06:00PM • FRIDAY, OCTOBER31, 2025 - Social Hall

      Fr. Sebastien SASA, PhD, MPA

Father Sebastien Sasa was born in Soa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). After his scientific studies (Mathematics and Physic) -High School, he went to study Philosophy and African Religions at the Catholic University of Congo where he obtained a Master’s Degree with a specialization in Philosophy of Sciences (Epistemology) in 1992. The last year of philosophy, he also obtained the Diploma of habilitation to teach philosophy. He was a professor of Philosophy, Religion and Civic Education at the “Interface” high school, Avenue Bypass – Ngafula/Kinshasa-DRC, 1996-1997.

Immediately he entered the Secular Institute Saint John the Baptist (Sisjb), founded by one of the pioneers of African Theology, Bishop Tharcisse Tshibangu Tshishiku. In 1994, while he was studying theology (second year), he took his first vows. In 1996, he completed theology studies at the University of Saint Eugene de Mazenod (Kinshasa) by obtaining the Bachelor’s Degree in theology with the specialization in Pastoral. On August 1, 1996, he was ordained Deacon in Mbujimayi DRC. Before that, he took his perpetual vows in the Cathedral of Bonzola in Mbujimayi. On November 30, 1997, in his parish of Saint Joseph de Matonge, in the capital of the DRC, he was ordained Priest. He worked for two years in the parishes of Notre-Dame de Graces and Saint Edouard in Binza/IPN (Kinshasa). In 1999, Bishop Tshibangu, the Founder of the Sisjb sent him to study Missiology at the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome (Italy) where he obtained the Doctorate Degree in Missiology, with the specialization in Pastoral and Missionary Catechesis.

After his doctoral studies, he went to work as "Fidei Donum" in the Archdiocese of Naples (Italy), in the Parish of Sacred Heart of Jesus in Portici with the priest George Pisano for twelve years (2005-2017). While he was in the parish, Bishop Tshibangu asked him to study the Sciences of Public Administration. He will study at the Guglielmo Marconi University of Rome - Italy (2014-2016) where he obtained a Master’s degree in Sciences of Public Administration. While he was exercising his ministry in the parish, he was a Professor of Religion in the school of the Sisters (“Istituto Paritario Regina Sanguinis Christi”, Viale Leonardo Da Vinci – Traversa Rocca, 8 - 80055 Portici (NA) – ITALY) from 2015-2017.

Thinking of returning to the DRC, the new Bishop of Mbujimayi, Monsignor Bishop Emmanuel Bernard Kasanda Mulenga sent him as "Fidei Donum" to the Diocese of Salt Lake City (Utah) where he arrived in March 2017. He successively worked in the parishes of Saint Joseph in Ogden (March 2017-July 2017), Saint Ambrose in Salt Lake City (August 2017-July 2018), Saint George (August 2018-July 2020) and since August 2020, he is the current Administrator of the parish of Saints Peter and Paul in West Valley City.

Here are some of his writings:

People of the Sacred Heart, People of the Lame, the Blind, the Imperfect: Following Jesus Christ, living, acting like Him, in Him, for Him and opting for Him in PARISH OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS, At the Gymnasium of Jesus…Under the Shadow of the Spirit, Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, 2015-2016, p. 6-8.

Discover the Mystery of Christ, Choose Him and Do the Will of the Father in PARISH OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS, The Christian Adventure in Christ: Full Joy and New Life, Portici, Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, 2014-2015, p. 6-8.

La misión de la Iglesia en África en la obra del Cardenal Joseph-Albert Malula: Hitos para una misiología africana de la esperanza, Roma, Universidad Pontificia, 2012 – Tesis doctoral dirigida por el Profesor (PhD) Guillaume KIPOY POMBA, Fjk– Alberto TREVISIOL y Luciano MEDDI.

Strong in your living faith, walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, in PARISH OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS, Faith is Living with Christ and in Christ: For a Living Faith in the Footsteps of Christ, Portici, Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, 2012, p. 4-6.

A Hidden Treasure: Stories of Deep African Wisdom for an Intercultural Dialogue With the collaboration of Flora Staiano, Silvia De Angelis, Paola Borrelli Illustrations by Dario Antonacci (Pleiadi), Torre del Greco, Edizioni Creativa, 2011, 120 p.

The New Africa, the Africa of Life and Hope: Utopia or Reality? Preface to Un sacco di ingiustizie (a cura di Giorgio PISANO), Torre del Greco, Edizioni Creativa, 2010.

Evangelización en Kä Mana, teólogo congoleño Lugar y catalizador para la construcción de una nueva África Presentación de Mons. Marie-Édouard Mununu Kasiala Prefacio de Alex Zanotelli Epílogo de Flora Staiano, París, L'Harmattan, 2009, 213 p. (Versión francesa).

Evangelización en Kä Mana, un teólogo congoleño: Un lugar y un catalizador para la construcción de una nueva África (Africultura). Presentación de Monseñor Marie-Édouard Mununu Kasiala. Prólogo de Alex Zanotelli. Epílogo de Flora Staiano. Turín, L'Harmattan Italia, 2009, 207 págs. (Versión italiana).

Eustachio Montemurro A Prophetic Pastor, in MISSIONARY SISTERS

CATECHISTS OF THE SACRED HEART, 100 Years of the Foundation of the Institute May 1, 1908 – 2008 Servant of God Don Eustachio Montemurro, Portici, Missionary Sisters Catechists of the Sacred Heart, 2008, p. 17 – 35.

Let Yourself Be Guided by the Holy Spirit and humbly live your life of faith in Christ with your brothers, in PARISH OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS, Faith is a network, a home, an encounter: Discovering faith as a personal response Parish evangelization journey, Portici, Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, 2010, p. 6-10.

Preface to the book PARISH OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS, The Bible as the Word of God for Life: Parish evangelization journey, Portici, Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, 2009, p. 5 – 6.

Evangelization according to Ka Mana, Congolese theologian: Place and ferment for the construction of a New Africa, Rome, Pontifical Urban University, 2003, 136 p. Thesis for the Bachelor's degree in Missiology, directed by the Professor PhD Juvénal ILUNGA MUYA.

The Epistemological Rupture: Continuity and Discontinuity in Gaston Bachelard? Kinshasa, Catholic University of Congo, July 1993. Thesis for the Master's degree in philosophy, directed by the Professor PhD Hyppolite NGIMBI NSEKA.

Obstáculos epistemológicos en Gaston Bachelard, Kinshasa, Universidad Católica del Congo, 1989-1990. Tesis para la licenciatura en filosofía, dirigida por el profesor Hyppolite NGIMBI NSEKA.

Integral Evangelization in Catholic Parish of Soa, Kinshasa, University de Mazenod, 1995, 75 p. Thesis for the associate degree in Theology, directed by the Professor PhD, Father René DE HAES.



TRIGÉSIMO DOMINGO ORDINARIO

Church of Saints Peter and Paul: "House of God" where Sinners and Saints Are Together with their Father

Dear brothers and sisters,

En este trigésimo domingo del Tiempo Ordinario, la Palabra de Dios nos habla de su amor por los pobres, los humildes, los oprimidos, los huérfanos, los marginados y los débiles. Dios, Padre bueno y misericordioso, siempre escucha sus oraciones y clamores. Hoy hará lo mismo por nosotros. ¿Sentimos la presencia de Dios durante nuestras celebraciones eucarísticas? ¿Nos beneficiamos de su presencia? ¿Apreciamos su guía, su compañía, su bondad y su mirada misericordiosa?

Together with God our Father in His house

Every day, God invites us to His house to celebrate the Feast. He extends a special invitation to us every Sunday, for it is the “Lord's Day”, the “Day of Feast and Joy.” Ben Sirach describes well the image of this God-Father: “The LORD is a God of justice, who knows no favorites. Though not unduly partial toward the weak, yet he hears the cry of the oppressed. The Lord is not deaf to the wail of the orphan, nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint.” (Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18). He welcomes us as we are: sinners or saints, Pharisees or tax collectors. In this encounter, we sometimes behave like the Pharisee, the righteous: criticizing others, thinking that we are righteous, perfect, better than others. Sometimes also we are like the tax collector, the sinner: humble, recognizing our faults and asking for help from our Father. Today, we who are missionaries of Hope, what must we do? What attitude should we adopt?

Missionaries of Hope, Witnesses of the Risen Christ

Fieles a Dios, a Jesucristo y a su Iglesia, agradecemos su guía, su compañía, su bondad y su mirada misericordiosa. Tras la celebración eucarística, continuamos su misión dando testimonio de su amor y permaneciendo fieles a él hasta la muerte, como nos exhorta san Pablo (2 Timoteo 4,6-8.16-18).

Primero, debemos imitar a Dios siendo imparciales con todos. Segundo, nuestra misión es alabar y bendecir constantemente al Señor (Salmo 34:2-3, 17-18, 19, 23). Tercero, como misioneros, debemos ofrecernos como sacrificios, peleando la buena batalla de la fe por Jesucristo y permaneciendo fieles a él hasta el final, incluso hasta la muerte. Finalmente, como misioneros, testigos de Cristo, debemos ser hombres y mujeres de oración. Nada podemos hacer sin oración. El publicano del Evangelio (Lucas 18:9-14) nos ofrece un ejemplo de cómo orar: reconocer que somos pecadores, reconciliarnos con Dios y con nuestros hermanos, acercarnos a él con humildad para implorar su misericordia y ser misericordiosos con los demás. Esto es lo que nos hará justos, es decir, santos, salvos.

Saints Simon and Jude, pray for us that we may be faithful to God, humble, merciful, holy, generous, missionaries of hope, men and women of prayer, helping others to experience the joy of encountering God.

West Valley City, October 26, 2025

UTAH CATHOLIC MISSIONARY WEEK - 5 - 2025: Gratitude

Quisiera dar gracias a Dios por acompañarnos durante la quinta Semana Misionera Católica de Utah.

I thank Bishop Oscar Solis for encouraging us to organize this moment of missionary education and formation in our parish.

Expreso mi gratitud a los oradores (Ángel, Octavio y Norma, Alfredo y Delfia, el reverendo padre Dr. Langes J. Silva y el ingeniero Pablo MEJIA) por la calidad de sus presentaciones y por ayudarnos a ser “Misioneros de la Esperanza” entre el Pueblo de Dios aquí en West Valley City y en nuestra iglesia local en Salt Lake City.

De todo corazón, agradezco a toda nuestra comunidad parroquial su generosidad, su sentido de la Iglesia y su participación durante esta Semana Misionera Católica de Utah. Estamos entre «los que se encuentran con Jesús» y, llenos de la «Alegría del Evangelio», «emprendemos un nuevo capítulo de evangelización marcado por esta alegría» que el Papa Francisco nos indicó (Evangelii Gaudium n.º 1).

Thank you to the esteemed brother priests (Sebastian, Kelechi, Ron, and Langes)  who celebrated the Eucharist during the Catholic Missionary Week of Utah. Thank you for the sincere collaboration that unites us as priests of the Diocese of Salt Lake City.

Mi agradecimiento a los hermanos y hermanas de las demás comunidades parroquiales que participaron en esta formación misionera.

Que nuestra Madre Misionera, la Virgen María, nos acompañe en la “construcción de nuestra parroquia como hermanos y hermanas que creen, celebran y viven juntos como discípulos misioneros”.

Padre Sébastien SASA, PhD, MPA

Pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church

West Valley City, October 26, 2025

TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Faith in Action: The Importance of Faith, Righteousness, and Compassion

Dear brothers and sisters,

Estos pasajes bíblicos del vigésimo sexto domingo del Tiempo Ordinario enfatizan el contraste entre la riqueza terrenal y la justicia espiritual, resaltando la importancia de la fe, la rectitud y la compasión. Vivimos en un mundo lleno de opresión, de «explotación del hombre por el hombre», de discriminación y desigualdad: ricos y pobres. En Samaria existía esta situación. Hoy se repite en nuestras sociedades, nuestros países y nuestras comunidades. Ante esta situación, ¿qué debemos hacer? ¿Resignarnos y aceptarla? ¿O debemos adoptar la misma actitud que el profeta Amós y san Pablo? ¿Cómo puede la fe en acción ayudarnos a tener el valor de elegir la justicia distributiva y social, la búsqueda de las virtudes espirituales, el amor y la paz? Nuestra fe en acción debe abarcar todos estos ámbitos de nuestra vida: la riqueza y la responsabilidad social, la búsqueda de las virtudes, la fidelidad y la justicia, y la advertencia contra la complacencia.

Wealth and Social Responsibility

The parable of the rich man and poor Lazarus emphasizes the eternal consequences of neglecting the suffering of others (Luke 16:19-31). We have an imperative: with the resources available we have, let’s help those in need. In today's world, this turns to ethical decisions that prioritize social justice, philanthropy, and equitable distribution of wealth. We also support charitable causes, advocate for policies that address economic disparities, and engage in acts of kindness and generosity.

Search for Virtues

El llamado a cultivar virtudes espirituales como la justicia, la piedad, la fe, la caridad, la perseverancia y la mansedumbre (1 Timoteo 6:11-16) subraya la importancia de la conducta ética en todos los aspectos de la vida. Estas virtudes guían a las personas a tomar decisiones que reflejen integridad, compasión y resiliencia. En la sociedad actual, esto implica actuar con ética tanto en el ámbito personal como profesional, mantener los principios morales y esforzarse por hacer lo correcto incluso en situaciones difíciles.

