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THE ARMOR OF GOD
Our spiritual faith is more than a guiding principle, it is a defense to serve you in life.
A BIG WELCOME BACK
The Church will always accept members, whether new, fallen away or less active, who wish to return.
Parishes around the Diocese celebrate the feast of St. Peregrine, Pentecost and honor first responders.
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.
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
Director of Custom Content: Caroline Wong, cawong@scng.com
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.
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.
This program will help lay ministers increase their knowledge of the Catholic intellectual tradition and improve their ministerial skills for the life of the Church. Students will be prepared to work in different areas of ministry and make professional and personal connections with others of the same mind and spirit.
For more information
Email: mapm@stjohnsem.edu or visit www.stjohnsem.edu
Watch a brief video about the program
A studio with professional video, audio, and lighting equipment has been built to produce visually stunning content by our world-class faculty. This studio allows our students to have an enjoyable technological experience.
EACE BE STILL,” by Dallas Anderson, 1999. A gift of Elizabeth R. & Stanford N. Phelps. Located in the reflecting pool next to the Tower of Hope. This piece depicts Jesus Christ walking on the waters of the Sea of Galilee and telling His disciples, “Do not be afraid.” Photo by Joshua Sudock/Diocese of Orange
MONDAY
ACTS 19:1-8; PS 68:23AB, 4-5ACD, 6-7AB; JN 16:29-33;
TUESDAY ACTS 20:17-27; PS 68:10-11, 20-21; JN 17:1-11A;
THIS MEXICAN SAINT SHARES his feast with 21 other priests and three laymen martyred between 1915 and 1937, when Mexican authorities persecuted the Catholic Church. Many of these Cristero martyrs, canonized in 2000, were tortured and executed when apprehended. Father Magallanes, a zealous pastor in his home state of Jalisco, also did mission work among the indigenous Huicholes. Before they were shot, he said to his priest-companion, “Be at peace, my son; it takes but one moment, then it will be heaven.”C
PHOTOS: CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE, SHUTTERSTOCK
WEDNESDAY ACTS 20:28-38; PS 68:29-30, 33-35A, 35BC-36AB; JN 17:11B-19
THURSDAY
ACTS 22:30; 23:6-11; PS 16:1-2A AND 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11; JN 17:2026;
FRIDAY
ACTS 25:13B-21; PS 103:1-2, 11-12, 1920AB; JN 21:15-19
SATURDAY
ACTS 28:16-20, 3031; PS 11:4, 5 AND 7; JN 21:20-25;
SUNDAY ACTS 2:1-11; PS 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34; 1 COR 12:3B-7, 12-13; VENI, SANCTE SPIRITUS; JN 20:19-23
“We are all called … to be peacemakers in our time”
— Pope Francis
BY JENELYN RUSSO
AS PART OF THE DIOCESE of Orange’s celebration of the restored 17,000-pipe Hazel Wright Organ, the Year of Hazel concert series at Christ Cathedral continues on May 31 with the Cathedral’s four Organ Scholars performing on the famed instrument.
Ethan Chow, André Lombardi, Alyce Reynaud and Hubert Tran have all trained under Cathedral Organist and Head of Music Ministry David Ball and are excited to share their passion and talents for sacred music later this month.
The concert also serves as a farewell of sorts for the budding musicians, who were all founding members of the Diocesan Children’s Choir in 2016 and began studying with Ball the following year. This fall, all four are headed off to college with an excellent foundation of music education, thanks to their participation in the Diocese’s Organ Scholars Program.
The program, which exists at many major cathedrals around the world, trains new generations into the world of organ music and passes along its historic traditions. Through private lessons and mentorships, the program immerses participants in all aspects of a cathedral music ministry so they can get a glimpse into its day-to-day life.
Ball himself is familiar with the program. At age 14, he was an Organ Scholar at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.
“My background started out as one of these kids, and that’s how I caught the bug and was inspired to dedicate my life to this,” said Ball.
Chow, a senior at Valencia High School in Placentia, had a background in piano, but after being asked by Ball to learn the organ, he found himself immediately drawn to the instrument. Chow is the winner of this year’s prestigious Pogorzelski-Yankee Memorial Scholarship from the American Guild of Organists.
Chow will be attending Ball’s alma mater, The Juilliard School, where he will pursue a degree in organ performance.
“I was really drawn to the organ because of its diversity in so many instruments,” said Chow. “I never thought I’d be a person to ever go that route … but I found that music was actually my true passion.”
Lombardi once posed for a photo as a kindergartener with the organist at his elementary school, Our Lady Queen of Angels. Little did he realize that someday
he would learn to play the organ.
