Holy Cross Community Voices - Volume One: Lent Issue - Janis O'Driscoll, "Pilgrimage to the Self" - Holy Cross Church
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Holy Cross Community Voices
Volume One: Lent Issue
Janis O’Driscoll, “Pilgrimage to the Self”
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Table of Contents
Page 1 Image: “Pilgrimage to the Self”- Janis O’Driscoll
Page 3 Letter from the editor
Page 3 Image: Angel Pointing at the Light- Eugene Salandra
Page 4 A few Lenten thoughts from your Pastor- Fr. Martin Cain
Page 5 Poem: Birdsong Prelude- Elbina Rafizadeh
Page 5 Pandemic Lent- Fr. Mike Marini
Page 7 Poem: Lenten Prayer and Meditation-Jane Dawson
Page 8 A Gift for Words- Sylvia Cirone Deck
Page 10 Prayer: In Manus Tua Domine- Dcn. Joe DePage
Page 11 Prayer: Spiritual Communion during SIP
Page 12 Poem-The Nobility of Quiet That Ripening Demands- Mary Camille Thomas
Page 12 Contemplation: Pilgrimage to the Self-Janis O’Driscoll
Page 13 Social Justice: What is the Mission of the Church? - Barbara Meister
Page 14 Social Justice: How Sienna House Maternity Home Came to Be- Sylvia Cirone Deck
Page 16 Recipe: Vegetarian Lentil Soup- Anne DePage
Page 17 Past Event: Interreligious Dialogue and Study of Mysticism- Ziggy Rendler-Bregman
Page 18 Ongoing Events—Lectio Divina, Centering Prayer, Friday Faith Sharing,
Page 18 Ongoing Events-COPA Parish Leadership, Friday Stations of the Cross
Page 19 Prayer Online, Corona Virus Update
Page 20 Food, Mental Health, Housing Resources,
Page 21 Donations to Holy Cross link, Acknowledgments and Photo Credits
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Letter from the editor
Lent has arrived. And after one year, COVID remains a silent threat. As the vaccine is available, maybe we will
reach herd immunity by Summer. Let’s hope and pray. Meanwhile, many of us continue to grieve because we
have not hugged family, eaten inside of restaurants with friends, or gone on walks without masks. Perhaps more
so. But most of all, we grieve the loss of friends and family who died from COVID. I breathe deeply and pray
for those who have passed and for their love ones who remain. This past year, we also endured a massive fire
that threatened our city, caused many, including our own parish members, to be homeless for weeks or have lost
homes. Another breath, another prayer. Yet, we continue to survive because we are a people of faith. And then
on television, we watched people suffer from the storms in other areas of the U.S., such as the treacherous
snowstorm in Texas. People had to boil snow as a water source. I could not imagine, as I have lived most of my
life in California. Another breath, another prayer. Within the darkness, there is hope. In these uncertain times, I
invoke the Spirit for reassurance. God is good. God travels with us, in our joys and our pain. Amidst the
darkness of our current state of the world, God is with us.
Now we are in our Lenten journey.
But you might also ask, have we not
been experiencing a version of Lent,
as Fr. Mike Marini has titled his
article, ‘Pandemic Lent’? Or another
question might be, have we also been
in some form of imposed retreat?
Sometimes, I do feel as if I am in a
very intense retreat experience.
Retreats have a way of “pruning” the
hidden despairs that are normally
repressed because we are usually
distracted by all that we do in the
world. For me, that was and continues
to be true, to some extent. I admit to
experiencing those hidden despairs
that emerged, which led me to seek
prayer and group support. I have felt that darkness. I also have experienced my own resurrection from that
darkness, in Christ. But, as I write this, I also realize that there is privilege in even writing such a statement. I
am also aware that many do not have the privilege of time and space to confront their personal demons. Instead,
many continue to struggle to survive, to keep their homes, if not to find homes. Many are out of work and
struggle to feed their families. Many continue to suffer in mental and physical illness because of the pandemic.
Remember, wherever you are in your journey, you are not alone because you are part of that beautiful
community in Christ, in God.
I hope you enjoy the articles in our Lent issue, of contemplation and art, advocacy for others who need our help,
and personal reflections on Lent. The authors, including our Pastor, Fr. Martin, and Pastor Emeritus, Fr. Mike
Marini, offer a perspective on the themes of hope, charity, generosity, sharing, fellowship, and fasting to
nourish our daily awareness in God.
