St. Patrick Catholic Parish Podcast

On Ascension Sunday, June 1st, 2025, Father Joshua Fons preaches about the reality of the mission that Christ gave to the Apostles, and how, because of their faithfulness to that mission, it has now been passed on to us. Father Joshua found particular inspiration in the final Mission: Impossible Movie that just hit theatres. (Don't worry, no spoilers here!) Critically, as we prepare for Pentecost next weekend, we are invited to call upon the Holy Spirit, so that strengthened like the Apostles, we can live out this mission.

In this homily, given on May 25, 2025, Dcn. Peter preaches about God's desire to be present to us. Jesus promises to dwell within us, and salvation history demonstrates that God's desire has been to draw near to us, even when we reject Him. If God wants to dwell in us, what does that look like? Jesus linked His indwelling with keeping His Word, so Dcn. Peter invites the congregation to read the daily Mass readings and ask the Holy Spirit to teach them what it looks like to live constantly in God's Presence.

This homily from Sunday, May 18, 2025 is about how deeply Jesus loves us and how he shows us how to love everyone, and if we truly wish to be like him we need to try to follow his example.

In this homily given on May 11th, 2025, (Good Shepherd Sunday) Fr Mathias reacts to the election of Pope Leo XIV and offers some important reminders on how to properly receive him and his ministry as Catholics. 

In this homily given at St. Pat's on Sunday, May 4th, 2025 Fr. Joshua Fons explores the critical question: what is worthy of the offering of your life? This is the heart of every vocation: finding someone worth giving everything for, every day. In the scriptures this weekend, we see Jesus allowing Peter to give that offering of his life to the Lord again after his betrayal: "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" The Lord wants to ask us the same question.

In this homily given on April 27, 2025 (Divine Mercy Sunday) Fr Mathias highlights the fact that all the lay faithful are called to be apostles of mercy to those around them. After reminding them that we need to receive mercy in order to give mercy, Father offers three tips to become compelling apostles of mercy:1) Speak freely about God's mercy in your own life2) Be merciful towards those who don't deserve it3) Confront and address the underlying reasons why you're not merciful. He ends his homily encouraging us that the Holy Spirit gives us everything we need to be apostles of mercy. 

In this homily, given Palm Sunday, 2025, Dcn. Josh breaks down the meaning of compassion: to suffer with. As we enter into Holy Week, we have an opportunity to have compassion on Christ, who had compassion on us first.

On the 5th Sunday of Lent, April 6th, 2025, Fr. Joshua Fons dives into the question "when do we get old?" It's not just a certain number of years, or a lack of hair, it's when we stop believing life has anything new to offer. And nothing ages the human heart like sin, and the acceptance of sin. But there is good news: the Lord wants to bring renewal to your heart, just like he did with the woman caught in adultery, just like he did with St. Paul.

In this brief homily given on March 23, 2025, Fr Mathias preaches on the relationship between our desires for things in this life and our ultimate desire for God who alone can fulfill us. He ends his homily with an exhortation to call on the Holy Spirit, the living water, to fill us.

In this homily given on March 16, 2025 Fr Mathias breaks down St Peter's warning to the Christians in Philippi and applies it to us today.  After all, who we allow to influence us through media or in person matters a lot. Father Mathias offers three criteria for discerning the bad influencers in our lives.  This helps us to have the clarity of mind and heart to pursue heaven and helps us to be better to fulfill our mission to be "influencers" to the world around us. 

On the first Sunday of Lent, Fr. Joshua Fons unpacks the temptation of Jesus in the Desert, showing how Christ faced these temptations because He knew we would face them to. Just as with Christ, the Devil tries to attack our identity as beloved sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, trying to get us to lose trust in our loving God. But Jesus has better plans for us, and shows us how to defeat the Devil's lies.

