By Edgardo Juarez

 Today’s youth will be the leaders of tomorrow. Pope Francis calls us to accompany the youth in their vocational discernment and life journey. It is within the mission of the Ministry with Young Catholics to provide opportunities for young people to discover their God given potential and use their gifts and talents to build the kingdom of God in their communities. 

 Father Tony Das Neves, a retired diocesan priest who served in active ministry here for more than three decades, recently returned to the country of his birth, Portugal, to continue his retirement. Fr. Das Neves served as pastor of St. Vincent Ferrer, Sun City; Christ the Good Shepherd, Adelanto; St. Mel, Norco; and St. Joan of Arc, Blythe.

YUCAIPA—The flagship lay formation program of the Diocese, the Continuing Ministries Formation Program (CMFP), produced 95 graduates this year and they were celebrated by Bishop Gerald Barnes, diocesan staff, family and friends at a special Mass June 24 at St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Church in Yucaipa. 

By Marge Bitetti

 The United State Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) awards millions in grant monies each year to organizations that support the social mission of the Church through the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). 

 To qualify, organizations must fully uphold the teachings of the Church and must not participate in or promote activities that contradict Catholic moral and social teaching.

 On July 5, several of the officers from the Arrowhead Desert Valley Chapter of the Knights of Columbus met with Bishop Barnes to present to him with their annual donation for the support of Diocesan Seminarians. 

By Lois Carson

 As the celebrations of Juneteenth increase across the country, it is time to delve into the history of the event, to get the facts straight and clarify its relation to the Emancipation Proclamation declared by President Abraham Lincoln.