Fr. Mike opens with a story about his dad, a high-school teacher who understood him better than he understood himself. As a kid, Fr. Mike dreamed of going to the school where his dad taught, but after a family move, that wasn’t possible. He tried lobbying to attend the same high school as his friends, but his parents had other plans. They sent him to Loyola instead—a smaller environment where students were encouraged to learn, grow, and aim high.
Years later, his dad finally explained the decision. He didn’t care whether his son became an engineer, a priest, or even the garbage man Fr. Mike once dreamed of becoming. What mattered was that his son’s choices were real choices—not the result of being surrounded by peers with no drive or direction. His dad knew he needed to be around people who would influence him for the better.
That insight becomes the core of Fr. Mike’s message as he wraps up a parish series on discipleship practices. This week’s focus is fellowship—growing in groups. Fr. Mike insists that most people grow best when accompanied by others. Whether it’s faith, virtue, or basic habits of discipleship, everything becomes easier and more meaningful when shared in community.
He points to the day’s Scripture readings, which reinforce this idea. Israel’s tribes come together to anoint David as their unifying king. St. Paul describes believers as one body with Christ as the head—a reminder that no part can function alone. Together, the Church makes Christ present in the world.
Fr. Mike sees this truth lived out in the parish’s Alpha groups. The impact doesn’t come from the videos, food, or program content. It comes from the people at the tables—their laughter, honesty, and vulnerability. Week after week, they build real friendships, wrestle with faith together, and eventually pray for one another. Many encounter God in a transformative way, sometimes for the first time in their lives.
That’s the dream for the parish: a community where no one falls through the cracks and everyone has a group of friends who support, challenge, and lift them up. They’re not fully there yet, he admits, but they’re moving in the right direction.
To celebrate Christ the King Sunday, Fr. Mike invites anyone who’s experienced God’s grace this year to come forward for a blessing. And as people step up, he encourages everyone to renew their commitment to put Christ at the center of their lives—because faith grows deeper when we grow together.