Why Pray?
Why Pray to the Saints
Prayer just means communication and as Catholics, we communicate with saints and seek their intercession. Now, even if that’s not worship, that’s bad enough in the eyes of many protestants because that is seen as looking for an intermediary other than Jesus or it’s simply communicating with the dead, both of which are forbidden in scripture.
The Mass is the
Highest Form of Prayer...
The Sanctuary
In this video recorded at St John's Parish, the holy nature of the sanctuary is discussed. It is not just an ordinary space. Added gestures and rituals, done in a prayerful way, help to acknowledge the special nature of the sanctuary.
Click the image above any time of day to view the latest Mass from Catholic TV.
Faith and Culture
Bishop Barron sits down with Matthew Petrusek to examine the dark and difficult aspects of internet culture. We explored René Girard’s insights on scapegoating; the rise of toxicity, mobs, and weaponized anonymity; and how, with the help of the cardinal virtues, we can still make evangelical headway online.
Prayer is POWERFUL. Prayer has always been a part of my quiet time routine, and generally I will talk to God throughout my day. But lately I have been wanting to grow in setting aside more INTENTIONAL time in prayer. Through prayer, we have access to talk to God whenever, and there is such intimacy with Him available to us when we commune with Him in this way. Not to mention, prayer changes things. 🙏🏼
Please Pray for Vocations!
Below we list the latest seminarian roster (to be updated soon) and the diaconate formation rosters, as well as a full parish directories (with church locations) of both Vicariates in the Diocese.
Unpack the concept of vocation and how it applies to your life, beyond just becoming a priest or nun.
Listening for God's Whisper: Learn practical ways to tune into your faith, values, and interests to discover where God might be leading you.
June 2025: Robert Koch, Patricia Buck, Joseph Ianotta, Charles Baer, Ralph Buzzelli
July 2025: Lucy Paulin, Clara Bayne
Aug 2025: Mary Bauer, Ronald Rademacher
Sept 2025: Mary Ann Skinger, Alison Wilson, George Brown
Oct 2025: Barbara Imhoff
Nov 2025: Mary Frances Lerch, Shirley Dickson, Richard Nolan
Dec 2025: Janice Steinhauser, Frank Lowe
Jan 2026: Allen Schomaker
Feb 2026: Virginia Briski, Laura DiCola
March 2026: Sister Celeste Hupert, Michael Van Leer, Barbara Davis
April 2026: Sr Carol Troesch, Marie Adams, Barbara Fuerst, Judith Scott, Jane Welka, Paul Walsh
May 2026: John Staudacher, Dennis McLean, Pauline Zelina, Joseph Kaib, Martha Foster
July 2026: Frank LoPresti
It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one’s heart always to crave more. This continual longing is futile—like chasing the wind.
Ecclesiastes 6:9, NET
The English naturalist and cleric John Ray published a Collection of English Proverbs in 1670. One of the proverbs he recorded—“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”—has its origins as far back as the seventh century B.C.: “Better is a sparrow held tight in the hand than a thousand birds flying about in the air.”
King Solomon understood this principle: Being content with what one has today is better than being anxious about what one wishes he had. Living in a state of “continual longing,” Solomon wrote, “is futile—like chasing the wind.” Sometimes we forget the lessons of Eden, that God created a world for us to enjoy on a daily basis. Yes, that world has been marred by sin and sin’s ill effects, but that does not mean we should be dissatisfied with the joys we can experience each day. The apostle Paul affirmed the benefits of contentment in 1 Timothy 6:6-10.
Ask God for wisdom in finding the balance between what you have and what you desire.
"Contentment with what we have is absolutely vital to our spiritual health."
Jerry Bridges
-Dr David Jeremiah
Step Back and Reflect - An Essay
Memory Lane!
This week, we have compiled a collection of notable Pittsburgh celebrities that are now deceased. All are buried close to home. There are many more Pittsburgh celebrities that are buried in far away places, like California for example. But these folks are in our own neighborhood. The Rooney's, Chuck Noll and Bruno Sammartino are all buried in Christ Our Redeemer Cemetery on Cemetery Lane in the North Hills. If you know of any other locals that we missed, please let us know!
Deacon Bill Homily Archive
Here are four recent homilies. Hover over the icons below to see the dates and topics.
Give us your email address and we'll add you to the email distribution so that you can pray with us!
Deacon Bill Palamara 412-596-3370