Today I am in Paris, having just visited the Cathedral of Saint-Denis just north of Paris. In that Cathedral is located the French Royal Necropolis. Surrounded by over 140 tombs of French Nobility, 40 of which are Kings, including King St. Louis IX, with their grand but sober funerary monuments, the immense temporal power that was wielded by those now laid to rest is evident, but even in death they seem to recognize that their power was finite and ultimately subservient to that of Christ’s, as on many monuments is incorporated effigies in prayerful posture often on their knees in the direction of an altar.

Dear Friends,

Our parish, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, is on a continuous journey to know, to love, and to serve Christ in our community, so that we get everyone who walks through our doors to heaven. In order to achieve this, together we must embrace Christ’s vision for our missionary discipleship so that our parish can thrive and be a place for others to grow together in faith.

Continuing the church’s practice of contemplating death and praying for the dead, especially in November, I now invite us to contemplate how hope is present, even in death, with our Holy Father from his homily given on All Souls’ Day.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ through Mary,

Among St. Vincent de Paul's famous statements, I picked the following:

1. "Go to the poor: you will find God,"
2. "The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility,"
3. "We must love our neighbor as being made in the image of God."
4. "Humility is nothing but truth, and pride is nothing but lying". And,
5. "It is not enough to give bread. Love must be your calling."

As Catholics, it’s crucial that we understand not only the Catholic Church’s practices but also the reasons behind them, particularly in our funeral rites. Like all liturgical rites, funerals serve a specific purpose within the life of the Church. Catholic funeral rites consist of three liturgies, each with a distinct role in ministering to the bereaved and commemorating the deceased.

Dear friends,

This weekend, we at Our Lady of Mount Carmel are blessed to welcome the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (SHS), who are here to share their powerful story of faith, service, and urgent need. We have a profound opportunity to embody the love of Christ by generously supporting these courageous Missionary Sisters.

The Eucharist is truly a gift to us. In fact, it’s a continuation of Christ’s total gift of self that began with his incarnation, came to its culmination on the cross where he died for us, and continues to be present to us under the appearance of simple bread and wine. Because the Eucharist is such a precious gift to us, it must be treated with respect.