St. Mary Catholic Church www.stmary-wc.org 925-891-8900

JULY 19, 2020

Dear Friends, Well, here we are again, not having public Masses this week or anytime into the future that we can foresee. Things are ever-changing and we don’t like that. We like routine. We like stability. We like to know what comes next. But these are indeed uncer-tain times and we have to remain open, patient, and accepting. “Take up your cross and follow me” says the Lord, and now is an even better time than ever. Think of the reason for all this. It’s meant to keep us safe. It’s meant to protect lives – ours and others – and isn’t that the Christian thing to do? We need to be responsible for our actions and how they might affect others. As the commercials say, “We are in this together” and the most important one who is together with us is Jesus! May the goodness and love of the Lord strengthen us. May the Holy Spirit guide us in doing what we need to do, no matter how difficult. And may the blessings of Father, Son and Spirit give us peace! Father Fred

Virtual VBS Report We completed our fourth week of Virtual VBS. Despite the continuing technical challenges, we are having fun spotlighting individual campers. Jesus’ Power lets us live forever …Trust Jesus was our Bible Point for this week. Our Bible Buddy Finn, a rainbow trout, helped us understand what a Finn-tastic thing Jesus did for us when he died on the cross so we could live with him forever in heaven. We need to TRUST JESUS and be excited that we will live with him forev-er not here on earth but in heaven. We learned in our Bible Story that St. Peter denied Jesus because he was afraid. It was okay because Peter felt so bad he cried and said he was sorry and he remembered that Jesus loved him. When Jesus died and rose to life, he did it so Peter and all of us can live with him forever in heaven. Our Bible verse was from Paul’s letter to the Romans: The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. We all had some great God Sightings. We also learned to try and be God sightings for others by giving them hope when they have to do hard things. One person was in the water and learning something that she was afraid to do but she just kept saying TRUST JESUS, he will help you, be BOLD… and she did it! We played games, sang songs and did a beauti-ful cross craft. Rocky Railway Rocks!!! TRUST JESUS….

GOOD SEEDS Today Jesus continues to speak to his followers using parables. What a rich treasure we are given today in three parables about the kingdom of heaven! The kingdom is likened to a man sowing good seed in his field, a mustard seed, and yeast mixed with flour. As they did last week, today the disciples press Je-sus for an interpretation of one of the parables—the parable of the man sowing good seed. Lest we think that these parables are simply amusing little anecdotes, Jesus’ interpretation should be seen for what it is—a warning. Wailing and grinding of teeth in a fiery furnace await those who are chil-dren of the evil one. This parable points to the struggle for today’s believer. Sometimes, through sin, we sow weeds and prevent the love of Christ from blossoming. Let today’s Gospel help put us back on track. Let us recommit ourselves to prepar-ing for the last days, the harvest, by blossoming as the good seeds we were created in love to be. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

MASS INTENTIONS

PRAY FOR THE SICK

Monday: Mi 6:1-4, 6-8; Ps 50:5-6, 8-9, 16bc-17, 21, 23; Mt 12:38-42 Tuesday: Mi 7:14-15, 18-20; Ps 85:2- 8; Mt 12:46-50 Wednesday: Sg 3:1-4b or 2 Cor 5:14-17; Ps 63:2-6, 8-9; Jn 20:1-2, 11-18 Thursday: Jer 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13; Ps 36:6- 7ab, 8-11; Mt 13:10-17 Friday: Jer 3:14-17; Jer 31:10- 12abcd, 13; Mt 13:18-23 Saturday: 2 Cor 4:7-15; Ps 126:1bc-6; Mt 20:20-28 Sunday: 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12; Ps 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-130; Rom 8:28-30; Mt 13:44-52 [44-46]

DATE MASS INTENTION

07/18 Manuel & Prudencia Rodrigues

07/19 For the People of St. Mary

Marie Schild

Amparo & Rufino Lara

Olga Becerra

07/20 Joyce Welch

07/21 Vu Family

07/22 Jennifer Koskelin Gibbons (L)

