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April 13, 2025 Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord bulletin - Lenten Series VI

Dear People of God,

Continued…. The next thought that often besieged the Desert Fathers after Gluttony and Lust was the thought of Greed. This sin is also called Avarice or general coveting of things. We could also say that this is an opportunity for the mind to wonder a bit and think of all kinds of things that might be something people would want. People might start thinking about money, things, stuff to buy, houses to compare, what kind of car they drive, and the like. Once we have given into the first two thoughts, the thought of wanting more physical objects and money becomes more magnified. The Fathers note that part of the temptation is that money can be used for good also, and yet once we have a bunch of money, rarely do we use it for the benefit of others. We see this so often in our society where nearly everyone self identifies as being “middle class.” Those with excessive funds often do not believe that they have any extra money to give away to the poor. Those who struggle with making rent payments often do not think of themselves as poor.

As a society, this is an interesting situation and at times it hinders people’s ability to be generous. We can easily think about getting paid better (or winning the lottery) and how we would give that money to the poor or a charity to do certain work. Though that happens sometimes, most often people find things that they’d like to buy for themselves instead. Additionally, we need to understand when we have enough of something. How many of us have a closet that has too many articles of clothing and shoes? Do we really need all of those clothing items? The thought of Greed is very easy to nurture and we easily let it take over in our spending habits.

The Desert Fathers remedy their Greed by poverty, but we are not monks. However, we can still be wise, generous, and balanced with things that have been entrusted to us by God.

Very Rev. Samuel Moses Brown

Querido Pueblo de Dios:

Continuado..... El siguiente pensamiento que a menudo asediaba a los Padres del Desierto después de la Gula y la Lujuria era el pensamiento de la Codicia. Este pecado también se llama avaricia o codicia general de las cosas. También podríamos decir que esta es una oportunidad para que la mente se pregunte un poco y piense en todo tipo de cosas que podrían ser algo que la gente querría. La gente puede empezar a pensar en el dinero, las cosas, las cosas que comprar, las casas que comparar, el tipo de coche que conducen y cosas por el estilo. Una vez que hemos cedido a los dos primeros pensamientos, la idea de querer más objetos físicos y dinero se magnifica más. Los Padres señalan que parte de la tentación es que el dinero también se puede usar para el bien, y sin embargo, una vez que tenemos un montón de dinero, rara vez lo usamos para el beneficio de los demás. Vemos esto muy a menudo en nuestra sociedad, donde casi todos se identifican como de "clase media". Aquellos con fondos excesivos a menudo no creen que tienen dinero extra.

Como sociedad, esta es una situación interesante y, a veces, dificulta la capacidad de las personas para ser generosas. Podemos pensar fácilmente en que nos paguen mejor (o en ganar la lotería) y en cómo daríamos ese dinero a los pobres o a una organización benéfica para hacer cierto trabajo. Aunque eso sucede a veces, la mayoría de las veces no compartimos. Además, necesitamos entender cuándo tenemos suficiente de algo. ¿Cuántos de nosotros tenemos un armario que tiene demasiadas prendas de vestir y zapatos? ¿Realmente necesitamos todas esas prendas de vestir? El pensamiento de la codicia es muy fácil de alimentar y fácilmente dejamos que se apodere de nuestros hábitos de gasto.

Los Padres del Desierto remedian su codicia con la pobreza, pero nosotros no somos monjes. Sin embargo, todavía podemos ser sabios, generosos y equilibrados con las cosas que Dios nos ha confiado.

Muy Rev. Smauel Moses Brown

April 6, 2025 Fifth Sunday of Lent bulletin - The Eight Deadly thoughts - Lenten Series V

Dear People of God,

Continued….. Too often we have replaced God’s gifts with something that is artificial and harmful–separating us from God and each other. The Church has consistently taught that there are two solutions to lust: marriage and abstention. Few people are called to lifelong abstention, but all are called to it for a period of time in their life–in particular, before marriage, for periods of time within marriage, and after a marriage has ended (such as the death of a spouse). Priests and religious feel a specific call to live their Christian life in celibacy for their sake and that of others within the Church. Most people are called to marriage and in that context, which is legally sanctioned and socially supported, the gift of children is celebrated and a secure environment for their rearing is created. In many ways, lust is naturally tempered by family life. In marriage, human beings are called to look outward and to seek the good of other persons, such as the spouse, children, and the elder generations as needed. This gift of God is meant to unite us as families and create solid building blocks for society.

When lustful desires are not governed, people invent new and more pervasive ways of doing things that ultimately isolate them and create social divisions not intended by God. When those sorts of desires have free exercise within an individual’s life, they cause spiritual destruction. There are many avenues of hope. Authors Matt Fradd, Jason and Chrystalina Evert offer resources for help. These titles could be helpful : Forged: 33 Days to Freedom by Matt Fradd, Delivered also by Matt Fradd, Pure Manhood by Jason Evert, Pure Womanhood by Chrystalina Evert, and If You Really Loved Me by Jason Evert. The Sacrament of Confession, the great gift of prayer and the rosary are a means of grace and a remedy for sin. Let us all pray for each other and turn to God the source of mercy and forgiveness.

