By Natalie Romano

 February... the traditional month of love and romance. Valentine’s Day cards and candy fill store shelves everywhere. Yet the Catholic calendar highlights devotion of another sort. With the arrival of Ash Wednesday our focus turns to fasting, prayer and almsgiving.

 The Diocesan Office of Restorative Justice has announced Lenten Memorial Masses for the victims and survivors, families and all those who have lost a loved one to murder or suicide. Families are welcome to bring a small framed photo of their loved one.

 Three prominent religious leaders will come together Tuesday evening, February 16 for an inter-religious dialogue on the care of the environment. Rabbi Michael Lotker, Dr. Imad Bayoun and Father Benedict Nwachukwu, V.F. are scheduled to speak at the event, “The Care for our Common Home.” They will respond to Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment which was released last summer. 

By David Dolores

 Pope Francis has declared this the Year of Mercy to “be a time for Catholics to contemplate just how merciful God has been to them and to understand better how they are called to be merciful to others in turn.” The DDF Annual Appeal is our opportunity to partner with our brothers and sisters in Christ in building up the community of believers here in the Diocese of San Bernardino. 

By John Andrews
Editor

 Trenna Meins is well aware that recently proposed federal laws and executive actions on gun control probably would not have saved her late husband, Damian, from death at the hands of Islamic terrorists at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino on December 2.

COACHELLA—In an election year, the Diocesan Migration Mass fittingly was not without political overtones. 

 But the Jan. 10 liturgy was also underscored by powerful personal testimonies of those seeking refuge in the United States from extreme danger in their home country. And if the sprawling outdoor crowd at Our Lady of Soledad Parish in Coachella that exceeded 1,500 was any indication, the message of “welcoming the stranger” clearly resonated.