APRIL 27, 2026 FATHER MICHAEL COUTTS
“I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold; they too must be brought together.”
In 1989, I was privileged to go to Jerusalem and then to visit the town of Joppa. We could not do that today, but this visit marked one of the turning points in the history of the early Church.
At that time, there was deep concern about what was considered clean and unclean, and especially about what was forbidden to eat. Remember, these were the days before pasteurization and refrigeration, so it made sense that certain foods were banned. There were real dangers—E. coli disasters, for example. Even today, Hindus, Muslims, and Jews have foods that are considered not to be kosher.
Ironically, when doctors and scientists tell us something is not safe to eat, we often disobey and take the risk. We saw the consequences of this during COVID‑19, when millions died because advice from doctors and scientists was ignored. But when God says, “This is not to be eaten,” we take that risk at our own peril. Then, we obey.
Today we hear that beautiful story of the Good Shepherd: “I lay down my life for my sheep.” Just last week, we observed Vocation Week, when the Good Shepherd calls people to be priests, religious, married, or single. Reflecting on this made me think deeply about my own vocation.
In February, I was very fortunate to travel to Goa, to the place where the body of Saint Francis Xavier is kept. When I arrived, I intended to pray for the people of the TV Mass community. I was dismayed that I could not light a candle. At Lourdes, candles are lit in the open air, so it is not a problem. But inside this church, the darkness and smoke would make it impossible to keep the space clean.
Instead, I went to a corner and prayed quietly for the TV Mass community. I prayed for the people in Canada, travelling in my heart through every province, from Newfoundland to British Columbia. Then I went down to the United States, where the largest part of our TV family lives. I remembered some of the sponsors who supported this Mass, especially those from California and Florida.
From there, my prayers went to the Middle East, then all the way to Australia and New Zealand. Without even realizing it, this family has come together. It is a family bound together by our shared faith, warmed by the faithfulness of its members.
One of the most special moments for me was visiting the small town of Bardez in Goa. I was ordained on July 13, 1973. Three days later, my father brought me to this village. This was where he—and his parents, grandparents, and ancestors—had lived, prayed, and been baptized. They belonged to a small mission church, the Church of Saint Sebastian, which can barely hold 35 to 50 people.
My father brought me there with great pride, to present to the village his eldest son who had become a priest. His three brothers had also entered the seminary. One became a priest in Lahore, while the other two died during seminary because of the plague in 1918.
This time, instead of my father bringing me, it was my mother’s cousin, 90‑year‑old Fernando Evandro Ribeiro, along with his daughter Sunita, who accompanied me and presented me to the church. The church is lovingly cared for by Mrs. Sharmila Albuquerque, who keeps it beautiful. She asked me, “Would you mind celebrating Mass here?”
That moment gave me goosebumps. Tears came down my cheeks, and I was not ashamed. As I celebrated Mass for these 35 or 40 people, I realized how blessed I was. Fifty‑two years ago, I celebrated my first Mass. Now, once again, I stood at the altar. Looking at the people, I said, “This is my family. This is the TV Mass family.”
After Mass, I returned to Panjim and sat at a coffee shop, simply soaking in the experience. A couple approached me and said, “Are you—?” I knew what they were about to ask, and I said, “Yes.”
They told me, “We are from New Zealand, now settled in Australia. Our names are Jane, Joan, and John Bell. And fancy meeting you, a Canadian, here in Goa.”
In a special way, our family has come together—and it remains special. As Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “There are many sheep that do not belong to this fold.” Yet they, too, belong to one fold.
As I reflected on my vocation, I remembered Father John Newton, who now lives in Oshawa. He once said that if you want to be a good priest, it is not important that you preach brilliantly or write erudite books. What matters is that you live out Psalm 24: “Who shall ascend the mountain of the Lord? One with clean hands and a pure heart.”
I also realized that much of my life has reflected Psalm 1. I have walked in the company of sinners and followed the path of the wicked. Yet the Good Shepherd never abandons you. He never leads you astray. He stays with you, forgives you, brings you back into the fold, and says, “Come back to me. Long have I waited for your return, so that you may live a good life.”
And so my prayer is the prayer of the psalmist:
“Like a deer that longs for flowing streams,
so my soul longs for you, my God.”
God bless you all.
