23 October 2026 - Prayers of the faithful for Friday of the 29th week in Ordinary Time ACTS RETREAT

Lord Jesus - you call us to be your disciples. 

Christ Jesus - you are our source and our strength. 

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

Priest: Let us unite our prayers with the prayers of all believers today as we present our petitions to God: 

1. For all Church leaders, especially Pope Leo XIV and Bishop Joseph Kopacz. May they lead the Church in unity and courage. We pray to the Lord. 

2. For all of our governmental leaders. May the Lord lead them and guide them in the difficult decisions they have to make. We pray to the Lord. 

3. For all missionaries serving the Church throughout the world. For a missionary spirit in all of us. For greater understanding and dialogue amongst the religions of the world. We pray to the Lord. 

4. For our children, our youth, and our families. For a strengthening of their faith and a greater effort in the way we reach out to our families. We pray to the Lord. 

5. For those who are struggling through life. For those who are recovering from natural disasters. For those struggling with addictions, depression, and mental health issues. For healing and help for those who need it. We pray to the Lord. 

6. May the Lord bless all of us on the ACTS retreat this week. May be open to the Holy Spirit working within us. We pray to the Lord.  

7. For the spirit of Respect life month to last throughout the year. That all of us may have a greater respect for life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. We pray to the Lord. 

8. For the sick and the afflicted. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. We pray to the Lord. 

9. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today. May we unite our prayers with the prayers of Mary and the community of saints. We pray to the Lord.

Priest: Heavenly Father, with faith and hope, we present these prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever and ever.  AMEN.

22 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Thursday of the 29th week in Ordinary Time ACTS RETREAT

Lord Jesus - you proclaim the goodness of God’s kingdom. 

Christ Jesus - you lead us to the mysteries of God. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to a life of discipleship. 

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

1. For a fuller life in the Holy Spirit. That God will free us and lead us to a greater fullness in our faith. We pray to the Lord. 

2. For those who are grieving and afflicted. May God give them hope and the opportunity to heal. We pray to the Lord. 

3. For our team members and retreatants on our ACTS retreat this week. May they be open to the Holy Spirit moving within them. We pray to the Lord. 

4. For all who are in formation to become Catholic. That they will take God’s Word to heart and grow in knowledge and intimacy with God. We pray the Lord. 

5. For farmers and gardeners. For all who work the fields and bring food to our tables. That God will protect them and grant them a bountiful harvest, allowing them to be fruitful in their labors. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For a greater respect for human life in our words and our actions during Respect Life Month. We pray to the Lord.

7. That we may unite all the prayers we hold in our hearts with the prayers of our Mother Mary and all the saints. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: With a sense of thanksgiving and gratitude, we present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

24 October 2026 - homily for the Saturday of the 29th week in Ordinary time ACTS RETREAT - Ephesians 4:7-16

St Anthony Mary Claret was born in 1807 in the Catalonia region of Spain. We celebrate his feast day today. After spending five years as a priest giving retreats and missions in Spain, he founded a religious order named the Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1849, commonly known as the Claretians. That same year, he was named as Bishop of Santiago in Cuba. Arriving in Cuba as the Bishop, he found his Diocese to be in very bad spiritual condition, so he initiated reform measures, including the establishment of a teaching order of sisters in the Diocese. In 1857, he was named as chaplain to Queen Isabella II of Spain, so he returned to his home country. As Queen Isabella’s advisor, he helped revive the Catalonian language and spread the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Blessed Sacrament. After a revolution in Spain in 1868, he died in exile with Queen Isabella in 1870. His missionary spirit lives on in the ministry of the Claretians, which number more than 3,000 priests and brothers and who serve in more than 70 countries throughout the world. 

In our readings at Mass for the last several weeks, we having been hearing from St Paul’s letters to the Ephesians and to the Galatians. In our reading from Ephesians today, St Paul speaks about God’s grace, about how God’s grace to each person individually. Paul speaks about how there was diversity in how Christ appointed his followers to different roles, as some were apostles or prophets, while others were evangelists, pastors, and teachers. They did not do ministry individually, but rather worked as a team in the work of service to God and his people. Paul speaks about how these individuals work together for the growth of the Body of Christ and build that body up in God’s love. We see in our ACTS retreat this weekend a great diversity in our service as individuals, but all of us working together in the common goal of this ministry. We met for several months working together to plan this retreat and bonding together as a team. 

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, grace is the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become his children. Through the working of grace in our lives, God invites us to a life of holiness and to eternal life with him. Through baptism, we participate in the grace of Christ and in a life of disciples. 

God’s grace is at work in a powerful way here at our retreat this weekend. We are hearing about God’s grace at work in our lives in different ways as people share their stories with us in the presentations and in our conversations. God’s graces has helped us meet the challenges and struggles we have met in life. God’s grace will help us to heal when we need healing in our lives. May the Lord continue to open our hearts and our minds to the presence of God’s grace in our lives and in the way God has been present to us in our journey of faith. 

Prayers of the faithful for the Catholic sacrament of Holy Matrimony - Marriage convalidation

Priest: We now call upon the mercy of God the almighty Father. 

His plan of salvation is reflected in the love and fidelity of Emily and Austin, the their marriage that they are having blessed in the church today: 

1. Renew the fidelity of your servants Emily and Austin. Holy Father, as they bless their marriage today in the presence of their family and friends. We pray to the Lord. 

2. Holy Father, who with the Son and the Holy Spirit enjoy from eternity the perfect oneness of life and communion of love, grant that Emily and Austin may always remember and faithfully keep the covenant of love they make in this Sacrament. We pray to the Lord. 

3. Holy Father, watch over Emily and Austin and their family in both the joys and challenges of life. We pray to the Lord. 

4. Holy Father, you will that the partnership of Marriage should be an example of Christian living, grant that Emily and Austin and all married couples may be witnesses in the world to the mystery of your Son’s love. We pray to the Lord. 

5. We have family members and loved ones who are going through health challenges and illnesses. We pray for them in the name of Christ the healer and the great physician. We pray for healing in body, mind, and spirit. We pray to the Lord. 

6. We pray that the Lord bless all the children and youth of our community and accompany them on their journey of faith. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: O God, in whose plan, family life has its firm foundation. Please hear with compassion the prayers of your servants and grant that, following the example of the Holy Family, they may praise you without end in the joy of your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. ± Amen.

23 October 2026 - St John of Capistrano - homily for Friday of the 29th week in Ordinary Time ACTS RETREAT - Ephesians 4:1-6

Today is the feast day of St John of Capistrano. We probably are familiar with him by his Spanish name, as mission San Juan Capistrano in Orange County, California was named after him by the Franciscan missionaries who brought God’s word to the native people of California. The Spanish missionaries usually named missions and areas after the saint on the date of the feast day on which they arrived in that location. St John of Capistrano was born in 1386 in the kingdom of Naples in Italy.  He was imprisoned during a war with a neighboring town. He entered the Franciscan community as a friar in Perugia after his release. After being ordained to the priesthood, he brought his gifts of preaching to countries all over Europe – throughout  Italy, Germany, Bohemia, Austria, Hungary, Poland, and Russia.  Through his preaching, John of Capistrano tried to unify the Christians throughout the European realm. He also wrote religious tracts against different heresies of that era. He died in 1456 at the age of 70. 

