You're Invited: My Installation Mass as Your Pastor

Over the past week uh reflecting on this gospel and the readings.

Father has a message for his for next Sunday.

I forgot it yesterday too, so and we just spoke about it out here in the walkway.

Good morning.

Before I share with you the announcements, uh Ivan, who is our uh seminarian who's been here for the summer on a kind of internship, asked me if I could ask you a question.

This is the question.

Spain?

Or Argentina?

All right, if you can raise your okay, raise your hand if Spain.

Whoa! Raise your hand if Argentina.

Oh, okay, all right.

Anyway, are you happy, Ivan?

Okay.

He got he got his chance to be part of the homily, so great.

Well, um, as many of you know, next week uh we are gonna be celebrating my installation mass as pastor of St.

Joseph Church at be on Sunday at 4 p.m., celebrated by Bishop Timothy Fryer, and it's gonna be trilingual.

It's gonna be in English, it's gonna be in Spanish, and it's gonna be in Swahili.

No, not Swahili.

It's gonna be English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

So it's gonna be a trilingual mass.

And of course, uh, we mentioned that the 5 p.m.

Mass that Sunday will will be canceled just for that specific Sunday.

Now, on that Sunday, we are expecting a very big turnout uh that evening.

I will let you know that so far we have over 50 priests who have confirmed that they will be here.

So that's not that's not one five, that's 5-0 who have confirmed that they will be here for that mass, as well as many visitors and guests who will be coming for that celebration.

And I I would like to officially and cordially uh invite you to that celebration.

It's gonna be a zoo that evening.

Um, so if you are planning to be there for the installation mass next Sunday, I want to share with you a few tips and tricks to make your experience as uh as good as it can be, considering the circumstances.

So, first thing is arrival time and parking.

So, I highly recommend that you carpool, please carpool, and come at least 30 minutes early in order to find a spot to sit.

At least 30 minutes early to arrive here for that mass.

And as far as parking goes, your best bet for parking will be over at Valencia High School.

We have confirmed with the school that the parking will be available.

That's gonna be your best bet for parking because our our visiting clergy, you know, the 50 priests that I mentioned, we're gonna reserve space for them here as well as part of our big reception afterwards will be in the back.

So there's not gonna be a lot of parking space here.

The priest and we're gonna have handicapped and disabled parking.

So your best bet will be over at Valencia High School.

Now, do you guys also know Holy Cross Melkite Church on Madison Street?

You guys are aware of that church?

They have very graciously opened up their parking lot for the evening as well.

So for those who are willing and those who are able, would love to highly encourage you to park over at Holy Cross Melkite Church.

It is, I I walked the distance a few times.

Uh it takes about 10 minutes to walk.

Uh, somebody said to me, Father, that's that's really great, but you're in your 30s.

So um so for those who are willing, those who are able, we will have uh parking in Holy Cross Melkite on Madison Street as well as Valencia.

And if you're of able body, you know, I would love to encourage parking a little bit further, especially so our guests and visitors can more easily find some parking space.

So that's the first thing is arrival and then the parking.

Okay.

Second, if you happen to come to Mass on that Sunday and you came and you're a little bit late and you find that the church is full.

Sorry, you have to go home.

No.

Um, so we have prepared also overflow seating in the hall, probably about 350 seats or so.

So if you come, the church is full.

You know, please make your way over to the hall.

We're gonna live stream that mass right into the hall.

As well as those who are homebanned will have that live stream for those who are at home as well.

So that's the overflow.

All right.

Third thing, we are planning a big reception to take place after the mass out on the field in part of the parking lot back there.

Now, I did check the temperature for that Sunday.

It's gonna be in the 90s.

Yes, and so we are looking to see, okay, what are we gonna do?

Uh, we've been looking at tenting the area back there.

Did you know tenting is really expensive?

Were you you're aware about that?

Oh my goodness.

We were looking at different quotes and bids for that, and like to tent that hole is like ten to twelve thousand dollars.

Oh, but we're we're gonna discern it, we're gonna pray about it because I don't want us you guys to be sitting out in the sun, especially in 90 degree weather.

So, anyway, we will have uh the reception back there in the the field part.

We're gonna have some uh water and soda and maybe even wine.

We'll see.

We'll see if there's so that'll be a big dinner reception after the Mass.

Uh and then last thing, you know, as we celebrate this big day, uh, if you would love to uh give a gift or a donation or you'd like to volunteer, I would be very grateful for your gift or your volunteerism for that day.

To do that, you can scan the QR code that's in the bulletin or on the website or even visit the parish office.

Okay, so I look forward to celebrating that day with you, even though it's gonna be a zoo that evening.

Uh, but more importantly, I am much more looking forward to being your pastor for the next six years.

So I just want to let you know about that.

And thank you, thank you.

All right.

Now I'm gonna give it back to you.

Now you can go, Deacon, now for for the homily.

All right.