From the Pastor's Desk

From the Pastor's Desk
1/18/26

This is God’s Chosen One
The Gospel (John 1:29-34) on this Second Sunday in Ordinary Time introduces Jesus with high drama, through a prologue that reminds us of a Greek chorus or an operatic overture. In the opening scene, John the Baptist commands the audience’s attention with his call to repentance. The scene is busy and bright, and dominated by the Baptizer. Enter Jesus. John recognizes him and drops everything to place Jesus at center stage. “This is the lamb of God,” he says. “He is the one foretold by the prophets, the one for whom I have prepared the way.” For the Baptizer and the evangelist, Jesus is the servant described in today’s first reading from Isaiah. The Baptizer offers this explanation of events: “I did not recognize him before, but now I do. The one who sent me has allowed me to recognize Jesus. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” With this emphasis on recognizing Jesus, the Baptizer and the evangelist introduce a motif that is very important in this account of the gospel. To recognize Jesus is to believe and to act upon that belief. To see Jesus is to believe and to live. With all of the gospel’s emphasis on seeing/recognition, the testimony of a reliable witness is crucial. We begin Ordinary Time with the assurance of a most reliable witness that Jesus is God’s Chosen One. The Baptizer is portrayed as a summary of the prophets, and yet his role is that of messenger. He sees the Lamb of God and invites us to recognize him.

Pondering Our Faith
1. How do you recognize Jesus? What conditions help you to see him in our world? 
2. What things sometimes prevent you from seeing Jesus?
3. John the Baptist helps disciples recognize Jesus as the Lamb of God. What can you do to bring others to Christ?

Event Cancelled
Please Note: this year’s previously scheduled St. Valentine’s Dinner in O’Connell Hall at SFC on Saturday, February 7, has been cancelled. We hope to have it return in 2027.
 
MQSP Winter Carnival
The annual Mary, Queen of Saints Winter Carnival is coming soon! Mark your calendars for the weekend of February 13-14-15 and plan to attend this enjoyable event at our St. John the Baptist Campus. There is something for everyone at this event: a dinner dance, raffle, Chinese Auction, games, delicious homemade food, and more! Please watch the bulletin over the next few weeks for additional information. 

A Lenten Season Preview
The Season of Lent begins one month from today on Ash Wednesday, February 18. Our parish theme for this year’s celebration of Lent is Return to the Lord. During these forty days of prayer and penance, we will have a number of special opportunities for you to experience: The Adult Faith Formation Series, The Search, on the Tuesday evenings of Lent; a weekly guest priest homilist at a Wednesday evening 6:30 PM Mass at OLF Church; Friday evening Stations of the Cross; a Saturday morning Lenten Retreat at our SJB Campus; a special St. Joseph Feast Day Mass and Dinner; a Parish Penance Service; the Christian Mothers Lenten Saturday Morning of Recollection; and more. Please watch the bulletin for more details and schedules related to the coming Lenten Season!
 
FORMED is Coming!
I am very happy to announce that Mary, Queen of Saints Parish will be offering a one-year subscription (free of charge) to FORMED to all registered parishioners, beginning Ash Wednesday, February 18. Designed the Augustine Institute, FORMED guides Catholics and those they evangelize to a fully Catholic life through faith-powered content. As a faithful authority and helpful guide, which draws people closer to Christ, the FORMED platform provides a captivating experience that is comprehensive, customizable, educational, and moves with you wherever you are in your faith journey. FORMED empowers and satisfies curiosity by forming Catholics for life. 
 
Currently, FORMED is used by 180 dioceses, 5,000 parishes, and 1.6 million individuals across the United States. It is a faith formation platform designed to support Catholics in their spiritual journey, offering a variety of content, including: Catholic movies, audio books, podcasts, and shows that enrich faith and build Catholic culture; daily reflections, award-winning studies, and parish programs that help individuals deepen their relationship with Christ; access to content from over 100 providers, making it a comprehensive resource for faith formation. FORMED is available through various devices, including browsers, mobile phones, and streaming services, allowing users to explore their faith anytime. Additional details regarding our parish subscription and how to sign-up (at no cost) will be forthcoming. 
 
