A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

I pray that your celebration of the Nativity of the Lord was joyful. The Christmas season extends to January 11, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord and includes many other important liturgical commemorations. You are well within your rights to keep up your Christmas decorations until then; we’ll be doing that in the church.

As I communicated in an earlier post, I will be on sabbatical from January through the end of March, returning for Palm Sunday Masses. Fr. Gabriel will be joined by various visiting priests to ensure continuity of priestly care, and the parish staff and volunteers are ready to keep everything running smoothly.

One goal I have for my sabbatical is to write a book. It will be a collection of my best homilies as well as a description of my approach to preparing and giving homilies. Preaching has helped me immensely to know and love God more. If I did not have the duty to preach, I do not think I would spend as much time as I do reflecting on God’s word. I hope this book will be of interest to all, and especially to seminarians who are learning the art of preaching. I also intend to pray more, travel a little, and surf.

2026 marks the 50th year anniversary for OLMC. The date of the founding of the parish was November 17, 1976. A team is preparing various activities which will start in July of 2026. In the meantime, we want to reflect on our parish story. You can help by sharing some of your memories with us here.

Reorganizing Parish Leadership

Many parishioners are unaware of the time and effort required for the parish to operate faithfully and effectively in carrying out the mission entrusted to us by Christ.  Coordinating activities for thousands of people involves complex, detailed, planning and execution, carried out by numerous staff members and volunteers (the team).  As pastor of the parish, I supervise every aspect of parish life, with varying degrees of specific involvement, including numerous weekly meetings with team members.

This is an important part of the duties of a pastor, who represents the bishop in the offices of teaching, governing, and sanctifying.  While I have an aptitude for and interest in governing, I have persistently felt that more of my time should be devoted to teaching, prayerful discernment of big picture issues for the parish, and leading prayer.  In the early Church, the apostles faced a similar dilemma. Logistics and conflict resolution related to the distribution of church resources to families in need was overwhelming them, and so they chose and ordained the first seven deacons. 

Deacon Juan Faus has been a valuable parish leader for many years, and currently volunteers significant time in Hispanic ministry and marriage preparation.  He regularly prepares and preaches excellent homilies for our Sunday, 1:15pm Mass.  He presides at baptisms and weddings outside of Mass.   In preparation for my upcoming sabbatical and transfer from OLMC, I have discerned that the parish needs additional servant leadership in its pastoral dimension (as distinguished from the administrative dimension). 

The parish has two men in diaconal formation, Joe Naval (class of 2026) and Junior Coronel (class of 2027).  Both are currently working full-time as pastoral associates for the parish, with Joe starting a couple of weeks ago.

Here is an overview of Joe’s role (some of which is still in progress as I train him):

·         Joe is responsible for planning and organizing all English-language liturgies and large prayer gatherings.  This includes Masses, penance services, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and Encounters. 

·         He will exercise leadership over and provide support for the following ministries:  bereavement and adult faith formation (including OCIA/RCIA, young adults, and adult Confirmation preparation). 

·         He will supervise Laurie Dusa, the Coordinator of Parishioner Engagement, and collaborate with her to promote good stewardship of parishioner time and talent.  

·         He will directly give pastoral accompaniment in certain situations.  Sometimes couples seek to have their infants baptized at OLMC and they are either not attending Sunday Mass, not married in the Church, or both.  He will meet with them to discuss their situation, with the goal of helping them become practicing Catholics wherever possible as part of the baptism preparation process.  

·         Some couples have prior marriages that are not valid and seek to have those prior relationships recognized as not valid.  He will assess and, when appropriate, guide them through the annulment process. 

·         After his ordination, he will also preach homilies, preside at baptisms, and preside at weddings without Mass.

Most of the ministries mentioned above have staff and volunteer leaders who will remain in in their roles and work with Joe. 

