Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
When I was 22, I entered St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time. It floored me. I could hardly take it in, its grandeur, majestic arches, vibrant colors, and the light that danced through its high windows. Somehow, amidst such splendor, I felt an overwhelming sense of belonging, as if I had finally come home.
Jesus reorients how we Catholics see sacred buildings. In today’s Gospel he says, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:13-22). His riddle implies, shockingly, that his own body is now the fundamental dwelling place of God and humanity. The temple in Jerusalem has been superseded.
In our churches today — whether they mirror the basilica’s grandeur or embrace humble simplicity — we experience architectural symbols of Christ’s risen body. It is no accident we call them “churches”: they make visible in brick-and-mortar Christ’s body which is made up of the living stones we call Christians. Each church building, like St. John Lateran in Rome, or St. Peter’s, or any other, is meant to be a vibrant sign of Christ’s resurrected body. We should cherish and protect our churches as places where heaven touches earth, where we, as a community, are raised to the fullness of life in Christ. — Father John Muir ©LPi
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Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
When I was a kid growing up in New England, I’d occasionally go on a whale watch. Once we went out with calm waters and clear skies. But on the way back in, the sea got rough. I was just a kid, and I remember thinking we should turn left or right toward the shoreline I could see. But the pilot of the boat kept going straight — right into the waves — focused on a small, discouragingly distant lighthouse. Even when it flickered in and out of sight, he stayed the course. He knew where he was going.
That image comes to mind when I hear Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel regarding false messiahs: “Do not follow them” (Luke 21:8). In times of chaos or uncertainty, there are always voices offering easier routes, promising false safety, claiming to speak for God. But Jesus isn’t found in the loudest voice or the nearest shoreline. He is steady, like a lighthouse in the storm.
The tribulation of which Jesus speaks — it’s real. It happened to the Temple, it happened to him, it happens in the Church, and it will come to each of us. But the command is not to panic. It’s to endure. To keep steering toward him. Faith isn’t about having all the answers or dodging every wave. It’s about knowing where the lighthouse is — and trusting it enough to keep going, especially when false safety beckons us to stop. — Father John Muir ©LPi
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The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Not long ago, I was called to a hospital to anoint a woman in her early 80s. She was dying, and visibly in pain. But what struck me most wasn’t her suffering — it was the atmosphere in the room. She had eight children and 30 foster kids, and many of them were gathered around her. You’d expect sorrow, fear, maybe even despair. But the room was filled with something else entirely — a quiet strength, a kind of sweetness. It was as if she was suffering not just with them, but for them. And they, in love, were suffering for her. The pain was real. But so was the peace. I didn’t want to run. I felt as if I was in a little paradise, beeping machines and all.
I think of that moment when I hear today’s Gospel. Jesus, hanging on the cross, doesn’t look like a king. But one of the crucified, dying men beside him sees through the suffering and says, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). That word — remember — literally means to make someone a member again. He’s asking to be joined to Christ, to become part of his Body. And Jesus says, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
He doesn’t say, “I’ll take your suffering away.” He says, “You will be with me.”
That’s the strange power of Christ the King. He doesn’t rule by avoiding suffering. He reigns by entering into it, and transforming it with love.
What are you suffering right now in your life? Likely you want it to stop. But if we are willing to suffer with him — paradise begins even today. — Father John Muir ©LPi
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First Sunday of Advent
A few years ago, my house was broken into on Super Bowl Sunday. Turns out, it’s a great day for burglars. If the TV isn’t on, people are probably watching the game somewhere else, so … easy pickins’. I’ll never forget walking into my bedroom and realizing someone had been there. My stuff was thrown all over the floor. The closet was torn apart. It was disorienting and disturbing — someone had invaded the space I thought was secure. After that, I bought an alarm system. And every Super Bowl Sunday since, I’m extra careful to lock the doors and keep the lights on. That experience made me more alert. Not scared. Just attentive.
That’s much like the spiritual place Jesus wants us to be on this first Sunday of Advent. He doesn’t start the season with soft candlelight and cozy manger scenes. He starts with two brutal images: a flood and a thief. In other words, chaos and violation.
Why? Because life will flood us. Chaos will come. And in the midst of it, Christ will come like a thief — not to steal from us, but to steal us back. He is the intruder we should want. The one who breaks in, not to ransack, but to rescue.
Christ presents himself as the thief but also the new Noah. He builds the ark of the Church to carry us through the flood. And he invites us to join him. How? By participating fully in our parishes. By making our homes places of prayer. By guarding our hearts with truth. By refusing to let spiritual complacency leave us exposed. By repentance.
This Advent, don’t just stay vaguely “awake.” Prepare. Build. Watch. The flood will come. But so will he. — Father John Muir ©LPi
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Second Sunday of Advent
This week we hear that John the Baptist is out in the wilderness eating “locusts and wild honey” (Mark 1:6). It’s not just a strange historical detail. It’s a symbolic expression of a healthy spiritual diet. The path to Christ includes both the hard and the beautiful, the gritty and the sweet. We have to learn to gulp the locusts and savor the honey.
I remember working with a young couple preparing for marriage. They were sincere, but raw — barely beginning to discover faith. Part of me wanted to rush them ahead, to fill in all the gaps, to bombard them with scripture and church documents. I swallowed that instinct. It was like eating locusts.
But I also recall them light up as they spoke about each other, about their first child, then their second. And they wanted to be close to God. Something innocent and beautiful was unfolding. That was the honey. I knew God was asking me to savor it.
This Advent, maybe we’re each being invited to accept both locusts and honey. Maybe it’s time to stop avoiding the difficult parts of faith — prayer that feels dry, the call to repentance, the patience with the troublesome. It’s time to eat some locusts.
But we also need to notice the small gifts God gives us: a peaceful moment, a good conversation, the joy of serving someone else, new life, good intentions of our friends. That’s the honey. Savor it!
John didn’t avoid either. He took it all in. And so can we. What are your locusts? Your honey? If we let God feed us with both, we’ll be ready — really ready — for the coming of Christ. — Father John Muir ©LPi
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Third Sunday of Advent
When I was 11, I was riding my bike on a Friday night in Scottsdale, Arizona. I saw giant spotlights swirling in the sky. Something amazing had to be happening. I pedaled after them with excitement. Sweaty and tired, I arrived, only to find a used car lot. Bright lights, flapping banners, inflatable balloon men swaying wildly in the wind. I stood there, heart sinking. All that spectacle, and all my effort … for this?
As life proceeds, we learn what it is like to pursue promising but fruitless searches. This week we hear Jesus ask the crowds regarding John the Baptist: “What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind?” (Matthew 11:7). He’s not just describing the crowd’s mis-aimed pursuit. He’s naming our tendency to chase after what’s flashy but flimsy.
What are our swaying reeds? For me, it is endless video reels on my phone, worldly pleasures, entertainment in sports, and the good opinion of others. Inflated distractions that bend whichever way the wind blows. But they can’t satisfy my soul. What are your flimsy reeds?
John the Baptist wasn’t a swaying reed. He was rooted, grounded, unafraid to speak the solid truth. The people went to see him because, deep down, they were starving for something real.
This Advent, the Church asks us to reassess: What are we really looking for? Are we chasing the dazzling but hollow? Or are we seeking what is solid and lasting — that which points to Christ? — Father John Muir ©LPi
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Fourth Sunday of Advent
A priest friend recently told me a remarkable story. One of his cousins reported having a vivid dream in which an angel told him the family needed to exhume their grandmother’s body from a cemetery in New York and return it to her birthplace in Romania. She had been dead nearly ten years. As you might expect, the family thought it was, well, crazy. But astonishingly they exhumed her body. It was incorrupt, showing no signs of decomposition. That experience sparked healing, faith, and reconciliation throughout the family.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Joseph also receives a dream. He’s confused, afraid. But in the quiet of sleep, God speaks: “Do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home” (Matthew 1:20). When he wakes, Joseph acts. He doesn’t overanalyze or dismiss the message. He trusts, and acts.
God still speaks — not necessarily through literal dreams but through those deeper intuitions of the heart. St. Ignatius of Loyola taught that God’s voice draws us into peace, courage, and love. But we have to listen to it. Advent is a time for stillness. As we prepare for Christ’s coming, we’re invited to enter that quiet space where God’s voice can be heard.
When and how do you become most receptive to God? Is it in silence? In prayer? In nature? At Mass? This week, go there. Be still. Listen. And like Joseph, have the courage to act on what God shows you. — Father John Muir ©LPi
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Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
When I was ten, my dad gathered our family around the table in small-town Vermont and told us we were moving to the big desert city of Phoenix, Arizona. We were leaving behind family, friends, and everything familiar. None of us knew what to expect.
But something beautiful happened. As we made the move together, our family grew closer. In retrospect, I’m amazed at my parents’ courage to go on that adventure. Even as a kid I realized our family found, in that challenge, a deeper unity and mutual love.
In today’s Gospel, Joseph is told: “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee…” (Matthew 2:13, 20). First to Egypt, then later to Israel. The Holy Family is frequently challenged to move and change, to adapt to God’s will for them, in order to find safety in the midst of threat. It’s not just an idiosyncratic story about survival. It’s a spiritual pattern for all of us. Every Christian family is called to be a kind of sanctuary, especially in a world full of noise, busyness, and fear.
May I make a practical application for us? The Lord’s Day, Sunday, is perhaps the most practical way we imitate this dynamic we see in Joseph and his family. Sunday is not meant to be just like every other day, filled with errands and stress. It’s meant to be a day set apart; a holy “escape” into rest, worship, joy, and peace. A day to rise, take your family, and flee, into God’s presence.
— Father John Muir ©LPi
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The Epiphany of the Lord
When I was 22, I went on a pilgrimage to Rome for the Jubilee Year of 2000. I was traveling light with just a backpack, one blue shirt and black pants, little money, and no Italian. I had a few close friends and one goal: to reach the Eternal City. Despite the challenges and deprivations, I felt alive in a way I had never known before.
When do you feel most alive? I’d wager it’s not when you’re most comfortable or surrounded by stuff. Rather, it’s when your life is aimed at something great; when you’re on a meaningful and challenging journey with good friends.
