St. Stephen Parish. July 31, 2016 The Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Transcription

1 St. Stephen Parish July 31, 2016 The Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time S omeone in the crowd said to Jesus, Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me. He replied to him, Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator? Then he said to the crowd, Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one s life does not consist of possessions. Then he told them a parable. There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest? And he said, This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry! But God said to him, You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong? Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God. Luke 12:13-21 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 service and sensitive outreach to those in need Rev. Tony P. LaTorre - Pastor 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. SaintStephenSF.org 451 Eucalyptus Dr., San Francisco CA Church Fax School

2 Pastor s Corner EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Luke 12:13-21 The common theme of today s readings is that the greedy acquisition of wealth and power is futile, because everything and everyone is here today and gone tomorrow. So the meaning of life cannot be found in selfishly hoarding wealth and possessions, but only in sharing these with the needy. The first reading, taken from Ecclesiastes, reminds us that the greedy acquisition of goods and the selfish hoarding of them are useless because when the hoarder dies he goes to eternity empty-handed, and his heir gains, and perhaps squanders, his riches. In the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 90), the Psalmist challenges us to listen to God and allow Him to soften our hearts that we may share our blessings with others. The Psalm Response urges, If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts (Ps 95:8). In the second reading, Paul directs our attention to lasting, Heavenly treasures and warns that greed for wealth and influence is idolatry. He advises, "Put to death, your parts that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry, (Colossians 3: 5). In today s Gospel, Jesus, telling the parable of the foolish rich man, warns us against all types of greed, because greed takes our life s focus away from God and away from serving and loving Him in other people. Jesus says God calls the greedy rich man a fool because the man thought he would not die soon and that he was not accountable for the way he used his riches. The rich man had forgotten that his wealth was lent to him by God for sharing with the needy. Jesus also warns us that our eternal life does not consist of earthly possessions (Luke 12: 15), which we should share to gain eternal life. We are invited to share our blessings with others. The parable of the rich fool gives us a warning as well as an invitation. It reminds us that our possessions are merely loaned to us by God, and that we are accountable for their use. We must be generous in sharing our time, our treasure, and our talents in Christian stewardship. Even if we are poor financially, we may be blessed with intelligence, good will, a sense of humor or the ability to console, encourage, inspire and support and help others. God expects us to give our thanks to Him for all these blessings by sharing them with others for His glory. The Old Testament Scriptures are clear about tithing giving 10% of our income for God s cause and for helping the needy. God never allows tithers to regret their generosity. Let us control our greed. Our greed takes different shapes and forms. For some it may be the desire for the approval and praise of others. For others it is the uncontrolled desire for power, control or fame. For still others greed takes the form of excessive and sinful indulgence in eating, drinking, gambling, drugs or sexual activities. Greed also turns our life away from God and away from serving and loving Him in other people. As greed directs all our energy and attention to fulfilling the self, its objects become our false gods, and they will consume us, unless we become rich in the sight of God. Have a blessed week and thanks for praying with us this week! Father Tony

3 Our Liturgical Week Monday, Aug. 1 8:00 a.m. Liam & Teresa Gleeson (By: John Moylan) Tuesday, Aug. 2 8:00 a.m. WednesdayAug. 3 8:00 a.m. Josefina & Joe De Jesus (By: Thelma & Freddy Ramos) Thursday, Aug. 4 8:00 a.m. Friday, Aug. 5 8:00 a.m. Dodge Espina (By: Dorothy Over) Saturday, Aug. 6 8:00 a.m. Vera Brennan Greely (By: Joan Leehane) 3:30 p.m. Reconciliation 4:30 p.m. Peter Ganduglia (By: Betty Ganduglia) Sunday, Aug. 7 8:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. Paz Diaz Dierks (By: Nellie Hizon) 11:30 a.m. Eugene Needham (By: Julia Needham) 6:45 p.m. Bold Indicates Mass Intentions TODAY S READINGS First Reading Do not spend your life toiling for material gain (Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23). Psalm If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts (Psalm 90). Second Reading Christ has raised you to new life, so seek now what is above (Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11). Gospel Be on guard against all greed, for your life does not consist of earthly possessions, but of the riches of the reign of God (Luke 12:13-21). The English translation of the Psalm Responses from Lectionary for Mass 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved. Second Collection Next Weekend A second collection will be taken at all masses August 6 and 7 for St. Stephen Building Maintenance & Repair St Stephen Events Calendar Monday Tuesday Wednesday 7:30 p.m. On Eagle s Wings/EC Thursday Friday 7:30 p.m. G.A. Closed Meeting/EC Saturday 5:00 p.m. SYS Retreat/Hall Sunday 3:30 p.m. WKICU/Church & EC 5:00 p.m. SYS Retreat/Hall SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Monday: St. Alphonsus Liguori Tuesday: St. Eusebius of Vercelli; St. Peter Julian Eymard Thursday: St. John Vianney Friday: Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major Saturday: The Transfiguration of the Lord Please pray for the sick and homebound of our community and for all those written in our book of the sick. May they know the healing touch of Jesus. Larry Barbiere, Marybeth Barrett, Ruth Cisek, Eden Finn, Carol Dominguez, Al Gragnani, Emma Hock, Emma Lew, Honora Lowe, Maria Matthews, Juan Pablo Grover-Paez, Shannon Raggio, Nenita Sangalang, Jovita & Richard Thompson, Dorothy Medlin, Albert Chris Magie, Patricia Sullivan, Ron Stewart and Robert Xavier.

