Parish eBulletin - Volume 13, No. 3, January 17, 2020

3 views
Skip to first unread message

Chris Lundin

unread,
Jan 17, 2020, 11:57:23 AM1/17/20
to paloaltocatho...@googlegroups.com

St. Thomas Aquinas Parish
The Catholic Community of Palo Alto, California

St. Thomas Aquinas parish is a Roman Catholic community of disciples 
working together for the glory of God and our spiritual growth in Jesus, the Christ. 
With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we live and share the Gospel
through worship, education and service.

Parish eBulletin - Volume 13, No. 3 - January 17, 2020

Table of Contents:

1. TONIGHT: Friday, January 17:  Fish Fest
2. To Live And Die Like The Lamb of God
3. Wanted: Artists
4. Sunday, January 12: High School Youth Ministry
5. Spirituality Tuesday Assembly: See You On Tuesday, January 21!
6. Wednesday, January 22: Confirmation Classes
7. Thursday, January 23: Registrar of Voters
8. Saturday/Sunday January 25-26: Celebrate St. Thomas Aquinas Feast Day
9. Human Concerns Update: Undie Sunday 
10. Volunteer Opportunity: Join The SAG Donuteers
11. Green Corner: Several Items Of Interest
12. Weekly Stewardship Report: Thank You For Sharing God’s Gifts!
13.  Want To Become A Catholic? 
14. Human Concerns: Thursday, January 23: Dinner For Heart And Home Cooperative Guests
15. Saturday, January 25: Next Session Pastoral Garden Cleanup
16. Human Concerns: Saturday, January 25: Next Human Concerns Committee Meeting
17. Save the date:  February 8: Dan Schutte
18. Saturday, February 22: SAVE THE DATE For The 22nd Annual Crab Dinner Dance

Outside The Parish:

19. Palo Alto Events commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
20. Saturday, January 25: West Coast Walk For Life
21. January 24-January 26: Men’s Discernment Weekend
22. Pilgrimage Opportunities in 2020-2021
23. Presider Schedules for the Second Sunday In Ordinary Time, And Sunday Mass Readings

Bonus Information:   PDFs!
——————————————————————————————————————————

1. TONIGHT: Friday, January 17:  Fish Fest

The STA Site Committee continues with the Friday Fish Fest dinners on the “teenth” Friday of the month.

Are you ready once again for tasty fish filets, chips, and tangy cole slaw?

Come January 17 at 6:00 p.m. for this traditional fish supper in the Thomas House in the friendly company of others in our parish.

Take a break from kitchen duty and join us on January 17. 

RSVP: Please, please RSVP to Helen Baumann, 650-327-9236, hbba...@aol.com in advance. We need to be sure to have enough fish for all of you.

2. To Live And Die Like The Lamb of God

In Sunday’s gospel (John 1:29-34) John the Baptist sees Jesus coming toward him and says: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Jesus Christ is the true Lamb of God who offers himself in sacrifice to take away our sins and to open to us the Promised Land of Heaven.

Jesus is always coming toward us because he loves us. He remains close to each one of us, hoping we will recognize that He is everything our hearts long for. He will call us to abandon the tight confines of our own self-interest, greed, lust, envy, and selfishness. Sometimes we become so wrapped up in ourselves that we push God aside. Jesus came to sacrifice Himself completely for us so that we could experience sacrificial love. He came to take our sins upon Himself and wipe them away.

Regardless of our past sins and weaknesses, we are all called to be saints. In this new year of 2020, may we give our lives of service and sacrifice, so to bring this world to the Lord. 

Deacon Daniel Hernandez

3. Wanted: Artists

"Are you an artist?  If you would like to hang your work for a month in the St. Albert the Great Hospitality Center, please contact Ted Baer at tab...@sbcglobal.net or call 650-690-6732.

