Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Pastor Enrique Sera - the good shepherd?

St. Joachim Parish
1964 Orange Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92627
(949) 574-7400
http://www.stjoachimparish.com/Church/OurShepherds.html

















Reverend Enrique Sera, Pastor
Father Sera comes to us after a long pastorate in Santa Ana. He was born in Holguin, Cuba, and came to the United States in 1962 as one of the Peter Pan Kids. He is bilingual and bicultural, a requirement for our parish these days. His educational background mixes theology and psychology and he volunteers his
time at Catholic Charities as a counselor. He also served as a Navy chaplain on both, active, and reserve duty, serving during Desert Storm with the Seabees. He follows Navy football and Angels baseball. He hopes to bring together the various communities who worship at St. Joachim.


Reverend Michael Nguyen, Parochial Vicar

(Terminated)

Reverend David Vuelvas-Arias, Parochial Vicar
(On vacation in Mexico)

9 comments:

Orange County Catholic said...

I have read the sad farewell explanation.

How much time did these priests have to suffer pastor Sera’s secrecies, impediments, cruelties and discouragements for his personal ambitions before they succumbed to leaving their vocation?

Having left the priesthood in various states of dishonor and against their will, we wonder how those unfortunate priests could have endured the silence and loneliness of eating and praying alone in Fr. Sera’s church.

We will pray for Fr. Michael and all who are called to serve unworthy pastors.

Anonymous said...

What is Rev. Michael Heher, the Diocesan Vicar General's position in this problem? Will he try to solve this in a fair and just manner or will he try to muffle the cry.

Read "Behind the diocese deal" published Jan 4, 2005 regarding the sexual-abuse scandal "Heher said the diocese's concern was not only which papers would be released but who would release them and how".

http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/sections/news/focus_in_depth/article_365767.php

Anonymous said...

The Continuing Scandal--Lifestyles of the Rich and Pious

Withhold payments to priests.

Bishop Tod Brown needs all the cash he can get. He "admitted to purchasing a gated-community lot on which he plans to have built a multimillion-dollar mansion for himself near the proposed site of the $100 million Christ Our Savior Cathedral in Santa Ana"

http://www.ocweekly.com/news/ex-cathedra/lifestyles-of-the-rich-and-pious/19586/

http://michaeldubruiel.blogspot.com/2004_09_01_archive.html

Anonymous said...

I think Fr. Mike Heher will search for the truth.

Posted March 12, 2006

A Good Suggestion by Rev. Michael Heher for Better Working Together with International Priests


In my own individualistic culture, one of the worst offenses is meddling, telling someone else what to do.

So I keep quiet about my concerns, except on my days off among my friends. In the cultures of many international priests, one of the worst offense is to contradict or question a superior. One must agree even when he really disagrees. And so I hear “Yes” when yes is not meant, or more often I get no answer at all. In a rectory filled with such respectful silences, hardly anyone laughs, let alone kids another. It’s not the kind of place where you might share a drink or watch the news together or go out to a late dinner on Sunday night.

It doesn’t sound like much fun. The practice of Catholic priesthood is becoming lonelier enough nowadays for other reasons. If you ask me, I vote for more communication, despite the difficulties across cultures. And I ask God to give us more honesty and more courage.


http://www.jknirp.com/heher.htm

Anonymous said...

It’s all about Money. Having spent $100 Million in the priest sex scandals, Bishop Tod Brown’s dream of leaving his legacy by building a new Cathedral in Santa Ana and his own personal multi million dollar mansion nearby is at stake. To recover from the loss, they now revert to ZERO TOLERANCE. against Fr. Michael Nguyen.

Fr. Nguyen’s major accomplishments at St. Boniface Church included the church painting and face lifting with matching marble Ambo and presider’s chair at no cost to the Parish or Diocese. The church Sunday collections more than doubled.

Despite Fr. Nguyen’s proposals to save the school by rallying the teachers, parents and donors and various ways to increase revenues, cut costs and improve services, St. Boniface School, Anaheim was closed by Rev. Tim Freyer, pastor of the St. Boniface parish and Bishop Tod Brown in 2006. They claimed low enrollment and mounting debt of a mere $500,000.

To add to the Bishop’s treasury, Tim Freyer used ZERO TOLERANCE to terminate Fr. Nguyen at St. Boniface. They no longer had any use for him.
(read http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/atoz/article_959423.php)

Our Lord should come down and whip the greed out of Bishop Tod Brown and his scheming high priests and conniving pastors.

John 21:15-17 All you priests in the Diocese of Orange. Do you love the Lord more than these? Do you feed His lambs? Do you Tend His sheep? Do you really love Him? Do you feed His sheep?

I will stop my contributions to the annual Pastoral Services Appeal to support Bishop Tod Brown’s personal projects.

Anonymous said...

money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money..........is that all you care about Fr. Michael?

I thought you were supposed to be helping people, not beautifying the church and getting yourself a throne to sit on at the alter. Do you think you single handedly doubled the Sunday collection?

How sad your major accomplishments were all money related. No one takes their money or marble ambos to heaven.

$hame on you

Anonymous said...

Of course, Fr. Michael Nguyen needs a lots of money to pay off his $600,000 house, $60,000 car, $10,000 plasma TV and all his luxurious expenses . . .

What kind of a priest is that? Did he choose a wrong occupation?

Remember, "you are called to serve but not to be served".

"If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Lk 9:23).

Did Fr. Michael deny himself to follow Christ? or has he been using the church to build his own palace or kingdom?

Almighty Father, please forgives him for he doesn't know what he does.

Amen

Orange County Catholic said...

Dear Father Sera,

“El Padre Michael Nguyen ya no es vicario en San JoaquĆ­n” or the English translation: “Father Michael Nguyen is no longer our parochial vicar” is not acceptable and merely increases rumors about your abuse of your associate priests. Below are questions raised by parishioners that need to be clarified, so as to dispel rumors about the priesthood.

1. Were you authorized to ban Fr. Michael from celebrating mass at St. Joachim?

2. Is it true that you limited and withheld meal reimbursements to Fr. Michael?

3. Why don't you regularly publish Sunday Collection in the bulletin?

4. Why haven't you concelebrated Mass with Fr. Michael?

5. Is it true that priests who worked for you have left the priesthood?

6. What is the name of the one priest under you who did not leave the priesthood?

7. Why do you consider Fr. Michael Nguyen as an enemy?

You have the right to answer the accusations against you. Won’t you consider leaving a comment?

Thank you Father Sera

Anonymous said...

Father Michael, if you should have to suffer, suffer quietly and offer it up for the good souls of purgatory. They will get more out of your suffering than you will. Amos, Jeremiah, the suffering servant you are not! if you have already gone through three pastors, and an agravated bishop, then get a clue! Maybe the problem is not with them, but with you. How long will you wallow in self pity and denial? Suck it up, move on, and if need be, i will adopt you when i see you on FEED THE CHILDREN. Just kidding! Leave the stories of starvation to those who are really suffering. Now, i wonder if poor Msgr Sammon is turning over in his grave at seeing the circus you are creating for yourself and the good people of the diocese of Orange. "For it is better for a man to tie a millstone around his neck and be thrown into the water, than to mislead one of these little ones."