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12/12/2025 Life has roads not imaginedDear friends, This is a thank-you note and a love letter. After 40+ years in Camarillo, my husband and I are moving to Los Angeles. I know this might be considered a backward move. People our age move to the quiet of this area not to the hustle and bustle of LA. However, as many of you know, life has roads not imagined, and so we move on to the next adventure. Padre Serra Parish has been the rock of my family’s life. I am writing today asking those of you who have been in the parish for years to join me in gratitude for all we have experienced. If you are new to Padre Serra, stay, hang around. It will lead you to God. If you are a visitor and live locally, join the parish. If you are a visitor, as our children are now, enjoy the spirit this parish offers. It is a gem, a jewel to be cherished. My children, now adults with their own families, were formed in part by this parish. My sons were altar servers under the guidance of Bob Shadduck. My daughters were not afforded that privilege. Thankfully, their daughters have the privilege as do the families of Padre Serra today. All of our children were confirmed here and four of the five were married around this altar. One of my daughters-in-law was welcomed into the Church around this altar. My parents were welcomed when they moved to Camarillo and buried with the love this parish offers. The next generation, our grandchildren, were baptized here, and for that I am most grateful. The milestones of our family’s life happened around this altar. Please know that you have something unique here. Back in the day, a long time ago I would visit two of my younger brothers at St John’s Seminary and declared that I would never live in a place called Pleasant Valley. God had another plan.  Embrace the good you have with the Padre Serra community. Share it. The world needs what Padre Serra has to offer.
With deep gratitude, Anne Hansen 12/5/2025 “Taking in the good”Dear Friends, Today’s first reading from Isaiah has powerful imagery that responds to what I believe are universal yearnings: Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse t together, with a little child to guide them. The cow and the bear shall be neighbors; together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox. The baby shall play by the cobra’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair. Julie Beck, writing in a recent issue of The Atlantic says: “There is a motif, in fiction and in life, of people having wonderful things happen to them, but still ending up unhappy.” She goes on to quote neuropsychologist Dr. Rick Hanson: “... our brains are naturally wired to focus on the negative, which can make us feel stressed and unhappy even though there are a lot of positive things in our lives.” Beck continues: Hanson’s book1 (a sort of self-help manual grounded in research on learning and brain structure) doesn’t suggest that we avoid dwelling on negative experiences altogether—that would be impossible. Instead, he advocates training our brains to appreciate positive experiences when we do have them, by taking the time to focus on them and install them in the brain. I spoke with Hanson about this practice, which he calls “taking in the good” When I read that, I thought, “Wait a minute! There is something familiar here!” Isn’t “taking in the good” just another way of expressing being thankful? Of practicing mindfulness? Dr. Paul Ford’s famous (around PSP) 10 second Lenten fast comes to mind. Dr Hanson (to Beck): “So what my book’s about is taking the extra 10, 20, 30 seconds to enable everyday experiences to convert to neural structure so that increasingly, you have these strengths with you wherever you go.” So modern science—neurological psychology!—reinforces what the Church has taught from the beginning: “And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (St. Paul writing to the Colossians, 3:17) In fact, our Eucharistic celebrations each Sunday take their name from the Greek word eucharisteo, which means “to give thanks.” We are encouraged to bring all our joys and sorrows to the altar and to trust that somehow they become part of a “living sacrifice of praise”. If this is true, then maybe the matter of our lives, and how we respond, is of truly cosmic significance, and can be part of bringing about the next verse in Isaiah’s beautiful prophecy referenced above: “There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea.”  Perhaps our yearnings can be satisfied—and maybe it all begins with cultivating gratefulness.
Siempre Adelante, and a blessed Advent, Dominic MacAller Director of Liturgy and Music 11/29/2025 Preparation for JoyIt’s that time of year again! We are finally done with skeletons and turkey and we are now preparing stockings and Christmas ornaments. It truly is the official countdown for Christmas. As a father of three kids, it is easy to embrace the Christmas spirit. As a child, it was my favorite holiday and how could it not be? There is nothing like Christmas. As Catholics, obviously, we recognize the importance of Advent. It is a countdown to the beginning of our salvation and the themes of anticipation are palpable. While it is appropriate to anticipate the holiday of Christmas, the theme of anticipation doesn’t just stop there. Every Advent, we are also called to anticipate the returnof our Savior, Jesus Christ. I’m sorry if I express it every year, but I truly believe a reminder is necessary. Advent isn’t just about the present celebration of Christmas, but it is a season to help us to be ready for Jesus coming again. Father Patrick alluded to the idea of not living in fear in his homily a couple weeks ago. He is obviously right. While on paper, it may feel like pondering on the Second Coming is a fearfilled task; in reality, with proper preparation, it actually brings peace. In today’s second reading, St. Paul tells us to awake from our sleep and our salvation is near. Notice that he doesn’t tell us to awaken, because of upcoming dread. Rather, he wants us to open our eyes, because the promises God has given are coming. Christ’s second coming has never been about fear, but rather, it’s about a reunion in paradise. As we anticipate the good and beautiful things of Christmas 2025, let us use those times to help us also anticipate the joy of our God coming again. The joys of peace and love throughout the Christmas season are effective signs of what is to come. If we experience peace and joy on earth, it is merely a glimpse of the peace and joy that God promises. Hold on to your experiences and allow God to transform them during this season.  Happy Advent, everyone! My prayer is that we further recognize how beloved we are by God. Let us awake from our sleep and experience our salvation throughout this season.
God Bless, Brett Becker Youth and Young Adult Minister 11/21/2025 ¡Viva Cristo Rey! Long live Christ the King!Dear Parish Family, Today is the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Today’s Solemnity reminds us that Christ’s power is absolute. This feast was established and proclaimed by Pope Pius XI to reassert the sovereignty of Christ and the Church over All forms of government. This feast is placed as the last sunday of our liturgical year. As we conclude our liturgical year, we proclaim Jesus Christ our King! To whom we in all moments of our life, with family, friends, co-workers, and strangers express our fidelity and loyalty. For by his incarnation and death on the cross, he made us children of God and future citizens and heirs of God’s Kingdom. The earthly authorities come and go, with many times little care for the most vulnerable, but God’s power is eternal. As we follow the law of the land, we must remember that Jesus reins in every corner of life, there is no area that is immune to his saving power. Christ’s supreme authority renews our call to imitate him. He modeled for us a kingship of humility, gentleness, mercy and loving service. Especially to those on the margins, the widow, orphaned and foreigner. Let us imitate our Lord with Zeal, and when we feel this is a challenge, I encourage you to think of Blessed Miguel Pro, Sj. or Saint Jose Sanchez del Rio, for courage and inspiration. I encourage you to really celebrate this feast day. Be extra intentional about recognising Jesus as our King. In Prayer, as we say the Our Father, “Thy kingdom come” committing to our desire to be part of it. Perhaps as we gather with our family or friends, for dinner fit for a king and invite Jesus to join you at your dinner table. Talk to your children about God’s kingship and make a crown craft.  So that as we begin our liturgical year and the Advent season, we are better prepared for the coming of our Lord.
Siempre Adelante, Tere Delgado Faith Formation Minister 11/14/2025 Our Mission StatementIf a mission statement is doing what it should it becomes like a heartbeat for us, getting to the core of our purpose, why we do what we do, who we are to serve, and why we exist. Knowing this guides the decisions we make. Some time has passed since the pastoral team and I worked on the parish’s mission statement, and I thought it would be good for us to spend a moment recentering ourselves Our mission is: Encounter Jesus. Be disciples. It’s all about Jesus. We are all about Jesus. Acts 4:12 says of him, “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” For this alone, it is right that he be the center of our attention. We sing of him. We sing to him. We follow his cross in and out in processions. We place his cross as a blessing over our gathered community. We bow to the Good News, the narrations of his life. We place his altar in the center of our gathering where we recall the night before he died, when he gave us the priceless gift of himself. We receive him in that moment of communion – and if we are rightly centered, we make that moment the pinnacle moment of our week...there is no other name. Too often believers settle for knowing about Jesus. That’s a good thing – it’s just not enough. We need to push through that valuable intellectual engagement of Jesus to the matters of the heart, hoping to become his sisters and brothers (Mark 3:35), even his friends (John 15:15), and not just as a label, but as a real relationship. The Church we belong to isn’t the end. It’s the means to moving through learning about Jesus, to knowing, loving and serving him. That which is true about the Church, will be no less true about the parish. The parish is the means. Jesus is the end, the purpose, the goal and the companion on the way. The more we know him, the easier it is to love him, and to see the wisdom of his teachings and the authenticity of his life. When we seek, in sincerity, to replicate his life in our own decisions, actions and words, we become his disciples. It begins with sitting at his feet, listening attentively, sharing our concerns with him, receiving his challenges, bathing in his love. When our hearts reach that point of conviction where we begin to shape our life around our relationship with him, we become our truest selves, made in the image and likeness of God, and truly reflecting that likeness in our choices, day by day. And that is what it is to be a disciple, imitating Jesus’ life, picking up our crosses, feeding the hungry about us, comforting the grieving, strengthening the outcast, teaching the Way, laying our hands on the sick to comfort them, bringing the spiritually dead back to life, and in every gesture proclaiming the Good News of his message:  There is a God who breaks into the world, not to condemn,
but to save, not to lord it over the masses, but to serve, whose essential command, to love, shapes everything. Siempre adelante, Fr. Patrick 11/7/2025 Deepen, Awaken, then ServeI believe I’m in good company when I affirm that for most of my life, I have been a member of the ‘brown thumb’ club. I say this because I struggle to keep most plants alive and healthy. Nonetheless, I trust there is hope for plant life despite my own shortcoming. Please allow me to explain. It was two years ago when we were gifted three succulents in a box. I took it upon myself to water and care for the one-inch-tall plants. Today, only one remains. It has been transplanted into a new vessel and has nearly doubled in size. Watering my now lonely cactus a few days ago, I paused to consider that my thumb may not be brown at all. Rather, could it be that I failed to water or feed even the heartiest of plants from time to time? Could this be why I was only partially successful? Much like the succulents Diana and I received, faith inviting each of us into service must also be cared for if it is to thrive. Doing so directs us into true friendship with the Lord in support of our role to share His love with our neighbors. This does not occur overnight. It takes intentional, continual, and lifelong spiritual nourishment to be most effective. Even so, when properly nurtured, what starts as a trickle can manifest itself into an abundance of God’s grace and mercy. While many opportunities for growth and deeds exist, I would therefore like to propose an approach to deepen our faith, awaken our call to mission, and serve with God at the forefront. Deepening our personal encounter and relationship with Christ provides a solid foundation for awakening and service. This is a time for Mass attendance, communal and personal prayer, scriptural study, and reflecting on the Lord as our friend and guide. We also strive to hone our ability to truly listen to His will by pursuing silence outside and within. This formed relationship can be further enhanced by recognizing moments of awe and gratitude. Our intimate connection with God prepares us to cultivate a compassionate awareness of the poor and needy among us. This is where we rouse our hearts and become truly awake to societal needs while allowing our innermost call to mission to flourish. We work diligently to recognize the Holy Spirit in others considering how we might openly share the Lord’s love in the world. It is through faith alive in our hearts as well as deliberate awareness that we are called to act with Christ leading the way. This further implies that the order of things matter. Placing Him first in all things provides a solid footing for a life of service from the body of Christ to the body of Christ. Our actions may seem small at times but knowing that many trickles often form rivers, we can find inner peace and strength through the words of the prophet Ezekiel:  Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish,for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh. (Ezekiel 47:9)
Endless Blessings, Deacon Luc and Diana Papillon 10/30/2025 In Hopeful RemembranceDear friends on the journey, On this sacred day, we remember with love all those who have gone before us — parents, grandparents, children, friends, neighbors, and even those whose names we do not know but who are known and loved by God. All Souls’ Day invites us into quiet reflection and prayerful hope. We call to mind faces and names, moments shared, and the ache of absence. Yet we do so with faith and hope, trusting that God’s mercy is greater than our grief. Our prayers today are not in vain; they are acts of love that reach beyond the veil of this world, helping our beloved dead draw nearer to the fullness of God’s light. To the world death seems final but to all of us believers it is a doorway into new life with Christ, an eternal life of peace and light. One of my favorite proclamations at Mass is that in death “life is changed, not ended.” This truth is at the heart of today’s commemoration. We believe that death does not end our relationships — it transforms them. The bonds of love are not broken by death. As we pray for our loved ones, we are reminded that they, too, pray for us. This exchange of love and prayer is the beautiful mystery of the communion of saints — heaven, earth, united in God’s eternal love. Today, perhaps visit a cemetery, light a candle, or simply whisper a loved one’s name in prayer. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. In doing so, we participate in God’s merciful work of healing and reunion. All Souls is an opportunity to hold both our sadness and grief in balance with our love, memories and the hope of eternal togetherness. Today I’m remembering my grandma and her gentle presence in my life, her patience and hugs, her humble generosity, her helpfulness. She died 24 years ago and I still miss her but, now that I’m a grandma, she seems even more present to me.  