Homily for 3d Sunday of Easter

Homily for the
3d Sunday Of Easter

April 19, 2026
Luke 24: 13-35
Villa Maria, Bronx
Our Lady of the Assumption, Bronx
St. Francis Xavier, Bronx

Disciples and Jesus on the way to Emmaus
(Fraternita di Emmaus)

“Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter his glory” (Luke 24: 26).

No one of sound mind likes suffering, either his own or someone else’s.  Nor, if our theology is sound, do we believe that God the Father wanted his Son to suffer.  There is a misguided theology of the atonement that maintains God demanded the blood of Christ to atone for all the sins of humanity.

Yes, Jesus’ blood—his passion and death—has atoned for our sins; not because God required it, but because we sinners inflicted all that pain and suffering on God’s Son, which he didn’t run away from in spite of his fear—remember his prayer in the garden of Gethsemane to be delivered from it.  Instead, he accepted what evil men imposed upon him, rather than abandon his mission of bringing God’s love and mercy to everyone—to everyone!  That universal love outraged a lot of people, somewhat like people being outraged today that God loves people of all races, all nations, all languages, even all faiths.

Was it not necessary for Christ to suffer?  Yes, inasmuch as suffering comes without fail to every woman and man, even very good women and men, even the saints.  God’s Son assumed our full humanity so that he might elevate us with a share of his divinity, with a share of his glory.  So as a human being he had to suffer.  He had to be one of us, like us in all things except sin.  The sinless One had to suffer and die as we do so that, like him and thru him, we may be raised up to be with God.

Bp. Robert Barron makes the keen observation that “his willingness to go to the limits of godforsakenness … [saves] those who had wandered from the divine love.”[1]  You remember that Jesus cried out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46).

So Jesus suffered injustice, pain, abandonment, and death—like victims of the Holocaust, persecuted Christians in Nigeria, the people of Ukraine, the victims of genocide in Gaza, the millions of unborn humans aborted every year, women and children abandoned by their men, women and children trafficked by merchants of human misery.  Jesus suffered pain as we do from illness, accidents, allergies, loss, heartbreak, and unfair treatment.  It was necessary that the Christ should suffer so that we weak and afflicted men and women can look to him with hope:  “Your faith and hope are in God,” St. Peter reminds us today (1 Pet 1:21).  He cares for us, having shared our experience, and he will redeem us from our sins and our sorrows, even from death, so that we might “enter his glory” and live with him in God’s kingdom.

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[1] The Word on Fire Bible: The Gospels (Park Ridge, Ill., 2020), p. 446.

General Council Session Ends

General Council Session Ends
Rector Major Focuses on Call to Hope and Authenticity

(ANS – Rome – April 17, 2026) – The spring plenary session of the Salesian general council, which began on March 9, concluded on April 16 at the Salesian headquarters. As is customary at the end of each session, the rector major delivered his Good Nite to the community members of the Generalate, sharing a summary of the council’s experience and offering several spiritual and pastoral reflections for the journey of the Congregation. The session lasted 6 weeks, one week longer than usual. It also included the annual spiritual retreat, held in Nemi.

In his address, Fr. Fabio Attard first expressed his gratitude to the members of the general council, together with the collaborators who accompanied the work during this intense and fruitful period.

A Week Marked by the “Will to Conversion”

The rector major devoted his 1st reflection to the retreat, describing it as “a very significant week,” lived in the spirit of Art. 91 of the Constitutions: the “will to conversion.”

Accompanied by Fr. Pascual Chavez, rector major emeritus, the participants reflected on the theme “Rediscovering Ourselves,” accepting the invitation to listen attentively to our times. Such listening – he underlined – requires a heart ready to go out of itself, without fear or hesitation: “Dilexit nos. The heart beyond the obstacle.”

In a historical context marked by deep tensions and rapid change, the Salesian pastoral journey often appears countercultural. For this reason, the rector major affirmed, the challenge of hope is decisive – not an ingenuous optimism, but a theological virtue that shapes the heart and gives meaning and joy to the mission.

