Clergy Bulletin Articles

I’m continuing my scrutiny series examining the seven deadly sins: “PEWSAGL”, Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Avarice, Gluttony, and Lust. I covered the first two last week, will cover the next three today, and finish the last two next week. I’m using a definition for each from Michael Downey’s The New Dictionary of Catholic Spirituality, Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2000. I like these definitions and think they give a concise, good explanation of each sin well worth pondering. 

Wrath

These next three weeks of Lent are a great time to scrutinize ourselves and make a good confession. Therefore, I’m going to do a three-week series on the seven deadly sins. I like the word “scrutiny” for several reasons. The definition of the word (Webster) is “a searching study, inquiry, or inspection : examination”. How often and how well do we do this on ourselves—to look carefully at our own souls, our actions, our interior life to then ask God for forgiveness and grace to change?

First, thank you all so much for the prayers, well-wishes, and sympathy cards for my family. My father, Leo, died on February 11th, 2024, Our Lady of Lourdes (also Super Bowl Sunday). I had the funeral on Thursday, February 15th. My dad was 83 years old and had a good, faith-filled life. He suffered from a few different illnesses and had a good share of suffering these past years, but we were really blessed the last week as a family to all be able to be with my dad, and I really felt God’s grace in it all. So again, thank you for all the outreach and support.

In Lent, the question commonly asked is “so what did you give up?” Oftentimes we tend towards giving up ice cream, chocolate, or deserts all together. What many people do not realize is that the Church actually invites us to do 3 things during Lent: to pray, to fast, and to give alms. Many of us tend towards just the one: fasting.

The reason that the Church asks us to do all 3 things is because it tackles all the areas that we tend to make god’s of in our lives.

By April Bailey, Director of Faith Formation

This weekend we welcome Fr. Dan Morris, the vocation director for our Archdiocese, at our Masses at Prince of Peace. We have invited him to represent the Archbishop’s Call To Share (ACTS) annual appeal which helps support all our vocation efforts and in the formation of seminarians. Please be generous to the ACTS appeal. We have envelopes in the pews if you haven’t already given or received material at home.

Catholic Schools Week begins this Sunday! We love having a Catholic school here at POP. I am so very grateful to all our benefactors, parents, students, teachers, and staff who make it possible. Catholic Schools are a true blessing to our nation—see below some “snaps” that show the value of our schools. May God bless our school!

Peace,
Fr. Greg

Happy Epiphany!!! The Archbishop’s Call to Share (ACTS) kicks off this weekend. This is an annual appeal to fund many important ministries of the Archdiocese that we could not do alone as a single parish. It is the equivalent of our annual parish stewardship which funds our parish ministries, except this appeal funds Archdiocese-wide ministries which benefit us and many others (see examples below).