OC CATHOLIC - OCTOBER 24, 2021 by OCCatholic

OCTOBER 24, 2021

ST. JOACHIM HOLDS PARISH PICNIC

PAGE 11

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

SERVING FAITHFULLY DIOCESE BLESSES LEGAL AND HEALTH-CARE WORKERS WITH RED, WHITE MASSES. PAGE 8

CHRIST CATHEDRAL HOSTS THE RED MASS IN HONOR OF LEGAL PROFESSIONALS ON OCTOBER 4. PHOTO: DREW KELLEY

OCTOBER 24, 2021

CONTENTS

6 7 10

SERVING HIS TIME

St. Vincent de Paul’s new pastor comes to the parish following a 24-year military career.

STILL AND ALONE

Quiet and solitude promote contemplation and communion with God.

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THE POWER OF THE ROSARY

St. John the Baptist School pays tribute to the Holy Rosary.

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. STAY S A

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GUEST COLUMN

ASK FATHER AL

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.

BY FR. AL BACA DIRECTOR FOR EVANGELIZATION AND FAITH FORMATION FOR THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE

Father, I am a Catholic but I have a lot of questions about what I believe. I’m thinking about leaving?

HEN I WAS IN my early twenties, a friend invited me to an evening of fun and prayer at the Garden Grove Crystal Cathedral. Dr. Robert Schuller wanted to provide a place where young adults could play football, eat hamburgers and hotdogs, get to know each other and pray. While we gathered under the shadows of the impressive Crystal Cathedral and Tower of Hope there was never a push to convert or leave our religions or churches. I was a Catholic and, in those years, unaccustomed to mixing with Protestants. I think it was probably the same for Protestants. This exposure to other Christians made me think of my own commitment to Catholicism and I remember at one point, praying to God: “If you want me to become a Protestant, a Mormon or anything else I will do it. I just want to know the Truth!” The beauty of the Rosary is that it is all based on scripture. The Rosary CONTINUES ON PAGE 13

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DAILY READINGS AND REFLECTIONS

“

Greatness and success in God’s eyes are measured differently: They are measured by service. - Pope Francis

SAINT PROFILE

”

ANTHONY MARY CLARET 1807-1870

NITIALLY A WEAVER LIKE HIS FATHER, Anthony became a secular priest in 1835 but hoped to join a religious order. He became a Jesuit novice in Rome, but failing health prompted his return to Spain. For 10 years he conducted missions in his native Catalonia, before founding the Congregation of Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, or Claretians, in 1849. Even when he was archbishop of Santiago, Cuba, and chaplain to Spain’s Queen Isabella II, Anthony was committed to the Claretians’ mission of evangelization, especially through publishing. C

RECOGNIZING JESUS

HE STAR OF TODAY’S GOSPEL is a panhandler. Bartimaeus is blind, yes, but he is probably also homeless and filthy, a real nuisance to respectable citizens. Even so, it is Bartimaeus who recognizes Jesus as the Messiah, places all his faith in him, throws aside everything he has (his cloak), begs him for mercy, receives new vision, and follows Jesus on the way to suffering and death in Jerusalem. How desperate will we have to get before we can do the same? Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co. C

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

PHOTOS: CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE, SHUTTERSTOCK

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

ROM 8:12-17; PS 68:2, 4, 6-7AB, 2021; LK 13:10-17

ROM 8:18-25; PS 126:1B-6; LK 13:18-21

ROM 8:26-30; PS 13:4-6; LK 13:22-30

EPH 2:19-22; PS 19:2-5; LK 6:12-16

ROM 9:1-5; PS 147:12-15, 19-20; LK 14:1-6

ROM 11:1-2A, 11-12, 25-29; PS 94:1213A, 14-15, 17-18; LK 14:1, 7-11

DT 6:2-6; PS 18:2-4, 47, 51; HEB 7:23-28; MK 12:28B-34

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FEATURE

SERVING HIS TIME

FATHER KEVIN SWEENEY AT HOME WITH RECOGNITIONS FOR HIS SERVICE IN THE NAVY. PHOTO: DREW KELLEY

FATHER KEVIN J. SWEENEY WILL BE INSTALLED AS PASTOR AT ST. VINCENT DE PAUL CHURCH THIS MONTH, FOLLOWING 24 YEARS AS A NAVY CHAPLAIN BY RON KUZLIK