After he graduates from Beckman High School in Irvine this spring, he heads to Rice University to pursue a dual degree in organ performance and health sciences. Lombardi said his appreciation for the organ stems from the unique cross-section it provides. He feels honored to bring the instrument into the spotlight for young people.
“This concert is significant because we are the younger generation,” he said. “It’s very special because it’s like a capstone to
all of the Cathedral events, rehearsals and endless practice.”
In addition to being an Organ Scholar, Alyce Reynaud is also a Choral Scholar and music administrative intern at Christ Cathedral. She took advantage of having the iconic Hazel Wright Organ in her backyard and paired learning the organ with her choral studies. A 2021 graduate from Foothill High School in North Tustin, she will be attending McGill University in Montreal, Canada, in the school’s early
music voice performance program.
“David (Ball) helped me find my passion for music,” said Reynaud. “I didn’t know whether I wanted to do biological sciences or music. Having David here to help me along by showing me what music could be — that was just instrumental.”
When Tran, a senior at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, was younger, he viewed training in music as a form of punishment. But learning the organ under Ball and seeing Ball’s love for the instrument allowed Tran to view music in a new light.
He will be attending Yale University and double majoring in music and neuroscience, with the goal of continuing to train as an organist. The aspect of service that accompanies being a church musician is especially important to Tran.
“We’re part of people’s lives, during the most difficult parts and the happiest parts,” he said. “I never expected to learn from music again, but I fell in love with it so much that I realized it’s going to be a huge part of my life.”
The scholars acknowledge not only the deep bond of friendship they have developed through the Organ Scholars Program, but also the diversity they represent — from Asian to French, Italian and Chilean. Above all, they encourage other young musicians to consider the program, as it has been nothing short of life-changing for each of them.
“Cathedrals are special places, and they are centers of Catholic music,” said Ball. “This is where all of the best sacred music happens. For these kids, it makes it a part of who they are and their identity. These are the memories they will have forever.”
The May 31 Organ Scholars concert starts at 7:30 p.m. at Christ Cathedral, 13280 Chapman Ave., Garden Grove. Tickets are $10. For more information and to buy tickets, visit ChristCathedralMusic.org C
The following article is the personal opinion of the author
THERE IS A SPIRITUAL war taking place and we are in the midst of it!
It started when God created the Angels, and it will not end until the Second Coming of Christ when “the wedding day of the Lamb has come” and “his bride has made herself ready” (Rev. 19:7).
Our greatest defense is God’s love, and we are made to receive the love of God. He wants to transform our hearts into His very own. He wants us to share in the life of His grace and become “the bride, the wife of the Lamb” (Rev. 21:9).
Before creating humanity, God created the heavens and the earth, things visible and invisible, so that His bride would have a place to dwell, and the help needed to journey home into the Bridegroom's Heart.
God created invisible spiritual realities, such as the Angels, to help us in our daily battle. They inspire our minds to do good and to forewarn us against evil. We must use our free will, choose to serve God, and wage war against our spiritual enemies: the world, the flesh and the devil.
God gave us spiritual armor to repel the attacks of evil so we may be preserved in His grace. We must put on the Armor of God and draw strength from Him so that we may “stand firm against the tactics of the devil” (Eph. 6:11). He provides the Sacraments of the Church to enrich our life in Him, sealing us in our true identity as the bride of Christ. The Armor of God the Lord gives us includes:
When we put on the Helmet of Salvation we put on the mind of Christ, allowing us to think and act like Him.
When we take the Sword of the Spirit by meditating on the Word of God, we are able to discern good and evil, slaying the lies and temptations that attack our growth in holiness.
With the Shield of Faith, we defend ourselves and others against the arrows of unbelief and errors that attack the truth revealed by Christ.
The Breastplate of Righteousness safeguards our purity and holiness so that God may dwell in our hearts. The
With the Belt of Truth, we are supported by the grace to stand firm in the freedom God bestows upon us. By participating in Holy Mass, we receive a greater sense of our identity in Christ.
When we live a Gospel centered life, we will crush Satan under our feet. As the Lord leads us to walk without fear in His Gospel of Peace, we will be His messengers to others.
There’s no time to waste. The time is now! The “day is at hand. Let us throw off the works of darkness [and] put on the armor of light” (Rom 13:12). Out of love, Christ the Bridegroom has provided these weapons of defense against the enemy of our human nature. It is up to us to equip ourselves with these gifts so that we may be victorious and enter the Wedding Feast of the Lamb as a “bride adorned for her husband” (Rev 21:2).C
CHRIS MORRIS, DIRECTOR OF faith formation at Holy Family Catholic Church in Orange, has noticed a recent increase in the number of people not only returning to the Catholic faith — but who are also bringing their children or friends along with them — to experience his lively program of weekly classes leading up to receiving the Sacraments.
