OC CATHOLIC - JANUARY 14, 2024

JANUARY 14, 2024

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. AND CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

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

“A CENTURY OF LOVE” ST. MARY’S BY THE SEA CELEBRATES CENTENNIAL BIRTHDAY PAGE 10 ST. MARY’S BY THE SEA CATHOLIC CHURCH IN HUNTINGTON BEACH CELEBRATED ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY ON DEC. 17. PHOTO BY IAN TRAN/DIOCESE OF ORANGE

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JANUARY 14, 2024

CONTENTS

7 THE BAPTISM IN THE JORDAN

Second in a series, Manifestations of Christ looks at Jesus’s central role in our faith.

10

THE NEXT GENERATION OF CHURCH MUSIC SCHOLARS

The Organ Scholars program introduces young musicians to the unique range of liturgical music.

14 AROUND OUR DIOCESE

Upcoming events include a Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer breakfast, OneLife LA and a film screening.

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: 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.

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DIOCESAN NEWS

LIVING LIFE TO ITS FULLEST SPOTLIGHT ON LILY NGUYEN ELLIS

BY MIKE ZINN

A

S CATHOLICS, WE all love renewal stories—those stories where someone who has drifted away from the Church is drawn back to Catholicism. The story of Lily Nguyen Ellis is about faith renewal and service and how the intersection of these two forces can start a series of life-changing events.

Born and raised in New Caledonia, a French archipelago in the southwest Pacific Ocean, she loved her island and anticipated living forever in this tranquil setting.

Her plans were changed in 1984 when

PRESENTS

her dad moved the family to the United States and settled in Huntington Beach.

Coming to Orange County with her three sisters and two brothers, 17-yearold Nguyen Ellis started her senior year in high school. Growing up in New Caledonia and speaking French as her native language, she struggled with language and making friends. But she met one girl with similar language challenges and the two quickly bonded.

The Nguyen family began their local Catholic Mass attendance at St. Nicholas parish.

At age 18, Nguyen Ellis stopped going to Mass and began ‘acting out.’

“Everything was about me,” she recalled. “I had no connection to God.” Nguyen Ellis worked after high school at the family bakery in Lake Forest until 1986 when she attended cosmetology school and learned to cut hair.

In 2013, she felt she was missing a connection with God and started attend-

CONTINUES ON PAGE 13

LILY NGUYEN ELLIS IS PICTURED IN FRONT OF SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA CHURCH IN LAKE FOREST. PHOTO COURTESY OF LILY NGUYEN ELLIS

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.

ESTATE PLANNING SEMINARS

PEACE OF MIND. CONCERN FOR LOVED ONES. STEWARDSHIP OF THE BLESSINGS THE LORD HAS ENTRUSTED TO US. For over 23 years, The Orange Catholic Foundation has helped individuals and families leave a legacy of love and faith, uniquely aligned with their Catholic values and beliefs. We invite you to attend our free upcoming Estate Planning Seminars

where you can learn how to protect and provide for your loved ones, avoid probate, create an estate plan, will, trust and gain a Catholic perspective on health care directives.

Seminars are held at parishes throughout Orange County in English and Spanish. To view the full list of dates, times and locations, visit OrangeCatholicFoundation.org/estate-planning.

For questions, contact Roxanna Payton, Director of Planned Giving, at 714.282.6046.

Scan QR code to view the list of seminars

DAILY READINGS AND REFLECTIONS

SACRED ART

“

It is forgiveness that tells whether we really practice charity toward others.

”

— Pope Francis

SAINT PROFILE

PETER CANISIUS

1521-1597

T

HIS DOCTOR OF THE church was born in Holland and studied canon law in Belgium before turning to the study of theology in Germany. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1543 and soon was a well- known preacher. He attended two sessions of the Council of Trent and was an important figure in the post-conciliar Catholic revival in Europe. As the Jesuit provincial in southern Germany, Austria and Bohemia, he started schools, colleges and seminaries, and is credited with keeping the southern German peoples Catholic.