Junior has worked as a Pastoral Associate for a few years now.  His new role is as follows (some of this in still in progress as I train him):

·         He will continue to directly lead the High School faith formation program, which consists primarily of a 2-year Confirmation program that averages about 150 teens per year.    It includes the scheduling and planning of youth nights, Confirmation classes, retreats, parent meetings, service projects, and summer events.  It also includes the coordination of teen discipleship groups, teaching, and leading in prayer.  He builds and leads a team of trusted volunteers, first among which are the Core Team teen leaders. He will involve high schoolers and young adults in serving in various capacities at the 4:30pm Sunday Mass. 

·         He will oversee and support the staff coordinators of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Elementary, and Middle School faith formation.  He will coordinate the overall registration process for faith formation for children and teens. He will coordinate the process for preparing children and teens who have not received Sacraments according to the typical timetable, and of ministering to their parents. 

·         He will be responsible for the activities of the Hispanic community.  Linda Lagunes will assume many of Junior’s previous day-to-day responsibilities in this regard, in addition to continuing to direct the Spanish-language sacrament preparation for children.  Her new title is Coordinator of Hispanic Ministry and she will report to Junior.    He will oversee the paid and volunteer musicians for Spanish-language and bilingual liturgies and coordinate with Joe on bilingual liturgies. He will coordinate with Deacon Juan regarding Spanish-language adult faith formation.

·         After his ordination, he will also preach homilies, preside at baptisms, and preside at weddings without Mass.

Just so you know what they look like when you see them, make sure to visit our webpage with the pictures of our staff members here.

I am spending significant time mentoring Joe and Junior in their roles.  I have known them both for many years and am grateful that they are willing to share the blessings and burdens of leadership.  I ask that you give them your cooperation and respect and patiently help them as they grow in their leadership skills.  Leaders help form a parish, and parishioners help form their leaders. 

My Future at OLMC

Dear Parishioners, 

I recently met with Bishop Felipe Pulido, who is the Vicar for Clergy. That means he is responsible for (among other duties) the assignment of priests to different parishes.  Last Friday, I was informed that he consulted with Bishop Pham and that I will conclude my time as pastor of OLMC at the end of June 2026.  Also, I was granted a three-month sabbatical (per the policy on priests) which I will take from January 1 to March 27, 2026 (back in time for Holy Week). 

For perspective, this is my 14th year of service here, much higher than the average tenure of a pastor. 

How did this come about?  Previously, when asked if I was open to accepting a new assignment (which is done through an annual form that we priests fill out), I indicated that I was not.  Last January, for the first time, I indicated my openness to change.  For the past 18 months, I have sensed in prayer that what God sent me to do at OLMC was substantially complete.  Recently, this line from the Gospel struck a chord with me: “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.”  (Luke 4:43)  

I received offers from two other dioceses to work in special ministries for a period, and those offers aligned with my passion to help the Church particularly through the formation of young men.  I sensed that I should share this personal discernment with Bishop Pulido.  He indicated that while he thought I could excel in either of those ministries, I was needed in San Diego to lead a large, complex parish.   

Where will I be sent?  I don’t know, and I don’t think this has been decided.  Likely, I will know where in the Spring of 2026.  Who will take my place as pastor of OLMC?  I don’t know, and I think this also will be decided next Spring.   

After returning from my sabbatical will be the time for goodbyes and reflecting on and giving thanks for our time together.  Now, I think we should focus on working hard to prepare the parish for a fruitful transition.  

I will have more to say about this in the future, but please know that I have instructed staff to not begin any major new initiatives, including starting new groups or ministries.  I would like us to focus on team building and leadership formation, both for staff and key parish volunteers.  This is a time of consolidation and not expansion.   

I know that change can be a cause of concern, but I pray that you be at peace.  I am at peace.  God has been very good to the people of this parish, and that goodness will continue.   

Yours in Christ, 

Fr. Anthony Saroki, OLMC Pastor 

“Seek first the Kingdom of God…”

Pater Noster

Pater Noster is Latin for Our Father. Contrary to what many people believe, the Second Vatican Council and subsequent Church teaching did not do away with Gregorian chant or use of the Latin language at Mass.  In the constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963), the Council Fathers stated that “the use of the Latin language is to be preserved” (SC 36.1) and that Gregorian chant is specially suited to the Roman liturgy and “should be given pride of place in liturgical services” (SC 116.)  Subsequent Church teaching has confirmed this and has encouraged all the faithful to learn and pray the Gregorian chants for the Ordinary of the Mass (the parts that are the same each day). 

