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Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Our parish will celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, our patronal feast, on Tuesday, September 15. As a community under Mary’s maternal care, we look to her steadfast faith at the foot of the Cross, where she teaches us hope, compassion, and trust in God’s providence. Our Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows, which began on September 7, prepares our hearts, deepens our faith, and unites our personal suffering with the sorrows of Mary. These nine days of prayer lead us to reflect on Mary’s Seven Sorrows. At the center of these sorrows is the moment in John’s Gospel when Mary stands beside her crucified Son and receives the beloved disciple. In that gift - “Behold, your mother” - the Church receives Mary as our mother, who accompanies us in every trial and draws us closer to Christ with quiet strength and unwavering love. The Feast Day Mass will be celebrated at 6:00 PM, and all parishioners are warmly encouraged to attend. A patronal feast is more than a liturgical celebration; it renews our identity as a parish, strengthens our unity, and reminds us of the faith handed down through generations. Gathering together expresses our gratitude for God’s blessings and our commitment to the mission entrusted to us. After Mass, everyone is invited to remain for a festive parish potluck dinner. We kindly ask each household to bring a dish to share. Offering food from our own tables allows us to continue the celebration in fellowship and joy, deepening the bonds that sustain us as a parish family. This feast is a grace-filled moment to pray, celebrate, and entrust our parish once again to the loving intercession of Our Lady of Sorrows. May Mary, who stood faithfully at the Cross, accompany us as we honor her feast and inspire us to follow her Son with renewed devotion and confidence. I wish you a grace-filled week! Fr. Nick Apetorgbor
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This weekend we are happy to bring back Hospitality Sunday, a simple yet meaningful way for our parish family to gather, reconnect, and strengthen the bonds that make our community a home. Coffee, conversation, and shared fellowship may seem ordinary, but in the life of the Church they carry a deeper grace.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus offers a promise that shapes our understanding of community: “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst.” He does not speak of grand assemblies or extraordinary events. He speaks of small gatherings - ordinary people coming together with hearts open to God. In such moments, Christ Himself stands among us. Hospitality Sunday is not merely an event on the calendar. It is an expression of who we are as a parish. When we pause after Mass to greet one another, welcome newcomers, or simply share a moment of joy, we make visible the communion Christ desires for His Church. We allow His presence to be felt in the warmth of conversation, in the kindness of a smile, and in the generosity of shared time. As we resume this tradition, we invite everyone to take part in it - not only by attending, but by helping it flourish. A welcoming word, a willingness to serve, an openness to meeting someone new: these small acts make Hospitality Sunday fruitful. They help our parish become a place where people are known, valued, and encouraged in faith. May our gathering renew our commitment to being a parish where Christ is truly among us whenever we come together in His name. May each of us play our part in fostering a community marked by warmth, generosity, and genuine Christian hospitality. I wish you a grace-filled week! Fr. Nick Apetorgbor Dear Brothers and Sisters,
On Saturday, the Church celebrated the Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist. This feast prepares us for Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 16:21–27), and together they offer a single, challenging message: every Christian is called to witness to Christ with courage, integrity, and generous love. John the Baptist is the first great witness of the New Covenant. His whole life pointed to Jesus. He spoke the truth with humility, and he gave his life rather than abandon the mission God entrusted to him. His passion asks each of us: Do my words and actions lead others to Christ? Do I speak the truth with charity? Am I willing to sacrifice comfort or approval for the Gospel? In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus reveals the path He will walk - suffering, death, and resurrection - and tells His disciples that this path must become theirs: “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” Jesus does not ask us to seek suffering. He asks us to love so deeply that we are willing to give of ourselves for what is true and good. Together, John’s witness and Jesus’ teaching show that Christian fidelity is costly but fruitful. John loses his life, yet his testimony strengthens the Church. Jesus gives His life, and through His cross the world is redeemed. Every moment we choose Christ over convenience becomes part of God’s saving work. In our parish, witness is not only for prophets and martyrs. It belongs to parents who teach their children to pray, workers who act with honesty, parishioners who serve quietly, those who forgive when it is difficult, and anyone who chooses the Gospel when the world offers an easier path. Like John, we are called to point beyond ourselves. Like the disciples, we are called to follow Christ with courage. May this week strengthen us to be humble, steadfast, and joyful witnesses, so that through our lives others may come to know Jesus Christ, the Lord. I wish you a grace-filled week! Fr. Nick Apetorgbor Dear Brothers and Sisters,
