Fr. Tom’s Letters

Each week Fr. Tom writes a letter to parishioners in our bulletin. Every letter is comprehensive, including current information about the Parish, an explanation of Scripture for that Sunday, and an invitation to become more engaged in the life of the parish.

April 12, 2026

Dear Parishioners,

Today we celebrate the Second Sunday of Easter and we complete the Easter Octave, the eight days of Easter. In addition, we observe Divine Mercy Sunday, a feast proclaimed several years ago by Saint Pope John Paul II. As we hear every Second Sunday of Easter, we hear the gospel story of Jesus’ appearance to Thomas the Apostle in the Upper Room. Three times in this gospel story we hear the Easter greeting from the Risen Lord, “Peace be with you.”

I hope all enjoyed the Easter celebration of last weekend. More than 4000 people attended Easter Mass here at St. Anne’s, including the four young adults baptized at the Easter Vigil. The beautifully arranged lilies and hydrangeas in the sanctuary, the uplifting Easter music, and the large gatherings of people at Mass all combined for a great sense of community and Easter joy. Thank you to all who prepared and participated in the celebrations of Holy Week and Easter.

In addition, parishioners were very generous with your Easter offerings. We have surpassed the total of last year’s Easter collection and often we continue to receive Easter offerings for the next few weeks. The total of our Easter collection for this year will probably be about $110,000. Thank you for your support and generosity.

The Easter season extends for 50 days, this year until May 24, Pentecost Sunday. Concurrent with the Easter Season, we can all see how spring is bursting with fresh green grass and the new growth on trees and plantings. These spring weeks will be filled with sacramental celebrations for our parish children. Over the next three weekends we will celebrate eight First Communion Masses. In addition, on Wednesday, April 29 with Bishop Robert Coyle we will have two Confirmation Masses for our eighth graders in faith formation and in our parish school. These are very busy days and very happy days. We look forward to these important parish celebrations and their families as these days approach.

BISHOP WILLIAM MURPHY

I realize that Easter Week might be my favorite week of the year. Again I enjoyed this Easter Week, yet it included some somber days and anxious moments. During the week at St. Anne’s, we had four funeral Masses. These funeral Masses during Easter week underline the importance of our faith in the Resurrection. As always, death brings loss, pain, and sadness. The funeral liturgy points us towards eternity and heaven. Funeral Masses during Easter Week make clear the importance of our Easter faith.

Bishop Murphy’s Funeral Mass was on Easter Tuesday at St. Agnes Cathedral. I attended with dozens of brother priests. I remain grateful to Bishop Murphy in several ways. I assisted him as Vocation director when he first came to our diocese in 2001. In 2011, he encouraged me to apply for the pastorate at St. Anne’s and he appointed me soon thereafter. He is among the many persons to whom I am very grateful for my 15 years of happy priestly service here at St. Anne’s. After his retirement in 2017, Bishop Murphy and I frequently shared dinner together; we enjoyed great conversation and developed a friendship. His health declined this past year and I am confident he now enjoys eternal life in heaven. Grateful I am for his nearly 60 years as a priest, his service to our diocese and the Church and for his friendship.

We all shared an anxious time early on in Easter Week. The gifts of Easter peace, joy, and serenity were a stark contrast to the language of war and threats of vast destruction. Fortunately, a cease-fire agreement was reached and further escalation gave way to peace negotiations. We pray that our nation’s leaders and leaders of other involved countries will lead to a more lasting peace. How grateful I am to Pope Leo XIV for his consistent and uncompromising demand for such a ceasefire and spirit of dialogue and negotiation for peace. We pray with Pope Leo for the leaders of nations to be firm in their commitment to a lasting and just peace.

Enjoy a Blessed Easter Season!

Fr. Tom

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