Angelus News | May 1, 2026

ANGELUS

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What led a 98-year-old

to become Catholic

this Easter

May 1, 2026 Vol. 11 No. 9

May 1, 2026

Vol. 11 • No. 9

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ANGELUS

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ON THE COVER

REESE CUEVAS

An “Okie” of Native American descent who came

to California during the Great Depression, Virginia

Eidson wasn’t a nonbeliever — she just somehow

missed out on baptism. On Page 10, Ann Rodgers tells

the unlikely conversion story that led to her welcome

into the Catholic Church at the age of 98 this Easter

in Oxnard.

THIS PAGE

PETER LOBATO/ARCHDIOCESE OF

LOS ANGELES

Father Allan Deck, SJ, Father Edward Dober, Msgr.

Gregory Cox, and Father Manuel Vasquez-Bravo,

MSpS, pose after being recognized as Golden Jubilarians

during the Chrism Mass on March 30 at the

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

CONTENTS

Pope Watch............................................... 2

Archbishop Gomez................................. 3

World, Nation, and Local News...... 4-6

In Other Words........................................ 7

Father Rolheiser....................................... 8

Scott Hahn.............................................. 32

Events Calendar..................................... 33

14

18

20

24

26

28

30

A tribute to the life and legacy of LA’s Sister Edith Prendergast

The surprise honoree at the 2026 Archbishop’s Awards

Keys to understanding Pope Leo’s visit to Africa

What led to the breakup between Pope Leo and President Trump

Grazie Christie: The woman that Spain should not have killed

The existential, possibly religious message behind ‘Project Hail Mary’

Heather King looks to ‘Martha, Martha’ for a roadmap to holiness

May 1, 2026 • ANGELUS • 1

POPE WATCH

A silent revolution in Africa

The following is adapted from the

Holy Father’s remarks at a “Meeting

for Peace” at St. Joseph’s Cathedral

in Bamenda, Cameroon, on April 16.

At the end of the meeting, Pope Leo

released seven doves from the front steps

of the cathedral as a sign of peace.

I

am here to proclaim peace. Yet I find

it is you who are proclaiming peace

to me, and to the entire world.

The crisis impacting these regions

of Cameroon has brought Christian

and Muslim communities closer than

ever before. Your religious leaders have

come together to establish a Movement

for Peace, through which they seek to

mediate between the opposing sides.

I wish this would happen in so many

other places of the world. Your witness,

your work for peace can be a model for

the whole world!

Jesus told us: Blessed are the peacemakers!

But woe to those who manipulate

religion and the very name of

God for their own military, economic,

or political gain, dragging that which is

sacred into darkness and filth. Yes, my

dear sisters and brothers, you who hunger

and thirst for justice, who are poor,

merciful, meek, and pure of heart, you

who have wept — you are the light of

the world (cf. Matthew 5:3–14)!

The masters of war pretend not to

know that it takes only a moment to destroy,

yet a lifetime is often not enough

to rebuild. They turn a blind eye to the

fact that billions of dollars are spent on

killing and devastation, yet the resources

needed for healing, education, and

restoration are nowhere to be found.

Those who rob your land of its

resources generally invest much of the

profit in weapons, thus perpetuating

an endless cycle of destabilization

and death. It is a world turned upside

down, an exploitation of God’s creation

that must be denounced and rejected

by every honest conscience. We must

make a decisive change of course — a

true conversion — that will lead us in

the opposite direction, onto a sustainable

path rich in human fraternity. The

world is being ravaged by a handful of

tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude

of supportive brothers and sisters!

They are the descendants of Abraham,

as numerous as the stars in the sky and

the grains of sand on the seashore.

Peace is not something we must invent:

it is something we must embrace

by accepting our neighbor as our brother

and as our sister. We do not choose

our brothers and sisters: we simply

must accept one another! We are one

family, inhabiting the same home: this

wonderful planet that ancient cultures

have cared for across millennia.

Let us serve peace together! As Pope

Francis said in the apostolic exhortation

“Evangelii Gaudium”: “We have

to regard ourselves as sealed, even

branded, by this mission of bringing

light, blessing, enlivening, raising up,

healing, and freeing. All around us we

begin to see nurses with soul, teachers

with soul, politicians with soul, people

who have chosen deep down to be with

others and for others.”

Thus, my beloved predecessor exhorted

us to walk together, each of us

according to our own vocation, stretching

the boundaries of our communities,

beginning with concrete efforts on the

local level, in order to love our neighbor,

whomever and wherever he or she

may be. You are witnesses to this silent

revolution!

Papal Prayer Intention for April: Let us pray for priests going

through moments of crisis in their vocation, that they may

find the accompaniment they need and that communities

may support them with understanding and prayer.

2 • ANGELUS • May 1, 2026

NEW WORLD OF FAITH

ARCHBISHOP JOSÉ H. GOMEZ

Emmaus, the Mass, and our new Catholics

I

have been praying for our “new

Catholics.” Not only those here in

Los Angeles, but across the country,

as dioceses reported record numbers of

men and women entering the Church

this Easter.

Our task in the Church now is to accompany

our new brothers and sisters

on their walk with Jesus, to help them

live their faith with joy and confidence,

and grow deeper in their friendship

with him.

Reflecting on this challenge, I have

been reading the story of the disciples

on the road to Emmaus, a story that

takes place late in the afternoon on

that first Easter Sunday.

During Easter, we hear this story in

our liturgy because it recalls the first

Eucharist, celebrated by the risen Jesus

himself.

The story follows the rhythms and

structure of the Mass, and it teaches us

that our lives as disciples are meant to

be “Eucharistic.”

As baptized Christians, we live now

from the Mass and for the Mass.

We live now from the encounter with

Jesus, who opens our eyes to see his

living presence in the world, who feeds

and strengthens us for our journey. We

live now for the mission that Jesus entrusts

to every disciple — to be a witness

to his resurrection.

We see all this in the Emmaus story.

The disciples are leaving Jerusalem.

They are sad, their hopes in Jesus

were shattered by his crucifixion. In

their despair, Jesus comes to walk with

them. But they can’t recognize him.

In every Eucharist, we too have a

living encounter with Jesus. In every

Mass, we enter into his presence, from

the first words: “The Lord be with

you!”

Like those disciples on the Emmaus

road, we bring to this encounter all our

wounds and disappointments, our joys

and hopes. We call to mind our sins

and failings.

In the Emmaus story, the disciples

make a sort of confession to the “stranger”

they meet. They tell him that

although some women had discovered

the empty tomb, they did not believe

Jesus was alive, because “him they did

not see.”

Jesus will help them to see, and he

invites them to understand their lives

in light of his life — in light of the

love that he has shown by dying on the

cross and rising from the dead.

This is the purpose of the Liturgy of

the Word in the Mass — to help us

to see the world and our lives in light

of God’s plan. We read from both the

Old and New Testaments because

Jesus speaks to us in every page of the

Scriptures.

At Emmaus, “beginning with Moses

and all the prophets, he interpreted to

them what referred to him in all the

Scriptures.” Jesus does the same for us

in every Mass.

When the disciples heard his Word,

their hearts “burned within” them.

Then they made a kind of profession of

faith, saying to Jesus: “Stay with us!”

This is one of the meanings, also, of

our profession of faith in the Mass.

Like those disciples, we profess that

we believe in the Word we have heard

and that we want to follow that Word.

And Jesus does remain, just as he

stayed with those disciples on that first

Easter night.

He leads us to the altar, just as he led

those disciples to his table, where “he

took bread, said the blessing, broke it,

and gave it to them.”

We remember these words and

actions from the Last Supper. The

priest repeats these words and actions

in every Mass. And in every Mass Jesus

comes again to open our eyes and feed

us with his body and blood.

“In the breaking of the bread,” the disciples’

eyes are opened; in that instant,

they saw Jesus, then he disappeared.

But Jesus is not gone. Although we do

not see him, he goes with us — alive

in our hearts, nearer than the air we

breathe. He will be with us always and

never leave, until the end of the age.

After their encounter, the two disciples

set out in joy to tell the others

how their hearts burned from his

Word, and how they had known him in

the breaking of the bread.

At the end of Mass, the priest sends us

out too, to proclaim the Gospel with

our lives.

Like those first disciples, Jesus sends

us out to be a witness to his resurrection,

to serve the people in our

lives, and bring others to their own

Jesus does remain, just as he stayed with those

disciples on that first Easter night.

encounter with Jesus and his saving

power and love.

Pray for me and I will pray for you.

Let’s keep praying for our new

Catholics. Let’s welcome them and

let’s encourage them by our own love

for Jesus and by the way we live our

Catholic faith.

Holy Mary, Mother of the Church,

pray for us!


WORLD

■ New Chaldean Catholic

patriarch elected

Chaldean Catholics have a new

leader.

Archbishop Amel Shamon Nona, 58,

was elected the Chaldean Church’s

patriarch during a gathering of

Chaldean bishops in Rome April 12.

Nona formerly oversaw the Chaldean

Eparchy in Australia and New Zealand.

Now he will return to his native

Iraq, where he lived until the 2014

invasion of the Islamic state.

The patriarch, who took the name

Paul III, replaces 77-year-old Cardinal

Louis Sako, who’d served as patriarch

since 2013. Pope Leo XIV accepted

his resignation March 10.

The Chaldean Catholic Church is

an Eastern Rite church with its own

liturgy and hierarchy but in full communion

with the pope and the Roman

Catholic Church.

■ Orthodox priests in

Australia told to stop social

media ‘influencing’

The Orthodox church in Australia

has ordered its clergy to stop promoting

themselves on social media,

seeking to end the phenomenon of

clergy “influencers.”

At a gathering in April, the Holy

Eparchial Synod of the Archdiocese

of Australia also indicated that it

will issue an encyclical to all clergy,

providing further guidelines on social

media usage to “curb the secularization

of the Church and its pastoral

ministry.”

“The synod emphasized that preaching

and teaching are primarily and

fundamentally the responsibility of the

bishop,” read the April 16 announcement.

The prominence of Orthodox clergy

on social media is related to an accompanying

uptick of men, often politically

vocal and right-wing, converting to

Orthodoxy. The phenomenon, called

“Orthobros” on social media, has been

covered in The New York Times, First

Things, and other news publications.

■ Parisian convent to become urban center for the poor

A former convent in one of Paris’ most affluent districts is being turned into a

center for the poor.

The complex, known as Maison de la Visitation-Vaugirard, belonged to the Sisters

of the Visitation until 2012, when they left due to old age. After years of debate, the

Archdiocese of Paris will entrust the 78,500-square-foot complex to three lay-founded

Catholic associations, which will provide aid for people with disabilities, women

facing difficult pregnancies, and the recently homeless.

Deputy project manager Stéphane Bazin told OSV News the project was put on

hold for more than three years due to opposition from neighbors. A portion of the

property will be converted to rental housing, providing financial stability for the

complex, and the monastery’s central garden will be maintained.

“Thousands of children will visit this garden over the years,” Bazin said. “They

will become familiar with vulnerable and disabled people, who in turn will come

out of their isolation.”

