Sunday Mass To Return May 31.

05-15-2020Pastor's LetterFr. John Ehrich

Dear Parishioners,

As we begin to prepare to open for Mass and Communion it is important to note, again, that I am obliged to follow certain regulations from the Bishop which are based upon regulations from the government. I won't list them all here.

The main one is this, that, currently, no church can have more than 25% capacity for a Mass in the church building. This depends upon the layout of the church, but 6 ft of social distancing must be adhered to on every side of each person. We estimate that if we did this, we would only be able to accommodate about 300 people in the church at any given Mass.

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Weekday Mass and Confession

05-11-2020Pastor's LetterFr. John Ehrich

Dear Parishioners,

Daily Mass will resume on Monday May 18. The daily Mass schedule will be as follows:

Monday 8:30am – confessions following Mass
Wednesday 8:30am – confessions following Mass
Friday 8:30am – confessions following Mass

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God Doesn't Do What He Is Supposed To - 5th Sunday of Easter

05-10-2020HomiliesFr. John Erich

The disciples are in a state of excitement and confusion as they recover from a series of events and realizations. Jesus is crucified, His body is gone from the tomb and He appears absent, and then He reveals himself as resurrected, alive again. So He’s with them in presence and life in new form...but then again, He says, “I am leaving.” And the key note to remember is his last words, “Follow Me.”

We hear the departing words of Jesus that His new purpose is to go back to the Father in order to prepare a place for us.

In the whirlwind of events and transitions in our personal lives, where we can feel connected and then disconnected to Christ and his presence or Body, let us reflect on “the bigger plan” that is consistently proclaimed in the Gospel. A bigger reality, a fulfillment that He provides, a gift beyond our expectations. We know intuitively that we are created for more, for a lasting state of being, and ultimately for Union in divinity. By His grace, we can see that our own present plans and realities are very small in the midst of a bigger one. Perhaps if we learn how to suspend our expectations and rely on His objective providence and promise, we can trust more deeply and securely in the coming events in our lives.

Rev. John Ehrich, STL, was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Phoenix in 2000. He earned his M.A. from St. Meinrad Seminary in 1998 and his MDiv in 2000. After five years of parish ministry, he studied at the Accademia Alfonsiana in Rome where he earned his Licentiate in Sacred Theology (Moral Theology) in 2007. Fr. Ehrich currently serves at St. Thomas More in Glendale.

Why Listen To His Voice? - 4th Sunday of Easter

05-03-2020HomiliesFr. John Erich

Jesus regularly speaks in metaphors about animals and crops, often relating to the agrarian citizens of his historical time.

Take the ‘Shepherd and His Flock’ concept. One of His ideas or depictions could portray two or three shepherds meeting, and congregating together, and therefore, so do their flocks - their individual group of sheep mingle together into a larger flock. If we regard the role of shepherds to the role of priests and prominent holy people, we could see how contemporary religious leaders today are entrusted to their followers and seek to provide their insights and concrete display of faith. Their actions are meant to lead us into deeper communion with Christ and each other.

We as followers might initially have a hard time trusting our shepherds, leaders, as well as the Voice of God, the primary Shepherd. Are we openly listening to these various voices with trust and willingness? Are we willing to later follow through with their practical applications in our lives? These are various and monumental steps that take place throughout our life. What if Jesus, in all the ways He presents Himself, were to be for us a loving friend? As The Shepherd who we can engage with, can we continually trust Him to lead us to new pastures, mingling even with various flocks and families and ultimately being our guide to deep joy?

Rev. John Ehrich, STL, was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Phoenix in 2000. He earned his M.A. from St. Meinrad Seminary in 1998 and his MDiv in 2000. After five years of parish ministry, he studied at the Accademia Alfonsiana in Rome where he earned his Licentiate in Sacred Theology (Moral Theology) in 2007. Fr. Ehrich currently serves at St. Thomas More in Glendale.