R. KEVIN J. SWEENEY is the incoming pastor at Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Huntington Beach. And, like other pastors, he will be sheparding a diverse parish of native Californians and transplants, as well as many parishioners of Hispanic and Vietnamese heritage. However, unlike most priests and pastors, Fr. Sweeney is a recently retired Navy officer, a captain who spent 24 years on active duty with the United States Navy and United States Marines Corps. Captain Sweeney, USN, is also Chaplain Sweeney who spent his military career attending to the spiritual, moral and ethical needs of sailors and Marines. Born in Newport Beach and growing up in Costa Mesa, he and his family, including four younger sisters belonged to St. Joachim Catholic Church, where he also attended school. Following high school, he attended St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California. After two years, he left St. John’s to discern his vocation with the Capuchin Franciscans where he finished his bachelor’s degree at Dominican School of Theology & Philosophy in Berkeley. After graduation he spent the next eight years working in retail, even running a pipe and tobacco store before being pulled back in the direction of a vocation.

FR. SWEENEY PERFORMING MASS DURING RECRUIT TRAINING AT MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE ALBANY IN 2016. PHOTO COURTESY OF FR. KEVIN SWEENEY

“I was at the funeral for a Capuchin priest, also a World War II chaplain, Father Columban. The Capuchin who took care of him, Brother Joe, a former Navy cook who is still alive and 90 plus years old, saluted Father Columban as he was being lowered into the grave.” At the time, Father Sweeney said to himself, “Wow! I wonder what it would take to be a Navy chaplain.” Bishop McFarland heard about Fr. Sweeney’s interest, who then received a call from the vocations director of Diocese of Orange accepting him as co-spon-

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sored with the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS). He would remain associated with the Diocese of Orange while preparing for chaplaincy in the military. AMS is an archdiocese very different from the Diocese of Orange or the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. There are no defined parishes and (the AMS) is established throughout the world, not within a defined geographic area. It serves nearly 1.8 million servicemembers and their families wherever they happen to be, on land or at sea, in Southern Cal-

ifornia or the South Pacific aboard Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard ships and stations. Fr. Sweeney was ordained in 1994 with the understanding that he would serve for three years at a diocesan parish, San Francisco Solano in Rancho Santa Margarita, before going on active duty in 1997. “The military part you can learn as you go along,“ he said. “But you have to be a happy priest before you even consider becoming a military chaplain. To be a good chaplain, you have to be a good priest and you have to be happy at what you’re doing.” Fr. Sweeney explained that being part of a ship’s crew was special. “I’ve said Masses all over the world. Mass in the jungle. Mass in the snow. I also offered Mass out in the desert many times, as we did spend lots of time in the desert and other miserable places. Or try saying Mass below the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. WHOOMP! WHOOMP! as planes are taking off and landing on the deck immediately overhead.” Fr. Sweeney said that Catholic military chaplains not only serve the sacramental needs of Catholic servicemembers, but CONTINUES ON PAGE 7

FEATURE / CATHOLIC FAMILY LIVING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

they also work with people from all different denominations. “We’re chaplains for the whole crew,” he said. According to the Department of Defense statistics, at present, there are about 44 Catholic priests on active duty who are charged with ministering to Catholics in the Navy and Marine Corps. Catholics make up about 25 percent of the military, but only 8 percent of the chaplain corps. “Some dioceses are more willing than others. For example, the Diocese of Orange has been blessed with many vocations, said Fr. Sweeney. “We’re giving back to the Universal Church.” He noted that he is now ready to come back and be a parish priest. “Now I’ve traded in my cammies for a cassock,” he said. When Bishop Vann announced that he would be assigned to St. Vincent de Paul, he knew he was coming to a wonderful parish and a hardworking young priest named Fr. Gaston Mendiola. Father Sweeney will be officially installed as pastor of Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Church at a special Mass offered by Diocese of Orange Bishop Kevin Vann on Sunday, Oct. 31, at 1 p.m. “I have been very grateful to know Fr. Sweeney these years, and especially to share with him his love for ministering to those in the Armed Forces, particularly the Navy and Marine Corps,” Bishop Vann commented. “I have been able to also share with Fr. Sweeney my dad’s love of the Navy and his service in the Pacific during World War II. “We welcome Fr. Sweeney back to the Diocese now as the pastor of St. Vincent de Paul in Huntington Beach (not far from the Pacific) where his ministry and love of the Lord has been strengthened by his years as a Navy chaplain.” C