A project rendering of the future

special housing project for the

poor and vulnerable in central

Paris. | OSV NEWS/COURTESY

DUTHILLEUL AGENCY

The cost of war — A man carries a cross ahead of the caskets of Pierre Moawad, an official of the Christian

Lebanese Forces Party, and his wife, Flavia, as mourners arrive in a funeral procession at St. Simon Church in

Yahchouch, Lebanon, April 7. The couple was killed in an Israeli strike on an apartment east of Beirut late two

days earlier. | OSV NEWS/YARA NARDI, REUTERS


NATION

An iconic life — Acclaimed iconographer Christine Dochwat, seen here with a pair of women

religious, died March 26 at the age of 91. Born in Ukraine in 1934, she experienced both the Soviet

and Nazi invasions before emigrating to the U.S. and studying art in Florida and Philadelphia. A

Ukrainian Catholic, Dochwat’s icons can be found in more than 80 American churches, including

the Byzantine Rite Chapel at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington,

D.C. | HALYNA VASYLYTSIA/UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC ARCHEPARCHY OF PHILADELPHIA

■ Dominican sisters sue

New York over transgender law

A group of Dominican sisters are suing the state

of New York over a new gender-identity requirement.

The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne operate

Rosary Hill Home, a medical center that treats

terminal cancer patients for free and has rooms

and bathrooms that are divided by sex. Despite

having received no complaints about their operation,

the state’s public health agency issued three

warnings that the facility fails to comply with a

2023 law.

Under “The Long-Term Care Facility Residents’

Bill of Rights for LGBTQIA+ New

Yorkers and People Living with HIV,” long-term

care facilities must assign rooms based on gender

identity, not sex, and to use preferred names and

pronouns.

“I think the most important thing is that we

are adamant in keeping our Catholic identity.

Without that, there’s no purpose for us to do

what we’re doing,” Mother Marie Edward, OP,

the superior of the religious congregation, told

the National Catholic Register.

■ Bishops call on feds to address

abuses against migrant moms

The leaders of the U.S. Catholic bishops’

pro-life and migration committees told the

Department of Homeland Security of their

“grave concern” over reports of mistreatment of

pregnant and postpartum women in immigration

detention.

“There are increasing numbers of alarming

reports of pregnant mothers not getting the

medical care they need while in immigration

detention, tragically resulting in miscarriage in

some cases, as well as reports of nursing mothers

being separated from their babies when

detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs

Enforcement,” wrote Bishop Daniel E.

Thomas of Toledo, Ohio, and Bishop Brendan

J. Cahill of Victoria, Texas, in an April 13 letter

to DHS.

The letter followed a joint report from the

Women’s Refugee Commission and Physicians

for Human Rights documenting cases of

mistreatment or insufficient care for pregnant

or postpartum moms.

Federal guidance previously prevented most

pregnant or new mothers from immigration

detention, but U.S. Customs and Border Protection

rescinded that guidance last year.

■ Artemis astronaut shares the Gospel from space

An estimated 18.1 million Americans followed the Artemis II lunar

mission. One astronaut used the opportunity to share the Gospel.

The April 3-10 mission involved four astronauts aboard the first manned

spaceship to slingshot past the moon, the furthest any manned mission

has gone into space. Victor Glover, mission pilot, brought his Christian

faith onboard.

“As we get close to the nearest point to the moon and farthest point from

Earth, as we continue to unlock the mysteries of the cosmos, I would like

to remind you of

one of the most important

mysteries

there on Earth, and

that’s love,” Glover

said.

“Christ said, in response

to what was

the greatest command,

that it was to

love God with all

you are,” he added.

“And he also, being

a great teacher, said

the second is equal

to it. And that is to

NASA astronaut Victor Glover aboard an aircraft carrier after the Artemis

II mission’s Orion spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near San

Diego. | OSV NEWS/U.S. NAVY HANDOUT VIA REUTERS

love your neighbor

as yourself,” he

said.


LOCAL

■ SoCal Carmelite Sisters seek

donations after building fire

The Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred

Heart of Los Angeles are asking for donations

and prayers after a fire burned through one of

the buildings at its Sacred Heart Retreat House

in Alhambra, leaving it unusable.

The fire started on the afternoon of April

11, when the Carmelites were hosting those

attending the end of a four-day Healing the

Whole Person retreat. According to the sisters,

a fire alarm went off around 1 p.m. in another

area of the center, where they found smoke on

the second floor of one of the retreat buildings.

Firefighters prevented the fire from spreading,

but the damaged building will need to be

rebuilt. No one was injured in the fire.

The Carmelites have operated the campus for

85 years and it serves more than 13,000 people

annually.

“Pray with us, to be attentive to the promptings

of the Holy Spirit right now, especially in

this time of rebuilding, that we move according

to what the Lord wants,” Sister Meredith

Boquiren, OCD, told EWTN.

“If you are willing and able to provide a gift,

we would greatly appreciate that.”

More information and donations: sacredheartretreathouse.com/fire-26.

■ Catholic deacon has a special ‘first’ at

LA Supervisors meeting

Deacon David

Rose from Holy

Angels Church

of the Deaf in

Vernon made

history by becoming

the first

person to offer

the invocation

in American

Sign Language

during the April

14 meeting for

the Los Angeles

County Board of

Supervisors.

After signing

Supervisor Janice Hahn and

Deacon David Rose at the

April 14 Board of Supervisors

meeting. | BRYAN CHAN

the invocation prayer, which was interpreted aloud, Rose was given a

certificate of recognition by Supervisor Janice Hahn, who had invited him

to the meeting.

After receiving the certificate, Rose helped the audience sign “applause.”

“I wanted to take this opportunity to not only acknowledge Deaf History

Month but to make it clear to our deaf community that their contributions

and their history are not secondary nor an afterthought,” Hahn said. “Deaf

history is LA County history.”

Rose is a deacon at Holy Angels, which was established in 1987 to serve

deaf Catholics in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Steady service — About 180 alumni from Loyola Marymount University continued a 100-year-old

tradition of service by leading volunteer projects at 14 sites across the nation on April 11, including Dolores

Mission in Boyle Heights and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. | LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY

■ Longtime Los Angeles

Black Catholic advocate dies

Anderson Shaw, the longtime director of

the African American Catholic Center for

Evangelization (AACCE) in Los Angeles,

died on April 4. He was 85.

In late March, the family wrote that Shaw

had been diagnosed with a type of brain

cancer and was going into hospice care.

Through the AACCE, based at St. Eugene

Church in South LA, Shaw worked

to build community among Black Catholics

in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles

and to bring awareness of other cultures’

contributions to the wider Church.

The AACCE annually put on events

such as Black Catholic History Month,

the MLK Prayer Breakfast, and the

African Diaspora Priest Appreciation

Luncheon.

Additional coverage on Shaw’s legacy

will appear in the May 15 issue of Angelus.


V

IN OTHER WORDS...

Letters to the Editor

Singlehood and St. Joseph

I applaud Sara Perla’s candor in her article “Ghosted by St. Joseph” in

the April 17 issue as she admits her desire to be seen and fully appreciated

by a man.

She is not alone. As a psychiatrist, I have met other men and women through my

practice who can’t easily meet each other; unfortunately, my professional relationship

does not allow me to be their matchmaker! As unfair as it might seem, often

their virtues get in their way: they studied hard in school, work hard at their jobs,

and want to meet and marry someone they admire and want to love. Yet they find

themselves still single as they continue to grow older. (Sometimes, ironically, these

virtues scare away potential mates who see them as “out of their league.”)

But there is hope, including one I can offer. Recently, I started a network of volunteers

who invite singles they know who seek genuine relationships and marriage

to meet each other online through a pool of vetted profiles submitted by other

such volunteers. The response so far has been encouraging. Anyone interested can

check it out at TrustedMatchmaker.com.

And to Ms. Perla, I would offer this encouragement: Don’t lose faith, no matter

how dark it seems in the moment. And don’t give up on St. Joseph. He’s been

there.

— John P. Nelson, M.D., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Y

Continue the conversation! To submit a letter to the editor, visit AngelusNews.com/Letters-To-The-Editor

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may be edited for style, brevity, and clarity.

A shepherd with the smell of his sheep

“I’m not really a religious

person, but there was just

no other avenue for me

to explain anything or to

experience anything.”

~ Artemis II astronaut Reid Wiseman, during

an April 16 press conference reflecting on his

experience following the space mission’s return to

Earth.

“Never before, even at

the height of U.S. anti-

Catholicism, has a sitting

president attacked the

pope like this.”

~ Religious historian Matthew Avery Sutton in an

April 17 Wall Street Journal essay titled “Trump, the

Pope and a New Holy War.”

“Catholicism is pretty goth.

We love our bones, relics,

blood.”

~ Megan Rico, co-director of the Catholic high

school film, “Edie Arnold is a Loser,” in an April 18

Q&A with the National Catholic Reporter.

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles produced a congratulatory video for Archbishop José H. Gomez after he received a

surprise honor at the 2026 Archbishop’s Awards on April 11. Read the story on Page 18 and view the video online. |

ARCHDIOCESE OF LOS ANGELES

To view this video

and others, visit

AngelusNews.com/photos-videos

Do you have photos or a story from your parish that you’d

like to share? Please send to editorial@angelusnews.com.

“When so many residents

are directly touched by

these experiences, it’s no

wonder that anxiety is

widespread.”

~ Former LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky,

on a new study that found the “Quality of Life

Index” for Angelenos had dropped to a record low

this year. The study cited the 2025 wildfires, ICE

raids, and a higher cost of living for the decline in

satisfaction.


IN EXILE

FATHER RONALD ROLHEISER, OMI

Oblate of Mary Immaculate Father

Ronald Rolheiser is a spiritual

writer; ronrolheiser.com

Our problems with faith today

In 2007, Charles Taylor wrote a book

entitled “A Secular Age” (Belknap

Press, $18), which gave us a clear and

comprehensive analysis of the secular

age we live in and the implications of

that for our faith. More than 1,000 years

before that an unknown author in the

14th century wrote a book, “The Cloud

of Unknowing,” that (in a way that

doesn’t initially leap out at you) answers

the fundamental question Taylor left us

with.

I had read both Taylor’s book and “The

Cloud of Unknowing” without making

a connection between the two. That

connection was pointed out to me by

a doctoral student whose thesis I am

directing. Her thesis? She is interfacing

Taylor’s analysis of secularity with the

fundamental insight of the unknown

author of “The Cloud of Unknowing.”

Here’s her thesis in capsule:

One of the ways Taylor defines our

secular age is this: “The shift to secularity

consists of a move from a society

where belief in God is unchallenged

and unproblematic to one in which it is

understood to be one option among others

— and frequently not the one that is

easiest to embrace.” Taylor suggests that

two things are conspiring to produce

this.

First, we now are what he calls “buffered

persons,” that is, we have moved

from “a self who is vulnerable to many

religious fears and superstitions to a

self that is buffered from all the ‘spirits’

within the enchanted world.” I’m old

enough to have been brought up in

that enchanted world where spirits,

demons, and supernatural powers lived

under every rock, where you sprinkled

holy water around the house during a

lightning storm.

