This program will help lay ministers increase their knowledge of the Catholic intellectual tradition and improve their ministerial skills for the life of the Church. Students will be prepared to work in different areas of ministry and make professional and personal connections with others of the same mind and spirit.
For more information
Email: mapm@stjohnsem.edu or visit www.stjohnsem.edu
A studio with professional video, audio, and lighting equipment has been built to produce visually stunning content by our world-class faculty. This studio allows our students to have an enjoyable technological experience.
May20-June3,2023
AlaskanCruise
August3-15,2023
TurkeyandEgypt
FollowingtheFootstepsof
St.PaulVisitingtheChurchesofthe
BookofRevelation
September27-October14,2023
HolyLandPilgrimage
September7-18,2024
Fr.MariohasbeenleadingpilgrimstotheHolyLandfor46years. HeholdsaPhDinNewTestament.
Forfreebrochureemail: mmdicicco@gmail.com orcall: (312)888-1331
Visithiswebsite: FrMarioTours forbrochureanddetailsoftrips
By John Keane, Sr. Jeanne Fallon, CSJ, and Fr. David Robinson, SJ
Taizé Prayer Service
Offered in Prayerful Collaboration with Stillpoint
To register: www.thecsd.org (714) 744-3172 thecsd@csjorange.org
Watch a brief video about the program7 8 11
“COME
With the start of Holy Week, it is time to be with Jesus.
SWALLOWS DAY 2023
After a two-year hiatus, the hometown tradition returns in its full glory and festivity.
AROUND OUR DIOCESE
A choral concert, educators’ conference and lecture series.
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.
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
Executive Editor: Monsignor Stephen Doktorczyk
Editor: Patricia Mahoney, editor@occatholic.com
News Ideas: editor@occatholic.com
Delivery Problems: occatholicsupport@occatholic.com
Director of Custom Content: Caroline Wong, cawong@scng.com
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.
FAITH IS THE IMPULSIVE love that walks on water, runs after the lost sheep and welcomes the Prodigal Son home. Faith is the reckless release of what we find comfort in holding onto while we are being held back from God.
In my experience, what holds me back from God is my constant concern about the passage of time. Most of my days revolve not around Jesus but around the clock as I race against myself to accomplish everything on my to-do list and move from destination to destination. During the school day, I live bell to bell from 7:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., always thinking about what is coming next.
But faith reminds me that neither our school days nor our existence is marked by temporal time alone. Rather, human
time runs on a parallel axis with God’s time, namely, eternity. Faith means that when I’m taking notes in class, talking to a friend or setting up the nets for volleyball practice, I’m living in time but participating in eternity, the place where our hearts belong.
Earthly time is filled to the brim with a mutual reaching out — us toward the Divine and the Divine toward us. The pains of growing up constantly remind me that we cannot reach too far after all, but God reaches further to meet us where we are at. He did once on Calvary, and He does now. Eternity has entered time, the Word has become Flesh and God has saved Himself a seat in every classroom and lunch table, made Himself a spot on every team and choir.
Through Mary, Mater Dei, He became small so we might see how big we are in
CONTINUES ON PAGE 13
�-=-� Tl-IE: ORANGE:
The Diocese of Orange, through OC Catholic newspaper, presents local, national and world news about the Catholic Church. Our intention is to give our readers access to a variety of perspectives in order to help them to process the information within the framework of our Catholic faith, but also to better understand the perspectives of those with opposing viewpoints. We hope that ultimately our readers will be better equipped to have constructive conversations that further the growth of the Catholic Church.
At the seminar, you will learn how to protect and provide for your loved ones, avoid probate, provide a Catholic perspective on health care directives, how to choose your trustee and power of attorney, what is needed to update or create an estate plan, will, living trust and more.
Participants will receive a FREE no obligation consultation!
Seminars are held at various parishes throughout Orange County. To view the full list o f dates, times and locations, visit OrangeCatholicFoundation.org/estate-plan n ing.