4. Sunday, January 19: High School Youth Ministry

High School Youth Ministry to will meet again Sunday, January 19 in the Dermody Center after the 10:30 a.m. OLR Mass as we continue our three-part discussion about Mary, her importance within scripture and the role she should have within our faith journey. All teens are welcome! If you have any questions about the program, please contact Pierina Caligaris at pierina....@dsj.org.

5. Spirituality Tuesday Assembly: See You On Tuesday, January 21!

The Topic for this week's Spirituality Tuesday Assembly is:

"My Ministry as a Hospital Chaplain" with Fr. Sev Kupo

I did the minor seminary formation in St. Francis Xavier Minor Seminary/ Secondary School in Wa, Ghana. From the minor seminary I proceeded to Nandom Secondary School for a two-year precollege program and then I entered the St. Victor’s Major Seminary for philosophical/theological education and seminary formation.

In California I have been involved in pastoral ministry and one of my growing edges was caring for hospitalized people. The need to develop skills for caring for people brought me to Stanford Health Care and St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in August 2016. I did a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program at Stanford Health Care for a year and a fellowship program for another year, training for hospital chaplaincy work and developing skills for advanced palliative care. I obtained my board certification as a Catholic chaplain in 2018. Our talk is from 7:00 - 8:30 pm at the Hospitality Center at St. Albert the Great Church. 

6. Wednesday, January 22: Confirmation Classes

Our parish confirmation class on Wednesdays will meet in Wednesday, January 22 this week. Please note there will be NO class on Wednesday, January 29.

7. Thursday, January 23: Registrar of Voters

Come to an important talk with the Registrar of Voters on Thursday, January 23 at St. Albert the Great Hospitality Center at 7:00 p.m. Learn about options for casting ballots as there will not be any more polling places and the ways to cast your vote are changing.

8. Saturday/Sunday January 25-26: Celebrate St. Thomas Aquinas Feast Day

On the weekend of January 25-26, we will celebrate our patron saint's day. As a Dominican, St. Thomas’ study was both a spiritual and an intellectual discipline—a matter of both heart and mind. The rich fruit of Thomas’ reflection has enlightened the Church with wisdom expressed through academic writing and sacred poetry. His Eucharistic texts continue to inspire faith, especially on Holy Thursday. 

9. Human Concerns Update: Undie Sunday 

During 2019, your donations to our traditional February collection provided many items for clients at Life Moves/Opportunity Center.  These included men's and women's underwear, socks, sports bras, rain ponchos, emergency blankets, and umbrellas.  

Your dollars have been spent when specific items are suggested by the staff who distribute them to clients only as needed.  Thus, we have enough cash reserve for 2020 purchases and will NOT be conducting a formal fund raising event this February.  If you wish to make an individual donation of items in good condition during the year, you may leave them inside the deposit box in the lobby at 33 Encina Rd behind Town and Country Shopping Center. 

Thank you for your continuing support to those in need,
The Human Concerns Committee 

10. Volunteer Opportunity: Join The SAG Donuteers
 
Happy New Year!  The current donut schedule goes through the end of January and we just lost a long time volunteer, so we really need new volunteers.  We have five, but ideally would have eight or nine.  we really are in desperate need of a few families to help out.  If we don't get more families, we might need to switch to offering donuts just twice a month.
 
Saint Albert the Great Church is looking for volunteers to help with donuts after the 9am Sunday mass.  Commitment is 6-8 Sundays a year. Responsibilities include:

1) purchasing donuts, milk, orange juice and bringing these to the hospitality center 
2) preparing coffee
3) supervising donut and coffee gathering after 9 am mass
4) light clean up

For more information (or to volunteer): contact Brigid Farrell at Farrell...@hotmail.com

11. Green Corner: Several Items Of Interest

Green News #33

1. NYT 1./4/20 - Skip Climate Impact: A draft of the revision of the 50-year old National Environmental Policy Act would sharply reduce restrictions on fossil fuel projects, such as pipelines. It would no longer make it necessary to disclose discharge of waste, plans to cut trees or increase pollution or other cumulative consequences. This action does not amend the Act; it revises the rules that guide the implementation of the law. Once this plan is officially published there will be 60 days for public comment, and likely before the November election. A supportive spokesperson for the Council on Economic Policy said this would improve the permitting process, "while ensuring a safe, healthy and productive environments for all Americans." Politically, this plan should bring union support. Environmentalists and legal experts fear, if their court challenges fail, this plan would bring environmental harm by removing one of the legals bases which heretofore have given courts a basis for preventive decisions.

