Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I had the opportunity recently to see the Luke Films, Inc. new movie, Therese. It was so nice to see a film and be inspired. Far too often today we get bombarded with garbage in the name of entertainment. This is true of our books, our television programs, our music, and our cinema. When is the last time that you saw a movie, read a book, or listened to music that touched your soul and your faith? Therese is THAT kind of film. Therese has been endorsed by the Vatican, which has already included the movie in their list of the most Faith-inspiring films of all time. The movie has also been encouraged by Church leaders from 110 different countries, including Cardinal George, Cardinal Egan, Archbishop Burke, Archbishop Sean O’Malley, and many others. We are very blessed that the film, which is in very limited distribution, is currently showing at Regal Cinemas here in Westfield (located right behind Village Park Plaza, next to Menard’s). It is one of the few places that you can see it in Indiana. I think we need to support this film. Quite obviously, the better this movie does, the more wholesome and Faith-based films they will be able to make. And the saints are the perfect topics for great stories. If you get the time and have to opportunity, check out Therese. I think you will be glad that you did. Regal Cinema tells me that they will hold the movie over for this week. The original plan was for it to play for just one week, but apparently they have found that good Catholics like good movies more than they thought.

Our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, wrote in a document a couple of years ago: “…the special challenge before you, is to find ways to ensure that the voice of the Church is not marginalized or silenced in the modern arena of the media. You have a role to play in ensuring that the Gospel is not confined to a strictly private world. No! Jesus Christ must be proclaimed to the whole world; and therefore the Church must enter the great forum of the media with courage and confidence.” If Satan, and those who support “alternative lifestyles”, and those who buy into the culture of death, can so effectively use and manipulate the media, as Catholic Christians we must use all of our intelligence and skills to not only do the same, but to do it better. We have the truth. We have the greatest story ever told! Nobody should be able to entertain, to draw in, and to arouse passion more, or better, than the Catholic Church. This is great stuff! The rest of the world, the rest of our culture, should know about the Gospel. Maybe then people would not waste one valuable minute of life on dribble like Fear Factor or The Apprentice.

The Gospel must be preached by all of us. We all have a responsibility to take the good news out to others. St. Francis of Assisi wrote that “We are to preach the Gospel at all times. We are to use words only when necessary.” I think that what St. Francis meant was that the best homilies are not given by priests, deacons, or bishops in church, but the best homilies are lived in the lives of each and every one of us. There are people waiting for you to show them Christ. They don’t need you to tell them anything. They need you to SHOW them Jesus in your actions. Beating someone over the head with the Bible, or the Catechism, or the Lives of the Saints, isn’t going to do any good. But if we truly let Jesus live and reign in our actions, why...we could change the world!

Our new church is coming along. There is a lot more progress than what most of us can see from the outside. The builders are still saying that we will be in by the beginning of December. A lot has to happen though, in the next few weeks. Please keep the building project and all of those working on it in your prayers. It is coming together right in front of our eyes.

Have a great week. Let us keep one another in our prayers!

In Christ,
Fr. Kevin

A little boy was playing with blocks and his mother was watching him. He
built a big building and then put a steeple on top of it. “It’s a church, Michael,” his mother commented, delighted at his budding architectural genius.
“No, Mommy,” the boy replied, with serious blue eyes holding his mother’s gaze.
“It can’t be a church until you put people in it.”