In this homily, given Sunday, March 2nd, 2025, Dcn. Josh explains the importance of preparing for Easter, which is accomplished by entering into Lent well. And if Easter is worth preparing for, then it is worth having a plan for Lent. He then suggests two ways to discern what to commit to this Lent. The first is to discern using the three pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. The second is to do a review of life in which areas of focus are highlighted by comparing our life as it is right now with the life we know the Lord is calling us to live.

In this homily given on February 23rd, 2025 Fr Mathias preaches on the high standard of love that Jesus calls us to: to love our enemies.  When it comes to our love, we are meant to be different from those around us.  But when we take our eyes off of Jesus and his standard of love, we begin to compare ourselves with lukewarm Catholics and the culture around us and falsely conclude we're living up to the kind of love Jesus calls us to.  The true standard of love is not loving those who love us, but loving those who do not love us.  We are to be merciful just as God is merciful.  God shows us his mercy in Jesus and he calls us to live like him.  Father ends his homily by offering two tips to help us to love our enemies.

In this homily given on Sunday, February 16th, 2025 Father Joshua Fons explores the timeless Christian theme of the Two Ways: one way that leads to eternal life, and one way that leads to destruction. Tying together the Scriptures, and his own hiking experience, he exhorts us to walk in the way of the Lord.

In this homily given on February 9th, 2025 Fr Mathias preaches about the common experience of becoming aware of our unworthiness when God draws near to us. Just as Jesus tells Peter to not be afraid when he encounters the presence of God in the miracle of the fish, Jesus tells us not to be afraid when we suddenly become aware of our sin and unworthiness in his presence. God does not call the worthy, he makes worthy the called.  Rather than being afraid of God because of our sin or worse, not having any fear of God, we are to ask Jesus for holy fear of God, a reverence and awe at who he is and how much he loves us.

On the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord (February 2nd, 2025), Father Joshua Fons explores Simeon's proclamation, a prayer that is prayed by thousands and thousands around the world as part of Night Prayer each night. Simeon saw God's promises for the Salvation of His People coming to pass right before his very eyes, and if we have the eyes to see the same is true for us. This is particularly true through the Sacrament of Baptism, and how it is the means by which we are brought into God's promises for our own salvation.

In this homily, given Sunday, January 19th, 2025, Dcn. Josh walks through Scripture, from beginning to end, showing that God used marriage to reveal who he is and the relationship he wants with us. God still reveals himself through marriage today. Your marriage is meant to be an icon of God himself: a communion of persons founded on mutual love.

On the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Fr. Joshua Fons speaks about expectations: the expectations the Jewish people had, and the expectations we have for how God will act. He invites us to consider how our own expectations, particularly the way our hearts break for the brokenness of the world around us, might be the very place that the Lord is inviting us into His Mission.

In this homily given on January 5th, 2025 (Solemnity of the Epiphany) Fr Mathias preaches about the moral reason why some people don't find God: they aren't sincerely looking for him. God meets the Magi where they were and they expended great effort to find the King (and God) they were looking for.  After outlining the predicament of unbelievers who aren't searching for God, Father encourages us on how we can persevere in helping people around us find God. 

On Gaudete Sunday, December 15th, 2024,  Fr. Joshua Fons explains why priests wear pink: to Rejoice. And why do we rejoice? Because God is rejoicing in us. Like a Father rejoicing and delighting in his son, God rejoices and delights in us.

In this short homily given on December 8th, 2024, Fr Mathias preaches briefly on preparing the way of the Lord this Advent through repentance. If repentance is about changing the way we think (which changes the way we live), then we need to be aware of who is influencing us how to think. Since it's easy to think like the world and desire what the world wants, Father challenges us to identify who is influencing us the way we think and asking the Lord to influence us so we can prepare the way of the Lord at Christmas.  

On the first Sunday of Advent, December 1st, 2024 Father Joshua Fons calls us to wake up, because Jesus is coming! Did you know that Advent isn't just about Christ's coming on Christmas? It is also a time to prepare for his second coming, and for when he comes into our daily lives. Will you be ready when He comes?

