Dear Friends,

     This past Tuesday I gathered with the priests of our diocese and Bishop Edgar da Cunha. August 4 is the feast of St. John Vianney, the patron saint of priests, and each year we come together to celebrate our priesthood and pray together.

    It was a wonderful afternoon and evening. We began with a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration and Evening Prayer. During that time of prayer, we also renewed our consecration as priests to the intercession of St. John Vianney.

    During Evening Prayer, we heard a brief reflection from Fr. Ron Tacelli, SJ. As he put it, he wanted to give us “a tip” on how to become better and holier priests. His invitation was simple: ask Jesus to help us look at others as we would want Jesus to look at us. What a beautiful invitation—and what a challenge!

    As I reflected on those words, it struck me that this isn’t just a challenge for priests. It is a challenge for every disciple of Jesus. Imagine if every one of us who claims to follow Christ made this our daily goal. How different our families, our schools, our workplaces, our country, and even our world would be. It would be the beginning of a true transformation—a quiet revolution of love.

    So I share this same challenge with you. Ask the Lord each day to help you see others the way you want Him to see you—with mercy, compassion, patience, and love.

    And here’s a way to take it one step further: begin with the person you find the hardest to love. Start there.

    Servant of God Dorothy Day—whose image appears in one of the beautiful paintings visiting our church this summer—once said, “I love God only as much as I love the person I love the least.” Those words are both humbling and deeply challenging. They remind us that our love for God is revealed most clearly in the way we love one another.

God bless you all!

Fr. John