OC CATHOLIC - APRIL 26, 2026

St. John's Seminary Offers Full-Tuition Fellowships for Hispanic Lay Ministers

St. John’s Seminary has fully-funded fellowships for Hispanic lay ministers interested in being formed to minister in parishes, Newman centers, Catholic K-12 schools, or campus ministries.

We offer fellowships for our new online M.A. in Pastoral Ministry that allows you to receive your entire education from the comfort of your home.

This program will help lay ministers, increase their knowledge of the Catholic intellectual tradition and improve their ministerial skills for the life of the Church. Students will be prepared to work in different areas of ministry and make professional and personal connections with others of the same mind and spirit.

A studio with professional video, audio, and lighting equipment has been built to allow our students to have an enjoyable technological experience.

We prepare our program to serve our students with the highest quality of education. For more information, please contact us.

Watch a brief video about the program.

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APRIL 26, 2026

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NOON DAY POTLUCK AT ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

The monthly event featured a discussion on the life of SVdP founder, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam.

AROUND OUR DIOCESE

Local parishioners gathered for Catholic Family Night with the Anaheim Ducks.

HEARING THE GOOD SHEPHERD’S VOICE

World Day of Prayer for Vocations invites us to listen.

THE SPIRITUAL POVERTY OF THE ABUNDANT LIFE

What kind of shepherd are we becoming?

ORANGE COUNTY CATHOLIC MISSION STATEMENT

The Orange County Catholic Newspaper seeks to illuminate and animate the journey of faith for Catholics within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange – building solidarity among the faithful and inviting a deeper understanding and involvement in the mission of Christ – through the timely sharing of news, commentary and feature content in an engaging, accessible and compelling format.

ORANGE COUNTY CATHOLIC

The Official Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange Diocese of Orange Pastoral Center, 13280 Chapman Ave., Garden Grove 92840

Publisher: The Most Reverend Kevin W. Vann, Bishop of Orange

Executive Editor: Jarryd Gonzales

Managing Editor: Patricia Mahoney, editor@occatholic.com

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Delivered weekly to parishes and homes throughout Orange County, Calif., Orange County Catholic is published by SCNG Custom Content, a division of Southern California News Group that offers content development and design expertise to businesses and nonprofit institutions. The Orange County Catholic editorial staff and editorial council are responsible for the content contained herein. Events and products advertised in Orange County Catholic do not carry the implicit endorsement of the Diocese of Orange or SCNG Custom Content.

ROSARY BEADS

READER CALL-OUT

One day, while browsing the crafting aisle, I suddenly stopped in front of the polymer clay. The colors caught my eye, and out of nowhere the idea came to me: What if I made rosary beads out of polymer clay? I had so many ideas in my head, but I had no idea how challenging this project would actually be.

I made my first rosary, and it took me about three days to finish. After that experience, I promised myself I would never again complain about how expensive rosaries are— there is so much work, patience, and love that goes into each one.

I also have to confess something: I don’t pray the rosary every single day. But my goal is to pray it daily for the rest of my life, until the Lord calls me home. Making rosaries has become part of that journey—each one a reminder of the devotion I’m striving toward.

— Carmina Gutierrez, St. Columban Parish in Garden Grove.

If you would like to share a photo of your Rosary Beads with our readers, please send a photo and brief description (include your name and parish) to: Editor@ occatholic.com

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

MONDAY

ACTS 11:1-18; PSALM 42:2-3; 43:3, 4; JOHN 10:11-18

“ The Virgin Mary, mother of the church, teaches us to be the holy people of God.”

