2024 PSA CAMPAIGN | CAMPAÑA DEL PSA 2024

THE BELLS OF ST. MARY'S

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Brothers and Sisters of St. Mary’s Parish,

It is with both a sad and joyful heart that I share with you the news of the death of our pastor emeritus, Fr. Enrique Sera this past week. Fr. Sera does not enter his eternal life, but rather his eternal reward with his physical passing from this life. He received this blessed gift of eternal life from our Lord Jesus in his baptism with his death to his sin, not with his physical death from this world. St. Clare of Assisi boldly prayed on her deathbed before her death, “Go forth in peace, for you have followed the good road. Go forth without fear; for He that created you has sanctified you, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother. Blessed be Thou, O God, for having created me.”

I am sure we all have memories of this wonderful and faithful priest that we can share with each other for years to come. Fr. Sera was truly a wonderful friend to the rich and poor, a very faithful and inspiring Catholic witness to follow, and a very holy and dedicated priest, who served in many ways his priesthood as chaplain in the military, to law enforcement, and to those who strived to live out their Catholic faith with their struggles that they encountered in their everyday lives. St. Catherine of Siena urges us to remember, “The devil fears hearts on fire with love of God.”

Please let me share with you some of my own moments and memories of him. I had made no secret that I have known Fr. Sera since the beginning of his priesthood back in 1978, since he was assigned to my home parish of St. Joseph in Placentia. It was there that I received many of my Sacraments from him, not just Holy Communion, but many confessions, blessings, prayers and especially celebrating the Holy Mass with him as part of his flock. Fr. Ric, as we knew him, would often run around the field to exercise, and many of the students, myself and my twin brother, Stuart would follow him, perhaps as a reminder that I have done so with him throughout my life. St. Augustine teaches us, “Christ’s martyrs feared neither death nor pain. He triumphed in them who lived in them; and they, who lived not for themselves but for Him, found in death itself the way to life.” 

I kept in contact with Fr. Ric over the years, especially during his time as pastor of Immaculate Heart in Santa Ana, since my twin brother and I were friends with a Seminarian whose mother worked at that parish, and we would often visit. Over the years I would get together with Fr. Sera and the other priests from the Diocese of Orange since we have such a small but very close group of priests. When I was assigned to the parish of St. Joachim, I ran into him many times and not only heard many stories of him from the faithful of the parish but shared my own with them. St. Rose of Viterbo shares with us, “Live so as not to fear death. For those who live well in the world, death is not frightening but sweet and precious.” 

When I went to the personnel board several years ago, I was delighted and relieved to know that Fr. Sera was one of its members. I shared with them my long battle with depression and the steps of striving to cope with my cross. Since Fr. Sera had such an intensive mental health background and experience, he was very understanding and supportive of not only me but has been of other priests who had struggled in serving of their priestly ministry. Ironically, it had been my desire to apply for the parish of St. Mary’s Parish in Fullerton since the rumor was that it would be opening, but Fr. Sera did not retire that year, so I remained at St. Joachim. “St. Isidore of Seville reminds us, “The more we are afflicted in this world, the greater is our assurance in the next; the more sorrow in the present, the greater will be our joy in the future.” 

The following year I received a surprise phone call from the personnel board asking me to accept the responsibility of St. Mary’s Parish as the pastor, and I immediately knew who had been responsible for lending his influence in getting me assigned to this parish, my friend and mentor who had been such a huge part of my life. These last years here at St. Mary’s has been a great joy, Fr. Sera has been such a huge support of me despite my own shortcomings. Even in his own struggle with cancer, Fr. Sera was an inspiration with his offering up his sufferings as a true witness of our Lord Jesus in such a sincere and humble way. St. Giles of Assisi urges us, “He who bears his sufferings with patience for God’s sake, will soon arrive at high perfection. He will be Master of the world and will already have one foot in the other world.”

I know that with his physical death, this does not mean that Fr. Sera is no longer with us, but rather he would be now afforded to do more which he could not do due to his physical shortcomings. As we move forward as a parish, as human beings we mourn his loss, but as Catholics we celebrate with great hope and faith his entrance into Heaven for his eternal reward for his faithful work as our father, teacher, guide, pastor and priest. St. Thérèse of Lisieux helps us to pray, “Jesus, help me to simplify my life by learning what you want me to be – and becoming that person.”

Eternal rest grant unto Fr. Sera, O Lord, and let Your perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.

Amen.

Thank you, Fr. Sera, for all that you have done for us, and all that you will continue to do for us as you intercede and pray for us to help us to follow your inspiring example of service to our Lord Jesus, whom you loved so much and witnessed by the service of your life as our spiritual father. 

Take care and God bless,

Fr. Steve Correz

      LAS CAMPANAS DE SANTA MARIA

25o Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario

Queridos Hermanos y Hermanas de la Parroquia de Santa María:

Es con un corazón triste y alegre que comparto con ustedes la noticia del fallecimiento de nuestro Párroco Emérito, el P. Enrique Sera, el martes. El P. Sera no entra en su vida eterna, sino en su recompensa eterna con su paso físico de esta vida. Recibió este bendecido don de la vida eterna de nuestro Señor Jesús en su bautismo, con su muerte al pecado, no con su muerte física de este mundo. Santa Clara de Asís oró audazmente en su lecho de muerte: “Sal en paz, porque has seguido el buen camino. Sal sin miedo; porque Él que te creó te ha santificado, siempre te ha protegido y te ama como una madre. Bendito seas, oh Dios, por haberme creado.” 