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Peter makes his bold and decisive confession: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” With these words, Peter recognizes Jesus not simply as a teacher or prophet, but as the long‑awaited Messiah - the true King sent by the Father to redeem His people. Peter’s confession is the moment when the identity of Jesus is spoken clearly and publicly: He is King. He reigns by saving, by giving His life, and by drawing all people into the life of God. This profession of faith also sheds light on the memorial we celebrated on Saturday - the Queenship of Mary. If Jesus is truly King, then His Mother shares in His royal dignity. In Scripture, the queen was the mother of the king, honored for her closeness to him and trusted to intercede for the people. Mary fulfills this role perfectly. Mary is Queen because Christ is King. Her greatness does not come from any earthly honor, status, or power. She is not “Queen” because of privilege, rank, or position in a worldly sense. Rather, her queenship flows entirely from the way she lived her life before God. She is Queen because she first was servant; she reigns because she first believed. She is the one who said “yes” at the Annunciation, who stood at the Cross, and who was assumed body and soul into the glory of her Son. Her crown is the crown of humility, obedience, and love. Peter’s confession and Mary’s queenship belong together. Peter teaches us to proclaim Jesus as King with our lips. Mary teaches us to live under His kingship with our lives. Both invite us to answer Jesus’ question personally and wholeheartedly: “But who do you say that I am?” As we reflect on Christ the King and Mary the Queen, may we renew our own confession of faith. May we proclaim Jesus as the Christ with conviction, and may we follow Him with the trust and devotion that marked Mary’s life. Her queenship is a sign of our hope: what God has done for Mary, He desires to do for all who belong to Christ. I wish you a grace-filled week! Fr. Nick Apetorgbor Dear Brothers and Sisters,
On August 15th, we celebrated the Assumption of Mary, recalling that at the end of her earthly life our Blessed Mother was taken body and soul into heaven. This feast reminds us that God’s power is revealed not in domination, but in mercy. He lifts up the lowly. In Mary, God shows what He desires for all His children: that the humble be raised, the forgotten remembered, and the faithful brought into glory. Mary’s life reveals how God notices what the world overlooks. She was a young woman from an ordinary village, without status or influence, yet God chose her to bear His Son and, at the end of her earthly life, drew her body and soul into heaven. The Assumption teaches us that humility is never wasted and trust is never ignored. This Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 15:21–28) echoes the same truth. The Canaanite woman was an outsider, dismissed by the disciples and seemingly ignored by Jesus. Yet she refused to give up. Her persistent faith broke through every barrier, and Jesus praised her perseverance. She shows, as Mary does, that God listens to those without power and draws close to all who come before Him in need. Mary and the Canaanite woman together show how wide God’s mercy truly is. Mary reveals the future God desires for His faithful ones; the Canaanite woman shows the courage to seek that mercy even when others say we do not deserve it. Both proclaim that God’s heart is open to those who come in humility, trust, and hope. God still looks upon the lowly. God still hears those who feel pushed aside. God still raises up those who cling to Him in faith. And He calls the Church to be a place where the forgotten are remembered, the outsider welcomed, and the humble honored. May our parish reflect this calling. May Mary’s Assumption strengthen our hope, and may the Canaanite woman’s faith deepen our trust in the God who lifts up the lowly and brings His children into glory. I wish you a grace-filled week! Fr. Nick Apetorgbor Dear Brothers and Sisters,
