July 27, 2027
Dear Most Holy Trinity Family:
Welcome and Hospitality
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus entered the house of Martha and Mary, and they welcomed Him by offering hospitality. I have noticed that parishioners at MHT come from very hospitable cultures. This is something we need to continue fostering in our parish. However, it’s easier to be welcoming and hospitable to members of our own group, but more challenging to be open to those outside of it. So, I encourage you to show gestures of hospitality to all our fellow parishioners, not just those in our inner group. Try not to let language, culture, or any other difference be a barrier to showing hospitality to others.
Hospitality is a characteristic of the Holy Trinity, and as one multicultural and multilingual community, hospitality among and across our diverse community must also be one of our characteristics. All of us are responsible for hospitality, but those of us involved in any ministry bear a greater responsibility. We are hospitable when we acknowledge and take into consideration each and every person in our parish community, not just the members of our inner circle.
The story of the Good Samaritan, also in the Gospel of Luke, shows a gesture of hospitality when the Good Samaritan cares for the wounded person by mounting him on his own animal and taking him to an inn. According to the story, when it comes to who my neighbor is, cultural, social, or religious identities are irrelevant. The lesson that the scholar of the law learned is that we are all neighbors. Yes, at MHT, we all bear different and important cultural, social, linguistic, professional, and other identities, but we are also all neighbors—brothers and sisters, members of the same Body of Christ.
If you look at the priorities of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan that I mentioned in my most recent letter, you will see that creating a parish culture of welcome and hospitality is one of the main objectives of the plan. So, let us continue to foster a welcoming and hospitable parish community by the way we interact with one another.
On September 21, the Diocese has chosen MHT for the annual celebration of the Mass for Immigrants and Refugees. This will be a multilingual celebration and an opportunity to come together in solidarity with so many people in our country who feel threatened by the prevailing anti-immigrant climate. The celebration of the Mass will be at 5:30 PM.
Finally, I want to thank all the people who have welcomed and shown hospitality to me since my arrival. You have made me feel at home in this, our parish.
Fr. Elias Puentes, S.J.
Pastor
