One day, a 12-year-old girl asked her father, “Daddy, what are you going to give me for my sweet 15?”  The father replied, “What’s the rush?  We still have plenty of time.”

Time passed and the girl was now 14 years old.  One day, she fainted and was rushed to the hospital.  The doctor told the father that his daughter had a bad heart and was going to die.

As he sat next to her hospital bed, the girl said to him softly, “Daddy, have they told you that I am going to die?”  “Sweetheart, you are not going to die!” the father said firmly as he got up to leave the room.

“But how can you be so sure, Daddy?” the girl asked.  Turning around from the door, the father replied, “Because… I know.”  Tears were brimming up his eyes as he walked down the hospital corridor.

A short time later, the girl turned 15 and was released from the hospital.  As soon as she walked into her room at home, she broke down crying uncontrollably.  On her bed was a letter from her dad: “My dearest daughter, if you are reading this letter, it means that everything went well, just as I told you it would.  A little while ago, you asked me what I was going to give you for your sweet 15.  I didn’t know then, but now we both know.  My present to you was my heart.”

Dear Agathians:

After praying and placing a bouquet of white roses before the statue of the Immaculate Conception near the Spanish Steps in Rome, Pope Francis surprised the world by announcing a Year of Saint Joseph – from December 8, 2020 to December 8, 2021 – to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Pope Pius IX declaring Saint Joseph as the Patron of the Universal Church.  The Holy Father made the announcement in an Apostolic Letter touchingly entitled “Patris Corde” (With a Father’s Heart), in which he described Saint Joseph as a tender, loving, courageous, and obedient father, who teaches the value, dignity and joy of work, whose whole life is an example of love, welcoming the will of God and caring for Mary and Jesus “in the shadow.”

Since becoming your pastor six years ago, I have always tried to imitate Saint Joseph in caring for our parish “with a father’s heart.”  That’s a lot easier said than done.  If a father finds it difficult being the head of just one household, imagine how much more challenging it is to be the head of 1200 registered households!  Sometimes, I wish God would just appear in my dream and tell me exactly what to do, as he did with Saint Joseph.

Through all the ups and downs of our parish, the celebrations and challenges, the clarity and confusion, I have tried my best to lead our parish with love and respect, always communicating clearly what’s in my mind and heart through this Pastor’s Perspective.  Now, after six years and almost 250 articles, I think it’s time to try something new.

Beginning on the first Sunday of 2021, the Pastor’s Perspective will be replaced by the Grow + Go article, which we have been sharing online for some time.  Please know that this change doesn’t affect my commitment to communicate directly and transparently with you, through different means, what you need to know.  Most importantly, you will always have the best gift that I can ever give you: my heart!

— Fr. Vincentius Do, Pastor