WELCOME TO OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION CHURCH

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2 WELCOME TO OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION CHURCH Facility Reservations Calendar Please confirm events at Sat, Feb 18 th Sun, Feb 19 th Open Gym OLA Basketball 7:30am, Parish Hall RCIA 11:00am, St. John s Hall Mon, Feb 20 th Pastoral Council Meeting 6:30pm, St. Paul s Room Troop 328 Scout Meeting 6:45pm, Seton Hall Christian Meditation 7:30pm, School Library Tues, Feb 21 st Young Rembrandts Art Program 3:05pm, School Meeting Room Social Committee Meeting 6:30pm, St. Paul s Room Wed, Feb 22 nd SVdP Food Locker Volunteer Luncheon 8:00am, St. John s Legion of Mary Meeting 8:45am, St. Anne s Room School Band 2:00pm, St. John s Hall OLA Winter Band Concert 6:00pm, Parish Hall Thu, Feb 23 rd OLA Basketball 3:15pm, Parish Hall Liturgical Ministry Meeting 7:00pm, Church Fri, Feb 24 th Sowing for Jesus 8:30am, St. Anne s Room OLA 8th Grade Crab Feed Set-Up 12:00pm, Parish Hall Sat, Feb 25 th OLA 8th Grade Crab Feed 5:30pm, Parish Hall Baptism Jimenez 10:00am, Church Save-The-Date Feb. 26 th at Noon, All Ministry Representative Mtg. Feb. 26 th Scout Sunday will be celebrated at the 9:30am Mass Mass Requests To request a Mass, please contact the Parish Office. Sat, Feb 18 th 5:00pm Lizz Baca Baca Family Frank Reyes Reyes Family Sun, Feb 19 th 8:00am Vonnie Saverino Jerrry & Marylee Johnson Art Foster Margaret Mook Family 9:30am Mario Affinito Nancy Affinito Brett Faruzzi Marissa Messner 11:00am Don Day George & Rosemarie Hodsdon Norine Folck Pat & Jerry Laumer 7:30pm OLA Parishioners Fr. Eduino Mick Brown DeFrank Family Mon, Feb 20 th 8:00am Sr. Mary Ellen OLA School Art & Tom Folck Rita Doherty Tues, Feb 21 st 8:00am Sr. Evelyn McCloskey OLA School Jolene Todd The Chambers Family Wed, Feb 22 nd 8:00am Sr. Betty Crottie OLA School Patricia Leland Nick Pavelchik Thur, Feb 23 rd 8:00am Msgr. Jim Church Fri, Feb 24 th 8:00am Walter McClain Bunny Mary Fischer Louise Gall Sat, Feb 25 th 5:00pm Lou Sandoval Patrick Walsh Rita Doherty Rita Doherty Reyes Family Kate Walsh March 11-12th Youth Group Book Sale April 28 th - School Annual Golf Tournament May 5 th & 6th - Annual Country Fair Hearing Assist Devices Available Please see our ushers to get a hearing assist device. A valid CDL is required as a deposit.

