W e l c o m e t o S t. P a t r i c k C h u r c h 2 3 5 C h a p e l S t r e e t, G r a s s V a l l e y, C a l i f o r n i a Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time F e b r u a r y 1 6, 2 0 1 4 Father Sylvester Kwiatkowski, Pastor Father Innocent Subiza, Parochial Vicar James Shea, Deacon Carlos Astesana, Deacon (retired) Brian Moore, Deacon (retired) James Chatigny, Deacon (retired) Mass Schedule Saturday vigil 5:00 p.m. Sunday 7:30, 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday 8:30 a.m. Spanish Mass Saturday 6:30 p.m. Reconciliation Saturday 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. or by appointment Monday through Saturday 7:50 a.m. Eucharistic Adoration See overleaf We, the parish of St. Patrick Church, being one community growing in faith and proclaiming our belief in the message and mission of our Lord Jesus Christ, invite all to open their hearts, hear His call, and become one with the Body of Christ.
St. Patrick Church 235 Chapel Street Grass Valley, CA 95945 phone 530-273-2347 fax 530-272-9681 email stpatchurch@sbcglobal.net web www.stpatrickgrassvalley.org Fr. Sylvester Kwiatkowski, Pastor 273-2347 Fr. Innocent Subiza, Parochial Vicar (residence St. Canice Church) 265-2049 Ellen del Valle, Secretary 273-2347 stpatchurch@sbcglobal.net Pamela Magill, Bookkeeper 273-2347 stpatricks0469@sbcglobal.net John Evans, Facilities Manager 277-2934 Karen Burford, Director of Faith Formation 273-2336 x 201 karinab@aol.com Barbara Burns, RCIA 273-2336 x 205 burnsla@peoplepc.com Frank Ortiz, Youth Ministry 273-2336 x 204 fortiz_53@hotmail.com Pat Muro, Spanish Ministry 273-2336 x 207 Sr. Wendy Mitchell, Marian Consecration 273-8113 Mount St. Mary Academy 273-4694 info@mtstmarys.org For anointing of the sick, hospital visits or communion visits at home, please notify the parish office. Eucharistic Adoration Schedule Friday 9:15 to 11:00 a.m. First Saturday of the month 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. First Sunday of the month 12:00 Noon to 8:00 p.m. PASTOR S CORNER by Fr. Sylvester Kwiatkowski This week it is my pleasure to introduce to our parishioners our new deacon, Jim Shea, and his wife Patricia. Deacon Jim and Patricia moved here last June from San Mateo. Now that all the necessary paperwork at the Pastoral Center has been processed, Bishop Soto has officially accepted Deacon Jim to continue his pastoral ministry in our three parishes. Deacon Jim and Patricia were extremely active during the nearly 20 years they spent at their former parish, St. Matthew s in San Mateo. Starting with food deliveries for their St. Vincent de Paul chapter, they soon began to further serve their parish as Eucharistic Ministers and Lectors. Deacon Jim taught CCD and confirmation classes for the parish as well as computer and religion classes at St. Matthew s school for many years. In addition to his teaching experience, Deacon Jim served on many committees both at the parish level and for the Archdiocese of San Francisco. At the Archdiocesan level he was a member of the Board of Education, the Vocation Committee, the Deaconate Advisory Board and the Pastoral Council. At the parish level he has served the RCIA, Stewardship Committee, Altar servers, Finance Council, St. Vincent de Paul Society, and the school consultative board. Not least in his experience, he also had the privilege of serving as Bishop McElroy s Master of Ceremonies for two years. Patricia has already joined the Catholic Ladies Relief Society and made herself invaluable helping with the recent pasty bake and Second Sunday Bake Sale fundraisers. She also has worked in bereavement ministry, so they both have a great deal of experience to share with our ministries! I know you join me in welcoming Deacon Jim and Patricia to our parishes. We are greatly blessed to have them as new members of our parish family. Lastly I want to thank everyone who helped last week to make our World Day of the Sick Mass and Luncheon such a beautiful experience. I appreciate the great deal of effort required to put together an event like this every year, and am proud of the wonderful job you do. READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK February 17 through February 23 Monday: James 1:1-11 Mark 8:11-13 Tuesday: James 1:12-18 Mark 8:14-21 Wednesday: James 1:19-27 Mark 8:22-26 Thursday: James 2:1-9 Mark 8:27-33 Friday: James 2:14-24, 26 Mark 8:34-9:1 Saturday: 1 Peter 5:1-4 Matthew 16:13-19 Sunday: Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 Matthew 5:38-48 MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK Monday 2/17 8:30 am Kathy Torres (D) Tuesday 2/18 8:30 am Delbert Hedges (D) Wednesday 2/19 8:30 am Dale Kendall (D) Thursday 2/20 8:30 am Poor Souls in Purgatory Friday 2/21 8:30 am Kathleen Fischer (D) Saturday 2/22 8:30 am 5:00 pm Sunday 2/23 7:30 am 11:00 am Pour Souls in Purgatory John J. Kelly and Family (D) Dale Kendall (D) Mac McManus (D); All parishioners Aileen Griffin Scheider (D)
