Holy Family Parish

08/19/2026

📌 Attention Mass goers and visitors to the church - on Thursday, August 20 the lines in the rear parking lot and at the front of the church are being painted.
🚙 Please park in the Riffel lot and use the north doors. Thank you!

08/18/2026

📣We are excited to announce our first ever Women's Conference which will be held at St. Martin's Parish on October 16th and 17th!

Debbie Herbeck will be presenting🩷. Debbie is a frequent author and guest speaker of Blessed Is She. We cannot wait!

Check out our new website at www.madetobe.net for more information and to register. Take note that space is limited!

08/04/2026

Divine Mercy Chaplet and Holy Rosary will be prayed 25 minutes before every Mass.

08/01/2026

Bulletin for the month of August.
Please note that beginning this week, daily masses on Wednesdays, Thursday and Fridays will begin at 9 am. Adoration will immediately follow mass on Fridays. The Divine Mercy Chaplet and Holy Rosary will be prayed 25 minutes before all masses.

07/27/2026

07/22/2026

✝️ THE ONE SACRAMENTAL MOST CATHOLICS NEVER USE, YET IT’S ONE OF THE CHURCH’S STRONGEST WEAPONS 😳🔥
_________________
Most Catholics bless themselves with holy water.
Some wear medals.
A few keep blessed candles.

But there is one sacramental the early Church used powerfully…
exorcists still rely on it…
and demons hate with a special hatred…

Yet today, most Catholics don’t even know it exists.

It is Blessed Salt.

Yes, salt.
But not ordinary salt.
Salt that has been prayed over with one of the oldest exorcism prayers in the Church.

And if Catholics understood what it truly does,
they would never live without it again.

✝️ 1. Blessed Salt Is Not a Symbol, It Is a Spiritual Weapon

From the early centuries, the Church blessed salt with a prayer that drives out evil and protects the faithful.

Why salt?

Because Scripture uses it as a sign of:

Purification
Protection
Covenant loyalty
Preservation against corruption

Jesus didn’t say, “You are the holy water of the earth.”
He said: “You are the salt of the earth.”

Salt is a sign of strength, purity, and identity.

And when the Church exorcises and blesses it…
hell recognizes it immediately.

✝️ 2. Blessed Salt Cleanses What Evil Tries to Corrupt

Demons thrive on confusion, decay, and spiritual pollution.

But blessed salt carries a prayer specifically asking God to:

- cast out every unclean spirit
- drive away every influence of the enemy
- protect the place where it is used
- restore what has been spiritually damaged

It is not superstitious.
It is sacramental.
It works by FAITH and by the authority of the Church.

✝️ 3. How the Early Christians Used Blessed Salt

The early Church used blessed salt to:

✔️ protect homes
✔️ bless food
✔️ heal the sick
✔️ strengthen catechumens preparing for Baptism
✔️ break demonic influences on places and people

Blessed salt was so important that St. Augustine, St. Jerome, and others wrote about it.

Today, only a few Catholics remember it…
but the saints never forgot its power.

✝️ 4. The Devil Hates Blessed Salt for One Reason

Because it reminds him of his defeat.

Salt purifies.
Salt preserves.
Salt restores.
Salt protects.

Everything salt symbolizes in Scripture is the opposite of what the enemy wants.

Where he brings corruption, salt brings preservation.
Where he spreads decay, salt brings purity.
Where he sows division, salt seals covenant.

Blessed salt is like a spiritual fire he cannot put out.

✝️ 5. How to Use Blessed Salt in Your Home

👉Sprinkle it at your doorway
You are claiming your home for Christ.
Demons recognize boundaries.

👉Add a pinch to food
You bless what you eat, asking God to protect body and soul.

👉Use it when you pray over your children
A tiny trace on the forehead is a powerful prayer of protection.

👉Put some in the four corners of your home
A quiet, ancient way of spiritual safeguarding.

👉Carry a little in your pocket or bag
The saints did it. You can too.

✝️ 6. How to Get Blessed Salt
Go to any priest and simply say:
“Father, may I have some salt blessed using the traditional blessing?”

He knows the prayer.
It is part of the Roman Ritual.
And once blessed, it becomes a spiritual shield.

✝️ The Weapon Catholics Forgot

Blessed salt is not magic.
It is not superstition.
Its power comes from:

- the prayer of the Church
- the authority of Christ
- the faith of the believer

It is quiet.
It is simple.
It is ancient.
And hell hates it.

If you’ve never used blessed salt before…
start today.

A handful of blessed salt can do what fear cannot:
bring peace, protection, purity, and the power of God into your life.


_________________

07/21/2026

📌 Please note that Holy Hour and Mass are cancelled tonight, July 21st!

07/21/2026

WHY DO ALTAR SERVERS INCENSE THE PEOPLE BEFORE THE CONSECRATION?

A young Catholic attended a solemn Sunday Mass.
He watched as the priest incensed the altar, the crucifix, and the bread and wine.

Then something unexpected happened.

The altar server turned toward the congregation and gently swung the thurible three times.

After Mass, the young man asked:
"Why did they incense us? Aren't they supposed to incense only holy things?"

The priest smiled and replied:
"They did incense holy things, and you are one of them."

Many Catholics have seen the congregation being incensed during a solemn Mass but have never understood why.

Why are the people incensed before the Consecration?

The answer reveals something beautiful about our dignity as God's people.

First, Because Every Baptized Christian Is a Temple of the Holy Spirit.
Through Baptism, we become temples of the Holy Spirit.
Saint Paul writes:
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you?" (1 Corinthians 6:19,)
When the faithful are incensed, the Church honors the presence of God in His people.