Who are you remembering today? What do you miss most about them? What do you admire most about them that you’d like to carry on in your life? What does that glorious reunion with them look like? Siempre Adelante, Teresa Runyon Pastoral Associate 10/24/2025 Making The Dream RealFriends, Six years ago this month, Brett wrote in this space about the parish’s vision to build a Youth Center and Music Liturgy space. The Call to Renew campaign was launched about that same time in 2019 to raise funds to bring this vision to fruition. The original concept of expanding our existing buildings (the Church and San Juan Capistrano Rooms) proved to be far more expensive than constructing a new building. We reworked the plan to fit the Choir Room within the existing San Juan Capistrano rooms and to build a new building for the Youth Center. Last month, we completed the remodel of the San Juan Capistrano rooms, fulfilling the dream of a dedicated music space. That is one objective met, but the second objective, of constructing a Youth Center, remains to be realized. After monthsof design, development, and permit processing, the Youth Center is ready for construction. The new building will be near the BBQ area east of the Serra Center. The best estimate we have, as of today, is that we will be $950,000 short of what we need to build the Youth Center. Therefore, we must come back to you, the parish family, and ask for your help in closing this funding gap. I will share more information about the campaign to close the funding gap over the next few weeks. You may recall the pledge process for the Call to Renew campaign. We will follow the same model for this latest campaign to raise the money needed to cover the shortfall. Since Brett made the first appeal in 2019, the Youth Program has continued to grow. We currently have 167 young people in our confirmation program/ youth group and 50 peer leaders. When the entire group is together, that is now over 200 people. Unfortunately, since the remodel of the San Juan Capistrano rooms, the youth program was displaced from the small gathering space they formerly occupied. Despite not having a designated meeting space, it is heartwarming to see these young people come to the parish and spend time together in fellowship wherever they can find a space to meet. Our motivation for building the Youth Center is well known. We want to create a place that will draw young people to our parish, and ultimately, we desire for them to encounter Jesus and become disciples. Please pray for young people that they may respond to the voice of God tugging on their hearts and turn to hear his voice. I ask for your financial support to help us close the funding gap so that we can build a place where many generations of youth can gather and grow as disciples.  We have over 70% of the money needed to build the Youth Center, but we need your pledges to break ground on the project. Please consider pledging to help us make the Youth Center a reality. You can contact Pam Kingsley in the parish office to pledge. Pam can also be reached by email at [email protected].
Siempre Adelante, Manuel Leon Business Manager Readings Join Giving Directory 10/18/2025 Faith in action can be funDear Parish Family, The Children’s Faith Formation program will be hosting its annual Trunk or Treat event this Friday, October 24, at 6:00pm. It is always a wonderful opportunity to gather as a parish community, for a fun whole family event. There will be trunk or treating, games, dancing, best trunk contest and best costume contests. We cannot forget the delicious food — Establos, Pizza Man Dan’s and Kona Ice. Our Parish mission statement is Encounter Jesus, Be Disciples. This fun event allows us to model for our young ones, many of our core values of being church together. We will gather as community, being present with each other, serving one another, feeding the hungry. Our Trunk or Treat event is more than just costumes and candy. Over the years, I have had many share their stories of how this event was one of the first parish events they participated in here at Padre Serra. The warm welcome by all, encouraged them to return and join our parish community. It is important for our young people to know that as children of God, we are all one big family. We will see many friends and make new ones. In our encounters, let us not miss the God moments. We do not want to blink, and miss seeing Jesus walking in our midst. Being a disciple in service, whether it’s donating candy, hosting a trunk, booth or an awesome teen running a game; it’s creating a loving, welcoming encounter, looking to create joy for others. We will feed the hungry with your non-perishable food donation (5 can items to be dropped off at the event). It will go to the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry; they help feed many families in our local community. All the families of the Children’s Faith Formation programs will have a participating role, whether it is candy donations, hosting trunks, or the middle school and high school teens hosting a booth. You, too, can also participate. We can only make these events possible with your participation and support. To sign up, please visit www.padreserra.org/trunk-or-treat We need help with: • baked good donations • trunk hosts • set up (Friday 10:00 am-5:00 pm) • break down (8:00 pm) A few bits of information for the day of our event: • All children and teens who wish to participate in playing games or trunk or treating will need a wristband (all ages). You may purchase in the parish office 4:00 - 7:00 pm. • Candy donations may be dropped off at the parish office the week of Oct. 19 - 23 or Oct. 24 at the information booth. • 5 non-perishable food items per family should be dropped off on the day of the event, at our information booth. Please do not drop off canned goods at the parish office! • If you are hosting a trunk, your car must be parked by 4:30 pm. Please contact [email protected] (we have limited access to power outlets — first come, first served. • All are encouraged to wear costumes, no scary costumes please. Thank you for your continued support and participation. Blessings, Tere Delgado Faith Formation Minister Dear Friends, Today’s gospel tells us the familiar story of Jesus curing ten lepers he encounters on a journey. Only one of the ten even realizes he’s been healed and returns, glorifying God, to thank Jesus. Ironically, this one was a Samaritan, clearly one of the outcasts of Jesus’ time. The idea that one could not even realize a blessing intrigues me as I read this story and it prompts me to think about the blessings in my life for which I am grateful. One of those I’d like to write about today is the music ministry I’m privileged to lead here at Padre Serra. I am thankful to God for calling me to minister in this parish where important ingredients for a successful music ministry are present in abundance. For example, there is a wealth of talent in this community in children, youth and adults. Just as importantly, those who share their talent are willing to do so in a consistent and accountable way. Another great blessing I find here is a real dedication to the ministry of music, and the conspicuous absence of pride, ego, and a performance- for-my-own-glory mentality. Our singers and instrumentalists bring their gifts humbly to the service of the community, conscious of the Source of those gifts. Our gracious God makes the whole greater than the sum of the parts ... and we have fun! A vibrant music ministry like ours brings challenges with it as well as fun. The growth of our choirs, for example, has been steady over the years . The administrative requirements of that expansion, like ensuring that all participants have the right music in their hands at the right time, can be daunting. But we have choir members who not only sing, but also give of their time to organize all the music and keep the library in order. Trying to create a budget for music purchasing for a group that keeps expanding is another challenging aspect to the blessing of growth. When I face a room full of music