Popular speaker coming to two local parishes
SAN DIEGO — Paul J. Kim, a Catholic speaker, musician and comedian, has given talks throughout the United States and in 16 countries, reaching millions of people around the world.
On Thursday, Nov. 5, he’s coming to St. Rose of Lima Parish in Chula Vista. The free event will begin at 6 p.m. All are welcome to attend. For information, contact the parish at (619) 427-0230.
The following day, Friday, Nov. 6, he will be at St. Gregory the Great Parish in Scripps Ranch. The program will be at 6 p.m. in the church, followed by a 7:30 p.m. reception in the parish hall. RSVP strongly encouraged. For information, call (858) 653-3540 or email stggya@gmail.com.
Imperial Valley Conference returns Nov. 7
BRAWLEY — The biennial Imperial Valley Catholic Conference will be held from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 7, at Sacred Heart Parish in Brawley.
The theme is “Encounter with Our Lady of Guadalupe,” and the event will be one of the first public events where local faithful can venerate a third-class relic of the miraculous tilma imprinted with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The bilingual conference includes workshops, Mass, confession and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, along with food, music and more.
Father Rafael Capó, of St. Thomas University in Miami, will deliver a keynote presentation titled “Guadalupe: An Encounter That Sends Us Forth.”
The cost to attend the conference is $35, which includes lunch.
For information or to register, visit bit.ly/ImperialValley CatholicConference2026.
St. Thomas More Parish to host dementia workshop
OCEANSIDE — St. Thomas More Parish in Oceanside will host a dementia workshop from 8 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Nov. 7, in the parish center.
The workshop will offer practical guidance for understanding dementia, recognizing signs of cognitive decline and describing resources for families and caregivers. It will feature certified professional speakers on all forms of dementia.
Reservations are required. RSVP to (858) 761-7551 or Jacqui@LivingCoastalSR.com.
Holiday craft fair returning to Our Lady of Grace
EL CAJON — The Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church Women’s Club will hold its annual Holiday Craft Fair and Bake Sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 7, in the parish hall and in the outside patio area.
There will be more than 80 vendors selling fashion apparel, home décor, unique crafts and artwork for Christmas shopping. There will also be freshly baked items, including fudge, peanut brittle and cookies.
Lunch and snacks will be sold (cash only) by the International Catholic Families (ICF) group.
Admission to the event is free. Shoppers are asked to enter the parking lot from Medford Avenue.
For information, contact the parish at (619) 469-0133.
St. Augustine H.S. to hold open house
SAN DIEGO — St. Augustine High School will hold an open house from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 8, on the all-boys school’s North Park campus.
The schedule will include: campus tours, from 11 a.m. to noon; a formal presentation, from 12:10 to 1 p.m.; and open tours, Q&A and BBQ, from 1 to 2 p.m.
No RSVP is required.
For information, visit sahs.org, call (619) 282-2184 or email psipper@sahs.org, bjohnston@sahs.org or zaceron@sahs.org.
Men invited to ‘explore’ priestly vocation
SAN DIEGO — The Diocese of San Diego is hosting an Explorer Day on Saturday, Nov. 14, with Father Marc Gandolfo, diocesan director of priestly vocations.
The event, which is for men interested in exploring a possible vocation to the priesthood, will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at St. Francis Center, located on the campus of the University of San Diego.
Registration forms are available at your parish office.
For information, contact St. Francis Center at (858) 490-8389 or cmaglalang@sdcatholic.org.
Magnificat welcomes speaker for breakfast
ESCONDIDO — North County Magnificat, a ministry to Catholic women, will gather to listen to a speaker and share a meal on Saturday, Nov. 14, at St. Mary’s Parish Hall in Escondido.
The meal will run from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., preceded by an 8 a.m. Mass in the church.
The guest speaker will be Renée Bondi, a popular Catholic recording artist, speaker and author. She will share her journey as a quadriplegic and her commitment to bringing hope and encouragement to people of all ages.
The cost to attend is $30 per person before Nov. 7 and $33 after.
For information or to register, text or call (740) 275-7055 or email magnificat.northcounty@yahoo.com.
YCP hosting young adult events
SAN DIEGO — The San Diego chapter of Young Catholic Professionals (YCP), which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, hosts regular events for young Catholics in their 20s and 30s.
