To report sexual abuse by clergy or church personnel please call: 1 (800) 364-3064
Healing and Hope After Abortion: 1 (800) 722-4356
New Hope Peer-to-Peer Support Line | Mon - Fri 7:30 AM - 9:30 PM | Sat - Sun 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM: 1 (714) NEW-HOPE or 1 (714) 639-4673
BÁO CÁO LẠM DỤNG TÌNH DỤC
Nếu bạn là nạn nhân bị lạm dụng tình dục bởi một linh mục/ tu sĩ hay một thành viên trong Giáo Hội gây ra, xin hãy gọi và báo cáo cho Giáo phận ở số điện thoại miễn phí sau đây: 1-800-364-3064, và đồng thời báo cáo cho nhà chức trách địa phương. 본당내의 성적학대 신고
성당 사목을 대표하는
교구청의 무료 신고 전화 번호, 1-800-364-3064 및 관할
법 집행 기관에 전화하십시오.
WOMEN IN SPORTS + PATHWAYS NIGHT
Meet our coaches, teachers, and students, and see how your daughter can get involved at Rosary Academy. Discover the community that makes Rosary a special place to grow and thrive for all young women.
Pathway Programs: Computer Science | Engineering | Law | Leadership Medical | Performing Arts | Sports Medicine
FAITH - COMMUNITY - SERVICE - SISTERHOOD 1340 N. Acacia Ave Fullerton CA 92831 Tuesday November 18 | 6:00-7:30pm
Learn more about our Pathways at rosaryacademy.org/pathways
NOVEMBER
9, 2025
8
9
10
HOLY FAMILY TO RENOVATE HISTORIC SPACE
The Orange parish has plans for a new tabernacle and a redesign of its sanctuary.
SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN OC BUSINESS LEADERS
Legatus is an organization meant to foster faith values among leaders.
OLLV SHRINE RECEIVES $1M DONATION
Local philanthropist couple creates endowment for the ongoing maintenance of the Christ Cathedral shrine.
FREEDOM
Celebrate your freedom to worship, freedom from sin, freedom to pray.
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
My Rosary is made of wood, which I bought about 50 years ago in the Basilica of Guadalupe. The apparitions are at each mystery and in the Cross, you can see our Holy Mother though the glass.
—Angelica Miller, St. Michael’s Abbey.
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 C
“ To be a peacemaker is no easy matter.”
— Pope Leo XIV
SAINT PROFILE
POPE LEO THE GREAT C. 400-461
AROMAN DEACON WHO ADVISED two popes, Leo was elected pope in 440 while on a diplomatic mission to Gaul, now France. He is one of three popes called "the Great." His title was earned for his teachings, in 143 letters and nearly 100 sermons that survive, and his administration, in which church governance was consolidated, the primacy of Rome stressed, and liturgical, pastoral and canonical uniformity urged. He also persuaded Attila the Hun not to sack Rome and was named a doctor of the church. C
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
MONDAY
WISDOM 1:1-7; PSALM 139:1B-3, 4-6, 7-8, 9-10; LUKE 17:1-6
TUESDAY
WISDOM 2:23-3:9, PSALM 34 2-3, 16-17, 18-19, LUKE 17:7-10
celebrated its 70th anniversary with a multicultural gala banquet — a nod to the efforts gone into uniting its diverse parishioners.
On Oct. 24, St. Anthony Mary Claret Catholic Church hosted a Pontifical Mass with Bishop Kevin Vann, and a cocktail reception and multicultural banquet where parishioners dressed in their best formal or cultural attire. The event was followed with an alumni homecoming reunion on Oct. 25.
“This whole weekend is an extravaganza for us,” said Fr. Bill Cao, pastor of St. Anthony. “It’s a big, big weekend.”
The celebrations ended with a processional Mass on Oct. 26 to celebrate not just the parish’s 70th anniversary, but the Feast Day of St. Anthony Mary Claret.
Hundreds came out on the sunny day and filled nearly every seat as the youth musicians readied themselves and volunteers prepared food for after.
“It’s really exciting to be a part of something that is so big,” said 30-year parishioner Amy Gonzalez. “It’s bigger than me, it’s bigger than us. The parish has been here for so long, it’s been such a big part of our lives. It’s part of our family.”
St. Anthony Mary Claret opened its doors in 1955 and celebrated its first Mass at midnight on Christmas. Just down the road, the parish’s neighbor, Disneyland, also opened its gates that year.
