Photographs by Charlene Dorman 210 Oak Grove Avenue Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel: (650) 323-7914 fax: (650) 323-3231 www.nativitymenlo.org www.nativityschool.com The Church of the Nativity MASSES Sundays 08:00, 09:30, 11:30 AM and 05:00 PM Saturdays 08:00 AM and 05:00 PM (Vigil) Weekdays 07:30 AM and Holy Days 07:30 AM, 05:30 and SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION Saturdays 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Opus Dei priest) 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM (parish priest) (also by appointment) BAPTISMS 1 st, 3 rd and 5 th Sundays of the month (contact rectory 2 months in advance) WEDDINGS Saturdays 11:00 AM and 02:00 PM (contact rectory at least 6 months in advance) PASTOR Rev. Msgr. Steven D. Otellini PAROCHIAL VICAR Rev. John Mary Chung PASTOR EMERITUS Rev. Clement Davenport PERMANENT DEACON Rev. Mr. Dominick Peloso WEEKEND ASSISTANTS Rev. Kevin Gaffey Rev. Paul Maillet SCHOOL OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Mrs. Monica Hickam (650) 327-2319 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration
FIRST READING See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?. Isaiah 43: 18-19, 21-22, 24-25 PSALM Because of my integrity You sustain me and let me stand before You forever. Psalms 41 SECOND READING However many are the promises of God, their Yes is in Him. 2 Corinthians 1: 18-22 GOSPEL Jesus immediately knew in His mind what they were thinking to themselves. Mark 2: 1-12 SCHEDULE OF MASSES AND INTENTIONS WEEK OF 19-25 FEB SAT 05:00 PM Priest s intentions SUN Masses Priest s intentions MON 09:00 AM Ana and Jose Rel TUE WED 07:30 AM 07:30 AM 09:00 AM THU 07:30 AM FRI 07:30 AM Marie Masuda Raimonda Bartolini Margaret McCartney Janet McCormick Enrique Guerra; Stella Guerra Johnny Sullivan Sylvia Sands Nolasco Fulgencio Marie and Adolph Firenzi Terri Burris SAT 08:00 AM Patti Rote Philip Seow Phillip Benevento The Simonds family Please pray for those in need of physical or spiritual healing The parish office will be closed on Monday, 20 FEB 2012 for Presidents Day There will be one Mass, at 09:00 AM, on Monday. MON-FRI MON-FRI SAT 07:10 AM 05:10 PM 07:40 AM Morning Prayer Evening Prayer Morning Prayer 19 FEB (Sunday) Holy Hour for Priests 20 FEB (Monday) 21 FEB (Tuesday) 09:30 AM 06:00 PM Legion of Mary RCIA Class on Catholicism Cenacles of Life Rosary Class on Catholicism 22 FEB (Wednesday) Ash Wednesday 23 FEB (Thursday) 11:00 AM 06:00 PM 24 FEB (Friday) 25 FEB (Saturday) 09:00 AM Seventh Sunday Ordinary Time 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM 19 February 2012 In the desert I make a way, in the wasteland, rivers. The Thursday Group Perpetual Help Novena Isaiah 43: 19 Calendar Lector/Eucharistic Minister Meeting Confessions (Opus Dei priest) Confessions (parish priest) Electronic giving is offered through our website www.nativitymenlo.org or call the parish office for a paper form Ash Wednesday is 22 FEB 2012 We will have Stations of the Cross every Friday during Lent, following the Mass Annual Appeal Progress: 2011 Annual Appeal Goal: PARISH OFFERINGS WEEK OF 04-05 FEB TOTAL: $11,846 GOAL MET! $119,800
20 FEB (Monday): PRESIDENTS DAY Presidents Day? Not really... In 1796, the country first celebrated the birthday of George Washington. In 1866, Congress gathered to remember Abraham Lincoln on 12 FEB, but although many states began to celebrate his birthday as a holiday, it was never made into a national holiday. In 1885, Chester A. Arthur made Washington s birthday (22 FEB) an official national holiday. In 1968, Congress passed legislation to move the observance of Washington s birthday from 22 FEB to the third Monday in February -- this went into effect in 1971. While many people think Washington s and Lincoln s birthday observances were combined at that time, the Congressional decree still officially refers to this as Washington s birthday. 22 FEB (Wednesday): WASHINGTON S BIRTHDAY It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible. Saints and Observances SOLEMNITY, FEAST, MEMORIAL OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OTHER 22 FEB (Wednesday): THE CHAIR OF SAINT PETER, Apostle The feast of the Chair of Saint Peter at Antioch, commemorating his foundation of the See of Antioch, has also been long celebrated at Rome, in addition to a similar feast on 18 January, celebrating the first Mass over which Peter presided in Rome. At each place a chair (cathedra) is venerated which the Apostle had used while presiding at Mass. This feast is emblematic of the world unity of the Church. 