On May 11, in this Year of St. Joseph, Bishop Kevin Vann gave thanks to the Lord for the Missionaries of Charity Contemplative, a new religious community that moved to the Diocese of Orange. Bishop Vann celebrated Mass and blessed their new convent in Santa Ana alongside several attending priests, consecrated men and women, and benefactors of the religious sisters.
While most people are familiar with St. Teresa of Calcutta’s active missionary work to the “poorest of the poor” all over the world, it might not be common knowledge that she also founded several other branches of the religious order, including religious priests, brothers and contemplative sisters. The Missionaries of Charity Contemplative serves the spiritually poor through dedicated prayer and spiritual works of mercy.
Four sisters will live in the Santa Ana convent, where they will offer their prayer and spiritual works for the Church, especially for the Diocese of Orange. This fulfills a specific desire of Bishop Vann, as stated in the Diocesan Strategic Plan: “Identify and invite a religious community, with a charism of intercessory prayer, to make their home in the Diocese of Orange in support of evangelization efforts, the pastoral life of the Diocese and vocations.”
The convent was obtained and remodeled through the providence of God and the generous work of volunteers and benefactors. The sisters live quite simply. They have converted the bedrooms into hermitages, which are narrow rooms, each with a bed and table. The convent also has a private chapel for the sisters, a common dining room called a refectory, and an enclosed garden in the backyard. Since the sisters do not own a car, they are making plans to convert the garage on the property into a public chapel where people may join them in prayer.
The Missionaries of Charity Contemplative will be offering the great gift of a “powerhouse of prayer” in the heart of our Diocese on Santa Ana.
The above comes from a June 3 story in the Orange County Catholic.
if this is in a residential neighborhood, has it been zoned for public worship? if i lived on that street and learned that the sisters planned to convert a garage into a public chapel i wouldn’t be happy and i would take it to city hall and the zoning commission.
For a couple of decades, a house near SF State University served as the Newman Center. Masses for as many as 35 people were held in the garage, and bible studies, counseling, and social activities were held in the home. I doubt they ever had a problem with zoning authorities.
I would have complained and I would have shut it down. I’m Catholic, but there’s law and order and respect for neighbors to be considered too. Church isn’t always right.
Anonymous, your post is a waste of time. The Contemplative Missionaries of Charity bring much peace and the uplifting presence of God and prayer to any neighborhood. Plus, no doubt, the Sisters’ convent and grounds will be sparkling clean, orderly, and well-cared-for. There are lots of churches, rectories, convents, church-related schools, and Protestant ministers’ official churches and residences, and also, public schools and libraries, in residential neighborhoods.
Sisters don’t own a car? Must rely on volunteers to get around OC. Public Transit is almost non existent in So Cal.
Yes, Anonymous, hie ASAP to City Hall. Never can tell who wants to pray.
They’re cloistered. They don’t leave the convent. They don’t need a car.
The fact is there are usually strict codes about what residential properties may be used for. Will residents resent an increase in street traffic and parking in front of their homes by visitors? I bet.
To all you who gave this a thumbs-down, how would you like it if a group of Muslims turned a house near yours into a mosque with people praying in the garage at all times of the day? Yeah, think about that. You’d thumbs-up a post that said residents would resent having a home used for a public mosque. When you look at it that way, zoning enforcement is a very good idea, isn’t it? Fair is fair. Be fair.
Have you ever visited Santa Ana? My goodness you are way off on this. This city is one iota away from Marshall law. These religious sisters will be welcomed with open arms. Anything is an improvement from the lawlessness, crime, illegal drugs, crime, prostitution etc….
Santa Ana is in Orange County. I thought that area was rich and white and Republican.
Santa Ana is mostly hispanic/Latinx and has a poverty rate of almost 20%. It is also considered the most crime ridden city in the County by some. Many of OCs areas are white or Asian and wealthy but not Santa Ana.
In my area, a quiet and very good neighborhood, there are many homes and apartment buildings, all very nice and well-kept, churches of different denominations, several Jewish temples and synagogues, Christian and Jewish religious and social services organizations, Catholic churches, schools and convents, several public library branches, several public schools, several preschools, a prominent hospital, doctor’s offices, vet clinics, two big parks, a recreation center and playground, various businesses, several grocery stores, and a couple of health food stores. How about a quiet convent of Mother Teresa’s contemplative nuns? Would love that– and so would all my neighbors, I bet!
It is MARTIAL law possibly for Santa Ana. Gen George C MARSHALL was a US WWII military leader who later led the economic recovery in Europe.
Was that the Martial Plan?