron Rolheiser uses a metaphor of marriage as a big table, loaded with lots of food and drink. He maintains that when two people love each other sacramentally that love becomes a place of hospitality, a table where people come to be fed — figuratively and literally. He maintains further that love, in a true marriage, feeds not just the two people who are creating it, but, because it is sacramental, it always contains more than enough “surplus food” to feed everyone. A good marriage feeds everything and everybody around it. Have you not had this experience in some of the married people you have met? Johnny Youngblood says this: “Every time I see a couple renew their marriage vows and set out on a fresh path of love, there’s a resurrection goin’ on.” Marriage is a partnership in which each inspires the other and brings fruition to both of you (Millicent Carey Mcintosh). And more – Marriage should be a duet — when one sings, the other claps (Joe Murray). I am sure you agree – it is not a good idea to tear out the letter to the Ephesians from the Bible!

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

August 18, 2024

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

What gives us life? We have become accustomed to asking ourselves that question and often understand it in an expansive way: I find life in the love people have for me, in the love I have for others. I find life in beauty, in excitement, in quiet, in meaningful work. When someone wants to get our attention, they ask us, “Where do you find life?”

That’s what Jesus does when he asks us to think about food, life, and his own flesh and blood.

In speaking to the people in the synagogue at Capernaum, Jesus explained the meaning of his sign of feeding the crowds. A Passover meal indicated that “the hand of God feeds us; God gives us all we need.” And more than that, it points to something even more important. God’s bread not only comes from heaven to feed us but gives life to the world. Jesus himself is the bread that comes down from heaven to give life because he does the will of the Father. The will of the Father is that people have life. And the choice is ours: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” Just as food sustains us and keeps us alive, our true life comes from what God gives. To make it easier for us, Jesus accepts the will of the Father and gives us its benefit. As Jesus has life from God, we have life from Jesus if we make him the source of all our nourishment—again, the choice is ours. We should ask ourselves where we find nourishment and how we spend our time and our lives in seeking happiness, health, and safety—from physical goods to relationships. Jesus offers an alternative: “The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

The sign of the meal (on the hillside, the manna in the desert) now points to a deeper sign: it signifies all that sustains being human, all that makes us children of God, all that gives us life. We don’t understand it immediately, so Jesus continues to teach the people and us that God’s commitment to life involves Jesus giving his life for the world. Somehow, this meal points to the cross and resurrection, to a deeper understanding of God’s relationship to creation: his flesh for the life of the world.

We and they ask, “How can this happen?” But Jesus corrects us: this is not a science lesson but our choice of whether to align ourselves with Jesus, whether to accept that his death makes a difference. If we accept it, we nourish ourselves in him and on him: we eat his flesh and drink his blood. What makes our flesh strong is not the blood of bulls and goats, not the sacrifices of the old covenant, but the flesh of Jesus for the life of the world. If we eat that, then he becomes part of us, and we remain in him. Flesh gives strength to flesh; blood directs our thinking to put on the mind of Christ. The relationship with God expands to include us: as Jesus has life because of the Father, we have life because of Jesus.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

August 11, 2024

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Jesus, The Bread of Life, Invites Us to Eat and Be Strengthened

“What material food produces in our bodily life; Holy Communion wonderfully achieves in our spiritual life…. It preserves, increases and renews the life of grace received at baptism” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1392).

The Church has been inviting us for a couple of Sundays to reflect on the Eucharist – the Center and Summit of the life of the Church, the root and foundation of the Christian life, and the food for eternal life. In each of the readings of these Sundays, we read the connection between the physical food that God gave to his people in the Old Testament and the spiritual food in the New Testament. The gift in the New Testament is the gift of God himself through the person of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who invites us to celebrate the Eucharist always in his memory and to eat and drink his body and blood for our sanctification and salvation.

In the first reading today (1 Kings 19:4-8), God sent an angel to give Elijah food to strengthen him to walk for 40 days and 40 nights. Elijah was in a state of desperation following the events of Mt. Carmel (I Kings 18). He saw his life as being hopeless and helpless and desired to die. The food given to him strengthened him and helped him accomplish his mission. In the Gospel (John 6:41-51), Jesus tells us that he is the bread of life that comes from heaven for the world’s life. This bread is the spiritual food that gives spiritual strength that leads to everlasting life, unlike the food in the Old Testament, which gave only a temporal life. The bread of life is eternal food because it gives life to the soul, which is immortal and indestructible.

This bread of life will become our spiritual food if we partake in it properly and allow its enduring effects to influence us. St. Paul points out clearly in the second reading some human tendencies that can make this eternal food fruitless and ineffectual. These are bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, reviling, malice, etc. The bread of life should help us imitate the person we receive by being kind, compassionate, and forgiving. We pray that the body and blood of Christ we share will give us the spiritual strength to live in communion with him now and forever. Amen.

“Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed” (Matthew 8:8, Luke 7:6-7).

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

August 4, 2024

A Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Everlasting Food!

Last week, our readings focused on food. We read about different miracles, such as Elisha’s multiplication of loaves and Jesus’ feeding of 5000. Today, the readings, especially the First and the Gospel, focused on food. The readings tell us that scripture recognizes the importance of food, but that does not mean that we live to eat, but that we eat to live, not only in this life but forever.

In the first reading, the Book of Exodus describes the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt. When the food the Israelites brought with them from Egypt finished, they turned against Moses, murmured, and accused him of bringing them into the desert to die of hunger and starvation. They were not patient. All that God did for them was not enough for them to trust in him and to know that God would never allow them to perish. However, God was patient with their ignorance and lack of understanding of his steadfastness and love. Thus, he fed them generously. This is a point of reflection for us. We must ask ourselves how we react to adversities and difficulties in our Christian journey. Do we forget all the love God has bestowed on us in a hurry and complain bitterly? In the same way with our relationships, are we patient with others, especially when they live below our expectations?

The Gospel is the continuation of last week’s Gospel, the feeding of 500. The people came after Jesus the next day because they needed more food, which was good for them and their lives. Jesus, the patient, used the opportunity to teach them the importance of working for the food that will last. The people requested everlasting food. Jesus taught them about the bread of life – the everlasting food, the Eucharist, the gift he commanded us to celebrate in his memory for our spiritual nourishment.

The Eucharit is a word that flows into action. It is an act of sharing in the bread of life and participating in the life of Jesus himself. It is meant to renew our lives, as St. Paul describes in the second reading. The food gives us the strength to persevere in the face of all the trials of life. Through the Eucharist, our life of grace is increased, it brings us nearer to Christ, and it helps us to avoid sins and their occasions. The Gospel reminds us that as we work for material progress and pray for a healthy physical life, let us not neglect our spiritual life by putting it as secondary rather than primary. This reminds us that no matter our care and attention to our body, it is still mortal. The soul remains immortal and indestructible. Hence, there is a great need to provide due attention to this immortal component. As we gather to pray to God, let us also open our hearts to know what he is telling us about our lives, especially our relationship with one another. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

July 28, 2024

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

Up to this point during this liturgical year we have read sequentially from the Gospel according to Mark. However, today—and for the next several weeks—we turn to the Gospel according to John to guide our mid-summer reflections on the Bread of Life. The lengthy discourse in the 6th chapter of John contains Jesus’ teaching about the Eucharist, rooting it in the history of God’s action. It is worth our careful study.

The chapter begins with a very deliberate prophetic action—feeding the people—with noticeable similarities to the action of the prophet Elisha, who lived about 800 years before Jesus. It contains several key elements: the offering of the food, the prophet’s instruction to share it with a large group, and God’s guarantee of the action: the prophet does not make the meal possible, but God does. The meal represents God’s relationship with the people of Israel. As God fed the people in the desert during their flight from slavery in Egypt, so God continues to feed them, continually leading them to freedom. As Psalm 145 has it, “The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs” (verse 16). That psalm directs our response: that we bless God and tell what God has done for us, so that all of us might learn to trust in God’s love.

Each of the key elements matters: First, the Gospel explains the context for Jesus’ action: the signs that he performed on the sick. So, this act will also be a sign and it will also function as a kind of healing. Second, Jesus invites the disciples to participate but they object: how can they do this? Alone, they cannot; by acting Jesus demonstrates the power of God and provides another manifestation of his identity. Third, the elements of the meal come from the people, represented by the boy. The meal begins with what we already have. That constitutes a very important part. Fourth, “Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted.” The actions are eucharistic (that is, an action of giving thanks) and generous (as much as they wanted), given freely (the people recline, ready to be served). Fifth, the gift provide more than what people need, with leftovers aplenty, accompanied by the instruction not to let anything go to waste. Finally, the people recognize the action for its prophetic significance.

Each of those key elements invites us into the experience. First, we come to Jesus because we know what he had already done; we come to him so that he can do for us what he has done for others. Second, Jesus invites us to play our role, even if we are not sure how. It could be as simple as recognizing the boy with the bread and fish. Third, like the boy, we should share what we bring. Fourth, we too give thanks and learn to be generous. Fifth, we need to think about what to do with the leftovers (the Gospel remains silent on this, but it does pose a question well worth our reflection). And finally, we recognize what we have experienced.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

July 21, 2024

A Message From Pastor Fr. James Okafor

In today’s gospel, Mark tells us that the disciples wanted to share with Jesus all they had done and taught. Jesus suggests they go to a quiet place where they can rest. This time away was meant to be a time of reflection in Jesus’ company, a time when they did nothing except be present to each other and to him.

The lonely place suddenly became crowded, even before Jesus and his disciples had reached the place. Jesus and his disciples stepped out of the boat not into quietness and peace but into human need and demand. Mark says that what upset Jesus was that the people were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus took pity on them. The word ‘pity’ refers to a strong, deep feeling; he was deeply moved. Jesus responded to the interruption by becoming completely present to it. He did not try to avoid the crowd or send them away. He sensed that they were probably feeling aimless, powerless, and vulnerable. His response to their need was to teach them. Jesus teaches through his actions. The medium is his message!

Mark shows Jesus consistently confronting the social/cultural/religious labeling and marginalizing of people in Jesus’ days. Jesus’ healings were almost exclusively reserved for people on the margins because the poor were dispossessed and pushed to the edge by the powerful. The ones who should have been shepherds were feeding their own positions of power and furthering their own interests by exploiting the flock. Jesus’ response was to teach the people, to conscientize them, to tell them about their own dignity and the source of their dignity – God’s deep love for them.

Jesus wanted to convey to the crowd that when in touch with their own dignity, they would value the dignity of others. Furthermore, by being open to loving others, they would come to appreciate that they are loved, too. By being in touch with our own sense of dignity, like the crowd in Mark’s Gospel, we, too, will feel empowered to direct our lives and not feel helpless. Once we realize that, as adult sons and daughters of a God who loves and trusts us, we will not feel powerless. We are able, and can, with God’s love and grace, evaluate life situations and take the responsible, life-respecting steps needed to make life good and meaningful for ourselves and others.

Jesus implies that authority does not consist of the power to impose rules. The shepherding role is one of service more than domination. Its goal is to establish a nurturing path and enable communities to live together in peace, where each individual has dignity and an equal chance of personal fulfillment. The ideal leader is one who can win respect, generate trust, and get things done while respecting the dignity and feelings of each individual within the community.

In our own faith/life journey, we also need desert moments. We desire times when we want to be present to the Lord and to one another. As believers and followers of our Lord, we all need to find some lonely place all by ourselves and rest for a while so that the Lord can be in deeper communion with us to manifest his love. Jesus helps us understand that when we recognize and embrace our fundamental human dignity in a sharing church and secular community, sharing goes both ways – given and received. Our community may be a small group of disciples, the family, the workplace, or the broader world. In living out the love that God has for us as revealed by Jesus in his Spirit, I am certain we all embrace this motto: ‘Who you are is God’s gift to you; What you become is your gift to God.’

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

July 14, 2024

Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

We Are His Witnesses!

The Eucharist we celebrate and share in opens for us means to experience the richness of God’s blessings through prayers, songs, readings, homilies, liturgical gestures, etc. These experiences, which we get through active participation, are not meant to be left behind the four walls of the sacred space (Church) but seen in our daily lives. Hence, at the end of each Mass, we are sent out to “go” and begin to live out these experiences with one another. The circumstances for this mission vary, but the important thing is that we are conscious of being sent to witness the Gospel (Acts 1: 8).

Today’s readings invite us to reflect on different people who were called and sent to become witnesses at other times. In the first reading, God called Amos, who went from being a dresser of the sycamore tree to a prophet. He is known as a prophet of social justice because he preached against the social ills in Israel. Amos was misunderstood by the priest of Bethel-Amaziah, who thought he was preaching for material reasons and asked him to leave Bethel. Amos didn’t give up because of the opposition but explained his mission. Jesus, in the gospel, called and sent his disciples to go, preach, and heal in his name. He raised their awareness that they may encounter rejection but asked them not to give up their mission. In obedience to Christ’s instructions, the disciples went, preached, and healed in his name.

God has chosen us in his infinite love and continues to bestow on us spiritual blessings through Christ, as St. Paul describes in the second reading. These spiritual blessings we receive through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, are meant to bear fruits that make us faithful witnesses as Amos and the disciples were. In the Eucharist, God blesses us with his love, forgiveness, and peace. He calls and sends us to become agents of these blessings through perseverance. We are his witnesses! We pray that God will help us respond heartily to these blessings and share them. Amen.

“I chose you and commissioned you to go out and bear fruit that will last….” (John 15: 16). 

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

July 7, 2024

A Message From Fr. Rey Sarmiento

Some of you must have heard the famous big rocks illustration of Stephen Covey, one of America’s well-known keynote speakers. He pulls out a bucket from underneath a table and starts to pour pebbles into the bucket. He then instructs an audience participant to try and fit in the big rocks afterward. The audience participant tries her best, but because the bucket is now full of small pebbles, it becomes impossible to fit all the stones into it. Stephen uses the big rocks to drive home his point that attending to what are truly important priorities first will help us not to be caught up by many urgent, busy activities or tasks in our lives that are not important. But, for purposes of our scripture readings today, I am going to borrow this big rocks illustration to drive home the point that you cannot fill in that bucket with anything if it is already full.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus returned to his native place and began to teach in the synagogue. The scripture says that when the people heard him, they were astonished by Jesus’ great wisdom. They have not heard anything like it. But, instead of continuing to be awed by Jesus’ wisdom, they shifted their attention to Jesus’ particularity. He is the son of an ordinary carpenter, and they know Jesus’s relatives and his family. Jesus’ background is nothing more than ordinary. Amazingly, just because Jesus’ background is unimpressive, they outright dismiss the very teaching of Jesus. Just a while ago, they were astonished by Jesus’ wisdom, and now they are not taking him seriously! What happened? Why did they shift from being surprised by Jesus’ wisdom to close-mindedly dismissing him? Their minds are filled with the pebbles of their own biases and prejudices that Jesus, the big rock, just could not fit in their minds and their hearts any longer. It is the same thing that happened to the prophet Ezekiel. God commissions Ezekiel to call the people to repentance and warn them about what their sins will bring. But the people are too impudent and stubborn that the word of God just has no more room in their hearts. They reject Ezekiel. In the second reading, it is too easy for St. Paul to fill his bucket, so to speak, with his ego because of his splendid qualifications as an evangelizer. But, “a thorn in the flesh,” whatever that might be, keeps him humble. As an antidote to falling into the temptation of becoming full of himself, he focuses on his weakness and recognizes that everything he has become is only by God’s grace. Perhaps we, too, can examine ourselves. What keeps us from listening with an open mind and open heart to God’s words? What might be those pebbles, distractions, biases, prejudices, hatred, anger, or whatever, that fill our hearts that we cannot even recognize Christ, the big rock, in our midst? As we empty our stomachs for the blood of Christ and his sacred Body, may we also empty our hearts and minds with those pebbles that prevent Christ from filling us with his grace.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

June 30, 2024

Pastor’s Message From Fr. James Okafor

Living, Active, And Conscious Faith!

Different types of Miracles of Jesus recorded in the Gospels (about 37) remind us of Jesus’ mission and ministry as the Redeemer and Savior. Through these miracles, Jesus practically demonstrated the powers of the Kingdom of God, which is the kingdom of love, peace, justice, service, mercy, and forgiveness. Even though it is the shortest of the four Gospels, Mark’s Gospel recorded more miracles than others. Today’s Gospel, Mark 5:21-43, reports two of those miracles- the healing of Jairus’ daughter and the healing of the woman afflicted with hemorrhages for 12 years. In these miracles, we see the power of faith that is living, active, and conscious.

These two miracles remind us of the importance of faith in our relationship with God. Faith is a gift God has given to us as his children. Our faith in God helps us feel and recognize God’s presence in our lives, even in the most difficult situations we face. It reminds us of the good plan and purpose God has for us his creatures as our first reading today from the book of Wisdom (1:13-15,2:23-24) emphasizes. Faith helps us to entrust everything we do unto the hands of God and to be able to see the hand of God in everything that happens to us.

In the second reading (2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13- 15), St. Paul issues a compelling invitation, “Brothers and sisters: As you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse, knowledge, all earnestness, and in the love, we have for you, may you excel in this gracious act also.” This invitation is a call to action, urging us to nurture and cultivate our faith to make it living, active, and conscious. Through the lens of faith, we can discern the occurrences of God’s love and favor in our lives, recognizing them as our own personal miracles. These miracles are not just stories of the past; they should help us fortify our relationship with God and help us acknowledge and value his presence in our lives. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

June 23, 2024

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

The sea frightened Israel. It presented a powerful, unpredictable, overwhelming force countered only by the power of God. Over and over again, the Hebrew Bible recounts stories of that divine power at work. God separates the land from the sea at the creation, an event alluded to by the Lord in today’s reading from the Book of Job. At God’s command, Moses imposed God’s order upon the Red Sea, parting its waters for the Israelites to pass through during their flight from Egypt. When Jonah tries to run away from God—taking passage on a ship across the ocean to avoid his duty as a prophet—God sends a storm to overpower the ship and a great fish to rescue Jonah. Psalm 107 tells how God alone could rescue seafarers from the powers of the waters: In the face of a storm, “all their skill was gone.”

The disciples of Jesus are no different. Even though they worked the fishing boats along the shore of Lake Galilee, they had that fear of the seas. But they also trusted in their knowledge of the Lake.

They found Jesus’ teaching attractive, and when he addressed the crowds along the seashore, they let him use their boat as a kind of floating pulpit to teach those people standing on the shore. As we heard last Sunday, Jesus spoke in parables about planting seeds, about types of seeds, about the growth of plants, and about making known what we hear. The afternoon passed quickly, and so, when Jesus suggested that they cross to the other shore, the disciples promptly set out in the evening despite the risk of evening squalls.
The Gospel recounts this episode of Jesus’ calming the storm as an episode of God’s power. Just as Moses parted the Red Sea, just as God rescues the sailors in Psalm 107, Jesus now delivers the disciples. This work of power should evoke faith in God, a kind of proof of God’s working in Jesus. It also prepares the disciples for what they will witness on the lake’s far shore when a man possessed by a legion of evil spirits challenges Jesus. Not only do the winds and seas obey Jesus but so too do evil spirits. Who is this, the disciples ask, that even the winds and waves obey him?

These episodes invite faith in Jesus and serve to tell us again who Jesus is. These episodes also prepare us both to understand what we will witness later in the Gospel and to accept Jesus even as the leaders of the people, civil and religious (Herod and the chief priests), reject him. Who is this? We know the answer already because the Gospel has told us about the baptism of Jesus. He is “my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.”

This act of faith resembles the one St. Paul describes to the church at Corinth in today’s second reading: “He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” Seeing Jesus calm the seas and showing God’s mastery over the winds and waves is only the first step. We see, we believe, and we live “no longer for ourselves” but for him. The disciples had no idea that crossing the lake would have such consequences, nor do we.

“Who is this whom even wind and sea obey?” Someone worth following.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

June 16, 2024

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

In our first reading, Ezekiel depicts graphically the notion of spiritual activity and renewal for God’s people: God plants his people from the sprig from the lofty cedar ‘so that it may produce boughs and bear fruit.’ In the Gospel parable today Jesus also draws attention to the notion of growth and fruitfulness. A farmer scatters seed on the good soil of Galilee and having done the sowing, all he can do is to go about his other business, while the seed takes over and does its own work, producing first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear, until the crop is ready for harvest. The gardener does the initial spadework, and subsequently whatever weeding and watering may be required but the farmer ‘does not know’ how all this happens.

As we reflect on these images of God’s work among people, we are grateful for Paul’s insight. ‘Neither the one who plants, nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.’ We call on the Pentecostal Spirit to breathe strongly on our Church today so that we can rediscover spiritual priorities in our world and lives in these turbulent times. We pay attention to the hope-filled words from St. Paul. In the middle of all the turmoil and tension he felt in dealing with dissent in Corinth he holds on to his confidence in Christ Jesus, as his invisible, ever-present friend. Paul adds a guiding principle valid for each one of us: “Whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.” In similar vein we pay that we will remain the Church of Jesus Christ, whose Spirit will stir up whatever is needed to make his Church grow and thrive.

The kingdom of God is something very humble and modest in its origins. Even when we feel that our own faith is insignificant, as small as a mustard seed, Jesus assures us that the Spirit is working in and through such faith. We need to learn to be content with the small seeds that we can sow, trusting them to bear fruit in ways that will surprise us. The little things and small gestures do matter. We may not feel called to be heroes or martyrs, but we are called to put a little dignity into each corner of our world. There are little seeds of the kingdom that each of us can sow – a friendly gesture towards someone in trouble, a welcoming smile for someone who is alone, a sign of closeness for someone who is in despair, a little ray of joy for a heart full of distress. God’s reign comes in power through the seemingly insignificant actions of each and every one us. The Gospel parable assures us that the Lord will see to it that the final harvest from all our efforts will be abundant.

The Spirit’s plantings in our souls may seem very tiny, even unnoticeable. Our humility—like the farmers’ with the seeds—means waiting, or in other words, being patient. We are like unused lands. We must be ready and anticipate for something greater than ourselves, something the Spirit bestows. What this means is that the “largest of plants” will not be you or me, but God—present in our lives and in our communities.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

June 9, 2024

A Message From Pastor Fr. James Okafor

We are His Brothers and Sisters!

When we pray The Lord’s Prayer, the only formula of prayer attributed to Jesus in the Gospel, it is a powerful reminder that we are all made in the image and likeness of God. We share in the common brotherhood and sisterhood with our Lord Jesus Christ, the perfect image of God. In addition, whenever we raise or join our hands to pray the Lord’s prayer during Mass, it should be a constant reminder of our shared commitment and connection as children of God. As members of one family of God, whatever we do, good or bad, affects the other, reinforcing our unity and shared responsibility.

Our first reading today from Genesis (3:9- 15) on the story of the Fall of Adam and Eve reminds us that whatever we do affects the other. Adam was influenced by Eve to disobey the command of God after Satan deceived Eve. The consequence of this is the loss of the Original State of Justice, and we all share in that by being born with Original Sin, which baptism washes away for us. On the other hand, Jesus in the Gospel (Mark 3:20-35) reminds us that our effort to do his will continuously connects us to Him as His brothers and sisters.

As brothers and sisters of Jesus, He calls us to be sources of positive influence on one another. We must never forget that whatever we do or say can have a long-lasting impact on another person, positively or negatively. As St. Paul tells us in the second reading, let us use God’s grace in our lives so that whatever we do “may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.” Amen.

Last week, on Saturday, June 1st, we had our annual volunteer appreciation & recognition reception. Our SFC community is truly blessed with over 150 volunteers, whose day-to-day commitment forms the backbone of our liturgies and ministries. We want to express our gratitude and recognition for all our volunteers do. We pray that through the prayers of our patroness, St. Frances Cabrini and St. Vincent the Paul, the patron of volunteers, the good Lord will reward you abundantly. Amen

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

June 2, 2024

A Message From Pastor Fr. James Okafor

Today, as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, we delve into the historical context of the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Love. The readings of today, among other things, paint a vivid picture of the Eucharist in the context of the various sacrifices offered to God throughout our salvation history. The first reading, from the book of Exodus, recounts how Moses acted as a mediator for the people of Israel, offering a sacrifice to God, a covenant that was sealed with the blood of an animal. The Gospel narrative takes us to Jesus’ final Passover meal with his disciples, a significant event where Jesus, in the company of his disciples, celebrated the great sacrifice he was about to offer to liberate us from the slavery of sin.

Jesus, in the Passover Feast with his disciples, instituted the Eucharist. The words of the institution describe the Eucharist as a sacrifice of Christ and food, which Christ invites us to take, eat, and drink. It is the spiritual food of the soul that brings us nearer to Christ, increases the life of grace within us, helps us to avoid sins and their occasions, and brings us to life everlasting (John 6: 52-59). The Eucharist will serve these purposes in our lives if we participate in it with faith, devotion, attention, and intentionality. We pray that God will give us the grace to accept and appreciate the gift he has given us in the Eucharist. Amen.

We thank the families who have prayerfully participated in the 2024 Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). We have collected $231,686.85 which is 110% of our Parish goal of $210,000. Whatever we are collecting now will help with our church’s renovation project.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

May 26, 2024

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

Our annual celebration of the Most Holy Trinity should delight, challenge, and intrigue us, as God alone can. To delight in God means that we lift up our hearts in praise and thanksgiving because this feast calls attention to the initiative that God takes on our behalf, what Moses describes to the people of Israel in these words: “Did anything so great ever happen before? Was it ever heard of” that God chose a people? We delight in God and thank God, not only for what Moses describes but for what God does for us in Christ Jesus. Such wonders elicit our praise because praise defines our relationship with God. Before any other response or petition, we praise God. Praise acknowledges our relationship to God: that we depend upon God and that God comes before all else. We manifest our praise in song, in word, and action.

