San Francisco Solano Catholic Church

Transcription

1 San Francisco Solano Catholic Church April 1, 2018 The Resurrection of the Lord Mission Statement: San Francisco Solano Parish continues the early California missionary spirit to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are committed to Word, Sacrament, and Service. Reverend Theodore Olson, Pastor Ext Reverend Duy Le, Parochial Vicar Ext Reverend Gordon Moreland, SJ, Visiting Priest Reverend James Smith, O.Praem., Visiting Priest Deacon Carl Swanson Ext MASS TIMES, SACRAMENTS, ADORATION Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00 PM Sunday Masses: 7:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 10:15 AM, 12:00 NOON, and 5:00 PM Weekday Masses: Monday-Saturday, 8:30 AM Holy Day Masses: 8:30 AM and 7:00 PM Sacrament of Reconciliation: Sacrament of Marriage: Sacrament of Baptism: Eucharistic Adoration: Saturdays, 3:30 PM-4:30 PM (or by appointment) Please contact the parish office at least six months prior to marriage. One Sunday each month at 2:00 PM Please contact the parish office. The first Monday of each month beginning after the 8:30 AM liturgy NEW PARISHIONERS Welcome to San Francisco Solano Catholic Church! To register please come into the Parish Office, take an information envelope from the information rack at the back of the Church, or download a registration form online at www. sfsolano.org. SERRA CATHOLIC SCHOOL (Multi-Parish School) Antonio Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Phone: (949) Angeline Trudell, President Antonio Parkway Rancho Santa Margarita CA PARISH OFFICE Phone: (949) Fax: (949) Office Hours: Monday-Friday: 9:00 AM-12 NOON; 1:00 PM-5:00 PM Sunday: 9:30 AM-1:30 PM Administration Parish Secretary/Office Manager: Alma Helms, Ext secretary@sfsolano.org Parish Receptionist/Sacramental Records: Eileen McGee/Martie Trujillo, Ext information@sfsolano.org Bulletin Editor: Lynne Pantano, Ext Parish Facilities Manager: Anna Podruski, Ext Parish Controller: Leah Davis, CPA, Ext bulletineditor@sfsolano.org facilities@sfsolano.org accounting@sfsolano.org Parish Ministry Director, RCIA/Adult Faith Formation/ Adult Confirmation: Deacon Carl Swanson, Ext deaconcarl@sfsolano.org Director of Music: Brenda von Gremp, Ext brendavg@sfsolano.org Coordinator of Liturgy: Jeanne Guerreiro, Ext liturgy@sfsolano.org YOUTH FAITH FORMATION CENTER Phone: (949) Fax: (949) Office Hours: Monday 9 AM-5 PM, Tuesday 9 AM-8 PM, Wednesday 9 AM-5 PM; Closed for lunch 12 NOON-1 PM Director (Grades K-8): Amy Franklin, Ext afranklin@sfsolano.org Coordinator (Elementary Grades K 5 & Sacramental Preparation): Marjorie Kollen, Ext elemre@sfsolano.org Youth Minister/Confirmation (Grades 9 12) Coordinator: Jenna DiBernardo, Ext youthministry@sfsolano.org Registrar: Teri Ferlisi, Ext reregistrar@sfsolano.org Receptionist: Patty Uribe, Ext receptionist@sfsolano.org

2 The Resurrection of the Lord April 1, 2018 Scripture Readings for the Week Sunday: Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23; Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8; Jn 20:1-9 or Mk 16:1-7 or (at an afternoon or evening Mass) Lk 24:13-35 Monday: Acts 2:14, 22-33; Ps 16:1-2a, 5, 7-11; Mt 28:8-15 Tuesday: Acts 2:36-41; Ps 33:4-5, 18-20, 22; Jn 20:11-18 Wednesday: Acts 3:1-10; Ps 105:1-4, 6-9; Lk 24:13-35 Thursday: Acts 3:11-26; Ps 8:2ab, 5-9; Lk 24:35-48 Friday: Acts 4:1-12; Ps 118:1-2, 4, 22-27a; Jn 21:1-14 Saturday: Acts 4:13-21; Ps 118:1, 14-15ab, 16-21; Mk 16:9-15 Sunday: Acts 4:32-35; Ps 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24; 1 Jn 5:1-6; Jn 20:19-31 Readings can also be found online at: On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don t know where they put him. So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. (John 20: 1-9) Four times in this Gospel, John mentions the other disciple. Although we assume this is the beloved disciple, John, it is significant that no name is used. Why? This disciple is nameless because we need to see ourselves as part of this story. We run with Simon Peter to the tomb. We are the first to arrive to see the burial cloths; we see and believe. With all the trials and tribulations that have been a part of our lives, we peer into the empty tomb. We see that no darkness is able to swallow up the light of Christ, that no sin or failure is beyond repair, that death cannot conquer life? Place yourself in this Easter story, encounter the empty tomb; see and believe. Mass Intentions for the Week Monday 2 April 8:30 AM Patricia Edson Henry Springer Tuesday 3 April 8:30 AM Giuseppina Belloni Iluminada Escueta Wednesday 4 April 8:30 AM Josephine Lisha Elias & Fadwa Michael Evan Anderson Thursday 5 April 8:30 AM Barry Chesire Juan Diaz De Leon Reyes Friday 6 April 8:30 AM 55 & Better Mark Motley Saturday 7 April 8:30 AM Maria Eduardo Legaspi 5:00 PM Ken Porterfield Sunday 8 April 7:00 AM Elaine Hendricks 8:30 AM Conchita Pasquil 10:15 AM Denis O Brien 12:00 NOON Melanie Frost 5:00 PM Mazie Gibb Friday Morning Bible Study You re invited to join us Friday mornings, 9:15-11 AM in Meeting Room F for a morning version of San Francisco Solano s Bible Study. Please see the Evening Bible Study announcement for program details. Typically, we study for minutes and review the questions at the end of each lesson. We are currently studying the Acts of the Apostles and are a few weeks behind the evening sessions. Please join us any time for coffee and fellowship as we study God s word. For more information, please contact Kathy Pham at or phamily02@gmail.com. 2

