Posts by Fr Jay Scott Newman

Dear Friends in Christ, Illness and Mass Attendance In the last couple of months, several people have had to leave the church during Mass because of a health problem, some under their own steam and some with assistance from others. Because several incidents have  happened in a short time, it seems opportune to make these…

Dear Friends in Christ, “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” The Fourth Sunday of Easter is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday because of the Scripture readings and Mass prayers appointed for this day in the sacred liturgy. The Latin word for shepherd is pastor, and…

Dear Friends in Christ, Marriage is one of the seven sacraments given by Christ to His Church, but it is also a natural bond that exists between men and women of all religions and no religion. Moreover, marriage is also a contract acknowledged – and in some ways regulated – by civil authority in every…

Dear Friends in Christ, Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti! These Greek acclamations mean “Christ is Risen! He is truly Risen!”, and in the Christian East — both Catholic and Orthodox — these acclamations replace the usual greetings of hello and goodbye during the fifty days between Easter and Pentecost, the liturgical season of Easter or Eastertide.…

Dear Friends in Christ, Last night, at the beginning of the Easter Vigil, priests all over the world prepared the Paschal Candle which will burn before every altar of the Church throughout Eastertide and at every font during each Baptism in the coming year. In preparation for the lighting of the Paschal Candle, a symbol…