OC CATHOLIC - MARCH 20, 2022

MARCH 20, 2022

AROUND OUR DIOCESE PAGE 11

THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF ORANGE n OCCATHOLIC.COM

FEEDING OUR COMMUNITY OC CATHOLIC HIGHLIGHTS THREE DIOCESAN FOOD PANTRIES PAGE 8

A VOLUNTEER PUTS FOOD ITEMS IN THE TRUNK OF A HELPING HOUSE CLIENT AT CHRIST CATHEDRAL CAMPUS IN GARDEN GROVE. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE

BE A VOICE IN THE '21-'23 SYNOD Share your Reflections RCBO.ORG/SYNOD

The Synod is a two-year process when the Church furthers the understanding of Her mission by listening to feedback from all who experience it. The Diocese of Orange invites you to express your experience, sentiments, and thoughts by submitting your reflections online.

MARCH 20, 2022

CONTENTS

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LEADING WOMEN

Local leaders show their devotion to faith and community through action.

BEYOND IRELAND

St. Patrick’s Day brings hope in the early springtime.

CHAMPION GIRLS SPORTS PROGRAMS

Local Catholic schools boast winning teams in recent years.

PLUS

Guest Column, Weekly Readings, Moments In Our Journey

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 Executive Editor: Monsignor Stephen Doktorczyk Editor: Patricia Mahoney, editor@occatholic.com News Ideas: editor@occatholic.com Delivery Problems: occatholicsupport@occatholic.com

ADVERTISING Director of Custom Content: Caroline Wong, cawong@scng.com

SCNG CUSTOM CONTENT Managing Editor: Caitlin Adams

Art Director: Fernando M. Donado

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.

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OCCatholicNews

@OCCCatholicNews

GUEST COLUMN

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM UKRAINE’S WITNESS

BY GREG ERLANDSON CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

P

UTIN’S WAR IS TEACHING us something about ourselves, if we are paying attention.

The scenes of brave Ukrainians standing in front of tanks, making Molotov cocktails, picking up arms to fight an overwhelming aggressor, taps into some powerful American myths about righteous struggles and David vs. Goliath contests.

Think of “High Noon” with Gary Cooper taking on a band of killers. Think of “Red Dawn,” a Cold War fantasy of high school students resisting Soviet invaders. Think of any “Star Wars” film with the Resistance always on the verge of extinction from the Emperor’s

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endless supply of storm troopers.

Despite having been the world’s most powerful nation for decades, we still see ourselves as Gary Cooper, as defenders of the underdog. And because we see ourselves this way, we feel a tremendous sympathy for the Ukrainian people enduring this violent and unprovoked aggression.

The Ukrainians’ willingness to risk their lives for their homeland, their passionate defense of their country even at great cost, is a powerful display of patriotism. Ukrainian civilians blocking the road to the country’s nuclear power plant with their bodies is breathtakingly heroic.

But it isn’t just the Ukrainian courage in the face of an overwhelming foe. It is

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CONTINUES ON PAGE 14

ERLANDSON, DIRECTOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE, CAN BE REACHED AT GERLANDSON@CATHOLICNEWS.COM. PHOTO: CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

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.

DAILY READINGS AND REFLECTIONS

“

Now is not a time for indifference…

— Pope Francis

HOLY GROUND

SAINT PROFILE

”

CUTHBERT 634-687

M

C

OSES MET GOD IN A most astounding way in the bush that was burning but not consumed by fire. Moses clearly had a powerful encounter with the Lord. He even felt bold enough to ask God’s name, something unheard of among his people at the time—God’s name was unspeakable.

Moses stood on holy ground. Do we not also stand on holy ground? As people who are created in God’s image and drawn to Christ through the waters of Baptism, we have been filled with God’s grace and goodness. The ground of our lives is holy. Lent is a time when we are called to open our minds and hearts to Christ, rely on God’s patient mercy, and to grow as God’s holy people.

Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co. C

UTHBERT LIKELY WAS A NORTHUMBRIAN Englishman, orphaned as a child. He tended sheep and fought the Mercians, then became a monk at Melrose Abbey, and later its abbot. In 664 he accompanied St. Eata to Lindisfarne, or Holy Island, off the northeastern coast of England, and later undertook long journeys on horseback or foot, ministering to Christians scattered around northern England and helping his monks accept Roman liturgical customs. After living as a contemplative for nine years on a remote islet, he was elected bishop of Hexham in 684. But he exchanged sees with Eata, becoming bishop of Lindisfarne. According to Bede’s history, Cuthbert was a holy, patient, practical leader, a miracle-worker beloved by all. He is a patron of sailors and of Northumbria. C

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

PHOTOS: CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE, SHUTTERSTOCK

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

2 KGS 5:1-15AB; PS 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4; LK 4:24-30

DN 3:25, 34-43; PS 25:4-5AB, 6, 7BC, 8-9; MT 18:21-35

DT 4:1, 5-9; PS 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20; MT 5:17-19

JER 7:23-28; PS 95:1-2, 6-9; LK 11:14-23

IS 7:10-14, 8:10; PS 40:7-11; HEB 10:4-10; LK 1:26-38

HOS 6:1-6; PS 51:3-4, 18-21AB; LK 18:9-14

JOS 5:9A, 10-12; PS 34:2-7; 2 COR 5:17-21; LK 15:1-3, 11-32

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FEATURE

LEADING WOMEN

PROMINENT FEMALES GUIDE OC’S CATHOLIC CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

BY CATHI DOUGLAS

I

N OBSERVANCE OF International Women’s Day (March 8), several prominent Catholic women leaders discuss their faith and how it inspires their lives, careers and families.

Whether in Catholic theology, the business world, health care or philanthropy, these women strive to live their faith dynamically, providing inspiration to other women throughout the Diocese of Orange and the Orange County community.

DR. PIA DE SOLENNI

Moral theologian Dr. Pia de Solenni believes that women have a distinct role in the Catholic Church. As president of the Global Institute for Church Management, she strives to live boldly and influence young women to do likewise.

“My faith is the underpinning of my career,” said Dr. de Solenni, who was the Diocese of Orange’s former chancellor.

“It gives me the confidence to try new things, get involved in new projects and serve in capacities where women haven’t served often or been known to serve.”

She sees the Church as a community of people who don’t necessarily think in the same ways or share the same views but are united in faith.

“We as Catholic men and women live our faith in different places, and the Church can be served everywhere.”

When advising young women, Dr. de Solenni said she urges them “to run toward something rather than run away,” by taking calculated risks and allowing themselves to experience what God has

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LEFT TO RIGHT: MORAL THEOLOGIAN DR. PIA DE SOLENNI; BUSINESS LEADER LUCY DUNN; PHILANTHROPIST SUSAN STRADER; AND HEALTH CARE LEADER ANNETTE WALKER. LUCY DUNN PHOTO COURTESY OF LUCY DUNN. ALL OTHERS COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE.

in mind.

“We must check our expectations to allow ourselves to experience what God is preparing us for.”

LUCY DUNN

A legend in the business community, Lucy Dunn recently retired as CEO of the Orange County Business Council and is now a consultant, Orange Catholic Foundation board member and chair of the Orange County Housing Trust.

Dunn assisted in the Christ Cathedral fundraising campaign, emceed the foundation’s Conference on Business and Ethics and serves on a number of advisory boards.

“I think one of my gifts is connecting dots within the region,” she explained.

“Economic success is important, and we have amazingly good ideas here.”

She believes her position as a woman leader is important, both in the Church and the community.

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“We are 50 percent of the population, and we see things differently, our experiences are different,” she observed.

“My faith has taught me to act in honorable ways with integrity – I lead by example.”

