14 January 2026 - homily for Wednesday of the 1st week of Ordinary time - St Felix of Nola - 1 Samuel 3:1-10,19-20

Felix of Nola, who died around the year 260 AD, is the saint we celebrate today. He was a priest in Nola, Italy near the city of Naples. He sold off his possessions to give his resources to the poor, but was arrested and tortured for his Christian faith during the persecutions of the Roman emperor. He became well known through the writings of St Paulinus of Nola. We often do not know a lot about the martyrs of the early Church, but in a time when many Christians suffered persecution, their example of faith of how they gave up their lives for Christ spoke very profoundly to the Christians of that era. 

These past few days, we’ve been hearing the story of Samuel, of how his mother Hannah came to the Lord in her shame and in her agony of being barren, of his mother's promise of her son to serve the Lord for his entire life if God would give her the gift of a son. We now see Samuel as a boy in his service to the Lord as an apprentice to the priest Eli.  God calls out to Samuel twice in the silence of the night, but both Eli and Samuel are not able to recognize the presence of the Lord with them. On the third call, Samuel is able to answer to the Lord’s call, telling the Lord that he is his servant and that he is indeed listening. The Lord consecrates Samuel as his specially chosen prophet who is able to transmit the Lord’s word to the people. 

We receive God’s call in in different ways.  Sometimes we want to hear the word of the Lord in the same way Samuel heard it, calling out to us in the silence of the night. More often, we hear God’s word in the silence of our hearts. Yet, we can easily mistake God’s call for something else.  Through the people in our lives and through our experiences, God is calling us to his love and to his service. He is calling us to come close to him. 

14 January 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Wednesday of the 1st week in ordinary time

Lord Jesus - you are the beloved son of the father. 

Christ Jesus - you are a light shining in the world. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to faith.

Priest: As we journey through this first week in ordinary time, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father:

1. That we in the Church recognize the gifts of the Holy Spirit working within us. May we use those gifts to serve God and serve others. 

2. That all Christians may work together as the Body of Christ here on earth. 

3. That we may have a greater sense of gratitude on our journey of faith, recognizing God’s abundant mercy toward us. 

4. For a deepening of our relationship with God through prayer and our participation at Mass. 

5. That the nations of the world cooperate for better stewardship of the resources God has provided us. 

6. For all engaged couples and newly married couples. That they invite Jesus to be a part of their relationship. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts today. 

Priest: With hope and trust, we present these prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

13 January 2026 - homily for Tuesday of the 1st week in Ordinary time - St Hilary - 1 Samuel 1:9-20

We are now back to ordinary time after our journey through the Christmas season. We will start the season of Lent on February 18. Today, we celebrate the feast day of an important early Church Father and the Bishop of Poitiers in France in the 4th century, St Hilary. He was named as Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1851. A convert to Christianity as an adult, he was known to be very gracious and courteous. Hilary’s writings on the Trinity and on Christ’s divinity were important in the development of those doctrines in the Early Church. His voice was also very important in combating the Arian heresy that denied Christ’s divinity. At one point, Hilary was sent into exile for his beliefs. Here is a quote from St Hilary: “The chief service I owe you, O God, is that every thought and word of mine should speak of you.”

In yesterday’s 1st reading from 1 Samuel in the daily Mass, we heard of Hannah’s pain and shame of being barren, feeling abandoned by the Lord.  Hannah brings her sufferings to God at his sanctuary at Shiloh. She promises that if God gives her the gift of a son, she would dedicate that child to service to the Lord for his life, in contrast to the promises made by the males of the tribe of Levi, who serve the Lord from age 25 to age 50.  Her son would dedicate his service in the Lord’s sanctuary at Shiloh.  Hannah receives a blessing of peace from Eli, who prays that the God of Israel grant Hannah what she had asked of him in her prayers. Hannah is certainly a great example of faith and trust for us. 

13 January 2025 - prayers of the faithful for Tuesday of the 1st week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - You call us to be missionary in spirit. 

Christ Jesus - You bring us hope. 

Lord Jesus - You bring us the message of your Good News. 

Priest: With hope and faith, we now bring our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For Pope Leo XIV and all our Church leaders. May God help them lead the Church to greater service, love, and compassion. 

2. That all Christians may cooperate and collaborate together to proclaim the Gospel and to work for peace and justice.  

3. For peace in those places torn apart by war, especially in Ukraine and in the Holy Land. 

4. For our elected officials, that the Holy Spirit will guide them in addressing issues of violence, injustice, and poverty, and to work more diligently for those who are forgotten by society. 

5. For healing and forgiveness in our families and in our communities. 

6. For healing and wholeness for the sick and the afflicted. 

7. For the faithful departed, for their entry into eternal life. 

8. For those who have been affected by winter weather and natural disasters. For recovery. 

9. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our heart:

Priest: We humbly present these prayers through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.

