MAY 9, 2021
A STRONG COMMUNITY
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THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF ORANGE n OCCATHOLIC.COM
JOY AND SORROW TO BE A MOTHER IS TO KNOW BOTH. IT IS NO LESS TRUE FOR THE MOTHER OF GOD. PAGE 6
MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI’S LA PIETA, DEPICTING MARY CRADLING THE BODY OF HER SON, INSIDE ST. PETER’S BASILICA IN THE VATICAN. PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
MAY 9, 2021
CONTENTS
7 8 10
LEARNING THE ROSARY
The rosary offers a deep connection to Mary, binding us in our faith.
SAVING A CHILD
The Diocese of Orange introduces a new partnership with SoCal nonprofit FosterAll.
CALIFORNIA BISHOPS UNITE
The state’s bishops come together to denounce the trend of violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
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.
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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: Tracey Kincaid, tkincaid@rcbo.org Editor: Kimberly Porrazzo, webeditor@occatholic.com New Ideas: storyideas@rcbo.org Delivery Problems: occatholicsupport@occatholic.com
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GUEST COLUMN
MAKING MEMORIES BY JOHN GARVEY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
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SAW AN AD ON THE TELEVISION recently that encouraged the observer to start “making memories” with the device on offer, probably a phone of some kind. My iPhone has, under its Photos icon, a Memories section that undertakes to do this for me. It mashes random pictures together and sets them to music. I can choose tunes that are “Gentle,” “Chill,” “Epic,” “Dreamy,” etc. This is a strange idea, “making memories.” But it exactly describes the way many of us go about living our lives. When Pope Francis visited Washington in 2015, I attended an event for him at the nun-
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JOHN GARVEY IS PRESIDENT OF THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA IN WASHINGTON D.C. PHOTO: CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
cio’s residence. On the way in, he stopped to shake some hands, including that of a teenage girl standing next to me. Instead of shaking the pope’s hand, she did what many young people would do: She turned her back on him, held up her phone and took a selfie of herself and the Holy
Father looking at the phone. When the New England Patriots staged their memorable comeback against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI, Fox TV showed a similar incident. The Patriots’ quarterback, Tom Brady, is married to a famous model, Gisele Bündchen, and she naturally had a luxury box. When her husband engineered the crucial touchdown, the television cameras focused on her. She was holding up her cellphone, shaking her hair and recording herself cheering into the phone. There’s something out of order about this. When I was just the age of the girl at the nunciature, my family had an audience with Pope Paul VI. It was in St. Peter’s in Rome, and there was a large crowd. I managed to get away from my parents and up to the wooden barrier where the pope was standing. This was before the age of cellphones, so I did the old-fashioned thing: I shook the CONTINUES ON PAGE 13
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
Risen “ The One gives
us the certainty that good always triumphs over evil.”
THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
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E HAVE A UNIQUE EPISODE in the Acts of the Apostles today. A whole roomful of people are baptized with the Holy Spirit before they are baptized with water! The verb used—“the Holy Spirit ‘fell’ on them” (Acts 10:44)— is characteristic of the way the Spirit works throughout the book of Acts: powerful and surprising. Though this “baptism” is not the normative way the New Testament describes baptism, it is still a good reminder today that the Holy Spirit is not controlled by whether or not we pour water, but rather that our sacramental signs reveal the presence of the Spirit at work among us. And we have a double reinforcement of how this work is accomplished from a Letter and a Gospel bearing John’s name. It is love, self-sacrificing and self-giving love, that manifests the Spirit of Jesus in our midst. It is love that is the greatest of commandments. The Spirit is manifested equally through those who live in that love. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co. C
- Pope Francis
SAINT PROFILE
BLESSED THOMAS PICKERING C. 1620-1679
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HE ENGLISH BENEDICTINE LAY BROTHER WAS a martyr of the Popish Plot. He professed vows in France in 1660 and was sent to London in 1665 as procurator of a small community celebrating liturgies in the chapel of Queen Catherine of Braganza. Though other monks were banished, he was allowed to stay. Because of the fictitious plot, in which Titus Oates alleged that King Charles II would be assassinated and the French king would re-establish Catholicism in England, three Jesuits, Pickering and a layman were found guilty of conspiracy. C
