Popcorn and kisses…what else?
by Joanne Dietch
If you’ve ever seen Cinema Paradiso, you know that the tiny Sicilian movie theater featured in the film had an interesting claim to fame. Thanks to the local padre, not a single film—even the romances—showed a kiss. Not so when the Film Club welcomed 90 guests to its Oct. 11 screening of the award-winning film— plenty of “kisses” and popcorn awaited them.
Film Club regular Matilda Callahan, who hadn’t previously seen Cinema Paradiso, said, “It was one of the most delightful movies I’ve ever seen.” Many guests were repeat viewers, including one who’d seen the film in pre-release, twice in the week it came out and a dozen times since. Fr. David Guffey, CSC, summed it up when he said, “Cinema Paradiso is a beautiful film about a boy’s wonder of the movies and discovery of love in his life.”
Next month, the Film Club heads to another time and place: the 1960s and the Langley Aeronautical Labs in Virginia. That’s where we’ll meet three brilliant African-American women who helped transform the American Space Program and their lives, despite the obstacles set in their way. Join the Film Club Nov. 8 for Hidden Figures.
St. John's Seminary Annual Gala
by Dan Schwala
Dressed in their most elegant evening attire, nearly 640 people enjoyed delicious appetizers and cocktails on the Plaza of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels as a four-piece jazz band set a festive mood in the early evening hour.
As a full moon rose in the night sky, guests enjoyed alfresco dining with a beautifully prepared meal of zinfandel wine-braised short ribs, a garlic potato puree, and rosemary demi-glace vegetables. In his taped address and welcome, Archbishop Gomez relayed that he has it on the best authority that next year’s 80th Anniversary Gala will feature an inspiring fireworks display!
A classical string quartet entertained throughout the dinner, after which the honorees received their awards. The overarching theme of the acceptance speeches focused on the profound importance of St. John’s Seminary in producing the priests that lead the parishes throughout the Archdiocese. The Plaza and Cathedral were beautifully lit with a wash of contrasting colors that complemented the joy-filled atmosphere of the evening.
The St. John’s Seminary Annual Gala celebrated its 79th anniversary since opening its doors on Sept. 12, 1939. St. John’s alumni include 1,231 priests, 29 bishops, and three cardinals. The evening’s Distinguished Alumni honorees included Monsignor Bob Gallagher (in memoriam), Monsignor Richard Krekelberg, Deacon Robert Seidler, and Monsignor Francis Weber. The Seminary’s Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel) Award was presented to Sister Mary Elizabeth Galt, B.V.M. Bishop Joseph Brennan served as the master of ceremonies, and Bishop Marc Trudeau led the opening prayer. The above video presentation after the awards illustrates the profound and paramount importance of St. John’s Seminary to every Catholic in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and beyond.
Hurricane Florence Fund Collection
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles Annual Appeals office has created a separate online giving page for the recovery efforts of Hurricane Florence. The Appeals office will collect funds until Oct. 31 and then transfer the monies collected to Catholic Charities.
Click HERE to donate to recovery efforts of Hurricane Florence
All funds received by The Archdiocese of Los Angeles Hurricane Florence Fund will directly assist the efforts of Catholic charities and other support organizations assisting those affected by Hurricane Florence. Gifts received from individuals are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Roman Catholic Archbishop of Los Angeles EIN: 95-1642382.
Call the Annual Appeals Office if you have any questions (213) 637-7672. Individuals can also mail a check to: Archdiocese of Los Angeles Office of Development, 3424 Wilshire Blvd Fl 6, Los Angeles, CA 90010, specify: Hurricane Florence in the memo field.
Pastoral Statement RE: Grand Jury Report
August 17, 2018
Last weekend at all Masses, I spoke about the sexual abuse of children by priests in light of the Grand July report from Pennsylvania. While it is a painful and difficult subject to address, I hope that you feel welcome to voice your anger, sadness, fear, and distress to me or any of our clergy or staff. Let us know how we can respond and provide care for those who have been violated and their families.
Our Universal church belongs to everyone—let no priest, bishop, deacon or leader in that institution take it away from you. The apostles of Jesus began this church with an incredible force in the Holy Spirit, and they had fire. They brought the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world at great cost. As it grew, that struggle called for structure and organization. Unfortunately, the institution—built of people—has overshadowed the message. The horrific acts of some of our pastoral leaders against the most vulnerable is shameful, harmful, and wrong.
We must return to the original message of Jesus: love. These crimes and the accompanying neglect are a stark reminder of that sacred message and that it is ours to keep. Let us all be a part of the purification of our Church and ourselves. That can only happen if we stand together, weather the storm, provide comfort and consolation, ask forgiveness and remain vigilant. God’s mercy is limitless and unconditional.
Archbishop José Gomez also wrote a statement and copies are available at the Welcome Table after Mass. He writes, “Renewal of the Church is…a duty for bishops and priests. We need humble penance for what has been done by our brothers.” I accept this and hope to fulfill it. Gomez asks, “do not lose hope in the Church…our Lord is counting on us. Put your hope in God’s promise: where sin increases, his grace will increase even more.”
