Standing Strong Together in the Face of Suffering

Fr. Tom Baker has always had a deep love for athletics, particularly triathlons. His passion for endurance sports isn’t just about physical fitness, it’s about cultivating resilience. Years ago, after completing a grueling triathlon in 95-degree heat, Fr. Tom’s aunt asked him, “Why do you do this?” to which he responded: “I do this because it gives me fortitude so that when these things happen in real life, I know I can get through it.”

That lesson became painfully real on January 16, 2025, when Fr. Tom drove up to his parish, St. Rita, in Sierra Madre, California, and faced a scene of devastation: a barricaded street, National Guardsmen, and the lingering haze of smoke. He had to leave his ID with the guards just to enter the grounds. As he retrieved essential items from the rectory building, he was stunned at how close the wildfires had come to the church. The blaze had stopped less than a half mile away. Though the church itself remained standing, the damage from smoke was severe. Worse still, many of his parishioners were displaced—some had lost everything.

Entire Neighborhoods Wiped Away

Earlier that month, when the evacuation order came, the fire seemed like a distant threat. No one could predict that entire neighborhoods would be reduced to ash. During this time, the community of
St. Philip the Apostle welcomed St. Rita’s displaced parishioners with open arms. When Fr. Tom finally returned, he was moved to tears as he took in the reality of the destruction. This was a call to endurance on a whole new level. Fr. Tom wept, recounting, “the fire was different because it was so traumatic to see whole neighborhoods wiped out and people with no place to go.”

Yet, just as in any endurance race, the community pressed forward.
The first priority was restoring St. Rita’s School, ensuring children could return to their daily routines. Within a week, the school not only reopened but also welcomed 15 new students from schools destroyed by the fire. When the evacuation order was lifted, the parish gathered for Mass outside. Since then, O’Malley Hall has become their worship space while repairs continue.

For many, the California fires are a symbol of destruction and loss, but for the people of St. Rita’s, it has become a testament to endurance, unity, and hope. This was not their first trial. The pandemic had already tested them, compounded by the difficult dismissal of their school’s principal. That decision brought heavy criticism upon Fr. Tom, even leading to threats against him and the parish. Adding to the weight of that moment, Fr. Tom lost his father—the man who had taught him resilience and strength.

Athletic and Spiritual Disciplines
Fr. Tom often integrates athletic discipline into his spiritual teachings. Once, he brought his bike to the school building, explaining the concept of aerodynamics to the children and how, in our faith, we must also remove obstacles that throw us off course. He often speaks of physical discipline and how they apply to disciplines in spiritual life; things such as consistency, balance, and nutrition. “If you eat a bunch of sweets or too many carbs, you can get lethargic. If you don’t put the right stuff into your spiritual life, you will get lethargic in living the Gospel values,” he says. “I remind people that an hour of prayer once a week is not going to do much against the bombardment of the media every day of the week for much more than an hour. We must put more into our life spiritually if we really want to grow and stay on the disciplined path of discipleship.”

Next Generation Parish Provides Rich Soil
Part of that resilience is reflected in St. Rita’s commitment to Next Generation Parish (NGP) which began at the parish in 2018. Next Generation Parish is designed to help parishes meet the challenges of our time through visionary models that foster spiritual maturity and shared leadership, offer a vibrant Sunday experience, and embrace a missionary impulse. The NGP process has prepared fertile ground for growth and unity that is flourishing in unexpected ways. With a new principal in place, there is now stronger alignment between the parish and school, creating a foundation for long-term growth.

Rosario Sabillo, a member of the NGP team, shared, “My experience has taught me that God does not just call us to get through suffering, but to grow through suffering. That growth, however, can only happen in soil that is ready. NGP has provided us with the tools we needed to nourish, to transform, to heal.”

This transformation isn’t being kept by the parish alone—it is being shared. Fr. Tom regularly encourages his flock to adopt apostolic practices in their missionary call to share the Gospel. Rosario shared,
“Fr. Tom has always encouraged us to take our faith outside of the church walls. He gives us ways to prompt conversations about God in everyday life—whether at the gas station, grocery store, or a sporting event. His latest example? The Dodgers winning the World Series by sacrifice—a perfect metaphor for living out the Gospel.”

Hope Does Not Disappoint
The suffering endured by St. Rita Parish during the California fires is also meant to be shared—igniting hope in places of despair and rekindling belief in what matters most to the people of God (and it’s not the parish building). As parishioner Mary Williams recalled watching the fires race down the mountains, she remembers thinking, “That fire, as bright and terrifying as it was, could never surpass the light that is our Catholic faith.” Being displaced from their church building reinforced a deep truth: “Our church is not a building—it is a people. And this people, this community, we are home.”

Through fire, loss, and trials, St. Rita’s Parish stands stronger than ever. They are not just rebuilding their church building; they are reaffirming their faith, strengthening their bonds, and growing in love. Their story is not one of despair but of transformation—proof that endurance leads to hope and hope never disappoints. (Rom 5:5) As Fr. Tom so often reminds his flock, “The Crucifixion is not the end of the story. Resurrection will follow.”