Saint + Elizabeth + Ann + Seton + Parish

(January 30, 2022) Who are you, and who helped you become who you are? Who was there when you had your first loss or your first failure?   Father Charles Persing asked us to picture the newborn shoes of a baby and image that child grow into an adult in size-15 basketball sneakers. So, what do we need to do as the guardians of our youth?  We need to give guidance, direction, and teach them how to use their gifts,  Father Persing said,  in order to make our church and our world a better place.  "We are all called to excellence and to serve," Father Persing said, "in the end, according to Saint Paul, 'the greatest of these is love.'" That love that compels us to serve and to reach out to others beyond who we are to them: as encouragers and as witnesses to their spiritual growth. Prayerfully ask of Christ to bless our young, bring them the success and safety they need to become what He has called them to be.

(January 30, 2022) In a very concise homily, Father Samuel Dubois reminded us that, "God loves us and wants to work through us. " 

(January 28, 2022) Father Charles Persing uses this opportunity to thank the staff and volunteers who helped during the season of Christmas. In addition, Father Persing talks about Catholic Schools Week  and our Religious Education students, and suggests some ways to support and serve each other.  In closing, Father talks about the upcoming season of Lent.

:(January 23, 2022) Do you remember the day of your baptism? Or the day of your Confirmation? Father Charles Persing reminded us that, “every one of us has been anointed with the Holy Oil of gladness, the Oil of service, the Oil of truth,” right at the time of our Christian initiation. It is in this joy that we should walk before the face of God and listen to His Word.“Also, we need to be more attentive to the voice of God,” Father Persing said, “and let that joy overcome:  the joy that was given to us when were called, when we were anointed, when we were sent. Let us have that same joy as those people who filled (that city) and listened attentively and quietly. Let us be filled with the Lord who really is our strength.”The test of our faith will be at those moments of hardship. “When difficulty comes our way—whether it be illness or age or financial or problems in our relationships – let that joy of God be the foundation on which we live. God will see that it is good in the end,” Father Persing said, “as God

(January 23, 2022) The highlight of Deacon William Dwayer's homily is his invitation to challenge ourselves by taking the time to be nourished from the Scriptures. Deacon Dwayer said, "As we begin this new year -- on this Word of God Sunday -- we have an invitation to engage more deeply with the Scriptures.” This can be done in many ways:  prayerfully reflecting on the Mass readings in Seton Sunday, listening to a podcast of daily Bible readings while commuting,  or taking part in a Bible study.  “The important thing,” he said,  “is that the Lord is waiting for us in the Scriptures; no matter how much we know them or how familiar they seem, there is always more in the Scriptures to nourish our souls."

(January 16, 2022) Reflecting on today’s Gospel reading, Deacon David L Hall said that “true faith gives birth to the twins of trust and obedience.”  “We may not understand what God is doing or why He says what He does, but faith that is grounded in God’s Spirit gives us the reason and motivation to trust and obey. ”  “When Mary speaks, we need to listen,” Deacon Hall added.  Mary’s words resonate: “Let it be to me according to Your word,” as our God transforms us, His people, into reliable witnesses. DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT

(January 16, 2022) Deacon Alex Bogdanoff's reflection on today's Gospel reading is about the Wedding at Cana. "Let us imitate our Blessed Mother’s simple faith. Her Son will take care of the need. He will meet our physical and spiritual needs most abundantly, " Deacon Alex said.  

(January 9, 2022) "God loves you in the same way He loves His Son," Father Samuel Dubois reminded us. Keeping this in mind will strengthen us in the faith during the difficult times when we wonder whether we are loved or even worthy of God's love. The water at our baptism leaves an imprint on us and claims us by Christ for eternity. 

Father Charles L Persing reflects on the feast day of our parish patroness, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton.

 (January 1, 2022) Have you noticed that “our spiritual resolutions, those times when we really want to be more God-like in our life,” Father Charles Persing reminded us, "make us want to be more Christian, to be the light that God has sent into the world, the star that guides others. And, perhaps, what we need to do is just be focused on the Lord.”Christ changes everything for us once we are focused on Him. Let us then stay focused on our Lord in our life-long commitment. 

(January 1, 2022) Today is the time when we think about our New Year’s resolutions.  And about our plans and intentions. But, do we see the big picture?  Father Samuel Dubois takes a step back and clarifies for us that, “Today is all about dwelling with the Lord: starting that year with Him and recognizing that each day and each year belong to Him. He is the Lord of all, and He loves us, so we are called to offer each day of each year to Him in His honor, to love Him in return.” Therefore, Father Dubois says, “Truly, the New Year’s resolution does not rest on us and what we choose; it rests on the love and the Providence of our God.” 

(December 26, 2021) “There are differences between belonging and just fitting in," Father Charles Persing reminded us. "Yes, we always want to belong to something greater than us; we also spend a lot of time searching for that environment." It is also true that God wants us to be part of this journey: the journey where “I can just be who I am and be accepted .... Being part of a family nurtures us, supports us, it gives us the direction that we really need in our life as we journey together.”After all, Father Persing concluded, “God’s love for us is our love for one another. God is always there, present in His love, present in His acceptance, present in His forgiveness – as we offer each other the safety net that we call ‘family.’"

