Bulletin Week July 25, 2021

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From the Desk of Fr. Matthew Ibok

 Glory to God!

I join our Pastor Fr. Tetlow and Fr. Hill in thanking you for the warm welcome we received when we arrived here. My assignment to the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Augustine is providential. When I finished my graduate studies in South Florida, my bishop gave me permission to take some period of time to have pastoral experience in a parish setting in the United States. I immediately dedicated time to praying for God’s guidelines to choose a fitting diocese.  At the end of the prayer, I came up with two options: St. Augustine and Palm Beach dioceses. I chose Palm Beach because of reasons such as proximity to Miami where I spent six years of studies, and personal experience with the culture and weather of South Florida. I chose St. Augustine because of its historical, spiritual, cultural, and socio-political significance to the United States, among other reasons. When I saw myself in a dilemma with those two options, I consulted Fr. Michael Davis, the then pastor of Little Flower Church, Coral Gables in Miami Archdiocese where I was in residence, and he recommended St. Augustine because of the reasons I have already indicated above. When I finally landed in this diocese, my dream was fulfilled. I am happy to be in the oldest city in this country and walk on the ground of the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche, the first place the Catholic Mass was celebrated in the U.S. Behold, I now serve as a priest in the oldest Parish. God’s providence indeed! I am looking forward to knowing more of the history of the Cathedral, the mission of the maiden missionaries, and all of you keeping the traditions of the great men and women who worshipped in the same Church we are now: a Church that everybody who comes to town desires to visit. Do not hesitate to stop me for conversation when necessary. Remain blessed in the Lord.

Father Matthew