Announcements

March 8, 2026 The Third Sunday of Lent bulletin - Avoiding Greed

Dear People of God,

Greed is the third deadly sin because after people whet their appetite for gluttony and lust, they are still not happy. The truth is when we give into greed or envy, we are trying to find something to replace God. It is no coincidence that often when someone is obsessed with money, that person has an impoverished spiritual life.

Tips for avoiding greed:

Truly evaluate if what you have is good enough. In all likelihood, you do not really need to buy replacements.

Know that there is nothing wrong with driving a practical, fuel efficient, dented car for years. We do not need to buy new cars often. You do not get your value out of a car until several years have elapsed.

Do not fall for the trap that only certain brand names are good enough. Most mass produced commercially available goods are made in similar factories. Quality differences between brands are often negligible.

In the spiritual life, it is very dangerous to compare yourself with others. God has given us all different talents and gifts and we should accept them as His blessings to us. God wants us to be satisfied and be accepting. The devil wants us to perpetually chase after what we do not have.

Remember that money cannot buy health or happiness. We forget that way too often.

Remember that everyone has problems. Sometimes we think that people living with certain bank accounts or in certain neighborhoods do not have problems. That is the devil talking. All people have problems.

Remember that money does not buy friends, family, or true love. Ultimately, true love comes from God who loves us beyond all measure.

God bless,
Fr. Samuel Moses Brown

Queridos Pueblos de Dios,

La codicia es el tercer pecado capital. Cuando cedemos a la codicia o la envidia, estamos intentando encontrar algo que reemplace a Dios. No es casualidad que a menudo, cuando uno está obsesionado con las "cosas", esa persona tenga una vida espiritual empobrecida. Consejos para evitar la codicia:

Evalúa de verdad si lo que tienes es lo suficientemente bueno. Lo más probable es que realmente no necesites comprar repuestos.

Ten en cuenta que no hay nada de malo en conducir un coche práctico, eficiente en consumo y abollado durante años. No necesitamos comprar coches nuevos a menudo. No obtienes el valor de un coche hasta que han pasado varios años.

No caigas en la trampa de que solo ciertas marcas son lo suficientemente buenas. La mayoría de los productos comercializados producidos en masa se fabrican en fábricas similares. Las diferencias de calidad entre marcas suelen ser insignificantes.

En la vida espiritual, es muy peligroso compararse con los demás. Dios nos ha dado a todos talentos y dones diferentes y debemos aceptarlos como Sus bendiciones para nosotros. Dios quiere que estemos satisfechos y libres para receibir. El diablo quiere que persigamos perpetuamente lo que no tenemos.

Recuerda que el dinero no puede comprar salud ni felicidad. Lo olvidamos demasiado a menudo.

Recuerda que todos tenemos problemas. A veces pensamos que las personas que viven con ciertas cuentas bancarias o en ciertos barrios no tienen problemas. Eso es el diablo hablando. Todas las personas tienen problemas.

Recuerda que el dinero no compra a amigos, familia ni amor verdadero. En última instancia, el amor verdadero viene de Dios, que nos ama más allá de toda medida.

Dios te bendiga,
Padre Samuel Moses Brown

March 1, 2026 The Second Sunday of Lent bulletin- Avoiding Lust

Dear People of God,

As we move through Lent, it is a great time for us to consider how we want to grow closer to the Lord during this holy and special season of grace. We recall the list of the seven deadly sins: gluttony, lust, greed, depression, anger, sloth, vainglory, and pride.
Tips for avoiding lust:

• Practice custody of the eyes. While we thank God for creating beauty and the mysteries around human love, we also know that the eyes are the window to the soul. We should not let our gaze lead us into sin.

• Consider how you really are feeling before you give into the sins of the flesh. So often, we are experiencing feelings that make us feel bad in one way or another and we find something to combat them, such as these sins, though food is also a common thing people use.

• Go for a walk, get some exercise, talk to people on the phone, distract your mind when you can’t seem to get bad thoughts out of it. Dwelling will lead to more sin.

• Consider limiting access to the internet. You can live without it. In fact, all of the human race lived without it up until recently. Having a computer in your pocket all the time can be more than many people can handle.

• The best practice for a family is that the devices of the whole family are charged in a common area at night. It seems best that mom and dad have access to the chargers instead of everyone having access to them. Consider buying an alarm clock.

