Report from the KofC State Convention 2024 - Days 2 & 3 (4/27-28/2024)

Here is a link to my report for Day 1: https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/04/report-from-kofc-state-convention-2024.html.

One of my favorite parts of attending a Catholic event is we always start with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The Eucharist is always the "source and summit" of all that we do as Catholics and this is particularly true for the Knights of Columbus.

We started Day 2 of the KofC State Convention with Mass celebrated by his Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo (Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston). I met the current Assistant to the State Chaplain, Deacon Simon Resendez, Jr. (Diocese of Lubbock), yesterday and was blessed to serve alongside him at Mass. He was the Deacon of the Altar and I was the Deacon of the Word. We shared the same vesting room with our bishops and priests so it was fun to chat with them before Mass. The liturgist and MC were there to give us last minute instructions and then it was time to line up for the procession. Now, if you have never seen a procession of altar servers, deacons, priests, bishops, and Knights of Columbus Sir Knights, it is an awe-inspiring sight to behold.

Before Mass started, the Executive Secretary and good friend of mine, Sir Knight Mike McLaughlin, looked at me and commented: "You have a confused look on your face." I chuckled but, inside, I was thinking to myself: "How should I place the Book of the Gospels on the altar" How should I wait for the celebrant and Deacon of the Altar to kiss the altar?' and other thoughts. However, as soon as the procession started and I saw my brother Sir Knights lined up with swords drawn, all of those thoughts disappeared and the Holy Spirit guided me. Bow before the Altar. Go up the stairs behind the altar servers. Place the Book of the Gospels on the altar. Wait for the celebrant and Deacon of the Word to kiss the altar. Go to chair. Do the strophes for the Penitential Rite. Sit down and listen to the First Reading and Responsorial Psalm.

Then the altar server came for the celebrate to put incense in the thurible. I almost went to the altar without getting my blessing but our wonderful MC gently reminded me. I picked up the Book of the Gospels and followed the altar servers (who are sons of a brother Sir Knight) and followed them to the ambo. I chanted the dialogue, incensed the Book of the Gospels, and proclaimed the Gospel of the day as I looked out at the sea of brother Knights and families. It was a wonderful sight to behold for sure! I then brought the Book of the Gospels to Cardinal DiNardo to kiss and then took my seat to listen to his inspiring homily. What an eloquent speaker! I then helped with distribution of the Precious Blood during Communion and chanted the dismissal at the end of Mass. It was an amazing and humbling experience for me and got me excited about the next two years in my role as the Assistant to the State Chaplain. I cannot thank my brother Deacon Simon enough for his guidance and help before and during Mass.

After Mass, while my wife was at the Ladies' Luncheon, I spent time in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. It was so special to do a Holy Hour at a convention, in a hotel. Then, after a nice nap, we got ready for the State Banquet. The grand ballroom was filled with brother Knights and their families. We were mingling with others, taking pictures, and "shooting the breeze" when all of a sudden the song - "The Yellow Rose of Texas" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZRisGHL7ow) blasted from the speakers and everyone stood up and started clapping to the beat. I want like: "what is going on?" and then I saw the State Officers and clergy come in. The atmosphere was electrifying! The banquet was so much fun. The food was delicious. The presentations were inspiring. I particularly enjoyed the keynote speaker's - Supreme Advocate John A. Marrella - talk on the Eucharist. It was well-done, informative, and inspiring. He did a fantastic job putting his speech together.

Day 3 started with Mass. This time it was the State Chaplain, his Excellency Bishop Michael Sis (San Angelo) who celebrated the Mass. I was once again the Deacon of the Word and Deacon Simon was the Deacon of the Altar. Bishop Sis gave a beautiful homily in which he encouraged all of us to examine our own relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Are we grafted to Jesus the True Vine? One when our words and deeds are grafted to Jesus Christ will the bear fruit for eternal life. After Mass, the incoming State Chaplain Bishop Mike Mulvey, Associate Chaplain Fr. Tommy Chen, and I (Assistant to the State Chaplain) took pictures with the incoming State Deputy Ron Alonzo and his wife and First Lady, Margo. took a group picture. My wife and I then headed back to Austin because we had a Sacrament of Marriage class to teach that afternoon. The State Convention was so much fun! We left with many great memories and wonderful new friends. #VivatJesus

[Funny story: I was walking through the Mass with Bishop Sis and he asked which parish I am from. When he found out that Fr. Charlie Garza was my pastor, he wanted a picture of us to send to Fr. Charlie. I will only do the "Gig-em" hand-sign for Bishop. Hahaha] #hookem \m/

Report from the KofC State Convention 2024 - Day 1 (4/26/2024)

I joined the Knights of Columbus in 2008 and then a Fourth Degree Sir Knight in 2010. It took 14 years before I attended my first KofC State Convention. I figured since I will be the Assistant to the State Chaplain for the next two years that I should see what my role entails at the State Convention (https://www.tkofc.org/). We arrived at the hotel before registration opened but we were able to check into our room and unpacked and get settled in for the weekend. We then went through registration and was helped by the amazing wife of the Executive Secretary, whose husband is retiring after 15 years of service to the State Council and has his replacement in-tow learning his job duties.

I then attended the Clergy Seminar and Luncheon  Bishop Sis (San Angelo), the current State Chaplain, gave a wonderful talk on the role of the Chaplain and resources to help the Chaplain be effective evangelizers for their councils. Most of all, he emphasized the chaplain's role in encouraging the Knights to (1) go to Mass (Sunday and, if possible, daily Mass), (2) receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and (3) pray the Rosary. These are all so important in the formation of men in the Catholic faith so that they can be leaders in their own families - the "domestic churches." I am glad that our council prays the Rosary before our meetings but it was not always the case when I first joined.

During the Clergy Seminar and Luncheon, I also met our soon-to-be predecessor in the role of Assistant to the State Chaplain, Deacon Simon O'Donnell, from the Diocese of Lubbock. He and I had a great chat during lunch about his experiences the past two years. He also invited me to serve with him at Mass tomorrow and Sunday morning. After the Clergy Seminar and Luncheon, I met with Bishop Mulvey (Diocese of Corpus) and Fr. Tommy Chen (Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston) and Ron Alonzo & his wife, Margo. We had a wonderful discussion about faith formation for men through the Knights of Columbus.

During our meeting, I shared my own experience with Cor (https://www.kofc.org/en/who-we-are/our-faith/cor-structure.html), an initiative from Supreme for men's faith formation. We are currently doing Cor meetings at St. Albert the Great using the "Into the Breach" series as the topic. We are blessed for Fr. Charlie's support of Cor and for leading the faith formation part of the Cor meeting. The Cor model is so easy to follow: (1) pray (i.e., Rosary), (2) formation (i.e., "Into the Breach" series), and (3) fellowship (always with food). I am the Director of Faith Formation and Evangelization for the Diocese of Austin KofC Chapter.

The first day of the State Convention had been fun, relaxing, and every inspiring. So many brother Knights and wives from all over the State of Texas converging to attend Mass and pray together, be formed and educated, fellowship, and, of course, take care of business. I look forward to serving at Mass tomorrow and whatever else Day 2 of the Convention has in store. Please keep all of us in your prayers. #VivatJesus #KofC #StateConvention

Knights of Columbus Austin Chapter - A Report of the Spiritual Director (4/22/2024)

Worthy Chapter President and Brother Knights,

During the Easter season, we are preaching on the theme of Redemption. How are we to understand what it means to be saved, to be redeemed but the Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? After all, it is the Good News that we - as Catholics - are called to share with others as part of our mission as disciples of Christ. It is the kerygma that we are called to preach - not just bishops, priests, and deacons at the pulpit but all of us are called to preach the Good News: (1) God so loves us that He sent His Son to save us and that (2) Jesus died on the Cross and rose from the dead to save us from our sins and (3) to reconcile us to God.

Once again, how are we to understand what it means to be saved, to be redeemed but the Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? I think this past Sunday’s Gospel, about the Good Shepherd, helps us to know that when we talk about being saved and redeemed, we are talking about God’s unconditional love for all of us - his beloved sons and daughters. God’s unconditional love for us frees us to live lives of holiness and strive for sainthood, and is the basis of the pillars of our fraternal Order - charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism (particularly charity). I recently shared this thought with a few of the officers and I want to share it with you all:

The first pillar of our Order is Charity. Certainly, Charity encompasses the corporal and spiritual works of mercy of the Church. However, even more than that, Charity is rooted in the Great Commandment - to love God and love our neighbors. Therefore, all our works of charity must include an evangelization component to it. In other words, when the Knights are out doing works of Charity, we must also preach the Good News of Jesus Christ to those we are helping. Invite them to Mass, accompany them, and help them to take ownership of their faith in the same way that we have taken ownership of our Catholic faith.

As THE Good Shepherd, Jesus leaves us a model to be the “good shepherd” in our families - as “shepherds” of our “domestic churches.” From the Gospel of John: “. . .and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. . .“ (10:16) & “. . .he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him. . .” (10:4). Let us ask ourselves these questions. Do we lead our families in faith or do we abdicate our responsibility to our wives? Do we take an active role in the formation of our children - faith, morality, and the day-to-day stuff?

Again, from the Gospel of John: “. . .I know mine and mine know me. . .” (10:14) & “. . .the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. . . But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers” (10:5). Do we know our children’s voices? Do our children know our voice? In other words, are we spending quality time with our children and taking the time to know them and allow them to know us?

Finally, yesterday was also World Day of Prayer for Vocations. In this homily yesterday, Fr. Michael O’Connor shared this story of a father who said to his son after a Mass where vocations to the priesthood and religious life was the focus. The father said to his son: “Don’t even think about the priesthood! I have grandchildren so get a real job.” As fathers, let us ask ourselves these questions. Are we selfishly living our dreams through our children when we should desire that our children follow the dream that God has for them? How can we change our way of thinking? We cannot on our own but God can help us. We must first hear God’s voice in the midst of all the distractions in our lives. We then help our families, especially our children, grandchildren, and godchildren, to hear God’s voice in the midst of all the distractions in their lives. May we always hear the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, so that we will always follow his will and lead our families to do the same. Amen.

Here is my challenge to you all for the month of Man. PERSONAL & FAMILY: Make Mother’s Day Christocentric. Perhaps even pray this prayer of blessing over her:

May the Lord bless you and keep you! May the Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! May the Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace! (Numbers 6:24-26)

As a COUNCIL: Perhaps participate in the Living Rosary and May Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our mother.

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-78) - Why do we persecute our Lord?

Dearest Goddaughter,

In today's reading from the Acts of the Apostle, we hear about one of the accounts of Saul's conversion. While on the way to Damascus, Jesus appeared to Saul and said to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" In that moment, Saul's eyes are darken by the light of Christ in the same way that our hearts are darken when we persecute our Lord and our God with our sins.

It was a frightening moment for Saul because not only was he blind physically but spiritually as well. He was a Pharisee, a learned man of the faith, and yet he could not see the light of Christ. How many of us today are cultural Catholics and yet we persecute Jesus with our actions or inactions when it comes to living out the virtues faith, hope, and love in our lives.

Yet, God never gives up on us and, as He sent Ananias to Saul, Jesus puts people in our lives so that we may come to see his light in our lives. The "ball is in our court", how will we respond to God's love and mercy for us? Based on a recent Pew Research study, only 28% of Catholics go to Mass regularly. That means 72% of Catholics persecute Jesus when they respond to God's love and mercy with indifference.

In the Gospel today, even if it is not apparent to us how much God loves us, God so loved the world that He gave us His only Begotten Son to die on the Cross for us. Jesus loves us so much that He left us His Body and Body in the Eucharist to sustain us and strengthen us. So, go to Mass and invite, encourage fallen away Catholics to return to Mass.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Acts 9:1-20 and Jn 6:52-59 (see below).

. . .

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,

"How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?"

Jesus said to them,

"Amen, amen, I say to you,

unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood,

you do not have life within you.

Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood

has eternal life,

and I will raise him on the last day.

For my Flesh is true food,

and my Blood is true drink.

Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood

remains in me and I in him.

Just as the living Father sent me

and I have life because of the Father,

so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.

This is the bread that came down from heaven.

Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,

whoever eats this bread will live forever."

These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

The Holy Eucharist | EMHC Gathering (4/17/2024) (UPDATED 5/3/2024)

I had the blessed opportunity to talk with a group of our amazing Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) on the Eucharist and Eucharistic miracles. Below are my talking points and notes that I shared with him. I pray that we all grow deeper in our love and reverence for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

1. Opening Prayer - “I Devoutly Adore You” (Daily Missal) (see below)

2. Introduction:

1. I served when my goddaughter received First Holy Communion 2 years ago. I am planning to serve when my nephew receives First Holy Communion next month.

2. As a convert, I did not fully understand the Real Presence until I started Diaconal Formation because of Adoration & Holy Hour and serving as an EMHC.

3. Share one parishioner’s reason for not being a EMHC for a long time: they did not feel worthy to touch the Body of Christ with their hands.

4. [DcnP: We are so privileged and blessed to be given the great responsibility to giving our Lord to another during Holy Communion.]

3. Talk on Eucharistic Miracles

1. Scripture

1. Jesus’ Bread of Life Discourse - John 6:22-59 (after feeding of the 5,000 & walking on water) [DcnP" I would invite you all to read and reflect on John, Chapter 6, in the presence of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament in Adoration.]

1. Manna not from Moses but from Father in heaven.

2. Jesus is the bread of life come down from heaven.

3. Christ’s flesh is true food and blood is true drink.

4. “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” {DcnP: This was what Jesus said that was so hard to them (and many of us today) to accept: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you." So they left Jesus, except for the apostles.]

5. “You have the words of eternal life.”

2. The Lord’s Supper (celebrate on Holy Thursday) [DcnP: Jesus is very intentional, exact, precise, purposeful in the words that he uses because he wants us to know that it is HIS body and HIS blood given for us.]

1. Matthew 26:26-30 & Mark 14:22-26: “Take and eat; this is MY body. . . Drink from it, all of you, for this is MY blood. . .”

