10 May 2026 - A Catholic Mother’s Day blessing

Loving God, as a mother gives life and nourishment to her children,
you give life and care for your Church.


Bless these women, as we celebrate this day in their honor.
May they be strengthened as Christian mothers.
Let the example of their faith and love shine forth.


Grant that we, their family members and loved ones, may honor and appreciate them with a spirit of profound respect and gratitude. 



May the example of Mary, the mother of Jesus, inspire them to live their vocation as Christian mothers and call their children to faith. 

Guide and protect them in the challenges they face and help them to continue to trust in you all the days of their life.



May the Lord bless all of our mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers, and all who serve as mothers to us. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

22 May 2026 - homily for Friday of the 7th week of Easter - St Rita - Acts 25:13b-21

Born in 1381 to a poor family in Umbria in Italy, St Rita entered an arranged marriage at the age of 12. Her marriage was not a happy one, with her husband being violent and abusive. He died in the midst of a feud with another family. Rita’s sons sought the revenge of his death, but ended up dying of dysentery. Rita was always seeking their conversion and replied with humility, patience, courage, and kindness to the difficult circumstance of her life.  Rita was not allowed to become a nun after the death of her husband and her sons until she was able to forge peace and reconciliation between the feuding families. She entered the monastery as a nun following the Augustinian rule at the age of 36. She died of tuberculosis in 1457 at the age of 76.  She was not canonized until the year 1900, more than 500 years after her death. St Rita, along with St Jude, is know as the patron saint of impossible causes. She is also the patron saint of family honor and those suffering from spousal abuse. Her body has remained incorruptible over the centuries.  

Today we continue to hear about charges brought against Paul in our reading from the Acts as we continue to hear about the development and struggles of the Early Church. Specifically, we hear the charges against Paul being explained to Herod Agrippa, the head of that region of the Roman empire.  It is explained to Herod that Paul is not accused by the chief priests and the elders of the Jewish people of criminal charges related to laws of the Roman empire, but rather of violating Jewish religious laws, specifically related to Jesus, who Paul claims is alive.

We might ask ourselves how Christ is alive in our own hearts, how we see Christ in our present reality. We need to be able to relate our faith to the way we live out our lives each day. We unite our prayers with the prayers of St Rita and the prayers of the entire community of saints. May their intercessions help us in any prayers we consider to be impossible causes. 

16 May 2026 - homily for Saturday of the 6th week of Easter - Acts 18:23-28

This is the last weekday mass of the Easter season, as we commemorate the end of Easter tomorrow with Pentecost. Next week, we return to ordinary time. We have been hearing about the development of the early Church from Acts during the Easter season, telling us how the Church spread throughout the ancient Mediterranean world, even making its way to Rome. Today, we hear about a Jew named Apollos who converts to the way of Jesus and then becomes a missionary and evangelizer himself. We might think of our own evangelization efforts as we hear about the evangelization efforts of St Paul in the Early Church. 

Simon Stock was born in England in 1165 to a well-known Christian family. He was very religious even as a child. As a teenager, he became a hermit, living for 8 years in a hollowed out tree. He felt called to join a community after his years as a hermit, joining the Carmelite order. He finished his studies in Oxford and became the superior general of the Carmelites. He worked tirelessly to spread the Carmelite Order throughout Europe, founding many communities in university towns. He was responsible for the revision of the rules of the Carmelites, leading the community from lives as hermits to those of mendicant brothers. He had a deep devotion to the Blessed Mother.  She appeared to him with the brown scapular, which has become a very popular devotion which has extended beyond the Carmelite order. He died in 1265 at the age of 100 after having served as Superior General of the Carmelites for many years. We honor Simon Stock on his feast day today. 

22 May 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Friday of the 7th week of Easter

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

Christ Jesus - you intercede for us. 

Lord Jesus - you are sending us the Holy Spirit

Priest - With Easter joy in our hearts, let us present our prayers to our heavenly Father:

1. That our governmental and Church leaders may seek the greater good for all whom they serve.

2. That God will lead us to a deeper reliance upon his loving kindness and help us to trust in his care for us. 

3. That God will help us face the sufferings that we encounter and bear these patiently, following the example of Jesus

4. For our children and youth who received the sacraments this Easter season. For the adults who entered the Church this year. For strength and courage on their journey. 

5. For healing in mind, body, and spirit. May the wounds of Christ restore to wholeness all who are suffering, awaiting surgery, or undergoing therapy.  

6. For peace in the world, especially in the Middle East and the Ukraine.

7. For the men and women serving in the military, for our veterans, and for our first responders. 

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

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

21 May 2026 - homily for Thursday of the 7th week of Easter - St Eugene de Mazenod - Acts 22:30 and 23:6-11

When I was serving as a lay missionary in Canada, I looked into become a member of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, as that order is very popular up there, especially in the provinces of western Canada.  I spent a year discerning a vocation with them. Today, we celebrate that founder of that order on his feast day: Eugene de Mazenod.  Born in 1782 in Aix-en-Provence in the South of France, Mazenod was a child and a youth during the French Revolution. Europe had been going through the Age of Enlightenment in this era, in which human reason, philosophy, analysis, and the individual were emphasized over religion. During this era, the traditional places of power and authority in society, the government and the Church, were being challenged.  Even though many in France turned away from the Church during those years, de Mazenod chose to enter seminary.  He eventually became the Bishop of Marseille, a larger trading port and a place where there was a lot of poverty on many levels.  He eventually founded the religious order the Oblates of Mary of Immaculate.  Pope Pius XI called the OMI the missionary specialists of difficult missions. In fact, two influential American priests in recent years have been members of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate - the popular Catholic author Father Ron Rolheiser and Cardinal Francis George of Chicago. These two men embody the missionary spirit of the order that de Mazenod founded. The priests of the OMI are a major influence in Canada, helping maintain a Catholic presence in many rural areas of that country.  Mazenod died in 1861 and was canonized by Pope John Paul II. The Oblates of Mary Immaculate are one of the largest male religious orders in the Catholic Church today, with approximately 2,700 priests and brothers. 

We just have a few days left in our Easter season, as we will celebrate the solemnity of Pentecost this weekend and the end of the Easter season. As we continue to hear about the missionary efforts of the Early Church in our readings from Act at daily mass today, we hear about Paul’s difficulties, as he is ordered to stand before the chief priests and the Sanhedrin to give testimony. Rather than trying to help Paul and encourage him, the Jewish authorities are plotting to kill him and destroy him, a reminder of what Jesus went through during his journey to the cross. Paul is cunning and intelligent as he traps the Sadducees and Pharisees, getting them in an argument that he knows that will keep them preoccupied, since these two groups do not agree in the belief in the resurrection. 

The Early Church faced a lot of challenges in preaching the Gospel message. Missionary like St Eugene de Mazenod faced a lot of challenging in proclaiming the Gospel message as well. May we unite our prayers today with all the great missionary saints of the Church. May we be encouraged in our own evangelization efforts.  

21 May 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Thursday of the 7th week of Easter

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

Christ Jesus - you intercede for us. 

Lord Jesus - you are sending us the Holy Spirit

Priest - With Easter joy in our hearts, let us present our prayers to our heavenly Father:

1. For wisdom for our Church leaders and governmental leaders. 

2. For the sick, the afflicted, and the homebound. That God will comfort and sustain them and help us offer them encouragement. 

3. For those who do not have access to clean drinking water. We continue to pray for those who are working to improve the water system in the city of Jackson. 

4. For all medical researchers. That the Holy Spirit will guide them in finding new and morally acceptable treatment for the major diseases facing society. 