2. SFChron 1/5/20 - Highway Congestion or Gridlock?: By 2030 we may haver an autonomous extended BART and an electrified Caltrain - or not. Traffic experts say some decisions must be made NOW! We are adding workers who can't afford to live here, so they commute. In November we'll vote on a 1-cent sales tax for transportation. Even if this is a good "fix" for the problem, car drivers will find it very sticky. Policy emphasis will be on  public transit; and various cities are supporting that policy. BART will have more passenger capacity, as will Caltrain with more frequent service; whatever highway construction is offered will bring more express and toll lanes - and increased fees. Needless to say, work must be completed on schedule. No more delays like we saw with BART and the Transbay Transit Center.

3.  SJMerc 1/5/20 - [op ed by member of the Pacific Institute (water management] We Should Make Better Use of Available Water: "The cheapest water is the water we save." There's a lot of water available. If we improve and repair appliances and fixtures;, precision-irrigate farmlands, reuse the 80% of storm water now running off to sea, and collect it instead in rain gardens and parks to replenish aquifers - all this will be effective and very climate-smart.

4. SFChron 1/7/20 - CA's "Green Deal" Plan - Legislation is being drafted to make us carbon- free and create green jobs.  Some critics say this is largely aspirational and without a funding source. Climate bonds are one source and bond proposals are already being legislated. Will the voters agree?  Some likely goals: Insurance for fire areas now losing their policies, more power from renewables, better energy storage, transit improvements -see #2 above], 

5. SFChron 1/7/20 - Vegetable "Pork": Now "Impossible Food", creator of Burger King's Impossible Burger, has a veggie sausage - Impossible Pork - to be introduced at 139 locations in GA, MI, IL, NM and AL later this month. Contents: soy, cocoanut and sunflower oil and a leghhemoglobbis called a "heme".  Less chloresterol, fat and calories, same protein and iron as regular pork, more salt. Bon appetit!

6.PAPost 1/7/20 - State to Ban Gas Leaf Blowers and Lawn Mowers: Some cities have partial bans on noisy mowers. Reports say enforcement has been ineffective.  CARB is now about to ban those that pollute.

7. SFChron 1/9/20 - Feds Posts New Rules for Robot Cars: Transportation Secretary Chao posted new rules for autonomous cars. They fell far short of the ideas of the National Transportation Safety Board which thinks there should be state and federal rules for testing them. Chao counters, saying her emphasis is on safety, but leaves the leadership with industry,  There are few specifics about how this will work out. Safety people say this is just "regurgitation"  of policies that have no teeth, a "science experiment." Earlier the NTSB was critical of a lax requirement that developers are not honoring a voluntary requirement of reports from drivers about driving safety events. Only 16 of the 80 developers have complied. 

8. SJMerc 1/10/20 - Dem's Environmental Birds Don't Often Fly: One victory: By a 247-159 bipartisan vote the House passed a chemical bill (not veto-proof). The Dems have held 120 hearings on measures. Environmental protections on most of them were carved away. To have resisted this to the point of a government shutdown would have endangered the House majority. )Climate activists think stronger resistance is good politics.)

10. SFChron 1/12/20 - [editorial] How Pay for Climate Disasters? - A climate bond? The CA legislature considers a $4.2B bond issue - SB45/AB352. The measures must be passed in one house to survive. SB845 carries $1.6B for fire risk; lesser amounts for potable and adequate water supply; the USGA estimates 130K people and $30B in property value are at risk now on our eroding coastline. The Chron suggests some cautious bond measures, but more of cap & trade as a ready source of quick cash. (Cap & trade is not considered large ennouh to carry the whole load.) 

