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We all need a place to belong. This generation especially, feels a great sense of isolation and disconnectedness. And the Cathedral can be a very large place where we can at times just get lost in the crowd. But, by God's grace, the Young Adults of the Cathedral began to meet and really forge bonds of friendship and community. God has brought this group together to remind us that we are not alone and that we journey not as individuals but as a FAMILY.

We all first met through the Nights of Discipleship Program. And it was clear that the bond formed in this program was going to continue on. And so the group was formed. We were and are a motley group of young adults diverse in every way. But such is the reality of Church and God's family. We are all so different and yet we are united because of ONE REASON, JESUS CHRIST the source of all UNITY and the source of all LOVE.

The group met regularly, went to mass together at times, and fellowshipped after mass. And then arose, a need to give the group a name. No one had any good suggestions, but we had always joked that we were somewhat like a gang...the Jesus Gang. And on Ash Wednesday SuperSergio jokingly suggested that our gang should be called Jesus Trece. And eureka, a fitting name for our group was born.

J.13 [which stands for Jesus Thirteen or Jesús Trece] is the name of the YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. The name reminds us of the truth that we are all called to be disciples of Christ, and that the twelve apostles with Christ, made up the first J.13. We, like the first apostles, are a motley crew of young adults united by the LOVE of Christ striving to do God's will and dedicated to follow His CALL wherever we may be led. We meet for fellowship, faith sharing, and support as we walk on this journey to heaven. We understand that the future of our Church lies with us. And as young adults we need to claim our own place and take responsibility for our mission in this world as God's children. But we know that following through in our mission and our relationship with God can be daunting sometimes. And so we are here for support, to pray for one another and to lift each other up and point each other to Jesus Christ. This is the mission and goal of our group.

We also hope to be a force of EVANGELIZATION sharing Christ with other young adults who do not yet know him. Come check us out. To be added to the e-mail list and receive updates of our group's activities, please contact Fr. Francis Mendoza at 213.680.5214 or send an e-mail to j.trece@hotmail.com. Also, we usually hang out after mass. Just find the table surrounded by a diverse fun-loving group of young adults and get to know us. Pax!

Jesus started small. He started with 12. He called each one by name. Every single one of those guys had no idea how following this man and walking by his side would change the trajectory of their lives forever. They had no clue how their lives were going to be transformed by this encounter with the Lord. And although there were many moments of doubt and confusion, they chose to TRUST and place all their FAITH in this man. They left everything behind to follow him. They SURRENDERED. And in doing so, they became fishers of men (and women) bringing others to come to know the Lord. They became the first witnesses testifying to the reality of THE KINGDOM [a kingdom of love and mercy] God was bringing to this world.