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.

Pro-life training: ‘Look at everything through clients’ eyes’

From a young age, Abby Johnson possessed a deep-seated desire to help women in need. As an adult, that led her to a career with Planned Parenthood, where she became a clinic director and attempted to serve women in crisis — despite a growing sense of unease about the organization.

Catechist Commissioning: Called to share the faith

Once again, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels was filled to capacity as more than 2,000 catechists received their official certification marking the completion of leadership courses in religious education at the Sept. 14 Service of Prayer & Commissioning.

‘Cool 2B Catholic’ Youth Rally: Finding the fun of faith

To make sure that the “Cool 2B Catholic” Youth Rally lived up to its name, organizers moved the inspirational talk/music jam from the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Plaza to a large meeting hall at the Cathedral Conference Center when outdoor temperatures were predicted to be near 100.

Grand Marian Procession celebrates L.A.’s Catholic roots

When the near-lifed-size statue of the Blessed Virgin cradling a toddler Jesus had passed by, three Hispanic women quickly sidestepped out of their back pews in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Getting down on their hands and knees, they collected pink rose pedals and small blue flowers fallen from bouquets at the feet of Mary, borne on the sturdy shoulders of seven men in purple robes.

Prayer Breakfast: ‘Something new out of brokenness’

We’re all broken, only in different ways, observed Sister Regina Marie Gorman at the Los Angeles Archdiocese’s prayer breakfast on Sept. 16. What’s important is opening that brokenness to God so God can heal it in maybe an unexpected but always beautiful way.

Good Shepherd Sisters celebrate 110 years in L.A.

As part of the celebration of 110 years of service to Los Angeles by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, a Mass was celebrated recently by Archbishop José Gomez in the convent chapel formerly used by the contemplative branch of the order.

St. John’s ‘Distinguished Alumni’

Since 2008, men who have served the Catholic Church with dedicated heart and joyful spirit have been honored as Distinguished Alumni from St. John’s Seminary.

The dinner, to support ongoing formation at St. John’s Seminary, has honored 30 Distinguished Alumni at a dinner held at the Camarillo seminary each September. Among the honorees are several bishops (three of them cardinals), as well as laypeople who received formation at the Camarillo seminary and then chose a different path to serve church and community.

St. John’s women: ‘They are very much part of our seminary’

More than a few good women have influenced life at St. John’s Seminary over its 75 years. From women’s initial roles as housekeepers and office staff, to their inclusion as faculty in the late ’60s, to admittance of laywomen (and laymen) in the 2000s as graduate students alongside seminarians, women have made a difference both on and off the campus.