Saint + Elizabeth + Ann + Seton + Parish

Father Charles L. Persing talks about Saint Gerard, patron saint of expecting mothers and unborn children.

(October 3, 2021) Deacon William Dwayer asked us to reconsider our relationships in our friendships or in our marriages. Are we leading Christ-centered lives? Christ invites both laypersons as well as clergy to introspection on this crucial part of our identity.  "If we wish to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, we must receive Christ’s teaching, His love, and His grace with a trusting love of a sm...

Father Charles L Persing talks about Respect Life Month and what it means to create and enjoy healthy life relationships with others.

 (September 26, 2021) Have you ever thought of “pew-and-pulpit synchrony”? Father Anthony Eseke, priest-in-residence at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, introduces us to the concept. It relates to the theological and spiritual diversity that is at the heart of the three Scripture readings for today. “The Lord is the one, Who gives his Spirit freely . . . and the Spirit blows wherever it wills.” ...

(September 26, 2021) Father Charles Persing,  pastor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, reminds us that the Spirit of God is at work in all of us. "Are we responding to the Spirit of God?" Father Persing asks. "It is a gift from God . . . we can use it to serve our community . . . becoming brothers and sisters in the family of God." We are called, he said,  "to look fres...

(September 26, 2021) Father Samuel Dubois, Parochial Vicar of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, asked: "How is Jesus calling you to serve the poorest among us?" The challenge for us, he said, "is to give life to others by the way we live, by the way we love." Father Dubois reminded us that "it is not up to us when God will call us to charity … we must give of ourselves: wh...

(September 19, 2021) It is time to come and join one another at the Church, Father Charles Persing said. It is also time to spend some time in silence of our prayers and follow the words of Saint James and Saint Mark instructing us to become the true disciples of Jesus Christ.   "The challenge for us this week—once again from Mark and from James—is to really open our eyes, to open our ears, a...

Father Charles L. Persing speaks about and prays for children, their parents, and our catechists on the occasion of this year's start of Religious Education classes. 

(September 12, 2021) "Practice what you preach, " is the message at the heart of Father Persing's homily. Reflecting on his message from last week—the Apostle James's invitation to to be " doers, not listeners"—Father said, "If we want to know how to live, another great example is Matthew 25:  'Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, or ill?  Imprisoned,...

(September 12, 2021) On this 20-year anniversary of 9/11, Father Samuel Dubois asks, "Where was God that day? He was right there." Father reminds us that without God' s sufferings  and death, we would be without hope. With God, we have hope in darkness and sorrow.

Father Charles L. Persing reflects on Grandparents' Day and prays for all grandparents on this special day. 

(September 5, 2021) Deacon Alex Bogdanoff, of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, invited us to reflect on our practical everyday lives: Is your life centered on seeing the less-fortunate ones through God's eyes? Do you walk an extra mile as a servant of our Lord helping the less-fortunate? How can we give "happy meals"  to those in our lives who need our help? he asked. The answer is...

(September 5, 2021) Deacon David L. Hall reminds us that "being a Christian is wrapped up in an act of faith; through that, we enter a new dimension – a new way of looking at the world . . . God calls us to faithfulness . . . in the Church we are to relate to one another in faithfulness, letting our faith set the standard for how we see the world and one another. "  Deacon Hall cautions,...

Father Charles L Persing talks about finding the time for and cultivating silence as the foundation of prayer life in this hectic world. 

 (August 29, 2021) Father Charles Persing, the pastor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Parish, reflected on today’s reading of the Epistle of James regarding a common situation: “We feel like we just want to raise our hand and say to God, ‘I have done enough. I quit. I just want to listen. I do not want to do anything anymore; I just want to hear you. I want to listen.’ “Now is our time to do something,” Fa...

(August 29, 2021) Father Samuel Dubois, the parochial vicar of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, asks what the opposite of hypocrisy is. “That is authenticity, integrity, holiness. Jesus will help us be authentic and integral people if we ask Him for His help,” he said. Every Christian needs to ask themself the following questions: “How do we want to live? Who do we want to be like? Will be we lik...

(August 22, 2021) Whatever may come in life, Father Anthony Eseke said, if we have made our decision for Christ, Christ never disappoints. If we decide to follow Him, His goodness, His joy, His sustenance, His protection, His blessing, will always be abundant in our lives.

(August 22, 2021) In today's homily, Father Charles L. Persing asks, "How many of us are still convinced that sayings of Jesus are easy? Most of us have found it very difficult to follow Jesus. Most of us have not walked an easy path in our Christian life. "  Father Persing continues: "How many times that you and I have gone through the moments of doubt and crisis in our faith...

(August 15, 2021) Father Charles Persing, pastor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, asks us to consider the following: "Everything that God gave to Mary, He gives to us. Mary was prepared to accept His gifts and His life and His resurrection – so, too, are we. You and I are called to be sons and daughters of our Lady, blazing trails and light through the valley in which we live, so that oth...

(August 15, 2021) In this week's homily, Father Samuel Dubois focused on the dilemmas and choices our Blessed Mother had to face once she accepted the call to be the Mother of God. “Love calls me to go forth, so I will; trust in God’s grace and all will be well,” is how our parochial vicar encapsuled the outcome of the call.  “However, if Mary had allowed worldly concerns and worries and fear...

(August 8, 2021) “This week, you and I, are challenged to be the best for God, to follow the example of Christ in our love for one another.” With these words, Father Charles L Persing closes today’s homily. Father Persing reminds us that we need to set the example of faith ourselves, so that the others would witness it and follow Christ with us.  The message Saint Paul has for us is that Jesus is...

(August 1, 2021) Parochial Vicar Father Samuel Dubois raises the question: “What is it that we fill ourselves with? What is it that we try to find fulfillment in?” That may be any sort of earthly desire, but only God can fully satisfy our hearts. “Only God endures … and He comes to us in the Eucharist,” he said. It is the Bread from Heaven that nourishes us; let us then fulfill our hearts and our...

(July 25, 2021) Father Charles L Persing reflects on today's reading from the Gospel of Saint Mark. This is the reading that recounts the story of Jesus feeding 5 thousand people gathered on a mountain side:  with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish -- and having 12 wicker baskets of leftovers. ( DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT ) Referring to the Gospel reading, Father Persing invites us to reflect that, "...

(July 18, 2021) Father Samuel Dubois invites us to reconsider what our attendance at Mass actually means. As we love our spouse and give selflessly to one another following our marriage vows, how much more grace can we get if we realize that our presence at Mass is a unique opportunity for us to be with our loving God. Father Dubois adds, " (it is) ... an opportunity to love and to be loved b...

(July 11, 2021) Father Samuel Dubois, Parochial Vicar of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, reminds us of all of the good that the disciples were able to do, despite their fears, when Jesus sent them out to the world. "It's Ok to be afraid," he said, "but we have to remember that God is on our side."