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ICCH Bulletin of April 27, 2025
April 27, 2025 Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday) Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Acts 5:12-16 | Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19 | John 20:19-31 Introduction The readings for this Sunday are about God’s mercy, the necessity for trusting Faith, and our need for the forgiveness of our sins. The opening prayer addresses the Father as “God of everlasting Mercy.” In the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 118), we repeat several times, “His mercy endures forever!” God...
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ICCH Bulletin of April 20, 2025
April 20, 2025 Easter Sunday Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Acts 10:34a, 37-43 | Col 3:1-4 | John 20:1-9 ###The Exsultet: The Proclamation of Easter Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven, exult, let Angel ministers of God exult, let the trumpet of salvation sound aloud our mighty King’s triumph! Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her, ablaze with light from her eternal King, let all corners of the earth be...
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ICCH Bulletin of April 13, 2025
April 13, 2025 Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion Welcome Father Daniel Today’s Readings: Lk 19:28-40 | Is 50:4-7 | Phil 2:6-11 | Lk 22:14—23:56 King? Really? This Sunday, called “Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion” has two halves to it, palms and passion. They stand in jarring contrast to each other. Let us look. 1) The palms, thrown from the people’s hands, proclaim Jesus’ kingship. In the Mass, we hold palms during the ritual...
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ICCH Bulletin of March 23, 2025
March 23, 2025 Third Sunday of Lent Welcome Father Daniel Today’s Readings: Exod 3:1-8a, 13-15 | 1 Cor Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12 | Lk 13:1-9 Jesus in the Gospel invites all men and women to repentance and conversion of heart. In today’s Gospel, some people approach Jesus and tell him of how some Galileans had been killed by Roman soldiers in the Temple sanctuary. It was said that Pilate had built the much-needed aqueducts in Jerusalem...
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ICCH Bulletin of March 30, 2025
March 30, 2025 Fourth Sunday of Lent Welcome Father Eckhard! Today’s Readings: Josh 5:9a, 10-12 | 2 Cor 5:17-21 | Lk 15:1-3, 11-32 The Ministry of Reconciliation Ask ten people to tell the story of the prodigal son, and chances are that eight or nine of them will manage to retrieve the basic plot. It is, after all, one of the best-known stories in the world. But ask those same ten people, “On what occasion...
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ICCH Bulletin of March 16, 2025
March 16, 2025 Second Sunday of Lent Welcome Father Eckhard! Today’s Readings: Gn 15:5-12, 17-18 | Phil 3:17-4:1 | Lk 9:28b-36 The Gospel of the Liturgy of this second Sunday of Lent narrates the Transfiguration of Jesus (cf. Lk 9: 28-36). While praying on a high mountain, he changes in appearance, his robe becomes bright and radiant, and in the light of his glory, Moses and Elijah appear, who speak with him about the Passover...
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ICCH Bulletin of March 9, 2025
March 9, 2025 First Sunday of Lent Welcome Father Daniel Today’s Readings: Deut 26:4-10 | Rom 10:8-13 | Luke 4:1-13 Gospel Summary Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus is led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. Recall that this event comes immediately after Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan. After his baptism Jesus was praying when the Holy Spirit descended upon him, and a voice came from heaven saying, “You...
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ICCH Bulletin of February 23, 2025
February 23, 2025 Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: | Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13 | Luke 6:27-38 This Gospel takes place immediately after Jesus was on a mountain to pray and then chose twelve from among his disciples to be apostles. Together they came down the mountain and began to minister to the crowds who were waiting for Jesus. It is here that he gives what is known as...
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ICCH Bulletin of March 2, 2025
March 2, 2025 Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Sir 27:4-7 | 1 Cor 15:54-58 | Lk 6:39-45 Talking The Walk A cluster of traditional sayings exists, underscoring the insight that the character of a person shows itself most truly in deeds more than in words. “Talk is cheap,” we say, meaning that what a person actually does is far more important than the promises that person makes. “She doesn’t just...
