A parishioner of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Oxnard who bought seven raffle tickets in the hope of winning a new home received her wish Dec. 12.

Celia Mendez, age 58, held the winning ticket drawn at the close of festivities in honor of the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. A parishioner at the Oxnard parish since 1978 who lives in the surrounding La Colonia area, Mrs. Mendez threw her arms in the air in excitement upon hearing her ticket had been drawn by a Sister from the Servants of Immaculate Mary.

Assisted by family and friends, she made her way through the crowd of more than 1,000 and onto the stage. "I had been praying to Our Lady of Guadalupe devoutly since the raffle began a year ago," she declared. "I thank God and the Virgin."

Mendez said she had bought seven tickets with two intentions: hoping to win the three-bedroom, furnished home (in a nearby new development), and wanting to contribute toward the parish's fundraising efforts. Our Lady of Guadalupe is trying to raise funds to build a new and bigger church, school and parish center at an estimated cost of $7 million.

The parish currently serves over 7,000 families and has held numerous fundraising events, topped by the house raffle which sold an estimated 10,500 tickets and raised, unofficially, $400,000 for the fundraising effort.

"We thank the community for their participation and humbly ask for their continued support, because we still have a long way to go toward that $7 million goal," said Missionary of the Holy Spirit Father Ricardo De Alba, pastor.

Sisters of Sick Poor receive new novice

Sister Haydee de Jesus Sierra, age 60, was received as a novice by the Sisters of the Sick Poor of Los Angeles. Investiture of the habit and white veil took place at St. Francis Hospital Chapel in Lynwood on Dec. 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Formerly married with no children (an annulment was later granted), she earned a degree in elementary education from Instituto Normal Centro America (INCA) in Guatemala and gained teaching experience.

Prior to religious life, she pursued personal faith formation with regular attendance of a variety of workshops and courses provided in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. After a lengthy period of discernment, she sought to explore religious life.

As a Sister of the Sick Poor, Sister de Jesus now embarks on her formation courses for religious life. She attends the archdiocesan sponsored Bible Study instructors curriculum; second year advanced level. Her present apostolic work includes facilitating and conducting children's catechesis formation for St. Therese of Avila Church in Echo Park. She is a nocturnal adorer at Our Lady Help of Christians Church in Lincoln Heights. She also assists the frail elderly through her employment with St. Vincent Meals on Wheels.

Sisters of the Sick Poor of Los Angeles is a multi-cultural contemporary community of religious women serving the church through a variety of apostolic works presently in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and San Diego. For further information on a vocation to religious life or to make a donation, call (213) 200-

LMU honors Latino students at scholarship benefit dinner

Loyola Marymount University's Mexican American Alumni Association recently hosted its 24th annual scholarship benefit dinner in honor of the 2005-06 scholarship recipients.

This year 78 students will be receiving MAAA scholarships, including Lauren Tait, who will graduate in 2006 with a degree in biology. Tait was named Merrifield Scholar and received a $10,000 scholarship.

Since its inception in 1981, MAAA has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships to undergraduate Latino students who demonstrate high academic achievement, financial need and commitment to community service. At LMU, named "Hottest for Hispanics" in the 2006 Kaplan/Newsweek "How to Get into College" guide, approximately 19 percent of students are Latino and 96 percent of LMU's Latino students receive financial aid.

St. Monica Faith Odyssey set Jan. 14

St. Monica Parish Community's Faith Odyssey 2006, scheduled Jan. 14, will feature Scripture scholar Dr. Judy Yates Siker as keynote speaker.

This year's conference workshop topics include "Reconciliation: How to Forgive What We Cannot Forget," "Wholeness and Holiness in Relationships," "Responding to the Word from a Feminine Perspective," and an entertaining "Visit with Dorothy Day."

Speakers will include Dr. James Finley, Father Doug Glassman, David Hoover, Daughter of St. Paul Sister Rose Pacatte, Sylvia Mendivil Salazar, and Msgr. Lloyd Torgerson.

The cost is $40 per person which includes continental breakfast, lunch and reception. Registration is required. For more information, visit www.stmonica.net/faithodyssey, or call Sister Catherine Ryan at (310) 458-5940. St. Monica Church is located at 725 California Avenue in Santa Monica.

Compiled by Mike Nelson and Ellie Hidalgo.