Savoring our Faith
Join OC Catholic’s Recipe Swap!
Sharing recipes highlights the importance of gathering with family, friends and our broader Diocese of Orange faith community.
Please share your favorite recipes, along with your name and parish. Send your favorite seasonal dish, or a recipe that has special meaning to you or your family. Tell us why it’s important to you!
Our editors will pick their favorites to be featured in OC Catholic throughout the year.
Submissions must include a photo of the completed recipe.
Categories are entrees, appetizers, side dishes, beverages and desserts.
Send your recipes and photos to: editor@occatholic.com
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.
Rosary Beads
If you would like to share a photo of your Rosary Beads with our readers, please send a photo and brief description.
Include your name and parish to: editor@occatholic.com
Inspirational Catholic Women Heart of Mary
APRIL
27, 2025
CONTENTS
ST. CATHERINE'S ACADEMY MARKS CENTENNIAL
The Anaheim academy celebrates 100 years.
GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL PROGRAM SOARS
The Parochial Athletic League girls flag football program has seen great growth since it started in 2024.
AROUND OUR DIOCESE
Holy Trinity's Speaker Series, a Chrism Mass and the ¡VIVA! Gala are among other events happening locally.
HEALING OUR FEAR OF THE RISEN JESUS
To know mercy is to know the love of Jesus.
ST. ANNE SCHOOL STUDENTS SHINE IN STATE COMPETITION
Ten Future Problem Solving teams from St. Anne School in Laguna Niguel competed in the prestigious California State Bowl. 8
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: Jarryd Gonzales
Managing 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:
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.
Friday, May 16, 2025
Hosted by
To purchase tickets or for sponsorship opportunities, please scan the QR code or visit ccoc.org/events/ICW-2025 Please join us as we honor and celebrate this year's inspirational Catholic women in the Diocese of Orange.
For questions please email ICW@ccoc.org
ROSARY BEADS
READER CALL-OUT
I bought this Rosary at the Vatican while touring Rome. The Pope had blessed them, so they are very special to me.
—Theresa Sandlin, St. Kilian parish, Mission Viejo
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
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
MONDAY
ACTS 4:23-31; PSALM 2:1-3, 4-7A, 7B-9; JOHN 3:1-8
TUESDAY
ACTS 4:32-37; PSALM 93:1AB, 1CD-2, 5; JOHN 3:7B-15
“ In our society, we can only be saved together…” — Pope Francis
GIANNA BERETTA MOLLA 1922-1962
SAINT PROFILE
BORN NEAR MILAN, Italy, Gianna was one of 13 children in a deeply Catholic family. She wed Pietro Molla in 1955; they had three children while she continued to work as a physician. When she was pregnant with their fourth child, doctors discovered a large uterine tumor. She insisted that surgeons not remove her entire uterus, which would have aborted the baby, but only what was necessary to allow the baby to reach term. She died seven days after giving birth in 1962. Her husband and three of her children were present in 2004 when the pope proclaimed her a saint.C
WEDNESDAY
ACTS 5:17-26; PSALM 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9; JOHN 3:16-21
THURSDAY
ACTS 5:27-33; PSALM 34:2 AND 9, 17-18, 19-20; JOHN 3:31-36
FRIDAY
ACTS 5:34-42; PSALM 27:1, 4, 13-14; JOHN 6:1-15
PHOTOS: CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE, SHUTTERSTOCK
SATURDAY
1 CORINTHIANS
15:1-8; PSALM 19:2-3, 4-5; JOHN 14:6-14
SUNDAY
ACTS 5:27-32, 40B-41; PSALM 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13; REVELATION 5:11-14; JOHN 21:1-19
PHOTO COURTESY OF THERESA SANDLIN
ST. CATHERINE’S ACADEMY MARKS CENTENNIAL
BY GREG MELLEN
EIGHTH-GRADE CADET Brandon Villareal called out the cadence.
“Left, left, keep in step,” he cried.
