Hello friends,

Last weekend I presented to the parish our new goal for United in Ministry 2019. Our goal for this year is $85,850.94. If we come together as a parish, this goal should not be a burden. I encourage you to pray about how you can help contribute to this worthy cause.

In this weekends Gospel, the God-man Jesus is  pictured in a natural and familiar setting, alongside a lake, mixing with fishermen who were repairing thier nets. He steps  into the boat belonging to Simon, and pushes off a bit from shore. From the boat, he taught the crowds gathered along the shoreline. When he finished teaching, he apparently decided to display his supernatural power, to establish, if you will, his credentials with these good but ordinary fishermen. Jesus sets them up for a miraculous catch of fish, a great haul, so great that their nets snapped under the weight. "When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, " Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." From that moment, Simon became a fisher of men. I wonder if any of that applies to us now?

Hola amigos,

La semana pasada les presente nuestra la nueva meta que tenemos para este 2019 en Unidos en Ministerio. Nuestra meta es juntar $85,850.94. Ojala y todos podamos contribuir con lo que puedan para esta cuase. Dice el dicho que de grano en grano, la gallina llena el buche. Con el dinero que cada parraquia aporta en Unidos en Ministerio, la diocesis provee diferentes ministerios a traves de la diocesis. Esto ayda con la educacion de los diaconos permanentes, con la formacion de neuestros seminarists (futuros lideres en la Iglesia), para la educacion Catholica, y  muchas cosas mas. Asi que les pido por favor que consideren ayudarnos en esta cuasa. Recuerden que si juntamos mas de la meta, ese dinero se no regresa a la parroquia para hacer trabajos en los ministerios y para la manutencion de la iglesia.

​Fr. Alex Urena

Hello friends,

This weekend we heard one of the best known and best loved passages in Scripture. St. Paul's' description of love. What is so beautiful about this passage is it deals with the ordinary, everyday kind of love that ordinary living requires. Paul describes this kind of love by telling us what love is not rather than what love is. It is not jealous, pompous, rude or selfish., it is not short-tempered nor does it hold grudges. It is patient and kind and trusting and willing to put up with all kinds of little annoyances. This is not about falling in love. Paul is talking about our ordinary day-today- contact with other people, some of whom we may not care for, but whom we learn how to be kind to. Practicing this ordinary kind of love doesn't always sweep us off our feet, but it does bring a kind of joy, because our vocation and our fulfillment in life is to learn how to love one another.

Hola amigos,

En este cuarto domingo del tiempo ordinario, escuchamos sobre la vida ordinaria de Jesus. Tambien escucuhamos a San Pablo hablarnos de algo ordinario que deberia de existir entre todaos nosotros: el amor. La segunda lectura de la primera carta de San Pablo a los Corintios es muy popular en las bodas. Es como si furea un poema que describe el amor de la pareja. En realidad, es un pasaje que habla sobre el amor que se tenian los premeros cristianos y el amor que todos deberiamos de compartir unos con otros. Habla sobre lo ordinario. Ojala y estas palabras de San Pablo nos hagan refeccionar sobre como estamos manejando ese tipo de amor con los demas. Al fin de cuentas, el amarnos unos a otros es el primer mandamiento.

Fr. Alex Urena

Hello friends,

Today's second reading to the Corinthians, St. Paul says: "Brothers and sisters; As a body is one through it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ...you are Christ's body." A phrase attributed to St. Teresa of Avila says that "Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks out with compassion upon the world. Yours the feet with which he chooses to go about doing good. For as he is the head, so you are the members, and we are all one in Christ Jesus." We should take those words quite literally today. Christ no longer walks the earth unless feet like yours are there to take him where he would like to go. He has no hands, unless you offer him your own, to reach out and touch people who live now in oppressive conditions. Yours are quite literally the eyes though which he can  look out on our world today, so punishment, oppressive working conditions and repressive rule. Take his perspective on addiction and hunger, on disability and discrimation. Christ has no eyes on earth, but your eyes, so go out and take a look from his perspective.

