S AN FRANCISCO SOLANO C ATHOLIC CHURCH

Transcription

1 S AN FRANCISCO SOLANO C ATHOLIC CHURCH October 16, 2016 Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time ANTONIO PARKWAY, RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA Phone:(949) Fax: (949) OFFICE HOURS: Weekdays: 9:00 AM to NOON; 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM Reverend Theodore Olson, Pastor Ext FatherTed@sfsolano.org Reverend Duy Le, Parochial Vicar Ext FrDuy@sfsolano.org Reverend Gordon Moreland, SJ, Visiting Priest Reverend James Smith, O.Praem., Visiting Priest Deacon Carl Swanson Ext deaconcarl@sfsolano.org SATURDAY VIGIL MASS: 5:00 PM SUNDAY MASSES: 7:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 10:15 AM, 12:00 NOON, and 5:00 PM WEEKDAY MASSES: Monday-Saturday, 8:30 AM HOLY DAY MASSES: 8:30 AM and 7:00 PM SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION: SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE: SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM: EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: Saturdays, 3:30-4:30 PM (or by appointment) Please contact the Parish Office at least six months prior to marriage. One Sunday each month at 2:00 PM Please contact the Parish Office. The first Monday of each month beginning after the morning Liturgy. NEW PARISHIONERS Welcome to San Francisco Solano Catholic Church! To register please come into the Parish Office, take an information envelope from the information rack at the back of the Church, or download a registration form online at www. sfsolano.org. SERRA CATHOLIC SCHOOL (Multi-Parish School) Antonio Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Phone: (949) Angeline Trudell, President 1 Mission Statement: San Francisco Solano Parish continues the early California missionary spirit to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are committed to Word, Sacrament, and Service. Administration Parish Secretary/Office Manager Alma Helms, Ext secretary@sfsolano.org Parish Receptionist/Sacramental Records Alfie Mumaugh, Ext information@sfsolano.org Bulletin Editor Lynne Pantano, Ext bulletineditor@sfsolano.org Parish Facilities Manager Anna Podruski, Ext facilities@sfsolano.org Parish Controller Leah Davis, CPA, Ext accounting@sfsolano.org Parish Ministry Director, RCIA/Adult Faith Formation/ Adult Confirmation Deacon Carl Swanson, Ext deaconcarl@sfsolano.org Director of Music Brenda von Gremp, Ext brendavg@sfsolano.org Coordinator of Liturgy Jeanne Guerreiro, Ext. liturgy@sfsolano.org Youth Faith Formation Fax: Director of Faith Formation Ext Registrar/Receptionist Teri Ferlisi, Ext reregistrar@sfsolano.org Elementary/Intermediate Coordinator (Grades 1-8) Amy Franklin, Ext elemre@sfsolano.org; jrhigh@sfsolano.org Youth Minister/Confirmation Coordinator (Grades 9-12) Jenna Mish, Ext youthministry@sfsolano.org

2 Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time October 16, 2016 Scripture Readings for the Week Sunday: Ex 17:8-13; Ps 121:1-8; 2 Tm 3:14 4:2; Lk 18:1-8 Monday: Eph 2:1-10; Ps 100:1b-5; Lk 12:13-21 Tuesday: 2 Tm 4:10-17b; Ps 145:10-13, 17-18; Lk 10:1-9 Wednesday: Eph 3:2-12; Is 12:2-3, 4bcd-6; Lk 12:39-48 Thursday: Eph 3:14-21; Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 11-12, 18-19; Lk 12:49-53 Friday: Eph 4:1-6; Ps 24:1-4ab, 5-6; Lk 12:54-59 Saturday: Eph 4:7-16; Ps 122:1-5; Lk 13:1-9 Sunday: Sir 35:12-14, 16-18; Ps 34:2-3, 17-19, 23; 2 Tm 4:6-8, 16-18; Lk 18:9-14 Readings can also be found online at: Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, Render a just decision for me against my adversary. For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me. The Lord said, Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? (Luke 18:1-8) How often do we read in Scripture about Jesus making time to pray? We read that He went out to the garden, He went to the Mount of Olives, He left his disciples, He made time to pray. What does that say about the importance of prayer? That the Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, went out and made time to pray how important is it for us to make time to pray? The Catechism defines prayer as a "vital and personal relationship with the living and true God." Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God and the requesting of good things from Him. It is an act by which we enter into an awareness by loving communion with God. We not only tell God what is on her mind, but we listen to and here what it is he wants to tell us. The Tempter, the Devil always tries to pull us away from prayer. Distractions and our busy lives discourage us from making time to pray. St. Francis de Sales wrote "Every one of us needs half an hour of prayer each day, except when we are busy then we need an hour." 2 Mass Intentions for the Week Monday 17 October 8:30 AM Maria Pasaro Nona St. Clair Rolly Cortez Special Intention St. Anthony Tuesday 18 October 8:30 AM Michael Avila Virgin Mary for her own intentions Wednesday 19 October 8:30 AM Louis and Ana Laura Alvarez Wedding Anniv. Esther Lev Thursday 20 October 8:30 AM Chuck Lee Telesforo Guillermo Betty Ann Fox Friday 21 October 8:30 AM Jeanne Sequeira Sally Cordova Saturday, 22 October 8:30 AM Special Intention 5:00 PM Cecil Pharris Sunday 23 October 7:00 AM Grace Pagan 8:30 AM PRO POPULO 10:15 AM Mary Markowski 