Happy Easter! Alleluia! He is Risen, indeed!
We are delighted to share with you a special edition of our parish bulletin for the Easter Season. In it, you will find various texts and images, reminders of where we have been as a parish family and the next steps that we are taking together.
Happy Easter!
Dear Mother Seton Parishioners,
On behalf of Fr. Jorge, our deacons, our staff, and all who give so generously to this parish—happy Easter!
G.K. Chesterton was a large man, and he used to joke that he was the politest man in England because when he stood up on a bus, he could give seats to three ladies. But Chesterton was not only big in size; he was big in intellect, one of the most brilliant writers of his time. So it caused quite a stir when, after many years of searching, he became Catholic, much like the 20 people who were baptized or confirmed last night.
People asked him why. And he answered very simply: “To get rid of my sins.”
That simple answer takes us right to the heart of Easter. In our first reading, Peter proclaims that everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through His name. And when the risen Lord appears to the apostles, the very first gift He gives them is not an explanation, not a theory, but mercy—He breathes on them and says, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them.”
The Resurrection is not only something that happened to Jesus; it is something Jesus wants to accomplish in us – in our baptism and in ever moment of our lives. He comes not only to rise from the dead, but to raise us—to lift from us the burden of sin and to give us a new beginning.
And that is what Jesus has done for us. He takes what is ours—our sin, our guilt, our past—and He gives us what is His: a new identity, a fresh start, a new life.
And the truth is, we do not need dramatic sins to need that gift. Chesterton himself said that one of the beautiful things about Confession is that we bring very ordinary sins—laziness, careless words, impatience, anger. They may seem small, but they weigh on the heart, and over time they shape who we become. Whether our sins are great or small, every one of us needs a new beginning.
Without that forgiveness, life becomes heavy. We see it everywhere—anger, bitterness, division, envy—and we recognize it, if we are honest, even within ourselves. And we know how difficult it is to let go of it. Which is precisely why Easter matters.
Because there is only one thing strong enough to break that cycle: the Cross, and the forgiveness that flows from it. When we open ourselves to Jesus, something new truly enters the world—and something new begins in us.
Now, this is not easy. Receiving forgiveness, and extending it to others, is one of the hardest things we will ever do. That is why the Church keeps before us the Cross—to remind us that this grace does not come from us, but from Him.
And so we come to the question that Easter places before us. We are living in a decisive moment. And the question is not abstract; it is personal: will we stand with Jesus, or will we drift away from Him? A dead fish goes with the current; a living fish swims against it.
Can you give Jesus fifty days? Easter is not just a single day—it is a season that leads us to Pentecost. Fifty days to stay close to Him, fifty days to let the reality of the Resurrection take hold in your life. You do not have to understand everything today. It is enough this morning simply to go with the apostles to the tomb, to look inside, and to see what they saw: that it is empty. And that much is certain. The tomb was empty. The deeper question is what that means.
And that answer unfolds over time. But even now, you can take the first step. You can allow the risen Jesus into your life—not as an idea, but as a living person—so that He can take what you carry and give you something new.
He does not come to condemn you. He comes to forgive you. He does not come to remind you of your past. He comes to give you a future. He does not come to leave you where you are. He love you to much. He comes with a desire to make you new.
Because this is why He died. And this is why He is risen.
Father Kevin Regan
Our Newly Baptized and Confirmed Catholics!
We rejoice to see the fruit of our lives of faith lived in their lives!
Easter Visit of Cardinal McElroy
Sunday, April 19, 10:45 am Mass
Cardinal McElroy was given to our Archdiocese just over a year ago. His Eminence has recently expressed his desire to visit Mother Seton Parish. He will join us for the 10:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 19th. Following the Mass, we will host a reception in the Msgr. Wells Parish Center, where all are invited to greet Cardinal McElroy. The 12:30 PM Mass that day will be in French.
Divine Mercy Sunday Celebration – April 12th
