Our Lady Of The Assumption Parish

10/29/2026

Dear Friends,
This weekend, we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints (All Saints Day). There is something particularly beautiful about the Solemnity of All Saints, especially when it falls on a Sunday, as it does this year. The Church invites us to pause and look beyond the concerns of our daily lives toward the great multitude of saints who now stand before the throne of God, drawn from every nation, people, and tongue. They remind us that heaven is our true home and that the journey of faith is meant to lead us there.
When we think of the saints, we often think first of the great figures of the Church: Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Teresa of Ávila, Saint Padre Pio, or the countless martyrs who gave their lives for Christ. Their holiness inspires us, but the feast of All Saints embraces far more than those whose names appear on the Church’s calendar. Today we also honor the countless men and women who lived and died in God's friendship, whose names may never be known to the world but who are known and loved by God.
Perhaps some of these saints were our own grandparents, parents, relatives, or friends: people whose quiet faith, generosity, patience, and love helped shape our lives. Their example reminds us that holiness is not something reserved for a privileged few. It is the calling God extends to each of us.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us the Beatitudes: blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, the merciful, the pure of heart, and the peacemakers. These are not simply beautiful words to admire. They describe the life Jesus Himself lived and the life He invites us to share. The saints are those who, in their own circumstances and often through great struggles, allowed these words to take flesh in their lives.
We sometimes imagine that becoming a saint requires extraordinary deeds or a life untouched by weakness and difficulty. In reality, holiness often grows through ordinary acts of faithfulness: forgiving someone who has hurt us, caring for a family member who needs us, speaking the truth with charity, persevering in prayer when God seems distant, or choosing to do what is right when no one else will notice.
As we celebrate All Saints, let us remember that we are not merely looking back at holy lives that have ended. We are looking ahead to the life God desires for us. Saint John reminds us in today’s second reading that we are already God’s children, even though what we shall become has not yet been fully revealed. By His grace, we are being prepared for the day when we shall see Him as He is.
May the saints in heaven intercede for us, and may their example encourage us to persevere faithfully in our own journey toward holiness. May we one day join that great multitude, praising God forever in the glory of His Kingdom.
The month of November invites us to remember the Souls of the Faithful Departed and to pray for all those who have gone before us in faith. This Sunday, we will celebrate our annual Mass of Remembrance at the 10:00 AM Mass, honoring those who have died during the past year. Their names will be read during the Prayer of the Faithful, and personalized candles will burn at Our Lady’s altar before being given to their families as a reminder of our prayers and the light of Christ that shines even amid grief. May we continue to remember these souls and their families, praying that God grant them hope, consolation, and peace.
The Book of Remembrance is once again available at the back of the church for you to inscribe the names of your beloved deceased. A votive candle beside the book will burn throughout November, reminding us of our love for the departed and our hope in the Resurrection. Please take a moment to add the names of your loved ones and pray for the repose of their souls.
This Sunday, the Knights of Columbus will host their Annual Pancake Breakfast after all Masses, and the Ladies of Our Lady of the Assumption (LOLA) will offer a special preview of their Christmas Bazaar and Silent Auction. Stop by to see some of the beautiful raffle baskets and auction items, purchase raffle tickets, and participate in the auction in advance.
My sincere thanks to both organizations for their dedication and generous service to our parish. Their efforts strengthen our community and provide wonderful opportunities for fellowship.
Please also mark your calendars for Saturday, November 7, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, for LOLA’s Annual Christmas Bazaar! Enjoy craft and vendor tables, a White Elephant table, gift baskets in the silent auction, food trucks, and a visit from Santa between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Bring family and friends, get a head start on Christmas shopping, and support LOLA’s wonderful work. I look forward to seeing you there!
Love and prayers, Fr. Carey

