FEBRUARY 27, 2022 FR. CHRISTOPHER SMITH EMBRACES BISHOP KEVIN W. VANN AFTER ANNOUNCING HIS RETIREMENT ON FEB. 13 AT CHRIST CATHEDRAL. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE ‘MY LIFE HAS TRANSFORMED’BEEN FR. CHRISTOPHER SMITH REFLECTS ON RETIRING AS EPISCOPAL VICAR AND RECTOR OF CHRIST CATHEDRAL PAGE 6 THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF ORANGE n OCCATHOLIC.COM AROUND OUR DIOCESE PAGE 12
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Publisher: The Most Reverend Kevin W. Vann, Bishop of Orange
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St. Irenaeus Health’s special ministry, Human Trafficking to Human Triumph, held a solidarity walk and prayer vigil this month.
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Fr. Peregrine Fletcher of St. Michael’s Abbey finds his vocation merged with his passion for art.
Guest
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noted by many, his skills not only didn’t diminish over two decades, but improved as time went on.
ON PAGE 14 GUEST COLUMN
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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 con structive conversations that further the growth of the Catholic Church.
OM BRADY HAS RETIRED. Even as I write these words, I can still hardly believe it. The “greatest of all time” NFL quarterback’s career began when I was 16. I’m now nearly 38.
ELISE ITALIANO URENECK IS A COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT AND A COLUMNIST FOR CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE. PHOTO: CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
HOW TOM BRADY CAN INSPIRE OUR LENTEN DISCIPLINE
I’ve been reading a good deal about his career these past few weeks, marveling at his longevity as well as the many records he set over 22 years in the league. As has been
4 OC CATHOLIC n FEBRUARY 27, 2022
For all of the seemingly miraculous mo ments Brady gave sports fans -- even those like me who were conditioned to root against him by virtue of loyalty to home teams -there was no mystery as to how he pulled off what seemed like the impossible: Brady was single-minded in pursuit of his goals.
From what I can tell he had two of them: winning and being the best quarterback while marching his team down the field to victory.There was also no mystery as to how he succeeded -- in fact, all of those quarterfrom-several-scores-down-in-the-fourth-come-back-momentsheattributestoself-disci
Since he was drafted, I graduated from high school, college and graduate school. I’ve had two different careers, gotten married and given birth to two sons. From what I can tell, I have more gray hair than he does, and I’m without any doubt in worse physical shape than he has ever been.
ANNE LINE C. 1565-1601
“ forgivingthatforgetDon’tGodnevertiresof.”
— Pope Francis
FRIDAY
FEBRUARY 27, 2022 n OC CATHOLIC 5 DAILY READINGS AND REFLECTIONS
DT 26:4-10; PS 91:1-2, 10-15; ROM 10:8-13; LK 4:1-13
THURSDAY
PHOTOS: CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE, SHUTTERSTOCK
SUNDAY
NNE IS ONE OF THREE LAYWOMEN among the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales canonized in 1970 by Pope Paul VI. Anne Heigham and her brother were dis owned by their Protestant father for converting to Ca tholicism. She married another disinherited convert, Roger Line, who died in exile in Flanders in 1594. Left penniless and always in poor health, Anne began working with Jesuits in London, where she organized and operated safe houses for priests and embroi dered vestments. She took voluntary vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Within one month, February 1601, she was arrested, tried at the Old Bailey, convicted of hiding a priest, and hanged at Tyburn. Anne is a patron of the childless, widows and converts. C
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
IS PS58:1-9A;51:3-6AB, 18-19; MT 9:14-15
1 PT 1:3-9; PS 111:12, 5-6, 9, 10C; MK 10:17-27
DT 30:15-20; PS 1:1-4, 6; LK 9:22-25
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HIS WEEK, JESUS TELLS US that we must examine our own inner selves, our attitudes and dispositions, virtues and faults, rather than judging others. What is in our hearts comes out in what and how we speak. If our hearts are filled with kindness and compassion, those qualities will be evident in our speaking, just as beautiful, wholesome fruit comes only from healthy trees. And vice-versa. The Wisdom writer Sirach in the first reading agrees with this con cept—that we will be judged by our words. Paul reminds us that the reward of discipleship is eternal life. Today’s psalm of thanksgiving and praise reminds us of God’s kindness and faithfulness, which we are to emulate in our thoughts, words, and deeds. We are known, each of us, by our own Copyrightfruit.© J. S. Paluch Co. C
WE ARE KNOWN BY OUR FRUIT
WEDNESDAY
1 PT 1:10-16; PS MK98:1-4;10:28-31
JL 2:12-18; PS 51:36AB, 12-14, 17; COR 5:20 — 6:2; MT 6:1-6, 16-18
A
TUESDAY
SAINT PROFILE
IS LKPS58:9B-14;86:1-6;5:27-32
MONDAY
SATURDAY
FR. CHRISTANDEPISCOPALONSMITHCHRISTOPHERREFLECTSRETIRINGASVICARRECTOROFCATHEDRAL
In his office which he will vacate in a few months, Fr. Christopher got wistful.
