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Parish News October

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First Friday 12-Hour Adoration Sunday, October 3rd , is RESPECT LIFE SUNDAY. St. Mother Teresa once said, “What will convert America and save the world? My  answer is prayer. What we need is for every parish to come before Jesus … Continue reading →

Rummage Sale    Friday Aug 27 and   Saturday,  AUG. 28

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Rummage Sale    Friday August 27 and   Saturday,  AUG. 28   8am-2pm  We will be collecting your *donated items for the Rummage Sale Aug. 21st – 26th, 10am-5pm ONLY! (No drop-offs unless we are able to put them in the … Continue reading →

Parish Family Picnic – August 14th

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Parish Family Picnic – August 14th From 11am-2:00pm at Lake Street Park under the shade of 2 big, white tents. We’ll have lots of new games, grilled brats, burgers, hot dogs, soft drinks, and a piñata for the kids, not … Continue reading →

St. Mary’s by the Sea T-Shirt Fundraiser – New Design

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St. Mary’s by the Sea T-Shirt Fundraiser – New Design Orders are now being accepted for St. Mary’s by the Sea new-design t-shirts (up until July 25th). This is a fundraiser for our Church. The suggested price is $10 each, … Continue reading →

Welcome Back

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A Message from Our Pastor

June 9, 2021

Dear Parishioners,

Gather & Rejoice Together in Christ! Bishop Kevin Vann has declared this June 12th and 13th as a historic weekend for all Diocese of Orange parishes. It is now time to start attending Mass in person, receive the sacraments, and offer praise to God together after months of pandemic isolation. Join us and receive spiritual nourishment and strength through the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

As we prepare to fully welcome all parishioners back to Church, we take this opportunity to offer some reminders and also to present some developments. Please note the following:

  • Bishop Vann is discontinuing the dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass effective June 12th. Livestream Masses will be discontinued (except for the sick and homebound) and no longer be an acceptable way to fulfill your obligation to attend Sunday Mass.
  • Our Church will once again be open from 1:30-4:30 pm, Monday-Thursday, for personal prayer beginning June 14th.
  • Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in Church will be on Thursdays from 9am-3pm, and on First Fridays for 12 hours, 9am-9pm. Please pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life as well as for the sanctification of the people of our Diocese.
  • Masks are now optional.
  • Food and drink will now be allowed at all parish events, including ministry meetings. In addition, St. Mary’s by the Sea will once again be serving coffee and donuts after Sunday Masses beginning on our country’s Independence Day, July 4th.

So to our parishioners, I join with Bishop Vann and all priests in the Orange Diocese as we say “Welcome Back!”  I look forward to reconnecting with all of you as we begin our return to normalcy.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Rev. Quang Vinh Chu, Pastor

Pentecost Novena, May 14 through May 22

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The Pentecost Novena, May 14 through May 22,  is the first novena in the life of the Church. After the Ascension of Our Lord, the Apostles gathered with Mary and others in the upper room to pray. (cf. Acts. 1:14) … Continue reading →

Back In Church

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Dear Parishioners,
It is with a thankful heart I inform you that ALL Masses are now being held inside the Church; thanks be to God! Please note that all previous safety protocols will still be observed (ie: 25% capacity, must wear masks, 6’ social distancing, disinfecting of pews after use, etc.). Thank you for your compliance.
In addition, I would like to mention that this weekend, February 13th (after the 5pm Mass) & 14th (after ALL the Masses), we will be holding a Mini-Ministry Fair – Mardi Gras themed. The purpose of this is to provide the opportunity for more participation from parishioners in serving the Lord by serving His people. Many of you may not be aware of the number of ministries here who are quietly at work in the background. There are many things a person can become involved with in the parish, and many of them don’t require a lot of time. All of our ministries will have a table set-up with a representative on hand to describe their activities and to answer any questions you may have. Some ministries, however, may not be active currently, but we hope they will be back to regular activities soon.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Rev. Quang Vinh Chu, Pastor

Pastor’s Message

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Dear Parishioners,

First and foremost, thanks be to God for His blessings and grace, and thanks to all of you for praying and comforting each other with love and compassion. I am doing fine, and I wish you well! We have not seen many of you for months and miss you dearly!

I would like to provide you with some updated information:

  1. Thank you to our staff members and to the many of you who have supported Ms. Linda Gilbert’s family. She was a member of our staff who suddenly passed away last month! Linda served our parish as the Director of Religious Education for over 28 years and will be greatly missed.
  2. I believe that many of you still remember Mrs. Suzanne Donnelly, who was one of our parish secretaries for more than 21 years. She retired 6 years ago and just passed away last Monday. Please pray for her soul and her family. Her funeral will be held here on Saturday, September 5, 2020 at 10:30am.
  3. Some good news, we have hired Sr. Catherine Nguyen, LHC (The Lovers of the Holy Cross Sisters) as a part-time DRE (Director of Religious Education) to coordinate our Faith Formation Program. We are continuing our religious program as usual and will resume classes in-person beginning September 28, 2020. Please see our parish weekly bulletin for further information and register as soon as possible. Thank you!
  4. I would also like to inform you that our weekly offertory has been up and down (unstable). This is most likely due to a drop in attendance since about 80% of our parishioners are not yet ready to come back to church. Please keep St. Mary’s by the Sea in your prayers and continue to support our parish as much as you can with electronic donations (online), by mail, or you can drop off them off at the office. Thank you for your support and prayers!
  5. Following the virus curve and directives from the State and County, we are still on level 4 and holding Masses outdoors until further notice.
  6. Beginning on September 5, 2020, our Mass schedule will be changed:
  • Weekly Masses are still the same schedule at 8:00am.
  • Saturday evening (Vigil Mass) will be at 5:00pm (only one Mass).
  • Sunday Masses: 7:30am and 9:30am are in English, 11:30am is in Latin (no 1:30pm), and 4:30pm is in English.
  • Notice: No music at all Masses.


I wish you well and pray that you remain safe and in good health. Please continue to pray for peace, justice, and unity for our country, and especially pray for overcoming this invisible virus so we may return to a normal life soon. Thank you and God bless you always!

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Rev. Quang Vinh Chu, Pastor

 

 

Fr. McGivney Declared “Blessed”

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Fr. McGivney Declared “Blessed”

The Knights of Columbus of St. Mary’s by the Sea are proud to announce that  Pope Francis has approved the promulgation of a decree recognizing a miracle attributed to the intercession of the founder of the Knights of Columbus, Venerable Father Michael J. McGivney, a Connecticut priest who served his flock during the pandemic of 1890, before himself becoming ill and dying of pneumonia. Father McGivney is best known for founding the Knights of Columbus in New Haven, CT in 1882

The pope’s action means that Father McGivney can be declared “Blessed,” the step just prior to sainthood. An additional miracle attributed to Father McGivney’s intercession will be required for his canonization as a saint. The beatification Mass for Father McGivney is currently scheduled for October 31, 2020, in Connecticut.

For more information on the Knights of Columbus at St. Mary’s by the Sea, CLICK HERE.

 

 

Death of a Staff Member

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DEATH OF A STAFF MEMBER

Dear Parishioners,

It is with a great deal of sadness that I inform you of the unexpected death of one of our beloved staff members, Linda Gilbert, the Director of Religious Education and Faith Formation who passed away early Sunday morning. Her passing has deeply affected us all. Linda had a profound impact on many parishioners, as well as the students she taught over the past 27 years. She was a devoted Catholic who truly lived her faith and supported St. Mary’s by the Sea in numerous ways. She is survived by her two sons, Justin and Blake. Please keep her and her family in your prayers.

A fund has been created to help her family with funeral expenses. If you would like to contribute, please contact the Office at (714) 536-6913, x-0. Leave your name and phone number and someone will contact you as soon as possible. Thank you and God bless!

Yours in Christ,
Fr. Quang Chu – Pastor