The city of Anaheim was in a time of tremendous growth when the parish
began serving the community. Previously, it was a predominantly agricultural town known for growing oranges, chili peppers and grapes. The city’s population boomed in 1955 to 30,059 — a 109 percent increase from roughly 14,000 residents just five years before, according to city records.
The 8 acres of land for St. Anthony’s was gifted to the church by Joseph and Dorothy Huarte, parents of Mater Dei High School alumnus and 1964 Heisman Trophy winner John Huarte, who later played in the NFL.
Back then, the parish was an offshoot of St. Boniface parish in downtown Anaheim and was part of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Fr. Bill said. It started as a so-called “temporary church,” but 70 years later, it is still there.
Within two years of opening, the parish school was built in 1957 under the guidance of the Sisters of St. Louis. The school provided the community with a Catholic education until it had to close its doors in 2009 due to financial hardships.
This year, the school grounds are being used again, this time as a charter school. The charter, Vibrant Minds, currently has a one-year lease and is serving 350 students in grades TK to sixth. Fr. Bill called the school a chance to reconnect with the community and evangelize. Parishioner Nancy Cardenas said it’s been wonderful to have students back on the parish grounds.
“It’s kind of nice to bring that back and liven things up a little bit more,” Cardenas
BISHOP KEVIN VANN IS WITH BISHOP TIMOTHY FREYER AND FR. BILL CAO, PASTOR OF ST. ANTHONY MARY CLARET PARISH IN ANAHEIM. PHOTOS BY IAN TRAN/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
ST. ANTHONY MARY CLARET PARISH HOSTED AN OCTOBER WEEKEND OF FESTIVITIES TO MARK ITS 70TH ANNIVERSARY.
said. “And I think it brings people who have not been coming to our parish. I’ve seen parents drop off their children at the school and then come to Mass.”
The biggest change over the years has been the parishioners themselves. Reflecting its changing community, the church went from a predominantly Anglo congregation to being about 80 percent Latino and 20 percent Filipino, said Fr. Bill.
“This speaks of the cultural diversity and the richness of the faith that is embodied in the Diocese of Orange, especially in this part of Anaheim,” said Fr. Bill.
When Fr. Bill started at the church in 2015, he found his diverse congregation ministering separately. So, he began challenging parishioners to find ways to celebrate together, break down language barriers and set aside fears.
“In the beginning, they were very hesitant,” said Fr. Bill. “They said, ‘I don’t speak Spanish.’ So, I’d say, ‘Well, let’s pray together. Let’s meet together as leaders of ministry.’ And now it’s a common and normal thing.”
Long-time parishioner Beatric Rodriguez has watched St. Anthony’s unification unfurl. Now everyone celebrates together, grows in their faith and develops spirituality as they walk the same road to God, she said.
“No matter the culture, no matter the language we speak, we always pray together because we are the same,” Rodriguez said. “We are brothers and sisters in the name of God.”
Celebrating is one aspect that makes St. Anthony Mary Claret unique, several parishioners said.
The church is not only welcoming, but festive, Gonzalez said.
“That’s something that stands out from a lot of other parishes,” Gonzalez added. “We like to celebrate here. We celebrate everything, and we are very festive. So, everything is a big celebration and we come together like a big fiesta every chance we get.” C
A FESTIVE BANQUET WAS HELD FOLLOWING MASS ON OCT. 24 IN HONOR OF ST. ANTHONY MARY CLARET PARISH’S 70TH ANNIVERSARY. PHOTOS BY IAN TRAN/ DIOCESE OF ORANGE
HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH HOPES TO RENOVATE HISTORIC SPACE
BY BRADLEY ZINT
HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC
Church in Orange is looking to renovate its historic space with a new tabernacle and a complete redesign of its sanctuary.
The parish, first established in 1921 and which served as the first cathedral for the Diocese of Orange, wants to build a new reredos enthroning the new tabernacle behind the altar. The reredos — a type of large decorative retablo — would be made in a Spanish Baroque style, with the crucifix sculpture at the center and Holy Family sculptures atop. It would also have St. John the Evangelist and his mother, St. Salome; and St. John the Baptist and his mother, St. Elizabeth — all cousins of the Lord and the Blessed Virgin Mary to stay with the theme of the Holy Family.
The current crucifix above the altar would be preserved and relocated to the outside wall just outside the sanctuary, highly visible and facing the church parking lot.
