September 9, rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

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1 St. Stephen Parish SaintStephenSF.org 451 Eucalyptus Dr., San Francisco CA Church StStephenSchoolSF.org 401 Eucalyptus Dr., San Francisco School 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. September 9, rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

2 September 9, 2018 The Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Today s readings offer us God s invitation to become humble instruments of healing in Jesus hands by giving voice to the voiceless and caring love to the needy and the marginalized in our society. The readings also invite us to open our ears to hear the word of God and to let our tongues be loosened by the Holy Spirit to convey the Good News of God s love and salvation to others. The first reading (Is 35:4-7), reminds us that God's eyes are constantly focused on the helpless. God especially cares for "the frightened, the blind, the deaf, the lame, the mute,"and He encourages the powerless to "be strong and fearless. "The Responsorial Psalm (Ps 146) sings of a God who gives sight to the blind, raises up those who are bowed down and welcomes strangers. That is why, in today s second reading (James 2:1-5), the apostle gives us some basic and challenging principles of social justice. He exhorts Christians to show no partiality based on external appearance and to practice God s preferential option for the poor. He warns the faithful against scorning or shaming the poor while showing special consideration to the rich. Our Gospel describes how Jesus, by healing a deaf man with speech impediment fulfilled Isaiah s Messianic prophecy, "The eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped." The ailments listed by Isaiah are symbolic of our interior illnesses: blindness to the needs of our neighbor, unwillingness to hear God s voice and the inability to speak words of praise and gratitude. Through this miracle story, Mark also reminds us that no one can be a follower of the Lord without reaching out to the helpless ( preferential option for the poor ). We need to help Jesus to heal the deaf and the mute today. Jesus desires to give us his healing touch in order to loosen our tongues so that he may speak to the spiritually hungry through us. He invites us to give him our hearts so that he may touch the lives of people in our day through us, just as he touched the lives of millions through saintly souls like Francis of Assisi, Damien of Molokai, Vincent de Paul and Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa). Jesus compassionate touch will help us to hear the cries of the poor and the sick. It will teach us to show kindness, mercy and consideration to others. His healing touch will also help us convey peace and hope to those around us. We need to allow Jesus to heal our spiritual deafness and muteness. We may find it hard to speak to God in prayer and harder still to hear Him speaking to us through the Bible and through the Church. Let us ask God s help to open our ears in order that we may hear Him while reading the Bible, and praise and worship Him loudly in our family prayer and in our public worship by participating in the Holy Mass, singing with the choir and praying with the congregation. Thank you for joining us in Holy Mass today, it s great seeing everyone back from summer break. May you have a safe and health week ahead. Father Tony LITURGY AND LIFE What is your role in setting captives free? In word or deed, how can you become better at treating people with dignity? When you have prayed that your ears are open to hear what God wants to tell you?