That’s the image the Magi give us in today’s Gospel. They set out from the East not with certainty, but with hope. They study the signs, discipline their attention, and journey together, offering the best they have when they find the newborn King.
The Church gives us their story at the start of the year to reawaken something in us. We are not meant to drift. We’re meant to journey as pilgrims. The Jubilee Year of 2025 may have ended, but our pilgrimage has not. Like the magi, the closer we get to Christ, the more alive we become. — Father John Muir ©LPi
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The Baptism of the Lord
Apple ran a commercial not long ago called “Behind the Mac – Greatness.” It shows artists and creators, such as Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, and Lady Gaga, working behind their MacBooks. The narration says, “There’s a certain kind of person who doesn’t wait for greatness. They make it.” It’s a compelling message. There’s beauty in using our gifts with passion and purpose. But there lies a hidden weight in that idea: If you are what you make, what happens when you can’t anymore? When the project fails, the passion fades, or the spotlight moves on, where is greatness then?
Today’s Gospel offers a differing vision of greatness. Jesus steps into the Jordan River. He hasn’t preached, healed, or performed a single miracle. Then the heavens open, and the Father speaks: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” It’s not a reward for success. It’s not earned. Before he does anything “great,” Jesus receives the greatness of his identity from the Father.
And so do you. At your baptism, God said the same thing over you: “You are my beloved.” That is your true identity, not constructed or earned but received. When we see ourselves and others this way, everything changes for the better. We discover a greatness that can never be taken away.
This week, reflect on your baptism: look up the date, thank God for it, pray for those baptized with you, or visit the church where it happened. Let your identity be rooted there.— Father John Muir ©LPi
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Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
It’s common to hear belief in Jesus and the Church mocked as blind faith and credulity. But in reality, it is deeply human and rational. Think about it: we rely on the testimony of others constantly. I trust chemists who certify the safety of toothpaste and cleaning products. I trust engineers when I use a microwave or drive over a bridge. Why? Because they have studied and seen what I have not, and their testimony proves itself in daily life. That kind of trust is not irrational; it is how human knowledge works.
In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist declares: “Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God” (John 1:34). That is the language of an eyewitness. It invites us into a very human act: trusting someone who has directly encountered something — or Someone — we have not yet fully seen ourselves.
The Church’s faith is built on this kind of reliable sight-based testimony. The Apostles did not make abstract claims. They saw, followed, suffered for, and proclaimed Jesus Christ. Over centuries, their witness — carried in Scripture, in the lives of the saints, and in the sacramental life of the Church — has proven dependable. We come to know its truth by assenting to it, by living and studying it, praying with it, trusting it.
Faith in Christ is not a childish leap into the dark. It is a step into the light of testimony that proves itself over time. — Father John Muir ©LPi
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Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
I was 22 years old, lying in bed one night while on a pilgrimage, when I suddenly sensed an idea in my mind: “Go to the seminary.” There was no voice, no vision, but a gentle and unmistakable clarity. I simply prayed, “Lord, if that’s from you, let me find great joy in it.” Three days later, my heart was bursting with joy. I dropped everything and entered the seminary. The older I get, the stranger my rather careless and hasty departure seems to me. I followed not because it made sense, or because I was especially brave. I went because the Lord called me.
Something like this happens in today’s Gospel. Jesus walks by Simon, Andrew, James, and John and says, “Come after me” (Matthew 4:19). And immediately they leave their nets and follow. There’s no explanation, no hesitation … just movement. Why? As St. John says, “In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us” (1 John 4:10). They do not leave their nets because his call made perfect, calculable sense. They left them because they were called. And Jesus’ call is powerful.
Take a moment this week to remember when Christ first called you. However small or quiet it was, recall it, and give thanks. The more we marvel that Christ has called us personally, the more passionately and freely we will follow him.
— Father John Muir ©LPi
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The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed
I lost my wallet this year. It was such an annoyance to replace everything in it. A friend, moved by sympathy, gave me a beautiful new one. One month later I lost that one, too, with all my newly replaced cards. No matter what I did, I couldn’t find what I had lost. I resigned myself to never seeing either of my wallets again.
Fortunately, the Lord Jesus is not like me in this regard. In today’s Gospel (John 6:37–40), he says, “This is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me.” Jesus, unlike me, is ever vigilant with what the Father has given him. He searches for every lost soul — as the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to pursue the one lost sheep, or the woman rejoices upon recovering a lost coin — and even descends to the depths of loss on the cross and into the realm of the dead to recover that which seems forever lost.
On All Souls’ Day, as we remember our faithful departed, these words kindle a hope beyond hope in our hearts. Even the dead are not lost to Jesus, though they may seem so to us. Nothing entrusted to him by the Father is ever truly lost. So, we may hope that every soul, no matter how wandering or forgotten in life, is secure in his loving care and destined to be raised on the last day. Of what the Father gives him, he loses nothing. — Father John Muir ©LPi
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Welcome
November 2, 2025 · Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
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Mass Intentions
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
For the Church, that we may share our faith, hope, and love with the world, bringing comfort to all who mourn, let us pray to the Lord.
That those who are suffering may be consoled and find hope in the promise of the Resurrection, let us pray to the Lord.
For all who care for those nearing the end of their lives, that they may be blessed for their selfless ministry, let us pray to the Lord.
That we may be inspired by those who have pursued a vocation to serve the Church, let us pray to the Lord.
For all our loved ones who have died, that in the fullness of time they may be raised to life eternal with God, let us pray to the Lord.
For all the prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts; for all our intentions spoken and unspoken, and for (read all intentions from 1st page), let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
Next Sunday, we'll have our Vocation Fair outside on the west side of the Church. We invite all youth and those discerning religious life to stop by and talk to one of our Seminarians, Priests, and religious Sisters.
Next Sunday, we'll have a second collection for the Archdiocese for the Military Services. Funds are used for a Co-Sponsored Seminarian Program, Vocation Discernment, Veteran Affairs Chaplaincy, meet the pastoral needs of Military families, and young adults by fostering, through small faith groups, outreach ministry and evangelization among 18-24 year olds in the military seeking to support and deepen their Catholic faith.
Next week, the St. Vicent de Paul truck will be in the school parking lot from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or until their truck is filled with your donations. Due to our limited storage space, we ask you not to leave your donations at the parish office. We appreciate your generosity.
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Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Every now and then readers of these reflections write letters in which they object to something. Years ago, this Gospel of Luke 18 prompted such an email. A man wrote to me: “I find it deeply offensive that you suggest we are still sinners once we are God’s sons and daughters.” His objection stirred in me a profound awareness of the paradox at the heart of our faith. Are we sinners or beloved children of God?
In this Gospel (Luke 18:9-14), a tax collector appears as one who has missed the mark. His sins have isolated him. His breast-beating is not an act of self-flagellation for pride’s sake but a heartfelt admission of his failure and unworthiness. Remarkably, Jesus honors the candid humility of the parable’s penitent. Why? Because we are always in need of mercy, always. But even more, perhaps because on the cross, Jesus will fully embrace a similar place of humiliation and rejection. He will enter into the most shameful, offensive place of the sinner so that we might “go home justified.”
There is a sacred tension in admitting that we are sinners and yet have profound hope. We are beloved sons and daughters of God, growing precisely through our honest acceptance of failure. When we cry, “Have mercy on us,” during Mass or when we repeat the “Jesus Prayer” in quiet moments, or in the confessional, we embrace our imperfections as fertile ground for divine grace. In doing so, we follow Christ’s example — finding true exaltation in the humble acknowledgment of our human frailty.
— Father John Muir ©LPi
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October 26, 2025 · Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
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Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For the Church, that we may truly be a church of the poor and for the poor, humbly recognizing our need for God’s mercy while serving the least of our brothers and sisters, let us pray to the Lord.
B. For those in public office, that they may serve their constituents with humility and be attentive to the cries of those most in need, let us pray to the Lord.
C. That we may cherish every human life, from conception to natural death, for we are all made in the image and likeness of God, let us pray to the Lord.
D. For those who have been widowed or orphaned, that through the love of others they may receive affection, companionship, and tender loving care, let us pray to the Lord.
E. For those who have kept the faith and long for God’s appearance and are approaching the end of their lives, that they may at long last receive the crown of righteousness, let us pray to the Lord.
FFor all the prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts; for all our intentions spoken and unspoken, and for (read all intentions from 1st page), let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
On Friday, October 31st, we will have our Holy Hour at 6:00 p.m. This month, it will be led by Father Eugenio Cárdenas, a member of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit and professor of spiritual theology at the Camarillo Seminary.
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Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
A woman in my parish has an adult son who has rejected his faith. She prays for him every day. She lights candles, says rosaries, and asks God again and again to bring him back. But nothing changes. Is God listening? Is He delaying? She told me once that she feels like the widow in Jesus’ strange parable — crying out for justice, but hearing only silence. And yet, she said, she is at peace. I asked why. She responded, “God is already answering. I just can’t see it yet.”
She embodies something of the mystery in Jesus’ parable this week in Luke 18. A powerless widow demands justice from a corrupt judge. This isn’t about wearing God down until He gives in. It’s about faith in the justice that is already coming. The widow isn’t just persistent; she believes that justice is inevitable. And when Jesus points to the judge’s words — his fear of being “struck” — He hints at something deeper: God’s justice does not creep in gradually. It strikes. It comes like lightning.
Blessed Mary is, of course, the ultimate widow demanding justice. At the foot of the cross she stands before what looks like the ultimate injustice — the brutal execution of her son. But she did not despair. She did not beg for a last-minute rescue. She knew that justice was not delayed. In fact, it was happening. The power of the cross was already unleashing justice upon the world — suddenly, decisively, like a blow that would topple every corrupt power, making even the most corrupt fear her strike.
This parable asks us: will the Son of Man find faith on earth? Or will we mistake God’s silence for absence? The cross proves that justice is not slow. It is only hidden. The lightning has already struck. In the cross, justice is speedily being done. — Father John Muir ©LPi
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Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dorothy Day, the great Catholic activist, doubted God’s existence. At least in her early adult years. But something changed when after giving birth to her daughter, she experienced an overwhelming gratitude. She later described how, as she held her daughter, the only appropriate response was a kind of unlimited gratitude. She had done nothing to deserve such a gift — this tiny, miraculous life — but there she was, flooded with gratitude, completely undone by the love of such a Giver.