At the center of this perspective lies the inseparable bond between Religious Life and the Word of God. Without the Logos with a capital “L” – the Word of Jesus – only our own limited human word remains. For the Salesians of Don Bosco, intimacy with the Word is indispensable nourishment and the guarantee of a balance that is both delicate and urgently needed.

Interior Freedom, an Evangelical Gaze and Active Hope

Sharing some of the guidance offered to the members of the general council, the rector major highlighted 4 fundamental attitudes:

• to ask the Lord Jesus for the grace of interior freedom, dwelling in silence in His presence;
• to look at history with the eyes of Jesus, allowing our hearts to be touched by His Sacred Heart;
• to live conversion as a journey marked by hope rooted in history, translated concretely through the lived experience of the Preventive System as a critical force capable of generating a civilization of love;
• to ensure that the Word of God becomes the source, nourishment, light, and strength of personal life and mission, to be “broken” and shared with the young.

Only from intimacy with the Word made flesh, he reaffirmed, can the Salesian vocation mature authentically.

In a “Change of Epoch”: Being Informed and Credible

In the final part of his message, the rector major broadened his reflection to the global context, describing it as a true “change of epoch,” marked by conflicts and tensions that profoundly challenge Christian conscience.

Faced with this reality, the Salesian headquarters – he stated – cannot limit itself to commenting on events. He therefore invited the confreres to adopt 2 defining attitudes:

1. To be well informed, studying and understanding in depth what is happening in the world, so as to help the provinces develop a global vision and incarnate the charism within increasingly complex cultural contexts.
2. To live consistently in humility and poverty, together with serious study and attentive accompaniment of the provinces, as choices that make the service of the central government credible.

“How we live is what we communicate,” he reminded them. “And how we live speaks louder than what we say.” Hence the invitation to safeguard and promote at the Salesian headquarters a simple and sober lifestyle, without compromise.

“Martyrs of Otherness” and Salesians in Places of Risk

In conclusion, the rector major recalled the witness of the 19 martyrs of Algeria, including the monks of Tibhirine, described as “martyrs of otherness” for having chosen to remain with the Algerian people until the end.

Referring to the powerful image from the dialog between a monk and a village girl – “We are the birds, you are the tree” – he emphasized the value of faithful presence, capable of offering shelter, protection, future, and hope.

Today, he noted, the Congregation is present in 10 particularly challenging contexts marked by conflict and danger, where Salesians are true “martyrs of education and evangelization.” To them goes the human and spiritual closeness of the entire Congregation.

Their witness, he concluded, calls everyone to live the Salesian vocation authentically and without compromise, like “trees” that safeguard and nurture the hope of the young.

With this invitation to conversion, hope, and coherence of life, the rector major entrusted to the community of the Salesian headquarters and to the whole Congregation the task of continuing the journey with renewed fidelity to the Gospel and to the charism of Don Bosco.

The First Salesian House in China

The First Salesian House in China

(ANS – Macao – April 15, 2026) – The longest-running mission of the Salesians of Portugal, which marked the beginning of Don Bosco’s work in China, was the work in Macao. Portuguese Salesians were present in Macao for 92 years: beginning on February 13, 1906, with an interruption between 1910 and 1912, it ended only on December 31, 1999, when the territory was returned to China. On the 150th anniversary of the expedition that marked the expansion of the Salesian presence into the missions, the Salesians of Portugal recall their first missionary outposts and their first missionaries.

Despite the jurisdiction of the Portugal as the colonial ruler, the first Salesians in the territory were Italian. The first director of the Immaculate Conception Orphanage – today the Salesian Institute, still in operation – was St. Louis Versiglia (1873–1930). It was not until 1912 that the first Portuguese Salesian, Fr. José da Silva Lucas, arrived in Macao, where he remained until 1927, having served as director of the orphanage. After him, many Portuguese Salesians passed thru over the years.