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
PHOTOS: CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE, SHUTTERSTOCK
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
ACTS 16:11-15; PS 149:1B-6A, 9B; JN 15:26 — 16:4A
ACTS 16:22-34; PS 138:1-3, 7C-8; JN 16:5-11
ACTS 17:15, 22 — 18:1; PS 148:1-2, 11-14; JN 16:12-15
ACTS 18:1-8; PS 98:1-4; JN 16:16-20
ACTS 1:15-17, 2026; PS 113:1-8; JN 15:9-17
ACTS 18:23-28; PS 47:2-3, 8-10; JN 16:23B-28
ACTS 1:15-17, 20A, 20C-26; PS 103:12, 11-12, 19-20; 1 JN 4:11-16; JN 17:11B-19
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FEATURE
JOY AND SORROW
MADONNA OF SEVEN SORROWS, BY SEBASTIANO RICCI, IN THE CHURCH OF SAINT MARY OF THE ANGELS IN ASSISI, ITALY. PHOTO: RENATA SEDMAKOVA/ SHUTTERSTOCK
TO BE A MOTHER IS TO KNOW BOTH. IT IS NO LESS TRUE FOR THE MOTHER OF GOD BY MALIE HUDSON
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OLY MARY LIVED A LIFE of great joy as Mother of God, but with it came sacrifice and sorrow. The Seven Sorrows of Mary define her life and story, spanning the years of Jesus’ life and death. We revere her sacrifice and pray her rosary to remember the events she endured. One of the first painful events in Mary’s life as a new mother is also one of the meditations of the joyful mysteries of the rosary, “The Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple.” While we rejoice in the significance of this occasion, we also remember that Mary fully lived through this event as a mother who was filled with joy in bringing her only son to the temple to complete the redemption ritual of the firstborn, but also deep sorrow as Simeon prophesied to her of what was to come for her son and her: “…And a sword will pierce your own soul, too…” (Luke 2:34-35). This occasion and six other events in the life of the Blessed Mother invite us to participate in devotions dedicated to the Seven Sorrows of Mary: n The Prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:25-35) n The flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-14) n The loss of the Child Jesus in the temple for three days (Luke 2:43-45) n The carrying of the cross (John 19:17) n The crucifixion of Jesus (John 19:18, 25-27) n The taking down of Jesus’ body
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from the Cross (Mark 15:43) n The burial of Jesus (John 19: 39-42) Various devotions to Mary were abundant in earlier centuries so the exact origin of the seven sorrows devotion is unclear. However, it is known that in the 4th century Blessed Henry Susso is credited for meditations he called the Five Joys of Mary and the Five Sorrows of Mary. In another source, St. Alphonsus Ligouri wrote in his book, “The Glories of Mary,” that the Blessed Mother appeared to seven of her servants and asked them to meditate upon her dolors, or sorrows. These seven founded the order of the Servants of Mary, or Servites, in 1239. In 1482 the five sorrows developed into seven as Father John de
Coudenberghe began preaching the Seven Sorrows of Mary. In 1814, the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows was officially added to the Roman calendar on September 15, the day after the feast of the Holy Cross. In the 14th century, the Blessed Mother revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden seven promises and graces to those who prayed seven Hail Marys while meditating on the seven sorrowful events of her life: n “I will grant peace to their families.” n “They will be enlightened about the divine Mysteries.” n “I will console them in their pains and will accompany them in their work.” n “I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose
the adorable will of my divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.” n “I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.” n “I will visibly help them at the moment of their death– they will see the face of their mother.” n “I have obtained this grace from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son will be their eternal consolation and joy.” Fr. Quan Tran, parochial vicar of St. CONTINUES ON PAGE 7
FEATURE / CATHOLIC FAMILY LIVING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6
