News & Updates
From St. John's Parish:
Samantha's Graduation Speech
Prayer to Overcome Racism
Dear St. John's Family,
This weekend I received my Decree of Appointment from the Office of the Bishop to be your Pastor for the next six years. Indeed, this is a privilege and honor.
In his Appointment letter, he said that I am accountable to the Lord, to him and to you for all the temporal and spiritual patrimony of our Parish. The Bishop urges me to seek help from you in the critical task of accountability in managing our parish community.
Again, I promise you two things: that I will be PLEASANT and PRESENT. My Vow of the Discipline of Celibacy means that I am all yours 24/7. The last six months have been challenging for all of us, but with your cooperation and help, we were able to navigate smoothly in these trying times.
I want to take this opportunity to thank each of you for your prayers, love, help, and sympathy for the loss of my Brother Renato. Thank You very much from my family to yours.
Rev. Rafael S. Lavilla, Jr.
Pastor
Prayer to Overcome Racism
Samantha's Graduation Speech
Prayer to Overcome Racism
Mary, friend and mother to all, Through your Son. God has found a way to unite himself to every human being, called to be one people. Sisters and brothers to each. other.
We ask for your help in calling on your Son, seeking forgiveness for the times when we have failed to love and respect one another.
We ask for your help in obtaining from you Son the grace we need to overcome the evil of racism and to build a just
society.
We ask for your help in following your Son, so that prejudice and animosity will no longer infect our minds or hearts but will be replaced with a love that respects the dignity of each person.
Mother of the Church, the Spirit of your Son Jesus warms our hearts: pray for us. Amen.
If you would like a copy of the full letter on the Sin of Racism please Email one of us in the office or come in to pick up a copy.
Open Wide our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love
A Pastoral letter on the Sin of Racism from the USCCB
*******************************
June 1, 2020
WASHINGTON -Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has issued a statement on George Floyd and the protests in American cities that have taken place over the last several days. This follows the Friday statement from seven U.S. bishop chairmen of committees within the USCCB. Archbishop Gomez’s full statement follows:
The killing of George Floyd was senseless and brutal, a sin that cries out to heaven for justice. How is it possible that in America, a black man’s life can be taken from him while calls for help are not answered, and his killing is recorded as it happens?
I am praying for George Floyd and his loved ones, and on behalf of my brother bishops, I share the outrage of the black community and those who stand with them in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and across the country. The cruelty and violence he suffered does not reflect on the majority of good men and women in law enforcement, who carry out their duties with honor. We know that. And we trust that civil authorities will investigate his killing carefully and make sure those responsible are held accountable.
We should all understand that the protests we are seeing in our cities reflect the justified frustration and anger of millions of our brothers and sisters who even today experience humiliation, indignity, and unequal opportunity only because of their race or the color of their skin. It should not be this way in America. Racism has been tolerated for far too long in our way of life.
It is true what Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, that riots are the language of the unheard. We should be doing a lot of listening right now. This time, we should not fail to hear what people are saying through their pain. We need to finally root out the racial injustice that still infects too many areas of American society.
But the violence of recent nights is self-destructive and self-defeating. Nothing is gained by violence and so much is lost. Let us keep our eyes on the prize of true and lasting change. Legitimate protests should not be exploited by persons who have different values and agendas. Burning and looting communities, ruining the livelihoods of our neighbors, does not advance the cause of racial equality and human dignity. We should not let it be said that George Floyd died for no reason.
We should honor the sacrifice of his life by removing racism and hate from our hearts and renewing our commitment to fulfill our nation’s sacred promise - to be a beloved community of life, liberty, and equality for all. ---
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Archbishop José H. Gomez, racism, Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism.
http://www.usccb.org/news/2020/20-83.cfm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfQvYelF_9k&feature=youtu.be
Samantha's Graduation Speech
Samantha's Graduation Speech
Samantha's Graduation Speech
Samantha Matthews
Class of 2020
Graduation Speech
Good afternoon! It is truly an honor to be here with our Most Rev Bishop Estevez, Erin McGeever, our Pastors, as well as the Ministry formation program’s faculty and staff. It is wonderful to celebrate this graduation Mass with my fellow 2020 graduates and our families and friends--especially today, during this uncertain time period of face masks, pandemics, and social reform.
Just over three years ago, I walked into a classroom where I met Suzi, John, George, Louanne and Jim. We were an interesting group and came from many different walks of life: a university professor, a business account executive, a Parish Director of Religious education, a construction project manager, two naval officers and me, an elementary school teacher. All of us came into the MFP with busy lives and a multitude of Catholic teachings swirling around in our minds. We did not realize just what these three years of college-level courses, retreats and workshops would teach us about our faith and the journey Catholicism had taken to emerge as it exists today. We had no clue—no clue as to the impact that this program would have on our time, our understanding of Catholicism and our lives. Susi’s favorite Bible verse suited our initiation perfectly: “Behold! I make all things new!” (Rev 21:5)
I am not going to sugar coat things—the MFP was rigorous and had many challenges, but we all know that, with challenges, come change. We all agree with George when he said that the least favorite thing we had to do was “relearn how to research and write term papers.” It was rather painful getting back that first graded paper filled with red ink and editing notes. Our journey had started, and we began to change.