Aside from the beautification aspects of the project, according to Fr. Sy Nguyen, Holy Family’s pastor since 2022, there is a desire to put the tabernacle back in the center of the altar, instead of off to the side where it currently is placed. Fr. Sy calls the endeavor “Something Beautiful for God.”
The project also calls for replacing the altar floor with marble (instead of its current carpet). The existing altar and presider’s chair would continue to be used. The ambry and reliquary are planned for the two walls on the right and left walls of the sanctuary.
The new gold-plated tabernacle has already been acquired and is currently on display in the parish offices. Far more ornate than the current one, it was made in Guadalajara, Mexico, and was
generously donated to the parish.
The project is estimated to cost $2.5 million, of which around $200,000 has been raised as of September. To move forward, Holy Family needs to acquire additional funds and approvals from diocesan commissions on liturgy, renovation and construction.
To learn more and donate, visit hforange.org/ giving or call (714) 6392900. C
HOLY FAMILY’S NEW TABERNACLE. PHOTOS BY DANNY HAIK/HAIK PHOTOGRAPHY
A RENDERING OF THE PLANNED RENOVATED SANCTUARY FOR HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH IN ORANGE.
HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH IN ORANGE.
FOSTERING SPIRITUAL GROWTH AMONGST OC BUSINESS LEADERS
BY LOU PONSI
NOV. 13 IS THE FEAST OF St. Homobonus, the Patron Saint of Business and Entrepreneurs. St. Homobonus was an Italian merchant who was highly respected for his virtuous ways.
In ancient Rome, the Latin word legatus was used to describe a diplomatic envoy sent by the emperor to negotiate with foreign powers.
The phrase has evolved over the centuries and is defined today as an ambassador.
Nearly 40 years ago, the word was adopted by an organization of Catholic business leaders who serve as “ambassadors for Christ” in their professional, personal and family lives.
And for the past 36 years, the Orange County chapter of Legatus has served as a network rooted in purposeful faith, fostering spiritual growth and collaboration among the county’s business leaders.
Monthly meetings of the Orange County chapter consist of confession, Mass, a social hour, dinner and a guest speaker.
The Orange County chapter also holds forums to discuss specific issues in confidence.
“Whether you are a real estate developer, attorney, investment banker or business operator, it brings people who have those same shared values together,” said Orange County Legatus member Brad Schreiber, an investment banker with Keystone Capital Markets. “We are ambassadors for Christ on a personal and business level. And that's really the idea of it.”
Tom Monaghan, the founder of the Domino’s Pizza chain, founded Legatus in 1987, inspired by a meeting with His Holiness John Paul II at a Mass in a private chapel in the Vatican.
Two years later, when Monaghan was
SCHREIBER, AN INVESTMENT BANKER WITH KEYSTONE CAPITAL MARKETS, IS PICTURED WITH HIS WIFE SANDY AT A LEGATUS CHRISTMAS PARTY. PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAD SCHREIBER
THE ORANGE COUNTY CHAPTER OF LEGATUS WAS ORGANIZED THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF SUSAN AND TIM STRADER (PICTURED AT A DIOCESAN EVENT). PHOTO BY THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE
looking to start a chapter in Los Angeles, he invited Tim and Susan Strader, longtime philanthropists at the center of numerous projects within the Diocese of Orange, to help formulate a plan.
The Straders loved the concept but weren’t keen on the idea of driving to Los Angeles for the monthly meetings, said Tim Strader, a retired real estate developer and consultant.
“So, Tom said if you'd like just to start a chapter in Orange County, contact us and we'd be happy to do that,” Susan Strader said. “So, we were confident that we could find qualified Catholic businesspeople for a chapter here and they agreed. That is how it started.”
The Orange County chapter was chartered on Oct. 24, 1989, becoming the first Legatus chapter west of the Mississippi River.
Jean-Paul Afif, a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley, joined the Orange County chapter in 2020 along with his wife Krista.
As parents of nine children, ranging in age from 1 to 16 years old, the couple had been looking for a way to have a date night that would be enriching in meaningful ways, Afif said.
“And I thought if I could center our date night around the sacraments, around confession, the Rosary and holy Mass with like-minded folks, that will enrich my mind, heart, body, soul and spirit about topics that are important to my wife and me. What better date night could there be?”
Bill and Elaine John, founders of B&B Plumbing in Anaheim, joined Legatus in 2013 to integrate their Catholic faith more deeply into their professional lives.
The Johns are open about their faith, displaying Catholic symbols such as a crucifix and a statue of Mary in their office.
“Faith really grounds you,” said Elaine John, who has owned the business with her husband for 40 years. “It builds a foundation for your daily values, how you will walk, how you will talk each and
every day, and how you will treat individuals. We bring that into our business. We talk about it with our team. We have values that B&B believes in.”
Carl Karcher, founder of Carl’s Jr. and devout Catholic philanthropist invited many early members to join Legatus.
At the 2024 Legatus National Summit in Dana Point, Fr. Robert Spitzer, co-founder of the Magis Center, was given the Defender of the Faith Award an honor given to groups and individuals for exemplary service to the Catholic Church.
Looking back, the Straders are pleased with the way the Orange County chapter has evolved through the years.
“It’s been fantastic,” Tim Strader said. C
BILL AND ELAINE JOHN, FOUNDERS OF B&B PLUMBING IN ANAHEIM, JOINED LEGATUS IN 2013. PHOTO COURTESY OF ELAINE JOHN
JEAN-PAUL AFIF, A FINANCIAL ADVISOR WITH MORGAN STANELY, JOINED THE ORANGE COUNTY CHAPTER IN 2020 ALONG WITH HIS WIFE KRISTA. PHOTO COURTESY OF JEANPAUL AFIF
PHILANTHROPIST COUPLE DONATES $1 MILLION FOR CONTINUED MAINTENANCE AND CARE OF CHRIST CATHEDRAL’S OUR LADY OF LA VANG SHRINE
BY BRADLEY ZINT
APAIR OF PROMINENT
Orange County doctors has pledged $1 million to create an endowment for the ongoing
maintenance and care of Christ Cathedral’s Our Lady of La Vang Shrine.
The generosity of the philanthropist couple, Dr. Michael Dao and Dr. Linh Bui, was facilitated by the OLLV Foundation, which fundraises for the shrine, adjacent
Marian Gardens and St. Callistus Chapel and Crypts. The shrine, which features a large Italian marble statue of the Virgin Mary as she is believed to have appeared in Vietnam in 1798, has become among the most popular destinations of the
Garden Grove cathedral campus, drawing many thousands each month for Mass, tours and quiet reflection. Though the shrine has Vietnamese-Catholic heritage, since its 2021 dedication it has served as the outdoor focal point for large-scale celebrations for Filipino, Mexican, Peruvian and Polish communities in the diocese, making it truly a multicultural destination.
Dr. Dao and Dr. Bui own AMD Medical Plaza in Garden Grove, a 40,000-square-foot multispecialty clinic offering a variety of healthcare needs, including urgent care, primary care, physical therapy and radiology.
The duo has donated smaller amounts to Catholic priests and parishes over the years, and to missionary causes abroad, but the $1 million is by far their most significant contribution to the church to date.
“We need money to keep it beautiful, keep it nice and keep it sacred so that people can come and pray,” Dr. Dao said.
OLLV Foundation CEO Elysabeth Nguyen called the donation “an act of generosity that will have a lasting impact for hundreds of thousands of people, making it a legacy gift that will continue to serve year after year.”
Dr. Dao and Dr. Bui said they were particularly influenced to give after attending the May premiere of “Our Lady at the Center,” a new documentary about the history of the shrine and Our Lady of La Vang. Nguyen executive produced the film, which was presented by the OLLV Foundation and the diocese.
“I think the movie really hit us,” Dr. Dao said, adding that even though he had donated some toward the shrine’s construction, he didn’t feel as connected to it
until recently. His wife agreed.
“After the movie, just standing in front of her, I felt something so spiritual in that spot, just looking at her,” Dr. Binh said. What further helped seal their decision was a private dinner with Nguyen and Bishop Timothy Freyer, who also serves as an OLLV Foundation board member.
The couple was born in Vietnam and immigrated to the United States in their teens. They first met at a Vietnamese student club while attending Santiago High School. Michael, a Catholic convert, was a senior while Linh, a fourth-generation Catholic, was a freshman. They further connected when Michael mentored Linh in math.
But today, the duo laughs trying to recall their early shared history which they can’t precisely remember — especially after the decades growing their business and raising three children, all of whom attended Sts. Simon and Jude Catholic School in Huntington Beach. Their two oldest are following in their parents’ footsteps, attending medical school and pharmacy school. The youngest is studying business and may someday manage the older siblings.
But Dr. Dao and Dr. Bui can agree that their first date was to the movies, possibly to see 1983’s “Flashdance.”