5. For all who are suffering from violence and war. For the people of Ukraine and the Middle East.

6. For the faithful departed. For their entry into eternal life. 

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

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

20 May 2026 - St Bernardino of Siena - homily for Wednesday of the 7th week of Easter - Acts 20:28-38

Born in 1380, San Bernardino of Siena was a Franciscan priest and missionary. He is sometimes known as the apostle of Italy for his evangelization efforts to renew the Catholic faithful of Italy in the 15th century. His great skills at oratory and communication earn him the title of patron saint of advertisers and advertising. He preached under his own banner, with the initials IHS, which stands for Iesus Hominum Salvator (“Jesus, Savior of men” in Latin), associated with the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. When he was on mission to different cities in Italy, he would carried the monogram of the Holy Name of Jesus with him. He was bless the sick with this symbol, with great miracles of healing reported. At the close of his preaching, he would hold up this symbol to the faithful and asked them to prostrate themselves in adoration of the redeemer of humanity. He advocated for the Catholic faithful to have this monogram of Jesus placed over the gates of their cities and above the doors of their houses to remind them always of the blessings they have from their Lord and Savior. He died in 1444. Besides being remembered for his great preaching and this monogram of Jesus’ name, he is also remembered for the works he work on the philosophy of economics, addressing topics such as the justification of private property, the ethics of trade, the determination of value and price, and charging interest on a loan. 

In just a few days, we will mark an end to the holy season of Easter with the celebration of Pentecost. Today, in the continuing story of the Early Church from Acts, we hear a continuation of Paul’s speech to the people of Ephesus. Paul is getting ready to go back to Jerusalem where he knows he will face many challenges. Paul informs the community leaders in Ephesus that they, too, will face opposition in their ministry. Paul specifically says that he knows that after his departure, “savage wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock.” Paul’s farewell to the community at Ephesus is very emotional for him.  As he and the members of the community weep and hug each other, they know that they won’t see each other again. 

May the saints and Mothers and Fathers of our faith continue to inspire us and encourage us. We unite our prayers today with the prayers of St Bernardino of Siena and St Paul. 

20 May 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Wednesday of the 7th week of Easter

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

Christ Jesus - you intercede for us. 

Lord Jesus - you are sending us the Holy Spirit

Priest - With Easter joy in our hearts, let us present our prayers to our heavenly Father:

1. That all missionaries, catechists, and evangelizers boldly proclaim Christ’s Gospel message to the world. 

2. That we in the Church may hear the voice of the Good Shepherd calling out to us. 

3. That God will strengthen our Church leaders, guiding them in accompanying us into a deeper relationship with God. 

4. For all who are discerning a call to ministry in the Church. That they may listen deep within for the voice of Christ. 

5. For all who do not know God or who are seeking something more in their lives.  That the Holy Spirit will instill a hunger and thirst within them. 

6. For peace and healing in the world. 

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

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

19 May 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Tuesday of the 7th week of Easter

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

Christ Jesus - you intercede for us. 

Lord Jesus - you are sending us the Holy Spirit

Priest - With Easter joy in our hearts, let us present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For our Church leadership. May they work together to reflect Christ love and compassion for us. 

2. For strength and courage in our daily responsibilities. May our daily lives reflect Christ’s mission to the world. 

3. For wisdom in the decisions we make. That we may discern the path God has prepared for us. 

4. For all whom we serve in our ministries. May they encounter Christ through our service. 

5. For peace in times of anxiety, stress, and uncertainty. That we may trust in the Lord. 

6. For the sick and the afflicted. May the feel the light of God bringing them healing and wholeness. 

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

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

19 May 2026 - homily for Tuesday of the 7th week of Easter - Alcuin of York - Acts 20:17-27

Although Alcuin of York was never officially canonized a saint, he is a large figure in the history of Catholicism in England and is admired for his life of holiness. He was born around the year 735 in the kingdom of Northumbria in Great Britain to a noble family. He entered the cathedral school in the city of York as a child and eventually worked for many years as the director of that school. While on a visit to Rome, he met Charlemagne. He became the director of Charlemagne’s palace school and a trusted advisor to him. Alcuin became priest in the later years of his life and he was also a Benedictine monk. Alcuin wrote many theological and dogmatic treatises, as well as a few grammatical works and a number of poems. In 796, he was made abbot of Marmoutier Abbey, in Tours, where he served until his death in the year 804. Without his relationship with such an important political figure like Charlemagne, and his influence on the nobles and clergy of the royal court, Alcuin played in a pivotal role in helping the study of philosophy thrive in medieval Europe.

Paul bids farewell to the Christian community at Ephesus in our first reading from Acts today. Paul spent several years preaching the Gospel in that community. Paul at first encountered great enthusiasm from the Jews there as he preached in their synagogue. Later, opposition arose in the synagogue, so he moved to the public hall where his message was heard by many. As he gets ready to depart, Paul makes preparations to go to Jerusalem, even though he knows that he may face violence or arrest upon his arrival there. It can be difficult to say goodbye.  We give thanks for Paul and those first Fathers and Mothers of the Early Church who were pioneers in preaching Good News of Jesus Christ. The Lord is with us in our of our experiences: in our joys and our accomplishments, in our sufferings and our challenges, in our arrivals and in our goodbyes. 

15 May 2026 - homily for Friday of the 6th week of Easter - Act 18:9-18

Who exactly is St Dymphna?  You may have heard the name.  When I served at St James church in Tupelo, Mississippi, I had some parishioners who were devoted to St Dymphna, particularly because of her role as the patron saint of those suffering from mental and nervous system illnesses.  Dymphna lived in 7th century in Ireland, born to a devout Christian mother and a pagan father.  Her mother died when she was a young teenager.  Her dad suffered mental illness.  In his delusion, he desired to marry his daughter.  She fled to Europe, to current day Belgium, in the town of Geel, where she founded a hospital to help the poor.  Her father found out where she was hiding, killing her in a fit of rage.  There is a large church in Geel built in her honor.  There have been many healings and miracle attributed to her.  Dymphna is a popular saint to this day.  

Our journey of faith at times is not easy. Our journey of faith can have a lot of ups and downs, a lot of struggles and challenges. Even though we have our own struggles and challenges on our journey of faith, it is difficult for me to imagine the obstacles and struggles that St Paul and his companions in the Early Church faced on their journey. We hear a lot about the journey of faith of the leaders of the Early Church in our readings from Acts during the Easter season. Paul and many of his other companions eventually died as martyrs for the faith. Yet, in the midst of his ups and downs and the periods of imprisonment they endured, they also received a lot of encouragement and guidance from the Lord along the way. Today, we hear of a vision that Paul received from the Lord one night while he was in Corinth, how the Lord encouraged him to continue in his ministry and to not remain silent. Paul remained in Corinth for a year and a half, preaching the Good News to the community there.

May the martyrs who died for their faith like St Paul and St Dymphna give us courage and inspiration on our own journeys of faith. 

17 May 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Ascension Sunday

Introduction: Today, we hear Jesus tell his apostles that they are to go out to the ends of the earth to be witnesses of his Gospel message. In ascending to heaven, it becomes possible for Christ to be with the Church always and everywhere, rather than in just one place and time. As a Church, we continue our celebration of the risen Christ during this joyful Easter season.

Lord Jesus, you are the eternal Son of the Father: Lord, have mercy. 

Christ Jesus, your presence fills the universe: Christ, have mercy. 

Lord Jesus, you guide us home with you into bright glory: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: We now present our prayers for our needs and the needs of the world to the God the Father who sent us his son, our Lord Jesus Christ:

1. For God’s pilgrim people throughout the world. We pray for a willingness to follow the path of love and mercy that God has set before us. We pray to the Lord.

2. For people who feel alone or abandoned. May we reach out to help our neighbors lost among violence, depression and neglect. We pray to the Lord. 

3. For those who have served our country and whom we remember on the Memorial Day weekend, For those who lost their lives in defending our country, and for the families who survived them and mourned them, for courage and strength as they celebrate them, let us pray to the Lord.

4. For an affirmation and awareness of the dignity of all human life, especially during this time of pandemic, for an attitude and response of care and solidarity with those who have been affected by the coronavirus and those who are at risk, let us pray to the Lord.

5. For safety for those who are traveling. That the Lord watch over us in all our summer activities. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For all who are grieving or suffering in different ways during this Easter Season. May Christ Jesus offer hope and encouragement through the struggles of our journey. May we face loss with tenderness. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For our graduates from high school and college. May the Lord continue to bless them and guide them on their journey. We pray to the Lord. 