— Pope Leo XIV

TUESDAY

ACTS 11:19-26; PSALM 87:1B-3, 4-5, 6-7; JOHN 10:22-30

SAINT PROFILE

WEDNESDAY

ACTS 12:24—13:5A; PSALM 67:2-3, 5, 6 AND 8; JOHN 12:4450

MARK THE EVANGELIST FIRST CENTURY

ACCORDING TO THE ACTS of the Apostles, Mark's mother owned the house where the first Jerusalem Christians prayed and where Peter stayed after his miraculous release form prison (Acts 12:1-19). The New Testament also notes that Mark traveled with Paul and Barnabas on their mission to Antioch and that he was associated with both Paul and Peter in Rome. He may have written his Gospel, based on Peter's preaching, in Rome. By tradition, he was the martyred bishop of Alexandria, Egypt, with his relics later carried to Venice by Venetian merchants. C

THURSDAY

ACTS 13:13-25; PSALM 89:2-3, 21-22, 25 AND 27; JOHN 13:16-20

FRIDAY

ACTS 13:26-33; PSALM 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11AB; JOHN 14:1-6

PHOTOS: CATHOLIC

SATURDAY

ACTS 13:44-52; PSALM 98:1, 2-3AB, 3CD-4; JOHN 14:714

SUNDAY

ACTS 6:1-7; PSALM 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19; 1 PETER 2:4-9; JOHN 14:1-12

YOUNG INNOVATORS PUT STEM SKILLS ON DISPLAY

BY LOU PONSI

ROBOTICS COMPETITIONS

are becoming as much a part of the high school student experience as football and basketball games.

For the uninitiated, think of a high school robotics team as a group of students who apply their knowledge of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) to design and construct a robot, then program the robot’s control systems and develop a strategy for competition.

In competitions, robots compete against other robots on a course, with score points typically scored when the robots pick up objects and place them into a goal.

And as is the case with football

games, robotics competitions also draw high-energy, vocal fans who yell and chant and wear offbeat attire.

Robotics teams at Santa Margarita Catholic High School and Servite are among the best in Southern California.

Servite’s team, the “Friarbots Team 3309” and Santa Margarita’s team, “SMbly Required, Team 5805” were among 61 teams, most representing high schools from throughout Southern California, who participated in the FIRST California Southern State Championship held April 9 to 12 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Teams qualified for the large-scale event by scoring high enough in prior district competitions.

A typical team includes operators, programmers, technical specialists and even scouters who watch other teams

compete to look for weaknesses.

The Southern California Championship was also a qualifying event for the FIRST World Championship, which draws thousands of students from around the world.

Neither Servite nor Santa Margarita advanced to the FIRST World Championship this year, however both school’s robotics teams have competed at the world championship multiple times over the years.

Evan Smith, coordinator and lead mentor for Servite’s team, attributes the Friarbots’ success to strong mentorship and committed, hardworking students who are always looking to improve.

“Students really push hard to try to be more successful,” said Smith, who has coached Servite’s team for 15 years. “They are very talented at robot design

and repair.”

While many robotics teams feature students interested in STEM (Science, technology, engineering and math) subjects, the program supports a wide range of skills and interests, Smith said.

Smith also likens robotics to competitive sports that requires a significant time commitment to be successful underscores that participation in robotics requires a significant time commitment.

Servite junior Stuart Craig, a veteran on the Friarbots, said he developed an interest in robotics in eighth grade and joined the Servite team to further develop his technological skills.

Over his three years on the team, Craig said he has come to embrace the friendships and sense of connectedness within the robotics community.

Mater Dei and JSerra high schools and Rosary Academy also have competitive robotics programs.

“Servite is an all-boys school, and it's all about the fraternity, the brotherhood,” Craig said. “So, joining this team is basically like a mini brotherhood within the brotherhood. These are good guys and we’re really close.”

Alex Klatt, the head coach and manager of Santa Margarita’s team, said competitions teach students to handle both victories and losses.

The losses provide an opportunity to learn from mistakes, Klatt said.

Klatt said he encourages his team to focus on teamwork and education first and view winning as proof of doing the process well.

The skills learned by members of the robotics team serve as essential preparation for future engineering studies and careers.

“This is the complexity of an automotive start-up,” Klatt said.

As a freshman, Rey Freeman of Santa Margarita was looking for a club that involves hands-on creativity.