23 FEB (Thursday): SAINT POLYCARP, Bishop and Martyr (d. 155) Bishop of Smyrna, Polycarp was loved and revered by his flock. We know that he accompanied St. Ignatius of Antioch to Rome to confer with Pope Anicetus concerning the celebration of Easter. He was martyred by a daggar after unsuccessful attempts that he be burned at the stake in the amphitheater at Smyrna. Parish Office Hours 09:00 AM-04:00 PM Monday-Friday Ministry and Group News LECTORS AND EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF THE EUCHARIST NEEDED All parishioners who are interested in becoming a lector, extraordinary minister or both are invited to attend an informational meeting followed by a training session on Saturday, 25 February 2012, beginning at 10:00 AM. Each weekend we need 23 volunteers to help serve at our Masses. It is a wonderful opportunity to be involved in our parish community. You will receive training and we work to accommodate your schedule. For more information please contact: Judy Moloney 650/322-7458 or Kerry Perez 650/327-7707 or email nativityministrycoordinators@gmail.com.. CELEBRATE ST. PATRICK S DAY WITH THE NATIVITY MEN S CLUB Join us on Saturday, 17 March 2012 for a traditional St. Patrick s Day dinner of corned beef and cabbage, boiled potatoes, carrots and onions, at Nativity School in the Sobrato Pavilion. The tickets are $20.00 for adults and $10.00 for children (12 and under) and include 1 drink ticket. Reservations and payment are required in advance. Seating is limited. Reservations are being taken until 14 March 2012, or until the seating capacity is reached, whichever comes first. Drop off your reservations and payment at the school office or the parish office. If you have any questions, please contact Don Coy at 650/465-4466 or nativitymc@gmail. com. You have never strayed too far for the Father s forgiveness and grace. HELP NEEDED The Gabriel Project, a pro-life ministry, is in need of your used baby equipment, baby/toddler clothes and maternity clothes for our mothers-to-be in need. Please contact Julia Rumann at 650/704-2217 to arrange pick up. EUCHARISTIC ADORATION Please come to visit our Lord during the week, as the church is open 24x7 and He awaits you. Also, everyone is encouraged to sign up for one hour. This will ensure your weekly meeting with Jesus. You may sign up for any hour. Please consider the following hours which currently have no one assigned. Our Lord wishes to speak with you, and you have much to say and ask of Him: THU: 04:00 PM (Prayer Partners) SAT: SUN: 01:00 PM 02:00 PM Please call 650/269-7794 for more information or to sign up. Pregnant? Need Help? Please contact the Juan Diego Society (408/258-2008), the Gabriel Project (800/910-0191) or Community Pregnancy Center (650/964-8093).
Announcements OUR PARISH FAMILY Please keep all of our newest members in your prayers, as well as those who have preceded us to the Father. BAPTISMS Jaden Amir, son of Vivianne Alvarez Maximus Christian, son of Jason and Jennifer Crain Brooke Samantha and Justin Tyler, children of Scott and Sandee Deppiesse Samantha, daughter of Jeff Staudinger and Marie Yip MARRIAGES NEW PARISHIONERS Katherine and Barney Lim (Eric, Alayna) Martha Lancestremere Peter Lancestremere DEATHS Howard Daschbach RECENT BEQUESTS Nativity Parish has been the recent recipient of three bequests: the Estates of Mary Beh, Adrian Ward and Jean Bone. In our gratitude and appreciation for these very kind gifts, we should all remember to pray for the deceased donors who in their charity remembered us. Including Nativity in our wills is a wonderful way of extending our generosity even beyond our life-spans. If you would like to have further information about this, please contact the office. ASH WEDNESDAY Ash Wednesday is 22 February 2012. Masses will be at 07:30 AM, 09:00 AM (school Mass), and. Ashes will be distributed after each Mass. LENTEN TALKS AT NATIVITY This year s Lenten Program will be offered by Fr. Bud Stevens, Vice Rector, Academic Dean and a professor at St. Patrick s Seminary. The theme of the talks will be the Meaning of Reconciliation. The topics will include: A Broken World Sickness and Healing Resurrection and Forgiveness Vocation/Mission of Reconciliation Please join Fr. Stevens on Tuesday evenings: 28 February, 06, 13, 20 and 27 March 2012 at in the Church. HOLY COMMUNION FOR THE GLUTEN-INTOLERANT We have obtained a small amount of low-gluten hosts. These are approved by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for use in the Liturgy and contain less than 0.01% of gluten content. If you wish to receive Holy Communion with these special hosts please contact Msgr. Otellini. In The Community 40 DAYS FOR LIFE This is the fourth year we will participate in the international 40 Days for Life campaign to end abortion, which will be held during Lent from 22 February through 01 April 2012. In recent years the abortion giant Planned Parenthood has been shut down on Palm Ave, and has been prevented from opening up in Redwood City. Praise God! Archbishop Niederauer approves of this 40 Days for Life campaign. In