For any questions, please co ntact Rox a nna Payton at 714.282.6046 or email Plann edGiving@OrangeCatholicFoundation.org
THE JOURNEY OF LENT brings us to an encounter with the cross. During Lent, we have been led more deeply into questions at the heart of our faith: Who is God? And who are we, the Church? The Gospel of Matthew indicates that, in the crucifixion, God’s true nature is most fully revealed in Jesus. In Jesus, God is the self-emptying One, who embraces humility and suffers rejection, as Paul tells the Philippians. God’s power is redefined, present not in coercion and violence, but in Jesus’ unbounded love. We the Church can learn who we are, the followers of the Crucified One, when we bear crosses that offer life and hope to the world. We more fully become the Church when we empty ourselves by sharing in others’ sufferings, rejecting violence, and taking risks for justice and reconciliation. Like Jesus, we may reveal God’s power as compassion and mercy.
Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co. CREADINGS FOR THE WEEK
MONDAY IS 42:1-7; PS 27:1-3, 13-14; JN 12:1-11;
CHRISM MASS: IS 61:1-3AB, 6A, 8B-9; PS 89:21-22, 25, 27; RV 1:5-8; LK 4:16-21
TUESDAY IS 49:1-6; PS 71:1-6, 15, 17; JN 13:21-33, 36-38
WEDNESDAY IS 50:4-9A; PS 69:810, 21-22, 31, 33-34; MT 26:14-25
C. 344-421
ONE LEGEND SAID MARY was a harlot in Alexandria who became a Christian in Jerusalem after traveling there with some men. She then crossed the Jordan River and lived out her days as a solitary penitent. Another legend had her giving up cantor duties in a Jerusalem church to avoid temptation and do penance as a desert hermit, her long hair providing cover when her clothes rotted away. Mary's story, which may have been conflated with that of Mary Magdalene, was widely known in the Middle Ages.
PHOTOS: CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE, SHUTTERSTOCK
THURSDAY
CHRISM MASS: IS 61:1-3AB, 6A, 8B-9; PS 89:21-22, 25, 27;
“Humility is the high road of the Christian life”
— Pope Francis
BY GREG HARDESTY
BEFORE SHE BECAME A mother, Norma Agüero was a pre-school teacher.
And while raising three children — at the time, one was in elementary school, and the other two were high school students — Agüero began working part time as a Spanish teacher and as Confirmation coordinator at Mission Basilica in San Juan Capistrano.
Children always have been at the center of Agüero’s life.
Now a proud grandmother of two, and a parishioner at San Francisco Solano in Rancho Santa Margarita, Agüero is marking her 13th year running one of the most important but under-the-radar departments in the Diocese of Orange.
The RCBO’s Office of Child and Youth Protection (OCYP) was established to uphold the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, the landmark set of procedures originally established by the USCCB in 2002.
The comprehensive document, written in response to sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy, includes guidelines for reconciliation, healing, accountability and prevention of future acts of abuse and is a letter of apology and how the Church will do things differently.
Key to the charter is making sure the Church is helping victims come forward as well as in their healing process.
With April being National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Agüero talked about the importance of the department for the Diocese.
“I’m humbled by the work that I do,” said Agüero, who became director of the OCYP in 2011, which was established in 2003. She started working for the Diocese
in 2007, first in the worship and Hispanic ministries office before serving as executive assistant to former Auxiliary Bishop Cirilo Flores.
“It’s been a lot of work,” Agüero said, “but I stand on the shoulders of the people before me. I continue to strive to move forward and implement better safeguards and to keep things relevant in order to protect today’s children.”
With 57 parishes, five centers and three-dozen parish/diocesan schools in the Diocese, the responsibility of the OCYP is enormous.
Agüero works closely with three key colleagues, program coordinator Esther Ramirez, victims’ assistance coordinator Sylvia Palda and manager of internal investigations Ron Lowenberg. All four take reports from an army of boots-on-theground record custodians and safe environment coordinators who are embedded at every school and parish and who also respond to reports received through the diocesan reporting line.
