This past summer, I had the opportunity to witness five weddings—all for people here at OLP! In the recent past, there’s often only been 2–3 parish weddings each year, so this was a big blessing, even though it made the summer a busy time.

Before the big day arrives, I meet several times with each couple to talk about the sacrament of matrimony (the church’s official name for this sacrament). Here’s an overview of what I share with them.

Spring has arrived, bringing with it the promise of new growth and transformation at the OLP community garden project. What began as a vision for native planting spaces has blossomed into a vibrant community initiative, uniting parishioners, neighbors, school staff, and children in a shared mission of ecological stewardship.

In daily life, a confirmation is the reiteration of something that has already occurred. "Just confirming we're still on for lunch tomorrow?" or "This is a confirmation that your order has been processed." This begs the question: What is it that the sacrament of confirmation is confirming exactly?

What was the last great movie you saw, book you read, or concert you attended? What did you do after you finished? More than likely, you told your friends and family how great it was and recommended that film, book, or band whenever the chance arose. When you enter a new relationship, you naturally tell people about this important person in your life.

But here's a question worth pondering: Do you tell others about the most important relationship in your life—your relationship with God?