St. Columba in Serra Mesa Celebrates Fall Festival

By Leonel Sanchez For three days, St. Columba was the place to be for hundreds of parishioners and friends of the Serra Mesa Catholic church who made the parish and school’s first fall festival their weekend getaway. The stewards who put on the free event made certain there was something for people of all ages and tastes, including games, live music, authentic dishes and even a beer garden for adults.

The Oct. 16-18 Fall Festival culminated with an outdoor Mass that drew more than 500 worshippers to the church campus on Glencolum Drive and highlighted the power of a diverse community working

together in God’s name.

“That’s what stewardship is all about,” said Father Mel Monreal during his homily one week later, still excited and thankful to all the volunteers who donated their time and labor.

Car Raffle Winner with a Special Story In addition to being a community-building endeavor, the Fall Festival helped raise funding for the kindergarten-through-eighth grade school. One of the biggest moments came Sunday when the winner of a brand new raffled Toyota car was announced.

Kim Nguyen, 43, whose daughters Carolyne and Catherine attend St. Columba school, was on a bus returning from a Marian retreat in Las Vegas when Father Mel called her from the festival and told her she had just won a 2016 Toyota Scion.

“I shared my story with all of the people on the bus and most of them were in tears because of such a beautiful blessing,” said Nguyen.

She plans to donate the car to her sister, Thu Thuy Nguyen, 42, and her family of six, when they arrive in San Diego next year as new immigrants to the United States. Their family was split apart when they were children in Vietnam and they have not seen each other in more than 30 years.

“With the help of our Mother, God answered my prayers,” Kim Nguyen said, adding she prayed for the opportunity to help her sister.

Weekend of Fun Without question, the Fall Festival brought the parish together to for a long weekend of fun and entertainment.

It kicked off Friday evening with an Oktoberfest that offered authentic bratwurst dinner, pastries from Bear Buns, and a variety of beers donated by Ballast Point. Saturday and Sunday saw a strong lineup of bands, including The Siers Brothers Band, Fiery Friday, Gen. X, Wayne Duncan and Siren’s Crush as well as various craft vendors selling their wares. Children had their pick of inflatables and game booths.

Throughout the weekend, special thanks were given to volunteers and sponsors, including Toyota of Poway, Bear Buns, Rawkynykz Barber Shop, Maggie's Cafe, Pipeline Insurance, Pepsi, Stadium Market, Ballast Point, Experiences for Mankind, and SONY.