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

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

1 ST. BRENDAN CHURCH Share these articles with your friends online at 29 Rockaway Avenue San Francisco CA Tel. No. (415) August 19, 2018 Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Faith Evolves By Asking Questions We begin a new three-week message series today called Faith Answering Questions. For some time, we ve been asking you to submit your questions about the Catholic faith. So far, we have received many difficult, controversial, and interesting inquiries that we ll be addressing during the homilies at Mass and in the bulletin articles each week. Even as we explore specific aspects of Church teaching, we ll also be learning something about the general nature of faith itself from the stories in the gospel readings over this same three-week period. In particular, we will discover that, in order to be healthy, faith must: Evolve by asking questions; Trust in the answers faith offers; and Commit to our faith even in the face of some lingering misgivings. Today s gospel passage demonstrates the first of these propositions, namely, how faith evolves through a process of doubt and questioning. In the story, Jesus is embroiled in a conflict that ultimately helps the faith of his followers grow. The conflict began after Jesus had multiplied a few loaves of bread and fish to feed thousands of people. News of the miracle spread, and crowds began to follow him, looking for more free food. Jesus wanted their faith to mature and so provoked a controversy by telling them that he would give them food that endures for eternal life (John 6:27). The people balked, claiming that Jesus could never outdo the bread called manna given to their ancestors in the desert after they had been freed from slavery in Egypt. To help them take their first step in the development of their faith, Jesus compares himself to God s wisdom in the Scriptures, which is like food and drink and greater than the manna rained down from heaven (6:35). Even though they continue to grumble, Jesus doubles down and tells them that the true bread from heaven actually is his own flesh given for the life of the world (6:51). Still stuck in a manna mindset, however, the people then quarrel among themselves over this teaching. The discourse crescendos in the unthinkable revelation that they must actually eat his flesh and drink his blood in order to remain with Jesus forever. With the Greek verb used in the passage, there is no mistaking the fact that Jesus intended his words to be taken literally. Through a rather painful process of questioning, doubt, and even outright rebellion, Jesus led his closest disciples to a new level of understanding. In the same way, our faith should evolve and grow. For that to happen, we must be open to asking the deepest questions about what we believe and, even in our doubt, at least consider the tried and true answers provided by the ancient faith of the Church. --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 &

Fill out a card in the pews with your question or submit a question online through our

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR FALL FAITH FORMATION CLASSES Classes begin Sunday, August 26

org, or contact our Director of Evangelization and Faith Formation, Manolito Jaldon at

SAINT BRENDAN WONDER WOMAN By popular vote, our Director of Ministry and Member Care, Sister

s Woman of the Year Award. Congratulations, Sister Angela. We love you!

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. SAINT BRENDAN WONDER WOMAN By popular vote, our Director of Ministry and Member Care, Sister Angela Furia, has been nominated by the parish for the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women s Woman of the Year Award. Congratulations, Sister Angela. We love you! 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 During Mass, we ve been addressing some of your more complex questions about the Catholic faith in our message series, Faith Answering Questions.

In 1983, Pope John Paul II laid down the law on fasting before communion: you must not eat or drink anything, except water or medicine, for at least one hour before receiving communion.

4 Featured Article FAQ Lighter Side During Mass, we ve been addressing some of your more complex questions about the Catholic faith in our message series, Faith Answering Questions. Here are a few less weighty but still interesting questions we received. 1. What is the Church s rule on fasting before communion? How has it changed? In 1983, Pope John Paul II laid down the law on fasting before communion: you must not eat or drink anything, except water or medicine, for at least one hour before receiving communion. (This does not mean at least one hour before Mass if you were going to attend the 9:30 a.m. Mass, you could probably eat up until 9:15 a.m. or so, assuming that communion generally takes place at about 10:15 a.m. during that service.) Certain exceptions to this rule do apply sick or elderly people and the people who care for them, such as nurses and doctors, do not have to fast before receiving the Blessed Sacrament. Traditionally, the Catholic Church was very strict about the Eucharistic fast, requiring that anyone who wanted to receive communion could not eat or drink from the midnight before Mass until after they had received the sacrament. Water and medicine were included in eating and drinking, and there were no exceptions for children, the sick, the elderly, or even clergy. If a priest was going to say four Masses in one morning, he might not be able to eat or drink until past noon! Catholics have fasted before taking the Eucharist for all time in 240 A.D., the Christian writer Tertullian described the Eucharist as a bread which must be eaten before taking any other food. Likely, this tradition came from the Jewish culture, which gives extreme importance to fasts and includes them in several sacred celebrations. The rules for fasting have relaxed significantly since then, however, mostly for the sake of convenience, so they re extremely easy to follow. 2. Does God love animals? How much does God love animals compared to human beings? The short answer is yes: God does love animals very much. We read in Genesis 1:20-25, Let the earth bring forth every kind of living creature: tame animals, crawling things, and every kind of wild animal...god made every kind of wild animal, every kind of tame animal, and every kind of thing that crawls on the ground. God saw that it was good. God created all the animals on this Earth, and He loves them all dearly. When He made humans, he did give us superiority over the animal kingdom, but with the stipulation that we would always be kind to other living things. Being cruel to animals defiles God s creation, and is in direct contrast to anything God wants of us. Since human beings were created in God s own image, we are responsible for showing the kindness and respect God shows to us, to all of creation. Additionally, God takes many opportunities to remind us of the wisdom of animals. In the Book of Job, chapter 12, Job chides those who say that he will stop believing in God when his fortunes fail. He tells those non-believers that even the animals know that everything, good and bad and terrible, comes from God in heaven. But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; and the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; and let the fish of the sea declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this, in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind? --Claire Kosewic, Parishioner

