Cardinal to celebrate Mass for Vietnamese Martyrs
SAN DIEGO — The Vietnamese Catholic Community of the Diocese of San Diego is celebrating the Feast of St. Andrew Dung Lac and Companions, known collectively as the Vietnamese Martyrs.
The Mass, commemorating those who gave their lives for the Catholic faith in Vietnam, will be celebrated on Sunday, Nov. 19, at Good Shepherd Church in Mira Mesa.
Cardinal Robert W. McElroy will be the principal celebrant. Auxiliary Bishops Michael Pham, Ramón Bejarano and Felipe Pulido, along with many Vietnamese priests of the Diocese of San Diego, will concelebrate.
A procession will begin at 2 p.m., immediately followed by the Mass. The event will conclude with a reception in the parish hall.
Men invited to ‘explore’ priestly vocation
SAN DIEGO — The Diocese of San Diego is hosting an “Explorer Day” for men interested in exploring a possible vocation to the priesthood.
The event will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 4, at St. Francis Center, located on the campus of the University of San Diego.
Applications are available at parish offices or by calling St. Francis Center at (858) 490-8389.
Marriage prep workshops offered for clergy, lay leaders
SAN DIEGO — The diocesan Office for Family Life and Spirituality is offering a four-part series to provide clergy and lay leaders with the formation and support they need to develop or further strengthen their marriage-preparation processes.
The sessions will be held at the diocesan Pastoral Center on Wednesdays, Nov. 1 (Marriage Prep Guidelines and Best Practices), Nov. 8 (The Marriage Catechumenate: New Vatican Guidelines), Nov. 29 (Administering and Facilitating the FOCCUS Inventory) and Dec. 6 (Understanding the “Witness to Love” Process).
There is no cost to attend, and attendees are welcome to one or all sessions. Those who attend all four will receive credit for the Diocesan Institute’s Marriage Formation course.
For more information or to register, call (858) 490-8299.
Donated Halloween candy to be collected
SAN DIEGO — Local Catholics are once again being invited to donate their excess Halloween candy to be used in the Christmas distribution at Casa de los Pobres (House of the Poor) in Tijuana, Mexico. Toothbrushes and toothpaste are also appreciated.
The candy and dental hygiene supplies can be dropped off at participating school or parish offices during the week after Halloween, Nov. 2 to 7.
The Sisters of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Queen of Peace coordinate an annual Christmas distribution where more than 1,700 impoverished families receive a chicken, rice, beans, canned vegetables, fruit, and a bag of donated candy to make their Christmas festivities a little sweeter. Families also receive blankets, jackets, shoes, and toys for the children.
For more information about the Halloween candy collection, contact Caroline Kelner at carolinekelner10@gmail.com or (858) 761-7744. Learn more about Casa de los Pobres and its work at casadelospobresusa.com.
Craft fair/bake sale returning to Our Lady of Grace
EL CAJON — The Our Lady of Grace Parish Catholic Women’s Club will hold its annual Holiday Craft Fair and Bake Sale on Saturday, Nov. 4.
It will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will be held in the parish center and patio area. The address is 2766 Navajo Road, El Cajon 92020.
There will be more than 70 local crafters featuring fashion apparel, home decor and artwork for the upcoming holidays. There will also be freshly baked items, including cakes, brownies, cookies, peanut brittle and fudge. Breakfast and lunch will be available.
Admission is free. For more information, call (619) 980-6841.
UN World Day highlights need to prevent child sexual abuse
SAN DIEGO — The United Nations joins Pope Francis and other world leaders by acknowledging the evil of child sexual violence worldwide and pledging to help survivors heal by commemorating the “World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence” on Nov. 18.
Established in 2022, this World Day is aimed at increasing global awareness of the prevalence and trauma of child sexual abuse, with the hope that governments will take action to fight it. According to the World Health Organization, millions of children experience sexual violence each year.
Pray for the conversion, transformation, and understanding of political and spiritual leaders worldwide to take responsibility for their part in the abuses that have occurred in their country while they support the UN’s efforts to stop the sexual exploitation and abuse of children everywhere, mobilizing action to prevent violence and support healing and justice for survivors.
Visit safeinourdiocese.org to learn about the Diocese of San Diego’s continued efforts to prevent and expose child sexual abuse and train children to protect themselves from any kind of abuse within the Church and outside it.
Couples retreat to be held in Imperial Valley
IMPERIAL — Couples, would you like to grow in your relationship and build a stronger foundation in Christ?
If so, then you are invited to a one-day marriage retreat on Saturday, Nov. 18, at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Imperial. Engaged and civilly married couples are welcome.
The retreat will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Topics will include: The Vocation to Marriage, Communication and Conflict Resolution, Faith and Finances, Raising Children in the Faith, and more. The cost to attend is $125 per couple.
For more information, email vtoscano@sdcatholic.org or call (858) 490-8299. Register at sdcatholic.org/cyl.
Local pilgrimage set for Advent
SAN DIEGO — The fifth annual Augustinian Advent Pilgrimage, a partnership between the Province of St. Augustine in California and Modern Catholic Pilgrim, will take place from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 16.
Enter more fully into the Advent season by taking a family-friendly pilgrimage with the Augustinians of St. Patrick’s Parish and St. Augustine Monastery in North Park.
Participants will gather at St. Patrick’s at 10 a.m. for the opening prayer service, then depart on a pilgrimage to the St. Augustine Monastery Chapel, where one of the friars will share a brief Advent reflection and there will be some time for personal prayer and offering intentions. Then, participants will walk back to St. Patrick’s and end the day with lunch in the parish hall.
The pilgrimage is free and open to all. The round-trip walking distance is less than 3 miles. For more information and to sign up, visit moderncatholicpilgrim.com/pilgrimage-calendar/augustinian-advent.
Young adults invited to online prayer
The North American Vocation Team (NAVT) of the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) invites young adults ages 18 and older to a monthly online evening prayer on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. (PST) via Zoom.
The next scheduled evening prayer will be on Nov. 28.
For more information and registration for the Zoom links, visit ssnd.org/events.
Catholics can ‘Encounter’ Jesus in Rancho Peñasquitos
SAN DIEGO — Encounter, a Spirit-filled evening of inspiring music, prayer, Eucharistic adoration, a healing service and reconciliation, is held on the second Friday of each month at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Rancho Peñasquitos.
Sponsored by the parish’s Hearts of Fire Ministry, the event runs from 7 to 8 p.m. Upcoming dates include Nov. 10 and Dec. 8.
For more information, contact the Hearts of Fire Ministry at olmcheartsoffire@gmail.com.
Men invited to join ‘Rosary Crusade’
SAN DIEGO — The Men’s Rosary Crusade gathers at 9 a.m., every first Saturday of the month, at the corner of 6th & Laurel in Balboa Park. All men are welcome.
The rosary intentions are for reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for the conversion of America, for families and for the unborn.
For more information, contact David at draguez@sbcglobal.net or (619) 920-8363.
Street evangelization brings Gospel to public square
SAN DIEGO — St. Paul Street Evangelization is a grassroots, nonprofit organization dedicated to taking the Gospel message to the streets.
Participants in the ministry do this in a non-confrontational way, allowing the Holy Spirit to move in the hearts of those who witness their public Catholic presence.
For more information or to get involved, visit streetevangelization.com, call (619) 515-3267 or email scb@procopio.com.