2. Luke 22:14-20: “This is MY body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me. . . This cup is the new covenant in MY blood, which will be shed for you.”

3. 1 Corinthians 11:23-25

1. “This is MY body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. . . This cup is the new covenant in MY blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

2. A few Eucharistic miracles of note [DcnP: There are 32 Eucharistic miracles that Blessed Carlo Acutis cataloged on this web-site. I want to focus on these three because the two of a result of priests (in persona Christi) who did not believe and the third is an attempt to desecrate the host.]

1. Lanciano, Italy (8th Century, Circa 750) {DcnP: The priest doubted the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. As he spoke the words of consecration, the host and the wine became flesh and blood that coagulated into five (5) globules for the five (5) wounds of Christ.]

2. Bolsena-Orvieto, Italy (1236) [DcnP: The priest doubted the transubstantiation. The host started to bleed during the prayer of consecration.]

3. Santarém, Portugal (13th Century) [DcnP: A woman was having marital problems so she sought out a sorcerer whose "payment" was a consecrated host. The woman received communion, spit out the host, and dried it. The host started to bleed. She did not know what to do so she put the bleeding host in her trunk. In the night, a light emanated from the trunk. The next day, she brought the bleeding host to the priest and repented.]

4. Read about them here: "10 Amazing Eucharistic Miracles" https://catholicworldmission.org/amazing-eucharistic-miracles/

3. The Eucharist and the Saints

1. Saint Tarcisius (young Roman boy during the reign of Emperor Valerian, Christian persecution) - LESSON: protect the Eucharist in the face of threats and death

2. Saint Teresa of Calcutta (“when you look at the crucifix you understand how much Jesus loved you then; when you look at the Sacred Host, you understand how much Jesus loves you now”) - LESSON: spend time with Jesus in Adoration / Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament [DcnP: One of my favorite stories about Saint Teresa of Calcutta is, she and her sisters were always busy helping the poorest of the poor. One day, her sisters griped to her about not doing a Holy Hour because they have so much to do. Mother Teresa added another Holy Hour to their day and that made all the difference.]

3. Blessed Carlo Acutis - at 14 years old, created a web-site dedicated to Eucharistic miracles - LESSON: deepen our love for and understanding of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist [DcnP: Here is a link to an article on Blessed Carlo Acutis with a link to his web-site: https://www.ncregister.com/blog/five-eucharistic-miracles.]

4. Read about them here: "Six Saints' Devotion to the Eucharist" https://catholicexchange.com/six-saints-devotion-to-the-eucharist/

4. The Legend of a Little Girl Named Li (inspired Venerable Fulton Sheen to do a Holy Hour daily)

1. READ from excerpt from Treasure in Clay https://aleteia.org/2022/03/31/how-a-little-girls-eucharistic-faith-inspired-fulton-sheen/

2. Elsewhere in China, a priest had just begun Mass when Communists entered and arrested him and made him a prisoner in a house adjoining the little church. From a window in that house he could see the tabernacle. Shortly after his imprisonment, the Communists opened the tabernacle, threw the Hosts on the floor, and stole the Sacred Vessels. The priest then decided ­­ to make adoration to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament as much as he could day and night. About three o’clock one morning, he saw a child who had been at the morning Mass open a window, climb in, come to the sanctuary floor, get down on both knees, press her tongue to the Host to give herself Holy Communion. The priest told me there were about thirty Hosts in the ciborium. Every single night she came at the same time until there was only one Host left. As she pressed her tongue to receive the Body of Christ, a shot rang out. A Communist soldier had seen her. It proved to be her Viaticum.

1. Priest adored the Lord from his place of captivity

2. Li consumed a host a day with her tongue for 32 days

3. Viaticum (food for the journey)

5. We experience a Eucharistic miracle at every Mass

1. Is each of us a Doubting Thomas? Jesus said to [Thomas], “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” (John 20:29)

4. ACTION ITEM: Encounter Jesus in the Eucharist - spend time in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament (experience from Diaconal Formation and leading Holy Hours for parish) [DcnP: What Jesus said to the disciples during his agony in the garden, he says to us today: Can't you spend an hour with me? The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.]

1. “There are two things the devil is deadly afraid of: fervent Communion and frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament.” Saint John Bosco

2. “The Eucharist is the secret of my day. It gives me strengthen and meaning in all my activities of service to the Church and to the whole world.” Pope Saint John Paul II

3. Read more here: "12 Quotes from the Saints on the Holy Eucharist" https://www.catholic365.com/article/29961/12-quotes-from-the-saints-on-the-holy-eucharist.html

5. Closing Prayer - “The Litany of the Holy Eucharist" (https://ewtn.co.uk/prayer-litany-of-the-most-blessed-sacrament/)

. . .

