Dear Parishioners:
Officially, summer ends on September 22, when the fall season begins. But school has begun, and Labor Day is here! Thus, the summer is over for students, teachers, and almost everyone else. On Friday, we celebrate the Opening Mass of the Holy Spirit for the new school year. Please join us.
Thank you for your generous support of the Back to School Supply Drive for St Patrick's Academy. The good folks at St. Patrick's Academy are most grateful for the tremendous amount of supplies and financial support. The first delivery of supplies was met with gratitude and joy. I also thank Doug Green, OLM Outreach Director, for his hard work on this good work of mercy.
Labor Day is the first Monday of September in the United States. It is often seen as the unofficial end of summer—a time for family gatherings, cookouts, and rest before the busy fall season. However, its deeper significance lies in celebrating the dignity of work and the contributions of laborers to society. For Catholics, this day offers a profound opportunity to reflect on the Church's teachings about the sanctity of work, human dignity, and our role in building a just society.
Catholic teaching has long upheld the dignity of work as central to the human experience. Work is not simply a means to earn a livelihood but a vital part of our vocation as God's children. Through work, we participate in God's creation, cooperating with His divine plan and contributing to the common good. The Church Fathers, the saints, and countless Church documents affirm this truth.
In his encyclical Rerum Novarum (On the Condition of Labor), Pope Leo XIII articulated the Church's teaching on the dignity of work in response to the challenges of the Industrial Revolution. He emphasized that work is an inherent part of human dignity, stating: "It is only by the labor of working men that States grow rich. Justice, therefore, demands that the interests of the working classes should be carefully watched over by the administration so that they who contribute so largely to the advantage of the community may themselves share in the benefits which they create."
This teaching is rooted in the understanding that man, created in God's image and likeness, fulfills his vocation through honest and diligent work. Work is not merely a burden but a means of sanctification, a way to imitate Christ, who Himself labored as a carpenter.
Labor Day reminds us of the Church's consistent defense of workers' rights. The right to just wages, safe working conditions, reasonable hours, and rest are not simply privileges but essential to respecting the dignity of the human person. These rights are closely linked to our duties—to work honestly, respect the common good, and use our talents in service to others. The Church has always called for a balance between labor and capital, emphasizing that economic systems must serve the human person, not the other way around.
Labor Day is also an occasion to recognize the importance of rest, which the Church teaches is essential for our well-being. The rhythm of work and rest, as ordained by God, is a pattern for human life. The Lord's Day, in particular, is a time set aside for rest, worship, and the renewal of our spirits.
As Catholics, Labor Day is a time to reflect on the deeper significance of work in our lives. It is a day to thank God for the gift of labor, to honor those who contribute to society through their work, and to remember the Church's teachings on the dignity and rights of workers. In the spirit of the saints who saw work as a path to holiness, let us pray that our labors may always be pleasing to God, that we may find joy and purpose in our work, and that we may contribute to building a more just and charitable society.
There has been a change in our Devotion Schedule. Monthly Eucharistic Adoration will now occur on the First Wednesday of the Month, not the First Friday. Please join us this Wednesday for Eucharistic Adoration beginning after 7:30 a.m. Mass with Benediction at 5:00 p.m.
Have a Happy Labor Day! Be well. Do good. God Bless. Go, Pats!