“Some were baptized into Catholic families but then fell away from church when they were very young and never received all the Sacraments,” explained Morris. “Others come with no faith background, but they’ve had some experience that attracted them to the Church.”
The COVID-19 pandemic may have caused people to reflect on what was missing in their lives, Morris speculated.
“They were really looking to fill the hole that only He can fill,” he said. “This is an opportunity to build a relationship with God. It’s a beautiful thing.”
Sarah Riggin was inspired by her 15-year-old son Aiden to sign up for the Holy Family classes to receive their Sacraments.
“He expressed he was ready to move forward with his Confirmation,” she said, adding that both of them were baptized years before as children. “I thought long and hard. I realized I, too, was ready to proceed with my Confirmation and grow in my faith.”
Riggin signed them both up for Morris’ classes.
“He was excited to enjoy the spiritual journey together,” she added of her son. Morris believes that this is the ideal scenario.
“The single greatest influence on a child’s religiosity is their parents,” he said.
“For them to do it together always gives better results. They’re more committed to the faith, and faith is meant to be practiced with others.”
Jné Muñoz, a working mom of six children who wanted to rejoin the Church last year, decided to make it a family affair.
“Chris (Morris) told us about the classes, and I said let’s all do this.”
Her 3-year-old and 19-year-old did not participate, but her other children — ages 17, 11, 10 and 9 — did. Her husband was also supportive and although he works nights, still attended few of the classes.
Attending the classes for eight months with her children sparked a lot of interesting conversations among them.
“When we all learned the same thing, we could all talk about it,” said Muñoz.
Her kids enjoyed it so much she started bringing along her sister’s children too.
Riggin and her son also talked about what they were learning.
“Every Sunday after class we would discuss topics over lunch and how the topic fit into our life,” she said.
The Holy Family program typically runs from August to March and Morris makes sure the classes include a lot of variety. He invites guest speakers from within the Diocese of Orange family such as Fr. Sy Nguyen, Fr. Rudy Alumam, Fr. Cheeyoon
Chun and Sr. Claudette DesForges - and covers subjects such as “What is Lent?”
“Sacraments of Healing,” and “Discipleship,” among others.
It used to be that Catholic families followed what was called the “rule of sevens.”
“First there was Baptism, then seven years later was First Communion, and seven years after that would be Confirmation and seven years after that they’d get mar-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
These days Morris has also noticed that more young people in their 20s are choosing to experience this process with friends.
“They were brought up in the faith, but then in high school decided that science and faith are incompatible and fell away,” he said. “Then they experience life and feel there is something they missed.
Morris added, “I’ve seen three or four friends going through the program together. They ask a lot of questions—and that’s perfect.”
Each year, the program culminates at the Easter Vigil, and this year, Muñoz and her four children were baptized or confirmed.
“It was really nice, with all the candles lit,” she said. “It was a really neat experience for me and my children and all our guests. I’m very proud that we all received the Sacraments.”
“We enjoyed learning about our faith and growing,” said Sarah Riggin. “The whole process was truly special because we got to experience it together. I know I will hold this dear to my heart forever.”
Morris welcomes all who want to return to the Church, no matter what their situation. For working people who have complicated schedules, he always finds a way to facilitate their path.
“We’re very flexible—we have to be,” he said. “Not just because it won’t work for us, but because that’s the way Jesus would want us to be. He met people where they were. We trying to adopt his teaching style. It’s a joy to do this. It isn’t work—we’re helping people get closer to God.” C
Alongside the Servite Order community of our Diocese, the Feast of St. Peregrine was celebrated at Christ Cathedral with a special Mass on May 4. The main celebrant and homilist was Fr. Joseph Chamblain, OSM, pastor of Assumption Church in Chicago. A fellow Servite priest, Fr. Michael Pontarelli, pastor of St. Juliana Falconieri parish in Fullerton, was a concelebrant and the organizer.
St. Peregrine is the patron saint for those with cancer and at-risk youth. He was canonized in 1726. He was a brother in the Servite Order in Italy who, after prayer, was healed of a cancerous tumor on his leg. He was also involved
with a youth gang before converting to become a Servite friar.
The Servites are planning to make the St. Peregrine Mass an annual tradition, with the special Mass coming back to Christ Cathedral next year on May 4, 2024.
