29 Rockaway Avenue San Francisco CA Tel. No. (415) Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time February 11, 2018

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ST. BRENDAN CHURCH 29 Rockaway Avenue San Francisco CA 94127 Tel. No. (415) 681-4225 www.stbrendanparish.

Searching for the perfect word to describe the behavior of the healed leper in the gospel reading this weekend, however, it seemed necessary.

1 ST. BRENDAN CHURCH 29 Rockaway Avenue San Francisco CA Tel. No. (415) Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time February 11, 2018 Reppin It Out There It s not often that I consult the Urban Dictionary, an online glossary of slang words and streetwise lexicon. Searching for the perfect word to describe the behavior of the healed leper in the gospel reading this weekend, however, it seemed necessary. According to an entry made by Pistol Packin Pappy in 2010 on the crowdsourced dictionary website, the word reppin which is short for representing means to be showing off your colors, letting the world know who s your crew and hood. According to a secondary definition in the local patois, the word also means to be [g]etting up in someone s face to let them know who you are, who you run with, and where you hang. The gospel reading tells us that the man Jesus healed of leprosy spread the report abroad. In other words, he was representing by letting the world know that Jesus healed him of the terrible disease and was now his crew. Indeed, leprosy was an incurable disease and a death sentence that imposed a total quarantine. As the first reading says, the Law of Moses required that lepers, once diagnosed by a priest, be declared unclean. To identify himself and thereby avoid accidental contact with a healthy individual, the leper was required to wear tattered clothing, leave his head bare, muffle his beard, wear a bell around his neck, and cry out unclean, unclean, in order to warn others of his immediate presence. Combined with the common physical ailments of sores, disfigurement, loss of limbs, and blindness, the anguish of leprosy was absolute. I can only imagine the sense of joy and relief the healed man experienced when Jesus made the bold move of stretching out his hand in pity and touching the defiled individual with his curative power. Covering his tracks to avoid sensationalism, Jesus warned the man not to publicize his recovery. Apparently unable to contain his delight, however, he began reppin Jesus everywhere. In this book, To Light A Fire on the Earth, Bishop Robert Barron identifies a spiritual hunger in every human being, a hungry heart, hungry for God, and that means we re ordered for something that goes beyond... what we can see and [that]... [n]o amount of the merely natural will satisfy the hungry heart (Crown Publ g, 2017, 138). Unlike the leper restored to health, however, too many of us fail to recognize this deep hunger fully or how Christ satiates it. As a result, we do not represent Christ to the world as we should. The term, New Evangelization, began with an Italian priest, Monsignor Luigi Guissani, who drew the conclusion that what Western culture really needed was... a new determination to preach Christ to the world (Id., 116). For five weeks now, we have shared all the reasons we believe that It s Better In Here than out there: beauty, goodness, truth, verticality, and a sense of belonging and being valued. Now, it s time to rep it out there! Invite someone to church. Fr. Roger Gustafson

Featured News & Events ARCHDIOCESAN ANNUAL APPEAL 2018 Please support the Archdiocesan Annual Appeal.

Archdiocesan Annual Appeal also supports and funds many ministries and services that deepen our connection to God

You can give online through Saint Brendan or send a text message to (415) 767-1934, with the donation amount and AAA

We also have brochures in the pews at church and in the bulletin should you want to contribute in the traditional

, 8:30 a.m., 6:00 p.m. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season of fasting and prayer.

Brendan community at one of our Ash Wednesday Masses for worship and distribution of ashes.