8. For peace throughout the world, especially in the Middle East and Ukraine. For safety for the men and women in the military. We pray to the Lord. 

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

PRIEST: God of all, we believe that we shall see the good things that you have in store for us in the land of the living. Hear the sound of our call, have mercy on us and answer us, through your son Jesus Christ, our risen Lord forever and ever. AMEN.

17 May 2026 - bulletin reflection - The Ascension of the Lord

In a few Dioceses in the United States, the Ascension of the Lord is celebrated on Thursday, May 14 this year. However, we in the Diocese of Jackson and in most Dioceses in our country, we celebrate the Ascension this weekend, right before our celebration of Pentecost next weekend. As it is the month of May and the end of the school year, we send our prayers and blessings to all our students who are graduating and finishing up their exams for the semester. We celebrate with our students who are graduating from high school this semester. We will have out traditional Pentecost meal at Holy Savior next weekend after the Sunday Mass. We wish everyone blessings and joy as we near the end of the Easter season. Father Lincoln. 

17 March 2026 - homily for the Ascension of the Lord - Acts 1:1-11 - Matthew 28:16-20

We are coming near to the end of the 50-day celebration of our risen Lord during the Easter season. We celebrate the culmination of the Easter message with our Lord’s ascension into heaven this weekend and coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost next weekend. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul wrote: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God; think of what is above, not of what is on earth” (Col 3:1-2). In that statement, Paul makes a contrast between heaven and earth, between God and man, and between body and spirit. Our reading from Acts today shows Jesus in conversation with the apostles when he is physically lifted up into the sky and enveloped in a cloud as he ascends to the heavens. But I don’t think that the focus of our celebration of the ascension this weekend should be on his physical ascension into heaven but how humanity is connected to God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through his presence with God the Father at his right hand, where he intercedes for us. Through the paschal mystery that we celebrate throughout the Easter season, we become a new creation in Christ. 

The Cistercian monk Bernard of Clairvaux spoke of three comings of Christ. Christ came at his birth in Nazareth, he will come again at the end of time, and he come into our midst and into our hearts each day. Christ ascended into the heavens, but he is always with us in spirit. Our humanity is fulfilled in God. We must remember what Jesus proclaimed to us at the end of Matthew’s Gospel: “I am with you always, until the end of time” (Matt 28:20).

I was recently reading an article about a letter that Pope John Paul II wrote to his priests at holy week of 2005. He had the tradition of writing to the priests each year at holy week during his pontificate. His main points could be seen as pertaining to all Christians, not just priests. First, he mentioned that we should see the Eucharist as a formula for life. In the words of the consecration, the priest, in the person of Christ, prays: “"TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT, FOR THIS IS MY BODY, WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.” The priest makes present on the altar the sacrifice that Jesus made at calvary. Just as the Church draws life from the Eucharist, just as the priest draws life from Eucharist, each Christian should see his life of discipleship flowing from the Eucharist. 

Next, Pope John Paul II mentioned gratitude. In the Eucharist, Jesus gives thanks to the Father for us and with us. All of us as disciples of Christ must work to cultivate a constant sense of gratitude in our lives. We are to give thanks for the gift of our faith and the many opportunities God gives us to live out our faith. Out of our gratitude, we are to be of service to God and to our neighbor. We all have our crosses in life, and sometimes those crosses can seem overwhelming. Our sense of gratitude will help us see our blessings even in our darkest moments. 

A life of obedience is a third point made by John Paul II.  As the pope called his priests to obey out of love, to sacrifice a legitimate freedom when the bishop asks him to do so, all of us as disciples of Christ are strive to live out God’s laws and commandments in our daily lives. The faith ideal of obedience to God is something many in our secular world would not understand, as so many in our society want the freedom to do what they want to do. But our faith calls us to a different standard. 

As we will conclude our joyful Easter season next weekend, may we continue to celebrate the resurrection and the paschal mystery of our Lord Jesus Christ. As Jesus ascends to God, may our minds and hearts ascend to the truth of God which is always dwelling with us. By living the reality of the Eucharist in our lives each day, by having a heart of gratitude and obedience, may the mystery of Christ be born in our hearts each day. 

Prayers of the faithful for Friday of the 6th week of Easter - 15 May 2026

Lord Jesus - you are the word of God. 

Christ Jesus - you bring us the love of the Father. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to faith.  

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

1. That God will strengthen the spirits of the Catholic faithful our Diocese, helping us form supportive relationships and guiding us in our ministries. 

2. That husbands and wives may appreciate the gift that they are to one another and strengthen the partnership of life that they’ve formed together.   

3. For peace in communities experiencing terrorism, violence, conflict, or war. They we may work to mend brokenness and practice justice. For peace especially in Ukraine and the Middle East. 

4. For all who are unemployed. For those looking for new employment.

5. For our students may feel God’s presence with them at the end of the school year and during the upcoming summer months. 

6. For our first responders. For the men and women in the military. For our veterans.  May they feel the love and support of those whom they serve.  

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

Priest: We present our prayers through the risen Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN. 

Prayers of the faithful for Thursday of the 6th week of Easter - 14 May 2026

Lord Jesus - you are the word of God. 

Christ Jesus - you bring us the love of the Father. 

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

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

1. For the parishes of the Diocese of Jackson. That God will strenghten our parishes and their ministries. 

2. For couples preparing for marriage. For all married couples. That the Lord will bless them in the sacrament of holy matrimony. 

3. That those who have experienced abuse find healing in God and renew their vision for a future filled with God’s promises. 

4. That all Christians may receive the gifts of the Spirit. May we all generously participate in the mission which Christ entrusted to the Church.

5. That our students may feel God’s presence with them during the upcoming months of summer vacation. 

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

7. For the prayers we hold in our hearts. We unite our prayers today with St Matthias and with all the apostles. 

Priest: We present our prayers through the risen Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN. 

14 May 2026 - homily for the feast of St Matthias - homily for Thursday of the 6th week of Easter - Acts 1:15-17, 20-26

In our reading today from Acts today, we heart how Matthias was chosen to replace Judas in the group of apostles. He was chosen before the descent of the Holy Spirit, but the choice of Matthias was not made by the risen Christ, but by the other eleven apostles. Tradition passes down that the apostles were sent to different parts of the world to spread the Good News. James went to Spain, Thomas went to India, and Matthias went to Ethiopia where he died as a martyr. Just as pilgrims believe that James' remains are laid to rest in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, it is believed that the remains of Matthias are located at the Abbey of St Matthias in Trier, Germany, having been brought there by Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine. Just as the remains of St James were rediscovered by a hermit in the 9th century in Spain, the remains of St Matthias were rediscovered there in the 13th century, at which time the abbey became a popular place of pilgrimage.  

Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis have challenged us as modern believers to undertake a new evangelization in the world. We have heard this term “new evangelization” very often. Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis saw this new evangelization as an attempt to evangelize our own corner of the world, especially those of us who live in the traditionally Christian countries were our faith is often under attack and where a lot of people have left the faith or have become inactive. Pope Francis saw all Christians called to this new evangelization. St Matthias and the other apostles are great examples of evangelization for us. St Matthias faced many unknowns and many challenges as he preached the Gospel throughout the world.  We also are faced with challenges as we bring the Gospel to others. May we be inspired to live in the spirit of the Early Church and to energetically witness to our world.

13 May 2026 - Homily for Wednesday of the 6th week of Easter - Our Lady of Fatima - Acts 17:15, 22-18:1

One way to look at missionary work would be to take the attitude of bringing God to the people of a foreign land for the very first time very.  However, presently in the Catholic Church, missionaries are taught that people have God present to them and working in their lives in many ways even before they formally adopt Christianity as their faith.  Many times, they may be unaware of the different ways God is at work in their lives. 

