Karl Hellberg wears body armor to work. Now, this 41-year-old federal special agent is relying on the Catholic Church to keep his faith secure. “I feel like I have been guided by divine providence through my life, through all the things that happened to me,” says Hellberg, who will become Catholic this Easter at St. Mary, Star of the Sea Parish in Astoria.
ST. BENEDICT — In a balcony, a gray-haired monk quietly regaled guests with stories. Some seminarians showed worshipers to seats while others prayed on their knees. Visitors gazed around the full house of prayer. The scenes froze as a bell tower roared to life and the blessing of a new monastic leader began.
“Boys, you can only stand in the key for three seconds.” “What’s the key?” “Boys, you can’t get five fouls in a game.” “What’s a foul?” These are actual early-season exchanges between coach David O’Brien and some of the 10 sixth graders on his St. Andrew Nativity School CYO basketball team.
My cousin, John Pobuda of Sun City West, Ariz., died this year on his 89th birthday, Valentine’s Day. Our family Marine was very much like a big brother to me. My first memories of John go back to the days of World War II when he was granted a break from action in the Pacific and enjoyed a leave back home with family and friends.
BEND — The confirmation travel season has begun. From now until the end of May nearly every weekend will involve some kind of travel to a parish for the conferral of confirmation. This past weekend involved a trip to Milton-Freewater. There, besides conferring the sacrament of confirmation on 40 young people, I had the opportunity to see and bless the newly completed parish hall.
Third Sunday of Lent Exodus 3:1-8a,13-15 1 Corinthians 10:1-6,10-12 Luke 13:1-9
