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St. Stephen ParishSaintStephenSF.org | 451 Eucalyptus Dr., San Francisco CA 94132 | Church 415 681-2444 StStephenSchoolSF.org | 401 Eucalyptus Dr., San Francisco 94132 | School 415 664-8331
Weekday Mass: 8:00 a.m. Reconciliation: Saturday 3:30 p.m. or by appt. Vigil Mass Saturday 4:30 p.m., Sunday Mass 8:00, 9:30, 11:30 a.m. & 6:45 p.m.
Our Mission Statement We are a Catholic Community that is called by God to follow Jesus Christ. We believe that we are called to worship God together, to lead God's people along the path of hope laid down by Jesus, to share his message through preaching, through the education and formation of our people, young and old, and through caring ser-vice and sensitive outreach to those in need Rev. Tony P. LaTorre, Pastor
The Second Sunday of Advent
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. This is John the Baptist’s nine-word, takeaway message. In many ways, the best homily ever! And seemingly without much trouble or extensive explanation – at least, we are not privy to it in Scripture if it did exist – large numbers of people hear and heed his direction. People from all over a significant geographical area come to him, repent and are baptized as they acknowledged their sins.
Why? Granted, the people of that time had a sense of urgency about the kingdom of heaven, believing it to indicate the beginning of the end of the world. So they came. Hence also the Pharisees and Sadducees: who showed up more with the in-tention of fleeing from the coming wrath than actually producing fruit of their repentance. More important, John was the one whom Isaiah foretold, and his preaching resonated with the people of Judea. They listened. They listened because, ultimately, the message was not about him, but the One to come.
And there is something else important in this story. Perhaps it is not as obvious or is maybe less considered: There is no expiration date to John’s message; to his invitation; to his, if we really think about it, command. There was no “be here by 6 p.m. because we’re locking the doors” added on to his exhortation. There is no Scripture passage in which God rescinds this invitation made
through John the Baptist.
That’s because the One who follows John, the One to whom John points, is the Son who comes to reconcile us, finally and forever, to the Father. He himself is the kingdom of heaven at hand. He is the invitation. And he, too, tells us to repent – and to follow him. And so far, through God’s mercy and grace, human beings have had that opportunity for 2,000 years.
That we are here, together, worshiping the God who invites us to eternal life means that we’ve paid at least some attention to the message. In our baptism, and brought to completion in our confirmation, we have the fullness of the Holy Spirit which binds us to the Father and the Son. We have the fruit and gifts of the Spirit, and God’s grace to help us as we strive to follow Christ.
Yet John’s message is no less urgent for us today, because just like the people of Judea, we know not the hour or day of Christ’s return. So thank God that he does not ever revoke this invitation! Because, despite the tools God gives us, we still fall short: we sin; we fail to change what we need to change. Therefore, we still need to repent when it is called for. And God, in his infinite mercy and love, rejoices in this reconciliation. He encourages us in [our] harmony with one another, and our keeping with Christ Jesus, as Paul says.
This is the Good News we proclaim. The kingdom of heaven is at hand, and we have a small taste of its fullness here in our celebration of the Mass, and by our partaking of the Eucha-rist. God is truly good. Father Tony LaTorre
LITURGY AND LIFE • What do you need to set right with God this Advent? With friends, family or coworker? • Where in your life do you hear John the Baptist calling for a change of heart? • Who needs to be welcomed by you?
Archbishop’s Annual Appeal
So many of you have responded over the past months to share your treasure with the Annual Appeal and we are most grateful. Your sharing helps the many ministries that assist parishes throughout the Archdiocese, in-cluding our own. Our list of generous donors has exceeded the space in our bulletin, and that’s a good thing! From here on in, will print, each week, the “new” donors. A complete, up-to-date listing of donors will always be posted on the bulletin board in the vestibule. (Fr. Tony)
Please keep up the good work! Our required “tax” - $92,685.00; Received to date: - $81,160.00; Balance due: $ 9,525.00
(as of 11/19/19)
Save the date!
Saturday, February 1,2020 After 4:30pm mass @ Donworth Hall
Join us in our 9-Day Christmas Novena!