From the start of his pontificate, Pope Leo the XIV has led the faithful gathered in Rome in singing these chants.  He has done so from memory and with a beautiful voice.  One of the many reasons why we should learn some of the Mass parts in Latin is so that when we gather with other Catholics from different parts of the world, we can pray with one voice.

Inspired by Pope Leo, the Pontifical Institute for Sacred Music has created tutorial videos to help people learn how to sing the Gregorian chants.  These are the most helpful videos I have ever seen, and if you spend a little time with them, you will be able to sing these or at least gain familiarity with them and appreciate their beauty.  Below is the tutorial video on the Pater Noster.  We will, from time to time, sing the Pater Noster at our Sunday Masses.

Annual Catholic Appeal 2025

In last Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus instructed his disciples in the way of mercy. Mercy is love’s response to evil and suffering. Mercy is patient with failings and reaches out to supply what is lacking. The Church gives us an illustrative list of corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Each of us should be conscientious about practicing these.

The most effective works of mercy involve the cooperation of many people and rely on organization and funding.  The Catholic Church has operated countless ministries to help people in every imaginable way, and no other institution has done as much good as the Catholic Church.  It’s not even close. 

We are asking you to donate some of your hard-earned money to the Annual Catholic Appeal. Each parish is assigned a portion of the total appeal goal. This money will go to support works of mercy carried out by our local church, the Diocese of San Diego.  I know that some of you have concerns about how the Diocese spends your donations, but I am confident that the money raised in the ACA is well spent.  It will help Catholic schools in the poorest of neighborhoods, fund evangelization and faith formation, support the formation of seminarians and the care of elderly priests, and help Catholic Charities. 

Please use one of the brochures in the church or click the link below to make your generous pledge. Brochure envelopes with checks can be dropped off at any weekend Mass in the collection boxes. “Give and gifts will begiven to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing will be poured into your lap.  For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” (Luke 6:38)

https://sdcatholic.org/giving/annual-catholic-appeal/

Getting Ready to Pray the Mass

Masses this weekend will include instructions at key points on what is happening and how to fully participate. Some places call this a teaching Mass. We are going to use a script prepared by Dr. Paul Ford, a longtime seminary professor at St. John’s in Camarillo who has instructed myself and many other San Diego priests.

Our Deacons (Juan Faus & Frank Reilly) and our Deacon Candidates (Joe Naval & Junior Coronel) will be serving in the liturgical role of Commentator. They will be giving instruction and encouragement during Mass.

Last weekend, we passed out your homework, a worksheet designed to help you reflect on your prayers, works, joys, and sufferings that you will offer to God in the Mass. As a sign of your interior participation, we ask that you bring the completed worksheet into the church and drop it off in a basket near the baptismal font. This basket will be brought to the altar along with the bread and wine. If you did not pick up the worksheet, you can print out a copy here.

For the past three Tuesdays, we have given talks on the Mass. You can watch recordings of these talks by clicking the title of the talk: (1) Overview of the Mass and Singing, (2) The Liturgy of the Word and (3) The Liturgy of the Eucharist.

It is my hope that as many of you as possible will find this experience a help to pray the Mass better than you’ve ever prayed it before.

Understanding and Praying the Mass

Many life-long practicing Catholics lack an understanding of the nature, purpose, and essentials elements of the Mass and therefore are not praying the Mass as well as they could. As a result, they are not receiving the full measure of grace that is on offer for them.

