Welcome to the Franciscan weekly letters, to you, “from the heart.”
Bienvenidos a las cartas semanales franciscanas, escritas para ustedes “desde el corazón”.
Watch videos of “From the Heart” on our YouTube Channel
Mira los videos de “From the Heart” en nuestro canal de YouTube.
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Peace Paz
Peace To speak on behalf of peace and to condemn war is what decent people do. To stand up for peace and to put the authors of war in their place is.....
17.4.2026 -
He Has Risen! ¡Jesús ha resucitado!
Jesus Has Risen! He Will Always Rise. For He is Alive And He is Our Salvation. May the joy and the hope of our risen Christ be yours always so that yo...
04.4.2026 -
The Holiest of Weeks La Semana más Santa
The Holiest of Weeks I think that the best spiritual guidance I can share with you, my dear sisters and brothers, is to try to be attentive as much as...
27.3.2026 -
A Spiritual Practice for Holy Week / Una práctica espiritual para la Semana Santa
A Spiritual Practice for Holy Week As we approach Holy Week we prepare ourselves to remember our Lord’s suffering and crucifixion. It is a time of l...
20.3.2026 -
Here We Go Again! ¡Aquí vamos de nuevo!
Here We Go Again! War again. More suffering again. More innocent people and children slaughtered again. Will it ever end!? It doesn’t matter what si...
13.3.2026 -
Beautifying Our Church With Love and Devotion / Embelleciendo Nuestra Iglesia con Amor y Devoción
Beautifying Our Church With Love and Devotion It is my hope that you like how our church remodel is coming along. Many have asked if it will be comple...
06.3.2026 -
Ashes On Our Hearts 💜 Cenizas en Nuestros Corazones
💜Ashes On Our Hearts💜 Let your heart lead you into Lent. Follow the way of your heart. Let your heart speak to you. Give your heart the freedom ...
20.2.2026 -
Lent: Making it Meaningful/ Cuaresma: Haciéndolo Significativo
Lent: How Can We Make it Meaningful We all know that Lent is a time of spiritual preparation and spiritual discipline. The sacrifices and the acts of ...
13.2.2026 -
We Are Blessed / Somos Bendecidos
We Are Blessed The Bishop’s Annual Appeal is about to begin again and we, at St. Julia, have already surpassed our goal! How did we do that? How did...
06.2.2026 -
Read This Face? / ¿Lees esta cara?
Read This Face? / ¿Lees esta cara? I can’t help but see so much frustration and despair in the face of this woman. I don’t know if her closed fis...
30.1.2026 -
A Simple Desire for Peace / Un simple deseo de paz
A Simple Desire for Peace that has Moved the Hearts of Thousands Un simple deseo de paz que ha conmovido los corazones de miles de personas. Lea en es...
24.1.2026 -
Happy New Year / Feliz Año Nuevo
So, here we are at the beginning of 2026.When we look back at 2025, what do we see? When we look forward to 2026, what do we hope for? Go ahead and......
09.1.2026 -
We Shall Not Ignore / No ignoraremos
We Shall Not Ignore the Holy Families. We Will Not Forget You. This picture captures the many families throughout the world who find themselves homele...
17.12.2025 -
Willingly… / Voluntariamente
Willingly, We Will Awaken to God. Willingly, We Will Respond Lovingly to God’s Invitations. In Acts 17:28 we hear: “For in Him we live, and move, ...
05.12.2025 -
A letter from the Bishop of Raleigh / Una Carta del Obispo de Raleigh
A letter from the Bishop of Raleigh • Una Carta del Obispo de Raleigh Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Immigration is not merely a matter of pub...
25.11.2025 -
Have You Seen Jesus Lately? / ¿Has visto a Jesús últimamente?
Have you seen Jesus lately? Keep looking. Keep searching. Keep longing. Keep yearning. Happy Thanksgiving! You are in my prayers and in my heart. Peac...
21.11.2025 -
Am I not here / Acaso no estoy aquí
“Am I not here, I who am your Mother?” She came to the people as a young girl with cinnamon color skin, dressed with the stars of the heavens, ill...
