Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, May 26, 2024

SJE Admin • May 25, 2024

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

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First Sunday of Lent, March 9, 2025

March 9, 2025

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