Paul Lussman, a down-the-street neighbor of St. Irenaeus Parish Church in Cypress, constructed a life-sized outdoor nativity scene and donated it this Christmas season to the Church.

As is common in nativity scenes, Mr. Lussman compressed time to show the Holy Family, shepherds, sheep, the Magi with their gifts, and a camel all beneath the Christmas Star.

The tableau is displayed on Church property at the corner of Grindlay Ave. and Evergreen St., just south of Lincoln Ave., in Cypress.

Mr. Lussman cut out each piece, painted them, and then installed the tableau with the help of neighbors.

In addition to his crafty work on behalf of St. Irenaeus, Mr. Lussman, his wife Mariellen Yarc, and their neighbors on Edgemont Circle staged a block party to collect toys.

Enthusiastic and merry visitors to the Edgemont Circle block party donated hundreds of toys while enjoying popcorn, hot dogs, spiced cider, and lavish Christmas light displays.

Merry, merry Christmas!

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Nativity built and installed by Paul Lussman at St. Irenaeus Church in Cypress.

Courtesy photo.

In Memoriam: Mary O’Hara, January 24, 1926-February 17, 2015

Family members and friends gathered at St. Irenaeus Church in Cypress over two days to celebrate the life of Cypress resident Mary O’Hara, a St. Irenaeus parishioner since 1965 and an active member of the Cypress community.

Mary was born on Jan. 24, 1926 in Los Angeles as the eldest child of the late Jose and Herminia Soto. She entered into Eternal Life on Feb. 17, 2015 at the age of 89 years at her home in Cypress.

A Rosary and Vigil service was held on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015 at 7 p.m. and a solemn Mass in celebration of her life was concelebrated the next day by Fr. Daniel Reader, Parochial Vicar at St. Irenaeus, and Fr. Pat Rudolph, Pastor of St. Norbert’s Church in Orange. Fr. Rudolph was previously a Pastor at St. Irenaeus Church and knew Mary well.

St. Irenaeus’ current Pastor, Fr. Patrick Moses, was unable to be present for Mary’s Celebration of Life because he was serving as Chaplain on a Fundraising Cruise for Mary’s Catholic Charities Auxiliary Chapter II.

According to St. Irenaeus Administrative Secretary Kathy Loch, Fr. Moses was also praying the Rosary on board the ship on Feb. 24 and celebrating Mass in honor of Mary on Feb. 25 as Rosary and Mass were occurring at St. Irenaeus.

Catholic Charities Auxiliary Chapter II members joined him in praying for Mary.

After funeral Mass for Mary O’Hara at St. Irenaeus: Fr. Pat Rudolph, Fr. Daniel Reader, and George O’Hara. Courtesy photo.

A heart of charity

At the Celebration of Life Mass for Mary O’Hara, Fr. Daniel described Mary as having a “Heart of Charity” who did God’s work in her family, her church and in her community.

He said that she was an ideal wife and woman as described in the Bible in Proverbs 31:10-31, and was always positive, hardworking and inspirational.

Fr. Daniel called Mary a “Church Woman” and a “Prayer Warrior” who knew that she was blessed by God and was always giving back to God by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and comforting the afflicted. She was an instrument in God’s hands and believed in the promises of Christ.

Strengthened by receiving the Eucharist and praying the Rosary often, she never complained of her many ailments and being bedridden since 2009. Mary called people on the phone and even prayed for others who were homebound as a “Prayer Sister.”

Fr. Daniel said that that he was impressed with Mary’s religious spirit even when her body was failing physically. She lived her life loving God and also loving her neighbors, whether they were friends or strangers.

He said that she was at peace and ready to meet the Lord when he anointed her earlier in February.

Vigil service

At the Vigil Service that was held on the previous night, there was a beautiful procession where Mary’s family carried 30 lighted candles as they followed the priests and Mary’s casket into the church.

St. Irenaeus Funeral Ministers Betty Borowski and Rosemary Schneider led the family and friends in praying readings from the Bible, in praying five decades chosen from the Joyful, Sorrowful, Luminous and Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary and relating each mystery to Mary’s life.

Mary was devoted to praying the rosary as a Legion of Mary Auxiliary member. Knowing how Mary loved to pray the Rosary, Mary’s children, grandchildren and parishioners who had brought the Holy Eucharist to her over the years, took turns leading the prayers before each decade of the Rosary.

A life well-lived

According to the family’s eulogy of Mary, read by Betty Borowski at the vigil, Mary was named Maria Ofelia Soto at birth and later was known as Mary Ophelia.

Mary was well educated and graduated from Los Angeles Catholic Girls High School in 1944 and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Immaculate Heart College in Hollywood in 1948. She became Executive Secretary at Dames and Moore, a Civil Engineering firm.

She later met and married the late Jim O’Hara in 1957 and became Mary O’Hara.

Jim and Mary were married for 47 years and lived in the city of Cypress for 39 of those years. During those years, they were blessed with six children, three boys and three girls whom they raised in the Catholic Faith and sent to Catholic schools. All six children attended St. Irenaeus School and later either Servite High School or Cornelia Connelly High School.

After Jim and Mary moved to Cypress in 1965, Jim successfully built Farmers Insurance District 76 in Lakewood. Jim was District Manager and Mary helped with District events.

Jim and Mary became owners of Cypress Travel in 1974 and enjoyed traveling all over the world. Mary said she especially enjoyed going to their time-share on Kona, Hawaii, every year until it was sold.

While the children were in elementary and high school, Mary worked hard as a homemaker and as a volunteer in the schools doing playground duties and helping with fundraisers. She used her artistic talent to design cookbook covers and Christmas ornaments.