07.11.2025 -
Does Anyone Else Feel Like This? / ¿Alguien más se siente así?
Does Anyone Else Feel Like This, or Am I the Only One? I have to be honest, I don’t like what’s going on in this country of ours. There is much th...
24.10.2025 -
Help Me to Hang On! ¡Ayúdame a aguantar!
Help Me to Hang On! My good people, our beautiful parish family continues to grow and so do your spiritual and social needs. There is only one bit of ...
18.10.2025 -
Talk to me, Please / Háblame por favor
To Our English-Speaking People that Worship in English Hi! I try not to use the terms “English-speaking community and Spanish-speaking community” ...
10.10.2025 -
A Little Bit / Un Poco
A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That There’s a lot going on at our parish. Let me share with you what is going on: Our faith formation clas...
07.10.2025 -
Christian Maturity / Madurez Cristiana
Christian Maturity I was a middle school teacher for quite a few years. It’s by a miracle that I still have any hair left on my head. The principal ...
19.9.2025 -
Thank You! ¡Gracias!
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!! Dear Good People of St. Julia, I want to thank everyone who worked and contributed to making our Parish Festival a g...
12.9.2025 -
Young People Are Awesome Christians
Young People Are Awesome Christians On Sunday, September 7th, Pope Leo will declare that two young men, Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati are sai...
05.9.2025 -
When the Well Runs Dry / Cuando el Pozo se Seca
When the Well Runs Dry That is the title of a book that was published many years ago. It speaks about those times when we feel spiritually dry without...
22.8.2025 -
Pondering / Reflexionando
Pondering It is recorded in the Gospels that Our Blessed Mother pondered many things in her heart. Being the mother of Jesus the adult must have been ...
15.8.2025 -
STOP! Share and be present! ¡Para! ¡Comparte y sé presente!
Are We Truly In Touch With One Another? Are We Truly Aware of Each Other? Are We Present to the Other? When we are young time passes slowly. The older...
01.8.2025 -
God the Artist / Dios, el Artista
God the Artist Don’t ever stand behind or next to an artist while he or she is creating something. Artists need room, space, and not so much convers...
25.7.2025 -
A Little Rest / Un Poco de Descanso
A Little Rest on the Horizon / Un Poco de Descanso en el Horizonte My vacation time begins on July 1st but I will meet with the Dean of our Deaner...
27.6.2025 -
An Ordinary Way to Heaven
An Ordinary Way to Heaven God only knows how many times we have said and felt that life is just too hectic…too fast. How many times have we felt lik...
13.6.2025 -
Beautifying our Church / Embelleciendo nuestra Iglesia
Beautifying our Church for the Glory of God / Embelleciendo nuestra Iglesia para la Gloria de Dios Dear Good People of God, It is my hope to have th...
06.6.2025 -
50 Treasures
Fifty Treasures for the Lord On this Sunday, fifty of our children, fifty treasures, will make their First Communion. They will approach the table of ...
23.5.2025 -
Truth in Jest
Sometimes There is Truth in Jest Have you ever felt like you have nothing to say for the moment? Have you ever been in a situation where you were expe...
16.5.2025 -
Communal Contemplative Prayers / Práctica de la Oración Contemplativa Comunitaria
A Reflection on Communal Contemplative Prayer Practice at St. Julia As you know, an opportunity for communal contemplative prayer is offered at St. Ju...
09.5.2025 -
A New Beginning? ¿Un Nuevo Comienzo?
A New Beginning for the Church? Oh, Please, Lord, Don’t Let it be So! I do understand that, seen from a spiritual or even from a psychological persp...
02.5.2025 -
Pope Francis and Latin Mass / El Papa Francisco y la Misa en latín
Thank you, Pope Francis Gracias, Papa Francisco. Every pope brings his own charism, spirituality, experiences, and perspectives to the papacy, togethe...
25.4.2025 -
Resurrection Resurrección
“Resurrection” Here I am sitting in our living room watching the movie “Mission” with my brother friars. It’s a very difficult movie to watc...
17.4.2025 -
Christ’s Humility / La humildad de Cristo
Let Christ’s Humility and Peace Enter Your Heart What a wonderful way to begin Holy Week with a couple of our parishioners sharing something of thei...
11.4.2025 -
Accepting Challenges Aceptando desafíos
Good Challenges Are Sometimes Hard to Swallow I recently read an article in which there appeared a picture of a church sign that read: “Kind Atheist...
04.4.2025 -
Spiritual Influences Influencias Espirituales
Spiritual Influences Who has influenced your spirituality? Who are the wonderful people in your life that have helped you develop your spirituality? T...
21.3.2025 -
Read and Choose Lee y elige
From the Heart Read and Choose. I will soon send an image of St. Francis of Assisi to be enlarged according to the measurements that we need. The imag...
14.3.2025 -
St. Julia and St. Francis / Santa Julia y San Francisco
St. Julia and St. Francis Our patron saint was from northern Africa. What did she look like? The above are representations of St. Julia by various art...
07.3.2025 -
We See Ourselves in the Divine / Nos Vemos en lo Divino
We See Ourselves In the Divine and the Divinity Reveals Us to Ourselves. In the world of the Sacred we can always find ourselves. In the world of the ...
28.2.2025 -
A Reflection / Una reflexión
A Reflection on Last Friday’s Contemplative Prayer Time Please allow me to say that it was wonderful to see so many of you come to spend time in con...
21.2.2025 -
Thinking of You / Pensando en ti
Thinking of You, Thanking You, Praying for You You know how life is. There’s so much to attend to that sometimes we forget to say what really matter...
14.2.2025 -
An Act of Faith in Many Ways / Un acto de fe en muchos sentidos
An Act of Faith in Many Ways. There’s Nothing to Fear. Last week our Future Build Committee presented our parish’s Master Plan to the Diocese. It ...
07.2.2025 -
From the Heart of Your Pastor / Desde el Corazón de su Párroco
From the Heart of Your Pastor My dear sisters and brothers, this week I speak directly to our immigrant sisters and brothers of St. Julia. I invite ev...
31.1.2025 -
Love Compels Us / El amor nos obliga
Love Compels Us There are moments that love compels us to go beyond our comfort zone and challenge us to open wide our hearts and minds for the sake o...
23.1.2025 -
Hi! This is God Speaking / ¡Hola Soy Dios hablando
Hi! This is God Speaking 😀 “Look not into your iPhone, but into your heart, into your soul. There’s where you’ll find me. And in the heart ...
17.1.2025 -
The Catholic Jubilee Year 2025 / El Jubileo Católico 2025
The Catholic Jubilee Year 2025 Jubilee 2025 was proclaimed by Pope Francis in the Papal Bull “Spes Non Confundit” (Hope does not disappoint). In i...
03.1.2025 -
Merry Christmas / Feliz Navidad
Merry Christmas! What a wonderful time of the year, says the song. Indeed, it is. Christmas is a beautiful time and I hope and pray that you really en...
20.12.2024 -
It Feels Like I’m Always Saying, “Thank You.” / Parece que siempre estoy diciendo gracias
It Feels Like I’m Always Saying, “Thank You.” It feels like it because I am saying “thank you” all the time here at St. Julia. My Lord, what...
12.12.2024 -
“Bringing/Taking Christ To-Into The/Our World” / “Llevar a Cristo al mundo”
“Bringing/Taking Christ To-Into The/Our World” This is the phrase that will guide our Advent journey this year. Don’t be confused. Read on. Whic...
01.12.2024 -
The Season of Advent / Temporada de Adviento
The Season of Advent On Sunday, December 1st we begin the Advent Season. As we all know, Advent is a time of spiritual preparation for the Feast of th...
22.11.2024 -
A Few New Things /Algunas novedades
A Few New Things Spiritual Growth and Formation Soon I will announce new initiatives and opportunities that we will have available in our parish or ou...
08.11.2024 -
Halloween
“Halloween” Let’s have a little fun, but I warn you because this little mind of mine which has the tendency to question everything and is extrem...
