Happy Sunday!

Whenever I watch shows or movies about inheritances, there is always a theme of people trying to earn it, no matter what. Whether it’s Willy Wonka, Succession or even Game of Thrones, there always seems to be a war between the greedy and powerful. In some cases, the meek and humble succeed, but the vast majority of characters are greedy and cutthroat. These stories are meant to make you feel uncomfortable.

In today’s responsorial psalm, we proclaim “You are my inheritance, O Lord!” Is this inheritance we desire different than the ones we hear in the other stories? Yes, and it’s because the pursuit of this inheritance is not filled with anxiety.

The fact that God explicitly created us to share in His inheritance makes it quite different. Everyone who has existed has/had “a piece of the pie.” If God created us to spend all eternity in His love, His whole intent is to allow us be with Him in eternal peace and happiness. In other stories, we tend to hear about the isolation and anxiety of the pursuit of great power and success; with God, He calls us to inheritance that does the opposite. His inheritance gives us eternal peace.

Even the fact that God humbled Himself and became man shows that it is different. God is willing to become man and experience death just to show us His desires for us.

While these letters generally don’t focus on the Responsorial Psalm, it hit me pretty hard as I was preparing to write. Especially because it’s something we proclaim frequently and often take for granted.
​
The psalm really got me thinking this week, though. The word “inheritance” is such a powerful word and it shows the immense nature of God’s love for us. Living a true Christian life means we have to understand that our inheritance isn’t earned, but rather, it is given. It also means that it’s not just intended for us, as individuals, but rather, for every single living person.

Dear Parish Family,

Our readings this Sunday, teach us important lessons about faith, sacrifice and trust in God. By
reflecting on these stories, we can better understand our own faith journey, so that we may live in a
way that pleases God.

The Widow’s Trust: When Elijah asks a widow who is struggling to survive, to share her food with
him. Though she has very little, she places her trust in God’s promise, and feeds Elijah. Her trust
leads to a miracle. Her jar of flour and jug of oil do not run out.

The Scribes’ Motives: During this time, there was a huge pressure to fit in with the dominant
cultures of the Romans and Greeks, as they influenced daily life, such as language, customs and
beliefs. The Scribes stood out by not giving in to the surrounding culture. This was seen as brave
and gave them honor and prestige. However, we must ask about their motives. Did they resist
because of true faith, or was it to have the attention and honor of the community? Their actions
seemed more about gaining approval from others rather than genuinely serving God.

The Widow’s Sacrifice; In our Gospel, we hear about a widow’s might that shows a different kind
of bravery. The widow gives all that she has, leaving her with nothing. Her sacrifice comes with a
deep trust in God. Unlike the Scribes, there is no honor or praises for her actions. No one notices,
except for Jesus. Her faith and trust are pure, and her sacrifice shows her deep love for God.
The widow’s example challenges us. Are we willing to give all we have to God?

It is all still true today; we all face pressures to follow what is socially accepted or encouraged, that
may not align with our faith. Like the scribes, we might sometimes be tempted to act in ways that
earn us praise and acceptance. We need to examine our motives and ensure that our actions come
from a place of genuine faith and devotion to God. True sacrifice is giving without expecting
anything in return. 

When we put our trust in God’s promise, instead of ourselves or material things, God always provides to those who put their trust and faith in Him.



Siempre Adelante,


​Tere Delgado

Faith Formation Minister 

Hello Friends,

It has been just over a year since I joined the parish staff as business manager, and this weekend, I will be reviewing the
parish financial report with you.

A bit of background on how parish finances operate. Many of you know Pam Kingsley, our finance administrator. We
are blessed to have Pam in this role. Pam oversees the parish's day-to-day financial operations, reconciles accounts,
records payments, and generates the financial reports we review with Fr. Patrick and the finance council. She diligently
looks out for the parish's interests and is a joy to work alongside.

The parish finance council is a group of volunteers that advise the pastor on parish finances. Over the last year, Fr.
Patrick, Pam, and I have met with the finance council just about every month to review the income and expenditures
from the prior month. This collaborative effort allows us to examine trends, plan for future expenses, and discuss how to
communicate with the parish. We also review and approve both the year’s budget and the prior year’s financial report to
the archdiocese. We are very fortunate to have good counsel from the terrific group of volunteers who comprise the
finance council. The volunteers on the finance council are: 

        Joe Loll, retired public accountant, head of the parish council

        Laura Meissner, engineer, executive director, and business owner

        Gene West, retired lawyer

        Kathy Milner, managing director of enterprise risk management

        Kevin Hrabovsky, senior vice president and financial advisor

        Laurie Milleman, retired senior manager and chief accounting officer

        Sean Duffy, certified public accountant 

​Fr. Patrick has previously mentioned how the canons of the church place financial responsibility on the pastor. The responsibility is Fr. Patrick’s, but he values the advice of the finance council in helping him make key decisions about parish finances. I have also greatly benefited from the creative and thoughtful advice from the finance council. Each of us involved in overseeing parish finances is committed to ensuring we spend wisely, according to the intent of the giver, and in fulfillment of the mission of encountering Jesus and becoming his disciples. 

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the finance report.




Manuel Leon

​Business Manager

In today’s Gospel, the Pharisees again try to test Jesus. This is a common theme throughout the Gospels; people trying to trap Jesus into saying something wrong. Jesus, per usual, recognizes the trap, corrects them and humbles them with the truth.

Jesus condemns their trap and explains that because of the “hardness of heart” of themselves and their ancestors, those laws were created. He also uses children as an example of those who are able to accept the kingdom of heaven.

It is not a coincidence that Jesus calls out their lack of openness, while explaining the openness children generally have. We have heard plenty of times that the ones who are like children have a better grasp of heaven. But why is that?

It’s often true that children have trust in those who love them. I, in my perfection, probably do not deserve the full trust of my children. Somehow, though, they still trust in me. If me, in my imperfection, can be fully trusted by my kids, why shouldn’t we trust our Father in Heaven fully? There is no doubt in my mind, that God deserves that trust and it is often through the hardness of our hearts that we don’t fully trust Him. We even, at times, try to test Him and His love.

​So, when Jesus exclaims that the children are the ones who fully grasp heaven, it is not a statement based on their naivete or lack of wordly experience, but rather, His statements are based on the love and trust children inherently have. Especially in the One who never lets us down. Let’s pray that we all experience and develop that full trust on God, especially in times when we cannot fully grasp it.

Let’s pray that we all experience and develop that full trust on God, especially
in times when we cannot fully grasp it.
I pray that through time with Him in prayer, liturgy and the Eucharist, we realize
that He is indeed the perfect and all-loving Father.
Let us embrace being like children and assume that identity of his children. 

God Bless,
​
Brett Becker
Youth and Young Adult Minister

I was baptized as a newborn and received the sacrament of Confirmation just one month before my First Holy Communion when I was just seven. Not surprisingly, memories of any of these are limited and manifested from the mind of a child or as told to me by parents and godparents. It was only through the ensuing years that I fully realized the impact each of these would have.

Many people share similar stories, but not all. I remember well the joy displayed by a young girl at an Easter Vigil many years ago. Upon exiting our large baptismal pool, the pre-teen with tears in her eyes had the most infectious smile I had ever seen. It was obvious to all of us present that she genuinely understood the meaning of rebirth into God’s family as one of His children. That joy never left her nor did her zeal to live out her mission. Her witness at such a youthful age continues to lift me and I’m confident many others to this day.

Whether we recall our own baptism or only saw it in pictures, our invitation to live out Jesus Christ’s and the Church threefold mission as priest, prophet, and king is the same. Much like the Holy Spirit descended upon seventy elders, including Eldad and Medad (Numbers 11:25-26), we too have received the same prophetic character through Baptism and Confirmation regardless of our position in life. Our role as prophets calls us to evangelize all people (and ourselves) by word and example so to prepare a way for the Lord making Him fully visible in all of us. We can achieve this through outreach, works of love, and spiritual works of mercy. Prospects are all around waiting for us to share our God given gifts for the growth of the kingdom.

Padre Serra provides many opportunities to participate in the Church’s mission. You can choose to immerse yourself in the Saint Vincent de Paul Society helping the poor and oppressed. You may want to share your gift of words through the Writers’ Group. Perhaps, you feel called to bring Holy Communion to the Sick and Homebound or to contribute otherwise. Whether you select one or many of the ministries available, know that your impact will be felt.

This weekend and next, Padre Serra is hosting ‘Many Hands, Many Hearts.’ This Ministry Fair is certain to assist each of us as we discern how to best utilize our individual charisms thereby living out our own prophetic character. The multitude of ministerial opportunities range from prayer and Bible study to selfimprovement, outreach, liturgy, accompaniment as well as many others. What a perfect way to celebrate the love of God shared with us unconditionally and daily. 

What a perfect way to be the face of Christ to others and see Him in others. What a wonderful opportunity to live out our parish mission statement,


​“Encounter Jesus, Be Disciples.”



Endless Blessings,
Deacon Luc and Diana Papillon

Dear Parish Family,

​Today’s gospel is one of the first gospels I remember hearing as a child, as I was preparing to make my first communion. At a first quick glance of this gospel, it's just the great miracle of the multiplication of the bread. Very appropriate in connection to communion; all are fed by our Lord. Thinking back now and looking deeper, I see that it is also very much a message of how we are all meant to contribute to our Eucharistic celebration.

When I heard this gospel as a child, I remember thinking how special and brave this boy was who brought his loaves of bread and fishes to contribute to the meal of thousands. As an adult, I also see Philip’s point of the enormity of the challenge. How to feed so many? Who could afford such a task? And here is the young naive boy who somehow thinks 5 loaves and 2 fishes could possibly make a difference. But that is just the thing! We see as man sees, not as God sees. To a young child some of life’s problems always have the most simple fixes. A typical child's response is just do it, it's not that hard.

​This is the invitation to us too, how will we contribute to the communion meal? Are we willing to bring what we have? To allow God to bless it and break it and use it to feed the many. We are all called to be active participants of the Eucharistic meal. 

We all have something to bring; Bring it all to our Lord, the good (joys, time, talent and treasure), bad and ugly (struggles, fears, weakness, burdens and yes, even our sinfulness), because our Lord will transform it all! To the point that there will be baskets full of blessings left over.


Blessings,

Tere Delgado
​Faith Formation Minister

Hi Everyone!

We often yearn for rest and it makes plenty of sense. Without proper rest, we are unable to work efficiently or have a clear head to make important decisions. A lifestyle that is too busy can lead to exhaustion and anxiety. I know this is common sense, but I only mention it because Jesus also understood the importance of rest when it comes to discipleship.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus directly tells his Apostles to rest. With the great success of their ministry, and with hoards of people who have become interested in Jesus and his message, Jesus doesn’t ask his Apostles to work overtime, but rather, he asks them to rest.

Why would he tell them to rest after such great success? Why wouldn’t Jesus ask the Apostles to take advantage of the opportunity to save more souls, while interest is at an all-time high? I think the answer to these questions is quite simple. We need to be nourished to help feed others and rest in the Lord is necessary to continue our mission.

Jesus and his Apostles may not have gotten a lot of rest in this passage, but they did get some. And I assume that the little rest that they received helped them to thrive in their ministry and boost their energy. Our God knows us, His apostles, so well, and he knows that they need to be nourished to spread the good news. He is not reckless. He cares for those who He commissioned.

​This is no different for us. Rest in crucial when it comes to discipleship. Burnout can be a factor when it comes to bringing people to God. Whether the burnout is from work, family or current events, it is absolutely necessary for us to create time to rest in the presence of our God.

It will help us to see with more clarity and to act with more love and vigor.