3 January 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the first Saturday devotion of Our Lady of Fatima

Lord Jesus, you the Prince of Peace: Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you are the Son of God and Son of Mary: Christ, have mercy. 

Lord Jesus, you are Word of God made flesh: Lord, have mercy.

Prayers of the faithful:  

PRIEST:  God graciously blesses us in his love and mercy.  We now bring forward our needs to God with confidence:

1. That those who follow Christ may remain faithful throughout the challenging and difficult circumstances of life.

2. That God may grant wisdom to our governmental leaders in the decisions they have to make.

3. For peace in our communities that are torn apart by violence, terrorism, anger, or conflict.

4. That we may all be peacemakers who work for reconciliation, peace, and justice in our relationships.  

5. That our Mother Mary, Our Lady of Fatima, may be an example to all of us in her patience, compassion, and love. May Mary bless us in the new year of 2026. 

6. For all who have been affected by bad weather and natural disasters.  We pray for safety for all travelers. 

7. For the sick and the afflicted. For our dearly departed family members and loved ones, that perpetual light may shine on them.

8. For those prayers we hold in our hearts.  

PRIEST: Gracious God, you bless your people with peace and justice. As we commemorate our Mother Mary, Our Lady of Fatima, we ask that you accept our prayers and give us your help, through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. Amen.  

3 January 2026 - First Saturday Mass in honor of Lady of Fatima - homily for Saturday Christmas weekday Mass - feast of the most holy name of Jesus - psalm 98

Today, we start our commemoration of the first Saturday devotion of Our Lady of Fatima, which was conveyed to Lucia, one of the Fatima visionaries, on December 10, 1925 when she was a postulant sister at the Dorothean convent in Tuy, Spain, when the Blessed Mother appeared with the child Jesus. This message states that Lucia is to make known that Mary will assist us at the hour of death, with the graces necessary for salvation, all who on the First Saturday of five consecutive months confess their sins, receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary, and keep the Blessed Mother company for fifteen minutes meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, with the purpose of making reparation to her Immaculate Heart.

Jesus stated in an appearance to Lucia in May 29,1930 that five Saturdays were chosen because there are five kinds of offenses and blasphemies that are made against the Immaculate Heart of Mary, namely: (1) blasphemies against her Immaculate Conception, (2) against her perpetual virginity, (3) against the divine and spiritual maternity of Mary, (4) the rejection and dishonoring of her images, and (5) the neglect of implanting in the hearts of children a knowledge and love of the Immaculate Mother. We are very glad to be able to honor the five first Saturday devotion again this year. 

Our psalm states: “All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.” The power of God is reflected in the holy name of Jesus, the feast that we celebrate today, January 3. Reverence for the Holy Name of Jesus arose in the apostolic era. St Paul in his Letter to the Philippians wrote, “So that at Jesus’ name every knee must bend in the heavens, on the earth and under the earth, and every tongue proclaim to the glory of God the Father: Jesus Christ is Lord” (2:10-11). Just as a name gives identity to a person and reflects a person’s life, Jesus’ name reminds us of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done for us. This feast day in January for the Holy Name of Jesus dates back to the 15th century. In invoking Jesus’ name with reverence and faith, we are to turn to him with our hearts to implore his assistance: to invoke his help in spiritual trials, to help us resist temptation, and to receive God's grace and blessings in the midst of our journey of faith. 

11 January 2025 - prayers of the faithful for the feast of the baptism of the Lord - prison ministry

Priest - Penitential Rite:

Lord Jesus - you raise us to new life in the Holy Spirit.

Christ Jesus - you bring pardon and peace to the sinner. 

Lord Jesus - you are a light to those in darkness.

Prayers of the faithful:

PRIEST: Let us bring our prayers to God today, as he is full of majesty, power, and splendor, as we celebrate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord:

1. That through the waters of baptism and God’s holy word, Christ’s light may shine in the darkness of our lives. We pray to the Lord. 

2. That God’s love may enter our human animosity and complacency, bringing reconciliation to those who are divided and broken. We pray to the Lord. 

3. That God will encourage all peacemakers working in the world. May all of us work toward peace here at CMCF. We pray to the Lord. 

4. That those who are suffering in fear, anxiety, depression, and mental health issues may feel God’s healing love in their lives. We pray to the Lord. 

5. As Christ’s baptism is a sign of unity and salvation in the world, may the celebration of his baptism today inspire us to work toward Christian unity. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For healing for the sick and the afflicted, encouragement for the discouraged, and eternal life for the dying. We pray to the Lord. 

7. That the remembrance of our own baptismal promises inspire us to serve God and God’s people in different ways. We pray to the Lord. 

8. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. For those who have asked for our prayers. We pray to the Lord. 

PRIEST: O God, you rule the earth with justice. Help us all according to our needs. We make these prayers through your son, Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever and ever. AMEN.