From the Pastor's Desk

Be Gentle With Your Heart!

admin — Fri, 25 May 2012 17:38:10 +0000

On this road, this journey to the heart, you will see more, feel more, and be more than you’ve ever been before. Your heart is open, your spirit is alive. You’re open to all that the universe, life and God hold for you. Because you’re that open, you are more sensitive than ever to people, energies, places, things. You are more sensitive to any unresolved issues in yourself and in those around you. You are open, more open than you’ve ever been.

Comfort yourself. Wrap yourself in a blanket of love and hope. Know that you will be feeling, seeing, and taking in a great deal. Know that you will be healing at a deeper level than ever before. Most of the time this will bring joy. But an open heart is not one dimensional; joy is not the only emotion it will embrace. Make room in your heart, make room in your life, and time in your days to feel other feelings too – anger, grief, fear, exuberance, tenderness, betrayal and exhilaration – all the emotions an open heart feels.

You’re more open than you have ever been. Take gentle loving care of yourself. Be tender with your heart. Melodie Beattie

Accepting Your Own Goodness!

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:38:51 +0000

For many shame based reasons, it is always easier to acknowledge our flaws than our good features. Perhaps, in the beginning, we sought modesty over vanity when we learned to focus on imperfections. Since we didn’t want to be conceited, we downplayed our good qualities until we forgot they existed. But even the best intentions can backfire.

To be healthy is to comprehend truth. And the truth is, there is much that is right about us. The fact that we are thinking, reflecting and even perhaps trying, says many good things about us – that we are open-minded, sincere, and willing to make an effort. Until we accept the truth, our reality is based on partial truth. Habitual self – depreciation isn’t a virtue; it’s a handicap and needs to be eliminated. “I am a good person, and I am becoming better everyday. I will not define myself by my flaws.

Today’s Thought: “Unless I accept my virtues, I most certainly will be overwhelmed by my faults.” Robert Coleman

Advice this Mother's Day

admin — Sun, 13 May 2012 19:15:08 +0000

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve risk…..Be gentle with the earth…..Follow the three R’s: Respect for self, Respect for others, Responsibility for all your actions….When you lose, don’t lose the lesson….don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship….Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other….Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values….Share your knowledge, it’s a way to achieve immortality…Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before….Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck…When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it….A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation of your life….In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past….Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon….Appreciate your mother for all she does for you, remember you only get one mother.

39...and Counting!

admin — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:52:48 +0000

On May 5, 1973, 39 years ago, I was walking down the aisle of St. Paul Cathedral with 26 of my classmates to be ordained by Bishop Vincent Leonard to serve in priestly ministry for the Diocese of Pittsburgh. We were and still are the largest ordination class in over 100 years for the Diocese. There are 16 of us still serving in priestly ministry. What Bishop in the country wouldn’t give to have an ordination class of that size, not only in size but in quality? The ordination class of 1973, has had an impact and has made a mark on the Diocese. We have served the parishes to which we were assigned with creativity, enthusiasm and have used our own unique qualities, talents and gifts to serve our people and thus build the church, the Body of Christ, wherever we were planted.

Anniversaries are special times to pause, reflect, remember and give thanks. It is overwhelming to see how wonderfully God has worked in my life and called me to be part of the places and peoples lives whom I have had the privilege of serving. It is hard to believe that 29 of those years have been spent serving the Churches of Duquesne in one form or another. I am grateful to all those people who over the last 39 years have allowed me into their life, their heart and their family. I am convinced that “priestly ministry” is about relationship – all of us together experiencing Jesus and church through the sacraments and at the same time touching each other’s lives in a way that we can never ever be the same again. I wish to thank all of you for allowing me to enter your life as we continue to build bonds of love and friendship in the name of the Lord ... Peace, Fr. Dennis