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Fr. John concludes the message series with a final homily reminding us that if we want to increase in faith and discipleship--the family of parishes is the perfect place to grow!

How can we increase our faith?  The gospel this weekend invites us to have faith the size of a mustard seed---which can move a tree into the sea!!  May we be faithful and humble servants helping build the kingdom together.

Jesus shares a parable in the gospel this weekend that causes us to reflect personally and calls us to action in our world today.  Will we make what Jesus shares a priority in our lives?  Listen to find out more!

We can only have one master----we cannot serve God and wealth nor ourselves.  How can we choose God rather than so many other things in our lives?  Are we shrewd enough to make sure faith is first in our lives?  Listen to learn more!!

Fr. John continues in his message series called ALL IN by calling all of us to jump into the deep end and be disciples in the world that needs to see and know a better path---the path of Christ. He shares 6 qualities that the Chatham Catholic Family of Parishes is focusing on for all parishioners.

Fr. John continues in his message series called "ALL IN" by reflecting on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. To be a disciple we need to embrace the cross of salvation offered to us by Christ and to share the gift of the Cross to help all those in need.

Please check out the newest “FAITH & WORKS” podcast as Fr. John interviews two new Catholics—Len & Robin Thomason.  Listen to their journey to Chatham, to our family of parishes and to Christ in the Catholic Church.  Who knew that a full parking lot at Mass can change lives? 

Fr. John begins a new message series reflecting on the Chatham Catholic IGNITE THE MISSION PASTORAL PLAN on forming disciples who reach out to all.  This first homily reminds us to place Jesus at the top of our priority list.  Listen to know how to do that better.

This weekend we celebrate the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross.  Jesus descended from heaven to lift us up to heaven.  This happens through the gift of the cross.  May we serve as disciples lifting other people up to our Father in heaven!

The gospel invites us to be humble so that others may exalt us.  May we always realize that we are not the centre of the universe and there is a true grace when we honour, love and support others.  This weekend's gospel was so meaningful to Fr. John----he went passed the 10 minute mark---but not by much!

This weekend Jesus tells us to strive through the narrow door to enter the Kingdom of God.  What does this really mean?  Do we have to earn our way to heaven?  Not really.  We are called to live a life rooted in Christ alone, who is enough and not try to carry everything else that the world offers.  Like athletes, we are called to surrender ourselves to the life of the gospel each day.  Will we choose the Lord?  Listen to find out more.

In the gospel this Sunday, Jesus says he hasn't come to bring peace but division.  What does He mean?  There is no room to sit on the fence or be lukewarm.  We need to choose to follow Christ and set aside the division in our hearts and around us.  How can we do that?  Listen to find out more.

The gospel this weekend reminds us to be on guard, living and sharing the Good News so that when Christ returns he finds us faithfully serving.  Do we invest in our heavenly future or simply seek to secure earthly comfort that eventually fades away?  May the Lord help reorganize our priorities with the call to mission first in our lives!!

What are our lives all about?  Is it about stuff?  Do you have a storage unit or is your garage/basement filled with boxes not remembering what is there?  Jesus in the gospel warns us about all kinds of greed and the call for us to be rich towards God.  How can we do this?  Listen to find out more.

Prayer is important not just for ourselves but for the sake of others.  Jesus always answers our prayers but not always the way we want----but definitely the way we need.  Prayer transforms our lives and always calls us to action.  Does our prayer help us to be a better disciple in our world today?

In the gospel this weekend we hear the story of Martha and Mary who host Jesus and the disciples at their home.  Martha is busy and distracted with tasks and Mary is at the feet of Jesus listening to Him.  This gospel reminds us that we are called to push away the many distractions that we have in our lives and be connected to Christ and one another.

The story of the Good Samaritan teaches us that to show mercy means to embrace the inconvenience of the Gospel with radical generosity.  God's love helps us see this as a true way to encounter and embrace our neighbours---that is---everyone because they are our brothers and sisters!

This weekend we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul.  These two great apostles teach us how to be faithful and loving disciples in our world today.  Their presence and grace lives on in the Church and should in each one of us.