3 REFLECTIONS & JOYFUL OPPORTUNITIES Love your enemies Jesus came to the world to give His life to forgive sins and He gives us His Spirit so that we may love one another. Before He died He prayed that we be one so that the world might believe in Him. He wanted us to live in His love so that His joy might be in us. Unfortunately the world is very divided, sometimes even among Christians. St. Paul reminds us that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit which needs to work together in Christ so that we may be holy as God is holy and sends His sun to the good and the bad. As much as we can we should be united and working together to manifest the mercy and kindness of the Lord. ~ Fr. Eduino Making God the Center of Our New Year What do you have planned for the New Year? If you are like many people, you ve perhaps made a few resolutions. I have to admit, however, that I have never been a fan of the term New Year s Resolution. Sometimes I think our society attaches a stigma to resolutions, which are seen by some in almost a joking matter as something to which you agree on January 1 st, and quietly forget about by February 1 st. What can we do then to make the exercise of establishing New Year s resolutions more worthwhile and achievable? The key I think is to make these commitments with God at the center, in honesty and humility. No matter what the goal, we have to do it for the right reason, to glorify God. Everything that Jesus did on Earth pointed back to the Father, and so too can everything we do, even the practice of making New Year s resolutions, point somehow back to our Lord. In humility, we admit those areas of our lives on which we need to work, and in honesty, we recognize when we fall on the journey and our need to constantly turn back to God. These two qualities, honesty and humility, were present in our Lord as he rested in His mother s arms, and they were present in our Blessed Mother as she gave herself over to the will of the Father prior to His birth. We too are called to engender these qualities in our lives at home, at work, and at church, in everything we do. Let us then follow the example of the Holy Family, make all our New Year s resolutions with God in mind, and work to spread the Gospel message of love, truth, and mercy, throughout Note: The above was originally printed in the January edition of the Knights of Columbus Carmichael Council 4970 newsletter, The Paladin. Although it isn t the New Year any longer, we thought it would be appropriate to share it here as well, as we need to live these qualities all year long. ~Dean Marshal, OLA Seminarian PERT Club The PERT Club will meet on Tuesday, February 21 st, at 11:00am, in St. John s Hall. (We ask that the Kitchen Crew please arrive by 9:30). There will be a short meeting, Lotto, door prizes and a special guest speaker, Seminarian Dean Marshall, who will relate his life and twisting journey to the seminary. The potluck luncheon with your special mouthwatering dishes will follow at Noon. Bring your own utensils, wine glass, and coffee cup, along with some Valentine decorations for your table. Nonperishable food for the St. Vincent de Paul Food Locker is also requested. 10 games of BINGO, with cash prizes, will begin when the Kitchen Crew is done. Please call Tom at , or George at if you have any questions. Lenten Soup & Stations Schedule Date 6:00pm Soup Host 7:00 8:00pm Stations Host March 3 rd Knights of Columbus Liturgical Board March 10 th Pastoral Council Martha & Mary Group March 17 th Music Ministry Music Ministry March 24 th Fish Fry Social Group Faith Formation, School, Youth Group March 31 st St. Vincent de Paul Lectors April 7 th P.E.R.T. St. Vincent de Paul Good Friday None Deacon Michael Men s Weekend Retreat at Christ the King Retreat Center You are invited to experience rest and renewal as you grow closer to God through liturgy and prayer, silence and solitude, conversation and contemplation, sacrament and song. Join us March 3-5 th. For reservations and more information call George at , Center at or

4 YOUTH A HUGE Thank You to Our OLA School s Families & Students Thank you to Johnstone family & friends who painted our Parish Hall table room it looks great! Thank you to the Marlatt family for donating a new play kitchen for our KinderRich/ Extension classroom. The children are enjoying it already. Our school families have been participating in Pennies for Patients to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Way to go cougars! OLA s Grandparents Day was a huge success with almost 400 grandparents and special friends attending. Thank you to our visitors, parents, and staff who made this event a precious memory for our children! It was truly beautiful to see so much love and support for our students. OLA Preschool - Eighth Grade Application Information & Tours Applications are considered on an on-going basis. Information can be found at or by contacting Jane Ricci at ext. 202 or development@olaparish.net. Personal visits are also available by appointment with Jane Ricci. OLA Youth Choir and Ensemble (Grades 3-12) All parish and school children grades 3-12 are invited to participate in these activities. We are looking for both singers and instrumentalists. Practices are from 6:00-6:55pm on Wednesday evenings in the church. Please contact our Music Director, Casey Oliver, with any questions at or worship@olaparish.net. OLA Youth Group Events Soap for Souls - OLA youth group is sponsoring a toiletry drive year round for St. Vincent de Paul starting September 13th. You ever wonder what to do with all your hotel shampoos and soaps? Donate to us! We are in need of any and all travel soaps, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, etc. Baskets will be in the back of the church labeled Soap for Souls. We appreciate your generosity. Used Book Sale - The Youth Group will be holding a used book sale the weekend of March 11 th and 12 th in St. John s Hall. We are gratefully accepting donations of gently used books, games, puzzles, DVDs, and CDs from now until the sale. Please do not include encyclopedias, reference books, textbooks or magazines. Donations can be brought to the Parish Office during regular business hours or you can call to arrange for a pick up. Please contact Johann at or youth@olaparish.net. Dinner - Every 3 rd Sunday of the month, come and break bread in the youth room. Then attend Mass together and experience our faith through prayers and worship. There will be a light dinner in the youth room from 6:30pm to 7:15pm followed by attendance at the 7:30pm Mass. Help to participate in the Mass by greeting, ushering, bringing up the gifts, and reading. This evening is for youth in grades 7 th 12 th. RSVP is not required. If you have any questions, please contact Youth Minister, Johann Miller at or youth@olaparish.net. Scout Sunday Celebration on Feb. 26th at 9:30am Mass Join OLA s Boy Scouts and Scouting families for a celebration of scouting at the 9:30 am Mass on Sunday, February 26th. Scouts will serve as greeters and bring up the gifts. They will also serve refreshments after mass. Father Son Program Saturday, March 11 th, 10-2pm at Presentation School this program will explore God s special gift of human sexuality and fertility as well as the goodness and wonder of his plan for growing up and becoming a man. It is designed for fathers and their year old sons. All content is pure, light-hearted and affirming. The cost is $20.00 per family. If the father is not available, the son can be accompanied by another supportive adult.

5 OPPORTUNITIES TO LIVE YOUR FAITH Vocations Cross Prayer Campaign OLA has a Vocations Cross Prayer Campaign. Each week, a family will take home the Vocations Cross. During their week, they commit to praying for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life, as well as for our priests, seminarians, and religious in the Diocese of Sacramento. The cross will then be returned to the parish the following Friday, and presented to a new family at the Mass they normally attend. If you are interested in participating, please contact Dean Marshall at or seminarian@olaparish.net. Martha-Mary Gathering The March Gathering will take place on Thursday, March 2 nd, at 10:30am, in St. John s Hall. At the February Gathering we discussed several upcoming events. Our Parish s Woman of the year is Jane Mouton who will be honored at the Diocesan Luncheon on March 11 th at the Dante Club. Please contact Joan ( ) by February 24 th with your reservation or for details. With the Season of Lent beginning on Wednesday, March 1 st, we will have the opportunity to join with Parish members for soup suppers followed by the Stations of the Cross on Fridays. There were also several suggestions for participating in the annual Parish Santa Breakfast, December 10 th. Martha-Mary Bakers and Crafters will have items for sale, supporting the Parish and School. All women of the Parish are encouraged to attend the monthly gatherings for great conversation, idea-sharing, and learning about our Parish. Next Women s Book Club Meeting: March 13th The OLA Women's Book Club meets monthly, usually the second Monday of each month, depending on room availability. The book club will next meet on March 13, 2017, in St. John's Hall at 6:30pm to discuss the selected book, "Woman in Cabin 10". Join us for a lively discussion. All are welcome. For more information regarding the book club, contact Mary Anne Campos at campos@sbcglobal.net. Thank you. Worldwide Marriage Encounter Worldwide Marriage Encounter is an amazing weekend away with your spouse. Please visit or applications@sacramentowwme.org to register. Please contact Terry and Janet at for additional information. Pro-Life Triumph A Retreat with Fr. Avram Brown Saturday, February 25 th Join Fr. Avram Brown, Pastor of St. Isidore in Yuba City, for a day of prayer, community, and learning at Trinity Pines Catholic Center in Colfax. This one day retreat is for individuals passionate for the pro-life cause, whether it is working to build a culture of life in the parish, supporting outreach efforts, or praying for all those impacted by and involved in these crucial prolife issues. The cost is $20 and includes lunch. For more information, contact Steve Patton at spatton@scd.org or Ash Wednesday Day of Prayer Ash Wednesday is a privileged time of interior pilgrimage towards God who is the fount of love and mercy, a pilgrimage in which He himself accompanies us and sustains us on our way towards the intense joy of Easter. This day marks the beginning of the Church s observance of the Lenten season - six weeks that are set apart for the purpose of drawing closer to God and seeking him with greater intensity. Come join us to engaging in prayer and reflection to become more finely attuned to our longing for God so we can seek him with all our hearts. Begin our Lenten journey boy saying something honest to God and reflecting on what you might give up or rearrange in order to create more space and passion for this most important relationship. Fr. Tom Bonacci, C.P. and Fr. Giltus Mathias, C. P. will present this retreat on March 1 st from 9:30am - 2:00pm at Christ the King Passionist Retreat Center. The Sacrament of Penance will follow the Liturgy. The requested fee is $40.00 and will include lunch. RSVP required at ext. 305 or ChristTheKingRetreatCenter.org.

6 OLA PARISH MINISTRIES Please contact our parish office at or for more information on the following ministries. Training is provided for all service ministries. All Saints Social Club is a group who improve the spiritual, educational, and social welfare of its members. Altar Servers light candles, hold the books, and handle the vessels, etc. so that the celebrant can focus on leading the assembly in prayer. Servers Girls and boys, 5th grade and older, are invited to participate. Bereavement Committee Members provide caring support while assisting with funeral planning. Building and Grounds coordinates the regular maintenance and improvement of the buildings and grounds. Catholic Daughters of America strive to be helping hands where there is pain, poverty, sorrow or sickness. Christian Meditation Group meets once a week in prayerful of silence called Christian Meditation in which we find God who dwells in our hearts and in doing so finds ourselves.. Eucharistic Homebound Ministers bring homebound parishioners Eucharist to their homes or care facilities. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist in the distribution of Holy Communion. Faith Formation for Children volunteers teach the Catholic Faith to our parish children once a week. Family Promise Ministry provides fellowship and healthy meals to homeless families with children. Permanent housing is the ultimate goal, along with developing the self-sufficiency needed to sustain them. The Parish Finance Council advises the Pastor in matters pertaining to the financial affairs of the parish. Habitat for Humanity volunteers provide time and talent to build homes for families in need. The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic Family Fraternal Service Organization, which assists the Church and communities in the Arden Carmichael areas. Lectors are lay ministers who read from the Lectionary at Mass or other liturgical celebrations. The Legion of Mary is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. They bring Eucharist each week to homebound persons and care facilities in the area, as well as facilitating a Mass once a month at each of those facilities. The Liturgy Committee under the direction of the Pastor, sets goals, direction and principles for the liturgical life of the parish, assesses the needs of the worshipping assembly, trains competent liturgical ministers, and implements directives from the universal Church and the diocesan church. The Environment Committee liturgically adorns the church. Greeters receive the community and welcome them to our Faith Family. Ushers help worshipers find seats, take up the collection, coordinate the presentation of the gifts, assist persons who need hearing assist devices and give visitors necessary information. Martha & Mary Gathering is open to all parish ladies. They meet for fellowship, spiritual growth, and to assist with parishioner funeral receptions. Ministry of Small Things volunteers help parishioners with various one-time tasks according to their abilities. Music Ministers offer their gifts by singing or playing an instrument in our adult and youth choirs. Offertory Counters are volunteer teams who count the offertory collections. The Pastoral Council is a pastoral consultative body which strives to discern the movement of the Holy Spirit among God s people in the parish. It gives its help to the Pastor in fostering pastoral activity. P.E.R.T. (People Enjoying Retirement Together) promotes the spirit of friendship while providing opportunities for programs and activities to enhance the temporal and spiritual life of their later years. Respect Life Committee, through prayer and events, promotes life from conception to natural death. Social Committee engages our parish community in a welcoming manner through the planning and execution of social events like our community dinners. Social Justice Ministry Committee will coordinate social justice activities for the parish. Sowing for Jesus is a group who craft and grow spiritually together once a week. St. Vincent de Paul Society (SVdP) OLA Conference is a group of Catholic lay persons who respond to the needs of the poor living within the OLA parish boundaries. These needs are met through the twice-weekly on-site food locker and home visitation teams who provide temporary assistance with rent, utilities, clothing, etc. Vocations Committee prays and has events to inspire people to consider the religious life. Women s Book Club will meet to share the joy of reading. We look forward to growing in faith together!