3 Monday, Sep. 10 8:00 a.m. Albert & Angelina Zanzi (By; BarBara Stephens) Tuesday, Sep. 11 8:00 a.m. Saint Stephen Parishioners Sp. Int. (By: Fr. Tony) Wednesday, Sep. 12 8:00 a.m. Lena Fambrini (By: Claudio & Giovanna Hrvatin) Thursday, Sep. 13 8:00 a.m. Mary & Michael Walsh (By: Joan & Dan Leehane) Friday, Sep. 14 8:00 a.m. Noel & Donna Ysip Sp. Int. (By: Rey & Elvie Ysip) Saturday, Sep. 15 8:00 a.m. Ellen Rossi (By: Fr. Tony) 4:30 p.m. Chona Lacson (By: Gloria Callado) Sunday, Sep. 16 8:00 a.m Susan Saulog (By: Kathy Solis) 9:30 a.m. Virginia Davey (By: SSWG) 11:30 a.m. Ike Deleon (By: Maria S. Barzoloski) 6:45 p.m. Ramon Santiago (By: Rebecca Roque) Bold Indicates Mass Intentions TODAY S READINGS First Reading Be strong, fear not! Here is your God (Isaiah 35:4-7a). Psalm Praise the Lord, my soul! (Psalm 146). Second Reading Show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ (James 2:1-5). Gospel Jesus makes the deaf hear and the mute speak (Mark 7:31-37). Monday, Sep :00 p.m. 50+ Club/Hall 4:00 p.m. Faith Formation/Church & Office Tuesday, Sep :00 p.m. Hot Lunch/Hall Wednesday, Sep :00 p.m. Hot Lunch/Hall 7:00 p.m. St. Vincent de Paul Conf./Office Thursday, Sep :00 p.m. Hot Lunch/Hall Friday, Sep. 14 7:00 p.m. GA Meeting/EC Saturday, Sep. 15 9:00 a.m. Book Club/Conf. Room 5:30 p.m. Spaghetti Bingo/Hall Sunday, Sep. 16 9:30 p.m. BSCFYAO Basketball/Gym 7:00 p.m. Adult Volleyball/Gym Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time September 9, 2018 Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs to the kingdom? James 2:5 HOSPITALITY MINISTERS for our 9:30 a.m. Mass Today, Sep. 9 - Charlotte Bautista Sunday, Sep Faith Formation Sunday, Sep Vanya Soetenta lease pray for the sick and P homebound of our community and for all those written in our book of the sick. May they know the healing touch of Jesus. Jean Alga, Elena Amaya, Edileide Jose Barbosa, Larry Barbiere, Ed Cummings, Emma Lew, Lawrence Lee, Carol Dominguez, Kenneth Fambrini, Eden Finn, Al Gragnani, Marc Gutierres, Juan Pablo Grover-Paez, Maria Matthews, Nenita Sangalang, Anna Macalino Thompson, Betty Rodriguez, Joel Rivera, Jovita & Richard Thompson. 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

4 A HEALING TOUCH The Elephant Man, is a play about a real person. The "Elephant Man" was terribly deformed. People who saw him were repelled. If you saw the play, you will remember his meeting with Mrs. Kendall, an actress who befriended him. He offered her his less-deformed hand, but Mrs. Kendall shakes her head, making it clear that she wants to hold his horribly deformed hand. It takes several minutes for him to summon up the courage to hold out the other hand. Finally, Mrs. Kendall takes it into her hand and holds it affectionately for a minute. Then she leaves. Just before the curtain falls on Act I, the Elephant Man says, "This is the first time I have ever held a woman's hand." And much of the spiritual healing that occurs in his life follows this very simple incident. The medical community has been telling us about the therapeutic value of touching. For example, monitoring equipment can measure the effects of the healing touch of a nurse on a patient. The heartbeats of intensive care patients often can be stabilized when a caring nurse holds a patient's hand. The effects are measurable. A few years ago, in some orphanages in South America, many of the young children were dying mysteriously although they were well fed. Dr. Rene Spitz, who studied this phenomenon, concluded that the babies were dying for lack of touch, for lack of the love that is communicated through touching. Henri Nouwen, author of many spiritual books, has written about his experiences in South America, working among the poor. He talks about the children who come and stand beside him, not looking for a handout, but hoping to be hugged, to be touched, to be loved. They want that more than anything else, he says. Today s Gospel tells us a story of Jesus healing touch, conveying the transforming power of God s love, which healed a dumb man. Volunteer Opportunity With Our Faith Formation Program. Please contact Mary Molly Mullaney in the parish office for details. Phone: (415) x4 or FaithFormation@SaintStephenSF.org This Week s Altar Server Schedule Mon. 9/10: Ryan Dugan, Diego Ramirez, Tues. 9/11: Martin Aquino, Ronin Datangel Wed. 8/12: Rosella Franco, Caitlin Daly Thurs. 9/13: Karl Uthman, Aidan Hackworth Fri. 9/14: Joshua Usi, Mia Harsha Saturday, Sept. 15 8:00 a.m., Alexandra Harlan, Megan Hughes 4:30 p.m. Beckett Andersen, Elyse & Bianca Hallinan Our special thanks to our student Altar Servers who faithfully volunteer their time and talent to our parish. Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time September 9, 2018 Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs to the kingdom? James 2:5 Stewardship: A Way of Life Sunday Collection: 09/02/18 $ 7, nd Collection: Bldg. Maintenance $ 2, We thank our parishioners who return their gifts with a loving and generous increase to God Our Church May the door of this Church be wide enough to receive all who hunger for love, all who are lonely for fellowship. May it welcome all who have cares to unburden, thanks to express, hopes to nurture. May the doors of this church be narrow enough to shut out pettiness and pride, envy and enmity. May this sanctuary welcome all who seek serenity, renewal, and truth; may it be, for all of us, the gateway to a richer and more meaningful life. The little monk At the Annual National Prayer Breakfast on February 2, 1984, Ronald Reagan, president of the United States, told the old story of "the little monk," Telemachus, a martyr whose self-sacrificial commitment to Christian ideals opened the blind eyes and deaf ears of the Romans and their fifth century Christian Emperor Honorius. According to the story, this Turkish monk was led by an inner voice to go to Rome in order to stop the cruel and inhuman gladiatorial fights between slaves. He followed the crowds to the Coliseum where two gladiators were fighting. He jumped into the arena and tried to stop them, shouting, "In the name of Christ, hold back!" The gladiators stopped, but the spectators became indignant. A group of them rushed into the arena and beat Telemachus to death. When the crowd saw the brave little monk lying dead in a pool of blood, they fell silent, leaving the stadium, one by one. Three days later, because of Telemachus' heroic sacrifice of his own life, the Emperor decreed an end to the games. In today's Gospel, which describes the miraculous healing of a deaf mute, we are invited to open our ears and eyes, loosen our tongues and pray for the courage of our Christian convictions to become the voice of the voiceless.

