St. John the Evangelist Catholic Community | Fr John's Weekly Message

Sunday of Devine Mercy, April 12, 2026

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 20:27:19 GMT

Dear friends,

We live in uncertain times with restlessness and calamity all around us. Amid the brokenness of our world, the news of Jesus' resurrection provides us with hope that love can win, that barriers of hatred can be broken down, and that peace is possible.

Today marks the 8th Day of the Octave of Easter, the time during which we celebrate the joy of Christ’s resurrection. His promise is still fresh in our hearts, and I invite you to rest in the peace that our Risen Lord offers.

On this Octave Day of Easter — now celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday — Mother Church invites us to encounter our Risen Lord as he appears to his disciples. They have been agitated, seized with fear, and behind locked doors during the tumultuous post-resurrection days, uncertain about what is in store for them. It is here that Jesus appears to them offering his peace. Oh how we, too, long for that peace! A week later, Jesus appears to the disciples again. This time, he approaches Thomas who desperately wants to believe but needs to touch Jesus’ wounds in order to do so. In this encounter with Jesus, Thomas makes one of the most revealing and touching confessions of all times: “My Lord and my God.” This is Divine Mercy in action: God meets us where we are, not where we should be.

Because of the importance of this encounter with Jesus’ offer of peace and forgiveness, this Sunday was designated as Divine Mercy Sunday by Pope John Paul II in the year 2000. The feast highlights a message the world needs to hear now more than ever: Mercy is not weakness. It is God’s greatest strength. Let us turn to our merciful Lord and pray, Jesus, I trust in you.

At the Easter Vigil, we were blessed to have many of our catechumens (now called neophytes) embrace our Catholic faith. We are grateful to God for working in and through the lives of our neophytes to add strength to our parish family. They are now able to join us at the table of the Eucharistic banquet, waiting and longing to participate with us. In a homily to newly initiated Christians during the Easter Octave, Cyril of Jerusalem said that by receiving the body and blood of Christ, the neophytes have become “Christophoroi” (literally, “Christ-bearers”) just like us. Please continue to pray for them, that their lives will be filled with the Spirit of the Lord.

I am very grateful to Fr. Martin, Kelly and her team of catechists, and Aaron and the sponsors for accompanying these wonderful people. They all put in a lot of hard work but did it with great grace.

The first phase of building the wall behind the sanctuary is nearing completion. It was delayed for nearly a month due to lack of material needed for the work. Please pray that the second phase (when the artists work on the mosaic itself) will begin soon.

Our SJE Silver Jubilee Committee is offering an opportunity to write prayer petitions that will be carried to Lourdes in

France by Jason and Yleem Poblete, members of the Sovereign Order of Malta. They will place our petitions at Our Lady’s Grotto during the Order’s annual pilgrimage. Forms to write your petitions are available in the narthex. Thank you, Jason and Yleem.

I wish to thank Brian Kelly who has helped us with the bulletin for the last year or so. He has now moved on to another job, and we wish him many blessings. I am happy to welcome Jamie Waller who will now take on the role as communications and bulletin coordinator. She is already involved in the Mom’s Ministry and Adoration, and I thank her for accepting the responsibility to help keep us informed.

In tune with the feast of Divine Mercy, I am pleased to launch another new initiative in our attempt to provide resources to pregnant women and those who have given birth. It is called Walking with Moms in Need (WWMIN) and is part of a nationwide effort undertaken by the USCCB. This ministry will also direct women and couples who are facing difficult pregnancies to numerous resources. I am grateful to Karina Lightner and her core team members who will coordinate this ministry. The vision for Walking with Moms in Need is to ensure that any woman who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant or who may be parenting under difficult circumstances can turn to St. John’s and be connected with the resources she needs. Everyone in the parish community should know where to refer a pregnant woman in need. We want moms of Brevard to know that St. John’s in a safe place for them, one that offers community.

What a blessing it is for us to reflect the mercy of God in some concrete ways. Be bearer of God’s mercy this week!

With love,

Fr. John

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord, April 5, 2026

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:37:26 GMT

Dear Friends,

We have journeyed together through the holy season of Lent, having followed Christ throughout Holy Week and the Triduum, where we experienced the unwavering love of Jesus. It is my sincerest hope that the events of these most holy days have helped us to realize the immensity of the Father’s love as he painfully allowed his Son to be sacrificed for our sins.

On Holy Thursday, Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist, giving us himself. On Good Friday, he endured excruciating pain and the ultimate shame of being crucified on a cross, paying an unimaginable price for our salvation. Then, on Holy Saturday, he lay dormant in the tomb to show that nothing is impossible for God. We thought hope was put to death, the hope of a people who long for a God to vindicate our toils and sufferings. But then God, our Father, raised His Son from the dead. This is the joyful news of the RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ that we are called to share on this Easter Sunday. Our songs of “Hosanna” are now transformed into “Alleluias,” and with great joy we now proclaim what an amazing God we have in Jesus Christ, He who has defeated even death. The Resurrection of Jesus brings the promise of eternal life, the undeniable message that hope is alive. As Catholic Christians, we are called to live that hope.

Easter Sunday is often called the "Feast of Fresh Flowers," symbolizing the birth of our eternal hope. But beyond the Easter lilies and the beautiful, sacred music, today is a call to action. In Acts 10:34-43, the early disciples realize that the "message spread" because they couldn't keep the Good News to themselves. The Resurrection isn't just a miracle to observe; it’s an invitation to participate in God’s ongoing work of restoration. Because Jesus lives, forgiveness is possible where there once was bitterness. Purpose is found where there once was wandering. Community is built where there once was isolation. Today, we don't just celebrate the completion of a story; we celebrate a new beginning. We are the "Easter people” called to carry the light of the Resurrection into every corner of our world.

As we celebrate 25 years of our parish’s existence, I wish for us to remember our theme: A journey of Grace, Faith, and Hope. Let us be grateful to God for willing us into existence as a community, let us continue to live the light of the Resurrection, and let us never give up the hope that, with God, we will bear much fruit in sharing the Good News of the Resurrection to all around us. Christ is Risen Indeed!

I wish to thank each and every one of you for being part of this family blessed to be chosen as His

own. Thank you for your unwavering support of our growth. St. John’s community is known for its incredible generosity. Thank you for your love and dedication to serving the Lord and each other.

I am grateful to Fr. Martin for his continued presence among us, to our deacons and their wives who minister to our community in so many ways, to our staff for supporting the day-to-day activities of our parish, to all who involve yourselves in the myriad of ministries offered here, to those who have been faithful members of our parish throughout its 25-year history, and to those who have joined us along the way. I warmly extend my open arms to all who may be waiting to join us. You are precious, and we welcome you!

On behalf of Fr. Martin, Bro. Thomas, the deacons, and the staff, I wish you all a very blessed and joy-filled Easter.

With love,

Fr. John

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, March 29, 2026

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 01:34:33 GMT

Dear friends,

We enter the holiest week in the liturgical calendar of the Church. This is the week when we celebrate and

relive the central Mystery of our salvaꢀon. The days of Holy Week from Monday to Thursday have

precedence over all other celebraꢀons. It is a sacred ꢀme during which we enter into a profound union with

Christ, the one who leads us from triumph, through suﬀering, and into the glory of new life. During these

momentous days, we are invited not simply to remember these life-altering events but to live them.

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. It is a day mixed with joy and paradox. We

wave palms and proclaim Christ as King yet, as we parꢀcipate in the Passion narraꢀve, we learn how quickly

human hearts can change when we, the people of Jerusalem, move instantly from our praise and singing of

“Hosanna” to shouts of “Crucify Him.” It is a day to examine our own ﬁdelity to Jesus Christ, our Lord and

Savior.

From there, we move into the heart of our faith, the Sacred Triduum, three holy days that comprise one

continuous celebration.

On Holy Thursday, we gather for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7 p.m. Here, Jesus gives us two priceless

giﬅs: the Eucharist and the priesthood. He also kneels to wash the feet of His disciples, teaching us that love

is expressed in humble service. We are invited to stay with Him in prayer, just as He asked His disciples in the

Garden of Gethsemane. Soon aﬅer the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, we will process to the Holy Cross hall

where we will keep company with Jesus. The parish hall will be open for prayer and Adoration until

midnight.

Good Friday brings us to the foot of the Cross. The solemn celebraꢀon of the Lord’s Passion will be held at 3

p.m. during which we will read the Passion Narraꢀve according to John who helps us contemplate the depth

of Christ’s love, a love willing to suﬀer and die for each one of us. Moved by this greatest sacriﬁce of Jesus,

we will then venerate the Holy Cross. In the Cross we do not see defeat but, rather, the very instrument of

our salvation. Our teens will reenact the Stations of the Cross at 7 p.m. in the church.

Then comes the stillness of Holy Saturday, a day of waiting, silence, and hope. It reminds us that even in

moments when God seems absent, He is at work in ways we cannot yet see.

Finally, we arrive at the great celebraꢀon of the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday. Darkness gives way to light,

death to life. Christ is risen! This is not just an event of the past; it is the living truth that transforms our lives

today. The Resurrection assures us that no suﬀering, no sin, no darkness has the ﬁnal word.

As a parish family, I invite you to fully enter into these sacred days. Come and pray. Come and walk with

Christ. Allow these liturgies to renew your faith, rekindle your hope, and deepen your love.

Wishing you a blessed and grace-ﬁlled Holy Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Fifth Sunday of Lent, March 22, 2026

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:59:34 GMT

Dear friends,

Our pilgrimage to Italy was a remarkably enriching experience, celebrating Masses at some of the most beautiful and ancient churches and visiting so many holy sites. We remembered each of you during this sacred year of our silver jubilee. Among the many highlights was viewing the display of the mortal remains of St. Francis of Assisi in commemoration of the 800 years since his passing. What a blessing to be there and to pray for the intercession of this humble giant of a saint.

Our visit to the place of Padre Pio reminded me of the 40 Hours Adoration we hosted at SJE from 19 to 21 March. Padre Pio’s love for Eucharistic Adoration was profound, famously stating that "a thousand years of enjoying human glory is not worth even an hour spent sweetly communing with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.” He urged the faithful to "run to the feet of Jesus" to find peace. Thank you to all who regularly spend time with Jesus in adoration.

Congratulations to Denise and Jim Uram, recipients of the Family of the Month award for March 2026. Their unassuming manner of doing so much for our community is remarkable. Thank you, Jim and Denise, for your active participation in making our community a family.

Our Lenten Reconciliation Service will be held on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Many priests from our deanery will be available for us to experience the mercy of God in this sacrament. Please make time for this wonderful opportunity.

I’d like to thank Bishop John Noonan for his ministry to the Diocese of Orlando and communicate to you that he has offered his resignation, as is expected of all bishops upon reaching the age of 75. Here is an excerpt of what he wrote on 26 February, his birthday: “Today is my 75th birthday, and according to Canon 401 §1, I wrote a letter to our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, offering my retirement. I have served you, God’s holy people, as bishop of the Diocese of Orlando since December 2010, and as auxiliary in Miami since 2005. I pray rejoicing to God for my priestly ministry since the Sacrament of Holy Orders was conferred upon me in 1983, and I ask always for His blessing to lead His people that the bond of heaven flourish upon this earth. Even though I have sent my letter to our Holy Father as prescribed by Canon Law, the appointment of a successor may take time. In the Province of Miami, there are two other bishops last year who submitted their letters of retirement, and they also await word from the Holy See…

Jesus asks us to pray for one another unceasingly. This is what I would ask of each one of you. Pray for one another. Pray for me, God’s humble servant, as I pray for you. Pray for our Holy Father as he discerns who will be appointed the next bishop of the Diocese of Orlando. Do not ponder what the next bishop can do for you; rather, ponder how you can serve God and assist the bishop and all clergy in their ministry. None of us are present on this earth to only get something from someone. We are invited, through the Sacrament of Baptism, and our

partaking in receiving Jesus the Eucharist, to serve one another; not to expect to be served…

Each one has been chosen, called, and sent as servants of the faith. During this season of Lent, as we prepare our heart to suffer the Cross with Jesus, may we come to know the gift of healing through His forgiveness that we are given eternal life. Through prayer, word and deed, may we forgive one another that His love flourishes the

land. May a clean heart be the path of our pilgrimage to heaven.” We will keep him in our prayers until a successor is appointed.

As we journey deeper into Lent, the readings for this Fifth Sunday (Year A) speak of death and rising, of graves and new land, and of weeping and rejoicing. In the story of raising Lazarus from the tomb, John unveils God's

triumphant power over death, inviting us to trust in Christ's promise: "I am the resurrection and the

life." Through Ezekiel's vision, Paul's exhortation, and John's account of Lazarus, we hear God's call to rise from the "graves" of sin and despair. The responsorial psalm echoes our Lenten plea as the psalmist cries out: "Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice!" Might we, like Lazarus, keep our eyes, our ears, and our hearts open to Jesus’ call to come out of our “graves.”

Let us reflect with the Elect as they celebrate the Scrutinies during these weeks of Lent on these questions: Do we believe Jesus can unbind our graves of doubt, addiction, or grief? Can we "come out" of our self-imposed prisons and graves through confession, prayer, and fasting, preparing for Easter’s Paschal Mystery? Our Lord has the power to set us free just as he did for Lazarus when he proclaimed, “Untie him, and let him go."

Have a joyful Lent!

With love,

Fr. John

Fourth Sunday of Lent, March 15, 2026

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 01:19:37 GMT

Dear friends,

In my March monthly update, I wrote something that I would like to share again with all:

The season of Lent has begun, and the entire month of March is going to lead us further into its mysteries. I can already see beautiful things happening in both our families and our parish. We are more loving toward one another, there is less complaining, we are thirsting more for God, and have even grown to embrace fasting, prayer, and almsgiving like the people of Nineveh. If you meet someone who does not fit the description of that which is happening in our parish. be patient and enduringly kind. You may be their only encounter with someone who has shown them the love of Christ.

For our Tuesdays of Lent series, we have planned a movie night at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, 17 March. “David” is an animated movie and will be appropriate for all ages. There will be crafts, and we will be serving hotdogs and popcorn. Thanks to Justin and Amanda Libak for organizing this event, a perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick’s day as a family at St. John’s.

We will honor and celebrate the feast of St. Joseph on 19 March with Mass at 5:30 p.m. Immediately following, we will begin a second 40 Hours Adoration at 6 p.m. and end at 10 a.m. on Saturday, 21 March, with a Mass. I urge all of you to try to make one hour during any of these 40 hours, a uniquely powerful privilege for Catholics to experience heaven on earth before the Blessed Sacrament.

St. Peter Julian Eymard said this about the importance of Adoration of the Holy Eucharist: “Look upon the hour of adoration assigned to you as an hour in paradise. Go to your adoration as one would to heaven, to the divine banquet. You will then long for that hour and hail it with joy. Take delight in fostering a longing for it in your heart. Tell yourself, ‘In four hours, in two hours, in one hour, our Lord will give me an audience of grace and love. He has invited me; he is waiting for me; he is longing for me.’”

These 40 hours will be a great way to pray for an end to war, for the safety of our military personnel, and for the well-being of people everywhere, especially in the Middle East. Archbishop Paul Coakley, President of the USCCB, invites us to spend on hour in Adoration praying for peace and for the healing of society. He says, “Many people today feel powerless in the face of violence, injustice, and social unrest. To those who feel this way, I wish to say clearly: your faithfulness matters. Your prayers matter. Your acts of love and works of justice matter.”

For some time now, I have been thinking of our Catholic brothers and sisters who have left the Church for whatever reasons. My heart aches for them, and yours should, too, I have formed a team with Shamir Patel as its lead to serve this new ministry that will begin to invite those who have left the Church to come back. More details to follow.

On this Fourth Sunday of Lent, also known as “Laetare Sunday,” we are called to REJOICE midway through our Lenten journey! The Church invites us to lift our hearts with joy, symbolized by the rose-colored vestments we wear. As the liturgies remind us, Lent prepares us for Easter's radiant Paschal Mystery, calling us to conversion and light.

In the gospel, we are treated to another long passage about the healing of the man blind from birth, following which Jesus declares, "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world" (Jn 9:5). This miracle reveals God's work in human suffering, not as punishment but for divine glory. The once blind man progresses from physical sight to faith, boldly proclaiming, "I do believe, Lord," and then he worshipped Jesus (Jn 9:38). Yet, the Pharisees, self-assured in their "vision," remain spiritually blind: "Your sin remains" (Jn 9:41).

Let this Laetare joy call us to regain our sight to see in Jesus our Savior. Let us shed spiritual blindness, embrace mercy, and walk in Christ's light toward Easter.

Have a joyful Lent

With love,

Fr. John

Third Sunday of Lent, March 8, 2026

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 16:17:17 GMT

Dear friends,

Our Lenten Mission this year reminded us to trust God in all things and to always give him due honor. Fr. Jim powerfully emphasized that the Eucharist is the foundation of our Catholic faith. When we come to church to worship him, we should come with utmost reverence, especially when receiving the Eucharist. He shared that while distributing Communion during one of our weekend Masses, someone came up to receive the Holy Eucharist with chewing gum in the mouth. This is certainly most disrespectful and unbecoming of who we are. I thought I would take this occasion to reflect together about what is expected of us. Do you remember the practice of fasting before receiving the Eucharist?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1387) teaches that to prepare for the Eucharist, the faithful should observe the required fast, which Canon Law defines as abstaining from food and drink (except water and medicine) for at least one hour before Holy Communion. This practice prepares the heart and demonstrates reverence. Are there exceptions to this rule? Of course, especially when you are ill or aged. Interestingly, there is a concession given to priests who have to celebrate more than one Mass. In Canon No. 919, Canon Law states:

"1. One who is to receive the Most Holy Eucharist is to abstain from any food or drink, with the exception only of water and medicine, for at least the period of one hour before Holy Communion.

"2. A priest who celebrates the Most Holy Eucharist two or three times on the same day may take something before the second or third celebration even if the period of one hour does not intervene.

"3. Those who are advanced in age or who suffer from any infirmity, as well as those who take care of them, can receive the Most Holy Eucharist even if they have taken something during the previous hour."

I thank you in advance for doing your best to honor the sacredness of this space. Please do not chew anything during Mass or bring any drinks into the church, barring some water if absolutely necessary. You can always walk to the fountain in the narthex if you need to drink.

In just one weekend, our women’s Emmaus Retreat filled to capacity, with several on a waitlist. Let us pray for both the presenters and those who will be attending, for the change it will bring to the life of our parish family.

The Third Sunday of Lent draws our attention to one of the most fascinating encounters of Jesus when he

meets the Samaritan woman at the well. We see how John constructs that story so beautifully to capture the heart of our Good Shepherd who goes in search of this woman. John builds up expectations as Jesus enters into deeper conversation with the individual he encounters in an attempt to lead her to discover the truth of his divinity. There is a perfect unfolding of who Jesus is and who the woman becomes. The Samaritan woman grows in her understanding of Jesus from being just a stranger asking for water to ultimately believing in him as the Messiah, even bringing other people to believe in him. Let us try to be more like the Samaritan who goes and proclaims the truth about Jesus Christ and wins them over to him.

Please keep me and those going with me to Italy on our pilgrimage in your prayers. Among the holy sites we will be visiting is St. Francis’ mortal remains. This is the first time in 800 years that they will be on display for viewing. Some of us will also have an opportunity to see the mosaic work that is being done there.

Stations of the Cross are held every day at 6 p.m. in the Grotto. On Fridays during Lent, we will host a special Stations of the Cross led by our various ministry teams, following which there will be soup supper in the parish hall.

On Tuesday of this week at 7 p.m., we will host a Taize prayer service. Please join us for an amazing evening of meditation and chant.

Have a joyful Lent!

With love,

Fr. John

Second Sunday of Lent, March 1, 2026

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:39:40 GMT

Dear friends,

The men and women of our parish who recently attended the Christ Renews His Parish retreats enjoyed time to not only grow close to one another but also to more fully understand the significance of the Holy Eucharist as our source and summit. I am immensely grateful to those who responded to our invitation as well as to those who hosted it and all who labored in love behind the scenes.

This year, we are blessed to accompany our many catechumens and candidates. It is our responsibility to pray for them and encourage them on their journey. Last Saturday, 18 catechumens celebrated the Rite of Sending during the 4:30 p.m. Mass. On Sunday, they attended the Rite of Election at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe in Orlando and were formally accepted by Bishop John Noonan. Let us remember to accompany through prayer our catechumens and candidates who are preparing to embrace the Catholic faith during the Easter Vigil.

This weekend, we will have the opportunity to welcome Fr. Jim Sichko, who is a Missionary of Mercy from the Diocese of Lexington, KY. He offered our Advent Mission in 2024 and is now here to offer our Lenten Mission in 2026. Please plan to attend each evening at 7 p.m., March 1 through 3 (Sunday through Tuesday).

I am grateful to Lulu Farrell for so eloquently presenting her life’s journey last weekend and how she discovered St. John’s, now in the process of becoming Catholic. She reminded us of the many ways in which our participation in Our Catholic Appeal (OCA) 2026 enables the Diocese of Orlando to serve both the many ministries within the diocese as well as those in need. I am profoundly grateful to the many who have already responded, and I urge those who have not yet pledged or contributed to please consider doing so to support our diocesan efforts. Your gifts directly impact our parish and its continued growth.

On this Second Sunday of Lent, the readings invite us to embrace God's transformative call — much like Abraham's obedient departure from the familiar — culminating in the radiant glory of Christ's Transfiguration. This is a season to trust in divine faithfulness amid trials, drawing strength from the Gospel's promise of eternal life.

During Lent, we fast, pray, and give alms not by our strength but conformed to Christ's gaze of mercy, turning from harmful pleasures to celebrate His Passion. Like Abraham, let us readily respond to God's whisper: leave distractions, ascend in prayer, and listen to my Beloved Son.

As we journey through Lent, let us pray that we might learn from Abraham's faith and the disciples' awe and, thus, be delivered from fear and shine with Jesus’ glory.

Have a joyful Lent!

With love,

Fr. John

First Sunday of Lent, February 22, 2026

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:42:37 GMT

Dear friends,

This weekend, we celebrate the First Sunday of Lent. It is the time in our liturgical year when we make a special effort to draw closer to God and all his purposes. It is a sacred time when we are called to discard or eliminate from our lives those things that hold us back from a deeper and more intimate relationship with God, a time to embrace the promise of conversion and a change of heart through the time-honored practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Lent is a time for transformation, helping us become the saints we are all called to be.

We meet Christ in the desert, a time of deprivation in seeking total communion with the Father. Many holy men and women have embraced his fast of 40 days and 40 nights in an act of solidarity, reminded by Mother Church of our need for repentance and renewal as we recall Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection. St. Ignatius of Antioch, captures fasting's transformative power: "My love has been crucified and there is no longer in me the flame that desires material things." Written on his way to martyrdom, these words from Ignatius's Letter to the Romans (VII, 2) reveal fasting as a crucifixion of self-love and a kindling of love for Christ alone. Ignatius urges us to embrace our sojourn in the desert not as deprivation but as a forge for spiritual freedom. There will be many challenges to our faith, but we are called to be people with persevering hope.

During this sacred time, it is also appropriate that we remember to accompany through prayer our catechumens and candidates who are preparing to embrace the Catholic faith during the Easter Vigil. On the First Sunday of Lent, we celebrate the Rite of Sending during which our catechumens will sign the Book of Elect at the Saturday 4:30 p.m. Mass. This act marks the final approval from our community of these, our brothers and sisters, who are now deemed ready to meet the bishop for the Rite of Election.

Please remember to keep free every Tuesday of Lent for a special event that will aid us in our Lenten observance. This coming Tuesday, 24 February, we will offer Behold the Lamb of God, spending an hour in praise and worship of our Lord from 7 to 8 p.m.

Every Friday of Lent is special with Stations of the Cross at the Grotto at 6 p.m., a soup supper served by our various ministries.

Our Lenten Mission will be presented by Fr. Jim Sichko on 1-3 March (Sunday through Tuesday) at 7 p.m.

Our Catholic Appeal (OCA) 2026: Last weekend, we launched Our Catholic Appeal, joining Bishop Noonan with his reflection on the theme, "Inspired by the Spirit," in which he invited us to reflect on how the Holy Spirit empowers us to be God’s light in Central Florida: “Our Catholic Appeal offers a visible occasion to present the heart of God to His people. The ministries supported by Our Catholic Appeal keep us steady on our pebbled path, that we might ignore the distractions blinding us to God. These ministries infuse us with the fire of the Holy Spirit to be God’s light where His light is unknown or hidden from view.”

I am profoundly grateful to the many who have already responded, and I urge those who have not yet pledged or contributed to please consider doing so to support our diocese in its efforts to serve so many ministries and parishes. St. John’s has received much support from the diocese throughout our incredible growth. Your gifts directly impact our parish by providing clergy and leadership support, professional services such as fiscal management, human resources, and facility maintenance expertise that ensure our parish remains a safe and well-run home for all, faith formation (resources for our catechists and lay leaders to better form our children and adults in the faith), and protection for the vulnerable (specialized training for Safe Environment protocols that protect our children and vulnerable adults during every parish event).

Have a joyful Lent!

With love,

Fr. John

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 15, 2026

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 21:04:48 GMT

Dear friends,

Lent is here! We begin this holy season with Ash Wednesday on 18 February. To help everyone participate

— especially those heading to school or work — we will celebrate four Masses to better accommodate your schedules: 7:00 a.m., 8:00 a.m., 12:05 p.m., and 7:00 p.m.

Lent is a sacred, forty−day journey of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving modeled after Jesus’ time in the desert. It is a season given to us by the Church to slow down, refocus, and prepare our hearts for the joy and victory of the Resurrection at Easter. On Ash Wednesday, the imposition of ashes in the form of a cross marks the beginning of that journey. The ashes are a visible sign of repentance and humility, and they remind us of our human frailty as we hear the solemn words, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” The ashes are not a sign of despair but, rather, a sign of hope; the cross traced on our foreheads reminds us that we belong to Christ and that, through repentance and renewal, we walk toward Easter with confidence and joy. Let us begin this Lenten journey together.

The Sixth Sunday readings invite us to embrace our freedom to choose life and our fidelity to God's law. Sirach reminds us, "Before each person are life and death, and whichever one chooses will be given" (Sir 15:17), while the psalmist prays for a heart steadfast in God's statutes. St. Paul reveals God's hidden wisdom through the Spirit, and Jesus fulfills the law, calling us to a righteousness surpassing externals, guarding our hearts from anger, lust, and false oaths: “Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’" (Mt 5:37). May we live this deeper holiness in our daily choices.

Congratulations to the recipients of the Family of the Month Award — Jesse, Sonia and Rey Santiago — for your amazing service to our parish family. May you continue your selfless commitment to the family of St. John’s!

Our Catholic Appeal 2026:

This weekend, our parish will join with the entire Diocese of Orlando to launch the annual Our Catholic Appeal (OCA). This year’s theme, "Inspired by the Spirit," calls us to reflect on how the Holy Spirit empowers us to be God’s light in Central Florida.

While we often see the vibrancy of life within our own community, many of our vital ministries are made possible through the collective support of the diocese. Your gifts to OCA directly impact our parish by providing clergy and leadership support, professional services such as fiscal management, human resources, and facility maintenance expertise that ensure our parish remains a safe and well−run home for all, faith formation (resources for our catechists and lay leaders to better form our children and adults in the faith), and protection for the vulnerable (specialized training for Safe Environment protocols that protect our children and vulnerable adults during every parish event).

Beyond our parish borders, your generosity fuels Catholic Charities of Central Florida, providing food, medical care, and housing to our neighbors in need as well as support for our Sister Diocese in San Juan de la Maguana. We invite you to prayerfully consider your gift during the Masses this weekend when making your pledge or contributing online through the Diocese of Orlando Giving Portal. Whether through a single gift or a monthly pledge, your participation will help us reach our parish goal for this year ($453,269) and continue the work of Christ in our community. “Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Mt 5:16).

Have a blessed week!

With love,

Fr. John

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 8, 2026

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 03:11:55 GMT

Dear friends,

God must surely have a wonderful sense of humor. Last Sunday’s frigid weather — so unusual for us Floridians — turned out to be an unexpected blessing for our International Festival. In the Gospel, we were given a prescription for blessedness: to be poor in spirit. The poor in spirit are those who know their need for God, and we lived that truth so beautifully that day.

As we began the festival, there was a prayer on our lips: “Lord, we have done all we can. The rest is in your hands. We need you.” And God responded. What unfolded was a joyful, grace−filled celebration. I am immensely grateful to you, my dear families of St. John’s, for your warmth, generosity, commitment, and love for God and for our community. Thank you for the sacrifices you made to showcase how, in God’s mercy, people from different continents and cultures have come together as one. Our parish truly reflects the Gospel preached to the ends of the earth.

This year’s Silver Jubilee International Festival was centered on a beautiful theme: “United in Christ, Webbed in Love.” Everything we experienced gave life to that theme — the reverent liturgy, the sharing of delicious food, and the stunning performances that revealed the richness of our many talents and traditions.

I am deeply grateful to Janet Owens who chaired the festival committee with remarkable dedication and vision. Beginning over a year ago, she planned every detail with care and perseverance, guiding the entire effort to a wonderful finish. My sincere thanks also go to all of our committee chairs and the many volunteers who worked tirelessly across so many areas: liturgy, banners, food, entertainment, kitchen crew, media/video, baskets, logistics and traffic, information and administration, photography, bar, Boy Scouts, and all our liturgical ministries. Each of you is truly a blessing to our parish.

I am especially grateful to Beth Lowry, our Business Manager, who graciously coordinated with all the committees to ensure everything moved seamlessly. Many of you gave long hours, personal resources, and your God−given talents with generous hearts living out, almost recklessly, what it means to be one in Christ, webbed in love.

At the end of the festival, the beauty of what we shared was captured perfectly in a single, heartfelt observation. Helen Buchanan, one of our beloved octogenarians, said, “If only our world could have a slice of what we experienced today.” Indeed, for a moment, we glimpsed the kingdom of God among us.

Thank you for braving the cold to come and worship the Lord — no small sacrifice for Floridians! For the first time, I had to dig out my long coat from my days at Notre Dame and Vermont, never imagining I would need it here. And for the first time since moving into our church in 2018, we turned on the heat! Blessed indeed are the people chosen to be God’s own.

Next weekend, we will have the opportunity to hear from our beloved Bishop John Noonan as he shares how the diocese continues to be a blessing to so many. You will also have the opportunity to respond to his appeal through this year’s Our Catholic Appeal (OCA). Thank you, as always, for your generous support of our diocese.

This weekend, we also enter more deeply into Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. He tells his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth … You are the light of the world.” Our faith is not meant to be hidden or kept private. Like salt, we are called to bring flavor, preserve goodness, and inspire hope. Like light, we are meant to shine not for our own glory but so that others may see God’s love through us. May our kindness, honesty, and compassion this week give glory to our Father in heaven.

Have a blessed week.

With love,

Fr. John

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 1, 2026

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 02:38:03 GMT

Dear friends,

Reflecting on our jubilee year and recent parish events, I wonder if we, a growing community of faith−filled people, realize how truly blessed we are. Do we allow ourselves to pause now and again to appreciate what we do, how we do, for whom we do, and why we do? In the busy−ness of our lives, it’s easy to take for granted the beauty of our Catholic faith, the wisdom of our Church, and the diversity of the people who embody it. I often feel that many of us simply go through the motions but miss the beauty of our liturgies. Ever grateful to be part of this thriving and vibrant parish, I am always amazed by what our many visitors experience and their heartfelt appreciation and gratitude. As an example, I wish to share with you something written by one of our visitors at last Sunday’s Mass, the 3rd Sunday, celebrated as Sunday of the Word. Her name is Kelly, and this is what she wrote: “Father John: I attended Mass this past Sunday with my dear friend, Gina Campbell, in memory of her mother, Arlene Harrington. Gina and Kevin were so kind to host me for a few days while I was here visiting. As I told you when I left Mass, I was so encouraged that the message that day was to read the Bible. I don’t think that was a coincidence. As a Christian I believe everything is divinely planned. I had not attended Catholic Church for many years even thought I was raised in a devoutly Catholic home and both my parents not only brought us to Church every Sunday but they modeled their faith daily. It has just been in the past four years I joined a church near my home that focuses on bible study. After hearing your service, I’m looking forward to going back to the Catholic Mass. Unfortunately, my church (St. Catherine) was closed and all three consolidated into one church in downtown Portsmouth…. Thank you, Father. Kelly.” I pass along her thanks to all of you for living out your faith. Fr. Martin and I are extremely grateful to be part of this family of St. John’s.

During phase 1 of our Mosaic construction project (begun on 21 January), we will be nomads. Daily Masses are held in the Fr. Patrick Peyton Room at 8 a.m., with adoration in Room 9 of the parish center, same hours as before. Weekend Masses will continue to be held in the church. Thank you for enduring this inconvenience until just before Palm Sunday.

On this 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, we hear from Matthew’s gospel, chapter 5, which begins with Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount. In the Beatitudes, Jesus enumerates a series of fundamental principles/attitudes that bring forth blessedness and offer the way to a good life. The Beatitudes are considered the "New Law" that fulfills and completes the promises of the Old Testament; they depict the character of Jesus, emphasizing simplicity and humility, meekness and spiritual poverty as essential attitudes of a blessed person. The Beatitudes serve as a “road map” for living as disciples of Jesus, challenging the believer to embrace values opposite to worldly successes.

Pope Benedict XVI described the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) as a "veiled interior biography of Jesus," representing a "new program of life" that translates the Cross and Resurrection into daily discipleship. He viewed them as a countercultural path to true happiness that frees people from the world's false values. Let us pray that we, as people of St. John’s, might embrace the gentleness of Jesus as we live out our blessedness.

On 1 February, we celebrate our biannual International Festival, a beautiful expression of Jesus’ parting command to his disciples to carry the Good News of the Gospel to all corners of the earth. This weekend, you will see a lived reality of this vision — people from all corners of the earth professing our one, catholic, and apostolic faith. Though our forecast predicts cold weather, we can bring warmth and love by gathering to celebrate with the theme, “United in Christ, Webbed in Love.”

So, plan to pull out the warm clothes you rarely have the opportunity to wear in Florida, and bring your family and friends to celebrate our brotherhood and sisterhood in Christ. The team has worked for over a year to make this happen, and there will be much joy on that day, first to be shared at the Eucharistic Table and then with bountiful food from so many different cultures. We will also enjoy lively song and dance. What a blessing it will be to rejoice together as an amazing community of believers. In honor of St. Blaise, we shall have a Blessing of the Throats after every Mass!

Have a blessed week!

With love,

Fr. John

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 25, 2026

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 22:31:59 GMT

Dear friends,

“Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.” How true is this portion of the psalm we have been praying during this Silver Jubilee Year at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Community, and what a week! We thank God for sparing us from the dreadful weather that was forecast for last Sunday during the blessing of our rectory. I am filled with gratitude to God for blessing us with a new rectory for the priests who minister to our family and to all who worked to make this dream come true: our beloved Bishop John Noonan, for his gracious presence, his blessing of the rectory, and for presiding over the liturgy; Dr. Chris Haug who came all the way from South Bend, IN to represent the U.S. Province of the Congregation of Holy Cross; for Catherine McCarthy and her team who helped to ensure the successful coordination of the day’s event; for our amazing kitchen ministry team who took care of feeding so many of us; for Mr. Ed Fleis and Monarch Homes of Brevard, LLC and all the subcontractors; and for all of you and your continued generosity. In a few days, when we receive the Certificate of Occupancy, Fr. Martin and I will begin to move in. This marks another era and proud accomplishment for our parish community. Truly blessed are we, the people the Lord has chosen to be his own!

On Tuesday, 20 January, we celebrated the Feast of Blessed Moreau and the anniversary of the dedication of our church. Thanks to Dr. Chris Haug who engaged the staff in an in−service program from 11 to 2 p.m. He also delivered a beautiful presentation on Holy Cross and St. John the Evangelist as a force for good in the worldwide community of Holy Cross, how we can be makers of hope, bringers of hope, shapers of hope, and how each of us can stoke the dying embers with a renewed and burning desire to make God known, loved, and served as did Blessed Moreau.

Thanks to Joe Maurin and our CRHP men who helped empty the sanctuary on Tuesday evening to enable the work of building the wall for the mosaic project. Remember, Phase 1 will run from Wednesday, 21 January through Friday, 27 March. We will take a break for Easter and then begin Phase 2 on the Monday after Divine Mercy Sunday, 13 April, when the mosaic design will be applied. The final reveal with Thanksgiving Mass for the Jubilee Year will be held on Sunday, 24 May. For our snowbirds who will be returning home, please make sure you stay until the 24th of May.

Pope Francis, in his motu proprio of 30 September 2019, “Aperuit Illis” (8), declared that “the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is to be devoted to the celebration of, study, and dissemination of the word of God. This Sunday of the Word of God will thus be a fitting part of that time of year when we are encouraged to strengthen our bonds with the Jewish people and to pray for Christian unity … This Sunday therefore, gives us opportunity to renew our resolve to grow in the knowledge and love of the Scriptures and of the risen Lord, who continues to speak his word and to break bread in the community of believers.” We will take time to honor the Word of God in the Scriptures and find ways to regularly read the Bible. Many of our parishioners have already followed the Bible in a Year podcast by Fr. Mike Schmitz. If you have not, I strongly suggest you do so this year.

I’d like to thank our lectors who faithfully and conscientiously prepare each day and each week to proclaim the Word of God to us. Thank you for your love of the Word and for proclaiming it so beautifully. Might we all hear afresh and be in awe of the fact that God speaks to us through the proclamation of the Word at each Mass. Jeremy Priest, reflecting about this Sunday says, “In the prologue to his gospel, Saint John helps us see that speaking is not merely something God does: not only does God speak in the beginning; not only was the Word ‘with God’ in the beginning … ‘the Word was God’ (1:1)! In this vein, the Catholic novelist, Walker Percy, famously called God Deus Loquens, the ‘speaking God.’ Indeed, the God who speaks the Word.”

Let us attune ourselves to this speaking God and his way of speaking. In the Gospel of Matthew 4: 12−23, we hear both of those who did not hear Jesus’ words and of those who heard and answered his call like Simon, Andrew, James, and John. The gospel points out that “He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.” Are you accustomed to hearing the Lord speak?

Have a blessed week!

With love, Fr, John

Servant of God Bishop Vincent McCauley

The oldest of six children, Bishop Vincent McCauley, was born on March 8, 1906, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. His

parish school, St. Francis Xavier, first awakened in him a desire for missionary work and evangelization. Inspired by Holy Cross priests who preached a mission at his parish in the fall of 1924, McCauley left Creighton University and entered the Congregation of Holy Cross Seminary at the University of Notre Dame.

McCauley took final vows with Holy Cross on July 2, 1929. After ordination in Washington, D.C. on June 24, 1934, his mission to East Bengal (now Bangladesh and part of India) was postponed for two years due to Great Depression funding issues, and he departed in October 1936.

McCauley’s work among the neglected Kuki Christians in Agartala (a distinct minority in the overwhelmingly Muslim country) confirmed his calling as a missionary. Unfortunately, illness forced him back to the United States in May 1944. He spent nearly a year in recovery before joining the formation staff at the Foreign Mission Seminary in Washington.

The next 13 years of his life would be devoted to seminarian formation and mission procuration, a role in which McCauley made famous the mission appeal slogan – “Wanted to build a better world: Few architects, more bricklayers.”

In 1958, McCauley was sent to lead the congregation’s new mission to Uganda. As had been the case in East Bengal, the congregation’s work in western Uganda focused on building up the local Church through the establishment, renovation, and strengthening of parish churches and schools. When Rome split western Uganda into two dioceses, McCauley was appointed bishop of the newly−created Diocese of Fort Portal. As Bishop, McCauley built the diocese from the ground up, founding numerous parishes and diocesan structures, along with St. Mary’s Minor Seminary for local priestly formation.

Remembered for his compassion and leadership, Bishop McCauley guided the Church in aiding countless refugees, widows, orphans, and migrants in the region during the political turmoil of the 1960’s and 70’s.

His leadership in the establishment of both an East African seminary and the Catholic University of Eastern Africa remains one of his distinctly Holy Cross legacies to a region in which global Catholicism finds one of its modern centers of gravity.

In August 2006, the cause for canonization of McCauley was introduced in the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. As Servant of God, Bishop McCauley’s cause undergoes review by the Diocese of Fort Portal, Uganda. Holy Cross seeks to emulate his faith, talent, energy, and joy – gifts by which he made God known, loved, and served.

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, January, 18, 2025

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 19:13:55 GMT

Dear friends,

I am filled such immense gratitude for our Lord’s abundant graces and sing with the psalmist, “I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done” (9:1). The rectory for our priests to live in on the campus of St. John’s is a dream come true. I am grateful to so many for their guidance, encouragement, expertise, and support: our beloved bishop, John Noonan, Rev. Bill Lies, C.S.C., Provincial of the U.S. Province, and Scott Fergerson and Debbie Whalen from the Department of Ecclesiastical Property. In addition, I thank Beth Lowry, our Business Manager, for her attention to all of the details involved with such an undertaking, and our parish and finance councils and building committee for their support. A huge thanks to Ed Flies and the Monarch Homes of Brevard, LLC for the design and build of this beautiful residence. Finally, thanks to you, my beloved family of St. John’s, for your amazing generosity. You never cease to amaze me, as I recall George Bowdren’s offer of a check some five years ago to begin the work of building a rectory. I wish to name our rectory “Saint John’s House” after our patron. May the Lord bless and watch over the priests who will stay there, and may they always be ready to serve the people of God with love and enthusiasm.

I extend a warm welcome to Most Reverend John Noonan, Bishop of the Diocese of Orlando, Reverend Bill Lies, C.S.C., Provincial of the U.S. Province, Mr. Chris Haug, Director of Apostolic Missions of the U.S. Province, and my community members from Cocoa Beach for their presence at this memorable occasion.

Feast of Blessed Moreau and the Anniversary of the Dedication of Our Church — Eight years have passed since we were blessed with the new church building, and we gratefully remember that day when we first entered the house of the Lord to worship, Saturday, January 20, 2018, the Feast of Blessed Moreau. We will, therefore, celebrate this day with Mass at 8 a.m. in the church. We will gather in the hall at 5 p.m. for its rededication and name it officially as the Holy Cross Hall. Dr. Chris Haug will offer a presentation on how St. John the Evangelist is an expression of Fr. Moreau’s vision to extend Christ’s reach to the world. The day will conclude with a holy hour, “Behold the Lamb of God.”

Construction of the wall behind the altar in the sanctuary will begin on Wednesday, 21 January. This will not affect our weekend Masses; however, daily Mass and funeral/wedding Masses will be held in the former daily Mass chapel, the Fr. Patrick Peyton Room. The adoration chapel will remain closed for the duration of the construction and will be moved to room 9 with hours staying the same. Thank you for your cooperation.

Congratulations to Hank Poletto, recipient of the Family of the Month Award for January 2026. Hank and his late wife Carol have been a huge part of our developing parish from the beginning.

Congratulations to our amazing Team SJE for holding on to first place in this year’s Children’s Hunger Project 5K held on Saturday, 10 January. Thanks to Dawn and Mike Hurley for coordinating the event and to Fr. John Patrick Riley, C.S.C., who came all the way from Phoenix, AZ to take part. This was our largest team to date with 62 members, our five fastest runners assuring the victory: Michael Girard, Phil Piotrowksi, Quinn Pasanen, David Schill, and Christine Rodriguez.

The Spirit of Holy Cross Award instituted by the Province of the Priests and Brothers of Holy Cross recognizes and celebrates lay collaborators who strive to enhance the spirit and the charism of the Congregation of Holy Cross. The Spirit of Holy Cross Award acknowledges the critical importance lay collaborators play in living out the vision and mission of Holy Cross founder, Blessed Basil Moreau, “to make God known, loved, and served through education, parish and mission settings.” I am deeply honored to announce that the recipient of the Spirit of Holy Cross Award 2026 is Carrie Seringer. We congratulate her and her family for their extraordinary love for the Congregation of Holy Cross.

Today, we celebrate the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A. We continue the theme of last Sunday, focusing on John the Baptist and his mission as the precursor to Jesus, announcing his identity as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. How blessed we are to have a Savior in Jesus.

Have a blessed week!

With love,

Fr. John

Blessed Basil Moreau

Blessed Basil Moreau, the founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, was born in Laigné− en−Belin, in the Diocese of Le Mans, France, on Feb. 11, 1799. In 1821, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of LeMans. He later became a seminary professor, teaching philosophy and theology while enthusiastically continuing to engage in pastoral work. He was known not only as an inspiring professor but also a man of God who faithfully sought to grow in the image of Christ through prayer, personal asceticism, and service. Blessed Basil Moreau is commemorated on January 20.

Blessed Basil Moreau demonstrated steadfastness throughout his life, enduring adversity, temptations, and setbacks while relying on Divine Providence and maintaining trust in God. He expressed complete trust in God: “My God, I consent to this provided the Congregation be saved and that You be glorified.” His sense of urgency was reflected in his awareness of God’s presence and love, shaping his vocation as a priest and founder. He responded to God's call with devotion, expressing the desire to live solely for God's glory. He had a deep realization of the presence of God, of God’s love, and of God’s call to him personally. Moreau expressed love and gratitude, as he demonstrated in a sermon, “He alone merits the homage of my mind and the affection of my heart. I want to live but for Him and to breathe but for His glory.”

Basil Moreau was a man of untiring effort. It was in service that he lived and struggled. In his meditation on the workers sent into the vineyard, he wrote, “If today you hear the voice of the Lord to the care of His vineyard – harden not your hearts – but go at once.” Moreau constantly tried to cooperate with the grace of his calling. He wrote, “Each one will try his best, with the help of grace, to augment his love until it fills his whole mind, his whole heart, until it exhausts his strength.”

Basil Moreau was a dedicated spiritual leader and educator who emphasized patience, gentleness, faith, and forgiveness. He saw Jesus as the educator of his disciples, the model educator, and advised combining firmness with wise restraint. Moreau was passionate about his mission, addressing the Church's needs, such as shortages of priests, educators, and aid for the poor. Moreau grew up amidst the turmoil of the French Revolution, and as a young priest he felt compelled to revitalize a Church devastated by years of civil war. With nearly two−thirds of France’s clergy and religious exiled or killed, Moreau organized a group of Auxiliary Priests to preach, teach, and bring the message of Christ to those in neglected towns and villages and founded religious communities at Holy Cross. Confident in God's guidance, he established Holy Cross as a recognized body within the Church and developed its statutes and rules over twenty years, focusing on broad evangelization through education.

In 1957, Basil Moreau was declared a Servant of God. On April 12, 2003, Pope John Paul II proclaimed him Venerable. Basil Moreau was beatified in Le Mans by Pope Benedict XVI on September 15, 2007, the feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows and the feast day of the Congregation of Holy Cross.

For canonization, another miracle is needed for both “blessed” martyrs and “blessed” who lived a virtuous life, attributed to the intercession of the “blessed,” and having occurred after his or her beatification. Canonization allows for the public veneration of the saint by the Universal Church. With canonization, the blessed acquires the title of saint.

Today, we pray for the canonization of Blessed Basil Moreau.

The Baptism of the Lord, January 11, 2026

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 01:33:15 GMT

Dear friends,

What a blessing to celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany with our children enacting/retelling the biblical story during all the Masses. Thanks to Justin and Amanda Libak for their amazing commitment and to the children who participated.

Congratulations to Jonathan Naghdi, recipient of the Saint Carlos Acutis Youth Service Award presented by our CCW. Jonathan has served as an altar server primarily for the 7:15 a.m. Mass. Thanks to his parents who have shown him the way and to his siblings for their encouragement.

On January 6, 2026, Pope Leo officially concluded the celebration of the Jubilee Year of Hope by closing the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. You might recall that the Jubilee Year was inaugurated by Pope Francis on Dec. 24, 2024. Strangely, this is only the second time in history that an ordinary jubilee was opened by one pope (Francis) and closed by another (Leo), necessitated by the death of Pope Francis. It happened first in 1700 with Pope Innocent XII and Pope Clement XI.

With the celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord this weekend, we conclude the season of Christmas. Beginning on Monday, we return to the liturgical season of Ordinary Time which will be celebrated until the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday and will continue again after the Easter season.

The Church recalls our Lord's second manifestation, or epiphany, which occurred on the occasion of his baptism in the Jordan. Jesus descended into the river to sanctify its waters and to give them the power to beget sons of God. The event takes on the importance of a second creation in which the entire Trinity intervenes.

In the Eastern Church, this feast is called “Theophany” because at the baptism of Christ in the Jordan River, God appeared in three Persons. The baptism of John was a sort of sacramental preparation for the baptism of Christ. It moved men to sentiments of repentance and induced them to confess their sins. Jesus entered the waters not because he needed cleansing but because he choose solidarity. He stands with sinners. He enters fully into our human condition. From the very beginning of his mission, Jesus showed us a God who does not remain distant but, rather, one who comes down into our mess, our weakness, our brokenness.

Msgr. Rudolph G. Bandas notes something beautiful: “Many of the incidents which accompanied Christ's baptism are symbolical of what happened at our Baptism. At Christ's baptism the Holy Spirit descended upon Him; at our Baptism the Trinity took its abode in our soul. At His baptism Christ was proclaimed the "Beloved Son" of the Father; at our Baptism we become the adopted sons of God. At Christ's baptism the heavens were opened; at our Baptism heaven was opened to us. At His baptism Jesus prayed; after our Baptism we must pray to avoid actual sin.”

Today is another opportunity for to us to reflect on the gift of our own baptism when a gateway was opened for us to experience all the treasures of the Church. This weekend, we shall renew our own baptismal vows and begin again to own our responsibility as people on a mission, the same as Jesus who, immediately following his baptism, is led by the Holy Spirit into the desert and then on to his public ministry. At baptism, we receive our identity as adopted children of God. It is a gift received, not merited. At our baptism, we were commissioned to live as children of the light and to be witnesses to the truth, instruments of God’s love to the world. Each one of us is invited to make Christ visible in the world — in our families, in our community of St. John’s, in our workplaces, and in our society.

Questions to ponder this week: Do I remember my baptism? Do I live as one who knows he or she is loved by God? Do others experience God’s love through me?

The month of January is celebrated as Holy Cross Heritage month. This week, we are given the opportunity to learn a little more about Brother Flavian Laplante, C.S.C, who was born in Quebec, Canada and became a Brother in Holy Cross and was sent to Bangladesh as missionary. He is now a Servant of God. Let us get to know him a little more.

Please note that the Blessing of the Rectory has changed to 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, January 18, 2026 due to a scheduling conflict with the Bishop Noonan’s calendar. Please come to the rectory by 10:20 a.m. to be part of this historic event. We will celebrate Mass at 11 a.m. and then visit the rectory afterwards as planned.

Please keep the evening of Tuesday, January 20, the Feast Day of Blessed Moreau when we will come to know about Fr. Moreau from Dr. Chris Haug, the Director of Missions.

Have a blessed week!

With love,

Fr. John

Servant of God Flavian Laplante

Br. Flavian Laplante, C.S.C., was born on July 27, 1907, in St.−Louis−de−Richelieu, Quebec, Canada. He was the seventh child of nine to Honoré Laplante and Louise Théroux, who named him Doria.

After meeting the Holy Cross brothers at school, he entered the Congregation at the age of 16. On August 15, 1923, he received the religious habit and took the name Flavian. Just over five years later, after completing his Novitiate and studying at St. Joseph’s Scholasticate, he professed Final Vows on August 16, 1928.

After working several years in Notre Dame College in Quebec as a teacher and dorm supervisor, Flavian was assigned to the Congregation’s mission in East Bengal in 1932 (present−day Bangladesh and India). Flavian reached Chittagong, East Bengal, on December 1, 1932. He supported the new high school in Padrishibpur with building work, teaching, and managing the dormitory. Two years later, he became principal, starting a sequence of educational and administrative roles at the Congregation’s schools in East Bengal.

In May 1942, when the Japanese Army started air raids on Chittagong, Flavian went there to assist. He remained in Chittagong in 1943 and 1944 when a severe famine hit the land so he could help tend to the hungry and sick. Flavian worked principally with the Hindus, who were considered at the bottom of society. It was during this time that he met the fishermen to whom he eventually devoted most of his life. Following the end of World War II, Flavian worked out a program so that many fishermen could receive new boats, because theirs had been commandeered during the war. Flavian often accompanied the fishermen out to sea for days. He even led them in resistance against pirates and participated in rescue missions. Flavian’s main plan, however, was to organize the fisherman into cooperatives in which they could help each other.

At the same time, Flavian began constructing an orphanage at Diang, about 10 miles from Chittagong, after the War to care for the orphans from the Chakati Refugee Camp. Flavian persisted in the project, including the construction of a school, despite thefts and vandalism from the unsupportive neighbors.

Except for a posting in Noakhali from 1957 to 1962, Flavian spent his life serving Diang and its fishermen. He renamed the settlement Miriam Ashram, inspired by Hindu religious retreats. During this period, he launched several development and education initiatives, including the Women’s Promotion Center with Holy Cross sisters. In 1975, Flavian started the Kalidaha Fishing Project, helped fishermen motorize their boats, and opened a technical school for boat−building and repair skills.

After returning from his last visit to Canada on December 24, 1976, Flavian retired as a hermit in his private ashram near Diang. He installed a statue of Our Lady on October 1, 1978, and organized a prayer and feast for Mary on February 11, 1979, attended by over 800 pilgrims—a tradition that remains a major pilgrimage in Bangladesh. In 1981, despite serious health issues and being advised to seek treatment in Canada, Flavian chose to remain in Bangladesh, where he completed 49 years of service to the poor before his death on June 19, 1981.

Flavian was declared a Servant of God on February 13, 2009 – the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes – by Most Rev. Patrick D’Rozario, Bishop of Chittagong Diocese, Bangladesh. His cause is being advanced by coordinated work in Bangladesh and in Canada.

The Epiphany of the Lord, Jan 4, 2026

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 19:06:49 GMT

Dear friends,

Mother Church invites us this day to contemplate the mystery of the Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ. Epiphany usually falls on January 6th, which is twelve days after Christmas. According to tradition, this is the span of time from the birth of Jesus until the visit of the magi from the east. Epiphany doesn’t always fall on a Sunday, so the Church celebrates it on the nearest Sunday (this year, January 4, 2026), and it is called “Epiphany Sunday.” The Greek word “epiphany” simply means “to reveal” or “to make manifest.” It was the name given by the early Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the revelation of God’s love to the world (John 3:16). The Church observes this feast to recognize that Jesus, the Son of God, comes to reveal God’s plan to save the world. Jesus Christ is the inextinguishable light of the gospels. This feast also reminds us that God is always at work revealing himself, even today, and that he has not abandoned his people. He is always close at hand, working in, around, and through us, leading us to other “epiphanies” so that we might realize just how much God loves us.

As such, I take this Sunday to reflect with you on the impact you have made not only on both the global missionary efforts of the Church and diocesan evangelical efforts but also on our local communities through our many outreach initiatives. I am immensely grateful to Cindy and Pete Lamonica and the teams of people who work under the umbrella of our Outreach ministry, to include Janet Owen−Jones and the Feed My Flock ministry and Lulu and Tim Farrell who coordinate the Farmworkers effort.

Our Outreach ministry also has helped many non−government social service organizations (NGOs). Through them, we are able to reach even more of the needy, the vulnerable, and the marginalized than we have staff and volunteers to address. Included among these are: Family Promise of Brevard, Brevard Senior Nutrition Program, Aging Matters, Street Showers, Our Daily Bread, the Sharing Center of Central Brevard, the Haven for Children, Bishop Grady Villa, the Children’s Hunger Project, St. Stephen’s Way, and some of our Catholic parishes and schools that are in need ... and the need continues to grow each year.

One of the most uplifting Christmas events sponsored by St. John’s was held on 11 December, when approximately 300 young adults with various medical challenges enjoyed a wonderful Christmas luncheon with their caretakers in our beautifully decorated hall. This annual event brings such joy to all in attendance. As a parish community, we packed 5100 meals for the Children’s Hunger Project, that in addition to the 2,700 packed by the Feed My Flock team and the 1300 by the Notre Dame Club. This amazing effort provides meals for children who go hungry on the weekends when school is closed.

The Feed My Flock team also provided more than 310 cupcakes for the Ministry to the Sick, bringing joy to hospitals, nursing homes, and the homebound. They also fed four families in shelter at WoodSpring Suites through Family Promise of Brevard. In support of our 25th Jubilee, our parish came together to prepare and distribute over 300 peanut butter & jelly and meat sandwiches during our Matthew’s Hope outreach to feed neighbors experiencing homelessness. A group of volunteers also went to Matthew’s Hope to help serve a hot lunch to the guests who visited the facility.

