My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Warm and heartfelt greetings to each of you!

After a month away in India for vacation and several important family and religious events, I am truly happy to be back home with you. I return with a grateful heart, beautiful memories, and renewed energy to continue serving you.

First and foremost, I want to thank all of you for your prayers, love, and constant support during my time away. Even from a distance, I felt spiritually united with you. Your prayers accompanied me throughout my travels and responsibilities, and I am deeply grateful.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Fr. Sergio for generously and faithfully taking care of the pastoral duties in my absence. His availability and dedication ensured that parish life continued smoothly.

I also want to offer my heartfelt thanks to our office staff, the members of the pastoral council and finance council, the leaders of our various parish communities, and all those who quietly and faithfully took care of the many needs of our parish during my absence. Your sense of responsibility, teamwork, and love for the Church are truly inspiring. Because of your commitment, our parish continued to grow and function beautifully. I am deeply grateful for each one of you.

My time in India was a precious blessing. I was able to spend meaningful time with my dearly beloved mother and my family members. One of my sisters, who is a religious nun, was also home for vacation, and another two sisters their families also came from Spain and Mumbai. Being reunited together after some time was a great joy and consolation.

I was especially blessed to baptize the daughter of my niece — a grace-filled and emotional moment for our family. I also had the privilege of blessing the marriages of two of my cousins. These sacred celebrations reminded me once again of the beauty of faith lived within families.

I participated in the platinum jubilee celebration of the presence of the Pallottines in India — a historic and grace-filled milestone of 75 years of missionary service. I also successfully completed my R1 visa extension process at the U.S. Embassy, which allows me to continue my ministry here without any concern. I thank God that everything went well.

Another unforgettable moment was the feast of my home parish — a solemn joint celebration honoring Mother Mary, St. Sebastian, and St. Joseph, the patron of the parish. With nine days of novena followed by three days of vibrant celebration, it was a powerful witness of faith and devotion.

The days were filled with travel, visits, meetings, and many joyful reunions. They were beautiful, though quite full and demanding. Leaving my mother once again was not easy — it was heartbreaking for her and emotional for me. Yet I left with peace in my heart, knowing that I was returning to another family whom God has entrusted to my care.

I am back now — with you and for you — here in the United States. I come with renewed love, gratitude, and commitment to serve you wholeheartedly.

Thank you for being such a blessing in my life. Let us continue to walk together in faith, hope, and charity. May the Lord bless you and your families abundantly.

With affection, gratitude, and prayers,

Fr. Varghese Antony SAC

 

Every year, on the First Sunday of Lent the Church presents to us the Gospel of the temptation of Jesus in the desert, Matthew 4:1-11. In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we hear how Jesus, after His baptism, was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for forty days. There He fasted, prayed, and faced temptation.

Why does the Church begin Lent with this scene? Because Lent is our desert experience.

The desert is a place of silence. A place where distractions are removed. A place where we encounter ourselves — and where we encounter God. But the desert is also a place of testing. Just as Jesus was tempted, we too experience temptation: the temptation to seek comfort over sacrifice, pleasure over discipline, power over humility, self over Go. Notice something important: Jesus does not avoid temptation. He faces it. And He overcomes it — not by argument, not by power, but by faithfulness to God’s Word. Let us ask ourselves today:

What is the “desert” I need to enter this Lent?

What temptation do I need God’s help to overcome?

What practical step will I take starting today?

Before Jesus began His public ministry, there was the desert. Before Easter joy, there is the Lenten journey. Yet we do not walk this path alone. The Spirit was with Jesus in the desert, and Christ walks with us today. If we embrace this season sincerely and prayerfully, Easter will not be just another celebration — it will be a personal experience of renewal and grace. May this holy season purify our hearts, strengthen our faith, and lead us to the joy of the Resurrection.