12:00 NOON James Fernandez 5:00 PM Florence Rinella Ushers Needed for All Masses Ushers are needed for all Masses. This is a great way to become involved in our parish. Teenagers, adults, and families are welcome to participate in this ministry. Volunteers generally serve two times per month at the Mass you regularly attend. If you would like to join the Usher ministry, please contact Will Lorenz, head Usher at or Wlorenz66@gmail.com. SAVE THE DATE Christ Renews His Parish Women s Renewal Weekend November 5 6, 2016 Men s Renewal Weekend November 12 13, 2016 Christ Renews His Parish renewal weekend is a one-and -a-half day opportunity to get away from the distractions of our busy world to hear spiritual and inspirational stories of faith from fellow Parishioners. The weekends are in November, but we wanted to get the word out to you now so that you could save the date and join us for a remarkable weekend of renewal. What better way to begin the holiday season? Mark your calendar.

3 Monthly Adoration The Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ and He calls us to spend time with Him in prayer and adoration. Each month, we have a 24-hour Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. We encourage you to consider spending some time with Christ, present in the Blessed Sacrament. Morning, afternoon, and evening time slots are available. Our next 24-hour adoration is November 7-8. As Jesus said to his apostles who slept while he prayed in the Garden prior to his arrest and crucifixion, Could you not spend one hour with me? Parish Ministries Save the Date San Francisco Solano s semi-annual Blood Drive will be held TODAY, Sunday, October 16, from 8:00 AM until 2:00 PM in the basement of the Youth Faith Formation building. The blood resulting from this drive has been specifically designated to go to Mission Hospital You can schedule an appointment on line by going to: Our sponsorship code is: sfscc (San Francisco Solano Catholic Church). Walk-ins are always accepted if you don t make an appointment. GRUPO DE ORACIÓN EN ESPAÑOL DE SFS Los invitamos a que nos acompañen a alabar a Dios y meditar en las escrituras con otros feligreses que hablan español. Nos encontramos cada 2 semanas en miércoles a las 7:00 PM en la habitación número D. Nuestra próxima reunión será el 12 de Octubre. Esperamos contar con su presencia! Para obtener más información, por favor llame a Alex Huddleston al o a Sonia Huddleston Children Of Christ s Heart Children of Christ s Heart is a ministry for the families of children with special needs any diagnosis. We meet to discuss our fears, concerns and frustrations. We address those issues with prayer, emotional support, shared ideas, and information about resources and community agencies that might be able to provide assistance. The leaders of this ministry are not only parishioners here, but are both parent mentors with Family Support Network of Orange County and we have a great deal of knowledge about community resources, IEP preparation and the ins and outs of having a child with special needs, as we both have children with special needs. If you are feeling overwhelmed with your situation or if you would just like to reach out to others who share your experience, please join us. We meet here at the parish, in the parish lounge, on the third Wednesday of every month (except July and August) from 10:00 AM to Noon. The remaining dates for this year are October 19, November 16, December TBD, January 25, February 22, March 22, April 19, May 17, and June 21. Our September session will focus on the Individualized Education Plan and how to prepare for that meeting. If you are unable to attend but would still like support, please contact the coordinator, Maura Mo Byron at either (949) or via at 5byrons@cox.net. 3 Knight of Columbus Pancake Breakfast Please join us for our Inaugural Pancake Breakfast TODAY, Sunday, October 16, after the 7:00 AM, 8:30 AM and 10:15 AM Masses. There will be pancakes, eggs, bacon, and more to enjoy to help us raise money to support vocations in Orange County. The Knights will be pre-selling tickets after Masses this weekend, and tickets will be available next week as well. Come enjoy some great food and community and meet your new Knights of SFS. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for ages 5-12; ages 5 and under are free. SAN FRANCISCO SOLANO PARISH NEEDS YOUR HELP! Are you looking for a way to deepen your faith and be of service to our church? We need more EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION. This is one of the most vital ministries in which lay people can serve in our church. You get to share the PRECIOUS BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST with others in our church. The holidays are fast approaching and there will be an increase in Masses offered and we need more EMHC to serve at these Masses. Training will be provided in the church on Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 7:00 PM and will last approximately 90 minutes. You tell us what MASS times you want to serve and we try to not schedule you more than twice a month, which is why we need more MINISTERS. If you are interested please contact Jeanne Guerreiro at or liturgy@sfsolano.org. God will Bless you in many ways for your service in his name.

