40th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner & Boutique
Saint Monica Catholic Community looks forward to sharing the many blessings and gifts of the season with the local community for the 40th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner and Clothing Boutique, Wednesday, November 27, 2019 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Every classroom and grade level in the Saint Monica Elementary, Middle and High School, as well as all parish ministries, and staff are engaged in preparing, shopping, and cleaning for this great event. Make the joy of your holiday season complete by joining their efforts during the season of giving. The Saint Monica Catholic Community thanks all who have committed to help realize their vision to bring joy to those who need care in a variety of ways, especially the great need of connectedness.
This family-style dinner, with all of the trimmings, is an uplifting community event, especially for those needing a warm meal or true fellowship, this Thanksgiving. The Dinner is followed by a clothing boutique, made up of new and gently used items from the parish community, that is offered gratis to attendees, who are encouraged to take what they need. A particular in-demand item being offered are sleeping bags, as well as winter coats, clothing, sturdy shoes and bags/backpacks. The parish community also packages over 1000 toiletry kits to be distributed at the Thanksgiving event.
There are many ways to help out, whether through monetary or in-kind donations of items needed for the event. For those interested in attending, you may arrive anytime you like. We will start handing out timed tickets at 8:00 a.m. at the entrance of Cantwell Auditorium, off the corner of 7th Street and California Avenue.
For more information on how to participate, donate or more ways to give back this Holiday Season, check out the Saint Monica website at stmonica.net/thanksgiving .
Msgr. Torgerson in Good Condition, Despite Fall
Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019. Msgr. Torgerson suffered an upper femur fracture overnight, after tripping over an electric cord in his bedroom and falling. He is in good condition and awaiting reparative hip surgery scheduled for this early evening. He is in very good spirits and has the company of his brother priests and parish staff. He has been admitted at Providence Saint John's Health Center, but requests no visitors at this time. Following surgery, he is expected to be in recovery for at least five days. Msgr. Torgerson remains grateful for your prayers in this time of healing.
Questions or concerns may be directed to:
Felipe Sanchez, Director of Administration: (310) 566-1502,
-or-
Merrick Siebenaler, Director of Communications: (310) 566-1514,
UPDATE: Nov. 4
Msgr. Torgerson was discharged from St. John's mid-afternoon and has returned home to the rectory. His spirits are extremely high and he is receiving great care and support from many friends and brother priests. His daily activity will be modified through the recovery process. He will not likely preside at any liturgies for at least a week. Msgr. continues to express his deep thanksgiving to everyone for their continued prayer and warm wishes.
New Support for Youth Initiatives at our Sister Parish Holy Cross Dandora, Kenya
Ever since our first visit to Nairobi, Kenya in 2002, our community has been making a difference at our sister parish Holy Cross Dandora, a marginalized neighborhood in the eastern part of the country's capital. Over the many years, we have provided support to local elementary and vocational schools, helped build and sustain a maternity clinic, contributed to the building of a new church, and have been feeding the most vulnerable. Also, under the leadership of Monsignor Torgerson, nearly two hundred parishioners have visited our Sister Parish, building lasting bonds between our communities and sharing stories of faith and God's mercy in our world. This year, we are proud to add another program to our Holy Cross Africa Ministry (HCAM): Youth Formation.
Youth Formation: Empowering Young Adults
In recent years, it has become clear that our work in Nairobi has excluded a critical ministry - supporting young people in the most vital years of their lives, as they start their professional careers. In Kenya, this is challenging for different reasons, including limited access to higher education, high unemployment, and - especially in Dandora - elevated rates of crime and violence against young men and women alike.
We have been particularly impressed by the efforts of the local Young Adult Community, which has been working tirelessly to help improve their youth's professional opportunities and reduce the risks they face. Following our 2018 trip, when we met many of them, we solicited specific ideas and have received two detailed funding proposals. These have been evaluated by the HCAM Core Team and recently approved for implementation.
Two Pilot Projects
The first initiative helps improve the local Sports Program. We will be supporting improvements to the local basketball court, so that the very active Basketball Team can expand its reach and host tournaments, and will provide funding for new uniforms and sneakers to help the team reach more at-risk youth. The estimated budget for this initiative is approximately $2,357.
The second initiative supports the local Music Program. With funding for a new public address system to help the broader community, which includes new technical equipment like mixers, amplifiers, and microphones, we will allow young adults and other parish members to more effectively meet and worship. We are also going supporting the purchase of additional music instruments - guitars and an electric keyboard - to hone artistic skills among the Dandora youth and to perform at weddings and other events. The estimated budget for this initiative is approximately $5,298.
