Category: Sermon Notes

Transripts of weekly sermons

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Sermon Notes – September 14, 2025 – There is Only One Truth

“There is Only One Truth”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

September 13 – 14, 2025

Gospel: John 3:13-17


Years ago, I took a course taught by Father Buckley who was both an interesting and brilliant man.  One day while he was doing academic counseling, a student came into Father Buckley’s office and asked him if he wanted some cake.   The student had some chocolate cake left over from his birthday.  Father Buckley said, “Cake bad,” and he opened a window and threw out the cake.  The only problem was that directly below the window and two stories down was the department director’s car.  Oops!   I remember that while we were taking our final exam on the New Testament, and after we had said the opening prayers, Father Buckley fell to his knees and said, “Saint Jude!”  Oh God, this is not going to be good!  One of the questions on the exam was: “What does this mean?  Jesus was a stumbling block to the Jews and a folly to the Gentiles.”   What that means is that we do not want to suffer for the Savior even though He made suffering the way to salvation. 

Many times, during Christ’s ministry, people reacted negatively to His teachings and left Him.  When He said that marriage is between a man and a woman and that it is until death, what happened?  Everybody left him.  When He said, ““Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life within you,” what happened?  Everybody left him.   When He suffered and died on the Cross to open the gates of Heaven, what happened?  Everybody left Him.   Peter even asked Jesus to knock off all the talk about suffering because they were losing people.  What was Jesus’ response?  He called Peter satan.   

At His crucifixion in Golgotha, the high priest said, “Come down from the Cross now, so that we may see and believe” (Mark 15:32).  Anything but suffering or renunciation of self.  Paul did not preach that while he was in Greece.  How many people did he get after preaching in Greece?  Two.  After reviewing the after-action report, Paul decided to preach about Christ crucified and then what happened?  Christianity was spread throughout the world.  We preach Christ crucified, not social justice.  We don’t need more civil laws.  We need more moral people. 

Jesus reaches down from the Cross and asks us to grasp His hand.  When we grasp His hand, we have a choice to make.  Will we pull Him down from the Cross to our level or will we allow Him to raise us up to the Cross so that we may have eternal life?  That’s the choice.   People say, “I love Christ, but not the Church.”  That is impossible, because you cannot separate Christ from the Church.  In Acts 9:4, when Saul was on the road to Damascus to persecute Christians, Jesus appeared before him and said, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”  We don’t need to change what the Church teaches.  Every time it has been tried, it hasn’t worked.  In Protestant churches, there are 10,000 different denominations all proclaiming their own versions of the truth.  Now if you have studied Philosophy, you know that there cannot be 10,000 variations of the truth. The truth is the truth.  

We are not called to change the Church.  We are not called to change the Sacraments.  We are called to change ourselves, and we should start by seeking the Savior to change us.  People say, “Well, we need to change things because God wants us to be happy.”  In the next life, yes, but not in this one.  In this life, we will always have our difficulties.  I can no longer eat bacon, so do not tell me about your problems!   When I got out of my car the other day at the Breakfast Nook, the aroma of bacon was so thick that I teared up in the parking lot.  We will all have troubles in this life, but Jesus is reaching down from the Cross and saying, “Come up to Me, and I will take you to Heaven.”

Father’s Reflections . . . Now, we do not celebrate 9/11, a day on which many people died.  But we do honor the day.  On the Sunday after 9/11, I went to my parish in Statesville and said to them: 

“I will be leaving you very shortly. I am waiting for orders to be called back to active duty overseas. I realize that all of you want payback for this horrendous act of war against us.  Give us your sons, daughters, grandsons, and granddaughters, and we will take care of business.  Although, I must tell you that some of them will come home to you in a box.  So be careful what you wish for. “

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog,” then “Categories,” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes

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Sermon Notes – August 24, 2025 – “He Will Make Us an Offer We Cannot Refuse”

“He Will Make Us an Offer We Cannot Refuse”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

August 23 – 24, 2025

Gospel: Luke 13: 22-30

One day, this will happen.  I don’t know what the exact date will be, but I’m preparing for it.  Our Good Lord will come down from Heaven and put the whack on me.  It will happen to us all.  In my case, I won’t blame Him since I’m probably past my sell-by date.  However, for now, I have a chance to live a life of prayer and penance.   After the divine snuff, our Good Lord will take me from this world to Himself, and I will stand before Him in judgment.  Particular Judgement happens at the moment of death.   

God will ask me, “Do you love Me?  Do you love My Son? Can I recognize My Son in you?”   And before I can say, “Oh, You know I love You; You’re a real great Guy,” everything from my life will be opened to my mind as it is His.  He will see if I love Him.   The Gospel of Matthew has the final exam questions.  “Did you love Me?”   We love Him by doing His Will, keeping His Commandments, feeding and helping the poor, bearing sorrows, and illnesses.  It’s all there in the Book.  If someone slaps you, turn the other cheek.  I’m sorry, but that ain’t happening; I wasn’t trained that way.  I played hockey as a hobby, so, Dude, you are going down with prejudice!   But we should bear and carry the sins others have committed against us as Christ would. 