Bonaventure parish in Huntington Beach, wrote extensively on the Blessed Virgin Mary, the meaning of grace and the effects of grace in his book, “The Imitation of Mary: How to Grow in Virtue and Merit God’s Grace.” “Supernatural grace is a gift from God that allows us to participate in His supernatural life. It really conforms us to God and makes us holy. It prepares us for heaven. So, part of the definition of grace is that it requires a response on our part,” explains Fr. Tran. “It’s a gift from God but it’s more of an invitation to respond to His call, to His life and His nature. And when we respond, we grow in grace. We become more holy and we start to do his Will. We allow Him to work in us and through us to be His instrument in the world just like Mary.” He further explains that in Mary’s suffering, she gained many graces for us as well. “In the seven sorrows of Mary, we see her participating in God’s plan of salvation. God has chosen her to play a huge part in His plan and to be the mother of Jesus. To be a model for us in terms of discipleship in leading us to God. She is the most perfect of all His disciples. She is God’s masterpiece. Mary has complete free will and she chooses to use that free will perfectly. She is known to be full of grace because she cooperates with God’s will. She conforms herself to God’s will.” Fr. Tran also explains that one of the effects of grace is that it heals us because of our fallen human nature. “We tend to sin, rebel against God, go after things that are superficial and harmful to others and offensive to God. Because of that wound, grace heals us. We do need that spiritual healing in order to become that person that God made us to be,” he said. “Grace is medicinal, it heals our soul. It makes us whole again in every way.” C
LEARNING THE ROSARY TEACHING CHILDREN TO LOVE AND PRAY TO MARY IS THE FOUNDATION OF A LASTING PRAYER LIFE BY CATHI DOUGLAS
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WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL WHEN I first learned to pray the rosary, coached by one of my favorite Sisters of Providence. My devout paternal grandmother, who became Catholic as an adult, fell asleep every night with a rosary in her hand, but I was a teenager before I learned the powerful prayer that settles my heart and connects me with Mary. Teaching children the rosary at a young age helps them learn important prayers, highlights Scripture stories, and keeps their hands occupied when sitting in a prayer circle, writes Kathleen Butler, a longtime catechist at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Washington, D.C. In “Teaching Children to Pray the Rosary,” published in The Catechist’s Journey at LoyolaPress.com, Butler says she compares the rosaries she gives to her students to the sacramentals they have used at home, such as Advent wreaths or crosses on the wall – sacred objects that they must treat with reverence and respect. She adds that because her first-graders learn the rosary close to Mother’s Day, she focuses on the joyful mysteries and usually limits prayer to one decade at a time. Lacy Lynch, a mother of four who writes on catholicicing.com, offers a number of useful crafts and activities – including instructions to make your own rosary – as well as YouTube videos about teaching children to pray the rosary.
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
To make the process easier for parents, Homeschoolinginprogress.com offers several suggestions for helping preschoolers understand and pray the rosary. Introduce children to Mary at a young age. Since Mary is our mother in heaven, children seem naturally drawn to her. Giving your children opportunities to become closer to Mary can help associate the rosary with her. These chance encounters can take the form of pictures and statues of Mary in the house and garden with the explanation that Mary is not only the mother of Jesus but the mother of us all. Presenting young children with their own large rosaries made of easy-to-use wooden beads in bright colors can help familiarize them with the prayers. Include children in prayer time. If the rosary is prayed often during family prayer time, then it will become a natural part of kids’ lives. Use prayer books to follow along. It is important to have children mem-
orize Catholic prayers, especially those prayed in the rosary. It’s helpful to have rosary prayer booklets or prayer cards available to read during the rosary. Even children who have their prayers memorized like to follow along in a rosary booklet. Let children lead the prayers. Not only do children like to be included in family activities, but they also enjoy being actively involved in them. So allow your children to take the lead while praying the rosary. Leading the rosary will also help them focus because they’ll need to know which bead everyone is on so they can say the correct prayer. As with all important lessons, teaching children to pray the rosary is a process. During it, you can help your children develop a devotion to Jesus, love for our Blessed Mother, and a healthy prayer life. The rosary “reaches deep down into our souls and puts us at ease, creating a peace that is rare and beautiful,” says Dynamic Catholic’s Matthew Kelly. That’s certainly a lesson worth sharing. C
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FEATURE
SAVING A CHILD THE DIOCESE IS PARTNERING WITH THE NONPROFIT CALLED FOSTERALL TO ENCOURAGE FAMILIES TO CONSIDER FOSTERING OR ADOPTING A CHILD BY LARRY URISH
