As Blessing of the Waves hits 9th year, paying respect to the ocean and each other

September 18, 2016
By Laylan Connelly
Orange County Register

Pedro Castagna gingerly held onto Fr. Christian Mondor, known as “surfing padre,” waves lapping at their feet as they walked into the water.

The 91-year-old Catholic priest from the Saint Simon and Jude Catholic Church, who swapped out his long brown robe for a wetsuit, stopped and blessed Castagna just before the surfer joined others forming a circle and splashing water toward the sky, a gesture to give thanks to the joy the ocean provides.