Friends in Christ,

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

I extend a joyful and blessed Easter greeting to you and your loved ones as we celebrate Christ's triumph over sin and death and look forward to our reigning with Him in glory. The Resurrection of Our Lord is not merely a historical event; it is a present reality that gives us new life and hope as He provides for us in the sacraments.

A few years back I had the blessing of visiting the Holy Land just prior to the start of Holy Week. I traveled to Bethlehem where Christ was born. I visited the town of Nazareth where Mary, the Mother of God received the Annunciation from the angel Gabriel and where Jesus spent His early years. I journeyed through the towns around the Sea of Galilee where He chose His twelve apostles, and did so much of His preaching, teaching, and healing.

Finally, I traveled through the holy sites in Jerusalem. The most moving of these was the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Inside of this massive stone church in the Christian quarter of Jerusalem, is the place where Christ was crucified. About a stones throw away from the spot of the crucifixion is the tomb where His body was placed and from where He rose from the dead in His glorious Resurrection.

Whether I was listening to the gentle waves crash on the sea of Galilee, praying at Calvary, or in the marketplace and the hustle and bustle of Jerusalem, along which are the stations of the cross….I was struck by the profound reality of it all. The Son of God became man. He suffered and died for my sins. Now He reigns eternally and desires for us to reign with Him.

As we enter these 50 days of Easter celebration, my hope and prayer for each one of you and for those you love, is that we can accept Christ’s invitation more fully.

A special welcome and congratulations to our Catechumens and Candidates who were baptized or received into full communion with the Catholic Church on the Easter Vigil!

In Christ,

Fr. Michael Carlso