An Evening With the Bishop

A Special Gathering

It was a special evening — volunteers gathered with their priests and Most Reverend Timothy E. Freyer, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Orange, for dinner after a long and grace-filled day of ministry.

The Second Confirmation

To accommodate the families of the candidates, two separate services were held. This Friday, Auxiliary Bishop Freyer confirmed the remaining candidates. The celebration was just as beautiful as the first — marked by his personal witness as he shared the story of his call to the priesthood. His humble beginnings are still evident: at dinner, he stayed, listened, and graciously took time to answer every question.

The Dinner

Arriving first at the rectory, there was an immediate problem: the food had been mistakenly delivered to the ministry center. While the younger members of the team — “Vision” — transferred everything over, the task fell to one person to welcome the priests and Auxiliary Bishop Freyer as they arrived.

Before the meal was served, the main course options were noted: salmon with vegetables, or pasta with chicken parmigiana. After the Caesar salad was served, each guest was asked their preference. Every one of them chose the pasta. It was only after serving them that several trays of lasagna were discovered in the kitchen — and the quiet weight of not having offered it settled in.

Humility

Before the meal arrived, Father Erialdo mentioned that the kitchen appliances were outdated and several weren’t working. Even with a microwave, heating each meal individually would have been a challenge. Dinner arrived barely warm — yet no one complained.

That’s not always an easy thing. When a meal falls short, the temptation to grumble — or send it back — is real. But these gracious men offered a quiet and powerful lesson in humility: it was never about the meal. It was about the richness of the conversation shared around the table.

1 Peter 4:9 (NABRE) “Be hospitable to one another without complaining.”

Patty

Patty, the Confirmation and Youth Ministry Coordinator, clearly operates in the grace of God. An introvert by nature, she surprised many with how effortlessly she engaged Bishop Freyer in conversation. She asked whether he played a musical instrument. He replied that he did not — and that opened a natural door to share that Patty had been part of an all-girl Mariachi group. The Bishop was delightfully surprised and drew her into a deeper conversation about that experience. The quiet, humble spirit this young woman carries is a testament to how she will lead many to Christ. Thanks be to God for her generous service.

Dinner Conversations

Throughout dinner, the conversations unfolded richly while many thoughts stayed quietly in the heart.

The parish is truly blessed to have Father John as Pastor. The following morning, he was set to depart with the eighth-grade class on their trip back east — with arrangements already in place for him to celebrate Mass at several historic cathedrals along the way, including Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.

Cats

When the conversation turned to cats, there was a natural opening to share about Prudie — a beloved companion of more than twenty years. About two years ago, a prayer went up asking the Lord to grant Prudie five more years, and she is living up to that prayer beautifully. Whether one loves cats or not, Prudie’s story has a way of bringing a smile. She is gently and tenderly cared for. There is something quietly profound in that: God blesses those who show care for the elderly and the vulnerable — including the animals entrusted to us. How we treat the least among us is often a mirror of how we ourselves will one day need to be treated.

World Youth Day

Pope Leo XIV has announced that the next World Youth Day will take place in Seoul, South Korea, from August 3–8, 2027. The theme — “Take courage, I have overcome the world” — sets a bold tone for what will be the first World Youth Day ever held in South Korea and only the second in all of Asia. Patty is already working diligently to prepare the Vision team for this momentous pilgrimage — a testament to the missionary heart alive in this parish.

Vision

Vision, an organization born from this parish, is led by Patty with quiet and purposeful devotion. Under her guidance, these young men and women give themselves wholeheartedly to supporting the Youth Ministry — and what they offer is more than assistance. It is witness.

There was a time when it was difficult to imagine how youth, with their limited years and still-forming life experience, could effectively teach others in the faith. But the Holy Spirit has a way of confounding that kind of expectation. What has unfolded under Patty’s gentle and steady hand is a transformation — not just in what these young people do, but in who they are becoming. Their dedication inspires others to pursue a life filled with genuine joy.

1 Timothy 4:12–13 (NABRE) “Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. Until I arrive, attend to the reading, exhortation, and teaching.”

Patty’s Family

During COVID, a blog post — Keeping the Faith — briefly introduced Patty’s family. They faithfully attended outdoor Mass throughout that season, filling eight seats between them. Together, they are a force for holiness. Two of Patty’s younger siblings attended the Confirmation and served as altar servers — a beautiful image of a family that does not simply live the faith quietly at home but brings it with them wherever they go.

Father Erialdo took a moment to share with the Bishop that Patty’s brother is currently in seminary, studying for the priesthood. A family sending a son to the altar of God — that is a gift that multiplies.

Colossians 3:12 (NABRE) “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

Saying Goodbye

Because this parish was the first on the Confirmation schedule in the Diocese of Orange, two more classes remain before the program concludes. The hope is that students will show up — not merely out of obligation, but so that this season of formation can close as it began: together, in community, with the care it deserves.

A Closing Prayer

Lord, how good it is to serve You — especially in the company of those who do so with such quiet and generous hearts. Gratitude rises for every opportunity to walk alongside the youth in this season of formation, and for all who give themselves freely in that service.

For each student who has received the Sacrament of Confirmation: may the sealing of the Holy Spirit they have been given not remain dormant, but blaze to life — bearing fruit in witness, in courage, and in lives surrendered to You.