Second, for Taylor, we now live inside

what he calls an “immanent worldview,”

where our secularized world gives us the

idea that there is no other world than

this one and we don’t need anything

beyond this world to achieve full flourishing,

meaning, and happiness.

Taylor, a devout Christian, concludes

by saying that this new situation doesn’t

constitute a crisis of faith, but rather a

crisis of imagination. The old imaginaries

within which we imagined our faith

don’t serve us anymore. We need a new

imagination within which to picture our

faith.

And from where can we draw this new

imagination?

According to my doctoral student, the

new imagination we need within which

to repicture our faith can be drawn from

the fundamental counsel given us in

“The Cloud of Unknowing.” But this

isn’t immediately evident.

On the surface, what this unknown

14th-century writer advocates is a simple

prayer practice, not unlike what many

today call “centering prayer,” where

you go to prayer without any agenda,

request, or words. You just sit in silence,

without expectation, simply trusting that

God will give you what you really need.

However, for the author of “The

Cloud” this is not just a simple prayer

practice, it’s a basic stance before life

itself. It’s a stance of radical honesty, of

radical sincerity, where you stand naked

in soul before yourself, life, and God.

What’s being said here?

In short, because of our buffered

persons and our immanent consciousness,

we are almost never fully naked

in soul, almost never fully sincere

(sine cere — without wax), never fully

ourselves. It is rare for us to get beneath

all the distractions, ideologies, cultural

obsessions, traumas, daydreams, and

groupthink that seemingly forever color

our consciousness.

What “The Cloud” advocates is that

we, as our habitual stance before reality,

try to strip away everything that’s not true

in us in an attempt to stand outside of all

of our distractions and defenses, naked

in soul, helpless to think or imagine, just

asking life and God to give us what we

cannot even imagine is best for us.

Taylor suggests that we need a new imagination

within which again to picture

our faith. “The Cloud” suggests that

the new imagination we need will not

be the result of intellectually thinking

ourselves into a new way of imaging our

faith. Rather, that new imagination will

be given us when we stand before God,

naked in spirit, devoid of our own imagination,

and helpless to help ourselves.

Then, paradoxically, when we can no

longer help ourselves, we can be helped

from what is beyond our buffered selves

and the virtual immanent prison within

which we live. Life and God can now

flow into us, and flow into us in an

untainted way, precisely because we are

standing naked, helpless, and unknowing,

before the mystery of ourselves, life,

and God.

John of the Cross words this invitation

this way: Learn to understand more by

not understanding than by understanding.

What this means is that, paradoxically,

faith starts at precisely that place where

we are tempted to think it stops, namely,

at that place where we find ourselves

naked and helpless to imagine faith and

God.

What’s our real struggle for faith today?

Charles Taylor gives us a diagnosis.

What are we to do inside this struggle?

“The Cloud of Unknowing” gives us a

prescription.


OUR OLDEST

NEWEST CATHOLIC

A surviving member of California’s ‘Okie’ generation, Virginia Eidson

missed out on baptism as a child. At age 98, it was time to change that.

BY ANN RODGERS

Ninety-eight-year-old Virginia Eidson holds her

OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)

certificate, documenting her entrance into the

Catholic Church. | REESE CUEVAS

10 • ANGELUS • May 1, 2026

Eidson at the Easter Vigil at Santa Clara

Church in Oxnard April 4 with her son,

Bruce, who was her sponsor. | NOAH

TYLER TABBAY/SANTA CLARA CHURCH

As she approached her 98th

birthday, Virginia Eidson was

more concerned about her next

life than her present one. It weighed on

her that she had never been baptized.

Born into a Cherokee, Choctaw, and

Irish family in Oklahoma, her family

was nominally Baptist but often too

busy working to get to church. When

she was about 13 and the Dust Bowl

had destroyed their farmland, her

stepfather packed their mother and

nine children into the car and headed

to California.

“The others were all baptized, but not

me. Somehow it never worked out,”

she said.

That changed at the Easter Vigil in

Oxnard’s Santa Clara Church, where

Virginia Eidson was by far the eldest of

those who became Catholic this year.

Her 77-year-old son, Bruce, sponsored

her.

For the pastor, Father John Love, it

was a reminder of the spiritual vitality

of elders. “Elderly people can convert

and come to the living waters,” he said.

Although Bruce is a longtime active

member of the parish, Love had never

heard the family history until Virginia

asked for baptism.

In 1838, the U.S. government used

military force to remove five great

tribes from their land in the southeast

so white settlers could take their land.

Indigenous people of all ages were sent

on a forced march to Oklahoma, with

thousands dying along the way. Eidson’s

Choctaw and Irish grandparents

brought their newborn son, her father.

She never heard the stories directly

from him because he died when she

was a toddler.

Her mother was Cherokee. The

family farmed large tracts of land in

Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, that

her grandfather had obtained for his

seven daughters and one son. But in

the 1930s, in the middle of the Great

Depression, severe drought turned the

winds of the plains into apocalyptic

dust storms that destroyed fields.

Farming became impossible. Her

mother had remarried and her stepfather

worked for the Works Progress

Administration (WPA), a “New Deal”

program that President Franklin D.

Roosevelt created to put unemployed

people to work. Her stepfather was

building roads for the WPA when her

uncle came back from California saying

that good jobs were plentiful there.

When Eidson was about 12 the family

of 11 crammed into a car and drove to

Pixley, Tulare County, to look for work.

When her stepfather went into the

office, the men took a look at the car

and told him they would only hire him

if his children also worked the fields.

“My stepfather said, ‘No, my kids are

not going to work,’ ” she said. He left

and drove on, eventually landing a job

in the oil fields at Bakersfield. She grew

up there, marrying Edward Eidson, a

Kern County sheriff’s deputy.

Choctaw and Cherokee traditions are

important to her and she subscribed

to tribal magazines. She sometimes

traveled back to Oklahoma. Bruce

met her maternal grandmother, then a

very elderly woman in a rocking chair,

when he was small.

“She had all these stories about the

wagon trains that kept coming through

and hunting on their land,” he said.

May 1, 2026 • ANGELUS • 11

“She gave me a completely different

outlook. I used to see cowboy and Indian

movies. Now I saw that there was a

completely opposite perspective about

the white settlers.”

Edward and Virginia retired to Cayucos,

on the central coast, where he

died in 2010. In 2019 she moved into a

house that their son found for her just

down the street from his in Oxnard.

She oversees a garden and feeds the

birds and squirrels daily.

“I still live here and I love it,” she said.

Bruce had married a Catholic and

later came into the Church through

what is now OCIA. He embraced

Catholicism wholeheartedly, becoming

active in the Knights of Columbus. His

mother went to church with the family,

accompanied him to Knights events, as

well as to parish activities for seniors.

He and his wife had discussed asking

her about becoming Catholic.

“I said that I didn’t want to push

her into doing something. She’s old

enough to make her own decisions,”

he said.

But his mother was thinking hard

about her lack of baptism. She asked

a relative who was a Baptist minister

if he could baptize her. He declined

because he was changing denominations.

She loved going to Santa Clara

Church with her family and admired

their faith.

Eidson holds a frame with family

photos from over the years at her

Oxnard home. | REESE CUEVAS

“I went to bed one night and thought,

‘What am I going to do about my

religion?’ ” she said. “And I got up the

next morning and said, ‘I’m going to

become Catholic.’ ”

As soon as she told her son, he

spoke with Love about what would

be required. The priest’s first reaction

was, “He said, ‘I see her at church all

the time. What do you mean she’s not

Catholic?’ ” Bruce said.

Rather than ask a 97-year-old woman

to go through a year of preparation,

Love decided to have a simple discussion

with her. He was satisfied that

she understood the basics of the faith,

loved the Catholic Church, and wanted

to be part of it.

It was only at that point, Love said,

that he learned the family’s background.

He knew just enough of

Native American history to understand

the terrible suffering her father and

grandparents endured on the Trail of

Tears. He also knew the courage it took

to set out for California.

“It’s very biblical in terms of this wonderful

elderly lady making this exodus,”

he said.

Her baptism left her mind and soul

at ease.

“I felt good with everything,” she said.

“I came away feeling like I had done

the right thing in my heart.”

Ann Rodgers is a longtime religion reporter

and freelance writer whose awards

include the William A. Reed Lifetime

Achievement Award from the Religion

News Association.

Father John Love, pastor of Santa Clara

Church in Oxnard, with Eidson at the

Easter Vigil after being received into the

Catholic Church. | NOAH TYLER TABBAY/

SANTA CLARA CHURCH

12 • ANGELUS • May 1, 2026

A SISTER WHO’D ‘GO FOR IT’

Friends and colleagues described the late Sister Edith

Prendergast as a team-builder, mentor, motivator,

talent scout, and even a bit of a rock star.

BY MIKE NELSON

Sister Edith Prendergast,

RSC, is congratulated

by Archbishop José H.

Gomez on her retirement

during the 2015 Los

Angeles Religious Education

Congress. | VICTOR

ALEMÁN/ANGELUS

Encouraging. Empowering. Nurturing.

Adventurous. Visionary.

Fearless. Energetic. Irrepressible.

Poetic. And, now and then, as

impish as a leprechaun.

Since her April 1 passing at the age

of 85, Religious Sister of Charity Edith

Prendergast, longtime director of the

Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ Office

of Religious Education (ORE), has

elicited loving tributes from those who

were affected by her ministry and her

presence over the past five decades.

During her time as director of ORE

from 1989 to 2015, Prendergast

expanded the Los Angeles Religious

Education Congress into the world’s

largest and most attended annual

catechetical gathering, drawing

thousands of Catholics (and many

non-Catholics) and prominent speakers

each year.

But away from the spotlight, those

who knew and worked with “Sister

Edith” recalled a person who knew

how to be present to each person and

situation, a pioneering spirit who

welcomed diversity of thought and

encouraged those with new and even

seemingly radical ideas to “go for it!”

Beginnings

Prendergast was one of six children

raised on a farm in County Waterford,

Ireland, by parents who laid the foundation

for her vocation. Her parents

welcomed strangers at the door, invited

them in for a meal and allowed them

to spend the night. Prendergast would

later recall how that practice encouraged

her to pursue a vocation with the

Sisters of Charity.

She trained as an educator, majoring

in ecclesiastical art and divinity. Eventually,

that would lead her to use art,

poetry, and music in her catechetical

14 • ANGELUS • May 1, 2026

Sister Edith in 1983,

when she helped

oversee youth ministry

in the Archdiocese

of Los Angeles. |

ARCHDIOCESE OF LA

ministry. In 1966 she was assigned to

teach in Southern California schools,

and introduced experiential learning to

promote students’ active involvement

in their education and relationship with

God.

After earning a master’s degree in theology

at Boston College, she returned

to Southern California and became

director of religious education at Our

Lady of Fatima Church in San Clemente

(part of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles

until Orange County became its

own diocese in 1976). Her work drew

the attention of Msgr. Lloyd Torgerson,

then director of youth ministry in the

Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

“I was looking for an associate director,

and Edith was young, vivacious, and

had a great spirit,” recalled Torgerson,

the longtime pastor of St. Monica

Church in Santa Monica.

