St. Mary Catholic Church www.stmary-wc.org 925-891-8900
Dear Friends, Welcome once again to “Ordinary Time” on the Church calendar! We all know that life is anything but ordinary. This term refers to the counting or numbered weeks of the Liturgical Year and we celebrate this until the sea-son of Lent begins (this year with Ash Wednesday on February 26.) This is a time when we focus on the teaching and preaching of Jesus, and it gives us a perfect opportunity to see how we are growing in our Faith, seeking to learn more about Christ and deepening our relationship with Him as we reach out in service to others. May this time be one of growth and devel-opment for all of us. This week we welcome back Father Darryl Pepin from Bark River in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Needless to say, he is coming out to our “warm” weather and thinks he is going to have some vacation time while he’s here. Please don’t tell him that I have several jobs and projects for him to help with during his stay! When you see him, please give him a warm welcome. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to sneak away here and there to “soak in the colors” of the Wine Country. Have a wonderful week. God bless you. Father Fred
Upcoming Second Collections
January 19 Grotto Grounds February 2 Parish Maintenance February 9 Chapel Maintenance March 1 Parish Maintenance March 22 Catholic Relief Services March 29 St. Vincent de Paul April 5 Easter Flowers May 3 Parish Maintenance May 10 Garden Maintenance May 17 Catholic Charities May 24 Catholic Communications
CALLED TO BE HOLY With this Sunday we begin Ordinary Time. The readings tell us about God’s relationship with Israel and John the Baptist’s relationship with Jesus. Israel’s relationship with God is so close, so inti-mate, that it is through Israel that God’s “salvation [will] reach to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6). But we know from John the Baptist that for Israel to accomplish God’s will, it must also recog-nize that Jesus is the Son of God. During these weeks we also get to know Jesus. We begin to understand more deeply our relationship to Jesus and what that relationship means for us, who are “called to be holy” (1 Corin-thians 1:2). Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.
ORGANIZATIONS CYO, Jerry Florence [email protected] 510-504-5954 Charismatic Prayer Group, Jim Crowley 944-0359 Eucharistic Adoration, Mary Johnstone 954-7205 Finance Council, Brian Mulligan 210-1031 Homebound Ministry, Helene Vizcarra 891-8936 Hospital Ministry, Angeles Ron 856-8780 Knights of Columbus, John Cuddihy 286-4515 Respect Life Ministry, Jim Crowley 944-0359 Rosary Makers, Ana Lau 256-4428 St. Vincent de Paul, Barb Erickson 937-2817 Walking with Purpose, Laura Lencioni 997-4379
MASS TIMES Monday through Friday 6:30 a.m. & 12:05 p.m.
Saturday 8:30 a.m.
Saturday Vigil Mass 4:30 p.m.
Sundays 6:30 a.m. * 8:00 a.m.
9:30 a.m. * 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Spanish
6:00 p.m.
Sacrament of Penance Saturdays 3:30 to 4:15 p.m.
DEVOTIONS
Eucharistic Adoration Mon-Fri 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
First Fridays: all night Saturdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturdays 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Fatima Devotion: First Saturday Hispanic Holy Hour: Other Saturdays
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Saturdays 9:00 a.m.
