St. John the Baptist Catholic Church

Marriage: Unique for a Reason is an initiative of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage.

It is one part of the bishops’ overall Priority on Strengthening Marriage and complements the many resources already available through the bishops’ National Pastoral Initiative on Marriage, one of which is the recent Pastoral Letter on Marriage.

Marriage: Unique for a Reason provides resources to assist with the catechesis and education of Catholics on why marriage is unique and why it should be promoted and protected as the union of one man and one woman. The initiative will eventually include five videos with companion viewer’s guides, resource booklets, and an interactive Web site. The videos serve as an introductory step of catechesis and are meant to be used with their companion Viewer’s Guide and Resource Booklet. Together they are a tool to assist those with the important responsibility of preaching and/or teaching. Nothing can replace the vital and necessary role of the catechist, teacher, and preacher. While the materials are primarily intended for a Catholic audience, it is hoped that Marriage: Unique for a Reason can be of assistance to all those who seek to understand the truth and beauty of marriage.

See Unique for a Reason

Dear Friends,

If there is a very significant birthday we want to remember in the month of June, it must be the birthday of the one in whose life we pattern our parish identity… St. John the Baptist.  Our Catholic tradition continues to echo the celebration of the Feast of St. John the Baptist, the Voice crying out in the wilderness, preparing the way for the Word.  We want to perpetuate the memorial of this feast in our parish.

I am of the opinion that we do disservice to our parish if we forget to honor our Patron Saint, with whom we affirm our community.  It is my great wish that the Feast of the Voice be given primary accent and pronouncement among other feasts that we celebrate here because we want to be faithful to our identity; that is, to what we are as a parish, “Church of St. John the Baptist.”

In the tenor of unanimity in celebrating our feast, let us rejoice with resounding spiritual joy and re-echo the Voice that exclaimed, “My joy is now full.  He (Jesus, the Word) must increase; I must decrease.” (John 3:30).

Fr. Bart
Parochial Vicar

Dear Friends,

Do you remember “The Godfather?”  There is a beautiful line of dialogue in this movie of a godfather to his son.  He says, “Sonny, do you spend time with your family?”  The son replies, “Yes, father.”  And the godfather continues, “Good, because a man who doesn’t spend time with his family isn’t a real man.”

Yes, time with the family is what makes a dad a real father to his family.  While honoring our dads on this day we call “Father’s Day,” we wish our fathers to consider contemplating the greatest gift they could give to their children: the gift of time.  I have read an article that said the greatest fathers in our era don’t find time for their kids.  They MAKE time.

Father’s day therefore offers a gentle reminder to our dads – that a crisis of fatherhood is a result of the crises of time which eventually results in a crisis of faith in our family.

As a tribute to our dads, let us pray for all of them today that they may be more faithful to their duties in the family in giving their time of fatherhood. Let us pray to God to give them the moral strength to become good role models that their children can always look up to. And it is my special prayer for all kids who lost their fathers, that the heavenly Father may show Himself to be their father in such a palpable way so as to fill the void left by the absence of a visible father.

Dear Friends,

Making a gratitude letter for all of you seems to be the best way we could celebrate new life with our beloved pastor upon his passing away.  Together with the staff of St. John’s rectory, I want to say my heartfelt “Thank You” for all the efforts, talents and gifts that you shared with Fr. John.  Since I arrived here last year, I have witnessed with increasing awareness how your love and care gave Fr. John the assurance to live longer amidst the chain of events of his struggle with leukemia and other related medical conditions.  We cannot leave unheeded the nurturing environment you created for him, with him, and in him.  In Fr. John’s missionary desire to serve the parish much longer with full measure of dedication, you surrounded him with a tremendous web of loving support and kindness.  There was no question that all of you carried him through with your unceasing prayers to the time until he finally joined and rested in the loving embrace of our Almighty Creator.

With this open letter, we, the staff of St. John’s rectory, wish to express our profound gratitude. Thank you so much!

Father Bart

Parochial Vicar

Italian singer Andrea Bocelli tells the story of his mother’s pregnancy, during which doctors suggested that she abort him because he would be born with a disability. In the video he praises his mother for making “the right choice,” saying other mothers should take encouragement from the story.