Reflections from St. Ann DC (St. Ann Catholic Church)

Although some listeners thought Jesus was speaking metaphorically, He makes clear that His followers will literally eat his flesh and drink his blood. When we consistently do so, we become part of His sacrifice.

This Christmas, we contemplate: How would you have saved the world?

Just imagine...

Beginning with a prayer for the victims of the mass shootings this weekend in El Pasos, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, Msgr. James Watkins explains today's readings - "Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!" (Ecclesiastes 1) - in light of our own struggles with busyness, exhaustion, and making people, places and things "deities," when they possess us more than we possess them.

This weekend, Feb. 20-21, parishioners are invited to make their commitment to this year’s Annual Appeal. Visit appeal.adw.org to learn more about how the Annual Appeal impacts our parish and archdiocese communities and to make an online gift. We hope that every parish family will participate this year. No donation is too small and will be credited towards our parish goal. Thank you in advance for your generous response.

Moral goodness cannot be imposed. It must be awakened. Jesus came to restore our moral goodness - we need this!

We are often not taught to wait, anticipate, expect with joy. Today, the last Sunday of Advent, we do exactly that to welcome our King the Christ Child this Christmas! Listen now to hear the benefits of patiently waiting.

This episode features Fr. Teo Brea's homily delivered on the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. 

We are bombarded - with emails, texts, phone calls, news, interruptions... the list could go on. What should we listen to, and how should we tune out the noise? Msgr. James Watkins gives some practical tips on how to shape our minds and hearts to hear and heed what really matters.

Monsignor Watkins speaks about our senses and how they influence our beliefs.

Christ expresses His resurrection in our lives by sharing with us authentic, pure joy.

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

St. Ann DC hosted Brothers Casey and Tito as they concelebrated Mass on Sunday, June 19 at 7:00pm and led the community in a group discussion following that Mass - at the Young Adult social - on the spirituality of baseball, evangelization and vocations!

During communion, the celebrant says, "Pray my brothers and sisters that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to the Lord our God." Sacrifice is essential to our participation in celebrating the life and death of Christ. One way to fulfill our part of the sacrifice is to contribute to the annual appeal, which helps Catholic charities across DC.

Welcome to the 7:00pm Young Adult Mass at St. Ann in Washington, DC!

If you wish to attend in person, please read this update with Mass times, health guidelines and important considerations: https://stanndc.org/news/masses-open-to-the-public-starting-monday-june-22-welcome-back-st-ann-dc-family

Follow the readings for today's Mass here: http://usccb.org/bible/readings

Give now: https://membership.faithdirect.net/DC811

God the Father's blessing gives us the freedom to serve others without self-consciousness or shame.

Will you permit Jesus to heal you? Can you let Him in?

Msgr. Watkins discusses prayer and how God does not always give us what we want, but that does not mean He does not hear our prayers.

This is the Sixth Sunday of Easter Mass live today.

Read along with our pastor Msgr. Watkins' homily: https://bit.ly/36iAk9P

Follow the readings for today's Mass here: http://usccb.org/bible/readings

Give now: https://membership.faithdirect.net/DC811

When you cannot receive Communion in-person, saying the prayer of Spiritual Communion can be an equally powerful way to receive Jesus. Here is a text below: My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separate from You. Amen.

Per the request of our Holy Father Pope Francis, if you need a guide on how to pray the Rosary daily as a family this May, find one here: https://stanndc.org/rosary

As we celebrate our patronal feast, Msgr. Watkins reflects on the importance of family in our lives and the life of Christ.

Miracles can happen! Hear a powerful testimony from longtime parishioner John Piunno on his healing journey from lymphatic cancer.

This episode features Fr. Ivan Pertine's homily delivered on the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. 

Would you rather be poor with Christ than rich without Him?

Fr. Ivan Pertine gives a homily on the fourth Sunday of Advent. 

In today's Gospel, we hear the story of Lazarus, who Jesus "loved," Scripture tells us. Listen to our pastor make the connection between Lazarus and us, his resurrection and ours to come, and the great mercy our Lord wants to have on us this Lent.

How should you treat your neighbor? But really: Let's talk about it.

Welcome to the 7:00pm Young Adult Mass at St. Ann in Washington, DC!

If you wish to attend in person, please read this update with Mass times, health guidelines and important considerations: https://stanndc.org/news/masses-open-to-the-public-starting-monday-june-22-welcome-back-st-ann-dc-family

Follow the readings for today's Mass here: http://usccb.org/bible/readings

Give now: https://membership.faithdirect.net/DC811

This Sunday, Msgr. James Watkins reminds us how Jesus still performs miracles today, 2000 years later.

God has dreams for YOU.

From the Gospel of Luke 18:9-14:

Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.
"Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,
'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity --
greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.'
But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for whoever exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

Fr. Joseph Piper delivers a homily on the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Ever wonder why Catholics do what we do at the Easter Vigil? Take a listen to this!