Faithfulness and Justice

La representación de la fidelidad y justicia eternas de Dios refuerza la creencia en apoyar a los oprimidos, los hambrientos, los cautivos y los vulnerables (Salmo 146:7, 8-9, 9-10). Esto tiene implicaciones directas para las decisiones éticas relacionadas con los derechos humanos, la justicia social y la protección de los grupos marginados de migrantes y refugiados. Acompañemos a nuestra comunidad parroquial y a nuestros sacerdotes en su defensa del trato justo, brindemos apoyo a quienes lo necesitan y trabajemos para crear una sociedad justa y equitativa.

Advertencia contra la complacencia

The warning against complacency and selfish indulgence serves as a cautionary tale against prioritizing personal comfort over communal well-being (Luke 16:19-31). This has significant ethical implications in a world where consumerism and materialism often overshadow the needs of the less fortunate. Let’s make decisions that prioritize empathy, social responsibility, and a commitment to the common good. Dear Youth and Young adults of our community, I invite you to be mindful of our impact on others and to make choices that contribute to the welfare of our communities.

Saints Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Jerome, Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Holy Guardian Angels and Francis of Assisi pray for us  so that these theological consequences provide a moral compass that influences ethical decisions, encouraging individuals and societies to act with compassion, justice, and faithfulness. We always remember that true spiritual well-being is intertwined with our commitment to justice, faith, and the welfare of others.

West Valley City, September 28, 2025

SOLEMNIDAD DEL SANTÍSIMO CUERPO Y SANGRE DE CRISTO

“The Church Makes the Eucharist, and the Eucharist Makes the Church”

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today we celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi,  the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, the real presence of this Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist under the symbol of the Bread and the Wine. Where do the Body and Blood of Christ come from? What does the priest do during the consecration? How does the Church make the Eucharist? How does the Eucharist make the Church? Does the priest's invocation of the Holy Spirit upon this bread and wine, the fruit of the labor of men and women, transform them into the Body and Blood of Christ?

¿El Cuerpo de Cristo, qué?

Desde Santa Juliana de Cormillon y la Beata Eva de Lieja hasta los papas Urbano IV (institución de la Fiesta del Santísimo Sacramento), Juan XXII (procesión pública por la ciudad – Custodia) y sus sucesores, el Corpus Christi se sigue celebrando en las Iglesias católica romana, anglicana y ortodoxa occidental. Es una fiesta importante porque crea a la Iglesia, y la Iglesia también la hace.

Eucaristía, ¿libra?

En griego, Eucaristía (εὐχαριστία) significa «acción de gracias» y «gratitud». El rey y sacerdote Melquisedec, en un rito de acción de gracias por la victoria, ofreció pan y vino al Señor (Génesis 14:18-20). Nosotros también, en todas las circunstancias de la vida, estamos invitados a dar siempre gracias a Dios, porque es bueno con nosotros. En la Nueva Alianza, san Pablo (1 Corintios 11:23-26) nos invita a experimentar las dos dimensiones del pan eucarístico: sacrificio y redención o liberación. En cuanto al vino eucarístico, tenemos la noción bíblica de «memorial»: pasado, presente y futuro. «Este es mi cuerpo, que se entrega por ustedes. Hagan esto en memoria mía» (Pasado). Jesús mismo nos dice: «Esta copa es la nueva alianza en mi sangre. Hagan esto, cada vez que la beban, en memoria mía» (Presente y Futuro). Jesús está vivo, verdaderamente presente y siempre presente en todos los sagrarios del mundo para acompañarnos en nuestras vidas. Mientras esperamos su venida, sigamos celebrando su muerte y resurrección, la Eucaristía, el Pan de Vida.

Social Implications of the Eucharist

“We cannot live without the Eucharist” nor without Sunday, the Lord's Day. My brothers and sisters, we are invited to participate in the Sunday Eucharistic celebration. We celebrate the Eucharist; we make the Eucharist. It unites us and makes us the people of God of the New Covenant through the precious Blood of Christ. The bread that gives us life cannot be lacking in our families and communities. The Body of Christ that we eat and the Blood of Christ that we drink are for us the “Bread of Life”. In the Gospel (Luke 9:11-17), Jesus invites us to share what we receive from God, the Bread of Life, with those who are hungry, those who suffer, and those in need. The Eucharist, the Bread of Life, is always present in the Blessed Sacrament to be adored and prayed over. Respect, honor, glory, and power to him who is, who was, and who is to come. Through him, we have the strength and courage to transform this world, this dehumanized humanity. As Pope Benedict XVI (Sacramentum Caritatis #89) says, the Eucharist has social implications: justice, peace, liberation, development, the transformation of our communities, living our prophetic mission, etc.

Mary, “Woman of the Eucharist”, Saints John the Baptist, Irenaeus, Peter and Paul, pray for us and help us to always become the Bread of Life for our brothers and sisters, our parish, our city of West Valley City, our local Church of Salt Lake City, our state of Utah, and our country, the United States of America. 

West Valley City, June 22, 2025

HOLY TRINITY

Holy Trinity: Three Persons in One God, One Love

Dear brothers and sisters,

"The most essential mystery in God has not been revealed by 'formulas', but by facts". Saint Augustine, in his treatise on the Trinity (§ 15,28) concludes by saying: “May I remember You; may I understand You; May I love You”. Through the Love that circulates between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we can better understand the mystery of the Holy Trinity through the Love that flows between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. How do we understand the Holy Trinity? Is it a matter of faith or of philosophical or theological speculation? In mathematical logic, 1+1+1=3, not 1. How then can we understand this: 1+1+1=1? Can love help us understand this logic?  

La comprensión progresiva de la Trinidad

La primera lectura del Libro de los Proverbios (Prov 8:22-31) no menciona explícitamente la Trinidad. Debemos recordar que este libro fue escrito entre 1015 y 975 a. C., durante la estancia de Salomón en Jerusalén. La preocupación del pueblo de la Primera Alianza era vivir con integridad moral y fidelidad al único Dios. Más adelante, en la Segunda Alianza, tras la resurrección de Cristo, este pueblo comenzará a hablar del único Dios como Trino. En este Libro de los Proverbios, se presenta un diálogo, una comunión entre Dios y la Sabiduría (que ya se refiere a Jesucristo).

La fe y el Espíritu Santo nos ayudan a comprender el misterio de la Trinidad.

God the Father created, the Son saves, and the Holy Spirit gives life. There is a kind of synergy, of harmony between the three persons in one God. Saint Paul (Rom 5:1-5) confirms this to us: “hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us”. This Sunday's preface can help us understand this synergy: “For with your Only Begotten Son and the Holy Spirit you are one God, one Lord: not in the unity of single person, but in a Trinity of one substance. For what you have revealed to us of your glory we believe equally of your Son and of the Holy Spit, so that, in the confessing of the true and eternal Godhead, you might be adored in what is proper to each Person, their unity in substance, and their equality in majesty”.

Vivir la Trinidad en nuestra vida diaria

May the wisdom of God (Pr 8, 22-31) and the Holy Spirit (Jn 16:12-15) help us to understand and live this great mystery in our daily life. Our entire life is punctuated by the Holy Trinity: before we eat, sleep, work, rest, travel, and die, it is always “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” In every situation we may face, three things accompany us: patience, solid virtue, and hope. By entering the life of the Holy Trinity through baptism, we experience intimacy with God. Through the baptism of Christ, we have the manifestation of the Holy Trinity: the voice of the Father, the Spirit descending upon the Son. In all the situations that we can live, three things accompany us: Endurance, proven character, and hope. By entering the life of the Holy Trinity through baptism, we experience intimacy with God. Through the baptism of Christ, we have the manifestation of the Holy Trinity: the voice of the Father, the Spirit descending upon the Son.

Saints Romuald and Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us that the same love that flows between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit may nourish our interpersonal, family, and friendship relationships. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all!” (2 Corinthians 13:13).

West Valley City, June 15, 2025

PENTECOSTÉS

Pentecost: Unity in Diversity - Children of God through the Grace of the Holy Spirit

Dear brothers and sisters,

With the feast of Pentecost, we conclude the Easter Season. Jesus ascended into heaven, but he remains present among us. By the power of the Holy Spirit, he accompanies us on our pilgrimage on this earth of humanity. His Spirit, who is the Advocate, the Consoler, the Paraclete, is there to console us, free us from evil, and guide us in our lives. How do we welcome the Holy Spirit into our lives? What do we do with the gifts of the Holy Spirit? How can the Holy Spirit renew you? How can it renew our parish community? What are we doing to avoid living the “Culture of Babel”? How do we live the “Culture of Pentecost”  in our parish of Saints Peter and Paul?

The Culture of Babel

La experiencia de Babel (Génesis 11:1-9) muestra que, aunque hablaban el mismo idioma, no se entendían entre sí. A pesar de tener el mismo idioma y las mismas palabras, no podían construir la ciudad, y mucho menos la torre. Era la época de una sola cultura. Esta cultura de Babel es la expresión del orgullo humano y la desobediencia a Dios.

The Culture of Pentecost

The Culture of Pentecost, for its part, is that of the diversity of languages ​​and cultures in unity. The Holy Spirit causes people to speak different languages ​​that are understood by all: “…yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.” (Acts 2:1-11). The gifts and charisms of the Holy Spirit enabled people to understand one another, to love one another, and to build community together. These gifts are: “wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.” In this Culture of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of the Risen One within us, gives life (Rom 8:8-17), heals, sets free, reminds us of what Jesus taught us, and makes us children of God. As children of God, heirs and co-heirs with Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit, we are invited to love God, to love one another, and to become God's household (John 14:15-16).

Experiencing Pentecost Today in Our Parish Community

Like those present on the day of Pentecost, we too come from diverse cultural, social, linguistic, and religious backgrounds. We are all here in West Valley City under the Cross of Jesus Christ. Although different and despite all our differences, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, we all cry out together, “Abba, Father!” (Rom 8:8-17). We are all members of one Body: the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We have one God, the Father of all. We are all brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of one merciful God and Father. It doesn't matter the color of your skin, where you come from, or whether you have money or not. We are also called to be true disciples of Jesus, pilgrims of hope, missionaries liberated by the Holy Spirit, fearlessly proclaiming the Good News of the Risen Christ and living unity in diversity.

Saints Barnabas and Anthony of Padua, pray for us  so that our parish of Saints Peter and Paul may increasingly become the dwelling place of the Most Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and consequently, a vibrant fraternal community. Come, Holy Spirit!

West Valley City, 8 de junio de 2025

SOLEMNITY OF THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD

Ascensión: Un tiempo de espera, esperanza y testimonio

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

La Ascensión de Cristo es una nueva y grandiosa declaración de fe en la resurrección de Cristo. De hecho, «la Resurrección, la Ascensión y Pentecostés son tres facetas de un mismo Misterio». Es el acto solemne de la entrada de Cristo al santuario celestial donde se celebra la liturgia eterna del Cordero. Esta Ascensión marca también el fin de su vida terrenal y el comienzo de su nueva vida a través de la vida de sus amigos y de la Iglesia. Toda la Iglesia espera su regreso, cuyo tiempo y momento se desconocen. ¿Cómo esperamos este regreso de Cristo? ¿Cómo nos preparamos como comunidad parroquial de los Santos Pedro y Pablo? ¿Qué hacemos con el bautismo del Espíritu que hemos recibido? ¿Cómo podemos ser testigos de Cristo en nuestras familias, nuestra parroquia o nuestra comunidad diocesana?

A Time of Waiting and Hope

The Ascension is the triumphant conclusion of Jesus' earthly life. He, like a high priest, raises his hands and blesses his Church (Luke 24:46-53). And before him, awaiting his return, the entire community of Saints Peter and Paul adopts a liturgical attitude of adoration, praise, and celebration. All the faithful believers of Saints Peter and Paul follow in the footsteps of the Apostles, embarking on the “new and living way" inaugurated by Christ to achieve salvation and full liberation (Heb 9:24-28; 10:19-23). ​​The Virgin Mary is the first creature to undertake this journey with her Assumption. We too today, with the power of the Holy Spirit, purified and inflamed with love and faith, are invited to enter this heavenly sanctuary. Thank you very much, Lord Jesus, for your departure is not a farewell but only the inauguration of a time of hope. This time of waiting is a time of hope. Christ, ascending into heaven, entering his sanctuary, is faithful. He will give us everything he has promised us. Let us trust in Him.

Un tiempo de testimonios

After Christ's Ascension, for us, these disciples, it is no longer a time to “looking at the sky” but rather a time of testimonies. Christ himself said this to his Apostles: “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:1-11). Baptism in the Spirit is for us the means to renew our lives and become authentic Christians engaged in the life of the Church and society. Thus, we become witnesses of Jesus Christ and his resurrection, by committing ourselves to participating in the life of our parish, in the evangelization of our city, and by becoming true “Pilgrims of hope”, citizens, responsible for our common home, for our humanity.

Saints Marcellinus, Pedro, Charles Lwanga, Boniface, and Norbert, pray for us that we may know how to communicate the message of the resurrection: hope, mercy, love, faith, peace, justice, and new life. May our Eucharistic celebrations be an opportunity to praise the Lord and celebrate together as the Family of God here in West Valley City.

West Valley City, 1 de junio de 2025

SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

Peace and Salvation: Gifts of Jesus through the Holy Spirit

Dear brothers and sisters,

Jesus continues his farewell discourse to his friends. He is the light (Rev 21:10-14, 22-23) that illuminates the nations and peoples of the earth. It is He who gives true Peace, the Holy Spirit, and Salvation. Are we ready to receive the Peace that Jesus Christ offers us? What are we doing with the gift of the Holy Spirit that we received on the day of our Baptism and confirmed on the day of our Confirmation? Why are there so many conflicts in the world? What are we doing to resolve them? Where are we with the "Pax Romana" and the "Pax Americana"? How are we living today in our parish and diocesan communities and in our cities?

Reading the Signs of the Times: Conflicts, Wars...

What is happening around us? Currently, throughout the world, we have conflicts between individuals, friends, brothers and sisters, nations, and peoples. We have the case of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has been undergoing a war of invasion for thirty years, with millions of deaths. We have the war between Ukraine and Russia; Israel, which is destroying Palestine (Gaza), and many other armed conflicts around the world. Some of these conflicts are due to socio-economic, political, or simply hegemonic interests. While others are due to religious or spiritual reasons. To resolve these conflicts, some opted for war or force, while others opted for dialogue or diplomacy. Ultimately, human lives (men and women, children, the elderly) are destroyed for selfish interests. It is possible for everyone to live in peace. In 1963, Pope John XXIII, in his Encyclical “Pacem in Terris (PT) On Peace Among All Nations, Based on Truth, Justice, Charity, and Freedom” stated in number 1: “Peace on Earth—which man throughout the ages has so longed for and sought after—can never be established, never guaranteed, except by the diligent observance of the divinely established order.”

The Holy Spirit, the protagonist of peace in the first Christian communities

In the first Christian communities, the problem of the salvation of their brothers and sisters from the nations arose, conditioned by their circumcision. Without this, they could not be saved. These first Christian communities (Acts 15:1-2, 22-29) offer us an example of conflict management and resolution with a view to peaceful coexistence. Paul and Barnabas attempted to resolve the problem of teaching on salvation that generated confrontations and heated discussions within the community. They go through this process: knowing and identifying the problem, discussing it with the community, finding wise men and women who can facilitate a solution to the problem, making the decision considering what the Advocate, the Paraclete, and the Holy Spirit teach us, and communicating to the grassroots what they should do. In this Jubilee Year of Hope, we hope that the Holy Spirit will help us live in peace in our families and communities. May the same Spirit help the leaders of this world to be “Pilgrims of Hope”, to find ways and means, solutions to all armed (or non-armed) conflicts that offend the image of God, which is man and woman. May the Paraclete help us remember and teach us to love God, to be makers of the peace that Jesus Christ gives us, and to always be joyful.

Salvation as a Free Gift of Jesus Christ

Salvation is not conditioned by circumcision or other special rules. Salvation is integral: human and spiritual, body and soul. It is the gift of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, God with us (Rev 21:10-14, 22-23). For harmonious coexistence and lasting peace, we must love God, our brothers and sisters, respect them as human beings, images of God, listen to one another, and live our lives doing God's will. I hope this will help us in our interpersonal relationships and especially in relationships between nations and peoples. Jesus, grant us the true peace that only you can give to the world! (Jn 14:23-29)

As we await the Holy Spirit, Mary, Queen of Peace, Saints Philip Neri, Augustine of Canterbury, and Paul VI, pray for us, for peace in the world, in the DRC, Ukraine, Gaza, and in many other corners of the world where there is unknown or forgotten hotbeds of war.

West Valley City, May 25, 2025

QUINTO DOMINGO DE PASCUA

“Now I Make All Things New”: Hope and Love

Dear brothers and sisters,

On this Fifth Sunday of Easter, we are happy to have Pope Leo XIV as the “Vicar of Christ” here on earth. We also have the joy of experiencing springtime: the trees are full of flowers, the gardens are beautiful, the weather is excellent. Currently, everything is reborn, everything is beautiful. Jesus makes all things new: Christian communities, parishes, dioceses, your family, your relationship with God, the love between us. Are we ready to collaborate in this work of God, of Christ? How do you renew your life, your marriage, your spiritual life? How can Jesus Christ change your life, your family?

“Behold, I make all things new.”

God in his love created everything. When he finished his work, he saw that everything was very good. “God looked at everything he had made and found it very good.” (Gn 1:31). Jesus, the Son of God, continues the work of his Father, making all things new (Rev. 21:5). He has the power to do this in your personal life, in your family, and why not in our family of Saints Peter and Paul. To him be the honor, the glory, and the power! In this Jubilee Year, let us enter into this Hope, this joy, and this happiness that Christ opens to us. With Him, all things are possible with God (Mt 19:26), “nothing is impossible” (Lk 1:37).

Paul and Barnabas: The Renewal of Communities

Paul and Barnabas led a very successful missionary apostolate by reaching out to the Gentiles and encouraging Jesus’ disciples to persevere in their faith (Acts 14:21b-27). Moved by the Holy Spirit, they have built strong, dynamic communities with leaders at the helm of each one. Another important thing I would like to share with you is that of being accountable for our apostolate to the people of God, by sharing the fruits of the mission with the Basic Ecclesial Community. It is also a way of evaluating pastoral care, mission, and everything the community lives, does, and experiences. A pastoral and missionary example to follow for our groups, our parish teams, and our parish and diocesan communities. Reading the signs of the times and the situation, prayer and fasting, trust in God and perseverance in the faith, being accountable to the community for everything we do, and evaluating the pastoral or project of evangelization are all important elements in building and renewing communities.

Love At the Center of Everything: Loving as Jesus Loves Us

Communities renewed by the power of the resurrection are vibrant communities. Love is at the center of everything. It is through love and through the way we love one another that people will recognize that we are true and authentic disciples of Jesus (Jn 13:34-35). Jesus Christ is the model of this Love: “As I have loved you, so you also should love one another”. He is always with us. It is He who renews your apostolate, your mission, your marriage, the lives of your children, our parish, my priestly ministry, our community, and our local Church in Salt Lake City. Without this love, this “spirituality of communion”, all our pastoral plans would be useless, as Saint John Paul II said at the beginning of the new millennium (Novo Millennio Ineunte #43-45).

Holy Mary, first disciple of Jesus, Saints Bernardine of Siena, Christopher Magellan, Rita, pray for us and help us to make our city, our Church and our humanity a new heaven, a new earth, the new Jerusalem full of love and hope.

West Valley City, May 18, 2025

CUARTO DOMINGO DE PASCUA

Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd for All

Dear brothers and sisters,

On this Fourth Sunday of Easter, the Church offers us the image of Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd. He is for all without distinction. He gives his life for his sheep, and they listen to him, know him, and follow him. Is it the same for us, the sheep of today? Do we listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd or to the voices bombarded daily in newspapers, on television, in social media, and in commercials? Do we know him and are we ready to follow him? Are we missionaries in the manner of Paul and Barnabas?

Also on this Sunday, we celebrate “The World Day of Prayer for Vocations” and “Mother's Day.” In this time of vocational crisis, are our families and our communities praying for vocations? How do we appreciate the gift of our Mothers? Are they ready to evangelize as Paul and Barnabas did? Are they following the example of the Good Shepherd in their mission as Mothers?

Courageous missionaries, open, not jealous.

Today more than ever, the Church needs courageous missionaries, open to God's grace, guided by the Holy Spirit, and welcoming. Paul and Barnabas, from Antioch in Pisidia to Iconium, proclaimed the Word of God. To the Jews and converts, “urged them to remain faithful to the grace of God” (Acts 13:14, 43-52). Faced with the Jews' rejection of the Word of God and their jealousy, these two missionaries continued their mission to Iconium. The Gentiles who accepted this Word of God became disciples “filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” Here is an example for us missionaries today to follow. The Word of God must reach every corner of the world.

Shepherd of All: Nation, Race, People, and Tongue.

San Juan, en la segunda lectura (Apocalipsis 7:9, 14b-17), nos ofrece la imagen del Buen Pastor, el Cordero que está en el centro del trono. La multitud que lo rodea está compuesta por toda la humanidad: nación, raza, pueblo y lengua. Son aquellos cuyas vestiduras han sido lavadas y blanqueadas en la sangre del Cordero. Este Buen Pastor los cuida. Existe una intimidad y comunión entre él y estos salvados. Los conduce «a las fuentes del agua de vida» y enjuga «toda lágrima de sus ojos».

Un Pastor que da la vida por sus ovejas: escuchar, conocer y seguir.

Jesucristo, el Buen Pastor, afirma ser uno con su Padre (Jn 10,27-30). Estamos invitados a ser uno con Cristo. Debe existir una profunda comunión entre Él y nosotros. Debemos escuchar su voz, la que nos ayuda a vivir bien en paz con los demás, a elegir el camino correcto y que nos da la vida eterna, es decir, la vida divina. El Buen Pastor nos conoce a cada uno por nuestro nombre, nos ama y nos guía por el buen camino. ¡Señor Jesús, ayúdanos a conocerte y amarte hasta el final de nuestras vidas! Hoy, más que nunca, escuchando la voz del Buen Pastor, conociéndolo y amándolo, debemos seguirlo. ¡Ayúdanos, Señor, a permanecer unidos a ti para siempre y a seguirte adonde tú quieras! En esta Jornada Mundial de Oración por las Vocaciones, Jesús, Buen Pastor, ruega por nosotros para que los jóvenes de nuestra parroquia descubran la belleza y la alegría de ser sacerdotes, religiosos o diáconos al servicio de los demás y de nuestras comunidades.

¡Bendito sea el Señor Dios por el don de nuestras madres! En este día de vuestra fiesta, recibid nuestros mejores deseos de santidad, paz, salud y prosperidad. Gracias por ser buenas pastoras que nos aman, que nos han enseñado a caminar, a amar, a orar, a ayudar a los demás y a seguir a Jesús.

Santos Matías, Pancracio e Isidoro, rueguen por nosotros para que escuchemos la voz del Buen Pastor, lo amemos y lo sigamos. Que todos los que cuidan de su pueblo (líderes de naciones, líderes de iglesias y comunidades) sigan el ejemplo de Cristo, el Buen Pastor, que da su vida por sus ovejas.

West Valley City, 11 de mayo de 2025

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER

Being a Witness for Christ's Resurrection and a Fisher of Men

Dear brothers and sisters,

En este tercer domingo de Pascua, la Palabra de Dios nos exhorta a ser testigos auténticos de la resurrección de Cristo, pescadores de hombres, y a formar parte de quienes afirman: «Al que está sentado en el trono y al Cordero sea la alabanza, la honra, la gloria y el poder, por los siglos de los siglos». ¿Cómo podemos ser testigos auténticos de la resurrección de Cristo? ¿Cómo podemos ser pescadores de hombres hoy?

Ser testigos auténticos de la resurrección de Cristo

The Apostles, especially Peter in the first reading (Acts 5:27b-32, 40b-41) and John in the second (Rev 5:11-14), fearlessly and courageously affirm that Jesus is risen and that he is "worthy, the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor, glory and blessing." It should also be noted that Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples experienced the power of the Risen One in their daily work. Today, we too, Pilgrims of Hope of Saints Peter and Paul, are invited to follow the example of these brothers of the first Christian communities. Like Peter, let us follow Jesus Christ and to feed his lambs, to tend his sheep, to feed his sheep, freely living our faith and believing in the Risen Jesus Christ.

Ser pescadores de hombres

Christ's disciples experience fishing without and with Christ (Jn 21:1-19). On their own initiative, they work all night without catching any fish. At the words of the Risen One, they catch 153 large fish. Being fishers of men means joining the team of men and women who restore life and hope to others, who help others escape their ghettos, breathe the new breath of Christ, help others trust in the Risen Christ, and experience the effects of Easter in our daily lives (marriage, family, work, parish community, priesthood, youth).

The fisher of men works for unity in diversity. Despite the 153 large fish, "the net was not torn." We are called to build the Church in unity, without divisions, discrimination or racism. We pray that the Cardinals may elect the successor to Pope Francis. May he be the "Good Shepherd" according to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and may he work for the catholicity of the Church and for her unity in diversity.

Santos Juan de Ávila y Damián de Veuster, rueguen por nosotros para que seamos auténticos testigos de la Resurrección de Cristo, valientes pescadores de hombres, amando a Cristo, apasionados por el Evangelio, la misión y la salvación integral del Pueblo de Dios.

West Valley City, May 4, 2025

SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER

La Divina Misericordia de Dios, las Dificultades y Oscuridades de Creer

Dear brothers and sisters,

«Den gracias al Señor porque él es bueno; su amor y su misericordia son eternos» (Salmo 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24). ¡La misericordia de Dios es grande para nosotros! Cristo ha resucitado; está entre nosotros. Está presente en nuestra familia de los Santos Pedro y Pablo. Su resurrección es el fundamento de toda la vida de las comunidades cristianas y católicas. Es, en efecto, la base de nuestra familia aquí en West Valley. Somos la Iglesia que celebra su triunfo sobre la muerte y el mal (Ap. 1, 9-11a, 12-13, 17-19). ¿Somos misericordiosos como Dios lo es con nosotros? ¿Es la resurrección de Cristo verdaderamente el fundamento de la vida de nuestra comunidad parroquial? ¿Qué dificultades encontramos para creer que Jesús ha resucitado de verdad? ¿Cómo puede ayudarnos la Biblia?