4 Parish Ministries Friday Morning Bible Study You're invited to join us Friday mornings from 9:15-11 AM for Bible Study. All you need is a Bible, a notebook, and a willing heart. We meet upstairs in the Parish Hall, Room F. Please contact Kathy Pham, or phamily02@cox.net Catholic Men s Fellowship Catholic Men's Fellowship meets on the second and fourth Tuesday evenings of each month. Dinner is at 6:30 PM and the program begins at 7 PM in the Parish Center. The next meeting is Tuesday, October 25. It is an opportunity for men to open their hearts and strengthen their faith and friendships. Please consider visiting one of our upcoming meetings. For more information, please contact ChrisAOConnor84@gmail.com. Women s Circle of Faith and Friendship A new season of Women's Circle of Faith & Friendship has begun. You are invited to explore this program, which has been described as a spa for your soul. Women's Circle is a peer ministry for women of all ages and stages of life, offering an opportunity to nurture your spirituality, deepen your faith, and build community with others. Using the book None Like Him 10 ways in which God is different from us (and why that is a good thing), by Jen Wilkin, we will explore the unfathomable greatness of God and discover the peace and comfort we can find when we let God be God. Meetings are held in the SFS Parish Hall on Tuesdays from 9:15 AM to 11:15 AM and repeated from 6 PM to 8 PM. The program runs through November 29. There is a $20.00 fee for the program, which includes the book. For information and to register, please Lori LaFavre at lori@lclafavre.com. Evening Bible Study Scripture plays a central role in our Catholic faith: the entire first half of Mass is the Liturgy of the Word, with a homily applying the weekly scriptures to our lives. Yet, how many of us have actually read and studied the Bible and know what s in it? San Francisco Solano s evening Bible study group began its 2016 summer session with the Gospel of Mark. Our mission is to discover the Bible systematically, verse-by-verse, Genesis through Revelation, utilizing a combination of audio taught by renowned literary scholar, Dr. Bill Creasy. Dr. Creasy has been called a Catholic Bible teacher extraordinaire and the Garrison Keillor of Bible study! Check him out at logosbiblestudy.com. Come join us for coffee and dessert as we study the Bible. Classes: Mondays or Thursdays Recommended Bible: The Catholic Study Bible (Oxford Edition) Location: San Francisco Solano Catholic Church (Meeting Room F) 2082 Antonio Pkwy, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Time: 7:00 PM-8:30 PM Cost of Seminar: FREE---bring a dessert to share with the class. For more information contact: Jackie Majewski at (714) or information@sfsolano.org Music Ministry Needs Your Voice! Singing joyfully for the Lord is a gift. Come share that gift with your church. Adult choir open to ages 16 and older One rehearsal weekly: Thursday at 7:30 PM (Sept.-June) Extra rehearsals for Christmas and Easter (2 per season) Sing at 10:15 AM Mass each week (Sept. June) Sing for Holy Days and Special Days of remembrance Learn about singing and music of the church from chant to modern. Have fun getting to know your fellow parishioners 4 Children s choir open to students in 1st through 8th grades One rehearsal weekly: Thursday from 5 PM to 6 PM Sing second Sunday of each month (November-May) Sing for special feast days of Christmas and Easter Have a lot of fun learning notes and rhythm and learning about the importance of sacred music and liturgy. Sing really fun songs. Learn to sing well and make more sound. Have fun with friends. Please contact Brenda von Gremp, Director of Music, if you are interested or have any questions. brendavg@sfsolano.org , Ext. 2115

5 55 & Better 55 & Better 55 & Better is a parish social ministry for parishioners 55 & over. Social activities are held in th SFS Parish Center. For information, contact Don Duclos at October 21, Friday, 6 pm. Special anniversary dinner, catered by Tutto Fresco. Tickets are required. November 4, First Friday Mass & Brunch 8:30 a.m. Bring a hot or cold brunch item to share with 8-10 people. Welcome New Parishioners Welcome to the following new parishioners who registered with San Francisco Solano parish in September: Eduardo and Margarita Acevo Brian and Tiffany Bromm & Family Don and Denise Butler & Family Daniel and Lenay Collaro & Family Alex and Marianne Diaz & Family Carlos and Araceli Gutierrez & Family Patrick and Olivia Howard & Family Scott and Sarah Kaempfe & Family Travis and Jamie Long & Family Miguel and Clara Lopez & Family Maricela Moran Eriberto and Laura Moreno & Family Mauro and Claudia Moreno & Family Paul and Nannette Onest & Family Nghia and Thuy Pham & Family Jeremy and Kristen Sloyer & Family John and Diane Thinnes & Family Parish Ministries VITA Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program Kickoff Anyone interested in assisting with our Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program is invited to join us for an informational kickoff meeting on Tuesday, October 18, at 7:00 PM in meeting room D. Many roles are available, including