Happy New Year – the Church’s Liturgical Calendar begins on this first Sunday of Advent, 4 weeks before our celebration of Christmas. So, Happy New Year! In the early Church, around the 4th century, the preparation for Christmas was similar to Lent with a heavy tone on fasting and prayer. By the 9th century, the focus shifted to what we have today, a joyful hope and anticipation for Christ’s return at the end of time, and also to celebrate His first coming. A visual symbol to help us prepare for this celebration is the Advent wreath. The wreath is in the shape of a circle, which has no beginning or end: so we call to mind how our lives, here and now, will not end but continue on to eternity, in God’s Kingdom. The candles that we light each week also have meaning. The first candle that we lit this week stands for Hope. We can have hope, because God is faithful and just as He came among us the first time, He will come again and establish His Kingdom, where we will live in the fullness of joy and peace. The 2nd candle that we will light symbolizes Preparation. It reminds us to live our lives in preparation for the day we will encounter our Lord, whether it is at our death,or at His 2nd coming. The 3rd candle that we will light, they pink candle, symbolizes Joy. As the angels said to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid,” so we too are reminded that the coming of the Lord as our Savior is not to be feared, but to be greeted with Joy. And the last candle symbolizes Love. The God who came among us and who will come again LOVES US. All that we have, all that we are, is because God loves you and me.
So prepare the way of the Lord. Live with joy and hope, for the lover of our souls will come to greet us.
Welcome Home – To all of you who are here for Thanksgiving and are visiting family or friends, welcome to our parish. As they say in Spanish, “mi casa es su casa,” which means “my home is your home.” So please come and visit anytime. Know there is always room in our Father’s house for you. And if you’re looking for a place to call your Spiritual Home, we also hope you’ll find in us, what your heart has been earching. Please take home a Welcome Booklet available in our entrances that will show you the variety of activities and ministries within our parish. When you’ve decided to make this your Spiritual Home and register here, one of the members of our Welcome Committee will contact and welcome you. Twice a year we pay special recognition to New Parishioners. One at our Annual Parish Dinner which happened on the Saturday before Thanksgiving (11/19), and another one 6 months later on the Sunday closest to the Feast of our patron saint, St. Brendan (5/16). So if you’re new here, come and introduce yourself to one of the priests, sisters or staff. We hope you’ll find in us, what your heart has been longing, a warm community and a spiritual home.
Annual Parish Dinner – I want to thank our Welcome Committee members chaired by Gina Eggert and Kristy Warner for planning and making our yearly Parish Dinner a success. As in the past, we specially
honored those who are new to our parish. Through the efforts of the Welcome Committee Members and the warmth and kindness of each parishioner here, this community continues to attract many people. Some even choose to become Catholics based on what they’ve experienced in us. So I want to extend a big thank you once again for all the members of the Welcome Committee, for the many hours they’ve spent in the evenings coordinating for this dinner. It was simply delightful to get together for no reason
other than to celebrate and give thanks to God for our many blessings.
Fr. Dan
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
News Around the Parish
Using the New Missal – After all the talk about the New Roman Missal, it will finally be implemented next Sunday, 11/27. The 1st Sunday of Advent is the beginning of the Church’s Liturgical Year. In spite of all the preparation and explanation, some people will undoubtedly still ask, why the changes are taking place. The short answer is, because it is an update. In the 2000 years of the Church’s history, there have been periodic revisions of the Missal. This is the 3rd revision of the English Missal which was first introduced in 1974, after the Second Vatican Council. Prior to the beginning of this millennium, it was Pope John Paul II’s vision to introduce an updated version. The Latin version was completed and approved in 2002, and the English version was approved last year. It was Pope John Paul II’s vision, that the translation be not only more beautiful in its address to God, but also more accurate. Some of the prayers in the Missal go back to the time of Jesus and 80% are dated before the 9th century. So John Paul didn’t want future translations to lose the beauty of our heritage. Thanks to him, the new translation will preserve the richness of our heritage, as it will be used in the different languages throughout the world. As some people find change difficult, may I ask that you pray for the success of the new translation and that the transition will go smoothly? Thank you!
Happy Thanksgiving – Would you believe that grateful people lead happier lives? This was from an article I read a few years back from a mental health professional. So often, we go through our busy lives from one activity to another without pause or reflection. But if we stopped and reflected for a moment, we would see that even in the most difficult of circumstances, we are blessed. If you don’t believe it, try it yourself. At the end of the day, stop and count the number of blessings you’ve received. Do that for a week and see if that will lead you to a happier life. Our parish Thanksgiving Mass will be on Thursday at 9:30am. We invite you to bring a canned or non-perishable food to that mass, and bring it up to the altar during the Preparation of the Gifts, to symbolically offer your gift of a grateful heart to God. Members of St. Vincent De Paul will accept our donations and make them available to the needy.