Querido Amigos,

La segunda lectura de San Pablo a los Corintios nos habla sobre la unidad. Nos dice que todaos somos partes de un mismo cuerop, el cuerpo de Cristo. Este presenta una realidad y responsabilidad que todos tenemos hacia cada uno de nuestros hermanos y hacia nuestra iglesia. Que bonito es cuando todos trabajamos parejos, cuando ponemos en practica nuestros talentos que Dios nos ha dado. Los invito a participar de la vida de nuestra comunidad en diferentes maneras. El Domingo pasado exprese la necesidad que tenemos acomodadores, sacristantes, mas miembros en el coro, etc. Asi que hay se los dejo da tarea. Si el Senor te esta llamando a servirlo a el y a tus hermanos el cualquier manera de estos, no te de miedo. Hay que poner nuestros talentos al sercicio de los demas. Recuerda que todos somos parte de un mismo cuerpo, del cuerpo de Cristo.

Hello friends,

Years ago, the account of the miracle at Cana was the Gospel reading at every wedding Mass to show Christ's blessing on the marriage. The tradition of the Church has seen this miracle at Cana more widely as part of the epiphany of Jesus. "Epiphany" mean revelation or disclosure. Our liturgical tradition has seen three moments as a kind of "rolling epiphany" of Jesus our messiah. The first epiphany was to the Magi when Jesus was revealed as Savior to all people. The second was Jesus' baptism in the Jordan, which we celebrated last Sunday. The third miracle is at Cana when Jesus is revealed as the One who can change water into wine. Here we see the transforming power of Christ not only over water, but over human lives. It's about Jesus changing the ordinary things of our life into places of extraordinary grace.

Hola amigos,

Como han de ver, los colores de la iglesia y de los vesitmentos del padre han cambiado al color verde. Esto quiere decir que ya nuevamente en Tiempo Ordinario. Estaremos de este color hasta que llegue las cuaresma a principios de Marzo. En este segurndo domingo del Tiempo Ordinario, nos encontramos con el primer milagro que hace Jesus al convertir el agua en vino en las bodas de Cana. El evangelista Juan lo describe como un signo. Este es una manifestacion de quien es Jesus. Que el tiene poder para transformer no nomas el agua en vino, sino tambien para transformarnos a nosotros en mejores personas. Asi que no duduemos del poder de Dios.

​Fr. Alex Urena

Hello friends,

I am happy to be back in town with you after taking a week off after New Years. I had the opportunity to visit several places in Mexico. After spending a couple of days in Puerto Vallerta, I went to Nayarit, Arandas, Jalisco, San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato. These were all beautiful places to visit and highly recommend you visit a town or two.

​

Hello friends,

Today we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany. The word Epiphany comes from a Greek word which means coming to light or appearing. The shepherds who lived in the area of Bethlehem had already had their epiphany when the angels announced the birth of Jesus.

Today we commemorate God's revelation of the coming of his Son to the Magi. Magi is a term that designated persons who were priests of a pagan cult and were experts in astrology, interpretation of dreams, and various other occult arts. Their primary job would be to act as advisers to the rulers of the people of Persia (ancient people who lived in modern day Iran). As advisers to the king and this court, they would have studied the stars for messages from the gods. As pagans, they remind us that Christ's saving light meant for people of every race and every nationality.

Queridos amigos,

En esta fiesta de la Epifania del Senor, celebramos que Dios se sigue manifestando a todo el mundo. Esta manifestacion no quedo solo en los reyes magos que siguieron la Estrella, sino que Dios se sigue manifestando a todo aquel que abre su corazon a el. Ojala y nosostros estemos atentos a los signos de los tiempos para reconocerlo en su creacion, pero tambien en el projimo. Este fin de semana el padre Ryszard Polek esta visitando nuestra parroquia y estara hablando sobre la necesidad que hay de atender y ayudar al pobre. El esta aqui representando a "Food for the Poor"

Fr. Alex Urena

Hello friends,

A few days ago we celebrated the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem. Some of us sang the song: Silent night, Holy night. The silence of that night was broken only by the angels praising God and announcing peace to God's people on earth. Now the peace and quiet are gone. Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem during the feast of the Passover. With this we can see that the holy family had their share of problems. If you read the early chapters of St. Matthew and St. Luke's gospels you might get the impression their lives were full of problems.Today's gospel is the only gospel that tells us anything about Jesus as he was growing up. What panic Joseph and Mary must have felt not being able to find him for three days. Every family has good and bad times.

