A Note From Our Pastor: December 21, 2025

As you know, we recently celebrated a holy day of obligation, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. With this in mind, I remind you of something I wrote about to you, back in June. I explained that for our five holy days of obligation throughout the year, we have a responsibility to provide Masses in the evening, so that those who work or go to school have the opportunity to attend. We do this, but honestly, it's astounding how many people seemingly don't bother to attend.

I also explained in that communication that because we have large and thriving Spanish-speaking communities in both parishes as well as English-speaking communities, we planned to move away from celebrating bilingual Masses. Instead, one of our parish sites will celebrate an all-Spanish Mass and the other will celebrate an all-English Masses. Our plan is that we would alternate, with each Holy Day of Obligation, which parish would have the Spanish-only Mass, and which would have the English-only Mass.

The next Holy Day of Obligation is January 1st, Mary Mother of God. We will have a Spanish Mass for that Solemnity on Wed, December 31st at 7:00pm (a vigil Mass) at St. Thomas, and we will have an English Mass the next morning, January 1st at 10:00am at St. Philomena.

I remind us that it’s important to recognize St. Thomas and St. Philomena together, functioning in a sense, as a larger parish that functions on two different campuses with two church buildings.

All this means that there are roughly three or four occasions each year that you would travel (about 20 minutes’ drive between St. Philomena and St. Thomas) to the other worship site for Mass in the language in which you prefer to pray.

Recently, I suggested to a parishioner that our parishes are not far apart. I was surprised by his response, indicating his disagreement. The distance between our parishes, depending on what route you take, is as short as 5.5 miles (7.5 miles if you go via I-5). Think of how many miles you drive to the pharmacy, the bank, Costco, the mall, the doctor, your favorite coffee shop or restaurant, to visit friends, etc. We drive equal or greater distances, more than we likely realize.

Even more, very few of our parishioners live within walking distance from their parish. The majority get in the car and drive to the church. If you’re already having to drive, it’s likely not that much more effort, time and distance to get to the other church within our parish family.

I’m just trying to help us think beyond our tendencies to only engage what is familiar. With Partners in the Gospel, we are becoming something new.

Yours in Christ,

Father Todd O. Strange