Parish eBulletin - Volume 13, No. 14, April 3, 2020

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Apr 3, 2020, 1:31:33 PM4/3/20
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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. 14 - April 3, 2020

Public Masses and Parish Events Cancelled Due To Coronavirus
Live Cast of Mass by Fr. Maurice Planned for Palm Sunday 
(Link below)

Table of Contents:
1. From The Pastor
2. Last eBulletin For Awhile
3. When Public Masses Resume, 8:45 A.M. Mass Will Begin At 9:00 A.M.
4. Human Concerns: One Concrete Way You Can Help During Coronavirus Pandemic
5. Online Parish Mass
6. Daily Divine Mercy Chaplet With Fr. Maurice
7. Funerals During Sheltering
8. Parish Meetings Canceled or Postponed
9. Operation Rice Bowl Is Still Active - Bring Filled Rice Bowls To Pastoral Center
10. Updated Information from the Diocese of San Jose
11. Volunteer Opportunity: Pastoral Home Ministry
12. Weekly Stewardship Report: Thank You For Sharing God’s Gifts!
13. Annual Diocesan Appeal 2020
14  Want To Become A Catholic?
15. Save the Date - Monday, May 11 - Seton Golf Tournament and Silent & Live Auction

Outside The Parish
16. Friday, April 10: Live Re-Enactment of Good Friday Events
17. A Coronavirus Prayer For Medical Workers In The Reform Jewish Tradition 
18. The Church After Coronavirus: How Our Communities Are Changing
19. Coronavirus Essentials: How The Church Is Applying Public-Health Directives
20. Pope Francis Joins Call For Global Ceasefire In Light Of Coronavirus Pandemic
21. Presider Schedules for Palm Sunday,  And Sunday Mass Readings


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1. From The Pastor

Dear Parishioners, 
 
I pray that you and your loved ones are doing good. We stay strong together in prayer. It’s amazing how beautiful we are. Thank you for all the prayers, initiatives, desires to stay in touch. Thank you for joining Mass, visiting the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, your financial support and so many other acts of kindness.
 
Due to the Corona Virus pandemic, all communal reconciliation services have been cancelled. You may schedule individual confessions with the priests if you would like to do so.
 
I loved how some families during yesterday’s Sunday mass followed the regular mass postures from home! I invite you to be engaged as you participate in mass. Make it special. Get dressed, don’t have your coffee with you, set yourself in your best prayer mode.
 
I want to share with you a schedule of upcoming online activities for the parish.
 
NOTE: For all meetings the Host will mute all participants. Please Do Not unmute yourselves until host indicates that it is time to share questions or reflections.
El anfitrión de la reunión pondrá en silencio el micrófono de todos los participantes. Por favor no habilitar su micrófono hasta que el anfitrión lo indique/permita.
 
- Spanish Retreat by Fr. Marco Mikalonis, live stream from Argentina. Have your Bible ready.
Retiro en español conducido por el p. Marco Mikalonis, live stream desde argentina. Tenga su Biblia a mano.

Todas las sesiones están programadas en el horario local de California.

Sesión #1. Viernes 3 de abril, 7 pm. Join Zoom Meeting  https://dsj.zoom.us/j/580257966

Sesión #2, Sábado 4 de abril, 11 am. Join Zoom Meeting https://dsj.zoom.us/j/824656145

Sesión #3, Sábado 4 de abril, 2 pm. Join Zoom Meeting https://dsj.zoom.us/j/333499485

- Palm Sunday, (4/5); 11 am, Live stream. Fr. Maurice.

Join Zoom Meeting https://dsj.zoom.us/j/520708898

You may want to have some palms or olive branches at home to participate at this Palm Sunday Mass. We will have palms blessed before Mass and then they will be distributed to every Church and you may stop by to pick them up, at your convenience, if you want. They will be outside under cover. STA -on front porch, SAG - covered area on side entry between church & school near rectory, OLR - covered area into church between church & school. Limited amounts of Little White books for Easter and Word Among Us booklets w ill also available for those looking for them. 

- English Lent parish retreat, by Fr. Estanislao (Stasys).

Monday through Wednesday of the Holy Week, 7 pm. Join Zoom recurrent Meeting https://dsj.zoom.us/j/653971161

Session 1, Praying from the heart / Session 2, Jesus’ Passion. Our Passion / Session 3, Back to Life.

- Holy Thursday (4/9). Fr. Maurice. 7:30 pm. Bilingual mass. Live stream.