"I devoutly adore you" Prayer

I devoutly adore you, O hidden God, truly hidden beneath these appearances.

My whole heart submits to you, and in contemplating you, it surrenders itself completely.

Sight, touch, taste are all deceived  in their judgment of you,

But hearing suffices firmly to believe.

I believe all that the Son of God has spoken;

There is nothing truer than this word of truth.

On the cross only the Divinity was hidden,

But here the Humanity is also hidden.

I believe and confess both,

And ask for what the repentant thief asked.

I do not see the wounds as Thomas did,

But I confess that you are my God.

Make me believe more and more in you,

Hope in you, and love you.

O memorial of our Lord’s death!

Living bread that gives life to man,

Grant my soul to live on you,

And always to savor your sweetness.

Lord Jesus, Good Pelican,

wash me clean with your blood,

One drop of which

can free the entire world of all its sins.

Jesus, whom now I see hidden,

I ask you to fulfill what I so desire:

That on seeing you face to face,

I may be happy of seeing your glory. Amen.

. . .

UPDATE (5/3/2024): Why is Jesus called the Good Pelican in the "I Devoutly Adore" Prayer? I found the information below from a post on a Catholic social media site. What a beautiful image of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Pelican.

THE PELICAN

The pelican is one of the symbols or representation of Christ. The pelican, to prevent its chicks from starving in times of scarcity or famine , wounds its chest with its own beak and feeds them with it’s own blood. According to other legends, if the pelican chicks die, this one opens its side and brings them back to life, at the expense of his own, spraying them with his own blood.

In light of this pre-existing tradition, the early Christians adopted the motif as a symbol of Christ.

The Redeemer who gives His life to bring His own from death which is sin and feeds them with His Body and Blood in the Eucharist.

“Lord Jesus, good pelican, cleanse us purify us with your blood.

For with a single drop you can free the whole world of her crimes

Heal and set us free with the power of your Precious Blood!!! Strengthen us with the bread of angels. Feed us with your body and blood ,the food that gives life to our soul

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-77) - Be bold. Be Catholic.

Dearest Goddaughter,

After Stephen was stoned to death, followers of Christ scattered because of the "severe persecution." However, the apostles remained and, those who did scattered, like Philip, continue to preach the word and proclaim Christ to the people. 

I am reminded of all the Christians who continue to die for faith in Christ all over the world - back then and now. However, they are never lost to Christ who said in today's Gospel: "And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day." The heroic Christians are with Jesus in heaven.

Christ calls to be bold witnesses of his love and mercy in today's society and world, even in the face of persecution, mockery, and an unfaithful and godless nation. And while we are not all called to martyrdom, we die to ourselves each day so that our lives can be renewed in Christ, who gives of himself to us in the Eucharist so that we have the courage and strength to be authentic witness like the faithful followers of Christ before us. 

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Acts 8:1b-8 and Jn 6:35-40 (see below)

. . .

Jesus said to the crowds,

"I am the bread of life;

whoever comes to me will never hunger,

and whoever believes in me will never thirst.

But I told you that although you have seen me,

you do not believe.

Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,

and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,

because I came down from heaven not to do my own will

but the will of the one who sent me.

And this is the will of the one who sent me,

that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,

but that I should raise it on the last day.

For this is the will of my Father,

that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him

may have eternal life,

and I shall raise him on the last day."

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-76) - Bread of Life

Dearest Goddaughter,

In today's Gospel, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ tells the people (and us): "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." Jesus promises to be with us until the end of the age, and he keeps his promise in the Eucharist, which he instituted at the Last Supper.

We are never closer to Christ, never more intimately in his presence than when we receive him into our body at Holy Communion. Jesus is present to us when we sit before the Blessed Sacrament. Yet, we sometimes allow our limited senses to dull our faith and belief in the real presence of our Lord and our God in the Eucharist. In those moments, let us get on our knees and beg God to help us with our unbelief.

I have the blessed opportunity to talk with our Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion tomorrow evening on Eucharistic miracles. I look forward to it. However, a Eucharistic miracle happens at every Mass when the bread and wine, through the Holy Spirit, becomes the Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Believe, and be healed.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Acts 7:51—8:1a and Jn 6:30-35 (see below).

. . .

The crowd said to Jesus:

"What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you?

What can you do?

Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:

He gave them bread from heaven to eat."

So Jesus said to them,

"Amen, amen, I say to you,

it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven;

my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven

and gives life to the world."

So they said to Jesus,

"Sir, give us this bread always."

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life;

whoever comes to me will never hunger,

and whoever believes in me will never thirst."

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-75) - Things of God

Dearest Goddaughter,

In today's First Reading, Gamaliel - a Pharisee and teacher of Saul, advises his fellow Sanhedrin members (and us):

". . .have nothing to do with these men, and let them go. For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God."

