Reflection for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today we celebrate the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time. In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus sends out 72 disciples, two by two. This passage offers us a deep message about evangelization, hospitality, welcome, and the value of encountering others.

Jesus teaches us not to act with arrogance or pride, but rather with a spirit of service, courage, and faith. When entering a house, we are to offer peace, bringing the Good News with humility and generosity. In these difficult times — marked by persecution, injustice, poverty, and displacement — we are called to be in solidarity, especially with those who are treated inhumanely. Such attitudes do not reflect the Gospel or the teaching of the living Christ. Today, God calls each and every one to fulfill their mission, to walk along with another who has received the same calling and serve the community in need.

In the book of the prophet Isaiah, we see the people giving thanks to God for being freed from captivity and exile. We too must learn to give thanks and recognize God's liberating presence in our lives.

The community of Saint Nicholas Church is a visible sign of this welcome. We are a diverse parish, rooted in faith and apostolic principles. Our services must always be founded on faith, hope, and love. We must remain focused on the essence of God’s call to serve — through catechesis, the sacraments, and pastoral life.

The role of the priest is to welcome, to show deep respect, and to listen. We are not leaders to judge or to decide who deserves to belong or not. The call is free, but it requires motivation and commitment. As members of this Church, we are called to see and encounter one another as brothers and sisters.

Let us be strong and hopeful in our desire to follow the example and witness of Jesus. May our catechesis always be marked by joy and hospitality.

Español – Reflexión para el 14º Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario

Hoy celebramos el 14º Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario. En el Evangelio de este domingo, Jesús envía a 72 discípulos, de dos en dos. Este pasaje nos ofrece un mensaje profundo sobre la evangelización, la hospitalidad, la acogida y el valor del encuentro con el otro.

Jesús nos enseña a no actuar con arrogancia ni orgullo, sino con un espíritu de servicio, valentía y fe. Al entrar en una casa, debemos ofrecer la paz, llevando la Buena Nueva con humildad y generosidad. En estos tiempos difíciles —marcados por la persecución, la injusticia, la pobreza y el desplazamiento— estamos llamados a vivir en solidaridad, especialmente con quienes son tratados de manera inhumana. Tales actitudes no reflejan el Evangelio ni la enseñanza de Cristo vivo. Hoy, Dios llama a cada uno a cumplir su misión, a caminar junto a otro que ha recibido el mismo llamado y a servir a la comunidad más necesitada.

En el libro del profeta Isaías, vemos al pueblo dando gracias a Dios por haber sido liberado del cautiverio y del exilio. También nosotros debemos aprender a agradecer y a reconocer la presencia liberadora de Dios en nuestra historia.

La comunidad de la Iglesia de San Nicolás es un signo visible de esta acogida. Somos una parroquia diversa, arraigada en la fe y en los principios apostólicos. Nuestros servicios deben estar siempre fundamentados en la fe, la esperanza y el amor. Necesitamos mantenernos centrados en la esencia del llamado de Dios al servicio, ya sea en la catequesis, en los sacramentos o en la vida pastoral.

El papel del sacerdote es el de acoger, respetar profundamente y escuchar. No somos líderes para juzgar ni seleccionar quién merece o no pertenecer. El llamado es libre, pero requiere motivación y entrega. Como miembros de esta Iglesia, estamos llamados a ver, reconocer y encontrar al otro como hermano y hermana.

Seamos fuertes y esperanzados en nuestro deseo de seguir el ejemplo y el testimonio de Jesús. Que nuestra catequesis esté siempre marcada por la alegría y la acogida.

​Please also see Flor Cortez’s wonderful June 2025 recap video, below!

by Padre Jose Ivanildo Cavalcante
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On this June 29 the Church joyfully celebrates the feast of Saints Peter and Paul—pillars of our Christian faith. Peter, the fisherman chosen by Jesus to be the rock of the Church, and Paul, the tireless missionary to the nations, inspire us with their courage and faithfulness, even in the face of persecution.
We also lovingly remember Saint Nicholas of Myra, our dear patron, whose feast we will celebrate on December 6. A generous bishop and defender of the poor, he continues to inspire our commitment to charity and community.

This Sunday, we were blessed to welcome a visiting family who came to present their little daughter for future baptism. We also welcomed the young man Joel , a faithful participant in our community, who was baptized by Father José years ago while serving at Trinity Church.

