EASTERTIDE: 2017

DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST:

     That Christ is truly risen
     from the dead we know.
     Victorious King, Thy mercy show!
     Amen. Alleluia. – From the Easter Sequence
 
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen! What more can we say of this core tenet of our faith? Jesus Christ, both God and man, has been resurrected for “He is not here: for He is risen, as He said” (Matt 28:6). He is truly alive and is with us until the end of ages. We see His presence in our lives and in acts of goodness and charity. We also see him, very truly, in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Here He offers us His very Body and Blood. How unworthy we are and, yet, so blessed for so sublime a gift.
 
As we think back to Holy Week we can remember the darkness we felt as He left us on Good Friday. This darkness can creep back into our souls without Our Lord’s presence in our lives. To prevent this we seek Him out in frequent prayer and reception of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Christ our light comforts us and guides us through the uncertainties and anxieties of life. Let us heed His words, then, and nurture His presence in our lives. For “whilst you have the light, believe in the light, that you may be the children of light” (John 12:36).
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I pray this Easter Season is a time of renewal for you and that the rest of 2017 may bring you always closer to Our Lord. God bless you and your loved ones now and always.
 
Sincerely in Christ,

​+William

CHRISTMAS PASTORAL: 2016
 
DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST:

As we progress in this new Church year and this new calendar year we acknowledge that 2016 was a challenging year for Americans. A divisive election, violence throughout the world, and uncertainty made us reflect on our core values. Sometimes the problems of the world seem insurmountable. But we then remember that we are not of this world. In all things we must aspire towards sainthood and an eternity with God. This is not an easy path—it is a marathon and not a sprint. But we are comforted by the words of Saint Augustine “You aspire to great things? Begin with little ones.”

Let us then reflect on the littleness of an infant. Our Lord became “incarnate by the Holy Spirit, of the Virgin Mary: and was made man” first in the form of an infant. How easy it is to love a God who came to us as something so fragile, sensitive, and most in need of care. Infants, like God, give us hope and deserve our love and devotion. Through our understanding of Our Lord’s infancy we can grow to understand His progression to manhood and eventual suffering on the Cross. As Our Lord grew, so does our faith and understanding of the complexities of our faith.

It is understandable, then, why so many pious devotions like the Infant of Prague, the Holy Infant of Atocha, Santo Niño de Cebu, etc. have grown among the faithful with the help of the Holy Spirit. The Christ Child helps us to see God, as Christ Jesus, as vulnerable like us and helps us understand His mission as man. I commend you to the Christ Child and hope He will bless you and your family abundantly now and always.

+William

To the Most Reverend Bishops, Reverend Clergy, and Faithful in Christ:

We are still grieving from the horrific news reported early Sunday morning from Orlando. This tragedy shakes us to our very core as a nation and makes us ask “how long, O Lord?” (Ps. 13) How long will we receive weekly reports on the news about mass shootings? O God, how we long for your peace which “surpasses all understanding” (Phil. 4:7) to give us comfort!

The news is all the more heinous because it was perpetuated out of hatred towards a group of people. Gay and lesbian individuals continue to be the focus of much violence, often times with hatred wrapped in religious language. Yet we know these actions are not of God, for “whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:8). As Christians a core tenant of our faith is to love for “we love because He first loved us” (1. John 4:19).

As we reflect on the terrible events of Sunday, let us pray for the victims. May God have mercy on them and may they rest in peace. Let us pray as well for their families and friends, that God may comfort them during this difficult time. We also pray for the injured, that they might receive healing. Finally, let us ask God to soften our hearts that we may love more and promote peace in our communities and in the world.

Sincerely in Christ,

+ William

On May 15, 2016 Fr. Richard Russo was welcomed into the clergy of the Society of Mercy. He was gathered by family and friends for the joyous occasion. Fr. Russo is Pastor of St. Helen of the Cross in Ballston Spa, NY. Please pray for him and his parish.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,

Christ is Risen!

With joy we cry out and shout Alleluia. Our Lord has truly risen and has re-ascended to his throne in glory. The Gospel writers were clear that the resurrection of the Lord was a momentous event.  “He is not here, for he is risen, as he said. Come, and see the place where the Lord was laid” (Matt. 28:6).

Our duty, as Christians, is to proclaim the resurrection of the Lord. It is not only our duty but our solemn expectation. “And with great power did the apostles give testimony of the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord; and great grace was in them all” (Acts 4:33). Let this Easter season be a time of faith sharing for you. Every day we encounter people who need to receive grace from the sacraments and hear the Good News. Sometimes this can be conveyed by our simplicity of life, holiness, or kind acts. In this way we can “preach the Gospel always and, if necessary, use words.” The comfort we offer in the Risen Lord is not a comfort of this world, from which we will receive scorn, but is focused on eternal bliss.

God bless you now and always in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Sincerely in Christ,

+William

​Dear Brothers and Sisters:

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…” And it was so—that the God of power and might was born on this day in a manger. As you are aware mangers are not particularly clean places. They are full of animals (and their byproducts), dirty hay, insects, etc. In the lowliest of places our God came into the world to save us. Yet we beautify His presence with clean, porcelain nativity scenes that are more bucolic than accurate. In our human condition we do not like to be reminded of messy places.

The beauty of the Incarnation of Christ is that He still comes to us in messy places. When we are brokenhearted, scared and afraid, or anxious He is with us. And He encourages us further still to cast our cares on Him for we are told “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” We give thanks for this as well as His presence in the good times, when we are filled with joy and laughter.

May this Christmas feast be reflective for you and may you be reminded of His presence in your life. “May the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” And may Almighty God Bless you the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Sincerely in Christ,

​+William