OC CATHOLIC - MAY 24, 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.

24, 2026

Sts. Simon and Jude Catholic School presented “Alice in Wonderland Jr.” 8

BLESSED SACRAMENT SCHOOL CELEBRATES FAMILY

The Westminster school hosted a Hawaiian-themed Ohana Night event for families.

EXPLORING WONDERLAND

12

“SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THROUGH THE AGES”

Fr. Peregrine Fletcher’s third children’s book is his biggest project so far.

FORGIVENESS: HEALING THROUGH JESUS

To forgive is divine; learn from Jesus’ example.

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

News Ideas: editor@occatholic.com

Delivery Problems: occatholicsupport@occatholic.com

ADVERTISING

Sr. Director of Marketing: Caroline Wong, cawong@scng.com

SCNG

CUSTOM CONTENT

Managing Editor: Caitlin Adams Art Director: Ryann Beveridge

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.

To report sexual abuse by clergy or church personnel please call: 1 (800) 364-3064

Healing and Hope After Abortion: 1 (800) 722-4356

New Hope Peer-to-Peer Support Line | Mon - Fri 7:30 AM - 9:30 PM | Sat - Sun 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM: 1 (714) NEW-HOPE or 1 (714) 639-4673

DỤC Nếu bạn là nạn nhân bị lạm dụng tình dục bởi một linh mục/ tu sĩ hay một thành viên trong Giáo Hội gây ra, xin hãy gọi và báo cáo cho Giáo phận ở số điện thoại miễn phí sau đây: 1-800-364-3064, và đồng thời báo cáo cho nhà chức trách địa phương.

본당내의 성적학대 신고 성직자나 성당 사목을 대표하는

교구청의 무료 신고 전화 번호, 1-800-364-3064 및 관할 지역 법 집행 기관에 전화하십시오.

SACRAMENTS

READER CALL-OUT

OC Catholic is looking for photos of our readers receiving their Holy Sacraments. Baptisms, First Communions, Weddings — we want to see your special day!

Please include a brief description of the photo and why it is special to you. Include your name and home parish, and send to: editor@occatholic. com

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

MONDAY

GENESIS 3:9-15, 20; PSALM 87:1-2, 3 AND 5, 6-7; JOHN 19:25-34

“ Let us dedicate time to those who are alone.”

— Pope Leo XIV

SAINT PROFILE

IVO OF CHARTRES 1040-1115

BORN IN BEAUVAIS, FRANCE, Ivo became a canon regular of St. Augustine at Saint-Quentin. He taught Scripture, theology and canon law there before becoming prior in 1078, and was elected bishop of Chartres in 1090. He was a councilor to King Philip I until he denounced the king’s plan to divorce his wife to marry a count’s third wife. Ivo was imprisoned briefly by the king, but the pope secured his release. Ivo was involved in two controversies of his age: He mediated several investiture disputes and zealously protested simony in the papal court. Three treatises helped secure his reputation as one of the most learned canonists of his time.C

PHOTOS: CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE, SHUTTERSTOCK

TUESDAY

1 PETER 1:10-16; PSALM 98:1, 2-3AB, 3CD-4; MARK 10:28-31

WEDNESDAY

1 PETER 1:18-25; PSALM 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20; MARK 10:32-45

THURSDAY

1 PETER 2:2-5, 9-12; PSALM 100:2, 3, 4, 5; MARK 10:46-52

FRIDAY

1 PETER 4:7-13; PSALM 96:10, 11-12, 13; MARK 11:11-26

SATURDAY

JUDE 17, 20B-25; PSALM 63:2, 3-4, 5-6; MARK 11:2733

SUNDAY

EXODUS 34:4B-6, 8-9; DANIEL 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56; 2 CORINTHIANS 13:1113; JOHN 3:16-18

ST. THOMAS MORE PARISH TO BUILD NEW $30M SANCTUARY

BY BRADLEY ZINT AND CHRISTINE CATLETT

ST. THOMAS MORE CATHOLIC

Parish held a groundbreaking ceremony on April 25 for its planned $30-million sanctuary, a dream of the local Irvine parish for decades that will provide the congregation with a permanent worship space.

The event at the parish campus hosted Bishop Kevin Vann and Auxiliary Bishop Thanh Thai Nguyen. The theme was “For Christ Always: Treasuring Our Past, Envisioning Our Future in Faith.” It included a blessing of the grounds, remarks from church leaders, prayers, a presentation of shovels, candle procession and music.

For nearly 20 years, St. Thomas More — which celebrates its 30th

anniversary this year — has been using a parish hall for its Masses, ministries and other services. The new church building will provide a more pious, traditional Catholic worship space for the parish’s estimated 3,000 active registered families — an astounding 40% of whom have donated toward the campaign in raising $27 million.

Construction of the 20,400-squarefoot church is anticipated to take 18 months and be finished by the end of 2027.

“We are feeling grateful and inspired,” said Fr. Eugene Lee, pastor of St. Thomas More since 2021. “The people of God have been truly inspiring and have really stepped up to this cause to build a house for our Lord. They have contributed in ways that I just never imagined we could do. It’s a testament of the community, their devoutness, and love for Jesus Christ and His Catholic Church.”

INTERIOR RENDERING COURTESY OF NEXT ARCHITECTURE AND EVERGREENE ARCHITECTURAL ARTS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

Dr. Huan Le, head of St. Thomas More’s groundbreaking committee, said he hopes the new church becomes a “spiritual anchor for every parishioner. We want all of us as parishioners to have a deep sense of belonging. This is a place where families can celebrate their milestones for generations to come.”

Lisa VanDorpe, chair of the capital campaign committee, noted how other churches are closing or consolidating, but St. Thomas More is blessed to be growing and building a new church.

“For those who are faithful and steadfast, now they’re seeing the fruits of their patience and faith that it would get built one day,” she said. “And finally, that day is here.”

The church exterior, conforming to Irvine Company standards and the look of the existing cam-

pus, will have Tuscany-inspired architecture. Inside, the sanctuary will seat 950 people (200 more than the parish hall) and puts the Holy Eucharist at the center behind the altar.

When the new sanctuary is completed, the current parish hall will be available for various activities, such as weddings, funerals, receptions, meetings and religious education classes.

St. Thomas More parish was founded in 1996 to serve a growing Catholic population in northern Irvine. It had its initial years in a middle school before moving in 2000 to a warehouse-like property on Remington in Irvine, where Our Lady of Peace Korean Catholic Center is now located.

When its current property on Marketplace near Irvine Boulevard and Jamboree Road became available, the parish moved again

and held its first Mass in the parish hall in late 2009. Soon thereafter, campaigns to build the permanent sanctuary began, but were delayed by church leadership changes and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This has not been just a construction project,” said Dr. Le. “This is the result of years of prayer and sacrifice. What we went through, it’s not a sprint; it’s a marathon.”

Added VanDorpe: “It was going to happen in God’s time. The patience has paid off, and it’s been very rewarding. We’ve done our best and will let God do the rest.”

NEW SANCTUARY DETAILS

■ St. Thomas More’s new sanctuary will be in the shape of a cross in a traditional cruciform

style. It will contain two confessional rooms, a working sacristy, vesting room, storage space, restrooms, an A/V room and mechanical spaces.

■ A large mosaic of Christ the King will be centrally located behind the altar. It features Christ sitting on a throne.

■ There will be niches for devotion to St. Joseph and the Virgin Mary.

■ The tabernacle will be double sided. One side will be accessible and visible from the main section of the church, located behind the altar. The opposite side will be accessible from a walledoff chapel behind the altar for private devotion.

■ The large crucifix will not be above the altar in the main sanctuary. Rather, it will be in a niche at one end of the transept. This allows parishioners closer access so they can touch it and light candles below it.

■ In the ceiling, where the nave and transept intersect, there will be a depiction of the Holy Spirit as a dove with radiating light and flames. C

A SACRED HONOR: ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST STUDENTS LAY WREATH AT TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER

BY CHRIS REILLY AND PAULA VILES

EVERY OTHER YEAR, students, teachers and parents from St. John the Baptist Catholic School take a red-eye flight to visit Washington, D.C., and New York City. While many of the students were very excited to experience the historical and educational activities ahead of them, four students were nervously anticipating a special opportunity—one that was being kept a secret.

It all began when a SJB parent proposed completing an application to lay a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Given that the school has been taking this trip for more than 20 years and had never done anything like this before, the teachers were anxiously awaiting some good news. About five months later, they got the news…and it wasn’t what they were hoping to hear. They were selected, but not at a time when they could visit the cemetery.

While the few who knew how close they were to doing something so special were disappointed, they remained excited for the trip. Just days before leaving, junior high teacher Marjorie Kelly said a short prayer and decided to check one more time to see if any other times had opened up. And there it was, 9:30 a.m. on Monday, April 6. The time would work perfectly. A prayer was answered and a plan was made. It was all set. The four students were selected, and to surprise the rest of the group, they decided to keep it a secret.

The four SJB students selected to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity were Gabby Cupp, Meara McCarthy, Charlie Majdali and Michael Kelly. As the bus drew nearer to Arlington National Cemetery, the students began to get nervous.

“Arlington National Cemetery was

was holding a beautiful wreath with red and white flowers complete with a ribbon that had St. John the Baptist Catholic School printed down the front.

Being this close to soldiers for something so important was intimidating.

“I was a little scared of the soldiers at first, but they were really nice,” said Meara.

Two by two, the four students followed the soldier to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and solemnly set the wreath on a stand.

It was then that the nervousness went away and the students were filled with patriotism and pride.

“I was proud to do something so special and represent SJB in a really unique way,” shared Meara.

Michael noted that they had the chance to do something that “not many people get the opportunity to do and something our school may never do again.”

Charlie added that “SJB teaches a love for God and a love for our country, and by doing this, we got to honor both.”

It was truly a moment that the entire group will never forget.

Following the laying of the wreath, the four students placed their hands over their hearts while a soldier played “Taps.” A beautiful end to a beautiful morning that almost never happened.

Looking back on the experience, Gabby said she feels “a greater connection to those who have served,” and all of the students remember the experience with pride, faith and awe.

nothing like I expected,” said Michael. Gabby added, “I was excited, but nervous because I didn’t really know what was going to happen when we got there.”

Their classmates found it odd that they were carrying around their back-

packs with their formal SJB uniforms inside but didn’t think too much of it. Shortly after they arrived, Gabby, Meara, Charlie and Michael quickly changed into their nice, formal clothes and were ushered to meet a soldier who

The two teachers, Marjorie Kelly and Michelle Majdali, who chaperoned the trip, hope that this experience benefits all of the students “by better connecting this generation to those who have fought for our freedom.”

It’s clear that, for these four students at least, it has. C

OHANA NIGHT: BLESSED SACRAMENT SCHOOL CELEBRATES FAMILY

BY MIKE ZINN

AT MANY ORANGE County Catholic schools, the month of May signifies fun events and memories that will hold through the summer months and beyond. Blessed Sacrament School’s Ohana Night is one such event.

The May 1 Ohana Night (Ohana is the Hawaiian word for family) was a school Parent-Teacher Organization-sponsored initiative. The PTO group, led by its president Teri Tran-Odoca transformed the grass courtyard at the school into a magical trip across the Pacific to Hawaii. This event was well supported, with approximately 220 school parents, children and parishioners submitting RSVPs.

PTO President Tran-Odoka said of the event, “It has been a dream of mine to bring everyone together and develop an event that revolved around community and family, including everyone from the parish. We wanted to bring Hawaii to

Blessed Sacrament.”

She hopes this will become an annual event and grow in the years ahead.

Guests were greeted at a registration area decorated with a festive balloon arch, and all attendees were given a brightly colored lei upon entry. An activity area was set up where kids and adults could participate in games such as cornhole, take a try at bending under a limbo bar or have their faces painted by the artistry of pre-school teachers Stephanie Gallardo and Cecilia Velasquez. Rows of tables and chairs were available for dinner seating, each table decorated with a centerpiece of flowers from the school and church gardens. A stage at the end of the courtyard was also decorated with surfboards and blow-up palm trees. This stage would be the area for the evening's entertainment, featuring an island dance performance by Tran-Odoka's sister-inlaw, who flew in from Hawaii the night before. The evening meal, keeping with

the Hawaiian theme, included Chicken Katsu, BBQ chicken, rice, macadamia nut cookies and tropical iced tea.

Blessed Sacrament seventh-graders Juan Corona and Paxton Nguyen supported the event by moving supplies, arranging tables and readying the area prior to the start of the event.

“This event brings students from all grades together, plus, I get to hang out with my friends,” said Corona.

Nguyen added, “It's a chance to show everyone what a great school community we have at BSS.”

One person uniquely involved in this event and the overall direction of the school is its principal Debra Daniel. She said the Ohana Night is “all about community.”

“We listened to parents who wanted a low-cost, casual event where the entire family could be together. Parents are looking for ways to connect, create

DIOCESAN NEWS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

memories, and celebrate. This event fits into our goal to have one parish, church and school joining together.”

As he joined the festivities and was greeted by school staff, parents and students, parish administrator Fr. Anthony Vu called the evening “a great community builder and lots of fun for the children.” C

EXPLORING WONDERLAND

BY BRITNEY ZINT

THE WHITE RABBIT SKIPPED onto the stage clutching a gold pocket watch, and then all of Wonderland came out to sing: “Oh Alice, dear, where have you been? So near, so far, or in between? What have you heard, what have you seen?”

Sts. Simon and Jude Catholic School presented Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland Jr.” for two performances — one for students and one for parents — on May 6 in Coleman Hall. The show featured 31 students in grades three through eight retelling the iconic story of Alice falling down the rabbit hole and exploring the nonsensical world of Wonderland through song.

“It went amazing, and it was well beyond our wildest expectations this

year,” said vice principal Erin Watson, who also served as choreographer.

The musical featured all of the beloved characters from Lewis Carroll’s stories: Alice (Norah Telles); small Alice (Sadie Green); tall Alice (Lila Evans); the Cheshire Cat (Violette Chavez, Charlotte Sandberg and Eilidh Watson); the White Rabbit (Scarlett Somes); the Caterpillar (Emilie Wilfert); the Mad Hatter (Elsie Guerin); and the Queen of Hearts (Liyana Malik).

This was only the Huntington Beach school’s second student production. Last year, the theater program started with a 30-minute production of “Seussical the Musical,” said music director Al Palencia, who also serves as children’s

CONTINUES ON PAGE 11

Holy Sacraments

If you would like to share a photo of your Holy Sacraments with our readers, please send a photo and brief description. Baptisms, First Communions, Weddingswe want to see your special day! Include your name and parish to: editor@occatholic.com

choir director of the parish.

“A lot of the performers returned, and this year, they came in with all the energy and just raw talent,” said Palencia. “Seeing what they brought today, I’m so happy with their performance.”

This year, students were encouraged to take ownership of the play through a theater production class, where students designed and created the sets, managed the props and helped plan behind the scenes. The idea was to give them leadership opportunities, even to those who didn’t want to be onstage, Watson said.

She has seen students’ confidence — both on and off the stage — bloom.

“It’s giving them that confidence," she said. "It’s OK to be on the stage. It’s OK to speak in front of a group of people, and that’s the best part about musical theater, I think.”

The experience of playing the show’s main character, Alice, was scary at

first, said Telles, 12, who originally auditioned for the role of the Caterpillar. The experience, though — the cast and crew have spent the last seven months in rehearsals — was so much more than just acting experience.

“It was nice making a lot of relationships with people,” Telles said. “I made a new best friend.”

Telles said it was their shared love of acting that connected them. But what the seventh grader loves about acting was hard for her to put into words.

“It brings a lot of joy to people, and I like seeing smiles on people’s faces,” she said.

Being onstage was nothing new for ballet dancer Claire Frazier, 11, but this was her first time acting. The fifth grader played Rose, one of the Flowers of the Golden Afternoon. Frazier said she likes being onstage and especially her character’s attitude.

“I like how sassy she is,” Frazier said. “It was pretty funny.” C

SUMMER STARTS HERE

Inspiring camps for rising 3rd–8th graders, hosted on the beautiful Rosary Academy campus.

Inspire your rising 3rd–8th grader with hands on camps in cooking, art, photography, reading, STEM, leadership, and more. AM & PM sessions Monday–Thursday.

New skills, new friends, unforgettable fun.