10/23/2026

Dear Friends,
This weekend we celebrate the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time. In this Sunday’s Gospel, a scholar of the law asks Jesus a question that seems simple and straightforward enough: “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Our Lord responds by bringing together two commandments that belong inseparably to one another: to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
These words are familiar to us, perhaps so familiar that we can overlook how much they ask of us. It is one thing to say that we love God. It is another to allow that love to shape our daily lives, our conversations, our decisions, and our relationships with others. Jesus makes clear that our love for God cannot be separated from the way we treat the people around us.
The first reading from the Book of Exodus makes this especially concrete. God commands His people to show compassion to strangers, widows, orphans, and the poor. He reminds them that they, too, once knew what it meant to be strangers in a foreign land. Their own experience of hardship should have taught them to recognize the needs of others.
We might take that lesson to heart. How often do we encounter someone whose circumstances we do not fully understand? A neighbor who is struggling, a family member who is difficult to deal with, someone who feels forgotten or left out, or a person whose opinions differ from our own? It is easy to love in the abstract, but Christian charity asks something more personal of us. It asks us to see another person not as an inconvenience or an interruption, but as someone created and loved by God.
Of course, loving our neighbor does not always mean that we agree with everyone or find every relationship easy. Sometimes love requires patience, forgiveness, a willingness to listen, or the humility to admit that we have been wrong. At other times, it means offering practical help without expecting anything in return. Often, it begins with something very small: a kind word, a telephone call, a sincere expression of concern, or simply giving someone our undivided attention.
As Catholics, we come to the altar each Sunday to worship God and receive the gift of Christ Himself in the Eucharist. We cannot leave that encounter unchanged. The love we receive from the Lord is meant to become the love we offer to others.
Perhaps this week we can make a simple examination of conscience: Who is one person I can treat with greater kindness, patience, or compassion? We need not wait for a grand opportunity to practice charity. The Lord places opportunities before us in the ordinary circumstances of every day. May we grow in our love for God, and may that love become visible in the way we care for one another.
Next Sunday, November 1st we will celebrate our annual Mass of Remembrance at the 10 AM Mass. As many of you know, at this Mass, we will recognize by name all of those who have died among our parish community this past year. This is a beautiful tradition at OLA and it is our hope that by this special Mass, those who are grieving the loss of a loved one will be comforted by our love and concern for them as a parish family.
After all Masses next weekend, Sunday, November 1, our Knights of Columbus Council will host its Annual Pancake Breakfast. As customary, there is no charge for the meal, although a free-will offering is gratefully welcomed. I encourage you to stop by with family and friends to enjoy a delicious breakfast and some good conversation.
I also want to let you know that our Ladies of Our Lady of the Assumption (LOLA) will be joining us at the breakfast with a special preview of their upcoming Annual Christmas Bazaar and Silent Auction, which will take place the following Saturday, November 7. They will have tables featuring some of the beautiful raffle baskets and silent auction items, giving you an opportunity to see what will be available and/or purchase tickets or participate in the silent auction in advance.
I am grateful to both our Knights of Columbus and LOLA for their hard work, dedication, and generous service to our parish. Through their many charitable works and events such as these, they provide wonderful opportunities for us to come together, strengthen our parish community, and enjoy one another’s company. I hope you will take advantage of both occasions to support their efforts!
Please mark your calendars then for Saturday, November 7, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, when LOLA will host our Annual Christmas Bazaar. There will be craft and vendor tables, a White Elephant table, beautiful gift baskets featured in the silent auction, food trucks, and a special visit from Santa between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM, along with much more. Bring your family and friends and get a head start on your Christmas shopping while supporting the wonderful work of LOLA. We look forward to seeing you there!
Until next week, may God continue to bless you and your families!
Love and prayers, Fr. Carey

