Brothers and Sisters,

What award or trophy do you most value? Does the object remind you of a championship victory and the efforts of a strong team? Does it capture recognition of a virtue, such as a love of service, or hard work and diligence?

As I sort through layers and layers of things accumulated from childhood through these last seven years, memories flood to the surface. If I were to give a tour of my life through my stuff, you’d probably get the sense that I was exceptional. The things I kept are mostly from times of success and achievement. I did not save those participation ribbons. I don’t think I realized how valuable participation truly is, and fortunately, getting rid of stuff does not remove the memories or the experiences that have blessed us.

We tend to think that standing out will lead to happiness. Yet St. Paul reminds us of the immense value of participating in the body and blood of Christ. We are blessed and truly fulfilled in our participation in the Eucharist. The call of Jesus to come to the feast should not be overlooked. He invites us to share in his life, which does mean that we will share in the sufferings of the cross and the victory of the resurrection.

As we enter the summer months of renewal and vacation, I encourage families and parishioners to be intentional and commit to attending Mass. If you take just thirty minutes, I am confident you can find a Mass close to wherever you will be, whether in transit or at your destination. It does take sacrifice, and sometimes that means shifting plans a bit. Let us keep encouraging one another. Masstimes.org remains a great starting place, though I encourage you to always double-check by visiting the parish website directly, or even by calling them.

During my time at OLPH, I have been truly blessed over these past seven years to have grown in my devotion to the Eucharist. Between the universal Church, the U.S. Bishops, and the Archdiocese of Baltimore, cultivating a love and adoration for Christ in the Eucharist has been a recurring theme. But this parish has long been blessed with a strong centrality of the Eucharist. We put great effort into our worship and liturgy, as well as ongoing adoration and praise of Jesus. So thank you. Your participation in Mass and the Sacraments, together with your dedicated commitment to prayer and adoration, is truly inspiring, and I know countless parishioners who have deepened their love for the Eucharist over these years as well.

On Friday, June 19, our parish will celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Chapel of the Good Shepherd. Our adoration chapel is a lasting legacy of those who contributed to its campaign and of all who have spent a few minutes or countless hours praying for vocations and for the parish in that hallowed space. We will pray the Angelus at 12 Noon and the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3:00 PM. From 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, we will hold “First Watch” with guided holy hours. Parishioners and families are welcome to come and go at any time. Let us keep asking the Lord to send laborers for his kingdom, strengthened by the Eucharist and confident in his faithfulness to those who say yes.

Later this month, we will celebrate our parish feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help on the weekend of June 27–28. We encourage everyone to commit to a simple novena prayer to Our Lady, that she may continue to intercede for our parish and draw us into a greater love for the life of Christ. The novena begins June 19 with First Watch at 6:00 PM, continues after each daily Mass, weekend Mass, and concludes at our Sunday Masses on June 27–28. Visit olphparish.org/olph-novena-prayer/ to access the Novena Prayer.