Our January Meeting: Pope Francis ‑ A Man of His Word

Tuesday, January 8, 7:00 p.m., Fr. Gerald Meisel Hall, St. Matthew Catholic Church, 672 Temple Ave., Long Beach

Note the date change: Since the first Tuesday falls on New Years Day. our meeting has been moved to Tuesday January 8.

On January 8 Comunidad is proud to screen the documentary, Pope Francis – a Man of His Word
German director, Wim Wenders, was granted unprecedented access to interview Pope Francis. The result was the documentary, Pope Francis ‑ A Man of His Word. Justin Chang, film critic for the Los Angeles Times writes: Wenders “films the pope in close-up, allowing the viewer to bask at length in the beatific warmth of his smile and his infectious, magnetic way with language. As the director notes in his own recurring voice-over, ‘Pope Francis has no weapons other than words.’ But what words! His rhetoric can be compassionate and humorous, fiery and bracingly down‑to‑earth. He extols the dignity of work, denounces a culture obsessed with material wealth and calls the global hunger epidemic ‘a scandal.’ When a young girl asks when he knew he wanted to be pope, the sharp honesty of his reply (‘Someone who has the desire to become pope doesn't really like himself’) feels like a reinforcement of his authenticity, as well as his improbable rightness for a job he never envisioned for himself.” Read Justin Chang's complete review.

Light refreshments will be served. Please joins us to view this inspiring documentary. All are welcome.

Our February Meeting - Dr. Aaron Bianco: ‘Hate isn't Holy’

Tuesday, February 5 2019, 7:00 p.m., Fr. Gerald Meisel Hall, St. Matthew Catholic Church, 672 Temple Ave., Long Beach

The troglodytes don’t like us, well not only us but everyone who is different from them. Threats and harassment are their weapons. After two years of persistent harassment and threats, Vermont’s only black female state representative Kiah Morris resigned her post to protect her family. Comunidad has not been immune to hate mail. In my St. Matthew’s mail slot, I received a copy of a letter addressed to Archdiocese José Gomez. The author of the letter writes: “People have no moral right engaging with the same sex, just as they have no right engaging in rape.”

With those introductory remarks, I would like to introduce our speaker for our February meeting. He is Dr. Aaron Bianco. Dr. Bianco was a pastoral associate at St. John the Evangelist Parish located in the gay—friendly Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego. Aaron said he had “endured physical and emotional violence from groups like Church Militant and LifeSite News for the past year and a half.” On Oct 14-15 the parish rectory was broken into and ‘no fags’ spray-painted on the conference room wall. On Oct. 17 posted on the internet were pictures of his family, including a picture of his deceased mother and his address. Aaron had no choice but to resign. The information for this was taken from an article in the National Catholic Reporter. Read complete article.

Please join us to hear Dr. Bianco speak on the powerful forces of hate extant in our society. Light refreshment will be served.

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