An oil painting of the Blessed Mother and Child by Kay Ross Reul, Saints Simon & Jude parish, Huntington Beach.

—Submitted by Jody KingC

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

PHOTOS: CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE, SHUTTERSTOCK

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

1 SM 15:16-23; 50:8-9, 16BC-17, 21 AND 23; MK 2:18-22

1 SM 16:1-13; 89:20, 21-22, 2728; MK 2:23-28

1 SM 17:32-33, 37, 40-51; PS 144:1B, 2, 9-10; MK 3:1-6

1 SM 18:6-9; 19:17; 56:2-3, 9-10A, 10B-11, 12-13; MK 3:7-12

1 SM 24:3-21; PS 57:2, 3-4, 6 AND 11; MK 3:13-19

2 SM 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27; PS 80:23, 5-7; MK 3:20-21

JON 3:1-5, 10; PS 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9; 1 COR 7:29-31; MK 1:14-20

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5

FEATURE

“A CENTURY OF LOVE” ST. MARY’S BY THE SEA CELEBRATES CENTENNIAL BIRTHDAY

according to Debbie Ransom, also a longtime parishioner who now works as the church administrator. “We have daily Mass Monday through Saturday mornBY NICOLE GREGORY ing, a Saturday evening vigil Mass and four Masses on Sunday at 7:30 a.m., 9 HE STORY GOES THAT when a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 12 noon,” she said.

Fr. Daniel Johnson came to St. The Dec. 17 celebration marked the Mary’s by the Sea in Hunting100th year of the church building—the ton Beach in 1978, he began a parish had formed several years before regular practice to build up the parish: that. The first Mass was celebrated in he walked the neighborhood, knocking 1905 for the funeral of John Bushard, a on doors, inviting Catholics to attend his prominent local Catholic man who was services—the result was that the number an early benefactor of the parish. His of his parishioners tripled. widow Mary then sponsored Masses in a This is just one of many stories that department store in Huntington Beach, stand out in the 100-year history of St. and the parish started growing. The Mary’s by the Sea. The anniversary was church was named St. Mary’s to honor joyously celebrated on Dec. 17 with a Mary Bushard’s patron saint, but in 1921 special service in honor of the feast of the name was changed for a time to the Immaculate Conception of the Bless- Saints Simeon & Jude. ed Virgin Mary, followed by a catered To meet the needs of the expanding dinner and Christmas music, all overparish, a new church and rectory were seen by Fr. Quang Vinh Chu, who has built in 1923 at a cost of $16,575. guided the church over the past 12 years.

During World War II, renovations To mark this major milestone and were made that included building an preserve the church’s history, a book organ loft and installing stained-glass called “A Century of Love: St. Mary’s by windows. In the 1960s, Franciscan the Sea” was produced by its Centennial fathers staffed the church as the parish Historical Committee and written by kept growing. The Diocese of Orange was longtime parishioner Kathleen Kramer. established in 1976 and not long after The book recounts the work of many that, Fr. Daniel Johnson arrived at St. priests and families who supported the Mary’s by the Sea. During his 25 years church through the decades. It includes there, Fr. Johnson instituted a traditional photographs and stories from parishLatin Mass and oversaw expansion of the ioners who fell in love with St. Mary’s rectory and refurbishing of the church by the Sea and stayed for many years, interior. raising children in the Catholic tradiMany parishioners were so moved and tion and dedicating themselves to many inspired by Fr. Johnson that they worked ministries. hard to raise money for the construction.

“My husband and I became parishio“He was so devout and honored the ners 27 years ago,” said Kramer, adding traditions of Catholic faith,” said Kramer. that she knew Fr. Johnson at that time.

“We loved him—he was so reverent, a “We just fell in love with the traditional no-nonsense priest. He was not wishyapproach,” she said. washy about his convictions and people Over the last century, St. Mary’s by are attracted by that.” the Sea has attracted Catholics throughFr. Johnson was much missed after he out Orange County. Today the parish retired in 2004; he died in 2007. has more than 500 registered families, Following a number of dedicated

T

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TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE EXPANDING ST. MARY’S BY THE SEA PARISH, A NEW CHURCH AND RECTORY WERE BUILT IN 1923 AT A COST OF $16,575. PHOTOS BY IAN TRAN/DIOCESE OF ORANGE

THE ANNIVERSARY WAS CELEBRATED ON DEC. 17 WITH A SPECIAL SERVICE IN HONOR OF THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESS­ED VIRGIN MARY, FOLLOWED BY A CATERED DINNER AND CHRISTMAS MUSIC.

priests who led St. Mary’s by the Sea, Fr. Quang Vinh Chu was installed as pastor in 2013. Like Fr. Johnson, he worked to strengthen the parish and envisioned a remodeling project that included a new altar, retablo and tabernacle. Fr. Chu

consulted his friend Fr. Pascal Nguyen who recommended Granda Liturgical Arts in Spain for the project. The plans received approval from Bishop Kevin Vann in 2016, fundraising began in 2017

CONTINUES ON PAGE 7

FEATURE/CATHOLIC FAMILY LIVING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

MANIFESTATION OF CHRIST: THE BAPTISM IN THE JORDAN

BY REBEKAH VALDERRAMA

PARISHIONERS OF ST. MARY’S BY THE SEA IN HUNTINGTON BEACH ENJOY A SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY DINNER ON DEC. 17. PHOTO BY IAN TRAN/DIOCESE OF ORANGE

and construction started the following year.

“In November of 2018, the bishop came down for the consecration of the altar and rededication of church,” said Fr. Chu, who acknowledged the generous support of his congregation for the successful project.

Like all churches, St. Mary’s by the Sea suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic. The construction of two shrines had to be delayed. Masses were held outside and social distancing was practiced.

“Fr. Chu encouraged parishioners in frequent emails to use the time to deepen their faith and to rely on Christ as a source of hope,” explained Kramer in her book. “Many parishioners took him up on these encouragements.”

After the dark time of the pandemic, St. Mary’s by the Sea celebrated a full re-opening on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021, and the parish has been thriving ever since.

St. Mary’s by the Sea has prevailed for a century - through wars, financial ups and downs and a global pandemic. Supported by faithful parishioners and a dedicated staff, the parish is poised for the next 100 years.

To purchase a copy of “A Century of Love: St. Mary’s by the Sea” by Kathleen Kramer, stop by the parish office or call Debbie Ransom at 714536-6913. Price is $25. C

T

HIS IS THE SECOND article of a four-part series during January, which focuses on the “Manifestations of Christ’s Divinity.” The Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove features four bronze bas-reliefs (a type of art in which shapes are cut from the surrounding stone so that they stand out slightly against a flat surface) inspired by the revelations of the New Testament: The Epiphany, the Baptism of the Lord, the Wedding Feast at Cana and the Transfiguration. Readers are encouraged to visit the cathedral and contemplate these images this month.

My 5 year old is currently in a “why” stage. Why is the sky blue? Why do leaf bugs look like leaves? Why can’t I have two desserts? Why do I have to go to bed now? The other day she came up with a hard hitter: If Jesus is God, then how did God send an Angel to tell Mary she would have baby Jesus? After beaming with pride that my kindergartener is obviously going to grow up to be a theologian, I answered her question with an explanation about the trinity and how Jesus is God the Son. The nuances of the trinity are hard for little kids to understand though. It’s hard for adults too! I always have to give a disclaimer and a quick definition of a “Mystery” before the discussion is over.

I imagine that the trinity was as baffling to the eyewitnesses at Jesus’s baptism as it is to my five-year-old today.

“He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove.” (Matthew 3:16) Did any of

PHOTO BY JOSH APPLEGATE ON UNSPLASH

the onlookers recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit?