God Bless,
​

Brett Becker
Youth and Young Adult Minister

Dear Friends,


In this weekend’s gospel from Mark, we hear Jesus send his apostles out, two by two, to preach and to heal and to drive out demons. He was quite clear that they should take nothing for the journey but sandals and a walking stick — no food, no sack, no money, no extra clothing. Jesus knew that he had equipped them well to do what he was sending them to do — and do it well they did!

I think we are well aware that we also are sent to proclaim good news. If you’re like me, that assignment may cause some discomfort. Knowing our weaknesses as we do, we may be tempted to wonder if the Lord really knows what he is doing, entrusting this work to us (or to others we may know who “rub us the wrong way”).

The second reading this weekend reassures us (or at least neutralizes any excuses or exemptions) that we are actually who God has in mind, just as we are. Writing to the community at Ephesus, St. Paul says:

     Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him.

Note the use of the past tense: “who has blessed” and “as he chose us in him.” Note also for what he chose us: “To be holy and without blemish before him.” It can take a big leap of faith and trust to believe that I will ever be “holy and without blemish.” But God assures us in Isaiah 55:11, “So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but shall do what pleases me achieving the end for which I sent it.”

That is reassuring if we worry that we will somehow mess up God’s plan in our clumsy efforts to cooperate with it. And as for the good news we are to share, how about this, also from the second reading:
     
​      In [Jesus] we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us.


And, if that weren’t enough, in Confirmation, we were “... sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the installment of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of his glory.”
To paraphrase a slogan going around church circles recently, “God does not call the qualified; rather, God qualifies the called.” 

      On this Father’s Day, we recognize this is what great role models do every day.
They put aside their own needs in favor of embracing their responsibilities as parents and mentors. 
They become shining examples in the world.  They remind us of the One, the Father of all.


​
Endless Blessings,

​
Deacon Luc and Diana Papillon 

​

Dear friends on the journey,

Last week I had the great opportunity to cruise to Alaska. The sun’s illumination of the immense beauty of the Pacific Northwest for more than nineteen hours a day reminded me of God’s wisdom of the seasons. I’m not certain I can select a favorite season as they each bring their own colors, sights, wonders, and opportunities. Even though I am no longer a student, or a parent of students, and work year round, I still look to summer as a break. I love summer for so many reasons. Longer days and warmer weather allow us to enjoy simple things like dinners on the patio, swimming after a day’s work, and watching sunsets at the beach. Summer beckons us outdoors to enjoy concerts in the park, BBQ parties with friends and family, and vacations near and far. Summer offers a slower pace to garden, read, and do long-awaited projects around the house.

I also find summer to be a season of Sabbath, a time to slow, rest, enjoy God’s creation and tend to our spiritual life. So, at this midpoint of the year, one way to do that is to revisit the covenantal promises we made in January:

Sabbath I will plan for the full experience of the Mass and be mentally present. I will prepare before, arrive early, journey through the gardens as if on a pilgrimage from my car to the holy ground of the church sanctuary, and be wide open to what will happen at the table.

Gratitude Each night before retiring, I will think of three things from the day for which to be grateful.

Examine In an effort to grow as a child of God, I will review my day and recognize those moments when God was most present,
acknowledge my failures, and ask forgiveness.

Prayer I acknowledge that any place can be holy ground (laundry room, car line, red lights ...) and make it a habit to pray when I: pump gas, enter home/work/school, hear a siren, pass any church, cemetery, hospital, or school.

Jesus As I grow in my relationship with Jesus, I will strive to choose faith over fear and encourage others to do the same.

Discipleship I will focus on the difficult teachings of Jesus to forgive over and over again, to love enemies, to pray for those that
persecute.

Evangelization I will preach the “Good News” with family and friends by sharing what God has done in my life and by actively inviting them to join me at church.

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 Over the course of the next year, I will choose a local and international mission to support with my time, talent, and treasure.

​Stewardship (support of parish) I will examine my heart, my budget, and my schedule to see how I can support the parish in service.

Hello Friends,

It is a common theme of my faith journey that many of the rich Catholic practices I now cherish were late discoveries for me but are, in fact, well-established practices in our Catholic faith. Visiting the Blessed Sacrament has only been a part of my prayer life for the last ten years or so. I have always been Catholic, but I was not always attentive to God’s prompting to draw me closer. Once I finally responded to God’s calling to spend time with Him, I found my appointments to meet our Lord in Eucharist adoration to be the most fruitful time of prayer.

At first, carving out a few minutes to pray before the Blessed Sacrament was almost a survival tactic. During rough patches of living out career and family life, I sought refuge with the Blessed Sacrament. I became very familiar with several parishes across the LA area as I was usually far from home during the workday. A fifteen-minute stop to visit the Blessed Sacrament would turn into thirty minutes – time flew. Once outside of the church or chapel, life’s problems were still there waiting for me, but prayer before the Blessed Sacrament had changed me, and my reaction to those same problems was different. This is the great gift that God gives us of His presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus said, “I will be with you always until the end of the age” (Mt 28:20), and in the Blessed Sacrament, through faith, we are in the presence of our Lord. After receiving many graces during those moments of prayer, I wanted to go back and just spend time with Him and be attentive to what God wanted to tell me. Whether out of desperation or in gratitude, God always responds with His grace.
​
Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, and our attention turns to the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The long-awaited (it has been 83 years since the last one) 10th National Eucharistic Congress will take place in July in Indianapolis. Last year, Pope Francis wrote to the organizing committee of the National Eucharistic Congress, “It is my hope, then, that the Eucharistic Congress will inspire Catholics throughout the country to discover anew the sense of wonder and awe at the Lord’s great gift of himself and to spend time with him in the celebration of the Holy Mass and in personal prayer and adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.” The real presence of Christ in the Eucharist has been central to the Church’s teaching since the beginning. From Paul’s first letter to the Church in Corinth (1 Cor:10-16) to Pope Francis, the Eucharist remains the Source and Summit of the
Christian life (L.G. 11). In his book “Visits to the Blessed Sacrament” St. Alphonsus Liguori wrote, “Realize that you may gain more in a quarter of an hour of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament than in all other practices of the day” Those words ring true in my spiritual life.

Dear Friends,

“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

This is how we begin all our communal prayer as Catholics and much of our private prayer as well. We make the Sign of the Cross while saying it, putting ourselves under its protection. We bless those we love with the same sign, and we are blessed at our baptism, at our funeral, and many times in between with the Sign of the Cross, invoking the Holy Trinity.

It would be arrogant and foolish of me to think that I could explain to you the doctrine of the Trinity, or even to think that I understand it myself. Yet it is something we believe as Catholics. It’s one of the Big Basics — One God, Three Persons. It is a Mystery — a truth we can meditate on, contemplate, pray about, yet never fully grasp, never understand. I have no original thoughts on this, God knows, but I will share some thoughts with you that I remember from what I have heard over the years in homilies given by people whose wisdom I respect, right here at Padre Serra. Here they are, in no particular order, and paraphrased:


        • One God, Three Persons — and each of the three is God in all God’s fullness
        • The Trinity as a way to imagine with our finite mind what is infinite
        • Father, Son and Holy Spirit as the ideal familial relationship
        • The Holy Spirit as the “embodiment” of the love between the Father and the Son
        • Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer — this one is problematic, though, because it implies distinct attributes to each
            of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity who all accomplish all of these things

Maybe God gave us the doctrine, the truth of the Trinity to help us turn to him more readily when we feel particular kinds of needs. For example:

       • When we are awestruck by the beauty of creation, and need to address thanksgiving and praise to God, the Father Almighty,                      Creator of Heaven and Earth
       • When we are acutely conscious of our sins and failings, and our great need for forgiveness and healing, and need to address                        sorrow, love and repentance to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Redeemer
      • When we seek courage, strength and inspiration to continue responding to God’s call in the face of challenges, and need to                           address our neediness and thirst to the Holy Spirit, the mighty wind, the breath of life, the giver of wisdom