FAMILY MINISTRY AND FORMATION Religious Education and Catholic Formation for Our Public School Families Schedule February 16: No Faith Formation President s Day Weekend. February 23: No Faith Formation. Wednesday, February 26: Mardi Gras and Lenten Preparation required class. BAPTISM CLASSES Our next series of baptism classes for parents and Godparents is scheduled for Saturday mornings, March 1 and March 8 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Parents and/or Godparents will sign up for BOTH classes, to be held at St. Cecilia s Parish Center which is located above the school s grass field. These classes are required by the diocese and provide a wonderful opportunity for parents and Godparents to meet other families of the parish. They also help parents in their understanding of our Holy Sacraments and what it truly means to be a practicing Catholic and a member of God s Church family. If you are pregnant, have a child that needs baptism or know you will be asked to be Godparents, please call Karen at 273-2336 x 201 or email karinab@aol.com to register for the class and for more information. Please note that the next series of classes will be held in the Summer. ADULT AND HIGH SCHOOL CONFIRMATION CLASSES We invite adults and high school youth who desire to receive the sacrament of Confirmation to join us for a six to eight week program that will prepare them to receive this holy sacrament on April 2. The program will start in February with dates and times to be determined. Please contact Karen at 273-2336 x 201 or karinab@aol.com for more information. A PARISH EVENING OF FUN! February 26 Parish Mardi Gras Save Wednesday evening, February 26, for a very special and FUN evening for the entire community all ages! We will have games, jazz music, and a special Lenten preparation activity to help all of us prepare for the holy season of Lent. Plan to bring or make masks and beads and feel free to come in Mardi Gras attire. (Beads and masks will be provided for the children and youth). We will also have a very yummy pancake dinner! Come join the fun in planning by calling Karen at 273-2336 x 201. There is no charge for this event although we gladly accept donations to help cover our expenses. YOUR HELP IS NEEDED PLEASE CALL We especially need help with transforming our hall with our New Orleans-style decorating on Tuesday, February 25, in the early evening and set-up on Wednesday, February 26, in the late afternoon. Join us for When the Saints Come Marching In! Please call Karen at 273-2336 x 201. NEWS FROM MOUNT ST. MARY S Gold Rush Gala Casino Night, March 22 Mount St. Mary s Academy is planning our biggest fundraiser of the year, Gold Rush Gala Casino Night Denim to Diamonds! Save the date: Saturday, March 22, at the Veterans Hall in Grass Valley. Doors open promptly at 5:30. Enjoy an evening packed full of auctions both silent and live. Try your hand at poker, roulette, blackjack and so much more. Maybe you could win enough money to walk away with some of the biggest prizes of the evening. The cost is $49 per person with a no host bar and food catered by Antonio. So what are you waiting for? Hurry up and buy your ticket in advance to be a part of this exciting evening. Tickets are available at the Mount St. Mary s school office Monday through Friday or call 273-4694 for more information. THE CATHOLICISM PROJECT Journey Around the World and Deep Into the Faith The Catholicism Project is a major undertaking to tell the Catholic story. For too long the Catholic story has been told from the outside. This series is a chance for us to see the beauty, intelligence, and holiness of the Catholic faith. Fr. Robert Barron is our guide on this journey to the heart of the faith. Join us at St. Patrick s as we delve into what makes being Catholic great. How it works: The Catholicism Project is a 10-12 DVD series starting on Tuesday, February 18. The morning session will be from 9:00-10:30 and the evening session will be from 6:30-8:00. The DVD is 50 minutes followed by discussion. It is okay if you can only stay for the DVD presentation. This is for you to appreciate and fall in love with our Catholic Faith. Study materials will be available to purchase for those who wish to go into depth. You may attend as many sessions as you like. A topic index will be provided. The cost is a suggested donation of $5.00 per session. Study guides at $25.00 for the whole series. Contact Karen at 273-2336 x 201 or karinab@aol.com for more information. OUR BLESSED MOTHER INVITES YOU Please join the Legion of Mary as we pray the and Magnificat and share the joy of serving Jesus in others as an expression of our great love for the Blessed Mother every Tuesday from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. in the small hall. Call Rose Stuart at 263-3844 or email r_stuart55@yahoo.com. RENO BUS TRIP The Fellowship Committee of St. Canice Church is again hosting a bus trip to the Silver Legacy in Reno on Friday, April 25. There has been no increase in costs. For $30.00 you get $10.00 in cash, $5.00 in food and a great ride save your gas! Full payment by April 4 to get a seat. Call Eloise Arens at 477-0614 or Steve at 265-3158. Mail checks to 23 Candy Lane, Grass Valley, CA 95945.
