CALEXICO — “We live in a world where it is easy to become divided, but as followers of Christ, we are called to do something greater: We are called to be one human family,”
That’s what Bishop Michael Pham said in his homily at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in this border city.
He led a Lenten prayer service, themed “To Be United in Christ,” held on the evening of March 23, co-hosted by Catholic Charities. Around 350 faithful from Calexico and neighboring towns turned out for the event.
He was accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Felipe Pulido, nine priests and two deacons, and Bishop John Stowe, of the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky, who was visiting to give a retreat in Brawley.
Earlier that day, Bishop Pham led a clergy visit to the Imperial Regional Detention Facility, which included a Mass for about 40 detained immigrants. The facility houses around 650.
The bilingual prayer service was structured as a Liturgy of the Word, with two Gospel readings. The first was from the Gospel of Luke (10:25-37), while the second was from the Gospel of Matthew (25:31-40). The bishop’s homily centered on their main themes: compassion and taking action to serve the
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