A proposed state initiative that would have required girls 12-17 to notify their parents before having an abortion failed to get the required number of signatures to qualify for the November 2012 state ballot. Californians for Parental Rights, the campaign group that led the signature drive, was not able to collect the 867,615 valid signatures needed to qualify for the ballot.

SAN BERNARDINO—“When you are together, sing hymns, Psalms and inspired songs in the Spirit!” 

 This encouragement from Paul in Colossians reminds us that the Church was born singing. That early Church sang its songs, its rhythms, its words, out of its experience of the Christ who had become their beloved, their savior. They had to sing about their experience because saying the words was not enough! When they gathered together to pray on Sunday – Dies Domini – the Day of the Lord - their great praise and thanksgiving for all that God had done for them through Christ in the Spirit was too much to speak.

By David Okonkwo

RIALTO—The diocesan Office of Catholics of African Descent is sponsoring a Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday, June 16 at Blessed John XXIII Parish’s Rialto site. Juneteenth is the celebration of the official pronouncement of the end of slavery in 1865. It marks the day General Gordon Granger read the “Emancipation Proclamation” to the slaves in Texas, as they were the last to hear the news of their freedom. 

By Lucia Mirande

RIVERSIDE—Faith leaders and immigrant parents at Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Riverside hosted a community action with over 100 community members, focusing on increasing education achievement on May 23.  The featured guests of the faith leaders, Riverside Unified School District school board president Gayle Cloud and Completion Counts director Cindy Taylor, listened to the findings of leaders from Inland Congregations United for Change parents’ perspective on the barriers families face to higher education. 

 The State Division of Occupational Safety and Health, also known as Cal/OSHA, is promoting the campaign: HEAT SAFETY. It is targeted mainly toward agricultural workers, but also any workers who face the harshness of the heat during work hours; construction workers, gardeners and others.

YUCAIPA—Bishop Gerald Barnes recognized 78 individuals for their dedication to church ministry with the St. Bernardine Award, Guadalupe Award and the new Pope John Paul II Youth Award at the Annual Diocesan Awards ceremony held on May 17 at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini in Yucaipa.