Our 150th anniversary in San Diego was a joyful success, uniting parishioners from St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Blessed Sacrament, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, and St. John the Evangelist, with nearly 400 guests in at-tendance. We are deeply grateful to the Sycuan Tribe, especially Vice-Chairman Josh Muse and his wife, Priscilla, whose leadership and 100% support made the celebration possible.
Held on May 22 at the Sycuan Heritage Ballroom, the Mass was presided over by Bishop Ramon Bejarano and concelebrated with SVD priests of the district. Fr. Soney Sebastian opened with a short film on our SVD roots in Steyl, Holland. The liturgy reflected our missionary spirit, enriched by Kumeyaay bird singing, a sol-emn Gospel procession in a traditional Indonesian carriage, and hymns from the Knights of Columbus and Couples for Christ Choir. Truly, it was a living witness to our motto: “One heart, many faces.”
A festive banquet followed, with abundant food, a 150th anniversary cake, and souvenirs from both the Soci-ety and the Tribe. Guests enjoyed cultural dances from Native America, Indonesia, Mexico, and the Philip-pines, while films and stories reminded us of our shared mission. The evening closed with heartfelt toasts and a spirit of joy and gratitude. As we ended the night, one could almost hear our founder, St. Arnold Janssen, smiling and saying: “Well done, my children of the District of San Diego.”
Herman Manuel SVD