The Covid 19 pandemic has unleashed terrible discrimination and verbal/physical attacks upon our Asian American brothers and sisters.  States, cities, and communities are examining their consciences on how our Asian community has been treated over the years. Here in California, we deserve no better than an F.  Here are three examples of how Asians came to our State, and how their success led to punitive legislative measures:  I.  CHINESE FARM WORKERS   Chinese workers had been imported to work on the Transcontinental Railroad in the 1860s.  When it was completed ..read more

Friends, The information below is quite startling and we are in danger of basically eliminating our USA refugee resettlement program.  This week, the Trump administration could make the unprecedented decision to “zero out” the US refugee program.  In other words, the president could close the door to any refugees resettled through the US refugee program in the United States in FY 2021. This decision could take place despite the presence of nearly 25 million refugees worldwide in need of protection, of whom less than one percent are resettled to third countries annually.  Since t ..read more

Ash Wednesday is a really busy day for all of us priests because "God's magnet" draws them to Church for ashes.  It's incredible year after year, and regardless of why they are there, the point is they are actually there.  And God's grace, compassion, and mercy reaches all of them in different ways. Ash Wednesday 2020 was an extraordinary day, and God's compassion and mercy were poured out in ways I have never experienced as a priest. As with every parish, we had Masses and Services for Ashes from early morning until late at night.  I was at the early Mass helping, and I celebra ..read more

Monday, January 27, 2020 We have just concluded an extraordinary three hour private visit with Pope Francis as we begin our Ad Limina visit to Rome. All of the Bishops of California, Hawaii, and Nevada shared their own pastoral experiences, and had a wonderful of exchange with Pope Francis.  We shared our hopes, our challenges, our joys, and our anxieties as we serve our various Arch/Dioceses in this era of history. Sitting with the Pope in this setting felt like being with a beloved grandfather, a beloved friend who himself had been through the same struggles and hopes as we had.  H ..read more

The Fall General Assembly of the Bishops of the United States opens with speeches by the Apostolic Nuncio, and the outgoing President of the Episcopal Conference. Vatican News: The Bishops of the United States are meeting in Baltimore this week for their regular Fall General Assembly, with the prelates expected to address numerous topics, including the formation of priests, the political responsibilities of Catholics, and the strategic priorities for the Church in the United States for the coming years. At the meeting, the Bishops will also be electing a new President and Vice-president, as ..read more

Featured on Angelus News Children in a Meki school. Education is key to the future of any people, but especially so in the more rural areas of any country. I recently returned to Los Angeles from a weeklong trip to Ethiopia, a place where the Catholic Church, with only 1% of the population, has an incredible impact across the entire country. I went with a superb staff from Catholic Relief Services (CRS). The purpose of the trip was to help its local partners with their programs that help displaced and malnourished people, and to aid its overall efforts in alleviating a variety of p ..read more

DAY 4 After overnight in Dire Dawa, we visited several projects in and around the city itself. ORPHANAGE This is a non-residential facility which deals with two types of youth:  those in homes with special needs, such as a single parent; and those on the streets with no place to stay at night. The at-home youth are provided a place to gather, to play, and to study after school.  Simple facilities provide various things for the youth to do, such as ping pong. Women in the community come together to learn how to create and operate small businesses.  One woman bakes very fine cook ..read more

DAY 3 Today we flew to Dire Dawa, about an hour southeast of Addis Ababa.  We first met with the staff of the Secretariat of the Eparchy of Dire Dawa.  The Catholic Secretariat operates all of the educational, social, and health projects across this very large Eparchy.   We met the staff and enjoyed a traditional coffee ceremony with them.  Ethiopian coffee is of very high quality and drank all acround the world.  In addition, they prepare a special celebration bread which is broken up into pieces and shared by all who are gathered. We then drove through more mount ..read more

DAY 2:  VISITING WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT PROJECTS AND WATER PROJECTS. Before departing Meki, we visited one of the Catholic Schools.  Catholic Education is a high priority for the Church and CRS across Ethiopia.  This school is located near the compound where the Bishop and his staff carry out all their local projects. Education is key to the future of any people, but especially so in the more rural areas of any country. WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT PROJECTS We then drove to an area where a Women's Empowerment Project was underway.  Centuries of cultural tradition have empo ..read more

DAY 1 WITH CRS IN ETHIOPIA This morning we left Addis Ababa, and drove with CRS Country Director John Shumlansky and staff in a southwestern direction to the town of Meki.  Within the Church Meki is an Apostolic Vicariate--the last step before becoming a Diocese.  The Bishop Abraham Desta heads up the Vicariate. The Vicariate is situated in a very large compound with a new Church at the center of it.  The Bishop's residence, offices for the Vicariate, and other leadership activities are situated here. We first visited the wonderful Our Lady of Perpetual Help Clinic supported pr ..read more