5 $93,240 (100%) $83,916 (90%) 72,831(79%)we re here $69,930 (75%) $46,620 (50%) Getting Started ( 0% ) Faith Formation for Students attending non-catholic Schools in grades 1 st through 8 th St. Stephen s religious education program is now open for enrollment for the Fall semester.. For more information, please call Mary Molly Mullaney at St. Stephen Parish Office (415) , x4 or on-line: FaithFormation@SaintStephenSF.org Saint Vincent de Paul Society Annual Brennan Award On Thursday, October 4, the Society will honor St. Stephen parishioner Fire Chief Joanne Hayes- White (St. Stephen '78) for her extraordinary service to the people of San Francisco. To purchase tickets for this event, please contact Lisa Handley at (415) or go to: Have you ever thought about becoming a Sister? Come and See if God is calling you! THE DAUGHTERS OF CHARITY have an overnight Religious Vocation Retreat for women ages October 26-27, 2018 in Los Altos Hills, CA. CONTACT: Sr. Lisa HUMOR OF THE WEEK Based on today s Gospel An old man is talking to the family doctor. "Doctor, I think my wife's going deaf." The doctor answers, "Well, here's something you can try on her to test her hearing. Stand some distance away from her without facing her and ask her a question. If she doesn't answer, move a little closer and ask again. Keep repeating this until she answers. Then you'll be able to tell just how hard of hearing she really is." The man goes home and tries it out. He walks in the door and asks, "Honey, what's for dinner?" He doesn't hear an answer, so he moves closer to her. "Honey, what's for dinner?" Still he gets no answer. He repeats this several times, until he's standing just one foot away from her. Finally, she answers, "For the eleventh time, I said we're having meat loaf!" * * * * * * * * * An elderly gentleman had had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor, and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%. The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, "Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again." The gentleman replied, "Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times!" * * * * * * * * * * The Seance Helena, a member of the Providence, Rhode Island Women's Club went to a fund-raising "carnival" staged for the benefit of the Women's Club. One of the events took place in a tent which had been set up for a medium to conduct séances. Helena bought a ticket, went inside, and sat down at a large round table, presided over by the medium. The medium asked if anyone would like to make contact with a departed person. "Very well," said Helena, "there is a Bible story about Jesus curing a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment. I would like to contact that man." After much bell-ringing, moaning and groaning, and humming which seemed to be coming from all directions, a voice from the chandelier announced distinctly, I am the man whom Jesus cured of deafness and a speech impediment." To which Helena replied, "I know you can hear me because Jesus cured you of your deafness, and I can tell you that your speech is coming through most clearly, but I have one question." "Ask me anything," the voice came back. "All right, then," said Helena, "tell me, where did you, the Aramaic-speaking, first century Palestinian learn to speak American English?"

6 Join Our St. Stephen Choir Please consider joining our St. Stephen Choir! All Ages Are Welcome St. Stephen Music Ministry provides beauty, joy, comfort and inspiration for liturgies and festive parish celebrations through the musical gifts, generosity and commitment of our members. The requirements are: love to sing no experience necessary support our parishioners enhance the Liturgy form new friendships Choir Season Beginning September 2018 and ending the beginning of June Practices Held mostly on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 8:30 p.m. or after the 9:30 a.m. Mass on Sundays. Choir Schedule The choir sings mostly at the 9:30 a.m. Mass, and occasionally at the 11:30 Mass. Contact Our choir director; Rhonda Smith at (415) Ext. 8, or her at God s love in action What we see is not simply the healing of a physical defect, but a concrete sign of the transforming power of God's Love. The power of God's Love is working in our lives to transform sorrow into joy, sickness into health, death into new life. The dumb man who is unable to communicate also symbolizes our own communication problem vis-à-vis God. In order to perceive and proclaim God's message, we need to be transformed. The miracle is not only about the physical healing of a person who was deaf and dumb. It also points to the opening of a person s ears so that he may hear the word of God and loosening of his tongue so that he may speak his profession of Faith in Jesus. The miracle has great relevance to us, because a person can have perfect hearing, and yet not hear the word of God, have perfect speech, and yet be unable to make an act of faith. "Five past two" Two older men were talking. One of them was bragging just a little bit. "I just purchased the most expensive hearing aid ever made," he said. "It is imported and is guaranteed for life." The second man asked: "What kind is it?" The first man answered, "Five past two." We can laugh about the hearing loss that comes with aging. It is a minor problem that will affect most of us sooner or later. In fact, experts predict that years of rock music, leaf blowers, and noise pollution in general will result in millions of baby boomers with hearing loss. According to a recent study by the National Institutes of Health, there has been a stunning 26 percent increase in those suffering permanent hearing loss between the ages of 35 and 60, compared to 15 years earlier. Today s Gospel passage tells us how Jesus healed a deaf man who was mute. The Ephphatha prayer There is a little ritual in the rite of Baptism alas it is often omitted whose name and form are taken from today s Gospel: The Ephphatha. The celebrant touches the ears and then the lips of the one to be baptized saying: The Lord Jesus made the deaf hear and the dumb speak. May He soon touch your ear to receive His word and your mouth to proclaim His Faith. This simple ceremony captures not only the kernel of today s Gospel, but a most profound aspect of our Faith: its giftedness.

7 PASTORAL STAFF Rev. Tony P. LaTorre Pastor, ext.1 Mrs. Sharon McCarthy Allen School Principal Carol P Cagalingan Parish Manager, ext. 3 carol@saintstephensf.org Rev. Mr. Olet Abad Rev. Mr. Rory Desmond Permanent Deacons Mary Molly Mullaney Faith Formation Coordinator, ext. 4 faithformation@saintstephensf.org Shay Ingelfinger Event Center Coordinator, ext.7 donworthevents@saintstephensf.org Rhonda Smith Coordinator of Music & Liturgy, ext. 8 music@saintstephensf.org Teresa Devincenzi Bookkeeper, ext.5 teresa@saintstephensf.org Ed Prete Bulletin Editor, ext. 6 e.prete@saintstephensf.org 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 Rhonda Smith Faith Formation Mary Molly Mullaney Fifty Plus Club Helga D Arcy Finance Council Laura Birsinger Grief Support Clergy Lectors Rhonda Smith Liturgy Committee Fr. Tony Marriage Preparation Clergy Men s Club Andrew Hazard Music Rhonda Smith Parish Council Vicky Francisco RCIA Mary Molly Mullaney St. Stephen Book Club Mary Molly Mullaney St. Vincent de Paul Julie O Callaghan Ushers Bob Anthony Women s Guild Lydia Flocchini Shauna O Donoghue 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 Please send me Sunday Envelopes (encircle): Yes No (Default is to send weekly Sunday envelopes to New Parishioners)

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