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AY IS FOSTER CARE Awareness Month and Catholic families are encouraged to consider fostering or adopting one of the many children who need safe, stable, loving homes. The Diocese of Orange has teamed up with FosterAll, a Southern California nonprofit that provides guidance and support to families or individuals who feel called to foster or adopt a child. The needs of foster care children have long been the concern of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. “This is our first year partnering with FosterAll, but we have previously worked with the County of Orange and Olive Crest in raising awareness about foster care needs in our county and connecting Catholic families to opportunities to become foster families or support foster families in our community,” says Linda Ji, director, Office for Family Life in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange Pastoral Center. Through a campaign called “Love Has No Limits” FosterAll is working with approximately 1,000 faith communities—including those in the neighboring Diocese of San Bernardino and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles—to educate
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THE WILSON FAMILY ATTENDS THE ANNUAL ADOPTION MASS AT SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL IN SALINA, KAN., NOV. 6, 2020. PHOTO: KAREN BONAR, THE REGISTER / CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
parishioners about the process and practicalities of fostering a child. “FosterAll will reach out to our parishes to help raise awareness about foster care needs, recruit families to foster, and provide opportunities for parish communities to assist and care for local children and foster families,” explains Ji. Fostering and adopting fits naturally with Catholic belief and values. “In this Year of Saint Joseph we would be remiss not to mention that our Lord Jesus himself was raised by a foster father, Joseph,
who is a quiet hero of our Catholic faith,” points out Greg Walgenbach, director of Life, Peace and Justice at the Diocese of Orange. “One of the most basic—and widely repeated—commands God gives us in the Hebrew scriptures, our Old Testament, is to care for the orphan, the widow, and the stranger. Foster youth are among the most marginalized and at-risk persons in our midst and require our attention and accompaniment in whatever ways we are able.” Children are removed from their
homes for a variety of reasons—they’ve been subjected to neglect, abandonment or abuse—and they are frightened and confused. To give these children a chance to thrive in a loving, supportive home and form a lasting bond can be a gratifying and even transformational experience for foster parents. Experts say that fostering can strengthen a marriage through the shared goal of raising a foster child, and even create a positive ripple effect in their communities. CONTINUES ON PAGE 9
SOCIAL MEDIA / FEATURE orangediocese • follow April 25, 2021 orangediocese In the latest episode of Cathedral Square, Fr. Christopher Smith welcomes Sr. Kit Gray. Sr. Kit Gray has made her presence known in the Diocese of Orange for many years, most notably in her vital work with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange. Today, they will discuss Pope Francis’ declaration that 2021 would be the ‘Year of St. Joseph. Listen to the podcast in the link below: https://occatholic.com/episode55cathedral-square-guest-is-sr-kit-gray-ofthe-sisters-of-st-joseph-of-orange/
CECILIA PAUL, RIGHT, A FOSTER MOTHER THROUGH CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES OF THE PHILADELPHIA ARCHDIOCESE FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS, IS PICTURED IN HER PHILADELPHIA HOME IN THIS 2015 FILE PHOTO WITH DAUGHTER TAYLOR AND SON JAMIL, BOTH OF WHOM SHE CARED FOR AS A FOSTER MOTHER BEFORE ADOPTING THEM. PHOTO: SARAH WEBB / CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
orangediocese • follow April 30, 2021 orangediocese Fr. Daniel Seo’s weekly reflection for the week of April 29, 2021. #OCCatholic
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 Crisis Counseling Hot Line (24/7): 1 (714) NEW–HOPE or 1 (714) 639–4673
FosterAll addresses common questions about fostering or adopting. Can a single or widowed person foster a child? Yes, as long as that person is on stable financial footing and is adequately housed. Can you be too old to foster or adopt? No there is no age limit to being a foster parent. Isn’t fostering a child expensive? Not necessarily—adoptive parents receive a monthly stipend to cover some costs. Still, the practical and emotional challenges of fostering or adopting a child may seem overwhelming, and that’s where FosterAll comes in. Not only do they help individuals and families navigate the system, but they provide ongoing support so that no one has to face the challenges alone. What if you’re not a position to foster or adopt but still want to help? “There are many ways for us as a loving community to wrap our arms around these children and their families,” says Ji. “We can attend to the needs of children in group homes as they wait to join a family. We can support foster families in our midst, helping them secure needed materials—furniture, clothes, food—when a child joins their