Through Aging Matters, we donated bread for distribution and packed and delivered 400 unperishable food item baskets to homebound seniors. Through our Christmas Giving Tree ministry coordinated by Susan Answay, we were able to bring joy to more than 400 children and adults. With your generous assistance, we supported the Farmworkers of Fellsmere with annual collections of nonperishable food items and clothes to assist with their mission.

Many other ministries such as CCW, Gratia Plena, Seedlings of Hope, SJE−4−Veterans, WINGS, Blessed Is She, the Sunshine Ministry, Gen Hope, blood drives, our Faith Formation programs, and our Mom’s ministry have offered a number of activities not only in support of our parish needs but also those of the larger local community. Our Rosary Makers have made several thousand rosaries that have been shipped to various people in nursing homes and hospitals and to other organizations both within our country and abroad. Our Kitchen Crew with wonderfully talented chefs and helpers and our Parish Life ministry team have helped feed thousands this past year through numerous events.

In addition to all of the above, you have been most generous in helping the Missionary Co−op from Africa, our Sister Diocese in the Dominican Republic, the Holy Cross Peru missions, and Catholic Charities. Our Funeral Ministry team has assisted with the funerals of more than 100 individuals and have provided guidance, comfort, and consolation to their grief−stricken families. In addition, our GriefShare ministry has sustained our ongoing efforts to walk with grieving members who continue to experience a void in their lives left by the loss of a spouse/child.

All of that being said, I must also mention both the various liturgical ministry teams and our Faith Formation programming that facilitate the spiritual needs of all in our parish. I express my sincere and heartfelt thanks to the 73 ministry leaders and their team members for such amazing dedication and commitment to our parish life, a gift to all.

Fr. Martin and our deacons and staff have been an amazing blessing in supporting the needs of such a large and vibrant parish. Your assistance and support often go unrecognized, and I thank you all!

As noted, the sheer volume of our outreach is astonishing, and it is accomplished only through the expression of our continued love for one other and our neighbors. The challenge is to multiply our efforts 1000−fold by continuing to gather as a parish community, sharing generously of our time, talent, and treasure. What would l I do without YOU! You make the Impossible POSSIBLE. WHAT A BLESSING YOU ARE!

With love,

Fr. John

Who is St. Brother André Bessette?

Saint Brother André Bessette was born on August 9, 1845, and died on January 6, 1937. He was canonized a saint on October 17, 2010. Pope Benedict XVI declared him a saint for the Universal Church in a ceremony in Rome. He is the first Congregation of Holy Cross member to receive this honor. Saint André believed in the healing power of Christ Jesus. His devotion to Saint Joseph was his guide to God’s fidelity.

Alfred Bessette, his baptismal name, came from humble beginnings and was considered to be illiterate. He came from a large family near Montreal, Quebec, Canada but was an orphaned He was weak in body and strength. He suffered from stomach ailments. Because of his frailty, he was not considered a suitable candidate for religious life. His life was filled with paradox. Yet, God raised him up to reveal to others how faith mends body and soul.

Alfred desired a life of prayer. He wanted to join a religious community. His pastor at his home parish suggested the Congregation of Holy Cross. The priest told the superiors of the community, “I am sending you a saint.” At first, Holy Cross was reluctant to accept him. However, they soon became aware of Alfred’s integrity and prayerfulness. Alfred became “Brother André,” as he entered religious life.

The Congregation of Holy Cross assigned Brother André to serve as Porter for Notre Dame College near Montreal. He ministered at the door for the next 40 years. However, he didn’t just open the physical door for guests, he began to open the door of faith for many who were sick, disabled, and in need of physical nourishment and security. Brother André’s devotion to Saint Joseph began to flourish in the encounters he had with people. Word of Andre’s healing touch spread rapidly. Brother André never sought out the limelight. André always realized that Saint Joseph was allowing people to receive the healing they needed, so he sought the foster father of Jesus. Brother André leaned deeply into his relationship with Saint Joseph and invited others to do the same.

People requested Brother André for spiritual healing for their children and also for themselves. Word spread before the Internet, before social media, and before television. The healing miracles began to emerge. At the high point of Brother André’s ministry, he encountered 600 people a day. He told them to be short, to be quick, because of the number of people in line to seek his faith and healing touch. Brother André did not have the physical strength to spend much time with the many requests that came to the door of the college. Yet, he welcomed their stories and their souls.

The Holy Cross community in which Brother André served struggled at times to support the ministry of Brother André. They were confused about what to do with all the people who wanted just a moment of advice from the saintly man. As with any prophetic person, Brother André just did not fit into the ministry and life of the other members of the Holy Cross community. Brother André persisted in his inner call to bring people to Saint Joseph and to the sacraments of the Church.

Brother André spent his days listening to people’s requests for healing and their stories of pain, anguish, and uncertainty. Perhaps, even more importantly, Brother André spent his nights praying for the people with whom he encountered during the day. It was not unusual for Brother André to sleep only an hour or two at night. He wanted to work through the pain people confessed to him. He knew people needed spiritual help and he kept knocking on heaven’s door all through the night. His life was purely devoted to God. He begged God to heal the people whom he listened to during the daylight hours. God consumed him. People’s suffering became his life work, his prayer, and his way of life.

One of the most important aspects of Brother André’s life was hospitality, which may be defined as the radical acceptance of others. To truly listen to people’s anguish, their stories, and their suffering became his holy hospitality. People felt heard by Brother André, even though their encounters with him were often brief. They experienced a recognition from another human being that their lives mattered. When doctors and healthcare workers gave up on people’s healing, Brother André accepted them. He put a spiritual arm around them. He comforted them with his integrity and his prayerful heart. Hospitality for André became his life and true acceptance of people became his spiritual story.

Please pray on January 7, his feast day, for the healing of the sick, the discouraged, and the forgotten. Saint André Bessette, pray for us.

Rev. Ronald Raab, C.S.C.

Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, December 28, 2025

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 18:18:55 GMT

Dear friends,

It is the final weekend of 2025, the new year is nigh, and we must ask ourselves, “Are we prepared?” Please come and spend an hour with our Lord on the last day of the year, Wednesday, 31 December at 4 p.m. We will celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, immediately following with a Vigil Mass at 5 p.m. Masses on Thursday, 1 January 2026, will be at 10 a.m. in the church and at 5 p.m. in the Grotto.

Today, the Church invites us to celebrate this last weekend with the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Who better to spend time with during the season of Christmas? In the Gospel of Matthew, we are given a unique perspective on the life of the Holy Family. They had to flee to Egypt at the prompting of an angel, later returning to Nazareth. It is a story of migration, the identity of their ancestors, our ancestors, and it all began with the father of our faith, Abraham, when he and his wife Sarah and their children’s children all had to migrate to Egypt. The people of Israel who were slaves in Egypt had to migrate to the Promised Land, thanks to the guiding hands of our Heavenly Father. Today’s Scripture beckons us to consider the plight of those throughout history who have had to migrate from place to place, country to country, to find a safe place to call home. Even today, immigration has become a hotly contested topic in our country. On November 12, 2025 at the Fall Plenary Assembly of Bishops in Baltimore, our bishops offered for the first time a unified voice on this issue. It is titled, “2025 USCCB Special Pastoral Message on Immigration.” See BELOW for the full statement.

I take this opportunity to congratulate Fr. Martin as he celebrates his 15th Ordination Anniversary! His story of coming to St. John’s is nothing short of a miracle. How is it possible for an uncle and a nephew to minister as priests in the same parish? I thank him most sincerely for his services. He has been a source of blessing not only for me but for all.

Congratulations to Jean Reilly, recipient of the Family of the Month Award for December 2025. Jean has been a faithful, committed, and loving usher at the 7:15 a.m. Mass, a blessing to our parish.

On behalf of Fr. Martin, the deacons, and the staff, I wish you a most blessed and peaceful New Year! May our Mother Mary wrap us in the mantle of her love and lead us ever closer to her son, Jesus Christ!

Our annual participation in the 5K walk or run to benefit the Children’s Hunger Project is underway. It will be held on Saturday, January 10, 2026. The race begins at Viera High. Dawn Hurley is our point of contact. As in year’s past, Fr. John Patrick Riley, C.S.C., will be joining us. Please see the bulletin for more details.

With love,

Fr. John

2025 USCCB Special Pastoral Message on Immigration:

As pastors, we the bishops of the United States are bound to our people by ties of communion and compassion in Our Lord Jesus Christ. We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement. We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care. We lament that some immigrants in the United States have arbitrarily lost their legal status. We are troubled by threats against the sanctity of houses of worship and the special nature of hospitals and schools. We are grieved when we meet parents who fear being detained when taking their children to school and when we try to console family members who have already been separated from their loved ones.

Despite obstacles and prejudices, generations of immigrants have made enormous contributions to the well− being of our nation. We as Catholic bishops love our country and pray for its peace and prosperity. For this very reason, we feel compelled now in this environment to raise our voices in defense of God−given human dignity.

Catholic teaching exhorts nations to recognize the fundamental dignity of all persons, including immigrants. We bishops advocate for a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures. Human dignity and national security are not in conflict. Both are possible if people of good will work together.

We recognize that nations have a responsibility to regulate their borders and establish a just and orderly immigration system for the sake of the common good. Without such processes, immigrants face the risk of trafficking and other forms of exploitation. Safe and legal pathways serve as an antidote to such risks.

The Church’s teaching rests on the foundational concern for the human person, as created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27). As pastors, we look to Sacred Scripture and the example of the Lord Himself, where we find the wisdom of God’s compassion. The priority of the Lord, as the Prophets remind us, is for those who are most vulnerable: the widow, the orphan, the poor, and the stranger (Zechariah 7:10). In the Lord Jesus, we see the One who became poor for our sake (2 Corinthians 8:9), we see the Good Samaritan who lifts us from the dust (Luke 10:30–37), and we see the One who is found in the least of these (Matthew 25). The Church’s concern for neighbor and our concern here for immigrants is a response to the Lord’s command to love as He has loved us (John 13:34).

To our immigrant brothers and sisters, we stand with you in your suffering, since, when one member suffers, all suffer (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:26). You are not alone!

We note with gratitude that so many of our clergy, consecrated religious, and lay faithful already accompany and assist immigrants in meeting their basic human needs. We urge all people of good will to continue and expand such efforts.

We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people. We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement. We pray that the Lord may guide the leaders of our nation, and we are grateful for past and present opportunities to dialogue with public and elected officials. In this dialogue, we will continue to advocate for meaningful immigration reform.

As disciples of the Lord, we remain men and women of hope, and hope does not disappoint! (cf. Romans 5:5) May the mantle of Our Lady of Guadalupe enfold us all in her maternal and loving care and draw us ever closer to the heart of Christ.

Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 21, 2025

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 20:39:40 GMT

Dear friends,

This weekend, we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent, and we will be lighting the last of the four candles, this one representing LOVE. In the gospel reading, Matthew peers into the life of Mary and Joseph who are an indispensable part of the season. Through the message of an angel, both Mary and Joseph come to know even of the name of the child before his

birth. The angel says in Matthew 1:21 that “She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” The birth of Jesus is the birth of a savior, not of an ordinary mortal being. Let us thank God the Father for his mercy in choosing to send his only begotten Son to be born for us as an “Emmanuel” God, a God who will always be with us. The Incarnation of the Son of God is the biggest turning point the universe has ever known.

This Fourth Week of Advent is a short one, barely a three−day affair, in busy preparation for Christmas.

A significant part of these last days of Advent is the use of the “O Antiphons” during Evening Prayer from 17 to 23 December. Each Antiphon invokes Christ by means of an Old Testament symbol: O Wisdom, O Sacred Lord, O Flower of Jesse's Stem, O Key of David, O Radiant Dawn, O King of All Nations, and O Emmanuel. Grace Hetzel sums up their importance: “The O Antiphons proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but our present desires as well.” C.C. Pecknold says that “They prepare us for the great Vigil of Christmas, uniting Israel’s hopes and the desire of nations as a kind of prophetic summa in praise of divine providence. In the heart of winter’s darkness, the O Antiphons call us to worship Jesus Christ as the center of salvation history.” I wish you would have time to do exactly that.

On Tuesday, 23 December at 7 p.m., we will have an opportunity to pray the Evening Prayer in the Fr. Patrick Peyton Room, during which time we will pray the Antiphon “O Emmanuel.” Please come and experience the splendor of waiting for the fulfilment of our heart’s desire: Jesus Christ, our “Emmanuel” God who is always with us.

Following this, the Christmas celebrations will be just around the corner with morning Mass on Wednesday, 24 December at 8 a.m., as usual. Following that Mass, the season of Advent will be over, and the Christmas season begins . The celebration of Christmas begins on 24 December with the following Masses:

4 p.m. Mass is hugely popular with families with children. The children’s choir will begin with carols at 3:30 p.m., and the Nativity pageant will follow at 3:45 p.m. This is the first time we are having the pageant before the Mass to help our children — all of us — focus our attention on the Mass itself. Hence, I request you to come early. We have arranged for an overflow Mass in the Holy Cross Hall which will be simulcast.

Then we will offer the following: 6:00 p.m., 8 p.m., and midnight Masses. The choir will begin with carols at 11:30 p.m.

On 25 December, we will celebrate Mass at 10 a.m. which will also be simulcast in the hall for overflow. We will follow with another Mass at noon.

For Christmas, our office will be closed from Wednesday, 24 December at noon through Friday, 26 December. The office will reopen on Monday, 29 December.

We are privileged to celebrate Fr. Martin’s 15th Ordination Anniversary and the Feast of St. John the Evangelist, our patron, on Saturday, 27 December, with a special Mass at 10 a.m. That evening, we will celebrate Fr. Martin after the 4.30 p.m. Mass in the Holy Cross Hall with a dinner.

On behalf of Fr. Martin, the deacons, and the staff, I wish you and yours a very joyful and peaceful Christmas!

May the Baby Jesus for whose birth we have been waiting find us alert, awake, and prepared to behold him.

Have a joyful Advent and blessed Christmas!

With Love,

Fr. John

Third Sunday of Advent, December 14, 2025

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 03:37:26 GMT

Dear friends,

The Third Sunday of Advent is called by the Church “Gaudete” Sunday or “Rejoice” Sunday, as it sets the tone of joyful expectation for the Lord’s birth and second coming. To mark this change in tone, the vestments worn by the priests and deacons will be rose in color. The prophet Isaiah begins the first reading (35: 1−6) with a note of joy as well: The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song … they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God … Here is your God … he comes to save you.” We rejoice this Sunday, for close at hand is our God who comes to save us. What a blessing to know that in Jesus we have a God who knows our struggles and sufferings, and he will be with us soon. Then we can sing with everlasting joy!

As part of our preparation for Christmas we will host our Advent Reconciliation on Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at 7 p.m. Please make use of this time of grace and the presence of many priests to receive the grace of forgiveness through the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

What an inspiration it was to have Johnnette Williams with us. She was on fire with her presentation at the women’s conference and during all three nights of the Advent mission. I am grateful to all who could make it. A huge thanks to Anjanette Wicks who worked on securing Johnnette’s visit with us and to the core team that orchestrated the entire event. We are truly blessed to have such an amazing group of wonderful people in our parish.

The next big event on the calendar is the second Day of Giving Back, when we will distribute food packets to the homebound seniors of Aging Matters. I thank Janet Jones−Owens for coordinating this event, along with her team of volunteers. This time, our task is to have 40 or so drivers who will distribute the food to a number of locations. Please sign up using the signup genius, and let us share the joy of Christ with those who are lonely and in need.

Unfortunately, during this time of year, there are many scams with the sole aim of exploiting unwary givers. Please do not fall for it. I received this message from Thomas Korenstra, Director of Communications from the Congregation of Holy Cross, and I would like to share his information with you:

“During the holiday season, cyber criminals noticeably ramp up efforts to phish (scam) people for personal and financial information. This message includes tips to help you guard against falling victim to their malicious methods! People are busy with travel, events, shopping, and family this time of year, and a busy person is often easier to manipulate. I encourage everyone to set up 2−Factor Authentication (2FA), also known as Multifactor Authentication (MFA), even on your personal accounts.

Please review the list below!

Unsolicited messages : Phishing often begins with unexpected emails, texts, calls, or even postal mail.

Ask yourself :

Do I recognize the sender?

Is the email address correct? (e.g., support@micros0ft.com with a zero is malicious).

Was I expecting this message? Legitimate customer support will not initiate contact out of the blue.

Requests for personal data : Malicious actors may ask for passwords, Social Security numbers, or other sensitive details ‘to verify your identity.’ Never share this information in communications you did not initiate and never share your password with anyone.

Attachments : Phishing emails often include harmful attachments. Do not open files from unsolicited senders. If you were expecting an attachment, confirm the sender and context before opening. Many phishing attempts occur when a person clicks a link for a sale or special deal.

False urgency : Attackers may claim you’ll lose access unless you act immediately. Treat urgency as a red flag and verify before responding.

TIPS :

Hover before you click : Place your mouse over the sender’s email address or any link to reveal the true destination.

Do not reply : Never respond to phishing messages.

Verify coworkers : If a message from a colleague seems suspicious, call them directly to confirm.

Check tone and grammar : Poor spelling, odd phrasing, or unusual mannerisms are red flags. When in doubt, verify by phone.

While phishing efforts are increased during the busy holiday season, please be on guard year round.”

Have a joyful Advent!

With love,

Fr. John

Second Sunday of Advent, December 7, 2025

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 03:30:32 GMT

Dear friends,

The first week of Advent has already passed; three short weeks until Christmas, and there is so much more to do. In the week that has just slipped by, I haven’t had time to do all that I thought I would for my own spiritual preparation. You might be thinking of things like: I thought I would spend some time in silence to pause and ponder the mystery of God coming to visit me and, yet, I didn’t make the time. I thought I would go to the Stations of the Crib on Tuesday, and I missed it. Most of us are in the same boat, but we can still do some solid things to make this Advent count.

This weekend, we heartily welcome Johnette Williams, founder and president of Living His Life Abundantly® International, Inc., a Catholic evangelization apostolate with outreaches in television, radio, print, and internet communications. She is also founder of Women of Grace®, a Catholic apostolate for Christian women that features a number of outreaches including conferences, curricula, study groups, and more. She has been a consistent presence on Catholic radio since 1987 and on Catholic television since 1988. Johnette has been published in major Catholic magazines and has authored several books. What a privilege it is for us to have her share her journey of faith.

Johnette will present our Advent mission on three nights beginning this Sunday through Tuesday, December 7 − 9, at 7 p.m. each evening. Please join us in preparing ourselves to reflect on the theme of our Silver Jubilee, “A Journey of Grace, Faith, and Hope.” As the mission statement points out, we pray that the Holy Spirit might help us experience a new “Advent” of the Lord with burning zeal to know, love, and serve the ONE who comes to us as a helpless little Babe in the manger.

While Johnette is here with us, she will also be the guest speaker at our women’s luncheon on Sunday, 7 December, at 12:30 p.m. As founder of Women of Grace, it is fitting that she is able to meet with our women and help us PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD.

We will be celebrating the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on Monday, 8 December, a holy day of obligation and the patronal feast day of the United States of America. We will be offering three Masses: 8 a.m., 12:05 p.m., and 6 p.m. Since the beginning of the Church, the Blessed Virgin Mary has been regarded as the holiest and most blessed of all disciples. Celebration of the Immaculate Conception began in the 7th century under the title, “Conception of Mary by Saint Anne” and was changed to “Immaculate Conception” with the definition of the doctrine in 1854.

We celebrate the Second Sunday of Advent with the appearance of some of the most significant people who were blessed with the Advent spirit. The prophet Isaiah and John the Baptist, the desert preacher, lived their lives with such joyful anticipation for the coming of the Savior of the world. They knew deep down in their hearts that the world as they knew it was not how God intended it to be; hence, they were inspired by the Holy Spirit to believe and profess that a Messiah would come from above to offer a vision totally different from the one they lived.

We, too, live in times where things are far from how God wants them to be. How our hearts long to live in a world where every human being is respected, where the sounds of gunfire and exploding bombs would be heard no more, paving the way for peace, where the riches and wealth of the nations would ensure elimination of poverty and hunger in the world, where one would not fear another because of race, nation, or ethnicity, where we would be free to walk our streets or gather in churches or market places without fear of being harassed or attacked.

The prophet Isaiah spoke of a shoot sprouting from the stump … can we be the fruits of the new shoot with dreams of a just and peaceful world characterized by deep and lasting tranquility? We know God’s vision for us because He sent His only Son to live among us. Let us, therefore, commit to living the spirit of Advent with a certain hope and longing — that if all of humanity were to come together to work toward building a world of justice and peace as anticipated by the prophet Isaiah, urged by John the Baptist, and lived by Jesus our Savior, it would be possible to transform the world.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul offers two suggestions that might help us live in harmony and unity: endurance (to willfully choose to remain faithful to Christ) and seeking encouragement of the Scriptures. May we heed the clarion call of John the Baptist to repent and transform our lives to meet the Lord who is close at hand. This Advent season, may we gently fan the glowing embers of his presence among us until they start to flame.

Have an adventurous Advent!

With love,

Fr. John

First Sunday of Advent, November 30, 2025

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 22:03:26 GMT

Dear friends,

Believe it or not, the season of Advent is here. This weekend, we begin a new liturgical year, cycle A, on this First Sunday of Advent. During the season of Advent, the liturgical theme and tone change to one of waiting. There is a call for silence, a call for prayer, a call for preparation, a call for patience, a call for anticipation, a call for revived hope, a call for emptying ourselves of all that does not satisfy and making room for that which will, a call for faith in the one for whom we wait, and a call for penance and repentance, as the one for whom we wait is our Lord and Savior. We can do all of these if we simply trust that we do them for the sake of opening ourselves ever more to the mystery of the Incarnation. Incarnation is simply the celebration of a love that comes to us, seeking us as though we were the only human beings ever to exist. Therefore, it is fitting for us to consider Advent as a time of cleaning house in preparation for receiving a very special guest. In her hymn, “People, Look East,” Eleanor Farjeon offers: People, look east. The time is near Of the crowning of the year. Make your house fair as you are able, Trim the hearth and set the table. People, look east and sing today: Love, the guest, is on the way.

The only downside to the season of Advent is that it is very short−lived. The season runs for four weeks, and sometimes the last (4th) is the shortest. Typically during this season, we do not experience much waiting for, in reality, it is the busiest time of year. There is a lot of shopping, end of the school semester, lots of anticipated Christmas parties and festivities, etc., all of which rob the season of its real intent and purpose. The question, as always, is, “How do we intend to spend these days of preparing for the birth of our Lord in a spiritual sense?” The challenge is to find the right and healthy balance between our social life and the spiritual life.

The Church, through its liturgies and Scripture readings, will help us enter into this season of joyful anticipation with purpose and intention. There are a variety of things we can do to keep the tradition of Advent meaningful, such as using an Advent calendar, preparing an Advent wreath with candles, working on a Jesse Tree and, of course, getting ready the Nativity scene. All of these should be done with prayerful consideration of this season of anticipation. To begin this year’s Advent journey, let us consider dedicating a corner in your living room where you can decorate with an Advent wreath and candles and try to make time to pray together as a family using songs such as, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” May your Advent enrich your experience of joyful and hopeful anticipation of the birth of our Lord. Happy Advent!

On this First Sunday of Advent, we will be celebrating the Rite of Entrance into the Catechumenate and welcoming the candidates preparing to become Catholic at the Easter Vigil. We are blessed with many brothers and sisters who have joined the OCIA. Let us walk with them and pray for them during these next several months. In an article titled, “New Yorkers turning to the church, number of Catholic converts soaring,” Kirsten Fleming has reflected on a surge of conversion to Catholicism. In her article, she notes: ““There’s a lot of turmoil right now, and I’m in transition, so I feel like I needed something to lean on,” said 22−year−old East Village resident Ian Burns who was baptized in the Episcopal church and stopped attending services because hoops took up his time.” Why Catholicism? “It’s the original religion of Christianity, and I wanted to get to the root of it rather than branches.”

Congratulations are in place for the recipients of the Family of the Month for November, Mirian and Richard Krassowsky. These are amazing people who give selflessly of themselves to our parish. Mirian is an usher, and Richard is both an usher and part of our media ministry. A retired electrical engineer, Richard has also spent countless hours fixing our many electrical issues. We are grateful to them both.

At the start of this new liturgical year, I am pleased to welcome and introduce to you Deacon Steven Prebeck and his wife Sandy! Steven and Sandy were married 43 years ago in 1982. After graduating from the University of Illinois in 1979 with a degree in Aviation/Meteorology, Deacon Steven spent 26 years in the US Air Force. After retiring, they settled in Colorado Springs, Colorado where Steven was ordained a Deacon in 2020 for the Diocese of Colorado Springs. They moved to Viera in February of 2025, and I am so happy that they are here with us to serve our parish community. A hearty welcome to you, Deacon Steven and Sandy.

Catholic Giving Tuesday: One of the blessings of this season of Thanksgiving is the spirit of giving. This is yet another time of the year when we are reminded of our call to serve others. This Catholic Giving Tuesday, 2 December, we invite you to support our parish in making a difference in our faith community. Your generous gift will allow us to maintain and expand our good works now and into the future. Please visit our website at https:// www.stjohnviera.org.

As always,

With Love,

Fr. John

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, November 23, 2025

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 03:17:30 GMT

Dear friends,

Last weekend, I was reflecting with you about how the month of November lends itself toward the end of another calendar year, and so it is with the Church’s liturgical year and the readings that foretell the end of time. This weekend marks the last Sunday of the liturgical year with the celebration of the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, or Christ the King. The USCCB has put out an explanation that I thought might help us to understand why this focus is on Christ the King:

“Pope Pius XI instituted this feast in 1925 with his encyclical Quas primas (“In the first”) to respond to growing secularism and atheism. He recognized that attempting to “thrust Jesus Christ and his holy law” out of public life would result in continuing discord among people and nations. This solemnity reminds us that while governments come and go, Christ reigns as King forever.

During the early twentieth century, in Mexico, Russia, and some parts of Europe, militantly secularistic regimes threatened not just the Catholic Church and its faithful but civilization itself. Pope Pius XI’s encyclical gave Catholics hope and—while governments around them crumbled—the assurance that Christ the King shall reign forever. Jesus Christ “is very truth, and it is from him that truth must be obediently received by all mankind” (Quas primas, 7).

Christ’s kingship is rooted in the Church’s teaching on the Incarnation. Jesus is fully God and fully man. He is both the divine Lord and the man who suffered and died on the Cross. One person of the Trinity unites himself to human nature and reigns over all creation as the Incarnate Son of God. “From this it follows not only that Christ is to be adored by angels and men, but that to him as man angels and men are subject, and must recognize his empire; by reason of the hypostatic union Christ has power over all creatures” (Quasprimas, 13).

The Church calls us to acknowledge Christ’s kingship with our whole lives: He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls, or to use the words of the Apostle Paul, ‘as instruments of justice unto God.’ −Quas primas, 33 Today, religious freedom for many people means that we can believe whatever we want in private, but when we enter the public square or the marketplace, we may not speak of anything that relates to our faith. However, the Church acknowledges the reign of Christ, not only privately, but publicly. This solemnity encourages us the celebrate and live out our faith in public. “Thus by sermons preached at meetings and in churches, by public adoration of the Blessed Sacrament exposed and by solemn processions, men unite in paying homage to Christ, whom God has given them for their King” (Quas primas, 26).

For Christians, when our faith is repeatedly marginalized in public life, we can fall into the habit of compartmentalizing our lives. We love Jesus in our private lives, but we shrink from acknowledging the kingship of Christ in social life.

When we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King, we declare to the world and remind ourselves that Jesus is the Lord of the Church and of the entire universe.”

One special person who honored Christ as her King and Lord is St. Cecilia whose feast we celebrate on 22 November every year. When she was threatened with death if she didn’t marry the prefect’s son, she responded saying, “Do you not know that I am the bride of my Lord Jesus Christ?” We pause this weekend to THANK Heidi, our Music Director, and all the musicians, cantors, and choir members who lend their talents in helping us raise our minds and hearts to God the Father, author of all the talents and gifts we have received.

As we look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving later this week, I want to make sure that you know how grateful I am to you for being a very faithful, joyful, welcoming, and generous community. On behalf of Fr. Martin, the deacons, and the staff, I want to say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.

As we continue to celebrate God’s mercy to us all these past 25 years, I want to join you all in THANKING GOD for HIS faithfulness. May our collective voices continue to cry out to the world: Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be His own.

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!

With love,

Fr. John

Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 16, 2025

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 20:01:58 GMT

Dear friends,

Having celebrated the special feast days of the Commemoration of All Souls on 2 November and the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica on 9 November, we passed over the 31st and 32nd Sundays. This Sunday, we are back on track with the 33rd Sunday in Year C, the penultimate Sunday in the liturgical calendar, the Sunday before the final Sunday of the liturgical year. Rightly so, the readings from the Scriptures reflect on the end of time. The first reading from the prophet Malachi, last of the prophets from the Old Testament and also the last book of the Old Testament, identifies Israel’s sinful ways and exhorts them to reform and, in turn reap the harvest that results from remaining faithful to the Lord. The proud and evildoers will meet their fate on the day of the Lord, while the righteous ones who persevere will live to see the day of the Lord. Today’s gospel reading tells of the last days of Jesus’ ministry, concluding with his prediction about the persecution of his followers. Luke 21: 5−19 invites us to persevere in days of persecution and give witness to our faith: “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

During this Silver Jubilee year, as we give thanks to God for the many blessings showered upon us during these 25 years, we also thank God for using us as a channel of blessings for others, especially to those most in need. As part of our “Days of Giving Back,” we will be serving hot meals to guests at Matthew’s Hope in Cocoa, FL. Our team of volunteers will be getting things ready on Monday, 17 November and then serving on Tuesday, 18 November. I thank you for your donations in support of this endeavor. Thanks to Janet Owen, her Feed my Flock ministry members, and all who have signed up to prepare the food, deliver, and serve. Your generosity and kindness are deeply appreciated.

We would like to make this jubilee year a true blessing for everyone.

This weekend, we will have the opportunity to help support the efforts of the Catholic Charities of Central Florida in serving thousands of people throughout our diocese, including our own Brevard County. Our support of this collection is critical to their ability to respond to the ever−increasing needs of our families. I thank you in advance for your kind support. There will be two collections this weekend, and your generosity in the second will remind us all that “Every family we help is one less family in need.”

In this year of our Silver Jubilee, let us renew our commitment to keeping God as our one and only Master, binding us as people chosen by the Lord, a people on a mission to transform lives through devotion to the Eucharist and love of neighbor. Let us shine courageously and cheerfully, embodying hope and deep love for both ourselves and our communities. May ours truly be a “Journey of Grace, Faith, and Hope!”

Have a blessed weekend!

With love,

Fr. John

The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, November 9, 2025

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 19:37:53 GMT

Dear friends,

You did it again … our fall harvest food drive to support local farmworkers exceeded expectations. I am grateful to Lulu and Tim Farrell and their team for coordinating this annual event. Lulu writes: “We are deeply grateful for the generosity and service we received to ensure we could deliver more food than ever to the Farmworkers Association of Florida. Maria, leader of the farmworkers in Fellsmere, was overwhelmed with the amount of food we delivered which was twice as much as last year.” The food was delivered on Sunday, and I thank you all for your bountiful generosity.

We have received donations of electric wheelchairs that will be available for those in our parish to use as needed. We also have wheelchairs and walkers. Contact the office for assistance.

During the month of November, please continue to pray for the deceased members of our families and of our parish community, also for those orphaned souls who have no one to pray for them. Venerable Fulton Sheen wrote: “As we enter Heaven, we will see them, so many of them, coming towards us and thanking us. We will ask who they are, and they will say ‘a poor soul you prayed for in Purgatory."

This weekend, 9 November, we do not celebrate the 32nd Sunday as should be but, rather, the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. Hence, we will have special readings that focus on the concept of the temple and the vital role it plays in our liturgical life. Just as we celebrate with joy the anniversary of the dedication of our parish church on 20 January, so also does every diocese throughout the world celebrate as a local feast day the dedication of its cathedral as its “spiritual headquarters.”

The Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome holds a special place in the history of the Church. It was dedicated by Pope Sylvester I in the year 324. When centuries of persecutions ended with Constantine’s 313 edict granting Christians the right to publicly practice their faith, St. John Lateran became the first basilica where Christians were allowed to worship freely in public. It is the oldest church in the West, and the episcopal seat of the pope as bishop of Rome, although many of us erroneously presume that to be St. Peter’s Basilica. As such, this basilica represents the unity of the Church under the leadership of the pope.

I have had the privilege of visiting St. John the Lateran when on pilgrimage there with a group from our parish. The basilica has been a place of special significance throughout its long history, having hosted five ecumenical councils. The Baldacchino over the main altar is said to contain relics of the apostles Peter and Paul. The nave of the church is lined with exquisite marble statues of the apostles, all crafted by the Italian master Bernini. We will have the privilege of visiting it in March 2026 when on again pilgrimage to Italy.

This day also invites us to ask some very serious questions. What does our church mean to us? Is it just a building, merely a gathering place? Do we recognize it as a place where God dwells so intimately? Do we recognize Jesus present in the tabernacle? Do we recognize that the church is a holy place where prayers and sacrifices are continuously being offered? What is our attitude when we enter our church? Do we treat it as a place of prayer? Are we mindful of other people praying, desiring quiet time to pray? Have you ever spent 15 minutes or so in silent prayer, resting yourself in the presence of the Almighty? Can you hear Jesus’ passionate plea to keep his Father’s house sacred? Are you filled with the zeal of Jesus in keeping the house of God a sacred place of worship and prayer? There is tension over this in our parish. Unfortunately, some of us treat this sacred space as a gathering place to visit with others and catch up with friends. Others feel it should be like a monastery with total silence at all times. When we gather for Eucharistic celebrations, we should all be mindful of how we conduct ourselves living−beings gathering for prayer and worship with the utmost reverence for God’s presence among us. I request that we be gentle with each another, respecting our collective worship as a community of believers in this sacred space.

Have a blessed weekend!

With love,

Fr. John

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, November 2, 2025

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 20:07:40 GMT

Dear friends,

It was wonderful to have so many of your friends, neighbors, and relatives join us for the “Each−One Bring−One” to Mass Silver Jubilee special event last weekend. That person or family came because you invited them. You have brought many blessings not only to them but also to us, the SJE family. I have heard so many stories of people who are now true worshipers of the Lord because one person thought of offering that special invitation: Would you like to join us for Mass at our church? You did your part by inviting them; let us now confidently leave the rest to the Lord to do His will. I would like to thank Indroutie Jones and Jennifer Fine for coordinating this wonderful event.

We were blessed to have Alan Ames visit us again and to see so many people come from far and near to be healed. I thank Fran and Peter Behrens for making his visit possible, and I invite all of you to take part in the many other events that have been organized for our parish family. What a blessing during this year of Silver Jubilee to receive so many graces.

Congratulations to Nancy Fitzpatrick, recipient of the Family of the Month award for October 2026. Thank you, Nancy, for all you do for our community.

I heartily welcome Fr. Paul Kollman, C.S.C., here with us this weekend as part of the Hesburgh Lecture Series hosted by the Notre Dame Space Coast Club. Fr. Paul is Associate Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame and his presentation will be on the topic: The Global Future of the Catholic Church. Thanks to the ND Club for hosting this event.

This Sunday is the 2nd of November, and we observe the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day). Following the Feast of All Saints, this celebration of praying for the dead is significant in the life of the Church. There is an intrinsic connection between us and those who have gone before us in faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) in 954 speaks of three states of the Church: “When the Lord comes in glory, and all His angels with Him, death will be no more and all things will be subject to Him. But at the present time some of His disciples are pilgrims on earth. Others have died and are being purified, while still others are in glory, contemplating in full light, God Himself triune and one, exactly as He is.

These three states are known as the Church Militant, the Church Penitent, and the Church Triumphant and comprise the communion of saints that we profess in the Creed.

The Church Militant is all of us who are on our earthly journey, fighting “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7) as soldiers for Christ clad in the “armor of God” (Ephesians 6:10−18) as we engage in spiritual warfare with the forces of evil that seek to turn us to sin and away from Christ and His Church.

The Church Penitent refers to all the souls in purgatory who have completed their pilgrimage on earth but have yet to reach their final destination in heaven. Also called the Church Expectant, these souls rely greatly on the prayers of the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant to see them through their process of repentance and purification.

The Church Triumphant is the saints in heaven who have “finished the race, kept the faith” and won the “crown of righteousness” (2 Timothy 4:7−8). They now bask in the glory of the fullness of the presence of the Holy Trinity for eternity in heaven. “Being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness. They do not cease to intercede with the Father for us … so by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped” (CCC 956).

Have a blessed weekend!

With Love,

Fr. John

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 26, 2025

Sat, 25 Oct 2025 01:02:27 GMT

Dear friends,

I extend a very hearty welcome to our guests who have come to worship with us today as part of our “Each One, Bring One” effort. You are here because someone thought of you as a very special friend. Thank you for joining us and for honoring the person who invited you. Our doors are always open! Please join us in worship of our Lord Jesus during Eucharistic celebrations or come simply to pray and find some peace, perhaps in the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes which has proven to be an oasis of peace. Thank you, again, from the bottom of my heart for your presence with us.

I am deeply honored to welcome Sr. Joan Grace who is visiting us from Ireland. She taught for several years at St. Mary’s School in Rockledge and then served as chaplain of the Wuesthoff Hospital in Rockledge for many years before retiring to Ireland. She has indeed touched the hearts of so many people during the course of her 70 years of service in our area. She is truly a woman of faith in action.

I am extremely grateful to Anjanette Wicks and Roma Zimmerman for coordinating the Jubilee Gala. Their efforts — along with those of so many others — made for a memorable evening. One of the highlights of the event was a cake made by Maria and Jackie Panellas in imitation of our Grotto. Moved by the beauty of the cake, I asked not to cut it but, rather, to share its beauty and depth of detail with all parishioners during the Sunday Masses.

Last week, we celebrated World Mission Sunday and reflected on how we are all invited to focus on mission work around the world and to support their efforts both financially and through prayer for those less fortunate. We were privileged to hear from Raquel Cespédes, Director of Missions for the Diocese of Orlando, about our sister diocese in the Dominican Republic and how our financial support has had a definitive impact on their lives. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, I thought about rafling off the cake, and one generous parishioner offered $3000 for it in support of the people of our sister diocese. God truly works in mysterious ways!

Trunk−or−Treat this year had a unique Silver Jubilee flavor with a different location and so many activities. The children had a great time walking by 65 trunks, treating themselves to pounds of treats that will last them at least a year. The children had an amazing time with roasting marshmallows by the fire, story−time with the saints, bounce houses, games, crafts, and goodies galore. Thanks to all who shared their decorated trunks. I am immensely grateful to Justin and Amanda Libak for orchestrating the entire event and to all who donated treats and their time to make this event possible for the children of our parish.

Please don’t forget to keep praying the Rosary during the month of October and making it a daily “habit” for the rest of your lives. The number of creative activities provided to engage us in praying the Rosary in our parish has been astounding. Our beautiful Grotto is always there to provide the perfect ambience for prayer.

Fr. Patrick Peyton, a Holy Cross priest, always invited families to pray the Rosary together every day, encouraging them with the words that a “family that prays together stays together.” This rings truer now more than ever. As we end the month of October, I would like to offer a Mass at the Grotto on Thursday, 30 October, at 6 p.m., followed by the Rosary. On the 31st, Alan Ames from Australia will be with us for an evening Mass and healing service. Alan is a Catholic visionary, mystic, and celebrated author. Please come and benefit from this amazing opportunity for healing.

This 30th Sunday in Year C offers beautiful Scriptural passages centered around our dispositions to God, others, and the nature of our prayers. The Book of Sirach comes from the Deuterocanonical section and is a collection of writings from Israel’s wisdom tradition. In this first reading, we see how God is portrayed as a God who inclines his ear to the cry of the poor. It says, “The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds, it does not rest till it reaches its goal.” The Gospel of Luke further demonstrates this aspect in presenting the disposition of two very different people who go to pray: one is a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee has an attitude rooted in comparison and contrast. His prayer indicates self−righteousness, that he needs nothing from God, and judgement of others. The prayer of the tax collector, on the other hand, is one of humility. He does not even dare to lift his eyes to heavens. His demeanor indicates that he is sinful and stands in need of God’s mercy. The humble man’s prayer certainly pierces heaven, and his prayers are heard. This passage is unique to Luke and teaches us profound lessons. What is our attitude when go to pray? Are you full of yourself leaving no room for God to fill you with His love? Or are you, in humility, able to bare your empty heart so that God can fill it with His love?

Have a blessed weekend!

With Love,

Fr. John

Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 19, 2025

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 23:11:05 GMT

Dear friends,

Venerable Patrick Peyton, C.S.C, founder of Holy Cross Family Ministries and known the world over as “The Rosary Priest,” believed that praying the Rosary can bring peace to the world: “The Rosary has saved the world in the past; it will save the world again by saving the family.” During the month of October, we are honoring our Mother here each evening at 6 p.m. with the Rosary at the grotto. I invite you to stop by and join us. SJE Rosary Fitness will begin on Tuesday, 21 October, at 6 p.m. in the parish hall. Men and women aged 16 and up are welcome. Please bring your exercise mat and a set of light weights (optional). Thanks to Janet Fovargue, GFI, CPT, SFC, who has offered to lead this opportunity to pray while working out together. In addition, the WINGS ministry is hosting a Rosary Walk on Wednesday, 22 October. All women are invited to meet by the Pieta statue at 6 p.m. for a walk to the Viera Regional Park (approximately 3 miles round trip) while praying the Rosary together.

We are invited to join Holy Cross Family Ministries at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 22 October, the Feast of Saint Pope John Paul II, for their second annual worldwide rally for peace, bringing countries together to pray the Rosary as one. This powerful event will truly be a global effort for peace in our own hearts, in our families, throughout our countries, and across the world. All Holy Cross Family Ministry centers across five continents and in 18 countries will lead us to pray in unison as a single, human family, creating a global experience of simultaneous, unified prayer. Fr. Patrick Peyton’s memorable statement still rings true today: “A World at Prayer is a World at Peace.” Please visit HCFM.org to tune into this event.

On 19 October, we celebrate World Mission Sunday, an opportunity to pray for the mission of evangelization around the world. Pope Leo, in his video message to every parish in the world, said this:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

On World Mission Sunday every year, the whole Church prays, united, particularly for missionaries and the fruitfulness of their apostolic labors. When I served as a missionary priest and bishop in Peru, I saw first−hand how the faith, the prayer and the generosity shown on World Mission Sunday can transform entire communities. I urge every Catholic parish in the world to take part in World Mission Sunday. Your prayers, your support will help spread the Gospel, provide for pastoral and catechetical programs, help to build new churches, and care for the health and educational needs of our brothers and sisters in mission territories. This October 19th, as we refiect together on our baptismal call to be "missionaries of hope among the peoples," let us commit ourselves anew to the sweet and joyful task of bringing Christ Jesus our Hope to the ends of the earth. Thank you for everything you will do to help me help missionaries throughout the world. God bless you all!

Our diocese has been helping our sister diocese in San Juan de la Maguana in the Dominican Republic for the past three decades. We welcome Raquel Cespédes who is in charge of the mission there to speak to us about the powerful impact of our generous assistance in the lives of the people of that region. Thank you for your contributions to the mission of the Church worldwide.

On this 29th Sunday in Year C, we are treated to Scripture readings which emphasize the importance of prayer , the key theme being that of persistence .

I wish to thank Ismael Munoz for his gracious assistance as bookkeeper for four months when we needed him most. He and his wife Nina are people of amazing faith, and we are blessed to have them in our parish family. Our new bookkeeper, Shannon Coffman, joined the staff on 13 October. She is a native Floridian from the Titusville area with over 30 years of accounting experience. Shannon and her husband Marty have two grown children, and we extend a warm welcome to them all.

In this year of our Silver Jubilee, let us renew our commitment to keeping God as our one and only Master, binding us as people chosen by the Lord, a people on a mission to transform lives through devotion to the Eucharist and love of neighbor. May ours truly be a “Journey of Grace, Faith, and Hope!”

Have a blessed weekend!

With love,

Fr. John

Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 12, 2025

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 17:57:03 GMT

Dear friends,

For the first time in our short history as a parish community, we celebrated the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary with a candlelight Marian procession on Tuesday, 7 October. Our candles were lit from the Eternal Flame; what a privilege and responsibility to be keepers of the flame! I am greatly indebted to Peter and Fran Behrens for coordinating the Marian procession with all of its beautiful decorations. I’d also like to thank our Filipino community for decorating Mother Mary who was carried in the procession. Thanks to our Brazilian community for decorating the grotto with flowers galore and to the many others who worked so hard to plan such a beautiful tribute to our Mother.

October is the Month of the Rosary. We are blessed to have our beautiful Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes where people flock to pray the Rosary and to meditate on the Stations of the Cross. Every evening this month, we will be praying the Rosary at the grotto at 6 p.m., so please join us as we help one another get to heaven. In his book, “Rediscover the Rosary,” Matthew Kelly asks us these questions: “Loving devotion to Mary is part of Christianity that can be traced back to the very first Christians. Who is Mary to you? What role does she play in your spiritual life?”

Paco Farach deserves our whole hearted gratitude for making this year’s Silver Jubilee Golf Tournament an amazing experience. Thanks to all who worked on the team. Thanks to our sponsors and players for their support.

We now have a new ministry for doctors, nurses, and all those in the medical profession: the SJE Medical Ministry . I am very grateful to Dr. Kevin Campbell and Dr. Brendan Prendergast for heading this ministry. We are truly blessed to have so many in the medical profession in our parish. They will help us with any medical emergencies during our weekend worship and, while we thank them for their generosity, let us also pray for them, that the healing ministry of Jesus may continue to be accomplished through their service. Please join us in honoring them with a White Mass (also known as “Health Care Mass” ) on the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, patron of physicians and medical professionals, to be celebrated on Saturday, 28 October at 10 a.m. in the church.

On this 28th Sunday in Year C, the Scripture readings speak of the healing that God worked among the people of Israel − even among those from other backgrounds − through the ministry of the prophets as we hear in the first reading taken from the second Book of Kings. Naaman, army commander for the king of Aram, comes seeking to be healed of his dreaded leprosy by the prophet Elisha. Once cleansed and freed from his leprosy, he is filled with gratitude and recognition of the power of the God of Israel. He has a conversion experience and, as a result, commits himself to worshipping the Lord in his own land upon his return.

In the Gospel of Luke, we are given the example of the ten lepers who desire to be healed by Jesus. While they may not have fully understood who Jesus was, they recognized him as a prophet and did what he asked them to do. Of the ten who were healed, only one, a non−Jew (a Samaritan) returned to give thanks to Jesus, recognizing the power of God. He, though an outsider like Naaman, responds with gratitude. What is our attitude to Jesus for the innumerable healings we experience every day of our lives? Do we simply take them for granted? Do we have an attitude of entitlement? Both Naaman and the Samaritan leper who were healed challenge our attitude of complacency in our faith life, a great lesson to ponder this week.

Have a blessed weekend,

With Love,

Fr. John

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 5, 2025

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 16:32:58 GMT

Dear friends,

Wednesday evening’s presentation by Chris Stefanick was dynamic, full of enthusiasm, and inspiring, and I thank God for using lay evangelists like him to fan the fires of our faith. We thank Ann Marie Goldberg, Event Manager for the Real−Life Catholic team, for providing guidance to our team of volunteers for this amazing event. All in attendance were truly blessed.

To continue the fervor ignited by Chris’ REBOOT, our Flourish Our Faith team will present an 11−week study,

“Living Joy,” beginning on 16 October. Consider joining us as we learn how to LIVE WITH JOY!! The month of October reminds us that life is a precious gift from God. Every life – from the moment of conception to natural death – is to be revered and honored. This Sunday is designated as Respect Life Sunday which marks the beginning of “Respect Life Month” for the Catholic Church in the United States. We are invited to renew our commitment to building a culture that protects life. Let us pray to be agents of gratitude and hope.

October is also the Month of the Rosary. We are blessed to have our beautiful Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes where people flock to pray the Rosary and to meditate on the Stations of the Cross. Every evening this month, we will be praying the Rosary at the grotto at 6 p.m., so please join us as we help one another get to heaven. In these days of growing darkness and hatred in our country, the Rosary, in the words of St. Padre Pio, “is the weapon of our times.” An increase in unspeakable atrocities committed against our communities is proof enough that we are engaged in battle, and the appropriate weapon is the Rosary.

For the first time in our short history as a parish community, we will celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary with a candlelight Marian procession on Tuesday, 7 October at 6.30 p.m. Please gather in front of the hall for the start; Mass will follow in the Grotto. Our candles will be lit from the Eternal Flame. Thanks to Peter and Fran Behrens for coordinating this initiative.

WINGS Ministry: I am deeply grateful to Darline Granados for overseeing this ministry with such love and passion for making a difference in the lives of the women of our parish. Due to family circumstances, she is unable to continue in the leadership position, so Jennie Fine will be taking up the reins moving forward, assisted by Holly Russo and Linda Lane. Thank you in advance!

The WINGS ministry was created for women seeking fellowship and spiritual growth to come together in a safe and welcoming environment as they navigate their busy and often messy lives. Next up for this ministry is a six−session ENDOW study on Pope John Paul II’s Rosarium Virginis Mariae (On the Holy Rosary) beginning 10 October. All women aged 30−50−ish are invited to attend and can sign up to receive info on upcoming service projects and social events.

On this Twenty−Seventh Sunday, the same words expressed by the prophet Habakkuk in the first reading continue through time to echo in our hearts: “Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and clamorous discord.” Last weekend, we witnessed another act of evil when a deadly shooting and arson attack in Grand Blanc, Michigan took four precious lives and gutted the entire Mormon church. “How long, O Lord? I cry for help and you do not listen.” God assures us, like Habakkuk, that He will act in the fullness of time, that His providence will prevail. In his letter to Timothy, Paul encourages us to endure while suffering for our faith, a faith that requires continual tending to burn strong and bright. From the Gospel of Luke, we join the apostles in praying, “Increase our faith.”

Have a blessed weekend!

With Love,

Fr. John

Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 28, 2025

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 23:35:36 GMT

Dear friends,

“Do not forget the works of the Lord!” I am profoundly grateful to God for all that he continues to do in our lives. My heart also overflows with gratitude to you, my dear family of St. John’s, as we echo the psalmist in response to our Jubilee Prayer: “Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be His own!” (Psalm 33).

I am so grateful to all who helped with the organization of our inaugural celebration. I want to thank Sandy Samuel for overseeing the Jubilee committees and Jason and Yleem Pobletes for their coordination of the 11 a.m. Mass with Bishop Noonan, including their preparation of the program to commemorate the day. In addition, I add special thanks to them for securing the “Peace Light” from the Grotto of the Nativity in Bethlehem, an eternal flame from the birthplace of our Lord and Savior which now burns brightly in our sanctuary. Many thanks to the choir, the kitchen crew and Justin and Amanda Libak and family for taking charge of all the picnic−related items and feeding over 1000 folks, and to each of you for your contributions/donations to our opening celebration. It is my fervent hope that all parishioners will join in as we give honor, praise, and glory to our God.

Bishop Noonan’s uplifting message set the tone for a continued spirit of evangelization at SJE in bringing the love of Jesus to others. Fr. Emmanuel Kallarackal, our Vicar General from Rome, represented the entire family of Holy Cross, and his note of congratulations, best wishes, and prayers was greatly appreciated. As a fitting conclusion to our opening celebration, we honored our Lord for his Divine Presence with us in the Blessed Sacrament with 40 unbroken hours of adoration. The 11 a.m. Mass can be viewed on our website: https://www.youtube.com/live/CIN−uS_4T7A.

I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Fr. James Martin Nobles, O.P., a friar of the Dominican Province of St. Martin de Porres (Southern Province) and the Provincial Promoter for the Laity. He will preside at the 11 a.m. Mass this weekend and receive four new members from our parish as candidates of the Lay Dominican Order. He will also witness the “temporary promise” of three candidates. In addition, we welcome Mrs. Donna Farrell−Pellisier, O.P., Provincial Secretary of the Lay Dominicans.

Two of our newest ministries are up and running, the SJE Mom’s Ministry and Seedlings of Hope. Our St. Monica Ministry will launch on Friday, 26 September at 7 p.m. We invite all mothers whose spouses and/or children have left the Catholic faith to join this movement of love for your families. In addition, I invite all doctors, nurses, and medical professionals for a meeting on Tuesday, 30 September at 6 p.m. to begin a ministry for their healing profession.

Our world and our country are experiencing agonizing times as we witness frequent acts of violence born of hatred and division. Recently, we watched a shooting at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minnesota in which two children were killed. We also witnessed the stabbing death of a young woman, Iryna Zarutska, in the subway of Charlotte, NC last month and, just a week ago, the heartbreaking assassination of Charlie Kirk and the deep sense of loss experienced by his wife and young children. He was a man who will be remembered for his courageous faith. Bishop Barron noted that Charlie “was indeed a great debater and one of the best advocates in our country for civil discourse, but he was, first and last, a passionate Christian.” He and the many others who have become victims of heartless violence have been robbed of every dream they and their parents and families might have had for them. We lift them up in prayer.

These senseless incidents bring us to the painful realization that our country is infected with cancer, and I fear that we are in danger of losing her to it. There is so much deep−rooted animosity and a seemingly unfathomable divide. As Kelsey Reinhardt has noted: “That advanced cancer is evil, widespread, and metastasizing. The disease is not only political. It is spiritual. A culture without God will always end in confusion, division, and violence. But if we focus only on political solutions, we will not only be disappointed, we will fail. The root of our decline is spiritual – hate exists in the human heart.” Where are we as a nation? Where are we as a community of believers?

The readings for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time offer some consolation for us. St. Paul Timothy 2:1−8 asks “that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone … that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and pleasing to God our savior who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1−8). In today’s gospel reading, Jesus affirms that “No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon” (Luke 16: 1−13).

The cancer of violence, hatred, and division has its roots in our nation becoming increasingly God−less. In this year of our Silver Jubilee, let us renew our commitment to keeping God as our one and only Master. Let us pray for the healing of our fractured nation, and may this jubilee year bring us ever closer together and bind us as people chosen by the Lord, a people on a mission to transform lives through devotion to the Eucharist and love of neighbor. Let us shine courageously and cheerfully, embodying hope and a deep love for both ourselves and our communities. May ours truly be a “Journey of Grace, Faith, and Hope!”

Have a blessed weekend!

With Love,

Fr. John

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 21, 2025

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 00:42:38 GMT

Dear friends,

Have a blessed weekend!

With Love,

Fr. John

The Exaltation Of The Holy Cross, September 14, 2025

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 02:02:06 GMT

Dear friends,

Today, the grand opening weekend of our Silver Jubilee celebrations begins, and what a privilege it is for us to be part of this history-making event. A jubilee is the time to celebrate God’s faithfulness, and our theme, “Journey of Grace, Faith, and Hope,” profoundly reflects both how the hand of God has led us from the beginning and how He expects us to cooperate with HIS holy design through faith. It also expresses how our hope is anchored to HIM to carry us into the future where many may come to know of His divine providence. This parish family that God has assembled together in response to our jubilee prayer echoes the sentiments so beautifully expressed in Psalm 33: “Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be His own.”

St. John the Evangelist parish began on September 8, 2001, the Feast of the Nativity of our Mother Mary. We began in small ways with just 200 families and, during those initial days, experienced what it means to be a nomadic people. We had no place to call our own, moving from the Brevard County Government Center to the Faith Viera Lutheran Church for celebration of the sacraments until we could obtain land and build ourown parish hall and classrooms. We remember with much gratitude the Holy Cross priests who approached the diocese as well as the many bishops who supported our efforts and were instrumental in identifying this current location. We also remember the many parishioners who toiled long and hard to realize our dream of having a place of our own to call home. Lastly, we remember all those who have passed on to the Lord, including our founding pastors, Fr. Larryand Fr. Brad. This jubilee year is a clarion call for us to never forget the works of the Lord, as we sing joyfully in the responsorial psalm (78) for today. Unlike our ancestors in the desert who continuously complained without remembering the wonderful deeds done by the Lord when He rescued them from slavery in Egypt, we will remain faithful to Him, ever acknowledging His mercy.

September 14th, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, happens to fall on a Sunday this year and, thereby, trumps the usual Ordinary Time Sunday observance. The name “Holy Cross” is fittingly very dear to the Congregation of Holy Cross, our motto being “Ave Crux, Spes Unica (Hail the Cross, Our Only Hope).” We acknowledge that through the cross is found our salvation. Just as Moses raised the bronze serpent on a pole, a symbol of healing for the people of Israel stricken by the poisonous serpents in the desert (Book of Numbers 21: 4-9), so Jesus was lifted upon a cross on Calvary, becoming our healing balm, the salve that provides eternal life. At the end of the grand opening of the Silver Jubilee Mass, we will have the opportunity to venerate the cross of Christ, the means for our salvation. A challenge is placed before us: Salvation is not a passive gift that we receive simply by looking at a crucifix; it is a gift that needs to be consciously received by us, and we are expected to work at transforming our lives through the demands the cross presents.