• Be judicious about what you watch. People commonly say: “all the good series have these kinds of scenes” or “that’s just how entertainment is today.” Believe it or not, some people have never watched Game of Thrones to spare their eyes of those bad scenes. We have a responsibility to recall that our eyes are the window to the soul.

God bless,
Fr. Samuel Moses Brown

Queridos Pueblos de Dios,

A medida que avanzamos durante la Cuaresma, es un gran momento para reflexionar sobre cómo queremos acercarnos al Señor durante esta santa y especial temporada de gracia. Recordamos la lista de los siete pecados capitales: gula, lujuria, codicia, depresión, ira, pereza, vanidad y orgullo.
Consejos para evitar el deseo:

• Practica la custodia de los ojos. Aunque damos gracias a Dios por crear la belleza y los misterios que rodean el amor humano, también sabemos que los ojos son la ventana al alma. No debemos dejar que nuestra mirada nos lleve al pecado.

• Considera cómo te sientes realmente antes de entregarte a los pecados de la carne. Muy a menudo, experimentamos sentimientos que nos hacen sentir mal de una forma u otra y encontramos algo para combatirlos, como estos pecados, aunque la comida también es algo común que la gente usa.

• Sal a caminar, haz algo de ejercicio, habla con la gente por teléfono, distrae tu mente cuando no consigas quitarte pensamientos negativos. Quedarse en casa llevará a más pecado.

• Considera limitar el acceso a internet. Puedes vivir sin ella. De hecho, toda la humanidad vivió sin ella hasta hace poco. Tener un ordenador en el bolsillo todo el tiempo puede ser más de lo que mucha gente puede manejar.

• La mejor práctica para una familia es que los dispositivos de toda la familia se carguen en una zona común por la noche. Parece mejor que mamá y papá tengan acceso a los cargadores en lugar de que todo el mundo tenga acceso a ellos. Considera comprar un despertador.

• Sé prudente con lo que ves. La gente suele decir: "todas las buenas series tienen este tipo de escenas" o "así es el entretenimiento hoy en día." Aunque no lo creas, hay gente que nunca ha visto Juego de Tronos para evitar que sus ojos se olviden de esas malas escenas. Tenemos la responsabilidad de recordar que nuestros ojos son la ventana al alma.

Dios te bendiga,
Padre Samuel Moses Brown

February 22, 2026 The First Sunday of Lent bulletin- Abstinence & Fasting

Dear People of God,

As we begin Lent, it is a great time for us to consider how we want to grow closer to the Lord during this holy and special season of grace. We should all find something to give up, such as sugar, alcohol, or social media. We should all take up more prayer than we normally do. We should all find some way to give more in alms than we normally do. These classical spiritual practices are given to us by Our Lord for our benefit and healing.

We should also recall the effect of the seven deadly sins upon us and their order: gluttony, lust, greed, depression, anger, sloth, and vainglory/pride. We can focus on trying to avoid them during this season of Lent. During Lent, we will have tips on defeating each one of these sins. The first of the seven deadly sins is gluttony. Tips for avoiding gluttony:

• Agree with yourself before you start eating that you will not eat until you are full, rather try to eat until you are about 75% full, wait 10 minutes, drink a glass of water, and really decide if you need more food or can wait.

• Avoid eating things that lead you to eat out of control, for many people that might be things like potato chips, sandwich cookies, ice cream; sometimes total abstinence is the best approach. If you don’t have the taste in your mouth, eventually you will forget about it.

• Consider cutting out a meal once or twice a week. Tell your stomach that you will not die from going hours without food; if you have medical conditions, you should consult a medical professional before fasting.

• If you cannot fast from all food for a few hours (or even a day) you can fast from specific foods, perhaps going vegan for a day or drinking only water.

• We should all practice self abnegation with food. Meaning that we do little modifications that we do not like such as no added table salt at dinner, no cream in coffee, no ketchup with potatoes, or no cheese in a sandwich; just taking away a little thing, can have a big impact.

God bless,
Fr. Samuel Moses Brown

Queridos Pueblos de Dios,

Al comenzar la Cuaresma, es un gran momento para reflexionar sobre cómo queremos acercarnos al Señor durante esta santa y especial temporada de gracia. Todos deberíamos encontrar algo a lo que renunciar, como el azúcar, el alcohol o las redes sociales. Todos deberíamos dedicar más oración de la que solemos hacerlo. Todos deberíamos encontrar la manera de dar más limosna de lo que solemos hacer. Estas prácticas espirituales clásicas nos son otorgadas por Nuestro Señor para nuestro beneficio y sanación.

