Saint + Elizabeth + Ann + Seton + Parish

(November 21, 2021) Deacon Alex Bogdanoff, of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, reminded us that Jesus came into this life "not just to take part; King Jesus came to take over." He yearns for 100 percent of our being to follow  His footsteps into His eternal Kingdom.  To have a personal, intimate encounter with Jesus is "to experience His closeness, His friendship, and His love," Deacon Bogdanoff concluded.

Father Charles L Persing gives his perspective of Thanksgiving as a national, secular holiday as well as our understanding of it in our faith tradition -- and takes a moment to thank the staff and the people of the parish for the wonderful things we do for the glory of God. 

(November 14, 2021) "If we love Christ, then why are we so fearful? Are we fearful of Him, or are we fearful of giving up the sins we love?" Father Persing asked us to keep this Augustinian quote on our minds as we consider the Second Coming of Christ.  Are our names going to be written in the Book of Life, and are we ready to change and prepare ourselves for that most certain event? 

(November 14, 2021) Father Samuel Dubois, parochial vicar for Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, took a deep look at today's Gospel message. Father Dubois emphasized that we, despite not knowing when the Second Coming will exactly take place, need not be worried and afraid. Our human nature does makes us worried, afraid, and stressed, but we need to remember that Jesus is always with us, now and forever.  

Father Charles L Persing reflects on the history and meaning of Veteran's Day, honoring all those who served our nation. 

(November 7, 2021) Father Anthony Eseke, priest in resident at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, explores the difference between giving when we expect something in return, and sacrificial giving, which we see demonstrated in the readings in today's Mass. Father describes three special  ways that we can practice sacrificial giving in our own lives in response to the grace of God.

(November 7,  2021) Father Charles L. Persing, pastor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, shares a story and his reflection based upon Saint Mother Theresa's quote: "Do small things with great love."

Father Charles L. Persing reads from the Book of Wisdom and prays for the souls of all the faithfully departed. 

 (October 31, 2021) At the heart of Father Samuel Dubois’s homily is the message that our Church is not an entity that restrains Her faithful. Rather, our Church is all about saying “yes” to many things in our lives. She calls us to holiness by saying “yes” to God, “to the dignity, the honor, the beauty that we are called to hold and have,” Father Dubois said.By saying “yes” to these things “we are called to hold and have,” Father concluded, “we will be very close to the Kingdom of God in this life; and in the life to come, we will dwell within its very borders.”     

(October 24, 2021)  In our journeys of life, we may have dark places of frustration and brokenness, like Bartimaeus in today's gospel, says Father Anthony Eseke. We can learn three lessons from Bartimaeus's story:  First,  we have Jesus, who is ready to help and heal our dark places.  Second, we have to have the faith and the courage to call out. And finally, faith is not what we do when we need something from Jesus; faith is what we do as a sign of gratitude for all the great things God has done for us.

(October 23, 2021) Father Charles L. Persing, pastor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, considers the blind man,  Bartimaeus, as a man of great hope and great courage. "How many times have you and I gone to the Lord to ask for things that are impossible, to ask for things for which we personally don't think there's an answer?" Maybe we doubt the power of God in our own lives, Father says, but let us never stop calling out in hope to Jesus.

(October 17, 2021)  In this week's message, Father Charles L. Persing, pastor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, focuses on examples of servanthood in the Gospel and in a story from the Colonial days of what is now the United States. "Nothing is below our dignity in the eyes of God when we are true servants," Father said. He challenged us to look for occasions to serve each other, because "the closer we come to Jesus, the more we are expected to follow His example."

(October 16, 2021) Reflecting on today's Scripture readings, Father Samuel Dubois reminds us that there is nothing we have gone through or will ever go through that God has not shouldered. "So, if we unite ourselves to Him, we unite ourselves to His saving cross.”Jesus walked in "our very steps," Father Dubois said. He "suffered as we suffer" so that, when we suffer, "we know we have a companion, someone with us." This is all part of God's love for us, he said. "There is no more powerful testament of God's love than the crucifix . . . no more powerful way to share in His love than to be united to Him in our sufferings – whatever they might be." 

Father Charles L. Persing reflects on the life and legacy of Saint Gianna, the patron saint of mothers and unborn children, and  prays for her intercession. 

(October 10, 2021) Deacon David L. Hall reflected on today's Scripture readings. The highlight of his homily is the message that "Each one of us can have a fear of inviting God to cleanse us of anything that distracts us from seeking and loving Him above all  else . . . . If we make even a start to desire what God is offering, we will find that He knows how to give what we truly need. "" ‘What is the desire of my heart? Lord help me to want You more than anything else.’ If we pray that, it is more than a wish; it is a request that the Lord will give to anyone who sincerely asks," Deacon concluded. DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT

Father Charles L. Persing talks about Saint Gerard, patron saint of expecting mothers and unborn children.

(October 3, 2021) Deacon William Dwayer asked us to reconsider our relationships in our friendships or in our marriages. Are we leading Christ-centered lives? Christ invites both laypersons as well as clergy to introspection on this crucial part of our identity. "If we wish to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, we must receive Christ’s teaching, His love, and His grace with a trusting love of a small child. And in order to do that, we must have God in the center of our lives,"  Deacon Dwayer said.

Father Charles L Persing talks about Respect Life Month and what it means to create and enjoy healthy life relationships with others.

 (September 26, 2021) Have you ever thought of “pew-and-pulpit synchrony”? Father Anthony Eseke, priest-in-residence at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, introduces us to the concept.It relates to the theological and spiritual diversity that is at the heart of the three Scripture readings for today. “The Lord is the one, Who gives his Spirit freely . . . and the Spirit blows wherever it wills.” “How can we today ask for the grace to enhance our tolerance?” Father Eseke asks. It is two-fold. The first one is “through the ‘dialogue of life’ . . . that binds all of us together, regardless of the ways we interpret our spirituality.” The second one, also based on the Scripture, is our need to be open to the walk of the Spirit . . . Who dwells in our hearts,” he said.    It is because we are too tight and too passionate about the positions we hold what we think about who God is . . . "God is bigger than what we can fight for,” Father Eseke concluded.

(September 26, 2021) Father Charles Persing,  pastor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, reminds us that the Spirit of God is at work in all of us. "Are we responding to the Spirit of God?" Father Persing asks. "It is a gift from God . . . we can use it to serve our community . . . becoming brothers and sisters in the family of God."We are called, he said,  "to look freshly at that Spirit day after day, moment after moment, in our life and . . .cling to God . . . let God hold us.”This week we are challenged, Father said. "We are challenged to look freshly at that Spirit in us; not to hoard it within us, not just share it with the people who are special to us, but to allow that Spirit to empower us, to bring Christ to life in our midst, to bring God’s Kingdom to reality in our presence." Let us witness that "reality in our presence," he concluded.