Angelus News | March 22, 2024 | Vol. 9 No. 6
On the cover: To cap off a nearly five-decades-long career working in Church communications, Francis X. Maier had an ambitious book idea: a ‘snapshot’ of the Church in America at this time in history that captured both its strengths and its sicknesses. On Page 10, Maier shares what he took away from hearing more than 100 “confessions”’ with American Catholic leaders for the project. On Page 20, John L. Allen Jr. offers his own diagnosis of the uneasy relationship between U.S. Catholics and Rome during the Pope Francis pontificate.
On the cover: To cap off a nearly five-decades-long career working in Church communications, Francis X. Maier had an ambitious book idea: a ‘snapshot’ of the Church in America at this time in history that captured both its strengths and its sicknesses. On Page 10, Maier shares what he took away from hearing more than 100 “confessions”’ with American Catholic leaders for the project. On Page 20, John L. Allen Jr. offers his own diagnosis of the uneasy relationship between U.S. Catholics and Rome during the Pope Francis pontificate.
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PERFORMANCE PREACHING<br />
Passion plays are popular among Spanish-language parishes,<br />
but their appeal goes beyond a simple production.<br />
BY THERESA CISNEROS<br />
Members of Comunidad<br />
Primera Corintios 13 at Christ<br />
the King Church practice on a<br />
recent Sunday for their annual<br />
Passion play. | MIKE CISNEROS<br />
Christian Escobar has been involved,<br />
in one form or another,<br />
with the annual Passion play at<br />
Christ the King Church in Hollywood<br />
since he was 4.<br />
From watching his father sew the<br />
group’s first costumes, to playing the<br />
role of a centurion this year, Escobar<br />
has deep ties to the production, now<br />
in its 37th year.<br />
For Escobar, the play is about more<br />
than just acting. It’s a way for him to<br />
mature in his faith, bond with the<br />
church community, and evangelize.<br />
“Ever since I can remember I’ve<br />
enjoyed being a part of this,” said<br />
Escobar, now 42. “It’s something that<br />
I have grown to love and appreciate.”<br />
Escobar is among scores of Catholics<br />
across the Archdiocese of Los Angeles<br />
who will appear in Spanish-language<br />
14 • ANGELUS • <strong>March</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2024</strong>
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