In our first reading in the Acts of the Apostles, we hear of Paul preaching to the people of Athens. It's astounding to hear about Paul's travels throughout the ancient Mediterranean world, but it's even more noteworthy to hear how Paul speaks not only to those who are highly educated in philosophy, but also how he can relate so well to the common people, the city dwellers, the rural residents, and the slaves alike, helping to bring so many diverse people together in the Way of Jesus. In today's reading, Paul makes use of a shrine “to an unknown god” to introduce the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ to the Athenians, telling them that they unknowingly have worshipped the God who made heaven and earth, the God who gives life and breath and all of creation.  He is the God that the poets and the philosophers of the world have in common. 

 Today, as we hear about the zeal and energy of Paul and the disciples of Christ in the Early Church, we celebrate Mary in a special way in the feast of our Lady of Fatima.  On this day in 1917, Mary appeared to 3 shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. The children, aged 7 to 10, were named Jacinta, Francisco, and Lucia. Mary appeared to them once a month from May through October of that year. She asked them to pray the rosary for world peace, for an end to WWI, for sinners, and for the conversion of Russia. This message of the conversion of Russia has made news during the current war between Russia and Ukraine. The feast of Our Lady of Fatima was approved by the local bishop in Portugal in 1930 to mark the date of the first appearance to these children. The feast has been at part of our Church's worldwide calendar since 2002.  The main message of Fatima is for us to constantly pray.  

I have grown in my devotion to Our Lady of Fatima as we have practiced the first Saturday devotions of Our Lady of Fatima for several years now at Holy Savior, a big commitment for us in our busy schedules, but a commitment I am glad we have made. I also have loved the two visits I have had to Fatima as well. 

Our Mother Mary has appeared to the faithful in different forms throughout history.  Each time, she has brought converts to the faith through her message of peace, healing, and love. Mary brings the faithful closer to her son.  We celebrate Our Lady of Fatima in a special way today. Together with Mary, we pray for our families and for peace in the world.  

 

Prayers of the faithful for Wednesday of the 6th week of Easter - 13 May 2026

Lord Jesus - you bring us the joy of the Gospel. 

Christ Jesus - you are son of God and the son of Mary. 

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

Priest: We present our prayers to our heavenly Father with faith and hope:

1. That the Spirit will guide our study of God’s Word and help us to witness to God’s message in our lives.

2. That all who are ill or afflicted feels God’s healing love in their lives. 

3. That God will guide all those who are seeking employment to good opportunities 

4. For those who are struggling and for those in isolation. May the feel God’s presence with them. 

5. For peace in the world, especially in Ukraine and the Middle East.

6. For our deceased loved ones and family members. For their entry into eternal life. 

7. As we pray with our Lady of Fatima today, we united our prayers with the prayers and intercession of Mary. 

Priest: With Easter joy, we present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ. He is our risen Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

Prayers of the faithful for Tuesday of the 6th week of Easter - 12 May 2026

Lord Jesus - you bring us Easter joy. 

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

Lord Jesus - you forgive the sins of the contrite. 

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

1. That through reading and praying the scriptures, our hearts may be set on fire and our commitment to God may grow

2. For missionaries, pilgrims, and aid workers. For courage, wisdom, and safety on their journeys. 

3. That we may always be aware of God’s presence with us. 

4. For a deeper appreciation of the gift of the Eucharist. 

5. For those who entered the Church at Easter. For those children and youth who received the Easter sacraments. For continued blessings on their journey of faith. 

6. For those who are recovering from natural disasters. 

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

12 May 2026 - homily for Tuesday of the 6th week of Easter - Acts 16:22-34

St Dominic de la Calzada was born into a peasant family in the province of Burgos in north central Spain in 1019, which is more than 1,000 years ago.  As a young man, he applied to be a Benedictine monk two different times, but was turned down. He instead lived as a young man as a hermit in a cave. He collaborated with the newly arrived bishop in the area to combat a plague of locusts. The bishop was very impressed with young Dominic and he was ordained a Diocesan priest. He spent a lot of time in his priesthood improving the pilgrimage route, building bridges, clearing land, and even building an alternative causeway route on the pilgrimage trail of St James that is now part of the modern Camino pilgrimage route in northern Spain. The town that he founded on the Camino is named after him and remains one of the highlights of the pilgrimage trail: Santo Domingo de la Calzada. Unfortunately, that town was one of the hardest hit places in Spain during the pandemic, with many of its residents dying.  There are coops of roosters in the cathedral named after him where he is interred in the crypt. The roosters represent a story that is told about him. If the rooster crows while you are in mass there, reportedly you will have good luck on the rest of the Camino.  What I love about Santo Domingo de la Calzada is that he shows how after doors close in our lives, we can still serve the Lord in creative and resourceful ways. 

Just as St Dominic de la Calzada adapted to his reality and the challenges he faced in his ministry, we have heard in our readings from ACTS at our daily masses about the challenges Paul and his companions faced in preaching the Gospel message. Today, we hear how Paul and Silas are stripped, beaten with rods, and thrown into prison.  Rather than bemoan their situation, they lift it up to the Lord, they sing hymns of praise and they pray to the Lord.  and praying for the other prisoners to hear. God answers their prayers with an earthquake that provides them a means of escape. Yet, they use this opportunity instead to convert souls and to preach the Gospel. Yes, God always meets us in our reality. We can us that reality and the opportunities God gives us to preach the Gospel. 

10 May 2026 - homily for the 6th Sunday of Easter CYCLE A - Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 - John 14:15-21

During the Easter season, I always enjoy hearing the readings from the Acts of the Apostles about the development and growth of the Early Church, of the missionary efforts of the leaders of the Early Church to evangelize and to preach the Gospel message out in the world. In our reading from Acts today, Philip goes to Samaria to preach Christ’s Gospel message. The people are filled with great joy at hearing this message and at great miracles and healings take place. At the time of the Assyrian captivity 8 centuries before Christ’s brith, foreigners came to Samaria and intermingled with the Samaritan people. Their Jewish religion became mingled with idol worship, so Samaritans were seen as outcasts and not true followers of the Jewish faith. Thus, Philip going to Samaria and converting the people to way of Jesus would have been a big event in the Early Church. 

One other aspect that we may question about this reading from Acts is the comment that even though they had been baptized, Peter and John went sent to Samaria so that they might receive the Holy Spirit, that the Spirit had not yet fallen upon them. But how could this comment be made, since we all are baptized in the name of the Trinity, which includes the Holy Spirit, right? Well, Scripture scholars sees this as connected to the Pentecost event, when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles in a special way as Jesus ascended into heaven. The apostles brought the same spirit of what took place in Jerusalem at Pentecost to those in Samaria. We can also think of the way that the Spirit infuses us and strengthens us in a special way in the sacrament of confirmation, different from the way the Spirit is with us in our daily lives. 

In our Gospel today, the sending of the Holy Spirit as our advocate to be with us and to accompany us is the work of both the Father and the Son. We have had some baptisms here at Holy Savior during these first weeks of the Easter season. Do we see the Trinity as accompanying us always on our journey of faith, the Trinity in whose name we are baptized? Sometimes we forget the reality of the sacraments we receive and the reality they are to have on our everyday life of faith. In our Gospel today, Jesus tells us that if we love him, we will keep God’s commandments. Love is connected to the obedience and faithfulness we are to strive for on our journey through life as disciples of Christ. We can never forget the love we have for Jesus and the love he has for us. 

These past weeks of the Easter season, we have celebrated confirmation with our youth and first holy communion with our children. Next weekend, we will celebrate graduation with our graduates. I always say that God meets us in the reality of life. Those occasions have been very joyful for our families, our children, and our youth. Some of us face some very big challenges on our journey of faith. On Easter afternoon, I went to the state prison in Pearl where our Catholic inmates and I visited the new rehab unit they have now, where men who are facing severe addiction and mental health issues can go for rehabilitation and behavior modification. That is a needed addition to the prison and the men in the program are doing so well. One of them told me that he has not felt this good physically in more than 10 years, being able to leave the drugs behind him now and get clean. One of the men showed me this sheet of paper that he had made about 8 years ago before the pandemic when we were having a hard time getting the men to come to Mass. He would hold it up in the widow of the unit where he was living, asking the guard to let them out for mass. He saved it to remind him how he needs to be bold and courageous in living out his Catholic faith, that we cannot take for granted the opportunity to live out our faith. Thankfully, we have more access to the men right now. 