Something similar occurs in Luke 17:19 when Jesus tells a healed leper, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.” This man had already received physical healing through his faith. But the moment of an even deeper transformation came when he turned back, fell at Jesus’ feet, and gave thanks. Like Dorothy, this man’s gratitude led him to encounter the Giver.
Isn’t that what we want, too? Gratitude to God has the power to break our chains of sadness, bitterness, and disenchantment. It empowers us to step out of the prison of self-pity and into the reality of God’s abundant love. It shifts our focus from what we lack to what we have received, from what wounds us to what heals us.
Where do we learn this? The Mass. The priest prays: “It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks.” Always. Everywhere. Not just when life is easy. Not just when prayers are answered as we expect. Gratitude is not a passive feeling; it is an act of faith. In the eucharist, we remember that Christ himself has given everything for us. And in this act of gratitude, we are healed.— Father John Muir ©LPi
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Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
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Universal Prayer (Petitions)
For the Church, that we may express our gratitude toward God through the work we do to extend and expand God’s healing mercy, let us pray to the Lord.
For doctors, nurses, and health care workers who have dedicated their careers to care for those who are sick or injured, especially those ill with chronic conditions, that they may know the gratitude of those they treat, their loved ones, and all of society, let us pray to the Lord.
For indigenous people in this country, that they may receive the dignity and reconciliation they deserve, let us pray to the Lord.
That we may be ever grateful for the blessings of this parish community and all who minister to it, let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
We would like to thank everyone who participated in our Parish Fiesta. Information about raffle winners and our Fiesta sponsors can be found in the bulletin. Final Fiesta numbers will be published at the end of the month.
The annual Young Adult retreat, also known as CDJ, will take place on October 19 from 9am to 6:30pm in the LA Convention Center. More information could be found in the flyers that are placed by the entrance of the church.
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Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
I am embarrassed to admit that I frequently find myself dining and socializing with people who have millions and sometimes billions of dollars. I’ve eaten more caviar, lobster and wagyu steak than most people on the planet. I justify it by saying it’s part of my job. But I have seven pairs of nice jeans and expensive shoes.
So it is rather uncomfortable to hear Our Lord say: “My child, remember that you received what was good in your lifetime, while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented” (Luke 16:25). Fellow rich people (and if you’re American, you’re rich), do we not vehemently though quietly object to this parable’s karma-esque reward system? Why bless the rich man just to curse him later? And curse Lazarus just to bless him later? So Americans go to hell, while Burundians and Afghans go to heaven? What is going on?
One clue is that the condemned rich man doesn’t complain of injustice. Rather, he simply begs to help his brothers to repent. Of what? We don’t know exactly. Perhaps another clue is that the rich man now seems more like the downtrodden Lazarus. He knows what it is to be hungry and thirsty, to be wounded in the gutter; that he deserved that, not fancy meals and clothes. Maybe the rich man finally understands how to receive true blessings, but it is too late for him. But not for me. Not for us. — Father John Muir ©LPi
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Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
For the Church, that we may heed the cries of the poor and respond with compassion and charity, let us pray to the Lord.
For the world’s refugees, that they may be kept safe on their journeys and in their new homes, far from everything they have ever known, let us pray to the Lord.
For a bountiful harvest of the fruit of the land this autumn, and for just and generous compensation for all who work to pick, package, and transport the earth’s yield, let us pray to the Lord.
For those who minister to God’s people as priests, that they may be enriched and nourished in their prayer and their work, let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
Our Parish Fiesta is next weekend! Our presale ride tickets and raffle tickets are available for purchase in the Parish office. Presale tickets will be available until Friday at 4:00pm. On Friday, at 4:30pm, we'll start our Parish Fiesta with the dedication of the Youth Center to our late pastor, Father Greg.
We invite all Parish school alumni to join us on Friday of next week at 5pm to join us on stage to reunite classmates, reconnect with friends, and relive cherished memories from St. Joseph School.
Resources
Readings
Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Before I was a priest, I was a lazy worker for a retail Apple store. Hearing a rumor that my boss was going to fire me, I secretly sold iPhones for half-price, gave away dozens of free iPads, and donated several brand-new laptops to managers in other stores in the mall. After a week, my boss called me into his office. He knew what I was up to. He said I had cost the store thousands of dollars. “Really great work, John,” he said. “I am going to recommend you to be my assistant manager and double your pay.” I was amazed.
And so are you. Which is understandable because it never happened. How could it? My tall tale is a retelling of Jesus' brow-furrowing parable we hear this week. A lazy, dishonest steward defrauds his boss and then the “master commended the dishonest servant for acting prudently” (Luke 16:8). What is the Lord saying to us?
Most of us treat our spiritual lives like a lazy teenager at an Apple store. We really don’t care. We go through the motions. Then, if we are lucky, something happens that shakes us to spiritual action; to employ whatever time, money, and resources we have to build around us a strong network of love. Every saint did that. Our Lord is so good he wants us to use his stuff to forgive debts and to bless others. He wants us to ensure our future. So do it! — Father John Muir ©LPi
General Mass Notes
Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Sunday, September 21
6:00 AM
Pilar and Jorge Cochella • †
Aurela Guia • †
Evelyn G. Villanueva • †
Cesar B. Villanueva • †
Rainier G. Lorica • †
Antonio L. Aquino • †
Lan Banh • Thanksgiving
10:45 AM
Richard Mendenhall • †
Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez • †
Filemon Gaspar • †
Napolion y Miriam Aguilera •†
Felipe y Gregoria Murillo•†
Rose Ekweonu • Thanksgiving
12:30 PM
Rogelio De Leon • †
Luciano Espinoza • †
Animas del Purgatorio •†
Familia Miranda-Ibarra • prayer
Liliana Miranda •Prayer
Javier Miranda • Prayer
Vincent and Connie Delgadillo • Aniversary
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
For the Church, that we may model to the world an honest and prudent attitude toward material wealth, using it to lift up the poor and raise up the lowly, let us pray to the Lord.
For world leaders, that they may pursue peace, justice, and reconciliation between nations and regions, let us pray to the Lord.
For catechists, that they may kindle a curiosity in our faith and deepen a love of God in those they teach, let us pray to the Lord.
For those who struggle to put food on the table, buy clothing and basic necessities, or keep a roof over their heads, that they may be lifted up through the generosity of this and other Christian communities, let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
Today's second collection is for our annual Mission Appeal in particular for St. Joseph of the Amazons, which Father Joseph share during his homily. Your contributions enable this community to follow the call to serve the people in this remote and very poor area. We thank you for your generosity.
Our Parish Fiesta is less than a month away, our presale ride tickets and raffle tickets are available for purchase in the Parish office. We are also looking for volunteers for that weekend. If you would be interested in helping please leave your name and phone number in our Parish Center.
The Parish will host its first Holy Hour for Vocational discernment this Friday, September 26, from 6pm to 7pm. We invite everyone to join us and pray together through scripture, reflection, and music.
Resources
Readings
The Exaltation Of The Holy Cross
One of my favorite movies is the 1991 comedy What About Bob? Bill Murray plays a troubled, paranoid hypochondriac named Bob Wiley who innocently but annoyingly hounds Dr. Leo Marvin, played by Richard Dreyfuss. Bob is paralyzed by his fear of, well, everything, and is convinced the psychologist can heal him. But Dr. Marvin’s failed attempts to heal Bob end up driving the doctor to attempt to murder Bob. He fails. The surprise is that, having faced death head on, Bob is suddenly healed. He attributes his healing to Dr Marvin for break-through “death therapy.” In facing the cause of his deepest illness and dysfunction, Bob is healed.
Underneath this light-hearted comedy is a dead-serious resonance with this week’s feast: the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Christ is lifted up on the cross to force us to face the truth of sin and death. In that reckoning we find healing. Like Moses’ snake on a pole, the cross says: this is what is causing your sickness – rebellion, disobedience, sin. Look at it! Don’t run from it. Now seeing it exposed, we see life. We see our physician mercifully healing us. In this sense, we are all like Bob Wiley. The “death therapy” of the cross is our only hope for healing.
This week I invite you to “exalt the cross.” If you don’t have one in your house, get one. Use it for prayer. Gaze on it frequently. It teaches us to not be afraid. It heals us. — Father John Muir ©LPi
General Mass Notes
Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
For the Church, that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross may inspire us to carry our own crosses with the confidence that we never carry them alone, let us pray to the Lord.
That leaders around the world may promote and advance initiatives that save lives, improve health, and aid vulnerable populations, let us pray to the Lord.
For first responders, 911 operators, and other hotline staffers, that they may realize how vital their interventions to save lives are and may be strengthened in their work, let us pray to the Lord.
For our community of faith, that we may see those who are burdened by crosses they feel unable to bear by themselves and step up to assist them as best we can, let us pray to the Lord.
For all the prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts; for all our intentions spoken and unspoken, and for (read all intentions from 1st page), let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
We have a second collection today for the Black and Indian Missions. Your gift will go to help fund programs such as evangelization and catechesis for these missions.
Our Parish Fiesta is less than a month away, our presale ride tickets and raffle tickets are available for purchase in the Parish office. We are also looking for volunteers for that weekend. If you would be interested in helping please leave your name and phone number in our Parish Center.
Next Sunday is our annual Mission Appeal. Father Joseph from the Apostolic Vicariate of St. Joseph of the Amazons, located in the Peruvian rain forest, will be present at every Mass, sharing his mission. Your contributions enable Fr. Joseph's community to follow the call to serve the people in this remote and very poor area. We thank you for your generosity.
Resources
Readings
Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
One hot Arizona summer afternoon my car ran out of gas. I phoned the parish office and begged for help. My secretary came and helped me fill the gas tank. She chided me, “If you can’t manage getting your car from A to B, how can we expect you to guide the parish where it needs to go?” Point taken, Julie. I vowed to always make sure I have plenty of gas in my car.
The Lord Jesus chides us in this week’s Gospel, too. He uses the two images of a man building a tower and a king marching soldiers into war to make this single point: acquire what is needed to follow him or look ridiculous. We rightly mock the builder who lacks money for his tower and the king with a short-handed army. But our mocking boomerangs back on us. How do we expect to follow Jesus to the end with insufficient detachment from our possessions and divided hearts?
The good news is, there is still time. Jesus is building a great tower to heaven–his own body. So we renounce all and give ourselves to him as his precious stones. Jesus is waging a battle against our enemy. So we forsake all and swear allegiance and march under his banner. In this way, we will finish what has begun in our discipleship. Or better put, our Lord will have the stones and soldiers required to see his great work through. — Father John Muir ©LPi
General Mass Notes
Welcome
Mass Intentions
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A.
Announcements
1.
Resources
Readings
Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
©LPi
General Mass Notes
Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Twenty second Sunday in Ordinary Time.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, August 30
5:00 PM
Belle Allcantara • †
Rosalio Guerrero • †
Sunday, August 31
6:00 AM
Jorge and Pilar Cochella • †
Jhonny Higland • †
Jose Vallez Reyes • †
Juan Martin De La Mora • †
Cecilia Williams • Thanksgiving
10:45 AM
Penny Marton • †
Alain Castillo • †
Liz Malto • Prayer
12:30 PM
Jhonny Higland • †
Anabell Gomez • Birthday
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
For the Church, that we may always welcome the poor and forsaken, whom we find at the peripheries of society, and show them that in God’s eyes they are exalted, let us pray to the Lord.
For those who have suffered horrible tragedy, especially those in Minnesota, that they may receive the consolation, the support, and the hope they need to go on, let us pray to the Lord.
For blue-collar and white-collar workers, for farmers, migrant workers, factory workers, office workers, service workers, temporary and part-time workers, and all those whose labor contributes to the betterment of their families, this nation, and society, let us pray to the Lord.
That our faith community may welcome those who are poor, disabled, homeless, or forsaken to join us in the eucharistic banquet, let us pray to the Lord.
For all the prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts; for all our intentions spoken and unspoken, and for (read all intentions from 1st page), let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
Our Soldiers of Christ youth ministry and the First Communion catechists invite you to a special event, next Sunday at 10:30am in the Redahan Hall, to learn and watch the canonization of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati.
Our Parish Fiesta is less than a month away, ourpresale ride tickets and raffle tickets are available for purchase in the Parish office.1.
Resources
Readings
Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time
©LPi
General Mass Notes
Welcome
Mass Intentions
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A.
Announcements
1.
Resources
Readings
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
©LPi
General Mass Notes
Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, August 16
5:00 PM
Hilaria Mercado • †
Jose Hector Barquero • †
All Souls of Purgatory • †
Becky Strong • †
Roda Family • Thanksgiving
Sunday, August 17
6:00 AM
Pilar Maldonado • †
10:45 AM
Ernesto Rendon • †
Consuelo Medina • †
Lisa Steinberg • †
Fr. Gene Buhr • †
Fr. Gregory King • †
Jennifer Lee Tolosa • Health
Ivory Claire Tolosa • Health
Ione N. Betonio • Birthday
12:30 PM
Irene Torres • †
Lorena Navarro • †
Nemesio Cervantes • Health
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
For the Church, that we may truly become a great cloud of witnesses, encouraging each other to persevere in our discipleship through setbacks and hardships, let us pray to the Lord.
For world leaders, that they may exercise wisdom and good judgment when faced with dissent or opposition, let us pray to the Lord.
For those suffering from the summer heat, especially those who must work outside, those who have no homes, and those who cannot afford air conditioning, that they may be kept safe from harm, let us pray to the Lord.
For all who struggle to be faithful witnesses of the Gospel, those suffering from hardship, grief, or doubt, that they may know the support of this faith community, let us pray to the Lord.
For all the prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts; for all our intentions spoken and unspoken, and for (read all intentions from 1st page), let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
Today we have a second collection for the National Combined Fund. This fund supports Black and Indian Missions, Catholic University of America, Catholic Communications Campaign, and Catholic Home Missions Appeal. We thank you for your generosity.
The Parish is looking for dance and music groups for our Parish fiesta which takes place on the first weekend of October. If you are interested, please leave your information at the Parish office.
Resources
Readings
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
©LPi
General Mass Notes
Welcome
Mass Intentions
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A.
Announcements
1.
Resources
Readings
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
©LPi
General Mass Notes
Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, August 2
5:00 PM
Abraham Pivaral • †
Nora Oliva Garcia
Bienvenido Marquez • †
Maria y Angel Alba • †
Purificacion Tuazon Contreras • †
Israel Cristobal • †
Armando Gabriel •†
12:30 PM
Alma Camellia • Health
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For the Church, that we may find fulfillment in becoming rich in what matters to God, let us pray to the Lord.
B. That all those around the world who suffer from hunger, poverty, and unemployment may realize the effects of bountiful harvests through the generosity of those with plenty, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For judges, arbitrators, attorneys, and all who work in our judicial system, that they may exercise their responsibilities with justice and fairness, let us pray to the Lord.
D. That we as a parish may treasure our faith and put it into action, kindly sharing our goodness and virtues with our community and with the world at large, let us pray to the Lord.
E. For all the prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts; for all our intentions spoken and unspoken, and for (read all intentions from 1st page), let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. First Communion and Youth Confirmation registration will take place this Thursday at 7pm in the Parish Center. Details of the documentation needed can be found in our Parish bulletin.
2. Next week, the St. Vicent de Paul truck will be in the school parking lot from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or until their truck is filled with your donations. Due to our limited storage space, we ask you not to leave your donations at the parish office. We appreciate your generosity.
3. The Parish is looking for dance and music groups for our Parish fiesta which takes place on the first weekend of October. If you are interested, please leave your information at the Parish office.
Resources
Readings
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
©LPi
General Mass Notes
Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, July 26
5:00 PM
Anita Figueroa • †
Jose Kaw Quiong • †
Anita Fernandez Alegria • †
Aura Maria Neira de Cortes • †
All souls in purgatory • †
Anthonia Ejakam • Prayer
Patricia Lupio • Birthday
Sunday, July 27
6:00 AM
Luciano Espinoza • †
Adolfo Ramirez Ruiz • †
10:45 AM
Juan Jose Diaz • †
Nicolas & Clarita Cabrera • †
Simon Et Elisabeth Baha • †
Nicolas and Clarita Cabrera • †
Ely Ramos • †
Artemio Veloira • †
Sandy Garcia • Health
Colette Chokowafi • Thanksgiving
12:30 PM
Familia Herrea Chan • Health
Ezekiel Dionicio • Birthday
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For the Church, that we may live out the words of the Lord’s Prayer, ever seeking forgiveness for our sins as we extend forgiveness to those who sin against us, let us pray to the Lord.
B. That nations engaged in war, whether with other countries or internally, may bring their aggression and violence to an end and initiate reconciliation and peace, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For grandparents, great-grandparents, and all seniors, that they may enjoy good health and vitality as they pass on their faith and wisdom to new generations, let us pray to the Lord.
D. For all married couples celebrating a wedding anniversary this year, that they continue to live their vocation of love as an example to their families and to the world of God’s faithful, fruitful, and lasting love. Let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. Adult Confirmation registration will be this Thursday, July 31 from 6pm to 8pm in the Parish Center. Please bring your Baptism and First Communion certificates.
2. The Señor de los Milagros is having a food sale to help raise funds for their annual ministry procession that takes place at the end of October.
3. The Parish is looking for dance and music groups for our Parish fiesta which takes place on the first weekend of October. If you are interested, please leave your information at the Parish office.
4. Our teen ministry, Soldiers of Christ, invites those between the ages of 12 and 17 to their ministry meeting on August 2 from 7pm to 9pm in the St. Joseph Hall.
Resources
Readings
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
©LPi
General Mass Notes
Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, July 19
5:00 PM
Vicente Gallegos • †
Sunday, July 20
6:00 AM
Ana Grace and Rodolfo Requieron • †
Virginia Buenaflor • †
Marie Tan • †
Josefina Olazo • †
Verna Wise • †
Pilar Maldonado • †
Philip Luna • Birthday
10:45 AM
Luciano Espinoza • †
Rita Cisneros • †
Juan Jose Diaz • †
12:30 PM
Alicia Gallegos Cardenas • †
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For the Church, that we may take the time and make the effort to listen to the Lord speak, spending time in prayer and worship, let us pray to the Lord.
B. For relief from the summer heat for those in danger, especially those who are homeless or without air conditioning, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For an end to gun violence across our nation, let us pray to the Lord.
D. That our faith community may offer the hospitality of Abraham and Sarah, and of Martha and Mary, realizing that the presence of God is manifested when we reach out and welcome the stranger or visitor, let us pray to the Lord.
E. For all the prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts; for all our intentions spoken and unspoken, and for (read all intentions from 1st page), let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. We have first year Youth Confirmation registrations today in the Youth Center from 10am to 1pm. There are only 20 available spaces remaining. Please bring your child's baptism and first communion registration. First Communion and Confirmation is open. Requirements are listed in our bulletin.
2. Archbishop Jose Gomez has assigned Father Gustavo Castillo to lead our Parish community! Due to Father Gustavo's responsibilities in the seminary his assignment begins early August. Please pray for our Priests and parish community during this time of transition.
3. Do you feel a call to be a catechist? We are looking for catechists to help instruct our youth and adult confirmation candidates. If you are interested, please leave your name and phone number at the Parish office.
Resources
Readings
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
©LPi
General Mass Notes
Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, July 12
5:00 PM
Ivan Arevalo • †
Sunday, July 13
6:00 AM
Pilar Maldonado • †
Cecilia Williams • Thanksgiving
10:45 AM
Luciano Espinoza • †
Ricky Garcia • †
Victims of Texas Flood • Prayer
Omar y Casey Salgado • Aniversario
12:30 PM
Mercy Mendinueto • †
Jonathan Rodriguez • †
Herrera Family • Health
Brianna Gris Herrera • Birthday
Ana Murguia • Birthday
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For the Church, that we may be a visible sign of respect, kindness, and love for all humankind, ministering without discrimination to all those in need, let us pray to the Lord.
B. For paramedics, emergency responders, doctors, nurses, and all those who treat those who are ill or injured, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For victims of crime or abuse, that they may receive compassion, mercy, and justice as they attempt to recover from their trauma, let us pray to the Lord.
D. For our faith community, that we may put our faith into action by responding with mercy and compassion to those who are suffering, let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. Registration for First Communion and Confirmation is open. Requirements are listed in our bulletin.
2. Do you feel a call to be a catechist? We are looking for catechists to help instruct our youth and adult confirmation candidates. If you are interested, please leave your name and phone number at the Parish office.
Resources
Readings
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
In the days after the awful 2020 killing of George Floyd, a Catholic friend remarked, “Racism is today’s great evil. We should put all our energy into fighting it.” I admired her intuition that the church must stand firmly against evil. Amen, I thought. At the same time, something felt wrong. As months went by, I saw her steadily slide into bitterness and anger. Soon, despondency. She spoke of giving up the fight. Don’t we too wonder how to fight evil without losing our joy or energy?
Jesus’ words this week help. He says, “Rejoice not that you have power over demons, but that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). Notice the asymmetry in where he wants our focus: on the latter, not the former. Should we confidently embrace our God-given power to overcome evil? Absolutely. But even more so, we should emphasize the positive element of our relationship to God. It is tempting but dangerous to define ourselves by what we oppose. It is better to define ourselves by––to rejoice in––what we celebrate: in Jesus, God has written our names in heaven. This sustains our battles.
This week, our marching orders are: fight evil. But more deeply, rejoice that God knows and loves us personally, individually. We allow this joyful knowledge to undergird our fight against the darkness of our day. Then we enjoy long-term stability to be cheerful warriors, who never forget the reason for the contests we are called to fight and win: love. — Father John Muir ©LPi
General Mass Notes
Second collection today.
Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, July 5
5:00 PM
Lauri Lopez • †
Rose Ortiz Lopez • †
Severo Magalon Hernandez • †
Felipe de Jesus Saucedo • †
Familia Angeino Izlas • Prayer
Jose De Jesus Cervantes • Birthday
10:45 AM
Luciano Espinoza • †
Dolores Baltazar • †
Buena Dadacay • †
12:30 PM
Ziania Garcia Sandoval • Health
Brenda Viscaya Sandoval • Health
Noemi Sandoval Alvarez • Health
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For the Church, that we may labor joyfully in the fields for the Lord, so that we may spread the Good News to the ends of the earth and the harvest may be abundant, let us pray to the Lord.
B. For those who labor in fields, in orchards, and on farms all around the world, that their harvest may be fruitful and enjoyed by all, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For safety from the natural disasters all too common in the summer: floods and hurricanes, droughts and wildfires, let us pray to the Lord.
D. For all those who are traveling and vacationing, and for those who give hospitality to guests and visitors, let us pray to the Lord.
E. For all the prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts; for all our intentions spoken and unspoken, and for (read all intentions from 1st page), let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. Today is our annual Peter’s Pence collection, to support the universal Church and the work of the Holy See, including helping Pope Leo (the fourteenth) to carry out his charitable works. These works will benefit our brothers on the periphery of society, including victims of war, oppression and disasters.
2. We'd like to give a warm welcome to Deacon Robert “Bob” Miller who has been appointed as the temporary administrator of our Parish. He will be responsible for all the administrative and pastoral needs of the parish working with the two new associate pastors, Fr. Ramon Reyes and Fr. Martin Joseph. Let’s pray for Deacon Bob and our new priests as they begin their ministry serving our parish.
3. Registration for First Communion and Confirmation is open. Requirements are listed in our bulletin.
4. Do you feel a call to be a catechist? We are looking for catechists to help instruct our youth and adult confirmation candidates. If you are interested, please leave your name and phone number at the Parish office.
5. We thank Grand Premier Banquet Hall in Gardena and his construction company for sponsoring our bulletin; their information can be found on the last page of our bulletin. If you have a business and would like to sponsor our weekly bulletin, you can call the phone number at the bottom of the last page.
Resources
Readings
Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul
What do you call brothers who are born on the same day? Twins, of course. That is what we celebrate today in the inestimable saints, Peter and Paul. Wait: twins? Yes. The early Church believed that Peter and Paul were martyred in Rome on the same day. Since the day of martyrdom is celebrated as a saints’ birth into eternal life, the result is striking: Peter and Paul are twins in God’s family, the Church.
Who should care about this? Well, anyone who longs to live in a world marked by love and peace. Remember, the Romans believed that twins, Romulus and Remus, founded their city through an act of fratricide, the former murdering the latter. Sadly, the structures of this fallen world emerge through violence between those who should love each other. But in the Church, a new city has been founded upon this new set of twins, embodying the non-violent power of Jesus’ cross and resurrection.
That’s why traditional icons represent Peter and Paul in a fraternal and warm embrace. Contrasted with the violence of Rome’s founders, it challenges us with a bold claim: do we believe that structures of merciful love are more powerful and lasting than those based on power, violence, and domination? Am I willing to see others in my life as my “twin,” with whom I am called to give my life for Christ, or as my rival? Am I committed to living what is embodied in Romulus and Remus, or in Peter and Paul? — Father John Muir ©LPi
General Mass Notes
Collection next week.
Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, June 28
5:00 PM
Salvador Paez Aviles • †
Roberto Ambriz De Jesus • †
Eduardo y Ramon Nava • †
Dolores Reyes De Ambriz • Intention
10:45 AM
Fe Ea • †
Petra Vielma Aguilera • †
Mrs. Gloria & Veronica Oliveros • Health
12:30 PM
Pedro Antonio Arce • †
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For Pope Leo the fourteenth, successor of Saint Peter, that he may be blessed with wisdom and fortitude as he tends the Lord’s flock around the world, let us pray to the Lord.
B. For missionaries, who follow in the footsteps of Saint Paul, that they may keep the faith as they preach and apply the Good News of Jesus Christ to the communities they serve, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For our nation, as we celebrate the 249th year of its independence this week, that it may continue to meet the challenge of creating an ever more perfect union, let us pray to the Lord.
D. For our parish community, that we may be inspired by Saint Peter and Saint Paul as we grow together in discipleship of the Lord, let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. Registration for First Communion and Confirmation is open. Requirements are listed in our bulletin. This Sunday, we have adult Confirmation registration from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the St. Joseph Hall. Youth Confirmation registration will be held on Wednesday and Thursday from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Youth Center.
2. The parish will be closed this Friday, July 4th, in observance of Independence Day. We will have Masses at 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. There will be no confessions or exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
3. Do you feel a call to be a catechist? We are looking for catechists to help instruct our youth and adult confirmation candidates. If you are interested, please leave your name and phone number at the Parish office.
4. Next week is our annual Peter’s Pence collection, to support the universal Church and the work of the Holy See, including helping Pope Leo (the fourteenth) to carry out his charitable works. These works will benefit our brothers on the periphery of society, including victims of war, oppression and disasters.
5. We thank Edgar Amaral and his construction company for sponsoring our bulletin; their information can be found on the last page of our bulletin. If you have a business and would like to sponsor our weekly bulletin, you can call the phone number at the bottom of the last page.
Resources
Readings
VI Sunday of Easter
Jonathan Haidt’s 2024 book entitled “The Anxious Generation” argues that today’s kids are marked by significant increases in anxiety, as the title suggests. Smartphones, social media, economic uncertainty, the chaos of a global pandemic, fear regarding climate change, and the so-called “meaning crisis” all contribute to strikingly high levels of anxiety in young people today. I’m a bit older than this generation, but I feel it, too. The world can be too much to handle.
The Gospel this week offers a stunning solution for troubled souls. To his overwhelmed and anxious disciples, the risen Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” (John 14:27). His peace is that of the one who was overwhelmed on the cross and then conquered death by the power of his divinity, his bond of love with the Father. He offers us this unshakeable peace.
Of course, mental illness does not magically disappear because of the risen Jesus. But he does walk with us and offer us his peace in the midst of our suffering. The peace the world gives is not like his because it is weak, uncertain, and self-generated. Jesus’ peace is strong, sure, and given as a gift from God. He gives it to us amid our anxiety. Will you receive it as a gift? I hope so. He wants to fill the hearts of this generation with his peace. — Father John Muir ©LPi
General Mass Notes
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Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Sixth Sunday of Easter.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, May 24
5:00 PM
David Wallin • †
Conception Velasquez • †
Elia Contreras • †
Guadalupe Anaya • †
Rosie Arias • Birthday
Sunday, May 25
6:00 AM
Merlie Samson • †
Pilar Maldonado • †
Irma Rodriguez • †
Maria Jesus Escobar • †
Rosa Amelia Martinez • †
Almas del Purgatorio • †
David Bluestein • †
Chris Chavez • Health
Delmy Julian • Health
Juan Chong • Thanksgiving
10:45 AM
Maria Lourdes Dones • †
Anthony & Michael Ramos • †
Michael Ortega • Prayer
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For the Church, that we may allow the Holy Spirit to guide us when disagreements and controversies arise, for Jesus promised his disciples that the Holy Spirit would teach us everything and remind us of all he told us, let us pray to the Lord.
B. That the peace Jesus left us may permeate all nations so that leaders may pursue ways of peace rather than war, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For students who are graduating, that they may look back fondly at their accomplishments while never losing their joy of learning, let us pray to the Lord.
D. That during this jubilee year and always, we may be pilgrims of hope for those who are not at peace, let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. The Parish office will be closed this Monday, in observance of Memorial Day. We will still have Mass at 8am and 5pm but we will not have confessions or exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
2. We thank Irene Orozco from Inglewood Park Cemetery for sponsoring our bulletin; their information can be found on the last page of our bulletin. If you have a business and would like to sponsor our weekly bulletin, you can call the phone number at the bottom of the last page.
Resources
Readings
V Sunday of Easter
I’ve always found it amazing that Jesus never says to his disciples the straightforward and bumper stickery words “I love you” or “I will always love you” (a la Dolly Parton’s song). Why doesn’t Jesus say, “I love you”?
Well, actually he does, but in particular ways. He says, “As the Father loves me, so I love you” (John 15:9) thereby rooting his love for us in the space of the Holy Trinity. This week he commands, “Love another as I have loved you” (John 13:34). He presents his love for us as a completed action which continues into the present moment. How has he loved us? By becoming one of us, one with us, and finally giving his life for us in his suffering on the cross. We weren’t there when he did that, but neither were his Apostles (except one). Still, that action is his great “I love you” to us.
His love is also hedged in a command: “Love one another.” So how can we practically follow it? The great St. John XXIII wrote in his diary that each day he followed this rule: “Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it.” The hidden nature of a good deed is a sign that it is truly loving. This week, take on St. John XXIII’s practical method of following Jesus’ great commandment of love. It’s a splendid way to say, “I love you.” — Father John Muir ©LPi
General Mass Notes
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Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Fifth Sunday of Easter.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, May 17
5:00 PM
Johhny Higland • †
Rodrigo Emiliano Martinez • †
Sunday, May 18
6:00 AM
Merlie Samson • †
Pilar Maldonado • †
10:45 AM
Carmen Rea • †
Porfirio Guerrero • †
Michael Ortega • Prayer
12:30 PM
Lluvia Del Rocio Perales Nava • †
Noemi Sandoval Alvarez • Health
Lucila Miranda Sandoval • Health
Ziania Elizabeth Garcia • Health
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For the Church, that we may glorify God through the love we have for one another and the good work that we do out of love for our neighbor in need, let us pray to the Lord.
B. That we may work to break down barriers between peoples and cultures, fostering mutual understanding and enabling cooperation among those of all backgrounds, for God’s dwelling is with the whole human race, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For missionaries around the world, who teach the faith to those who do not know Christ and manifest it in the way they love those they serve, that they may share the enthusiasm and joy of Saints Paul and Barnabas, let us pray to the Lord.
D. That we may be reminded always that as Jesus’ disciples we are commanded to love one another, especially when disagreements or divisions threaten our harmony and unity, let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. Today is our annual Cardinal McIntyre’s collection. Since 1952, the McIntyre Fund has helped people in crisis in our community. Your contribution goes directly to the emergency needs of children, adults, and families; providing one-time help with food, utilities, transportation, medical, housing or funeral expenses. You are their hope! As always, we thank you for your generosity!
2. Today, the St. Vicent de Paul truck will be in the school parking lot from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or until their truck is filled with your donations. Because of our limited storage space, we ask you not to leave your donations at the parish office. We appreciate your generosity.
3. Father Gustavo and the Amor Por Teco foundation is having a shoe and clothes sale in the Guadalupe Hall from 9am to 5pm.
4. SEARCH ministry is having their food sale in the Madonna Plaza. All funds will be used to sponsor their retreat that takes place in June.
4. We thank Doctors Patrick and Patricia and their Pediatric Dentist & Orthodontics clinic for sponsoring our bulletin; their information can be found on the last page of our bulletin. If you have a business and would like to sponsor our weekly bulletin, you can call the phone number at the bottom of the last page.
Resources
Readings
IV Sunday of Easter
A few years back, I felt as if I couldn’t hear God’s voice the way I used to. The words in the Bible seemed like cold ink on a page. Prayer felt like sitting anxiously in a lonely room. I was worried — how could I, a priest, preach or help others if I couldn’t hear God’s voice? It went on for months.
Then a friend encouraged me to go on a retreat and spend as much time as possible in silence. After a day or two of quiet prayer, I noticed gentle but clear thoughts of repentance in two specific areas of my life. I asked God for the grace to change, and I went to confession. Suddenly, the divine silence that haunted me was filled with a sense of God’s closeness and goodness. I realized, gratefully, that God had been speaking to me in the quiet voice of my conscience.
This week we hear Jesus say, “My sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me” (John 10:27). Jesus links the hearing of his voice to following him. He speaks to us in our conscience in an intimate, personal way, when we most need to hear him. When you feel deaf to God’s voice, perhaps it is time to listen in silence for His voice in your conscience calling you to hear and follow the Good Shepherd of your soul. — Father John Muir ©LPi
General Mass Notes
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Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Fourth Sunday of Easter.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, May 10
5:00 PM
Encarnacion Alcantara • †
Marco Andres Vasquez • †
Petra Vielma Aguilera • †
Arcelia Barba • †
Maria Guadalupe Salgado • †
Dora Grimanesa Rodriguez • †
Maria Elena Muriel • †
Isabel Lopez Fuentes • †
Maria Hernandez • †
Tomasa Ortega • †
Ester Morales • †
Lucy Hernandez •†
Lily Hernandez • †
Maria Magdalena Santanada •†
Angela Carrillo Marquez • †
Maria Ortega Weaver • Health
Nelly Ortega • Health
Stephanie Wallin • Thanksgiving
Emilia Lupio • Birthday
Sunday, May 11
6:00 AM
Raymond Armenta • †
Saul Ramirez • †
Pilar Maldonado • †
Merlie Samson • †
Fr. Gregory King • †
Pilar Maldonado • †
Cecilia Williams • Acción de Gracias
10:45 AM
Maria Esperanza Rea • †
Milagros Giron • †
Zaira Amador Ramirez • †
Maria Lourdes Dones • †
Kathy Ortega • Prayer
Michael Ortega • Prayer
Michael Ortega • Health
12:30 PM
Evengileta America • †
Noemi Sandoval Alvarez • Health
Lucila Miranda Sandoval • Health
Victor Molina Mendoza • Health
Gema Cruz • Thanksgiving
Luzviminda Luna • Thanksgiving
Maria Socorro Navarro • Birthday
Camila Amezquita • Birthday
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, that he may be strengthened as he embarks on his ministry of unity, love, and peace. Let us pray to the Lord.
B. For mothers, grandmothers, and all those who have shown a mother’s love, that they may be blessed with the fruits of their love in their children and all those in their care, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For all those who have chosen to minister to the Church—priests, deacons, religious sisters and brothers, and lay ministers—that they may continually find new joys in their vocation, let us pray to the Lord.
D. For the lost and wounded sheep of our flock, that through our care and compassion they may come to know the Good Shepherd and find healing and acceptance, let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. This Wednesday, 130 youth will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation from Bishop Marc Trudeau. Due to this celebration, we will not have confession, and rooms will not be available for ministry meetings.
2. Next Sunday, the St. Vicent de Paul truck will be in the school parking lot from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or until their truck is filled with your donations. Because of our limited storage space, we ask you not to leave your donations at the parish office. We appreciate your generosity.
3. Next weekend is our annual Cardinal McIntyre’s collection. Since 1952, the McIntyre Fund has helped people in crisis in our community. Your contribution goes directly to the emergency needs of children, adults, and families; providing one-time help with food, utilities, transportation, medical, housing or funeral expenses. You are their hope! As always, we thank you for your generosity!
4. We thank Bodika Wellness and Cosmetic for sponsoring our bulletin; their information can be found on the last page of our bulletin. If you have a business and would like to sponsor our weekly bulletin, you can call the phone number at the bottom of the last page.
Resources
Readings
III Sunday of Easter
I eat breakfast. If I don’t have something substantial, I’m fading by midmorning. Breakfast is my key meal because it sets up my physical wellbeing for the rest of the day.
Spiritually speaking, we need sustenance to get us going. This is true for the Apostles in this Sunday’s remarkable Gospel reading. The risen Jesus makes his third appearance to them in the early morning light and calls, “Come, have breakfast” (John 21:12). The exhausted and cold fishermen sit, and he feeds them bread and fish as the dawn breaks. They are overwhelmed by his presence to the point of awestruck silence. As they eat, their bodies and their hearts come alive. Once refreshed by their morning meal, they will be ready to feed others — indeed, the whole world — with the love of the risen Jesus. But first, they need breakfast from him.
Do you realize how essential early morning prayer is? Jesus desires to refresh us every morning with his word of love, with his grace-filled presence. This week, hear Jesus calling to you: “Come, have breakfast!” Embrace some form of spiritual, meditative practice each morning for spiritual strength to get you going. — Father John Muir ©LPi
General Mass Notes
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Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Third Sunday of Easter.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, May 3
5:00 PM
Benito Fernandez • †
Irene Espirito Zamora • †
Maria Lourdes Dones • †
Sunday, May 4
6:00 AM
Raymond Armenta • †
10:45 AM
Catalina Perez • †
Papa Francisco • †
Alejandro Francisco • †
Kenneth Bowman • †
Kenneth Bowman • †
Roger White • †
Yesenia Martinez • Birthday
12:30 PM
Noemi Sandoval Alvarez • Health
Lucila Miranda Sandoval • Health
Victor Molina Mendoza • Health
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. That the Holy Spirit will inspire and strengthen the Cardinal-electors as they choose a new Holy Father to lead us. Let us pray to the Lord.
B. For those who are unjustly persecuted or oppressed, that they may receive justice, relief, and vindication, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For farmers, farm workers, and all those whose livelihoods depend on the success of the growing season, that they may have fair weather, just working conditions, and a sustainable living, let us pray to the Lord.
D. That we may recognize Christ as we encounter him in our lives, renewing our faith in him, and in humanity, whom he has redeemed, let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. The Parish school is hosting a Dodger community night fundraiser. For every ticket you buy for a home game on June 21, a small percentage will go to our Parish school. Tickets can be purchased at our Parish center.
2. We thank Lucy Gomez from State Farm insurance for sponsoring our bulletin; their information can be found on the last page of our bulletin. If you have a business and would like to sponsor our weekly bulletin, you can call the phone number at the bottom of the last page.
Resources
Readings
II Sunday of Easter
It’s common for Catholics to hear the question, “Why do I have to go to a priest to have my sins forgiven?” I’ve never liked that question because not only is it clunky (confession is the ordinary way for the pardoning of serious sins, not lesser ones). But it misses the larger context: the wonderful origins of the sacrament itself. And this context is deeply Jewish.
Ancient Jews associated forgiveness of sins with priests offering sacrifices in the Jerusalem temple. It was a solemn, public, and tangible way to access God’s mercy. So when the risen Jesus breathes on the Apostles and says, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (John 20:23), the upshot is remarkable: he is the new temple and his Apostles are the new priests. Jerusalem is no longer the place to find forgiveness from sin. Jesus’ body, the Church, is.