Pour out Your grace upon the Vision group. Guide them by Your Spirit. Give them clarity of purpose, depth of love, and a boldness in mission that can only come from You. May their service to this community be an ever-deepening act of worship.

Amen.

The Homily

Did you ever imagine that a single Sunday homily could plant such a deep seed?

It all started with an All Souls’ Day Mass. As our priest closed his homily, he left the congregation with words that landed like a gentle reprimand: “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 filed out of church, Mike turned to me. “Where are your mother’s ashes?” I paused. “I believe Norma has them. And she has Myra’s too.” “Well,” he said, “we need to fix this.”

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 walked through several burial options for our loved ones. In the end, we chose to purchase a single niche — one with enough space for two urns — and split the cost between us.

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.

Because Myra was single and without children, the responsibility for arranging her funeral fell to our mother. She was wheelchair-bound — and yet she rose to the moment with a profound act of love, making every major decision for Myra’s service with quiet strength and grace.

Our family came together, unified in grief and purpose, to organize the details — including choosing who would speak. When the service concluded, I rode with my sister Norma. She carefully placed Myra’s ashes in the back seat of her SUV, securing them as though she were still watching over her. It was a comforting sight — our sister, entrusted with bringing Myra home, handling her remains with all the respect and dignity Myra deserved.

Mother’s Tribute

Five months after Myra’s passing, we lost our mother.

Once again, we gathered — this time at a different location — to make the arrangements and honor her well. Our mother loved Mariachi music, so we brought in a trio to play some of her favorite songs. That evening, family surrounded her memory with celebration, laughter, and love, honoring the legacy she had spent a lifetime building.

She, too, was cremated. And once again, Norma took on the quiet responsibility of watching over her ashes — faithful to the end, as she had been for Myra.

The Journey

In early November 2025, Mike and I began the process of having Mom and Myra interred at Hermosa Cemetery in Colton — the same place where our oldest brother Robert had already been laid to rest. It mattered deeply to us that we could visit all three of them in one place.

The first task was to bring all four of my siblings on board. Since Mike and I had initiated this undertaking, the coordination fell to me — setting up meetings, gathering the family, and requesting the proper documents. The process was not without its challenges.

Transporting the Ashes

The human body does not cease to matter at death. The body of the deceased brings forcefully to mind the Church’s conviction that the human body is, in Christ, a temple of the Holy Spirit — destined for future glory at the resurrection of the dead. This conviction shapes everything about how cremated remains are to be handled and where they are to rest.

The cremated remains of a body are to be treated with the same respect given to the human body from which they come — including the manner in which they are carried, the care taken in transport, and their final disposition. They should be buried in a grave or entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium. Scattering cremated remains on the sea, from the air, or on the ground, or keeping them in the home of a relative or friend, is not the reverent disposition the Church requires.

This practice is inseparable from the faith it expresses. Burying the dead in a sacred place expresses the Church’s faith in the resurrection of the body and shows the great dignity of the human body as an integral part of the human person whose body forms part of their identity.

In the United States, the Postal Service is uniquely equipped to handle the transport of cremated remains with care and reliability, ensuring they arrive at their final resting place with the dignity they deserve. Jo generously contributed $140 to cover the shipping costs — one more act of love in a long journey of love.

The Service

Jo had already made arrangements to fly in from New Orleans, and at last — the day arrived.

The family gathered. My brother George came with his wife Mary and their adult children, Robert and Gina. My brother Mike attended with two of his sons, Rong and Nick, and his grandson Michael. Our nephew Mario was there as well. And my own family — Mikos, Sonja, and Russ — surrounded me with their presence.

And of course, Mike — who had been by my side through every step of this journey — was there at the end of it too.

Honoring Mom and Myra

We took turns sharing stories about “Ma” and Myra — stories threaded through with love, sacrifice, and the particular tenderness that only family carries.

Jo recalled the many trips she made from Louisiana with her four sons to visit us. After the long drive, our mother’s first instinct was to send Jo straight to bed to rest — while she took over watching the boys. That was Ma. She gave before anyone thought to ask. Jo, in turn, made arrangements for our mother to come visit her in Louisiana, ensuring the love traveled in both directions.

Myra was a wonderful aunt — and for some of her nieces and nephews, she was far more than that. She helped direct their lives at pivotal moments, offering guidance with a steady hand and a generous heart. To those who knew her best, she was the sweetest, most selfless person in the room — and always the one willing to speak the truth, even when it was hard to hear. Myra set the tone for joy wherever she went. Her laughter was simply contagious.

Our mother worked early morning hours in the food service department at San Bernardino Valley College, catching a bus before the rest of the household was awake. But she never left without first putting on a fresh pot of oatmeal. As the boys grew old enough to work, they stepped in to help carry the financial weight of the family — a quiet inheritance of her example.

Even now, it is easy to believe that Ma is still holding this family together. She looks down from heaven with that broad smile of hers, knowing that we are all doing well — because of the love she poured into us, and the way she chose to raise us.

My Prayer

Dear Lord,

May the story shared here give others the courage to do what love requires — to finally bring their loved ones home, to lay them to rest with the dignity and reverence they deserve.

Thank You for the gift of family, and for the grace that gathered us together on this day. Thank You for a mother who loved well and a sister who laughed freely — and for the mercy that now holds them both.

May Mom and Myra rest in Your peace, forever.

Amen.