Who is the King of Kings?

What can you gift to Christ, the Giver of all gifts, this year?

Fr. Joseph Piper delivers a homily on the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God.

Here's a hint: Don't rely on yourself.

"God's gift of precious life is no less beautiful when accompanied by sickness or illness, hunger or poverty, mental or physical handicaps, loneliness or old age. At these times, life takes on extra splendor...so often in and through the weakest of human vessels, God continues to show us the power of His love."

Who are the poor around us? How can we really serve them? Is there more than one way?

Jesus' sacrifice, offered in every Mass, is infinitely greater than the sacrifices offered before Him.

Fr. Teo explains how to speak about Jesus.

Meditate with us on Jesus' first miracle.

Jesus is the one who can ultimately satisfy our desires, even as the world promises to feed us in other ways. As the world mocks the Christian faith, we are called to prayer and renewal.

Well...is it?

This week, for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Msgr. Watkins discusses misconceptions about Christianity regarding the Holy Trinity and the importance of all three Persons.

Msgr. Watkins discusses our relationship as imperfect individuals with the Lord, who is the absolute to which we are all relative.

Fr. Joseph Piper's homily on the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

This is why we can trust God when our life leads us "into the deep end."

Msgr. James Watkins delivers a homily at the 7pm Mass on the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here's how to be authentic and present with others in a COVID world.

Deny yourself, and pick up your cross. We've heard this before: What does it even mean?

Fr. Ivan explains: "It's impossible to die to selfishness without denying ourselves."

Fr. Teo Brea delivers a homily on the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time.

This Sunday Msgr Watkins reminds us and the children receiving their First Holy Communion that God wants to be close to us. The Eucharist brings God so close, that He is within us.

In this homily, Fr. Joseph Piper discusses the power of the Word. 

If we are truly attempting to live out our vocations, we will repeatedly fail. However, God calls on us to keep pushing through our failures.

In this homily, our pastor Msgr. James Watkins makes important distinctions between freedom from and freedom of religion, dependence and interdependence, and joy and happiness.

Welcome to the 11:00am Mass streamed live from St. Ann in Washington, DC!

If you wish to attend in person, please read this update with Mass times, health guidelines and important considerations: https://stanndc.org/news/masses-open-to-the-public-starting-monday-june-22-welcome-back-st-ann-dc-family

Follow the readings for today's Mass here: http://usccb.org/bible/readings

Give now: https://membership.faithdirect.net/DC811

Ten of our Parish School of Religion students made Mother’s Day extra special for their mothers this year! On May 9, these 10 children celebrated their First Holy Eucharist. Congrats to Brandon Brumby, Anna Katherine Clark, Nathaniel Clauss, Benjamin Graves, Charlotte Judith Maslog, Matteo Meilak, Nicolas Parodi, Sofia Savannah Tipton, Arturo Waltersdorfer and Charlotte Elise Winkle.

After taking their lessons online since September, the children were ready to show how well they have learned about their faith as they answered Msgr. Watkins questions. There were smiles behind the masks of the entire parish family.

A very special thanks to Kathy Curran, our PSR second grade teacher. For the past 10 years, she has guided more than 100 of our students with patience and love as they had their First Reconciliations and celebrated their First Communions. The PSR will certainly miss her!

Fr. Joseph Piper preaches on the worldly benefits of Christian living, notably the experience of pleasure and intellectual growth.

PROGRAM:

Schubert - Sonata in G major D.894

- Molto moderato e cantabile

- Andante

- Menuetto, Allegro moderato - Trio

- Allegretto

Schubert/Liszt - “Der Muller und Der Bach” from Die Schone Mullerin

Schubert/Liszt - “Der Doppelganger” from Schwanengesang

Liszt - Funerailles from Harmonies poetiques et religieuses S.173

Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsody No.15 “Rakoczi March” (after Vladimir Horowitz)

The Kingdom of Heaven starts in our hearts. Let us make Him King of our lives, and He will permeate into society.

In this episode, Fr. Ivan Pertine delivers a homily on the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Msgr. Watkins, in his 100th podcast episode, shares what your #NewYears resolution should really be.

We're nostalgic and disconnected from past generations: How do we reconcile this? If we don't change the hearts of people, our "change" will not last.

Fr. Joseph Piper preaches on Christ's promise of eternal life, and explains why we do not spend enough time thinking about it.

Merry Christmas!

What possesses you?

Welcome to the 7:00pm Young Adult Mass at St. Ann in Washington, DC!

If you wish to attend in person, please read this update with Mass times, health guidelines and important considerations: https://stanndc.org/news/masses-open-to-the-public-starting-monday-june-22-welcome-back-st-ann-dc-family

Follow the readings for today's Mass here: http://usccb.org/bible/readings

Give now: https://membership.faithdirect.net/DC811

Jesus's anger expressed in the Gospel of John this past Sunday has been discussed for centuries. What is righteous anger? What is not? Listen as Fr. Lucas Laborde provides some guidance.

