T
he Reverend Efrain Bautista ‘10 (San Diego) was ordained to the priesthood three years ago. After serving for just under two years as an associate, he was named pastor of one of the largest parishes in his diocese.
space is a constant issue. The parish is currently running a capital campaign to build larger facilities to accommodate the life of its flourishing community.
Located in the city of Vista, about an hour north of the Mexican border, Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church is a vibrant, multicultural parish. Mass is offered in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, and the parish also boasts large Italian and Filipino communities. Two associate priests and five permanent deacons assist Fr. Bautista with the demanding liturgical schedule: two vigil Masses on Saturdays (one in Spanish) and seven Sunday Masses (three in Spanish, one in Vietnamese). “Our church seats 1,000 people, and because we are so full we are required to have overflow at some of our weekend Masses in our parish hall,” Fr. Bautista observed.
Manning the helm of this massive ship is a daunting prospect for a priest ordained just three years ago. Fr. Bautista acknowledges the importance of his time in formation at the North American College in preparing him to take on so many responsibilities. “There was always so much which needed to be done—Rector’s conferences, studying, going to school, formation evenings. It forced me (and, I think, all seminarians) to manage our schedules as best we could. There was a need to include all these things, in addition to prayer, which is of the utmost importance. This has allowed me to balance my schedule in such a busy parish, making sure that I work on everything that I need to get done on a daily basis.”
Liturgical duties are not all that occupy Fr. Bautista and his associates. “In addition to our Mass schedule, we offer many different ministries, including Bible studies, Word and Worship, girl scout and boy scout groups, a Knights of Columbus council, ministries to the homebound, a sack lunch ministry that provides an average of 100 lunches Monday through Saturday to those in need, a soup kitchen, and a women’s guild, to name just a few.” The parish also has a school, providing a Catholic education from preschool through eighth grade. With so many things going on and so many parishioners,
During his time at the North American College, Fr. Bautista completed his first-cycle studies at the Gregorian University, followed by a master’s degree in dogma at the Angelicum. In addition to classroom learning, Rome itself provided an important experience of the universal Church for Fr. Bautista: “Studying in Rome allowed me to see the Church universal—people from every part of the world—and to see how much the Church is alive. While there was much to learn from each of the classes we attended, walking in the city and encountering and speaking to people is something that I still miss today.
Rev. Efrain Bautista ‘10, Diocese of San Diego is a recent alumnus of the North American College as is currently serving as pastor of St. Francis Catholic Church in Vista, Calif.
Also, our closeness to the Successor of Peter—being present and listening to our Holy Father—is an experience that can never be forgotten or replaced.” To current seminarians in Rome, Fr. Bautista offered the following advice: “Remain steadfast in prayer and studies, because the Church in the United States needs holy priests to serve those who thirst and hunger for God. Try to absorb as much you can in Rome, because everything you receive there will come in handy when you return home to minister in your diocese.” To learn more about Saint Francis Catholic Church, check out their website, at http://stfrancis-vista.org. 2013 • Issue 5
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