11. NYT 1/13/20 - Australia's P.M. Morrison Not Eager to Curb CO2 Emissions :A royal commission is investigating  the fires' (mis?)management. Morrison said he'll not consider more renewables; wants to concentrate on fire issues, house spacing and more protection.

(compiled by Walt Lundin, a member of our parish Green Committee)

12. Weekly Stewardship Report: Thank You For Sharing God’s Gifts!

Our Weekly Offering:
     January 5 actual: $11,584
   January 23 actual: $11,037
                    Weekly Goal: $12,000 

13.  Want To Become A Catholic?

Thinking about becoming Catholic or receiving the Sacraments of First Eucharist or Confirmation? Do you have an interest in becoming Catholic? Were you baptized as a child but have not received the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation? 

Our adult inquiry sessions continue all year long. For more information about the R.C.I.A. process, please contact Deacon Daniel Hernandez at daniel.h...@dsj.org or Susan Olsen at susanle...@dsj.org. 

14. Human Concerns: Thursday, January 23: Dinner For Heart And Home Cooperative Guests

The Heart and Home Collaborative shelter is providing a safe and warm sleeping space for about 15 enrolled unhoused ladies. Our parish is continuing its commitment to provide another meal to the ladies on Thursday, January 23rd at University Lutheran church on Stanford Ave. 

We encourage parishioners to prepare a small homemade dish for 6 or more as a personal contribution to this dinner to support the efforts of many people to house these ladies during the cold, wet winter nights. 

NOTE:  
IF YOU CALLED OFFERING HELP, and have not received a contact this week, please call terry again 650-714-2131. I misplaced two names.  Thank you. 
 
Please call Human Concerns Committee rep Terry at 650-714-2131 for any questions, $ donations or food contributions. Thank you. 

15. Saturday, January 25: Next Session Pastoral Garden Cleanup

Our next work day is planned for the 4th Saturday in January, the 25th, from 9 to 11:00am (or however much time you can spare).  We’re skipped December due to the holidays.

Thanks to those who came on Saturday, November 23.  Much good work was done.

Please join us for donuts and goodies and whatever good work you will do. This is just behind the Pastoral Center at 3290 Middlefield Road. Easy parking; easy working.

16. Human Concerns: Saturday, January 25: Next Human Concerns Committee Meeting

We will again gather at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 25 in the OLR Hall to work on various human concerns initiatives.  All are welcome.

17. Save the date:  February 8: Dan Schutte

Save the Date for a morning of Reflection with Dan Schutte on February 8, 2020 at St. Simon Church in Los Altos. All Liturgical Ministers are especially encouraged to attend. 

18. Saturday, February 22: SAVE THE DATE For The 22nd Annual Crab Dinner Dance

Tickets may be obtained from Knights of Columbus now or after Masses on Feb 1/2nd, Feb 8/9th and Feb 15/16th weekends.  Tickets must be purchased in advance. 

The KofC Palo Alto Council of STA Parish is asking parishioners for donations of new or gently used items or services (carwashing,wine tasting party, babysitting
hours, progressive dinner,event tickets, etc) for the silent auction table at the Feb 22nd, 2020 Crab Dinner Dance.

Please call Jerry Lucha  (650)424-9660 or Charles Guenzer (650)387-4268 to coordinate drop off of your donations.


Outside The Parish

19. Palo Alto Events commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Sunday, January 19, 2O2O

3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

The Annual Community ond lnterfaith Celebration

Commemoroting the Life of Dr. Mortin Luther King, Jr.

