Saint Martin of Tours 200 O Connor Drive San Jose, CA 95128 Phone (408) 294-8953 Fax (408) 294-2624 www.stmartin.org People Ministering to People Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time February 23, 2014 Mass Schedule Sunday: 7:00 am, 8:30 am, 10:00 am, 11:30 am, 6:00 pm Holy Days: 8:10 am, 12:10 pm, 7:00 pm Sunday Vigil: Saturday 5:00 pm Weekdays: Mon. - Sat. 8:00 am Parish Office 294-8953 Rev. Sergio Ovando, Pastor Rev. Abraham Antony, Parochial Vicar Rev. Bob Shinney, S.J., Assisting Priest Jennifer Tavares, Office Administrator Samuel Aguilar, Buildings and Grounds Liturgy...289-9614 Judy Swazey, Director Pastoral Care.289-9617 Leslie Plecque, Director Sacrament of the Sick If you or anyone you love is sick and unable to attend Mass, please call Leslie. Catechetical Ministry 289-9608 Joy Aspenall, Catechumenate Coordinator Ellen Hays, Catechetical Office Manager RCIA We warmly welcome all those inquiring about becoming Catholic. For information, call Joy. Baptism A sacrament of initiation and belonging. Please register with Joy at 289-9608. Reconciliation Saturdays 3:30 pm or by appointment at 294-8953. St. Vincent de Paul 439-0342 St. Martin of Tours School 287-3630 Karen DeMonner, Principal Denise Freitas, Office Manager Marie McEnery, School Secretary Victor Salas, Buildings and Grounds WELCOME TO ALL WHO WORSHIP WITH US Whether you are a parishioner of long standing or new to the parish, if you are not registered, we invite you to do so. If there are changes to your status, please let us know. Please fill in the details below and place in the offertory basket or mail to the Parish office. Name: Phone: Address: City: Zip: New Parishioner Moving (please remove from directory) New Address New Phone Number
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Sunday, February 23, 2014 Pastor s Note Love Your Enemies Mass Intentions February 22 March 1 When the topic of enemies arises, each person has his/her own opinion. I would like to begin this reflection with two questions: Do you have enemies? And more importantly, Are you someone s enemy? Regarding enemies, we need to ask why a person has that disposition toward us. Sometimes, it is because we have wronged a person, whether we are aware of it or not. If we have acted in a way that has resulted in another person being our enemy, we need to resolve the situation and ask for forgiveness. If others hate us, although we have done nothing wrong, they may be our opponents because of the way we think or even because of the way live our faith. In these situations, there is nothing we can do, except to put into practice what Jesus teaches us: Love your enemies, pray that they will change. Being a follower of Christ is not easy. His teaching about love is great, but there is a difficulty when we have to apply this commandment to our enemies. Enemies may be set on doing something against us, against our family, or against our country. Sometimes, enemies are those whom we have offended; others, however, can be people who, without any provocation on our part, want to harm us. Our hope would be that we would not have enemies; yet in reality this is not always possible. If we have enemies, we should love them, for in so doing we live the gospel of Christ. Today s gospel passage instructs us: For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? Loving enemies and praying for them is the way we can be witnesses of our God who loved and reconciled us even while we were God s enemies (Rom 5:10). I realize that living this love poses many challenges for us; even so, through love we become sons and daughters of our heavenly Father. We cannot avoid this commandment. We cannot ignore this part of Jesus teaching because it is difficult, or because we do not like it. The beginning of love is forgiveness, and forgiveness will lead us to compassion and understanding, and will help us to do good even to our enemies and to love them. In our world, there is much hatred. It is essential that we show the real face of God, who is love. Show your love for your enemies in small ways: in greeting them, in the help you offer them, in all that you do for them. Remember: Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good (Rom. 12:21). Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 5:00 Thelmo Rayos del Sol 7:00 St. Martin of Tours Parishioners 8:30 Rita and Stanley Tanner 10:00 Claude H. Organ Sr. 11:30 Gordon Abbott 6:00 Frances Sevilla and Victoria Oliviera 8:00 Arturo Guzman 8:00 Respect for Life 8:00 Camilla Kenny 8:00 Hernade Bettenourt 8:00 Nancy Bouchard 8:00 Francisca Mello "You Have the Words of Everlasting Life!" Scripture Study continues with a look at the Gospel of John.and we've MOVED to Wednesdays and to the Chapel! Since each session is basically independent, you can join us at any point. Wednesday evenings at 7 PM in the chapel. Bring a friend and come join us! -Fr. Sergio