Bishop Vann recapped his many ac complishments and assignments, which include associate pastor at St. Hedwig and St. Bonaventure churches, dioce san vicar for religious education from 1987 to 2004, and vicar for priests from 2004 to
After Fr. Christopher announced his intention to retire in a letter to Bishop Kevin Vann, the latter sent him a twopage
FR. CHRISTOPHER SMITH RECENTLY ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT FROM HIS POSITION AS EPISCOPAL VICAR AND RECTOR OF CHRIST CATHEDRAL. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE
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God knows the full extent of how many souls you touched,
His voiced wavered when he told parishioners: “Since the year 2012, from
F
“Truly,2012.only
1, he will retain the title of rector emeritus of the Christ Cathedral parish and work on special projects, including the establishment of the St. Callistus Chapel to be built under the cathedral within its undercroft, as well as the relocation and restoration of the parish outreach center.
ROM HIS 11TH-FLOOR OFFICE in the Tower of Hope, Father Christopher Smith can savor a panoramic view of Orange County and beyond.
BY GREG HARDESTY
6 OC CATHOLIC n FEBRUARY 27, 2022 FEATURE
Fr. Christopher, one of seven children of the late Gene and Joan Smith, seems fated to have overseen the development of Christ Cathedral. His grandparents lived next door to the drive-in theater where Rev. Schuller began preaching.
With the recent announcement of his retirement, Fr. Christopher is preparing to hand over the role of rector to his suc cessor, Fr. Bao Thai, the current pastor of St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Tustin.
Over the last decade, as episcopal vicar and rector of Christ Cathedral, Fr. Christopher has lived and breathed the administration, development and carrying out of the mission of the 37acre parish, which is comprised of the Christ Cathedral, Arboretum, Our Lady of La Vang Shrine, Cultural Center, Tower of Hope, parish school and other assorted facilities.
‘MY LIFE HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED’
“There are very few people who can say they’ve been a founding part of a ca thedral, and all of our parishioners can
Fr. Christopher is a member of the Diocese of Orange’s first class of semi narians who were ordained priests on June 3, After1978.July
And he was there for the completely renovated and updated Christ Cathe dral’s dedication in 2019.
FATED TO SERVE
“He’s been an excellent priest over the years and has exercised some good pastoral ministry and leadership,” Fr. Christopher said of his successor.
“That’s where I was born,” the seventh-generation Californian said, pointing out St. Joseph Hospital, a speck in theDirectlydistance.inhis view just outside his window stands the iconic Christ Cathe dral, which Fr. Christopher played a key leadership role in transforming from the former Crystal Cathedral into the spiritual home of the Bishop of Orange and a major center of Catholic worship on the West Coast.
“It’sresponse.thekind of letter any priest would dream of getting from his bish op,” Fr. Christopher said.
It’s time to step down, he says. But the transition won’t be easy.
now proudly say that,” he said.
Equally fated appears to be the appointment of Fr. Bao, who while in the seminary shadowed Fr. Christopher, who at the time was pastor of St. Joseph Church in Santa Ana.
“I’ve been honored to have a signifi cant say in the development of this cam pus,” he said, adding that he got emo tional when announcing his retirement at Masses celebrated Feb. 12-13.
Rev. Robert H. Schuller.
our venerable origins as St. Callistus Parish, we have been on a once-in-a-life time journey together in the founding and development of Christ Cathedral.”