God's Mercy: Forgiveness, Signs and Miracles

Our parish and diocesan communities must take as an example that of Acts 5:12-16: apostolic action accompanies by signs and miracles, fraternal communion in prayer and life, the strength of witness and example. The faith in the resurrection of Christ makes these miracles possible in the lives of the apostles and why not in ours.

Gracias, Señor Jesucristo, por los dones de la paz y del Espíritu Santo concedidos a tus apóstoles, y por el poder de perdonar los pecados. En el sacramento de la Penitencia y la Reconciliación, nos ofreces tu inmensa misericordia, una nueva oportunidad para volver a Dios. Gracias también a santa María Faustina Kowalska y a los papas san Juan Pablo II (Dives in Misericordia, 30 de noviembre de 1980) y Francisco (Misericordia et misera, 20 de noviembre de 2016 y Dilexit Nos, 24 de noviembre de 2024), quienes nos han ayudado a comprender y vivir la misericordia de Dios.

Believing: Difficulties, Obscurities, and Profession of Faith

La fe es un largo proceso de crecimiento que atraviesa crisis, oscuridades y dudas, y culmina en la auténtica profesión de fe en Jesucristo: «¡Señor mío y Dios mío!». Tomás es el ejemplo (Jn 20, 19-31) para nosotros y para nuestras comunidades. El encuentro con el Resucitado lo transforma todo en la vida personal, el matrimonio y la familia. Que el Espíritu Santo nos acompañe en este crecimiento de la fe.

Hermanos míos, la Palabra de Dios, la oración y la devoción nos ayudan a recibir la fe, a profundizarla y a profesarla sin temor y con convicción. Jesucristo, hermano mío, aumenta nuestra fe.

Saints Peter Chanel, Louis Grignion de Montfort, Catherine of Siena, Pius V, Joseph the Worke, Athanasius, Philip and James, pray for us and help us celebrate the triumph of Christ over death, evil and to publicly profess our faith.

¡Que tengas un bendecido viaje pascual!

West Valley City, April 27, 2025

LA RESURRECCIÓN DEL SEÑOR

Pasión, muerte y resurrección de Cristo: raíz de nuestra existencia, fe y misión

Dear brothers and sisters, 

“The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes… This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.” May this Easter be for us a day of joy and feast. Christ is risen, Alleluia! After forty days of prayer, fasting and charity, we celebrate the day of our salvation, the Mother of all holidays. Who announces this Good News to others? What is the content of this message? What was Peter’s “evangelizing style” and how can it benefit us today? Are we resurrected with Christ? As Pilgrims of Hope, what do we do with the new life we ​​have received through baptism?

A woman, First Witness to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

In the Gospel of Saint John (Jn 20: 1-9), the woman is honored, she occupies the first place. It is indeed a woman, Mary Magdalene who goes to Simon-Peter to tell him the news that the tomb was empty! Should we believe her? Certainly yes, because Peter and the “disciple whom Jesus loved” confirmed this news when they arrived at the tomb: “he saw, and he believed”. Christ is risen, Alleluia! “…Saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place…”, seeing all this, one would not believe that Christ was resurrected. It would have been necessary to open the eyes of faith to see and believe. “Yes, Christ my hope is arisen.”

Faith Improves the Life of the Pilgrim of Hope

Faith is an important dimension of our life as Christians and disciples of Christ. Without the Resurrection of Christ, our faith would be in vain, affirms Saint Paul (1 Cor 15:14). Therefore, the foundations of our Christian faith are the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Saints Peter (Acts 10: 34a.37-43) and Paul (Col 3: 1-4) affirm that our existence, our life, because of these two elements, has completely changed. Through baptism, we were raised with Christ, and we must “seek what is above”: love, mercy, peace, justice, etc. This is the mission of the Pilgrim of hope that we are.

The Mission of the Pilgrim of Hope

Finally, we must go out, leave the tomb to go towards Galilee. We must follow the example of Peter who arrives in Caesarea and makes a first kerygmatic announcement: the same Jesus Christ who was killed on the Cross, God raised him, and he is alive again. Now, it is our mission to evangelize God’s people here in West Valley City. What style of evangelization? Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi proposes that of Peter which seems excellent to me: “based on the facts, the expectations of the populations, the concrete beneficiaries; compare these expectations with the content of the Gospel, announcement of peace, liberation, justice which is salvation, the gift of God for all men.” The Pilgrim of Hope has the mission of being a man, a woman of hope, to announce with joy, conviction and without fear that Jesus Christ is Alive.

Lord Jesus Christ, increase our faith, so that we may be true and authentic witnesses of your Resurrection, Pilgrims of hope. Saint Joseph, pray for us.

HAPPY EASTER.

West Valley City, April 20, 2025

PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD'S PASSION

Misteriosa fecundidad del dolor y la muerte... El mensaje de Dios a los descorazonados

Dear brothers and sisters,

We have arrived at Palm Sunday, the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Praise the Lord! Our brothers and sisters of the program OICA/OCIA have completed their Scrutiny, received the "Credo" and the "Our Father". Our Family of Saints Peter and Paul, with all the spiritual and human journey of this Lenten Season, has been well prepared by: Masses, abstinence, charity, the Stations of the Cross, the different moments of formation, the diocesan retreat and that of the parish and the other retreats (fiancés, Youth and Young Adults, Marriages). Our Family of Saints Peter and Paul has been reconciled with God and between us brothers and sisters. We are ready to begin the Holy Week to celebrate with faith the “Paschal Triduum” and finally celebrate the Easter of the Resurrection of Christ with joy.

On this Sunday, we experience the “mysterious fruitfulness of pain and death”. It is God's message to World, to the discouraged and to all who suffer in this world: in Ukraine, Nicaragua, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Turkey, Syria and in our country the United States of America. We are thinking in a special way of missionaries: the sick, children, lay people, religious, deacons, priests, bishops, etc. The suffering Servant of the book of the Prophet Isaiah (Is 50: 4-7) represents all these suffering people. Sustained by the strength given to us by the Eucharist, Source of Mercy, we have the mission and the duty to exercise our Baptismal promises as Prophets, Kings and Priests.  With our Commun Priesthood, we must pray for those who suffer, to help them. God is always by our side.

San Pablo (Filipenses 2, 6-11) y el Evangelio de Lucas (Lucas 22, 14-23, 56) nos hablan de Cristo como el verdadero Siervo Sufriente. Como Hijo de Dios, siendo Dios mismo, se hizo hombre como nosotros (sin pecado), para sufrir y morir en la Cruz para salvarnos, ¡para darnos vida! ¡Así podemos comprender la fecundidad del dolor y la muerte!

My brother and my sister, let us remain faithful to God, to Christ and to his Church, faithful to our commitments: matrimonial, priestly, religious and simple missionary disciples of Christ. Being on one’s knees, let us adore the Lord and let us by our tongue and life proclaim that “Jesus is Lord”, my Lord and my God.

I invite all Our families of Saints Peter and Paul to celebrate with faith, devotion and joy the Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil and Easter of Resurrection.

¡Felices Pascuas a todos!

West Valley City, 13 de abril de 2025

QUINTO DOMINGO DE CUARESMA

The joy of remembering the merciful God opening our Hearts to Easter hope

Dear brothers and sisters,

Al finalizar la Cuaresma, el Quinto Domingo de Cuaresma nos introduce a lo que viviremos la próxima semana: el recuerdo de la liberación, las maravillas de Dios, la nueva vida en Cristo y el amor infinito de Dios. ¿Recuerdas las maravillas de Dios en tu vida, tu matrimonio, tu trabajo, nuestra parroquia de San Pedro y San Pablo? ¿Sabes que Dios es y siempre será el Dueño de la Historia? ¿Ha transformado tu vida el encuentro con Jesucristo? ¿Estás dispuesto a renunciar a todo para imitarlo? ¿Eres fiel a la Alianza con Dios hecha el día de tu bautismo? ¿Eres misericordioso con tus hermanos? ¿Odias y rechazas a las mujeres, o sigues la nueva actitud de Jesucristo hacia ellas?

The joy of remembering the merciful God and opening your eyes to hope. The God whom Jesus Christ revealed to us last Sunday invites Israel to acknowledge its past exploits (the Covenant, the crossing of the Red Sea, the return to Jerusalem from Babylon, liberation), but with an eye toward the hope of a better future (Is 43:16-21). The people remember God's works with shouts of joy (Psalm 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6), for he is “doing something new" (a new seed), a new world, a new life. What God did in the past, he will also do for us today, and he will continue to work in the same way tomorrow. He is and remains the Master of history, of the past, the present, and the future. He will free the captives, the slaves, and today’s “Babylon”. Jesus continues to carry out this work through our hands, our communities.

Jesus values ​​and rehabilitates man and woman: Love the person, not the sin. Saint Paul (Philippians 3:8-14) and the woman in the Gospel of Saint John (John 8:1-11) experience God's mercy. Paul  encounters Jesus, who completely changes his life. He loves Him, shares his life with Him. He says: “yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). The goal, the only thing that matters to him is Christ, and everything else (benefits, Law, circumcision) he considers as rubbish. With this firm decision, Paul continued his journey until he died in Rome. What matters to him is the faith in Christ, the power of his resurrection and living united with Him. As for the adulterous woman, humiliated, sinful, sad, she also meets Jesus. He restores to her value and dignity as a woman. She experiences divine mercy, God's boundless love, and she is saved. God sent his Son to give us new life, not to condemn us.

Santos Juan Bautista de La Salle y Estanislao, rueguen por nosotros para que juntos podamos caminar hacia la Pascua, llenos de alegría y gratitud a nuestro Libertador. Que seamos misericordiosos con los demás como Dios lo es con nosotros. Que la resurrección de Jesús sea nuestra alegría, nuestra fortaleza y nuestra esperanza.

West Valley City, 6 de abril de 2025

FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT

Prodigal Father: God Loves Us All, and Do We Love One Another?

Dear brothers and sisters,

La antífona de entrada de este Cuarto Domingo de Cuaresma, también conocido como Domingo de Laetare, comienza con estas palabras: «¡Alégrense, Jerusalén, y todos los que la aman! ¡Regocíjense, todos los que estaban de luto; exulten y encuentren consuelo en su seno consolador!». Hoy nuestros corazones rebosan de alegría, pues en pocos días celebraremos la Pascua; la alegría de nuestros catecúmenos que recibirán sus sacramentos y la alegría de nuestra comunidad, que, después de Pascua, dará inicio a la experiencia de las Pequeñas Comunidades Fraternales (PCF) para compartir la Palabra de Dios.

In the mid of our Lenten pilgrimage, Jesus once again reveals to us the true face of the Father who loves us dearly, who is ready to take the risk of giving us everything we need. He is the first to come and seek us out when we are lost, sad, or angry, to celebrate the feast with Him! Among us, God's children, are we ready to “enter into the joy of the Father” when a lost brother or sister returns to the family? How do we resolve our problems as a family: parents and children, Dad and Mom, son or daughter with another? What is the true image of God the Father that his Son Jesus reveals to us? In this mid-Lenten season, have you begun the shift toward a “new life,” a "metanoia" (μετάνοια), a life of maturity and responsibility? What relationship did Jesus have with sinners?

En todas las familias humanas, los problemas nunca faltan. La cuestión es cómo encontrar soluciones para la paz, para que podamos vivir juntos en alegría como hermanos y hermanas. El Tiempo de Cuaresma es este tiempo de convivencia, en armonía, siguiendo el ejemplo del Padre Pródigo.

The true face of the Father revealed by Jesus. Again on this Sunday, Jesus reveals to us the true image of the Father. He removes the “reproach of Egypt" (Josh 5:9a, 10-12). He always listens to the cries of his children that we are and immediately responds to our needs. Through baptism and the blood of his beloved Son, He makes us new creatures (2 Cor 5:17-21). This good, tender and merciful Father (Lk 15:1-3, 11-32) erases our sins and is not responsible for our faults or errors. He is in solidarity with everyone: pagans, Jews, converts, white, black or yellow! He celebrates when we return to him, when we make the firm decision to go to Him. He loves his sons, that is to say, he loves us all without distinction of color, class, social status or other. “God Our Father” respects our freedoms and our choices, even the most drastic. What He wants is our conversion, our change of heart, and to live in joy. We too must imitate this Father. The season of Lent is a time to know the true face of the Father and to imitate Him.

Thanksgiving for all the work of God and commitments. For all these works of this good, loving, and merciful Father, the Pilgrim of hope that we are, we must always remember God our Father, Jesus our Savior, and the Holy Spirit our Comforter. We must, with our lips, our bodies, our hands, our dances, and our songs, bless, praise, and glorify the Lord at all times (Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7). In short, “enter into the joy of the Father.” We must not view our relationship with the Father in terms of accounting, calculation, or self-interest. It must be one of costless love, of awareness of our limitations and of seeking His help, His salvation. As sons and daughters of God, we must love one another and never consider ourselves better than others, like the second son of the Gospel. Pilgrims of hope, “new creatures,” we must be reconciled with God and with our brothers and sisters. We do not know if the eldest son had entered the banquet hall! We are thus “ambassadors of Christ,” of peace and reconciliation.

Saints Francis de Paul, Isidore, and Vincent Ferrer, pray for us so that we may love others as God loves us and rejoice in forgiveness and reconciliation, following the example of God.