4 ALTAR SOCIETY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Please consider joining the Altar Society group of volunteers. There are three groups of parishioners that meet every third month to decorate and clean our church. We meet on Fridays after the 8:00 Mass. This commitment would be 17 Fridays in the entire calendar year. Many of our volunteers have been serving for over twenty-five years and will be retiring. If you have any questions, please contact Joan or joan@leehane.com. TIME ON YOUR HANDS? We are looking for volunteer (s) who could assist in taking on the job of sanding/ painting the hand rails in the front of our church. In time, as you can see, weather has taken its toll on them and its time for a "facelift." Please contact Father Tony ( ) if you are able to spend time on this project. Thank you! HOSPITALITY MINISTERS for our 9:30 a.m. Mass Today, July 31 - Nellie Hizon Team Sunday, Aug 7 - Bob Anthony Team Sunday, Aug.14 - "Vicky Francisco "Each Sunday following the 9:30 am Mass, we enjoy a time of community building as we share conversation over coffee and donuts. It costs about $ to provide this refreshment, while the donations to offset our costs come to about $ If everyone would contribute a little, it would greatly help support this important activity. while lessening the financial impact on the parish. budget. Many thanks! St. Stephen Faith Formation Program Faith Formation is a religious education program for non-catholic school children from 1 st to 8 th grades. We prepare children for First Holy Communion and Confirmation. The program begins in mid September and ends in May. We meet on Mondays from 4 to 5:15 pm at the parish office building. For registration, please contact our parish office at Volunteers needed Sundays at Laguna Honda Hospital Sunday mornings, 8:45-11:45 am Laguna Honda Hospital, 375 Laguna Honda Blvd., San Francisco - Sr. Dolores Maguire Volunteers are urgently needed to transport hospital residents to the chapel on Sunday mornings for Mass. Volunteer orientation is required and all hospital regulations must be followed. Volunteer must be able to push patients in wheelchairs. Please contact Sr. Dolores Maguire for more information, see above.

5 HITTING IT BIG It seems to be commonly accepted nowadays that everyone wants to win the lottery, hit the slots big at the casino, or be a millionaire. This attitude is akin to what the first hearers of the parable of the successful farmer would have thought: Why, of course he d want to find a way to preserve his good fortune for the future, to secure for himself a life of leisure, eating, drinking, and merriment. It s exactly the kind of life that the right ticket, hand of cards, or quiz show answer might bring us today. Being surrounded by this common wisdom makes the words of Qoheleth, the psalmist, Paul, and Jesus all that much harder to hear today. Perhaps good fortune will be ours, perhaps it will not be. But if we make that fortune or the quest for it the heart, the very center, of our lives, then we will live to regret it. We will not achieve the future security we pursue, and we will lose the present moment in the chase. Copyright J. S. Paluch Dear Parishioners, Just a short note to let you know that I will be traveling to Denver from July 23 to 31st to conduct mission appeals for the diocese of Miao in India. Miao Diocese is a remote Diocese in the North Eastern corner of India. Tucked away into a corner wedged between Myanmar, Tibet, China and Bhutan, this land is the home of many tribes. It has a unique history of having been a forbidden land for Christians. Please have a look at and to see the place, people and work. Please keep me in prayer as I travel to churches in Denver making mission appeals on behalf of this remote far away missionary outpost of the Catholic Church. Be assured of my prayers, Deacon Roy TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION Sometimes the treasures of art can provide us with clues about traditions. Take, for example, the miter, the conical hat with lappets, or back-flaps that fall to the shoulders. This cap is worn by bishops in the Catholic West. Eastern Catholics favor a crown, but we have this curious headpiece. In Greek, the word means turban. Old paintings and mosaics provide clues about headgear for bishops, and there is very little artistic evidence for the miter before the year Before then, some kind of head covering might have been worn to offset the damp and chill of unheated churches. The pope, as far back as the seventh century, often wore a cap called a camelaucum. Around that time, artists painting St. Peter began to portray their subject wearing this hat. By the year 1000 or so, the pope began to grant similar helmetshaped headgear as gifts to visiting abbots and bishops. They returned home with these new chapeaus, and before long everybody wanted one! Today, miters are granted not only to bishops, but to certain favored abbots and occasionally abbesses. Pope Benedict XVI set aside the tradition of the papal tiara in favor of the miter, even on his coat of arms. Pope Paul VI was the last pope to have a coronation. As recently as the 1960s, miters were towering skyscrapers of jewels and rich silks, but now a simplicity of style is favored by bishops. Miters are here to stay, and experienced altar servers know how to await the bishop s removing of the miter, since he does not wear it when he is saying the presidential prayers or the Eucharistic Prayer. Rev. James Field, Copyright J. S. Paluch Co. WORRY Don t tell me that worry doesn t do any good. I know better. The things I worry about never happen. Anonymous Our Altar Servers Our special thanks to our student Altar Servers who faithfully continue to volunteer their time and talent to our parish. Our Altar Servers for July 18 thru July24 were: Weekday and Weekend Masses Marissa Onken, Zachary Ferdon, Cooper Anderson, Hannah Morello, Mikel Villamayor, Melissa Hua, Emily Schmitt, Sarah Tuvo, Esmeralda Ramirez, Aidan Flocchini and Olyvia Bankovitch. Thank You!

6 Saint Cecilia Centennial St. Cecilia will celebrate 100 years in San Francisco in January They have planned many celebrations over the upcoming year in honor of this milestone, and they welcome all former parishioners, alumni, and friends form neighboring parishes to join them. Their first event will be a Mass on Sunday, August 28 at 9:30 to officially open their Centennial Year. Visit for information on Centennial events. Holy Name School is Celebrating their 75th Anniversary on Saturday, September 24, We are looking for our Alumni, please forward your contact information to hnparishsecretary@gmail.com or visit our Alumni page at Holy Mass of Thanksgiving in honor of St. Teresa of Calcutta Sunday, September 4, 11:00 AM Presided by His Excellency Most Reverend Salvatore Cordileone At the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption Please join us in gratitude to God for the gift of our new Saint. The Missionaries of Charity Together in Holiness A Marriage Conference Series September 24, :00 a.m. to 4:00 pm Immaculate Heart of Mary, Belmont Where spouses discover God's plan for their family. Together in Holiness is an initiative of the St. John Paul II Foundation and is being presented by the Archdiocese of San Francisco. More information and registration can be found at If you would like to become Catholic, or would like to receive First Communion or Confirmation, or are just interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith, call Mary Molly in the Parish Office to find out more about our RCIA Program. This program begins in September and ends after Easter. Mary Molly Mullaney can be reached at (415) x27 or by FaithFormation@SaintStephenSF.org JOKE OF THE WEEK The greedy man and the genie. A man is walking down the beach and comes across an old bottle. He picks it up, pulls out the cork and out pops a genie! The genie says, "Thank you for freeing me from the bottle. In return I will grant you three wishes." The man says "Great! I always dreamed of this and I know exactly what I want. First, I want one billion dollars in a Swiss bank account." Poof! There is a flash of light and a piece of paper with account numbers appears in his hand! He continues, "Next, I want a brand new red Ferrari right here." Poof! There is a flash of light and a bright red, brand -new Ferrari appears right next to him! He continues, "Finally, I want to be irresistible to women." Poof! There is a flash of light and he turns into a box of chocolates.

7 AD PAGE

8 PASTORAL STAFF Rev. Tony F. LaTorre Pastor ext.25 Rev. Michael Strange, PSS Retired - In Residence Rev. Mr. Rory Desmond Permanent Deacon (Vacant) Liturgy & Music Mary Molly Mullaney Faith Formation Coordinator ext.27 Mrs. Sharon McCarthy Allen School Principal Jim Cook Parish Manager ext.23 Shay Ingelfinger Event Center Coordinator ext.33 Jan Almeida Bookkeeper ext.29 ST STEPHEN PARISH 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 Faith Formation Mary Molly Mullaney Fifty Plus Club Helga D Arcy Finance Council Laura Birsinger Grief Support Clergy Lectors Liturgy Committee Marriage Preparation Clergy Men s Club John Bankovitch Music Parish Council Vicky Francisco RCIA Mary Molly Mullaney St. Stephen Book Club Veronica Wong St. Vincent de Paul Julie O Callaghan Ushers Bob Anthony Women s Guild Daniela Franco Maira Hallinan 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 or online at Name Address City/Zip Phone Our parishioners receive the Archdiocese weekly newspaper Catholic San Francisco. I am interested in assisting with the Parish in the following way(s): Acolyte/Altar Service Altar Society Children s Liturgy of the Word Choir Greeter/Usher Hospitality after Mass/Special Events Holy Communion Ministers to the Homebound Lector/Holy Communion Ministers Music/Choir