“My life has been transformed by the patience, generosity and zeal of parish ioners and all who have been part of this great journey.”
PRAISE FROM BISHOP VANN
Fr. Christopher was the first staff member of the Diocese of Orange assigned to the cathedral after the Diocese purchased the campus and its buildings in 2012 from Crystal Cathedral Ministries, led by the late
MORE MUSIC
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
Fr. Christopher will celebrate his 44th year as a priest on June 3, and he turns 70 on June 28.
Public speaking and contin ued tours of the cathedral also are planned.Overthe years, Fr. Christopher has taken as inspiration the words of Pope Benedict 16th, “Deus caritas est” (God is Love), written in his first encyclical and an echo from the First Letter of John, “We have come to believe that God first loves us.”
BY KATIE DAWSON
Once again, this Lent, we will be amazed at what God has done in Jesus. We have heard it over and over again, so we risk tuning out these truly astound ing, eternally vital lessons.
Once again, this season, we commit to penitential practices during Lent to focus intently on the work of God within us. As we experience Holy Week and Jesus’s Passion, and the weeks leading to them, God’s rescue mission will amaze us even as it breaks our hearts.
We will arrive at Easter, once again, astounded by Jesus’s victory over the grave.The risk of repetition, of course, is that we might not pay full attention to the story. We’ve been here before. Noth ing new to see. The hardest person to reach is the one who thinks they already know what you’re going to say.
REPEAT.RINSE.LENT.REPETITIONHELPSUSEMBEDJESUS’PASSIONANDRESURRECTIONINTOOURVERYBONES
And while we’ve heard these truths before, we really can’t hear them repeat ed often enough. C
Yet, we must know the point of re peating is so we can embed these “ever ancient, ever new” truths of a Father who loves us, a Son who saves us and Spirit that fills.
A few years ago, just about every parent and grandparent with chil dren of a certain age heard the phrase “Let it Go,” and a particular melody played in their heads. The kids wanted to hear the song on repeat; for the rest of us who had to listen, its inescap able tune and lyrics embed ded themselves in us.
Fr. Christopher was a member of a group of priest musicians, “The Second Collection,” which included Msgr. John Urell, a fellow classmate in that first group of seminarians who were ordained in 1978 and who also is retiring this year as pastor of St. Timothy Catholic Church in Laguna Niguel.
That’s what repeti tion does. It embeds in us stories, songs, and noisytruthsthatefitofbones.truthtitionSometimespractices.repemassagesaintoourveryInthejourneyfaith,thebenofrepetitionisitservestoembedinourlives.Inaworld,repetition is an essential tool. It helps us to remember: Rituals and celebrations, practices and disciplines, revisited and strengthened each year, assist us as we internalize and prioritize eternal truths in our leaky human brains -- and hearts.
FEBRUARY 27, 2022 n OC CATHOLIC 7 FEATURE / CATHOLIC FAMILY LIVING
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taught, and inspired by your lead ership to the be better disciples of Jesus Christ,” Bishop Vann wrote.
Fr. Christopher also will spend more time on his spiritual writings and is considering turning the 170 or so “Rector’s Columns” he has written for the church bulletin into a book. Most are one-page reflec tions on Sunday Scriptures.
Still, the fact is that we’ve really never been HERE before. One reason comegrowing)changingselvesispracticesreligiousrepeatthatweourarealways(hopefullyandwenevertoastory–orour faith -- as the same individuals we were last year. Another reason for repetition is that, if we pay attention, there is always something new to learn, something to absorb that we didn’t see before.This is why our readings at Mass nev
The Maria Ferrucci Catholic Family Living feature is intended to inspire families to live their faith in the way Maria Ferrucci did throughout her earthly life.
“When you believe you are first loved by God, that sets the whole path of your life,” Fr. Christopher said. “Over the years, the focus of my priestly ministry has been to do whatever I could do to help people believe they are first loved by God. And I will take that philosophy into my retirement.” C
When his schedule significantly frees up, he plans to devote more time to his lifelong passion of mu sic. He began taking piano lessons at age 6 and, like Bishop Vann, plays the piano and organ. He has a restored 100-year-old upright Mon arch player piano at his home.
er change as we cycle through almost the whole Bible every three years. Each time we hear the stories we come to them with more life experience; hopefully we glean a little more wisdom and truth from what we hear.