West Valley City, March 30, 2025

TERCER DOMINGO DE CUARESMA

I have Witnessed the Affliction of My People: God Loves Us and Frees Us

Dear brothers and sisters,

Last Sunday, we spoke of the Pilgrim of Hope, faithful to the Covenant and sent to transform the world. On this third Sunday of Lent, we will speak of the revelation of the identity of the God of life and the attitude of the Pilgrim of Hope toward the choice he must make during his pilgrimage on earth. Do you know the living God? Do you know his name? Do you know that he is very close to you, knows you, loves you, and sets you free? As a Pilgrim of Hope, are you ready to renounce evil and all forms of slavery? In this world of "coexistence of differences," how can we learn to live humbly?

En este mundo de «convivencia en la diversidad», estamos invitados a conocernos a nosotros mismos, a conocer a los demás y a vivir juntos con humildad. A lo largo de esta peregrinación, también estamos llamados a conocer el fundamento de nuestra fe: Dios nos ama y nos libera del mal, de la esclavitud del pecado.

Identidad de Dios: Bondadoso y Misericordioso – En la zarza ardiente (encuentro con Dios) (Éxodo 3:1-8a, 13-15), Dios revela su nombre y descubrimos que nos ama y se preocupa por nosotros. Su nombre es: «Yo soy el que soy… Yo soy… el Señor». Seis verbos expresan bien este descubrimiento: ver, oír, conocer, descender, rescatar y sacar. El Dios distante, Santo, se acerca a los seres humanos, ve su miseria, oye sus clamores, conoce su sufrimiento, desciende para liberarlos y los eleva a una nueva tierra (tierra que mana leche y miel). Defiende los derechos de los oprimidos (Salmo 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11) y es fiel a su Alianza. Es bondadoso y misericordioso (Lucas 13:1-9). Jesús se toma su tiempo para exhortarnos a volver a Dios, a dar frutos abundantes de amor, misericordia, paciencia, justicia y fidelidad. La Cuaresma es un tiempo para redescubrir la verdadera imagen de Dios (paciente y misericordioso), para ser pacientes y misericordiosos con los demás. Es un tiempo para ver la miseria o la pobreza ajenas, para socorrerlas y colaborar en la obra de liberación de Dios.

Pilgrim's Attitudes: Renunciation and Trust in God – Faced with this good, patient, and merciful God, the attitude of human beings living in a world in general and widespread crisis must be one of renunciation of sins, evil (1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12), idols of wood or stone, as the Psalmist says, of fasting as pleases God (Is 58:6), of pleasing God, and of not falling back into the slavery of the past. In the trials of life and marriage, the attitude of the Pilgrim of Hope is to trust completely in God, to worship the King of kings, and to believe in His divine mercy. Lent is a time of conversion, of choosing God, of doing good, time of prayer, and of being humble (for we are all sinners). It is a time of returning to God, of freeing the oppressed, of helping others free themselves from slavery.

Lord Jesus Christ, pray for us that we may be holy Pilgrims of Hope who love God and others.

West Valley City, 23 de marzo de 2025

SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT

Peregrinos de la Esperanza: Fieles a la Alianza y preparados para la Transfiguración del Mundo

Dear brothers and sisters,

Tras la primera semana, comenzamos la segunda semana de Cuaresma. Peregrinos de esperanza, como dice el Papa Francisco: «Caminemos juntos en la esperanza». Somos fieles a la Alianza que Dios hizo con nuestro «Padre» Abraham, y con la fuerza de la transfiguración de Jesucristo. Estamos llamados a transformar este mundo caótico en el que vivimos. ¿Estás listo para caminar con Jesús? ¿Cómo va tu experiencia de oración, ayuno y limosna? ¿Estás listo para participar en el Vía Crucis el próximo viernes, acompañando a las personas, familias, matrimonios y naciones que sufren? ¿Eres fiel a la Alianza? ¿Cómo puedes, durante esta Cuaresma y después, ser agente de transformación en tu vida, tu familia, tu parroquia, tu diócesis, tu ciudad, tu estado o tu nación?

The Certainty that the Lord Is with Us. Pilgrims of hope, we are together on the journey towards Easter. Today, Jesus, with his transfiguration, manifests his glory. We are convinced of one thing, and we are certain of it: the Lord is with us. The Psalmist (Psalm 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14) confirms this: “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?”  In sad or joyful circumstances, we must trust in God. This language of faith opens the way to hope. “I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living.” “Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.” The Season of Lent is a time to trust in God, to have the certainty that he is with us and to seek his face.

Faithful to the Covenant Like Our "Father in Faith." Abraham understood well what we have just said above. In the ritual of the Covenant between Abraham and God (Gen 15:5-12, 17-18), our "Father in faith" discovers the true God, trusts him, and respects his commitments. He remained faithful to God and believed in his words. Without asking many questions, he believes. His life, his plans, his conduct are in harmony with God's Plan. At the end of this Covenant, God gives Abraham two things: descendants (from no children to becoming the father of a multitude) and the land. This is an example of faith that we, descendants of Abraham, must follow. The Season of Lent is a time to remain faithful to God and his Covenant.

Ready for the transfiguration of the world and to manifest the glory of God. God is with us (Emmanuel). His closeness no longer needs to be demonstrated. Jesus Christ is truly present in us. Saint Paul (Philippians 3:17 - 4:1), weeping (in prison), invites us to make Christ the Center of our lives and not our outward practices (circumcision). Saint Luke (Luke 9:28b-36) lets us hear the voice of God asking us to "listen" to his Son, and to trust him. Through baptism, we are incorporated into Him who is the Prophet, the King, and the Priest. Through his transfiguration, he transforms us, gives us the strength to descend the mountain to transform the chaotic world with all its realities. The season of Lent is the time to listen to Jesus Christ, and to transform the world according to God's marvelous Plan.

Santos Patricio, Cirilo de Jerusalén y José, rueguen por nosotros para que seamos fieles a la Alianza, a la Cruz de Cristo (pasión, muerte y resurrección), y para que manifestemos la gloria de la resurrección en nuestras vidas mientras esperamos su gloriosa venida.

West Valley City, March 16, 2025

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT

Cuarenta días caminando con Jesús: Escucha, discierne y encuentra

Dear brothers and sisters,

From Ash Wednesday until the Mass of the Lord's Supper, we will have forty days of fasting, prayer and almsgiving. In addition, three words will accompany us during this time: listening and remembering - discerning and professing our faith - encountering God and taking shelter under his protection.

Listening, remembering and offering. This time of Lent is the privileged moment to listen  to God who speaks to our hearts and the time of duty of memory. Take the time to listen, read the Word of God, meditate on it, contemplate it and put it into practice every day (Lectio Divina). I invite you, my brother and sister, to do this Lectio Divina as a family, once a week. The Word that is in your mouth and in your heart (Rom 10:8-13) arouses the desire for conversion, it arouses faith, dialogue and prayer. It helps us to remember all the blessings of God. All that we are and have, all belong to God. We must present to him, offer him the first fruits of our work of our harvests (Dt 26:4-10).

Discernir, profesar nuestra fe y comprometernos. La Cuaresma es tiempo de discernimiento, de profesar nuestra fe, de comprometernos a ayudar a los demás, a cuidar la creación. En medio de este mundo caótico, con tantas voces contradictorias, es urgente formarnos en el discernimiento espiritual, profesar nuestra fe mediante un compromiso total con el bien, la belleza, la justicia y la paz. Blancos, negros o amarillos, tenemos un solo Señor, una sola fe y un solo bautismo. Con todo nuestro corazón, con nuestra boca y con nuestras acciones, invoquemos el nombre de este Señor. Trabajemos juntos (unidad en la diversidad). ¡Tenemos cuarenta días para formarnos en la escuela de Jesús! A la luz de la Palabra de Dios, el ayuno y la oración, podemos escuchar la voz de Dios y comprender su maravilloso plan para nosotros, nuestra familia de los santos Pedro y Pablo.

Encuentra a Dios y mora en su amparo. La Cuaresma es tiempo de encuentro con Dios y con nuestros hermanos. Al escuchar la Palabra de Dios, al discernir y al orar, tenemos un encuentro personal con Jesús y con el Señor. Él es el Altísimo, el Poderoso, el Señor. Él es nuestra seguridad (Salmo 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15), nuestro refugio. Él envía a sus ángeles para protegernos. La Cuaresma es tiempo de morar en su amparo. Jesús, en el Evangelio de San Lucas (Lc 4:1-13), nos da ejemplo. Durante cuarenta días, para no caer en las tentaciones de Satanás (hambre, poder terrenal y el abandono de Dios o ateísmo), Jesús se refugia bajo su Padre, depositando toda su confianza en Él y en su Palabra (siempre recurriendo a los textos bíblicos para responder a Satanás). Jesús está presente en el Santísimo Sacramento y nos espera de lunes a viernes, de 8:45 a 18:45: «Venid y ved…» (Jn 1,45-46). Dediquemos diez o treinta minutos a adorar al Rey de reyes. No solo de pan vive el hombre, sino de la Palabra de Dios. Virgen María, intercede por nosotros para que tengamos la fuerza de vencer a Satanás y luchar contra el mal, para permanecer fieles a Dios y para profesar nuestra fe sin temor a nada ni a nadie.

West Valley City, March 9, 2025

EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

God’s Project: The Salvation of All Humanity

Dear brothers and sisters,

En este octavo domingo del Tiempo Ordinario, Dios nos habla de su plan para salvar a toda la humanidad. Tiene un plan maravilloso para nosotros, pero no nos salva sin nosotros. Por medio de su Hijo Jesucristo, se hizo uno de nosotros para traernos la salvación, la vida nueva. ¿Cómo lleva a cabo Dios su plan? Hermanos, ¿están dispuestos a aceptar este plan de Dios? En sus familias, en nuestra comunidad de los Santos Pedro y Pablo, ¿cómo se comportan? ¿Cómo tratan a los demás: los juzgan, les ven las faltas o los ayudan a crecer en la fe y en la vida? ¿Qué papel desempeña Cristo en este plan?

Dando gracias a Dios: El hombre da gracias a Dios por sus maravillas. Canta su nombre. Anuncia su amor y su fidelidad (Salmo 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16) a quienes no lo conocen o rechazan su Plan de Salvación. El hombre confía en el amor gratuito, inagotable y eterno de Dios. A lo largo de la historia de la humanidad, a pesar de las vicisitudes del hombre, sus errores e infidelidades, Dios mantiene su plan de salvarnos. En cuanto a nosotros, como los recién bautizados en tiempos de Ben Sira el Sabio (autor del libro de Sirácides o Eclesiástico) (Sir 27:4-7), sigamos las enseñanzas morales que nos ofrece, extraigamos nuestra sabiduría de la Ley de Dios y transmitámosla a las futuras generaciones. Que nuestras palabras, nuestro lenguaje y nuestras expresiones sociales reflejen lo que realmente somos, hijos de Dios que tienen un buen corazón como el de Cristo (Papa Francisco, Delexit Nos [DN]).

Cristo Resucitado: Victoria sobre la muerte y el pecado - Cristo, enviado por su Padre para sanar y salvar a los hombres, está presente en nuestras vidas y comunidades. Nos ama y lleva a cabo el plan de su Padre. Su gran corazón nos acoge a todos. El Papa Francisco afirma con razón: «El Sagrado Corazón es el principio unificador de toda la realidad, puesto que “Cristo es el corazón del mundo, y el misterio pascual de su muerte y resurrección es el centro de la historia, que, gracias a él, es historia de salvación”… El corazón de Cristo, como símbolo de la fuente más profunda y personal de su amor por nosotros, es el núcleo mismo de la predicación inicial del Evangelio. Se encuentra en el origen de nuestra fe, como la fuente que refresca y vivifica nuestras creencias cristianas» (DN 31 y 32). La victoria de Cristo sobre la muerte y el pecado es la victoria del proyecto de Dios y del nuestro. Inaugura una nueva humanidad fundada en el amor, la fraternidad, el perdón, la paz y la justicia. «Pero gracias a Dios, que nos da la victoria por medio de nuestro Señor Jesucristo» (1 Corintios 15:54-58). Cada uno de nosotros tiene la responsabilidad de llevar a cabo el maravilloso plan de Dios siempre y en todo lugar.

Comportamiento entre hermanos en la comunidad (Lc 6,39-45) – Cristo resucitado está vivo, está entre nosotros, es nuestra esperanza, nuestra vida, nuestro pan. Nos amó y nos salvó. En nuestras familias, parroquias o comunidades diocesanas, nosotros, que hemos resucitado con Cristo y hemos sido sanados por él de nuestra ceguera, miremos a los demás como él nos mira. Amémoslos como él nos ama, no los juzguemos, y mucho menos busquemos sus faltas. Pongamos en práctica la exhortación de san Pablo: «…manténganse firmes, constantes, siempre dedicados a la obra del Señor, sabiendo que en el Señor su trabajo no es en vano». Que este tiempo de Cuaresma sea una oportunidad para fortalecer nuestros lazos de fraternidad mediante el ayuno, la oración y el amor.

Santos Catalina Drexel, Casimiro, Perpetua, Felicidad y Juan de Dios, rueguen por nosotros para que seamos verdaderos discípulos transformados por Jesús con un buen corazón, árboles plantados junto al río que producen abundantes frutos de amor, paz, justicia, misericordia y esperanza.