home, or providing spiritual and emotional support to foster parents as they navigate the challenges of fostering.” Faith communities can also support at-risk families before their children are placed out of their homes. They can help to keep families together and children out of the system, Ji adds. “For example, Holy Trinity parish in Ladera Ranch has a Safe Families ministry where host families temporarily provide a safe place for children to stay while their parents overcome a crisis, after which the family can be immediately reunited,” Ji explains. “Saint Irenaeus in Cypress is part of a network that uses CarePortal to identify and donate toward concrete needs—beds, meals, diapers, car seats—of vulnerable families so they can keep their children out of foster care.” But when children do need a foster family, Catholics can learn in this month of May how to open their hearts and homes. “Fostering or adopting a child aligns with our belief in the dignity of life of all persons and puts into action our recognition that all children need and deserve a safe and loving home from where they can learn about the love of Christ,” adds Linda Ji. C
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DIOCESAN NEWS
CALIFORNIA BISHOPS UNITE DENOUNCE VIOLENCE AGAINST ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS BY THE CALIFORNIA CATHOLIC CONFERENCE OF BISHOPS
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IDEOS ON UNPROVOKED assaults on elder Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI), arson at a Chinese church and, literally, thousands of racist and violent incidents against Asian women in only the past year, are a horrible and shameful scar upon our society. The California Catholic Conference of Bishops calls for an end to violence and discrimination as we stand in solidarity with our AAPI brothers and sisters as well as all victims of racial prejudice. May God protect them, console them and keep them safe. Many Bishops have already issued statements. We unite with them as we amplify their statements calling for peace, reconciliation and conversion of heart those of us who fail to recognize the dignity and worth of every human being: Archbishop José Gomez, Los Angeles: “We pray for a new spirit of fraternity in our society, that we may all come to see one another as brothers and sisters. We are all children of God, who loves us and created each of us in his own image to live in equality and with dignity as one family of God.” Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, San Francisco: “In our own Catholic community we are blessed to be enriched by
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many vibrant Asian communities, which bring much vitality to our people’s faith lives. As Catholics, we also belong to a global faith community that is the most diverse and multicultural institution in the world; and as Americans, we have a responsibility on the global stage to show respect for all people, affirming their human dignity. We must, then, lead by example in working toward the much spoken-of but ever elusive unity that is so needed and desired in our society right now.”
Bishop Robert McElroy, San Diego: “The love of the good Samaritan destroys racism by casting aside that mysterious cancer of the human soul that leads us to label God’s children as ‘other,’ as inferior, as unworthy, as threat, as competitor. And in casting aside that terrible impulse of the human spirit, God opens up the truth that we are all equal in the sight of God. There are no children of a lesser god in this world, and we must begin to rebuild our state and our nation to foster genuine unity and peace.” Bishop Jaime Soto, Sacramento: “Our faith in a merciful God, who is Father of us all, compels us to affirm the mutual bonds of respect and charity that give strength to the cultural diversity
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of our Nation. Remember the words of St. Paul to the Ephesians, “You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God.” (Eph. 2.19) Bishop Kevin W. Vann, Orange: “Recent examples of prejudice against our Asian-American brothers, sisters and friends are not only regrettable, but reprehensible. I remember years ago when so many Vietnamese families, for example, were welcomed here to the states as they were fleeing their homeland. Let us be sure to remember that our Faith calls us still to live that welcome and witness. We owe all of them a thanks and acknowledgement.” Bishop Daniel Garcia, Monterey: “Our country, our world is profoundly in need of a change of heart. We must be willing to work towards finding ways to end the violence and hate that has gripped our souls and all too often is spewed through our thoughts, words and actions. Please join me today in praying
for all the victims of these mass shootings, as well as for all who are touched by acts of violence and hate. Our Lady of Bethlehem, please intercede for our nation and world.”