As we are coming to the end of the Easter season in these next couple of weeks, may we feel the risen Christ and the three persons of the Trinity accompanying us in the reality of our journey of faith. 

3 May 2026 - homily for the 5th Sunday of Easter - John 14:1-12 - prison ministry

Our readings on this fifth Sunday of Easter present us with the themes of dwelling places and home. We Catholics are aware that the earth is not our permanent home. We are a pilgrims on a journey of faith here on earth. We are journeying toward eternal life with God in his heavenly kingdom. 

We are called to make our dwelling here on earth during this lifetime. We are to live as disciples of Christ and to proclaim God’s kingdom on our journey of faith. As disciples, we form the Church, the body of Christ here on earth. But we are also to form a domestic church in the way we live out our faith each day in our personal lives. That is where the majority of our faith is lived out. When you go home to the free world, you will form a domestic church with your families. In a family, the words and actions of the family members form the faith of the family, the faith of the mother, father, and children. Your words and actions speak about your faith to your friends and to those people you interact with each day. Our faith begins at home. Our faith is reflected in how we live out our lives each day. 

We see our faith reflected in the sacrament of baptism. We in the Catholic Church see the sacrament of baptism as the beginning of our life of discipleship in Jesus. In a Catholic family, a child is baptized as a baby, as the parents make a profession of faith, profess the vows of their own baptism, and take responsibility for raising their child in the faith. 

How you live out the values of your faith each day is key to helping you grow in holiness. How you live out your faith each day is where you practice intimate and selfless love of God and other persons. 

In John’s Gospel, Jesus speak as heaven as a home that is filled with many dwelling places. “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” Jesus gives us this comforting image of the eternal life with God that awaits us in his kingdom. Jesus assures us of the personal love that God has for each one of us as he prepares for those who are faithful for him a place in the eternal kingdom. 

Do you take your daily life of faith seriously? Do your treat the moments of the day as being a domestic church? Do you take time to read the daily Bible readings and to pray and to share your faith with others? We have men who come to mass when they think we are going to hand things out or when we have a meal, but then, when it is a regular mass or nothing special, then we don’t see them. We have some men who tell me they are too busy. One man even told me that he was too busy and did not have time for mass, that he was the hardest working man on the compound, yet he told me that as he was playing a video game and did not even have time to put the video game down and talk to me. We see men here at CMCF that waste their time all day long with things, but then don’t have an hour to go to Church. 

As we celebrate the 5th weekend of Easter and as we hear this wonderful Gospel reading today, may we respond to this great love that God offers us by taking good, responsible care of our earthly dwelling, the everyday moments in our life of faith. In our dwelling place here on earth, may we honor and worship God with our prayers, with our thoughtfulness toward each other, and with our generous hospitality shown toward all.

10 May 2026 - bulletin reflection for the 6th Sunday of Easter

It seems like there is never any downtime for most of us in the modern world. It seems like we have busy lives and busy schedules all the time. Yet, we are called to make our journey of faith a priority in our lives. We make time for a lot of other things, but we are called to make time for the Lord, to make that the center of our lives. It is still the first part of May, and we have already had our first Friday devotion, our first Saturday devotion, our first Wednesday evening of adoration, our first communion Mass with our children, and our healing Mass for the month. We will still have a lot going on at Holy Savior and Immaculate Conception during the summer months. I hope you will join us. Blessings. Happy Mother’s Day weekend to everyone. Father Lincoln. 

10 May 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the 6th Sunday of Easter

Introduction: We are nearing the end of our celebration of the Easter seasons, as we celebrate the risen Christ in our weekend liturgies in a special ways. We will close out the Easter season in the next two weekends with our celebrations of the Ascension of the Lord and Pentecost. As we reflect on the meaning of Christ’s resurrection and the paschal mysteries, may we always feel the joy of the risen Lord in our hearts. 

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

Christ Jesus - you lead us on the path of holiness. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to keep God’s commandments. 

Priest: As you promise to send us the spirit of truth to accompany us on our faith journey, we present our prayers to you today with faith and hope: 

1. That Jesus’ commandment to love one another may motivate ministries of outreach in the Church to those in need. We pray to the Lord. 

2. That we may care for our planet and all its inhabitants with wise stewardship and reverence, recognizing the Creator in all of creation. We pray to the Lord. 

3. As we celebrate May as the Month of Mary, we pray that we united our prayers with Mary’s prayers. May we grow in our devotion to her. We pray to the Lord. 

4. For those who are afflicted and ill in body, mind, or spirit, May the Lord release them from all that holds them down and liberate them in new life in Christ. We pray to the Lord. 

5. For mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers. That the Lord may strengthen them and guide them and their families in their lives of faith. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For those who are struggling in different ways on their journey. That the Holy Spirit lead them in the right direction and restore them to wholeness. We pray to the Lord.  

7. For all who have died. For our deceased family members and loved ones. For their entry into eternal life. We pray to the Lord. 

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

Priest: As we continue our journey through the Easter season, may we feel the joy of the risen Lord accompanying us each step of the ways. We make our prayers through your son Jen Christ, our Lord forever and ever. Amen.  

8 May 2026 - homily for Friday of the 6th week of Easter - Acts 15:22-31

What are the essential requirements to be a disciple of Christ? The Early Church needed to decide the answer to that question. The community leaders gathered at Jerusalem, deciding that circumcision should not be imposed on the non-Jewish converts to the Way of Jesus. They promulgated this decision to the wider Church. Antioch was a great center of Greek speaking followers of the Way of Jesus, both Jewish and Gentile converts alike. Besides Paul and Barnabas being sent to Antioch to represent the Church in Jerusalem, they also sent others from the Jerusalem community. Significantly, they announced their statement with these words: “It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us…”  They find it important to say that they are not only speaking in their own name, but also with the endorsement of the Holy Spirit in their decision. In the last few days in our first readings from Acts, as we heard of the decisions that were made by the Church and of the ways that the Holy Spirit accompanied the Church and her leaders. The leaders discerned how the Spirit was working with them as they made their decisions guided by the Spirit. Sometimes the Holy Spirit can lead us to decisions that we would not make on our own. In recent years, it seems like there has been a distrust and a rebellion against authority figures in our country. Perhaps that distrust has been warranted in some cases. Let us pray today and everyday for our Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Kopacz and the other Bishops, and all of our Church leaders.  They certainly need our prayers, our love, and our support.   

3 May 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the 5th Sunday in Easter - prison ministry

Priest: Penitential Rite: 

Lord Jesus - you will prepare a dwelling place for us. 

Christ Jesus - you bring us the joy of your resurrection. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us the hope of eternal life in you.

Priest: With hope and trust, we bring our prayers today to our heavenly Father: 

1. For all of us who receive the Eucharist at Mass each week. We pray that the Lord continue to live within us as Jesus enters our lives in a special way in the Eucharist. We pray for all the children at Holy Savior Catholic Church who are receiving the Eucharist for the first time this weekend. We pray to the Lord. 

2. As we seek to follow Christ, that we in the Church may show the world the way to the Father. We pray to the Lord.

3. We pray that our national and world leaders choose the path of peace over the ways of violence and conflict. We pray for those communities and countries divided by violence and war. We pray for peace especially in the Middle East and Ukraine. We pray to the Lord.

4. For all deacons, whose ministry of service dates back to the early days of the Church. For all transitional and permanent deacons in our diocese. We pray to the Lord.

5. For those whose hearts are troubled. For those who have lost their way. For those who are in need of guidance and support. That they might find what they need in our community of faith. We pray to the Lord.

6. For the men in the BUM unit here at CMCF. For all here at CMCF who are battling addictions and different demons in their lives. For strength and courage. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For the sick and afflicted of our community. We pray for healing in body, mind, and spirit. We pray to the Lord.

