|
NEWS - week of 03-25-07 to 03-31-07 Social Concerns This weekend we recognize Archbishop Oscar Romero, one of the true saints of modern Catholic Social Justice (a saint in our hearts and minds, if not yet canonized by the Church), who was assassinated this weekend, 27 years ago, while saying Mass for the poor in El Salvador. Romero was a surprise in history. The poor and the oppressed never expected him to take their side. He was a compromise candidate and a predictable supporter of the government and the upper class. But an event took place within three weeks of his election that transformed the ascetic and timid Romero. The new archbishop's first priest was killed along with two parishioners. This priest was a target because he defended the peasants' right to organize farm cooperatives. This was consistent with the government's oppression, and near-genocide, directed toward the poor at that time. That day, Romero became transformed into a non-violent advocate for the poor and oppressed. Within the next year some 200 catechists and over 75,000 Salvadorans would be killed, one million would flee the country, another million left homeless, in a country of only 5.5 million. Romero began to speak out non-violently against the poverty, social injustice, assassinations and torture taking place in the country. He advocated unsuccessfully for UN intervention. He had become a true champion and advocate for the majority oppresed and living in poverty and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. Romero was shot to death on March 24, 1980 while celebrating Mass the day after he gave a sermon in which he called for soldiers, as Christians, to obey God's higher order and to stop carrying out the government's repression and violations of basic human rights. In 1997, a cause for beatification and canonization into sainthood was opened for Romero, and Pope John Paul II bestowed upon him the title of Servant of God. Catechetical MinistryFifth Week of Lent: At this point in Lent, everything in the life of the community ought to be gearing up for Easter. We are asked to put aside anything that would distract us from full participation in this great celebration. An important goal of all parents, religious educators, and members of the community is to foster the children's attendance at the Triduum. This is the greatest celebration in our Liturgical Year. Triduum: The celebration of Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday begins at 7:30 p.m. On Good Friday we celebrate the Lord's Passion at 1:00 p.m. and at 7:30 p.m. The Easter Vigil, Mass of the Lord's Resurrection will be celebrated on Holy Saturday, at 8:15 p.m. If you have never attended these liturgical celebrations I invite you to come, see and celebrate with us the great Paschal Mystery of Christ's Suffering, Death and Resurrection. Parish Reconciliation Service: The Parish Reconciliation is scheduled for Tuesday, April 3rd at 7:00 p.m. One of the Precepts of the Church states that the faithful are "bound by obligation to confess serious sins at least once a year." As models of reconciliation for the children in our community we ought to participate in this celebration of God's unconditional love and forgiveness. Rice Bowls: Please return your Operation Rice Bowl donations no later than Sunday, April 1st. Place them in the collection basket. Please use the envelope provided in the rice bowl. If you choose to use a different envelope please identify your donation as Operation Rice Bowl. We are very grateful to all those parishioners who participated in this Service Project. We know that many children will be helped in one way or another because of your generosity. RCIA-RCIC: Please remember in your prayers all those who are in the final stage of their journey to full initiation and completion of initiation into the Catholic Community at the Easter Vigil. This is a very special time in the faith journey of these adults and children. We are called to welcome them into our faith community, to support them by our prayers and to be role models for them. Adult Confirmation: We invite any adults in our parish community who have received the sacraments Baptiism and First Eucharist, and who wish to complete their initiation, to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation at the Cathedral on Pentecost Sunday, May 27th, 2007. The preparation for this celebration will consist of five Catechetical Sessions. The first sessions will be on Sunday, April 15th, at 9:00 a.m., which will be facilitated by Sr. Kathleen. If you are interested please call Sr. Kathleen at the Office of Catechetical Ministry: 408.296.0208 or email: khanley@saintlawrence.org First Eucharist: The students and their families in the Sacramental Preparation program continue their preparation for the celebration of First Eucharist. It is manditory that the parents attend the parent meetings. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April19th or Saturday April 21st. We will celebrate First Eucharist on Saturday, May 6th, at the 5:00 p.m. Liturgy and Sunday, May 7th at the 12:00 noon Liturgy.
