50 Years

Dear Friends in Christ,

In May of 1960, 50 years ago, James Cardinal McIntyre formed a new parish from the territory of St. Joachim Parish in Costa Mesa, California. Until that time Mass had been celebrated in the newly erected church building on Baker St. since the fall of 1959; the site was named “St. Joachim’s Annex”. The parish was erected under the patronage of St. John the Baptist, the great Precursor and Herald of the Lord’s coming. With its school that had opened in September 1959 the parish served the growing Catholic community in north Costa Mesa. On this fiftieth anniversary of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church we give thanks to God, “the Giver of all good gifts”

• for the opportunity to offer the sacrifice of the Mass and the sacrifice of our praise,
• for the ministry of nearly 50 priests from Msgr. Anthony McGowan to the Norbertine Fathers,
• for the parish leaders who devoted their time, talent, and treasure to building up the parish both spiritually and materially,
• for the Sisters of Mercy and the lay teachers who have dedicated many years of their lives to the formation and education of our young people in our school,
• for the diverse ethnic communities that have blessed this parish with their gifts,
• for the family and parish celebrations over the years that have united our parish in the love of Christ.
  

Our challenge today, as we move into our next 50 years, is to persevere in prayer and in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, in union with the Church and under leadership of the Pope, our bishop and myself, unworthy as I am to be your pastor.

On this great feast of Pentecost 2010, the feast of the Holy Spirit, let us ask the Spirit for an outpouring of his gifts so that we will be a “light shining before all”. May the joy of that first
Pentecost be ours on this 50th Anniversary of “preparing the way” of the Lord. God bless all the people of St. John the Baptist parish.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand