Dear Parishioners,

The rain this past week was beautiful! Living in the desert, I think we have a special appreciation for the gift of rain and the way it brings new life to the landscape. The desert seems to come alive with renewed color, growth, and beauty. Something as ordinary and essential as water can remind us not only of the wonder of God's creation but also of the extraordinary gift of His saving grace in the Sacrament of Baptism.

Dear Parishioners,

October always feels like a month of transition for me; even here in the desert, as the intensity of summer begins to give way to fall. It is also a month filled with the witness of great saints who remind us of something essential to our Catholic faith: each of us is called to holiness.

Dear Parishioners,

This weekend, we have received special permission to celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi at our Sunday Masses. This celebration is especially meaningful as we observe the Jubilee Year of St. Francis, proclaimed by Pope Leo XIV to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the saint's passing from this life to eternal life in 1226.

Dear Parishioners,

This weekend we celebrate the Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, and Jesus continues to form His disciples, and us, through His encounter with the chief priests and elders. In the Gospel, Jesus tells the simple but challenging parable of two sons. A father asks both to go work in his vineyard. The first says, "I will not," but later changes his mind and goes. The second responds respectfully, "Yes, sir," but never goes.

Dear Parishioners,

September is moving right along, and this past week our campus was buzzing with the formation of disciples of Jesus Christ. From 5-year-olds to 90-year-olds, different groups and communities gathered to grow in their love for God and one another and to allow their hearts and minds to be expanded by God's grace, wisdom and love.

Dear Parishioners,

As we gather today to listen to God's Word and participate in the saving love of the Eucharist, we do so amid the busyness of life and a world that moves at an increasingly fast pace. We are called to live in and for the world but not be of the world. How do we remain centered on Christ when there is always another task, another responsibility and another thing demanding our attention?

Dear Parishioners,

The first week of September is here, and with Labor Day weekend upon us, I find myself asking, "Where did the summer go?" Parish life begins to pick up again, and I am grateful for the many opportunities we have to embrace the richness of our Catholic faith.