By Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami

Homily by Archbishop Thomas Wenski at Funeral Mass for Fr. John Peloso. St. Edward Catholic Church. March 13, 2026.

My condolences to the Peloso family, his siblings, nieces and nephews, to his priest classmates, and to any who were touched by this priest’s gentle ministry whether here at St. Edwards, or San Pedro in the Keys or the other parishes where he served.  

Many of you may remember Father John’s famous phrase, 'True Story'. In his preaching – which he always prepared well - he didn't just share abstract theology; he shared the lived reality of God’s presence in everyday “true stories”. He showed us that our own lives are 'true stories' being written by the hand of a loving Creator."  

And Father John lived his life as a "True Story" of God’s grace. His brother, Michael, his twin brother, described him as a “regular person”, an “ordinary guy”.  For me, it’s hard to think of someone who was a deep-sea diver and who had a winning career as a kickboxer as a regular person or ordinary guy.  But I know what you meant, Michael. And as a priest, he embraced an extraordinary and demanding vocation, but he never forgot who he was.  He was, in the words of Pope Francis, someone, who as a priest, built bridges and not walls.  With warmth, humor, and a quiet humility he made the divine accessible to everyone.  

Through his efforts – and, of course, through the stewardship of the parishioners of St. Edwards, this parish was able to pay off its mortgage.  And I was here to join in the mortgage burning.  Retiring the mortgage was important of course because as they say in the business world, “no margin, no mission”.  And Father Peloso was certainly invested in the mission as the 44 ministries he nurtured here at St. Edward’s show. John’s mission was always the same: to point others toward the heart of Jesus.  

A priest offers the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass every day.  And Sacrifice is the condition of a priest’s life. For Father John Peloso, the priesthood was not a career, but a total gift of self in imitation of Jesus’ own gift of self on Calvary. That sacrifice, that gift of self, that is the essence of the priesthood, took on a new dimension for John in these last several years as his health failed and he endured great physical pain and suffering and thus shared in Christ’s own saving Passion. 

Father John was a man of remarkable humor and kindness, even when he walked his own Way of the Cross. He often performed quiet acts of service while in severe physical pain, never letting his own struggles overshadow the needs of his parishioners.  But his declining health forced him to retire but even in his final years, marked by severe pain, he continued to perform acts of kindness, reflecting a spirit that was "alive, awake, and complete".   He taught us that joy is not the absence of suffering, but the presence of God within it. 

We pray that the Lord, whom he served so faithfully at the altar, now welcomes him to the eternal banquet where every tear is wiped away.  Jesus now says to him:  'Well done, good and faithful servant'.   True Story!