Roman Catholic Bishop Tod D. Brown and Timothy R. Busch, chairman of Junipero Serra High School at Rancho Capistrano, have agreed to make Serra a Roman Catholic school.
Serra, scheduled to open in September 2002, will be operated by a lay board subject to diocesan oversight.
"We've been patiently awaiting this day and are thrilled that Serra is now officially deemed a private Roman Catholic school," Busch said. "While students of all faiths and backgrounds will be welcome, schools teaching in the Roman Catholic tradition have a proven record of success and excellence. This is a good day for J. Serra and is a great day for our community."
Serra was founded by a group of south Orange County parents, who plan to build the 1,800-student school on 35 acres in north San Juan Capistrano.
The Serra campus will consist of 240,000 square feet of Tuscan-inspired buildings. Serra initially will serve ninth- and 10th-graders.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Mary Jean Niklas of St. Angela Merici Parish in Brea was named Catholic volunteer woman of the year at a recent benefit luncheon sponsored by Catholic Charities Auxiliary. The event, which drew more than 800 people, honored 50 Catholic women from the Diocese of Orange. Niklas serves as Eucharistic minister in her parish, taking communion to the sick in a convalescent home. She's also involved in the church's bereavement committee. Outside her parish, she does volunteer work on the diocese's social justice and political action committees and at the Women's Center in La Habra.
* Dick Duncan, field director for O.C. International in Brazil, will be at the pulpit Sunday at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Tustin. He heads an international team of American and Brazilian missionaries that focuses on developing church leadership through pastor conferences, training events and published material. He and his wife, Janice, have served in Brazil since 1986 and have five children. The church is at 17th Street and Prospect Avenue. (714) 544-7850.
* The American Jewish Committee will present the fourth annual summer learning series, "Jews in the 21st Century." The series includes three sessions led by Rabbi Shelton Donnell of Temple Beth Sholom in Tustin. The first session, "Community and Identity," will be Tuesday. On July 17, the topic will be "Prayer and Ritual: What Will Prayer Be Like in the Future?" On Aug. 21, Shelton will discuss "Israel and the Diaspora." Cost for the series is $18. All sessions will be from 7 to 9 p.m. at 2222 Martin St., Suite 150, Irvine. (949) 660-8525.
