Chaplains Report

Dear Fellow Knights:

The month of June is traditionally dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is fitting that it should follow after the Marian month of May as both months show God's love for us in different ways. The Feast of the Sacred Heart is Friday, June 23, when we pay special homage to God's love for us symbolized by the heart of Christ burning with zeal for souls. As such, this is a fitting month for our diocese to celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Orders with the ordination of priests on June 2 and permanent deacons on June 9. On Friday, June 2, four new priests will be ordained for service in the diocese. After they are ordained, that leaves exactly four seminarians left in formation for the Diocese of San Diego. One can offer all kinds of reasons why we have so few seminarians but none of them are any good. What we must do is pray for an increase in dedicated vocations to the priesthood and then encourage those men we have in the seminary. June 4 is also the Feast of Pentecost, the Birthday of the Church, and we celebrate it with our parish Pentecost Festival which, hopefully, all of our Knights will support. 100% of all income generated by the Festival goes to charity. On Friday, June 9, 12 men will be ordained permanent deacons for San Diego. This is a real blessing for our local Church because our deacons are of great help in our growing parishes. We are especially grateful to God that one of our own parishioners, Ward Thompson, will be ordained a deacon that evening. The ordination will take place at Good Shepherd Parish in Mira Mesa beginning at 4:00 PM. and everyone is invited. Deacon Ward will assist at Mass and preach for the first time at the 5:00 p.m. Mass here at San Rafael on Saturday, June 3. A reception to honor Deacon Ward will follow immediately in the Parish Center and, again, everyone is invited! June 13 is the Feast of St. Anthony of Pauda -- one of my favorite saints. I have many stories of how St. Anthony stepped in to "save the day" and has richly deserved my devotion. What a great month June is: The Feast of Pentecost, Honor to the Sacred Heart, the Feast of St. Anthony and ordinations to the priesthood and the diaconate for our diocese! God is so good!

Msgr. Dennis Mikulanis