Love God, Love Others, Share the Good News!

This Week's Letter From Father

Twenty Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time B

October 13, 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

October is a great month to travel to the mountains and witness the beauty of leaves changing colors. Unfortunately, due to the damage of hurricane Helene, it is unattainable at this time. Please don’t take the chance.

October is also a month traditionally dedicated to praying the Rosary. The Rosary with its fifteen mysteries: joyful, sorrowful and glorious, was developed in the 16th century. In 2002 the Pope added five luminous mysteries. This devotion offers us an opportunity to meditate on the life of our Lord. Together, with the Blessed Mother, we accompany Jesus in important events that occurred in his life and ministry.

Blessed Alan de la Roche said: “The Holy Rosary is the storehouse of countless blessings.” And Saint Anthony Mary Claret observed: “When people love and recite the Rosary, they fnd it makes them better.” Let us not forget the advice of Saint Pope John XXIII: “May the Rosary never fall from your hands.”

In the Gospel reading (Mark 10:17-30) the young wealthy man believes he needs to do something to earn eternal life. Jesus reminds him that salvation is a free gift from God. It is the loving God who grants us this. We don't earn it. Although we can't earn any of God’s gifts, we certainly can remain open to receive them and use them generously for the benefit of others.

The good-natured young man, obeying commandments from his youth, has to abandon his childhood spirituality and put on the spirituality of an adult person. In his childhood, religious guidelines were needed and helpful, but now out of love for God, a total surrender to the Holy One would make his life meaningful and happy. As Alan Cohen said: “The tipping point of spiritual maturity comes when you move from ‘should’ to ‘would’.”

The second reading (Hebrews 4:12-13) points out that the word of God is living and effective because it expresses the living God. “Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.” If we take the word of God seriously it would lead us to action.

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I had the honor to celebrate the Silver Anniversary Mass for Eva Gomez-Segura and Carmen Barajas-Rios. May God bless you and may Our Lady of Guadalupe watch over you always.

Thank you, Fran and Barb Zaik, for inviting me to join you for pizza lunch. Barb’s favorite dish. We had a wonderful time together, as always. I will miss you when you move back to Buffalo. In the meantime, I enjoy every meal, cappuccino or espresso with you.

Thank you, Bridget and Bob Stubblefield, for inviting me to our favorite coffee shop. It was a delightful morning and a good conversation.

Thank you, Annmarie Maxim, for bringing me a delicious dinner again. I always enjoy your cooking and look forward to every meal you bring me.

Thank you to all volunteers who worked at the St. Egbert Catholic School Booth during the 38th NC Seafood Festival. I enjoyed the famous shrimp sandwich that was offered. It was good seeing everyone I encountered and chatting with you at the booth or elsewhere. In my opinion, the Festival should be called Crystal Coast Seafood Festival or MC Seafood Festival to promote our unique region and share the best of our area with the locals and visitors.

Religious Sisters Emilia Ponzoni, Regina Colombo, Concetta Finardi and Luigia Panceri were supposed to serve as nurses at the mission of their congregation. Instead they spent eleven years researching almost half a million celestial bodies for the Vatican Observatory. Recently scientists named four asteroids after those sisters.

I am happy to see hummingbirds visiting my garden. The read headed woodpeckers are searching the trees looking for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

We have more hawks this year. I do my best to protect my squirrels and their babies, and of course the birds. Unfortunately, I am not able to be there for them all the time.

In Christ,

Fr. Ryszard

Welcome Message

Greetings in Christ Jesus!

Whether you are just visiting for a short while, have moved here and are joining our parish, or are returning to your Catholic Faith, on behalf of our parish community, we welcome you to St. Egbert Catholic Church and the beautiful Crystal Coast of North Carolina.

When Jesus was asked which of all the commandments was the greatest, he replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the great, and first commandment. And a second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” These two Commandments form the foundation of our mission to Love God, Love Neighbor, and to Share the Good News.