THE ROAD TO LIFELONG service began in vastly different places and under vastly different circumstances for St. Cecilia parishioners Sandie and Dr. Bill Guard, a dentist. Sandie was born in Los Angeles and baptized at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church, where she attended school through third grade. Bill was born at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Orange and grew up in the Episcopal faith.
Both of their early faith journeys were molded by impactful events. For Sandie, it was her maternal grandmother, whom she called a mentor, role model and driving force in her Catholic upbringing. For Bill, it was a chance encounter while attending his local church service.
“I noticed a woman sitting in the front pew, so holy, so full of prayer,” he shared. “I wanted to be like that.”
Sandie began her education, culminating in her 1960 graduation from Tustin High School. She attended Mass at St. Joseph’s parish in Santa Ana and then began attending St. Cecilia Catholic Church when it opened in 1957. After high school, Sandie followed in her dad’s footsteps and attended UCLA.
After graduating from Santa Ana High School, Bill attended the University of California, Berkeley, but returned home during summer breaks. It was after Sandie’s freshman year at UCLA and Bill’s junior year at Berkeley that the couple met while working at Disneyland.
Bill earned his degree in political science, with an initial aspiration to become a lawyer. He kept his long-term options open. During his first three years at Berkeley, he completed all the pre-dental requirements and graduated in four years. This act of pre-planning his education set the stage for a long career as a dentist. Sandie kept her Catholic faith alive while at UCLA. She attended Mass at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Westwood and at the Newman Center on campus. She graduated from UCLA in 1964, and she and Bill were married that summer. Sandie’s mother also had returned to the Church. Even though Bill was not Catholic, it was important for her to be married in the Church.
“We wanted the whole family to be involved in the wedding, which took place at St. Cecilia,” she shared. Later, Sandie’s dad, while in his 50s, converted to Catholicism. Bill had been accepted to dental school at Northwestern University in Chicago, and shortly after, the newlyweds moved to the Midwest. Bill was involved in his studies, and Sandie began her first teaching post. While in Chicago, the Guards attended a local Episcopal church. After Bill finished dental school, the Guards made two moves that would shape their future. Bill received a one-year internship at the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia. At the conclusion of this internship, Bill, as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy, was assigned to the Guantanamo Naval Base in Cuba. In Portsmouth, they regularly attended a local Episcopal church. In Cuba, there were limited church options, but there was a Catholic Church. They faithfully attended Mass for two years in Cuba but were unable to receive Communion. On Easter Sunday, shortly before they were to leave Cuba, one of the priests took them to the Sacristy and gave them Holy Communion.
This moment marked the beginning of a path back to Catholicism. The Guards returned to Tustin in 1969 and their Episcopalian faith. They did send their kids to Sunday School at St. Cecilia, and they loved their experience there. This, along with Sandie’s familiarity with the parish, set in motion a return to Catholicism. Bill ultimately converted to the faith in 1973.
When asked why he converted, Bill recalled, “I had an encounter with Fr. Twohig. I had already read several books on Catholicism, and he told me straight out, ‘hit your knees.’ Two weeks later, I was ready to go, and I haven’t regretted it.”
Bill and Sandie eventually launched into many ministries at the parish. Bill became involved with the school as president of the Parents Guild and as a Confirmation class teacher. Both Sandie and Bill have served as active Sacristans and Eucharistic Ministers for many years. Sandie has taught faith formation for 20-plus years and has been twice nominated for Catholic Women of the Year.
While all of these activities are important, it is the consistency of always saying yes when asked to serve that sets the Guards apart. Whether it is mentoring, preparing food or leading a new ministry, their approach is how can I serve my faith and parish?