He will look at us and try to see in us a body of good works.  Non-Catholics will say, “Oh, you think you can earn your way to Heaven.”  These are acts of love as our Good Lord told us, “If you love Me, keep My Commandments.”   By keeping His Commandments, we are transformed.  He will see the nail prints on our hands, the crown of thorns on our head, the wound from a spear on our side, and our backs torn up from the whip.  That is how He will recognize us as belonging in His Father’s Kingdom.  Be ready for our Good Lord.   Conform yourself to Christ, not only by keeping His Commandments but by doing good through Corporal Works of Mercy.   Works of love make us beautiful and conform us to Him with a beautiful soul like it was before Original Sin and the sins committed after Baptism.  If we conform to Him, and we can enter into His Kingdom. 

All those acts of love draw us closer to Him and remove our fear of death.  We all have that fear because we were never meant to die.  Our first parents did that to us, and we helped it along with all the sins we have committed.  But the fear of death can help us to walk closer with our Good Lord.  For the faithful, after the change in venue, our souls will be at peace.  We use the means God has provided in the Sacraments.   I am sure you have no lack of opportunity for doing acts of charity and bearing the sins of others.  All those crosses we carry transform us and give us a celestial makeover.  They make us look like Christ. 

We can be joyful when we leave this life and go with Christ.  But it is constant work.  Some days I feel good about it, and on other days, not so much.   But that’s okay.  As long as I pick up my cross every day and follow Him, I am preparing, as we all should, for that moment the Lord makes me an offer I cannot refuse.  Yes, it’s a bit of a Godfather sermon.  You talking to me?  “Yeah, I’m talking to you!”  The divine beauty treatment that comes from Christ is available to us all, and our Good Lord gives us the strength to achieve it.

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog,” then “Categories,” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes

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Sermon Notes – August 3, 2025 – How Much Do You Love Me?

“How Much Do You Love Me?”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

August 2 – 3, 2025

Gospel: Luke 12: 13-21

In my years of priesthood, I have been asked some really interesting questions.  One that comes to mind is: “Father, did your mother have any good-looking children?”  My answer: “Just my twin brother.”   Another interesting question I often get is: “Father, how often do I have to go to Mass?”  Now, I do know the answer, but I need some additional information first before I can answer the question.   First, do you know what the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is?  Some people have received very poor instruction, both through the CCD and from the pulpit.  You can go to some churches, and the service is like a badly done high school play with people running around doing all sorts of different things.  You might have pleas for money or comments about political topics.  There is so much stuff going on.  But do you know what the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is?  It is Good Friday, which is always before God.  The Sacrifice of Christ is always in Heaven before the Father and brought to the altar. 

When we come to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we come to offer ourselves with Christ, which is a free act of love and a work of redemption.  Offering ourselves with Christ is an act of love when united with His supreme act of love for the salvation of the world.  That is what going to Mass is and why it is so wonderful, beautiful, and sublime.  There is no difference between what I do here and what I did while I was overseas.  It is the same Mass, the same wonder, and the same awe.  So, the answer to the question about how often you need to come to Mass is that, technically and according to the Precepts of the Church, every Sunday and Holy Day.  What are the Commandments and the precepts of the Church?  They are guides and teach us how to love.  They give us the minimum needed, and without them, we would screw it up. 

Look at our first parents, Adam and Eve.  They saw God, talked to God, and walked with God.  They ate the apple and look what happened.  They had one rule, and they messed it up.  We also have some rules, and we mess them up too.  The Commandments are the minimum we must do, but they prepare us to do other things.  They keep us from sin.  What is the first rule of medicine?  Do no harm.   The Commandments are guidelines that keep us away from sin, and they teach us to do no harm to ourselves and others. 

“Father, why is the penalty for not going to Mass a mortal sin?  Why is that so bad?”  Look at what you have been invited to and to become a part of.  Our Lord, Himself, calls each and every one of us to become a part of His Holy Sacrifice.   Not going to Mass is a rejection of our Lord.  In essence, you are saying: “Lord, I really appreciate the invitation.  You are a really nice Guy, but I’m busy.  I have a soccer game to go to.  I have company, and I cannot offend them.  I can offend You, but not my company”.  So, the question, “Why is missing Mass so bad?” is always an interesting one. 

You do not have to go to Mass.  Coming to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is an act and work of love.  Love cannot be compelled.  Love is an act of free will without any fear, force, or coercion.   Coming here is an act of love.   “Father, how many times do I have to come to Mass?”  Well, how much do you love Jesus?  Love never asks, “How much do I have to do?”   The only question love asks is, “How much can I do?”

