Each month the BYTE will publish sections of the U.S. Bishops Pastoral Letter “Encountering Christ in Harmony: A Pastoral Response to Our Asian and Pacific Island Brothers and Sisters.”

 While Christianity has been in India since the time of the Apostle Thomas, the majority of Asian countries encountered Christianity in the Middle Ages and later. This was the time when European and Asian missionaries entered China, Japan, Vietnam, and the Pacific Islands. The missionaries encountered people spiritually engaged with their own distinctive traditions and culture. They met people who took great pride in their festivals, rituals, and communal observances.

SAN BERNARDINO—Nearly 200 people gathered at the Diocesan Pastoral Center on April 13 for the annual Theological Symposium offered by the Department of Ministry Formation Institute.

 Each year on Good Friday the Church pauses to recall Jesus’ passion and death on the cross. This is the only day of the entire year that there is no celebration of the Holy Mass, causing us to ponder and venerate the cross.

By Malie Hudson

   On May 18, Bishop Gerald Barnes will ordain three seminarians to the priesthood. It will be the culmination of nearly a decade of formation for three men—Ted Drennan, Juan Carlos Lopez and Gino Galley—who came from various backgrounds to pursue a vocation to the priesthood. 

By Malie Hudson

 On April 27, Bishop Gerald Barnes will honor four extraordinary recipients with this year’s Amar Es Entregarse Award. The award is given to an individual or group who embody his Episcopal Motto Amar Es Entregarse, “Love is the total giving of one’s self.” 

 The March issue of the BYTE highlighted recipients Martin and Mary Swanson, and the Valley Missionary Program. In this issue, we introduce the remaining two awardees who will also be honored for their complete dedication to the local Church. 

By Marge Bitetti

CORONA—For Henna Jalal, caring for the homeless is part of her faith as a Muslim. 

 “I can’t go to sleep at night if my neighbor is hungry,” she says. “Being a good neighbor and realizing the duty to our neighbors doesn’t just mean being friendly to the homeowners next door. It means to help take care of the community as a whole, and that includes the poor.” 

 This is also a core calling of the Secular Franciscans as they perform Corporal Works of Mercy, which includes Feeding the Hungry.