With expressions of gratitude, joy, and nostalgia, the community of the Shrine of the Sacred Heart Parish offered a heartfelt tribute to Bishop-elect Emilio Biosca Agüero, OFM Cap., who celebrated his final Mass as pastor of the well-known Washington parish after being appointed by Pope Leo XIV as the third bishop of the Diocese of Venice, Florida.
In an atmosphere filled with love and thanksgiving, and with the church packed for the Sunday noon Mass on June 21, Bishop-elect Biosca offered a sincere message of gratitude to the faithful, who, united in faith and fraternity, “always knew how to face difficulties over the past seven years,” growing stronger as a true community of faith.
“I am very proud to have been in this parish all these years and very grateful to God,” said Bishop-elect Biosca in his homily. “I truly did not know why I had been sent here from Cuba, but later I came to understand that my mission was to accompany this vibrant community,” he added.
Bishop-elect Biosca Agüero, a Capuchin Franciscan missionary, arrived at Sacred Heart in 2019 after serving in Cuba and Papua New Guinea. Since then, he has worked alongside parishioners to navigate challenges, including the complexities of recent times marked by restrictive immigration policies.
“All the priests who pass through here leave deeply grateful for the experience of living among people from many different countries. Each person brings their own story and culture, and here everyone is integrated. Today our parishioners are marrying one another, blending nationalities, and in this way the Church continues to grow,” he said.
He noted that God grants priests a period of time to shepherd a flock, a time that leaves their hearts “deeply marked,” forming a lasting spiritual memory that accompanies them wherever they go.
“If my first assignment as a priest in New Guinea—in the mountains and jungles among indigenous communities—profoundly shaped my priesthood, then certainly the Sacred Heart community has marked and will always mark my heart as I begin my ministry as bishop of the Diocese of Venice,” he said.
He also emphasized that Sacred Heart parishioners “are Catholics who love their Church, because it is an open and generous Church, something priests quickly recognize.” He added, “It is beautiful to see how everyone is invited to serve—whether cooking, cleaning, organizing, teaching catechesis, reading, ushering, or making music. This spirit goes back to the very founding of the parish, and its history is beautiful.”
Voices from Sacred Heart parishioners
Flor Díaz, who is from El Salvador and has been a parishioner for 14 years, expressed mixed emotions about the priest’s departure.
“The news of his leaving filled us with sadness, but also with great joy knowing that a bishop has come from our parish,” she said, highlighting his closeness to the immigrant community. “He has been a great support for us. My family has experienced immigration pressures firsthand, and we always found in him a pastor who was close and supportive.”
Díaz, who serves in the liturgy ministry, underscored his personal accompaniment during difficult moments. “He is a pastor who is present, who sits with you and walks with you in your pain. I ask the Holy Spirit to guide his steps and continue blessing his ministry,” she added.
Regarding the participation of children and young people in the celebration held in his honor, Díaz noted the special attention he gave them. “He always was available for them. We have youth groups, teen ministries, and catechesis programs, and we are proud because he was attentive and available to all his parishioners.”
Araceli Mejía, a member of the Committee of El Salvador del Mundo, also expressed her gratitude for Bishop-elect Biosca’s pastoral leadership and the impact of his teaching.
“First of all, I give thanks to God for Father Emilio’s life. I am incredibly grateful because he has done so much for our Church, but what impacted me most was the use of the book The Faith Explained. We have been part of that program since it began,” she said.
Mejía emphasized the accompaniment provided through parish ministries. “We serve in a group that helps prepare people to receive the sacraments, and we also support married couples. His teachings have been an immense help, and we feel he leaves us with a valuable legacy in faith formation,” she added.
She also expressed confidence in his new role as bishop. “We are happy for everything he has done here, and we hope he will do much good there. With God’s help, he will have the wisdom needed to move forward,” she said.
Miguel Ángel Chinchilla, originally from Guatemala and an active member of several parish groups, highlighted Bishop-elect Biosca’s impact on the community.
“This celebration outside the parish is a clear example of the love the entire Sacred Heart community has for Father Emilio,” he said. “Since his arrival, the parish has grown both in numbers and spiritually. He has been a pastor who welcomed everyone and always guided us along the right path.”
He added that the priest’s legacy will mark a turning point in parish life. “We are happy for him, but also sad because we are losing a great pastor who made history during these seven years,” he said.
For Elena Carranza of Mexico, Father Emilio has been “a blessing” during her time at the parish.
“When I arrived five years ago, I was facing difficult personal situations, and here I found in him emotional and spiritual support. He reached out to me when I needed it most,” she said.
“I wish him all the best in this new mission, because he is prepared and will continue to give himself with the same love to his people.”
As mariachi music animated the celebration outside the church, Carranza reflected on his pastoral style. “He was a pastor who walked with his people, who understood their problems and accompanied his flock to face them together. That has been a great lesson for all of us,” she said.
Amid a context marked by immigration raids affecting the community, she underscored his closeness during tough times. “We have suffered, especially families separated by deportations, and Father Emilio was always by our side. He made us feel that we belonged to this parish, loved and supported in our faith,” she said.
Luis Cartagena, a parishioner for more than 20 years, highlighted Bishop-elect Biosca’s dedication and leadership.
“We will miss Father Emilio very much. He is a man of God, a hard worker, and I thank God because he had to work hard here,” he said.
Cartagena especially recalled efforts during the pandemic to sustain parish life. “The priest and the community did everything possible to return to in-person celebrations so parishioners could receive Communion,” he said.
He also noted the mixed emotions surrounding his departure. “It is a mix of feelings: we are sad because we are saying goodbye to a great pastor, but also happy for him and for the Church, because now he will serve others, as he did here,” he said.
Cipriana Herrera, also from El Salvador and living in the United States for 26 years, said Bishop-elect Biosca “was a great pastor, deeply loved at Sacred Heart.”
“What I like most is that he is a pastor who gets involved in people’s struggles. He won not only my heart but that of many because of his way of being and his closeness to parishioners,” she said.
She recalled his leadership during tough times. “During the pandemic, when we began returning to church, Father Biosca and the parish volunteers organized things so everyone could attend and receive Communion again,” she noted.
She also offered her best wishes. “I wish him every success in the world, that he continues to grow in his mission and help others as he has done since leaving Cuba,” she added.
José Henríquez and María González, parishioners for about a decade, said Bishop-elect Biosca “will be greatly missed,” while expressing joy that faithful in the Diocese of Venice “will benefit from his human qualities and his virtues as a pastor.”
The ordination and installation of Bishop-elect Emilio Biosca Agüero as the third bishop of the Diocese of Venice will take place on Saturday, July 11, 2026.
