Pastor's Reflection - June 28, 2026

Reparation — Overcoming Evil with Good

     If you have not read Archbishop Etienne’s pastoral letter on the Sacred Heart, I highly encourage you to do so. It appears in the most recent edition of Northwest Catholic and is also available on the Archdiocesan website. It offers a beautiful exposition of the Sacred Heart devotion and explains why it is so relevant.

     Reading the section on reparation reminded me of an experience I had while attending the 2005 International Retreat for Priests in Ars, France.

     One day we were bused to Paray‑le‑Monial, the town where the apparitions were given to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. We were told the day was set aside as a day of reparation for the clergy sexual‑abuse crisis. I entered the day with a partially hardened heart — feeling shame about the whole sad reality but also thinking that I hadn’t done anything wrong. I felt anger toward those bad priests and at the harm they inflicted on innocent children. As the day went on, numerous presentations explained the significance of the Sacred Heart apparitions and devotion.

     I could feel my heart beginning to soften and realized that we couldn’t run away from the tragedy but had to do what we could to seek forgiveness and healing. Whether we like it or not, our actions affect one another for good or for ill.

     The theology of reparation is rooted in St. Paul’s words to the Colossians: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church” (Colossians 1:24).

     Seeking reparation for our sins and for those of others helps us avoid a victim spirit. We can offer our sufferings for the good of the Church, and in doing so the Holy Spirit leads us to deep healing and to a sharing in the sufferings of Christ. In this way we are enabled to love with the heart of Jesus for the salvation of the world.

     Recently a friend who was facing serious medical problems told me she was offering that suffering for the conversion of at least fifty priests. I smiled and thanked her.

In Christ,

Fr. James Northrop, Pastor