St. Joseph the Worker

Dear Parishioners of St. Joseph the Worker:

 Welcome to the last week of October.  The year is passing very quickly.  In two months, Christmas will be over—ha! 

This coming Saturday is November 1^st, the Feast of all Saints.  That it is on a Saturday, it is NOT a Holy Day of Obligation, but still a Holy Day.  There will be one Mass here at 9:00am on that Saturday. 

If you remember, there are 6 Holy Days in the American Catholic Church liturgical calendar.  They would be:  Jan. 1^st, Mary, Mother of God; Ascension Thursday, 40 days after Easter—BUT, in many dioceses this Holy Day is celebrated on the 7^th Sunday of Easter; Aug. 15^th, Assumption of Mary; Nov. 1^st, All Saints; Dec. 8^th, Immaculate Conception; and Dec. 25^th, Christmas.  Please note—In many dioceses, the Obligation has been lifted if a Holy Day falls on a Saturday or Monday, EXCEPT for Dec. 8^th and Dec. 25^th.  Those two Holy Days always are Obligatory. 

Now that you are totally confused……..HA!  So, you can see that this Saturday is NOT an Obligatory Holy Day, but it is still a day to come to Mass and celebrate all the wonderful Saints in our Church history and those holy and saintly people in our midst this very day.  Will you come to grow in your holiness?

One of the neat things to me about Saints is that they come in all shapes and sizes.  Some were young, while others were old.  Some were cradle Catholics, others converts.  Some were poor, others wealthy.  Some were kings and rulers, while others were peasants.  Some died of natural causes, others died as martyrs.  Some were married, others single.  Some were lay Catholics, others were ordained or of a religious community.  Some were well-known, while others were obscure.  All types of God’s children have been called to be officially recognized SAINTS, while others are saintly and holy in the simple way they live. 

One of the newest Saints is St. Carlos Acutis, having been canonized just last month.  He was a teenager from Italy who played soccer and was adept on his computer.  He was like any other young man of his time and place, except that he had a profound and deep love for the Eucharist.  He inspired so many people, especially his peers, with his holiness and adherence to the mystery of the Mass and Communion.  What an excellent role model for our young people.  Someone their age and who was just as “ordinary” as they are in now an official Saint in the Church.  He lived his life in a humble, holy, way.  ST. CARLOS ACUTIS, PRAY FOR US!

Your Pastor, Father (not Saint) Joe