In other words, things that are not of God, while they may rise, will eventually fall and be a footnote in history. However, things of God will last for eternity. For our part, we must be patient and prayerfully endure when we are faced with the challenges of things that are not of God. And there are many things not of God happening in our society and world right now.

This is a hopeful message for all of us to take to heart and prayerfully meditate on. It is like saying goes, "This too shall pass." This thing that is not of God shall pass. In the meantime, we pray, saying confidently: Jesus, I trust in you. 

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Acts 5:34-42 and Jn 6:1-15 (see below).

. . .

Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.

A large crowd followed him,

because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.

Jesus went up on the mountain,

and there he sat down with his disciples.

The Jewish feast of Passover was near.

When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,

he said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?"

He said this to test him,

because he himself knew what he was going to do.

Philip answered him,

"Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough

for each of them to have a little."

One of his disciples,

Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,

"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;

but what good are these for so many?"

Jesus said, "Have the people recline."

Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.

So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.

Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,

and distributed them to those who were reclining,

and also as much of the fish as they wanted.

When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,

"Gather the fragments left over,

so that nothing will be wasted."

So they collected them,

and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments

from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.

When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,

"This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world."

Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off

to make him king,

he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

HELP Letter for Men's Welcome Weekend (April 13-14, 2024)

The Men's Welcome Weekend team invited the deacons to write a HELP (He Extends Love Perpetually) letter for the men who are participating in the retreat. I was more than happy to write a HELP letter because I remember how special it was when I read my HELP letters during my Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) men's renewal weekend. One of the HELP letter encouraged me to discern the diaconate. Below is the HELP letter that the Holy Spirit inspired me to write.

. . .

Dear Brother in Christ:

Christ is risen! Alleluia! Alleluia! He is risen, indeed. Alleluia! Alleluia!

As we continue to rejoice in the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ this Easter season and prepare our hearts to receive the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday, I want to reflect on this gift of the Holy Spirit: Fortitude is the courage to do what one knows is right (Loyola Press, 4/9/2024).

It takes a lot of courage for a man to step back from the responsibilities of life - as a working man, a husband, a father, a caretaker (to name a few roles that men have in life) - and be present to God. It takes even more courage to work on our relationship with God because it means that we have to let our guard down and be vulnerable with ourselves. I say vulnerable with ourselves because God knows our minds and hearts (Jeremiah 17:10).

There is nothing we can hide from God but, like the father in the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), our Father in heaven waits for us to come to him of our own freewill. You have done that this weekend. Of your own freewill, you chose to take time to spend time with our Lord and our God, and allow Him to pour His love, mercy, forgiveness, peace, and joy into your hearts.

You are His beloved son. He loves and adores you as the apple of His eyes. That is your true and deepest identity as a man - you are a beloved son of the Father. Remember that always and let no one tell you otherwise. And when you forget who you are and whose you are, pray and believe. In prayer, the Holy Spirit will help you to remember that you are a beloved son of the Father.

I thank you for having the courage to be on this men’s Welcome Weekend. May your experience bear fruit through a robust prayer life and spirituality that is always focused on our Lord Jesus Christ because he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).

Vivat Jesus.

Deacon Phúc Phan

. . .

Link for more information on Men's Welcome Weekend Retreat: https://saintalbert.org/welcome-weekend-retreat-for-men

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-74) - Obey God rather than men

Dearest Goddaughter,

In today's First Reading, Saint Peter and the Apostles said: "We must obey God rather than men." What a bold statement to make in the face of persecution! How courageous they are in the face of death! How faithful they are to the Truth of Jesus Christ and him crucified!

In our own time and society, we too can be bold, courageous, and faithful when we stand firm on the foundation of our Catholic faith that has been passed on to us through the Church by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It can be a challenge but our faith in Christ calls us to die to ourselves each day for the glory of God. In this way, we complete what is lacking in the suffering of Christ (Colossians 1:24) in our own suffering and the cross that we bear.

However, we do not have to do this by ourselves. We can (and should) always turn to God for strengthen, just as Saint John wrote in today’s Gospel: "He does not ration his gift of the Spirit." When we come to Him with humble and contrite hearts, He gives us abundantly and holds nothing back. Therefore, let us ask for the gift of fortitude to bold, courageous, and  faithful witnesses of the Risen Christ in our own time and society, just as Peter and the Apostles did in the early days of the Catholic Church. 

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Acts 5:27-33 and Jn 3:31-36 (see below).

. . .

The one who comes from above is above all.

The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things.

But the one who comes from heaven is above all.

He testifies to what he has seen and heard,

but no one accepts his testimony.

Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy.

For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God.

He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.

The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,

but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life,

but the wrath of God remains upon him.

