Bishop's Monthly Reflection

by Bishop Myron J. Cotta, D.D.  |  06/15/2025  |  From the Clergy

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This year continues to live up to its reputation as a Year of Jubilee, a year of joyful celebration and gratitude to God for his grace and mercy. Here are a few things that are contributing to our celebration of this Jubilee Year: We, as the Universal Church, have been blessed with a new Successor of St. Peter, Pope Leo XIV. We, as the local church, have prayed, and patiently waited, six years for the ordination of a priest, and our Lord Jesus has graced us with Fr. Akbar Saul Perez.

We are hopeful, as we rejoice and thank God for answering our prayers for an increase of vocations. We are blessed, as young men of our diocese continue to discern the call to the priesthood. In this Jubilee Year, hundreds of children have received their First Holy Communion and First Reconciliation and have begun their Eucharistic relationship with the merciful Jesus. We continue to witness God’s blessings upon our brothers and sisters, young and old, as they are sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation. We rejoice with them as they receive the gifts and fruits of the Spirit. In this Year of Hope, we pray for those who will be married and witness to the vocation, the call, of Christian marriage and family life. Presently, our society is in great need of this witness to the covenant of marriage. Our youth have finished another academic year. Let us keep them in prayer as they, filled with hope, graduate and cross the threshold to higher education and, or, enter the work field. Let us not forget, God continues to bless the future of our diocese by means of the generosity of you, his people, in your support of the hopeful endeavor of our Capital Campaign: Called & Sent. In this Jubilee Year, in the month of May, our Cathedral was gifted with a beautiful image of Our Lady of Fatima to inspire us to pray for a hopeful and peaceful world. My friends, as pilgrims of hope, we are grateful to God for all the good things that are taking place. All these areas have the capacity to bring hope into our lives, our parishes and, in turn, our diocese. Now, as we find ourselves in the month of June, it draws us to the center, the core, of this Jubilee Year - the Sacred Heart of Jesus, our Hope! This is the centerpiece of Pope Francis’ encyclical: Dilexit Nos (“He Loved Us”). Also, Pope Benedict XVI stated: “Every person needs a center for his or her own life, a source of truth, and goodness to draw upon in the events, situations and struggles of daily existence. All of us, when we pause in silence, need to feel not only the beating of our own heart, but deeper still the beating of a trustworthy presence, perceptible with faith‘s senses, and yet much more real - the presence of Christ, the heart of the world“ (Angelus, June 1, 2008). During this month, let us reflect on the compassionate and merciful Heart of Jesus. May we find refuge in his wounded Heart that was pierced for our transgressions. As we enter the leisure months of summer, we are especially mindful of the children and youth in our communities. Having celebrated so many of them receiving sacraments this year, we are reminded of the joy and hope they bring to the Church. In a world filled with many voices and influences, this season offers us a grace-filled opportunity to accompany them in their growth, helping them recognize what is true, lasting, and rooted in Christ. Through our witness, and through the tools of evangelization—including digital platforms—we can help them discover the beauty of a life anchored in faith. Let us entrust them to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. May he always protect and lead them and their families to the truth. My brothers and sisters, as we move forward, in this Jubilee Year, may the love of the Maternal and Immaculate Heart of Mary, lead you and your loved ones to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus, our Hope and Salvation! Amen. Have a blessed Jubilee summer of hope. Enjoy it!

In the Peace of Christ,

Bishop Cotta