Latest Message from the Administrator’s Desk: Fr. Ton Nguyen – July 12, 2026
A GIFT THAT GIVES LIFE
What was the very first sacred institution God established for humanity? It was marriage.
Do you remember the joy of Adam when Eve was brought before him? He exclaimed, “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Genesis 2:23). The Book of Genesis then reveals God’s beautiful plan for marriage, “Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and the two become one flesh.” Immediately afterward come the first words God speaks to humanity: “Be fertile and multiply.”
What a beautiful beginning! God never created humanity to compete with Him. Rather, He willed us into existence out of love and entrusted us with the privilege of cooperating in His work of creation. Every human life is a gift, called into being by God’s loving will.
This Sunday’s reading from the prophet Isaiah beautifully echoes this truth. Isaiah compares God’s word to the rain and snow that come down from heaven. They do not return until they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the sower and bread to the hungry. In the same way, God’s word never returns empty. It always accomplishes His purpose and brings forth life where it is received with faith.
This message also harmonizes beautifully with Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for July: “Let us pray for the respect and protection of human life in all its stages, recognizing it as a gift from God.” May we never take for granted the precious gift of life – from conception to natural death – and may each of us use the life God has entrusted to us for His greater glory.
This weekend our parish also has the joy of celebrating those couples who are observing fifty years or more of married life at the 11 AM Mass. Their faithful witness reminds us that love is more than a feeling; it is a lifelong vocation of sacrifice, forgiveness, perseverance, and joy. Please join me in thanking them and congratulating them on this remarkable milestone. They have become living witnesses to God’s faithful love.
Q&A WITH YOUR PRIEST
People often ask me, “Father, what is one of your favorite prayers?”
One prayer that has always inspired me was written by Fr. Jean-Baptiste Henri Lacordaire, O.P.: “To live in the midst of the world with no desire for its pleasures; to be a member of every family, yet belonging to none; to share all sufferings; to penetrate all secrets, to heal all wounds; to daily go from men to God to offer Him their homage and petitions; to return from God to men to bring them His pardon and hope; to have a heart of fire for charity and a heart of bronze for chastity; to bless and to be blessed forever. O God, what a life, and it is yours, O Priest of Jesus Christ! Amen.”
I truly love being a priest, and I am deeply grateful that God has called me to serve the parish family of St. Mother Theodore Guerin. As I continue getting to know everyone, please help me become part of the family. Have me over for a cup of coffee, a cup of tea, or even a family meal. Stop by the pastoral center for a conversation, or simply introduce yourself after Mass. Don’t be shy! I look forward to getting to know each of you and walking together as we grow in faith.
JMJ,
Fr. Ton Nguyen
Administrator – Designate of St. Mother Theodore Guerin Parish