News Around the Parish
Construction is continuing at a good pace with “infrastructure” items being addressed . Some necessary demolition has been concluded so as to make room for replacement items such as flooring, etc. The parts that are now being addressed are the big items that we do not see but that are essential for our bringing our facilities up to date. They include plumbing, and electrical work that will improve the safety of the hall upon completion for us and for future generations…
The sisters have commenced their annual retreat and will be away for some days. When they come back,they will be holier than ever and a continued resource for us all… Please remember that there is a priest available for response 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for loved ones who desire anointing of the sick.
In addition, please inform the rectory at 681-4225, if a loved one desires Communion, Reconciliation and/or Anointing of the Sick. Please also provide names for those you wish us to include for prayers for the sick for Sunday Masses…
We continue to pray that Fr. Dan is enjoying a well-deserved and restful vacation!
This Sunday’s Gospel- Feeding of the 5,000
We have all heard of Jesus feeding the crowd of 5,000 men and others with the five barley loaves and two fishes. What is important to note is that the real crowd was many thousands more numerous than that - as women and children were also present. This allows us to reflect that God is willing to provide for the care of His people and does so generously. An aspect of this miracle that I would like to point out was that it was performed late in the day, meaning that if we have not been as attentive to the voice of God in our lives then it is never too late to address the nourishment of our souls. I believe that this miracle demonstrates the immensity of the compassion of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is never to late to seek or imitate God’s compassion!
Jesus taught compassion without limit and even his apostles seem to have missed the mark as they advised Him of being short of money and of essentially advising Jesus through questions that since all of the places of provision for these hungry souls were closed, it was impossible. But nothing is impossible for Jesus for He is God.
We are called to have compassion for our fellow brothers and sisters as a key component of Christian love. Compassion is a characteristic attribute of God that is also a quality that is within our own nature to act upon. Compassion is that internal yearning of sympathy and concern for people with great needs. If allowed to grow within us, it is a deep emotion that cannot be shut down. Jesus teaches us by example that we are not
to walk away from people in great pain, or poverty, or desperate needs. In our daily lives, let us pray for an increased awareness of those who are in need and for the strength to respond to that need. It might be as simple as identifying a friend or acquaintance as one who would really appreciate a phone call from us and for others it might involve much more. Whatever the situation, may we include compassion for others as part of our Christian identity.
Fr. Mike
Friday, July 29, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
Reflections of our Parochial Vicar
The Pearl of Great Price
In this Sunday’s readings we are asked to stop and to just imagine the enormity of the gift of God’s special love for each of us - that God wants for all of us who choose life to spend eternity with Him. In our first reading, David is asked to name whatever he wants from God. He asks for an understanding heart to judge others rightly and for the ability to distinguish right from wrong. This response is free from selfishness and pleases God and God notes that David has not asked for temporal wealth or victory over enemies, but simply to have a good heart oriented towards God and what is good.
In my recent stay at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, to complete requirements for a degree in Christian Spirituality, we were studying how to develop a discerning heart that perceives the movement of God within our lives. There was a lot of background activity as there is with each of our lives. The College World Series was played in town and the University of California team was immediately adopted as Omaha’s favorite, because they stuck together and believed in their program and with some alumni rescued the University’s baseball program from being closed due to budget concerns. Another background drama was weather concerns with thunderstorm warnings, tornado watches, weather that on one day of my stay went to a humid 105 degrees and above all the flooding of the Missouri River. That last factor had the daily news announcing that volunteers could fill sandbags at different sites throughout the area; two nuclear power plants were shut down, businesses and entire towns flooded. Yet the priority at Creighton’ Christian Spirituality Program was to learn to develop a discerning heart and to help others do the same.
At times it seemed that perhaps our priorities should be to help the flood victims and to develop the discerning heart later. I believe this is a common mistake made by many of us who are well intentioned. The priority we are exhorted to adopt for our lives is right relationship with God. This will enable us to respond fully both to our needs and the needs of those around us rather than to respond without reference. Just as the CAL team persevered because of relationships and common purpose, so we can persevere in life if we understand that with God we can face any adversity. We are on God’s team. To understand this is the first step to understanding that right relationship with God is indeed the pearl of great price. This can be understood by each of us by seeking to develop a discerning heart.
