From the Pastor's Desk- October 4

Dear Parishioners,

Fall is settling in quietly, as evidenced by the change in weather. It is certainly a time of special beauty, with the leaves changing color. There is a sense of preparation for the upcoming Thanksgiving and Advent seasons. In the meantime, we continue to be blessed with special gifts and celebrations. I would now like to focus on two connected to the two sacraments of service in our Catholic Church. Marriage and Sacred Orders.

On September 25, two events marked our community's life. The first was the wedding of Thomas Roder and Nicole Lane. They are both Aquinas teachers and graduates from the same year and classroom. How about that for God's providence? They both studied at St. John Paul the Great High School. Fun fact: Thomas signed Nicole's eighth grade yearbook with a short message. "Don't worry, I won't marry you." He was wrong, and he was most likely already in love with her. Every wedding is a breath of hope. But this one brings special joy to our parish and school. Isn't it wonderful that those who were elementary school students are now going to share their lives together and have founded a new home in Christ?

The second event, on 25 September, was Fr. Riley Blanchard's Mass of Thanksgiving for his ordination as a priest. The day before, we also celebrated the beatification of Bishop Fulton Sheen, who was ordained as a priest on the same date, 20 September, in 1919 (sharing his ordination date with Fr Riley!)

Let us remember some of the basic fundamentals of our faith, as set out in the Catechism. This will help us to appreciate the wonderful graces received by our brothers Thomas, Nicole and Fr Riley.

Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist are sacraments of Christian initiation. They ground the common vocation of all Christ's disciples, a vocation to holiness and to the mission of evangelizing the world. They confer the graces needed for the life according to the Spirit during this life as pilgrims on the march towards the homeland.Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1533

Two other sacraments, Holy Orders and Matrimony, are directed towards the salvation of others; if they contribute as well to personal salvation, it is through service to others that they do so. They confer a particular mission in the Church and serve to build up the People of God. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1534

Through these sacraments those already consecrated by Baptism and Confirmation for the common priesthood of all the faithful can receive particular consecrations. Those who receive the sacrament of Holy Orders are consecrated in Christ's name "to feed the Church by the word and grace of God. On their part, "Christian spouses are fortified and, as it were, consecrated for the duties and dignity of their state by a special sacrament.” Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1535

Finally, please remember to vote 'no' on ballot questions 1 and 2 of the proposed constitutional amendments in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Also, please note that our new Saturday evening schedule will begin on Saturday 31 October. Confessions will begin at 3 pm, Mass in English will start at 4:30 pm, and Mass in Spanish will begin at 6:30 pm. 

God bless you!

Fr. Álvaro