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ICCH Bulletin of February 16, 2025
February 16, 2025 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Daniel Today’s Readings: Jer 17:5-8 | 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20 | Lk 6:17, 20-26 ###Quiet Receivers A discouraged detective in one of Jonathan Kellermann’s mystery novels said “the glass is either half empty or broken” in memory of the famous saying. Jesus appears to be on the detective’s side this Sunday. The beatitudes Jesus proclaims seem for all the world to be “empty or broken”!...
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ICCH Bulletin of February 9, 2025
February 9, 2025 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Daniel Johann Today’s Readings: Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8 | 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 | Luke 5:1-11 Most of us are often surprised by the way that some people do some very amazing things. We all know of someone who accomplished much more than we thought they were capable of doing. Some have even completely turned around their lives for the better. They did this when it seemed...
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ICCH Bulletin of January 26, 2025
January 26, 2025 Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10 | 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 | Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21 It is common that shortly after a man is ordained to the priesthood he returns to his home parish to celebrate his First Mass, or Mass of Thanksgiving. There he is in the Church he grew up in and possible was Baptized in, received his First Communion in, and was...
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ICCH Bulletin of January 19, 2025
January 19, 2025 Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Is 62:1-5 | 1 Cor 12:4-11 | John 2:1-11 Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him. John 2:11 John’s Gospel is commonly divided into four sections: the Prologue, the Book of Signs, the Book of Glory and the Epilogue (which contains the resurrection...
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ICCH Bulletin of January 12, 2025
January 12, 2025 The Baptism of the Lord Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: | Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 | Luke 3:15-16, 21-22 The story of the baptism of the Lord is found in all four gospels with tiny but significant differences. In the Fourth Gospel, the account is reported speech or a hear say account by St John the Baptist, whereas Matthew, Mark and Luke record this event directly as if they had witnessed...
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ICCH Bulletin of January 5, 2025
January 5, 2025 The Epiphany of the Lord / 2nd Sunday after Christmas Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Is 60:1-6 | Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6 | Mt 2:1-12 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” (Mt 2:2) The ‘wise men from the East’ are only found in Matthew’s Gospel, which does, of course, raise questions about the strict historicity of the...
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ICCH Bulletin of December 29, 2024
December 29, 2024 Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph Welcome Father Daniel Johann Today’s Readings: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 | Col 3:12-21 or 3:12-17 | Lk 2:41-52 The joys and pains of family life shape and mold us into the unique people we become. Today’s feast reminds us that Jesus, the second person of the Holy Trinity, chose to become a holy trinity with Mary and Joseph. The mystery of the Holy...
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ICCH Bulletin of December 22, 2024
December 22, 2024 Fourth Sunday of Advent Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Mi 5:1-4a | Heb 10:5-10 | Lk 1:39-45 ###Spaciousness During Advent we have been celebrating our emptiness. I suppose this sounds odd, and yet give it a thought. If we were completely filled up we would have no room to let anyone or anything in. We would be like a clump of mud or a great thick mountain. Nice to look at, maybe,...
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ICCH Bulletin of December 15, 2024
December 15, 2024 Third Sunday of Advent Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: | Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6. | Lk 3:10-18 Christmas is a time for gift giving, and the Advent Season is our time to prepare for Christmas. On Christmas we celebrate the greatest gift that has ever been given, Jesus. God gives himself to us out of love for our salvation. What better gift than the gift of eternal life. All we need do...
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ICCH Bulletin of December 8, 2024
December 8, 2024 Second Sunday of Advent Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Bar 5:1-9 | Phil 1:4-6, 8-11 | Lk 3:1-6 “Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” Luke 3:5–6 These, the words of the prophet Isaiah, were spoken about the mission of Saint John the...
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ICCH Bulletin of December 1, 2024
December 1, 2024 First Sunday of Advent Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Jer 33:14-16 | 1 Thes 3:12—4:2 | Lk 21:25-28, 34-36 Central theme: Advent is a time of waiting for Christ, allowing Jesus to be reborn in our lives. It is also a time for purifying our hearts by repentance and for renewing our lives by reflecting on and experiencing the several comings (advents) of Christ into our lives. Besides coming into our world...
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ICCH Bulletin of November 24, 2024
November 24, 2024 Solemnity of Christ the King Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Dn 7:13-14 | Rv 1:5-8 | Jn 18:33b-37 ####That Was Then, This Is Now In the Gospel Reading, Christ is being held by Pilate, who holds him in his power. In the next part of the story, as we know, Christ is on the cross: poor, dishonored, in pain, and dying. Christ’s willingness to accept these afflictions sets the standard for all...
