SAN BERNARDINO—The skies threatened rain and winter winds were chilly but, fittingly, sunshine poked through the clouds to bring light and warmth to a day worth celebrating.

 The Bishop Barnes Newman Center at Cal State, San Bernardino was dedicated with a liturgical ceremony and reception/open house on March 7.

 “The fact is that this building is a sign of our faith in our young people,” Bishop Gerald Barnes said during his homily. “It’s a place where students will come to be fed, to feed on the Gospel.”

A look at the Triduum and our shared journey to the Resurrection

By Sister Jeremy Gallet, SP

 The seeds of liturgical spirituality were sown in me the first time I attended the restored liturgies of Holy Week in 1956. I was 11. I remember especially the Easter Vigil. The church was dark – and a little scary. Great clouds of incense floated upward. We all held lighted candles which flickered in the dark, making everything seem to move. I was very short and could barely see anything through the wall of adults surrounding me. Suddenly, above the heads of everyone, I glimpsed a great candle moving though the crowded church, its flame towering above the heads of even the tallest adult, and heard a strong baritone ring out, “Lumen Christi!” We all responded, “Deo Gratias!” I thought I would burst. The joy and wonder of that moment has stayed with me even to this day.

By Brenda Noriega

 During World Youth Day 2019 in Panama, I had the blessing to have lunch with Pope Francis. I am still waiting to wake up! 

 The truth is that I am still unwrapping the experience, my blessing from heaven. One of the biggest blessings about that lunch was to now be connected with nine other wonderful young brothers and sisters from all over the world. We clicked the moment we met. I instantly functioned as the translator since I was the only fluent bilingual person in the room. I had the blessing to be a bridge between two languages, Spanish and English.

By John Andrews
Editor

WASHINGTON, D.C.—As she sat in the balcony of the U.S. Capitol Building waiting for the President of the United States to make his entrance, Sister Hortensia Del Villar, S.A.C., remembered the words of her sixth grade teacher at Telfair Elementary School in Los Angeles.

 “She told us ‘you are part of the greatest democracy in the world, that works because there are checks and balances,’ “ Sr. Hortensia recalled Mrs. Witham saying.

By Malie Hudson

 Going above and beyond the call of service not just once, but time and time again is what recipients of this year’s Amar Es Entregarse Award have in common. 

 The award is given to an individual or group who embody Bishop Gerald Barnes’ Episcopal Motto Amar Es Entregarse, “Love is the total giving of one’s self.” 

 Bishop Barnes will honor four extraordinary individuals and groups with the award at the 19th Annual Bishops Dinner on April 27. Two of the honorees are profiled here and the remaining two will be profiled in the April issue of the BYTE.

By Mary Huber

 On the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton Supreme Court decisions, legalizing abortion up to moments before birth, the state of New York enacted a new unrestricted abortion law called the Reproductive Health Act.