MONETERY, CALIFORNIA, PRIEST AND DEACON CONVOCATION

DAY FOUR

ANNUAL PRIEST AND DEACON CONVOCATION

DIOCESE OF MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA

Yesterday afternoon, I gave my last talk. That was followed by a report on a major survey of priests conducted in the diocese. We ended the day with Mass celebrated by Bishop Garcia who also preached. The Mass and dinner that followed took place at

 Old Mission 
San Luis Obispo

one of  twenty-one California missions founded by St. Junipero Serra.



St. Junipero Serra



Mission San Luis Obispo was founded in 1772 - four years before we became a country.



Parish hall, courtyard and gardens.



Altar Area

Rear view of the church - one of two wings.  People in one wing cannot see people in the other, even though the priest can see in both directions.  Notice how the pulpit in the "altar area" picture above is slightly turned so the preacher can see in both directions. 

A view of the front of the church from the choir loft. You can see the arched opening to other wing of the Mission Church just above the chandeliers. 

Here I am concelebrating Mass with Bishop Garcia at  Mission San Luis Obispo.



Recessional - Bishop Garcia, deacon and pastor of Mission San Luis Obispo.



Mission bells from inside the bell tower.



More mission bells in the courtyard.



Beautiful gardens at the Mission San Luis Obispo.



More gardens at the Mission.



Dinner served to the bishop, priests and deacons of the diocese at the Mission parish hall.

After breakfast and morning prayer, we concluded the convocation today at noon with an address by Bishop Garcia. 

GOOD BYE MORRO BAY





I'll miss the nice cozy inn on Morro Bay....



....the view of the Morro Bay......



...the beautiful plants that we do not see back home....



...and the smell of the gigantic eucalyptus trees!

SUMMARY 

This was one of my most successful convocations yet. The reception was amazing, especially in light of the fact they were worried whether a priest from the midwest would understand the culture of a California diocese. I reminded them that, before Monterey, I had already led priest convocations in the dioceses of San Francisco, San Diego, San Bernardino, Fresno, San Jose and Sacramento. I had a wonderful time and I received a very warm welcome and tons of positive feedback from the bishop, priests and deacons. It seems that I was able to successfully negotiate the cultural divides as well as the ideological differences. I think they were very pleased with me and I know I was pleased with them! 

NEXT STOP, DIOCESE OF NELSON, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.