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

When she discovered the school had a robotics program, she found her niche.

“It clicked,” Freeman said. “I said I want to be a part of this. The community here is amazing. There are so many like-minded people in the same area.”

Rosary graduate Jesslyn Abobo, who was a member of the Friarbots before graduating in 2025, said her favorite

part of being on the team was seeing everyone overcome hurdles and succeed together by applying their individual skill sets for the good of the team.

While no longer competing, Abobo still attends robotics competitions to support her former team.

“I know how hard it is to do this program,” Abobo said. “I want to keep watching and supporting them.” C

NOON DAY POTLUCK HIGHLIGHTS LEGACY OF FRÉDÉRIC OZANAM, FOUNDER OF THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

BY RON KUZLIK

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL Roman

Catholic Church in Huntington Beach recently hosted its monthly Noon Day Potluck, offering both a shared meal and an inspiring presentation on Blessed Frédéric Ozanam.

Ozanam—the French Catholic scholar, lawyer, journalist and founder of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul—was the focus of a lecture presented by Nancy Silk, a retired middle school teacher and hospice volunteer.

It was Ozanam, along with fellow students at the Sorbonne in Paris, who founded the Conference of Charity in 1833 to serve the poor. They eventually adopted St. Vincent de Paul, the 17th century priest who was known as the Apostle of Charity, as their patron and later became the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

“Researching the life of Ozanam was a very immersive experience for me,” said Silk. “He was truly an extraordinary man whose work has affected millions of people.”

Added parishioner Janet Schmidt: “The speaker brought Frédéric Ozanam to life for me.”

Another parishioner, Janine Helms, said, “With all the things going on in his country and in the world, Ozanam accomplished so much with a servant’s heart.”

In her presentation, Silk pointed out that although Ozanam died at the young age of 40, he earned three degrees from the Sorbonne: A Bachelor of Laws in 1834, a Bachelor of Arts in 1835 and a Doctor of Laws in 1836.

After being challenged that the Church was not doing enough to help the poor, Ozanam and his friends set out to put their Catholic faith into action.

Under the direction of Emmanuel-Joseph Bailly and Bl. Rosalie Rendu, a French Daughter of Charity, Ozanam and his

friends followed the model of visiting the poor in their homes for the most effective means of helping them.

From its original seven members, the society spread throughout the rest of France and even internationally. The society first arrived in the United States in 1845 with its first operations in St. Louis.

Currently, the society has over 800,000 members and 1.5 million volunteers operating in over 150 countries worldwide.

In the United States alone, there are approximately 90,000 volunteers in over 4,000 local councils that provide over $1.7 billion in aid to more than 5 million people annually.

These volunteers known as “Vincentians” offer a variety of services including direct assistance in the form of rent, utility and clothing assistance to those in need; running food pantries, community dining rooms and urban farms; providing housing and shelter and advocating for affordable housing; operating thrift stores that offer clothing and household items to the community; providing medical and dental care and charitable pharmacies for the uninsured; conducting home visits to assess and meet the needs of individuals and families .

“At St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, we live out the mission of Blessed Frédéric Ozanam by serving those who are underserved and facing financial hardship through spiritual, physical and emotional support,” said Patty Ledezma, director of Parish Life and Evangelization.

“Through prayer services, faith formation, our food pantry and local outreach—made possible by parishioners who give generously of their time, talent and treasure—we strive to accompany our neighbors with compassion, dignity and hope.”

Ledezma reported that the Noon Day Potluck began about 20 years ago.

For more information on the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, visit ssvpusa.org C

TEACHER FINDS NEW PURPOSE AFTER TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

BY BRITNEY ZINT

SHE WAS A HIGH achiever with top grades and a college scholarship. Then one day, Alejandra Lopez found herself with memory loss. She had debilitating migraines and could no longer read or count.

A traumatic brain injury disrupted her life’s path but also led her to a new calling: helping every student succeed in the classroom.

“To think that I am somehow making an impact is a gift,” Lopez said. “If I can use my struggle to help in any way, that’s amazing.”

The Garden Grove resident is a resource instructor at St. Barbara Catholic School in Santa Ana, part of Pax Christi Academies. She spends her days in and out of classrooms helping address learning gaps and advocating for equity and inclusion. Lopez, 37, is a firm believer that every student can learn and grow — if they get what they need to succeed. She is expected to graduate this fall with her general education and special education teaching credential.

“Alejandra is dedicated to the students she supports and cares for them wholeheartedly,” St. Barbara’s principal Claudia Danzer said.

Lopez was only a semester shy from graduating college when, as a passenger, she was in a car accident. Headaches came first. But she chalked them up to stress.

Then she hit her head from a fall. She was in pain but thought it was “just a little scrape,” Lopez recalled.

It was anything but.

“That changed the whole trajectory of what I thought my life would be like,” she said.

It was then that she saw a doctor. The debilitating migraines didn’t stop. She developed a stutter. No one knew why.

Lopez had to stop driving, quit school and stay home. She didn’t know what her life was going to look like anymore, but her mother, Carol Lopez, was also by her side. Lopez and her family stayed positive through it all, trusting in God’s plan.   Lopez asked God why He had done this to her. She prayed for a sign — and He showed it to her again, and again.

“For I know well the plans I have in mind for you — oracle of the LORD — plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

The verse kept showing up when Lopez was feeling most lost: on the Internet, in a classroom or on a sign at a local crafts store.

“I just thought, ‘OK, You have a plan for me,’” she said. “You know what You are doing. And I really do believe that without the struggle, I wouldn’t be the teacher that I am today, because I really had so many good advocates for me along the way. That’s really what I try to be for the kids.”

One of those advocates was Cal State Fullerton’s Speech and Hearing Clinic, where Lopez went twice weekly for two years to relearn her lost skills and find accommodations to help her be successful. The other was her alma mater: St. Barbara.

Although Lopez went on to Mater Dei and then college, she never fully left her old school. When she needed service hours, she volunteered there. She worked part-time in the front office. But she struggled to do her job and quit. But St. Barbara principal Judith Bloom, who also oversaw the school during Lopez’s years there as a student, stepped in. Bloom told Lopez to keep coming in every day and heal, Lopez recalled.

Bloom’s simple demand transformed

something that felt scary into “just a really safe place again,” Lopez said. “That really stayed with me: how you have someone that believes in you so much even when you are doubting yourself.”

Advocates like Bloom, her mother and the students who worked in the Speech and Hearing clinic gave Lopez the idea that she too could advocate for others in need.

“It put a little spark in her brain,” Carol Lopez said. “Maybe this is what I’m called for, and maybe that’s what it was all about: all the suffering. It was like a journey to get where she was going to be.”

Lopez now loves her job and being part of the Pax Christi Academies system that ensures all students get what they need to find success. Lopez works with the homeroom teachers to support students in English language arts and math. She doesn’t just work with students who are struggling and she doesn’t pull any

one out of the classroom. Lopez meets every student where they are and motivates, and assists, them in finding success.

“Not everybody needs the same thing and that’s what makes us beautiful,” Lopez said. “Everyone gets what they need,

so it’s not an embarrassing thing. It’s just a part of our daily structure.”

Fourth-grader Grace Bui, 9, is one of the many students Lopez works with in a small group. Bui, who is new to the school, said she instantly thought Lopez

was kind and appreciated her support.

“It makes my heart warm, because

AROUND OUR DIOCESE

BY STAFF

DUCKS NIGHT

Catholic Family Night delivered, and so did the Anaheim Ducks with a 6-1 win! Thank you to families and friends from across Orange County who joined us on April 9 at the Honda Center for Catholic Family Night with the Ducks. The action-packed evening provided the perfect blend of faith and family fun. Attendees even had the opportunity to participate in a postgame slapshot experience on the ice.

But the fun isn’t over yet! Grab your tickets for our next Catholic Family Night at Angel Stadium on June 27. Visit  RCBO.org/catholic-family-night  to learn more.

CATHOLICS AT THE CAPITOL

A group from the Diocese of Orange recently visited Sacramento for Catholics at the Capitol, hosted by the California Catholic Conference. Several bishops and Catholics from across the state participated in a rally and rosary

procession in downtown Sacramento. They also met with staff members of several legislators from Orange County and spoke with them about how the Church is serving the community.

Pictured are Elizabeth Sandoval of the Office of Vocations; Jaime Casarin of Catholic Charities of Orange County; Kimberly Hebert, the director of evangelization and communications at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in La Habra; Bishop Jaime Soto of the Diocese of Sacramento; Lindsay Baxter of the Office of Life, Justice & Peace; and Deacon Francis Ang.

ESTRELLA AWARDS

On April 11, Bishop Timothy Freyer gave the invocation prayer at the 27th annual Estrella Awards at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, an annual hosted by the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to honor local businesses and individuals who support the chamber’s overall goals of advancing the Hispanic community in Orange County. This was a collaboration between the diocesan Department of Catholic Schools and the Office of Hispanic Ministry.

Attendees included staff from the Department of Catholic Schools, the Hispanic Ministry and school leadership. We are grateful to have sponsored this event and supported the advancement of the multicultural economic development and success of Orange County. C

HEARING THE GOOD SHEPHERD’S VOICE: WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS

BY JOAN PATTEN, AO

EACH YEAR, A FEW weeks after Easter, we hear the “Good Shepherd Gospel” at Sunday Mass. In the Gospel of John, Jesus promises that His sheep who follow Him will hear His voice and be able to distinguish His voice from the voice of strangers. He assures us that the Good Shepherd calls each of His sheep by name, and that those who belong to Him will recognize that they are known, loved and called to be with Him. This tender image of Christ leading His flock sets the tone for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, inviting the Church to listen again for the Shepherd’s voice and to pray that all His people may respond with generous hearts.

While this day is dedicated, in a particular way, to praying for more priests and consecrated men and women in the Church, it is also a day to remember that every person has a vocation, a unique call rooted in baptism. Before God calls anyone to a particular state of life, He calls them to Himself. Holiness is not an achievement but a relationship. Our diocesan prayer for vocations expresses this beautifully: “Grant us holy vocations in the Diocese of Orange.” This is a prayer for the whole Church, for every state in life and for every disciple who seeks to follow Christ faithfully. When we pray for vocations, we pray that our Church, the entire People of God, grow in holiness. Parishes are not simply gathering places; they are schools of prayer where young disciples learn to be attentive to God’s presence. A parish alive with holy marriages, dedicated parents and faithful single people living vibrant lives of discipleship becomes fertile ground for priestly and religious

vocations to naturally emerge. In these communities, children and young adults discover that God often speaks in the quiet of their hearts. They learn that prayer is not only asking but also listening, waiting and trusting that God desires to reveal His plan of love.

When families teach their children that God’s call is trustworthy, young people begin to desire to hear His voice. Creating environments where they know they are loved by God allows young people to grow in confidence that His plans are good. Generosity replaces fear for both parents and young people who discover that God’s call begins with generously receiving His love and responding with freedom and joy, ready to follow wherever the Good Shepherd leads.

The diocesan prayer concludes by turning to Mary, Mother of the Church,

asking her to teach us to say a joyful yes as she did at the Annunciation. Her openness becomes the model for every vocation, showing us that our lives are fruitful when we are with Jesus. The goal of every vocation and state of life is to be united to Christ so His life flows through ours and we become a gift of His love to the world.

When you are at your parish this Good Shepherd Sunday and every Sunday, pray the prayer card for vocations in the pew and know that we are united in asking the Lord to bless us with many holy vocations as we each recommit ourselves to listening to the Shepherd’s voice and following Him.

You are also invited to join our diocesan Holy Hour for Vocations, held twice a month on Friday evenings at 7 p.m. in the Chapel in the Sky at Christ Cathedral. These evenings of silence be-

fore the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament are beautiful opportunities to listen for the Lord’s voice and to pray that many hearts in our diocese may receive His call with generosity and respond with courage and joy.

PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS

O God, Grant us holy vocations in the Diocese of Orange. Call forth laborers for Your vineyard from our parishes, families and schools. Inspire young people to lay down their lives for the Gospel. Configure men for priestly sacrifice and pastoral service. Draw men and women to radical discipleship through consecrated life. Grant parents generosity to encourage their children to discover Your plan of love. O Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, Teach us to say a joyful “YES” as you did at the Annunciation. Amen. C

DAVID KILEY’S REMARKABLE STORY

BY LOU PONSI

FEW ATHLETES CAN MATCH

the accomplishments of David Kiley.

Kiley, who attended St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Costa Mesa and Mater Dei High School, competed in six Paralympic Games in wheelchair basketball, track and field, and alpine skiing, winning a total of 13 Paralympic medals.

Kiley, now 73, won a gold medal in five separate events at the Paralympic Games in Toronto in 1976 and is the only athlete to play Paralympic basketball in four separate decades.

In 2022, Kiley achieved one of sport’s greatest honors: induction into the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame, alongside swimmer Michael Phelps, figure skater Michelle Kwan, tennis great Billie Jean King and soccer player Mia Hamm.

Kiley is being inducted into another Hall of Fame, and while not as widely known as the Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame, the honor is especially meaningful to him and a testament to his early years.

Kiley is among several current and former athletes being inducted into the Parochial Athletic League (PAL) at the league’s annual Hall of Fame and Golf Tournament on May 12 at Tustin Ranch Golf Club.

A faith-based sports league within the Diocese of Orange, the PAL established a Hall of Fame in 2022 to honor athletes, coaches and others who have served the league and its mission, said Russ Smith, the diocesan athletic director.

To qualify for the PAL Hall of Fame, inductees must have attended a Catholic or Christian school within a PAL league. Candidates must be PAL athletes who went on to enter professional sports as a

But at age 19, Kiley’s lifecourse changed in an instant when he sustained a catastrophic spinal cord injury in a tubing accident in Big Bear that left him paralyzed.

“I think I established myself as one of the better point guards in Orange County,” he said. “All I cared about was playing basketball. I was devastated.”

Kiley acknowledged slipping into a depression and coping in unhealthy ways.

During rehabilitation at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital, Kiley was introduced to wheelchair basketball by a recreation therapist who played the game at the elite level.

His competitive spirit was rekindled, and wheelchair basketball became his new passion.

“I used basketball from that point forward to be my therapeutic escape from my spinal cord injury,” he said. “Once I had a vehicle that was equipped for me to drive, I just ran up and down the coast looking for beach courts and time to shoot the ball.”

Kiley joined a high-caliber

player or administrator, became Olympic athletes or officials or coached in the PAL program for at least 10 years.

Kiley, who played multiple sports at St. John the Baptist and basketball at Mater Dei, said the PAL Hall of Fame induction carries a unique and personal significance because it honors the Catholic school environment where his athletic journey began.

“It does mean a lot to me, because it’s so unique,” Kiley said. “We were all going to St. John’s. All the athletes hung out and played everything under the sun.”

As a youngster, Kiley dreamed of playing basketball at UCLA and then for the Los Angeles Lakers.

wheelchair team in Orange County and progressed rapidly, competing in elite international competitions.

In 1976, Kiley participated in his first Paralympic Games.

Aside from Paralympic competition, Kiley competed in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association and is a six-time MVP of the league’s Final Four championships.

Kiley also hosts 3-on-3 wheelchair basketball tournaments.

He met his wife, Sandy, at a wheelchair tournament. The couple has been married since 1978 and has two children and four grandchildren.

Smith said Kiley’s story is remarkable and inspiring, especially because of the adversity he overcame after suffering the serious accident during his youth, which ultimately led to him becoming a wheelchair athlete.

