Mass Times: Saturdays at 5:00 pm;
Sundays at 8:00 am and 10:30 am.
Mon, Tues, Wed* (*Communion service),
and Fri at 8:15 am;
Thurs at 6:00 pm.
St. Rita Roman Catholic Church
1008 Maple Dr., Webster, NY 14580
585-671-1100
 

The Parish Office is open from 9 am to noon, Monday through Friday.  Stop by or give us a call at 671-1100.

Pastoral Messages

Rights and Responsibilities

As we continue our journey of learning about Catholic Social Teaching, this month our focus is on the principle of Rights and Responsibilities.

This principle teaches us that, because every person, created in the image and likeness of God, possesses inherent dignity, they have fundamental rights that must be respected and protected.

These include the right to life, food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, education, meaningful work, and religious freedom. These rights are not earned or granted by society; they flow directly from our God-given worth.

At the same time, rights cannot be separated from responsibilities. Catholic Social Teaching reminds us that we are not isolated individuals, but members of families, communities, and a global human family. Therefore, we have responsibilities to respect the rights of others, care for the vulnerable, contribute to the common good, and act with justice and charity in our daily lives. Our responsibilities extend to our families, our workplaces, our parish, our nation, and the wider world.

Living out this principle calls us to both advocate for just structures that protect human rights and to examine our own choices and attitudes. As disciples of Christ, we are invited to promote a society where everyone’s dignity is honored and where love of neighbor guides both our rights and our responsibilities.

For more information, visit the USCCB site here.

Blessings this week,

~Deacon Jim

 


Read more

Scripture

An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings - February 8, 2026

“Your Light Must Shine Before Others”

Our readings for this Sunday not only call us to be “the light of the world”, they show us exactly what that means and how it should be done.

In our first reading (Isaiah 58:7-10), Isaiah prophesied to the people of Judah as they began reconstructing their lives after their return from exile in Babylon. While many were focusing on rituals of fasting and sackcloth, Isaiah warned that these gestures were empty without true caring for one another. Isaiah taught them what is expected of God’s people and how God would respond—”Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own.” It would be through their actions of love that they would receive vindication by God.

In our Epistle reading (1 Corinthians 2:1-5), St. Paul cautioned the believers in the cosmopolitan community of Corinth not to rely on the human wisdom and understanding of their culture, but to rely on the power of God which came to them in humility and weakness. Paul presented himself as coming quite differently than the wise and eloquent speakers they were used to hearing. Paul came in “weakness and fear”, speaking not in persuasive words of wisdom, but with the powerful message of “Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” It is this message of “God’s wisdom”, the simple yet powerful message of love, that leads to the actions called for in our other readings today.

In our Gospel reading (Matthew 5:13-16), we hear Jesus’ teaching in a passage continuing from His Sermon on the Mount begun last Sunday. Here, Jesus taught that we are known by our good deeds. Our deeds cannot be hidden any more than a “city set on a mountain.” It is by our good deeds that we shall light the path to Jesus for others to follow. We are the salt that flavors our world with goodness. Our “light must shine before others.”

Our Sunday Mass readings have a wonderful continuity from one week to the next. When seen together, there is often a common thread that runs through the readings over a number of weeks that tells a larger story. These three weeks before Lent begins is an example, as we hear from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020826.cfm


Read more

Upcoming Events

Latest News

What's Happening This Week

Facebook

Faith at Home

Help



© 2014 St. Rita Roman Catholic Church - Last updated 2022-09-13 21:11:10
Mass Times: Saturdays at 5:00 pm;
Sundays at 8:00 am and 10:30 am.
Mon, Tues, Wed* (*Communion service),
and Fri at 8:15 am;
Thurs at 6:00 pm.