The Church in California

Pope Leo XIV has praised Dorothy Day for her commitment to social justice and her work with marginalized groups. In his May encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, the pope listed Day among several figures whose dedication helped make history more humane.

The pope previously spoke about Day during a gathering of Jubilee pilgrims last November. He described her as a small but great American woman with fire within her, noting that she stood up for workers, migrants, and those discarded by the economy because she recognized that the country's development model did not provide equal opportunities for everyone.

French writer Georges Bernanos authored the novel Diary of a Country Priest while living in Majorca in 1932. The book follows a sickly young curate who struggles with stomach cancer and the perception of being a drunkard because he can only consume bread and wine.

The protagonist experiences various challenges within his pastoral community, including parishioners who are bored and a countess who rages against God following the death of her infant son. The priest also faces a failed attempt to help a young girl who responds by trying to seduce him. Throughout the story, the priest deals with personal doubts regarding his ability to pray and his frequent mistakes.

OC Catholic released an episode of its podcast to honor the life and work of Richard Unfried, a longtime organist and church musician.

Unfried served many congregations across Southern California and reached a global audience through the Hour of Power broadcasts. He performed at the Arboretum and the Crystal Cathedral spaces on the local campus. The podcast episode features an interview between Unfried and Dr. John A. Romeri titled Music from the Tower.

The fish served as the most common symbol associated with the ancient Church, appearing frequently in archaeological records through graffiti, oil lamps, mosaics, and frescoes. According to Mike Aquilina, the symbol was as widespread in antiquity as the cross is today.

The fish primarily represented Jesus Christ. In the Greek language used by the early Church, the symbol functioned as an acronym for the phrase Jesus Christ, Son of God. While the cross is a central symbol for modern Christians, it was rarely depicted during the earliest centuries of Christianity.

Greg Warner Sr. was elected Supreme Navigator of the Knights of Peter Claver, marking the first time a member from the Western United States has held the national leadership position.

The Knights of Peter Claver is the largest historically African-American Catholic lay organization in the country. Members support parishes and apostolates through community service, evangelization, and outreach to the poor. While Louisiana and Texas have traditionally been the strongholds of the order, former supreme knight F. DeKarlos Blackmon noted that Warner's election highlights the history of Black Catholicism in Los Angeles.

Transfiguration Church in Leimert Park, where Warner’s local council is based, held a special Mass of Thanksgiving for his election on September 6. Archbishop Shelton Fabre of Louisville, the order's National Supreme Chaplain, attended the service.

Students in the Diocese of Orange have begun a new school year of learning and faith formation.

La Purísima Catholic School in Orange has replaced electronic devices and worksheets with a play-based curriculum for its preschool program. The school spent the summer redesigning the program to focus on hands-on, investigative learning through station rotations in science, social studies, pre-literacy, and pre-numeracy.

The new curriculum uses The Creative Curriculum and serves as a pilot program for Pax Christi Academies, a coalition of five Catholic schools in Orange County. Claudia Danzer, the head of instructional excellence for Pax Christi Academies, said research indicates children learn best through play, which allows them to experience the world at an age-appropriate level.

The school held an open house on August 10 to allow new students to meet their teachers and for prospective parents to view the changes.

Rosary Academy broke ground on a new learning, innovation and athletics center during a ceremony held Aug. 26. Bishop Kevin Vann attended the event to bless the construction site.

The two-story, 12,000-square-foot building is scheduled to open in September 2027. According to Rosary officials, the facility will include an innovation and robotics center, a culinary arts classroom, and dedicated spaces for athletics and training. The center will also provide areas for mentorship, retreats and mission-driven formation. An elevator will be installed to ensure the building meets ADA compliance.

Shawna Pautsch, the head of school, described the project as a way to create opportunities for future generations of young women. She noted that the project represents the collective prayers and sacrifices of the community.

St. John the Baptist School in Costa Mesa held a blessing and dedication ceremony for its new gymnasium on August 29. The project concludes a decades-long effort to provide indoor facilities for the school and parish community.

Abbot John Caronan, O.Praem., of St. Michael’s Abbey, performed the blessing and cut the ribbon to open the building. Following the ribbon cutting, Abbot Caronan and the pastor of St. John the Baptist, Fr. Pascal Bao Nguyen, O.Praem., blessed the interior of the gym.

The new facility allows students to move sports competitions and physical education classes indoors. Previously, the school held volleyball, basketball, and outdoor classes subject to weather conditions like rain or extreme heat, which often forced the cancellation or shortening of activities. Fr. Louis Hagar, O.Praem., a Norbertine priest from St. Michael’s Abbey, noted that the building resulted from the community's persistent prayers and efforts.

Patti Abeyta has directed the Christ Cathedral Academy preschool for 30 years within the Diocese of Orange. Abeyta began her work in 1996 when she was appointed to establish a preschool at St. Callistus Catholic Church with 17 students. That program later moved to Christ Cathedral in 2013.

Abeyta and her staff manage various daily responsibilities, including student care, meal delivery, and assisting children with personal needs. Parents, such as Wilfred Gelin Jr., have noted that the staff's supportive environment helps students overcome challenges like separation anxiety to prepare them for advanced education.

The Church celebrates the feast of St. Pius of Pietrelcina, commonly known as Padre Pio, on September 23.

Born on May 25, 1887, in Pietrelcina, Italy, he joined the Capuchin Franciscan Friars Minor at age 15 and was ordained a priest at 23. Six years after his ordination, he was assigned to a friary outside San Giovanni Rotondo, where he remained until his death on September 23, 1968. He is buried in the church of Our Lady of Grace in that town.

Pope St. John Paul II canonized him on June 16, 2002.

The Diocese of Orange has selected "There’s More: Living the Magis" as the theme for its 37 Catholic schools this academic year. The theme aligns with the diocese's 50th Jubilee, which was celebrated last month at the Honda Center.

The term Magis comes from the Ignatian tradition and means the more or the greater. According to the diocese, the theme encourages teachers and students to seek what brings the greater glory of God rather than simply increasing busyness. For the schools, this involves pursuing excellence in the classroom, treating service to others as a response to human need rather than a requirement, and exceeding basic expectations. The diocese currently serves more than 16,500 students.

OC Catholic issued a call for prayer to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks. The announcement asks people to pray for the 2,977 people who died and the thousands who were injured during the attacks.

The publication also encourages prayers for those whose lives were permanently changed by the event and those still dealing with its effects. It invites people to honor the heroes and remember the victims and their families.

Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ, led a Mass at Mission San José in Fremont on Aug. 22 to mark the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi and the queenship of the Virgin Mary. Following the liturgy, Bishop Barber blessed the new Ohlone Memorial Garden at the mission.

The Mass took place at the shrine to St. Joseph, where Franciscans established a mission in 1797. During the event, Bishop Barber expressed gratitude to the Franciscan monks and the Ohlone people who helped build the mission.

Father Thi Van Hoang, the pastor of Mission San José, said the memorial garden project honors both the Ohlone people and the people of faith who served the mission. The celebration combined the jubilee of St. Francis with the regional history of the East Bay.

Bill Larson has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through bicycle riding.

The Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 14.

The feast commemorates the discovery of the True Cross by Saint Helena. It also marks the dedication of the basilica and shrine that Constantine built on Calvary to honor the site of the crucifixion of Jesus.