EPETITION IS A FUNNY thing. Sometimes we love it. Other times, it makes us howl.
This is why we repeat annually the liturgical seasons and celebrations in the same pattern and with the same focus. We travel the liturgical year like a wellworn path – yet the scenery is always different. We are not really going round in circles, we are journeying “into God.”
Again, repetition is the way we learn and grow our faith so we can be saved from sin and brokenness and live in the abundance of God.
R
Fr. Peregrine also spent money he earned from mowing lawns on how-to drawing books.
FR. FLETCHER’S PASSION FOR ART BEGAN WHEN HE WAS A CHILD.
OME OF PATRICK FLETCHER’S earliest memories are of scouring his family’s home for blank pieces of paper to use for his drawings andAtsketches.34years old, Fletcher -- now known as Father Peregrine, a Norbertine based at St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado Canyon -- is a recognized multimedia art ist who produces religious art displayed throughout the abbey.
AN INSPIRED LIFE
“There’s a natural desire to create and craft things. On a supernatural level, it’s a blessing to do it in service to the Lord,
8 OC CATHOLIC n FEBRUARY 27, 2022 FEATURE
BY CATHI DOUGLAS
Most recently, Fr. Peregrine worked for months to produce a detailed icon of St. Norbert for the Norbertine Fathers’ 900th anniversary jubilee in May 2021. The icon, created from a combination of acrylics, oils and colored pencils, remains displayed prominently in the sanctuary.
WITHRELIGIOUSFATHERNORBERTINEINTEGRATESVOCATIONICONOGRAPHY
ART RELIGIONOF
“When I first came to the abbey, I was so inspired by a number of seminarians who met once a week to paint together,” he said. “They really encouraged me to
These days, Fr. Peregrine combines his religious calling with the growing demand for his artistic talents. In his opinion, the two combine well to form a fulfilling, inspired life.
“There is something both natural and supernatural about art,” he observed.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, as one of five children, Fr. Peregrine credits his ac countant father and homemaker mother with encouraging their kids’ creativity.
“I remember as a kid stealing blank pieces of paper from my parents’ copy machine and sketching everything,” he recalls of his childhood. “First I drew the cartoon characters I saw on Saturday morning shows. Later, I created my own comic books and characters. I just loved to draw and create stories.”
FR. PEREGRINE FLETCHER AT WORK IN HIS STUDIO AT ST. MICHAEL’S ABBEY IN SILVERADO CANYON. PHOTOS COURTESY OF FR. PEREGRINE FLETCHER
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join them and I’m so glad I did. I learned a lot; we taught each other and shared the lessons we learned.”
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Now serving the Norbertine commu nity as assistant novice master, he often works in the abbey’s art studio with other confreres, as the religious community members are called.
Fr. Peregrine came to St. Michael’s nine years ago in a roundabout fashion, spending more than six years as
“I love any art that is true, honest, and beautiful,” he added. “But icons fulfill a uniquely prayerful purpose. In making an icon, the artist prays, fasts, and involves the entire self. For me, all that is a very compelling reason to create them.”
FR.PHOTONORBERTINEFOUNDERNORBERT,OFTHEORDER.COURTESYOFPEREGRINEFLETCHER
Fr. Peregrine’s most recently complet ed project is an illustrated book on St. Philomena, which will be published next spring by TAN Books.
FEBRUARY 27, 2022 n OC CATHOLIC 9 FEATURE
the saints, His Holy Mother, making the artistic process filled with meaning.”
“This building is so huge that we can ornament all our walls with home made art.”
His work with seminarians is de manding, but Fr. Peregrine manages to find pockets of time to work on various art projects. Most of the art he and his confreres create hangs in the monastery.
THE COMMUNITYNORBERTINE
a diocesan seminarian in Missouri before choosing to join the Norbertine community.“Godwas calling me from a very early age,” he said. “Yet my spiritual director is the one who encouraged me to consider religious life. I hadn’t sensed my own worthiness for that, but I came to discover many things that
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For six or seven months, the icon demanded a great deal of decision-mak ing; it proved impossible, for instance, for him to use egg tempera, his favorite medium, because of time constraints.