To remedy this situation, we will have a teaching series about the Mass on three consecutive Tuesdays (1/28, 2/4 & 2/11), from 5:45-6:45pm, in the parish hall. In Session One, I will give an overview of the Mass and our Director of Music, Scott Camden will address singing. In Session Two, I will go over each part of the Liturgy of the Word. In Session Three, Deacon Frank Reilly will go over each part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

Praying the Mass well includes knowing when and how to offer to God your prayers, works, joys, and sufferings. At Masses on February 8/9, every attendee will be given a sheet of paper to reflect on these and will be asked to return them on February 15/16. At Masses on February 15/16, a commentator will give explanations and encouragement for certain parts of the Mass.

I am hopeful that this will help our parish experience the Mass as what it is, the source and summit of the Christian life.

A brief note about upcoming liturgies. On January 25 at 9am, we will celebrate the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. This Mass will incorporate traditional elements such as chant and ad orientum posture. Experts in the liturgy, such as Pope Benedict XVI, have explained that these perennial elements should be preserved in the Church.

On February 2, we will celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord at all weekend Masses. This commemorates the visit of the Holy Family to the Jerusalem temple 40 days after the birth of Jesus. By tradition, candles are blessed at this Mass. I encourage you to bring candles before Mass and place them on the table near the baptismal font for them to be blessed.

Know, Participate, Serve

On August 24/25, Deacon Frank and I preached a message about good stewardship of our time and talents. I explained that Jesus wants highly committed disciples, and I suggested how one can take steps to become such a disciple: (1) know what is happening at the parish, (2) participate in an event on campus at least once per week besides Sunday Mass, and (3) discern how your time and talents align with a parish ministry or group. You can listen to my homily here.

As it so happens, that are many opportunities for you to participate in September events, including the Encounter on September 13, a special Mass for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 14, a joint worship at Jesus Culture on September 17, and on September 28 a rosary/Mass/reception for the the feast of the first Filipino saint, San Lorenzo Ruiz. Details about these can be found at https://www.olmcsandiego.org/events

Finally, we have another Good Life retreat coming up on October 4/5. When we started these over 10 years ago, it was my hope that eventually every parishioner would attend. For many who have attended, this retreat marked a new and better phase of their relationship with Jesus Christ. To find out more and to register, click this link https://www.goodlifeusa.org/learn-more

A New Calling for Jenna Jackson

Since 2011, Jenna Jackson has worked in faith formation at OLMC. She has lovingly and skillfully coordinated the formation program for children from pre-school to fifth grade, including their preparation for the Sacraments. Early in her tenure, she became a catechist of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a unique approach to forming children as disciples of Jesus Christ and helping them have a real, personal relationship with the Triune God. She brought the atrium to OLMC and helped introduce CGS to others in our diocese.

Recently, Jenna has heard the call of the Good Shepherd to begin a new adventure outside of OLMC. Jenna is entering her second year of a master’s program for Marriage and Family Therapy. I am grateful for having worked with Jenna my entire time as pastor here and I am confident that she will continue to serve God and others in her new vocation. Jenna will remain in her position here at OLMC until mid-September, guiding the programs through registration, parent orientation, and the first classes.

At that time, Laurie Dusa will assume responsibility for the Tuesday night first through fifth grade faith formation as well as the summer Vacation Bible School. She will start working full time with a new title, Pastoral Associate, and will retain her current responsibilities for parishioner engagement. Cynthia Tobin, our front office administrator, has trained in level 1 CGS and will take over responsibility for that. Unfortunately, we will not be able to offer level 2 CGS this year.

Please make sure to express your gratitude to Jenna and pray for her in this time of transition. Please also pray for Laurie and Cynthia as they begin their new roles at OLMC.

Casting out Demons

This past Sunday, the readings focused on Jesus’ ministry of exorcisms. Demons are real, spiritual beings who have rebelled against God. Their leader is Lucifer, also called Satan. Because humanity rejected God’s rule, we are vulnerable to being influenced and afflicted by demons. Repentance and faith, prayer and fasting, and sacraments and sacramentals join us to Christ and set us free from the forces of evil.

Below are some resources the lay faithful can use.

1. Unbound. This book, by Neil Lozano, provides a way of praying directed towards freedom from sin and the spirits that promote sin in our lives. You can review unbound prayers, based on five keys, here.