An active member of Irvine’s St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish, Dunn has traveled the world as a singer, serving as the church’s cantor and performing with community choirs.

“I love being a Catholic woman on the altar,” Dunn noted. “When you sing in front of a congregation, you have no idea who you are impacting. I’m still surprised when someone stops me in the grocery store and tells me how much my singing means to them.”

SUSAN STRADER

Susan Strader leads the community and the Church through stewardship and philanthropy.

A longtime member of Our Lady

Queen of Angels parish in Newport Beach, mother of four and grandmother of 11, Strader believes the Church needs strong women.

“It’s great for women to have a voice and to be taken seriously as leaders, responsible for sharing their unique vision and talents.”

She and her husband, Tim, chair of Starpointe Ventures, led the campaign committee to raise funds for the transformation of Christ Cathedral, founded Santa Margarita High School and brought the prestigious Legatus Foundation to Orange County.

They are original sponsors of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and offer ongoing and significant philanthropic support for the arts, health care and education.

“We want to make it evident that being Catholic is a pearl of great price that motivates us,” she said. “We find ways to best CONTINUES ON PAGE 7

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share the truths that we believe in.”

ANNETTE WALKER

Annette Walker, president of Orange County’s City of Hope and one of the country’s most influential health care leaders, says her Catholic faith guides her professional and personal life. It guided her to choose a career in the healing profession and has steered her to leadership positions in healthcare.

“My faith has always been there, impacting the way I think, my perspective and respect for others.”

“I feel that we all are called to be God’s presence in the world and to do good,” Walker said. “I think we have a great opportunity as Catholics to positively influence and impact the world – if not in our career, then in our parish, the people we work with – we always have the opportunity to be a witness.”

A cradle Catholic who attended Catholic schools through college, Walker and her husband have seven children and 13 grandchildren. When she speaks with young women about their career trajectories, she often is questioned about her ability to blend a high-powered career with motherhood.”

“I don’t think we have to choose between those things,” she stated. “I emphasize that while they’re building their careers, they must not forget to build their lives.”

In her opinion, the Church can benefit from more involvement from a diverse population, including women.

“I think women have a valuable perspective to contribute to the discussion and that more of us need to speak up.

“My Catholic faith teaches that all individuals are created in the image and likeness of God, so everyone is welcome and worth listening to,” she added. “We bear witness to what we believe.” C

BEYOND IRELAND

ST. PATRICK’S EXAMPLE OF STEADFAST FAITH INSPIRES CATHOLICS WORLDWIDE

BY CATHI DOUGLAS

R

EVERED AS ONE OF Ireland’s most beloved saints, St. Patrick provides Catholic families with a beautiful example of faith in the face of uncertainty and turmoil.

St. Patrick, whose feast day is celebrated on March 17, was a missionary who maintained a life of sacrifice, prayer and fasting as he strove to convert island natives in what the Irish Bishops’ conference called an ‘inhospitable climate.’

Legend has it that a Celtic chieftain tried to kill him, but God intervened so that Patrick could preach the Gospel throughout Ireland. Converting thousands, he began building churches. It is said that entire kingdoms were converted to Christianity upon hearing Patrick’s message. He often used shamrocks to explain the Holy Trinity.

Here in the U.S., St. Patrick’s Day offers a fine excuse for a corned beef-and-cabbage meal and some green beer – even though the saint’s feast day falls during Lent.

I can’t think of St. Patrick without remembering my late friend Patrick Mott, former editor of Orange County Catholic and a legendary feature writer and columnist for the Orange County Register.

ST. PATRICK, BISHOP AND MISSIONARY TO IRELAND, IS DEPICTED IN THIS STAINED-GLASS WINDOW AT THE CROSIER COMMUNITY IN ANOKA, MINN. LEGEND SAYS THAT HE USED THE SHAMROCK TO DESCRIBE THE TRINITY TO THOSE HE SOUGHT TO CONVERT. HIS FEAST DAY IS MARCH 17. PHOTO: CROSIERS PHOTOGRAPHY VIA CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

Pat was one of the first friends I made when I began working as a Register reporter. We lived in apartments on the same street and shared many meals together, some of which he cooked himself since he was a practiced home chef.