STILL AND ALONE SILENCE AND SOLITUDE BRING US COMMUNION WITH GOD BY CATHI DOUGLAS

“Be still and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10

ROWING UP AS AN only child, I’ve always been comfortable with solitude. Unlike my Catholic school friends, whose homes seemed to throb with noise, our house always was quiet. Lacking siblings, I learned to entertain myself and enjoy my own company. While I’m comfortable with being alone and silent, I find that most people do their best to avoid both quiet and aloneness. They seem to find it important to fill any silence with music, podcasts, or YouTube videos, and to turn to their ever-present cell phones for continued engagement and entertainment. We seem almost afraid of silence; every second must be filled with noise and any solitude managed with distractions. Yet quiet solitude is the only path to true communion with God. It is in solitude that we hear the words of Jesus, open ourselves to guidance from the Holy Spirit, and communicate oneto-one with the Father. Writing in Catholic Digest, Susan Muto observes that solitude helps to ground us in faith, deepening our convictions and strengthening our relationship with the Lord. Muto is executive director

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

of the Epiphany Association and dean of the Epiphany Academy of Formative Spirituality. The paradox of solitude, Muto noted, is that our prayers and contemplation in solitude arm us with the strength and fortitude we need to be one with our brothers and sisters in Christ. “Solitude, sustained by prayer and self-presence to God, does not mark the cessation of action,” she wrote, “but rather the binding of participation to its source and inspiration. “If we never experience the restorative power of solitude, we may find it difficult, if not impossible, to remain faithful to our calling in the Lord to move from self-presence in solitude to selfless participation in works that place the needs of others above our own.” Physical solitude, however, is less important than spiritual solitude, noted Kathleen Wellman, in “The How and Why of Solitude,” published in 2012 on catholicmom.com. According to St. Teresa, Wellman said, spiritual solitude is the prime method by

which to find God in our lives: “Tear your heart away from everything else; then seek God and you will surely find Him.” In more than one passage, Scripture declared the importance of solitude in prayer. “Whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you,” instructs Jesus in Matthew 6:6. Silent prayer opens us up to real conversation with God— and solitude is the best state in which to hear Him, said Cardinal Robert Sarah in his 2017 book, “The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise.” Silence in solitude is a more important effort than any other human work, Cardinal Sarah observed, for it expresses God. “The true revolution comes from silence; it leads us toward God and others so as to place ourselves humbly and generously at their service.” St. Bernard declared that “he learned more about God and Divine things in solitude under the oaks and beeches than from the books and schools of the learned,” wrote St. Alphonse Liguori in “The 12 Steps to Holiness.”C 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.

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FEATURE

SERVING FAITHFULLY DIOCESE BLESSES LEGAL AND HEALTH-CARE WORKERS WITH RED, WHITE MASSES BY BILL QUINNAN

ATHOLICS IN LEGAL and medical occupations gathered at Christ Cathedral at two separate Masses this month to receive the Church’s blessing on their labors. Bishop Kevin Vann presided over the Diocese of Orange’s 33rd annual Red Mass on Oct. 4, invoking God’s blessing upon attorneys, judges and other legal professionals. On Oct. 21, physicians, nurses and others in healthcare related occupations congregated at the cathedral for the White Mass, held on the Feast Day of St. Luke, patron saint of physicians. Monsignor Stephen Doktorczyk, diocesan Vicar General, presided over the Mass. Deacon Modesto Cordero, diocesan director of the Office of Worship, reflected that individuals in law and medicine both help to carry out the Church’s seven Corporal Works of Mercy, which include visiting the sick and the imprisoned. “We wanted to honor all those professionals, because they are important in the mission of the Church, (which) is always working toward social justice, taking care of the poor, the sick, those who are alienated and those in need of compassion and care,” he said. He noted that those in either field must see individuals as creations of God and “not just a business.”