This is the story of every saint in the Catholic Church. Each has responded actively to the gift offered by Jesus on the cross. Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati, canonized this past weekend, offer us profound testimony. They didn’t conform to the standards of the world but, in humility, acknowledged the supremacy of Jesus in their lives which, in turn, led to their transformation and lasting impact on their contemporaries. This was made possible by their unquenchable thirst for the Eucharist and their deepest desires to spend time in front of the Eucharistic Lord in adoration.

We, too, will spend 40 hours in adoration at the beginning of this Silver Jubilee year as a sign of our acknowledgement that Jesus has been our focus and will continue to be the center of our lives. We will begin the 40-hour Adoration on Sunday, 14 September, after the 4.30 p.m. Mass and end on Tuesday, 16 September 16, at 10 a.m. Let us come together as a community blessed by the Lord and spend these holy hours in His presence. As our newly canonized 15-year-old St. Carlo Acutis said: “Jesus is my great friend and the Eucharist my highway to Heaven."

This time of jubilee is also a time of celebration as a family, so we will come together to share bread together. Well, in our time, it will be hamburgers and hotdogs, our picnic menu. With delight, let us rejoice in the Lord’s work in our community. I am grateful to the amazing team of people who have been working for these past several months to plan for this yearlong celebration. I am especially grateful for the stupendous work accomplished by Sandy Samuel, Coordinator of the Silver Jubilee Committee, and the many talented, generous, and loving people serving on various committees. The celebration is just beginning, and there is more to come. This family of St. John the Evangelist can pray with all sincerity, “Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be His own.”

May this Silver Jubilee year bring us ever closer together and bind us as people chosen by the Lord, a people on a mission to transform our lives through devotion to the Eucharist and love of neighbor. May it truly be a “Journey of Grace, Faith, and Hope!”

Have a blessed weekend!

With Love,

Fr. John

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 7, 2025

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 03:19:48 GMT

Dear friends,

Pinch yourselves … YES, the long-awaited, yearlong celebration of our Silver Jubilee is here, as we begin the closing of 24 fruitful years and the beginning of this 25th year as the St. John the Evangelist Catholic

Community, a Journey of Grace, Faith, and Hope.

To mark this great milestone on the weekend of 6/7 September, we will pray together the Jubilee Prayer

composed for this occasion. We will also begin the Vocations Prayer Challenge during the 9 a.m. Mass. We all need to pray for more young men and women from our community to respond in service to the Lord as priests, brothers, deacons, and religious sisters. In addition, we will recognize our first ever “SJE St. Carlo Acutis Youth Service Award,” initiated by our own CCW.

On 7 September in Rome, Pope Leo XIV will canonize Bl. Carlo Acutis and Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, two Italian laymen who will be the first saints proclaimed by our new pope elected on May 8, 2025.

The canonization of Blessed Acutis, a teenager known for his devotion to the Eucharist and for creating an online exhibition of Eucharistic miracles, had originally been scheduled for 27 April during the Jubilee of Teenagers but was postponed following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025. Born in 1991 and raised in Milan, Blessed Acutis used his tech skills to evangelize and was noted for his joyful faith and compassion for others before dying of leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15.

Blessed Frassati, born in 1901 to a prominent family in Turin, Italy, was admired for his deep spirituality, love for the poor, and enthusiasm for life. A member of the Dominican Third Order, he served the sick through the St. Vincent de Paul Society. He died at the age of 24 after contracting polio, possibly from one whom he assisted.

I would like to draw your attention to next weekend when we will celebrate the Solemn Opening of the Silver Jubilee. On Sunday, 14 September, we will cancel the 7:15 and 9 a.m. Masses and will, instead, celebrate Mass at 8 a.m. to allow more time to get ready for the 11 a.m. Mass. Bishop John Noonan will preside at this Eucharistic Celebration, our grand opening Jubilee Mass. We are also privileged to have Fr. Emmanuel Kallarackal, C.S.C., Assistant Superior General of the Congregation of Holy Cross, along with our Holy Cross confreres from the Cocoa Beach Community. During this liturgy, we will light the Jubilee Candle and the Eternal Flame from Bethlehem. After the Mass, we will celebrate with a parish picnic. If you plan to attend the picnic, please sign up using the QR code so we know how many will come for lunch.

As an act of thanksgiving, we will begin 40 hours of Adoration shortly after the 4.30 p.m. Mass on Sunday. With genuine humility, we acknowledge that everything we have comes from the Lord. To Him be all the glory and honor! Please come anytime during these 40 hours to spend some time with our Lord.

On this Twenty-Third Sunday in Year C, the Scripture readings focus on our need to make Jesus our priority. Jesus says in the Gospel of Luke (14: 25-33), “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” By saying this, Jesus is certainly not asking us to hate others or even to hate oneself. Rather, he is asking us to prefer Him over others and to prioritize him in all of our dealings. Jesus knows well enough that if HE becomes our priority, then our relationships with family members and others will thrive through the proper ordering of our actions and the choices we make.

As we begin our Silver Jubilee year, let us pledge to keep Jesus at the center of all we will do. May our journey be filled with his grace.

Have a blessed weekend!

With Love,

Fr. John

Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 31, 2025

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 01:51:53 GMT

Dear friends,

Unthinkable and incomprehensible and senseless act of violence was inflicted on innocent victims on Wednesday, August 27, 2025. This time it was a Catholic School. It was the first week of School at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. It was their first School Mass for the Academic Year when the 23-year-old assailant shot randomly at the children through a window. At least two children aged 8 and 10 were shot dead and 17 were injured. We are deeply saddened by this news and our hearts ache inconsolably at such mindless and cruel attacks on innocent helpless children. May their Souls Rest in the Peace of the Lord. Our prayers are with the families that have to deal with this horror.

We are happy to announce that our religious education classes have begun for all grade levels, with over 400 students enrolled. As we continue to pass along our faith, many volunteers have responded to both teach and assist. Thank you! Our steady growth as a parish — while most certainly a blessing— is impacting availability of time and space throughout our campus. I will return to you soon with plans for future developments to address these concerns.

Our Children’s Ministry during the 9 a.m. Mass has likewise grown into a vibrant and heart-warming avenue of participation. As an offshoot of this increased interest, we are rolling out a beautiful project called SJE Seedlings of Hope. The children of St. John’s will celebrate our Jubilee Year with a service-inspired children's club. Elementary-aged students are welcome to join this exciting new group where they will grow in their faith through Catholic social teachings and acts of service. Examples include acts of kindness, community service projects, and learning and practicing the Fruits of the Spirit. The SJE Seedlings of Hope will meet the second Tuesday of each month beginning on 9 September from 4-5 p.m. I encourage you to bring your children so they can be part of this amazing and fun- filled group designed to develop their sense of community at SJE.

Since we couldn’t all be here for the grandparents day celebrated in honor of Saints Joachim and Anne on 26 July, we will be joining the national Grandparents Day on 7 September to honor the important role they play in families and in passing on their faith to the younger generations. We ask all of our children to invite their grandparents to join them for the 9 a.m. Mass (followed by coffee and donuts) as a way to make this day meaningful for the whole family.

Be prepared to begin the closing of 24 fruitful years and the beginning of this 25th year since the birth of the St. John the Evangelist Catholic Community. To commemorate this great milestone, we will begin with a soft opening of our Silver Jubilee on 7 September with the presentation of the Vocations Prayer Chalice during the 9 a.m. Mass, a beautiful way to begin the year. We all need to pray for more young men and women from our community to respond in service to the Lord as priests, brothers, deacons, and religious sisters.

Next Sunday during the 9 a.m. Mass, we will begin with the presentation of the “Saint Carlo Acutis Youth Service Award.” This is an initiative begun by our SJE Council of Catholic Women (CCW) to encourage our youth to actively participate in parish life. Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint, will be canonized by Pope Leo XIVon 7 September.

Thank you to those who generously responded to our request for “I pad/tablets,” for our music ministry. We will gladly put them to good use. Thank you for your generosity.

Please do not forget that the Grand Opening of our Silver Jubilee will take place on Sunday, 14 September during the 11 a.m. Mass. Bishop John Noonanwill be with us. Following the Mass, we will host a picnic for which I request you to please signup so we can better prepare to serve you. Additionally, I request your assistance with donations of sodas, chips, and cookies.

Chris Stefanick will visit us on Wednesday, 1 October for an evening of REBOOT. I most especially encourage our high school teens and young adults to join us, as this will be a life-changing experience for all in attendance.

Tickets are now being sold for our amazing GALA event to be held on 18 October. This is a fundraising event, and seats are limited. It promises to be an exciting and relaxing evening under the shimmering moon.

The Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time invites us to reflect on the virtue of humility. Jesus points this out when he says in Luke 14: 10, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Each of us has personally experienced this. In presenting the example of a wedding banquet and the number of guests that have been invited, Jesus points out our desire to be exalted by being seated at noticeable places of honor. What a disappointment it will be if we are asked to be moved! Humility is a foundational virtue exemplified by the wisdom of so many saints, emphasizing self-knowledge as God sees us, the rejection of pride, and an acceptance of God's will. St. Augustine noted, “The way to Christ is first through humility, second through humility, third through humility.” Additionally, the book of Sirach in the first reading says, “My child, conduct your affairs with humility.” Let us then look for ways to conduct our affairs with humility.

Be blessed!

With Love,

Fr. John

Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 24, 2025

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 18:42:16 GMT

Dear friends,

I begin by extending a warm welcome to Fr. Cyril Imohiosen from the Archdiocese of Arusha, Nigeria! Fr. Cyril is with us this weekend as part of the Mission Co-Operative offered by the Diocese of Orlando. There will be a second collection at all Masses, so please be generous. As always, thank you in advance! If you are writing a check, please make it out to St. John the Evangelist with “Mission” in the memo.

Response to our Children’s Ministry during the 9 a.m. Mass has been tremendous, with active participation from both our children and their parents. The leadership team that supports this ministry would like to commemorate our silver jubilee in a special way with a beautiful project named SJE Seedlings of Hope. The children of St. John’s will celebrate our jubilee year with a service-inspired children's club. Elementary-aged students are welcome to join this exciting new group where they will grow in their faith with Catholic social teachings and acts of service. Examples include acts of kindness, community service projects, and learning and practicing the Fruits of the Spirit. The SJE Seedlings of Hope will meet the second Tuesday of each month beginning on 9 September from 4-5 p.m. I encourage you to bring your children so they can be part of this amazing and fun-filled group designed to develop their sense of community.

Since we couldn’t all be here for the Grandparents Day celebrated in honor of Saints Joachim and Anne on 26 July, we will be joining the national Grandparents Day on 7 September to honor the important role they play in families and in passing on their faith to the younger generations. We ask all of our children to invite their grandparents to join them for the 9 a.m. Mass (followed by coffee and donuts) as a way to make this day meaningful for the whole family. I want to thank Judy and Jim Fiandaca, recipients of the Family of the Month award for the month of August 2025. Unfortunately, Jim passed away before he could receive the award, so Judy and their daughter Terri received it on Sunday, 17 August before the 9 a.m. Mass. Judy and Jim were active and faithful members of our community. Apart from numerous ministry involvement, both were active in the Small Christian Community Bible Study on Tuesdays for many years. We will truly miss Jim. May his soul rest in peace!

Grand Opening of our Silver Jubilee will take place on Sunday, 14 September during the 11 a.m. Mass. Bishop John Noonan will be with us. Following the Mass, we will host a picnic for which I request you to please sign up so we can better prepare to serve you. Additionally, I request your assistance with donations of sodas, chips, and cookies.

Chris Stefanick will visit us on Wednesday, 1 October for an evening of REBOOT. Tickets are fast selling. I would very much like our high school teens and young adults to join us, as this will be a life-changing experience for all in attendance.

Get ready for an outstanding GALA event which will be held on 18 October. Seats are limited. It promises to be an exciting and relaxing evening under the shining moon.

This weekend, we celebrate the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, and we are offered some lovely images of how the message of the gospel should spread to all the nations of the world. The prophet Isaiah’s vision is spectacular in that he says the Lord will gather nations of every language, and they shall proclaim his glory among the nations. How true it is! The responsorial psalm proclaims the same truth: “Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.” In the gospel reading, we hear a question posed to Jesus: “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” Jesus makes an astonishing assertion: When you stand knocking at the door do not be surprised to hear the answer, “I do not know where you are from.” How prepared are we, and are we willing to do what it takes to be ready?

Be blessed!

With Love,

Fr. John

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 17, 2025

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 15:00:27 GMT

Dear friends,

It is so good to have our children and parents back in the rhythm of parish life and participating in the Church’s liturgical year. Faith formation programming for all students begins soon, with our children’s ministry returning to the 9 a.m. Mass this weekend. High school programs (FIAT and confirmation classes) kick off on Sunday, 17 August, and our middle school Anchored in Faith ministry will begin on Wednesday, 20 August. SJE Kids classes for kindergarten through 5th grade will start on Sunday, 24 August, on Wednesday, 27 August, or on Thursday, 28 August, as appropriate.

Thanks to all who have signed up for the Vocations Prayer Challenge and photo directory, two highlights of our silver jubilee. Many additional events are slated for this year of grateful celebrations. What a blessing to share this important event in the life of our parish.

On the weekend of 23/24 August, Fr. Cyril Imohiosen from the Archdiocese of Arusha will be with us as part of the Mission Co-Op offered by the Diocese of Orlando. Let us extend a warm welcome to him. There will be a second collection that weekend, so please come prepared.

I would like to invite all of you to a presentation on “Building Sound Relationships” by Fr. Arul Raj Gali, C.S.C., on Friday, 29 August at 7 p.m. in the church. This is part of our ongoing efforts to enrich married couples. Daniel Goleman, a noted psychologist and author, states that “Communicating with emotional intelligence enhances bonding.” During this presentation, Fr. Arul will touch on topics such as managing your anger and expressing it safely, learning your primary love language, and applying it in your relationships (Gary Chapman’s Five Love Languages). I invite all married couples and those preparing for marriage and convalidation to please come and attend this informative session.

On this Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Church gives us examples of what happens when we truly follow the commands of the Lord. In the first reading from the prophet Jeremiah, we hear of Jeremiah being lowered into a cistern to die, falsely accused of demoralizing the people and the soldiers with his words. But God rescues Jeremiah from his predicament by sending Ebed-melech, a Cushite and foreigner, to advocate for him to the king, resulting in his release. The author of Hebrews asks us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus as we run the race that lies before us. In today’s gospel reading, Jesus longs to set the world on fire with the Holy Spirit. Oh, how I wish it were already blazing! Let us pray for perseverance. Let us pray for Christians persecuted everywhere for their faith.

Have a blessed week!

With Love,

Fr. John

The Holy Year of 2025 is itself in continuity with preceding celebrations of grace. In the last Ordinary Jubilee, we crossed the threshold of twomillennia fromthebirth of Jesus Christ. Then, on 13 March 2015, Iproclaimed an Extraordinary Jubilee for the sake of making known and encouraging an encounter with the “merciful faceof God”,[3] the core messageof the Gospelfor every man and woman of everytime and place. Nowthe timehas comeforanew Jubilee, when oncemorethe Holy Door will beflung open to invite everyonetoan intense experience of the love of God that awakensin hearts the surehope of salvation in Christ. The Holy Year will also guide our steps towards yet anotherfundamental celebration for all Christians: 2033 will markthe twothousandth anniversary of the redemption won bythepassion, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. We are about to makea pilgrimage marked by great events, in which the grace of God precedes and accompanieshispeopleasthey press for- ward firm in faith, active in charity and 4 steadfast in hope (cf. 1 Thess 1:3) .

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 10, 2025

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 02:44:35 GMT

Dear friends,

We are well into the second week of August, summer vacations have ended, and programming for our parish community is back in full swing. In addition, a new academic year begins for our children and their teachers, so we will offer a blessing for all who are returning to school.

Meanwhile, our faith formation classes will resume in this order:

The high school programs (FIAT and confirmation classes) kickoff on Sunday, 17 August.

Our middle school Anchored in Faith ministry begins on Wednesday, 20 August.

SJE Kids classes for kindergarten through 5th grade start on Sunday, 24 August, on Wednesday, 27 August, or on Thursday, 28 August, as appropriate.

As you know, we need many volunteers to assist with teaching our children. I am deeply grateful to our catechists and assistants both for their time and passion in passing along our faith to the next generation.

Sensory-friendly Mass: In our efforts to make worship of our God more meaningful for families with children who struggle with distractions, we will celebrate a sensory-friendly Masson Sunday, 10 August at 1 p.m. in the parish hall.

Vocations Prayer Challenge: On 7 September, we will begin our Vocations Prayer Challenge. This will be an opportunity for our parish to pray for religious vocations in a special way which is vital toward ensuring future generations of Catholic priests, deacons, and religious to celebrate the sacraments and help guide us in our faith. Please sign up using our SignUpGenius link: https://www.signupgenius.com/ go/10C0D4AAFAA22AAF4C61-55726073-stjohns .

Photo Directory: As part of our Silver Jubilee celebrations, we are creating a parish photo directory. I am grateful to Mike and Kathy Mos for coordinating this huge undertaking. Please sign up in advance for the day among those available that works best for your schedule. August 19th and 20th have been added. Call Mike & Kathy with any questions or if you need to change or cancel an appointment.

We celebrate the Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time when the Church, in her wisdom, invites us to place our trust in God, as did Abraham, our “father in faith” who, despite all odds, trusted in God and in his promise(Hebrews 11: 1-2, 8-19). In this week’s gospel reading, Jesus uses a parable to present examples of both faithful and unfaithful stewards. Faithful servants receive greater responsibility for sharing the Father’s generosity. Jesus concludes saying “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more” (Luke 12: 32-48).

Speaking of faithful stewards, I want to recognize the SJE MOPSTERS ministry. Our church, as you know, is a large and beautiful place of worship, but it requires regular maintenance to keep it that way. The members of our Mopsters team area phenomenal group of passionate and dedicated men and women who faithfully dustmop the floors on Tuesdays and damp mop on Thursdays. Larry Wehner has led the way for so many years, followed by Bill Seck, but now the time has come for us to bolster the ministry with more support. Nearly half of our current crew are unable to continue for medical reasons or due to relocation, so I am now requesting more hands on deck to join this awesome ministry and help us keep our church clean. As a young boy, my mom and I were involved in the upkeep of the church for our parish. My responsibility was the sanctuary lamp, ensuring it had sufficient kerosene to keep it lit. This small act was one of many ways for us to foster a stronger sense of belonging to our parish community. St. John’s is our church, our faith family and home, and we need to come together to help keep it clean. Can I count on you to step up? Know that I am extremely grateful to the team dedicated to this ministry, and If you see the mopsters around our campus, please thank them.

On Friday, 15 August, we will celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Since it is a holy day of obligation, we will have three Masses as follows: 8 a.m., 12.05 p.m., and 7 p.m.

Have a blessed week!

With love,

Fr. John

In a particular way, I would like to invite the faithful of the Eastern Churches, particularly those already in full communion with the Successor of Peter, to take part in this pilgrimage. They have suffered greatly, often even unto death, for their fidelity to Christ and the Church, and so they should feel themselves especially welcome in this City of Rome that is also their Mother and cherishes so many memories of their presence. The Catholic Church, enriched by their ancient liturgies and the theology and spirituality of their Fathers, monks and theologians, wants to give symbolic expression to its embrace of them and their Orthodox brothers and sisters in these times when they endure their own Way of the Cross, often forced by violence and instability to leave their home- lands, their holy lands, for safer places. For them, the hope born of the knowledge that they are loved by the Church, which does not abandon them but follows them wherever they go, will make the symbolism of the Jubilee all the more powerful.

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 3, 2025

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 17:34:38 GMT

Dear friends,

This weekend, we take time to pray in thanksgiving for Deacon Steven Lumbert and his 25 years of service to the diaconate. He was ordained in the Diocese of Pueblo on August 4, 2000 by Bishop Arthur Tafoya and served his first five years at his home parish of Holy Family. He was then assigned as Pastoral Associate for

St. Paul the Apostle in Pueblo West for three years, followed by a two-year stint as Associate Director of Deacon Formation. In 2010, he was assigned as Administrator of St. Anne’s Parish and served there for nine years. During his active ministry, he assisted at most of the parishes in Pueblo, celebrating quinceañeras, weddings, funerals, committals, Word Communion services, and other ministries as needed. In 2019, he retired from the Diocese of Pueblo and moved with his ailing wife Socorro to Florida to be closer to their daughter Karina and son-in-law Rob and their children, becoming members of our parish. In 2023, he asked to serve in retirement through his diaconate ministry at St. John’s. It has been lovely knowing him and his family, and we thank him for his ministry, praying that he will continue to serve the Lord with joy. Congratulations, Deacon Steven Lumbert, on completing 25 years of service to the Lord and His people.

I also take this occasion to thank George and Cis Franzen for their commitment to the Christ Renews His Parish ministry. George has served us faithfully for 15 years, beginning in 2010. Having stumbled into CRHP by chance, he has given his heart and soul toward promoting this life-changing ministry at St. John’s. George now passes the baton to Joe Flora with the hope that he will run with it for another 15+ years. Thank you, George and Cis, for your great passion. You will always be the “father figure” of CRHP at St. John’s.

I offer a hearty welcome to Chris McLaughlin who will lead the music ministry during Sunday 4:30 p.m. Masses beginning this weekend. He comes to us with vast experience in leading LIFETEEN camps through amazing worship experiences. Please welcome Chris and plan to join us as a parish community in ever more vibrant praise and thanksgiving during our Eucharistic celebrations.

On this Eighteenth Sunday, the Church calls us to reflect on building our treasures in what matters most to God and not be fooled into indulging worldly attractions and desires that will surely perish. In his letter to the Colossians, St. Paul invites us to seek what is above and put to death the parts of us that cling to this

Earth.

We look forward to the return of our children to full Mass participation and continued religious education. Have a blessed week!

With Love,

Fr. John

Let us now continue reading Spes Non Confundit, “Hope Does Not Disappoint,” written by Pope Francis to inaugurate the Ordinary Jubilee Year 2025, titled “Pilgrims of Hope.” We pick up where we left off last weekend:

Pilgrimage is of course a fundamental element of every Jubilee event. Setting out on a journey is traditionally associated with our human quest for meaning in life. A pilgrimage on foot is a great aid for rediscovering the value of silence, effort and simplicity of life. In the coming year, pilgrims of hope will surely travel the ancient and more modern routes in order to experience the Jubilee to the full. In Rome itself, along with the usual visits to the catacombs and the Seven Churches, other itineraries of faith will be proposed. Journeying from one country to another as if borders no longer mattered, and passing from one city to another in contemplating the beauty of creation and masterpieces of art, we learn to treasure the richness of different experiences and cultures, and are inspired to lift up that beauty, in prayer, to God, in thanksgiving for his wondrous works. The Jubilee Churches along the pilgrimage routes and in the city of Rome can serve as oases of spirituality and places of rest on the pilgrimage of faith, where we can drink from the wellsprings of hope, above all by approaching the sacrament of Reconciliation, the essential starting-point of any true journey of conversion. In the particular Churches, special care should be taken to prepare priests and the faithful to celebrate the sacrament of Confession and to make it readily available in its individual form. To be continued ...

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 27, 2025

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 21:16:22 GMT

Dear friends,

We celebrate the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time this weekend, and we are treated to an amazing

passage where Jesus entrusts to his disciples, to his Church, and to us the fundamental Christian prayer: the

“Our Father.” Jesus wants us to keep asking, to continue knocking at the door, and to never give up. Persistence in prayer will ultimately align our hearts to that of God’s.

I extend my warmest, heartfelt welcome to Dr. Erikson Wikstrom, Superintendent of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Orlando. We will hear about her dedication to Catholic school education this weekend, with a primary focus on St. Mary’s School in Rockledge and its dire need of our assistance. I humbly ask you to open your hearts to her message and be generous in helping St. Mary’s School. Thank you, Dr. Erikson, for all that you do for the spread of Catholic school education.

I am extremely grateful to Jennifer Hera who has served our community as bulletin editor and, recently, as our Communications Coordinator. She was on staff from Sept 2023 to July 18, 2025 and is now leaving us to pursue higher studies and to attend to her ailing father. Jen has served St. John’s with love and dedication. Please join me in thanking her and wishing her all the best, as we will certainly miss her.

Brian Kelly has now joined our staff, making the transition with Jen and taking over her responsibilities. Brian is a recent college graduate and delighted to be part of our team. I extend my warmest welcome to Brian and hope that his contributions to our parish community will bring joy not only to him but to all of us. A

hearty welcome to you, Brian.

Congratulations to Susan Answay, recipient of the Family of the Month Award for July 2025. Susan is one of our original parishioners and has done amazing works through her involvement with so many of our ministries. I thank her most especially for coordinating the EMHC ministry. Thank you, Susan, for your presence with us.

With Love,

Fr. John

5. This interplay of hope and patience makes us see clearly that the Christian life is a journey calling for moments of greater intensity to encourage and sustain hope as the constant companion that guides our steps towards the goal of our encounter with the Lord Jesus. I like to think that the proclamation of the first Jubilee, in the year 1300, was preceded by a journey of grace inspired by popular spirituality. How can we fail to recall the various ways by which the grace of forgiveness had been poured out upon God’s holy and faithful People? We are reminded, for example, of the great “Pardon” that Saint Celestine V granted to all those who visited the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio in Aquila on the 28th and 29th days of August 1294, six years before Pope Boniface VIII instituted the Holy Year. The Church was already experiencing the grace of the Jubilee as an out pouring of divine mercy. Even earlier, in 1216, Pope Honorius III granted the plea of Saint Francis for an indulgence for all those visiting the Porziuncola on the first two days of August.

The same can be said of the pilgrimage to Santiagode Compostela: in 1222, Pope Callistus II allowed the Jubilee to be celebrated there whenever the Feast of the Apostle James fell on a Sunday. It is good that such “dispersed” celebrations of the Jubilee continue, so that the power of God’s 3 forgiveness can support and accompany communities and individuals on their pilgrim way. To be continued …

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 20, 2025

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:48:01 GMT

Dear friends,

This weekend, we celebrate the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, and our readings are all about the virtue of hospitality. Our first reading, from the Book of Genesis presents the story of how Abraham graciously hosts three unknown visitors who were passing by his home. In the Gospel of Luke (10: 38-42), we see the hospitality extended by Martha and Mary to Jesus and his disciples. Whenever I read these passages, I remember my mom who, despite the economic hardships of our life, would generously receive people at our home and serve them graciously, even if all she could offer was a cup of coffee or tea.

I often see a similar graciousness shining in the lives of members of our parish. I am enormously grateful to the many of you who have been so gracious to both Father Martin, and me going out of your way to show your love and blessing us with your generosity.

Let us pray for this virtue of hospitality in all that we say and do. Let us always remember the famous line, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some have entertained angels without knowing it”. (Hebrews 13:2)

It is good to be back from our astonishing pilgrimage to Medjugorje. Thank you for your prayers for our safety. We prayed daily for each and everyone of our St. John’s families. Please be sure to ask our pilgrims about their experiences.

We have a few more weeks to take advantage of the summer break. If you are preparing to travel before the end of summer, don’t forget— you still need to pack lots of patience, as you will surely need it. And one more thing: Summer travel doesn’t mean pressing “pause” on your Catholic faith! You still need to profess your faith in word and deed and participate in the celebration of Mass at one of the Catholic churches that may be found anywhere in the world.

As I mentioned last week, the Brother André Golf Tournament will be one of the kick-off events for the parish’s Silver Jubilee Year. The tournament will be held on Saturday, 13 September at the Duran Golf Course. This is the first opportunity to come together to celebrate our parish family—you can sign up to play or just come for the catered picnic lunch. Thanks to Paco Farach and David Tomczak for spearheading this event.

We need many volunteers to staff and assist with the tournament and related activities, so please contact Paco if you can help out—his contact information is on page three, along with a QR code through which you can register to play, attend the picnic lunch, sponsor a hole, or be involved in one of the many aspects of hosting this event. Thank you in advance for all your help!

As described in last week’s bulletin, sign-up for the yearlong Vocations Prayer Challenge will begin in August, and the first week of prayers will begin on 7 September 2025. This is a program in which individual parishioners and parish families are invited to commit a week to praying for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, especially within the Congregation of Holy Cross. See page eight for a snapshot of how the program works. We will provide more detailed information at the beginning of August.

Let us now continue reading Spes Non Confundit, “Hope Does Not Disappoint.” This papal document was written by Pope Francis to inaugurate the Ordinary Jubilee Year of 2025 titled “Pilgrims of Hope.” We pick up now where we left off last weekend:

With Love,

Fr. John

4. Saint Paul is a realist. He knows that life has its joys and sorrows, that love is tested amid trials, and that hope can falter in the face of suffering. Even so, he can write: “We boast in our sufferings, 2 knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Rom 5:3-4). For the Apostle, trials and tribulations mark the lives of those who preach the Gospel amid incomprehension and persecution (cf. 2 Cor 6:3-10). Yet in those very contexts, beyond the darkness we glimpse a light: we come to realize that evangelization is sustained by the power flowing from Christ’s cross and resurrection. In this way, we learn to practice a virtue closely linked to hope, namely patience. In our fast-paced world, we are used to wanting everything now. We no longer have time simply to be with others; even families find it hard to get together and enjoy one another’s company. Patience has been put to flight by frenetic haste, and this has proved detrimental, since it leads to impatience, anxiety and even gratuitous violence, resulting in more unhappiness and self- centredness. Nor is there much place for patience in this age of the Internet, as space and time yield to an ever-present “now”. Were we still able to contemplate creation with a sense of awe, we might better understand the importance of patience. We could appreciate the changes of the seasons and their harvests, observe the life of animals and their cycles of growth, and enjoy the clarity of vision of Saint Francis. In his Canticle of the Creatures, written exactly eight hundred years ago, Francis saw all creation as a great family and could call the sun his “brother” and the moon his “sister”. [2] A renewed appreciation of the value of patience could only prove beneficial for ourselves and for others. Saint Paul often speaks of patience in the context of our need for perseverance and confident trust in God’s promises. Yet, before all else, he testifies to God’s own patience, as “the God of all patience and encouragement” ( Rom 15:5). Patience, one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, sustains our hope and strengthens it as a virtue and a way of life. May we learn to pray frequently for the grace of patience, which is both the daughter of hope and at the same time its firm foundation. To be continued…

[2] Cf. Fonti Francescane, No. 263, 6.10.

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 13, 2025

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 23:54:10 GMT

Dear friends,

This weekend, we celebrate the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. At a time when our country is so deeply divided, the Gospel of Luke (10: 25-37), with the familiar parable of the Good Samaritan, challenges us to put aside division and learn to love everyone. We must ask ourselves: How can I overcome divisions and hatred and infuse my life and the lives of those around me with the spirit of Christ? How can I apply merciful love in all the circumstances in my life that cry out for it?

The 4th of July celebration at our parish was splendid, with many prayer opportunities as well as great food, fun, and fireworks. We even extended the fun through Sunday so that our children could play in the bounce house and on the slide. We were blessed with a wonderful group of people who stepped up to assist Justin and Amanda Libak with this event. Thanks to all who pitched in. I am also grateful to Miller’s Ale House for sponsoring the hot dogs and for covering the cost of the bounce house, the slide, and the face painting stations. If you stop by Miller’s Ale House, please tell them you are from St. John’s and appreciate their generosity!

The peak of summer break is upon us, and I know many of you will be traveling. Summer travel doesn’t mean that you press “pause” on your Catholic faith. Wherever you are in the world, you are still called to practice your faith and to locate a Catholic church at which to celebrate Mass on Sunday, at the very least. Please continue to remain faithful to our Lord wherever you may go.

The Brother André Golf Tournament will help kick off our parish’s Silver Jubilee year. It will be held on Saturday,

13 September, at the Duran Golf Course. This is a great opportunity to come together to celebrate our parish family – you can sign up to play or just come for the catered picnic lunch. Thanks to Paco Farach and David Tomczak for spearheading this event. We need many volunteers to for supporting this event!

You may remember that I announced last week another Silver Jubilee event: a year-long parish dedication to pray for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, especially within the Congregation of Holy Cross. Called the “Vocation Prayer Challenge,” this will be similar to the parish’s previous “Elijah Cup” and “St. John’s Cup” vocation prayer efforts. Sign- up will begin in August, and the first week of the challenge will begin on 7 September. You will hear more about this in the coming weeks.

Let us now continue reading Spes Non Confundit, “Hope does dot disappoint,” written by Pope Francis to inaugurate the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025, “Pilgrims of Hope.” It is an appropriate reflection as our St. John’s group of pilgrim visits the holy sites in Croatia and those of the apparitions in Medjugorje. Please pray for us; we will certainly pray for you. Let us turn now to where we left off with Spes Non Confundit last weekend.

3. Hope is born of love and based on the love springing from the pierced heart of Jesus upon the cross: “For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life” (Rom 5:19). That life becomes manifest in our own life of faith, which begins with Baptism, develops in openness to God’s grace and is enlivened by a hope constantly renewed and confirmed by the working of the Holy Spirit. By his perennial presence in the life of the pilgrim Church, the Holy Spirit illumines all believers with the light of hope. He keeps that light burning, like an ever-burning lamp, to sustain and invigorate our lives. Christian hope does not deceive or disappoint because it is grounded in the certainty that nothing and no one may ever separate us from God’s love: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or the sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” ( Rom 8:35.37-39). Here we see the reason why this hope perseveres in the midst of trials: founded on faith and nurtured by charity, it enables us to press forward in life. As Saint Augustine observes: “Whatever our state of life, we cannot live without these three dispositions of the soul, namely, to believe, to hope and to love”. [1]

To be continued …

[1] Serm. 198 augm. 2

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 6, 2025

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 23:21:41 GMT

Dear friends,

After six straight Sundays of celebrating the most solemn mysteries of our amazing Catholic faith, we now enter into a period of ordinary Sundays. On this 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 10, presents a beautiful scene: Jesus sends 72 men on a mission to prepare the people for his coming. They return overjoyed because they have experienced life-changing transformations in the lives of the people among whom they were sent, including, the witness of demons fleeing from them. This is the beauty of working for the Lord, a beauty that we, too, will experience when we work for the Lord with total commitment.

Our second annual 4th of July celebration was wonderful! We celebrated not only the historical event that gifted us with freedom but also the gift of our St. John the Evangelist family. I am deeply grateful to Justin and Amanda for managing the entire effort and to the Kitchen Crew and other volunteers who helped make this day an amazing experience. A special thanks to our Brother Knights for managing the parking. And thanks to each of you who contributed drinks, tablecloths, games, cookies, and other items.

I wish to preview here another Silver Jubilee event: a year-long parish dedication to pray for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, especially within the Congregation of Holy Cross. Called the Vocations Prayer Challenge, this event will be similar to the parish’s previous “Elijah Cup” and “St. John’s Cup” vocation prayer efforts. Sign-up will begin in August, and the first week of prayers will begin on 7 September 2025. You will hear more about this during Mass and in the bulletin beginning next week.

Please join me in congratulating Fr. Jim Preskenis, C.S.C., on his Golden Jubilee of Priesthood. Fr. Jim was ordained to the priesthood in the Congregation of Holy Cross on March 22, 1975, with the motto: Know, Love, and Serve God. Fr. Jim served as a chaplain in the United States Air Force for 10 years, as the pastor of Holy Cross Parish in South Easton, MA, and also at Sacred Heart/St. Francis de Sales Parish in Bennington, VT. This was where I had the opportunity to serve as a deacon for seven months and as a priest for one year.

After his full-time ministry, Fr. Jim moved into our Holy Cross senior men’s residence in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Whenever I needed a priest, Fr. Jim was always there to help us with Masses and confession. He has been a great brother to me. I would like to thank him for his priestly ministry and congratulate him for his steadfast commitment to serving the Lord. Fr. Jim will celebrate the 4.30 p.m. Mass on Sunday, 6 July 2025; we will use that opportunity to again thank God for his ministry.

Let us now continue reading Spes Non Confundit, “Hope does not disappoint,” written by Pope Francis to inaugurate the Ordinary Jubilee of the Year 2025 titled “Pilgrims of Hope.” We pick up where we left off last weekend.

With Love,

Fr John

A word of hope

2. “Since we are justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing in the glory of God… Hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Rom 5:1-2.5). In this passage, Saint Paul gives us much to reflect upon. We know that the Letter to the Romans marked a decisive turning point in his work of evangelization. Until then, he had carried out his activity in the eastern part of the Empire, but now he turns to Rome and all that Rome meant in the eyes of the world. Before him lay a great challenge, which he took up for the sake of preaching the Gospel, which knows no barriers or confines. The Church of Rome was not founded by Paul, yet he felt impelled to hasten there in order to bring to everyone the Gospel of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen from the dead, a message of hope that fulfils the ancient promises, leads to glory and, grounded in love, does not disappoint. To be continued …

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, June 29, 2025

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 01:52:03 GMT

Dear friends,

The long list of solemnities is not over yet, with this weekend’s bonus of Saints Peter and Paul. It is a solemnity which is celebrated by the Church every 29 June but only occasionally on a Sunday. This is indeed a gift, because our whole Church family gets to celebrate together two foundational characters, true pillars of the Church.

It is important for us to see why and how St. Paul is joined with St. Peter for this celebration. In the Scripture readings provided for our reflection this weekend, we hear how St. Peter was miraculously rescued from the prison into which he had been thrown by Herod. We also hear how St. Paul, in his turn, is protected time and again from his vicious enemies. Despite the many attempts to silence them both, they continue to boldly proclaim that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Through them, the Church shows us how we as disciples of Jesus are called even today to proclaim unabashedly in word and deed that Jesus is truly the Son of the living God.

On the 4th of July, we will gather once again as a parish to celebrate the gift of freedom we have received through the blessing of living in this country. What a privilege to be able to gather as a community here at St. John’s to celebrate this holiday! We will have a Mass and Rosary followed by food, festivities, fellowship and fireworks! See page eight of the bulletin to RSVP for this event. We extend a huge thanks to Justin and Amanda Libak for their devotion in making sure our remembrance of this day is a true tribute and great fun.

We are now fully into the summer season, which I believe is a wonderful time for us to study one of the key papal documents marking the Jubilee Year. We will do this in small doses so that we can savor the richness of our Catholic tradition and the depth, power, and potency of our faith. Let us now begin at the beginning of Spes Non Confundit, “Hope does not disappoint,” the papal bull written by Pope Francis to inaugurate the Ordinary Jubilee of the Year 2025 with the title, “Pilgrims of Hope.” Let us begin!

With Love,

Fr. John

SPES NON CONFUNDIT

BULL OF INDICTION OF THE ORDINARY JUBILEE OF THE YEAR 2025 FRANCIS BISHOP OF ROME SERVANT OF THE SERVANTS OF GOD

TO ALL WHO READ THIS LETTER MAY HOPE FILL YOUR HEARTS

1. SPES NON CONFUNDIT. “Hope does not disappoint” (Rom 5:5). In the spirit of hope, the Apostle Paul addressed these words of encouragement to the Christian community of Rome. Hope is also the central message of the coming Jubilee that, in accordance with an ancient tradition, the Pope proclaims every twenty-five years. My thoughts turn to all those pilgrims of hope who will travel to Rome in order to experience the Holy Year and to all those others who, though unable to visit the City of the Apostles Peter and Paul, will celebrate it in their local Churches. For everyone, may the Jubilee be a moment of genuine, personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, the “door” (cf. Jn 10:7.9) of our salvation, whom the Church is charged to proclaim always, everywhere and to all as “our hope” (1 Tim 1:1).

Everyone knows what it is to hope. In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring. Even so, uncertainty about the future may at times give rise to conflicting feelings, ranging from confident trust to apprehensiveness, from serenity to anxiety, from firm conviction to hesitation and doubt. Often we come across people who are discouraged, pessimistic and cynical about the future, as if nothing could possibly bring them happiness. For all of us, may the Jubilee be an opportunity to be renewed in hope. God’s word helps us find reasons for that hope. Taking it as our guide, let us return to the message that the Apostle Paul wished to communicate to the Christians of Rome. To be continued …

The Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ, June 22, 2025

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 14:01:50 GMT

Dear friends,

The culmination of a secession of the foundational mysteries of our Catholic faith is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, known to us in the West as Corpus Christi Sunday. It is the day when we recognize, celebrate, venerate, and worship the Lord Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.

This solemnity encourages us to profess, adore, and grow in love of our Eucharistic Lord, thereby deepening Eucharistic devotion throughout the Church. As you know, celebrating the Lord’s Body and Blood began at the Last Supper and continues to be celebrated at every Holy Mass. However, the formal feast of Corpus Christi (Body of Christ) began in 1246 in the Diocese of Liege in Belgium. It was extended to the wider Church by Pope Urban IV in 1264.

The feast incorporates texts composed by Saint Thomas Aquinas, a Dominican priest who lived from 1225 to 1274. St. Thomas was commissioned by Pope Urban to compose a special Office of Readings and hymns for this feast. It is from these that we have the two most well-known Eucharistic songs: Pange Lingua, which contains the beautiful Tantum Ergo,) and O Salutaris Hostia, which we regularly use at our Masses and Benedictions here at St. John’s.

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi occurs on the Sunday following Trinity Sunday, two weeks after Pentecost Sunday. It is designed to honor and celebrate the second person of the Trinity, our risen Lord, Jesus Christ, by affirming him as really, truly, and substantially present in the consecrated bread and wine at Mass.

Christ’s Real Presence comes to us at every Mass through the act which the Church calls “transubstantiation” (change of substance). This occurs when, at the consecration, the priest says the words that Christ himself pronounced over bread and wine, “This is My Body,” “This is the chalice of My Blood,” “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

Corpus Christi Sunday calls us to focus on two manifestations of the Body of Christ— in the Holy Eucharist and in the Church. At every Mass, our attention is called to the Eucharist and the Real Presence of Christ in it. But the Body of Christ is also present in the Church. The Church is called the Body of Christ because of the intimate communion that Jesus shares with his disciples. This is foreshadowed in the gospels through the image of Christ as the vine and his believers as the branches. It is made explicit in the letters of St. Paul who says, “Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it” (1 Corinthians 12:17), and “[the Father] put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way” (Ephesians 1:22-23). This image helps keep in focus both the unity and the diversity of the Church.

In most places, the Feast of Corpus Christi is an opportunity for public Eucharistic processions which serve as a sign of common faith and adoration. It is a public act of worship. I have been hesitant to do it at our parish because of the heat here in June. However, I really would like to have a Eucharistic procession next year during our Silver Jubilee celebration. I invite those who are interested to become part of a team to organize the procession. Please let me know if you would like to do this. It is a great way for you to bless our community here at St. John’s. Coming together to publicly declare our worship of Jesus in His Real Presence is a way of offering God our Father a pledge of undivided love. It also is an offering of ourselves in service to others.

The 300 tickets for REBOOT! that were set aside at a discounted price have been sold! We are now opening registration to other parishes and cities in the area. I truly hope many more of our parishioners will register for this life-changing event with Christ Stefanick on Wednesday, 1 October 2025. Chris is undeniably one of the most gifted, powerful, and passionate Catholic speakers of the day. The REBOOT! experience has proven to change lives by reenergizing and renewing the faith life of those who attend.

May your coming week be glorious!

With Love,

Fr. John

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, June 15, 2025

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 12:24:06 GMT

Dear friends,

We have been celebrating a number of amazing Church mysteries and solemnities since the Solemnity of the Ascension. This weekend, we celebrate the basic and fundamental mystery of the Church and our faith: The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.

Our attempt to understand any mystery is, in the end (and regardless of our efforts), essentially futile, and for none is this more true than the mystery of the Holy Trinity. This is the most mesmerizing and confounding of all the mysteries. As Tim Staples says, “Are we claiming that there are three Gods or are we teaching a logical contradiction such as saying 3 = 1, and 1=3?” As he seeks to answer this question, Staples says:

The council of Florence (AD 1338-1445) taught that there is one nature in God, and that there are two processions, three persons, and four relations that constitute the Blessed Trinity. The Son “proceeds” from the Father, and the Holy Spirit “proceeds from the Father and the Son.” These are the two processions in God. And these are foundational to the four relations that constitute the three persons in God. These are those four eternal relations in God:

The Father actively and eternally generates the Son, constituting the person of God, the Father.
The Son is passively generated of the Father, which constitutes the person of the Son.
The Father and the Son actively spirate the Holy Spirit in the one relation within the inner life of God that does not constitute a person. It does not do so because the Father and Son are already constituted as persons in relation to each other in the first two relations. This is why CCC 240 teaches, “[The Second Person of the Blessed Trinity] is Son only in relation to his Father.
The Holy Spirit is passively spirated of the Father and the Son, constituting the person of the Holy Spirit.

I guess now you can understand why it is better to leave the mystery to itself. Rather, it suffices to say, “I believe in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

Shifting to a more practical issue: For quite some time, we have been unable to use the automatic door opener designed for those for whom the church doors are too heavy to open or who are using assistive devices that make opening the door especially difficult. But now, thanks to the creative mind and expertise of parishioner Richard Krassowsky who, as our electrical engineer, volunteers hours and hours of his time to both solving and fixing our electrical issues. Richard created for us a remote that allows us to turn on the automatic door-opening system. We are now able to keep it working during office hours and whenever we are celebrating the liturgy or having another function in the church. Thank you, Richard, and your lovely wife Mirian, for devoting your time and expertise to us.

Our Vacation Bible School (VBS 2025) adventure “True North - Trusting Jesus in a Wild World,” held from Monday, 9 June to Friday, 13 June, was both exciting and meaningful for all the kids (and teens!) who attended. I was so thrilled to see our children having a great time and learning amazing lessons about trusting Jesus at all times, no matter the circumstances in our lives.

I am most grateful to Natasha Mikse for volunteering to lead this year’s VBS experience as well as to John Moster, Gail Sullivan, and Art Hudson for their commitment to bringing to life the entire concept of “True North.” They worked many months to make this year’s VBS a worthwhile experience for our children. Thanks also to Kelli Salceda and Schonda Rodriguez for their guidance and to the many volunteers who attended to the multitude of activities and needs of the program, including the kitchen ministry team led by Denise Uram for ensuring our children were well fed. Finally, thank you to all who donated so many items for this year’s VBS.

This weekend, we take time to celebrate our fathers, foster fathers, adopted fathers, grandfathers, spiritual fathers, and all who have been fathers to us. Father’s Day offers us a magnificent occasion to thank God for the irreplaceable role our fathers play in the life of the family, the domestic church. They are the ones called to imitate St. Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family and model of fatherly virtues, in their fidelity to the tasks entrusted to them. Like St. Joseph, they are here to protect and safeguard the family. Through his example and prayers, may fathers be strengthened to live their vocation with faith, love, and steadfast commitment, embracing their sacred role in forming their children and safeguarding the dignity of life.

Thanks to those who have bought their tickets for REBOOT!, hosted by Chris Stefanick on Wednesday, 1 October 2025. Soon, we will be opening our ticket sales to other parishes. I wish more of our parishioners would avail themselves of this opportunity, as Chris is undeniably one of the most gifted, powerful, and passionate Catholic speakers of the day. This REBOOT! event is guaranteed to change lives by reenergizing and renewing our faith life. You can still purchase your tickets at our parish. As of now, we only have 25 more that will be offered at the discounted price of $30.

With Love,

Fr. John

Pentecost Sunday, June 8, 2025

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 02:58:38 GMT

Dear friends,

We were blessed to celebrate a Confirmation Mass on Saturday, 7 June, during which 39 of our teens and seven adults were confirmed by Bishop John Noonan. Congratulations to all who received the gifts of the Holy Spirit at their confirmation. It couldn’t have come at a more perfect time in the liturgical year, the weekend of Pentecost. I would like to thank the parents for their commitment toward ensuring the ongoing gift of faith formation to their children, especially their teenagers.

I am most grateful to Schonda and Ronnie Rodriguez and their team of volunteers for their tremendous efforts in passing on the faith to these youth. In addition, I thank the kitchen ministry and, most especially, the team of parents who were engaged in cooking meals for our children on Sundays through the Carlos Acutis Teen Nourishment ministry led by Kelly Rosas.

The celebration of the Solemnity of Pentecost reminds us of that day on which the Holy Spirit most powerfully demonstrated his presence by the pouring forth of his gifts to over 3000 people gathered together. Pentecost changed their lives! It was the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise when he said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you” (Acts 1: 1-11). This is the event we continue to commemorate as the birthday of the Church. Ever since that day, the Holy Spirit has been active in leading the Church and in continuing to bring people to the fountain of baptism. Even today, God is active through the power of the Holy Spirit in setting the hearts of many of the faithful on fire with His love, strength, and grace. Through the daily occurrence of Pentecost that we experience in the celebration of the sacraments, God continues to enable us to be powerful instruments of His transforming grace … if only we allow Him. One of the easier ways to be open to receiving the presence of the Holy Spirit is to pray, “Come, Holy Spirit.” Or, you can use the following prayer: “Lord, send forth Your Spirit in my life and set me on fire with the Gifts of Your Spirit. Holy Spirit, I invite You to take possession of my soul. Come Holy Spirit, come and transform my life. Holy Spirit, I trust in You.”

Pentecost also signals the end of the Easter season. As a sign that the Easter season has come to an end, we will carry the Easter candle in procession at the end of the Pentecost Mass from the sanctuary to the baptismal Font where it will remain for the rest of the liturgical year. Beginning on the Monday following Pentecost, we will resume Ordinary Time with the tenth week, and it will continue until we begin the First Sunday of Advent on 29 November 2025. We will move from singing Regina Caeli to praying the Angelus during this time. White vestments will give way to green vestments, with the exception of feast days.

Also, on the Monday following Pentecost, the Church celebrates the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, a decree issued by Pope Francis in 2018. To honor our Mother, we will have a special Mass at 7 p.m. on Monday, 9 June at the Grotto.

I encourage those who have yet to purchase tickets for Chris Stefanick’s visit on Wednesday, 1 October to do so soon. He is a gifted, powerful speaker and a passionate, faithful disciple of the Lord whose presentation REBOOT! can change lives by reenergizing and renewing our faith life. Chris is also a commentator, internationally acclaimed author, producer of films and documentaries, and a committed husband and caring father. To learn more about Chris and hear the good news he

shared at the 2024 National Eucharistic Congress, scan the provided QR code or click the following link: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=LccklgQU8SA. Remember, the first 300 tickets purchased are being offered at a discounted price.

May your coming week be glorious!

With Love,

Fr. John

The Ascension of the Lord, June 1, 2025

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 02:32:45 GMT

Dear friends,

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. This solemnity should occur 40 days after the Resurrection, which would be the Thursday after the Sixth Sunday of Easter. However, most dioceses in the U.S. have moved it to the Seventh Sunday so all can celebrate together this awesome and solemn truth of our faith. The truth is this: Our Lord Jesus, after spending 40 days with His disciples and others after His Resurrection, finally ascends to heaven, where He is seated at the right hand of the Father. This means that the crucified and risen Son of Man is now victoriously enthroned as King of Heaven and Earth —a huge advantage and of great significance for us as humans. Because of His Ascension, Pope Benedict XVI says, “Man henceforth finds room in God forever.” He goes on to say that through the Ascension, “We draw close to Heaven; indeed, we enter Heaven to the extent that we draw close to Jesus and enter into communion with him.”

Our readings for this great solemnity speak of how Jesus promises to send His Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to guide the Church. He instructs the disciples to go forth and engage the world, gathering all within the embrace of their evangelizing mission. Let us rejoice knowing that Jesus is with our Father in heaven, interceding for us and continuing to be with us through the animating presence of the Holy Spirit.

Thanks to all who graciously participated in our recent fundraising efforts. These included the Blaze Pizza dinner, the Make-Your-Own Sundae movie event, and the Spaghetti dinner.

Congratulations to John and Holly Russo and their sons Maximilian, Alexander, and Leo, recipients of the Family of the Month award for May 2025. I thank them for their dedication and commitment to our parish family and for their involvement with our ministries. What a blessing they are!

I would like you to become aware of the huge impact that Chris Stefanick’s visit on 1 October will have on our parish and the surrounding communities. He is a gifted, powerful speaker and a passionate, faithful disciple of the Lord whose presentation REBOOT!, can change lives by reenergizing and renewing our faith life.

Besides presenting this remarkable program, Chris is a commentator, author, producer of films and documentaries, and a committed husband and caring father. There will be a high demand for tickets to his presentation, as it is being advertised in all the area’s parishes. So, please make your ticket purchases soon. Remember: the first 300 tickets are offered at a discounted price. I am truly looking forward to this amazing and transforming experience.

Have a glorious week ahead!

With love,

Fr. John

Sixth Sunday of Easter, May 25, 2025

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 01:55:59 GMT

Dear Friends,

We celebrate the Sixth Sunday of Easter this weekend. The Gospel of John presents one of the beautiful conversation between Jesus and his disciples in which He speaks of His pending crucifixion and His ascension to His Father. He promises them that He will send the Holy Spirit. All of this must have been puzzling to them; however, through this intimate discourse, He reveals the unbreakable unity of the Trinity's three persons. Love is the bond that unites them.

Jesus wants us to partake of this love. He invites his disciples to love Him and, through Him, to come to know His Father and the Spirit. When you get one, you get three. Wow, what a blessing it is to fall in love with Jesus! Let us keep mulling over this passage from John 14:23: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him.”

Our parish is filled with so many people from various parts of the world. Their presence and integration into the life of our parish family are a true illustration of what it means to be Catholic.

I plan to celebrate our community’s rich cultural diversity by gathering with our parishioners from different countries and discussing with them the possibility of creating a new ministry. I will start with our families from Brazil. Please come to Holy Cross Hall on Tuesday, 24 June at 7 p.m . Monica Gusman will coordinate this gathering. She can be reached at Ni98@yahoo.com.br .

Next, I invite our families from the Filipino community to come to Holy Cross Hall on Thursday, 3 July 2025 , at 7 p.m. Chan Grason will coordinate this gathering. She can be reached at etienne1218@gmail.com .

I have spoken to you about the Silver Jubilee of our parish and about our plan to make this year meaningful and memorable. As a gift to our community, I wish to offer to sacramentalize the marriages of those who, for various reasons, were not married in the Catholic Church. I know the pain experienced by our parishioners who cannot participate in the Eucharistic banquet because of this. The Eucharist is what makes us Catholics. We all know that it is the irreplaceable sustenance for our spiritual health. I say to you, wait no longer. Do not deprive yourself of the greatest gift the Lord created for us. Accept this gift.

Please come forward and address this issue which you may have placed in the closet for however long and whatever reasons. We will at least give it a try. I want you to know I deeply care about you and your spiritual welfare. Take this as a gentle nudge from the Holy Spirit. Let us begin. I have known couples who waited for many, many years before taking this step and who succeeded in their efforts. God longs for you to receive these same graces, and I long to help.

To begin, we have set up a special meeting. If you and your spouse or partner were not married in the Catholic Church, please come to our informational meeting on Thursday, 24 July at 6:00 p.m. in Holy Cross Hall. Carolina Breton, Regional Advocate from the Orlando Diocese Tribunal, will make a short presentation on how you can have a sacramental marriage. Fr. Martin, Carolina, and I will be available to help you begin the process. Because we need to know how many are coming, please RSVP by calling the office

(321-637-9650) and speaking to Kelli or by emailing her at ksalceda@stjohnviera.org .

Have a magnificent week ahead!

With love,

Fr. John

Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 18, 2025

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 17:13:13 GMT

Dear friends,

What a relief ... finally!!! The time of anticipation, conjecture, speculation, prediction, and prayer is over. The whole world was glued to their televisions, computers, and mobile devices as they keenly followed the progress of the conclave. On Thursday, 8 May 2025, we were overjoyed to hear this proclamation from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica by Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti:

Annuntio vobis gaudium: HABEMUS PAPAM

(I announce to you a great joy: WE HAVE A POPE.).

We have a new Holy Father to lead the Church, Pope Leo XIV. Thanks be to God for this good news! I am thrilled and grateful for many reasons, some of which are:

He is the 267th successor of St. Peter.
He is the first American pope in the Church’s history, born and raised in Chicago.
He is a religious priest of the Order of Saint Augustine (OSA) and, as prior general, traveled to over 50 countries to visit their missions around the world. In this connection he even visited India, and there is much rejoicing at the parishs where the Augustinians serve in India.
He was a missionary in Peru and thus knows what it is to bring hope beyond borders of every sort, the call of this Year of Mission in the Congregation of Holy Cross.
"Peace be with all of you!" were the first words of Pope Leo XIV. That speaks volumes about his good intent to be a shepherd for the whole world.

Robert Francis Prevost entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1981. This is a moment of historical significance and an opportunity for hope in the spiritual renewal for the Church in the United States as well as the universal Church.