First United Methodist Church

625 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto

Guest Speaker: Reverend Amos C. Brown

Pastor, Third Baptist Church of San Francisco

MONDAY JANUARY 20, 2O2O, 8:5OAM

REVEREND DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR DAY

PRAYER WALK

MONDAY JANUARY 20, 2O2O, 8:5OAM

Meet at Crossroads Community Church

2490 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA 94501

Please join us for the 3rd annual multi-church prayer walk as we honor the spiritual legacy of Dr. King and ask God for justice, peace and reconciliation in our community. 
This time we will be walking along Middlefield Road from Crossroads Community Church to University AME Zion church where we will be ending with celebratory worship.

After this event, you might want to go to the Mitchell Park library to commemorate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at the event sponsored by Youth Community Service.

20. Saturday, January 25: West Coast Walk For Life

 Our parish Confirmation candidates will be participating in the Walk for Life West Coast on January 25. Join them and fellow Catholics and Pro-Lifers from all over California and beyond as we stand up for the littlest among us at the 16th Annual Walk for Life West Coast in San Francisco on January 25, 2020. 

There will be Mass at 9:30 AM at St. Mary’s Cathedral celebrated by Archbishop Alexander Sample from Portland,OR. The rally begins at 12:30 PM in San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza, and the Walk, down Market Street, begins at 1:30PM. Last year’s Walk drew 50,000+ people. For complete information about the Walk, visit www.walkforlifewc.com or call 415-658-1793.to explore the priesthood and learn about the steps for discernment, values of priestly life, and the structure of seminary formation. Our prayer for you is that by fully engaging in the opportunities provided on this retreat you will find more clarity on where God is leading you and that you will better understand God’s movement in your heart. For more info or to register, contact the vocations office: dsj.org/vocations or voca...@dsj.org or 408-983-0155. \

21. January 24-January 26: Men’s Discernment Weekend

Registration for the free Men’s Discernment Weekend is now open at bit.ly/DSJV-menr20 for Friday 1/24/20 evening to Sunday 1/26 afternoon.

The cost is just An open heart and mind. Find out if God is calling you to the priesthood. You will have the chance to explore the priesthood and learn about the steps for discernment, values of priestly life, and the structure of seminary formation. Our prayer for you is that by fully engaging in the opportunities provided on this retreat you will find more clarity on where God is leading you and that you will better understand God’s movement in your heart. For more info or to register, contact the vocations office: dsj.org/vocations or voca...@dsj.org or 408-983-0155. 

22. Pilgrimage Opportunities in 2020-2021

Come join our former pastor, Fr. George Aranha, who will be hosting three upcoming Pilgrimages for 2020 and 2021 which will be of interest to you!

(1) Eleven-day Pilgrimage to the Marian Shrines & Barcelona including Fatima, Avila, Loyola and Lourdes - October 5-15, 2020

(2) Twelve-day Pilgrimage to the Holy Land & Rome including a Papal audience February 1-12, 2021

(3) Twelve-day Pilgrimage to Eastern Europe, including Krakow, Prague, Vienna and Budapest September 13-24, 2021

For general information and photographs, please visit https://nativitypilgrimage.com and info@nativity pilgrimage.com
For brochures and registration forms, please visit: www.SantaTeresaChurch.com/pilgrimage
For more information and to register, please contact: Jen Vazquez: J...@SantaTeresaChurch.com
or call Jen at: 1-408-629-7777

23. Presider Schedules for the Second Sunday In Ordinary Time, And Sunday Mass Readings

Sunday Mass readings (English): http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/011920.cfm
Sunday Mass readings (Spanish):    http://www.usccb.org/bible/lecturas/011920.cfm