También debemos recordar el efecto de los siete pecados capitales sobre nosotros y su orden: gula, lujuria, codicia, depresión, ira, pereza y vangloria/orgullo. Podemos centrarnos en intentar evitarlos durante esta época de Cuaresma. Durante la Cuaresma, tendremos consejos para vencer cada uno de estos pecados. El primero de los siete pecados capitales es la gula. Consejos para evitar la gula:

• Acuerda contigo mismo antes de empezar a comer en que no comerás hasta estar lleno, mejor intenta comer hasta estar al 75%, espera 10 minutos, bebe un vaso de agua y decide realmente si necesitas más comida o puedes esperar.

• Evita comer cosas que te lleven a comer fuera de control, para muchas personas pueden ser cosas como patatas fritas, galletas para bocadillo, helado; A veces la abstinencia total es el mejor enfoque. Si no tienes el sabor en la boca, al final lo olvidarás.

• Considera eliminar una comida una o dos veces por semana. Dile a tu estómago que no vas a morir por pasar horas sin comer; Si tienes condiciones médicas, deberías consultar a un profesional sanitario antes de ayunar.

• Si no puedes ayunar de todos los alimentos durante unas horas (o incluso un día), puedes ayunar con ciertos alimentos, quizá siendo vegano un día o bebiendo solo agua.

• Todos deberíamos practicar la abnegación con la comida. Es decir, hacemos pequeñas modificaciones que no nos gustan, como no añadir sal de mesa en la cena, no crema en el café, no hacer kétchup con patatas o no tener queso en un bocadillo; Simplemente quitar una pequeña cosa puede tener un gran impacto.

Dios te bendiga,
Padre Samuel Moses Brown

February 15, 2026 The Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Cycle A - Gospel of Matthew (continued)

Dear People of God,

(continued from Feb 8th The Gospel of Matthew)

Matthew 13 is his big chapter containing many parables. Matthew starts his parables in chapter 13 which is nearly at the halfway point of his gospel. Matthew saves the parables till later in his gospel and he gives more of them at once than the other gospels. He has 7 in chapter 13 which is the biggest concentration of parables in any of the gospels. Again, it points to Matthew’s understanding of Jesus as a teacher–the New Moses.

Matthew’s 18th chapter focuses on the Church. Interestingly, Jesus speaks of the Church as a functioning body of people in 18:17. This is a little bit odd because while Jesus was alive and talking, there was no church as we know it. Rather there was a collection of believers who had yet to be tested by His Death and Resurrection. This verse appears to be somewhat prophetic in the sense that it speaks to a reality that will come to exist in the future.

Our Lord knows that the Church will come into existence and that it will be a source of comfort and blessing to God’s People. This section notes that those who believe in Christ are to be forgiving and humble in their heart. They should seek out the lost and bear the faults of others with faith and humility. That is not easy, but it is something that Our Lord asks of us. We have to figure out how we put such words into practice and to be blessed as we follow our God.

God bless,
Fr. Samuel Moses Brown

Queridos Pueblos de Dios,

(continuación desde el 8 de febrero El Evangelio de Mateo)

Mateo 13 es su gran capítulo que contiene muchas parábolas. Mateo comienza sus parábolas en el capítulo13, que está casi a la mitad de su evangelio. Mateo reserva las parábolas para más adelante en su evangelio y da más de ellas de una vez que en los otros evangelios. Tiene 7 en el capítulo 13, que es la mayor concentración de parábolas en cualquiera de los evangelios. De nuevo, apunta a la comprensión que tenía Mateo de Jesús como maestro: el Nuevo Moisés.

El capítulo 18 de Mateo se centra en la Iglesia. Curiosamente, Jesús habla de la Iglesia como un cuerpo funcional de personas en 18:17. Esto es un poco extraño porque, mientras Jesús estaba vivo y hablaba, no existía la iglesia tal y como la conocemos. Más bien, había un grupo de creyentes que aún no habían sido puestos a prueba por Su Muerte y Resurrección. Este versículo parece ser algo profético en el sentido de que habla de una realidad que llegará a existir en el futuro.