How will you apply this message to your life?  _______________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog,” then “Categories,” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes

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Sermon Notes – July 20, 2025 – “Embrace the Suck”

“Embrace the Suck”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 19-20, 2025

Gospel: Luke 10: 38-42

Last night, I was watching people come into the church, and it was quite amusing.  They were walking very slowly, and some of them were younger people.  I asked them why they were walking so slowly.  They said it was really hot out there.  Okay, but walking slowly doesn’t make it any cooler.  It reminded me of my last time overseas.  I was a part of the group that arrived there first, so we were the old old-timers. When our replacements arrived so that we could go home, the newcomers would be outside doing light work to get acclimated to the heat.  If it were 110 degrees, that would have been a nice, easy day for us.  We would go running on days like that because we had been acclimated to the heat.  So, the old-timers would watch the newcomers working outside in the heat and start a countdown, 3 – 2 – 1, and plunk, down they would go.  They would have IVs in both arms.  Yep, it takes a little time to get used to that kind of heat.  After a day up north, I could take my shirt off, and if I sat it on the floor, it would literally stand straight up from all the body fluid I had lost.  That is how hot it is over there.

We have a wonderful opportunity despite the discomfort of the summer heat.  Saint Paul wrote, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, that is, the church” (Colossians 1:24).   We can offer up all our discomfort for the salvation of souls and the salvation of our own souls.   We have been given a great gift that we can use for ourselves and others.  So why waste it?   Embrace the suck and offer it up as a penance.  We have months of this heat ahead of us.  I knew that would cheer you up.  But what an opportunity we have to grow in grace and help others by our suffering.  So, take advantage of this uncomfortable heat and offer it up.  You don’t have to enjoy it.   Enjoyment is not a requirement for offering something up.

Now, I’m going to try to save you some money.  I’m going to share with you the secret to happiness and beauty, so you can stop watching TV commercials.  Do you know what the secret to happiness is?  Happiness comes from always having our Lord present in our souls and not losing Him.  We don’t lose Him . . . We kick Him out by our unrepentant venial sin and mortal sin.  Read the poem, “Hounds of Heaven,” by Francis Thompson.  We are the ones who drive Christ away.  Our Lord said, “But seek first the Kingdom [of God] and His righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides” (Matthew 6:33).   When Christ lives within us, we have the greatest peace that is possible in this life, and eventually, we will have even greater peace in Heaven.  But no matter how holy you are or try to be, you will always have disappointments.  For example, I have been a priest for 41 years, and I am still not a Monsignor.  So don’t tell me about your disappointments; I know what real disappointment is!   People will disappoint us.  My parents and brothers all died to get away from me, but I don’t take it personally.  When my mother was dying, God and I had a chat, which included official military words that I will not repeat here.  Was I disappointed?  Yes.  Did I lose faith?  No, because I knew Who I needed to talk to. 

The secret of beauty is having Christ within us and becoming His living Tabernacle.  I was watching a commercial that featured a macho man who was all dressed up and looking very sharp.  The commercial was for a cream that would help men eliminate the lines and creases on their faces.  Really?   Dude, give me your man-card; I’m going to shred it.   I earned all these lines on my face.  Numerous beauty products are available to enhance our appearance.  My favorites for men are the comb-over and the comb-forward.  Yeah, everybody sees it, especially on a windy day.  Former New York City mayor, Rudy Giuliani, would color his hair, and on a hot day, the color would melt and drip down his face.  Nobody sees that; it looks good!   Beauty is not about seeing a dermatologist for treatment just so someone can bounce quarters off your cheeks when you are older.  It is having Christ within you.  True beauty comes from living holy lives.   We are called to be a living Tabernacle and to bring Christ to others.  He uses the beauty that comes from holiness so that people see Christ in us.  At the end of their lives, Saint Teresa of Calcutta and Saint John Paul II were not going to win any beauty contests.   But they radiated a divine beauty, a divine glow, and a divine joy.   This is what we are called to be by living holy lives.  This is how you can become beautiful.  So, save your money on hair products and other beauty products.   Want to be beautiful or handsome?  Be holy.   It’s a lot cheaper, and you will be a lot happier.

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog,” then “Categories,” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.  

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Sermon Notes – July 6, 2025 – “You Will Be Amazed!”

“You Will Be Amazed!”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 5-6, 2025

Gospel: Luke 10: 1-12, 17-20

Would you like to be amazed?  If yes, do you want an easy way to do it?   Just do what Christ told you to do.  “Lord, everything worked just like You told us it would!”  Well, duh!  As they say in Italian, “Stunad” (stupid).   “Were you expecting something different?  I’m God, remember?”  Peter had been fishing all night and hadn’t caught anything.  So, when our Lord told him, “Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch,” Peter responded with a bit of sarcasm: “Master, we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if You say so, I will pay out the nets” (Luke 5:4-5).  It was obvious that Jesus wasn’t a fisherman; he was a carpenter.  But what happened?  Because the fishermen did what our Lord told them to do, they caught so many fish that their nets tore.  The Epistles affirm that if we do what God tells us to do, we will get what He promised, and our Lord has never reneged on any of His promises.  But keep it simple – do what He tells you to do just for today, just for this hour.  He tells us exactly where the landmines are on the way to salvation, and He gives us the map.  “Don’t step there . . . it will hurt you.” 

