Easter: A Time for Renewed Hope

Dear Parishioners,

I can only imagine how desperate the situation must have seemed to His apostles as Jesus was experiencing His brutal passion and death. To see your spiritual leader, the one whom you believed was the long-awaited messiah, suffer and die like a common criminal had to be devastating. We know most of them fled and went into hiding. Peter was so terrified that he denied the Lord three times, as Jesus had predicted. What do we do now? Where do we go from here?

Yes, there were a few who remained faithful and by the cross until the bitter end: Mary Magdalene, the Beloved Disciple John and Jesus’ own Mother Mary. How great must have been the emotional pain that they felt as they helplessly watched His suffering up close. Seeing every last breath coming from a beaten, broken body had to be stamped like a branding iron into their memories. How could this possibly happen?

Salvation and the forgiveness of sin came with a price: the suffering and death of the Son of God. Holy Week recalls these events. The crucifix in our churches (and homes) reminds us of the greatest act of sacrificial love. But the story does not end here.

Resurrection and new life followed. Jesus conquered sin and death. The grave was not His final resting place.  He is alive!

With all of the suffering and death continuing throughout our world, we need to preach this message loud and clear: Jesus is our salvation. He brings us hope in every situation, no matter how desperate.

I realize how difficult these times can be for all of us.  In recent memory, we have seen closed churches and sacraments being limited, Holy Week and Easter services on TV or through the internet and other unprecedented occurrences. We have to deal with ongoing wars and global conflicts and an uncertain economy. Despite it all, God is still in charge.  He allows this to happen for a reason, which I suspect is an urgent plea for us to return to Him with all our being. We cannot exist at all without His Divine Assistance. 

What do we do now? Where do we go from here? Do we seek resurrection and new life for ourselves and our loved ones? Do we want to find hope in any desperate situation? Jesus is our salvation. There is no other way.

I continue to hope and to pray. Easter gives renewed hope to all Christians as we realize Christ is alive! He is Risen! Death has no more power over Him. Although it may seem, at times, that the season of Lent continues in our lives and that Good Friday has not yet ended, trust in Jesus. Stand by Him at the foot of the cross. Resurrection and new life will come.

I assure you of my continued prayers and Masses for your health and spiritual well-being. Please pray for me. I appreciate all of your kindness and expressions of love and support!  

I may not have all the answers to what lies ahead but I certainly know Who does: Jesus, Our Risen Lord!  

Happy Easter!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for the 5th Sunday of Easter "C" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Homily for Easter Sunday 2025 - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Losing Hope

Dear Parishioners,

“Father, I told my children that I don’t want grandchildren.  This world is currently too scary to bring children into it.”

It was not the first time that I heard a comment similar to this.  I actually wonder how many people may silently hold the same belief.

How do I respond to this type of thinking?  After all, as a celibate, I have no children or grandchildren of my own.  However, I do have ten nieces and nephews—and two great-nephews—and I worry about each and every child as if it were my own. 

The above mentality borders on hopelessness and despair.   It is a people without hope that no longer wants to create.  Often they see no future, no opportunity, no purpose or meaning to life itself.

I recall a familiar and often repeated phrase of Saint John Paul II as he quoted words of Sacred Scripture:  Be not afraid!  Do not be afraid!

When he became Pope, these words inaugurated and resonated throughout his pontificate:

Brothers and sisters, do not be afraid to welcome Christ and accept his power.  Help the Pope and all those who wish to serve Christ and with Christ's power to serve the human person and the whole of mankind.  Do not be afraid.  Open wide the doors for Christ.  To his saving power open the boundaries of States, economic and political systems, the vast fields of culture, civilization and development.  Do not be afraid.  Christ knows "what is in man".  He alone knows it.

So often today man does not know what is within him, in the depths of his mind and heart.  So often he is uncertain about the meaning of his life on this earth.  He is assailed by doubt, a doubt which turns into despair.  We ask you therefore, we beg you with humility and trust, let Christ speak to man.  He alone has words of life, yes, of eternal life.  October 22, 1978, St. Peter’s Square

When a civilization moves further and further away from Jesus Christ and the message of His Gospel, hope is lost.  When prayer is infrequent and the practice of the Christian faith becomes sporadic or minimal, the purpose of life can be severely distorted.

Human civilization has been through some pretty difficult times already.  If the great leaders—especially the holy men and women who were the great saints of their time—threw in the towel, chances are I might not be writing this article today.  It was often a strong faith, a love for Jesus Christ and a determination that comes from God’s inner strength that gave people the courage and resolve to accomplish deeds beyond what the ordinary human can do.  Alone and unaided by God we are bound to fail.

While he certainly had his imperfections like the rest of humanity, Saint John Paul II was a man of great courage because he was man of deep faith.  He faced an assassin’s bullet, lived through the Nazi terror and World War II and battled Communism in his native Poland, just to mention a few challenges during his lifetime.  I think that he may have known what he was talking about.

Be not afraid!

