A Word from the Pastor

February 10, 2023

World Marriage Day is celebrated every year on the second Sunday in February, sometimes coinciding with St. Valentine’s Day. This year, it takes place on February 12. World Marriage Day officially began in 1983 in the USA but has become worldwide. It gives us an opportunity to emphasize the beauty of marriage and to honor husbands and wives for their faithfulness and sacrifices.

This is a day aimed to celebrate the reality that “husband and wife form the foundation of the family and the basic unit of society.” The day aims at honoring the belief that marriage should embody faithfulness, loyalty, commitment, and joy in the daily-ness of life. Marriage is a beautiful union of two souls, and it transcends the physical nature of this coming together. World Marriage Day celebrates the joy of marriage and shows that although it's hard, it's worth it.

For married couples, it can be a day to relive the fondest memories of your marital journey. It’s a day to spend time with your spouse, appreciate what you have, and plan for a more blissful future. All of us have benefited from the witness of marriage, regardless of our marital status. Marriage guards life and makes us better at navigating life. Marriage must be intentionally nourished by the Christian community and must be accepted as a vocation for life.

Here are a few ideas for celebrating World Marriage Day

• Renew your vows. There's nothing more beautiful than renewing your commitment to your partner for life. It doesn’t need to be a public event. It can be at a family gathering or quietly alone with your spouse.

• Get away. Make time for just the two of you. Take a trip. Take a short (or long) trip to a place that is of special significance to you and your spouse and make new memories. Go to dinner at your favorite restaurant. Go for a walk on the beach.

• Share with your children and other family members what being married means to you. When was the last time you told your children what your vocation as husband and wife means to you?

• Pray together before going to sleep. 

If you’d like to read something a little more in depth about the Church’s teaching on marriage, I recommend “What Makes Marriage a Sacrament.” I have attached it below.

We celebrate all married couples today. We thank God for their love. We pray for those who struggle or are experiencing difficulties. May God bless all the families of our parish.

In one Heart,

Fr. Ron 

[email protected]

“Tenting” of the Church

At long last, the termite extermination in the church is scheduled for this week, February 16-18. On those days, the morning Masses will be celebrated in the Parish Center. This will not impact the Saturday evening Masses. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Black Saints and Notable Figures

February is Black History Awareness Month. The link will take you to an article prepared by the Archdiocese of Detroit (MI). It gives a brief summary of the lives of Black saints and other notable Black people in the Catholic tradition.

Soup Suppers Are Delicious!

We are going to be serving Chili Con Carne with fresh bread and dessert pastries on Thursday Feb. 16. Recently we had some great gourmet selections homemade by our chefs such as Creamy Minestrone with Cheese Tortellini, Chicken with Gnocchi, Lentil soup with Chicken and Italian White Bean with Sausage which were all great. We have live music and a great time.

Beethoven Sung by 10,000

Voice Choir

10000 Japanese singers perform the ending chorus of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, commonly referred to as the Ode to Joy. Although it is in the original German and the quality of the recording is not the best, it gives us an amazing spectacle to see and hear. It was recorded over 10 years ago.

Learning about the Priesthood

On Saturday, March 18, the Diocese of San Diego is hosting an Explorer Day for those men who are interested in exploring a possible vocation to the priesthood. The day will be held at St. Francis Center on the campus of the University of San Diego from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  If living a life of service for Christ and the people of God is attractive to you, take advantage of the opportunity to attend this upcoming Explorer Day. Pick up an application at your parish office or call Fr. Eric Tamayo at St. Francis Center at (619) 291-7446.

Worthy is the Lamb & Amen Chorus from Handel's Messiah

This recording was done over 10 years ago by the Royal Choral Society which has the tradition of performing Handel’s Messiah every Good Friday.

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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 continent has the highest Catholic population?
2. What country boasts the highest Catholic population?
3. In what country would you find the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope? (Hint: it’s not Italy)
4. If you have a Catholic friend whose middle initials are “F.X.,” what are his middle names?
5. What became legal in the year 313 A.D. thanks to the Edict of Milan?

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