St. John the Evangelist Catholic Community, along with the world, rejoices because of this gracious gift from God. I can’t even begin to imagine the weight of this cross on his shoulders. Therefore, let us not be like the rest of the world in judging him. Let us not try to fit him into our political categories of left or right. Let us, instead, transcend the narrow confines of seeing everything through a political lens. Let us commit to offering prayers for our new Shepherd, as he will need them far more than our judgment and criticism.

We held the first Thanksgiving Mass for the gift of our new pope with our faith formation children and their parents on the same day of his election, Thursday, 8 May, at 6:00 p.m. A second Mass was celebrated on Tuesday, 13 May, at 7:00 p.m. at the Grotto.

On the Fifth Sunday of Easter, we are invited to focus on the first reading which, during the Easter season, is taken from the Acts of the Apostles. Acts 14:21-27 speaks about the tremendous work of evangelization undertaken by Paul and Barnabas despite monumental opposition from their adversaries. The text tells us that they moved from one town to another, strengthening the spirits of the disciples and exhorting them to persevere in the faith. God’s grace was poured out on those who heeded the words of these two amazing men, thus increasing the number of fervent disciples ready to endure any hardships to enter the Kingdom of God. I wish that our faith might be so enflamed with zeal for God that we, likewise, are willing to persevere in living our faith, especially when it is inconvenient.

Are you planning to get married or have your marriage convalidated? Then you need to know the following :

It is of great importance that you give us at least six (6) months to a year to work with you before the desired date of your wedding. There are many logistics to work out and paperwork requirements that are often out of our hands. Whether time-consuming or not, these requirements must be met before we can proceed with your wedding. We will guide and help you meet all such requirements, but know that these things take time. Please help us to serve you well by following these basic requirements :

Make an appointment to meet with me first before setting any dates.
If you are planning to have your wedding ceremony in any other church, you will need to meet with me at least a year before you plan to marry. Marriage in a church other than your home parish involves, besides the usual preparation steps for the couple, the sending of all necessary paperwork from us to our diocese and from our diocese to the diocese where the wedding is to take place.
You must be a registered and participating member of St. John’s for at least one year before we can begin to work with you on your wedding.

Have an amazing week ahead!

With love,

Fr. John

Fourth Sunday of Easter, May 11, 2025

Thu, 22 May 2025 03:34:50 GMT

Dear friends,

On the Fourth Sunday of Easter, the gospel focuses our attention on our Lord, the Good Shepherd (John 10:27-30). The Good Shepherd longs for us to hear His voice, to know Him and follow Him. He wants us to be united with him forever, and so He promises eternal life to us that we might not perish.

In the Book of Revelation (Revelation 7:9, 14b-17), John has a vision of the Lamb in the center of the throne, shepherding those who have survived times of great distress. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. (Rev 7:17) This image of our Lord as our Shepherd is so powerful and the reason this Sunday is also known as “Good Shepherd Sunday.”

Thus, it makes perfect sense that today is observed as the “World Day of Prayer for Vocations,” the 61st annual commemoration. The World Day of Prayer for Vocations was created so that the Church and its people might publicly fulfill Jesus’ instruction: "Pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest" (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2). As the climax to a prayer that is continually offered throughout the Church, the World Day of Prayer affirms the primacy of faith and grace in all that concerns vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and consecrated life. While it appreciates all vocations, including those of a secular nature (marriage and the single life), the Church concentrates its attention this day on vocations to the ordained ministries (priesthood and diaconate), the consecrated life in all its forms (male and female religious congregations, societies, and institutions; societies of apostolic life; consecrated virgins; and secular institutes) and the missionary life.

One of my many dreams for us is to make our parish a seedbed for vocations. This parish has reached a level of maturity where it is ready to support the vocations of those in our parish who feel called to be priests, deacons, brothers, and sisters. Let us, therefore, pray fervently to the Lord of the Vineyard for more vocations here.

In light of this, I invite each of you keep the following prayer intention in your heart and mind this week:

We pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood, to the diaconate, and to the consecrated life. And, in a special way, we pray for the Congregation of Holy Cross: that more men might respond with open and generous hearts to be priests after the Heart of Christ and brothers seeking to imitate the virtues of Saint Joseph, model of fidelity. Lord, hear our prayer!

May 11, 2025 is also Mother’s Day. What a blessing we have in our moms! As we celebrate Mother’s Day, I wish to thank all of our mothers for all that they do. I especially want to express my gratitude for their dedicated commitment to the faith. St. Pius X said something so sweet about mothers: “Every vocation to the priesthood comes from the heart of God, but it passes through the heart of a mother.”

In my case and Fr. Martin’s, this is absolutely true. Because of my mom and Fr. Martin’s grandma, we have had three vocations from my family alone: Fr. Martin, my sister, Sr. Nirmala Mary, a Franciscan nun, and me.

A lot of what we do every day here at St. John’s is largely accomplished through the consistent and tireless efforts of the mothers in our parish. They are the primary ones making sure that the children in their families get baptized, attend religious education and sacramental preparation classes, celebrate the sacraments, and regularly worship the Lord our God in church. No doubt, they do this along with our dads, but we need to accept that the push basically comes from the mothers. We are blessed to know that, thanks to some amazing men in our parish, this initiative comes from both our moms and dads.

I bow my head to all our amazing mothers: Thank You, Mothers, for all you are and all you do that affirms and shares the fire of your love for the Lord. Happy Mother’s Day!

Fr. Martin is enjoying a much-deserved vacation for the next three weeks. He is in India visiting our families. He has been on the go right from the day he arrived at St. John’s, and I am grateful to God for his presence here with us. Let us pray each day for safe travels for him and that he might bring joy and comfort to all with whom he visits and will encounter.

As I write this column, the world’s eyes are on the conclave in Rome. Now that the days of mourning for Pope Francis are over, we turn our gaze to the College of Cardinal-electors gathered in conclave to elect our next Holy Father, the Supreme Pontiff of the Holy Catholic Church. It could be that by the time you read this, we have a new pope. However, our responsibility to pray for the pope never ceases. Therefore, let us pray throughout the conclave and beyond: O God, eternal shepherd, who govern your flock with unfailing care, grant in your boundless fatherly love a pastor for your Church who will please you by his holiness and to us show watchful care. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Prayer for the Election of a New Pope, from The Roman Missal)

I have been wanting to tell you how much we love preparing couples to get married or to have their marriages convalidated in the Catholic Church. What a blessing it is to witness a wedding in our beautiful church. I am very grateful to our wedding and FOCCUS coordinators for their enormous help with this preparation and with the celebration of the Sacrament of Matrimony.

For those who intend to marry or have their marriage convalidated at St. John’s or elsewhere, it is of great importance that you give us at least six (6) months to a year to work with you. There are many logistics to work out and often paperwork requirements that are out of our hands but that you must, nevertheless, obtain before we can proceed with your wedding. We will guide and help you meet any and all requirements, but these things take time. Please help us to serve you well and follow these basic requirements:

Make an appointment to meet with me first before setting any dates.
If you are planning to have your wedding ceremony in any other church, you will need to meet with me at least a year before you plan to marry. Marriage in a church other than your home parish involves, besides the usual preparation steps for the couple, the sending of all necessary paperwork from us to our diocese and from our diocese to the diocese where the wedding is to take place.
You must be a registered and participating member of St. John’s for at least one year before we can work with you on your wedding.

As you know, the St. John’s Silver Jubilee will be starting in September 2025. Our Jubilee theme is “Journey of Grace, Faith, and Hope.” Please, mark the following important Jubilee dates on your calendars:

· 14 September 2025: Opening Ceremony

· 18 January 2026: Dedication of the New Rectory

· 24 May, 2026: Mass of Thanksgiving to be held at the USSSA Stadium

Have a splendid week!

With Love,

Fr. John

Third Sunday of Easter, May 4, 2025

Sun, 04 May 2025 17:24:05 GMT

Dear friends,

Congratulations to the 70 young people who received their First Holy Communion this weekend. Wow! It makes our heart leap for joy to see so many children coming to know our Lord Jesus through this glorious sacrament. We thank and praise God for the gift of their faith.

It was such a blessing to come together to offer a Memorial Mass for our beloved Pope Francis on Saturday, 26 April at 11:00 a.m. I am grateful for the number of parishioners who came to give thanks with us for the life of this “People’s Pope.”

At this moment, we are without a chief shepherd, and it is our solemn duty to pray for the Cardinal electors who have gathered to choose our next pope. We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide their hearts—just as God guided Samuel to choose David to be the next King of Israel— in electing the man whom the Lord desires. May He choose for us a leader with the heart of a father, a man on fire with love for the Lord and his people, one who can enkindle in each of us the same fervent love and faith.

The Easter Octave is over, but we are still in the Easter season, the 50-day period from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday. During the remainder of this season, we are asked to continue celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus—and all that it means—with joy and exultation. You will notice that the Paschal candle, a symbol of the presence of the risen Christ among the people of God, remains in a place of honor in the sanctuary near the ambo until the Solemnity of Pentecost. St. Athanasius says that this season is to be celebrated as one “great Sunday.” Please remember to continue to sing the Easter Alleluias with vigor and gratitude!

As we celebrate the Third Sunday of Easter this weekend, we are invited to continue to rejoice in Jesus’ appearances to His apostles. Today, from the Gospel according to St. John, we hear about the experience of Peter and some other apostles in a moment of frustration and confusion after Jesus’ Resurrection. They have not seen the Lord in a while, and they seem to have lost hope. Peter says, “I am going fishing,” and the others say they will go with him. They fish the whole night and catch nothing. Imagine their desperation and disappointment! Nothing is working right without Jesus, not even those things they used to do so well. Their horrifying experience of the crucifixion of their Lord, their sense of shame at having abandoned Him, all weigh heavily on them, tainting all they do.

As they struggle with their feelings in the early dawn of a new day, the Lord calls to them, offering a suggestion as to what they might do to accomplish what they failed to do on their own. They obey, and behold! They are blessed with the catch of all catches! Hope is reborn, and action bears fruit when our Lord is with us and we listen to Him.

Congratulations to George and Martha Chambers, recipients of the Family of the Month award for April 2025. We are grateful for their presence among us since 2005 and for their active participation in many ministries. In addition, they have been married for 67 years, and their faith in God is remarkable.

I am so pleased to have been able to lay out the details last week of how, as a community, we will celebrate the parish’s Silver Jubilee (8 September 2001 – 8 September 2026). It’s hard to imagine that, 25 years ago, we began with just 200 families! We are immensely grateful to God for the amazing grace of His constant guidance during these years.

We have created a multitude of committees to oversee all aspects of this celebration, which certainly needs to be much more than a one-day event. We need a full year to properly give thanks and celebrate what God has accomplished here. Sandy Samuel has graciously agreed to be the chief coordinator of our mammoth event-planning and production efforts. I am grateful to her and to the diverse and very talented members of our community who have stepped up to help plan and develop each of the elements comprising the year-long celebration. They have been hard at work since November of 2024 to create and bring to fruition all of our plans.

In the weeks to come, I will lay out each of the important events to take place throughout the silver jubilee. For now, I request you to take note of the following three important Sundays during the year: Please, do not miss being here for them!

Opening Ceremony on 14 September 2025
Dedication of the new rectory on 18 January 2026
Mass of Thanksgiving to be held in the USSSA Stadium on 24 May 2026.

Please, do not miss being here for them!

For now, let us begin to reflect on the theme of our silver jubilee: Journey of Grace, Faith, and Hope.

Each May, we find our parish calendar for the month is filled with a rich harvest of liturgical, spiritual, and family events. Please be sure to check the pages of this bulletin for the events during the first week of May and to read my monthly update email for a description of what we will be celebrating and experiencing throughout the month.

Have a stupendous week! With love,

Fr. John

Second Sunday of Easter, April 27, 2025

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 02:52:09 GMT

Dear Friends,

Thank you, my dear family, for coming out to honor our beloved Pope Francis at the Memorial Mass held in his honor on Saturday, April 25, 2025. In his 12 years as pope, Francis truly reflected the merciful face of the Father to the whole world. He carried the church through some very trying times, such as the Covid pandemic and unrest in various parts of the world. Through it all, he showed what it means to be the pastor of the universal Church. His funeral Mass in Rome last on Saturday, 26 April, was attended by thousands of people of many nationalities and all walks of life, including many of the world’s leaders. What a beautiful testimony to his life!

The timing of our beloved pope’s death shook us a bit, coming so quickly after the hopeful sign of his appearance for the annual papal Urbi et Orbi Easter message for the world. But it was a blessing that he died on Easter Monday, of the Divine Mercy week! In his Easter Vigil homily, he said: “We are to reflect Easter in our lives and become messengers of hope, builders of hope, even as so many winds of death still buffet us.” Let us take heed of his words to be people of hope. May his life and commitment help us walk with hope.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen

Conclave: Our next task is to pray for the Church and its cardinals as they prepare for and engage in the process of electing the successor to the Chair of Saint Peter. We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide the hearts of the cardinals during the conclave and that a leader will emerge who has the heart of a father and is on fire with the Holy Spirit, able to enkindle in each of us the fervor of love and faith.

Canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis: In the wake of Pope Francis’ death, the Vatican has announced that the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, set for 27 April, has been postponed. While the Jubilee of Teenagers will proceed, the much-anticipated ceremony for the first millennial saint will be delayed.

Divine Mercy Sunday: The Octave (Eighth) Day of Easter is celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday. The Scripture readings for the day help us reflect on the amazing gift of mercy that our loving God offers each and every one of us, even when we doubt him as Saint Thomas did. May we have the courage to declare with the doubting apostle: My Lord and my God!

Year of Mission in the Congregation of Holy Cross: In 1840, Blessed Basile Moreau, founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, sent Brother André Mottais, Brother Alphonsus Rodriguez Tulou, novice Brother Ignace Feron, Father Le Boucher, and Father Victor Drouelle to Algiers. This was the Congregation’s first overseas mission. To mark the 185th anniversary of their sending, our Superior General, Br. Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C., announced a Year of Mission with the theme, Hope Beyond Borders, one which the whole family of Holy Cross will celebrate. This Year of Mission begins Monday, 28 April 2025, and will end on Tuesday, 28 April 2026. I will be talking about celebration throughout the coming year. In honor of the start of the Year of Mission, we will pray a special Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours and celebrate Mass on 28 April. In addition, I invite you to pray daily the following Congregation of Holy Cross prayer for the Year of Mission:

Lord God, source of all goodness, in your divine Providence

You entrusted Blessed Basile Moreau with the task of sending missionaries

We thank you for those faith-filled religious

who risked going beyond the borders of every sort

to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God.

Enkindle in us all, members of the Family of Holy Cross, a renewed missionary zeal.

Grant that we may sow the seeds of faith and be heralds of hope to all peoples, especially among the poor,

the oppressed, and the marginalized, that you may be known, loved, and served.

Through the intercession of

Servants of God Flavian Laplante and Vincent McCauley, co-patrons of our Year of Mission,

give us the grace to respond generously and wholeheartedly to the urgent call of evangelization.

We make this prayer in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Amen.

With Love,

Fr. John

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord, April 20, 2025

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 02:23:47 GMT

Dear Friends,

Today is the day, the day we have been waiting for. Yes, it is Easter! The Lord is Risen! Alleluia!

We can now unleash our joy and burst into singing Alleluia!

Alleluia! HE IS RISEN AS HE SAID! Alleluia! Wow, what joy it brings to keep singing this song of glory. Pope John Paul II made the word “Alleluia” even more significant when he said, “We are an Easter People, and Alleluia is our song!” St. Augustine describes the use of this song even more poignantly:

[With regard to the present, when we are pilgrims on this earth, we sing Alleluia as a consolation, to be strengthened along the way; the Alleluia we are saying now is like the traveler’s song; yet, as we take this difficult path, we are striving to reach that homeland where repose awaits us, where, once all that we are involved in today has passed away, all that will be left is the Alleluia.

This is why the Church deems it fit to prolong the experience of Easter Sunday for 8 days, known as the Octave of Easter. This is an intensely joyful period that ends with the Solemnity of Divine Mercy Sunday on 27 April. However, the Easter season lasts for a full 50 days, all the way to Pentecost on 8 June.

Welcome to our Elect and Candidates who came into the Church and our Community at the Easter Vigil! We had 26 this year. Wow! Praise God! Their preparation for this life-changing and life-giving event has not always been easy. I take this opportunity to congratulate them on their commitment to this demanding journey. Walking alongside them is deeply significant for us, the community of the baptized, as it allows us to witness God’s grace at work and to participate in the work of the Holy Spirit. Accompanying them in their preparation for Baptism and the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist also serves to remind us of our own call to renewal, to strengthening our bond with Christ, and to reaffirming our baptismal promises. What a blessing they are to us!

I want to thank Kelli Salceda, our Director of Religious Education, for her outstanding job in coordinating the OCIA curriculum. She was ably assisted by some amazing catechists who are walking witnesses of love for Jesus. I am also grateful to the sponsors who followed along with those they have undertaken in care for their spiritually.

A huge thanks to all those who made the 40 days of Lent and the celebration of the Triduum— the three most significant days in the Life of the Church—a very meaningful, joyful, and most enriching time in our community. These days of solemn celebrations required a lot of coordination and efforts from the staff and ministry teams. Thanks to each and every ministry - from the most visible to those behind the scenes - for their tireless efforts in glorifying the Lord through all the liturgies and other celebrations that are the life-blood of our community.

A special thanks to all the ministries that led the Stations of the Cross and prepared and served the soup suppers during the Fridays of Lent. We have an amazing community of dedicated and loving parishioners who assisted with an participated in the many wonderful Lenten opportunities for prayer, worship, adoration, and fellowship.

Every year on the first Saturday after Easter, the Congregation of Holy Cross, USA Province, celebrates the

ordinations of those ready for the priesthood. This year, the date is 26 April 2025 at 1:30 p.m. EDT. We are so grateful to God that four will be ordained on this date: Richard Bevington, C.S.C., Noah Junge, C.S.C., Aaron Morris, C.S.C., and David Murray, C.S.C.; their ordination will be held in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame. Please pray for them. You can follow the ordination liturgy by via livestream at livestream.holycrossusa.org.

The staff, the deacons, Fr. Martin, and I wish you and yours a most blessed and joy-filled Easter! May we all celebrate Easter with unrestrained rejoicing.

Have a fabulous Easter Octave,

With Love,

Fr. John

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, April 13, 2025

Sun, 13 Apr 2025 03:15:19 GMT

Dear Friends,

During the 40 days of Lent, our intention has been to walk with Jesus. We have been determined to remain close to Him, so that we might fully experience His profound love for us—a love so huge that it impels Him to endure the excruciating pain inflicted by His torturers, the bitter humiliation heaped on Him by His mockers and revilers, the shame of being publicly stripped naked, and even the ignominyof beingcrucified like acommon criminal. Oh, what ineffable love!

Our commitment and dedication to this Lenten journey has been our way of demonstrating our love for Him. In the process, something profound has happened. We have been changed.

Jesus seeks us as and where we are. Whenever we are beaten down and lie there, frustrated and alone, waiting for someone to help us get back on our feet, Jesus finds us, lifts us up, and invites us to walk to with him. As we do, He introduces us to His most loving Father and welcomes us into Their intimate life of love. Because Jesus reached out to us, a new way of life has opened up to us, as it did for the Samaritan woman at the well and the man born blind whom Jesus healed. Our Lenten journey has taught us how to pickup our mats and move towards the new horizon that Jesus has revealed to us.

If we have failed in our resolution to follow Him closely, it’s not too late! We can still have the experience of being transformed by Jesus. All we need do is muster up the courage to stay close to Him throughout the upcoming Holy Week, the most important days of the liturgical year.

Holy Week is filled with such blessings that we need to look at each day carefully so we can map out the final days of our spiritual pilgrimage.

† Palm Sunday —the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Our pilgrimage begins with blessed Palms in our hands. We, too, should sing, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

† Monday of Holy Week —Jesus clears out the temple with a whip. It is a day to reflect on the humanity of Jesus.

† Tuesday of Holy Week —after a long day of preaching on the Mount of Olives, Jesus and His disciples go to Bethany to rest. It is here that Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, anoints Jesus with perfumed oil, a sign of His pending death. We, too, are invited to rest with him.

† Spy Wednesday —Jesus is betrayed by Judas Iscariot. It is a day when Jesus experiences a most painful blow to His carefully formed relationship with His disciples. It is a day of great sadness, and we are invited to take time to mourn this rupture.

† Holy Thursday —the first day of the Easter Triduum. It begins in the evening, when Jesus celebrates the Last Supper with His disciples as they commemorate the Jewish Holy Day of Passover. During this commemoration, Jesus institutes both the priesthood and the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Later that night, Jesus spends time in intense agony as He prays in the Garden of Gethsemane before being arrested. We, like Peter, James and John, are invited to watch and pray with Jesus. Can we, will we?

† Good Friday —a day of incredible suffering during which Jesus is sentenced to death, tortured, mocked, beaten, scourged, crucified, dies on the Cross, and is buried. Today is the day to help Jesus carry His cross and console His sorrowful Mother.

† Holy Saturday —the body of Jesus lays in the tomb while He descends into hell. This is a day of silence and preparation for Easter. As night falls, we begin the Easter Celebration during the Vigil Mass. At the Vigil, we have the joy of receiving our Elect and our Candidates into the Catholic Church and in to our St. John’s Family!

† Easter Sunday —We celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from death. The history of the world changed on this Sunday. It was -and remains- a life-changing day for believers. Let us tell all the world: He is risen!

These are critical days for our Catechumens, now known as the Elect of God, as well as for our Candidates, who have been preparing for the past several months to embrace “the way of faith and conversion” before receiving First Eucharist and/or Confirmation. It is absolutely our most solemn duty as parishioners to accompany these wonderful people who are soon to reach the goal of their devoted preparation. I invite you to continue to pray for them, especially during Holy Week, that they might find in our community a visible expression of what it is to be followers of Christ.

Stay close to the fire! With love,

Fr. John

Fifth Sunday of Lent, April 6, 2025

Sun, 06 Apr 2025 12:39:49 GMT

Dear friends,

Take heart! We are more than halfway through Lent. This weekend, we begin the Fifth Week of Lent. Very soon, Lent will give way to Easter, and we will see the light of the Resurrection shining brightly. Do not loose heart if fulfilling your Lenten resolutions has been sluggish. God is always faithful in His commitment to walk with us.

As we ascend the Mount of Calvary along with Jesus during Lent, let us keep firmly in mind that we have the sweet obligation of walking with our Elect of God (the unbaptized) and Candidates as they prepare to embrace the fullness of the Catholic faith. On the Third and Fourth Sundays of Lent, we celebrated the First and Second Scrutinies with our Elect and Candidates. These scrutinies assisted them in a process of continued purification and enlightenment, which is characterized by intense preparation and prayer. During this period, they focused on deepening their conversion and strengthening their resolve to live in Christ.

During the First Scrutiny, we joined our Elect and Candidates in reflecting on the contrast between thirst and water with the help of the story about the Samaritan woman at the well. At the celebration of the Second Scrutiny, we looked with them at the contrast between blindness and sight through the story of the man born blind.

On this Fifth Sunday of Lent, we celebrate the Third Scrutiny at the 11:00 a.m. Mass. During the Third Scrutiny, Mother Church leads the Elect — and us — to consider the stark and ultimate contrast, namely, death and life. We hear and reflect on the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-45 taken from Year A), through which our Lord illustrates the ultimate contrast: Out of death, He calls forth life.

Our Lord comes to Bethany, near Jerusalem, knowing that his presence there and the miracle he intends to perform will soon lead to his own Passion and Death. The Apostle Thomas, ever a realist, says to the others, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:16). The scene is filled with emotion. When Jesus, the One who came to give us life in abundance, encounters the suffering of death, He is deeply disturbed and greatly troubled. For four long days, Lazarus has lain in the earth — four days which, for the Jews, meant that he had been fully overcome by the power of death. But the One who proclaims to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life,” is not constrained by the decay of death, and with ultimate authority he commands, “Lazarus, come out!”

The regular readings for all other Masses on the Fifth Sunday of Lent are taken from the Year C cycle. Normally in Year C, the gospel is taken from Luke. However, this Sunday, we borrow a passage from the Gospel of John, which places before us the story of the woman caught in adultery. The authorities have been contemplating various ways to trap Jesus, and this time, they use the poor woman caught in the act of adultery as the bait. Jesus will not buckle under pressure. He holds to his teaching of forgiveness and mercy. Unlike the scribes and pharisees who are determined to condemn the woman, Jesus insists on mercy. Without condoning her actions, He commands her to sin no more and invites her to begin a transformed life. What is our response to God’s constant invitation to sin no more and be transformed?

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Hardi and Sandy Samuel, recipients of the Family of the Month Award for March 2025. What a blessing they are to our parish family! I am deeply indebted to Sandy for shouldering so many responsibilities in the parish. Among the numerous things she does, the one coming up is the biggest. She is coordinating our parish’s upcoming Silver Jubilee celebrations, for which I soon will reveal all the details. I thank Hardi for taking care of their household chores so that Sandy is free to donate her time to our parish. Thank you, Sandy and Hardi!

Congratulations to the seven parishioners who completed the six-week Compass Ministry course dealing with faith and finance. Thanks to Joy and Tony Ramirez for leading this ministry.

Congratulations also to those who completed the recent Flourish Our Faith course. Thanks to the wonderful team that is so dedicated to this ministry. Get ready for the next one coming soon.

Stay close to the fire!

With Love,

Fr. John

Fourth Sunday of Lent, March 30, 2025

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 16:35:41 GMT

Dear friends,

We are about halfway through the season of Lent, and for those who have stayed close to the events of this Holy Season, some sense of joy should be present. After the inspiring Lenten mission and celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we should be experiencing a fresh surge of grace. Thus, we have reason to rejoice.

This weekend, we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Lent – do you remember that this is known traditionally as Laetare Sunday? “Laetare” is Latin for “rejoice.” Today's gospel describes the reason for our joy: God's great love for us has been revealed in Jesus. Through His passion, death, and resurrection, Jesus reconciled us with God and one another.

As a family, we at St. John’s continue to accompany our catechumens and candidates as they prepare to embrace the fullness of the Catholic faith. Last Sunday (Third Sunday of Lent), we celebrated the First Scrutiny with them. This Sunday, we will celebrate the Second Scrutiny. The Rites of Scrutiny which we witness during three consecutive Sundays are a sign of the Period of Purification and Enlightenment. During this period, our Elect (the unbaptized) and candidates are focused on deepening their conversion and strengthening their resolve to live with Christ.

As part of the Second Scrutiny rite, we hear about and meditate on the story in the Gospel of John of the healing of the man born blind which is taken from Cycle A of the Sunday Mass readings. From the first moment of Creation, when God spoke the word “light” into the dark void, the Divine illumination has infused meaning into the visible universe. The account of the gradual healing of the man born blind is proclaimed to the Elect during the Second Scrutiny to encourage them to accept the Light of Divine Meaning (Logos) into their lives.

In the gospel story, Jesus approaches the man who has been in a state of natural darkness his whole life and places a mixture of saliva and clay onto his unseeing organs of sight. Along with the command, “Go and wash,” our Lord uses these outward signs to effect a miracle of seeing, as the man experiences natural light for the first time. Let us pray for our elect and candidates, that they may begin to say of their own lives, as in the hymn Amazing Grace, “I once was blind, but now I see.”

For those of you who will not be attending the 4:30 p.m. Mass this Sunday, you will experience the beautiful image of a God who never ceases to love us (Cycle C readings for Sunday). In the first reading, we celebrate the fulfilment of God’s promise to the people of Israel as they arrive at the Promised Land (Joshua 5:9a, 10-12). Here, the Lord God removes their bondage to slavery, by saying, “Today I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you,” God reinstates the covenant relationship with His people that had been shattered by their unfaithfulness. In the Gospel of Luke, we hear the Parable of the Prodigal Father, a man who lavishes love on the son who had completely rejected him in the past. In an extreme display of unconditional love, the prodigal father welcomes his wayward son with joy and restores their original relationship, making him once again a beloved son and heir.

Wow! What a blessing it is to have such a heavenly Father! He is so prodigal in His love that He always has room for us, is always ready to draw us into His household and lavish on us all the blessings He has promised His children. Therefore, let us rejoice!

Stay close to the fire!

With Love,

Fr. John

First Sunday of Lent, March 9, 2025

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 00:59:06 GMT

Dear friends,

The holy season of Lent has begun with a glorious Ash Wednesday. It was heartwarming to see our children at the 7

a.m. Mass that day. They wore the cross-shaped ashes on their foreheads to school, proud to show their faith and be silent evangelizers. We are very proud of them!

Now that it is Lent, we will offer Stations of the Cross at the Grotto each day of the week except Sunday, including the traditional Stations on Fridays. I urge you to look at the bulletin for all the details about special Masses and other spiritual activities that have been created to support you on your lenten journey. I ask that you take the Lenten Schedule on page 8 and post it where you will remember to look at it. In particular, note the information about the Lenten Mission on March 16-18, the special programing for the Tuesdays of Lent, and the many spiritual activities on Fridays.

We can approach Lent as the opportunity to do a spiritual “spring cleaning.” As one good priest reminded me: “Lent is a time to re-read the ‘owner’s manual,’ to tune our ‘engines,’ and to refurbish our ‘vehicles’ – not only for the journey of 40 days but also for the journey of life, the right life–and the right eternity.” God has given us an inexhaustible capacity for the transformation needed for becoming holy.

Lent is also that special time of year when we walk with our catechumens and candidates as they prepare to become full members of the Catholic faith during the Easter Vigil. We are called to support them through our prayers and examples of faith. Remember to pray for their sponsors and their families as well. During the Vigil Mass on 8 March, the St. John’s family will join with our catechumens in celebration of the ritual called the Rite of Sending. In this rite, they will be recognized for the progress they have made in their spiritual formation. Then we will send them on to the Rite of Election which will be celebrated by Bishop Noonan the next day, 9 March, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe. We are very proud of the perseverance and dedication of our sisters and brothers .

In this Jubilee Year 2025 themed, “Pilgrims of Hope,” it is good to reflect on the words of St. Teresa of Avila about hope and what it accomplishes: “Hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one. Dream that the more you struggle, the more you prove the love that you bear your God, and the more you will rejoice one day with your Beloved, in a happiness and rapture that can never end.”

On the First Sunday of Lent, we always revisit the scene of the temptation of Jesus in the desert where he spent 40 days fasting and praying. We also recall our ancestors in faith, the ancient Israelites, who for 40 years trudged their way through the desert to the promised land. Jesus, through his patient acceptance of suffering and his rejection of the allurements of the devil, models the correct response in times of adversity and testing. This is in contrast with the ancient Israelites who murmured and complained bitterly about their ordeal. Jesus never swerved from being obedient to his Father; he completely and utterly depended on Him. Let us, too, place complete confidence in the Father during our times of trial, of which there will be many.

Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, continues to need our prayers. Let us continue to pray for his healing: “O God, shepherd and ruler of all the faithful, look favorably on your servant Francis, whom you have set at the head of your Church as her shepherd; grant, we pray, that by word and example he may be of service to those over whom he presides so that, together with the flock entrusted to his care, he may come to everlasting life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”

I take this opportunity to announce that Beth Lowry has joined our parish staff as the new Business Manager. She held the position of bookkeeper in our office some years ago. Beth is well known to many at St. John’s. She and her devoted husband Steve have long been involved in many of our ministries. Beth brings a rich variety of work experience and abilities to her new position, and we wish her a positive and pleasant experience as she takes on this leadership role at St. John’s. Welcome, Beth!

Have an inspiring and enriching LENT!

With love,

Fr. John

First Sunday of Advent, December 1, 2024

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 18:57:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

It’s Advent! It is a time to prepare. Prepare for what? For celebrating the Birth of our Savior some 2000 years ago. Wow! Advent is not meant to be a time of passive waiting but, rather, one of hopeful preparation for the coming of the Lord. Advent provides an opportunity to prepare to encounter Christ at his Second Coming as well. And, on a more personal level, Advent invites us to really prepare to encounter Him on the day when He calls us home.

With the beginning of Advent comes the beginning of the new liturgical year. The Church invites all its members to prepare their hearts and minds to receive the Lord as he takes flesh among us; it also offers us the blessing of a new Cycle of Readings. This year is Cycle C, in which most of our Sunday Scripture readings will be from the Gospel of Luke.

Advent is the perfect time to breathe new life into our spiritual journey through active participation in the many events on our Advent calendar. Let us call to mind these iconic words associated with Advent: Maranatha: Come, Lord Jesus . Advent has 4 Weeks; each week has a particular theme captured by these thematic words: Watch, Prepare, Rejoice, and Behold. It is time to decorate your homes with Advent wreaths and to gather your family around them for your family prayers. You can sing: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” I wish you all a very Happy Advent!

The First Sunday of Advent cautions us to be on guard for the day which is to come when all will be fulfilled. As we await the coming of Christ, let us take care to love one another, observing His covenant and decrees.

Advent Mission: Advent is an occasion, like Lent, to spend time in reflection and meditation. This year, we will have Fr. Phil “Skip” Negley, MS to help us prepare for the coming of our Savior. The mission will be held on the 8th, 9th, and 10th of December at 7 p.m. The mission theme is “Gospel Discipleship: Called, Formed and Sent by Christ.” Please come and benefit from this time of reflection.

Holy Cross Virtual Advent Retreat: The Office of Mission Advancement of the U.S. Province of the Congregation of Holy Cross will host a virtual Advent retreat again this year. I invite you to take advantage of this free resource. The reflections offered by some of our Holy Cross Brothers and Priests are given on each Sunday of Advent at 7 p.m. To be part of this Advent retreat, please register at adventretreat.holycrossusa.org .

Advent Sacrament of Reconciliation: This will be on Tuesday, 5 December at 7 p.m. There will be many priests here to help. Please make use of this amazing opportunity to prepare for Christmas.

We have just completed celebrating Thanksgiving. The Tuesday following Thanksgiving is celebrated as Catholic Giving Tuesday. It is a day of turning our attention to the gifts with which God has blessed us and, in thanksgiving, to share our blessings with the church community. It is a wonderful day to make an extra gift to our parish and to thank God for blessing us with the mission of our parish. I invite you to join us in gratitude and generosity this Giving Tuesday. When you give, you’re not just supporting our parish; you’re investing in programs that strengthen our community, that nourish our spiritual lives, that reach out to those in need, that preserve and protect the House of God so that our people can come to pray and find solace. Please use this link to donate to our parish in support of the Grotto- https:// www.wesharegiving.org/App/Form/02407d41-62f7-4414-9a72-ea8a7b009904

I have good news to share with you. As you know, I have been dreaming of having a RECTORY (fancy name for the house in which the parish’s priests live) ON SITE here on the St. John’s campus. Since the founding of the parish, our priests have lived in a home located in the middle of a residential community about 2.4 miles from the church campus. After many years of planning and discussing, the rectory plan has been approved by the Diocesan Finance Council and the site plan submitted for approval to the Brevard County Office. Therefore, we have invited our beloved Bishop John Noonan to come for the ground-breaking on Sunday, 8 December 2024. He will preside over the 9 a.m. Mass; afterwards, at 10:30 a.m., he will bless the ground on which the rectory will be built. I request all of you to please make an effort to be present at this historic ceremony. We thank God for this privilege of housing our priests on the campus, a move that will make our ministry even more vibrant and effective. The rectory will be built behind the church toward the end of our property.

OCA 2024: Those who have not yet participated in Our Catholic Appeal can still do so. This is the last month to make a one-time contribution.

Be Blessed, With Love,

Fr. John

Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, November 24, 2024

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 18:32:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

This weekend is a significant one in the Liturgical Calendar, because we now wrap up the current Liturgical Year. During Ordinary Time this past year, our Scripture readings have been from Cycle B, in which we delve into the Gospel of St. Mark. In Cycle C for Ordinary Time, which we will begin in 2025 after the Christmas season, the focus will be on the Gospel of St. Luke.

The end of the Liturgical Year is celebrated with the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. It is, so to say, the crown of the Liturgical Year. Interestingly, the Gospel of John (18: 33b-37) today presents us with the trial scene from Christ’s Passion, when Jesus is being interrogated by Pilate: “Are you the king of the Jews?. . . . Then you are a King?” Jesus responds, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Jesus makes a very clear distinction between an earthly king and His divine Kingship. At that time, the Jewish people, including his own disciples, expected Jesus to be a Messiah who would take up arms against the Roman Empire and overthrow them, thereby bringing about God’s reign and restoring the Kingdom of Israel. Like Pilate, who linked king and kingdom with an earthly realm, they could not look beyond their own expectations and perceive, comprehend, and understand Jesus’ true identity, His heavenly origin and the Kingdom He came to establish.

How about us? What is our understanding of Jesus as King? Do we too expect and associate Jesus with the earthly royals who do whatever they want to achieve their goals? Can we bring our thoughts to align with the reality that Jesus is a Servant King, lacking earthly power or glory, that he is not a conqueror or vanquisher or exterminator who will do away with anyone who poses a threat to him? Rather, He is a simple shepherd who wishes to gather everyone into his fold. He also seems to be a very foolish shepherd, who will run after one single straying sheep and not cease to search for that wayward sheep until he finds him.

Pope Francis, in reflecting on the Solemnity of Christ the King at the close of the Holy Year of Mercy in 2016, said:

His kingship is paradoxical: his throne is the cross; his crown is made of thorns; he has no scepter, but a reed is put into his hand; he does not have luxurious clothing, but is stripped of his tunic; he wears no shiny rings on his fingers, but his hands are pierced with nails; he has no treasure, but is sold for thirty pieces of silver For the grandeur of his kingdom is not power as defined by this world, but the love of God, a love capable of encountering and healing all things. Christ lowered himself to us out of this love, he lived our human misery, he suffered the lowest point of our human condition: injustice, betrayal, abandonment; he experienced death, the tomb, hell.

I take this opportunity to again thank those who have responded to Our Catholic Appeal 2024. We reached 39% participation after nearly 11 months. This is a great time for those who have not yet participated to give it a shot. All it takes is participation – the amount is not the goal.

Thanksgiving is a time to pause and thank God for His kindness to us and for all He has so generously given us. Gratitude is central to the Gospel message. We are constantly asked to be deeply grateful. In the Gospel passage given to us on Thanksgiving Day, we hear of the 10 lepers who are healed but only one returns to give thanks. Jesus praises this one leper who comes back to thank Him. How often we have been like the 9 other lepers who also are cured but do not think of thanking God? This is what happens when we do not take time to reflect upon the many blessings we have received in our lifes.

Please make it a point to offer the best thanksgiving that you can possibly give to God by stopping by the church and attending Mass on Thanksgiving. There will be two Masses : one on the Eve of Thanksgiving, Wednesday, 27 November at 7 p.m. and another on the Day of Thanksgiving, Thursday, 28 November at 1 0 a.m.

Spoiler Alert: Be prepared for something new starting next Sunday!!!

On behalf of the Deacons and the Staff, I wish you a very Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving with your family and friends.

I especially want to THANK YOU ALL for the unstinting love and kindness you tirelessly shower upon me. I Thank God for you Every Day!

Be Blessed! With love,

Fr. John

Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 17, 2024

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:26:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

Last weekend, we celebrated our amazing Veterans. I was not joking when I said that we, as a community, are truly blessed to have among us so many from the different branches of the military – those who have served and those who still are serving. At each Mass, there were so many who stood when I asked our veterans and active military to stand. The only surprise for me was how few there were from the Coast Guard.

I am grateful to Sean Edwards and Joann Molina and Tim and Lulu Ferrell for their leadership of our new SJE4VETERANS ministry and for coordinating our Veteran’s event on Monday, 11 November 2024. Thanks to all our veterans who responded to our invitation to come and see. It was so lovely see all of you praying the Patriotic Rosary and covering our entire country with the Precious Blood of Christ. Our SJE4VETERANS surely will evolve into a large community with great opportunities for coming together.

A huge thanks to all those who donated food items for the 13th Annual Harvest Festival to support the Farm Workers in Fellsmere. Your generosity was astounding! Thanks also to our amazing team of Mary Ann, Marylyn, Lulu, Cindy and Pete, who worked tirelessly on this project for many weeks. We are sure that, in these days when the poor are hurting, our farm workers are most grateful for our help.

On this, the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B, the Church invites us to reflect on the last things in life, as we draw near the end of the Church’s Liturgical Calendar. The last day of this liturgical year ends next weekend with the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. The clarion call is, the end is near! Be prepared for the second and last coming of Son of Man, for the end of time will arrive with a cosmic upheaval.

Jesus asks his disciples to learn from the fig tree (Mark 13:. What is it that the fig tree can teach us? First, just as we can predict summer when we see the fig tree branches turning tender and budding with the new leaves, so must we pay attention to the signs around us so as to not to be caught off guard when the day/ hour of Jesus’ final coming arrives. And second, in Mark, Chapter 11, the fig tree becomes a sign, when Jesus curses it for having no figs (Mark 11:12-14), that we also are expected to be fruitful, not barren. Our call as disciples of Jesus is to always bear good fruit, in season and out.

This weekend we have the opportunity to support the amazing work done by Catholic Charities of Central Florida (CCCF). So many people are experiencing tremendous hardships – financially, physically, and spiritually. The last two hurricanes, Helene and Milton, have made the situation much worse.

Do you realize how much the people of Brevard County benefit from aid provided by CCCF? This past fiscal year in Brevard county alone, their Family Stability Program case managers provided 2,390 individuals with emergency financial assistance for utility bills, rent and other urgent needs.

The CCCF cannot possibly provide this level of service without your strong financial support. You have been very generous previously in supporting the many and varied services CCCF provides for those in most need. I ask you to continue this good work, and I thank you in advance for your generosity. Please keep the staff of CCCF and the people that come to them for assistance in your prayers. May the good Lord watch over all of us with kindness and mercy.

Be Blessed! With Love,

Fr. John

Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 10, 2024

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 15:37:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

Praise God, the Election is over. Thank you for voting to defeat Amendment 4 which, had it succeeded, would have been the cause of countless numbers of infants losing their lives. Despite being happy at the defeat of this amendment, I am also deeply saddened by the fact that 57% of Florida residents believe that is it ok to kill babies in the womb. This goes against the grain of what we believe life to be. We still have miles to go before everyone feels disturbed by the thought of aborting a baby.

Please understand that what I have said in no way amounts to saying we do not value the life of a mother in danger. We have to do all in our power to save lives. Our focus should be on finding ways to protect everyone’s life. In this context, I would like you to read the statement released by the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops regarding the defeat of Amendment 4:

We are profoundly relieved at the defeat of Florida’s pro-abortion Amendment 4. This is a positive outcome for Florida and all efforts to promote the flourishing of our state.

Though Amendment 4 failed to reach the 60% threshold required to pass, a majority of Floridians voting in the general election supported it. While significant gains to protect women and preborn children in recent years will remain in place, abortion in Florida will continue at a very high rate under our current laws.

Much work remains to open hearts and minds to the dignity and goodness of life in the womb and at every stage. We will continue to proclaim in our churches and in the public square the value of every human life and to highlight that there is a better way forward for women, families and society than abortion. Through our many ministries, we will continue to support, encourage and assist pregnant women and young families. For those who regret their abortion or abortions, or their cooperation in one, we reiterate that the Lord is eager to forgive, and the Church is ready to facilitate healing.

We express our gratitude to all those who worked against Amendment 4, giving of their time, talent and resources. Those efforts were clearly fruitful in this election and will reverberate to the good for generations to come.

God bless the people of Florida.

I have recently spoken about two new ministries to be launched at St. John’s. One of these is GEN HOPE, a ministry that will gather our college-level young people together on Sundays between 7.30 – 9 p.m. in Room 5 of the Parish Life Center where they will pray, share reflections, and grow in their faith. The first meeting is this Sunday, 10 November 2024. You can follow this group on Instagram and Facebook at SJE GEN Hope. I cordially invite our young people in the age group of 18 to 22 or so to come and flourish in our Catholic Faith.

As we celebrate our Veterans on Veteran’s Day, 11 November 2024, we wholeheartedly thank YOU for YOUR service to our Nation. Your unrelenting love for our country and your selfless sacrifice have given safety to our citizens and promoted peace around the globe. At St. John’s, we are blessed to have many veterans— both those who have retired and those still serving – and for a long time I have been thinking about a way to bring our veterans together. The time has finally come. This upcoming Veteran’s Day, we will launch our new Veteran’s ministry under the name SJE4VETERANS. Thanks to Sean Edwards and Joann Molina and Tim and Lulu Ferrell for accepting my request to coordinate this ministry.

I personally extend a warm invitation to our Veterans to join me and our SJE4VETERANS team on Monday, 11November at 5:00 p.m. in Holy Cross Hall. We will begin with a meet and greet over some snacks. Please come and let us celebrate your dedication to our nation and allow our team and I to present our many ideas for reaching out to and serving our veterans. Your feedback will hugely help us to determine what direction this ministry will take.

Congratulations to Kathy and John Drake, who are the recipients of the October 2024 Family of the Month award, which was given at the 9 a.m. Mass on Sunday, 27 October 2024. I am grateful for their love and dedication to our parish, especially to the 9:00 a.m. Sunday Children’s Mass Ministry. Thank you, Kathy and John, for all you do for us!

God really loves a cheerful and generous giver. Most of you have been wonderfully cheerful and unstinting in your support of our parish and all our outreach efforts. This Sunday, the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B, offers an opportunity to reflect on how we give. Just like the widow of Zarephath, who gave all she had to feed the hungry prophet Elijah, the poor widow in Mark’s Gospel (12: 38-44) gives cheerfully all that she has to the Temple treasury and in doing so inspires Jesus’ admiration.

Without the generous hearts whose giving keeps our parish healthy, we could not hold things together here. Yet, this generosity does not seem able to extend to the wonderful work done here and throughout the diocese by Our Catholic Appeal with only 39% of participation. I remain immensely grateful to those whose generosity allowed us to contribute at the level expected of a flourishing parish of this size.

Be Blessed. With Love,

Fr. John

Thirty-First Sunday of Ordinary Time, November 3, 2024

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 11:24:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

Tuesday, 5 November 2024, is Election Day, a consequential day for the nation. Given that we have entered a time of bitter vitriolic and unprecedented hatred of those not of “our tribe,” we really need to pray for our country. Hence, I invite you to spend at least some time in prayer on Election Day. St. John’s is hosting a full day of Adoration on Election Day . Our Eucharistic Lord will be exposed on the Altar in the Church from the conclusion of the 8:00 a.m. Morning Mass until 7 p.m. Tuesday, 5 November.

In addition, I invite you to pray this prayer, adapted from one on the USCCB website:

Heavenly Father, as election day approaches, we seek your help to better understand the issues and the choices that we must make. Please send your Holy Spirit to our aid, that we may grasp well how the Gospel compels us to respond to these issues and choices as Your faithful children and as faithful citizens.

We ask for eyes free from blindness, so that we might see each other as brothers and sisters, one and equal in dignity, especially those who are victims of abuse and violence, deceit and poverty.

We ask for ears to hear the cries of unwanted children, those unborn and those abandoned, and of men and women oppressed because of race or creed, religion or gender.

We ask for minds and hearts open to hear the voice of those leaders who will bring us closer to Your Kingdom. We pray for discernment, so that we may choose leaders who hear your Word, live your love, keep to the ways of Your Truth given through Jesus and his Apostles, and guide us to your Kingdom of justice and peace.

We ask all this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, and through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I am proud to say that I exercised my right to vote for the first time as a citizen. I urge you: please exercise your right to vote and do so as a well-informed voter. Please visit Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops’ website ( https://flaccb.org ) for materials designed to properly form Catholic consciences for voting.

I would like to thank all of you for your outpouring of support for our Trunk or Treat event. Your very generous supply of candy and baked goods made the event extra special. Thanks to Shamir for coordinating so well with the WINGS ministry, which sponsored the event, and to all our other volunteers. Your efforts resulted in a wonderful evening of excitement and fun for the children and their families. And thanks to all who enthusiastically decorated your trunks and handed out the treats. Congratulations to the three families with the prize-winning trunks.

I wish to remind you that there is a special second collection this weekend. This is to help the victims of Hurricanes Helene and Milton with their rebuilding efforts.

This week, the Church in the United States observes National Vocation Awareness Week from November 3 to November 9, 2024. This annual, week-long celebration in the U.S. Church is designed to promote vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and consecrated life through prayer and education. It is also designed to encourage the Faithful to renew their prayers and support for those considering one of these particular vocations.

How does someone know that they are being called to priesthood or religious life? Does God appear to them directly and tell them so? Or is the path a bit longer and not quite so clear?

In truth, it takes time and effort to discern a vocation. Let me share with you a few tips offered by the Holy Cross

Office of Vocations:

If you think you are being called to serve God as a priest or a brother in the Congregation of Holy Cross, please visit cscvocations.org to read about the men in formation, learn about seminary life, and discover the various stages of Holy Cross formation. Whether you're in high school or in college, or whether you’ve entered the workforce, discern with us, your fellow parishioners, and answer God's call! And remember: as a Church community, it is our solemn duty to pray that our young men and women will hear and answer God’s loving call to serve Him in Holy Orders or the consecrated life.

I have been contemplating for more than a year about doing something for the Veterans in our community. I know that we are blessed with so many men and women who have served – and still are serving – our country in the military. Therefore, I am filled with joy as I announce the launching of a new ministry designed to cater to our beloved Veterans. The name chosen for this ministry is SJE4VETERANS. I am grateful to Sean Edwards and Joann Molina and Tim and Lulu Ferrell for coordinating this ministry. We will have our first meeting of SJE4VETERANS on Veterans’ Day (Monday, 11 November, 2024) at 5 p.m. in the Holy Cross Hall.

As we celebrate the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B, we hear Moses telling the people of Israel about something vital and fundamental to their existence. (Deuteronomy 6:4-6). These lines from Deuteronomy became the cornerstone of Jewish worship. The verses are called the SHEMA, which in Hebrew means “hear.” The Shema goes like this:

Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God,

with all your heart, and with all your soul,

and with all your strength.

Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today.

These lines express the ultimate theme of the Book of Deuteronomy. It is so central because, when a person prays this prayer, they are being trained in giving proper reverence to God. The Shema exhorts the people Israel to remain undivided in their devotion to God. It also enjoins on them correct action.

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus also asserts the importance of the Shema in his dialogue with a Scribe. (Mark 12: 28b-34) When the Scribe asks Jesus to clarify which is the first of all the commandments, Jesus answers with the Shema. He then adds the second most important commandment, namely to love your neighbor as yourself. In these two commandments to love are contained all of the Ten Commandments. Moreover, Jesus in essence says that love of God is inseparable from love of neighbor. Let us strive to live by these two “golden rules.”

Be Blessed. With Love,

Fr. John

Tweny-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 20, 2024

Sat, 26 Oct 2024 10:51:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

Before ascending to his Father in Heaven, our Lord Jesus gave his apostles the Great Commission: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) The Church has been faithful to this mandate of Jesus ever since He left us. Moreover, the Church has come to understand that this commission was given to more than just the apostles and their successors. We have certainly moved away from the notion that evangelization is the prerogative and duty of just the priests and religious. We understand that all baptized people are called to take the Great Commission to themselves.

Yet we know that not all of us can be the kind of missionary who steps outside of his or her boundaries. So how are we to take the gospel message “to all nations?” You might be surprised to know that St. Therese of Lisieux is designated as the patron of the missions, even though she never moved outside the walls and the discipline of her cloistered convent life. How is it then, that she became the patron of those who leave all to carry out the Great Commission? St. Therese wanted so badly to be a missionary in a foreign land, but her very poor health prevented her from going abroad to proclaim the gospel. So she transformed her desire to be an active missionary into doing something she was good at: prayer. She prayed fervently, every day of her life, for those in the mission field.

World Mission Sunday is this weekend, and through it we have a powerful reminder of our call to be missionaries. We in the Diocese of Orlando have a unique opportunity to fulfill our missionary obligation. Our Diocese has adopted the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana in the Dominican Republic through the Church’s missionary Sister Diocese program. This weekend we will reflect on what our financial support does for our brothers and sisters in our Sister Diocese and how the Good News of Jesus Christ is being shared with them.

Through the Sister Diocese Program, the Church’s missionaries have done an amazing job of spreading the Good News. They not only conduct parish missions that share and enliven the Faith, but they also use a multi-pronged approach to build up communities in the remote corners of the world.

This weekend, as we celebrate the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B, we hear James and John go to Jesus with this open-ended demand: “We want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” (Mark 10:35-45) It might have shocked Jesus to hear such a demand, made without even spelling out what that this would mean. It is like asking your father, give me a blank check, and I will use it for whatever I need.

When these great apostles explain their demand, we are even more shocked: “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” (Mark 10:37) How could they dare ask for such privilege and highest honor in the Kingdom that Jesus was to inaugurate? Instead of rebuking them, Jesus leads them – and us – to reflect on the essential requirements for being part of kingdom. He asks them if they are willing to suffer, to drink the cup that He will drink, the cup of His Passion, Death and Resurrection. To our surprise, they do not shy away from this invitation to enter the crucible of suffering with Jesus in order to join Him in His glory.

I am sure we are like these beloved apostles. Our demands are like theirs: we want God to do for us whatever we want. And of course, we want it all without having to endure any real suffering. But Jesus is inviting us today to understand that the greatness of a disciple comes from the hard task of serving others, even to the point of dying to ransom them. What can we do today to attain the type of greatness that Jesus offers? Greatness in Jesus’ kingdom does not lie in moving others to freedom but in doing what we can to bring freedom to others. Greatness for us, as for Jesus’ disciples, lies in accepting suffering for the sake of others. Let us today pray for the grace of understanding that our journey of discipleship must pass through the channel of suffering, if we desire to one day enjoy the glory of the Kingdom.

Prayer in any form is a powerful tool, and we will have the privilege of offering a beautiful expression of our love for God through the new Glorify program. This coming Wednesday, 23 October at 7 p.m., parishioners of all ages are invited to lift their voices, hearts, and hands to God in an hour of contemporary Christian music--songs of praise, thanksgiving, petition, trust, and joy. "Glorify the Lord with me...together let us all praise His Name." (Psalm 34:4) Our God is good, and He is worthy to be praised. So, come and be part of this joyful celebration of God’s goodness to us.

Be Blessed!

With love,

Fr. John

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 27, 2024

Sat, 26 Oct 2024 10:47:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

The 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B (27th October 2024), presents Scripture passages that provide a vision of God as a tender, loving Father. The prophet Jeremiah, in an unusual twist in style and tone, speaks of God’s promise to deliver the remnants of Israel from exile. (Jeremiah 31: 7-9) He says that God will look out especially for the marginalized and the most vulnerable, such as the blind and disabled and also expectant mothers. God is seen as one who will console and guide those considered to be unimportant in society. They are not to be excluded but treated as an integral part of those who will be brought home from exile. God excludes no one from His salvific plan. He is a Father to the whole people of Israel.

The manifestation of God’s passion to care for the vulnerable and marginalized reaches its peak in Jesus’ healing ministry: curing the sick; cleansing people with leprosy; giving sight to the blind. In the Gospel of Mark, as the last miracle performed before He enters Passion Week, Jesus grants the gift of sight to Bartimaeus, a blind man begging by the roadside. (Mark 10: 46-52) Once his sight is restored, Bartimaeus follows Jesus “on the way” as a true disciple.

Bartimaeus’ call to Jesus is a powerful prayer, one that I pray every day: “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” I invite you to try saying this prayer repeatedly during the day. I believe you will be surprised by the consolation that flows from this one small act. May the Lord remove from us any blindness that keeps us from truly seeing the mercy and salvation He offers. May we echo the Psalmist’s words: “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.”

Florida has come now into the election time with the early voting that started on 21 October. This is a perilous time for our country, a time when emotions run high on both sides. We might be filled with anxiety for the future of our nation; some may even be filled with anger and frustration at the state of the nation. Such anger and frustration might tempt some to give up hope and decide not to vote at all.

I urge you: please exercise your right to vote and do so as a well-informed voter. An uninformed voter is a danger to society. In his book, Life and Holiness, Thomas Merton says, “The Christian who is misinformed; who is subject to the demagoguery of extremists in the press, on the radio or on TV . . . can do an enormous amount of harm to society, to the Church and to himself. With sincere intentions of serving the cause of Christ, he may cooperate in follies and injustices of disastrous magnitude. It is therefore vitally important for the Catholic to control his zeal and moderate his enthusiasm for particular causes, until he can accurately estimate where these tendencies may ultimately lead We must learn to cultivate a sound judgment in affairs that affect the very destiny of the human race” (Life and Holiness, pp. 143- 144). Please go to Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops’ website ( https://flaccb.org ) for materials that can help form our conscience for voting.

We keep in our prayer our brothers and sisters in Florida who are suffering from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. We will also be helping with their rebuilding effort through a special disaster relief collection next weekend.

I wish you God’s Peace in these days of anxiety and tension. Let us trust our nation to the merciful and sacred Heart of Jesus.