“My department is the hub of ensuring we’re in compliance with the (USCCB) Charter,” Agüero explained.
The record custodians and safe environment coordinators ensure that adults are getting trained on the prevention of child abuse and that they receive fingerprint clearance for all adults working with minors. They also ensure that all children in diocesan schools and parishes received safety training annually.
Every year, the OCYP is audited by an independent body that also makes personal visits to the Diocese every three years, making sure that adults are trained and fingerprinted, and that youth receive training in recognizing signs of adult misconduct.
“We have a system in place that is very
comprehensive and robust,” Agüero said. “We take every call very seriously.”
Complaints are considered by the Oversight Review Board, made up of talented professionals who evaluate each complaint and make recommendations regarding next steps.
Though not plentiful, most of the complaints the OCYP gets have to do with boundary violations – inappropriate communication with a minor over social media, for example.
“We try to nip things in the bud and make sure that the people working with our minors have good, healthy boundaries and that we catch potential problems really
soon.”
Dr. Denise Valadez, associate superintendent of Curriculum, Spirituality and Accreditation for the Diocese, works closely with Agüero.
“Norma has been an exceptional support to our office when navigating situations involving boundary issues,” Valadez said. “She’s very thorough, thoughtful and patient when it comes to handling these often challenging and sensitive cases.”
On several occasions, Valadez has gone
to Agüero with a particular issue and Agüero has walked her through different options and ways to handle that situation.
“Norma always errs on the side of caution in an effort to best protect our children,” Valadez said. “She has a love for Catholic education, and she is committed to her ministry of child and youth protection. I have come to appreciate and value her thoughtful insight and commitment to the safety of our youth.”
Msgr. Stephen Doktorczyk, vicar general for legal and canonical affairs for the Diocese of Orange, is a longtime colleague of Agüero.
“Norma takes seriously her responsibilities of overseeing the Office of Child and Youth Protection,” he said. “She makes sure that the Diocese is following national standards and expectations and is proactive, always willing to train those working with young people so that they in turn can help guarantee safety for children at a particular parish or school.
“It is not uncommon for Norma to visit a site during the evening and give presentations and answer questions presented by staff and volunteers, either in English or in Spanish, and to make herself generously available to pastors, principals and others whenever needed.”
Agüero said her department continues to evolve.
“We have to be a step ahead of what’s going out there,” she said.
She added: “Abuse is never going to go away. It’s not a church problem but a societal problem, and our goal is to lower the instances of abuse.”
To decompress from a job that often can be challenging, Agüero loves to dote on her grandchildren, ages 6 and 11 and enjoys gardening.
“It’s a dark world at times,” she said of her work. “You must be cut from a certain cloth. I keep telling the Lord, ‘I
HOW OFTEN HAVE WE rejoiced in the birth of a family member, a dear one’s success, or the presence of a friend? How many loved ones have we worried about and prayed for during times of sickness, trouble, or loss? How often have we had to say the final good-bye to a loved one who was dying? All of these are a part of life, as summarized in the Book of Ecclesiastes (Eccl. 3: 1-8) and popularized well over 50 years ago by the Byrds’ song: “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season).”
Jesus, truly human as well as truly divine, has similarly been tested in every way [as we are], yet without sin (Heb 4:15 NAB). Our human experiences are colored by the fallen state in which we all share. Jesus did not share in our fallen state, nor in our fallen experiences. Rather, his human experience is utterly perfect, which, of course, is very different from our situation.
The holiest week of the Liturgical Year starts today with Palm Sunday. As baptized members of the Body of Christ, we have the special privilege of accompanying Jesus. Out of the many ways to be with him, we offer a few suggestions for private or family prayer and activities. May these spark your prayerful creativity of how to come and be with Jesus and keep Him company in his final joys and sorrows.
