The Lord is Risen, as he said! Alleluia!

With greatest joy, we join with the Church throughout the world and across the ages in celebrating Christ’s victory over sin and death. Having shared these past days in the depths of the Lord’s Passion, we can now be introduced to the heights of His Risen Glory.

So great is the fullness of the mystery of Easter that the Church celebrates it–like Christmas–as an“Octave,” an uninterrupted feast of eight days observed as a single“Easter Day." And even this Octave is only the beginning of the fifty days of festivity which characterizes the whole Easter season, culminating in the great Feast of Pentecost (June 9, this year).

I wish to thank from the depths of my heart all the staff members and volunteers of St. Anthony de Padua who have prepared our Parish so well for these holy days, from decorating to music to maintenance, and everything in between. For weeks the extra labors of the staff have been gracefully heroic! Particular thanks for the beauty and prayerfulness of our liturgies goes to Bryan Finkelstein and to all of the choir members whose music has helped us follow the Lord through Holy Week into the Sacred Triduum, that we might now join the angels and saints in singing the praises of the Risen Lord.

Congratulations to those baptized and received into the Church at Easter Vigil. Your faith shows that Christ’s promise of new Easter gifts is very much alive and that the Church, like her Lord, remains both ever ancient and ever new.

I am also deeply grateful for the work of Alycia Valentiny and her religious education/sacramental preparation volunteers, who have accompanied throughout the year the newly baptized and received along their journey to the Easter sacraments of communion into the Catholic Church.

Finally, to all who may be visiting St. Anthony Parish for the first time–or even after a long time–you are most welcome. A “new springtime” of faith and growth continues at our Parish, and we would be delighted and honored if you would consider joining us in the weeks and months and years to come. It will take this many Sundays together to discover all the graces–and even miracles–that the Risen Christ wishes to share with us. Speaking on behalf of all parishioners and the whole host of Heaven, I rejoice at the prospect of your homecoming–we have all prayed for you as our Easter gift!

St. Anthony de Padua, pray for us!
Fr. Bob
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Rev. Robert Garrow
Pastor, St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Parish

View photos from our Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday liturgies.