Edith accepted the offer to become

Torgerson’s associate in youth ministry,

which later became part of the Office

of Religious Education, and displayed

“an incredible ability to work well with

people, especially young people,” he

said.

“When I left the office as director in

1989 to become pastor of St. Monica,

Cardinal Roger Mahony appointed

Edith as my successor. And he made

an excellent choice, because she was a

superb director of the

office for 26 years.”

The ORE

“She showed great

admiration for the gifts

and talents of others,”

noted Michael Mottola,

who, with his late

wife, Mary, served with

Prendergast during the

1980s in young adult

ministry, and then as an

ORE associate director

when Prendergast

became director.

Conscious of the immense

cultural and linguistic

diversity found

in the LA Archdiocese,

Prendergast stepped up

the catechetical outreach

to communities

that needed more and

better representation.

In 2001, Fe Musgrave came on staff

as a consultant for catechesis in the

Asian-Pacific Perspective.

Musgrave said she admired the way

Prendergast listened to her team, and

made sure they had the proper formation

and education needed for ministry.

“We were able to build inclusive

communities, develop more immersion

programs, talk cross-culturally because

of that vision,” Musgrave, now pastoral

associate at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton,

Rowland Heights. “We could form

catechetical leaders in those groups

— Tongan, Chinese, Vietnamese,

and more — to do formation in their

community, which had been a real

challenge.”

The same year Musgrave joined the

ORE, Father David Loftus was named

coordinator of adult faith formation.

Both natives of Ireland, the two developed

a rapport marked by openness.

“Yes, she’d share her mind, but we

learned from each other,” said Loftus,

now pastor at Our Lady of Refuge

Church in Long Beach. “She’s the

most incredible woman I ever encountered

in my life, and it’s a grace

and privilege to have known her. She

helped me become a better priest and

human being.”

Congress

When Prendergast took the ORE job

in 1989, the Los Angeles Religious

Education Congress in Anaheim was

already popular among Catholics in

Southern California. But she had a

wider vision — or, as Oblate of Mary

Immaculate Father Ron Rolheiser said,

“a wide Catholicity.”

“All of us owe Edith Prendergast a

huge debt of gratitude for her vision

that she brought to overseeing the

Religious Education Congress,” said

Rolheiser, a popular author, spiritual

columnist, and Congress speaker since

the late 1980s.

“She’d bring in speakers represent-

Msgr. Lloyd Torgerson, pastor of St. Monica Church

in Santa Monica, with Sister Edith at the 2015

RECongress. Torgerson first hired Prendergast as

an associate director of youth ministry, before she

eventually replaced him as director of the Office of

Religious Education in 1989. | ARCHDIOCESE OF LA

May 1, 2026 • ANGELUS • 15

ing all theological viewpoints in the

Church, a very healthy and necessary

thing to do. As a result, there is nothing

in the U.S. like the LA Congress; it’s an

incredible event, and that has a lot to

do with Edith and her ability to execute

that vision.”

Prendergast’s broader vision included

the shaping of Congress from within,

especially the inclusion of younger

voices, and particularly young women.

“Sister Edith was a tireless talent scout,

always looking for people’s gifts, always

searching for a way to bring new gifts

into the greatest service of the Gospel,”

said Gail Gresser, longtime campus

ministry director at Mount St. Mary’s

University, and now pastoral formation

coordinator in the Diaconate Formation

Office.

Gresser said Prendergast’s inclusive

approach made sure that “voices often

on the margins were brought to the

center” while trusting the Holy Spirit

would act through them. Among those

voices was Maryann Nguyen, who in

her early 20s was co-master of ceremonies

at Congress arena liturgies.

“Sister Edith saw something in me

that I didn’t always see in myself,” said

Nguyen, now MC of arena liturgies

and a parishioner and liturgical minister

at Visitation Church in Westchester.

“Working with her deepened not only

my practical understanding of ministry,

Sister Edith inside the Anaheim Convention

Center Arena at the 2015 RECongress. |

VICTOR ALEMÁN/ANGELUS

but also my sense of belonging in the

Church.”

Greater participation

After completing his first Congress as

music director in 1991, with a small

group of musicians and a choir of maybe

15 voices, John Flaherty thought,

“Why is this so small and insular?”

So he approached Prendergast about

expanding the choir and musicians, “to

make it more inclusive and representative

of cultures and parishes. She said,

‘Go for it,’ because she was empowering,

visionary, and collaborative. And it

morphed into a larger orchestra, and a

choir with 250-300 people. It was due

to Edith’s vision; she was extremely

supportive.”

Through the 1990s and 2000s, “LA

became the epicenter for modeling

what a big tent church could look like,

in and away from Congress,” said Flaherty.

“We had the freedom to develop

principles of inculturation because of

Cardinal Mahony and Edith.”

Now special assistant to senior

vice-president of Mission at LMU,

Flaherty praised Sister Edith’s ability

to support and empower laypeople,

especially women.

“And she was incredible not only

at gathering diverse talents and gifts,

but in creating a healthy tension and

balance among a lot of creative people.

She’d allow everyone to speak and

share, and the result was a product

much more than the sum of its parts.”

Beyond ORE and Congress

As involved as she was in diocesan and

national endeavors, Prendergast always

remained well-connected with her beloved

Sisters of Charity, serving on the

leadership team and, not surprisingly,

“lighting the fire,” said fellow leadership

team Sister Kathleen Bryant.

“As a leader, Edith encouraged and

empowered us to use our gifts and to be

more than we thought we were capable

of being and doing,” said Bryant, former

archdiocesan vocation director.

Bryant also noted that Prendergast

initiated an endowment fund to give

scholarships to laypeople who wanted

to pursue a life of ministry, enabling

them to earn master’s degrees.

“Edith radiated what a healthy religious

life should look like, full of happiness

and wholeness,” said Rolheiser. “I

once told her, ‘You give credibility to us

in religious life.’ If you wanted to order

a religious from a catalog, you’d order

Edith Prendergast.”

Prendergast also served on The

Tidings Editorial Council from its

inception in 1997, helping to expand

coverage and a range of viewpoints in

the archdiocesan newspaper.

“She played a role in reshaping

archdiocesan communications,” said

Jesuit Father Tom Rausch, Loyola

Marymount University distinguished

professor of theology emeritus and,

like Prendergast, a founding Editorial

Council member.

“I remember Sister Edith as a gracious

person who was skilled at problem

solving and always found ways to bring

people together,” said Rausch. “That

was one of her many gifts. We will miss

her warmth and bright Irish spirit.”

In retirement … sort of

When she stepped down as ORE

director in 2015, Prendergast took

a sabbatical in her beloved Ireland.

Later that year she joined a Holy Land

pilgrimage led by Msgr. Kevin Kostelnik,

who invited her to share a reflection

during a Mass celebrated in the

Cenacle, the room of the Last Supper

in Jerusalem.

“She was just amazing with her words

16 • ANGELUS • May 1, 2026

of wisdom,” said Kostelnik, pastor of St.

Joseph Church in Long Beach. “I came

away from the experience knowing that

Sister Edith knew what it meant to sit at

the table of the Lord. And she lived that

through her whole life.”

Among the pilgrims was Tom Blumenthal,

owner of Geary’s Beverly

Hills, a parishioner of Good Shepherd,

Beverly Hills, and, like Prendergast,

one of the few single people on the trip.

The two sat next to each on the pilgrimage

bus and hit it off. A few years

later, Prendergast became Blumenthal’s

spiritual director.

“We’d start each encounter with

prayer and poetry, which she loved to

infuse in her spirituality sessions,” he

recalled.

When she returned, Prendergast

remained as involved as ever, locally,

nationally, and internationally: keynote

speaker, workshop presenter, retreat

leader, spiritual director, and active

parishioner at St. Monica.

And she’d still attend Congress, much

to the delight of everyone she encountered.

“I’d walk through the Anaheim Convention

Center with her,” said Blumenthal,

a 2024 Archbishop’s Award recipient,

“and it was like walking with a rock

star. She was so loved, and so gracious

with everybody. She never had a negative

word to say on anything or anyone.

She made everything a positive.”

Sister Edith in 2024 with her friend Daniel

Houze, when he set up a viewing station at her

nursing home to watch RECongress with her

housemates. | INSTAGRAM/@DANIEL.HOUZE

Poetry and

spirituality

Throughout

her years at the

ORE, Prendergast

offered the

Congress-opening

address on Friday

mornings, weaving

Scripture,

theology, passion,

and poetry. Many

are included in

her 2011 book,

“Grace Abounds:

A Call to Awaken

and Renew Your

Faith” (Ave Maria

Press, $15.62).

“They were

wonderful talks

that always set

a great tone for

each Congress,” said Torgerson. “Edith

had a gift for finding the right words

from a wide range of sources to inspire

us all, even in difficult times.”

Prendergast had a special fondness for

“The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver

(“What is it you plan to do with your

one wild and precious life?”) and

“Loaves and Fishes” by David Whyte

(“People are hungry, and one good

word is bread for a thousand”).

“She had a knack for finding inspiration

to help others in their lives,” said

Loftus. “She always had boundless

enthusiasm for a relationship with

people.”

“She was fearless, prophetic, courageous,

a woman of incredible principle

who made us all better, and she was not

intimidated by anything or anyone,”

said Flaherty. “She approached all she

did with love, even in a difficult situation,

and she had care and concern for

everyone.”

“She was one of the great people of

this world, who did so much to help

lead women this age, with great authenticity

and joy,” said Torgerson. “And she

made a huge difference in my life — in

everyone’s lives.”

Mike Nelson is the former editor of The

Tidings (predecessor of Angelus).

May 1, 2026 • ANGELUS • 17

As LA’s longest-serving active auxiliary,

Bishop Marc V. Trudeau presented Archbishop

José H. Gomez with his own award

at the end of the Archbishop’s Awards

dinner April 11 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

AN HONOR OF HIS OWN

To mark two milestones this year, Archbishop José H. Gomez

was surprised with — what else? — an Archbishop’s Award.

STORY BY ANGELUS STAFF / PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAVIER DE LEÓN

Every year, the archbishop of Los

Angeles chooses a few Catholics

for a special award honoring

distinguished service to the local community.

But at this year’s Archbishop’s Awards

dinner, the event’s organizers decided

to flip the script, surprising Archbishop

José H. Gomez with an Archbishop’s

Award of his own.

The honor was presented by Bishop

Marc V. Trudeau at the conclusion of

this year’s dinner, held April 11 at the

Beverly Hilton Hotel.

“I thought that Bishop Marc was

coming to say the final blessing,” said

Archbishop Gomez upon learning of

the surprise.

In his remarks, Trudeau explained the

reason behind the unusual decision.

“People say that the praise of praiseworthy

people is praise indeed,” said

Trudeau. “And I know the archbishop

doesn’t like to be praised. But this year,

he celebrates 25 years as a bishop. And

we have been lucky enough to have

had him as our archbishop for 15 years.

“And so, we are presenting him with

an Archbishop’s Award!”

After a lengthy standing ovation, Archbishop

Gomez spoke of the “extraordinary

blessing” of being the archbishop

of LA while thanking the priests, men

and women religious, and lay faithful

of the archdiocese for their service and

prayers.