Glad to Be Home at St. Brendan’s!!
Fr. Mike
In this Sunday’s readings we are asked to stop and to just imagine the enormity of the gift of God’s special love for each of us - that God wants for all of us who choose life to spend eternity with Him. In our first reading, David is asked to name whatever he wants from God. He asks for an understanding heart to judge others rightly and for the ability to distinguish right from wrong. This response is free from selfishness and pleases God and God notes that David has not asked for temporal wealth or victory over enemies, but simply to have a good heart oriented towards God and what is good.
In my recent stay at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, to complete requirements for a degree in Christian Spirituality, we were studying how to develop a discerning heart that perceives the movement of God within our lives. There was a lot of background activity as there is with each of our lives. The College World Series was played in town and the University of California team was immediately adopted as Omaha’s favorite, because they stuck together and believed in their program and with some alumni rescued the University’s baseball program from being closed due to budget concerns. Another background drama was weather concerns with thunderstorm warnings, tornado watches, weather that on one day of my stay went to a humid 105 degrees and above all the flooding of the Missouri River. That last factor had the daily news announcing that volunteers could fill sandbags at different sites throughout the area; two nuclear power plants were shut down, businesses and entire towns flooded. Yet the priority at Creighton’ Christian Spirituality Program was to learn to develop a discerning heart and to help others do the same.
At times it seemed that perhaps our priorities should be to help the flood victims and to develop the discerning heart later. I believe this is a common mistake made by many of us who are well intentioned. The priority we are exhorted to adopt for our lives is right relationship with God. This will enable us to respond fully both to our needs and the needs of those around us rather than to respond without reference. Just as the CAL team persevered because of relationships and common purpose, so we can persevere in life if we understand that with God we can face any adversity. We are on God’s team. To understand this is the first step to understanding that right relationship with God is indeed the pearl of great price. This can be understood by each of us by seeking to develop a discerning heart.
Glad to Be Home at St. Brendan’s!!
Fr. Mike
Friday, July 15, 2011
July 17, 2011 - News Around the Parish
Update on Hall Renovation – Well, it certainly has been dusty the past few weeks in the Church. It is because the plans for the renovation included removing the staircase that leads into the annex so that the kitchen can be extended. However, the process was not as easy as it appeared on paper. We discovered why we have streets named Rockaway and Rockwood and why the staircase was put there in the first place. Underneath the staircase was all rock. And it took the workers with a jackhammer 3 weeks to remove it all and to strengthen the foundation on that little corner. So our heat in the Church has been turned off because of the dust and before we can turn it back on, we’ll need to have the vents cleaned. Else, we’ll be blowing dust all over the inside of the Church.
Down in the hall, the wooden panels along the walls and columns have been removed and it revealed on one of the covered walls, four (4) windows. At one point, before the Church was widened, these windows let in natural light. The current plan is to restore these windows and to use artificial light to enhance their appearance. The electrical wiring is being replaced and it is being wired to allow for a projector that can project a live video of the mass upstairs, or a football game, or a presentation from a computer. The orange carpet has been removed and will be replaced with tiles to maintain its “Mission” theme. The hardwood floor will be refinished. The kitchen will be remodeled with an added door that exits directly outside the building, so that caterers can come in and out of the kitchen through the handicap ramp, without having to disturb what is going on inside the hall. All this will hopefully be completed in early September. Thanks for your ongoing financial support and for putting up with the dust and cold during our summer (aka - our coldest winter).
Fr. Joe Peixotto’s 50th Anniversary – Fr. Joe was a member of our parish before he was ordained a priest of the Congrégation de Sainte-Croix (CSC), also known as the Congregation of the Holy Cross. His sister, Carol Kilgariff, and her husband Martin, are still parishioners here. On Saturday, July 9, 2011, he celebrated his Golden Anniversary here with his family and friends. Fr. Joe has been in Bangladesh for 49 years as a missionary priest and speaks Bengali fluently. As an engineering student in the University of Portland, he shared that when he was considering priesthood, he was not interested in doing administrative work. But as life unfolded, he became the Principal of Notre Dame College in their capital, Dhaka, which is regarded as the best institution for higher secondary education in the country. As he reflected on his life, he commented that his work certainly wasn’t easy with the many changes the country has gone through.
Bangladesh had at one time been East Pakistan but gained independence in 1971. Since independence, they have experienced famine, natural disasters, widespread poverty and military coups. Fortunately, democracy was restored in 1991 and there has been economic progress. So although his work as a missionary hasn’t been easy, but as he reflected on his vocation, he said that it has certainly been very meaningful. The following day on Sunday, he celebrated Mass with us and shared about the rich soil where his congregation ministered. At the end of Mass, as our community prayed for him and the people he served, he said something that struck me. He said the work he did was not his alone. It was our work. He was sent as a missionary from our community, our Church here at St. Brendan, our country, to plant the seed of faith there. So thank you , Fr. Joe , for doing such a good job in Bangladesh, on our behalf , and may God bless you with many many more years of fruitful service with our brothers and sisters there.
Vacation – As I was talking with our Parish Manager, Flora Sinajon, about my upcoming vacation, I was reminded that I have 4 weeks of unused vacation. Not wishing to see it go to waste, I will be using it while my brother and his family relocate back to San Francisco. My brother just retired from the Army after 23 years and with his wife, they plan to raise their children in San Francisco. I will be out of the office from July 18 until August 12. In the meanwhile, Fr. Mike is in charge and will have Fr. Jerry Van Overbeek to assist him. Fr. Jerry, a Chicago native who loves our fog, also plans to retire in San Francisco and with any luck, he will be able to live with us here at St. Brendan.
With prayers and blessings,
Fr. Dan
Down in the hall, the wooden panels along the walls and columns have been removed and it revealed on one of the covered walls, four (4) windows. At one point, before the Church was widened, these windows let in natural light. The current plan is to restore these windows and to use artificial light to enhance their appearance. The electrical wiring is being replaced and it is being wired to allow for a projector that can project a live video of the mass upstairs, or a football game, or a presentation from a computer. The orange carpet has been removed and will be replaced with tiles to maintain its “Mission” theme. The hardwood floor will be refinished. The kitchen will be remodeled with an added door that exits directly outside the building, so that caterers can come in and out of the kitchen through the handicap ramp, without having to disturb what is going on inside the hall. All this will hopefully be completed in early September. Thanks for your ongoing financial support and for putting up with the dust and cold during our summer (aka - our coldest winter).
Fr. Joe Peixotto’s 50th Anniversary – Fr. Joe was a member of our parish before he was ordained a priest of the Congrégation de Sainte-Croix (CSC), also known as the Congregation of the Holy Cross. His sister, Carol Kilgariff, and her husband Martin, are still parishioners here. On Saturday, July 9, 2011, he celebrated his Golden Anniversary here with his family and friends. Fr. Joe has been in Bangladesh for 49 years as a missionary priest and speaks Bengali fluently. As an engineering student in the University of Portland, he shared that when he was considering priesthood, he was not interested in doing administrative work. But as life unfolded, he became the Principal of Notre Dame College in their capital, Dhaka, which is regarded as the best institution for higher secondary education in the country. As he reflected on his life, he commented that his work certainly wasn’t easy with the many changes the country has gone through.
Bangladesh had at one time been East Pakistan but gained independence in 1971. Since independence, they have experienced famine, natural disasters, widespread poverty and military coups. Fortunately, democracy was restored in 1991 and there has been economic progress. So although his work as a missionary hasn’t been easy, but as he reflected on his vocation, he said that it has certainly been very meaningful. The following day on Sunday, he celebrated Mass with us and shared about the rich soil where his congregation ministered. At the end of Mass, as our community prayed for him and the people he served, he said something that struck me. He said the work he did was not his alone. It was our work. He was sent as a missionary from our community, our Church here at St. Brendan, our country, to plant the seed of faith there. So thank you , Fr. Joe , for doing such a good job in Bangladesh, on our behalf , and may God bless you with many many more years of fruitful service with our brothers and sisters there.
Vacation – As I was talking with our Parish Manager, Flora Sinajon, about my upcoming vacation, I was reminded that I have 4 weeks of unused vacation. Not wishing to see it go to waste, I will be using it while my brother and his family relocate back to San Francisco. My brother just retired from the Army after 23 years and with his wife, they plan to raise their children in San Francisco. I will be out of the office from July 18 until August 12. In the meanwhile, Fr. Mike is in charge and will have Fr. Jerry Van Overbeek to assist him. Fr. Jerry, a Chicago native who loves our fog, also plans to retire in San Francisco and with any luck, he will be able to live with us here at St. Brendan.
With prayers and blessings,
Fr. Dan
Monday, July 11, 2011
July 10, 2011 - Life in the Spirit
I was baptized Catholic as an infant, went to a Kindergarten that was run by the Canossian Sisters (the same order that our sisters here belong to) and attended Catholic Elementary School up to 4th grade. Then I continued my studies in public school but received my religious education through the CCD program. By the way, CCD stands for Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, a lay association that was set up in Rome in 1562, with the purpose of giving religious instruction. In 8th grade, while studying at Herbert Hoover Jr. High School, I was confirmed at St. Anne’s by Bishop Hurley. Thereafter , I stopped going to regular Sunday Mass, like we did when we were kids, and by the time I was in college I became an atheist.
Only when I was wondering in what to major in my studies, considering what to do with the rest of my life, did I begin to ask myself about the meaning of life. As I began to explore the different religious traditions and philosophies of life, a co-worker who was formally Catholic, invited me to her Pentecostal Church. Although I enjoyed their music and worship, I found their praying in tongues a little strange. But she explained to me afterwards, that it was part of the gift of the Holy Spirit, according to St. Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians,Chapter 12, Verses 28-30. There, St. Paul speaks of the different gifts from teaching, to prophecy, to healing, to speaking in tongues and interpreting it. In Chapter 14 of the same letter, St. Paul even gives instruction in the use of tongues. With my anxiety about it settled, I stayed with the Pentecostal Church a couple of years, until I discovered that in the Catholic Church, we have a similar praying experience in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.
Since 1960, this charismatic experience has appeared in mainline Protestant denominations and in our Catholic Church. Speaking to the International Conference on the Catholic Charismatic Renewal on May 19, 1975, Pope Paul VI encouraged the attendees in their renewal efforts and, especially, to remain anchored in the Church. Pope John Paul II, speaking to a group of international leaders of the Renewal on December 11, 1979 said, “I am convinced that this movement is a very important component of the entire renewal of the Church.” And before Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI, as Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he acknowledged the good occurring in the Charismatic Renewal and said:
At the heart of a world imbued with a rationalistic skepticism, a new experience of the Holy Spirit suddenly burst forth. And, since then, that experience has assumed a breadth of a Worldwide Renewal Movement. What the New Testament tells us about the charisms - which were seen as visible signs of the coming of the Spirit - is not just ancient history, over and done with, for it is once again becoming extremely topical.
It was through the Catholic Charismatic Renewal that I found my way back to Church. Through them, God is no longer a character in a history book, but alive and present in my heart. I learned to listen to the movement of the Holy Spirit in my life, use the gifts God has given me and discover God’s call. And that is the heart of the movement, which is to help us know God not only in our heads but especially in our hearts through His Holy Spirit. If you are interested to learn more, there is a Life in the Spirit Seminar on July 9th, 16th (9:00 am - 1:45 pm) and 23rd (9:00 am – 3:00 pm) at St. Paul of the Shipwreck, 1122 Jamestown Ave., in San Francisco. There will be free lunch and parking. I will be one of their speakers on July 23rd.. For more information, please contact Norma Guerrero at 650-219-4556. Also, on Sep 16-18, at Archbishop Riordan High School, there will be a Holy Spirit Conference. Please visit sfspirit.com for more information.
Fr. Dan
Only when I was wondering in what to major in my studies, considering what to do with the rest of my life, did I begin to ask myself about the meaning of life. As I began to explore the different religious traditions and philosophies of life, a co-worker who was formally Catholic, invited me to her Pentecostal Church. Although I enjoyed their music and worship, I found their praying in tongues a little strange. But she explained to me afterwards, that it was part of the gift of the Holy Spirit, according to St. Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians,Chapter 12, Verses 28-30. There, St. Paul speaks of the different gifts from teaching, to prophecy, to healing, to speaking in tongues and interpreting it. In Chapter 14 of the same letter, St. Paul even gives instruction in the use of tongues. With my anxiety about it settled, I stayed with the Pentecostal Church a couple of years, until I discovered that in the Catholic Church, we have a similar praying experience in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.
Since 1960, this charismatic experience has appeared in mainline Protestant denominations and in our Catholic Church. Speaking to the International Conference on the Catholic Charismatic Renewal on May 19, 1975, Pope Paul VI encouraged the attendees in their renewal efforts and, especially, to remain anchored in the Church. Pope John Paul II, speaking to a group of international leaders of the Renewal on December 11, 1979 said, “I am convinced that this movement is a very important component of the entire renewal of the Church.” And before Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI, as Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he acknowledged the good occurring in the Charismatic Renewal and said:
At the heart of a world imbued with a rationalistic skepticism, a new experience of the Holy Spirit suddenly burst forth. And, since then, that experience has assumed a breadth of a Worldwide Renewal Movement. What the New Testament tells us about the charisms - which were seen as visible signs of the coming of the Spirit - is not just ancient history, over and done with, for it is once again becoming extremely topical.
It was through the Catholic Charismatic Renewal that I found my way back to Church. Through them, God is no longer a character in a history book, but alive and present in my heart. I learned to listen to the movement of the Holy Spirit in my life, use the gifts God has given me and discover God’s call. And that is the heart of the movement, which is to help us know God not only in our heads but especially in our hearts through His Holy Spirit. If you are interested to learn more, there is a Life in the Spirit Seminar on July 9th, 16th (9:00 am - 1:45 pm) and 23rd (9:00 am – 3:00 pm) at St. Paul of the Shipwreck, 1122 Jamestown Ave., in San Francisco. There will be free lunch and parking. I will be one of their speakers on July 23rd.. For more information, please contact Norma Guerrero at 650-219-4556. Also, on Sep 16-18, at Archbishop Riordan High School, there will be a Holy Spirit Conference. Please visit sfspirit.com for more information.
Fr. Dan
Friday, July 1, 2011
July 3, 2011
Priests’ Study Week
As a way to provide continuing education for priests, each year the Archdiocese offers a study week during the 2nd and 3rd week of June. So half the priests of our Archdiocese attended the 2nd week and the other half attended the 3rd week. With the implementation of the 3rd edition of the Roman Missal on the horizon Advent of 2011), the theme for this year’s Study Week was “The Spirituality of Mass.” It was a wonderful way for us to reflect on the mass that we pray each day and to gain insights from different theologians.
Our guest speaker was Dr. Bob Hurd, who currently teaches at Santa Clara University, had taught at St. Patrick’s Seminary, and had at one time been a seminarian. At the Seminary, he was one of my favorite professors because he has the gift of introducing difficult topics with clarity, and he brings a joyful spirit to his work. You might also be familiar with his name because he has composed and published many songs found in our music issue, songs such as “Envia tu Espiritu” and “I want to Praise your Name.”
Among the different topics discussed was the use of chants in the Revised Roman Missal. Although the new missal does not require us to use only chant music, but it was discussed as the Revised Missal includes them and makes it available among a repertoire of different music that we already use. A few things stood out for me in our discussion of the Liturgy of the Word. In an article by Mariano Magrassi, O.S.B. entitled “Praying the Bible: An introduction to Lectio Divina,” he wrote that:
Prayer is, first of all, listening. So if we are truly listening,
then we are already praying. The ultimate goal of listening is
obedience, total submission to the Word of God. The mystery of the
Word reveals its secrets not from teachers’ desks, but in churches
and in the lives of the saints. And the Bible is not only a book to
read, to learn, to pray over… it is essentially a story to be relived.