(at the end of 8:30 Mass)
PARISH OFFICE
2051 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Walnut Creek, CA 94596
OFFICE HOURS
8:30 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M. Monday through Friday
DATE TIME MASS INTENTION
01/18 4:30 pm Joe Hickey
01/19 6:30 am Lucia Dauz
8:00 am Denise Blais Normandeau
9:30 am Lauren McSorley
11:00 am The People of St. Mary Parish
1:00 pm Salvadora Padilla
6:00 pm Marrieta Ricafort
01/20 6:30 am Linda Castro (L)
12:05 pm Daniel Koepke
01/21 6:30 am Ted & Joy Todd (L)
12:05 pm Lea Morrison
01/22 6:30 am Elizabeth Peters (L)
12:05 pm Huquette Howell
01/23 6:30 am Marianne Meinbress (L) B’D’
12:05 pm Grego Family (L)
01/24 6:30 am Gerald Sanders
8:15 am St. Mary School Community
12:05 pm Bianca Garibaldi
01/25 8:30 am Karin Lisboa
MASS SCHEDULE
PRAY FOR THE SICK
Staff and Administration Website: www.stmary-wc.org
Parish Office 891-8900 Fax 934-1358 Fr. Fred Riccio, [email protected] Pastor 891-8900 Fr. John Blaker, 891-8900 In residence Ana Lau, [email protected] Office Manager 891-8908 Aileen Baker, [email protected] Bookkeeper 891-8911
Faith Formation
Mary Kerfs, [email protected] Administrative Assistant 891-8939 Tim Mannix, RCIA & [email protected] Liturgy Coordinator 891-8921 Austin Pisciotto [email protected] Grades 4-8 891-8944 Maureen Tiffany [email protected] Grades K-3 891-8942 Heather Abraham, [email protected] Confirmation 891-8934
School
Office 935-5054 [email protected] Website: www.st-mary.net Alumni: [email protected] Garrett Padia, Principal 935-5054 Advisory Council Joel Williams, President 768-6711 Parents Club Shannon Crvarich, Co-President 949-973-8046 Lisa Kavanagh, Co-President 768-9890
Allison Flamez Margarita Caracas Elsa de Rossi Monica Jara Ana Alvarez Isabel Castillo Susana Jaime Maria Vargas Anthony De Cristoforo Rosalinda Reyes Annabelle Semira Joseph Suta Jeanine Gordon Christine Pollnow Jake Johnston Bill Clark Art Coombes Diane Hewson Tyler Coolie Clarissa Gutierrez
Julia Rodriguez Fred & Emilia Sohn
Raul Gonzalez Helen Budde Raquel Zittel
Dominador Hontucan Quinn Gurnett
Oralee Floria Henry Escano
Mary McLoughlin Angela Regan
Beverly Regan Josefina Zabat
Audry Robinson Loretta Holmes
Nancie Campi Bob Bussani Betty Baker
Victor Miguel Barrios Carol Erikson
Where Do I Go? Where do I go when I’m afraid? A secret place I know Where I am safe in comfort’s arms — This is the place I go… Where do I go when I’m unsure? A special place I’ve found Where I am given answers that Lead me to solid ground… Where do I go when I am sad? A happy place I’ve known These many years — a haven that To no one I have shown… No need for me to be afraid, Nor should I be unsure; No pangs of sadness should I bear — God shares His Love so pure… And I abide with confidence; No doubts assail me there — His shelter all-encompassing — Indeed, His Love foursquare. Henry W. Gurley
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE CRAB FEED
We need volunteers who can assist in the kitchen with prepa-ration. We need two crews of four people each; the first one from 8 am to 12:30 pm, and the other from 4 to 9 pm. Please call Ana Lau at the Parish office if you can help: 925-891-8900.
THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR January 20-26
FF = Faith Formation Center SA = St. Anthony Rm. (near parish hall) SE = St. Elizabeth Hall (Conf. Rm.) SJ = St. Joseph Room SM= St. Michael Room SP = St. Peter Room ST = St. Therese Room
MONDAY, JANUARY 20 7:00 AM Eucharistic Adoration/Chapel TUESDAY, JANUARY 21 7:00 AM Eucharistic Adoration/Chapel 7:00 PM Hispanic Prayer Group/SA 7:00 PM Faith Form. 6th-7th-8th Gr/FF 7:30 PM Choir Practice/Church WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22 7:00 AM Eucharistic Adoration/Chapel 6:45 PM Encounter Youth Group/SJ 7:00 PM Charismatic Prayer/FF-SM
THURSDAY, JANUARY 23 7:00 AM Eucharistic Adoration/Chapel 4:00 PM Faith Formation 4th-5th Gr/SE 7:00 PM Hispanic Prayer Group/Church 7:00 PM Young Adults/SA FRIDAY, JANUARY 24 7:00 AM Eucharistic Adoration/Chapel 7:00 PM Hisp. Choir Practice/SA
SATURDAY, JANUARY 25 8:00 AM Men’s Prayer Group/FF-SM 9:00 AM Eucharistic Adoration/Chapel SUNDAY, JANUARY 26 9:30 AM Faith Formation K-3rd/FF 10:30 AM RCIA/FF-SJ 11:00 AM Hispanic Faith Form./FF 4:00 PM Band Practice/Church
Play That One Again
How many times have you sung the church song, “Here I Am, Lord”? If you grew up Catholic and are around my age (still 50!), the answer is more than you can count. The song that quotes various verses of Scripture is sung using guitar, piano, or organ, by cantors and choirs, in traditional and modern churches. It is truly a Catholic greatest hit of the modern Church. The question is how many times when singing the refrain have you really taken to heart what you were singing. “Here I am, Lord; is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.” Like the biblical figure Samuel, we are responding to the call of God by asking for clarification that we are indeed the one being called. We then follow up the question with a profound statement: “I will go if You lead me.” It is profound because we are pledging to our God that we are willing to go wherever He wants. We are accepting the challenge put forth in the U.S. Bishops’ pastoral letter, “Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response,” to become mature disciples who respond to the call of Jesus Christ regardless of the cost. We have sung this pledge repeatedly for many years. We never have any idea what God will call us to do and where to go. Sometimes the request can ask us for quite a lot. Hopefully, we respond like a mature disciple. If not, maybe we should reflect more the next time this song is played. The melody will not allow for the words, “I will see if I am busy and then decide to go if you lead me.” Then again, I don’t want to sing that to God, the source of all life anyway. Do you? — Tracy Earl Welliver, MTS ©LPi
Order forms available in parish office & church vestibule
Parish offices will be closed on Mon-day, January 20, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Retrouvaille... A lifeline for marriages Do you feel lost, frustrated, hurt, or angry with your spouse? Retrouvaille helps married couples heal and renew their marriages. The next Week-end Program will take place February 21-23. For more information or to register, visit our web-site at HelpOurMarriage.com or contact Gus & Edda Rivera at (510) 709-6063. Our Weekends transform marriages!
PURIFIED!
Don’t miss this in-credible event for all families, ages 13 and up.
PURIFIED! will take place Sunday, March 1, 2020, 7-9pm, at St. Vincent-St. Patrick High School in Vallejo, and will feature interna-tional speaker and author Jason Evert, who has spoken to more than one million teens on the topic of chastity. The event will include a presentation for teens and parents about dating relationships, and God’s plan for human love, fol-lowed by a time for Adoration and Reconciliation. All families are strongly encouraged not to miss this INCREDIBLE opportunity! Each tick-et is only $20 per person and in-cludes Chastity Project Materials for each attendee. Registration and ticket purchase is available online at www.chastity.com/purified. For more information con-tact Ana Jaime 707-280-0717.
1500 Benicia Rd., Vallejo
Walk for Life West Coast This Saturday, January 25 Join 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. There will be Mass at 9:30AM at St. Mary’s Cathedral celebrated by Arch-bishop Alexander Sample from Port-land, OR. The rally begins at 12:30PM 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.
MARRIED COUPLES RETREAT Presented by Fr. Rusty Shaughnessy, OFM &
Richard and Karla Obernesser
February 7-9, 2020
www.sandamiano.org 925-837-9141
“I’ll take care of me for you, You take care of you for me.”
Open House Sun, January 26
at 10:30 am
Applications TK/K due
January 31
THE VINEYARD St. Mary Church
YOUTH MINISTRY (K-12) LITTLE SAINTS Kinder - 3rd Sunday 9:30am - 11:00am
ROCK 4th - 5th Grade Thursday 4:00pm - 5:30pm
BLAST 6th Grade Tuesday 7:00pm - 8:30pm
EDGE 7th - 8th Grade Tuesday 7:00pm - 8:30pm
CONFIRMATION Call for info
YOUTH GROUP 9th - 12th Grade Wednesday 6:50pm - 8:30pm
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry Office 925-891-8939 [email protected] Sunday– Thursday 8:30—5:30pm
Catequesis en español Ages 6-13yrs Sunday 11:15am - 12:45pm
Disciples in Training
Faith Formation
Youth Ministry
Sunday, January 19, 2020
GOT CONFIRMATION? Do you have a 9th-12th grade teen that could
be ready for our Summer Confirmation Program? If so, contact the Faith Formation
Office to find out what’s next!
Email: [email protected] Phone: 925-891-8939
FIRST RECONCILIATION RETREAT DATES St. Mary School
Monday, Jan. 27 12:30pm - 2:00pm
Meet in Faith Formation
St. Mary Faith Formation Saturday, Feb. 1
2:15pm - 4:15pm Meet in Faith Formation
HIGH SCHOOL TEENS REGISTER NOW FOR SEMESTER 2!
Encounter High School Youth Group meets
Wednesdays, 6:50pm—8:30pm in the St. Elizabeth Hall!
Visit the Encounter H.S. Webpage at: stmary-wc.org
and click on “Grow In Faith”
LECTURAS DE LA SEMANA Lunes: 1 Sm 15:16-23; Sal 50 (49):8- 9, 16bc-17, 21, 23; Mc 2:18-22 Martes: 1 Sm 16:1-13; Sal 89 (88):20-22, 27-28; Mc 2:23-28 Miércoles: 1 Sm 17:32-33, 37, 40-51; Sal 144 (143):1b, 2, 9-10; Mc 3:1-6 Jueves: 1 Sm 18:6-9; 19:1-7; Sal 56 (55):2-3, 9-13; Mc 3:7-12 Viernes: 1 Sm 24:3-21; Sal 57 (56):2-4, 6, 11; Mc 3:13-19 Sábado: Hch 22:3-16 o Hch 9:1-22; Sal 117 (116):1bc, 2; Mc 16:15-18 Domingo: Is 8:23 — 9:3; Sal 27 (26):1, 4, 13-14; 1 Cor 1:10-13, 17; Mt 4:12-23 [12-17]
FECHAS IMPORTANTES Enero 19, Clase 11:15am Enero 26, Clase 11:15am
Febrero 2, NO HAY CLASE
925)357-3048 [email protected]
¡Aparta la Fecha! Retiro
Febrero 20-23, 2020
Padre Rafael Chávez
Para más información 925-856-8780 Ángeles
El anuncio profético de Juan Bautista continua; el domingo pasado con la Fiesta del Bautis-mo del Señor él decía no mere-cer desatarle las correas de sus sandalias. Hoy anuncia otra im-portante profecía: “Este es el Cordero de Dios, el que quita el pecado del mundo.” Y el Evan-gelio continúa narrando la gran-deza del Hijo de Dios por medio de Juan, quedando su testimonio hasta nuestros días: “Aquel sobre quien veas que ba-ja y se posa el Espíritu Santo, ése es el que ha de bautizar con el Espíritu Santo.” Juan revela que Jesús es el Cordero de Dios que será sacrificado para el perdón de todos los pecados del mundo y que Él es Dios que bautizará con el Espíritu Santo. También el Evangelio revela dos cosas importantes sobre el Bautismo: el Bautismo con agua nos lava, limpia del pecado; el Bautismo con el Espíritu Santo nos ayuda a conocer íntimamente quién es Jesús. Los Sacra-mentos son misterios que nos ayudan a relacionarnos y conocer al Cordero de Dios. La enseñanza de la Liturgia de hoy es que el Bau-tismo no es un simple evento ritual que hacen los padres al bautizar a sus hijos, sino que es el inicio de la jornada de toda la vida; es el proceso de con-versión de cada bautizado. En la Eucaristía, afirma-mos nuestra fe en el Cordero de Dios cuando el sa-cerdote dice, “Este es el Cordero de Dios, que quita el pecado del mundo. Dichosos los invitados a la cena del Señor.” ¿Qué relación existe entre el Cordero de Dios y nuestro Bautismo? ©LPi
La segunda colecta de hoy es para el mante-nimiento de la Gruta de la Virgen. Gracias por su ayuda.