From the Pastor's Desk (12/14/25)

From the Pastor's Desk
12/14/25

Third Sunday of Advent: Joyful Waiting
In an astonishing scene from today’s Gospel (Mt 11:2-11), John the Baptist asks Jesus, “Are you really the one we’re waiting for?” That is so strange a question for John to ask that some commentators over the years have suggested that maybe John was really asking the question for the benefit of his followers. But there is nothing in Scripture to indicate that. John was genuinely puzzled. He had spoken so powerfully in his preaching, “There’s the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” And now, John was baffled. John probably expected Jesus to take away the sin of the world in one clean sweep, in one huge, fierce military battle. The message Jesus sends to John and to us is that the power of Christ’s coming is found not in the sound and fury of battle but in the changes within human hearts and lives. We see the power of Christ’s coming at Christmas most vividly not in the brightness of our lights, the glitter of our decorations, the sound of our choirs, the size of our trees or the number of our gifts. The power of Christ’s coming is shown in His entry into human lives to dwell there as a source of strength, faith and redemption. The real miracles of the Messiah occur every day within human hearts. The real power of Christmas is manifested on the inside rather than on the outside. The inner change that Jesus came to bring about in the human soul is the necessary condition for any abiding change in our world. Part of the deep joy of Advent and of Christmas comes from our knowledge that the Messiah came to bring life to the dead places in our heart, to help us recover spiritual vitality in our soul, to remove the desert of sin in our lives. The Messiah that John awaited did indeed come to do battle not with the Romans but with the power of sin; not on the plains of Palestine but in every human heart; not once but in every generation. May we use these remaining days of Advent to let the Messiah change our lives and hearts. Embrace the Gospel and live in His truth. Then you’ll know that the Messiah has indeed come to you! (Father S. Joseph Krempa) 

Reception of Holy Communion at Mary, Queen of Saints Parish
“A common bodily posture, to be observed by all those taking part, is a sign of the unity of the members of the Christian community gathered together for the Sacred Liturgy, for it expresses the intentions and spiritual attitude of the participants and also fosters them” (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 42).

When we leave the privacy of our homes and gather together for worship, we enter into a reality greater than ourselves; we become a visual sacrament of the Body of Christ. In the liturgical celebration of the Holy Mass, we are invited to open our eyes to a sacramental way of living, of seeing in visible things the invisible graces of God. This sentiment, expressed in the documents of the Second Vatican Council and reinforced in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), reminds us that we are embodied souls and that our worship and liturgy is, of necessity, incarnational. Our actions and gestures are signs of spiritual realities and there must be a cohesion and consistency between our hearts and bodies. 

This should be evident in every moment of our life, but it holds a particular sign-value during the distribution and reception of Holy Communion, that moment when we participate in the most sacred sign of unity. It is a moment of commitment, of confessing that we desire to become, as we have just prayed, “one body, one spirit in Christ” (Eucharistic Prayer III). The Holy Eucharist is handed over to the Church as a symbol and a reality of divine unity. It is not merely a communion between one person and God, but between God and the members of the entire Body of Christ. Our gesture and posture when receiving Holy Communion should reflect its communal nature. It should also express obedience and docility in unity with the Church to whom Christ has entrusted his Sacrament. 

The established practice of receiving Holy Communion as specified by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in all dioceses in our country and specified in the GIRM states: “The norm established for the Diocese of the United States of America is that Holy Communion is to be received standing, unless an individual member of the faithful wishes to receive Holy Communion while kneeling in presenting themselves for the reception of the Sacrament.” Therefore, in accord with these established norms, the faithful of the Diocese of Pittsburgh are to process toward the altar in a line and receive Holy Communion while standing. Kneeling is permitted, but in the Communion line, not at a Communion rail. The only exception to this established norm in our diocese is at Most Precious Blood of Jesus Parish (Brighton Heights, Pittsburgh) and on the first Friday and third Sunday of the month at the Latin Mass celebrated at St. Titus Church (Aliquippa).
 
Therefore, beginning January 1, 2026, the use of the Communion rail at Daily or Sunday Masses will not be permitted at Mary, Queen of Saints Parish, in Saint Titus and Saint John the Baptist Churches. Also, because there are no Communion rails at Our Lady of Fatima and Saint Frances Cabrini Churches, communicants are not permitted to “form” Communion rails by using the first pews in either of these churches.  Communicants are welcome to kneel for the reception of Holy Communion when approaching the Altar in the Communion line. This directive is in line with the liturgical norms and charisms of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

In closing,  please know that Bishop Mark Eckman, Ordinary of the Diocese, the Very Rev. Joseph McCaffrey, Episcopal Regional Vicar, and Ms. Erica Gamerro, Director of Diocesan Liturgy and Worship, have also been part of the discussion and development of this directive at Mary, Queen of Saints Parish and have given us their full support and approval of this liturgical update, effective, January 1. On behalf of our entire Clergy Team, I thank you in advance for your cooperation, understanding and adherence to this directive at our parish.