A Word from the Pastor

November 8, 2024

I read a book recently by Richard Gaillardetz. I have read many books that he has written, but this was his last book. His first book was about the spirituality and sacramentality of marriage. Subsequent books dealt with various topics related to ecclesiology (the study of the Church). I used his books in my theology courses. He was a well-known Catholic lay theologian. He had a wife and four children. He was a popular speaker at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress for many years.

Dr. Gaillardetz died about one year ago on November 7, 2023. He had been diagnosed about 20 months before with stage four pancreatic cancer. This last book was like a farewell gift to the family and the Church that he loved.

This last book, While I Breathe, I Hope, is subtitled “A Mystagogy of Dying.” Written as a series of reflections while Dr. Gaillardetz was dying, it was published posthumously. I expected this book to be deeply theological and carefully researched, as all his writing was. It is, but it is also a moving exploration of doubt and faith, poetry and poignancy, gratitude and letting go. The brutally physical and the tenderly spiritual walk hand-in-hand with him through his final months.

“I am walking toward death daily in the company of saints, past and present, heroic and ordinary,” Dr. Gaillardetz wrote. “It has been enough.” This last work is a fitting coda to a life well-lived and a death well-accepted.

I savored this book in small sacred bites, finding it touching and thought-provoking. It is honest and philosophical in the face of sadness and loss, although I suspect Richard underestimated his legacy. He wrote in the book, “Put bluntly, after suitable mourning, the world will go on after I die.” It will—we know in our hearts that it will for all of us—but a world without his presence is poorer indeed, especially for his loved ones, but also for his readers.



I found this book to be a beautiful meditation for me as we celebrate November as All Souls month. Each page rings forth with the faith of a man who devoted his whole life to his family and His Church. He lived his faith, he faced death with courage, and he expresses well the faith of a dying man. If you are up for a  profound reflection on the Christian meaning of death, I recommend this book.

In one Heart,



Fr. Ron 

 rmbagley@yahoo.com

Movie Viewing on Creation Care

All parishioners are invited to attend a showing of the movie “The Letter,” in our church this Monday, November 11 at 6:30 pm. The movie was produced by the Vatican Dicastery for Integral Human Development. It is a documentary that tells the story of the encyclical Laudato si, which was written by Pope Francis in which he outlined Catholic teaching as it relates to care for the Earth, “our common home.”

Representatives from the diocesan office for Creation Care will be present to lead discussion. This evening is a springboard for future planning on how St. Patrick Parish may implement the encyclical and develop a plan for the care of creation on a local and personal level.

Veterans Day - November 11

St. Patrick Catholic School has a long tradition of honoring our veterans and active-duty military.

On Monday, November 11, Veterans Day, all veterans and active-duty members are invited to wear their uniform and join us at the 9:00am Mass, where they will be recognized and honored for their service. This is a beautiful opportunity to pay tribute and say thank you to those who have given so much and asked for so little. May God continue to bless America! We look forward to seeing you at Mass.

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

The diocesan observance of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe will be on Sunday, December 1. It will start with a procession at 11:00 a.m. departing from North Park’s Morley Field Sports Complex at Upas and Jacaranda Street. The Eucharistic Celebration will be at 1:00 p.m. at Saint Augustine High School. Cardinal McElroy will be the main celebrant.



For questions, please contact the Confederación Guadalupana chairperson, Lucia Gutierrez at (619) 565-0279 or Alejandra Diaz at (858) 490-8306.

Chopin - Ballade No.1 in G minor, Op.23



This is a breathtaking, deep, profound and iconic piece of music by the great Polish composer Frederic Chopin. In this old recording it is played by an absolute legend, Krystian Zimerman (another great Polish musician) in his younger days. Note that this recording has over 2 million views.

Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA)



As we approach the end of the year, it’s time to look at our parish progress toward our goal for ACA. We had a challenging goal this year of $101,250. Thanks to the generosity of many parishioners, we have achieved 92% of that goal. As of October 24, we only need $8,353.62 to reach our goal.

If you have not made your donation to ACA this year, or if you would like to increase your donation, you can go online at https://sdcatholic.org/annual-catholic-appeal/ or just call our parish office and we can help you.



Thank you for your generosity.

Parish Ministry Fair

On Sunday, November 17, we will offer a parish ministry fair in the parking lot adjacent to the church. Representatives from various parish organizations and ministries will be on hand to share a bit about what they do and how you might become involved. More information to follow.

Help Ellie Reach Her Goal

Our own eighth grade student Ellie Bertocchini is fundraising for an aspiring priest seminary school tuition at St. Michael's Abbey. She will be outside of the daytime masses on November 17th. If you are interested in supporting her, we invite you to stop by and speak with her about her goal to help an aspiring priest. She will have links to her GoFundMe and Venmo if you would like to donate to help her reach her goal of $5000. You can also scan the QR code below to donate

We Are the World

Last Sunday an extremely talented musician, composer and producer died at the age of 91. Quincy Jones worked with so many singers and songwriters and he was able to bring out their gifts and make them better. He was seldom in the limelight himself.

Thinking back on his career, a memorable moment was the fact that he oversaw the all-star recording of "We Are the World," the 1985 charity record for famine relief in Africa. Its words and emotion invite us to reflect on overcoming the divisions that exist in our nation and our world.

Online Giving Reminder

If you currently use Online Giving for your electronic giving, please make sure you login to the application frequently to make sure your payment method is current and your donations are being processed.

Click on the Online Giving icon below to create or access your account.

Catholic Trivia

"Catholic Trivia”... not because they are trivial but because these might be things that not everyone knows. Test your knowledge by reading the five questions, remember your answers (or jot them down), then click the link below to find the answers.

1. What Pope declared himself a prisoner of the Vatican?
2. Who was the first non-martyr to be named a saint (apart from Mary, St. John the Evangelist and of course, St. Joseph)?
3. What Doctor of the Church is literally named “Golden-Word”?
4. Who is “The Second Apostle to Germany” (the first being St. Boniface)?
5. What famous Lebanese-American actor had a public and strong devotion to St. Jude?

Feel free to email Fr. Ron with ideas for future Catholic Trivia questions rmbagley@yahoo.com

If you have other members of your family or your friends who would like to be on our email list, just let me know or write to Mary McLain at mmclain@stpatrickcarlsbad.com We will be pleased to add them.

Masses are available on our website www.stpatrickcarlsbad.com

We have a YouTube channel where we have daily and Sunday Masses.