May we embark on a peaceful and meaningful Lent, filled with hope and recovery.
Elbina Rafizadeh, editor
Image: “Angel Pointing to the Light” by Eugene Salandra, Oblate OSB, Cam
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A Few Lenten Thoughts from the Pastor
The readings for the First Sunday of Lent always focus on Jesus in the Desert, to which the Spirit drives him,
and wherein he is among the wild beasts, and he wrestles with the evil spirits, and the angels minister to. This
is such a richly allusive event. It provides a good overview for the whole of our annual Lenten journey.
Of course, it is not uncommon to focus upon the difficult and strenuous aspects of this story, and with good
reason! Being out in the hot, dry desert is not necessarily fun, nor easy…and our Lenten observances are often
similar.
But by the same token, it is possible to “redeem” this event, and make positive use of it for our time of Lenten
renewal. First of all, in this time in the desert, Jesus’ symbolic action recalls the Israelite’s journey of 40 years
in the desert. This was a time of purification for them…but it was also the beginnings of experiencing of
freedom from bondage and sin in Egypt. And so, that’s what we’re called to do during this time, too…begin to
experience once again, greater freedom from sin in
our lives.
So, too, Jesus’ time in the desert is a time wherein
he enters into solidarity with all of us human
sinners. And so…our Lenten journeys, individually
and collectively, though they may be arduous, are
also times of privileged communing with our Lord.
Finally, the time Jesus spent in the desert was a
time “among the wild beasts,” which need not be
read as threatening. Many of us have “wild beasts”
in our lives – pets, and domesticated animals – with
whom we feel a sense of connection and affection.
And so…Jesus’ time among the creatures of the
wild also signal how God’s salvific desire is for not
only all us human creatures, but the whole of creation. God desires that, in Christ, the WHOLE of creation is
renewed, and set free, and offered salvation. God desires that the whole of His creation be saved and brought
back in Christ, His Son.
May your Lenten journey, my friends, be a time of renewal, growing closer to our God, and experiencing a
deepening sense of salvation with our Lord, who went out into the desert to enter into solidarity with us, and
offer us salvation.
Fr. Martin Cain
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Lenten Haikus: Birdsong’s Prelude
by Elbina Rafizadeh
On a bare branch
a yellow-breast finch chirping
valentine’s greeting
A chilly, foggy morn
warmed by the sweet melody
such serenity
A Lenten prelude
before embarking into
a forty-day fast
Hence, I wait and see
God within and around me
Love’s epiphany
Pandemic Lent
by Fr. Mike Marini
This year, especially, Lent has a lot of competition for our attention. Covid 19 is not the least of those,
accompanied as it is by the uncertainty of when - if ever - we will return to normal. Will the virus disappear by
summer only to reappear next fall with jobs and wages failing, schools closing, separating friends and relatives
as we move in to our private and safe spaces yet again?
As we inaugurate our new President, the second in history to be Catholic, we hear his co-religionists complain
that he does not share the correct brand of Catholicism. Experiencing, as we have in recent years, a lack of usual
rain, we pray that abundant spring this year rain will lessen the danger of fires. Into that and more comes the
holy season of Lent which as Catholic we see as a time of repentance for our sins, chief among which is our
inability to live peacefully with one another. The divided families that sometimes result are but a very personal
experience of what can and does happen in our communities and in our world.
Although Lent, in view of what's happening in the world, may seem intrusive there is something to be said for
what, we may have forgotten, is its purpose: it prepares us for the feast of hope, the day when Christ, dead by
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crucifixion is raised up to life, 'the first born from the dead. 'It is as such that we welcome him into our lives on
Easter Sunday.
Along with him - through faith - we face death with hope. Through that same hope we can be honest about our
lives as Christians.
The world is not an
easy place to
journey through it
as Christ did, giving
totally of the
goodness that it
sorely needs. We
fail sometimes,
oftentimes even, to
embrace our role as
passers-on of the
goodness God
shares with us. We
miss the point of
why God created us
and gave us faith.
That failure is what we call 'sin' and Lent is the time the Lord gives us to acknowledge the goodness that God
shares so generously with us. It is something we often forget to do as we find ourselves in the business of life,
wondering whether what we have received will be enough. That worry and the consequent edginess that follow
are the source of many of our sins. Those too have their place in our Lenten thoughts and prayers.
