Love God, Love Others, Share the Good News!

    This Week's Letter From Father

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

November 23, 2025

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. This solemnity was promulgated by Pope Pius IX in his encyclical Quas primas (In the first) to respond to secularism and atheism, in 1925. The centennial anniversary of this solemnity reminds us of what Pope Pius IX wrote about Christ: “He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things and cleave to him alone.” To sum it up, we have to trust in Christ who reigns in our hearts, minds, and wills.

God satisfies our spiritual hunger and thirst. He/She nourishes us spiritually and refreshes our bodies and souls. So, each time we enter Church we should rejoice and invite others to join us for Sunday or daily worship of God who loves us, cares for us and wants to spend eternity with us.

The second reading (Colossians 1:12-20) offers us an uplifting message that we are not to perish in nothingness but are to have eternal life with the Lord. “Give thanks to the Father for having made you worthy to share a lot of the saints in light …Through him we have redemption, forgiveness of sins.”

Similarly, the Gospel reading (Luke 23:35-43), contains the words that Jesus said to the crucified criminal: “I assure you: this day you will be with me in paradise.” What a joyful message. Let us spread it joyfully.

The Kingdom of Christ is not the kingdom of fancy houses or fortified castles protected by a powerful army. It is a kingdom of human lives, mine and yours, healed, forgiven, restored and ultimately saved. That’s a powerful message. The message of hope from the God who is Love.

St Josemaria Escriva said: “Christ’s kingdom is not just a figure of speech. Christ is alive, He lives as a man, with the same body He took when He became man, when He rose after His death … Christ, true God and true man, lives and reigns. He is the Lord of the universe. Everything that lives is kept in existence only through Him.” He became king over all creation by dying and rising.

                                                                                   …..

I felt honored to baptize Fatima Guadalupe Castro Selvan, the newest member of our parish family. The ceremony was a heartfelt celebration, welcoming her as a beloved daughter of God. It was filled with joy and love. May Our Lady of Fatima and Guadalupe guide you as you embark on this beautiful journey of faith. May Our Lord Jesus bless you always.

I felt honored to celebrate the Mass for Selena Herrera-Alvarado’s Quinceanera. Selena is a wonderful and caring young lady, actively involved in our parish as an usher. Her passion for dancing shines during the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and she deeply desires to serve as a lector. Beyond her dedication to the church, she excels in softball, volleyball, and soccer, always giving her best eƯort. May Our Lady of Guadalupe guide you, and may the Lord Jesus bless you abundantly. Congratulations on your special day, Quinceanera!

Thank you so much, Chris Daly, for your valuable time and effort in the Financial Administrator interviews. Your dedication and commitment truly make a difference to us. We are pleased to welcome Tom Blair in the new role.

A heartfelt thank you, Randy and Lesley Ferguson, for another delicious dinner. I really enjoyed the engaging conversation and the laughter. Your company always makes for an unforgettable evening.

Andrzej Bargiel, a 37-years-old Polish ski mountaineer, has achieved a remarkable milestone as the first person to ascend and ski down the world’s highest peaks without using supplementary oxygen. His extraordinary journey includes notable summits such as Shishapangma in 2013, Manaslu in 2014, Broad Peak in 2015, and K2 in 2018, along with Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II in 2023. Most impressively, he made history last September by skiing down Mount Everest without using supplementary oxygen. What an incredible achievement!

On November 13, the US Bishops issued a statement titled “Special Message on Immigration” in response to President Trump’s immigration crackdown. They state that, “We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care. We lament that some immigrants in the United States have arbitrarily lost their legal status. We are deeply concerned about threats to the sanctity of houses of worship and the special status of hospitals and schools. We feel saddened when we meet parents who fear being detained while taking their children to school, and we try to comfort family members who have been separated from their loved ones. Despite obstacles and prejudices, generations of immigrants have made significant contributions to the well-being of our nation.”

Happy Thanksgiving,

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.