St. Ferdinand's

I know. What the hell was I doing in San Fernando? Well, I just happened to be in the area and though I would pop St. Ferdinand's Church in my iPhone to see what would come up. Sure 'nuff, it was only a few short miles from where I was.

I know I mentioned, below, that my father received his sacraments at Resurrection in Brooklyn, but actually he only received his Baptism there. He received his 1st Holy Communion and Confirmation at St. Ferdinand's in the valley.

I had never been before. It's a beautifully simple, quiet respite from the world. The church was a little chilly inside, just the way I like it when I walk in! Thankfully, there were three others inside taking their thoughts, hopes, concerns, and whatevers to the Lord.

I caught the second half of the bells. Obviously the number of chimes discloses that it had just turned 2:00pm.

1st Friday Devotion

Priest: Jesus, meek and humble of heart.
Faithful: Make our hearts like unto Thine.

Since undergrad, I'd escaped fulfilling 1st Friday devotions... that is until one of the altar boys at St. Mary's asked if I could fill a shift. It's amazing how I'll pray "O Lord, anything I would do for you" and then an opportunity presents itself and I say "Oh, I can't do thaaaat!"

Yes, of course I signed up for the shift! Actually (I say with a surprised voice), it was wonderful. I dreaded having to sit still for an hour and even feared that I would sleep through my early morning alarm, but it worked out (Praise God!) and it was a wonderful hour.

I'm looking forward to the hour next month as well.

Resurrection Church - Brooklyn, N.Y.

Resurrection Catholic Church. "Ergo cum via, vitas, et vita"

Resurrection Catholic Church sits in the Gerristsen Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y. It's a quaint neighborhood that remains "mostly" Irish-American, according to a local woman whom I stopped and spoke with. Resurrection is also the parish where my Gram was baptized in 1924, where my Gram married my Pop in 1945, and where my Dad received his Baptism in 1947. Resurrection plays a prominent role in my family tree as scores of great aunts and uncles and second cousins have received their sacraments here, including baptism and matrimony.

Despite Resurrection's modern feel, there's an over-whelming sense of the holy inside. Maybe it was the cool holy water dripping from my brow (it was over 90 degrees outside) or my flip flops giving away my presence by smacking the marble floor. Whether real or imagined, I don't care; it was inspiring to walk, smell, and breathe in a Church where my father, grand parents and great grandparents worshiped our Lord.

Thank you to my cousin Margaret to who took me, and my cousins Irene and Karen, while on our "the Cousin Project" trip. We traveled from OC to spend time with family, hunt for dead relatives in old cemeteries, and meet second cousins and their kids!








The two bye altars:












Resurrection School:









Our Lady of Grace:

Feast of All Saints!

It's good to be home. Checking out other churches is beautiful, but it's nice to be home, espeically on the Feast of All Saints. This year, the Holy Day of Obligation conveniently fell on a Sunday. I went to my home parish, St. Mary's by the Sea in Huntington Beach, Calif.

The man below, acting in persona Christie, is Rev. Alphonsus Hermes, O. Praem. from the Abbey of St. Michaels in Silverado Canyon.

"The Perfect Church"

"St. Patrick (me) with my buddy, Patrick on "All Hallows Eve!"

Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano

For no particular reason, my friend Gianni and I attended mass at the Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano. October 18th is the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist!

Here's some wiki for you: When the Mission was founded in 1776, the region was populated by the Acjachemen band of Native Americans, called Juaneños by the Spanish. The mission was named after the Franciscan saint Giovanni da Capistrano (1386-1456). The city is the site of California's oldest residential neighborhood, Los Rios. It is also the home of the oldest in use building in California, the Serra Chapel in the Mission. The area was the site of both the first vineyard and first winery in California.

Eta missa est!

Afterwards, Gianni and I went to a nearby antique shop. Here she is with the Dodgers bobble heads. She's a huge Dodgers fan--not!!

Christ Our Savior

On October 4, my family had a mass offered for the repose of the soul of my Uncle Carmen. Uncle Carman, my Godfather, passed away in August. Requiescat in pace.

We gathered at Christ Our Savior Church in Santa Ana. Christ Our Savior is currently under construction. Upon completion it will be the new seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange.
















Afterwards, Aunt Gerry invited us back to her "haunted house" (good job, Fausto!!) for breakfast! Little Sophia eating her breakfast is below!!

Feast of Sts. Joachim & Anne

Today, Sunday, July 26th, is the Feast of Saints Joachim & Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of God. My mother, counsin, and I drove to St. Anne's Catholic Church in Seal Beach, Calif. to celebrate the mass!

Afterwards, we went to Nick's--home of the best breakfast burrito known to mankind--window shopped along Main Street, and then walked along the pier.