Dear Family of St. Polycarp,
Stewardship is a big theme in Bible. Beginning with the Book of Genesis, the first book in the Bible, human beings are entrusted to care for God’s creation: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it” (Gen 2:15). In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus praised on good and trusted steward as a faithful servant: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Mt 25: 23). In brief, stewardship is a task or responsibility given to each one of us to safeguard and to protect the common good. In the Church, this concept of stewardship is understood as being responsible to the goods or properties of the Church.
A pastor of a parish is a steward of the goods of a parish. To me, it is the goods of the Family of Saint Polycarp, from which I am called to be a steward. In this task of stewardship, transparency is important. That is why, each year a report on the goods of the church must be made available to all of you—parishioners of Saint Polycarp.
The annual report for 2023-2024 consists of many aspects of the parish’s activities and functions. Besides a healthy financial income and expenses, you notice that the well-being and the morale of our priests and staffs are good; the Faith Formation Programs are strong; and the upkeeping of the facility has been tremendous. Many areas of the parish campus have been repaired or renovated. Our contribution to PSA or the Pastoral Service Appeal has allowed us to continue and to complete many projects for our parish.
With the annual report being available, I am proud of our Family of Saint Polycarp. I always give thanks to God for all of you, namely for my predecessors who had prepared the way for me to continue the works of the Lord. It is a privilege and a joy to be your pastor. Together with my brother priests (Fathers Luis and Nicolaus), I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love and support.
Father Viet Peter Ho
Pastor
Recent Pastor Letters
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October 20, 2024
Read more: October 20, 2024Dear Family of St. Polycarp, Stewardship is a big theme in Bible. Beginning with the Book of Genesis, the first book in the Bible, human beings are entrusted to care for God’s creation: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it” (Gen 2:15).…
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October 13, 2024
Read more: October 13, 2024Dear Family of St. Polycarp, Greetings and blessings in the Lord Jesus. This weekend’s Gospel presents us a beautiful, yet challenging message. A man approached Jesus and asked Him this question: “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Of course, as a law abiding Jew, Jesus told him to observe all the…
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September 22, 2024
Read more: September 22, 2024Dear Parishioners of Saint Polycarp, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” was the discussion among the disciples of Jesus, as they left the region of Caesarea Philippi for Capernaum. Upon hearing their conversation, Jesus offered them a concrete and an important lesson about being greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Gospel…
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August 25, 2024
Read more: August 25, 2024Dear Parishioners of Saint Polycarp, As you come to Mass on this last Sunday of August, which is the Twenty-First Sunday of the liturgical calendar, Mother Church offers us another Gospel reading on the Bread of Life Discourse, in which the people who followed and listened to Jesus saying that He is the Bread from…