ministers, eager to rehearse and prepare music for the glory of God, I feel a tremendous responsibility to use that time well, so I spend significant time in planning and preparation. As I do that, I am conscious of the support of this community. Often people speak to me between masses or at other parish events and tell me how our music ministry has blessed them and comforted them. I carry this with me and I share it with my fellow music ministers, as we joyfully go about this work that God has called us to do, “giving thanks to God always, singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” Siempre Adelante, Dominic MacAller Worship Minister Currently, the 9 AM (aka Adult) Choir has 67 members, the 11 AM (aka Youth/Young Adult) Choir has 22 and the Children’s / Middle School Choir has 32. Our Instrumental Music Ministry (aka the Upland Road Band or URB) has 15 participants. Colossians 3:16 (paraphrase) 10/4/2025 Faith is not a BuzzwordBuzzwords are interesting. They tend to dominate various spaces in our lives. We hear them constantly at work and on social media. At one point, a lot of these words, which hold strong meaning and brought clarity, have lost their sting. Various words like “synergy,” “journey” and “climate” are all strong words, but when they are used too often, or as vague definitions, they fall short of what they once conveyed. Words that once brought clarity, strength and motivation, can slowly become words that are overused, weak and dry. In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus doesn’t shy away from proclaiming the power of faith. He explains that even a little faith holds tremendous power, by declaring that faith the size of a mustard seed is enough to do great, beautiful and unimaginable things. I ask this without judgment, because God knows this has happened to me, but have there been periods in your life where the word “faith” became simply a buzzword for you? Unfortunately, I would never be surprised to hear even the most holy person downplay the strength of faith in their lives. It’s not uncommon for good, holy people to have periods where they downplay the power of faith in their own lives. So what is faith? According to the Catechism, it is one of the three Theological Virtues. It is through the gift of faith that “we believe in God and all that He has revealed to us, because He is Truth itself.” This is quite a powerful definition of faith; hopefully it holds that power and not become a buzzword in our lives. It is through this faith that we believe in our God, His love and His promises for us. This is why it is dangerous to allow faith to become a buzzword. It is through this same faith that God becomes clear to us and it is through faith that we find meaning in our existence and embrace who we are in light of the creator. We are heirs of the kingdom and faith reveals that to us. That is a big deal. So friends, don’t let faith become a buzzword in your life. Surround yourself with people who convey the true meaning in that word. Embrace your God who is committed to you and does not water down the promises given to you through faith. Most importantly, use faith so powerfully that others will see the beauty and power in it so they can encounter their loving God.
God Bless, Brett Becker Youth and Young Adult Minister JoinGivi 9/27/2025 Second Commandment FirstToday’s gospel from Luke speaks of excesses flaunted in wealth while the Old Testament reading from the Book of Amos speaks of excesses flaunted in lifestyle. Luke speaks to the suffering, the poor, and the discarded all represented by the poor man lying at the door of a rich man. Amos confronts those living with an excess of complacency in a time of concern for others. Luke and Amos have given us scriptural reminders that we are to live our lives to see the face of God in those on the path of our lives. How do we do that? Jesus answered that question in Matthew’s gospel (Mt.22:34- 39) when a Pharisee asked him, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. The second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” In Luke’s gospel parable there is focus on the “rich man dressed in purple garments.” At that time purple dye was historically scarce and expensive which was associated with royalty and the riches of the finer-things in life.1 The rich man lived a life of wealth discarding attention to the poor as Lazarus laid at his door denying the second great commandment “to love your neighbor as yourself.” Life offers many attractions to distract and even addict us to lead lives about ourselves away from the two great commandments. We often direct our lives selfishly to wealth, power, honor, pleasure, status, and even complacency leading us into a lack of self-awareness and concern for those to whom our gifts are to be offered and shared. Today, we see wealth displayed in homes, social status, clothing, friends, cars, etc. and poverty witnessed in many poor neighborhoods and the homeless lying on sidewalks and streets. “Poverty” of another kind is seen in the decline in cultural behaviors, relationships with family, friends, strangers and even at times poverty in living the journey of our faith. Wealth, poverty and complacency have many obvious and also hidden faces. I am not innocent in my selfishness with the blessings and gifts I have been given to share and at times I am also judgmental knowing some “neighbors” are more challenging to like than others. We are to look in the mirror inside ourselves to recognize the face of God is seen outside of ourselves each with our own unique personality and gifts to serve the Lord by serving others as best we can.  There is a story I heard but is not confirmed about St. Augustine’s reply when asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” He said, “First, love God with all your heart, your mind and your soul and the second, love your neighbor as yourself.” Then Augustine offered a final thought. He said, “It is easier to start with the second than to obey the first.” The second is right in front of us. Deacon Jack, Sharon and Maddie Redmond Dear Parish Family, Each year, Catechetical Sunday has a unique theme. The 2025 Catechetical Sunday theme is “Always be ready to give an explanation ... for a reason for your hope.” (1 Pet3:15) Thisthemeisareminderofthecalltomissionarydiscipleshipthatweall share as Catholics. As part of the call to holiness, we must mission to others and widely share the message of Jesus Christ through our words and actions. Just in case we need a reminder of the reason for our HOPE? “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17) This weekend we celebrate in a special way the individuals who have said “YES” to God’s call to serve his people, through the ministry of Catechist. Those individuals, catechists and teachers, moms, dads, grandparents and loving adults will be called forward, blessed and sent out, to minister to the children, youth and adults of the parish community. They tirelessly proclaim the Gospel of hope and mercy, create the necessary bonds of welcome and closeness to better appreciate the Word of God and to celebrate the Eucharistic mystery by offering the fruits of good works. A catechist is one who teaches in the name of the Church. This ministry of teaching in the name of the Church has a profound dignity, which is why catechists are formally commissioned by the Church. Every year here at Padre Serra Parish, we welcome about 600 children and teens in our programs. This is only possible by the wonderful volunteers: moms, dads and other loving adults just like you. This is a beautiful ministry, where it’s not always about having all the answers to the kids’ questions but an opportunity to witness how God works and speaks through the mouths of the children as well. Pope Francis describes the role of the Catechists as “witnesses who live from the celebration of the Eucharist and place themselves at the service of the Christian community, to