“I’ve been here for 16 years and

been the archbishop for 15 years,

and so many wonderful things have

happened,” said Archbishop Gomez.

“Keep in mind, this is the largest

archdiocese in the country, so it’s a little

work out there.”

Previously known as the Cardinal’s

Awards, the black-tie gala dinner is a

36-year-old LA tradition that also serves

as a fundraiser for charitable causes.

This year’s event honored four individuals

and a married couple.

Joseph “Pep” Valdes was born in

Cuba and emigrated to the U.S. with

his family at age 9. He went on to become

a successful business leader, and

for the last 17 years has been executive

vice president of Parking Company of

America (PCA).

Valdes is the former president of the

Catholic Association of Latino Leaders

(CALL), a member of Legatus Pasadena,

and a knight of the Equestrian Order

of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.

He and his wife, Renee, are also

longtime supporters of the Queen of

Angels Center for Priestly Formation

in Torrance, the annual LA Catholic

Prayer Breakfast, and many other local

charities.

The couple’s faith was tested when

his oldest daughter, Lauren, overcame

18 • ANGELUS • May 1, 2026

a year-long battle with cancer 17 years

ago. But Valdes said it was strengthened

by St. Philip’s parishioners and the

friendship of the Carmelite Sisters of

the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles.

“It was beautiful for me to see how

they approached this difficult time

in their faith journey as a family — a

powerful testament to Pep that he

wasn’t afraid to share the suffering they

endured,” said Sister Maria Goretti,

OCD.

Karla Ahmanson is a convert to Catholicism

who entered the Church 25

years ago after years of encouragement

from her husband, Bill, who she met

on a blind date 37 years ago.

A longtime LAPD reserve officer,

Bill was also the reason that Karla got

involved with the Los Angeles Police

Reserve Foundation. Now the foundation’s

president, Karla has strengthened

its impact while expanding the reach of

initiatives like Operation School Bell,

which provides new school clothing

and supplies to public school kids in

need.

Her conversion — which happened

while attending Christ the King

Church near Hollywood with Bill at

the time — gave her more opportunities

to serve the community.

“She was already so involved in the

Church that I was not surprised when

she chose to convert,” said Msgr.

Antonio Cacciapuoti, then the pastor

of Christ the King. “It was organic and

beautiful.”

Today, Karla serves as an extraordinary

minister of holy eucharist and is a Finance

Council member at her parish,

The 2026 Archbishop Awards honorees

with Archbishop José H. Gomez, from

left: David Fuhrman, Kevin Shannon,

Joseph “Pep” Valdes, Karla Ahmanson,

Bob Graziano and Wendy Watchell.

and is a dame of the Pontifical Equestrian

Order of Saint Gregory the Great.

Bill, a banker and philanthropist, was

honored with a Cardinal’s Award in

2017.

Kevin Shannon is the proud product

of local Catholic schools — including

Notre Dame High School in Sherman

Oaks — and of USC.

Even before becoming one of the top

investment sales brokers in the country,

Shannon was an enthusiastic champion

of Catholic causes like the USC Caruso

Catholic Center and the Catholic

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles.

The cause closest to his heart, however,

is tied to his family story. His aunt,

Sister Tonia Marie Orland, founded the

Missionary Sisters of the Eucharist to

encourage religious vocations among

Indigenous communities in Guatemala.

Kevin promised her on her deathbed

that he would take care of her nuns,

and today serves as the order’s primary

benefactor and treasurer.

“The Holy Spirit made me want to

adopt these nuns,” said Shannon.

Kevin and his wife, Britta, are the

parents of four children and are active

members of St. Lawrence Martyr

Church in Redondo Beach.

David Fuhrman was born to a

working-class family in the Buena Park

area and went on to have a successful

35-year career in the financial services

industry.

In 2020, he retired to take the reins at

the Dan Murphy Foundation, which

supports local inner-city Catholic

high school students. Associates say

the career change has revealed a new

vocation in David.

“He is someone not afraid to ask for

help, or money or advice — because

he will do all those things himself,” said

Michael Feeley, who has worked with

David on various boards for more than

30 years.

Outside the foundation, he is best

known as an enthusiastic pilgrimage

leader for the Order of Malta. So far,

he has made nine trips with the order

to Lourdes, France, where he and his

wife, Maria, provide weeklong assistance

for maladies and their caregivers.

Apart from past participation on the

boards of various charities, David is

also a member of the Equestrian Order

of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem,

which works to preserve the Christian

presence in the Holy Land.

Bob Graziano and Wendy Watchell

were no strangers to service when they

married in 2011.

For nearly three decades, Bob helped

lead the Los Angeles Dodgers’ front

office while shaping its community outreach

efforts. Meanwhile Wendy, who

studied journalism at USC, had worked

with her mother, Esther, to establish

the USC Center on Philanthropy and

Public Policy and had served on many

nonprofit boards over the years.

But Wendy is best known for her work

as chair of the board for the Joseph

Drown Foundation. She recently

retired as the executive chair and CEO

after 38 years at the foundation that

helps mostly local education.

The couple’s combined experience

in the worlds of sports and education

makes for a formidable match.

“They each lead with their hearts,”

said Debra Duncan, who worked with

Bob during his Dodger years. “It’s

incredible how the two of them align

so perfectly to complement what they

bring to the table.”

As chair of the Los Angeles Sports and

Entertainment Commission, Bob has

helped secure the upcoming World

Cup and 2027 Super Bowl for LA.

“He and his family have made tremendous

contributions to the lives of those

in Los Angeles,” said Msgr. John Barry,

pastor at American Martyrs Church in

Manhattan Beach. “They are wonderful

people.”

Tom Hoffarth contributed to this report.

May 1, 2026 • ANGELUS • 19

Pope Leo XIV told

journalists their

narrative was wrong.

Here’s what his Africa

trip was really about.

BY INÉS SAN MARTÍN

IT’S TIME FOR AFRICA

Midway through his first trip to

Africa as the spiritual leader

of 1.4 billion people, Pope

Leo XIV was forced to offer a gentle

correction to the press corps traveling

with him.

“There has been a certain narrative

that has not been accurate,” he said as

he was flying from Cameroon to Angola,

noting that much of the coverage

of his 11-day journey across Africa had

become “commentary on commentary,”

often shaped more by political

reactions rather than by the trip itself.

The remark came after a week in

which U.S. President Donald Trump

publicly criticized the first American

pope, prompting some observers to

interpret Leo’s speeches as indirect replies.

The pope dismissed that reading,

noting that key addresses — including

a major appeal for peace in Cameroon

— had been prepared well before any

political controversy.

“I primarily come to Africa as a

pastor, as the head of the Catholic

Church, to be with, to celebrate with,

to encourage and accompany all of the

Catholics throughout Africa,” the pope

said.

A closer look at what Leo said and did

across Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and

Equatorial Guinea reflect his vision

of the Church far beyond any problems

with the White House or in the

Middle East.

Algeria: Fraternity rooted in St.

Augustine

The journey began in Algeria, a

country where Christians are a tiny

minority in a predominantly Muslim

Pope Leo XIV greets a man and young women

as he attends a meeting with the Algerian

community at the Basilica of Our Lady of

Africa in Algiers, Algeria, on April 13. | OSV

NEWS/SIMONE RISOLUTIE, VATICAN MEDIA

20 • ANGELUS • May 1, 2026

society. For Leo, however, the visit

carried deep personal significance as

the land of St. Augustine, the North

African bishop whose theology shaped

the pope’s own Augustinian spirituality.

Speaking at a mosque in Algiers, Leo

said that because seeking God “is also

to recognize the image of God in every

creature,” it is important to “learn

to live together with respect for the

dignity of every human person,” and to

“live in harmony and build a world of

peace.”

In another speech, he used that message

of coexistence to praise Algeria’s

tiny Christian minority: “A considerable

part of this country’s territory is

desert, and in the desert, no one can

survive alone. The hostile environment

dispels any presumptions of self-sufficiency,

reminding us that we need one

another, and that we need God.” Far

from geopolitical positioning, the Algeria

leg of the trip underscored a vision

of the Church as a bridge — between

religions, cultures, and histories.

As for the legacy of Augustine, Leo

told journalists that he remains an important

figure not only for Catholics,

but for anyone searching for the truth.

“And yet he is still a very important

figure today as his writings, teachings,

spirituality, invitation to search for

God, and for the truth is something

that is very much needed today; a message

that is very real for all of us today,

as believers in Jesus Christ, but also for

all people.”

Augustine, one could say, serves as a

lens through which Leo framed his entire

visit — one centered on dialogue,

truth, and the possibility of coexistence

despite differences.

Cameroon: Peace in a wounded land

If Algeria highlighted interreligious

fraternity, Cameroon revealed the

pope’s insistence on peace in the face

of conflict.

In a nation where a brutal internal

conflict has torn the country since

2017, this was literally a peace mission

for Leo. English-speaking separatists

announced a three-day pause in fighting

to coincide with his visit.

In Bamenda, a region scarred by a

separatist crisis that has claimed more

than 6,000 lives, Leo described the

area as a “bloodstained yet fertile land”

and praised the resilience of its people.

“I am here to proclaim peace,” he

told those gathered.

“Peace is not something we must

invent: it is something we must

embrace by accepting our neighbor

as our brother and as our sister,” said

Leo in this gathering for peace, held in

Bamenda’s cathedral.

Pope Leo XIV releases a dove after attending a

Meeting for Peace at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in

Bamenda, Cameroon, April 16. | OSV NEWS/

SIMONE RISOLUTIE, VATICAN MEDIA

In Cameroon, commonly referred

to as “Africa in Miniature” because

it showcases the entire continent’s diverse

geography, climate, and culture

within a single country, the pontiff

spoke of the reality of the entire continent:

“The masters of war pretend not

to know that it takes only a moment

to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not

enough to rebuild.”

“Those who rob your land of its

resources generally invest much of the

profit in weapons, thus perpetuating

an endless cycle of destabilization and

death,” he said. “They turn a blind eye

to the fact that billions of dollars are

spent on killing and devastation, yet

the resources needed for healing, education,

and restoration are nowhere to

be found.”

Speaking to university students and

staff in Yaoundé, Leo echoed a call

he made to young people in Lebanon

last December to stay in their home

country, rather than migrate.

“In the face of the understandable

tendency to migrate — which may

lead one to believe that elsewhere a

better future may be more easily found

— I invite you, first and foremost, to

May 1, 2026 • ANGELUS • 21

Pope Leo XIV with faithful on the day he

prayed a rosary at the Mama Muxima Shrine

in Muxima, Angola, April 19. | OSV NEWS/

GUGLIELMO MANGIAPANE, REUTERS

respond with an ardent desire to serve

your country and to apply the knowledge

you are acquiring here to the

benefit of your fellow citizens,” said

Leo.

Angola: Healing history and confronting

injustice

In Angola, Leo turned his attention

to healing — both historical and

ongoing.

Addressing civil authorities in

Luanda, he warned against economic

systems that treat people and resources

as commodities: “It is necessary to

break this cycle of interests, which

reduces reality, and even life itself, to

mere commodities.”