5:00pm - $1,103.25 Thank you for your continued support! Catholic Relief Fund offerings: $1,548.51; Other Offerings: $128.42
(Part Two) In this Part Two on the Easter Triduum, we will explore the importance of the Easter Triduum and what each of the three days celebrates. These days are so important that all who are able to participate are encouraged to celebrate them together. Hopefully, this article will encourage you to actively participate in the Easter Triduum. In the following paragraphs we will look at each of the three days to learn something about the significance of each day and how we can prepare ourselves to draw closer to God through a meaningful observance of the Easter Triduum. We will discuss the three days of the Easter Triduum: dusk of Holy Thursday to dusk of Good Friday, dusk of Good Friday to dusk of Holy Saturday, and dusk of Holy Saturday to dusk of Easter Sunday. We set these days aside as days to remember the great saving action of Jesus Christ on our behalf and his resurrection on the third day. We are called to church at various times during these three days to remember together, and when we are not in church, we try to spend our time at home more simply with quiet time and less influence from the outside world of entertainment and activity. Holy Thursday. The first day of the Triduum is Holy Thursday. Many people are under the impression that Lent ends with Easter Sunday, but Lent really ends at dusk on Holy Thursday. Our forty-day preparation for celebrating Easter is complete on Thursday; our time is up. On this day, all regular Masses in a Parish are suspended to allow for only one Mass, the Mass of the Last Supper. There are no daytime Masses held anywhere in the Catholic world, only the evening Mass, the beginning of the Triduum celebration. Because the procession of Holy Thursday is the procession for a three-day celebration, it is larger and more encompassing than the procession of a regular Sunday Mass. In this Mass of the Last Supper, the reception of the Holy Oils blessed by the Bishop on the Mass of Chrism takes place. The Sacred Scripture which we hear this night reminds us of the first Passover meal of the Israelites as they prepare for their journey out of slavery in Egypt. We then hear of the institution of the Eucharist by Christ and his admonition of "Do this, in remembrance of Me." And then we have the wonderful example of the service to which we all are called when Jesus, who is Lord and Master, takes a basin of water and a towel and washes the feet of his apostles ending with the words, "What I just did was to give you an example: as I have done, so you must do." Christ saves us from the slavery of sin. The Eucharist nourishes and strengthens us so that we can serve our brothers and sisters. In order to reinforce this important teaching of Jesus, the Presider of the Mass washes the feet of members of the parish family The Mass continues; we receive the Eucharist and the final blessing. The Blessed Sacrament is then taken to the altar of repose. The sanctuary is cleared, and we are invited to stay and keep vigil before the Blessed Sacrament until midnight, if we so desire. There is no recessional to this Mass because the celebration does not end. The prayer continues in our homes until we are called together again on Good Friday to remember the next part of the story of our salvation. Good Friday. Something which has always set Good Friday apart is that it is a day of fast and abstinence. Because we are asked to fast on Good Friday, we often think of this day as part of Lent. But remember that Lent ended at dusk on Thursday. The fast of Good Friday is not the Lenten fast of discipline and repentance. It is the excited, nervous fasting of anticipation. We might all have experienced this type of fast before a wedding (a happy time) or before a wake or funeral (a sad time). At these times food is not important to us. On Friday, we remember that something monumental happened. We remember that someone died so that we might live - not just someone, but God. The Good Friday Liturgy does not stand alone. It is a continuation of what began on Holy Thursday. We begin the service in silence. The priest kneels or more often prostrates himself as a sign of utter humility before God. During the Liturgy of the Word, the Passion of Christ is proclaimed. We listen and remember how Jesus suffered and died for our sins. After the Passion, we remember the needs of the Church and of the world. In our role as priestly people, we pray in a more lengthy and elaborate form the General Intercessions. Then a cross, the symbol of our salvation, is brought forward for us to venerate. The veneration of the cross is a practice unique to Good Friday. It is our opportunity to humble ourselves before the awesome saving action of Christ. We approach the cross and acknowledge its power in a number of ways. We can genuflect before the cross, kiss it, kneel before it, touch it with our hand, or stand before it and say a short prayer. The method we choose to show our respect is our own choice. After veneration we participate in a simple reception of the Eucharist and then leave the church again in silence to continue our prayer and fasting at home and to return on Saturday evening for the celebration of the Easter Vigil. Holy Saturday. We have discussed the first days of the Easter Triduum, Holy Thursday and Good Friday. We have talked about what will happen on those days as we gather together to remember the saving action of Jesus Christ on our behalf. Now we look at Holy Saturday. We discussed Good Friday, not a fast of repentance but a fast of anticipation. The Church asks us, though it is not a requirement, to continue our fast through Saturday, if possible. Our anticipation has not ended with the death of Christ. In fact, our anticipation increases as we wait for the resurrection. For our salvation was not a result of Christ's death alone but of his death and resurrection. We await his resurrection in joyful anticipation. The Easter Triduum begins with the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday; it reaches its high point in the Easter Vigil, celebrated on Saturday night. This celebration is a long one; we have a lot to do this evening. We gather thirsting for the waters of life and hungering for the bread of life. In darkness we gather as God’s people remembering the night when God delivered the Israelites from the hand of Pharaoh. Just as "the pillar of fire led them dry shod through the sea," so