Priests of the Archdiocese

At the conclusion of the International Meeting of Parish Priests for the Synod, the Holy Father issued a letter to all Pastors and Parish Priests. He begins:

Dear Brother Priests,

The International Meeting “Parish Priests for the Synod”, and the dialogue with all of you who have taken part, provide me with the opportunity to pray for the parish priests the world over. To all of you, I address these words with great affection.

It is so obvious as to sound almost banal, but that does not make it less true: the Church could not go on without your dedication and your pastoral service. So before all else, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation for the generous work that you do each day, sowing seeds of the Gospel in every kind of soil (cf. Mk 4:1-25).

As you have experienced in these days of sharing, the parishes in which you carry out your ministry vary widely, from those on the outskirts of great cities – as I know personally from Buenos Aires – to those in sparsely populated areas that are the size of vast provinces. They range from those in town centres in many European countries, where ancient basilicas house dwindling and aging communities, to those where celebrations are held beneath the branches of great trees and the songs of birds mix with the voices of small children.

Click HERE to continue reading the letter.

The Bishops have asked that dioceses and parishes celebrate this solemnity with great festivity and joy. This will include, of course, the worthy celebration of the Mass with its assigned texts. It may be the perfect day for pastors to commission Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (Book of Blessings, Chapter 63).

It might also include a eucharistic procession after the principal Mass, a Holy Hour, an extended period of exposition, or a renewed invitation to spend time with the Lord in adoration. The day may conclude with the celebration of Evening Prayer II and reposition of the Blessed Sacrament. If the day concludes with a Sunday evening Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is reposed in the tabernacle, since it is never exposed during Mass.

Resources from FDLC to assist your preparations for all of these are found HERE.

For more information regarding the African Conference of Catholic Clergy and Religious in the United States and their 23rd Annual Convention click HERE.

For a copy of the convention schedule, click HERE.

For more information about the conference including biographies of the speakers, click on the picture.

To download the  YEAR OF GRACE 2024 document, click HERE.

The Office of Worship has published a Quick Guide to Wedding Masses on Fridays and Saturdays.  The hope is that whoever is responsible for helping the couples select the time and date for their wedding can be aware that the selection of an evening Mass time/ particular day is impacted by the rubrics.   Here is a quick reference guide as to whether the nuptial prayers and readings can be used.