8. For our deceased family members and loved ones. For their entry into eternal life. We pray to the Lord.

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

Priest: God of love and mercy, your son Jesus Christ shows us the way to you. Teach us to follow him more closely. Hear these our prayers that we make in his name, for he is our risen Lord for ever and ever. Amen.

7 May 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Thursday of the 5th week of Easter

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

Christ Jesus - you bless us on our journey. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us Easter joy. 

Priest: With Easter joy, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father. 

1. That all who are ill may find new life and healing in Christ. 

2. That we may all appreciate the gift of nature and God’s creation. 

3. We pray for our farmers and gardeners. For good weather and an abundant harvest. 

4. That the gift of Christ’s peace settle in the hearts of all the human family. 

5. That those who struggle with faith may be liberated by the Word of God and grow in their relationship with God. 

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

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

8 May 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Friday of the 5th week of Easter

Lord Jesus - you tend your flock. 

Christ Jesus - you lead your people to God’s kingdom. 

Lord Jesus - you are our savior and redeemer. 

Priest: With faith and hope in the risen Christ, we present our prayer to our heavenly Father: 

1. For the Church throughout the world. May our faith in God’s love influence our word and our actions. 

2. For peace in our world, especially in Ukraine and the Middle East. For the safety of the men and women serving in the military. 

3. For the poor, the homeless, and the unemployed. May God help them in the midst of their reality. 

4. For the protection and sanctity of human life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death.

5. That the children and youth of our parish may grow in wisdom and grace on their journey of faith. For a good end to the school year. 

6. For evangelizers, missionaries, and lay ministers. 

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

Priest: Heavenly Father, you are present in our midst. We pray that you continue to lead us and guide us as we commemorate the Easter season. We present our prayers through the risen Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.  

7 May 2026 - homily for Thursday of the 5th week of Easter - apparition of St Rafael in Cordoba Spain - John 15:9-11

In the year 1578, the city of Córdoba in southern Spain was suffering from devastating plagues and unrest. Starting on May 7 of that year, Father Andrés de las Roelas, a devout priest, began receiving supernatural visions of a radiant figure. The heavenly visitor identified himself as St. Raphael, the Archangel. Rafael spoke these reassuring words to the priest: “I swear to you by Jesus Christ crucified that I am Raphael, whom the Lord has placed as guardian of this city.” This divine revelation brought immense consolation to the people of Córdoba. They believed that St. Raphael had been sent by God to protect their city from further calamities. Following this apparition, the city of Córdoba grew in devotion to  the Archangel Raphael. Many miracles were attributed to his intercession. The people built shrines and statues in his honor. The apparition of St. Raphael in Córdoba is a powerful reminder that God sends his angels to watch over his people. The basilica of St Rafael in Córdoba was built on the spot of the apparition in the late 18th and early 19th century in honor of the city’s devotion to the archangel Rafael. 

 In the Gospel of John, right after Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with his disciples, he delivered a series of discourses to them.  Yesterday,  we heard one of those discourses, where Jesus explained that he was the vine and that his disciples are the branches, that they are intrinsically connected. Today, we hear an explanation of that Gospel story that consists of only three short verses. Jesus summarizes God’s law in the concept of Agape love, of a love that is unselfish and that reaches out to the well-being other person. Jesus wants us to love our neighbor in a way that would willingly suffer inconvenience and discomfort as a part of that love.  This love is called to be rooted in our faith and in our relationship with Jesus. May we always abide in God’s love as disciples of Christ. 

6 May 2026 - homily for Wednesday of the 5th week of Easter - John 15:1-8

Born into a peasant family in Riva, Italy in 1842, Dominic Savio was a student with John Bosco in Turin. As a young man, he was a gifted organizer and a peacemaker in the community. He founded a group called the Company of the Immaculate Conception, which help teach boys manual labor. He spent many hours in prayer. His health, however, was always frail. He died at the age of 15 in 1857.  John Bosco, who hoped that Dominic would Jon his order as a priest, wrote an account of his life. He was canonized in 1954. He is remembered for his religious piety, his deep devotion to the Eucharist, his love for liturgical music and ministry, and his devotion to being an altar server at mass. He is the patron saint of choirboys. 

We are connected to Jesus in many ways in our lives of faith. As Jesus is our Lord and Savior, we receive our salvation through him through the new life we receive in the waters of baptism and in the way we live out our baptismal promises each day. We are connected to Jesus through the Eucharist we receive at Mass. We are connected to him through our membership in the body of Christ, the Church. We are connected to him in the way we serve our neighbor through the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.  As Jesus is the vine and we are the branches connected to him, he gives us life, nourishment, and support.  

2 May 2026 - Prayers of the faithful for the First Saturday Devotion to Our Lady of Fatima - prayers of the faithful for the Saturday of the 4th week of Easter

Penitential Rite: 

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: Lord, have mercy.

Prayers of the faithful:  

Priest:  God graciously blesses us with his love and mercy. We now bring forward our needs to God with confidence as we commemorate our first Saturday Devotion this morning, dedicated to Mary, Our Lady of Fatima

1. That those who follow Christ may grow in their faith during the celebration of the Easter season. 

2. That God will grant wisdom to our governmental leaders in the decisions they make and in the challenges they face. 

3. For peace in our communities that are torn apart by violence, terrorism, anger, or conflict. For peace throughout the world, especially in the Middle East and Ukraine. For the safety and well-being of the men and women serving in the military. 

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

5. That our Mother Mary, Our Lady of Fatima, be an example to all of us in her patience, compassion, and love.  

6. For Pope Leo XIV and all our Church leaders. For wisdom for them as they lead and guide the people of God. 

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 risen Lord forever and ever. Amen.

2 May 2026 - homily for the Saturday of the 4th week of Easter - St Athanasius - Acts 13:44-52

Many of the Jews were not open to hearing the Gospel of Jesus proclaimed to him. In the early Church, it was first assumed that the Gospel message was reserved entirely for the Jewish people, that salvation was only open to them. But then Paul felt the call to preach the Gospel to the Gentile, a huge shift in their evangelization efforts. Many of the Gentiles received this message positively, arousing fear and jealousy amongst the Jews. 

As the early Church developed and great, Jesus’ humanity and divinity were the subject of a great deal of discussion and controversy. The Arian heresy arose as a part of this controversy, named after Arius, a teacher and presbyter who lived in Alexandria, Egypt in the 4th century.  Arius argued that Jesus was a created being with divine attributes rather than a being who was eternally divine. Arius and his beliefs were labeled as heresy at the Council of Nicea in the year 325 AD. Jesus’ eternal divine nature was professed in the Nicene Creed. I bring up the Arian heresy because the saint we celebrate today, St Athanasius, was instrumental in defeating this heresy. Athanasius was a strong voice in this debate in his role as Bishop of Alexandria, an important leadership position in the Early Church. This controversy was so heated in the Early Church that Athanasius was exiled five times for his defense of the doctrine of Christ’s divinity. His writings on the Arian heresy are considered important theological works in the history of the Church, earning Athanasius the title of Doctor of the Church. Among his celebrated writings is the Life of St Anthony of the Desert, a biography of the famous Desert Father. This biography of Anthony and his teachings are said to have had a big influence on the development of monasticism in the Western Church. We celebrate St Athanasius today and unite our prayer to his prayers today. 

6 May 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Wednesday of the 5th week of Easter

Lord Jesus - You bring us Easter joy. 

Christ Jesus - You bring us hope. 

Lord Jesus - You bring us the good news of the Gospel. 

Priest: We present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. That we as a Church may be strengthened in our life of discipleship through the breaking of the bread that we share together. 

2. That the resurrection of Christ that we joyfully celebrate during the Easter season enable us to live with a great sense of meaning and purpose. 

3. That we may bring our lives, our experiences, and our relationships to the Eucharist that we celebrate in the Mass, allowing us to grow in wisdom and understanding. 