07/23 Bernie & Steve Stefano (L)

07/24 Corazon Villanueva

07/25 Karin Lisboa

For the People of St. Mary

Anthony De Cristoforo Allison Flamez Monica Jara Ana Alvarez Isabel Castillo Susana Jaime Maria Vargas Rosalinda Reyes Joseph Suta Jeanine Gordon Christine Pollnow Jake Johnston Diane Hewson Clarissa Gutierrez Julia Rodriguez Fred & Emilia Sohn Raul Gonzalez Raquel Zittel Quinn Gurnett David Toy Ana Lopez

Dominador Hontucan Oralee Floria

Mary McLoughlin Angela Regan Beverly Regan Josefina Zabat Audry Robinson Loretta Holmes Nancie Campi

Betty Baker Victor M. Barrios

Carol Erikson Nydia Pajarillo Danyel Sheets

Beth Wainwright Robin Wood

Billy Silva Mary Kennedy Marcella Hatch Cheryl LaMarre

WORDS AND WEEDS A man of words and not of deeds Is like a garden full of weeds. —Anonymous nursery

Staff and Administration Website: www.stmary-wc.org

Parish Office 891-8900 Fax 934-1358 Fr. Fred Riccio, friccio@stmary-wc.org Pastor 891-8900 Fr. John Blaker, 891-8900 In residence Ana Lau, alau@stmary-wc.org Office Manager 891-8908 Aileen Baker, abaker@stmary-wc.org Bookkeeper 891-8911

Faith Formation

Maureen Tiffany mtiffany@stmary-wc.org Director of Faith Formation 891-8942 Mary Kerfs, lifeteen@stmary-wc.org Administrative Assistant 891-8939 Austin Pisciotto apisciotto@stmary-wc.org Coordinator K-Grade 6 891-8944 Jethro Castillo jcastillo@stmary-wc.org Youth Minister Grades 7-12 891-8920 Heather Abraham, habraham@stmary-wc.org Coordinator Confirmation 891-8934 & Community Service Tim Mannix tmannix@stmary-wc.org RCIA & Liturgy Coordinator 891-8921

School

Office 935-5054 stmary@st-mary.net Website: www.st-mary.net Alumni: stmaryalumni@st-mary.net Garrett Padia, Principal 935-5054

Do What Needs to Be Done A friend recently confided in me that although he prayed frequently each day and was involved heavily in his parish, he did not sense much fruit coming from it all and was left feeling unsatisfied. I assured him he was not alone. I told him of a de-ceased pastor of mine who had spoken frequently about being in this type of situation. Even as a priest, he knew all too well of how we can feel like we are simply going through the motions. It is pre-cisely at those times that continuing to pray and practicing good stewardship is most important, be-cause it would be easier to simply take a break and risk never coming back. He liked to say, “Do the drill,” meaning just do what needs to be done. We are all called to be mature disciples who answer the call of Jesus Christ regardless of the cost. We cannot choose when and where the call will come. We cannot schedule our stewardship in a way that is always most convenient for us. Even when the fruits of our faithful efforts seem hidden from us, we hold to the promise that we are never called to give of ourselves for nothing. God is working through us and in us. No matter how dry the land may seem, seeds are being planted to yield a harvest greater than we can ever realize. Stay strong and do the drill! — Tracy Earl Welliver, MTS ©LPi

Adam’s

Ribs One weekend at Sunday School, they were teaching how God created everything, in-cluding human beings. Little Johnny seemed especially intent when they told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam’s ribs. Later in the week his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill, and asked him, “Johnny, what is the matter?” “I have pain in my side,” Johnny respond-ed. “I think I’m going to have a wife.”

ST. SHARBEL MAKHLŪF (1828-1898)

The convenience store owner chatted animatedly in Arabic with coworkers, but hardly at all with his American clientele. So soon after 9/11, he probably figured, with my accent, the less said, the better. That changed when an American customer rec-ognized Saint Sharbel’s portrait on the wall: “So you’re Lebanese Maronites!” The owner was hap-pily incredulous: “You know our saint?” “Not at first,” the customer admitted. “But we help the Cath-olic Near East Welfare Associa-tion, and their magazine pub-lished that picture and called Sharbel the ‘Paradoxical Artisan of Peace.’ ” “Everyone thinks we’re Muslims,” said the owner, “and some of my workers are. Saint Sharbel helps us live together in peace!” A hermit for twenty-three years, little is known of Sharbel’s life. He died after suffering a stroke while celebrating the liturgy. Miracles at-tributed to his intercession number in the thousands, and in war-torn Lebanon, Catholics, Orthodox, and Muslims pray together where his incorrupt body is en-tombed. How lovely if after our passing, we too could be remembered for having brought very different people to the one God, together in peace. —Peter Scagnelli, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

Hoy Jesús continúa hablando en parábolas con sus seguidores. ¡Qué rico tesoro nos regalan las tres parábolas sobre el Reino de los cielos! El Reino se parece: a un hombre que siembra buena semilla en su campo, a una semilla de mostaza y a la levadu-ra que se mezcla con la harina. Al igual que la semana pasada, hoy los discípulos piden que Jesús les interprete una de las parábolas –la parábola del hombre que siembra buena semilla. Para que no pensemos que estas parábolas son simples anécdotas entretenidas, la interpretación de Jesús debe considerarse como lo que es: una advertencia. Llanto y desesperación esperan a los hijos del ma-ligno. Esta parábola señala la lucha del creyente de hoy. A veces, por el pecado, sembramos cizaña y evitamos que el amor de Cristo florezca. Que el Evangelio de hoy nos ayude a retornar al buen camino. Comprometámonos a prepararnos para los días finales, para el tiempo de cosecha, floreciendo como buenas semillas creadas por el amor. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

Lunes: Miq 6:1-4, 6-8; Sal 50 (49):5-6, 8-9, 16bc-17, 21, 23; Mt 12:38-42 Martes: Miq 7:14-15, 18-20; Sal 85 (84):2-8; Mt 12:46-50 Miércoles: Cant 3:1-4b o 2 Cor 5:14-17; Sal 63 (62):2-6, 8-9; Jn 20:1-2, 11-18 Jueves: Jer 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13; Sal 26 (25):6-7ab, 8-11; Mt 13:10-17 Viernes: Jer 3:14-17; Jer 31:10-12abcd, 13; Mt 13:18-23 Sábado: 2 Cor 4:7-15; Sal 126 (125):1bc-6; Mt 20:20-2 Domingo: 1 Re 3:5, 7-12; Sal 119 (118):57, 72, 76 -77, 127-130; Rom 8:28-30; Mt 13:44-52 [44-46]

SANTA BRÍGIDA DE SUECIA (1303-1373) 23 de julio Brígida fue una persona ben-decida por Dios, no sólo porque desde muy pequeña abrigó en su ser el deseo de ser santa, sino porque en su proceso de santidad Dios le concedió tener visiones de la Pasión de Nuestro Señor Jesu-cristo. En estas experiencias místicas recibió mensajes de Nuestro Señor, que después transmitió a los líderes de la Iglesia. También fue esposa y madre, pues aunque se casó muy joven, supo inculcar en sus hijos el amor a la santidad, tanto así que una hija suya, Catalina de Suecia, es venerada como santa. Junto con su espo-so Ulf, fueron parte de la corte durante dos años; de hecho, ella podía llegar a ser la reina, pero no se interesó por los puestos o por la vida cómoda, antes bien, vistió con sencillez y motivó a los reyes de Suecia a que fueran santos. Vivió la caridad de una manera profunda con los pobres y enfermos, pues una vez que enviudó, fundó la Orden Reli-giosa del Santísimo Redentor, dedicándose de en-tero a la caridad hacia los necesitados. —Miguel Arias, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

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