On August 6th, the Church celebrated the feast of the Transfiguration, when Christ allowed the radiance of His divinity - normally veiled by His humanity - to shine forth. On the high mountain with Peter, James, and John, His face and garments gleamed with heavenly light. Moses and Elijah appeared beside Him, showing that the Law and the Prophets find their fulfillment in Him. Then the Father’s voice proclaimed: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” The Transfiguration reveals that Jesus is not merely a teacher or miracle worker, but truly God‑with‑us, whose eternal glory scatters every darkness. This mystery resonates beautifully with this Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 14:22–33). The disciples are battered by wind and waves, overwhelmed by fear, and unsure of what will happen next. Into that chaos, Jesus comes walking on the water. The same Lord who shines with divine splendor on the mountain steps directly into the storm to save His friends. Together, these two Gospel scenes teach us something essential: The Jesus of the mountain is also the Jesus of the storm. His glory is not distant or abstract. It draws near to us precisely when life feels fragile, confusing, or overwhelming. In moments of fear, He speaks the same tender words He spoke to the disciples: “Do not be afraid.” We all know “mountain moments”- times of clarity, strength, and joy. And we know “storm moments” - times of doubt, frustration, and anxiety. The Gospel assures us that Christ is present in both. His glory is not only something to admire; it is something we can depend on. He is with us in every circumstance, steadying our steps and strengthening our hearts. Let us entrust ourselves more deeply to His faithful companionship, a companionship that comforts, strengthens, and saves. I wish you a grace-filled week! Fr. Nick Apetorgbor Dear Brothers and Sisters,
It was a profound honor to take part in the ordination and installation Mass of our new Bishop, Most Rev. Michael T. T. Castori, on Tuesday, July 28th at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa. The celebration was deeply moving - filled with joy, hope, and a strong sense of unity. We give thanks to the Lord for the gift of Bishop Michael and pray that God will accompany him always, blessing him with wisdom, strength, and a heart attentive to His people. Bishop Michael chose as his episcopal motto E hiki mai kou aupuni — Thy Kingdom come. In his remarks at the conclusion of the ordination Mass, he reminded us that God’s kingdom draws near whenever we embrace our divine calling: proclaiming the Word, lifting up the lives of others, and helping to renew the world entrusted to us. His message resonates beautifully with this Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 14:13–21), where Jesus withdraws to a quiet place, heals the sick, and then takes the humble offering of five loaves and two fish to feed a vast multitude, with abundance left over. It is a vivid reminder that no gift is too small for God to use. When we offer what we have - our skills, time, or resources - Jesus transforms our limited efforts into abundant impact. The disciples saw scarcity in five loaves and two fish, but Jesus saw possibility. His kingdom grows not through human strength or status, but through compassion and divine abundance. When we stop focusing on our weakness and start trusting God’s power, even the smallest offering becomes more than enough. May God take the humble beginnings of Bishop Michael’s ministry and bring forth a rich harvest of grace for all the people of our Diocese. And may the Lord receive our own simple talents, gifts, and daily offerings, multiplying them so that many may be nourished by His goodness. In this way, may His kingdom continue to shine brightly in our parish and in every heart He touches. I wish you a grace-filled week! Fr. Nick Apetorgbor I had the privilege of celebrating my 31st anniversary of ordination on July 22nd, and I am very grateful to all of you for the prayers, love and support.
In this Sunday’s gospel text Jesus reminds us that the kingdom of heaven is like a hidden treasure or a pearl of great price, and that finding it brings such profound joy that one gladly gives up everything else to possess it. This parable reminds me of St. Mary Magdalene, on whose feast day I was ordained. She searched for a cure for her ailment; Jesus delivered her from seven demons. But what Mary found was far more than healing of body and soul. She found Jesus Himself, the Savior of the world. He completely transformed her life. Her encounter with Him redefined her identity. She joyfully became His disciple, and traveled with Him and the apostles, financially supporting His ministry. She was a devoted follower who stayed with Him through the crucifixion and was the first to see Him after His resurrection. Jesus was her everything - her treasure indeed! Like Mary Magdalene, let us boldly acknowledge Jesus as our greatest treasure. May His love keep us steady and guide everything we do. May we imitate her by continuing to support the church and the proclamation of the kingdom of God, not out of a sense of obligation, but in gratitude for the graces we have received. I try to imitate Mary Magdalene in search of the hidden treasure in my daily priestly life. I experience the treasure in my personal prayer, in our common celebrations, our shared faith, and in our fellowship with each other in the parish. The treasure is alive in our midst! While Jesus Himself is our ultimate treasure, we can be a “treasure” to one another by treating people with the same care, kindness, and grace that God shows us every single day. So, you are the treasure and fine pearl I have found in my ministry. It is a great blessing to serve you! Thank you and have a grace-filled week! Fr. Nick Apetorgbor Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I thank you all for the wonderful Meet-and-Greet last Sunday. The atmosphere was great, and many wonderful conversations took place. We shared faith, hope, love and joy, and I had the opportunity to get to know a few more wonderful