By Ken F. Sawa
Executive Director, Catholic Charities
In the California Bishops’ recently released pastoral letter, “Hope and Healing,” on the care of those who struggle with mental illness, they state: “For them, our communities and parishes should be places of refuge and healing, not places of rejection or judgement.”
By Anna Hamilton
We know that every person has a story to share. Some stories are adventures, others a romance, some stories do not always have a happy ending but if you listen carefully, you find strength and meaning behind them.
On Sunday, May 13th, Mother’s Day, I joined Bishop Gerald Barnes and his emcees on a visit to the California Institution for Women (CIW) for a special Mother’s Day Liturgy for the incarcerated ladies in our Diocese.
SAN BERNARDINO—When she began her career, Patricia Vesely never envisioned herself leading the Catholic schools system for one of the nation’s largest dioceses. In fact, she never even saw herself as a school principal.
But Vesely was called, literally, to a career in Catholic school administration that uncovered gifts and talents that enriched the lives students, families, teachers and fellow administrators.
By Marge Bitetti
SAN BERNARDINO—“Put your finger on a map any where you point your finger, there is someone with the same blood type as you. The world is getting smaller and that affirms that we are all neighbors.”
SAN BERNARDINO—The Annual Diocesan Awards were presented on May 18 at Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, San Bernardino.
In addition to the Papal Award (see related article), the St. Bernardine Award, Our Lady of Guadalupe Award and St. John Paul II Youth Award were also given.
SAN BERNARDINO—Lay ministers in the fields of catechetics, administrative support and social outreach were recognized on May 18 with the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a layperson in the Church by the Vatican.
It was the third year in a row after a lengthy break that the Diocesan Awards Ceremony included recipients of the Papal Award.