From the modest initial premises and its role as an orphanage, it went on to include a primary school, workshops, teaching in Portuguese, English, and Chinese, and new buildings equipped with modern facilities and machinery. In 1950, Colegio Dom Bosco opened for Portuguese students. Over the years, both institutions adapted their curricula and facilities to the evolving education system. Both the Salesian Institute and Colegio Dom Bosco were honored by the Macao Government with the Medal of Cultural Merit. Colegio Dom Bosco was the only one to remain under the jurisdiction of the Portuguese Province until 1999.

Upon the handover of the territory to China, the works in Macao were integrated into the Salesian Province of China, based in Hong Kong. The Portuguese section of the school was closed. In 2000, following the departure of the Portuguese Salesians, a further restructuring took place: Dom Bosco College merged with Yuet-Wah College (founded by Chinese and under the jurisdiction of the Hong Kong Province), with the former focusing on primary education and the latter on secondary education.

Currently, Macao is celebrating the jubilee year marking the 450th anniversary of the diocese (1576–2026). The Salesian Congregation has just commemorated the 120th anniversary of its arrival in the East. The Salesians are currently present in China with 5 establishments in Hong Kong and 2 in Macao: the Salesian Institute and Colegio Dom Bosco/Yuet Wah College. They also have 3 works in Taiwan. Today, in the Macao Special Administrative Region, 14 Salesians are working: 10 priests, 2 deacons, and 2 coadjutor brothers. The Salesian Institute, which has existed for over a century, and Dom Bosco College/Yuet Wah College are 2 of the largest schools in the territory.

Homily for Thursday, Week 2 of Easter

Homily for Thursday
2d Week of Easter

April 16, 2026
Acts 5: 27-33
Christian Brothers, St. Joseph’s Residence, N.R.

The apostles before the Sanhedrin
(John T. Squires website)

“You want to bring this man’s blood upon us” (Acts 5: 28).

Precisely! tho not in the sense meant by the high priest.  The apostles want the leaders of their people, and the entire nation, to be washed by the blood of Christ.  That’s why they’re defying the Sanhedrin’s prohibition of preaching about Jesus (Acts 4:17,21).  That’s why they continue to announce his resurrection and his place at God the Father’s side, “granting Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins” (5:31).

To bring repentance and forgiveness to the whole human race thru Christ’s blood remains the mission of his Church, which “must obey God rather than men” (5:29).  In defiance of the powers of the earth, we will preach peace, human dignity, and the rights to life and liberty that God gives to every one of his children.  “We are witnesses” (5:32) to God’s universal love expressed in Jesus our Lord, risen and pouring forth from his pierced heart his sacrificial blood.

Salesian Missions Funds Education and Health of Impoverished Students

Salesian Missions Funds Education and Health of Impoverished Students

(ANS – Quito, Ecuador – April 15, 2026) – Salesians in Quito, Ecuador, had the funding to help support education and health for students living in poverty thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions of New Rochelle. The families of these students work mainly in informal, low-paid jobs and in precarious conditions. Students are at risk of dropping out of school or face academic challenges. Many require educational reinforcement and psychosocial support to ensure that they remain in and do well in school.

With the funding, Salesians were able to continue and strengthen the comprehensive care program for these youngsters. From January to June 2025, academic and psychosocial support was provided to 191 youths. In the 2nd half of the year, 181 students received support. In addition, Salesians provided school kits with supplies students needed.

Salesians also held 4 specialized health campaigns including dentistry, optometry, general medicine, and nutrition. These activities were carried out in coordination with the Prefecture of Pichincha and the Vista para Todos Foundation. These interventions covered not only basic health needs, but also guaranteed the delivery of corrective lenses and health-related procedures for 183 students. 

Further, 76 parents and caregivers attended workshops on parental responsibility and emotional management. Youths went to workshops on rights, inclusive communication, and safe environments. At the same time, Salesians helped youths maximize free time with sports and cultural activities, which improved the perception of well-being and quality of life.

Casandra Rey Sancho, aged 13, has been attending the Salesian Mi Patio Reference Center since she was 8 years old. She is one of the beneficiaries of the project. She said: “Before entering the program, I was a very withdrawn child. I had a hard time trusting others, and I didn’t have a safe space where I could play, learn, or just feel supported. I felt small in front of the world. Today I can say that I am different.”

She added: “Thanks to Salesian support, I have strengthened my security and confidence. Not only do I get support with my homework and school supplies, like backpacks and notebooks, but I also have people who believe in me. Teacher Susana visits my house, talks with me and my mother, and also comes to my school to follow up on my progress. That close support has motivated me to try harder. My grades have improved, and I now have good grades.”

Sancho also receives psychological support and participates in health campaigns. She loves to play soccer and dance. She noted: “Not only have I improved in school, I believe in myself, have been opened up to the world and now imagine a different future. I am deeply grateful, because thanks to this project, today I am more confident, happy, and hopeful.”

Salesians provide social development and educational programs across Ecuador to help youths who are poor gain an education and the skills for later employment. The skills they learn ensure they are able to care for themselves and their families while being contributing members of their communities.

Homily for Tuesday, Week 2 of Easter

Homily for Tuesday
2d Week of Easter

April 14, 2026
Acts 4: 32-37
Christian Brothers, St. Joseph Residence, N.R.

“The community of believers was of one heart and mind” (Acts 4: 32).

In the midst of Luke’s description of the ideal Christian community, he interposes an interesting note:  “With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus” (4:33).  It’s as if to say that the common life and mutual sharing are part of the community’s proclamation that Jesus is risen and he is Lord.

Jesus himself advised his apostles that all would know them for his disciples by their love for one another (John 13:35).  Their love is manifest practically in care for one another, seeing that no one lacks whatever’s needed for a good life, including spiritual harmony.  That’s why we sometimes hear a church leader say of our schools, health care, or Catholic Charities that we do such ministry not because its beneficiaries are Catholic but because we are.

We religious try to live with “one heart and mind,” holding “everything in common” (4:32).  When we do so, we bear witness with great power that Jesus lives and is our master.  Words aren’t necessary.  Faithful, mutual, practical love for one another says everything.

Homily for Monday, Week 2 of Easter

Homily for Monday
Week 2 of Easter

April 13, 2026
Collect
Salesian HS, New Rochelle, N.Y.

Adam & Eve Expelled
from Eden
(OL of the Assumption, Bronx)

In the opening prayer a few moments ago, the prayer called the “collect” because it brings together the prayers and desires of all of us, we asked Almighty God to transform us.

1st, we credited God with renewing us “by paschal remedies.”  “Paschal” refers to Passover, and for Christians the Passover is Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection—by which he passed over from our human mortality to eternal life.  That’s a remedy for us—for our sins, which bring death, and his remedy of grace, which will free us from death, as he was raised up.

The prayer spoke of “the likeness of our earthly parentage.”  All living persons, from our most distant ancestors, are sinners.[1]  That’s what we’re like.  And because of sin, all of us die.  Ashes to ashes and dust to dust, as the saying goes.

But God’s grace, God’s forgiveness, transforms us “in the image of our heavenly maker.”  That is, grace will make us images of Christ, risen from death and living forever—free from sin, free from pain, free from sorrow.  Christ, of course, never sinned.  But we do.  Nevertheless, his grace has the power to transform us to be like him.

That’s what we prayed for in the collect.

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[1] With the exception, of course, of the Virgin Mary.  Jesus is not a “human person” but a divine Person who assumed a human nature.  This need not be detailed in a brief homily.

Homily for 2d Sunday of Easter

Homily for the
2d Sunday of Easter

April 12, 2026
1 Pet 1: 3-9
St. Francis Xavier, Bronx
Our Lady of the Assumption, Bronx

Jesus Appears in the Upper Room (James Tissot)

St. Peter assures us, “God … in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope thru the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet 1: 3).

