Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Each year, the Spirit of Hecker Awards honor exemplary people who accompany the Paulist Fathers in mission and who embody the spirit of the founder, Servant of God Isaac Hecker (1819 – 1888).

The theme of this year’s program is: “Building Bridges Through Charity.”

During the livestream program, Paulists at the parishes, centers, and ministries where we serve will explain how their awardees build bridges in their local communities, the greater Paulist family, and the Universal Church.

Our recipients this year are Bob Warren and Anne Lobsinger. They serve on our Outreach Team. On the team, they coordinate our participation in the City of LA's Inside Safe Collection. Inside Safe moves people experiencing homelessness from encampments to designated interim housing locations. During the transition, we collect toiletries for families.

Join us for the reception in the School Media Center (Library) this Saturday beginning at 5pm with a reception. The livestream begins at 5:30pm. All are welcome.

Peace and blessings,

Father Gil

Thank you! Your generosity in the Annual Paulist Appeal sustains the Paulist mission and our community especially in training new Paulists and caring for our senior priests. If you haven't donated, please consider a gift to help our community. A gift of any amount is deeply appreciated by the men in our house and community.

You may donate at online at paulist.org/apa.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, we have two very powerful images of Jesus. He is the Good Shepherd, and he is the Gate. A gate provides both protection and passage. Through Christ, we are welcomed into the heart of God. We are nourished by his grace and then sent out with purpose. This gift is not ours exclusively, however. As his Church, we are called to hold that gate open for others—to extend Our Lord’s welcome, his mercy, and his care to all who seek it. One way we do this is through our support of Together in Mission. Please take to prayer your ability to give to the Together in Mission Annual Appeal. Every gift helps open the gate a little wider. Please make your gift today at Together in Mission Annual Appeal. Thank you.

CicLAvia is a nonprofit organization that has been opening streets throughout LA County since 2010. You can experience car-free open streets at CicLAvia—West LA, connecting Santa Monica Blvd and Westwood Blvd. Sections of these streets will be closed to vehicle traffic next Sunday, April 26th. Check out the map below.

Enjoy the pop-up park for the day in your favorite people-powered way, whether that's walking, jogging, biking, roller skating, skating, or simply spectating! All ages and abilities are welcome. For more info, go to ciclavia.org

For peace in every nation: for an end to the war in Iran, Ukraine. For all those wounded and killed and for the safety of service members in harm's way. For peace, may the light of the Holy Spirit transform hearts so that all may seek the way of peace together, let us pray to the Lord:

For our immigrant sisters and brothers living in fear of deportation, may the Lord accompany them through the ministry of the Christian community:

For the healing, comfort, and peace of the sick, Richard Welch, Catherine Peacock, Dan Bianco, Nancy Campbell, Gary Orfield, Manolo Velez, Anne Wadad Shalhub, Madeleine Lord, Victoria T. Picard, Amparo Haber, Shirley Ruess, Sister Irene Wright, Melinda Nadres, Greg Tinsley, Jack & Vicki Phillips, Tel Ramon, Mary Pat Cooper, Todd Wiench, Bernadette Tee, Estrella and John Monzon, Charles Candel, Marisa Kavanau, Carol King Wolcott, John Wolcott, Angel Appleton, Clark Gassan, Lohriena Lohrie Counts, Nora McCormick Heinen, Weldon Tilley, Paul Lannan, Eileen Gaffney.

For the eternal rest of our beloved departed, Robert Cimiluca, Antonia T. Semar, Gary Bourgeois, Andrew Politz, Pauline Zaloski, James Wilkie, Father Richard Chilson, CSP, Father Daniel McCotter, CSP, Zenaida B. Chua, Antonia T. Semar, Mike Lanning, Jaroslan Witkoski, Susan Burkhard, Connie Pobre, John A. Woodward IV, Terry Casey, Darrel Bengry, Joan Doyle, Cristina Mirendolf, Elaine Vucelich, Marietta Lavin, Jeffrey Graham, Renee Good, Alex Pretti, Robert J. Burns, John 'JJ' Goldrick, Dellie Abad, James Kennedy, José Fernandez, Terry O'Malley Seidler, Rich Puppione, Christie Farmer, Alfred Ruess, Christohper Hudlin, Alan Culver, Laura James, Anne Marie Hannick, Father Greg Goethals, SJ, Ron Schuster, Bobby Burks, Father Jack Lynch, CSP, Arlene Havel, Phil Duncan, Michele Kearin, Father Brad Schoeberle, CSP, Mary Tokuza, Haruko Hiromura, Donny Kie, Cesar Robeniol, Nellie Scholar, may they rest in peace.