ST. PATRICK MEETINGS THIS WEEK Mon 2/17 7:50 am Tues 2/18 7:50 am 9:30 am 5:15 pm 6:00 pm 6:00 pm 7:00 pm Wed 2/19 7:50 am Thurs 2/20 8:15 am 10:30 am 6:30 pm 7:00 pm Fri 2/21 7:50 am 9:15 am 5:00 pm 6:00 pm Sat 2/22 7:50 am 9:30 am Divine Mercy O.L. Perpetual Help Legion of Mary RCIA team meeting Choir practice Color Guard Practice K of C Assembly Bible Study Liturgy of the Hours Charismatic Prayer Group Bereavement Group RCIA Eucharistic Adoration Choir practice MSM Taco/Bingo Night Family of Nazareth Sun 2/23 12:30 pm Catechism Round Table FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP ~Our Return to God~ Sunday Collection 2/10: $8,488.00 Weekly collection budget for 2013-14 fiscal year: $10,577 Thank you for your generosity! PARISH BOOK CLUB GATHERING Save the Date Thursday, March 13 St. Patrick and St. Canice Parishes are having their first Parish Book Club Gathering. Book clubs are fun and informative! We are going to start with Rebuilt, by Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran. Rebuilt is the story of how two men rebuilt a Catholic parish from an irrelevant institution providing consumer services for an aging congregation, into a healthy vibrant parish. The Parish Book Club Gathering will be in St. Patrick s parish hall at 7:00 P.M. on Thursday, March 13. It will last about an hour and a half. The discussion will be led by new parishioner, Michael Moreland. Please call 530-615-4128 or email mmoreland@mgocpa.com to confirm your attendance. Copies of Rebuilt can be purchased for $18.33 at The Book Seller in Grass Valley or on line wherever you buy books. ST. PATRICK STEWARDSHIP Over the past several weeks parishioners have been commenting on the number of funerals here at Saint Patrick s. There was one week we had three. But it is not just those deaths but also noticing the deaths of younger people, especially three, who were members of different families from our community. Trying to make sense out of all this is impossible, but I would like to point out some of the things I have seen and noticed. All three had cancer and were under the age of twentyfive. All had been diagnosed and had undergone treatment with the hope of curing their disease, or at least prolonging their lives. Once the diagnosis was made, things began to happen. Family members were told of what was occurring, and then relatives and friends. Petitions and prayers were offered and made to God. More people were informed, more time was spent praying to God. Thoughts and prayers from people who didn t even know them were abounding. It just sort of started to snowball. People that didn t even know each other all had a common goal, to seek God's mercy and love. I think that we sometimes forget that prayer is a method of worship, even when asking or pleading for something. We do have to keep in mind that what WE pray for may not be what God gives us directly, but no prayer goes unanswered. There was a company, a sporting goods company to be exact, that heard of the plight of one of these fine young men. They decided to offer their help and share their time, talent, and treasure with him. They had been made aware of the fact that this young gentleman loved to hunt and fish and that his life was being challenged, so they offered him a chance to test and promote some of their equipment. He was taken on various fishing and hunting trips with several other employees who, in turn, really got to know him. They learned not just of his desire to hunt and fish but also of his love of nature, his love of his family and friends, but most of all his love of God. God s love was being shown through this young man! God was bringing all of these different people out of their ordinary lives and day jobs to help and support this young man; they, in turn, were showing their love for their neighbor in such a way that is beyond describing. And yet, these people were receiving almost more than they were giving that deep down feeling of knowing that what they were doing was good, REALLY good. The death of the young is almost the hardest to take; ask a nurse, doctor, fireman or any first responder. It is gut wrenching. Family, friends, people you don t even know, are devastated and in tears! But they always come together as one, one body, to offer their love. Most people have that love, that special light, that needs to come forth and be seen and quite a few people find it easy to share and let their light be seen; others, and at times all of us, need a catalyst to initiate our actions of love. We are spurred on by gut wrenching events through the help of God. These terrible events do bring us all closer to God if we keep our hearts and minds open to his love, and when these events do not affect us in that manner, we will be in trouble. Pat Gerving Pondering thought: The heart of God burns with compassion