“Oh, yeah,” about 100 boys responded, as they marched in formation across the asphalt parade area.
St. Catherine’s Academy, a unique Catholic military-style academy and boarding school in Anaheim for 135 boys, staged its centennial celebration on a postcard spring day last month.
A crowd of about 350, including generations of alumni and their families and families of current cadets attended the gathering, each greeted with “Welcome Back Home,” from members of the school staff.
“It still lives with me every day,” said Lee Lantz, class of ’62.
He arrived in the seventh grade as a student with failing grades and lazy habits.
“Every time I drive by it all comes back,” he said, while thumbing through old yearbooks and memorabilia from the school.
While at St. Catherine’s, Lantz learned the discipline and habits he needed to succeed.
“My grades went straight up,” he said.
Originally opened by the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose in 1889 as an orphan asylum for girls and later boys, over the years St. Catherine’s transformed into a boys military academy in 1925 led by Capt. Daniel Healy under the auspices of the sisters.
“This wasn’t necessarily meant to be a military school originally, but the military is so good at making leaders with good morals and values,” Head of School Bridget Ronan said of the transition.
Today, St. Catherine’s is the only private, Catholic, military-style day and boarding school for boys in third through eighth grades in the United States. St. Catherine’s also offers instruction beginning at TK. There are 36 boys who live on campus either five or seven days a week. The numbers are down
STAFF SGT. TYR MAY ADDRESSES ST. CATHERINE’S ACADEMY CADETS BEFORE THE START OF THE SCHOOL’S CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION ON MARCH 29. PHOTOS BY ALAN WENDELL/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
CADETS HERMAN MUÑOZ AND GIORGIO CUEVA LEAD GUESTS ON A GUIDED TOUR OF THE CAMPUS, INCLUDING A VISIT TO THE CHAPEL.
from about 160 students in the wake of the pandemic. The school can accommodate about 200 and is seeking applicants.
In 2007, “military” was dropped from its name and St. Catherine’s is a self-described “Catholic school with a military tradition.”
Academically, it has a rigorous curriculum that meets or exceeds Diocese of Orange and the state standards, with English learning available for international students. Classes average 15 students per teacher, with Dominican sisters leading a number of classes.
When asked who the toughest teacher was, cadets instantly respond “Sr. JoAnn,” the eighth-grade math teacher for the last 20 years.
There are weekly Sunday Masses on campus, conducted by Fr. Michael Pontarelli, also an alumnus from the class of ‘69.
The school has two former Marine military advisors, Staff Sgt. Tyr May, military director, and assistant Cpl. Nico DeTour, a school alumnus, class of 2003.
“We kind of ‘kiddify’ it for our boys,” May said of the military training. “We teach them to put each other first.”
Added Ronan: “A lot of people hear ‘military school for boys’ and think it's for bad kids. It’s not that. We help students discover their gifts and get to know themselves. They really do become leaders.”
St. Catherine’s is not affiliated with the Jr. Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, a federal program sponsored by the U.S. Armed Forces.
The military instructors teach not only marching and drills, but also leadership, and the “Fourteen Leadership Principles of the Marine Corps.” The cadets also learn a variety of survival, camping and outdoor skills.
As part of its movement away from militarism, the school closed its rifle range, and the boys now use canes rather than rifles in close order drills.
The campus sits on 8 acres next door to St. Boniface Catholic Church and includes a convent for the sisters. There is a rec room, study hall, dining room, gym and classrooms. The is also a sports field and an obstacle course which is being refurbished after a successful fundraising effort. The school offers sports in the Parochial Athletic League (PAL), music instruction and other activities. And no video games or electronic devices are allowed.
Most importantly, according to school officials, are the values and faith imparted.
“We are giving boys strong male role models and helping them into becoming young men,” Ronan said. “Today, society has lost a lot of those values.”
The school’s motto is “Making of Men.” For May, the school helped remake him.
“I felt an emptiness when I left the Marines,” he said. “In 1998, I saw an ad (for St. Catherine’s) and thought,
‘Oh, my gosh, this place is for me.’ I’ve been here ever since.”
He understands many parents fear the image of the hard-as-nails drill instructor disciplining their children. However, May said he melds the military attitude with compassion and empathy.
But, undergirding the school are the core principles May said at the centennial.
“We still have foundational discipline,” he said. “Motivation comes and goes, but discipline gets you where you need to be. We’re trying to make you proud alumni.”
Anyone interested in learning more about St. Catherine’s Academy or taking a campus tour can contact the Admissions Office, (714) 7721363, or by email to admissions@ stcatherninesacademy.org C
ST. CATHERINE’S ACADEMY CADETS PARTICIPATE IN A PRESTIGIOUS DRILL EVENT ON MARCH 29 DURING THE SCHOOL’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. PHOTOS BY ALAN WENDELL/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
A GROUP OF CADETS POSE FOR A PHOTO DURING ST. CATHERINE’S ACADEMY CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
DIOCESE OF ORANGE REMEMBERS, CELEBRATES, THE LIFE OF POPE FRANCIS
A MESSAGE FROM THE BISHOPS OF ORANGE
DEAR BROTHERS AND Sisters in Christ,
With heavy yet prayerful hearts, we mourn the passing of our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis. In this moment of great loss, we give thanks for the life of a shepherd who embodied the Gospel with humility, mercy and an unwavering faith in God’s boundless love.
From the very beginning of his papacy, Pope Francis called us to embrace the Lord’s command to evangelize, urging us in Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel) to go forth boldly, reaching out to all people and proclaiming the Good News with renewed fervor. His witness has profoundly shaped our own mission as a diocese, inspiring us to be a Church that is not turned in on itself but one that goes out, serving the poor, welcoming the lost and walking alongside all who seek Christ.
As we grieve, let us also find hope in the promise of the Resurrection and in the enduring impact of Pope Francis’ ministry. May his call to missionary discipleship continue to guide our Diocese as we seek to live out the Gospel in both word and action. United in prayer, let us commend him to the infinite mercy of our loving Father, trusting that the light of Christ now shines upon him in eternal glory.
Reflecting on Pope Francis’ legacy, Bishop Vann shared:
“As I reflect on the ‘journey to the house of the Father’ of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, several thoughts come to mind. Like Pope Saint John Paul II, he was called to Eternal Life during the Octave of Easter—the Resurrection of the Lord. His most recent Encyclical on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Corde Amoris ( Delixit Nos ), is especially appropriate to read and reflect on at this time. And throughout his papacy, his faithful witness as a Shepherd—especially in the face of physical struggles—remained a powerful example to us all.” May the soul of Pope Francis, our faithful
POPE FRANCIS GREETS BISHOP KEVIN VANN DURING A MEETING WITH BISHOPS FROM CALIFORNIA, HAWAII AND NEVADA ON THEIR AD LIMINA VISITS TO THE VATICAN ON JAN. 27, 2020. THE BISHOPS WERE MAKING THEIR AD LIMINA VISITS TO REPORT ON THE STATUS OF THEIR DIOCESES TO THE POPE AND VATICAN OFFICIALS. PHOTO COURTESY OF CNS
A PHOTO OF POPE FRANCIS IS DISPLAYED INSIDE CHRIST CATHEDRAL ON MONDAY, APRIL 21. PHOTO BY IAN TRAN/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
POPE FRANCIS MAKES A PUBLIC APPEARANCE IN APRIL 2019, MUCH TO THE DELIGHT OF A WAITING CROWD.
PHOTO BY BARBARA PROVENZANO ON UNSPLASH
RAISE THE FLAG
GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL PROGRAM SOARS
BY LOU PONSI
IN 2024, THE DIOCESE of Orange Parochial Athletic League (PAL), added girls flag football to its offering of team sports.