“A voice came from heaven, ‘Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased.’” (Mark 1:11/Luke 3:22) Did they know it was the voice of God? What did those witnesses think that “Son of God” even meant? Did they have any idea that they were witnessing the revelation of the Messiah—their very God? My husband and I recently took a baptism prep class for our newest baby who’s being baptized this month.

One of the points that jumped out at me was a meditation on the fact that we, by virtue of our own baptism, are beloved sons and daughters of the Father. Therefore, those words of God the Father at the Jordan River can be said of us as well. “You are my beloved son; in you I am well pleased.”

God our Father is well pleased by us, whether or not we’ve done anything to deserve it yet (goodness knows, a new­ born hasn’t).

Yet, Jesus Christ submitted himself to a baptism by human hands to establish

the sacrament of our adoption. In doing so, He reveals both His own trinitarian Godhood and His very human relationship to each of us who are members of His body through that baptism.

As we meditate on the baptism of Jesus, which feast we celebrated earlier this month, I think we’re called to recognize both of these realities. Christ’s divinity: incalculable splendor as the second person of a trinity that we need metaphors and disclaimers to begin to understand, but also His humility and humanity, which humbles us in turn as we contemplate it.

He set aside the glory of His divinity to become the sacrifice for our salvation.

Even when we stop to meditate on His humanity, we only come away with a deeper recognition of the enormity of His divinity.

At Christmas we celebrate the birth of our creator and redeemer, who humbled Himself in the form of a helpless infant so He could sacrifice himself to save us who had done nothing to earn it. Let us praise God for both His magnificence and His humility as we contemplate the manifestation of Jesus’ divinity at His baptism in the Jordan.C

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7

FEATURE

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. AND CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

BY KAREN LEE-THORP, FOR THE KNIGHTS OF PETER CLAVER OC

M

OST PEOPLE ASSOCIATE Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with civil rights for African Americans. In fact, Dr. King’s ministry addressed all seven of the themes of Catholic Social Teaching framed by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Below are some of his statements about five of the seven themes.

LIFE AND DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON

According to the USCCB, “The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society.”

Dr. King, likewise, set the dignity of the human person as the foundation of his work and teaching. In his 1967 book “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community,” Dr. King declared: “The image of God is universally shared in equal portions by all men.

There is no graded scale of essential worth. Every human being has etched in his personality the indelible stamp of the Creator. Every man must be respected because God loves him. The worth of an individual does not lie in the measure of his intellect, his racial origin or his social position. Human worth lies in relatedness to God. An individual has value because he has value to God. Whenever this is recognized, ‘whiteness’ and ‘blackness’ pass away as determinants in a relation­ ship and ‘son’ and ‘brother’ are substi­ tuted.”

CALL TO FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND PARTICIPATION

The bishops say, “The person is not only sacred but also social.” They call marriage and the family “the central social institutions,” and they add that how we organize our society through politics,

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MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MEMORIAL, WASHINGTON, D.C. PHOTO BY J. AMILL SANTIAGO ON UNSPLASH

economics, law, and policy affects every human’s dignity.

From the moment Dr. King and his colleagues began working to integrate lunch counters, they were addressing the ways we organize society. They understood that laws, policies, politics and economic practices needed to change so that African Americans could be treated

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with dignity. At the same time, Dr. King saw the family as crucial. In “Where Do We Go from Here,” for example, he talks about the need to strengthen Black families who struggle under a history of housing and job discrimination, as well as underfunded schools and high levels of incarceration.

He wrote, “This is doubly tragic,

because nothing is so much needed as a secure family life for a people seeking to rise out of poverty and backwardness.

History continues to mock the Negro today, because just as he needs ever greater family integrity, severe strains are assailing family life in the white community.”

