CORONA — Joel Zacarias, an eighth grader at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Academy, said he has always looked up to Bishop-designate Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez, but now feels closer to him because of something they share.
Both are preparing for significant life transitions.
The pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish is moving to Florida to become bishop of the Diocese of Palm Beach this month, and Joel is preparing to enter high school in the fall.
“Both of us are going into a new step in our lives, which connects us both,” Joel said. “We’re both going to a big phase in our lives, which is very special for both of us.”
Joel and his fellow students capped off Catholic Schools Week on Jan. 30 by gathering at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, next door to their academy in Corona, for a Mass celebrated by Bishop-designate Rodríguez, the church’s outgoing pastor.
The Mass was a chance for the students to say goodbye to him.
Pope Leo XIV appointed Father Rodríguez on Dec. 19 to serve as bishop of Palm Beach. His episcopal ordination and installation will take place at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola in Palm Beach on Feb. 24 — meaning that his time at Our Lady of Sorrows, where he has served as pastor for five years, is coming to an end.
Denise Reicino, the principal of Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Academy, didn’t want him to leave without her students having the chance to say goodbye and present him gifts.
At the end of the Mass, Bishop-designate Rodríguez beamed as he stood on the altar and accepted several gifts from the academy, including a gift basket of wine and chocolates, a giant, hand-made card emblazed with the words “We Love You,” and a poster with a blown-up photo of him alongside words of gratitude for his kindness and leadership.
The centerpiece of the gift-giving was a painting of a tree representing Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Academy, which opened 100 years ago and has deep roots in the Corona community.
While teacher Jennifer Whitehurst painted the piece, all of the students had a hand in its creation, Reicino explained, because each student put their thumbprint on the canvas.
“We decided to create something that the entire school can collaborate on together, and that is unique,” she said. “It’s not just a plaque, not just flowers, but something that can be looked at forever.”
Bishop-designate Rodríguez said he was deeply moved by the painting and all of the other gifts. “I am about to cry because this is such a kind and amazing gesture. I am very grateful for the generosity,” he told The Tablet.
The painting was significant to eighth-grader Sara Sarmiento.
“It reminded me of how each of the branches symbolizes our school, our community, and how we help each other,” she said.
However, Sara confessed to having mixed feelings about Bishop-designate Rodríguez leaving Our Lady of Sorrows.
“I feel a bit more excited for him that he’s going to a new opportunity. Everything is quite exciting. I hope he enjoys it,” she explained. “But I also feel kind of sad that he’s leaving. He’s been a part of life here at OLS.”
The gift-giving didn’t end there.
In his homily, Bishop-designate Rodríguez had a parting gift for the students in the form of some fatherly advice. He talked about pressing world issues like the war in Ukraine and U.S. tensions with countries like Iran and Venezuela, urging the students to strive to be peacemakers in their own lives.
“Peace,” he told them, “begins with us, in our hearts.”