(December 25, 2021)  Father Samuel Dubois, Parochial Vicar of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, shared with us what stands at the heart of Christmas: love."Being loved is the beauty of Christmas: it awakens in our hearts a simplicity of life. All God needs from us is not our stuff or accomplishments, but our love. Let us, then, open our hearts to the love of God: return that love to Him and give Him thanks for the joys and blessings that we share. Our God could rule with power and might, but He prefers to rule by a simple invitation of love. Let us, then, pray for each other that we may know the love of Jesus Christ – the simple love of a child," Father Dubois concluded. 

(December 25, 2021)   "This is the night when God intervened into our lives and changed us forever,"  Father Charles Persing, pastor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, reminds us.  "This is the night that we, the people who sat in darkness, have seen the great light." "God is not keeping secrets from us," Father says.  "He wants us to be the light for others who sit in darkness; He wants us to be love for those who are not loved. He wants us to be of service for those who have no one to help. He wants us to be Christ for one another. He wants to be with us. He needs us as much as we need Him.""I encourage you to be the light in the darkness." 

(December 25, 2021)  The core message that Jesus wants us to remember, says Parochial Vicar Father Samuel Dubois, is: "You are loved. Not just by me or by your family or your friends – you are loved by the eternal God. If you ever doubt that, just look at the Nativity: The God of all the earth chose to be born in a village that was in the middle of nowhere; not for His own glory or honor, but to simply to say to you that you are loved! Because that is the message of Christmas."

 (December 19, 2021) Have you ever thought what lesson remains true from all the way down to us today? Or why God "intrudes on our assumptions and pays attention to the wretched, the afflicted, the abandoned, and those who are nothing in the eyes of the world?" These are the questions Deacon David L. Hall, of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, asks today.“We, ourselves, are called to be little and humble,” Deacon Hall emphasizes, with the meaning of Advent being filled with “the seeking, the repenting, and the waiting.”“God has a right to break into my life without explanation:” Deacon Hall affirms. Jesus profoundly interrupted the world by, “entering our world through a door marked, ‘No Entrance’ and 'leaving' through a door marked, 'No Exit'.”What will be your response to God’s interruption in your life today?DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT

(December 19, 2021) Did you know that prophecies are meant to encourage, build up, and console? That prophets themselves are messengers of God’s love, and that their prophecies are that very message? This is what is at the heart of Deacon Alex Bogdanoff’s message this Sunday.  "By virtue of our baptism,:  Deacon Bogdanoff  said, the Holy Spirit dwells inside of us; He calls us to be His prophets. To follow His will, we first need to embrace His presence within us; then, pray to Him to guide our words and our actions; and lastly, step out in full confidence in His power and grace. "This process prepares us both internally and externally to be a witness to the Glory of God and a part of His Kingdom on earth, both now and when He returns.

(December 12, 2021) “We are celebrating Him, but He is celebrating us,” was how Father Charles L. Persing started off his homily today.  "God wants us to rejoice in His presence. God wants us to be able to look at Him as He looks at us: with favor, with love, with compassion. He wants us to rejoice and live in that love; He takes delight in us because He has chosen us, He has forgiven us," Father Persing said."So, on this Sunday of the pink candle, let us look carefully and not lose sight of what is already under our noses – the delight of Christmas, Christ in our midst," Father Persing concluded.

(December 12, 2021) Have you ever wondered how Mary Magdalene overcame the mistakes she made? This theme is at the heart of Father Samuel Dubois’s homily today. Mary Magdalene was a sinner who encountered Jesus; Jesus reminded her that she was more than her past and her mistakes. Through a “beautiful adventure with this mysterious Jesus,” Father Dubois said, “Mary Magdalene got a chance for a new start.” This situation may be applicable for us as well. Let us relate to it as “the beauty of the Sacrament of Confession. We go in one person, and we come out someone totally different,” Father Dubois emphasized. Being washed clean in the grace of God prepares our hearts for the coming of the Lord. Father Dubois closed his homily with the following words: “Do not be afraid; allow Jesus to call your name; allow Him to embrace you in the Sacrament of Confession, with His grace and His love, and to set you free. You deserve it.”

(December 5, 2021) In his homily, Father Charles Persing reflects on the time of preparation for the season of Advent. As we approach its second week, Father suggests that we us ask our God to forgive us our sins and listen to His guiding voice. Our God has already shown His ultimate demonstration of His love for us: by His birth, His death, and His resurrection.If we are searching to find a true peace and happiness, we do need to surrender everything to Jesus. Quoting from the Old Testament Book of Baruch, Father Persing emphasizes  that God’s mercy and His righteousness are a promise to us that He will never abandon us. Therefore, let us look beyond daily cares, Father Persing suggests; let us examine “what lies heavy on our soul?” Are we ready to surrender it fully to God? Or keep carrying it on our own? As the followers of Jesus, let us make the right choice.