"I am the vine, you are the branches"

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today is Thursday, May 7, 2009. In today’s Orange County Register the article about the swine flu is still not very optimistic. There has been progress in determining the origins of the virus, but the number of those infected has increased. As a result, we are continuing to suspend Communion from the cup until the danger to our children and parishioners is clearly past. However, the question arises: Are we being deprived of the fullness of Communion by receiving under the form of bread alone?

Most of us remember about 30 years ago when few if any parishes provided Communion from the cup. This was the common practice for centuries, especially after the Protestant Reformation. Many of the Protestants had begun to teach that Communion had to be distributed under both forms for it to be valid. The Church responded by explaining that the presence of Christ in the Eucharist did not depend upon the outward appearance but on the inward reality. This is true of all sacraments, which are outward signs instituted by Christ to give grace. The outward sign of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is the bread and wine. When the priest says the words of consecration, This is my Body….This is the cup of my Blood, he is speaking on behalf of Christ Himself, in persona Christi, is the theological term. During the Eucharistic Prayer the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. This change is very mysterious, but still very real. Many miracles of the Eucharist down through the centuries have confirmed the Church’s teaching that this is indeed the Body and Blood of Christ. The Church also explains how Christ is present in this Sacrament.

The creed tells us that after his resurrection Christ “ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father”. He is living in His glorified state, body, blood, soul, and divinity, the whole Christ perfectly sound. Therefore, his presence in the Eucharist cannot be divided. Therefore, when we say the Eucharistic bread has become the Body of Christ, His blood, soul, and divinity are also present by concomitance, that is by the very fact that He is one integral person in heaven’s glory. When we receive the Body of Christ we receive the whole Christ. When we receive the Blood of Christ we receive the whole Christ. When we receive under both species we receive the whole Christ.

At this time let us pray for those who are sick with the flu virus. Let us pray for an end to the spread of the disease. Above all, let us thank the Lord for the gift of the Eucharist, the bread of angels.

A very happy Mother’s Day to all of our mothers, both living and deceased. How grateful we are that they gave us life and the possibility of eternal life!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Dear Friends in Christ,

Recently I visited Grade 2 in our school. I usually visit them before their First Communion to give them the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. I have found that many people don’t know about the scapular and so I thought I would dedicate this first letter of May to explain its meaning in our relationship to Mary. Like holy water, rosaries, and other religious objects, a scapular is a sacramental. The Catechism defines sacramentals as “sacred signs instituted by the Church. They prepare men to receive the fruit of the sacraments and sanctify different circumstances of life.”(§1677). Unlike Sacraments, which give grace just by the fact of being administered, sacramentals give grace according to the devotion of the person who uses them.

Scapulars are pieces of cloth worn around the neck and hanging down the front and back. They form part of the religious habit of different religious orders and come in different colors. For example, the scapular of the Norbertines is white, that of the Benedictines is black. The brown scapular belongs to the Carmelite Order and has an interesting history.

The Carmelites are especially devoted to the Virgin Mary under her title Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. In 1251 St. Simon Stock, an English Carmelite, received the brown scapular from Our Lady. She encouraged all those devoted to her to wear it and so the religious men and women of the Carmelite Order have the large brown scapular as part of their habit. However, for those lay persons who wish to benefit from the devotion to Our Lady by wearing her scapular, a much smaller version was developed that can be worn under ordinary clothing. This smaller version consists of two small squares of brown cloth with an image of Our Lady on one of them. These two squares are joined by two cords or string that make it easily worn around the neck.

A person who wears the brown scapular must first be enrolled and receive the blessed scapular from a priest. Any priest has the faculty to bless and impose the brown scapular.

Once enrolled, a person enjoys the spiritual benefits of the Carmelite Order and wears the scapular as a sign of his/her devotion to Our Lady. If the scapular is lost or wears out the person need not go through another enrollment but may simply replace the scapular.

In 1917 when Our Lady appeared to the three children at Fatima she especially encouraged people to wear the brown scapular. She promised that those who wear it faithfully and with true devotion would not suffer eternal punishment. This great promise holds as long as a person truly remains devoted to Our Lady and lives a good Catholic Christian life.

May God bless you and Our Lady protect you always.

Fr. Hildebrand

Third Sunday of Easter

The Gospel is from St. Luke 24:35-48. Our Lord's glorious resurrection is the crowning miracle of his sojourn on earth among men. It is the foundation and cornerstone of our Christian religion. His death on Calvary proved that he was really human; his resurrection proved he was also divine. During his public life he had claimed to be God. Had that claim been untrue God the Father could not have raised him from the dead. By his death he made atonement for the sins of the world — "he nailed them to the tree of the cross"; by his resurrection he opened the gates of death for all men and made them heirs to the eternal life.

We need hardly delay to prove the fact of the resurrection of Christ, for without it there would have been no Christianity, no Christian Church. In the story of the appearance which precedes today's Gospel, we are told how two of Christ's disciples were so depressed and disorientated by his death that they were giv- ing up all interest in the dead Master and were returning home at the first opportunity (the Sabbath, Saturday, had intervened and they could not travel on that day). The Apostles were no better since Good Friday. They had remained behind locked doors for fear of the Jews. They had no hope left. They too would have left Jerusalem that Sunday were it not for the story brought by Mary Magdalene that Christ's body had been taken from the tomb. When the risen Christ appeared to the ten Apostles (Thomas was absent) they thought he was a ghost, so far were their thoughts from a possible resurrection.

Of the fact of the resurrection we can have no doubts; Christianity is inexplicable without it, and Christianity has existed for almost two thousand years. A more important point for consideration today is what this resurrection means to us. "If Christ has not risen," says St. Paul (1 Cor. 15:17), "vain is your faith, for you are still in your sins." But "Christ has risen from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep." Our faith then is not in vain, for the founder and foundation of our faith is the Word of God who cannot deceive or be deceived, and his resurrection is the guarantee of our resurrection. He is the "first fruits," the earnest of the full harvest that was to follow after our earthly death. We shall all rise again, in glory if we have been faithful during our time on earth, in a less pleasant state, if we have not followed Christ here below.

With St. Paul then, we may well sing out today: "O death where is thy victory, O death where is thy sting?.thanks be to God who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 15 : 55-57). Yes, Easter time is a time of rejoicing for every true Christian. It is a time for Alleluias, for praising and thanking God. Our happy future is within our reach. Our eternal happiness has been won for us by Christ and is within our grasp, if only we hold fast to the true faith of Christ, taking the rough with the smooth, going through our lesser Gethsemanes and Calvaries as Christ went through his great ones. If we do this we can hopefully await the angel who will roll back the stone from our grave one day, and allow us to enter into the glory of the eternal Easter in heaven.

Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

Divine Mercy Sunday

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday (Second Sunday of Easter). The Gospel for today shows us Jesus appearing to the Apostles and giving them the power to forgive sins. The constant teaching of the Church from earliest times has maintained that priests continue to exercise this power in the Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation or Confession). On Divine Mercy Sunday we remember the message of Jesus to St. Faustina Kowalska in which He encourages all to seek for His mercy, especially those who are the greatest sinners. We should especially recommend our friends and family members who have fallen away from the faith or have become enslaved by some addiction, whether to drugs, alcohol or pornography. Let us commend them to the Divine Mercy and trust in Jesus who has won the victory over sin.