2. Fr. Chad Ripperger has written a book entitled Deliverance Prayers: For us by the Laity. A few of these prayers can be found here.

3. The Lorica Prayer of St. Patrick.

4. Psalm 91 has been used by Jews and Christians for about 3,000 to pray against demons.

Parish Pastoral Council and Mission Fulfillment Discernment Gatherings

Canon 536 of the Code of Canon Law provides for the creation of parish pastoral councils.  At OLMC, our Pastoral Council charter is based on the Diocesan model.  Its role is described as follows:

The Parish Pastoral Council is consultative.  Its areas of concern include: (1) Education ─ Parochial School and/or Religious Education (2) Liturgy (3) Social Action and Charitable Outreach (4) Youth and Young Adults (5) Marriage and Family Life (6) Priestly and Religious Vocations (7) Ecumenical and Interreligious Cooperation and (8) Parish Activities and Events.   Its responsibilities include: (1) Engaging parishioners in the spiritual and pastoral life of the parish; (2) Collaborating with the pastor in providing direction and oversight for all pastoral aspects of parish life; (3) Reviewing the pastoral policies of the diocese for parish implementation; (4) Establishing pastoral priorities with goals and objectives.

Since the beginning of my pastoral service here in 2012, OLMC has had an active Pastoral Council which usually meets four times per year.  In the early years, the Pastoral Council discerned the parish mission statement and motto and prioritized evangelization, from which the Good Life retreat came. The Pastoral Council discerned that OLMC should get involved in the Save PQ Village outreach.  In recent years, the Pastoral Council conducted a parish survey and discerned the priority of Young Adult ministry which led to a renewed effort by parish staff and volunteers in this area.

Normally, I would invite some involved parishioners to serve on the Pastoral Council based on their qualities of character and spirituality and to represent various segments of the parish.  Last year I asked the heads of various ministries to nominate members of their ministry and the process resulted in an excellent group.  You can see who they are here: https://www.olmcsandiego.org/pastoral-council-2021

The universal and local Church has, under the name synodality, held various meetings to help the Church become more listening, inclusive, and to engage more of the lay faithful in decision making.  We participated in that process and now are taking another step with a series of meetings called Mission Fulfillment Discernment Gatherings. These will take place as follows:

Sat April 20, 2-4pm

Sun April 21 after 1:15pm Spanish mass for Hispanic community

Th May 2, 7-9pm

The questions that will be considered are: How well is OLMC fulfilling its Mission? How have you been blessed here?  What could be done better?  How can we all take greater responsibility to achieve our mission?

I encourage you to participate in one of these gatherings.  The Pastoral Council will be facilitating these meetings.  I would like to see the members of the Pastoral Council have a more prominent role in parish leadership.  You likely know or at least recognize one or more of them.  Please feel free to say hello to them if you see them after Mass.  The Pastoral Council can be contacted by email, which is posted at the link above. 

Thanks be to God for Fr. Ignatius

Fr. Ignatius has been assigned to pastor St. Martin of Tours parish in La Mesa starting on July 1st. Fr. Ignatius began his service at OLMC in 2014, and with the exception of one year at another parish, he has been with us since then.

We have been greatly blessed to have Fr. Ignatius with us for so long. He is a faithful and joyful priest with the heart of the Good Shepherd. He has helped us to better understand and apply the word of God and prayerfully ministered the Sacraments through which souls were born again, nourished, healed, and strengthened. His humor, joy, and kindness have helped so many of you to experience the goodness of the Lord. God has decided it is time for our brothers and sisters in another parish to be blessed by his priestly ministry.

I will miss him very much. We have collaborated well in our work and gotten along well as housemates in the rectory. Most of that is due to his uncomplaining and generous nature.

Fr. Ignatius has served before as a pastor of several parishes in Kenya, but this will be his first pastorate in the U.S. People help to form their priests, and I know that the love and cooperation you have given him has prepared him to assume his new responsibility.

OLMC will receive another associate pastor, but we have to wait a little while to announce that.