St. John Paul II, please pray for us!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

    

Homily for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time "C" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Why Catholics Continue to Have Hope

Dear Parishioners,

As a Catholic priest I am charged with preaching the Gospel—the Good News.  I can certainly point out all of the things that are confusing or even scandalous in the Catholic Church.  However, there are important reasons why true Catholics do not give up hope despite the many obstacles we face.  We do not flee when the wolf attacks the sheep. We do not deny Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  We remain faithful even if everyone calls us ridiculous, stupid, or out of touch.  Remember in the Beatitudes we are told that we are actually blessed when we are unjustly persecuted.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  (Mt. 5: 11-12)

Opposition and persecution have been present from the beginning of the Church and continue to this day.

Let me reflect with you on some of my reasons for ongoing hope within the Catholic Church:

• Jesus is victorious over sin and death.  Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross, rather than being a defeat, was a victory.  Jesus rose from the dead.  Death has no more power over Him.  His Resurrection gives every Christian the hope of eternal life.  While we have not yet seen the culmination of all God’s plans, we know Who has already won the victory.  Christus Vincit!
• Jesus promised to remain with His Church.  “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”  (Mt. 28:20)  First, Jesus remains with us in the Holy Eucharist.  We believe in His Real Presence on our altars and in our tabernacles.  We also have the Sacred Scriptures to guide and inspire us.  Through the ministerial priesthood Christ still acts in each sacrament.  Christ remains with His Church whenever we gather in His name, but most especially at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. 
• Jesus told us that evil will not prevail.  “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” (Mt. 16:18)  Through the centuries, there have been bitter battles for the soul of the Church.  We have seen many martyrs.  We have had bad popes, bishops, priests, etc.  Attempts have been made to destroy the Church from within and from without.  Despite all such attempts, the Church remains.  And it will remain.
• Our Lady continues to intercede for us, her children.  Devotion to Our Blessed Mother is a sine qua non for any believing Catholic.  I have been especially devoted to the apparitions of Fatima (Portugal) and to the other approved apparitions like Lourdes (France), Guadalupe (Mexico), etc.  According to the seer Sr. Lucia, the message given at Fatima from Our Lady was ”In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph.”  When we pray the Hail Mary, we ask for Our Lady’s intercession now and at the hour of our death.  She was given to us at the foot of the cross to be our spiritual mother.  She continues to intercede for her children and to care about their eternal salvation as any good mother would.

I continue to have hope.  What is going on in the Church still concerns me tremendously.  Yet, we need to remain faithful to the Lord as He is always faithful to us.  

If you have any doubts, look at the crucifix. 

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

     

The "None" Culture: What Has "Prayer" Morphed Into?

Dear Parishioners,

I have noticed it happening on social media over time.  Some people no longer say that they pray for each other but send other kinds of ambiguous greetings or condolences lacking any mention of God, religion or faith.  Let me give you a few of these taken directly from Facebook.  The comments were sent to a person to express sympathy after the death of a family member:

·         Sending you love and light

·         Sending lots of good vibes your way

·         Sending wishes for comfort and peace

·         Sending you electronic hugs

·         Sending you comfort and light

·         Sending love and strength

At other times I have witnessed people send others good energy or positive thoughts.

I wonder if such people understand the value of prayer?  Or are they afraid to admit that they pray?  Or do they not believe in God?  When we pray for others, we ask for God's help.  We admit that we depend on Almighty God as our Creator since we are His creatures.  We make a profession of faith in God who is all-powerful, all-loving, etc., and Whom we believe can help us in every situation. 

In like manner, when we ask a saint or saints to intercede for us, we are requesting those whom we believe to be already in the presence of Almighty God for all eternity, to petition God on our behalf.  Please pray (to God) for us.

Before I went to interview the Confirmation candidates last Sunday evening, I was watching the news.  A story that struck me reported that in a recent Pew survey the number of Americans who have no religion or religious affiliation is now about 26% of the population.  This is an increase of 9% in the past decade.  Such people are sometimes referred to as nones, since they check the box or answer "none" when asked their religious affiliation.  The alarming trend is that many in younger generations want nothing to do with organized religion.  Sometimes they declare they are spiritual but not religious.  Ever more worrisome are those who say that they no longer believe.  Period.

As one who has close relatives who no longer go to Mass, who find no immediacy in having their children baptized, who are  ignorant of or who simply disregard traditional Church teachings, I worry tremendously.  However, I also pray for them.  I remember them in the Masses I offer.  I beg Almighty God on their behalf because I do not want to see them lost for all eternity.  I care about the condition of their immortal souls as I do the souls of all my spiritual children.  (After all, I am called "Father" for a reason.)

Things cannot continue in the nation and in the Church business as usual.  God sees all, knows all, cares for us all, and will act accordingly as He sees appropriate.  Precisely what He will do, I claim no personal knowledge.  However, I have previously given reasons (see last week's bulletin / blog) why I have hope.  

Jesus continues to love His Bride, the Church. 

Meanwhile,  I pray . . . and pray . . . and pray.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor