SCHOOL OF EVANGELIZATION SENDS FORTH DISCIPLES TO INVIGORATE PARISHES
NOVEMBER 15, 2026
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THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF ORANGE ■ OCCATHOLIC.COM
BISHOP NGUYEN BLESSES NEW FACILITIES AT OUR LADY OF FATIMA ACADEMY PAGE 10
ON OCT. 28, BISHOP THANH THAI NGUYEN BLESSED OUR LADY OF FATIMA ACADEMY’S NEW ATHLETIC FIELD, STEAM LAB AND MARIAN GROTTO. PHOTO BY SCOTT SMELTZER/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
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
Calling all Holiday Cooks!
OC Catholic wants your family’s favorite, tried and true recipes that find their way to your holiday tables year after year! Please include the ingredients, directions and what makes the recipe special to you. Please include a photo of the recipe or if you don’t have one, please share a special holiday photo of your choice. Also include your name and parish. Send to: editor@occatholic.com
CORRECTION Due to a reporter error, the article “Servite High School Contingent Attends AI Summit in Rome,” published in the Nov. 1 issue of OC Catholic, incorrectly stated that the Holy See’s Inter-Dicasterial Commission on Artificial Intelligence convened the AI summit in Rome. The event was convened by the Magnificent Humanity Foundation, established by Frank DiCrisi, a parent of Servite and Rosary Academy students and a board member of several area faithbased organizations. Although attendees spent meaningful time with members of the commission, it did not convene the event. C
NOVEMBER 15, 2026
HOLY SEPULCHER Cremation Garden
CONTENTS
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‘WHO ELSE DO YOU GO TO WHEN YOU HAVE NOTHING?’ Holy Trinity Catholic Church parishioner Fred Tarnay returned to St. Stephen’s Basilica in Budapest, where he was baptized.
RED RIBBON WEEK
The annual drug-prevention campaign returned to schools the last week in October.
“ILLUMINA: AWAKENING TO THE WONDER OF CREATION” The music and light performance incorporates organ, choir, handbells and projections.
OC CATHOLIC RECIPE SWAP
A flavorful chicken and potatoes dish for fall dinnertimes.
THE BLESSINGS IN OUR LIFE
Thanksgiving is a time for prayerful consideration.
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.
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DAILY READINGS AND REFLECTIONS
PRAYER SPOT
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— Pope Leo XIV
SAINT PROFILE PHOTO COURTESY OF JUDY FLETCHER
BLESSED LUCY OF NARNI
1476-1544
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READER CALL-OUT
UCIA BROCADELLI WANTED to become a nun, but when she was 15, her family arranged her marriage to a count. After three years the marriage was not consummated, and her husband freed her. As a Dominican tertiary, she joined communities in Rome and Viterbo, where she received the stigmata, which church investigations found genuine. Meanwhile, the Duke of Ferrara, who wanted a mystic for his town, built Lucy a convent in Ferrara. The move was ill-fated. Lucy endured resentment from other nuns, the death of her patron and loss of the stigmata; she was replaced as superior and spent her last 40 years in obscurity. She was beatified in 1710. C
This is my prayer spot. It is so special because included are crosses that were made by my triplets while attending St. Irenaeus years ago, and from funerals, travels and gifts. I see it every time I walk down my hall, and I smile and say a prayer. —Judy Fletcher, St. Irenaeus Catholic Church, Cypress. Do you have a favorite prayer spot? Please include a brief description of the photo and why it is special to you. Include your name and home parish, and send to: editor@occatholic.com
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
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”
He knows each one of us by name…
PHOTOS: CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE, SHUTTERSTOCK
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
REV 1:1-4; 2:1-5; PS 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6; LK 18:35-43
REV 3:1-6, 1422; PS 15:2-3A, 3B-4AB, 5; LK 19:1-10
REV 4:1-11; PS 150:1B-2, 3-4, 5-6; LK 19:11-28
REV 5:1-10; PS 149:1B-2, 3-4, 5-6B, 9B; LK 19:41-44
REV 10:8-11; PS 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131; LK 19:45-48
REV 11:4-12; PS 144:1, 2, 9-10; LK 20:27-40
EZEKIEL 34:11-12, 15-17; PSALM 23:1-2, 2-3, 5-6; 1 CORINTHIANS 15:20-26, 28; MATTHEW 25:31-46
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FEATURE
SCHOOL OF EVANGELIZATION SENDS FORTH DISCIPLES TO INVIGORATE PARISHES BY GREG MELLEN
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VANGELIZATION. IT’S ONE of those words whose meaning can shift depending on whom you ask. For some, it simply means sharing the “Good News” of Jesus as the light and the way. For others, the word may carry negative associations, including pressure, judgment, political agendas or overly aggressive proselytizing. The Catholic Church offers a more thoughtful approach, emphasizing that evangelization should be rooted in faith, love and respect for others while affirming it as a central responsibility of every Catholic. Since the Second Vatican in 1962, the Catholic Church has worked to draw a red line between proselytizing, which many say was a major element of the Church in past eras, and evangelization. It is now about proclaiming and sharing the beauty of the Gospel through love, personal witness and good deeds. At the Diocese of Orange, the Lumen Christi, or more commonly referred to as the School of Evangelization, is helping parish leaders and faithful congregants become living and practicing examples of Catholic evangelization in their parishes and communities. According to Martha Arenas, manager of the School of Evangelization, the school veers away from a dogmatic approach in a new direction. She says it can be as simple as “bringing Jesus to others through action and testimony.” Arenas added, “For decades the Church focused on doctrine. We forgot to introduce people to Jesus. The school is about meeting the moment.” The Diocese of Orange is not alone. There is a faith-wide effort to “open the doors of the Church,” and be more accessible to all. It is a direction that the recent
A GROUP GATHERS FOLLOWING A DIOCESAN SCHOOL OF EVANGELIZATION WORKSHOP. THE SCHOOL IS A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO TRAIN AND EMPOWER CATHOLIC FAITHFUL AND PARISH LEADERS TO SHARE THE GOSPEL. PHOTO BY YUAN WANG/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
popes, Saint John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis, all supported in different ways. In 2013, Pope Francis discussed the importance of the Church being evangelistic and embracing rather than stressing doctrine and self-preservation. His “The Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium)” teaches that Christian life is rooted in the joy of encountering Jesus and God's mercy, and then in turn, flows into sharing the faith with others. More than an opportunity, Catholics should see this as their duty, if only to witness and be exemplars who are available and open. John Paul II and Benedict XVI also wanted to reach out and reclaim Catholics who have moved away or experienced
crises in faith. They also took aim at those who haven’t been properly catechized.
the class has nearly tripled in size to 115 this year. Arenas said the school can accommodate about 140 and may reach AN OVERWHELMING SUCCESS that number in 2027. She would also like As it concludes its third year, the to one day add Vietnamese and Korean to School of Evangelization, under the its English and Spanish instruction. auspices of the Office of Parish EvangeThe School of Evangelization runs lization and Faith Formation, has been a from May to November, with an introducrunaway triumph. tory one-day Kerygma Encounter Retreat The school grew from Bishop Kevin in the spring. Vann's 2019 Strategic Plan and longstandThe School of Evangelization program ing desire to build evangelization teams at and curriculum are divided into three parishes. units: That’s where the school comes in, • Discipleship: Growing in Relationtraining and educating parishioners ship with Christ who can take their newfound knowledge • Evangelization: Learning to Share the and renewed faith to share at their home Good News parishes. CONTINUES ON PAGE 6 Since its inaugural class of about 40, N O V E M B E R 15 , 2 0 2 6 ■ O C C A T H O L I C
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• Missionary Discipleship: Bringing Evangelization into Parish Life The school brings in experts and speakers to talk about various topics and provide an overview of the Church. Anne Balliet, a parishioner at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point and part of the Class of 2026, said although she had been raised and educated in Catholicism, she felt she hadn’t been adequately catechized. The school’s curriculum, she said, “brought into focus and defined the Church's teachings and history. It provides unparalleled structure and only brought me closer.” Matt Holke, a classmate and fellow St. Edward’s parishioner, said the school helped him synthesize many of the Church’s cultures and diversity. “It brought cohesion to those things as well as scripture and prayer,” he said. Balliet and Holke are already part of the mission to bring evangelization to their parish. St. Edward has started a program to bring back lapsed Catholics and those who struggle with the faith. Balliet fit into that category. Although she had received all the sacraments, “I strayed about as far as you can get,” she said. “I hadn’t been to church for decades. I wasn’t sure I could come back.”