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-73) - About this Life

Dearest Goddaughter,

In today's First Reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, the angel of the Lord freed Peter and his companions and said to them: “Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life.”

What is it about the life that they are living that is worth sharing? That is worth going to jail for? It is a life lived in the light of Christ that dispels the darkness that exists in the world. It is belief in the Son of God whom the Father sent to redeem His people and reconcile them to Himself. It is a life lived in this world that is preparation for eternal life with our Lord and our God. It is a life lived with our Lord Jesus Christ at the center because his Truth is the driving force behind all our decisions and actions and interactions with one another.

This is the life that, when we live it faithfully, the angel tells us to share it with others so that they too may encounter Jesus, who is love, mercy, peace, joy, and forgiveness. It is a life worth telling others about; a life in Christ.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Acts 5:17-26 and Jn 3:16-21 (see below).

. . .

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,

so that everyone who believes in him might not perish

but might have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

but that the world might be saved through him.

Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,

but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,

because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.

And this is the verdict,

that the light came into the world,

but people preferred darkness to light,

because their works were evil.

For everyone who does wicked things hates the light

and does not come toward the light,

so that his works might not be exposed.

But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,

so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-72) - Hail, full of grace!

Dearest Goddaughter,

Today is the feast of the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. The feast is actually on March 25th but was transferred this year to April 8th because of Holy Week and the Octave of Easter.

I had the blessed opportunity to serve at Mass this morning with Fr. Doug Jeffers at Saint Mary Cathedral. As I reflected in this Marian feast day, two thoughts came to mind.

1. Mary is always pointing us to her Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Even her feast day is second to her Son's Passion, Death, and Resurrection.

2. I am grateful for my mom and mother-in-law, for their own #fiat to be mothers to their children and always being present to their children and grandchildren.

This past weekend, not only did I get to celebrate 5 years as a deacon with my brother deacons and their wives, but Theresa and I got to spend some quality time with our parents. As an adult, I cherish these moments shared with our parents.

Hai con thương ba và mẹ & ba và má rất nhiều!

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Is 7:10-14; 8:10, Heb 10:4-10 and Lk 1:26-38 (below).

. . .

The angel Gabriel was sent from God

to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,

to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,

of the house of David,

and the virgin’s name was Mary.

And coming to her, he said,

“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”

But she was greatly troubled at what was said

and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

Then the angel said to her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary,

for you have found favor with God.

Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,

and you shall name him Jesus.

He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,

and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,

and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,

and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel,

“How can this be,

since I have no relations with a man?”

And the angel said to her in reply,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore the child to be born

will be called holy, the Son of God.

And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,

has also conceived a son in her old age,

and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;

for nothing will be impossible for God.”

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

May it be done to me according to your word.”

Then the angel departed from her.

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-71) - Peace be with you.

Dearest Goddaughter,

In today's Gospel, Jesus appeared to the apostles in the upper room and greeted them with "Peace be with you." The peace that Christ offers us transcends the chaos of the world and the busyness of our lives, and helps us to keep focus on what is important - a right relationship with our Lord and our God.

I recall my first year in Diaconal Formation. I had just returned to the paralegal profession and were preparing for trial. I was concerned about missing the required classes on Saturdays but, at the same time, realized that I had a job to do as well. Rather than ruminate on the situation, I prayed. And as I was praying, this peace and warm enveloped me and I knew that it was the Holy Spirit. Jesus was telling me, "I got your back."

So when anxiety arises in your heart, pause and pray. Ask for peace and God will grant you His peace. Jesus will whisper in your ears, "Peace be with you." During the Sign of Peace at Mass, when we offer each other the Sign of Peace, we are reminding one another to invite the peace of Christ into our lives, a peace that will keep us calm in the tempest of life.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Acts 3:11-26 and Lk 24:35-48 (below).

. . .

The disciples of Jesus recounted what had taken place along the way,

and how they had come to recognize him in the breaking of bread.

While they were still speaking about this,

he stood in their midst and said to them,

“Peace be with you.”

But they were startled and terrified

and thought that they were seeing a ghost.

Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled?

And why do questions arise in your hearts?

Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.

Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones

as you can see I have.”

And as he said this,

he showed them his hands and his feet.

While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed,

he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?”

They gave him a piece of baked fish;

he took it and ate it in front of them.

He said to them,

“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,

that everything written about me in the law of Moses

and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.”

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

And he said to them,

“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer

and rise from the dead on the third day

and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,

would be preached in his name

to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

You are witnesses of these things.”

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-70) - Our hearts burning within us

Dearest Goddaughter,

In today's Gospel, we read about the familiar story of Jesus accompanying two of his disciples on the way to Emmaus. At the end of the Gospel passage, the disciples wondered to each other, saying: "Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”

This question made me think about the parishioners who attended 6:30 A.M. Mass, at Saint Mary Cathedral, during Lent but do not continue after Lent. During those mornings of Lent, did the word of God not burn in their hearts? Did receiving the Eucharist not made them desire to continue to receive the Eucharist even after Lent is over? Did they not grow in their relationship with God during Lent?

