From the Desk of Father John
THE FEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI AND CELEBRATION OF OUR PARISH HEROES 2025
The three-year National Eucharistic Revival in the United States officially concludes on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, which falls on June 22, 2025. The revival is a movement led by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to renew the Church through a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. While the official three-year initiative ends on June 22, 2025, the movement aims to continue spreading its message of renewal and mission beyond that date. The next phase of the Revival invites us to go out and share the love of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist to transform the world! I invite each of you—no matter your vocational state in life, age, or profession—to continue encountering our Lord in the Eucharist, to grow in relationship with him, to allow Jesus in the Eucharist to shape your identity, and to go out on mission with him for the life of the world! The revival's focus was to strengthen the belief in the Eucharist and encourage Catholics to become eucharistic missionaries.
Eucharistic heroes are individuals who have shown exceptional devotion and courage in defending or promoting the Holy Eucharist, a central sacrament in Catholic faith. Eucharistic heroes are individuals who are known for their profound love, devotion, and service to the Eucharist. These figures are known for their unwavering faith and their commitment to spreading the knowledge and importance of the Eucharist. Our world needs heroes who love the Eucharist! Individuals like you and me who have no special talent who are willing to proclaim with words as well as their lives that the Eucharist IS the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope that as we celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi, we remember that we are all saints in the making and that it is the Eucharist that slowly transforms us into heroes! We shall have a special Corpus Christi, MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST MASS ON SUNDAY, 9.15AM, JUNE 22ND, AT SACRED HEART CHURCH, PERKINSVILLE! During this Mass we will acknowledge all our Holy Family Catholic Community 2025 Heroes: First Holy Communion girls and boys; Confirmation Teens and all graduates especially high school seniors and College Graduates. It has been tradition of Corpus Christi to have a Eucharistic procession at the end of Mass to heighten the solemnity of this great feast and to augment our reverence for our Eucharistic Lord. A Eucharistic procession is a powerful visual reminder that we are called to be Christ-bearers—to take Christ out into the world around us. The gift we have been given to the Holy Eucharist is a gift that is to be shared with others. ALL THESE HEROES WILL LEAD US IN THE EUCHARISTIC PROCESSION AFTER MASS AS THEY ACCOMPANY CHRIST THEIR SUPER-HERO TO MARK THE END OF OUR THREE-YEAR EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL PLAN AND GOALS. PLEASE plan to attend this Mass and come to receive special recognition and special blessings from Holy Family Catholic Community, your parish, as you take the next steps in your lives. As a community we celebrate their achievements, and together with them, we present our hopes, plans, and joys to the Lord. We thank God for all the blessings we have received and ask Him to grant us the courage to continue our mission of being witnesses to our faith.
On this Corpus Christi Weekend we are grateful and celebrate our First Holy Communion Heroes: Lincoln Bancroft, Josie Bourgoine, Olive Bowen, Lucas Moose, Finn Schwenzer: The day that one receives Holy Communion for the first time should be one of the most joy-
filled days in any person’s life. Congratulations to our First Holy Communion students. They have all received Jesus for the first time with great joy and love in their hearts. God is Good! Thank you to all the First Communicants' parents and Catechists! Seeing these children all dressed up and having the honor of giving them the very Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for the first time makes this one of my favorite weekends of the year!
On this weekend we also Celebrate and acknowledge our Confirmandi Heroes: Kera Metcalfe, Jack Didas, Amelia & Bella Feely, Joseph Carr. We offer the newly confirmed our heartfelt congratulations and wish them and their families joy and peace at this exciting step in their faith formation. May God bless them, and the Holy Spirit guide them! They received the Sacrament of Confirmation on Tuesday, April 22nd at St. Mary’s Church, Corning. The candidates were sealed with the Holy Spirit by Bishop Salvatore Matano, in the presence of their families, sponsors and Pastor. What a joy filled celebration! Our parish is very proud of all our teens. It was an honor to celebrate this important sacrament together. We look forward to continuing the journey with these young people as they grow in their faith and their relationship with God!
Lastly but not the least Congratulations 2025 Our High School Seniors and Graduates—You are our Heroes! We acknowledge and celebrate these heroes: Mark Sick, Josh Conrad, Abigail Ferro, Charlie Mulford, Ginny Carr, Isabella Whitney, Brady Race, Charles Caskey, Megan Tyler, Paige Wolfanger and Dolan Cotter. Heavenly Father, surround those who are graduating with your grace. Bless them with hope so that they move into the future with eager and open hearts. Help them to put the knowledge, skills, and insights gained through their education for the good of all mankind. Inspire them to believe in the goodness of life even when faced with challenges and difficulties. As they commence with their lives, may they grow even more grateful and wise. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen. Again, it is my joy to congratulate all of you who are graduating, with my prayerful wish for all the best for the future. This is not just a graduation; it's a testament to your perseverance, your commitment to learning, and your growth as individuals. We know that the doors to new opportunities and adventures are now open before you, and we wish you all the best in your future endeavors. May you continue to strive for excellence, pursue your passions, and make a positive impact on the world. With God as part of your life, you cannot lose! May the Lord continue to bless you! Fr. John