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ICCH Bulletin of November 17, 2024
November 17, 2024 Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Dn 12:1-3 | Heb 10:11-14, 18 | Mk 13:24-32 Jesus promises his disciples that they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. The angels will gather his elect from the four winds. His coming in glory will be preceded by tribulation. The sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the...
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ICCH Bulletin of November 10, 2024
November 10, 2024 Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: 1 Kgs 17:10-16 | Heb 9:24-28 | Mk 12:38-44 Calling his disciples to himself, [Jesus] said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.” (Mk 12:43-44) ....
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ICCH Bulletin of November 3, 2024
November 3, 2024 Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Dt 6:2-6 | Heb 7:23-28 | Mk 12:28b-34 In a friendly conversation a scribe asks Jesus what he believes the first of all the commandments to be. Jesus replies by quoting from a prayer that the scribe, he himself, and every faithful Jew would recite every day from memory: “Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love...
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ICCH Bulletin of October 20, 2024
October 20, 2024 Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: | Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22 | Mk 10:35-45 or 10:42-45 In the Gospel Reading for today, there are two themes that seem to work together to support each other. The theme of Humility is predominating; but the theme of petitioning or asking the Lord God for our needs or wants should also be considered. Let us see how this is illustrated...
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ICCH Bulletin of October 6, 2024
October 6, 2024 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Gn 2:18-24 | Heb 2:9-11 | Mk 10:2-16 or 10:2-12 If we do not hear a homily as good news leading to thanksgiving and hope, it means that we are missing something essential in the text or context of the gospel passage. In the present passage, the point is not that Jesus is making a more severe law about marriage, but that...
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ICCH Bulletin of September 29, 2024
September 29, 2024 Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Nm 11:25-29 | Jas 5:1-6 | Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 We rarely hear from the book of Numbers in the readings at mass; aside from New Year’s Day, a reading from this important book only occurs today among all the Sundays in the three-year cycle of the lectionary. In today’s passage we hear a frustrated Moses trying to deal with overly-zealous followers...
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ICCH Bulletin of September 29, 2024
September 29, 2024 Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Wis 7:7-11 | Heb 4:12-13 | Mk 10:17-30 ###For the Love of God Besides being a very interesting story, this Sunday’s Gospel gives rich spiritual advice for us. To put it simply, God is worth more than anything else in our lives. Look at it. Our story is about a rich young man in the Gospel. Whoever he was, “he had many...
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ICCH Bulletin of September 22, 2024
September 22, 2024 Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Today’s Readings: Wis 2:12, 17-20 | Jas 3:16—4:3 | Mk 9:30-37 In today’s Gospel reading we have the second of the three predictions of his suffering, death and resurrection that Jesus makes in the Good News of Mark. Between the two predictions Jesus had given Peter James and John, the scene of the Transfiguration, a glimpse of the glory that was to be his after the...
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ICCH Bulletin of September 15, 2024
September 15, 2024 Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Is 50:5-9a | Jas 2:14-18 | Mk 8:27-35 In today’s readings, Isaiah praises Yahweh for granting him the tongue of a disciple, while Peter uses this same gift to declare Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ. Contemplating Peter’s profound proclamation, we are called to reflect on our own knowledge, relationship, and discipleship with Christ. Such understanding is vital because, by knowing Christ...
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ICCH Bulletin of September 1, 2024
September 1, 2024 Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Dt 4:1-2, 6-8 | Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27 | Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 So the Pharisees and scribes questioned [Jesus…] He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God’s commandment...
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ICCH Bulletin of August 25, 2024
August 25, 2024 Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b | Eph 5:21-32 | Jn 6:60-69 Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:67-69 Good confrontation is hard to...
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ICCH Bulletin of August 18, 2024
August 18, 2024 Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Prv 9:1-6 | Eph 5:15-20 | Jn 6:51-58 The theme of the Gospel of today is Jesus as the Bread of Life. Throughout the bread of life discourse, the intensity has gradually increased as the focus has moved from Jesus feeding the people with bread and fish to Jesus feeding the people with himself. The climax comes to this present section where...
