St. John Vianney Catholic Church | Father Troy’s Weekly Letter

The Feast of Corpus Christi

Jun 18, 2017 In Father Troy's Weekly Letter

Dear friends in Christ: This weekend we celebrate the wonderful Feast of Corpus Christi (The Body of Christ). The history of this feast is quite remarkable. This great feast is due to the great love of Jesus by two women by names of Juliana and Eve. They lived in the early 1200’s in Liege, Belgium. Juliana had been an orphan, but was educated by the Augustinian nuns of Mount Cornillon. From her early childhood, Juliana had a strong devotion to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Eventually, Juliana entered the convent and would become the Mother Superior. Throughout her life, Juliana...

God First

Jun 11, 2017 In Father Troy's Weekly Letter

Dear friends in Christ: This is a wonderful time of year on the church’s liturgical calendar – The Ascension, Pentecost, Holy Trinity, Corpus Christi, and The Feast of the Sacred Heart! These are all wonderful feasts. Unfortunately, they also coincide with summer vacations, graduations, First Communions, weddings, baseball, bar-b-ques, the beach, camping, etc. These are also good things, but we should not let them push these holy feasts out of our consciousness. Recently, I was reading Last Testament by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. In the foreword by Peter Seewald is a quote of Pope Benedict writing to the bishops of the...

Come Creator Spirit, Come!

Jun 4, 2017 In Father Troy's Weekly Letter

Dear friends in Christ: Throughout the Church year we celebrate our great feasts with music. We all know and love the wonderful and beautiful Christmas carols that we sing from heart and memory. What is Easter without the majesty of the great hymns proclaiming the resurrection and the joyful strains of Alleluia? The great feast of Pentecost, which we celebrate today, is also marked by its own music. Today we will sing the sequence of the Veni Sancte Spiritus (Come Holy Spirit) immediately before the gospel which echoes the sequences of Easter Sunday (Praise the Paschal Victim – Victimae Paschali) and...

Will you Serve?

May 28, 2017 In Father Troy's Weekly Letter

Dear friends in Christ: First, a word of thanks to everyone for continuing to handle the construction with such patience, grace and understanding. There is only a little left to go, so we keep praying and thanking the Lord for this opportunity to build something beautiful to give Him glory! The last two major items are progressing along: the bells and the organ. Although we had a problem with one of the subcontractors falling behind with the fabricating of the rack for the bells, we were able to move the work from Ohio to Texas and it is now being completed...

“…The Laborers are Few”

May 21, 2017 In Father Troy's Weekly Letter

Dear friends in Christ: This weekend (Saturday) marks my 28th anniversary of priestly ordination! It has been a wonderful 28 years. I have not done everything perfectly and have a long list of mistakes, but I have also learned a lot, grown a lot and have received more blessings than I can count. Since my ordination I was an Assistant Pastor here and at St. Martha’s in Kingwood, Administrator at Queen of Peace, Vice Chancellor for the Archdiocese for 12 years and served as pastor at the Co-Cathedral and for the last nine years here at SJV. Each assignment has brought...

Receiving Grace

May 14, 2017 In Father Troy's Weekly Letter

Dear friends in Christ: In so many ways, spiritually speaking, this a beautiful time of the year! Baptisms of adults and Professions of Faith at Easter, First Communions, Confirmations, weddings and ordinations. That is just a tremendous amount of God’s wonderful grace (notice I avoided saying amazing!). Indeed, as when any member of the Church grows in God’s grace it is beneficial to all in the Church. Likewise, when grace is diminished or sin occurs it negatively impacts all in the Body of Christ. As so many are receiving sacraments and the graces they bestow, we should all seek to grow...

Making “Someday” Today

May 7, 2017 In Father Troy's Weekly Letter

Dear friends in Christ: You have probably heard the saying at Mass, “Last words are lasting words!” Among the last words that Jesus spoke before he ascended into heaven was his command that we ‘Go make disciples of all nations and teach and baptize’ (Mt 28.19, 20). By virtue of our baptism and by our love of Jesus, each of us is compelled ‘to go and make disciples’. Each of us is called and commissioned by Jesus to share our faith and to help bring others to salvation in Jesus Christ. Admittedly, sometimes we are so busy just trying to fulfill...

Behold our Mother!

Apr 30, 2017 In Father Troy's Weekly Letter

Dear friends in Christ: As you probably know, my family’s religious background is somewhat “confused”. My natural father was a non-practicing Catholic, my mother was Baptist and my step-father is a non-observant Jew. I grew up going to a Catholic elementary school and attending the Baptist church and serving as an altar boy in a Catholic church. Got a headache yet? As a result, I did not grow up with the devotional practices and traditions of Catholicism. I never prayed the rosary or attended a novena or invoked the intercession of the saints. In fact, I had family members, good people...

A Work of Love

Apr 23, 2017 In Father Troy's Weekly Letter

Dear friends in Christ: What a marvelous Holy Week and Easter! I know that I say this every year, but it is always true! What many do not realize is how many people are involved and how much work it takes. This is true for all churches but in a parish this large, it is especially true. The work of preparing and “executing” everything is truly a work of love for everyone involved. While many people see the end results of the liturgies (ceremonies, music, décor etc.), we generally do not pay attention to all the behind the scenes work that...

Joy

Apr 16, 2017 In Father Troy's Weekly Letter

Dear friends in Christ: Have you ever wondered Why be Catholic? or What difference does it make if I believe in Jesus or not? Most of us have at one time or another. The answer to these very serious questions is both simple and complex. The answer is TODAY. Why be Catholic? Because of Easter. What difference does Jesus make? Because of Easter. It is the joy of Jesus conquering sin and death through his passion, death and resurrection. Why be Catholic? EASTER JOY! What difference does Jesus make in my life? EASTER JOY! Too often, people confuse or simply do not know...

St. John Vianney

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