The time we spend in remembering our sins is only one step to the final purpose of Lent. Jesus, in His loving
death and resurrection of him, speak to us of the infinite love He has for us and how it is the remedy for our
sins. His forgiveness is the way our Lord opens up the gates to hope to you and me, reminding us that although
our sins are plenteous, his mercy is still more generous.
That Lent ends in the feast of the Resurrection is God's way of teaching us that the pain, suffering, and the other
difficulties of life do not have the last word. In His rising from the dead Christ shows us that God always has
goodness in store for us if we are faithful and patient.
Let's not lose sight of that as we begin our Lenten season. The greatest good we have to share is hope. The
words the angel at the tomb spoke to Peter and John tell us that not even death is final. "He is risen! He is not
here!" Believing that opens up the possibility of a life truly different from the fearful, anxious spirit that is never
serene or at peace. Hope is the gift Jesus personally offers us at Easter. It is ours for the asking!
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Lenten prayer and meditation
by Jane Dawson
Reveal to us, Lord Jesus Christ,
how that which truly feeds our souls,
renew our spirits is in our midst.
The pandemic has brought us into a
greater awareness of our vulnerability
and dependence on each other.
It has taught us that our mutual well-being,
is crucially enhanced by cooperating,
to minimize the health detriments of
passing the virus to others.
Since Covid-19 sheltering at home began
in March 2020,
I have experienced many hours
of deep peace,
in communion with the trees,
With plants and animals that share our little
acre of this planet.
A paucity of air flights to the three S.F.
Bay Area airports contributes to lowering
the noise levels, as well.
Night sounds renew our psyches,
heal our nervous systems, and
restore our body's natural rhythms.
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A Gift for Words,
The Story of an Italian Boy Growing up in Santa Cruz
by Sylvia Cirone Deck
Those were the days, friends! Backyard floods in the winter, summer swimming in the river, walking to school
along the railroad tracks, growing up in the upper River Street area when it was still a home for Italian
immigrants and their families,orchards, vegetable gardens planted for the market, a dairy at the end of Encinal
when that was 3 lots beyond Post St. Yeah, those were the days and you know why?Because we were all a
helluva lot younger then!
These words were recently posted on Facebook by
someone very dear to the hearts of parishioners at
Holy Cross, and anyone reading this who has
listened to his homilies will recognize the images,
stories and cadence of a life lived fully and gladly
here in Santa Cruz. He recently celebrated his 90th
birthday on October 27th, so he qualifies as town
historian and storyteller par excellence.
What impresses many of us about retired pastor
Mike Marini is his gift for words.Whether offering
scriptural background and insights or theological
reflection or describing relationships between the
“people of God” and their creator, he alwaysfinds
the words that touch our hearts and help us grow.
When asked what this time of pandemic has been
like for him, he quickly responded that it’s like
going into the desert with time for prayer and
contemplation. Morning prayer is when he’s most
able to express his gratitude - “I’m alive!” - and to
practice poverty of spirit, when he can take a
second look at evil in the world and pray, “There
too God is.” But, he admitted, he’s also missing
people and looking forward to returning to the
pulpit.
The question, “Who are you?” prompted Fr. Mike to think immediately of Pope Francis’ answer to that
question: “I am a sinner.” He loves that answer, not because it’s a moral judgement but a kind of envelope that
holds everything else heis…..a priest, teacher, philosopher, theologian, student (after his retirement, he studied
Greek at UCSC), lover of all things Italian…and a mushroom hunter.
Mushroom hunting expeditions in the Santa Cruz mountains feed his soul; but one day in particular stands out
when he experienced what can only be called an encounter with the Divine. It’s a story he shared shyly at first
but now offers as stunning confirmation of God’s presence in our lives. But it wasn’t the first time he had heard
God’s voice deep in his being. It had also happened long ago when he was working at the Boardwalk
hamburger stand owned by his parents. He had been there fifteen years, starting to work in his twenties, just
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after leaving St.Albert the Great Priory, his first call to religious life. One day, he was frying hamburgers, the
incessant merry-go-round music in the background, when he suddenly sensed God deep within saying, “You
don’t belong here.” And he understood that God was calling him again. So, in 1969 he found his way to Mt.
Angel Abbey in Oregon and was ordained at Holy Cross Church on June 10, 1972. Next year he will be
celebrating his 50th year as a priest.
That day almost fifty years ago was a proud one for Fr.