To be continued….
Very Rev. Samuel Moses Brown

Querido Pueblo de Dios:

Continuado..... Con demasiada frecuencia hemos reemplazado los dones de Dios con algo que es artificial y dañino, separándonos de Dios y de los demás. La Iglesia ha enseñado constantemente que hay dos soluciones a la lujuria: el matrimonio y la abstención. Pocas personas están llamadas a la abstención de por vida, pero todas están llamadas a ella durante un período de tiempo en su vida, en particular, antes del matrimonio, durante períodos de tiempo dentro del matrimonio y después de que un matrimonio ha terminado (como la muerte de un cónyuge). Los sacerdotes y religiosos sienten una llamada específica a vivir su vida cristiana en celibato, por su bien y el de los demás dentro de la Iglesia. La mayoría de las personas están llamadas al matrimonio y en ese contexto, que está legalmente sancionado y socialmente respaldado, se celebra el don de los hijos y se crea un entorno seguro para su crianza. En muchos sentidos, la lujuria se atempera naturalmente con la vida familiar. En el matrimonio, el ser humano está llamado a mirar hacia afuera y a buscar el bien de las demás personas, como el cónyuge, los niños, y las generaciones mayores, según sea necesario.

Cuando los deseos lujuriosos no son gobernados, las personas inventan formas nuevas y más penetrantes de hacer las cosas que, en última instancia, las aíslan y crean divisiones sociales que Dios no pretendía. Cuando ese tipo de deseos tienen libre ejercicio dentro de la vida de un individuo, causan destrucción espiritual. Hay muchos caminos de esperanza. Los autores Matt Fradd, Jason y Chrystalina Evert ofrecen recursos de ayuda. Estos títulos podrían ser útiles : Forged: 33 Days to Freedom de Matt Fradd, Delivered also de Matt Fradd, Pure Manhood de Jason Evert, Pure Womanhood de Chrystalina Evert, y If You Really Loved Me de Jason Evert. El Sacramento de la Confesión, el gran don de la oración y el rosario son un medio de gracia y un remedio para el pecado.

Continuará....
Muy Reverendo Samuel Moses Brown

March 30, 2025 Fourth Sunday of Lent bulletin - The Eight Deadly Thoughts - Lenten Series IV

Dear People of God,

Continued….. Though the Eight Deadly Thoughts do not necessarily go in the order presented here, the Desert Fathers did notice that if they gave into their stomach, the next thoughts that they had were toward lust. I will use some euphemisms here for decorum.

In Antiquity, it was generally held that there were three areas of activity in the human body and that they were oriented around different realities. The top was the head, or mind, which is our rational faculty. It should govern our life and body with reason and logic. The Ancients believed that this was the proper ordering of our desires and of our life. The next area we would associate with the middle of our body. Their knowledge of human anatomy was limited, but they had some understanding that the heart was emotional and the stomach wanted food. Then, there is the lower section where the reproductive faculty is located. When those desires are not properly governed by reason and logic, then chaos is unleashed and lust becomes a greater problem. Lust is the disproportionate focus on the carnal desires which causes major problems when not properly ordered and controlled.

To be clear, God created attraction and love to unite man and woman to generate new life. This is a God given gift to the human race. The Devil takes what God has made and distorts it to use it against us. Like gluttony, lust comes in different forms. The first kind is simply the desire for too much. The second is the desire for other forms that are classically understood as being unnatural. Both of these forms have been given free exercise in contemporary Western society with a variety of unwholesome consequences. In the same way that humans have created variants with food that harm the human body, we have created variants with this second thought that gravely harm the soul and society.

To be continued….
Very Rev. Samuel Moses Brown

Querido Pueblo de Dios,

Aunque los Ocho Pensamientos Mortales no necesariamente van en el orden presentado aquí, los Padres del Desierto notaron que si cedían a su estómago, los siguientes pensamientos que tenían eran hacia la lujuria.

En la Antigüedad, generalmente se sostenía que había tres áreas de actividad en el cuerpo humano y que estaban orientadas en torno a diferentes realidades. La cima era la cabeza, o mente, que es nuestra facultad racional. Debe gobernar nuestra vida y nuestro cuerpo con razón y lógica. Los antiguos creían que este era el orden adecuado de nuestros deseos y de nuestra vida. La siguiente área la asociaríamos con la mitad de nuestro cuerpo. Su conocimiento de la anatomía humana era limitado, pero tenían cierta comprensión de que el corazón era emocional y el estómago quería comida. Luego, está la sección inferior donde se encuentra la facultad reproductiva. Cuando esos deseos no están debidamente gobernados por la razón y la lógica, entonces se desata el caos y la lujuria se convierte en un problema mayor. La lujuria es el enfoque desproporcionado en los deseos carnales que causa grandes problemas cuando no se ordena y controla adecuadamente.