Among the organization’s recurring events is its Executive Speaker Series, where a Catholic speaker is invited to reflect on his or her faith and career. Attendees can enjoy beer, wine and appetizers, as well as time for networking. YCP San Diego also holds networking happy hours, half-day retreats and other events.
The next Executive Speaker Series, featuring five-time Major League Baseball All-Star Mike Sweeney, will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at John Paul the Great Catholic University’s new Creative Arts Complex (131 South Broadway, Escondido 92025). The evening will include Mass, dinner, networking, Sweeny’s talk, and a Q&A.
On Saturday morning, Dec. 5, YCP San Diego will hold a half-day Advent retreat at St. James Parish in Solana Beach, focused on the theme “St. Joseph: Man of Dreams.” Designed to offer relief from end-of-year burnout, the morning will explore St. Joseph’s example of navigating uncertainty and discerning God’s plan. It will include Mass, speaker talks, guided prayer, and fellowship.
Exact times for both events and more detail can be found at ycpsandiego.org.
Retreat offers healing after abortion
SAN DIEGO — The Rachel’s Hope ministry will hold a healing retreat for Catholic (and Catholic-friendly) women suffering with guilt and shame after an abortion.
The professionally-led retreat will be held from Friday, Nov. 6, to Sunday, Nov. 8. A closing Mass and housing are included.
Confidentiality will be maintained. Group size is limited.
The cost to attend is $120 per person; partial scholarships are available.
For information or to register, visit rachelshope.org, call (858) 581-3022, text (858) 752-9378 or email rachels_hope@juno.com.
Cristo Rey Golf Classic raises $250,000
SAN DIEGO — Cristo Rey San Diego High School’s annual Golf Classic, held Sept. 14 at The Crosby Club, has raised $250,000, marking the most significant fundraising achievement in the event’s history.
The Golf Classic initially raised an unprecedented $240,000. But then, an anonymous $10,000 gift brought the total to $250,000.
The day brought together 120 golfers and 16 pickleball players. This was followed by a social hour and a dinner reception complete with live and silent auctions.
Cristo Rey San Diego serves 215 students in grades 9 to 12 and is rooted in the Southcrest neighborhood.
For information, visit cristoreysandiego.org.
Online men’s group helps fight lust
SAN DIEGO — All Catholics are called to live the virtue of chastity, according to their state in life.
Are you a man frustrated by your inability to break harmful habits, leading to sadness or feelings of shame? Are you struggling to see and treat your body or those of others as a temple of the Holy Spirit?
You are not alone. Many men struggle in this way, but there is a way out of this cycle.
A Men’s Purity Support Group meets online every Monday from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
For more information, visit sites.google.com/view/dragonslayers-sd. Your name and contact information will be kept confidential.
Women invited to discern vocation
SAN DIEGO — Women ages 18 to 35 are invited to a discernment session to explore religious life.
The weekly meetings are held at 6:30 p.m., Mondays, at Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala.
Women are invited to come and share their experience and walk with other women in discernment.
For more information, contact Sister Katia Chavez, SJS, at (760) 562-2727.
Retreats aid recovery from homelessness, addiction
SAN DIEGO — The Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP) invites those recovering from homelessness and addiction to experience God’s unconditional love.
The organization’s programs are designed for men and women in substance-abuse recovery who desire to deepen their spirituality and are open to sharing their story and listening to others.
Though founded in the Jesuit tradition, ISP does not proselytize, and people of all (or no) faith traditions are welcome.
Guided by the wisdom of Ignatian spirituality and interwoven with traditional 12-Step approaches, ISP retreat programs offer individuals recovering from homelessness and addiction a chance to take time away to reflect on and deepen their relationship with God, to identify the places inside that need healing, and to bond with others on the journey.
Every year, ISP welcomes over 1,250 individuals on overnight retreats and provides over 10,000 experiences of hope and healing through ongoing reflection programs in the community.
For more information, visit ispretreats.org.
Men invited to join ‘Rosary Crusade’
SAN DIEGO — The Men’s Rosary Crusade gathers at 9 a.m., every first Saturday of the month, at the corner of 6th and Laurel in Balboa Park. All men are welcome.
The rosary intentions are for reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for the conversion of America, for families and for the unborn.
For more information, email draguez@sbcglobal.net or call (619) 920-8363.