10/21/2026

10/16/2026

Dear Friends,
This weekend we celebrate the Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time. In this Sunday’s Gospel, the Pharisees attempt to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar. They hope that whatever answer He gives will place Him in opposition to either the Roman authorities or the people. But Jesus sees through their intentions and responds with words that have become familiar to all of us throughout the ages: “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
At first, these words seem to concern the distinction between our civic responsibilities and our religious obligations. Certainly, we have duties to fulfill in the world. We are called to be responsible citizens, honest workers, faithful members of our families, and good neighbors. Our Christian faith does not remove us from these responsibilities; rather, it should inspire us to fulfill them with integrity, generosity, and concern for others.
But Jesus invites us to look more deeply. He asks whose image is stamped on the coin, and the answer is Caesar’s. The coin can be returned to Caesar, but what belongs to God? The answer is nothing less than our very selves. We are created in the image of God, and our lives are gifts that come from Him. Everything we have and everything we are ultimately depends upon His goodness and love.
It is easy to become so occupied with the demands of daily life that we leave little room for the Lord. We fulfill our obligations, care for our families, attend to our work, and meet the many demands placed upon us. Yet, amid these good and necessary things, our relationship with God can gradually slip into the background. We may give Him whatever time remains after everything else has been taken care of, rather than making Him the center of our lives.
Perhaps this Sunday’s Gospel invites us to examine our priorities. Do we make time for daily prayer? Do we seek God’s guidance when making important decisions? Do our words and actions reflect the faith we profess? And do we recognize that our gifts and talents are entrusted to us not merely for our own benefit, but also to serve others?
Giving to God what belongs to Him does not mean withdrawing from the world or neglecting our responsibilities. It means allowing our faith to shape how we live, how we treat others, and how we use the blessings we have received. When God holds the central place in our lives, everything else begins to find its proper place.
May we remember that the Lord asks for more than our occasional prayers or just Sunday attendance. He invites us to give Him our hearts, our trust, and our entire lives. We belong to Him, and our deepest peace and fulfillment are found when we live in the knowledge that we are His.
This Sunday at the 10:00 am Mass we will celebrate the Rite of Acceptance with our Level 3 PREP children. These young parishioners are preparing to receive their sacraments of Penance and First Holy Communion. They will be recognized at that Mass and given a special blessing as they prepare for these important sacramental celebrations. Please keep them in your prayers at this time in their journey of faith.
Also, this Sunday, October 18th, the Church celebrates World Mission Sunday, marking the 100th anniversary of this special observance established by Pope Pius XI in 1926. The Second collection this weekend will be for this Appeal. This year’s theme, “One in Christ, United in Mission,” reminds us that, through our baptism, we are united in Christ and called to share His love and the Gospel with all people.
World Mission Sunday invites us to pray for missionaries and for the communities they serve, especially those living in areas of poverty and great need. Through the generosity of Catholics worldwide, the annual collection supports seminarians, catechists, schools, clinics, churches, and other essential ministries in mission territories.
As we celebrate this historic centenary, let us renew our commitment to the Church’s missionary work through our prayers, our generosity, and our witness to the Gospel. United in Christ, we share in His mission to bring hope, faith, and love to the whole world.
Last week we celebrated our Annual Forty Hours Devotions. Rev. David O’Brien was our guest homilist each evening. His words were certainly heartfelt and uplifting and so I thank him for his priestly presence here for these special days. I also thank all those involved in the preparations and planning for this years’ celebration, especially our Music Ministry. I hope and pray that these Solemn days of adoration were spiritually beneficial for all of you.
Our Annual celebration of our Anointing of the Sick Mass is Saturday, Oct. 24th at 11 AM. It is not too late to register to come to this Mass to experience the healing power of Christ. A sign-up sheet is available in the vestibule of the church or you may simply call the Parish Office for more details.
Until next week, I thank you again for all you do for OLA and blessings upon your families!
Love and prayers, Fr. Carey

