St. Hilary Catholic Church & School

Jesus healed a man with leprosy, a dreaded disease in those days. Today, we face a different kind of leprosy but with similar social consequences. Words like quarantine and social distancing have crept into the ordinary vocabulary of almost every person on the planet. COVID and the fear of contracting it have destabilized and upended many relationships, but lessons from the life of Jesus can show us how to rebuild them. Watch message #5 of the Series "The Upside of Lockdown" at https://www.sthilary.org/

Let's Pray! Dear Lord, Your days on earth were filled with broken and hurting people who came to you with their needs. Like the man with leprosy in the gospel story this weekend, you spoke to them with compassion. You touched and healed them. You did not judge them. You sacrificed your time for them. You dared to love them.... In many cases, your love was rejected by those who did not know how to love but lived by the letter of the law instead. Help me, Lord, to love like you. Give me the right words to speak in every painful situation and a gentle disposition of heart to deal with unsettling and difficult circumstances in my relationships. Grant me the gift of mercy to overcome the temptation to judge and teach me the meaning of sacrifice, that I may give myself completely to those I love, without hesitation or reservation. Widen my circle of love, Lord, and help me to take the risk to love those I never thought I could love or love again. Thank you for the gift of relationships in my life. But, most of all, thank you for the gift of my relationship with you, Jesus. I love you and trust you. May our love for one another forever grow in my heart. Amen.

Watch this week's message and learn how to work on your relationships by improving your communication, being a little more understanding, and sacrificing for others. Love is a risk, but it’s well worth it. https://www.sthilary.org/

Act With Urgency. Most of us approach life with a sense of urgency when it’s something we want. But what about the things that matter most to God, like our spiritual growth and our discipleship path, prayer and reading the Bible, talking about faith in a small group, and serving in a ministry or helping the poor? You can even zoom with us to make any of the above a priority in your life! Visit https://www.sthilary.org/ and make it happen!

Let's Pray! "Teach us to count our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart" (Psalm 90:12).... Dear Lord, I know that my life is fleeting and that every moment on earth is a precious opportunity to do your work, accomplish your will, and bring your kingdom more fully to earth. I know that I have not always spent the time I have been given on the best of pursuits. Sometimes I have been selfish. Other times I have focused on the wrong things. And I know that, because I am destined for eternity, the choices I make today matter. Help me learn from the mistakes of the past, so that I may use the time I have left to honor you and bring you glory. I long for that day when I hope to hear these words from your lips: "Well done, my good and faithful servant." Help me to be a model for the younger generation on how to spend time wisely. Grant that, when my time is done and my story one day comes to an end, it will have had an impact on those who hear it. Thank you for the gift of time. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.

In Message #4 of "The Upside of Lockdown," we discussed time management according to God's purpose for us. Download "The ideal worksheet" to help plan your day at https://www.sthilary.org/

May we pray together? God our Father, In everything we do, we give you thanks and praise. You have given us life. You have sustained our bodies, minds, and spirits with the good things of the earth. You have carried us through the dark times of our lives. You have provided us with so many blessings. You open your hand to all creatures and offer your abundance and plenty to everyone in the world.... No matter what I am going through at the moment, help me to see your goodness and blessing in it. Open my eyes to the wonderful gifts you have already given me. Never permit me to take them for granted. Open my heart and hands to share those gifts with others who need me and are less fortunate. In love of you and of my neighbor, help me to give away the good things in life and to make my life a gift for others. I ask this in the name of your Son, the greatest gift the world has ever known, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

What did you think about the wonderful feedback loop that God has created, so that when we share our gifts with others, we also get a reward? If you missed it, listen to message #1 here: https://www.sthilary.org/

Who would YOU like to recognize today and why? Tell us in the comments section! One easy but important gift you can give to anyone is recognition. When you express your gratitude to someone, it makes the other person feel loved, and it doesn't cost you a thing. When we tell others how much we appreciate them, our brains are literally flooded with feel-good hormones that reduce stress, increase self-worth, and result in better sleep. So, start making it a habit to count your blessings every day and recognize the good others have done for you. It's one way of opening your presence, even before Christmas!