So why should we go to the Sacrament of Confession? For the same reason ancient Jews went to the temple in Jerusalem: to experience the intimacy, joy, and life-giving power of God’s eternal forgiveness. — Father John Muir ©LPi
General Mass Notes
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Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Second Sunday of Easter.
Before we begin our Mass, we'd like to ask that you not park at the Ralphs parking lot, or in the entire lot, since they are towing cars.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, April 26
5:00 PM
Lauri Lopez • †
Emauel Stolaroff • †
Jospedito Cayetano• †
Wilton Garcia • †
Robert Sanchez • †
Fleurdelise Arevalo • †
Benjamin Baltazar • †
10:45 AM
Alfonso Martinez • †
12:30 PM
Ana Maria Lopez • †
Alvaro Gomez • Birthday
Sandra Gomez • Birthday
Denisse Zapata • Birthday
Estela Loza • Birthday
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. That Pope Francis, called to the heavenly kingdom by the Lord, may rejoice forever at the banquet table of heaven. Let us pray to the Lord.
B. For world leaders, that they may do everything in their power to bring peace to places where it is absent and strengthen it in places where it is fragile, let us pray to the Lord.
C. That the peace of Christ, which he offered at once to all of his disciples, may take root in our hearts so that we can extend it to everyone we know, let us pray to the Lord.
D. That those suffering from chronic illness, whether physical or mental, may find comfort in the healing presence of God, let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. The Parish school is hosting a Dodger community night fundraiser. For every ticket you buy for a home game on June 21, a small percentage will go to our Parish school. Tickets can be purchased at our Parish center.
2. We thank Gabriel Estrada and his cabinet company G&R for sponsoring our bulletin; their information can be found on the last page of our bulletin. If you have a business and would like to sponsor our weekly bulletin, you can call the phone number at the bottom of the last page.
Resources
Readings
Easter Sunday
When I was a young boy, my parents told me about their wedding. Then a few years later, they showed me my mother’s wedding dress and my dad’s suit. It was astonishing to see and touch garments that connected me to the event that led to my existence. Of course, I already believed they were married based on their word. But these holy garments made the event real and tangible for me.
Something like this is at play when St. John reports encountering in Jesus’ tomb, “the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place” (John 20:7). Those two separate cloths, for his head and for his body respectively, meant a great deal to St. John and to the early Christians. Some years after the resurrection, there surfaced reports of two cloths with unusual characteristics, one bearing the image of a crucified man’s body, another smaller one with the image of a wounded man’s face. Some call them the Shroud of Turin and the Veil of Manoppello; they both can be seen today.
These two cloths have a long and complicated history, and scholars debate aspects of them. If you’re curious, I encourage you to read about them. To be clear, I believe in the resurrection of Jesus because of the testimony of eyewitnesses and the gift of faith in the Church. Nevertheless, seeing these two mysterious cloths have made the life-giving event of Jesus’ resurrection more real and tangible for me. Maybe they will for you, too.
— Father John Muir ©LPi
General Mass Notes
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Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
Before we begin our Mass, we'd like to ask that you not park at the Ralphs parking lot, or in the entire lot, since they are towing cars.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Sunday, April 20
6:00 AM
Pilar Maldonado • †
Arcelia Barba • †
Maria Teresa Mejia †
Juan and Lan Chong • Prayer
10:45 AM
Gozalo y Amalia Gamboa • †
Bonnie Britzman • †
Alfonso Esqueda • †
Flaminia Novenario • †
Bienvenido & Ligaya Tolosa • †
Maria Lourdes Dones • †
Clarita Cabrera • †
12:30 PM
Floro Luna • †
Andrea Gamez • †
Agustin Gamez • †
Lucina Villicana • †
Salvador Robles • †
Juana Arellano • †
Maria Hernandez • †
Manuel Plascencia • †
Irma Loza • Birthday
Maria Guadalupe Loza • Birthday
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For the Church, that in proclaiming the victory of Christ over death and creating a path to eternal life, we may be a source of hope for the whole world, let us pray to the Lord.
B. For those who suffer from chronic illnesses, their families and their caregivers, that they may find comfort and hope in the Lord’s arms, let us pray to the Lord.
C. That our faith community may become a fresh batch of dough, rising to bring new life to a world in need of sincerity and truth, let us pray to the Lord.
D. For all those who cannot be with us to celebrate the Lord’s resurrection in person, and for those who will go forth from here to share the Eucharist with them, let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. The Parish school is hosting a Dodger community night fundraiser. For every ticket you buy for a home game on June 21, a small percentage will go to our Parish school. Tickets can be purchased at our Parish center.
2. We thank Cruz Aqua Water & Ice for sponsoring our bulletin; their information can be found on the last page of our bulletin. If you have a business and would like to sponsor our weekly bulletin, you can call the phone number at the bottom of the last page.
Resources
Readings
Palm Sunday
“As he rode along, the people were spreading their cloaks on the road.” (Luke 19:36)
Consider how useless it is to spread your clothes on the ground for a donkey to walk on. The clothes get smeared with hooves, and who knows the grimy places where they’ve been? The animal may leave some unsavory presents on them. They may get stolen by a thief looking to make a buck. The thorns, thistles, rocks and muck of the road will leave stains. The clothes may never be useful again, and you’ll probably walk home shivering without your normal covering. Yet this is precisely the gesture the people employ to welcome Jesus and his donkey. Why does this detail matter?
Wastefulness is an essential part of celebration. Consider the unnecessary extravagance of Christmas decorations, confetti and ticker tape parades, baseball players spraying each other with bottles of champagne after a victory, birthday gifts for kids and so on. This wastefulness signals celebration and therefore participation in higher identities (as believers, winners, and parents, to mention the above examples). That’s what the wasted cloaks are all about. Those who donate their cloaks participate in Christ’s kingship in Jerusalem — and we savor it two thousand years later.
The lesson? Learn how to “waste” money, time, clothes, and food on Christ. We do this at Mass, but in so many other ways, too, like serving the poor, going on retreats, and doing prayerful study. When we practice this holy wastefulness, Jesus will ride into our lives and we’ll be more deeply members of his kingdom.
— Father John Muir ©LPi
General Mass Notes
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Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, April 12
5:00 PM
Dominga Catungal • †
Consejo Capaila • †
Wilberto Arias • Health
Dioh Family • Prayer
Sarr Family• Prayer
Dioh Family • Prayer
Ruben Ortega • Birthday
Sunday, April 13
6:00 AM
Pilar Maldonado • †
All Souls in Purgatory • †
10:45 AM
Maria Lourdes Dones • †
Maria Lourdes Dones • †
Igwebuike Family • Thanksgiving
Marco Vielma Guerrero • Prayer
12:30 PM
Bernard Caballero • †
Father Hesychios Jones • Prayer
Sene Family • Prayer
Sarr Family • Thanksgiving
Justine Luna • Birthday
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For the Church, that we may heed the cries of the suffering and crucified Christ in those in need, let us pray to the Lord.
B. For those who call the Holy Land home, that they may all live in peace, justice, and mutual respect of each other’s humanity, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For those who have suffered abuse, that they may experience God’s profound love for them and God’s healing power of the Holy Spirit, let us pray to the Lord.
D. That as pilgrims of hope we may look to Jesus’ triumph on the cross in order to cope with our own suffering and despair, let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. We begin our Easter Triduum this Thursday with Holy Thursday at 7:00pm. The Mass will be bilingual and conclude with the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the Guadalupe Hall until midnight. On Friday, our English service will be at 12:00pm and the live reenactment of the stations of the cross in Spanish will be done outside in the parking lot at 3:00pm. There will be Spanish services at 5:00pm and 7:00pm. On Saturday, our Easter Vigil liturgy will take place at 8:00pm. There will be no confessions on all three days.
2. The Parish school is hosting a Dodger community night fundraiser. For every ticket you buy for a home game on June 21, a small percentage will go to our Parish school. Tickets can be purchased at our Parish center.
3. The Altar Society will decorate our Sanctuary and Altar this Saturday for Easter Sunday and are accepting donations of Easter lilies. The lilies can be dropped off here by the altar or at the Parish center, we thank you for your generosity.
3. We thank Cervantes Photography for sponsoring our bulletin; their information can be found on the last page of our bulletin. If you have a business and would like to sponsor our weekly bulletin, you can call the phone number at the bottom of the last page.
Resources
Readings
Fifth Sunday of Lent
“The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle” (John 8:3). Why do they make her stand in the middle? Why not expose her on the periphery? The reason is something that affects us practically every day.
The center is what stabilizes a community’s identity. We humans tend to center ourselves around an accused and condemned victim — though we rarely admit it. This renews our fragile communities and our power as those who weaponize the accusation. This is effective because it is often a victim who represents something truly dangerous for the group. In this case, adultery stands for the breakdown of a community and those within it, because it forces questions like: who is my father? Whose child is this? Is this child one of us, or that of an outsider? The accusers place the adulteress in the center because their community, like most, is built around turning an enemy into a victim.
Once you understand this, you’ll see it almost anywhere humans group together (families, politics, workplaces, sports, schools, etc.). The good news is Jesus exposes this dynamic by deftly pointing out the sin-infected hearts of everyone besides the woman. They all leave, symbolizing the breakdown of the old order, and she is “left alone before him.” A new community has begun, structured around the merciful love of Christ.
What is in your center? What is in the center of our parish and family communities? Strive to center on Christ’s forgiveness, and we experience the new, lasting community we call the Church.
— Father John Muir ©LPi
General Mass Notes
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Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Fifth Sunday of Lent.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, April 5
5:00 PM
Rose Hebeit • †
RIcardo & Inigo Roda • Prayer
Sunday, April 6
6:00 AM
Pilar Maldonado • †
10:45 AM
Victor and Elsa Esquivel • Aniversary
Ike Onwudachi • Birthday
Felicia & Ike Onwudachi • Anniversary
12:30 PM
RIcardo & Inigo Roda • Prayer
Viviana Pech • Birthday
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For the Church, that we may be a sign of God’s forgiveness, responding with mercy instead of condemnation, aware that no one is beyond the grace of redemption, let us pray to the Lord.