This week, we also heard from our Holy Father, Pope Francis and copies are available as well. His candid tone is strong—he does not diminish or dismiss the severity of these sins and admits, “no effort to beg pardon and to seek to repair the harm done will ever be sufficient.” Pope Francis writes, “change requires the active participation of all the members of God’s people.” He continues, “with shame and repentance we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives. We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them.” I encourage you to read and experience the entirety of our Pope’s powerful statement.
To remind, renew and reaffirm our commitment to the protection of children and vulnerable adults, you can find information and resources on our website: stmonica.net/safeguard as well as links to the letter from Archbishop Gomez and Pope Francis.
My prayer and love to you today!
Msgr. Lloyd Torgerson
Mission Co-op Appeal 2018
This weekend St. Monica welcomes Fr. Bob Dowd from the University of Notre Dame and Holy Cross Mission Center. He will be sharing the great work taking place at our sister parish Holy Cross, in Dandora, Kenya—specifically at the Our Lady of Visitation Maternity Ward. Since its grand opening two years ago, nearly 600 babies have been born in clean, safe and compassionate maternity conditions. This facility offers essential services to the women and children of the Dandora community, including pre- and post-natal care, childbirth and inpatient maternity care, immunizations, and child welfare services.
Despite the poverty in Nairobi, this state-of-the-art medical center and maternity ward at Holy Cross Parish serves as an oasis of beauty and hope. The facility stands as a beacon of community and comfort, and an antidote to the many challenges of living in Dandora.
We thank you in advance for your support of Visitation Maternity Ward and the women and babies of Dandora.
Special thanks to:
Calvin Onyango and Mercy Wambui from Dandora;
and Vicky Landin, Sam Homsieh and Rami Delos Reyes from St. Monica
David Hines "Volunteers of the Year"
The David Hines Award, honoring outstanding volunteers at St. Monica, was presented Friday, June 29 at the annual Volunteer Appreciation Celebration.
The award celebrates the memory of one of our parish’s most beloved volunteers, David Hines. Hines, a tireless and selfless leader, was active in the church choir as a musician and singer, was the coordinator of the annual Seder dinner and was actively involved in our youth programs. David was tragically killed in a car accident while he was driving to Serra Retreat Center to assist with an 8th grade retreat.
The Award was created soon 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, which inspired his devotion to helping others. He was a well-known and beloved part of the St. Monica music family, and even wrote the song “Daddy” often heard at our mass celebrations.
His sudden death stunned our community, and the church was filled for his funeral. He would have loved that, said his brother, because “(Dave) lived for the celebration.” In that spirit we celebrate the outstanding work of this year’s David Hines “Volunteer of the Year” Award winners:
- Bill Chapman
- Lynn Kemp
- Lynn Kurata
- Lucy Mayer
- Jill Orcutt
- Rick Tyner
YMA Delivers Sweet Treats
It's always an eye-opening experience to visit LA's Skid Row, which is one of the reasons YMA's Peace & Justice team continues the tradition of an annual ice cream social to guests at Union Rescue Mission. According to URM staff, there are an estimated 18,000 people living on the street in Skid Row, and we were blessed to serve over 300 women at a recent weekend. The Mother’s Day-themed event gave us a chance to show our appreciation for the females in every family. We were also able to provide toiletry gift bags to everyone, as part of a donation from a second youth organization who couldn't make it that day.
The Parish Survey Results Are In!
Part I: Engagement
Understanding The Gallup Me25 Survey
For over 70 years, Gallup has been developing instruments that measure the “unmeasurable,” developing systems that accurately measure engagement and other former “intangibles.” Several years ago, Gallup addressed the challenge of measuring spiritual engagement by developing a member engagement survey (ME25), which we recently used. Traditionally, parishes have measured themselves primarily by their attendance, membership, and monetary giving. However, these are outcomes, not causes, of a parish’s spiritual health. The ME25 gives parishes a clearer picture of their spiritual health and research confirms that spiritual health drives all other factors including attendance and financial commitment.
The survey consists of 25 items. Nine items measure individual spiritual commitment, 12 measure parishioner engagement, and four are about life satisfaction—inviting, serving, and giving. The spiritual commitment items are individual and personal, while the engagement items indicate how strongly one feels a sense of belonging within the parish.
Engagement Overview
Below are the results and what they mean, and how they compare to the 2013 survey. The survey shows that 79% (vs. 76% in 2013) of parishioners feel very positive about St. Monica, which compared to the national average, is better than most parishes beginning the Gallup engagement process.
- 33% Engaged (2013: 29%) This is a 4% gain in fully engaged members. This group is loyal with a strong emotional connection to their parish. They are more spiritually committed, more likely to invite others to parish events, and give more, both financially and time.
- 46% Not Engaged (2013: 47%) This number virtually the same: parishioners who attend regularly, but are not emotionally connected, though they have a positive view of the parish. The parish more social than spiritual. They give
moderately and may do some volunteering. Our goal will be to move persons in this group to the engaged group. - 21% Actively Disengaged (2013: 24%) The decline of 3% is very positive. This group attends Mass occasionally, if at all and separated into two types: 1) those who are generally apathetic about the parish, and 2) those who attend more regularly, but are unhappy with many things about the parish.
What’s Next In the coming weeks, we will examine responses in more detail, how our parish compares to other churches, and what the numbers suggest. You can download the complete survey report 
HERE. If you have any questions, contact Dale Sieverding at or (310) 566-1520.
The Good Friday Journey
Growing up in a small town where pilgrimages were a well-known practice as a way to deepen faith life, one pilgrimage, in particular, has shaped me as a Catholic parent. Early Good Friday mornings, before the sun rose, we would load up the car and drive to a small town where we then walked the roads and countryside about 10 miles to a Church called Santuario de Chimayo.
My Dad grew up in the neighboring village around this little town. The walk was special—we prayed the rosary, the stations of the cross, sang songs and had moments of profound silence that drew me to a deep place of prayer, reflection and a feeling of deep heartache for Jesus’ journey to the cross. The experience of community walking with a purpose in prayer, song, and silence shaped my faith life as an adult.
My first Good Friday away from home was heart-wrenching as I didn’t know how to recreate this faith-filled feeling, the experience of the journey. When I had my first child, I decided that I would (re)create our very own pilgrimage to our local church. Hence, for the last 23 years, my family (now college-aged) and many friends (sometimes up to 50 people) sojourn throughout the neighborhood, with a large cross on the shoulder one of us. We pray the Stations of the Cross at street corners and sing the Stabat Mater along the way until we reach the Church. The moments of silence along the way still profoundly touch my soul. This way of the cross with my family and friends has been our pilgrimage of sorts that has become a way of faith for us!
Suzette Sornborger, Pastoral Associate
Director of Faith Formation
RE Congress 2018: "Rise Up!"
The Los Angeles Religious Education Congress is the largest annual gathering of its kind in the world. This four‑day event is held at the Anaheim Convention Center and is sponsored by the Office of Religious Education, a division of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Begun in 1968 as an “institute,” Congress still keeps the same focus: to teach more about the Catholic faith as well as to advance personal growth. Today the event is open to people of all vocations and different faiths.
Youth Day - March 15
Congress opens on Thursday with a day-long event for high school youth to come together and share in Liturgy, workshops, entertainment and to experience the energy of 7000 other teens as they gather for the arena general session.
Congress Days - March 16–18
The remaining three-day weekend is open to adults and offers more than 200 speakers presenting over 300 workshops, in addition to lunchtime entertainment, evening concerts, Liturgy in a variety of forms, the Exhibit Hall, and much more.
Free Exhibits - open to registrants only
One of the perks of Congress is the Exhibit Hall, held Friday through Sunday, showcasing over 200 companies ranging from religious art to music, and from publishing houses to educational institutions, in addition to our own represented Archdiocesan ministries.
Check out the Livestream HERE.
Go to www.recongress.org for more information and to register!
St. Monica Hospitality Suite
Don't forget to visit our St. Monica hospitality suite. It's a great place to take a break, reconvene, and meet up with other attendees from St. Monica.
Friday, February 16
11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. - Sponsored Lunch
1:30–5:00 p.m. - Open for Hospitality
6:00–8:00 p.m. - Wine and Cheese Social
Saturday, February 25
1:30–7:00 p.m. - Open for Hospitality
7:00–8:30 p.m. - Saturday Dinner
We also hope you'll join us to break bread together with dinner at 7:00 p.m.
An entree and sides will be available buffet-style for $20 per person.
St. Monica Hospitality Suite:
Anaheim Marriott, Ste 1744
Oasis Tower (NEW Location!)
700 West Convention Way
Anaheim, CA 92802
(714) 750-8000
Lenten Fish Fry Kicks Off Friday Stations!
This holiday weekend started off at St. Monica with a fantastic Lenten Fish Fry hosted by the Fishers of Men as a festive alternative to weekly soup and Stations of the Cross which take place every Friday throughout Lent.
A parishioner offers his account, “I attended expecting a little fellowship, some sustenance, and a bit of spiritual centering prior to Stations of the Cross. What I actually experienced was an joyful, overflowing crowd of at least 150 hungry parishioners and families. Everyone was full of a vibrant and welcoming spirit, anticipating the pleasure of each others company at dinner and fully determined to launch their individual Lenten journeys as a community. Guests were cared for by an impressive and very hard-working cadre of volunteers who cooked, plated, served and took on clean-up chores afterwards. I couldn't think of a better way of following Christ's example—though I'm not sure he completed his meals with chocolate layer cake.”
Lloyd Fredricks, from the leadership team of Fishers of Men, began the evening with a brief film clip outlining the scope of this faith-sharing group which arose as an initiative from recent Cornerstone retreat weekends. This group of 20–30 men meet each Wednesday morning, 6:30–7:30 a.m. on the bluffs in Santa Monica, at Alta & Ocean Avenues. This is an open group which actively invites new interested members. If you would like more information, contact .
Fr. Matt personally greeted most of the guests and led us in meaningful prayer linking the spiritual activities of Fishers of Men with the season of Lent, and added a personal spirit of gratitude for our community and the food we were about to eat.
#hopebegins
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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