West Valley City, March 2, 2025

SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Ama a tus enemigos: el amor universal que no excluye a nadie

Dear brothers and sisters,

«Amen a sus enemigos, hagan el bien a quienes los odian, bendigan a quienes los maldicen, oren por quienes los maltratan». Estas palabras son la novedad del Evangelio de este séptimo domingo del Tiempo Ordinario. ¿Quién es tu enemigo? ¿Tienes enemigos? ¿Qué haces con la unción de Dios que has recibido? ¿Qué significa para ti el perdón? ¿Olvidar el pasado o es un acto liberador que abre el camino al futuro? Jesucristo nos invita a ser misericordiosos como Dios nuestro Padre es misericordioso, ¿lo eres tú también? ¿Estás dispuesto a perdonar como Dios te perdona? ¿Qué haces para poder ofrecer perdón a tu cónyuge, a tu hijo o hija, a tus compañeros de trabajo, a tu hermano o hermana, a tus amigos? ¿Quiénes son tus enemigos? ¿Estás dispuesto a perdonarlos hoy?

In the cultures of the world, we have the precept to love and to love each other. In almost all religions, there is the law of love. To love and to be loved makes us live happily. On this Sunday, Jesus introduces something new: to love our enemies, to do good to them, to pray for them. To be able to live this newness, this radical teaching of Jesus, I offer you three little pieces of advice that the Word of God inspires in me.

Recognize the Mercy, the Forgiveness of God and Practice Them. Our God is merciful, and he is Love. His mercy is inexhaustible. Forgiveness is his being (Ps (103), 1-2, 3-4, 8.10, 12-13 - Lk 6, 27-38). The Israelites will grow up in this culture. In the first reading (1 Sam 26:2.7-9.12-13.22-23), we have the example of King David who does not destroy the life of his enemy Saul, the beautiful King of Israel (1040 BC). He teaches us this: it is possible to be merciful, to forgive enemies and to wish them all the best. David, finding himself in the situation of killing Saul, does not do so. Because he respects God's plan (choice of Saul as King), the human person as the image of God (anointing of God) and life. Forgiveness is understood here as the refusal to take revenge. It does not mean forgetting the past, much less erasing it, but on the contrary the liberation of the person and his openness to the future, to the radiant future of peace and fraternity. For leaders of nations, politicians, community leaders, leaders of social or religious movements or others, we have here an example to imitate to love each other by building a World of love with peace, justice, life and fraternity.

Imitate God to become his children. God loves us, he forgives us, heals us and gives us life. Like the Psalmist who sings with joy, we must bless the Lord, praise him and imitate him. Do to others what we want them to do for us, “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Lk 6:27-38). We Christians, Catholics, we must dominate our violence, our passions, impulses and love one another. To become his children, in his pedagogy, God educates us, transforms us, gives us a new heart, that of the flesh. 

Fe y amor. San Pablo (1 Corintios 15:45-49), al hablar de la resurrección de Cristo, habla también de la nuestra (la de la carne). Esta cuestión es de fe. Cristo resucitó y también nos resucitará (cuerpo espiritual). Mientras tanto, por la gracia del Espíritu de Dios que mora en nosotros, estamos llamados, a lo largo de nuestra vida, a ser como él, a amar, a seguir a Cristo (la vida) y no al primer hombre, Adán (la muerte). San Gregorio de Narek, ruega por nosotros para que nos amemos los unos a los otros sin excluir a nadie, ni siquiera a nuestros enemigos.

West Valley City, February 23, 2025

SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

En camino hacia la verdadera felicidad

Dear brothers and sisters,

The sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time confronts us with the situation of choosing happiness or unhappiness, God or idols, life or death, light or darkness, freedom or slavery. Can God abandon us to temptation? Can he curse us? Is he the right counselor? Can we trust him? Should we recognize in Jesus the true Messiah? On the route to happiness, what must we do to get there? As Pilgrims of hope, should we trust in God or in a human being like us? Should we distrust man, the human being or should we work together for the building of the Kingdom of God?

Hoy más que nunca, la gente busca la felicidad. Para algunos, está en el dinero, la bebida, las riquezas. Para otros, en el sexo y los placeres. Para otros, aún en la búsqueda de Dios y su Reino, en la comunión con Él. ¿Acaso no es esa la verdadera felicidad? Hermano y hermana, ¿dónde está la vuestra? La Palabra de Dios de este domingo nos ofrece tres claves.

Trust in the Lord and place your hope in Him. God loves us and he cannot curse us. He wants our happiness and for us to be happy (Ps 1, 1-2, 3, 4.6). Through the Prophet Jeremiah (Jer 17: 5-8), he instructs us not to choose misfortune, to trust in idols, in alliances contrary to the one concluded with Him. He encourages us not to move away from Him, to make the choice to walk with Him, on the path of freedom (tree planted beside the waters that always bear fruit).

Believing in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Saint Paul (1 Cor 15:12, 16-20) tells us, is the pillar, the foundation of our faith. It is also the key to our happiness: “…if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins.” This happiness begins already here below when we “live with Him”, that is to say far from sin, from Satan and all his manipulations. After this life, we will be happy to live with Christ in eternity. So, my brother and sister, do not miss this opportunity!

La mirada amorosa de Dios sobre nosotros. Los pobres, los hambrientos, los que lloran, los odiados, los excluidos, los insultados, los rechazados (Lc 6,17.20-26) son invitados a dirigir su mirada hacia Dios como su única fuerza y esperanza. La mirada benevolente de Dios está sobre ellos. Jesucristo, el primero en experimentar estas situaciones, tuvo la certeza constante de la mirada de su Padre sobre él. Venció el mal, la oscuridad y se convirtió en el defensor de estas personas, ofreciéndoles alegría, liberación, sanación y abundancia de bienes. Jesús, en el Evangelio de San Lucas, habla de esta «inversión de las circunstancias». Lo mismo ocurrió en el Cántico de la Virgen María, el Magnificat.

Saints Peter Damian and Peter the Apostle, pray for us, so that we can make the right choice, recognize Jesus as the Messiah, true happiness. Help us to always convert, because sometimes in life we ​​behave like the rich of the Gospel. Accompany us in the effort to support one another in building the Kingdom, without separating ourselves or distancing ourselves from you. Together we will be happy.

West Valley City, February 16, 2025

FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

God’s Call to Serve Christ’s Mission

Dear brothers and sisters,

On this fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time, the key word is God’s call to serve Christ’s Mission. On this Sunday, the Church celebrates World Marriage Day. How do you respond to God’s call? Like the prophet Isaiah, Saints Paul and Peter, do you know what you are, that is, a sinner? Is God’s grace sufficient for you? Do you know that God loves you with an unconditional love? What do the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ mean to you? Do you know that Jesus’ mission is yours and that of the Church? Are you ready, on the Word of Jesus, to put out into the deep to cast the net for the catch? Are you ready to take the risks of putting out into the deep? Do you give thanks to God for his love, his mercy, his goodness?

Dios toma la iniciativa de llamar a las personas. Como el salmista, bendigo a Dios por llamarme al servicio de su Hijo y de su Iglesia. «Te daré gracias, Señor, con todo mi corazón, porque has escuchado las palabras de mi boca; delante de los ángeles te alabaré; me postraré en tu santo templo y daré gracias a tu nombre» (Salmo 137 (138): 1-2a, 2bc-3, 4-5, 7c-8). Desde el comienzo de la aventura misionera, es Dios quien toma la iniciativa de llamar a hombres y mujeres a su servicio y al de su pueblo. Él es tres veces santo, es decir, distinto del hombre. Pero al mismo tiempo, está tan cerca de nosotros. Es él quien toma la iniciativa de venir a nosotros. ¡Qué honor! Dios llama al profeta Isaías en una visión. Jesús se aparece a Pablo, quien luego se convierte en el Apóstol de los Gentiles. En cuanto a Pedro, después del milagro, de ser un pecador se convierte en pescador de hombres. ¿Cómo sucede esto?

Él nos prepara para la misión. Cuando Dios llama, prepara a sus siervos antes de enviarlos. Isaías reconoce su condición: «¡Ay de mí, estoy perdido!... Porque soy un hombre de labios impuros». Dios, por medio de los serafines, perdona los pecados de Isaías, lo purifica y entra en comunión con Dios (santidad). Pablo reconoce su vida antes de conocer a Cristo. Mediante la imposición de manos de Ananías y la fuerza del Espíritu Santo, está listo para la misión. La gracia de Dios le basta. Lo mismo ocurre con nosotros hoy. Pedro toma conciencia de su pobreza: «Apártate de mí, Señor, porque soy un pecador».

Jesús lo tranquiliza diciéndole: «No temas». Hermano y hermana, en este año jubileo, no teman y «Duc in Altum».

Attitudes for the mission. One of the attitudes is the positive response to God’s call. It must be said that vocation is a personal choice that comes after mature reflection and prayer. Isaiah says: “Here I am,” I said; “send me!” Paul welcomes God’s grace and says: “woe to me if I fail to fulfill it.” (1 Cor 9:16). As for Peter, he trusts the Words of Jesus Christ and offers him his availability. He leaves everything and takes the joyful risks of going to fish for men. This is the mission of Christ. It is yours and that of the whole Church.

The fundamental core of this mission is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ who is Salvation for all. Jesus is alive and always present to accompany us, to heal the sick (World Day of the Sick) and to protect marriages (World Marriage Day).

Santos Escolástica, Cirilo y Metodio, ruegad por nosotros para que seamos verdaderos peregrinos de la esperanza, auténticos misioneros y pescadores de hombres.

West Valley City, 9 de febrero de 2025

FIESTA DE LA PRESENTACIÓN DEL SEÑOR

JORNADA MUNDIAL DE LA VIDA CONSAGRADA

Child Jesus: Light of the Nations and Glory of the People of God

Dear brothers and sisters,

Hoy celebramos la Fiesta de la Presentación del Señor en el Templo. También la Iglesia celebra la Jornada Mundial de la Vida Consagrada. ¿Ponemos en práctica lo que está escrito en la Ley, la Palabra de Dios? ¿Quién es este niño del que nos habla el Evangelio? ¿Es el Rey de gloria? ¿Es un sacerdote, un sumo sacerdote, aquel cuya familia no pertenece a la clase sacerdotal? ¿Está Jesús al servicio de su pueblo? ¿Es el Mesías esperado por el pueblo de Dios, Simeón y Ana?

Joseph and Mary, the parents of Jesus, faithful to the faith of their parents, fulfill what is written in the Law of Moses. They present their child at the Temple. This makes us understand that Jesus is true man and true God. Saint Luke (Lk 2:22-40) says it clearly: “The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.”

This child is the messenger of God, “the messenger of the Covenant” (Mal 3:1-4). He is the one for whom the people of God had been waiting for centuries. He is the child that Simeon and Anna were waiting for. He is the King of glory who enters, who always accompanies his People in their battles (Ps 23 (24):7, 8, 9, 10) and who enlightens all nations.

The child presented today is the Priest par excellence according to the order of Melchizedek. He is not a priest in the manner of those of the first Covenant. Because, as Malachi says, we are in a period when the people are under Persian domination, and they have no king. The priests are the one who are the representatives of God. But there is degradation, the crisis of the priestly class. They are losing their ideal and responsibility, namely, to be at the service of the People of God. Their decisions regarding justice are partial. They are no longer the mediators, members of the people and those who distribute graces, the blessings of God, the holiness of God. Beloved in the Lord, we must pray for our priests, leaders of the Churches and of all consecrated persons so that they may be fully at the service of the People of God. May they be as Pope Francis says (Chrismal Mass of Holy Thursday, 28 March 2013): “being shepherds living with “the odour of the sheep’”. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews (Heb 2:14-18) presents Jesus as the one who fulfills the institution of the Priesthood. As for the Gospel of Saint Luke (Lk 2: 22-40), we have two people who reveal the mystery of this child that is presented to us today. They are Simeon and the prophetess, Anna. The Canticle of Simeon (Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine) is a thanksgiving and a prophecy (suffering of Mary). It proclaims that Jesus is the salvation of humanity. As for that of the Prophetess Anna, it is a proclamation of the praises of God and speaks of the child Jesus. The two persons teach us how to maintain patience in waiting for Christ, the taste for prayer, fasting, justice and docility to the Holy Spirit.

Saints Blaise, Agatha, Paul Miki, Jerôme Emiliani and Joséphine Bakhita, pray for us so that we may be true disciples of Jesus Christ, men and women pilgrims of hope, in the service of God and that of our brothers and sisters.

West Valley City, 2 de febrero de 2025

THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Word of God: Living Unity in Diversity and Strengthening the Faith

Dear brothers and sisters,

On this third Sunday of Ordinary Time, we celebrate the Sunday of the Word of God that Pope Francis instituted on September 30, 2019, with his Apostolic Letter “Aparuit Illis”. This Word of God is important for the life of our parish community. It is, in this Pastoral Year 2024-2025, at the center of the life of our parish family. Do I take the time to read the Word of God, to meditate on it, pray it, announce it, sing it, teach it, eat it, proclaim it, listen to it and put it into practice? Is it at the center of my life, of the family, of our parish family? Is your family going to become after Easter a Center for listening to and sharing this Word of life? Is the Bible the Word of life for you and your family, for our parish family?

“The relationship, as Pope Francis affirms, between the Risen Lord, the community of believers and Sacred Scripture is essential to our identity as Christians”. To better know the living Christ, we must know the Holy Scriptures. This is why Saint Jerome affirms: “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ”.

