Do we trust God? Jesus tells us for this Sunday’s readings at Mass, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” We may ask ourselves, ‘if we give our life away for others, will God really be there for us?’ Jesus took up his cross and offered his life to his Father for us. He trusted in the love of his Father and our Father.
Speaking of the Cross, we celebrate the Triumph of the Cross on September 14. All the evil in the world, that’s ever existed and exists now, cannot surpass the love that comes from the sacrifice of God’s Son on the Cross. The cross is our hope!
Perhaps my favorite feast day is on September 8, the Birth of Mary. Just as we celebrate the birthdays of our own mothers, we too celebrate the birth of our Blessed Mother.
Each year on September 1, the Catholic Church commemorates the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. This day of prayer also marks the beginning of a month-long ecumenical awareness initiative known as the “Season of Creation,” which concludes on October 4 with the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology.
We have seven people signed up for the retreat for victims of abuse September 29 – October 1. Jesus asked us, “Do you want to be healed?” Please pray for the retreatants that weekend.
Our next issue of faith magazine will focus on honoring the dead. I think one of the saddest situations is when children do not have funeral Masses for their parents who practiced their faith all their life.
Please pray for the priests who will be on retreat at the Spiritual Life Center in Wichita September 11 – 14.
Many of you know that the Sisters of St. Joseph have graciously opened up their residence to four Vietnamese Sisters, who are learning English. Recently, a representative from the Vietnamese Sisters community visited and saw how well the Sisters were doing in their vocabulary and speaking English, so much so that they are now sending ten more Sisters from Vietnam to be in Concordia with the Sisters of St. Joseph. We give thanks for the Sisters of St. Joseph for opening up their “home” to the Sisters from Vietnam.
I have visited a few schools recently. I’ve said this before, there is a lot of love in our Catholic Schools. I am at TMP-Marian High School in Hays today and I was so happy to see the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary walking the halls as well.
We are blessed to have Divine Mercy Radio in much of our diocese. Our faith is meant to be shared, and Divine Mercy Radio does a wonderful job of doing that. Divine Mercy Radio is having their annual fall banquets on September 9 in Hays and September 10 in Salina. Thank you for your support of their important work.
The very important Synod on Synodality is taking place in Rome during the month of October. Please join me in praying the following prayer, especially on September 30.
For over 40 years, the Catholic Church in the United States has celebrated National Migration Week (NMW), which has traditionally been linked to the Vatican’s World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR). This year WDMR occurs on September 24, 2023, with NMW taking place the week preceding it (September 18-24). As in year’s past, NMW will use the theme chosen by the Holy Father for his World Day of Migrants celebration: “Free to choose whether to migrate or to stay“. This theme calls attention to the conviction that persons have a right not to migrate and if a person migrates it should be done by choice and not by necessity.
August was National Make-A-Will Month. I had intended on sharing some information on this topic in my August E-News, but forgot. Please take a moment to read my letter and learn more about how leaving a legacy of faith in your will can have a powerful and lasting impact.
The following quote comes from St. Peter Claver, who ministered to slaves for 40 years of his life in the 1600s.
“We must speak to them with our hands by giving, before we try to speak to them with our lips.”