Father Robert researched the indulgences one can gain on Divine Mercy Sunday. We should all take advantage of this. Here is what he found:

Divine Mercy Sunday (the Second Sunday of Easter) has been enriched with a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions for those who recite in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament the Our Father, the Creed, and a pious invocation to the Merciful Lord Jesus (such as "Merciful Jesus, I trust in You!") while being in the state of grace (free of mortal sin) and free of all affection for sin, even venial sin. The usual conditions for a plenary indulgence are: Holy Communion and prayer for the intentions of the Pope (for example, an Our Father and a Hail Mary) either on Divine Mercy Sunday or within several days before or after the feast, Sacramental Confession on that day or within three weeks before or after the feast, and at least a general intention of gaining the indulgence.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Parish Home Visitation Project

Our parish home visits continue on April 28 on the west side of our parish. The streets included are:

• Java Rd. Maui Circle, Tahiti Dr. Club House Circle, Kauai Pl. Lanai Dr. Suva Circle, Simba Circle, Ayon Circle, Nevis Circle, Boa Vista Dr. Korna Dr. Lemnos Dr. Chios Rd. Baltra Pl. Balearic Dr. Inroz Dr. Capella Ct. Calvert Ave. Shantar Dr. and Europa Dr.
  

If you live on one of these streets, please call the rectory office 714-540-2214 to find out the location of the host family and the time of the visit. Please continue to pray for the success of this project, whose purpose is the evangelization and spiritual enrichment of our parish.

Thank You

Thank you to all the volunteers who prepared the worship environment for Holy Week as well as all the members of several ministries that participated in the Easter Triduum liturgy. A Special
thanks to Lee for the beautiful orchids and all parishioners who donated Easter Lilies. Job well done!!!!!!

With sincere thanks,

Fr. Hildebrand

Dear Friends in Christ,

He is risen as He promised, alleluia!

A very blessed and happy Easter 2009 to all of you! In recent months we have heard many promises, campaign promises, promises for economic recovery, and promises about ending the war. How many of these promises have been fulfilled? Not many, I’m sure you will agree. Hopefully the most important and needed promises will be fulfilled soon. Meanwhile we wait.

The promise of Jesus that He would rise from the dead is a promise we know has been fulfilled. We have the witnesses, the Apostles, who have handed down their own testimony, that they saw Him and that they ate and drank with Him after his resurrection. The good news for us is not only that Jesus Himself is alive, but that He has made it possible for us to share his life. This is the greater promise of the resurrection, that those who follow Jesus can also share in his new life.

Our candidates and catechumens who received the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion on this Easter Sunday have benefited from the promise of Jesus. After months of preparation, through study and prayer, they have come to believe in the Lord and his Church. Just this weekend we at St. John’s have added 38 new members to the Catholic Church.

We have good reason to rejoice. At the same time we must be humbly aware of our responsibility to support and pray for these “neophytes” these new Catholics. Please welcome them when you see them. Their journey of faith is far from over; they will probably experience even more trials now that they have been fully initiated as Catholics.

Nevertheless, they have the grace of Christ and the Sacraments to strengthen them. The promise of Jesus continues to be fulfilled in each one of us as we live the faith we proclaim. On this Easter Sunday we renew our baptismal promises. Let us not make empty promises today but promises full of conviction in the Lord and his grace. He has promised to be with us all the way. We have every good reason to trust in Him.

Sincerely yours in the risen Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Pope Benedict on the World Economy to the London Economic Summit (Excerpt)

The London Summit, just like the one in Washington in 2008, for practical and pressing reasons is limited to the convocation of those States who represent 90% of the world’s gross production and 80% of world trade. In this framework, sub-Saharan Africa is represented by just one State and some regional organizations. This situation must prompt a profound reflection among the Summit participants, since those whose voice has least force in the political scene are precisely the ones who suffer most from the harmful effects of a crisis for which they do not bear responsibility. Furthermore, in the long run, it is they who have the most potential to contribute to the progress of everyone.

It is necessary, therefore, to turn to the multilateral mechanisms and structures which form part of the United Nations and its associated organizations, in order to hear the voices of all countries and to ensure that measures and steps taken at G20 meetings are supported by all.

At the same time, I would like to note a further reason for the need for reflection at the Summit. Financial crises are triggered when -- partially due to the decline of correct ethical conduct -- those working in the economic sector lose trust in its modes of operating and in its financial systems. Nevertheless, finance, commerce and production systems are contingent human creations which, if they become objects of blind faith, bear within themselves the roots of their own downfall. The only true and solid foundation is faith in the human person. For this reason all the measures proposed to rein in this crisis must seek, ultimately, to offer security to families and stability to workers and, through appropriate regulations and controls, to restore ethics to the financial world.

The current crisis has raised the specter of the cancellation or drastic reduction of external assistance programs, especially for Africa and for less developed countries elsewhere. Development aid, including the commercial and financial conditions favorable to less developed countries and the cancellation of the external debt of the poorest and most indebted countries, has not been the cause of the crisis and, out of fundamental justice, must not be its victim. If a key element of the crisis is a deficit of ethics in economic structures, the same crisis teaches us that ethics is not “external” to the economy but “internal” and that the economy cannot function if it does not bear within it an ethical component.

Accordingly, renewed faith in the human person, which must shape every step towards the solution of the crisis, will be best put into practice through a courageous and generous strengthening of international cooperation, capable of promoting a truly humane and integral development. Positive faith in the human person, and above all faith in the poorest men and women -- of Africa and other regions of the world affected by extreme poverty -- is what is needed if we are truly to come through the crisis once and for all, without turning our back on any region, and if we are definitively to prevent any recurrence of a situation similar to that in which we find ourselves today.

Passion

Dear Friends in Christ,

This week and next week are called Passion tide because the readings and focus of the liturgy is on the imminent passion and death of the Lord. An ancient custom in the Church has been maintained here at St. John’s, namely the veiling of statues and images. This practice was regulated in the time before Vatican Council II. Today, the practice of veiling images from the Fifth Sunday of Lent to Holy Saturday is optional; all churches are required to veil images from Holy Thursday evening to Holy Saturday evening. We have decided to maintain the older custom because of its sign value.

From the beginning of Lent we have been without flowers and elaborate music, with few exceptions. We want to focus our attention on the Lord’s sojourn in the desert and accompany Him during His temptations with our fasting, prayers, and alms for the poor.

During these last two weeks of Lent, we enter more deeply into the spirit of this season by covering the beautiful statues and images in our church so that we can concentrate on the Lord
Who was taken away, out of the sight of His disciples and the people during the days of His passion.

Let this be a time of prayer and meditation on the Lord’s Passion so that we may come to know better the love of Christ, Who offered Himself as an innocent Victim for our sins. I suggest that you read the Passion of St. Mark and St. John during these days. You will find both of them in the “Celebrating the Eucharist” missalette. The St. Mark Passion is on pp. 114-124; the St. John Passion is on pp. 140-148. Or, you may find them in your Bible: Gospel of Mark chapters 14-15, Gospel of John chapters 18-19.

May the Passion of Christ be in our hearts these days so that we may see His glory at Easter.

Fr. Hildebrand

SJB News

Dear Friends in Christ,

Here are some news items that I wanted to share with you. First, we are grateful for the spiritual guidance of Fr. Antoninus Wall, O.P. (Fr. Tony) who preached our Lenten parish mission last week. Fr. Tony proved that age (84 years!) is no deterrent when it comes to imparting a powerful message that speaks to today’s problems.

Our PSA pledges are nearing $100,000. I am very grateful to all of you who have made a pledge so far. Please mark your calendars for our two penance services. This week the Vietnamese/ English penance service on March 26 begins at 7PM. Several visiting priest-confessors who also speak English, will be available for your Lenten confession. Next week on April 2 we have our English/Spanish penance service. Again, several confessors from other parishes will join us so you will have another opportunity to prepare for your Easter Communion.

SJB Festival 2009 News. Yes, there will be a festival for all of you who are looking forward to good food, fun, and fellowship. Our first meeting was held on Friday, and we’re looking for ideas and helping hands to make this year’s festival another success. Please consider being a part of this community-building effort.

Those of you who attend the 9:30AM Mass are aware that we have a large group of English and Spanish speaking Elect and Candidates who will complete their Christian Initiation at Easter. They are in the final stages of preparation for the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist. Please keep them in your prayers during the coming weeks. We look forward to welcoming them into the Church. We have reached the halfway point in our Lenten journey; many graces are coming. Let us continue our practices of prayer, fasting and works of mercy with renewed fervor, mindful that if the Lord Himself suffered temptations during His 40 days in the desert, then we can expect the Enemy to be working extra hard too. Vigilance and perseverance! Ask your guardian Angel to strengthen you.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Modesty

Dear Friends in Christ,

If you have ever visited the great cathedrals in Europe, especially St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, you know that even in summer visitors are required to dress appropriately. There are signs near the entrances that show what types of clothing are suitable for God’s house.

Dress codes are integral to our lives in civilized countries. Service personnel and businesses have uniforms to identify themselves. We wear distinctive dress to mark special occasions and special places. Certain clothing is appropriate for a formal evening. Other clothing is common in an office. Appropriate clothing is worn by hospital workers, construction workers, and restaurant staffs. Each type and cut of clothing has its characteristic appearance that identifies it with some place, event, or work. In general, what we wear sends others a message about how we want to present ourselves.

Modesty is a virtue that shows we know how to dress appropriately as Christians. A person who dresses modestly and in good taste shows personal self respect and security.

In an interview four young college age men were asked their reaction to immodestly dressed girls. They said that a girl who dresses immodestly sends a message to guys that she does not respect herself. This message in turn lowers the guy’s respect for her. They see immodest dress as a sign of insecurity and lack of self-confidence. Those who dress immodestly invite others to judge them according to what they see.

Here’s an objection: Fashions change; shouldn’t we dress according to the current fashion? Thirty or forty years ago the women fashions common today were used by women in the “red light district”, i.e. women of the street. Fashions change, but male psychology doesn’t. What women wear has an effect on men who see them. We could also object that men should have their minds on other things than women necklines and skirtlines, but they don’t. Fallen nature hasn’t changed in thirty years either.

You might ask: What guidelines should I follow to dress modestly, especially in
church?

Here at St. John’s we will soon have signs posted at the entrances and in the vestibule to give you a sense of what is appropriate dress in God’s house. Please take a moment to read them and use them as a guide to your choice of clothing when coming to Mass or for a visit.

Women and men who dress simply and modestly show inner strength and confidence that goes beyond appearance. There is an inner beauty that radiates out to others. Here’s an image that might help. Persons who dress immodestly are like a firecracker that explodes. It grabs our attention for a moment, but then it’s over. Persons who dress modestly are like a candle that glows. It draws attention and continues to shine forth its radiance.

“Let your light shine before all” (cf. Matt. 5, 16).

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Lent

Dear Friends in Christ,

Lent, the season of God’s mercy, has begun. It is a season of opportunity and renewal. We join our brothers and sisters in faith as we accompany Jesus along the way that leads to Calvary. However, we are hopeful because the Lord has already walked this road and encourages us to follow, bearing the sufferings and looking always to the goal of rising with Him at Easter.

Catholics in today’s world must be counter-cultural. We live in this world, but the Lord challenges us not to accept the values of this world. Every Sunday we hear His Word and listen to His teaching us through the liturgy. This Word of His is a gift to us. “I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world” (Jn. 17: 14). The gift of the Word is very precious because His Word is life for us. When we listen to Him and follow his way we may find that we must avoid certain ways of living that the world promotes. This is conversion and Lent is about conversion. Conversion begins with small steps that lead to a stronger relationship with Jesus.

Just a few days ago we celebrated the 3rd anniversary of the dedication of our renovated church. At the time of the renovation we noticed how much more beautiful our church had become. It inspires us to lift up our hearts and thoughts in prayer. When we come to church for Mass or for a visit, we are coming to the Lord’s house. The way we act and the way we dress make a difference not only in our own disposition but it also has an affect on others who see us.

The way we dress is an expression of who we are. We communicate to others something about ourselves by our dress. The fashion industry and advertising often dictates to us by pressuring us into specific styles of dress even without our realizing it. Today styles of dress can really compromise our natural sense of modesty, but we fail to recognize it because we have been conditioned to accept what the major clothes companies advertise. I have noticed at weddings
that men dress very formally with coats and ties, while women dress according to fashions that show little or no respect for women. These distracting styles can also be seen in church at Sunday Mass.

This Lent we should examine our attitude toward dress and reflect about our Christian calling to give good example by the way we dress. Modesty is a Christian virtue that guards our purity of heart. Simple and good clothing does not have to be expensive. We can find quality clothing that is modest and still very good looking. Lent is about turning away from sin and being more faithful to the Gospel message. We can begin an interior change by improving the unspoken message we give by our attire.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Lenten Regulations of Fast and Abstinence

Dear Friends in Christ,

As we enter the holy season of Lent, I would like to call your attention to the spirit of this time by reviewing our Church’s regulations and offering some other suggestions for your practice during these 40 Days.

By Divine Law the faithful are bound to do penance. The example of Jesus Himself is the source of the Church’s laws on this subject. Therefore, the Church requires of her members that some form of penance by those 14 years of age and older is to be observed on all Fridays throughout the year. This obligation is in itself a serious one.

Lenten Regulations of Fast and Abstinence

1. Everyone 14 years of age and older is bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays of Lent. If for some serious reason a person must eat meat on a Friday in Lent, some other form of self-sacrifice should be performed.
2. Everyone who is at least 18 years of age and not yet 60 is bound also to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
a. On these two days of fast only one full meal is allowed. Two other meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken, but together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals on these days is not permitted, but liquids are allowed.
b. Where health or ability to work would be seriously affected, the law does not oblige.
Other Lenten Observances

3. In order that our love for Christ and identification with Him may be deepened, all Catholics during the period of Lent are encouraged to participate at daily Mass and to receive Holy Communion often; to participate in the devotional life of the Church; to give generously to religious and charitable works; to assist the sick, the aged and the poor; to practice voluntary fast, penance and self-denial, especially regarding alcoholic drink and social entertainment; and to pray more fervently, particularly for the intentions of the Holy Father.
4. Lent is an admirable time to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation or confession, especially in the setting of a communal Penance Service. In this way the social and ecclesial aspects of sin and reconciliation may be underscored.
5. Ash Wednesday falls this year on February 25. Easter Sunday is on April 12 and the Easter Season concludes on the Feast of Pentecost, May 31. Catholics are bound to receive Holy Communion at least once a year, especially within the Easter Season, unless for good reason the precept is fulfilled at some other time.
6. The Way of the Cross and other prayer services should also be publicly celebrated during the Lenten Season. They are celebrated at St. John’s on the Fridays of Lent at 6:15PM in Vietnamese and 7:30PM in English.
7. The Sacred Triduum from Holy Thursday evening to Easter Sunday (April 9-12) is especially recommended as a fitting conclusion to the Lenten Season. Please check our special schedule for these liturgical celebrations.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Pastoral Services Appeal for 2009

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today we launch our Pastoral Services Appeal for 2009. Your contributions to PSA supports many programs and services throughout Orange County.

10% of PSA funds go to Catholic Charities of Orange County to support their vital programs that serve the poor and those in need. From material assistance such as rentals to other needs such as counseling Catholic Charities serves a wide variety of people who could not otherwise find help.

