News - June 2021 RSS Feed

“See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God.  Yet so we are.” - 1 John 3:1 Click title for full article.

Once again we’re told to make decisions that bring us closer to God so we can ask for help and be confident that help and healing will be given. Get close to merciful Jesus. Ask. And, believe! Miracles happen. Have faith! 

Fr. David will be leaving our Olean Catholic Community. He will be the pastor of St. Dominic's Catholic Community in Westfield, NY. We want to thank you, Fr. David, for the past nine years of guiding us in your prayerful way. Although Fr. David will be leaving by the end of next week, we will have an official farewell on August 1st. Stay tuned for details.

Parish Office will be closing at 10:30am as the staff has a meeting at St. John's. We are sorry for the short notice, but we only learned of this late yesterday afternoon. We will re-open on Monday at 9 am.

No 12:15 pm Mass on Monday, June 21st. Alternatives: 7 am Communion Service and 8 am Mass at St. John's.

A Father’s Day Prayer Heavenly Father, Today we ask You to bless our earthly fathers for the many times they reflected the love, strength, generosity, wisdom and mercy that You exemplify in Your relationship with us, Your children. We honor our fathers for putting our needs above their own convenience and comfort; let them be examples of faith and love that shine forth -- for teaching us to show courage and determination in the face of adversity; for challenging us to move beyond our self interests; for modeling the qualities that would turn us into responsible, caring adults of good character. Give these men the grace to acknowledge and learn from their mistakes. Help them to be examples of humility and love. We ask your blessing on those men who served as father figures in our lives. Give new and future fathers the guidance they need to raise happy and holy children, grounded and anchored in a love for God and other people. We pray that all of our fathers who have passed into the next life have been welcomed into Your loving embrace, and that our family will one be day be reunited in your heavenly kingdom. In union with St. Joseph, whom you entrusted with your Son, we ask your generous blessings today and every day.

Instead of the relationship between God and man as parent and child; Jesus treats the disciples as peers. Notice that Jesus is asleep in the stern of the boat; not the bow. He is a passenger; trusting the disciples to steer the boat while He (Jesus) sleeps. Jesus’ message is to have total trust in God. Jesus can sleep even when the storm rages. Jesus reiterates: “Have faith. Trust in God!” 

Ponder this clear message of hope that the Kingdom of God will be fulfilled and will be victorious. We will face tribulations as we are now and perhaps even worse in the future; but… we are promised a happy ending… the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom and the Heavenly restoration of our Earth. Let’s heed the warnings about obediently living the laws of our faith, but let’s also live in joyful hope for the coming Kingdom!

“You are the light of the world, a city set on a mountain cannot be hidden . . . your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5: 14, 16

Blessings on the 7th Anniversary of your Priestly Ordination, Fr. John! Celebrating 7 years on June 7th! God has blessed our Basilica with your priestly vocation. May you be filled with God’s blessings and joy!

The obligation to attend Sunday Mass now resumes, effective the weekend of June 5-6, 2021, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ in our Diocese.

The Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, “Corpus Christi Sunday,” is a good time for us to give thanks to God for the Sacrament of the Eucharist and for Jesus’ Sacrifice of Himself in order to serve as our Messiah, Savior and Redeemer. The Eucharist and the other Sacraments are for us, as Catholics and Christians, gateways for acceptance, in faith of Jesus’ love and mercy, His offer of salvation. We shall thank God, eternally for this precious gift!

Come say hello while the Basilica will have a booth at StrOlean tomorrow (Friday, June 4 from noon until 8 pm). Bring your children to play Basilica Putt Putt and get a prize! Buy your BasilicaFEST BIG RAFFLE tickets!