CONTINUES ON PAGE 9

FEATURE

MLK IN THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON FOR JOBS AND FREEDOM, IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ON WEDNESDAY, AUG. 28, 1963. THE PURPOSE OF THE MARCH WAS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE CIVIL AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS. PHOTO BY HISTORY IN HD ON UNSPLASH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

DIGNITY OF WORK AND RIGHTS OF WORKERS

The bishops say, “The economy must serve people, not the other way around.”

Dr. King agreed. He spoke not just of Black workers, but all workers, in his 1968 speech “All Labor Has Dignity,” he said: “All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”

And in “The Other America” (1967) he spoke about the difficulties of getting jobs to people—White, Hispanic, Black, Native American—who grow up with poverty and substandard schools. “[I]t’s much easier to integrate a lunch counter than it is to guarantee a livable income and a good, solid job.”

OPTIONS FOR THE POOR AND tied together,” he was talking about what VULNERABLE Catholics call solidarity. In the same vein,

Again, in “Where Do We Go from Here,” Dr. King wrote, “Deeply woven into the fiber of our religious tradition is the conviction that men are made in the image of God, and that they are souls of infinite metaphysical value. If we accept this as a profound moral fact, we cannot be content to see men hungry, to see men victimized with ill-health, when we have the means to help them. In the final analysis, the rich must not ignore the poor because both rich and poor are tied together.

They entered the same mysterious gateway of human birth, into the same adventure of mortal life.”

he said in his 1967 Christmas Sermon, “If we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective.”

More could be said about Dr. King’s views on rights and responsibilities, and on stewardship of creation—the other two themes discussed by the bishops.

Instead, we close with this insight: Dr. King faced enormous opposition and was sometimes discouraged as to whether his social teaching would ever be embraced and lived in America. However, his SOLIDARITY faith in God kept him from giving up in When Dr. King said, “rich and poor are despair. In his 1963 “I Have a Dream”

speech, he declared what was true for him until the day he was killed: “I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream.” For us, his faith as well as his work continue to be guiding lights.

The Knights of Peter Claver Thea Bowman Council 406 serving the Diocese of Orange is hosting a virtual fundrais­ er “MLK to Ash Wednesday: A Journey in Social Justice and Faith” as part of its annual appeal. To learn more visit rcbo. org/claversoc. Donations are accepted at gofundme.com/f/kpc406.

To learn more about the seven themes of Catholic social teaching, visit www. usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/whatwe-believe/catholic-social-teaching/sev­ en-themes-of-catholic-social-teaching. C

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DIOCESAN NEWS

PART OF THE ‘NEXT GENERATION OF CHURCH MUSIC SCHOLARS’ MEET HEKTOR PITSTICK

BY BRITNEY ZINT

I

T’S HARD TO IMAGINE many Midwestern teenagers having Christ Cathedral and its Hazel Wright Organ as a must-see stop on their first trip to California, but that is exactly how Hektor Pitstick felt.

So, when the 19-year-old visited Disneyland on a family vacation, he made sure to convince everyone — mother, father and four younger siblings — to embark on a side trip to Christ Cathedral.

“They enjoyed the tour, but I was ‘nerding out’ and asking too many questions,” Pitstick recalled. “It was cool for them to ride the elevator to the top of the building, but they wanted to go back to Disneyland.”

It would be a fateful visit, leading Pitstick, now 20, to become one of a select few Cathedral Organ Scholars at Christ Cathedral parish, a special internship program under the tutelage of cathedral organist and Head of Music Ministry David Ball.

The young musician joins the ranks of previous Organ Scholars who have gone on to Juilliard and Yale, among other prestigious campuses. The Organ Scholars program puts young people “right in the thick of it,” Ball said. The students are part of the day-to-day activities, the choral programs, the administrative tasks, and all the behind the scenes work that goes into running a music program.

“Anytime a young person is interested in how a church music program runs,

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HEKTOR PITSTICK PERFORMS AT CHRIST CATHEDRAL DURING A SPECIAL HAZEL WRIGHT ORGAN CONCERT. PHOTO BY EVERETT JOHNSON/DIOCESE OF ORANGE

that’s a huge step in the right direction,” Ball said. “It’s obviously something that we want to nurture and to see if there is potential there to become the next generation of church musicians.”