Now in only its second season, girls flag football has experienced remarkable growth, expanding from six teams playing a total of 30 games the first year, to 44 teams — 21 for seventh and eighth graders and 23 for fifth and sixth graders – playing a total of 186 games.
The season runs from March 10 to May 1 and there are enough teams to add playoffs for the first time, said Russ Smith, PAL athletic director.
“It’s been huge,” Smith said. “It's taken off like gangbusters.”
PAL has already been offering boys flag football in the fall for several years.
One factor contributing to the success of PAL’s flag football program, Smith said, is its close alignment with high school flag football rules, which helps prepare PAL middle school players to play in high school.
In Orange County high schools, flag football became an official CIF sport in 2023 and has also enjoyed rapid growth in just two seasons.
Mater Dei, Rosary Academy, JSerra and Santa Margarita Catholic High School all have girls flag football teams.
Tom Leahy, coach of the St. Joachim Catholic School sixth grade team, emphasized the diversity in the players' backgrounds, with some playing flag football for the first time and others brining years of experience to his team.
“You get to see them learn and grow in real time and kind of grasp the game, which is really fun to see,” Leahy said. “You just come on out, we'll get you in the game and you'll learn from it.”
His team’s success is evident in the
CONTINUES ON PAGE 9
STS. SIMON & JUDE AND ST. JOACHIM CATHOLIC SCHOOLS FACE OFF ON THE FLAG FOOTBALL FIELD.
RICHARD MERCADO, COACH OF ST. JOACHIM CATHOLIC SCHOOL FLAG FOOTBALL TEAM, POSES WITH HIS TEAM AT A GAME AT STS. SIMON & JUDE CATHOLIC SCHOOL ON MARCH 31. PHOTOS BY ALAN WENDELL/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
Weber, who also plays softball, said the skills she’s picked up on the softball diamond have transitioned well onto the football field.
She plans to play one and perhaps both sports when she attends Mater Dei High School in the fall.
“I like to just play school sports because I like the unity and I like playing with my friends,” Weber said.
Flag football has been getting backing from the NFL and other organizations and is scheduled to make its debut at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics is also recommending that Divisions I, II and III sponsor legislation to add flag football to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program.
At least 65 NCAA schools already sponsor women's flag football at the club level.
“I had a ton of parents interested in girls flag football which I think is a great opportunity for them.” Sts. Simon & Jude Athletic Director Alexie Marietti said. “I think because it's new and now that it is a PAL and CIF sport and now it is going to college level and the Olympics too. It's nice to see that these girls get the opportunity to play in this type of environment before they go off to high school.”
Smith is optimistic about the future of the PAL Flag Football program, anticipating even greater participation, with more schools fielding teams in the coming years.
“The rest of them will catch on,” he said. “There's no doubt.” C
players' improved skills and increased confidence, both on and off the field, Leahy said.
Recalling one player who had never played any sport catching her first touchdown pass during a game, Leahy said, “It was kind of one of those ‘This is what it's all about moments.’”
The experienced players come from Orange County club programs such as Friday Night Lights or Matt Leinart Flag Football, started in 2010 by former Mater Dei, USC and NFL quarterback Matt Leinart.
Others, such as Alana Pang, are playing flag football for the first time.
Pang, a sixth grader at Sts. Simon & Jude Catholic School in Huntington Beach, had only participated in taekwondo before signing up for flag football and eventually learning to master her position as a receiver.
“It’s good and fun and my friends do it with me,” Alana said. “I like getting the ball and I like getting a touchdown.”
Sts. Simon & Jude eighth-grader Lily Weber is returning for her second year playing flag football.
Weber said she didn’t play much last season but is getting more playing time this year and having more fun.
ST. BONAVENTURE AND ST. BARBARA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS COMPETE ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD. PHOTOS BY ALAN WENDELL/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
A GROUP PHOTO OF THE STS. SIMON AND JUDE
FOOTBALL TEAM.