Be Blessed. With Love,

Fr. John

Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 13, 2024

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 19:05:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

As I pen these lines, I am very hopeful that our fervent prayers will have been heard from our most merciful God, and that He will have lessened the threat of destruction and harm by menacing Hurricane Milton. Recovering and rebuilding in the aftermath of this dangerous hurricane will take a substantial period of time. Let us not forget to pray for those who experienced serious damage and loss.

The Scripture readings as we enter the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B, invite us to ask: what are the most important things in life? To what do we most give our attention? To whom do we give our allegiance?

Our first reading, from the Book of Wisdom, speaks of Wisdom as the super-important gift bestowed on us. Wisdom is more precious than all the other things that we might cherish in life’s: power, wealth, honor, pleasure, health, light, and even sleep. All pale in comparison to the gift of Wisdom.

This gift doesn’t just come to us without eﬀort, but it does come in abundance to those who pray. The author of the Book of Wisdom is very clear about the need to pray. But praying once is not sufficient. Prayer should be habit for us. Habitually repeating a prayer request makes us more receptive to both receiving and being grateful for it. Let us follow the sage suggestion of the author of the Book of Wisdom: persevere in prayer and strive ardently to keep company with Wisdom. If we do, we shall go in want of nothing.

Our second reading today, from the Letter to the Hebrews, focuses on the power of God’s Word. When God speaks, the eﬀectiveness and power of His words are greater and more penetrating than anything we know of human words. God’s words are life giving, and they make things happen. Let us be in awe of God’s words in Scripture, as they convey God’s wisdom to all of us.

Our reading from the Gospel of Mark asks an even more penetrating question than that about wisdom. Can our riches and all our possessions lead us to eternal life? The obvious answer is NO. We can see this in the story of the rich young man who comes to Jesus with the question of how to inherit eternal life. His attachment to his many possessions denies him what his heart desires: eternal life. Eternal life cannot be bought with any material thing we possess. Like Wisdom, so too eternal life: both are a gift. Eternal life is a sheer gift from God. Like Wisdom, which comes to us through habitual prayer, so too the gift of eternal life: it will come to us if we are in the consistent habit of constant prayer. Never cease to pray!

A couple of weeks ago, I spoke about our new Ministry of Spiritual Direction. I am most grateful to Brother Tom Giumenta, C.S.C, and to Cheryl Sansone, both of whom are licensed spiritual directors and very passionate about this ministry. We would like to make it clear that Spiritual Direction is not counselling, psychotherapy, or problem-solving. The need for spiritual direction primarily arises when a person is deeply committed to living under God’s direction and seeks His guidance through prayer. Such a person looks to the Holy Spirit to guide his or her choices and actions. A spiritual director is trained to assist an individual in the way of listening and responding to the Holy Spirit.

I also would like you to know that this is a ministry of St. John’s. It will be oﬀered in the Parish Life Center on a one-on one-basis. Call the office and leave your name and phone number, and either Brother Tom or Cheryl will call you back to set up a time to meet. Brother Tom is ﬂuent in Spanish and therefore would be available for Spanish-speaking parishioners. Most importantly, Brother Tom has been well trained in directing those discerning a religious vocation. In order that this ministry not be taken lightly, and also to financially support the time and eﬀort of these wonderful people, we suggest a $25 oﬀering for each session.

I know many have questions about who can and should receive spiritual direction and what it is like. To answer these questions and more, we will have an information session on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at 6 p.m. in Holy Cross Hall. Please come and listen to the two amazing people who are the core members of our new ministry.

October is the month for World Missions. Thus, it is again the time when we are reminded of our obligation to support the Church’s Missions. Our Diocese has a Sister Diocese program, through which it adopted the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana in the Dominican Republic. Next week we will have an opportunity to reﬂect on what our financial support does for our brothers and sisters in our Sister Diocese and how the Good News of Jesus Christ is being shared with them.

Please remember: be constant in prayer for all who have been aﬀected by Hurricane Milton!

Be Blessed!

With Love,

Fr. John

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, October, 6, 2024

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 14:05:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

The month of October brings with it many blessings by giving us opportunities to reflect on some key aspects of our Catholic faith. The U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has designated the month of October as Respect Life Month. This impels us to pause and thank the Lord for the gift of life as we pray for the protection of human life from conception to natural death. Our Faith requires us to work to create and support a culture that cherishes and protects every human life. In October, we are called to:

This year, the USCCB calls us to focus on radical solidarity with women who are pregnant or raising children in difficult circumstances.

We in Florida are faced with a critical, abortion-related issue this November. A confusing and devious amendment to the Florida Constitution is up for vote in the coming election. Please make yourself aware of what Amendment 4 actually would put in place as a constitutional right in Florida. The best way to learn what’s at stake is by going to the website of the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, https://flaccb.org/ election-materials-and-guidelines .

Please know that October is also dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary; we celebrate her feast on the 7th of October. We have an amazing place at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, where we will gather and pray the Rosary every day of the month of October at 6 p.m. Let us renew our commitment to that wonderful prayer and entrust our own deepest needs to Our Lady, whose mission is always to lead us closer to her Son.

I am happy to announce the launching of yet another ministry. This one is designed especially for parents of the teenage children in our FIAT and Confirmation Programs. I have been wanting to give these parents an opportunity to really get involved in our ministry to teens. The new ministry will bring these parents together on the Sunday evenings when the teen programs meet. The parents will gather to prepare and serve a meal for their teens. They will work closely with Schonda Rodriguez, our Youth Ministry Coordinator, to create a loving community of adults and children. The ministry is designed to show, in a very practical way, that our parents are truly committed to and care about their children’s faith formation. Their gesture of love will allow the teens to see and appreciate that their parents want them to be nourished both physically and spiritually.

I am grateful to Kelly Rosas, who has come forward to lead and coordinate this ministry. We are calling it the “Carlos Acutis Teen Nourishment Ministry” (CATNM) in honor of the amazing teen who will be canonized as a saint in 2025. I urge every parent to sign up and participate. The work involved will be more fun and less demanding if shared by many. Kelly can be reached at kargator@gmail.com .

I am grateful to Brother Tom Giumenta, C.S.C., and Cheryl Sansone for their willingness to be the core team for our new Spiritual Direction ministry. If you think you might be interested in availing yourselves of this ministry, we are offering an Information Session on Tuesday, 15 October 2024 at 6 p.m. in Holy Cross Hall. Please come and learn how you might benefit.

As we step into the 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B, the scripture readings focus on Jesus’ most demanding teaching about marriage. When questioned by the Pharisees about marriage and divorce, Jesus invites them to remember what Scripture teaches. The book of Genesis (1:27 and 2:24) lays it out clearly. It tells of humanity’s primordial nature and our God-given call to bonds of partnership. The Gospel of Mark (10:8-9), echoing Genesis 2:24, gives us the essence of the bond of marriage: “the two shall become one flesh. So that they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” Let us pray for our wonderful married people and for the lovely witness they offer.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 29, 2024

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 18:48:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

It gave me great joy to present the State of the Parish to you last weekend. I am deeply grateful to God for blessing us with His presence. We have been blessed with so many families, a wonderful staff team, and an amazing number of Ministry Volunteers who keep our operations going. We certainly could not do all we are doing without these generous and amazing people who are in love with God and with our community. I am also grateful to all of you for your incredible generosity toward making our parish a most vibrant community.

As you know, our elections are around the corner. I request that you keep our country in prayer. And as you prepare to cast your vote, please know that, as Catholics, we have a greater responsibility to be accountable for how we vote. We are called to faithful citizenship. Unlike others who might not have them, we have many amazing resources for properly forming and cultivating our conscience, which comes from God. One of these resources is the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops’ website. Please visit the site for guidelines about exercising our right to vote and what issues are at stake: https://flaccb.org/election-materials-and-guidelines.

I take this opportunity to thank Joanne Fusco, who has served as President of the Parish Council for the past 6 years and is now stepping down. She has worked with me diligently and tirelessly, in such a very humble way, keeping the parish focused on things that matter. Joanne, you are a huge blessing to us! As I thank her for her leadership, I extend a warm welcome to Mike Moss, who is taking on the role of the President of the Parish Council. He brings with him many years of involvement in a variety of ministries at St. John’s. We are very proud of him and his wife Cathy.

I am very happy to announce the creation of another ministry: The Ministry of Spiritual Direction. Information about the start date and other details will be given at a later date.

We are blessed to have among us Cheryl Sansone, who received a certificate as a Spiritual Director through St. Thomas University in Miami in 1997. She has served as a spiritual director in three other dioceses in Florida. She is already serving a few of our parishioners. We are also blessed to now have a person who will lead the Ministry. Let me introduce to you Brother Tom Giumenta, C.S.C., a Holy Cross Brother, who has retired recently and come to live at the Congregation’s retirement home in Cocoa Beach.

As you know, religious never retire. They continue to serve the Lord and the people around them. In that spirit, shortly after Brother Tom arrived, he approached me to offer his expertise in the field of Spiritual Direction. He is a Certified Addictions Counselor (C.A.C.) from Parkside Medical Services. He has had wide range of teaching experience in our High Schools, Universities, and parishes as an Addiction and Family Counselor. He is fluent in Spanish, having served as principal of Fe y Alegria School in Lima, Peru. He also served as Summer Residence Hall Director at the University of Portland. I am so very grateful to him for his generous offer to help our parish. A hearty welcome, dear Brother Tom! I look forward to when this ministry will be available to our parishioners.

In my presentation last week on the State of the Parish, I mentioned Our Catholic Appeal 2024 and how grateful I am to the 38.4% of our parishioners who came forward to support this Diocesan program. As you well know, this fund supports a number of important programs throughout the diocese. Here is a list of some of the things that Our Catholic Appeal has been able to accomplish this year, thanks in part to your generosity:

As we enter into the 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B, our scripture readings invite us to reflect on how we can affect our brothers and sisters through what we do. While we can certainly help others to get to know and fall in love with our Lord, we also can be people who cause others to sin by what we say and do. And Jesus has some stern words for us, should we cause scandal or lead others into sin. Listen to what He says in Mark 9:42: “it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” Although Jesus is using exaggeration to make his point, the message is clear: it is a serious sin to cause others to fall into sin. Even our own misdirected zeal might at times undermine the mission of Jesus. May our zeal for the Lord be expressed through embracing and including all those He has called us to serve.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 22, 2024

Sat, 21 Sep 2024 12:45:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

What a tremendous outpouring of love and support we experienced as we celebrated last weekend’s Ministry Fair. It was like a mega fiesta, in which all our ministries were present in full array. I was moved by the pride and joy on the faces of the ministry teams as they showcased the offerings of their ministries.

I thank all who made the effort to visit each of the ministries, thereby helping us thank God for keeping our parish active and vibrant. There must have been quite a lot of you there: the Coffee and Donuts team had to make a few extra runs to the store as the goodies were being gobbled up at such a fast pace!

What a privilege it is to be part of this amazing family! I praise God every day for all of you!

I am very happy to present to you this weekend the State of the Parish! Thank you for your active participation in the various facets of our life together. Thank you for your generosity in supporting all that we do. And I thank each of you most of all for your presence in our family. And last but not least, I thank our Finance and Parish Councils, who provide me with wise advice.

At this time, I am also very happy to announce that the Diocesan Finance Council has approved our request to build a Rectory for the Priests here on campus. This weekend I will be showing you the floor plan.

We are thrilled to see so many of our children taking an active part in our 9:00 am Sunday Mass. Have you noticed them? They greet you as you enter; they offer the welcome address; they read the Scripture for us as lectors, lift up the Prayers of the Faithful, provide the offertory collection for our children, and pray the Anima Christi after Communion. And, added to all this, they sing in the choir! I am so grateful to the parents and grandparents for supporting us in our endeavor to foster in our children a loving desire to serve the Lord and our community.

I offer a personal invitation to our parents with children age 3 to 5. Bring them to the 9:00 am Mass and encourage them to engage in our worship. It is my deep desire that they learn to participate in the Mass with joy. We are especially encouraging children to join our 9 a.m. Mass children’s choir, now called the Youth Choir. We want children of all ages, from 9 to 15 years old.

I am very happy to share with you this good news: Michael and Andrea Oliva have begun a new podcast with the title Jesus Within Us. I am so proud of them for how they are on fire with love of and from God. Michael and Andrea also lead our Kerygma Healing Ministry. Kudos to these two faith-filled people. Listen to their weekly podcast and see how Jesus works within us.

We are also happy to announce that Ricky Martinez has become our new Maintenance Department team member. At the same time, Joe Cardamone is rejoining the team to assist in maintaining our parish campus. I welcome them both and thank them for their services.

The Scripture readings for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B, again challenge us. The Letter of St. James contrasts the behavior of those who are wicked with those who are wise. (3:6-4:3) Wisdom offers copious blessings, while wickedness elicits conflict and destruction, war and death. St. James speaks of the wise as having a gift “from above,” which are the fruits of righteousness (right relationship with God). He challenges us to sow and cultivate the fruits of righteousness with and in peace.

In this very divisive time in our nation, when passions are running high on both sides of the political spectrum, how can we bear the fruits of righteousness? In Chapter 9 of the gospel of Mark, Jesus invites us to be as humble as children. (9:30-37) When his disciples were too preoccupied with concerns about their own grandeur, thereby failing to understand the crucial teachings of Jesus, he placed a child before them. In an attempt to refocus their priorities, he said: “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.” (Mark 9:37) In this, Jesus sends a clear message: the antidote to selfish ambition and wicked desires is an open and docile spirit. Let us be open to the copious blessings that come from above by being docile to the Holy Spirit.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Twenty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 15, 2024

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 16:03:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

Sunday, 15 September, is the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. Our Lady of Sorrows is the Patron of the Congregation of Holy Cross, and so her feast day is very special to us. Needless to say, I ask for your prayers for the Brothers, Sisters, and Priests of the Congregation of Holy Cross, that they may be rooted in faith and the knowledge of the love of God for us. At St. John’s, we are blessed to have the Courtyard of Our Lady of Sorrows, which is meticulously maintained by our lovely Council of Catholic Women (CCW) sisters. I invite you to stop by the courtyard and say a prayer. I also take this opportunity to thank our dedicated CCW cleaning team. Their work keeps the courtyard a place of beauty, so that prayer, meditation, and relaxation can occur without distraction.

The Third Sunday in September is celebrated as Catechetical Sunday in the United States. It is a day on which we rededicate ourselves to the task of ensuring a top-quality faith formation for our children. This task is of prime importance to us as baptized members of the Church. It is therefore appropriate to take time today to recognize and thank our wonderful catechists, who offer their time and talent unstintingly to instill in our children the love of God and knowledge of our faith. Without them we would not be able to fulfill the task given to us. They go way beyond just communicating the content of our faith; they also lead our children to love the Lord. Let us pray for Kelli and Schonda from our Faith Formation Office and also for our catechists at all levels who help with this enormous labor of love. Our Office of Faith Formation staff is thrilled to say that we are bursting at the seam with an influx of children into our Faith Formation Classes from K through 12. What a blessing! Have you thought about becoming a catechist? We need you!

Congratulations are in order! We made our Holy Hour Challenge goal! To those who heeded my call for prayer and adoration, I offer my thanks, while I acknowledge at the same time that this was a gift you gave yourselves, besides which my thanks are paltry.

I was delighted by words of thanks from our out-of-town friends for allowing their time in Adoration also to be counted. Donna Hill, from Connecticut, contacted me and asked that I include the 15 hours spent by their family in Adoration during one week, which were offered as a prayer for us all.

I was particularly edified by a note from Leslie Manns; his was one of the first 25 families to join St. John’s. He said: “Is there any way I can help while being confined to home as an 89-year-old handicapped parishioner. I would love to add hours. I am praying for you. Les.” Wow, that is a great sign of solidarity. In a subsequent email, he asked me to log in 8 hours of prayers from just one week. That really touched my heart. I am truly grateful to Les and all those who pitched in to pray for us.

This weekend is Ministry Fair Day, during which we celebrate our vibrant and diverse parish ministries. We are blessed with 60+ ministries, and a few more on the way. I am immensely grateful to the more than 500 people who serve in these varied ministries. They make our parish a most welcoming and spiritually fulfilling one. Please stop by the hall after each Mass where the ministries will be on display. Witness for yourselves what the Holy Spirit can do with those open to receive him. Please join me in thanking them for their commitment. Show appreciation for their efforts by going around to each of the ministry tables. See the diversity of ministries and opportunities for service and/or spiritual growth that they offer. Which ones draw your heart? In which ones would you be happy to contribute your time and talents?

To show our appreciation to our ministry volunteers, we held a Ministry Day on Saturday, 14 September 2024. A huge and profound thanks to our presenter, Fr. Ivan Olmo, Pastor of the Annunciation Parish in Altamont Springs. He set our ministers on fire with love of the Lord by his amazing presence and talks. I am certain that the gifts flowing from this day will keep them energized and filled with enthusiasm to continue serving the Lord and our community with ever-growing joy.

On the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B, the church invites us to continue relishing the theme of being open to God’s message. But there are ramifications. If we remain loyal to HIM, we may experience much suffering, as Isaiah points out in the first reading. But despite this, Isaiah offers comfort: “God is near who upholds my right … See, the Lord God is my help; who will prove me wrong?” (Is 50: 5-9) Jesus confirms that suffering is part of following him. He compels his disciples to weigh this implication of following him as he says: “whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mark 8: 35) If you and I can answer the question Jesus proposes -- namely, “Who do you say that I am” -- in the way Peter answers -- “You are the Christ” (Mark 8: 29) -- then we can muster sufficient courage to endure any hardship for the sake of HIM who loves us more than we can ever imagine.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 8, 2024

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 14:20:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

On 8 September 2024 is a huge feast, one celebrated in the all Marian Shrines around the world to honor our Holy Mother Mary on her birthday. This year, because 8 September falls on a Sunday, the Church does not observe this feast as grandly as we would like.

As you know, there are only three people whose birthdays are celebrated in the Liturgical Calendar of the Church: Jesus’ birthday on 25 December, John the Baptist’s birthday on 24 June, and as we just mentioned, Mother Mary’s birthday on 8 September. What an honor it is to celebrate our Mother! So, since we have our beautiful Grotto, we will offer another Mass at 7 p.m. in the Grotto on this Sunday, the 8th of September.

The 8th of September also is a huge day for us here at St. John the Evangelist. On this day, we commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the founding of our parish in 2001. We gratefully remember all who helped to create our parish alongside the Congregation of Holy Cross: the Bishop of Orlando; Fr. Larry Olszewski, C.S.C.; Fr. Bob Wiseman, C.S.C.; and all the amazing people who enrolled with great faith to be founding members of this fledgling parish, which had nothing to call its own -- neither land, nor buildings, nor worship space. While some original members of our parish have moved on, either elsewhere in this world or to their home in the next, we are still blessed to have some who are very much present here with us. We thank them for placing their trust in Divine Providence.

We are inching ever closer to the commemoration of the Silver Jubilee of our founding. We will celebrate this jubilee for a whole year with many wonderful events starting on 8 September 2025. Throughout the jubilee year, we will offer thanksgiving to God for the wonders he wrought during our founding years and those He continues to work in our days as well.

As we enter the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B cycle, the prophet Isaiah’s words bring us warmth and comfort, for he says, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God . . . he comes to save you.’” (Isaiah 35: 4) Wow, that message is so needed in these days of fear and anxiety. Can you hear in these words the message God is sending? that you are special, that your God cares for you?

We not only hear what God can do, but we can see it happen in Mark’s Gospel, in the person of Jesus Christ. In Mark 7:31-37, Jesus goes about incarnating the words of the prophet Isaiah, making them come alive. People brought a man who was unable to hear or speak to Jesus, and He put his finger into the man’s ears and touched his tongue and said: “Ephphatha! – that is, “Be opened!” And the man could hear and speak. In astonishment, the witnesses of this miracle say, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

What is our impediment, our deafness, our blindness? What prevents us from hearing and seeing and speaking of the wonders God, who continues to do marvelous things in us through Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit?

Please remember: on Saturday, 14 September, all who participate in St. John’s ministries will come together for our Ministry Day, a whole morning of reflection. Fr. Ivan Almo, Pastor of Annunciation Parish, Altamonte Springs, will be the speaker. This time of reflection is designed to renew and rejuvenate our volunteers in their ongoing commitment to serve in our parish. In addition, it is a way for me to thank each one for their dedication.

On the weekend of 14/15 September, we also have our Ministry Fair after each Mass. Please be prepared to stay after Mass to visit Holy Cross Hall. The Fair is an opportunity for you to learn about each of our ministries and cherish our deeply committed parishioners who carry out the 60+ ministries here at St. John’s.

Some of our ministries need many new volunteers, while others do not. Even for the latter, there will be ministry representatives present to explain what their ministry is all about. Last weekend, you heard me talk about the two new ministries we have launched (You Cared for Me and CarePortal). Be sure to stop by and learn more about them, for they need many to help carry out the purpose and the activities of the ministries.

What a blessing it is to belong to a parish community that cares for all areas of our parishioners’ lives!

We have just one more weekend to reach/exceed our Holy Hour Challenge of 2,000 hours of Adoration. I am so proud of those who have responded in some way to help us meet this challenge. But I need to remind everyone: wherever you do you your adoration, in the Church or in the Chapel, log in your time. You can do that on the log-in form or on the iPad by the entrance to the Adoration Chapel. Or you can simply write down the date and your time. Then call or stop by the office to let us record your time for you. In this way, we will know when we reach our goal.

Why are we making this huge effort? It is my heart’s desire that we show our love for the Lord in the Eucharist, and let Him increase our love for Him though the holy act of Adoration. Remember what St. Padre Pio said: “A Holy Hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament is worth more than a thousand years of human glory.”

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 1, 2024

Sat, 31 Aug 2024 21:44:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

After journeying for the past 5 weeks with the spectacularly amazing Chapter 6 of the Gospel of our patron, St. John the Evangelist, which presents the “Bread of Life Discourse,” we now trace our way back to St. Mark’s Gospel. Do you remember? This is Year B in the Cycle of Sunday scripture readings, and the Gospel of Mark is the primary Gospel for this cycle.

The last time we were reading from the Gospel of Mark, it was the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (21st July 2024). Now, on the 22nd Sunday, we are reading from Mark, Chapter 7. This chapter gives us food for thought about disregarding what God has said and following human traditions instead. (Mk 7:8)

Later in the chapter, Jesus gives us some wonderful words to digest, words that are particularly appropriate for our times. He addresses harsh words to the Pharisees and Scribes of His day, saying, “From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.” (Mk 7: 21-23) Does this not make you think of what is happening these days? Of what has become of our country?

Why are we regressing so much regarding our morals and faith life? Why is it hard for people to be committed to their faith life and live what they profess? Why is it hard for us to joyfully celebrate the Eucharist? How can abortion be allowed and performed, without a shudder of conscience, on a child who could survive outside the womb on his/her own? Is this not murder? Since when have we become nation so depraved? Moses, in the first reading from Deuteronomy, says , “For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the Lord, our God, is to us? Or what great nation has statutes and decrees that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today?” (Dt 4:7-8) Do we not live in a nation that was once proud of our inherited Judeo-Christian faith? Where are we heading now? Who is calling us to stand in the breach and be the beacon of light and hope?

Please continue to pray for our nation and our state, especially as we prepare for the elections.

There is great rejoicing this weekend in the Congregation of Holy Cross as five of our young men make their Final Vows on Saturday, August 31 at 1:30 pm EDT, professing perpetual vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience, at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. We thank the good Lord for calling them into service. We congratulate Richard Bevington, C.S.C.; Noah Junge, C.S.C.; Br. Bobby McFadden, C.S.C.; Aaron Morris, C.S.C.; and David Murray, C.S.C. Having discerned God’s call during their years in formation, these young men are now prepared to devote the rest of their lives to God as finally-professed members of the Congregation of Holy Cross.

I am very excited to announce two new ministries for our parish. These ministries are designed to further reveal the goodness of our hearts here at St. John’s. I have been praying about them for a long time, and I now have identified people who can lead these ministries.

The first of these two ministries is “You Cared For Me” (YCFM). The inspiration for this name comes from Chapter 7 the Gospel of Matthew, when Jesus describes how He will judge us on the Last Day. Among the five criteria for those who will be rewarded for following Him is this one: I was ill and you cared for me.

I am very grateful to Debbie Hogan and Elisabete Camedo, who have graciously accepted my invitation to lead this ministry. It is a ministry of presence. Our volunteers will visit, in a home, hospital, or nursing facility, those in need of attentive, listening ears (and hearts) or for someone to pray with them. It is meant to bring the comfort of support, love and prayers from all of us here at St. John’s. Our ministry volunteers will visit one person at a time, at a time mutually agreed upon. The visit may be short or may last for up to two hours or so. The volunteers will just listen, engage in pleasant conversation, and/or offer to pray with the person they are visiting.

The second new ministry is CarePortal: The CarePortal program is a privately founded service designed to help children and their families, foster children and their foster families, veterans, people with disabilities, and senior citizens. Supported by the State of Florida, CarePortal is a remarkable technology platform that allows a local parish to respond to families and individuals in the local community who are facing challenges. Typical among the needs requested through CarePortal are bedding, groceries, personal hygiene supplies, diapers, formula, and the like. I am very grateful to Bob and Leona Fenbers for graciously accepting my request to lead this ministry, which will work like this: a core team of our Care Portal volunteers will choose which of the requests we can respond to. They will then reach out to the members of our community for donations. Once these have been dropped off at the Church, another team of volunteers will deliver the items to the homes of those who requested them.

You will be able to learn more, and sign up to participate in either of these new ministries, at our Ministry Fair the weekend of 14/15 September, which happens after each Mass that weekend.

Our parish challenge of offering 2,000 hours of Adoration by 15 September is still on. I thank those who came on Tuesday for the Behold the Lamb of God adoration program. It was simply breathtaking. Thanks to Heidi and her team for creating such a reverent and beautiful experience.

Given the size of our parish, we should be able to easily complete a more challenging goal, such as 5,000 hours of Adoration! Where are you, beloved parishioners? Come, come and give Our Lord at least an hour of your precious time. He will not ignore such a gift. If only we could know what such a gift does for us! Remember what Pope Benedict XVI said: “The act of adoration outside Mass prolongs and intensifies all that takes place during the Mass.”

Have a Blessed Week,

With Love,

Fr. John

Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 25, 2024

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 16:45:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

The five-week-long reflection on the 6th Chapter of the Gospel of John, known as the Bread of Life Discourse, is coming to an end today. I pray that by now you know why this chapter in the Gospel of John is so vital to us Catholics, who pin the very foundation of our faith on the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the hinge pin on which our faith turns. Indeed, in the Eucharist Jesus has left His beating heart, so that we may know how much He desires for us to commune with Him through this foretaste of heaven itself. It is why we call the Eucharist “the source and summit “ of our Christian Faith.

On this 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, we are drawn to the peak of the discussion about how appalling, disgusting, and shocking it was for those listening to Jesus to hear Him offer His own body to be eaten as food and His own blood to be their drink. In these closing verses of John Chapter 6, the crucial moment arrives: will they stay with Jesus or leave Him because of His claim to be the bread from heaven that one must eat in order to gain eternal life?

Jesus does not back down on His claim to be the Son of God whose body we must eat and whose blood we must drink to be saved. The Gospel tells us, “As a result of this, many of His disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied Him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, ‘Do you also want to leave?’ Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you the Holy One of God.’ ” (John 6: 66-69). Thus, Peter makes his iconic and most fundamental choice.

One of my favorite passages in the Book of Joshua is presented in the first reading this weekend. The passage gives us a perfect picture of being faced with the option of going this way or that. Joshua posed this challenge to the Israelites: Decide today whom you will serve. He then makes his most decisive choice clear as he says: : “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Have you made your choice? For real? Like the many disciples who returned to their former way of life, many Catholics have left and are still leaving the Faith. Why? Is it because they have not understood the claim of Jesus? If they believed in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, how could they leave? They seem to have opted instead for places that offer a temporary calm, or a music that thrills, or a talk that gives them an emotional high. But they don’t have what we have: Jesus Himself. This is why the Eucharist is so dear to us. Everything revolves around the Eucharist for us. We have the ultimate food that nourishes us for eternal life.

Talking about the choices we make provides a perfect segue into another choice that we as Floridians have to make. Just as we choose Jesus Christ over any other good in life, we are also called to defend the sanctity of human life above all challenges.

Amendment 4 to the Florida Constitution which proposes to make abortion a right under the state Constitution: “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.” I believe that the proposed amendment is extreme and written in a manner that is misleading. As I read it, the amendment would:

I ask you to become well informed about Amendment 4. As for me, I will vote NO to Amendment 4.

Also, our bishop John Noonan and all the bishops of Florida have noted that: “This proposal directly contradicts the Gospel of Life and the teachings of the Catholic Church. In response to this critical moment, we are called not only to oppose this amendment but also to actively promote a culture of life rooted in the profound truths of our Catholic faith. The sacredness of life is not, has never been and can never be relegated to a political issue. Thus, it is entirely appropriate to address this as a matter of learning and understanding our Catholic faith.”

Hence, I request you, my dear brothers and sisters, please make every effort to get to know what is at stake. Remaining in Jesus through the Eucharist builds a community of love, unity, and respect for all life. This communion fosters solidarity and justice, creating a society where each person, including one yet to be born, is valued and protected. A civilization of love is built on the foundation of Christ's sacrificial love, which calls us to support life- affirming policies and practices. Just as the Eucharist is central to our spiritual life, so too the recognition of the sanctity of human life is essential to our moral life.

We often forget how scandalous the gospel message truly is, even to modern ears. It challenges us profoundly and places an option before us: trust in the God who has led us thus far or leave Him and His teachings for what feels more comfortable. It is only by and through God’s grace that we can take on the scandal of the gospel and fashion our lives around it.

Just as the disciples had to decide whether to accept Jesus' challenging teachings or walk away, so we too must choose to uphold or walk away from the Church’s teaching on the sacredness of life, to recognize or deny that every human life is a gift from God. We are called to be strong, even when societal pressures push us toward comfort and convenience. So I ask you: please vote NO to Amendment 4, and give this state a chance of being redeemed. Otherwise, Florida will become a place where the merciless killing of helpless children while they are babies in the womb will become commonplace, and we will share in that egregious assault on life.

In closing, are you on board to help the parish reach our goal of offering 2,000 hours of Adoration by 15 September? Let me remind you of the Holy Hour Challenge begun on 6 August, the Feast of the Assumption of our Lady. How many Holy Hours can you give to Jesus by 15 September? If you have not been able to be part of this beautiful way of showing love for our Eucharistic Lord, it is not too late to begin! If your time is tight and you can’t give a full hour, you can break it into smaller segments, such as 15 minutes a day or so until you complete an hour. Once you make an hour, please log in your name, write it in the register kept in front of the Adoration Chapel or call the office. Pope Benedict XVI said it so well: “The act of adoration outside Mass prolongs and intensifies all that takes place during the liturgical celebration itself.”

Have a Blessed Week!

Fr. John

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 18, 2024

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 18:05:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

We take time this weekend to thank Fr. Vincent Nguyen, C.S.C., for his ministry among us. Fr. Vincent came to St. John the Evangelist in April 2022 and since then has been ministering to our wonderful people of Viera in various ways. As he moves to his next assignment at Sacred Heart Parish in Colorado Springs, CO, we wish God’s blessings upon him and offer prayers for his safe travels.

Holy Cross priests have been serving Sacred Heart Parish in Colorado Springs for many years, and this year they are celebrating their 40th Anniversary. Sacred Heart Parish has that special flavor found in the communities of the Colorado foothills and mountainsides. The parish consists of three churches: Sacred Heart Church in Colorado Springs, Holy Rosary Chapel in Cascade, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chapel in Manitou Springs. Fr. Vincent is familiar with this area, as the Holy Cross Novitiate is located in Colorado Springs. He spent his Novitiate year there, and it was there that he professed his First Vows on 1st August 2015.

We wish Fr. Vincent many years of joyful service to the people of God in Colorado. Thank you, Fr. Vincent, for your ministry to us! May God abundantly bless you in your ongoing effort to represent and preach HIM who is Crucified and Risen.

This weekend is a busy one for the parents whose children are beginning their Religious Education classes. We pray that the hearts of both the children and their parents will open wide to receive the graces that flow from the learning experiences our religious education program provides. We are grateful to our parents and grandparents who take great care to ensure that their children/grandchildren receive the best formation in Faith during their formative years. I thank our Religious Education Team consisting of our staff members, Kelli and Schonda, and the numerous, wonderful catechists and volunteers who dedicate their time, treasure, and talents to educate our children in the Faith.

We offer our congratulations to George Bowdren, who received the Family of the Month Award for August 2024 last Sunday (11 August 2024) at the 11 a.m. Mass. George is one of our founding members and a volunteer over the years in many parish ministries. Thank you, George, for all you are to us!

This weekend we celebrate the 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time. We continue reflecting on the vitally important Chapter 6 from the Gospel of John which is fundamental to our understanding of the source and summit of our Catholic faith, namely, the Eucharist. In verses 51-58, Jesus continues to insist that he is the Bread come down from heaven. It is in this passage that we first hear the words that so shocked those listening to him: “whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” We hear the the reactions of the people for whom these words were blasphemous to their ears. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus’ response does not mollify their agitated spirits but only aggravates them as he says: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.”

Reflecting on these words might prompt us to ask: what does Jesus mean when he calls his flesh and blood “true”? Fr. Erick J. Wagner offers an answer. He says that Jesus refers to the manna eaten by his listeners’ ancestors in the wilderness to help convey his point.

That food, although divinely provided, did not spare the people from death. To consume something provided by God is not enough to attain eternal life. More is needed. Life eternal calls for consuming God. Jesus is speaking of ultimate things. The wisdom of the banquet of his body and blood, therefore, is not simply about human nourishment. His “true” food does not simply fill our mouths and stomachs for meaningful social interactions Nor is the Lord’s body and blood solely spiritual food, though it does fill us with the Spirit to give thanks to the Lord The banquet of Jesus’ body and blood – the true food and true drink of God – draws us through death into resurrection and the fullness of eternal life. To be filled with his body and blood is to be filled with life eternal, to experience lasting nourishment within, to enjoy the promise of resurrection, and to remain in him.”

What a blessing it is to be a Catholic and be able to consume God himself in the Eucharist!

Once again, I would like to remind each one of the Holy Hour Challenge that we began on 6 August, the Feast of the Assumption of our Lady. How many Holy Hours can you give to Jesus from 6 August – 15 September? Have you responded to this challenge yet? If not, why wait? Please go to our website and sign up at https:// www.stjohnviera.org/adoration. Pope Benedict XVI said it so well: “The act of adoration outside Mass prolongs and intensifies all that takes place during the liturgical celebration itself.”

I sincerely thank those who attended the Re-FOCCUS Marriage Enrichment session for our parish couples this Saturday. The theme was Forgiveness in Marriage, and the session was presented by Fr. Arul Raj Gali, C.S.C. We greatly value and honor the marriages lived by our parishioners. There are many things in this world that work again living out your marriages according to Christian way of life. Please hang on to your marriages, for they are an unfailing source of stability for our community. Above all, stable marriages are most beneficial for our children. I thank all who hold on to their marriages despite all the challenges involved. I ask everyone to join me in praying for difficult marriages. And for every family, we pray that the Lord will continue to strengthen them with his presence, day in and day out.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 11, 2024

Sat, 10 Aug 2024 18:19:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

This time of year, our children are returning to school, and we wish them God’s blessing on their new school year and protection from all harm, spiritual and other. We extend a warm welcome to all the children beginning their Faith Formation classes here at St. John’s.

This weekend we celebrate the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time. For the last two weeks, and in this and the following week, we are treated to the most critical theological passages in the New Testament — namely, Chapter 6 of the Gospel according to St. John.

This Sunday, we read the passage where Jesus insists that he has been sent by the Father as the bread that came down from heaven. This really shook up those listening to Jesus. By saying this, Jesus in fact is claiming to be divine. Moreover, he firmly states that no one can have eternal life without coming to him. (John 6:41- 51)

In our first reading this weekend is from 1 Kings 19. In it, we are given a glimpse of why Jesus calls all to partake in this new bread from heaven. The prophet Elijah has been journeying through the desert, trying to escape those trying to kill him. Worn out by the burden of the burden of fear and the difficulty of the journey , he just gives up, saying “This is enough, O Lord!” Then God sends an angel with a hearth cake and a jug of water to sustain him. The angel tells Elijah, “Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you!” (1 Kings 19: 4-8)

Isn’t this true of our Catholic lives, too? We are journeying through this arduous life, at times reeling under the weight of all our preoccupations and challenges. We feel like just giving up on our Catholic faith. Do we not then sound like Elijah when he said, This is enough, O Lord? But then comes the reassuring word of our Father: “Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you.” Jesus has given us his own body and blood as the food to sustain us on our journey to our true homeland. Who would not desire to take advantage of this precious gift? Let us not hesitate to approach the table of the Lord in the Eucharist. May hunger for Jesus in the Eucharist far exceed our weariness. May He continue to satiate our hunger and awaken within us an ever-deeper longing to be close to him.

Last Tuesday, 6 August, was the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. On that day we began a special month-long event to celebrate God-with-us in tangible form in the Eucharist: A Holy Hour Challenge! How many Holy Hours can you give to Jesus from 6 August – 15 September? Have you responded to this challenge yet? If not, why wait? Please go to our website and sign up at https://www.stjohnviera.org/adoration . Pope Benedict XVI said it so well: “The act of adoration outside Mass prolongs and intensifies all that takes place during the liturgical celebration itself.”

We thank all our men participating in the Christ Renews His Parish Weekend. Like the women last weekend, they too are having a spiritual blast! We are grateful to the Team that is hosting the event. Each Team commits to and carries out a 6-month-long preparation for each weekend. This preparation is designed both to aid their own spiritual growth and to ensure that each weekend is an absolutely unforgettable experience for the participants. May the participants and team members alike carry the fire ignited during this weekend out to their families and friends, sharing with them their renewed love of the Lord.

In an effort to enhance and strengthen the marriages of our parish families, we have invited Fr. Arul Raj Gali, C.S.C. to speak to us on the importance of practicing forgiveness in marriages. The event is from 10:00 am to Noon on Saturday, 17 August 2024. We are created for relationship, but in the course of building a good marriage, we inevitably are wounded. In order to keep moving forward, we cannot simply sit and nurse our wounds. The only way forward is to learn how to forgive. Fr. Arul Raj is the National Secretary to the Conference of Catholic Bishops India and has been involved in the Retrouvaille and World-Wide Marriage Enrichment programs. Please do not pass up this opportunity to help keep your marriage on the right track – even the best marriages will find lasting benefit.

Did you participate in our long journey of reading in small, easily digestible doses the wisdom from one of the greatest theologians of our times? Over the last two summers, we have read one of Pope Benedict XVI’s masterpieces, the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis . The concluding portion was in our 4 August 2024 Bulletin. I sincerely hope that you read these little portions as an aide to renewing a grateful appreciation of the great gift of the Eucharist. Just in case you did not, or if you missed reading some of it, here is the link to this great treasure. Reading it will help you relish every moment of the Celebration of the Eucharist:

https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben-xvi_exh_20070222_sacramentum-caritatis.html

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 4, 2024

Sun, 04 Aug 2024 15:13:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your prayers for all of us who were on the pilgrimage to Ireland. It was such a blessing for us to pray for all of you at thesacred sanctuaries of Ireland. At thesame it, it is very good tobeback with you again!

What a blessing to have 4 August 2024 fall on a Sunday this weekend! It is the feast day of St. John Marie Vianney, the Patron Saint of Priests. It gives me an opportunity to ask you to pray to this holy man of God for all the priests in your life, past and present. Please don’t forget toprayfor Fr. Vincent and me, that wemay bemen whose heartsmirror the merciful heart of Jesus.

Speaking of men of God, I extend my heartfelt thanks to Fr. Pascal for his generosity in helping to cover the ministerial need of the parish while I was away. Let us pray for him as he now resumes work on his Master’s Degree thesis as well as for his ministry in the Congregation of Holy Cross. Fr. Pascal, may you continue toblessall you encounter.

This weekend is also the beginning of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time. We continue delving into Chapter 6 of John’s gospel. Specifically, in John 6:24-35, we hear Jesusproclaimhimself to bethe true bread of life. Our Lord showsthat just as God the Father provided for the people of Israel in the desert, so he unfailingly provides for us as he nourishes our souls with the Eucharist, His very self. Let usembracethe Lord in the Eucharist without hesitation: it is HE who can saveus!

Tuesday 6 August is the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. St. Peter testifies to the truth of this mystery when in his 2nd Letter he writes

For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that unique declaration came to him from the majestic glory, “This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven while we were with him on theholymountain. (2 Peter 1:17-18)

I invite everyone to pray the Luminous Mysteries with the Rosary on this day and to ask our resplendent Lord to transfigure our lives, that oneday wemayparticipatefully in His glory.

Also on 6 August, we will begin a special month-long event to celebrate God-with-us in tangible form in the Eucharist: a Holy Hour Challenge! How many Holy Hours can our parishioners make from 6 August – 6 September ? Are you willing to take up this challenge? What better way to continue the spirit of the Eucharistic Revival following the National Eucharistic Congress! How many hours are you willing to give Jesus? See the Eucharistic Adoration page on our website https:// www.stjohnviera.org/ adoration.

We thank all our women who are participating in the Christ Renews His Parish Weekend. I am sure they are having a spiritual blast! We are grateful to the Team that is hosting the event. Each Team commits to and carries out a 6-month-long preparation for each weekend. Thispreparation is designed toaid their own spiritual growth and toensure that each weekend is an absolutely unforgettable experience for the participants. May all carry the fire ignited during this weekend out to their families and friends, sharing with themtheirrenewed loveof the Lord.

Let us now return to our reading of Pope Benedict XVI’s masterpiece, the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis. As I have explained previously, we are providing you with this beautiful exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI in easily digestible portions as an aide to renewing agrateful appreciation of the great gift of the Eucharist.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T A T I S ( T H E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T HE E U C H A R I ST )

CONTINUATION OF THE POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS OF THE HOLY FATHER BENEDICT XVI TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY, CONSECRATED PERSONS AND THE LAY FAITHFUL ON THE EUCHARIST AS THE SOURCE AND SUMMIT OF THE CHURCH'S LIFE AND MISSION

P A R T T W O : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E C E L E B R A T E D ( c on t i n u e d )

"Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven" (Jn 6:32)

THE EUCHARIST, A MYSTERY TO BE OFFERED TO THE WORLD

CONCLUSION

94. Dear brothersand sisters, the Eucharist is at the rootof every form of holiness, and eachof us is called to the fullness of life in the Holy How many saints have advanced along the way of perfection thanks to their eucharistic devotion! From Saint Ignatius of Antioch to Saint Augustine, from Saint Anthony Abbot to Saint Benedict, from Saint Francis of Assisi to Saint Thomas Aquinas, from Saint Clare of Assisi to Saint Catherine of Siena, from Saint Paschal Baylon to Saint Peter Julian Eymard, from Saint Alphonsus Liguori to Blessed Charles de Foucauld, from Saint John Mary Vianneyto Saint Thérèseof Lisieux, from Saint Piusof Pietrelcina to Blessed Teresaof Calcutta, from Blessed Piergiorgio Frassati to Blessed Ivan Merz, to name only a few, holiness has always found its centre in the sacrament of the Eucharist.

This most holymystery thus needs to befirmly believed, devoutly celebrated and intensely lived in the Church. Jesus' gift ofhimself in the sacrament which is the memorial of his passion tells us that the success of our lives is found in our participation in the trinitarian life offered to us truly and definitively in him. The celebration and worship of the Eucharist enable us to draw near to God's love and to persevere in that love until we are united with the Lord whom we love. The offering of our lives, our fellowship with the whole community of believers and our solidarity with all men and women are essential aspects of thatlogiké latreía, spiritual worship, holy and pleasing to God (cf. Rom 12:1), which transforms every aspect of our human existence, to the glory of God. I therefore ask all pastors to spare no effort in promoting an authentically eucharistic Christian spirituality. Priests, deacons and all those who carry out a eucharistic ministry should always be able to find in this service, exercised with care and constant preparation, the strength and inspiration needed for their personal and communal path of sanctification. I exhort the lay faithful, and families in particular, to find ever anew in the sacrament of Christ's love the energy needed to make their lives an authentic sign of the presence of the risen Lord. I ask all consecrated men and womentoshowby their eucharistic lives the splendour and the beauty ofbelonging totally to the Lord.

95. At the beginning of the fourth century, Christian worship was still forbidden by the imperial Some Christians in North Africa, who felt bound to celebrate the Lord's Day, defied the prohibition. They were martyred after declaring that it was not possible for them to live without the Eucharist, the food of the Lord: sine dominico non possumus. (252) May these martyrs of Abitinae, in union with all those saints and beati who made the Eucharist the centre of their lives, intercede for us and teach us to be faithful to our encounter with the risen Christ. We too cannot live without partaking of the sacrament of our salvation; we too desire to beiuxta dominicam viventes, to reflect in our lives what we celebrate on the Lord's Day. That day is the day of our definitive deliverance. Is it surprising, then, that we should wish to live every dayin that newnessof life which Christ has brought us in themysteryofthe Eucharist?

96. May Mary Most Holy, the Immaculate Virgin, ark of the new and eternal covenant, accompany us on our way to meet the Lord who In her we find realized most perfectly the essence of the Church. The Church sees in Mary – "Woman of the Eucharist," as she was called by the Servant of God John Paul II (253) – her finest icon, and she contemplates Mary as a singular model of the eucharistic life. For this reason, as the priest prepares to receive on the altar the verum Corpus natum de Maria Virgine, speaking on behalf of the liturgical assembly, he says in the words of the canon: "We honour Mary, the ever-virgin mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God" (254). Her holy name is also invoked and venerated in the canons of the Eastern Christian traditions. The faithful, for their part, "commend to Mary, Mother of the Church, their lives and the work of their hands. Striving to have the same sentiments as Mary, they help thewhole community to become a living offering pleasing to the Father" (255). She is the tota pulchra, the all-beautiful, for in her the radiance of God's glory shines forth. The beauty of the heavenly liturgy, which must be reflected in our own assemblies, is faithfully mirrored in her. From Mary we must learn to become men and women of the Eucharist and of the Church, and thus to present ourselves, in the words of Saint Paul, "holy and blameless" before the Lord, even ashe wished us tobe fromthe beginning (cf. Col 1:22; Eph 1:4) (256).

97. Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may the Holy Spirit kindle within us the same ardour experienced by the disciples on the way to Emmaus (cf. Lk 24:13-35) and renew our "eucharistic wonder" through the splendour and beauty radiating from the liturgical rite, the efficacious sign of the infinite beauty of the holy mystery of God. Those disciples arose and returned in haste to Jerusalem in order to share their joy with their brothers and sisters in the faith. True joy is found in recognizing that the Lord is still with us, our faithful companion along the way. The Eucharist makes us discover that Christ, risen from the dead, is our contemporary in the mystery of the Church, his body. Of this mystery of love we have become witnesses. Let us encourage one another to walk joyfully, our hearts filled with wonder, towards our encounter with the Holy Eucharist, so that we may experience and proclaim to others the truth of the words with which Jesus took leave of his disciples: "Lo, I am with you always, until the end of theworld" (Mt28:20).

Given in Rome, at Saint Peter's, on 22 February, the Feast of the Chair of Peter, in the year 2007, thesecondofmy Pontificate.

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

(252) Martyrium Saturnini, Dativi et aliorum plurimorum, 7, 9, 10: PL 8, 707, 709-710.

(253) John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia (17 April 2003), 53: AAS 95 (2003), 469.

(254) Eucharistic Prayer I (Roman Canon).

(255) Propositio 50

(256) Benedict XVI, Homily (8 December 2005): AAS 98 (2006), 15.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 28, 2024

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 15:07:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

Today, 28 July 2024, we will take a little time to recognize our grandparents and elders as we celebrate the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. Did you know that growing into your senior years is a sign of blessing? That you still have many gifts to give?

Today, let us thank God for our Elders in Faith who have instilled in us the knowledge and values of our faith. Let us thank them for continuing to give prominence to worshiping our Lord.

This weekend, please pray for all our elderly and grandparents. Make time to visit them where they live. Bring gifts or flowers to express your appreciation and love. If you cannot be there in person, make a phone call to tell them that you love them. As for me, I will be praying for all of you, our elderly and grandparents, from Ireland. You are amazing. You are God’s Blessing to us.

Providentially, just after the conclusion of the 10th National Eucharistic Congress, we will dive deeply into the Gospel of John, Chapter 6, for the next 5 weekends. We will be taking in all that our patron Saint presents in this enormously significant portion of the gospel that we refer to as the Bread of Life Discourse. If you watched last Saturday evening’s session of the Congress, you heard Jonathan Roumie give a dramatic reading of the conclusion of this chapter. Over the next 5 weeks, we have the opportunity to wrestle with and eventually interiorize the key truths of our faith found in John Chapter 6.

This weekend, the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we will read John 6:1-15, which describes the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. This prepares us to delve into Jesus’ own teaching about the Real Presence and its necessity for our lives. Jesus, the Word of God made flesh, will provide a new manna, his flesh “for the life of the world” (John 6:51b). Be prepared to experience a great treat as we listen to God’s own teaching about this new manna.

As I announced last weekend, Fr. Vincent is moving to Sacred Heart Parish in Colorado Springs, CO. Fr. Vincent did his Novitiate in 2014-15 in Colorado Springs and is familiar with this parish and the area. His last weekend with us will be August 17/18, as he has to be at his new parish by 31 August 2024. So that all will have an opportunity to thank him for his ministry with us, we will gather to bid Fr. Vincent farewell on Sunday, 18 August 2024, from 2-4 p.m. in Holy Cross Hall. Let us continue to pray for him as he moves to another wonderful opportunity to serve and grow in priestly experience.

We will now return to our reading of Pope Benedict XVI’s masterpiece, the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis. As I have previously explained, we are providing you with this beautiful exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI in easily digestible portions as an aide to renewing a grateful appreciation of the great gift of the Eucharist.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T A T I S ( T H E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T HE E U C H A R I ST )

CONTINUATION OF THE POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS OF THE HOLY FATHER BENEDICT XVI TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY, CONSECRATED PERSONS AND THE LAY FAITHFUL ON THE EUCHARIST AS THE SOURCE AND SUMMIT OF THE CHURCH'S LIFE AND MISSION

P A R T T W O : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E C E L E B R A T E D ( c on t i n u e d )
"Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven" (Jn 6:32)

THE EUCHARIST, A MYSTERY TO BE OFFERED TO THE WORLD

THE FOOD OF TRUTH AND HUMAN NEED

The food of truth demands that we denounce inhumane situations in which people starve to death because of injustice and exploitation, and it gives us renewed strength and courage to work tirelessly in the service of the civilization of love. From the beginning, Christians were concerned to share their goods (cf. Acts 4:32) and to help the poor (cf. Rom 15:26). The alms collected in our liturgical assemblies are an eloquent reminder of this, and they are also necessary for meeting today's needs. The Church's charitable institutions, especially Caritas, carry out at various levels the important work of assisting the needy, especially the poorest. Inspired by the Eucharist, the sacrament of charity, they become a concrete expression of that charity; they are to be praised and encouraged for their commitment to solidarity inourworld.

THE CHURCH'S SOCIAL TEACHING

THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE WORLD AND THE PROTECTION OF CREATION

THE USEFULNESS OF A EUCHARISTIC COMPENDIUM

(246) Benedict XVI, Address to the Diplomatic Corps Accredited to the Holy See (9 January 2006): AAS 98 (2006),

(247) ibid

(248) Propositio 48. In this regard, the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church has proved most helpful.

(249) Propositio 43.

Propositio 47.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 21, 2024

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 11:09:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

I ask for your prayers for our country. Please implore the Holy Spirit to pour out His power for peace, civil concord, and hope at this time of shock, horror, and sadness as a result of the assassination attempt on our former president, Donald Trump, on Saturday, 13 July 2024. What happened is absolutely appalling and to be soundly condemned. We offer our prayers for his speedy recovery, for the needs of those injured, and for those who were killed. We pray for protection for everyone. We know that every life is precious and that it is our duty to safeguard every life from inception to natural death. Therefore, let us continue to pray for an end to every kind of violence everywhere and for the healing of all divisions in our land.

Congratulations to Tiffany and Anthony Moran and Tiffany’s parents, Terri and Tom Wieckowski, who were honored with the Family of the Month Award for July 2024. We are truly blessed by their faithfulness to our parish, travelling from Orlando and Merritt Island to join us in worship and to serve in our community. I thank them for all that they do to help our parish be an outstanding source of spiritual growth and good fellowship.

The Scamsters are at it again! They will never stop doing trying to get you to fall into their devilish traps. Once again, I request you to be very cautious and watchful. They have only sharpened their skills at scamming people with requests that seem very real. They are able to imitate my email, phone messages, and text messages, seeking to make you believe it is me. Please! before you take any action, call me if you have any doubts about the authenticity of a request that appears to come from me. Learn what the tell-tales are for fraudulent messages, and even if these are not present, check with me if you are not certain.

The much anticipated “10th National Eucharistic Congress” is coming to an end. It has been a huge blessing for all Catholics in the United States. Its goal has been to restore/enkindle belief in Jesus’ Real Presence in the Eucharist and to stir up the faith of those who already believe so it bursts into flames. May this be achieved first of all in our parish.

It was heartwarming to see so many thousands gathered at the Congress on 17-21 July 2024 in Indianapolis. We pray that it truly rekindles, reaffirms and restores the proper understanding of who Jesus is and how his undying love for us is beautifully and visibly expressed through the gift of Himself in the Eucharist.

I am grateful to our own parishioners who made the sacrifice to personally attend the Congress. I am sure many of us accompanied the Congress very closely through social media as well. Obviously, this Congress is not the end of the story. All of us are now called to set out as missionaries of the Eucharist, to become the Eucharist to each and every one we meet.

On the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Scripture readings invite us to know how God looks after us. The image of the Good Shepherd is one of the most powerful images in the Scriptures in of the Father’s deep and personal care for us. This image, so beautifully portrayed in Psalm 24 and in Jesus’s parable of the shepherd and the lost sheep, has sustained the faith of people for millennia. Just as we rest in the assurance that our God in Jesus cares for us, we are called to imitate him and to be a good shepherd to all around us.

Have a Blessed Week! With love,

Fr. John

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 14, 2024

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 23:17:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

As we enter the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we are invited to reflect on our responsibility to be witnesses to the transforming presence of God’s love. We are called to imitate the twelve disciples whom Jesus sends out two by two to preach God’s transforming lovebyaskingall theymeet to repent, to turn backto God.

Today we welcome wholeheartedly Fr. Francis Joseph, OCD, who is appealing to us on behalf of the people in Zambia, Africa, where Carmelite priests preach the gospel of God’s love. Please be generous in responding to his appeal. In supporting Fr. Francis Joseph and his missionary brother priests, we are fulfilling our annual out-reach goal of helping to spread the gospel around the globe.

As I write, I am saddened by the news of all the weather-related suffering of so many people in our part of the world. Let us pray for thoseaffected by oppressive heat and devastating storms, especially those impacted by Hurricane Beryl.

Please keep in your prayers all who will gather for the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis on 17-21 July 2024. A Eucharistic Congress is an especially powerful manifestation of the unity of the Church, where a very large number of Catholics gather to worship Our Lord in the Eucharist through the communal celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. These gatherings reaffirm and re-emphasize the source and summit of our faith, teaching where Jesus belongs—at the center of our lives. The United Stateshasnot held a Eucharistic Congress at thenational level since before World War II.

This National Eucharistic Congress is an historic, pivotal, unifying, transformative, and unprecedented event in the life of the U.S. Catholic Church. It is the culmination of the three-year-long Eucharistic Revival with its goal of restoring a vibrant belief in Jesus’s Real Presence in the Eucharist, through which he shares with us His Body, Blood, Souland Divinity.

Let us pray for the success of the Congress and for the safety of all the pilgrim-travelers on their way to and from the Congress, including two of our staff and a few of our parishioners. May we experience the superabundant outpouring of grace that will flow fromthis massive, public gathering designed to affirm and celebrate Jesus’s ongoing Presence amongusin the Eucharist!

