A Note From Fr. Dan

Last Sunday I had the great honor, and very moving experience of being at the first Mass of one of our newly Ordained Priests:  Rev. Dennis Walker.  I taught Dennis at Bishop Ludden and still remember him as a student in my class.  It was fitting that his first Mass was on the feast of Corpus Christi.  As Deacon John reminded us in his excellent homily about the Eucharist, the Eucharist is truly the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ (we refer to this Dogma as the Real Presence).  The Eucharist is the heart and soul of who we are as Catholics.  It connects us with our past, gives meaning to our present and moves us into the future.  Without the Eucharist  we have no Catholic Church.  I was reminded of this again at  Fr.. Dennis’ first Mass because without priests there simply is no Eucharist and no Catholic Church.  This year (and especially this week here at St. Francis Xavier) our Church has been praying for vocations.  While all vocations are necessary for the spiritual life and health of the Church:  deacons, consecrated men and women, married couples and lay ministers; the priesthood is necessary for the gift of the Eucharist.  Please continue to pray for ALL vocations and make a special prayer for more men to answer the call of the Holy Spirit to priesthood.

God bless you and please pray for me.

-Fr. Dan