Called to Holiness, Gathered in One Spirit
Dear Parishioners,
As we prepare to celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints, we are reminded that holiness is not reserved for a select few. It is the vocation of every baptized Christian. The saints were not people who lived without difficulties, disappointments, or struggles. They were men and women who, in the midst of their particular circumstances, allowed the grace of God to transform their lives.
Some were parents raising children, others cared for the sick, some lived in poverty, and others carried responsibilities that seemed overwhelming. They experienced grief, uncertainty, temptation, and failure. Yet the Holy Spirit worked within them, gradually making them more like Christ. The same is true for us.
One of the familiar prayers of the Church, taken from Psalm 104, expresses beautifully what we celebrate on All Saints: “Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.” Three words in this prayer are worth considering: *Lord, send, and renew.*
LORD – We begin by acknowledging that holiness is God’s work before it is ours. We cannot make ourselves holy simply by trying harder. We cannot overcome every weakness, heal every wound, or transform our hearts by our own strength. We need the Lord. The saints understood this. Their holiness was not the absence of weakness but their willingness to depend upon God’s grace, even in the midst of their struggles.
SEND – We ask the Lord to send his Spirit because the Holy Spirit is a gift we receive, not something we create. At Pentecost, the Apostles were transformed from fearful men into courageous witnesses of Christ. The same Spirit is given to us through the life of the Church, particularly in the sacraments. And there is something wonderful about this word “send”: we ask God to send his Spirit upon us so that we, in turn, might be sent into the world to proclaim the Gospel.
RENEW – We do not ask the Lord to replace the face of the earth but to renew it. God does not abandon his creation or the people he loves. He comes to restore, heal, and transform us. The Holy Spirit does not wait until our lives are perfectly ordered before beginning his work. He comes into the circumstances we actually live in: our marriages and families, our work and responsibilities, our suffering and disappointments. Sometimes renewal does not mean that our circumstances change, but that our hearts are changed so that we can face those circumstances with greater patience, courage, forgiveness, and love.
The Church, born from the pierced side of Christ, is constantly renewed and sent forth by the Holy Spirit, whom we profess in the Creed as “the Lord, the giver of life.” What Christ asks of us, we cannot accomplish without the Spirit.
I have been reflecting on the beautiful stained-glass image of the Holy Spirit above us in our church. In many historic churches, an image of the dove appears above the altar, reminding us that the Spirit descends upon the Church gathered in worship.
Some parents have shared a wonderful observation with me. When they hold their young children at Mass, the children’s eyes naturally turn upward. They notice the Holy Spirit above them and begin to recognize that same image in our music books and over the baptismal font. Perhaps our children are noticing something we too easily overlook.
Here at Mother Seton, we come from many cultures, languages, and traditions. Our circumstances differ, as do the struggles we carry. Yet the same Holy Spirit who descended upon the Apostles at Pentecost gathers us into one Church. The Spirit does not erase our differences but unites us in one faith, one hope, and one love.
The saints remind us of what happens when we welcome that Spirit into our lives. Their holiness took different forms, but the source was the same: God’s grace. And their holiness was never simply for themselves. Through their lives, God renewed families, communities, and even entire nations. The Spirit continues that work through us today.
As we celebrate All Saints, I invite you to look upward when you enter our church. Notice the Holy Spirit hovering over us. Remember that the same Spirit who made the saints holy is at work in you, in your family, and throughout our parish.
We are many, but the Spirit makes us one. We face different struggles, but the Spirit strengthens us. We are all called to holiness, and the Spirit leads us toward heaven.
“Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.”
Yours in Christ
Father Kevin Regan,
Al prepararnos para celebrar la solemnidad de Todos los Santos, recordamos que la santidad no está reservada para unas pocas personas extraordinarias. Todos estamos llamados a ser santos en medio de las dificultades, responsabilidades y circunstancias de la vida cotidiana.
La conocida oración, «Envía, Señor, tu Espíritu, y renueva la faz de la tierra», nos recuerda tres cosas. Señor: La santidad comienza con la gracia de Dios, no con nuestras propias fuerzas. Envía: El Espíritu Santo nos fortalece y nos envía como testigos de Cristo. Renueva: Dios transforma nuestros corazones, incluso cuando nuestras circunstancias siguen siendo difíciles.
En Mother Seton, la hermosa vidriera del Espíritu Santo sobre nosotros nos recuerda su presencia. A veces, nuestros niños descubren lo que los adultos pasamos por alto.
Aunque venimos de diferentes culturas y hablamos distintos idiomas, un mismo Espíritu nos reúne en una sola Iglesia, nos renueva y nos guía hacia el cielo.
Alors que nous nous préparons à célébrer la Toussaint, rappelons-nous que la sainteté n’est pas réservée à quelques personnes extraordinaires. Chacun de nous est appelé à devenir saint au milieu des épreuves, des responsabilités et des circonstances de la vie quotidienne.
La prière « Ô Seigneur, envoie ton Esprit qui renouvelle la face de la terre » nous rappelle trois choses. Seigneur : La sainteté commence par la grâce de Dieu, et non par nos propres forces. Envoie : L’Esprit Saint nous fortifie et nous envoie témoigner du Christ. Renouvelle : Dieu transforme nos cœurs, même lorsque nos difficultés persistent.
À Mother Seton, le magnifique vitrail représentant l’Esprit Saint au-dessus de nous nous rappelle sa présence. Parfois, nos enfants remarquent ce que nous, adultes, oublions de voir.
Malgré nos différentes cultures et langues, un seul Esprit nous rassemble dans une même Église, nous renouvelle et nous conduit vers le ciel.
Khi chuẩn bị mừng Lễ Các Thánh Nam Nữ, chúng ta nhớ rằng sự thánh thiện không chỉ dành riêng cho một số người phi thường. Mỗi người chúng ta đều được mời gọi nên thánh giữa những khó khăn, trách nhiệm và hoàn cảnh của cuộc sống hằng ngày.
Lời cầu nguyện quen thuộc: “Lạy Chúa, xin gửi Thần Khí tới và Ngài sẽ đổi mới mặt đất này” nhắc nhở chúng ta ba điều. Lạy Chúa: Sự thánh thiện bắt nguồn từ ân sủng Thiên Chúa, chứ không phải sức riêng của chúng ta. Xin gửi: Chúa Thánh Thần ban sức mạnh và sai chúng ta đi làm chứng cho Đức Kitô. Đổi mới: Thiên Chúa biến đổi tâm hồn chúng ta, ngay cả khi hoàn cảnh vẫn còn khó khăn.
Tại giáo xứ Mother Seton, hình ảnh Chúa Thánh Thần trên cửa kính màu nhắc nhở chúng ta về sự hiện diện của Ngài. Đôi khi, trẻ em nhận ra điều mà người lớn bỏ qua.
Dù khác biệt về văn hóa và ngôn ngữ, cùng một Chúa Thánh Thần quy tụ chúng ta thành một Giáo Hội, đổi mới chúng ta và dẫn chúng ta về quê trời.
Please Be Alert: Scam Emails
Please be aware that fraudulent emails claiming to be from Fr. Regan are circulating. Fr. Regan will never email parishioners asking for gift cards, money, or personal assistance.
If you receive a suspicious message:
- Do not respond.
- Report it as spam or phishing.
- Block the sender.
- Delete the email.
When in doubt, please verify the request by contacting the parish office using the contact information published in our parish bulletin.
Let us remain prudent and vigilant, and please keep one another in prayer.
Thank you for your attention and care.