Christ performed many miracles.  He fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish.  So, you would think that the Apostles would have learned, but no.  They were not the sharpest knives in the drawer, nor were they the brightest bears in Jellystone Park.  Remember that old cartoon?  You would think that after our Lord resurrected four people from the dead and performed all the other miracles, the Apostles would have learned to trust Him.  “Do what I tell you, and you will get what I’ve got.”  Our Lord did not say, “My words are just suggestive. You do what you think is best.”  He did not say “Give 10 percent to the Church,” which I appreciate, but He didn’t say that either.   That is nowhere in Scripture.   If you ask, “How does He speak to us in the 21st Century?”  The same way He did in the First Century, Stunad!   Read the black part of Scripture, not the white part.  It has not changed.  Now, believe it or not, no matter how good-looking, intelligent, and talented I am, our Lord does not need my advice.  Whenever the Lord asked the Apostles a question, they gave Him the wrong answer.  We must do what He asks us to do. 

I took three vows when I was ordained: poverty, chastity, and obedience.  Thank God eating fish wasn’t one of them.  Anyway, do you know which vow is the most difficult?  Obedience.  There are two parts to obedience.  One is objective obedience: “Yes, Sir. Very good, Sir.”  You salute and carry out the mission.  There is also subjective obedience.  You give an order, and you hear, “Yes, Sir. Very good, Sir.”  But you know, in the back of their mind, they are patting the back of their head, which is a sign of mockery, and thinking, “I’m doing this because if I don’t, you’ll put me in prison.”   If they don’t obey a command, the First Sergeant will conduct some hands-on therapy.  They don’t do that anymore, but the laying on of hands can help alleviate many problems.   Subjective obedience is the renunciation of the will, in the same way as in marriages.  There is only one law in the married state, clerical state, and single state, or whatever your vocation.  It is the renunciation of self to do the will of the beloved.  For example, if you ask your children to do something, they may ask, “Why?”   When you say, “Because I said so,” they may throw a tantrum because they are not adults.  We do the same with God.  “Why do I have to go to Mass?”  Do you want God’s peace?  “Yes.”  Do you want God’s joy?  “Yes.”  Do you want the promise of eternal life?   “Yes.”  Then do what He told you and you will be amazed at what happens.

Announcement:

We will be getting a new vestment case.  For 20+ years, I have stared at the old one, and I really, really don’t like it.  Recently, I was at another church for a wedding, and when I saw theirs, I thought, “Need one. Gotta have one. Get one.”  It was so beautiful.  A donor has given most of the money for the new vestment case, but there is still room left if you would like to make a memorial donation.  The Misfits will be doing the demolition of the old cabinet, so we will save some money there.  If you would like to help with the cabinet, contact Lori Storms in the office. Her phone number is (704) 982-2910 extension 1. There are pictures of the new vestment case on the church’s Facebook page.  The case will be handmade of white oak and will take approximately seven months to complete.  It will be so beautiful!

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog,” then “Categories,” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes

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Sermon Notes – June 29, 2025 – “Christ Came to Build His Church … Not to Write a Book”

“Christ Came to Build His Church … Not to Write a Book”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 28-29, 2025

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19

Pop quiz: How many of you love Scripture?  Let’s try that again.  I’ll give you a do-over.   How many of you love Scripture?  Alright, I’m seeing hands being raised.  If you do not love Scripture, we need to have a chat, and it will be a one-way conversation.  Scripture is the revealed Word of God.  So, if you love Scripture, and you have all indicated that you do, then you must love the Church.  Do you know why?  Because the Church wrote it.  The Church knows exactly what is in Scripture, so she can both interpret and teach it.  Now, Scripture only contains what is necessary for salvation.  It is not a handbook for engineering or medicine, and dinosaurs are never mentioned.  Basically, the Gospel is Ecclesiology, or what the Church is.  By the way, the Church is not a “what,” but a “Who.”  Jesus revealed that to Paul on the road to Damascus when He said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4).  We are the Body of Christ, so when you persecute the Church, you are persecuting Him. 

When you study Scripture, you must study it in the original language because English is a terrible language in which to study it.  When I first began my work in Hospice, I went to Nancy, who was one of the nurses, and I enrolled in Nancy’s College of Medical Terminology.  I asked Nancy what I needed to know so that I could become a better hospital chaplain.  Nancy gave me some books and papers to read.  This was because during treatment meetings, the medical staff would use all these big medical terms, and I was thankful that I could ask Dr. Google what they meant.  One of the doctors said, “Father, a veteran has Cheyne-Stokes respirations. Go see him.”  That is the kind of breathing you do until you don’t.  So, it was essential that I learn the language used by the medical staff. 

Likewise, we need to learn the words of Scripture, but we must learn them in the original language.  When Jesus said, “You are Peter and upon this rock I will build My church” (Matthew 16:18), Jesus renamed Simon, son of John.  In the Old Testament, Abram’s name was changed to Abraham to reflect his mission.  So, the Apostles understood what changing Simon’s name to Peter meant, and that was when they began to feel a bit of resentment.  When Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build My church,” He used the Greek word “Ecclesia,” meaning “you.”   In English, the word “you” can be singular or plural.  In French, there are two words that mean “you” – vous (plural) and tu (singular).  That doesn’t happen in the English language.  Christ said, “You are Peter and upon this rock I will build My church.”  He said, “You.”   He did not say “through the power of the Apostles,” as the Episcopalians claim, nor “as a profession of faith,” but rather “you” personally.

Christ came to establish and embody His Church, which has continued throughout time.  The Catholic Church wrote the New Testament scripture, and it codified the Old Testament.  The Jews only had the first five books of the Old Testament, but after Christ established His Church, we now have a few more.  The last books of the New Testament were not written until around 90 A.D. The Church was present throughout the Roman Empire. A couple of generations of martyrs had already died for the true Faith.  The book wasn’t codified until the 4th Century.  Before that, we never had a book.  Jesus came to establish His Church and not to write a book.  It was the Catholic Church that wrote the book that became essential for salvation. 

In the Old Testament, Jews were called Katoikos, meaning “settler.”  In the Gospel, which was written in Aramaic, there is a Greek word, ” ekklesia,” commonly translated as “church.”  There is a big difference between “settler” and “church.”  Now, you older people will remember this and thank God that you are old, because many of our contemporaries never had the opportunity.  Do you remember the group, Peter, Paul, and Mary?  They sang “Puff the Magic Dragon.”  Many people thought that “Puff” was a synonym for marijuana.  Peter Yarrow, who was a member of the group and wrote the song, said, “I’m Puff’s daddy. Puff was a dragon; he was not marijuana.”  Likewise, you cannot read into Scripture; you must read what is there.  It’s like us when we get a pimple, and we consult Dr. Google.  “Oh my God!  I’ve got leprosy!”  And we run to the doctor who says, “You’ve got a pimple. Go home and wash your face. Grow up. You’ll be fine.”   Don’t read more into Scripture than what is there.  Let the Church, which wrote it, help you interpret it. 

Christ appointed Peter to build His Church.  Why?  Was Peter the brightest?  No.  That would be Luke, who was a physician.  Why Peter?  He was dumb as a rock, but he was the most able conduit of God’s grace.  God chooses us to serve, as He did Peter, not because we are the biggest and brightest in the class, but for our ability to be a conduit of His grace. 

How will you apply this message to your life?  ______________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog,” then “Categories,” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.  

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Sermon Notes – June 22, 2025 – “A Funny Thing About Catholics . . .”

“A Funny Thing About Catholics . . .”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 21-22, 2025

Gospel:  Luke 9:11B-17

A funny and interesting thing about Catholics is that we don’t sing that well, but we are extraordinarily good-looking.  Another interesting thing about us is that we hold somewhat odd Christian beliefs.  “What do you mean?”  We believe what Scripture tells us – just the black part, not the white.  People will ask, “Where do you Catholics find that in Scripture?”   I will tell you because I did go to school and passed a lot of tests.  I have a document to prove it.  But before you ask that question, remember that Christ came down to establish a church and not to write a book.  Christ said, “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18).  He did not come here to write a book.  The Catholic Church wrote the Bible, and it wasn’t codified until the fourth century.  By that time, the Catholic Church had spread throughout the entire Roman Empire.  So, you need to put things into perspective before asking questions. 

We believe what Jesus said, “If you do not eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53).  We believe what Jesus said.  “Well, that just means to spiritually commune.”  No.  In Greek and English, the word “eat” means the same thing.  That’s one translation they got right.  It means to physically chew, masticate, and consume.  People thought He was preaching about cannibalism, and that’s why everyone left Him except the 12 Apostles.  “If you do not eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.”  He offers us all that life through the Apostles, bishops, and priests whom He ordained at the Last Supper to give us that means of life so that we may have life and have it to the fullest.  But He also cautions us.  Saint Paul wrote, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:27).   They are guilty of His death.  Nobody is going to the guillotine if they do, but it is a mortal sin, and you cut yourself off from salvation.  This is the core of our Faith.  

So, the Eucharist is more than about appearances, unity, and making us all one.  Ah-Ah-Ah.  No.  You do that while sitting around a campfire singing Kumbaya.  That’s not what the Body and Blood of Christ was made for.  It was made for our salvation and to give us the divine life that we lost by our sins.  That’s why the penalty is so great if we receive the Blessed Sacrament unworthily.  And that’s why we have all these “rules.”   “Well, how can He do all that?”  Let me see, He created the world out of nothing, raised people from the dead. . . would you like me to go on?   Why are you denying the power of Christ?  That’s what He said.   

Now, when I was young, I had to walk to school uphill both ways in a snowstorm in July.  One of my friends was complaining that it was going to reach 100 degrees that day.  I didn’t want to be too much of a smart aleck because she is my Italian food connection, but I said, “The highest temperature I experienced was in the 130s”.  That conversation stopped rather quickly.  “Oh, it’s hot!”  You have no idea what hot is.  Wait till later, if you don’t live right, and then you will find out what real hot is. 

When we get sick, we visit the pharmacy, and they provide us with medicine.  At one time, I guess the prevailing wisdom was that if the medicine tasted like garbage, it was better for you.  “Oh, this must be really good because it tastes so bad!”   But now pharmaceuticals have changed, and people use them like candy even though they are narcotics.  “Oh, this tastes so good!”  You cannot taste what is underneath, but just because we cannot taste the medicine does not mean it isn’t working.  I do not taste or feel the medicine I take in the morning. However, when I check my blood pressure on the machine in the Family Life Center, I know it is functioning properly.  You cannot taste God’s healing in your medicine.   But it’s there.  So, if we accept that, why can we not accept Christ saying, “This is My Body” and “This is My Blood”? 

Sometimes, when we have wonderful things in our lives, we tend to take them for granted, for example, our family and friends.   I have to look down at my family because I outlived them all.  Look at your family and those whom you love most.  Sometimes, we take them for granted.   Mass is offered every day, and we take it for granted.  Our Lord is present in the Most Blessed Sacrament, and we take Him for granted.  By the way, do you know what happens in the Mass?  We teach children in Faith Formation a six-syllable word: transubstantiation.   During the Mass, when the priest, acting in the persona of Christ, says, “This is My body” and “This is My blood,” the wine and blood become the body and blood of Christ.  “Well, transubstantiation is a big word, Father.”  But you know how to use an iPhone, don’t you?  Okay, I don’t, but I know people who do.  We have the great opportunity to spend time with God Incarnate.  If we are in a State of Grace, we have the wonderful opportunity every day, and twice a day on special occasions, to receive the Most Precious Body and Blood of our Savior given to us by the hands of the priest so that we may be fed by Christ just like the Apostles.   God gives us healing and His very Self so that we may have life and have it to the fullest. 

How will you apply this message to your life? _________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog,” then “Categories,” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.

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Sermon Notes – June 15, 2025 – “Embrace the Suck”

“Embrace the Suck”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 14 – 15, 2025

Gospel:  John 16:12-15

A number of years ago, I was having dinner with some priests, and there was one priest who was complaining a lot.  He was not a happy camper and was having a very bad year.  Finally, the smart-aleck in me came out and I said to him, “Father, come down from the cross. We need the wood.”   He did not appreciate my insight.  We all have bad days.  We let off steam by voicing our discontent with situations, and that’s okay.  It’s normal.  Saint Paul did that; he complained about the thorn in his flesh and the cross he had to carry.  He asked the Lord to take the cross from him, and the Lord said, “No.  My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2Corinthians 12:9).  Then Paul understood: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church” (Colossians 1:24).

Sometimes our crosses are primarily in one part of the body.  However, when your foot hurts, your whole body is sick.  If you have a headache, your whole body is sick.  Whatever part of the body is sick affects the whole body.  Some of our crosses can be long crosses that we have to carry all our lives.  For example, my parents gave me good looks but no money, and it really sucks to be poor!  Other crosses can be temporary, like going to the gas chamber.  As we say in the military, “embrace the suck.”  We can laugh about it afterward.   

So, we have an opportunity to participate in Christ’s redemptive acts by joining our suffering to His.  Just like the Blessed Mother, who, along with Saint John and Mary Clopas, watched her Son die on the Cross.  Each day, we have the sublime opportunity to participate in the redemptive power of Christ.  We can embrace our crosses and offer them up as penance for our own sin and in union with the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.   The Sacrifice on the Crucifix is always before the Father in Heaven pleading for us and for everyone.  We gain strength from His sacrifice, so that we can offer up our suffering for ourselves and for others.   The beautiful part is that we do not have to like our sufferings.  When I had Covid, I offered it up every day.  Did I find it enjoyable?  Did anyone around me find it enjoyable?  Not likely.  When I’m sick, give me a cigarette and a luger, and I will do the honorable thing.  I came over here to the church to walk and say my prayers, meditate, and say the Rosary.  I thought I was a tough guy.  I made it halfway around the church and had to sit down.  Did I enjoy the four to six weeks I was sick?  Nope.  Although it was very slimming because I lost my appetite.   But I offered it up because I knew it would do some good.  Did I like it?  Oh, hell no.   But it would help others, and that was what was important. 

Some people are given gifts so that they can help others financially or materially.  They may be gifted in a trade, and that’s wonderful.  The Misfits don’t let me handle power tools.  I won’t forget that, Bob.  That really hurt.  We all have different gifts to use in building up the Body of Christ.  Offer up all your sufferings to the Savior for the salvation of souls.  We can be coworkers with Christ in the mission of redemption.  How marvelous that gift is!  But like many great gifts, it is hidden below a bunch of garbage.  Who would think that having illnesses and suffering is a good thing?  None of us.  But it is and it can be a wondrous thing.  I remember one man who was a major in the 101st Airborne.  His mother-in-law was suffering from end-stage ovarian cancer.  Her last wish during her final days was to eat a hamburger.  That was the only thing she wanted.  Her son-in-law, who thought he was a tough guy, said, “Lord, I will take her pain for a day so that she can have a hamburger.”  The next day, she had a hamburger.  That same day, her son-in-law was in the hospital at Fort Campbell.  He took all her pain upon himself.  Sometimes the results are immediate when we take another person’s pain upon ourselves, but they are always work. 

Now, there is one important caveat in all of this.  We do not have to like our sufferings, and because we offer them up each day doesn’t mean they become more enjoyable.  But we offer them up, and we know intellectually and spiritually that our sufferings are doing good.  They are redemptive not only for us but for others.  Never lose sight of that.  “Oh God!  I’m so happy because I’m suffering!”   Uh-Huh.  We have pills for that.  Take all your sufferings and join them with the sufferings of Christ for the salvation of souls.  Some of your pain may go away.  I don’t know, but sometimes that happens.  This is how we can join Christ.  We can become part of Christ’s Sacrifice by truly joining our sacrifice with His. 

How will you apply this message to your life? _________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog,” then “Categories,” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes. 

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Sermon Notes – June 1, 2025 – “Offer Up Your Suffering”

“Offer Up Your Suffering”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

May 31 – June 1, 2025

Gospel:  John 17:20-26

Today, we celebrate the day our Lord ascended into Heaven with the human nature He took from His mother that was united with His own divine nature, two natures in one person, called the Hypostatic Union.  The human nature He suffered with, that He taught with, and that He healed with, was taken up to Heaven today.  Do you know what the last sight the Apostles had of our good Lord?   His hands and feet with the marks of the Passion . . .  His sacred wounds . . . the price of sin given out of love. 

What do the marks of His Crucifixion do for us in Heaven?  They are presented to the Father to intercede on our behalf.   Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).  He is always pleading for us before the Father. 

Our Lord left us a great example of what to do with our many crosses, our own, those we acquired during our life, and those cast upon us by the sins of other people.  For example, some people do not realize how important I am, and they won’t get out of my way on the highway.  That is so rude.  You are in front of the holy man, and you are going too darn slow, so move!   All those other crosses – our limitations and physical illnesses – are all crosses we carry.   Make an active prayer and present them to the Father for ourselves and, even better, for others.  Saint Paul said, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for Your sake, and in my flesh, I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, that is, the Church” (Colossians 1:24). 

What is lacking in the sufferings of Christ is our participation in it.  We can participate by offering up our prayers, works, joys, and sufferings to the Lord.   We offer them up for ourselves, for those who are dear to us, and especially for those who are not so dear to us.  They need our prayers, too.  So, keep them in your prayers, especially in your Morning Offering.  It’s a classic prayer, and an old one, but the old prayers are good because they focus us on the exact meaning of the prayer.

Morning Offering:

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,

I offer You my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day

for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart

in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world,

for the salvation of souls, the reparation of sins, the reunion of all Christians,

and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father this month.  Amen.

The last vision the Apostles had of our Lord in His human nature here on Earth was the marks of His love to plead for us before the Father.  We must bear our crosses, but we do not have to like them.  Bring them to the Father constantly in your prayers for all your infirmities, both interior and exterior.  Offer them up in prayer to the Father in imitation of and communion with the sacrifice of Jesus.

Father’s Reflections:  I visited a patient in Hospice who claimed to be a Catholic Buddhist.  I talked to the hospital chaplain, who said there actually was such a thing as a Catholic Buddhist.  Really?  It is either the guy with a beard or the guy with a fat belly.  It’s one or the other, not both.  The chaplain said the patient wasn’t doing well.  Well, in Hospice, nobody is doing well.  I went in to see this patient and talked to him for a bit.  I said, “I heard you aren’t going well, and I’d like to give you Last Rites.”  He said, “I’m not going to need them.”   Now, although that will make our hospitalist very happy, it will surprise him.  So, I talked to the patient some more, and I said, “You are Catholic, right?”  He said, “Yes.”  Are you sorry for your sins?  He said, “Yes.”  So, I gave him absolution and an Apostolic Pardon.  I wasn’t going to ask him any more questions, because I had gotten the deal done.  I didn’t put anything in the record.  Nobody needs to know; God does.  The other chaplain asked me how I interacted so well with people.  I said, “I had ethnic studies when I was very young.”  Really?  “Yeah, I learned how to make people an offer they couldn’t refuse.”  It’s the art of the deal.  Get the mission done. 

How will you apply this message to your life? _________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog,” then “Categories,” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.

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Sermon Notes – May 25, 2025 – “Stop Running!”

“Stop Running!”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

May 24 – 25, 2025

Gospel:  John 14:23-29

While I was home, I met a correctional officer from the prison.  Rhode Island is a small state, but we have our fair share of felons.  This correctional officer asked me, “Father, how do you find God?”  I said, “That’s easy – Just stop running.”  People run from God, although they say they are looking for Him.  No, they aren’t.  They are running from Him.  What are you looking for, and why are you running?  It may be the fear, shame, remorse, and guilt for what they have done.  It may not only be for the fear of their sins, but also for what God will ask of them.  What is the worst thing God will ask of you?  To renounce yourself.   Christ said, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).   “Do not tell Me what I should be or what you conceive Me to be.  I will let you know who I am.”   People try to get rid of God.  Ask Judy Wentzel.  She deals with antiques and sees a lot of crucifixes, rosaries, and medals in her antique shop.  People run from God, “I will not serve.”  You find God by renouncing yourself. 