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 Worshipful When I first converted to the Catholic faith in 1989, I couldn t wait to go to church on Sundays. The liturgy was captivating and brought me hope and strength for the coming week. The music and singing lifted me up, the homily edified me, and the communion I received with the Lord and other worshipers made me feel whole and part of something bigger than myself. The Mass was an irresistible experience for me, and I looked forward to it as each weekend approached. Indeed, the first and most fundamental purpose of the Church is worship. As Psalm 34:3 says, O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together. To worship God fulfills the first portion of the Great Commandment Jesus gave in Matthew 22:37-40: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all our soul and with all your mind. In the second reading at Mass today, Saint Paul encourages his readers to cast off ignorance that leads to sin through worship. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, he urges them, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts (Ephesians 5:18-19). Throughout Scripture we re commanded to celebrate God s presence by adoring him in liturgy and common worship. Our fundamental identity as stewards for God can lead us to the incorrect conclusion that service to others should be our primary goal. Sometimes we get so busy serving God by trying to do good deeds that we forget to offer the first and best sacrifice of our time in prayer. However, the Bible says, Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only (Matthew 4:10). Notice that worship is primary and comes before service. No one shall appear before the Lord empty-handed, but each of you with as much as he can give, in proportion to the blessings which the Lord, your God, has bestowed on you. (Deuteronomy 16:16-17). 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. NO SECOND COLLECTION NEXT WEEK Saint Paul says that we are to give[] thanks always and for everything (Eph. 5:20). Indeed, Christian stewards are grateful for all of God s blessings. The greatest of these, however, is the opportunity and ability to worship him. --Father Roger Gustafson, Pastor SUNDAY COLLECTION August 5, 2018 GOAL $ 9,500 TOTAL $ 9,496 Under $ 4

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7 Michael T. Sweeney SERVING WITH TRUST AND CONFIDENCE Attorney at Law SINCE 1850 WILLS * TRUSTS * PROBATE McKEEVER R E A L T Y Chuck Lewkowitz 782A Ulloa Street (415) McAvoy O'Hara Co. Please Cut Out This Thank You Ad and Present It The Next Time You Patronize One of Our Advertisers 4545 Geary BOULEVARD at TENTH AVENUE Serving SF for Over 25 Yrs (415) mfreethy@yahoo.com John W. Schulz, D.D.S. 595 Buckingham Wy Your Neighborhood Specialists Compass 2099 Market Street San Francisco, CA (415) * General Dentistry * Dentistry for Children * Cosmetic Dentistry Realtors Evergreen Mortuary of 712 Monterey Blvd., S.F. STONESTOWN MICHAEL AND JOY FREETHY Thank you for advertising in our church bulletin. I am patronizing your business because of it! Top Producers - 28 years Experience Specializing in Residential, Probate & Trust Sales Please visit our websites at or Complimentary Notary Public for all parishioners. Phone hrs. If You Live Alone You Need LIFEWatch! 24 Hour Protection at HOME and AWAY! Ambulance 95 Solutions as Low as Police Fire FREE Shipping Friends/Family FREE Activation $19. a month NO Long Term Contracts CALL NOW! No Problem! * Real TimeNo Landline? GPS Tracking * Fall Detection Ruth Downs Sullivan The Most Complete Laura Sullivan Van Zandt Online National ATTORNEYS AT LAW Specializing in Check It Out Today! FREDRIC R. WARREN, DDS, MSD Orthodontics for Children and Adults Directory of 15 West Portal Ave., S.F. (415) Catholic Parishes Offering the Damon System of braces as well as Invisalign for the entire family Celebration of Life and Receptions Saint Margaret Sunday Missal Estate/Tax Planning, Trusts, Wills, Probate, An ideal companion for personal prayer. Conservatorship and The Bud Duggan Family Since 1924 Jim Sullivan, Parishioner In Stock & Ready to Order Today. Family Law Most Convenient & Reasonable Costs Multilingual Unlimited Parking CALL OR ORDER ONLINE. $ Market Street sullivansfh.com duggansserra.com FD1098 FD Westlake Ave., Daly City 6201 Geary Blvd., San Francisco Traditional and Cremation Services THE LAWSON ROOFING CO., INC. "Since 1907" Contractor Lic. No Tennessee St., S.F St Brendan Church (A) For Ads: J.S. Paluch Co., Inc

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

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org Music Ministry (415) 681-4225 Mario Balestrieri School Principal (415) 731-2665 Dianne Lakatta dlakatta@stbrendansf.

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 20-26, 2018) Weekday 6:30 a.m. 8:15 a.m. Monday Available Available Tuesday Available Available Wednesday Available Walter Farrell (D) Thursday Available Rudolfo Villarta (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 Friday Available Ann Kierrnan (D) SAT 8:15 a.m. SAT 5 p.m. SUN 7:30 a.m. Weekend Available Loretta Smith (D) Diana Heafey (D) Parish Manager (415) Lisa Rosenlund lisa@stbrendanparish.org Financial Administrator (415) Maeve O Reilly maeve@stbrendanparish.org SUN 9:30 a.m. People of St. Brendan Parish SUN 11:30a.m. Edward & Helen Flynn (D) Administrative Assistant (415) Vera Gonzalez vera@stbrendanparish.org

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