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ICCH Bulletin of August 11, 2024
August 11, 2024 Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: 1 Kgs 19:4-8 | Eph 4:30—5:2 | Jn 6:41-51 In the people and events and opportunities of life, which are meant to sustain us and nurture us and encourage us on our way, especially when we’re struggling along that journey. And God gives us the Eucharist as the perfect food for our spiritual journey as disciples of Jesus. It’s not an easy...
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ICCH Bulletin of August 4, 2024
August 4, 2024 Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Ex 16:2-4, 12-15 | Eph 4:17, 20-24 | Jn 6:24-35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. (John 6:35) ###Bread and Faith Our work life, our love life, and our food life — these phrases pretty well cover the range of human existence; and...
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ICCH Bulletin of July 14, 2024
July 14, 2024 Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Daniel Today’s Readings: Am 7:12-15 | Eph 1:3-14 or 1:3-10 | Mk 6:7-13 The Readings for today speak of Prophets and their mission. In these Readings, the theme turns from the prophets to us, the modern-day disciples of Jesus, who are being sent out to witness to the goodness of God and His Plan of Salvation. Have you thought of yourself as a modern-day prophet...
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ICCH Bulletin of June 30, 2024
June 30, 2024 Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Daniel Today’s Readings: Wis 1:13-15; 2:23-24 | 2 Cor 8:7, 9, 13-15 | Mk 5:21-43 or 5:21-24, 35b-43 The first reading for this Sunday, from the Book of Wisdom, was written about 100 years before the birth of Christ and expresses a developed thinking about life, death and the afterlife, which prepared for the fuller teachings of Jesus a century later. The passage today emphasizes...
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ICCH Bulletin of July 7, 2024
July 7, 2024 Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Ez 2:2-5 | 2 Cor 12:7-10 | Mk 6:1-6 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at...
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ICCH Bulletin of June 23, 2024
June 23, 2024 Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Jb 38:1, 8-11 | 2 Cor 5:14-17 | Mk 4:35-41 Parental Pains In the First Reading we get to hear the story of creation told by God himself. He tells it to the “prophet” Job, who is in great pain. People often think that God in the Old Testament is fierce and harsh, but here we find God described as a mother...
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ICCH Bulletin of June 9, 2024
June 9, 2024 Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Daniel Johann Today’s Readings: Gn 3:9-15 | 2 Cor 4:13-5:1 | Mk 3:20-35 Jesus lived for his father’s mission on earth. He spent himself for the world that our brokenness might be healed so as to retrace our steps back to the love of God our father. In Jesus’ unrelenting efforts to save the people, some did not appreciate his goodness as asserted in this...
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ICCH Bulletin of May 26, 2024
May 26, 2024 Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Dt 4:32-34, 39-40 | Rom 8:14-17 | Mt 28:16-20 On this feast day [we celebrate God: the mystery of the one God.] And this God is the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Three persons, but God is one! The Father is God; the Son is God; the Spirit is God. But they are not three gods: it is...
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ICCH Bulletin of May 19, 2024
May 19, 2024 Pentecost Sunday Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Acts 2:1-11 | 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Gal 5:16-25 | Jn 20:19-23 or Jn 15:26-27; 16:12-15 Today we come to the conclusion of the joyful Easter season and are given an outpouring of the Holy Spirit to strengthen us for the journey ahead as the Church year continues to unfold. The significance of the first Christian feast of Pentecost was not likely fully understood...
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ICCH Bulletin of May 12, 2024
May 12, 2024 Seventh Sunday of Easter Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Acts 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26 | 1 Jn 4:11-16 | Jn 17:11b-19 ##Consecrated in the Truth “Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.” John 17:17–19 What does it mean to “consecrate” something or...
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ICCH Bulletin of May 5, 2024
May 5, 2024 Sixth Sunday of Easter Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48 | 1 Jn 4:7-10 | Jn 15:9-17 ###Gone forever? Imagine the emotional turmoil inside the disciples. First he was here. Then he was gone. Then he was here again. And then he was gone for good. […] When they had gotten used to his new presence, guess what. The Ascension took place. This presents the obvious question. Does the...