GETTING OVER THE HURDLE
Still, there’s that word; evangelization. Balliet said at first she struggled with the differing notions of evangelization. “I avoided that word,” she said, “I thought of all the negative things.” She did not want to tell people what they should or shouldn’t believe. By viewing evangelization as sharing, Balliet is now more comfortable expressing her personal experience “and the Holy Spirit will do the rest. It changed my whole definition of the word. I’ve been enriched in ways I can’t describe. I know I want to share my experiences. I didn’t know it was our job as Catholics.”
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MARTHA ARENAS, MANAGER OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE’S SCHOOL OF EVANGELIZATION, LEADS A WORKSHOP ON THE CHRIST CATHEDRAL CAMPUS. PHOTOS BY YUAN WANG/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
She added, “I’ve been telling anyone who will listen about the class,” and she may have recruited members for the Class of 2027. Holke said one class exercise had participants evangelizing to one another. “I found I was defensive and argumentative,” he said, which was the wrong approach. “They taught us, ‘don’t try to win a debate.’” Rather, he said, it was simply about nonjudgmentally sharing his personal relationship with God. Arenas said the School of Evangelization is succeeding in its goal to help participants “be catalysts for change and bring that to their communities.” C NOTE: A graduation Mass celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Thanh Thai Nguyen for this year’s class will be held Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. in the Arboretum. Information on next year’s retreat and class, with Q/R codes, will be forthcoming.
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ATTENDEES OF THE DIOCESAN SCHOOL OF EVANGELIZATION WORKSHOP DISCUSS THE DAY’S TOPICS AND GOALS.
FEATURE
‘WHO ELSE DO YOU GO TO WHEN YOU HAVE NOTHING?’ FRED TARNAY’S HARROWING JOURNEY FROM WORLD WAR II-ERA, COMMUNIST-RULED HUNGARY HAD ONE CONSTANT: HIS FAITH BY GREG HARDESTY
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E SPENT 90 MINUTES sitting alone in the pew, reflecting on his family’s tumultuous past. Fred Tarnay had returned to the church where he was baptized in 1938. He still can recall sitting next to his father during Masses at St. Stephen’s Basilica in Budapest, Hungary. Tarnay and his family were able to escape their homeland in 1945 just as Soviet forces occupied Hungary in the final stages of World War II and the country began its transition to communist rule. Tarnay, the oldest of Frederick Sr. and Katherine Tarnay’s three sons, was 7 years old at the time. By the summer of 1949, when Hungary officially became ruled by a one-party communist dictatorship, many of his extended relatives had disappeared or had died. “I felt a sense of enlightenment,” Tarnay recalled of sitting in the pew following the collapse of the Iron Curtain in 1989 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 1991. Since that day, Tarnay—an 88-year-old parishioner at Holy Trinity Church in Ladera Ranch—has returned several times to St. Stephen’s Basilica. He’s now working on a book about his life. Tarnay is well aware that he is but one of countless displaced World War II-era Europeans with stories that could fill the shelves of several libraries. Through it all—his family’s escape from Hungary, their wanderings in a ON A RETURN TRIP TO HIS NATIVE BUDAPEST, FRED TARNAY TOOK A COPY OF OC CATHOLIC TO VISIT ST. war-torn world, surviving for several years STEPHEN'S BASILICA WHERE HE WAS BAPTIZED IN 1938. PHOTO COURTESY OF FRED TARNAY without a country or without a home, and facing seemingly difficult or impossible His faith. THE CATHOLIC NETWORK situations—Tarnay said there was one “God is real,” Tarnay said. “Who else The Tarnays escaped to Austria. constant: do you go to when you have nothing?” Despite facing their own hardships in the
midst of the ruins of war, Tarnay’s parents often put the needs of others ahead of their family’s needs. They joined Caritas Internationalis, the global Catholic relief organization, and helped funnel medicine, food and clothing to those in the direst need. After five years, the Tarnays were accepted into a refugee program and with help from friends from Caritas, they were able to find a sponsor and emigrate to the U.S. Aided at critical times by a network of fellow Catholic lay and clergy members and sisters that he compares to the Underground Railroad, Tarnay and his family eventually settled in Altadena via Boston. Prayer kept them going. “We never counted on hope—we never even thought about it,” said Tarnay. “We always looked far beyond the situation we were in; we accepted and worked through our current fate, never felt sorry for ourselves, and never stopped reaching, looking far to see what was ahead. “And we knew God was always there. We asked for and received His help, but He also demanded action on our part. Our mother’s favorite prayer was, ‘Lord, just give me the strength to do your will to get through this and show me the way.’”
HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE YEARS
After landing in Southern California, and with help from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Tarnay’s parents found work doing maintenance and cooking at a downtown L.A. church. Tarnay and his two brothers had to spend time at an orphanage because there wasn’t enough room for them to live with their parents in the church rectory. Eventually, all three boys graduated from Loyola High School and attended college. Tarnay met his wife, Sharon, CONTINUES ON PAGE 8
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through the Newman Club, a Catholic campus ministry organization, while majoring in physics at Cal State Los Angeles. After taking graduate school courses in physical optics at UC Irvine, Tarnay enjoyed a career working as an engineer in the aerospace industry.
HIS SECOND BOOK
Tarnay, a longtime parishioner at Holy Family in Orange before he moved to a retirement community in south Orange County six years ago, lost Sharon to cancer in 2010. Among the items the 67-year-old left behind was a collection of 30 rosaries. But Tarnay’s two brothers live in Southern California as do three of his four daughters and his six grandchildren. The book he’s working on, which heavily relies on documents and personal letters his mother kept and wrote, is his second. He and his brother co-wrote “A Carpathian Folk Song: Freedom, Love, Gold,” a 304-page historical nonfiction book published in 2013 that chronicles the family’s experiences during the final, chaotic days of World War II in Hungary. Frederick Tarnay Sr. played a key role in successfully protecting a train carrying 32 tons of the Hungarian Treasury away from advancing Soviet forces and the Nazis. At one point, he braved 70 miles across active enemy lines to deliver a secret letter to the Allies, eventually reaching Gen. Patton’s army to save the treasury. His recognition is growing in Hungary as a hero amid the post-WW II chaos. Perhaps during that harrowing journey more than 80 years ago, Frederick Sr.— who died when Tarnay was in high school —kept in mind one of the key lessons his son says life has taught him. “The way is always to ‘look beyond the horizon’ and then with the grace of God, it will always be there,” Tarnay said. “‘Look beyond the horizon’ as far as you can see. God will be there for you." C
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FRED TARNAY ON HIS FIRST HOLY COMMUNION AND CONFIRMATION DAY IN 1946. PHOTOS COURTESY OF FRED TARNAY
THE TARNAY FAMILY IN 1947.
THE TARNAY FAMILY ON THEIR WAY TO BREMERHAVEN TO BOARD FOR A TRIP TO THE U.S. PASSENGERS COULD NOT STAY BELOW DUE TO LEAKING OIL AND FUMES SO THE FAMILY SPENT EIGHT DAYS ON DECK, FINDING A CORNER TO LIVE IN.