Help us build a better future
Our decision to support these programs follows a key objective: empowering our brothers and sisters in Dandora as they become leaders in their community, city, and nation. We hope that with your generosity, we can continue making a difference through our new Youth Formation ministry, as part of HCAM Education. If you would like to join us in supporting the youth of Dandora, consider donating online: stmonica.net/africaeducation or designate your offering to "HCAM Education."
We look forward to the journey ahead, and thank you for joining us!
Jakub Hlávka
HCAM Education, Youth Formation Lead
The Film Club kicks off by looking back
The Great Train Robbery (1903)—The first Western, the first “edited” film and the first with a real narrative was an evening highlight.
The Film Club launched its 2019–2020 season on Thursday, Sept. 12 with a special presentation—the History of Film—presented by Fr. David Guffey, CSC, Director of Family Theater Productions. The “full house” enjoyed silent films and insights from Fr. David about the evolution of early films and the foundation they set for the century of films that would follow.
This season the Film Club is focusing on The Art of Cinema, meaning the films we’ll see will represent excellence in an aspect of filmmaking. October 17 will focus on the art of screenwriting as we present 1960’s The Apartment that was written and directed by the legend, Billy Wilder. His work included Witness for the Prosecution, Sunset Boulevard and Some Like It Hot. The Apartment, according to Roger Ebert, was one of the few Oscar best pictures that was actually the “best” picture of the year.
Join the Film Club on Thursday, Oct. 17 as we watch Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine and Fred MacMurray deliver Wyler’s compelling, insightful yet comic dialog in the award-winning favorite, The Apartment. See you at The Grand Pavilion. Doors open at 6:30 for refreshments; programming begins at 7 p.m. Event entry: $10 (or $5 for seniors/students).
Fr. Bob Dowd Visits St. Monica
Annually, each parish in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles participates in the Mission Co-op appeal (part of the Propagation of the Faith) which benefits missions around the world. This weekend, Fr. Bob Dowd from the University of Notre Dame and Holy Cross Mission Center joins us and will share the great work taking place at our sister parish Holy Cross, in Dandora, Kenya—specifically at Visitation Maternity Ward.
Since the grand opening of the maternity ward in 2017 (part of the Brother André Medical Center),1,250 babies have been born in clean, safe and compassionate maternity conditions, and 120 babies treated in their Special Care Newborn Unit. Last month, Msgr. and 32 travelers (25 adults and 7 high schoolers) visited the facility and witnessed the essential services offered to the women and children of the Dandora community, including pre- and post-natal care, childbirth and inpatient maternity care, outpatient referrals, and child welfare services.
Despite the poverty in Nairobi, the state-of-the-art medical center and maternity ward at Holy Cross Parish serves as an oasis of beauty and hope. This facility stands as a beacon of community and comfort, and an antidote to the many challenges of living in Dandora.
This weekend, we offer Fr. Bob a warm St. Monica welcome, and thank you in advance for supporting Visitation Maternity Ward. Make your gift in one of these ways:
- Place a special Mission Co-op envelope in the collection basket or return it to the parish office.
- Visit the Duval center after Mass to give online. We have iPads available for your convenience and Africa volunteers to assist.
- Visit Dandora.HolyCrossUSA.org to make your gift online.
David Hines: Volunteers of the Year 2019
The David Hines Award, honoring outstanding volunteers at St. Monica, was presented on Friday, June 28 at the annual Volunteer Appreciation Celebration.
The award celebrates the memory of one of our parish’s most beloved volunteers, David Hines. He was a tireless and selfless leader, active in the church choir as a musician and a singer, the coordinator of the annual Seder dinner and was actively involved in our youth programs. David died tragically in a car accident while driving to Serra Retreat Center to assist with an 8th grade retreat.
The David Hines Award was created after his death to honor his exceptional service to St. Monica, and each year we give it to those in the community who exhibit his love and commitment to service. Hines, a professional musician and sound engineer, had a personal epiphany after meeting Msgr. Torgerson in the early 1990s, and soon after devoted himself to help others. He was a well-known and much-loved part of the St. Monica music family, and he even wrote the song “Daddy” often heard at our mass celebrations.
While his sudden death stunned our community, the church was filled for his funeral. His brother said, “he would have loved that, because Dave lived for the celebration.” In that spirit, we celebrate the outstanding work of this year’s winners of the 2019 David Hines “Volunteer of the Year” Award – congratulations!
- Felicia Bradley
- Nina Madok
- Kelly Brooks
- Paul Auer
- Mary Phan (not pictured above)
- Anna Rodrigues (not pictured above)
And there wasn’t a life jacket in sight...
We don’t know how we did it, but we did it. We packed close to 100 people on a 30-foot river steamer and lost not a soul—despite rapids, crocodiles, mosquitoes and hostile Germans. That’s what happened when the Film Club sailed on The African Queen—and it couldn’t have been a more entertaining way to end our 2018-2019 season.
In addition to heading down the river with Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn, guests were treated to a boutique of craft items from our sister parish in Dandora, Kenya, a presentation by Monica Fernandez from our Holy Cross African Ministry (HCAM), and a panel discussion about the film, featuring Clare Denk, Archivist, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, Father Vince Kuna, CSC, Family Theater Productions, and Peggy Miley, actor and Film Club member.
Fall is only a few months away, and so is the 2019-2020 Film Club season. Our focus will be “The Art of the Cinema.” The season will launch in September with the history of film, followed monthly by top-notch movies, each representing excellence in an aspect of filmmaking, such as screenwriting, set design or cinematography. Father David Guffey, CSC, Director, Family Theater Productions will be leading us all season as we explore the art of the cinema.
Film Club guests!
Click HERE to complete our annual survey.
It’s quick and easy to do. Give us your feedback by June 1, 2019.
Sister Rose Took Us to the Movies
The 90 people attending March’s Film Club not only saw the beautiful and absorbing film, Of Gods and Men, but were also treated to a thought-provoking discussion led by our guest host, Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP. Sister Rose introduced the group to Cinema Divina©, a meaningful process to help film viewers embrace cinema as a spiritual experience.
A lecturer, author, and media literacy expert, Sister Rose founded the Pauline Center for Media Studies. Sister is a well-regarded film reviewer and a “tomato-approved critic” on the popular website, Rotten Tomatoes. You can read Sister’s reviews in the National Catholic Register and the St. Anthony Messenger as well as on her popular webpage, Sister Rose at the Movies.
April 11 is the next Film Club. We will be screening the acclaimed 2018 documentary, Pope Francis: A Man of His Word. The film presents candid conversations with our pontiff and travels with him across the globe as he delivers his message of hope. It’s really a not-to-be-missed event.
And the winner is…
What a night it was for St. Monica movie lovers! Not only was it Valentine’s Day but also the Film Club’s annual Oscar Night®. Fr. David Guffey, CSC, Director of Family Theater Productions, hosted the event that previewed and discussed the eight films nominated for this year’s Best Picture®. The evening drew to a close with the announcement of the Film Club’s choice for “best picture” based on ballots cast by the 80 guests. The winner by a wide margin (half the votes!) was Green Book.
March 14 is the next Film Club event—a screening of the thought-provoking 2010 film, Of Gods and Men. This Cannes Film Festival winner is a real-life story of bravery, humanity and enduring faith. Filmed in rural Algeria, the movie portrays the challenges facing eight monks whose peaceful coexistence with their Muslim neighbors is suddenly challenged by Islamic extremists. It’s not to be missed.
Together in Mission 2019: Our Story is Hope
A special thank you for your warm welcome to Fr. Randy Campos and Bishop David O'Connell, who joined us to share the impact of the Together in Mission appeal on communities who need it most. Your gifts make a real and significant difference in the lives of so many—helping create "stories of hope" at the neediest schools and parishes throughout the Archdiocese—some which are just 30 minutes from St. Monica.
We invite you to make a pledge to Together in Mission, using one of the special envelopes at Mass, or online at OurMissionLA.org/Give. Your gifts ensure that every Catholic in the Archdiocese has a parish to celebrate their faith and access to a Catholic school education. You are living your faith through your actions when you support Together in Mission. Thank you!
"We are called to become men and women of hope." - Pope Francis
Dancing With Our Stars 2019
Friday Feb. 8, 7 p.m. in the Gym
Featuring teachers and parents from both schools
as well as a special Dancing with Our Stars Junior performance by our talented third–eleventh graders!
Don't miss our Parish Administrator Mike Mottola making a special guest appearance
and our fantastic hosts:
Principal James Spellman
Associate Director Faith Formation Jenna Clingingsmith!
Make it a family night out dinner available for purchase starting at 5:30 p.m.
Announcements
Mass
Mon–Fri, 7:00 am - Church
Mon–Fri, 12:10 pm - Church & Livestream
Sat, 8:00 am - Church & Livestream
Sat, 5:30 pm - Church
Sun, 7:30 am - Church
Sun, 9:30 am - Church & Livestream
Sun, 11:30 am - Church
Sun, 5:30 pm - Church & Livestream
Outdoor seating is available at all weekend Masses.
Confession
Mon–Fri. 5:30–6 pm
Sat, 4:30–5:00 pm
There are no confessions on secular holidays or other observances when the parish is closed.
Holy Days & Holidays
Holy Days: additional Vigil and evening Masses, 6:30 p.m.
Holidays: single Mass, 9:30 am with no confessions
Eucharistic Adoration
First & Third Fridays: 7:30–8:30 a.m. & 7–8 p.m. · Church
Second & Fourth Sundays: Noon–3 p.m. · Chapel
contact us
St. Monica Catholic Community
725 California Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90403
310-566-1500 Contact Us
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