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성직자나 성당 사목을 대표하는 관리자에 의한 성적 학대의 피해자
인 경우, 교구청의 무료 신고 전화 번호, 1-800-364-3064 및 관할
지역 법 집행 기관에 전화하십시오.
Rosary Beads
If you would like to share a photo of your Rosary Beads with our readers, please send a photo and brief description.
Include your name and parish to: editor@occatholic.com
7
10
12
MARCH
15, 2026
PARISHIONERS CELEBRATE IRISH HERITAGE YEAR ROUND
Irish step dancing is a competitive and intense element of Gaelic culture.
FISH FRY AT THE MISSION
On Fridays during Lent, Mission Basilica parishioners gather for great food and fellowship.
DIOCESAN ARCHIVIST TELLS STORY OF THE CHURCH
Fr. Christopher Heath oversees the history of the diocese, sorting through artifacts and preserving history.
14 A GOOD FATHER
St. Joseph was a father to Jesus in all ways temporal, raising the child with love and faith.
ORANGE COUNTY CATHOLIC MISSION STATEMENT
The Orange County Catholic Newspaper seeks to illuminate and animate the journey of faith for Catholics within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange – building solidarity among the faithful and inviting a deeper understanding and involvement in the mission of Christ – through the timely sharing of news, commentary and feature content in an engaging, accessible and compelling format.
ORANGE COUNTY CATHOLIC
The Official Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange Diocese of Orange Pastoral Center, 13280 Chapman Ave., Garden Grove 92840
Publisher: The Most Reverend Kevin W. Vann, Bishop of Orange
Director of Custom Content: Caroline Wong, cawong@scng.com
SCNG CUSTOM CONTENT
Managing Editor: Caitlin Adams Art Director: Ryann Beveridge
Delivered weekly to parishes and homes throughout Orange County, Calif., Orange County Catholic is published by SCNG Custom Content, a division of Southern California News Group that offers content development and design expertise to businesses and nonprofit institutions. The Orange County Catholic editorial staff and editorial council are responsible for the content contained herein. Events and products advertised in Orange County Catholic do not carry the implicit endorsement of the Diocese of Orange or SCNG Custom Content.
ROSARY BEADS
READER CALL-OUT
I wanted to share a picture of my mom’s Rosary Beads. My mother Mercedes Mercado has been praying the Rosary since she was a young girl. Whenever we were on a road trip we would pray the Rosary together. To this day my mother and father pray the Rosary at least three times a day. My mother keeps the black beaded Rosary under her pillow.
—Tina Holguin, St. Mary Catholic Church in Fullerton.
If you would like to share a photo of your Rosary Beads with our readers, please send a photo and brief description (include your name and parish) to: Editor@occatholic.com
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
MONDAY
ISAIAH 65:17-21; PSALM 30:2 AND 4, 5-6, 11-12A AND 13B; JOHN 4:43-54
TUESDAY
EZEKIEL 47:1-9, 12; PSALM 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9; JOHN 5:1-16
“ The stories of creation…bear witness that all peoples…have the same origin” — Pope Leo XIV
CLEMENT MARY HOFBAUER 1751-1820
SAINT PROFILE
ABAKER, CZECH-BORN JOHANNES Hofbauer, after a period of solitary living and wandering between Rome and Vienna, established the Redemptorists north of the Alps and is considered the order's second founder. He was ordained a Redemptorist priest at age 34 and served in Poland for 20 years, until 1808, when Napoleon suppressed religious orders. He spent the rest of his life in Vienna, battling state control of the church, establishing a Catholic college, and working behind the scenes at the Congress of Vienna. He is the patron saint of Vienna.C
WEDNESDAY
ISAIAH 49:8-15; PSALM 145:8-9, 13CD-14, 17-18; JOHN 5:17-30
THURSDAY
2 SAMUEL 7:4-5A, 12-14A, 16; PSALM 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 AND 29; ROMANS 4:13, 16-18, 22; MATTHEW 1:16, 18-21, 24A
FRIDAY
WISDOM 2:1A, 12-22; PSALM 34:17-18, 19-20, 21 AND 23; JOHN 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
PHOTOS: CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE, SHUTTERSTOCK
SATURDAY
JEREMIAH 11:1820; PSALM 7:2-3, 9BC-10, 11-12; JOHN 7:40-53
FACING ALS, MATER DEI COACH FINDS STRENGTH IN FAITH, FAMILY
BY LOU PONSI
WHEN JOHNNY Rodriguez took over as lacrosse coach at Mater Dei High School in 2015, he passed on to his players the skills he developed as a lifelong athlete who competed at the highest levels.
Instilling solid Christian values along with the technical skills, Rodriguez transformed a once-struggling program into a perennial winner, earning recognition at the national level.
Today, as Rodriguez, 37, fights the battle of his life, the husband and father of three is relying on his faith like never before.
In October 2023, Rodriguez was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS, a fatal neurodegenerative disease that leads to muscle weakness, paralysis and ultimately respiratory failure and death.
ALS is also referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s disease,” named for the Hall of Fame baseball player, whose career and life were cut short by the neurodegenerative disease.
The diagnosis came just days after Rodriguez’s wife, Cristina, told him she was pregnant with the couple’s second child.
“And so, I was in a moment where the doctor was talking and my life is just spinning around in my brain,” Rodriguez recalled. “And I’m just thinking about my wife telling me a couple of days before that she was pregnant with our second child and how awesome it was.”
When he shared the diagnosis with his team, Rodriguez started by gathering the players and coaches in the chapel on the Mater Dei campus to make the announcement.
“There was definitely plenty of tears shed from the coaching staff to the players and a lot of confusion,” said Monarchs lacrosse coach Knute Kraus, a former college teammate and longtime friend of Rodriguez. “It was, I think, a very fitting
place for that news to be broken for the kids.”
Rodriguez had already stepped down as head coach and taken on the role of assistant coach even before the diagnosis in order to devote more time to his family.
Within days of the team meeting, Rodriguez had spiraled into a deep depression, struggling with the realization that his strength, independence and future with his young family were being robbed.
Rodriguez played lacrosse and ice hockey at an all-boys Catholic high school in Baltimore, Maryland, and lettered in both sports at Salisbury University.
Tapping into his faith, he Googled “Catholic churches near me” and made his way to the closest church he could find — Sts. Simon and Jude Catholic Church in Huntington Beach.
He remembered sitting in a pew and crying for three hours, sobbing so intensely that he had a headache for hours after leaving the church.
“I was just letting it all come out, praying and trying to connect in any way possible and asking for strength and hope and wisdom and purpose,” Rodriguez shared. “When I came out of that church, He picked me up and He picked the cross off my back. For 15 years, I was the one who could do everything. I didn't need any help. And finally, I let that guard down and gave up control.”
Rodriguez left church that day with a new understanding that not only was he going to go to any length to prolong his life, but he was also going to live in the present and enjoy every moment with his wife and children.
“I trust that no matter what, you're putting me in a position right now to do what's best for myself and my family,” he recalled telling God.
Johnny’s wife, Cristina, said maintaining a sense of purpose and faith, both for Johnny and the family have been invaluable in influencing their outlook and
JOHNNY RODRIGUEZ IS WITH HIS WIFE CRISTINA AND CHILDREN JET, CRUZ AND HOPE. PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHNNY RODRIGUEZ
JOHNNY RODRIGUEZ IS PICTURED WITH HIS WIFE CRISTINA AND BABY DAUGHTER HOPE. PHOTO BY LOU PONSI
decisions, including attending Mass and instilling faith in their children.
The family’s home parish is Our Lady Queen of Angels in Newport Beach, where all three of their children Jet, 3, Cruz, 19 months old, and Hope, who is five months old, were baptized by Fr. Steve Sallot.
“You never expect it to happen to you,” Cristina said. "Him being so positive about everything and having that kind of attitude really helps us to live our lives and not have this victim mentality about the whole situation. We just go day by day."
Rodriguez had the opportunity to make a trip to Lourdes in France, a pilgrimage site for Catholics and considered to be a center for prayer, healing and hope.
Lourdes is particularly known for its baths of unheated water, where individuals immerse themselves for spiritual, physical and emotional healing.
His trip was sponsored by the Order of Malta, a Catholic order focused on helping the sick and those with disabilities.
“I go into the bath, and a statue of Mother Mary is sitting at the head of the bath,” Rodriguez said. “I start speaking out loud, praying. It was the most natural, authentic prayer. It was just so pure and
beautiful, and it was just from the heart. And I remember her statue, was now just looking at me. It was her. It was just this wild, wild moment.”
Rodriguez has also committed to being a vessel for God, sharing his journey with the hope it can help others.
He has shared his story to the student body at Mater Dei at the school’s annual Respect Life Mass.
Rodriguez has become an advocate for ALS awareness, partnering with Augie’s Quest, a nonprofit focused on ALS research and founded by Augie Nieto, a former fitness industry leader who popularized the first electronic exercise bicycle known as the Lifecycle. Nieto died from ALS in 2023 at age 65.
Through Augie’s Quest, Rodriguez then founded “Athletes vs. ALS,” with the goal of raising funds and awareness as well as to support research for ALS, specifically targeting the athletic community.
Schools, universities and friends are supporting Johnny’s efforts and holding events under the Athletes vs. ALS banner.
Rodriguez is also among the first group of individuals with ALS to participate in a newly launched study titled Champion Insights, which aims to investigate why high-performance populations, including athletes, military veterans and first responders, appear to experience higher rates of ALS.
Researchers will analyze genetic, biological and environmental factors with
the goal of identifying biomarkers and accelerating treatment development. Athletes vs. ALS has contributed $100,000 to Champion Insights, he said.
“A lot of other foundations would give money to patients and patient care,” he said. “As much as I supported that, I wanted the push to be research. I wanted to fund the research.”
Rodriguez has shared his story on local TV news shows and made an appearance on "The Jennifer Hudson Show" in 2024.
Rodriguez still reflects on the day he sat in a pew at Sts. Simon and Jude, looking for answers and then turning his life over to God.
“And I said, take me where you want me to go.” C
JOHNNY RODRIGUEZ PLAYS BALL WITH HIS YOUNG SON IN THE FAMILY’S BACKYARD. PHOTO BY LOU PONSI/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
JOHNNY RODRIGUEZ COACHES LACROSSE AT MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL. PHOTO COURTESY OF MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL
TWO DIOCESE OF ORANGE PARISHIONERS CELEBRATE THEIR IRISH
HERITAGE NOT JUST ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY, BUT ALL YEAR ROUND
BY BRITNEY ZINT
MEAGHAN BRADEN AND Madelyn Susank, sisters with Irish heritage on both sides, have traveled the world competing in Irish step dancing. Los Angeles transplants who now call St. John Vianney Catholic Church on Balboa Island and St. John the Baptist Parish in Costa Mesa home, the sisters have practiced and competed all their lives. Now, they’re teaching the next generation of Irish step dancers.
Irish dance is very unique,” Braden said. “Madelyn and I love that we have been fortunate enough to partake in this amazing sport. We can’t wait to continue to teach other children and spread our love for this, especially God willing, with
our own children one day.”
The two sisters grew up attending school and Mass at St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church in La Cañada Flintridge. Braden, the older sister, started dancing when she was 6 at the Cleary Irish Dance School. She’s been with Cleary ever since. The idea came from her godmother.
“We have Irish heritage from both parents — and my name is spelled the Irish way — so it seemed like a no-brainer!” she said.
Little sister Susank joined her big sister four years later when she was 5.
“I grew up watching Meaghan compete and went to dance competitions to support her,” Susank said. “From a young age, all I remember is wanting to do what she did.”
Irish step dancing is a competitive
sport with individual and team competitions. Both Susank and Braden love competing, especially in teams. Susank has competed across the U.S., Canada, Ireland and Scotland; she holds multiple world medals as well as national and regional titles.
“I remember my first big competition in Phoenix when I was around 6 years old and the first time I did a team with seven other little girls,” Susank said. “It was so fun. We wore these cute purple pinafore dresses with a white blouse and a purple bow. Since that moment, I always looked forward to team class and team day at competitions, no matter the size.”
Both women said they have made lifelong friendships through the sport. Susank said the experience has created
a unique bond with her teammates and teachers, and she feels like Cleary Irish Dance School is one big family.
Susank is still competing while working on her teaching credential, Teagascóir Choimisiúin le Rinci Gaelacha (TCRG), which will allow her to teach Irish step dancing. Braden earned her TCRG four years ago and teaches at an Orange County after-school program.
Since they were little girls, the sisters have spent each March performing at schools, basketball games, bars and senior-living facilities, with St. Patrick’s Day spent shuttling from show to show.
Although the sisters have slowed down on St. Patrick's Day as they get older, they still celebrate with a special meal they always eat: corned beef, cabbage, beef stew (or shepherd’s pie) and soda bread. C
SISTERS MADELYN SUSANK AND MEAGHAN BRADEN HAVE BEEN DANCING AND COMPETING IN IRISH STEP DANCING SINCE THEY WERE LITTLE GIRLS. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MEAGHAN BRADEN
DIOCESE OF ORANGE PARISHIONERS MEAGHAN BRADEN AND MADELYN SUSANK ARE DRESSED IN THE TRADITIONAL COSTUMES WORN FOR IRISH STEP DANCING.
A YOUNG MEAGHAN BRADEN POSES WITH HER AWARDS FROM IRISH STEP DANCING.
A YOUNG MADELYN SUSANK HOLDS A TROPHY SHE WON IN AN IRISH STEP DANCING COMPETITION.
ON THE MENU: HOW TO BE COMMUNITY HELPERS
BY BRITNEY ZINT
STANDING IN TWO STRAIGHT lines, the transitional kindergarteners chanted, “Hip, hip pizza!” as they patiently waited to go inside.
“Let’s go find out what chefs do,” said TK teacher Nicole Vasquez, leading the students in.
St. Hedwig Catholic School’s two TK classes spent a recent morning at California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) in Seal Beach on Feb. 24 to learn about important community helpers — chefs and other types of kitchen staff — and to engage in some hands-on, exploratory play by creating a personal pizza.
“Welcome! Are you guys ready to make some pizzas?” asked Chef Stacy Reed, manager of the CPK, as the students yelled their assent. “You’re definitely in the right place.”
Learning about community helpers and the community is the main social studies focus in TK. St. Hedwig’s two TK teachers try to get a community helper, such as a dentist, doctor or police officer, to come into the classroom every month to talk about their job, Vasquez explained.
Before the field trip, the students learned about different types of chefs: cooks, prep cooks and sous chefs, as well as the various tools they need to do their jobs. The lesson also focused on kitchen safety: washing hands and staying away from the heat, Vasquez said.
As the students trickled into the CPK dining room, they donned colorful aprons and crisp, white chef’s hats before sitting down. In front of each student was a small container of marinara sauce, sausage, pepperoni and pineapple, and a large cup of cheese.
Sonora Zea, 5, spread her marinara sauce with a spoon. While her mom helped her add cheese to the pizza, she
CONTINUES ON PAGE 9
ST. HEDWIG CATHOLIC SCHOOL TK STUDENT KAI KLAUER, 4, AND HIS DAD BILL KLAUER AT THE LOCAL
CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN IN SEAL BEACH.
ST. HEDWIG CATHOLIC SCHOOL TK STUDENT STEVIE MAGOR, RIGHT, MAKES HIS PIZZA AT THE LOCAL CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN IN SEAL BEACH ON FEB. 24. PHOTOS BY JUANITO HOLANDEZ JR./DIOCESE OF ORANGE
THE BISHOPS OF ORANGE EXTEND THEIR CONGRATULATIONS AND PRAYERS TO ARCHBISHOP GABRIELE GIORDANO CACCIA, TITULAR ARCHBISHOP OF SEPINO, ITALY, ON HIS APPOINTMENT AS THE NEW APOSTOLIC NUNCIO TO THE UNITED STATES.
used her fingers to eat the pineapple as she worked. Zea said this was her first time making pizza.
“I put some red sauce and some cheese on it,” Zea said. “It’s fun and I like making pizzas because it’s fun to cook it and make it.”
Another student hesitated to start his pizza, wanting to know if he should spread the marinara all over or maybe leave room for the crust. In the next seat, Louis Ginocchio, 5, was giving advice to his fellow chefs.
“I know the first thing about pizza,” Ginocchio declared proudly. “You have to make a circle.”
Louis’ mom, Monique Ginocchio, helped him go over the steps to make a pizza with his classmates sitting next to him. Their family makes pizzas at home. They have fun letting the kids go to town with the sauces and toppings, Monique Ginocchio said.
“I love seeing everything that we are teaching him at home transfer to school,” Monique Ginocchio said. “I like
seeing him teaching his friends how to do it.”
As half the students crafted their lunches, the others went on a tour of the kitchen.
As the staff prepped the space for opening, the students toured the walk-in fridge and dry storage area before walking by the 500-degree pizza oven — which would cook their pizzas in just seven minutes.
As the pizzas disappeared and small faces were freckled with marinara smudg-
es, a server walked in with a serving tray filled with cups of vanilla ice cream, hot fudge and colorful sprinkles, all topped with whipped cream and a cherry.
The children cheered as the sundaes were handed out.
“I love seeing their eyes light up as their pizzas come out, but what really makes me excited is when they see the dessert,” Vasquez said. “The dessert is what makes them just scream. I know that they are having a great time, and the smiles are evidence of that.” C
ST. HEDWIG CATHOLIC SCHOOL TK STUDENTS MAKE PIZZA AT THE LOCAL CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN IN SEAL BEACH ON FEB. 24. PHOTO BY JUANITO HOLANDEZ JR./DIOCESE OF ORANGE
FISH FRY AT THE MISSION
BY MEG WATERS
EACH FRIDAY DURING LENT, parishioners at Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano begin lining up outside the parish hall. By 4:30 p.m., the crowd is already forming for what has become one of the community’s most beloved traditions: the Lenten fish fry hosted by the Knights of Columbus.
Grand Knight Shane Stafford, who leads the Monsignor Paul Martin Council District 7519, along with Leo Norton, oversees the bustling operation. The council counts about 122 members, with several more men in the process of joining and completing their ceremonial degrees, known as exemplifications. For the Knights, this isn’t just a social gathering — it’s a major fundraiser that supports a long list of local charities.
“This is our main fundraiser for community groups,” Stafford explained. “We do six weeks of Lenten dinners, and we support a variety of charities in the area.”
In addition, the council organizes a successful fall golf tournament that benefits the parish school at Mission Basilica. Last year, that event enabled the Knights to donate an impressive $84,000 to the school, with previous years’ donations totaling around $60,000. The Lenten dinners, meanwhile, focus more broadly on the needs of the parish and community.
“What sets this fish fry apart from many others is the quality of the food,” said Stafford. “Rather than relying solely on bulk suppliers, the Knights partner with a local fishmonger who also provides seafood to well-known restaurants in the area. Diners can choose classic fried fish, shrimp, fish sticks and French fries — perennial favorites with fami-
LUCY MEDINA OF ALISO VIEJO FEEDS HER GRANDDAUGHTER, LUCY CHOATE, 2, DURING A MISSION BASILICA FISH FRY IN SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO.
CLAIR MUSHEN OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO SITS WITH HER KIDS, DAVID MUSHEN, JIM MUSHEN AND MARY ANN MUSHEN, FROM LEFT, WHILE CELEBRATING HER 104TH BIRTHDAY AT A MISSION BASILICA PARISH FISH FRY. PHOTOS BY JEFF ANTENORE/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
lies and children — or opt for restaurant-quality salmon and tilapia.”
“You can have a restaurant-quality fish dinner,” Stafford added, noting that it’s all offered in a parish setting that emphasizes fellowship and faith.
On a typical Friday, the Knights serve around 200 meals. About 120 to 150 tickets are sold at the door, and many parishioners purchase multiple dinners for their families. After paying at the entrance, guests receive a numbered ticket and find a seat with friends. Volunteers, acting as runners, bring orders to the kitchen window and deliver hot plates to the tables as they are ready.
The atmosphere inside the hall is warm and lively but intentionally simple. In past years, the Knights experimented with background music, but they discovered that opinions differed about volume and style. Now, the evening leans more toward conversation and community building. Announcements highlight upcoming parish events, and, when his schedule allows, Monsignor Michael McKiernan, pastor of Mission Basilica, joins the gathering to offer a blessing and visit with parishioners.
Stafford, who has been involved with the Knights for several years, notes that the tradition dates back long before his time in San Juan Capistrano. He has lived in the area for 13 years,
though the Lenten dinners have been a feature of parish life for even longer. For many families, attending the fish fry has become an annual ritual that marks the penitential season — a chance to share a meatless meal after a day of fasting and abstinence.
Beyond the numbers and logistics, what truly distinguishes the Mission Basilica fish fry is the sense of belonging it creates. Parishioners gather across generations, catching up with old friends, meeting new faces and sometimes celebrating special milestones. This year, among the guests was 104-year-old Claire Mushen, surrounded by her children and extended family, a living reminder of faith, perseverance and the bonds of community that define parish life.
As Stafford put it with a smile, there may not be live entertainment, but there is something richer: “You show up, sit with your friends and eat. It’s about building community.”
For Mission San Juan Capistrano, the Lenten fish fry is more than a meal – it is a weekly feast of fellowship, generosity and grace. C
FRIENDS MARICELLA MORENO OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, JO ANN MARTINEZ OF DANA POINT, JENNIE WEATHERHOLT OF SAN JUAN
CAPISTRANO, SUZANNE PITT OF DANA POINT AND JANICE SCHMIT OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, FROM LEFT, SIT TOGETHER DURING A MISSION
BASILICA FISH FRY IN SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO ON FEB. 27.
BILL MILLARD, LEFT, VOLUNTEER CHEF, AND PAST GRAND KNIGHT FOR THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, HANDS AN ORDER TO VOLUNTEER FOOD RUNNER JAYDEN REYES DURING A MISSION BASILICA PARISH FISH FRY. PHOTOS BY JEFF ANTENORE/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
DIOCESAN ARCHIVIST TELLS STORY OF THE CHURCH ONE ARTIFACT AT A TIME
BY GREG MELLEN
FROM THE TIME HE was young, Fr. Christopher Heath appeared to have a relatively clean, uncluttered path to life.
He sought only to be a parish priest — to celebrate the Eucharist and to tend to the spiritual needs of his parishioners. The oldest of four boys, Fr. Chris followed that path — from altar boy to high school and seminary — leading to his ordination in 1988 in the Diocese of Orange.
For the next 33 years he happily served as a parish priest.
Then, in 2021, Fr. Chris was appointed by Bishop Kevin Vann as archivist of the diocese, where he replaced Fr. Bill Krekelberg, the original archivist who had retired in 2016, leaving the position vacant.
When the appointment came, it astonished Fr. Chris. He had no experience with archives, no training and no education in library sciences. He was flummoxed.
Fr. Chris was thrust into overseeing every piece of parish history, past and present, down to the last scrap.
“I thought, ‘Why me?’ Was I being punished?” Fr. Chris says jokingly.
Parishioners were equally puzzled.
“You’re a good priest, we need you in the parish,” he said of the feedback he received. “Why would they take you out of the parish and put you in a windowless room by yourself?”
During his years as a parish priest, Fr. Chris says he didn’t even know that
he was responsible for individual parish archives.
“I just thought it was all this stuff.”
A well-spoken, quick-witted, popular and insightful speaker, Fr. Chris is well suited as a public-facing advocate and spokesman for the Catholic Church. However, the bishop had wisdom that the pastor and his flock didn’t recognize at the time. Fr. Chris had qualifications no parchments, seminars or teachings could replace.
FR. CHRISTOPHER HEATH, THE DIRECTOR OF THE DIOCESAN ARCHIVES, STANDS IN HIS OFFICE IN THE BELL TOWER OF MISSION BASILICA IN SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO ON FEB. 20. PHOTO BY JEFF ANTENORE/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
While he may have lacked learned history, Fr. Chris was steeped in the lived history of the diocese.
Before there was a separate diocese, Fr. Chris was raised Catholic in Orange County. Holy Family was his home church. His mother, Bonnie, was a primary photographer for the diocese during its formation. This meant a constant stream of church leaders visiting their home.
“Every priest had to come to our house for photographs,” Fr. Chris said.
Although other priests may have similar institutional knowledge, Fr. Chris added, “I’m the youngest of the old guys.”
Fr. Chris said he didn’t always recognize the knowledge he was gaining. For instance, he can glance at a photograph, even a posed group and individual portrait from the early days of the diocese and know if it was by his mother simply by her framing and style.
Of course, Bishop Vann knew all about Bonnie Heath.
Shortly after taking the job, “Without really thinking about it, I realized, ‘Oh, gosh, my mom set me up. She set me up,’” Fr. Chris said with a laugh.
A BIG TASK
The size and scope of the undertaking are overwhelming, even with the hiring of Daniella Mosqueda as archives assistant.
Early in his tenure, Fr. Chris said his predecessor had been invaluable before his death.
“I would look at him with big saucer eyes and say, ‘What the heck am I doing?’”
About his duties, Fr. Chris jokingly said, “We’re like the dead letter offices of the Post Office. Anything that happens in the diocese is archive material.”
That includes sacramental records and storing every photograph, video and audio recording. Every diocesan notice, bulletin, directory, map, folio and publication—printed or electronic. Not to mention every commemoration,
letter, award, gift, trinket or gewgaw. Oh, and their provenance.
Fr. Heath also oversees a massive trove from the late Dr. Robert Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral Ministries, which sold the campus to the Catholic Church.
And as anyone knows, Catholics love to keep records.
Many are in different forms reflective of technology. There are drawers and cabinets of microfilm, reel-to-reel and U-matic tapes, which are an early video format. All need to be digitized before they degrade beyond recovery.
The Diocese of Orange archives span a remarkable breadth in time and space, from a document signed by Abraham Lincoln giving the Mission of San Juan Capistrano back to the Church to a
moon rock. An actual tiny piece of moon rock presented to Msgr. Lloyd Russell by the crew of Apollo 15.
The archives are home to the original founding Vatican documents of the diocese's creation and appointment of Bishop William Johnson, one-of-a-kind documents.
In addition to the holy items, there are those that are wholly silly.
Take, for example, Bill the Bear, a teddy bear Bishop William Johnson placed at his desk when he was out of the office. The bear was outfitted with a hidden microphone and when children toured the bishop’s office, a church official would speak to children and answer questions through the set-up.
“We think of the diocese as this big,
formal institution, but Bill Johnson had fun with it,” Fr. Chris said.
All of this is crammed into the bell tower at Mission San Juan Capistrano where it occupies every inch of file, desk, drawer, wall and surface space.
Since before he took the job, Fr. Chris said efforts have been underway to find space on the Christ Cathedral campus, and he expects that to continue past his retirement.
Still, Fr. Chris is grateful beyond words.
“Doing this has been the Lord’s work,” he said in a recent address to the Orange Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. “I get to tell the story of the Church in Orange County. And my mom gets to point the way.” C
FR. CHRISTOPHER HEATH, THE DIRECTOR OF THE DIOCESAN ARCHIVES, AND DANIELLA MOSQUEDA,
A GOOD FATHER
BY
WHAT MAKES A MAN an ideal father? He who gives his children everything they ask for?
The one who provides a multi-million mansion, drives a luxury car and takes his family lavish vacations?
Rather, a good father is one who believes in and loves God; loves and respects his children and their mother; safeguards them from danger; and helps his children grow in living a moral and faith filled life through his example. He loves his children unconditionally and therefore is consistent in helping them to become their best selves by saying “No” when needed; is patient, compassionate, present to his family and acts with integrity.
Does such a man exist? St. Joseph lived all these qualities and more. As a carpenter, he provided and cared for the Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus, the Son of God. We celebrate twice each year, March 19 (feast of St. Joseph, husband of Mary) and May 1 (feast of St. Joseph the Worker). If we consider the qualities of a good father, we easily see how they apply to St. Joseph. An observant Jew, he believed in God and loved him with all his heart, “Joseph her husband, … was a righteous man,” (Mt. 1:19) He was obedient to God, at times without understanding the ramifications of the request.
When God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream telling him to take Mary into his home as his wife even though she was pregnant and he knew he was not the father, “… he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.” Later, after the birth of Jesus, when King Herod was search-
ing for the baby to murder him, God again sent an angel to Joseph in a dream telling him “… Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”
How would we feel if we were woken from a sound sleep and told to “Get up immediately and travel to a foreign country?” Would we want further information and reassurances for our safety? Whatever our response, we see
fulfilled these requirements, with Mary and Jesus accompanying him. During one of these pilgrimages, when Jesus was 12 years old, he remained behind in the Temple for three days while his parents frantically searched for him. (Lk. 2: 42 – 43, 48) Upon finding him, Mary his mother said to him: “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” (Lk. 2: 48)
Perhaps we have heard or said: “Words are cheap,” “Don’t just say it, prove it,” “Actions speak louder than words.” While the Bible does not record a single word St. Joseph said, his actions speak loudly of his love for God and his family, his trustworthiness in raising the Son of God and his obedience to God’s plan.
FOR YOUR FAMILY:
■ Pray the Litany of St. Joseph.
■ Read Scripture references about Joseph and share how you see him obeying God.
■ Find online sources for special crafts, stories and foods to celebrate St. Joseph’s feast day. A good starting site is: thekennedyadventures.com/celebrate-saint-joseph/ C
that “Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt.” (Mt. 2:14)
No questions or guarantees requested or given, just obedience.
According to Torah requirements, able-bodied males were expected to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem three times a year for Passover ( Ex.12:1-28); Pentecost (Lev. 23:15-21, Deut. 16:9-12); and Feast of Booths (Lev. 23:33-43, Deut.16:13-15). Joseph
SR. DIANE HEISS, SDSH
ST. JOSEPH WITH BABY JESUS. PHOTO BY JOSH APPLEGATE ON UNSPLASH
OC Catholic Afar
Claire Wilson traveled to Antarctica with a copy of OC Catholic in tow. Known as a “polar desert,” it is the highest, driest, coldest and windiest continent on Earth.
—Claire is a parishioner at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Laguna Woods.
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