Weekly Stewardship Report Calendar of Events Collections for 2/16/2014 $9,269 Collections Year to Date $501,584 2/25 St. Martin Women's Book Group will meet in the Community Building at 7:15 PM to discuss: "The Language of Flowers: A Novel" by Vanessa Diffenbaugh Budgeted Collections Year to Date $503,921 Current Budget Shortfall ($2,337) Thank you for your continued support 3/2 No Preschool 3/5 Ash Wednesday 3/9 Children s Mass (No CLOW) 3/13 No CCM Celebrating 100 Years St. Martin s Parish Centennial It s good to hear that some people caught the typos in last Sunday s bulletin, because that means that you re reading it. (The dates for the Model T, Panama Canal, Merrill Lynch, etc. were in 1914, not 2014.) WANTED: Photos, Stories and Memories In preparation of various Centennial celebrations and for our archives, we are collecting and scanning old photos of the church and school from their beginning through today. Also, do you have interesting, fun or poignant memories of the parish (including the school) and its people that you would like to share with us? Do you know of someone with stories to share? If so, we d love to hear from you. 3/16 No Preschool No Jr. High CCM Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of Lent, is on March 5 th this year. Our liturgies for Ash Wednesday will be at 8:10 a.m. (with the school), 12:10 and 7:00 p.m. See the bulletin next weekend for a listing of all the opportunities for prayer, enrichment and activities that will be available in our parish. Children s Mass March 9 Looking for a way to have your children participate more fully in the Mass? Please join the community in celebrating during the first monthly Children s/family Mass scheduled for Sunday, March 9 at the 10:00 a.m. Mass. Any children in the parish or school who are interested in participating in the 10 a.m. Mass on March 9, please contact Lorraine Shepherd at lshepherd@stmartin.org or (408) 287-3630 ext 39. Students in grades 2-8 will be needed for greeters and bringing up the gifts. Students in middle school will be needed as ushers and readers. Training will be provided.
Sunday Children s Programs FORMS FOR ALL CATECHETICAL PROGRAMS CAN BE FOUND IN THE CHURCH OR PARISH OFFICE. Connect with Ellen at catecheticalministry@stmartin.org for more information. NURSERY- IS NOW OPEN during 10 a.m. Mass for children 6 mos 3years. Please come visit and bring your little ones. PRESCHOOL - Sunday Preschool will only be held during the 10 a.m. Mass this year. CHILDREN S LITURGY OF THE WORD is weekly for Kindergarteners through 6th grade. Children begin 8:30 and 10 a.m. Mass with their families then leave from the church for the Proclamation of God s Word at their level of understanding. Children return to the church for the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Join us and check it out! CHILDREN'S CATECHETICAL MINISTRY (CCM) Is held Thursdays at 4:00 in the school classrooms Jr. HIGH is held in the CCM Room in the School Building on Sundays at 9:30. DESTINATION : CONFIRMATION There will be a HUB meeting on March 2nd at 4:30 in the Church Please keep confirmation candidates in your prayers. Where will your Journey take you? Sacramental Preparation: The parent First Eucharist Update Part II meeting is on Tuesday, March 11 th in the Community Bldg. There are two meeting times to accommodate working parents, 1:45-2:45 pm or 7-8 pm. No children please. The First Eucharist Retreat will be Sunday, March 30 th from 1-3 pm beginning in the church. The retreat is for parents and first communicants, no siblings please. At least one parent/adult guardian must be with each child. Please keep the students in your continued prayer as they prepare for First Eucharist in May. ADULT CONFIRMATION Will be starting the first week in Lent. This is a program for those who are baptized, have received Eucharist, attend mass regularly, are 18 years or older, out of High School and are looking to prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation. If you are interested or have questions, please contact Joy at : jaea@aol.com or 408.289.9608 Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults Remember, if you have been considering joining the Church, but have questions and concerns, come find out what RCIA is all about! We meet each Thursday evening at 7 PM. Contact Joy in the Catechetical Department for more details. The Annual Peace and Justice Commission Lenten Series is Coming The Bible doesn t propose any particular economic blueprint, but it does insist that great gaps between rich and poor be avoided or remedied. Isaiah 58 reminds us that God is calling us to be fervent about justice and to build non-exploitative relationships. With this in mind, we need to reflect on who makes the common items we use daily. We need to become aware of the holy web of relationships that connects producers with us as consumers. The St. Martin s Peace and Justice Commission invites you to participate in a five week series entitled: Christians and Trade Justice -- Fasting from Unjust Buying. The series is inspired by articles from Sojourners Magazine and is designed to spark discussion and reflection about living out God s call for justice in our world. Our series presenters include Fr. Sergio, Fr. Jon Pedigo, and Professor Christopher Bacon. We will meet in the Community Building on Thursday evenings, March 13th through April 10th, from 7:00-8:30 pm. The cost is $15. You can sign-up for the series after Mass next weekend, or by calling Leslie in the Parish Office at 408-289-9617.
