By Andres Rivera
Staff Writer

GRAND TERRACE—Raymond Palacios was overwhelmed by his first experience attending Mass after years of distancing himself from God and the Church.

“The experience of attending Church after a couple of years of not going, I just started crying,” Palacios said.

Now a seminarian at Blessed Junipero Serra House of Formation in Grand Ter­race, Palacios attributes the sense of com­munity and fellowship he found at his par­ish and in Serra House in allowing him to answer the call to join the seminary.

“I wasn’t religious at all growing up. There was a point in high school when I felt that I was against God,” Palacios said. “But that soon changed.”

After attending Mass by the invita­tion of his family dur­ing Christmas a few years ago, he began attending Mass more regularly and felt compelled to attend a retreat the parish sponsored. The retreat experience at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Rialto changed his outlook on life and inspired him to embrace his faith more.

Palacios says he was impacted by the sense of community and the faith of the people attending and coordinating the re­treat.

Over the past year, Palacios began to discern his vocation. A friend introduced him to a religious brother and he began speaking with associate director of voca­tions, Father Javier Gonzalez. Aside from attending discernment nights and retreats, Palacios also interacted with the seminar­ians currently undergoing formation at Ser­ra House and watched videos on vocations to help him in his discernment.

His family and friends were happy to hear of his acceptance to Serra House. Though some were shocked to hear of his decision, most expressed that they saw it coming.

“What was interesting was someone at work who is actually not religious kept asking all these questions,” Palacios said. “I thought it was so amazing that someone could be so interested in what I was doing.”

Entering Serra House has been an over­whelming experience for Palacios, he says. He enjoys the sense of community and spending time with his fellow seminarians, and is adjusting well to his change in life­style.

“I spend my time in constant prayer,” Palacios said. “I love to pray, it keeps my relationship strong with God.”

For more information on Palacios and other seminarian's stories, visit our YouTube Channel.

SAN BERNARDINO—At the very top of the list of the most populous dioceses in the country, you will find expected Catholic  strongholds like Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Boston.

 With the release of the 2013 Kenedy Directory, a widely-used annual volume of church statistics, you now find the Diocese of San Bernardino near the top of that list, too.

By Sr. Chilee Okoko, DMMM

SAN BERNARDINO—The Diocese of San Bernardino will be honoring and celebrating those men and women who offer healthcare services in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. This celebration, a “White Mass,” will be held at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Cathedral in San Bernardino on October 27 at 3 p.m. 

 The healthcare profession, like many others, is one of the most essential services to mankind because everyone, at one time or another, needs medical attention. 

SAN BERNARDINO—Church leadership in the Diocese saw fresh faces with the appointment of new Vicars Forane and the election of new members to the Presbyteral Council.

 Bishop Gerald Barnes appointed new Vicars Forane for the High Desert and West End vicariates in early July.

By Andres Rivera
Staff Writer

TEMECULA—Priests attending the annual Priests’ Convocation in Temecula took time to acknowledge the priests celebrating 25, 40, 50 and 60-70 years of service as a priest with a Mass and dinner at St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish in Temecula on Sept. 18. 

 Close to 150 priests  who are currently serving in the Diocese of San Bernardino attended the Mass held to honor the jubilarian priests. Bishop Gerald Barnes and Auxiliary Bishop Rutilio del Riego were the principal celebrants, while Father James McLaughlin served as the homilist. 

By Deacon John Barna

 Recently at a men’s group a friend asked the question, “Does one’s enjoyment of heaven correspond to the life one has led down here?” That is, if you led and exemplary life down here (a saint) would your enjoyment of heaven be greater than that of a person who just got by? After some discussion they came to the conclusion that the saint would indeed be able to appreciate heaven more than the other person. The next day the question was raised again. This time it was accompanied by the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. The laborers who worked the last hour only, got as much as those who had put in a whole day. Now I’m not so sure their conclusion was right. We just don’t know who has been worthy of heaven.