After the children graduated from high school, Mary became increasingly involved with religious and civic organization in the Cypress area, including St. Irenaeus Parish Council, the Soroptimists, Cypress Woman’s Club, Catholic Charities Auxiliary, and the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulcher which she joined with Jim. After Jim passed away in 2004, she continued to volunteer to help raise funds for Catholic Charities.

Charitable work continued until her passing

Although Mary became bedridden in 2009, she continued to work on planning for fundraisers for Catholic Charities and served as Director or Co-Director of Catholic Charities Auxiliary Chapter II for many years.

From her bedside, she would make calls to people asking for donations or asking for help to do things for her.

At the time of her passing, her son George said that she was overseeing the preparation of baskets for the Silent Auction for Presentation Sisters Annual Retirement Benefit on March 21, 2015 at Meadowlark Golf Club.

She worked hard each year to gather items for the Silent Auction baskets that would raise funds for the Presentation Sisters Retirement Fund and prayed for successful results.

At Mary’s Rosary and Vigil, Sr. Angela Callanan thanked Mary O’Hara and the O’Hara family for helping to raise funds for the Presentation Sisters Retirement Fund for so many years. She said that the Sisters appreciated all her work and her prayers and miss her greatly.

Survivors

Mary O’Hara is survived by her six children and their spouses, including George (Martha) O’Hara of Cypress; Elizabeth (Bill) Veon of San Juan Capistrano; Monica (Sean) Toohey of Orange; Jim Jr. (Ashley) O’Hara of Encinitas; Andrea (Barry) Donegan of Huntington Beach: and Stephen (Kathleen) O’Hara of Los Gatos.

She is also survived by twenty grandchildren, her sisters Emma Hermes of Cypress and Elena Kunz of Temple City, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and nieces and nephews. Her husband Jim and her brother George Soto of Sun Valley, CA., preceded her in death.

Because of Mary O’Hara’s charitable effort to financially support the Presentation Sisters Retirement Fund, the family of Mary O’Hara humbly requests that if people would like to participate in supporting this cause, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Presentation Sisters Retirement Fund c/o St. Irenaeus Church at 5201 Evergreen Avenue, Cypress, CA 90630.

The article above was submitted by Edna Ethington.

Featured photo

Mary O’Hara in 1995. Photo courtesy of her son, George O’Hara.

Save the date!

The annual St. Irenaeus Fiesta is on track for the last weekend of June, beginning Friday, June 26, continuing through Saturday, June 27, and ending with a traditional big, big drawing on Sunday, June 28.

This year’s Fiesta is the fifty-first, and the theme is “Teamwork makes the dream!”

Fiesta planners are gathering glassware, accepting raffle tickets, and beating the bushes for silent auction donations.

So circle those dates in June!

Anyone interested in helping out — big events like this always need lots of helpers — can email Christine Welsch at christinewelsch@sbcglobal.net.

This article is based on information released by St. Irenaeus Parish.

Featured photo

File photo by C.E.H. Wiedel from a prior year’s Fiesta.

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St. Irenaeus Parish invites everyone to a free workshop on Advance Care Planning so that anyone over 18 can join the conversation about important choices for living and dying.

The program is brought to our community by the Orange County Aging Services Collaborative (OCASC).

This free community education class will answer such questsions as:

• How do I record my wishes in the event I cannot speak for myself?
• How do I start the conversation with loved ones and my doctor?
• What is a POLST form?

What makes an Advance Directive form legal?

Everyone over 18 years of age should have an Advance Directive, and this program will answer your questions and provide appropriate tools.

The class will be held on Monday, May 18, in the Parish Hall at St. Irenaeus Church, 5201 Evergreen Ave. in Cypress.

Editor’s update: the workshop will be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. We apologize for omitting the time.

This article is based on information released by St. Irenaeus Parish.

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St. Irenaeus Parish is proud to invite you to its annual Fiesta, the parish’s biggest and most popular community event of the year! The theme for this year’s St. Irenaeus Fiesta is Teamwork Makes the Dream.

From rides to game booths to food and raffles, there will be fun for the whole family at the Fiesta!

Discounted game and ride tickets may be purchased on the patio after Mass on Sunday, with the last chance for early-bird prices on Thursday, June 25, between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. in front of the Parish Hall. Don’t miss out on the discounts – buy your tickets today!

Raffle tickets are also available on the patio for only $2 apiece for a chance to win big! The grand prize is $10,000, followed by $3,000, $1,500, and $500!

If you’re interested in sponsoring the Fiesta either as an individual or as a business, it’s not too late! Contact Janina Zimmerman at 714-401-7896 or by email at janinazimmerman@gmail.com.

Donations for the Silent Auction can be made by contacting Henie Directo at 714-209-5968 or hqdirect2u@gmail.com.

Questions? Don’t fret! Get in touch with Christine Welsch by phone at 714-553-9910 or by email at christinewelsch@sbcglobal.net.

Be sure to come out to the 2015 St. Irenaeus Fiesta on June 26, 27, and 28!

St. Irenaeus Parish is located at 5201 Evergreen in Cypress, next door to the Cypress Senior Center and just up Grindley St. from the Cypress Civic Center.

The post St. Irenaeus Fiesta coming up next weekend appeared first on Orange County Breeze.

Three-day evangelization retreat on July 24, 25, and 26 to be held in Parish Hall

God is our refuge and our strength… Psalm 46:2

You’ve heard everyone talking — now it’s your turn to experience St. Irenaeus Church’s Evangelization Retreat.

This three day spiritual event held in the Parish Hall is a great way to discover your strength in Jesus!

This retreat is for persons 18 years of age or older.

Bring an open heart and we will provide everything else.

Space is limited! Act now!

For more information, call Rebecca Soto at 714-826-0760 or email her at rsoto@sticypress.org.

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Dates and times for the evangelization retreat

July 24, 25, and 26

Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Full-time attendance at all sessions is required.
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This article is based on information released by St. Irenaeus Parish.