Happy New Year 2019!

Hola amigos,

Acaba de pasar la Navidad en la cual celebramos el Nacimiento del Niño Dios. Ahora estamos por despedir este año Viejo y recibir el 2019. Ojalá y una de nuestras metas para este año nuevo sea ser una mejor persona; ser más parecidos a Jesucristo. Despedimos este año con la Fiesta de la Sagrada Familia y lo recibimos con la Solemnidad de Santa Mariá, Madre de Dios. El proximo domingo celebraremos la Solemnidad de la Epifania del Señor. Ese domingo tendremos un padre visitante que viene de parte de "Food for the Poor," comida para el ambriento. Espero y lo reciban de muy Buena manera. Ese fin de semana yo estare fuera del pais. Yo me voy a tomar unos dias libres antes de comenzar el proximo año escolar. Feliz Año Nuevo 2019 a todos ustedes!

​ Fr. Alex Urena 

Hello friends,

This is our fourth and last Sunday of Advent. You can tell we are getting closer to Christmas by the traditional greeting that shoppers say in the stores: "I think I was next!"

In today's gospel we hear the angel has appeared to Mary and announced to her that God wanted her to be the mother of the long awaited Messiah. The angel informs Mary that her aged relative, Elizabeth, who had wanted all her life to have a baby was now going to have one. Mary, St. Luke tells us, traveled in haste to be with Elizabeth. This was a sign that as the angel said to Mary "Nothing is impossible with God."

With this thought in mind, I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas! May the Son of God and Mary, bring you peace, love and happiness to your families and your heart. 

On behalf of the Newman parish staff, receive our love and appreciation for all you for this community. May baby Jesus be born in your heart!


Estimados amigos,

Estamos en la ultima semana de Adviento. Ahora nos preparamos para celebrar la Navidad, el Naciemiento de Hijo de Dios. De parte de todos los que trabajamos en St. Alberto Magno, queremos desearles una Feliz Navidad!j Que el espirtu navideno les traiga paz, amor y felicidad a sus familias y a sus corazones. Gracias por ser parte de esta comunidad. Seguimes rezando para que nuestra misa de Espanol siga creciendo. Nuevamente, gracias por acompanarnos en esta preparacion del Nacimiento del nino Dios.

​Fr. Alex Urena

Hello Friends,

​This third Sunday of Advent is traditionally called "Gaudete Sunday" from the Latin for "Sunday to rejoice". It marks the midpoint of Advent when the vestments become a little lighter and the rose candle on the Advent wreath is lit. The liturgy continues to communicate that theme of joy with rose colored vestments and readings telling us to rejoice.

Last weekend we had the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and then the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe. All of these celebration are for us to rejoice in the Lord and in his mother, our mother. Let's continue to prepare ourselves for the coming of our Savior into our lives. John the Baptist has been inviting us to prepare the way for the Lord.

Queirdos Amigos,

Espero que este tiempo de Adviento nos estemos preparando para el verdadero sentido de la Navidad: el Nacimiento de el Rey del Universo, Jesucristo, nuestro Salvador. Este es el tiempo de las posadas y de muchas otras celebraciones. Ojala y todas estas ocaciones nos estenayudando a acrecentar nuestra fe en Dios. Gracias a todos ustedes que participaron de la celebracion de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe. Como es parte de nuestra tradicion, nos rejocijamos en honrar a la madre de Jesus que Tambien es nuestra madre bajo la advocacion de la Virgen de Guadalupe. Ella Tambien es un signo de gozo para nuestro pueblo Hispano y para toda la humanidad. Por eso es considerada la Emperatriz de America

​Fr. Alex