By John Andrews
Editor

 For many Catholics in the diocese, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe is about the mañanitas, the mariachis, the procession, and reenactments of the story of the Virgin Mary’s apparition to a poor Mexican peasant.

 Indeed, the Feast Day, celebrated December 12, has become a cultural event that has even begun to transcend the Hispanic culture from which it came. Most parishes in the diocese offered multiple activities along with Mass this year. Our Lady of Guadalupe parish in San Bernardino featured a talk on the relationship between Our Lady of Guadalupe and the New Evangelization. In Riverside, Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine led a procession to the top of Mt. Rubidoux for the 15th year in a row, this time in the driving rain. In the Coachella Valley, the 30-mile procession along Interstate 10 from Palm Springs to Coachella once again took place.

SAN BERNARDINO—In an effort to improve communication with the significant number of local Catholics who speak Spanish as their primary language, the Diocese of San Bernardino has launched El Compás Católico, a Spanish language newspaper that will be distributed in parishes and through Spanish language ministries and groups beginning in December.

 The eight-page newspaper will be published quarterly and features articles written by diocesan ministers and members of the diocesan Department of Communications staff. The BYTE will continue to feature two pages of Spanish language news in months that El Compás Cátolico is not published.

By Andres Rivera
Staff Writer

RANCHO CUCAMONGA—Inspired and encouraged to accept the call to service by clergy and peers, three men entered the Order of Deacons Nov. 16 at Sacred Heart Parish, Rancho Cucamonga. 

 Auxiliary Bishop Rutilio del Riego ordained Antonio Hernandez from Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Rancho Cucamonga; Alfredo Vargas from St. George, Fontana and Mark Weber from Our Lady of the Assumption, San Bernardino.

By Mary Huber

SAN BERNARDINO—The Diocese of San Bernardino will again be represented at the 10th annual West Coast Walk for Life in San Francisco on January 25, the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that legalized abortion in the United States. 

 The day will start with a beautiful Mass in the morning at St. Mary’s Cathedral, where Bishop Rutilio del Riego will concelebrate with his brother bishops. Walkers will then gather at the Civic Center Plaza for a kick off rally followed by a walk down Market Street to the Justin Herman Plaza. 

By Marie Widmann

SAN BERNARDINO—Commemorating the 41st anniversary of the Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion for any reason throughout all nine months of pregnancy up to the moment of natural birth, families will prayerfully and peacefully march outside the largest Planned Parenthood Clinic in San Bernardino County on  January 19.  

 As many as 60 million women have suffered physical, psychological and spiritual harm and 60 million unborn children have died as a result of Roe v Wade.

SAN BERNARDINO—How are the teachings of the Church on issues related to family life being administered in the Diocese of San Bernardino?

 The Vatican’s Synod of Bishops asked dioceses around the world to probe this question through a lengthy survey that will be used to make a local report to Rome for the 2014 Synod on the Family.