“The simpleness of our way of life was why God was calling me.” C
But perhaps his best-known work is the icon of St. Norbert, which required him to think, pray and request the saint’s guidance.“Iwanted to depict him but also include a narrative that told his life story,” he explained. “An icon is not a frozen picture, but something the viewer inter acts with, an image in which they can see God’s hand at work.”
“The whole process is a prayer. Your soul is united to God and the image you are depicting, whether it’s Mary, a saint, or an angel. The whole process is, in a way, something very beautiful, super natural, and divine.”
Creating icons, he added, requires an immersion unique in the art world.
led me
He is working on an icon of a lit tle-known medieval Norbertie sister, St. Gertrude, the daughter of St. Elizabeth
FR. FLETCHER’S ICON OF ST.
“I asked God to guide me even in the simpler and more practical decisions, such as the best medium, size, and preparation process,” he noted.
of Hungary. His hope is to continue depicting Norbertine saints; to date he has completed five such icons.
Introducedhere.” to the abbey through several retreats, he loved the way the confreres live and pray together, lead ing penitential lives. Even though St. Michael’s is very far from my home, it immediately felt like home.
PHOTO COURTESY OF FOCUS
FR. MIKE SCHMITZ ADDRESSES ATTENDEES OF SEEK22 HELD FEB. 4-6 IN ORANGE COUNTY.
MORGAN KNOBLOCH, FOCUS MISSIONARY AT ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY
Attendees received the missionary call to explore their personal relation ship with Jesus Christ and share the Gospel with peers through engaging speakers, sacraments and entertain ment throughout the weekend. In particular, “CA SEEK22” took local to a new level, elevating a sense of pride for being Catholic in California from individual to deeply communal.
HE NEW YEAR BROUGHT hope and a renewed sense of mission to California Catho lics. On Feb. 4-6, the regional SEEK22 conference in Orange County brought together 700 participants, including students from 13 campuses, 21 priests, four bishops, multiple religious and dozens of benefactors who expe rienced the hybrid conference hosted by FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic UniversityStudentsStudents.fromCal Berkley, UCSB, USC, UCLA, Cal Tech, UCI, UCR, CSUN, CSULB, CSUF, SDSU and John Paul the Great University gathered at Christ Cathedral, uniting with 22,000 participants across 20 countries experi encing the event in regional locations.
10 OC CATHOLIC n FEBRUARY 27, 2022 DIOCESAN NEWS
With hundreds of college students returning to campus having had a zeal ous fire lit within, the grace of these new discoveries will surely carry through out campus cultures. Many students committed to returning to Mass, joining a Bible study, saying yes to missionary discipleship, and most importantly, div ing deeper in intimacy with Jesus Christ and His FOCUSChurch.Missionaries across Califor nia will continue to challenge students to grow in relationship with the Lord and with those around them, ultimately leading to knowing Christ Jesus and fulfilling His Great Commission.
Photos and videos from the CA SEEK event are at instagram.com/fo cus.california. Registration for SEEK23 Jan. 2-6, 2023, in St. Louis, Missouri, is already open at seek.focus.org C
Participants had the privilege of cel ebrating Mass with Bishop Kevin Vann and Auxiliary Bishop Timothy Freyer, along with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Mark Trudeau and Auxiliary Bishop Alex Aclan. Dy namic speakers like Emily Wilson and Fr. Mike Schmitz presented keynotes via livestream and inspired attendees to live a life of virtue and mission.
The local theme of SEEK rang true with the central gathering space: Mis sion Way. SoCal clothing companies, a Santa Barbara-based coffee roaster, religious orders and the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology all represented the diversity and creativity California Catholics offer to the Church.
Abby Merkel, a third year at UCSB and a Santa Margarita native, said, “My favorite talk from SEEK22 was from Fr. Mike Schmitz. His conviction that Catholics cannot just be good people, but must save souls, has stayed with me since leaving the conference. SEEK22 encouraged me to be bolder in how I
Because the conference was local, one participant was able to bring his mother to the closing Mass on Sunday. Through his encouragement and the Lord’s grace, she returned to confession after 39 years away. She joined over 600 other confessions heard throughout the weekend.Mostof the confessions were heard during the climatic Saturday evening of keynote speakers, Msgr. James Shea and Sr. Miriam James, SOLT, followed by a night of adoration in the beloved Christ Cathedral.“SEEK, for me, in a word, is dis covery,” explains CSUF Chaplain, Fr. Florante Moren. “It is discovering what else we can do and how we can grow our faith deeper. It is discovering ways to engage more of ourselves to a divine relationship with the Lord.”