At the Marian shrine of Mama

Muxima, he urged believers to take

responsibility for shaping a better

world: “It is love that must triumph,

not war… build a better, welcoming

world, where there is no more war,

injustice, poverty, or dishonesty.”

The Church of Our Lady of Muxima,

a famous pilgrimage site, was also

tied to the history of the transatlantic

slave trade, where enslaved Africans

were baptized before being sent to the

Americas.

Leo, whose own ancestry includes

both enslaved people and slave owners,

prayed the rosary at the sanctuary,

recalling it as a place where generations

have brought both “joy” and

“great suffering.”

Equatorial Guinea: Presence in the

peripheries

The final leg of the trip, in Equatorial

Guinea, points to another defining

aspect of Leo’s papacy: a commitment

to presence in places often overlooked.

Though one of the few Spanish-speaking

countries in Africa, Equatorial

Guinea remains largely absent

from global attention. Yet it represents

a young and growing Church navigating

complex realities.

Though this issue of Angelus went to

print before Pope Leo arrived in Equatorial

Guinea, it’s worth pointing out

that he was expected to be welcomed

by a local tyrant: Teodoro Obiang

Nguema Mbasogo has presided over

the country since 1979. Obiang, who

came to power through a coup, but

promising democracy, is widely regarded

as an autocratic leader who leads

a regime of widespread corruption,

abuse of power, human right violations,

and nepotism.

A pastoral map, not a political one

Taken together, the four stops reveal

a coherent vision: interreligious fraternity

in Algeria, peace in Cameroon,

healing and justice in Angola, and

presence in overlooked peripheries in

Equatorial Guinea.

This is not a reactive itinerary, nor a

series of coded political statements. It

is, rather, what Leo himself described

— a pastoral journey.

“We go on the journey,” he told

journalists, “proclaiming the Gospel

message.”

In that light, the real story of his first

trip to Africa is not an imaginary political

exchange but a map of priorities —

one drawn in the language of peace,

dignity, and presence in places the

world often overlooks.

Inés San Martín is the editor of MIS-

SION Magazine, a publication of The

Pontifical Mission Societies USA. She’s

the co-host of the Spanish-speaking

podcast “Descifrando a León.”

22 • ANGELUS • May 1, 2026

AMERICANS AT ODDS

How did the public disagreement between Pope

Leo XIV and President Trump get this far? Here’s

a timeline to help you keep track.

BY ANGELUS STAFF

A combination image of Pope

Leo XIV speaking to the media

at Castel Gandolfo April 7, and

President Donald Trump speaking

at a news conference at the White

House April 6. | OSV NEWS VIA

REUTERS/ GUGLIELMO MANGIA-

PANE, EVAN VUCCI

The sharp, high-profile debate

between Pope Leo XIV and President

Donald Trump over the

moral legitimacy of U.S. strikes on Iran

may be hard to keep track of, especially

given their existing disagreements on

things like immigration and American

military intervention in other countries.

To understand how this “feud” or “war

of words” (as some in the media have

characterized it) got to this point, here’s

a timeline with some notable episodes.

JANUARY 9

The pope’s warning in ‘State of the

World’ address

Leo warned of a rising tendency

toward international violence during an

annual speech to the Vatican’s Diplomatic

Corps.

“A diplomacy that promotes dialogue

and seeks consensus among all parties

is being replaced by a diplomacy based

on force, by either individuals or groups

of allies,” he said.

FEBRUARY 8

Vatican nixes much anticipated America

250 visit

The Holy See announced that Leo

would not visit his native United States

in 2026, a reversal of preliminary plans

that were underway for a visit by Leo

in September to Washington, Chicago,

Miami, and Los Angeles to mark America’s

250th birthday.

The Vatican later confirmed that

the pope on July 4 would be visiting

Lampedusa, a small island off the coast

of Italy where many migrants traveling

from Africa to Europe stop. It was the

place of Pope Francis’ first papal journey

in 2013.

FEBRUARY 28

U.S., Israel begin ‘Operation Epic

Fury’

The United States and Israel began

bombing government and military targets

in Iran, killing high-level leaders of

the Iranian regime, including Supreme

Leader Ali Khamenei.

The Iranian regime retaliated with

missile attacks and drone strikes against

U.S. and Israeli bases and on its neighbors

across the Middle East.

MARCH 1

Pope makes first call to end U.S.-Iran

war

“Stability and peace are not built

with mutual threats, nor with weapons,

which sow destruction, pain, and death,

but only through a reasonable, authentic,

and responsible dialogue,” Leo said

during his Sunday Angelus address.

APRIL 6

Report emerges of nuncio’s Pentagon

visit

Reports that senior Pentagon officials

threatened a top Vatican diplomat

made international headlines following

an April 6 article in “The Free Press.”

Ensuing statements by the Department

of War and the Holy See

24 • ANGELUS • May 1, 2026

confirmed that then-nuncio Cardinal

Christophe Pierre had met with

officials at the Pentagon on Jan. 22, but

that the meeting had not been as tense

as originally reported, and no threats

were made.

“[Pierre] described the meeting as

‘frank, but very cordial’ and a ‘normal

encounter,’ ” reported Ambassador to

the Holy See Brian Burch on social media.

“He confirmed that the reporting

‘does not reflect what happened’ and

was ‘just invented to make a story.’ ”

APRIL 7

Trump threatens ‘a whole civilization’

“A whole civilization will die tonight,

never to be brought back again”

Trump posted on Truth Social April

7. “I don’t want that to happen, but it

probably will.”

Leo told journalists that night the

message was “truly unacceptable.”

“People want peace,” he added. “I

would invite the citizens of all the

countries involved to contact the

authorities: political leaders, congressmen,

to ask them to work for peace.”

APRIL 12

America’s cardinals reject Iran war on

‘60 Minutes’

“60 Minutes” aired a joint interview

with the country’s three cardinal

archbishops, who vocally opposed the

Trump administration’s war efforts in

Iran.

The pre-recorded interview with

Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, Cardinal

Robert McElroy of Washington,

and Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago

aired the evening of April 12.

Asked directly if the operations in Iran

could be classified as a just war, McElroy

said, “No, in the Catholic teaching

this is not a just war. The Catholic faith

teaches us there are certain prerequisites

for a just war. You can’t go for a

variety of different aims. You have to

have a focused aim, which is to restore

justice and restore peace. That’s it.”

The tweet heard round the world

Shortly after the “60 Minutes” interview

aired, Trump took to Truth Social

with a shocking message.

“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and

terrible for Foreign Policy,” the president

posted.

“Leo should get his act together as

Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering

to the Radical Left, and focus on

being a Great Pope, not a Politician,”

he said.

Following the post, the president

shared an AI-generated image of

himself appearing like Jesus healing a

sick person. He eventually deleted it,

claiming it was meant to represent him

as a Red Cross doctor, not Jesus.

APRIL 13

Leo sticks to his guns: ‘Blessed are

the peacemakers’

Meanwhile, during a papal flight

from Rome to Algiers, journalists asked

for the pope’s response to the Truth

Social post.

“We are not politicians,” Leo said in

English. “We are not looking to make

foreign policy … with the same perspective

that he might understand it,

but I do believe in the message of the

Gospel: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’

is the message that the world needs to

Under Secretary of War for Policy

Elbridge Colby greets Cardinal Christophe

Pierre at the Pentagon Jan. 22. |

IMAGE VIA X @DOWRESPONSE

hear today.”

APRIL 14

Vance to pope: ‘Be more careful with

your theology’

Vice President J.D. Vance, a Catholic

convert, criticized Leo at a Turning

Point USA event.

“How do you say that God is never on

the side of those who wield the sword?”

Vance said, referencing the pope’s

Palm Sunday homily.

“I think it’s very, very important for

the pope to be careful when he talks

about matters of theology,” he said.

“You’ve got to make sure it’s anchored

in the truth.”

APRIL 15

U.S. bishops issue clarification on

just war theory

The chairman of the U.S. Bishops’

Committee on Doctrine issued a

statement clarifying how the Church

defines just war theory.

“A constant tenet of that thousand-year

tradition is a nation can

only legitimately take up the sword

‘in self-defense, once all peace efforts

have failed,’ ” Auxiliary Bishop James

Massa of Brooklyn said. “That is, to be

a just war it must be a defense against

another who actively wages war, which

is what the Holy Father actually said:

‘He does not listen to the prayers of

those who wage war.’ ”

“When Pope Leo XIV speaks as supreme

pastor of the universal Church,

he is not merely offering opinions on

theology,” he said, “he is preaching the

Gospel and exercising his ministry as

the Vicar of Christ.”

APRIL 18

Leo: I’m not always talking about

Trump

Speaking with reporters on a flight

to Angola, Leo rejected the narrative

that his remarks in Africa had Trump

in mind.

He gave the example of a speech he

gave at a prayer meeting for peace a

few days earlier, which had been two

weeks earlier, “well before [Trump]

ever commented on myself and on the

message of peace that I am promoting.”

“It was looked at as if I was trying to

debate … the president, which is not

in my interest at all,” he said.

May 1, 2026 • ANGELUS • 25

WITH GRACE

DR. GRAZIE POZO CHRISTIE

How we

failed Noelia

For a few weeks earlier this year,

the world was riveted by the story

of 25-year-old Noelia Castillo

Ramos and her death at the hands of

the Spanish Government.

No, she was not executed for being a

heinous murderer. In fact, there is no

death penalty in Spain (there hasn’t

been since 1975, when the country

transitioned from the dictatorship

of Francisco Franco to democracy).

Noelia was a young, wheelchair-bound

woman with a troubled past, and suffering

from depression.

For these disabilities she was killed by

lethal injection, although her father

fought valiantly to save her, and disabilities

rights advocates and religious

leaders — including Catholic bishops

— pleaded for mercy on her behalf.

If you can bear it, find and watch the

poignant TV interview she gave just

before her death. I watched it, and the

despair in her eyes is something I will

not soon forget.

Noelia is, very sadly, just another

victim of a terrible global trend. Since

the early 2000s, assisted suicide and

euthanasia have expanded significantly

both in numbers and in scope. In each

country where it was sold to voters as

a “dignified” and painless solution for

those suffering from a terminal illness,

eligibility — and the pool of potential

victims — has broadened.

A growing share of those done away

with by the state include those suffering

from depression, alcoholism, dementia,

chronic illness, autoimmune diseases,

and even poverty. Minors are not exempt,

with recent tragic examples like

an autistic teenager in the Netherlands

who reported struggling with anxiety

and joylessness, as well as difficulty fit-

Noelia Castillo, a 25-year-old Spanish woman who

was granted permission by the Catalan government

in 2024 to end her life by euthanasia, died March

27, 2026, at a facility in Barcelona where she was

administered life-ending medication. | OSV NEWS/

SCREENSHOT VIA ATRESMEDIA TELEVISION

ting into the world. His reviewing doctors

decided — as if omniscient — that

he had no prospect of improvement.

Yes, it makes one weep.

Together with abortion, it would

be hard to find a better example of

what Pope Francis called “throwaway

culture.” In cases in which accompaniment,

loving support, therapy, medicine,

and community are needed to fill

the aching needs of the human heart,

the government offers death.