Dios creó la atracción y el amor para unir al hombre y a la mujer para generar una nueva vida. Este es un regalo dado por Dios a la raza humana. El Diablo toma lo que Dios ha hecho y lo distorsiona para usarlo contra nosotros. Al igual que la gula, la lujuria se presenta en diferentes formas. El primer tipo es simplemente el deseo de demasiado. El segundo es el deseo de otras formas que clásicamente se entienden como antinaturales. Ambas formas se han ejercido libremente en la sociedad occidental contemporánea con una variedad de consecuencias malsanas. De la misma manera que los humanos hemos creado variantes con alimentos que dañan el cuerpo humano, nosotros hemos creado variantes con este segundo pensamiento que dañan gravemente el alma y la sociedad.

Continuará....
Muy Reverendo Samuel Moses Brown

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

January 26, 2025 Third Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - Jesus’ Baptism - Acknowledgements

January 19, 2025 Second Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - Gospel of Luke - St. Patrick’s Gala?

January 12, 2025 The Baptism of the Lord bulletin - New Year’s Resolutions?

January 5, 2025 The Epiphany of the Lord bulletin - Christmas season end? - Jubilee

December 29, 2024 Feast of the Holy Family bulletin - Purple: Royalty + Penance

December 22, 2024 Fourth Sunday of Advent bulletin - Christian Peace

December 15, 2024 Third Sunday of Advent bulletin - Advent Joy + Preparation

December 8, 2024 Second Sunday of Advent bulletin - Advent - Loving Rescue

December 1, 2024 First Sunday of Advent bulletin - New Liturgical Year C - Advent Practices

November 24, 2024 Christ the King bulletin - Give Thanks to God

November 17, 2024 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time bulletin - Prayer + Sacrifice

November 10, 2024 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time bulletin - Penitential Rite

November 3, 2024 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time bulletin - Eucharistic Prayers (cont.)

October 27, 2024 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time bulletin - Eucharistic Prayers

October 20, 2024 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time bulletin - Do you believe? & Eucharistic Prayers

October 13, 2024 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - All Saints’ Day & All Souls’ Day coming

October 6, 2024 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - Prepare!

September 29, 2024 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - Receiving Holy Communion

September 22, 2024 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - Humility & Helping Hand

September 15, 2024 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - Penitential Rite

September 8, 2024 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - Renew our faith

September 1, 2024 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - Kneeling during Mass

Special Feature in the bulletin for August 25, 2024 - Why Do We Venerate Relics?

August 18, 2024 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time Bulletin - Sunday is special

August 11, 2024 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time Bulletin - Holy Eucharist => Eternal Life

August 4, 2024 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time - Signs and Miracles

July 21, 2024 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Bulletin - Ordinary Time

July 14, 2024 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Bulletin - Seek God’s presence

July 7, 2024 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Bulletin - Embrace Jesus

June 30, 2024 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time Bulletin - Jesus heals

June 23, 2024 Bulletin 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time Bulletin - Stewardship

June16, 2024 Bulletin - Father’s Day - Special Message: The Head of the Family

May 26, 2024 Trinity Sunday Bulletin - The Mystery of the Trinity

May 19, 2024 Pentecost Bulletin - Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful
Del Pastor: Domingo de Pentecostés

May 12, 2024 Seventh Sunday of Easter - Ascension Bulletin - Follow Him to Eternity

May 5, 2024 Sixth Sunday of Easter Bulletin - Our Relationship with God

April 28, 2024 Fifth Sunday of Easter Bulletin - We are the branches

April 21, 2024 Fourth Sunday of Easter Bulletin - Jesus is Our Shepherd

April 14, 2024 Third Sunday of Easter Bulletin - Resurrection: nice idea or truth?

April 7, 2024 Second Sunday of Easter - Divine Mercy Sunday - Bulletin - Several titles - 2nd Sunday of Easter

March 31, 2024 Easter Sunday Bulletin - Christ the Lord is Risen!

March 24, 2024 Bulletin - Welcome the Lord… at all times

March 17, 2024 Bulletin - Countdown to the Passion

March 10, 2024 Bulletin - The Light of God

March 3, 2024 Bulletin - Spiritual & Physical maintenance

February 25, 2024 Bulletin - Transfiguration - God’s Ways

February 18, 2024 Bulletin - All About Lent

February 11, 2024 Bulletin - Jesus Heals a leper - Thanking God

February 4, 2024 Bulletin - Jesus is the Messiah - the Healer

January 28, 2024 Bulletin - The Word of God

January 21, 2024 Bulletin — Time of Fulfillment in the Gospel of Mark

January 14, 2024 Bulletin - Ordinary Time/Gospel of Mark

January 7, 2024 Bulletin — Epiphany

Pastor’s Desk