St. Felicitas Catholic Church 1662 Manor Blvd. San Leandro ● Email: [email protected]Tel.No. (510) 351-5244 ● Fax (510) 351-5730 Dec. 22, 2013 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT www.stfelicitassl.org Parish Staff Rev. Augustine Joseph 286 Parochial Administrator Rev. Thomas Khue Parochial Vicar 297 Rev Tran T Dinh , (In Residence) Vietnamese Ministry 351-5221 Jose Prado Deacon (Retired) Mercey Zamora, Pastoral Assoc. Spanish Ministry 347-1293 Sr. Bernadette Nguyen 347-1283 Vietnamese Community Sr. Ancilla Marie 347-1282 Pastoral Care Sr. Magdalena Duong, 347-1287 Ministry Sister Cecilia Chuong-Phan, Altar Servers 357-2530 Sharon Clancey 281 Office Secretary/Receptionist Clare Zipp, Bulletin 284 Religious Education Office Sandi Walton—DRE 483-4880 Fax: 483-2626 [email protected]Convent 351-5577 St. Vincent DePaul 706-1972 Mass Schedule: Sunday 7:30am, 9:00am, 10:30am 12:15(Spanish) 4:30pm(Vietnamese) Saturday 8:15am, 4:30pm (Vigil) Daily (Mon-Fri) 7:00am, 8:15am Holy Days 7:00am, 8:15am, 7:00pm 1st Friday Exposition 12:30 - 4:45pm Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturday, 3:15 to 4:00pm or by appointment Baptism 4th Sunday of every month 2:00pm Contact Parish Office for information. Marriage Arrangements to be made 6 months prior to the wedding Parish Office Hours Mon-Thurs 9:00am-4:30 pm Fri .8:30am - 12:30pm Sun. 8:30am - 12:00 pm Parish School 357-2530 Meghan Anne Jorgensen Principal 1650 Manor Blvd. Fax: 357-5358 Emergency (during non-office hours) 875-9163 .
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St. Felicitas Catholic Church 1662 Manor Blvd. San Leandro ● Email: [email protected]
Tel.No. (510) 351-5244 ● Fax (510) 351-5730
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Parish Staff Rev. Augustine Joseph 286 Parochial Administrator Rev. Thomas Khue Parochial Vicar 297 Rev Tran T Dinh , (In Residence) Vietnamese Ministry 351-5221 Jose Prado Deacon (Retired) Mercey Zamora, Pastoral Assoc. Spanish Ministry 347-1293 Sr. Bernadette Nguyen 347-1283 Vietnamese Community Sr. Ancilla Marie 347-1282 Pastoral Care Sr. Magdalena Duong, 347-1287 Ministry Sister Cecilia Chuong-Phan, Altar Servers 357-2530 Sharon Clancey 281 Office Secretary/Receptionist Clare Zipp, Bulletin 284 Religious Education Office Sandi Walton—DRE 483-4880 Fax: 483-2626 [email protected] Convent 351-5577 St. Vincent DePaul 706-1972
Mass Schedule: Sunday 7:30am, 9:00am, 10:30am 12:15(Spanish) 4:30pm(Vietnamese) Saturday 8:15am, 4:30pm (Vigil) Daily (Mon-Fri) 7:00am, 8:15am Holy Days 7:00am, 8:15am, 7:00pm 1st Friday Exposition 12:30 - 4:45pm Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturday, 3:15 to 4:00pm or by appointment Baptism 4th Sunday of every month 2:00pm Contact Parish Office for information. Marriage Arrangements to be made 6 months prior to the wedding Parish Office Hours Mon-Thurs 9:00am-4:30 pm Fri .8:30am - 12:30pm Sun. 8:30am - 12:00 pm Parish School 357-2530 Meghan Anne Jorgensen Principal 1650 Manor Blvd. Fax: 357-5358 Emergency (during non-office hours) 875-9163
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Fourth Sunday of Advent December 22, 2013
THEY SHALL NAME HIM EMMANUEL,
WHICH MEANS “GOD IS WITH US.”
Matthew 1:23
No room in the Inn A Christmas candle is a beautiful thing; It makes no noise at all, But softly gives itself away; While quite unselfish, it grows small.
Mary and Joseph were very average folks. They were required to travel to Bethlehem for census. Mary was in advanced stage of pregnancy. On reaching Bethlehem, they looked for accommoda-tions; no one welcomed them. They had to seek shelter in a cave, outside the city limits, a shelter used by animals. The Savior of the world, the Messiah, was born in a stable! Christmas is a time for us to reach out to our brothers and sisters in need. We help others not out of our abundance or because we have plenty. True sharing is giving ‘the widow’s mite’; giving what we need, sharing the little we have. Christmas is a time for us to be mindful of others. Just as Christ who came to serve and not to be served, we are invited to help one another – care for the elderly, the sick, those who are lonely and the less fortunate among us. Open our hearts and our homes and share a Christmas Dinner with someone who has no one to care for; or inviting a Stanger to share the Christmas joy is truly making “room in the Inn.” Christmas invites us to be polite to one another. It is a time of great stress and tension for many people. Shopping, buying gifts, cooking meals, planning parties, etc. can set people on edge. One can become coarse and ill-mannered. But Christmas is a season of caring, sharing, forgiveness, and politeness; a season filled with love for God and love for our neighbor, which makes it “the most beautiful time of the year.” In the Church, in our parking lots, at home or in shopping centers be kind and considerate to-ward one another. When we are polite and considerate we become messengers of the real Spirit of Christmas. It is a time for us to open the floodgates of our goodness and charity that everyone may partake of the milk of kindness and love. There is enough room in the Inn for everyone! No matter what you do, do it for the glory of God and you are sure to be successful in all your endeavors. Merry Christmas to you and all those around you. Happy New Year 2014.
STEWARDSHIP Last Week’s Stewardship went to: SPRED This Week’s Stewardship will go to: Alameda County Food Bank
EMMANUEL To name someone or something means that we have a relationship with that entity. Family names identify us with our heritage; nicknames denote familiarity or a special bond. In the Old Testament, the meaning of a name ran deep. It identified one’s mission, even one’s very being. The amazing name “Emmanuel” was first uttered by Isaiah as he described to the fright-ened King Ahaz the promised one who would come to redeem the people. Emmanuel is not a frightening philosophical name, such as Om-nipotent, Omniscient, Almighty. It does not con-note distance and transcendence. It does not generate reverential fear. The name Emmanuel implies closeness and intimacy and compassion. Emmanuel is the name given to the one who is coming. It means “God is with us.” God is entrusted to the care of a virgin, who will bear this child. Only God would be so compassionate to draw so near, to be so available and vulnerable. Only God could love this well.
CHRISTMAS A young mother, her eyes shining with fa-tigue, who is arranging her hair; a father who finds himself alone with his pretty wife and baby, straightening the stable to make him-self useful in some way; shepherds who bring cheese and perhaps also some curdled milk; sheep who look at their shepherds while bleating; a donkey who is eyeing his manger changed into a cradle; an adorable swaddled baby whom one calls Savior, Christ and Lord: This is the manifestation of the goodness and the tenderness of God. This is the most fantastic birth in the history of humanity, the one which changed the face of the world! This is how far God humbled and compromised himself with us! This is Emmanuel!
CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE CHRISTMAS EVE 5:00 pm Children’s Mass 7:00 pm English Mass 9:00 pm Vietnamese Mass 11:30 pm Christmas Carols 12:00 am Midnight Mass
CHRISTMAS DAY 7:30 am English Mass 10:30 am English Mass 12:15 pm Spanish Mass 4:30 pm Vietnamese Mass NO 9:00 am Mass NEW YEAR’S DAY—Holy Day of obligation 8:00 am and 9:30 am English Masses
Mass Intentions Dec. 22 thru Dec. 29 Sun.12/22 7:30 am Ramona Balagot † 9:00 am Richard Saunders † 10:30 amTeresa Hoa Tran † 12:15 pm Mon. 12/23 7:00 am Arinea Mangahas † 8:15 am Earl Granahan † Tues 12/24 Christmas Eve 5:00 pm Honorato Legaspi † 7:00 pm Harry Lema † 12:00 am Parishioners Wed. 12/25 Christmas Day 7:30 am Estelita Argallon † 10:30am Thanksgiving to God, Mary & Joseph 12:15 pm Cathy Castillo(Birthday) Thrs. 12/26 7:00 am Marciana Villanueva † 8:15 am Garnet Armstrong † Fri. 12/27 7:00 am Michael Frazier † 8:15 am Loreto Catiel † Sat 12/28 8:15 am Yvonne Ryan † 4:30 pm Jumberto Soriano † Sun 12/29 7:30 am Parishioners 9:00 am Marciana Villanueva † 10:30 am Ramoncita Asistin (Living) 1 2:15 pm Spanish Community
Pray for : The Sick and Homebound Anne Tran (Mother of Fr.Tom), Julie Chin, Peggy Miller,David Silva Jr., Jim Lachemeyer, LuuTienNguyen, Michael & Lora Babik, Maria Nguyen, Angellita Mangahas, John Thao Ha,. Sheila Bickerton, Daniel & Raymond Bautista, Maria Garcia, Dan & Raymond Bautista, Connie and Joyce Guaraglia, Ricardo Duenas, , Remedios Mangila, Pearle Cezair, Joseph Vinh Ha, Maria Vargas, Leticia Delapena, Mary Helen, Andy-Duarte, Yen Ngoc Dinh, Ed Fletcher, Susan Pulido, Mia Vicedo, Joseph Tinh Tran, Diane Nielson, Al-fred Caires, Gerry Toro, Virgilio Labilles, Phil Erl-wein, Al Falleiro, Joseph Hoang, Gary Cordano Jr., Christina Cayabyab, Lam Dinh, Trinh Nguyen, Jo-seph Dinh, Pearl DeSouza, Joe Carson, `Lory Stark, Hazel Soares, Ronald Bennet, Sara Le Fargo, Ailene Basila, Teresa Tran, Juanita Estrellas, Maureen Nolan, Pray for the Deceased: Catherine Kelly, Evelyn Lake
Reflecting on God’s Word The Bible offers us a rich variety of men and women who qualify as heroes, warriors, prophets, and wise men and women. And every so often it places before us a dreamer. Jacob had the first big dream, with that ladder connecting heaven and earth, bearing ascending and descending an-gels. His son Joseph started off with dreams that put himself at the center, much to his brothers’ chagrin, but later he saved himself by interpreting the dreams of others, including Pharaoh. However, the most important dreamer of all was Joseph, spouse of Mary and foster father to Je-sus. Joseph was asked to live out his dream. “Do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her,” he was told in a dream (Matthew 1:20). And not only that, he was to name the child Jesus, which means “God saves.” What all this cost him we don’t know. All we hear is that when he awoke from the dream, he did what had been asked and took Mary into his home. That wasn’t the end of the dreams. “Joseph, take the mother and child into Egypt—Herod is trying to kill him.” “Joseph, take the mother and child out of Egypt—Herod is dead.” And Joseph did. Maybe once you begin to live God’s dream it gets easier. God’s dream is that we live in the world as God’s adopted and saved children, working to bring God’s peace and justice, mercy and forgiveness into our world wherever they are needed. —James A. Wallace, C.Ss.R.
ST. FELICITAS SCHOOL
A Christmas Prayer God of all gifts, we thank you for the many ways you have blessed us this day. We are grateful for each of those who are gathered around this table of the Lord. We ask you to bless us and to bless those we love who are not with us today. I n our gratitude and love, we remember your humble birth into our lives and pray for those who are without enough to eat. We remember the stable in which you were born and pray for those who have no place to live. We remem-ber your challenging message of caring and giving and we pray for peace in families and nations throughout the world. We bless you and give you thanks for your Spirit who brings our hearts to life this Christmas Day and for-ever. Amen. From all of us here at St. Felicitas Catholic School – We wish you a most blessed and Merry Christmas! We pray that you and your family have a very special holiday filled with joy, love and the peace of Christ Jesus. Meghan Jorgensen.
A brand new year is fast approaching! Our first “Young at Heart” Luncheon for 2014 will be on Tuesday, January 7.. Tickets are on sale now in the Parish Office.
