Farewell to Sister Colleen

06-28-2021Weekly Flocknote MessageFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

This weekend, our St. Benedict community will say a fond farewell to Sr. Colleen as she begins her well-deserved retirement on July 1st. In addition to this being the beginning of Sr. Colleen’s retirement, this year also marks her special Jubilee Year - her 50th anniversary since making her First Profession with the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes in 1971. For the past fifty years, Sister has faithfully served as an elementary school teacher, college campus minister and faith formation director in her home state of Wisconsin, as well as New York, Indiana and here in Arizona.

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God of Life

06-27-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

“God did not make death, nor does He rejoice in the destruction of the living.” This is the introductory sentence in our first reading today. What a powerful message. This clearly highlights the ongoing debate about Pro-Life vs Pro-Choice that has divided the country at different levels today. This is also timely as this issue dominated the discussion at the General Assembly of the U.S. Bishops Conference last week. The Church has consistently affirmed that we should always respect and protect every human life from the moment of conception until natural death. Our God is God of life, not death. He created us to be imperishable and gain eternal life with Him. When we choose God, we choose eternal life; but when people turn away from God, they turn towards death and eternal damnation.

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Happy Father's Day

06-21-2021Weekly Flocknote MessageFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

I wish all fathers and father-figures in our parish community a Happy Father's Day and God’s blessings! We are thankful for the sacrificial love our fathers share with us throughout our lives. On Father's Day, we honor and celebrate the indispensable role fathers play in our families and society. The joy of fatherhood is facing unprecedented challenges in our time. One can hardly talk about fathers these days without sounding “old fashioned” or offending someone. Someone once said that it is easier these days for fathers to have children than for children to have fathers. Studies have shown that the absence of fathers, or father-figures, in a family has a significant negative impact on the emotional, social, spiritual, and psychological development of many children leading to increasing stress, drug abuse, suicide ideation and crime among young people.

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Power Over the Storm

06-20-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

The Scripture readings this weekend emphasize the manifestation of God’s power over storms. If you are familiar with the book of Job, you will recall that, prior to the fi rst reading today from chapter 38, Job’s life of suff ering and pain caused him to question God; Job asked why he, an innocent and holy man, was experiencing so much misfortune and how he could find strength to keep trusting in God in the midst of so much loss and adversity. In the fi rst reading, we heard God respond to Job’s questions out of the storm. God asks Job a series of questions reminding him of the magnitude of His power over nature and all creatures and assures Job that He is in full control of the situation in his life. We find a similar situation in the Gospel when the Apostles cried out to Jesus in the midst of a storm and Jesus responded by calming both their fear and the storm. The Responsorial Psalm also describes the helplessness of people caught up in the midst of storms on the sea and how they were saved by calling upon the Lord.

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Update: Charity and Development Appeal

06-15-2021Weekly Flocknote MessageFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

Congratulations! I am so excited to inform you that we made our first goal (pledge amount) for the Charity and Development Appeal (CDA) this week. The recent update for our parish participation in the CDA shows that 233 families from our parish community have participated in the CDA so far with a total pledge of $85,339. This represents 103% of our total goal of $85,000. I am so glad we made our first goal for this year. We are getting very close to making our second goal, as well, which is to have up to 300 families from our parish participate in the CDA this year. I thank everyone who has participated so far. I encourage those who have not yet participated to consider sending their pledge or payment this week. Remember, no amount is too small or too large! Thank you so much.

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The Seed of Faith

06-12-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

Scientists have identified seven basic characteristics of living things: movement, respiration, sensitivity, growth, reproduction, excretion and nutrition. Of the seven, the process of growth is uniquely different in that it takes place gradually and continuously throughout the life span of the organism. While growth can be observed and measured over time, the actual process of growth at the cellular level is not generally visible to the human eye. In the Gospel today, Jesus uses the parables of the mystery of growth to illustrate the nature of the Kingdom of God. Just as the farmer cannot understand or explain the process of growth that takes place between the time of sowing the seed and the time of harvesting, so also it is difficult for us to fully understand the nature of the Kingdom of God and how it grows throughout our lives and among us.

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Lifting of Dispensation & Daily Mass Changes

06-08-2021Weekly Flocknote MessageFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

Welcome to the last month of our fiscal year. The month of June is one of the busiest months for us in the parish office as we try to close the books, balance the budget, and plan for another fiscal year. This is also a time for exchange of “relay batons” in the parish councils.

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Corpus Christi

06-05-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

This weekend, we celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi; a Latin term, meaning “Body of Christ.” This solemnity is celebrated on the Sunday after Trinity Sunday to commemorate the institution of the Holy Eucharist. People often ask “Why do we need a special day for this celebration when every Mass is a celebration of the Eucharist?” A brief historical background may help clarify this. In the 13th century, St. Juliana of Liege in Belgium, an Augustinian nun, saw a vision in which she was instructed to tell the Church to institute a feast in honor of the Eucharist. She revealed the information to her bishop, Robert de Thorete, and later to Pope Urban IV. In 1246, the Pope called for a synod in which the feast was approved to be celebrated in the Latin Church as a solemnity. The great theologian, St. Thomas Aquinas, composed some Eucharistic adoration hymns for the celebration such as “Tantum Ergo,” “Pange Lingua,” and the “O Salutaris Hostia.” We still sing these Eucharistic hymns today during Benediction and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

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Happy Memorial Day Weekend

06-01-2021Weekly Flocknote MessageFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

I wish everyone a Happy Memorial weekend. As we observe the Memorial weekend, let us remember to pray for all those who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty to protect us. Let us pray especially for the families of all our fallen heroes as we mourn with them the loss of their loved ones in the Armed Forces. We also pray for the safety and protection of  first responders and all those who are currently serving in the line of duty within and outside the country.

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The Most Holy Trinity

05-29-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

This weekend we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity is difficult for many people to understand or accept because it is a mystery that is beyond full human comprehension. The Holy Trinity is three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit with one nature in one God. Not three Gods but one God manifesting himself in three distinct persons. The inner relationship of the Trinity is such that each person is fully co-equal and co-eternal, but one in essence and nature. Several analogies can be used to describe the mystery of the Trinity. For instance, “time” can be manifested as past, present and future. Each of them is time, but manifested in three distinct ways. Another analogy is the mystery of the human person made up of body, soul and spirit. The three parts are quite distinct, but coexist as a single human being.

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End of Eastertide

05-24-2021Weekly Flocknote MessageFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

The celebration of Pentecost concludes the Eastertide (50 days) this year which began on Easter Sunday. At the end of the 5pm (Sunday) Mass, we removed the Paschal Candle from the altar as a symbolic end of the Easter Season.

I thank everyone for your participation in liturgies and personal prayers, especially during the Eastertide. Special thanks to the Liturgy Committee, the Art and Environment Ministry and those who participated in the Novena to the Holy Spirit over the past nine days. May we be strengthened with the gifts of the Holy Spirit on this day, and may God continue to bless our parish community with peace, love and unity as we conclude the Eastertide and move into Ordinary Time.

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Pentecost

05-22-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

Today we celebrate Pentecost, which comes from a Greek word meaning fiftieth. Both Jews and Christians have a feast called “Pentecost.” Within the Jewish tradition, Pentecost celebrates the day God gave Moses the Law on Mt. Sinai. It is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Passover. For the Church, Pentecost recalls the fiftieth day after Jesus rose from the tomb. On Pentecost day, Jesus fulfilled his promise by sending the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles while they were at prayer in the Temple. The Acts of the Apostles describes Pentecost with dramatic words, “When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fi re, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began READ MORE

Tasked to Spread the Good News

05-15-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

The pain of separation from our loved ones is one of the most excruciating experiences we can have in life. It is not always easy to say “goodbye” to our loved ones when they travel or at their fi nal moment. Most people have the opportunity to say goodbye or give last instructions before they part from their loved ones. Naturally, the last instruction from a dying person is never taken lightly. This was the case of the Apostles as we hear in the fi rst reading and Gospel today. Their hearts were troubled to see Jesus depart from them. Jesus prepared His apostles well in anticipation of the challenges that were ahead of them. Jesus’ ascension was both an end and a beginning for his disciples. While it was the end of Jesus’ physical presence with them, it also marked the beginning of Jesus’ presence with them in a new way. Jesus promised to send them the Holy Spirit who would lead, guide, and remain with them until the end of time.

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Happy Mother's Day

05-10-2021Weekly Flocknote MessageFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

On behalf of our parish community, I wish all mothers, grandmothers, stepmothers and Godmothers a Happy Mother’s Day and God’s blessings! On this day, we thank our mothers, by birth or adoption, who have nurtured and supported us through life. The challenges confronting mothers in our generation are unprecedented. Mothers today are faced with raising their children in a culture that often does not honor the sanctity of family or faith. Nevertheless, the vocation of motherhood is one of the most joyful and fulfilling roles in life. By carrying human life in their wombs, giving birth and nurturing life, mothers share in the creative power of God, the author of life. A mother’s love is about the best image and reflection of God’s love and care for us. Today especially, we entrust all mothers and future mothers to the love and care of Mary, our Blessed Mother, that she will intercede for them before the throne of God.

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Choice and Love

05-08-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

Our scripture readings this weekend are centered on the theme of “choice and love.” We heard this clearly in the Gospel when Jesus said: “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain…This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.”

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Changes in Leadership

05-03-2021Weekly Flocknote MessageFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

On behalf of the parish and St. John Bosco communities, I would like to congratulate Jamie Bescak for being selected as the new Principal of our St. John Bosco school. Ms. Bescak is well known to everyone in our school community and also well involved in our St. Benedict parish community. She previously wore many hats as our Preschool Director, Coordinator of Marketing and Promotion, Facility Manager and classroom teacher. Ms. Bescak has been a very passionate, positive and visible face of our school for the past six years. Her first day as Principal is July 1, 2021.

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I Am the Vine, You Are the Branches

05-01-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

The first and ultimate desire of every human soul is a desire for belonging to God. As we grow and mature through the different stages of our lives, the desire is manifested through our awareness of dependency on other people and groups for survival and support such as our parents, families, school, teammates, church, societies, human race, etc. However, none of the human support systems can satisfy the ultimate desire until we have a sense of belonging to God. The desire is intrinsic in us in the realization that we are only a ‘piece of the whole.’ This is a metaphysical certainty that a “piece cannot be greater than the whole.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains it this way:

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