A longtime Church employee who taught religious studies at Mater Dei High School for 21 years, Carol Koppenheffer was devastated when her husband left her 10 years ago. ST. HELEN, PATRON OF DIVORCED PEOPLE AND DIFFICULT MARRIAGES. COURTESY OF SHUTTERSTOCK “Going from being a ‘we’ couple to a ‘me’ single was very hard,” she said. “I didn’t know where I fit in anymore.” Catholics who have experienced divorce or marital separation say they not only feel abandoned by their spouse, but often feel abandoned by the Church. They might ask themselves: Why doesn’t the Church do more for us? “Remain in ..read more

Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D., a leading expert on the proof of faith through science, and Adriana Acutis, a noted researcher on the Holy Shroud of Turin, led a discussion at the Christ Cathedral campus recently on Eucharistic miracles and the connection between the Holy Shroud, believed to be the linen cloth used to wrap the body of Jesus after His crucifixion, and the Divine Mercy painting. The April 6 presentation, held in the in the Arboretum on the Christ Cathedral campus, also featured visuals and displays and drew close to 1,000 attendees. Fr. Spitzer, president of the Magis Center fo ..read more

John, Eden and their son Jethro visiting the Louvre Museum in Paris, France during spring break. — Submitted by The Ruiz Family, La Purísima parish in Orange ..read more

Welcome to another episode of Orange County Catholic Radio, featuring host Rick Howick. On this week’s show, Rick welcomes Dr. Erin Barisano back to the program. Dr. Barisano is the Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Orange. Our topic of discussion today will center on the state of Catholic education in Orange County. How are things looking as we approach the end of the 2023-2024 school year? And by the way, we are looking for teachers with a heart for Catholic education! Listen to get the details.   Click here to listen ..read more

Welcome to another episode of Orange County Catholic Radio, featuring host Rick Howick. On this week’s episode, we have brought in some special guests to share about upcoming events on the Chris Cathedral campus. On the first half of the podcast, Rick sits down with guests Fr. Al Baca and Fr. John Monestero to talk about the soon arrival of the St Jude relic to our diocese, and the significance and value of relics. Next, we check in with Dr. Elysabeth Nguyen and Fr. Quang Chu to get the latest update on the progress of the Marian Gardens and its soon grand opening. It’s going to be an amazing ..read more

Mater Dei High School  here in the heart of Orange County, California, is a powerhouse in any number of things. ON FEB. 12, THE MATER DEI MONARCHS WON THE 2024 NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL CHEERLEADING CHAMPIONSHIP. PHOTO COURTESY OF MATER DEI CHEER TEAM Football, for one thing. Cheerleading, for another. The Mater Dei cheerleading team took second in 2022 and third in 2023 at the UCA National High School Cheerleading Championships. Silver and bronze – but not gold. What, Mater Dei cheer coach Katie Bowers thought to herself, needs to change? The routine, that’s what.   On Feb. 12, at the ..read more

Deacon Steve Greco recalls the aha moment. He and his team had been compiling footage of various “I Thirst” events as part of a three-year, 21-city evangelical tour that is a companion movement to the National Eucharist Revival when, during dinner with his colleagues after an event in Fresno in March 2023, it hit him. “I thought, ‘There’s a move here,’” said Deacon Steve, a permanent deacon and director of evangelization and formation for the Diocese of Orange who serves at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Irvine. “There’s a movie to be made about this Eucharistic revival and the ‘I ..read more

Christ cathedral will celebrate the feast day of St. Peregrine, patron saint of cancer patients and hope for youth at risk, with a special Mass and blessing with relics of the saint on Saturday, May 4 at 12:30 p.m. St. Peregrine is widely known as the patron saint of those who suffer with cancer. But he is also the patron saint of “youth at risk.” Once in a gang, he met compassion and came to peace and joined the Servite Order ..read more

At the age of 11, Bryson Bisuna was enrolled at St. Serra Catholic School in Rancho Santa Margarita – a typical path for many of his contemporaries. Yet Bisuna’s path was anything but typical. Because at the same time, he was enrolled and graduated Magna cum Laude from Irvine Valley with an associate degree in computer science. Then it was on to UC San Diego where, in one year, Bisuna earned bachelor’s degree in mathematics- computer science. He was 15. Bryson Bisuna has the distinction of being “gifted.” While the word can be used in a variety of ways, the National Association of Gifted Child ..read more

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