support the deepening of faith in the concreteness of daily life.” As Faith Formation ministers this is the goal, to bring others to this encounter. Do you feel God calling you to journey in faith with the children of our parish? No experience is required. Our coordinators will prepare all the lesson plans and supplies needed. Please reach out to me ([email protected]), I would be happy to meet with you. There are many ways to support and be part of the Children’s Faith Formation program. Siempre Adelante, Tere Delgado Faith Formation Minister Hello Friends, September is upon us, and children will soon be returning to our parish campus for faith formation and the children’s choir. It is a joy to see theparish come alive with the sounds and sights of children and young people on the campus. The return of the children’s programs is an opportunity to highlight our Safeguard the Children committee and the focus the Safeguard program brings to ensuring the safety of children at the parish. Our children’s programs are only possible because of the many volunteers who participate. Thank you to all volunteers who have submitted their Safeguard the Children Acknowledgement forms and VIRTUS Certificates. You are ready to volunteer and help introduce Christ and our Catholic Faith to our young parishioners. If you are a first-time volunteer, a Padre Serra staff member will guide you through the Safeguard the Children volunteer onboarding process. The process consists of a required background check and VIRTUS training. These are the best practices, as determined by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and are a requirement for all volunteers in the archdiocese. Our Padre Serra Parish Safeguard the Children Committee is responsible for meeting and reviewing the implementation of Safeguard the Children best practices. The committee walks the campus to ensure it meets the Safeguard objectives. Additionally, Fr. Patrick and I will meet to prepare an annual report, which Fr. Patrick will sign and submit to the archdiocese to demonstrate our compliance. The Safeguard Committee and the best practices we follow are focused on ensuring a safe environment for our children and young people. Safeguard the Children committee members will be at the ministry fair on Sunday, September 21, after all Masses. Please stop by, say hello, and learn more about the Safeguard Program. Consider joining the Safeguard Committee. We are especially looking for parents of children in our programs. If we miss you at the ministry fair and you are interested in joining our committee, please contact me at the parish office. Siempre Adelante! Manuel Leon Business Manager 8/30/2025 But, how, exactly, do I “humble myself”?Dear Friends, Our readings this weekend proclaim humility as a quality we should cultivate. Sirach says, in the first reading, “My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God. In the Gospel, Jesus pointedly says (and this isn’t the only time he does), “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Aren’t many or most of us not even thinking about humility nor exaltation? Just trying to get by? I will share a few things I’ve heard over the years on the subject. If they’re helpful to you, wonderful. If not, just let them go. Humility does not mean being down on myself. The word comes from the Latin humus, like what we put in our gardens, meaning of the earth. What it means is accepting that I am a creature, not the Creator. That I am servant, not Master. This does not mean that I am worthless – far from it. You and I are made in the image and likeness of God and we are loved beyond comprehension. And remember in the book of Genesis, that God looked upon all he had made, and found it very good. So what does it mean to be humble? I think it means to simply acknowledge the totality of who we are, good and bad, and to keep in mind where all the good comes from – from God, of course. Our strengths, our gifts and talents, our intelligence, our innate goodness – it would be silly to deny these in service of a misguided quest for humility. To acknowledge their Source and to be grateful, while also working on our weaknesses trusting God to guide us and help us with that – this, I think is what humility is. Here’s a useful metric to gauge our progress in humility: if I think I’m humble then I almost certainly am not. This creates a bit of a Catch-22, particularly if I want to somehow measure my progress in the spiritual life. I think the ultimate goal is to be so focused on God and thankfulness for his creation (including myself) that I never really spend much time or energy at all even asking if I am humble. Our sights should be set on God, not looking in the mirror, as it were. Siempre adelante, Dominic MacAller Worship Minister 8/22/2025 Covenant check-inDear Parishioners, As August brings us to the midpoint of 2025 and to the doorstep of a new ministry year, it also provides an opportunity to revisit our covenant, those promises that we prayerfully and thoughtfully renewed before God in January. We encourage you to reflect on and rededicate yourself to those you pledged to work on this year: Jesus I will pursue encounters with Jesus through daily prayer, full engagement at Mass, by reading scripture, and participating in parish ministries and events such as the parish mission March 3 - 4, 2025. Discipleship I will dedicate my life to growing in friendship with Jesus. Prayer Remembering that I am a child of God and immensely loved by Him, I will rededicate myself to prayer – everywhere, any time, for any reason, bringing my needs, my fears, my hopes, my pain and gratitude to God. Gratitude I will cultivate the habit of thanking God for my blessings and challenges in the moment, wherever I am. Examine I will examine my day to recognize those moments when God was most present, acknowledge my failures, ask forgiveness, offer gratitude and recommit to be the best version of myself. Sabbath I will extend the grace of the Sunday Eucharist by inviting family and friends to Mass and continue the experience of Sabbath with a day of rest or enjoyable activities with family and friends on Sunday afternoon. Evangelization As St. Francis said, “Preach the Gospel, use words if necessary.” I will demonstrate the love of Jesus through my actions and interactions. Love Neighbor Recognizing that everyone is made in God’s image and likeness, and that everyone has their own struggles, I will extend the dignity and respect to each person that I would hope to receive. Charity I will help my sisters and brothers in need locally through St. Vincent De Paul and Catholic Charities of Ventura County and Catholic Relief Services to assist the needs in other countries.  Stewardship (support of parish) As a member of the body of Christ and the parish, I will consider how my personal gifts can best be used in ministry and service and consciously step into an attitude of responsibility, participation, and giving. My plan is to give $_________every week / every month / this year. Siempre Adelante, Padre Serra Parish Pastoral Team Readings Join Giving Directory 8/16/2025 The Fire of DiscipleshipDear friends on the journey, “I have come to bring fire to the earth... Do you think I have come to establish peace? No, I tell you, but rather division.” Jesus’ words in today’s gospel are bold, unsettling, and a little confusing because they seem to contradict all of Jesus’ other teachings of love, life, mercy, and peace. Getting past their face value requires going deeper into Luke’s gospel and in connection with the other readings. The theme of today’s reading is discipleship with the core message that the path of discipleship is not always easy or smooth. Following Jesus can bring conflict, even within our own families. We see this in the first reading where the prophet Jeremiah is thrown into a cistern for telling the truth. His message made people uncomfortable and they wanted him silenced. But