Pre-Game Travel

 Good afternoon my brothers and sisters/Buenos Tardes mis hermanos

As many of you know, I will be traveling to Guatemala tomorrow for my Parish Spanish Immersion. I look forward to this opportunity, and I thank the Archdiocese and Fr. Mendoza for allowing me to have this opportunity. 

I ask and pray, especially on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, that we come together and pray for the Priests of our Archdiocese and the world as we celebrate as well the World Day of Sanctification of Priests. Pope Francis in his Chrism Mass Homily for 2022 reminded all Priests that Jesus embraced his cross from the beginning to the end and that “If mere circumstances conditioned the saving power of the cross, the Lord would not have embraced everything. But when his hour came, he embraced the cross fully. For on the cross there can be no ambiguity! The cross is non-negotiable.” (Pope Francis)

This is an invitation for all my brother Priests, including myself, to embrace the cross we are given and to strive to become authentic witnesses of Christ who act in the ‘person of Christ crucified’ from the moment of our Ordination as Priests until the day when the Lord calls us home. 

Let us keep praying for each other, knowing full well that the mission we are on, is not a singular mission, but a global mission- a mission of unity. 

I titled this blog ‘One in Faith’ in order to express that no matter the race, ethnicity, culture, diversity, color of skin, or wherever one may be in the world- we are the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. We united in our Faith and belief in Jesus Christ, and we are a part of His Body, the Church- called by Him at our own Baptism to be disciples and help others to have the loving and personal encounter with Him.

Please know you will be in my prayers and I look forward to communicating and educating you on this blog.

- Fr Matt Collins

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