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My Dear People,
 St. Mary Magdelene was one of the first disciples to witness Our Risen Lord. As they were going to the tomb with the spices to prepare the body, they encountered the Angel guarding the tomb. The women saw that the burial place was empty. They were told that they should announce the Good News to St. Peter and the other Apostles. Peter runs to the place of the Resurrection. He peers inside to find it empty, just as the women had announced.
We base our beliefs upon the witness of these apostles. We were not at the tomb to find it empty. We did not see His as did St. Thomas the Apostle. Our faith is truly “believing” without seeing. Even so, the Apostles did not yet fully understand what the Resurrection was. This appreciation would not come until the birthday of the Church. Pentecost. We pray during the next eight days of Easter, the octave of Easter, that The Lord’s glory might dwell upon us.
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
May we more fully follow the teachings of Jesus. Realizing that this man Jesus, truly was God and His way truly is God’s way.
Who Else Wants to Discover Why Our Government Spends Money on Hate Crimes and Murder?
My Dear People,
Palm Sunday points the way to the Cross. Jesus enters Jerusalem triumphant. He leaves the city carrying the Holy Cross. The crowd cries, “HOSANNA…HOSANNA” in the highest, as Jesus enters. They scream “CRUCIFY HIM..CRUCIFY HIM” as He leaves. What happened in that short period of time? How could things have changed so quickly? It was the sin and the hatred of the elders that caused such a rapid change. We have to be careful not to get caught up in the sin and hatred of others.
The Government is Executing Our Future
It is so easy to get persuaded by the blindness of the immoral majority. We don’t have to look any further than our government officials to see this today. More and more money is directed toward the killing of our children within the womb. These acts of murder and hate crimes have only intensified as we continue to pour more and more of our FEDERAL taxes into the execution of our future. WHY the blindness? As in Jesus’ day, it is the sin of the elders, our elected officials. We share in their sin if we have put them into office. Pray for an end to the ultimate hate crime of abortion. Pray for our elders who so blindly appropriate federal funds to, “Murder, murder the children in the womb.”
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
May we suffering of Jesus inspire us to make our own sacrifices and to support the work of the church.
My Dear People,
God expects us to make good use of all of the talents that He has given to us. The parable of the fig tree teaches us about the need to develop our good spiritual fruits. Cultivating our gifts is our life’s job. Discerning these talents takes time. All are freely given to us at our Baptism. The purpose of the gifts is primarily to build up the Body of Christ. When Jesus came upon the fig tree along the road, He noticed that is was barren. He threatened to cut it down.  “Why should it exhaust the soil?” The gardener asked for a year to restore the health of the tree. Jesus granted his request, but stated that it would be cut down if it failed to produce good fruit.
Are you producing good spiritual fruit? Or are you just taking up dead space? Are you gifts being placed at the service of the Church? Or are they even being used at all? Heed the Gospel. If you have talents that will help someone in need, put them to good use TODAY!
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
May we trust that, just as God provided the Israelites with manna until they arrived in the promised land. He will always provide us with all that we need.
My Dear People,
 The Transfiguration is a central revelation in Luke’s Gospel. For Jesus to appear between Moses and Elijah, was an extremely powerful endorsement from the Old Testament figureheads. Moses represents the Law. Elijah represents the major and minor Prophets of the Old Testament. As they were preparing to leave, Peter asks if the trio was staying. While Peter was still speaking, a cloud descended from above and declares, “This is my Beloved Son; listen to Him.” Suddenly, the cloud parted, and Jesus stood there, alone.
In awe, the Apostles fell silent. Jesus then asks them not to say anything about the event, until after His Resurrection from the dead. How were the Apostles to understand this event? Why did Jesus ask for silence? When were they going to see Jesus die? By asking these questions, the Apostles were on their way to learning about the mysteries of Jesus’ life. Little did they understand these events. It would not be until the infusion of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, that they would come to understand their significance. What Jesus reveals to the Apostles, He reveals to the Church. That is all of US. As it was for the Apostles, so it is for His people. Jesus exposes Himself to you and I. Jesus wants us to know He is the LAW, Jesus wants us to know He is the PROPHET. Jesus died and rose from the dead, to save us from eternal death. It is why He was revealed in Glory before the Suffering of His crucifixion. Allow Jesus to raise you up and save your from eternal death this Lent
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
May our Lord save you and raise you up…May He free you from all of your SINS.
Fr. Mark Bozada
Mass Intentions… It has always been the practice of the Roman Catholic Church to pray for the dead. This tradition actually can be traced back to the Book of Maccabees in the Old Testament. Having suffered a great defeat in a battle of war, the Jewish soldiers gathered mementos from the dead, and prayed for their souls.
After the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, early Christians buried their loved ones and prayed for their on going purification. Sometimes we presume that ALL people go right to Heaven. The saints tell us otherwise. Most go to Purgatory for ongoing purification. Having Holy Masses said for the dead is a wonderful holy tradition of the Church. It shortens their time spent in Purgatory. Renew that wonderful tradition of our Faith. Have masses said for your beloved ones.
“Some souls would suffer in Purgatory
until the Day of Judgment if they were
not relieved by the prayers of the Church.”
St. Robert Bellarmine, Doctor of the Church
My Dear People,
 Which Confessional Reveals The Sacredness Of Confession? The three temptations of Christ represent the trials we too will undergo during Lent; the world, the flesh and the evil one. The battle against sin can only be understood within the context of the author of sin, satan. God did not create death. He is life. God did not create vice. He is virtue. God did not create darkness. He is light.
Get Serious About Your Sin
 A Modern Confessional Jesus took on all our temptations to teach us how to reject sin, and embrace holiness. We need to learn that we are a people sacred to God. Those who do not know their sin, do not fully know their God. Jesus, the second person of the Most Holy Trinity encountered sin for us. Jesus covered us with His Most Precious Blood.
He stands in the gap as we struggle with the world, the flesh and the evil one. Without Our Lord, we would always fail. Lent is learning about surrendering our sin to the Lord. He is our only Master. If you want to get serious about Lent, you need to get serious about your sin. The Confessional is the battleground for conquering sin. When is the last time you went into battle against sin? When is the last time you made a good and holy confession? There is no better time to confess your sin, than during this Holy season of Lent.
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
May we joyfully bring our first fruits to the Lord, sharing our time, talent, and treasures out of gratitude for all the blessing that God has bestowed upon us.
My Dear People,
Forty days and forty nights make up he bulk of Lent. A famous comedian once said, “I do not know why they call it a fast, when it goes so darn slow.” Fasting is an essential key to the Lenten experience. What is the purpose of fasting? It teaches us patience. It teaches us discipline. It teaches us the value of mortification. All three are so badly needed in our Church today. Jesus chose to fast from all food for 40 days. At the end of the fast, Satan manifested himself in order to tempt Our Lord. He offered him; control, praise and power. Everyone of these are eagerly sought by contemporary man.
Satan Hates Fasting
 Who wouldn’t want complete control of your own life and that of others? Who doesn’t like to seek the praise and attention of others? Who wouldn’t want an endless supply of money? These Satan has to offer, because he has temporal authority right now, over the things of the Earth. Fasting is an essential defense against Satan. He hates our fasting, especially for the sake of our growth in the Holy Spirit. Church law requires those between the ages of 18 and 59 to fast in between meals, and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. All Fridays during Lent require us to abstain from meat. And the Catechism indicates that we abstain from meat on all of the other Fridays of the year, unless you perform and act of charity of mercy in its place. These acts include working at the soup kitchen, working in a place taking care of the poor and other acts of mercy. Hardly ever, do I hear of Catholics keeping the latter discipline. Seek the Lord while He may be found. Call to Him while He is still near. Run to Him in times of trial and tribulation. And know that He waits for all of us to return fully to HIM.
