While lay men and women have taken on more roles in the church, a recent conference in Berkeley took a deeper look at the vocation of the laity and their connection to the mission of the church. At the annual convocation of the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology’s College of Fellows Feb. 1 and 2, participants discussed the ways the laity are active in the church today, and how their role could be expanded.

Evangeline Carlos of San Mateo learned she had metastatic lung cancer after applying for a nursing assistant job that required a chest X-ray as part of the hiring process.

With rites special to their culture and rites close to every Catholic’s heart, the Chinese Catholic community of the Archdiocese of San Francisco welcomed the Lunar New Year Feb. 9 at St. Mary’s Cathedral. The New Year commenced Feb. 5.

One of 65 women and men religious celebrating jubilees in 2019 said in remarks delivered during the Consecrated Life Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral Feb. 3 that those who choose religious life can be wholly different in background, ministry and age but are “united in what they do and why they do it.”

Whether they had celebrated their wedding five years ago or 65 years ago, a special archdiocesan Mass honored the witness to love provided by married couples. At the archdiocese’s annual Wedding Anniversary Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral Feb. 9, couples who had reached a new five-year increment in their marriage, along with any couples married more than 40 years years, renewed their vows and had their rings blessed. About 90 couples participated, with a total attendance of 400.

Galvanized by the #MeToo movement and the sex abuse crisis commanding the attention of the Vatican, women religious are now openly discussing a subject that was once taboo – sexual harassment, abuse and rape of sisters by clergy – in congregational motherhouses and national conference offices.

PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Mexico – Gangs in Honduras first threatened Denia Garcia’s husband six months ago, telling him to join with them or die. Her husband, a police officer, fled to the United States, arriving successfully.

These women and men religious of the Archdiocese of San Francisco were honored for service milestones at the annual Consecrated Life Mass, Feb. 3 at St. Mary’s Cathedral. See Page 6 for an article about the Mass and a group photo of the jubilarians who attended.