Living unity in diversity. Today’s Word of God helps us understand how to live unity in diversity. On the day dedicated to God, the People of God are gathered around the Law (Neh 8:2-4a.5-6.8-10). The layman and governor Nehemiah, the priest Ezra and the Levites are together (unity) to help the people understand the Word of God and put it into practice in their lives for the reconstruction of their country. Our societies today can be guided by this example of collaboration between these three realities or institutions. Unity in diversity is very important in building the Christian community, the Church. The Church is the Body of Christ. Through baptism, we are all members of this body. Saint Paul (1 Cor 12:12-30), through the language of the body and its members, makes us understand “ecclesial unity and plurality”, the necessity to work together, to collaborate in building the community, the Church (apostle, prophet, teacher; performing miracles, healing, mysterious words, interpreting them). God wanted it to be this way. “So that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another”. Today, we are invited not to divide ourselves among us (white, black, yellow). May each of us do well what we must do, respecting others, because we are all “the image of God”.

The Word strengthens our faith to live free and happy. “The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul; The decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The command of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eye.” (Ps 18 (19): 8, 9, 10, 15). We must be humble, receive this Law, put it into practice and live happily. The people who listen to the Word of God weep and after full of joy, they celebrate the day of the Lord. Saint Luke (Lk 1: 1-4; 4, 14-21) compiled “a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled” to write it down in an orderly sequence for Theophilus so that he can realize the certainty of the teachings he had received. It is in this Word read that Jesus, anointed,  filled with the Spirit, receives his mission: to bring glad tidings to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free the oppressed and a year acceptable to the Lord. This mission is today ours and it is the mission of the Church.

Saints Angela Merici, Thomas Aquinas and John Bosco, pray for us, so that the Word of God may be present in our lives, families; may it be read, proclaimed, listened to, meditated on, prayed, shared, preached, eaten, sung and put into practice. May it help us to always live happily, united, respecting our diversity and making our faith strong.

West Valley City, January 26, 2025

SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

The Holy Spirit transforms everything

Dear brothers and sisters,

With the baptism of the Lord, the Christmas season ended. This Sunday, we begin with the second Sunday of Ordinary Time. The key word of this Sunday is transformation: that of Jerusalem as Mother, bride, abandoned in the joy of God; that of a person by the different gifts of the Holy Spirit and finally that of water into wine by Jesus Christ.

The prophet Isaiah (Is 62: 1-5) speaks of Jerusalem transformed. From “Forsaken”, “Desolate”, she becomes the Consoled, the Bride, the “Preferred”. “You shall be called “My Delight”, and your land “Espoused.” Jerusalem becomes the joy of God. There is a kind of marriage between God and his bride Jerusalem! What joy, what an honor when God transforms your life, your sadness into joy, makes you become a new cup!

En nuestras comunidades, a cada miembro, Dios le concede dones o carismas personales para el bien de la comunidad. Así, san Pablo (1 Cor 12,4-11), en la segunda lectura, habla del Espíritu Santo que transforma a los corintios de manera diferente. Los dones, los servicios y las actividades son variados, pero siempre es el mismo Espíritu, el mismo Señor y el mismo Dios. Por lo tanto, tenemos la unidad de la fuente de origen y la diversidad de las manifestaciones de los dones y carismas.

Finally, Jesus, in the Gospel of John (Jn 2:1-11), transforms water into wine through the intercession of his Mother, the Virgin Mary. From this first sign of Jesus, his disciples believe Him. Joy dwells in the hearts of the bride and groom and their guests to continue the party. Listening to Jesus, doing what he asks us to do, obeying him, are the three important elements if we want to live happily and be transformed in marriage, priestly life, and the life of the parish community.

Santos Fabián, Sebastián, Vicente, Mariana, María y Francisco de Sales, rueguen e intercedan por nosotros para que nuestras familias, todos los matrimonios de nuestra comunidad parroquial, sean transformados por el Espíritu Santo. Que sean, por la presencia real y viva de Jesús en la Eucaristía y la intercesión de nuestra Madre María, lugares de esperanza y alegría contagiosas.

West Valley City, January 19, 2025

Feast of the Baptism of THE Lord

Baptism of Christ: Source of Christian Baptism and its Implications

Dear brothers and sisters,

This Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the source of the baptism of all Christians. What are its implications in our lives, in our communities, our families, our parishes, our diocese of Salt Lake City? How can “the grace of God” received in baptism renew, transform our lives? Through baptism, becoming sons and daughters of God, how can he find his joy in us? On the day of his baptism, Jesus is in prayer with his Father, are we able to pray without ceasing, to be always in contact with God? Does prayer to the Holy Spirit have a place in our lives?

Dios, en su maravilloso plan, quiso salvar a la humanidad. Se manifiesta a nosotros. Mediante la voz del profeta Isaías (Is 40, 1-5.9-11), promete a su pueblo consuelo, esperanza y misericordia. Su Hijo unigénito se hizo uno de nosotros y vino al mundo para salvarnos. Entregó su vida al morir en la Cruz para darnos vida. Este es el verdadero significado del bautismo del Hijo de Dios.

Por nuestro bautismo, quedamos incorporados a Jesucristo, Sacerdote, Profeta y Rey. La gracia de Dios se manifiesta en nosotros (Tit 2, 11-14; 3, 4-7), en cada uno de nosotros. Esta agua nos hace renacer y renueva nuestras vidas mediante los dones y carismas del Espíritu Santo. Asimismo, estamos llamados a rechazar la impiedad y los deseos mundanos, a vivir con templanza, justicia y devoción en este mundo, y a entrar en la vida eterna.

Through the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire (Lk 3:15-16, 21-22), we have these implications: new life according to the Spirit and not the flesh, zeal to proclaim the Good News and this with passion, to be messengers of hope, to love deeply all the things of God, to do everything that pleases God, to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), to live as true sons and daughters of God, to listen to the voice of God the Father and put it into practice, to be the voice of God to console his people, to serve our brothers and sisters and the Church of Jesus Christ.

Santos Hilario y Antonio, rueguen por nosotros para que, por nuestro bautismo, incorporados a Jesucristo, seamos verdaderos ciudadanos y auténticos católicos, discípulos misioneros de la esperanza y la paz.

West Valley City, January 12, 2025

Fiesta de la Epifanía del Señor

La estrella que conduce a Jesucristo

Dear brothers and sisters,

Hoy celebramos la Epifanía del Señor. Dios se manifiesta a su pueblo, a las naciones y a toda la humanidad. Él es la Estrella que ilumina a todas las naciones y nos acompaña hasta donde está Jesús. Como los Reyes Magos, ¿quieres ir en busca del Niño Jesús recién nacido? ¿Estás dispuesto a escuchar la voz del Ángel o la de Herodes? ¿Cómo podemos seguir la Estrella que nos indica el camino a Jesucristo? ¿Estás dispuesto a poner tu inteligencia, tu ciencia, tu conocimiento al servicio de la vida y no de la muerte? En este mes de respeto a la vida, ¿estás dispuesto a defender la vida de los niños? ¿Cómo acogemos a los hermanos y hermanas que reconocen a Jesucristo como Señor y Dios? ¿Qué dones y presentes le ofreces a Jesucristo, a quien adoras?

En este año jubileo, estamos invitados a ser peregrinos de esperanza y protectores de la vida. Peregrinos que siguen la luz de la Estrella. Sin ella, no podemos encontrarnos con el Niño que ha nacido. Desde el siglo VIII, Isaías ya anunciaba esta convergencia de todas las naciones, de todo el pueblo de Saba y de los reyes hacia Emmanuel. En la primera lectura, el profeta Isaías (Is 60,1-6) invita a Jerusalén a resplandecer, a brillar, porque Dios hecho hombre está en medio de ella. «…Las naciones caminarán a tu luz, y los reyes al resplandor de tu luz». San Pablo (Ef 3,2-3a.5-6) ​​añade: «que los gentiles son coherederos, miembros del mismo cuerpo y copartícipes de la promesa en Cristo Jesús mediante el evangelio». Comprenderemos entonces la manifestación, la epifanía de Dios a todas las naciones sin distinción alguna. El Evangelio de San Mateo (Mt 2, 1-12) nos presenta a tres reyes magos (Baltazar, Gaspar y Melchor). Estos sabios (magos en griego) buscaban la Estrella, ese Dios que se manifiesta: «¿Dónde está el rey de los judíos que acaba de nacer? Vimos su estrella en el oriente y hemos venido a adorarlo». Buscaban a Dios hecho hombre. Esto significa que, creyentes y no creyentes, todos buscamos el rostro del Dios vivo, la Estrella que nos muestra el camino y alegra nuestros corazones.

I invite you, my brother and sister, to let yourself be guided by this Light and you will be full of joy. This joy of the encounter with Jesus Christ, as Pope Francis says in Evangelii Gaudium, no one will be able to take it away from you or steal it. Follow the path of the Magi: study the Holy Scriptures to understand who this Child who was born is and seek him with all your heart to finally adore him and offer him your gifts as the Magi offered him gold (the royalty of Jesus), frankincense (symbol of the divinity of Jesus) and myrrh (symbol of the fact that Jesus was also a man and announces his death on the cross).

Like the Magi, let us be among those pilgrims who listen to the voice of the Angel and do the will of God, who say yes to LIFE and no to death. Let us put all our intelligence, science and knowledge at the service of the happiness of our humanity, our communities, our societies and Churches.

Saints Raymond of Peñafort and André Bessette, pray for us so that, we may always be ready to listen to the voice of the Angel, of God, and to protect life in general and in a particular way that of children and the innocent.

West Valley City, 5 de enero de 2025

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH

The Family: Mirror of Divine Love

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

On this last Sunday of December, the Church our Mother invites us to celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth. Is this family a source of inspiration for you? Is it a model of understanding, joy, love, respect, dialogue, forgiveness? Dad, are you following Joseph’s advice? Mom, are you following Mary’s advice? And you, young son or daughter, are you following Jesus’ advice? Today, what spirituality accompanies our families? In this Jubilee Year of Hope 2025, is your family organizing a pilgrimage to one of the five diocesan Jubilee Pilgrimage Churches (The Cathedral of the Madeleine, Saint George Catholic Church, Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Notre Dame de Lourdes Catholic Church)? You parents, are you dedicating your sons and daughters to God? Do you know that your children are from God? In times of crisis in the relationship between you parents and your children, what do you do? Are you ready to go and find your child where he was lost? All of us Catholics, sons and daughters of God, is he the priority of our lives as Jesus does with his Father? In the life of our families, do we keep the Word of God in our hearts?

The family is the first basic element and important both for civil society and for the Church. Jesus, Son of God, entered being part of a human family (Jesus, Mary and Joseph). The family is the source of all human society. For example, we have different forms of human families: the diocesan family, the parish family, the working family, the sports family, etc. All these human families are part of the family of God. We are all sons and daughters of God. The first reading in the first book of Samuel (1 S 1: 20-22.24-28) introduces the family of Samuel. His father is Elkanah. Hannah, his mother, barren as she was, through her prayers and supplications, receives a baby by the grace of God. The name Samuel that was given to him explains it all: “God has heard”. My brothers and sisters, God always hears our prayers. We must trust him and hope like Hannah.

The human family is the Mirror of Divine Love. Saint John, in the second reading (1 Jn 3: 1-2.21-24), affirms that the foundation of all love is God. He is love. We are his family, and we are all his sons and daughters. He asks us two things: to have faith in Jesus Christ his Son and to love one another. In this way, he remains with us and whatever we ask of him, we are sure to receive it.

La familia de Nazaret es el modelo de la familia de Dios. El Evangelio de San Lucas (Lc 2, 41-52) nos la presenta en su contexto natural: la crisis del niño Jesús, que crece sin encontrar la fe, y la crisis de fe de sus padres. Finalmente, José y María comprenden que este niño es el Hijo de Dios y que tiene una misión: la unión con su Padre y la entrega de su vida por los demás. En todas nuestras familias, tenemos mucho que aprender de esta familia de Nazaret (Jesús, María y José): amor, respeto, diálogo, escucha, integridad, hacer la voluntad de Dios, obediencia, el silencio de José, la fe, etc. Que la Palabra de Dios nos acompañe siempre en nuestro camino de crecimiento humano y espiritual.

Santos Silvestre, Basilio el Grande y Gregorio Nacianceno, rueguen por nosotros para que podamos seguir los sabios consejos de Jesús, María y José y para que crezcamos como Jesús en estatura, edad, sabiduría y santidad de vida.

May our families become places of peace, hope, love and sharing in this New Year 2025, Year of the Jubilee of Hope.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2025!

West Valley City, 29 de diciembre de 2024

CUARTO DOMINGO DE ADVIENTO

Meditando con María esperando a su Hijo

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

On this fourth Sunday of Advent, we have the person of Mary (Myriam), the “Princess.” Like Mary, are you ready to believe in the fulfillment of the Word of God in your life, that of your family, of our parish community of Saints Peter and Paul, of our Diocese of Salt Lake City? The child of the prophecy of the Prophet Micah is peace. How can you realize this peace in your family, your work, our parish, our Diocese? Like Mary and Jesus, are you ready to do the will of God? Like Mary and Jesus, do you have faith in God? Like Mary, do you have the “missionary urge” to go and announce the Good News to the other members of your family, to your friends, your neighbors, in all the streets of West Valley City?