We have been hearing from St Paul’s letters to the Galatians and the Ephesians these past several weeks.  Today, in his letter to the Ephesians, St Paul writes how he is a prisoner of the Lord. He is writing this while he is actually imprisoned in Rome. Writing this message behind bars, it gives weight to his message to the Ephesians to be worthy of the calling to live a Christian life that they received through their baptism. He exhorts them to be patient, gentle, and humble. We can imagine St Paul praying that he himself would be follow those same virtues in his challenging life circumstances. He calls the Ephesians to live in unity as one Body and one Spirit, of which those virtues would help to achieve these goals. We can think of the ways our faith and God’s love can set us from free from all that keeps us down. 

We welcome all of you to this first Mass of our ACTS retreat. The Mass and the Eucharist are central to our Catholic faith and to our relationship with Christ, so Mass has a very important role in our ACTS retreat. As we hear St Paul tell the Ephesians to be patient and humble, as we start this ACTS retreat, it is important to be patient and humble and open to how God is speaking to us through this retreat. It is always good to enter a retreat time with openness to how God is going to speak to us through this retreat, that it may be in a way that might surprise us. God will certainly speak to us in this retreat in the midst of the reality of our lives, through the talks and devotions and conversations and prayers and experiences we will have in this retreat. May our hearts and our minds be open. May we not have expectations as to what this retreat is going to be. The team and I look forward to journeying with all of you this weekend.  

22 October 2026 - St John Paul II - homily for Thursday of the 29th week in Ordinary time - ACTS RETREAT MASS FOR TEAM MEMBERS - Ephesians 4:1-6

When we consider that Pope John Paul II served as Pope from 1978 to 20025, one of the longest pontificates in the history of the Church, we can think of the influence he has had on the Church and the Catholic faithful. He made a profound impact on the Church and on the world. And his contributions as pope continue to have an impact on the Church and the world today. 

One of the first popes who was not from Italy for many centuries, he made an impact on the world in helping to bring an end to communism in his native country of Poland and in many other countries in Europe. 

In the life of the Church, he promulgated a new Catechism, providing a new authoritative summary of Catholic doctrine for the Catholic faithful. He also oversaw the reform of Canon Law. He issued many influential documents during his papacy, including 14 encyclicals and 15 apostolic exhortations. He also wrote the influential theology of the body, which addressed the topic of human love, sexuality, and the dignity of the human body. He advocacy for the pro-life movement also made a big impact in the United States and in other countries in the world. 

In the realm of spirituality, he popularized the spirituality of St Therese, whom he named a doctor of the Church. He also popularized his personal devotions to the Divine Mercy and Our Lady of Fatima. He beatified and canonized numerous saints, more than many of his predecessors combined. He also established World Youth Day in 1985. His travels to many countries helped revitalize the Catholic faith throughout the world. 

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes how he is a prisoner of the Lord.  Paul indeed was imprisoned in Rome at the time that he wrote this letter. Even though he was behind bars, he was able to exhort the Ephesians to be patient, gentle, and humble. I tell the prisoners whom I visit and minister to in the state prison here in Central Mississippi that there are far worst prisons that can confine them in their lives than the bars that they are behind right now at the state prison. We can be imprisoned by different forms of addiction. We can be imprisoned by false expectations and a false sense of values, by clinging the to values of the secular world and our worldly appetites that never seem to be satisfied. We can be imprisoned by our past, by not being able to let go and forgive. St Paul calls us to the one Body, the one Spirit, the one faith. Through our faith and through our membership in the Body of Christ, we can break free from all that imprisons us. 

As we celebrate Mass today right before the beginning of our ACTS retreat, I am thankful for all the hard word and dedication of you ladies in starting the ACTS retreat here in Central Mississippi. I know that a lot of you have made a lot of sacrifices in our busy daily lives in order to commit to ACTS. For years, the men and women of Vicksburg who had gone on the ACTS retreat had approached the Diocese and had approached their parish priests and there was no answer and no support as to beginning the ACTS program. We tried to get it started in the Jackson area, and then the pandemic hit, derailing those plans. Thankfully, through prayers and hard work and perseverance, that dream of starting the ACTS retreat in Central Mississippi is now a reality. I am thankful for the women of the Diocese of Alexandria and of the Diocese of Jackson who have made all of this possible. We unite our prayers with the prayers of Pope John Paul II and St Paul, two great evangelizers, as we start our ACTS retreat today. 

THE ANGELUS PRAYER - traditional Catholic prayer

The leader reads what is in regular text. 

The others read who is in bold text. 

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: 
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.


Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 



Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen. 

Description and history of the Angelus prayer

The Angelus prayer dates back to the monasteries where the monks prayed the hail Mary in the evening with the ringing of the bells back in the 11th century.  It evolved into the Angelus prayer we know today back in the 16th century. 

The Angelus prayer recalls the visit of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary to announce Jesus’ upcoming birth. We pray the Angelus at a set time, pausing our busy days and remembering the incarnation, when Jesus became man and dwelt amongst us here on earth. 

Traditionally, communities have prayed the Angelus at 6:00 am, noon, or 6:00 pm. This short devotional prayers sanctifies the hours of our day and focuses us toward Christ. Pausing at a certain time each day for this prayer breaks the the noise of daily life and brings prayer in the middle of our work or rest. 

Through this prayer we join the global community of Catholics around the world, uniting us with believers in a shared rhythm of faith. 

Teresa of Avila - readings for Memorial Mass - 15 October 2026

Teresa of Avila - readings for Memorial Mass - 15 October 2026 

For the Mass at St Joseph Catholic School, Madison, Mississippi 

Reading 1- Romans 8:22-27

Brothers and sisters: We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.

In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the holy ones
according to God's will.

Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11

R.    (10)  The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
R.    (John 6:63)  Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.


The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.


R.     The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The command of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eye.


R.    The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; The ordinances of the LORD are true, all of them just.


R.    The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

They are more precious than gold, than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup or honey from the comb.


R.    The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.


Alleluia - John 15:9b, 5b

R.    Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain in my love, says the Lord; whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit.
R.    Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel - John 15:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.


I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."

15 October 2026 - St Teresa of Avila - homily for Thursday of the 28th week in Ordinary Time - John 15:1-8

Teresa of Avila was born in 1515, more than 500 years ago. She entered the Carmelite monastery at the age of 20 against the wishes of her Father. She experienced great physical and spiritual challenges in her first years as a nun. During the first 20 years in the monastery, she lived a very conflicted life. She followed her religious duties as a nun, yet was still very attached to worldly comforts and social status. One day during Lent in the year 1554, she entered the chapel and saw the statue of the wounded Christ. Overwhelmed with feelings of Christ’s love for her, she fell to the floor in tears and surrender to him. This event changed her life dramatically. 

Teresa realized that she and the other nuns needed to return to a life of simplicity and humility, to get back to the roots of the hermits who lived on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land in the 12th century, the beginnings of the Carmelite order. The Carmelite monk St John of the cross joined Teresa’s efforts of reform and renewal of the Carmelite order; this led the establishment of a new religious order named the discalced or barefoot Carmelites. Teresa of Avila is the author of two important books on Catholic spirituality: The Way of Perfection and the Interior Castle. She died in the year 1582 at the age of 67. 

