Letter from the Pastor

Next Saturday, May 25th, several young men from St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, Yonkers, will be ordained to the priesthood for the Church of New York.  Our best wishes and prayers go with them as they begin their new ministry in the name of the Lord. May we here at Annunciation – Our Lady of Fatima pray fervently today and every day for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life.  Our Holy Father makes a special point of the truth that the local parish community and, in fact, each and every family ought to be the source of […]

Some time ago, I heard the story of a young woman; I thought it would be appropriate to share it with you today.  Her husband was a cancer victim, so weak that he was almost paralyzed and bedridden.  She had three small school-aged children and one in her arms.  She worked to support her family.  After work she rushed home to cook, wash, scrub and care for her husband and children.  Surprisingly, she had a faint smile on her face all the time.  When asked how she was doing, she said, “It’s God’s will.”   There were no tears, nor anger, […]

A student is planning to maintain high marks, graduate from high school, then go to college and prepare for a useful and worthwhile career.  A young couple is planning to get married, have a wonderful relationship and build a beautiful home.  Parents are planning to instill in their children a sense of self-worth and high moral values, that will guide and sustain them long after they are gone from home. And no doubt each of us is planning to become the best person that he or she possibly can.  We plan to be true to our principles, faithful to our […]

Samplers of public opinion, such as George Gallup and Louis Harris, have stopped people on the street or called them on the phone and asked this question, “Do you believe in God?”  The results have varied a few percentage points from time to time and place to place.  But always, the vast majority say, “Yes, I do believe in God.” But after that poll there is another question that we need to ask.  In what kind of God do we believe?  Or to put it another way, what do we believe about God?”  That He is?  Yes, we believe that.  […]

In his letter to the Corinthians, the apostle St. Paul talked about a personal problem, which he describes as a “thorn in the flesh.”  No one knows exactly what that was.  It is generally assumed that St. Paul was suffering from some sort of physical malady.  But the only thing we know for sure is that St. Paul had some sort of personal limitation, which he prayed to be rid of, but to no avail; and finally, he had to settle down and learn to live with it. I think that that should strike a responsive chord in the heart […]