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ICCH Bulletin of April 28, 2024
April 28, 2024 Fifth Sunday of Easter Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Acts 9:26-31 | 1 Jn 3:18-24 | Jn 15:1-8 Today’s Gospel is part of the last discourse of Jesus delivered to the disciples at the Last Supper was a form of farewell address delivered on the eve of his death. Its purpose was to console and strengthen them to face the ordeals of the coming days. He told them not to be troubled...
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ICCH Bulletin of April 21, 2024
April 21, 2024 Fourth Sunday of Easter Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Acts 4:8-12 | 1 Jn 3:1-2 | Jn 10:11-18 Introduction: On the Fourth Sunday of Easter, called Good Shepherd Sunday,we continue to reflect on the meaning of the Resurrection.This is also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Today, we celebrate the risen Lord as the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. The priest in charge of a parish...
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ICCH Bulletin of April 7, 2024
April 7, 2024 Second Sunday of Easter Sunday of Divine Mercy Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Acts 4:32-35 | 1 Jn 5:1-6 | Jn 20:19-31 Introduction: The readings for this Sunday are about God’s mercy, the necessity for trusting Faith, and our need for the forgiveness of our sins. The opening prayer addresses the Father as “God of everlasting Mercy.” In the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 118), we repeat several times, “His mercy endures forever!” God...
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ICCH Bulletin of April 14, 2024
April 14, 2024 Third Sunday of Easter Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19 | 1 Jn 2:1-5a | Lk 24:35-48 ###The Rest of the Story We have all heard the story before. Two disciples walked to a small town, about seven miles from the center of Jerusalem, Emmaus. They were sorrowful—I suppose in the same way all people tend to be when a relative has died. Their hero was dead, the man they...
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ICCH Bulletin of March 31, 2024
March 31, 2024 Easter Sunday - The Resurrection of the Lord Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Acts 10:34a, 37-43 | Col 3:1-4 | Jn 20:1-9 ###Holy Saturday with Mother Mary The Savior of the World died a cruel death upon the Cross. His broken body was laid in the tomb. His disciples scattered and were fearful that they would be next. But our Blessed Mother kept vigil in the perfect hope that her Son would...
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ICCH Bulletin of March 10, 2024
March 10, 2024 Fourth Sunday of Lent Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23 | Eph 2:4-10 | Jn 3:14-21 In today’s Gospel John gives us the nocturnal conversation which Jesus had with a leading Jew, a man of wealth and position. This man whose name was Nicodemus had been impressed by the preaching and miracles of Jesus but was afraid of fellow Jews in whose circle he moved. He was a man...
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ICCH Bulletin of March 17, 2024
March 17, 2024 Fifth Sunday of Lent Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Jer 31:31-34 | Heb 5:7-9 | Jn 12:20-33 “I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” John 12:27–28 Our Lord’s human soul was “troubled.” Other...
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ICCH Bulletin of March 3, 2024
March 3, 2024 Third Sunday of Lent Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Ex 20:1-17 | 1 Cor 1:22-25 | Jn 2:13-25 The opening declaration of God to the Jewish people, in our First Reading from Exodus, is a profound, yet simple identification. “I am the God Who saved you from the slavery of Egypt.” “You, Israel, are the nation and people saved by My love for you.” The commandments are guides by which they will...
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ICCH Bulletin of February 18, 2024
February 18, 2024 First Sunday of Lent Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Gn 9:8-15 | 1 Pt 3:18-22 | Mk 1:12-15 ###What Is Lent? Ash Wednesday was a few days ago, starting the Lenten countdown toward Holy Week and Easter. But maybe some of us are not completely clear as to why these weeks of preparation are there in the first place. One opinion is that Lent is a time to deprive yourself. You give...
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ICCH Bulletin of February 11, 2024
February 11, 2024 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: | Ps 32:1-2, 5, 11 | Mk 1:40-45 Today’s passage is in three sections: verses 40-41: Jesus heals a leper; verses 42-45a: Jesus protects his identity; verse 45b: the people still come to him. As with last week’s passage, we are free to focus on one section alone or to see the three sections as a unit, one moving into the other....
