TRUNK-OR-TREAT
Our Lady of Fatima Academy in San Clemente hosted its traditional trunk-or-treat festivities on October 31. Student parents decorated their cars in a variety of festive scenes and provided “treats” to the children as they visited the vignettes the parents had created for them. Everyone from the school, including Principal Jennifer Jukic, teachers, staff and students grades TK through 8 wore costumes. This was a safe and sane way for the students to celebrate Halloween.
—Submitted by Deacon Carl Swanson
AN ELABORATE ALTAR DISPLAY WAS ASSEMBLED BY ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CATHOLIC SCHOOL PARENT VOLUNTEERS IN HONOR OF DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS. PHOTO COURTESY OF YOVANI RAMOS
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School in Yorba Linda proudly celebrated Día de los Muertos with a vibrant display that honored the rich traditions of this cultural holiday. This year’s spectacular exhibit, organized by myself and a dedicated group of SFA parent volunteers featured an intricately decorated altar adorned with photos of beloved departed family members, marigold flowers and traditional offerings like pan de muerto.
A heartfelt thank-you goes to the SFA community members who initiated this beautiful tradition many years ago. Through their efforts, the ofrenda has become a cherished annual event at St. Francis of Assisi, bringing the community together to reflect and celebrate the lives of our loved ones.
—Submitted by Yovani Ramos, SFA Spanish Teacher
THE MARIAN GARDENS AT THE CHRIST CATHEDRAL CAMPUS. PHOTO BY EVERETT JOHNSON/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
MARIAN GARDENS RECOGNIZED
The Marian Gardens project at Christ Cathedral was recently recognized with an award from the American Concrete Institute.
The trade organization’s Southern California chapter on Oct. 24 gave Domusstudio Architecture, the San Diego-based architectural firm that designed the project, an award for decorative concrete.
The concrete subcontractor was J&M Concrete Contractors, Inc., with supplies from Associated Ready Mix. Driver SPG was the general contractor.
The Marian Gardens, which opened in May, contain several sections of decorative concrete that include portions embedded with crushed glass. The various colors of the glass are symbolic and tie into the Mysteries of the Rosary being told throughout the gardens. The garden walls, which are an example of modern architecture, are also concrete, contrasting with the various artwork and making for a unique walkthrough experience.
“This award means a lot to the project team, as the submittal was led by J&M Concrete, the concrete subcontractor, and demonstrated their high level of pride in the project,” said David Pfeifer, principal with Domusstudio. “During the construction we could see this pride in the tradesmen performing the work. This pride manifested in a high level of quality control and great suggestions by their team to benefit the outcome of the project. In our opinion, when a trade partner takes this high level of ownership and participation in a project, it yields a high-quality outcome.”