December 16-24, 2019, 6:00 a.m. daily St. Stephen Church
Additional Thoughts from the Scripture
We need to prepare for Christ’s coming by allowing him to be reborn daily in our lives: Advent is the time for us to make this preparation by repenting of our sins, and renewing our lives through prayer, penance, and sharing our bless-ings with others. Let us remember the oft-repeated words of Alexander Pope: "What does it profit me if Jesus is reborn in thousands of cribs all over the world and not reborn in my heart?" He means that Jesus must be reborn in our heart, during this season of Advent, and every day of our lives, bringing us love, kindness, mercy, forgiveness and the spirit of humble service. We need to accept John’s call for a change of life. John the Baptist, the stern and uncompromising preacher, challeng-es our superficial attempts at change, demanding that we take a deeper look. Obeying the commandments is a good start, but we must also examine our relationships with others. We must mend ruptures and soothe frictions, face family responsibilities, work honestly, and treat employees justly. Start where you are, John says. Our domestic and so-cial lives must be put in order. John's voice is sober and runs counter to the intoxicating voices around us today. He calls for rectitude and social consciousness. We must abandon our selfish thirst for consumption and, instead, be filled with the expectation of Jesus' coming. Therefore, following John's advice, let us celebrate the memory of this first advent, prepare for Jesus’ new advent in our lives, and wait for his second advent at the end of the world.
We need to wait prayerfully for the second advent of Jesus. John’s answer as to how the Jews should wait for the Messiah was that they should wait for the Lord with repentant hearts and reformed lives. We can start by praying from the heart. Let us remember that the Holy Mass is the most powerful of prayers because it transforms us into Eucharistic people, providing the living presence of Jesus in our hearts and his divine life in our souls. Conversion is through Jesus whom we encounter, mainly, through the Holy Scripture and the Sacraments. The Word and the Sacraments are the principal means God uses to give life to men's souls. Daily reconciliation with God, as we ask and receive His pardon for our daily sins and make our monthly sacramental confession, make us strong and enable us to receive more grace in the Eucharist. Let us read the Bible, pray the Rosary daily and fast once a week all year-round, rather than just during Advent and Lent. After all, we sin all year-round, so let us fast also all year-round by controlling our senses. We could take some time before Mass to adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and we should practice forgiving those who offend us. Finally, let us share our love with others as selfless and humble service. "Do small things but with great love,” ad-vise St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa).
Living Stewardship Now
“The Sound of Stillness”
There is so much busyness at this time of year, so much noise. Can you hear the voice over the racket? John the Baptist, in today’s Gospel reading, says we must change ourselves. A great light is going to appear that will expose our sinfulness and burn up in fire what we cannot hide. We cannot afford to be complacent and think we are doing fine as we are. Change is a great idea, you think, but how do I do that? Sixteen hundred years ago a young man grew up in what is now Algeria, on the north coast of Africa. He was the child of a Chris-tian mother and a pagan father. They gave him an excellent education, but as a youth he fell in
with a sect called the Manichees, who encouraged sexual promiscuity, drunkenness, and many other vices. In his autobi-ography he tells us that he reached a point in his life when he had no beliefs and neither the prayers of his mother nor the urgings of his best friend to become a Christian seemed to have any effect. He prayed to God to change him, “but not yet.” Finally, he stopped and realized his own limited ability, his emptiness and his powerlessness. He could do nothing through his own efforts. At that point he was quiet enough to hear the “still small voice.” God said, “Take up and read,” and the scriptures fell open to a passage in the Letter to the Romans (13:13–14). His heart was changed. His name is Augustine and he became a bishop, a great Christian theologian, a doctor of the Church. Advent is a time to slow down, to be quieter, and to listen more carefully, or we might miss the personal message that God has for us.
Spend some time in a quiet place. Use the silence to ask what God is waiting to tell you this Advent.