Like many an Irishman, Pat was a fine storyteller. He loved to laugh, and to make others laugh, and he enjoyed a stiff drink.

Even after his cancer diagnosis, Pat could be found at the Olde Ship

pub, where the bartenders and regulars knew him well. He loved to travel, especially to the United Kingdom, could spin a yarn as well as any native Irishman and had a sweet tenor that he lent to the Pacific Chorale.

Those who knew him best also knew that Pat was passionate about his Catholic faith. On weekends, he was cantor at St. Joseph Church in Santa Ana. He even studied at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, but eventually discerned that the priesthood wasn’t for him.

He never married, but Pat never lacked for companionship. While he was an indulgent uncle, I think it’s a shame he never became a father – he would have made a wonderful dad.

It has been a few years since his passing, and I still miss him. Even now, I’m hard pressed to name a single person who, to me, better exemplifies St. Patrick’s faith, zeal and purpose. Pat Mott was the truest friend you could ask for – a friend in good and bad times, one who would listen, buy you a drink, cheer you up – and pray for you.

On his feast day, I remember Pat as I say St. Patrick’s poem of faith and trust in God: Christ be within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ inquired, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all who love me, Christ in mouth of friend and savior.

Then, knowing he joins me in spirit, I raise my cup of Irish coffee in a silent toast to my friend. C The Maria Ferrucci Catholic Family Living feature is intended to inspire families to live their faith in the way Maria Ferrucci did throughout her earthly life.

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FEATURE

OC CATHOLIC HIGHLIGHTS THREE DIOCESAN FOOD PANTRIES

BY SPENCER GRANT

A

NYONE WHO THINKS affluent Orange County doesn’t have food insecurity should check out the long lines for the food pantries at these three sites: Helping House in Garden Grove, St. Timothy in Laguna Niguel and San Francisco Solano in Rancho Santa Margarita. They collectively serve hundreds of families every week.

SAN FRANCISCO SOLANO, RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA

San Francisco Solano Distribution Director Chris O’Connor described the need for his food pantry with a classic adage: “Give a man a fish, and it feeds him for a day. Teach a man to fish and it feeds him for life. But you can’t teach a man to fish without fishing poles.”

“The cost of living here is so high that we’ll keep on giving out food until there are enough fishing poles,” he added.

“My family is struggling so the food bank seemed like a great opportunity,” said first-time client Sara Sanchez.

-But how far will her Solano’s pantry food take her?

“Maybe it’ll take me for a week...just maybe, she said.”

The pantry has been helping those in need for over 30 years, and O’Connor sees it as more than a distributor of sustenance.

“I want clients to come empty and be filled,” he said. “It’s not just to fill their bellies. I want them to be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

O’Connor said they hope to re-open the pre-COVID prayer tent set up on distribution days.

“People will be able to drive by and if they have a need, we can pray for them

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VOLUNTEERS AT ST. TIMOTHY’S IN LAGUNA NIGEL ORGANIZE FOOD PANTRY ITEMS. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE

right there.”

Thirty-five volunteers were recently on the job at San Francisco Solano. They join in prayer before serving clients.

After COVID hit, attendance exploded, and the number of families served ran close to 300. That figure is now around 170, but it is still almost a threefold increase from the original number of 60-70 families pre-pandemic.

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ST. TIMOTHY, LAGUNA NIGUEL

items include fresh produce and diapers.

Like San Francisco Solano, at St. Co-manager Nancy Doyle noted that Timothy Catholic Church in Laguna lines have increased as food prices have Niguel the 40 volunteers “follow the risen.

Gospel to feed the hungry,” according to Pre-pandemic, the pantry offered co-manager Tina Haeussler. blood pressure checks done by nurses.