There is a grim dollars-and-cents

reason for this, of course. In Canada,

where 1 in 20 people are now being

26 • ANGELUS • May 1, 2026

Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie is a mother of five

who practices radiology in the Miami area.

killed by the state, the cost of putting

one person down is about $2,300 Canadian

dollars. In 2022, there was the

story of a paralympic athlete in Quebec

who fought unsuccessfully for five years

to have a wheelchair ramp installed in

her home. Eventually the state helpfully

offered her death instead.

One must presume that a wheelchair

ramp must cost more than the procedure.

And, in a growingly atomized

culture in which extended family structures

are becoming extinct, a stingy and

overextended government will find it

ever harder to justify expensive support

systems when death is so cheap.

The root cause, however, of the

growing acceptance and use of assisted

suicide and euthanasia is the West

going adrift of its Christian anchor.

It’s an anchor weighted with the ideas

of sanctity and divine will, in which the

killing of the innocent is a violation of

the divine law and an offense against

the dignity of the human person — a

“crime against life” as it is described by

the Church. We drift now in materialism

and individualism, and Noelia

and the other vulnerable victims drown

in the cult of self-determination. That

grim religion urges its followers to exercise

their autonomy at all costs, even

unto death.

It also adjudicates the value of life

on very narrow, shallow grounds. A

purely materialistic “quality of life”

meter reduces the infinite variety and

grandness of the human experience to

a grim calculus in which only material

signs of flourishing are measured. Is it

any wonder that poverty — in the most

affluent societies ever known to man —

has itself become a reason for assisted

death?

If one thing comforts me, however, it

is the thought that killing and suicide

can never find a comfortable home in

the human heart. We can’t ever find

them truly liberating or courageous.

That’s because there’s a divine spark

A woman holds up a sign during a rally against assisted suicide on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. | OSV FILE

PHOTO/ART BABYCH

inside of us that flies up toward life, no

matter how brutal our culture becomes.

This spark is why the world was horrified

at the killing of Noelia.

In her story of trauma, disability, and

despair, we were confronted by the

eternal problem of another’s pain. And

our hearts, created for love, recoiled

at the thought that there could be any

compassion in the offer of a needle

filled with poison. We are better than

that, although we failed Noelia.

May 1, 2026 • ANGELUS • 27

NOW PLAYING PROJECT HAIL MARY

SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN

It’s not a religious movie. But in a cynical and hopeless

world, ‘Project Hail Mary’ offers an alternative message.

Ryan Gosling as Ryland

Grace in “Project Hail

Mary.” | IMDB

BY JOSEPH JOYCE

Since its March 20 release, “Project

Hail Mary” has proven to be a

veritable box office juggernaut: It

grossed the current asking price for the

Anaheim Ducks on its opening weekend,

and even more impressively, made

nearly the same amount its second

weekend.

Such a feat is virtually unheard of in

modern cinema, as it means that either

the audience returned for a second

helping, or that they were so swayed by

it they effectively became missionaries

for its cause via word-of-mouth. Such

uniform endorsement merits further

investigation.

“Project Hail Mary” follows Ryland

Grace (Ryan Gosling), a former

molecular biologist drummed out

of academia and into middle-school

education for unorthodox beliefs. (He

insists water isn’t a prerequisite for

extraterrestrial life, and is only assumed

so because of the inherent bias of those

scientists who happen to be 60% H20.)

His theories start to sound a bit less

outlandish when single-cell organisms

are spotted on the surface of our sun

and surrounding stars, consuming and

dimming their heat. A scary black car

soon pulls up and requests his mandatory

involvement to solve this extinction-level

event.

The international coalition is headed

by German scientist Eva Stratt, and

actress Sandra Hüller imbues her character

with the trademark humor and

frivolity the country is known for. She

quickly deduces there is only one star

nearby undimmed by the microbes, so

if there is any solution, it will be found

there. The plan is to send astronauts on

a one-way trip to this second star on the

right, figure out why it’s immune, and

send back the answer so Earth will be

saved, even if they won’t.

The odds are astronomical in every

sense of the word, so the project and

the spaceship are thus christened the

“Hail Mary.”

Through machinations better seen

than explained, Grace wakes up alone

several lightyears away with no memory

of how or why he was chosen to board

the Hail Mary. Clever readers at home

will note how this Hail Mary is full

of Grace. But despite having read the

28 • ANGELUS • May 1, 2026

original novel, this did not once occur

to me until I was informed by a friend

in the theater lobby afterward.

All of this is already plot enough for

a trilogy, but much of it becomes an

afterthought when Grace arrives at the

healthy star and realizes another planet,

and another species, have formed a

similar plan. Grace now has a partner

in his mission, one with more legs than

he ever expected.

This all begs the original question:

what about this movie struck a chord

on the world’s heartstrings? Surely it

was based on a popular novel, but that

just pushes the same question back

one step. It is the opinion of this author

that “Project Hail Mary” is such a hit

because it remembers the power and

audacity of hope. As the X-Files’ Fox

Mulder (an expert on matters extraterrestrial)

pointed out: human beings,

and perhaps their more crab-like entities

out there, simply Want to Believe.

This movie has landed at a time when

the world feels a bit bereft of hope.

Speaking as a millennial (though in

true millennial fashion, no one has

asked me to), I see the older generation

has quit bothering and settled on

stripping the nation’s walls for copper

wiring. The younger generation, in a fit

of youthful naiveté, has taken the older

generation at its word and truly believes

the world is past saving. Millennials

believe we’ll never retire because of the

economy, while Generation Z believes

they’ll never retire because the world

will simultaneously flood and burn

sometime around 2028 (hopefully

before the Olympics traffic.)

“Project Hail Mary” isn’t the first

piece of optimistic science fiction, but

it’s the first in a good while — and

a good reminder that our problems

are solvable, and that sometimes the

first problem to solve is despair. I am

reminded how the four-minute mile

was once feared so impossible that

humans might burst on the attempt.

When Roger Bannister broke the

barrier and remained unexploded,

several more runners broke the barrier

that same year. The impossible is often

well within our grasp; we just need the

occasional example.

Another helpful fact is that there

is no computer program that solves

the global crisis at hand in the film.

Instead, human ingenuity and gumption

turn out to be the tools we need.

Every day we are bombarded with the

message that humans are obsolete, and

the only way forward is to keep feeding

the beast that’ll eventually consume

us for dessert. “Project Hail Mary”

not only affirms the fire of the human

spirit, it demonstrates it: according to

the directors, not a single green screen

was used the whole shoot. Philosophy

as filmmaking, anyone?

“Project Hail Mary” also rejects a

common theme in recent science

fiction: the idea of mankind’s inherent

violence, and that any interaction with

alien species will inevitably put us on

the path to mutually assured annihilation.

Seeing as we are about four to six wars

deep at present, I’ll admit the theory

holds some merit. The sci-fi series

“The Three-Body Problem” invokes

something called the Dark Forest

theory, where every species in the universe

maintains radio silence because

discovery equals extinction. Here interaction

with other species goes beyond

mere diplomacy: Grace and his alien

ally actually become bros. It’s a vision

of intergalactic cooperation, where

guys can be dudes across genome and

appendage.

For all the star dimming and alien

rock spiders, the most surprising moment

of the movie comes in a conversation

between Grace and Stratt back

on Earth. Stratt expresses a wish that

God will help their cause, and Grace

slightly raises an eyebrow. Theism isn’t

well known with scientists or Germans,

so meeting a religious German scientist

is about as likely as meeting God

himself.

“Do you really believe in God?” he

asks, more surprised than offended.

The answer is a shrug.

“It beats the alternative.” This is

Pascal’s Wager, not as a concession but

a doubling down, that hope is faith. So

you’ve decided humanity is worth saving:

this is where the real work begins.

Joseph Joyce is a screenwriter and freelance

critic based in Sherman Oaks.

A scene from the film “Project

Hail Mary.” | IMDB

DESIRE LINES

HEATHER KING

Discovering the ‘Martha Option’

“Christ in the House

of Martha and Mary,”

by Johannes Vermeer,

1632-1675, Dutch. |

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Recently my spiritual director

mentioned that when she feels

overwhelmed, she stops and

repeats to herself two simple words:

“Martha, Martha.”

We all know the story of Mary

and Martha, sisters of Lazarus and

treasured friends of Jesus. One day he

comes to visit. Martha bustles about

setting the table, putting out flowers,

basting the lamb. Mary, by contrast,

sits rapt at his feet, asking questions,

listening, drinking him in.

We’ve all experienced such situations.

Fuming while we do all the

work and everyone else has fun. Must

be nice! we think bitterly.

Finally, Martha can no longer bear

it. Wiping her hands on her apron,

she bursts into the living room and

brays at Jesus, “Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” Jesus says gently.

“You are anxious and worried about

many things. There is need of only

one thing. Mary has chosen the better

part and it shall not be taken from

her” (Luke 10:38–42).

Jesus never says, “Do more.” He says,

“Go deeper.”

He issues invitations: “Come and

see.” “Come to me, all you who are

weary.”

He asks, “Could you not sit with me

for an hour?”

He says, “Martha, Martha.”

Not just once, but twice he says

Martha’s name. It’s as if he’s saying, “I

love you, I see you, I understand your

dilemma, I see what is blocking you.

Look at me, dear child. Listen to me.

Learn from me, for I am gentle and

meek of heart.”

That Mary has chosen the better part

doesn’t mean that when we’re quiet

and still, we’re with God and when

30 • ANGELUS • May 1, 2026

Heather King (heather-king.com) writes memoirs, leads workshops,

and posts on Substack at “Desire Lines: Books, Culture, Art.”

we’re shopping at Trader Joe’s or

getting our hair cut or balancing our

checkbook, we’re not.

Rather, as St. Thérèse said, “Our

Vocation is Love.” All our decisions

and actions, from the largest to the

smallest, can spring from the Eucharist.

The point is to be so united with

Christ, so deep in our souls, that even

if we can’t “feel” him; or because our

mind is otherwise occupied, can’t

consciously think of him, still — he is

there. And we know he is there.

I personally love a to-do list. Every

morning at the conclusion of my

prayer, or really as part of my prayer, I

get out my trusty notebook and set out

a rough idea of how my day is to be

ordered.

Nothing untoward here. These are

all “good,” fruitful activities that have

to do with serving others: writing,

reading, learning, exploring. Being

a good steward of my living space,

body, and soul so that I can be in

shape to serve others. Mass, prayer,

the gym, answering emails, admin,

house-cleaning. …

Still, lately I’ve realized that I don’t

actually consult God as I’m making

this list and envisioning how my day

should be ordered. I’m presenting the

order of my day as a “fait accompli”

and essentially asking him to bless it.

To allow myself to get very quiet and

then to ask, “What is your will for

my day, Lord?” is a different process.

Left to my own devices, I approach

the day like a boxer entering the ring,

gloves raised: “Let me at you! I will

vanquish!”

Sitting still and surrendering in love

gives rise to a different feeling in my

heart and even in my body. With

God, I don’t seize the day so much as

receive it, embrace it, let it enter in.