ST. PATRICK S DAY DINNER DANCE Saturday, March 15 The annual St. Patrick s Day Dinner Dance will be held on Saturday, March 15. The usual outstanding dinner of corned beef and cabbage will be served. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. for a no-host bar with dinner served at approximately 7:00 p.m. Dancing will start around 8:00 p.m. Tickets will be sold for $15.00 each after Masses on March 1 and 2 and March 8 and 9. For questions, or if you can t make it to one of the ticket sales following Mass, please call Scott McLaughlin at 478-0636. Please come and celebrate St. Patrick s Day with us! PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY MEETING The Prayer Shawl Ministry will be meeting Saturday, March 1, at 10:00 a.m. in the small hall. All skill levels are welcome! Patterns for knit and crochet items will be available. Bring your ideas, yarn, crochet hooks and knitting needles. This is a wonderful opportunity to share your time and talent to bless a Hospice patient. The shawls will be blessed by Fr. Sylvester and then they will be delivered to Hospice of the Foothills. It is also a time of fellowship with each other. A light snack will be provided. If you have any questions, please call Patti Babiarz at 530-470-8964. WATOTO BEAUTIFUL AFRICA: A NEW GENERATION God s blessings fill both the performers and audience alike in the profoundly touching performances by the Watoto Children s Choir, coming to our area this week. Watoto is a holistic care program created in response to the overwhelming number of orphaned children and vulnerable women in Uganda. The program provides physical and medical care, education, trauma counseling and spiritual discipleship. All performers in the Children s Choir have lost their families to war or the AIDS epidemic. Singing songs of praise and dancing in gratitude to Our Lord, this choir s cultural creativity and unique worship produces a much better joy than a family visit to Disneyland! These children give witness to God s activity in all our lives through the action of the Holy Spirit in all our hearts. This choir only tours in our area every two years. The concerts are free, with a free-will collection at the end of the concert. For more information and video footage of the choir visit www.watoto.com/the-choir. The choir s February schedule for this area is as follows: Friday, February 21, 7:00 p.m. Centerpoint Community Church, 515 Sunrise Avenue, Roseville. 916-782-3186. Sunday, February 23, 10:00 a.m. Loomis First Assembly of God, 6217 Brace Road, Loomis. 916-652-6884. Thursday, Feb. 27, 7:00 p.m. Grace Bible Church, 11412 Brunswick Drive, Grass Valley. 530-273-7857. Lord, if your people need me, I will not refuse the work. Your will be done. St. Martin de Tours REFLECTING ON GOD S WORD We live in a country where we prize our freedom, cling to our right to choose, and even define our homeland as the land of the free. Today s scriptures remind us that along with rights come responsibilities. We are to respond to our God who made us and calls us to be a people of the new covenant, ratified by the saving death of God s Son on the cross. If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you, says Ben Sira (Sirach 15:15). For the Jewish people the law was a blessing and those who chose to keep the law would be blessed with life. That choice is still before us today. Jesus teachings reveal his wisdom in understanding the law of the Mosaic covenant. His grasp of what was at the heart of the law can be clearly found in the long form of today s Gospel. While there is an option for a shorter version, spend some time with the longer reading (Matthew 5:17 37). We are to live as kin in what has been called the kin-dom of God. In a world that justifies preventative strikes, Jesus forbids not only killing but even getting angry and bearing a grudge. He teaches that reconciliation takes priority over worship, that the prohibition against adultery extends even to looking with lust at another, reducing a person to an object for self-gratification. Finally, he asks us not to swear but to speak with simplicity and integrity. Some might dismiss all this as impossible to achieve. But, as a young virgin was once told: [N]othing will be impossible for God (Luke 1:37). James A. Wallace, C.Ss.R. Copyright 2013, World Library Publications. All rights reserved. TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION In a few weeks time, at the Chrism Mass of the diocese, fresh sacramental oils will be blessed and chrism consecrated for use in every parish. Olive oil is the main ingredient of chrism, but olive oil with some exotic additives that change its character and purpose. Rich balsam and perfumes separate chrism from the pantry. Food no longer, neither is this oil for grooming or toning muscles. It has a breathtaking aroma that is both alluring and enduring. The prayer of consecration is a good meditation for the coming Lenten season since it focuses us on the goal of our journey, linking it with the olive bearing dove at the end of Noah s stormy voyage of forty days. The dove signaled the birth of a new world, a society reborn from the wreckage of the old, drowned world of sin. At the end of our Lenten journey, the oil of chrism will be poured down in abundance on the brows of catechumens and infants, as well as on those to be confirmed or ordained. Lent puts us in touch with the hard edges of life in need of salvation, and the chrism of Easter joy redeems and restores. Rev. James Field, Copyright J. S. Paluch Co.