God did not abandon him. Someone is moved to help and Jeremiah is rescued. Even in the mud, Jeremiah holds on to his trust in God. This trust is echoed in Psalm 40 that beautifully illustrates the journey from despair to hope. The opening verses highlight the psalmist’s deep distress and his trust in God who pulls him from the mire and sets him on solid ground. Being set on a rock not only symbolizes stability but also speaks to the psalmist’s renewed sense of security and trust in God’s ability to guide and save. The second reading from Hebrews urges us to persevere, to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who endured the cross. He didn’t give up. And neither should we when the road of discipleship is bumpy and seems costly. Jesus uses the powerful image of fire to illustrate the demands of true discipleship. Here fire represents both purification and passion. It’s like the love of God that burns in the heart of a true disciple, driving them to live according to Jesus’ example. The challenges that come with discipleship—sometimes causing division even within families—are part of this process of being “purified” and fully committed to God’s will, no matter the cost. A disciple’s life isn’t always easy or comfortable, but it’s ultimately about embracing a transformation that leads us closer to God’s love and truth.  Today is an opportunity to examine our own faith with honesty. Reflect on times in your life when it was easy, and when it was more difficult, to stand up in faith. Are we ready to stand with Jesus, even when it’s hard? Even when it costs us something? The gospel is not always comfortable—but it is always true. Jesus came to set a fire in our hearts. Will we let it burn? Siempre Adelante, Teresa Runyon Pastoral Associate 8/9/2025 The Faithful and Prudent Steward“Do not be afraid any longer little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom”. This is one of the many instances in the Gospels where Jesus encourages us not to fear, but instead to put our trust in Him. He is letting us know that God the Father is seeking us out and wants to give us the kingdom. We only need to trust Jesus and the eternal life that He promises for us. In the three parables that follow, Jesus will drive home the point that we should not become distracted by worldly treasures but seek first the kingdom of God. We are both spirit and body, and Jesus understands that we have appetites that we will want to satisfy. The example of the steward who gets drunk and becomes a tyrant is an extreme example of what happens when God is no longer the primary mover in our lives, and the appetites have taken over. Jesus is telling us that God the Father wants to give us the kingdom of heaven, but our time and talents are not to be used only to enrich ourselves. “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be”. When we discover that our actions are not driven by a desire to serve the kingdom of God, then it is time to reevaluate and discard what has become our treasure. We learn from the Catechism, that “God put us in the world to know, to love, and to serve him and so to come to paradise” (CCC 1721). We want to serve the one who loved us first, not out of fear but out of love. The caution against allowing our appetites to dictate our actions and behavior is because God knows that it will lead to unhappiness on our earthly pilgrimage and endanger our eternal salvation. Jesus will lead us to the kingdom of heaven, we only have to cooperate with His grace. In his encyclical, Caritas Est (“God is Love”), Pope Benedict XVI exhorts us to live the Christian life by willing the good of the other. Pope Benedict wrote, “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.” It is a privilege to participate in the divine life with Christ. As disciples of Jesus, we profess that God is the primary mover in our lives. Our lives belong to God, and discerning how He wants us to serve Him requires time with His Word in prayer. We pray for the prudence and fortitude to be the faithful steward whom the master finds doing His will.
Manuel Leon Business Manager 8/8/2025 The Faithful and Prudent Steward “Do not be afraid any longer little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom”. This is one of the many instances in the Gospels where Jesus encourages us not to fear, but instead to put our trust in Him. He is letting us know that God the Father is seeking us out and wants to give us the kingdom. We only need to trust Jesus and the eternal life that He promises for us. In the three parables that follow, Jesus will drive home the point that we should not become distracted by worldly treasures but seek first the kingdom of God. We are both spirit and body, and Jesus understands that we have appetites that we will want to satisfy. The example of the steward who gets drunk and becomes a tyrant is an extreme example of what happens when God is no longer the primary mover in our lives, and the appetites have taken over. Jesus is telling us that God the Father wants to give us the kingdom of heaven, but our time and talents are not to be used only to enrich ourselves. “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be”. When we discover that our actions are not driven by a desire to serve the kingdom of God, then it is time to reevaluate and discard what has become our treasure. We learn from the Catechism, that “God put us in the world to know, to love, and to serve him and so to come to paradise” (CCC 1721). We want to serve the one who loved us first, not out of fear but out of love. The caution against allowing our appetites to dictate our actions and behavior is because God knows that it will lead to unhappiness on our earthly pilgrimage and endanger our eternal salvation. Jesus will lead us to the kingdom of heaven, we only have to cooperate with His grace. In his encyclical, Caritas Est (“God is Love”), Pope Benedict XVI exhorts us to live the Christian life by willing the good of the other. Pope Benedict wrote, “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.” It is a privilege to participate in the divine life with Christ. As disciples of Jesus, we profess that God is the primary mover in our lives. Our lives belong to God, and discerning how He wants us to serve Him requires time with His Word in prayer. We pray for the prudence and fortitude to be the faithful steward whom the master finds doing His will. Manuel Leon Business Manager Dear friends on the journey, Have you ever visited a Subway sandwich shop or a Panda Express restaurant and been greeted with a word of welcome? There’s something about this that bothers me. I presume the companies see the value in welcoming their customers and have trained their employees to do as much. However, their “welcome” is not in fact welcome to me, simply because the well meaning staff person is generally helping another customer already, busily putting together the order. Most times no eye contact is made with the newest customer and their voice is devoid of sincerity. Please do not get me wrong ... I applaud their recognition of the importance of welcome but the activity itself must be genuine and intentional. One of the charisms of our parish is the spirit of welcome and hospitality. I felt it twenty-four years ago when I arrived at Padre Serra. Today guests, visitors and new parishioners tell me all the time, “Padre Serra is so welcoming.” “I could feel it the moment I arrived.” “Everyone is so friendly.” “I’ve never experienced anything like it before.” “There’s just something special here.” It’s palpable and yet I cannot always explain the feeling or spirit in words. But I can tell that from the birth of this parish, welcome and hospitality has and continues to be intentional, from the facilities to the cookies to the people. From staff to volunteers, we prepare for your arrival, visit, and departure. One way we do that is our Sunday morning welcome team at the 9:00 and 11:00 am Masses. Each Sunday a member of the welcome team at each of these Masses is at the welcome gazebo by the Tao cross, awaiting you and your family and looking forward to meeting a guest or visitor, to welcome all who arrive with a smile, wave, and friendly greeting and then send you off after Mass with a smile, wave, blessing and even a hug. It’s the easiest ministry we have. It’s one of the most rewarding. Our team members have shared stories of meeting friends they knew as children in another city, catching up with fellow parishioners, meeting new people, helping someone find the church or restroom and even taking your prayer requests. If you’ve been on the receiving end of or witnessed genuine welcome and intentional hospitality here at Padre Serra, I invite you to consider joining our welcome team. Come be part of and extend the Padre Serra spirit of welcome to others. The only requirement is a friendly smile and the ability to wave and say good morning and good bye.  