THE HOLY FACE OF JESUS IMAGE VISITS OC
BY LOU PONSI
AN IMAGE OF THE Holy Face of Jesus, similar to the Veil of Veronica housed in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, was displayed in the St. Callistus Chapel and Crypts on the campus of Christ Cathedral on April 14.
Created in 1905, the Holy Face Image is believed to have been laid upon the true image of the Veil of Veronica, which was touched to the True Cross of Christ and the point of the spear that was gored into Jesus’ side.
The Holy Image, which received a papal certificate of authenticity from Pope St. Pius X in 1905, is safeguarded by Vicki Schreiner of Oklahoma City, whose family has had it for more than a century.
After being displayed alongside the altar during the chapel’s 8 a.m. Mass, the Holy Image was placed in the aisle directly in front of the altar, where dozens of worshipers stood in line to venerate the image.
Many softly touched the Holy Image or gently pressed items such as Rosary Beads, Mass cards and photos to the image.
In her presentation, Schreiner chronicled the origins of the Holy Face devotion, telling the story of St. Veronica's act of wiping the blood and tears from Jesus' face as he carried his cross — depicted in the sixth of the 14 Stations of the Cross.
“Try to imagine the look of love in our Lord's eyes in thanksgiving for the grace that she had given Him by wiping his face,” Schreiner said. “She had to push through the crowd, through the chaos, through the cursing and the screaming, through the soldiers that
AN IMAGE OF THE HOLY FACE OF JESUS, SIMILAR TO THE VEIL OF VERONICA, WAS DISPLAYED INSIDE THE ST. CALLISTUS CHAPEL AND CRYPTS ON THE CAMPUS OF CHRIST CATHEDRAL ON APRIL 14. PHOTO BY LOU PONSI
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
were beating our Lord. She pushed through.”
Schreiner also described a miracle that occurred in 1849 when the image became lifelike, with visible tears and blood, lasting for three hours.
“It became three dimensional,” she said. “You could see the tears and the blood on our Lord’s face. His eyes were deep, sunken and full of pain. The image had a glowing aura around it.”
The Veil of Veronica is significant because it represents the love and compassion shown by Saint Veronica to Jesus during his suffering, Schreiner said.
Schreiner emphasized the need to make continuous reparations, saying that, yes, we make Jesus proud today, but we continue to hurt him.
“At times, the task of reparations
seems overwhelming,” she said. “It’s like a huge mountain. How are we going to make up for all this sin, but we have to start somewhere, one moment at a time. Think about what you say before you talk to someone, especially when you're angry. Think first before you do. For myself, I look at our Lord’s face before I pray every night.”
The chapel display, presentation and veneration culminated a threeday tour of the Holy Image through the Diocese of Orange, featuring venerations at St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado Canyon and Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Habra.
The tour was organized by Cynthia and Gary Micaletti, owners of JMJ Catholic Store in Placentia. The image was also displayed at the Micaletti’s store during the tour through the Diocese. C
THE FAITHFUL LINE UP TO VENERATE THE HOLY IMAGE AT ST. CALLISTUS CHAPEL AND CRYPTS. PHOTOS BY LOU PONSI
VICKI SCHREINER SPEAKS ABOUT THE HOLY FACE OF JESUS IMAGE ON APRIL 12.
FEATURE
shepherd, rest in peace and may the Church he so deeply loved continue to bear witness to the joy of the Gospel.
In Christ’s peace, Bishop Kevin W. Vann
Auxiliary Bishop Timothy E. Freyer
Auxiliary Bishop Thanh Thai Nguyen
The bishops invited all the faithful and clergy to pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis during the celebration of the Divine Mercy Mass at Christ Cathedral on Sunday, April 27, at 10 a.m.
Bishop Vann is expected to give remarks about Pope Francis’ legacy during his homily.