greeters, and prescreeners, interpreters, tax preparers, technology support, and data verification. Details on the schedule and upcoming training events will be distributed during the meeting. Join us to see how you can be a part of this very valuable program for lower income individuals in our community. Both new and returning volunteers are encouraged to attend. If you cannot make the meeting but are still interested in helping, please contact Jacqueline Rawson , or rawsons@cox.net. Baptisms We congratulate the parents and families of the children baptized into our faith and parish community in July: Brett William Johnson Matthew Collin Morancil Luxe Olivia Vickroy SFS Community Food Bank The SFS Community Food Bank is located at Comercio Avenue in Rancho Santa Margarita. Distribution Hours: Fridays Only 2 PM 5 PM For more information or if you would like to volunteer please contact Alma Helms at

6 Youth Faith Formation Catechists Needed Those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever. Daniel 12:3 Do you have a desire to grow in and share our beautiful Catholic Christian faith? Do you sense the presence of God in your life and want to respond to his love for you? Do you love children and youth and want to serve by leading them to know and love Jesus? Please consider the noble role of being a catechist. We need assistants and catechists for all grades K-12. Call Juliana in the Youth Faith Formation Office today! , ext To assist with the high school teens preparing for Confirmation, please call Jenna Mish at , ext We are looking for leaders to help with CLOW ministry once or twice a month, no experience necessary. Training is provided. Your commitment would be for one or two Sundays a month and there is very little preparation required. Confirmed youths welcome. Children s Liturgy of the Word is a ministry open to all 1 st 4 th graders during the Sunday 8:30 AM and 10:15 AM Masses. This ministry is free and there is no preparation for it. We encourage children and their parents to participate in the Liturgy of the Word with us. Just follow us out during the invitation to participate and join us for discussion of the readings for that Sunday. After 10 minutes of discussion and prayers, we all return back to mass in the church. We are off in the summer, but will resume in September. Please pray for this ministry and for the children who participate. They are the future of our church and of our world. Please consider helping out. Thank you, please contact Trish Novobilski at Special Needs Youth- YFF also serves youth (children and teens) with disabilities. Your child/teen must be registered with Youth Faith Formation. If you have any questions about the program, please contact Addie Traino at (949) Baptism for youth ages 7 and older- If you would like to have your older child baptized, please come to the Youth Faith Formation Center Monday through Wednesday for more information. Youth Group, Confirmation, and Young Adult Ministry Youth Ministry Youth Group - Join us after the Sunday 5 PM Mass for food, games, and fun. Refuel All High School teens are welcome to join us for mid-week fellowship every Wednesday night from 6 PM to 8 PM in the Youth Ministry room. The first 30 minutes will involve food and catching up with each other with the session starting at 6:30 PM. Hope to see everyone there. Leaders Needed! We are building our team! If you are on fire for our Lord and have ever thought about leading teens closer to Christ, please contact me for information about how you can help in Youth Ministry and Confirmation. We desperately need more people desiring to be servants for our youth. Jenna Mish for more information at youthministry@sfsolano.org. 6 Confirmation Confirmation Registration is open. More information can be found in the Youth Faith Formation Office. Contact Jenna Mish at youthministry@sfsolano.org for additional information.. Young Adult Ministry Vision All young adults ages are welcome to join us on Tuesday, October 18, from 7:30 PM to 9 PM in the Youth Ministry room. Looking forward to seeing you there! For more information contact Jenna Mish at youthministry@sfsolano.org

7 Adult Catholics Growing in Faith Pilgrimage During the Jubilee of Mercy On Tuesday, October 25, Fr. Duy will be guiding us to spend some time in prayer and a pilgrimage as we walk through the Holy Doors of Mercy at Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano. We will meet at Mission Basilica in San Juan at 6 pm for meditation and will then attend 7 pm Mass. Afterward, we will go to dinner (restaurant to be determined; participants are responsible for their own meals). 