The seasons of life and transitioning to what comes next

Dear Parish family,
My name is Manuel Leon. I am the new business manager here at Padre Serra. My wife, Patti, and I have been married for 27 years. We live in Moorpark and attend Holy Cross Church. We have two adult daughters. Our daughter Rebekah and her husband Rigo live in Burbank. Our daughter Rachel is a second lieutenant in the Air Force and is currently stationed at Whiteman AFB in Missouri.


After 40 years of working in telecommunications, I retired from Charter Communications in April 2022 to help care for my elderly mother. The demands of my regional responsibilities at Charter made it challenging to get away from work to spend time at my mother's house in Santa Ana. As my mother’s health failed, it became evident that I could not reconcile work priorities and spending time with my mother. Retirement was a blessing that allowed me to spend more time with my mother during the final year of her life. My siblings, who lived near my mother, had assembled a talented team of caregivers to provide for her essential needs. My part was easy; conversing with her, praying the rosary, and holding her hand.


My mom’s passing was no surprise at 95, but that did not prevent those of us that knew and loved her from experiencing the sadness and grief that come when someone dear passes away. I took comfort in knowing that my mom died with Christ. She led a prayerful life, and we often prayed together. She introduced me to my Catholic faith, and throughout her life, she gently and lovingly encouraged me to grow closer to Christ by practicing our Catholic faith.


Today’s gospel is a beautiful invitation from Christ to walk with Him in difficult times. “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” Jesus promises us that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. While this does not mean that He will remove all hardship from our lives, Jesus is inviting us to walk with Him, and by freely accepting this invitation, we can look over our shoulder and know that Jesus is walking along with us and the burden is just a bit lighter.


Since becoming the new business manager last month, I have met many dedicated people who work diligently in the background to ensure the church and the campus are ready to serve the needs of the faithful. I feel blessed to be part of this pastoral team. 

It is a joy to work with the group of people dedicated to the service of this parish.
Siempre Adelante, 

Manuel Leon
​Business Manager