December 10, 2023

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This weekend we find ourselves in between two celebrations of Our Lady. On Friday we celebrated the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Immaculate Conception is the patroness of the United States. On this day, we recognize that God existed before time and the mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrection (as well as the gifts received from this act) are outside of time. God gave Mary the gift of being conceived (her parents were Saints Joachim and Anne) without original sin (the sin of Adam and Eve). This allowed Mary, the New Eve, to have complete freedom, not affected by the effects of original sin, to choose to say yes or no to the call to be the Mother of the Redeemer. Her yes gave us the great gift of Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer.

On Tuesday, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Mary, under this title, is patroness of the Americas, children in the womb (she appeared in Advent and so appeared as a pregnant woman), as well as our Diocese of Orange. Mary appeared December 9-12, 1531, to St. Juan Diego who was on his way to get a priest to anoint his uncle Bernardino who was dying. Mary told Juan to go to the bishop to ask that a church be built so that people may have access to her Son in Holy Communion and the sacraments. Bernardino was miraculously healed, the roses (that would not be blooming in the cold mountains) that were collected into Juan’s tilma miraculously turned into Our Lady’s image that is intact (and at body temperature) in Mexico City. Let us ask Mary, under these titles, to pray for us, that we will resist sin and draw closer to her Son.

In Christ,

Bishop Tim Freyer

December 3, 2023

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Driving back and forth from Anaheim to Dana Point, I have learned to time my drives so as to minimize the amount of time I spend sitting in traffic.  Most, if not all of us, don’t like to wait or be delayed. Yet, this Advent season is calling us to wait, be patient, and slow down.  

We wait primarily for the Lord’s return in glory.  We pray for that every time we pray the Our Father asking that “Thy kingdom come…”. We wait and prepare for the Lord’s return by striving to be holy, being people of prayer, receiving the sacraments regularly (especially confession), and loving our neighbor.  

We also are waiting for the annual celebration of Christmas when we recall God’s great love for us that He gave us His only son, born of the Virgin Mary, like us in all things but sin.  As tempting as it is to listen to Christmas music (I know the radio has been playing Christmas carols for a month) and decorate our tree, let us try to resist—waiting for the actual celebration and enjoying the Christmas season which extends through mid-January.  

This slower, waiting time is designed to allow us to focus on our prayer life.  You may wish to pray the rosary each day as this Advent season focuses on the Blessed Mother.  You may wish to read the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ conception, birth and childhood.  You may want to come visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. You may wish to listen to the beautiful Advent music that has enriched this season for centuries. No matter how you pray, let us make this Advent a time of prayerful waiting, longing for the Lord’s return and the celebration of His birth.  

Bishop Tim Freyer

November 26, 2023

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with family and friends. I have been praying even more for our parish this week, that we all would be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we spend time in prayer asking him what the appropriate amount for each of us is to give back to God in gratitude for all He has given us.

This weekend as we celebrate Christ the King, I would like to share with you a little bit about Blessed Miguel Pro, one of the Mexican martyrs of the last century. As a child Miguel was known for his deep spirituality as well as his sense of humor. While he was studying for the priesthood, a wave of governmental anti-Catholicism gripped Mexico and so he was sent to Spain then to Belgium to be ordained a priest in 1925.

Due to severe stomach problems, he returned to Mexico the following year. His ministry had to be undercover due to the government’s crackdown on the Faith. For example, Father Miguel would dress up as a gardener and then sneak into a home to baptize the children and celebrate the sacraments. Fr. Miguel was also known for his great charity and care of the poor.

Eventually, the government was frustrated by his successful ministry and falsely claimed that he was involved in a car bombing against the Mexican president. Fr. Miguel escaped arrest for some time (there is a picture of him in disguise standing outside of a police station—a sign that he did not lose his sense of humor during the persecution). Eventually, he was caught and brought before a firing squad. As he faced death with arms outstretched, he exclaimed, “Long live Christ the King!” and was martyred.

May we also be bold in sharing our faith to our coworkers, friends, and strangers.

Bishop Tim Freyer