Dear Parishioners,
Jesus trained his disciples to continue his ministry and to be faithful to him and his commandments. By virtue of our baptism, we too, are called to be faithful and to share our faith with an attitude of gratitude, recognizing all that we have received.
Today, we celebrate the memorial of St. Augustine Zhao Rong, priest, and his companions. This celebration of martyrdom was to commemorate the fate of missionaries in China who died for their faith over the span of three hundred years.
Today, in our religious communities, we are faced with a new type of persecution that may lead to a martyrdom of sorts. The secularistic, agnostic or atheistic society we live in may strive to strip away our active faith through enacting legislation, create additional hardships, or blatant criticism or anti-religious behavior. We will be tested in our resolve to be faithful and to stand together as soldiers of Christ to defend the faith of our fore parents and the foundation upon which we built our United States of America. Or, we can become complacent and allow it all to disappear and dissolve.
How do you show forth your faith in the public square or defend it when under attack?
Be assured of our prayers for you each day as we continue our journey together and apart.
Blessings,
Fr. Mark