People come up to me and say, “Father, where does it say this in the bible?”  Sometimes I take it as a good-natured question, but at other times it is annoying.  We have a wonderful invention now called Google.  There is also this great book called the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  Look it up yourself, or are you trying to play “Stump the Chump”?   Yes, I did go to seminary, and I had to pass many tests.  During my last year of seminary before we graduated and were ordained, we participated in “Murderers Row.”  All the professors you had during your years of undergraduate studies and graduate seminary studies were sitting there, and they could ask you any question from your last eight years of school.  Yeah, that was a bit nerve-racking, especially when the professor from your first year of philosophy starts quizzing you, “What is the principle of identity?”  Oh God, no!   We learned that on the first day of class. 

Now, this will be an interesting weekend, and many people are going to save a lot of money.  Do you know why?  There will be Memorial Day mattress sales!  It is really killing me that I’m here with all those sales happening!  I saw a survey recently that showed 27% of Generation Z said they don’t know why we have this holiday.  They really should be at the Parris Island Marine Corps base.  Only 47% of Baby Boomers know why we commemorate Memorial Day.   A couple of years ago, I received a note from the Chief of Chaplains at the VA about a veteran whose wife had died and who wanted to talk to a Catholic chaplain who was also a veteran.  I’m the only guy on staff at the VA who meets those qualifications, so I made an appointment with him.  This veteran came into my office with all these books.  Now, these were post-graduate books and rather worn and ragged.  I was rather impressed because I hadn’t seen some of these books since seminary.    He had lots of questions, and when he finally ran out of steam, I said, “I heard your wife died.”  Yes.  “Did you love her?”  Yes.  “Do you miss her?”  Yes.  Then I asked, “What branch of service were you in?”  Army.  “Were you in Vietnam?  Yes.  I knew all the answers to my questions before I asked them, like any good lawyer.  “What did you do in the Army?”  I was a medic.   “Alright, Doc.  How many soldiers did you save?”  He didn’t know, and I believe that.  “Doc, how many soldiers did you lose?”  He knew every one of them by name, and each day he would see their pictures in his head.  His wife helped him keep it together.  Now, not only is he grieving the loss of his wife, but he is dealing with the trauma from his military service alone.

There was a priest in our diocese, Father Tom Scott.  His parish was in Mount Airy, and he retired for medical reasons.  He had Leukemia and Agent Orange poisoning.  He was a corpsman in Vietnam for two tours.  One was planned, but he volunteered to go back as a Marine, and he got himself really blown up.  He still had shrapnel in his hand.  Sometimes he would show me a piece that had worked its way out.   On his patten, which is the little gold plate that the priest’s host is placed on, he had the names of all the Marines he lost.  Some priests made fun of him, and they make fun of me.   I agree that, except for former military service, everything else is fair game.  You might be thinking, “Father, it has been 50 years since that war.”  Yes.  With most things, through God’s grace, the passage of time makes it easier for us.  But pulling the trigger and the stress that comes with it are a whole other matter.   I give books to the medical staff who say, “Oh, I can’t read that!  It’s too graphic.”  But it’s what we lived and what some of us are still living.  The war never left us.  If you want to learn about it and the cause of PTSD, read the book “On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society” by Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman.  Usually, with the passage of time and grace, you adjust.    

Eventually, as you grow older, defenses become weaker.  Your family leaves, dies, or whatever.  We had one veteran who was dying in Hospice, and he asked his nurse, “Would you hold my hand till I fall asleep?”   Although I’m not Dr. House, I know when these old timers are about to pass because they start telling me all these things they never told their wives.  When they tell me what happened, I know they will be gone in a couple of weeks.  They are cleaning house.  There are a lot of grey-haired old men and ladies, whose faces soldiers and Marines were the last ones they saw before they passed from this world to the next.  Read “Chicken Soup for the Veteran’s Soul.”  Most people forget what this weekend is about because they were not involved in that part of life, but they all benefited.  Those soldiers and Marines remember it every day.  The benefit of their service is our freedom and not mattress sales.   

Father’s Afterthoughts:  One more story – I have bunches of them.  We were training with medical mannequins, and one of the nurse trainers approached me and asked, “Padre, can you go talk to this guy?”  What’s wrong?    “No matter what we do, the patient is going to die.”   Sometimes, if you fix one crisis, you create another one.   So, I went in to see him.  He was a full-bird colonel.  I said, “Doc,” and he said, “Chaplain.”   I stood beside him, and he said, “I’m not going to lose him.  I sent too many soldiers home in body bags.  I’m not going to lose this one.”  He had been in Vietnam as a battalion surgeon.   I said, “Okay, Doc.”   I went back to the training nurse and said, “He’s back in Vietnam, having a flashback about the soldiers he lost.  He won’t lose this one.”

How will you apply this message to your life? _________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog,” then “Categories,” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.