as the Easter fire will lead us to the waters of Baptism. We build a fire outside to remind us that Jesus is our light in the darkness. From the fire, we light the new Easter candle. We process into the darkened church proclaiming "Lumen Christi". Holding our lighted candles, we hear the Easter Proclamation -the "Exsulte"”. We listen to the Scripture stories of God's interaction with humankind from creation through the resurrection. We baptize those desiring to be Catholic and seal them with the gift of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation. They join us for the very first time around the table of the Eucharist to partake of the one loaf and one cup, symbolizing their unity with us. What is remembered during these three days is so spectacular and miraculous that it takes the Church fifty days to celebrate it. From the close of Easter Sunday until Pentecost we celebrate with great joy that which Jesus has done for us. Jesus dies a hideous death. God's only Son sent to save us has been put to death. And then suddenly he is alive again. We need fifty days to celebrate this great miracl - or perhaps we need our lifetime to express it. Thus we take forty days (Lent) to prepare, three days (Easter Triduum) to experience, and fifty days (Easter time) to celebrate the great mystery of our faith. Called by our baptism as a child of God, we are invited to experience the Easter Triduum with all Catholics throughout the world. Again, to experience the fullness of the Triduum is to be present for the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, the service on Good Friday, and either the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday evening or Mass on Easter Sunday morning. Men and women, married and single: 18 yrs and older - are invited to discover the true beauty of our sexuality. John Paul II launched Theology of the Body as a catechetical way to explain the Church's teaching on love, sex and the meaning of life. Join us for an 8 week video course with small group discussion following; featuring Christopher West a Professor at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver Co. Theology of the Body reveals how we can experience the love we long for in the depth of our hearts. This is a chance to learn more about how our sexuality is an integral part of our identity and how we live it as Christians in the world today. Class begins Wednesday, April 25, at 7:00pm - 8:45pm until June 13. It will be held at St. Lawrence in the Children's Center. There is a $15 registration fee for the book and workbook included in the course, registration and fee must be received by April 13. For more information, please call Sarah Clayton at (408) 296-4170 or sarahkay800@sbcglobal.net Friday, new carpeting and flooring was installed. Next week, we should be getting our furniture and by Easter we should be in our new office! - week of 03-18-07 to 03-24-07 Social Concerns This week we learn about Cambodia, Ek Sakhorn, and more about the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) work abroad that will be helped by the coins we are putting into the cardboard Rice Bowl each day. Ek Sakhorn was poor and presumably poorly educated. He was a farmer, but could not grow enough food to feed his family and make enough money for schools and medicine for his wife. He joined a CRS-supported agriculture group and is now self-sufficient with a fish pond, a pig pen, a vegetable garden, and also grows fruit tree seedlings for other farmers. Read more about Ek and CRS in your Operation Rice Bowl handouts. We are encouraged at Station 8 of the Stations of the Cross to reflect on how Jesus comforted the women just as we are called to comfort those who suffer because they cannot feed or clothe their families. We learn that 40 % of Cambodians live in poverty and less than 60% of the children attend school. As we pray and reflect at this station, let us ask ourselves why? . . . and how we ourselves, our parish, our nation, and world organizations help or hinder the sharing of God’s blessings and resources. Jesus is calling us personally; let our ears be open to hear His call. Learn more about how U.S. farmers are working with farmers around the world as they improve life in their communities through participation with Foods Resource Bank at www.foodsresourcebank.org Catechetical MinistryToday's Gospel story of the prodigal son is a favorite of many. We can identify with all the major figures and their crisscross of emotions. The father's initial grief over his young son's avarice is turned to relief at his return. The son’s grief over his loss of fortune, family, and friends is turned to delirious joy at the sight of his father. We understand the eldest son's bewilderment over his father's generosity. For the older son, virtue seems not to be its own reward. For all his honorable toil and loyalty, there seems to be no celebration. The father, however, is prodigal in his forgiveness and mercy. He expects the same generosity from his older son. He wants all to rejoice when the lost one is found. This is a Sunday for rejoicing. It's time to pause, consider, and encourage one another. We are the prodigal children heading home. We are the elder siblings waiting with the eager Father, who scans the horizon. In Christ Jesus we are reconciled to the Father and one another. In his death and resurrection we have passed over. We are a new creation. In this we rejoice. Adult Confirmation:We invite any adults in our parish community who are baptized and who have celebrated First Eucharist who wish to complete their initiation by celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation at the Cathedral on Pentecost Sunday, May 27th, 2007. The preparation for this celebration will consist of five Catechetical Sessions. The first sessions will be on Sunday, April 15th, at 9:00 a.m., which will be facilitated by Sr. Kathleen. If you are interested please call Sr. Kathleen at the Office of Catechetical Ministry: 408.296.0208 or email me @ khanley@saintlawrence.org First Eucharist:: The students and their families in the Sacramental Preparation program continue their preparation for the celebration of First Eucharist. It is mandatory that the parents attend the parent meetings. If for any reason a parent cannot attend a meeting please call the Office of Catechetical Ministry to schedule a make up meeting. We will celebrate First Eucharist on Saturday, May 5th, at the 5:00 p.m. Liturgy and Sunday, May 6th at the 12:00 noon Liturgy.