Stewardship – I’m always grateful for your support to our parish through the gift of your time, talent and financial gift. Our Finance Committee met last week and we looked into the operating budget. As we ended the last fiscal year with approximately $1,000 in surplus, they were concerned that with the cost of living increasing, such as insurance, salaries and health care, we might not be able to meet our increased costs with the current income. The Finance Committee suggested I ask if you would consider increasing your donation to meet this year’s rising costs. And if you haven’t given to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal, might you consider giving to this appeal as well? Else, we will have to take it out of our operating budget which will increase our financial burden. Please know of my gratitude for your generosity, and my prayers for those of you who are struggling financially.
With deepest admiration and gratitude,
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Dan
Happy Thanksgiving – Would you believe that grateful people lead happier lives? This was from an article I read a few years back from a mental health professional. So often, we go through our busy lives from one activity to another without pause or reflection. But if we stopped and reflected for a moment, we would see that even in the most difficult of circumstances, we are blessed. If you don’t believe it, try it yourself. At the end of the day, stop and count the number of blessings you’ve received. Do that for a week and see if that will lead you to a happier life. Our parish Thanksgiving Mass will be on Thursday at 9:30am. We invite you to bring a canned or non-perishable food to that mass, and bring it up to the altar during the Preparation of the Gifts, to symbolically offer your gift of a grateful heart to God. Members of St. Vincent De Paul will accept our donations and make them available to the needy.
Stewardship – I’m always grateful for your support to our parish through the gift of your time, talent and financial gift. Our Finance Committee met last week and we looked into the operating budget. As we ended the last fiscal year with approximately $1,000 in surplus, they were concerned that with the cost of living increasing, such as insurance, salaries and health care, we might not be able to meet our increased costs with the current income. The Finance Committee suggested I ask if you would consider increasing your donation to meet this year’s rising costs. And if you haven’t given to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal, might you consider giving to this appeal as well? Else, we will have to take it out of our operating budget which will increase our financial burden. Please know of my gratitude for your generosity, and my prayers for those of you who are struggling financially.
With deepest admiration and gratitude,
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Dan
News Around the Parish
Congratulations to our 2nd Graders – On Thursday, Nov 10, 2011 @ 6pm, our 2nd graders received First Reconciliation. Of the 7 Sacraments, 3 are for Initiation (Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation), 2 are for Service (Marriage and Holy Orders) and 2 are for Healing (Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation). The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a wonderful encounter with the Lord who knows our strengths and weaknesses, and forgives us when we acknowledge our failures. Although there are critics who say that this sacrament is celebrated too early when we do it in the 2nd grade, because they ask what kind of sin could a 2nd grader get into? However, it is good to begin early to teach our children to recognize and to acknowledge their faults. So often in our society, the tendency is to blame other people and not accept responsibility for our own failures. This sacrament teaches us to examine our souls so that we can learn from our failures and grow from them. I want to thank Mrs. Sonia Ino and Mrs. Nina Warda for preparing our children for this Sacrament. And I also want to thank their parents for teaching them the way of Christ.
Annual Mass of Remembrance – I want to thank Sr. Catherine, Julie Modesti and members of the Consolation Ministry for organizing the Mass of Remembrance (Sat., 11/12 @ 10am) for the loved ones of those who’ve died in the past year. Although at every mass we pray for the dead, but it is a beautiful tradition of our Church to set aside, in the month of November, time to remember of our beloved departed. It is regrettable that in certain Christian traditions they don’t pray for the dead because it is their belief that after our beloved die, it is judgment, so no amount of prayer would help them after their death. However, in our Catholic tradition, believe in the communion of saints. We believe that those who die do not cease to care for us, just as we do not cease caring for them. They remain, for us, part of the body of Christ. And so just as we would pray for each other in this life, we can also pray for them and they for us. “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual life shine upon them. May they rest in peace. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”
With prayers and blessings,
Fr. Dan
Annual Mass of Remembrance – I want to thank Sr. Catherine, Julie Modesti and members of the Consolation Ministry for organizing the Mass of Remembrance (Sat., 11/12 @ 10am) for the loved ones of those who’ve died in the past year. Although at every mass we pray for the dead, but it is a beautiful tradition of our Church to set aside, in the month of November, time to remember of our beloved departed. It is regrettable that in certain Christian traditions they don’t pray for the dead because it is their belief that after our beloved die, it is judgment, so no amount of prayer would help them after their death. However, in our Catholic tradition, believe in the communion of saints. We believe that those who die do not cease to care for us, just as we do not cease caring for them. They remain, for us, part of the body of Christ. And so just as we would pray for each other in this life, we can also pray for them and they for us. “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual life shine upon them. May they rest in peace. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”
With prayers and blessings,
Fr. Dan
Monday, November 28, 2011
Welcome to St. Brendan!
August 28, 2014
DEAR VISITORS to the St. Brendan Parish Website:
DEAR VISITORS to the St. Brendan Parish Website:
In our
present age which is full of technology, we live in what they call a GLOBAL
VILLAGE where REACHING OUT has been made easier. You can reach us in cyberspace
through this website. But most of all, I welcome you all to join us and find
out and discover the many things in our parish by visiting us at our location
here in San Francisco. Initially, you can explore the many happenings in the
church through our parish website.