Mike’s parents, the kind of pride that inspired his
grandfather to name his first child Uriel Salvatore
Alberto, U.S.A. Marini. They were typical of
immigrants, proud of their children’s accomplishments in
a new land but also somewhat awed….in his case, of his
education and ability to speak in public. After his
father’s death, his mother shared that his father once
wondered, “How in the heck does he belong to us?”
With all of this behind him and looking forward to what comes next, Fr. Mike’s contentment rests in an eternal
source. The words he heard on that day in the mountains while hunting mushrooms? “Mike, I never promised
you anything but a chance to trust me.”
And he does. With all his heart and soul.
For photos of Fr. Mike and a poem by Ziggy Rendler-Bregman, go to:
https://bannerdays16.wixsite.com/website/post/happy-90th-birthday-fr-mike-marini
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Prayer
In Manus Tuas, Domine
by Dcn. Joe DePage
Over the past year, I have taken a photograph from my morning walk and posted this to my social media. With
the picture, I have included a count of the number of days that we have been practicing social distance. On the
morning that I wrote this, we had been sheltering in place for three hundred and fourteen days. To
commemorate this, my morning’s photograph was of the gray waves not far from my home on the east side.
The ocean on that morning was flat and calm and the surfers just teetered upon it, bobbling like buoys. We have
all experienced this pandemic in different ways, but the becalmed gray seems to represent my past year: boring,
flat, and kinda blah.
Over these many days together, my wife and I have been gracious and even polite with one another. We joke
and call our current lifestyle our “submarine life”, but we both miss the simple pleasures of hugging friends,
visiting families, or simply enjoying a cappuccino at Lulu Carpenters in the early hours before Sunday Mass. At
times, Anne and I are just fine. At other times, less so. But I see now that we are both in mourning for our pre-
pandemic selves: we miss our old lives. We miss making plans. We miss feeling like we are in control of our
hours and days.
I think that many of us feel like our lives are
on hold right now, but I am especially
concerned about the younger generations. I
am concerned for our children, exhausted
from Zoom classrooms and missing their
friends. I think of the students from our
Newman Center who are living at home
instead of experiencing their first years in the
dorms. I think of those engaged couples who
were hoping for a grand wedding and who
now have to reconsider their plans. I consider
those who are new to the workforce, learning
the skills of a first job in these strange times.
And yet, in spite of the disappointments and
difficulties of the pandemic, we have to trust
that God is with us.
Our God has given us this special time: Lent
is God’s gift.
It is during these forty days that we walk
with Jesus at those moments when he himself
was no longer in control. In the garden of his
agony, Jesus teaches us to pray, “not my will
but yours be done”. Then, from the cross, he
prays again: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”. At these Lenten moments, Jesus shows us that the
life of Christian faith is a life of hope and divine trust. It is this trust that not only sends missionaries to new
lands, but also leads us to take our own brave paths into marriage, having children, taking Holy Orders, or
10simply living out our baptismal vocation. It is one that promises that our year of pandemic will not have been a
wasted time.
Through the gift of Lent, in times like these, Jesus teaches us to pray, “into your hands”.
This has not been an easy time for us, but just as Easter follows the pain of Good Friday, so too our lives
become places of holiness when we give ourselves over to God in faith and trust. It is only fitting that we mourn
the passing of our old lives, but in the dawning light of Easter, we will find something better. Just as we have
journeyed with Christ over these forty days, so too will he be with us in our own times of doubt and loss. This
holy season teaches us that we are never far from our loving God.
Spiritual Communion during SIP
During the global pandemic, when we
are not able to receive the sacramental
communion with Christ, Pope Francis
encourages that we practice the act of
Spiritual Communion. “A spiritual
communion is a uniting of oneself to the
Sacrifice of the Mass through prayer
and can be made whether one is able to
receive Communion or not” (Vatican,
March 2020). Pope Francis further
encourages us to find the Lord in
Prayer.
11The Nobility of Quiet that Ripening Demands
by Mary Camille Thomas
Turn off the tv
and silence your phone.
Outside your window
soft rain shimmers
like a silver veil
Listen to its serenade,
drops hitting leaves
splashing into the birdbath
Then attune your ears
to the silence under
this murmur and patter.
What do you hear?
The Lord of the Dance
calling to you
ephphatha!
Be opened!