Perhaps the most interesting thing that happened all week, was trying to pray the mass in the “new” form each day. Although we have discussed the changes and understood them, however, it is certainly difficult to break old habits. For example, the new response to “The Lord be with you,” is “and with your spirit.” It is a response praying that the Spirit of God that the priest received at ordination, may also be with him as he
celebrates the mass. Inevitably, many of us revert back to the current response of “and also with you.” Even though we had a booklet to help us with our responses, however, juggling between that and our song sheet showed us it was a little difficult. So we got a taste of how our parishioners might feel with the upcoming changes and thought of different ways to make the transition less traumatic and smooth.
Fr. Paul Zirimenya, who is deaf and serves at St. Benedict Parish for the Deaf, said through an interpreter that to calm his community who is anxious over any changes in their lives, that there are only 15 changes in the New Missal that will affect them. He said that once people knew this, that calmed many of their fears. The committee planning with me for the upcoming changes recommended that during the month of October,
we discuss these upcoming changes with you at Mass. Thank you for your support of the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal that has made study weeks like these available to us.
Happy 4th of July!
With prayers and blessings,
Fr. Dan
As a way to provide continuing education for priests, each year the Archdiocese offers a study week during the 2nd and 3rd week of June. So half the priests of our Archdiocese attended the 2nd week and the other half attended the 3rd week. With the implementation of the 3rd edition of the Roman Missal on the horizon Advent of 2011), the theme for this year’s Study Week was “The Spirituality of Mass.” It was a wonderful way for us to reflect on the mass that we pray each day and to gain insights from different theologians.
Our guest speaker was Dr. Bob Hurd, who currently teaches at Santa Clara University, had taught at St. Patrick’s Seminary, and had at one time been a seminarian. At the Seminary, he was one of my favorite professors because he has the gift of introducing difficult topics with clarity, and he brings a joyful spirit to his work. You might also be familiar with his name because he has composed and published many songs found in our music issue, songs such as “Envia tu Espiritu” and “I want to Praise your Name.”
Among the different topics discussed was the use of chants in the Revised Roman Missal. Although the new missal does not require us to use only chant music, but it was discussed as the Revised Missal includes them and makes it available among a repertoire of different music that we already use. A few things stood out for me in our discussion of the Liturgy of the Word. In an article by Mariano Magrassi, O.S.B. entitled “Praying the Bible: An introduction to Lectio Divina,” he wrote that:
Prayer is, first of all, listening. So if we are truly listening,
then we are already praying. The ultimate goal of listening is
obedience, total submission to the Word of God. The mystery of the
Word reveals its secrets not from teachers’ desks, but in churches
and in the lives of the saints. And the Bible is not only a book to
read, to learn, to pray over… it is essentially a story to be relived.
Perhaps the most interesting thing that happened all week, was trying to pray the mass in the “new” form each day. Although we have discussed the changes and understood them, however, it is certainly difficult to break old habits. For example, the new response to “The Lord be with you,” is “and with your spirit.” It is a response praying that the Spirit of God that the priest received at ordination, may also be with him as he
celebrates the mass. Inevitably, many of us revert back to the current response of “and also with you.” Even though we had a booklet to help us with our responses, however, juggling between that and our song sheet showed us it was a little difficult. So we got a taste of how our parishioners might feel with the upcoming changes and thought of different ways to make the transition less traumatic and smooth.
Fr. Paul Zirimenya, who is deaf and serves at St. Benedict Parish for the Deaf, said through an interpreter that to calm his community who is anxious over any changes in their lives, that there are only 15 changes in the New Missal that will affect them. He said that once people knew this, that calmed many of their fears. The committee planning with me for the upcoming changes recommended that during the month of October,
we discuss these upcoming changes with you at Mass. Thank you for your support of the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal that has made study weeks like these available to us.
Happy 4th of July!
With prayers and blessings,
Fr. Dan
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