7 STEWARDSHIP & ENLIGHTENMENT OPPORTUNITIES Thank you for your generosity on February 11th & 12th Weekend Offertory: $ 8, Electronic Giving: $ 6, Total: $14, Average Weekly Budget Amount: $13, Family Promise Collection: $ 3, But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you Matthew 5:44 Love your enemies, easier said than done, no doubt. But, remember, the foundation of stewardship is prayer. When we are in close communication with God, it opens our heart and it turns our attention away from me and moves it towards God and others. It allows us to have a little more empathy for our enemy. When we pray for others, even our enemies, maybe it softens their hearts as well. Thank You to All That Support OLA Via Amazon Smile Our Parish received $68.22 from the Amazon Foundation for the 4th quarter of Thank you to everyone that supported our parish with their purchases. Remember this doesn t cost you anything! The Amazon Foundation contributes half a percent of your total purchases to our Parish. Just shop via OLA Parish s Amazon smile portal: smile.amazon.com/ch/ We appreciate your support! Our Lady of the Assumption Parish invites you to consider our electronic giving program, ParishPay, as a way to automate your regular weekly offerings. Electronic giving is convenient for you and provides much-needed consistency for our church. There is no cost for you to participate. If you are currently giving on a weekly basis, you will no longer need to write out 52 checks a year or prepare 52 envelopes. And when travel, illness or other circumstances prevent you from attending services, this program will allow your weekly offerings to continue on an uninterrupted basis. To sign up, simply go to olaparish.net and click on donation or you may call the Parish Office for assistance. Estate Planning A legacy gift to Our Lady of the Assumption is one of the most rewarding and far-reaching investments you can make. Our Lady of the Assumption takes the trust you place in us seriously and has used previous gifts to support the educational needs of our students, the liturgical and basic necessities of those helped by our charity partners locally, as well as investing in the future of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish. We are grateful to those who have included us in their plan for the distribution of their assets after death. We pray that you will keep Our Lady of the Assumption Parish and/or School in mind. We invite you to contact the Parish Office if you wish to learn more about how you can include us in your estate planning. Annual Catholic Appeal Next Weekend, February 25-26th, we will once again be given the opportunity to be Christ to others through works of mercy. How do we help a family in need? How do we best help the man or woman along the roadside with a request for money? Do we pass them by? Do we feel guilty? Do we wonder how the money we give might be spent? As Catholics in the Diocese of Sacramento, we have a way to help those truly in need. By making a generous donation to the Annual Catholic Appeal, you can live the Gospel message and provide real assistance. Our parish receives 25% to serve our local needs, people who came to our doors looking for a bit of help or a hand up. The charitable works of the Church, whether in Catholic social service programs or parish-based outreach ministries, depend on all of us. Each of our gifts, no matter the amount, really does make a difference in someone s life. Please prayerfully consider what you can give. Our gifts to the Annual Catholic Appeal are Mercy in Motion. You Are Invited to a Novena of Grace: Into the Deep, March 2nd-10 th The Sacramento Jesuit Community invites you to attend Into The Deep, a novena of grace of St Francis Xavier. These nine days of prayer into the heart of Jesus offer you a chance to set aside just one hour to think about what is most important during Lent. There is no cost or registration to attend. Both morning and evening sessions are scheduled. Into The Deep begins Thursday, March 2 and runs through Friday, March 10, 2017 at St. Ignatius Loyola Church in Sacramento. For more information visit their website at: stignatiussac.org/lenten-novena.html.

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