Our Lady of Hope Blog

My Dear Friends,

Today, most Catholics in the United States are celebrating the Ascension. We celebrated the Ascension a few days ago on Ascension Thursday, which is scriptural. Sacred Scripture tells us that Jesus ascended into heaven forty days after the Resurrection.

My Dear Friends,

Another year has gone by and another Mother’s Day is upon us. This day can be a bittersweet day for many people, especially women. We want to be able to celebrate with joy our mothers, but for many people there is sadness or bitterness or anger.

My Dear Friends,

Today’s first reading is about the beginnings of the diaconate. Seven men were chosen and the apostles laid hands on them. As we know in our Catholic faith, after Pentecost, the Catholic Church defined ordained ministry by the laying on of hands. The ordained ministries are deacon, priest and bishop.

My Dear Friends,

As I write this bulletin letter, which I always write on Tuesdays, news came in this morning that Archbishop Emeritus Henry Mansell died at the age of 88. He served the Archdiocese of Hartford as the archbishop from 2003-2013.

My Dear Friends,

This week we will be half way through the Easter season. Today’s gospel, from St. Luke, is the story of the disciples walking to Emmaus. They have heard that Jesus rose from the dead, but they leave Jerusalem anyway instead of waiting to see him. Are we walking towards Jesus, or are we walking away from Jesus? Throughout history millions of people have walked away from him.

My Dear Friends,

Today we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday, a gift given to us by Pope St. John Paul II. Pope John Paul decreed that the second Sunday of Easter, which is the last day of the Octave of Easter, would also have the title of Divine Mercy Sunday, after the allocutions of our Lord to St. Faustina, a Polish nun who compiled a diary of these allocutions. Jesus used her to spread the message of mercy to his people at a time in the 20th Century when there was need to refresh our Catholic faith with this message of mercy.

My Dear Friends,

This is the day the Lord has made!! Alleluia!! Happy Easter Sunday, the day of our Lord ’s Resurrection.

V. Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia. (Queen of Heaven, rejoice, Alleluia)

R. Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia. (For He whom you did merit to bear, Alleluia)

V. Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia. (Has risen as He said, Alleluia)