As we mourn together, please view any statements or updates from our Diocese at rcbo.org/pope-francis. C
BISHOP THANH THAI NGUYEN SHARES A GREETING WITH POPE FRANCIS AT THE VATICAN ON JAN. 27, 2020. PHOTO COURTESY OF CVS
BISHOP TIMOTHY FREYER GREETS POPE FRANCIS ON JAN. 27, 2020. PHOTO COURTESY OF CNS
POPE FRANCES GREETS THE FAITHFUL AT THE BASILICA DI SAN PIETRO, VATICAN CITY IN OCTOBER 2019. PHOTO BY ÁGATHA DEPINÉ ON UNSPLASH
MOURNERS GATHER INSIDE CHRIST CATHEDRAL’S ST. CALLISTUS CHAPEL ON MONDAY, APRIL 21, TO REMEMBER POPE FRANCIS. PHOTO BY IAN TRAN/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
AROUND OUR DIOCESE
BY STAFF
HOLY TRINITY TO WELCOME
PRO-LIFE ACTIVIST
LILA ROSE
Holy Trinity Catholic Church, in collaboration with Live Action, will host Lila Rose for a special talk on Tuesday, May 6 at 7 p.m. as part of the parish’s speaking series celebrating its 20th anniversary/jubilee year. Tickets are $20;
middle and high school students are free. For more information call the parish office at (949) 218-3131.
CHRISM MASS
The Diocese of Orange celebrated the Chrism Mass at Christ Cathedral on April 14. The annual Mass brings together the clergy of the Diocese, where they renew their priestly promises in unification with Bishop Kevin Vann.
Bishop Vann also blessed the oil of the sick, oil of the catechumens and sacred chrism. The oils are kept in the cathedral’s ambry and distributed to parishes throughout the year.
CRISTO REY ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL’S ¡VIVA! GALA
Cristo Rey Orange County High School celebrated its second annual ¡VIVA! gala on March 29 at Paséa Hotel and Spa in Huntington Beach. The event celebrated Cristo Rey’s second school year and honored WCM Investment Management, whose partnership has been instrumental in supporting Orange County students with transformative educational and career opportunities.
Over 400 prominent philanthropists, corporate partners and community leaders raised over $2.5M for Cristo Rey
students. Funds raised will help ensure Cristo Rey is an affordable option for students who might otherwise be unable to access a Catholic, college prep high school uniquely integrated with real-world work experience.
DIOCESAN GIRL SCOUT MASS
Girl Scouts of Orange County’s 2025 diocesan Girl Scout Mass and awards reception took place on March 15 at Christ Cathedral, thanks to a generous donation by the Farmers & Merchants Bank Foundation. Twenty GSOC Gold Award Girl Scouts of the Catholic faith were recognized this year for spearheading incredible community service projects. C
BISHOP KEVIN VANN CELEBRATED THE CHRISM MASS ON APRIL 14 AT CHRIST CATHEDRAL. PHOTO BY IAN TRAN/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
STUDENTS BRANDON AND AMALIA WELCOME GUESTS TO CRISTO REY ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL’S ¡VIVA! GALA. PHOTO BY ANN CHATILLON
THE 2025 DIOCESAN GIRL SCOUT MASS WAS CELEBRATED BY FR. IAN GASTON ON MARCH 15 AT CHRIST CATHEDRAL.
PHOTO BY IAN TRAN/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
DIVINE MERCY: HEALING OUR FEAR OF THE RISEN JESUS
BY DEACON KEVIN DUTHOY
TODAY, WE CELEBRATE Divine Mercy Sunday. But what is Divine Mercy? In English, “mercy” often means an act of pardon with cancellation of punishment. In Scripture, mercy is much richer: in Hebrew, hesed refers to steadfast, covenant love between God and his people, and rachamim, tender motherly compassion; the Greek eleos conveys a healing kindness—literally, oil poured on a wound; in Latin, misericordia means “a miserable heart,” described as “pain in your heart for the pain of another, and taking the pain to do something about their pain.”
St. John Paul II (Rich in Mercy) describes mercy as love’s second name. The Catechism teaches that the entire Gospel is the revelation of Jesus as God’s mercy to sinners. Divine Mercy is all of God’s loving action in the world. Every good we receive is an expression of God’s mercy, a forgiving love that lifts us from physical and spiritual misery. Divine Mercy is the continuation of God’s love even when we have ceased to love Him.