Jesus has a leadership style that surpassed all others. What can we learn from his unique approach?

How could faith be invisible?

Is there something that you just can't stand? That, too, will pass. "God is God. Nothing escapes His providence. Everything will pass."

Who is Mary and do Catholics worship her? What's the big deal about the rosary? Why do Catholics have this devotion and when did it start?

What is a "healthy" fear of the Lord versus an "unhealthy" fear? Our pastor Msgr. Watkins talks about the difference in his Sunday homily.

The Holy Family and all families exist to protect against three key dangers.

What does the Baptism of the Lord mean to us?

Fr. Ivan Pertine answers in this week's homily: "Who are the pharisees today?"

We naturally seek out true peace and justice, and those can only come from God.

Fr. Joseph Piper delivers a homily on the Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time.

Suffering is not wasted. How so?

Fr. Ivan Pertine discusses what it takes to love the Lord with your whole heart, intellectual capacity, and personal will—wow!

We come to Mass to deepen and strengthen our relationship with Christ. During this season of Thanksgiving, we must be sure to continue to invest our time, talent, and treasure in our relationship with Christ.

"You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed." A lesson from this week's Gospel? Do not be afraid.

Msgr. Watkins explains how the Annual Appeal has helped him personally - something we all didn't realize.

Still want to contribute to the #ADWAppeal, but didn't get a chance? Visit stanndc.org/give today.

Are you afraid of the Sacrament of Reconciliation? Haven't been to confession in years? Let our pastor's words encourage you to avail yourself of this fountain of grace, straight from the Heart of Christ.

Do you have questions about women empowerment in the Church? Wonder when education in America began and how? Learn about the fascinating history of the Catholic Church in this noteworthy lecture by George Weigel, author, theologian and Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

Weigel gave this presentation in a distinctly Catholic setting — our church — in celebration of St. Ann's 150th anniversary as a church this year (2019-2020).

"The Church in the United States was largely run by women and has been for the last 150 years. Women ran the schools, women ran the hospitals, women ran the social service agencies... This was one of the few venues prior to the last 50 years in American life where intelligent, service-oriented, assertive women could find a leadership role in society."

"The faith has to be proposed. People have to be invited. And they have to be engaged."

See photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmJaofeq

Celebrate with us! Follow #StAnn150

Read Weigel's biography:  https://eppc.org/author/george_weigel/

Listen to how a team of underdogs and sinners are actually God's team.

Have you ever walked by our church and wanted to walk in? All are welcome! Our doors are open for you.

Have you ever thought that maybe God's will for you is to give you more, not less?

Lent is almost over — visit us this Wednesday from 7:00 to 8:00pm or Saturday from 4:00 to 4:45pm to partake of the Sacrament of Mercy: the Sacrament of Confession.

Welcome to the 7:00pm Young Adult Mass at St. Ann in Washington, DC!

If you wish to attend in person, please read this update with Mass times, health guidelines and important considerations: https://stanndc.org/news/masses-open-to-the-public-starting-monday-june-22-welcome-back-st-ann-dc-family

Follow the readings for today's Mass here: http://usccb.org/bible/readings

Give now: https://membership.faithdirect.net/DC811

The month of October is dedicated to evangelizing in the Catholic Church. We are called to continue this vital mission of the Holy Spirit. Sooner or later, we are confronted with one obstacle: Is Christianity actually Good News, especially those who are doing well in this life, or for the young rich man in last weekend's Gospel? Yes, and here's why.

Ten lepers were cleansed — but only one returned to give thanks in this weekend's Gospel.

Do we delay our gratitude? If you really mean gratitude, show it, so that one day Jesus can say to us, too: "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you" (Lk 17).

In this past weekend's Gospel, we hear Jesus ask His disciples to play a masterpiece, not a jingle. But why?

How should we sing and worship in the Mass?

This Sunday, Monsignor James Watkins reflects on beginnings and ends. He discusses the end of the liturgical year and the tendency of people to focus heavily on endings and beginnings. He remembers the departed souls and commemorates their life and new life in heaven.

What does Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer have to do with Jesus?

When we welcome the guest, we should see the face of Christ

"The moment you think you're more righteous, you just sinned. That's the beauty of it, in paradox. Christians rejoice in their sinfulness: 'O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam, that has gained for us so wonderful a Redeemer!' Had it not been for sin, friends, there would be no need for a Savior."

This Sunday, Monsignor Watkins reminds us to remember that Christmas is the celebration of Christ's birthday. We should celebrate the HOLY-day the way Christ would want; and give Him the gifts He would like to receive: for us to know Him, love Him, and Serve him.