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DIOCESAN PAGE HEADING NEWS
STUDENTS IN THIRD AND FIFTH GRADES GATHER FOR RED RIBBON WEEK ‘26 AT HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN ORANGE. PHOTO BY STEVEN GEORGES/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
RED RIBBON WEEK BY STAFF
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ED RIBBON WEEK, the country’s largest and longest-running drug prevention campaign, takes place annually from Oct. 23 to Oct. 31. “At Holy Family Catholic School, we celebrated Red Ribbon Week by coming together to discuss ways to stay healthy and spread kindness,” shared the school’s principal, Marie Ubl. “This year, we focused on the theme 'Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free!' and enjoyed fun activities throughout the week.” According to Ubl, students in third
and fifth grades came together as buddy classes to create posters sharing how they choose to show kindness. Other buddy classes spent time together listening to read-alouds of books about kindness, discussing ways to be kind to others, and making cards to spread kindness throughout the school community. Additionally, the school’s Spartan Ambassadors made kindness posters and put them around campus. “Red Ribbon Week was a great opportunity to spend time together as a school community, make a difference and remind our students that even small acts of kindness can make a big impact," shared Ubl. C
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DIOCESAN NEWS
ON OCT. 28, OUR LADY OF FATIMA ACADEMY IN SAN CLEMENTE CELEBRATED AN UPGRADE OF ITS SPORTS AND ACADEMIC FACILITIES WITH A SPECIAL MASS AND BLESSING BY BISHOP THANH THAI NGUYEN. PHOTO BY SCOTT SMELTZER/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
BISHOP NGUYEN BLESSES NEW FACILITIES AT OUR LADY OF FATIMA ACADEMY BY BRITNEY ZINT
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DIOCESAN SCHOOL recently celebrated an upgrade of its sports and academic facilities with a special Mass and blessing by Bishop Thanh Thai Nguyen. On Oct. 28, Bishop Nguyen presided over the Mass at Our Lady of Fatima (OLF) Academy before blessing the
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school’s new athletic field, STEAM Lab and Marian grotto. Bishop Nguyen said the visit was like returning home — he recalled the year he spent at the ocean-view parish years ago — and admired its many improvements since then. “We come together to bring Him and bless this sports field, grotto for the Mother of His Son, and a classroom dedicated to student learning, weaving
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together science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics,” Bishop Nguyen said. The renovations were the vision of principal Jennifer Jukic when she took on the role three years ago, said assistant principal Shannon Nicholas, who also serves as the middle school religion teacher. Through family donations and community fundraising — the athletic field was the school’s Fund-A-Project at
its gala last year— OLF Academy was able to complete the three projects for the 2026 school year. “My goal three years ago when I came in was to give the Our Lady of Fatima students the best I possibly could, so being able to give them a full-size regulation field to play on has been amazing,” said Jukic. “The STEAM Lab has been a gift because it gives them the 21st-cenCONTINUES ON PAGE 11
DIOCESAN NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
tury education they deserve. Our grotto is just another space to pray and to be together outside in the beautiful city of San Clemente.” The STEAM Lab is a dedicated space for science, technology, engineering, art and math education that is utilized by TK through eighth-grade homeroom teachers for STEAM-specific projects each week, said art teacher Daphne Henry, who facilitates the lab. The students will also get to visit the space a second time each week for dedicated art lessons. “When you come into a space that’s really creative, there’s stuff everywhere and you can see what everybody else is doing, I feel like it ups the level of what we’re doing,” Henry said. “I think it levels up the creativity.” The lab gives teachers a space and supplies to work on STEAM projects they might normally have skipped, Henry said. In addition to open-ended science and engineering activities — like marble runs and K’NEX for the younger students — the classroom has two 3D