Many theologians call mercy God's greatest perfection. Why? Simply, it is the beauty of God from the eyes of we, the sinful beholders. God’s love for us on earth is always without exception a merciful love because who we are rel- ative to God, bridging the chasm between
the Uncreated and the created. The ultimate expression of Divine Mercy is Jesus Christ himself—God incarnate, revealing the Father, redeeming us through His Passion, Death and Resurrection.
Jesus experienced His Passion and Death bearing the incalculable and unimaginable weight of all sin by everyone for all time—past, present and future.
In her diary, St. Faustina, the “Apostle of Divine Mercy,” records a vision of Jesus declaring, “I am love and mercy itself.” To receive the Divine Mercy Feast graces, she emphasizes the need for an authentic confession, a worthy reception of the Eucharist and three additional ac-
forgive sins in His name; breathing out the Holy Spirit like He did in Creation, breathing life into Adam, just as He did for us in our own baptisms. Jesus then sends them, as the Father sent Him, into a world overwhelmed by fear and anxiety, to share His Divine Mercy with others mired in spiritual misery.
Each of us struggles with fear, doubt and sin, just like the disciples. Even after celebrating Easter just days ago, do we find ourselves spiritually locked away in our own “Upper Room,” hiding from God, others, even from ourselves? Yet, Jesus keeps coming to us, amidst our fear, with peace, forgiveness, love and mercy, especially in His sacraments; to unlock our hearts sending us into a world that desperately needs His Divine Mercy. On this special Feast, follow the directives given Saint Faustina: ask for mercy; do mercy; trust in Jesus. In the words of Jesus, “Do not doubt, but believe (Jn. 20:27),” …and rejoice because, … “His mercy endures forever (Ps. 136).” C
tions: (1) ask for mercy; (2) be merciful ourselves in word, deed and prayer; and (3) trust in Jesus in repentance for sins.
In John’s Gospel account (Jn. 20:1931), the disciples’ response to the Resurrection is not joyful celebration but fear; they go into hiding, locked away in the Upper Room, afraid of the Jewish leaders—and perhaps afraid of Jesus Himself. Why? Because they had abandoned Him. Full of guilt, they hunkered down, paralyzed by their fear. Their desertion is part of a chain of continuous human resistance to God throughout Salvation History.
Yet, Jesus pursues His disciples through the locked door and immediately extends Divine Mercy: “Peace be with you;” no condemnation, no punishment. Jesus empowers them to
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHUTTERSTOCK
Moments in our Journey
ST. ANNE SCHOOL FPS TEAMS SHINE AT CALIFORNIA STATE BOWL
Ten Future Problem Solving (FPS) teams from St. Anne School in Laguna Niguel traveled to San Jose, on April 4 to spend the weekend competing in the prestigious California State Bowl. The St. Anne FPS teams included students from grades 4-8 who dedicated time before and after school to prepare for State Bowl–and their hard work paid off! The teams came home with some serious hardware, earning multiple awards. One team even secured a spot at the FPS International Conference this June.
Each year, the California State Bowl brings together top student problem solvers from across the state to tackle complex global issues through critical thinking and creative collaboration. St. Anne School’s FPS program melds creative problem solving with an interdisciplinary study of the future while promoting interpersonal communication, ethical leadership and responsible group membership.
“All of the students showed teamwork, creativity and an exceptional level of problem solving,” said Mrs. Abbey Hilliard, Director of Future Problem Solving.
“The FPS coaches are so proud of these Knights for being such great representatives of St. Anne School.”
The students’ success marks a significant achievement for the school’s long-running FPS program, which is in its 14th year at St. Anne School. The school has competed at State Bowl several times, with teams qualifying for Internationals five times.
—Submitted by Stephanie Callahan, St. Anne School
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.