Right now, around 16,000 monks and nuns are members of the Discalced Carmelites living in monasteries around the world. Teresa was named as the first female doctor of the Church in 1970 by Pope Paul VI, alongside St Catherine of Siena. I have visited the city of Avila several times on pilgrimage. The city of Avila has one of the best preserved medieval walls surrounding a city in all of Europe. Teresa’s presence is still very much felt in this city many centuries after her death. As a member of the secular Carmelites myself here in the Diocese of Jackson, I very much experience Teresa of Avila and her spirituality as a part of my priesthood. 

St Teresa of Avila is a great Church reformer, theologian, spiritual leader, and mystic. One of the things I take away from the life of St Teresa of Avila and her spirituality is how prayer is not to be a rigid chore that we do or to be focused on the words, put prayers is to be seen as a conversation between close friends, as a part of our friendship with God and our friendship with Jesus. 

One of the things I take away from the life of St Teresa of Avila and her spirituality is how prayer is not to be a rigid chore that we do or to be focused on the words, put prayers is to be seen as a conversation between close friends, as a part of our friendship with God and our friendship with Jesus.

In our Gospel today, we here about the parable of the vines and the branches. It is so important that we feel connected to Jesus and maintain a personal relationship with him. Through Jesus we are connected to the Father and connected to our brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ. As we pray together and worship together as a school community, we come together today to offer mass for Luke Anglin, whose is connected to different members of our St Joseph community. We unite our prayers with the prayers of our Mother Mary, with St Joseph, our school’s patron, St Teresa of Avila and all the members of the community of saints. 

I am reminded of a wonderful prayer written by St Teresa of Avila that talks about how in our works and our actions and our presence, we can be the presence of Christ in the world: 

Christ has no body but yours, 
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks 
compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
 yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
 Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
 Yours are the eyes, you are his body.

25 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A - prison ministry

Lord Jesus - you are our strength.

Christ Jesus - you bring us the joy of our faith. 

Lord Jesus - you are a model for all believers. 

Priest: We now turn to our heavenly Father in humility and faith. In our prayers, we lift up our needs, the need of the Church, and the needs of the world. Our merciful Lord indeed hears the cry of the poor:

1. For our Holy Father Leo XIV, Bishop Kopacz, and all our clergy and Church leaders. May they approach their ministry with the humility and contrite hearts, leading us all in truth and mercy. We pray to the Lord. 

2. For the leaders of the nations of the world and of communities here in the United States. May listen closely to the cries of the poor, the marginalized, the stranger, and the vulnerable. We pray to the Lord. 

3. For the oppressed and those who suffer. For those who seek justice, peace, or physical healing in their lives. May they experience the comforting and uplifting hand of Christ in their time of need. We pray to the Lord. 
4. May all of us Catholics recognize our spiritual poverty before God. May we treat one another with deep compassion and empathy. We pray to the Lord. 

5. That unborn children may be safely welcomed into the world and protected by our laws and our hearts. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For an end to the death penalty in our country. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For missionaries serving in remote and difficult areas throughout the world. May their service be rooted in the love of Christ, may they be protected from harm, and may they be sustained by the Holy Spirit. May we serve our fellow brothers as missionaries here at CMCF. We pray to the Lord. 

8. We pray the upcoming Kolbe Catholic prison ministry retreat that we will have here at CMCF in January. We pray for the men who will be leading the team in that retreat. We pray to the Lord. 

9. 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: Heavenly Father, receive the prayers of your humble people. May our words and actions spring from a sincere heart. Grant us your mercy. We make these prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Bulletin Reflection - 25 October 2025

We are winding up the month of October this upcoming week. The big feast day we have this upcoming week celebrates St Simon and St Jude. I not only think of St Jude as associated with the famous children’s hospital in Memphis, but many people can relate to St Jude as the patron saint of seemingly impossible causes. The Catholic faithful have a special love for the tender heart of St Jude, who will pray with us and present our prayers to the heavenly Father. When we feel lost or when we feel overwhelmed with things, St Jude will be there for us. With great joy this weekend, we celebrate our first women’s ACTS retreat in the Jackson metro area. We are very excited to have these women end their retreat with the 10:30 am Mass at Holy Savior this Sunday. Have a blessed week everyone. Father Lincoln. 

25 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A - 10:30 am Mass Holy Savior

Introduction: We welcome everyone today at Mass at Holy Savior. We especially want to welcome our visitors today and all of the women who attended the ACTS retreat this weekend at Our Lady of Hope retreat center. It is a blessing to be able to celebrate our ACTS retreat here at Holy Savior at Mass this morning. May the Lord open our hearts and minds to the way he is present to us in word and in sacrament at Mass this morning. 

Lord Jesus - you are our strength.

Christ Jesus - you bring us the joy of our faith. 

Lord Jesus - you are a model for all believers. 

Priest: We now turn to our heavenly Father in humility and faith, lifting up our needs, the need of the Church, and the needs of the world. Our merciful Lord indeed hears the cries of the poor. 

1. For our Holy Father Leo XIV, Bishop Kopacz, and all our clergy and Church leaders. May they approach their ministry with the humility and contrite hearts, leading us all in truth and mercy. We pray to the Lord. 

2. For the leaders of the nations of the world and of communities here in the United States. May listen closely to the cries of the poor, the marginalized, the stranger, and the vulnerable. We pray to the Lord. 

3. For the oppressed and those who suffer. For those who seek justice, peace, or physical healing in their lives. May they experience the comforting and uplifting hand of Christ in their time of need. We pray to the Lord. 
4. May all of us Catholics recognize our spiritual poverty before God. May we treat one another with deep compassion and empathy. We pray to the Lord. 

5. That unborn children may be safely welcomed into the world and protected by our laws and our hearts. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For missionaries serving in remote and difficult areas throughout the world. May their service be rooted in the love of Christ, may they be protected from harm, and may they be sustained by the Holy Spirit. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For all the women who attended the ACTS retreat this weekend. For their families and loved ones. May the Holy Spirit who was alive in their hearts during this ACTS retreat weekend continue the spirit of the retreat in their everyday lives. 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: Heavenly Father, receive the prayers of your humble people. May our words and actions spring from a sincere heart. Grant us your mercy. We make these prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our friends in Canada

 

23 October 2026 - Prayers of the faithful for Friday of the 29th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you call us to be your disciples. 

Christ Jesus - you are our source and our strength. 

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

Priest: Let us unite our prayers with the prayers of all believers today as we present our petitions to God: 

1. For all Church leaders, especially Pope Leo XIV and Bishop Joseph Kopacz. May they lead the Church in unity and courage. 

2. For all of our governmental leaders. May the Lord lead them and guide them in the difficult decisions they have to make. 

3. For all missionaries serving the Church throughout the world. For a missionary spirit in all of us. For greater understanding and dialogue amongst the religions of the world. 

4. For our children, our youth, and our families. For a strengthening of their faith and a greater effort in the way we reach out to our families.  

5. For those who are struggling through life. For those who are recovering from natural disasters. For those struggling with addictions, depression, and mental health issues. For healing and help for those who need it. 

6. For our parish. For all who serve here in the ministries here. For continued blessings for our parish.  

7. For the spirit of Respect life month to last throughout the year. That all of us may have a greater respect for life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death.  

8. For the sick and the afflicted. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. 

9. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today. 

Priest: Heavenly Father, with faith and hope, we present these prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever and ever.  AMEN.