That’s it. I promise ... you don’t even have to be an extrovert. Even introverts like me can welcome! The time requirement is fifteen minutes before and after Mass, once a month. Friends, couples, families with children can do it together. Ministry is always more fun with a partner. Contact me [email protected] if you’d like to know more or get involved. Siempre Adelante, Teresa Runyon Associate Pastor 7/25/2025 The One Who Seeks, FindsIt’s obviously never wrong to ask your God for anything. Relationships are quite sincere and vulnerable when you are comfortable enough to ask for something from a loved one. While relationships should not be built only on a foundation of favors, it is quite natural and good to ask for them. God is open to all sincere requests and prayers. In this Sunday’s Gospel, it’s obvious that Jesus wants to give. It is also obvious that He is open and present to hear our requests. Jesus, though, does not explain when he will give. This is where our personal challenge may present itself in this Gospel; our patience. Like I said, our God, in His nature, is one that gives. Sometimes we are afraid to ask of God, because we don’t fully believe that He gives. The reality though, is that He does give and has given, it’s just rarely within our expected timeline. Our God is constantly pouring His love onto all of His creation, it’s just hard to realize that our time may not be aligned with His. In the parable of this Sunday’s gospel, it is very clear that God does not turn away from those in need. He is not the friend that tells those who are in need to not bother them. It is clear that God invites us to knock on His door and it is clear that God wants a friendship with us, a friendship fueled by charity. God obviously is not a genie, nor should we treat Him that way. Our God is, though, a friend and Father who wants to give. Isn’t our relationship with God already one sided? There is no way we can come close to reciprocating His love. I only mention this because it is already in our nature to be “spoiled” by God, our Father. Because of this, there is no request given to him that will not be heeded. God isn’t a wish granter, but He is the greatest friend we can imagine, because all He does is give. I pray that we become more open to asking God for assistance. I pray that we also recognize when he gives us His assistance, and have the patience to allow God to assist us within his perfect timeline, not ours. God Bless, Brett Becker Youth and Young Adult Minister 7/19/2025 Listening at the feet of JesusDear Parish Family, As I was reflecting on today’s gospel, I noticed for the first time how last week’s gospel of the Good Samaritan and today’s gospel of Martha and Mary, fulfill the dual command. “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27) The Samaritan, who was despised, and not expected to be kind to his enemies, took pity on the injured man; he didn’t just walk away. He took action to treat and help him heal from his injuries. We are called to action, in “Doing” for our neighbor, this is how we love our neighbor. In today’s Gospel this seems to be what Martha is “Doing,” being a good host and diligently making sure everything was just right for Jesus and his friends. This seems to be an example of what a good disciple should do, see a need and do something about it, take action. What about Mary, where is her action? She, like the Samaritan, breaks social expectations. On the surface she is getting out of helping her sister, she makes herself comfortable at Jesus’ feet and is eagerly listening. Mary modeled for us how a disciple should listen. She is fulfilling the commandment to “Love the Lord, your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength and with all your mind. To be in God’s presence, allowing herself not to “Do” anything else other than to just be present, in adoration with our Lord. That is the action Mary is doing, Listening involves understanding, accepting and assimilating that message so that it becomes part of our very selves. Both stories exemplify how a disciple is to fulfill the dual command; love of God (Mary) and love of neighbor (the Samaritan). These are the two essentials of life in the kingdom. Social codes and boundaries were strict in Jesus’ time. Jesus broke with the social conventions of his time. Just as a Samaritan would not be a model for neighborliness, so a woman would not sit with the men around the feet of a teacher. Yet to love God with all one’s heart and one’s neighbor requires breaking those rules. The Kingdom of God is a society without distinctions and boundaries between its members. It is a society that requires times for seeing and doing and also times for listening and learning at the feet of our Lord. I think this message is so important, especially right now with everything we are experiencing in our world. How are we being good disciples, are we taking action to care for our neighbor? To love, is to will the good of the other. First we must be like Mary, at the feet of our Lord; Present in Adoration, receiving him in the Eaucharist and prayer, open to the Holy Spirit. Only then can we take action like the Samaritan, to SEE, and love our neighbor. Blessings, Tere Delgado Faith Formation Minister Readings Join Givin Dear Friends, Walt Disney’s animated “Pinocchio” released in 1940 featured Jiminy Cricket as the personified conscience of the puppet who yearned to become a real boy: When you get in trouble and you don’t know right from wrong, give a little whistle ... and always let your conscience be your guide. (Ned Washington) Our Scriptures this week are both comforting and challenging. The first reading from Deuteronomy reassures us that God’s command is not something “too mysterious and remote.” It ultimately lives in our hearts and all we have to do is look within and carry it out. That is the challenging part, isn’t it – carrying it out. And that brings us to Luke’s gospel where Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan after a dialog with a scholar of the law who asks what he must do “to inherit eternal life” and correctly cites the great commandment which ends with loving neighbor as self. Then, because “he wished to justify himself” he asks “And who is my neighbor?” You probably know the story since this parable (and the one known as the Prodigal Son) are the best known and most loved (perhaps) of all Jesus’ stories. But let’s look at who the characters are and what they represent. “A man fell victim to robbers,” He could have been anyone but was likely a member of the Jewish community. So, interestingly, could the robbers have been. Jesus doesn’t tell us. A priest and a Levite who passed the robbery victim by were certainly members of the Jewish community and religious leaders who needed to avoid being made “unclean” by contact with an injured, bleeding and possibly dead man. A Samaritan traveler – not a member of the Jewish community, far from it. Part of a group that Jews had nothing to do with and looked down upon as “less than,” yet the one who the scholar of the law had to admit “was neighbor to the robbers’ victim.” This compassionate man treated the victim’s wounds, used his own animal to take him to an inn, and paid for his lodging and care, promising to make good any remaining balance upon his return. Here’s the kicker: Jesus tells the scholar of the law (and tells us!) to “Go and do likewise.” Singer and songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter in “Stones in the Road” from the album of the same name sings: “The “starving children” have been replaced by souls out on the street. We give a dollar when we pass and hope our eyes don’t meet.” These lyrics haunt me. I have been stingy with my care for the unfortunate I’ve encountered who make me feel uncomfortable. When I look at my attempts at kindness and compassion in the light of the Good Samaritan’s I know I have much work to do and that I could be “weighed in the balance and found wanting” (Daniel 5:27) But as Paul writes in his letter to the Colossians (today’s second reading):
