Dear Friends,

I recently came across a photo of my priest friend, Fr. Paul Zoghby, when he had COVID-19 back in 2020. I went down to help him during his hospitalization. The picture was of him, at home, outfitted with a mask and gloves, which made me sad. My thought now is, “How wonderful life is!”

Despite our continued growth at St. Andrew’s with new families registering during the pandemic, and with some 243 baptisms since, our parish family is still incomplete because there are some who have not returned to us. Everyone in the parish is receiving this letter. If you are among those not attending Mass regularly, you are missed. Please come home!

Let me address a few of the more common things heard:

• “I don’t think God cares if I go to church.” He most certainly does! He told us to celebrate the Eucharist in memory of him until the end of time (Lk 22:19). You have been called by name to this banquet (Isaiah 43:1). Furthermore, Jesus unmistakably taught that unless you eat His Body you cannot have life in you (Jn 6:53-54). This can only be done at the Sacrifice of the Mass. Perhaps the greatest way he tells us that he cares that we go to church is by teaching, “If you love me, you will keep my Commandments” (Jn 15:1). Attending Mass is one of God’s Commandments.
• “I have come to appreciate praying at home.” Wonderful, keep it up! “Pray always and everywhere,” as St. Paul says (1 Thes 5:15-18). But also take that 50 minutes a week to join your brothers and sisters around the altar. Your presence and your prayers matter.
• “The Church is full of hypocrites.” And to that I say, “Amen.” It most certainly is! But so is Arrowhead Stadium, the grocery store, the nail salon, and your favorite restaurant. The Catholic Church is a hospital for sinners. We gather each week to acknowledge the fact that we fall short and that we need God's supernatural grace to face life's challenges and to be better Christians. Please join the rest of us hypocrites trying to become former hypocrites.

Because of my calling as a priest and my love for you, I must remind you of Jesus’ striking words, "Wide is the road to destruction and narrow is the road to salvation" (Mt 7:13-14). Friends, now is the acceptable time. Now is the time of salvation. If you have ceased practicing or practice our holy Faith infrequently due to the pandemic or for some other reason, please come home. God loves us just the way we are, but he loves us too much to keep us that way. Jesus teaches us that our Heavenly Father will always receive us when we return home, no matter what (Lk 15). I invite you to please come home.

Most sincerely,
Father Rogers
Pastor St. Andrew the Apostle Church

Confessions: Wednesday—5:30pm, Thursday—9:00am, Friday—7:00am, & Saturday—3:00pm
Masses: Saturday—4:00pm & 5:30pm, Sunday—8:00am, 10:30am, & 6:30pm