23 October 2026 - St John of Capistrano - homily for Friday of the 28th week in Ordinary Time - Ephesians 4:1-6

Today is the feast day of St John of Capistrano. We probably are familiar with him by his Spanish name, as mission San Juan Capistrano in Orange County, California was named after him by the Franciscan missionaries who brought God’s word to the native people of California. The Spanish missionaries usually named missions and areas after the saint of the name in which they arrived in that location. St John of Capistrano was born in 1386 in the kingdom of Naples in Italy.  He was imprisoned during a war with a neighboring town. He entered the Franciscan community in Perugia after his release. After being ordained to the priesthood, he brought his gifts of preaching to countries all over Europe – throughout  Italy, Germany, Bohemia, Austria, Hungary, Poland, and Russia.  Through his preaching, John of Capistrano tried to unify the Christians throughout the European realm. He also wrote religious tracts against different heresies. He died in 1456 at the age of 70. 

We have been hearing from St Paul’s letters to the Galatians and the Ephesians these past several weeks.  Today, in his letter to the Ephesians, St Paul writes how he is a prisoner of the Lord as he write from his imprisonment in Rome. Writing this message behind bars, it gives weight to his message to the Ephesians to be worthy of the calling to live a Christian life that they received through their baptism. He exhorts them to be patient, gentle, and humble. He was also probably praying that he himself would be follow those same virtues in his challenging life circumstances. He calls them to live in unity as one Body and one Spirit, of which those virtues would help to achieve. We can think of the ways our faith and God’s love can set us from free from all that keeps us down. 

 

22 October 2026 - St John Paul II - homily for Thursday of the 29th week in Ordinary time - Ephesians 4:1-6

When we consider that Pope John Paul II served as Pope from 1978 to 20025, one of the longest pontificates in the history of the Church, we can think of the influence he has had on the Church. He made a profound impact on the Church and on the world. And his contributions as pope continue to have an impact on the Church and the world today. 

One of the first popes who was not from Italy for many centuries, he made an impact on the world in helping to bring an end to communism in his native country of Poland and in many other countries in Europe. 

In the life of the Church, he promulgated a new Catechism, providing a new authoritative summary of Catholic doctrine for the Catholic faithful. He also oversaw the reform of Canon Law. He issued many influential documents during his papacy, including 14 encyclicals and 15 apostolic exhortations. He also wrote the influential theology of the body, which addressed the topic of human love, sexuality, and the dignity of the human body. He advocacy for the pro-life movement also made a big impact in the United States and in other countries in the world. 

In the realm of spirituality, he popularized the spirituality of St Therese, whom he named a doctor of the Church. He also popularized his personal devotions to the Divine Mercy and Our Lady of Fatima. He beatified and canonized numerous saints, more than many of his predecessors combined. He also established World Youth Day in 1985. His travels to many countries help revitalize the Catholic faith throughout the world. 

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes how he is a prisoner of the Lord.  Paul indeed was imprisoned in Rome at the time that he wrote this letter. Even though he was behind bars, he was able to exhort the Ephesians to be patient, gentle, and humble. I tell the prisoners whom I visit and minister to in the state prison in Pearl that there are far worst prisons that can confine them in their lives than the bars that they are behind right now at the state prison. We can be imprisoned by the addictions we have, and those addictions can take many different forms. In fact, many of the prisoners I visit admit to me that they still struggle with their addictions while in prison, with so many drugs readily available. We can be imprisoned by false expectations and a false sense of values, imprisoned by clinging the to values of the world and our worldly appetites that never seem to be satisfied. St Paul calls us to the one Body, the one Spirit, the one faith. That is where we are called to be. 

21 October 2026 - St Hilarion - homily for Wednesday of the 29th week in Ordinary Time - Ephesians 3:2-12

We have been hearing from St Paul’s letters to the Galatians and the Ephesians at daily Mass these last several weeks. In today’s reading from his letter to the Ephesians, St Paul talks about God’s grace at work in our lives and God’s universal plan of salvation. St Paul sees his accomplishments as a missionary not as personal achievements, but rather as God’s grace working within him, allow him to serve God and God’s people. St Paul was called specifically as the evangelizer of the Gentiles, not something everyone in the early Church agreed with, as some saw salvation still be offered to just the Jews. But according to St Paul, it does not matter whether we are Gentile or Jew, God offers salvation to all. With God’s grace, we can draw ever closer to the Lord on our journey.

It is sometimes difficult to discern God’s grace, to recognize it in our lives with all the noise surrounding us in the world today. Today, we celebrate on the the Desert Fathers of the early Church who sought God in the silence of the desert, St Hilarion. Born in 291, he went into the desert after his conversion to the way of Jesus after studying in the ancient center of learning in Alexandria, Egypt.  Taking only a humble set of clothing with him, he wove baskets and sold them to make a living. The cell where he lived in the desert later became a monastery, initiated by some of his followers. St Jerome wrote about St Hilarion, popularizing him with many of the Catholic faithful. The example of St Hilarion and the other desert father opened the way for monasticism in the coming centuries, which would have a great affect on the Church and on Western civilization. We live in a world with so much noise filling up space. As we commemorate St Hilarion today, may we open our minds and our hearts to God’s silence and to God’s holy word.   

22 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Thursday of the 29th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you proclaim the goodness of God’s kingdom. 

Christ Jesus - you lead us to the mysteries of God. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to a life of discipleship. 

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

1. For a fuller life in the Holy Spirit. That God will free us from self-absorption and selfishness to greater fullness in our faith. 

2. For those who are grieving and afflicted. May God give them hope and new opportunities. 

3. For all who are ill. That God will relieve their suffering and bring them comfort. 

4. For all in our OCIA program. That they will take God’s Word to heart and grow in knowledge and intimacy with God. 

5. For farmers and gardeners. For all who work the fields and bring food to our tables. hat God will protect them, that God will grant them a bountiful harvest, allowing them to be fruitful in their labors. 

6. For a greater respect for human life in our words and our actions during Respect Life Month. 

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

Priest: With a sense of thanksgiving and gratitude, we present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

21 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Wednesday of the 29th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you bring us God’s grace to help us meet our challenges.

Christ Jesus - you form us in the Church as your mystical Body. 

Lord Jesus - you proclaim the riches of God’s kingdom. 

PRIEST: As we continue our journey through the month of October, Respect Life Month, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father. 

1. For legislators and governmental officials. That God will give them wisdom in addressing current challenges and the courage to work for the greater good. 

2. For those who are experiencing the storms of daily life. May they feel Jesus presence with them. 

3. May we share the Word of God and the spirit of the Eucharist with our neighbor in our words and our actions. 

4. For confidence that God’s love accompanies us on our journey. 

5. That God continue to bless our students, teachers, and parents as they continue their journey throughout the school year. 

6. That we in the Church may grow in our awareness of the witness we bring to the world. 

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

PRIEST: We present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

20 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Tuesday of the 29th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you bring us God’s message of peace. 

Christ Jesus - you gather us as God’s people. 

Lord Jesus - you ask us to wait in hope. 

Priest: With faith, hope, and love, we present our prayers to our heavenly Fatter 

1. That our experience of God’s love and care sustain us through all of our hardships and sufferings in our lives. 

2. For a spirit of awe and wonder in our daily lives. May we recognize God’s generosity who abundantly blessing in our lives. 