While Kiley’s achievements are exceptional, they are not widely known to the

broader public, Smith said, adding that he learned about Kiley from officials at Mater Dei.

“I’m really excited about meeting David Kiley because I think he’s the most famous athlete to come out of Orange County that nobody knows about,” Smith said. “When I saw what we had there, what a great story this is, I said I’m all over this one.” C

THE SPIRITUAL POVERTY OF THE ABUNDANT LIFE

BY DEACON KEVIN DUTHOY

YEARS AGO, WHEN MY wife was a young girl, she would ride into the mountains of Mexico with her grandfather to gather his goats. The land was unfenced, and his flock was scattered among many others. Yet her grandfather knew his goats—and they knew him. He would whistle, call them by name and soon they would gather around him. There was no chasing, no driving—only leading and following.

In the catacombs beneath Rome, there is a simple image from the second century: the Good Shepherd, standing among his sheep, one resting across his shoulders. Most early Christians could not read, but they understood that image. It revealed who Jesus is and what he came to do. The Good Shepherd shows that God is not distant, but One who enters into relationship—a God who knows, calls and leads us. Without Him, we wander and scatter.

So many voices demand our attention—promising fulfillment, success or happiness—but they cannot satisfy us because they are not His voice. A shepherd teaches lambs his voice from birth. Similarly, Jesus calls us by name at baptism. We learn to recognize His voice through prayer, the sacraments and Sacred Scripture, tuning out the noise and responding more readily to Him. Jesus proclaims, “I came so that they might have life, and have it more abundantly (Jn. 10:10).” But what is this “abundant life?” It is not what the world tells us. It is not about power or accumulation. It is not about having more, but about being more—more loving, more whole, more alive in God. It is a life imi-

tating Jesus: generosity, gratitude, mercy and joy. Not about getting but giving; not possessing but sharing what is already present in Creation.

When we live only for ourselves, it is like carrying water in buckets that leak— always thirsty; like putting coins into pockets full of holes— never filled. The more we get or take, the less abundant life seems. But when we live for others, the life of Christ wells up within us; as the psalm says, “my cup overflows (Ps. 23:5),” pouring out purpose for others.

In today’s Gospel (Jn. 10:11), we are not just the sheep—we are also called to be shepherds. At times we can act as good shepherds, thieves or hired hands who run when the wolf comes. How do we care for those entrusted to us—our families, friends, co-workers, our parish, especially those we struggle to love? Are we stealing life from ourselves and others, or sharing its abundance?

To be a good shepherd requires both relationship and action, guiding, protecting, and sometimes sacrificing for others.

The prophet Ezekiel teaches us to seek the lost, heal the injured and strengthen the weak (Ez. 34:16), showing one another that our lives matter and together we make a difference.

Perhaps you have witnessed someone living as a good shepherd. For me, it was my wife caring for our son during his recovery from addiction—tending to his needs, even sleeping on the floor by his doorway, like a shepherd guarding the sheepfold. My son later said he knew she was there, and it gave him strength to persevere. Her grandfather had taught her good shepherding.

So today we are faced with questions: in a world full of competing voices, whose voice are we following? What kind of shepherd are we becoming? Does our voice sound like Jesus? Were we present when someone truly needed us? Have we added to someone’s burden or eased it?

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is still calling us by name—leading us to the only gate that opens to eternity. “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing

I shall want (Ps. 23:1),” …life in abundance. C

OC Catholic Afar

Todd Anh Ha sits atop a camel in front of the Great Giza Pyramid in Cairo, Egypt.

The pyramid houses the tomb of King Khufu and was the tallest structure in the world for 3,800 years.

—Todd attends St. Polycarp Catholic Church in Stanton.

We want your photos! Send your pictures of “OC Catholic Afar” — of you, family or friends visiting Catholic churches and other interesting places — to editor@occatholic.com. Please include a brief description of the photo, the name of the person(s) featured in the photo and their home parish.