Do you know the origin of the Kiss of Peace at Mass and where the tradition came from? Before the Kiss of Peace, we have “The Lord’s Prayer” which is used most appropriately to begin the communion rite. It reminds us that God is our Father and we are God’s children who depend on him for everything.

Do you know what happens during the Consecration? After the Sanctus, the priest now asks God to send the Spirit to transform the gifts of bread and wineinto the Body and Blood of Jesus. The priest then begins the narrative of the Last Supper. He recalls how Jesus took the bread, blessed it, gave thanks,and said, “This is my body.”

Do you know why we sing Holy, Holy, Holy? The Sanctus (Holy), as it is called in Latin is the first praise we the people give to God the Father in the Eucharistic prayer. The whole Church of God unites each time we intone the Sanctus. The faithful here on earth (us), the souls in purgatory, and the saints in heaven are joined in praise of God.

Do you know why we go from Sitting to Standing to Kneeling through Mass? We stand during Mass as a sign of reverence. In the same way that we stand in respect when introduced to an important person, we also stand when meeting Christ in the gospel, when receiving the Eucharist and when we are in an important conversation with God. A time for sitting is usually a time for listening and reflecting. Bowing for blessing was practiced for many years in the Church. It was replaced by kneeling in the Western rite.

Sunday readings have been arranged in such a way that if you come to church regularly over a three year period, you will have read almost all of the New Testament and a varied selection of texts from the Old Testament. The Church’s Calendar year starts in Advent. The gospel reading in Year A is generally from Matthew, Year B from Mark, and Year C from Luke.

Do you know the meaning of the Liturgy of the Word? Do you know why we have three readings on a Sunday Mass? Well, the Liturgy of the Word is God speaking to us. If you have been paying attention to the readings, you would have noticed that the first reading is always taken from the Old Testament except during the Easter season (check out the readings during this Easter period).In general, the first reading tells us what God did in the past for the chosen race (the people of Israel). This reading usually has a connection with the gospel reading.

After the Sign of the Cross, the priest says the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ… be with you all,” and the congregation says: “And with your spirit.” This means that Christ is present in our midst. Scripture says “for where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20).

Why is the Mass so Important to Catholics?

Every Sunday when we gather for Mass as Catholics, we remember what Jesus did at the Last Supper. Do you know that the words of Jesus, “Do this in remembrance of me,” have been obeyed without interruption for nearly two thousand years? Whenever we come together as Catholics to celebrate the Mass, we are there to do what Jesus commanded. It is our faith that in that action, Jesus is made present for us.

In Matthew Commentary chapter 15, J. C. Ryle wrote “The heart must be the principal point to which we attend in all the relations between God and our souls. A new heart. What is the sacrifice God asks us to bring to him? A broken and a contrite heart. What is the true circumcision? The circumcision of the heart.

I am the second son and the last born of the seven children born to my parents, Mr. Innocent Ihemedu (91 years old) and Mrs. Cecilia Ihemedu (85 years old). My parents and siblings live in Nigeria.

I have always believed that a life that does not touch another life in a positive way is a wasted life. This value set, of making a humane difference in the lives of others, came from my parents. Early in life, they taught my siblings and me that for many the hope of “being and becoming” a valued community member depends on the ability to respond. For father, imparting knowledge is one crucial way to unlock the doors of opportunities. This is what motivated him to pursue a career in education and teaching and to encourage his children when they chose to follow likewise. Except for mother who worked at home, everyone in my family is a career educator of some sort. It is the same underlying philosophy of touching hearts and changing lives, that moved me to discern a path that joins the human spiritual ministry through a vocation in the Catholic priesthood with a pursuit of further service through counselor education and counseling psychology.

My Dear Friends,

I have been a priest in Torrington for seven years, five as your pastor. My predecessor, Father Tiano, was your pastor for seven years. For twelve years, there has been a sense of some stability. Father Tiano, of course, arrived in the midst of a storm. Beginning in 2006, after the three priests left Torrington, Father Tiano, Father Romans and Father Lavorgna took over, with Father Gustavo Lopez remaining behind to help with the Spanish speaking community. Eventually, Father Romans left and Father Carlson came in. Then Father Carlson and Father Lavorgna went from four priests to three.

My Dear Friends,

As most of you heard last week, I have been reassigned. Next Monday, August 20th, I begin my new assignment as pastor at St. Katherine Drexel Parish in New Britain. It consists of the two former parishes, St. Maurice and St. Jerome. I arrived in Torrington on August 1st, 2011, as an assistant to Father Tiano. Two years later, in July 2013, I was named administrator, soon to be followed by pastor in 2014. In those five years, the cluster went through many changes, the most destabilizing change being the closing of two parishes, and the merging of the four Torrington Catholic churches into St. John Paul the Great Parish.

My Dear Friends,

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says that He is the Bread of Life. It is a continuation from last week’s Gospel when Jesus fed the five thousand with the loaves and fish. It is also in preparation for the continuation of the important chapter six of the Gospel of John where Jesus will flesh out His comment on being the Bread of Life. The importance of chapter six cannot be minimized or disregarded. Jesus speaks plainly to His disciples and those who are following Him. “What can you do?” they ask Him. Moses gave them manna, but Jesus responds that is was not Moses, but rather His Father who gives them true bread from heaven.