3. That we may freely serve others in spiritual and corporal works of mercy. 

4. That we may all grow in our missionary spirit during this month of world missions. 

5. That our children, youth, and adults grow in their faith through their participation in our parish’s faith formation program. 

6. For those searching for deeper meaning in life. May they find abundant nourishment in God’s Word and in the Eucharist. 

7. For the sick and the afflicted. For healing in body, mind, and spirit. 

8. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts.

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

20 October 2026 - St Paul of the Cross - homily for Tuesday of the 29th week in Ordinary Time - Ephesians 2:12-22

We hear Paul address the theme of the unity we have in Christ in his letter to the Ephesians. The Ephesians at one time were without Christ. They were estranged from Israel and were strangers to the covenant with God.  Now, through the new covenant they share with Christ, the wall dividing them from the faith has come down. Now they have found peace and are reconciled with God. Like the Ephesians, we are members of the House of God. However, we live in a world that is still divided in many ways, with violence, war, and terrorism taking hold in different ways. Our faith urges us to work toward peace, to work toward the fulfillment of God’s kingdom. As we have been mentioning, this month of October is a month dedicated to Mary and to praying the rosary, to world missions month, and respect life month. How are we using the spiritual themes of this month in the Catholic Church to work toward unity and peace in our parish, in our diocese, and in our community?

St Paul of the Cross is the saint whose feast day we celebrate today. After serving a solider in Italy in the early 18th century, he turned to a life of prayer and developed a devotion to Christ’s passion. Paul of the Cross saw Christ's love and mercy as rooted in his passion. His preaching on Christ’s passion touched the hearts of many. He founded the Congregation of the Passion in 1720, known popularly as the Passionists. The Passionists added the vow of spreading the memory of Christ’s passion to the people to the traditional vows of poverty, obedience, and chastity. May we find comfort, love, and mercy in Christ’s passion and cross just like St Paul of the Cross. May we see our crosses united with the cross that Christ carried. 

18 October 2026 - homily for the 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time Cycle A - World Mission Sunday - 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5b

With great joy, we celebrate World Mission Sunday, an important liturgical celebration in our faith. “One in Christ, united in mission” our theme that marks the 100th anniversary of World Mission Sunday which was established by Pope Pius XI. 

The theme of World Mission Day 2026 recalls the motto of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV: “In illo uno unum,” which is Latin for “In the One, we are one.” There is to be unity of in all believers in faith, based on the unity with Christ with the Father, and the consequent common mission of evangelization that we are all to share. Pope Leo XIV sees World Mission Sunday as a special occasion when the whole Church unites in prayer for missionaries and for the fruitfulness of their apostolic work. Recalling his personal experience as a missionary priest and missionary bishop in Peru, he stated: “I saw first-hand how faith, prayer and generosity shown on World Mission Sunday can transform entire communities.”

World Mission Sunday is not about specific people or specific places. Instead, it is about taking a moment out of our busy lives to look outward and to think of others, of claiming a share of the responsibility for the care of our brothers and sisters across the globe in sharing our faith with them.  World Mission Sunday is rooted in the understanding that the Church is missionary at its core. We are interconnected as a global Catholic community. Our Catholic faith is not a private possession, but a gift meant to be shared with others. 

This year’s World Mission Sunday takes on a special meaning coming soon after the Beatification Mass of Bishop Fulton Sheen, which took place on September 24 in St Louis. Bishop Sheen served as the national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith from 1950 to 1966. 

Funds collected on World Mission Sunday help sustain over 1,000 mission  dioceses, primarily in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Pacific Islands. However, the United States alone has 70 dioceses that are considered mission dioceses, including the Diocese of Jackson. These funds help train seminarians and catechists, construct schools and clinics, and  operate vital social ministries. In areas ravaged by poverty, conflict or climate crises, this assistance ensures that local churches can remain resilient beacons of hope. As Catholics, we are called to make a difference in the world. World Mission Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to reach out in prayer and gift to those in need. 

In our second reading today, from the beginning of St Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul and his companions praise the Thessalonians for not only proclaiming the Gospel to others, but also for living in the virtues of faith, hope, and love. This contrasts to the way that the Pharisees are more concerned about trapping Jesus with their questions and accusing him of breaking God’s law. This is considered to be the earliest surviving letter written by Paul, written around the year 50 AD. Paul and his companions had founded the Christian community at Thessalonica on his second missionary journey to this prosperous capital of Macedonia. Paul expressed his joy at knowing that the Thessalonians had continued to persevere in their faith. 

Saturday of this past weekend we celebrated the feast day of St Daniel Comboni, the founder of the missionary order with which I served as a consecrated lay missionary in Ecuador. I had heard stories of Daniel Comboni traveling across Egypt and Sudan for four months in a caravan of camels in the mid-19th century to travel to his mission site. All of his missionary companions accompanying him on that journey died from disease before they arrived. Comboni himself died at the age of 50, the harsh missionary life in Africa taking a toll on him. It is important for us to support the missions financially and with our prayers. But it is equally important for us to have that missionary spirit that sent Daniel Comboni and other missionaries to foreign lands. We can reach out to others in that same missionary spirit in our own corner of the world. 

10 October 2026 - homily for Saturday of the 27th week in Ordinary Time - St Daniel Comboni - Galatians 3:22-29

Daniel Comboni was born in 1831 in Italy to a poor family of farm laborers. He was one of 8 children, but the only child to survive early childhood. His parents sent him to study at an institute in Verona, Italy run by Father Nicola Mazza. This Catholic institute trained boys to service in the Church. After his ordination to the prieshood in 1854, he was sent to Africa. On his journey to the Sudan, which took four months, his missionary companions died from tropical diseases. He had a heart for the missions and a call to evangelize the people of Africa with Christ’s Good News. In 1867 and 1872, his work led him to found to institutes for men and women which formed missionaries for Africa. Originally called the Verona Fathers and Sisters, they are now called the Comboni Missionaries and the Comboni Missionary Sisters. Due to his many years of hard missionary work, he died in 1881 at the age of 50. Today, the two orders he founded serve as missionaries all over the world. I served as a consecrated Comboni Lay Missionary in Ecuador for three years, working alongside Comboni priests, brothers, and sisters. I am very humbled and honored to have been working in the tradition of Daniel Comboni in his missionary spirit. That spirit has stayed with me in my service as a priest in the Diocese of Jackson. 

I think of the great faith of St Daniel Comboni and the other missionaries who went to faraway lands to bring the Gospel to the world, knowing that they would encounter many struggles and obstacles. We hear St Paul address the theme of faith with the Galatians in our first reading today. St Paul asserts that faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is to replace the law of the Old Testament as the source of salvation. This faith is to unite all believers as children of God, breaking down our human divisions. St Paul calls us to clothe ourselves with Christ, to allow Christ’s grace to cover us, to allow Christ to transform our very identity so that may live in union with him each day on our journey of faith. 

18 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for World Mission Sunday - prison ministry

Lord Jesus - you call us to have a missionary spirit. 

Christ Jesus - you sent out your disciples to continue your ministry. 

Lord Jesus - you are our savior and our redeemer. 

Priest: As we celebrate World Mission Sunday today, we bring our prayers before our heavenly Father: 

1. For the Universal Catholic Church. May every baptized Catholic answer the call to be a witness of Christ by word and deed, proclaiming the Gospel to all both near and far. We pray to the Lord.