A second response on this Trinity Sunday challenges us; it involves contemplation. We can treat this Sunday as an occasion to repeat, or call to mind, all that we have celebrated during the Lent and Easter seasons. Today is a chance to go over, more calmly and in a more contemplative fashion, all of the encounters with God that we considered during these last 14 weeks. For example, it is the action of the Trinity that we witness at the baptism of Jesus. It is the action of the Trinity that we see at the mount of the Transfiguration. It is the action of the Trinity when Jesus clears the temple. It is the action of the Trinity when Jesus tells Nicodemus that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” It is the action of the Trinity when Jesus prays, “Father, glorify your name.” It is the action of the Trinity when Jesus bows his head on the cross and commends his spirit to the Father. It is the action of the Trinity when Jesus rises from the dead and appears to the disciples. It is the revelation of the Trinity when Jesus declares himself the good shepherd, and the vine whose vinedresser is the Father. It is the action of the Trinity when Jesus ascends to heaven. And it is the action of the Trinity when the Spirit appears as tongues of fire upon the disciples. The contemplation of each of these Trinitarian actions leads back to the praise and thanksgiving which began our acknowledgment of God‘s action in our lives.

Finally, this feast intrigues us to understand a bit more the very nature of God. Each Person of the Trinity reveals the divine nature in communication. That is, the fullness of God connects with the fullness of God‘s communication. The Hebrew scriptures begin with a statement that God spoke, and all things came to be. Throughout those Hebrew scriptures, God continues to speak: God speaks to Abraham and Sarah, calling them to leave their homeland. God speaks to Moses at the burning bush. God speaks to each of the prophets, summoning them to speak on God’s behalf. God speaks over the waters of the Jordan at the baptism of Jesus. The Gospel of John tells us that God‘s word became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus, the Word, speaks, and we come to know both Jesus himself and the Father. Jesus, the Word of life, changes us. Finally, we hear today that none of us can speak, saying Jesus is Lord without the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit allows the disciples to speak in such a way the people from throughout the world – Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Phrygia, Mesopotamia, etc. – all hear the proclamation of the risen Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the one by whom and through whom all come to speak and understand. God, the holy Trinity, speaks. This is truly living speech, always in the present tense, always addressing us as living individuals.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

May 19, 2024

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

The event of Pentecost is recorded in the Book of Acts (Acts 2:1-13). This initial outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost was marked by three symbolic phenomena. There was the sound of a violent rushing wind that filled the house. Then, there was the visible sign of tongues of fire resting on each person. Finally, there was the miraculous speaking in foreign languages which none had previously learned.

The most essential thing we can say is that the Holy Spirit is completely and truly God. Look at the wording: The noise was not an actual wind but something “like” a wind; there were no actual tongues of fire, but tongues “as if they were made of fire.” The experience of presence was too deep to capture in literal language, so the writer used metaphors in an attempt to convey the profoundness of the event. In the Pentecost story, the disciples heard the noise, a miraculous sound that came from heaven. The noise was loud enough that it gathered the crowd to find out what was happening (1:6). Fire brings both heat and light. The heat of fire purifies and also depicts the zeal that should mark believers, who are to be hot, not lukewarm, in their devotion to Jesus Christ.

If Pentecost was the start of the Church, it was a birth out of frailty. The believers were huddled in fear behind closed doors. Yet Pentecost unleashed a courageous power. The Holy Spirit descended upon a group of followers who were gathered together. Driven by wind and fire, the followers of Jesus were set loose upon the world to make bold proclamation. They began to speak in tongues—languages they had not previously known. This miraculous event empowered the early Church to spread the message of Jesus Christ to people of different backgrounds and languages. The meaning of Pentecost is God’s equipping His church with the power of His Spirit so that He will be glorified among the nations.

The word ‘spirit’ means breath. This does not suggest a hard aggressive core but a soft give and take. The point of Pentecost is mission, and the goal of mission is that “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2:14). The early church recognized charisms, gifts of the Spirit, given for service in the Church, unusual gifts like healing or prophecy, designed to meet the needs of an infant Church, and ordinary gifts too, that helped to build up the community: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self control” (Ga 5:22). 

The Spirit’s presence needs time to make its way into our actions, our words, our deeds. Whenever we find acts of charity or joy in ourselves, or patience and kindness, or the ability to endure hardship and injuries; when we are tempted toward mildness and modesty, then we can know that the Holy Spirit is at work within us. Whenever we exercise our charisms we honor the Spirit. When we are loyal to a demanding partner, or console the bereaved, support the old or encourage the young, we are being led by the Spirit. When we resist temptation, we honor the Spirit. When we respond to our better impulses, the Spirit is working in us. The Spirit of God is the rising sap moving all that is best in us. It is through our better instincts that the Spirit works. Our part is to work with him to reach our fullest selves.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

May 12, 2024

A Message From Fr. Joseph Tran

ASCENSION: Jesus completed his Earthly Mission,
Now His Heavenly Mission will be completed by us.

“As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you” (Isaiah 66:13).

Happy Mother’s Day!

According to scripture, Jesus’ ascension represents His return to Heaven in bodily form. The entirety of Jesus’ ascension is described in the Scriptures, summarized as: “Jesus began to live, do, and teach until… he was taken up to Heaven” (see today’s first reading from Acts 1:1-11). Thus, Jesus descended from the Father’s heart, assumed human form, entered human history through a human mother Mary, lived among humanity, experienced human life, entered death’s shadow, was resurrected; and now, having completed His human mission on earth, and ascended to Heaven. From the glory of Heaven, Jesus entrusts His heavenly message as The WAY – The TRUTH and The LIFE to the Church and invites us to continue His HEAVENLY MISSION here on earth. Because our nature is in God and in Jesus Christ, and Jesus is our head who lives forever to intercede for us before the Father.

Today more than ever, the Church must fulfill the command of the Lord before His ascension: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). We are commanded to proclaim the Gospel of the Resurrected Lord: life triumphs over death, love triumphs over sin, truth triumphs over deceit and error. The world in every place and time, especially today, greatly needs the Resurrected Christ as Jesus Himself said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).

Dear SFC sisters and brothers,

God has a great sense of humor. Today, as His ascension signifies the completion of His earthly mission, I also complete my short one-year assignment here as your parochial vicar. Our Bishop has assigned me to study Canon Law to meet the needs of the diocese effective on May 24, 2024. It is my honor to serve in this way. However, in sadness, SFC parish and school will be missed greatly by me.

It has been a great privilege to serve SFC. We have journeyed together in faith, deepening our love for God and our commitment to live as disciples of Jesus Christ. Together, we have celebrated the sacraments, prayed fervently, and worked diligently to spread the Gospel message to all corners of our parish, school, and beyond. While my journey leads me elsewhere, I carry in my heart the lessons of faith and devotion you have shown me; the joyful memories we’ve shared, especially Christmas and Easter’s beauty and joy, as well as I ask for your forgiveness and prayers when I haven’t fulfilled my call as SFC parochial vicar.

I am grateful for the devotion, support, and love you have shown me over the past year. I want to thank Fr. James, our pastor, who has treated me as his brother and gently helped me in my priestly life and ministry with his great personality, deep devotional spirituality, and pastoral heart. I would like to acknowledge and thank all parish and school staff, ministry leaders, countless volunteers, and all of you SFC parishioners who have worked tirelessly and sacrificed generously with your invaluable contribution of time, talent, and treasure to the growth and vitality of our parish.

Please keep me in your prayers as I embark on this new chapter of my life and ministry as you are all surely in mine.

May Our Lady, the Mother of the Church, and Mother Cabrini, our patroness intercede for you in all your needs.

With heartfelt blessings and prayers,
Fr. Joseph Tran

Farewell & God Bless You All!

May 5, 2024

Pastor’s Message: Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

The catchword in today’s readings is LOVE, which is repeated many times in the second reading (1 John 3:18-24) and the Gospel (John 15:1-6) that were written by the same author, John, the beloved apostle who showed the love he experienced in his Gospel and Letters. The same love is demonstrated practically by the words and actions of Peter in the first reading (Acts 9:26-31). Peter welcomed in love the Gentile – Cornelius and his family.

Christian love is not exclusive but inclusive, grounded in God’s love and neighbor’s love. The love of God and love of neighbor are not separate, but intertwined, like two sides of the same coin. The love we believe we have for God is not just a feeling, but a reflection of our actions and the love we have for one another. We see in others the image of God, and this image of God in them propels us to love them despite their flaws. The mission God sends us is not just to love in theory, but to continue to carry the message of his love to people we meet in our families, in places of work, and in whichever community we find ourselves. Let us remain in God’s love and share the same love with others. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

April 28, 2024

A Message From Fr. Paul Soukup

Occasionally, people come to the Sacrament of Reconciliation burdened with the memory of a past sin. Already confessed, it still troubles them. They might say, “I’ve confessed this before, but I cannot forget it. Can God forgive me?” At one level or another, it’s a feeling that most of us know, connected with regret and with a sorrow for causing pain to others and offense to God. What must we do?

Members of the early church experienced some of that kind of feeling, with a similar response. Think of those who heard Peter’s preaching on Pentecost, when he reminded them that they had acquiesced in the crucifixion of Jesus, demanding “the release of a murderer” instead of the Messiah. “What must we do?” they asked. Or, from a different perspective, think of those we hear about in today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles, afraid of Saul when he tried to join the disciples, he, the persecutor of the early Christians. They could not forget nor could Saul. Several times in his letters to the different churches, Paul speaks of his unworthiness to be a disciple because he had persecuted the church. What must we do?

The reality of our sinfulness and the feelings its generates have become a part of our spiritual journey with the risen Lord. How we answer that question of what to do with these feelings moves to the fore in the Scriptures today.

The ultimate answer comes to us in two forms. John, in his first letter, writes that our love must be genuine. Then, we can “reassure our hearts before him in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.” God sees us quite differently from how we see ourselves when it comes to our sinfulness. Even what we so regret and cannot forget, God forgives, for God is greater than our hearts. God’s greatness also tells us that the trouble caused by the memory of past sins is really a kind of temptation. It’s a temptation not to trust God, a temptation that leads us to think that somehow our actions are greater than God’s love. It’s a temptation to unsettle us before God, a temptation to blind us to what God does in the risen Christ. We need to listen as John writes, “God is greater than our hearts” and that “we have confidence in God and receive from him whatever we ask.”

A second answer to what we must do with these temptations comes to us in the Gospel. Using that agricultural metaphor we know so well, Jesus asks us to think of ourselves as branches on the vine that is Jesus himself. Joined to Christ we experience a transformation in the risen Christ as we are nourished by him. But growth takes time and sometimes goes in unexpected directions. The branches grow stray shoots that sap the strength of the plant. Our sins, both present and remembered, get in the way of our spiritual growth and the energy we spend on worrying about our sins is like the energy a plant expends on growing fruitless shoots. The growth in holiness that we desire needs help. We know that we cannot save ourselves or live in God by ourselves. Jesus compares the process of the helps to holiness that we need to the work of the vine grower who knows how to prune the vines so that they thrive, removing what wastes the plant’s energy. Ultimately, it is a healing process, not a destructive one, this pruning away of our painful memories of sin and sinfulness. God want us to be holy. Or, as Jesus says to Nicodemus, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:17). God desires not condemnation, but pruning and shaping so we more perfectly show the image of God.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

April 21, 2024

A Message From Fr. Robert McKay

The image of the Shepherd conveys the personal nature of the relationship Jesus has with his followers. The shepherd in the Gospel goes looking for the one sheep that has wandered off and when it is found he takes it home to the flock upon his shoulders. There is a bond between the shepherd and this one sheep. The bond of our love to Jesus is very personal and is based on the love that unites the Father and Jesus. Jesus declares that he knows his own and his own know him, just as the Father knows him and he knows the Father. Jesus is saying that the very personal relationship he has with his heavenly Father is the model for the equally personal relationship he has with each one of us. By faith we accept Jesus, and our relationship with him is a deeply intimate one. Saint Paul states our relationship with Jesus so well in his letter to the churches in Galatia: “The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

The Lord knows us by name. Each one of us has a unique contribution to make to the work of the Lord in the world, to the life of the church. The image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and his followers as his sheep emphasizes the notion that the Church is a community of believers who are led and guided by Jesus. This notion of church evokes a sense of care and protection and a shared sense of purpose and belonging. We trust Jesus to protect and care for us especially in times of danger and hardship.

Jesus’ promise of eternal life emphasizes the hope that believers have in him beyond this life. There is a sense of security and peace that comes from trusting Jesus as our shepherd and protector. If we want to enter eternal life, we need to listen to Jesus’ teaching and practice what he preaches. In practical terms that means we ought to tune our hearts and minds to the sound of Jesus’ voice to keep us on the right path to the fullness of life. When we read about Paul and Barnabas who “spoke out boldly” about Jesus to their contemporaries, we hear the challenge we have to respond to in the work of evangelization. Like them, we too are expected by our Risen Lord to announce how the lost may be restored and the penitent forgiven. We are the modern witnesses to these truths; we each have a unique vocation to proclaim the Good News!

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

April 14, 2024

A Message From Fr. Joseph Tran

Experiencing Extraordinary Joy in Our Ordinary Life

An English publication was awarded for the best definition of “A Best Friend.” Among thousands of answers, some of them are: “Someone who understands your silence,”; “Someone who comes when the whole world leaves,”; “Someone who multiplies joy, shares happiness and pain, and helps you experience extraordinary joy amidst losses!”.

Dear Sisters and Brothers, Today’s Gospel reveals the “Best Friend”: Jesus, the Risen One; he appears at the right moment for his disciples who were filled with fear: “Peace be with you.” They immediately saw his wounds and changed with “incredulous joy and amazement” instead of fear. Luke records an indescribable, yet very real, feeling of Jesus’ disciples: “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts?” Perhaps because they were so joyful to the point of disbelief. They were not prepared enough to experience extraordinary joy in their ordinary gathering!

This, too, should be our refuge and our goal to find true peace of soul all the days of our lives. Every encounter with Jesus leads to ‘experiencing extraordinary joy!’. Jesus is very near to us: in the Blessed Eucharist at the Holy Mass and in the Tabernacle, where you can encounter Him less than a few miles from your home. It is too good to be true. You don’t have to go thousands of miles to the Holy Land or elsewhere to encounter Jesus, but right here at St Frances Cabrini, Jesus Christ ‐ the conqueror of death ‐ is with us always. Let’s live for this extraordinary friendship every day. We can share His life through the Word of God, the Eucharist, or a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, thereby experiencing heaven amidst the earthly realm.

Jesus is our best friend who “understands our silence; who comes when the whole world leaves” and “who multiplies joy. “Every moment of our life will be the most beautiful, joyful, and happiest because Jesus, the “Best Friend,” can help you and me ‘experience extraordinary joy’ amidst sufferings, losses, and brokenness! “We are the Easter People, and Alleluia is our song” (St. Augustine). At the end of today’s Gospel, Jesus invites and challenges us: “You are witnesses of these things.”

Alleluia! Christ is Risen, and Thanks be to God, for He is very near to us in the Blessed Sacrament today and every day! Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

April 7, 2024

Pastor’s Message: Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

Being a Faithful Witness to Christ’s Resurrection!

Today is the 2nd Sunday of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday following the request of Pope (St.) John Paul II in 2000. We celebrate the love and mercy of God, which has its culmination in the resurrection of Christ: the victory of Christ over death, sin, and Satan. The resurrection of Christ remains the bedrock, and the summit of our Christian faith; as St. Paul rightly described it, “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is without substance, and so is your faith” (I Cor. 15: 14). The first reading, the book of the Acts of the Apostles (4:32-35), summarizes how the first Christian community bore witness to the resurrection through the life of selflessness.

The Gospel (John 20:19-31) has three central messages: the pouring of peace to the disciples, the commissioning-empowerment with the gift of the Holy Spirit, to bind and lose (the basis of the Church teachings on the Sacrament of Reconciliation), and the case of Thomas. Thomas doubted because of the confusion around the facts of Jesus’ resurrection, but his humility when Jesus cleared his doubt is worthy to emulate. He accepted the message entirely and went ahead to bear witness to it. We pray that the good Lord will open our hearts and minds to welcome the truth of our faith in all its fullness and to be faithful witnesses to Christ’s resurrection. Amen.

We have reached our 2024 Diocesan goal of $139,113! We thank the families who have prayerfully participated in the 2024 Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). Our 9th week of ADA puts us at $205,959. With 291 families contributing, we are at 98% of our Parish Goal of $210,000.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

March 31, 2024

Pastor’s Message: Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

Christ is Risen, Alleluia!

As St. Frances Cabrini’s (SFC) parish community, we shared the Lenten desert journey of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving and prepared for the Resurrection of Christ. In addition, we had opportunities through the season of Lent to participate in the weekly reflection and devotions that promoted and encouraged our understanding and appreciation of the Holy Eucharist as the “Source and Summit” of the life of the Church in this year of Parish Eucharistic Revival.

We now celebrate with great joy the Easter season, which lasts until Pentecost Sunday. During this time, we as a parish can make the most of this time in the liturgical year through our continuous appreciation of the Eucharistic Jesus by receiving Holy Communion frequently, celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation, reading Scripture, and being witnesses of the Gospel to those in our lives. Let us all share the joy and hope from the Risen Lord today and every day. Amen.

We have reached our 2024 Diocesan goal of $139,113! We thank the families who have prayerfully participated in the 2024 Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). Our eighth week of ADA puts us at $195,119.74. With 271 families contributing, we are at 93% of our Parish Goal of $210,000.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

March 24, 2024

Pastor’s Message: Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

Persevere!

Today is Lent’s 6th and last Sunday, the Sunday before Easter, which formally commences the Holy Week. The most distinctive ceremonies of the day are the blessing of the palms, the procession, and the reading of passion. The red vestment worn by the presider today symbolizes the royalty of Christ, which this feast celebrates. Therefore, today’s celebration is a pre-figurement of our anticipated triumphal entry into the heavenly Jerusalem as Christ leads on.

The Gospel-Passion we read (Mark 14:1-15:47) describes the humility, determination, and perseverance of Jesus in the face of his suffering, which the 1st reading (Isaiah 50:4-7 and the 2nd reading (Philippians 2:6-11) point out in different ways. In Jesus’ suffering, we see different sufferings we face in our lives: denial, betrayal, abandonment, fear, anxiety, mockery, and physical suffering, but in all these, Jesus persevered and trusted in God for strength to accomplish his mission. Let this Holy Week help us reflect more on Christ’s sufferings, as they relate to us in different ways, and persevere while trusting in God’s help. Amen.

We have reached our 2024 Diocesan goal of $139,113!
We thank the families who have prayerfully participated in the 2024 Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). Our seventh week of ADA puts us at $175,869.74. With 238 families participating, we are at 84% of our Parish goal of $210,000 and 100% of the Diocesan goal of $139,113.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

March 17, 2024

Pastor’s Message: Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

Jesus Wants to Draws Us to Himself!

Today, the fifth Sunday of Lent, shows that we have just one week before the beginning of the Holy Week on Palm Sunday. Today’s Gospel of St. John describes Jesus’ anxieties and worries as he drew closer to his passion and death. The mission of Christ is the fulfillment of the prophecy of the New Covenant by Jeremiah in the first reading (Jeremiah 31:32-34). The Cross of Christ is the permanent symbol of this mission through which Jesus continues to draw us to Himself.

As we gradually approach the end of this year’s Season of Lent, it is a good time for us to ask ourselves how we respond to God’s invitation to embrace and share in his mission through our self-denial, self-giving, and selflessness. To live with and in Christ is to die and rise in him. Let us ask him that the gift of his love and salvation will be fruitful in our lives here and hereafter. Amen

We have reached our 2024 Diocesan goal of $139,113!
We thank the families who have prayerfully participated in the 2024 Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). Our sixth week of ADA puts us at $144,574. With 220 families participating, totaling 229 pledges, we are at 69% of our Parish goal of $210,000 and 104% of the Diocesan goal of $139,113.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

March 10, 2024

Pastor’s Message: Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

The Richness of God’s Mercy and Love!

The love and mercy of God, which we are specially invited to experience in this season of Lent, are evident in the Old and New Testaments, as we see in today’s readings. Today’s first reading, the 2nd book of Chronicles, tells us of the infidelity and sinfulness of everyone in Judah, leading to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians and the exile to Babylon of those who survived. Despite this disappointment from God’s people, the mercy of God remains with them, which St. Paul reminds us in today’s second reading (Ephesians 2:4-10).

The encounter of Jesus and Nicodemus in today’s Gospel of John (3:14-21) gives a solid foundation to the gift of salvation God has given to us in Christ through his love and mercy. That is, the mission of Christ is not to condemn us but to save us from the darkness of damnation into the light of salvation. The question remains: do we allow Christ, the world’s light, to come into our hearts and remove the darkness of sins? We pray that the good Lord will give us the humility and courage to ask and receive his forgiveness, to forgive ourselves, and to share the same with others. Amen.

We thank the families who have prayerfully participated in the 2024 Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). Our fifth week of ADA puts us at $114,924.74 With 189 families participating, we are at 55% of our Parish goal of $210,000 and 83% of the Diocesan goal of $139,113.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

March 3, 2024

Pastor’s Message: Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

The Zeal To Do God’s Will

Today is the third Sunday of Lent, which shows that we are halfway through this year’s Season of Lent. It is good to ask: How have my Lenten observances helped me to grow in virtues that deepen my relationship with God and others? Our Lenten observances should strengthen our zeal to do the will of God as our Lord Jesus Christ did. Thus, the invitation in today’s first reading (Exodus 20:1-17) is to reflect on the Ten Commandments- the Decalogue. The summary of the commandment of God is to Love God and to Love one another (our neighbor).

We should follow Jesus’ zeal to do the will of God. This zeal propelled Jesus to be forceful in some of his actions, as he did in the cleansing of the temple in today’s Gospel (John 2:13-25). However, the mystery of Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection demonstrates the highest sign of his zeal to do the will of God. Thus, as St. Paul discussed in the 2nd reading (1 Corinthians 1:22-25), the crucified Christ is a great sign for us to know God’s infinite and boundless love. Let us ask the good Lord to strengthen our zeal to do his will and demonstrate our love for him through our love for one another. Amen.

We thank the families who have prayerfully participated in the 2024 Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). Our fourth week of ADA puts us at $103,535. With 157 families participating, we are at 49% of our Parish goal of $210,000 and 74% of the Diocesan goal of $139,113.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

February 25, 2024

Pastor’s Message: Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

Listen to Him!

The Holy Season of Lent invites us to reflect deeply on our relationship with God. The first reading (Genesis 22:1-2,9a.10-13;15-18) tells us of God’s blessings to Abraham, our father in faith, who listened to God. As St. Paul tells us in the 2nd reading (Romans 8:31b-34), Abraham believed that if God is with us, nobody can be against us. Similarly, in the gospel (Mark 9:2-10), we read about the transfiguration of Christ. In the event of the transfiguration, the voice of God from heaven called on the disciples and all of us to listen to Jesus.

Lent is a particular time to reflect deeply on how we listen to Jesus in the choices we make in our day-to-day lives. God speaks to us in different ways – through the scripture, the dictates of our good conscience, life events, and more through one another. Just as Abraham, Jesus, and the disciples listened to God, may we ask the good Lord to open our ears and hearts to listen to him so that he will transfigure us to be like him. Amen.

We thank the families who have prayerfully participated in the 2024 Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). Our third week of ADA puts us at $85,385. With 125 families participating, we are at 41% of our Parish goal of $210,000 and 61% of the Diocesan goal of $139,113.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

February 18, 2024

Pastor’s Message: Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

Repent and Believe in the Gospel!

We solemnly started the season of Lent last Wednesday with the Ash Wednesday Mass. Most of us had the opportunity to receive the ashes. The three-cardinal works (Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving) we undertake are meant to cleanse and renew us just as the flood renewed God’s creation in Genesis (Genesis 9:8-15), as we read in the first reading. Also, in the second reading, Peter (1 Peter 3: 18-22) reminds us of the renewal brought about by the death and resurrection of Christ. Thus, the invitation to repent (change of heart) and believe in the Gospel Jesus gives us in today’s Gospel (Mark 1:12-15).

The three-cardinal works (Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving) are all grounded in the life of Christ. We ought to remember that the holy season of Lent is not all about what we abstain or fast from, but the virtuous acts those fasting and abstinence lead us to. For instance, as our Catholic tradition, we don’t eat meat on Fridays of Lent, but the question is: What virtue does this abstinence help me acquire? Am I doing it because it is the seasonal ritual or routine, or doing it to grow in the life of Christ within me? Let us ask the good Lord that all the works we undertake this season of Lent will help us to acquire good habits, which is the life of the gospel, the life of Christ. Amen.

We thank the families who have prayerfully participated in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). Our second week of ADA puts us at $57,657. With 71 families having participated, we are at 41% of our parish goal of $210,000. We will continue to keep you updated on the progress we are making.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

February 11, 2024

Pastor’s Message: Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

Be Imitators of Christ!

The readings of the Mass invite us constantly to reflect on different ways we can imitate Christ in our day-to-day lives. This Sunday’s first reading (Leviticus 13:1-2,44-46) and the Gospel (Mark 1:40-45), in common, discuss the disease of leprosy. Specifically, the first reading shows us how lepers were seen and treated in Jesus’s time. The lepers were treated with rejection and isolation. Within the context of this isolation and rejection, the leper in the gospel had the courage to go and kneel before Jesus to ask with faith for healing, not minding how the people saw him. The courage of the leper and the compassion of Jesus are points of reflection. Even though the leper was isolated and rejected by his community, he didn’t reject himself; rather, he had a steadfast trust in the healing power of God.

