October 19, 2025

Dear Parishioners of Saint Polycarp,

Parish administration encompasses many aspects of parish life, ranging from sacramental to pastoral/spiritual care to finance. Such administrative responsibilities involve many people who help the parish priest or the pastor. As such, I am grateful for the support of Fathers Luis and Nicolaus, the deacons (Ramiro, Larry, Tri, and Juan), religious sisters (Anh Tram, Jessica, and MaryAnne), the Parish Pastoral Council, the Finance Council, Ministry Heads, the Parish Staff and most of all YOU, the people of God

Among the many administrative responsibilities, finance is important because your generous contributions and donations support the daily operations of the church. Therefore, enclosed in this Sunday’s bulletin you find the 2024-2025 financial report of our parish, which shows that we are in the positive area of finance.

I thank especially Marcia Vojtech, Chair of the Finance Council, and the members of the Council; and Tom Ma, Business Manager, for assisting me to be a faithful steward of God’s gifts. Their counsels and hard work are valuable to my ministry in this area of administration.

During this month of October, I invite you to join the Universal Church to pray for life—a precious and special gift of God’s love, as stated in the story of the creation of man in the Book of Genesis:

“Then God said, Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth” (Gn 1:26-28) … “Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Gn 2:7).

When talking about “life” I am not referring only to the fact of being able to breathe, walk, and talk. I am referring to the sanctity of life with which each one of us is given according to the will and love of God– that is, to consider your life as a sacred gift; to make your life fruitful and meaningful; and to never be afraid to show God’s presence in you to others.

Together with my brother priests, Fathers Luis and Nicolaus, I invoke the divine blessings from Our Almighty God, through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint Polycarp upon you and your family.

Father Viet Peter Ho
Pastor

Recent Pastor Letters

  • August 2, 2026

    Dear Parishioners of Saint Polycarp, August is here. For Saint Polycarp, we have seen a month of priestly service from Fr. Francis; two weeks of our seminarian-intern, Eddie; and the arrival of Fr. Jaime. For me, I am grateful to the presence and support of Fr. Francis, who has been working so hard during his…

    Read more: August 2, 2026
  • July 12, 2026

    Dear Parishioners of Saint Polycarp, The Gospel message for this Fifteenth Sunday offers us Jesus’ teaching on the reception of the word of God, through a beautiful parable on mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven, which contains the image of the sower, the seed, and the various types of soil or ground in which the…

    Read more: July 12, 2026
  • June 28, 2026

    Dear Parishioners of Saint Polycarp,  This weekend marks the last weekend that Fathers Luis, Nicolaus, and Sister Jessica are with us: They have been with us and we love them. We love their pastoral approach and zeal, their homilies, their smiles, and distinct laughter, and most of all their friendship with us in Christ. The…

    Read more: June 28, 2026
  • May 24, 2026

    Dear Parishioners of Saint Polycarp, Happy Pentecost! May the Holy Spirit fill your heart with love. According to scriptures, the celebration of Pentecost or the coming of the Holy Spirit occurs ten days after the Ascension of the Lord Jesus. This Solemnity of Pentecost marks the birth of the Church, in which the first group…

    Read more: May 24, 2026