Estoy seguro de que todos tenemos recuerdos de este maravi lloso y fiel sacerdote que podemos compartir entre nosotros durante muchos años. El P. Sera fue verdaderamente un gran amigo tanto de ricos como de pobres, un testimonio católico muy fiel e inspirador a seguir, y un sacerdote muy santo y dedicado, que sirvió de muchas maneras en su sacerdocio como capellán en el ejército, a las fuerzas del orden y a aquellos que luchaban por vivir su fe católica en las dificultades que encontraban en su vida diaria. Santa Catalina de Siena nos insta a recordar: “El diablo teme a los corazones en llamas de amor por Dios.” 

Permítanme compartir con ustedes algunos de mis propios momentos y recuerdos de él. No es un secreto que conozco al P. Sera desde el comienzo de su sacerdocio en 1978, cuando fue asignado a mi parroquia de origen, San José en Placentia. Allí recibí muchos de mis Sacramentos por medio de él, no solo la Comunión, sino también muchas confesiones, bendiciones, oraciones y, especialmente, y la celebración de la Santa Misa con él como parte de su rebaño. El P. Ric, o P. Sera como lo conocíamos, solía correr por el campo para ejercitarse, y muchos de los estudiantes, incluido mi hermano gemelo, Stuart, lo seguían, quizás como un recordatorio de que he hecho lo mismo con él a lo largo de mi vida. San Agustín nos enseña: “Los mártires de Cristo no temieron ni a la muerte ni al dolor. Él triunfó en aquellos que vivieron en ellos; y ellos, que no vivieron para sí mismos sino para Él, encontraron en la muerte misma el camino a la vida.”

Cuando fui a la junta de personal hace varios años, me alegró y al mismo tiempo me alivió saber que el P. Sera era uno de sus miembros. Compartí con ellos mi larga batalla contra la  depresión y los pasos que había tomado para sobrelle var mi cruz. Dado que el P. Sera tenía una sólida forma ción y experiencia en salud mental, fue muy comprensivo y solidario no solo conmi go, sino también con otros sacerdotes que habían luchado en el ejercicio de su ministerio sacerdotal. Irónicamente, había deseado postularme para la parroquia de Santa María en Fullerton, ya que había rumores que habría una vacante, pero el P. Sera no se jubiló ese año, así que permanecí en San Joaquín. San Isidoro de Sevilla nos recuerda: “Cuanto más afligidos estamos en este mundo, mayor es nuestra seguridad en el próximo; cuanto más dolor en el presente, mayor será nuestra alegría en el futuro.”

Al año siguiente recibí una llamada telefónica sorpresa de la junta de personal pidiéndome que aceptara la responsabilidad de la parroquia de Santa María como Párroco, y supe de inmediato quién había influenciado para que me asignaran a esta parroquia: mi amigo y mentor, que había sido una parte tan importante de mi vida. Estos últimos años aquí en Santa María han sido una gran alegría; el P. Sera ha sido un gran apoyo para mí a pesar de mis propias limitaciones. Incluso en su propia lucha contra el cáncer, el P. Sera fue una inspiración al ofrecer sus sufrimientos como un verdadero testigo de nuestro Señor Jesús de una manera tan sincera y humilde. San Gil de Asís nos anima: “Quien soporta sus sufrimientos con paciencia por amor a Dios, pronto alcanzará la alta perfección. Será Maestro del mundo y ya tendrá un pie en el otro mundo.” 

Sé que, con su muerte física, esto no significa que el P. Sera ya no esté con nosotros, sino que ahora podrá hacer más de lo que no pudo hacer debido a sus limitaciones físicas. A medida que avanzamos como parroquia, como seres humanos, lloramos su pérdida, pero como católicos celebramos con gran esperanza y fe su entrada en el Cielo por su recompensa eterna por su fiel trabajo como nuestro padre, maestro, guía, pastor y sacerdote. Santa Teresa de Lisieux nos ayuda a orar: “Jesús, ayúdame a simplificar mi vida aprendiendo lo que quieres que sea, y convirtiéndome en esa persona.” 

Concede, oh Señor, el descanso eterno al P. Sera, y que tu luz perpetua brille sobre él. Que descanse en paz. Que su alma y las almas de todos los fieles difuntos, por la misericordia de Dios, descansen en paz.

Amén. 

Gracias, P. Sera, por todo lo que ha hecho por nosotros y por todo lo que seguirá haciendo por nosotros mientras intercede y ora por nosotros para ayudarnos a seguir su inspirador ejemplo de servicio a nuestro Señor Jesús, a quien amo tanto y que us ted dio testimonio con el servicio de su vida como nuestro pa dre espiritual. 

Cuídense, y que Dios los bendiga,

Fr. Steve Correz