In this homily given on November 24th, 2024, the Solemnity of Christ the King, Fr Mathias preaches on how Jesus is a King of Love and its implication for areas of our lives we don't want to face. Because his kingship is about loving and saving us, we don't have to live in denial about difficult truths in life. Father encourages parishioners who are tempted to avoid difficult truths by reminding them of Jesus' love for them in those situations. He ends his homily with a prayer helping us reaffirm our faith in Jesus as our King of Love. 

In this homily given at St. Pat's on Sunday, November 17th 2024, Father Joshua Fons exhorts parents to consider what the greatest gift they received as children from their parents, and what in turn could they give to their own children. From his own experience, Father shares about how one of the greatest gifts his parents gave to him was his Catholic Education, and that it was this experience that played a crucial role in his decision to follow the Lord and become a Priest.

In this homily, given Sunday, November 10th, 2024, Dcn. Josh Luttig invites us to give God everything, modeled after the widows in today's Mass readings. We do this primarily through the offertory at Mass, when we place our lives on the altar in Union with Christ, who offers himself to the Father on our behalf.

In this part four (4 of 4) of the homily series, "The Lay Commitment to the Foundations of the Common Good," Fr Mathias preaches on the "synthesis and keystone" of all fundamental rights and freedoms: the right to religious freedom. Since we're made for divine truth, each person has the right to pursue it and to live accordingly.  When this right is respected there is hope for peace in society, when it's violated, the conditions of peace are erased and grave injustices occur in society. Father outlines why in the past few decades we've seen an increase of threats against religious freedom: the faith of secularism is being imposed on others. Father ends his homily with some key questions to ask when Christians are voting in the upcoming election.

In the third part of the series on the Lay Commitment to the Foundations of the Common Good, Father Joshua Fons speaks on the truth and goodness of God's design for Marriage and the Family. This is the battleground of our culture today, and the choice comes down to this: do I believe the lies of Relativism? or do I believe that what God has said is good, is actually good? And that is it is actually good for everyone?

In this homily, part 2 of 4 of the preaching series on the lay commitment to the common good, given Sunday, October 20, 2024 Dcn. Josh presents the Church's teaching on the intrinsic dignity of human life and it's need to be protected by our vote. God sees each person through the lens of the Cross, and we need to as well when we vote. The U.S. bishops have reaffirmed that protecting the right to life of all people is the preeminent focus of Catholic voting. Abortion is killing Americans 13 times faster than WWII did. We need to use our vote as a voice for those in the womb without the ability to protect themselves or protest. God's infinite mercy is always available for those who have had an abortion.

On Sunday October 13th, 2024 Fr Mathias preaches part one of four-part homily series on the Lay Commitment to the Common Good.  This series is geared to help Catholics think critically about their responsibility to promote the common good through voting.  In this first homily, Fr Mathias identifies various temptations that Christians face when approaching politics and five points that we should remember when voting as Catholics this fall.1) We are to vote with a well-formed conscience2) When voting, not all issues carry the same moral weight3) It's legitimate to vote for the "lesser of two evils"4) Love those who disagree with you5) Remember that the real source of our problems in our country is sin in the human heart that only Jesus can save us from. Each of the following homilies in the series are about non-negotiable issues which are at the foundation of the common good.

On Sunday October 6th, Fr. Mathias unveils and makes a pitch for the Stewardship for Saints and Scholars Campaign, an urgent initiative of Bishop Boyea to support the passing on of the faith through Catholic education. To see the video that was watched by the congregation during the homily click here: https://stewardshipforsaintsandscholars.com/watch/  

In this homily, given Sunday, September 29th 2024, Dcn. Josh calls us all to exercise our role as prophets through our baptisms. As prophets, we are called to hear God's word, and speak it to others.

Father Joshua Fons speaks to the Men on Sunday, September 22nd, 2024 about the ways masculinity is under attack in our culture, and how Jesus, the New Adam, gives us the Model of true masculinity. Jesus shows us what true greatness looks like, and our world desperately needs men like Him.

In this homily given Sunday, September 15, 2024, Fr. Mathias preaches on the difficulty and suffering involved in following Jesus to heaven. But Jesus never asked us to try to follow him on our own. After outlining parts of the Pathway of Discipleship, the comprehensive strategy of making disciples at St Pat's, Father casts vision on the power of small discipleship groups in helping us persevere in following Jesus to heaven. If we try to follow Jesus on our own, we might grow discouraged and give up. But when disciples are known and loved and share deeply about their joys and struggles in small groups, they are much more likely to thrive in the Christian life and persevere to heaven. For more information on our pathway of discipleship, please see our website. https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/discipleship-pathway

In this homily given on Sunday, September 8th, 2024, Father Joshua Fons speaks into the reality of our very hurried and frantic lives: lives full of restlessness, distraction, and anxiety; lives spent glued to a Smartphone. Why are we in such a hurry? Because we don't allow Jesus to take us away from the crowd, from all the noise, to heal us. Because we don't spend time in Silence with Him, allowing him to speak to our hearts about who we are. If you feel like life is going at a hundred miles an hour and you have had enough, give this homily a listen.

In this homily given Sunday September 1st, 2024, Deacon Josh expounds upon the fact that God lowers himself to us most profoundly in the Eucharist; which allows us to live pure and undefiled lives and remain unstained by the world.

In the last week of the 5 week series on the Eucharist, Father Joshua Fons unpacks the exciting conclusion of John 6, challenging us to stake our life on the Eucharist. The Eucharist isn't just a nice idea, or an interesting doctrine, it is Jesus Christ, and He is worth staking everything on.

In this homily given Sunday August 18, 2024, Fr Mathias preaches part four of the series on the Eucharist in which he reflects on why some people get more out of Mass than others.  He suggests that the disposition of thanksgiving and praise opens our hearts to receiving all he has for us.  After all, the Mass is where we are to offer our lives with Christ in thanksgiving to the Father and a thankful heart is an open heart.  Father outlines five practical ways to open our hearts to receive all God has for us when we come to Mass.

In this homily given Sunday August 11, 2024, Fr Mathias continues the preaching series on the Eucharist and calls us to renew our commitment to Sunday Mass. The Eucharist is the source of divine life and when we faithfully go to Mass we not only reap the benefits, we also give a powerful witness to those who are watching us. Father outlines two things that going to Sunday Mass communicates to our families:1) Divine life is more important than natural life 2) We need God's grace to be strong enough to get to heavenFather ends his homily with a little prayer of repentance and faith renewing our commitment to the Eucharist each week.

In Part 2 of the 5 week series on the Eucharist, Father Joshua invites us to recognize the hunger we have in our hearts, and that this hunger can only be satisfied in Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life.

In this homily given Sunday July 28, 2024, Fr Mathias challenges us to see the general election this fall from the perspective of what God was doing in the National Eucharistic Congress. Just as Philip didn't see how they were to feed the crowd because he didn't know what Jesus was intending supernaturally, we should be careful not to attempt to see what's going on in the world merely with natural eyes but with supernatural faith. After offering some highlights of the National Eucharistic Congress, Father encourages us to repent and give to Jesus in the Eucharist our fears so that receiving his love we can bring his supernatural hope to those around us.   

St. Victor's Major Seminary was established by the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) in 1946 to train natives to minister to their own people in their native language and culture.  St. Victor's Seminary is in need of the following:1. Provision of Basic Books for seminarians (Breviary, Catechism of the Catholic Church, New Jerusalem Bible, Jerome Biblical Commentary, Code of the Canon Law, Vatican II Documents, The Book of Rite, etc.,) 2. Provision of Wi-fi for internet to enhance teaching and learning.3. Support to start a self-help or self-reliant project in the rearing of animals and fowls. This we hope will enable us to provide the protein needs of the seminarians.4. 5 Projectors for lectures and other academic programmes. 5. To establish a Computer Laboratory for seminarians (10 Computers, 2 Printers and I Photocopier)6. Course and references books for consultation by students and formators7. Bicycles for weekly apostolates for seminarians You can donate to this appeal by writing a check to "St. Patrick Catholic Parish" and putting 'Missionary Appeal' in the Memo line, or click this link to donate online (https://giving.parishsoft.com/app/giving/saintpatrick) and select "Missionary Cooperative Appeal" from the Fund drop-down menu

