All Aboard! The 4th Annual Bishop Tea Time

A nautical afternoon of tea, laughter, and love for our seminarians

The nautical spirit was alive and well. Look at these beautiful ladies dressed for the voyage!

Friends, let me tell you something. When I walked into the Diocesan Pastoral Center on April 11th, I had to stop and catch my breath. Blue, silver, and white balloons surrounded the place like ocean water and bubbles rising from the sea. The tables were set in what felt like a sandy seaside escape. The helpers were all dressed in sailing clothes, looking like they had just stepped off a ship. And then, through the speakers, you heard it: the sound of waves crashing. That was what brought it all together. That was what made it real. You were not at a luncheon anymore. You were aboard a vessel, and the voyage was just beginning.

This was our 4th Annual Bishop Tea Time, and the theme this year was "Around the World." For those of you who might be new to this, The Bishop's Tea Time is a very special fundraiser where people from all across our diocese and afar come together to share tea, share stories, and support our seminarians and vocations. This year, over eleven different parishes sent their delegates, and the room was packed with love.

When I say packed, I mean the kind of full where you look around and every single face is smiling. That is what this event does. It brings people together who may have never met each other, sits them down at a table with a cup of tea and a plate of gourmet sandwiches, light refreshments, sweet delights, and suddenly they are friends.

Left: Captain Juan Samaniego reporting for duty! Right; Juan and Cesar at the helm, keeping things on course

The afternoon was emceed by yours truly, but I had two incredible co-captains by my side: seminarians Juan Samaniego and Cesar Caldera. These two young men did not just assist, they brought the energy. They kept the room laughing, they kept the program moving, and most importantly, they showed everyone present exactly what the future of our priesthood looks like: joyful, generous, and full of life.

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Stepping Aboard

From the moment you walked in, you knew this was not just another luncheon. The Pastoral Center Guadalupe Hall had become a ship. The place settings were nautical. The screens around the room showed the sea. Tiered trays held delicate sandwiches, pastries, and desserts that looked almost too pretty to eat. Almost.

Chef Henry created a feast fit for the high seas. These desserts were a work of art.

Every detail was cared for, and let me tell you, the food was outstanding. But this event was never really about the sandwiches. It was about community. It was about sitting down with someone from a parish thirty miles away and realizing that you share the same love, the same faith, and the same hope for the future of our Church.

Left: Yolanda showing tea time elegance at its finest Right: Fr. Javier and Fr. Arinze with their friends

And our seminarians? They were everywhere. Not hiding in the back, not standing on the side. They were at the tables, sitting with the parishioners, talking, listening, laughing. They were serving, yes, but they were also being present. And that presence is what makes this event so powerful. The people of God get to see the young men they are supporting. They get to look them in the eye and know that their prayers and their donations are bearing real fruit.

Our seminarians and discerner, suited up and ready to serve with joy, with Grace Muraligopal (chairperson) in the center

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A Word That Changes Everything

One of the most moving moments of the afternoon came when Albert Salcido stood up and spoke. Albert is one of our seminarians who will be moving on to theology, and when he addressed the room, he did not hold back. He spoke about his mission, about what God has called him to, about the privilege of serving the people of God.

But then he said something that I think stayed with every person in that room:

Friends, do you hear that? Two words. Thank you. That is all it takes sometimes. That is all it takes to remind a young man that his sacrifice matters, that his "yes" to God is not going unnoticed. We also showed a beautiful video telling the stories of Luis Morales and Albert, both of whom are moving forward in their formation, one heading to Mundelein, Chicago, and the other to St. John's Seminary in Camarillo. Please keep them in your prayers.

Left: Fr. Chris with Luis Morales and his mom and little sister Right: Sr. Chilee and Fr. Ben enjoying the event

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Full Speed Ahead: The Auction and the Race

Now, I know what you are thinking. This sounds lovely, Father, but was it fun? Oh, let me tell you. It was so much fun.

We had a live auction that had the room buzzing. A sterling hematite silver bracelet. An iPad Pro. And then, the big one: Bishop Rojas coming to your house to cook dinner for you. Three different families won that prize, and I cannot tell you the excitement in the room when those bids went up. Three families. Three dinners. One Bishop who can cook. That is what I call a deal.

Captain Bishop Rojas at the mic, steering the ship with joy

And then came the boat race. Yes, a boat race. Different boats representing different countries were projected on the screen, and guests had purchased race tickets as part of their donation. The room erupted. People were cheering for their boats, laughing, standing up in their seats. For a moment, you forgot this was a church fundraiser. It felt like a carnival. And that is exactly what it should feel like, because the joy of the Lord is our strength, and if we cannot celebrate what God is doing among us, then what are we doing?

Every good ship needs a pirate! Seminarian Matthew wearing a pirate hat.

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The Captain Sings

Just when you thought the afternoon could not get any more special, Bishop Rojas picked up the microphone and sang. Not one song, but two. And friends, when your Bishop sings to you, something shifts. The room goes quiet first, and then the room fills with something you cannot quite name. It is warmth. It is belonging. It is the feeling of being shepherded by someone who loves you, truly loves you.

That is what Bishop Rojas does. He does not just lead. He loves. And everyone in that room felt it.

Left: Bishop with the young people of our diocese Right: The littlest sailor stole the show!

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Why This Matters

I want to be honest with you. The 4th Annual Bishop Tea Time is a fundraiser, yes. The money raised goes directly to supporting vocations and our seminarians. But it is so much more than that. Every year, this event grows. Every year, more parishes show up. Every year, more people leave saying, "I did not know our seminarians were so wonderful."

And that is the point. When you see a seminarian sit down at your table and ask about your family, when you watch him serve you tea with a smile on his face, when you hear him talk about how your simple "thank you" kept him going on a hard day, something happens inside you. The vocation becomes real. It becomes tangible. It becomes yours.

A full house, a full heart. Over eleven parishes represented.

That is what I love about this event. It is not just about raising money. It is about raising awareness, raising hope, and raising the next generation of priests who will shepherd our Church.

To every parishioner who came, to every delegate, to every volunteer who set up those beautiful balloon arches and prepared those trays of food, to our seminarians who showed up with full hearts and open arms: thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

We are growing. God is doing something beautiful in the Diocese of San Bernardino, and I get to have a front-row seat. What a gift.