B. For those affected by abuse in any way, that God may bring healing within a loving, nurturing, and sincere environment, we pray to the Lord.
C. For those who will be welcomed into the Church at Easter, especially N., N., and N., that they may perceive the new way in which God is acting in their lives, let us pray to the Lord.
D. That during this Jubilee Year of Hope we may bring hope to those who feel ostracized, abandoned, or unloved, let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. There will be no confessions on Monday, April 7, due to the first reconciliation of our religious education students.
2. Next weekend is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. We have additional Spanish Masses at 9:15 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. in the Redahan Hall. The Parish will distribute free palms at every Mass. In addition, SEARCH Ministry will sell palms to generate funds for its yearly retreat.
3. We thank our parishioner Francisco Higuera and his company AB Action Realty for sponsoring our bulletin; their information can be found on the last page of our bulletin. If you have a business and would like to sponsor our weekly bulletin, you can call the phone number at the bottom of the last page.
Resources
Readings
Fourth Sunday of Lent
A man looking a bit downtrodden approached me as I filled my car’s gas tank. He asked, “May I share with you my testimony about how good God is?” “OK,” I skeptically answered. He went on to tell me that he had been an alcoholic and drug addict, and that God had healed him; now he was four years sober. He said, “I didn’t deserve it, but now I’m a different person. God is so good! Have a terrific Tuesday!” A few minutes later, as I drove away, I saw him smiling and handing a homeless person some money. I was confronted with a choice: either he was a total fraud or God had changed him. Something had happened to him, and it didn’t seem fake. Maybe it was God.
When Jesus heals the man born blind, the man becomes a challenge to everyone who meets him. They must decide. Is he the same blind person who they knew before? Who healed him and how? And what is the status of the one who can heal such infirmities? We shouldn’t be surprised at the storm of doubt, hatred and animosity that swirls around the healed man — so it often goes when Jesus heals someone even to this day.
Like we often do, the religious leaders confronting the healed man declare that God is not at work. They ask with mocking superiority and dismissive disdain, “You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?” (John 9:34). And they cast him out. When Jesus clearly works in our lives, in us or around us, we should accept it, and give praise and thanks for this wonderful manifestation of his goodness.
Lenten challenge: Think of one way the Lord has healed you. Perhaps he healed a form of selfishness, a physical ailment, or something else. This week, find a person to whom you can share that testimony, and share it. Don’t worry if they don’t accept it was God who did it. — Father John Muir ©LPi
General Mass Notes
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Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Fourth Sunday of Lent.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Posted the Friday before.
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For the Church, that we may follow the lead of the compassionate father in today’s Gospel and stand ready to welcome anyone who sincerely returns to the practice of the faith, rushing to embrace them with open arms, let us pray to the Lord.
B. For all who have the power to grant clemency or leniency to those who have been found guilty of a crime, that they may act with wisdom, mercy, and good judgment in exercising that privilege, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For those fleeing persecution, trauma, or terrible hardship, that they may find refuge and hospitality in their new home, let us pray to the Lord.
D. That during this Jubilee Year, our parish community may be a beacon of hope to those who have left the Church and are unsure if they will be welcomed back, let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. Due to our first reconciliation of our religious education students there will be no confessions on Wednesday, April 2.
2. We thank Lighthouse Mortuary for sponsoring our bulletin; their information can be found on the last page of our bulletin. If you have a business and would like to sponsor our weekly bulletin, you can call the phone number at the bottom of the last page.
Resources
Readings
Third Sunday of Lent
My childhood best friend was Xander Price. He was the fastest runner in school, an excellent baseball player and Jewish. Though his family wasn’t intensely religious, I felt totally at home with them despite our religious differences. Everything about their Judaism seemed to undergird and strengthen my own experience of being a Catholic. I knew they didn’t believe in Jesus like my family did, but I intuited somehow that Jesus was “hiding” in their religion. Like a cat moving under a blanket, ready to emerge at any moment, the Lord was hidden there in a special way.
In the Gospel for this third Sunday of Lent, Jesus says, “For if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me, for he wrote of me” (John 5:46). Stunning words, those. Moses wrote about Jesus. The way therefore that we come to know and believe in Jesus is to discover him lurking in Moses’ writings. The Hebrew Scripture is the wonderful womb in which Jesus gestates within a host of images: Adam, Isaac, David, Melchizedek, the Temple, sacrificed lambs, prophets and so on. Right now, in your parish’s OCIA program, soon-to-be baptized people are carefully studying where Jesus is in the writings of Moses, so that they may believe in him. This works for all of us, too, who wish to deepen our knowledge and love of Jesus.
Lenten challenge: Take some time to prayerfully study one of the images of Jesus listed above in the Old Testament. Identify which one you find compelling and consider why this is so. If you don’t know where to start, begin with the prophet Jeremiah as an image of Jesus. — Father John Muir ©LPi
General Mass Notes
-
Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Third Sunday of Lent.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, March 22
5:00 PM
David Wallin • †
Conception Velasquez • †
Sandie Ketelhut• †
Juan Miguel Sanchez • †
Wilbert Arias • Health
Sunday, March 23
6:00 AM
Pilar Maldonado • †
10:45 AM
Delma Jacobo • †
Alfonso Jacobo • †
Juan Marques • †
Feliz Marques • †
Stephan Sandor • Health
12:30 PM
Jorge Paez • †
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For the Church, that we may bear fruit in the future in ways that we have failed to do in the past, let us pray to the Lord.
B. For world leaders, that they may recognize the humanity in the refugee, the alien, and the immigrant and never allow them to be mistreated as the Israelites were in Moses’ day, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For victims of human trafficking, and for all those without any power to leave or change a desperate situation, that they may not lose hope as they long to be freed from their captivity, let us pray to the Lord.
D. For those who mourn loved ones who have died, especially those who died suddenly and unexpectedly, that they may be comforted, let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. Due to our first reconciliation of our religious education students, no confessions will occur on Mondays in March.
2. Once again, people are asking for money outside the church doors, claiming to have just arrived in the country. These people are part of an organization that takes advantage of people's generosity. We ask that you please not give money to these people. If you see someone in need, please re-direct them to the parish office, and the team will connect them with St. Margaret Center resources.
3. We invite you to our immigration information night on Thursday, March 27 at 7pm in Redahan Hall. The session will be sponsored by Catholic Charities and cover pathways to Citizenship and an overview on your rights.
4. We thank ADT Home Security for sponsoring our bulletin; their information can be found on the last page of our bulletin. If you have a business and would like to sponsor our weekly bulletin, you can call the phone number at the bottom of the last page.
Resources
Readings
Second Sunday of Lent
St. Thomas Aquinas said that friends share three things: time, possessions and secrets. For example, how do I know if you’re my friend? Well, let’s say we’ve been to Mexico together, you’ve tried my shaky attempts at pasta carbonara, and you know what ridiculous costume I wore in a music video I filmed in my early twenties. We, dear reader, are definitely friends. We’ve shared time, possessions and secrets.
How does friendship with Jesus develop? The same way. Jesus lives and eats with his disciples. Then he takes Peter, James and John to Mount Tabor and there reveals to them his deepest secret: his glorious, divine Sonship. The majesty of God shines from within his humanity in a way that goes beyond description. God the Father confirms this “secret,” saying, “This is my chosen Son, listen to him” (Luke 9:35). It’s all so precious that “they fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone.” Do we take time to be alone with Christ, to allow him to mystically share this “secret” with us as his dear friends?
Lenten challenge: This week, identify one time when you experienced an awareness of some specific aspect of Jesus — perhaps on a retreat, at Mass, in prayer or in an act of service. Spend ten minutes consciously re-living that experience in your heart. If you can’t recall one, set aside at least two hours this Lent as a mini retreat, either alone in nature or in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Focus on him and ask him to share the secrets of his heart with you. He will. Then, as his friend, share the secrets in your heart. — Father John Muir ©LPi
General Mass Notes
-
Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Second Sunday of Lent.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, March 15
5:00 PM
Juan Miguel Sanchez • †
Chummy Botor • †
Celia Herrera de Monroy • †
Julio Gomez Lozano • †
Wilbert Arias • Health
Sunday, March 16
6:00 AM
Pilar Maldonado • †
Celia Herrera de Monroy • †
10:45 AM
Porfirio Guerrero • †
Celia Herrera de Monroy • †
Yolanda Ibarra • †
Leonila Orozco • †
Juan Cornelio • †
Maria Solis • †
Las animas del purgatorio • †
Ma. Daenerys Solei Romero • Health
Elovita Taduran • Prayer
Maria Elena T. Romero • Birthday
12:30 PM
Cornelia Salvadora • †
Leonida Pelina Riel • †
Celia Herrera de Monroy • †
Rowena Manlilu Hsiao • †
Victor Molina Mendoza • Health
Lucila Miranda Sandoval • Health
Alejandra Sandoval Alvarez • Health
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For the Church, that through our works of love and mercy we may transfigure the world, giving ourselves and others a glimpse of God’s dazzling glory, let us pray to the Lord.
B. For peace among nations, that the landscape of war and terrorism may be transfigured by Christ’s gift of peace, let us pray to the Lord.
C. That as we make the transition from winter to spring during this Jubilee Year of Hope, we may find hope in the renewal of life in nature and mirror it in our own lives as well, let us pray to the Lord.
D. That we, like Abraham, may respond to God’s covenant with faith and commitment, let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. Due to our first reconciliations of our religious education students, there will be no confessions on Mondays in March.
2. Once again, people are asking for money outside the church doors, claiming to have just arrived in the country. These people are part of an organization that takes advantage of people's generosity. We ask that you please not give money to these people. If you see someone in need, please re-direct them to the parish office, and the team will connect them with St. Margaret Center resources.
3. We invite you to our immigration information night on Thursday, March 27 at 7pm in Redahan Hall. The session will be sponsored by Catholic Charities and cover pathways to Citizenship and an overview on your rights.
4. We thank Juan Rodriguez and his Auto Insurance company Legal Connection for sponsoring our bulletin; his information can be found on the last page of our bulletin. If you have a business and would like to sponsor our weekly bulletin, you can call the phone number at the bottom of the last page.