(Title from “The Winter Apple” by David Whyte
Contemplation and Art
Pilgrimage to the Self
by Janis O’Driscoll
It is remarkable to me that for the past twelve months I have remained in place and yet I think of this time as
one of journey. While I may not be wandering much farther than the garden, my heart is exploring the world
with a new perspective: loving without contact, grieving without saying goodbye, being in community without
breathing together.
Martin Buber said that “All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” So it is with the
past year and so it is with Lent.
The forty days of Lent are often compared to a migration into the desert; the 2021 season finds us already there.
We started wrestling with our imperfect ways of confronting the pandemic, relationships, and the challenges of
being a good ally long before the calendar turned. What is different now? What will be the secret destination
of Lent this year?
Though these secret destinations are individual for each of us, they nudge us to uncover what is hindering our
relationship with God and what actions we can take to work through the obstacles. This Lenten season we are
called upon to look at the isolation of our surroundings and find a way out. Perhaps this year we are better
prepared than ever not to merely travel to the desert but sit with it and feel its power before we take the next
step.
12“If the desert is holy, it is because it is a forgotten place that allows us to remember the sacred. Perhaps that is
why every pilgrimage to the desert is a pilgrimage to the self. There is no place to hide and so we are found.”-
Terry Tempest Williams (This article is an accompaniment to Janis’ print image located in our title page.)
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Parish Leadership Development: What is the Mission of the Church?
by Barbara Meister
The pandemic has left our Body of Christ at Holy Cross scattered and strained without the ‘normal’ ways of
worshiping and serving together as a parish community. On Wednesday, February 24, the Council of Ministries,
along with Fr. Martin, Fr. Jhonnatan and Deacon Joe, launched a 5-week Parish Leadership Development
formation program. The purpose is to further discern our communal call to be a part of the Body of Christ by
reflecting on our mission as Church and by discerning our call to service.
With 73 of us gathered via Zoom, COPA Organizer Arturo Aguila asked us, “What is the Mission of the
Church?” by examining St. Paul’s Letter to the early church in Corinth. The community argued about who’s
rules to follow, St. Paul, Peter, Apollos or Christ. When they came together for the Eucharistic meal, their
behavior reflected the factions and secular culture of Corinth. The wealthy came early and ate and drank and did
not wait for the poor or the slave. Their gathering was not of agape, but with disrespect and humiliation for
those with less. St. Paul takes them to task:
Therefore, when they come together, this is no
longer eating the Lord's Supper. Because when
eating, each one first takes his own dinner, and one
goes hungry and another gets drunk. What? Don't
they have houses to eat and drink? Or do they
despise the church of God and shame those who
have nothing? --1 Cor 11: 20-22
St. Paul then reminds them of the Mission of the
Church: As a Eucharistic community, we are to
discern the whole body, not merely think of our
personal needs: “Therefore, my brothers, when you
come together to eat, wait for one another.” We are
called to recognize Christ in the community and
those that have less than us.
Using Catholic teaching and employing the tools
of relational organizing, we will focus on
understanding the sacramental life of the parish,
especially Baptism and Eucharist, and how we as a
community, can actualize these commitments.
13How Siena House Maternity Home Came to Be
by
Sylvia Cirone Deck
If you stand in Mission Park across from Holy Cross Church and look to the right, you’ll seea 70-year-old two-
story stucco building that was once a convent, home to fourteen Adrian Dominican sisters. When the high
school closed and the move towards independent living began in the sixties, more and more of the sisters moved
out, leaving the building empty.
But not for long. It became a retreat house in the ’90’s, and that’s when it was given the name Siena House.
Michaela Terrio, who had been a Poor Clare sister, and Lori Wilson walked through and around the building
trying out names. Wanting to honor the Dominicansisters who had lived there, they decided that Dominican
Saint Catherine of Siena sounded just right.
After the retreat house eventually closed
in the late ‘90s, the parish held a meeting
to consider possible replacements. Sr.
Noella McLeod, O.P., an obstetrical
nurse, thought it would be perfect as a
maternity home for pregnant women and
their new babies. Joined by others who
shared her vision, there was soon a
steering committee composed of
parishionersand others from local
churches. One year later their idea was
accepted as the best option, and everyone
got to work. A board was formed, by-
laws written, the convent refurbished,
staff hired, and cribs donated. Siena
House Maternity Home was becoming a
reality.