printers, a green screen and a set of small rovers the middle schoolers will use for learning how to code in the second trimester. The athletic field was renovated to become a full-size field with artificial turf. The field is used for after-school sports games, PE and recess, said Luke Nevill, the PE teacher and athletic director. OLF’s flag football and soccer teams can now compete on campus as opposed to playing offsite, he added. “The kids love it because it’s a nice, even surface that they can run around in and just enjoy being active,” Nevill said. The third project was the grotto with a statue of Blessed Mother and shaded picnic tables for students to gather. The area also features a memorial space for former student Lauren Bernardo, who passed away many years ago before beginning eighth grade. Bernardo’s parents continue to support the school with donations for the grotto as well as a scholarship endowment in her name, said Nicholas. C
OUR LADY OF FATIMA ACADEMY’S STEAM LAB IS A DEDICATED SPACE FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART AND MATH EDUCATION. PHOTOS BY SCOTT SMELTZER/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
BISHOP THANH THAI NGUYEN CELEBRATED A SPECIAL MASS ON OCT. 28 AT OUR LADY OF FATIMA IN SAN CLEMENTE. N O V E M B E R 15 , 2 0 2 6 ■ O C C A T H O L I C
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DIOCESAN NEWS
“ILLUMINA: AWAKENING TO THE WONDER OF CREATION” BY BRADLEY ZINT
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also composed “To Follow the Star” for the Diocesan Children’s Choir’s visit to Rome, where it premiered at the papal Mass for the Feast of the Epiphany with Pope Francis in 2018. His responsorial psalms are heard regularly at Christ
Cathedral’s Sunday Masses. Revie has received the Vatican’s Francesco Siciliani Prize for the Composition of Sacred Music and a National Endowment for the Arts grant. He studied biochemistry and molecular biophysics
HRIST CATHEDRAL parish is pleased to present the world premiere on Nov. 18 of “Illumina: Awakening to the Wonder of Creation,” a new largescale work for choirs, the Hazel Wright Organ, handbells, spatial sound, lights and projections that will highlight the extraordinary architecture and acoustical properties of Christ Cathedral. Inspired by Genesis, the Easter Vigil and St. Francis of Assisi’s vision for all creation as one family, composer Julian Revie’s “Illumina” brings together ancient and newly composed sacred music with nature recordings, birdsong, photographs and films contributed more than 30 countries. The work promises to reveal the unity of creation and invite audiences to encounter the world with the glory of God. Admission is free. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. inside the cathedral. There will also be a pre-performance presentation at 6:30 p.m. on the third floor of the Richard H. Pickup Cultural Center. “Illumina” will feature the talents of more than 200 performers: the choirs of Christ Cathedral, the Diocese of Orange adult and children’s choirs; organist David Ball (head of Christ Cathedral’s music ministry); students from the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles; and choirs from St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Costa Mesa and the St. Thomas More Catholic Chapel & Center from Yale University. It also will feature John Horzen, projection artist; Max Heath, sound designer; and V.J. Tarantino, theologian. Revie is an Australian-Canadian composer, conductor and organist. His music, much of it rooted in the Catholic Church’s plainchant tradition, includes “Stetit Angelus,” written for CHRIST CATHEDRAL CAMPUS AT NIGHT. PHOTO BY JOSHUA SUDOCK/DIOCESE OF ORANGE Christ Cathedral’s 2019 dedication. He
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at Yale and Caltech, and music composition at Cambridge. Revie is also the founder of Spiritus, an international initiative dedicated to renewing the Catholic artistic and spiritual tradition. C
DIOCESAN NEWS
OC CATHOLIC RECIPE SWAP DIJON ROASTED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH ONIONS & CREAMY MASHED POTATOES
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HIS DISH CAPTURES what I love about cooking for my family: a comforting homemade meal that brings us together around the dinner table. Fresh rosemary and thyme from my garden give it a personal touch, while Dijon mustard and Sauvignon Blanc create a flavorful pan sauce to spoon over creamy mashed potatoes. It’s simple enough for an everyday dinner but feels special enough to share. For me, preparing a meal like this is a small way to show my family love. —Submitted by Mindy Swank, St. Timothy Catholic Church in Laguna Niguel.
