Dear Parishioners,

This week we observe Catholic Schools Week in all Dioceses in the United States. Catholic Schools Week is an annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States. It is observed beginning the last Sunday in January and runs all week. The theme for 2019 is "Catholic Schools: Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed." There will be several events and activities throughout the week, both at the Diocese and also in our parish and school. The high point of the Diocesan event will be the celebration of Mass at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral at 10 am on Wednesday, January 31. This will be followed by the Catholic Schools Rally at the State Capitol.

Dear Parishioners,

It is wonderful to be back and celebrate Mass with you again. Thank you all for your prayers and support. My special thanks to those who visited me in the hospital, those who brought food to the house, those who sent prayer cards, those who prayed for my healing, and all those who assisted me in different ways. It was a very terrible illness and I have never been sick like that before. If there is one thing I learned from this illness, it is to trust in God and the Power of Prayer. I thank God for his mercy and kindness and for granting me the healing. Please continue to keep me in your prayers as I go through this period of recovery.

The topic of infallibility in the Catholic Church is an ironic one: although intended to provide clarity, it is one of the most misunderstood topics within Catholicism. At least, humbly speaking, it was a big sticking point for me when I was a beginning Catholic. But once I understood it, I saw that it flows from a deep and beautiful faith in the active presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church.

Today, we celebrate Epiphany Sunday. This special feast, celebrated on January 6, commemorates the visit of the Magi to the Baby Jesus. Some Eastern Rite Churches celebrate their Christmas on this day. Epiphany simply means the manifestation of Jesus Christ to the gentile world.

One common question that many people ask about the celebration of Epiphany is that: "If the Magi were called Wise Men because they followed the star to find the child Jesus, is it okay then to believe in `horoscope?" The answer is No! Horoscope is a form of idolatry - a sin against the First Commandment: "I am the Lord your God; you shall not have strange gods before me." (Exodus) Horoscope readers need to ask themselves who is in charge of their lives, the stars or God? Believing that the stars control our lives contradicts our belief that God is in charge of our lives. The Church states clearly in the Catechism of the Catholic Church that: