"We've Come This Far by Faith" This weekend we gather to celebrate on this most auspicious occasion the opening of our 100th year as Saint Joseph Catholic Church in the Diocese of Saint Petersburg. It is with great jubilation and enthusiasm that we gather with our Bishop, The Most Reverend Gregory Parkes to open this … Continue reading A Year of Jubilee, Celebrating 100 Years 1922-2022

The Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist is an opportunity to reflect more deeply on each of our own Baptism. We see in this week's a reminder that we have a call a vocation to live the baptized life. Women and men of faith given power to live a life of witness to the … Continue reading Baptized for Power, through prayer, speaking God’s Word, and Christian Leadership and Witness.

Feast Of The Epiphany a Celebration of Love This Christmas we find ourselves reflecting more deeply on God’s love for all of humanity. Last week Father Akizou in his first Christmas homily reminded us of God’s love for us. In my own spiritual reading and reflection of the ”Divine Intimacy” the theme of God’s love … Continue reading Love Given, Love Lived, Love Shared!

A Few years ago, when I was a seminarian, I used to visit a nursing home and brought communionwith me to Catholic residents. One day during my visit, I met a lady in her seventies with whom I had a small conversation before giving her communion. I still remember that it was around Christmas, and … Continue reading “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people”

This last Sunday of Advent our hearts are drawn to a scene of great love and we find Mary who is with child visiting her kinswoman Elizabeth. The image is one of two women who profoundly experience God’s love and share their experience with one another. This week as we see Mary again central in … Continue reading Love is showing You Care, Make room for others!

This Third Sunday of advent we celebrate Joy! What a cause for rejoicing this third week. It is cause for extra exultant joy that this year on the third Sunday of Advent we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadeloupe. To celebrate this Feast in the midst of our Advent Rejoicing brings the words … Continue reading A Servant’s Joy!

The Second Week of Advent we reflect on peace. Before we get into this weeks scriptures from the Prophet Baruch and the Evangelists Luke Let us turn our hearts toward Peace. The contemporary notion of peace is incomplete and insufficient. When we think of peace we think of the absence of war or violence. In … Continue reading Allow the Peace of Christ to Reign in Your Heart!

This week another liturgical year begins as we open our hearts and minds to A New Time, A New Season and A New Hope, the hope the comes from a reminder from the Gospel of Luke. We begin our Advent with the Apocalyptic reminder that we are an Advent people, as Luke unveils for us … Continue reading A New Time, A New Season A New Hope!

As we continue our reflection on the “Pact of the Catacombs” we look at the signs of the times, today I believe it is when we seek to see life, injustice, day to day struggles through the eyes of those who suffer, it is then that we can not only confront the social evils of … Continue reading Church of the Poor, A Call to Identify and Seek Justice for the Poor

As we draw to the close of our liturgical year we reflect on Christ as King and who we are as Kingdom disciples! It is often difficult to get our thoughts and our hearts around the notion of rulers as King or Queens leading us. Although seemingly strange as a society that takes pride in … Continue reading Be a Kingdom Disciple!