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live the faith and encourage others to get to CaliforniaHeaven.”had eight local speakers take the stage Saturday, covering a variety of topics from guardian angels to
SEEK22 BRINGS RENEWED HOPE AND DISCOVERY TO O.C.
masculinity to renouncing modern-day idols. Students were awestruck on Fri day night as San Diego-based illusionist, Danny Ray, captivated audiences with his Gospel-infused illusions.
FEBRUARY 27, 2022 n OC CATHOLIC 11 DIOCESAN NEWS
The evening closed with a prayer by Deacon Jerry Pyne for the victims of
Human trafficking is the second largest criminal industry in the United States. The victims of sex trafficking are 98% women and girls. Posters were displayed that showed alarming statis tics: Only 1% of victims are rescued; Every 30 seconds someone becomes en slaved; Human trafficking generates an estimated $150 million USD annually.
and Rick Tkach.
T. IRENAEUS HEALTH Minis try’s Bridge of Light: Human Trafficking to Human Triumph Ministry held a Solidarity Walk and Prayer Vigil on Monday, Feb. 7 at St. Irenaeus Catholic Church in Cypress.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CAREPORT
To join the St. Irenaeus Church CarePortal Response Team, morehealthministry@sticypress.org.emailLearnat CarePortal.org. For questions, please contact Monica Kovach at 310-490-6113. C
us to take action: Sign the letter to Gov ernor Newsom requesting veto of SB 357 which repeals the crime of loitering with the purpose of engaging in a prostitution offense in public areas.
The evening started with meditative chanted Taize prayer in the church and scripture reflection by Deacon Jerry Pyne. He noted that the problem of hu man trafficking may seem overwhelm ing. However, “If we can change one life, we’ve changed the world.”
CYPRESS MAYOR PAULO MORALES SPEAKS AT ST. IRENAEUS HEALTH MINISTRY’S BRIDGE OF LIGHT: HUMAN TRAFFICKING TO HUMAN TRIUMPH MINISTRY EVENT ON FEB. 7.
Fifty people attended, including Cypress Mayor Paulo Morales and two representatives from CarePortal, Pastor Domingo Mota, Area Director and Tim othy Abbott, Regional Director.
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After the procession walked to the last station, we entered the Education Build ing. Monica Kovach, Chair of Bridge of Light Ministry, thanked everyone for coming and gave more information about the purposes of the evening: to in crease awareness of human trafficking in our midst; increase education about the types of human trafficking; to learn the warning signs to prevent human traffick ing, to report suspected human traffick ing on the National Human Trafficking Hotline 1– 888-3737-888, and to commit to take action against human trafficking. She advised us to trust our gut if we have reason to believe that human trafficking is occurring and report it. Professionals will investigate the situation. Reports are anonymous.Monicaclosed the evening by urging
SHINE THE LIGHT ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING
SUBMITTED BY ROSEMARY LEWALLEN
human trafficking. We want to thank all those who made this powerful event possible, including Monica Kovach, Car ol Reed, Donna Kriessel, Betty Borowski, Rosalie Valles, Mayor Morales, Deacon Jerry Pyne, Sr. Gemma Pires, Joe Tuc ciarone, Rorie Ramirez, Elaine Brewster
Next year’s OneLife LA will be held
The Knights of Columbus Cypress Council #8599 is again hosting its special Fish Fry dinners on each Friday of the Lenten Season at St. Irenaeus Catholic Church in Cypress. Everyone is invited.TheLenten Fish Dinners will be served on six consecutive Friday eve nings, March 4, 11, 18, 25, and April 1, 8, between 5 -7 p.m. in the parking lot of St. Irenaeus Parish on Grindlay Street, between Lincoln and Orange in CypressOnthe menu will be full dinners of fish and chips, cole slaw, roll and cookie
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Thanks to all who attended the Mass for the Protection of Unborn Children on Jan. 21, which included a special prayer of blessing for those participating in OneLife LA and in the Walking with Moms in Need initiative.
