Father Todd O. Strange

Soon approaching is one of the great American holidays: St. Patrick’s Day! I’m joking, because it is one of those holidays that has taken on a life of its own in our culture. As I understand it, a St. Patrick’s Day parade was celebrated in the United States before it took place in Ireland. I can’t imagine those who originally heralded Patrick’s legacy could ever have imagined St. Patrick’s legacy would ever result in the robust flow of beer and the requirement to wear green clothing! I’m...

I recall speaking with someone about the idea of meditating upon the crucifix as a means of trying to help her deal with a sort of suffering. This prompted her to ask why we Catholics so prominently display the suffering and crucified Jesus, considering the good news that followed his crucifixion: that he was raised from the dead. Why this fixation on such a morbid image, especially when it’s not the end of the story?             Undoubtedly, you’ve noticed how most Catholic churches bear an...

I want to alert you that starting the week after Easter (April 6th) we will make an adjustment to our parish office hours, at both St. Thomas and St. Philomena. Currently at St. Thomas, the hours are as follows: • Monday thru Thursday 9:00am to 2:00pm • Friday 9:00am to 12:00pm Currently at St. Philomena, the hours are as follows: • Monday thru Friday 8:00am to 4:00pm Starting after Easter, at both St. Thomas and St. Philomena, on Wednesdays our parish offices will open 1:00pm. The reason for...