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St. Irenaeus Parish School will once again be a part of the Brain Power Mania Program sponsored by the Buena Park Mall in the fall.

Over the summer, we can earn points every time a St. I supporter goes to a summer concert or free movie Tuesday.

The Krikorian Theater offers a FREE movie every Tuesday at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. If you take your ticket stub immediately after to customer service our school earns 500 points. Limit 500 points per person, per day.

The movies for July and August are:

• July 21 – The Book of Life
• July 28 – Rio 2
• August 4 – Paddington
• August 11 – Penguins of Madagascar
• August 18 – Dolphin Tale 2

This article was released by St. Irenaeus Parish Church.

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The following statement was released in in the St. Irenaeus Parish bulletin on July 26, 2015:

There was an incident at last Sunday’s (July 19) 9:45 a.m. Mass that proved to be a false alarm.

A gentleman came to Mass carrying a backpack and a small duffel bag. He went to the restroom and left what he was carrying in the pew. Some parishioners in the area noticed the unattended items, believed that they were a threat and instructed others in the vicinity to leave. Subsequently, the entire church was evacuated.

The Police and Fire Department responded and determined that the backpack and duffel bag contained only the personal effects of a parishioner that was late for Mass.

We know of three parishioners that were injured during the hasty evacuation. They are under the care of their physicians, as desired, and our staff and diocesan insurance company is, or will be, in touch with each person. If you, or anyone that you know, was also injured, please let the Parish Office know.

Please be reminded of these important safety tips:

• When you take your seat, note where the closes exits are located
• Always leave as calmly and quickly as possible
• Care for others around you – help everyone exit quickly
• Do not return until an “All Clear” signal has been given from the Police or First Responders
• Never leave any bulky items such as backpacks, duffel bags or packages unattended

The following message was released by Father Patrick Moses, the pastor of St. Irenaeus Parish:

This past Sunday we had an unfortunate incident at the 9:45 am Mass when an individual came into the church, left a couple of bags in a pew and left for the restroom. In our world today, this very action raised concern for those who were seated near the bags.

In the attempt of people trying to get out of the church quickly, three people, as has been reported to us, were injured. We have been in contact with these three individuals and have reported their cases to the diocese and other proper authorities so that they may be properly cared for. Please keep them all in your prayers as they continue to heal for their injuries.

This incident is a reminder to all of us who come to a very public place where a large number of people gather. In the event we need to evacuate the church quickly, it is important that we know where our nearest available exits are, that we exit as quickly and calmly as possible, and most importantly, in our call to Christian love, that we keep an eye out for and assist anyone who may need help in exiting the church. It is also important that if we come into the church with backpacks, purses, bags or other personal items, we never leave them unattended. If for some reason you must leave the church, please take your personal items with you. The person sitting next to you has no idea what is inside your backpack, purse or bag.

At the end of the day, there was nothing in this individual’s bags that could have caused any harm and I thank God for that. It was also made clear how many individuals assisted those who needed help in exiting and made sure that the church was secure. The many acts of Christian charity are a tribute to the life of Christ in these individuals. As we read in Scripture, whether we are at Mass or out somewhere in the community, we are always called to Christian love: “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35); and “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).

With my prayers in Christ,

Fr. Patrick

This message from Deacon Steve Germain was also released in the same bulletin:

I had just walked in the door. It was still early and after giving my three assigned homilies (always a stressful time for me), I was in the “let down” phase of my weekend. It did not last long. Sharon, my wife, handed the phone to me. It was Father Patrick. He gave to me the information that he had just received about a “bomb scare” at St. Irenaeus! The tension returned – my work week was going to begin early…

Several weeks ago, we installed some video cameras around the campus. We had experienced some vandalism and thought that they might be helpful. Never did I imagine that I would ever be reviewing recordings of an impromptu evacuation of our worship space!

I cannot imagine anything more frightening than hearing the words “bomb” or “gun” shouted near me. The images from the news media of the horrors experienced by so many others in the world would certainly flash across my mind. I have been reflecting on what would I do? How would I react? What would I say if it were me?

What I CAN say is that I hope and pray that I will react the same way that I observed so many of you respond that were present. The courage, charity and caring for one another that I saw is humbling. So many of you made certain that others were safe ahead of yourselves by moving carefully and judiciously and looking around to see who else needed help. Without hesitation you followed Jesus’s command to “love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 13:12-13)

Now that the crisis has passed, there will no doubt be a lot of deliberation as to what could have been done differently to eliminate the possibility of any injuries and keep us safe. Our faith tells us that nothing happens by accident. I surmise that like the story in today’s Gospel, He may be testing us – giving us an occasion to reflect on our own personal behavior in times of crisis.

Deacon Steve

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St. Irenaeus Health Ministry held a Volunteer Appreciation Night on Tuesday, August 11, 2015 in the Parish Hall. Sr. Rita O’Connell, Director of Health Ministry, wanted to pray for and thank all the people who have volunteered to help the various ministries encompassed by Health during the past year. Health Ministry Board members prepared freshly popped popcorn, ice cream sundaes, root beer floats and other treats for people to enjoy while they viewed a story of Music and Memory in the video “Alive Inside.”

“Alive Inside” was a very inspirational film that documented music’s healing power of reaching the hearts and souls of people with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss. It showed how social worker Dan Cohen used ipods with earphones and music tailored to the interest of each person to reawaken hope and joy within people. Music was shown to be more therapeutic than drugs. Drugs often are used to put people to sleep rather than awakening the minds and hearts of people. Many people thought that this movie should be shown to everyone who would like to help people improve memory and bringing joy to others. In the movie, listening to their favorite kinds of music seemed to make people more alive and active even if they were sitting in a wheelchair and usually not responsive.

