Pastor’s Corner — January 18th, 2026
Confirmation This Week with Bishop Boyea (Jan 22nd)
Next Thursday Bishop Boyea will be here to confer on forty-two teenagers the Sacrament of Confirmation. Because Confirmation is a sacrament that prepares them to live out their vocation to witness to Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit, I want to invite the parish to please say a prayer for them, that the fruitfulness of the sacraments might burst forth into their lives. Also please pray for the families of these youth as well. Witnessing and being a part of the sacraments can be occasions of deeper conversion for all family members. Come Holy Spirit!
Unbound Deliverance Conference at St Pat’s Next Month (February 21st)
At St Pat’s we take the work of Satan and evil spirits seriously because Jesus did. Not taking the work of evil spirits seriously leads to us being enslaved by them. Jesus didn’t die for us to be enslaved by evil spirits. And yet many of us either deny our enslavement is a problem or we try to solve these problems on our own. In both cases we are left in spiritual bondage that deeply affects our relationships.
If I could only recommend five books to parishioners to read, this would absolutely be one of the five: Unbound: A Practical Guide to Deliverance by Neal Lozano. In fact, I give out this book more than almost any other book (except maybe Be Healed by Bob Schuchts). Why is this book so important? Jesus wants to set us free and this book shows how.
The Unbound model of deliverance not only lays out the Catholic and biblical framework of the spiritual battle against evil spirits that we’re all in (whether we like it or not). It also gives us concrete tools by which we can be unbound from the work of the devil. When put into practice, either by receiving prayer or by praying with it yourself, it is simply life changing.
I have good news: we are hosting the Unbound Conference on February 21st (8:30am-4:00pm)
Unbound model of prayer is a simple, gentle, but extremely powerful prayer model that helps you access the freedom Jesus won for you. In this conference you’ll hear the teaching on the model of of prayer and learn how to resentment, addiction, fear, or past wounds—anything that keeps you from living fully in God’s love. While this conference is graciously being hosted by our Walking with Purpose Ministry, this conference is actually for both men and women. Matt Lozano, Executive Director for Heart of the Father Ministries, will be our key-note speaker.
If you are struggling to be free from trust issues stemming from old wounds or from any of the following movements: hopelessness, despair, fear, rejection, abandonment, lust, addiction issues, thoughts of accusation and condemnation, unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment, anger, powerlessness, feelings of worthlessness or unworthiness, then this conference is for you. If you’ve ever been involved in occult or witchcraft, this conference is also for you. Essentially, in any place where you believe the enemy has you bound, Jesus wants to and can set you free. But learning how Jesus does this and cooperating with his grace is absolutely essential.
In my experience as a priest, many people say they want real freedom, but fewer people are actually willing to do what it takes to allow Jesus to set them free. There will be a table in the gathering space this weekend for more information. Click here for pricing information and to register* .
Parenting in the Digital Age
This is a theme I’ve written on quite often that I think more than just parents need to be aware of: technology and parenting. Psychologist Jean Twenge has spent decades studying generational shifts in behavior and her book “Ten Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World” offers a practical roadmap for parents on how to raise kids in the digital age.
This article outlines Twenge’s ten rules for raising thriving children in the digital age as follows:
1. You’re in Charge
2. Delay Smartphones and Social Media
3. Create Tech-Free Zones and Times
4. Use Parental Controls and Clear Rules
5. Encourage Real-World Freedom and Independence
6. Talk about Online Behavior, Risk, and Self-Control
7. Model Good Tech Habits
8. Recognize that Time is Limited
9. Be Consistent and Clear about Expectations
10. Stay Flexible but Firm
There’s no way to escape or eliminate the digital world we live in, but this article offers some practical advice on how we can help our children thrive while navigating it.
Your servant in the Lord,
Fr. Mathias