29 Rockaway Avenue San Francisco CA Tel. No. (415) August 26, 2018 Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

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ST. BRENDAN CHURCH Share these articles with your friends online at www.stbrendanparish.

org August 26, 2018 Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time Faith Trusts In The Answers Faith Provides Last week in the first installment of our new message series, Faith Answering Questions, we learned

1 ST. BRENDAN CHURCH Share these articles with your friends online at 29 Rockaway Avenue San Francisco CA Tel. No. (415) August 26, 2018 Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time Faith Trusts In The Answers Faith Provides Last week in the first installment of our new message series, Faith Answering Questions, we learned why there are no women priests, how Catholics view other religious traditions, and the reason my homilies are so long. Over the next couple of weeks, we ll continue to answer your challenging, controversial, and interesting questions about the Catholic faith. Even as we explore specific aspects of Church teaching, we ll also be learning something about the nature of faith itself. We considered last week the fact that faith often grows through a process of questioning and doubt. Even as the crowd around Jesus recoiled at his claim that he was the bread of life come down from heaven, he nevertheless was able to lead his closest disciples to a new level of understanding. The readings this week suggest that faith, at some point in the process of questioning, eventually must come to trust in the answers faith provides. After listening to his claims, challenging him, murmuring against him, and quarreling among themselves about him, many of Jesus disciples in open rebellion returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him (John 6:66). Jesus then turned to his inner circle and asked if they also wished to leave. Though perhaps still not fully comprehending his teaching, Peter s response demonstrates his complete trust in the person of Christ: Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God (John 6:68-69). In my first year of seminary, I was assigned to teach a class on Catholicism at a local parish. During one session, a woman said that she had been praying that the Church s teaching on certain topics one day would change in order to align with modern viewpoints. I gently suggested that she also should pray that perhaps her viewpoint one day might evolve to align with the Church s teaching. As Peter s response to the mutiny against Jesus demonstrates, the power to believe is rooted in an openness to trust in Christ and the Church he established. Given the recent reopening of old wounds in scandals that continue to rock the Church, it may be difficult to trust in what its leaders teach. Indeed, the episcopal negligence and malfeasance in the face of clerical sexual abuse is nothing short of reprehensible (Archbishop Cordileone s Letter on National Revelations of Child Abuse, August 17, 2018). At the same time as we rightly condemn the evil and despicable actions of some within the Church, we cannot let them derail the critical and lifechanging work of preaching the gospel and bringing the truth of Christ to others. As Joshua said to the ancient Israelites in the first reading, Decide today whom you will serve.... As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. --Father Roger Gustafson, Pastor

2 Making Church Matter Welcome Aboard! If this is your first time to Saint Brendan or your first time to church in a long time, we re glad you re here! We are a cozy community of believers who seek to find our way in life by following Jesus together, and we want you with us on the journey. Explore some possible next steps for you below. We re here to help. If you have any questions, stop by our welcome desk located at the entrance to the church, check out our website at or just give us a call. Become Part of Our Church Family Come aboard and navigate life with us. As a member, we ask that you take steps to grow in your discipleship. In fact, STEPS is an acronym for how to become a better disciple of Christ. As a member, we'll ask that you consider: S - Serving in a ministry T - Tithing & Giving E - Engaging in a small group P - Practicing prayer, including regular Sunday worship with us S - Sharing your faith by inviting your friends and neighbors to church If you think you're ready to become part of our church family, stop by our welcome desk at the entrance to the church before or after any Weekend Mass. Serve in Ministry & Mission We know many things compete for your attention. But we also know you ll never really be happy until you begin serving others and putting your love to work. There are so many opportunities to make a difference: Help make Sundays an irresistible celebration by joining our Sunday Liturgy Support Ministry. Help children, teens, and adults on their journey of faith by joining our Faith Formation Ministry. Keep parishioners and visitors connected to one another by joining one of our Parish Life Ministries. Take the love of Christ to people who are suffering by joining one of our Outreach Ministries. Whatever God is calling you to do, take that next bold step in faith. Explore our website for more information or just call us. We re happy to get you connected!

NEW! MESSAGE SERIES STARTING AUGUST 19 FAITH ANSWERING QUESTIONS Featured News News & Events & Events Answers to the questions

Fill out a card in the pews with your question or submit a question online through our website, www.stbrendanparish.