Members of the original planning group. Back row: Harry Zenner, Yvonne Finney, Sr. Noella, Joanne Rubinstein,
Marybeth Lonzanio, Wayne Shaffer and Martha Golay, the first director. Front Row: Jene Zenner, Dr. Martina Nicholson,
Sr. Mary Helen-Tafoya, and Lilia Croghan.Marianne Fox was also part of the group.
Today, twenty years later, Siena House has served approximately 350 women and babies! New director Mel
Defé who came on board in early December reports that five women and their babies are in residence with
another coming shortly, due in April. (After the pandemic,the House will be able to accommodate ten moms
and babies.).
The current Board is in the process of renovating each room as someone moves out. Besideshouse maintenance,
they oversee the hiring of key employees and the business operations of this medium-sized non-profit. Siena
House is 90% funded by private donations and 10% by grants. Their biggest sources of income have been the
annual Dinner Auction, Ladies Luncheon and Bottle Drive which, like so many other events, had to be cancelled
this year.
14But the Siena House staff and board are taking it in stride, perhaps remembering a quote from their namesake,
St. Catherine, who said, “All the way to heaven is heaven, because Jesus said, ‘I am the way’.”Or, as American
poet Carl Sandburg wrote, “A baby isGod’s opinion that the world should go on.” In other words, all is well.
Mom and Baby Hunter
Donations and volunteer help are always welcomed. Check the website for more information or to donate:
sienahouse.org. For more photos and an earlier-pandemic story about Siena House, go to: https://
bannerdays16.wixsite.com/website/post/our-neighbors-the-mothers-and-babies-of-siena- house
Mission Garden Across from Siena House
15Lentil Soup
from
Anne DePage
Easily serves four, especially with crusty bread and a green salad. This is a good and filling meal for
those Lenten days of abstinence.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, sliced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted if
you have them)
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes,
chopped
1 cup lentils
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or any
combination of dried oregano,
thyme, basil and rosemary)
4-6 cups of vegetable broth or water
Salt & Pepper to taste
Chopped onions, parsley or basil for
garnish
1. Heat a large saucepan on
medium-high and add the oil.
2. Add the onion, carrots and celery.
Season and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 3
minutes.
4. Add the tomato paste and
mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.
The mixture should start to smell
fragrant and brown a bit on the
bottom.
5. Deglaze the pan with the canned
tomatoes and cook for 5-10 minutes.
6. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, lentils and 4 cups broth.
7. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
8. Test for doneness and add 1-3 cups broth to ensure lentils are covered. Check every 5 minutes until
lentils are soft.
16Past Event
Interfaith Dialogue and Study of Mysticism
by Ziggy Rendler-Bregman
For more than 15 years Holy Cross parishioners have been gathering with people from other faith traditions to
deeply inquire into what we have learned to call “Universal Wisdom”. We are Ecumenical as well as inter-
religious. With Fr. Cyprian Consiglio, now prior of New Camoldoli Hermitage in Big Sur, we have studied a
number of the great mystics of Christianity as well as the sacred texts and teachers of Hinduism, Buddhism,
Judaism, Islam and Indigenous peoples.
Sangha Shantivanam (sanghashanti.net) is a small Christian
community now meeting on Sunday afternoons on zoom at
5:00pm. Perhaps you practice yoga, have a desire to learn
how to meditate or are curious about the mystical teachings
of other religions. You are most welcome to check out our
sangha.
Over the years, we have offered retreats, pilgrimages,
sponsored fundraisers and created and hosted the New
Year’s Eve Interfaith Peace Vigil for 17 years. Holy Cross
has hosted us every year except 2020 due to COVID. This
year, we gathered on zoom and shared prayer and offerings
from many of the world’s wisdom traditions. People joined
us from Bangkok, Germany, New Mexico, Canada…and
closer to home, here in Santa Cruz. You can listen to Fr.
Cyprian’s New Year’s Message and a song he recently
wrote.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSFptecQH2k&feature=youtu.be
Fr.. Cyprian's song: A New Heaven and a New Earth
We are currently reading “Arise My Love…Mysticism for a New Era” by Jesuit William Johnston. These days
of a world-wide pandemic and complicated politics, climate catastrophe, and zoom screens, it is good to find
global and historical perspectives. The language of the mystics is universal. The experience of God, rather than
the “knowledge” of God. May we use these 40 days of Lent (and the Easter season) to deepen our experience
of a loving and merciful God.
If you are interested in joining the conversation, please contact Sylvia Deck at bannerdays@sbcglobal.net for
the Zoom link.
