From the Pastor’s Desk:

This coming Wednesday begins the month of October. Each year in both our Catholic Grade Schools as well as PSR

Classes we have special programs built around the Saints. All Hallows Eve (Halloween) and All Saints Day give us a

wonderful reminder to break open the stories of the saints and remember why they are still worth retelling. Unfortunately

our culture has changed Halloween into a scary night of witches and goblins. Last year 2023 the American people spent

12.2 billion dollars on Halloween decorations, That is 5.2 billion more than on Christmas decorations. Perhaps it would

be much better if we went back to its’ original, dress up as saints.

When Tom was in school, he was shy and overweight. All the boys made fun of him, calling him names. When Clare was

a teenager, her parents did not understand her and she ran away in the middle of the night joining some of her friends.

They made vows to always stick together. Elizabeth’s best friend from the age of four was a boy whom she later

married. Therese fought with her sisters as they were growing up and wrote in her diary about all the times she gave in

and let them win. Patrick was kidnapped as a teenager and enslaved. He finally escaped after six years. When

Anthony was a young boy he dreamed of traveling to a foreign country. He never really traveled but became a

teacher. Agnes was a beautiful girl, but the man she was to marry tried to force her into prostitution and she died in her

teenage years.

These are the stories of famous saints. Did you recognize them? Thomas Aquinas was called “dumb ox” in school and

later wrote the Suma Theological which influenced Western Civilization for 800 years. Clare secretly met up with Francis

on Palm Sunday in 121 and started the Poor Clare Sisters. Elizabeth of Hungary married Prince Ludwig, becoming queen

who spent much of her time bringing food to the poor. Therese of Lisieux, the “Little Flower”, led a simple life, but her

writings have been translated throughout the world after her death. Patrick, returned to Ireland as a missionary and

changed the Irish people forever. Anthony wanted to be a missionary in Morocco, but ended up in his native Italy as a

preacher. Agnes was martyred during the persecutions when young Christian girls who refused to marry non-Christian

husbands were often forced into brothels.

This October take the time to look at the saints. They were not always saints, they were ordinary people who through

faith and prayer became close friends to Jesus. Perhaps the teenager in the pew in front of you will one day become a

saint of the Church. Our teenagers are still being teased for being stupid or overweight. Girls and boys still feel

misunderstood, still want to run away from home. They still want to grow up and marry their best friends. The world is

still evil, with people being kidnapped, raped and killed. In spite of all of this, there are still people who find a way to

do the right thing. There are still people who make great role models, teachers, coaches, priests; whether in their

communities or in a far off land. This October celebrate our saints.