``Prayer is wonderful,'' the bishop said, ``but without physical action, transforming the world can't happen.''

Bruno, 55, chose St. Paul's Church in Tustin to launch his six-county diocesan ``Hands in Healing'' initiative to combat violence.

Part of that effort includes developing a curriculum for churches and schools. A dozen young people from the diocese will help develop the program, the bishop said, and will be part of a national tour of several major cities to study different responses to community violence. The tour will end on Memorial Day in Washington, D.C., where Bruno will preach on domestic violence at the National Cathedral.

The bishop's approach won high praise from Orange County Superior Court Judge Pamela Iles, keynote speaker at Saturday's convocation. Iles is known nationally for creating a model program in the courts to deal with family violence.

``These families exist in our neighborhoods. They are everywhere we are,'' she said. ``If we can get to these families before an event brings them to court, we will help save lives.''

She stressed that escalating violent behavior will not stop without outside intervention.

Iles cited national statistics saying 50 percent of the children who grow up in homes where domestic violence occurs will be victims themselves.

More than 30 percent of the time, children are first to report violence in their home to police, she said. Often, victims of family trauma will turn to clergy for help.

``Clergy are mandated to report violence,'' she told the convocation.

Iles and other speakers stressed family violence crosses all social and economic classes. The Los Angeles Police Department says 25 percent of Southern California households are in some way affected by sexual misconduct, violence or gang activity

Charles Blek, a Mission Viejo resident and state president of the Million Mom March, said 40 percent of U.S. households have guns and 75 percent of all gun-related fatalities ``occur among people who know each other.''

Blek and his wife, Mary Leigh, have campaigned for gun reform since their son, Matthew, was killed in an armed robbery in New York City in 1995.

``Closure does not exist in a victim's family,'' Blek said.

Bruno will hold a convocation from 9:30 a.m. to noon March 2 at All Saints' Church, 3847 Terracina Drive, Riverside, and a second convocation that same day from 1 to 3 p.m. at St. John's Church, 1407 N. Arrowhead Ave., San Bernardino. For information, call (213) 482-2040.