Lauren McCaul, cathedral music administrator, knew that Pitstick showed a lot of potential during his eventful cathedral tour in February 2022. He asked

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thoughtful questions, she said. He didn’t just want to see the 17,000-pipe Hazel Wright Organ; he wanted to learn about liturgical music, the cathedral music ministry and the Diocese of Orange, said McCaul.

“He had such an active interest in what we do here,” she continued, “so I thought, ‘Well, that’s interesting for a

young person to have so much maturity and such an engagement in liturgical music.’”

Pitstick reached out to McCaul via email before his family’s Disneyland vacation to “meet Hazel” and talk with the music ministry team.

Unfortunately for Pitstick, the Hazel CONTINUES ON PAGE 11

DIOCESAN NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

Wright Organ was not yet unveiled to the public after its $3-million restoration.

But McCaul and Ball coyly mentioned to Pitstick that he should come back the next day for the World Marriage Day Mass.

“We can’t tell you why,” McCaul recalled telling him, “but you really want to be at this event.”

So, Pitstick showed up not knowing exactly why. It soon became apparent.

For that Mass on Feb. 7, 2022, Hazel, newly restored and ready for her soft-opening debut, was publicly played for the first time in nearly a decade.

“It was pretty thrilling,” Pitstick said.

“It seemed too good to be true.”

DISCOVERING AN ICON

Pitstick discovered Hazel and her Christ Cathedral home during the pandemic. After finally gaining access to an organ at a church in Montana, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, so he spent his time at home instead, researching music online and watching YouTube videos.

They led him to Hazel.

YouTube recommended “Psalms at the Organ with David Ball.” Pitstick found it “epic.” From there, YouTube continued recommending more and more videos from the Diocese of Orange’s channel.

“I remember just thinking then — and this would have been in 2020 — ‘Oh, man! It would be my dream to work there some day,’” Pitstick said.

Thanks to Ball and McCaul, his dream

HEKTOR PIT­STICK IS ONE OF A SELECT FEW CATHEDRAL ORGAN SCHOLARS AT CHRIST CATHEDRAL PARISH, A SPECIAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF CATHEDRAL ORGANIST AND HEAD OF MUSIC MINISTRY DAVID BALL. PHOTOS BY EVERETT JOHNSON/DIOCESE OF ORANGE

became a reality. But even though the Organ Scholar program had an opening, it would take some doing.

Pitstick was majoring in organ performance at the University of Montana in Missoula. Ball and McCaul made a by-the-scene plan for Pitstick to transfer and continue his studies at Concordia University in Irvine while also getting real-life experience interning at Christ Cathedral.

“This is where we come back in, manipulating things,” Ball said laughing.

Ball and McCaul put the idea together and presented it to Pitstick, but he had already looked into transferring music programs and knew it was not quick or easy.

“When they first said that,” Pitstick

said, “I was like, ‘Well, that’s a nice dream, but it’s not going to happen.’”

But with Ball and McCaul’s guidance and contacts at Concordia, Pitstick was able to transfer without starting back at square one in his music studies. The first hurdle of school figured out, Pitstick said he was excited, but also nervous.

“I was born in one city in Montana and then lived there until I was 18,” Pitstick said. “And then moved to go to college in a different city in Montana, so I knew it would be a pretty big change. I ultimately decided that even if I was going from the big fish in the small pond to just another fish in a larger pond, I was OK with that because I love the music program here so much and just really wanted to participate in it.”C

HEKTOR PITSTICK TAKES IN A SPECIAL HAZEL WRIGHT ORGAN PERFORMANCE AT CHRIST CATHEDRAL WITH CATHEDRAL ORGANIST AND HEAD OF MUSIC MINISTRY DAVID BALL (LEFT) AND DR. EMMA WHITTEN, ASSOCIATE ORGANIST. J A N U A R Y 14 , 2 0 2 4 ■ O C C A T H O L I C