As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, we remember that at Mass we received the Risen Lord himself---so that we can share His love, hope, joy and peace with the world.  The Lord magnifies the ordinary and makes things extraordinary.  Let us trust in Him!!

This Sunday we celebrate Trinity Sunday.  The heart of God is love.  The Father, Son and Holy Spirit radiates love that goes beyond themselves as a community of grace.  We are made in the image and likeness of God---we too are called to be a community of love and light.  How can that happen?  God invites us into His divine life---will we say YES?

Come Holy Spirit!!  This weekend we celebrate Pentecost Sunday in which we embrace the breath of the Holy Spirit  having the courage and grace to bring healing, hope and eternal life!!  The Church does not have a mission, it is mission!!  May we be true missionaries in our world today.

This weekend we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord---we celebrate Christ Risen and are commissioned to be true witnesses in our world today.  How can we share the Gospel in our world that can change the lives of people?  Only together as faith communities willing to serve and sacrifice for others.  COME HOLY SPIRIT!

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who guides us---the sheep.  As we celebrate the Easter season we rejoice in the gift of the resurrection and as faithful sheep, turn down the noise around us and tune into the voice of Christ.  We do this so we can be faithful disciples sharing the JOY OF THE GOSPEL!!

As we celebrate Easter and the Resurrection---Jesus appears for the third time to the disciples showing them the reality that He is alive!!  What does Easter mean for us and do we find the Risen Lord in our daily life?  We need to fall in love with Him and follow Him sharing the joy of eternal life that we can experience even now!!

Today we celebrate Christ's death on the cross for our salvation.  We come to hear the Passion according to John, adore the cross of salvation and receive Holy Communion at the Solemn Good Friday liturgy.  May this day of prayer and reflection transform us as faithful messengers of the Good News today!!

As we enter the Easter Triduum with Holy Thursday, we are embarking on a spiritual journey of grace where we encounter Christ and His eternal love for us.  Jesus washes the feet of the disciples as we hear from the Gospel of John today---may we be open and allow Christ to cleanse us with His love and may we serve others with that same compassion and hope!!

Fr. John reads the shorter version of the Passion according to Luke and offers some reflections that can help us journey through Holy Week to Easter.  This is the beginning of the most powerful time in the liturgical year---may we be attentive to the grace and strength of the season!!

This coming weekend we have the story of the woman caught in adultery from the Gospel of John.  This powerful moment in Christ's ministry beckons us to change our perspective from condemnation and judgment to compassion, mercy and forgiveness.  Lent is all about changing our ways and follow God's way.  Will we allow that to happen in our lives?

The parable that we hear this weekend reminds us of how the Gospel is unfair----in a good way.  The Story of the Prodigal Son is really a story of the wasteful Father who brings compassion, mercy and life back to his younger son.  Lent helps us be wasteful or generously unfair with compassion and love to those who need God's grace, bringing hope. joy and love to those in greatest need.

Lent is a time for us to reflect on whether we are being faithful disciples that bear good fruit for the world.  If not, then we need to change and if not enough, we need to do more.  Our God offers us many many chances to change and return to him---but there is an urgency on our part to do this quickly and without delay.  Let' also help others draw close to the love of Christ!!

As we celebrate the Second Sunday of Lent, we experience in the gospel another epiphany moment on a mountain top realizing who Jesus really is as the Son of God.  We need mountain top encouragement and perspective to be true missionaries in our world.  Where do we find them in our lives today?

This coming weekend we celebrate the First Sunday of Lent.  This holy season is a journey and pilgrimage that has us travel from sin, death and selfishness to peace, service and life by embracing Christ in our lives.  Are we on the move or are we staying still?  Is Lent a time of change for us?  Do we think we need change?  Listen for more!

This weekend's gospel reminds us that for us to be a good tree that bears good fruit we must have a heart dedicated to God.  A good tree does not bear bad fruit.  We are all invited to reflect on our lives seeking to be the best version of ourselves for the sake of the kingdom.  Can we find the logs in our eyes?  Listen for more!

Fr. John goes five seconds over the 10 minute mark this weekend because there is so much in the gospel to talk about.  If we live half of what Jesus calls us to in the gospel----we would become living saints!!  And yes---this is what we strive for!

