By Sister Paulina Hurtado, O.P. 

SAN BERNARDINO—A co-worker’s seven-year-old grandchild is invited by his mother at the beginning of Lent to reflect on what he’ll be giving up for Lent. After reflecting on the possibilities he says, “I’ll give up going to Church.”

Many of our children could respond the same way. Is it because they like Church very much or not at all? How inviting and inclusive do we make “the experience of Church” for them? At some special times they know they are part of the celebration, but are they developing their sense of God and their capacity to grasp and to answer to God’s love? Are they growing in appreciation of the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist as they move into the teen and the young adult years? 

By Msgr. Tom Wallace

My holy Saints ... Happy Easter! Thank you for the Lenten and Easter gifts for CRS Rice Bowl and the Holy Land. Your prayers and sacrifices bring comfort to those most in need. Your goodness for the good of others makes this world a better place. Be assured through your humble offerings you will be blessed. 

By Andres Rivera
Staff Writer

SAN BERNARDINO—The road has been long with many twists and turns, but come May 30, Kien Kieu will realize his dream of serving the people of God as a priest.

Bishop Gerald Barnes; joined by Auxiliary Bishop Rutilio del Riego, clergy, family and friends; will ordain Kieu a priest at 10 a.m. on May 30 at Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral in San Bernardino.

By Sister Mary Garascia, C.P.P.S

REDLANDS—Father Robert Spitzer, SJ, PhD, offered thought-provoking ideas on God’s creation of life at an April 23 talk at the University of Redlands co-sponsored by The Holy Name of Jesus Parish and Trinity Episcopal Church.

Using laws and theories of current physics and cosmology, Fr. Spitzer spoke about how science itself points to a time when there was nothing.  Then, since nothing truly is nothing, science cannot deduce something (the universe) from it; therefore science supports faith’s belief in a creator, Fr. Spitzer asserts.

RIVERSIDE—Father Celestine Mbanu, chaplain at Riverside County Regional Medical Center, was recognized by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors as the volunteer of the year at the regional medical center. 

By Van Hoang

PALM SPRINGS—On March 29 the Cursillo Movement of the Diocese of San Bernardino held its annual Evangelization Walk. During the Evangelization Walk, the different Cursillo cultural groups present in the Diocese—English, Spanish, Filipino and Vietnamese—followed in the footsteps of Saint Paul the Apostle in spreading Jesus Christ’s teachings.