2 Featured News & Events ARCHDIOCESAN ANNUAL APPEAL 2018 Please support the Archdiocesan Annual Appeal. In addition to feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, educating our youth, and caring for the elderly, the Archdiocesan Annual Appeal also supports and funds many ministries and services that deepen our connection to God through prayer. You can give online through Saint Brendan or send a text message to (415) , with the donation amount and AAA (e.g., 1000 AAA). You ll receive a response with further instructions. We also have brochures in the pews at church and in the bulletin should you want to contribute in the traditional way. ASH WEDNESDAY MASSES February 14, :30 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 6:00 p.m. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season of fasting and prayer. Come together with the St. Brendan community at one of our Ash Wednesday Masses for worship and distribution of ashes. NEW ALPHA GROUP STARTING IN MARCH 10-Week Program Meets Mondays March 5 May 14 Launch Party: Is There More to Life Than This? March 5 Week 1: Who is Jesus? March 12 MASS OF THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK Saturday, February 24, 2:00-5:00 p.m. Church Hall Vicky Evans, Licentiate In Bioethics and Archdiocesan Respect Life Coordinator will speak on Health Care Directives Based on Catholic Teachings. For more information, contact Mary Ann Schwab at (415) or masfs11@gmail.com.

The Good News Support, Stability, Guidance, And Love In Here As part of our message series, It s Better in Here, each week a parishioner will describe what Saint Brendan means to him or her

3 The Good News Support, Stability, Guidance, And Love In Here As part of our message series, It s Better in Here, each week a parishioner will describe what Saint Brendan means to him or her personally. This week s article is by kindergarten parent, Shareen Harvey. I was raised with the privilege of a Catholic education. I appreciated the Church and God in my own personal way, but it wasn t until later in life that I realized how much I actually value my upbringing. I strayed from my Catholic roots in early adult life. However, once married with children, I felt a strong desire and need to ensure that God and the Catholic Church and its teachings were a huge part of our lives again. I remember the first time I saw Saint Brendan Church and School. I thought, what a majestic, serene and beautiful place. I was pregnant with my first daughter and wanted my children to attend school and Mass here. I had no idea at the time how wonderfully impactful this journey would be, not only for my children, but also for myself. Being an absent parishioner, this revelation felt a bit off, but, as I would come to find, it was God telling me, through Saint Brendan, to get back to what is truly important in life. So, what does Saint Brendan s mean to me? Unconditional Support. I joined Saint Brendan in 2012, several years before my first daughter entered kindergarten. It wasn t long before Sister Angela found me. I am forever thankful, because she started my journey back to bringing God to the front row of my life. Her desire for me to become more involved with the parish has been invaluable, as it has granted me unconditional support when I have needed it the most. Stability. Father Pete has said this several times during the homily, and it rings true every time I start beating up on myself about missing Mass and feeling detached from God and the Church: God loves us unconditionally and forgives us no matter what. I have three children now and stay at home, managing them and the household. I can t imagine working a full-time job now, as I did for eighteen years. Like God, I know that my community and parish at Saint Brendan s will always be there for me. Guidance. While this may sound corny or ridiculous to some, I believe that, through Saint Brendan and the people I have met in this parish, God is guiding me. Whether it is something as subtle as being asked to take on a ministry for the school or church, it s really God helping to guide me on my journey in life. Even writing this article is an example to me of God s guidance. He is giving me the opportunity to rethink my purpose with Saint Brendan and the Catholic Church. For all these reasons and more, It s (definitely) Better in Here. I credit the Saint Brendan community for always showing God s plan for me and acceptance of me and am more grateful everyday for the support and guidance I receive here.

The Good News Prayer in the Salesian Tradition By Lisa Rosenlund, Saint Brendan Parish Manager Each week, we summarize a specific style, form, or approach to prayer, using the highly-acclaimed book

Similar to Saint Francis and Saint Clare in the Franciscan tradition, Saint Francis de Sales and his spiritual friend, Saint Jane de Chantal, were cofounders of the Visitation of Holy Mary, the

What a happy coincidence that we are focusing on them during the week of Valentine s Day!

In the Salesian view, all Christians are called to the devout life.