ADVOCATING FOR EQUALITY The Diocese traditionally holds

BISHOP KEVIN VANN LEADS THE RED MASS. PHOTO: DREW KELLEY

MONSIGNOR DOKTORCZYK CELEBRATES THE WHITE MASS FOR MEDICAL AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, ON OCT. 18 AT CHRIST CATHEDRAL IN GARDEN GROVE. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE

the Red Mass on the first Monday in October, when the U.S. Supreme Court begins its annual term. The Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C., typically offers the Red Mass the Sunday before the term begins, with the congregation frequently including

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the president, Supreme Court justices and members of Congress. The St. Thomas More Society of Orange County, a local Catholic association of legal professionals, hosted a dinner following this year’s Red Mass. Attorney William Malecki, Red Mass

chairperson for the organization, said, “One of our most cherished freedoms is our freedom of religion and the right to worship … Although we’re not all constitutional lawyers, we’re all involved in the legal process and helping to ensure that everyone is treated equally under the law.” The St. Thomas More Society of Orange County honored its Attorney of the Year, Lisa Ramirez, at the event. Ramirez specializes in immigration law and has provided extensive pro bono representation for immigrants in the county. Malecki correlated Ramirez’s work with Jesus’ admonishment to welcome the stranger in Matthew 25:35. “Jesus didn’t discriminate in exercising charity,” Malecki said. “Legal professionals must have in mind that charity, mercy and justice are the ultimate aim and aren’t incompatible with our legal system.” Malecki added, “Faith provides the basis for the idea that we are all created equal by God, which is expressed in the Declaration of Independence but is also expressed in the gospel.” Deacon Modesto Cordero, director of the Office of Worship in the Diocese CONTINUES ON PAGE 9

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of Orange, saw this year’s White Mass as particularly special, as the Mass was cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event also marked the first celebration of the White Mass at Christ Cathedral. “We in the Church look after the health of people’s souls, while medical professionals take care of the body, but those are connected,” Deacon Cordero said. “We see their faith being put into the care of the people, in seeing the person as the creation of God, loved by God, and doing their best to maintain that life.”

Providence Orange County sponsored the event, with representatives from each of its acute-care ministries participating in the Mass. Mark Jablonski, Chief Mission Integration Officer for Providence St. Jude Medical Center, noted the last 18 months have been especially challenging for health-care workers, who have had to work extensive hours and put their own health at risk amid the pandemic.

RED, WHITE, BLUE AND GOLD

The Red Mass originated in 13th-century Europe, deriving its name

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from the color of the vestments worn by the celebrant as well as the scarlet robes of the royal justices in England. Deacon Cordero noted that the Church also uses red to represent the Holy Spirit, on whom legal professionals must rely for wisdom and guidance. Arriving to the United States in 1877, the Red Mass has been celebrated in the Diocese since 1988. Celebrations of the White Mass date back to the founding of the Catholic Medical Association in the United States in the early 1930s, white being the color traditionally worn by doctors, nurses and others in the medical field.

Alternatively, some dioceses invoke a blessing upon health-care workers at a “Rose Mass” on the fourth Sunday of Lent or Laetare Sunday, when priestly vestments are rose-colored. The Blue Mass, recognizing those in law-enforcement, firefighting and other public-safety occupations, also emerged in United States the 1930s and is celebrated annually in the Diocese. The Society of Catholic Scientists introduced the first Gold Mass in 2016 to pray for scientists, science educators and students. Gold is the color of the hoods worn by those graduating with a doctorate in the sciences. C

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DIOCESAN NEWS

POWER OF THE ROSARY CHANGING LIVES WITH MARY’S HELP BY FATHER DAMIEN GIAP

“

HE ROSARY IS one of the most powerful prayer reflections that we have available to us,” said Abby Hauke, an eighth-grade student at St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Costa Mesa. “It helps us stay connected to our God through the loving care of His Mother Mary.” The month of October is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary. It was instituted to pay tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary in appreciation for the love and protection that she provides the Church in response to those who pray it faithfully. “We needed what it provides for us,” said Leah Hauke, sixth-grade student and Abby’s sister. “A strong and dedicated way to ask our God for his help.” The two sisters started a weekly Rosary reflection at school during recess. “Every Thursday we gather at Mary’s Grotto and pray together for the souls of unborn children and for an end to abortion in our world,” said Leah. The effort began as a family affair but was quickly embraced by the campus faith community. “It started out small, but it wasn’t long before lots of students began to join us. At this point, we have students from fourth through eighth grade joining us every week,” said Abby. And so we are reminded, by our children, of the importance of making time to pray the Rosary each day. It helps us resist daily temptations, it encourages us to slow down and find peace in our hectic world, it helps us pray for our neighbor and God’s world in a strong and dedicated way, and finally it helps us to focus when we’re not quite sure how to pray for

