“Why me? Why? What did I do? I did not deserve that. The world is not fair. People are not fair. Nothing is going well. Look at me! I am in the hospital. My mom broke her hip and my sister blames me for that. The only support I have is my son who lives far away from me.” John (not his real name), shared with me these questions and statements when I visited him at the hospital. He was angry and sad. John was in his 50s and divorced his wife a few years back. He lived in his mother’s house, but after she broke her hip, John’s sister took their mother with her to live in another state. His sister was now asking John to leave the house. At the end of a conversation that started with tears,

“Who wants to go to heaven” priest asked the faithful during one of Sunday’s homily. Almost all present raised their hands in “YES”. The priest encouraged the faithful and then asked the second question, “Now, who wants to die?” Take a moment to imagine yourself in the scene, where would your hands be? Perhaps they would be wrapped tightly within themselves in our lap or stuck holding onto the pew in front of us. In the story, no one, not even a single person raised his or her hand. We want to go to heaven, but we are afraid of how to get there! Dear friends, today in our society we are so used to shortcuts. Shortcuts to success and to so many other things in our lives that sometimes we fo

I am a member of the Spiritual Care Department of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles visiting kids, their parents and other family members who are visiting. We also are present to the clinical staff of doctors, nurses, and medical technicians as they care for the patients. The Spiritual Care Department was awarded the CHLA Department Humanism Award for 2018. Every year this recognition given to one department, one doctor, one nurse, one staff member with patient contact, and one staff member who does not have contact with patients in recognition of the extra outpouring of care given. CHLA has a CPE program with summers dedicated to seminarians. *Fr. Jim Retzner, O.S.A. is the prior of our comm

Deacon Philip Yang, O.S.A., began his five day canonical retreat in preparation for his ordination to the presbyterate in June. Canon law stipulates the prior to any ordination, a candidate must make a retreat. He sends this message: "I am on my retreat this week in discernment for the ordination to the priesthood. My stay here at Our Lady of Perpetual Help is very pleasant as the sisters are providing meals for me here. They gave me the large room where priests usually stay at when visiting to give lectures for the sisters. I am grateful to Fr. Bob Gavotto for loaning me a book called "The True Priest" by Cardinal Pellegrino. Also my thanks goes to Fr. Carlos Medina for suggesting to re

Some scenes from around the Province and the Order of St. Augustine celebrating the Lord's triumph over death! Alleluia!

Villanova University, founded by the Augustinians in 1842, celebrated its' latest national championship as night in San Antonio as they defeated the University of Michigan Wolverines. Many Augustinians celebrated the night in various ways through watch parties, flying in to the game itself, and following the game from far flung parts of the world! The Augustinian most connected to the team this year is Fr. Rob Hagan, O.S.A. of the Villanova Province who has served as team chaplain since 2004. He was even asked by Coach Wright to cut down the net after the national championship, an honor usually reserved for the coach alone. The New York Times recently profiled him in THIS article written l