Graduates Celebrate With Mass : Religion: Service in Santa Ana marks achievements of Latino high school students, some of whom have overcome adversity.

Three years ago, Fabiola Orozco wasn’t sure she would ever graduate from high school. Raised in Mexico, the youngster had trouble speaking English, was tempted to neglect her studies and felt a huge cultural gap between herself and her more Americanized peers.

“She had a lot to overcome,” Elizabeth Orozco, the young woman’s mother, said Sunday.

But overcome she did. This year, Fabiola, 18, was homecoming queen at Saddleback High School. And in two days she will graduate from Saddleback with a 3.25 grade point average.

“It proves that faith can conquer all,” her mother said.

Fabiola was one of about 150 graduating seniors from Santa Ana’s five high schools to attend a special baccalaureate Mass at St. Anne’s Church on Sunday. Its purpose, organizers said, was to celebrate the students’ accomplishments in graduating, help emphasize education and urge the youngsters to rely on their faith to bolster them against all obstacles.

“As you prepare for life in the world, remember that you are men and women of faith,” Bishop Michael Driscoll, the Diocese of Orange auxiliary bishop, told the worshipers after offering them Communion. “If you are ever asked the question ‘where is God?’ you should know the answer; God is with you .”

Said the Rev. Jaime Soto, vicar for the Hispanic community: “I’m sure there were times you thought it would be impossible to get to this day. Days of darkness and days of great loneliness. But the times when it was dark, God wanted to be your light and in times of loneliness he wanted to walk with you.”

According to Soto, the annual event was started by the church last year as part of an effort to help Santa Ana make education a priority. With the increasing pressure on today’s students to join gangs, take drugs or otherwise get in trouble, he said, it is important to recognize those who successfully manage to resist such temptations.

“All young people are surrounded by temptations,” Soto said after Sunday’s service. “The ability to persevere in school demands a heart that is firmly rooted in the promise that God holds out to them.”

That promise seemed to be reflected in some of the students’ bright eyes and smiles Sunday as, dressed in suits and dresses, they recited prayers and listened to a group of their peers play guitars and sing songs in Spanish.

Afterward, while some of the students stood in line for Driscoll to autograph their programs, others strolled over to the parish hall for a reception featuring loud music, cookies and punch.

“It brought (word) to a lot of seniors to keep up the fight against violence and trouble in the street,” graduating senior Peter Regalado, 19, said of the service. “I felt my spirit coming out.”

Concluded Fabiola Orozco, who hopes to become a psychologist: “I wanted to be here with my family and friends to thank God that I made it.”