It was a special evening for some of us volunteers to break bread with our priests and the bishop.

The Second Confirmation

To accommodate the families of the candidates, we had to organize two services. This Friday, Bishop Timothy Freyer confirmed the remaining candidates. The service was just as beautiful as the last, with Bishop Timothy sharing his journey into his vocation. His humble beginnings remain evident as he graciously took time to answer our questions at dinner.

The Dinner

I was the first to arrive at the rectory because the dinners were mistakenly delivered to the ministry center. While the younger members of our team, “Vision,” were busy transferring the dinner to the rectory, I ended up being the only one there to welcome our priests and the bishop.

Before we served the meal, I noticed there were different choices for the main course: salmon with vegetables and pasta with chicken parmigiana. After serving the Caesar salad, I asked our guests what they preferred—salmon or pasta. To my surprise, they all chose the pasta. After serving our guests, we discovered several dishes of lasagna, and I felt responsible for not offering this option to them.

Humility

Before the meal arrived, Father Erialdo mentioned that the kitchen appliances were outdated and some weren’t working. Even with a microwave, heating each meal individually would have been challenging. Our dinner was barely warm, yet no one complained. I, on the other hand, tend to complain, and if my meal isn’t up to par, I send it back immediately! These gracious men taught me a valuable lesson in humility—that it wasn’t the meal that mattered, but the rich conversation they shared.

Patty, our Confirmation and Youth Ministry Coordinator, truly operates in the grace of God. An introvert by nature, she surprised me with how effortlessly she engaged in conversation with Bishop Freyer.  Patty asked him if he played a musical instrument. He replied, “No, I do not.” This provided the perfect opportunity for me to share that Patty was part of an all-girl Mariachi group. The Bishop was pleasantly surprised and inquired further into her experiences as a Mariachi. The quiet and humble demeanor of this young lady is a testament to how she will lead many to Christ. I thank God for her dedicated service.

Dinner Conversations

I found myself mostly listening to the dinner conversations, keeping many of my thoughts to myself.

Our parish is truly blessed to have Father John as our Pastor. The following morning, he was set to leave with the 8th-grade class on their trip back east. Father John mentioned that arrangements had been made for him to celebrate Mass at various cathedrals.  Saint Patrick Cathedral in New York City and Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral in Washington, D.C. are a few where Mass will be celebrated.

Cats

When the conversation turned to cats, I joined in and shared about Prudie, my beloved cat who is over twenty years old. About two years ago, I prayed for the Lord to grant Prudie five more years, and she is indeed living up to my prayers. Whether you’re a cat lover or not, stories about Prudie always bring a smile. One more important fact: Prudie is gently being love by us. I feel that God blesses those who take care of elderly pets and the way we treat them is how we will be treated once we get up in years.

World Youth Day

Pope Leo XIV has just announced that the next World Youth Day will take place in Seoul, South Korea, from August 3rd to 8th. Patty is working diligently to prepare the Vision team for this momentous event.

Vision

Vision,  an organization born from our parish, is led by Patty. Under her guidance, these young men and women dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to supporting the Youth Ministry. Initially, I struggled to understand how they could effectively teach classes given their youth and limited life experience. With the Holy Spirit guiding Patty’s gentle hand in shaping these young minds into servants, I’ve witnessed firsthand their dedication and transformation as they inspire others to live a life filled  with joy.

Patty’s Family

During COVID I shared a Blog mentioning  Patty’s family (Keeping The Faith). They faithfully attended outdoor Mass during this time and took up eight seats! They are devout and together are a force for holiness. Patty’s two younger siblings attended the Confirmation and assisted as altar servers.

Father Erialdo shared with the bishop that Patty’s brother was in seminary studying for the priesthood.

Since we were the first parish on the list for Confirmations in the Diocese of Orange, we have two more classes left to finish the program. Hopefully the students will attend so that we can bid them a proper good-bye.

I will be back the following year because Jacob, our youngest grandson, will be starting the two-year program. So, God willing, I will be around for two more years. Pray for me!

My Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You for the opportunity to serve and guide the youth through our volunteer efforts. I pray that all the students who have completed their Sacrament of Confirmation may be sealed for life in service to You. Lord, move mightily over the Vision group and continue to grant them revelations to better serve our community. Amen.

Did you ever imagine a Sunday’s homily could plant such a deep seed?

The Homily

It all started with an All Souls’ Day homily, our priest ended with these words: “And if you have family members’ ashes in your closet, shame on you! You need to do the right thing and have a proper burial.” As we exited the service Mike asked me, “Where are your mother’s ashes?” My response, “I believe Norma has them, and she also has Myra’s.” “Well, we need to fix this,” Mike added.  And so the journey to properly inter Mom and Myra began.

The Options for Burial

We met with a representative from Hermosa Cemetery and were given several options for the burial of our loved ones, but we decided to purchase a niche that had enough space for two urns and split the cost.

A Tribute to Myra

Fifteen years ago, we said our final goodbyes to our beloved sister Myra. Though her remains were cremated, the service we held for her was truly beautiful.  Since Myra was single and without children, the responsibility for arranging her funeral fell to our mother. Despite being wheelchair-bound, she demonstrated a profound act of love by making the major decisions for Myra’s service.

Our family came together in unity as we organized the details, including selecting who would speak at Myra’s service. I remembered the moment when the service concluded, riding with my sister Norma, who securely placed Myra’s ashes in the back seat of her SUV. It was a comforting sight, knowing that our sister was entrusted with assuring Myra’s remains were treated with respect and dignity

Mother’s Tribute

Five months after Myra’s death our mother was taken from us. Again we all gathered to make the special arrangements. But this time it was at a different location. Our mother loved Mariachi music, so we arranged for a trio to play some of her favorite tunes. Later that evening we all gathered in a celebration to honor the legacy our beautiful mother left. She, too, was cremated. Again, Norma took on the responsibility of watching over her ashes.

The setback:  an unexpected complication involving the spelling of a name. At this point I felt defeated! Another deadline was requested, this time for January 15th.

Typo on the Death Certificate 

The Vital Statistics letter indicated a name discrepancy but did not specify further. Was it my name? I had changed the spelling of “Linda” to “Lynda” in sixth grade after swapping vowels with my best friend Nancy.

After multiple attempts to reach the Vital Statistics office, I finally spoke to someone. I asked if I could guess the issue and, surprisingly, received a “yes.” It turned out that my mother’s name was misspelled on her death certificate, not mine. What a relief!

To resolve this, I needed mother’s birth certificate. Fortunately, my sister-in-law Mary had a copy of it, which was a blessing.

Overcoming Obstacles

The next day, I had to repeat the process of notarizing, certifying, and mailing the documents to the Vital Records office in Arizona. During this frustrating time, in tears I called my sister Jo, who provided emotional support and quickly sent funds to redo the paperwork.

It took another week to finally receive my mother’s death certificate. I made another appointment with the Vital Records in San Bernardino to get the final permit. From there we headed to Hermosa Cemetery to finally put this all  (literally) to rest

Transporting the Ashes

When it comes to handling the cremated remains of a loved one, the Catholic Church emphasizes the importance of treating these remains with the utmost dignity and respect. This respect is rooted in the belief that the human body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and, even in death, deserves reverence (1 Cor 6:19-20). The Church teaches that cremated remains should be given a proper and sacred resting place, such as being buried in a cemetery or entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium, rather than being scattered or kept at home. This practice reflects our faith in the resurrection of the body and the promise of eternal life.

In the United States, the Postal Service is uniquely equipped to handle the sacred task of transporting cremated remains. Recognized for its reliability and care in managing such sensitive shipments, the Postal Service ensures that the remains arrive at their final resting place with the dignity they deserve. Jo, generously contributed $140 to cover the costs of shipping these remains through the Postal Service.

The Service

Jo had already made arrangements to fly in from New Orleans to attend the service. Finally the day arrived! My brother George, along with Mary, his wife, their adult children, Robert and Gina.  Mike, my other brother, attended with two of his sons; Rong and Nick and grandson Michael. Our nephew Mario also attended. My family, Mikos, Sonja and Russ, were there as well. And of course Mike, who helped me every step of the way, was by my side.

Honoring Mom and Myra

We all shared endearing stories about “Ma” and Myra. Our stories were filled with memories of love and sacrifices. For instance my sister Jo made many trips with her four sons to visit our family. When she arrived from the long drive, mother sent her to bed to get much-needed rest, while she watched the boys. Jo also made arrangements for our mother to visit her in Louisiana.

Myra was a wonderful aunt and to some of her nieces and nephews she played a vital role in helping to direct their lives. To me my sister was the sweetest, selfless person, who always called out the truth. Myra set the tone for joy; her laughter was contagious.

Our mother worked early hours at the San Bernardino Valley College food service.. I remember her leaving early to catch a bus for work. She would always leave us a fresh pot of oatmeal.  When our brothers were old enough to work, they helped mother meet our financial needs. I believe even now our Mother is still holding our family together. She looks down from heaven with a broad smile, knowing that we are all doing great because of her love and the manner she raised us.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, I pray that the information I shared will help others to finally put their loved ones to rest. I thank our Mother for all the love we as a family shared on this special day. May Mom and Myra forever rest in peace. Amen.