We can also face rejection and isolation in the discussion in different ways and levels, especially when we feel that people do not like us or do not appreciate what we do. Do we allow those things to influence us and make us look downcast and lose confidence in ourselves? On the other hand, do we belong to the group that isolates or rejects people because of how they are or understand things? If we want to imitate Christ as St. Paul invites us in the 2nd reading (1 Corinthians 10: 31-11:1), we must live above all kinds of rejection and isolation. We pray that God will always help us remember his love and compassion, especially in the face of isolation and rejection, and equally share the same love and compassion with others. Amen.

We thank the families who have prayerfully participated in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA). Our first week of ADA puts us at $50,007.74. With 57 families having participated, we are at 24% of our parish goal of $210,000. We will continue to keep you updated on the progress we are making.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

February 4, 2024

Pastor’s Message: Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

I continue to be honored and grateful to serve as your pastor and witness Christ’s love daily in our St. Frances Cabrini (SFC) parish community. As we journey together in this parish year of Eucharistic Revival and our diocesan pastoral planning process, I feel incredibly blessed to see how so many of you are growing in your relationship with Christ and witnessing His presence and love daily in our parish family.

Each year, the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA) invites us to renew our stewardship commitment to our local Church and our parish, Supporting Our Mission Together. Your generosity toward the ADA sustains vital diocesan ministries that strengthen our families, parishes, and Catholic schools, foster a culture of vocations, provide faith formation, and reach out to those in need with hope and healing.

Here at SFC, we will also benefit from your support of the ADA. This year, our diocesan goal is $139,113, and our goal is to raise $210,000 which is the parish goal. Our hope is to use the rebate from the ADA to continue the projects inside our church. Our church needs new carpets, improved lighting, a modern sound system, and re-painting. I ask for your help to reach our parish goal. We have more than 2,000 families who are registered parishioners, and about 1,200 are active. If 50% of our active families give prayerfully, considering a minimum of $500, we will reach our parish goal. Some can offer more, and some less; our hope is each family in our parish will participate at the level of sacrifice to which your prayerful discernment leads you.

I sincerely thank each of you who have already committed to this year’s appeal. If you have not had the opportunity to do so, please prayerfully consider how you can support Christ’s mission in the Church by making a gift to the Annual Diocesan Appeal in love and gratitude for all the ways God has blessed you. Our sacrificial gifts and prayers unite us with the faithful from all the other parishes in our diocese to fulfill the Church’s mission by making Christ present and transforming lives in His love in our parish and throughout our Diocese of San José.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

January 28, 2024

A Message from Fr. Paul Soukup

Psalm 95 prays, “Oh, that today you would hear his voice, ‘Harden not your hearts,” and we echo that prayer in our response, “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” That forms a wonderful prayer for us still early in the church year and preparing ourselves for Lent. It is both a wish and a spur to examine ourselves. What can serve to harden our hearts, to keep us from hearing the voice of God? Each of the readings today suggests an answer.

Moses, speaking to the people in the Book of Deuteronomy, tells them that fears keep them from hearing God. God’s encounter with them at Horeb so frightened them that they pleaded not to experience that divine power again. Our fears may not be so dramatic but they can keep us from God, fears perhaps not of the voice of God but of what God might ask of us.

In his first letter to the new Christian community at Corinth, St. Paul writes that anxieties can in effect harden us to the voice of God. We worry about what he calls the things of the world–all those things to do, bills to pay, meetings to get to, family relationships, caring for the children, deadlines to meet, things all to familiar to us. St. Paul also writes about our desires to please others and similar distractions. It’s not so much that we harden our hearts against God’s voice as that we fill our hearts up with so many other things that there is no room for God.

The Gospel of Mark offers a different perspective. Here we encounter an unclean spirit that does not want to hear the voice of Jesus out of self-interest and fear: “Have you come to destroy us?” That’s the voice of a self-centeredness, of a spirit so focused on its own interests that it cannot even consider the good of the person possessed. Thankfully, we don’t face those kinds of demons, but we know that we have our selfish moments, those moments that we cannot hear the voice of God because our hearts are consumed with ourselves. Or, in a different kind of self-regard, we have moments when we just don’t want to think about things that are too difficult. We hear ourselves echoing the unclean spirit, “What have you to do with us? We’re too busy, too fragile to hear you.” Sadly, that prevents us from even hearing the consoling voice of God.

Thankfully, God knows our deepest desires, as we pray them in Psalm 95, “Harden not your hearts.” In each of the ways we harden our hearts, God responds to us. For the people of Israel, frighted of the voice of God and for us who share those fears, God sends one from their own kin, one who can speak God’s word to us with God’s own compassion; God sends Jesus a savior. For us overwhelmed by the cares and anxieties around us, God sends Jesus, a savior, who counsels us, “Do not be worried about tomorrow . . . God knows what you need.” The God who cares for the birds of the air and the flowers of the field will care for us, too. In the face of the unclean spirits who distort our better selves, God sends Jesus, a savior, to rebuke the spirits. This is Jesus about whom the people marveled, “He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” Jesus will do for us what Jesus does for the man possessed; he will free us so that we can hear the voice of God.

Over and over again, God shows that the divine compassion is stronger than any hardened heart.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

January 21, 2024

A Message from Fr. Robert McKay

When we are severely challenged by life’s events, we come to realize how trivial events can engross us when compared to the mystery of life and death. There are three common reactions to life and death. First: You can’t take it with you — so spend it while you can. When you’re dead you’re dead and that’s it! Second: A hope that there may be life beyond the grave, not entirely sure! Third: The conviction that God holds each human life securely in his hand, so that death is just a passing-over into his loving presence.

We can all become rather set in our ways – certain ways of doing things and to stay with those ways. It can become rather difficult to change our routines or broaden our horizons a little, to open us up to areas of life that we would never otherwise have ventured into. However, we have all had experiences when we have been introduced to ways of being that have been very enriching and helpful.

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his glory,” says Jesus. If our ultimate desire is to fit in with God’s plan for us, then everything else will fall into place. We all need conversion, no less than the people of Nineveh, or the people of Galilee. Repent, and believe is Jesus’ message for us today. Essentially Jesus is saying: “Believe that God who is my father and also your father; believe that he is near at hand, and that he is kind and merciful.” Saint Paul in the second reading today calls on us not to become engrossed in the world, not to give ourselves over completely to what does not endure and is not of ultimate significance. He reminds us that we should get our priorities right, to get a proper balanced view of things, so that what is of lasting importance can play its role — namely, our eternal destiny and how we stand in the sight of God.

Genuine Christian devotion keeps us grounded in reality, more keenly involved than ever in carrying out the tasks that have to be done here and now, because now is the day of salvation; now is the time, given us by God to pay him our thanksgiving through service. “Living in the moment” is considered a Christian spiritual discipline. It is a way of being present and attentive to the current moment, rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Embracing the present moment can help us appreciate what’s given to us so that we can give thanks to God for all his goodness to us. A priest once shared this insight with me: “Of all the things I have learned and taught over the years, I can think of nothing that could be of more help to anyone than living in the now.”

The presence of God is infinite, everywhere, always, and forever. You cannot not be in the presence of God. There’s no other place to be. It is we who are not present to Presence. God’s horizon is always so much wider than ours. The call of Jesus to follow him always involves a call to allow our own limited horizons to be stretched to embrace God’s vision for our lives. What Jesus basically says to us is – seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, then God will take care of everything you need in your life. Seek first the kingdom of God means to put God’s top priorities as your top priorities – build His kingdom by preaching the Gospel, reaching lost people, and making disciples. When you see God actively present in the now of your life, then you are living the words seek the kingdom of God.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

January 14, 2024

A Message from Fr. Joseph Tran

Meet Jesus and Transform Your Life

Christmas 2023 was closed with the Baptism of the Lord last Monday, January 7. We now enter the liturgical season of Ordinary Time during Winter until Ash Wednesday, February 14. Since Christmas, the days have been lengthening, they can still seem short and dark. Even when the sun shines, a chill fills the air like the past week. Naturally, politically and socially acknowledging, we have felt darkness, fears, and anxieties as we entered the new year 2024:

· the deadly earthquake and tsunami in Japan
· the escalation of wars in the Middle East and Eastern Europe
· the dire consequences of climate change

Sisters and brothers in Christ as Catholic Christians,

When we feel surrounded by darkness, Jesus—fully God and fully man, whom we receive at the Eucharistic liturgy, is all the more significant to give us hope and light to be faithful and perseverant in our vocations. Let us turn to the Word of God of this 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time to direct us to the true light and hope: “The living Word of God is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path” (Ps 119). The First Reading (Sam 3, 3b-10, 19) and the Responsorial Psalm 40 invite us to trust and continue to offer ourselves to God’s will like Andrew, Simon, and Peter, leaving their former lives to follow Jesus: “Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.”

The names of two brothers, Andrew and Simon, the sons of John, would have been forgotten if they had continued their daily routine of fishing on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. However, everything changed when Jesus entered their lives. First, Andrew, introduced to Jesus by John the Baptist, followed Him and stayed with Him that night. Then, he went to introduce and bring his brother to meet Jesus. Jesus changed Simon’s name to ‘Cephas,’ meaning ‘Rock.’ It was not just a change of name but a transformation of life to lay the foundation of the Church of Christ. Both were chosen as disciples, with Peter becoming the leader of the apostles and the first Pope of the Church.

Sisters and brothers in Christ,
Today, Jesus also invites us to “come and see” and meet Him by listening to His Word and receiving His Body in the Eucharist. Like the two brothers when they encountered Jesus, we too, transformed our lives. Pope Benedict XVI affirmed, “Being a Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, Jesus Christ” (Deus Caritas Est, No. 1). For us today, Jesus is not just a great historical figure but the living God whom we can encounter. Together as SFC’s faith community, we try our best to make 2024’s resolution to diligently meet Jesus through reflecting on the Word of God and receiving the Eucharist every weekend, even when we feel down to submit ourselves completely to the will of God.

Let us ponder an important question: Who are we? Often, we ‘identify’ our identity in what we achieve or fail to achieve. In doing so, we let our actions determine our worth. While our actions may align or conflict with our worth, our worth is not determined by our actions. Our worth is determined by something entirely different: the Sacrament of Baptism! Through it, God chose and called us by new name. As a result, the Father sees us as beloved children and looks at us with great joy. Not because of what we do or do not do, but we are ‘garmented with dignity’ as a beloved daughter/son of God.

Who are we? Through this Sacrament, Christ has embraced us; you and I belong to Him – the Living Body of Christ! Christ is here; He entered our lives, seized our souls, and will stay with us unless we deliberately turn away from Him due to our former sinful lives. He waits to restore intimate friendship with us like Andrew and Peter.

To conclude, I want to share this story. “Oh, God, the fire! This is not just a pile of broken iron!” a blacksmith exclaimed. A non-believer asked him how he could trust God despite illness and suffering. He replied, “When I make a tool, I take a piece of iron and put it in the fire. Then, I continuously beat it on the anvil to see if it can endure. I create a ‘work of art’ from it if it does. Otherwise, I throw it into the pile of broken iron! I can rejoice when I suffer for love because I know that God is using me. I know who I am!”
“Lord, please continue to shape me like iron on the anvil so that I become a wonderful ‘work of art’ for You, not because of what I do or do not do, but because I am Your child!” Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

January 7, 2024

A Message from Fr. Joseph Tran

Jesus: God’s Light Among Us – We: Jesus’ Light Among Others

In today’s feast, The Epiphany of the Lord, we celebrate the great manifestation of God in our midst for the second time in this season: Epiphany, meaning a ‘showing’ or ‘manifestation.’ We already celebrated the first on December 25, when God revealed himself to us, manifested in the form of a helpless, newborn infant. He is presented as born homeless and in poverty and surrounded by the poor and outcasts (that is who the shepherds represent). “God has pitched His tent, dwelling among humanity” (John 1:14).

In today’s feast, we see the same recently born baby in similar circumstances, but the material and social surroundings are hardly touched. The emphasis here, as we shall see, is different. Here are strangers, foreigners, and outsiders coming to give royal homage to this tiny child. This will be the aim of every Christian: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…; and behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matt 28:19-20).

Today’s Solemnity of the Lord’s Epiphany affirms God’s salvation is extended for people of every land: three kings offer Jesus. Gold – the most precious of metals, symbolizes Jesus, The King of kings; Frankincense – used in worship, symbolizes the Child’s Divinity; and Myrrh – used in preparing a body for burial, symbolizes Jesus’ Humanity.

We ask: “Did the story of the visitation of three kings happen like that?” Instead, we should be asking, “What does it mean? What is it saying to us?” The story’s truth is in its meaning and not in the related facts. Although Jesus is still an infant and in Bethlehem, we do not know how long after his birth this incident should have occurred. We are not told because it does not matter. It is not relevant to the meaning of the story.

33 Years Later, as the story unfolds …
‘What happened to the baby all those years ago?’ One of the three kings who visited the newborn King of the Jews wondered. Throughout his life, the King could not forget the journey 33 years prior; following a mysterious star that led him to the Bethlehem cave.

The question lingered: ‘Did that baby become the ruler of the people of Israel?’ It made the king restless. Unable to resist, once again, the King decided to embark on a journey to Palestine. The wise elders remembered the strange star in Jerusalem, but no one knew about the child born under that miraculous sign. In Bethlehem, people shook their heads, except for an old woman who informed the king: ‘No Jesus in Bethlehem, only Jesus of Nazareth, a man claiming to be the Son of God, was recently crucified.’

Disappointed, the king sadly joined the pilgrims returning to Jerusalem on Pentecost. Intruding into the crowd celebrating Thanksgiving after the Harvest, the king noticed a group of people. Curious, he pushed through the crowd to hear someone saying, ‘Just thought we’d encounter some drunken nonsense.’

But the king’s ears caught someone in the group speaking his language, clearly talking about Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified but miraculously resurrected. As if driven by an invisible force, the king interjected, asking, ‘So where is this Jesus now?’ Standing amid the crowd, Simon and Peter replied, ‘He is among us. He is within us. We are His mouth, eyes, hands, feet.’

As Peter spoke, a strong wind blew, and flames appeared again, descending upon the people. The king suddenly saw the star of Bethlehem, but this time, it split into many stars falling upon the crowd. In his soul, the king understood that each person must become a manger where Jesus is born and carry Him to those around them.

Dear SFC’s sisters and brothers,
The story connects the meaning of Christmas, celebrating the Incarnation with the Feast of the Epiphany. Simultaneously, it highlights the duty of all Christ’s followers to become Christ’s eyes, mouth, hands, and feet to bring His Gospel to the people we encounter and collaborate with daily life and responsibilities. Amen.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All!

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 31, 2023

Pastor’s Message: Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

Family Love, Unity and Peace!

The whole celebration of Christmas has been within the context of a family. Jesus, the son of God, was born into the family of Mary and Joseph. Within the Christmas octave, we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family- the family of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. In this feast, we celebrate the gift of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, who said yes to the will of God for the salvation of all of us. The Holy Family becomes a model to us in our families, either as a father, mother, or child.

Today’s readings invite us to reflect on our responsibilities toward making our families where love, unity, and peace abide. The first reading calls for profound respect children should give to their parents, especially in their old age. In the second reading, St. Paul calls for mutual respect in families to promote love, unity, and peace in a family. We become instruments of this love, unity, and peace through acts of kindness, forgiveness, tolerance, and patience with one another.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph trusted in the will of God in different life situations. The presence of God reigned in their families, an example we are called to emulate. As Mary and Joseph presented the child Jesus to the Lord in the Gospel, God’s blessings were showered upon them. Likewise, through prayer, we should continue unceasingly to present our families and ourselves to God. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 24, 2023

A Message from Fr. Paul Soukup

Even during this Advent season, we always seem to be in a rush. When we hear the Gospel account of the annunciation, we quickly skip to the end. This is a story we’ve heard before. Mary gives her assent and the rest – the birth of Jesus – follows immediately in our imagination.

But perhaps we start and end in the wrong place. We’ve rushed to a conclusion. What else happens in the story of how the birth of Jesus comes about?

We can try to imagine this from God’s perspective. God, who creates all things, creates this moment as well. Why would God want to ask Mary to become the mother of the Savior? Could not God save the world in a different way? No doubt. But in God’s creative plan the incarnation is part of the act of creation. The Second Person of the Trinity, through whom all things were created, intended to join creation to divinity from the very beginning. One could imagine that even if there had never been any sin, there would still be an incarnation. Mary and all of us are parts of God’s creation. This is one way to imagine God’s love.

But we can also consider a different divine perspective. In this perspective, there is a history of sin. And God, who beholds all things, sees creation, especially humanity, suffering because of its sinfulness. In this instance God who is love and compassion extends that love and compassion to what God has created. The Second Person of the Trinity chooses to become flesh and blood to redeem the world. This is not an impulsive decision. God prepares creation for this moment as we learn through the history of Israel. God enters into a covenant with Israel, and the people of Israel learn to be a people of the covenant, always in relationship with God. This is the culture or pattern in which Mary grows up. Mary is the daughter of the covenant; Mary is a daughter of prayer; Mary has a familiarity with God. So, when the angel Gabriel comes to her, Mary can speak to the angel and can overcome any fear or hesitation. Because God has chosen her, Mary can respond, as we know so will, “I am the handmaiden of the Lord. Be it done to me according to your word.“

In addition to placing the beginnings earlier, we can slow a bit at the conclusion. We might want to rush ahead to the birth of Jesus but that ignores what happens in the intervening months. The pregnancy, like all pregnancies, takes time. It changes Mary; Mary deepens in her response to God. Even the birth of Jesus is not the end of the story. The child must grow, the man must leave home, Jesus must proclaim the kingdom, and Jesus must come to his death. If we slow down enough to see ahead far enough, we find the shadow of the cross behind the angel Gabriel. But it is a shadow made possible only by the light of the resurrection. The mystery of the incarnation is the mystery of God‘s love. They mystery of the incarnation is the mystery of God’s creation. And God creates life.

This is what we celebrate on this Fourth Sunday of Advent. Reflecting on these mysteries prepares us best for the birth of the Savior.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 17, 2023

A Message from Fr. Robert McKay

The spiritual joy that is a hallmark of our Christian faith centers around our waiting for the coming of the Lord, and our entry into a life of eternal communion with God. Today’s readings are full of joy and hope. In the prophet Isaiah’s writings, he envisions Israel radiating as a joyful bride coming to her bridegroom. In St. John’s Gospel John the Baptist is pictured as one who came to witness to God’s light. St. Paul’s words to the Corinthians suggests that hope and joy are displayed when a community lives by Jesus’ values. As Christian folk we detect joy is when we realize deep-down in our hearts Jesus’ concerns and desires, and then strive to carry out what we perceive to be our authentic mission in life. Our aim is to make the goals of Jesus real in our lifetime.

Jesus adopted the words of Isaiah to describe his own life purpose. The prophet Isaiah speaks of one anointed and sent to bring glad tidings to the poor, healing for the broken-hearted, and liberty to captives. The joy of the prophecy is captured in the promise of restoration to an exiled and defeated ancient people to their homeland. Jesus insisted that Isaiah’s words were not merely for previous generations. They were for the present. They are for our present.

In today’s gospel, those two big questions are put to John the Baptist by the religious authorities, ‘Who are you?’ and ‘Why are you baptizing?’ In our search for our own personal truth, we ask the questions: ‘Who am I?’ and ‘Why am I doing what I am doing?’ How genuine are we in our sharing of Christian values? How we receive and respond to these questions manifests our willingness to display Jesus’ light in our world and experience great joy.

John was clear that he was not the Christ (the Messiah) because he did not try to be more than he was. Later he would say that he was not the bridegroom, only the friend of the bridegroom who rejoices at the bridegroom’s voice. Consequently, John declares himself to be the voice crying in the wilderness; he is not the Word, only the voice; he is not the light, only the witness to the light. When John was asked why he was doing what he was doing, he declared that he baptized to make known the ‘one who stands among you, unknown to you.’ He wanted to open people’s eyes to the person standing among them, to the Messiah in their midst.

In following John’s example, we could learn something about who we are at that deepest, most spiritual, level of our being? More personally, Who am I before God? Who is God calling me to be? Each one of us by virtue of our baptism is called to witness to the Light. Even though we are all far from perfect, we are, nonetheless, called to be witnesses to Jesus Christ. We must, in effect, take upon ourselves the attitude of the Baptizer; one thing we know for sure: We are not the Messiah. The Lord stands among all of us, but he remains unknown to many. Our calling is to make him known, to allow him to shine forth in our world through our lives. In what we communicate and how we communicate it, we allow the Lord to communicate through us. How we live explains why we live the way we do.

The love we enjoy with our family of friends, the pleasure of meeting new people, the awakening of talents we come to realize we have, the solidarity we feel in our local community when people willingly help their neighbors, the consolation we experience to be in prayer. The gospel is spoken to us here and now. As we hear God’s word sounded read it written, let it first “be fulfilled in our hearing of it.” O God, be with us, be our Emmanuel. Come to our poor inadequacy. Open our tired eyes. Unlock our hearts and minds.

Advent is a good time to reclaim our fundamental identity, our Christ identity. If Jesus is to be born anywhere today, it will be in each one of us. To light an advent candle is to say that God is alive, still Lord of this world, and, because of that, “all will be well, and all will be well, and every manner of being will be well.”

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 10, 2023

A Message from Fr. Joseph Tran

True Joy: Only Found in and through Jesus!

“In a certain city, there was a famous comedian. No matter how sad or difficult someone was, watching the comedian perform would make them burst into laughter. In the same city, there was also a renowned psychologist who could treat all kinds of mental issues. One day, an elderly man with a gloomy face came to seek advice. He said, “Doctor, I am an unhappy person. My life is filled with boredom. Is there any way you can make me happy?” The psychologist asked, “Are you lacking money?” The man replied, “Honestly, I am successful and quite wealthy.” The psychologist continued, “What about your family, wife, and children?” The man nodded, admitting, “I have a beautiful and virtuous wife, and lovely, well-behaved children.” After asking a few more questions, the psychologist suggested a solution: “I think you should attend performances by a famous comedian here in the city. Surely, you will find joy and forget your sorrows.” However, the psychologist was surprised when his client said, “Thank you, doctor, but I am actually the famous comedian you just mentioned!”

The story may sound paradoxical, but it reflects a truth. A person gifted with the talent to make others laugh can be a victim of boredom. Despite possessing all the advantages that many people desire, without an internal source of joy, how can one truly experience joy? Or when life is not joyful, how can one begin to find joy again?

Dear SFC’s brothers and sisters,
Today’s Gospel indicates clearly “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). Beginnings are important, and the beginning of Mark’s Gospel is no exception. This very first sentence reads like a summary of the entire Bible and Salvation of All. The word Gospel is derived from the Greek word “Euaggelion” as translated Good News. In the context of Jesus Christ, it holds a dual meaning: firstly, as the Good News proclaimed by Jesus Himself; and secondly, as the announcement of Jesus Christ as the Subject of the Good News by the Church. This highlights that Jesus is both the proclaimer and the object of the Good News. For that, Mark initiates the narrative in the Judean desert, where John the Baptist prepares the way for Jesus Christ, the Messiah – God saves All.

Truly, Jesus is the Reason for the Season: Christmas as we’ve prepared since in Advent. It is crucial for us revisiting “the beginning” and heeding John the Baptist’s message on repentance to obtain again true joy. Repentance is the key of finding true joy that only Jesus who has come can bring. Thus, repentance becomes good news as it opens our hearts to Jesus. Take advantage of opportunities to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation this season. Let God expand your capacity to receive him at Christmas. As Mark shows us in his Gospel, that’s where it all begins.

For conclusion, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in God.” Our only true joy exists when there is God’s love in our soul: God is Love. “Whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in them” (1 John 4:16). Only those whose hearts are filled with love and compassion can find peace in their souls and experience genuine joy. God’s Love has the Name: Jesus Christ – the Beginning and Ultimate Joy of every soul. Today and this week, pray to Jesus: “Jesus, help us to open our heart to you – our Beginning and Ultimate Joy as I await your coming! And it begins with our sincere contrition of heart.

May bless you all and may you have a holy and fruitful Advent. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 3, 2023

Pastor’s Message: Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

Watch and Pray!

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. The Liturgy of Advent has many things in common with the Season of Lent than other liturgical seasons (Christmas, Lent, Easter, & ordinary time), especially when we look at the color of the vestments, the omission of the Gloria, and the penitential tones of some of the hymns. In the season of Advent, we celebrate not only the preparation for the coming of Christ but also His ever-abiding presence among us and his final coming when He will complete the work of redemption. During Advent, we celebrate these three stages of our salvation- past, present, and future.

Today’s readings connect us to these three stages of Christ’s coming: the promise made, which we read in the first reading in the book of the Prophet Isaiah. The incarnation through which he lived among us and left us with love be the center of what we do, which St. Paul describes in the second reading while praying that we will be ready and “not lacking in any spiritual gift” as we await the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel invites us to WATCH! Our true watchfulness has to be grounded in consistent prayer life. Hence, this Season of Advent could help us to rekindle and strengthen our prayer life. What, then, is prayer? Prayer is simply a spiritual dialogue with God. It is an awareness of God’s presence. We express our prayers in different forms: adoration, thanksgiving, contrition/forgiveness, or petition/supplication.