Join Zoom Meeting https://dsj.zoom.us/j/366658092

- Good Friday (4/10), Celebration of the Passion of the Lord. Fr. Sev. 12 pm. Live stream.

Join Zoom Meeting https://dsj.zoom.us/j/169474634

- Easter Vigil. Join Bishop Cantu for the Diocesan Easter Vigil. Saturday 4/11. Visit www.dsj.org  to find out more.

- Easter Sunday Mass 4/12). Bilingual Mass with Fr. Estanislao and the Latin/Gregorian Choir. 11 am.  Live stream.

Join Zoom Meeting https://dsj.zoom.us/j/787405215

Create you own Easter candle at home. We would like to encourage all of you to create your Easter candle at home. Look up and learn about the Easter candle liturgical symbols and put them into your candle. You may also add more decoration to it related to our faith, families, nature. When we are able to get back together, we invite you to bring your candles and have them blessed all together to celebrate the light of Christ. 

2. Last eBulletin For A While
 
The eBulletin editor (Chris Lundin) has announced his intention to step down from those weekly volunteer duties effective with this issue. He has published the eBulletin each Friday since May 27, 2007, a remarkable record. The eBulletin is sent to 430+ parishioners and ex-parishioners each Friday morning. The duties consist of pulling from the coming Sunday bulletin plus subscribing to several online Catholic publications to monitor them and include pertinent articles. It takes a couple of hours each week. The eBulletin is currently sent to a Google Group and that (and the publication schedule) is subject to change.
 
It is our pastor Fr. Stasys' (estanislao...@dsj.org) intention to add publication of the eBulletin to the to-be-hired admin support role. Fr. Stasys is currently working on the job description.

Chris will continue to forward Fr. Stasys’ parish emails to the eBulletin mailing list.

3. When Public Masses Resume, 8:45 A.M. Mass Will Begin At 9:00 A.M.

At the request of the St. Thomas Aquinas 7:30 a.m. Mass community, and with the approval of the parish Liturgy Board, the Merton Center Liturgy Committee and the pastor Fr. Stasys, the 8:45 a.m. Sunday Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Church will begin at 9:00 a.m. when public Masses resume (date to be announced).

This change in timing will provide more time between the end of the 7:30 a.m. Mass and the start of the Merton Mass. It has been vetted with both the current 8:45 a.m. presiders and musicians.

Other Mass changes are possible as the parish adjusts.

4. Human Concerns: One Concrete Way You Can Help During Coronavirus Pandemic

A long time family friend here is a doctor practicing at the VA hospital in Palo Alto.  She, her husband and two children (13,9) are asking help to secure unused masks for doctors and other health care professionals they know around the country.  This is a safe way to donate any unused N95 masks people may have at home.

The masks are being collected locally and sent by the family to medical facilities in need. 

If parishioners have questions, they may email the family living in Belmont at bayaream...@gmail.com or terryat...@yahoo.com (HCC Representative)

5. Online Parish Mass

Thanks to Fr. Sev and Fr. Stasys, for presiding at, and broadcasting/ Sunday Mass at 11:00 am online last Sunday. We hope to get better at this in the coming weeks. Look online at our website for the link to our next Sunday Mass at https://www.paloaltocatholic.net. Palm Sunday Mass live cast at https://dsj.zoom.us/j/759166471 

Also go online for Daily Reflections in the Spiritual Growth tab at https://www.paloaltocatholic.net/spiritual-growth

To get an online copy of this bulletin either sign up at https://ebulletin.jspaluch.com/ or find our weekly Sunday Bulletin at https://www.paloaltocatholic.net/bulletins

6. Daily Divine Mercy Chaplet With Fr. Maurice

From: Maurice Igboerika <chima...@icloud.com>
Date: March 25, 2020 at 9:56:59 AM PDT
To: Estanislao Mikalonis <estanislao...@dsj.org>
Subject: Zoom meeting invitation - Divine Mercy prayer with Fr Maurice

Maurice Igboerika is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. 

Topic: Divine Mercy prayer with Fr Maurice 
Time: Mar 25, 2020 03:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) (and following) 

Join Zoom Meeting 
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/9436026710 

Meeting ID: 943 602 6710 

Connect and join Fr Maurice every day at 3 pm each day for the  Divine Mercy prayer and Chaplet on livestream. 

See below how to pray the chaplet:

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls,

and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world.
O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy,
envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.

(Repeat 3 times) O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!

