October 4, 2026 • Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Parish Family,

What happened to September? Wasn’t it just Labor Day? I hope it was a good month for everyone. Here at Good Shepherd, the dedication of our new altar and Deacon Mike’s ordination kept us busy and gave us much to celebrate. Both occasions reminded us how richly God has blessed our parish and how many people contribute to its life. As we enter the final three months of 2026, I pray they will be filled with grace and blessings for all of us.

October is the Month of the Holy Rosary, an invitation to slow down and spend time with Jesus and Mary in prayer. The Rosary has a long history. Early Christians developed a practice of praying 150 Our Fathers in imitation of the 150 Psalms. A similar practice of praying 150 Hail Marys followed. Over time, people began to reflect on events in the lives of Jesus and Mary as they prayed. The followers of Saint Dominic helped spread this devotion, and the Rosary took on the form familiar to us today.

For centuries, Catholics prayed the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries. In 2002, Pope John Paul II proposed the Mysteries of Light, which draw our attention to Jesus’ public ministry. Together, the mysteries lead us through his birth and childhood, his teaching and miracles, his suffering and death, and the glory of his Resurrection.

The Rosary helps us meditate on the great mysteries of our salvation. Although we ask Mary to pray with and for us, Jesus is always at the center. The Our Father turns us toward the Father, from whom salvation comes. The Hail Mary invites us to contemplate Christ with the woman who knew and loved him as his mother. The Glory Be reminds us that our lives are meant to give praise to the Holy Trinity.

The repetition of these familiar prayers creates a quiet space in which we can listen to God. We can bring our gratitude, our concerns, and the needs of those we love. Sometimes a mystery will speak directly to what we are experiencing; at other times, simply making time to pray is enough. The Rosary reminds us that Jesus is present in both the joys and sorrows of our lives.

This October, I encourage you to make a little room for the Rosary. You might pray five decades, one decade on your way to work, or a Hail Mary with your family before bed. Whatever time you can offer, let it be an opportunity to draw closer to Jesus and to entrust your life to his loving care.

Grace and peace!
Father Neil Sullivan