Weekly Reflections

Remember these “elect” in the photo from last week? To refresh your memory, at the Rite of Election at the Cathedral of St. Jude two weeks ago, the Catechumens officially “elected” to receive their Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) and the Bishop officially recognized their decision and blessed their journey forward. I have some […]

Last weekend at Mass, we offered a special prayer during the prayers of the faithful that said the following: For those preparing to enter the Church at Easter who will come forward today for the Rite of Election, that they be blessed in these days of preparation, we pray to the Lord. The Rite of […]

Before I entered seminary to be a priest, I never knew that all priests make an annual retreat. It is actually required by Church law that every priest make an annual retreat, and it is for a very good reason. I have definitely needed and greatly benefited from every retreat I have made as a […]

Lent is a beautiful season of renewal, inviting us to prepare our hearts for the joy of Easter through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Among these practices, fasting from food and abstinence from meat hold a special place in the life of the Church. They are not merely rules to follow, but spiritual tools that help […]

As I continue unpacking the Catholic Ministry Appeal, please allow me to tell you a little about our diocese, the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Our Diocese covers five counties: Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus. Our diocese is comprised of 74 parishes, 5 missions, one shrine, more than 13,000 students registered at 46 Catholic schools […]

For this week and next week, I take a break from articles about our parish’s history to speak to you about the beautiful ministries of the Catholic Ministry Appeal. The Catholic Ministry Appeal is a diocesan appeal that helps proclaim the gospel and perform spiritual and corporal works of mercy on a large scale throughout […]

I want to start by painting a picture of Tampa and Ybor City in the late 1880s. While downtown Tampa and downtown Ybor are only separated by a little more than one mile, they were almost two different worlds. In the late 1800s Tampa was a typical southern port city with its primary language being […]

Last week I spoke about the very beginnings of OLPH. Before I move on with the incredible story of our parish, I would like to take a step back and look at how Ybor City was established. It is a wild, tragic, and dramatic story. In the mid-1800s to 1886, believe it or not, Key […]

Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH) has been a staple of the Ybor community since OLPH was founded in 1890, just 5 years after Ybor City began in 1885. Our Lady of Perpetual Help is synonymous with Ybor City. In the next few bulletins I will share some of the incredible history of our parish […]

It is hard to believe that I have been pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help for 6 months. For those who do not know, I arrived as pastor here on July 1, 2025. July 1 each year is when priest changes are made in our diocese (and in many dioceses in the United States). […]

As I have read, prayed with, reflected on, and written to you about Pope Leo’s papal encyclical “Dilexi Te”, a particular sentiment has surfaced: communion. All of us have experienced poverty, and we are all united to Jesus in our poverty. Looked upon through our Catholic “redemptive worldview”, even poverty can bring profound communion when […]

We rejoice this Gaudete Sunday. I take a one week pause from my reflections on Pope Leo’s papal encyclical “Dilexi Te” to update you on some of OLPH’s finances. This is some financial data from July 1 – October 31. Our financial numbers are going in the right direction. How good God is! Thank you […]

Last week we reflected on the incredible implications of Jesus’ statement, “Just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40). We reflected on how Jesus not only associates with and relates to the poor and the least, but mysteriously he […]

If Jesus, who is rich beyond measure, embraces poverty at every moment and stage of his life, and even continues to give from his poverty in his very last moments on the cross, what does that mean for us? Last week we reflected together on how we are all poor, and because we are all […]

If Jesus, who is rich beyond measure, embraces poverty at every moment and stage of his life, and even continues to give from his poverty in his very last moments on the cross, what does that mean for us? Spoiler alert, it means everything. Something that has surprised me as I grow older is that […]

Last week, I reflected on Jesus poverty on the cross and then invited us to continue reading paragraphs 24-48 in Pope Leo’s papal encyclical, “Dilexi Te”. This week I would like to begin answering the question I have been asking us to reflect on: If Jesus, who is rich beyond measure, embraces poverty at every […]

Let’s start with a little refresher. Last week I invited you to read paragraphs 1-23 in Pope Leo’s papal encyclical “Dilexi Te” (if you haven’t’ been able to start reading it, feel free to Google “Dilexi Te” and you can find the papal encyclical on the Vatican website in several different languages). In paragraph 20 […]

One of the mysteries of our faith that I continually reflect on in prayer is God’s choice to become poor and remain poor. Why? What does this mean? What does this mean for me as a Christian? Pope Leo reflects on Jesus’ poverty both at the beginning of his life and throughout his ministry in […]

The Gospel for today’s feast is always Matthew’s account of the Beatitudes. At first they seem to favor the meek, the humble, the merciful. But then Jesus ends with some tough ones, aimed at those who are persecuted, insulted, and slandered. While it may sound negative, Jesus is actually giving us encouragement. Jesus isn’t telling […]

On October 9, Pope Leo XIV released his first official papal document. The document is an Apostolic Exhortation titled “Dilexi Te” in Latin or “I Have Loved You” in English. The document reflects on God’s love for the poor. Pope Leo tells us at the beginning of “Dilexi Te” that “as we contemplate Christ’s love, […]

Although the hours of daylight are rapidly dwindling, many people would say that these October days bring the year’s most splendid weather. Americans are riders and joggers, not strollers, and so the pleasures of the season are often lost on us. This is not the case with many Jewish people, who observe an ancient rule […]

When we were kids, my brothers and sisters and I thought that you were not supposed to say the blessing before meals in a restaurant. We were probably afraid of being embarrassed if non-believers saw us praying. I think of that when I hear St. Paul telling Timothy, “God did not give us a spirit […]