COMMUNITY OF FAITH CHORALFEST 2022
The Community of Faith Choralfest 2022 was held on Sunday, May 22 at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Laguna Woods. The event was the sixth annual celebration of music offered in thanksgiving for the friendship shared and for the faith-filled ministry to the people of God. St. Nicholas Catholic parish hosted the event featuring choirs and cantors from five Laguna Woods congregations: Temple Judea, Geneva Presbyterian Church, St. George Episcopal Church, Lutheran Church of the Cross and St. Nicholas Catholic Church.
The church was filled to standing room only and the program began with a welcome by Emett Loera, director of music ministry at St. Nicholas parish.
“We come together to celebrate the 57th anniversary of all our parishes with one exception, said Loera. “St. George Episcopal Church has been with us for 131 years.”
Loera next read a statement by Father George Blaise, pastor of St. Nicolas Catholic Church, who was called away unexpectedly. Father George asked for prayer and a moment of silence for the people of Ukraine and, closer to home, the victims and families of the recent tragedy at Geneva Presbyterian Church.
—Submitted by Andy Costello
NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has launched the National Eucharistic Revival, a three-year grassroots initiative of devotion and faith in the Real Jesus in the Eucharist, starting on the feast of Corpus Christi.
Join the Diocese of Orange as we begin the National Eucharistic Revival on Saturday, June 18 with Mass and a Eucharistic Procession led by Bishop Timothy Freyer. Mass begins at 4:30 p.m. at Christ Cathedral, with a procession around the campus to follow.
The Office for Worship has launched a page on the Diocese of Orange’s website for the initiative: www.rcbo.org/revival.
THE GENTLEMEN’S HABERDASHERY RAISES MORE THAN $500,000
The Gentlemen’s Haberdashery, one of Orange County’s longest and most celebrated charitable fundraisers and social events, raised a record-breaking amount of more than $500,000 this year. The event was held on Thursday, April 28, at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach, with nearly 400 people in attendance.
“We are grateful for the heartwarming community support for Gentlemen’s Haberdashery and the incredible funds raised, which enable us to serve thousands of children and families each year at the Heart of Jesus Retreat Center in Santa Ana. We are blessed to be able to continue our mission and encourage children to grow in their love for Jesus and each other through the Retreat Center programs and camp,” said Sister Paula Sawhill, of the Sisters of the Society Devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Some of Orange County’s most prominent executives and community leaders modeled a full range of menswear to raise funds for the Heart of Jesus Retreat Center in Santa Ana.
The Heart of Jesus Retreat Center is operated by the Sisters of the Society Devoted to the Sacred Heart to provide religious and integrity formation and avenues of faith development for children, youth, adults and families, all within the confines of a safe, secure and Presence of Santa Ana. The Center welcomes more than 12,000 attendees each year, many from local parishes, schools, and more.
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL ANNOUNCES NEXT PRESIDENT
Servite High School, a leading all-male, Catholic college preparatory high school, announced that alumnus Chris Weir will become the school’s next president effective July 1, 2022. A 1997 graduate of Servite, Weir succeeds Randall Adams, who announced his plans to retire in February. The decision to hire Weir was unanimously approved by the school’s board of directors following the recommendation of a selection committee formed following Adams’s retirement announcement.
“We are most excited about Chris Weir coming on board as the new president of Servite High School,” said Philip Stump, Chairman of Servite’s board of directors.