■ PALM SUNDAY (or PASSION SUNDAY).
Jesus enters Jerusalem in triumph.
*Read the story of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem aloud: (Mt. 21:1-11, Mk 11:1-11, Lk 19:28- 40, or Jn 12:12-18). Perhaps the children might want to act this out.
weave palm branches into crosses and try it.
*Have a special family prayer together allowing each one to share successes and triumphs, and after each sharing and conclude with “We thank and praise you, Jesus.”
■ HOLY THURSDAY. Jesus celebrates the Last Supper / First Mass with his apostles during the Passover Dinner.
*Find suggestions online for a traditional and a Christian celebration of the Passover and try one with your family. You might want to include washing each other’s feet.
*Read chapters 3 to 12 of the Book of Exodus to learn more about the Passover (or Ex. 12: 1-12 for a summary). *Watch the movie “Moses, Prince of Egypt.”
*Attend the evening Celebration of the Lord’s Supper and stay awhile to keep Jesus company at the Altar of Repose.
*Jesus said to his apostles, “My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.” (Mt. 26: 38)
Spend some quiet time at night in prayer, simply to be with Jesus.
*Attend the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion and/or the Stations of the Cross.
*Keep noon until 3 p.m. as a quiet time of prayer, remembering Jesus’ suffering and death.
■ HOLY SATURDAY. Jesus lies buried in the tomb.
*Decorate Easter eggs which remind us of the new life of Our Risen Lord and/or make Easter cookies.
*Make Easter cards for sick or elderly family and friends.
*Make Easter baskets by weaving ribbons through strawberry baskets, adding Bible messages along with candy.
*Attend the Easter Vigil and bring home holy water.
■ EASTER SUNDAY. Jesus rises from the dead.
*Attend Mass, rejoicing in the gift of eternal life gained for us by Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection.
*Have an Easter egg hunt using plastic eggs filled with Bible verses about God’s love, joy, and new life as well as candy. For help in finding quotes, in the Internet search bar type “Bible quotes on God’s love.”
*Take a walk in a lovely area with spring flowers and thank Jesus for His limitless love for you.
■ FIFTY DAYS OF EASTER: Celebrate, celebrate and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. JESUS LOVES YOU!C CONTINUES ON PAGE 10
*Go online for directions on how to
■ GOOD FRIDAY. Jesus offers his life on the cross out of a personal love for each of us.
Day celebration and parade took place on Saturday, March 25, after several years of COVID-19 restrictions and an equine disease that minimized the festivities. Enthusiastic spectators came out to watch the parade and enjoy the traditional San Juan Capistrano events.
“The theme for this year’s parade is Back in the Saddle Again,” said Jim Taylor, a volunteer with the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association which organized the event.
That’s because last year horses could not participate in the parade.
“In 2022 there was an equine virus and so horses were in quarantine,” explained Taylor. “So, we had a motorized parade instead."
Many spectators got a kick out of seeing the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile that rode in that parade, but the beautiful horses were back on display this year. According to Taylor, Saturday’s parade— the 63rd—featured about 230 horses. This delighted parade participant Connie Spenuzza, a board member of the Mission Preservation Foundation.
“Having enjoyed owning and riding my trail horses for many years, I'm so happy to have the equine virus and the COVID restrictions behind us,” she said. “The equestrian participants are the heart and soul of the Swallows Day Parade. I love to watch the young parade spectators applaud the riders and their horses.”
As an author of history and historical fiction, Spenuzza said she appreciates that the parade highlights the Mission San Juan Capistrano as the birthplace of Orange County, and it also pays tribute to San Juan Capistrano's equestrian traditions.
Marching bands traveled from all over Southern California to add their energetic music to the festivities.
“They’re from Downey, Pasadena, Whittier, Northridge and Thermal, California,” explained Taylor.
This was the first time that the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment from Fort Irwin was part of the parade, he added. The Temecula Cowgirl Color Guard were there, as well as the Marine Mounted Color Guard from Barstow.