5:00pm - $1,289.00 Thank you for your continued support! Maintenance Fund offerings: $817.11; Other Offerings: $437.00
(First of Two Parts) The season of Lent has always been an important time in the life of the Catholic Church. It began very dramatically with the reception of ashes in Ash Wednesday, in a sense, marking us as God's people. Near the end of the season we receive palms which remind us of the people's love for Jesus - a love which turned to hate and indifference quite rapidly. The special practices of Lent (prayer, fasting, abstinence, almsgiving) remind us that this is no ordinary time. Because Lent is a season with a personality of its own, we tend to think of it as a season which has its existence just for the sake of itself. However, it is important to remind ourselves that Lent exists only as a preparation for something bigger. That something bigger is the Easter Triduum. This Two-Part Series about the Easter Triduum, also called the Paschal Triduum, is written with hope that a greater understanding of the meaning and importance of these days will encourage us to come together and celebrate the great mystery of our faith. Triduum means "three days" and that the three days are counted from dusk to dusk, Holy Thursday through Easter Sunday. It is one celebration that continues for three days: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil/Easter Sunday. In these three days, we celebrate the Paschal Mystery which is the basis of our faith: by dying Christ destroys death and by rising He restores life. The sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf and His resurrection on the third day cannot be celebrated in only three days, however. The joy in knowing that Jesus lives after we have seen him dead on the cross spills over, and we celebrate during the fifty days of Eastertime. We come to church at various times during these three days, and when we are not in church, we try to live a quieter, simpler life focusing more of our attention on Christ and less on the secular world. There are practices we experience during the Triduum that we see at no other time during the year: the washing of the feet, the veneration of the cross, the service of light, the singing of the Exultet, the baptism of the elect, the reception of the candidates into full membership in the Catholic Church. It is said that the Triduum is so full of moments that can touch our inner being and move our soul that we would not be able to experience them more than once each year. The three days are counted as the Hebrews counted their days, from dusk to dusk. Therefore, the three days of the Easter Triduum are from dusk on Holy Thursday to dusk on Good Friday (day one), dusk on Good Friday to dusk on Holy Saturday (day two), and dusk on Holy Saturday to dusk on Easter Sunday (day three). Each of those days "tells" a different part of the story of Jesus' saving action. On Holy Thursday we remember the Last Supper. Jesus gives us the Eucharist and tells us to "Do this in memory of me." He then washes the feet of the apostles. On Good Friday we remember the passion and death of Jesus. We celebrate the resurrection of Christ either at the Easter Vigil on Saturday night when new members are baptized and welcomed into our Catholic community or on Easter Sunday morning. We look at the Easter Triduum as one single celebration that lasts for three days. We cannot separate the death of Jesus from his resurrection. We do not spend all of the three days in church, but at various times during those days, we are called to church to gather and remember together. When we are not in church, we are asked to keep the spirit of those days even in our homes, if possible. Those days are not days of "business as usual." The Church meets at times during those three days to remember what it is that Jesus has done for us. Lent often overshadows the Triduum, but the documents from Vatican Council II tell us: "Christ redeemed us all and gave perfect glory to God principally through his Paschal Mystery: dying he destroyed our death and rising he restored our life. Therefore the Easter Triduum of the passion and resurrection of Christ is the culmination of the entire liturgical year." (General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, # 18) Called by our baptism as a child of God, we are invited to experience the Easter Triduum with all Catholics throughout the world. To experience the fullness of the Triduum is to be present for the mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, the service on Good Friday, and either the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday evening or mass on Easter Sunday morning.