HOSPITALITY MINISTERS for our 9:30 a.m. Mass
Today, Dec. 8 - Charlotte Bautista Sunday, Dec. 15 - Rae Gonzlez Sunday, Dec. 22 - Volunteer
Monday, Dec. 9 8:00 a.m. † Mari-Carmen Rosado (By:John & Lalo Ruehle)
Tuesday, Dec. 10 8:00 a.m. † Francisca Galura (By: Angeles Family)
Wednesday, Dec. 11 8:00 a.m. † Guillermo Francisco (By: Gil & Vicky Francisco)
Thursday, Dec. 12 St. Stephen Parishioners Sp. Int. 8:00 a.m (By: Fr. Tony)
Friday, Dec. 13 8:00 a.m. † Beatrice Abraham (By: Carolyn Yiu) Saturday, Dec. 14
8:00 a.m. † Mila Espina (By: Dorothy Over) 4:30 p.m. Aikan & Melody Sp. Int. (By: Papa & Mama) Sunday, Dec. 15 8:00 a.m † Marygrace Dunn (By: Marianne Daly) 9:30 a.m. † Patricia Cauterucci (By: Fr. Tony) 11:30 a.m. † Dolores & Gerald Murphy (By: Murphy Family) 6:45 p.m. † Lorraine Arata McCue (By: Past Parishioner)
P lease pray for the sick and homebound of our communi-
ty and for all those written in our book of the sick. May they know
the healing touch of Jesus. Vaughn Jones, Leanna Mossi, Anna Casaratto,
Peter Dalton, Elena Amaya, Edileide Jose Barbosa, Kenneth Fambrini, Larry Barbiere, Carol Dominguez, Eden Finn, Marc Gutierres, Kevin King, Marla Moso,
Juan Pablo Grover-Paez, Betty Rodriguez, Joel Rivera, Nenita Sangalang, Joseph Tren,
Anna M Thompson, Gwendolyn Walsh Jovita & Richard Thompson,
Please call the office to add or remove names. of people that we should pray for this month .
or should remain on this list longer .
Monday, Dec. 9 12:00 p.m. 50+ Club/Hall 4:00 p.m. Faith Formation/Church 5:00 p.m. BCSFYAO Basketball/Gym Tuesday, Dec. 10 11:00 a.m. School Lunch/Hall 7:00 p.m. Choir Practice/Church Wednesday, Dec. 11 11:00 a.m. School Lunch/Hall 7:00 p.m. St. Vincent de Paul/Conf. Rm. Thursday, Dec. 12 11:00 a.m. School Lunch/Hall Friday, Dec. 13 7:00 p.m. GA Meeting/EC Saturday, Dec. 14 10:30 a.m. Men’s Club/Hall Sunday, Dec. 15 9:45 a.m. BCSFYAO Basketball/Gym 10:30 a.m. Pancake Breakfast/Hall
Second Collection Next Weekend Second collections will be taken at all masses December
14 & 15 for: Parish Subsidy
SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES
Sunday: Second Sunday of Advent Monday: Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Tuesday: International Human Rights Day Wednesday: St. Damasus I Thursday: Our Lady of Guadalupe Friday: St. Lucy Saturday: St. John of the Cross
TODAY’S READINGS
First Reading — He shall bring justice for the afflicted; the earth shall overflow with the knowledge of the LORD (Isaiah 11:1-10).
Psalm — Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever (Psalm 72).
Second Reading — Glorify God by living in harmony with one another, welcoming each other as Christ wel-comed you (Romans 15:4-9).
Gospel — Produce good fruit worthy of your baptism; repent, for the reign of God is near (Matthew 3:1-12).
Stewardship: A Way of Life Sunday Collection: 12/1/19 $ 6,436.41
We thank our parishioners who return their gifts with a loving and generous increase to God
This Week, December 8 The Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception is the doctrine that Mary, conceived in the normal way through an act of love by her mother and father (Saint Joachim and Saint Anne), was born free of original sin and its effects from the first moment of her existence. This special favor was conferred on her because of her role in God’s plan for our salva-tion. Historically, this doctrine has sometimes been misunderstood as the conception of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit in the feast we know as the Annunciation. Instead, the Immaculate Conception celebrates the special gift of God’s grace to Mary because she was to be the mother of Jesus. God’s chosen agent to bring about our salvation. We hail Mary in faith and pray-er because she is “full of grace” and because “the Lord is with her.” In other words, Mary was filled with God’s life well before the Messiah was conceived in her womb……. After consulting with the bishops of the Church, Pope Pius IX first solemnly defined the doctrine of the Immac-ulate Conception in 1854 in the Apostolic Constitution Ineffabilis Deus. . . . . . . . The Immaculate Conception has the distinction of being one of only two formal Church dogmas to be solemnly defined by the full teaching au-thority of popes rather than general Councils. This means that the Immaculate Conception has been solemnly de-fined as an infallible teaching to be believed by the whole Church. We not only believe that this is our truth, but we also try to imitate the meaning of this truth. While we honor Mary for the privilege of being the one without sin, we also try to be like her in becoming faithful bearers of Christ in the world. As we strive for greater integrity in our words and actions, like Mary we allow God to work in us to help us transform our world into one of greater justice and love. Thus we imitate Mary and become the kind of disciples that Jesus praises in the Gospels: “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it. ‘ (Luke11:28).