Our Father, Hail Mary and the Apostle's Creed

For each of the five decades (On each “Our Father” bead of the rosary, pray)

Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

(On each of the 10 “Hail Mary” beads, pray)
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

We will sing the last decade.

Concluding prayer (Repeat 3 times)
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Closing Prayer
Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself. 

7. Funerals During Sheltering

If you have a death in your family during this sheltering period, please use the emergency number, 1-877-645-2712, to contact one of our priests. Mortuaries can help with burials, but we can't have large funerals in church at this time. There are a few exceptions. Our priests or deacon can also assist with burials. We can also plan a Memorial Mass at a later date. 


8. Parish Meetings Canceled or Postponed

+ Seder Meal is canceled

+ The International Festival is postponed indefinitely

+ Penance Services are canceled (see first article for contacting a priest)

+ Spirituality Tuesday sessions are cancelled until further notice.

+ S.O.U.P. is canceled through March & early April dates.

+ High School Ministry is cancelled until further notice.

+ Confirmation Class is cancelled until further notice. (But students are expected to read the assignments.)

+ TAIZÉ Prayer is canceled through Lent.

+ Other parish meetings may be cancelled or switched to conference calls if possible. Please look for emails or notices for group meetings. 

9. Operation Rice Bowl Is Still Active - Bring Filled Rice Bowls To Pastoral Center

Operation Rice Bowl is a simple way to experience Lenten prayer, fasting and almsgiving and provide great assis tance to many people in need through the work ofCatholic Relief Services. If you picked up a rice bowl at church, you can continue using it. You can also pick one up at the Pastoral Center as long as we are open, call before you come to make sure someone can answer the door. The Rice Bowl reminds you of your commitment to pray and give alms for your brothers and sisters around the world in need during Lent. Bring your rice bowl to Mass on Palm Sunday, if Mass is held (online only) or drop it off at the Pastoral Center. 

10. Updated Information from the Diocese of San Jose

For more updates on coronavirus from the diocese of San Jose, see their website:

https://www.dsj.org/coronavirus/

You can also find links to live or taped video Masses in our area. 

Livestream Mass available on Sunday, April 5 at https://www.facebook.com/DioceseSanJose/
10:00 am English with Bishop Oscar Cantú
11:00 am Spanish with Bishop Oscar Cantú
12:00 pm Vietnamese with Fr. Has Dinh

11. Volunteer Opportunity: Pastoral Home Ministry

I am looking for more volunteers to assist in our Pastoral Home Ministry. If you are interested in bringing Communion to those homebound or in assisted living faculties and nursing homes, contact me at fon...@hotmail.com.

Mary Fong, Pastoral Home Ministry 

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

Our Weekly Stewardship Report is delayed due to the Covid-19 virus pandemic.
Please keep mailing your weekly contributions to the Pastoral Center, 3290 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94306 

          Weekly Goal : $12,000
 
13. Annual Diocesan Appeal 2020

ADA - Our Annual Diocesan Appeal began last weekend. Fr. Stasys hopes that each family discern what kind of a pledge they can offer. Our parish goal is $144,750. This is doable with all parishioners pledging according to their means. Thank you for sharing God's gifts! 

UPDATE: 4/2/20

ADA Goal: $144,750

Pledged: $101,120

# Donors: 167

% of Goal: 70

The 2020 Annual Diocesan Appeal requests your help to meet our parish goal! 

14.  Want To Become A Catholic?

Are you an adult who has been Baptized and received Eucharist but missed the Sacrament of Confirmation? WE WANT YOU!! NOW IS THE TIME!!

It’s time to step forward and complete your initiation into the Catholic Church.  If you are interested in participating or have questions, please contact Susan in the Faith Formation Office or at susanle...@dsj.org. Hoping to see many people step forward to receive this important sacrament that seals our commitment to the Church, completes our Baptismal Grace, and strengthens us with the Holy Spirit.

15. Save the Date - Monday, May 11 - Seton Golf Tournament and Silent & Live Auction

Golfers and Guests - Join us for our 25th Annual Seton Scramble for Students - Monday, May 11th, 2020- a SILVER Anniversary! We hope to be able to continue this tradition, but will let you know.  Non-golfers, please join us also for our fun reception at 4PM. (There’s a suggested donation of $25 for each guest). Tournament Prizes, a Silent and Live Auction and a terrific dinner with a little student entertainment makes for a lovely afternoon on the green by the 18th Hole. All proceeds directly support tuition assistance for students at St. Elizabeth Seton School. Registration at www.setonpaloalto.org  

Questions or to RSVP for the tournament, contact Carmel Caligaris at Devel...@setonpaloalto.org or 650-326- 1258.