3 Parish Ministries Evening Bible Study The Bible Plain and Simple Mondays/Thursdays 7:00 PM 8:30 PM Please join us on Monday or Thursday evening to read and study Romans. San Francisco Solano s Evening Bible Study is a multi-year course: The Bible Plain and Simple. Our mission is to discover the Bible systematically, verse-by-verse, Genesis through Revelation, utilizing a combination of audio and video taught by renowned literary scholar, Dr. Bill Creasy who has been called a Catholic Bible teacher extraordinaire! Our study of Romans has begun and will end the week of May 21. (We will NOT meet on 2/15, 2/19, 3/26, 3/29, 4/2, and 4/5.) There is no cost. However, all attendees are asked to register for our study of Romans at the Logos Bible Study link: Recommended Bible: The Catholic Study Bible (Oxford Edition) Day: Your choice of Monday or Thursday evenings Time: 7:00 PM-8:30 PM Location: San Francisco Solano Catholic Church 2082 Antonio Pkwy, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Meeting Rooms F-G For more information: Joni Marques at jonimmarques@gmail.com or phone Greg Armenta at Women s Circle A new season of Women's Circle of Faith & Friendship has begun. All women of the parish are invited to explore this program, which has been described as a spa for your soul. Women's Circle is a peer ministry for women of all ages and stages of life, offering an opportunity to nurture our spirituality, deepen our faith, and build community. This season we will be using a wonderful new resource by Liz Curtis Higgs. The Women of Easter: Encounter the Savior with Mary of Bethany, Mary of Nazareth, and Mary Magdalene. Take time this Lenten Season to experience Easter through the eyes of three women named Mary each of whom had a life-changing encounter with Jesus. Your mind and emotions will be engaged and your faith strengthened as each scene unfolds, preparing your heart for a richer, deeper experience of Lent and Easter. This session will run through Tuesday, May 1. Meetings will be held in the Parish Hall on Tuesday mornings (9:30-11:30 AM) and evenings (6-8 PM). There is a $20.00 registration fee which includes the book and other resources. For additional information please Lori LaFavre at lori@lclafavre.com. 3 Eucharistic Adoration The Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ and He calls us to spend time with Him in prayer and adoration. Each month, we have a 24-hour Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament beginning on the first Monday of the month and a 12-hour Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on the third Tuesday of the month. We encourage you to consider spending some time with Christ, present in the Blessed Sacrament. Morning, afternoon, and evening time slots are available. Our next 24-hour adoration will be TOMORROW April 2-3. Our next 12-hour adoration will be April 17 (8:30 AM-8:30 PM) If you have questions regarding Adoration or would like to commit to a scheduled time as an adorer, please contact Maura Byron at or at 5byrons@cox.net. Confirmation for Adults We invite any non-confirmed parishioner, age 21 and older, who, if married, is in a valid marriage in the Catholic Church, to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation on Pentecost Sunday, May 20. Applications should be submitted by April 16. You may pick up an information packet at the Parish Office. Ushers Needed We are in desperate need of ushers at all Masses. Please consider this important ministry and help by serving as an usher at your Mass. If interested you may give your contact information to an usher or contact the parish office. Training will be provided. Do you or someone you know need prayers? The San Francisco Solano Prayer group will pray for your intentions. Simply us your requests at Pray4UsToday@hotmail.com. You can also contact us via the SF Solano website or MyParish App. COME PRAY WITH US! Our next prayer meeting is Wednesday, April 4, at 7 PM in Meeting Room H. All are welcome.