Examples from “Life” One of my favorite Christmas stories is O Henry's short
story, “The Gift of The Magi.” You are all familiar with it. It is a story about a desperately poor young couple liv-ing in New York around the turn of the last century. Nei-ther had money sufficient to buy a gift for the other so they each secretly went out and sold something of worth. He sold his prized pocket watch to get her decorative combs for her long hair. When he presented them to her she removed her scarf to reveal that she had had her hair clipped and sold to purchase a chain for his pocket watch. The thrust of the story is obvious. It is not what you give that is important, but the sharing spirit of love with which it is given.
I am sure you are familiar with the amazing story of the migration of the monarch butterfly, a lovely little creature who blesses our gardens and forests in the summer. Every autumn, millions of monarchs from all over the eastern United States and Canada migrate thousands of miles to a small handful of sites in Mexico where they rest for the winter. Then in the spring, they begin their return trip to the north. The amazing thing is that no individual mon-arch ever makes the trip to Mexico and back. A butterfly that leaves the Adirondack Mountains in New York will fly all the way to Mexico and spend the winter. In March, it begins the trip northward, but after laying eggs in the milkweed of Texas and Florida, it will die. Those butter-flies will continue northward, laying eggs along the way until some of them, maybe three or four generations re-moved from the original, make it back to mountains of New York. But when August comes, they will head south, aiming for the exact place their great grandparents visited, a place they have never been. Sue Haplern says: "The monarchs always migrate in community and depend on each other. Although a single monarch may make it from New York to Mexico, it is the next generation who completes the journey." Now here is the word for the Church. She says: "No one completes the Advent journey solo. It is only as a community that we discover the full-ness of God's plan for us."
In John Steinbeck's story, "The Wayward Bus," a dilap-idated old bus takes a cross-country shortcut on its jour-ney to Los Angeles, and gets stuck in the mud. While the drivers go for assistance, the passengers take refuge in a cave. It is a curious company of people, and it is obvious that the author is attempting to get across the point that these people are lost spiritually as well as literally. As they enter into this cave, the author calls the reader's at-tention to the fact that, as they enter, they must pass a word that has been scrawled with paint over the entrance. The word is repent. Although Steinbeck calls that to the reader's attention, it is interesting that none of the passen-gers pays any attention to it whatsoever. All too often, this is our story. Yet, John the Baptist calls upon us to take our sinning seriously. Why? Because God does.
St. Stephen Men’s Club Proudly Presents
2019 ANNUAL HOLIDAY PANCAKE BREAKFAST
Sunday, December 15 At Donworth Hall
following our 9:30 a.m. Mass Please return the bottom of this form with
your payment to the school office by
Thursday, December 12.
Family Name: ____________________________ No. of Adults : ______ x $25/ea. = $___________ No. of Children: _____ x $5/ea. = $___________ Total Amount: $________________
Please make checks payable to St. Stephen Men’s Club. Thank You
St. Stephen Giving Tree
Please help someone less fortunate by tak-ing an ornament off the Christmas trees lo-cated in the vestibule of the church. By tak-ing an ornament for an adult in need, you will be making their Christmas brighter. For most of these adults, this may be the only
gift they will receive. The gifts will be going to home-less adults at a homeless shelter St. Peter’s helps support (Dolores Shelter) and to St. Martin’s de Porres. Please return your wrapped gift and tape the ornament to the outside of your package by December 18th. Thank you for your kindness and generosity.
CHRISTMAS FLOWERS As we prepare for the solemnity of Christmas, we look forward to the joy of the birth of Christ. We hope to ex-press our joy by filling the church with a bountiful dis-play of Poinsettias/Christmas flowers. If you would like to have one or more Poinsettia/ Christ-mas flower placed in the church in memory of loved ones, or to honor someone special, please fill out this form and return to the O’Reilly Parish Office by
Monday, December 23
I would like to have a Poinsettia /Christmas flower placed in the church in loving memory of:
…………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………
In honor of………………………………………….
