Ochoa comes to Madera to help observe Catholic Schools Week
Schoolchildren gathered with relatives, administrators, teachers and staff to attend Mass on Tuesday as part of National Catholic Schools Week 2014. The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Armando X. Ochoa, who oversees the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno, of which Madera is a part. More than 100 parishioners attended the morning Special Relatives Day and Mass, which was followed by a reception, pep rally and a talk in Holy Spouses Hall.
Cheerleaders led the student body in cheers and a photo slide show was presented. Ochoa met with eighth-graders for a talk, in which he recalled his background and following his religious vocational calling. He answered questions and encouraged students to maintain their faith and pursue any religious vocational calling, should they have one.
“It was pretty nice to hear the bishop talk to us about our vocation and our call to serve God. It was nice to know about his personal life a little more too,” said Patrick Monreal, an eighth grader at St. Joachim and president of the student council.
Ochoa’s visit to Madera’s K-8 Catholic school was part of a journey he’s been on since his installation in 2012 to visit the 21 Catholic schools and 89 parishes under the Fresno diocese...