The Catholic Deaf Community also benefits from PSA funds, which help them to be full participants in special liturgical and social environments. The Church is for all people, including those with special needs.

Jesus said, “I was in prison and you visited me.” Members of our parish also participate in the Catholic Detention Ministry. Using over 400 volunteers, this ministry provides pastoral care to thousands of inmates in eleven facilities at the city, county, and federal levels. There are Bible studies and sacramental preparation for persons in these institutions.

In the current economic climate many agencies and governments are cutting back on services. All of us know that public schools are often subject to these cutbacks. Our Catholic schools have been “an advantage for life” for many Americans, both Catholic and non-Catholic. With the difficult economic times there is an even greater need to support our Catholic Schools. PSA provides grants to schools, mostly those serving parishioners in multiple languages, who have a critical need for assistance for technology, capital improvements, staff and volunteer education programs and other urgent needs.

Vocations to the priesthood must be a priority for the Church because the priest is the minister of the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Clergy formation for qualified candidates for the priesthood and diaconate receives funds from PSA to assist in seminary tuition for future priests. In addition there are programs of discernment, education and spiritual formation for permanent deacons. We have a parishioner from St. John’s who is currently enrolled in this program.

All of these programs, services, workshops, and education are supported by you when you pledge to PSA 2009. This is your way of showing that you are a part of this Church in Orange County. We are all on this spiritual journey toward God’s kingdom. I encourage you to join us in making this year’s PSA another success, always remembering that by participating you are sharing in the Church’s mission for the salvation of souls.

Fr. Hildebrand

Vocations at SJB

Dear Friends in Christ,

Recently I received an invitation to the religious profession of a young man whom I had trained as an altar server 15 years ago. He and his best friend are both seminarians in different religious orders today. I keep their photo on my bulletin board. For me it is a great sign of hope for the Church that fine young men are offering their lives to the Lord to serve His people. I am very happy for them and pray that they will persevere in their vocation. Both of these young men come from a Catholic parish like ours and benefited from parish religious education and formation programs that helped them discern the call to the priesthood.

Next month Fr. Cirilo Flores, who was chosen by the Holy Father to become auxiliary bishop of Orange, will be ordained a bishop. Before he became a priest, he used to teach religious education here at St. John’s. Who knows? Maybe he thought of the priesthood when he was teaching here! Now God is calling him to become a bishop! Teaching religious education at St. John’s has prepared him to accomplish one of the primary tasks of a bishop, that of teacher of God’s Word.

Preparing young people to be active members of the Church, reaching out to those in need, evangelizing the community, this fairly describes the purpose of the Pastoral Services Appeal. Next weekend you will hear more about how the Pastoral Services Appeal works to bring the Gospel to the people of Orange County. You can be confident, based on our own experience, that your participation in PSA will make a difference in the lives of fellow Catholics. In this time of economic challenge, you want to be sure that funds are used for good purposes. Please check out the “pie chart” for PSA on the pledge envelope, and you will understand that your money is used wisely.

On another topic, see below if you live in the neighborhood of our FIRST parish home visit!

Kind regards in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Parish Home Visitation Project

Our first home visit will be in the neighborhood just southeast of our church. If you live on the following streets, please contact the rectory, or call 714-540-2214, and you will be told the address, date, and time where we will meet:

• Saint Clair
  
• St. Junipero Dr.
  
• Loreto Av.
• Santiago Rd.
  
• Sutter Way
  
• Portola Dr.
• Velasco Ln.
  
• Serra Way
  
• Drake Dr.
• Sonora Rd.
  
• Eastern Presidio
  
• San Lucas Ln.
• Magellan St.
  
• Francis Ln.
  
• Cortez St.

Parish Home Visitation Project

Dear Friends in Christ,

Our Parish Home Visitation Project is off to a good start. So far four families have volunteered to host a visit. I hope to start these visits this month. This week I will meet with the Pastoral Council to map out the different sectors of our parish, to draw up a format for the visit, and to begin scheduling the first visits. Again, if you would like to host a visit please contact the rectory and you will be placed on the list. My intention is to make two visits per month; at present I am
reserving the second Friday and the fourth Tuesday. The visits will take place in the evening about 7PM and will run about an hour or so. Roughly the structure will include:

• Prayer and Scripture
• Sharing our reflections and questions
• Social time with light refreshments

Here is more information about the Parish Home Visitation Project. The goal is to bring God’s Word to your homes and in that way awaken an interest in developing your “domestic church”. This term refers to the fact that every Catholic family is a cell of the universal Church. Just as the cells in a human body need to function well for the good health of the whole body, so the cells of the Church need to be actively functioning so that the whole Church is alive and healthy. In preparing for the visit, we are dividing the parish into “sectors”. A sector is an area of the parish bounded by major streets. Once we have determined the boundaries of these sectors we will begin by inviting fellow parishioners who live in your area. You may also invite friends and neighbors from your sector to join in the visit.

This project is important for the evangelization of our parish. We are seeking to bring more souls to Christ and build up His Kingdom on earth. Please remember the Parish Home Visitation Project in your prayers.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

St. Paul & Parish Home Visitations

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today is a special day in the Year of St. Paul. We join with the Church throughout the world in celebrating the day of his conversion. On this day the Lord Jesus appeared to Saul (his original name). Up to that moment he had been a rabid persecutor of the disciples of Jesus, but his encounter with the Lord brought him to a complete change of heart.

He changed from Saul the persecutor of Christians to Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles. Many of us undergo conversion experiences in our lives; sometimes these are very dramatic, at other times we change gradually over a period of time. Some people drift away from the faith of their childhood. Even among our family members there are some who have given up the practice of their Catholic faith. I know this is true because I talk to people who are grieving over their children, brothers or sisters who no longer go to Mass.

We may also have friends and neighbors who are Catholic but who don’t practice the faith. We cannot be indifferent to this situation. If we truly believe that the Church is necessary for salvation, we should try to draw these people back to Church.

With this reality in mind I wish to announce a new project that we are launching today, the Parish Home Visitation Project. Inspired by the example of the great Apostle Paul who journeyed far and wide to spread the Gospel, I want to ask you to join me in sharing the good news of Christ with your neighbors. During this year I will be visiting homes in different parts of our parish. The purpose of these visits is to meet with you and your friends and neighbors in the area, to pray, share Scripture, and invite those who have been inactive to become active again.

Please pray for this effort, that the Lord will bless it and make it fruitful for the good of souls. If you would like to host an evening visit, please contact the rectory. You will be told how to prepare for the evening, and you will reserve a date for the visit. Visits will take place on weekday evenings (except Wednesdays). Plan to invite other parishioners who live in your neighborhood, as well as neighbors who would like to pray and meet your pastor. You will hear more about the parish visitation in today’s homily.

Let us pray to the great missionary apostle St. Paul for the success of our Parish Home Visitation Project.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Life

Dear Friends in Christ,

In the recent election, Californians voted to protect the natural institution of marriage. God has created this institution for the purpose of continuing the human species. Unfortunately, there are people who don’t believe in this purpose of marriage and who see conjugal relations as recreational only. They separate the unitive function of the marital act from the procreative function. This is why birth rates in some countries have dropped to dangerous levels in recent years. There are other causes for this drop in the rate of births, abortion on demand is one cause, but perhaps the most common cause is contraception. By contraception is meant any act that prevents conception. Pope Paul VI describes it this way:

“The direct interruption of the generative process already begun and, above all, direct abortion, even for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as lawful means of controlling the birth of children. Equally to be condemned is the direct sterilization, whether of the man or the woman, whether permanent or temporary. Similarly excluded is any action, which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation.” (Humanae Vitae, #14)

This is the teaching of the Church; “it is a promulgation of the law of God himself”(#20). That many people disregard this teaching does not take away its binding force. The “contraceptive” mentality so prevalent today has resulted in these lower birth rates and more abortions; because when contraception doesn’t work abortion is chosen as a second option.