4 Parish Ministries PLEASE JOIN THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS FOR THE FAMILY ROSARY EVERY MONDAY AT 6 PM AT THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT CHRIS O CONNOR AT CHRISAOCONNOR84@GMAIL.COM SFS Book Club The SFS Book Club will meet on the dates listed below at 7 PM in the Church Lounge. All are welcome, and refreshments will be served. For more information please Mary Kay Beck at mkbeck55@gmail.com Schedule: April 25 The Nightingale, Kristen Hannah May 23 Trapped in Paradise, Hedda Jaeger, CSJ June 27 Crimes Against a Book Club, Kathy Cooperman July 25 Barking to the Choir, Gregory Boyle, SJ August 22 Miss Burma, Charmaine Craig September 26 The Little Paris Bookshop, Nina George October 24 Not yet scheduled November 28 The Angel of Bastogne, Gilbert Morris (6:30 PM holiday meeting). Catholic Men s Fellowship Catholic Men's Fellowship meets on the second and fourth Tuesday evenings of each month. Dinner is at 6:30 PM and the program begins at 7 PM in the Parish Center. It is an opportunity for men to open their hearts and strengthen their faith and friendships. Please consider visiting one of our upcoming meetings. For more information, please contact ChrisAOConnor84@gmail.com. 55 & Better 55 & Better is a parish social ministry for parishioners 55 and over. Social activities are held in the SFS Parish Center. For information, contact Don Duclos at April 6 First Friday Mass & Brunch 8:30 AM Bring a brunch item to share. April 20, Friday, 6 PM Bring an appetizer, salad, main dish, side dish or dessert to share. Enjoy an evening of music by vocalist and musician Raj. 4

5 Parish Ministries Children of Christ s Heart Children of Christ s Heart is partnering with Family Support Network of Orange County to facilitate a Parent-to-Parent Support Group meeting on the second Wednesday of each month. The group is intended for anyone offering care and support for a child or young adult with special needs. In addition to a spiritually based, emotionally supportive environment, we will offer presentations on topics of interest and assistance with IEPs, Regional Center, California Children s Services and CalOptima. Child care is not provided, but you are welcome to bring your child with you if you provide the supervision. For more information, please contact Maura Byron at (949) or via at 5byrons@cox.net. SFS Community Food Bank An outreach to the local community since October Our mission to serve those who live locally and come to us for assistance has been in action for 25 years! This could not be possible without your support of food, time and money. It is greatly appreciated! Distribution Days: Saturdays Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 NOON Location: Comercio, RSM For more information or to volunteer please contact Alma Helms at , Ext The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor. Proverbs 22:9 Baptism Ministry Needs Volunteers The Baptism Ministry is looking for volunteers. If you are interested in helping prepare parents for the baptism of their children, your help would be appreciated. The key quality needed for the Baptism Ministry is a welcoming personality, as we are often one of the first contacts families have with the parish. The time commitment associated with this ministry is small. Currently, five couples share responsibility for small group gatherings at the church (2 times per year) and assist at Sunday baptism celebrations in the parish (2 times per year). If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Aaron and Lori Harp at or loriharp1@cox.net. Save the Date! Fiesta de Solano 2018 July 20, 21, and 22 Fiesta Commi ee volunteers are needed. Please contact Jeff and Tamie Kosidowski at Fiesta.de.Solano89@gmail.com Men Interested in Diocesan Priesthood The Vocations Office cordially invites you to the next Priesthood Discernment Meeting. The purpose is to familiarize interested men with the life, prayer, and possible call to Priesthood in the Diocese of Orange. There is no commitment, other than the expression of interest to participate. Priesthood Discernment Meetings will be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 6 PM at the Diocese of Orange Pastoral Center, First Floor, Room 1D, on Christ Cathedral Campus. Please give serious thought to this invitation. "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest." (Mt 9:37-38) If you have questions regarding the Priesthood Discernment Meetings, please contact the Director of Vocations, Rev. John Moneypenny at (714) or via at fr.jmoneypenny@rcbo.org Priesthood Discernment Meetings: Wednesday, May 9, 2018 Wednesday, June 13,

