What a JOY for a large number of our parishioners to be present at the Ordination Mass of Father Juan Pablo last Saturday. The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the second largest Catholic Church in our country, was packed! Our parishioners had the best seats, as Deacon Juan Pablo had reserved seats for us in front... Father Juan Pablo had served our parish since May 2022, first as Summer Seminarian and then as Deacon throughout the year. He had truly loved our parishioners. He had touched many people he interacted with. He served us in many different ways. He enjoyed teaching our seventh graders on Sundays. He enjoyed baptizing a large number of children. He preached the Good News of the Gospel at many of our week-end Masses. He was always ready to help us with the major events taking place in our parish.

Father Juan Pablo will also be remembered for having planned and implemented (together with Seminarian Isaac) two new sacristies last Summer. Also, his legacy includes promoting the Liturgy of the Hours at OLHOC... Thanks to him, we now have a dedicated group of parishioners praying the MORNING PRAYER together every weekday at 8 AM in front of the Blessed Sacrament. This group includes a core of 8 people. It has reached 12 on some occasions. We pray that it will continue growing as the prayer of the Psalms is so powerful, especially when done in community. Hearing and chewing the Word of God can transform us. It can also unite us as a community. Father Juan Pablo has also been effective in the promotion of vocations to the priesthood and the religious life. He organized and led a HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS on the First Thursday of June.

I could write much more about Father Juan Pablo. I would like simply to highlight the JOY for all of us to have had him celebrate his First Mass at OLHOC last Sunday. Our church was packed. The front pews were reserved for the 30 members of his family and friends who came all the way from Ecuador to be present at his priestly ordination. This was also FATHERS DAY and to have Father Juan Pablo’s father present in the front row was moving ...We could feel the presence of the HOLY SPIRIT within our church. THE JOY of Father Juan Pablo was contagious. I for one was "levitating"! This Mass was truly HEAVEN ON. EARTH and I was in Heaven...We also had the surprise of having dozen of young seminarians, and one of them played the organ to accompany Deacon Isaac when SINGING THE GOSPEL.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the parish volunteers who made Father Juan Pablo's First Mass so special including our altar boys, our 11:30 am choir, our three Deacons, our Lectors, and last but not least the organizers of the magnificent lunch celebration in the Father Martin Hall...

WE THANK GOD FOR THE GIFT OF FATHER JUAN PABLO to our entire parish!

WE PRAY THAT SOME OF OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN will be inspired by Father Juan Pablo's example and open their hearts to hear God’s Call to the Priesthood or Religious Life.


One in Christ,


Fr. Alain