In view of this problem of the contraceptive mentality being so prevalent today, some within the Church have given serious thought to promoting the teaching of Pope Paul VI in Humanae Vitae so that it can be better understood. With this in mind we have invited Fr. Matthew Habiger, OSB to preach at all the Masses on Dec. 6-7 on the subject of God’s plan for life. A couple who teaches natural family planning will also be on hand to introduce modern methods of regulating and spacing births. Please pray that this presentation will benefit our parish.

A Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Fr. Hildebrand

CORRECTION

A few weeks ago I wrote about the morality of voting for pro-abortion candidates. I would like to clarify what was written at the end of that letter. When I said, “To vote for a candidate who favors abortion even though he/she may have many other good qualities is to vote in favor of abortion” I was giving what I see as the logical result of voting for a pro-abortion candidate, in my opinion. If a person suppressed his/her own conscience about the morality of abortion when voting for such a candidate, then that person would run the risk of cooperating in immoral behavior, and “that is something a Christian in good standing cannot do.

All Saint's Day

Dear Friends in Christ,

This weekend we celebrate All Saints (Nov. 1) and All Souls (Nov. 2). All Saints is preceded by All Hallows Eve (commonly called Hallowe’en). This celebration, which has degenerated into a commercialized and very secular event, has a Christian tradition.

In the early Church all major feasts like All Saints were celebrated with a vigil the evening before. All of us are familiar with Christmas Eve which precedes Christmas. We also have the vigil of Sunday celebrated on Saturday evening with Masses and Evening Prayer I of Sunday. All Hallows Eve was not always about witches, ghosts, and wild parties. The original meaning, the true meaning of Hallowe’en lies in its connection with the feast of All Saints. Early Christians used to go in procession from one church to another dressed like the Christians who had died for their faith in Christ. These processions would conclude with a prayer vigil that often lasted well into the night. That’s why we have celebrations like Christmas midnight Mass and the Easter Vigil.

It was only later that the pagans, who had a feast at the same time of year, began to incorporate their customs with the Christian celebration. Here at St. John the Baptist School we encourage our children to dress up like their favorite saints on Oct. 31. Prizes are awarded to the best saint costumes. This is an opportunity for all who have children to restore the “holy” to Hallowe’en. Since it falls on a Sunday this year, we all have the opportunity to remember our faithful departed on All Souls Day (Nov. 2). This commemoration reminds us of our mortality and of our connection with friends and relatives who have died. While we may hope that some are in heaven already, we also believe that our prayers, works of charity, and other sacrifices can be offered for their benefit. All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification. (Catechism of the Catholic Church §1030-1031).

Let us remember all of our loved ones next Sunday at Mass so that they will soon join their brothers and sisters in the Communion of Saints in heaven.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Life Month

Dear Friends in Christ,

October is respect life month. As followers of Christ we are called to respect human life at all of its stages. Jesus showed great respect for all persons. He welcomed little children. He comforted the elderly widow and restored her son to life. He healed the blind man and the paralyzed man. He had a real sense of the value of human life. As the Creator He sought to preserve, protect and restore his creation.

The book of Genesis tells us that when God created Adam and Eve He gave them dominion over the material world. They became stewards of the gift of life. While human beings are responsible for all creation, they are especially charged with protecting human life. In the complementary relationship of marriage, man and woman become one for the sake of mutual love and so that children may be born through that love. Every human being possesses an immortal soul, destined for eternal life with God. Every human life is sacred from the moment of conception until natural death.

As we begin to finalize our decisions in the coming election, we may find ourselves faced with a dilemma. We like a certain candidate, but we are aware that he/she is in favor of abortion. Can we vote for this person in good conscience? In 2004 a group of United States Bishops, acting on behalf of the USCCB and requesting counsel about the responsibilities of Catholic politicians and voters, received a memo from the office of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope
Benedict XVI, which stated:

“A Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil, and so unworthy to present himself for Holy Communion, if he were to deliberately vote for a candidate precisely because of the candidate’s permissive stand on abortion and/or euthanasia. When a Catholic does not share a candidate’s stand in favor of abortion and/or euthanasia, but votes for that candidate for other reasons, it is considered remote material cooperation, which can be permitted in the presence of proportionate reasons.”

In other words, the reasons are more compelling in the moral sense. Could a Catholic in good conscience vote for a candidate who supports legalized abortion when there is a choice of another candidate who does not support abortion or any other intrinsically evil policy? Could a voter’s preference for the candidate’s positions on the pursuit of peace, economic policies benefiting the poor, support for universal health care, a more just immigration policy, etc. overcome a candidate’s support for legalized abortion?

In such case, the Catholic voter must ask and answer the question: What could possibly be a proportionate reason (more compelling reason) to vote for a candidate that supports abortion when we consider the more than 45 million children killed by abortion in the past 35 years? Let us pray for those seeking public office; let us ask the Holy Spirit to guide us as we make our decision this November 4.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Election 2008

Dear Friends in Christ,

In a little over three weeks we will go to the polls for one of the most crucial elections of our nation’s history. In the next three weeks I hope all of you will take time to seriously reflect on your obligations as citizens to seek the greater good for our country. Presently the media is full of bad news about our economy, but this should not prevent us from focusing on even more important issues that involve the very foundations upon which our American society is built, namely the right to life and the family. There are three propositions on the November ballot that need our attention.

First, there is Proposition Four. Here is an excerpt from the California Bishops’ statement supporting this proposition:

Proposition 4 contains public policy that is both sensible and realistic and which will benefit not only our families but our society as a whole. It is a sensible policy to encourage a minor girl faced with a serious decision like an unexpected pregnancy to go to her parents or family for their love, their wisdom, and their counsel. It is a realistic policy that her parents or family be notified of her request for an abortion whether or not she chooses to consult them. Society will benefit because similar involvement laws in other states have the effect of discouraging irresponsible sexual behavior and teenage pregnancies. In addition, individual rights and unborn babies will be protected because a minor girl will be afforded support in the unfortunate circumstance that she is being coerced to have an abortion.

Secondly, Proposition 6 involves retribution not rehabilitation for criminals. The Bishops of California oppose this proposition. Here is an excerpt from their statement:Communities do have a right to establish and enforce laws to protect people and to advance the common good. At the same time, our Church teaches us to not give up on those who violate these laws. Despite their very different claims on society, the lives and dignity of both victims and perpetrators should be protected and respected. As bishops, we oppose Proposition 6 because it advances a retributive rather than a restorative justice model for dealing with crime. Proposition 6 would create multiple new crimes and additional penalties, some with potential for new life sentences. Proposition 6 could also curtail the participation of nonprofit organizations in community councils that determine county-level policy for juvenile justice. Although Proposition 6 was introduced in good faith by those with legitimate concerns about“ safe neighborhoods,” it offers more of the same criminal justice policies which have failed in the past—and it will cost Californians billions of dollars without increasing public safety.

Finally, Proposition 8, which restores the true definition of marriage, also has our Bishops’ support. Here is what they say: We need to recall that marriage mirrors God’s relationship with us—and that marriage completes, enriches and perpetuates humanity.. We must support traditional marriage as the source of our civilization, the foundation for a society that can be home to all human beings, and the reflection of our relationship with God. We need to remember that we are all children of God possessed of human dignity and that each of us is created in God’s image. Protecting the traditional understanding of marriage should not in any way disparage our brothers and sisters—even if they disagree with us.

