2025 Community Gathering Photos
Our Lady in the Center movie premier at St Anne’s. Good friends and Mr. David Iskander, star of House of David (2nd from left)
Fr. John & Fr. Al at Lady at the Center movie donation for St. Anne’s August 30, 2025
Mr. Amir Mertaban and Aslam Dada from the Yorba Linda Islamic Center
October 2025: Triumph of the Heart
On October 22, 2025, the AMC Orange 30 Theater, was sold out for the showing of Triumph of the Heart, a beautiful and powerful account of the martyrdom of St Maximillian Kolbe. Gathered in the cell of their execution with Fr. Kolbe, were Catholics, Jews and an atheist. St Maximillian ministered to all of them regardless of faith or no faith. Included here are the original announcement for the film and pictures taken at the event.
Joining us for that evening was Michael Iskander, an actor best known for his portrayal of King David in ‘The House of David’ which garnered worldwide attention with over 44 million views and reached #1 spot on Prime Video. Michael shared his spiritual journey and how his portrayal of David ultimately lead him into the Catholic Church.
100% of the proceeds from the screening have been donated to Catholic Relief Services (CRS), in support of Christians suffering persecution and hardship in war-torn regions—especially in Sudan and Nigeria.
Event Details
July 2025: The Nicene Creed: The Significance Then, The Significance Now.
“Why is the Nicene Creed essential to a correct understanding of the Apostolic and Catholic Faith? Despite being crafted over a millennium ago, the Nicene Creed remains a foundational framework for understanding the mysteries of the Trinity and the person of Jesus Christ.”
On July 10, 2025, Fr Hugh Barbour, O.Praem. provided a presentation of the Nicene Creed at the Freed Theater.
May 2025: Orthodox/Catholic Pentecost Service
On Friday, May 30, 2025 at 7:00 p.m., Orthodox and Catholic Church choirs sang in a special Pentecost Evening Service. One of the best kept secrets in OC! This was the 18th annual service held and this year, was held at St. Kilian Catholic Church. Choirs from The Annunciation Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Church, St. Matthew’s Roman Church, St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church, Holy Forty Martyrs Armenian Apostolic Church, St. Paul Assyrian Church of the East, and Our Lady of Guadalupe Roman Catholic Church filled the air with their beautiful voices.
May 2025: Orthodox/Catholic Book Club celebrated its 25th anniversary
On May 13, 2025, the Orthodox/Catholic Book Club celebrated its 25th anniversary. Along with the current study and conversation, there was a potluck and a recognition of the Book Club, under the care of Fr Steve Tsichlis, pastor of St Paul, Greek Orthodox Church. Very Rev. Alfred S Baca, Episcopal Vicar for Ecumenism for the Catholic Diocese of Orange and Book Club member, John Hartman, presented Fr Steve with a plaque commemorating the 25 years of the Book Club with a message of congratulations from Bishop Kevin Vann.
More About the Orthodox/Catholic Book Club
All Catholics and Orthodox are invited to join the Book Club. Meetings happen on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, September through May, from 7pm to 9pm. There is also on-line and zoom participation. The Book Club resumes September 9, 2025. For more information please go to: https://stpaulsirvine.org/orthodox-and-roman-catholic-book-club/
In September of 2000, twenty-five parishioners of St Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church and St John Neumann Catholic Church in Irvine, began gathering once a month to explore common roots, engaging in ecumenical dialogue at a grassroots level through books and conversation. Over the past two decades more than 120 books have been read by participants in this ecumenical fellowship. Among them have been modern Roman Catholic writers on the spiritual life like Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen, Thomas Keating, Basil Pennington, Paula Huston, Ruth Burrows; and contemporary Orthodox writers like Metropolitan Anthony Bloom, Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, Thomas Hopko, Olivier Clement, Jim Forest and Kyriakos Markides and more recently, Matthew the Poor.
We are grateful for the many years that Fr Steve Tsichlis has given to the Book Club and his dedication to ecumenical progress between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches in Orange County.
April 2025: Holy Face Image
An image of the Holy Face of Jesus, similar to the Veil of Veronica housed in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, toured the Diocese of Orange on April 12th and 14th. The image, created in 1905, was laid upon the true image of the Veil of Veronica, touched to the True Cross of Christ and the point of the spear of St. Longinus (both of which are also housed at St. Peter’s) that was thrust into the side of Christ.
This tour was sponsored by the diocese’s Office of Ecumenism and Inter-religion and organized by Cynthia and Gary Micaletti, owners of JMJ Catholic Store in Placentia. The relic is safeguarded by Vicki Schreiner of Oklahoma City, whose family has had it for more than a century.
January 2025: Ordination of the New Byzantine Catholic Bishop
Fr. Artur Bubnevych was consecrated bishop and enthroned as the sixth Bishop of the Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix in a ceremony at Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Church in Anaheim on January 28, 2025. The Apostolic Nuncio, His Eminence Christophe Cardinal Pierre, was the official representative of the Holy See. Bishop Vann also attended the ceremony along with Very Rev. Al Baca and Fr. John Monestero from the Ecumenical Commission.