My Dear Parish Family:

We have been slowly but steadily replacing the electric candles around the Church with new wax candles. We recently got a new candle rack in front of the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and also on the other side of the Main Altar in front of the image of Our Blessed Lady. We will continue to replace all of the electric candles as we can afford to do so.

As you know there is always a red rose beside the Tabernacle to remind all of us to pray always for life. The red rose is a symbol of the Right to Life for all human beings from conception until natural death and the red rose (beside the Tabernacle in our Church) reminds all of us to pray for life. Now, I have placed a white rose at the image of Our Blessed Lady in the Church and am asking that each time you see the white rose at the feet of Our Lady that you will pray a prayer (perhaps the Hail Mary!) for priests.

Please pray for the protection of the priesthood and that Our Blessed Mother will continue and forever intercede for her sons in the priesthood of Jesus Christ to make them holy, faithful and men of prayer.

We all know that Satan desires to destroy us, but we also know that Mary, the Mother of God and our Mother, too, will continue to crush the head of Satan and that God will bring all HIS children into heaven one day. However, we will need to remain faithful in prayer for our families, friends, ourselves and for the priesthood. Thank you for your love and support in these difficult times and for your prayers.

Until next week, Our Lady, Mother of priests, pray for us! St. Benedict and Cardinal Cooke, Servant of God, pray for us!

Fr. Stephen P. Norton