With joy, we also welcomed new families who have returned to the Church, finding in this community a spiritual home and a place of faith.

Despite the cold and the fears caused by immigration concerns (ICE), we walk with faith, like Peter and Paul. May faith guide us, hope sustain us, and community embrace us.

Este 29 de junio, la Iglesia celebra con alegría la fiesta de los santos Pedro y Pablo, pilares de la fe cristiana. Pedro, el pescador elegido por Jesús como la roca de la Iglesia, y Pablo, el incansable misionero, nos inspiran con su valor y fidelidad, incluso ante la persecución.

Recordamos con cariño a San Nicolás de Mira, nuestro querido patrono, cuya fiesta celebraremos el 6 de diciembre. Un obispo generoso y defensor de los pobres, nos sigue inspirando a vivir la caridad.

Este domingo, recibimos con alegría a una familia visitante, que presentó a su hijita para el futuro bautismo, También fue una bendición ver entre nosotros al joven Joel, quien participa con frecuencia en nuestra comunidad y que fue bautizado por el Padre José hace años, cuando servía en la Iglesia Trinity.
Con alegría, damos la bienvenida a nuevas familias que han regresado a la Iglesia, reencontrando en esta comunidad su hogar espiritual y lugar de fe.

A pesar del frío y del temor causado por la situación migratoria (ICE), caminamos con fe, como Pedro y Pablo.
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Que la fe nos guíe, la esperanza nos fortalezca y la comunidad nos abrace.

As the world gradually returns to normal, we return gently to traditional Holy Week liturgy. We invite you to journey with us through these photos & videos, taken from Palm Sunday through Easter Vigil.

​Mientras el mundo vuelve poco a poco a la normalidad, nosotros volvemos suavemente a la liturgia tradicional de la Semana Santa. Le invitamos a viajar con nosotros a través de estas fotos y vídeos, tomados desde el Domingo de Ramos hasta la Vigilia Pascual.

Pumpkin Day sure looked different this year. Everybody was wearing masks, but they weren’t part of a costume! We were also worried about a pumpkin shortage, but like the loaves and fishes, we had a small miracle and every child received a pumpkin to carve and decorate. We even had extras!

Special thanks to Sue for helping out, as well as Pat and also David, who washed all those pumpkin carving tools. Thanks especially to Luis for bringing snacks and candy and coffee for everyone, and to all for helping clean up after.

El Día de la Calabaza seguro que se veía diferente este año. Todo el mundo llevaba máscaras, ¡pero no formaban parte de un disfraz! También estábamos preocupados por la escasez de calabazas, pero al igual que los panes y los peces, tuvimos un pequeño milagro y cada niño recibió una calabaza para tallar y decorar. ¡Incluso teníamos extras!

​Un agradecimiento especial a Sue por ayudar, así como a Pat y David (quienes lavaron todas esas herramientas para tallar calabazas). Gracias especialmente a Luis por traer bocadillos, dulces y café para todos, ya todos por ayudar a limpiar después.

Thanks to everyone who has been donating to our fundraiser for the Daughters of St. Josephine Bakhita, the facility is starting to get some furniture! We are helping transform the lives of trafficked women one dollar at a time. God bless all who donated and continue to do so.

Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, who visited us for our 80th Anniversary, honored Saint Nicholas of Myra Church for hosting the New Friends Homeless Center on Tuesday nights & Sunday afternoons for these past 9 years. Thanks to our parishioners for supporting and uplifting Pastor April's ministry! Thanks also to Father Michael and Senior Warden Sue MacLaurin for accepting on our behalf.

Please enjoy these pictures, and be sure to click on the links below for a couple of wonderful videos.

We are so happy to welcome Cynthia Santiago to our Staff, but definitely wanted to preserve Lynn Nelson’s staff bio after so many years of wonderful service with us before retiring. Please see it below, archived here:

Our parish secretary of over a decade, Lynn Nelson, has retired to Texas. We love her dearly & can’t wait for her to come back to visit! We had a small, careful goodbye gathering for her with cupcakes baked by Lily Cooper.

Saint Nicholas is partnering with an African lay ministry, the Daughters of Saint Josephine Bakhita, to raise money to help trafficked women recover & learn new skills to lead a healthy life. You can read all about the mission by clicking below, & also donate to this beautiful ministry. If you cannot donate, please share the link below.