A Pro-Life Mass at St. Nicholas Church in Los Altos on Monday, January 22nd at 11:30am will mark the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Following the Mass, a silent Prayer Walk will proceed 8 blocks to the Los Altos City Hall at 12:30pm. St. Nicholas Church is located 2 blocks south of Main St. on the frontage road west of Foothill expressway. For more information, please call St. Nicholas Church at (650)948-2158.

We currently are in need of volunteers to help with our prayer chain. If you would like to help this ministry by praying for those in need, please contact the Rectory office.

Over the next few weeks, the rectory offices will be undergoing a much needed renovation to update the work space and create a welcoming reception area. Please be patient with us during this time! Thank you!

The Seminarians of the Diocese of San Jose have challenged the Diocesan priests to a basketball game!! The game will take place at 7:00PM on Friday, February 2, 2007 at Archbishop Mitty High School, 5000 Mitty Way in San Jose. Adult tickets are $10.00 and student tickets are $5.00. All proceeds from the game will help send our Seminarians to World Youth Day 2008, joining the youth and young adults of our Diocese. Tickets will be available for purchase after Mass during the weekend of January 6-7, 2007. To request tickets online please go to: http://www.dsj.org/dsj/buildform.asp?id=38>. God bless you and please pray for vocations!

This year, Social Concerns will be periodically collecting mini- (hotel-size) toiletries (e.g., soaps, shampoos, etc.) for the homeless. Please collect and save these during your hotel stays. If you would like to help the homeless, Please bring in your donations to the hospitality room or drop them off at the Rectory.

In 1955, this New York/New Jersey boy took a family vacation to Florida. I guess one does not realize how insulated one can be until they experience different situations. In this case, it was the "Blacks Only"and Whites Only" signs in the rest rooms, the water fountains, the restaurants, and the hotels and motels. It was a different world... or at least a shocking part of the same world I never appreciated existed... or could exist. Jesus gives sight to the blind, and He certainly opened my eyes that week.

On Jan. 15, we celebrate again the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a man of God whose faith and experience . . . and his "dream".. drew him into the US Civil Rights movement in ways he never could have imagined. In writing this article, I thought back to our series of 4-minute talks with a video titled "We Are Called" and though... he sure was!

In the coming week, let us prepare for Jan. 15 by learning more about Martin Luther King, Jr., through the newspapers and specials on TV. Perhaps some of us will participate in the Freedom Train ride to San Francisco or immerse ourselves in black culture or history in some other way. Perhaps our eyes will be opened as we gain greater insight into what discrimination and oppression really means, and what it takes to move society toward the Kingdom of God.

And perhaps we will look at the injustice we, or our friends and families, or the larger world of which are a part experience, and finally say "no more", "never again" . . . and hear and answer our call. Maybe it will not be as visible or high-risk as Dr. King"s. Maybe it will be as simple as helping out at Agnews, visiting the sick, feeding the poor, getting involved with immigration rights, hotel workers rights, or working toward the Kingdom of God in some other way. Let us every week, but particularly this week, let us "dream".

Many of us have thrown out our Christmas tree and packed away our Christmas ornaments in safe keeping for another year. Christmas is over and in general life is back to "business as usual." We have returned to work and school has reopened for the students in our families. As we reflect on the Gospel proclaimed for us today we must ask ourselves the question "For whom does Christ come?"

Today we celebrate the Epiphany this is a very significant celebration for us as Catholic Christians. Christ the "Light of the World" has been made manifest to all people. He came that we may have life and have it to the full. We are all included in this universal community. We are called to accept Christ as the Light of the World and in turn to become Light to the World ourselves.

To enter into to the spirit of the Epiphany we are called to a change of heart and a change of vision. We are challenged to see with the eyes of Christ that there are no outsiders, no person is ever excluded in the Kingdom of God. As members of the Body of Christ we can bring forth the Kingdom of God in our world by returning to God a share of our time, talent, treasure and Faith.

If we truly believe that God is guiding us then we will find our way and we will experience clarity of awareness as to how and where the Holy One resides in us and guides us. When we reach that awareness nothing in life will ever make us loose heart or give up until we reach the Kingdom of Heaven.

In Catechetical Ministry we are always in need of people to serve in a variety of ministries, catechists, catechists aides, office helpers, and the list goes on. If your New Year's resolution were to try to bring forth the Kingdom of God here in our community by participating in Catechetical Ministry we would love to hear from you. Please call us at 296-0208.

How can you help? How about the Pledges? Pledges payable over three to five years allow donors to consider more substantial commitments than are possible with one-time cash gifts. Donors who pledge may determine payment schedules to meet their own charitable or tax needs. Payments can be made by check, credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express), electronic funds transfer (EFT) or gifts of securities.

And Securities? Gifts of stock to the Rooted in Faith - Embracing Our Future campaign can be a source of significant tax benefit to the donor by eliminating capital gains taxes. The Catholic Foundation of Santa Clara County will sell a gift of stock and the value of the gift will be determined at the time of transfer. To make a donation with securities see Stock Transfer Instructions for transferring securities. Please send an email to info@catholicfoundationscc.org notifying us of your transfer.

And Matching Gifts? If your company has a matching gift program, you may be able to enhance the impact of your gift by requesting a matching gift form from your company and including it with your pledge card.

Five year pledges are recommended, and all gifts are tax deductible as allowed by law. In addition, donors are asked to consider the tax benefits that may be gained from gifts of appreciated securities.

While our success is most encouraging, there still remains much to do. Other pilot parishes throughout the Diocese have reported positive results and the overall reaction to the campaign has been excellent. As we strive to achieve these extraordinary goals through our campaign, our parish volunteer team has been hard at work. A big "thank you" to all our parishioners who this week have made their sacrificial gifts and pledges to the Campaign. As of December 26th, 2006, we received pledges from: Patricia Beck, Ben & Delia Cabrieto, Danilo & Helen David, Elaine Funkhouser, Dan Saccani & Marilyn Green & Felix & Geronima Sana.

This week, our volunteers will continue their good work and call upon you to arrange a visit. Again, I ask that you welcome them warmly into your homes, listen to what they have to say, and prayerfully consider making a sacrificial gift in support of the "ROOTED IN FAITH ~ EMBRACING OUR FUTURE" Campaign.