Reflections from St. Ann DC

"We all have a vocation to be a saint, but no one has a vocation to be a saint in the same way you do."

“God ordered friendship as a natural good for us,” Msgr. Watkins says. “If that is true in the natural order, it is also true in the supernatural order. We need *friends* in heaven. This is the communion of saints.” #AllSaints

From the Gospel of Luke 18:9-14: Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. "Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, 'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity -- greedy, dishonest, adu...

He did everything right. What was his mistake?

"When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Lk 18).

"We are extraordinarily blessed by Almighty God to be here today."

Ten lepers were cleansed — but only one returned to give thanks in this weekend's Gospel. Do we delay our gratitude? If you really mean gratitude, show it, so that one day Jesus can say to us, too: "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you" (Lk 17).

How do we balance discipline and emotion?

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Fr. Lucas Laborde

My life, my money, my time: Why not?

"God's gift of precious life is no less beautiful when accompanied by sickness or illness, hunger or poverty, mental or physical handicaps, loneliness or old age. At these times, life takes on extra splendor...so often in and through the weakest of human vessels, God continues to show us the power of His love." Who are the poor around us? How can we really serve them? Is there more than one way?

This weekend's Gospel reading — Luke 16:1-13 — is quite confusing. What does it mean? Fr. Lucas Laborde explains. Here is the full Gospel text: Jesus said to his disciples, "A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, 'What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.' The...

Are you at your wit's end trying to muster your own resources, time and talent to accomplish something? Listen to this.

Fr. Ivan Pertine answers in this week's homily: "Who are the pharisees today?"

Have you ever lost something? Someone? Are you searching for reasons? Msgr. James Watkins tackles this difficult question of suffering love and "loss" in this week's homily.

Do you know what the Pietà in our church is made of? Can you tell which saints are depicted in our stained glass windows? Hear all the highlights of this past Saturday's stained glass, history and architecture tours during Art All Night!

Fr. Ivan Pertine explains this difficult Gospel that tells us to "hate" our family by hitting on three key points in his homily: 1) Put God first. Above everything. Everything. 2) Deny yourself. Take up your cross. Sacrifice. 3) Give Jesus everything. Turn it over to Him. If you can't, ask Him for the grace to eventually.

Jesus tells us in Luke 14: “...anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” How do we digest this? How can we apply its meaning? Msgr. James Watkins dissects this 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Gospel message.

Luke 14 tells us in the 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time's Gospel: "For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." Is this realistic in Washington?

We hear from Jesus in today's Gospel in Luke 13 that some people will hear "I do not know you; depart from me..." when attempting to enter heaven. How can we be sure that Jesus will "know" us when we want to enter His Kingdom at the end of our lives? How can we develop a personal relationship with Christ here and now? Msgr. James Watkins explains in today's homily on the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Ti...

This Gospel message sounds weird to our ears. Msgr. James Watkins explains in this homily on the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time what Jesus is trying to tell us in the Luke 12 Gospel, verses 49-53: Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accompl...

There are only two infallible dogma in the history of the Catholic Church proclaimed by the Catholic Church. The first is the Immaculate Conception, proclaimed on December 8, 1854 by Pius IX. The second infallible dogma is the Assumption. On November 1, 1950, Pius XII declared the dogma of the Virgin being assumed, Body and Soul, into heavenly glory. Both infallible dogma are about Mary. This is f...

Msgr. James Watkins explains what it means to "be ready" and the precious gift of time. Gospel of Luke 12: Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy...

Beginning with a prayer for the victims of the mass shootings this weekend in El Pasos, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, Msgr. James Watkins explains today's readings - "Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!" (Ecclesiastes 1) - in light of our own struggles with busyness, exhaustion, and making people, places and things "deities," when they possess us more than...

After visiting us and serving with us for three weeks, Fr. Deo has returned to Uganda. He gave these touching remarks at all Masses last weekend, thanking St. Ann’s parishioners for their generosity, prayers and kindness. #StAnn150