Please be sure to express your gratitude to Fr. Ignatius and pray for him in this time of transition. We will be having a going away party for him in June.

Care for Our Parish Home

It has been so gratifying to see the happy reactions to our new Discipleship Center. Having a new, beautiful building makes one more conscious of the responsibility to take care of it. This is connected with an ongoing issue of unsupervised children on campus. Please be aware that it is OLMC policy that children on campus must be supervised at all times by a parent, guardian, or mature older sibling.

I am overjoyed that so many families in this parish have been generous in receiving children from God. It is a sacrifice that benefits not only the family to which they belong, but it also benefits society and the Church. Part of forming our children in virtue is teaching them respect for property.

The first Sunday after the Discipleship Center was open, several children were playing in the new building without supervision. They were riding the elevator like an amusement park ride. The elevator should only be used for people who need it to move between floors.

We have had incidents of children damaging parish property, including using berries from the bushes and defacing the columns in the courtyard.

Regularly, volunteers have to repair broken hymnal binding because the hymnals are roughly handled, often by children. Also, volunteers spend many hours untying knots that are made with hymnal ribbons and straightening out the envelopes in the pews.

Please take care of our parish home and let us teach our children to respect the property which we share.

Blessing Same-Sex Couples

Yesterday, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (“DDF) released a declaration (Fiducia supplicans “FS”) which discusses the possibility of blessing couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples. The Pillar has an accurate summary (with a link to the full text of the declaration) here.

FS has received massive attention in international media as well as widely varying interpretations of what it says and doesn’t say. Based on my reading, the text contains significant ambiguities and internal contradictions; hence, the varying interpretations.

Just two and half years ago, the same DDF issued a shorter, clearer, and more faithful document on the same matter. You can read the full text of that document here. My own understanding of God’s will in this matter is expressed in this Responsum.

Any action that affirms people in a sinful lifestyle is not loving because it does not work for their objective good. I am happy to pray with any individual who asks for prayer, but I will never bless sinful relationships.

Defend Pregnancy Centers

UPDATE: County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer has withdrawn the proposed action against crisis pregnancy centers in San Diego. Thank you for your prayers and advocacy.

San Diego County Bill Aims to Shut Down Pregnancy Centers: Call to Action to Defend County Crisis Pregnancy Centers  

On November 7, 2023 County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer introduced a bill to the County Supervisors’ Board that directs litigation to shut down all crisis pregnancy centers in San Diego County.  She accused crisis pregnancy centers of being “Fake and Fraudulent Crisis Pregnancy Centers” that use “deceptive methods to dissuade women from pursuing abortion by providing blatant misinformation presented as medical advice.”   She also calls for a public “education campaign” to raise public awareness of state-sponsored abortion programs and endorse Planned Parenthood’s services.  

Crisis pregnancy centers provide a variety of free medical and non-medical services depending on the specific center.  Services range from free licensed professional medical care, ultrasounds, pregnancy testing and referrals for additional care to non-medical services like assistance with food, rent, gasoline, assistance with job and school applications, parenting classes, and baby items such as diapers, clothing, car seats, and cribs.  Support for other family members needs’ is also common, especially school-aged siblings and elderly family members. 

Supervisor Lawson-Remer’s accusations are not based on any supporting data, evidence, or complaints against crisis pregnancy centers.  She admitted there have been no investigations.  Threatening litigation and closure of all county crisis pregnancy centers without any supporting evidence is clearly unjust.  At the least it harasses these valuable organizations.  Fighting litigation will divert valuable resources away from clients and toward expenses of defending themselves.  At worst, and likely the goal, is to eliminate alternatives to abortion, thus forcing abortion on unwilling women and their families who depend on pregnancy centers’ supportive resources. 

This proposal was presented at the November 7 County Supervisor’s Board meeting and was tabled until the next meeting on December 5 due to a 2-2 tie vote on whether to accept it.  While there was very strong opposition from the public via the public comments process, crisis pregnancy centers remain at risk of attack.  Since the November 7th meeting, Monica Montgomery Steppe was elected to the Board and is known to be pro-abortion.  This is Agenda Item 25 of the Dec. 5 meeting.  