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ICCH Bulletin of February 4, 2024
February 4, 2024 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Jb 7:1-4, 6-7 | 1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23 | Mk 1:29-39 The Gospel of Mark 1:29-39, presents a powerful account of Jesus’ healing and preaching ministry. In this passage, we witness Jesus healing Simon Peter’s mother-in-law and then the many others who were brought to him. After this, Jesus goes to a deserted place to pray, and when his disciples find him,...
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ICCH Bulletin of January 21, 2024
January 21, 2024 Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Jon 3:1-5, 10 | 1 Cor 7:29-31 | Mk 1:14-20 Running Away Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you had a direct summons specifically for you from God? Instead of going about in a fog and trying your best to remember how to live, maybe how to pray once in a while, and perhaps to make an effort and to get to Mass...
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ICCH Bulletin of January 14, 2024
January 14, 2024 Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Daniel Today’s Readings: 1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19 | Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10 | Jn 1:35-42 Having celebrated the Baptism of the Lord last Sunday and the feast of the Epiphany the Sunday before, the Church now sets off into the still fresh new year with a series of what could be termed “call narratives.” Today we hear Samuel and Peter being called to...
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ICCH Bulletin of December 10, 2023
December 10, 2023 Second Sunday of Advent Welcome Father Chinedu Today’s Readings: IS 40:1-5, 9-11 | 2 PT 3:8-14 | MK 1:1-8 “Comfort, comfort my people.” The prophet of the first reading is told that the time of misery is coming to an end.Comfort the people. Let them know that God is going to come to free them from their sadness and their pain. Right now, we need comforting. We are living in very difficult...
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ICCH Bulletin of December 17, 2023
December 17, 2023 Third Sunday of Advent Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Is 61:1-2A, 10-11 | 1 Thes 5:16-24 | Jn 1:6-8, 19-28 “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘make straight the way of the Lord,’” as Isaiah the prophet said.” John 1:23 In the passage above, Saint John the Baptist quotes Isaiah 40:3: “A voice proclaims: In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the...
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ICCH Bulletin of November 26, 2023
November 26, 2023 Solemnity of Christ the King Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Ez 34:11-12, 15-17 | 1 Cor 15:20-26, 28 | Mt 25:31-46 ###Your choice? This will be the last Sunday of the Church year. We will begin a new one, starting with Advent—which is our time of awaiting the birth of Jesus. On this last Sunday, the Church appropriately overviews the career of Christ the King. Here is the story. God has continually...
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ICCH Bulletin of November 19, 2023
November 19, 2023 Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Prv 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31 | 1 Thes 5:1-6 | Mt 25:14-30 The parable of today gives us four important lessons. First, it tells us that God gives each person different gifts. Despite our tendencies always to compare ourselves with others, the actual number and quality is not important. We are only asked to make full use of what we have been uniquely...
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ICCH Bulletin of November 12, 2023
November 12, 2023 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Wis 6:12-16 | 1 Thes 4:13-18 | Mt 25:1-13 ####The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. […] both Jesus and his New Testament interpreters are quite clear that the times and seasons of God’s future end-time activity are none of our business. Mark 13:32 should be enough to make...
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ICCH Bulletin of November 5, 2023
November 5, 2023 Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Mal 1:14b-2:2b, 8-10 | 1 Thes 2:7b-9, 13 | Mt 23:1-12 Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example.” Matthew 23:1–3 Sometimes people’s words inspire us, but more often it...
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ICCH Bulletin of October 1, 2023
October 1, 2023 Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Ez 18:25-28 | Phil 2:1-11 | Mt 21:28-32 For the past two Sundays the readings have focused on sin and forgiveness. The theme continues today. In the Responsorial Psalm we recalled God’s mercy and God’s steadfast love. The Hebrew word translated here as ‘mercy’ comes from the word for a womb. The Psalmist believes that God feels for us the way a...
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ICCH Bulletin of September 24, 2023
September 24, 2023 Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Is 55:6-9 | Phil 1:20c-24, 27a | Mt 20:1-16a “When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that...