Bishop Michael Barber, Oakland: “The racially motivated violence against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community has reinforced the critical and moral imperative to stop the hate and end racism. Recent events in our Oakland community, throughout the Bay Area and across the country, and the caustic rhetoric that marks conversations around responsibility for the pandemic provide ample evidence there is still much work to do. As Christians, we are constantly called to examine our hearts and consciences and assist in removing racial divisions, intolerance, and discrimination.” Bishop Alberto Rojas, San Bernardino: “Let us also pray for the conversion of those who hold these feelings of violence and hostility toward the Asian Pacific community. We know that God’s justice and His mercy will prevail, and we continue to work for the building of His Kingdom in our families, communities, and society.” CONTINUES ON PAGE 11
DIOCESAN NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
Bishop Oscar Cantu, San Jose: “Join me in celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in May. The Asian community has been on my mind and in my prayers recently, given the disturbing rise of anti-Asian animus, prejudice, aggression and violence. It is disgraceful to see this in our American society in our modern times. We have come so far in our country since the eras of the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Japanese Internment Camps of generations
past. And yet, we manage to take steps backward into prejudice, discrimination, and even violence. This is sad and disgraceful. Anti-Asian hatred not only hurts Asian Americans; it tarnishes the dignity of all Americans.” Bishop Oscar Solis, Salt Lake City and Chairman, USCCB Chairman, Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Island Affairs: “In the midst of increased reports of incidents of racism and xenophobia against Americans of Asian and Pacific Island heritage, three bishop chairmen
… call for a stronger resolve towards unity, demonstrated through acts of solidarity, kindness and love toward one another, so that we can emerge from this crisis renewed and stronger as one American people; a people that places value in every human life, regardless of race, ethnic origin, gender or religious affiliation.” Auxiliary Bishop Alex Aclan, Los Angeles: “We stand in solidarity with the victims of racial violence across the United States as we uphold our commitment to the
core values of Catholicism. As we mobilize the faithful to take action against racism, we take Christian love, and not political interests, as our guide.” Auxiliary Bishop Edward Clark, Los Angeles: “As universal Christians, as Catholics, we are called to be the first among all people to reject prejudice, the first to defend human rights, the first to work for justice and equality, and the first to demonstrate respect for people of every nation, culture, and ethnic origin.” C
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANGELUS NEWS, DIOCESES OF SAN JOSE, SALT LAKE CITY, ORANGE, SAN BERNARDINO, ARCHDIOCESE OF L.A., OAKLAND, MONTEREY, SACRAMENTO, SAN DIEGO, SAN FRANCISCO, YOUTUBE
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CATHOLIC SCHOOL NEWS
A STRONG COMMUNITY MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
ST, JOHN THE BAPTIST STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE SCHOOL’S JOG-A-THON. PHOTO COURTESY ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
CATHOLIC SCHOOL FUNDRAISER BECOMES MORALE-RAISER BY STAFF
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HAT STARTED OUT AS effort to generate funds for new school sports and PE equipment turned into a big opportunity to renew community spirit at St. John the Baptist Catholic School. Administration and
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parent leadership envisioned an event that was healthy and safe, but would also “spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, but encouraging one another.” As the “can do” attitude prevailed, creative minds developed a plan that allowed the school to raise money and family spirits at the same time.
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“The idea really came together out of our collective sense of responsibility for each other that we have always fostered here at SJB,” said the school’s rector, Father Damien. “God encourages us to take care of our neighbors and we must remember the importance of maintaining a meaningful connection with one another, especially during these trying times.” Balloons were unfurled, spirited banners were displayed, and inspiring music filled the air as children laughed, played, and jogged on cohort-focused socially
distanced tracks. But most importantly, parents and their families gathered in the open air, with masks on, at safe social distances, to cheer their students on, wave to good friends, and be present “in community.” Principal Paula Viles, declared the day a complete success. “It was like a mini homecoming. We are very close to achieving our fundraising goal but what really matters is that our campus was filled with happy families and that is the life’s blood that fuels our faith community.” C
GUEST COLUMN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
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pope’s hand. I have a memory of that incident, more precious now that he has been canonized. It’s in my head, not on my phone, and after 50 years it’s lost some of the surrounding detail. I imagine I can still feel the touch of his hand and the look in his eye. Fifty years from now the girl at the nunciature will have the advantage of me; her picture of her and Pope Francis will still be sharp -- unless, of course, it gets lost in the cloud or the technology changes, as it did with floppy disks. On the other hand, I actually met the pope. She acted a part in a play about meeting the pope. Her audience was the people who would view her Instagram account. Her emotions were not those of a teenager meeting the pope. They were a version staged for the cellphone camera of what someone might look like
