FATHER FRANK’S FIRE – JUNE 8, 2025
Happy Pentecost! Today is the Solemnity of Pentecost – the day that the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles and upon the whole world. Today marks the beginning of the Church – this is our day because the Holy Spirit continues to guide, nurture, energize, heal and protect us. We cannot do anything without the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Acts of the Apostles tells us that when the first Christians gathered, something happened to them – it was sudden, completely unexpected and, once they began to understand, it became irresistible. They were surrounded by a sound that was like a great wind, tongues of fire descended upon each of them, and they heard each other speaking in different languages. Something came over them and stopped them in their tracks.
In the gospel, St. John tells us that Jesus sent his disciples out into the world. However, before they went, Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit upon them. The Holy Spirit is given to us as the very air we need for life. Our bodies need oxygen to survive; so too do our souls need the Holy Spirit to live.
The Holy Spirit leads us in the ways of Christ. Oftentimes, we do not understand why the Holy Spirit brings us to or asks us to do things that we do not want to do. However, the prompting of the Holy Spirit is often irresistible, and we find ourselves surrendering to the Spirit’s life-giving power.
Jesus tells us that we can judge a tree by the fruit it produces. St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Galatians that the fruits of the Holy Spirit are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If our lives are filled with these, we can be assured that we are following the Holy Spirit. If our lives are filled with anger, bitterness, judgment, fear, hatred, or division – this is a good indication that we are not following the Holy Spirit but another type of spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can lead us to Jesus and to eternal life. If your life does not show the fruits of the Holy Spirit, it is time to make a change and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance.
Pentecost marks the end of the Easter season. I will not be saying “Happy Easter” until next year. On Monday, we begin Ordinary Time. This year, let us be open to the presence of God in the ordinary things of our lives. Let us be opened and not afraid to following the Holy Spirit.
BISHOP JOHN GORMAN – On Monday morning, I heard about the passing of Bishop Jack Gorman. Bishop Gorman was 99-years-old. He was ordained a priest on May 1, 1952, and had been a priest for 73 years. He was ordained a bishop on April 11, 1988, and had been a bishop for 37 years.
I first met Bishop Gorman in 1998, when I was the associate pastor of St. Alexander and he was the Episcopal Bishop of Vicariate 5. From that day, he has never forgotten my name and was always a joyful and prayerful man. Bishop Gorman served as pastor of St. Michael from 1973 to 1987. I am proud to be one of his successor pastors and I remember him calling me to congratulate me on my appointment here.
I am saddened by his passing, as I know many of you are. Let us take comfort in the words of St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians:
Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all fall asleep, but, we will all be changed, in an instant, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed… “Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O Death is your victory? Where, O Death is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
For the truth is that death does not have the final word. Life does because of the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus. Bishop Gorman, until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand. Rest in peace.
GRATEFUL HEARTS – This weekend, we honor our beloved associate pastor, Fr. Geofrey Andama. For the past nine years, Fr. Geofrey has ministered to our parish family. He has a joy-filled spirit, an inviting smile and a compassionate heart. He has journeyed with us during times of joy and times of sadness and grief. To me, Fr. Geofrey is not only a remarkable humble man, but also an outstanding brother priest.
Fr. Geofrey was one of the first staff members that I met when I was assigned to St. Michael. I invited him over to St. Cajetan to meet his new housemate. I did not mean myself, but my 100-pound puppy Mickey. Mickey and I are a team and he was coming with me. At first, I did not think that Fr. Geofrey was overly thrilled with having Mickey, a yellow Labrador that constantly sheds, in the rectory – but I think they really get along.
I, like many of you, will miss Father’s joy, presence, compassion, and wisdom. I know that I am a better person and priest because of him. It is a time of personal sadness for me and for many, however, I still have a grateful heart for the time that we were able to minister together. Let us pray for Fr. Geofrey as he begins a new chapter, a new assignment, in his life.