They serve about 120 families which Health is a problem for many of the adds up to 400 to 500 individuals when clients, a large number of whom come counting family size. The pre-bagged CONTINUES ON PAGE 9

FEATURE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

from Laguna Niguel where the median home price is just over a million dollars.

Local client Roberto has four in his family, not to mention grandchildren with whom he also shares the food. He works as a server at hotel banquets, but the work is erratic.

Dawn, also from Laguna Niguel, has three in her family and is looking for a second job. She esteems the food, observing that some other pantries are known to give out substandard groceries.

HELPING HOUSE, GARDEN GROVE

At Helping House on the campus of Christ Cathedral, Mary Lou Walters, chair of the ministry that runs the food pantry, explained that she was a special education teacher preparing to retire before becoming involved.

She’s now the go-to person for new volunteers. She currently has 30 volunteers and counting.

“I love my volunteers, Walters said.

Tasks include food pickup, stocking shelves, filling grocery bags, setup, cleanup and staffing grocery distribution. Some volunteers were once clients, others have been UC Irvine students.

“We don’t have many homeless right now – maybe 10 or 12,” said Walters.

“Clients are mostly low income or have lost their jobs. Some have been coming for years.”

Before the pandemic there was “client choice” where people chose in person from the pantry’s inventory.

Now all items are pre-bagged, and the clients don’t leave their cars.

“Hopefully [client choice] will come back soon,” said Walters. “We like the interaction.”

Helping House also offers toys for children, diapers, sleeping bags, jackets, hats and scarves for the homeless, including help with utility bills.

“If it’s a small amount we pay it all; if

A VOLUNTEER GREETS A CLIENT AT SAN FRANCISCO SOLANO CHURCH’S FOOD DISTRIBUTION SITE IN RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE.

it’s large we pay a part,” she said.

Three-year volunteer Ken Hickman explained where the food pantry gets its items.

“Second Harvest, Grocery Rescue, private donations and then we buy when we need to,” he said. “I do some purchasing myself.”

As with Solano and St. Timothy, there are no questions asked of new clients except their name and family size.

“Thursday is my favorite day of the week because we are actually helping people and not asking anything in return,” said volunteer Peggy Bergin. C

FOOD PANTRY CONTACTS AND HOURS:

n Helping House, on Christ Cathedral campus: 13280 Chapman Ave., Garden

Grove.

Food pantry: 714-971-2141.

Hours: Thursday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and first Saturday of each month, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

For volunteering, call Mary Lou Walters: 714-287-4124 or 714-282-3097. n St. Timothy’s Catholic Church: 29102 Crown Valley Parkway, Laguna Niguel.

Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 9-11 a.m., 949-249-4091, extension 104.

Co-managers: Tina Haeussler: 949-433-9059 and Nancy Doyle: 949-697-0717. n San Francisco Solano Church: 22082 Antonio Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita. 949-589-7767. Hours: Saturday 9-11 a.m.

Distribution Director: Chris O’Connor, 714-348-3292. To volunteer: Fill out form at solanocatholic.org/foodbank. C

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DIOCESAN NEWS

IN HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS OUR CREATOR GOD NEEDS CREATIVE THINKERS

BY FATHER DAMIEN GIAP

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OD THE FATHER creates such wondrous things! “...for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed.” And we were wonderfully created “after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” So, grounded in that image and likeness, should it surprise us that we are called to create as our Father does?

At St. John the Baptist Catholic School, our S.T.E.A.M. program is an integral part of our commitment to developing the whole student, so they are prepared to love and serve their God in all that they do. Our God needs problem solvers here on earth who are willing to serve their fellow man by discovering and developing solutions to the challenges of the world around us that God has created and that we are called to steward and protect.

On the evening of Feb. 16, the St. John’s campus was transformed into a wonderland of God’s creations, mixed with unique challenges designed to inspire creative thinking and innovative solutions. Grounded in a Christ-centered environment, students and their families were invited to celebrate the beauty of the gift of God’s image and likeness through the demonstration of their unique ability to innovate and create.