God bless you and have a great week.

Modesty Starts With Purification of the Heart

Modesty Starts With Purification of the Heart

Bishop John Yanta of the Catholic diocese of Amarillo, Texas, published this pastoral letter on modesty in dress, especially at Sunday Mass. The following are excerpts:

Immodesty in dress is governed by two citations from God’s Law:

1) The Ninth Commandment: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” (Exodus 20:17);
2) Jesus said: “Everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery
with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).

To live our daily Faith as children of God (baptism), disciples of Jesus, and temples of the Holy Spirit, we are faced with moral choices constantly, many times a day. Conscience can either make a right judgment in accordance with reason and the divine law, or on the contrary, an erroneous judgment that departs from them (CCC: Catechism of the Catholic Church #1799).

Dressing or putting on one’s clothes is a moral act and wearing them is a moral act. There are different appropriate modes of dress for different occasions, e.g. in the privacy of our home, with our spouse only or with our children in our home, at work or school, in mixed company, at the lake or swimming pool, grocery shopping, at church, etc.

Our condition – all of us are beset with concupiscence. Concupiscence or covetousness: “Human appetites or desires that are disordered due to the temporal consequences of original sin, which remain even after Baptism and which produce inclination to sin” (CCC, Glossary).

The road to modesty starts with the purification of the heart: “Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication…” (Matthew 15:19). Bible beginners should be encouraged to get the basic overview of Jesus’ teaching by starting with the beatitudes in Matt. 5 in Jesus’ first sermon: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). Part of the essence of that teaching is a wholesome, orthodox, first hand appreciation of God’s plan for our sexuality - its sacredness, its fulfillment in marriage, its place in family, Church, and world.

The Catechism speaks next, after the purification of the heart, about “the battle for purity”. We, the baptized and the forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation struggle against concupiscence of the flesh and disordered desires (CCC 2520).

“Purity requires modesty, an integral part of temperance. Modesty protects the intimate center of the person. It means refusing to unveil what should remain hidden (CCC 2521).

“Modesty is decency. It inspires one’s choice of clothing. It is discreet (CCC 2522).

“There is a modesty of the feelings as well as of the body. It protests, for example, against the voyeuristic explorations of the human body in certain advertisements, or against the solicitations of certain media that go too far in the exhibition of intimate things. Modesty inspires a way of life which makes it possible to resist the allurements of fashion and the pressures of prevailing ideologies (CCC 2523).

Yes, we can help the devil in many ways including the way we dress. In the Act of Contrition we promise “to avoid the near occasion of sin”. St. Paul writes about “provoking another” (Gal. 5:26).

The key to all modesty is rooted in our mother and daddy who model modesty for their children, i.e. a strong, but tender St. Joseph-like husband and father who is blessed with a wonderful wife and mother for their children. “Happy the husband of a good wife… choicest of his blessings is a modest wife, priceless her chaste person” (Sirach 26: 1, 15).

When the community of believers comes together for the Eucharist (Mass) let no one be a distraction from Jesus or provide temptation (an occasion of sin) to another because of our manner of dress.

May we cherish and bear witness to the virtues of prudence, temperance, chastity, and modesty for the sake of our own salvation and of others. St. Mary and St. Joseph, St. Ann and St. Joachim, parents and grandparents of their son and grandson, Jesus, intercede for us!

Bible Study at SJB

SJB Presents:

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE 2008-2009

A YEAR OF CATHOLIC TRUTHS AND THEOLOGY EACH NIGHT FROM 7-9 P.M.
with Alan John Meister
U.S. Scripture Scholar and Theologian

Truths of the Priesthood & Eucharist From Sacred Scripture

• The Celibacy and the Priesthood

Wednesday September 10, 2008

• The Eucharist: Body, Blood, Soul, & Divinity

Wednesday September 17, 2008

---

Christ as Messiah in the Gospels Series

• The Messianic Gospels of Matthew and Mark

Wednesday October 8, 2008

• The Messianic Gospel of Luke and John

Wednesday October 22, 2008

• The Messianic Gospels: Thematic Approaches

Wednesday October 29, 2008

---

Pauline Theology Series

• Life and Journeys of St. Paul Slide Show

Wednesday November 5, 2008

• St. Paul’s Approach to Theology & Salvation

Wednesday November 12, 2008

• St. Paul’s Salvation Concepts: Firstborn to Sin/Death

Wednesday November 19, 2008

• St. Paul’s Salvation Concepts: Resurrection & Redemptive

Wednesday November 26, 2008

• St. Paul’s Salvation Concepts: Mystery & Summary

Wednesday December 3, 2008

"World Youth Day: An interview with Pope Benedict XVI"

(Journalist’s Question): Australia is a very secular land, with low religious practice and much religious indifference. I'd like to ask whether you are optimistic about the future of the Church in Australia, or are worried and alarmed that the Australian Church may follow the European path to decline? What message would you offer Australia to overcome its religious indifference?

Benedict XVI: I will do my best in English, but I beg your pardon for
my insufficiencies in English.

I think Australia in its present historical configuration is a part of the "Western world," economically and politically, and so it is clear that Australia shares also the successes and the problems of the Western world.

The Western world has had in the last 50 years great successes -- economic successes, technical successes; yet religion -- Christian faith -- is in a certain sense in crisis. This is clear because there is the impression that we do not need God, we can do all on our own, that we do not need God to be happy, we do not need God to create a better world, that God is not necessary, we can do all by ourselves.

On the other hand we see that religion is always present in the world and will always be present because God is present in the heart of the human being and can never disappear. We see how religion is really a force in this world and in countries. I would not simply speak about a decline of religion in Europe: Certainly there is a crisis in Europe, not so much in America but nevertheless there too, and in Australia.

But on the other hand, there's always a presence of the faith in new forms, and in new ways; in the minority, perhaps, but always present for all the society to see. And now in this historical moment, we begin to see that we do need God. We can do so many things, but we cannot
create our climate.

We thought we could do it, but we cannot do it. We need the gift of the Earth, the gift of water, we need the Creator; the Creator re-appears in his creation. And so we also come to understand that we cannot be really happy, cannot be really promoting justice for all the world, without a criterion at work in our own ideas, without a God who is just, and gives us the light, and gives us life. So, I think there will be in a certain sense in this "Western world" a crisis of our faith, but we will always also have a revival of the faith, because Christian faith is simply true, and the truth will always be present in the human world, and God will always be truth. In this sense, I am in the end optimistic.

Ecumenical Event

Dear Friends in Christ,

The year of St. Paul has begun and I wanted to share with you my experience at St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church on June 29. Event was a service of Evening Prayer and Bishop Brown and Metropolitan Jerasimos from San Francisco presided. This was an important ecumenical event because it brought together clergy and people from both Catholic and Orthodox churches for prayer and mutual understanding.

During the service we prayed using the Psalms and Biblical readings. Some parts were chanted in the Orthodox style; other parts in a more Catholic style. Bishop Brown spoke about his own experience of ecumenical outreach, and Metropolitan Jerasimos spoke about the life of St. Paul as something for us to study and imitate.

At the end of the service the two bishops exchanged gifts. Bishop Brown presented the Metropolitan with an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Metropolitan Jerasimos gave Bishop Brown an icon of Our Lady. It was clear that both were moved by a real spirit of friendship and dialogue.

We must admit that there has been significant progress in relations between the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, and we can hope for more during this year dedicated to the Apostle Paul. Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has already met with leaders of the Orthodox Church. He met with the Patriarch of Constantinople on June 29. Here is part of his talk on that occasion:

May the Pauline Year, which will begin solemnly this evening, help Christian people renew the ecumenical commitment, and may there be an intensification of joint efforts on the journey to the full communion of all Christ's disciples. And as part of that journey, your presence here today is certainly an encouraging sign. For this I express again to all of you my joy, while together we raise our grateful prayer to the Lord.

