Posted by Patricia Garnett on 10/14/19
From the desk of Fr Stephen
In today’s 1st reading and the gospel we hear of people who are afflicted with the disease of leprosy. This disease was the worst thing that could happen to a person in ancient Israel. If you had the disease you were completely cut ... Read More »
Posted by Patricia Garnett on 10/14/19
From the desk of Fr Stephen
When I was 19 years old my cousin and I had a painting business together. He was 3 years older than me so he was more of the boss of the business. We painted houses during the summer while we were home on ... Read More »
Posted by Patricia Garnett on 10/14/19
From the desk of Fr Stephen
Today’s gospel reading is one of the most famous and thought-provoking gospels in all of scripture. It is the story of Lazarus and the rich man. Lazarus is a poor beggar sitting at the side of the house of the rich man. They ... Read More »
Posted by Patricia Garnett on 8/14/19
From the desk of Fr Stephen
On Friday, August 9, I watched the NBC evening news, and at the end of the program they had a 5-minute segment on the mass shootings that have occurred all too often here in our country. In the past year and a half ... Read More »
Posted by Patricia Garnett on 8/08/19
From the desk of Fr Stephen
Since I have been at the Rock, I have encountered many different groups trying, in their own way, to make the city and neighborhoods of St. Louis better. I have been impressed by the social outreach at the parish, and I want to ... Read More »
Posted by Patricia Garnett on 7/31/19
From the desk of Fr Stephen…
This past Thursday we celebrated the feast of St. Alphonsus Liguori, the founder of the Redemptorists. Today at mass, we remember him and the great efforts he put into evangelizing the people of God in southern Italy during the 1700’s. I never knew ... Read More »
Posted by Patricia Garnett on 7/24/19
From the desk of Fr Stephen
This past weekend, I believe, was a difficult one for all of us here at the Rock. It is not easy to move on after change. We heard the news about the changes to be made for our Redemptorist confreres in June, but ... Read More »
Posted by Patricia Garnett on 7/17/19
Dear Sisters & Brothers in Christ,
Well this is it. My final Sunday and final letter. It has been an honor and a blessing being your pastor. I am sure that if my dad, his mother and sisters, were still alive, they would have gotten a kick out of ... Read More »
Posted by Patricia Garnett on 7/10/19
Dear Sisters & Brothers in Christ,
As a preacher I am seldom short on words. In fact, I once heard someone say about preachers, “they come in a gaseous state and expand to fill all available space” ...how true. But on this occasion, I find it hard to find ... Read More »
Posted by Patricia Garnett on 7/01/19
Dear Sisters & Brothers in Christ,
This week we celebrated, what is for some, a painful holiday. This is only made worse by those who are completely blind to this fact. I have been involved in one aspect or another of social justice all my adult life. I have ... Read More »