01.11.2024 -
“The Soul’s Whispered Longing” / El anhelo susurrado del alma
“The Soul’s Whispered Longing” / El anhelo susurrado del alma The soul’s longing and yearning is soft but strong. To be felt, it requires focu...
25.10.2024 -
“I need your understanding, patience, and cooperation.” / “Necesito de vuestra comprensión, paciencia y cooperación.”
An Open Letter to the Parish Community: “I need your understanding, patience, and cooperation.” My dear sisters and brothers in faith, I write thi...
18.10.2024 -
“WATCH, PRAY, HOPE. AND ACT FROM THE HEART” / “ VELAD, OREN, ESPEREN. Y ACTÚEN DESDE EL CORAZÓN
The person who contemplates from and in the heart has quite the challenge these days. There is so much in the world that breaks hearts and that can ke...
05.10.2024 -
From the Christian Perspective / Desde la perspectiva cristiana
There are many social issues that beckon our attention while so many voices of opinions vie for our attention. It can be a bit overwhelming at times, ...
28.9.2024 -
Jealousy / Los Celos
The second reading from the Letter of Saint James starts with a bang: “Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul p...
19.9.2024 -
??????????????????????? / ???????????????????????
To tell you the truth, I don’t know what to write about this weekend. The only thing I really would like to write about is the matter of the upcomin...
13.9.2024 -
How Important It Is to Educate Oneself/ Qué importante es educarse
I read a lot. I’m always reading. I wasn’t always like this. I remember when I hated to read, especially for school. Funny what life does to you a...
06.9.2024 -
Our Parish Festival / Nuestra Fiesta Parroquial
Our parish festival this year and in the many years to come needs to be a great success for our parish. This event has always been a time when the com...
04.8.2024 -
“Here and There” / “Aquí y allá”
1. We took 53 young people to the Franciscan Retreat: Assisi on the Chesapeake. It was a great experience. We first went to Washington DC where we s...
28.7.2024 -
A letter to the parish family • Una carta a la familia parroquial
Parish Retreats and Spiritual Formation Two weeks ago I wrote in “From the heart” that I would like to provide parish retreats and spiritual forma...
21.7.2024 -
Be Not Afraid. We Go Forward / No tengas miedo. Seguimos adelante
When I asked the parish community about going forward with our Master Plan, the overwhelming answer was to go forward. So, Forward We Go! The Master P...
14.7.2024 -
Humble Brothers Among the People
Dear St. Julia Parish Family, Friar Luis and I would like to share with you the “Vision and Mission Statement of the Franciscan Friars Ministering a...
19.11.2022 -
Renew and Improve
A few weeks ago, Friar Luis and I went on a working retreat to create a new Pastoral Plan for the parish. We worked diligently keeping the people of t...
18.11.2022 -
This is a Wonderful Time of the Year
Fall is truly a beautiful season. Although we have some changes of colors on the trees, the more north we go, the more beautiful is nature’s fall sp...
18.11.2022 -
When Will We Learn?
Once in a while we need to talk about what sometimes consumes us with concern. With elections of all kinds upon us, we, once again, become aware of ho...
23.10.2022 -
A New Hope
This coming Monday through Thursday Friar Luís and I will be on a working retreat to study and discern all the dimensions of our parish life. I ask f...
08.10.2022 -
Hurricane Ego
This is the latest report on the path of Hurricane Ego: At 6:00 am this morning, just as the sun came into the horizon, Hurricane Ego slammed into con...
01.10.2022 -
Whatever you do to the least of your sisters and brothers, you do to me.
My dear sisters and brothers in faith and hope, How important it is for us as Christians to never forget the needy among us. You, the people of St. Ju...
29.9.2022 -
Fresh Air
I would like to thank everyone who attended the listening and discussion sessions with me and Friar Luis this week. We both listened attentively to yo...
18.9.2022 -
Let’s Have A Conversation
This coming Tuesday and Wednesday the people of St. Julia will meet with their pastor to have an honest and open conversation about the future of our ...
18.9.2022 -
Two Are Better Than One
I am looking forward to welcoming Friar Luis among us. He will be a great help and support for me as I will be for him....