Let us now return to our reading of Pope Benedict XVI’s masterpiece, the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis. As I have previously explained, we are providing you with this beautiful exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI in easily digestible portions as an aide to renewing agrateful appreciation of the great gift of the Eucharist.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T A T I S ( T H E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T HE E U C H A R I ST )

P A R T T W O : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E C E L E B R A T E D ( c on t i n u e d )

"Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven;

my Father gives you the true bread from heaven" (Jn 6:32)

THE EUCHARIST, A MYSTERY TO BE OFFERED TO THE WORLD

THE EUCHARIST, BREAD BROKEN FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD

THE SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE EUCHARISTIC MYSTERY

In discussing the social responsibility of all Christians, the Synod Fathers noted that the sacrifice of Christ is a mystery of liberation that constantly and insistently challenges us. I therefore urge all the faithful to be true promoters of peace and justice: "All who partake of the Eucharist must commit themselves to peacemaking in our world scarred by violence and war, and today in particular, by terrorism, economic corruption and sexual exploitation." (245) All these problems give rise in turn to others no less troubling and disheartening. We know that there can be no superficial solutions to these issues. Precisely because of the mystery we celebrate, we must denounce situations contrary to human dignity, since Christ shed his blood for all, and at the same time affirm the inestimable value of each individual person.

(240) Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est (25 December 2005), 18: AAS 98 (2006),

(241) ibid, 14.

(242) During the Synod sessions we heard very moving and significant testimonies about the effectiveness of the Eucharist in In this regard, Propositio 49 states that: "Thanks to eucharistic celebrations, peoples engaged in conflict have been able to gather around the word of God, hear his prophetic message of reconciliation through gratuitous forgiveness, and receive the grace of conversion which allows them to share in the same bread and cup."

(243) Propositio 48.

(244) Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est (25 December 2005), 28: AAS 98 (2006),

(245) Propositio 48

Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time - July 7, 2024

Sat, 06 Jul 2024 12:16:00 GMT

Dear Friends,
The 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time invites us to ponder the mystery of Christ. He is not a mere prophet, or only a spectacular
miracle worker, or just a profoundly gifted teacher. As Christians, we are asked to delve deeper: to know that He IS God and to
understand His presence with us as God.
St. Paul was graced with this special insight from the moment of his encounter with Christ. As a result, he was willing to surrender
everything to Christ and bear all hardships for HIS name. In return, Paul was gifted with an amazing way of speaking to God and
hearing from Him. He heard Christ tell him: “MY grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” Are we able to
echo this truth?
I am profoundly grateful to Justin and Amanda Libak and their team for all they did to prepare and guide our 4th of July
celebration. As always, there were scores of people who volunteered to feed us, entertain us, lead us in prayer, and ensure our
safety. Thank you, each one!
This is the first time we have celebrated our Independence Day with a St. John the Evangelist flair. It was wonderful to see your
response and participation. Thanks to all who attended and all who donated water, sodas, and cookies. What an amazing parish
community we have!
As we move forward through the rest of the year, let us continue to thank God for the freedom we cherish. Let us strive to
safeguard what we have: One Nation, Under God; the Land of the Free, the Home of the Brave; and the ultimate truth: IN GOD
WE TRUST.
Let us now return to where we left off in our reading of Pope Benedict XVI’s masterpiece, the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation
Sacramentum Caritatis. As I pointed out previously, we are providing you with this beautiful exhortation in easily digestible
portions as an aid to renewing a grateful appreciation of the gift of the Eucharist.
Have a Blessed Week!
With love,
Fr. John

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 30, 2024

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 16:45:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

The 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B, brings us a wonderful and reaffirming message of hope: a message that God LOVES LIFE and HATES DEATH. In our first reading, the Book of Wisdom (1: 13-15; 2: 23-24 puts it marvelously:

God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living. For he fashioned all things that they might have being; and the creatures of the world are wholesome, and there is not a destructive drug among them nor any domain of the netherworld on earth, for justice is undying. For God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him. But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who belong to his company experience it.

As I was reading this amazing passage, I thought of a latest hit song titled, “I was Gonna Be,” that helps to brings this message in a new way. Sung by Rachel Holt, an 18-year-old girl from Indiana, and written by Chris Wallin, it has reached number 5 on iTunes’ most-listened-to country songs. Here is a selection from the lyrics:

You can listen to the song at https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM6SPWGQs-A

Yes, dear friends, as we hear in the Gospel today, our God in Jesus continues to cure, heal, and give life. Let us pray for the many who are waiting to be born but are scheduled to be discarded before they can get that chance, and for those who are making a different decision for them, that the Lord may change their hearts.

Congratulations to Schonda and Ronnie Rodriguez who were awarded the family of the month for June 2024. What a blessing they are to our community!

I am so looking forward to celebrating the 4th July with a picnic here at St. John’s. It’s a first for us! Let us use this day to rejoice and be grateful to God for the chances we have been given to BE. I wish you all a very Blessed and Happy Independence Day!

Let us now return to where we left off in our reading of Pope Benedict XVI’s masterpiece, the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis. As I pointed out last week, we are providing you with this beautiful exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI in easily digestible portions as an aide to renewing a grateful appreciation of the gift of the Eucharist.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T A T I S ( T H E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T HE E U C H A R I ST )

P A R T T W O : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E C E L E B R A T E D ( c on t i n u e d )

"Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven" (Jn 6:32)

THE EUCHARIST AND MORAL TRANSFORMATION

This appeal to the moral value of spiritual worship should not be interpreted in a merely moralistic way. It is before all else the joy-filled discovery of love at work in the hearts of those who accept the Lord's gift, abandon themselves to him and thus find true freedom. The moral transformation implicit in the new worship instituted by Christ is a heartfelt yearning to respond to the Lord's love with one's whole being, while remaining ever conscious ofone's own weakness. This is clearly reflected in the Gospel story of Zacchaeus (cf. Lk 19:1- 10). Afterwelcoming Jesus to his home, the tax collector is completely changed: he decides to give half of his possessions to thepoor and to repay fourfold those whom he had defrauded. The moral urgency born of welcoming Jesus into our lives is the fruit of gratitude for having experienced the Lord's unmeritedcloseness.

EUCHARISTIC CONSISTENCY

THE EUCHARIST, A MYSTERY TO BE PROCLAIMED

THE EUCHARIST AND MISSION

(228) Encyclical Letter Veritatis Splendor (6 August 1993), 107: AAS 85 (1993), 1216-1217

(229) Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est (25 December 2005), 14: AAS 98 (2006),

(230) John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Evangelium Vitae (25 March 1995): AAS 87 (1995), 401-522; Benedict XVI, Address to the Pontifical Academy for Life (27 February 2006): AAS 98 (2006), 264-265.

(231) Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Doctrinal Note on Some Questions Regarding the Participation of Catholics in Political Life (24 November 2002): AAS 96 (2004), 359-370.

(232) Propositio 46.

(233) AAS 97 (2005), 711.

(234) Propositio 42.

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 23, 2024

Sat, 22 Jun 2024 11:05:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

Praise God indeed that all our major events for this academic year have come to an end. A huge thanks to all those who made our Vacation Bible School this year a very successful and exciting one for our children.

We are also grateful to God for His wonderful gift of a vocation to Tom Buddington, who is now serving our parish as a deacon.

And we once again state our gratitude to all our fathers and father figures for their love of God and of their families. It was good to recognize them and to pray for them this past Sunday.

As we enter the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, let us lean into our God and keep our focus clearly on HIM even as we experience those storms of life that toss us all around. He is with us in the boat of life. He is asking us: Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith? Let us thank Him for all the blessings we have received as we echo the words of Psalm 107: Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.

As we draw near to the National Eucharistic Congress to be held in July in Indianapolis, IN, let us use the summer break to continue from where we left off in our reading of Pope Benedict XVI’s masterpiece, the Post

-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis . We are providing you with this beautiful exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI in easily digestible portions as an aide to renewing a grateful appreciation of the gift of the Eucharist.

Pope Benedict divides his Exhortation into 3 parts that reflect the harmony among dogma, liturgy, and life. The Eucharist is a mystery to be believed, celebrated, and lived with our whole heart. Pope Benedict pointed out that there is an “intrinsic relationship between Eucharistic faith and Eucharistic celebration Our faith and the eucharistic liturgy both have their source in the same event: Christ's gift of himself in the Paschal Mystery” (SC 34).

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T A T I S ( T H E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T HE E U C H A R I ST )

P A R T T W O : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E C E L E B R A T E D ( c on t i n u e d )

"Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven;
my Father gives you the true bread from heaven" (Jn 6:32)

THE EUCHARIST AND THE LAY FAITHFUL

And because the world is "the field" (Mt 13:38) in which God plants his children as good seed, the Christian laity, by virtue of their Baptism and Confirmation, and strengthened by the Eucharist, are called to live out the radical newness brought by Christ wherever they find themselves. (219) They should cultivate a desire that the Eucharist have an ever deeper effect on their daily lives, making them convincing witnesses in the workplace and in society at large. (220) I encourage families in particular to draw inspiration and strength from this sacrament. The love between man and woman, openness to life, and the raising of children are privileged spheres in which the Eucharist can reveal its power to transform life and give it its full meaning. (221) The Church's pastors should unfailingly support, guide and encourage the lay faithful to live fully their vocation to holiness within this world which God so lovedthat he gave his Son to becomeits salvation (cf.Jn 3:16).

THE EUCHARIST AND PRIESTLYSPIRITUALITY

THE EUCHARIST AND THECONSECRATEDLIFE

(218) Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitutionon the Church Lumen Gentium, 39-42.

(219) John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici (30 December 1988), 14, 16: AAS 81 (1989), 409-413; 416-418.

(220) Propositio 39.

(221) ibid.

(222) The Roman Pontifical, Rites of Ordinationofa Bishop, of Priests andof Deacons, Ordinationof a Priest, 163.

(223) John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis (25 March 1992), 19-33; 70-81: AAS 84 (1992), 686-712; 78-800.

(224) Propositio 38

(225) Propositio Cf. John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Vita Consecrata(25 March 1996), 95: AAS 88 (1996), 470-471.

(226) Codeof Canon Law, 663 § 1.

(227) John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Vita Consecrata(25 March 1996), 34: AAS 88 (1996), 407-408.

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 16, 2024

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 21:20:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

I am immensely grateful for the fitting homage that you offered our beloved Founding Pastor, Fr. Larry through your prayers and your presence at his Funeral Mass on Monday, 10 June 2024. I am also grateful to all who assisted the Funeral Ministry Team: the liturgical ministries, the Parish Life Committee, the Kitchen Crew, the Brother Knights, the Livestreaming Team, the Digital Media, and those who took care of everything else that needed attention. We give thanks to God for calling Fr. Larry to the Congregation of Holy Cross and for his dedicated service to the Church in a variety of ministries. Please continue to pray for his grieving family and for the local community of retired Holy Crosspriests in Cocoa Beach, wherehelived for the last 12 years of his life.

What a blessing it was to witness the ordination of our own Tom Buddington to the Permanent Diaconate on Saturday, 8 June 2024 at the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe. Once again, we thank God for choosing Tom from among us. He is now committed to our parish, where we know that he will serve the Lord with love. Congratulations to both Tom and Valerie for responding to HIS call to serve by taking on the challenging and arduous preparation for the diaconate and committing their lives to this unique and beautiful ministry.

A huge shout out to our children who participated in the Vacation Bible School held here last week from Monday through Friday (10 – 14 June 2024). And a huge thanks to Kelli, Schonda, Fr. Vincent and all the terrific catechists, their assistants, the dancers, and those who worked in the kitchen. Their talent and dedication produced a lovely way for our children to learn about God’s love. Through this year’s program, “Scuba: A Deep Dive into God’s Love,” our children were immersed in reflecting on God’s love for them. And finally, thankstotheparentsforgiving their children this opportunityto grow in love for God our Father.

This weekend, we are given the opportunity to celebrate our earthly fathers and all the wonderful fatherly men in our community. Happy Father’s Day to them all. The USCCB's Respect Life action guide for Father's Day says that fathers have a special role in "revealing and in reliving on earth the very fatherhood of God."

And how do our earthly fathers know how to “relive the very fatherhood of God?” God’s fatherly love and care for us is made known by our Savior, Jesus (Lk 10:22). His mission on earth was to reveal our Father to us (Jn 15:9), the love and care that He lavishes upon us, and His desire that we live life to the full (see Jn 10:10). Jesus said that if we follow him, we will know the Way to pleaseour Father and to comehometo Him (Jn 14:1-14).

We have many wonderful men in our community who mirror God’s love for us. Pope Saint John Paul II said that fathers are responsible for the life of the child they conceive, and that they are entrusted with protecting and defending both the mother and child. We are blessed at St. John’s by the number of committed and exemplary men who work to make our community a place where we can be safe and protected. In addition, they share with other men how to live out the vocation God has given them. I thank the men in our parish who do the heavy lifting. Without them we can’t be who we are. I invite all our men make great use of ourministries that cater to men and their spiritual needs.

But life is not perfect, and there are men who struggle with their role as a father. On this Father’s Day, let us also pray for those men and for their families. Pray for the families who do not have a father figure. Ask for the powerful intercession of St. Joseph, guardian of Mother Mary and theprotectorof Jesus. May St. Joseph watch overand guideall our men.

On this Sunday, the beginning of the 11th week in Ordinary Time, we are called to bear fruit in abundance. No matter how small we maybe in our own eyes, we are able through the way we live ourfaith tohave amajor impact on the lives around us.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 9, 2024

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 23:37:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

I am deeply saddened as I tell you of the passing of Fr. Laurence (Larry) M. Olszewski, C.S.C., on Monday, June 3, 2024 around 8.45 p.m. at Holmes Regional Hospital. He fell 7 days ago, which caused a brain bleed and a possible stroke. The bleeding required surgery, after which he was placed in hospicecare. All this in less than aweek’s time.

We have lost a dedicated shepherd who served God in the priesthood for almost 60 years. His beloved family members, the Retirement Community in Cocoa Beach, the Congregation of Holy Cross, and St. John the Evangelist Parish Community, have lost a wonderful man of God.

Here are the details ofhis life.

Father Laurence (Larry)Olszewski, C.S.C., was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, to Mary (nee Maciag) and Joseph, emigres from Poland to the United States. Hewasoneof five children.

Fr. Larry attended Catholic grade and high school in Rhode Island and Stonehill College in Massachusetts. He entered the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1957, made his First Vows on 16 August 1958, and was ordained on 19 December 1964. He received a bachelor’s degree in Sacred Theology from the University of Montreal (Fr. Lou Manzo tells me that he and Fr. Larry were two of the seven Americans sent to Montreal for their Theological studies). He received a Masterof Theology degree from Harvard.

Fr. Larry spoke both Spanish and French, and he served as a missionary in Peru for seven years. In 1978, he joined Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to minister to the people in Senegal and Tanzania, Africa. While with CRS, he served as director of a project in Burundi to assist local farmers develop an alternate source of energy. After returning to CRS headquarters in New York, he became the liaison with all United States Catholic dioceses, approximately 170 at the time, for the Operation Rice Bowl and Bishop’s Annual Overseas Appeal programs.

For those who do not know him, Fr. Larry was our founding pastor. After obtaining the necessary ecclesiastical authorization in 2001, he and Fr. Robert(Bob) Wiseman, C.S.C., came to Viera tocreate a parish literally from scratch.

Fr. Larry was a man of class, a great visionary, a committed pastor, an avid reader, an adventurer and risk taker, a delightful religious, and a strict disciplinarian. He needed all of these qualities as he and Fr. Bob undertook this new mission in Viera.

He overcome all obstacles, and succeeded in doing all that was needed to create a vibrant parish: the monumental task of inviting people to join this “New Parish” that had no proper worship space; recruiting staff and forming committees; building a Faith Formation program; acquiring land; beginning a capital campaign to build our massive Parish Life Center and overseeing its construction. It was indeed a LABOR of LOVE. The Parish Life Center was inaugurated on 6 May 2007. It provided space for our faith formation and community events, and it served also as our worship space until our church was dedicated in January 2018.

Fr. Larry handed over the reins of the parish to his successor, Fr. Bradley Beaupré, C.S.C., in 2008. He retired to our Holy Cross Retirement Communityin Cocoa Beach, from where he actively assisted at Divine Mercy Parish in Merritt Island until this past week.

He was very proud of watching our parish grow from where he left it in 2007 to what it is now, a huge magnet drawing people to God. He lovedcoming to St. John’s to help whenever we needed him.

The Congregation of Holy Cross is deeply indebted to you, dear parishioners, for what you offered Fr. Larry and indeed all our priests who have served here at St. John’s. You entrusted us with the venture of building this parish from the ground up; you have walked with us and so generouslysupported all the developments; andwith loveand care, you continue to provide forus.

Fr. Larry deserves a fitting farewell. Please come and give thanks to God and celebrate the life and legacy of our Founding Pastor. Your presence at this celebration, andyour prayers for him and us aswell, are deeply appreciated.

Please note that, because of the significance of Fr. Larry’s funeral Mass, we will not have our regular 8 a.m. Mass on Monday (June 10, 2024). Please see the funeraldetails are on page 3.

Father Larry will beburied at a later dateat the Holy Cross Cemeteryon thecampusof Stonehill College, Easton, MA.

Eternal rest grant unto Fr. Larry, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

With Love,

Fr. John

The Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ, June 2, 2024

Fri, 31 May 2024 16:38:00 GMT

Dear Friends,
It was so wonderful last Saturday to have with us Most Reverend Bill Wack, C.S.C., Bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. He came to confirm our teens and some adults as well. He also stayed until Sunday to celebrate the 11:00a.m. Mass with and for us. Please continue to pray for those who have been confirmed, that they be set on fire with God’s love through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Fr. Vincent is back after attending his father, Hoa Nguyen'’s, ordination to the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Savannah, Georgia, by Most Reverend Stephen Parks. This beautiful event took place last Saturday, May 25, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Savannah. It must have been a wonderful and moving emsrience for Fr. Vincent and his family. We continue to offer our prayers for Deacon Hoa, his wife Kelly and their children.

We are now beginning the 9th Week in Ordinary Time. As we do so, we celebrate the last of the special solemnities that follow the Great Solemnity of Easter: the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as by the Latin title, Corpus Christi (Body of Christ). On this occasion, it is fitting for us to examine our belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. A recent (2019) Pew Research Center study uncovered an alarming disparity between what many Catholics believe and what the Church teaches (and Christ Himself said) about Holy Communion:

“About six-in-ten (63%) of the most observant Catholics — those who attend Mass at least once a week — accept the church’s teaching about transubstantiation. Still, even among this most observant group of Catholics, roughly onethird (37%) don’t believe that the Communion bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ [at the Consecration] .. ... And among Catholics who do not attend Mass weekly, large majorities say they believe the bread and wine are symbolic and do not actually become the body and blood of Jesus” (emphasis is mine). Source: www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/08/05/transubstantiation-eucharist-u-s-catholics

How about us here at St. John’s? What do we believe? It is my most fervent prayer that our parish is far from this norm, and that all of us truly and firmly believe in the Real Presence of Jesus, that His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity is present in the consecrated bread and wine — that we ardently believe that we receive the Body and Blood of Christ during Holy Communion.

As we seek to understand the meaning of what this Solemnity places before us, | offer you a portion of the Sequence, Lauda Sion (Praise, O Zion). The Sequence was composed by St. Thomas Aquinas almost 800 years ago for use during the Masses celebrating this Solemnity:

Lo! the angel’s food is given
To the pilgrim who has striven;
see the children’s bread from heaven,
which on dogs may not be spent.

Truth the ancient types fulfilling,
Isaac bound, a victim willing,
Paschal lamb, its lifeblood spilling,
manna to the fathers sent.

Very bread, good shepherd, tend us
Jesu, of your love befriend us,
You refresh us, you defend us,
our eternal goodness send us,
In the land of life to see.

You who all things can and know,
Who on earth such food bestow,
Grant us with your saints, though lowest,
Where the heav'nly feast you show,
Fellow heirs and guests to be. Amen. Alleluia.

Have a Blessed Week!

With.Love,

Fr. John

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, May 26, 2024

Sat, 25 May 2024 21:16:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

We are now back in the Liturgical Season called Ordinary Time, and this Sunday we move into the 8th Week.

We have had the privilege of celebrating some “biggie” Sunday solemnities over the past almost two months: Divine Mercy, the Ascension and Pentecost. This week is yet another: the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. The Trinity is the most essential mystery of the Christian faith, one that makes our faith unique.

Most non-Christians might find it hard to take in this aspect of our faith. Someone outside of our faith might think that our belief in the Trinity means that we believe in three Gods. For them it is a logical contradiction to say ONE GOD but THREE PERSONS. But for us, the Trinity is at the heart of our faith, its essence. We believe that “the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God.” As the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) explains, “Christians are baptized ‘in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’” and when a person receives this sacrament, they (or their parents on their behalf) are asked to confess their belief by answering a three-part question: Do you believe in the Father? Do you believe in the Son? Do you believe in the Holy Spirit? A solemn answer is given to each question: “I do.” The CCC concludes, "The faith of all Christians rests on the Trinity." (CCC # 232)

Each time you make the Sign of the Cross, do not do it haphazardly. Make it an act of faith. Take your time, and say to yourself: “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The Trinity is the source of our salvation. This is the central mystery of our faith. “It is the mystery of God in himself. It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the ‘hierarchy of the truths of faith.’ The whole history of salvation is identical with the history of the way and the means by which the one true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, reveals himself to men ‘and reconciles and unites with himself those who turn away from sin.’’’ (CCC # 234)

I would like to thank Shamir Patel for all that he does for our community here at St. John’s. He has had a tremendous and positive impact on the way we do things in the office and in the management of all our activities. In recognition of his talents and his passion to serve our parish, he is now appointed as our Business Manager. This does not signal as much of a change as what has happened over the past three years. He began here as a part-time Bookkeeper, then advanced to Office Manager, then Operations Manager, and now, as of 1 June 2024, to Business Manager. In reality, he has already been doing all that a Business Manager should do. However, the title of Business Manager suits him well and sounds good, right? Thank you, Shamir, for your outstanding dedication and service.

I am also so happy to share with you the good news that our own Deacon Rick Broderick has landed the Chaplain’s job at Viera Hospital. This is phenomenal news! It is so exciting to have a Catholic Deacon as the Chaplain at this Health First facility. You will now have a familiar face to bring you comfort and solace, should you be obliged to spend time at Viera Hospital. Deacon Rick has already done an amazing job as the coordinator of our Ministry to the Sick. In his capacity as Chaplain at Viera Hospital, he will be more available to us locally.

With Deacon Rick on board at Viera, our parish will shortly have two of our Deacons serving as hospital chaplains. Deacon-soon-to-be Tom Buddington is already the Chaplain at Cape Canaveral Hospital. He has done an amazing job there and has changed the culture of chaplaincy at the Health First chain of hospitals. Wow! Congratulations to both of our men! We pray that God will help them persevere in their dedication to all those who in pain and suffering must go into hospitals. May all these find in our men a source of solace, comfort and the healing of Jesus Christ.

I would like to congratulate Deacon Hoa Nguyen, Father of Fr. Vincent, who was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate for the Diocese of Savannah, Georgia, by Most Reverend Stephen Parks, on Saturday, May 25, 2024 at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica St. John the Baptist, Savannah, Georgia. He has been assigned to serve at his home parish of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Warner Robins, GA. We wish Deacon Hoa an abundance of God’s blessings as he serves his community with the special dedication of a deacon. We offer his wife, children, and his whole family our love and prayers as they embrace this new calling.

Congratulations to our Teens and Adults who were confirmed on Saturday, May 25, 2024. What a blessing it is to see our St. John’s family being strengthened by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Confirmation. Thanks to Schonda and Ronnie Rodriguez, Kelli Salceda and their dedicated team of catechists for preparing our children and adults to receive this glorious Sacrament.

A huge welcome and thanks to our beloved Most Reverend Bill Wack, C.S.C., Bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola and Tallahassee, for gifting us with his precious time to confirm our children and adults in their Catholic Faith this weekend. We are so delighted to again welcome him to St. John’s! Bishop Wack, be assured of our prayers for your ministry of shepherding the people of God.

Have a Blessed Week! With love,

Fr. John

Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2024

Fri, 17 May 2024 21:04:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

Happy Birthday to our Mother Church! The Church was born this day, when the Holy Spirit of the Lord descended upon the Apostles and our Mother Mary. Fulfilling what Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit comes with power. This power allows us to continue experiencing the life of Jesus and to communicate that life to everyone willing to receive it. It is the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live and share Christ’s life, that we may create a community of love rooted in the divine life. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Church continues to become for the world the sacrament of the powerful and far-reaching Divine Presence.

The Holy Spirit deeply desires to be intimately involved in our lives. Do we meet His desire with a joyful, welcoming response? How often do we instead ignore him or keep him outside of the web of our family life? How often so we mute His voice or act as if we never knew Him?

Pope Francis said this: "The Holy Spirit wants to stay with us; he is not a passing guest who comes to pay us a courtesy visit. He is a companion for life, a stable presence. He is Spirit and desires to dwell in our spirits. He is patient and stays with us even when we fall. He remains because he truly loves us; he does not pretend to love us, and then leave us alone when things get difficult. No. He is loyal, he is transparent, he is authentic."

At Pentecost, we will sing the Pentecost Sequence after the Second Reading, just before the Alleluia. It is a good resource for us to reflect upon in the coming days. Here is how it goes:

With the Celebration of Pentecost Sunday, the Easter Season comes to an end. Beginning Monday, 20 May 2024, we resume Ordinary Time in the liturgical year, picking up where we left off with Week 7.

The Monday after Pentecost is now celebrated as the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. In honor of her, we will have two Masses: one at 8 a.m. in the church, and one in the grotto at 7 p.m. The Rosary will continue to be prayed at 6:30 pm in the Grotto each evening during in the month of May.

We continue to pray for our mothers and thank them for all the sacrifices they make to communicate the presence of the Holy Spirit to their families. On the Mother’s Day weekend, 1,010 prayer petitions remembering our mothers both deceased and living were submitted at the Masses. What a powerful sign of your love for your mothers. May Mary our Heavenly Mother continue to intercede for them.

I would like to congratulate our graduating seniors -- both those graduating from High School and those graduating from College. You have done us and your families proud. We pray that you continue to be friends with the Holy Spirit, who can guide your steps as you walk along the new avenues of your future lives. May the Spirit of the Lord be with you!

We are extremely proud of the many parishioners who make our parish vibrant by their involvement. I am incredibly grateful to all those current volunteers who support us by their service through so many ministries. But we still have need for more people to serve in some of our ministries. Please do not hesitate. Step up and shine! It is our family; it is our parish; it is what makes us special.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

The Ascension of the Lord, May 12, 2024

Sat, 11 May 2024 23:42:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

Congratulations again to our children who received their First Communion last weekend. Congratulations to their parents, grandparents, and godparents! I hope you are very proud of our children. I truly pray that you will continue to support these children in their faith journey. A special thanks to Kelli, our Director of Faith Formation, and our Catechists Janie Rodriquez, Sonia Santiago, and Monique Rivera Vargas for their tireless dedication to training our children.

Please join us for daily Rosary at 6.30 p.m. in the Grotto during the Month of May in honor of our Blessed Mother. This time of prayer is in addition to the Rosary in church after each daily Mass, which is led and prayed faithfully by parishioners dedicated to this ministry.

Congratulations again to Deacon Steve Lumbert and his daughter Karina Lumbert Fabian, authors of the book There You Are, God ! Thanks for your generosity in offering the proceeds from book sales here to St. John’s.

I also wish to thank those who responded to my call to serve our parish in various ministries that need help. For those who have not chosen a ministry, I ask: please do not hesitate to be involved. It is your parish and your family. Please do not just be a spectator. I am incredibly grateful to all those who have volunteered and support us by their service through so many ministries.

Thank you to all who attended the two presentations by Dr. Mary Soha on the History of the Devotion to Our Lady of La Leche and Her Confraternity and on the Defense of the Eucharist – The Story of the Martyrs of La Florida. A huge thanks to Dr. Mary for her dedication to her mission.

We celebrate our Mothers today, and I want to thank all those who undertake the sacred duty of mothering. In this group I include grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and godmothers as well. Your presence in our lives and in the life of our parish is a huge blessing. You help us to remember and celebrate life, a thing not to be taken for granted. Your passion to pass on the faith to your children and grandchildren is unparalleled and unrivalled. Your role in shaping the faith and values in your family is indispensable. No one else can take that place. We THANK YOU for the multitude of sacrifices you make to keep our families intact. In short, U R Irreplaceable! Your heart is so special that it moved St. Thérèse of Lisieux to say, “The loveliest masterpiece of the heart of God is the heart of a mother.”

Please take a moment today to honor your mother: visit her; call her; send her a card and/or a gift; go with her to Mass, the greatest gift of all. Don’t forget to tell her that you love her. There are so many mothers who are neglected by their children. And so, we pray for mothers who are not well understood; who are not cared for; who are tempted to despair; who are addicted; who are in difficult situations; who are tempted to abort. We pray for single mothers who sometimes must bear the heavy burden of mothering without any help. May all these know of God’s love and our prayers for them. WE LOVE YOU MOMS! Please continue to keep the flame of faith bright in the hearths of our homes.

Lest we forget: on Mother’s Day we also recognize the special gift that Christ gave his church: our Mother Mary. He bequeathed her to us when He said from the Cross, Behold, Your Mother. He invites us take her into our homes, just as St. John did. There she continually shows us the way to her Son. It is fitting, therefore, to honor her also on this special day and to ask for her intercession. She is not only the Mother of God, but also of all the Faithful.

Our liturgical celebration today is the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord. Traditionally, the Ascension is celebrated 40 days after the Resurrection, which this year was on Thursday, the 9th of May. However, in this Diocese and many others, the celebration of the Ascension is moved for practical reasons to the Sunday after Ascension Thursday. What do we celebrate? The task given to Jesus has been successfully accomplished. He is now “seated at the right hand of God,” from where He continually intercedes for us. Through Christ’s Ascension, we are given a place in God forever. As Pope Benedict XVI said, “We draw close to Heaven; indeed, we enter Heaven to the extent that we draw close to Jesus and enter into communion with him.”

From the Feast of the Ascension through the Saturday before Pentecost, we are called to intensely prepare for the coming of the Holy Spirit. It is therefore fitting and appropriate that we pray this beautiful prayer, the Veni, Sancte Spiritus! sequence (Come, Holy Spirit!):

Come, Holy Spirit, and send out from heaven the ray of your light. Come, father of the poor; come, giver of gifts; come, light of hearts. Greatest comforter, sweet guest of the soul, sweet consolation. In labor, rest; in heat, temperateness; in tears, solace. O most blessed light, fill the inmost heart of your faithful. Without the nod of your head, there is nothing in man, nothing that is harmless. Cleanse what is unclean, water what is parched, heal what is wounded. Bend what is inflexible, warm what is chilled, correct what has gone astray. Give to your faithful, who trust in you, the sevenfold gift. Give virtue's reward, give salvation's end, give joy eternal.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love, Fr. John

Sixth Sunday of Easter, May 5, 2024

Sat, 04 May 2024 00:08:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

As we enter the First Weekend of May, the thing that immediately comes to mind is First Communion and the May Crowning. We were blessed to have 29 children receive their First Communion on Saturday, 4 May, 2024. What a blessing they are to our community! I take this occasion to congratulate the children who received the Lord of the Universe for the First Time in Holy Communion. I am also indebted to their parents, grandparents and godparents for supporting the children and instilling in them a love for Jesus. I am so very grateful to Kelli, our director of Faith Formation, and her team of dedicated catechists, who helped prepare our children for this big day.

Today, 5 May 2024, those children who received First Communion on Saturday will be at the 11:00 am Mass to honor our Mother Mary with the May Crowning. Thanks to our lovely CCW members, who will walk the children down the aisle for this event, expressing in a symbolic way the parish’s desire to pass on the tradition of our faith to our younger generation. It is a beautiful sight to behold.

Please join us to pray the rosary at 6.30 p.m. in the Grotto each day during the month of May in honor of our Mother. This is in addition to the rosary prayed in the church by our dedicated parishioners after daily Mass.

I am very proud to announce a new book authored by our own Deacon Steve Lumbert and his daughter Karina Lumbert Fabian titled, “There you are, God!” The father-daughter duo shares stories that illustrate a simple truth: you don’t have to look for God in extraordinary and amazing circumstances because He is present in the seemingly mundane and very ordinary moments of our day-to-day lives. Congratulations, dear Deacon Steve and Karina! They will offer a book signing this weekend after the 9 and 11 a.m. Masses. What a blessing you are for us!

The 6th Sunday of Easter invites us to delve deeper into the mystery of the unfathomable love that exits between the Father and the Son, a love in which Jesus passionately desires us to share. The 15th chapter of John continues to unfold for us Our Lord’s desire that we remain/abide in his love. We are united in and through Him. All we have to do is to keep his commandment, which is to love one another as He loves us. We cannot simply want only Jesus and reject a relationship with all the other branches of the vine.

This leads me to renew my request that you seriously consider becoming an active branch of the vine of Jesus at St. John’s! Please join one of our many ministries that need help. We are really in need of Greeters, Ushers, Media persons, and EMHCs (those who help with the distribution of Communion during the Mass). These ministries do not take that much effort. All of these can be performed at the same time that you attend Mass on the weekend – or during the week. We also really need help in the ministry that cleans the church (the Mopsters), Reception Ministry, Offertory Counters, musicians and choir members, etc.

Thank you for giving it a shot. I will be there with a form to sign you up for a time of joyful service to the Lord. Finally, please do not forget the two important presentations this week by Dr. Mary Soha. On Monday, 6 May at 6:30 pm, she will speak about the History of the Devotion to Our Lady of La Leche and Her Confraternity. On Tuesday, 7 May at 6:30, she will give a presentation entitled In Defense of the Eucharist – The Story of the Martyrs of La Florida. Dr. Soha is the Vice-Postulator for the Canonization of the Martyrs of La Florida, and as such she is well versed in who these martyrs were, what they did, and what is involved in the canonization process.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Fifth Sunday of Easter - April 28, 2024

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 12:11:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

As we continue contemplate on the mystery of the Resurrection during Eastertide, we are given Scripture passages for reflection that center on the appearances of the Risen Lord – on how they affected His disciples and their resulting transformations. Through them, we are invited to fathom the depth of Jesus’ love for us and ours for Him.

On this 5th Sunday of Easter, the remarkable 15th chapter of the Gospel of John grabs our attention. Jesus speaks of His desire for us to be inseparably united with Him. Through the parable of the Vine and its Branches, Jesus uses experiences we all have had in our gardens. We know how trimming, pruning, and fertilizing our plants and trees are crucial to how well they bear fruit. Just as we work so hard to ensure the health of the plants and trees in our garden, so also Jesus pleads with us to do what is essential to keep the sap of our relationship with Him healthy and flowing. He says: “Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches.”

How do we know if we have a healthy relationship with Jesus? One litmus test is to look at how well His words are fulfilled in our lives: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."

Evaluating how well we keep His commandments is another way to test whether we truly remain in Jesus. As John says in his first letter(3: 18-24):

Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us. And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us.

The readings today invite us to keep Jesus’ commandments. This will ensure that we remain in Him. The more we spend time cultivating our relationship with Jesus, the more we will bear fruit.

I now draw your attention to two significant spiritual enrichment opportunities taking place in May. I urge you to mark them in your calendar, so that you can attend these events that are designed to help us know in depth the love we have for our Lord.

The first will be presented by Dr. Mary Soha. On Monday, 6 May and Tuesday, 7 May, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Dr. Soha will speak on two themes especially pertinent for us who live in Florida. On Monday, 6 May, her talk is on the History of the Devotion to Our Lady of La Leche and Her Confraternity. Dr. Soha lives next door to the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche in St. Augustine and is an expert on the devotion people have to our Lady. On Tuesday, 7 May, she will give a presentation entitled In Defense of the Eucharist – The Story of the Martyrs of La Florida. Dr. Soha is the Vice-Postulator for the Canonization of the Martyrs of La Florida, and as such she is well versed in the who these martyrs were, what they did, and what is involved in the canonization process.

On 17-18 May, we are offering a 2-Day Weekend Conference on our identity as a son or daughter of God. This Conference is led by two great speakers: Sarah Kaczmarek and Kevin Bailey, who will offer talks on the themes of Identity and Transformation; Intimacy and Hearing God’s Voice; Living the Supernatural Life; and Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Please see the bulletin and our website about how to obtain more information and to register. You must obtain a ticket for this event. I urge you to take advantage of this great opportunity to grow in your identity as sons and daughters of God. Please rush to do so!

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Fourth Sunday of Easter 4/21/2024

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 12:23:00 GMT

Dear Friends,
On the Fourth Sunday of Easter, our Gospel reading (John 10:11-18) opens with these amazing and remarkable words:
"I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. . . . I know mine and mine know me, just as
the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep.” This is why the Fourth Sunday of
Easter is observed as the Good Shepherd Sunday and also as the annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
This is the week to pray for your shepherds and all who have answered the call to shepherd the people entrusted to
them. We can use the prayer proposed by St. John Paul II:
We pray . . . for all consecrated persons. Fill their hearts with the deep certainty of having been chosen to
love, to praise, and to serve. Enable them to savor your friendship, fill them with your joy and consolation,
help them to overcome moments of difficulty, and rise again with trust after they have fallen; make
them mirrors of the divine beauty. Give them the courage to face the challenges of our time and the grace
to bring to all mankind the goodness and loving kindness of our Savior Jesus Christ
We are indeed grateful to God for our deacons and priests and especially for Tom Buddington, who will be ordained a
Permanent Deacon on 8 June 2024 at the Basilica of Mary Queen of the Universe. Please keep Tom, his wife Valerie,
and his son and daughter in your prayers.
On Easter Saturday, the Congregation of Holy Cross in the USA was blessed by the ordination of eight men to the
priesthood . . . and what a blessing this is! No doubt, this is a year of exceptional plenty. But even with this great gift,
we cannot respond adequately to the needs of our many apostolates. Please keep encouraging our own sons to
commit themselves to embracing the call to serve in the priesthood.
We truly need many men and women to answer God’s call to become Deacons, Priests, Brothers, and Sisters. I
fervently pray that many of our own here at St. John’s will hear God’s call, listen, and give their Fiat, their “yes.”
You might ask, how does a person know he or she has a call, or in our church parlance, a vocation? How can a person
discern a vocation?
Here are a few tips from the Holy Cross Office of Vocations:
• Prepare your heart. Begin not by asking God but by knowing God. Attend regular Mass and Confession, reflect on
Scripture, pray and offer service.
• Ask the question. Ask for the desire to receive the answer so that when it comes you might embrace it.
• Listen for God’s call. Waiting for an answer takes patience, but God makes his will known to those who seek it
with sincere hearts.
• Address fears and questions. It is in answering God’s call that we find our greatest joy.
All of these of course begin with prayer and taking time to cultivate a desire to serve the Lord.
My deep appreciation goes to Steve and Debbie Hogan, who received the Family of the Month Award for April.
Continue to shine your light among us so that we might see the Light of Christ through you. Thank you for all you do for
us, Steve and Debbie. Congratulations!
On Monday, 22 April 2024, we will celebrate the First Anniversary of the Dedication of our beautiful Grotto. In honor of
this great blessing, we will celebrate the Eucharist at the Grotto at 6 p.m. followed by praying the Rosary.
Have a Blessed Week!
With love,
Fr. John
2

Third Sunday of Easter - 4/14/2024

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 10:03:00 GMT

Dear Friends,
As we enter the Third Sunday of Easter, we are basking in the glory of the Risen Christ, who appears to the
disciples again and again to reinforce their belief and trust in Him. The Resurrection lies at the heart of our
faith, for it is definitively the ONE event that changed everything.
Easter is the cornerstone of our Liturgical Year. Where Ash Wednesday and Lent say, “In Adam, all die,”
Easter says, “In Christ, all are made alive.” Because Easter is so huge for us, we take 50 days to experience
with joy the reality of this new life and love. Not only Easter Sunday, but every Sunday is hugely important for
us. Did you know that each Sunday is an extension of Easter – is a celebration of the Resurrection? Hence,
Sundays are called Little Easters.
After Jesus appears to the downcast disciples on the road to Emmaus, and after they are rudely awakened to the realization
that it is Jesus Himself breaking bread with them, they run to share the news with the rest of the disciples. Jesus next appears
to those gathered in the upper room, where He reminds them about all that was said of Him in the Scriptures (the Torah), the
Prophets and the Psalms. He then commissions them to continue the work of sharing the good news that He is alive and that
forgiveness will be the main focus of His Kingdom. The reading from the Gospel of Luke (24: 35-48) for this Sunday ends with the
words: “You are the witnesses of these things.”
Peter takes this command seriously and boldly proclaims to those listening to him about Jesus and all that they did to destroy him.
Then he gives them the good news: God brought Jesus back to life. He exhorts them: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:38-39).
Like Peter, others took up the mantle of spreading this good news. Down through the centuries, disciples of
Jesus have “hurried about the work of resurrection,” as Fr. Moreau would say, to share the good news. Now
it is our turn to carry the baton that has been handed on to us. We are called to be witnesses to the wondrous
and life-saving things that have happened in God’s plan of Salvation. Let us boldly hurry about this work of
witnessing to Jesus in our setting and milieu.
Thanks to all who came to personally experience the Divine Mercy Special Program last Sunday with Mark
Forrest. What a beautiful and blessed event that was! Thanks to all those who make our parish vibrant by
volunteering when there is a need for lots of hands. What a blessing they are to us.
On Monday, 22 April 2024, we will be celebrating the First Anniversary of the Dedication of our beautiful
Grotto. We will have a special Mass at the Grotto at 6 p.m. on that day.
Have a Blessed Week!
With love,
Fr. John

Second Sunday of Easter, April 7, 2024

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 17:19:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

What a joy! What a joy to see so many people visiting our parish and joining us in celebrating the Great Triduum and the Easter liturgies! I am filled with gratitude to God for all that He has done to bring people to our parish.

I am still joy-filled for the newly baptized and the newly welcomed Catholics at the Easter Vigil Mass. I am profoundly grateful to them for embracing Christ and His Church. I wholeheartedly welcome them into our midst. The newly baptized will now be called the “Neophytes.” Between now and Pentecost, their catechetical team will be leading them in an exploration of both the mysteries they celebrated at the Easter Vigil and the new sacramental life they are now beginning. We are very proud of them. They will add their gifts to those poured into St. John’s so lavishly, as they contribute to the life of our vibrant community.

Here are their names:

Those who were baptized, confirmed, and received First Eucharist: Kimberly Bernard, Kaiya Carr, Heather Fuller, Wayne Fuller, Mark Lightner III, Shauna McLaughlin, Deuce Villanueva, and Minerva Villanueva. Those who were already baptized but who embraced our Catholic Faith, were confirmed, and received First Eucharist: Phillip Crews, Todd Garfield, Matthew Leptich, Mark Lightner Jr. and Erica Ellis-Reid. Those who were confirmed and received First Eucharist: Sandra Gallagher, David Lalli and Aaron Ressler. Those who received their Confirmation: Nancy DiCarlantonio, Maria Maureen Celerian Lalli, Elizabeth Leptich, and Karina Lightner. Mark and Karina’s daughter, Alina Lightner, was baptized at the Easter Vigil.

Our 2nd Annual Breakfast with the Easter Bunny was a huge success again. Thanks to Josefina and her core team for preparing for this grand event. Special thanks to our Brother Knights and the Ladies Auxiliary who hosted the Breakfast for about 400 people. What a blessing to have a dedicated team who are always there to help us.

Another special thanks to every liturgical ministry that helped with the great celebrations during the Triduum and Easter. Hats off to the Art and Environment Ministry for the lovely decoration of our Sanctuary. Please take your time to savor this.

I have already thanked all who accompanied our Catechumens and Candidates on their journey to the Easter Vigil and the Sacraments of Initiation. However, I still wish to extend an expression of gratitude to Kelli Salceda, her dedicated team of catechists, and the sponsors for walking with them and preparing them for that great day of rejoicing. I am also so glad for the four couples whose marriages were convalidated soon after the Easter Vigil Mass. What a Blessing!

This weekend we celebrate the Second Sunday of Easter, which is the 8th and final day of Easter (although the Easter season extends to Pentecost). On this Sunday, we celebrate divine Mercy, which is on display in the Gospel description of the Apostle Thomas’s encounter with the Risen Christ (John 20:19-31).

This Sunday also is known as Divine Mercy Sunday. This feast day was created by Pope Saint John Paul II on 30 April 2000 when he canonized Saint Maria Faustina. He noted then that “there is nothing that man needs more than Divine Mercy.”

Monday is the Annunciation of the Lord, which is normally celebrated on 25 March, but this year it has been moved to 8 April. We will celebrate this great feast with two Masses at 8:00 a.m. and 12:05 p.m .

Between 1931 and 1938, Jesus appeared in Poland to Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska of the Blessed Sacrament, revealing to her that he wanted her to tell the whole world how much he wanted to show mercy to sinners. At the urging of her superiors, Sister Faustina kept a diary of her conversations with our Lord. These eventually were published under the title, Divine Mercy in My Soul. Below are two samples of her conversation with our Merciful Lord:

My Heart overflows with great mercy for souls, and especially for poor sinners. If only they would understand that I am the best of Fathers to them and that it is for them that the Blood and Water flowed from My Heart as from a fount overflowing with mercy. For them I dwell in the tabernacle as King of Mercy (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 367).

I perform works of mercy in every soul. The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy. My mercy is confirmed in every work of My hands. He who trusts in My mercy will not perish, for all his affairs are Mine (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 723).

This year we are celebrating the unfathomable Mercy of Our Lord by hosting a special Divine Mercy Hour at 7 p.m. on Sunday, 7 April. It is being presented by the Internationally esteemed Irish Tenor, Mark Forrest, who will lead us in song and reflection. Please do not miss this golden opportunity.

Divine Mercy is undoubtedly one of the ultimate gifts flowing from Easter. It is a privileged occasion of grace and forgiveness for all of us. It is a day on which we can obtain a special indulgence if we follow the usual conditions: being in a state of grace; having the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin; celebrating the sacrament of Reconciliation either on, shortly before or shortly after the day; receiving Holy Communion on the day; and praying for the intentions of the Pope that day.

May you have a personal encounter with the Divine Mercy of our Lord!

With love,

Fr. John

Easter Sunday 3/31/2024

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 12:44:00 GMT

Dear Friends,
Welcome to the Joy of the EASTER SEASON! We are an Easter People, and Alleluia is our song!
This past week we commemorated Holy Week. During that time, the power of evil was so evident in the darkness, sorrow, injustice, and
silence of the agonizing and humiliating death of an innocent man. Isn’t this what leads to a Culture of Death? Yet, this was also the week in which we saw the bursting forth of divine power that provides light, joy, and jubilation. Can we see even today that God still offers the enduring hope that leads to a Culture of Life?
After a long, strenuous, and determined effort during this year’s Lenten Season to come closer to Jesus, so that we could be with him as he endured his Passion and Death, we have now come to the climactic moment. The extent to which we were able to immerse ourselves in the dreadful suffering and death of Jesus is the extent to which we now can rejoice in the Easter gifts of light, hope, and life. Now our eyes are lifted, not to the cross but to the dazzling spectacle of our Lord, Risen from the Dead! Now we cast off sorrow and instead embrace with joy the fruits of his pain and suffering. His Resurrection makes all the difference in the world! This magnificent moment has turned the world upside down. It has tremendous implications for the whole cosmos. On this Easter Sunday, we celebrate the defeat of Satan’s regime of darkness, evil, enmity, and ultimately even death, a defeat wrought through the Resurrection of Jesus. This is the twist to the story that Jesus’ enemies did not foresee. All the injustice done is transformed into a gift of salvation … good out of evil! Jesus’ Resurrection continues to prove that Satan and evil do not now nor ever will have the last word. God is still in control. So, let us rejoice, for truly Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Let us let go of our constraints and
dance for joy! Let our suppressed voice sing out loud: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
We are extremely grateful to God for inspiring our catechumens and candidates who courageously walked through our OCIA program. This is one of the largest groups to take part in our Easter Vigil Celebrations. We want to welcome them wholeheartedly into our SJE family and to the larger Catholic family. Congratulations to our newly baptized and all who now fully embrace our Catholic Faith.
I take this opportunity to thank Kelli Salceda for leading this endeavor. She was ably helped by Anne, Cheryl, JoAnn, Kathleen, Shamir, Steve, Sue, Tiffany; Tom Buddington; our Deacons Rick, and Lee; and Fr. Vincent. Our Catechumens and Candidates were skillfully introduced to the fundamental truths and teachings of our Catholic Faith through the lively presentations of these dedicated men and women.
We extend our thanks to all the ministries that helped create our beautiful Easter liturgies during the Holy Triduum, especially Heidi and the choirs; the Altar Servers; the Media folks; the Photographers; the Ushers; the Sacristans; the EMHCs; the Greeters; the Children’s Ministry; the Lectors; the “Mopsters,” who cleaned the church; the Guardians of the Grotto; and the Art and Environment Ministry, that created such lovely and meaningful settings and ambiance appropriate to the Season. What a blessing we have in and through these lovely people of God.
In honor of Easter, our office will be closed on Easter Monday, 1 April 2024.

Next Sunday, we will celebrate the Divine Mercy Sunday. This is undoubtedly the ultimate gift of Easter. It is a
privileged occasion of grace and forgiveness for all of us. It is a day on which we can obtain a special
indulgence if we follow the usual conditions: being in a state of grace; having the interior disposition of
complete detachment from sin, even venial sin; receiving Holy Communion on the day; celebrating the
sacrament of Reconciliation either on, shortly before, or shortly after the day; and praying for the intentions of
the Pope.
In honor of the great and unfathomable Act of Mercy we have received through our Lord’s Passion, Death,
and Resurrection, we have invited Mark Forrest, the internationally renowned Irish Tenor, to lead us in the
Divine Mercy program on Sunday, 7 April, at 7 p.m. This is the first of its kind. Please see details about this
in the bulletin. Please do not miss this golden opportunity.
The Staff, the Deacons, Fr. Vincent and I wish You and Yours a very Blessed and Joy-filled Easter!
Have a Fabulous Easter Octave!
With love,
Fr. John

Palm Sunday 3/24/2024

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 10:46:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

This is the Week of all Weeks. Holy Week. The Most Intense Week. The Week That Changed the World. The Week that revealed to us the immensity, the unfathomable depth of God’s love for us.

We begin Holy Week with the Palm Sunday and end on Holy Saturday. This week relives the final moments of Jesus’ life on earth, with its gut-wrenching display of love, service, betrayal, torture, forgiveness, and ultimate sacrifice, the significance and power of which is unequaled before or since.

Holy Mother Church provides us with this opportunity to experience the emotional intensity of the Paschal Event, which is to say, Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection through the faithful record found in the Holy Scriptures. If you are intentional about reaping a harvest of spiritual benefits, do not miss any of the Holy Week liturgies, no matter the cost.

Palm Sunday is our commemoration of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. We carry blessed palm branches on Palm Sunday so that we too, in spirit at least, can join the people of Jerusalem as they welcome Jesus into their city. As we walk in procession from the Grotto to the Church at the start of the 9:00 AM. Mass this Sunday, we get to experience the exhilaration of crying out those lovely words, Hosanna, Son of David! Hosanna in Hebrew means, ‘Save us.’ When we say them, they express our deepest longing to be saved. By praying these beautiful words at every Mass, we acknowledge that Jesus is the Chosen One of God, the Messiah who has ushered in the new age of God’s grace. We can also remember that this one-word prayer… Hosanna…has been answered by God with a one-word response: JESUS. Please take the blessed Palms home and display them in prominent places to remind yourselves of this prayer: Jesus, Save US!

As I indicated above, each day of this week is very important. The passion of the Lord dominates these solemn days. If we engage in these days with sincere hearts we will receive the joys of the Lord’s resurrection with uplifted and responsive hearts at Easter. Please arrange your schedules so that you can visit the church and participate in as many liturgies as you can

Here is our calendar, so you can closely follow it:

Monday of Holy Week: Mass at 8 a.m. The Chrism Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. at the Basilica of Queen of the Universe.

Tuesday of Holy Week: Mass at 8 a.m. Behold the Lamb of God (music, adoration and meditation) at 7 p.m.

Wednesday of Holy Week: Mass at 8 a.m. Sacrament of Reconciliation from 9 a.m. to noon and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Mass at the Grotto at 6.30 p.m.

Holy Thursday: No Mass in the Morning. The Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7 p.m., followed by silent Adoration until midnight.

Good Friday: It is a day of fasting and abstinence. The liturgy of the Passion of Our Lord at 3 p.m. Teen Stations of the Cross at 7 p.m.

Holy Saturday: Easter Vigil at 8 p.m.

Easter Sunday: Sunrise Mass at 6 a.m. in the Grotto; Masses in the church at 8 a.m., 10 a.m. (with overflow in the hall), and 12 p.m. (with overflow in the hall).

Do not hesitate to invite your family and friends to join us in celebrating the gift of the Resurrection.

Congratulations are in place for Bob and Andrea Groppe, the recipients of the Family of the Month Award for March 2024. I thank them and their children and grandchildren for all they do to keep St. John’s on fire with God’s love. Bob and Andrea, keep up the good work of bringing people to God!

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Fifth Sunday of Lent 3/17/2024

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 11:22:00 GMT

Dear Friends,
As we enter into the 5th Sunday of Lent, you will notice a big difference within the sanctuary of the church: all the
crucifixes and statues are covered/veiled with purple cloth. Some of us may not know why we do this, so let’s look into
this ancient practice.
The 5th Sunday marks the beginning of the last two weeks in Lent, known as Passiontide. This is when the Church shifts
her focus from Christ in the desert (the Gospel for the First Sunday of Lent) to Christ during His Passion.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) contains guidelines and rules for the Liturgy of the Mass and
Special Holy Days, like Good Friday. We read there that, in the U.S. Dioceses, “the practice of covering crosses and
statues throughout the church from [the fifth] Sunday [of Lent] may be observed. Crosses remain covered until the
end of the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday, but images remain covered until the beginning of the
Easter Vigil.”
Why cover/veil our crucifixes and statues? The practice alerts us that we are entering a different phase of Lent. This can
be startling at first. The intent is not to disconcert but rather to help us keep in mind that the last two weeks of Lent are
a time of more intense preparation for the celebration of the Sacred Triduum. The veils are hard to miss. They tell us:
get ready!
But this veiling practice may seem out of place, even counterintuitive. Why cover the crucifix during the time we focus
on Christ’s Passion? Mother Church knows that absence can be as good a teacher as presence. Our senses are engaged
and heightened. Like the suppression of the “Alleluia” before the Gospel during Lent, the veiled crucifixes and statues
speak of our exile from our true Home, where the angels sing Alleluia without ceasing. We become aware that soon we
will experience a time of great sadness, a sense of great loss. The veiled images help build within us a longing for Easter
Sunday.
At the Easter Vigil, images unveiled reminds us of a great truth. In this world, our vision is veiled. We cannot see
our true home. The Resurrection calls us to recognize that it is only through our death that we will see the glory of
everlasting life. Our earthly veil will be lifted as Christ, like a bridegroom lifting the veil of his beloved, says, “I am the
resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me
will never die” (John 11:25-26).
This weekend, let us earnestly pray for our Elect, who will experience the Third Scrutiny this Sunday. Let us ask that, as
they reflect and meditate on the beautiful story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11: 1-45), they will see
that our Lord Jesus is truly divine and the author and Lord of LIFE itself. With them and the Candidates seeking full
communion in the Catholic Church, may we move from death to life.
The question Jesus asks Martha is the same question he asks us today: “I am the resurrection and the life . . . Do you
believe this?” I pray our response is the same as Martha’s: “Yes, Lord. I have to come to believe that you are the Christ,
the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world” (John 11:27).
Moving on to calendar matters: because 17 March falls on a Sunday, we will not celebrate the feast of St. Patrick this
year. However, I do wish you all a very Happy Feast of St. Patrick! May the prayer of St. Patrick dance on our lips today:
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise . . . .
When we go on our Pilgrimage to Ireland, we will walk in places that St. Patrick himself went. Join us for the pilgrimage
scheduled for July.
On 19 March, we celebrate the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Joseph is the patron of
the Universal Church, and Brother André was his humble mouthpiece. He desired to build the biggest basilica possible
to honor St. Joseph. We will visit this beautiful monument and many other holy shrines in Montreal and Quebec City
during our Pilgrimage to Canada in September.
So that we too may honor St. Joseph, we will have two Masses on Tuesday, 19th March: at 8 a.m. and at 12:05 p.m. Fr.
Joseph Mary Wolfe from EWTN will preside at this Feast Day Mass. Please come and pray for our Holy Mother Church!
Have a Blessed Week!
With love,
Fr. John

Fourth Sunday of Lent 3/10/2024

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 10:28:00 GMT

Third Sunday of Lent, March 3, 2024

Sat, 02 Mar 2024 18:46:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

Let me start by introducing you to Fr. Patrick Hannon, C.S.C. who is taking time from his very busy schedule to be with us. He is here to offer our three-day Lenten Mission on the theme: Searching, Discovering, Celebrating the God Who Loves Us: A Lenten Journey. Fr. Pat will anchor his presentations in the parable of the Prodigal Son. During his presentations, he will share with us His deep, personal experience of God in Christ Jesus.

Fr. Pat has been a priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross for 35 years. During these many years, he has been a parish priest, middle school teacher, high school teacher, high school principal, and college writing professor. He also has authored six books. Please join me in extending a hearty welcome to Fr. Pat!

Allow me also to introduce to you our new part-time receptionist, Mary Poku, who began working here on 26 February 2024. Mary and her very dedicated husband, Alfred, have three lovely children who are active in our Children’s Liturgy. As I welcome her wholeheartedly, I want to thank our recently formed Reception Ministry, who have done a most wonderful job of covering the reception desk over the last four months. The ministry will continue to help us in the afternoon hours and also will fill in for Mary whenever needed. How blessed we are with such willing and dedicated people here at St. John’s!

I take this occasion to congratulate Brian, Jennifer, Julia, and Lily Nufer, and Jen’s mom Denise McNabb, on receiving the February Family of the Month award. I thank the family for their whole-hearted service to the Baptism Ministry. What a blessing they are to us!

We now step into the 3rd Week of Lent. Our readings for this Sunday invite us to keep our focus on the commandments of the Lord (Exodus 20: 1-17) and on the Cross of Christ. St. Paul vividly points to the power of the Cross when he says “We proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1: 22-25). In the Gospel of John, we see Jesus consumed with zeal for God’s house. His actions model for us what to do about those things that get in the way of keeping the first three Commandments. Jesus does something that would have been unthinkable in those days: he drives out of the Temple those people (the money changes and sellers) and things (animals for sacrifice) that were an obstacle to those who truly desired to worship God there.

As we enter into the core of Lent, let us pause, pray, and ask ourselves some serious questions. What are the obstacles that we place in the way of our being with our gracious God in spirit and in truth? that prevent us from remaining in and conscious of His presence? Is it our self-love? Our hard-heartedness? Our tendency to make a priority of things other than God? Our endless desire for being recognized, for being in control, to overly indulge in good things? Do we cling to one or more deadly vices, as such as pride, wrath, greed, envy, lust, gluttony, or sloth? It is not too late! Now is the time to begin driving such obstacles from our lives. Let us work diligently to give Our Lord first place!

Have a Blessed Week! With love,

Fr. John

Second Sunday of Lent, February 25, 2024

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 15:06:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

What a blessing it was to host the funeral Mass for Fr. Bob and his sister Sally Hoeffner on Tuesday, February 20. It was very sad to lose two such lovely people who served the Lord in their own way so dearly. It was so good to see that so many came to pay their homage.

We received many complements and words of gratitude from the Bishop, the Chancery Staff, the Priests, the Deacons and those attending, especially the Hoeffner family. Gerry Hoeffner, the brother of Fr. Bob, was in tears when told me how much the family was in awe of all that we did for them. Kudos to all the different ministries for doing what you do best, all the time. Some of those who came spoke to me of joining our parish. Thank you for modeling so well St. John’s spirit of hospitality!

As we journey with Jesus with enthusiasm in the beginning days of Lent, please know that there are a multitude of opportunities here to lift you up spiritually. The goal of Lent is to draw closer to Christ. This can be measured by how closely you walk with Jesus in his suffering.

As we plumb the depths of Jesus’s love for us in his willingness to take up the Cross, do not hesitate to converse with him about your crosses. You will find in that conversation a God who knows you intimately, who offers you the consolation you need. I had the privilege of celebrating the funeral service for Kathryn Connor (103) on Monday, 19 February. Her obituary portrays well this woman of strong faith: “Kathryn knew at an early age that having a personal relationship with the Lord was important. She gave her life to the Lord. Kathryn said ‘the Lord gave us the power to love,’ she was a true saint to all that knew her. She never had a bad word to say about anyone. God did not promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, nor sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears and light for the way.” If you have personal relationship with the Lord for such a long time, then it is obvious that you would know the power to love and the power to suffer, too. Find in Christ the comfort you are looking for as you carry your crosses.

Jesus found his comfort when he went up to the mountain where he was transfigured in the presence of his close friends and disciples, Peter, James and John. This is the passage we will hear at this Sunday’s Mass. The Gospel of Mark (9: 2-10) tells us that Jesus heard his Father speak to him through a voice that came through the cloud: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!” This is the way the Father God offered his beloved Son the comforting reassurance that he is with him as he looks to the Way of the Cross.

There are indeed two mountains on our journey of life. The popular American author David Brooks talks about these two mountains in his book, “The Second Mountain.” He speaks of the first mountain, called “Ambition,” which is all about our accomplishments. It is all about me. Brooks says that this journey can end in catastrophe. Many ambitious people climb to the peak of the mountain only to find that something’s missing. Then begins the journey for a deeper meaning, which takes them to the second mountain, called, “Vocation.” On this journey, your life is defined by fervent commitment as you listen to God.

Jesus knew that the first mountain of Transfiguration was only a stop along the way to his final destination: the mount of Golgotha. There the Lord’s disciple finds another type of glory of the Son of God. Peter’s attempt to stay on the mount of Tabor for good would not work. We must take the road to the mount of Calvary to discover the glory that lasts forever.

Please do not forget that we will have our Lenten Parish Mission on March 4-6 (Monday to Wednesday) at 7 p.m. each night in the church.

We are all set to go on two pilgrimages this year: a 12-day pilgrimage to The Shrines of Ireland (July 22- August 2, 2024) and a 6-day pilgrimage to The Shrines of Canada (September 23-28, 2024). Please call or stop by the office for the Registration Form.

Have a Blessed Week! With love,

Fr. John

First Sunday of Lent, February 18, 2024

Sun, 18 Feb 2024 12:36:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

The grace-filled season of Lent has begun. As we step into the First Sunday of Lent, we hear about the goal for all Christians. The Collect Prayer for the First Sunday of Lent says: “Grant, almighty God, through the yearly observances of holy Lent, that we may grow in understanding of the riches hidden in Christ and by worthy conduct pursue their effects.”

The riches hidden in Christ are so vast that we will never be able to comprehend their immensity. However, it is possible to taste some of these riches. How? First, we must be willing to practice some discipline, some dedication. We must desire to live as he asked us to. Then, we take the final step: to open wide the doors of our hearts and be with our Lord in prayer as he experiences the last days of his life on earth: his Passion, Death, and Resurrection. What graces will flow from this!

On the First Sunday of Lent, Mark’s Gospel presents Jesus being driven by the Holy Spirit into the desert, where he is tempted by Satan. When 40 days are over, he comes out of the desert and issues his clarion call: “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” There will be many opportunities given to us this Lent to do precisely this.

Please read see page 12 of this bulletin, which lays out the full schedule of Lenten offerings here at St. Johns. There will be a parish Mission, special events each Tuesday and Friday, and other spiritually nourishing programs and celebrations.

Beginning this Lent, we will pray the Stations of the Cross in the Grotto! We will do this each weekday of Lent except Sunday:
at 5:30 p.m. Monday – Thursday & Saturday and at 6:00 p.m. each Friday, followed by a soup supper .

Each Friday we also offer a special day of Adoration after morning Mass and Rosary in the Fr. Patrick Peyton Room that concludes at 5:30 p.m. with Evening Prayer and Benediction.

As noted, Tuesdays also contain special offerings. This coming Tuesday, 20 February, we will show a movie on Saint Brother Andre Bessette. Please come and see a poor gatekeeper’s faith and dedication in following Jesus.

This weekend, we celebrate Safe Haven Sunday. It is an annual initiative by dioceses and parishes in the U.S. to directly address the harms of pornography. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) points out how this increasing and pernicious threat can harm our families now and forever: “The use of pornography by anyone in the home deprives the home of its role as a safe haven and has negative effects throughout a family’s life and across generations”(USCCB). I call on us all to encourage and support individuals, marriages, and families in our parish in making their homes a safe haven. For more resources, please visit this website: https:// www.covenanteyes.com/safe-haven-sunday/catholic-resources/

I thank Rick Lacey for his beautiful presentation on the importance of participating in Our Catholic Appeal (OCA) 2024. Please complete this act of Lenten almsgiving as soon as possible, so that we can stop worrying about meeting our OCA goals and instead concentrate on all that will be happening in the parish. Remember, you promised: “Our goal is to help you achieve your goal”!!! Thank you, Rick Lacey for pitching the value of participating in OCA 2024 with fervor.

I wrote to you earlier about Fr. Bob Hoeffner and his sister Sally Hoeffner who were murdered on Sunday, 28 January, in Palm Bay. Fr. Bob’s funeral Mass will be celebrated here on Tuesday, 20 February, at 11 a.m. A luncheon will follow. It is a great honor to have been asked to provide our facilities for this occasion. Let us continue to pray for Fr. Bob and Sally, his sister. May their souls Rest in Peace!

A total of 380 people visited the Exhibition on the Eucharistic Miracles. I thank those who could visit the exhibition. I am sure that they have experienced an increase in their appreciation of the Real Presence of our Lord, and that they will find their participation in our Eucharistic celebrations to be greatly enhanced.

In terms of percentage, 380 people is a very meager number, given the opportunity the Exhibition offered. But I trust the Lord will also move others to learn more. There is an excellent book that presents the Exhibition material: The Eucharistic Miracles of the World (2nd Edition). There is also a website: http://www.miracolieucaristici.org/. This is the official website of the exhibition. It contains a Virtual Museum that presents 162 panels about the Eucharistic miracles of the world. It is these panels that were on display here. Thanks once again to the Spiritus Sanctus Lay Dominican group in our parish for hosting the Exhibition.

Have a Blessed Week! With love,

Fr. John

Sixth 10 Sunday in Ordinary Time, February, 11, 2024

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 13:19:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

This weekend we humbly call upon your amazing generosity as we again ask everyone to participate in Our Catholic Appeal (OCA) 2024. I thank those who have already responded to this year’s appeal. Our specific focus this year: to increase the percentage of participation. Remember, you promised: “Our goal is to help you achieve your goal”!!! Thank you, Rick Lacey from the Parish Council, for pitching with fervor thevalueof participating in OCA 2024.

I am so grateful to God for providing us with his presence and blessings on our International Festival! Hats off to Janet Jones-Owen for her leadership in preparing for and producing the International Festival, and to all the leaders of the various committees and their core teams. It was an absolutely splendid celebration of our rich and varied Catholic Community in all its colors, talents, and dedication. The festival made me think: this is what heaven may be like! It really was a slice of heaven to have so many people from so many nations gathered to worship the Lord. It was just like what Isaiah prophesized that heaven would be (Is 25:6-9): “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will provide for all people… the Lord to whom we looked.”

I want to thank you, our lovely community, for your unstinting support and for your generosity in supplying bottled water and canned sodas. I also thank the larger community who came to perform and to entertain us.

Finally, my thanks to all who have recognized and acknowledged the astounding amount and quality of hard work that went into thecreation of this celebration. Many have asked me, why can’t we do this every year or every two years. Well, it comes down to time and resources. For instance, the preparation for this festival began some 8 months ago, when I asked Janet to lead the festival. Under her leadership, more than 20 teams formed and met innumerable times. Thousands of emails were sent, and many videos and bulletin announcements were produced. Banners were prepared, and donations were sought and made into gift baskets for the raffle. The list of work organized and accomplished goes on. It was a tremendous feat, and those involved need a break. They will need a year or two before they are ready to begin again.

I wrote to you earlier about Fr. Bob Hoeffner and his sister Sally Hoeffner who were murdered on Sunday, 28 January, in Palm Bay. Before retiring in 2016, Fr. Bob served as pastor of St. Joseph’s Church in Palm Bay for 18 years. Only last year he celebrated his 50th year of priesthood. The Diocese has asked if we would host his funeral here due to our large space and its centrality of location and easy access for many who may be driving. This is a great honor bestowed on us. The funeral will be held on Thursday, 20 February, at 11 a.m. followed by a luncheon. Let us continue to pray for Fr. Bob and Sally, his sister. May their souls Rest in Peace!

I express my deep gratitude to the Spiritus Sanctus Lay Dominican group in our parish for hosting the splendid Exhibition on the Eucharistic Miracles compiled by the Holy Teen Sensation Blessed Carlos Acutis. I really hope that these exhibits have confirmed your faith in the Real Presenceof Jesus in the Eucharist and enhanced your appreciation of and participation in our Eucharistic celebrations.

This weekend, the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, we continue to look at Jesus as he goes about healing and preaching. In particular, we look at the terrible disease called leprosy that not only disfigured a person’s body but also caused him or her to be ostracized. A person with leprosy was shunned as “unclean” and forced to live on the outskirts of the community, uncared for and unloved. What a relief to know that to Jesus, no one is untouchable! Everyone is a child of God, so very touchable and loveable. The Responsorial Psalm 32 represents our cry for help when we feel helpless: “I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.” Let us confidently turn to him, who alone can make uswhole. And let us be“imitatorsof Christ” (cf. 1 Cor 11:1), willing to embrace everyone within our communities.

This year, along with St. Valentine’s Day, 14th February brings Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Season of Lent. We will be offering three Masses that day for your benefit: 8 a.m., 12.05 p.m., and 7 p.m. Please remember that Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and abstinence.

This Lent, praying the Stations of the Cross will be offered in the Grotto:

Please read our bulletin, which lays out full our schedule of Lenten offerings, such as the Mission, the special events each Tuesday, additional Friday prayer opportunities, and other spiritually nourishing programs and celebrations.

My friends, during Lent we are called to join Christ in the wilderness by turning from what distracts us and keeps us from remaining focused on our divine purpose. In her wisdom, the Church teaches us to prepare through prayer, fasting, and sacrificial giving so that, like St. John, we will remain close to Jesus as he experiences his Passion and death. Then at his Resurrection, we too, like St. John, will be able to look into the empty tomb and believe. Let us allow this Lent to be a special opportunity for experiencing a deepening of our faith and our belief in the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Eucharist.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 4, 2024

Sat, 03 Feb 2024 11:25:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

What a blessing you are! I was thrilled to see that so many of you responded cheerfully to Our Catholic Appeal (OCA) 2023. I celebrate you for your support! In 2023, our parish topped the chart as the Most Improved Parish for the number of new contributors . We came in third as the Most Improved Parish by dollars raised . Please know that I am very proud of you! You are always in my prayers!

Now I request that you prayerfully consider contributing to OCA 2024 at the earliest possible date. It is all in your hands now. Please, let’s move quickly to fulfill our OCA 2024 contribution and participation goals. If you do, I will not have to talk about it on any more Sundays. Meeting our goals early will allow me to focus on a lot of really good stuff waiting to happen at our parish. Will you help me? I count on each and every one of you! Remember, you promised: “Our goal is to help you achieve your goal”!!!

If you have not yet seen the Exhibition on the Eucharistic Miracles compiled by the Holy Teen Sensation Blessed Carlos Acutis, now is the time for you to do so, as the exhibition will only be with us until 12 February . I pray that this time of grace will help increase our faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and enhance our participation in our Eucharistic celebrations.

We have been tremendously blessed with so many talents. Let us celebrate our unity in diversity, rejoicing in the God who created us and makes it possible to come together to worship Him despite our varied origins. What a blessing! What splendid talents we share! What richness we bring! Let us enjoy this International Festival Day, giving joyful praise to God for all that he is doing in our lives.

I want to congratulate Jesse and Laverne Michalk , the recipients of the Family of the Month for January 2024. They have been with St. John’s since moving to Viera in 2005. Since then, they have been deeply involved in the various ministries of the parish. We thank them for their love and dedication. We are blessed to have their daughter Dawn and her husband Michael Hurley with us, too.

We are deeply saddened at the tragic murder of Fr. Bob Hoeffner, his sister Sally, and two others in Palm Bay, FL. Two police officers were injured. Fr. Bob had served as pastor of St. Joseph’s Church in Palm Bay for 18 years until retirement in 2016. Just last year we celebrated his 50 years of priesthood. May their souls Rest in Peace!

As we step into the 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B, we cannot fail to hear Job’s lament: “Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery?” Then we hear, in Mark’s Gospel, that Peter’s mother-in-law was sick with a fever. Our life is full of challenges indeed. We too might find our lives sapped of passion, zeal, and vigor. Oftentimes, we experience staleness, even in our faith life. But what gives us confidence to face this life’s drudgery? Jesus! He walks among us preaching, healing, driving out demons, and comforting us through the Eucharist, the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Healing, the many ministries in our church, and through you and me. Spreading the Good News of Jesus and taking his healing presence to the world is an obligation placed on us as baptized members of the Church. St. Paul is a great example of one who took this obligation seriously. In his zeal to carry out his mission, he says: “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel of Christ” (1 Cor 9:16).

On Friday, the 2nd of February, we celebrated the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. It was also the anniversary of the dedication of Our Lady of Sorrows Courtyard, which is so faithfully maintained by our CCW sisters. We thank them for their dedication to this ministry.

This weekend, we celebrate the feast of St. Blaise, the saint we turn to for help with throat-related illnesses. May St. Blaise intercede for us as we seek to be healed of all diseases related to our throats. And just so you know, 4 February is the feast of St. John de Britto.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 28, 2024

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 19:28:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

At the outset I want to thank those who faithfully responded to the call by our Bishop John Noonan to participate in Our Catholic Appeal (OCA) 2023. By your participation you made St. John’s very proud. You helped us not only to make our contribution goal but even to exceed it!

However, despite all the appeals we made for each of you to participate in OCA 2023, only 43% did so, which saddens me even now. If the parish in Mims, with 79% participation, can make the top of the chart for maximum participation, why can’t we here in Viera do something similar – or even better? This is a puzzle that I can’t seem to solve.

I bring this up now because we are launching OCA 2024 this weekend. We do so with a renewed hope and faith in you and in your astounding generosity. This year is very special to us because we are prominently featured in the OCA 2024 Video as Builders of the Sacred Space, our astoundingly beautiful Grotto of our Lady of Lourdes. Through this video, the entire Diocese of Orlando will come to know about it.

I know all of you have received by mail the appeal letter from Bishop John Noonan. I know some of you have already sent in your contribution, and some of you have it ready to dispatch. I know that for some there is already true eagerness to participate. I love to see that enthusiasm spill over.

It is incredibly important for us to support the Diocese’s outreach to each and every parish in the diocese, including ours, to serve their growing needs. Equally important is the Diocese’s wide-ranging outreach to those in need financially, materially, mentally, psychologically, and spiritually. We have received immense help from the Diocese, especially their expertise in many fields relevant to our campus projects. Our Grotto is a huge testament to the Diocese’s assistance.

I have so many things to look out for and take care of this year. Please, let’s move quickly to fulfill our OCA 2024 contribution and participation goals. This will allow me to get on with the business of focusing on a lot of really good stuff waiting to happen at our parish. Will you help me? I count on each and every one of you.

This past week was full of activity! I genuinely want to thank those couples who attended the RE-FOCCUS retreat on Saturday, 27 January. It was inspiring to hear the speakers present ways and means by which a couple can hold their marriage together despite the inevitable challenges. A huge thanks to Gregg and Janice Cheshire for coordinating this event to benefit our married parishioners.

The highly anticipated International Festival is only a week away! Please make sure the event is marked on your calendar: 4 February 2024. A lot of people have put in many, many of hours to make this event a memorable one. Please help us by contributing a pack or case of water bottles and/or canned sodas for the event. Please drop them off in the lobby of the Parish Life Center, in the reception desk area. This is how the event will flow:

What a blessing it is to be part of this lovely community and to celebrate the distinct gift of unity in diversity as people of God united in our faith in the Eucharistic Lord.

As we move into the 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B, we are challenged by Scripture to pay heed to the Lord our God who speaks of His ultimate love for His people not only through the various prophets but also and most especially though Jesus Christ, His Son. Jesus taught with the authority only He could muster as God-Man. So, let us join the Psalmist as we sing: “Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord; let us acclaim the rock of our salvation” (Psalm 95: 1-2).

Next weekend, come prepared to stay after Mass to get your throats blessed in honor of St. Blaise.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 21, 2024

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 19:21:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

I am immensely grateful to all those who participated in the 40-Hour Adoration to mark the 150th Death Anniversary of Blessed Basil Moreau, the founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, and also in the anniversary of the dedication of our beautiful sanctuary, which took place on 20 January 2018. Thank you also for joining us for the closing Thanksgiving Mass and the luncheon that followed. What a beautiful community we have! Thanks to all those who helped make these events possible. I know most of us are not familiar with Fr. Moreauand his legacy to the Congregation of Holy Cross and to the Universal Church. Fr. Vincent will share some highlights from the life of Fr. Moreau on the weekend to engender a greater appreciation of this holy man of God. I invite you to pray for any healing through the intercession of Fr. Moreau thatwill speed upthe processforhis canonization.

Have you yet seen the Exhibition on the Eucharistic Miracles compiled by the Holy Teen Sensation Blessed Carlos Acutis? If you have not yet visited this exhibition in Holy Cross Hall, please stop by -- it is breathtaking. You might certainly need more than one visit to absorb and relish the way God works through the Eucharist. I pray that this time of grace will help increase our faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and enhanceour participation in our Eucharistic celebrations.

I make another plea to our married couples to attend the Marriage Enrichment retreat titled RE-FOCCUS on Saturday, 27 January 27th from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Please donot miss the opportunity.

The highly anticipated International Festival is only two weeks away! Please make sure the event is marked on your calendar: 4 February 2024 . A lot of people have put in many, many hours to make this event a memorable one. Please help us by contributing a pack or case of bottledwaterand/or canned sodas for the event. Please dropthemoff in the lobbyofthe Parish Life Center, in the reception desk area.

This weekend we celebrate the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Pope Francis’ Motu proprio edict "Aperuit illis" (“opened to them” - see Luke 24:45), published on 30 September 2019, established that "the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is to be devoted to the celebration, study and dissemination of the Word of God." In view of this, I once again appeal to you to listen to the Bible in a Year Podcast by Fr. Mike Schmitz, which has been relished by so many of our parishioners during the past two years. Congratulations to those who have already done this! I reiterate my I appeal to those who have not yet signed up to seriously consider doing so. It requires only 20 -25 minutes each day. And as we celebrate this Word of God Sunday, let’s remember our Lectors in our prayers. I extend to all those whose passion is to proclaim the Word our heartfelt thanks for their superb contribution toourliturgies.

On the occasion of the anniversary of the dedication of our church I am very happy to announce the creation of another new ministry called, “Children’s Mass Ministry” which caters to the children attending the 9 a.m. Mass on Sundays. I thank Kathy Drake and Shamir who helped in spearheading this ministry -- something close to my heart. I thank the core team of this ministry who will now take it to a new level of actively engaging our children at the Mass.

Let us now move forward with the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis. Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

W e e k 27 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T AT I S ( TH E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H AR I ST )

CONTINUATION OF THE POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS OF THE HOLY FATHER BENEDICT XVI TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY, CONSECRATED PERSONS AND THE LAY FAITHFUL ON THE EUCHARIST AS THE SOURCE AND SUMMIT OF THE CHURCH'S LIFE AND MISSION

P A R T T W O : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E C E L E B R A T E D ( c on t i n u e d )

"Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven" (Jn 6:32)

A EUCHARISTIC FORM OF CHRISTIAN LIFE, MEMBERSHIP IN THE CHURCH

"Wherever communion with God, which is communion with the Father, with the Son and with the Holy Spirit, is destroyed, the root and source of our communion with one another is destroyed. And wherever we do not live communion among ourselves, communion with the Triune God is not alive and true either."(215) Called to be members of Christ and thus members of one another (cf. 1 Cor 12:27), we are a reality grounded ontologically in Baptism and nourished by the Eucharist, a reality that demands visible expression in the life of our communities.

The eucharistic form of Christian life is clearly an ecclesial and communitarian form. Through the Diocese and the parish, the fundamental structures of the Church in a particular territory, each individual believer can experience concretely what it means to be a member of Christ's Body. Associations, ecclesial movements and new communities – with their lively charisms bestowed by the Holy Spirit for the needs of our time – together with Institutes of Consecrated Life, have a particular responsibility for helping to make the faithful conscious that they belong to the Lord (cf. Rom 14:8). Secularization, with its inherent emphasis on individualism, has its most negative effects on individuals who are isolated and lack a sense of belonging. Christianity, from its very beginning, has meantfellowship, a networkof relationships constantly strengthened by hearing God's word and sharing in the Eucharist, and enlivened by the Holy Spirit.

SPIRITUALITY AND EUCHARISTIC CULTURE

THE EUCHARIST AND THE EVANGELIZATION OF CULTURES

(216) Propositio39.

(215) Benedict XVI, General Audience of 29 March 2006:L'Osservatore Romano, 30 March 2006, p. 4.

(217) Cf. Relatio post disceptationem, 30:L'Osservatore Romano, 14 October 2005, p. 6

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 14, 2023

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 11:59:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

We have now ended the Christmas Season. On Tuesday, January 9, the day after the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord, we entered Ordinary Time in Liturgical Year B. We will continue in Ordinary Time until Tuesday, 13 February, the day before Ash Wednesday.

Ordinary Time runs for 33 or 34 weeks in which no particular aspect of the mystery of Christ is celebrated, but rather the mystery of Christ itself is honored in its fullness, especially on Sundays (Universal Norms, 43).

The seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter possess a distinctive character, and the readings chosen for those seasons have an inherent harmony flowing from that character. However, the Sundays in Ordinary Time do not have a distinctive character, and the readings are arranged in order of semi-continuous reading, with the Old Testament reading harmonized with the Gospel (Homiletic Directory 2014).

Today we celebrate the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B. We get to hear about the calling of Samuel (1 Samuel). The Gospel tells us how Andrew gets his calling to follow Jesus, and how, after his encounter with Jesus, Andrew invites his brother Peter to follow Jesus. This is a great time to ponder what we do with our own calling. Is it a delight to us? Do we share that delight with others?

Although the Christmas Season is over, you will notice that we have kept the Holy Family in the Sanctuary. This is so that we can continue to gaze on this Family and contemplate the gift of Jesus. Mary and Joseph will take the baby to present him in the Temple on 2 February, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.

This year is very special to the Congregation of Holy Cross. On 20 January 2024 , we celebrate in gratitude the 150th Death Anniversary of Blessed Basil Moreau, the founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross. In 2018 on this same day, we dedicated our beautiful sanctuary. To mark both of these blessings, we will spend time in thanksgiving to God during 40 hours of Adoration, which will begin at 6 p.m. on Thursday, 18 January. Adoration continues until 10 a.m. on Saturday, 20 January when we conclude with a Holy Mass, followed by a luncheon. Please sign up to be part of this unbroken chain of Adoration offered to our Loving God.

We will soon be hosting an Exhibition on the Eucharistic Miracles compiled by the Holy Teen Sensation Blessed Carlos Acutis. We will have a blessing and inauguration of the exhibition after the 11 a.m. Mass on 14 January. I pray that this time of grace will help increase our faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and enhance participation in our Eucharistic celebrations.

Married couples: please get ready for the Marriage Enrichment retreat titled RE-FOCCUS to be held on Saturday, 27 January from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Let us now move forward with the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis. Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

W e e k 26 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T AT I S ( TH E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H AR I ST )

P A R T T WO : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A MY ST E R Y T O B E C E L E B R A T E D ( c ont i nu e d)

"Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven" (Jn 6:32)

LIVING THE SUNDAY OBLIGATION

Sunday thus appears as the primordial holy day, when all believers, wherever they are found, can become heralds and guardians of the true meaning of time. It gives rise to the Christian meaning of life and a new way of experiencing time, relationships, work, life and death. On the Lord's Day, then, it is fitting that Church groups should organize, around Sunday Mass, the activities of the Christian community: social gatherings, programmes for the faith formation of children, young people and adults, pilgrimages, charitable works, and different moments of prayer. For the sake of these important values – while recognizing that Saturday evening, beginning with First Vespers, is already a part of Sunday and a time when the Sunday obligation can be fulfilled – we need to remember that it is Sunday itself that is meanttobe kept holy, lest it end up as a day "emptyof God." (208)

THE MEANING OF REST AND OF WORK

SUNDAY ASSEMBLIES IN THE ABSENCE OF A PRIEST

(206) Cf. Propositio30.

(207) Cf. AAS 90 (1998), 713-766.

(208) Propositio30.

(209) Homily (19 March 2006): AAS 98 (2006), 324.

(210) The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 258, rightly notes in this regard: "For man, bound as he is to the necessity of work, this rest opens to the prospect of a fuller freedom, that of the eternal Sabbath (cf. Heb 4:9-10). Rest gives men and womenthe possibility to rememberandexperience anew God's work, from Creation to Redemption, to recognizethemselves as his work (cf. Eph 2:10), and togivethanks for their lives and for their subsistenceto him whois their "

(211) Propositio10.

(212) ibid.

(213) Benedict XVI, Address to the Bishops of Canada – Quebec during their Visit ad Limina (11 May 2006): cf. L'Osservatore Romano, 12 May 2006, p. 5.

(214) No. 10: AAS 71 (1979), 414-415.

The Epiphany of the Lord, January 7, 2024

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 12:03:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

We have stepped into the New Year 2024 with the assurance of God’s blessings as spoken through the Scripture: May God let His face shine on you, in His Mercy! And so, we carry on with the task at hand, confident of God’s presence with us and of your active participation.

Once again, I wish to say that I am indebted to all those who participated in Our Catholic Appeal (OCA) 2023. You should have received my personal note thanking you for the way you have made us proud. Because of your participation, we achieved our goal AND increased our participation level. My one remaining wish is that ALL had participated. Well, I guess most would say that this will never be possible! But I am man of HOPE, and I keep my hope alive for OCA 2024.

This year is very special to the Congregation of Holy Cross. On 20 January, we celebrate in gratitude the 150th Death Anniversary of Blessed Basil Moreau, the founder of the Congregation. Moreover, on 20 January 2018 we dedicated our beautiful sanctuary here at St. John the Evangelist. To mark both of these blessings, we will spend time in prayer and thanksgiving to God during 40 hours of Adoration beginning at 6 p.m. on Thursday, 18 January . This will continue until we conclude with a Holy Mass at 10 a.m. on Saturday, 20 January. This will be followed by a luncheon. Please sign up (see page 4 in the Bulletin ) and be part of this unbroken chain of Adoration offered to our Loving God. You can find the link to sign up for Adoration during the 40 Hours on our website ( stjohnviera.org ).

We are also hosting an Exhibition on the Eucharistic Miracles compiled by the holy teen sensation, Blessed Carlos Acutis. We will bless and inaugurate the exhibition after the 11 a.m. Mass on 14 January. I pray that this time of grace will help increase our faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and enhance our participation in our Eucharistic celebrations.

Married couples: please get ready for the Marriage Enrichment Retreat, entitled RE-FOCCUS, to be held here on Saturday, 27 January from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Please remember to set aside your time for two most wonderful Pilgrimages that are offered for this year: Ireland in July and Montreal in September.

This weekend, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. The traditional date of Epiphany is 6 January. However, in the United States it is celebrated on the Sunday that falls between 2 January and 8 January. There are many traditions connected with this great feast. One particular tradition that might be of interest to you is the Blessing of the Home and Household on Epiphany. The Church extends itself on Epiphany to the homes of the faithful.

The custom of blessing the home on this day probably originated from these words in the Gospel, ‘And entering into the house, they found the Child with Mary, His Mother, and falling down they adored Him.’ You can find a home blessing prayer at this link:

https:// www.usccb.org/prayers/blessing-home-and-household-epiphany

On the Solemnity of the Epiphany:

The young Messiah is revealed as the light of the nations. Yet, as the antiphon for the Magnificat at Second Vespers reminds us, three mysteries are encompassed in this solemnity: the adoration of the Christ Child by the Magi, the Baptism of Christ and the wedding feast at Cana. Extra candles and/or lamps may be placed around the sanctuary and in other parts of the church to honor Christ revealed as the Light of the Gentiles (Ceremonial of Bishops). It is customary to replace the images of the shepherds at the crib with the three Magi and their gifts. —Ceremonies of the Liturgical Year, Msgr. Peter J. Elliott, Ignatius Press.

The feast of the Epiphany, which was kept in the East and in certain Western Churches before being observed in Rome, seems to have been originally a feast of the nativity; January 6, for those churches where it was kept, was the equivalent of Christmas (December 25) in the Roman Church. The feast was introduced at Rome in the second of the sixth century and became the complement and, so to say, the crown of the Christmas festival.

Epiphany means manifestation. What the Church celebrates today is the manifestation of our Lord to the whole world; after being made known to the shepherds of Bethlehem He is revealed to the Magi who have come from the East to adore Him. Christian tradition has ever seen in the Magi the first fruits of the Gentiles; they lead in their wake all the peoples of the earth, and thus the Epiphany is an affirmation of universal salvation.

[The Church sees] this same thought of universal redemption . . . in the union with Christ [as] typified by the wedding feast at Cana, [and] by the baptism of her children foreshadowed by that of Christ in the waters of the Jordan. Formerly the Epiphany was an additional day for solemn baptisms.

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord will be celebrated on Monday, 8 January this year. With this Feast, the Christmas Season comes to an end. On the 8th, you may now pack away your Christmas Creche and other decorations to be safely stored until Christmas 2024. Congratulations to those who keep the Christmas Season intact and their Christmas Decorations on display until then. I was pleased to see this in a number of the homes that I visited during this Christmas Season.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, December 31, 2023

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 17:55:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

Gratitude is the word that tumbles out of my mouth on the last day of the month of December and the last day of YEAR 2023!

One of my dear friends wrote me this note: “As I prepared during this Advent I counted my blessings and you were at the top of the list.” I thought, yes, counting our blessings is a perfect way to conclude this year. As I write this last piece at the end of this year, God is on top of my list, and of course you come just next to God Himself.

Thank you, Lord, for leading us through this year of blessings. Thank you that we were spared the worst hurricanes and disasters. Thank you for helping us navigate so many curbs, curves, bends and sometimes just plain straight roads. You have been with us all through the days and have blessed us with the so generous and wonderful peopleof this St. John’s Family.

With your astounding help and commitment, we have grown in our spiritual life. I trust we also grew closer to our goal of becoming saints. It is ok if we took two steps forward and one step backward, as long as we kept on the path and kept our focus on JESUS.

During this pastyear, we have seen wonders!

Lord, what a blessing You have been to this community! Now all know why you top my list when I count my many blessings.

As we begin the YEAR of GRACE 2024, we seek God’s continued accompaniment, blessing, and outpourings of grace, humbly asking for His help in keeping our focuson HIM alone.

For those who have kept up with their resolutions from this past year, especially to follow the Bible in a Year and/or Catechism of the Catholic Church podcasts with Fr. Mike Schmitz, Congratulations! For those of you who are still thinking of a resolution for 2024, please choose to follow one ofthese podcasts. It is oneofthe best things you can do.

As always, we begin the new year with the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. Because this feast falls on a Monday this year, it is not a holy day of obligation, but . . . we still will offer two Masses: one at 10 a.m. in the churchand another at 4 p.m. at the Grotto. Let us ask our Mother Mary to lead us through the year toward perfect faith and hope and love.

The 1st day of January is the Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord. On this day, the 8-day high celebration of the Birth of Christ comes to an end, but the Christmas Season continues until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Monday, 8 January 2024. Please keep your Christmas decorations up until 8 January, so thatyou have due time to savor the sweet mystery of God becoming man.

On behalf of Fr. Vincent, the Deacons, and the Staff, I wish you a Joyful, God-filled, and Grace-filled New Year!

With Love, Fr. John

Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 24, 2023

Sun, 24 Dec 2023 01:15:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

It has been a busy month indeed! I am so very grateful to you, my dear SJE family, for always being there for our parish. Your generosity is astounding, and it enables us to do so much more than one individual can possibly doon his/her own.

The sheer volume of our OUTREACH activities is staggering!

If anyone should ask you what you do for charity and service as a Catholic, you can proudly tell them about all that you do through our vibrant and giving community of faith-filled parishioners, which is the theme of this letter.

This past week was the most delightful time of our Outreach program. It felt like the culmination and best expression of all that we do. Here are the highlights:

I want to take this opportunity to highlight all of our other outreach accomplishments this year, along with those who have made it all possible, including each one of you who help and/or donate to our Outreach and Social Concerns ministries.

In addition to all the above, you have been generous in helping the Holy Cross Missionary Co-op from Mexico, our Sister Diocese in the Dominican Republic, and Catholic Charities.

We also have a number of ministries that serve the faith, spiritual, and psychological needs of our parishioners and the larger community:

While I am counting all the blessings that our parishioners provide through acts of kindness and service, I must not forget to mention the many wonderful things done by the following ministry, committee, and crew volunteers. I offer my heartful gratitude to each of you for your incredible dedication and commitment.

Our dedicated Liturgical Ministry volunteers serve our parish as Altar Servers, Ushers, Greeters (Hospitality Ministry), Sacristans, EMHCs, and Lectors. A special thanks to the children who participate so beautifully in our liturgies and to those who train and coordinate them.

We also have volunteers who prepare people prepare people for the sacraments: the Baptism Prep Team, those who help with First Communion and Confirmationprep, the OCIA Ministry, and the Wedding Coordinators.

Those who volunteer in our Faith Formation program deserve special recognition: the Catechists and their assistants for the SJE Kids (K – 5th grade students), Anchored in Faith (6th – 8th grade students) , and Fiat (high school students) programs. And we mustn’t forget those who made our annual Vacation Bible School program possible.

In addition, there are the many volunteers who serve our parish through the Music Ministry, the Art and Environment Committee, the Reception Ministry, the Altar Guild, the Altar Linens Ministry, the Media Ministry, the Digital Media Ministry, the CRHP teams, the Respect Life Ministry, the Church Cleaning teams, the Gardening Crew, the Guardians of the Grotto, the Coffee and Donut Ministry, and the Welcome Ministry.

We also are blessed to have people involved in ministries that pray for us and for the many others in need of prayers. We are grateful to these ministries: Flourish Our Faith, Kerygma Healing Prayer, Charismatic Prayer Group, Contemplative Prayer Group, Small Christian Communities, Small Spanish Christian Community, Men of St. Joseph, those who lead the Rosary before and after various Masses, and to Peter and Fran who lead the Rosary at the Grotto.

Finally, recognition and thanks to the many often invisible individuals who accept my assignments “on the go.” Praise God for these, and for the many others who help anytime for any occasion without hesitation.

I offer a special word of thanks to those who participated in Our Catholic Appeal 2023, helping the Diocese of Orlando reach out to many people in need of food, housing, and medical assistance. Through OCA, you have helped our diocesan Seminarians, Deacons and Priests in their formation, and your generosity has also helped the Diocese keep up with its wonderful liturgies.

YOU make all this POSSIBLE!

I am so indebted to each and every one of you, my dear brothers and sisters. On behalf of Fr. Vincent, Deacon Rick, Deacon Mike, Deacon Lee, almost– Deacon Tom Buddington, and our lovely staff, I thank all those who volunteer and for your generosity that makes it possible for us to reach out to people in need and to provide all the that goes into creating our liturgies and addressing the spiritual needs and growth of our congregation. Together, we help form a community that walks together, shoulder to shoulder, into the life that glorifies the Lord and does Hiswork.

Do not forget, my dear friends, to share with everyone you meet that deep, abiding joy rooted in Christ! You can’t share Christ’s love without JOY in your heart and on your FACE as well!

By the way, the Christmas Season begins now. We just finished Advent. So do not pack away your nativity sets until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which we celebrate on Monday, 8 January 2024. Until then, discover the serenity and joy that comes from meditating daily on the Nativity Scene.

Please note: on Monday, 1 January 2024, we will have 2 Masses to celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God: 10 a.m. in the church and 4 p.m. in the Grotto.

On behalf of Fr. Vincent, the Deacons, and the Staff, I wish you all a Blessed and Joyful Christmas! Maythe Child Jesus penetrate our busy world with his healing and merciful light. Have a wonderful Christmas week!

With Love,

Fr. John

Third Sunday of Advent, December 17, 2023

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 14:11:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

I am so grateful to all of you for your wishes and prayers for my 60th birthday. I thank God and my parents for their gifts to me that allow me to serve you as I do. I thank each and every one of you for your help in making my ministry here worthwhile and productive. A special thanks to Shamir, Lou Seiler, Kathy Badger, and the many, many parishioners who organized the celebration, arranged for and took part in the video project, prepared the food, and did all the other needful things to create the event. I cannot possibly repay the out pouring of love shown to me except to offer my prayers for you every day. THANK YOU for the expression of your love. I ask all of you, beloved brothers and sisters, to continue to pray for me, that I may to serve you with even more zeal, love, and joy!

We now enter the heart of Advent. The Third Week of Advent begins with what is known as Gaudete Sunday or Rejoice Sunday . Paul conveys the tone of the week when he says to the Thessalonians (Th 5: 16): Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Hmm, a great verse for our pondering. How can we rejoice in all circumstances? Is this possible, even when we are experiencing dark valleys of pain or suffering on account of so many things, even loss or approaching death? I think we can, but only if we are rooted in Christ. That’s what the saints teach us. So then, I say to you: Rejoice in all circumstances!

On Tuesday, 19th December, we have the opportunity to experience the Stations of the Crib in the Church at 7 p.m. This is a very peaceful, meditative encounter with the events leading up the Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. The contemplative experience will be enhanced by beautiful songs that reflect on the meaning of these events. Please do not miss it.

Congratulations to Louis and Catherine Cardinale, the recipients of the Family of the Month award for December 2023. Both Lou and Cathy were among the founding members of our parish, and they have been actively involved in many ministries ever since, including leading the Rosary after the weekday Masses since 2007. Thank you, Lou and Cathy, for your dedication to our parish family.

Please know that because the 4th Sunday of Advent falls on 24th December, we have a unique problem that comes only every once in a while. How can we both meet our Sunday Mass obligation and yet also welcome our Lord in one of the special Christmas Masses? To make it easier on the clergy and yet accommodate the need to celebrate both the last Sunday in Advent and the Solemnity of Christmas, we have arranged the Masses for December 23 – 25, 2023 in this manner:

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23
VIGIL MASS FOR THE 4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT 4:30 P.M.
THE 4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
REGULAR MASSES on SUNDAY DECEMBER 24
No Mass at 7:15 A.M.
MASS AT 9:00 A.M. ; MASS AT 11:00 A.M.

CHRISTMAS EVE
MASSES on SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24; 4:00 P.M.; 6:00 P.M.; 8:00 P.M. ;
MIDNIGHT (12:00 A.M.)
CHRISTMAS DAY
MASSES on MONDAY, DECEMBER 25; 10:00 A.M.
1:00 P.M. - Mass in Tamil Language

Let us now move forward with the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis. Continue to enjoy the Season of Advent!

With love,

Fr. John

W e e k 25 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T AT I S ( TH E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H AR I ST )

P A R T T H R E E : T H E E U C H A R I ST , A M Y ST E R Y T O B E L I V E D
"As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me" (Jn 6:57)

THE EUCHARISTIC FORM OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

SPIRITUAL WORSHIP – LOGIKÉ LATREÍA (ROM 12:1)

Here the eucharistic celebration appears in all its power as the source and summit of the Church's life, since it expresses at once both the origin and the fulfilment of the new and definitive worship of God, the logiké latreía . (200) Saint Paul's exhortation to the Romans in this regard is a concise description of how the Eucharist makes our whole life a spiritual worship pleasing to God: "I appeal to you therefore, my brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship" ( Rom 12:1). In these words the new worship appears as a total self-offering made in communion with the whole Church. The Apostle's insistence on the offering of our bodies emphasizes the concrete human reality of a worship which is anything but disincarnate. The Bishop of Hippo goes on to say that "this is the sacrifice of Christians: that we, though many, are one body in Christ. The Church celebrates this mystery in the sacrament of the altar, as the faithful know, and there she shows them clearly that in what is offered, she herself is offered." (201) Catholic doctrine, in fact, affirms that the Eucharist, as the sacrifice of Christ, is also the sacrifice of the Church, and thus of all the faithful. (202) This insistence on sacrifice – a "making sacred" – expresses all the existential depth implied in the transformation of our human reality as taken up by Christ (cf. Phil 3:12).

THE ALL-ENCOMPASSING EFFECT OF EUCHARISTIC WORSHIP

IUXTA DOMINICAM VIVENTES – LIVING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LORD'S DAY

(198) VII, 10, 16: PL 32, 742.

(199) Benedict XVI, Homily at Marienfeld Esplanade (21 August 2005): AAS 97 (2005), 892; Homily for the Vigil of Pentecost(3 June 2006): AAS 98 (2006), 505.

(200) Relatio post disceptationem, 6, 47: L'Osservatore Romano, 14 October 2005, pp. 5-6; Propositio 43

(201) De Civitate Dei,X, 6: PL 41,

(202) Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1368.

(203) Saint Irenaeus,Adv. Haer., IV, 20, 7: PG 7, 1037.

(204) Ad Magnes.,9, 1: PG 5, 670.

(205) Cf. I Apologia,67, 1-6; 66: PG 6, 430ff., 427, 430.

Second Sunday of Advent, December 10, 2023

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 21:46:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

Advent this year is going to be very short. We will be unable to celebrate the whole of the 4th week of Advent because Christmas Eve falls on the same day as the 4th Sundayof Advent. Therefore, wemaywant togo aboutour spiritual preparations a bitmore intensely.

The Second Sunday of Advent directs our attention to the most prominent figure of the Advent People, namely, John the Baptist. He along with Mary and Joseph show us how we too can be the Advent People as we prepare for the Lord to be born in our hearts. John was sent ahead as a messenger to prepare the way. He was the voice crying in the desert, calling people to repentance. John knew who he was—a humble servant, regardless of his popularity. He had the perfect disposition for preparing to receive the Lord and to point him out to others. Let usstrip away everything that clutters the place in our lives and hearts that is intended for Christ, our Lord.

Now that we have completed our Advent Mission and the special Advent Reconciliation, please keep in mind and heart the salient elements of the Season of Advent represented by the four candles of the Advent Wreath that we light in sequence: hope, peace, joy and love. Taking the time to increase the dosesof these Adventvirtuesin our lives will help us better prepare to receive the Lord at Christmas.

At St. John’s, we focus every Tuesday of the Advent Season on something important in preparing to celebrate our Lord’s first coming and also in preparing for His final coming. Thank you for participating in and celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation last Tuesday. This Tuesday (5th December) is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. We will honor the patroness of the Americas and of the unborn with a special Mass at the Grotto at 6 p.m. followed by the Rosary.

Thanks to all who participated in the Children’s Hunger Project food packing event on Saturday. We put together more than 5,000 food packets. We are so grateful to you for your generosity! St. John’s has partnered with this Project from their inception. Please keep these children in your prayers.

On Thursday, December 14, we will receive our guests from the Developmentally Disabled Community to share with them a joy-filled, Christmas-themed luncheon. Please keep themin your prayers, that theymayalways feel the loving careofour Lord Jesus.

Congratulations to Gilbert and Frances Pharm, the recipients of the Family of the Month award for November 2023. We thank them for their love of the parish and especially for their commitment to the upkeep of the Grotto as members of the Guardians of the Grotto.

Enjoy the Season of Advent! With love,

Fr. John

W e e k 24 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T AT I S ( TH E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H AR I ST )

P A R T T W O : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E C E L E B R A T E D ( c on t i n u e d )

"Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven" (Jn 6:32)

ADORATION AND EUCHARISTIC DEVOTION

THE INTRINSIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CELEBRATION AND ADORATION

THE PRACTICE OF EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

Here I would like to express appreciation and support for all those Institutes of Consecrated Life whose members dedicate a significant amount of time to eucharistic adoration. In this way they give us an example of lives shaped by the Lord's real presence. I would also like to encourage those associations of the faithful and confraternities specifically devoted to eucharistic adoration; they serve as a leaven of contemplation for the whole Church and a summons to individuals and communities to place Christ at the centre of their lives.

FORMS OF EUCHARISTIC DEVOTION

THE LOCATION OF THE TABERNACLE

(191) Enarrationes in Psalmos 98:9, CCL XXXIX, 1385; cf. Benedict XVI, Address to the Roman Curia (22 December 2005): AAS 98 (2006), 44-

(192) Propositio6.

(193) Benedict XVI, Address to the Roman Curia (22 December 2005): AAS 98 (2006),

(194) Propositio 6; Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy(17 December 2001), Nos. 164-165, Vatican City, 2002; Sacred Congregation of Rites, Instruction Eucharisticum Mysterium(25 May 1967): AAS 57 (1967), 539-573.

(195) Relatio post disceptationem, 11: L'Osservatore Romano, 14 October 2005, p. 5.

(196) Propositio28.

(197) Cf. No. 314.

First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2023

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 19:21:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

Can you believe it is already the First Sunday of Advent? Everyone looks forward to Advent for so many reasons. For us, the main reason is we want to ready our hearts and make way for the joy of our Savior’s birth at Christmas.

Let us make the best use of this season to slow down. Wait, what? Slow down? Is this time of the year to slow down? Yes, I know what you mean. It is that time of year when life is the busiest with so much to plan, to prepare, to execute. But the fundamental question is: What are we busy with? As busy as you might be, let us not forget the reason for the season. It is to make room in our hearts for the coming of the Messiah, our Savior and Lord.

Gayle Boss in his book “All Creation Waits: The Advent Mystery of New Beginnings” says something beautiful for us to reflect on: Advent [meaning “coming”] to the Church Fathers was the right naming of the season when light and life are fading. They urged the faithful to set aside four weeks to fast, give, and pray— all ways to strip down, to let the bared soul recall what it knows beneath its fear of the dark, to know what Jesus called “the one thing necessary:” that there is One who is the source of all life, One who comes to be with us and in us, even, especially, in darkness and death. One who brings a new beginning. (Paraclete Press: 2016, xi-xii.)

I am so grateful to you all for making our Advent Mission one of the best so far in the life of St. John’s Community. Your response was heartwarming. It was standing room only. Oh, how I wish our church overflowed with so many people at all our celebrations. Fr. Jim Sichko indeed challenged us by telling us that we could be a better church community in the way we participate in the liturgy, how we reverence the sacred sanctuary, and how we treasure the meaning of the Holy Eucharist by staying until the end of the Mass. My heart aches when we treat our sanctuary with irreverence and when we leave soon after Communion. Oh, when will I see deliverance from this ache?

What a wonderful community you have given us, Lord. We thank you for the faithfulness of our amazing family of St. John’s. As we begin this new liturgical year, help us grow closer to you. We know we could be better in the way we worship you, so we ask for your precious aid! May these years of Eucharistic Revival help us to treasure your gift to us of the Holy Eucharist.

Wish you all a Happy New Liturgical Year as we step into this season of Advent!

Let us now move forward with the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis. Have a Blessed Week!

With love, Fr. John

W e e k 23 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T AT I S ( TH E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H AR I ST )

P A R T T W O : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E C E L E B R A T E D ( c on t i n u e d )

"Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven;
my Father gives you the true bread from heaven" (Jn 6:32)

MYSTAGOGICAL CATECHESIS

If we are to succeed in carrying out this work of education in our ecclesial communities, those responsible for formation must be adequately prepared. Indeed, the whole people of God should feel involved in this formation. Each Christian community is called to be a place where people can be taught about the mysteries celebrated in faith. In this regard, the Synod Fathers called for greater involvement by communities of consecrated life, movements and groups which, by their specific charisms, can give new impetus to Christian formation. (188) In our time, too, the Holy Spirit freely bestows his gifts to sustain the apostolic mission of the Church, which is charged with spreading the faith and bringing it to maturity. (189)

REVERENCE FOR THE EUCHARIST

(186) Propositio14.

(187) Propositio 19

(188) Propositio14.

(189) Benedict XVI, Homilyat First Vespers of Pentecost (3 June 2006): AAS 98 (2006), 509.

(190) Propositio34.

Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, November 26, 2023

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 23:54:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

We have arrived at the last Sunday of Ordinary Time with a bang. After all that we heard and celebrated this past week, we now come to the end of Year A, the year during which we focus on the gospel of St. Matthew. Wow. And we complete this year as always with the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe . Why do we do this?

In 1925, as waves of nationalism and secularism were on the rise across the globe, Pope Pius XI instituted the Solemnity of Christ the King as a reminder that Christ reigns above all earthly rulers. While temporal powers rise and fall, Christ’s reign and his kingdom remain eternal. This Solemnity calls believers to totally surrender their wills and hearts to Christ’s sovereignty.

When times are uncertain and conflict ravages the globe, we can take comfort in knowing that Christ stands in infinite power above it all. As Pope Benedict XVI noted, “It is in the very offering of himself in the sacrifice of expiation that Jesus becomes King of the universe.” His sacrifice for all humanity reminds us to follow his example and offer our hearts and lives in service of our fellow man. Pope Francis remarks: “The kingdoms of this world at times are sustained by arrogance, rivalries and oppression; the reign of Christ is a ‘kingdom of justice, love and peace.’ . . . For a Christian, speaking of power and strength means referring to the power of the Cross and the strength of Jesus’ love: a love which remains steadfast and complete, even when faced with rejection and it is shown as the fulfillment of a life expended in the total surrender of oneself for the benefit of humanity.” To live as people of the kingdom of God, we must act in a restorative manner, bringing healing to a broken world.

Next weekend we will be stepping into the First Sunday of Advent. Do you hear the music in the air already: O Come, O Come!!!

I am happy to announce and welcome three new staff to our community and thank them for their services: Jennifer Hera, our Administrative Assistant, Charles (Chuck) Maute, our new bookkeeper, and Naida Danielson , who is helping with maintenance.

Let us now move forward with the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

W e e k 22 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T AT I S ( TH E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H AR I ST )

P A R T T W O : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E C E L E B R A T E D ( c on t i n u e d )

"Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven"
(Jn 6:32)

CARE FOR PRISONERS

MIGRANTS AND PARTICIPATION IN THE EUCHARIST

LARGE-SCALE CONCELEBRATIONS

THE LATIN LANGUAGE

EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATIONS IN SMALL GROUPS

(179) cf. Propositio 48

(180) Candidates forthe priesthood can be introduced tothesetraditions as part oftheir seminarytraining: cf. Propositio 45.

(181) Cf. Propositio 37.

(182) Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 36, 54.

(183) Propositio 36

(184) ibid.

(185) Propositio 32

Thirty-2 Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 19, 2023

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 16:29:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

I heartily welcome Fr. Jim Sichko to our St. John the Evangelist Community. He is here to lift up our spirits by offering an Advent Mission that will help us prepare for our Lord’s coming. What a blessing it is to have him with us. Fr. Jim Sichko is from the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky. He is a full-time preacher, evangelist, and motivational speaker. In February 2016, Pope Francis commissioned him as one of his Papal Missionaries of Mercy. He was an opera singer before becoming a priest. When he is not on his mission tours, he lives with Pope Francis in Rome.

The title of Fr. Jim’s Advent Mission is 60 Minutes for Jesus . Please block your calendar for November 19-21, 2023, Sunday through Tuesday, at 7 p.m. each day. Please do not miss this opportunity. Please bring your family and friends too.

On Tuesday, November 21st we celebrate the Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In honor of our Blessed Mother, we will have a Mass in the Grotto at 5.30 p.m. followed by praying the Rosary at 6 p.m. We will then proceed to the Church for the last day of the Advent Mission at 7 p.m.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day this week, please remember to attend Mass, which is the supreme and quintessential form of thanksgiving for us Catholics. We will have a Vigil Mass on Wednesday, November 22, at 7 p.m., and a Mass on the day of Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 23, at 10 a.m. On behalf of Fr. Vincent, the Deacons, and the Staff, I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.

The Parish Office will be closed Thursday, November 23 and Friday, November 24 in observance of Thanksgiving. It will reopen on Monday, November 27.

As we near the end of the Liturgical Year, our Scripture readings focus on being prepared for the second coming of our Lord. The time of this coming is unknown to us. As St. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6: “the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night . . .. Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober.” Let us be alert and wise the way Jesus invites us to do through the parable of the servants entrusted with talents (Matthew 25: 14-30).

Let us now move forward with the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis. Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

W e e k 21 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T AT I S ( TH E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H AR I ST )

P A R T T W O : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E C E L E B R A T E D ( c on t i n u e d )

"Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven;
my Father gives you the true bread from heaven" (Jn 6:32)

PERSONAL CONDITIONS FOR AN "ACTIVE PARTICIPATION"

Clearly, full participation in the Eucharist takes place when the faithful approach the altar in person to receive communion (169). Yet true as this is, care must be taken lest they conclude that the mere fact of their being present in church during the liturgy gives them a right or even an obligation to approach the table of the Eucharist. Even in cases where it is not possible to receive sacramental communion, participation at Mass remains necessary, important, meaningful and fruitful. In such circumstances it is beneficial to cultivate a desire for full union with Christ through the practice of spiritual communion, praised by Pope John Paul II (170) and recommended by saints who were masters of the spiritual life (171).

PARTICIPATION BY CHRISTIANS WHO ARE NOT CATHOLIC

PARTICIPATION THROUGH THE COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA

Finally, with regard to the value of taking part in Mass via the communications media, those who hear or view these broadcasts should be aware that, under normal circumstances, they do not fulfill the obligation of attending Mass. Visual images can represent reality, but they do not actually reproduce it.(177) While it is most praiseworthy that the elderly and the sick participate in Sunday Mass through radio and television, the same cannot be said of those who think that such broadcasts dispense them from going to church and sharing in the eucharistic assembly in the living Church.

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION BY THE SICK

(168) Propositio35; Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 11.

(169) Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1388; Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 55.

(170) Encyclical LetterEcclesia de Eucharistia(17 April 2003), 34: AAS 95 (2003), 456.

(171) See, for example, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, III, LXXX, a. 1, 2; Saint Teresa of Jesus, The Way of Perfection, Chapter 35. The doctrine was authoritatively confirmed by the Councilof Trent, Session XIII, c. VIII.

(172) John Paul II, Encyclical LetterUt Unum Sint(25 May 1995), 8: AAS 87 (1995), 925-926.

(173) Propositio 41; Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on Ecumenism Unitatis Redintegratio, 8, 15; John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Ut Unum Sint (25 May 1995), 46: AAS 87 (1995), 948; Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia(17 April 2003), 45-46: AAS 95 (2003), 463-464; Code of Canon Law, can. 844 §§ 3-4; Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, can. 671 §§ 3-4; Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Directoire pour l'application des principes et des normessurl'œcuménisme(25 March 1993), 125, 129-131: AAS 85 (1993),1087, 1088-1089.

(174) Cf. Nos. 1398-1401

(175) Cf. No. 293.

(176) Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Pastoral Instruction on Social Communications on the Twentieth Anniversary of "Communio et Progressio" Aetatis Novae (22 February 1992): AAS 84 (1992), 447-468.

(177) Propositio29.

(178) Propositio44.

Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 12, 2023

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 11:34:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

The church celebrates this weekend the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A. In Chapter 25 of the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus tells the parable of the ten virgins. At the end of the parable, Jesus tells us to be like the wise virgins. But if instead we are like the five foolish virgins, then we will find ourselves standing at the door, knocking and crying: “Lord, Lord, open the door for us.” Jesus’s answer will be something you do not want to hear: “I do not know you.” When we make extra time in our lives to be with Jesus – by reading holy Scripture, Adoration, attending Mass on a weekday, in setting time aside at home for quiet prayer – we make sure that we know Him. He will repay that fidelity and prudence with words of recognition: Welcome, my beloved, my faithful one. You kept the light of your love burning steadily for me. Welcome!

We have started another new ministry. Called the “Reception Ministry,” it will help us take care of our front desk needs at the Parish Office. I am grateful to Sandy Samuel for accepting to head up of this ministry and also to the team of wonderful parish women for their willingness to serve in this key ministry. I remember well the days when we had regular volunteers for the front desk, and I am happy that we could reactivate this ministry. We will, however, still have a part-time staff person to be the receptionist.

Please remember our Advent Mission that will be held on November 19-21, 2023, Sunday through Tuesday. Fr. Jim Sichko from the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky, will be the presenter. His Mission is titled: “60 Minutes for Jesus.” Jim is a full-time preacher, evangelist and motivational speaker. In February 2016, Pope Francis commissioned him as one of his Papal Missionaries of Mercy. He was an opera singer before becoming a priest. When he is not on his mission tours, he lives with Pope Francis in Rome. Block your calendar for this event at once.

Let us now move forward with the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis. Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

W e e k 20 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T AT I S ( TH E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H AR I ST )

P A R T T W O : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E C E L E B R A T E D ( c on t i n u e d )

"Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven" (Jn 6:32)

ACTUOSA PARTICIPATION

AUTHENTIC PARTICIPATION

PARTICIPATION AND THE PRIESTLY MINISTRY

THE EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION AND INCULTURATION

(155) Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 14-20; 30ff.; 48ff; Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum(25 March 2004), 36-42: AAS 96 (2004), 561-564.

(156) No. 48.

(157) Ibid.

(158) Cf. Congregation for the Clergy, Instruction on Certain Questions Regarding the Collaboration of the Non- Ordained Faithful in the Ministry of Priests Ecclesiae de Mysterio (15 August 1997): AAS 89 (1997), 852-877.

(159) Cf. Propositio33.

(160) General Instruction of the Roman Missal,92.

(161) Cf. ibid., 94.

(162) Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity Apostolicam Actuositatem, 24; General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 95-111; Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum(25 March 2004), 43-47: AAS 96 (2004), 564-566; Propositio 33: "These ministries must be introduced in accordance with a specific mandate and in accordance with the real needs of the celebrating community. Those entrusted with these liturgical services must be chosen with care, wellprepared, and provided with ongoing formation. Their appointment must be for a limited term. They must be known to the community and be gratefully acknowledged by the community."

(163) Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 37-42.

(164) Cf. General Instruction of the Roman Missal,386-399.

(165) Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instruction on the Roman Liturgy and Inculturation Varietates Legitimae(25 January 1994): AAS 87 (1995), 288-314.

(166) Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa(14 September 1995), 55-71: AAS 88 (1996), 34-47; Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in America(22 January 1999), 16, 40, 64, 70-72: AAS 91 (1999), 752-753, 775-776, 799, 805-809; Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Asia(6 November 1999), 21ff.: AAS 92 (2000), 482-487; Post-Synodal Apostolic ExhortationEcclesia in Oceania(22 November 2001), 16: AAS 94 (2002), 382-384; Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Europa(28 June 2003), 58-60: AAS 95 (2003), 685-686.

(167) Propositio26.

Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 5, 2023

Sat, 04 Nov 2023 13:48:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

We enter the month of November with gratitude for those who have gone before us and who have been part of our lives. Please take a moment to pray for the repose of their souls.

As we celebrate the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Church invites us to reflect on our call to humble service. Jesus puts it so beautifully in Matthew 23: 12: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” He has some very harsh words for the priests who demand of the people what they themselves will not practice. Please keep all the clergy in your prayers, that we might serve God’s people as Christ would.

I take this opportunity to thank Josefina Perez, who has been the welcoming face of St. John’s for the past couple of years as the receptionist for our parish. She has been so pleasant and kind to all who stepped into our office. As she moves on to another job, we wish her God’s blessings and thank her for the lovely ways in which she has served us here. We are grateful that she will continue to be actively involved in parish life.

I am deeply grateful to Gilbert Pharam, chairperson of Guardians of the Grotto, and his team for doing a splendid job in arranging the Grotto for Rosary during the month of October. Thanks to Peter and Fran Behrens for leading the Rosary everyday of the month and to the many who came to pray and invoke our Mother’s intercession for the wellbeing of our parish community and for an end to war.

Let us now move forward with the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Week 19—SACRAMENTUM CARITATI S (THE SACRAMENT OF CHARITY: THE EUCHARIST)

CONTINUATION OF THE POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS OF THE HOLY FATHER BENEDICT XVI TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY, CONSECRATED PERSONS AND THE LAY FAITHFUL ON THE EUCHARIST AS THE SOURCE AND SUMMIT OF THE CHURCH'S LIFE AND MISSION

PART TWO: THE EUCHARIST —A MYSTERY TO BE CELEBRATED (continued)

"Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; m y Father gives you the true bread from heaven" (Jn 6:32)

THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

THE SIGN OF PEACE

Certainly there is an irrepressible desire for peace present in every heart. The Church gives voice to the hope for peace and reconciliation rising up from every man and woman of good will, directing it towards the one who "is our peace" (Eph 2:14) and who can bring peace to individuals and peoples when all human efforts fail. We can thus understand the emotion so often felt during the sign of peace at a liturgical celebration. Even so, during the Synod of Bishops there was discussion about the appropriateness of greater restraint in this gesture, which can be exaggerated and cause a certain distraction in the assembly just before the reception of Communion. It should be kept in mind that nothing is lost when the sign of peace is marked by a sobriety which preserves the proper spirit of the celebration, as, for example, when it is restricted to one's immediate neighbours (150).

THE DISTRIBUTION AND RECEPTION OF THE EUCHARIST

In this regard, I would like to call attention to a pastoral problem frequently encountered nowadays. I am referring to the fact that on certain occasions – for example, wedding Masses, funerals and the like – in addition to practising Catholics there may be others present who have long since ceased to attend Mass or are living in a situation which does not permit them to receive the sacraments. At other times members of other Christian confessions and even other religions may be present. Similar situations can occur in churches that are frequently visited, especially in tourist areas. In these cases, there is a need to find a brief and clear way to remind those present of the meaning of sacramental communion and the conditions required for its reception. Wherever circumstances make it impossible to ensure that the meaning of the Eucharist is duly appreciated, the appropriateness of replacing the celebration of the Mass with a celebration of the word of God should be considered. (153)

THE DISMISSAL: " ITE, MISSA EST "

(144) Cf. Propositio 20.

(145) General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 78.

(146) Cf. ibid., 78-79.

(147) Cf. Propositio 22.

(148) General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 79d.

(149) Ibid, 79c.

(150) Taking into account ancient and venerable customs and the wishes expressed by the Synod Fathers, I have asked the competent curial offices to study the possibility of moving the sign of peace to another place, such as before the presentation of the gifts at the altar. To do so would also serve as a significant reminder of the Lord's insistence that we be reconciled with others before offering our gifts to God (cf. Mt 5:23 ff.); cf. Propositio 23.

(151) Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum (25 March 2004), 80-96: AAS 96 (2004), 574-577.

(152) Propositio 34.

(153) Propositio 35.

(154) Propositio 24.

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 29, 2023

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 21:25:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

Thank you for praying for those of us who were on the “In the Footsteps of St. Paul” pilgrimage. What a great experience! We visited the home of Mother Mary and St. John in Ephesus, where they had to live a hidden life. We also visited the island of Patmos where St. John was exiled. There, in a cave located high on a hill, is the place where he dictated the last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation, to Prokhor, one of his disciples. In addition, we visited the places in Greece and Turkey where Paul preached the Gospel, including Athens, Thessalonica, Philippi, Corinth, and Veria. We celebrated Masses in these places of biblical significance. Paul experienced so much hardship in his endeavor to spread the Gospel, but he never wavered. Holy Scripture came alive as we saw the places where many, many people died as martyrs to spread the gospel. Let us pray for all missionaries who labor in the vineyard of the Lord as we celebrate Mission Sunday in the month of October.

We are privileged to have Sr. Joan Grace visiting us. After laboring in our country for more than 60 years, she went back to her Mother House in Ireland. It is always such a joy to have her return to us. We praise and thank God for her witness. It is great to have you here, Sr. Joan. Please know of our love and appreciation for you.

This week will provide us with many opportunities to gather for worship. On Wednesday, 1 November, we celebrate All Saints Day. It is a Holy Day of Obligation , meaning that we must come to Mass that day. We will have three Masses: 8 a.m., 12.05 p.m. and 7 p.m. On Thursday, 2 November, we celebrate All Souls Day to remember and pray for our beloved dead. We will have three Masses: 8 a.m., 12.05 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Let us continue to pray for our brothers and sisters who are suffering the consequence of inhumane atrocities unleashed by terrorists. We pray for the families of those who have died. May the souls of all who have died rest in peace! We also continue to pray for those who have died and those who are suffering from the prolonged fighting in and around the Ukraine.

Let us now move forward with the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Week 18—SACRAMENTUM CARITATI S (THE SACRAMENT OF CHARITY: THE EUCHARIST)

PART TWO: THE EUCHARIST —A MYSTERY TO BE CELEBRATED (continued)

"Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven" (Jn 6:32) THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

To this end, the faithful should be helped to appreciate the riches of Sacred Scripture found in the lectionary through pastoral initiatives, liturgies of the word and reading in the context of prayer (lectio divina). Efforts should also be made to encourage those forms of prayer confirmed by tradition, such as the Liturgy of the Hours, especially Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer and Night Prayer, and vigil celebrations. By praying the Psalms, the Scripture readings and the readings drawn from the great tradition which are included in the Divine Office, we can come to a deeper experience of the Christ-event and the economy of salvation, which in turn can enrich our understanding and participation in the celebration of the Eucharist (138).

THE HOMILY

THE PRESENTATION OF THE GIFTS

(135) General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 29.

(136) John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Fides et Ratio (14 September 1998), 13: AAS 91 (1999), 15-16.

(137) Saint Jerome, Comm. in Is., Prol.: PL 24, 17; cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum, 25.

(138) Propositio 31.

(139) General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 29; cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 7, 33, 52.

(140) Cf. Propositio 19.

(141) Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 52.

(142) Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum, 21.

(143) To this end the Synod has called for the preparation of pastoral aids based on the three-year lectionary, to help connect the proclamation of the readings with the doctrine of the faith; cf. Propositio 19 _.

(144) Cf. Propositio 20.

Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 22, 2023

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 16:31:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

This weekend we celebrate the 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A, and our scripture readings remind us that the Lord is king and there is no other. We are to render to God, therefore, fitting praise and service, as is God’s due. Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians that God’s word to us is a matter of power and strength, to be lived with conviction of heart.

I would like to invite you to attend a Praise and Worship experience (“Behold the Lamb of God”) at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, 24 October 2023. This is another way to rejoice in our journey as disciples of Jesus. Also, do not forget to stop by the grotto to pray the rosary at 6.30 p.m. every day of October.

In addition, we are offered a special event on Friday, 27th October: Rosary at the Grotto at 6:30 p.m. followed by Mass in the church at 7 p.m., and then a healing service by Fr. Jose Manyiangat. Fr. Jose had the incredible experience of dying and then being sent back to live for the Lord. Please come. It is an opportunity to receive a powerful renewal of soul and a healing of the body.

Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Israel and Palestine who continue to suffer the consequences of the inhumane and atrocious behavior of terrorists. We pray for the families of those who have died. May the souls of all who have died rest in peace!

Let us now move forward with the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

Week 17—SACRAMENTUM CARITATI S (THE SACRAMENT OF CHARITY: THE EUCHARIST)

PART ONE: THE EUCHARIST —A MYSTERY TO BE BELIEVED (continued)

“This is the work of God: that you believe in whom he has sent.” (Jn 6:29)

THE EUCHARIST AND ESCHATOLOGY

ART AT THE SERVICE OF THE LITURGY

This same principle holds true for sacred art in general, especially painting and sculpture, where religious iconography should be directed to sacramental mystagogy. A solid knowledge of the history of sacred art can be advantageous for those responsible for commissioning artists and architects to create works of art for the liturgy. Consequently it is essential that the education of seminarians and priests include the study of art history, with special reference to sacred buildings and the corresponding liturgical norms. Everything related to the Eucharist should be marked by beauty. Special respect and care must also be given to the vestments, the furnishings and the sacred vessels, so that by their harmonious and orderly arrangement they will foster awe for the mystery of God, manifest the unity of the faith and strengthen devotion (125).

LITURGICAL SONG

Consequently everything – texts, music, execution – ought to correspond to the meaning of the mystery being celebrated, the structure of the rite and the liturgical seasons (129). Finally, while respecting various styles and different and highly praiseworthy traditions, I desire, in accordance with the request advanced by the Synod Fathers, that Gregorian chant be suitably esteemed and employed (130) as the chant proper to the Roman liturgy (131).

THE STRUCTURE OF THE EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION

43. After mentioning the more significant elements of the ars celebrandi that emerged during the Synod, I would now like to turn to some specific aspects of the structure of the eucharistic celebration which require special attention at the present time, if we are to remain faithful to the underlying intention of the liturgical renewal called for by the Second Vatican Council, in continuity with the great ecclesial tradition. The intrinsic unity of the liturgical action.

(122) Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred
Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 112-130.(123) Cf. Propositio 27.
(124) Cf. ibid.
(125) In these matters the provisions of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 319-351, are to be faithfully observed.
(126) Cf. General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 39-41; Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 112-118.
(127) Sermo 34, 1: PL 38, 210.
(128) Cf. Propositio 25: "Like every artistic expression, singing must be closely adapted to the liturgy and contribute effectively to its aim; in other words, it must express faith, prayer, wonder and love of Jesus present in the Eucharist."
(129) Cf. Propositio 29.
(130) Cf. Propositio 36.
(131) Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 116; General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 41.
(132) General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 28; cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 56; Sacred Congregation of Rites, Instruction Eucharisticum Mysterium (25 May 1967), 3: AAS 57 (1967), 540-543.
(133) Cf. Propositio 18.
(134) Ibid.

Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 15, 2023

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 13:43:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

During the past few weekends we have been reflecting on God’s unimaginable generosity, illustrated for us through various parables involving the vineyard. This Sunday, the focus shifts to the new kingdom and those who can be at the banquet table there. We again see the uniqueness of our God, who lavishes us with his love and will go to any length to have us close to his heart. This is how we can explain grace. It is given to us freely. But responding to God’s invitation – this is on us. The parable of the wedding feast shows us a God who has prepared for us a sumptuous banquet filled with joy and celebration. We are asked: how will we respond to his invitation? Will we respond appropriately to the divine invitation to live with God forever? Are we willing to be clothed in the garment of gratitude? The response given in Psalm 23 says it well: “I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.”

I wish to congratulate Paco and Nancy Farach on being awarded the Family of the Month for October 2023. We are blessed indeed that so many of you give very generously of your time, talent, and treasure.

I take this opportunity to thank you all for your generous donation to our 12th Annual Harvest Food Drive to help the farmworkers’ community. I also place on record our thanks to both Karen O’Donovan and Sherry Nestor for leading this ministry. As they leave for colder regions, we wish them warmth and sunshine.

Let us continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Israel and Palestine who are suffering the consequence of inhumane atrocities unleashed by terrorists. We pray for the families of those who have died. May the souls of all who have died rest in peace!

Let us now move forward with the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis. Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

W e e k 16 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T AT I S ( TH E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H AR I ST )

P A R T O N E : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E B E L I E V E D ( c on t i n u e d )

“This is the work of God: that you believe in whom he has sent.” (Jn 6:29)

THE EUCHARIST AND ESCHATOLOGY

THE EUCHARIST AND THE RISEN CHRIST

ARS CELEBRANDI

THE BISHOP, CELEBRANT PAR EXCELLENCE

RESPECT FOR THE LITURGICAL BOOKS AND THE RICHNESS OF SIGNS

(113) Propositio 30. Weekday Masses, which the faithful are encouraged to attend, find their proper form on the day of the Lord, the day of Christ's resurrection;Propositio 43.

(114) Propositio 2.

(115) Propositio 25.

(116) Propositio 19. Propositio 25 states: "An authentic liturgical action expresses the sacredness of the eucharistic mystery. This should be evident from the words and actions of the priest who celebrates, as he intercedes to God the Fatherbothwiththe faithful and ontheirbehalf."

(117)General Instruction of the Roman Missal , 22; Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium , 41; Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum (25 March 2004), 19-25: AAS 96 (2004), 555-557.

(118) Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church Christus Dominus , 14; Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 41.

(119) General Instruction of the Roman Missal ,22.

(120) ibid.

(121) Propositio 25.

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 8, 2023

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 11:42:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

I wholeheartedly welcome Deacon Lee Levenson and his wife, Alice, to our SJE family. Deacon Lee brings a wide- ranging experience as a deacon. He served the Diocese of Palm Beach for 17 years. I am very optimistic about the positive impact he and his wife will have in our parish community.

I would like to register my gratitude to Jim Young for coordinating the FOCCUS Ministry, which is a wonderful aid to those preparing for the Sacrament of Matrimony. He and his beloved wife, Joan, now deceased, have been passionately devoted to carrying out this ministry. We are deeply grateful to you, Jim, for your absolute commitment.

I take this opportunity to heartily welcome Greg and Janice Cheshire, who have agreed to become the new leaders of the FOCCUS ministry, which helps couples to see how they complement each other. Thank you both for your dedication to our parish community.

We warmly welcome Fr. Oliver Williams, C.S.C., who is visiting us from the University of Notre Dame. He will present the Hesburgh lecture on the theme, “Can you do well by doing good?” this Sunday at Noon. This lecture series is hosted by the Melbourne Club of Notre Dame.

This weekend, as we make our way into the 27th Week in Ordinary Time, we are called to reflect on the vineyard that belongs to the Lord and our call to be His tenants. How do we care for the vineyard, which represents God’s gifts to us of everything we have? How are we accountable to the owner of the vineyard? What kind of fruits do we yield? Would you let God’s love grow up in your vineyard? Or would you let greed and selfishness and pride trample and destroy his gifts, ruining the progress God wants you to make in growing in his love?

Let us now move forward with the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis. Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

W e e k 15 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T AT I S ( TH E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H AR I ST )

P A R T T W O : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E B E L I E V E D

“Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven" (Jn 6:32)

LEX ORANDI AND LEX CREDENDI

BEAUTY AND THE LITURGY

The beauty of the liturgy is part of this mystery; it is a sublime expression of God's glory and, in a certain sense, a glimpse of heaven on earth. The memorial of Jesus' redemptive sacrifice contains something of that beauty which Peter, James and John beheld when the Master, making his way to Jerusalem, was transfigured before their eyes (cf. Mk 9:2). Beauty, then, is not mere decoration, but rather an essential element of the liturgical action, since it is an attribute of God himself and his revelation. These considerations should make us realize the care which is needed, if the liturgical action is to reflect its innate splendour.

THE EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION, THE WORK OF "CHRISTUS TOTUS"

CHRISTUS TOTUS IN CAPITE ET IN CORPORE

(105) Relatio post disceptationem, 4:L'Osservatore Romano, 14 October 2005, 5.

(106) Serm. 1, 7; 11, 10; 22, 7; 29, 76: Sermones dominicales ad fidem codicum nunc denuo editi, Grottaferrata, 1977, pp. 135, 209ff., 292ff.; 337; Benedict XVI,Messageto Ecclesial Movements and New Communities(22 May 2006): AAS 98 (2006), 463.

(107) Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World Gaudium et Spes,22.

(108) Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum, 2, 4.

(109) Propositio 33.

(110) Sermo227, 1: PL 38, 1099.

(111) In Iohannis Evangelium Tractatus, 21, 8: PL 35, 1568.(112) Ibid., 28, 1: PL 35, 1622.

(112) Ibid., 28, 1: PL 35, 1622.

Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 1, 2023

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 22:26:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

I would like to offer my thanks to Paco and Nancy Farach for leading the St. Andre Golf Tournament this year. It was a huge success! Thank you, Almighty Father, for providing us with fabulous weather. And thanks to all those who played and those participated one way or another: you helped make it a wonderful community event for our parishioners and friends.

Thanks also to all those who have responded to my request to increase our parish’s participation for Our Catholic Appeal (OCA) . For those of you who have not yet responded, please consider a one-time sacrificial offering to support the many ministries of the Diocese funded by the OCA program.

As we enter into the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Church invites us to again contemplate the need for conversion, for changing our way of life, and for remolding our ways according to the Way shown by our Lord Jesus Christ. St. Paul tells us that this means doing nothing out of selfishness, pride, or vanity. And he says that we are to regard others as more important than ourselves . This is a very high bar . Let us, therefore, ask for all the graces we need to follow the Way of Jesus.

Let us now move forward with the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis. Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

W e e k 14 — SA C R A ME N T U M C A R I T AT I S ( TH E SA C R A ME N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H AR I ST )

P A R T O N E : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E B E L I E V E D ( c on t i n u e d )

“This is the work of God: that you believe in whom he has sent.” (Jn 6:29)

THE EUCHARIST AND ESCHATOLOGY

THE EUCHARIST AND THE VIRGIN MARY

In Mary most holy, we also see perfectly fulfilled the "sacramental" way that God comes down to meet his creatures and involves them in his saving work. From the Annunciation to Pentecost, Mary of Nazareth appears as someone whose freedom is completely open to God's will. Her immaculate conception is revealed precisely in her unconditional docility to God's word. Obedient faith in response to God's work shapes her life at every moment. A virgin attentive to God's word, she lives in complete harmony with his will; she treasures in her heart the words that come to her from God and, piecing them together like a mosaic, she learns to understand them more deeply (cf. Lk 2:19, 51); Mary is the great Believer who places herself confidently in God's hands, abandoning herself to his will. (102) This mystery deepens as she becomes completely involved in the redemptive mission of Jesus. In the words of the Second Vatican Council, "the blessed Virgin advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, and faithfully persevered in her union with her Son until she stood at the Cross, in keeping with the divine plan (cf. Jn 19:25), suffering deeply with her only-begotten Son, associating herself with his sacrifice in her mother's heart, and lovingly consenting to the immolation of the victim who was born of her. Finally, she was given by the same Christ Jesus, dying on the Cross, as a mother to his disciple, with these words: ‘Woman, behold your Son."' (103) From the Annunciation to the Cross, Mary is the one who received the Word, made flesh within her and then silenced in death. It is she, lastly, who took into her arms the lifeless body of the one who truly loved his own "to the end" (Jn 13:1).

Consequently, every time we approach the Body and Blood of Christ in the eucharistic liturgy, we also turn to her who, by her complete fidelity, received Christ's sacrifice for the whole Church. The Synod Fathers rightly declared that "Mary inaugurates the Church's participation in the sacrifice of the Redeemer." (104) She is the Immaculata, who receives God's gift unconditionally and is thus associated with his work of salvation. Mary of Nazareth, icon of the nascent Church, is the model for each of us, called to receive the gift that Jesus makes of himself in the Eucharist.

(102) Benedict XVI, Homily (8 December 2005): AAS 98 (2006), 15-16.

(103) Dogmatic Constitution on the ChurchLumen Gentium,

(104) Propositio4.

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 24, 2023

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 12:28:00 GMT

Dear Friends,
Right at the outset, let me thank you all for your generosity and dedication to our parish. After presenting the State of the Parish last week, I am moved once again to offer praise and thanksgiving to God, and to you, for the blessings of love, warmth and ownership that you demonstrate.

Regarding the Catholic Appeal, however, I really feel that we can do better in terms of participation. How I would love to see a 100% participation by our families! Let us also show that we include our beloved bishop and the entire diocese in our outpouring of love.

This Sunday, September 24, the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates the vocation to the priesthood. It is a day to reflect upon the role of the priesthood in the life of the Church. In the Congregation of Holy Cross, priests not only make Christ present to the faithful through the sacraments, but also minister as pastors of parishes, as educators in the faith, as mentors and administrators, and as men bringing hope to the poor and the afflicted. On this special day, we ask that you pray for our priests and for the fruitfulness of our Holy Cross ministries around the world. May future generations of men hear and answer God's call to serve his Church as priests of Holy Cross!

Let us now move forward with the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis.

Have a Blessed Week!
With love,
Fr. John

W e e k 13 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T AT I S ( TH E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H AR I ST )

P A R T O N E : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E B E L I E V E D ( c on t i n u e d )

“This is the work of God: that you believe in whom he has sent.” (Jn 6:29)

THE EUCHARIST AND ESCHATOLOGY

THE EUCHARIST: A GIFT TO MEN AND WOMEN ON THEIR JOURNEY

THE ESCHATOLOGICAL BANQUET

PRAYER FOR THE DEAD

(99) Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the ChurchLumen Gentium, 48.

(100) Propositio3.

(101) Here Iwould recall thewords filled with hope and consolation found in Eucharistic Prayer II:"Remember our brothers andsisters who have gone to their rest inthe hope of rising Bring them andall the departed into the light of your presence."

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 17, 2023

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 10:48:00 GMT

Dear Friends,
As we enter into the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time, the theme of anger and forgiveness stares at us. We hear from our Scripture readings that it is crucial for us to not to hold on to anger. We must be ready to forgive those who have sinned against us.

From the Book of Sirach we hear: “Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight. . . . Forgive your neighbor’s injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.” In the Gospel, Jesus uses the parable of the unforgiving servant to illustrate the imperative of forgiving our neighbors.

Avoiding anger and offering forgiveness: this is difficult for most or all of us. So much around us triggers anger. Let us pray for the grace to be patient and forgiving. Let us not carry bitterness and anger and hatred into death, for there if we wear these garments to the Wedding Feast of Heaven, there may not be any place for us to sit at the banquet table. If there is no place for us there, this will be of our own making.

Thanks to all those who participated in the 40-Hour Adoration event. What a blessing!

Please remember to participate in some way in the St. Brother André Golf Tournament to be held on Saturday, September 23, 2023 at the Duran Golf Course.

Let us now continue with the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled Sacramentum Caritatis.

Have a Blessed Week!
With love,
Fr. John

W e e k 12 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T AT I S ( TH E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H AR I ST )

P A R T O N E : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E B E L I E V E D ( c on t i n u e d )

“This is the work of God: that you believe in whom he has sent.” (Jn 6:29)

T HE EUCHARIST AND MATRIMONY (continued)

THE EUCHARIST AND THE INDISSOLUBILITY OF MARRIAGE

(91) There was good reason for the pastoral attention that the Synod gave to the painful situations experienced by some of the faithful who, having celebrated the sacrament of Matrimony, then divorced and remarried. This represents a complex and troubling pastoral problem, a real scourge for contemporary society, and one which increasingly affects the Catholic community as well. The Church's pastors, out of love for the truth, are obliged to discern different situations carefully, in order to be able to offer appropriate spiritual guidance to the faithful involved. (92) The Synod of Bishops confirmed the Church's practice, based on Sacred Scripture (cf. Mk 10:2- 12), of not admitting the divorced and remarried to the sacraments, since their state and their condition of life objectively contradict the loving union of Christ and the Church signified and made present in the Eucharist. Yet the divorced and remarried continue to belong to the Church, which accompanies them with special concern and encourages them to live as fully as possible the Christian life through regular participation at Mass, albeit without receiving Communion, listening to the word of God, eucharistic adoration, prayer, participation in the life of the community, honest dialogue with a priest or spiritual director, dedication to the life of charity, works of penance, and commitment to the education of their children.

When legitimate doubts exist about the validity of the prior sacramental marriage, the necessary investigation must be carried out to establish if these are well-founded. Consequently, there is a need to ensure, in full respect for canon law , (93) the presence of local ecclesiastical tribunals, their pastoral character, and their correct and prompt functioning. (94) Each Diocese should have a sufficient number of persons with the necessary preparation, so that the ecclesiastical tribunals can operate in an expeditious manner. I repeat that "it is a grave obligation to bring the Church's institutional activity in her tribunals ever closer to the faithful." (95) At the same time, pastoral care must not be understood as if it were somehow in conflict with the law. Rather, one should begin by assuming that the fundamental point of encounter between the law and pastoral care is love for the truth: truth is never something purely abstract, but "a real part of the human and Christian journey of every member of the faithful." (96) Finally, where the nullity of the marriage bond is not declared and objective circumstances make it impossible to cease cohabitation, the Church encourages these members of the faithful to commit themselves to living their relationship in fidelity to the demands of God's law , as friends, as brother and sister; in this way they will be able to return to the table of the Eucharist, taking care to observe the Church's established and approved practice in this regard. This path, if it is to be possible and fruitful, must be supported by pastors and by adequate ecclesial initiatives, nor can it ever involve the blessing of these relations, lest confusion arise among the faithful concerning the value of marriage. (97)

Given the complex cultural context which the Church today encounters in many countries, the Synod also recommended devoting maximum pastoral attention to training couples preparing for marriage and to ascertaining beforehand their convictions regarding the obligations required for the validity of the sacrament of Matrimony. Serious discernment in this matter will help to avoid situations where impulsive decisions or superficial reasons lead two young people to take on responsibilities that they are then incapable of honoring. (98) The good that the Church and society as a whole expect from marriage and from the family founded upon marriage is so great as to call for full pastoral commitment to this particular area. Marriage and the family are institutions that must be promoted and defended from every possible misrepresentation of their true nature, since whatever is injurious to them is injurious to society itself.

(90) Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1640.

(92) John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio (22 November 1981), 84: AAS 74 (1982), 184- 186; Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Letterto the Bishops of the Catholic Church concerning the Reception of Holy Communion by Divorced and Remarried Members of the Faithful Annus Internationalis Familiae (14 September 1994): AAS 86 (1994), 974-979.

(93) Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, Instruction onthe Norms tobe Observed at Ecclesiastical Tribunals in Matrimonial Proceedings Dignitas Connubii (25 January 2005), Vatican City, 2005.

(94) Propositio 40.

(95) Benedict XVI, Address to the Tribunal of the Roman Rota for the Inauguration of the Judicial Year (28 January 2006): AAS 98 (2006),

(96) Propositio 40.

(97) ibid.

(98) ibid.

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 10, 2023

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 19:12:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

On the 23rd Sunday, the Church invites us to reflect on the importance of reconciliation in the life of a community. Each one of us has a responsibility for each of our brothers and sisters when they need mercy. Jesus continues to be present in our gatherings. As we come to September 11, we remember those who died on that dark day that changed the fabric of our nation. Darkness still hovers over us in various forms. Let us pray for the light of Christ to dispel the darkness everywhere. We also pray for those who died on the Island of Maui in the fire disaster.

As we gather to worship our Lord, we thank Him for the 50 years of service rendered by Msgr. Joseph Goode , the brother of Maureen Shields. We offer our congratulations to him and thank him for his ministry. We welcome Fr. Patrick Costello, who will also join us in our worship.

Special welcome to Fr. Peter Jarret, C.S.C. , the Vice-Provincial of the US Province of Brothers and Priests of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Fr. Vincent and I are grateful to him for his ministry to us, and for praying with us and for us this weekend.

Let us now move forward with the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis. Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

W e e k 11 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T AT I S ( TH E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H AR I ST )

P A R T O N E : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E B E L I E V E D ( c on t i n u e d )

“This is the work of God: that you believe in whom he has sent.” (Jn 6:29)

THE EUCHARIST, A NUPTIAL SACRAMENT

THE EUCHARIST AND THE UNICITY OF MARRIAGE

(83) John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio (22 November 1981), 57: AAS 74 (1982), 149-150.

(84) Apostolic Letter Mulieris Dignitatem (15 August 1988), 26: AAS 80 (1988), 1715-1716.

(85) Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1617

(86) Propositio 8.

(87) Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 11.

(88) Propositio 8.

(89) John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Mulieris Dignitatem (15 August 1988): AAS 80 (1988), 1653-1729; Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Collaboration of Men and Women in the Church and in the World (31 May 2004): AAS 96 (2004), 671-687.

(90) Cf. Propositio 9.

Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 3, 2023

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 11:48:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

By the mercy of God, Hurricane Idalia did not come near us. But we do think of those who were affected. The 22nd Sunday invites us to seriously consider how intentional we are about following Jesus. To follow Jesus is to follow the Jesus who carries the cross. The cross is the indispensable instrument of God’s love. God loves us, but his love is refracted through the cross. As we celebrate Labor Day on Monday, let us be grateful to all those who have labored and continue to labor to make this world and our lives a beautiful experience. Next weekend we will be blessed with some great guests… hold your breath.

Let us now catch up with the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

W e e k 10 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T AT I S ( TH E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H AR I ST )

CONTINUATION OF THE POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS OF THE HOLY FATHER BENEDICT XVI TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY, CONSECRATED PERSONS AND THE LAY FAITHFUL ON THE EUCHARIST AS THE SOURCE AND SUMMIT OF THE CHURCH'S LIFE AND MISSION

P A R T O N E : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E B E L I E V E D ( c on t i n u e d )

“This is the work of God: that you believe in whom he has sent.” (Jn 6:29)

THE EUCHARIST AND THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS (continued)

THE CLERGY SHORTAGE AND THE PASTORAL CARE OF VOCATIONS

GRATITUDE AND HOPE

(69) Synod of Bishops, Second General Assembly, Document on the Ministerial Priesthood Ultimis Temporibus (30 November 1971): AAS 63 (1971), 898-942.

(70) John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis (25 March 1992), 42-69: AAS 84 (1992), 729-778.

(78) Propositio 11.

(79) Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on Priestly Formation Optatam Totius, 6; Code of Canon Law, can. 241, § 1 andcan. 1029; Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, can. 342 § 1 and can. 758; John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis (25 March 1992), 11, 34, 50: AAS 84 (1992), 673-675; 712-714; 746-748; Congregation for the Clergy, Directory for the Ministry and Life of Priests Dives Ecclesiae (31 March 1994), 58; Congregation for Catholic Education, Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders (4 November 2005): AAS 97 (2005), 1007-1013.

(80) Propositio 12; John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis (25 March 1992), 41: AAS 84 (1992), 726-729.

(81) Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 29

(82) Propositio 38.

Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 27, 2023

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 12:11:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

The 21st Sunday is a crucial weekend to reflect on the true nature of the Catholic Church and how Jesus intended it to be. Peter again shines in the bright light as he acknowledges Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the living God. For this great gift of grace, Peter is named the “rock” and the keys of the Church are given to him. Let us pray for the gift of this grace to know Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God. We also heartily welcome Ricardo Navarrete, from the Friends of LISI, an education institute for teens who live in marginalized communities.

Let us continue to read together the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis. This exercise of reading this beautiful exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI in easy digestible portions is intended to help us to gratefully appreciate anew the gift of the Eucharist!

Have a Blessed Week! With love,

Fr. John

W e e k 9 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T A T I S ( T H E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H A R I ST )

P A R T O N E : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A MY ST E R Y T O B E B E L I E VE D ( c ont i nu e d )

“This is the work of God: that you believe in whom he has sent.” (Jn 6:29)

IV. THE EUCHARIST AND THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS

IN PERSONA CHRISTI CAPITIS

The Church teaches that priestly ordination is the indispensable condition for the valid celebration of the Eucharist. (71) Indeed, "in the ecclesial service of the ordained minister, it is Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, High Priest of the redemptive sacrifice." (72) Certainly the ordained minister also acts "in the name of the whole Church, when presenting to God the prayer of the Church, and above all when offering the eucharistic sacrifice." (73) As a result, priests should be conscious of the fact that in their ministry they must never put themselves or their personal opinions in first place, but Jesus Christ. Any attempt to make themselves the centre of the liturgical action contradicts their very identity as priests. The priest is above all a servant of others, and he must continually work at being a sign pointing to Christ, a docile instrument in the Lord's hands. This is seen particularly in his humility in leading the liturgical assembly, in obedience to the rite, uniting himself to it in mind and heart, and avoiding anything that might give the impression of an inordinate emphasis on his own personality. I encourage the clergy always to see their eucharistic ministry as a humble service offered to Christ and his Church. The priesthood, as Saint Augustine said, is amoris officium, (74) it is the office of the good shepherd, who offers his life for his sheep (cf. Jn 10:14-15).

THE EUCHARIST AND PRIESTLY CELIBACY

(71) Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 10; Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Letter on Certain Questions Concerning the Minister of the Eucharist Sacerdotium Ministeriale (6 August 1983): AAS 75 (1983), 1001-1009.

(72) Catechism of the Catholic Church,

(73) Ibid., 1552.

(74) In Iohannis Evangelium Tractatus, 123, 5: PL 35, 1967.

(75) Propositio 11.

(76) Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests Presbyterorum Ordinis, 16.

(77) John XXIII, Encyclical Letter Sacerdotii Nostri Primordia (1 August 1959): AAS 51 (1959), 545-579; Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Sacerdotalis Coelibatus (24 June 1967): AAS 59 (1967), 657-697; John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis (25 March 1992), 29: AAS 84 (1992), 703-705; Benedict XVI, Address to the Roman Curia (22 December 2006): L'Osservatore Romano, 23 December 2006, p. 6.

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 20, 2023

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 21:48:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

Today as we enter into the 20th Sunday, Year A, we are very happy to receive our children in Faith Formation Classes. I thank the parents for their sacrifice and for their love of the Lord. I kindly request you to bring your children/ grandchildren for Masses as the “Eucharist is the Source and Summit of our Christian Life.” May Jesus say of our faith as he commented on the faith of the Canaanite woman: “Great is your faith!”

Have a Blessed Week!

With love, Fr. John

W e e k 8 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T A T I S ( T H E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H A R I ST )

CONTINUATION OF THE POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS OF THE HOLY FATHER BENEDICT XVI TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY, CONSECRATED PERSONS AND THE LAY FAITHFUL ON THE EUCHARIST AS THE SOURCE AND SUMMIT OF THE CHURCH'S LIFE AND MISSION

P A R T O N E : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E B E L I E V E D ( c on t i n u e d )

“This is the work of God: that you believe in whom he has sent.” (Jn 6:29)

THE EUCHARIST AND CHRISTIAN INITIATION

THEIR INTRINSIC RELATIONSHIP

SOME PASTORAL CONCERNS

THE EUCHARIST AND THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK

22. Jesus did not only send his disciples forth to heal the sick (cf. Mt 10:8; Lk 9:2, 10:9); he also instituted a specific sacrament for them: the Anointing of the Sick.(66) The Letter of James attests to the presence of this sacramental sign in the early Christian community (cf. 5:14-16). If the Eucharist shows how Christ's sufferings and death have been transformed into love, the Anointing of the Sick, for its part, unites the sick with Christ's self-offering for the salvation of all, so that they too, within the mystery of the communion of saints, can participate in the redemption of the world. The relationship between these two sacraments becomes clear in situations of serious illness: "In addition to the Anointing of the Sick, the Church offers those who are about to leave this life the Eucharist as " (67) On their journey to the Father, communion in the Body and Blood of Christ appears as the seed of eternal life and the power of resurrection: "Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day" (Jn 6:54). Since viaticum gives the sick a glimpse of the fullness of the Paschal Mystery, its administration should be readily provided for. (68) Attentive pastoral care shown to those who are ill brings great spiritual benefit to the entire community, since whatever we do to one of the least of our brothers and sisters, we do to Jesus himself (cf. Mt 25:40).

(54) Propositio 7; John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia (17 April 2003), 36: AAS 95 (2003), 457-458.

(55) John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Reconciliatio et Paenitentia (2 December 1984), 18: AAS 77 (1985), 224-228.

(56) Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1385.

(57) For example, the Confiteor, or the words of the priest and people before receiving Communion: "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be " Not insignificantly does the liturgy also prescribe certain very beautiful prayers for the priest, handed down by tradition, which speak of the need for forgiveness, as, for example, the one recited quietly before inviting the faithful tosacramental communion: "By the mystery of your body and blood, free me from all mysins and from every evil. Keep me always faithfulto yourteachings and never let me be parted from you."

(58) Saint John Damascene, Exposition of the Faith, IV, 9: PG 94, 1124C; Saint Gregory Nazianzen, Oratio 39, 17: PG 36, 356A; Ecumenical Councilof Trent, Doctrina de sacramentopaenitentiae, Chapter 2: DS 1672.

(59) Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 11; John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Reconciliatio et Paenitentia(2 December 1984), 30: AAS 77 (1985), 256-257.

(60) Propositio 7.

(61) John Paul II, Motu Proprio Misericordia Dei (7 April 2002): AAS 94 (2002), 452-459.

(62) Together with the Synod Fathers I wish to note that the non-sacramental penitential services mentioned in the ritual of the sacrament of Reconciliation can be helpful for increasing the spirit of conversion and of communion in Christian communities, thereby preparing hearts for the celebration of the sacrament:

(63) cf. Propositio 7.

(64) Code of Canon Law, can. 508. (Paul VI, Apostolic Constitution Indulgentiarum Doctrina (1 January 1967), Norms, No. 1: AAS 59 (1967),

(65) Ibid., 9: AAS 59 (1967), 18-19.

(66) Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1499-1532.

(68) Cf. Propositio 44.

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 13, 2023

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 21:54:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

We are back on track to the Ordinary Times after a break to accommodate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, which took precedence over the 18th Sunday. Today we celebrate the 19th Sunday and we are treated to another amazing passage where Jesus walks on water and Peter does it too albeit briefly. Please do not forget that the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, Tuesday—August 15th, is a Holy Day of Obligation and we will offer 3 Masses: 8 a.m.; 12.05 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Have a Blessed Week!

With Love

Fr. John

W e e k 7 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T A T I S ( T H E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H A R I ST )

CONTINUATION OF THE POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS

OF THE HOLY FATHER BENEDICT XVI TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY, CONSECRATED PERSONS AND THE LAY FAITHFUL

ON THE EUCHARIST AS THE SOURCE AND SUMMIT OF THE CHURCH'S LIFE AND MISSION

P A R T O N E : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E B E L I E V E D ( c on t i n u e d )

“This is the work of God: that you believe in whom he has sent.” (Jn 6:29)

THE EUCHARIST AND THE SACRAMENTS —THE SACRAMENTALITYOF THE CHURCH

The fact that the Church is the "universal sacrament of salvation" (45) shows how the sacramental economy ultimately determines the way that Christ, the one Savior, through the Spirit, reaches our lives in all their particularity. The Church receives and at the same time expresses what she herself is in the seven sacraments, thanks to which God's grace concretely influences the lives of the faithful, so that their whole existence, redeemed by Christ, can become an act of worship pleasing to God. From this perspective, I would like here to draw attention to some elements brought up by the Synod Fathers which may help us to grasp the relationship of each of the sacraments to the eucharistic mystery.

THE EUCHARIST AND CHRISTIAN INITIATION

THE EUCHARIST, THE FULLNESS OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION

THE ORDER OF THE SACRAMENTS OF INITIATION

INITIATION, THE ECCLESIAL COMMUNITY AND THE FAMILY

(41) Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests Presbyterorum Ordinis,

(42) Propositio 14.

(43) Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium,

(44) De Orat. Dom., 23: PL 4, 553.

(45) Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 48, ibid., 9.

(46) Propositio 13.

(47) Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 7.

(48) ibid., 11; Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Church's Missionary Activity Ad Gentes, 9, 13.

(49) John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Dominicae Cenae (24 February 1980), 7: AAS 72 (1980), 124-127; Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests Presbyterorum Ordinis, 5.

(50) Code of Canons ofthe Eastern Churches, can. 710.

(51) Rite of the Christian Initiation of Adults, General Introduction, 34-36.

(52) Rite of Baptism for Children, Introduction, 18-19.

(53) Propositio 15

The Transfiguration of the Lord, August 6, 2023

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 21:25:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

Today being the 6th August, we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord as it occurs 40 days before the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, 14 September.

Have a Blessed Week!

With Love,

Fr. John

W e e k 6 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T A T I S ( T H E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H A R I ST )

P A R T O N E : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E B E L I E V E D ( c on t i n u e d )

“This is the work of God: that you believe in whom he has sent.” (Jn 6:29)

THE EUCHARIST AND THE CHURCH —THE EUCHARIST, CAUSAL PRINCIPLEOF THECHURCH

Through the sacrament of the Eucharist Jesus draws the faithful into his "hour;" he shows us the bond that he willed to establish between himself and us, between his own person and the Church. Indeed, in the sacrifice of the Cross, Christ gave birth to the Church as his Bride and his body. The Fathers of the Church often meditated on the relationship between Eve's coming forth from the side of Adam as he slept (cf. Gen 2:21-23) and the coming forth of the new Eve, the Church, from the open side of Christ sleeping in death: from Christ's pierced side, John recounts, there came forth blood and water (cf. Jn 19:34), the symbol of the sacraments (30). A contemplative gaze "upon him whom they have pierced" (Jn 19:37) leads us to reflect on the causal connection between Christ's sacrifice, the Eucharist and the Church. The Church "draws her life from the Eucharist" (31). Since the Eucharist makes present Christ's redeeming sacrifice, we must start by acknowledging that "there is a causal influence of the Eucharist at the Church's very origins" (32). The Eucharist is Christ who gives himself to us and continually builds us up as his body. Hence, in the striking interplay between the Eucharist which builds up the Church, and the Church herself which "makes" the Eucharist (33), the primary causality is expressed in the first formula: the Church is able to celebrate and adore the mystery of Christ present in the Eucharist precisely because Christ first gave himself to her in the sacrifice of the Cross. The Church's ability to "make" the Eucharist is completely rooted in Christ's self-gift to her. Here we can see more clearly the meaning of Saint John's words: "he first loved us" (1 Jn 4:19). We too, at every celebration of the Eucharist, confess the primacy of Christ's gift. The causal influence of the Eucharist at the Church's origins definitively discloses both the chronological and ontological priority of the fact that it was Christ who loved us "first." For all eternity he remains the one who loves us first.

THE EUCHARIST AND ECCLESIAL COMMUNION

15. The Eucharist is thus constitutive of the Church's being and activity. This is why Christian antiquity used the same words, Corpus Christi, to designate Christ's body born of the Virgin Mary, his eucharistic body and his ecclesial body.(34) This clear datum of the tradition helps us to appreciate the inseparability of Christ and the Church. The Lord Jesus, by offering himself in sacrifice for us, in his gift effectively pointed to the mystery of the Church. It is significant that the Second Eucharistic Prayer, invoking the Paraclete, formulates its prayer for the unity of the Church as follows: "may all of us who share in the body and blood of Christ be brought together in unity by the Holy Spirit." These words help us to see clearly how the res of the sacrament of the Eucharist is the unity of the faithful within ecclesial communion. The Eucharist is thus found at the root of the Church as a mystery of communion (35).

The relationship between Eucharist and communion had already been pointed out by the Servant of God John Paul II in his Encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia. He spoke of the memorial of Christ as "the supreme sacramental manifestation of communion in the Church" (36). The unity of ecclesial communion is concretely manifested in the Christian communities and is renewed at the celebration of the Eucharist, which unites them and differentiates them in the particular Churches, "in quibus et ex quibus una et unica Ecclesia catholica exsistit" (37). The fact that the one Eucharist is celebrated in each Diocese around its own Bishop helps us to see how those particular Churches subsist in and ex Ecclesia. Indeed, "the oneness and indivisibility of the eucharistic body of the Lord implies the oneness of his mystical body, which is the one and indivisible Church. From the eucharistic centre arises the necessary openness of every celebrating community, of every particular Church. By allowing itself to be drawn into the open arms of the Lord, it achieves insertion into his one and undivided body." (38) Consequently, in the celebration of the Eucharist, the individual members of the faithful find themselves in their Church, that is, in the Church of Christ. From this eucharistic perspective, adequately understood, ecclesial communion is seen to be catholic by its very nature (39). An emphasis on this eucharistic basis of ecclesial communion can also contribute greatly to the ecumenical dialogue with the Churches and Ecclesial Communities which are not in full communion with the See of Peter. The Eucharist objectively creates a powerful bond of unity between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches, which have preserved the authentic and integral nature of the eucharistic mystery. At the same time, emphasis on the ecclesial character of the Eucharist can become an important element of the dialogue with the Communities of the Reformed tradition (40).

(30) Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 3; for an example, see: Saint John Chrysostom, Catechesis 3, 13-19: SC 50, 174-177.

(31) John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia (17 April 2003), 1: AAS 95 (2003),

(32) Ibid., 21: AAS 95 (2003), 447.

(33) John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptor Hominis (4 March 1979), 20: AAS 71 (1979), 309-316; Apostolic Letter Dominicae Cenae (24 February 1980), 4: AAS 72 (1980), 119-121.

(34) Propositio 5.

(35) Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, III, q. 80, a. 4.

(36) No. 38: AAS 95 (2003), 458.

(37) Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium,

(38) Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Letter on Some Aspects of the Church Understood as Communion Communionis Notio (28 May 1992), 11: AAS 85 (1993), 844-845.

(39) Propositio 5: "The term ‘catholic' expresses the universality deriving from the unity that the Eucharist, celebrated in each Church, fosters and builds The particular Churches in the universal Church thus have, in the Eucharist, the duty to make visible their own unity and diversity. This bond of fraternal love allows the trinitarian communion to become apparent. The Councils and Synods express in history this fraternal aspect of the Church."

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 30, 2023

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 21:27:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

On this 17th Sunday we come to know that the kingdom of heaven is more precious than gold and silver. It is worth selling everything we posses to continue the rule of God and treasure it above all else.

Let us continue to read together the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI entitled: Sacramentum Caritatis. Pope Benedict divides his Exhortation into 3 parts that reflect the harmony among dogma, liturgy, and life. The Eucharist is a mystery to be believed, celebrated, and lived with our whole heart. In the Eucharist we find “reflected a great deal on the intrinsic relation between Eucharistic faith and celebration” (SC 34). The faith that is celebrated is the faith that is believed.

This exercise of reading this beautiful exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI in easy digestible portions is intended to help us to gratefully appreciate anew the gift of the Eucharist!

Have a Blessed Week!

With Love, Fr. John

W e e k 5 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T A T I S ( T H E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H A R I ST )

P A R T O N E : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E B E L I E V E D ( c on t i n u e d )

“This is the work of God: that you believe in whom he has sent.” (Jn 6:29)

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE EUCHARIST —JESUS AND THEHOLY SPIRIT

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE EUCHARIST CELEBRATION

(22) Benedict XVI, Homily at Marienfeld Esplanade (21 August 2005): AAS 97 (2005), 891-892.

(23) cf. Propositio 3.

(24) cf. Roman Missal, Eucharistic Prayer IV.

(25) cat. XXIII, 7: PG 33, 1114ff.

(26) cf. De Sacerdotio, VI, 4: PG 48, 681.

(27) Ibid., III, 4: PG 48, 642.

(28) Propositio 22

(29) Propositio 42: "This eucharistic encounter takes place in the Holy Spirit, who transforms and sanctifies us. He re- awakens in the disciple the firm desire toproclaim boldly toothersall that he hasheard and experienced, to bring them to the same encounter with Christ. Thus the disciple, sent forth by the Church, becomesopen toamission without frontiers."

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 23, 2023

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 14:52:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

On this 16th Sunday we celebrate the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly. Let us thank God for our God loving grandparents whose faith is our model. Let us pray for the many elders who are neglected and abandoned.

This exercise of reading this beautiful exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI in easy digestible portions is intended to help us to gratefully appreciate anew the gift of the Eucharist!

Have a Blessed Week!

With Love, Fr. John

W e e k 4 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T A T I S ( T H E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H A R I ST )

P A R T O N E : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E B E L I E V E D ( c on t i n u e d )

“This is the work of God: that you believe in whom he has sent.” (Jn 6:29)

THE EUCHARIST: JESUS THE TRUE SACRIFICAL LAMB —THE NEW AND ENTERNAL COVENANT IN THE BLOODOF THELAMB

THE INSTUTION OF THE EUCHARIST

FIGURA TRANSIT IN VERITATEM

(18) Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est (25 December 2005), 12: AAS 98 (2006),

(19) Propositio 3.

(20) Roman Breviary, Hymn for the Office of Readingsof the Solemnity of Corpus

(21) Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est (25 December 2005), 13: AAS 98 (2006),

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 16, 2023

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

This exercise of reading this beautiful exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI in easy digestible portions is intended to help us to gratefully appreciate anew the gift of the Eucharist!

Have a Blessed Week!

With Love, Fr, John

W e e k 3 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T A T I S ( T H E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H A R I ST )

P A R T O N E : T H E E U C H A R I ST — A M Y ST E R Y T O B E B E L I E V E D

“This is the work of God: that you believe in whom he has sent.” (Jn 6:29)

THE CHURCH’S EUCHARISTIC FAITH

T H E BL E S S ED T R I N I T Y A N D T H E EU C H A R I S T — T H E BR E A D C AM E D OW N F R OM HE A V EN .

A FREE GIFT OF THE BLESSED TRINITY

(13) Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1327

(14) Propositio 16

(15) Benedict XVI, Homily at the Massof Installation in the Cathedral of Rome (7 May 2005): AAS 97 (2005), 752

(16) Cf. Propositio 4.

(17) De Trinitate, VIII, 8, 12: CCL 50, 287

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 9, 2023

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 19:40:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

This exercise of reading this beautiful exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI in easy digestible portions is intended to help us to gratefully appreciate anew the gift of the Eucharist!

Have a Blessed Week!

With Love, Fr. John

W e e k 2 — SA C R A M E N T U M C A R I T A T I S ( T H E SA C R A M E N T O F C H A R I T Y : T H E E U C H A R I ST )

CONTINUATION OF THE POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS F THE HOLY FATHER BENEDICT XVI TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY, CONSECRATED PERSONS AND THE LAY FAITHFUL ON THE EUCHARIST AS THE SOURCE AND SUMMIT OF THE CHURCH'S LIFE AND MISSION

THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS AND THE YEAR OF THE EUCHARIST

THE PURPOSE OF THIS EXHORTATIO N

(7) Cf. AAS 97 (2005), 337-352.

(8) The Yearof the Eucharist: Suggestionsand Proposals(15 October 2004): L'Osservatore Romano, 15 October 2004,

(9) Cf AAS 95 (2003), 433-475. Also, the Instruction of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments Redemptionis Sacramentum (25 March 2004): AAS 96 (2004), 549 -601, expressly desiredby John Paul II.

(10) To name only themoreimportantdocuments: Ecumenical Councilof Trent, Doctrina et canones de Missae sacrificio, DS 1738-1759; Leo XIII, Encyclical Letter Mirae Caritatis (28 May 1902): ASS (1903), 115-136; Pius XII, Encyclical Letter Mediator Dei (20 November 1947): AAS 39 (1947), 521-595; Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Mysterium Fidei (3 September 1965): AAS 57 (1965), 753- 774; John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia (17 April 2003): AAS 95 (2003), 433-475; Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instruction Eucharisticum Mysterium (25 May 1967): AAS 59 (1967), 539-573; Instruction Liturgiam Authenticam (28 March 2001): AAS 93 (2001), 685-726.

(11) Cf Propositio 1

(12) No. 14: AAS 98 (2006), 229.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS