August 12th, 2018 St. Nicholas Parish 24252 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, CA 92637 (949) 837-1090; FAX (949) 837-9510; www.st-nicholaschurch.org School of Religious Education: (949) 837-7676 Our Parish Mission Statement St. Nicholas Parish is a Catholic community, celebrating our faith through the Sacraments, Liturgy, Prayer and Service. We strive to nurture family life and to create one body out of many in the Lord. We share the Good News with people of all ages, cultures and faith backgrounds. Adopted July, 1996 CLERGY Pastor Parochial Vicar Deacon Deacon Deacon Rev. George P. Blais Rev. Quyen Truong Rev. Msgr. John Campbell Rev. Gerald Walker Rev. Brendan Hankins Rev. Jack Sewell Rev. Chin Dang Wayne Thompson Chau Tran Gerardo De Santos MASS SCHEDULE Saturday Vigil: 4:00PM, 7:00PM in Spanish Sunday: 7:30AM, 9:00AM, 10:45AM, 12:30PM, and 5:00PM in Vietnamese. Monday through Friday: 7:00AM and 9:00AM Saturday: 9AM Filipino Mass: 5:30PM, First Saturdays, October-June. Holy Days: 4PM Vigil, 7PM Spanish Vigil, 7AM, 9AM, 12PM, 6PM, and 7:30PM in Vietnamese. RECONCILIATION (Confession) Saturday: 9:45AM to 10:15AM and 3:00PM to 3:45PM or by appointment. BAPTISM Contact the Parish Office for Baptism scheduling and information. MARRIAGE Arrangements must begin at least six months in advance with a priest of the parish. ANOINTING OF THE SICK Call Parish Office in an emergency. Special Service celebrated in fall/spring as announced. FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS At the death of a family member, please call the Parish Office at your earliest convenience to plan for the Mass of Christian Burial. EUCHARISTIC ADORATION DAY 24-hour adoration begins the second Wednesday of the month at the 9:00AM Mass. DEVOTIONS & BENEDICTION Wednesday evenings at 7:00PM; Vietnamese 2nd Wednesday of the month at 8PM. Recitation of the Holy Rosary and Benediction. Parish Office Hours: Sunday: 8:30 AM 1:30 PM Monday through Friday: 9 AM 12 Noon; 1 PM 7:00 PM; Saturday: 9 AM 12 Noon
The Knights of Columbus & The American Red Cross invite you to a Community Blood Drive on Thursday, September 6th 7:45am to 7:45pm at St. Nicholas Church in the Parish Center. To schedule appointments call one of the following: 949-831-0208, 949-581-5503, 949-350-3282 Walk-ins are welcome or make an appointment for faster service! The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary It is on Tuesday, August 15th, and is a Holy Day of Obligation. Mass times: Monday, Aug. 14th Vigil at 4PM (English) and 7PM (Spanish). Tuesday, Aug. 15th 7AM, 9AM, 12PM, 6PM (Bilingual) and 7:30pm (Vietnamese) This is the principal Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the happy departure of Mary from this life and the assumption of her body into Heaven. Pastoral Services Appeal 2018 Thank you to all who have already participated in the PSA this year. If you did not receive information about the PSA in the mail, there are brochures and pledge envelopes available in the Church or in the Parish Office. # Participating families: 335 Amount of pledges: $142,123 Payments received: $88,541 Once we reach our diocesan goal of $111,000, all monies over that amount will be returned to St. Nicholas to help pay for the parking lot project. Dear Parishioners, We continue to hear from John s gospel about Jesus discourse on the Bread of Life. This week we begin with the verses that point out the grumbling and protest of the Jews because Jesus said; I am the bread that came down from heaven. They did not and could not accept that Jesus was and is the Son of the Father and was sent by the Father. We have that belief and because of it, we continue to receive His Body and Blood to nourish and strengthen us for our pilgrim journey back to the Father. These weeks that our gospel readings focus on this discourse give us the opportunity to reflect on the awesome gift of the Eucharist and how we receive it with great joy and reverence. We have this time to give thanks to God for His abundant blessings and think about the true meaning of the Eucharist. When we hear the words; The Body of Christ, or The Blood of Christ, our response is Amen, which is our acknowledgement of agreement and belief in the True Presence. A gentle reminder should be in our mind that we do not receive the Eucharist casually or take it for granted. Let us not only receive but truly believe that Jesus nourishes and strengthens us in the Eucharist. This week, we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Mary on Wednesday Aug. 15th. It is a holy day of obligation. We will have a blessing of the new Blessed Mother statue and the new shrine area following the noon Mass on Wednesday Aug. 15th. All are welcome. Fr. George Stewardship of Treasure 2018 2017 52-Weekly Required Budget August 5th $26,060.28 $33,149.21 $25,856.00 Mission Co-op $9,672.84 $13,039.58
Mass Intentions for the Week Monday: 7AM Joan Hays Schaffer (d) 9AM Funeral for Elvira Straub Tuesday: 7AM Beatriz Bravo and Oscar Montes (d) 9AM Nelly Andrade (d) 4PM Sr. Mildred and Florence 7PM Wednesday: 7AM Maria Mau Pham (d) 9AM For the Parish 12PM Thanksgiving and Peace for Family 6PM Joey Flanagan (d) Thursday: 7AM Hilda Takao (d) 9AM Salvidor Gandara (d) Friday: 7AM Julie Gobin (d) 9AM Hui-Fang Chang Saturday: 9AM Adelaida Jaro (d) 4PM For the Parish 7PM Thanksgiving to St. Joseph and St. Jude Sunday: 7:30AM Harry Miller (d) 9:00AM Nestor Reyes Mata (d) 10:45AM Damasita Aquino (d) 12:30PM Filemon David (d) We Remember Elvira Straub and Joan Richards who entered their new and eternal life in Christ. Grant to all our dearly departed, eternal rest, O Lord, and may your light shine on them forever. TODAY S READINGS First Reading: 1 Kings 19:4-8 Elijah looked and there at his head was a hearth cake and a jug of water. Psalm 34: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord Second Reading: Ephesians 4:30 5:2 Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love. Gospel: John 6:41-51 Jesus said, I am the living bread; whoever eats this bread will live forever. Parish Calendar This Week MONDAY Hispanic Rosary, Church, 7PM TUESDAY WEDNESDAY Charismatic Prayer Group, Room A, 9:45AM Knights of Columbus, Rooms 104/105, 6PM Certificacion Basica Curso, Room B, 7PM Devotions and Benediction, Church, 7PM Filipino Choir, Small Hall, 8PM THURSDAY Faith Alive Faith Sharing, Room A, 10AM Hispanic Council, Room C, 7:30PM FRIDAY Spanish Baptism Preparation Class, Room B, 7PM Hispanic Bible Study, Small Hall, 7PM SATURDAY Latin Food Festival, Parish Center 1st Floor, 8AM Hispanic Choir, Room C, 4PM SUNDAY Library CLOSED - SAVE THE DATE - ST. NICHOLAS SEWING GROUP HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE The Holiday Boutique will be in the Parish Hall on Saturday, October, 20th after the 4PM Mass and Sunday, October 21st after the 7:30AM, 9AM, and 10:45AM Masses. The Holiday Boutique is the major fundraiser for the Council of Catholic Women. Last year we raised over $3,000, with the funds going to local charities. We will have many new and exciting things this year as well as out most popular items! Mark your calendars and come start your Christmas shopping early! The St. Nicholas Library The Library is closed for the summer and will re-open on September 2nd. Any checked out books need to be returned to the Parish Office. The Library will be open the 1st & 3rd Sundays of the month, from 8:45am 12:45pm when it re-opens in September. We are located in Room C, behind the Parish Office. Freebie Cart: Rosaries, prayer cards and more!
SCHOOL OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 2018 2019 Registration for Elementary and High School Religion Classes are NOW OPEN! Come to the SRE Office in the Parish Center Mondays through Thursdays to register from 9am to noon and 1pm to 4:30pm. 1 st through 6 th grades: Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday 4:15pm to 5:30pm 7 th & 8 th grades: Tuesday evenings, 7pm to 8:30pm Confirmation I and II Classes: Alternate Tuesdays, 7pm to 8:30pm IMPORTANT CONFIRMATION NEWS Confirmation preparation is a two-year program directed toward preparing high school students to deepen their faith commitment culminating in receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. Students may join Confirmation I in their ninth, tenth or junior year of high school. Classes are held on alternate Tuesdays, beginning at 7PM and ending at 8:30PM. Students attending Catholic Schools must enroll and complete both years (Confirmation I and II) in order to be confirmed. For more information, stop by the SRE office or call (949) 837-7676. YOUTH MINISTRY Check us out on Facebook and Instagram: @stnickym The next Bible Studies will be Tues. August 14 and August 28th at 6:30PM. Got questions about life? Are you searching for more? Alpha might be for you and it s coming to St. Nicholas in September. What is Alpha? It is a series of interactive sessions exploring the Christian faith. Who s it for? It is for everyone, especially: Those who have given up on the church Those who are new to the faith Those wanting to grow in understanding and faith. Are you interested? More information will be coming in future bulletins and announcements at Mass. For more information, call the SRE office at (949) 837-7676. ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY THAT IS ONE OF THE HOLIEST MINISTRIES YOU CAN BECOME INVOLVED WITH HERE AT ST. NICHOLAS? Magnificat Prayer Breakfast Welcomes Fr. John Bradley Join us for this inspiring testimony of God s transforming love and a deep relationship with Jesus Christ that changed the course of a young man s life and produced a tremendous zeal for souls! Saturday, Sept. 22nd from 9:30AM-12:30PM Embassy Suites Anaheim South, 11767 Harbor Blvd., Garden Grove, CA 92840 Registration: $28/person if mailed by Sept. 17th $33/person at the door To register or for more information call Anne at (714) 420-5482. Many of our working parishioners already help in this the Knights of Columbus, St. Nicholas Youth Ministry, our Vietnamese Community, and the Hispanic Community, with occasional help from our Welcoming Committee and Micah s Way. After 9 years, however, our Coffee and Donuts Coordinators are retiring to another community in another Parish. If your heart is calling you to the sweetness of this ministry opportunity, please call the Parish Office (949) 837-1090. THE PRAISE AND WORSHIP PRAYER GROUP The Praise and Worship meeting on August 31st is cancelled due to a prior engagement. More updates to come in future bulletins.
ANNUAL LATIN FOOD FESTIVAL The Hispanic Group of St. Nicholas cordially invites all parishioners to our annual LATIN FOOD FESTIVAL to be held on August 19th from 8AM-1PM in the Large Hall. They will be offering typical foods from Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and Peru. All funds raised will go towards community events held by the Hispanic Community. Stop by and enjoy these delicious dishes. We thank you for your continuous support. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever. John 6:51 Restoration of the Sacred Images The restoration of the Sacred Heart image on the large parking lot side of the church has been completed. Before hanging the image, we will have the two alcoves where the candles are located cleaned and freshly painted. There is a buildup of wax and soot on those walls after many years. The walls will be cleaned and repainted so that we have a special place for our sacred images. We will be hanging the images higher to prevent the touching of the images. The oil from our hands over time tend to discolor and affect the visible appearance of the image and we want to preserve them for years to come. Please only use candles in these areas that are provided by the church. The candles that we provide are smokeless and will not cause the soot stains on the walls; therefore, do not place other candles in these alcoves. They will be removed. Also please do not add flowers to any areas in the church or in the chapel. Our church environment people are responsible for making the church and chapel look appropriate. Too many flowers, although well intentioned can look messy. Thank you for your cooperation. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) Coming Home! This is a term often used for and by adults who come into the Catholic Faith. Quite often it is a spouse who is married to a Catholic and attends Mass on a regular basis. Maybe you have a friend who is Catholic and you see something in them that makes you wonder, why is this person like they are? Have you been away from God for a while and are interested in the Catholic faith? Were you baptized Catholic but have never received the sacraments of Confirmation and/or First Eucharist? Please come or invite someone to learn what it means to be a Catholic Christian; to live The Way of the Lord. This weekend, outside on the large parking lot side, people are waiting to answer any questions you may have. Sessions begin on Thursday, September 6th at 7PM in Room 201 in the parish center. Please call Betty Farrell at (949) 400-6875. Come and see if the Catholic faith is a place where you can say, You are home. ETERNAL WORLD TELEVISION NETWORK (EWTN) THE EWTN IS NOW ON CHANNEL 131.6, FOR SOME TIME TO COME, ACCORDING TO THE BROADBAND PROVIDER. IT IS SCHEDULED TO RETURN TO CHANNEL NO. 145 BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, ACCORDING TO THEIR REPRESENTATIVE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BROADBAND CAN BE REACHED AT (949) 837-2670. Come to Faith Alive-Faith Sharing! The Faith Alive-Faith Sharing group meets weekly on Thursdays, 10AM to 11:30AM in Room A. All parishioners are invited to join the group to study the scriptures for the upcoming Sunday Masses. EL GRUPO DE ORACIÓN EN ESPAÑOL Invitamos as los feligreses a unirse en oración y alabanza a Jesus, Maria, y Jose en las iglesia de St. Nicholás cada tercer Miercoles de cada mes a las 7PM en el Salón C. Para más informacion, favor de llamar a José o a Norma Garibay a (949) 613-3030
CHOIR RECRUITMENT MONTH NOW IS A GREAT TIME FOR YOU TO BECOME A PART OF THIS EXCITING AND REWARDING WEEKLY LITURGICAL MINISTRY, FOR THE 2018-2019 SEASON. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHES US THAT A CHOIR ISNT JUST A LUXURY, IT S A NECESSITY! PARISHES NEED CHOIRS. OUR CHOIR NEEDS YOU. ST. NICHOLAS PARISH CHOIR 9:00AM Our Parish Choir (SATB), under the direction of Emett, (our music director and accompanist), rehearses on THURSDAY evenings from 7:15 to 8:45PM. Repertoire consists of all music styles: ancient, traditional, and contemporary. Present membership stands at 46. (Some musical experience is necessary for membership in this choir.) Our goal is to recruit 7 new members. ST. NICHOLAS CHORALE 10:45AM Our Chorale (SATB), under the direction of Mary Ester, and accompanied by Emett, rehearses on TUESDAYS evenings from 7:15 to 8:45PM. Repertoire also consists of all styles of music. Present membership stands at 23. Our goal is to recruit many more voices. SIGN-UPS FOR ALL CHOIRS ARE BEING ACCEPTED AFTER ALL MASSES EVERY WEEKEND IN AUGUST. PLEASE SEE EMETT IN THE CHOIR LOFT, TAKE A TOUR OF THE LOFT, PEEK INSIDE THE PIPE ORGAN CHAMBERS, AND SIGN UP! MEMBERSHIP IS OPEN TO ANYONE WHO IS SERIOUSLY INTERESTED IN CONTRIBUTING ONLY THEIR VERY BEST TO THE GLORY OF GOD. REHEARSALS BEGIN IN MID-SEPTEMBER. PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. DEADLINE TO JOIN IS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH. BUT, PLEASE DON T WAIT COME UP TO THE CHOIR LOFT TODAY, SPEAK WITH EMETT, AND JOIN NOW! Blessed Mother Statue There have been many inquiries about the Blessed Mother Statue outside the sacristy on the small parking lot side of the church. We do know that the statue was knocked off its pedestal and could not be repaired; however, we do not know if it was vandalism or possibly someone who was over zealous in their adoration. We have ordered a new statue and it is the same; Our Lady of Grace and it has arrived. In the next few weeks, we will be building a new platform so that we can raise the statue higher off the ground. I am hoping to have this completed before the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Aug. 15. If all goes well, I plan to have a blessing of the new statue on that day. Thank you for your concerns and patience as we prepare to make a more secure base pedestal. Fr. George Sunday: Monday: Tuesday: SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES St. Pontian and Hippolytus St. Maximilian Kolbe Wednesday: The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Thursday: St. Stephen of Hungary Saturday: Blessed Virgin Mary HELP WANTED MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT PART TIME (UP TO 16 HOURS/WEEK) Position is physically demanding and involves all aspects of property maintenance. Candidate should be able to follow instructions and work independently. Please send or drop off resumes at the Parish Office, attention Steve.