Over 200 people serve as ministers in Health Ministry but only about 60 volunteers were able to come to see the movie “Alive Inside” and enjoy the ice cream social and treats. Many people who came to the Volunteer Appreciation Night said that they were impressed by the movie and thanked Health Ministry Board members for inviting them to the Volunteer Appreciation Night.

At the end of the evening, each person also received a prayer card from Sr. Rita. Sr. Rita prayed for God’s Holy Spirit to transform and inspire everyone with “boldness of heart, mind, body and spirit” as they became God’s “hands, feet and voice” as they cared for the people they served in their ministries. Sr. Rita thanked everyone and said that she appreciated everyone’s “willingness to lovingly minister to our parish community.”

Many volunteers are still needed to help serve the different ministries in Health Ministry at St. Irenaeus. If anyone would like to become a minister helping with such things as funeral hospitality, bringing communion to residents of care centers, bringing the Holy Eucharist to homebound parishioners, making shawls, making rosaries, washing altar linens and other ministries, please call Sr. Rita at St. Irenaeus Parish office at 714-826-0760.

This article was submitted by Edna Ethington.

Pictured at the St. Irenaeus Health Ministry Volunteer Appreciation Night on August 11, 2015 at St. Irenaeus Parish Hall are Health Ministry Board members ready to serve root beer floats, ice cream sundaes, banana splits and freshly made popcorn. Shown left to right are Donna Kriesel, Elaine Brewster, Betty Borowski, Carol Reed, Monica Kovach, and Sr. Rita O’Connell.

Photo by Edna Ethington

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Assemblywoman Young Kim (R-Fullerton) and community partners stuffed a school bus with more than $11,000 worth of school supplies to benefit underprivileged students in the Anaheim and Stanton areas today. Members of the community came out to donate pens, paper, backpacks, notebooks, crayons, tissues, rulers, and other basic supplies needed to help students and families who struggle to provide them.

“Every child deserves a quality education to help them reach their academic potential. Stuff the Bus is a grassroots effort that will help get basic school supplies in the hands of students and families who need them most,” said Kim as she and the community partners made the presentation of the donations at CM School Supply in Anaheim.

The supplies will be directed to students in Anaheim and Stanton. Nearly 90 percent of students in the school districts covering these areas receive free or reduced lunch, indicating greater need.

“Giving Children Hope is thrilled to partner with Assemblywoman Kim and community sponsors,” said Christine Sanchez, Director of Community Programs for Giving Children Hope. “The Stuff the Bus Drive makes a difference for our students and is another example of our community’s ongoing commitment to support Anaheim and Stanton schools.”

Other community supporters include Giving Children Hope; City of Stanton; St Jude; Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Grace Community Service; Vietnamese American Chamber of Commerce; Disneyland Resort; St. Irenaeus Catholic Church; American Textile Recycling Services; Durham Transportation; and Livingstone CDC.

Two school districts refuse school supply donation

Assemblywoman Young Kim, R-Fullerton, said that political differences would keep two school districts from accepting donated school supplies meant for poor children living in Anaheim and Stanton.

Kim started collecting notebooks, pencils and other items from the public on July 31 as part of her first Stuff the Bus school-supply drive to benefit underprivileged children within the Magnolia and Anaheim City school districts.

“Administrators for Anaheim City School District told my staff that it would be ‘awkward’ to partner with me, due to my support for the parents of Palm Lane Elementary in their attempt to turn around their children’s failing school,” Kim said in a statement.

“Regardless of any disagreement on how to improve a failing school, I had hoped that we could at least agree that disadvantaged kids deserve the school supplies they need to succeed,” Kim said.

Kim represents the 65th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, La Palma, and Stanton.

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Assemblywoman Young KIm (far right) and friends stuff a bus full of school supplies for needy children. Courtesy photo.

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St. Irenaeus Health Ministry invited parishioners to come to a special Anointing of the Sick Mass and the Blessing of the Hands of Caregivers on Saturday, September 12, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Irenaeus Church in Cypress. The Mass was concelebrated by St. Irenaeus’ Parochial Vicars, Fr. Martin Nguyen and Fr. Rudy Alumam, with inspirational music provided by Kim Wargo, Director of Music at St. Irenaeus Church.

After a New Testament reading by Health Ministry member Karen Nerrie and prayers for the needs of the universal church were offered, Fr. Martin began his homily. During his homily, he asked parishioners to name the Seven Sacraments and concluded with a discussion of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us.” The seven sacraments are Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony.

Fr. Martin said that in the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, we are praying not just for physical healing, but also mental and emotional healing, that God will bless us with strength and courage to deal with our difficulties.

Fr. Martin and Fr. Rudy came down from the altar and walked between the pews to bless the foreheads and hands of the sick as they knelt or sat in their pews. Those who had trouble walking appreciated the priests’ kindness of coming to bless them where they were.

Fr. Martin later invited those who were able, to gather around the altar during the Liturgy of the Eucharist as he and Fr. Rudy consecrated the Bread and Wine during the Eucharistic Prayer. Parishioners joined hands with each other as they said the Lord’s Prayer all together and shared the sign of Peace with each other. They returned to their pews and came back by rows to receive the Eucharist from Fr. Martin and Fr. Rudy.

Some parishioners later commented that they were deeply touched by being so close to the altar and being able to see the Bread and Wine being offered and participate actively in the Communion Rite.

At the Conclusion of the Mass, Fr. Martin invited all caregivers to come before the altar for the Blessing of the Hands of the Caregivers. Fr. Martin and Father Rudy gently blessed each caregivers hands.

Health Ministry members thanked Fr. Martin and Fr. Rudy for celebrating the Anointing of the Sick Mass and blessing the hands of caregivers.

The article above and the featured photo were submited by Edna Ethington.

Editor’s note: Father Rudy gave the invocation at the regular meeting of the Cypress City Council on Monday, September 21. He was accompanied to the Council meeting by the Parish’s new seminarian, Aristotle Quan.