Urgent and immediate action is needed to protect crisis pregnancy centers against this unjust and deceptive action.  While there was significant opposition expressed by the public on November 7, the momentum can drop in the weeks until the December 5th meeting.  Actions: 1) pray and fast for justice and protection for crisis pregnancy centers, 2) communicate your opposition by contacting your county supervisor’s office, submitting e-comments, and attending the December 5th meeting virtually or in person.  How to participate: 

Contact the County Supervisors:

· Call the Bill’s author, Supervisor Lawson-Remer’s office with your opposition. Her number is 619-531-5533

· Call your Supervisor.  If you don’t know who your Supervisor is, click here: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/general/bos.html.html

Comment.  Please be respectful; negative comments lose their impact. To comment on the Agenda in person, phone, or online register here:
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/bos/comment-at-board-meetings.html

How to participate in person in the Board Chambers at 1600 Pacific Highway during the Board hearing which is 9am-5pm:
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/cob/bosa/aginfo.html.  The time each item is discussed varies. 

If individuals wanted to call in by following these instructions:
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/bos/telecomments.html.

E-Comments are welcome:
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/bos/ecomment.html as well as letters of opposition that you can submit directly to share with the other Board offices.

Please also consider attending this Dec. 4 Mira Mesa Meet & Greet with Supervisor Lawson-Remer.

Traffic Light Woes

We just celebrated All Saints and All Souls Day. The Masses were beautiful, but unfortunately, many of you had difficulty getting to the church. That is because during many weekday hours, the left turn signal of the traffic light at the corner of Carmel Mountain Rd. and Stoney Creek Rd. only turns green for about seven seconds, allowing only four cars to pass at a time. For big events, like Holy Day Masses, hundreds of cars arrive at that intersection within a 15-20 minute window of time.

A while back, the City resurfaced parts of Carmel Mountain Rd. After this work, the sensors at the traffic signal stopped working. We have contacted the City of San Diego Transportation Department many times about this, and they have not told us when this will be fixed.

I am asking your help. Please consider doing the following:

(1) Report this issue through the City’s website: https://getitdone.sandiego.gov/TSWNewReport?type=Traffic%20Signal. I am hoping the old adage “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” will apply here. In selecting the type of problem, select timing. For description, you can write that the left turn signal onto Stoney Creek is too short when there are church events.

(2) If you have connections with any decision makers in City Government, please reach out to our business manager Michelle Fischer (mfischer@olmc-sandiego.org) to facilitate a conversation with them about this.

(3) Until it gets fixed, you may want to alter your route to the parish to enter by making a right turn at that intersection for busy weekday events.

We are also looking into hiring off-duty police to direct traffic for certain events. This is expensive. For All Saints Mass on the evening of Nov. 1, I happened to see a couple of on-duty police officers and they graciously directed traffic.

On a related note, the impact of construction on traffic flow within our parking lot will soon decrease be done. The project is scheduled to be completed before Christmas.

Thank you for your patience with these inconveniences.

In Christ,

Fr. Anthony Saroki

Pray for the Church and the World

Many people have a sense that things in our Church and world are unraveling.  From the COVID epidemic, the responses to it, controversy over the 2020 election, the war between Russia and Ukraine, the confusing Synod in the Church, to the Hamas terrorist attack against Israelis.  The death and suffering of so many cause us sadness.  Hatred and deceit on the part of some cause us anger.  My own discernment is that these are harbingers of greater trials in the future.  Do not be afraid.  Our refuge is in the Lord to Whom we pray in confidence for salvation.    

I ask all of you (if you are able) to fast from food for a period of time tomorrow, October 13th.  The picture above is from the Miracle of the Sun that took place in Fatima on October 13, 1917. Fridays are traditionally days of penance to commemorate the Passion and Death of the Lord Jesus.  This might mean not eating your first meal until after 12 noon, or skipping a meal in the middle of the day.  Voluntarily uniting our suffering to His helps to extend the redemptive power of the Cross through time and space.