In the Spirit’s powerful love,
Fr. Frank A. Kurucz
Pastor of St. Michael Parish
ESPAÑOL – EL FUEGO DEL PADRE FRANK – ARTÍCULO DEL BOLETÍN – 8 DE JUNIO, 2025
¡Feliz Pentecostés! Hoy es la Solemnidad de Pentecostés, el día en que el Espíritu Santo descendió sobre los apóstoles y sobre el mundo entero. Hoy marca el comienzo de la Iglesia; este es nuestro día porque el Espíritu Santo continúa guiándonos, nutriéndonos, energizándonos, sanándonos y protegiéndonos. No podemos hacer nada sin el poder del Espíritu Santo.
Los Hechos de los Apóstoles nos cuentan que cuando los primeros cristianos se reunieron, algo les sucedió; fue repentino, completamente inesperado, y una vez que comenzaron a comprender, se volvió irresistible. Y fueron envueltos por un estruendo como de un gran viento, y lenguas de fuego descendieron sobre cada uno de ellos, y se oyeron unos a otros hablar en diferentes lenguas. Algo se apoderó de ellos y los detuvo.
En el Evangelio, San Juan nos dice que Jesús envió a sus discípulos al mundo. Sin embargo, antes de que se fueran, Jesús infundió el Espíritu Santo sobre ellos. El Espíritu Santo nos es dado como el aire que necesitamos para vivir. Nuestros cuerpos necesitan oxígeno para sobrevivir, al igual que nuestras almas necesitan del Espíritu Santo para vivir.
El Espíritu Santo nos guía por los caminos de Cristo. A menudo, no entendemos por qué nos lleva o nos pide que hagamos cosas que no queremos hacer. Sin embargo, el impulso del Espíritu Santo es a menudo irresistible y nos encontramos rendidos a su poder vivificante.
Jesús nos dice que podemos juzgar un árbol por el fruto que produce. San Pablo nos dice en su carta a los Gálatas que los frutos del Espíritu Santo son: amor, alegría, paz, paciencia, benignidad, bondad, fidelidad, mansedumbre y dominio propio. Si nuestra vida está llena de estos frutos, podemos estar seguros de que seguimos al Espíritu Santo. Si nuestra vida está llena de ira, amargura, juicio, miedo, odio o división, es una buena indicación de que no seguimos al Espíritu Santo, sino a otro tipo de espíritu. Solo el Espíritu Santo puede guiarnos a Jesús y a la vida eterna. Si tu vida no muestra los frutos del Espíritu Santo, es hora de hacer un cambio y pedirle guía.
Pentecostés marca el final del tiempo de Pascua. No les desearé más Pascuas hasta el año que viene. El lunes comenzamos el Tiempo Ordinario. Este año, estemos abiertos a la presencia de Dios en las cosas ordinarias de nuestra vida. Seamos receptivos y no tengamos miedo de seguir al Espíritu Santo.
CORAZONES AGRADECIDOS – Este fin de semana honramos a nuestro querido párroco asociado, el P. Geofrey Andama. Durante los últimos nueve años, el P. Geofrey ha ministrado a nuestra familia parroquial. Posee un espíritu alegre, una sonrisa acogedora y un corazón compasivo. Nos ha acompañado en momentos de alegría, tristeza y dolor. Para mí, el P. Geofrey no solo es un hombre extraordinariamente humilde, sino también un hermano sacerdote excepcional.
El Padre Geofrey fue uno de los primeros miembros del personal que conocí cuando me asignaron a San Miguel. Lo invité a San Cayetano para que conociera a su nuevo compañero de casa. No me refería a mí, sino a mi cachorro de 45 kilos, Mickey. Mickey y yo formamos un equipo, y él venía conmigo. Al principio, no pensé que el Padre Geofrey estuviera muy contento de tener a Mickey, un labrador amarillo que muda constantemente el pelo en la rectoría, pero creo que se llevan de maravilla.
Yo, como muchos de ustedes, extrañaré la alegría, la presencia, la compasión y la sabiduría del Padre. Sé que soy mejor persona y sacerdote gracias a él. Es un momento de tristeza personal para mí y para muchos; sin embargo, todavía estoy agradecido por el tiempo que pudimos compartir nuestro ministerio juntos. Oremos por el Padre Geofrey ahora que comienza una nueva etapa, una nueva misión en su vida.
En el Poderoso Amor del Espíritu,
Padre Frank A. Kurucz
Párroco de la Iglesia de St. Michael