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Pictured at the Anointing of the Sick Mass on September 12, 2015 at St. Irenaeus Church in Cypress is Fr. Rudy Alumam, Parochial Vicar at St. Irenaeus Church anointing the forehead of a parishioner.

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St. Irenaeus Health Ministry is presenting a free workshop on mental health and N.A.M.I. (National Alliance on Mental Illness) on Monday, October 26, 2015 at 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall at 5201 Evergreen Avenue in Cypress.  Guest speaker for the evening will be Cathy Williamson, who will be discussing the topic of “Mental Wellness… What Should I Know?” and N.A.M.I.  Williamson is currently a Community Service Counselor for Adult System of Care Administration and also a member of the “Prevention and Early intervention, Early Start, Anti-Stigma and Discrimination Team” of Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.

The Anti-Stigma and Discrimination Team is a component of the Mental Health Service Act and is designed to promote wellness and recovery, and increase public awareness, social acceptance, and inclusion of people with mental health challenges and their families. Williamson has over 15 years of experience in the Mental Health and is also an instructor in Mental Health First Aid, Emotional CPR, and QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Suicide Prevention.

There will be an opportunity for a question and answer period following Williamson’s presentation and refreshments will be available.  For more information about this workshop, contact Health Ministry Chairperson Monica Kovach at 310-490-6113

This article was written by Edna Ethington for St. Irenaeus Parish.

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Trunk or treat at St. Irenaeus will be held the night before Halloween in the church parking lot. Cost is $2 donation per person.

Come join the St. Irenaeus Parish community for an evening of safe Halloween fun.

For a $2 donation per person, bring your family to trick-or-treat from car to car — get treats from the festively decorated trunks!

Where: parking lot of St. Irenaeus Church, 5201 Evergreen Ave., Cypress

When: Friday, Oct. 30, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Trunk or treat festivities include:

• Live deejay
• photo booth
• food for purchase
• trunk decorating competition
• carved/decorated pumpkin contest — bring your pre-carved/decorated pumpkin to the Parish Hall to participate!
• Costume contest (by age group) and parade — prizes for the funniest, cutest, most unique, and best group costumes

Hope to see you there!

The article above is based on information released by St. Irenaeus Parish.

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Rob Johnson, Mayor of the City of Cypress, cordially invites the public to attend the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast. This event will be held from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. on October 29, 2015 at the Cypress Community Center, 5700 Orange Ave. in Cypress.

Mary Niven, VP of Disneyland Resorts. Courtesy photo.

The keynote speaker will be Mary Niven, the vice president of Disneyland Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. In this role, she is responsible for the attractions, custodial, guest relations, merchandise, entertainment and food and beverage teams at Disneyland Park. Mary also oversees the operation of Club 33, a private club located in the New Orleans Square section of the park, featuring a newly refurbished fine dining restaurant.

The cost is $20 per seat or or $200 for a table for 10. Checks should be made payable to St. Irenaeus Church. To make reservations, please contact Sherri Nelson at 5201 Evergreen Ave., Cypress, CA 90630, by phone at 714-826-0760, or by email at snelson@sticypress.org.

This article was based on information released by St. Irenaeus Parish.

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Sr. Rita O’Connell, Director of Health Care Ministry at St. Irenaeus Parish in Cypress, is an active member of the Presentation Sisters of the Virgin Mary (PBVM). Eight Presentation Sisters are currently in residence at their home adjacent to St. Irenaeus Church in Cypress. They assist the parish in different ministries, especially with their prayers.

During the month of November, all of the Presentation sisters throughout the world participated in a novena starting on Nov. 12 and culminating on the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary which the Catholic Church celebrates on Nov. 21.

When asked why she joined the Presentation Sisters, Sr. Rita said that she was impressed by the story of its founder, Honora “Nano” Nagle. Nano was born to a wealthy family but dedicated herself to providing education and religious instruction in the Catholic Faith for the poor in Ireland in the 1700’s. She lived during a time when Catholics were being persecuted by the British and were not allowed to go to school or learn about Catholicism. Nano also compassionately visited the sick and elderly who needed help at night and was known as “The Lady with the Lantern.”

Even though Nano Nagle lived a long time ago, during 1718-1784, her legacy of promoting education and teaching the Catholic Faith continues by the Presentation Sisters today. Sr. Rita also said that she knew that the Presentation Sisters went on teaching missions throughout the world. She said that she wanted to go on a mission to teach young children about the Catholic Faith and to spread the Good News of Christ as Nano Nagle did.

At the age of 20 in 1954, Mary Rita O’Connell joined the Presentation Sisters of the Virgin Mary in Bailieboro, Ireland. After 18 months of prayer and studying to become a teacher, she was ready to go on her first mission. She was sent to Pakistan where she taught young elementary age children for eight years. She was later transferred to Delhi, India, where she continued to teach children for three more years. Sr. Rita said that she enjoyed working with the people and their simple lifestyle in the missions. She felt that they appreciated the education they received from the Presentation Sisters.

After her stay in India, Sr. Rita was sent to serve as a teacher at St. Norbert’s School in Orange, California. Sr. Rita chose to return to using her baptismal name of Rita in 1964. While she was at St. Norbert’s School, she taught third and eighth grade students and other students from 1969 until her next assignment in 1976.

Mission to St. Irenaeus Parish

Her current mission began in 1976 when she was sent to serve at St. Irenaeus Parish in Cypress as Director of Pastoral Care with a focus on assisting with vigils and funerals for parishioners. During her 39 years at St. Irenaeus, she worked with four different pastors, the late Fr. John Keller, Fr. Michael Heher (now Monsignor Heher), Fr. Pat Rudolph, and the current pastor, Fr. Patrick Moses.