Let us all pray for Church unity.

God bless you all.

Fr. Hildebrand

Prayers

Dear Friends in Christ,

Here are two prayers to St. Paul that you may wish to say during this Year of St. Paul.

Prayer to Saint Paul the Apostle

O Glorious Saint Paul, after persecuting the Church you became by God's grace its most zealous Apostle. To carry the knowledge of Jesus, our divine Savior, to the uttermost parts of the earth
you joyfully endured prison, scourgings, stonings, and shipwreck, as well as all manner of persecutions culminating in the shedding of the last drop of your blood for our Lord Jesus Christ.

Obtain for us the grace to labor strenuously to bring the faith to others and to accept any trials and tribulations that may come our way.

Help us to be inspired by your Epistles and to partake of your indomitable love for Jesus, so that after we have finished our course we may join you in praising him in heaven for all eternity. Amen.

Prayer to Saint Paul the Apostle

Great convert and Apostle of the Gentiles, you became Christlike and knew only Christ Crucified. Though extremely learned, you relied completely on the Wisdom received from the Spirit and taught from the abundance of your heart. Instruct modern evangelists, those who preach Christ to others. Let them realize that their actions speak louder than any words they may use.

Teach them to use their talents in conveying their God-given message but to rely above all on the promptings of the Spirit. Amen.

God bless you all,

Fr. Hildebrand

St. Paul and the Pauline Year

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today begins the Year of St. Paul, which Pope Benedict XVI announced a year ago. Tradition has it that St. Paul was born about the year 8 A.D. and so 2008 marks the bimillenium of his birth. What does this mean, dedicating a year to St. Paul? According to the Holy Father, this year will offer us an opportunity to study the life and letters of St. Paul, which are found in the Bible. In addition, the Holy Father is encouraging ecumenical meetings for prayer and dialogue with other Christians. We know that St. Paul’s letters are widely read by Christians of all denominations, and so this year gives us the opportunity to read and share the richness of St. Paul’s writings with the hope that increased understanding of the great Apostle will help all Christians grow toward unity.

In Rome one of the four major basilicas is named St. Paul outside-the-walls, where St. Paul is buried. Pope Benedict said, "In the papal basilica and Benedictine abbey attached to it, there can take place a series of liturgical, cultural and ecumenical events, as well as various pastoral and social initiatives, all of them inspired by Pauline spirituality.

"Special attention can also be given to pilgrims who from various places will want to go to the tomb of the Apostle in a penitential way in order to find spiritual benefits.” (Homily of Pope Benedict XVI, announcing the year of St. Paul).

However, if you can’t travel to Rome there is a way to make a local pilgrimage here in Orange County. Bishop Brown has designated three churches as pilgrimage destinations for the Pauline Year. They are:

• St. Cecilia, 1301 SE Sycamore St. Tustin (for Mid Orange County), Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano (for South County), and S
• St. Angela Merici, 585 South Walnut Ave., Brea (for North Orange County).
  

In making a pilgrimage you are embarking on a spiritual journey. In order to reap the fruits of this journey there is a “plenary indulgence” offered for those who fulfill the following requirements when visiting these churches:

N20. § 1. To gain a plenary indulgence, in addition to excluding all attachment to sin, even venial, it is necessary to perform the indulgenced work and fulfill the following three conditions: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff.

§ 2. A single sacramental confession suffices for gaining several plenary indulgences; but Holy Communion must be received and prayer for the intention of the Holy Father must be recited for the gaining of each plenary indulgence.

§ 5. The condition of praying for the intention of the Holy Father is fully satisfied by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary; nevertheless, one has the option of reciting any other prayer according to individual piety and devotion, if recited for this intention.

The Holy Father concluded his homily on St. Paul with these words:

"May he (St. Paul) guide us and protect us in this bimillenary celebration, helping us to advance in the humble and sincere search for the full unity of all the members of the mystical body of Christ."

Guard your people, who rely on the patronage of your apostles Peter and Paul, O Lord, and keep them under your continual protection. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Note from the Pastor

This Sunday we will celebrate the feast of St. John the Baptist at all Masses. Readings and other liturgical texts will all be taken from the Mass of June 24.

Recent California Supreme Court decision

Dear Friends in Christ,

The recent California Supreme Court decision which attempts to change the definition of marriage shows how far people are willing to go to legitimize a way of living that directly contradicts the law of nature. That men and women are physically different is undeniable. That marriage is a natural institution, created by the God of nature, for the procreation of children is a fact that is written in the very fabric of our being. Since God is the Lord of nature, the Church will not permit same-sex couples to be married in a Catholic ceremony. Nor will the Church validate these unions once they are performed by court justices or other ministers. Marriage involves the lifelong commitment of one man to one woman for their mutual love and support, and for the procreation and education of children. Domestic partners in California and most other states already have benefits equivalent to a husband and his wife. This issue is not really about rights and benefits; it is about making a lifestyle acceptable and equivalent to the established institution of marriage between a man and a woman. This is what many reflecting persons and the Church are opposed to.

In a few weeks we will mark the 40th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s Encyclical Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life). In that prophetic document the Holy Father spoke of marriage in this way:

Married love particularly reveals its true nature and nobility when we realize that it takes its origin from God, who "is love," (6) the Father "from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named." (7) Marriage, then, is far from being the effect of chance or the result of the blind evolution of natural forces. It is in reality the wise and provident institution of God the Creator, whose purpose was to effect in man His loving design. As a consequence, husband and wife, through that mutual gift of themselves, which is specific and exclusive to them alone, develop that union of two persons in which they perfect one another, cooperating with God in the generation and rearing of new lives. (no. 8).

Later in the same document he addresses rulers of nations: “Do not tolerate any legislation which would introduce into the family those practices which are opposed to the natural law of God. (no. 23, emphasis added).

As responsible citizens the people of California have already spoken regarding the nature of marriage, that it is the union of a man and a woman. We must not tolerate this contradiction of our voice by a few judges. The happiness we seek to preserve as members of this free country is at stake in this crisis. Moreover, our happiness as human beings in society is also threatened by this decision. Here is the Holy Father’s concluding statement in the Encyclical:

For man cannot attain that true happiness for which he yearns with all the strength of his spirit, unless he keeps the laws which the Most High God has engraved in his very nature. These laws must be wisely and lovingly observed. (no.31).

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildedbrand

Novena at SJB

Dear Friends in Christ,

With our parish festival coming next Saturday and Sunday, I wanted to write you about our Novena which has already begun. The Church has made novenas (nine days) prior to major feasts as a means of preparing the faithful spiritually for the celebration of the feast. The original novena was made by Our Lady and the Apostles during the nine days between the Ascension of the Lord and the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. In some cultures, the nine days preceding Christmas are celebrated with prayers and Masses.

Since St. John the Baptist is our patron we are honoring him with a novena of Masses that began Friday evening at our 5:30PM Mass. Here is the schedule of the remaining novena Masses with the names of the homilists:

• Saturday, June 14 at 5:00PM - Rev. Hildebrand Garceau, O. Praem.
• Sunday, June 15 at 5:00PM - Rev. Leo Celano, O. Praem.
• Monday, June 16 at 5:30PM - Rev. Gregory Dick, O. Praem.
• Tuesday, June 17 at 5:30PM - Rev. Vincent Gilmore, O. Praem.
• Wednesday, June 18 at 5:30PM - Monsignor Joseph Herres
• Thursday, June 19 at 5:30PM - Rev. Pascal Nguyen, O. Praem.
• Friday, June 20 at 5:30PM - Rev. Luke Laslavich, O. Praem.
• Saturday, June 21 at 5:00PM - Rev. Robert Hodges, O. Praem.
  