4 The Good News Prayer in the Salesian Tradition By Lisa Rosenlund, Saint Brendan Parish Manager Each week, we summarize a specific style, form, or approach to prayer, using the highly-acclaimed book by Robert J. Wicks, Prayer in the Catholic Tradition: A Handbook of Practical Approaches (Franciscan Media 2006). In this article, you ll learn more about prayer in the Salesian tradition. Similar to Saint Francis and Saint Clare in the Franciscan tradition, Saint Francis de Sales and his spiritual friend, Saint Jane de Chantal, were cofounders of the Visitation of Holy Mary, the community which began the Salesian tradition. Francis and Jane viewed the universe as an interconnected world of hearts: human hearts and the heart of God joined together through the heart of Jesus. What a happy coincidence that we are focusing on them during the week of Valentine s Day! The Salesians challenged the long-held conviction of many in the Catholic Church (including, some would argue, St. Paul himself) that lay people are less spiritually capable than vowed religious. In the Salesian view, all Christians are called to the devout life. De Sales Introduction to the Devout Life was written for ordinary men and women and, until the mid- 1950s, was the most frequently read spiritual guide in the Catholic world. Even now, it is often reprinted and adapted for modern-day readers. Much of the Devout Life is still relevant and expressed in captivating imagery. In the book, Francis gives the reader advice on how to pray. He says that while praying, if a particular reflection elicits a response, the reader should pause just as bees don t leave a flower until they have gathered all its honey. Moreover, to ensure that the fruit of prayer does not fade from memory, the reader is advised to choose four or five favorite flowers from the garden of meditation and gather them into a spiritual bouquet, so that their spiritual scent will linger for the rest of the day. According to Salesian spirituality, the deepest yearning of all human beings is to achieve an intimate, loving union, an exchange of hearts with the divine lover. Jane de Chantal quoted Francis in her deposition for his canonization: We must cleave to him alone, long for him ardently and always (271). The exchange of the heart of the Savior for one s own heart is what characterizes Salesian prayer. True love expects nothing in return. It seeks only the good of the other. If our love for God is true, we will pray whether or not we feel that we are receiving spiritual flowers back from him. According to Jane, Francis continued to pray whether it brought comfort or desolation (271). Repeated so often that it s almost a cliché is the conventional wisdom that we must love ourselves before we can love others. Yet, it s true if loving ourselves means loving the God within our souls. As is conveyed to us so beautifully in the Salesian tradition, we must join our hearts first to God, then to each other. This Valentine s Day, join your heart with God, then find another soul to love (from Andrea Bocelli s The Prayer ).

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.

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.

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. By any modern sensibility, Paul s sentiment in the second reading today is dysfunctional. To say that he tries to please everyone in every way, not seeking [his] own benefit but that of the many is an obvious symptom of what therapists today would call approval seeking. However, Paul is reaching deeper than pop psychology. The controversy he addresses is whether Christians should eat meat that has been offered to the gods in pagan temples. The common practice was to re-sell that meat in the marketplace at a discount. Some Christians took offense that other believers would eat meat sacrificed to idols. Paul resolves the dilemma through reason. Because pagan gods do not actually exist, the meat can be purchased and eaten by Christians. In an effort to avoid scandalizing those who are new or immature in the faith, however, Paul recommends that such meat not be consumed. To do so would not violate some objective standard, but could harm the faith of those who are overscrupulous. Essentially, Paul recommends thoughtfulness in dealing with those who are weak in the faith. When he urges his readers to [a]void giving offense, Paul is not enabling or demonstrating emotional maladjustment ; he is underscoring the Christian value of attentiveness to the needs of others, real or imagined. More often than I care to admit, I find myself acting in an unintentionally thoughtless way towards others, forgetting to thank them as quickly or as often as I should, failing to send cards, notes, and gifts, and committing other sins of omission. Yet, a Christian steward strives to be sensitive to the hardships of others, anticipate their needs, and consistently respond with acts of compassion and love, placing his or her time, talents, and treasure at the service of others through the various ministries of the Church. I will keep trying. --Father Roger Gustafson, Pastor The psalmist cries out today, I turn to you, O Lord, in time of trouble. Many turn to God through the Church when they are in trouble, whether it s charitable resources provided by the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, assistance with grief after the loss of a loved one, or emotional and spiritual support. Your generous donation helps us to show compassion and love to others. Whatever financial 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 continue throughout the year. The biblical standard is a tenth of our income, before taxes or anything else is taken out, half to the Church and half to the poor. It s a huge step and takes trust, but we can never out give God. NO SECOND COLLECTION NEXT WEEK SUNDAY COLLECTION February 4, 2018 GOAL $ 9,500 TOTAL $ 11,229 Over $ 1,729

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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: 7:00, 8:00, 9:30,11:30 AM Mon-Fri: 6:30 & 8:30 AM Saturday: 8:30 AM 5:00 PM Holy Days: 6:30 AM, 8:30 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) SAT 8:30 a.m. SAT 5 p.m. SUN 7 a.m. SUN 8 a.m. SUN 9:30 a.m. SUN 11:30 a.m. MASS INTENTIONS (February 12-18, 2018) Weekday 6:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m. Monday Open David L. Alvers (D) Tuesday Open Open Wednesday Carmel Morrissey (D) Weekend Neal Murphy (D) Philip Dunne (D) Martin Joseph Sadie Tainter (D) Sr. Diane Erbacher & Sr. Christine Ostrowski (D) Thursday Open Michael Fitzgerald (D) Friday Open Paul Giannini (D) Angelo & Mario Ordano (D) People of St. Brendan Parish STAFF Pastor Fr. Roger Gustafson fatherrogergustafson@gmail.com Parochial Vicar Fr. Peterson Tieng frpete@stbrendanparish.org Ext.220 Ext.214 In Residence Fr. Paul Warren Ext. 208 Pastoral Associate Sr. Angela Furia, FdCC Ext. 201 srangela@stbrendanparish.org Director of Evangelization & Faith Formation Manolito Jaldon manolito@stbrendanparish.org Ext. 205 Music Director Mario Balestrieri (415) School Principal Dianne Lakatta (415) dlakatta@stbrendansf.com Parish Manager Lisa Rosenlund (415) lisa@stbrendanparish.org Finance Manager Venetia Hui Gatus Ext. 202 venetia@stbrendanparish.org Administrative Assistant Ext. 101 Maeve O Reilly maeve@stbrendanparish.org Parish Leadership Advisory Board : Mike Modesti Finance Committee : Eoin O Connor Children and Youth Under Five Ministry: Kendra Perlitz Devon Klinefelter Girl Scouts: Kirstin McFarlane Boy Scouts: Boy Scouts: Maureen Hurley Cub Scouts: Robert Rees (rdrees@gmail.com) Youth Ministry: Stacey Simpson Gus Del Puerto Religious Education & Sacramental Preparation Infant Baptism & RCIA for Children Sr. Angela Furia (415) , Ext. 201 Adult Faith Formation/Rite of Christian Initiation (RCIA): Manolito S. Jaldon, Jr. (415) , Ext. 205 Sunday Children s Liturgy: Manolito S. Jaldon, Jr. (415) , Ext. 205 Preparation for Reconciliation & First Holy Communion Grade 2: Stephanie Stanko Faith Formation: Grade 1: Michele Neitz, Megan Rabbitt, Avelina Accad Grade 3: Tara Donohue Grades 4 & 5: Christina Bui Preparation for Confirmation: Grade 6: Manolito S. Jaldon, Jr. Grade 7: Liza Bonpin Grade 8: Mary Zell Spellman Liturgical Ministries Lectors: Richard Pinto Eucharistic Ministers: Charlotte Bautista Ushers: Mike Casazza Sacristan: Jack Mona Parish Life Welcome Committee Andrea Regjo Jeremy Straus (sbwelcomecommittee@gmail.com) Hospitality Committee Maria Evangelista Mothers Club Lori Doyle Men s Club Joshua Shaskan Respect Life Mary Ann Schwab Knitting Ministry Marie Jean Longa Experienced Navigators: Tony Fernandez Small Groups: Outreach Ministries Consolation Ministry Merry Jean Chan mjchanstb@gmail.com Detention Ministry (San Dimas) Julio Escobar (415) Marian Servers Dr. Lou Scheerer

29 Rockaway Avenue San Francisco CA Tel. No. (415) Third Sunday of Lent March 4, 2018

ST. BRENDAN CHURCH 29 Rockaway Avenue San Francisco CA 94127 Tel. No. (415) 681-4225 www.stbrendanparish.org Third Sunday of Lent March 4, 2018 Mass Communication: Are You Really Listening? On a long journey