Latest Stories

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 

GOING FOR THE GOLD: A CELEBRATION OF CULTURES AT CHRIST CATHEDRAL ACADEMY

AS THE 2026 WINTER Olympics officially began in Italy, a smaller opening ceremony was happening in Orange County. This one... 

by BRITNEY ZINT 

DIOCESE CELEBRATES NATIONAL MARRIAGE WEEK WITH SPECIAL MASS

ON SAT., FEB. 7, approximately 70 married couples from across Orange County attended the National Marriage Week Diocesan Wedding Anniversaries... 

by MADISON ZUÑIGA 

GO FORTH RETREAT GATHERS HIGH SCHOOLERS FROM ACROSS DIOCESE TO WORSHIP, TESTIFY

SOMETIMES THE MOST resonant messages come from others who look and sound like us. In part, that was the reasoning... 

by GREG MELLEN 

Local

TWO DIOCESE OF ORANGE PARISHIONERS CELEBRATE THEIR IRISH HERITAGE NOT JUST ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY, BUT ALL YEAR ROUND

MEAGHAN BRADEN AND Madelyn Susank, sisters with Irish heritage on both sides, have traveled the world competing in Irish step…

FISH FRY AT THE MISSION

EACH FRIDAY DURING LENT, parishioners at Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano begin lining up outside the parish hall. By 4:30…

MISSION SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO TO CELEBRATE ST. JOSEPH’S DAY & RETURN OF THE SWALLOWS

MISSION SAN JUAN Capistrano’s annual St. Joseph’s Day and Return of the Swallows festivities will be held on the historic…

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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

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…

ANNUAL MSGR. JOHN SAMMON MEMORIAL GOLF OUTING

FOR OVER 40 YEARS the Serra Club of Orange County has sponsored a much-loved and anticipated event — the Annual…

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National

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…

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…

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National Headlines

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...

FILM LETS DEVOTEES PROVIDE VISUAL, EMOTIONAL SUBSTANCE OF LOURDES’ STORY
NEW YORK (CNS) — In the documentary “Lourdes” (Distrib Films), filmmakers Alban Teurlai and Thierry Demaiziere present a moving portrait...

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...