October 13th at 7pm is our regularly scheduled Encounter prayer night.  We will pray for the needs of the Church and the world, including the Divine Mercy Chaplet.  Confessions will begin at 6:30pm and continue through the Encounter.  Our time is better spent together in prayer than in doom scrolling through the news feeds. 

A Flood of Grace

This past weekend we celebrated beautiful First Communion and Confirmation Masses. The church was packed, the sacrament recipients were excited and prayerful, their families overjoyed. Years of formation and preparation culminated in a deepening of the life of grace which unites and conforms us to our Lord. This Sunday, our Hispanic community will celebrate First Communion, bringing the total number of first communicants to 96, our largest class ever. Seventy nine teens and adults were confirmed, making it one of our larger Confirmation classes.

The Easter Season ends with the celebration of Pentecost this weekend. For the first time, we will use the extended vigil readings at the Saturday, 5:30pm Mass. While we return to ordinary time on Monday, the following Sundays celebrate special feasts. Sunday, June 4th, is the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity. Our Holy Trinity prayer group will be hosting a reception (open to all) after the 4:30pm Mass that day. June 11 is the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. The 4:30pm Mass that day will include a Eucharistic procession in the parking lot.

May 31st is the Feast of the Visitation. The 5:30pm Mass will be celebrated in what we call Benedict XVI style, with Gregorian chant and other traditional elements. We started these after parish study sessions on the late Pope’s book, The Spirit of the Liturgy. We celebrate these about once per month, and I hope at some point every parishioner has an opportunity to participate in one of these BXVI Masses.

God has blessed us abundantly in the gift of the Sacraments. May our manner of life reflect what we receive and celebrate.

Easter Season

During the Easter Season, we reflect on the many Resurrection appearances of our Lord, look forward to his Ascension and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and remember the adventures of the apostles as they reproduced the life of Christ in building up His body, the Church.

Last weekend, members of our parish conducted a Good Life retreat for St. Timothy’s parish in Escondido. Through preaching, prayer, conversation, and hospitality, the attendees experienced the Spirit of the Risen Lord. We’ll be having another Good Life retreat at OLMC in October.

This weekend, we will be collecting men’s clothing for the homeless, which our Confirmation candidates will sort and send. Details here. Also this weekend, we will hear again about the Oaxaca Education fund, and you’ll be invited to enroll mothers you love, living and deceased, in the Mother’s Day Novena of Masses, with proceeds going to help the youth of Oaxaca.

The Church of Christ is built as we cooperate with his grace by faith and charity. But having physical buildings helps. Here is a time lapsed video of the first part of construction of our new Discipleship Center. As typical with any large construction projects, unanticipated problems and expenses arise. Your prayer and donations are greatly appreciated.

Christ is risen….He is risen, indeed!

Night Prayer and Other Noteworthy Things

NIGHT PRAYER (COMPLINE). Scott and I have prepared resources to help your family pray together the last part of the Divine Office, called night prayer or compline. Watch the video below to find out more. Printed booklets can be picked up at the parish office during normal office hours.

VATICAN II: This past Tuesday, I began a series on the Second Vatican Council. Below is the recording of my first talk. Remaining talks be on Tuesdays at 7:15pm in the parish hall. To fully participate, you should read in advance the Vatican II document which will be discussed, which are as follows: March 21, The Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium), March 28, On the Church (Lumen Gentium), April 11, The Word of God (Dei Verbum), and April 18, The Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes). All of these are available online at the Vatican’s website, or can be purchased in an excellent print edition here.

JP CATHOLIC RADIO INTERVIEWS: JP Catholic Radio is broadcasting a series of interviews where I talk with special guests about their spiritual journey. More information about these can be found here.

SEX ABUSE LAWSUITS AND CONTEMPLATED BANKRUPTCY REORGANIZATION OF THE DIOCESE. Cardinal McElroy’s letter to pastors can be found here and FAQ’s can be found here.