Padre’s Points to Ponder

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I want to clarify a common confusion that arises about the difference between the Anointing of the Sick and Last Rites. The two are closely related, but they are not the same thing, and understanding the difference can help us know when to call a priest and, perhaps most … Continued

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, By the time you read this, the Church will have a new Blessed, as on September 24, 2026, in St. Louis, MO, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen will have been beatified. A contingent of the parish staff and I will be in attendance at the Mass to witness this great … Continued

Hello All Saints family! It has been a pleasure to begin to know some of you over the past week since I officially started! I gave a short version of my story a couple of bulletins ago, but Fr. Michael wanted me to write another article sharing my testimony in a bit more depth. I’m … Continued

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As you have hopefully seen in recent bulletins and e-News, All Saints has been working with the Catholic Leadership Institute (CLI) over the last year.  The initial fruits of this work, simply put, has been to get all of us (parishioners, clergy, staff, and parish ministries), unified by a … Continued

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Thank you for accompanying me over the past few weeks on our “deep dive” into Mass intentions, stipends, and our parish policy revisions.  Many of you have commented how helpful it has been to shine a light on this practice. As we draw this series to a conclusion, I … Continued

Padre’s Points to Ponder – August 28, 2026 Dear friends in Christ, In our last two articles, we have looked at what a Mass intention is and why Catholics traditionally make an offering when requesting that a Mass be offered for a particular intention. This time, I would like to explain why the parish has … Continued

Padre’s Points to Ponder – August 21, 2026 Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Welcome back to our bulletin series on Mass Intentions!  In our last article, we talked about what a Mass intention actually is. We saw that when we request a Mass for someone, we are asking the Church to offer the Holy … Continued

One of the beautiful customs of Catholic life is the practice of having a Mass offered for a particular intention. We see these intentions listed in the bulletin, announced before Mass, or requested at the parish office. But many Catholics have never really been told what a “Mass intention” is or why the Church has … Continued

Padre’s Points to Ponder – 8/7/26 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Some people say that parish life slows down in the summer.  They apparently haven’t been to All Saints! The past few hot months of summer have been jam-packed with lively activities.  Aside from our regular calendar of Masses, Confessions, ministry meetings, and the … Continued

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, This week, Pope Leo XIV will travel to Assisi, the beloved hometown of St. Francis, to celebrate Mass at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, St. Mary of the Angels. His visit provides us with a wonderful opportunity to rediscover one of the Church’s beautiful traditions of mercy. … Continued

Padre’s Points to Ponder – 7/24/26 This weekend, the Sunday closest to the Memorial of Sts. Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and thus the Grandparents of Our Lord Jesus, the Church celebrates the World Day of Prayer for Grandparents and the Elderly.  Pope Francis established this day in 2021 to … Continued

Padre’s Points to Ponder – Guest Edition – 7/17/26 In just a few weeks, Seminarian Thau and I will be ending our summer assignments here at All Saints. Because I am in what is now called the Pastoral Synthesis stage, I will be returning to All Saints in December, while Thau will continue his seminary formation, … Continued

Padre’s Points to Ponder with Deacon Chrystian Bis – 7/10/26 This Fourth of July, I got to experience the famous Dunwoody 4th of July Parade. I got to drive Father Michael’s decorated Jeep, trying to balance looking at the crowds and making sure I stayed on course. It was an incredible experience, seeing how many … Continued

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, This weekend our nation marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. We rightly give thanks for the blessings of liberty that have shaped our country’s history, remembering with gratitude those who sacrificed so that future generations might live in freedom. We are also invited … Continued

Life tells us we need to move faster and faster to keep up with our responsibilities. Before I joined the seminary, I used to work for a software company, running an online program for businesses to use. I remember when I worked in IT, issues would pop up over and over, and my coworkers and … Continued

This past Saturday, I was able to join a few brave souls from our parish for a joint procession of the Blessed Sacrament from St. Brigid Catholic Church to Mary Our Queen Catholic Church. For those unfamiliar with the practice, it was a walk on foot behind the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance. We hiked … Continued

Padre’s Points to Ponder – by Deacon Chrystian Bis I have only just unpacked my boxes here in Dunwoody and started my first week on assignment as a deacon at All Saints, yet I already find myself deeply immersed in the spiritual life of this parish. I’m very thankful that my first weekend here included … Continued

Padre’s Points to Ponder – 6/4/26 Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, This week, a group from our parish, together with friends from St. Peter Chanel and their priest Fr. Evan, sets out on a pilgrimage to Italy. We go not as tourists, but as pilgrims: men and women seeking an encounter with the Lord, … Continued

Padre’s Points to Ponder – 5/29/26 Though we have two great solemnities after Pentecost (Trinity Sunday and Corpus Christi Sunday), the Church has officially returned once again to the season we call “Ordinary Time.”  We are not simply returning to the mundane routines of life; in truth, Ordinary Time may be one of the greatest … Continued

Padre’s Points to Ponder – 5/22/26 Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, This weekend, the Church throughout the world celebrates the great feast of Pentecost, the day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles like tongues of fire and transformed frightened disciples into bold witnesses of the Gospel. Pentecost is often called the “birthday of … Continued