THE MOST HOLY TRINITY, MAY 31, 2026
When I was about 10 or 12 years old, I was visiting with Doris Houk, an elderly neighbor whose property abutted ours on Vinegar Valley Road, Wampum, PA. Our family lived in a rural area and all neighbors had several acres of land. It was a wooded place with a small creek running through the Houk and Betz lands. In any event, I remember telling Mrs. Houk that my goal as an adult was to have an exciting life.
Excitement was what I hoped for. Life in rural Wampum was quiet and satisfying, but not exciting. Our pastor in Wampum, Father George Stuparitz, loved Wampum and loved the people. He was a good priest, living a generous and quiet life. But Wampum seemed too quiet for me even then.
On June 1, I will be a priest for 35 years. I was ordained in 1991 and was assigned to Saint John's and Holy Redeemer. I have spent most of my years as a priest in Philadelphia, mostly either working at or living at Saint John's.
It has been exciting. People often ask me why I left my law firm job to become a Capuchin and a priest and I tell them that my life is meaningful and useful. I did not feel that my work with the law firm was important or meaningful. By the time I entered Capuchin formation, excitement was not my first objective. By then I wanted to have a meaningful and generous life. But I still wanted a life that was interesting at least.
Each day I have the opportunity to speak of Christ to people who want to know him. I visit the sick and the dying. In Chinatown I have had the opportunity to watch several generations of children grow and succeed, and occasionally not succeed. I have been with people in terrible and hard times and in times of celebration and joy. Many people appreciate what priests offer and many people rely on priests for hope when live seems hopeless.
In Mid-May, I attended the priesthood ordination of nine young men at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. On June 6, I will be in Pittsburgh for Brother Luke's ordination. This year we have three Capuchin priesthood ordinations. I see idealism and hope in the hearts of these 12 new priests and I pray that they will have a fruitful and happy ministry, as I have had.
I am happy being a priest and I am especially happy at Saint John's and Holy Redeemer. This is an exciting place to serve as a priest. Very few priests get to spend most of 35 years in one city serving the same communities. I am blessed. I am thankful that I am a priest. I am thankful to all the good people whom I meet and serve at Saint John's and Holy Redeemer.
We also received word this week that Father Emilio Biosca, OFM Cap was named Bishop of Venice, Florida. Emilio spent two years at Saint John's in the early 1990s. He served as deacon here. Since his priesthood ordination, Emilio has been a missionary in Papua New Guinea and Cuba. He has been pastor for the past 8 years in Washington DC. It has been a long time since Emilio was with us at Saint John's, but our parish was part of his formation. Pray for Bishop Emilio and for our new priests.