My heart aches for them because they had already carved out that time in their morning to go to Mass. It should have become a routine, a habit for them during Lent that they could have continued after Lent. So what happened? "Were not [their] hearts burning within [them] while [Jesus] spoke to [them] on the way and opened the Scriptures to [them]?”

I would encourage everyone who did something to help them grow in their relationship with Jesus to continue to do that something. Be patient. It will bear fruit. It is worth it, because God is worth it. Jesus, I trust in you,

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Acts 3:1-10 and Lk 24:13-35 (below).

. . .

That very day, the first day of the week,

two of Jesus’ disciples were going

to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,

and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.

And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,

Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,

but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.

He asked them,

“What are you discussing as you walk along?”

They stopped, looking downcast.

One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,

“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem

who does not know of the things

that have taken place there in these days?”

And he replied to them, “What sort of things?”

They said to him,

“The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,

who was a prophet mighty in deed and word

before God and all the people,

how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over

to a sentence of death and crucified him.

But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;

and besides all this,

it is now the third day since this took place.

Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:

they were at the tomb early in the morning

and did not find his Body;

they came back and reported

that they had indeed seen a vision of angels

who announced that he was alive.

Then some of those with us went to the tomb

and found things just as the women had described,

but him they did not see.”

And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are!

How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!

Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things

and enter into his glory?”

Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,

he interpreted to them what referred to him

in all the Scriptures.

As they approached the village to which they were going,

he gave the impression that he was going on farther.

But they urged him, “Stay with us,

for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.”

So he went in to stay with them.

And it happened that, while he was with them at table,

he took bread, said the blessing,

broke it, and gave it to them.

With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,

but he vanished from their sight.

Then they said to each other,

“Were not our hearts burning within us

while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”

So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem

where they found gathered together

the Eleven and those with them who were saying,

“The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”

Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way

and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Exult, let them exult. . . (Easter Vigil 2024)

I had the blessed opportunity to chant the Exsultet (Easter Proclamation) at the Easter Vigil again this year. It is the second straight year that I have had this blessing. As before, I started practicing during Lent and, once again, met with Ben, our music coordinator for Mass in English, during Holy Week for his expert advice. I am glad I did because he was able to pick up "voice fatigue" as I got toward the end of the chant. I am grateful to Ben for working with me these past two years on the Exsultet; I even asked him for help to chant the Gospel (in the future).

While I started practicing at the start of Lent, things did really "click" until I practice on evening of Good Friday, at home in darkness with just my book light on. In that moment, it was as though the Holy Spirit was telling me: "This is how I want you to chant the Exsultet." And that was exactly how I practice it after the rehearsal for the Easter Vigil. I paced around the sanctuary as I chanted the Exsultet just loud enough for me to hear only. Ben invited me to warm up with the choir before the Vigil. It really helped loosen my vocal cords even more, so I am grateful to him for the kind invitation.

As I did last year, I had my Exsultet binder with me as we processed out to the "blazing fire." Then, after the congregation started to fill in the pews, I went to Father Charlie for my blessing. I bowed to the altar and then approached the ambo. I put my notebook on the ambo and received the thurible from the altar server (Seminarian Kingsley) and incensed my binder and the Easter candle. [Note: he wanted to stand behind me while I chanted the Exsultet but I asked him not to because I did not want to inhale the incense and cough during the Exsultet.] Upon returning to the ambo, I turned on the book light, got myself situated, and waited as the congregation continue to fill in the pews. That brief wait got my nerves going but then, I inhaled the Spirit and started. . . "Exult. . ." Next thing I knew, I was at the last verse and I remembered what our music coordinator told me last year: "Finish strong." And before I knew it, everyone was singing "Amen" with me.

At last year's Easter Vigil, I chanted the Exsultet for the first time as I celebrated 15 years (March 22, 2008) as a Catholic. This year, I chanted the Exsultet for the second time as I celebrated 5 years (March 30, 2019) as a deacon. While it was tiring to be at the parish for the entire day on Good Friday and Holy Saturday (with rehearsals and setting up), I know that being at the church and serving in whatever capacity I could helped me be in the right frame of mind and heart to chant the Exsultet as God desired of me and I am grateful. Moreover, I also visited with our Lord twice before Mass in the reservation chapel. I am excited to see what God has in store for me at next Easter Vigil. . . 

Here is a link to my reflection on being Catholic for 15 years:

https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/03/reflecting-on-15-years-as-catholic.html

Here is a link to my reflection from the Easter Vigil in 2023:

https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/04/exult-let-them-exult-easter-vigil-2023.html