Dear Fr. Thomas and Beloved Parishioners,

On behalf of myself, the priests, the religious, and the entire Catholic faithful of Zaria Diocese in Nigeria, I write with a heart full of gratitude to thank you most sincerely for your outstanding generosity during the recent Mission Appeal conducted by Rev. Fr. Samuel Aliba in your parish.

The sum of $20,688.20 realized from the Appeal is one of the highest we have ever received. Beyond the figure, however, is the powerful message of love, solidarity, and faith that your parish community has sent to us. Fr. Samuel spoke so warmly of the kindness and hospitality he receives from you, Fr. Thomas, and from the parishioners. It was truly a beautiful witness of our shared priesthood and the unity of the Body of Christ.

Dear esteemed parishioners

In the spirit of Canon Law#1287, the diocesan policy of Phoenix mandates that the Parish Finance Council supervise the preparation of the annual financial report to the Bishop by July 31 each year-30 days afterthe conclusion of the fiscal year. This report is to be shared with the faithful within 120 days following theend of the fiscal year and will be published in the parish bulletin. This weekend, the Parish Finance Counciland I are pleased to fulfill this important responsibility. The 2024/2025 Financial Report is included in thisweekend's bulletin.

Dear beloved parishioners,

A friend of mine returned from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2004 and brought me several souvenirs, including a grain of mustard seed, which is mentioned in this Sunday's Gospel. It is a very small and round grain, typically measuring 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter, and originates from a mustard plant, commonly used in cooking and farming.

In the Gospel reading for this Sunday [Luke 16:19-31], we hear the well-known parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Most of us know the storyline well, but it's in the details Jesus used to tell the story where we will find the full lesson. The first detail is the name, Lazarus, which is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name, Eliezer, meaning "God is my help." This is a clue to interpreting the story.

The next detail is that the poor man was literally lying at the rich man's door. This told Jesus' listeners that there was no excuse for the rich man not knowing about Lazarus; he had to step over him to get in and out of his house. This detail also told them that the rich man ate all alone. Those who might come to dine with him would have to also step over Lazarus, which guests certainly would not do. For a Jew, the ultimate in loneliness was to dine alone.

The Gospel reading this Sunday presents us with the parable of the dishonest steward which could also be called the parable of the astute steward. Jesus narrates the story of a steward who was accused of wasting his master's resources. He was given time to put his accounts in order before he was fired. He knew he would be fired shortly and so he devised a strategy of survival afterward.

Dear beloved parishioners,

Today, on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, the readings clearly highlight the connection between the bronze serpent in the desert and the Cross of Christ. Jesus explains to Nicodemus that, just as the serpent was lifted up for the healing of the Israelites from the bites of the serpents, so too must the Son of Man (Jesus) be raised up on the Cross for the healing of His people from the affliction of sin.

Dear esteemed parishioners,

During our preschool catechetical instructions, our catechist often shared stories about the ultimate sacrifices made by the missionaries who brought the faith to our region. These narratives aimed to help us appreciate the efforts of those who gave their lives to evangelize the nation, instilling in us a desire to love and practice our faith.