10/09/2026

Dear Friends,
This weekend we celebrate the Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time. There are few things more disappointing than preparing something special for others, only to discover that they are not interested in coming. A family prepares a holiday dinner, a couple plans a wedding, or someone organizes a gathering for friends, hoping to share a joyful occasion. When the invitation is ignored, it can be very discouraging, especially when so much care has gone into the preparations.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells the story of a king who prepares a wedding feast for his son. Everything is ready, the invitations have been sent, and all that remains is for the guests to arrive. Yet, remarkably, those invited refuse to come. Some are too busy with their own affairs, while others simply disregard the invitation. The king, however, does not abandon his plans. He sends his servants out into the streets to invite everyone they can find, until the banquet hall is filled with guests.
This parable offers us an important reminder about the generosity of God. He desires to share His life with us. He invites us into a relationship with Him through prayer, the sacraments, the Church, and the ordinary circumstances of our daily lives. His invitation is not reserved for a select few who have everything in order. He calls sinners as well as saints, those who feel close to Him and those who may have wandered far away.
The difficulty is that we can become so occupied with the demands of everyday life that we leave little room for God. Work, family responsibilities, financial concerns, and countless other obligations can consume our attention. None of these things is necessarily bad; indeed, many are important responsibilities entrusted to us. But even good things can take the wrong place in our lives when they leave no time for prayer, Sunday Mass, or the quiet attention we need to hear the voice of the Lord.
There is another detail in the parable worth considering. The king notices a guest who has come without a wedding garment. This reminds us that accepting God’s invitation involves more than simply showing up. We are called to allow His grace to change us, putting aside old habits of selfishness, resentment, and indifference so that our lives increasingly reflect the love of Christ.
The first reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah gives us a beautiful picture of the banquet God has prepared for His people, a feast at which He will wipe away every tear and destroy death forever. This is the hope toward which we are journeying: eternal life in the presence of God. Every Sunday, when we gather for the celebration of the Eucharist, we receive a foretaste of that heavenly banquet.
The invitation has already been extended. The Lord is calling us, not because we are perfect, but because He loves us and desires our salvation. May we never become so busy with the things of this world that we neglect the greatest gift He offers us. Let us accept His invitation with grateful hearts and prepare ourselves, day by day, for the eternal joy of His kingdom.
We begin our annual celebration of Forty Hours Devotion with a solemn opening at the 10 AM Mass. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed upon the altar each day (Sunday, Monday and Tuesday) until 7 PM when we will gather to celebrate sung Evening Prayer and Benediction. This year, we are very pleased to welcome Father David O’Brien, Parochial Vicar of Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Parish in North Wales, PA (and former Archdiocesan Vocations Director) who will be our Homilist for these privileged days. I strongly encourage you and your families to take advantage of these blessed days to visit the Lord and spend time with Him in adoration. Likewise, to attend our special evenings of devotion inspired by our guest homilist Fr. O’Brien. These blessed days are like a mini “retreat” and are always a special time for any parish family to come before the Lord in this great Sacrament and rest in Him.
We look ahead to the Annual celebration of our Anointing of the Sick Mass. A clipboard has been provided in the church vestibule for registration. The Mass will take place on Saturday, October 24th at 11 AM. For any further questions or details, please call the Parish Office.
Soon, I will be sending to your home my Annual Appeal letter. As in years past, it will include for you both a Financial and Spiritual report as well as a report on the activities of our Outreach Ministry. As customary, I will highlight those important capital projects that I would like to address in this coming year. I take this opportunity to thank you in advance for your participation in this year’s Appeal and for your prayerful and financial support for the goals that we hope to accomplish for the good of our parish community. Keep a lookout in the coming weeks for more information.
I wish continued blessings upon all of you, my dear parishioners and your families and thank you wholeheartedly for your continued prayerful and financial support of our parish.
Love and prayers, Fr. Carey

10/08/2026

You won't want to miss this exciting event! Stay tuned for a sneak peek at our fabulous silent auction items!

10/07/2026

Be Encouraged: Catholic Support for Mental Health
The Archdiocese hosts a website to support those who are experiencing mental health struggles. There are tools to cultivate a deeper awareness of and responsiveness to these realities, suffered by so many.