Pastoral Care of parishioners at St. Irenaeus is still an integral part of Sr. Rita’s responsibility, but now as , Director of Health Care Ministry, her responsibilities encompasses many more aspects of parishioners lives. Sister works with volunteer members of the Health Care Ministry Board to achieve the Mission of Health Care Ministry at St. Irenaeus which is “to promote and encourage health of Mind, Body and Spirit though education and support services for the community.” St. Irenaeus, an early Father of the Church, believed that “the glory of God is man fully alive.” Health Care Ministry at St. Irenaeus Church hopes to give glory to God by helping parishioners to become fully alive in Mind, Body and Spirit.

Sr. Rita strives to fulfill her mission at St. Irenaeus by inspiring and encouraging all the volunteers who serve in ministries such as Bereavement (Grief) Support, Care Facilities, Funeral and Vigils, Home Bound Eucharistic Ministry, Love Thy Neighbor, Parish Nurse Program, Rosary Ministry, Shawl Ministry, Capacitar Classes, and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Meetings. Health Care Ministry also sponsors Educational Workshops, ALL Souls Remembrance Masses, Giving Tree Gift Collection at Christmas, Labyrinth Meditative experiences, Valentine or Easter Outreaches to Residents of Care Facilities, Cancer Support Groups, and also assists at Masses for Anointing of the Sick and Blessing of the Hands of Caregivers.

Sr. Rita said that she appreciates all the people who volunteer their time in all the ministries and is impressed with their willingness to act as Christ’s Hands and Feet in their ministries. She said that the Funeral and Bereavement Ministries can be emotionally challenging but she feels that they offer people the opportunities for growth in their faith and a stronger trust in God.

Sr. Rita believes, as Pope Francis said, that we should reach out and especially help families in need. As a Presentation Sister, Sr. Rita carries on the work of Nano Nagle of helping those who are most in need through the many different ministries at St. Irenaeus Church. Through these ministries parishioners experience spirituality and faith development, lifelong learning, outreach to the community, and healthcare education.

Pope Francis declared Nano Nagle as “Venerable” on October 31, 2013 as a “Pioneer of Catholic Education in Ireland.” Sr. Rita and all the Presentation Sisters pray that Nano Nagle will be canonized as a saint one day.

The article above was submitted by Edna Ethington.

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Sr. Rita O’Connell, Director of Health Care Ministry at St. Irenaeus Parish in Cypress.

Sr. Rita, a member of the Presentation Sisters of the Virgin Mary, began serving parishioners at St. Irenaeus as Director of Pastoral Care at St. Irenaeus in 1976.

Photo by Edna Ethington

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Last weekend we celebrated the First Sunday of Advent and began our new liturgical year. From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website:

Beginning the Church’s liturgical year, Advent (from “ad-venire” in Latin or “to come”) is the reason encompassing the four Sundays (and weekdays) leading up to the celebration of Christmas.

The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and also to the anniversary of the Lord’s birth on Christmas. The final days of Advent, from December 17 to December 24, focus particularly on our preparation for the celebrations of the Nativity of our Lord (Christmas).

Advent is very similar to Lent in that it is a time of preparation and prayer. I urge you to pay attention to the liturgy because it teaches us about this seasson. The liturgical color changes to violet, the Gloria is omitted, the sanctuary is very simple, and the only thing adorning the altar is the Advent wreath.

This is done on purpose.

We are in the period of waiting and longing for the coming of Jesus. The liturgy and the liturgical environment should help us experience this. When you come into the church and you feel that there is something missing and a longing for something much greater, then the liturgy and the liturgical environment is doing what it is supposed to be doing: it is helping you get into the spirit of Advent.

However, every year I will have at least three parishioners come to me very upset, demanding to know why we do not have flowers, Christmas trees, and all sorts of other decorations in our sanctuary.

I realize that we are competing against the likes of Target, Macy’s, Costco, Nordstrom, Ralphs, etc., who have had Christmas decorations up since Halloween.

However, those are Christmas decorations and we are in the season of Advent.

So our altar is kept simple, leaving us with a sense of longing.

But I promise you, on Christmas Day we will have Christmas trees, poinsettias, manger scenes, and all sorts of Christmas decorations filling our entire sanctuary and church celebrating the glorious coming of Jesus Christ into the world.

And the day after Christmas, when Target, Macy’s, Costco, Nordstrom, Ralphs, etc., have put their Christmas decorations away and put up Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day decorations, our Christmas decorations will continue to remain in the church — the entire Christmas season — until the Baptism of the Lord, which this year is January 10, 2016.

In the meantime, we celebrate Advent and we prepare our hearts through prayer and emptying ourselves so that we can be filled with the glory of the newborn King on Christmas Day.

The article above was written by Father Patrick Moses, pastor of St. Irenaeus Church in Cypress. He addressed it to his Parishioners this weekend.

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What started in 1976 as a Catholic Church Women’s Club activity to provide Christmas packages to 25 needy families has grown into a network of organizations working together to provide for those in need.

Twice a month, H.O.P.E (Helping Other People Everyday), a ministry at Saint Irenaeus Catholic Church, holds a food bank for those less fortunate in the surrounding communities of Cypress, La Palma, Buena Park and Anaheim.

H.O.P.E. hands out approximately 30 tons of food each year. Approximately 200 families are helped monthly and numerous ‘day bags’ are handed out to those who come to the Parrish offices. Donations are received from individuals, local churches and many local businesses, such as Olive Garden, Pizza Hut, the Kiwanis and COSTCO. Their shelves are also stocked by Food Finders, a multiregional food bank. Along with donations, H.O.P.E. also relies on volunteers to help with collecting, sorting, bagging and distributing the food.

