Bishop James F. Checchio

My dear sisters and brothers in Christ, May is one of my favorite months of the year. Perhaps it is that May is one of the months specially dedicated to our Blessed Mother, to whom I and many others have a special devotion. This is a time, too, when the Easter season is in full swing, and the readings from the Acts of the Apostles about the early Church are so inspiring. The Holy Spirit is seen acting so clearly in these readings, even in the midst of such great challenges. We know the Holy Spirit has not left us in our day, and I often wonder how the Holy Spirit is working right now in our Church and world, even as we face challenges of our own. No doubt, He is here with us, but do we look for Him and expect Him to act in our lives, too?     

Prayers for a blessed Lent! On Ash Wednesday, we heard the Prophet Joel in the first reading for the day’s liturgy call us to “return to the Lord with your whole heart!” How we need to do that this year as we seek to rest in Our Lord’s merciful Sacred Heart as we watch on television the horrific situation in the Ukraine with more than two million women and children fleeing their homes and homeland to Poland and other neighboring countries. Our hearts are indeed broken as we call out in prayer to our loving Father for all Ukrainians even as we assist them financially and in so many other ways.