Bishop Blesses Latest Addition to Sacred Heart in Aurora
Bishop David Malloy addresses young people at Sacred Heart Parish in Aurora on Palm Sunday. The children traditionally gather in front of the altar for their own homily during Mass. The windows in the background of the photo are part of the addition that Bishop Malloy blessed while he was visiting the parish.
By Margarita Mendoza, El Observador Editor
April 5, 2018
AURORA—Bishop David Malloy blessed an extension of Sacred Heart Parish, here, on Palm Sunday, March 25.
The addition to the right front of the church includes offices, two bathrooms, overflow space for Mass and a cry room.
The ceremony started with a procession from the rectory to inside of the parish, where the bishop blessed the extension with holy water and prayers.
After the blessing, he walked to the narthex, where he began the Palm Sunday 6 p.m. Mass.
His homily was directed to young people after Msgr. Arquimedes Vallejo, pastor, asked parishioners if they would prefer the bishop talk to the parents or to the youth.
“You can find drugs, or alcohol, or bad language or disobey your parents, or skip Mass,” the bishop said, but “that’s not the way of the Father. That’s not what Jesus suffered for.”
Bishop Malloy talked about the pain of Jesus on the Cross, His bruises and blood.
“He is dying for you and me ... . We cannot put God to the test,” he added. “God I’m going to test you, give me what I want and then ... decide if I am going to give my faith.”
Instead, Bishop Malloy said we should say, “Jesus I love you and I want to be with you, give me the strength.”
At the end of Mass, with a background song for Our Lady of Guadalupe played by a mariachi band, Bishop Malloy walked through the parish blessing the faithful and various religious objects.
Even a lady with a picture of her deployed son in her cellphone, asked the bishop to bless her children, both of whom are in the armed forces.