Myriam, the Princess, as Saint Luke (Lk 1:39-45) tells us leaves her city, the comforts of her home, “set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah” to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Where is your “missionary enthusiasm” to go out, to go and announce the wonders of God? While waiting for her child, she thinks of others, especially Elizabeth who is also waiting to have a baby. We must think of serving others rather than thinking of serving ourselves! Give us Lord, the missionary willingness to go and sow and announce Peace, justice, love, joy, reconciliation.

Between the two women Mary and Elizabeth, a sincere dialogue is established. There is joy between the two cousins. Elizabeth can have a baby. Myriam comes to share this joy with her by bringing her peace (Shalom) through her greeting. We too, we must become missionaries of Peace today. Elizabeth, “filled with the Holy Spirit,” cried out the canticle that we pray every day when we pray the Rosary and recognizes that Myriam is the “Blessed One.” Praying with your Rosary, my brother and sister, sing this song with joy and trust in God. Let the Holy Spirit complete his work in you.

With Mary, at the end of this Advent season, let us enter the logic of fidelity to God in small things, in simplicity. The Prophet Micah (Micah 5:1-4a) announces a hope: the birth of the future “ruler” of Israel” who comes from “Bethlehem-Ephrathah”, the smallest of the clans of Judah and who will give his people security and peace.

Saints Stephen, John, Holy Innocents and Martyrs, pray for us so that, like Mary and Jesus, we may do the  Will of God (Heb 10:5-10). Here we are, Lord, at Saints Peter and Paul, to do your will and build together our parish community, which is on the way with Mary and Joseph, towards Bethlehem to receive the “Child-God”.

West Valley City, 22 de diciembre de 2024

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Advent, Time of Waiting, Time of Joy! “What Should We Do?”

Dear brothers and sisters,

Hoy celebramos el tercer domingo de Adviento, también llamado «Gaudete», que significa «Regocijaos». Tras recibir el bautismo, mientras esperamos la venida de Jesús, ¿qué debemos hacer? ¿Qué haces durante este tiempo de espera? En diez días nacerá nuestro Salvador, ¿te alegras? ¿Cómo recibes el gran regalo de la Navidad, que es Jesús, el Hijo de Dios?

All over the world, we have the joy of celebrating the great feast of Christmas, the great Gift that God wanted to give us: Emmanuel. In Mexican culture and in our parish community, from Monday the “Posadas” begin. The Philippians   begin the celebration of “Simbang Gabi”. As for the Cubans and those of Puerto Rico, they celebrate the “Parrandas”. Christmas is a  time of sharing, of offering hospitality, of solidarity. On Wednesday, December 18, we will celebrate International Migrants Day and on Friday, December 20, International Human Solidarity Day. These are opportunities for us to share our joy and the blessings that God offers us with others.

El profeta Sofonías (Sofonías 3:14-18a) nos habla hoy de la alegría de Israel por la presencia de Dios en medio de ellos. San Pablo (Filipenses 4:4-7) nos invita a «alegrarnos siempre en el Señor». Ya no hay tristeza ni preocupación, y mucho menos temor, porque Dios se ha hecho cargo de su pueblo. El Papa Francisco, en las primeras frases de su Exhortación Apostólica Evangelii Gaudium (n.º 1), afirma: «Con Cristo, la alegría renace constantemente». ¡Maranatha, ven, Señor Jesús, no tardes! Este Jesús está presente en la Palabra de Dios, en la Eucaristía, en tu hermano y hermana, en los pobres, los enfermos, los migrantes, en el silencio de tu corazón, etc.

En la gozosa espera de Jesucristo, ¿qué debemos hacer? Solo una cosa: anunciar la Buena Noticia. ¿Quién debe hacerlo? ¿A quién debemos anunciarla? San Lucas, en el Evangelio (Lc 3,10-18), nos habla de Juan el Bautista, quien revela su identidad y anuncia esta Buena Noticia a la multitud de bautizados, a los recaudadores de impuestos y a los soldados. Tras el arrepentimiento, el bautismo y, sobre todo, el bautismo «con el Espíritu Santo y fuego», ¿qué debemos hacer? Estas tres categorías pueden representarnos a cada uno de nosotros o las situaciones en las que nos encontremos. Necesitamos el celo para proclamar el Evangelio con pasión y entusiasmo, el amor a Dios y a nuestros hermanos, la valentía y la audacia para dar testimonio de Jesucristo. Debemos hacerlo no solo de palabra, sino con nuestra vida (ayudando a los necesitados, siendo honestos y responsables en todo lo que hacemos, honrando nuestra posición, no siendo violentos, siendo justos y amando el trabajo bien hecho). San Pedro Canisio, ruega por nosotros y ayúdanos a servir, dar y ayudar siempre con alegría.

West Valley City, December 15, 2024

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Juan el Bautista: Nuestro guía espiritual para este tiempo de Adviento

Dear brothers and sisters,

On this second Sunday of Advent, the Church offers us John the Baptist as our spiritual guide during this Advent Season, a time of preparation for the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. The three readings of this Sunday show us how we must prepare ourselves spiritually, emotionally and materially to correctly receive the Kings of kings. Are you ready to receive, with joy and dignity, Jesus, the Son of God and your brother? Are you ready to “take off your robe of mourning and misery”, to “put on the splendor of glory from God forever”, “wrapped in the cloak of justice from God”, to “bear on your head the mitre”? Are you willing to “turn to God” (metanoia) and abandon injustice, pride, enmity, the unbridled pursuit of money, pleasures, honors, etc. Are you ready to receive the Word of God, the Word of life as Saint John the Baptist did? Do you want to change your life to be an authentic catholic and faithful citizen? What do you do with the baptismal graces that you have received and that make you a new man or a new woman? Are you ready to go and announce, with joy and love, the Good News in all the streets of West Valley City? Do you want to lend your voice to the Lord so that he can use it to proclaim his wonders: peace, justice, forgiveness, mercy, hope, etc.

En la primera lectura, el profeta Baruc (Bar 5, 1-9) nos ofrece un mensaje de esperanza y confianza. Hermanos y hermanas, que atravesáis momentos difíciles por problemas de salud mental, espiritual, física o emocional, por vuestro trabajo o vuestra situación migratoria, Dios está con vosotros y cuida de vosotros y de vuestra situación. «La vida y la felicidad siguen siendo posibles después de la amargura y la oscuridad». Os invita a «despojaros de vuestras ropas de luto y miseria», a «revestiros del esplendor de la gloria de Dios para siempre», a «envolveros en el manto de justicia de Dios», a «llevar sobre vuestra cabeza la mitra».

La conversión o el retorno a Dios es la segunda forma de prepararnos para la venida de Jesucristo. San Lucas (Lc 3,1-6), en el Evangelio, presenta los contextos políticos y religiosos en los que Juan el Bautista llevará a cabo su misión itinerante. Recibe la Palabra de Dios y se convierte en un gran evangelista: «Voz del que clama en el desierto: “Preparad el camino del Señor, enderezad sus sendas”».

In his message, he invites us to conversion, to radical change, to return to God. This return, through baptism, which incorporates us into Jesus Christ, strengthens our faith and gives us the strength to become the voice that cries in the wilderness, true and authentic evangelists.

Love, joy, communion, affection for others, prayer are the fruits that are generated by this returning to God. Saint Paul (Phil 1, 4-6.8-11), in his letter to the Philippians speaks to us about it. These are important elements in missionary activities. Together with Jesus Christ, we have the mission of building a new humanity made of fraternity, mercy, forgiveness, justice and peace. Our Lady of Loreto, of Guadalupe, Saints John of the Cross and Lucia, pray for us so that we change our lives and become true partners of Christ in the transformation of the history of our humanity.

West Valley City, 8 de diciembre de 2024

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Advent: Always Be Vigilant and Pray

Dear brothers and sisters,

On this Sunday, December 1st, first day of the month, first day of the week, first day of the Season of Advent, first day of Liturgical Year C, we enter fully into one of the highlights of the Catholic Church.

This Liturgical Season of Advent is a time of prayer, meditation, new beginnings, hope, reflection, intimate communion with God and preparation for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Word of God this Sunday speaks to us of the three comings of the Son of Man. Christ came to Bethlehem after the prophets’ announcements, he comes every day into your life as he does into that of the Thessalonians, and he will return one day. Are you ready to welcome Him? Is there space in your heart, in your life, to receive Him? Are you vigilant and praying so that Jesus does not pass by the “door” of your heart without entering it? How will we prepare ourselves personally, as a family and as a parish community, for the coming of the Messiah? In this world shaken by conflicts, wars, climate change, epidemics, ever-increasing poverty, what hope can Jesus bring us?

A Time of hope and a new beginning. Faced with the growing insecurity in Jerusalem, the dominant Babylonian power, the tiredness and suffering of the people of God, there comes, through the mouth of the Prophet Jeremiah (Jer 33:14-16), a message of hope for this people. From the ashes of his temple and the ruins of his city, a King, from the family of David, comes to free the people of God. His name is "The-Lord-is-our-righteousness”, and his mission is to exercise law and justice. Today more than ever, our parish community, our country and the whole world need to listen to this message, to welcome the King. “Maranatha”, come Lord Jesus, King of kings for a new history with you, for the construction of a more just world, that loves peace and respects the rights and dignity of every person.

A time of waiting, liberation, prayer and action. Saint Paul (1 Th 3, 12 – 4, 2) in the second reading and Saint Luke (Lk 21, 25-28.34-36) in the Gospel speak to us of the coming of Christ. Saint Paul offers us the true attitude to hold during the time of waiting: “…make you increase and abound in love… strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness… to please God… do so even more”. As for Saint Luke, here is what he gives us as advice: “…your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life… Be vigilant at all times and pray.”

My brother and sister, this Jesus comes every day, in every event of your life: when you receive him in the Eucharist or when you are in prayer. We have understood that he needs our hands and feet for the realization of the new history, of the new world of peace and justice. Therefore, during this time of waiting, I invite you to lead an intense Christian life of communion with Jesus in prayer (personal, family or community) and the sacraments, of discernment to understand God’s will for you, of preferential choice for the poor, of existential ethical choice, of daily commitment to social issues, justice, peace and the protection of the earth.

Saints Nicholas, Ambrose and Francis Xavier, pray for us, so that during these four weeks to come our attention may not be fixed on Christmas shopping or the superficiality of the offers of these holidays. May we always be vigilant, in prayer and in action to receive our Savior Jesus Christ.

West Valley City, 1 de diciembre de 2024

Jesús, Rey de reyes: al servicio de Dios y de los hombres

Dear brothers and sisters,

El domingo pasado, la Palabra de Dios habló de imágenes aterradoras y apocalípticas. Pero al final, Jesús nos dio un mensaje de esperanza, para reunir a todos los hombres y mujeres de todos los rincones del planeta. En este último domingo del Año Litúrgico B, celebramos la Solemnidad de Jesucristo, Rey del Universo. Jesucristo es el Rey de reyes, al servicio de Dios, de los hombres y mujeres, dando testimonio de la verdad. Nos ama hasta el punto de dar su vida por nosotros. ¿Sientes lo mismo? ¿Te alegra servir a Dios y a los demás? ¿Estás dispuesto a dar tu vida por nuestra comunidad de los Santos Pedro y Pablo? ¿Escuchan nuestros líderes políticos y eclesiásticos la voz de Cristo, la voz del pueblo?

Jesus is not the King in the way of those who have power today. Kings, those who have power in this world, govern their people by skill, cunning and intrigue. They are sometimes able to use lies, force, crimes, bombs, missiles, injustices and arrogance to consolidate their power. They dominate everything and go so far as to seek out territories to conquer. They sometimes speak in the name of the people, but their thoughts and actions are oriented towards their personal interests and those of their friends, followers and relatives. In these days when our people here in the United States have chosen our political leaders, we hope that it will not be so for them. We pray for them that the Lord will give them a “new heart… a heart of flesh” (Ez 36:26), so that they can lead us with honesty, integrity, a sense of the common good and this in truth.

Jesus is King according to the line of king Melchizedek who is “righteous king” and “king of peace” (Heb 7:1-3). He is the Son of Man who receives “domination, glory and kingship”. According to the vision of the prophet Daniel (Dan 7:13-14), his kingship is eternal. Saint John (Rev 1:5-8) affirms that he is “ruler of the kings of the earth”, “the King of the Universe”. This kingship, as Jesus himself declares, “does not belong to this world” (Jn 18:33b-37). Jesus, by coming into the world, wanted to establish the Kingdom of God his Father which is of peace, justice, love, sharing and mercy. Every day, in the powerful prayer that Jesus taught his disciples, we ask for this kingdom: “Thy kingdom come” (Mt 6:10; Lk 11:2). Today more than ever we need it. Jesus is at the service of his Father by bringing us salvation. By his death and resurrection, he saves us from sin, from eternal death. During his life on earth, he was at our service by feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, freeing the captives, the oppressed, the possessed and restoring women to their place in society.

Por nuestro bautismo, quedamos unidos a Jesucristo. Somos reyes, profetas y sacerdotes. Como reyes, debemos ejercer nuestra misión real sirviendo a nuestras familias, a nuestras comunidades parroquiales y diocesanas, a nuestra ciudad de West Valley, a nuestro estado de Utah y a nuestra patria, los Estados Unidos de América. Santos Andrés y Catalina de Alejandría, rueguen por nosotros para que siempre, con amor y entrega, estemos atentos a la voz de Cristo, sirviendo a Dios y a nuestros hermanos.

West Valley City, November 24