The result was an energized and dynamic evening of over 400 students and family members learning and playing in communion.

Excellence in Catholic education comes from our commitment to the knowledge that God is, and always will be, the creator and sustainer of everything that makes up our world and all that can be discovered and learned. With this in mind, we are charged with help-

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STUDENTS VISIT A TABLE AT ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST SCHOOL’S S.T.E.A.M. EVENT HELD ON FEB. 16. PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST SCHOOL

ing our young people to develop the tools they will need to live a life of service and stewardship that glorifies God. At St. John’s, we are always working to nurture and guide the beliefs, moti-

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vations, and callings of our students. We strive to develop student discipleship and faithfulness that prepares each child to meet the world challenges that await them. “Everything created by God is

good” and we are “the image of the invisible God” so we must inspire our children to celebrate their incredible nature and to create as their Father does, in service to His creations and His people.C

DIOCESAN NEWS

AROUND OUR DIOCESE

BY STAFF

CATHOLIC ACADEMIC JUNIOR HIGH DECATHLON

Several teams from the Diocese of Orange’s Catholic schools competed in the annual Catholic Academic Junior High Decathlon on March 5 at Santa Margarita High School. The event featured students from grades 6 to 8 competing in logic quizzes, a broad multiple-choice quiz, and individual knowledge tests on Roman Catholic doctrine, English, literature, science, mathematics, current events, social students, art and music.

The following parish schools participated: Blessed Sacrament School, Westminster Mission Basilica School - A and B Team, San Juan Capistrano Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic School, Newport Beach St. Anne Parish School, Santa Ana St. Bonaventure Catholic School, Huntington Beach St. Cecilia School, Tustin St. Edward the Confessor Parish School - Junior Varsity and Varsity Teams, Dana Point St. Francis of Assisi School, Yorba Linda St. Hedwig School, Los Alamitos St. Juliana Falconieri School, Fullerton St. Norbert School, Orange Of those, the following took home awards. Congratulations to all the winners!

Logic Quiz: 1st Place: St. Edward Parish School (Varsity Team) 2nd Place: St. Francis of Assisi School 3rd Place: Mission Basilica School (B Team)

FRIENDS AND FAMILY CHEER ON STUDENTS COMPETING IN THE CATHOLIC ACADEMIC JUNIOR HIGH DECATHLON ON MARCH 5. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE

2nd Place: St. Edward Parish School (Varsity Team) 3rd Place: St. Norbert School

MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL’S MODEL UNITED NATIONS CLUB

STUDENTS COMPETE IN THE ANNUAL CATHOLIC ACADEMIC JUNIOR HIGH DECATHLON ON MARCH 5. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE

Super Quiz: 1st Place: St. Francis of Assisi School 2nd Place: St. Edward Parish School (Varsity team)

3rd Place: Blessed Sacrament School & St. Norbert School (Tie) Overall: 1st Place: St. Francis of Assisi School

Mater Dei High School’s Model United Nations (MUN) Club recently traveled to the United Kingdom for a MUN conference and to learn more about English culture. Their trip included visiting London, York and Bath.

“What I loved about our MUN experience in the U.K. was the fact that we had the opportunity to challenge our intellects in a new environment, an environment that allowed us to develop an understanding of British culture and society and the ability to see the world from the British perspective,” said Nathaniel Calilung, a senior and co-presiCONTINUES ON PAGE 12

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DIOCESAN NEWS

MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL’S MODEL UNITED NATIONS (MUN) CLUB RECENTLY TRAVELED TO THE UNITED KINGDOM. PHOTO COURTESY OF MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

dent of the MUN Club. “My most memorable moment of the trip was being able to see London from the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral. For so long, I have only ever been able to imagine what the skyline of London would look like. Now, I was able to witness the city’s beauty in person.”