17Ongoing Events
Holy Cross Contemplative Practices: Centering Prayer:
Parishioners and friends of parishioners meet through Zoom
every Saturday at 11am. When weather permits, we meet at
the Mission Garden behind the Galleria. During our garden
meetings, we follow physicaldistancing public health
guidelines by sitting 6 feet apart. Each member must
wear a mask and bring his or her own chair. If you
would like to join us, please email Elbina at
elbinar@gmail.com for more information.
Faith Sharing- Each week, Dcn Joe interviews a Holy Cross
Parishioner on his/her reflection of Sunday's Gospel. This is
taped and posted on F.B. Access to the Friday Faith Sharing
can be accessed here:
https://www.facebook.com/HolyCrossSantaCruz
COPA Parish Leadership and Community Development. Father Martin, Father Jhonnatan, and Deacon
Joe invite you to join the Council of Ministries this Lenten season in a 5-week Bilingual Parish Leadership
Development formation and training program led by COPA Organizer Arturo Aguila. The purpose of this
process is to further discern our communal call to be a part of the Body of Christ by reflecting on our mission as
Church and by discerning our call to service This training will provide an opportunity to reflect on what kind of
parish community we want to be when we come out of the darkness of Lent and the pandemic and step into the
new light and new life of Easter and beyond. Our five weeks together will allow us to deepen our relationship
with the Lord and one another. We explore themes from Scripture, such as being the Church of the Body of
Christ, Baptism, lesson from Exodus and the Road to Emmaus. During the meetings, we will discuss how we
integrate the Scripture readings into our lives with family and work, as well as lay parish leaders, and as a
community of Holy Cross. Please join us. We have already started to meet, but you can still join. We meet on
Wednesdays via Zoom from 7-8:30. Simultaneous translations are available in English and Spanish.
Registration to receive the Zoom link is:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMvcu2grT0jG9V5bwimbU66OHVusbcgxV3O. You can also contact
office@holycrosssantacruz.com or call 423-4182.
Friday Mass and Stations of the Cross. Bilingual Mass and the Stations of the Cross are held on Friday
evenings in the main Church starting at 6:45. Public health protocol is followed. Again, if you are feeling
symptoms of a flu (fever, fatigue, cough, short of breath), please stay home and make an appointment to
see your doctor as soon as possible. The services are live streamed, so you can join and pray from home.
Wednesday Conversation and Lectio Divina: Parishioners now meet via Zoom four days a week,
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 9:15 to reflect on the Liturgy of the Word. Please email
Sylvia Deck at bannerdaysl6@gmail.com.
Easter Services, Triduum, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday—Vigil Mass, Easter
Sunday. Please check the announcements or the Parish bulletin that you can find here:
https://holycrosssantacruz.com/. You can also follow us on Facebook where you can also view taped
announcements by Fr. Martin or posted by Dcn. Joe. Link: www.facebook.com/HolyCrossSantaCruz
18Prayer Online
Mass online
Many of you may have already accessed the virtual Mass. If not, the videos of all the Masses are
uploaded to the Youtube link:
https://www.youtube.com /channel/Ucj5nDS0mqXxPhDcLJKZweMO/featured/
You can also "like" the Holy Cross Santa Cruz page on Facebook. Doing so, you will be alerted to
join the real-t ime Masses. You can virtually join the weekend English Mass onSaturday at 4 pm. The
Spanish Mass follows at 6 pm. The Facebook link is: https://www.facebook.com/HolyCrossSantaCruz
U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops Daily Readings and Audio Recordings:
https://bible.usccb.org/
"Please follow Holy Cross on Instagram at HolyCrossCatholicCommunity and the hashtag
#HolyCrossSantaCruz". You will be sure to get the most recent updates!!!
Daily Prayer Online:
iBreviary (liturgy of the hours in many languages, updated daily) Laudate (prayers, Mass readings,
meditations, EWTN, updated daily)
Novena for Times of Unraveling, March 17-25 (free, join even though it has started)
"Sacred Space" https://www.sacredspace .ie (founded in 1999 by two Irish Jesuits)
Daily meditations from Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM's Center for Action and Contemplation.
Gratefulness.org to sign up for daily quotes, practice, poetry, blogs, etc. Today they published awonderful
piece on "Living Gratefully in the time of the Corona Virus" which includes the poem"Pandemic."
