Remsen St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church

09/09/2026

Today is the feast of St. Peter Claver, a 17th-century missionary who dedicated his life to serving enslaved Africans. So let's reflect on what Sacred Scripture has to say about something near and dear to St. Peter Claver's heart: in*******al harmony.
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Although Scripture doesn't speak of "race" in the way we understand it today, the Bible is clear: all people were created by God in his image and are called to eternal union with him in heaven through the blood of Christ. Here are some relevant passages:
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"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." -- Galatians 3:28
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"In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him." -- Acts 10:34-35
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"A great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue, stood before the throne and before the Lamb." -- Revelation 7:9
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Remsen St. Mary's Church family: let's lead a consistent with the Gospel's teaching on the equal dignity of people of all races, just as St. Peter Claver did.

09/08/2026

Fr Richard Sitzmann served the St Mary's Church from 1971-1979. Rest in Peace Fr Sitzmann.

Reverend Richard A. Sitzmann, 91, passed away at Holy Spirit Retirement Home in Sioux City on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026.

09/08/2026

“As Eden was the Paradise of Creation, Mary is the Paradise of the Incarnation, and in her as a Garden were celebrated the first nuptials of God and man.” -- Fulton Sheen

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day! Today, we celebrate the dignity of work--and work for its protection amidst artificial intelligence and increased automation. To help, let's take a look at Pope Leo XIV's encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, and what it says about preserving the dignity of work in the age of AI.

09/06/2026

If anyone has fabric laying around that they would be willing to donate to "Child of God" Quilters for use in making our baptismal quilts, we would appreciate the contibution! It would need to be 100% cotton. You can contact me at [email protected] or contact any of our quilters.
If you would like to join us as a quilter, you can contact me at the same email address. If you don'thave experience, that's OK. We can teach you😉

09/06/2026

We live in an age of cancel culture: people sharing someone else's perceived faults in public with the goal of removing them from their position. Cancel culture isn't an attempt to bring someone to the truth; it's an attempt to remove them because they are considered an obstacle.
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As Jesus makes clear in today's Gospel, "cancel culture" is not the way of Christians. This doesn't mean there aren't times when we shouldn't go public with someone's wrongdoings. But this comes only after we have first spoken with them privately, and then within our Church.
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Why does Jesus insist on first bringing up someone's sin against you one-on-one? Because the goal isn't punishment or removal; it's reconciliation.
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Let's follow Christ's lead and seek to reconcile with those who've wronged us--not cancel them.

09/05/2026

It's World Beard Day! And what better way to celebrate than taking a look at what Sacred Scripture has to say about facial hair?
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In the Bible, beards are a sign of dignity and maturity. In fact, Jewish priests were instructed to let their facial hair grow.
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"They shall not shave their heads, nor shave off the edges of their beards, nor lacerate their bodies." -- Leviticus 21:5
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And the Psalms reference beards in connection with the priesthood and blessing.
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"Like precious ointment on the head, running down upon the beard, upon the beard of Aaron, upon the collar of his robes." -- Psalm 133:2
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Shaving one's beard could be an expression of shame or lamentation. After the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon, Jeremiah noted the following:
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"Everyone has shaved his beard, torn his garments, and gashed himself..." -- Jeremiah 41:5
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The Bible doesn't explicitly say that Jesus had a beard, but it was the norm among Jewish men in the 1st century. Nonetheless, the New Testament shifts the focus away from external appearance to what's on the inside.
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"Your adornment should not be an external one...but rather the hidden character of the heart." -- 1 Peter 3:3-4
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So should Catholic men have beards today? It's increasingly more common. But while it can be a symbol of wisdom and maturity, one's character and virtue are truly what count.

09/04/2026

September 15 - October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month. And the Catholic Church in the United States has a lot to celebrate when it comes to our Hispanic community! About 36% of Catholics in the U.S. are Hispanic, a number that rises to a whopping 60% when we consider Catholics under the age of 18!
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09/03/2026