The last visit of Mgr. Wach was in 2017. During these seven years a lot of things have happened at the apostolate of the Institute in San Jose. At the time of Msgr. Wach’s last visit, we were at Five Wounds Portuguese National Parish, but due to the pandemic, Divine Providence set us on a journey to find a permanent home amid the challenging realities of this world.
With the blessing of Bishop Oscar Cantú of the Diocese of San Jose, the IHM Oratory has celebrated the Traditional Liturgy in the parking lot of the Knights of Columbus, in retail space in a shopping center, in a school chapel on Sundays, and now for the past two years, in an office space built to suit our needs. Regardless of these difficult situations, we have been blessed to have an integrated liturgical life throughout the year and a community that has been growing considerably. Certainly, the church is in challenging times, but it is amazing to experience God’s merciful hands on the frontlines in Silicon Valley, California, the center of the world for high tech companies.
Saint Junípero Serra wrote home to console his parents, writing that surely, they would encourage him, “Always forward! Never turn back!” We hope that we have been following the example of Saint Serra to grow in holiness and in the mission of the Holy Catholic Church. We are very grateful to Monsignor Wach for being our spiritual father and guiding us on the path of salvation.
Wandering Oratory News
For the latest update on our progress of finding a permanent home, please read the recent Building Committee letter linked below.
For more photos of Monsignor Wach's visit, please visit our photo gallery here.