How do we learn to pray? We learn how to pray by praying, especially by recognizing the ever-abiding presence of God in our lives. Where do we pray? Even though our Church or Chapel, with the presence of the Eucharistic Jesus, is a special place of prayer, we believe too that God is everywhere. Thus, we can pray everywhere: at home, in our car, at work, or school. When do we pray? We can pray every time, but most people pray in the morning and night to begin and end the day. Prayer increases our faith and strengthens our will always to do God’s will. Jesus, Mary, the disciples, and all the saints were men and women of prayer. Here at SFC, we have scheduled this Advent season different opportunities to help us deepen our prayer life. Let us ask the good Lord that we can grow in our prayer life during this Advent season. Amen. “Rejoice in your hope, be patient in your trials, but never cease praying” (Romans 12:12)

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

November 26, 2023

A Message From: Fr. Paul Soukup

Christ the King

Pontius Pilate, with his world view formed by Roman power politics, questioned Jesus about being a king. The term was not one that Jesus applied to himself. Indeed, he told Pilate “You say it.“ And yet we celebrate this feast of Christ the King.

Even if he does not call himself a king, Jesus does speak about the kingdom of heaven. For him, this reign of God held a central place in his preaching. Jesus pointed to that rather than to himself. When he does speak about a king, he does so in parables where the “king” becomes a character to help us understand more about this kingdom of heaven. And so, in these last few months we have heard parables about a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son to which no one came. We have heard about a king who needed to take stock to see whether he could engage a stronger force in battle. But we are just as likely to have heard about a farmer, a woman cleaning house, a merchant, or an estate manager. All of these play central roles in the parables with which Jesus helps us to understand the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven in the parables does not need a king.

The kingdom of heaven, in Jesus’ view, focuses less on a king than on what a king does. We meet a king in the parable about the end of the world that we hear today. This king sits in judgment and so represents God and God‘s power of revealing our lives. In effect, the parable holds up a mirror to our behavior. Those blessed by the king are those whose lives blessed others, those who loved their neighbor. Those cursed by the king led lives that, in effect, condemned others to hunger, thirst, loneliness, or abandonment. The first group enter into “the kingdom prepared for you.” The kingdom is a place adorned by love for others. The king’s judgment is as simple as that. But lest we become confused, the parable’s king provides specific examples. The blessed are those who gave food, water, clothing, shelter, healthcare, or companionship to a king whom they did not recognize. These things separate the blessed from the cursed.

When we celebrate the end of the liturgical year in this Solemnity of Christ the King, we should look less upon the title of a king—a title that seems somewhat foreign to us—and more upon what the king does. The king reveals our actions to us. The king does not use force. The king does not condemn. The king welcomes some, those who love their neighbor, and finds nothing familiar in those who did not.

When we celebrate Christ the King, we accept this view of the kingdom of heaven, of the reign of God. This view chooses not Christ a king upon a throne but Christ a king upon a cross. For from the cross we learn what true love of neighbor means. From the cross we understand where the compassion of Christ takes its meaning. From the cross we leave what defines the kingdom of God.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

November 19, 2023

A Message From: Fr. Joseph Tran

“Do Everything With Our Ability To Love” (Mt 25:14-30)

Last week, the story of the ten bridesmaids waiting for the arrival of the bridegroom was about constant readiness for the final coming of Christ. Next week, the 34th Sunday, we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. Today’s Mass at the last Sunday of Ordinary Time, we are reminded not just of the end of the liturgical year but of the end of all things and the preparations we need to make. The Second Reading reminds us that the Day of the Lord will come “like a thief in the night.” Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do but let us “stay alert and sober.”

And what should we be doing while we are alert and sober in anticipation of the Lord’s coming?

The Gospel passage pinpoints the ultimate purpose of our activities in the Parable of the Talents: DO EVERYTHING WITH OUR ABILITY TO LOVE. Literally, one talent with a very large sum of money, equivalent to thousands of dollars today. The parable contains words of advice for the interim period between Christ’s resurrection and his final return. It urges a responsible use of the goods the Master has entrusted to us so that we may be ready to face him when he calls us to account. That we must use our earthly life in such as way as to win Heaven.

The master knew the capacity of his servants: To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one — to each according to his ability.” He did not want to burden every one of them with the same responsibility, but according to capacity to receive. After a long time had passed, the master returned and settled accounts with his servants. The servant with five talents produced five more: the one with two produced two more. Consequently, both deserved their master’s blessing: “Well done, my good and faithful servant… Come, share your master’s joy.” But the one who buried his one talent: “You wicked, lazy servant!”

Brothers and sisters,
The meaning of the parable is crystal clear. We are the servants, not the owners of the talents. The talents are the qualities God has bestower on us: our time, our intelligence, our ability to love, our power to make others happy, our temporal goods… The journey of the master signifies the duration of our life. His unexpected return signifies our death. The settling of accounts is our judgment. The banquet is Heaven. The Lord frequently reminds us in the Gospels that we do not own what we have. We are stewards entrusted with God’s property. A day will come when we shall have to give an account of our behavior. The lazy servant did not serve his master because of an absence of love. Love motivates a person to give true service. Laziness is the result of a failure to love. The Lord uses this parable to reproach those who either fail to develop their given talents, or pervert their use for the sake of self-love.

Let us examine our whole approach to the gifts we have received from God. Do we think of ourselves as stewards, or do we live under the illusion that we are the true owners of what we possess? How do we use our time?

A story: After visiting the family of a classmate who had just had a car accident, little Linda returned home. Her father was angry upon learning that his daughter had just visited her friend’s funeral. He sternly looked at Linda and asked, ‘Why did you go to their house at this time?’ Linda replied, ‘Dad, I went there to help their family.’ Her father questioned, ‘But what can you do to help their family?’ Linda replied, ‘Dad, I can’t do much for their family. I just ran to hug her mother and cried, and her mother hugged me and cried with me.’ Linda’s answer made her father realize that although she couldn’t do much for the funeral, she did everything within her ability to comfort the grieving mother who had just lost her beloved child.”

Our Father God is always pleased to behold a finished work manifesting an effort to make use of time for the sake of self-giving love. May God help us. through our patroness St. Frances Cabrini to DO EVERYTHING WITH OUR ABILITY TO LOVE like Jesus. Amen

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

November 12, 2023

A Message From: Fr. Robert McKay

In our Gospel this weekend Jesus recommends to his hearers to be ready for the Last Day. His point is a simple one: “Stay awake.” In other words, be ready at all times for God’s rule to come upon you. The wedding story Jesus relates is symbolic. The Ten Virgins, or Bridesmaids, represent all Christians as they wait for Christ to return at the end of time in glory.

The story of the ten maidens and their lamps, however, perplexes interpreters. What is the symbolism of the “oil”? All maidens fell asleep – so why the message “Stay Awake”? The delay of the bridegroom is never explained, nor does he apologize for being late! Furthermore, would anyone have been so foolish as to forget to bring enough oil for a lamp? Above all there is this question: “Where is the bride?”

We should remember that a parable is not an allegory. An allegory is a story that has many points of reference to human experience but a parable has only one. The one point of this parable of the bridesmaids is readiness. Jesus was continuously telling people to wake up and stay awake. Usually only one virgin, the wife to be, comes out to greet the bridegroom. Here we have ten and we are told there were five foolish, and five wise maidens. Matthew wants us to focus on the bridegroom – clearly Jesus Christ. So we ask the question: Who will be worthy to walk with the bridegroom as his wife? The answer appears to be the wise virgins as they will recognize him and he will walk arm-in-arm with them into the wedding feast. The five foolish virgins will not be worthy to be wives.

Our next question is: what makes the wise wise and the foolish foolish? At the darkest time, the Bridegroom Jesus arrives and all are asked to go out and meet him. The time has come for the lamp to be lit so that the virgins can see the bridegroom and in turn the bridegroom can see the virgins. Light is needed – hence the lamps. Alas, the foolish maidens have no oil and ask the wise ones for some oil. The relevant issue was the thoughtless ones’ unreadiness for the delay. They were not prepared for living the life of the Kingdom.

The wise ladies advise them to go and buys some oil. It is at this moment that the foolish manifest their foolishness and the wise their wisdom. The refusal of the wise virgins to share may appear selfish. Here we are not talking really about lamps and oil but about people and life. This is the moment we can apply the story to our own lives. The truth of the oil is this: you have to have your own. Character cannot be transferred or borrowed. We must build it for ourselves.

Each person must supply oil from their own living out of the teachings of Jesus. Jesus directs us to our own inner resources. It appears that we all have to learn to do the will of God for ourselves. We need to receive Jesus into our hearts so that the Christ within us through grace can build us up from within. This will awaken within us our identity as children of God. As God’s children we want to commit ourselves to what God is calling us to be and to do. Integrating Jesus into our lives is transformation. Knowing the truth about Jesus is not enough. We are called to be like him – then the door opens!

As St. Augustine teaches “Watch with the heart, watch with faith, watch with love, watch with charity, watch with good works…; make ready the lamps, make sure they do not go out …; renew them with the inner oil of an upright conscience; then shall the Bridegroom enfold you in the embrace of his love and bring you into his banquet room, where your lamp can never be extinguished” (Sermon, 93).”

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

November 5, 2023

Pastor’s Message: Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

The Motives Behind Our Actions!

One of the striking points the readings of today invite us to reflect on is to re-examine the intentions or motives behind our actions. In the first reading (Malachi 1:14b-2:2b, 9-10), the Prophet Malachi challenges the priests of his time for not giving glory to God’s name, turning aside the ways of God, and doing things for wrong motives, especially for self-glory. The message of the Prophet is also being addressed not only to those who share in the ministerial priesthood but all of us who share in the common priesthood of Christ.

Jesus, in the Gospel (Matthew 23:1-12), like the Prophet Malachi, challenges the religious leaders of his time, the Scribes and the Pharisees, for their hollow religiosity and pretentious life, doing things for self-glory and their love for titles, honor, and recognition. It is within this context that Jesus gave the teaching, “call no one on earth your father,” which has generated lots of questions on why we call our priests “Father.” We call our priests Father because they are like spiritual fathers to us. It is only a mark of respect.

In the last part of the Gospel, Jesus invites us to embrace the gift of humility: “The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Humility helps us to do things with the right motives- for the greater glory of God. Humility is never denying what we are, have, or know but acknowledging that each of our gifts is from God. Just as St. Paul praised the Thessalonians in the 2nd reading for their acts of faith and humility, we pray that God showers the virtue of humility in our lives, which will direct our motives to do things for the greater glory of God. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 29, 2023

Pastor’s Message: Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

The Greatest Commandment

The Eucharist, the Sacrament of love, invites us constantly to appreciate the love God has for us, to experience this love, and to express it in our relationship with God and one another. The readings of this Sunday, among other things, invite us to reflect on the three dimensions of this love -the love of God, the love of oneself, and the love of neighbor -the greatest commandment. Jesus in the Gospel (Matthew 22:34- 40) invites us to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul. It is a total love without reservation. We must love God because he loves us first. Out of his love, he created us, redeemed us in his love, and will save us in his love. We show that we love him through our efforts to keep his commandments, “If you love me to keep, you will keep my commandment” (Jn. 14: 15).

The second dimension of this invitation is our love for our neighbor, which is grounded in our love for ourselves. It then presupposes that before we can love our neighbor as God wants us, we must genuinely love ourselves according to God’s love. The love of oneself is not limited to taking care of our physical needs, food, clothing, leisure, or other comforts but also our spiritual needs. When we have a balanced love of ourselves according to God’s will, we can use it as a yardstick to measure our love for our neighbor. The third dimension of the love God calls is the love for our neighbor. Who is this neighbor? A question like this was asked to Jesus in Luke 10: 29-37, leading to the Good Samaritan parable.

The parable helps to define who our neighbor is. Our neighbor goes beyond someone who lives in the same area or vicinity as us, but anyone who, anytime and anywhere, needs our help, and we can offer the help. As Paul was pleased with Thessalonians for their work of faith in today’s second reading (1 Thessalonians 1:5c-10), God wants to be pleased with us for our love for him, ourselves, and our neighbor. Let us ask the good Lord to help us to be instruments of his true love. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 22, 2023

A Message From: Fr. Paul Soukup

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Paul, the reformed Pharisee, and his companions, Silvanus and Timothy, strike what seems the right note in their greeting to the church in Thessalonika: “We give thanks to God always for you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope.” It is the prayer that we all want to offer for one another, and it seems quite different from the thinking of those Pharisees whom we meet in the Gospel.

Charitably, we might think that they had a genuine question about the Law of Moses: Could Jews support a foreign power by paying taxes? Was this a real moral dilemma for them? But we can reasonably suspect their motives—questions of paying taxes always seems to carry ulterior motives. And this question, however innocent, contained a deadly trap. Answer one way and the Roman occupiers could arrest Jesus for sedition; answer another way and the Jewish people could reject Jesus as a collaborator. Jesus manages to avoid the trap and to make this moment yet another revelation about the Kingdom of Heaven. Rather than a parable that invites us to puzzle over how God’s reign works among us (as we have heard for the last several weeks), Jesus uses an example to help us understand more about God’s claim on us, about how the Kingdom of Heaven works. But, like the parables, the central part of Jesus’ teaching occurs in what Jesus does not say.

“Whose image is this and whose inscription?”
“Caesar’s.”
“Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

If the image and the inscription mark out the coin as belonging to Caesar, then we might ask how we might discover what belongs to God. Where do we find the image of God? Where do we find the inscription of God?

Those listening to Jesus will know this immediately. The Scriptures teach us that we humans are made in the image and likeness of God. The Scriptures teach us that in the days of the Messiah, God will write the law in our hearts. If we are God’s image and God’s inscription, then we belong to God. We can give the coin to Caesar, but we must give ourselves to God.

The Kingdom of Heaven consists of God’s claim on us and of our acknowledging that claim. As we learned in each of the parables of the Kingdom of Heaven, God asks more than a coin—attending a wedding feast, working in the vineyard, offering the first fruits, going when we are sent. But as we also learned in each of those parables, though God asks more of us, God pays more than we can ask or imagine.

So, it does make sense for Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to give thanks always, not only for the Thessalonians, but for all the churches. They rightly recognize God’s image and God’s inscription: an inscription of faith written in our hearts, an enduring hope in our minds, and an image of love in service of one another. It is the image of Jesus, the image of the invisible God.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 15, 2023

A Message From: Fr. Robert McKay

Through the sacrament of baptism, we have been called to salvation and to take our place in the future kingdom of God. Our Scriptures today invite us to raise our sights, and our hearts, when thinking of the future. Beyond this present life, God has planned a great future for all of us.

Today our first reading, from the prophet Isaiah, speaks of God planting, caring for and protecting a vineyard. The vineyard is a symbol for the people of Israel and God’s loving care for them. The people – the vineyard – come to know God as: the creator of all; the one who delivers them from slavery; their guide and protector in the desert during times of physical and spiritual testing. Isaiah’s prophecy of the heavenly banquet is an invitation to think of our eternal destiny and prompts us to reflect on how we are doing in our preparation for life eternal. The banqueting atmosphere of welcome and warmth is a lovely image for a loving communion with God and with others towards which our lives are destined.

The Gospel picks up the familiar Old Testament theme – the vineyard. It is an invitation to us to think about the quality of our efforts in the vineyard. Jesus emphasizes that this wedding-banquet is open to all people. It is comforting to know that God wants every one of us to be saved. We do, however, need a wedding garment to take our place at the wedding feast. The wedding garment symbolizes our personal commitment to accept our place at the wedding feast and to possess a community spirit by sharing our well-being with others in the presence of God. Loving God is not a matter simply of saying “How nice!” Love is relationship in love. To love God is to step into the flow of God’s infinite loving, to say “yes”, which translated, means to practice justice, mercy, forgiveness, patience and truth. Our wedding-garment is being woven daily by the quality of our interaction with others. In this sense, we hold tomorrow in our own hands, as with the help of God’s grace we build our own eternal future.

St. Paul and the early Christian community believed that history is in God’s hands. He wrote encouragingly in today’s reading; I can do all things in him who strengthens me. Paul reminds us though that it is not all our own work – God’s grace prompts us to live a worthy life, despite our human weaknesses. Difficulties in present life were viewed as growth-pains, or a means whereby to purify our hearts from selfishness and sin. For the members of the early Christian household, no matter how hard the circumstances in which they found themselves, they could “do all things in Him who strengthens us,” by holding on to the hope of everlasting life. If only we realize that “eye has not seen, nor can the human heart imagine, what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor 2:9.)

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 8, 2023

A Message From: Fr. Joseph Tran

25th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Dear SFC’s sisters and brothers in Christ,

Two monks were washing their bowls in the river when they noticed a scorpion that was drowning. One monk immediately scooped it up and set it upon the bank. In the process, he was stung. He went back to washing his bowl, and again the scorpion fell in. The monk saved the scorpion and was stung again. The other monk asked him, ‘Friend, why do you continue to save the scorpion when you know its nature is to sting?’ ‘Because’ the monk replied, ‘to save, to love and to care is my nature’ (source: The Daily Zen).”

This Sunday’s readings focus on God’s vineyard, where His tenants are entrusted to care, protect, and yield good grapes. The tenants in the readings fall short of the Lord’s expectations. The Lord asks, “What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it?” (1st reading). And “When I expected it to yield grapes, why did it yield rotten grapes?” (Gospel). The Lord sent prophets and even His Only Begotten Son to remind His people of their duty to serve and be fruitful, yet they rejected God’s messengers, including Jesus.

Dear SFC’s sisters and brothers, our SFC parish is God’s local vineyard. So, we are God’s tenants at SFC. Baptized, we are privileged to be called to work in the Lord’s vineyard. We are all called to be active members of the Body of Christ, particularly here at SFC. Each week, we are invited to gather together to hear the Gospel message and make it part of our lives. The Lord expects us to produce good fruit, fruit enduring. Let us collectively ask ourselves: How much better are we than the poor tenants in the Gospel? What kind of grapes do we, as a parish community, produce? Is our parish a true sign of Jesus’ presence and love in this part of our city? What kind of impact do we have?

William S. Burroughs states, “When you stop growing, you start dying.” We, as SFC’s tenants, must not yield sour grapes that no one can eat. If we are not genuinely ensuring that our vineyard produces rich grapes, not only for us, but for others to enjoy, then we fall short as “tenants.” Then what? Cardinal Newman encourages us: “To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.” It’s never too late to return and live our true nature as God intended for each of us.

As St. Paul proposes in today’s Second Reading, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” The lists are quite a challenge for all of us. However, we are not alone. Jesus is among us. We have one another. We have the SFC community.

Bearing in ourselves God’s image and likeness, God’s nature is our nature. God is Love, so are we. Thus, to sting, to hurt, or to kill is not our nature but to save, to love, and to yield good fruits is. If we can live them out as our true nature, then, says St. Paul: “…the God of peace will be with you.”

May God bless us all as we strive to be faithful and generous tenants of His grace. Amen. 

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 1, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

A Call to Repentance and Steadfastness

The readings of today, among other things, invite us to reflect on the fact that without repentance, change of heart, and steadfastness, we cannot win the gift of salvation God has given us. In the first reading (Ezekiel 18:25-28), the Prophet Ezekiel prophesied in the Babylonian exile. The Israelites were in pain and complained that all their woes came from the evils of their fathers. In this chapter, Prophet Ezekiel’s significant theological contribution is his emphasis on personal responsibility. He teaches that everyone is liable for one’s sin. If the wicked ones repent, they will be saved. However, if the just ones are not steadfast and do not persevere, they will not be saved.

In the Gospel (Matthew 21:28-32), Jesus, using his usual parabolic method, teaches us through the story of a man who had two sons and asked them to go and work in his vineyard. The first son said no later changed his decision. The second was quick to accept but did not fulfill his promise. The first son may be categorized as an unrighteous who repented and was praised, while the second son may be seen as the righteous who could not be steadfast in his promise. Our behaviors call us at different times to be steadfast in doing the good we do and to change our ways to areas contrary to the gospel we believe in.

Let us examine our lives and know those areas of our lives that need repentance or steadfastness. We must guide ourselves against two weapons of vice: the vice of overconfidence and the vice of despair. We need the virtue of humility, which St. Paul, through the example of Christ in the second reading (Philippians 2:1-11), invites us to imitate. The virtue of humility helps us know where we are spiritually, that is, being mindful of our weaknesses and strengths, thereby praying and asking God for the grace of steadfastness and repentance. Amen

Every October, the Church in the United States celebrates Respect Life Month. This month, we reflect more deeply on the dignity of every human person made in the image and likeness of God and to promote the culture of life and protect human life at every stage. In addition, October is also the Month of the Most Holy Rosary, and the feast of the Holy Rosary is on October 7th. Also, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared on October 13th, 1917, for the last time to shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal, urging them to “say the rosary every day to obtain peace for the world.” Check the bulletin page 4 for the different programs planned for our October Devotions. Please find time to join the programs.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

September 24, 2023

A Message From: Fr. Paul Soukup

25th Sunday of Ordinary Time

I do not think that I have met anyone who does not react strongly to the parable we hear today, the parable of the workers in the field. Those workers all receive the same wage, whether they began in the morning or in the late afternoon. It just seems unfair to those who worked so long. Shouldn’t they receive more? Couldn’t the generous owner be generous to a few more people? At minimum, the parable does contain a warning that we should always read the small print— “you did agree to work for the usual daily wage, did you not?” At its maximum, the parable addresses much more than that: our expectations, God’s generosity, our habits of social comparison, and our sense of entitlement.

We know that God is generous, but deep down we expect God to be generous to us, not necessarily to others. And, though we don’t like to admit it, deep down we do compare ourselves to others. Economic experiments have shown that people are more satisfied with lower wages if they perceive that others around them earn the same wage. We deserve more than others, we think. While the parable does ask us to think about those habits, it also asks more of us.

Perhaps to our surprise, the parable asks us to reflect on the benefits of work. Those who spent the day in the sunlit vineyards gained something more than pay. The Hebrew Bible refers to Israel as God’s vineyard. To work in the vineyard is to be in a member of God’s people. The longer one works, the closer one draws to God. In St. Paul’s view, this is how we become joined to Christ, so that “Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death”. . . or, as the parable has it, by longer working hours or by shorter ones. The association with Christ matters. From that point of view, those who worked the long hours received the usual daily wage plus some additional benefits: the transforming lessons of work, the companionship of the fields, being in the vineyard itself, having a share in God’s project.

Working for that vineyard owner also reveals that God has nothing else to give but the usual daily wage—here measured not by coins, but by God’s love. The usual daily wage consists of a sharing in divine love and presence. So, being in the vineyard matters. God does not parcel that out since God’s gift of divinization remains open to all those whom God invites. It’s a complete package. “Why do you stand here idle all day?” the owner asks. Why did you not accept my offer earlier? That’s another good question for us.

As Isaiah points out, we do not always understand God’s ways, which are high above our ways. Another benefit of working long hours in God’s vineyard is insight: insight into God’s ways and insight into ourselves. That day’s work lets us pretty clearly see what we complain to God about and what we would like to change in God’s plan. Did we wait because no one hired us or because we didn’t hear the invitation to work?

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

SAVE THE DATE: November 11th at 5.00 PM for our parish Intercultural Mass & Dinner reception after Mass in honor of our patroness, St. Frances Cabrini. Feast day, Monday, November 13th. The celebrations will highlight the beauty of cultural diversity in our community.

September 17, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

Letting Go From The Heart!

Forgiveness or letting go of pains caused by others is among the most difficult things asked of us Christians. The greater the pain, the more difficult it is to let go or forgive the one who caused it. It becomes a little wonder then to see the reasons behind Peter’s question to Jesus concerning how often he must forgive someone who wrongs us in today’s Gospel (Matthew 18:21-35). In answer to Peter, Jesus told the story of the Unforgiven Servant and, through the story, reiterated the fact that though forgiveness is difficult, it ought to be given and received continuously from the heart. Jesus emphasizes after the story, “So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”

One of the obstacles to forgiveness is anger. Anger is a passion, an emotion that we all experience to some degree when we perceive ourselves as having been poorly treated or offended. Anger invariably transforms into hostility and hatred when it is nurtured and allowed to fester. Our first reading, Book of Sirach (27:30-28:7), invites us, “Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight… Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the Lord?” The anger in our hearts pushes us to think and feel that our offender does not deserve our forgiveness, but we must remember that “the vengeful will suffer the Lord’s vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail.”

Letting go from the heart goes beyond mere words or lip service, but it invites us to withhold judgment against someone who has offended us, to renounce bitterness that destroys our peace, to break the silence of an enraged heart, and not to wish evil for someone who has offended us. Also, remembering our human frailty, failures, and weaknesses helps us excuse and forgive others from the heart. Most importantly, praying to God for the grace and strength to let go and forgive others from our hearts helps us experience the healing and freedom forgiveness gives us. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

SAVE THE DATE: November 11th at 5.00 PM for our parish Intercultural Mass & Dinner reception after Mass in honor of our patroness, St. Frances Cabrini. Feast day, Monday, November 13th. The celebrations will highlight the beauty of cultural diversity in our community.

September 10, 2023

A Message From: Fr. Joseph Tran

Building A Strong Christian Family Through Reconciliation

The 1st of September marks two months since my arrival here at SFC. During this time, I’ve had the privilege of learning more about our SFC parish and school community, and I’ve also had the opportunity to get to know all of you, beloved SFC parishioners. Each day, as I reflect, I humbly offer thanks to God for guiding me to SFC, a vibrant and faith-filled community where I’ve experienced growth in my own faith, hope and love through my priestly ministry. Truly, as the Apostle Paul reminds us, ‘we, all parishioners from one Christian community at SFC, can do all things through Christ who strengthens us’ (Philippians 4:13).

Today’s Gospel reading, Matthew 18:15-20, calls us to strive for unity within the body of Christ, even when we encounter differences, disagreements, and conflicts. Jesus lays out a clear pattern for resolving conflicts – one that emphasizes humility, confidentiality, and love. Furthermore, Jesus imparts upon Peter, His apostles, and each of us, His followers, the authority to ‘bind and loose’ (see Matthew 18:18). While most of us are not priests acting in the person of Christ to absolve sins committed in the sacrament of reconciliation, we are all called to forgive in our daily lives. When we extend forgiveness to others who have wronged us, we are assured that our Heavenly Father will forgive us, just as we pray in the Our Father. Jesus, through His life, death, and resurrection, grants us freedom, and He entrusts us with the sacred responsibility of forgiveness: ‘Whatever you bind and loose on earth shall be bound and loosed in heaven.’ What a profound privilege this is!

Dear brothers and sisters, in the week ahead, let us earnestly endeavor to be gentler, both with ourselves and with others, in our thoughts, words, and actions. We shall bind tightly our feelings of hatred, selfishness, condemnation, or judgment, and we shall release our burdens of painful memories and those individuals who have caused us hurt, through the act of forgiveness. By forgiving others, we unburden them from guilt or shame, and simultaneously, we free ourselves from the chains of resentment, hatred, and lingering bad memories.

The call to reconciliation and peacemaking is undoubtedly challenging, but take comfort in the knowledge that we do not face these trials alone. Jesus promises that wherever two or more gather in His name, He is present among them. Let us bind ourselves, our families, and our community closely to Christ through communal prayer, reflection on Scripture, and participation in the Sacraments, with a special focus on the Eucharistic celebration at SFC every weekend.

“Jesus, help me to forgive others today, just as you have forgiven me for all my trespasses against God and others, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times.” May the grace of our Lord guide us as we navigate the path of forgiveness and reconciliation, bringing us closer to the harmony and unity that He desires for SFC and His Church. Amen.

—

This Sunday, within the 9.30 AM Mass, we will commission these parishioners who are serving as members of the SFC Parish Leadership Team (PLT) – Melissa Shaffer, Doris Bebla, Maria Sarmiento, Carlo Pedron, Sam Nicholas, & Jeff Morrison. The PLT is a group of leaders the pastor invites to share in his parish leadership. The PLT is responsible for creating a culture of leadership in the parish; helping the pastor to oversee different ethnic groups, councils, and ministries. Let us continue to pray and support them.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

September 3, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor, Ed.D

Today’s Gospel (Matthew 16:21-27) continues the last week’s Gospel. Immediately after Peter confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, Jesus announced his mission as a Son who will suffer and die. Peter opposed it because he thought that Christ’s mission was for earthly glory, but Jesus shunned him and saw him as an obstacle to his mission, even calling him Satan- one who obstructs us from doing the will of God. In a very challenging way, Jesus invites us, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” The cross of our life remains the sufferings and challenges we face.

Examples of Jesus’ perseverance and persistent approach to his sufferings are models for us. Like Jeremiah in today’s first reading, Jesus, even though in his human nature, felt the pains of his different forms of suffering, remained steadfast in his unflinching trust in the will of his heavenly Father. Jesus connected his mission to do the will of God the Father to his cross, the cross of our salvation. In his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, he still affirmed his utmost desire to do God’s will, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.”

As missionary disciples of Christ, our Eucharistic encounter with Jesus should help us to carry our cross and follow him. Following him means that we recognize his ever-abiding presence in our day-to-day life, especially in difficult moments, and that we will always entrust our life unto his hands and see his hands in our lives. Reflect quietly on those challenges that fill our days with anxieties of fears, worries, and doubts and stand on our way to carrying the mission. Ask the good Lord to shower you with the strength you need. Let these words of St. Paul in our second reading uplift us, “discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” Amen.

This Sunday, we commission during 9.30 AM Mass these parishioners as members of Stewardship Ministry: Pedro Guerra, Robert Dunn, Ana Ng, Blanche Khoshaba, Sarah Mudgett, Brian Burke, Jim Ortbal, and Roxanne Vane. The mission of the SFC Stewardship Ministry is to foster and promote stewardship as a way of life for all parishioners by sharing their gifts of time, talent, and treasure as missionary disciples of Christ. Also, the ministry will help to encourage all parishioners to participate in the stewardship of God’s given treasure through the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA), weekly in-person or electronic giving, and other parish fund-raising events. We ask for your prayers and support for this ministry.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

August 27, 2023

A Message From: Fr. Paul Soukup

In most years, today, August 27, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Monica. However, because it falls on a Sunday, this year we mark the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. In a wonderful juxtaposition, St. Monica has something to tell us on this particular Sunday.

What we know about St. Monica comes to us through her son, St. Augustine. She was born in present-day Algeria in 331, a daughter of a Christian family. She married Patricius and had three children. Through her example and prayers Patricius became a Christian as did a son and daughter. But Augustine, as he tells us in his Confessions, became restless in things of God: looking for God apart from Christianity, exploring the different religious groups and movements sweeping through the Roman world, while seeking a successful career. Augustine wanted to make his fortune through teaching rhetoric, climbing the social ladder, and obtaining a government appointment. Monica remained a constant point of reference for him, though, to the point that he could later write, she was the mother “who brought me to birth, both in her flesh, so that I was born into this temporal light, and in her heart, that I might be born into eternal light” (Confessions, 8, 17)

Monica plays the same role for her son as Peter does for the Church.

Throughout his early life Augustine more comfortably answered Jesus’ question, “Who do people say that I am?” He could report on what the Manichaeans said or what the Platonists believed—he dabbled in both. But the answer to Jesus’ second question, “Who do you say that I am?” comes from Monica. She professes the Christ and eventually her son follows his mother’s belief.

Just as the other disciples and the Church need Peter to point the way to belief, so we need Monica and people like her to help us see the difference between what others say about Jesus and who Jesus is. Monica proved steadfast and unwavering in her testimony so that Augustine could “be born into eternal light.” She is also proof that any of us can take on that role, helping others to know that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Where Peter led, Monica followed. And because Monica followed, so could Augustine. May St. Monica pray for us so that we can do what she did.

___

This Sunday, within the 9.30 AM Mass, we will commission these parishioners who are serving a three-year term (2023-2026) as members of the SFC Parish Pastoral Council: Tim Nguyen (Chair), Debbie Casey (Vice Chair), John Beltramo (Secretary), Ronda Clark (Ex Officio) Williard Danilo, Florence Fajardo, George Midwin, Rob Godar, Elizabeth Drew, Craig Taylor & Matt Shafer. Together with the SFC Pastor, the Parish Pastoral Council Members will meet to discern God’s plan for our parish community through parish pastoral strategic planning by creating different opportunities to listen and journey with the parishioners for the parish’s growth.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

August 20, 2023

A Message From: Fr. Robert McKay

After reading today’s Gospel story of the foreign woman pleading with Jesus for help and his response, we may have questions: How come Jesus seems to want to limit his ministry to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel?” Was he not concerned for the woman who pleaded for his help? The Gospel account tells us that the foreign woman didn’t give up and provided a perfect answer to Jesus’ apparent resistance to help. The woman was a Greek; she was quick to see, and she had all a ready wit. “Even the pups get the crumbs that fall from the master’s table!” Jesus’ eyes lit up with joy at such an indomitable faith; and he granted her the blessing and the healing which she so much desired. Her prayer was answered, and her faith praised.

In the various Gospel accounts, we observe Jesus’ willingness to receive pagans who came to him; and he predicted that in the future “many will come from East and West and will sit down at table in the Kingdom of God.” It seems that Jesus initially wanted to revive the faith of his own people so that later he could establish a “house of prayer for all nations.” Oddly enough, the rejection of Jesus in his time caused his more rapid acceptance throughout the Gentile world! God wants to embrace us, all people. As St. Paul points out in his letter to the Romans, that even the lapses and sins of humanity can be transformed into something good. “God has imprisoned all people in disobedience only to show mercy on all.” Our sins will not block us from a relationship with Jesus Christ – they manifest, in fact, how much we need him. Jesus came “To seek and save what was lost.”

As the encounter between Jesus and the woman in today’s Gospel reveals – our faith is handed on by direct contact, the sharing of trust, the witness of peaceful conviction, the bearing of one another’s burdens. Like the Canaanite woman we all turn to Jesus for help in our life situations. Our path of life, in faith, will not always be smooth. We will have our share of setbacks and obstacles, and face objections and perhaps even hostility towards our Christian faith. In those circumstances, “the Canaanite woman offers inspiration with her iron resolve coupled with good humor and ready wit” (Association of Catholic Priests in Ireland).

We are blessed to have our entire Parish School Community back on campus as of last Wednesday. Our SFC school is the largest ministry of our parish. We are very grateful for the school community’s participation in the parish’s programs. This Sunday, we have our Back to School- Mass at 9.30 AM to celebrate and pray for God’s blessings for a new academic year. Within the 9.30 AM Mass, we will commission these parishioners who are leading our Children’s Ministry and our weekly Children’s Liturgy of the Word, (CLOW): Ronda Clark, Malia Delvecchio, Sarah Mudgett, Meagan Wikramanyake, Liz Hickock, & Carol Alvarez. We thank them for their ministry to our children and pray for God’s guidance.

In addition, this Sunday is our Parish Ministry Fair, from 9.00 AM to 2.00 PM. The annual Ministry Fair allows everyone to explore different ministries in the parish and choose where God calls one to actively participate in parish life. We encourage you to stop by the school plaza to interact with representatives of the different ministries and ask them questions about what they do. Also, after 9.30 AM Mass, we will have breakfast in the hall for 55 families registered in our parish since January 2023. We welcome these families and look forward to their participation in the SFC community.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

August 13, 2023

A Message From:  Fr. Joseph Tran

“Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Dear SFC parishioners,
I am writing to you from Carthage, Missouri, attending the 44th Marian Days at the Congregation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redeemer. I want you all to know that I am praying for you all – my beloved parishioners at SFC. During these Marian Days, the theme: “Jesus, the blessed fruit of Mary’s womb” (Lk 1,42) is focused on promoting the love and devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist, following the call of The National Eucharistic Revival, a three-year initiative by the U.S. bishops to renew the Church’s relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the holy Eucharist.

Jesus Christ invites us to trust in Him in the Eucharist, just as Mary did, even amidst the storms and doubts in our lives. We can learn from Peter’s courage (see today’s Gospel Mt 14:28-29) to step out of our comfort zones and walk towards Jesus in the stormy sea, having faith and allowing Jesus to lift us up when we call upon Him.

Also this week on August 15, we celebrate her assumption into heaven, body, and soul. Mary serves as a model of faith, obedience, and trust in God’s plan, saying “yes” without doubting and embracing opportunities for growth and learning. As one family journeying together in the world toward Heaven, we begin the new school year on August 16. We get to come together as a family, praying for our children, parents, teachers, and school staff during this time. Let us live boldly as Christian disciples at SFC, stepping out of our comfort zones, and trusting in the Lord like Peter and Mary responding well by their lives to the Lord’s invitation: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Keeping Christ at the center of our homes and community, we can overcome challenges and grow in faith, hope, and charity through God’s grace.

To achieve these goals, we must encounter Jesus regularly. First and foremost on every Sunday, let us all – SFC’s families and members gather together at the Eucharist table as one faith family to pay homage to Jesus, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.” Let us seek the intercession of Mary, Mother of our Redeemer and our Mother, as well as Saint Frances Cabrini, our patroness. With Jesus by our side, we can navigate life’s challenges and storms with grace and courage. Amen

This Sunday, we commission during 9:30 AM Mass, these parishioners as members of our Hospital & Homebound Ministry (H&H Ministry): Grace Rivero, Douglas Rivero, Trang Tran, Jorge Tibon, Millie Medoro, Joe Medoro, Julie Midwin, Anthony Allegretti, Carlo Pedron, Dan Hughes, Lee Campbell, Maria Sarmiento, Lillian Konnyu, MJ Leung, Donna Holt, Atour Bakuniance, Sue Butler, Rebecca Valverde, Sam Nickolas, Maria Javier, Ngocdai Nguyen, Florence Fajardo, & Diane Warneke. The SFC H&H Ministry handles the pastoral and sacramental care of our sick, homebound, and hospitalized parishioners. Also, during 5.30 PM Mass this Sunday, we commission these parishioners as members of the Information & Technology Ministry (IT Ministry): John Donnelly, Ted Vucurevich, Nogcdai Nguyen, Cathy Campbell, Bebla, Erin Donnelly, Kamil Madoo, Teri Barnett, & Steve Crooks. The mission of the SFC IT ministry is to use proper communication and available technology to create a written and audio-visual presence in the parish liturgical celebrations and other parish gatherings. We ask for your prayers and support for these ministries.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of August 13, 2023, we have received $78,239 in pledges, which is 52% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

August 6, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Listen to Him!

This Sunday, August 6th, is the Feast of the Transfiguration. The prayers and readings of this Sunday are that of the Mass of the Feast of Transfiguration. Today’s Gospel (Matthew17:1-9) describes the events of the Transfiguration. Jesus used the moment and the mystery of Transfiguration to strengthen the faith of his close disciples in his passion. The Transfiguration occurred when Jesus and his disciples- Peter, John, and James- were praying on the mountain. Jesus’ moment of prayer served as a special moment he dialogued with God., The appearance of Moses and Elijah confirms the mission of Jesus as the Messiah who has come to fulfill the law and the prophets.

The events of Transfiguration overwhelmed Jesus’ disciples. Peter asked for three tents, one for Moses, one for Elijah, and one for Jesus, because he knew they would be covered if Jesus got one. While Peter was speaking, a cloud covered them, and a voice came from the cloud confirming the sonship of Jesus and inviting the disciples and all of us to listen to him. The voice of God during Transfiguration wanted to strengthen the faith of Jesus’ disciples to believe in the mission of Jesus to save us through his passion, death, and resurrection. Thus, it reminds us that faith begins and grows by listening and accepting God’s word in our lives (Romans 10:17).

The Feast of Transfiguration invites us to reflect on how God speaks to us. God solemnly speaks to us through the Eucharistic celebrations, but he also speaks through the dictates of our well-formed consciences, the events of our day-to-day life, and one another, especially those who live very close to us. The invitation to “Listen to Him” is the invitation to be attentive to different ways he speaks to us, especially during the difficult moments of our lives. God wants us to listen to him and allow his word to influence our choices. Let the good Lord open our hearts and minds to listen to him and allow this word to transfigure us. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of July 30, 2023, we have received $77,836 in pledges, which is 52% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

July 30, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

The Eucharist: The Priceless Treasure!

Last week, I was in Washington, D.C. to participate in the 4th African National Eucharistic Congress (ANEC), July 19-23, 2023. The theme of the congress is grounded in a response to the priestly prayer of Jesus, “That They May All Be One.” (John 17:21). The spirit-filled celebrations, talks, discussions, and devotions during the Eucharistic Congress reminded and inspired the participants to appreciate deeply the Eucharist as the priceless and invaluable treasure Christ left for his Church to celebrate and adore in his memory. The Eucharist remains, without any equivocation, the source and center of the life of the Church.

The Eucharist as a spiritual food, the sacrifice of Christ, and his ever-abiding presence could be described as a worthwhile treasure and fine pearls, which today’s Gospel (Matthew 13:44-46) describes a merchant investing in fully because of the worth. Likewise, our knowledge of the Eucharist as a priceless treasure propels us to invest fully in our understanding and appreciation of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Also, the Eucharistic presence of Christ invites us to prayerfully encounter Christ as Solomon met God in his prayer in today’s first reading (I Kings 3:5, 7-12).

This enriching and fruitful encounter is possible only when participating in the Eucharistic celebrations and devotions with utmost intention and attention. Just like God spoke to Solomon, Jesus desires that through our Eucharistic encounter, we enter into this spiritual dialogue through which we talk to him and listen to different ways he talks to us. Let us ask the good Lord that every opportunity we have to encounter the Eucharistic Jesus will be an opportunity to enter into this spiritual dialogue that will equip us to be his fruitful missionary disciples through our witnesses to what we celebrate and profess. Amen.

This Sunday, we commission within 9.30 AM Mass these parishioners as members of the SFC Finance Council: Timothy Smith (chair), Jennifer Nickolas (Secretary), Carlo Pedron, Art Javier, Maile Figone, Roxanne Vane, & Tom Connelly. The SFC Finance Council assists the Pastor in all matters about parish finances. The council advises the Pastor on the financial operations of the parish, assists in the development of the parish financial plan, reviews the financial procedures of the parish, and approves the annual budget for the parish operating and capital expenditures. We ask for your prayers and support for this council.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of July 23, 2023, we have received $77,836 in pledges, which is 52% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

July 23, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

A God Who Cares for All!

The stories of our faith we read in the Word of God (Sacred Scripture & Sacred Tradition) remind us that God cares for each of his creatures. God desires the salvation of all he has made in his image and likeness. Thus, he allows us to seek and experience his infinite and definite mercy. Today’s readings remind us in different ways that our God is the God who cares for all. Our First Reading (Wisdom 12:13, 16-19) buttresses, “There is no god besides you who have the care of all…and you gave your children good ground for hope that you would permit repentance for their sins.”

The parable of the Wheat and Weeds we read in today’s gospel (Matthew 13: 24-30) reminds us again of our God, who cares for all. The Wheats represent the good we see in our world. Conversely, the weeds represent the evils we see in the world. God allows good and evil to co-exist but calls on us not to allow evil to overcome good but instead to call on the Holy Spirit to help us in our spiritual struggles. Our second reading (Romans 8:26-27) encourages us, “The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness… because he intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will.”

Amid our daily moral and spiritual challenges in our faith journey, God wants us always to remember that he is there to give us the strength to overcome the evil that besets us. He wants to continue to call on him. Our today’s responsorial Psalm (Psalm 86) emphasizes, “You, O LORD, are good and forgiving, abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.” Let us ask the good for the grace to recognize and appreciate his presence in our lives, always remembering that our God is the God who cares for all. Amen.

I want to introduce another advisory body to the ministry of our parish, the SFC Parish Leadership Team (PLT). PLT is a group of leaders the pastor invites to share in his parish leadership. The PLT is responsible for creating a culture of leadership in the parish, helping the pastor to oversee different ethnic groups, councils, and ministries. We thank these parishioners serving in the SFC-PLT: Melissa Shaffer, Doris Bebla, Maria Sarmiento, Carlo Pedron, Sam Nicholas, & Jeff Morrison. We will formally commission and pray for them in one of the Masses in the future.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of July 16, 2023, we have received $77,486 in pledges, which is 52% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

July 16, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

The Word of God: Listening and Doing!

The Liturgy of the Word is one of the main parts of the Mass through which God invites us to listen and reflect on his Word proclaimed to us. The Liturgy of the Word prepares us to encounter Jesus in the breaking up of bread and later in the partaking of his body and blood. At the end of each Mass, we are commissioned to “Go” as Jesus commissioned his disciples. We are being commissioned to go out and become Eucharistic people by living out the Word of God we have listened to and reflected upon.

One of the significant themes today’s readings invite us to reflect on is how we are willing to listen to the Word of God and how the Word of God bears fruit in our daily lives. Just as the Prophet Isaiah in the first reading emphasized that God wants his Word to take fruit in our lives, Jesus uses the Parable of the Sower in today’s Gospel to invite us to yield fruits through the Word we listen to. In the Parable, Jesus uses the analogy of the Sower (God), the seed (Word of God), and the four types of soil (our hearts) – the pathway soil, the rocky soil, the thorny soil, and the good soil. Each type of soil represents a specific type of heart with which we receive the Word of God.

We may have had one of these four types of hearts at different times in our lives, but Jesus wants our hearts to be the good soil that yields fruit by allowing the Word of God to influence our thoughts, words, and actions. One question we can ask ourselves as we reflect on this invitation Jesus gives us today is: What aspect of my life do I need to allow the Word of God to touch so that I can bear the fruits God desires in my life? Let us ask the good Lord to give us the disposition we always need to listen to different ways his Word comes to us and to allow the Word to bear fruits that will last in our lives. Amen.

We thank and congratulate these parishioners who will be serving a three-year term (2023-2026) as members of the SFC Parish Pastoral Council: Tim Nguyen, Debbie Casey, John Beltramo, Williard Danilo, Florence Fajardo, George Midwin, Rob Godar, Elizabeth Drew, Craig Taylor & Matt Shafer. We will formally commission and pray for them in one of the Masses in the future. Together with the SFC Pastor, the Parish Pastoral Council Members will meet as a body to discern God’s plan for our parish community through parish pastoral strategic planning by creating different opportunities to listen and journey with the parishioners for the parish’s growth.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of July 9, 2023, we have received $77,486 in pledges, which is 52% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

July 9, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Come To Me All You Who Labor And Are Burdened!

The Eucharistic celebration brings us together to encounter Jesus and to partake uniquely in the Sacrament of his body and blood, the food of eternal life. This participation is meant to help us feel Jesus’ ever-abiding presence within us. This presence reminds us that whatever happens that the solemn promise Jesus made, “Look, I will be with you until the end of time” (Matthew 28:20), will continue to be effective in our lives. As we leave the sacred space after the Mass, Jesus wants us to continue to allow this unique presence to be with us.

Thus, in Matthew’s gospel today, Jesus, in a most solemn way, invites us, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” Jesus knows that our lives will be filled with both wanted and unwanted labor and burden, which comes in different ways and affects various aspects of our lives- spiritual and physical. To be able to honor this solemn invitation, we need to trust and believe that Jesus, who is “the way, the truth, and life,” will be there to guard and guide us through the labors and burdens of our lives.

Like the invitation we receive, we can either honor it or disregard it. In the same way, we can honor or ignore this solemn invitation- Come to me- Jesus gives us. Through the fundamental option we made during our baptism, we already said yes to this invitation, but Jesus wants us to continuously day-by-day to say yes to this invitation to make this fundamental option active and fruitful. Consider what aspect of your life Jesus wants you to bring to him and ask him to give you the courage to approach him, for as He said, “For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Amen.

This Sunday, we commission during 11.30 AM Mass these parishioners as members of Liturgy Ministry: Patty Vucurevich, Audrey Piedad, Maria Sarmiento, Jennifer Donnelley, James Sawaya, Teresa Adams, Ana Ng, Elizabeth Drew, and Doris Bebla. The SFC Liturgy Ministry discusses, plans, prepares, and evaluates the liturgies of the SFC. The ministry ensures that the parish follows the liturgical guidelines and directives of the Diocese of San Jose. In addition, the ministry plans liturgies that are spirit-filled, which promote the active and full participation of the parishioners in the liturgical celebrations. We ask for your prayers and support for this ministry.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of July 2, 2023, we have received $77,386 in pledges, which is 52% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

July 2, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

The Goodness of the Lord!

In every Mass, we can sing or recite one of the Psalms in response to the first reading. The book of the Psalms, which has 150 chapters, is the longest in the bible. Most of these Psalms fall under the songs of praise and thanksgiving. Today’s responsorial Psalm, Psalm 89, is one of the Psalms of praise and thanksgiving. Our response for the Mass: Forever, I will Sing the Goodness of the Lord invites us to reflect and see the goodness of the Lord in our lives individually and in our community and to praise and thank God for his goodness.

As a parish community we have much to be thankful to God for this past fiscal/pastoral year (July 1, 2022- June 30, 2023). We celebrate the goodness of the Lord in different aspects of our parish life. We praise and thank the good Lord for the dedication and commitment of our volunteers who have kept our parish community’s various ministries and leadership growing and thriving. Thanks to Fr. Vincent and SFC staff for this past year. We wish Fr. Vincent all the best in his new ministry as the pastor of St. Thomas of Canterbury, San Jose.

On July 1, I began my 2nd year as the pastor of SFC. Please, join me in thanking God for his goodness this past year. As missionary disciples, I appreciate the gifts each of us brings to SFC’s growth. We welcome our new parochial vicar, Fr. Joseph Tran. (See below for an introduction from Fr. Joseph). Together with him and us, we continue to make SFC a welcoming community and build and strengthen our ministries, grounding them on our SFC Mission Statement: Worship God: Love Others. Make Disciples. Educate the Young! We continue to pray through the intercession of our Patroness, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, who built her ministry on the faith-filled words of St. Paul, “I can do all things in him (Christ) who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Amen.

This Sunday, we commission during 11.30 AM Mass, these parishioners: Teresa Adams, Mary Lanier, Atour Bakuniance, Chris Badame, Jennifer Paul, Ly Pham, Maria Javier, Robbi Stroup, and Art Javier. As members of the Counting Ministry, these parishioners ensure that offertory and other church collections are appropriately safeguarded, counted, deposited, and recorded. All collections are processed and deposited following the procedures mandated by the Diocese of San Jose. We ask for your prayers and support for this ministry.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of June 25, 2023, we have received $77,386 in pledges, which is 52% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

June 25, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

The Courage We Need!

The Gospel (Matthew 10:26-33) continues this Sunday with the last week’s Gospel, the call, and the sending of the 12 disciples (Apostles) as missionary disciples. As part of Jesus’ instruction, he repeatedly encouraged them to be courageous disciples and ‘not be afraid’ of any form of persecution, especially spiritual persecution. Jesus emphasized: “And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.” Jesus wanted the disciples to guide themselves against any obstacle to their spiritual life intentionally but to trust in him for courage and guidance.

The testimony of Prophet Jeremiah’s steadfast trust in God in today’s first reading (Jeremiah 20:10-13) is an excellent example of total faith in God in the face of persecution. Prophet Jeremiah called his people to change their evil ways and behavior. His people misunderstood him as a prophet of doom and gloom who deserved to die. Hence, they conspired to make his life miserable to shun the truth, but Jeremiah testified thus: “But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.” Prophet Jeremiah’s trust in God gave him the courage to persevere without compromising his message.

Jesus calls each of us to become his missionary disciples who will always trust in him for the courage to testify in his name without fear or favor. Like the Prophet Jeremiah and the disciples in the Gospel, we face different internal and external obstacles on our faith journey. Let us ask the good Lord to give us the courage to overcome these obstacles that stand in our way of being fruitful missionary disciples.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of June 18, 2023, we have received $77,016 in pledges, which is 51% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

June 18, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Make Disciples!

It is visible on our weekly parish bulletin, website, and the banner in our church’s vestibule; our parish’s mission– Worship God. Love Others. Make Disciples. Educate the Young. At the end of every Mass, we are commissioned to go and make disciples by our exemplary words and deeds. In this mission, we continue the mission Jesus entrusted his disciples in the Gospel today (Matthew 9:36-10:8). Jesus chose each of the listed disciples from different backgrounds and commissioned them to go and share freely the gifts they have received and to serve others with patience, generosity, and love. He told them, “Without cost, you have received; without cost, you are to give.”

God calls and sends us out to become his missionary disciples by sharing generously the spiritual gifts we have received. We can only make disciples if we are disciples. Thus, just as the relationship the disciples that were called and sent had with Jesus empowered them, Jesus wants us to have a relationship with him so that we can be equipped and empowered to become faithful witnesses of the Gospel. This relationship with God grows through our personal prayer and sacramental life.

Today is Father’s Day, we thank God for the gifts of all the fathers-grandfather, living and dead. Fathers, together with mothers, carry and shoulder the burden of families, and God, through them, has blessed and cared for us. The life of St. Joseph, the foster father of our Lord Jesus Christ, remains an outstanding example for fathers. With patience and perseverance, Joseph cared for the child Jesus and the mother, Mary. Equally, God calls the fathers to care for their wives, kids, and grandkids.

We pray that God will give all the fathers the persevering spirit not to give up, especially when their efforts are not duly appreciated. We encourage the wives and kids to enjoy the good the fathers do and be patient with them, when they do not live up to our expectations. May the good Lord bless and strengthen us, especially our fathers. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of June 11, 2023, we have received $75,466 in pledges, which is 50% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

June 11, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

The Eucharist: The Sacrifice, The Food, And The Presence!

The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ gives us a great opportunity to celebrate the gift of Christ himself uniquely to us and to reflect on the place of the Eucharist in our lives. The Mass of the solemnity readings, among other things, describe the Eucharist as the sacrifice, the food, and the presence. The first reading, the book of Deuteronomy (8:2-3.14b-16b), explains how God, through Moses, fed his people with Manna from heaven while they were in the desert. St. Paul, in the second reading, the first letter to the Corinthians (10:16-17), emphasizes the unity the Eucharist we share should bring us. Finally, Jesus, in the Gospel of John (6:51-58), as part of his discourse on the Eucharist, describes it as food, sacrifice, and presence.

In the Eucharistic celebration (The Mass), we immortalize Christ’s great sacrifice and his ever-biding presence. Eucharist is the spiritual food of the soul, which brings us nearer to Christ, increases the life of grace within us, helps us to avoid sins and their occasions, and brings us to life everlasting. We become Eucharistic people by allowing the life of Christ to direct and guide us. In the celebration today, we ask ourselves and reflect: Do I believe that what I receive in the Mass is the body and blood of Christ? If I believe, what efforts am I making to receive it worthwhile? Does the Eucharist I receive have any effect on my life? What aspect of my life do I need the healing presence of the Eucharistic Jesus? We pray that the good Lord will help us continue to appreciate the gift he gave us in the Eucharist. Amen.

This Sunday, we commission during 8.00 AM Mass these parishioners: Dave Citrigno, Tobin Douglas, Leila Correa, Joe Piazza, Kristen Sinnott, Jeff Bowman, & Peter O’Casio, who will be leading our Building & Maintenance Ministry. The mission of the SFC Building & Maintenance Ministry is to advise and assist the pastor in all matters on the upkeep, repair, replacement, and maintenance of all parish facilities and property. We ask for your prayers and support for these ministries.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of June 4, 2023, we have received $74,966 in pledges, which is 50% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

June 4, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Glory Be to The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit!

Last Sunday, the Solemnity of the Pentecost brought to completion the celebration of the three stages of salvation history, namely, the stage of God the Father: Creator and Maker of all things; the stage of God the Son: the redeemer and Savior of humanity, and the stage of God the Holy Spirit- the vivifier and sanctifier. In the celebration of the Solemnity of the Most Blessed Trinity, we celebrate that though there are three persons, there is one God. It is a mystery. The Blessed Trinity- doctrine is central to Christian faith and belief. The doctrine teaches that one God exists in three persons who are co-equal, co-eternal, and omnipotent.

In different ways, today’s readings invite us to reflect on this great mystery of the Blessed Trinity. The first reading, the book of Exodus (34:4b-6, 8-9), celebrates the superiority of the God of Israel. In the second reading (2 Corinthians 13: 11-13), St. Paul prayed through the blessings of the Blessed Trinity on all of us. Finally, John’s Gospel (3:16-18) describes the unique love for which God has given us through his gift of salvation in the Blessed Trinity. Our salvation begins and ends in the Blessed Trinity. Our part is to respond to this love and live in this love always by being mindful that God created us to know him, love him, and be with him now and forever. Amen.

This Sunday, we commission during 9.30 AM Mass these parishioners: Elizabeth Drew, Malia Delvecchio, Michelle Piazza, Sheila Stout & Nataly Hina, the officers of the SFC Ladies League Ministry. The mission of the SFC Ladies League Ministry is to support all women in the parish community (school & parish) to grow in faith and to witness the love of God through ministry, social activities, community service projects, funding activities, and faith formation programs. Also, we commission during our 11.30 AM Mass these parishioners: Elizabeth Drew, Alison Donahue, Joy Kratofil, Jennifer Paul, Ricardo Torres, Patty Vucurevich & Ted Vucurevich, who are leading our Church Art & Environment Ministry. The mission of the SFC Church Art and Environment Ministry is to create, using flowers, fabric, and other materials, an atmosphere within the liturgical and worship space that invites and inspires everyone in the Church to participate actively and fully. We ask for your prayers and support for these ministries.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of May 28, 2023, we have received $72,866 in pledges, which is 49% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

May  28, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Come Holy Spirit Fill the Hearts of the Faithful!

Today is the Solemnity of Pentecost, 50 days after Easter. On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came down visibly on the Apostles in tongues of fire, and they received the power to confess that Jesus is Lord as St. Paul remarked in the 2nd reading (1 Corinthians 12: 3b-7,12-13), “No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” There were three great Jewish Festivals to which every male Jew living within 20 miles of Jerusalem was legally bound to come, the Passover, the Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacle. Thus, in the first reading (Acts 2:1-11), we read about many people of different languages who have gathered on the Pentecost, and they all witnessed the coming of the Holy Spirit.

The event of the Pentecost is the fulfillment of the promises Jesus made to his disciples before his ascension. The gifts of the Holy Spirit on the disciples revived and rekindled the same Spirit of love that they had during their initial stay with Jesus before his passion. The Holy Spirit inspired the disciples to speak the language of love, which everybody heard. The gifts of the Spirit transformed them from selfish and timid men into giants of courage, faith, and love. The mission that the disciples started on the Pentecost continued to date. So, Pentecost marked the beginnings of the Church and its mission to all peoples, tongues, and nations.

On this day, we pray that the Holy Spirit, which we have already received in our baptism and confirmation, will always be alive and active to fill our hearts and rekindle the fire of love in us. We remember that love was the center of all that Jesus taught his disciples. He spoke about it and showed it by laying down his life. If the gifts of the Spirit are to bear fruits in our lives, we must cleanse or purge away our selfishness and other tendencies that quench this fire of love in us. We pray that the Holy Spirit rekindles the fire of love on us and makes us instruments of God’s love. Amen.

This Sunday, we commission during 9.30 AM Mass these parishioners: Lee Campbell, Jennifer Nickolas, John Dahl, Jim Revels, Shari Robertson, Pat Haley, Lisa Douglas, and Robbi Lyn Stroup, leading our Social & Outreach Ministry. The mission of the SFC Social & Outreach Ministry is faith in action by promoting ministries to persons who are in need and following in the footsteps of St. Frances Cabrini, the parish patroness. The ministry also coordinates social justice and outreach programs within the parish and the community. We ask for your prayers and support for this ministry.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of May, 2023, we have received $47,496 in pledges, which is 32% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

May  21, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

You Shall Be My Witnesses!

Today we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord into heaven. Jesus stayed behind for 40 days after his resurrection to clear all the doubts about his resurrection and to form the community of the disciples into the community of witnesses to the truth built in his resurrection because he knew very well that without witnesses, there would be no witness. Thus, he told them, “You shall be my witnesses…” In this case, the disciples did not disappoint him as they disappointed him during his assion. The events of the Acts of the Apostles we have been reading since this season of Easter prove this.

We are the disciples of our time. Jesus calls and sends us out to be his witnesses. At the end of each Mass, we are all commissioned to “go” as Christ also commissioned his disciples in today’s Gospel (Matthew 28:16-20). We ask ourselves how our weekly or daily encounters make us faithful witnesses in our words and deeds. As we prepare the feast of Pentecost next Sunday, let us pray that the gifts of the Holy Spirit will help us strive to live a life worthy of our Christian vocation and the Sacraments we celebrate. Amen

This Sunday, we commission these parishioners at the 11:30am Mass: Jim Revels, Cathy Campbell, Merry Kaelani, Dan O’Connell, Ngocdai Nguyen & Lee Campbell who will be leading our Evangelization Ministry. The mission of the SFC Evangelization Ministry is to help each parishioner fully embrace and live out the parish’s mission: to worship God, love others, make disciples, and educate the young. The ministry also explores and implements different programs to help each parishioner become a missionary disciple. We ask for your prayers and support for this ministry.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of May, 2023, we have received $47,396 in pledges, which is 32% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

May  14, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Love for Christ!

Today the 6th Sunday of Easter, is the last Sunday before the solemnity of Ascension (either next Thursday or Sunday). Jesus, in today’s gospel (John 14:15-21), continued his farewell discourse to his disciples, filled with challenges and words of encouragement. Jesus emphasizes the importance of keeping his commandments as proof of our love for him. The love we have for Christ shows in the effort we make to keep his commandments, and the commandments of God are summed up in the love of God, love of oneself, and love of others. We cannot claim to love God when we deny love to our fellow human beings who are made in the image of God. Let the good Lord help us to be instruments of the endless love we have received.

Today is also Mother’s Day. We pray for all our mothers, both living and dead, and all the women who play the roles of mothers in our lives through their love and care. We ask the good Lord to strengthen them in all their struggles to become the best of mothers. Their presence in our lives demonstrates what it means to love genuinely and selflessly. A day like this allows us to reflect on how we treat these women as mothers, wives, sisters, colleagues, or friends. These women need our support and encouragement both in words and actions. It is also a day for these women to reflect on their duties as Christian women and how they are authentic instruments of God’s love in their families, Church, and society. Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saintly mothers like St. Monica, we pray that God’s love will continue to shine through these women. Amen. Happy Mother’s Day to all the women!

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of May, 2023, we have received $41,886 in pledges, which is 28% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

May  7, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Jesus – the Way, the Truth, and the Life!

The gospel of John (14:1-12) we read today is part of the farewell message Jesus gave to his disciples before his passion and death. Jesus encouraged them not to allow their hearts to be troubled but to have faith in him and God. Even though the disciples were confused, anxious, and worried, the resurrection of Christ made them great witnesses to the gospel. The book of the Acts of the Apostles we have been reading this season of Easter tells us the testimonies of the disciples who built the first Christian community. Their testimonies of faith attracted people to join and share in the life of Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life.

Jesus continues to invite us day by day to follow him. He wants us not to be overwhelmed or overcome by life’s challenges but to look unto him for wonderful examples of faith and perseverance. By our baptism, God has made us his own, just as St. Peter points out in the second reading, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own….” He wants us, through his son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to continue to choose him to show us the way that will lead us to the truth we need and guide us to the fullness of life in him. Amen.

This Sunday, we lunch our History and Archives ministry and commission within the 8.00 am Mass these parishioners: Jim Revels, Jean O’Connell, Jill Ballard, Tim Van Overen, Yvonne Doung, & Margie Schillage, who will be leading this ministry. The mission of the SFC History & Archives ministry is to identify, collect, preserve, organize, and share the rich historical records of our parish to promote the legacy of faith and Christian witnesses of our parish through the years, especially as we head toward the landmark celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of SFC (1955‐2025). We ask for your prayers and support for this ministry.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of April 30, 2023, we have received $41,036 in pledges, which is 27% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

April  30, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Jesus, the Exemplary Good Shepherd!

Every 4th Sunday of Easter is called Good Shepherd Sunday and the gospel reading is always from John Chapter 10. Today, we pray in a particular way for vocations-different ways God calls us to be his true disciples. Jesus remained faithful to his vocation to be our savior and redeemer. The fruit of his faithfulness is the victory he won through his resurrection. The testimonies of the apostles we read in the book of the Acts of the Apostles remind us how they responded to God’s calls in different ways, even in the face of all the threats, as we read today in the first reading (Acts 2:14a, 36-41).

Jesus wants us to follow his examples in responding to our vocations in life. God calls and sends each of us to be faithful stewards of the gifts we have received. Like Jesus, who gave his life so that we might have life and have it in abundance, he wants us to be good shepherds to those entrusted to us. We can ask ourselves; do we hear the voice of the good shepherd in the daily events of our lives, especially in difficult moments? Do others hear the life-giving words of Jesus through us? Let us ask Jesus the Good Shepherd to help us hear his voice always and help others hear God’s voice through us. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

As of April 23, 2023, we have received $34,601 in pledges, which is 23% of our parish goal of $150,000. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

April  23, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Hearts of Fire of Love!

Today’s Gospel (Luke 24: 13-35), the Emmaus story, how Jesus encountered the two disciples on their way from Jerusalem to Emmaus, one of the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus to his disciples, and how Jesus set their hearts on fire and rekindled in them the fire of love. The testimonies of this we read from Peter in our first reading (Acts 2:14, 22-33) and second reading (1 Peter 1:17-21). These readings invite us to reflect on how the Word of God we hear in different ways sets our hearts on fire, how we recognize Jesus in the Eucharist, and the invitation to share this fire of love through our missionary discipleship.

God speaks to us in different ways and, through these ways, sets our hearts on fire; namely, what people do for us or do for others can set our hearts on fire, what we hear people say, or even our thoughts, beautiful memories of our own lives and the gifts God has bestowed on us can set our hearts on fire. We can reflect and ask ourselves, what sets my heart on fire? Do I pay attention to things that can set my heart on fire? Do I set other hearts on fire when my heart is set on fire? Let us ask the good Lord to set our hearts on fire and fill our hearts with his fire of love. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of April 16, 2023, we have received $29,541 in pledges, which is 20% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

April  16, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Faithful Witness to Christ’s Resurrection!

Every 2nd Sunday of Easter is Divine Mercy Sunday, following the request of the Pope (St.) John Paul II in 2000. The devotion to Divine Mercy reminds us of the love and mercy of God, which has its culmination in the resurrection of Christ: the victory of Christ over death, sin, and Satan. The first reading, the book of the Acts of the Apostles, summarizes how the first Christian community bore witness to the resurrection through a life of selflessness and generosity. The Gospel is one of the accounts of the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. The Gospel has three central messages: the pouring of peace to the disciples, the commissioning and empowerment with the gift of the Holy Spirit, to bind and lose (the basis of the Church teachings on the Sacrament of Reconciliation), and the case of Thomas.

Let us reflect more on what Thomas did. We may blame Thomas for being doubtful, but we ought to remember that as of his doubts, the fact of Christ’s resurrection was not clear, even to other disciples. Worthy of emulating is the humility of Thomas; as soon as he was cleared, he accepted the message entirely and went ahead to bear witness to it. In humility, we are called to accept the truths of our faith and be witnesses to what we believe. We pray that the good Lord will open our hearts and minds to welcome the truth of our faith in all its fullness and to be true witnesses to Christ’s resurrection. Amen.

This Sunday, we launch our hospitality ministry and commission within the 9.30 am Mass, these parishioners: Craig Taylor, Myla Taylor, James Sawaya, Chris Badame, Doris Bebla, Teresa Adams, Farid Ghantous & Nathalie Ghantous, who will be leading this ministry. The mission of the SFC Hospitality Ministry is to provide and promote a welcoming environment of love, acceptance, support, and comfort in our parish community. The ministry will organize our monthly hospitality Sunday, every first Sunday, starting on May 7th, 2023. We ask for your prayers and support for this ministry.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of April 9, 2023, we have received $27,991 in pledges, which is 19% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

April  9, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

The Resurrection of Christ:
The Foundation and Crowning of Christian Faith!

Easter Sunday is the annual Christian festival that commemorates the resurrection of Christ. It is the greatest and the principal feast of the Christian calendar. According to the Fathers of the Church, it is “the peak of all feasts and the queen of all solemnities.” It has in its full content the fundamental doctrine and crowning of the Christian faith, which St. Paul speaks: “And if Christ has not been raised, then empty is our preaching, empty too is our faith.” (I Corinthians 15:14). This shows that Christianity would have been stillborn if Christ had not risen.

In the resurrection of Christ, God revealed his immeasurable power over Sin, Satan, and Death, the three that have held humanity captive from the disobedience of our first parents until the first Easter. The readings of today invite us to reflect on these truths about Christ’s resurrection in different ways. Christ, by his death and resurrection, has opened the door for God’s infinite love and mercy. Nevertheless, the central message remains that if we live with Christ, we shall die with him and live with him forever. Therefore, let our target be always to see our own glorious Easter after our earthly lives by setting our minds on things above by walking in the risen Christ’s footsteps. Amen. Happy Easter.

We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be returned to our parish. Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of April 2, 2023, we have received $25,561 in pledges, which is 17% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to funding the church renovation projects. If you wish to make your ADA pledge online, click here to go to the Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

April  2, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Never Give Up!

Today is Palm Sunday, the last Sunday of Lent, and the Sunday before Easter, which formally commences the Holy Week. In the celebrations today, the Church commemorates Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem when olive and palm branches were strewn in his path to accomplish his paschal mystery. The most distinctive ceremonies of the day are the blessing of the palms, the procession, and the reading of passion. The red vestment worn by the presider today symbolizes the royalty of Christ, which this feast celebrates.

Today’s Gospel passion (Matthew 26:14-26:66) describes the humility, determination, and perseverance of Jesus in the face of his suffering, which the 1st reading (Isaiah 50: 4-7), and the 2nd reading (Philippians 2:6-11) point out in different ways. In Jesus’ suffering, we see various aspects of the sufferings we face in our lives. For example, the sufferings of denial, betrayal, abandonment, fear, anxiety, mockery, and physical suffering, but in all these, Jesus trusted in God for strength to accomplish his mission. Let this Holy Week help us to reflect more on the sufferings of Christ, as they relate to us in different ways, and never give up on our life struggles, but always trust in God as Jesus did. Amen.

Your generosity toward the ADA supports St. Frances Cabrini Parish (SFC). We have reached our diocesan goal of $136,403. All donations and pledges above our diocesan goal will now be rebated back to our parish.

Our parish goal of $150,000 is to support our church renovation projects. As of March 26, 2023, we have received $10,936 in pledges, which is 7% of our parish goal. We appreciate all additional donations to the ADA as they will be directed to the funding of the church renovation projects. Click here for an updated list of families who have donated to this year’s ADA.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

March 26, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

For The Glory of God!

This Sunday’s long Gospel (John 11:1-45), the raising of Lazarus from the dead, can speak to us differently. By raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus demonstrates his power over death and foreshadows his resurrection. We found the same theme of the resurrection of the dead in this Sunday’s first reading (Ezekiel 37:12-14) and the Second reading (Romans 8: 8-11). But, very striking, as we see in all the miracles of Jesus, he did them for the glory of God. Thus, Jesus, in responding to the news about the illness of his friend, Lazarus, said, “This illness does not end in death, but it is for the Glory of God…”

We started Lent on Ash Wednesday with the invitation through the Gospel of Matthew (6:1-6, 16-18) to reflect on the intentions for which we undertake the cardinal works of Lent- Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving. The rightful intentions entail that our Lenten observances should help us grow positively in our relationship with God and one another. As we are gradually coming close to the end of the Lenten season, let us pray to follow the examples of Jesus Christ that whatever we do, we do it to the glory of God, which is for our sanctification and eventual salvation. Amen

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

Our ADA (Annual Diocesan Appeal) DIOCESAN GOAL OF $136,403.00 HAS BEEN REACHED. CONGRATULATIONS! We thank families who have prayerfully participated in helping us reach our diocesan goal. In addition, we encourage families who have yet to participate to prayerfully consider helping us to reach our parish goal of $286,403.00. As of March 20th, 2023, 266 pledges made gave us a total of $137,324.00. We will continue to keep you updated on the progress we are making. Click here Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023 if you would like to make your ADA pledge online.

March 19, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

An Encounter!

The long discourse in today’s Gospel (John 4:5-42) tells us the story of the man born blind and his encounter with Jesus Christ. This encounter led to the healing of the blind man. The blind man’s encounter with Jesus brought the healing of his physical blindness, and he became a disciple through his testimony. Conversely, in the encounter of the Pharisees with Jesus, even though they were not physically blind, they were spiritually blind. Hence, they did everything from questioning the miracle’s authenticity to accusations and threats to denying the miracle that Jesus did.

We have opportunities to encounter Jesus, primarily through the celebrations of the Sacraments. These encounters should heal our spiritual blindness and bring the light of God’s presence into our lives. In this season of Lent, we ought to ask ourselves if our encounter with God helps heal our spiritual blindness-the darkness of sins that affects our relationship with God and one another. Let us harken to the words of St. Paul in today’s second reading (Ephesians 5:8-14) “Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth.” Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We thank families who have prayerfully participated in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA) to help us towards our parish goal of $286,403.00. We will continue to keep you updated on the progress we are making. As of March 19th, 2023, 238 pledges made gave us a total of $121,834.00. Click here Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023 if you would like to make your ADA pledge online.

March 12, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

The Mercy of God: Limitless and Boundless!

One of the central themes we reflect on during this season of Lent is the mercy of God. In today’s Gospel (John 4:5-42), we read the length and the theological dialogue between Jesus and a woman from Samaria. The age-long animosity between the Jews and the Samaritans at the time of Jesus should have forbidden Jesus from engaging with the woman. However, Jesus showed that God’s mercy is without boundaries and limits. The woman’s cultural background and sinful past didn’t hinder Jesus from encountering and sharing the Mercy of God with her. Thus, the woman became a missionary disciple of God’s mercy in her community.

The mercy of God waits for us always. However, we must be mindful of two obstacles that can stand in our way of embracing this mercy. Firstly, pride makes us deny our sinfulness, lose our sense of sin, harden our hearts, or reject the invitation to experience God’s mercy. Secondly, despair makes us give up in our efforts to ask for God’s grace to overcome the temptations that lead us into sins, especially habitual ones. Therefore, let our Lenten observances help us to open our hearts to God’s mercy and harken to the words of today’s responsorial Psalm (95:8), “if today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” Amen

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We thank families who have prayerfully participated in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA) to help us towards our parish goal of $286,403.00. We will continue to keep you updated on the progress we are making. As of March 5th, 2023, 214 pledges made gave us a total of $111,454.00. Click here Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023 if you would like to make your ADA pledge online.

March 5, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Listen to Him!

The Lenten observances we undertake help deepen our relationship with God and one another, which today’s readings invite us to do in different ways. Thus, our first reading today (Genesis 12: 1-4a) tells us of God’s blessings to Abram (Abraham) and how he listened to what God directed him to do. Similarly, in the Gospel (Matthew17:1-9), we read the transfiguration of Christ. Jesus used the moment and the mystery of transfiguration to strengthen the faith of his close disciples in his passion. Equally, the voice from heaven calling on the disciples and all of us to listen to him reminds us that faith begins and grows by listening and accepting God’s word in our lives (Romans 10:17).

This season of Lent is an excellent time to reflect and ask how much we listen to Jesus in the choices we make in our day-to-day life. God speaks to us in different ways- through the scripture, the dictates of our good conscience, the events of life, and more through one another. Just as Abraham, Jesus, and the disciples listened to God, may we ask the good Lord to open our ears and hearts to listen to him so that he will transfigure us to be like him. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

We thank families who have prayerfully participated in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA) to help us towards our parish goal of $286,403.00. We will continue to keep you updated on the progress we are making. As of February 26th, 2023, 179 pledges made gave us a total of $96,882.00. Click here Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023 if you would like to make your ADA pledge online.

February 26, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Temptations: Moments of Grace or Sin?

Today’s Gospel from St. Matthew (4:1-11) invites us to reflect on how to overcome the temptations of our lives through the examples of Jesus’ victory over his temptations. To be tempted is not sinful; rather, it can be a moment of grace, but to allow the temptation to overcome us is sinful. Jesus, through his victory over his temptations, was equipped with the grace to continue his ministry. As in the case of Jesus’ temptations, we are tempted through our attractions, desires, and tendencies.

As we undertake the three Cardinal Works (Prayer, Fasting, & Almsgiving) during this holy season of Lent, let them be ways to overcome different temptations that assail us. Let our prayers help us overcome the temptations of doubt and lack of faith in the face of life’s difficulties. Also, let our fasting and abstinence; help us to be selfless and self-giving. Finally, let our almsgiving and charitable works help us to be more sensitive to the pains and sufferings of people around us. By and large, let the works we undertake this season help us turn our lives temptations into moments of grace. Amen.

We thank families who have prayerfully participated in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA) to help us towards our parish goal of $286,403.00. We will continue to keep you updated on the progress we are making. As of February 19, 2023, 142 pledges made gave us a total of $80,377.00. Click here Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023 if you would like to make your ADA pledge online.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

February 19, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

You Too Can Forgive!

Forgiveness is one of the most challenging things asked of us Christians. The deeper the hurt, the more difficult it is to forgive the one who caused it. In different ways, our first reading from the book of Leviticus (19:1-2, 17-18) and our Gospel of Matthew (5:38-48) invite us to forgive and not to sort revenge. Our first reading clearly says, “Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against any of your people….”. Similarly, our Gospel reiterates the same message more demandingly: “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you ….”

Forgiveness becomes more complicated when we justify grudges instead of finding reasons to let go. Bitterness and resentment can destroy our inner peace, but forgiveness frees and heals. Let us reflect and think of that person or those people in our life, God is calling us today to forgive. Ask God to reawaken his Spirit in you to forgive them. The season of Lent we begin this coming Wednesday- Ash Wednesday is the holy season in which God reminds us of his infinite love and mercy and invites us to share the same with others. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

February 12, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

The Choice We Make!

As an indispensable part of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Word allows us to listen to different ways God speaks to us at each Mass. The readings of today, among other things, invite us to reflect on the commandments of God and to use the freedom God has given us to choose for him and not against him. Our first reading, the Book of Sirach (15:15- 20), reminds us that choosing for God and trusting his will save us, “If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you; if you trust in God, you too shall live.”

Keeping God’s commandments remains the foundation for joy that endures, the joy that leads us from this earthly life to everlasting life- an incredible joy, “what God prepared for those who love him” as St. Paul describes in the second reading (1Corinthians 2: 6- 10). Jesus in the Gospel (Matthew 5:17-37) explains the importance of the Spirit of the commandments rather than the letters of the commandments. The Spirit of the commandments leads us to a life of righteousness grounded in love rather than the law. Let us ask the good Lord to give us the wisdom and courage to make the right choice in love. Amen.

We thank the 181 families who have prayerfully participated in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA) to help us towards our parish goal of $286,403.00. We will continue to keep you updated on the progress we are making. Our first week of ADA puts us at $48,930.00. Most of you have received the ADA packets in the mail. We also have pledge cards and donation envelopes in the Church, Pledge cards or donations can be placed in the weekly collection basket, dropped in the parish office mail slot, or mailed to the parish office. We gratefully thank those who have made a pledge or donation. Click here: Annual Diocesan Appeal 2023 if you would like to make your ADA pledge online.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

February 5, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

I am honored and grateful to serve as your pastor and witness Christ’s love daily in our parish community. It has been a blessing seeing an increase in the number of people participating in the day-to-day life of our parish and school. Each year, the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA) provides a unique opportunity to renew our stewardship commitment to the church and unite with the faithful from all the other parishes in our diocese to fulfill Christ’s mission.

Your generosity toward the ADA supports St. Frances Cabrini Parish (SFC) and the other parishes of our diocese for programs crucial to the mission of Jesus Christ. All funds collected above our diocesan goal will be rebated directly to our parish to strengthen and build our local church community and ministries. In 2022, our diocesan goal was $115,000.00 and we collected $149,512.93. Our rebate has helped to run our parish ministries.

This year, our diocesan goal is $136,403.00 and our parish goal is to raise $286,403.00. Our hope is to use the rebate from this ADA to maintain and improve the inside our church. Our church needs new carpets, improved lighting, a modern sound system, and re-painting. I ask for your help to reach our parish goal. We have more than 2,000 families who are registered parishioners, and about 1,200 are active. If 50% of our active families give prayerfully, considering a minimum of $500, we will reach our parish goal. Some can offer more, and some less. I hope that each family in our parish will participate at the level of sacrifice to which your prayerful discernment leads you.

If you have contributed to ADA in the past, we truly appreciate your generosity and pray that you will participate this year. If you have not participated in the ADA in the past, I ask you prayerfully consider all the ways God has been at your side through the Church. I also ask that you make a gift to our ADA in gratitude for all God has done and continues to do for you and your loved ones. Let the good Lord reward you abundantly. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

January 29, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Life of Blessedness!

I had the opportunity to visit my family in Nigeria and began the new year with them. We had our family prayer for the new year. We prayed for different intentions, especially for peace, harmony, and respect for human life in my home country Nigeria. I remember one of my nephews praying that the year 2023 brings us joy, happiness, and God’s love- the life of Blessedness, an important theme we reflect on the readings of this Sunday. Thus, Prophet Zephaniah (2:3;3:12-13), in the first reading, invites us to this life of Blessedness through these inspiring words, “Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth, who have observed his law, seek justice, seek humility.”

The words of the beatitudes in the Gospel (Matthew 5:1-12) invite us in different ways to live this life of Blessedness. God’s blessings are given to each of us, and we need to work hard to live out the virtues that lead us to this Blessedness or happiness listed in the beatitudes. The model of joy presented in the beatitudes is contrary to what we see and hear today. Each of us can ask ourselves, of these lists of beatitudes, which one is God calling you to live out most in your life and in your relationship with him and others. Is God calling you to be poor in spirit-humble, meek, pure in heart, merciful, thirst for righteousness, or persevere in doing good? Therefore, let us ask the good Lord to help us live the beatitudes that will lead us to a life of Blessedness here and hereafter. Amen.

We are glad to join our parish school to begin Catholic School Week this Sunday, January 29th. Since 1974, National Catholic Schools Week has been the annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States. The theme for National Catholic Schools Week 2023 is “Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.” Our school community has lined up different activities grounded in this year’s theme to continue to bolster the great values Catholic provides to young people and its contributions to our Church, our communities, and our nation. Our SFC parish school is the largest ministry of our parish, and we appreciate the gift it is to our community.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

January 22, 2023

Reflections | Fr. Robert McKay, PhD, BCC

In our Gospel this Sunday, Jesus fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy, announcing the restoration of David’s kingdom. When Jesus calls his disciples he appoints them to be “fishers of people” – to gather in people from the ends of the earth. Andrew, Simon, James, and John, and the others dared to hope for change, and they dared to put their faith in Jesus Christ. They were some of the first people who followed the Holy Spirit into the unknown, hoping that the future would be different from the past. From a human perspective, the advancement of the Gospel depended upon the apostles – imperfect people. Jesus called people who were ordinary (fishermen, tax collectors and more). He called them not because they were special, but because they were ordinary.

Strangely enough, for his amazing mission Jesus needs ordinary folk who will give him themselves. Once there came to Socrates a very ordinary man called Aeschines. “I am a poor man,” said Aeschines. “I have nothing else, but I give you myself.” “Do you not see,” said Socrates, “that you are giving me the most precious thing of all?” What Jesus needs is ordinary folk who will give him themselves. The life of our call begins with Jesus and he invites us to follow him. Jesus is leading and out front – disciples both then and now – follow behind, not knowing exactly what lies ahead and walk in faith/light.

The philosopher Kierkegaard once said that what Jesus wants is followers, not admirers. The disciples’ call and ours is not about a specific function in the church. More fundamentally it is a call to seek the face of God, and the fullness of life itself. I can think of nothing more comforting than the reality that God called and calls – people just like us – asking to us to repent and believe that God’s Reign has begun. “Repent!” he said. “Turn from your own ways and turn to God. Reverse your direction and begin walking towards God.” A world in darkness has seen the light. We are able now, as we sing in today’s Psalm, to dwell in the house of the Lord, to worship him in the land of the living. The biblical quest is to see the face of God and live.

January 15, 2023

Reflections | Fr. Robert McKay, PhD, BCC

In any good story, the author gives a hint at the beginning – a clue about how the story will resolve itself. At the outset of his gospel account St. Matthew records that when John the Baptist observes Jesus he announces: “There is the Lamb of God!” Within the Christian faith, the lamb of God has become a powerful symbol. Our attention is drawn to the sacrifice of lambs and to their innocence and purity. Jesus was without sin – the perfect lamb whose sacrifice offers forgiveness and redemption.

Perhaps John was proclaiming: “Your prophets dreamed of the one who was to love and suffer and die for the people; that one has come.” It was suddenly revealed to John that Jesus was none other than the Son of God. Jesus became a lamb led to the slaughter to show the depth of God’s love for us. Our response to this overture of God’s love for us in Jesus is to love like He did. Sin is the opposite – we fail to love. When we say “I have sinned” – it’s not that we have broken a rule, a regulation, a law – it is the breaking of another person’s heart. We have broken a person, we have nailed him to the cross.

For this reason, the Agnus Dei is sung during the breaking of the consecrated Host at Mass. St. John Chrysostom (d. 407) preached of how this breaking symbolized the Passion of Jesus – how He suffered for us, and also how his sacrificial death is a victory. This triumph is further emphasized when the priest holds up the fractured Host and says, “This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to the supper of the Lamb.”

When we celebrate the mysteries of the Mass, we look to the Lamb who suffered, died, and rose for our salvation. We gather around the altar of the Lamb, offering to Him our hearts and pledging our love, so that we may welcome Him and become united to Him in the Holy Eucharist. Agnus Dei!

January 8, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

What Gift Do I Offer to the Newborn Baby–Emmanuael?

In the feast of Epiphany, we celebrate the showing-forth of the newly born baby- Jesus, not only to his people but to the gentiles, meaning to the whole world. Christ is the light that will enlighten all nations and give the fullness of life to all people. The prophecy of Isaiah we read in the first reading describes this showing forth the gifts that would be presented to the newly born baby- Jesus. In line with Prophet Isaiah, St. Paul, in the second reading, calls himself a steward of God’s grace, who has been called and sent to share the gift of God’s grace with all people.

We see in the gospel today how different people reacted to the message of the birth of Jesus. First is King Herod. He felt insecure hearing about the birth of a new king. To protect his kingdom, he ordered the killing more than two thousand innocent children. Second, also, we see the indifferent reaction of the chief priests. The way the chief priests responded when asked about the news of the newly-born king showed that they paid limited attention to it. Third, is the reaction of the Magi- three wise men from east Mesopotamia. The Magi offered the best gifts to Jesus, the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold – the king of metals, symbolizes that Jesus is born to be a king, but not in the worldly sense, but rather a king that will reign through the life of service and sacrifice.

Frankincense is a gift for a priest, the sweetest perfume in the temple. It symbolizes that Jesus is the priest who will open the door of salvation to all people. Myrrh is the gift, an embalmment bam, which symbolizes the mission of Jesus to lay down his life for us so that we may have life and have it in abundance. We must reflect and ask ourselves about the gift we give to Jesus. Is our gift to welcome Emmanuel the gift of heard heartedness as Herod, indifference as the chief priests, or best gifts as the Magi? The best gift we can give to him is our life. We do that through our total trust and confidence in him. Let us turn to God for the strength we need in this new year to be our best and to do our best. Amen

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

January 1, 2023

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Mary, Mother of God and Peace–Pray for Us!

Seven days ago, we celebrated Christmas, the birth of Jesus. The feast today honors Mary, especially as the Mother of God. If Jesus is the son of God as we believe and profess, Mary undoubtedly is the mother of God. As Catholics, we honor Mary following the honor given to her by God through the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation. Mary’s role as mother of God places her in a unique position in God’s redemptive plan. She has a special relationship with the Blessed Trinity as a daughter to God the Father, mother to God the Son, and spouse to God the Holy Spirit. The Church continues to honor Mary. The Church implores her maternal intercession in her devotions and liturgy. She remains the mother of God and the mother of the Church.

Today’s gospel (Luke 2:16-21) reads, “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” This helps us to reflect on one of her enduring virtues, continual prayer, which is not devoid of contemplation- hearts pondering things. In Mary’s life, we learn different forms of prayer (vocal, mediation & contemplation) and different expressions of prayer (praise, thanksgiving, contrition/ forgiveness & supplication/petition. Prayers and devotions to Mary should have an interior disposition, which should help us to live a good and exemplary Christian life.

Mary is also the mother of peace. He gave birth to the prince of peace (Isaiah 9:5), who brought a hymn of peace to angels (Luke 2:14) and taught about peace in his beatitudes, and called peacemakers the children of God (Matthew 5:9). Today is the World Day of Peace. Our first reading (Numbers 6: 22-27) includes peace as what comes with the blessing of God. Our world needs peace at different levels. Peace with oneself gives room for peace with other people. Let us pray that through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of peace, we grow in peace of hearts and minds and be instruments of peace in our world. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 25, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Christmas is Here!

We are gathered here with joy to begin the celebration of the birth of Christ- Christmas. Christmas is a celebration of the great mystery of our faith. The mystery of incarnation, God coming to become one with us so that we could become one with God. It is the celebration of God’s great love for us from creation. The mystery of Christmas is the most remarkable event of humanity. Little wonder that the years of history are calculated either before or after the birth of Christ- BC & AD.

Christmas invites us to welcome and recognize God’s presence in our lives with joy. He is Emmanuel – God is with us. God’s presence reminds us constantly of the great love through which He created us and invited us always to be with Him. The word spoken through the patriarchs and prophets is now dwelling with us. It is a presence that boosts our confidence and endurance amidst the storms of life. The joy of this season has to be grounded on the acceptance of God’s gift of Himself to us and His ever-dwelling presence among us.

While wishing each other a merry Christmas, let us continue to live and share this joy through a life of gratitude, generosity, and recognition of God’s presence. We, the priests (Frs. James, Vincent, Paul, & Robert) who minister here at SFC, wish you and your families a joy-filled Christmas and the blessings of the coming year.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 18, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. Paul Soukop, SJ

The Incarnation: God’s Great Mystery of Salvation!

The Incarnation, God’s great mystery of salvation—God’s taking on human flesh and human life— means more than the Second Person of the Trinity’s entrance into human history, suffering, and death. Much of the New Testament reflection on this mystery describe it in terms of solidarity: the reality that “God is with us,” a fact made manifest in the name Emmanuel, first given by the prophet Isaiah. God shows that solidarity in a more radical way than God’s accompanying Israel from slavery in Egypt through the Red Sea, through the desert, through the establishment in the land of promise. God’s solidarity with us touches all things human—through temptation to forgiveness, through death to life.

The Incarnation means more than that. It divinizes humanity. God’s joining the divine to the human is not a one-way street. It also joins the human to the divine and, in many ways, completes the work of creation. What is good at creation becomes perfect in Christ Jesus. And yet, unbelievably, there is more. The Incarnation also means that God wants us to participate in our salvation. God grants us salvation but gives us a role, too. Isaiah tells how God asks Ahaz to accept a role—to ask for a sign—but the king was too hesitant. Even so, God gave the sign in the words of the prophet. Centuries later, at the time of fulfillment, God invites Mary and Joseph to accept their roles. Luke’s Gospel narrates the invitation to Mary and her response, “Be it done to me according to your will.” In Matthew’s Gospel, we hear Joseph’s response, “As the angel of the Lord had commanded him, he took his wife into his home.” In a mysterious way, God’s plan for the Incarnation rested on the work of this humble couple of Nazareth.

God’s invitation extends to us. We, too, have roles to play in the mystery of salvation. Let us pray that we can hear God’s word and put it into practice so that God’s salvation can come to fruition in our lives and in our world today.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 11, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Advent Joy!

Growing up as a child in the Eastern part of Nigeria, the 3rd week of Advent was the best week before Christmas for me for two reasons. It was when the school was off, and no school for the next three weeks. It was also a week that my parents took my siblings and me to buy new clothes and shoes for
Christmas. As an adult, I learned that the third Sunday of Advent is a unique Sunday of the four Sundays of Advent. The 3rd Sunday of Advent is the Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday. This Sunday lightens the penitential tone of Advent, encourages, and calls on us to share the joy of Christ’s coming. We also light the 3rd of the Advent Candles, which is rose or pink-colored. Thus, the readings of this Sunday in different ways invite us to share in this Advent joy.

The Prophet Isaiah (35: 1-6a,10), in our first reading, interjects the tone of joy at different parts of the reading. He points out the joy God’s people will experience at the coming of the Messiah. Isaiah emphasizes that “those whom the LORD has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; they will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee.” St. James (5:7-10), in our second reading, calls our attention to one of the important virtues we need in our Christian journey to share in this Advent joy: Patience. Joy is rooted in patience because patience brings peace, contentment, and hope. In addition, both John the Baptist’s inquiries from prison about Jesus and Jesus’ appreciation of the person of John the Baptist in the Gospel today (Matthew 11:2-11) call our attention to another important virtue we need to experience the advent joy, which is appreciating the gifts of one another.

As the Church invites us to experience the advent joy, the question we can ask ourselves should be, what is that in my life that takes away my joy? We can pray for the gift of patience that will help us to be patient with ourselves, with people in our life, and even patient with our God, trusting and believing that God knows the best and His time is the best. Also, we remember that gratitude blossoms into joy. Reflect on different ways God is calling you this season to rekindle the desire to appreciate his presence in your life and the beautiful gifts he has given you through the gifts of people in your life. As we continue our preparations to celebrate the joy of Christmas, let us ask the good Lord to help us to experience this joy and be instruments to share this joy
with others. Amen.

On Saturday, 12/03, we had an Advent retreat for candidates and families preparing for their first Holy Eucharist/Holy Communion. Within the retreat, the candidates made their first reconciliations/confessions. Watching the spiritual support, the candidates received from their families and catechists throughout the retreat was uplifting. We thank the parents/guardians and the catechists who prepared these candidates. The candidates will continue their formation in preparation for the First Eucharist/Holy Communion during the Easter season on May 13th, 2023. Remember to check our Advent Schedule on page 4 of the bulletin and plan to participate in the upcoming programs. I look forward to seeing you.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

December 4, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Evidence of Repentance!

Advent season, like the Lenten season, invites us in a unique way to repentance- metanoia- change of heart in preparation for the celebration of Christmas. This repentance begins with a spiritual introspection, which fruits must reflect in our relationship. Thus, St. Paul asks us in today’s second reading (Romans 15:4-6) “to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

In our first reading, Prophet Isaiah, the prophet of hope and promise, calls our attention to the peace and harmony the coming Savior will bring to our lives. The Savior, “Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.” Thus, our Responsorial Psalm (Psalm) reiterates that “Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever.” especially touching our hearts to be people of Justice and peace. Similarly, in fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah, John the Baptist invites us to today’s gospel (Matthew 3:1-12) to prepare the way for the Lord by repentance and to be able to “Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.”

In this Advent season, there are many fruits we can bear as evidence of our heartfelt repentance. First, consider what aspects of your spiritual life God calls you to pay more attention to. For example, finding time to pray, meditate, read spiritual books, participate in programs to assist the less privileged, and other ways. It could also be an invitation to be an instrument of peace and harmony in one’s family. Harmony should begin from oneself and flow to others. Let the good Lord help us pay attention to the different ways he calls us to show evidence of our repentance. Amen.

Thanks immensely to all the volunteers who came out on Saturday, November 19th, to help in different ways to make it possible for us to distribute over 130 turkeys and food boxes to assist needy families in celebrating this year’s thanksgiving. We look forward to our Christmas food drive giveaway on Saturday, December 17th. See the bulletin page six for the details. Thank you for your generosity, which makes these SFC social ministries possible. Also, in this Advent season, we have planned different spiritual programs to help us prepare to celebrate Christmas in God’s love and joy. See page four of the bulletin for our Advent schedule and plan to participate in the programs. I look forward to seeing you.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

November 27, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Be Prepared!

“When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior’s first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 524)

The Church’s five liturgical seasons (Advent, Christmas, Easter, Lent, and Ordinary Time) that begin with Advent avail us grace opportunities through their liturgy, spirituality, and theology. Advent is a grace- filled season in which we prepare to celebrate the most significant event in human history; the incarnation- the birth of Christ- Christmas. The readings of this season will always invite us to prepare for this great feast.

In this season of Advent, we read about two prophets: Prophet Isaiah, who prophesied about the coming of Christ and his mission as the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:5-6), and Prophet John the Baptist, the precursor, and the forerunner of Christ, who announced and called for immediate preparation for Christ’s coming, which the Gospel of Matthew today invites us to be prepared for the coming Jesus Christ. At the foundation of the preparation for Christ’s coming is what St. Paul invites us to do in the second reading: “Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

Jesus is the Light of the World. The uniqueness of the Advent wreath and candles for this season of preparation invites us to allow the light of Christ to overcome every darkness in our lives so that we become children of light. As we look at the light of the advent candle, let it be a reminder that Christ wants his presence to shine in our hearts so that now and always, we are prepared to be the light of the world. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

November 20, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Jesus, the King Who Serves and Saves!

Today is the Solemnity of Christ the King, the 34th Sunday, Year C, and the last Sunday of the Church’s liturgical year. Next Sunday, we begin the Advent season in preparation for Christmas. Therefore, the Church devotes this last Sunday of the Liturgical year to honoring Christ, her founder, and savior, as the King of the universe. He is not a King in the earthly sense but a King who came to serve and save us. Hence, St. Paul describes Jesus’ Kingdom in the 2nd reading (Colossians 1:12-20), “For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him.”

The first reading today is from the Second Book of Samuel (2 Sam 5:1-3), telling us how David became King of Israel. Despite his weaknesses and sinfulness, we recognize David as the greatest King of Israel.  It is on the backdrop of the earthly and temporal kingship of David that Luke’s Gospel (Luke 23:35-43) this Sunday reports the account of the crucifixion of Jesus and the encounter of Jesus with two thieves crucified with him. One of the thieves that were crucified with him recognized his eternal kingdom and believed in him as the King, who serves and saves. Consequently, he pleaded, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Like the thief who recognized the kingship of Jesus, Jesus wants us to recognize him as the King of our lives, who serves and saves us. If Jesus is the King of our lives, we must remember him in our daily choices and decisions. The simple question we can ask ourselves this week as we prepare to begin the Advent season is, “Where is Jesus, the king, in my life.” Do I allow this kingdom I profess, pray, and celebrate to reign in my life? As we describe, his kingdom is truth, justice, peace, and love. Let us ask him for the virtues we need to make his kingdom reign in our everyday life and see him always in our lives as our King. Amen.

This week, on Thursday, November 24th, we will gather as family and friends to celebrate this year’s Thanksgiving Day. It is a special day to thank God for all his immeasurable love and blessings. It is also a day to thank God for the gifts of one another. We, the staff of SFC, would like to thank you for all your support in different ways in the ministries we do here at SFC. We invite you to join us for 8.30 AM Mass on Thanksgiving Day. The traditional blessing of your wine and bread will be within the Mass. As we celebrate this year’s Thanksgiving, let these words of St. Paul, “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7) inspire and uplift all of us.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

November 13, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Preserving in the Lord!

This Sunday, November 13, is the feast day of our Patroness, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850–1917). One of the enduring and endearing virtues of St. Frances Cabrini is the exemplary way she persevered in the Lord. When she landed in America on March 31, 1889, from Italy, her home country, at the age of 39, she faced difficulties but overcame them through her perseverance in the Lord. She chose as her motto the words of St. Paul, “I can do all
things in Him (Christ) who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). These faith–filled words motivated and compelled her to live an amazing life of faith through perseverance in the Lord. Hence, by the time she died at 67, she had already opened 67 institutions, including hospitals, orphanages, and schools.

As we come closer to the end of the liturgical year, the readings of this Sunday, invite us to persevere in the Lord. In our first reading, Prophet Malachi (Malachi 3:19-20), in a very brief way, describes to us the reward of perseverance, “for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.” The Gospel of Luke (Luke 21:5-9) describes the events of the last days, which are not far-fetched from the natural and human
disasters we see and hear these days. In all these, the gospel ended by inviting us to persevere in the Lord, “By your perseverance, you will secure your lives.” Similarly, writing to the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 3:7–12) during their confusion regarding the second coming of Jesus, St. Paul encouraged them as he is encouraging us today to continue to persevere in our work for God’s glory.

God has given us the freedom to accept or reject the gift of salvation he has given us in Christ. He patiently calls on us through different life opportunities to accept and embrace this gift with its challenges. God wants us to say yes to this through our perseverance continuously. The challenges of perseverance come in the face of difficulty and disappointments in life, but that is when we have the test of our faith in God, who will not fail us if we trust in him. Therefore, let us pray for the gifts of wisdom and courage we need to persevere in the Lord. Let these words of St. Paul uplift us, “With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication” (Ephesians 6:18). Amen.

We want to thank those who participated in our different activities in honor of our feast day. We started as a parish community (school & parish) to celebrate this special day in the life of our SFC community through a week-long activity, which comprises spiritual, devotional, liturgical, cultural, academic, and social activities to mark this year’s feast day. I hope we appreciated the beauty of the diversity of our parish community through the
celebration of our Intercultural Mass and reception. We thank the Cabrini planning committee: Fr. Vincent, Doris Bebla, Ronda Clark, Maile Figone, Cathy Campbell, Lee Campbell, Merry Kaelani, Teresa Adams, Audrey Piedad, and all the volunteers who came out to help in different ways.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

November 6, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

I Believe in the Resurrection of the Dead!

The celebrations of the Feasts of All the Saints and All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) on 1st and 2nd November, respectively, are very significant as we come towards the end of the Liturgical Year. Through these celebrations, we remember our loved ones who have departed from this life. Also, these celebrations remind us of the transient nature of our earthly life. They invite us to seize our opportunities to embrace the gratuitous gift of salvation, which God has given us in Christ and which we solemnly accept whenever we profess in our Creed, I Believe in the Resurrection of the Dead! The resurrection of the dead we profess always remains the bedrock of our faith.