As they both went their separate ways in college and medical school — Michael becoming a doctor of internal medicine and Linh a doctor of pharmacology — they continued to write to each other. Theirs is an old-fashioned love story, culminating with a traditional Catholic marriage ceremony at St. Barbara parish in Santa Ana.
Now, their saga is continuing with contributing to the legacy of Our Lady of La Vang at Christ Cathedral.
“It’s a sacred place,” Dr. Bui said. “People can come to pray for miracles, pray for peace, pray for calmness, whatever they need.”
“God has answered all our prayers,” Dr. Dao added. “We wanted to give back to the community.” C
DR. MICHAEL DAO AND DR. LINH BUI PRAY BEFORE THE OUR LADY OF LAVANG STATUE ON THE CAMPUS OF CHRIST CATHEDRAL. PHOTO BY THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE
DR. MICHAEL DAO AND DR. LINH BUI ARE PICTURED WITH DALE WASHINGTON, SID TRAN, ELYSABETH NGUYEN AND BISHOP TIMOTHY FREYER. PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. MICHAEL DAO AND DR. LINH BUI
ST. TIMOTHY “TAKES BACK” HALLOWEEN WITH SAINTS AND SWEETS
BY GREG MELLEN
TRUNK-OR-TREAT EVENTS
have become ubiquitous as a way to provide safe Halloween experiences for children and families in Southern California. At St. Timothy Catholic Church in Laguna Niguel, it is presented with a twist.
Saints and Sweets, as the parish has rebranded its annual event, has been a local hit for more than 20 years.
Catholics have a complicated history with Halloween. On one hand, the holiday has roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when it was believed the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. Bonfires were lit and costumes worn to ward off ghosts.
On the other hand, it is also among the most Catholic of holy days, coming on the eve of All Saints’ Day, which
honors not only the named saints, but the countless saints and blessed souls in heaven whose names are unknown.
Modern Halloween tends to focus on the secular rather than the more religious reflections that the Church intended when Popes Gregory III and IV moved the feast of All Saints’ Day to Nov. 1.
“Everyone has trunk-or-treat, but we wanted to turn it into a celebration of saints,” Andrea Marian, director of child faith formation at St. Timothy, said of the effort to “take back Halloween.”
To reinforce the theme, in addition to the 30 or so decorated trunks with themes ranging from a steampunk-inspired graveyard to a Starbucks drivethru, the event included saints-themed trivia contests and carnival games with names such as the “St. Francis Stuffed Animal Toss.”
Attendees were also invited to dress in
CONTINUES ON PAGE 13
MICHELE WILDER OF LAGUNA HILLS, PLAYING THE ROLE OF ST. KATERI TEKAKWATHA, READS CLUES ABOUT HER SAINT AS YOUNG PARISHIONERS MAKE GUESSES DURING THE ANNUAL SAINTS AND SWEETS EVENT AT ST. TIMOTHY IN LAGUNA NIGUEL ON FRIDAY, OCT. 24. PHOTOS BY JEFF ANTENORE/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
MONICA CENCAK, ANDY CENCAK AND DANIEL CENCAK, FROM LEFT, OF RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA STAND AT THEIR GRAVEYARD-THEMED TRUNK-OR-TREAT STATION DURING SAINTS AND SWEETS AT ST. TIMOTHY IN LAGUNA NIGUEL.
SUSAN DUFFY, DARCY VOISINET, 8, MEGHAN VOISINET AND KATE VOISINET, 10, FROM LEFT, OF LAGUNA NIGUEL STAND IN THEIR STARBUCKS-THEMED TRUNK-OR-TREAT STATION.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12
saint-inspired costumes.
Two parishioners, Levi, 5, and Hannah, 7, took the invitation to heart, dressing as St. Michael and Joan of Arc, respectively.
When asked about their inspirations, the children had quick answers.
“Because he fights the devil,” Levi said of St. Michael.
Hannah chimed in: “I like protecting people,” she said of picking Joan of Arc, “because I’m a big sister.”
The saint-inspired trivia games consisted of one in which seven congregants dressed as saints and read brief bios before audience members could guess who they were.
Another game, complete with a QR code and played by anyone with a cell phone, featured a series of multi-
ple-choice questions.
Coincidentally, Levi was the winner, although he was likely helped by his dad, who manned the phone.
In addition to the trunks and games, a meal was served, including 240 hamburgers and about 80 hot dogs brought and grilled by the Knights of Columbus.
Purveyors of the trunks ranged from families that have participated since the event’s inception to first-timers.
Andrew Cencak was helping his parents Daniel and Monica transform the back of their 2023 Nissan Rogue into an eerie graveyard flanked by witches and a cauldron.
Some of the very early memories of Andrew Cencak, now an adult, are of decorating trunks with his parents.
Monica Cencak, the visionary behind the trunks, said she loves the event.
“The kids can all come together,” she said. “I like that the church tries to incorporate everyone in a safe environment.”
And it’s still growing.
“It started as something small and has grown every year,” she said. “It’s fun to see the generations now.” C
KIDS VISIT A “BOOS AND BLOOMS” TRUNK-OR-TREAT STATION, COMPLETE WITH A BOUQUET MAKING TABLE, DURING SAINTS AND SWEETS AT ST. TIMOTHY IN LAGUNA NIGUEL. PHOTOS BY JEFF ANTENORE/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
JOSEPH VO OF ALISO VIEJO, PLAYING THE ROLE OF ST. MAXIMILIAN KOLBE, READS CLUES ABOUT HIS SAINT AS YOUNG PARISHIONERS MAKE GUESSES.
FREEDOM
BY REBEKAH VALDERRAMA
DID YOU KNOW THAT St. Peter’s Basilica is not the cathedral of Rome? You'd think it was, based on its size and prominence, but in fact, the seat of the diocese of Rome is actually three miles away in St. John Lateran, and has been since 324, when Emperor Constantine gave Pope Sylvester I some land that had previously been owned by the Lateran family. Hence the name. (It was simply called ‘The Lateran Basilica’ until it later picked up the patronages of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist.)
The day your parish was dedicated is a local solemnity — my parish recently celebrated ours —and the day your local cathedral was dedicated is also a solemnity throughout the diocese. Since the bishop of Rome is also the bishop of the universal Church, St. John Lateran is, in a sense, the cathedral of the universal Church. Therefore, the feast of the dedication of St. John Lateran is a solemnity worldwide, which is why it supersedes the thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time on Nov. 9.
Before Constantine legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire, Mass had to be celebrated in secret for fear of persecution and martyrdom. The New Testament recounts Masses celebrated in private homes, and later, in Rome, the faithful fled (literally) underground to worship among the relics of the martyrs in catacombs. In a new era under Constantine, the dedication of the Lateran Basilica represented a new era of freedom to worship in the open. This is the same freedom of religion that we still enjoy today and often take for granted.
week as we observe Veterans Day, grateful for the servicemen who work to keep our freedom of religion secure.
We also celebrate our freedom this
Freedom is a great gift from God, though often a misunderstood one. We often think of freedom as the ability to do whatever we want, whenever we want. But Jesus offers us a truer form of freedom.
"Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin" (John 8:34). We've all felt the oppression of a particularly pernicious temptation. It's
unburdened by sin or temptation.
How wonderful it is when you pray your examination of conscience and realize that the sin you've been struggling with and bringing to confession over and over again for years has been lifted, and you no longer feel even the temptation to fall into that sin again. Praise God for that freedom! Someday, when we've been purified in purgatory of all our attachments to sin, we will be truly free from every temptation and be able to spend eternity in pure freedom, doing nothing but the will of God forever.
In the meantime, as we celebrate the Church's ‘Independence Day’ today, ask God to free you from your slavery to habitual sin. Thank Him for the freedom to worship Him without oppression and pray for our brothers and sisters elsewhere in the world who are still suffering persecution and living their faith in secret. C
hard to resist a habitual sin because we've been enslaved by the world, the flesh or the devil. We can't choose the right thing, even when we want to.
“Freedom is doing what is morally right.” I finally understood what that meant when I heard it explained this way: Do you want to kill your wife? No, of course not! Therefore, you're free from the law against killing your wife. You simply never have to worry about it. That freedom does not mean that you're allowed to kill her if you change your mind! Rather, your freedom is the ability to freely choose what is morally right,
THE FAITHFUL PRAISE GOD DURING THE DIOCESAN I AM EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS EVENT HELD ON OCT. 17. PHOTO BY IAN TRAN/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
OC Catholic Afar
The Ramirez Family (Carlos, Daniel, Sara and Guadalupe) visited Glacier National Park in Montana with a copy of OC Catholic in tow.
The park is famous for its melting glaciers and spectacular scenery.
—The Ramirez Family attends Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Santa Ana.
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.