who was in a picture with the pope. So, too, with Gisele. She wasn’t transported with delight at Tom’s victory over the Falcons. She was posing for the camera and her followers on social media, playing the part of someone who was transported with delight. In this preoccupation with recording electronic memories, we are missing out on the very experiences we want to share. The picture might be sharper than a recollection, though, to be honest, it leaves out smells and touches. But it can never compare with just living through the moment -- the thing you miss when you’re too busy putting yourself on the other side of the camera. In “De Rerum Natura,” Lucretius observes critically, “Some people sacrifice life itself for the sake of statues and a title.” We make the same mistake in trying to immortalize ourselves on the internet. C
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CATHOLIC NEWS AROUND THE WORLD
POPE APPROVES CANONIZATIONS, BUT DOESN’T SET DATE BECAUSE OF PANDEMIC BY CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
his wife and others, which made many officials angry. He was arrested and VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The saintsentenced to death in 1749, but just hood causes of seven men and women before he was sent to the gallows, the -- including the hermit Blessed Charles Hindu king canceled the execution de Foucauld and the Indian martyr order. Blessed Pillai remained imprisDevasahayam Pillai -- cleared their oned for three more years, enduring final hurdle May 3 during an “orditorture and public beatings and ridicule nary public consistory,” a meeting of for refusing to renounce his faith before the pope, cardinals and promoters of secretly being taken into the jungle and sainthood causes that formally ends the shot. sainthood process. The others approved for The meeting included a prayer, an canonization are: affirmation that church law had been n Blessed César de Bus, the Francefollowed in preparing for the candiborn founder of the Fathers of Christian dates’ declaration of sainthood and a Doctrine, a religious congregation dedformal request “in the name of Holy icated to education, pastoral ministry Mother Church” that Pope Francis set a and catechesis. Born in 1544, he died in date for the canonizations. 1607. Speaking in Latin, Pope Francis n Blessed Luigi Maria Palazzolo, approved the canonizations but said the an Italian priest and founder of the date for the ceremony would have to be Congregation of the Sisters of the Poor. determined later, Vatican News reportHe was beatified by St. John XXIII in ed, because of the ongoing COVID-19 1963. The sainthood causes of six mempandemic. bers of the order who died in Congo in Blessed Charles de Foucauld is un1995 caring for victims of Ebola also are doubtedly the best known of the seven underway. POPE FRANCIS LEADS AN “ORDINARY PUBLIC CONSISTORY” FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CANONIZATION OF saints-to-be. n Blessed Giustino Maria Russolillo, SEVEN NEW SAINTS, AT THE VATICAN MAY 3, 2021. PHOTO: VATICAN MEDIA / CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE Pope Francis, in his encyclical an Italian priest who founded the Soci“Fratelli Tutti, on Fraternity and Social did he come at last to be the brother of foundation, after his death, of the Little ety of Divine Vocations for men and the Friendship,” described Blessed de Fouall. May God inspire that dream in each Brothers of Jesus and the Little Sisters Vocationist Sisters. He was born in 1891 cauld as a “person of deep faith who, one of us.” of Jesus. and died in 1955. drawing upon his intense experience of Born in Strasbourg, France, in 1858, The martyr of India who will be n Blessed Anna Maria Rubatto, God, made a journey of transformation Blessed de Foucauld strayed from the declared a saint is Blessed Pillai, an founder of the order now known as the toward feeling a brother to all.” faith during his adolescence, but during 18th-century Catholic layman who was Capuchin Sisters of Mother Rubatto. “Blessed Charles directed his ideal a trip to Morocco, he saw how devotkilled for refusing to refute his faith She was born in Carmagnola, Italy, in of total surrender to God toward an ed Muslims were to their faith, which despite being brutally tortured. 1844 and died in Montevideo, Uruguay, identification with the poor, abandoned inspired him to return to the church. Born to an upper-caste Hindu family in 1904. in the depths of the African desert,” He joined the Trappists, living in in 1712 and given the name Neelakann Blessed Maria Domenica Manthe pope wrote. “In that setting, he monasteries in France and in Syria, da, Blessed Pillai became a trusted tovani, co-founder and first superior expressed his desire to feel himself before seeking an even more austere life soldier of the Hindu king but later general of the Little Sisters of the Holy a brother to every human being and as a hermit. After his ordination to the incurred his wrath for embracing Chris- Family. Born in 1862 in Castelletto di asked a friend to ‘pray to God that I priesthood in 1901, he lived among the tianity. Baptized in May 1745, he was Brenzone, Italy, she dedicated her life truly be the brother of all.’ He wanted poor and finally settled in Tamanrasset, given the name Devasahayam, a Tamil to serving the poor and needy as well as to be, in the end, ‘the universal brother.’ Algeria. In 1916, he was killed by a band rendering of the biblical name Lazarus. assisting the sick and the elderly. She Yet only by identifying with the least of marauders. His writings inspired the He began preaching and converted died in 1934. C
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Moments in our Journey Father Tom Naval, pastor, and Deacon Dan Diesel led the devotees of Divine Mercy at the 3 p.m. Holy Hour during Divine Mercy Sunday at Santiago de Compostela Church. While being livestreamed and Zoomed, the prayer service started with the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, followed by the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. It ended with the consecration and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. —Submitted by Jovie Kruki Parishioner, Santiago de Compostela Catholic Church, Lake Forest
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