On Sunday December 13 at 7pm, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is sponsoring a free Christmas concert and a donation drop off location to assist St. Irenaeus H.O.P.E. Food Bank. There is a great need for peanut butter (approx 1 lb. size) and canned fruit (peaches, fruit cocktail, pears, etc.) to help meet their holiday needs. This event is offered free of charge and open to the public. Refreshments will be served after the concert which will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 5151 W. Orange Ave. Cypress.

If you are interested in learning more about this event visit JustServe.org and in the advanced search enter ‘Christmas’ in the keywords.

If you are interested in assisting H.O.P.E. at any time during the year, whether through donations or volunteering, call the H.O.P.E. office at (714) 826-0760.

This article was written by Vickie Wagstaff.

Featured Photo:

LDS representative Steve Mauss, right, is shown in this file photo with H.O.P.E. representative Henry Negretti thanking the Latter Day Saints for their donation of peanut butter to the H.O.P.E. food bank. Photo courtesy of LDS.

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Members of H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Every Day), the Cypress, La Palma, Buena Park and Anaheim Area Food Bank at St. Irenaeus Church grounds in Cypress, have been working for months to prepare for its Annual Christmas Food and Gift Distribution Day. On the long-awaited day, families who are registered at the Food Bank gathered at St. Irenaeus on Saturday, December 19, 2015, to receive their food for the holidays and Christmas gifts for their children.

Families and individuals who were not registered but were in need of food also were able to receive food at the H.O.P.E. Food Bank. No one in need went away empty-handed.

Starting at 7:00 a.m., members of the La Palma Kiwanis Club cooked and served a free breakfast of pancakes, sausages, coffee, orange juice, and even fresh fruit. Kiwanis President Keith Nelson mixed all the batter needed for the pancakes while the other members stationed themselves to cook and serve the sausages and pancakes. Among the Kiwanis members who volunteered their time at the pancake breakfast were the city of La Palma’s current Mayor, Gerard Goedhart and past members of the La Palma Council and Mayors Lauree Aragona, Larry Herman and Keith Nelson. Lauree Aragona said that the Kiwanis Club enjoyed serving the people who came to the H.O.P.E. Food Bank.

At 8:30 a.m., Deacon Gerald Pyne prayed with and welcomed everyone. He invited people into the Parish Hall to register and get the paperwork necessary to get food and gifts for the children at the Food Bank. Clients then went to the Food Bank area where they received boxes of food which were prepared according to the size of their families. Christmas gifts were collected in a Toy Collection Drive at St. Irenaeus Parish for two weeks in November. St. Irenaeus parishioners and children in St. Irenaeus School donated many gifts for the children of Food Bank clients as requested for boys and girls by age and sex.

Pictured at the December 19, 2015 H.O.P.E. Food Bank at St. Irenaeus Parish are hundreds of people waiting for the St. Irenaeus Parish Hall doors to open at 8:30 a.m. to start the procedure of getting food and gifts from the Food Bank. Courtesy photo.

According to Marybeth Beck, Co-Chair of the Toy Collection Drive, all the donated gifts were stored free of charge for one month at A-1 Storage on Lincoln Avenue in Cypress until Distribution Day. A total of 175 toys were wrapped last week and given to the children after their parents gathered their boxes of food and additional choices of holiday food. Members thought that seeing the joy and smiles of the children’s faces were enough of a reward for all their efforts.

According to H.O.P.E. Board member Mary Ellen Oves, approximately 211 families received enough food to fill their boxes and baskets. The food included non-perishable food such as cans of vegetables, fruit, beans, tuna, peanut butter, soup and tomato sauce, as well as a turkey or ham. Clients also received cereal, pasta, rice, dried beans, flour, sugar, pancake mix, cookies, crackers, syrup, and cooking oil. They also received fresh produce including potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, apples, oranges and bananas. In addition, they had their choice of bread and pastries donated by Costco, pizzas donated by Pizza Hut, and frozen meals donated by Olive Garden.

Much of the food that was distributed was donated, but H.O.P.E. purchased whatever was needed with some of the $10,000 raised at their November Fundraising Dinner at Knott’s Berry Farm and with donations from parishioners and community members.

Oves said that H.O.P.E. appreciates all the generous donations received from St. Irenaeus parishioners, local businesses, community members, other churches, and also the help of many schools who held food drives to help fill the Christmas baskets and who continue to help Food and Gifts at the H.O.P.E. Food Bank in Cypress throughout the year. She was thankful for the donations of peanut butter and canned fruits from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints on Orange Avenue in Cypress.

Front row, left to right, are Lauree and Joe Aragona, George Stark, John Alvis, Ismile Noorbaksh, Gerad Goedhart, and Larry Herman. Back row, barely visible, are John Theilen, Jan Jensen and Stephanie Ortega. Missing is Kiwanis President Keith Nelson, who was mixing batter for pancakes in the Parish Hall kitchen. Courtesy photo.

Oves said that she especially wanted to thank the local high school students from Kennedy, Oxford and Whitney High Schools who helped to box and distribute the food and the Cypress Police Explorers who helped with traffic control on Distribution Day.

H.O.P.E. members had organized everything so well that by 10:30 a.m., the last clients finished filling their baskets with food and received gifts for their children. They then put away tables and whatever food was left to be used for the next Food Bank Day on the first or third Saturdays of the month from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.

H.O.P.E. members would like to thank everyone in the community who helped to make the Christmas Food Distribution at the H.O.P.E. Food Bank extra special this year. Because of everyone’s generosity, many families and individuals will enjoy the holidays with ample food and toys for their children

For more information about H.O.P.E., contact Mary Ellen Oves at 714-621-3457.

This article was written by Edna Ethington for St. Irenaeus Parish Church.