On Sunday, June 22 we will celebrate our patron’s feast at all the Masses. Let us ask him to protect and bless us so that we may prepare the way for Christ in the hearts of our brothers and sisters as he did.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Our commitment to Christ

Dear Friends in Christ,

Now that June is here many of us are probably thinking of summer and vacations. With the price of gas and airline tickets going up however, you may be like me thinking of a shorter trip this year. I was talking to our first year Confirmation students and parents the other night and reminding them that wherever we go and whatever we do this summer, we always carry with us our commitment to Christ.

By our Baptism we are marked people, marked as Christians, followers of Jesus Christ. As a consequence we must remember to “pack” our faith along when going on our summer vacation. What does this mean in the concrete?

For example, save gas by going on a “journey of the mind”. We can do that by reading that great spiritual book we promised ourselves. Do you remember the reading list we published here several weeks ago?

There are some books that would make great summer reading, for example The Story of a Soul, the autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux. Pope Pius XI called her the greatest saint of modern times, and Pope John Paul II named her a doctor of the Church. St. Augustine’s Confessions gives us the spiritual journey of one of the greatest minds the Church has produced. Another modern saint, Faustina Kowalska, reveals her struggles and joys as “the Secretary of Divine Mercy” in her Diary: Divine Mercy in my Soul. If you’re still looking for a great book that’s not on the list you could go online and check out Ignatius Press or Roman Catholic Books. Both of these publishers have lives of the saints, histories of the Church, children’s books, and books on prayer. Or if you’re more of a visual person, they have DVD’s with great stories and films both fictional and historical.

If you do take a trip this summer, check out this website: masstimes.org to find a Catholic Church and the time for Sunday Mass anywhere in the country or throughout the world. You can even find Masses in different languages and churches that are wheelchair accessible. Our Church is called Catholic because we’re universal; we’re found all over the planet. So don’t leave your religion at home this summer, get connected with your Church wherever you go. You may be surprised and make new friends at the same time.

Have a great week and see you in church.

Fr. Hildebrand

A Special Message From Our Bishops

“The California Catholic Conference of Bishops must express its disappointment in the California Supreme Court decision to declare Proposition 22 unconstitutional. “Proposition 22, which states, ‘Only marriage between one man and one woman is valid and recognized in California,’ passed eight years ago by a vote of 61.2 to 38.8 percent. That statute reflected the wisdom of the voters of California in retaining the traditional definition of marriage as a biological reality and a societal good. Unfortunately, today (May 15), the Court saw fit to disregard the will of the majority of people of California.

“Catholic teaching maintains that marriage is a faithful, exclusive and lifelong union between one man and one woman joined in an intimate partnership of life and love—a union instituted by God for the mutual fulfillment of the husband and wife as well as for the procreation and education of children.

“Partnerships of committed same-sex individuals are already legal in California. Our state has also granted domestic partners spousal-type rights and responsibilities which facilitate their relationships with each other and any children they bring to the partnership. Every person involved in the family of domestic partners is a child of God and deserves respect in the eyes of the law and their community. However, those partnerships are not marriage—and can never be marriage—as it has been understood since the founding of the United States. Today’s decision of California’s high court opens the door for policymakers to deconstruct traditional marriage and create another institution under the guise of equal protection.

“Although we strongly disagree with the ruling, we ask our Catholic people, as well as all the people of California, to continue to uphold the dignity of every person, to acknowledge individual rights and responsibilities, and to maintain support for the unique and irreplaceable role of traditional marriage as an institution which is fundamental to society.”

The Real Presence of Christ

Dear Friends in Christ,

May is a very busy month at our parish. Here are some of the events that have already taken place. On May 3-4 we celebrated the First Communion of our 2nd Grade students. People at all of our Masses saw the little children receive Jesus for the first time. On the afternoon of May 4 we honored Our Lady in her month of May with our annual procession and crowning. We offered prayers and songs in four languages, showing the cultural diversity of our parish. On May 8 we had the joy of seeing our young people sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation and on May 10-11 twenty-two adults were also confirmed.

Next weekend there are two important events that are closely related. On Saturday May 24 a large group of Spanish speaking children will receive their First Communion. Then on Sunday May 25 we will hold our annual Corpus Christi Mass and Procession. This celebration is close to the hearts of our Norbertine community because St. Norbert was known as the Apostle of the Eucharist. In his time he vigorously defended the Real Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament against heretics. He also traveled with a Mass kit so that he could say Mass at the different towns where he preached his missions.

I hope as many of you as possible will join us for our 2PM multi-lingual Mass and procession next Sunday. As Catholics we believe Jesus Christ is truly present in the Holy Eucharist, and on this feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ our participation in the Mass and procession is a profession of faith in this great truth.

Next Sunday we will also honor those who have committed to spend an hour before the Blessed Sacrament in our chapel. We will pray especially for them at our Masses next weekend. I want to personally invite you to join this army of prayer warriors who faithfully come to answer the call of Jesus to “watch one hour with Me”. Perpetual Eucharistic adoration was recently promoted by the Vatican as a fruitful way to increase vocations to the priesthood and religious life. The blessings received by our adorers are too many to describe.

Are you looking for a job? Are you feeling alone? Is there something you need? Come to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament; He will hear your prayers. To sign up for an hour, just take a form from the purple box at the rear of the church, fill it out and leave it at the rectory office. If you sign up for a late night hour you will receive an entry code to unlock the chapel door, which is locked after 9PM.

O Sacrament most holy, O Sacrament divine, All praise and all thanksgiving Be every moment Thine.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Pentecost 2008

Dear Friends in Christ,

Our parish family has rejoiced recently with the celebration of First Communion and Confirmation of our young people. Today, on the feast of Pentecost, we continue to rejoice as over twenty adults receive their Confirmation. Surely this is a sign of the Holy Spirit working in the Church.

We are most grateful to God for these manifestations of His grace among us.Many of you and your families and friends have attended these sacramental celebrations during this Easter Season, and I’m sure you are happy too about the gifts of grace bestowed on our people. However, I wonder how many of you are aware of the fact that in spite of the numbers of new Catholics and Catholics that receive the Sacraments, there are many Catholics who fall away from the faith of their childhood.

I was recently reading an article on the web called “Catholics Come Home”. In the article Deal Hudson (editor of Crisis Magazine and inside-catholic.org) says:

One out of every ten Americans is a lapsed Catholic, according to the Pew Forum's recently released "U.S. Religious Landscape Survey." Though the Pew statistics could be disputed, the survey confirmed what any observer of the Church knows: Many cradle Catholics leave the Church never to return.

In response to the Pew survey, Inside Catholic sponsored a symposium with over 30 Catholic leaders discussing the question, "Why Are They Leaving?" One reason is obvious -- a lack of concern for evangelism, reaching out to those who have either stopped attending church or never did in the first place.

In today’s first reading we here about the Apostles preaching and converting thousands to our faith. Why can we not do the same? Are we afraid to share the beautiful gift of our faith with others? Maybe we have family members who have stopped attending Mass or have given up their faith entirely. Here are some things we could do to bring them back. We could offer a holy hour weekly in the chapel for their “reversion” (second conversion). We could invite them to Mass on Sunday and then invite them to breakfast afterwards. We could refer them to this website, catholicscomehome.org, which has a short video about the Church.

Remember what the Letter of James says about conversion: “If anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20).

God bless you and your families.

Fr. Hildebrand