FROM THE HEART: “SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THROUGH THE AGES”

BY GREG MELLEN

WHEN THE BOOK IDEA

was first pitched to Fr. Peregrine Fletcher, O.Praem., of St. Michael’s Abbey, it seemed like too much of an endeavor. TAN Books, a Catholic publisher that had worked with Fr. Peregrine on two previous illustrated children’s book projects, had suggested a similar project about St. Michael the Archangel.

“It felt daunting,” said Fr. Peregrine, the Master of Novices at St. Michael’s Abbey.

Although he had written and illustrated two previous children’s books — the multi-award-winning “My Name Is Philomena” and “The Snail and the King” — Fr. Peregrine thought that the idea of not only illustrating but writing the text for St. Michael, whose existence and history predates the Gospel and New Testament and continues today, might overwhelm him.

However, when he struck up a conversation with the abbey sacristan and master of ceremonies, Fr. Frederick Schmit, O.Praem., whose homilies he had admired, a partnership was struck and “Saint Michael the Archangel Through the Ages” began to form.

The two were a well-suited pair who had nearly parallel paths to the priesthood. Fr. Frederick entered the monastery in 2011 and was ordained in 2021, and Fr. Peregrine entered the Order in 2013 with ordination in 2019. With their similar builds, hair and glasses, the two could be mistaken for brothers or even fraternal twins.

For Fr. Peregrine, an accomplished visual artist whose pieces adorn areas of the monastery, it was the perfect solution.

He shared, “I could really concentrate on the illustrations,” which include pictures on every page. “It gave CONTINUES ON PAGE 13

me the opportunity to focus on the art, and I could really let go.”

The project took about two years to complete, including one extension, with the clerics regularly meeting to go over progress, and make sure the words and art were complementary and had the right flow and arc.

“Sometimes he would come to me with an image and ask if I could write for the image,” Fr. Frederick said. “What is going to capture the image and still have a structure?”

Similarly, the two would discuss story transitions, what needed to be kept or what could be edited.

“It was harder than I thought it would be,” said Fr. Frederick, for whom it was his first foray into children’s literature for 7- to 10-year-olds. “I didn’t want to ‘water it down’ but also still put it in a language children can receive. I also wanted it to have enough variety for the parents reading.”

Generally, books in this genre tend to be about one-third the length, so they can be read in one sitting. That accounts for the handy bookmark ribbon, which Fr. Frederick joked “is a present to parents.”

The book is divided into three sections: the early history of the archangel in heaven and with the Israelites; his role as protector of the Church and interactions and appearances with humans from popes to peasants; and his ongoing service as a guardian until the final resurrection.

Simply wrapping their arms around the story was among the bigger challenges, the fathers said, who initially considered framing it through a grandfather telling a story to a child.

A JOURNEY OF LEARNING

Although St. Michael is the namesake of their abbey, both fathers spent a lot of time researching and studying up on the archangel.

“My own devotion grew along with my appreciation for all he did,” Fr. Pere -

grine said. “We can only give a glimpse. Each saint with whom he interacted could be his or her own book.”

“There were saints to whom he appeared that we never heard of,” Fr. Frederick said. “We also found threads in Scripture that bring it all together.”

Fr. Peregrine said his favorite illustration is of St. Aubert, whom the Archangel had to poke in the head before he built the fabulous monastery of Mont St. Michel in France.

Not surprisingly, the fathers came in over budget when they completed the first draft.

“We included so much that when it finally landed, we had to pare it back,” Fr. Peregrine said. “We had to tell the story with just the details. Without that, it would be an encyclopedia.”

Fr. Frederick joked that maybe an appendix should have been added.

Fr. Peregrine said he added a few “Easter eggs” as a surprise and treat for local readers, including personalities and a representation of his home abbey on the St. Norbert page.

With a busy daily schedule, Fr. Peregrine said he would wake up early and work in 20-minute increments to finish.

He was also introduced to digital art with a stylus and pad, after using colored pencils and gouache paint in his previous efforts. He refuses, however, to even consider artificial intelligence.

“I hope,” he said, “that readers see this is from the heart.”

WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK

“Saint Michael the Archangel Through the Ages” is available online from TAN Books, The Catholic Company, Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

It can also be picked up in person or ordered at bookshops and retailers including;

St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado, Christ Cathedral Shop on the Christ Cathedral Campus, St. Paul’s Catholic Books & Gifts in Anaheim and JMJ's Catholic Books and Gift Store in Placentia. C

FORGIVENESS: FROM THE OPEN WOUNDS OF JESUS THROUGH THE HEALING WIND OF THE SPIRIT

BY DEACON KEVIN DUTHOY

MANY OF US HAVE suffered in our lives and sometimes we carry physical and emotional scars from those wounds — a stitched cut, an injury healed but still visible; perhaps some form of PTSD — an emotional reminder of trauma. The ancient Persian sage Rumi concluded that woundedness is how God’s spirit dwells in us:

I said: What about my heart? He said: Tell me what you hold inside it? I said: Pain and sorrow. He said: Stay with it.

The wound is the place where the Light enters you.

Today is the celebration of the Holy Spirit gifted to us through the open wounds of our Savior.

The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Church, in the words of Jesus “the wind that blows where it wills (Jn. 3:8),” the divine gift that continually renews and sustains the world.

John’s Gospel account (Jn. 20:19-23) does not focus on Pentecost but an earlier gift of the Holy Spirit on Easter Sunday evening. On the night of the Resurrection, the disciples are hiding behind locked doors in fear. Even after hearing Mary Magdalene’s testimony and learning of the empty tomb, they are paralyzed by guilt, shame and anxiety. They had abandoned Jesus. They feared the authorities, but likely also feared facing the Lord, himself.

reconciliation, wholeness and restored communion with God.

Jesus then shows the disciples His wounds. These wounds are open and fully visible even in His glorified body. Jesus forever carries the reminder of His divine love through those wounds, the source of that peace “which the world cannot give (Jn. 14:27)” His peace flows directly from his sacrificial suffering and victorious Resurrection.

by their own sins of abandonment. Jesus meets them in those wounds to heal them. He breathes the Holy Spirit upon them, just as God breathed the Spirit into Adam at Creation and each of us in baptism. In this moment, Christ inaugurates a new Creation through mercy and forgiveness.

Yet, Jesus pursues them despite the locked doors and immediately offers mercy: “Peace be with you (v.19).” There is no rebuke, no condemnation. Instead, Jesus comes with forgiveness and peace. Shalom, the peace Jesus offers, embodies

John’s Gospel presents this encounter as one continuous act of mercy. Jesus shows His wounds, offers peace, breathes the Holy Spirit upon the disciples and gives them authority to forgive sins. These actions are sacramental and inseparable. The gift of the Holy Spirit is directly connected to forgiveness, reconciliation, healing and liberation; all fruits of the sacrament of Penance.

The disciples themselves needed that healing forgiveness. They were wounded

We, too, carry wounds caused by our own sins and by the sins of others. Many people live burdened by fear, anxiety, anger and alienation. Our risen Savior still enters locked hearts and speaks the same words: “Peace be with you (Jn. 20:19, 21).” He continues to heal us through the gift of the Holy Spirit, especially in the sacrament of Penance.

Finally, Jesus sends the disciples into the world: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you (v.21).” The disciples who hid in fear are transformed by the Holy Spirit into courageous witnesses of the Gospel and messengers of divine mercy. The Holy Spirit is given not only for our peace and forgiveness, but so that we may share that

peace with others.

Pentecost reminds us that the Holy Spirit still “renews the face of the earth (Ps.104:30)” through the Church. We are sent into a wounded and anxious world to proclaim that peace which flows from the wounds of the risen Christ. The liberating wind of the Holy Spirit blows peacefully in the sacrament of Penance. In our Pentecost joy, may we recommit to this Holy Spirit-infused sacrament, the antidote for our woundedness, both for wounds received and wounds given. C

OC Catholic Afar

Attached are two photographs of my husband and me on the equator holding the OC Catholic. The tower in the background is the marker. I am standing with one foot in the Northern Hemisphere and the other foot in the Southern Hemisphere.

The picture was taken in Macapá, Brazil, a large city on the Amazon River.

Brazil is a Catholic country with many churches. The Brazilian people have a great devotion to Mary.

—Delaine and Terry Sherry are parishioners of St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Tustin.

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.