A message from Father Pete

For Sunday, March 1, 2026 Genesis 12:1-4, 2 Timothy 1:8-10, Matthew 17:1-9 When you were a child, what did you dream of becoming? We didn’t get television until I was about 7 or 8, so I was deprived of cartoons and concentrated on heroes in the comics like Straight Arrow, the Phantom and the Lone Ranger. I envisioned myself a cowboy hero: riding horses, being a hero in all my rescues of good people and catching outlaws and criminals. How that developed into the priesthood is a head scratcher. I really enjoyed going to Church and being an altar boy and a choir boy. Other dreams came and went with a mild wind. As far as my studies were concerned, I liked History and Math: more dreams. Days, relationships, learning, and various experiences color our dreams and develop into reality. God graces us — chooses us with His gifts to realize He is in our lives, every day, all the time. Today’s first reading tells us something about Abram (Abraham), but it tells us even more about the Plan of God ...

For Sunday, February 22, 2026 Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11 Before moving into administration, I spent the first 23 years of my priesthood teaching in Catholic high schools. Many of my classmates have asked me: Why teaching? Who would ever want to be with teenagers for that long? My response always has been the same: They’re just like each of us — they need to be loved. That’s my need and yours. Now, where did this need for love come within each of us? When we look at our Christian background, Scripture consistently reveals the answer: God is love. That’s what God does — He creates each of us out of love and places us on earth for the time that He needs us to be love for others. And so comes the next foundational question: How do I love? Is that my natural inclination, or do I need to be taught? Coming down to the basics, we need to be taught from birth. I received it from my mom and dad, three sisters and brother. They loved me, cuddled me, changed me, fed me ...

For Sunday, February 15, 2026 Sirach 15:15-20, 1 Corinthians 2:6-10, Matthew 5:17-37 We grew up, hopefully, in a loving family. Our loved ones taught us, formed us, cared for us, watched over us and directed our words and actions to care for family, loved ones and those who were hurting. We learned the familial laws: Be kind to your siblings, don’t use bad words, respect your elders, family values are super important. These laws complemented the universal standards: Keep your elbows off the table, no phone calls during dinner (my sisters reacted to this one) , chew your food, eat everything mom prepared. Everyone had household duties to perform: Clean up after dinner, mow the lawn, keep your room neat, respect the neighbors, complete your school assignments  — and so on. If we grumbled or objected, well … we learned not to grumble or object. At one point I thought it would be easier to live with my friend who had eight siblings — until I stayed at his house one night and it was l...

For Sunday, February 8, 2026 Isaiah 58:7-10, 1 Corinthians 1:1-5, Matthew 5:13-16 I look back and remember, and I reflect on when : When did I learn how to do things? Little things? When do we develop confidence in ourselves? Is it when we learn how to put together toys, games? When we learn how to throw and bat a ball? When we play with and dress dolls? Confidence comes when we KNOW we can do something for ourselves ... and we feel a sense of pride for having mastered the ability. Our lives are a series of discovering that we can do things … be successful. And compliments come, building us up. But can we also remember times when this confidence was hindered or smashed — when when we were told it was bad or we were no good? Unfortunately there are individuals who cannot or will not help us develop into the person God intends us to be — a person of love, caring and forgiveness, helping those in need. In today’s readings Jesus instructs us on the meaning of discipleship: How God loves us...