A big highlight each year is the children of Mission Basilica School who’ve participated in the Swallows Day parade since its inception in the 1930s, said Alycia Beresford, M.Ed., principal of the Mission Basilica School in San Juan Capistrano. And the children take their roles in the parade seriously.
“We prepare for a St. Joseph's Day performance and the parade for approximately six weeks,” said Beresford.
Mission Basilica School had three entries in the parade this year. Each year, cheerleaders perform while the students walk in spirit wear with school faculty and staff. Eight students are selected as members of the royal court representing Spanish royalty during the founding years of the Mission; they ride in a carriage. The younger kids are typically involved, too.
“First grade students dress as swallows and walk with a ‘swallow’s nest’ and are accompanied by our kindergarten ‘munks,’” said Beresford.
Involving children in the parade is a long-held tradition.
“In 1953, the Royal Court resembling the reigning monarchs of Spain during the founding years of the Mission were first presented,” explained Beresford.
“The royal court members are students in the eighth grade who are selected based on their leadership, kindness to others, involvement in the school and academic excellence.”
As the parade date approached, kids got more and more excited.
“They look forward to it every year,” said Beresford.
Swallows Day originated with the springtime arrival of migrating cliff swallows at the Mission San Juan Capistrano in the early 1920s. A priest named Fr. John O’Sullivan supposedly told the swallows they were welcome at Mission San Juan Capistrano and would be protected there. Each year
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
when the swallows returned during their migration route, local residents rejoiced. Now, about 100 years later, not many swallows arrive (they’re able to find protection elsewhere), but the celebration continues, as Saturday’s crowds—who arrived on foot, by car and by train—demonstrated.
Volunteers put in many hours of work to make sure that the parade ran smoothly. Taylor estimated that planning began last November. Costs for rentals and materials have risen steadily over the years and are funded by sponsorships, donors, fundraisers and merchandise sales.
The Mission entry featured two beautiful horse-drawn carriages with floral decor “courtesy of the very generous Spenuzza Velastegui Family Foundation,” said Mechelle Lawrence Adams, the executive director of Mission San Juan Capistrano.
Spenuzza has participated in every
parade since 1996, except for the last few years. This year she rode with her husband and youngest son on one of the Mission entry horse-drawn carriages.
“The public is amazing and so supportive,” she said. “They cheer, and wave and it feels very small town and homey. I also love going through the very northern most portion where many of our Spanish speaking residents live. They are so respectful, and the kids are so happy when we wave to them. It is a great day!”
To learn more, visit https://journeynorth.org/tm/swallow/OnAMission. html
Special congratulations to our friends who participated in the Swallows Day Parade
Mission San Juan Capistrano's entry
Mission Basilica Royal Court
Mission Basilica School Swallows Nest
Mission Basilica School Walkers and Cheerleaders
JSerra Catholic High School
Legion of Mary C
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
will be here as long as you need me.’”
If you have been a victim of sexual abuse by clergy or a church representative, please call the Diocesan Toll-Free Reporting Line, 1-800-364-3064 as well as your local law enforcement agency. C
Last year (2021-’22, the latest period for which numbers are available), the Office of Child and Youth Protection reported the following statistics.
Training completed
■ 20,475 children and youth on safe environment training (how to protect themselves)
■ 253 priests
■ 152 deacons
■ 45 candidates for ordination
■ 1,751 educators (teachers and principals)
■ 1,053 other school employees
■ 11,000 volunteers
THE OFFICE OF CHILD AND YOUTH PROTECTION (OCYP) AT THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE WAS ESTABLISHED TO UPHOLD THE UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ (USCCB) CHARTER FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE. PHOTO BY DREW KELLEY/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
The United States Naval Academy Glee Club performed at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Newport Beach on March 14.