What is remembered during these three days is so spectacular and miraculous that it takes the Church fifty days to celebrate it. From the close of Easter Sunday until Pentecost we celebrate with great joy that which Jesus has done for us. Jesus dies a hideous death. God's only Son sent to save us has been put to death. And then suddenly he is alive again. We need fifty days to celebrate this great miracle - or perhaps we need our lifetime to express it. Thus we take forty days (Lent) to prepare, three days (Easter Triduum) to experience, and fifty days (Easter time) to celebrate the great mystery of our faith.
(To be continued next week)
PALM SUNDAY: APRIL 1, 2007: Blessing and Outside procession before each Mass (weather permitting)
MONDAY: APRIL 2, 2007: Morning Prayer - 8:15 am. Mass - 8:30 am,
TUESDAY: APRIL 3, 2007: Mother of Perpetual Help - 8:00 am.
WEDNESDAY: APRIL 4, 2007: Morning Prayer - 8:15 am. Mass - 8:30 am,
HOLY THURSDAY: APRIL 5, 2007: Mass of the Lord's Supper: 7:30pm,
GOOD FRIDAY: APRIL 6, 2007: Stations of the Cross - 9:00 am, HOLY SATURDAY: APRIL 7, 2007: Easter Vigil 8:15pm (Time change) EASTER SUNDAY: APRIL 8, 2007: Mass Times: 8:00 am, 10:00 am & 12:00 noon. No evening Mass Thank you to our two new prayer chain members, Alice Hansen and Sandi Conzet! We could still use a few more folks who can say a 10 day prayer for the sick. If you would like to be a part of this vital ministry, please contact the rectory at 296-3000 and let us know you would like to be a prayer chain member! Forms are now available for those who wish to help with purchasing new items such as vestments, chalice, chasubles, etc… for the church. If you are interested in donating towards these items, please complete a form from the hospitality room or rectory. We will engrave or embroider the items with your name or in memory of a loved one. If you have questions about this, please contact the rectory for more details.
Monday - Morning Prayer 8:15 am, Mass 8:30 am No new updates! Hopefully, I'll be able to tell you more next week! The Institute for Leadership in Ministry invites individuals who may be interested in attending the Institute to visit one Wednesday evening during the month of March. The staff will be delighted to welcome you and to provide the opportunity for you to "shadow" a current student. You can observe a class, mingle with students at break, ask questions, and get a sense of the scope and flavor of this diocesan program. Class dates in March are the following Wednesdays: March 7, 14, 21, and 28. Classes are held at St. Lawrence Academy in Santa Clara from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Space is limited so I ask that you call Sandra in the Institute office to let her know which Wednesday evening you would like to attend. She can be reached at (408) 983-0112. We look forward to having you with us! The Catholic Professional and Business Club invites you to their next monthly breakfast meeting, to be held on Thursday, April 12th at the Holiday Inn (formerly Hyatt), 1740 N. First Street, San Jose, at 7:30AM (optional Mass at 6:45AM). Guest speaker will be Pat Dando, President & CEO, San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce. Her topic will be "Ethics in Politics and Business". Cost is $20 Members, $25 Non-Members. Contact: Jessica King at 408-491-9229 or cpbcinfo@gmail.com or www.sjcatholicprofessionals.org
- week of 03-11-07 to 03-17-07
Social Concerns Today we are invited to learn about Jenita Lopessa from Angola who, at age 7, was paralyzed from polio (a disease whose cure in the U.S. has not adequately been shared with the rest of the world). Catholic Relief Services (CRS) now organizes polio vaccination campaigns in Angola and has given Jenita, now 13, a wheelchair which enables her to be "treated just like my brothers and sisters, and I can even hang out with the other kids in the village". We are encouraged at Station 6 of the Stations of the Cross to reflect on how we can ease the journey of those crippled by polio through our participation in Operation Rice Bowl - just as Veronica showed compassion for Jesus on his difficult journey. On Friday, we are challenged to fast in solidarity with those who are hungry by eating a simple meal that day; for most of us, it will still be more than many people with whom we are called to share the Creator's resources. If we can't think of anything to make, the recipe for an Angolan meatless meal - Kizaka - is provided. And on Saturday, we are informed that still today, only 57% of Angolan children have been vaccinated against polio and asked to consider putting 57 cents in our Rice Bowl to support CRS in the fight against polio. Learn more about CRS' health and food security programs in Angola at www.crs.org. Catechetical Ministry Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. (Exodus 3:5) As we continue on our Lenten journey the Scriptures call us to reflect on the fact that we, like Moses are standing on holy ground. Moses encounters Yahweh in the burning bush. Clearly this is a very dramatic experience for Moses. How are we going to experience God? Every human experience has the potential to reveal God to us. So often we struggle to see how God can be so present to us all the time. This reality is true God is more present to us than we are to ourselves. The challenge for us is to evaluate where we are when God is present to us? We live in a society where we are constantly focused on the various components of our earthly lives. So often our busy schedules prevent us from taking time for prayer and reflection. We try to deepen our relationship with God, the members of our family, and those with whom we work. We will experience many failures in our endeavors if we do not take the time for prayer and reflection. This is true not only in our quest for spirituality but in all of life. Many years ago Socrates said best "The unreflected life is not worth living." Only in the quiet of our hearts can discern the will of God for us and then are we able to say, "yes" to God in our lives. Basic Ministry Formation:We invite the adults in our parish community who are serving in any Liturgical, Catechetical, and/or Pastoral Ministry, and those who may plan to serve in the future to attend the Basic Ministry Formation Program Part 2 which will be offered at St. Cyprian Parish. This is a four-week course beginning on Monday, April 18th if you attended this course many years ago and need an update please consider attending again. The Basic Ministry Formation course has been updated. If you are interested or if you have any questions please call Sr. Kathleen at 408.296.0208. Rice Bowls;Please return your Rice Bowls no later than Sunday, April 1st, 2007. We are very grateful to all those parishioners who are participating in this Service Project. We know that many children in need will be helped in one way or another because of your donations. RCIA-RCIC: Please remember in your prayers all those who are in the final stage of their journey to full initiation and completion of initiation into the Catholic Community at the Easter Vigil. Adult Confirmation: We invite any adults in our parish community who are baptized and who have celebrated First Eucharist who wish to complete their initiation by celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation at the Cathedral on Pentecost Sunday, May 27th, 2007. The preparation for this celebration will consist of five Catechetical Sessions. The first sessions will be on Sunday, April 15th, at 9:00 a.m., which will be facilitated by Sr. Kathleen. If you are interested please call Sr. Kathleen at the Office of Catechetical Ministry: 408.296.0208 or email her @ khanley@saintlawrence.org
5:00pm - $2,963.51 Thank you for your continued support! 2nd Coll: Ed Center: $480.00; Other Offerings: $92.00
- Bishop McGrath writes to Fr. Andy: for a lovely Jubilee Visit to Saint Lawrence the Martyr Church on Sunday last. The visit and Mass went very well, and I know that, in no small way, that was due to your organization and preparation. I would be grateful if you, on my behalf, would convey my thanks to all those who were involved in the visit in anyway whatsoever. They did a wonderful job. With every best wish and kind regard, I remain, Sincerely yours, Patrick J. McGrath, Bishop of San Jose." click here for photos taken in the Jubillee Mass. An Invitation to the Lenten Parish Mission/ Recollection Our Parish will be holding a Holy Week Parish Mission/Retreat on April 2nd, 3rd and 4th, 2007, at the Church. The theme of the Parish Mission will be based on the Seven Last Words of our Lord. On Monday and Wednesday, (April 2nd and 4th), the Parish Mission starts at 7:30 pm while on April 3rd, it starts earlier at 6:30 pm to give way to the 7:30 pm Parish Reconciliation Service. We have invited the Very Reverend Generoso Geronimo, the Vicar for Clergy of the Archdiocese of Manila (the Philippines) to preach in our Parish Mission. The 2007 Divine Mercy conference will be held March 16 to 18 at the Oakland Convention Center, 1001 Broadway in Oakland. The theme "I demand works of mercy arising out of your love for me" (Diary 742), will be expounded by the following speakers: Fr. George Mockel, Vicar-General and Moderator of the curia of the Oakland Diocese; Fr. Stan Fortuna, member of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, New York; Monsignor James P. Lisante, Pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in West Hempstead, NY; Fr. Donald Calloway, convert to Catholicism after spending time in jail and institutions; Fr. Joseph Whalen, founder of St. Raphael healing Ministry; and Fr. Piotr Prusakiewicz, former Chaplain of the Sisters of Mercy in Warsaw where Saint Faustina entered the congregation. Fr. Michael Barry will lead special healing sessions with Fr. Joseph Whalen and Fr. Piotr Prusakiewicz on Friday and Saturday evenings. For information, please contact the Divine Mercy Eucharistic Society at (510) 412-4715 or Ms. Mercie V. Cereno at (408) 258-6970. For hotel reservations: (800) 991-7249. The rectory's lost and found area is overflowing! We have a wallet, a pyrex dish w/cover (from the Armory Night) many pairs of glasses, gloves, umbrellas, earrings, watches, etc… If you have lost an item, we may have it! Contact the Rectory office at 408-296-3000 with details on your lost item. Forms are now available for those who wish to help with purchasing new items such as vestments, chalice, chasubles, etc… for the church. If you are interested in donating towards these items, please complete a form from the hospitality room or rectory. We will engrave or embroider the items with your name or in memory of a loved one. If you have questions about this, please contact the rectory for more details. The parish has volunteer ministers each weekend to tally the donations given by members of the church. We are looking for a few more volunteers to help count these donations on a team. Training will be provided by the Team Captain and the time commitment is approximately from 11:00- 2:00p.m. on Sunday afternoons, once a month. We would like the new volunteers to commit to a whole year. Students, accompanied by parents, can earn service hours, as well. Please have interested adults contact me at home 408 247-9987 or via email at michelle@varnau.net
Monday - Morning Prayer 8:15 am, Mass 8:30 am, Safe Environment workshop 7pm church
Tuesday - Mother of Perpetual Help 8:00 am, Morning Prayer 8:15 am, Mass 8:30 am,
Wednesday - Morning Prayer 8:15 am, Mass 8:30 am, Prayer Around the Cross 7:00 pm,
ILM shadowing 7:30 pm (appt only - see below) The flooring in the "old" finance office is being refinished and new carpeting will be coming in for the main office space. New flooring will be laid in the foyer soon. After that, "new" furniture will be set up and we will be back in our new and improved space! The Institute for Leadership in Ministry invites individuals who may be interested in attending the Institute to visit one Wednesday evening during the month of March. The staff will be delighted to welcome you and to provide the opportunity for you to "shadow" a current student. You can observe a class, mingle with students at break, ask questions, and get a sense of the scope and flavor of this diocesan program. Class dates in March are the following Wednesdays: March 7, 14, 21, and 28. Classes are held at St. Lawrence Academy in Santa Clara from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Space is limited so I ask that you call Sandra in the Institute office to let her know which Wednesday evening you would like to attend. She can be reached at (408) 983-0112. We look forward to having you with us!
- week of 03-04-07 to 03-10-07 It was "just a little cardboard cutout" with a few handouts that almost dropped out - unnoticed - from my Bulletin. What it was wasn't that important - what it represented was. Last week's insert of an Operations Rice Bowl bowl, a calendar guide, and an envelope presents an opportunity to follow the words of Jesus in the Beatitudes and also to learn more about injustice - and hope - in the world of which we are a part. I feel we would grossly miss the point if we just wrote a check and were "done with it". We would miss looking at the black girl with a dented plastic container traveling a significant distance to get potable water in Africa - - and seeing how we can help - - while wondering if we were a part of the cause of her plight in the first place. We would miss sharing the story of Salvador Garcia with our family - - a story of a man who was not successful at legally migrating to the U.S. and has subsequently started a small business in Mexico thanks to a micro-finance project started by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and has gained a security not otherwise possible. - - - and the story of Iqra Shahzadi who can't afford to go to school in Pakistan (but her brothers can), learned at first by borrowing her brother's books, and now attends classes through a CRS-based school. - - - and this is just the first two weeks of Lent. What a great way for a family to learn about a real part of life that is often excluded as the media "protects us" from that which might make us "uncomfortable", lower their ratings and subsequently lower their profits. If we gave up consumerism for Lent and let these handouts "open our eyes" and "open our hearts", our sacrifice will be rewarded and we may just be transformed in the mission of He who died for us. Just look at how little is asked - - 20 cents for this, 52 cents for that, and 99 cents for another thing. True, it adds up, and the role of those with no time to read about CRS, discuss it with their families, and take this as an opportunity to immerse themselves in the lives, trials and injustices of the poor should not be trivialized. Most of us do not live in their shoes. And the poor will benefit regardless of "why" the contributions are made. But it is we who will be the poorer - - we will miss seeing what is real and miss an opportunity to see the face of Jesus in the poor. Reflection Question for Lent - When God says "What have you done with the prosperity I have given you?", what will your answer be? Catechetical Ministrycasting a shadow over them; Then from the cloud came a voice, 'This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him.'" (Lk. 9: 34-36) As we continue on our Lenten journey the Scriptures call us to be transfigured and changed. Let us pause to reflect on this message. We have tried to deepen our relationship with God, the members of our family, and those with whom we work. For some this may have been a very joyful experience and for others it may have been a struggle. At times we may come face to face with the areas of darkness in our lives. These encounters have the potential to reveal God to us if we honestly seek new life through celebrating the sacrament of Reconciliation. In St. Luke's Gospel we listen to the story of the transfiguration of Jesus on Mt. Tabor. We see how Jesus is changed in the presence of God. Once again the transfiguration of Jesus challenges all of us to change. It also supports us in our efforts to change and become more like Christ. We are called to have a change of heart during the holy season of Lent. Our hearts will be changed when we respond to the invitation to pray, fast and give alms. As Jesus was transformed so too we can be transformed and our lives can reflect more clearly the love of Christ. Adult Confirmation:We invite any adults in our parish community who are baptized and who have celebrated First Eucharist who wish to complete their initiation by celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation at the Cathedral on Pentecost Sunday, May 27th, 2007. The preparation for this celebration will consist of five Catechetical Sessions. The first sessions will be on Sunday, April 15th, at 9:00 a.m., which will be facilitated by Sr. Kathleen. If you are interested please call Sr. Kathleen at the Office of Catechetical Ministry: 408.296.0208 or email me @ khanley@saintlawrence.org First Eucharist:The students and their families in the Sacramental Preparation program continue their preparation for the celebration of First Eucharist. It is manditory that the parents attend the parent meetings. If for any reason a parent cannot attend a meeting please call the Office of Catechetical Ministry to schedule a make up meeting. We will celebrate First Eucharist on Saturday, May 5th, at the 5:00 p.m. Liturgy and Sunday, May 6th at the 12:00 noon Liturgy.
5:00pm - $1,743.00 Thank you for your continued support! Ash Wednesday offerings: $1,685.35
Other offerings: $237.20
Susie Andrada, Van & Carolyn Nguyen Co, Sheila Huliganga, Jackie Lear, Fr. Wilfredo Manrique, Alberta Perkins, Maria Azita Prijoles, Bernadine Quade, Jacqueliine Skyberg.
Monday: - Morning Prayer 8:15 am, Mass 8:30 am Forms are now available for those who wish to help with purchasing new items such as vestments, chalice, chasubles, etc… for the church. If you are interested in donating towards these items, please complete a form from the hospitality room or rectory. We will engrave or embroider the items with your name or in memory of a loved one. If you have questions about this, please contact the rectory for more details. The parish has volunteer ministers each weekend to tally the donations given by members of the church. We are looking for a few more volunteers to help count these donations on a team. Training will be provided by the Team Captain and the time commitment is approximately from 11:00- 2:00p.m. on Sunday afternoons, once a month. We would like the new volunteers to commit to a whole year. Students, accompanied by parents, can earn service hours, as well. Please have interested adults contact me at home 408 247-9987 or via email at michelle@varnau.net 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. Construction continues for the remodeling of the Rectory offices. We have a beautiful new lobby countertop and window, and as you may have noticed, new front doors! We'll keep you updated as we progress! Our temporary office is in the Rectory conference room near the carport. The Institute for Leadership in Ministry invites individuals who may be interested in attending the Institute to visit one Wednesday evening during the month of March. The staff will be delighted to welcome you and to provide the opportunity for you to "shadow" a current student. You can observe a class, mingle with students at break, ask questions, and get a sense of the scope and flavor of this diocesan program. Class dates in March are the following Wednesdays: March 7, 14, 21, and 28. Classes are held at St. Lawrence Academy in Santa Clara from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Space is limited so I ask that you call Sandra in the Institute office to let her know which Wednesday evening you would like to attend. She can be reached at (408) 983-0112. We look forward to having you with us! Archived News Oct2006 Nov2006 Dec2006 Jan2007 Feb2007 Apr2007 May2007 Jun2007 Jul2007 Aug2007 Sep2007 Oct2007 Nov2007 Dec2007 Jan2008 Feb2008 Mar2008 Apr2008 May2008 Jun2008 |