addition to 40 days of prayer and fasting we ask you to join us outside of Planned Parenthood, 35 Baywood Ave, San Mateo, for one or more hours during our peaceful, prayerful vigil there from 07:00 AM - 07:00 PM throughout the 40 days - and ask a friend or two to join you. This is a good and holy way to spend Lent. Rally at 35 Baywood on Sunday, 19 February 2012, 02:00-03:00 PM (rain or shine) For more info or to sign up for the vigil visit www.40daysforlife.com/sanmateo To help, contact: Jessica at 650/572-1468 or e-mail fortydaysforlifesm@yahoo.com All are welcome! GOT LOVE? CONFERENCE Our culture misleads many about love, sex, and relationships. Jesus says in the Beatitudes, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Mt. 5:8) We seek to empower people with the truth about love and purity, to bring us lasting joy and fulfilling relationships with God and others. Accordingly, Nativity is hosting a Bay-Area wide conference for young adults and youth called Got Love? Love, Sex, & Relationships. It s an all-day event on Saturday, 10 March 2012, beginning with 09:00 AM Mass at Nativity offered by Bishop Thomas Daly, followed by engaging speakers, dynamic workshops, info tables, and book vendors, all at Sobrato Pavilion at Nativity School. Confession will be available throughout the day. The event is $20 for adults and $15 for students (open to college, graduate, and HS students) and lunch is included. The conference ends at 04:45 PM. For registration and more details see www.gotlove.info. For further questions, please call 650/269-6279. CATHOLIC WEBSITES Virtue Media (www.virtuemedia.org) and Catholics Come Home (www.catholicscomehome.org). These websites contain information on the Catholic Church, scripture references, and videos. They have information for lapsed Catholics considering returning to the church or for non-catholics looking into the faith.
From the Holy See THE HOLY FATHER S PRAYER INTENTIONS Each month His Holiness Benedict XVI asks for general and missionary prayer intentions. For February 2012, the Holy Father s prayer intentions are: General: Access to Water That all peoples may have access to water and other resources needed for daily life. Missionary: Health Workers That the Lord may sustain the efforts of health workers assisting the sick and elderly in the world s poorest regions. MESSAGE FOR LENT 2012 Let us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in love and good works (Heb 10:24) Dear Brothers and Sisters, The Lenten season offers us once again an opportunity to reflect upon the very heart of Christian life: charity. This is a favourable time to renew our journey of faith, both as individuals and as a community, with the help of the word of God and the sacraments. This journey is one marked by prayer and sharing, silence and fasting, in anticipation of the joy of Easter. This year I would like to propose a few thoughts in the light of a brief biblical passage drawn from the Letter to the Hebrews: Let us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in love and good works. These words are part of a passage in which the sacred author exhorts us to trust in Jesus Christ as the High Priest who has won us forgiveness and opened up a pathway to God. Embracing Christ bears fruit in a life structured by the three theological virtues: it means approaching the Lord sincere in heart and filled with faith (v. 22), keeping firm in the hope we profess (v. 23) and ever mindful of living a life of love and good works (v. 24) together with our brothers and sisters. The author states that to sustain this life shaped by the Gospel it is important to participate in the liturgy and community prayer, mindful of the eschatological goal of full communion in God (v. 25). Here I would like to reflect on verse 24, which offers a succinct, valuable and ever timely teaching on the three aspects of Christian life: concern for others, reciprocity and personal holiness. 1. Let us be concerned for each other : responsibility towards our brothers and sisters. This first aspect is an invitation to be concerned : the Greek verb used here is katanoein, which means to scrutinize, to be attentive, to observe carefully and take stock of something. We come across this word in the Gospel when Jesus invites the disciples to think of the ravens that, without striving, are at the centre of the solicitous and caring Divine Providence (cf. Lk 12:24), and to observe the plank in our own eye before looking at the splinter in that of our brother (cf. Lk 6:41). In another verse of the Letter to the Hebrews, we find the encouragement to turn your minds to Jesus (3:1), the Apostle and High Priest of our faith. So the verb which introduces our exhortation tells us to look at others, first of all at Jesus, to be concerned for one another, and not to remain isolated and indifferent