Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for organizing a memorable celebration of the 35th anniversary of my priestly ordination two weeks ago.

As I look back over these 35 years of service, many memories come to my mind: moments of joy and moments of challenge, moments of success and moments of uncertainty and even moments of failure ... Yet through it all one reality has remained constant and at the core of my priesthood: God's abiding presence in my life and the Holy Eucharist, the Bread of Life. I'm deeply grateful for all these.

As I reflected further on these past 35 years, a particular childhood memory returns vividly to my mind: It is a memory that is both painful and beautiful.

As I have shared with you several times, I lost both my parents at a very tender age. Like many orphaned children at that age, I experienced severe hunger on numerous occasions. Hunger is, indeed, a frightening experience for anyone, but especially more so for a young, poor orphaned child. So, I remember, when I was about six years old, listening attentively to Fr. Benedetto, our then-Italian pastor, preaching about Jesus, the Bread of Life. He spoke of the Lord's promise that whoever eats this bread would never be hungry again.

To a little boy whose stomach often ached from hunger those words sounded too wonderful. They spoke directly to my deepest need: food! So, when the time for Holy Communion came, although I had not yet been catechized or prepared, I quietly joined the line and received Holy Communion. Why? I wanted never to be hungry again.

When Fr. Benedetto, who was notorious for his bad temper, realized what had happened, he was understandably alarmed and furious. Knowing that I was not yet prepared to receive the Eucharist, he tried to grab me. But I was quicker than Usain Bolt! I dashed out of the church and ran for my dear life and thereafter stayed away from Church for quite some time.

Looking back now, I smile at that incident. Yet I also see in it the mysterious hand of God. What began as a child's search and longing for ordinary bread would become the beginning of a lifelong search for the Bread of Heaven.

As I grew older and began to understand more deeply the mystery of the Eucharist, my love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament continued to grow.

Little did I know then that God was already preparing me for something far greater: He was planting the seeds of a genuine vocation. The boy who once ran away after receiving Communion would one day stand at the altar and distribute the Bread of Life to God's people both in Africa and now in the United States. He would later beautify tabernacles and sanctuaries, and help build a perpetual adoration chapel where the Blessed Sacrament, the Bread of Life, is kept and adored.

Yes, dear friends, since I was ordained a priest, the Eucharist has remained at the center of my life and ministry. Every Mass I celebrate reminds me that Christ continues to feed His people, not only with bread for the body but with nourishment for the soul. Through the Eucharist, He strengthens us, heals us, forgives us, and accompanies us on our journey to eternal life.

As I continue to celebrate these 35 years of priesthood, I am grateful to the many people who have supported me throughout this journey: my family, my brother priests, religious, friends, and the parishioners from the parishes I served at here in our diocese: St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Avondale, St. James Parish in Glendale, St. Andrew the Apostle in Chandler, and now, you, my dear family here at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. I thank you all most sincerely.

Above all, I thank my Lord, Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest, who called an orphaned little boy from Northern Uganda, fed him with the Bread of Life, and entrusted him with the privilege of serving His people.

Thank you, once again, for loving me, and I am so blessed to be your pastor. May God bless you all most abundantly.

I love you!

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