From court to classroom, positively speaking

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From court to classroom, positively speaking
First-year teacher Jennifer Beltran, the University of Illinois’s record-setting “digger,” stresses positive thinking at Sacred Heart HS.
October 1, 2014 – R.W. Dellinger
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Jennifer Beltran gives a PowerPoint presentation to her health/PE class at Sacred Heart High School in Lincoln Heights. . – CREDIT: R. W. DELLINGER
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“Hi, girls. Hi, girls,” said Jennifer Beltran walking into a second-floor classroom at Sacred Heart High School. It was her 9:47-to-11:16 B-day health class with mostly sophomores, along with a few juniors and seniors, on a Wednesday morning in late September.

International seminarians: Bringing the ‘world church’ to L.A.

“All roads lead to Rome,” the saying goes, but many roads also lead to St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, where 15 of its 93 seminarians are international students.

Hailing from countries that include Mexico, Holland, Nigeria, Spain, Uganda and the Philippines, these students bring a special “richness” to the seminary, says Dr. Paul Ford, professor of theology and liturgy.

Respect Life Week begins Oct. 6 in Catholic schools

Respect Life Week, a joint project of the Department of Catholic Schools and the Office of Life, Justice and Peace, takes place Oct. 6-10 at schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles — a prelude to the annual Christian Service 4Life event Oct. 14 in Carson.

During Respect Life Week, Catholic elementary, middle and high school students are immersed “in the understanding of the dignity of every human person and our call to proclaim the Gospel of Life in our community,” said Kathleen Buckley Domingo, LIFE Coordinator in the Office of Life, Justice and Peace.

‘For the love of God and Church’

The common refrain of many parishioners of St. Bernadette Church is, invariably, “I just love my church.” It’s how they were raised, it’s how church is family to them, it’s how they support this family of faith in good times and in bad. And it’s how, when they see need in the lives of their neighbors, they come forward.

Cultures Mass: A convergence of trials, travels, traditions

For Juanatano Cano, the United States is his third world.

His first world was the small Guatemalan town of Santa Eulalia, where he was born to a Mayan family who converted to Catholicism and only spoke Q’anjobal, one of the 23 Mayan languages. His second world was the city of Huehuetenango (Guatemala), where he learned Spanish.

HOLY LAND: Where saints have walked before us

It’s easy to slip when walking the Via Dolorosa in Old City Jerusalem, especially if it’s raining. The stones are so worn down, so smooth. So many pilgrims over the centuries have followed in the Lord’s footsteps, contemplating his Passion.

Resurrection’s struggle against Exide continues

“The question the communities of the Southern Greater Los Angeles area for 30 years have been asking is why have the state agencies allowed Exide to pollute the children, the neighborhoods of our communities with lead, arsenic and other hazardous chemicals again and again over 30 years?”

Msgr. John Moretta spoke from the steps of Resurrection Church, the parish he’s led for 31 years in Boyle Heights, addressing a Sept. 18 rally, at which he and others urged Gov. Jerry Brown to sign two bills that would require hazardous waste facilities, like Exide Technologies, to fully comply with federal and state laws.

‘Dolphin’ film raises students’ compassion, faith awareness

Immaculate Conception eighth grader Alicia Noemi Lopez had never seen the 2011 film “Dolphin Tale” about an injured dolphin fitted with a prosthetic tail. But the story particularly resonated with her when she saw a screening of the movie along with fellow students Sept. 11.

Kathleen Kim: Advocate for exploited immigrants and trafficked victims – PART I

Kathleen Kim’s parents immigrated from South Korea. So the 39-year-old professor at Loyola Law School — who Mayor Eric Garcetti appointed to the Los Angeles Police Commission, which oversees the LAPD, last year — grew up with a bedrock family immigrant identity.

Ordinati Day: ‘Honoring the priesthood’

Looking out at the audience of Serra Club members, clergy, religious and laity attending the 64th annual Ordinati Day Luncheon celebrating recently-ordained priests, Father Juan Ochoa shared a secret from his days as a new seminarian attending Juan Diego House.