Dear Friends,
On Wednesday morning, my doctor removed the cataract from my right eye. Because I had LASIK surgery 25 years ago, this procedure is a bit more complex. After thoughtful discussion, my doctor decided to use a Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) — a remarkable new technology that allows the lens to be fine-tuned after surgery using gentle ultraviolet (UV) light treatments. This process helps achieve the best possible vision by making small adjustments over a few weeks before the lens is permanently set.
During this time, I’ll be wearing special UV-blocking glasses and making several quick visits for adjustments. So if you see me walking around in dark glasses, please don’t worry — just think of me as your “cool priest with new lenses!” I thank you for your continued prayers as I heal from this surgery.
Congratulations to Our New Deacons: I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Nelson Gonzales and Wynn Norona, who will be ordained Deacons this Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral of Christ the Light. It has been a joy and a privilege to work with both of them and to share a few classes on the pastoral care of the sacraments. They are truly remarkable men—faithful, compassionate, and deeply committed to serving God’s people.
The ministry of the deacon is a beautiful expression of Christ’s servant heart—reaching out to the poor, the marginalized, and the forgotten; proclaiming the Word of God; and assisting at the altar in service to the Church. Nelson and Wynn remind us that servant leadership is not reserved for a few, but is the calling of every baptized person.
I encourage other men in our parish to pray and discern whether God might be calling them to this sacred ministry. Our community is blessed when generous hearts respond to God’s invitation to serve as ministers of the Word, charity, and Sacrament.
