Local reaction to Pope Francis's Encyclical Letter "Laudato Si"

By John Andrews
Editor

 If you mistreat the earth you’re more likely to mistreat your fellow man.

 For Deacon John DeGano, this was a key takeaway from Pope Francis’s Encyclical Letter Laudato Si.

 “What struck me is the connection he makes between our morality and how we treat the planet,” said Dcn. DeGano of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Riverside. “That’s really a bellwether for, ‘who are we?’

By Andres Rivera
Staff Writer

 When Virginia Soto found out Pope Francis would be visiting the United States for the 8th World Meeting of Families and the Diocese  of San Bernardino was organizing a pilgrimage, she knew she had to take part. 

 Not only would the World Meeting of Families be an interesting event to attend, the chance of seeing a third pope in her lifetime was an opportunity she could not pass up. 

By Van Hoang

LUCERNE VALLEY—On May 3 about 1,500 Vietnamese Catholics from across Southern California came to St. Joseph Monastery in Lucerne Valley to celebrate the Feast Day of St. Joseph the Worker. The celebration also brought in faithful from neighboring states. 

 Ten buses transported faithful from various locations in Orange County to the remote High Desert location. The monastery is located in the middle of a hill surrounded by two other hills with higher elevation. A 33-foot cross on a rocky hill can be seen from miles away.

RIVERSIDE—The 19th Annual Diocesan Sports Tournament will be held 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. on August 22 at Andulka Park (5201 Chicago Ave.) in Riverside. 

 The annual tournament will see parish young adult ministries compete in basketball, soccer and volleyball. Parish teams, with young adults 18 years old and older, should register by August 12.  Registration is $20 per participant. Each team will contribute $10 per game to help pay for a certified referee.

SACRAMENTO—A bill that would have legalized doctor prescribed suicide in California stalled in the State Assembly thanks in part to strong advocacy work against the bill by a broad-based coalition that included diocesan and parish ministers along with lay Catholics.

By Sister Chilee Okoko, DMMM

SAN BERNARDINO—As the Diocese seeks to improve understanding among the lay faithful about Catholic teaching on end of life, Bishop Gerald Barnes has also called for a strengthening of ministry to the sick and dying.