4. For a deepening of our love and hunger for the Word of God. 

5. That as individuals and as a community, the Spirit of God will guide our daily journeys and bring us hope. 

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

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

5 May 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Tuesday of the 5th week of Easter

Lord Jesus - you are the vine and we are the branches. 

Christ Jesus - you lead us to new life. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to have hope. 

Priest: With the Easter joy of the risen Lord, we now bring our prayers to our heavenly Father:

1. For Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Kopacz , and all our Church leaders. May they learn wisdom and patience from God, leading their people in justice and peace.  

2. That Christians everywhere may be instruments of healing and forgiveness in their families and in their communities. 

3. For persecuted Christians and for all who suffer for the Gospel. That God will give them patience and guide them in following the example of Jesus who entrusted himself to God’s providence. 

4. For all who are discerning a call to ministry. That they will recognize God’s invitation, open their hearts to God who loves them, and follow Jesus in serving others.  

5. For healing for the sick and the afflicted. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed.  

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

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

5 May 2026 - homily for Tuesday of the 5th week of Easter - Acts 14:19-28

Nunzio Sulprizio was born in 1817 in Italy. His father died when he was Nunzio was three years old. He was treated poorly by his stepfather and at the blacksmith shop where he worked as a apprentice as a boy.  Due to injuries from his ill heath and the abuse he endured, he entered a hospital in Naples.  He always relied on his faith to survive. Through his uncle, he met a colonel in the Italian military who became his surrogate father. He aspired to be a missionary. But his ill health and the injuries he endured through ill-treatment caused him to die at the age of 19. He was known for his patience and his great faith. Nunzio was canonized in 2018 by Pope Francis. His canonization miracle involved the healing of a young man who had been injured in a motorcycle accident and who went into a coma which was expected to leave him in a vegetative state. A relic from Blessed Nunzio was placed in this young man’s room. After a week of prayers from his family, the young man woke from his coma. 

As we hear about St Nunzio Sulprizio and the challenges he faced on his journey, we hear about the challenges Paul face in his travels in our reading from the Acts of the Apostles. In some villages, Paul is welcomed warmly and he is able to win over many converts for the faith. Yet, in one place as described in today’s reading, Paul is stoned and dragged to the outskirts of the city and left for dead.  No matter how Paul is treated and no matter what obstacles and challenges stand in his way, he never gives up in spreading the Gospel throughout the land. He goes from town to town bringing Christ’s message wherever he goes. May these great examples of faith give us inspiration on our own journey and in the challenges we face. 

3 May 2026 - homily for the 5th Sunday of Easter CYCLE A - homily for the first communion mass - John 14:1-12

We are exited to be celebrating first holy Eucharist with all of our children this morning who have been preparing throughout the year. Their teachers have worked hard with them. They have all received the sacrament of first reconciliation. And they are now ready for this big step today on their journey of faith. We are very proud of all of you children. We celebrate with great joy with you and your families today. 

We have been hearing readings throughout the Easter season that help us understand Jesus’ resurrection after he had been put to death on the cross, what that resurrection means for us on our journey of faith, the salvation and the new life we receive in Jesus. 

Last weekend, boys and girls, you may remember that we spoke about Jesus as the Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep. We always have Uno up here at Mass with us, don’t we? He represents the sheep that Jesus needs to reach out to with special love and care. Jesus is always looking out for us, isn't he? He is always with us on our journey. Uno always reminds us of that. 

Jesus promises eternal life with him and with the father for those of us who are his disciples. Jesus says that he is going to prepare a place for us so that we can be with him. Later in the Easter season, Jesus is going to ascend into heaven and will send us the Holy Spirit to help us on our journey. Today, he speaks about the eternal life that we will have in our faith, how after our life here on earth is finished, we will have eternal life with God in heaven. This is what our celebration of Easter is all about. How Jesus changes everything for us. 

We not only have our parish here at Holy Savior, part of the universal Catholic Church and the Catholic Church here in the Diocese of Jackson led by Bishop Kopacz. We have a church with our family as well. And that church is very important too. Your parents and your families form you in your faith. Your families have helped you prepare for today when you will receive the Eucharist for the first, Jesus entering your lives in a special way. This host is now a regular wafer of bread. Later in the Mass, in our Eucharistic prayer and in our consecration, it will become the body and blood of Christ. It will become food that nourishes us on our journey of faith. The word we have for the body and blood of Christ, Eucharist, actually has its origins in a Greek word that mean thanksgiving, gratitude, or giving thanks. We give thanks for the gift of Jesus that you are going to receive for the first time today, boys and girls. 

We always celebrate first holy Eucharist in the midst of the Easter season, when we celebrate the risen Christ is a special way. The important thing, boys and girls, is to remember the body and blood of Christ that you receive at Mass as you go about your life each day. When you are having a bad day or when things don’t seem like they are going well, remember that Jesus is with you. He is calling us to acts of kindness to our parents and siblings and other family members, to act right with our teacher and with our friends and fellow students, to help others in kindness and love. 

We are so happy for you boys and girls today. This is a day of great joy. 

Prayers of the faithful for the feast of St Joseph the Worker - 2025 May 1

Lord Jesus You grew up with Mary and Joseph in Nazareth.

Christ Jesus - You give dignity to human work. 

Lord Jesus - You are our Lord and Savior.  

PRIEST: Lord, you are the source of all holiness. We pray to our Lord God who gave St. Joseph the light and strength he needed to be faithful at all times: 

1. For Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Joseph Kopacz, and all priests. May they follow the example of St Joseph and lead us through a responsible and dedicated leadership.

2. That we in our Christian community may respect and love each other and be dedicated to our families by following the example of St Joseph.

3. That those entrusted with responsibility in various ministries of the Church set a modern Christian example for the people they lead.

4. That St Joseph the Worker may inspire all laborers and workers to work wholeheartedly in this world, seeking always to give God glory and be faithful to the duties assigned to them.

5. That through the intercession of  St Joseph, all humanity may find the opportunity to have secure employment and a fitting standard of living. We pray to the Lord.

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

PRIEST: Heavenly Father, we praise you for having led St Joseph to serve your son Jesus and his Mother Mary so faithfully. We ask that you help us to be faithful to our responsibilities and serve you with love. We ask this through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever and ever. AMEN. 

1 May 2025 - homily for Friday of the 4th week of Easter - homily for the feast of St Joseph the worker - Acts 13:26-33

We have a lot of different examples of holiness in the lives of the saints. Just this week, on Tuesday, we celebrated St Catherine of Siena, a Dominican lay woman who lived in the 14th century and who had an incredible influence on the Church and the Church leaders of that era, leading her to be named a Doctor of the Church in the late 20th century. Then, yesterday, we commemorated Pope Pius V, who was named pope in the era of the Protestant Reformation and who was entrusted to implement the reforms and renewal that came out of the Council of Trent. Today, we celebrate Joseph, the spouse of Mary, as St Joseph the worker. Pope Pius XII instituted this feast day in 1955 to foster devotion to St Joseph as a model of faith and holiness and to counter-balance the May Day celebrations of the communist countries of Europe. This feast day is inspired by Joseph’s life of holiness as the humble hard-working carpenter who has inspired the Catholic example of the worker for centuries, emphasizing the dignity and respect we have for human labor and the way it contributes to our families and our society.  Beginning with the story of creation in the Book of Genesis, the dignity of human work has been celebrated as us participating in the creative work of God.

Just as St Joseph the carpenter and foster father of Jesus is a great example of the holiness of human labor for us in the modern world, we must remember that Jesus worked as a carpenter too. He learned carpentry from Joseph by working working with him. Jesus spent his early adult years working in Joseph’s carpentry shop before the start of his ministry. John Paul II stated in his encyclical On Human Work: “[Christ], while being God, became like us in all things devoted most of the years of his life on earth to manual work at the carpenter’s bench. This circumstance constitutes in itself the most eloquent ‘Gospel of work’, showing that the basis for determining the value of human work is not primarily the kind of work being done but the fact that the one who is doing it is a person.” Later in the same document, John Paul II states: “the Church considers it her task always to call attention to the dignity and rights of those who work, to condemn situations in which that dignity and those rights are violated…”

In addition to this feast day of St Joseph the worker today and the feast day of Joseph the spouse of Mary on March 19, Pope Pius IX declared Saint Joseph the patron of the universal Church in 1870. Just as Paul and the other apostles and disciples in the Early Church are great examples of faith for us as heard in our readings from the Acts of the Apostles during the Easter season, we honor St Joseph today in his example of holiness and his example of the dignity of human work. 

