The Catholic Parishes of Sandusky

09/07/2026

May God bless us in all of our work and desired work 🙏

A friendly reminder that all parish offices are closed today.

09/06/2026

09/06/2026

Love is Hard
By Deacon Jeff Claar

This Sunday’s readings ask something hard of us. They don’t let us stay comfortable or silent. In the first reading (Ezekiel 33:7-9), God tells the prophet Ezekiel that if he sees evil or sin and says nothing, he shares responsibility for the harm that follows. That is a difficult challenge for any Catholic today. We live in a world where speaking out can feel risky; people misunderstand, react harshly, or accuse us of judging. Yet God’s point is simple: silence never heals. Love sometimes requires courage.

Saint Paul then gives us the heart of that courage: love your neighbor as yourself (Romans 13:8-10). That command sounds gentle, but it is demanding. Loving someone “as myself” means I want their good as much as my own. It means I don’t write people off, I don’t nurse grudges, and I don’t let resentment quietly grow. Paul reminds us that every commandment is fulfilled in this one act of love. If I truly love my neighbor, I will speak truth when needed, forgive when needed, and sacrifice when needed.

Jesus brings it all together in the Gospel (Matthew 18:15-20), when He teaches us how to make peace with someone we disagree with. He doesn’t say, “avoid them” or “talk about them behind their back.” He says go to them directly, gently, privately. Try to restore the relationship. Try again if needed. Bring help if needed. But always aim for reconciliation, not victory.

So how do we live this out this week? Maybe it begins with one honest conversation we’ve been avoiding. Maybe it means gently correcting a harmful comment instead of letting it slide. Maybe it means reaching out to someone we’ve been distant from. Maybe it means choosing love over irritation, mercy over pride, and peace over being right.

The readings challenge us, but they also free us. When we speak truth with love, when we treat others with the dignity we desire for ourselves, and when we seek peace instead of division, Christ stands in the middle of it all. He promises to be present wherever two or three gather in His name. That means reconciliation is never something we should attempt alone.

See you at Mass!

09/05/2026

Next Saturday, Sept. 12, we're excited to have former Associate Pastor, Fr. Chris, back in Sandusky for Mass! He'll be here to celebrate his 25th ordination anniversary to the priesthood, so let's celebrate with him 🎉

09/04/2026

09/04/2026

See what's happening around the diocese!

09/03/2026

All middle and high school youth are invited! Let's kickoff the school year right!

09/02/2026

Join us on St. Mary's Parish feast day on Tuesday, September 15th for an inspiring evening with Kevin Matthews: legendary former Chicago radio broadcaster, author, and Radio Hall of Fame inductee. He will share his powerful journey of faith, brokenness, and redemption!

Kevin’s remarkable story began with an unlikely discovery—a broken statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary found in a dumpster. What followed was a profound spiritual journey that transformed his life and led him to become a passionate messenger of hope and devotion to Mary and the Rosary. Today, Kevin travels the country sharing his testimony and reminding people that even in our brokenness, we are deeply loved by God.

09/01/2026

The beginning of September means a new month to pray for our priests!

09/01/2026

Tuesday Saint of the Day - September 1, 2026 | Luke 4:31-37 | Lectionary 432
By Deacon Jeff Claar

Our Saint of the Day is Saint Giles, who died in the year 710 at the age of approximately sixty.

Saint Giles was a seventh-century hermit who lived in what is now southern France. He was born in Athens and, drawn by a desire for solitude and prayer, eventually made his home in a cave near the Rhone River. There he lived on herbs and the milk of a deer that had become his companion. According to an old legend, the local king and his hunters were pursuing that deer one day when they discovered Giles living quietly in his cave. Moved by the old man's holiness, the king offered to build him a monastery. Giles accepted and eventually became its abbot, though he always remained humble and kept his life simple.

In today's Gospel (Luke 4:31-37), Jesus speaks with authority in the synagogue at Capernaum, commanding an unclean spirit to leave — and it does. The people are amazed: even the spirits obey him. Saint Giles is counted among the Fourteen Holy Helpers, saints invoked in times of serious need, and he is the patron of those who are poor, disabled, or suffering from mental illness. His life of prayer and simplicity was itself an act of surrender to that same divine authority. A person who prays deeply, who lives simply, who asks nothing for himself, becomes a clear channel for God's power. Let us pray today for those who feel oppressed or unseen and ask Saint Giles to bring them before the Lord who commands and is obeyed.

See you at Mass!