My Dear Friends, Christmas 2017

I have heard from so many of you that you did not get my 2016 Christmas letter. Plain and simple, there was no Christmas letter last year. Certain family health and death issues took priority.

God’s Love and Peace to you and your family in 2017.

I continue to enjoy retirement from 45 years of active duty in various parishes. I retired in 2014 and now have the time to do much more carnival ministry across the nation and to do my tours as well. I am in Iowa from May through September and then in Florida October through April. I am happy to help out in parishes covering for priests on vacation or who are ill or otherwise predisposed. In Florida I am on the staff of Saint Anne Catholic Church in Ruskin, Florida, which is just south of Tampa on the west coast of Florida. This is a large parish family and I am happy to be of assistance with Masses, Baptisms, Funerals, Confessions and Hospital Calls. This parish has the annual influx of “snowbirds” from the north which swells its numbers during the cold weather months. Hurricance Irma slammed this area with 85 mph winds. Lots of trees down. My little home survived I think in large part since my guardian angel was working overtime plus it was built according to the hurricane building codes. My heart goes out to the families and the field workers whose housing in many cases are damaged.

I continue to do my carnival ministry (48 years) and this past summer I was notified by the Vatican that Pope Francis was honoring 17 chaplains to “People on the Move”. My sister, Jan Masteller, accompanied me to Rome and it was an honor to meet Pope Francis who, among other things, told me to tell all carnival workers “thank you for providing family entertainment to all God’s children”. It is easy to see why Pope Francis has such an enormous positive and spiritual impact on the Church and all the people of the world. He reiterated to priests that we are all called to get out from behind our desks and “get dirty and smelly along with our people”. There were a few other carnival and fair folks there in attendance. I also had a chance to meet with dear friends of mine who live in Rome. Francesco and Maria Valsecchi and one of their sons were in attendance as well. I met them when I was previously on a sabbatical program at the Vatican.

I continue to lead tour and pilgrimages. What a great way to travel, have a great time and grow in our faith. This is the centennial year for Fatima and so I just returned with a group of 66 people from an 11- daypilgrimage to Spain,Portugal and France November 3-13, 2017, where we visited two wonders of our faith at Fatima and Lourdes as well enjoyed a wonderful time in Spain, Portugal and southern France.

Upcoming tours: April 30 to May 11, 2018 is my 12-day Springtime Tour of Poland and Eastern Europe including Budapest, Hungary; Prague, Czech Republic; Vienna, Austria; Warsaw and Krakow, Poland. This is the ideal time for Eastern Europe as they are proud of how they have risen from the ashes of WWII and they continue to showcase themselves to the world. I have been putting this together for the past few years and now, including special visits and so this is the time to go and I am very proud of this trip. This also includes the infamous Auschwitz Prison Camp. My family on my mother’s side came from southern Poland and we will stop in that town and have Mass in their parish church in Musczyna. This is filling up fast and seats are limited.

November 5-15, 2018 we will have an 11-day Grand Tour of Italy. This will include Venice, (O Sole Mio!), Padua (Remember Saint Anthony, patron saint of lost items?), Florence (cultural capital of the world), Assisi (this will be like a mini retreat) and then Rome and an audience with Pope Francis. In Rome we will visit St Peter’s Basilica as well as the three other basilicas, catacombs (underground Christian tombs), Vatican Museum, Trevi Fountain, and much more, as well as free time to explore as you wish. I have requested to celebrate a Holy Mass with my group at St Peter’s Basilica and the Catacombs in addition to many other inspirational places. Along the way we will make a stop at the home of long time dear friends of mine, Mr. and Mrs.Alfeo Moser. They and their family have a superior worldwide reputation in the design and manufacture of carnival and amusement park rides. Moser Rides Inc. They will host us for a reception in their factory and we will have Mass in their local parish church which dates back to the 16th century. This is going to fill up fast and so this trip is on a first-come first-served basis. Seats are limited.

As usual, all my trips include round trip air, first class hotels, most meals, daily Mass, daily tours, entrance fees, luxury coach with Wi-Fi, porterage and transfers and all government taxes/airline surcharges. These are leisurely tours where we take our time to enjoy ourselves and some very special historical places and wonders. If you would like more information please call, write, or email me and I will be happy to send you all the particulars. Seating is limited and my trips usually fill up fast. In addition you may access the basic brochure of each trip at

I wish you the finest of God’s blessings and love. I am so blessed by your love and support and friendship. It is always great to communicate with you. It is so heartwarming when so many of you stop by to say hello or call. If you wish to have your name removed from my address or email list please let me know. I will be happy to take care of that.

My Christmas prayer for you is that you and your family receive the gift of renewed Hope, an abundant Love, and a Peace that extends well beyond Christmas day. Merry Christmas to you and always remember that God Loves You! May the Lord be with you to protect you. May he guide you and give you strength. May he watch over you and hold you in his loving and tender care. You and your families will be remembered in all my Christmas Masses.

In the words of Saint Mother Theresa of Calcutta,

“God has not called me to be successful; He calledme to be faithful.”

Blessings always,

Father John Vakulskas, Jr.

PO Box 904

Ruskin FL 33575 712.490.8047