It is the unflinching faith in the resurrection that gave the seven brothers we read about in today’s first reading- (2 Maccabees 7: 1-2, 9-12) not to compromise their faith in the face of threats to their lives; and one of the brothers at the point of death affirmed, “you are depriving us of this present life, but the King of the world will raise us to live again forever.” In line with this exemplary courage of these brothers, St. Paul, in the 2nd reading (2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:5), prays that God gives us “everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace.” The Gospel of Luke (20:27-38) also describes the gift of resurrection God gave us through his Son, Jesus Christ, who now counts us as part of the “ones who will rise.”

The faith we profess in accepting the gift of resurrection is one step that leads us to manifest the acceptance of this gift through the life we live. Faith, as we know, without good deeds is dead (James 2:17). The challenges we face in our Christian journey are tests of our faith. We win this gift of salvation through our perseverance in faith, which we always profess. In addition, St. Paul encourages us to know “that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy of being compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18). Therefore, let us continue to pray for the persevering grace we need to keep to faith that is active, living, and conscious, which leads us to everlasting life. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 30, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

The Mercy of God: Infinite and Definite!

On October 22nd, we celebrated as a Church, the feast of Pope St. John Paul II. We remember this great Pope for his service to the Church, especially during his 27 years as a Pope. Also, we remember him as the Pilgrim Pope who traveled to 129 countries to encounter people and share God’s love and mercy with them. In 1980, Pope John Paul II wrote an Encyclical, Dives in Misericordia (DM) – (God, who is rich in mercy), in which he reflected on the richness of God’s mercy and the mission of Jesus to share this mercy with us. He stated, “Christ confers on the whole of the Old Testament tradition about God’s mercy a definitive meaning. Not only does He speak of it and explain it by using comparisons and parables, but above all, He Himself makes it incarnate and personifies it.” (DM, #2).

One of the central themes the readings of this Sunday reflect on this invitation Pope John Paul gave us to share in the richness of God’s mercy, which is infinite and definite. Our first reading, the book of Wisdom (Wisdom 11:22 -12:2), reminds us of God’s mercy, “But you have mercy on all because you can do all things, and you overlook people’s sins that they may repent.” Likewise, one of the lines of our Responsorial from Psalm 145 reminds us, “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness.” Similarly, the richness of God’s mercy is well depicted in the Gospel of Luke (19:1-10) through the story of Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus, the Tax Collector.

We have so much to learn from the gospel story: First, Zacchaeus’s desire to experience God’s mercy. Thus, he strove to encounter Jesus. Second, Zacchaeus’ determination to overcome all obstacles to experience the Mercy of God. Jesus recognized his efforts, encountered him, and allowed him to experience the richness of God’s mercy in its fullness. Jesus, in this encounter, reminds us of his primary mission, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” Like Zacchaeus, we all need the mercy of God to different degrees. Let us ask God for the strength to overcome the obstacles that hinder us from receiving this mercy, whether these obstacles come from our pride that makes us be in denial of our weaknesses and sinfulness or our despair that makes to give up in making efforts to receive the mercy of God and change our ways and behavior. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 23, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Pray in Humility!

“If you have lost the taste for prayer, you will regain the desire for it by returning humbly to its practice”
(St. Pope Paul VI)

The Eucharistic celebration (Mass) is the sacrament of God’s mercy. At different times within the Mass, we ask for God’s forgiveness because we believe, as we profess in the Creed, “the forgiveness of sin” and affirm our human frailty and the reality of sin. Last Sunday, we read the first part of Luke’s Gospel chapter 18 on the parable of the persistent widow and wicked judge, through which we were called to reflect on the importance of praying with perseverance and persistence. The second part of Luke’s Gospel chapter 18 invites us to reflect on our attitude in prayer through the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.

Jesus, through today’s Gospel of Luke (18:9-14), teaches us how we should pray and how not to pray: Avoiding self-justification and judging others in prayer. Today’s first reading, the book of Sirach (35:12-14; 16 -18), one of the wisdom books, reminds us of the importance of praying in humility, “…the prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal, nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds…” In addition, in today’s second reading (2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18), St. Paul, in the last part of his letter to Timothy in a prayerful way, sets a good example for us. He offered a prayer of inclusiveness and forgiveness.

Praying in humility reminds us that our prayer should not be time for self-defense, self-justification, self- appraisal, or justification, but more of thanksgiving and asking for mercy. The problem with the prayer of the Pharisee in the Gospel was that he used his prayer time to judge and condemn the Tax Collector, which is a mark of pride. From the Tax Collector in the Gospel, we learn the importance of praying in humility as a model of prayer. Praying in humility is also an act of faith. It calls to our mind that our prayer should reflect our total dependence on God and our openness to receive the mercy of God, which is infinite and definite. Let us always remember these words of Jesus that conclude today’s Gospel, “whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Amen.

We believe everyone who came for our fiesta this weekend of Friday, October 21st, to Sunday, October 23rd, had memorable fun. We are grateful to all who were present and supported the parish. On behalf of our SFC community, we would like to thank Mike Livingston (SFC Director of Fiesta) and these members of the Fiesta Committee: Jennifer Gudeli, Karim Elsharif, Maile Figone, Mike Vasquez, Dave Citrigno, Pam Citrigno, Jose Rodriguez, Tim Smith, Malia Delvecchio, James Sawaya, Sam Nickolas, Delina Pulliam, Eric Pulliam, Linnea Sheehy, John Quinn, Jacqueline Quinn, Glenn Gifford, Leticia Ambriz, and Doris Bebla. Also, we would like to thank all the fiesta volunteers, especially those who came out to set up the fiesta site on Saturday, October 15th, or helped in other ways. We are very grateful for all your hard work.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 16, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Pray Without Ceasing!

“When we pray, we talk to God, and when we read the Scripture, God talks to us.”
(St. Augustine)

For some Sundays, we have been reading Paul’s letter to Timothy in our second reading, filled with words of exhortation, encouragement, and admonishment. This Sunday’s second reading (2 Timothy 3:14‐4:2) points out clearly that the Scriptures are inspired Word of God, which is “useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” God speaks to us through the scripture. Sometimes it becomes difficult to know the message God is giving us, especially when we read the Old Testament stories of war and killing. However, if we read the scripture between the line and within the context, we can get the message.

In our first reading today (Exodus 17: 8‐13), the victory of the Israelites’ army led by Joshua over the Amalekites through the perseverance and persistence of Moses. He interceded on their behalf by relentlessly raising the staff of God. The gospel of today (Luke 18:1‐8), the parable of the persistent widow, was chosen on the background of the perseverance and persistence of Moses. This parable encourages us to pray without ceasing. Our perseverance and persistence in prayer is an act of faith through which we continue to feel the presence of God in our lives. Our faith reminds us that no prayer goes unanswered; instead, in answering our prayers, God grants us our requests or gives us the disposition to accept his will.

God, who loves us infinitely, knows the best for us and answers our prayers according to his best will. His will, as our faith teaches us, will not take us to a place where his grace will not abide with us. God wants our prayer life to be ongoing and not only when we need something, thereby making him the only God of emergencies. He wants us to pray in season and out of season. Our Catholic traditions have blessed us with different forms (vocal, contemplative, and meditative prayer) and expressions (Adoration‐praise, thanksgiving, forgiveness, petitions) of prayers. Of these forms and expressions of prayers, which ones are part of your life? Let us ask the good Lord to help us make prayer part of our daily life and pray without ceasing. Amen.

We look forward to our parish fiesta this coming weekend, Friday, October 21st to Sunday, October 23rd. The parish fiesta is an excellent opportunity to have fun as a parish community and to support the parish. We hope you will be there to enjoy the weekend after the three years we have missed it. We would also like to invite you to celebrate Cabrini Week as SFC Community (parish & school) in honor of our patroness, St. Frances Cabrini, whose feast day this year falls on Sunday, November 13th. The vision is to celebrate Cabrini Week with spiritual/devotional, academic, catechetical, liturgical, cultural, and social programs. One of the week’s highlights will be the celebration of intercultural Mass to celebrate the beauty of cultural diversity in our parish community. We will keep you posted with the details of the week’s events.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 9, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Thank You Jesus!

“There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread”
(St. Theresa of Calcutta)

The celebration of the Eucharist is the celebration of our deep sense of gratitude to God for his everlasting love and mercy. This celebration invites and sends us to continue to recognize and appreciate God’s ever‐abiding presence. One of the central themes of this Sunday’s readings is the invitation to always find something in our lives to say, ‘Thank You, Jesus’. More still, gratitude to God is an act of faith. It reminds us constantly that faithful God will never abandon us, just as St. Paul emphasizes in the first reading (2 Timothy 2:8‐13), “If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.”

In this Sunday’s first reading (2 Kings 5:14‐17), the story of Naaman, the leper, is an excellent example of how we should express our profound gratitude to God and to the people God uses to shower his benevolence to us. Naaman returned to Prophet Elisha, the Man of God, who interceded on his behalf for God’s healing upon him. Similarly, the Samaritan’s deep appreciation of Jesus’s healing in this Sunday Gospel (Luke 17:11‐19) reminds us that being grateful to God for his presence in our lives is an act of faith. Specifically, Jesus praised the act of faith of the Samaritan leper, who was the only one who returned to say thanks out of the nine healed. Jesus told him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

Our ability to recognize and appreciate the beautiful things God has blessed us with helps us know that God has not abandoned us in the face of our challenges. Also, we are called to appreciate the gifts of people God uses to bless us, just as Naaman recognized that the healing of God came to him through the intercession of the Prophet Elisha. We must ask ourselves; do I appreciate the people God has placed in my life through which I receive his love and kindness? In addition, how can I use God’s gifts to express my gratitude to people in my life? Let us ask the good Lord to give us the faith we need to acknowledge the beautiful things he is doing in our lives and be able to say always, ‘Thank You, Jesus!’ Amen.

Every month of October, the Church in the United States celebrates Respect Life Month. This month, we reflect more deeply on the dignity of every human person made in the image and likeness of God and help to build in different ways a culture of life that cherishes and protects human life at every stage. The month of October is also the Month of the Most Holy Rosary, and the feast of the Holy Rosary is celebrated on October 7th. Also, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared on October 13th, 1917, for the last time to shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal, urging them to “say the rosary every day to obtain peace for the world.” As an SFC parish community, this October, different families will lead the Rosary every Thursday at 6.30 PM inside the church. I hope you will find time to join this weekly parish family Rosary.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

October 2, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Active And Living Faith!

We have the opportunity to read something new weekly about our Patroness, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917), in our SFC weekly bulletin and newsletter. The life of faith St. Frances Cabrini lived is worthy of emulation. When she landed in America on March 31, 1889, from Italy, her home country, at the age of 39, she faced difficulties but was able to overcome them through her active and living faith. She chose as her motto the words of St. Paul, “I can do all things in Him (Christ) who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). These faith-filled words inspired and propelled her to live an extraordinary life of faith. Hence, by the time she died at 67, she would open 67 institutions, including hospitals, orphanages, and schools.

The disciples in this Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 17:5-10) saw the practical ways Jesus has demonstrated faith in God. Thus, they asked Jesus, “Lord, increase our faith.” The disciples were asking Jesus to teach them ways to deepen their relationship with God, which would make them not only know about God but know God. Our first reading today (Habakkuk 1:2-3,2:2-4) gives an excellent background to the Gospel. Prophet Habakkuk emphasized, “but the just one, because of his faith, shall live.” Likewise, Paul reminds Timothy in the Second Reading of today (2 Timothy 1:6-8,13-14), “I am reminding you to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you.”

Faith is a gift from God, and our relationship with God depends on the extent we are open to receiving this gift from God and making it active and living in our lives. Faith shapes and directs our relationship with God. For, “without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Active and living faith blossoms God’s gifts in us and challenges to use the gifts to serve others. As Apostle James stated, “Faith without good works is dead.” Let us, as the disciples asked, pray for an increase in faith that is active and living. Amen.

Bishop Oscar Cantú, on December 6, 2021, following the call of Pope Francis to be a “listening Church,” called on Catholics in the diocese of San Jose to begin a yearlong process of prayer, listening, consultation, and discernment in preparation for our first Diocesan Synod to be held on January 27 – 29, 2023. The four marks (pillars) of the Church: One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic, will guide the synod’s consultation, discernment, and planning process. In preparation for this synod, we will have our SFC Parish Consultation Session on Wednesday, October 5, at 6 PM in the church. Also, in the not too distant future, you will receive a synod survey, which will be an opportunity for all to give voice to this synod process. I hope our parish community (parish & school) will provide our maximum support and participation in Synod 2023.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

September 25, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Remember the Poor!

September 18, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

We Are God’s Stewards!

September 11, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

In Thanksgiving And Love!

September 4, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

The Cross of My Life!

August 28, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

The Virtue of Humility

August 21, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Presevere!

August 14, 2022

Pastor’s Message | Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

The Cost of Discipleship

August 7, 2022

A Note from the Pastor: Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Faith in Action

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

July 31, 2022

A Note from the Pastor: Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Riches: Blessings or Vanities?

“If the Lord has gifted you with riches, it is to do lots of good things for others in His name”

(Pope Francis Tweets, August 28, 2018)

The Eucharistic celebration- the highest form of prayer, is a special moment in which God speaks to us in different ways, namely, the songs, the prayers, and the readings. The word of God we experience through these encourages us in the good we do and challenges us to overcome our lives’ weaknesses. This change cannot happen if we do not have the disposition to be present and participate fully in the liturgy. This worthwhile disposition to the word of God helps us to “seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God…” as our second reading (Colossians 3:1 – 5, 9 –11) for this Sunday invites us.

In our first reading, the book of Ecclesiastes (1:2;2:21-23), one of the wisdom books, it admonishes us on the reality that nothing is permanent. It describes both our life successes and failures as vanities. The tone of this message can make one begin to think that all our toil and labor are in vain. But the main message here is to be constantly mindful of the temporality of everything before us. Similarly, the Parable of the rich fool in the Gospel (Luke 2:13 – 21) brings up the question of Jesus detesting riches and seeing them as mere vanity than a blessing. Is this true? No! Instead, Jesus wants to bring to our awareness the destructive dangers of riches, which do not undermine the blessings they bring.

Jesus wants us to reflect on two things about riches: How we acquire and use them. These two things determine if riches become a blessing or vanity. First, we must ask ourselves: What do we have, and how did we acquire them? Second, how do we use the riches we have acquired? Does our wealth make us arrogant and proud? Are we unduly attached to riches that we evaluate our lives by what? Are we wasteful and extravagant or self-centered and mean with our wealth? Do we remember that the more riches we have, the more opportunities to win God’s blessings with them? We pray that the good Lord will give us the wisdom to acquire and correctly use the riches he has given us so that they become for us sources of blessing. Amen.

We thank these parishioners who serve as members of the SFC Parish Pastoral Council: Sam Nickolas, Maile Figone, Ronda Clark, Linnea Sheehy, Doris Bebla, Lyle Adams, George Midwin, Lee Campbell, and Merry Kaelani. The Parish Pastoral Council is an advisory board to the Pastor. The Parish Pastoral Council advises the pastor on parish issues and directs parish’s long-term planning activities. Parish Pastoral Council collaborates with staff members, parishioners, other parish groups, committees, and ministries to carry out the Parish’s mission. Currently, the SFC parish council is leading the planning of our Ministry Fair coming up on August 21st after 9.30AM Mass, the Installation of the Pastor on Saturday, September 10th at 5.00PM Mass. Also, the council will be leading SFC participation in the Diocesan Synod starting this Fall, and the parish listening session that will also happen this Fall. We pray for God’s guidance on our council members as they undertake these responsibilities for the growth of SFC.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

July 24, 2022

A Note from the Pastor: Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Persistence and Perseverance in Prayer!

Two weeks ago, I was at Notre Dame University, Indiana, participating in a four-day conference organized by School Pastors Institute (SPI). We were about 89 school Pastors from 40 (arch) dioceses across the United States. The conference was very enlightening and enriching. After the conference, I drove to Chicago to visit one of the three National Shrines of St. Frances Cabrini in the United States. The couple of hours I spent at the Shrine was uplifting and inspiring. Of the many endearing virtues of Mother Cabrini, one that was outstanding was her persistence and perseverance in prayer. She believed strongly in the power of prayer and that no prayer goes unanswered; instead, God, in answering our prayers, either grants us our requests or gives us the disposition to accept his will.

Both our first reading (Genesis 18: 20-23) and the Gospel (Luke 11:1-13) this Sunday give us examples of people who prayed with persistence and perseverance. In the first reading, Abraham interceded on behalf of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, leaving us with an exemplary approach to prayer. Similarly, the disciples were edified by Jesus’ prayer life and asked him to teach them how to pray. Jesus taught them the Lord’s Prayer and told them a story to bolster the importance of praying with perseverance and persistence. He also reminded us that God, who loves us infinitely, knows the best for us and answers our prayers according to his best will.

God wants our prayer life to be ongoing and not only when we need something, thereby making him the only God of emergencies. He wants us to pray in season and out of season. Our Catholic traditions have blessed us with different forms (vocal, contemplative, and meditative prayer) and expressions (Adoration-praise, thanksgiving, forgiveness, petitions) of prayers. Of these forms and expressions of prayers, which ones are part of your life? Like the disciples, let us ask the good Lord to help us make prayer part of our daily life and pray with perseverance and persistence. Amen.

We thank these parishioners who serve as members of the SFC Building Committee: Domenic Onorato, Jim Vergara, Ray Figone, Dave Citrigno, Mike Livingston, Vince Coffaro, Leila Correa, Kristen Sinnott, Jeff Bowman, Sam Nickolas, Joe Piazza, and Maile Figone. The building committee has been working hard with the parish priests on our parish projects. The current projects we are working on include:

• Relocation of Adoration Chapel to the library (original baptismal room of the Church).
• Fencing and Gates: Replace existing electric gate on the Woodard side. Wrought iron fencing and gate across the rectory would complete the grounds’ closing. Also, replacing the existing damaged track and concrete for the electric gate of the Camden side.
• Repair water leak by saw cutting and replacing damaged pipes off Camden side.
• SFC Signage: Update sign with Current mass times by Camden side.
• Replacing all billboard signage off Camden side with electric marquee signage.
• Installation of new projectors and screens inside the Church.

We will keep you posted on the progress of these and other future endeavors. Please, pray for the successful completion of these projects.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

July 17, 2022

A Note from the Pastor: Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

Slow Down, Sit Down, and Listen!

The The Bible, Old Testament (OT) and New Testament (NT) have stories of people who were recognized and praised for taking the time to listen to different ways God spoke to them. Abraham, our father in faith, is one of the typical examples of these people in the OT. He not only listened to different ways God spoke to him, even when it was difficult to say yes, but he demonstrated that God’s voice influenced his actions. Our first reading today (Genesis 18:1- 20a) describes one of these endearing actions of Abraham through his hospitality to the Angels of God. His hospitality, in return, gained his blessings from God through the Angels, who assured him of a gift with a child through his wife, Sarah.

The Gospel story today (Luke 10:38-42) is the story of Jesus in the home of Martha and Mary, in which Jesus compliments Mary on her ability to slow down, sit down, and listen. The message of Jesus here was not to undermine the culture of his people, which primarily encourages a host to be hospitable to a guest but to emphasize the importance of us finding time to slow down and listen to the different ways he speaks to us. The worries and anxieties of life sometimes make it difficult for us to slow down and listen to the different ways God speaks to us. Equally, our quest to keep to date with the latest events, news, and happenings of life can be a significant obstacle in slowing down to listen to ourselves, the people in our lives, and other ways God speaks to us.

In the second reading (Colossians 1:24-28), St. Paul describes the choice God has made of all of us as his chosen ones and made known the riches of his glory to us. The riches of God’s glory are within and around us. God wants us to pay attention to them by listening. As you reflect on this invitation the readings of today gives us, think about different ways God is calling you to listen. Maybe he is calling you to slow down and listen to members of your family, friends, colleagues, and others in your life. It is said that silence is golden and an element in which great things fashion themselves. Our SFC community gives us the opportunity to slow down, sit down, and listen through our Eucharistic Adoration every Friday. I invite you to look at the schedule for this weekly Eucharistic Adoration in the weekly bulletin, posters on our doors, and our website and see if it is something you might have time to participate in.

We want to thank these parishioners who accepted to serve as members of our SFC Evangelization Committee: Lee Campbell, Cathy Campbell, Kelsey Ballard, Jim Revels, Garin Ballard, Merry Kaelani, and Oferia Pors. The goals of our SFC Evangelization Committee are to support the priests in exploring and implementing programs that will help parishioners to become fruitful missionary disciples of Christ by deepening their spiritual, devotional, prayerful, and Sacramental life. The Committee would also work collaboratively with other councils, groups, and committees of SFC to reach out and welcome back people to the Church, especially the inactive parishioners. Please, let us keep these brothers and sisters in our prayers. Amen.

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

July 10, 2022

A Note from the Pastor: Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)

“Everything the true Christian has is to be regarded as a good possessed in common with everyone else. All Christians should be ready and eager to come to the help of the needy…” A Christian is a steward of the Lord’s goods” (Catechism of Catholic Church, no. 952).

The Eucharist we celebrate is the sacrament of love. It offers us opportunities to reflect and experience the love of God. This great love is what God has shown to us through the gift of his only son, our Lord Jesus, who St. Paul describes in the 2nd reading as “the image of the invisible God…making peace by the blood of his cross….” This gift of love we share should turn us into gifts of love to others.

The readings of each Mass direct us in different ways. God is calling us to go and share this love. What God wants us to do is not something far-fetched but something within our reach. Our first reading puts it like this: “it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out.” Thus, the practical lessons from the parable of the Good Samaritan in today’s gospel are what God calls us to carry out. Just as Jesus told the scholar, “Go and do likewise,” he sends us out always to become the “good Samaritan” of our time.

God is calling us in different ways to become the best of gifts to others. Our compassion should always be followed by our actions, as the Samaritan did. As a parishioner of SFC, reflect on different ways God is calling you to share your gifts with our parish community. Maybe, reach out to parishioners you have not seen since after the Covid 19 lockdown and invite them back to the Church or ask questions on different ways you can serve the community. We pray that the good Lord will help us not pass by those who need our help but be truly good neighbors to another. Amen.

“In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did to me” (Matthew 25: 40). St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

July 3, 2022

A Note from the Pastor: Fr. James Okafor (Ed.D)
All Are Welcome!

When I arrived at St. Frances Cabrini, San Jose (SFC), last June 28th, 2021, and saw the banner hung by the side of the Church facing the rectory with these welcoming words, “Welcome ‘New’ Saint Frances Cabrini Staff! Pastor: Rev. Fr. Anthony Mancuso. Parochial Vicars: Rev. Fr. James Okafor & Rev. Fr. Vincent Dang. Principal: Mrs. Clark.”, I truly felt welcomed to the SFC community. Since our arrival, our day-to-day encounters with the staff and the parishioners have proven that SFC is a welcoming community. Fr. Tony, our former pastor, with his kindhearted gestures, built on this welcoming ambiance, and it has been an enriching experience being part of SFC this past year. Thank you, Fr. Tony!

I was appointed the administrator of SFC, effective March 1, 2022, and as pastor effective July 1, I have enjoyed my ministry here at SFC in different capacities, from a parochial vicar to an administrator and now as a pastor. As I begin the ministry as the 9th pastor of SFC with Fr. Vincent as my associate, we look forward with joy and great optimism to a fruitful and inspiring ministry. We want to express profound gratitude to all the clergies and parishioners, living and the deceased, who have used their gifts to serve SFC through the years. We are blessed to have a wonderful campus here at SFC, our beautiful Church, one of the biggest in the diocese, our SFC school community, which is the largest ministry of the parish, and other beautiful edifices on our campus.

Our vision is to build on what our predecessors have established by continuing to make SFC a community where All Are Welcome. We hope to promote and create parish ministries anchored on our SFC Mission Statement: Worship God: Love Others. Make Disciples. Educate the Young! We also hope to develop a culture of maintenance for our property to ensure that all our buildings are well maintained for posterity. Thank you for all your love and support for the past year. We look forward to serving and partnering with you for the continued growth of SFC. We believe through the intercession of our Patroness, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, who built her ministry on the faith-filled words of St. Paul, “I can do all things in him (Christ) who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13), as parishioners, we will be strengthened to use our gifts of time, talent, and treasure to continue to serve our SFC Community and to make SFC a place where ALL ARE WELCOME!

St. Frances Cabrini – Pray for us!

A brief bio:

I was born in the Eastern-Nigeria (Igbo Land) and was ordained a priest on August 17th, 2002. I came to the USA in 2007. I received my master’s degree in Catechetics from Santa Clara University and a Doctoral Degree in Catholic Education from the University of San Francisco. Before coming to St. Frances Cabrini, San Jose, in 2021, I served at these parishes: St. Francis of Assisi, San Jose; Five Wounds Church, San Jose; and St. Justin Church, Santa Clara, before becoming the Chaplain and a Religion teacher at Archbishop Mitty High School, San Jose, where I served for nine years . Also, I am an Adjunct Quarterly Lecturer on Catechetical and Intercultural Ministry Courses in the Graduate Program in Pastoral Ministries (GPPM) at Santa Clara University. I teach at the Institute for Lay Ministries (ILM) for the Diocese of San Jose. I also serve on Diocesan Priests’ Council and Diocesan Ongoing Formation for Clergy Committee. I serve as a Chaplain for the Nigerian Igbo Catholic Community of San Jose (NICCSJ) and the Catholics of African Descent, Diocese of San Jose (CADDSJ). To God be the Glory!