Join us for our new message series "Open Your Presence Early." Every Sunday, we're going to unwrap a special gift just for you, and it turns out that the best gift ever is you! This series is not just about demanding you do one more thing for one more person or squeeze one more event into your already overbooked calendar or dig deeper into your already depleted pocketbook. Instead, we’re going to learn about a wonderful feedback loop that God has created, so that when we share our gifts with others, we also get a reward. Listen to message #1 at https://www.sthilary.org/

Our NEW Message Series starts this weekend! Watch LIVE at https://www.sthilary.org/ or register for Mass to join us indoors or on the Plaza! Every Sunday, we're going to unwrap a special gift just for you! It's the gift of yourself. Join us each week to learn how you can give of yourself to others and get a little reward yourself, just the way God intended.

We are so excited for this weekend. We begin live streaming all the Masses so that you can watch the community worship together and not miss a moment of our amazing liturgies. You can also watch "on-demand" anytime after the live stream concludes. Go to: https://www.sthilary.org/ and select "Watch mass Live." You can also watch "on-demand" anytime after the live stream concludes.... Go to: https://www.sthilary.org/ and select "Watch mass Live." See more

Join us in person this weekend for a great Mass experience! Sign up on flocknote to register. Just text the word "Hilarius" to 84576 or create an account at https://bit.ly/2SDWNrF We will continue to Live Stream Mass for those who are not ready to attend in person. Beginning October 25, we will have three Mass times: 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 5 p.m. on Sundays. All Masses will have an indoor and an outdoor option. ... The 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday Masses will feature our new band playing live! The 11 a.m. Mass on Sunday will feature our very talented cantors and pianist!

Does the upcoming Election have you frazzled? Let us pray with you! Almighty God, You are the true sovereign over our lives. You rule with kindness, compassion, and mercy. You stand with us even when we fail to stand with each other. You gather what we have scattered and unite what we have divided. ... Help us find ways to heal our fractured nation and world through lasting bonds of social friendship that hold the world together. Draw us closer to one another and bridge the gaps created by human differences. Grant me the wisdom and grace to work for a better kind of politics by seeking to understand rather than speaking to reprimand. May my first words always be ones of kindness and encouragement. May my first instinct be to grow from every encounter with another rather than instantly classify the person as friend or foe. Guide my conscience as I cast my vote in the upcoming election. I ask all this in the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Pope Francis decries politics that has come to be characterized by hyperbole, extremism and polarization (Fratelli Tutti, n. 15). We'd love to hear your refections. From what source do you get your political news and commentary? Why did you choose that source? How does it help or hurt you when it comes to your participation in the political process? Watch our Message Series "Not in My Backyard" for inspiration and answers at https://www.sthilary.org/messages.html#homilies

Hear the entirety of message #6 in our series "Not in My Backyard" at https://www.sthilary.org/messages.html#homilies In the days approaching our national election, we should insist on a better kind of politics, both from our elected officials and from ourselves, because what we have in common is far greater than our differences. Divided we will fall, but united we will stand firm! Jesus says politics and religion are not entirely two separate spheres of activity. Supporting the civil government is not necessarily incompatible with spiritual values, and following Jesus as his disciple in no way means exempting oneself from the world of politics.

Ready for healing? Join us today for the final installment of the "Not in My Backyard" series. We will look at the one last ingredient fundamental and essential to the healing process. Go to https://www.sthilary.org/ to watch! Without this ingredient, there can be no profound improvement in our situation. Injustices will continue to be inflicted upon marginalized people. Latent anger and ongoing distrust will continue to be harbored as a result. Periodic protests and riots will bubble up from time to time. But nothing will really change. There is Hope!

We are thrilled to announce that daily Masses (Monday-Saturday) inside the church are open to the public! Please take your temperature before you arrive and wear a face covering during the entire Mass. Registration is required. Click below to register. https://sthilary1.flocknote.com/signup/20639?noteID=9118475

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone will formally install Father Roger as the Pastor of St. Hilary Church on Sunday, October 18 at the 11 a.m. Mass. Join us for this special celebration of our community. Tickets will be limited. Registration will be available tomorrow! Have you signed up for flocknote yet? https://hilary.flocknote.com/

Please pray about helping as a safety volunteer for our indoor Sunday Masses beginning soon. To volunteer or learn more, please visit: https://bit.ly/311gBKh We need volunteers to check-in people at the front doors, show them to their seats, and help ensure the safety of our parishioners and guests.