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
May we open our hearts to the poor and lovingly share our blessing with all of God’s needy children.
My Dear People,
God speaks very powerfully through the flesh. When we look at Jesus’ suffering upon the Holy Cross, we see just how much He loves us. In His flesh, Jesus was nailed to the Cross; and to our sins. Through His Holy Wounds, we are healed. As teacher and prophet, Jesus taught through the flesh. Every time Our Lord laid hands upon the blind, deaf, and dumb, they were healed. The crippled walked. The possessed were set free from demons. The blind were given sight.
So at the beginning of Our Lord’s ministry, we find Jesus reaching out to the flesh. One by one, He called the Apostles to come forth. In Luke’s Gospel, we find Jesus reaching out to the flesh, in order to heal the spirit. When Peter is called by Christ, he deems himself unworthy. Peter declares, Peter was aware of the sins of the flesh. He thought to himself, “How can I serve to forgive sin, when I am so full of sin myself?” It was to this sinful man, Peter, that Jesus called forth to seek the lost, Jesus tells Peter. “Do not be afraid, from now on you will be seeking out other sinful men.” Sometimes, like Peter we feel unworthy to serve the Lord. Our shortcomings are not a problem for Jesus. Our lack of faith and trust in Jesus, is a problem. Without that faith, Jesus cannot work through us. Be like Peter. Confess your sins. Profess your faith in Jesus. And be ready to serve the Lord.
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
May we eagerly respond. “Here I am, Lord.” Whenever we hear God call upon us to be His hands and feet here on earth.
Do “Catholic” Politicians Deserve a Catholic Funeral?
My Dear People,
There is an accountability for every one of our sins; even sins confessed and absolved. Impossible for us to achieve, Jesus is the only one who can save us from our sins. Mark’s Gospel reminds us that giving scandal is a very serious sin, especially public scandal. Politicians who are Catholic, and support abortion, cloning, and so called “mercy killing” of the elderly, commit grave public sin and grave public scandal. Archbishop Burke recently reminded all bishops that politicians who have given such scandal, without the benefit of “public conversion and penance” should not receive a Catholic burial; so serious is the sin.
Condoning this sin through such a public display, gives the faithful grave scandal on the part of the clergy. Sin is sin. God’s forgiveness is real and needed, but we should never condone public sin directly or indirectly. It is God’s Law, not man’s. Pray for all of our politicians who daily give scandal to the Catholic Church by their direct support and funding of abortion, cloning and mercy killing of the elderly. We live in very dark times. This does not excuse us from being accountable to one another, no matter what our place and status is in this world.
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
Remembering that we will be judged by what we do for the least among us. May we give generously and joyfully to support all those in need.
My Dear People,
You Are the Greatest Impediment
to Miraculous Healings
 Do miracles still happen today? Were miracles in the past just events that took place in the Sacred Scriptures? What constitutes a real miracle? Yes, miracles still do occur today. This is most evident in the life of the Church when “saints” are canonized. Certified miracles are necessary in the process of verifying our accepted list of men and women saints.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus our Divine Physician, was teaching in the synagogue. Jesus, the Divine Messiah, desired to work miracles among His people. He always healed after He instructed His Disciples. But because the Israelites hearts were hardened and closed, He could work no miracles for them. The greatest impediment to miracles and healings, is ourselves. WE are the main obstacle to God healing us, to God working miracles among us. Our minds cannot be closed. Our hearts need to be softened and opened. Otherwise, like in Jesus’ day, NO miracles can take place. Just as Jesus left their presence and went on to another place, so too will Jesus move forth from us to work miracles in other places. Expect miracles… Pray for discernment, and watch the power of God move among us TODAY!
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
May we put our love for God and for one another into action through our stewardship gifts of time, talent and treasure.
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