Pray as you Go is a website and an app to download to your phone.
Boston College has several good resources: Living Lent, Faith Feeds (Faith in Action during Lent) and
Living Faith, a Facebook Group.
Give Us this Dav' - Liturgical Press.
Corona Virus Update
Shelter in Place and social distancing are still mandated. Vaccines are now available. Check the local
papers or the Santa Cruz County Health website at:
https://www.santacruzhealth.org/HSAHome/HSADivisions/PublicHealth/CommunicableDiseaseContro
l/CoronavirusHome.aspx .
The number of deaths and prevalence has grown but now steady, as more people are being vaccinated.
Let's continue to wear our masks in public and social distance.
19As we wait for more reassuring results, our mental health and
resilience are challenged. This is especially true if our daily routine
included daily outings related to work or recreation. We are also
physically separated from loved ones. Here are some that I have
adopted that you may as well:
*Take a walk
*Schedule routine calls to loved ones
*Join zoom groups (prayer, coffee, art, exercise)
*Stay physically active at home (online exercise, yoga, dance
classes)
*Cook and bake
*Pet therapy
*Write a poem
*Read that book on top of the waiting to be read pile
*Yoga, QiGon, or TaiChi
*Regular meditation, and if you already meditate, join a meditation group, or meditate in the garden
FOOD, MENTAL HEALTH, RENTAL AND HOMELESS RESOURCES FOR ADULTS
• Second Harvest Food Bank community food hotline: (831) 662-0991 8 am-4 pm Mon-Fri
• Food Pantry: 210 High Street W-F-Su l0 am- l pm.
• Women, Infant, and Children, Meals on Wheels (food delivery for homebound seniors). Log on to
www.communitybridges.org for info on more food programs for all ages.
• Operation Feed The People offers a free weekly meal every Wednesday from 5-7 at the
OddFellows Hall in Boulder Creek. (152 Forest St. Boulder Creek)
www.pluslcatering.com for more info
• Grey Bears delivers a free bag of groceries every week if you sign up. Here is the website:
Grey Bears I Connect I Sustain I Recycle: https://www.greybears.org/
• Homeless resources can be found here: h t t p s : / / h o u s i n g m a t t e r s s c . o r g / g e t -
help/resources/
• Mental Health Resources: http://www.namiscc.org/ (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
or (Mental Health Client Action Network) contact: Sarah.Leonard@mhcan.org or check
their FB website for current available services: https://www.facebook.com/MHCAN.org
• California Office of Emergency Services - the State is taking actions to help renters,
small businesses, workers with assistance. See Rental resources under community
resources. The website is: https://www.caloes.ca.gov/
20Donations to Holy Cross is greatly appreciated, not only for the functioning needs of the parish, but also to
continue the Food Bank, and support the multiple ministries that serve the more vulnerable among us. Please donate
through the Holy Cross weblink: https://holycrosssantacruz.com/
Acknowledgment and Thank you
Advisory Group Regular Contributors Guest Contributors
Fr. Martin Cain Fr. Martin Cain Jane Dawson
Fr. Jhonnatan Carmona Dcn. Joe DePage Anne DePage
Dcn. Joe DePage Barbara Meister- Social Justice Sylvia Cirone Deck
Jose Gaona Janis O’Driscoll-Contemplation Fr. Mike Marini
Barbara Meister Mary Mulligan
Dan McNamara Mary Camille Thomas
Ziggy Rendler-Bregman
Photo and Image Credits
Page 1- Janis O’Driscoll’s image of her print artwork, titled: “Pilgrimage to the Self”
Page 3 Eugene Salandra, Oblate, OSB, Cam image, “Angel Pointing to the Light”
Eugene is a good friend and fellow oblate of New Camaldoli Hermitage.
Page 2, 6, 9, 10 Dcn. Joe DePage’s images are from his daily social distancing walks.
Page 12 Mary Camille Thomas’ garden image
Page 13 Barbara Meister: Photo capture of COPA Parish Leadership Zoom Meeting 2/24
Page 8, 9, 13, 14, 16 Sylvia Deck’s photos of Fr. Mike Marini, Siena House, and the Sangha Shantivanam
Page 15 Anne DePage’s Lentil Soup image
Page 4, 5, 7, 17 The editor’s images: Cross on the Wall from Fonte Avellana, Italy, personal and Mission
Chapel garden, and Yosemite
21You can also read
