Latest Stories

CATHOLIC SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS GATHER FOR LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

CURRENT AND ASPIRING school administrators recently came together to reflect, reinvigorate the ideals of Catholic education and consider whether leadership... 

by BRITNEY ZINT 

MOMENTS IN OUR JOURNEY

On March 24, the 50th anniversary of the Diocese of Orange, Bishop Kevin Vann led a pilgrimage to Italy, which... 

 

FOOD & FELLOWSHIP AT ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH LENTEN FISH FRY

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST Parish kicked off its Lenten fish fry season on Feb. 20 with a feast for the... 

by MIKE ZINN 

FACING ALS, MATER DEI COACH FINDS STRENGTH IN FAITH, FAMILY

WHEN JOHNNY Rodriguez took over as lacrosse coach at Mater Dei High School in 2015, he passed on to his... 

by LOU PONSI 

FOR 30 YEARS, ST. BONAVENTURE ARTIST-SEAMSTRESSES HAVE DEEPENED THE WORSHIP EXPERIENCE WITH THEIR BANNERS, ALTAR CLOTHS

THERE’S A WIZARD (wizardress?) behind the curtains. Three, actually. For the past 30 years, Lynn Hearn, Nancy Minear and Dorothy... 

by GREG MELLEN 

Local

CHRIST AT THE CENTER: SANTA MARGARITA CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL HOLDS EUCHARISTIC PROCESSION

SANTA MARGARITA CATHOLIC High School recently marked a historic and spiritual milestone: the school’s first-ever eucharistic procession. Following the all-school…

AROUND OUR DIOCESE

ENJOY THESE MOMENTS from Sacred Triduum liturgies throughout the diocese. PHOTOS BY THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE On Holy Thursday with…

EVERY 15 MINUTES

A STUDENT ACTOR DRESSED as the Grim Reaper visited classrooms at Servite High School and Rosary Academy every 15 minutes,…

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Christ Cathedral

A LIGHT IN THE DARK: 10TH ANNUAL HOMELESS PERSONS’ INTER-RELIGIOUS MEMORIAL SERVICE

THE DIOCESE HOSTED THE 10th annual Homeless Persons’ Inter-religious Memorial Service at the Christ Cathedral campus to honor those who…

ABOUT THE SHROUD OF TURIN

The Shroud of Turin is considered to be the most studied artifact in the world, and for good reason. It…

CHRIST CATHEDRAL MUSIC MINISTRY ANNOUNCES UPCOMING CONCERT SEASON

THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE and Christ Cathedral music ministry are pleased to announce their 2025-2026 concert season, which includes a…

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Sports

BROTHER & SISTER SHINE ON MATER DEI SOCCER FIELD

JASMINE AGUILAR PLAYS soccer at Mater Dei High School. Her brother, Marcel, also plays soccer for the Monarchs. Both are…

SMCHS SETS HIGH BAR FOR COLLEGE SPORTS ADMISSIONS

AFTER RETIRING AS SPORTS editor for the Los Angeles Times, Mike Hiserman joined the staff at Santa Margarita Catholic High…

HEAR THEM ROAR!

THE JSERRA FLAG FOOTBALL team stepped onto the field 28 times this season. And 28 times, the Lions  walked off…

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National

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Statement Responding to President Trump’s Social Media Post on Pope Leo XIV

“I am disheartened that the President chose to write such disparaging words about the Holy Father. Pope Leo is not…

OC CATHOLIC AFAR

Fr. Greg Walgenbach (Director of Office of Life, Justice, and Peace & Missions) and Rebecca Freeman (Pastoral Care Ministry Coordinator,…

OC CATHOLIC AFAR

We recently visited Lahaina on the island of Maui and were shocked at the devastation the people are still suffering…

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National Headlines

TRAVEL DIARY: THE CHURCH OF THE MADONNA
WHEN THE CHURCH OF the Madonna was built in the Borough of Fort Lee, N.J. during the 1850s, it was...

FINDING THEIR WAY
CLARA ARBIZO WASN’T EXPECTING much. The parishioner of St. Anne’s in Santa Ana was among 200 young adults who participated...

DIOCESAN BISHOPS AND DELEGATES ATTEND NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS
INDIANAPOLIS — A delegation from the Diocese of Orange recently attended the tenth National Eucharistic Congress in Indiana’s capital city,...

DIOCESE OF ORANGE ANNOUNCES DELEGATION TO NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS IN INDIANAPOLIS
The Diocese of Orange is proud to announce its delegation to the upcoming National Eucharistic Congress (NEC) scheduled for July...

World

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT: A RURAL COMMUNITY IN UGANDA RECEIVES ELECTRICITY

KAKUBANSIRI, A SMALL village in the Gomba district of Uganda, lived without electricity since its inception. Despite some progress, national…

BISHOP VANN MEETS WITH POPE LEO XIV

On Aug. 1, Bishop Kevin Vann reunited with his former classmate and our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, during a…

A WITNESS TO HISTORY

ANNETTE WALKER, presi­dent of City of Hope Orange County and former interim CEO of St. Joseph Health, went with her…

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World Headlines

SPECIAL TERMS USED DURING THE PERIOD BETWEEN POPES
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Here is an explanation of some of the terms and practices related to the time between...

CONCLAVE TO BEGIN MAY 7
THE FUNERAL FOR POPE Francis took place April 26 in St. Peter’s Square with about 250,000 in attendance. He was...

OC CATHOLIC AFAR
Alan and Desiree Wendell brought along the OC Catholic on their cruise vacation to Australia and New Zealand where they...

OC CATHOLIC AFAR
Ashley and her father Dr. Vincent Nguyen visited the Vatican Garden while in Rome this past Christmas for the start...

Education

STRIKES, SPARES AND MOTHER & SON TIME

ANGELA MERCHANT LINED up her green bowling ball and let it fly, knocking all but five pins down. But this…

NEW VIRTUE CURRICULUM FOR PAX CHRISTI STUDENTS

If academic excellence was the only metric of success in school, traditional Catholic education would appear to be no different…

LEADERSHIP IN ORANGE COUNTY CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

EIGHTH-GRADER SYDNEY de Leon has honed her leadership skills during her tenure at St. Cecilia Catholic School. Teacher Gabriele Nguyen…

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Education Headlines

CELEBRATING WHO WE ARE AT OUR LADY OF FATIMA ACADEMY
JACQUE NUNEZ, A MEMBER of the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians Acjachemen Nation, went to a Catholic school to teach...

ST. BONAVENTURE CATHOLIC SCHOOL PARTNERS WITH HALLOW TO ENRICH PRAYER LIFE
ST. BONAVENTURE CATHOLIC School in Huntington Beach has partnered with Hallow, the number one Catholic prayer app, to deepen the...

CRISTO REY’S DRAFT DAY
CRISTO REY ORANGE County High School kicked off the 2025-26 school year in its traditional celebratory fashion – holding its...

MATER DEI CELEBRATES 75 YEARS OF LEGACY, TRADITION & FAMILY AT ALUMNI MASS
ON AUG. 17, SANTA ANA’S Mater Dei High School opened its 75th school year with a special Mass that welcomed...