Reflections on My Installation, the Conclave, and Confession

My dear fellow parishioners,

First of all, thank you very much for the wonderful support you showed at my installation ceremony on May 1. It was a great opportunity to bring people together from our five parishes, and we were honored to have guests as well, especially the Sisters of the Children of Mary, an order of religious sisters who are working in the Archdiocese. Their youth and vitality are a sign of hope! The Lord is renewing His Church. We have a new archbishop, a new pastor, and soon, Lord-willing, a new Pope.

Liturgies such as the installation ceremony and the beautiful memorial Mass for Pope Francis show us what can be possible at the completion of the Beacons of Light process. I would also like to thank all involved for your efforts in bringing our churches together for the Mass for the Conclave to elect a new Pope on May 7th. This is a special time in the life of the Church.

It is unusual in the Archdiocese to have a full ceremony of installation for a pastor. I opted for the full ceremony, to give us a chance to come together as a Family and out of my devotion to St. Joseph, on whose feast day I became pastor and was installed. Let us take St. Joseph as a model for our labor, and do everything we do for the glory of God.

I want to reiterate my request from my installation ceremony: pray that I pray. For years, it has been my personal practice to commit to praying a holy hour every day. I believe that this has been a source of peace, energy, and insight for me, and I would encourage you all to try something similar. St. Francis de Sales once said that everyone should pray for at least thirty minutes a day, unless one is very busy, in which case you need an hour. Mother Teresa, who has left such a positive influence in our world, prayed for three hours a day. Pope Francis was also a man of deep prayer.

As I mentioned last week, we have expanded confession times in our Family of Parishes. Please take advantage of these times to renew your soul. I would encourage you to read David Durant’s book The Fountain of Youth: Confession, which you can order for free online, to help understand how the Sacrament of Reconciliation can bring better life to ourselves, our churches, and our community.

Lastly, I would like to take a moment to honor the sacrifice of a Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputy who was killed in the line of duty this past week. It is a sad reflection on our society that when a hero makes the ultimate sacrifice for our community, many quickly forget. His name is being withheld to protect the safety of his family, who are facing further threats. Please pray for peace in our communities, an end to violence in our neighborhoods, and the safety of those who serve.

Yours in Christ,
Fr. Henry