By Andres Rivera
Staff Writer

 For many parishes in the diocese, passion plays, or dramatic reenactments of the Jesus’s trial, suffering and death, bring large crowds during Holy Week.

 Putting on the annual passion play often calls for long hours of preparation, but it brings great rewards for the actors and spectators.

 This article is one in a series of articles highlighting the new seminarians at Blessed Junipero Serra House of Formation.

By Andres Rivera
Staff Writer

 Growing up Simon Nguyen enjoyed serving in the Mass. Coming from a devout Catholic family, it came as no surprise when he answered the call to serve God as a priest.

SAN BERNARDINO—On January 24, Catholic Charities’ Masters of Social Work (MSW) Intern, Samuel Hanna, organized the distribution of over 200 hygiene kits to the homeless in San Bernardino during the 2013 Point-in-Time Homeless Count (PITC). After signing up as a volunteer for PITC and receiving a flyer asking for supplies, Hanna took it upon himself to reach out to his local community to dramatically increase necessary hygiene items for the homeless.

RIVERSIDE—Monsignor Flanagan Assembly 0059 of the Order of the Knights of Columbus, in Riverside is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee – 60 years of dedicated service to the Diocese of San Bernardino, the community, and especially the veterans in the area. Since it was chartered on January 17, 1953, the Sir Knights who make up this 200-member organization have served the community, as per its motto of being “religiously devoted and patriotically proud.”

RIVERSIDE—Following months of renovations, Bishop Gerald Barnes dedicated the new worship center for the St. Andrew Kim Korean Community with a Mass and reception Dec. 15 in Riverside. “By joining your gifts and working together, you have been able to build a Catholic family that may better serve the Diocesan Church of San Bernardino and the nearby Korean communities in these challenging times,” Bishop Barnes said in a message to the parish community. “May it be a place where family relationship dwells, youth are welcome, and vocations and church ministry are promoted.” The new location, on Challen Ave. in Riverside, includes a banquet hall and school building along with the newly renovated sanctuary to meet the needs of Catholic liturgy and represent Catholic Korean culture.

By Andres Rivera
Staff Writer

 As Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten season approaches, parishes are finalizing plans and preparing for the busy 40 days of parish missions, workshops, prayer groups, reconciliation services and more. 

 At St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Riverside, the Catechetical program will be including Lenten topics in their monthly parent workshops.