Parish Pastoral Council Calling Forth Process Update
During this month of January, the Calling Forth Process for the new Parish Pastoral Council is taking place. Eleven of your brothers and sisters are currently going through the various steps leading to their possible appointment to this new advisory council. Informational sessions were held on January 6 and 13, in anticipation of the panel interviews required of every candidate who seek membership on the Parish Pastoral Council. Final appointments will be made and announced by the end of February. The new Parish Pastoral Council is set to be commissioned on March 1.

---

From the Pastor's Desk
1/11/26

This is My Beloved Son
With today’s Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, our Church season of Christmas comes to a close because the baby has become a man. Jesus’ baptism occurred about a quarter century after His birth and marked a new stage in His life as He leaves Nazareth and begins His public ministry. This Sunday is a chance to reflect not so much on Jesus’ baptism but on our own. For Jesus, John’s baptism signified a turning point as the Lord enters His public ministry to fulfill the words of Isaiah, to give sight and release to every generation since. For us, the sacrament of Baptism is more than a “rite of passage.” It makes us a new creation with a new identity. Do we see our Baptism as something that happened to us years ago as a baby and is now over, or do we see it as a lasting power, call and mission for our adult life? If, after Baptism, there is no further formation and growth in the faith, all the potential, promise and power of Baptism can be neglected and even lost. We can lose the power of Baptism as the key to holiness. When we enter a church and bless ourselves with holy water, we should be reminded of our identity, our Church, and our mission. That self-blessing with holy water should remind us that each of us has been touched and called by Christ personally in Baptism. That spiritual mark of Christ upon us in Baptism can either be a sign of what can happen in our life or what might have been. Our Baptism can be only history, a memory captured in pictures and evidenced by a certificate. It can also be a lifelong commitment that shapes our life now and tomorrow. In Baptism, Jesus gave us an identity, a mission and a destiny. Each time we come to Mass and each time we pray can be a time to embrace that identity, live that mission and take a step closer to that destiny. (Fr. S. Joseph Krempa)

Pondering Our Faith

1. Jesus hears the voice of the Father saying, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased. Do you believe God loves you in much the same way? Where do you struggle to recognize God’s love?
2. What does it look like for you to share in Jesus’ prophetic ministry, begun at his baptism?
3. Isaiah refers to God’s servant as someone who “shall bring forth justice to the nations” and “open the eyes of the blind” – a responsibility that falls to each of us by baptism. Where in your life can you more intentionally seek justice and restoration?

Special Thanks

• Thank you to everyone who worked so very hard to prepare and decorate our churches for the Christmas season. We are blessed to have you. Thank you for sharing your time and talents with our faith community.
• Thank you to all of our Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Altar Servers, Ushers, Musicians, Cantors, and Choir Members for your dedication and service during the Christmas Season. Your preparation, hard work, and attention to detail is greatly appreciated.
• Thank you to our parishioners who shared special Christmas treats, cookies, and goodies with the MQSP Clergy Team. We are most grateful for your thoughtfulness and kindness.
• Thank you to everyone who donated to our 2025 Christmas Flower Fund. Because of your generosity, we were able to provide many beautiful poinsettias for each of our church sanctuaries.
• Thank the following parishioners for taking time out of their Christmas season schedules to assemble our Epiphany Home Blessing Kits: Jacqueline D’Alessandris, Cathy Ebel, Lynn Fusco, Ann Kirstein, Loretta Martella, Elena Orsen, and Helen Pajak. 
• Thanks to our Parish Pastoral Staff for their hard work, especially in the weeks leading up to the Christmas season. I am very thankful for their dedicated work behind-the-scenes in preparing the parish for this busy season. 
• Finally, thank you to all of our faithful and generous parishioners for their continued dedication and support of Mary, Queen of Saints Parish, not only during the Christmas season, but throughout the entire year. 

Looking Ahead
As we look ahead to the next few months of this new year, please be sure to mark you calendar with these important parish events and sacramental celebrations:
 

• MQSP Winter Carnival (SJB Pastoral Center): Friday, February 13 – Sunday, February 15
• Ash Wednesday: Wednesday, February 18
• First Reconciliation: Saturday, March 14
• Feast of St. Joseph Mass & Dinner (ST Church/Titan Hall): Thursday, March 19
• The Resurrection of the Lord: Sunday, April 5
• Sacrament of Confirmation: Tuesday, April 14
• First Holy Communion: Saturday, May 2