STUDENTS PRAY THE ROSARY AT ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CATHOLIC SCHOOL. PHOTO COURTESY ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CATHOLIC SCHOOL

what we need. The Holy Rosary is powerful because it’s based on sacred scripture and sacred tradition. It is a grace-filled weapon to help us bring about peace and healing during these difficult and chal-

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lenging times in our world. Both sisters want to keep the effort going as long as they can “It’s a beautiful gift from Our Blessed Mother and it belongs to all of us, so we

need to use it as often as we can,” said Leah. “Mary promised us that if we pray to her, she will hear us and respond,” said Abby, “and that’s saying a lot.” C

DIOCESAN NEWS

AROUND THE DIOCESE BY STAFF

ST. JOACHIM HOLDS FIRST-EVER PARISH PICNIC

St. Joachim Catholic Church & School in Costa Mesa held their first parish picnic on Sunday, Oct. 10. Parishioners, school families and Neocatechumate members were invited to enjoy a relaxing afternoon, building community together on a beautiful day. The day included a Rosary Walk around campus for the kids, tacos made by the parish Comite Hispano group and burgers and hotdogs grilled by the Knights of Columbus. The St. Vincent de Paul Society collected donations of non-perishable food, and the parish nurse ran a free flu shot clinic. A raffle for “Dinner with the Priests” was held and all donations collected at the event went to the parish capital campaign to build a new restroom building. Over $2,000 was raised. Music was provided by church musicians, including members of the parish Mariachi Jovenes group and the parish music director accompanied by his Irish band.

OCTOBER IS RESPECT FOR LIFE MONTH

Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Ladera Ranch will host a Rosary Rally on Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. to honor life as God intended. There will a blessing of the Rosaries, followed by a human Rosary chain on the west lawn of the church. The event will be filmed from an overhead drone.

NURSE VOLUNTEERS OFFERED FLU VACCINE SHOTS AT ST. JOACHIM CHURCH’S PARISH PICNIC. PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. JOACHIM CHURCH AN ADVENT WREATH ON DISPLAY. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE

CELEBRATING ADVENT

How does your parish or school celebrate the season of Advent? Perhaps you’re hosting an Advent speaker-series, your youth group has a project they would like to share, or your choir is preparing a Christmas performance. OC Catholic wants to know all about it! The Diocese of Orange newspaper will feature five parishes/schools this coming Advent season, and you can be part of it! The feature could involve the newspaper sending a photographer, writer and/or videographer to capture the preparation of the coming of Jesus. If your campus has something unique and exciting planned, please let the paper know about it by emailing Patricia Mahoney, OC Catholic editor. The paper plans its coverage several weeks ahead of time, so please send us your tips by Nov. 1. C O C T O B E R 2 4 , 2 0 2 1 n O C C AT H O L I C

GUEST COLUMN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

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is universal, just like the Church. It is taking place all over the world, in different languages, at every minute of the day. I figured I should start with my own religion and it was through that examination of Catholicism I found the answers I needed about my faith. Some of the answers I received to my questions were not always comfortable or easy. I wasn’t looking for easy answers; I was looking for the truth. Today, I am a priest. My questions led to a deeper faith and finally life-long commitment to God. Questions are good because they lead us deeper into truth. God will always reward a sincere question about faith. One of the things that frustrate me is when someone presumably with questions, leaves the Catholic Church without talking to a priest, religious sister or someone who loves and knows their Catholic faith. Archbishop Sheen says,

“There are not one hundred people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they wrongly perceive the Catholic Church to be.” There is a lot of confusion out there but there are also good answers too. Find someone who loves and knows their Catholic faith and ask your questions. One last thing -- don’t forget to also bring your questions to Jesus. Pray about your doubts. The Lord who loves you will send you to the right person if you ask. Especially in the field of faith: “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.” (Matt. 7:7) So ask the questions but give the Lord who loves you a chance to show you that you are in the right place, you are home and He has the right Church ready to lead you deeper into faith. C Fr. Al

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Moments MomentsininourourJourney Journey

A serene day on the grounds of Mission San Juan Capistrano. —Photo Courtesy of the Diocese of Orange

Send your photos that capture Catholic life in your parish community to: editor@occatholic.com

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