We have great opportunities and challenges in the coming year as we see the possibility of the end of Roe and the need for a redoubling of efforts at the state level, as my brother California Bishops and I wrote in our recent state ment, to “honor women with life-affirm ing support and practical resources so that all families can thrive, and so that no woman feels trapped into the devas tating decision to end a life by abortion.”
The Mass for the Unborn next year is scheduled for January 23, 2023.
A MESSAGE OF THANKS
12 OC CATHOLIC n FEBRUARY 27, 2022 DIOCESAN NEWS
on Jan. 21, 2023.
In his homily at the Mass commem orating the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Bishop Kevin W. Vann said the following:
To meet and rise to these challenges and see “justice abide in the garden land” (as the prophet Isaiah says) we will need to overcome the divisive spirit which has overtaken our land (and sometimes even corners of our Church) and come together in the unity that only the Holy Spirit can give us.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS LENTEN FISH DINNERS
Thanks to all who attended OneLife LA and joined around five thousand others (a great in person witness during ongoing pandemic)! Save the date for next year’s OneLife LA.
In that communion, we will by God’s grace see ourselves and witness to a bet ter future – God’s future for us, wherein every woman in crisis, every unborn child, each and every one of us in our inherent dignity “will live in a peaceful country” and go “forward [together!] in hope.”
BY STAFF
OURAROUNDDIOCESE
BISHOP KEVING W. VANN CELEBRATED THE MASS FOR THE PROTECTION OF UNBORN CHILDREN ON JAN. 21, WHICH INCLUDED A SPECIAL PRAYER OF BLESSING FOR THOSE PARTICIPATING IN ONELIFE LA AND IN THE WALKING WITH MOMS IN NEED INITIATIVE. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE
OFPHOTOFRIDAYSDINNERANNUALOFIRENAEUSDELIVERYDRIVE-THROUGHPREPRODRIGUEZCOTAKNIGHTS BRIANANDJORGEFISHFORATST.KNIGHTSCOLUMBUSFISHFRYONLENTENIN2021.COURTESYIRVCUEVAS.
Fr. Scott Borgman, J.C.D., judicial vicar of the Tribunal and Office of Canonical Services, was recognized with the Western Region’s Chaplain of the Year award. Deacon Steve Greco, founder of Spirit Filled Hearts Minis try in Irvine, received the Bowie Kuhn Special Award for DeaconCongratulationsEvangelization.toFr.ScottandSteve!
and executives who have committed to study, live and spread the Catholic faith, recently recognized two people in the Diocese of Orange.
FEBRUARY 27, 2022 n OC CATHOLIC 13 DIOCESAN NEWS
For more information, contact Deputy Grand Knight Rick Tkach (714) 829-7289 or Irv Cuevas, Council Media Relations (562) 594-8081.
St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado Canyon hosted a special celebration and luncheon on Feb. 5 to commem orate the World Day for Consecrated Life and to honor religious jubilarians. It included a Mass, with Bishop Kevin Vann presiding.
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for $10 adults and $7 for children ages 5-12. Also: two slices of cheese pizza for $5. Early tickets will be sold after Masses the weekend of Feb. 26-27, and possibly a subsequent weekend. Credit cards will be accepted. An added attrac tion this year will be a low-cost Raffle for a luxurious 3-night stay at the Welk Resort in Escondido in mid-June.
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The Knights of Columbus Cypress Council 8599 has been serving the local community and Saint Irenaeus Parish since 1984, and since beginning its Lent en Fish Fry dinners, thousands of meals have been served to parishioners and neighbors. The Council is composed of nearly 200 members and extends an open invitation for others to join.
— Submitted by Irv Cuevas
BISHOP KEVIN W. VANN WAS THE MAIN CELEBRANT OF A SPECIAL MASS TO HONOR WORLD DAY FOR CONSECRATED LIFE ON FEB. 5 AT ST. MICHAEL’S ABBEY. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE.
FR. SCOTT AND DEACON STEVE RECOGNIZED
DEACON STEVE GRECO
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WORLD DAY CONSECRATEDFORLIFE
Legatus, an international organi zation of Catholic business leaders
The Council’s Grand Knight Rick Tk ach says it’s more than delicious dinners, but also a way to help local organiza tions such HSA (Home School Associ ation); H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Everyday); Boy Scout and Cub Scout troops; M.E.F.P.(Marriage Enrichment Formation Program); Special Olympics; American Wheelchair Mission; Peo ple With Intellectual Disabilities; La Habra Life Shelter; and other Knights of Columbus approved charities in Cypress and surrounding communities.
