OC CATHOLIC - APRIL 5, 2026

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5 ALL IN THE FAMILY AT ST. MARTIN DE PORRES

Three members of the Micaletti family are at home at the Yorba Linda parish.

8 ONE MAN’S JOURNEY WITH THE SHROUD

Pete Schumacher is a pioneer in researching the Shroud of Turin.

10 ST. NORBERT CATHOLIC SCHOOL HAS TALENT

12

The school held its annual talent show on March 26.

SIBLINGS SHINE ON MD SOCCER FIELD

Jasmine and Marcel Aguilar lead the Monarchs’ championship teams.

14 WHERE’S JESUS?

An empty tomb, a discarded shroud and a puzzle left behind.

ORANGE

COUNTY CATHOLIC MISSION STATEMENT

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ORANGE

COUNTY CATHOLIC

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

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ROSARY BEADS

READER CALL-OUT

On the morning of my First Holy Communion, sometime before the Second World War, my mother presented me with this small, delicate rosary. Crafted from 14-karat gold, it rests, when not in use, within a finely inlaid gold locket, which itself is nestled inside a larger locket to be worn close to the heart.

My mother had arranged to purchase the set in Italy, where it was blessed by Pope Pius XI.

Now, having been lovingly passed down through the generations, this treasured rosary is worn by the fourth generation of Rafter girls as they celebrate their own First Holy Communions.

—Pauline R. Tracy, St. Juliana Falconeri Parish in Fullerton.

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 2:14, 22-33; PSALM 16:1-2A AND 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11; VICTIMAE PASCHALI LAUDES; MATTHEW 28:8-15

TUESDAY

ACTS 2:36-41; PSALM 33:4-5, 18-19, 20 AND 22; VICTIMAE PASCHALI LAUDES; JOHN 20:11-18

“ Let us enter into his light to become light of the world” — Pope Leo XIV

VINCENT FERRER 1350-1419

SAINT PROFILE

WEDNESDAY

ACTS 3:1-10; PSALM 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9; VICTIMAE PASCHALI LAUDES; LUKE 24:1335

BORN IN VALENCIA to an English father and Spanish mother, Vincent joined the Dominican friars in 1367 and became a noted preacher, making converts even among Jews and Muslims. After years of backing the Avignon papal claimants, Vincent withdrew his support, helping to end the papal schism that had divided the Western church. He did intensive mission work in France, Spain and Italy, drawing huge revival-type crowds and gaining fame as a miracle worker. He died during a preaching tour of Brittany.C

THURSDAY

ACTS 3:11-26; PSALM 8:2AB AND 5, 6-7, 8-9; VICTIMAE PASCHALI LAUDES; LUKE 24:35-48

FRIDAY

ACTS 4:1-12; PSALM 118:1-2 AND 4, 22-24, 25-27A; VICTIMAE PASCHALI LAUDES; JOHN 21:1-14

SATURDAY

ACTS 4:13-21; PSALM 118:1 AND 14-15AB, 16-18, 19-21; VICTIMAE PASCHALI LAUDES; MARK 16:9-15

SUNDAY

ACTS 2:42-47; PSALM 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24; 1 PETER 1:3-9; JOHN 20:19-31

IT’S ALL IN THE FAMILY FOR ST. MARTIN DE PORRES PARISHIONERS

GARY, CYNTHIA AND FRANCESCA MICALETTI ARE ACTIVE AT CHURCH & OPERATE THE NEARBY JMJ'S CATHOLIC STORE

BY GREG HARDESTY

AS GARY MICALETTI figures it, it takes about 15 minutes by car to get to basically anywhere around his main stomping grounds of north Orange County.

He, his wife, Cynthia, and their only child, daughter Francesca, 16, usually spend that time wisely: reciting the Rosary or other Catholic devotions such as the Chaplet of St. Michael the Archangel or the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy.

Folks that know the Micalettis at their parish, St. Martin de Porres in Yorba Linda, wouldn’t be surprised to hear that.

Francesca, a senior altar server, not only is a familiar face on Sundays but

also at almost all daily Masses.

Her parents have been operating the JMJ's Catholic Store in neighboring Placentia for nearly eight years — providing a hub for the faithful to purchase a dizzying array of items for themselves or as gifts.

“The Micalettis are faithful people, loving the Lord and doing their best to serve Him,” said Msgr. Stephen Doktorczyk, local secretary at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D.C., who got to know the family when he was pastor of St. Martin’s before he moved to the nation’s capital in 2024.

“For them to open a Catholic book and gift store required much trust in the Lord,” Msgr. Doktorczyk added. “They want their customers to encounter Christ, and they take time to speak

with them.”

When Msgr. Doktorczyk was pastor of St. Martin’s, the Micalettis sometimes would refer returning Catholics to him for assistance with marriage nullity paperwork or healing and deliverance.

“Running the bookstore is a ministry for them,” Msgr. Doktorczyk said. “The personal touch and genuine interest they have in others is something that one will not find on Amazon or other online vendors.

“For her part,” he added, “Francesca generously serves at the altar, taking her duties seriously. As she gained experience, she would gently train younger servers, never in a bossy or threatening way, but with kindness and encouragement.”

FAITH RESTORED

Gary and Cynthia met in 2006.

When they started dating, Gary, who was baptized a Catholic, had for years been inactive in his faith.

Cynthia, who immigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala in 2002, had rediscovered her faith.

The couple married a year after meeting and about a year after they wed Gary returned to the Catholic Church.

For 20 years, Gary had been working at the Commerce Casino as a pit boss, overseeing dealers and floor supervisors at the gambling mecca.

“I prayed for him to leave his job,” Cynthia said with a laugh.

Her prayer was answered shortly after Cynthia took the lead in opening JMJ's Catholic Store in 2018. Gary took a month off to help her open the store, but he never returned to his casino job.

“It was too toxic there,” he explained.

A DEVOTED SERVER

For Francesca, church always has been central to her life.

Prior to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, she was an honors student at St. Paul of the Cross in La Mirada. Her parents started and continue to homeschool her through the Catholic-focused Seton Home Study School program.

Being homeschooled has allowed Francesca, who is in the 11th grade, to become a devoted and reliable altar server.

“It makes me appreciate the Mass more and I also appreciate the graces I receive for serving,” said Francesca, an altar server for five years, who also is a member of her church’s youth leadership group.

Outside of church and school, Francesca, who has a black belt in taekwondo, loves reading mystery novels. Math, science and history are her favorite sub -

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

jects, and she plans to study mechanical engineering in college.

Deacon Denis Zaun said having Francesca serve at daily morning Mass “adds an element of reverence and distinctiveness to each liturgy.”

Added the deacon: “She is very experienced and knowledgeable and manages variation in the liturgies well. She also is an excellent trainer and mentor for new altar servers.”

Fr. Bruce Patterson, pastor of St. Martin’s, calls Francesca “a great blessing to our community.”

He continued: “She faithfully serves at Mass with a cheerful and reverent disposition, so much so that several of our senior parishioners express their appreciation for her. More than once, I’ve

heard them say that she gives them hope for the future of the Church.”

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Like most new businesses, JMJ's Catholic Store — formerly a space occupied by a massage parlor and tucked between a Vietnamese dress shop and an outdoor fountain retailer in a small strip mall — struggled at first.

The local community and beyond has since embraced it, with Diocese of Orange leaders, including Auxiliary Bishop Timothy Freyer, stopping by to shop and bless the store.

The store’s name, of course, is an acronym for “Jesus, Mary and Joseph.”

Asked if God provides him and his wife with a nice salary, Gary quipped:

“Yes, but it’s a deferred payment.” C

THE EMPTY TOMB

BY DEACON MODESTO CORDERO

IN THE EARLY DAWN, while the world still held its breath between darkness and light, the women made their way to the tomb. They carried spices, grief and unanswered questions. The One they loved had died, and with Him, it seemed, their hope. Yet what they found was not what they expected: the stone rolled away, the tomb empty and messengers in radiant garments asking a question that still echoes through history—“Why do you seek the living among the dead?”

This Gospel moment is not only a proclamation of the Resurrection; it is also a deeply human story. The women come in sorrow, in confusion, in a kind of loneliness that follows loss. Their experience mirrors our own, especially after the forty days of Lent—a season marked acute awareness of our spiritual and even

Lent can feel like a journey into the desert. We confront our limitations, our sins, and the quiet places within us where we feel most alone. Yet the empty tomb stands at the end of that journey as a divine response: you are not abandoned. What seemed final is not the end. What appeared to be absence is, in truth, the beginning of a new and eternal presence.

For us as Christians, the empty tomb is not merely a sign that Jesus is no longer there—it is a promise that He is everywhere. Death has not claimed Him; it has been conquered by Him. And because of that, our own loneliness suffering, and even death do not have the last word. The Resurrection assures us that we are destined not for isolation, but for communion—communion with God and with one another, fulfilled at the end of time.

In a world that continues to suffer— through conflict, war, uncertainty and personal hardship—the message of Easter is not sentimental optimism. It is a bold and transformative hope. The risen Lord

does not erase the wounds of the world overnight, but He enters them, bringing peace that surpasses understanding. His first gift to His disciples was peace, and it is the same peace He offers us today: a peace rooted not in circumstances, but in His victory over sin and death.

The empty tomb invites us to lift our gaze. It calls us to move beyond the places where we expect to find only endings, and to discover instead the quiet, powerful beginnings God is unfolding. It reminds us that even in our most desolate moments, God is already at work, preparing a resurrection we may not yet see.

As we celebrate Easter, may this hope be rekindled within us. May the risen Christ draw near to our hearts, dispelling fear and filling us with His peace. And may we, like the women at the tomb, move from confusion to conviction, becoming witnesses to a hope the world so desperately needs.

The Lord is risen; indeed, He is! Alleluia! C

ONE MAN’S JOURNEY WITH THE SHROUD

BY GREG MELLEN

AT THE TIME IT WAS a curious artifact, known in certain religious and scientific circles, but nothing like the phenomenon it would become.

In 1976, Pete Schumacher was a 30-year-old fledgling product developer and engineer, living near Kansas City and working with a small company that made a device called the VP-8 Image Analyzer. An analog apparatus, it maps and graphs the brightness in various parts of a photograph of contoured surfaces. It was used for projects such as topographical mapping and X-rays.

One day, Schumacher was asked to take a road trip to Colorado to set up and demonstrate the VP-8 at the home of a U.S. Air Force Academy professor.

After completing the task, he was asked to scan a photograph to test the equipment.

What emerged felt all wrong. Indeed, it seemed impossible: an anatomically correct 3D image of a man, battered and bloodied.

That shouldn’t have happened. All other photographs of faces, paintings and other images studied since are distorted, with flattening of the reliefs and contours like noses.

To this day, how the perfectly detailed image emerged from that photograph remains a mystery. Schumacher has since conducted countless comparisons, studies and equipment calibrations.

“I can’t tell you why it comes out 3D,” he said.

On that fateful day in 1976, Schumacher was asked if he recognized the photo-

graph with 3D properties. He didn’t. “That’s the Shroud of Turin,” he was told.

“I said, ‘That’s great,’” Schumacher recalled. “‘What’s that?’”

MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH

What it turned out to be was a monumental discovery — on a global scale for scientists and skeptics, the Catholic community and nonbelievers.

On a personal level, it was transformational. It would lead Schumacher to become a permanent deacon with the Catholic Church, a prominent expert on the Shroud, and the founder of the world’s Shroud of Turin museums.

It also led him to become the inaugural speaker of a planned speaker series hosted by the “The Shroud of Turin: An Immersive Experience” museum on the Christ Cathedral campus in Garden Grove. To an interested crowd in the campus’ Freed Theater on March 12, Deacon Pete, as he’s known, spoke on his 3D discovery and much of his life’s work in his talk titled “The Shroud: What I Saw & How I See It.” He detailed both the historical journey of the Shroud through the ages, including the groundbreaking 1976 analysis, as well as his own personal journey.

Despite closely following Shroud developments, Schumacher’s life and faith path led him in different directions, including creating and selling several companies, marriage and studying for the diaconate.

In retirement, Schumacher’s Turin travels came full circle when he was offered 1,900 square feet of rent-free space in a mall in Alamogordo, New Mexico. It became his Shroud center, the nonprofit The Shroud Exhibit and Museum Inc.

Jon Storbeck, executive director of Christ Cathedral’s Shroud museum, said he hopes to continue hosting similar speakers and special events throughout the year.

“We’re all in the learning stage,” he said, adding that he was enthused by the initial reaction. “We’re still finding out what people want and what they’re

looking for.”

AN OBJECT OF THOROUGH STUDY

In the years after Schumacher’s 1976 discovery, the Shroud of Turin would become a small cultural oddity to the world's most studied artifact, having been closely examined by more than 100 different disciplines.

The Shroud of Turin is an approximately 14-foot linen burial cloth permanently housed in a climate-controlled case within the Chapel of the Holy Shroud in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy, where it has been stored since 1578. Imprinted on the cloth, remarkably, is the image of a body with marks and blood stains that likely came from being tortured and crucified. The wounds closely resemble those described in the Bible of the Passion of Jesus Christ.

To the faithful, the Shroud of Turin is undoubtedly the cloth once laid upon the Son of God. To others, it is an elaborate medieval hoax.

The Catholic Church has not officially acknowledged the Shroud of Turin as authentically tied to Jesus, but calls it a “mirror of the Gospel,” a profound object of veneration and a powerful icon.

Schumacher has studied the Shroud for the past 50 years, often having to defend his findings and technology. If you want to wind him up, ask something about the controversial carbon dating done on it — one which seemingly pointed to it being created in medieval times, not 2,000 years ago.

For his part, Schumacher has no doubts about the Shroud’s authenticity and the fateful intersections it has had with his life and deepening faith.

As he put it, “When you see it, you must believe if you’re open and honest with yourself.”

Schumacher’s discovery in 1976 with his VP-8 Image Analyzer had a profound impact on future studies of the Shroud of Turin. Afterward, the Air Force scientists he worked with, Eric Jumper and John Jackson, helped launch the pivotal Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP).

In 1978 with literally tons of scientific equipment, a large research team traveled to Turin and conducted what became the most extensive, hands-on study of the Shroud ever taken. Performing every imaginable spectroscopic, electrographic and related scientific measurement and experiment known at the time, the team spent five days of round-the-clock testing with the Shroud.

When National Geographic came out in 1980 with a 24-page spread on the cloth, complete with a four-page foldout, the Shroud of Turin officially went mainstream.

The image and the Shroud had an even more profound effect on Shumacher, who until 1976 had had an uneven path on his Catholic faith journey.

“There have been little things that started me pondering,” he said about his faith formation. “The big one was what we discovered at the house.”

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ST. NORBERT’S HAS TALENT

BY BRITNEY ZINT

THEY SANG AND DANCED.

They lip-synced. They showcased their musical prowess on musical instruments.

It was clear that St. Norbert Catholic School has talent.

The campus in Orange hosted its annual talent show on March 26 in the school gym with a performance during the school day and another that night. The entire school community, parents and extended families packed the gym during the school day to see students in third- through eighth-grade showcase their performance abilities with 23 separate acts, not including the opening and closing numbers.

“Welcome to the 2026 Talent Show!”

said Assistant Principal Marian Quiroz.

“At St. Norbert Catholic School, we strengthen our abilities and we discover our God-given gifts. We use them, we celebrate them and we celebrate the gifts of others.”

Students filed into the gym clutching snacks as they took their seats for the show. Two students from every grade opened with a nostalgic lip sync (for the parents) of NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye” complete with the iconic choreography.

From there, the students showed off what they’ve got, including a rhythmic gymnastics routine by Lucy Nguyen, a Rat Pack-dressed Ethan Adeva singing “Strangers in the Night,” Matthew Aparicio playing Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” and third-grader Sammy Pluard singing “Dream a Little Dream” in a pink ballgown.

Fourth-graders Natalie Sur, Jossalyn Krebs and Sophia Moreno danced in cowboy hats and boots to their own original choreography for “Texas Hold ’Em.”

The three friends have been preparing for about three weeks by running the routine on campus and talking on the phone, said Sur. Performing in the talent show was nothing new for the 9-year-old girls, but this was their first year as a trio.

“I did it last year and it was really fun to do, so I wanted to do it again with my friends,” Krebs said.

The finale brought out the soon-to-be-graduating eighth-graders for

Celebration

a four-part performance featuring two dances by the girls, one dance by the boys and the entire class singing “Somewhere Only We Know.”

The final performance of her St. Norbert’s career was a fun experience — a little sad, but also a relief, said eighth-grader Sydney Lu, 13.

Lu has played the piano in every talent show since she joined the school in third

grade. This year, she played and sang “When We Were Young,” a song about being young and capturing memories. Then she danced alongside her graduating classmates.

“It’s a fun experience honestly, because we all make up dance moves,” Lu said.

“When we mess up, it’s not a big deal because you laugh it off with your friends.”

Lu said it’s nice that her peers get a chance to showcase their abilities at

school. She encouraged others not to “leave it hidden in the dark.”

Seventh-grader Morrisa Herman, 13, had a similar feeling. Herman, who helped open the show and has performed at it every year since third grade, encour-

aged the younger students to sign up next year.

“I think if you have talent, you should share it,” Herman said. “That’s what I think. Even if you don’t and you have passion, you should share it.” C

A CATHOLIC EDUCATION IS A PRECIOUS GIFT

BROTHER & SISTER SHINE ON MATER DEI SOCCER FIELD

BY LOU PONSI

JASMINE AGUILAR PLAYS soccer at Mater Dei High School. Her brother, Marcel, also plays soccer for the Monarchs. Both are state champions.

The Monarchs' girls team defeated Bishop O’Dowd of Oakland, 2-0, in the CIF Division 1 State Championship finals on March 14 at Natomas High School in Sacramento.

Later that same day, on an adjacent field, the Mater Dei boys squad defeated Everett Alvarez of Salinas, 2-1, to capture the CIF Division 1 boys’ championship.

“Our parents are so proud of us,” said Jasmine, a senior. “Even our grandma on our dad’s side said, ‘I’m going to make you guys a championship dinner.’ She makes the best Mexican food. I love it so much. I’m excited for that.”

In Sacramento, Jasmine and Marcel never got the chance to connect.

The boys’ team was boarding the bus to the field when they heard the girls’ team was winning their match and when the boys arrived at the field, they could see the girls’ team celebrating.

“It was really good to see my sister celebrating with her team and I was just happy for the team and proud of their accomplishments,” said Marcel, a sophomore. “But we just had to focus on our game after that.”

After the girls’ game was finished, most of the players rushed over to the adjacent field to cheer on the boys, Jasmine said.

The night after the match, after both teams had been crowned state champions, the girls were dining at a local restaurant when the boys’ team showed up.

“And that is when I saw Marcel and we were both congratulating each other,” said Jasmine, who has accepted to a scholarship to play soccer at Cal State Los Angeles.

Marcel still has time to decide where to attend college but said he if he had to choose now, he would play at the University of North Carolina.

Both play for the same club program, Legends FC soccer club in Norco and both make the daily commute to Mater Dei from their home in Corona.

MONARCHS BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ SOCCER TEAMS MAKE HISTORY

For the first time in the history of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the governing body for high school sports in California, state championship matches were held in boys’ and girls’ soccer, with the Southern California champion playing the Northern

California champion for the state title. Previously, the season ended with the Northern and Southern California state championship matches.

The Mater Dei boys’ and girls’ soccer teams made history, both winning their respective state championship matches.

The girls defeated Bishop O’Dowd of Oakland, 2-0, in the CIF Division 1 State Championship match and the Mater Dei boys squad defeated Everett Alvarez of Salinas, 2-1, to capture the CIF Division 1 boys’ championship.

While both teams hoisted state championship trophies, their respective paths to Sacramento were quite different.

The boys (21-1-3) were dominant from start to finish and were ranked the No.1 team in the state for most of the season.

The boys finished first in the Trinity League, which is stacked with highly ranked teams.

They went on to capture the CIF Southern Section Open Division title with a 2-0 victory over league rival Orange Lutheran on Feb. 28 at El Modena High School in Orange.

“We lost the year prior in the quarterfinals of the Open Division, so I think our guys had a chip on their shoulder for the entire year,” boys’ coach Sean Ganey said. “Our group worked really hard. We put a lot into on the players’ side and the coaching side.”

After dominating the first round of league play, the Monarchs opened the second round of games with a loss to Servite followed by a tie against Orange Lutheran.

“We were able to use that as fuel for our guys,” Ganey said. “I brought them into the gym, probably after the Servite game and said, ‘Look, there is a space right there for another banner. I believe in you guys. I know you believe in each other. Let’s collectively say we can do it together and we did. I give all the credit to our players.”

The Monarchs faced Orange Luther-

an again in the Southern Section Open Division finals and defeated the Lancers, 2-0, to win the championship.

In the CIF Division 1 playoffs, Mater Dei defeated Santa Monica, 2-0, El Camino Real, 2-1, and then defeated Del Norte, 1-0, to advance to the state championship.

Senior Santiago Schelotto led the Monarchs with 17 goals, senior James Obleda scored 12 goals and senior Matthew Miranda had 11 goals.

On the girls’ side, the road to the championship was marked with a bit more adversity.

“We opened up (league play) with a draw against Santa Margarita,” coach Matty West said. “We earned the draw and were feeling pretty good about the start of the Trinity League, but every game got progressively more challenging.”

The Monarchs (19-3-8) finished in third place in the Trinity League, finishing behind first-place JSerra and Santa Margarita.

Mater Dei was defeated by league rival Santa Margarita, 3-0, in the Southern Section Open Division finals, making their road to the Division 1 state championship more difficult.

After winning their first two Southern California Division 1 matches, the Monarchs faced Santa Margarita in the Southern California championship.

The all-Trinity League championship match was the fourth time the Eagles and Monarchs faced off this season.

After losing twice and finishing in a 1-1 tie, the Monarchs defeated Santa Margarita, 2-0, on March 14 to win the Southern California championship and advance to Sacramento.

“We did want another chance to play them,” West said of the rematch against the Eagles.

“It just so happened it was in the regional final and a lot of things came together. The girls used the previous experiences against Santa Margarita and our tough pre-season schedule. It was a magical experience.” C

WHERE’S JESUS?

BY JOAN PATTEN, AO

“

WHERE’S JESUS? ”

This was the question of the followers of Jesus after reports of the empty tomb began to circulate in Jerusalem. For Christians living in the light of the Resurrection, we proclaim that Jesus is alive and has not abandoned us. Yet we, too, ask this question when the search for Christ’s presence torments our minds and reveals an ache in our hearts. Although our faith assures us that He is risen and remains with us, we still experience what St. Ignatius of Loyola called “spiritual desolation.” St. Ignatius described this state as when the soul becomes “all lazy, tepid and sad,” and “feels far from one’s Creator and Lord.”

As the Church invites us to reflect on the Resurrection appearances of Jesus to His followers during this Easter season, we can receive guidance on how to respond in spiritual desolation. The first witnesses of the Resurrection teach us that Christ is united to us in every form of suffering, including our interior struggles. Even when His presence is not felt, He remains with His disciples. Their encounters with the Risen Lord reveal how God draws near in our confusion and doubt. In light of this, we can grow in faithfulness as His disciples by putting into practice the rules of discernment of St. Ignatius of Loyola. The first recorded witness of the Resurrection in the Gospel of John was Mary Magdalene. Peter and John, upon finding no sign of Jesus in the tomb, returned to their homes (cf. Jn. 20:10). Mary Magdalene remained where she expected to find Jesus, even in her distress over His absence.

St. Ignatius of Loyola advises us that when we experience spiritual desolation,

we are to remain steadfast in our resolve and faithful to our spiritual practices, such as daily prayer, while rejecting the Enemy's lies and resisting the temptations desolation stirs up. In moments of spiritual desolation, we are invited to cry out to the Lord instead of turning in on ourselves or seeking to console ourselves with “passing things.” Spiritual consolation and authentic peace cannot be received apart from Jesus.

In times of God’s felt absence and spiritual desolation, we are to remain present before Him, offering the Lord our faith and the gift of our presence. Such fidelity allows this experience to purify our love for God, teaching us not to seek His gifts but God Himself.

their hearts to Him with the simple invitation, “What sort of things?” (Lk. 24:19). The disciples respond to this invitation by entering into dialogue with the Lord. They pour out their hearts, revealing their thoughts, feelings and desires, and become disposed to receiving the Lord’s direction.

These Resurrection encounters remind us that spiritual desolation is a reality that even the best of Jesus’ followers experience. However, they also show us that the Lord is with us, even when we do not experience His presence or consolation. The fidelity of Mary Magdalene and the honesty of the disciples on the road to Emmaus guide us by staying with their desire for Jesus, even as they grieved the apparent loss of His presence. Their witness gives us the courage to trust that the Lord will reveal Himself in His time. The experience of “Where’s Jesus?” is an invitation to surrender our self-reliance with humility and faith, so that when the risen Lord speaks our name and opens the Scriptures to us, we are ready to receive the gifts He has won for us. C

Mary Magdalene lives this out before us in the Gospel. At first, immersed in her sorrow, she does not recognize Jesus. Yet, she remains engaged in her desire to be united with her Lord, and her perseverance bears fruit. Her interior availability allows her to encounter Jesus in a deeper way as He speaks her name and calls her into the reality that He is before her and has been so all along.

The experience of the disciples on the road to Emmaus also reveals how the Risen Lord accompanies His followers through moments of discouragement. As they walk along, disoriented by their grief and bafflement, Jesus draws near and is not deterred by their failure to recognize Him. Instead, Jesus invites them to relate

Moments in our Journey

Holy Family Catholic School hosted it's first Easter Egg-stravaganza on March 28. Held on the school's field, the “hoppy day” featured egg hunts, games, crafts, food and community.

Photo by Alan Wendell/Diocese of Orange

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.

Happy Easter