Mass Times: Saturdays at 5:00 pm;
Sundays at 8:00 am and 10:30 am.
Mon, Tues, Wed* (*Communion service),
and Fri at 8:15 am;
Thurs at 6:00 pm.
St. Rita Roman Catholic Church
1008 Maple Dr., Webster, NY 14580
585-671-1100
 

The Parish Office is open from 9 am to noon, Monday through Friday.  Stop by or give us a call at 671-1100.

Pastoral Messages

Rights and Responsibilities

As we continue our journey of learning about Catholic Social Teaching, this month our focus is on the principle of Rights and Responsibilities.

This principle teaches us that, because every person, created in the image and likeness of God, possesses inherent dignity, they have fundamental rights that must be respected and protected.

These include the right to life, food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, education, meaningful work, and religious freedom. These rights are not earned or granted by society; they flow directly from our God-given worth.

At the same time, rights cannot be separated from responsibilities. Catholic Social Teaching reminds us that we are not isolated individuals, but members of families, communities, and a global human family. Therefore, we have responsibilities to respect the rights of others, care for the vulnerable, contribute to the common good, and act with justice and charity in our daily lives. Our responsibilities extend to our families, our workplaces, our parish, our nation, and the wider world.

Living out this principle calls us to both advocate for just structures that protect human rights and to examine our own choices and attitudes. As disciples of Christ, we are invited to promote a society where everyone’s dignity is honored and where love of neighbor guides both our rights and our responsibilities.

For more information, visit the USCCB site here.

Blessings this week,

~Deacon Jim


Read more

Scripture

An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings - April 19, 2026

“Were Not Our Hearts On Fire Within Us?”

Our readings today meet us on our journey (sojourn) back to the Father and lead us to the risen Christ.

Our first reading is from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:14,22-33). It is perhaps the first ever homily on the risen Christ. Peter, on the day of Pentecost, spoke boldly with the power of the Holy Spirit. Peter explained the link between King David of old and the promise God made to raise up an heir who would reign from his throne forever. "One can confidently say to you about the patriarch David that he died and was buried, and his tomb is in our midst to this day. But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ…”

In our Epistle reading (1 Peter 1:17-21). St. Peter encouraged his Gentile Christian audience at a time of suffering and “sojourning” on their journey back to the Father. They were admonished to invoke the Father and act with reverence. “Conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning, realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct...”

Our Gospel reading (Luke 24:13:35) is the beautiful story of two dejected disciples who encounter Jesus as they leave Jerusalem on the first Easter Sunday. This is a wonderful parallel to the Mass, presided over by Christ Himself. It has the two main elements of the Mass: the Liturgy of the Word, as Jesus opened the Scriptures to them, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, as they finally recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread.

“And it happened that, while He was with them at table, He took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, but He vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while He spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?’"

Every time we attend Mass, Jesus reveals Himself to us through the scriptures as we hear the word of God proclaimed to us. Then, through the persona of the priest, Jesus blesses the bread, says the blessing, breaks it, and gives it to us. How could we not recognize Him as He comes to us each day at Mass. One question we might ask ourselves today is, “Is there anything preventing me from recognizing Jesus as He comes to meet me on the road?

bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041926.cfm


Read more

Upcoming Events

Latest News

What's Happening This Week

Facebook

Faith at Home

Help



© 2014 St. Rita Roman Catholic Church - Last updated 2022-09-13 21:11:10
Mass Times: Saturdays at 5:00 pm;
Sundays at 8:00 am and 10:30 am.
Mon, Tues, Wed* (*Communion service),
and Fri at 8:15 am;
Thurs at 6:00 pm.