Second, Because the Faithful Share in Christ's Priesthood.
Although only ordained priests celebrate the Eucharist, every baptized Catholic shares in Christ's common priesthood.
At Mass, the faithful unite their prayers, sacrifices, and lives with Christ's perfect sacrifice on the altar.

Third, Because the Entire Church Is Offering Worship to God.
The Holy Mass is not something the priest offers alone.
The whole Church participates.
By incensing the people, the Church reminds us that we are also offering ourselves to God as a living sacrifice.

Fourth, Because the Rising Incense Represents Our Prayers.
The incense rising toward Heaven symbolizes the prayers of the entire congregation ascending before God.
As Scripture says:
"Let my prayer be incense before you." (Psalm 141:2)
The faithful are incensed because their prayers are joined to Christ's perfect offering.

Fifth, Because We Are About to Witness the Greatest Miracle.
Immediately after the incensation comes the Eucharistic Prayer and the Consecration.
The Church prepares everyone, not only the altar, but also the people, to enter this sacred mystery with reverence and devotion.

Finally, the faithful are incensed before the Consecration because they are members of Christ's Body, temples of the Holy Spirit, and participants in the Church's worship. This beautiful gesture honors the dignity of God's people and reminds us that we are offering ourselves together with Christ during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

In simple words, why are the people incensed during Mass?
Because God has made His home in His people.
The Church honors the faithful as temples of the Holy Spirit and reminds us that we are not spectators at Mass.
We are part of Christ's offering to the Father.

Now you know.

SOURCES

Sacred Scripture (Catholic Translation):
1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 1 Peter 2:5, 9, Romans 12:1, Psalm 141:2

Catechism of the Catholic Church §§784-786, 901, 1146-1152

General Instruction of the Roman Missal §§75, 144, 277

© Catholic Dailies
Be Prayerful. Be Inspired.

07/16/2026

✝️ 𝗗𝗜𝗗 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪? 𝟰 𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗖 𝗔𝗖𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗬𝗠𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗬𝗠𝗕𝗢𝗟𝗦 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬 𝗖𝗛𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗔𝗡 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗗 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪
The Catholic Church is rich in sacred symbols and ancient abbreviations that express profound truths about Jesus Christ and our faith. Here are four of the most well-known.
✝️ 𝟭. 𝗜𝗛𝗦
• IHS is a Christogram derived from the first three letters of the Greek name of Jesus (ΙΗΣΟΥΣ).
• It has been used by Christians since the early centuries and was especially promoted by St. Bernardine of Siena and the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).
• It reminds us that salvation is found in the Holy Name of Jesus.
Every knee should bow at the name of Jesus.
✝️ 𝟮. 𝗜𝗡𝗥𝗜
• INRI stands for the Latin words Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum.
• It means "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews."
• These were the words placed on the Cross by order of Pontius Pilate.
What was intended as a charge against Jesus became a proclamation of His true kingship.
✝️ 𝟯. 𝗖𝗛𝗜 𝗥𝗛𝗢 (☧)
• The Chi-Rho is one of the oldest Christian symbols.
• It is formed from the first two Greek letters of the word Christ (ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ): Chi (Χ) and Rho (Ρ).
• It became a powerful symbol of Christ's victory and was famously used by Emperor Constantine.
It proclaims Jesus Christ as the victorious Lord.
✝️ 𝟰. 𝗜𝗖𝗛𝗧𝗛𝗬𝗦 (𝗜𝗫𝗢𝗬𝗘)
• The Greek word Ichthys (ΙΧΘΥΣ) means "fish."
• Each letter forms an acrostic: I – Jesus
CH – Christ
TH – God
Y – Son
S – Savior
• Early Christians used the fish symbol to identify one another during times of persecution.
The fish became a quiet yet powerful confession of faith in Jesus Christ.
✝️ 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥
These sacred symbols are far more than decorations. They proclaim the identity of Jesus Christ and remind us of the rich heritage of the Catholic faith. Whenever you see them, let them draw your heart closer to the Lord.
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)

07/15/2026

🔥 WHY ARE THEY CALLED THE SYNOPTIC WRITERS? ✝️🇻🇦

_________________
Have you ever noticed that Matthew, Mark, and Luke often sound like they are telling the same story in the same way?
They walk together. They see together. They speak together.

That’s why the Church calls them “Synoptic.”
The word comes from two Greek roots: “syn” (together) and “opsis” (to see).
So, Synoptic means “seeing together.”

Think of it this way: imagine three people standing in front of the same house.
– Mark looks from the left.
– Luke stands in the middle.
– Matthew views it from the right.
They’re all describing the same house, but each one notices different details.

Matthew, writing for Jewish Christians, points out how Jesus fulfills the Law and the Prophets.
Mark, fiery and urgent, writes for persecuted believers in Rome, his Gospel is like a fast heartbeat.
Luke, the careful historian and physician, shows the tenderness of Christ’s mercy, especially for the poor, women, and sinners.

Three voices. One Gospel story.
Not copies. Not contradictions. But a harmony, three windows opening to the same Christ.

That’s why when you lay Matthew, Mark, and Luke side by side, their stories often “line up.” Scholars call this “parallel passages.” It’s almost like three witnesses describing the same event with their own unique touch.

And here’s the beauty: together, the Synoptics show us that the Gospel is not locked in one person’s memory. It is a living truth, witnessed by many, echoing the same song:
“Jesus is Lord.”

John’s Gospel, by contrast, is not “Synoptic.” He tells the same Jesus-story but from the heights of contemplation, theology, and intimacy. If Matthew, Mark, and Luke are like three musicians playing the same melody, John is the one adding a soaring harmony that lifts the soul to heaven.

So next time you hear “Synoptic Gospel,” remember this:
It means seeing Christ together.
Different eyes. Different voices. But one Light shining through.

God bless you 🙏