Fr. Fred Adamson
September 27, 2026
Dear Parishioners,
This weekend we celebrate the Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, and Jesus continues to form His disciples, and us, through His encounter with the chief priests and elders. In the Gospel, Jesus tells the simple but challenging parable of two sons. A father asks both to go work in his vineyard. The first says, “I will not,” but later changes his mind and goes. The second responds respectfully, “Yes, sir,” but never goes.
Jesus reminds us that discipleship is more than saying the right things; it is allowing God’s grace to change our hearts and then responding with our lives. The first son initially refuses but has a conversion of heart. He changes direction. The second son says what his father wants to hear, but his words never become action. There is great hope in this parable because God does not define us simply by our past refusals, failures or sins. He continually invites us back into His vineyard. The question is not simply, “What have I said to God?” but, “How am I responding to Him today?” Conversion means that, by God’s grace, we can change our minds, turn our hearts and begin again.
One way we are striving to respond to the Lord this fall is by growing in our prayer life: understanding prayer, practicing it and allowing it to deepen. Through the Hallow Prayer App, I encourage you to begin with the 14 day “How to Pray” challenge. It introduces several of the rich ways and traditions of prayer within our Catholic faith. Different people are drawn to different forms of prayer, and how we pray can change throughout the seasons of our lives. Whether you are just beginning or have been praying for many years, be open to the way God may be inviting you into a deeper relationship with Him.
On Saturday, Oct. 3, at 11 AM, we will gather in the courtyard for our annual Blessing of Animals. We are blessed to have our beautiful statue of St. Francis surrounded by animals, and it is there that we will pray and give thanks for our furry, feathered and scaly companions. Please be sure all pets are well-behaved and safely leashed or in appropriate enclosures. It is a joyful opportunity to recognize the goodness of God’s creation and give thanks for the companionship our pets bring into our lives.
The Blessing of Animals is part of our celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi on Oct. 4. This year has particular significance as the Church commemorates the 800th anniversary of his death, or transitus. St. Francis remains one ofthe Church’s most beloved saints because he learned to see all of creation as a gift pointing back to the Creator. Bishop Dolan has encouraged us during this Franciscan Jubilee to reflect particularly upon our responsibility to care for creation and to recognize the relationship God has established between us and the world He has entrusted to our care.
That care certainly includes our responsibility for one another, especially the most vulnerable among us. This weekend we also participate in the annual Gospel of Life Appeal, reminding us of the dignity of every human person from conception until natural death. Our respect for creation finds its highest expression in our reverence or human life, created in the image and likeness of God. The second collection supports local education, formation and activities that promote the sanctity of human life, with a portion remaining here to assist our own parish efforts. Thank you for your continued generosity.
I will be in San Diego next weekend for the annual gathering of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, Western Lieutenancy. I have the privilege of serving as retreat master for the new investiture candidates, including five members of our own parish. With their investiture, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux will have 14 Knights and Dames. This Papal Order supports Christians and the works of the Church in the Holy Land through prayer, education and financial assistance. It is a joy to accompany our parishioners as they begin this special commitment of faith and service.
As we enter another week, perhaps the Gospel gives us a simple prayer: “Lord, help my yes to You become the way I live.” May our prayer, our care for creation, our defense of human dignity and our service to others all become ways of entering the vineyard and doing the work the Father has entrusted to us. Be assured of my prayers.
Peace and hope always in Him.