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Date:

WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 28, 2024 Time:

7:30 am - 11:00 am Location:

JW Marriott, Anaheim The Conference on Business & Ethics is designed to bring influential leaders together to network and share the best ethical practices both personally and professionally, through inspiring honorees, motivating speakers and

raising funds for the next generation of values-based professionals in our Catholic Schools. Expected to be a SOLD OUT event, secure your partnership at OrangeCatholicFoundation.org/CBE

RATED AS THE #1 BREAKFAST IN ORANGE COUNTY BY THE ORANGE COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL!

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: FATHER MIKE SCHMITZ Father Michael Schmitz is the director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Duluth as well as the Chaplain for the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He is also the narrator and host of the Bible in a Year and Catechism in a Year podcasts through Ascension Press. Father Mike is also author of How to Make Great Decisions and A World Undone: Finding God When Life Doesn’t Make Sense.

FARMERS & MERCHANTS BANK LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD HONOREE An award to those who have made a significant contribution to the Orange County community and beyond.

The mission of the Croul Family Foundation is to focus on Orange County, California and support those organizations that are engaged in improving educational outcomes at kindergarten through twelfth grade. The Foundation will also support organizations that assist the homeless and economically disadvantaged in Orange County.

BISHOP’S AWARD FOR EXEMPLARY BUSINESS INTEGRITY HONOREES MIKE MERCHANT

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Codazen and Perception.io. Mike serves and supports his parish, Holy Trinity, as well as St. Junipero Serra Catholic School, Santa Margarita Catholic High School and the MaxLove Project.

Mike enjoys life with his wife, Angela and their four children.

LAURA RAMOS

Chief Executive of Providence St. Jude Medical Center. Laura serves on the Providence St. Jude Community Benefit Committee. She and her husband Gene are parishioners at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Placentia, where their four children attended school.

More information available at: OrangeCatholicFoundation.org/CBE | 714.282.3021 | CBE@OrangeCatholicFoundation.org Proceeds from the event support The Orange Catholic Foundation, Orange Catholic Schools Fund and School Tuition Assistance Endowment.

DIOCESAN NEWS

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To report sexual abuse by clergy or church personnel please call: 1 (800) 364-3064 Healing and Hope After Abortion: 1 (800) 722-4356 New Hope Peer-to-Peer Support Line | Mon - Fri 7:30 AM - 9:30 PM | Sat - Sun 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM: 1 (714) NEW-HOPE or 1 (714) 639-4673 BÁO CÁO LẠM DỤNG TÌNH DỤC Nếu bạn là nạn nhân bị lạm dụng tình dục bởi một linh mục/ tu sĩ hay một thành viên trong Giáo Hội gây ra, xin hãy gọi và báo cáo cho Giáo phận ở số điện thoại miễn phí sau đây: 1-800-364-3064, và đồng thời báo cáo cho nhà chức trách địa phương. 본당내의 성적학대 신고 성직자나 성당 사목을 대표하는 관리자에 의한 성적 학대의 피해자 인 경우, 교구청의 무료 신고 전화 번호, 1-800-364-3064 및 관할 지역 법 집행 기관에 전화하십시오.

LILY NGUYEN ELLIS HAS BEEN A PARISHIONER AT SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LAKE FOREST FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS. PHOTO COURTESY OF LILY NGUYEN ELLIS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

ing Saddleback Church with a friend.

Shortly after, the desire to again receive Holy Communion became very strong.

Nguyen Ellis reflected back on an image she saw of a priest.

“He was elevating the host with his hands.”

This image brought her back full circle to Catholicism.