The gospel this weekend reminds us to look past the immediate---to hold on for the Kingdom of Heaven.  We do this by giving ourselves away---to be poor for the sake of others.  In this way we truly are missionaries and pilgrims of hope.  Will embrace the path of discipleship or try to take care of ourselves alone?

Jesus calls Simon Peter to go out into the deep waters for a catch and changes his life!!  When we let Christ into our lives he makes all things new----may we not be afraid and follow Jesus like Simon, James and John.  It will be the best lives we could ever have!!

This weekend we celebrate the Presentation of the Lord.  Mary and Joseph present Jesus to God as was the custom.  They encounter Simeon and Anna---experiencing another epiphany moment discovering who Jesus is.  This feast helps us live our faith today.  Listen to find out more!!

Each of us are anointed to carry on the mission of salvation in our world today.  Christ beckons us to adapt and change for the sake of mission.  We do not do this alone---Christ gives us the Holy Spirit and we do this together.  Will we say yes?

Fr. John interviews Lynda Cadotte, who after over 52 years of service to Catholics in Chatham, is retiring.  In this brief conversation Lynda shares how she was hired on a temporary basis which then became a life-long time of service to parishioners of all ages.  Lynda will definitely be missed!!!

This weekend we return to Ordinary Time but not an ordinary Gospel.  We visit a wedding feast in Cana from the Gospel of John--the first miracle of this Gospel.  Jesus makes what is ordinary extraordinary.  He can do this with our lives too!!  Mary guides us as she tells the servants and each of us--"Do whatever he tells you!"

This weekend we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord which is not just about Jesus, but also about us!  We receive the gift of the Holy Spirit at our baptism but also the fire of God's love to help transform the world.  Do we truly understand the gift, opportunity and obligation we have to share Christ's love with perseverance, endurance and zeal?  I think this feast helps us realize this more.  May we always be humble like St. John the Baptist sharing the Good News!!

This weekend we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord.  It is a reminder for us to search for Jesus in our daily lives seeking conversion, renewal and transformation so that we can be faithful and loving disciples becoming epiphany moments for others.  Let us discover the light in the midst of darkness and be light for the world!

Merry Christmas!!  This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family.  The gospel includes references to Easter, searching for Jesus, the importance of our parishes and so much more!!  Listen to find out more!!

Merry Christmas!!  The birth of Christ brings great joy to all people!!  The shepherds are the first to hear this Good News of salvation and go with haste to Bethlehem.  What gift is God offering us this Christmas to bring us great joy?  Will we be able to embrace this gift or be distracted with the noise of the season?

Mary goes with haste to Elizabeth sharing the joy of the Good News!!  This entire gospel reading shows us how we are called to be joyful disciples who embrace the love of Christ and share that grace with those around us.  May we always radiate the Good News of salvation.

Fr. John concludes this message series reminding us that real change calls us to leverage and not reject what fades or is temporary.  We live in this world but can choose to utilize what is around us and the opportunities we have to bring Christ to our hearts and to others.  Fr. John even talks about our smart phones as a way to do this.  Real conversion happens not only in our hearts, but in our actions.

St. John the Baptist answers the question posed to him---What are we to do?  Making straight the pathways of the Lord can only take place when we live and share the Good News with others---especially those in need.  Advent is a time to reset and change lanes---living our lives better and differently.  What is John the Baptist telling us to do today?

John the Baptist echoes the voice of the prophet Isaiah in the gospel this weekend.  Advent is a season of hope and change--to become more like Christ and to make straight our paths and help others to do the same.  Will we choose this Advent to do more or will we fall asleep to another season of preparation?

Fr. John continues with the second homily of this series inviting everyone to "reset" during the Advent season---drawing closer to Christ and renewing our lives. Like computers and electronics, we must shut down and restart to be back in sync.

Happy New Year!  Well almost---this weekend we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent and so the new liturgical year.  The gospel this weekend invites us to embrace the hope of Christ which is bigger than the challenges and fears we have.  Advent is a time to prepare for Christmas but also for the second coming of our Saviour who will take us home.  Let us be alert and ready---avoiding the fading distractions of this world.