10/02/2026

Dear Friends,
This weekend we celebrate the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. One of the most familiar images in Sacred Scripture is that of the vineyard. In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells the story of a landowner who carefully prepares a vineyard and then entrusts it to his tenants. When the time comes for the harvest, however, the tenants refuse to give the owner what belongs to him. Instead, they take possession of what was entrusted to them as though it belonged entirely to them. Jesus uses this parable to remind us of a simple but profound truth: everything we have ultimately comes to us as a gift from God.
We, too, have been entrusted with a vineyard. Our lives, our families, our homes, our talents, our time, our parish community, and the many opportunities God places before us are not possessions to be claimed as our own, but gifts to be cultivated and returned to God through the way we live. The question is not simply what we have received, but what fruit our lives are producing.
It is easy to look at the world around us and wonder whether we are producing the kind of fruit that God desires. There is certainly no shortage of division, anger, anxiety, and discouragement. Yet the Lord continues to entrust his vineyard to us. He asks us to cultivate it through patience, generosity, forgiveness, faithfulness, and love. Sometimes the fruit God asks of us may seem very ordinary: listening to someone who is lonely, forgiving an old hurt, encouraging a child, caring for an aging parent, reaching out to someone who feels forgotten, or simply choosing kindness when it would be easier to respond with frustration.
This Sunday also falls on October 4, the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, a saint who understood deeply that creation and everything within it are gifts entrusted to us by God. His life reminds us that gratitude should lead naturally to stewardship, humility, simplicity, and love. We are not owners of God’s gifts in the absolute sense; we are caretakers, called to make them fruitful for others.
As we gather around the Lord’s table this Sunday, perhaps we can ask ourselves a simple question: What kind of fruit is my life producing? Is my faith visible in the way I treat others? Is my gratitude expressed in generosity? Are the people entrusted to my care encountering something of God’s love through me?
The vineyard is still in our hands. The Lord continues to trust us with his gifts. May we receive that trust with humility and gratitude, and may the harvest of our lives bear fruit that gives glory to God and brings his love to those around us.
This Sunday we will celebrate the Rite of Acceptance with our Level 7 PREP students at the 10 AM Mass. These young parishioners are preparing to receive their Sacrament of Confirmation next year towards the end of the month of February. They will be recognized by name at this Mass and a special blessing will be imparted upon them with the prayers and support of our parish community. I would ask you to please keep them and their parents in your prayers at this time in their journey of faith as they prepare to receive the great gift of the Holy Spirit.
Next week, we will celebrate our annual celebration of Forty Hours Devotion beginning on Sunday, Oct.11th at the 10 AM Mass. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed upon the altar throughout each day (Sunday, Monday and Tuesday) until 7 PM when we will gather to celebrate sung Evening Prayer and Benediction. This year, we are pleased to welcome Rev. David P. O’Brien, Parochial Vicar at Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Parish in North Wales, PA and former Archdiocesan Vocations Director who will be our guest Homilist for these three privileged days. During this annual time of year, I encourage you and your families to attend these special days and evenings of devotion that can be for you a “mini-retreat”. Sign-up sheets will be available in the vestibule of the church for adorers to cover the daily periods of Adoration. These blessed days are a special time for all of us to come before the Presence of the Lord and rest in Him.
Now that the month of October (Respect Life Month) is here, we look ahead to the Annual celebration of our Anointing of the Sick Mass. This weekend, a clipboard will be placed in the vestibule of the church for those who would like to sign up to come to this Mass and be strengthened by this Sacrament of Healing. The Mass will take place on Saturday, October 24th at 11 AM. A light Luncheon will immediately follow the Mass. For any further questions or details, please call the Parish Office.
Thank you again for all you do for our parish. Until next week, may God bless you and your families!
Love and prayers, Fr. Carey