Page 1 Religious Education FAMILY NEWSLETTER for the DOMESTIC CHURCH

Religious Education FAMILY NEWSLETTER for the DOMESTIC CHURCH

Sharing Faith...Sharing Ideas

BISHOP ALBERTO ROJAS TAKES LEADERSHIP OF THE DIOCESE OF SAN BERNARDINO Except from Bishop Barnes statement taken from the Diocesan website

As I begin my ministry, while continuing to listen and learn more about our large and diverse Diocese, I would like to build on the momentum that is clearly present here. As we begin, do not look for any big changes right away: Department Directors, Epis-copal Vicars, Vicars Forane, Office of the Bishop Personnel, Vicar General, Presbyt-eral Council, all of them remain as they are until further notice. Thank you everybody.

There is no doubt, when looking at the events of this past year, that I am coming to lead the Diocese at a very challenging time. Yet, I have already witnessed such strong and committed faith in the people of our Church of San Bernardino. We carry within us the love of God, and our promise to do our best to live out the Gospel mes-sage every day. In my years of ministry, from the seminary days to serving as priest and then as a bishop in Chicago, I have encountered many new challenges. I have always trusted in God’s plan for me to serve His Church, and that He will give me all that I need to do his work. When I reflect on this, I have great joy and hope for our future together sisters and brothers!

Let us continue to trust our Lord as we move forward in this mission of Christ Jesus in the world. Through the inter-cession of Our Lady of Guadalupe and that of Saint Bernardine, our patron saints, we put our trust in God our Father to assist us with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit as we continue our journey together serving the people of our Diocese.

For full except visit the Diocesan website www.sbdiocese.org or view recording of ordinary bishop statement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy3mEjuqBpA

BISHOP BARNES RETIRES Well done good and faithful servant

On December 28, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Barnes

Except from Bishop Barnes statement taken from the Diocesan website... It has been an honor to walk this journey with you. We have seen tremendous growth in our local church, and we know that God has accompanied us in this journey. Thank you for all you have shared with me. Thank you for your prayers, your support, the sharing of your gifts and for your constructive criticism. I ask for your pardon if in any way I have offended or hurt any of you. I have learned and experienced that the Church of San Bernardino thrives, above all, because of the tremen-dous faith, creativity and energy of you, the people of God. If I hope for any outcome of my leadership these past 25 years, it’s that I have in some way helped you to see the gifts God has given you and to hear His call to employ them in the building of the Kingdom here in our Dio-

cese. Continue your formation as missionary disciples, exemplifying the core values of hospitality, reconciliation, faith sharing and collaboration. For full except visit the Diocesan website www.sbdiocese.org or view recording on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPIyLd-R_u8

Catholic Prayer: Blessing of the Home on Epiphany

May Christ Bless This House

We invite you to adopt this custom in your family. The family gathers to ask God’s bless-ing on their home and on those who live in or visit the home. It is an invitation for Jesus to be a daily guest in our home, our comings and goings, our conversations, our work and play, our joys and sorrows.

A traditional way of doing this is to use chalk to write above the home’s entrance, 20 + C + M + B + 21

The letters C, M, B have two meanings. They are the initials of the traditional names of the three magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. They also abbreviate the Latin words Christus Mansionem Benedicat, “May Christ bless the house.” The “+” signs represent the cross and 2021 is the year.

This ceremony of the blessing of the home and inscription of the initials of the three Magi above each door can be per-formed either by a priest or the head of the family. The feast of manifestation, or Epiphany, is traditionally celebrated the 12th day after Christmas, January 6th. In the dioceses of the United States, this feast has been moved to the Sunday between January 2 and January 8 (this year Epiphany is celebrated on Sunday, January 3.) Blessing the Chalk V. Our help is the name of the Lord: R. The maker of heaven and earth. V. The Lord shall watch over your going out and your coming in: R. From this time forth for evermore. Let us pray: Loving God, bless this chalk which you have created, that it may be helpful to your people; and grant that through the invocation of your most Holy Name that we who use it in faith to write upon the door of our home the names of your holy ones Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, may receive health of body and protection of soul for all who dwell in or visit our home; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Instructions for Blessing the Home Using the blessed chalk mark the lintel of your front door (or front porch step) as follows:

20 + C + M + B + 21

While saying: The three Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar followed the star of God’s Son who became human two thousand and sixteen years ago. May Christ bless our home and re-main with us throughout the new year. Amen. Then offer the following prayer: Visit, O blessed Lord, this home with the gladness of your presence. Bless all who live or visit here with the gift of your love; and grant that we may manifest your love to each other and to all whose lives we touch. May we grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of you; guide, comfort, and strengthen us in peace, O Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen

OR

God of Light, bless our home. Make it a haven of rest for all those in need of your warmth and care. And when we go out from this place, may we never lose sight of that Epiphany star. We mark our door with the symbols of the Magi. (20 + C + M + B + 21) May all who enter, throughout the year, find love and light, for Christ has come to dwell in this home and in these hearts. Amen.

SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD— Celebrated on the Octave (8th) day of Christmastide

The Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God—January 1st is a feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart!” (Luke 2:19). In these words, Luke describes the attitude with which Mary took in all that they had experienced in those days. Far from trying to understand or master the situation, Mary is the woman who can treasure, that is to say, pro-tect and guard in her heart, the passage of God in the life of his people. Deep within, she had learned to listen to the heartbeat of her Son, and that in turn taught her, throughout her life, to discover God’s heartbeat in history. She learned how to be a mother, and in that learning process she gave Jesus the beautiful experience of knowing what it is to be a Son. In Mary, the eternal Word not only became flesh, but also learned to recognize the maternal tenderness of God. With Mary, the God-Child learned to listen to the yearnings, the troubles, the joys and the hopes of the people of the promise. With Mary, he discovered himself a Son of God’s faithful people.

—from the book The Peace of Christmas: Quiet Reflections with Pope Francis by Diane M. Houdek

Great way to begin the year with daily meditations & resource ideas!

DAILY MINUTE MEDITATIONS Subscribe to ONE MINUTE MEDITATIONS Franciscan Media <goodnews@franciscanmedia.org>

Mary, Mother of God Taken from Franciscan Media One Minute Meditations

In 1929, just 17 days short of his 9th birthday, the young Karol Wojtyla — the future Pope John Paul II (now Saint Pope John Paul II— came home from the school in the evening. He was accustomed to see his father — a strong soldier in the Polish army — praying on his knees on their parlor’s hardwood floor. That day, when the young Karol, saw his father praying, he saw his dad’s knees bathing in a pool of tears. “What’s wrong, Papa?” the young future Pope asked his dad. “Karol, your mother has died!” was his father’s reply. Not knowing quite what to do, the eight-year-old ran out of his home to the local parish Church in Wadowice, less than half a block for the Wojtyla apartment. He entered the Church and almost instinctively ran up the aisle of the Church to a kneeler in front of a statue of our Lady and, with his own tears, said to her: “Blessed Mother of Jesus, I don’t know why God took my mother to His home at the time He did. But I do know one thing: YOU are my mother now!” The

Holy Father, who entrusted himself to our Lady before his ninth birthday, continued to consecrate himself to her ever after. His very motto, “Totus Tuus,” comes from a prayer of consecration to our Lady written by St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, which has prayed every day: “I am all yours, O Mary, and all I have is yours. I take you completely into my home. Give me your heart, O Mary,” so that I may love God with it. (Fr. Roger J. Landry)

Contact PERLA PLASCENCIA

Perla.p@stanthonyupland.org

MASS TRANSIT CARD JANUARY 3, 2021 EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

Isaiah 60:1-6 • Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 • Matthew 2:1-12 They were overjoyed at seeing the star... —Matt. 2:10

The Magi were called to find the child that had come into the world as a king. They knew that he was the chosen one. They made many sacrifices in order to find him, and most likely encountered hardships on their journey. They didn’t quit. They didn’t give up. They persevered. Can you imag-ine their joy in finally arriving at their destination, the place where the child lay in his mother’s arms? It must have been the greatest blessing they’d ever known. We can have that same joy when we seek out Jesus in our lives and find him.

Lord, teach us to look and search for you in our lives with the same desire that the Magi had when they set out on their journey.

How do you seek Jesus in your life? When you find him, how does it make you feel?

Outdoor Mass Schedule

EVENING Mass SATURDAY 4:00pm English

SUNDAY MORNING 8:00, 9:15, 10:30 & 11:45

SUNDAY SPANISH: 1:00 pm

Weekdays...Mon, Wed, Fri 8:30 am No Outdoor Masses on Tue & Thurs/livestream only

ALL OUTDOOR MASSES WILL BE LIVESTREAMED

Walk Up Commun-

ion

Sundays 1:15-1:45pm

In order to receive com-munion, you must have

participated in the week’s livestream Mass

and be in a state of grace.

Everyone in the vehicle is required to wear a mask. Please bring hand sani-

tizer. Located in the back parking area. Enter

Religious Education Calendar

Jan 5 Religious Education Classes in session Jan 6 Religious Education Classes in session Jan 8 Reconciliation Parent/Child Retreat Jan 9 Reconciliation Parent/Child Retreat

Youth CONFIRMATION CLASSES RETURN

Jan 10 & Jan 13

Adult Confirmation Classes begin

Sunday, January 24

Baptism Preparation Classes for Parents &

Godparents January 12 & 19 7:00pm on Zoom

First Communion

Classes for ADULTS

February 9, 1 6, 23,

Mar 2 & 9