In this homily, given at St. Pat's on Sunday, July 14th, 2024, Deacon Josh invites us to consider our response if the Lord were to ask us to go out on mission as he sent his apostles. The success of our life as Christians depends on our reliance on Jesus because we do by grace what Jesus does by nature. Accepting our littleness and dependence on Jesus leads to greater reliance on Jesus and thus more fruitful ministry.

In this homily given on Sunday, July 7th, 2024, Father Joshua Fons, the new parochial vicar at St. Pats, preaches about how no one lives a perfect life. In fact, most of our lives are a mess. But the Lord tells us through St. Paul, "My Grace is sufficient for you," and this simple truth changes everything. The Lord wants to make you a Saint, right in the middle of your messy life.

In this homily given at St. Pat's on Sunday, June 30th 2024, Fr. Miguel preaches on how God responds to us in our brokenness, sin, and worry. Because He is mercy itself - he always responds by giving us His life

In this homily given Sunday June 23, 2024, Fr Mathias preaches on the gospel of Jesus calming the wind and the waves.  The disciples were afraid because they didn't yet believe in Jesus as the Lord of creation who was present in their boat.  While it's normal for us to be afraid when we perceive a threat or a danger in our lives, Father challenges us to look for the presence of Jesus in the midst of such dangers (the storms of our lives) and place our faith in him.  Only in such faith in his presence will we have the courage to resist the temptation to jump out of the boat into the very dangers we're afraid of. 

In this homily, given on Father's Day (June 16th, 2024), Dcn Josh expounds upon St. Paul's message that faith allows us to live courageously in our earthly life as we set our hope on eternal life. He then explains how the parables in the Gospel (the farmer observing growth and the mustard seed) apply to fatherhood. The sacrifices fathers make for their families are like little seeds which take root in their children's hearts. Let us thank God for our natural and spiritual fathers, and let us pray that they receive the grace they need to be icons of our Heavenly Father!

In this homily given at St. Pat's on June 9, 2024, Fr. Miguel preaches on the importance of maintaining unity with Christ and his Church. For Jesus says in the Gospel that "if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand." The devil cannot defeat God, nor can he collapse Christ's Church (Mt 28:20). So, what will be his strategy? To separate us from Christ and his Church- for apart from her we cannot stand.

In this homily given on Corpus Christi (Sunday, June 2, 2024), Fr Mathias outlines what it means to receive Jesus worthily and reverently.  Intentionally not going into too much detail , Father offers an overview of the Church's teaching that Holy Communion is only for professed Catholics who are in a state of grace. He also reviews what it means to receive Holy Communion with great reverence, both in the heart and how we express that reverence in the postures at Mass.  

In this homily, given at St. Pat's on May 19th, 2024, Dcn. Josh shares his testimony and experience hearing the call to the priesthood and being baptized in the Spirit. When we receive the Holy Spirit, our lives start to look like Christ's and we are able to be witnesses of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection in our daily lives. The Holy Spirit is a person, and thus we can have a personal relationship with Him.

In this homily given at St. Pat's on May 12, 2024, Fr. Miguel preaches on the great gift of Jesus resulting from his Ascension: the outpouring of his Holy Spirit at Pentecost. But like any gift that we have received, we can receive a gift well or not so well. How have you responded to the gift of God himself? Have you received him well?

In this homily given at St. Pat's on May 05, 2024, Fr. Miguel preaches on what it means for God to love us by breaking open three characteristics of God's love: 1. That it's eternal, 2. It's total, and 3. It's freely given.