Weekly insight and thoughts from Fr. Damian Zuerlein
Pastor’s Letter 4.23.23
Dear Friends, I am always reading several books at the same time – a novel for pleasure, a theology or history book to keep my mind working, a book on spirituality and perhaps some poetry. My theology reading during the Easter season is a book written twenty years ago...
Pastor’s Letter 4.16.23
Dear Friends, The first Sunday after Easter is Divine Mercy Sunday. This was started by Pope John Paul in 2000. Itsannouncement was part of the millennium celebration and the canonization of St. Faustina. As John Paulencouraged, we can never reflect too much on God’s...
Pastor’s Letter 4.9.23
Dear Friends, Happy Easter! Jesus has risen from the tomb and we rejoice! May your Lenten fast turn into an Easter feast of abundance. I do not think I am being a disillusioned old man; however, it seems to me like the longer I do ministry the more the present age...
Pastor’s Letter 4.2.23
Dear Friends, Our Holy Week begins! Liturgically, it begins with two stories, the story of a triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the story of betrayal and death. Perhaps we know the stories too well and no longer hear the warning in the stories for us. Judas departs...
Pastor’s Letter 3.26.23
Dear Friends, Those of you who have been joining us for the Fireside Chats where we have watched and discussed Season Three of The Chosen, know that one of this season’s themes has been the reality of loss and failure in the lives of the disciples, of those close to...
Pastor’s Letter 3.19.23
Dear Friends, It is good to be back home from my trip to Patagonia. Patagonia is an incredibly beautiful part of the world but has a climate that is quite challenging. It is very close to Antarctica and was carved from the granite by glaciers over thousands of years....
Pastor’s Letter 3.12.23
Dear Friends, I offer you the conclusion of Pope Francis’ talk to the young people of Congo and South Sudan. As before, he is using the symbolism of a hand to guide the talk. Enjoy: We come to the third finger, which is higher than the others, as if to remind us of...
Pastor’s Letter 3.5.23
Dear Friends, A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about Pope Francis’ recent trip to Congo and South Sudan and I gave you a part of his talk to the young people. His talk was a meditation on their hands and the symbolic power of those hands. Today and next week I will give...
Pastor’s Letter 2.26.23
Dear Friends, Welcome to Lent! Your ashes may be washed off, but your Lenten Journey lasts forty days. I trust that those of you who took the time to join us on the Lenten Retreat with Immaculee Ilibagiza found it to be spiritually rewarding and gave you better...
Pastor’s Letter 2.19.23
Dear Friends, Lent will be quickly upon us. Wednesday is Ash Wednesday and it begins our Lenten Journey, “The Great Fast” as it was often called. A few years ago, we all experienced a Lent that was forced upon us by the Covid pandemic. We were told to do without for...
Pastor’s Letter 2.12.23
Dear Friends, The Catholic Bishops of the United States recently began an effort to renew understanding and love of the Eucharist. They have recommended a three-year focus on the Eucharist to take place at diocesan and parish levels. In the Archdiocese of Omaha,...
Pastor’s Letter 2.5.23
Dear Friends, You may be aware from the news that Pope Francis has been visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan this past week. I am sure this has been a very important moment for the parishioners we have from South Sudan and for the students at...