My Dear Friends:

Twenty years ago, I started an exercise with my 8th grade students that soon became a hallmark of my observance of Thanksgiving Day: write down in no particular order, and in a prayerful and sometimes playful way, the 100 things I was thankful for. My students would write theirs during class or spend more time pondering it and sometimes going really deep at home. I would take all their lists and compile a list of 100 things from what they gave me to share with them this week. Over the years, these lists have helped me peer into the hearts of my students a little deeper as they’ve written insightful, meditative and sometimes very hilarious things. It is one of the highlights of my year with any 8th grade class. And then when I’m done pouring over their lists, I then proceed to write out my list which is parts reflective, repetitive, and yes, goofy. In other words, it reflects who I am. Some years it has been harder to write out this list than others, but the reminder is always there: a Christian should always have a grateful heart and have at least 100 things to be thankful for on Thanksgiving Day.

Earlier this week, I sent a message to our dedicated parish staff and to Sister Rosalie asking them to drop everything that they were doing, say a prayer, and to list the top ten things that they were thankful for this Thanksgiving. Here are some of the things they shared with me:

My son, My wife and daughter, Organs and music, my dog Cody, my job, my parents, my pastor, friends, good teachers and mentors, 32 ft. Basson, my family, my coworkers, close friends, my pet, freedom, technology, my home, nature, health, my house, this new day, what tomorrow brings, my students, my mentor teacher, my past relationships, St Theresa and Little Flower, the Love of God and the Eucharist, the shut-ins I visit and take Jesus in the Eucharist, my students that they continue to bring me closer to God’s Love, God’s abundant food, good cool weather, brides and grooms, Blessed Mother and the rosary, my nieces and nephews and their children who give me so much love, My husband, son, 3 daughters and my grandson, family’s health and safety, gift of faith, our Priests, all clergy, our Pope, Religious, our Mother Church, the gift of ministries I serve with my family, to serve God and His people, my Holy Matrimony, the opportunity to take care of my Mother until her passing in 2023, knowing and serving God with all at COTLF through our work, God’s mercy and love of my youngest sister who is very sick and safety of her two young adults, )For the opportunity to serve at a Catholic school and church and to serve God here in the ways he paves for me, for Lulu & for my Nonna, For all of you – my family. I love you all beyond words, for the amazing life that I live here with all of the things we have at our disposal, for my new family – this crazy Cuban clan I married into but I love them so much, for my platforms – that I’m able to use it to bring people together, raise awareness’s and spread love and hope, for the challenges that are brought into my life, for I know God chooses certain battles for his soldiers, for the opportunity to create everlasting memories and futures for people, for the upbringing that I’ve had, for it made me who I was today, for my parents & brother, that we had so many special memories growing up that I’ll cherish forever, for the Dolphins, Marlins, Heat, Panthers, St. John’s…when they win only, Thankful to God for his infinite care, for having my daughter, for my husband, for my family, for having my beautiful grandmother, for my beautiful friends, thankful because my brother is recovering from his terrible accident, for my dog Mia, my home, for my job, I’m thankful for God, Karimsito, Cameron, Karim Papá, Maru, my work family, this country, to belong to a parish that has 6 priests in residence, I mean isn’t that amazing? 6 priests!, the never-ending quest to finally answer the question, “what’s next?”, my wife, who somehow manages to out-do herself every day, 2 happy and healthy kids that make every day a unique adventure, grandmas and grandpas who take those 2 hurricanes off our hands for a few hours, the beautiful sound of children praying in unison, working at this parish, which never really feels like its ever “just work”, sitting back after a day of holy chaos and just thinking, “we did a good thing today…”, watching teams of volunteers go all-in on a passion project, starting all over again on attempting to answer, “what’s next?”, the 30-seconds of prayerful silence I give myself before getting to work on whatever that is, for my Carmelite Vocation, Mother Luisita, and Jesus my spouse! I love Him to eternity and back, Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, Holy Mother Church, my local community who have been there for me as we journey to the heights of Carmelite together, my parish community, especially all who work in the Parish Center who have been a joy to work with, my pastor, Fr. Manny, for his support and priestly & brotherly friendship and allowing me to be and appreciate myself, my blood family and the ability to be a great- aunt, all the teachers, staff and administration at STS—Gloria and Nancy for your integrity, love and support for over 20 years, you are another family to me, HORSES!, The Dodgers!!, all the STS families, advisory and Home & school boards who have been friends and benefactors! You have shown what it is to sacrifice and give from your hearts! My family of origin, with all their sins and virtues, God’s patience towards my sins, my neurosis and complexes, which help me to stay grounded, for being who I am, I guess, my Neocatechumenal communities, both here and in my parish of origin in Italy, and the patience my brothers and sisters have with me, all the priests and catechists who helped me and are still helping me, being a priest, being a priest in this parish, the honor of evangelizing, this day and the possibility to live it, the crosses in life, which help me to never settle down, in the end, because Christ rose from death!

I imagine that you figured out that Sister Rosalie and Fr. David wrote the last twenty or so things in that long paragraph. Our staff really went deep in some of the things they were thankful for, and you may be asking, and what is your pastor thankful for? Well, for the Church of Little Flower, that I get to be her pastor, that I get to work with such dedicated people, that they always have my back, that the Carmelite Sisters pray for me every day, that I get to celebrate Mass in such a beautiful church every day, for the sacrament of reconciliation, for long periods of silence when the phone doesn’t ring, reading the Thanksgiving lists of our students, for our parish and school children, for the members of our parish community who give so much of their time, talent, and treasure to build up the Kingdom of God, and for Our Lord calling me to be a priest because it allows me the opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving at the altar with all of you!

Happy Thanksgiving!