October 22, 2023

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This weekend our Diocese is having (had if you are reading this on Sunday) our Eucharistic Congress, entitled “I AM”. As I write this, we are expecting more than 5,000 people to attend the event for young adults on Friday and the Congress on Saturday. Some have wondered why we would name the event “I AM”. In the book of Exodus chapter 3, the Lord tells Moses that He has heard the prayers of His people and will set them free from slavery in Egypt. As they continue talking about how the Lord will do this, Moses asks the Lord what to say if people ask him who sent him to lead the people. God responds by saying, “This is what you will tell the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” In other words, “I AM” is the name the Lord uses for himself.

Jesus will use this a number of times in the Gospel. Jesus describes himself in John’s Gospel as (the numbers after refer to the chapter and verse in John’s gospel): I AM the bread of life. 6:35, 48, 51; I AM the light of the world. 8:12; 9:5; I AM the door of the sheep. 10:7, 9; I AM the good shepherd. 10:11, 14; I AM the resurrection and the life. 11:25; I AM the way, the truth, and the life. 14:6; and I AM the true vine 15:1. I invite you to take time each day this week and prayerfully read these passages (and the passages before/after) so as to know the Lord more closely. Bishop Tim Freyer

October 13, 2023

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Over these past few weeks, I have received a number of emails, letters, phone calls as well as met in person with many people who have had questions, thoughts, opinions and concerns about our parish. The more common questions (asked very politely) is, “Why did the bishop send you here?” and “How are you going to be part time here and part time at the diocese?”. These are excellent questions. Because Bishop Vann views this is an important parish he wanted to put in a person that has had experience as a pastor of a large parish. Given that my last pastorate was of a tri-lingual parish with 6,000 families and 10 weekend Masses in an economically challenged area, he thought that I would be able to take care of the administration more easily than a priest without that background. We also didn’t want to rush and just put anyone here, but to have me here for 9 month shelps to give a realistic idea of the strengths and needs of the parish and the type of pastor that will continue to build it up for many years.

I love my ministry so I don’t see it as work. Thus, I am willing to spend 10-12 hours a day 6 days a week in ministry. I have also reduced my commitments at the diocese. Being in a parish again gives me great joy and I am delighted to be with you. Having had the opportunity to speak with so many of you and to observe how things are going, there will be some minor changes here and there. For example, the other priests and I noticed that a number of people choose to receive Holy Communion kneeling and have a difficult time getting back up. We will eventually have a kneeler available at a communion station so as to prevent people falling. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to guide us in all of our discernments that everything we do will be His will.

I hope to see you at the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress next Saturday. Bishop Tim Freyer

October 8, 2023

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, While at Hoag Hospital with yet another bout of pneumonia, my mom who had beaten colon cancer, breast cancer and three lung cancers decided that she was ready to go to the Lord. I then called a palliative care doctor I knew who worked at Hoag and the next day he met us, gave my mom Lourdes water and explained what would happen if she continued with treatment for her COPD and other ailments (including the need for 24 hour care) as well as what would happen if she discontinued treatment. After finishing, he asked my mom what she wanted. Her emphatic response was, “I want to go home!” The doctor started to explain again that she would need caregivers at which point she cut him off and said, “My home is in heaven! I want to be with the Lord.” My mom then went onto hospice care, did not experience pain, and was lucid until the night she died in her sleep. She had the opportunity to say goodbye to her friends and give them hope in the promise of the resurrection as well as die having received the sacraments.

As we continue respect life month, I would like to highlight the good work of the Caring for the Whole Person Initiative (CWPI) https://wholeperson.care/ that was started by the California bishops in response to the legalization of assisted suicide in California. The CWPI provides a number of resources such as spiritual support, information on palliative care and hospice, information on the Church’s teaching as well as information on advance planning. Let us pray for all who are sick and those who care for them, that the Lord give them comfort, peace and hope.

Bishop Tim Freyer