6:00 PM - Meditation 7:00 PM - Mass 8:00 PM - Dinner Why a pilgrimage during this Jubilee of Mercy? Pope Francis writes The practice of pilgrimage has a special place in the Holy year, because it represents the journey each of us makes in this life. Life itself is a pilgrimage, and the human being is a viator, a pilgrim travelling along the road, making his way to the desired destination. Similarly, to reach the Holy Door in Rome or in any other place in the world, everyone, each according to his or her ability, will have to make a pilgrimage. This will be a sign that mercy is also a goal to reach and requires dedication and sacrifice. May pilgrimage be an impetus to conversion: by crossing the threshold of the Holy Door, we will find the strength to embrace God s mercy and dedicate ourselves to being merciful with others as the Father has been with us. (Misericordiae Vultus 14) A pilgrimage, therefore, is a special type of journey one with a holy purpose. Pilgrims may travel to historical holy sites in far-away locations or they may be attentive to the holy locations that are nearby. It s not how far one travels that makes a journey a pilgrimage. It is the intention and reflection that we bring to the trip To receive a plenary indulgence It is necessary that the faithful be in the state of grace at least at the time the indulgenced work is completed. A plenary indulgence can be gained only once a day. In order to obtain it, the faithful must, in addition to being in the state of grace: have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin; have sacramentally confessed their sins; receive the Holy Eucharist (it is certainly better to receive it while participating in Holy Mass, but for the indulgence only Holy Communion is required); and pray for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff. It is appropriate, but not necessary, that the sacramental Confession and especially Holy Communion and the prayer for the Pope's intentions take place on the same day that the indulgenced work is performed; but it is sufficient that these sacred rites and prayers be carried out within several days (about 20) before or after the indulgenced act. Prayer for the Pope's intentions is left to the choice of the faithful, but an Our Father and a Hail Mary are suggested. One sacramental Confession suffices for several plenary indulgences, but a separate Holy Communion and a separate prayer for the Holy Father's intentions are required for each plenary indulgence. For the sake of those legitimately impeded, confessors can commute both the work prescribed and the conditions required (except, obviously, detachment from even venial sin). Indulgences can always be applied either to oneself or to the souls of the deceased, but they cannot be applied to other persons living on earth. Adapted from the decree on the plenary indulgence for the 2000 Jubilee Year. 7

8 Adult Catholics Growing in Faith Letter from the Deacon October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month What s the difference between normal conflict and domestic violence? Conflict is part of every intimate relationship that s why conflict resolution skills are important. Domestic violence, however, has no place in a healthy relationship, whether the couple is dating, engaged, married or cohabiting. What is domestic violence? Domestic violence is any kind of behavior that a person uses, or threatens to use, to control an intimate partner. The two key elements are threat and control. Domestic violence can take various forms: Physical Violent actions such as hitting, beating, pushing, and kicking. In many cases physical abuse becomes more frequent and severe over time. Sexual Includes any sexual acts that are forced on one partner by the other. Psychological Includes a wide range of behaviors such as intimidation, isolating the victim from friends and family, controlling where the victim goes, making the victim feel guilty or crazy, and making unreasonable demands. Emotional Undermining an individual s self-esteem, constant criticism, insults, put-downs, and name-calling. Economic Examples include limiting the victim s access to family income, preventing the victim from working or forcing the victim to work, destroying the victim s property, and making all the financial decisions. Characteristics of victims Female, although men can also experience domestic violence Younger, often in their 20 s and 30 s More likely to be dating or cohabiting than married Nearly half live in households with children Why do women stay? Women often stay with their abusers because of fear. They are afraid that the abuser will become more violent if they try to leave. Some fear that they will lose their children. Many believe that they cannot make it on their own. Some abused women believe that the abuse is their fault. They think that they can stop the abuse if they just act differently. Some cannot admit that they are abused women. Others feel pressured to stay in the relationship. They may feel cut off from social support and resources. Abused women often feel that they are alone, and have no where to turn for help. Why do men batter? Abusive men come from all walks of life. They may be successful in their career and respected in their church and community. Abusive men often share some common characteristics. They tend to be jealous, possessive and easily angered. Many abusive men believe that women are inferior. They believe that men are meant to dominate and control women. Typically, abusive men deny that the abuse is happening or they minimize it. They may blame their partner for the abuse, saying, You made me do this. Alcohol and drugs are often