Dear Friends,

“Autumn is the season that reminds us that there is beauty in change, if we have the eyes to see.” Today’s Gospel ends with a sharp challenge for each of us to change our perspective on life with the prophetic words of Abraham. Unfortunately, we know that they have been continuously fulfilled in every age since Jesus spoke these words and even in our own day. “… Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’” The reason that this is so is ultimately due to our consistent forgetfulness of God’s loving and abiding Presence in our lives. Too frequently, we relegate Him to the margins of our life; but sadly, the consequence of our choices to do so over and again actually expels us from His Presence and reduces us to our own devices and the realm of death. William Shakespeare in Henry V (Act 2, Scene 2) has the King speak these words to the guilty after discovering treason among his closest friends: “I will weep for thee; For this revolt of thine methinks is like another fall of man.” In other words, the treachery of acting against the King of heaven and earth is the fall revisited and paradise lost.

Holy Church reminds us, despite the unworthiness and imperfection of her priests, of God’s loving and abiding Presence. I heartily, therefore, invite you to attend the Mass of Installation as the Sixth Pastor of St. Isaac Jogues Parish, next Sunday (5 October 2025). Bishop John McIntyre will be the main celebrant and install me in the name of Archbishop Pérez at the 12:00 noon Mass. At the threshold of the Church, the bishop entrusting the care of this Parish to me will address me with the following exhortation to remind me and all of us of the purpose of our Church.

He will say: Monsignor Grous, in the name of Archbishop Pérez, I entrust to you this parish church. Dedicated under the title of Saint Isaac Jogues, this church is above all a House of Prayer, a Temple of Worship, a Home in which the faithful are nourished with the Word of God and the Sacraments of the Church.

It is the dwelling place of God on earth, a temple built of living stones, founded on the Apostles with Jesus Christ as its cornerstone. It is here that, through the waters of Baptism, God’s people die to sin and live again through grace as adopted children of God. Here, they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and gather around the altar to celebrate the memorial of the Paschal Lamb being fed and nourished by Christ’s Body and Blood. Here, they celebrate the sacraments of healing and reconciliation so that they might experience the peace which only Christ can give them. It is here that men and women are united in marriage to be a sign of the love Christ has for His Church. It is here that those who have died are brought by their loved ones to be commended to the loving mercy of God.

Monsignor Grous, may you always serve the faithful of Saint Isaac Jogues Parish with zeal, fidelity, and sincere devotion so that all people may come to know Jesus Christ, our only true High Priest and Shepherd.

These words set the course of my ministry among you; first and foremost, to maintain our Church that is truly “the House of God and the Gate to Heaven” for His honor and glory and not just another of the many social venues in our lives. Beyond preaching the Gospel, celebrating the sacraments and administering the temporal aspects of the Parish, my primary responsibility is to be the custodian of the Most Holy Eucharist, thus I will strive to provide, amid the many distractions in our world, a quiet and still place so that we may enter God’s Presence and rest in His loving embrace and practice the disciplines of Holy Church for the benefit of our immortal souls. Humbly, I ask for your prayers, encouragement, and support as I embark on this new adventure among you. Accept my apologies that, amidst the preparation for this day, I did not think to consult the Eagles’ schedule, but your presence next Sunday would be greatly appreciated. Please pray for me as I do for you.

Be of good cheer and have a blessed week!

Msgr. Grous