As my wife and I were waiting to talk with Maureen during the visitation last night, I was looking at the screen and saw a picture of Sam and Maureen next to a sign that read: “Live a great story.” Sam lived a great story and his story lives on in our hearts.The loss of a loved one is painful. It is even more painful when the loss is sudden because we did not have a chance to say our final “I love you” and “Good-bye.” Maureen, Ella, Page, Tim, Sarah, and Kevin - you all and your families are in my prayers as I pray for the blessed repose of Sam’s soul at the Holy Sacrifice of Mass that I serve at or attend.In this time of grieving, and as we reflect on all the fond memories that we have of Sam, may his memory be a blessing to us. Sam blessed me with his childlike love for life and the practice of law. After more than three decades, he represented and served his colleagues and clients with so much passion and compassion and I am blessed to be counted among his colleagues as a member of the SD&M family.Most of all, Sam blessed me with the childlike love that he had for his wife, daughters, and families. I love reading his posts about his family. On Maureen’s birthday, Sam wrote: “Happy Happy Birthday Maureen!! You sure have made life loving and fun!!! I hope that you have a great day!! Love you times infinity!!” (Facebook, December 19, 2024). Maureen, Sam loves you and your children still because he now rests in your hearts forever.On his daughters’ birthday, Sam wrote: “Happy Happy birthday to my wonderful awesome baby girls Page (left) and Ella (right). They are 18 today! I love them so very much!! In my humble opinion, they are awesome and they will set the world on fire!! Maureen and I sure are lucky parents!!” (Facebook, May 1, 2025). Ella and Page, carry in your hearts that fire of your dad’s love and go and set the world on fire as he knew you both will.Dearest friends, let us find comfort in the love that God has for each and everyone of us and console one another because, for “those who believe in God’s love death is not the end, nor does it destroy the bonds that [God] forged in our lives,” especially, the bond that God forged between each one of us and Sam.
Dcn. Phúc's Blog
Monday, July 21, 2025
Remembering Sam Johnson (5/8/1962 – 7/13/2025)
Homily for Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Year C - 7/21/2025)
Monday, July 14, 2025
Reflecting on the KC Texas State Council Organizational Meeting (7/11-13/2025)
Your Excellency, Reverend Father, brother deacon, ladies and gentleman:
It is said that Pope Saint John Paul II was the soul of the Church, that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was the mind of the Church, that Pope Francis was the heart of the Church, and now, Pope Leo XIV is the memory of the Church.
In his message for the 5th World Day for Grandparents and the Elderlies, Pope Leo XIV said: "[as] Pope Francis wrote during his last hospitalization, “our bodies are weak, but even so, nothing can prevent us from loving, praying, giving ourselves, being there for one another, in faith, as shining signs of hope” (Angelus, 16 March 2025). We possess a freedom that no difficulty can rob us of: it is the freedom to love and to pray. Everyone, always, can love and pray."
In that same spirit of love and prayer, let us lift up our sisters and brothers affected by the flooding in Texas, those who are facing persecution and wars in our world, and those who do not know the love and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as we pray:
Lord God, Heavenly Father, we humbly invoke Your blessings over the Knights of Columbus Texas State Council, its officers, members, and families.We offer you praise for our State Chaplain, Bishop Mulvey, Associate State Chaplain, Fr. Chen, and the shepherd of this Diocese, Bishop Olson, in gratitude to you for their servant leadership and pastoral care after the Sacred Heart of Jesus.Lord God, we give you thanks for State Deputy, Ron Alonzo, and his wife, Margo, and ask for your blessing upon them and all the officers, their families, their staff, and those who collaborate with them.Guide the officers and members in Your wisdom that may they dedicate themselves to the virtues of Charity, Unity, and Fraternity in all that they do in humble service to the Church and your faithful people.Lord, bless our time together this evening, our conversations, and the food that we are about to receive and the hands that prepared them, as we pray. . .Bless us, O Lord, and + these thy gifts, which we are about to receive from thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
- God loves everyone (Luke 6:32-33: "For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same.")
- Be the first to love and initiate love (Romans 5:8: "But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.")
- Be concrete (not only in our words but in our actions) (Matthew 9:11-13; Mark 2:16-17; Luke 5:30-32)
- See Jesus in every person (Matthew 25; 5:24: ". . .go first and be reconciled with your brother. . .)
- Mutual love (the Greatest Commandment; Matthew 12:34-40 & Mark 12:28-24 and "[Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:7).
Homily for the Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin [In the Dioceses of the United States] (Year C - 7/14/2025)
Monday, July 7, 2025
Homily for Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Year C - 7/7/2025)
Monday, June 30, 2025
Homily for Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Year C - 6/30/2025)
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
KC Austin Chapter - A Report of the Spiritual Director (6/23/2025)
Remembering Sam Johnson (5/8/1962 – 7/13/2025)
I had the honor and blessing of presiding at the Rite of Committal with Final Commendation (graveside ceremony) for Sam Johnson, whom I had ...

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I wrote this blog for my benefit because Fr. Michael inspired me to (1) serve at the holy sacrifice of the Mass with reverence and love for ...
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I attended my second Organizational Meeting, as the Assistant to the State Chaplain (Bishop Michael Mulvey, Diocese of Corpus Christi), this...
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My prayer for all fathers: Loving and merciful Father, you model all fathers after Saint Joseph and place in them your divine heart. You giv...