To my mind -- and I can’t believe I’m writing this as a Philadelphia Eagles fan -- this is Brady’s lasting gift to everyone out there who feels average but who has bigIt’sdreams.alsoa lesson for people trying to
What we fast from should remind us of the bread for which we truly hunger. The time we give to prayer instead of ac tivity, recreation or work should help us to better enter into that which is eternal. And by giving not from our surplus but from our poverty, we make room not to consume more goods but to receive the One who wants to occupy our hearts and homes.What we choose to do for our Lenten disciplines should help us make incre mental progress toward holiness. In other words, they should be things that we can do for 40 days, over and over.
LOSE 15-30 LBS IN 30 DAYS! I work with Clergy and Huntingtonsuccessfully!ParishionersEasy&Safe.GilYurly714-206-0443BeachDownstairs1250sf3BR/2BA,Lrgbkyrdgar,Beach/Warner,$1,950.CallDiane714-317-8492 Merchandise Fitness-WeightLoss Rentals UnfurnishedApts
In 2021, sports columnist Sally Jenkins of The Washington Post broke this down for readers: While Brady’s restrictive diet and demanding physical training program are well known and widely marketed, self-discipline real ly comes down to the choice to delay instant gratification for a later reward, and to continue to do it over an extended period of time.
But they should be just the first step in building habits that we want to continue well beyond Easter. That’s the method for the ultimate victory, the race well run. C
pline. Brady has been the first to admit that if he didn’t work hard at his craft, he’d naturally be an average player.
“The more good behaviors you have, the better things turn out,” Brady has remarked. “It’s just, do people have the discipline to repeat those behaviors? That’s the tricky part.”
TAMPA QUARTERBACKBUCCANEERSBAY TOM BRADY (12) THROWS A PASS AGAINST THE LOS ANGELES RAMS DURING THE FIRST HALF OF AN NFL DIVISIONAL ROUND PLAYOFF FOOTBALL GAME JAN. 23, 2022, IN TAMPA, FLA. PHOTO: / MARK LOMOGLIO / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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
Brady’s throwing coach Tom House shared that “what separates ... elite athletes, the Hall of Famers, is that they try to get better every day not by 20% but just 1 or Brady2%.”dedicated himself to small, incremental improvements, not growth by leaps and bounds. The broken records and Super Bowl rings might seem to the average sports fan to be feats of great strength, but they were, in the end, goals that he inched toward.
kick bad habits, addictions or negative behaviors. Virtue is cultivated day in and day out, through small choices made over and over again. Practice doesn’t always make perfect, but it does make things moreAndpermanent.it’scertainly helpful for us Catholics to take this aspect of the “TB12 Method” into Lent, a season marked by the three disciplines of prayer, fasting andThesealmsgiving.disciplines are not corporal punishments, though they should hurt a bit. That pain, delayed gratification or absence of something good all help us to remember through our body what we are pursuing with all our mind, heart and strength -- heaven.
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14 OC CATHOLIC n FEBRUARY 27, 2022 GUEST COLUMN
FEBRUARY 27, 2022 n OC CATHOLIC 15 Send your photos that capture Catholic life in your parish community to: webeditor@occatholic.com
After years of restoration work, the Hazel Wright Organ in Christ Cathedral is now back on its way to being regularly played —Photofine-tuningMassesduringwhileworkcontinues.courtesyoftheDioceseofOrange
Moments in our Journey
R O S A R Y A C A D E M Y . O R G / F U T U R E R O Y A L Future Royals and their families are invited to join us for a lunch & matinee show on Friday, March 11 free ticket to Red & Gold free Red & Gold shirt $5/person for lunch Future Royals will receive a: NMLS #537388 | Member FDIC Online & Mobile Banking | Checking & Savings Accounts Bank on a first name basis. At Farmers & Merchants Bank , we offer ever y client a rare combination of white-glove ser vice and ironclad securit y in offices from San Clemente to Santa Barbara. CDs & IR As | Home Loans | Credit Cards
