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

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? 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

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

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. 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

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.” 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

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

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

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

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

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