LOCAL PARISHIONER AWARDED CATHOLIC SCOUTING SCHOLARSHIP
A member of St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Irvine and Mater Dei High School has won a $2,000 scholarship from Catholic Scouting America. The Bill and Kay Davies Scholarship was given to Joseph Woore of Tustin, who is a member of Troop 33 in the Orange County Council. Woore truly embodies the idea of servant leadership. When asked why volunteering is important to him, he responded: “In the Gospel of Luke, we are reminded that ‘to whom much is given, much will be required.’ I have been given faith, an amazing family, an education and the foundation of Scouting. Volunteering is how I respond to what I have received.”
JOSEPH WOORE OF TUSTIN IS A MEMBER OF TROOP 33 IN THE ORANGE COUNTY COUNCIL. PHOTO COURTESY OF CATHOLIC SCOUTING AMERICA
At St. Thomas More, Woore has volunteered as an altar server, usher and Vacation Bible School teacher, contributing more than 350 hours of service. Woore earned two Catholic Religious Emblems offered by Catholic Scouting America, completing Parvuli Dei and Ad Altare Dei.
At Mater Dei, Woore served as an officer for the Associated Student Body, the choral and vocal music program, television club, Model United Nations and campus ministry. He also served as vice president of the Entrepreneurship Club and competed on the varsity track & field team for two years. For his Eagle Scout project, Woore led a team of volunteers in constructing a memorial garden honoring Josef D’Heygers, a longtime custodian at Mater Dei who served the school from 1956 until his passing in 2010. The team cleared a neglected site, built a reinforced concrete platform, installed a stone bench and plaque, planted flowers and grass, and rebuilt the irrigation system.
OC SHERIFFS THANK OUR LADY OF FATIMA PARISH
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department recently presented Our Lady of Fatima Parish with a glass trophy in recognition of the parish’s longstanding support of local law enforcement.
The parish sponsors a police substation on its campus, providing Orange County Sheriff’s deputies and California Highway Patrol officers with a place to rest, refresh and complete reports.
Through donations from school families, Our Lady of Fatima Academy also provides refreshments and snacks for law enforcement personnel.
In addition, the sheriff’s department utilizes the parish campus for command post operations and emergency response efforts while also providing security for the school.
FR. STEVE SALLOT AMONG ST. JOHN’S SEMINARY HONOREES
St. John’s Seminary has announced the individuals to be honored at this year’s Annual Gala. Set for Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, the gala recognizes the seminary’s distinguished alumni and dedicated Catholic leaders.
The seminary will present Distinguished Alumni Awards to the Most Rev. Albert Bahhuth, the Auxiliary Bishop of the San Fernando Pastoral Region of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Rev. Msgr. Francis J. Hicks, the pastor of St. Basil’s Church in Los Angeles, Rev. Steven G. Sallot, the retired pastor of Our Lady Queen of Angels Church in Newport Beach, and Rev. Vaughn P. Winters, the pastor of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Church in Santa Clarita.
FR. STEVE SALLOT, RETIRED PASTOR OF OUR LADY QUEEN OF ANGELS IN NEWPORT BEACH, IS BEING HONORED BY ST. JOHN’S SEMINARY WITH ITS DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD. PHOTO BY THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE
The seminary’s Evangelii Gaudium (“Joy of the Gospel”) Award will be presented to Margaret G. Graf, General Counsel for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The Master of Ceremonies for the event will be the Most Reverend Matthew Elshoff, OFM, Cap., the Auxiliary Bishop of the Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
It is hoped that the gala will help to better connect the Archdiocesan Catholic community with the men who are studying to be future priests while raising funds to support the seminary. The gala will be held on the Cathedral Plaza with a Sunday Vigil Mass at 5 p.m., and a reception at 6 p.m., followed by dinner. For more information on sponsorships and tickets or to receive an invitation, please email [email protected]; call (805) 482-2755, ext. 1016; or visit the website at stjohnsem.edu/gala