On Friday, June 2 at 7 p.m., Orthodox and Catholic Christians will
celebrate Pentecost together at Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Church in Anaheim. This will be the 16th year that the churches gather to pray to the Holy Spirit, to celebrate the closeness we already share, and to pray for full communion between all the ancient Churches. The service will feature choirs from St. Justin Martyr Roman Catholic Church, Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Church, St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox
Church and Coptic Youth Choir. A reception will follow the service. All parishioners, clergy and consecrated religious are invited.
A special Blue Mass to honor first responders will be celebrated on Saturday, May 27 at 8 a.m. at St. Martin de Porres Church in Yorba Linda. A reception will follow in the Gathering Plaza.
The service honors those who have died in the line of duty and those currently serving as first responders. The Mass is an opportunity to show gratitude to first responders and their families.
For more information, visit smdpyl. org C
HUNDREDS OF POLISH
Catholics gathered at Christ Cathedral last month for a special procession and Mass to dedicate the “Our Lady of Częstochowa” tapestry which was first installed earlier this year.
The tapestry is a close interpretation of the original “Our Lady of Częstochowa” painting, and was woven with wool and gold thread by Polish American artist Monique Chmielewska-Lehman. She was commissioned by Theresa Wyszomirski, who donated the tapestry to the Cathedral.
Wyszomirski, a long-time parishioner of the St. John Paul II Polish Center in Yorba Linda, left Poland in the early 1960s and ultimately settled in Southern California.
Through family connections in Poland, Wyszomirski was also able to acquire a first-class St. John Paul II relic for the altar at Christ Cathedral in 2019 when the Cathedral was dedicated.
"I am so happy to see this day,” said Wyszomirski. “I wanted the Madonna and St. John Paul II to be able to 'see' each other here in the Cathedral."
For centuries, the Polish people bore the brunt of European conflicts – for 700 years these stalwart people were trampled on by armies from the West and the East. But they survived the worst of times through the intersession of their special Madonna, Our Lady of Częstochowa, also known as the Black Madonna.
Just as Our Lady of Guadalupe is at the heart of Mexican spiritual culture, Our Lady of Częstochowa, patroness of Poland, occupies a central place in both the political identity and spiritual heart of every Pole. Both are symbols of unity and national identity.
Legend holds that the painting dates to the time of Jesus and was painted by St. Luke on a table built by St. Joseph. Time, war and invasions damaged the table,
which is why the paint darkened over time and explains the scars on Mary's face. Regardless of its origin, it is one of the oldest depictions of Mary. Since the 12th century, the painting has been enshrined in the Monastery of Jasna Gora in Częstochowa.
Fr. Bao Thai, rector of Christ Cathedral, Fr. Angelos Sebastian, the Diocese’s vicar general and moderator of the curia and Fr. Zbigniew Fraszczak, director of the John Paul II Polish Center in Yorba Linda, celebrated the April dedication Mass in English and Polish.
"There are no words to express the suffering of the Polish people in the wars of the 20th century,” said Fr. Bao. “The Madonna is the glue that holds these people together. She is like the Queen of Poland. The Polish people have had a huge impact on the Catholic Church, especially in the 20th century."
The tapestry was installed on the east side of the Cathedral at the entry to the Nave.
Fr. Bao added that the tapestry is part of a more extensive collection dedicated
to Marian's devotion at the Cathedral. The vision is to honor Mary as she is seen through various cultures in Orange County. The patron of the Diocese is Our Lady of Guadalupe, and her image is displayed opposite the altar in the Cathedral. Our Lady of La Vang, an icon of the Vietnamese people, is enshrined in an outdoor statue and garden area.
"We hope to add the Madonna honoring the Korean Community as well as the Pilipino community and other representations of our Lady,” said Fr. Bao. C
Congratulations to those who were confirmed Sunday morning [May 7] at Our Lady of Peace Korean Catholic Center. A good number are discerning a call to priesthood or religious life; please keep them in your prayers. #confirmation #vocations - Bishop Timothy Freyer
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On Sunday, June 18 we will publish special pages featuring the Graduates of 2023 within a special graduate section. You may use a photo of your graduate (along with a message). These pages will be filled with congratulatory messages that are sure to be a special keepsake for this year’s graduates and all the people who love them!
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On Wednesday, May 10, secondgrader Derric Montes and fellow students at Christ Cathedral Academy came together to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is a beautiful celebration in which we honor our Mother Mary, mother of Jesus, our savior, and mother of all of us, by bringing her flowers and placing a crown of flowers on her head. Virgin Mary, pray and intercede for us. Amen.
—Submitted by Christina Montes