Throughout the extensive curriculum that the Ministry Formation Program offered us, we all found many, many things that were surprising, as we learned about the rich history of our Catholic faith: its highs and the lows, the tragedy and beauty. When asked, Louanne said, “I have enjoyed every workshop and class and there is no way for me to pick a favorite! It is like asking which is my favorite child. I love each child differently and for different reasons, but I have no favorite child. I have loved every course for different reasons and in different ways!”
The MFP is so much more than just a series of courses that we take, we also get some incredibly special gifts along the way. For example, before we stepped into our first class, each of us met and was paired with an Emmaus Companion. These men and women mentored, counselled, and prayed with us through all 3 years of study. Just as in the Gospel of Luke (24:15): “it happened that as they were talking together and discussing it, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side.” Our very own Emmaus companions stayed with us and truly embodied Jesus’ example, and they have become our life-long friends.
This program taught us with its extensive reading assignments and due dates, presentations, and public speaking, about Catholicism and God’s Divine doctrine. Jim phrased that the highs, and, not lows, but challenges that MFP presents to its students well, when he compared it to Matthew, Chapter 7, that speaks of how we need to “Enter through the narrow gate… and constricted [is]the road that leads to [eternal] life.” We had all enrolled in MFP with preconceived notions, but by the time we finished, the experience had wrapped each of our own individual Catholicism with true historical, theological, and practical knowledge.
The Ministry Formation Program has been an unexpected blessing which will impact and color our lives for as long as they last, and has made us as ready as we can be right now to continue our life paths ministering and sharing the wonder and joy of our Catholic faith with our parishes, families, and friends. John said that “MFP helped him gain an even better understanding of the true richness of our Catholic Faith, through the coursework, the faculty, and classmates.”
The final year of MFP focused on each of us working with our Pastor at our own parishes to create a new ministerial program. We were each paired with a Practicum Supervisor, someone from the Diocese who had experience with what we determined we wanted our project to encompass. My classmates and I are incredibly grateful for and agree as to the essential role that our Practicum Supervisors had played in the successful development and implementation of our projects. We are all looking forward to sharing our knowledge and continuing our programs with our parishes and offer faith formation and evangelization to future generations.
As Catholics today, June 21st, 2020, we are witnessing our world undergoing unprecedented changes. We are living with the impact and repercussions that the corona virus is having on global and personal healthcare practices as well as the devastating economic fall-out. Additionally, we are being called to actively help in the movement sweeping the country to overcome the evils of racism. It all may seem overwhelming, but we need to remember that every generation is faced with political, moral, religious, and economic challenges. Now it is our turn, but we can be assured that God has a plan and He is by our side. I pray that each of us listens hard to hear the voice of God’s Will and encompass the Holy Spirit’s guiding force to treat everyone with the kindness and compassion that Jesus Christ came to share, His: “Golden Rule. “[to] Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.” (Matthew 7:12)
Even though we are graduating from the Ministry Formation Program today, we know that our faith-filled journey is not over. We know that Jesus walks with us, and, as we continue to learn about and share our knowledge of our Catholic faith with others, the light of God’s Love will only grow brighter.
Thank-you, Bishop Estevez, Erin, and everyone who worked together to make the Ministry Formation Program an accessible, life changing reality for my fellow graduates and me.
Samantha's Graduation Speech
Diocesan Information
Pope Francis & U.S. Bishops Response Racism
Prayer to over come racism video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6OmeXUJnv4&feature=youtu.be
Racism Article:
Other News From the Bishop
Pope Francis Congratulates Bishop Felipe Estévez for his Golden Jubilee
Bishop Felipe J. Estévez of the Diocese of St. Augustine celebrates his Golden Jubilee (50 years of priesthood) this year.
Bishop Estévez was born in Havana, Cuba, and came to the United States as part of Operation Pedro Pan as a teenager. He was ordained a priest in Fort Wayne, Ind. on May 30, 1970, for the Diocese of Matanzas, Cuba....
To see more about this milestone click the link below.
From the Eucharistic Congress Steering Committee
The 2020 Florida Eucharistic Congress, scheduled for May 15-16, is officially canceled. The Eucharistic Congress Steering Committee explored several options to reschedule the congress later this year, but unfortunately, the venue is unavailable. Bishop Felipe Estévez has decided to save the money and use the funds for next year’s gathering. Mark your calendar for the 2021 Florida Eucharistic Congress, scheduled for June 4-5, at the Prime Osborn Convention Center in Jacksonville. Please visit https://flec.dosafl.com/ and the diocesan social media channels for updates on next year’s program.
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The Diocese of St Augustine, Making Disciples
Bishop Estévez Urges Duval County Faithful to Address Changes to HRO
Bishop Felipe Estévez is calling Catholics of Duval County to act today to address this change. Though taking action takes but a few moments of your day, the results could be powerful in protecting the livelihood of the faithful of this diocese