It may be that my list will stay essentially

the same — God probably isn’t

going to say, “I want you to go to a bar

today and get drunk.”

But knowing that I’ve knocked,

asked, sought means that when the

door is opened, as it inevitably will be,

I’ll recognize it as God’s action. I’ll be

aware that he’s walking at my side.

I want to give a good account of

myself at the end of the day, but will

the sky fall if I don’t vacuum my car

or water the orchids till Wednesday?

Is it more important to check every

item off my list or to be loosely open

to interruptions so that when a friend

calls out of the blue I can answer

with a “Hey, what’s up?” instead of a

long-suffering sigh that, even if the

person can’t hear it, constricts the

conversation rather than allows it to

expand.

I don’t want to be a halfway saint,

said Thérèse. I want to be willing to

suffer.

I tend to read that, hold my breath,

and think, “OK then! Boiled in oil,

eyes torn out by the Inquisition,

leprosy. …”

I wonder if what we really can’t bear

to suffer is love, is joy, is the meaning

of “It is not sacrifice I desire, but

mercy. “

Always there is something in our

self-denial — everything in it — for

us.

I don’t want to be on my deathbed

thinking, “Look at me, lying here

useless. I could be working!”

I want to be on my deathbed clutching

a crucifix and along with Thérèse

crying, “I love him!”

Checking things off my list is about

me. Loving is about him.

May 1, 2026 • ANGELUS • 31

LETTER AND SPIRIT

SCOTT HAHN

Scott Hahn is founder of the

St. Paul Center for Biblical

Theology; stpaulcenter.com.

Taste and see — and know

We know this much, and no

more: after his resurrection,

Jesus spent 40 days

with his apostles before his Ascension

(Acts 1:3). Forty days of presence.

Forty days of teaching. Forty

days of consolation, correction, and

preparation. And yet — of all that

passed between them — we are told

next to nothing.

St. Luke gives us only a summary:

Jesus spoke of “the kingdom of

God.” What did that look like, day

by day? What questions did the

apostles ask? What did the Lord

reveal now that the cross and resurrection

had been accomplished?

Scripture leaves us with a holy

restraint. The silence is not accidental.

It invites us to recognize that

some things are not first received in

words on a page, but in holy signs

and in a life of discipleship.

The early Church understood this.

For generations, the weeks between

Easter and Pentecost were kept as a privileged time of mystagogy.

Newly baptized Christians — those who had passed

through the waters at Easter Vigil — were not dismissed as

“graduates.” They were led more deeply in.

Mystagogy means “leading into the mysteries.” It assumes

that something decisive has already happened — that the

believer has encountered Christ, has been initiated into his

death and resurrection, has received the Eucharist. Only then

can the deeper explanation begin. Only then can the signs be

read from within.

Think of the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24).

They walk with Jesus and do not recognize him. He opens

the Scriptures to them, and their hearts burn. Yet they know

him fully only in the breaking of the bread. Understanding

follows encounter. Illumination follows communion. This is

the logic of mystagogy.

In the fourth century, great bishops like Cyril of Jerusalem

preached to the newly baptized during this season, explaining

the sacraments they had just received — baptism, chrismation,

Eucharist. He did not reveal these mysteries beforehand.

“Supper at Emmaus,” by Caravaggio, 1571-1610,

Italian. | WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

They were too great to be reduced to explanation alone.

They had to be lived, tasted, entered. Only then could words

begin to do their work.

We live in a time that prefers explanation before experience.

We want everything laid out clearly in advance. But the risen

Jesus did not publish a manual in those 40 days. He formed

his apostles by his presence. He taught them from within the

mystery they had just witnessed.

The Church, in her wisdom, follows that same pattern still.

Easter is not only a feast we celebrate; it is a reality we enter.

And the weeks that follow are not an afterthought. They are

an invitation.

So let’s take up that invitation. Let’s use these days between

Easter and Pentecost as they were meant to be used: not

merely to recall what we already know, but to press deeper

into what we have received.

The mysteries are not exhausted. They are inexhaustible.

And the Lord, who once spent 40 days forming his apostles,

still meets his disciples in the quiet school of mystagogy —

leading us, patiently, ever deeper into himself.

32 • ANGELUS • May 1, 2026

■ FRIDAY, APRIL 24

Contemplative Creativity Retreat Weekend. Holy Spirit

Retreat Center, 4316 Lanai Rd., Encino, 5 p.m.-Sunday, 1

p.m. With Chantel Zimmerman. Visit hsrcenter.com or call

818-784-4515.

■ SATURDAY, APRIL 25

Emmaus Ministry for Grieving Parents. St. Bruno Church,

15740 Citrustree Rd., Whittier, 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Retreat

agenda includes prayer services, group presentations,

spiritual reflections, breakout sessions, Emmaus Walk,

and Mass. Light breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all materials

included. Freewill offerings accepted to cover costs. Call or

text Cathy Narvaez at 562-631-8844.

Father Pat Crowley: Day of Renewal and Healing. Mary

& Joseph Retreat Center, 5300 Crest Rd., Rancho Palos

Verdes, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The day includes conferences

and healing service. Cost: $75/person, includes lunch.

Email Jose Salas at jsalas@maryjoseph.org or call 310-377-

4867, ext. 250.

‘I Treasure Your Word in my Heart: Liturgical Music

as a Means of Biblical Interpretation’: Catholic Bible

Institute Talk Series. Zoom, 7-8:30 p.m. Presenter: Abigail

Bodeau, Ph.D., assistant professor of sacred Scripture at

St. Mary Seminary. Explores how Catholic liturgical music

interprets biblical texts. Visit lacatholics.org/events.

■ TUESDAY, APRIL 28

Mass in Recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month.

St. Camillus Center for Spiritual Care, 1911 Zonal Ave.,

Los Angeles, 12:10 p.m. The five parishes with the Gardens

of Healing are holding special Masses in April, dedicated

to those harmed by sexual abuse. Visit lacatholics.org/

healing-gardens.

■ WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29

“Is Your Faith Alive?” Weekly Series. St. Dorothy Church,

241 S. Valley Center Ave., Glendora, 7-8:30 p.m. Runs

Wednesdays through May 13. Deepen your understanding

of the Faith through dynamic DVD presentations by Dr.

Brant Pitre, Chris Stefanik, the Augustine Institute, and

Matthew Leonard. Free events, no RSVP required. Call

626-335-2811 or visit the Adult Faith Development ministry

page at stdorothy.org.

■ THURSDAY, APRIL 30

Shower of Roses Annual Benefit Luncheon and Fashion

Show: “A Time for Love and Grace.” San Gabriel Country

Club, 350 East Hermosa Dr., San Gabriel, 10:30 a.m. social

hour, 12 p.m. luncheon and fashion show. Raffle drawings,

opportunity prizes, and silent auction. Cost: $85/person.

RSVP by April 15 to Sue Fulps at 626-285-4649. Mail

checks payable to Cloistered Carmelite Nuns Auxiliary,

8729 East Ardendale Ave., San Gabriel, CA 91775.

■ SATURDAY, MAY 2

Marriage Preparation Session. St. Peter Church, 1039 N.

Broadway, Los Angeles, 8:45 a.m.-5 p.m. Engaged couples

and those already in a civil union are welcome to attend.

All sessions require in-person attendance of both bride

and groom for the full eight-hour session. Cost: $150/couple.

Visit familylife.lacatholics.org.

Cristero Mexican Martyrs Relics Visit. St. Joseph Church,

11901 Acacia Ave., Hawthorne. Starting at 4 p.m. Saturday

and continuing through Sunday, May 3, the relics of 36

Mexicans martyred during the Cristero War 100 years ago

will be displayed for veneration, including ones belonging

to St. Toribio Romo, St. José Sánchez del Río, St. Cristóbal

Magallanes Jara, and José María Robles Hurtado. Call the

parish office at 310-679-1139 for more details.

Preparation for Consecration to the Virgin Mary. Father

Kolbe Missionaries of the Immaculata, 531 E. Merced

Ave., West Covina, 2-3 p.m. Held on the first Saturday

of every month through May. Email Ann O’Donnell at

FKMs@kolbemissionusa.org or call 626-917-0040 to

register.

■ WEDNESDAY, MAY 6

Solemn Vespers. Our Mother of Good Counsel Church,

2060 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, 7 p.m. OMGC will

hold Solemn Vespers and Benediction services with choir

and organ, chants, hymns, psalms, and canticles, on the

first Wednesday of each month. Call 323-664-2111 or visit

omgcla.org.

■ THURSDAY, MAY 7

San Fernando Mission Guides Meeting. San Fernando

Mission Cantwell Hall, 15151 Mission Blvd., Mission Hills,

1 p.m. Meetings on the first Thursday of each month, open

to new prospective docents, performing tours mainly for

California fourth-graders. Call Kay Raylon at 818-621-

7514 or email kayrd1031@gmail.com.

■ FRIDAY, MAY 8

Noah’s Flood, presented by LaOpera Connects. Cathedral

of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 W. Temple St., Los

Angeles, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, May 9, 3:30 p.m. Tickets

required. Visit olacathedral.org.

■ SATURDAY, MAY 9

Spring Silent Saturday. Holy Spirit Retreat Center, 4316

Lanai Rd., Encino, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. With Sister Chris Machado,

SSS, and the Silent Saturday CP Team. Visit hsrcenter.

com or call 818-784-4515.

Mother’s Day Rosary Prayer Service. All Catholic Cemeteries

& Mortuaries locations, 2 p.m. Also available online

at catholiccm.org or facebook.com/lacatholics.

■ TUESDAY, MAY 12

Memorial Mass. San Fernando Mission, 15151 San

Fernando Mission Blvd., Mission Hills, 11 a.m. Mass is

open to the public. Limited seating. RSVP to outreach@

catholiccm.org or call 213-637-7810. Livestream available

at Catholiccm.org or Facebook.com/lacatholics.

■ WEDNESDAY, MAY 13

Organ Concert Series: Gary Desmond. Cathedral of Our

Lady of the Angels, 555 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, 1 p.m.

Visit olacathedral.org.

■ THURSDAY, MAY 14

St. Padre Pio Mass. St. Anne Church, 340 10th St., Seal

Beach, 1 p.m. Celebrant: Father Al Baca. For more information,

call 562-537-4526.

■ SATURDAY, MAY 16

Methodology: Adult Learning — Multiples Intelligences

— Learning Styles. San Fernando Pastoral Region, 15101

San Fernando Mission Blvd., Mission Hills, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Breaks and lunch included. Prof. Kay Harter. Cost: $50/

person. Visit lacatholics.org/ongoing-formation-opportunities.

Santacruzan Marian Celebration. Cathedral of Our Lady

of the Angels, 555 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, 9 a.m.

pre-procession, 10 a.m. Mass. Call 818-437-1406.

Items for the calendar of events are due four weeks prior to the date of the event. They may be emailed to calendar@angelusnews.com.

All calendar items must include the name, date, time, address of the event, and a phone number for additional information.

May 1, 2026 • ANGELUS • 33

Angelus News | May 1, 2026 | Vol. 11 No. 9

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