That Jesus of Nazareth truly rose from the dead is evidenced by his appearing to his apostles in spite of their hiding away in a locked room, and their touching him and probing his mortal wounds.  On the apostles’ testimony, backed up eventually by their martyrdom for the sake of Christ, we’re as sure of the resurrection as we are that Washington crossed the Delaware with his army on Christmas Day 1776.

Jesus alive gives us “living hope”—hope that the power of God will touch us, too, who have been reborn in him by water and the Holy Spirit.  Thus does God pour out on us his great mercy—which we particularly mark today, Divine Mercy Sunday.

In fact, Jesus is our “living hope,” as we pray before Communion at every Mass:  “By the help of your mercy, may we be always free from sin …, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”  Mercy, hope, and our Lord Jesus—all together!

Our hope rests on that wonderful mercy.  His resurrection wouldn’t mean much to us without that—the mercy he commissioned the apostles and the whole Church to pass on from him by the power of the Holy Spirit:  the power to forgive sins, the power to reconcile us with God in spite of our mortality, our frailties, our failures, our sins great and small.

God loves us, God forgives, God redeems us in Jesus, risen, alive, bringing us to life.  That’s the Gospel, the Good News.  That’s the mission of the Church—to hear and accept the Gospel by receiving the sacraments—being washed clean in the holy font and reborn in the Spirit (Collect), by communing with his Body and Blood, by having our sins erased in confession; and by practicing Christ’s own love for God and neighbor.  And, further, to share the Gospel we’ve accepted, letting everyone see by our words and deed that we belong to Jesus Christ, our merciful Redeemer.

St. John Bosco Parish Celebrates Holy Week

St. John Bosco Parish Celebrates Holy Week

By Fr. Eddie Chincha, SDB

                     

(Salesian News – Port Chester, N.Y. – April 8, 2026) – Holy Week was a major event at St. John Bosco Parish in Port Chester, beginning on Palm Sunday and continuing over the following days.

On Palm Sunday the parish offered 2 extra Masses to accommodate the large number of people who attended Mass. During Reconciliation Monday, the Salesians heard confessions from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; we stopped only for Evening Prayer and dinner together.

Additionally, the community had a two-day parish mission. Each day after Mass, our new confrere in community, Fr. Felix Levin, preached to hundreds of people who attended this Tuesday and Wednesday mission.

St. John Bosco Parish’s pastor, Fr. Franco Pinto, SDB, and I attended the Chrism Mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Tuesday, March 31, in midtown Manhattan.

Holy Thursday featured a packed liturgy, at which all St. John Bosco Parish’s altar servers and eucharistic ministers processed in together. We had 12 apostles represented by men from different groups of the parish.

On Good Friday the parish welcomed a large crowd of the faithful to the 3:00 p.m. liturgy. After the service, we processed through the main streets of Port Chester, acting out the way of the cross. Our young adult group prepared these live stations of the cross for months. They practiced every Wednesday and recruited parishioners as actors and support crew. 

The procession lasted for 4 hours and ended with the Veneration of the Cross. Thousands of people of all ages came out of their homes to walk with us, witnessing publicly to the strong faith in the village of Port Chester in a dynamic way.

Fr. Felix Levin and Deacon Ivan Gemio lead the Way of the Cross

Our actors gave a very realistic performance. The whips were very real and the sincerity and devotion of the actor who played Jesus was extraordinary.

The Easter Vigil was majestic. We had 13 adult baptisms that night in a multilingual liturgy. One of the most moving moments of that service was the renewal of baptismal vows. Our people shouted “I do” with loud voices that shook the building.

Finally, on Easter Sunday, many gathered for Mass and to witness the Baptism of 20 children. Afterwards, a fun Easter egg hunt was organized for the little ones. In conclusion, it was an intense week, filled with devotion and love for the Lord.

This was indeed a packed week filled with devotion and love for our Lord. We hope that next year our Holy Week celebrations will be even bigger!