INGREDIENTS ■ 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs ■ 1 large yellow onion, cut into thin wedges ■ ¼ cup Dijon mustard ■ ¼ cup Sauvignon Blanc ■ 2 tablespoons minced garlic ■ 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves ■ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary ■ 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided ■ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste ■ Prepared creamy mashed potatoes, for serving
DIRECTIONS
PHOTO COURTESY OF MINDY SWANK
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 2. Toss the onion wedges with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Spread in a large roasting pan, leaving room for the chicken to fit in a single layer. 3. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper. Arrange skin-side up among the onions. 4. In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, Sauvignon Blanc, garlic, thyme, rosemary and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Spoon over the chicken. 5. Roast uncovered for 40–50 minutes, checking at 40 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part without touching the bone. The onions should be tender and browned at the edges. 6. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes, spooning the roasted onions and pan juices over the top. Enjoy! C N O V E M B E R 15 , 2 0 2 6 ■ O C C A T H O L I C
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CATHOLIC FAMILY LIFE
THE BLESSINGS IN OUR LIFE BY SR. DIANE HEISS, SDSH
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VEN THOUGH MANY stores already have their shelves stocked with Christmas decorations and potential gifts for our loved ones, another holiday precedes it, one that bears prayerful consideration. Thanksgiving will be here soon, with many of us planning our dinner menu and verifying the number of family and friends who will be able to join us. Hopefully we are reflecting on all the blessings and gifts bestowed on us by our good and loving God and taking quiet prayer time to thank Him. Parents want to provide for their children and loved ones and give good gifts to them. Jesus acknowledged this when he said: “If you … know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him” (Mt. 7:11). Most likely we are quick to turn to God and ask for help when in need. Afterwards, how quick are we to return to God and give thanks? It seems good to spend at least as much time thanking God as we do in asking, if not more. God our Father infinitely loves each of us, His beloved children, and wants the very best for us – eternal happiness with Him in heaven. For this reason, He has given us the greatest possible gift, that of sending His Son Jesus for our eternal salvation. St. John tells us, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16). Have we ever wished we could have been present with Jesus as he was being crucified on Calvary? At each Mass, Jesus is making
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PHOTO BY PRISCILLA DU PREEZ ON UNSPLASH
present His sacrifice on the cross in an unbloody manner under the appearance of bread and wine. The Greek word eucharist means thanksgiving or gratitude. Are we aware, when we approach the altar to receive Holy Communion, that it is truly Jesus Himself coming to us? Do we welcome Him? Do we thank Him? Finally, at times God allows events in our lives which seem far from a blessing. These can be sickness, suffering, losses or harm. We might be tempted to wonder if God has abandoned us or is punishing us. That is a temptation, not reality. All that God allows to happen to us comes from the depths of His infinite love for us, even what seems almost unbearable, and is permitted in order to help us on the path to salvation. It is in these times especially when we need to lean on God’s loving presence and strength to make it through. We can say “I do believe, help my unbelief,” (Mk. 9:24) asking His help
O C C A T H O L I C ■ N O V E M B E R 15 , 2 0 2 6
to continue to trust in His love for us, even when our senses and experiences tell us otherwise.
CLASSIFIED ADS
FOR YOUR FAMILY:
■ Pray a Litany of Thanks: Before starting your Thanksgiving dinner, let each person mention some of God’s blessings and thank Him. Alternatively, you might want to do this as your Grace after the meal, so the food doesn’t get cold. ■ Attend Mass together on Thanksgiving Day. Participating in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the greatest act of worship and thanks we can offer to God. ■ Plan into your daily schedule a particular time when you will briefly stop to think of and thank God for the gifts and blessings He has given you that day. ■ Quietly reflect on a difficult or painful experience in your life from which good eventually came. If you wish, share it with your family. C
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OC Catholic Afar
I traveled to Portugal with my daughter and her husband, Matt and Candace Kollen Axline (St. Irenaeus ’90 and MDHS ’94), to watch their son, Braylen (Cathedral Catholic High School ’26), compete with the USA 18U Men’s Water Polo Team in the World Championship Tournament. While in Lisbon, we visited the Christ the King monument. This photo was taken there, beneath the words “Watch and Pray.” We also attended Mass in the plaza at Fatima on a beautiful Sunday, surrounded by worshipers from around the world. Both destinations were beautiful, but Fatima was especially meaningful. It brought to life the stories the sisters shared with us when I was in elementary school. —Peggy Kollen, St. Irenaeus Parish in Cypress.
We want your photos! Send your pictures of “OC Catholic Afar” — of you, family or friends visiting Catholic churches and other interesting places — to editor@occatholic.com. Please include a brief description of the photo, the name of the person(s) featured in the photo and their home parish. N O V E M B E R 15 , 2 0 2 6 ■ O C C A T H O L I C
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