3 May 2026 - homily for the 5th Sunday of Easter - John 14:1-12

Our readings on this fifth Sunday of Easter present us with the themes of dwelling places and home. We Catholics are aware that the earth is not our permanent home. We are pilgrims on a journey of faith here on earth. We are journeying toward eternal life with God in his heavenly kingdom. 

We are called to make our dwelling here on earth during this lifetime. We are to live as disciples of Christ and to proclaim God’s kingdom on our journey of faith. As disciples, we form the Church, the body of Christ here on earth. But we are also to form a domestic church in our homes with our families. Our faith is lived out each day mostly in our families in the domestic church. The words and actions of the family members form the faith of the family, the faith of the mother, father, and children. Our faith begins at home. We see this reflected in the sacrament of baptism. In a Catholic family, a child is baptized as a baby, as the parents make a profession of faith, profess the vows of their own baptism, and take responsibility for raising their child in the faith. The domestic church is to play a key role in our lives of faith and in helping us grow in holiness. The domestic home is the primary place where we are to practice intimate and selfless love of other persons.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus speak as heaven as a home that is filled with many dwelling places. “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” Jesus gives us this comforting image of the eternal life with God that awaits us in his kingdom. Jesus assures us of the personal love that God has for each one of us as he prepares for those who are faithful to him a place in the eternal kingdom. 

When I first arrived at Holy Savior and Immaculate Conception in the summer of 2022, which is hard to believe that it was 4 years ago, I met with Hunter Yentzen, the leader of the youth. One of the things we spoke about was adoration of the blessed sacrament. You might recall that I addressed adoration of the blessed sacrament at length in my homily last week. That devotion involves setting aside time to spend with the Lord’s body and blood that is present in the Eucharist as it is displayed in a special way in the church or in a prayer room in a monstrance or tabernacle. From that conversation I had with Hunter, we started adoration on the first Wednesday of each month, inviting all parishioners, but having a special emphasis in inviting our children, youth, and families. Making time for God as a family, practicing a devotion of the faith as a family, and praying to God as a family are important in the life of faith of the family, the domestic church. I want to invite you all to spend time with God in adoration. We have our first Wednesday adoration time this upcoming week from 6:00 to 7:00 pm, with confessions offered during that time as well. We have fellowship time with pizza afterwards as well. 

As we think about our family as a domestic church, how I we treating our families as such? Do we pray together as a family? Do we go to mass and adoration and participate in the life of our parish as a family? We had what I consider a good turnout for the Stations of the Cross on Fridays during Lent and for the liturgies of the Triduum during Holy Week, but many of our families, children, and youth did not come to any of those liturgies. Many people who consider themselves devout Catholic never come to the liturgies of the Triduum. So, again, we need to ask ourselves if we truly see ourselves in our families as a domestic church. 

As we celebrate the 5th weekend of Easter and as we hear this wonderful Gospel reading today, may we respond to this great love that God offers us by taking good, responsible care of our earthly dwellings, making our homes true “domestic churches.” In our families and in our dwelling places here on earth, may we honor and worship God with our prayers, with our thoughtfulness toward each other, and with our generous hospitality shown toward all.

3 May 2026 - bulletin reflection for the 5th Sunday of Easter

Today, our children in our first communion class will receive the eucharist for the first time. Our children and their families have been looking forward to this day with great anticipation. They have been preparing for this day all year. We are very thankful for this moment in their lives of faith. In recent years, we have had a greater discussion and emphasis in the Church on the importance of the eucharist in our lives as Catholics. We have been discussing the importance of forming a eucharistic culture in our lives and in our families and the importance of identifying ourselves as a eucharistic people. Blessings to all of you as we continue to celebrate the joyful Easter season. Father Lincoln. 

3 May 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the 5th Sunday in Easter - Saturday vigil mass

Introduction: We continue our celebration of the Easter season on this fifth weekend of Easter. With great joy, we will celebrate first communion with our children at our Sunday morning mass at Holy Savior. We hear Jesus tell us today that our hearts should not be trouble, that our heavenly Father has many dwelling places, that Jesus will prepare a place for his disciples. With the hope of our faith, may the reality of the resurrection help us to bring the Gospel message to the world and to evangelize others. 

Priest: Penitential Rite: 

Lord Jesus - you will prepare a dwelling place for us. 

Christ Jesus - you bring us the joy of your resurrection. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us the hope of the eternal life in you.

Priest: With hope and trust, we bring our prayers today to our heavenly Father: 

1. For our children who are receiving the Eucharist for the first time at Holy Savior this weekend. We pray that the Lord continue to lead them and guide them and their family as they continue to grow on their journey of faith. We pray to the Lord. 

2. As we seek to follow Christ, that we in the Church may show the world the way to the Father. We pray to the Lord.

3. We pray that our national and world leaders choose the path of peace over the ways of violence and conflict. We pray for those communities and countries divided by violence and war. We pray for peace especially in the Middle East.  We pray to the Lord.

4. For all deacons, whose ministry of service dates back to the early days of the Church. For all transitional and permanent deacons in our diocese. We continue to pray for Hunter Yentzen and Chris Halliwell as they continue their diaconate formation program. We pray to the Lord.

5. For those whose hearts are troubled. For those who have lost their way. For those who are in need of guidance and support. That they might find what they need in our community of faith. We pray to the Lord.

6. For the sick and afflicted of our community. We pray for healing in body, mind, and spirit. We pray to the Lord.

7. For our deceased family members and loved ones. For their entry into eternal life. We pray to the Lord.

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

Priest: God of love and mercy, your son Jesus Christ shows us the way to you. Teach us to follow him more closely. Hear these our prayers that we make in his name, for he is our risen Lord for ever and ever. Amen.

3 May 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the 5th Sunday of Easter - prayers of the faithful for First communion Mass - 10:30 am Sunday at Holy Savior

Introduction: We continue our celebration of the Easter season on this fifth weekend of Easter. With great joy, we also celebrate first communion with our children this morning. We hear Jesus tell us today that our hearts should not be trouble, that our heavenly Father has many dwelling places, that Jesus will prepare a place for his disciples. With the hope of our faith, may the reality of the resurrection help us to bring the Gospel message to the world and to evangelize others. 

Priest: Penitential Rite: 

Lord Jesus - you will prepare a dwelling place for us. 

Christ Jesus - you bring us the joy of your resurrection. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us the hope of the eternal life in you. 

Prayers of the faithful:
PRIEST: On this 5th Sunday of the Easter season, we pray that all of us may be drawn more intimately into God’s love and mercy. We offer our prayers today for our needs and the needs of the world around us.


1. For God’s Church, that we may hear the call to be witnesses to the joy of Christ’s resurrection in the world. We pray to the Lord.


2. That we may be good stewards of our environment and take good care of God’s creation. We pray to the Lord.


3. For those who are who are hungry, for the poor, and for those in need. May we reach out to the them in works of mercy. We pray to the Lord 


4. For our first responders and for the men and women in the military. For all who protect us. We pray to the Lord.

5. For peace throughout the world. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For our children receiving first holy communion this morning and for their families. May they feel the joy of receiving Christ through the Eucharist. We pray to the Lord. 


7. For those who are sick in our parish community and in our families. For healing for them. We pray to the Lord. 

8. For our family members and loved ones who have died. For their entry into eternal life. We pray to the Lord. 


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

PRIEST: We are the people you shepherd, O God. We are the flock you guide. Hear these our prayers and graciously grant them through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever and ever. AMEN.