“The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and the lives of all who encounter Jesus.” 1

This is the opening line of Pope Francis’ first apostolic exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel.

To help us embark on a new chapter of evangelization marked by that joy, during the next several weeks we will be exploring a different theme at each weekend Mass. The priests and deacons will preach on the theme, based on the readings for the day, during the homily. The faithful will follow up by reflecting on questions posted in a study guide on the parish website, as well as by reading suggested excerpts from The Joy of the Gospel.