That moment also propelled Nguyen Ellis full force into a life of service at Santiago de Compostela Catholic Church in Lake Forest. During her 10 years at Santiago de Compostela, she has been involved in a vast and varied group of ministries. She is a member of the Pastoral Council and Stewardship Council. She serves as both an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and Sacristan. Additionally, she is a member of the Hospitality Committee, is a virtual greeter for online Masses and is involved with Children’s Liturgy.

Nguyen Ellis also helps organize both women’s and men’s retreats and is actively involved in the Women’s Circle of Faith and Leadership group. She does all of this while working full-time in her haircutting business and helping to babysit grandkids twice per week.

Fr. Martin Vu, former Parochial Vicar at

Santiago de Compostela, who is now serving in the same role at St. Cecilia, called Nguyen Ellis “the heartbeat at Santiago de Compostela.”

He added: “She has done many wonderful and incredible things in the community.”

In 2016, Nguyen Ellis further cemented her life at Santiago de Compostela, marrying her now husband Wayne three days after he received the Sacraments.

When asked what her return to Catholicism has meant to her, Nguyen Ellis replied, “It is having gratitude, waking up each day, getting on my knees and thanking God for the life I have.”

And Santiago de Compostela has been a catalyst where she has found a second family.

“Everyone has similar challenges and needs,” she said. “God brings these people together at the right moment.”

The renewal story of Lily Nguyen Ellis started with an image of a priest elevating the Holy Eucharist. That image, coupled with a welcoming parish and countless service involvements, touched the lives of many along the way. Living life to its fullest and promoting family and community continue to be the cornerstones of her life. C

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DIOCESAN NEWS PAGE HEADING

AROUND OUR DIOCESE

with inspiring prayers, uplifting music and meaningful conversations.

Let’s remember Dr. King’s dream and continue working towards a brighter future for all. For tickets go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ orange-county-mlk-prayer-breakfast-tickets-751287780977

BY STAFF

“JESUS THIRSTS: THE MIRACLE OF THE EUCHARIST”

The Diocese of Orange recently hosted a gala to support the film “Jesus Thirsts: The Miracle of the Eucharist.”

The event was held on Dec. 9 on the Christ Cathedral cam­pus. The feature length documentary that unveils the timeless mystery and transformative power of the Eucharist will be in select movie theatres this June. For more information visit JesusThirstsFilm.com.

6TH ANNUAL ORANGE COUNTY MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. PRAYER BREAKFAST Join others throughout Orange

ONELIFE LA

MARCHERS ASSEMBLE FOR THE ONELIFE LA EVENT IN JANUARY 2020. PHOTO COURTESY OF ONELIFE LA

County for a heartfelt morning of prayer and celebration at the Orange County MLK Prayer Breakfast! The event will be held on Monday, Jan. 15 at 8 a.m. at the Newsong

Church in Santa Ana. Come together with our community to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his message of love, unity and equality. Start your day

Bishop Vann encourages all to join Archbishop Gómez, clergy and people of God throughout Southern California on Saturday, Jan. 20, in celebration of life at OneLife LA. This family-friendly event begins with a solidarity-building walk through downtown Los Angeles, and ends with a festival, live music, food trucks and entertainment. Inspiring speakers will also share powerful stories of what they have overcome in life and how they use that struggle to help others. For more information, visit onelifela.org. C

BISHOP KEVIN VANN ADDRESSES ATTENDEES AT A SPECIAL GALA SUPPORTING THE FILM “JESUS THIRSTS: THE MIRACLE OF THE EUCHARIST” ON DEC. 9. PHOTO BY DREW KELLEY/DIOCESE OF ORANGE

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OC Catholic Afar

La Purísima (Orange) parishioners Tan Van Nguyen and his wife Tien Pho traveled to Santorini, Greece in September.

Anastasi Church and Agios Spyridon Church are located next to each other in the town of Oia. Famous for their white-washed walls and “Santorini blue domes,” they are nestled into the cliffs and overlook the Aegean Sea.

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.

J A N U A R Y 14 , 2 0 2 4 ■ O C C A T H O L I C

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YEARS

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