5:00 p.m. Saturday: St. Albert the Great: Fr. Sev (Music: Chris Lundin)
7:30 a.m. St. Thomas Aquinas: Fr. Sev (Music: sing along with recorded music)
8:45 a.m. St. Thomas Aquinas: Fr. Jose Rubio ( Music: singing with a live music group)
9:00 a.m. St. Albert the Great: Fr. Xavier Lavagetto  (Music: Chris Lundin and SAG Choir) 
9:00 a.m. Our Lady of the Rosary: Fr. Walter Suarez (Music: José Perez and Hispanic Coro)
10:30 a.m. Our Lady of the Rosary: Fr. Sev (Music: Chris Lundin and OLR Choir) 
10:30 a.m. St. Thomas Aquinas: Fr. Jose Rubio (Music: Instrumental Ensemble and Women's Choir directed by Paul Prochaska)
Noon: St. Thomas Aquinas: Fr. BR (Music: Gregorian chant and Renaissance motets with St. Ann Choir)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The eBulletin is an initiative of our parish Communications Board, whose ministry it is to improve communications in our parish.

As of today, our parish eBulletin is sent to 428 parish families! (closed (bouncing) accounts recently removed). Pass the word! Who will be Family No. 429? If you are interested in receiving the eBulletin on a weekly basis, send an email request to clu...@stanford.edu.  You will be added to "PaloAltoCatho...@googlegroups.com" which is used to send out the eBulletin each Friday morning.

Always Useful Information:
Parish Online Giving: https://www.myowngiving.com/Default.aspx?cid=357
Parish Elder Care Resources: Call/leave a message at the Pastoral Home Ministry (494-2496, ext. 22) Call a priest at the rectory at 327-8222
St. Thomas Aquinas Parish Online Calendar*: http://www.mychurchevents.com/calendar/calendar.aspx?ci=L6M7J4G1J4H2O9L6I3
Steeple Talk Newsletter: http://www.paloaltocatholic.net/index.cfm?load=page&page=202 (see left sidebar)
Diocese of San Jose: http://www.dsj.org/
The Valley Catholic (Diocesan newspaper: http://tvc.dsj.org
Diocese of San Jose EthicsPoint Hotline (1-888-325-7863) - to report financial misconduct
Diocese of San Jose Office for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults:  (408) 983-0113 or protection@dsj.org
Vatican YouTube site: http://www.youtube.com/vatican
H20 Catholic News Service: http://www.h2onews.org/english.html
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: http://www.usccb.org/
Daily Scripture reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/
Mass Times While Traveling: http://www.masstimes.org/txt/
Courage (same-sex attraction support group): 650-450-2286 or email grc...@sbcglobal.net 
Salt + Light Blog: http://www.saltandlighttv.org/blog
St. Vincent de Paul Auto Donation Phone number: 1-800-322-8284
Trafficking: National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 888-373-7888 (toll-free hotline 24 hours/day)
Trafficking: California Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking at 888-KEY-2FREEDOM. Texts can also be sent to “BE FREE,” or 233733.  (toll-free hotline 24 hours/day)
Catholic Charities (Diocese of San Jose): Elder Care Line and Homecare: (408) 831-0441
Catholic Charities (Diocese of San Jose): Senior Activity Centers, in San Jose and Sunnyvale (408) 270-4900
Catholic Charities (Diocese of San Jose): Behavior Health Clinic in downtown San Jose (408)-899-7160
Each Thursday: Mothers’ Prayers After 8:30 A.M. OLR Daily Mass Mothers Prayers is our name.  Mothers Prayers was started in England in November 1995 and has spread rapidly throughout the world with contacts in over 100 countries and has the approval, support and blessing of Christian leaders of all denominations. There are now thousands of groups around the world and we are one of them.  In a 20 minute prayer, we bring all the pain and the worries we have for our children to the Lord and we trust in His words 'Ask and you will receive'. Through this promise, the Lord is just waiting to take away pain and to bless and heal us and our children when we come to Him in Faith.
It takes place every Thursday morning right after 8:30am Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, in Kerry’s Corner, and you are very welcome to join us. Questions? Call Justine Franklin at (650) 387-1653 or justine_...@yahoo.com

* If you know of events or recurring meetings which should be added to the calendar, please send them to clu...@stanford.edu, and we will work to get the calendar updated. 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
'
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages