"It is all worth it," says DRE Griselda Navarro as she talks about the religious education program at St. Cecilia Church on this confirmation Sunday, with 70 parish youth about to receive the sacrament.

"It" means long weekends coordinating a program with 600 children in First Communion and confirmation preparation, 60 adults in RCIA, and 57 teachers and their helpers, all on a volunteer basis.

Navarro became involved in religious education in 1999, when parish clergy asked the people to get more involved in the evangelization of the parish. "So my husband Alberto and I started together," she says, and --- with carefully worked out schedules --- they manage it all.

"Alberto supports me in everything," Griselda says. "When I am here, he is with our children. He attends [R.E.] Congress and workshops with me. I do it for love of my community and my church - especially for the young people in my parish."

Hers is a common refrain at this venerable parish south of downtown L.A., administered by Comboni Missionary priests from Italy.

"This church is like a big community, and we're a big family," says longtime parishioner Lulu Becerra, referring to the many nationalities and small communities within St. Cecilia. Parishioners originally from El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala and different areas of Mexico have each brought their unique religious devotions to the parish. Images of el Senor Cristo de Esquipulas, Our Blessed Mother of Soledad and others are found within the church.

"It is more or less a second home," says Lulu's husband Cecilio, as they help count the Sunday collection. The Becerras' involvement at St. Cecilia goes back to 1950, when Cecilio's family moved into the parish. He and Lulu were married in 1958 at La Placita Church, and they settled in St. Cecilia's neighborhood. Their children were baptized at St. Cecilia, attended St. Cecilia School, and were married in the parish.

They still help with the fiesta and serve wherever needed. Cecilio is a eucharistic minister; Lulu sings in the choir and lectors. Whenever a family comes to the office seeking help, Cecilio usually visits the home and family to determine their needs.

Such total family involvement in the life of the parish is a goal of St. Cecilia's administrator, Comboni Missionary Father Xavier Colleoni. He and Father Aldo Pozza, associate, "take people where they are in their faith journey" and promote evangelization of the whole family.

Says Father Colleoni in an Italian accent tinged with Spanish, "Our intention is to use devotions to foster the adoration of Christ, like the Cristo Negro, and to change this type of devotion into adoration of the Christ who died on the cross. We intend that they go and do apostleship, to build families deep in faith so that, rather than people who come to be evangelized, they become evangelizers in the family."

Since St. Cecilia Church is very large - seating 1,200 at each of its six Sunday Masses with standing room only - there is room for the images of devotion that parishioners had in their homelands, and couldn't find a place for in other churches, says Father Colleoni.

"Our purpose is not to draw from other parishes," he states. "We want above all to form groups and keep alive the faith where they live. We are there to be instruments for them. And that is why we rely a lot on the lay people. Through baptism they have received the faith and they must spread the faith."

A spry 82-year old, Father Colleoni has served at St. Cecilia and neighboring Holy Cross for the last 30 years. "I love it here," he says, and it shows. "You never see him in a bad mood - a lovely person," says Lulu Becerra.

Regarding the long hours and work with his parishioners, Father Colleoni says, "I don't call this something difficult. It is something divine, a privilege. It is taking part in the work of Christ. They are a gift to us. And we hope to be a gift to them."