St. Theresa of the Little Flower Catholic Parish

04/05/2026

04/04/2026

Easter Message from Bishop Peter
Bishop Peter reflects on the hesitation many of us feel when it comes to
receiving God’s mercy, pointing to Saint Peter who at first resisted when Jesus
knelt to wash his feet. Yet in that moment, we are reminded th... Read more at https://eva.us/70c21335

03/23/2026

✝️ WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FIRST 60 SECONDS AFTER YOU RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION😳🤔
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Every Mass, millions of Catholics receive the Eucharist.
But how often do we pause and reflect on what actually happens the moment the Host touches our lips?

The Church teaches that the Eucharist is the real Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ (Catechism 1374). Yet many approach Communion casually, unaware that life-altering encounters begin immediately.

Let’s explore the first 60 seconds biblically, theologically, and spiritually.

✝️ 1. THE SACRAMENTAL ENCOUNTER BEGINS

The second you receive, Christ is fully present.

This is not symbolic. Scripture confirms:

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever” (John 6:51)

In that instant, Jesus enters your body and soul.

Your mind is touched by His truth

Your heart is drawn to love

Your soul is strengthened against sin

Even if you don’t feel it, the encounter has begun.

✝️ 2. THE GRACE FLOWS

Catholic teaching calls this sanctifying grace.

Immediately, the Eucharist:

Forgives venial sins (CCC 1393)

Strengthens charity

Deepens union with Christ and the Church

It is a spiritual infusion, unseen but powerful. Think of it like water entering dry soil, life begins quietly, but profoundly.

✝️ 3. UNITY WITH CHRIST AND THE CHURCH

You are no longer just yourself.

Paul writes:

“Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (1 Corinthians 10:17)

In the first 60 seconds, you are mystically joined to:

Christ Himself

Every believer who receives

The communion of saints

The Eucharist is community incarnate, making invisible bonds visible in your soul.

✝️ 4. THE SPIRITUAL DYNAMICS

Immediately, your soul is energized for battle:

Temptation loses strength (Ephesians 6:10–17)

Faith grows quietly

Hope stabilizes your heart

The devil may rage outside, but inside, Christ is your armor and strength.

✝️ 5. THE PROPHETIC MISSION BEGINS

Finally, the Eucharist sends you forth:

“Go in peace”

Even before leaving the Communion line, your soul is commissioned:

To forgive
To love
To witness

Christ is not passive in your heart; He is active, sending, transforming.

✝️ THE FIRST 60 SECONDS ARE ONLY THE BEGINNING

You are forever changed

You are empowered for holiness

You are joined to the Body of Christ

Treat the Eucharist not as ritual, but as a divine encounter that continues every second after you receive.

The Host touches your lips; God touches your life.

God bless you 🙏.

credit: Catholic Online Class.

03/05/2026

Our next Senior Spotlight is Loen Brumley!🌸

After school, Loen plans to attend school to potentially become a dental hygienist!🦷

Her favorite class is any of her online classes & her favorite OJSHS staff member is Mrs. Waller.💙

Her hobbies outside of school include: art, traveling, & playing games.🎲

She is thankful for Jairo, her mom & dad, her siblings & the rest of her family!🌴

Loen’s advice to younger students is, “Don’t change yourself to fit in!”🌺

Wish Loen luck on her future plans!👏🏼

02/21/2026

The K of C served up a delicious fish dinner for the first Friday in Lent.

01/11/2026

Delicious parish breakfast prepared by the Knights of Columbus.

12/17/2025

🎄 Christmas Novena – Day 2 🎄

Day 2 of our Christmas Novena is here. Thank you to everyone praying along! Let’s continue preparing our hearts for Christmas and lifting up our intentions together.

Pray Day 2 with us here:
👉 https://americaneedsfatima.org/prayers/christmas-novena

🙏 Please keep one another in prayer today.

12/17/2025

🎄✨ Join Us for a Christmas Novena ✨🎄

As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, we invite you to pray a Christmas Novena with us. From Day 1 through Day 9, we’ll unite our prayers, offering them together for our families, our intentions, and the needs of the world.

Let’s walk this journey of faith side by side and keep Christ at the center of this holy season. 💕🙏

You can find the novena prayers here:
👉 https://americaneedsfatima.org/prayers/christmas-novena

Invite your friends and family to pray along. There is great strength in praying together! 🙏✨

12/12/2025

Today we celebrate the great feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dec 12), Empress and Patroness of the Americas. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!

Background: Our Lady of Guadalupe (La Virgen de Guadalupe) is the Virgin Mary as she appeared to St. Juan Diego in Mexico in 1531, becoming a beautiful figure and powerful Catholic icon — the Patroness of Mexico and the Americas.

She appeared as a mestiza (mixed Indigenous/European) woman, requesting a shrine, and miraculously imprinted her image on Juan Diego's cloak (tilma) with symbols meaningful to the Aztecs, leading to mass conversions and making her image a national emblem. Her feast day is celebrated on December 12th, with the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City being the major pilgrimage site.

Mt first time there was on a pilgrimage ten years ago — it was truly unforgettable and deeply inspiring.

The Story of the Apparitions (1531)

The Encounter: On Tepeyac Hill (near modern Mexico City), the Virgin Mary appeared to an Indigenous Aztec convert, Juan Diego, speaking in his native Nahuatl.

The Request: She asked him to tell the local bishop to build a church on that spot for her to show love and compassion.

The Sign: The skeptical bishop asked for proof. Mary instructed Juan Diego to gather Castilian roses from the barren hilltop in December.

The Miracle: Juan Diego gathered the roses in his cloak (tilma). When he opened it before the bishop, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe miraculously appeared, leading to immense faith and conversions.

The Image & Its Significance: A pregnant Mary, as a young mestiza woman in a blue-green, star-covered mantle over a rose-colored gown, standing on a crescent moon (a symbol of the Aztec moon god, Tlaloc).

Cultural Symbol: Her mixed features identified with both Indigenous and Spanish people, bridging cultures and becoming Mexico's national symbol.

The Tilma: The cactus-fiber cloak, which should have disintegrated, miraculously endures centuries later, with no paint strokes or sketches visible.

Devotion & Legacy: Patroness of Mexico, the Americas, immigrants, and the unborn.

Pilgrimage: The Basilica in Mexico City is one of the world's most visited Catholic shrines, attracting millions who come for blessings, especially on this her feast day, December 12.