From the Pastor's Desk

From the Pastor's Desk
3/15/26

From Blindness to Sight
This Fourth Sunday of Lent brings us to the Gospel of John (9:1-41), and we read about two cures and one tragedy. First, there is the healing of the blind man’s eyes. Through Jesus’ touch, the man born blind is now able to see and that is just the beginning. Slowly, the man comes to recognize Jesus as a prophet and then finally as Lord. The man moves from sight to insight. That’s the second cure. The very opposite happens with the Pharisees. They were born with vision but refused to believe. They became spiritually blind. The cured man accepts Christ. The Pharisees reject him – that’s the tragedy. It’s like two trains speeding past each other in opposite directions. As quickly as he moves toward faith in Jesus as Lord and into his light, the Pharisees move just as fast into hostility toward the Lord and into darkness. As the man comes out of the dark tunnel, the Pharisees enter it. Both the Pharisees and the man cured looked at Jesus of Nazareth. They saw an opponent; he saw a Savior. In baptism, we were given the capacity to see the Christ-centered meaning of events in our life, that is called the gift of faith. We must care for and maintain that faith. Lent should help us to do just that. Let’s use this second half of Lent to deepen our gift of faith through prayer, to learn about it through study, to display it in our relationships with others, to strengthen it by gathering with our brothers and sisters on Sunday so that we can proclaim it at Easter and live it the rest of the year. (Father S. Joseph Krempa)
 
A Prayer for the Fourth Sunday of Lent
Father of peace, we are joyful in your Word, your Son, Jesus Christ, who reconciles us to you. Let us hasten toward Easter with the eagerness of faith and love in you. Amen.
 
Lenten Wednesday Evening Mass Guest Homilists
This week, we welcome Father Michael S. Sedor, Episcopal Vicar for Canonical Services, as our fourth Celebrant and Homilist of our Wednesday Evening Lenten Mass Series. Father Sedor will be preaching on Reconciliation and Conversion on Wednesday, March 18 at 6:30 PM at Our Lady of Fatima Church.
 
Receiving God’s Love and Healing
The season of Lent is all about conversion: changing our hearts and turning away from sin toward God. The Sacrament of Reconciliation celebrates God’s action in our lives, the reality of God’s forgiveness. It also celebrates what God hopes for us: to be a forgiving people. As we continue in this season of prayer, penance, and renewal, don’t forget that an additional hour of confessions continues to be offered on Mondays in Lent at 6:30 PM at St. Frances Cabrini Church. Also, our Parish Lenten Penance Service will be held on March 26 at 6:30 PM at Our Lady of Fatima Church. Four priests will be available to hear confessions. Prepare your heart for Easter by making a good confession.
 
Liturgical Ministry Opportunities at MQSP
We continue to seek additional parishioners to assist us in the following liturgical ministries: Sunday Mass Lector, Sunday Mass Altar Server (male & female/grade 4+), Funeral Mass Adult Server (male & female), and Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (at Mass and to the Homebound). If you feel called to one of these ministries, please contact me at [email protected]. May we remember that service to our parish community, especially in these very important liturgical ministries, is a necessary and vital part of being a disciple of Christ. Please consider serving your parish!
 
Saint Michael Hymnals
If you donated a Saint Michael Hymnal in memory of a loved one and would like to pick up your hymnal, please contact Judi in the Parish Office (742-775-6363). Please have the following information ready when calling: (A) the specific church in which your hymnal was placed and (B) the name of the loved one on the memorial plate. Once this information has been provided, your hymnal will be retrieved and brought to the Parish Office. It can be picked up Monday-Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM. 
 
Feast of Saint Joseph
I look forward to celebrating a special Mass in honor of Saint Joseph this Thursday, March 19, at 6:00 PM at St. Titus Church. This ancient feast was dedicated to Saint Joseph in the 10^th century and was formally placed on our liturgical calendar in 1479. I invite you to join us as we celebrate Saint Joseph as the Patron of the Universal Church.
 
Lent: Keep it Simple and Stay Faithful
It is tempting to view Lent as a time for ambitious personal reinvention, but its purpose is much deeper. Rather than overburdening ourselves with excessive resolutions, we should focus on a few meaningful sacrifices and spiritual disciplines. Lent is a lifelong journey; it reminds us of our weaknesses and our need for God’s grace. Above all, Lent is an invitation to love as Christ loved – to embrace self-denial, deepen our prayer and serve others in charity. As we journey to the foot of the Cross, may we be transformed, so that when we reach the empty tomb on Easter morning, we may share in the fullness of Christ’s victory.
 
Taking the DMI Survey
Have you taken the Disciple Maker Index Survey yet? You have until Palm Sunday, March 29, to complete this important survey. Details are in today’s bulletin. Take it today!!