Nuestro Señor sabe que la Iglesia surgirá y que será una fuente de consuelo y bendición para el Pueblo de Dios. Esta sección señala que quienes creen en Cristo deben ser perdonadores y humildes de corazón. Deben buscar a los perdidos y soportar los defectos de los demás con fe y humildad. No es fácil, pero es algo que Nuestro Señor nos pide. Tenemos que averiguar cómo poner en práctica esas palabras y ser bendecidos al seguir a nuestro Dios.

Dios los bendiga,
Padre Samuel Moses Brown

February 8, 2026 The Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Cycle A - Gospel of Matthew (continued)
February 1, 2026 The Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Cycle A - Gospel of Matthew (continued)
January 25, 2026 The Third Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Cycle A - Gospel of Matthew (continued)
January 18, 2026 The Second Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Cycle A - Gospel of Matthew
January 11, 2026 The Baptism of the Lord bulletin- Resolutions
January 4, 2026 The Epiphany of the Lord bulletin- Epiphany celebration
December 28, 2025 Feast of the Holy Family bulletin- Christmas-Epiphany seasons
December 21, 2025 Fourth Sunday of Advent bulletin- Advent - Isaiah
December 14, 2025 Third Sunday of Advent bulletin- Advent - Isaiah
December 7, 2025 Second Sunday of Advent bulletin- Advent
November 30, 2025 First Sunday of Advent bulletin- Advent

Please see these bulletins for messages from Fr. Brown in English and en Español:

November 23, 2025 bulletin- Thanksgiving
November 16, 2025 bulletin- Pray for the dead
November 9, 2025 bulletin- Liturgy (continued)

November 2, 2025 Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Liturgy (continued)
October 26, 2025 Twenty Nineth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Liturgy (continued)
October 19, 2025 Twenty Nineth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Liturgy (continued)
October 12, 2025 Twenty Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Liturgy (continued)
October 5, 2025 Twenty Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Liturgy (continued)
September 28, 2025 Twenty Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Liturgy (continued)
September 21, 2025 Twenty Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Liturgy (continued)
September 14, 2025 The Exaltation of the Holy Cross bulletin - Liturgy (continued)
September 7, 2025 Twenty Third Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Liturgy (continued)
August 31, 2025 Twenty Second Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Liturgy (continued)
August 24, 2025 Twenty First Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - Liturgy (continued)
August 17, 2025 Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - Liturgy (continued)
August 10, 2025 Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - Liturgy (continued)
August 3, 2025 Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - Liturgy (continued)
July 27, 2025 Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Liturgy (continued)
July 20, 2025 Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Liturgy
July 13, 2025 Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Ordinary Time
July 6, 2025 Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- St. John Cassian, Desert Father
June 29, 2025 Solemnity of Saints Peter & Paul - Spiritual Awakening
June 22, 2025 Corpus Christi bulletin- Transubstantiation
June 15, 2025 Holy Trinity bulletin- Eight Deadly Thoughts - Vainglory, Pride
June 8, 2025 Pentecost Sunday bulletin- Eight Deadly Thoughts - Sloth
June 1, 2025 Ascension of the Lord bulletin- Eight Deadly Thoughts - Sloth
May 25, 2025 6th Sunday of Easter bulletin - Eight Deadly Thoughts - Anger
May 18, 2025 5th Sunday of Easter bulletin - Eight Deadly Thoughts - Anger
May 11, 2025 4th Sunday of Easter bulletin - The Blessing of Mothers
May 4, 2025 3rd Sunday of Easter bulletin - Acknowledgments for our Holy Week liturgies
April 27, 2025 2nd Sunday of Easter bulletin - The 8 Deadly Thoughts (continued)
April 20, 2025 Easter Sunday bulletin- Easter Sunday Message
April 13, 2025 Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord bulletin- Lenten Series VI
April 6, 2025 Fifth Sunday of Lent bulletin- The Eight Deadly thoughts - Lenten Series V
March 23, 2025 Third Sunday of Lent bulletin - The Eight Deadly Thoughts - Lenten Series III - FOOD
March 16, 2025 Second Sunday of Lent bulletin - The Eight Deadly Thoughts - Lenten Series II
March 9, 2025 First Sunday of Lent bulletin - The Eight Deadly Thoughts - Lenten Series I
March 2, 2025 Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin- Lenten Repentance - Fish Fry
February 23, 2025 Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - Lenten Penances
February 16, 2025 Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - Marriage Week
February 2, 2025 Feast of the Presentation of the Lord bulletin - Church architectural terms

To view previous bulletins, please go to the Weekly Bulletins webpage.

Pastor’s Desk