to the fate of our brothers and sisters. All too often, however, our attitude is just the opposite: an indifference and disinterest born of selfishness and masked as a respect for privacy. Today too, the Lord s voice summons all of us to be concerned for one another. Even today God asks us to be guardians of our brothers and sisters (Gen 4:9), to establish relationships based on mutual consideration and attentiveness to the well-being, the integral well-being of others. The great commandment of love for one another demands that we acknowledge our responsibility towards those who, like ourselves, are creatures and children of God. Being brothers and sisters in humanity and, in many cases, also in the faith, should help us to recognize in others a true alter ego, infinitely loved by the Lord. If we cultivate this way of seeing others as our brothers and sisters, solidarity, justice, mercy and compassion will naturally well up in our hearts. The Servant of God Pope Paul VI stated that the world today is suffering above all from a lack of brotherhood: Human society is sorely ill. The cause is not so much the depletion of natural resources, nor their monopolistic control by a privileged few; it is rather the weakening of brotherly ties between individuals and nations (Populorum Progressio, 66). (cont d. next week) NATIVITY HOLY HOUR FOR PRIESTS Everyone is invited to attend our weekly holy hour for priests each Sunday evening at. It includes a rosary, chaplet of Divine Mercy, a mediation, brief talk on the spiritual life, and Benediction. Especially at this time, we need to lift up our priests both here in the parish and throughout the world with our prayer. Please join us.
From the Archdiocese The following information may be helpful in preparation for Lent: ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE OF WORSHIP ABSTINENCE: Everyone fourteen years of age and older is bound to abstain from meat on ASH WEDNESDAY, the FRIDAYS of Lent and GOOD FRIDAY. FAST: Everyone eighteen years of age and older but under the age of sixty is also bound to fast on ASH WEDNESDAY and GOOD FRIDAY. On these two days, the law of fast allows only one full meal a day, but does not prohibit taking some food during the day, so long as this does not constitute another full meal. Drinking liquids during the day is permitted. When health or ability to work would be seriously affected, the law does not oblige. In doubt concerning fast or abstinence, a priest assigned to pastoral ministry or confessor should be consulted. In the spirit of penance, the faithful should not lightly excuse themselves from this obligation. Sunday, 25 March 2012 - Fifth Sunday of Lent Monday, 26 March 2012 - Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord As March 25 falls on a Sunday in Lent, the celebration of the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord is moved to Monday, 26 March 2012. On March 25th the readings and prayers for the Fifth Sunday of Lent are to be used. THE TIME OF EASTER VIGIL: The Revised Roman Missal states: The entire celebration of the Easter Vigil must take place during the night, so that it begins af ter nightfall and ends before daybreak on the Sunday. (Note that this revised translation adds the word must which the 1985 Sacramentary did not have). Nightfall can be determined by various calculations, and it changes from year to year as the date of Easter changes. The rubric that the Vigil be held at night not only conforms to the ancient practice of vigilling throughout the night, but also reflects the imagery and references throughout the prayers and rituals of the Easter Vigil celebration. To light the fire and Paschal Candle and use lighted candles to process makes little sense if done in a church where everyone can see each other and the new lights make no impact to dispel the darkness. As the Exultet states: Therefore, 0 Lord, we pray you that by this candle, hallowed to the honor of your name, may persevere undimmed, to overcome the darkness of this night. Archbishop Niederauer has directed that on the night of 07 April 2012 the Easter Vigil may begin at 07:45 PM or any time thereafter. HOLY WEEK and EASTER SERVICES TUESDAYS, 28 FEBRUARY + 06, 13, 20, 27 MARCH 2012 Lenten Talks with Fr. Bud Stevens WEDNESDAY, 04 APRIL 2012 Penance Service THURSDAY, 05 APRIL 2012 (HOLY THURSDAY) Mass (one Mass only) FRIDAY, 06 APRIL 2012 (GOOD FRIDAY) 12:00 PM Stations of the Cross 12:30-02:00 PM Reflections (Msgr. Otellini) 02:00 PM Celebration of the Lord s Passion 07:00 PM Stations of the Cross SATURDAY, 07 APRIL 2012 (HOLY SATURDAY) 10:00 AM -12:00 PM Reconciliation 02:00-04:00 PM Reconciliation 08:00 PM Easter Vigil (no other Masses) SUNDAY, 08 APRIL 2012 (EASTER SUNDAY) 08:00 AM Mass 09:30 AM Mass 11:30 AM Mass (no 05:00 PM Mass) MONDAY, 09 APRIL 2012 09:00 AM Mass (one Mass only)