Church Social Tips

05/31/2025

05/26/2025

Happy Memorial Day!
As I lay on the couch to rest and reflect on the past week and the beginning of a busy summer. Growing up my family always gathered to barbecue, play cards, dance and play in the pool. Three of my uncles served in the Air Force and they were grill masters. Now that I am older the holiday is about getting rest more than anything. After celebrating the fifth BP Memorial and spending time with my grandson I need to rest. I will attend 5:00pm Mass to pray for the fallen in the evening vs. morning to catch up on sleep. I also reflect on returning to school next week and learning to focus on one thing instead of my mode of multitasking. I hear and see so many posts about how we don't celebrate things in the same way, like it is a bad thing. Change is inevitable and as I am preparing for a new chapter of life I am excited, not sad that things have changed. What a time of adventure and discovery to explore and grow in faith. My husband loved a saying from Charles Barkley, "Father Time is Undefeated." As I peel away my many tasks to a singular focus, my heart, mind and soul will savor time in a more thoughtful way. For those who follow me I hope you will pray for me and if you are struggling with change my journey Inspires you to embrace change.

05/08/2025

Like many of you, I will never forget the morning of May 8, 2025, when the news alert broke into morning programming to report “White Smoke.” My phone was flooded with texts to alert me of the breaking news. This will be the fourth Pope seated in my lifetime, but this Conclave had more significance for me than any other before. In a time when our Church seemed divided, much like the country, should we return to a time past or boldly go forth? The choice of this Pope would determine it. While my faith calls me to say and believe “Jesus, I Trust In You.” I am human, and like Apostle Thomas, doubts were creeping in.

When Cardinal Domique Mamberti stepped onto the Loggia of Blessings (Balcony in St. Peter’s Square) and announced the new pontiff as American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, my first thought was not that he was American, but that his middle name was “Francis” as a sign he might be in alignment with my hopes for the Church. I didn’t care what part of the world he came from; it was only his vision for the direction he believed Jesus wanted the Church to go. I watched ABC news’ coverage, and the Catholic correspondent was Fr. James Martin SJ, who immediately shared the new Pope's work with the Synod. Of course, I Googled him and the search revealed he had served as the Prefect of the Dicastery of Bishops, the office responsible for recommending Bishops. He would have been responsible for the diversity the Church now reflects.

When our new Pope stepped onto the balcony, accepted his new role, and selected the name Pope Leo XVI, F.r
James Martin explained the significance of the choice. Tears began to flow, knowing our Church would go forward.

Pope Leo XIII promoted praying the rosary and designed what the Church defined as Catholic Social Teaching in his encyclical Rerum Novarum.

His first words “Peace be with you,” just as a priest would say at a Mass, and instinctively, I responded to the TV: “Peace be with your spirit!”

05/02/2025

Happy May!
In my faith tradition the month of May is devoted to Mary, the Blessed Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. We also celebrate our own earthly mothers. I started celebrating my Mommy early with visiting a renowned buffet at her favorite California Casino , the Marketplace and my parish altar society luncheon.

04/21/2025

I am devastated by the loss of Pope Francis. His smile was infectious as was his inspiration to so many to live a Christian life that respects humanity, cares for the planet, lives simply and honors the work of women in our Holy Catholic Church. I will cherish the greeting from him I received for Christmas last year. My prayers for his reformation efforts to continue will be joined with those for, Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. .adla west

04/20/2025

He is Risen!
Easter Blessings to you all.

04/20/2025

The last night of the Triduum, Easter Vigil. A night of light to celebrate the new light received with the Easter Candle. The beauty of this Mass when the OCIA candidates receive Baptism, the seal of Confirmation and First Holy Communion. There were thirty seven candidates and two were from our and .romero.sj concelebrated. Congratulations to Peter and Marlon!

04/19/2025

Day two of the Triduum, Good Friday. My parish tradition is to present a beautiful and powerful dramatization of the stations of the cross as presented by the 8th graders. I attended "The Way of the Cross" and then headed to LMU to lector at their Good Friday Service. Venerating the cross always touches my soul. was the presider and his message "Hope begins at the foot of the cross." really resonated. Then headed to the movies to see the Chosen Last Supper part three (so good). Finally ate my last supper in observance of Fasting Fridays.

04/18/2025

Oh! What a Night. The Triduum begins with Holy Thursday, when we celebrate the institution of the priesthood and Eucharist! Clergy and ministry members recommitted to ministry.

04/17/2025

In the Catholic tradition Holy Thursday begins the Triduum and as is our tradition, we celebrate the institution of the Eucharist, as celebrated with the washing of the feet, renew the commitment of ministry members and clergy. See you at 7pm Thursday night

04/14/2025

Happy Holy Week!
The 40 days have come to a close and we take the final steps of our Journey toward Easter. I feel that my closeness to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit have blossomed. I reached this day with "Joy" on my face and in my soul!
My biggest takeaways were:
* To give thanks every night for 5 things I am thankful for
* Fast from television from midnight to noon
* Daily Mass
* Learning about 40 Ways to Pray
* Spending time in silence
* Praying the Litany of Humility
Palm Sunday ushers in the holiest week on our liturgical calendar. As I watched the depiction of Jesus riding in on a donkey in Part One of the Chosen, the celebration was palpable. I always wear "Red" in celebration of proclaiming the "Passion". While it is sad and solemn to reflect on what our Lord endured for our salvation, it is a time to reflect on the joy of the resurrection coming. May you savor the Masses of this week and reflect deeply in receiving the Eucharist, venerating the cross, the aroma of incense and the sounds of music that stir your soul.

04/09/2025

Tonight about three hundred people gathered at my parish for an evening of Taize prayer, communal penance and veneration of the cross. It is so powerful to receive absolution and leave everything at the foot of the cross. Christus Ministries designed this extraordinary liturgical environment to draw penitents to a place of healing and hope as part of the sacrament of reconciliation. Jesuits West Archdiocese of Los Angeles CatholicMom.com