MAY JESUS CHRIST BE PRAISED

   Now and Forever!

Welcome to my little website.  When I was a newly ordained priest, my first pastor gave me a full page in the parish bulletin to fill each week.  He told me he did not care what I wrote about as long as I filled the page.  He explained that only 1/3 of the parish would hear me preach on any given Sunday because I celebrated two out of six parish Masses but every parishioner would read the bulletin so this was a way that I could reachout to them and they could get to know me better. After four years in the parish, I was transferred to another parish and as I was leaving many people asked me to send them my weekly bulletin column by e-mail and thus my internet ministry was born.  

When I was trying to decide what to write about in my weekly bulletin article, I came across a quote from Archbishop Fulton Sheen that went something like "There are not a hundred people in the world who hate the Catholic Church for what we teach but there are thousands who hate the Catholic Church for what they think we teach."  With that quote in mind, I began to choose oen topic a month to explain more indepth the Church's teaching on those issues.  From those mustardseeds has blossomed this website filled with infomation about the Catholic faith that I find interesting and informative.  I invite you to take your time and explore the different teachings and reflections.  I hope above all that these things will ultimately lead you closer to God.
 
Thank you and God bless,
Fr. Thomas M. Pastorius

Each Sunday, I upload my Spiritual Newsletter for the week.  The newsletter contains an insight into this week's Sunday readings and my Spiritual Ponderings. 

PRAYER FOR STRENGTH AND WISDOM
Lord, give me strength and wisdom to live this day as I ought.

Give me strength... to overcome every temptation which may come to me, to do well every task which is assigned to me, to shoulder every responsibility which is laid upon my shoulders.

Give me wisdom... to know when to speak and when to keep silent, to know when to act and when to refrain from action, to know when to speak my mind and when to hold my peace.

So bring me to the end of this day knowing that I have helped build up the culture of life.  Amen.

Please join us in praying a special prayer each month for Catholics who have fallen away from their faith. 
 
PRAYER FOR STRENGTH TO FORGIVE.
Faultless Lord, enduring death for me, You have paid the debt of our sins: Your sacrifice of forgiveness was absolute! Grant us the strength to also forgive others, to excuse their transgressions against us.  So, we may truly reflect this spiritual fruit, obliterate any persistent feelings of malice. Let each trespass end as a closing chapter, on our continuing on the road of righteousness. Forgive our sins as we aspire to forgive others.  In a special way help our fallen away brothers and sisters forgive those who may have harm them and thus driven them away from the true faith.  You are truly archetypical of forgiveness. You are a most forgiving Lord! Amen.