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR FALL FAITH FORMATION CLASSES Classes begin Sunday, August 26 Registration is now open on our website,

org, or contact our Director of Evangelization and Faith Formation, Manolito Jaldon at manolito@stbrendanparish.org. CLOSURES:

3 NEW! MESSAGE SERIES STARTING AUGUST 19 FAITH ANSWERING QUESTIONS Featured News News & Events & Events Answers to the questions you have about the Catholic faith. Fill out a card in the pews with your question or submit a question online through our website, or your question to saintbrendanchurchsf@gmail.com. REGISTRATION OPEN FOR FALL FAITH FORMATION CLASSES Classes begin Sunday, August 26 Registration is now open on our website, or contact our Director of Evangelization and Faith Formation, Manolito Jaldon at manolito@stbrendanparish.org. CLOSURES: RECTORY OFFICE (August 31-September 3) CHURCH (September 3-7) Please take note that the Rectory Office will be closed for the Labor Day weekend holiday. In addition, the Church will be closed the week after Labor Day for the installation of a new lighting system. Wednesday night Adoration and Confessions will be held as usual on September 5 and will not be affected by the closure. PILGRIMAGE TO EASTERN EUROPE WITH FATHER ROGER SEPTEMBER 7-17, 2020 Information Meeting Saturday, September 8, 10:00-11:00 a.m. Parish Hall Join Father Roger and Father Bill McCain on a pilgrimage to Eastern Europe including the Once-A- Decade Passion Play at Oberammergau!

Featured Article FAQ Lighter Side As part of our Faith Answering Questions message series, we received several questions from parishioners about the death penalty.

The Roman Catholic Church has an unconditionally pro-life stance, which means that all human life must be protected, honored, and cherished as gifts from God.

4 Featured Article FAQ Lighter Side As part of our Faith Answering Questions message series, we received several questions from parishioners about the death penalty. Here is a response from our staff bulletin writer, Claire Kosewic. The Roman Catholic Church has an unconditionally pro-life stance, which means that all human life must be protected, honored, and cherished as gifts from God. Although the issue of the death penalty has raised a great deal of debate among Catholics, the U.S Bishops, in a document entitled, A Culture of Life, argue that (i) God set a precedent in the Bible for the exercise of mercy towards those who commit heinous crimes, and (ii) the practice of the death penalty not only goes against Jesus most important commandment but negatively impacts all of human society. In chapter four of the Book of Genesis, Adam and Eve have two sons, Cain and Abel. Time passes, and both sons bring offerings to the Lord. For whatever reason, God looks with favor on Abel s offering, but not Cain s. Overwrought with anger and jealousy, Cain attacks Abel and kills him. Although he tries to deny it when God confronts him about the murder, Cain eventually admits his crime. Rather than condemning him to death, God shows mercy and allows Cain to live. He will have to live in exile, however, which will make him a target for others. In another act of mercy, God marks him with a special tattoo a sign to all that Cain is protected by God, and that no one is ever to harm him. crimes, yet God acted with mercy towards him. We, too, must follow that example of unconditional love and forgiveness. No sin is too great to repent from, we are taught. And, rarely (if ever), does the act of taking another human life bring closure to those directly affected by the crime. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote, No act, even an execution, can bring back a loved one or heal terrible wounds. The pain and loss of one death cannot be wiped away by another death.... We also share the... loss and heartache that are the result of unspeakable acts of violence. Our family of faith must care for sisters and brothers who have been wounded by violence and support them in their loss and search for justice. They deserve our compassion, solidarity, and support. However, standing with the families of victims does not compel us to support the use of the death penalty. Furthermore, they wrote, When the State, in our names and with our taxes, ends a human life despite having non-lethal alternatives, it suggests that society can overcome violence with violence. The use of the death penalty ought to be abandoned not only for what it does to those executed, but for what it does to all of society. In supporting the death penalty, we support a culture of violence, hatred, and vengeance, not a culture of love, forgiveness, and compassion, as we are called to do in Jesus. The story of Cain and Abel sets a clear biblical precedent against the death penalty. Cain committed murder, one of the most abominable of all

Stewardship Stewardship is the grateful response of a Christian disciple who recognizes and receives God s gifts and shares them generously in love of God and neighbor.