Featured Photo:

Pictured at the December 19, 2015, H.O.P.E. Food Bank at St. Irenaeus Parish are students and members of H.O.P.E. ready to distribute 175 gifts to the children of clients. Left to right are Taylor Eagleston, Art Cordova, Caty Callison, Melody Mista, Earl Beck, Marybeth Beck and Dolores Navarro. Navarro has been a H.O.P.E. volunteer for 40 years and Marybeth and Earl Beck have chaired the Toy Collection Drive for 21 years. Courtesy photo.

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St. Irenaeus Health Care Ministry in Cypress asked for the help of St. Irenaeus parishioners and the students of St. Irenaeus School for their Annual “Giving Tree” Outreach Project to share the Christmas Spirit with residents of five local Care Centers and Homebound Parishioners during the Advent season.

Starting in late November, the students of St. Irenaeus School decorated over 400 brown bags in festive Christmas colors and decorations for the Giving Tree Project. Parishioners were then offered the opportunity to participate in the project by filling the decorated bags with items from a suggested list of gifts for the men and women residents of the Care Centers and for Homebound Parishioners.

Parishioners were also invited to attend the Christmas parties where the gift bags would be presented and join in singing Christmas carols and other Christmas songs with Health Care Ministers and St. Irenaeus Adult Choir members. They could also choose to be part of Santa’s elves and help Santa deliver presents to everyone.

St. Irenaeus parishioners responded generously and filled all of the decorated bags so that the baptistery at St. Irenaeus Church was overflowing with gifts by Dec. 13. Bags were organized by sections for men, women and a separate section for lap blankets for those who were bedridden.

During the week of Dec. 14-18, 2015, teams of Health Care Ministry members helped Santa to deliver the gift bags to Knott Avenue Manor and Knott Avenue Care Centers in Buena Park, Karlton Care Center and Anaheim Terrace Care Center in Anaheim, and Sunrise Assisted Living in La Palma. Each of the Christmas parties was uniquely different with different groups of people coming to sing Christmas carols and help Santa to deliver the gift bags. However, the faces of the residents of all the Care Centers showed how much they all enjoyed receiving their gifts and hearing the Christmas songs. Some residents even joined in singing familiar Christmas songs and carols.

The Christmas parties at two of the Care Centers had an abundance of young people and adult parishioners participating. At Knott Manor, Boy Scout Troop 660 came with their leader, Cindy Kissell, and their parents for the first time. The scouts came dressed in uniform or as elves and sang Christmas songs enthusiastically. The residents enjoyed seeing and hearing the young people and some residents joined in singing the songs.

One resident said, “Come more often!”

It was wonderful to see parents with the Scouts, especially the fathers who could come at night! This was the only party that was held in the evening.

At Sunrise La Palma, twenty-two students from Mrs. Cathy Corkhill’s Sixth Grade Class at St. Irenaeus School came with bags filled with gifts. They brought lap blankets that they made themselves and included them in their beautifully decorated bags. They also came prepared to sing “Mele Kalikimaka” with their own improvised hand motions. They were accompanied by a few of their classmates playing their ukuleles and Adult Choir members. The students joined in singing many other favorite Christmas songs such as “Silent Night,” “Frosty,” “Jingle Bells, “Here Comes Santa Claus,” etc. They joyously sang songs as they went from room to room delivering gift bags and ended by happily singing the “Twelve Days of Christmas” by themselves.

Grace Francis, the Health Care Ministry’s Coordinator for the Care Centers, was overjoyed to see so many students accompanied by their teacher and their parents who drove them to Sunrise after school. They all joined Adult Choir members and other parishioners who came to sing songs and help deliver the gifts at Sunrise La Palma.

Mrs. Francis is one person who attended all five of the Christmas parties at the Care Centers. She was told by workers at all the Care Centers that everyone was delighted with the gifts they received this year. Lap blankets were the favorite of all the gifts that they received.

Mrs. Francis said that she appreciated all those who helped, especially the people who volunteered as Santas. The Santas included her grandson Troy Kissell, her husband Ken Francis, Tom Nagle and Vickie Larson. Larson was Santa at two of the parties and showed her Christmas Spirit by singing and lovingly hugging people as she presented their gift bags to them.

Mrs. Francis said that she was so grateful for the generosity of all the parishioners of St. Irenaeus who made it possible to bring gifts to the residents of the Care Centers. She said that gift bags were delivered later to parishioners who were homebound.

The Giving Tree Project for 2015 came to an end on Dec. 18 when residents of all five Care Centers had received their gifts and had their parties, but evangelization at the Care Centers continues each week. People who would like to join Health Care Ministry members and help bring the Good News of Christ to residents of the Care Centers can contact Grace Walters at 714-742-9080 or Sr. Rita O’Connell at 714-826-9760.

The article above was submitted by Edna Ethington.

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Pictured at Knott Avenue Care Center in Buena Park is Santa Vickie Larson at center, hugging a resident. Health Care Ministry members are standing behind Santa ready with more gift bags. Standing at right is a worker at the Care Center.

Photo by Edna Ethington.

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St. Irenaeus Health Care Ministry is presenting a free workshop on Monday, January 18, 2015, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Irenaeus Parish Hall, 5201 Evergreen Avenue, Cypress. Guest speaker Lisa Dodson, a Professional Organizer, will discuss “Creating a Clutter Free Home: Clear the Clutter, Clear the Mind.”

This workshop is not for hoarders as pictured on TV, but for the everyday person who got behind in the decluttering process with either paper or possessions.

Dodson hopes to encourage people to get started on their own journey to declutter by sharing three habits of a highly organized person and 10 tips to organize anything. She will also be commenting on some spiritual applications in our lives and the right perspective regarding what and how much material we have.

This workshop should be especially helpful after Christmas when people receive many new gifts and need to dispose of old or no longer needed items. The public is invited to come to this free workshop and learn how to create a Clutter Free Home.

For more information, contact Monica Kovach at 310-490-6113.

This article was written by Edna Ethington for St. Irenaeus Parish Church.

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