For in him [Christ Jesus] all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross. Thanks be to God. There is good reason for hope. Siempre adelante, Dominic MacAller Worship Minister Readings 6/28/2025 Feast of St. Junipero SerraPsalm 46:2, 5-8 – “God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress...Streams of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High. God is in its midst; it shall not be shaken; God will help it at the break of day. Though nations rage and kingdoms totter, he utters his voice and the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.” Ancient Israelites thought of Jerusalem as God’s city, and the ark of the covenant within the temple as God’s footrest (1 Chron 28:2, Psalm 132:7). The Lord was in their midst to receive their worship, to be their hope, their safety, and their God. So many centuries later, we still find our Lord in our midst, a blessing to us in the Eucharist and in the holiness of the place where we worship, no longer a temple in Jerusalem, but a special place on the western edge of the known world, on our blessed hill, in our own place of the heart. Thirty years after its construction, our church still manages to appear intriguingly modern, yet with its massive columns and monumental stone altar it invites us into a dialogue with an ancient past. It’s both beautiful and unique, a blessing for us who worship there. Architecturally, it is worthy in itself. I often see people entering it for the first time, stare at the amazing ceiling, and take in the grandness of the space, teased by the surprising placement of the altar, uniquely fashioned of rough stone; they pull out their phones to take pictures. When I see this, it challenges me to appreciate in a renewed way this stunning place of worship in which I so often find myself. It’s right that we take this moment to cherish the building that shelters us from the elements, and edifies us by its beauty. I am so grateful to Fr. Liam Kidney and the amazingly big-hearted generation, many still among us, who gave so generously to build our Padre Serra church. More importantly, though, on this anniversary, we need to deepen our connection to each other. Three thousand years after our psalm’s composition, there is still a community of people who come weekly to the holy dwelling of the Most High, who find God in their midst. We still say, “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.” We no longer offer bulls and spotless lambs on an altar outside our temple. Instead we enter into a timeless moment of Jesus’ gift of himself to us on a cross, proclaiming forever and always that we are loved. How blessed we are to have such a deep knowledge of the Father through the life, ministry and teaching of Jesus, the eternal Word of God. Strengthened by our worship of our God in this church, we carry on in like fashion with the disciples of every generation that proceeded us, to seek out the deepest encounter we can have with Jesus, and to serve as his disciples. We now live in that furthest corner of the world to which he sent the first generation of believers. We carry on their work, still, here in this sacred place. Even more sacred than the place is that ministry; even more sacred than the ministry, is our community of disciples, beloved of the God in our midst. On this 30th Anniversary of the consecration of our parish church for service to God and God’s people, I exhort you to celebrate everything that has happened in this holy place, and to renew your commitment to carry on our sacred trust, our mission from Jesus, to build the Kingdom in this place. Happy anniversary, dear fellow parishioners, from your priest Fr. Patrick Pastor 6/21/2025 God Stirring Up the Hearts of His PeopleHello Friends, On this feast day of Corpus Christi, the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage will conclude in Los Angeles. I am reminded of a chance encounter I had with the Eucharistic Pilgrimage. Last summer, I made a trip to Missouri to help my daughter with some heavy yard work. After our weekend together, she left early Monday morning for work. I had time before my flight home to attend Mass at the nearby parish. To my surprise, the church parking lot was full for a Monday morning Mass. Walking through the parking lot, I spotted a van wrapped like a billboard announcing the Eucharistic Pilgrimage. I had stumbled onto the Serra route of the Eucharistic Pilgrimage, which was making a stop in this little town of Warrensburg, MO, on the way to the Eucharistic Congress. What a special blessing it was to come across this caravan of pilgrims from California. After Mass and adoration, I joined the Eucharistic procession as we walked the surrounding neighborhood in light rain. The source and summit of our faith was being carefully sheltered in a canopy by the faithful leading the procession. The graces one receives from attending Mass are not always immediately evident. But in this case, the grace of being able to join this solemn and sacred Eucharistic procession on what started as an ordinary day was an absolute joy. What was it that moved thousands of people to join the caravan as it traversed the country? Jesus is the focus of the Eucharistic Revival currently underway. It was a blessing for me to be able to join the faithful accompanying the Real Presence of Christ for this short segment. The blessings from this encounter continued when I returned home. The headline on the Eucharist Revival home page is, “Revival is not something we do, it’s God stirring up the hearts of his people”. It was the stirring that led me to explore the eucharistic revival.org website, where I found encouragement in the spirit of Peter, who encouraged early Christians to, “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope” (1 Peter 3:15). I was familiar with a famous quote from the writer Flannery O’Connor about her defense of the Blessed Sacrament: “Well, if it’s just a symbol, to hell with it.” Thepithy quote holds much more significance in the context of her life story. There is an excellent article by Fr. Damian Ference on the eucharisticrevival.org website about Flannery O’Connor that adds more color to the quote. In that article, he describes how when Flannery was later reflecting on the scene at the party where she made the statement, she said, “That was all the defense I was capable of but I realize now that this is all I will ever be able to say about it, outside of a story, except that it is the true center of existence for me; all the rest of life is expendable."  On this feast of Corpus Christi, let us make this gift of Christ’s Presence the center of our existence and renew our love for the mysterious gift of the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ that is the Eucharist.
Siempre Adelante Manuel Leon Business Manager |
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