5 Stewardship Stewardship is the grateful response of a Christian disciple who recognizes and receives God s gifts and shares them generously in love of God and neighbor. Stewardship is not about money or fundraising. It is a spirituality. It is a way of life. A steward recognizes that God is the source of all life and every blessing and that all gifts of time, talent, and treasure come from God. A steward is grateful for those gifts. A steward takes care of and increases those gifts and freely gives back the first and best portion of those gifts to God. A Steward is Subordinate The second reading today often offends modern sensibilities when Saint Paul writes that the husband is head of his wife and that [w]ives should be subordinate to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22-23). Indeed, when one bride mistakenly selected this passage for her wedding, I remember the bridesmaid reading it aloud during the ceremony while at the same time rolling her eyes many times in an exaggerated fashion to make her disapproval clearly known. As I pointed out in my homily, however, an often missed point is that Saint Paul actually wrote that both husbands and wives should be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21). While his instruction to women perhaps too uncritically accepted conventional standards, the essence of the passage actually is directed to husbands. In fact, what Paul had to say to men was nothing short of groundbreaking and radical. At the time Paul was writing, husbands had complete dominion over their wives. They were considered little more than property with which the husband could do as he saw fit. Wives were often abused and mistreated as a result. Paul s radical message is that the basis of Christian marriage is love, not authority. Moreover, the husband is to imitate Christ s sacrifice on the cross and hand himself over for his bride (Ephesians 5:25), because the very definition of love is self-donation and subordination to the one who is loved. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow. (Matthew 5:42). Whatever blessings God has given you, we invite you to make a planned, proportionate, and sacrificial financial commitment to this parish and to the poor that will endure. Indeed, any form of authentic love is marked by the mutual submission of one to the other, including Christian discipleship. As followers of Christ, we are called to die to ourselves out of love for our neighbor. Stewardship expresses this call to discipleship through various forms of service using our God-given time, talents, and treasure. In seeking to serve and not be served, we follow the command to love others and imitate Christ in the process. --Father Roger Gustafson, Pastor SECOND COLLECTION NEXT WEEK: ST. BRENDAN SCHOOL SUNDAY COLLECTION August 19, 2018 GOAL $ 9,500 TOTAL $ 8,525 Under $ 975

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SAINT BRENDAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Church School Convent 29 Rockaway Avenue San Francisco CA 94127 Rectory Phone: (415) 681-4225 Mon -

(415) 731-2665 www.stbrendansf.com Canossian Sisters 234 Ulloa Street San Francisco CA 94127 Tel.

6:00 PM CONFESSIONS Saturday: 4:15-4:45 PM Wednesday: 7:15-7:45 PM EUCHARISTIC ADORATION Wednesday: 7:00-8:00 PM Saturday: 4:00-4:45 PM

8 SAINT BRENDAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Church School Convent 29 Rockaway Avenue San Francisco CA Rectory Phone: (415) Mon - Thurs: 8:30 am - Noon, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Sun: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Laguna Honda Blvd. San Francisco CA Tel. (415) Canossian Sisters 234 Ulloa Street San Francisco CA Tel. (415) MASSES Sunday: 7:30, 9:30,11:30 AM Mon-Fri: 6:30 & 8:15 AM Saturday: 8:15 AM 5:00 PM Holy Days: 6:30 AM, 8:15 AM and 6:00 PM CONFESSIONS Saturday: 4:15-4:45 PM Wednesday: 7:15-7:45 PM EUCHARISTIC ADORATION Wednesday: 7:00-8:00 PM Saturday: 4:00-4:45 PM BAPTISMS & WEDDINGS For information, please see our website at or call us at (415) MASS INTENTIONS (August 27-September 2, 2018) SAT 8:15 a.m. SAT 5 p.m. SUN 7:30 a.m. SUN 9:30 a.m. 6:30 a.m. 8:15 a.m. Monday Available Available Tuesday Walter Farrell (D) Weekend Dora Gonzales (L) (special intention) Augusto Wong Walter Farrell (D) Available Wednesday Roy Lippi (D) Barbara Dollard (D) Thursday Friday Weekday David L. Alvers (D) Theo Davis (D) Theo Davis (D) People of St. Brendan Parish SUN 11:30a.m. Ebe F. Sapone-Cavagnaro (D) STAFF Pastor (415) Fr. Roger Gustafson FatherRogerGustafson@gmail.com Parochial Vicar (415) Fr. Celestine Tyowua Ext.214 oryina2000@gmail.com Member & Volunteer Care (415) Sr. Angela Furia, FdCC srangela@stbrendanparish.org Evangelization & Faith Formation Manolito Jaldon (415) manolito@stbrendanparish.org Music Ministry (415) Mario Balestrieri School Principal (415) Dianne Lakatta dlakatta@stbrendansf.com Parish Manager (415) Lisa Rosenlund lisa@stbrendanparish.org Financial Administrator (415) Maeve O Reilly maeve@stbrendanparish.org Administrative Assistant (415) Vera Gonzalez vera@stbrendanparish.org

29 Rockaway Avenue San Francisco CA Tel. No. (415) August 19, 2018 Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

ST. BRENDAN CHURCH Share these articles with your friends online at www.stbrendanparish.org. 29 Rockaway Avenue San Francisco CA 94127 Tel. No. (415) 681-4225 www.stbrendanparish.org August 19, 2018 Twentieth