Calilung added that in his four years on the MUN Club, he’s learned “though our world may struggle with challenges never before seen and obstacles never before conquered, it is up to us — the young people of today — to engage with these issues with the vigor, virtue, and vision of Honor, Glory and Love.”

In addition to the U.K. trip, the club competed at Laguna Hills High School. Juniors Pavlos Arvanitidis and Brandon Miller won the Best Delegate award in the Advanced United Nations Committee on Narcotic Drugs, and won the Research Award as well. Freshman Lily McClellan, supported by her teammate, junior Leilany Flores, representing Israel in the Advanced UNICEF committee, earned the Commended

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Delegate award.

‘WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT IMMIGRATION?’

The special presentation will be held on Monday, March 21 at 7 p.m. at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 51 Marketplace, Irvine.

The heartbreaking crisis due to the war in Ukraine is once again adding massively to the displacement, globally and internally, of persons as refugees.

From Afghanistan, within and around United States borders and beyond, public debates and divides have often affected our responses to people in need.

In his presentation “What Does the Bible Say About Immigration?” Fr. vănThanh Nguyễn, SVD — who is professor of New Testament Studies and Francis X. Ford, M.M., chair of Catholic Missiology at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago — will take us on a journey of Christian response to migration that speaks to our history and current events.

Hosted at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, this event is co-sponsored by

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ST. THOMAS MORE CATHOLIC CHURCH, IRVINE. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE

the Diocese of Orange, Catholic Charities of Orange County and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange. Bishop Thanh Thai Nguyen will give the opening

prayer and Ellen Roy, executive director of Catholic Charities of Orange County, will give some current updates on local work and impacts.C

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS NEWS

GIRLS ATHLETIC PROGRAMS AT OC CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOLS SHINE IN 2021

BY JENELYN RUSSO

A

FTER HAVING TO ENDURE a number of challenges during 2020, including season stoppages and training limitations due to Covid-19 quarantine restrictions, girls athletic programs at Orange County Catholic high schools came back strong in 2021, bringing home a number of championship titles.

At Santa Margarita Catholic High School, the girls swim team didn’t miss a beat and tallied their seventh consecutive title by winning the CIF-SS Division 1 team championship last May. The Eagles won all three of the meet’s relay races, as well as six of the eight individual races, for a resounding 265.5-point margin over runner-up Valencia.

Standouts from the day included sisters Justina and Asia Kozan, Teia Salvino, Macky Hodges and Maggie McGuire.

Rosary Academy got it done on the diamond as the Royals earned their first softball championship since 1984. Coming into the final game as the No. 2 seed last June, the Royals scored early and often defeating Hemet 11-1 to take home the CIF-SS Division 4 title. Hannah Hernandez, Melissa Hanson and Anahi Pintado all contributed to a seven-run first inning that led the way for the dominant win.

Rosary’s dance team also brought home two first place titles last spring in both the Varsity Song/Pom Advanced division and the Varsity Jazz (Song/ Pom) division at the 2021 United Spirit Association (USA) 2021 National Championships.

Rosary’s spirit leaders’ most recent championship came from the school’s cheer team last month as the Royals captured the 2022 CIF Southern Regional Championship for their Game Day Non-Tumbling routine.

MATER DEI TEAM CELEBRATES AFTER DEFEATING CENTENNIAL 83-80 DURING THE CIF SOUTHERN SECTION OPEN DIVISION GIRLS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ON THURSDAY JUNE 10, 2021. NALANI WHITE (LEFT) SHOT A 3 POINTER WITH UNDER A SECOND REMAINING. PHOTO: MILKA SOKO, CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

JSerra Catholic High School scored two CIF-SS championships last fall, including the school’s first girls tennis title.

The Lions played a marathon match of more than 3 hours last November to finally defeat top-ranked Foothill 10-8 for the CIF-SS Division 2 crown. Doubles pair Jazmine Aftabi and Gabrielle Basa secured the final point for the win.