(Be sure to take advantage of the Early Bird Pricing before 4/17/20) Any questions or to RSVP for the tournament, Contact Carmel Caligaris at Devel...@setonpaloalto.org or 650-326-1258.


Outside The Parish

16.  Friday, April 10: Live Re-Enactment of Good Friday Events

We invite you to join a live re-enactment of Good Friday events at St. Francis in East Palo Alto. It is a not-to-be-missed experience within a very diverse and loving community.

Good Friday, April 10 at 5:00 pm
Park cars behind St. Francis of Assisi Church
1425 Bay Rd. near University Ave, East Palo Alto, CA

Re-enactment begins in Jack Farrell Park, 2509 Fordham Rd. a short walk from St. Francis 

Procession will walk from park back to St. Francis church where final events will take place. 

17. A Coronavirus Prayer For Medical Workers In The Reform Jewish Tradition 

by Alden Solovy

God of wisdom,
Bless medical scientists and researchers around the world
With insight and skill, dedication and fortitude,
As they combat coronavirus,
So that their work yields knowledge and understanding,
Speedily finding a vaccine, treatments and deterrents to its spread.

Source of life,
Grant public health and government officials
The strength to act swiftly and decisively,
With compassion and understanding,
In service to humankind,
Fighting this outbreak
And the other diseases that still plague the planet,
Diseases threatening the lives of our brothers and sisters,
Nations and communities,
Young and old.
 
Rock of Ages,
Bring an end to disease and suffering,
So that all may know
Your compassion and Your grace.
Praised are You, God, healer of flesh, maker of wonders.

  © 2020 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

(Taken from weekly email from Fr. Jon Pedigo)

18. The Church After Coronavirus: How Our Communities Are Changing

Part 1 of a survey series.    Apr 1, 2020
by Heidi Schlumpf, Michael Sean Winters, Joshua J. McElwee 

This article appears in the Coronavirus feature series. View the full series.

Catholic parishes across the world are closed. Millions of Catholics have been unable to physically take part in the celebration of the Mass for weeks, and they may not be able to again for months.

Simply put, the coronavirus pandemic is fundamentally changing how we do and be church.

What could these changes mean for us in the long-term? How will they affect us in the years to come, well after the initial threat of the pandemic has passed?

Over the past week, NCR surveyed two dozen theologians, social directors, non-profit leaders and pastors, asking them each to consider these questions. We're presenting the answers over the next three days.

Below, we focus on questions of community. In the following days, we'll focus separately on questions of church governance and the church's social mission.


19. Coronavirus Essentials: How The Church Is Applying Public-Health Directives
By Father Raymond J. de Souza
Editor's Note: This article originally ran March 26, 2020. 

One-quarter of the population on planet Earth is living under some kind of state of emergency or lockdown, advised — or mandated — not to leave home except for “essential” services.

It is a clarifying point in the culture. In much of the world, gathering for worship and prayer in churches has been judged “not essential.” Even keeping the churches open for private prayer has been determined in some places to be “not essential.”

This has caused some to criticize bishops who have suspended public worship and others who have closed their churches.

A caveat is in order: A global pandemic is hardly the time for acrimony and accusations in the Body of Christ. It is better to extend the benefit of the doubt and attempt to understand why such decisions were taken.


20. Pope Francis Joins Call For Global Ceasefire In Light Of Coronavirus Pandemic

MARCH 29, 2020 16:15 By JIM FAIR

Pope Francis on March 29, 2020, joined the call for a global ceasefire amid the coronavirus pandemic, stressing the need for constructive dialogue in the search for peace.

His remarks came after praying the noonday Angelus from the Library of the Apostolic Vatican Palace.

“In the past days, the UN Secretary-General launched an appeal to ‘cease the global and immediate fire in all corners of the world,’ recalling the present COVID-19 emergency, which knows no borders – an appeal to total cease-fire,” the Pope said. “I join all those that have listened to this appeal and I invite all to follow it up, halting all forms of warlike hostility, fostering the creation of corridors for humanitarian aid, openness to diplomacy and attention to those that find themselves in a situation of greatest vulnerability.


21.  Presider Schedules for Palm Sunday,  And Sunday Mass Readings

Sunday Mass readings (English):http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/040520.cfm

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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 438 parish families! (closed (bouncing) accounts recently removed). Pass the word! Who will be Family No. 439? 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_franklin@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. 

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