Author: St. Charles Borromeo

Messages from Parishioners

It Takes a Parish to Raise a Catholic…

| St. Charles Borromeo

While the old African proverb that it takes a village to raise a child is true, it is equally true that it takes a parish to raise a Catholic. You are probably picturing one of our many adorable little parishioners of St. Charles but I am speaking here of myself, Antonia Fusco, very well passed that adorable age. You may know me as a lector and Eucharistic minister at the nine o’clock Mass or as a catechist. And while I’m actively involved in the parish today, it wasn’t always so. In fact, I was only Confirmed in 2017, when I came to St. Charles in a highly vulnerable state. I was mourning the passing of my father, a practicing Catholic, who breathed his last in my arms.

I had been away from the church for many decades; the last Sacrament I had received was Holy Communion, so Catholicism felt very new to me in 2017. Over the course of these past three years, you, my fellow parishioners, alongside Fr. Bill, Fr. Anselmus, Monsignor LoPinto, and Fr. John, have helped raise this Catholic in ways you might not have known.  So in the spirit of gratitude, here’s what I have learned from you: Continue reading “It Takes a Parish to Raise a Catholic…” →

Messages from the Pastor

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the Second Reading – “See How These Christians Love One Another”

| St. Charles Borromeo

Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 17, 2020
1 Peter 3:15–18

Lucian of Samosata was a Roman Satirist who flourished around 180 AD. He would be a combination of Jay Leno and P.G. Woodhouse. He is mostly remembered now because of his satirical portrait of Christians and writing the first known work of Science Fiction. He thought that because Christians believed that, through the resurrection they had a literally new life both now and in heaven, they were extremely reckless and incurably gullible. The Christian would accept death rather than offering a bit of incense up to the gods but also would care for just about anyone without the simplest background check. His “Passing of Peregrinus” is still, I must admit, funny. He, quite possibly, coined the expression “See how these Christians love one another.”

It was not a compliment. Continue reading “Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the Second Reading – “See How These Christians Love One Another”” →

Homilies, Videos

5th Sunday of Easter – Homily (Msgr. LoPinto) 

| St. Charles Borromeo

As we come to this fifth Sunday of Easter, we again find ourselves with the Lord and the disciples in the evening of the Last Supper, as recorded for us by John.  And there is a dynamic that’s going on here: Jesus is speaking to the disciples and knows what will occur as the evening transgresses, and knows that they will all be very disturbed in the sense of frightened and anxious.  And so He opens with the words, “Do not let your hearts be troubled,” and invites them to faith.

And it’s interesting as you progress in the presentation – literally the discourse of Jesus – you find that there are different elements. In one case, Jesus is telling them that he’s going, and they want to know where are you going. They’re not familiar with that. In Jesus comes with that very beautiful line:”I am the way, and the truth, and the life,” then He goes on and talks about His identity.  This is a critical part of the presentation, for Jesus basically is announcing to them the intimacy that is there between Himself and the Father. Continue reading “5th Sunday of Easter – Homily (Msgr. LoPinto) “ →