associated with domestic violence but they do not cause it. An abusive man who drinks or uses drugs has two different problems: substance abuse and violence. Both must be treated. WHERE TO FIND HELP For abused women Believe that you are not alone. Help is available for you and your children. Talk in confidence to someone you trust: a relative, friend, pastor or family doctor If you choose to stay in the situation, set up a plan of action to ensure your safety. This includes hiding a car key, personal documents, and some money in a safe place and locating somewhere to go in an emergency. For more information about safety planning go to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides crisis intervention and referrals to local sources of help in all 50 states. Call SAFE (7233) or (TTY). For men who abuse Admit that the abuse is your problem, not your partner s. Begin to believe that you can change your behavior if you choose to do so. Be willing to reach out for help. Talk to someone you trust who can help you to evaluate the situation. Contact Catholic Charities or other church or community agencies for the name of a program for offenders. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline ( ) for information about where to find help. 8

9 Adult Catholics Growing in Faith Letter from the Deacon, continued What the Catholic Church teaches about domestic violence: The U.S. Catholic Bishops have made clear that violence against women, inside or outside the home, is never justified. Violence in any form- physical, sexual, psychological, or verbal is sinful; often it is a crime as well. Domestic violence and the permanence of marriage: Some abused women believe that Catholic Church teaching on the permanence of marriage requires them to stay in an abusive relationship. They may hesitate to seek a separation or divorce. They may fear that they cannot re-marry in the Catholic Church. In When I Call for Help: A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence Against Women, the Catholic bishops emphasize that no person is expected to stay in an abusive marriage. Violence and abuse, not divorce, break up a marriage. The abuser has already broken the marriage covenant through his or her abusive behavior. Abused persons who have divorced may want to investigate the possibility of seeking an annulment. What the Bible says: Abusive men may take a text from the Bible and distort it to support their right to batter. They often use Ephesians 5:22 ( Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord ) to justify their behavior. This passage (v ), however, refers to the mutual submission of husband and wife out of love for Christ. It means that husbands should love their wives as they love their own body, as Christ loves the Church. The Catholic bishops condemn the use of the Bible to support abusive behavior in any form. Men and women are created in God s image. They are to treat each other with dignity and respect. Forgiveness: Men who batter also cite the Bible to insist that their victims forgive them (see, for example, Matthew 6:9-15). A victim then feels guilty if she cannot do so. Forgiveness, however, does not mean forgetting the abuse or pretending that it didn t happen. Neither is possible. Forgiveness is not permission to repeat the abuse. Rather, forgiveness means that the victim decides to let go of the experience, to move on with life and not to tolerate abuse of any kind again. Around the Diocese Working with Those Who Have Been Affected by Abortion The Diocesan Office of Pastoral Care for Families in all Stages continues to recruit new companion ministers who serve in the Hope and Healing After Abortion Ministry. This diocesan outreach ministry strives to meet the needs of those whose lives have been affected by abortion. We are in need of individuals, who feel called to minister with this very special group of people. It is not necessary for abortion to have been your direct experience. What is required is that the volunteer can provide a caring, compassionate, and non-judgmental presence for someone who is suffering and who seeks reconciliation with God and their faith community. We are in special need of those who are bi-lingual, biliterate and bi-cultural in languages other than English (i.e., Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, etc.) to meet the needs of all in our faith communities. The sensitivity of this ministry does require some formal training. Please, prayerfully consider this ministry. We need your help! For questions regarding this ministry, please contact Michael Donaldson at or mdonaldson@rcbo.org. Cursillo Invitation Cursillo is a short course in Christianity conducted in a retreat-like environment and is sanctioned by the Diocese of Orange. The Cursillo Movement is an encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ; come experience His love and get a taste of heaven. Upcoming Weekends: Women s Weekend: 10/20 to 10/23 Divine Word Retreat Center Please contact either of the Cursillo Parish Representatives for more info and registration process. Greg Guerreiro: or lukespapa.gkg@gmail.com Jeanne 9 Guerreiro: or jeanneg50@gmail.com