2. For missionaries who leave their homeland to serve God and his people. For missionaries who work in the their own communities. May they be given courage, joy, and the strength of the Holy Spirit in their service. We pray to the Lord.

3. For communities in need. For communities suffering from war, violence, poverty, and persecution. May our prayers and material support bring them hope and relief. We pray to the Lord.

4. For our Holy Father Leo XIV and Bishop Kopacz. For all bishops, priests, deacons, and church leaders. May they lead the flock with the servant-heart of Christ and inspire a zeal for the missions. We pray to the Lord.

5. For our local Catholic faith community here at CMCF. May we open our hearts to the needs of the global missions and support them generously through prayer and sacrifice. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For Pope Leo’s October prayer intention. For the establishment and strengthening of mental health ministries throughout the Church. May we work together to overcome the stigma and discrimination faced by individuals with mental illnesses. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For our children and youth. May the Lord continue to accompany them in their studies and in their activities. May they always feel our love and prayers coming their way. We pray to the Lord. 

8. That during Respect Life month, we may unite our prayers with the prayers of our Blessed Mother Mary as we respect human life in our words and our actions. We pray to the Lord. 

9. 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: Out of the joy of our faith, and out our of missionary spirit, we present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

9 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Friday of the 26th week of Ordinary time - Prison ministry

Lord Jesus - you are the new covenant. 

Christ Jesus - you heal the sick and you drive out demons. 

Lord Jesus - you reflect the glory of God the Father. 

Priest: We now present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For our Church leaders. For Pope Leo XIV and Bishop Kopacz. For their health and well-being. We pray to the Lord. 

2. That we may all enter into a deeper reliance on God’s love and care. We pray to the Lord. 

3. For families that are facing crisis. May they hear Christ’s invitation to live in faith and hope. We pray to the Lord. 

4. For all who in the way of the storm hitting the Gulf coast this weekend. For safety. We pray to the Lord. 

5. For all us to have the freedom to practice their faith without criticism or persecution. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For our children and our families. May they feel our love and prayers reaching out to them. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For a greater love and devotion to the Eucharist, the body and blood of Christ we receive in the Mass. We pray to the Lord. 

8. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts today. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: In faith and hope, we present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.  

18 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for World Mission Sunday - prayers of the faithful for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle A

Introduction: Today, with great joy, we celebrate World Mission Sunday. Pope Francis taught us that the missionary identity is the very essence of the Catholic Church, asserting that the Church is "missionary by her very nature.” We Catholics are to see ourselves as members of a community of "missionary disciples" who naturally share the joy they have encountered in Christ with others. As we celebrate together at Mass with God’s holy word and with Christ’s presence in the Eucharist, may we feel this missionary spirit all around us. 

Lord Jesus - you bring the world a missionary spirit. 

Christ Jesus - you sent out your disciples to continue your ministry. 

Lord Jesus - you are our savior and our redeemer. 

Priest: As we celebrate World Mission Sunday today, we bring our prayers before our heavenly Father: 

1. For the Universal Catholic Church. May every baptized Catholic answer the call to be a witness of Christ by word and deed, proclaiming the Gospel to all both near and far. We pray to the Lord.

2. For missionaries who leave their homelands to serve God and his people. For missionaries who work in the their own communities. May they be given courage, joy, and the strength of the Holy Spirit in their service to God and to his people. We pray to the Lord.

3. For communities in need. For communities suffering from war, violence, poverty, and persecution. May our prayers and material support bring them hope and relief. We pray to the Lord.

4. For our Holy Father Leo XIV and Bishop Kopacz. For all bishops, priests, deacons, and lay leaders. May they lead the flock with the servant-heart of Christ and inspire a zeal for the missions. We pray to the Lord.

5. For our local parish faith community gathered here at Mass today. May we open our hearts to the needs of the global missions and support them generously through prayer and sacrifice. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For Pope Leo’s October prayer intention. For the establishment and strengthening of mental health ministries throughout the Church. May we work together to overcome the stigma and discrimination faced by individuals with mental illnesses. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For our children, youth, and college students. May the Lord continue to accompany them in their studies and in their activities. We pray to the Lord. 

8. That during Respect Life month, we may unite our prayers with the prayers of our Blessed Mother Mary as we respect human life in our words and our actions. We pray to the Lord. 

9. 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: Out of the joy of our faith, and out our of missionary spirit, we present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

Bulletin Reflection for World Mission Sunday - 18 October 2026

World Mission Sunday should resonate with us in different ways. I remember how it was about this time in the month of October back in the year 1992 that I traveled up to Winnipeg, Canada to serve as a lay missionary for two years, working in a food bank and an inner city soup kitchen. I remember visiting the Siloam mission soup kitchen for the first time, meeting the street people who were trying to survive just as the winter months were beginning in this cold Canadian city. We do not have to travel to a foreign country to be a missionary in spirit and to support the missions of the Church. St Therese, one of the patron saints of the missions, living out her missionary spirit and supported the missions as a cloistered nun in Normandy, France. I am thankful for all the ways our community here at Holy Savior supports missionary work in different ways. We also must never forget that we here in the Diocese of Jackson are designated by the Catholic Church as a mission Diocese, so this missionary spirit should always be a part of our daily identity. Have a blessed week everyone. Father Lincoln. 

16 October 2026 - homily for Friday of the 28th week in Ordinary Time - St Margaret Mary Alacoque - Ephesians 1:11-14

“I need nothing but God, and to lose myself in the Heart of Jesus.” These were some of the last words of Visitation nun St Margaret Mary Alacoque, who died in the year 1690. She lived a holy life and had a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

Born into a large Catholic family in 1647 in France, she grew up with a special devotion to Jesus and the Blessed sacrament. She was bedridden by a mysterious illness at the age of 15. She prayed to the Blessed Mother, promising that if she was healed she would take religious vows. She was cured of her illness. 

Entering the convent at the age of 23, she had three apparitions from Jesus, revealing to her messages from his sacred heart, including the First Friday devotion of each month and an annual feast day of the Sacred heart, which have become popular devotions in the Catholic faith. She worked hard to spread devotion to the Sacred Heart, with the devotion first starting locally after it was approved by the local bishop, and then spreading throughout France. After her death, with books published about her life, the devotion became even more popular. In 1765, the devotion to the Sacred Heart was officially approved by Rome, and, in 1856, the feast of the Sacred Heart was made a universal solemnity by Pope Pius IX. St Margaret Mary is known throughout the world as the beloved disciple of the Sacred heart. 

These last couple of weeks, we’ve been hearing from St Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Yesterday, at daily Mass, we started hearing from his letter to the Ephesians. Paul had founded the Christian community in Ephesus on his second missionary journey. He later returned to Ephesus, where he stayed approximately 3 years. The letter to the Ephesians was written to that community while St Paul was in prison in Rome.  Scholars believe that in addition to Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon were also written while he was in prison. The importance of praising God is a main theme of this letter. Paul praises God who is in the person and work of Jesus Christ and in the Gospel message.  After a brief greeting, Paul’s first words in his letter to the Ephesians begin,  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.” 

May we give thanks to special messengers like St Margaret Mary and St Paul that God has sent to us throughout the ages. May there messages continue to resonate in us. 

16 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Friday of the 28th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you call us to stand firm in our faith. 

Christ Jesus - you proclaim the kingdom of God. 

Lord Jesus - you are the word of God. 

Priest: In a spirit of trust and hope, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For a spirit of gratitude. May we recognize our gifts, possessions, and opportunities as blessings from God, that we may place each of them in the service of God. 

2. For all who are bound by a spirit of self-righteousness. That God will free their hearts, break down the walls of prejudice, and open them to the dignity of each person. 

3. For all who are suffering or being persecuted for their faith. That God will comfort and strengthen them and bring them safely through their trial. 

4. For greater respect for each person. That God will turn the hearts of all who rely upon violence and bring healing to all who have suffered harm, abuse or neglect

5. For healing for the sick and the afflicted. For healing in body, mind and spirit.  

6. For a greater love for the Eucharist and a greater devotion to Mary. 

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

Priest: In unity with the community of saints, we present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.   

15 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Thursday of the 28th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you call us to take up our crosses and to follow you. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to serve others. 

Lord Jesus - you are seated at the right hand of the Father. 

Priest: With humble hearts, we now present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For all who have helped to strengthen our faith. For parents, teachers, and those who give witness by the fidelity of their life, that they may continue to be examples of Christian discipleship. 

2. For students, that God will help them learn, stay safe, and find the resources they need to assist them in their studies. 

3. For justice and peace. That God will protect all who are experiencing warfare and injustice, particularly the people of Ukraine and the Middle East. 

4. That the Holy Spirit will help us to be better listeners, opening our minds and our hearts to what others have to say and to be attentive to God’s word that speaks to our hearts.  

5. For healing for all of us in body, mind and spirit.  

6. For the repose of the souls of our deceased loved ones and community members. For their entry into eternal life. 

7.  For respect life month in the month of October, that we may grow in our respect for human life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. 

8. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest: With joy in our hearts, we present our prayers today through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

14 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Wednesday of the 28th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you are the living word of God. 

Christ Jesus - you are our savior and redeemer. 

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

Priest:  In faith and hope, we now present our prayers to our heavenly Father. 

1. That we in Church may praise God when we gather for Mass, in our prayers, our words, and our actions.  

2. That our governmental leaders may lead us in justice and peace, working towards an end to war, terrorism, and violence. 

3.  For those who are battling addictions and mental health issues. For those who have lost hope and for those who are searching for meaning life. May God lead them to meaning and wholeness. 

4. For the sick and the afflicted. For healing of body, mind, and spirit. For their families and caregivers. 

5. For a welcoming and gracious spirit. May we reach out to the poor, the outcast, and the stranger.

6. That we may always foster a missionary spirit in our hearts. 

7. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. For their entry into eternal life. For the souls in purgatory. 

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

Priest - In faith and hope, we present these prayers to you through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

14 October 2026 - St Callistus I - homily for Wednesday of the 28th week in Ordinary Time - Galatians 5:18-25

St Callistus has a very interesting story. He was born into slavery in the Roman Empire. After he escaped slavery, he found himself in the service of Pope Victor around the year 199 AD. He served under several popes and was eventually ordained a deacon. He was put in charge of one of the catacombs where  the Christians were buried in Rome; that place is called the Catacomb of St Callistus. In the year 217 AD, when the current pope died, he was chosen as successor. He is said to have been a diligent evangelist, converting and baptizing many prominent citizens of Rome, including soldiers and senators, many of whom later died as martyrs. Like many Church leaders in that era, St Callistus was martyred during a series of persecutions around the year 223 AD. 

In our reading from his letter to the Galatians today, St Paul gives us a list of how the ways of the world can lead us away from the Gospel through things such as envy, idolatry, selfishness, and jealousy.  We can give way to temptation; we can give we to our humanness, our weaknesses, and our demons, going down a path that leads us to sin and away from God.  Yet, through God’s mercy and compassion, through the power of Christ’s cross and resurrection, we can come back to the faith, to conversion and repentance.

St Paul calls us to live according to God’s grace working in our lives rather than by our human desires and human self-interest, rather than a rigid legalistic view of the practice of our faith. As I mentioned in my homily last weekend, it is God’s grace that will help us and lead us and guide us on our journey faith, to God’s will and his calling for us in our lives.

12 October 2026 - reflection on Carlo Acutis on his feast day

Born in 1991 and dying in 2006 at the age of 15 from leukemia, Carlo Acutis was canonized a saint by Pope Leo XIV on September 7, 2025. He lived his short life here on earth deeply devoted to his Catholic faith. He used to computer skills to spread Christ’s Gospel message to the world, particularly in his interest in Eucharistic miracles. He is known as the first millennial saint and has the nickname as God influencer, reflecting the way he used the internet to reach out to others in faith. We see his faith combining modern technology with the Catholic traditions and faith devotions. His family was not particularly devout during most of his lifetime. But Carlo attended Mass daily and had a very strong devotion to the Eucharist. He called the Eucharist his highway to heaven. He is also known for the way he lived out the spirit of the Eucharist in his daily life and the love he had for his neighbor, particularly in the way he reached out to the poor, defended bullied classmates, and comforted the lonely. Although Carlo was born in London, England and spent most of his life in the city of Milan, Italy, his family owned a home in the town of Assisi, the hometown of St Francis of Assisi, which is where Carlo’s family spent most of their vacation time. Carlo had a strong devotion to St. Francis of Assisi, whom he saw as his patron saint and spiritual guide. Carlo want Assisi to be his final resting place.  His family chose the Shrine of the Renunciation at the Church of St. Mary Major in Assisi as his final resting place. His body was transferred there in 2007. He is the patron saint of the Internet, web developers, computer programmers, IT technology, Catholic youth, and Catholic youth groups. We unite our prayers with the prayers and intercession of St Carlo Acutis today. 

13 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Tuesday of the 27th week in Ordinary time

Lord Jesus - you bring us freedom as children of God. 

Christ Jesus - you proclaim God’s mercy. 

Lord Jesus - you ask us to follow God’s commandments. 

Priest: We present our prayers to our heavenly Father:

1. That we may recognize and appreciate the blessings and the gifts that God has given us. 

2. May the Lord bring healing to the sick and sustain them in their daily lives. 

3. For all who are working to end disease outbreaks. That God will give strength to our medical professionals and all who are care for sick, 

4. That our Church may welcome all who hunger for meaning and purpose in life. 

5. For the grace to place our trust in God and in our faith. 

6. That we reflect the Gospel of Life in our words and our actions. 

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

We present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

13 October 2026 - Edward the confessor - homily for Tuesday of the 28th week in Ordinary Time - Galatians 5:1-6

St. Edward the confessor was born in the year 1003 and died in 1066. He reigned as King of England for 24 years from 1042 until his death. It was a time of extended peace. Edward was the last undisputed English king before the Norman Conquest of England. He reigned as king not to conquer new territory or pursue military conquests, but to maintain peace, to lower the tax burden on the people, and to protect the poor and vulnerable of his kingdom. Edward lived in exile in Normandy from 1013 to 1041. He was sent to exile in Normandy at the time of the Danish invasion of England and the takeover of the English throne by Scandinavian ruler. He survived this time of exile and the pressure from the rival noblemen in England throughout his lifetime by keeping a calm demeanor under pressure and by not turning to violence or revenge. He earned the title confessor by his witness to his Catholic faith. He built the original Westminster Abbey in London to provide a spiritual center for the people of England.  He shared a chaste, friendly marriage with Queen Edith as a sacrifice and due to his religious piety. He is the patron saint today of difficult marriages and separated spouses. Pope Alexander III canonized him in 1161.

Just like our reading yesterday from Galatians, today St Paul again addresses freedom, the freedom we have in Christ and the freedom to which the Spirit leads us.  Paul juxtaposes the works of the flesh against the fruits of the spirit.  St Paul calls followers of Jesus  to stand firm in the freedom has been won for us by Christ. We are called to more than the worship and liturgies and rituals of our faith, according to St Paul. We are call to live out our faith in its fullness through charity and by reflecting the love of God in our everyday lives. Especially in World missions month, Respect Life month, and a month dedicated to Mary and the rosary, those aspects of our faith that we focused upon during the month of October give us a lot to think about. 

11 October 2026 - homily for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time CYCLE A - Isaiah 25:6-10a - Matthew 22:1-10

In today’s first reading from the book of Isaiah, we hear about God’s wonderful invitation to a glorious banquet. Most scholars believe that this reading from Isaiah was written around the time of the Babylonian exile when the people of Israel needed a message of hope and promise. Throughout Scriptures, the mountain is often a symbol of a special place where people encounter God. So, this mountaintop feast is a powerful foreshadowing of God’s heavenly kingdom and the eternal communion that is promised between God and humanity. We hear this invitation from God echoed in our Gospel reading today, of a king inviting the people to his son's wedding banquet. 

It is God’s grace that will help us get ready to accept this invitation. But what do we really mean when we talk about God’s grace at work within us? 

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, grace is the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become his children, his adoptive sons and daughters. He invites us to a life of holiness and to eternal life with him. Through baptism, we participate in the grace of Christ, God’s beloved son and the head of the Church. Through this grace, we participate in life with God. 

We have all been invited to God's banquet and to participate in God’s kingdom. This invitation is not just for those who have their act together and have been devout in practicing their faith. Even if we have wandered away from the path of faith. Even if we have not confessed our sins. Even if we have doubts. Even if we are struggling on journey. God invites us to the banquet. 

Even though we all are invited, in order to accept this invitation, we are called to follow Jesus as his disciples. This is where God’s grace can help us. Again, according to the Catechism, God’s freely given invitation requests our response out of the freedom God gives us. Through his grace that assists us, we can know God and love God and we enter into communion with him. This grace comes out of God’s divine power.   

Last weekend, we celebrated the weekend Masses for Respect Life Sunday. The theme this year for Respect Life Month is Mary, the Mother of Life, which is very appropriate as the month of October is also a special month dedicated to Mary and to the praying of the rosary. The Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary in the Annunciation, telling her that she would conceive and bear a son. Through God’s grace working in her life, Mary responded with her acceptance of God’s plan for her, “May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Mary conceives Christ in her womb. She becomes the mother of God. In becoming Jesus’ mother, Mary becomes the mother of life. Her acceptance of something she could not have foreseen demonstrates how each of us is called welcome the gift of human life, even when that gift is unexpected or involves sacrifices. We see God’s grace at work in Mary and the way she lives out her journey of faith. 

God’s grace leads us to be pro-life as Catholics, an important part of our faith. Being pro-life is a big part of the Knights of Columbus, which is something I very much appreciate. Each year, they help our parish raises money to support pro-life organizations. This year we donated to organizations that support the unborn and women who are expecting a child, such as Born Free New Beginnings at Catholic Charities, the Center for Pregnancy Choices, and Birthright of Jackson. We also supported the Missionary Childhood Association, which is a part of the Catholic Church’s pontifical mission societies; The Arc of Mississippi, which supports children and adults with cognitive, intellectual, and developmental challenges; and the life skills program at Clinton High School. I am glad we are supporting different pro-life programs that touch on the different aspects of being pro-life. It is not just one issue, nor is it just centered on one stage of human life. 

Earlier this year, some of my inmates at the state prison in Pearl approached me about forming a Knights of Columbus group at the prison. This initiative came from them. The were very sincere about wanting to become affiliated with the Knights and learning from them. The inmates themselves selected 15 men who they thought were dedicated to the Catholic faith to be a part of this initial group. They already have a waiting list of another 15 men ready to join us when we can expand that group. Isn’t that amazing?! Last Monday, Franz Barnes and Chris Callegan came out to talk to them about the Knights and their core principles of fraternity, charity, patriotism, and unity. Chris and Franz spoke about the Knights and their activities. The men shared about themselves and their journey of being Catholic. God’s grace is there on our entire journey of faith, through our ups and downs, accompanying us and helping us along the way. The Knights are going to come out once a month to accompany these inmates on their journey, which is a blessing and a grace from God. 

As we have been mentioning, we have a lot going on in the Catholic Church. It is the month dedicated to Mary and to praying the Rosary. It is the month of World Missions and Respect Life month too. Just this past week at our parishes, we have had adoration and the Young at Heart group and the healing Mass and two funerals. We have different sessions of the Search video series going on. We have celebrations with Father McGing and his family this weekend to celebrate his birthday. Where is God’s grace leading you in the practice of the values of our Catholic faith, in connecting with your parish community, in learning more about your Catholic faith, and in reaching out to your neighbor? May God’s grace lead you and guide you. 

Speaking at theology on tap this evening to the young adults about prison ministry

 

Obras de misericordia - Iglesia católica

Respect Life Sunday - 4 October 2026

This Sunday, October 4, 2026, we commemorate Respect Life Sunday, the beginning of Respect Life Month for the month of October. The theme this year is:  "Mary, Mother of Life." This them highlights Mary, our Blessed Mother, as a model for cherishing and defending human life at every stage, from conception to natural death. This weekend at all of our liturgies at Holy Savior and Immaculate Conception, we will celebrate Respect Life Masses. Have a blessed weekend everyone. Father Lincoln. 

11 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle A - prison ministry

Lord Jesus - you guide us along the right path. 

Christ Jesus - you give us new life. 

Lord Jesus - you lead us to the fulness of life. 

Priest: May we be grateful for the gift of faith and be confident in God's abundant kindness toward us. Let us now bring our needs and the needs of our world before our God of love and mercy:

1. For our Church leaders and world leaders. May our leaders be guided by the Holy Spirit to foster truth, justice, and lasting peace. We pray to the Lord. 

2. For all who labor in God's vineyard. May we reach out to the sick, the lonely, and the suffering. We pray to the Lord. 

3. For our family members and loved ones who have died. For the souls in purgatory. May they be welcomed into the eternal joy of God’s kingdom. We pray to the Lord. 

4. For Pope Leo’s October prayer intention. For the establishment and strengthening of mental health ministries throughout the Church. May we work together to overcome the stigma and discrimination faced by individuals with mental illnesses. We pray to the Lord.

5. May we honor Respect Life Month in our words and our actions. We pray to the Lord. 

6. In our prayers today, we lift up priests, religious sisters, brothers, and lay missionaries who serving in mission territories worldwide. We pray for their evangelization efforts and their service to those in need as we recognize the month of the world missions. May all of us be missionary in spirit. We pray to the Lord. 

7. As we honor Mary in the month of October in a special way, we unite our prayers with Mary’s prayers and intercession. 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: Gracious God, hear the prayers of your people. Pour out your mercy upon us and grant us what we need, through Christ our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.