MENU

Weekly Reflections

From Fr. Hector’s Desk – March 17, 2024 Thumbnail

From today’s Gospel reading:Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus”. Reflection:These Greeks came first to Philip, Philip told Andrew, and both went to tell Jesus. That is the way all of us […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – March 10, 2024 Thumbnail

From today’s Ephesians reading:“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance that we should live in them”. Reflection:We can become God’s “handiwork” if we let God do God’s work in us. All is a gift of grace. Lent continues to remind us of that. […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – March 3, 2024 Thumbnail

My dear parishioners, Leaving the parish of Our Heavenly Father, in Brownsville, Texas, where I had been the pastor for twelve years, my Marist superior assigned me to Tampa, to relieve Fr. Roland Lajoi. With me there were other three senior Marists priests in residence: Ray Coolong, Ken Ridgeway, and Paul F. Morrissey. On February […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – February 25, 2024 Thumbnail

From the Book of Genesis:Again, the Lord’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said: “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you acted as you did, not withholding from me your son, I will bless you abundantly…” Reflection:Abraham trusted God, and God blessed him beyond his wildest dreams. In a similar way, […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – February 18, 2024 Thumbnail

From today’s First Letter of St. Peter:“This prefigured baptism, which saves you now…is an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…” Reflect:I have been talking about making resolutions for the new year, my proposal now is to combine them with your Lenten resolutions. Lent is a time to convert […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – February 11, 2024 Thumbnail

From today’s Gospel reading:Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched the leper and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” Reflection:Who are we at this Eucharist today? We are a community of people always in need of cleansing; always stretching out our hands saying to Jesus, “If you want, you […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – February 4, 2024 Thumbnail

For those of us who have shelter, enough to eat and decent health – and in many of our parishes that is the case – the first reading from Job is a “downer”. Job is very articulate as he voices one woe after another. Job is speaking to his friends about his troubles. But note […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – January 28, 2024 Thumbnail

My dear parishioners, Today is a big day! You will have the opportunity to participate in the diocesan efforts to serve the people of God beyond the borders of our parish. Before each Mass, this weekend, I will walk you through a simple process on how to fill out your commitment form. It is through […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – January 21, 2024 Thumbnail

See:From today’s Gospel reading, “As Jesus passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother casting their nets into the sea… Jesus said to them, ‘Come after me and I will make you fishers of people’. Then they abandoned their nets and followed him”. Think:We hear Jesus’ invitation, “Come follow me”. We […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – January 14, 2024 Thumbnail

How to prepare for the 2024 Election Even though the next U.S. general election is not until November 5, we should be preparing ourselves to exercise a faithful citizenship, by disciplining our hearts, minds, and souls. There is an interesting article in America. The Jesuit Review of Faith and Culture (January 2024 issue), written by […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – January 7, 2024 Thumbnail

TRYING OUR BEST TO RENEW OUR PERSON AND OUR PARISH HAPPY NEW YEAR, my dear parishioners! I am inviting you, at the beginning of this new year, to join me in the pursuing of a personal and parish-wide renewal. That is why I am leading by my example, conducting today an evaluation of my performance […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – December 31, 2023 Thumbnail

PARISH RENEWAL INITIATIVE 2024 From today’s GospelThere was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon … This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. There was a prophetess, Anna … She never left the temple but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – December 24, 2023 Thumbnail

From today’s Gospel readingThe angel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you … for nothing will be impossible for God.” ReflectionThrough our Baptism and Confirmation, we too have been overshadowed by the Spirit and now we look for ways to let the […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – December 17, 2023 Thumbnail

AN ADVENT CHALLENGE:UPDATE AND INCREASE OUR REGISTERED PARISHIONERS ROSTER My dear brothers and sisters, This time of Advent is a time when we reflect about the great gift from God the Father: with the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ, new heavens, and a new earth are available to us. Now we have a chance […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – December 10, 2023 Thumbnail

From today’s gospel readingBehold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths”. ReflectionJohn the Baptist was that messenger sent by God to call people for repentance. But what should we really […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – December 3, 2023 Thumbnail

The past few weeks have been very busy as we prepared the three buildings for the termite fumigation. It was finally completed on the 17th of November! See below the pictures of our church, rectory and hall. Las últimas semanas han estado muy ocupadas mientras preparamos los tres edificios. para la fumigación de termitas. ¡Finalmente […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – November 26, 2023 Thumbnail

From today’s gospel reading“Amen, I say to you, what you did not to for one of these least ones, you did not for me. These will go off eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life”. ReflectionChrist the King looks for followers who will labor with him to complete his Father’s kingdom. So, we ask […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – November 19, 2023 Thumbnail

From today’s gospel reading“A man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one – to each according to his ability”. ReflectionThe first and the second servants did well, the third did poorly. What’s the deeper meaning behind […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – November 12, 2023 Thumbnail

Dear parishioners, I have some good news that will help easing a little bit our troubled financial situation. The Diocese of St. Petersburg has what it is called the “Mission-Coop Plan”, by which the bishop allows pastors of poor parishes to go to parishes better well off, preach and raise a second collection for their […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – November 5, 2023 Thumbnail

From today’s Gospel readingWhen he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today | must stay at your house”. And he came down quickly and received him with joy. Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – October 29, 2023 Thumbnail

From today’s gospel readingYou shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself. ReflectionJesus exhorts us to strive more and more to love as he […]

Read More
From Fr. Hector’s Desk – October 22, 2023 Thumbnail

From today’s 1 Thessalonians readingFor our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction. ReflectionPaul reminds the Thessalonians that they not only heard the word of the gospel but saw its effects on their lives. If we are going through a […]

Read More