The singers were at one time all male, but the 80-member United States Naval Academy Glee Club is now comprised of both the Academy's Women's Glee Club and the Men's Glee Club. The Women's Glee Club was founded in 1976 when women first entered the Naval Academy and is the only all-female military choral ensemble in the world.
For the evening's performance, the groups first sang separately, then joined to make the Combined Glee Club.
“A special congratulations to the Navy choirs now that they have both male and female voices,” said Fr. Steve Sallot, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Angels. “We are grateful to have them perform here, and we salute their service.”
Dr. Aaron Smith has been the glee club’s conductor for the past 16 years. He said that upon graduation, the glee club members will be commissioned officers in the Navy and the Marine Corps.
“I am inspired every single day,” he said.
- By Mara Case yOn March 17, our Diocese's Catholic elementary school educators attended Spring Educator Day, a professional development training session at the Christ Cathedral campus in Garden Grove.
The educators learned valuable information from Friendzy, a social emotional character development learning program, that they can take back to their schools and apply in their classrooms with their colleagues. Some
of what they learned included how to build community and connections as educators so they can maximize their strengths and better support one another.
They also learned everyday tools to strengthen the mental health and well-being of students.
Our Diocese's amazing educators had a wonderful day of learning!
Thank you to the presenters and the school management team for coordinating the event.
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus Council 6020 announce a new theological speaker series, titled “Catholics Invade the Bar: ¡Viva México!”
They are partnering with St. Vincent de Paul parishioners Olivia and Rafaél Jimenez, owners of Casa Jimenez restaurant in Huntington Beach, for this nineweek series of dynamic lectures by exciting speakers from across the country, beginning April 19 and continuing until June 14.
Each Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Catholics Invade the Bar will meet at Casa Jimenez to learn more about the “faith delivered once and for all to the saints” (Jude 3).
Space is limited, so register now! The suggested donation for each evening is $15 or $135 for the whole series.
Food and drink will be available for purchase at Casa Jimenez, so come hungry and thirsty both for a tasty meal and for the truth.
This is the second edition of Catholics Invade the Bar, which Fr. William Goldin started at his previous parish, Our Lady of Fatima in San Clemente. The first series was a sold-out success and was recorded by Guadalupe Radio. To register, please visit catholicsinvade.com C
FOR YEARS, JSERRA High School administrators have been wanting to reach beyond the walls of the school to connect with the community.
This notion of building community through faith matches up perfectly with the philosophy of St. Junipero Serra, the school’s patron saint, whose credo was "Siempre Adelante, Nunca Atras," which means, "Always forward, never backward."
In order to make an immediate and profound impact, the Catholic high school hosted a large-scale celebration of faith on March 11, the Adelante Fest, which featured a Mass, confession, kid friendly activities, food trucks and dynamic keynote speaker – Fr. Mike Schmitz.
“We took the last word of that phrase, Adelante, and used that for the title of this event because we want to take forward the gifts that St. Junipero Serra gave us 250 years ago, the prayer and formation that he gave to people living in this part of California,” said Patrick Reidy, JSerra’s vice president of Mission and Faith, “And we want to carry it forward to this generation.”
“Fr. Mike,” as he is endearingly called, is the director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota and known for hosting his “Catechism in a Year” and “The Bible in a Year Podcasts,” along with his “Ascension Presents” video sermons.
Adelante began with a Mass celebrated by Fr. Mike and concelebrants Fr. Brandon Dang, vocations director for the Diocese of Orange, and Fr. Peter Adrian, a Norbertine priest from St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado Canyon.
Fr. Mike fought back tears at the start of the Mass as he remembered his mother, Gudrun Schmitz, who died on Feb. 27,
2023, at age 77.
In his homily, Fr. Mike discussed the biblical story of the Woman at the Well from the Gospel of John, which tells of an encounter between a Samaritan woman and Jesus at a well in the city of Sychar.
When Jesus asked the woman for a drink, the woman at the well asked Jesus how He could ask her, a Samaritan woman, for a drink, as Jews did not associate with Samaritans.