people of our parish. It was a time of real community characterized by trust, curiosity, and a wish to journey together as a Church, as a Christian family. I felt appreciation and love, for which I am incredibly grateful. In this Sunday’s Gospel text Jesus speaks about the kingdom of God using parables. One of the parables is about a man who sowed good seed in his field, and an enemy sowed weeds in the same field. Instead of pulling the weeds up prematurely - which would damage the wheat - the farmer lets both grow until harvest, when the weeds are burned and the wheat is gathered. The image of the good seed and the weeds is a reminder that God’s good seed does grow. It grows in the presence of weeds, it develops despite being surrounded by weeds. It grows quietly yet powerfully. This parable teaches us that to grow spiritually requires real world struggle. A faith that never encounters challenge, opposition or discomfort will remain shallow, fragile and unfruitful. Our Church Fathers remind us that Christians grow best in the presence of pressures, not the absence of them. Our parish, our families, our places of work and our communities are not perfect. That is why we should be grateful to God that our faith is alive and active despite the distractions, temptations, challenges, and suffering that we experience in our environment. Let us continue to pray not so much for a weed-free life as for deeper roots; God often uses the weeds to grow the seed. While God is the ultimate source of all growth, we are called to be active partners in His work. That is why faith continues to bloom whenever believers gather, listening to one another with profound patience, steadfast faith, and genuine joy, as experienced during our Meet-and-Greet. Thank you for being an important part of our beautiful OLS family! I wish you a grace-filled week! Fr. Nick Apetorgbor Aloha and Hello Brothers and Sisters,
We are almost to the end of this Lenten Season. Holy Week is before us and we are physically distance from one another, because of the virus but I do believe we are all united in Spirit. For that, I have to say Thank You very much for continuing the journey of faith that we are on now besides the many challenges and hardships ahead of us. Please keep the faith, be healthy and be safe from the COVID-19. Beyond the distancing of who we are from one another for a short period of time, we will be together with joy and gratitude when the black cloud of COVID-19 goes away. This is really one meaning of Lent … ‘self-sacrifice’. Sacrificing of ‘our been together’ for safety reasons for a short time, enable us to be together tomorrow with gratitude and with a healthy self. God gave us so many opportunities. Moving towards the end of this Lenten Season and experiencing what is happening in the world nowadays, enables us to see another opportunity to have back to ourselves the gift of Gods Holiness that was with us, we lost it, because of sin. We were given three tools or three elements that we must work on so that this gift (Holiness) of God can be within us again. And this is one of the reasons that I see why things happen in this world. Way to Holiness is not easy. The way of the Cross leading to triumphant was with pain and sufferings. Ways to gain back to our self the holiness of God in this time of great hopelessness and fear - is through Fasting, Self-Sacrifice and Prayer. For the last two weeks, I had plenty time to spend on prayers not only for my own relationship with God but for Gods protection to all members of our Community. Sacrificing our desire to be physically with our brothers and sisters in our community services or worshipping together enable to how Gods way are not ours most of the time. I see it as a great opportunity of deepening my relationship with the God of Hope, with Jesus the Healer and with Holy Spirit who always care, protect and guide to the right path. What is happening in the world nowadays remind me of how God reveals to human beings in this world. We hardly accept the way how he reveals to us. Like the Jesus who is the ‘Emanuel’ of God to man, unaccepted by many even now. Even before Christ, the chosen family of God. He revealed to them in wind, thunder, storm, water and many others especially natural disasters which we hardly accept by many. To Our Lady of Sorrow too. The way She revealed Herself to the world was always through simple things or in a very low-profile or humble way. Mostly to Children which sometimes we say, ‘oh boy, who believe in what that kid is saying’. Stories of Lourdes and Fatima can be very much a clear picture of Our Mother and the kids. So, to gain heaven or to have back to our self the Holiness of God is through pain and sufferings – yes, it’s hard but beyond pain and sufferings victory and newness of life will be granted. Let us enter with Christ entered triumphantly to Jerusalem to accept sorrow so that ne life will be granted when we celebrated with joy the Risen Christ. Let us be open and prepare to receive back to our beings the new life or the Holiness of God. Beyond the Cross there is Resurrection. See you next week again Stay Healthy and be safe. Fr. Niko Atonio |
AuthorFr. Nicholas Apetorgbor is the Parochial Administrator of Our Lady of Sorrows. Archives
September 2026
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