My name is …………………………………………...
Phone no. ……………….…………………..
Enclosed is $20.00 to cover the cost of each Poin-settia/Christmas Flower.
This Week, December 12
Our Lady of Guadalupe
On December 9, 1531, the Indian peasant Juan Diego saw a young Aztec woman, surrounded by light, on the slopes of the hill of Tepeyac near Mexi-co City. The young woman asked for a church to be built there in her honor, and from her words Diego recognized her as the Virgin Mary. . . . . . . . Juan Diego went and told the local bishop of Mary’s request but the bishop asked Diego for a sign to prove she was truly the Virgin Mary. Upon returning, Mary again ap-peared to Diego and asked him to gather roses from the hill. It was winter and no flowers bloomed, but on the hilltop Diego indeed found roses, and the Virgin herself arranged them in his tilma, or peasant cloak. Mary tied the corners of the tilma behind Diego’s neck so the roses would not spill and assured him that the bishop would believe all that he would tell him. Diego returned to the bishop and when he opened his cloak, the roses spilled out. But more than roses, Mary had impressed her glori-ous image on the front of Diego’s tilma. Today Diego’s tilma is on display in Mexico City’s Basilica of Our La-dy of Guadalupe. . . . . . . . In Mary’s encounter with Juan Diego we can understand more clearly the truth of who he is, who she is, and who God is. Like those who en-counter Jesus in the Gospels, he is a peasant, one of the many landless poor who work hard so the rich can live more easily. Yet Mary, who appears as a dark-skinned peasant woman like him, injects herself into his world and thus into the cares and concerns of the peasants and their lives. Her directive to “build a church” requires more than the construction of a building, but echoes God’s dream proclaimed by Jesus of a new kingdom or society in which all will share the right relationships with one another. This message is indeed the message that has spread throughout Central and South America as the peasant people struggle today to build a church – a community of disciples who are the people of God.
Our warmest welcome to all who celebrate with us.
You can sign up or update your information by completing this form & placing it in the collection basket, by mailing it to the Parish Office, by phone at 681-2444 or online at www.saintstephensf.org
Name _________________________________________________________________________________
Complete Address _________________________________________ City/Zip ___________________
Phone _________________________ Email _________________________________________________
I am interested in assisting with the Parish in the following way(s): Acolyte/Altar Service, Altar Society, Children’s Liturgy of the Word, Greeter/Usher, Hospitality after Mass/Special Events, Holy Communion Ministers to the Homebound, Music/Choir, Lector/Holy Communion Ministers, Parish Front Office Volunteer. Weekly Sunday envelopes , circle one: Yes No, but commit to participate thru Online Giving
PASTORAL STAFF
Rev. Tony P. LaTorre Pastor, ext.1
Mrs. Sharon McCarthy Allen School Principal
Carol P Cagalingan Parish Manager, ext. 3
Rev. Mr. Olet Abad Permanent Deacon
Mary Molly Mullaney Faith Formation Coordinator, ext. 4 [email protected]
Shay Ingelfinger
Event Center Coordinator, ext.7 [email protected]
Rhonda Smith Music & Liturgy Coordinator, ext. 8
Teresa Devincenzi Bookkeeper, ext.5
Ed Prete Bulletin Editor, ext. 6
ST STEPHEN PARISH 2019-2020
ORGANIZATION/MINISTRY CONTACT PERSON
• Altar Servers Giovanna Hrvatin • Altar Society Joan Leehane • Bridge Group Helen Perlite • Caritas Nellie Hizon • Church Hospitality Mary Molly Mullaney • Communion Ministers Rhonda Smith • Faith Formation Mary Molly Mullaney • Fifty Plus Club Helga D’Arcy • Finance Council Laura Birsinger • Grief Support Clergy • Lectors Rhonda Smith • Liturgy Committee Fr. Tony • Marriage Preparation Clergy • Men’s Club Andrew Hazard • Music Rhonda Smith • Parish Council Vicky Francisco • RCIA Mary Molly Mullaney • St. Stephen Book Club Mary Molly Mullaney • St. Vincent de Paul Julie O’Callaghan • Ushers Bob Anthony • Women’s Guild Courtney Kilroy Rose O’Driscoll
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