God calls us in the midst of ordinary things. Often only looking for God in the dramatic, spectacular, the ritual or the sacred places, we miss that He is walking beside us. Every moment of every day, in every circumstance and experience, God is calling to us, “Follow me.” Sometimes, we are too distracted to hear this call. Other times, we would rather ignore it or pretend it wasn’t heard. God, however, is very persistent. Whether we fine tune our hearing to receive this invitation now or when we close our eyes in death, we need to make a choice. The choice involves leaving some things behind and moving forward, taking risks. Choosing to keep focused and single-minded, the lens we then use to see our world and one another is God’s, not our own. Life is no longer about what is important or matters to me but what matters to God. We acquire a new filter and are asked to use that filter to make choices, establish priorities, and determine what direction we will take, and how to love. Once we accept God’s invitation, we cannot keep looking back to what was left behind, only forward to the surprises yet to come.
A national Eucharistic Revival launched last weekend. Here is how the Archdiocese of Los Angeles is taking part:
WHY // To renew the Church by enkindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.
WHAT // A movement of Catholics across the United States, healed, converted, formed, and unified by an encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist—and sent out in mission “for the life of the world.”
HOW // A series of Archdiocesan experiences proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and promoting Eucharistic devotion:
I am truly passionate about working with young people, inspiring joy, and fostering a greater connection to one's faith through song. While teaching musicianship skills, posture, breathing, and performance skills, I also want my choristers to experience the uplifting power of choral singing and the sense of kinship and community a choir offers. As we learn, we're empowered to approach music with confidence. Accomplishing new things together gives us a sense of pride and self-worth, both individually and as a group.
Although learning music can sometimes be a daunting task, we make sure rehearsals are exciting and fun amidst the work involved! I make a point of connecting with singers and their families on a personal level, developing a safe and trustworthy environment for each and every child to thrive and grow in their musical journey and their faith journey alike.
Our St. Monica Youth Choir rehearses every Sunday morning from 8:40 to 9:25 a.m. in the St. André Bessette Chapel. All are welcome, ages 7 to 17 to become a part of something amazing taking place. Come listen to us this coming Sunday at the 9:30 a.m. Mass and drop in to say hello!
-Heather Catalena, Youth Choir Director,
We are still receiving applications for the Directory of Liturgy & Worship! This full-time, exempt position will work closely with our pastor and ministry directors to form a shared leadership team, with the ultimate goal of promoting full, conscious, and active participation for all of our parish community. The position will remain open until filled.
Director of Liturgy & Worship 2022