Deacon Ward's...Musings of our Catholic Faith

Mater Dei Parish St. Mary Star of the Sea / St. Edward the Confessor / St. James the Greater / St. Benedict Labre Deacon Ward’s Morning Message Monday, March 23, 2020 My Brothers and Sister in Christ, good morning! "Life and physical health are precious gifts entrusted to us by God. We must take reasonable care of them, taking into account the needs of others and the common good."   CCC: 2288 Let us pray: Act of Hope for Lent O my God, knowing your almighty power, and your infinite goodness and mercy, I hope in you that, by the merits of the Passion and Death of our Savior Jesus Christ, you will grant me eternal life, which you have promised to all such as shall do the works of a good Christian; and these I resolve to do, with the help of your grace. Amen. I pray that all of our parishioners are doing well during this stressful time.  Let’s continue to pray for each other…for our health and safety…and love of each other. It’s important...

Mater Dei Parish   March 21, 2020 St. Mary Star of the Sea     St. Edward the Confessor     St. Benedict Labre      St. James the Greater                                                     J.M.J. Good morning my brothers and sisters in Christ! Let us pray: "Life and physical health are precious gifts entrusted to us by God. We must take reasonable care of them, taking into account the needs of others and the common good."   CCC: 2288 During this anxious time in our lives, it's important to realize that as Christians our heavenly Father, full of love and mercy and healing, is the true antidote to all things that trouble us and hurt us; we can always turn to Him for all our healing needs. Today, I am adding a video (see below) of myself giving you any pertinent messages, notic...

                                                                     Mater Dei Parish                                                                                                                                                                                                                  March...

Mater Dei Parish                                                                                                    Monday March 9 , 2020                                                                            J.M.J. Good Monday morning my brothers and sisters in Christ! God is good! As we continue our journey this Lenten season, it is important to find the time, if you can, to spend an hour...or if not an hour, at least a few minutes in front of the Blessed Sacrament. As you kneel or sit before the Blessed Sacrament, you can pray or jus...

Mater Dei Parish                                                                                                          March 6, 2020                                                                            J.M.J. Prayer is powerful! Pray always! If God has answered your prayers recently, in thanksgiving for prayers answered, join me in praying  Psalm 138. Let us always call to Him in our time of need... "Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me."                 ...

Mater Dei Parish                                                                                                          February 28,2020                                                                           J.M.J. My brothers and sisters in Christ, good morning! Today, as we continue our Lenten journey together, I am offering a reflection by St.  Saint John Chrysostom.  St. John was A rchbishop of Constantinople, and was an important Early Church Father and Doctor of the Church. He was known for his preach...

Mater Dei Parish                                    February 27, 20 20                                                                           JMJ My brothers and sisters in Christ, welcome! Yesterday, Ash Wednesday, we began a season of great significance in our faith life...the liturgical season of Lent. Beginning with Ash Wednesday, we enter into a period of forty days...a season of reflection and preparation. We prepare ourselves by replicating Jesus Christ's sacrifice and  withdrawal into the desert for forty days. The practices of Lent are threefold: Prayer, fasting, and  alms giving. Do your best...cultivate holiness!  Do your best to bring Chri...