By Elena Macias
For the first time since 2019, the Diocese of San Bernardino on March 22 held the annual Combined Vicariate Meeting in person at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, with all six Vicariates present. The guest speaker was Rev. Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator, Dean of the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University. The Diocesan Office of Archives, Ministry with Young Catholics and Divine Worship also announced a new Blessed Carlo Acutis relic tour coming soon to the diocese.
Fr. Orobator’s presentation included discussion on ‘Weaving Bonds, Building Communities and a Synodal approach to Formation.’ However, Fr. Orobator began by saying that he felt comfortable inside the Pastoral Center’s large banquet room because people were seated at large round tables just like at the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishop’s in Rome.
“Something special is happening here in the Diocese,” Fr. Orobator said. “Synodality is real, not a concept that we are debating, it is what we are.”
In his presentation, Fr. Orobator made the point that Synodality is enriched by diversity and sometimes diversity brings tension, but Synodality allows us to bring tension to the table and address it. Fr. Orobator expressed that the synodal process is more important than any “results” from the Synod because Synodality is about creating processes, which is transformative because it helps us move forward. Lastly, Fr. Orobator affirmed that formation never ends.
“If we are to remain at the top of our game in this business of evangelization, we need to commit to never ending formation,” Fr. Orobator said. “We never stop learning, we never stop being formed.”
When Fr. Orobator finished his presenatinon, Very Rev. Rafael Partida, E.V., Director of the Office of Divine Worship, gave a reflection on the saints, the holiness of the human body and relics. Following the reflection, Fr. Partida presented each Vicar Forane to come up to the podium to accept a basket of gift bags for their Vicariate. Then, Arlene Gutierrez, Director of the Office of Archives announced that a relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis will tour the diocese beginning in April.
Berenice Villa, Youth Programs Coordinator in the Office of Ministry With Young Catholics, shared the positive feedback from last year’s Blessed Carlo relic tour and that there will be more information on the dicoesan website about how parishioners can view the relic.
Elena Macias is the Managing Editor of the Inland Catholic BYTE and El Compás Católico.