“If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given
you living water,” Jesus replied. The lesson, Fr. Mike said, is to see people as individuals and not define them by their group.
“Where we are tempted to see people by their group, Jesus sees them as a person,” he said. “He doesn’t define her by her story. This is the challenge for every one of us, to see how Jesus would see.”
Jesus is not saying to pretend groups don’t exist or ignore a person’s background, Fr. Mike said, but to see past the group and see the person.
“Until we begin to do that, we will never
see the way Jesus sees,” he said. “If we can’t see the way Jesus sees, we will never be able to love the way Jesus loves.”
When Mass ended, the faithful moved outside to the football field, where bounce houses, games and food trucks were set up.
Despite chilly temperatures and a steady flow of light rain, at least 1,000 people enjoyed the activities, many standing in front of the stage to hear Fr. Mike deliver his keynote address.
“What a great witness to family,” JSerra president Rich Meyer said of the turnout.
His eyes. And nowhere does He become smaller and more humble than in the Eucharist, the treasure of our Catholic faith.
By celebrating all-school Mass, praying with Ms. Steves before volleyball games and participating in Friday morning Adoration, my concerns about the passage of time fade away because I realize that every second brings the fulfillment of a new grace. In time is eternity, and in eternity is an invitation to dance with the Divine.
We will miss steps and lose the beat. We will forget the songs and sing the wrong melody. But God fills in the spaces where we fall short, narrowing the gap between the natural and the supernatural until time and eternity are one.
Living faith in high school for me means striving toward this unity and letting God transform my bell-to-bell existence into one marked by glory-to-glory. It means forgiving and asking for forgiveness. It means loving ridiculously in this life and hoping radically for the next one to come. It means participating in the joy our hearts were created for and realizing that the space between time and eternity is not so wide after all.
Erynn is a graduate of St. Irenaeus School in Cypress and holds a 4.5 GPA. She is a member of the girls volleyball team, California Scholarship Federation, National Honor Society and ASB Team where she serves on the Scarlet Ambassador Commission, the student-marketing team. She is an honored recipient of the Andi Collins Award. C
At the start of his talk, Fr. Mike said he wanted to share a universal message for the Catholics and non-Catholics in attendance along with those who embrace their faith daily and those who may have been disconnected for a period of time.
To prove the point that Jesus is willing to meet individuals where they are at, Fr. Mike discussed the passage from Luke 5: 1-11, the story of Jesus calling his first disciples.
Jesus was standing along shore the Sea of Galilee, where he saw two fishermen who returned from fishing trip with empty nets.
In one of the boats was Simon Peter.
Jesus told Simon to go back out to deep water and lower the nets for a catch.
“Master, we have worked all night but have caught nothing,” Simon said. “But at your command, I will let down the nets.”
When Simon returned, he had caught so many fish, the nets were tearing.
Amazed by God’s power, Simon fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
Jesus said to Simon and his partners John and James, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will be catching men. When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.”
Jesus displays patience by meeting Simon where he was at, and not asking Simon to do become perfect or do anything differently, Fr. Mike said.
“The only difference,” he said, “is when Jesus tells Simon, ‘Take me with you.’”
Many people say they love Jesus but are hesitant to include Him in every area of their life, he said.
But Jesus wants to be in our life 100 percent of the time.
“Monday morning, Jesus is probably not going to ask us to leave everything and follow him,” Fr. Mike said. “What Jesus is most likely going to tell us, is ‘Monday morning when you go to work, take Me with you. I want to be there.’”
JSerra will continue to host Adelante events in the future and continue to invite powerful speakers, Meyer said.
For more information on JSerra’s Adelante initiative, visit https://www.jserra.org/about/ adelanteC
Danielle Tayabas reads an issue of OC Catholic on steps by the Mama Mary Statue at Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa in Honolulu, Hawaii. She is a contributing writer to the Catholic Family Living column.
— Photo by Tri Dihn Le
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