6 Adult Catholics Growing in Faith New Members of the Church of God The Holy Spirit moves each of us in different ways, and in different times of our lives. Read the stories of those who were initiated in the Catholic Church this Easter. My journey into the Catholic community became a very important part of my life after the birth of my daughter in Growing up, I did have some influence through family members who were raised Catholic to learn about the faith and practice it when I could. It wasn t until my daughter came into our life that I realized how important it was for me to go through the RCIA program for myself and to be able to teach her from a young age what it means to be Catholic and how significant that is to one s life. It has been a pleasure going through this journey among my fellow classmates and I can t wait to share such special moments with my family, who will be attending my ceremonies. -Nataly Bustos I am so excited about my new Catholic Faith. Church was missing from my life, and I feel at home and comfortable here at San Francisco Solano Catholic Church. I have been welcomed, and it feels good. The RCIA journey is a wonderful learning experience, and I appreciate and welcome it all. I have the best sponsor/mentor with Marcella, who offers encouragement as she walks the path with me in becoming Catholic. I moved from Sonoma Co to RSM in the Fall of 2016, and I miraculously chose a home right across the street. Serendipity. My son and I were members of a non-denomination Christian Church for a few years in Santa Rosa that is like Saddleback. I did not feel it. It was very clique-y, and if you weren t part of the in group you were a nobody no matter how much you tithed. I don t need the band, the welcome bag, or the coffee bar available at each service. I want the Bible, the history, and prayer. My brother suggested looking into becoming Catholic. I had an interest for sure. After attending two Memorials and seeing how ceremonial they were and hearing from my Catholic friends about fellowship in the Catholic Church and how important church was in their lives and seeing how happy they were, I decided I want that happiness too. My paternal grandmother was Catholic and practiced Catholicism daily until she went to Heaven a few years ago. I remember always seeing her with her rosary and her prayer books and how important our Lord and prayer was in her life. I know she is watching over me and smiling. I am listening to what He is telling me and reflecting on His message in my heart. -Marcie Lynn Saverien My journey to the Catholic Faith has been a long one. I was baptized in the Lutheran Church and remained such my entire life. My wife and I were married in the Catholic Church (St. Dominic Savio Bellflower) in 1988, and I agreed at that time we would raise our children in the Catholic faith. My wife was much more involved, so that was easily the correct decision. We moved to the Rancho Santa Margarita area in 1990 and found the closest Catholic Church service was in the gym at Santa Margarita High School. Through the years, San Francisco Solano has been our family s church. All 3 of our children were baptized here; one has been confirmed, and the other 2 will be soon. Watching my wife, Colleen, live her spiritual life in a manner shown to her by her wonderful parents has always made me proud to be her husband. With faith and family so strong in the Catholic teachings, I finally came to the realization that our family should be whole in this part of our lives. I now see this as something I should have done long ago, but I am excited for the future as we will be able to worship as a family. Same faith. Same Church. -Kurt Ree My journey started more than 4 decades ago. I was baptized in the Catholic faith when I was just two months old. Our family wandered away from the church when I was only 6 or 7 years old, and my spiritual life effectively went dormant and remained that way for decades. While I always held great respect and reverence for the church and the faith when our paths would cross, such as at funerals and weddings, I simply didn t attempt to go any deeper in that particular moment. I was not open to perceiving any message of a divine or spiritual origin. I just wasn t ready for it to be part of my consciousness during that time. I ll admit that I have had doubts about faith over the years. A couple years ago, however, I took the opportunity to think about things on a deeper level. I realized that there had been many moments throughout my life where I had turned to God without hesitation or question about whether or not He was really there. I realized that I really, truly believed. I don t know why it took me so long to really contemplate this on a deep level, but I was ready for the realization when I did. My wife is a lifelong Catholic, and going through the Engaged Encounter Weekend experience leading up to our wedding started leading me back to the church. We both had agreed that, when we had children, we wanted to raise our kids in the church with all of the wonderful things that come with knowing Jesus as a child. In 2016, we were blessed with a beautiful son, who was baptized at San Francisco Solano. I came to the decision that I wanted to be able to fully share a relationship with God and the church with my son, and I also was facing some personal turmoil that led me to want that just for myself as well. That s when I reached out to the RCIA team. I truly believe that God led me here at exactly the time I was supposed to get here. I have to say, this experience has really been extremely rewarding. Every week, my heart feels more and more open to God s word and yet more and more full. I look forward to receiving the sacraments at the Easter 6 Vigil and to coming into full communion with the church. - Jeff Estes

7 Adult Catholics Growing in Faith I decided to start the RCIA program when my sister asked me to be the Godfather of my niece, Sofia. My experience has been very positive and interesting because I gave myself time to dedicate to the Catholic Church and its practices. Through the RCIA program I have learned a lot and will continue to take what I have learned throughout the rest of my life. The sense of community is life changing, and the people I have met have been very encouraging and supportive, not to forget to mention my family. As a Godparent I have great responsibilities, and I want to be as educated and ready as I can be for when she will need me for support and guidance, and to be part of the Catholic Church gives me really good backup support. - Abraham Nasiri My faith journey started as a young girl; I just didn t recognize it for a very long time. Growing up, I did not have a strong family faith life. We went to church on the occasional Sunday but mostly on holidays. Even so, there was always something inside that kept me seeking, always wanting more. Over the years, I would go to church, fall away, go back, get more involved, and fall away again. Every time I would go back, however, my heart would be full, and taking communion meant a great deal. I continued to struggle along, never truly and authentically living my faith, inside and outside of church. I believe God had a plan for me,and the years of inconsistency, uncertainty, yet never giving up on faith, led me to ONE MAGICAL DAY. January 17, 2007, was the day that would change my life in every single way. It was a cold, gray, icy morning in Dallas, TX. I and hundreds of other passengers gathered in the terminal at DFW airport. We waited for the weather to clear for our chance to board flights and head to our destinations. My destination was to be Los Angeles, as I excitedly traveled to meet my new niece, Mattie, who had been born a week earlier. As I waited, a dashing man in uniform offered me a brilliant smile and a sweet hello. He would turn out to be not only the Captain of my flight to LAX, but my future husband. Looking back, I feel THIS was the day that began my journey to becoming Catholic. When you talk about a life s journey, it is difficult to express in a few words and truly capture the essence of your experiences. Dave and I spent eight and a half years, long distance between Texas and California, getting to know each other and building a relationship. Being long distance is difficult, and we definitely had our ups and downs. We challenged each other in every possible way. Faith was a huge topic for us. He is Catholic and I am Episcopalian. With the two faiths similar in so many ways, they are still far apart in many others. I knew, if we were ever to get serious and possibly marry, we would have to come closer together in our beliefs and practices. I loved this man, yet I would not change who I was just to be with him. I felt I needed to examine my current faith and challenge my own beliefs. Through the process, there was always one thing that kept coming back in my mind. I had a love of the Eucharist in the Episcopal Church and, with Dave s encouragement, took advantage of Reconciliation which is offered upon request. Looking back, I recall the many times that Dave would tell me, with a gleam in his eye, You re Catholic you just don t know it. This would eventually be a huge factor in why I am here today. During a visit to California for Easter in 2015, my life would change again. We decided to attend the sunrise Mass at San Francisco Solano, and he asked me to go a little early to spend time in Eucharist adoration. As we were leaving to take our seats for the Mass, we knelt together before the Blessed Sacrament. As we rose, he got down on one knee and proposed. We were married on September 26, The greatest gift Dave could have given me was to have our wedding at the Episcopal Cathedral in Oklahoma City. It was a selfless act on his part, and the Catholic Church graciously granted us a dispensation to marry. I had never been married and waited a very long time to take that step. Unfortunately, my father passed away a