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ICCH Bulletin of September 17, 2023
September 17, 2023 Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Sir 27:30—28:7 | Rom 14:7-9 | Mt 18:21-35 The great sage Jesus ben Sirach advises us today regarding the common trap of anger. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, he writes: “Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight,” and later, “If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins?” (Sir 27:30; 28:5). We have...
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ICCH Bulletin of September 10, 2023
September 10, 2023 Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Brandt Today’s Readings: Ez 33:7-9 | Rom 13:8-10 | Mt 18:15-20 This Sunday’s first reading from the Prophet Ezekiel and the Gospel passage both consider the difficult topic of “fraternal correction,” as it is often called; that is, brotherly or sisterly correction. Who of us likes to be corrected? Didn’t we have our full-share of that as children and adolescents? Maybe, or even likely so,...
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ICCH Bulletin of August 27, 2023
August 27, 2023 Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Is 22:19-23 | Rom 11:33-36 | Mt 16:13-20 Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans is one that is filled with rich teachings and images as is the portion we hear today. While describing the great love of God in sending his Son to save both Jew and Gentile he breaks into a prayer about the greatness of God. In Paul’s letters it...
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ICCH Bulletin of September 3, 2023
September 3, 2023 Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Jer 20:7-9 | Rom 12:1-2 | Mt 16:21-27 “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or...
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ICCH Bulletin of August 20, 2023
August 20, 2023 Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Is 56:1, 6-7 | Rom 11:13-15, 29-32 | Mt 15:21-28 ###Food for Dogs? Sunday’s Gospel can give a headache both to preachers and to people in the pews. Jesus refuses to hear a Canaanite woman because she is, in his metaphor, one of the “dogs.” OUCH. You know the story. The Canaanite woman cries out for help and Jesus at first will...
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ICCH Bulletin of July 30, 2023
July 30, 2023 Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12 | Rom 8:28-30 | Mt 13:44-52 Today’s readings drove me to the dogmatic theology books. The first reading from 1 Kings speaks about wisdom. The second from Romans speaks about predestination, the gospel from Matthew speaks about the Christian life. Starting this column using the word “dogma” is about as popular as beginning with a sentence using the...
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ICCH Bulletin of July 23, 2023
July 23, 2023 Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Wis 12:13, 16-19 | Rom 8:26-27 | Mt 13:24-43 Today’s readings give us insight into the mercy and patience of God. As humans subject to finite boundaries of time and resources, we are hard wired to seek timely results. Waiting patiently is not our strong suit. When our timeline seems compromised, we express angst and frustration with others, even with God. Perhaps...
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ICCH Bulletin of July 16, 2023
July 16, 2023 Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Is 55:10-11 | Rom 8:18-23 | Mt 13:1-23 The Parable of the Sower is featured in 3 of the 4 Gospels so it’s a really important parable to pay attention to. […] Jesus’ people were a subjugated people, living under Roman imperial oppression, occupying their ancestral lands. […] Can you imagine what Jesus might have felt seeing his community experience a great...
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ICCH Bulletin of July 9, 2023
July 9, 2023 Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Bernward Today’s Readings: Zec 9:9-10 | Rom 8:9, 11-13 | Mt 11:25-30 How can we possibly know the mind and heart of God? Undoubtedly the best way is to listen to our Lord Jesus Christ, whom we hear in the Gospel today thanking his Father in heaven for revealing to the merest disciples the wisdom and knowledge of God. The prayer that Jesus prays tells...
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ICCH Bulletin of July 2, 2023
July 2, 2023 Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: 2 Kgs 4:8-11, 14-16a | Rom 6:3-4, 8-11 | Mt 10:37-42 In the Gospel today Jesus asks a very difficult question. Who do we love most? If one were to pose this question to people on the street most would likely answer; my husband/wife, mother, father, children, fiancé’, etc. These are the people we have close contact with and hold close to...
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Our program for the seasons of Advent and Christmas
You are invited to join us at ICCH in worship and more at the following times: December 3 Sunday Mass, followed by Social Gathering December 10 Sunday Mass December 17 Sunday Mass December 24 Mass of the 4th Sunday of Advent (no Christmas Vigil in English) December 25 Christmas Mass December 31 Sunday Mass (Holy Family) January 1 Mass on the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God January 6 Mass on the Epiphany January 7...