The JSerra girls cross country team dominated the fall competition slate from beginning to end by winning both the CIF-SS and State Division 4 championships. The Lions finished 17 points ahead of La Canada for the CIF-SS title held at Mt. SAC last November. Two weeks later, the girls headed to Wood-

ward Park in Fresno and again beat La Canada, edging them out 120-128 for the school’s fourth girls cross country state championship. Top five finishers for the Lions included Brynn Garcia, Anastasia Snodgrass, Cameron Murphy, Ellie Johnson and Ashley Gallegos, all of whom finished within a minute of each other.

There might not be a more exciting way to win a championship than with a buzzer-beater shot in overtime. That’s exactly what Mater Dei’s girls basketball team did last June when they won the CIF-SS Open Division title. Coming into the championship game as the No. 2 seed against top-ranked Corona Cen-

tennial, the Monarchs needed the extra minutes to seal the victory.

Down by as many as 10 points in the third quarter and six points with less than two minutes in regulation, Mater Dei tied it up to force overtime. After receiving a pass from teammate Brooke Demetre, Lani White made a perfect 3-pointer just as the clock ran out in the extra period to lift the Monarchs over Centennial 83-80.

Whether it is the court, the pool, the diamond, the track or the mat, these female students athletes at Orange County Catholic high schools are accomplishing their academic goals, all while excelling in the sports they love. C

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XABIEL, 9, A MIGRANT FROM VENEZUELA, WALKS WITH HIS BROTHER, YILBER GABRIEL, AS THEY JOIN A CARAVAN NEAR VILLA COMALTITLÁN, MEXICO, HEADING TO THE U.S. BORDER NOV. 20, 2021. PHOTO: JOSE LUIS GONZALEZ, REUTERS/CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

the spirit of the people. Our greatest strength is our unity, one Ukrainian told a reporter. What American cannot feel a catch in his throat when he hears those words.

These days, that is a strength we lack.

We are a house not just divided, but torn asunder. And when we see the Ukrainians united even in the bomb shelters and the hospitals, on the front lines and on social media, I think we envy them.

The willingness to bear up under tremendous suffering is evident also in the exhausted refugees fleeing to Ukraine’s neighbors -- Poland, Hungary, Moldova.

Almost exclusively women and children seek shelter while their husbands and fathers and sons are conscripted to fight the invaders. Our concerns about gas prices, supply chains and masks seem trivial in comparison.

We can identify with the Ukrainians, but it is harder for us to admit that there are many war victims and many refugees just in this century that we have not felt the same kinship with.

People are streaming to our border, fleeing Putin-friendly dictatorships like Nicaragua and Venezuela, failed states like Haiti or countries broken by gangs

and corruption, but many of us do not look on them with the same sympathy.

And while we applaud the Poles and Hungarians for receiving the Ukrainian refugees so generously, there are states in our country that would like to punish organizations helping the refugees at our doors.

Ukraine has for a moment united us. Its ordeal has united the world. But if there is a lesson to be learned here, it is that our empathy must be more than a momentary emotion sparked by the graphic images on the evening news.

The lesson of Ukraine, of COVID-19, of the huddled masses at our border, the victims of opioids filling our rural health clinics and the gunshot victims in our cities is that emotion is not enough. It is not a substitute for true solidarity.

We need to recover a culture of the common good, a concern for the least among us, the voiceless and the suffering. We need to think about the “we” a lot more than the “I.” Every citizen is responsible for the common good,” said Pope Francis. “And for Christians, it is also a mission.” It is the foundation of Catholic social teaching, but it really is more basic than that.

It is loving our neighbor as our self. C

Moments MomentsininourourJourney Journey

Weekly Stations of the Cross during Lent at St. Boniface, Anaheim.

—Photo submitted by Shaun Nguyen

Send your photos that capture Catholic life in your parish community to: editor@occatholic.com

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