The Rite of Sending for Election The Rite of Sending for Election is a parish celebration that sends catechumens to the Rite of Election at the Cathedral. At the Rite of Election, usually on the First Sunday of Lent, the Church names the catechumens to be baptized at Easter. The Rite of Election takes place at St. Joseph s Cathedral Basilica with the Bishop. Since the Rite of Election takes place at the Cathedral, the Rite of Sending allows the parish community to participate. After the homily, a catechist presents the catechumens to the priest, who calls them forward with their godparents and asks if the catechumens are ready. Have they listened to the word of God? Have they tried to live their faith? Have they taken part in this community s life of prayer and service? The church must verify the readiness of the catechumens. We do not baptize based only on their desire. "There should be a deliberation prior to [the Rite of Election] to decide on the catechumen s suitableness." This is carried out by those who help form the catechumens, by godparents, and members of the community. (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults -#122). The Rite of Sending allows the parish to affirm the readiness of its catechumens, whom they have seen being dismissed at the Sunday Masses for months beforehand to reflect on God s word and also participating in the life of the parish. The questions have real significance. The catechumens sign the Book of the Elect at the parish during the Rite of Sending. This book, along with the books from all the parishes in the diocese, are then presented to the Bishop at the Cathedral during the Rite of Election. The ritual concludes with the Bishop declaring that the catechumens are now members of the elect (that is, those chosen) to be initiated into the Church at the Easter Vigil. A couple of weeks ago we mentioned that Earth Hour was coming and asked you to mark your calendar. What is Earth Hour? Earth Hour was started by the World Wildlife Fund to engage people in the issue of climate change. It started in 2007 in Australia and centered on the idea of reducing use of power by turning it off for an hour. By 2008 it became an international event, celebrated around the world. In 2011 it marked the milestone of being the largest voluntary effort for the environment. As Catholics we are called to be good stewards of God s creation and Earth Hours is an opportunity for us to join with millions around the world to commit to protecting the earth. This year, Earth Hour falls during Lent, which is a perfect time for us to spend time in quiet reflection or prayer for an hour. More to come over the next couple of weeks about what we at St. Martins can do for Earth Hour. Make sure to mark your calendar and turn off the lights on Saturday, March 29, 2014 from 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm! Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time February 23, 2014 Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy. Leviticus 19:2b Please keep our catechumens in your prayers as they make the next important step on their journey to the Easter Sacraments: Logan Cain Justin Mchaffie William Loera Ashley Tigue Seth Harbec Holly Faultner Russ Faultner Join Bishop Patrick McGrath for a Mass for the Sanctity of Life on Thursday, March 13th at 7:30pm at Saint Lucy Church, 2350 Winchester Blvd., Campbell. Join us for a reception after mass. Candlelight Procession at 7:00pm on March 5th, St. Leo Church, 88 Race Street, San Jose Our Our goal is to change hearts, to end abortion, and to help pregnant moms choose life through motherhood or adoption. Daily prayer vigils to end abortion from 8am to 7pm each day from March 5th to April 13th at 1691 The Alameda, San Jose. www.40daysforlife.com/sanjose 408-497-7270
Get More out of Liturgy! If you read the readings BEFORE Sunday Mass, you will find they mean so much more and are easier to understand. Try it! Scripture Readings and Question for NEXT Sunday Sunday, March 2, 2014 Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time First Reading: Isaiah 49:14-15 Second Reading: Corinthians 4:1-5 Gospel Reading: Mathew 6:24-34 What in your life most distracts you from your relationship with Jesus Christ? 4 th Annual St. Patrick s Dinner Celebration Hosted by St. Martin of Tours Boy Scout Troop 390 & Venture Crew 697 Saturday, March 8, 2014 St. Martin of Tours Gym 6:00-9:00pm ~ Doors open at 5:45pm $25 per person ($30 at the door) $15 for children under 12 FREE for children under 5 Tables for 10 can be purchased for $225.00 Traditional Irish Dinner & Program Corned beef, Cabbage, Homemade Irish Soda Bread & Dessert Authentic Irish Band, Irish Dancers, Irish Games, Irish Dancing Lessons & Silent Auction Baskets Plus photo opportunities with a Leprechaun! Tickets can be purchased in advance from Sandy Heneghan (408.879.8921) or Deborah Newcomb Are you looking for the Parish photo collection on our new website? Just click on the two circles on the right and it will take you there. The Santa Clara Serra Club is hosting a Lasagna luncheon and film presentation of FRANCIS: POPE FROM THE NEW WORLD following a 12:00 noon Mass celebrated by Fr. Dave Mercer at St. Thomas of Canterbury, Friday February 28th. Cost is $15.00 per person. Reservations can be made by contacting Pat Arand at 408-378-4196 and or Diana & Mike Seixas 408-358-1313. You don t want to miss this most inspirational film about our Holy Father and his journey to the Papacy. For more info, call Betty Ford 408-243-0681