Parish Reflection Morning Focuses on Growing as Catholic Evangelizers
"Becoming an Evangelizing Catholic Community" is the theme for the Parish Reflection Morning set for this Saturday, April 12, from 8:00 a.m. to noon.

Hosted by the Disciples in Mission Leadership Team, the morning gives us a chance to consider questions such as "are we living the Gospel every day, comfortable sharing our faith and reaching out to those who seek the fullness of faith," says team leader Patti Pascale.

After Mass with Msgr. Connolly, keynote speaker Michael Norman, who is the Archdiocese's Associate Director of Religious Education, will help us explore what it means to be an evangelizing community.

Patti describes the morning's small group sessions as the "focus of our morning." The groups will discuss the U.S. Bishop's call to "go out and make disciples" and design ways for the Holy Family community to grow as Catholic evangelizers.

The results of group sessions, Patti says, are important for parish planning, and will be reported in a "Parish Evangelizing Profile." Last year's profile, which grew out of the Parish Reflection Day, affirmed the good work of Holy Family's ministries and suggested many new possibilities for sharing faith.

Invitation for Involvement
"We value everyone's insight into the community and urge all parishioners to participate," Patti says. The morning begins with Mass in the church and moves into the Parish Hall. An R.S.V.P. to disciplesinmission@holyfamily.org or 626-403-6151 as soon as possible is appreciated.

Giving Thanks by Serving
In the next couple of weeks, we have two ministry fairs on the Holy Family calendar. Both offer great opportunities for involvement.

This Sunday, April 13, the Education Formation Ministry Fair will be held after the Sunday Masses. Visit the tables in the Gathering Area for details on becoming involved with ministries such as Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, Bible Study, Sunday Pre-School, Toddler Co-op, Youth Ministry or Religious Education.

And, with the Worship Ministry Fair approaching on Sunday, April 20, parishioner Karla Domier reflects on her involvement as a Eucharistic Minister and how living her faith in a worship ministry has strengthened it. Consider getting involved as a lector, eucharistic minister, choir member or alter server. Karla writes about her experience:

"As an adult participant in RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults), I admit I didn't know the exact significance of the Eucharist as it pertained to the Catholic faith. Learning about the mystery of how the bread and wine actually transform into the body and blood of Christ was miraculous. This tangible connection between Jesus and his followers made quite an impact on me. Therefore, once I was fully initiated into the Catholic Church, it was a natural extension of my RCIA experience to want to become a Eucharistic Minister and share more fully in this experience."

"'Eucharist' means 'giving thanks' in Greek. When I serve as a Eucharistic Minister, I give thanks for the opportunity to serve. I give thanks to Jesus Christ for the sacrifice he made for me, for us. I give thanks for each and every person that comes to me to receive the body or blood of Christ. I give thanks for that moment when we look at each other, look at the body of Christ and feel in communion with one another. I give thanks for the nourishment I feel from participating in our liturgy in this most powerful way."

"Eucharist is the summit and source of our faith. It is a privilege to share it with others. As I stand at the altar and I see the throngs of people humbly coming towards the front of the church to receive the Eucharist, I am always overwhelmed by the thought that people all over the Earth are bonded in this experience of our Catholic faith. People from all walks of life - rich and poor, from every nation, all doing this exact same thing - asking to be fed at the Lord's table, knowing that it is truly 'soul' food."

"During this Easter season, when we are reminded of the new life that springs from Jesus' death and resurrection, I feel honored to serve as a Eucharistic Minister. Each time I serve, I am renewed; I receive new life. In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, what a quiet, peaceful and powerful way to be a disciple of Christ. I am very blessed to be able to 'live out' my faith in this way!"

The Golden Age of Hollywood Creates Elegant Experience, Captures Hopes and Dreams
The Golden Age of Hollywood: An Affair to Remember, A Time to Dream, our 2008 Holy Family Auction, is almost here! In just a few short weeks, our parish grounds will be transformed into the timeless magic and memories of Hollywood in its heyday.

Next week, look for your invitation to our 18th annual auction, to be held on Saturday, May 17. Our expected 600 guests will enjoy an evening of live and silent auctions, a raffle, dinner and dancing. By creating the elegant experience of Hollywood, the auction chairs and their active teams of volunteers want to capture the hopes and dreams of a classical time.

And, the auction teams, volunteers and supporters are creating a chance for many others to fulfill their dreams. Each year, the auction raises funds to support important causes at our church and in our community. It helps Mission Haiti, Dolores Mission, Holy Family School and Religious Education, just to name a few.

Invitation for Involvement
There are still plenty of opportunities for you to get involved. Top of the list is event set-up, decorating and tear-down. All it takes is a little enthusiasm and energy. If you'd like to help, contact Andrell and Ed Panconi at 626-441-4627 or eapanconi@sbcglobal.net.

"Amazing" Artist Shares Sights, Stories of All the Saints of the City of the Angels
"Inspirational," "amazing" and "illuminative" are just a few descriptions of artist-author J. Michael Walker and his new book, All the Saints of the City of the Angels. Our Holy Family Bookstore has the honor of hosting a signing by this acclaimed artist on Sunday, April 20, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Subtitled "Seeking the Soul of Los Angeles on Its Streets," Michael's book is a collection of scenes and stories about Los Angeles' many saint-named streets and is a companion to his exhibit at the Autry National Center. As he connects the life of the saints to life on city streets, Michael combines "history, art and social justice," says Anne McGann Yee, who manages the bookstore.

As The Tidings described, "the connections between saints, streets and modern life are mysterious and empowering. Many of his models are real-life people: day laborers, the homeless and the disenfranchised, people whose lives somehow reflect the saint street name on which they live and work."

"He has an amazing way of relating the history of the saints to the people of today," Anne says. One example is St. Rafael Street in nearby Mount Washington. St. Rafael, a guide for those on journeys, "offers advice, wisdom . . . and makes sure that everyone gets home safely," notes Michael in his book. In his look at life on San Rafael Street, Michael captures these qualities in the care given by a crossing guard to neighborhood children.

The book signing is Michael's return visit to Holy Family. Our bookstore was one of the first to feature his earlier self-published books and showcase his artwork.

Invitation for Involvement
The bookstore staff and volunteers invite you to meet the author on April 20. All the Saints of the City of the Angels is featured now at the Holy Family Bookstore. Please drop by and take a look.