18.9.2022 -
A Bright and Vibrant Future
Once Friar Luis joins us and the two of us are able to plan together, I would like to implement a few new adventures for our parish family. It is my h...
21.8.2022 -
We Must Register as Parishioners of St. Julia
Please, let me explain to you why we must all be registered parishioners in our parish community. Although this concept of registering in a parish doe...
06.8.2022 -
Pope Francis Apologizes in the Name of the Catholic Church
“Kill the Indian, Save the man” was the demeaning and dehumanizing philosophy that led to the creation of boarding schools for Native Americans in...
30.7.2022 -
Stop Thinking that You are Not Worthy
Sometimes, we say to ourselves that we are not worthy of God; to go to God, to pray to God, to consider the things of God, and even to ask for God’s...
23.7.2022 -
I Need a Break…a Little Fun…A Little Quiet!
Sometimes I feel that I preach so much and talk so much that I run out of things to say. There are times that at the end of the day the last......
10.7.2022 -
The Cry of the Poor
We especially cry out to God when no one hears us or when we feel that no one wants to hear our cries. The poor in particular cry out to God. I......
05.7.2022 -
We Must Register as Parishioners of St. Julia
Please, let me explain to you why we must all be registered parishioners in our parish community. Although this concept of registering in a parish doe...
26.6.2022 -
ST. JULIA’S FESTIVAL AND OTHER IMPORTANT MATTERS
It has been three years since our parish has celebrated the St. Julia’s Festival. This year we will celebrate it on Saturday and Sunday, August 27 a...
26.6.2022 -
Homily from Confirmation- 2022: Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
Tell me, do you find it always easy to know things and people, to understand things and people, to be wise, or to give good advice and counsel, to sta...
15.6.2022 -
Homily for Confirmation 2022
Tell me, do you find it always easy to know things and people, to understand things and people, to be wise, or to give good advice and counsel, to sta...
10.6.2022 -
Two Points of Clarification and a Little More
1. Godparents/Sponsors/Main Witnesses for Baptism, Confirmation, and Marriage must be baptized Catholics who practice their faith, have received First...
21.5.2022 -
News Around the Parish
Thanks to all of you and the generosity that you extended to the parish last year, we finally are able to install the new light fixtures in the church...
08.5.2022 -
The People Have a Voice – We Move Forward Together
Leading a faith community is never the work of one person. We are a family that must work together for the wellbeing of all....
08.5.2022 -
Happy Easter
My dear sisters and brothers, We arrive at the great feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord, Jesus, after forty days of sacrifice, prayer and selfless ...
21.4.2022 -
A Message for Holy Week
With the celebration of Palm Sunday, we enter into the commemoration of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus. We enter this Holy Wee...
10.4.2022 -
As We Move Into Holy Week
We have one more week of Lent before we enter Holy Week with Palm Sunday on April 10th. As you understand, Holy Week is a time when there is much spir...
02.4.2022 -
The Work of Peace and Justice: Working in the Peripheries
Who are the people who live in the peripheries? They are the victims of unjust systems, the victims of war, the victims of violence, the victims of ra...
20.3.2022 -
Picking Up the Pieces
Going to confession and asking for God’s forgiveness is not always enough, especially when we hurt or offend someone. We must go to that person and ...
06.3.2022 -
Lent: A Journey of Conversion and Transformation
Our Catholic tradition of Lent is a powerful time in our life of faith. We are invited to pay closer attention to those aspects of our faith and our r...
26.2.2022 -
Changes to Quinceañera Celebrations Coming Soon
Not every parish offers the opportunity for private Quinceañera Masses. We do. Many parishes offer one common Quinceañera celebration per month wher...
19.2.2022 -
A Message to Our High School Youth and Our Young Adults
You are the hope of our parish family! And you hold a special place in the heart of our parish family. You are important to all of us and we commit ou...
12.2.2022 -
Let God Surprise You
Last week I preached at all the Masses about the human need to feel loved, wanted, and have self-worth. I explained how being the object of rejection ...
06.2.2022 -
It’s Time Again and We Will Respond Generously
Dear Good People of St. Julia, It is time again for us to respond generously to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal. This is a special time when we are asked...
29.1.2022 -
Good Things Happening at St. Julia
I am very happy to announce that Mr. Martin Flores will be our new Youth Ministry Director. It is our hope that once he begins his ministry among us, ...
22.1.2022 -
“A Message to Our Youth”
My Dear Young People of St. Julia, It wasn’t that long ago that some of you participated in the activities together with the seminarians that visite...
08.1.2022 -
A Message for our Children and Youth: “What Do You Want For Christmas?”
Do you know what you want for Christmas? Perhaps something real special? Something you have been wishing for? Well, I hope your wishes come true. I ho...
05.1.2022 -
“We are Blessed”
This Saturday two young seminarians from the Missionary Servants of the Word arrived to spend time with us until January 1st. We welcome these men wit...
05.1.2022 -
The Great Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
How can I begin to express my gratitude to the many people who have made this year’s week-long celebration possible? What words would I use to expre...
05.1.2022 -
An Advent Message
Hope! Advent is all about hope. A youthful type of hope that fills our minds and hearts with a sense of joyful expectation....
05.12.2021 -
They Flee To Us
The humanitarian crisis that exists at the southern border of the United States has been going on for such a long time that, perhaps, we have become n...
10.11.2021 -
Blessed Be God: A Message for those In Love and With Family
There are some couples in our parish community that have not celebrated the sacrament of matrimony. Many reasons exist for these situations and I simp...
31.10.2021 -
The Synodal Path
Two weeks ago, Pope Francis opened a new chapter in the history of our Catholic Church. It is called “The Synodal Path.” This is a process which w...
24.10.2021 -
With Courtesy and Respect We Build the Heart of God
Our parish community represents the heart of God in this world. All of us, no matter how many times we come here, draw near in the hope of feeling the...
17.10.2021 -
We Go Forward With Faith and Commitment
May God bless us and protect us as we go forward in the midst of the pandemic. Let us never let our guard down as we strive to return to a more......
09.10.2021 -
Receiving the Eucharist
Right now, on social media there are some people that are communicating some really strange misinformation about the reception of the Eucharist at Mas...
03.10.2021 -
Cut It Out
I can hear Jesus laughing as he says: “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off!” How have you read this story over the years? I bet you have on...
03.10.2021 -
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I Only Ask God
“When the church hears the cry of the oppressed, it cannot but denounce the social structures That give rise to and perpetuate the misery from which...
05.9.2021 -
The Mythical Body of Christ
We, in union with Jesus, are the mystical body of Christ. We! When one rejoices, we all rejoice. When one suffers, we all suffer. Such is the union th...
29.8.2021 -
Culture Does Matter
Culture does indeed matter. It contributes greatly to who we are because it incorporates the characteristic features of our everyday existence, especi...
09.8.2021 -
Communication, Updates and Wishes
Soon our parish web page will be launched and I believe that all of us will be pleasantly surprised with how wonderful it will be. We have a team work...
09.8.2021 -
Good News for Our Parish Community!
Our Deacon Ramón begins his ministry among us this week! We are grateful to God, the Diocese and to Deacon Ramón for this blessing. We welcome him...
02.7.2021 -
A Message To Our Fathers
Mothers received roses on Mothers’ Day, but what can the parish give to our fathers? We came up with a couple of ideas, but we arrived at them too l...
20.6.2021 -
We March Forward Together to a Bright Future
This week we restart our regular Mass schedule. Everyone is invited to come to Mass every Sunday. The passes for Mass are no longer necessary and we w...
13.6.2021 -
I Bend the Knee Again!
Once in a while it is important not to discuss any one serious issue, but simply say “THANK YOU!” I want to take this opportunity to thank all of ...
02.5.2021 -
I Am So You Can Be Too
Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. Everyone loves Jesus as the good shepherd. Of course, we do. All we have to do is hang around a nice green field and ea...
25.4.2021 -
HAPPY EASTER! 2021
My dearest sisters and brothers of St. Julia, I wish you the happiest of Easters! We all have been through much this past year. How we need to feel ho...
11.4.2021