little over a year before the wedding. I was extremely close to my dad, and his ashes are interred in the columbarium on the grounds of the church. Because he could not walk me down the aisle, it was important to me to be married at St. Paul s Cathedral, to be as near to him as possible. Dave, and the Catholic Church, gave me that gift and beautiful memory for which I am eternally grateful. After I moved to California to start our new life together, I struggled with the topic of church. There were so many big changes in my life with marriage and moving across the country, I had not made any major decisions in my faith life, nor did I feel pressure to do so. Many questions arose. Would we go to the Catholic Church together and have me feel sorrowful and left out at communion? Would he go to the Catholic Church alone and I go to the Episcopal Church? Would I go with him at 8:30 AM and then go to the Episcopal Church so I could take communion? It was a difficult time, and I kept working through it, trying different things, praying about it, and continuing to struggle. I finally made the decision to attend the Catholic Church and forego communion at the Episcopal Church. Every time we got to communion at the Mass, however, I felt empty. I was a faithful person with no faith home. A few years later, I had an epiphany. I was married to a man who I had watched over the years develop and grow in his faith, and I was in awe of him. I was living a Catholic life and a Catholic marriage. I was overwhelmingly in love and wanted to be with my husband in church - fully. I wanted to be a strong couple in faith and build a marriage that, as the vows state, would let no man put asunder. That is when I decided to start my official journey through RCIA and open my heart and mind to the possibilities. No matter what happened, I was going to put my trust in God and, through His grace, believed He would lead me. It is important to note that never once, in the 11 years we have known each other, has Dave ever pressured or asked me to convert to Catholicism. In fact, my decision to start RCIA was a complete surprise to him. Giving me his full support, and the time and space to discern, has been a blessing. It allowed me the free will to choose the conversion of faith because of Him, not him. I entered the RCIA program not knowing exactly how I was going to feel. I do not take this decision lightly. I have questioned a lot along the way, and it remains one of the biggest decisions of my life. What I have come to understand is that the journey is only beginning. I believe I have a good start because I knew a lot about the Church prior to RCIA. I appreciate the beauty and the deep meaning of the traditions and have a great deal of reverence for the Mass. 7

8 Adult Catholics Growing in Faith I have a husband who loves Jesus and Mary, keeps the Trinity front and center in our marriage, and loves and supports me every step of the way. I have a love of Christ that I am excited to explore more deeply through the Church and cannot wait to experience the Eucharist. I have mountains to climb and amazing experiences awaiting, and I look forward to a lifetime on this faith journey. Kimberly Stromswold Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, I was baptized Mormon at the age of 9 or 10 years old. Once I got to high school, I fell away from the Mormon Church. Like most young adults, I didn t feel I needed to attend church. I believed in God and prayed daily, so this was good enough. Things were about to change! I met my loving husband, John, of over 26 years. He was a cradle Catholic; thus, family and church were very important to him. We married at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church in Huntington Beach and promised to raise our kids Catholic. We moved to Rancho Santa Margarita to start a family and attended weekly Mass in the gymnasium at Santa Margarita High School. San Francisco Solano Catholic Church would be built years later. From birth, we brought our 3 kids to Mass. They were all baptized and from an early age attended Children s Liturgy of the Word, where I would help teach their classes. They went on to receive Reconciliation, the Eucharist, and Confirmation. I have always been involved in church ministries from MOPS, VBS, and Youth Faith Formation, but it wasn t until I received an invitation from Nancy Boyd (my Godmother/friend/Sister in Christ) to attend the Women s CRHP retreat weekend. Little did I know, this spiritual journey would change my life! After attending the retreat, I was moved by the Holy Spirit to join the next team. Each week we would pray and plan for the next retreat. It didn t occur to me that those meetings with my Sisters in Christ and my church community would play a major role in my wanting to further my faith by becoming Catholic. Two months into our meetings after Sunday Mass, I picked up the church bulletin and the words RCIA jumped off the page. I have been living the Catholic faith for over 26 years, but realized all that time I was missing out on receiving his most gracious gift, the Body and Blood of Christ our Lord. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. John 6:51. I am looking forward to joining my family and church community at the Easter Vigil, where I will receive the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation. So here I am in the RCIA program. God s timing could not have been more perfect. My faith journey has been filled with a loving church community and the knowledge, love, and support from each RCIA team leader along with the Candidates, Catechumens, my family, and my Sisters in Christ, who have touched my heart. My journey is just beginning, as there is still so much to learn. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the gift you have given me. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you see me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29: Gloria Briones My wife and I have always enjoyed traveling, camping and the outdoors. After being married for one year, we decided to try something different and embark on our first pilgrimage. Ever since my wife went through the RCIA program in her hometown of Petaluma, California, she has wanted to walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain. It didn t take much convincing before I was on board with the challenge and packed all we needed for a month with our backpacking packs and flew to Spain. I had never experienced anything like my time on the Camino. The culture, amazing food, wine, and beautiful landscapes made me fall in love with the Camino and Spanish life. Before leaving on the Camino, I had no thoughts of Catholicism. My wife practiced and attended church every Sunday, but I would always stay home. My experience on the Camino and meeting Catholics and non-catholics from around the world with a communal spirit and shared interests opened my eyes to the universal community of the Catholic faith. I attended more Masses on the Camino than I had in all my previous years combined. Even though I was much more open to the Catholic faith upon returning from the Camino, I didn t take the steps to fully become initiated into the Church. After our Camino was finished, we returned to our normal lives. We started our next adventure with the birth of our son and made the decision to have him baptized in the Church. We both felt a longing for the Camino and frequently shared stories and searched for local experiences that would remind us of the pilgrim life. Two years after our first Camino, we packed our backpacks again and headed back to Spain. Between our two Caminos, we walked almost 600 miles, attended Mass at about 60 churches, and shared the road with thousands of pilgrims. Somewhere along our second Camino, I decided that it was time to fully join the Catholic faith and enrolled in RCIA when I returned home. And although it might be a few more years before our next Camino, I cannot wait to return and walk as a full, practicing Catholic. -Keith Kroesen I am Ellianna Wood, and I go to Santa Margarita Catholic High School. I am currently a sophomore. When I was first a freshman and just starting to take religion class and attend Mass, I felt led to learn more about the Catholic faith. I have chosen to become Catholic because I am inspired to learn more about Caritas Christi and how I can love as God loves us. Although I have been raised a Christian, I appreciate the more formal and traditional aspects of Catholicism. I have been a Christian and went to church when we could or wanted to, but going to Masses is more formal and traditional. It has impacted the way I feel about God, and I want it to continue to grow in my faith. Taking religion class has really opened my eyes, learning interpretations of the Bible, and learning our responses during Mass. I really appreciate the connected feeling I have when learning in religion and attending Mass. I am committed to a life of serving others as Christ would have me do and am thankful for the opportunity to take the Sacraments. Elianna Wood 8

9 Youth Faith Formation Youth Faith Formation Office Hours Monday-Wednesday, 9 AM-5 PM closed for lunch 12 NOON-1 PM CLOW Volunteers Needed CLOW (Children's Liturgy of the Word) is a program designed to help children hear and discuss the Sunday Gospel at their own level. We NEED adults and teens to facilitate this program during the 8:30 AM and 10:15 AM Masses. No preparation or experience required. If you are interested and feel called to this ministry, please contact Trish Novobilski at mnovobilski@cox.net. For more info, contact Jessica Miyashiro earlychildhood@sfsolano.org 9