If after
some time, you think St. Brendan is the place where you feel you belong and
will feel accepted, you are most welcome to attend our celebrations and to even
register as a parishioner.
Looking
forward to your visit when you join the friendly parishioners of our church to
give glory and praise to our God.
In the love of Christ,
Fr. Ted Magpayo
In the love of Christ,
Fr. Ted Magpayo
Click for Parish Registration
Monday, November 7, 2011
News Around the Parish
Congratulations to our Newly Confirmed – On Saturday, Nov 5, 2011 @ 10am, Bishop Daly celebrated Confirmation with our 8th grade parish teens. Prior to this, they attended a retreat led by John Angotti, a
gifted musician and inspirational speaker. The teens shared that they were really touched by his music and words. He shared a video with them that asked about the 7 wonders of the world. Many people would name landmarks like the Great Wall or the Pyramids, however, when a little girl in the video responded with love, taste, touch, hearing, smell, sight and God’s love, it awoke in many of them the wonderful gift they’ve been given. After this retreat, they shared that they felt ready to embrace the faith themselves. I want to thank their parents, godparents, Mrs. Carol Grewal, Mr. Dave Lopez, and all their teachers and staff at St. Brendan’s school for being good role models for our young men and women. And to our Confirmandis’, thank you for continuing to say “Yes” to God with your lives.
Photo Directory – I want to thank Elizabeth Moore and a couple of other members of the Welcome Committee, Naz Roudiani and Peggy Nevin and a host of volunteers for helping us coordinate, staff and schedule the portraits for the Parish Photo Directory. Although the parish hall was not available for the portraits because of the renovation, however, we used the rectory and it has been absolutely delightful. Between our work, Fr. Mike, Bro. Dat and I were able to visit with those who came in for their sessions. The sessions went so well, that we added 2 more make-up days, Sun., 11/6 & Mon., 11/7. If you’re interested, please visit www.stbrendanparish.org to register for a session on-line.
It Takes a Village – Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a faith community to form a priest. This week Bro. Dat Nguyen’s seminary field supervisor, Fr. Jerry Brown (not related to our governor) will come and visit our parish to see how Bro. Dat is adapting to parish ministry. Fr. Mike, Sr. Catherine, our
Principal Carol and a couple of other parishioners and I make up a committee to support him, guide him and evaluate him. But you also can be of help to him by giving him feedback, whether it is constructive comments or a pat on the back. Even simply sharing stories about your children’s latest escapade, or your faith journey, your struggles, your joys and hopes will also help him contextualize the theology and spirituality he has learned. Franciscan Fr. Keenan Osborne led a retreat for my class before ordination and he used an interesting term, “depot theology.” What he meant was, after all the study we did in our classes, we should go to a bus depot, observe and reflect how all the academics we had learned would apply in the little cross section of the world called a bus depot. Bro. Dat’s presence has been an instrument of growth for me too, as I figure out how to be the best mentor I can be for him. And I pray he has been a source of inspiration and growth for you as well.
Building Committee Members – Last week I thanked those who’ve helped us in the second phase of the hall renovation. I worried that as soon as I started naming names in my column, I would accidentally leave someone out. And I sure did. As soon as my article was sent to press, I remembered I had left out Pete Murphy & Paul Eggert. At the risk of leaving someone out again, I’d like to include now the members of the Building Committee. Chair, Jim Ferry, Bryan Birmingham, Bryn Brugioni, Tom Christian, Paul Eggert, Sean Ferry, Stephen Flannery, Maureen Hurley, Pete Murphy, Lisa Ikeda, Bill Kelly, Peter Zepponi & Fr. Mike. For their time, their talents as well as their treasure, thanks again for making our hall look so beautiful.
gifted musician and inspirational speaker. The teens shared that they were really touched by his music and words. He shared a video with them that asked about the 7 wonders of the world. Many people would name landmarks like the Great Wall or the Pyramids, however, when a little girl in the video responded with love, taste, touch, hearing, smell, sight and God’s love, it awoke in many of them the wonderful gift they’ve been given. After this retreat, they shared that they felt ready to embrace the faith themselves. I want to thank their parents, godparents, Mrs. Carol Grewal, Mr. Dave Lopez, and all their teachers and staff at St. Brendan’s school for being good role models for our young men and women. And to our Confirmandis’, thank you for continuing to say “Yes” to God with your lives.
Photo Directory – I want to thank Elizabeth Moore and a couple of other members of the Welcome Committee, Naz Roudiani and Peggy Nevin and a host of volunteers for helping us coordinate, staff and schedule the portraits for the Parish Photo Directory. Although the parish hall was not available for the portraits because of the renovation, however, we used the rectory and it has been absolutely delightful. Between our work, Fr. Mike, Bro. Dat and I were able to visit with those who came in for their sessions. The sessions went so well, that we added 2 more make-up days, Sun., 11/6 & Mon., 11/7. If you’re interested, please visit www.stbrendanparish.org to register for a session on-line.
It Takes a Village – Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a faith community to form a priest. This week Bro. Dat Nguyen’s seminary field supervisor, Fr. Jerry Brown (not related to our governor) will come and visit our parish to see how Bro. Dat is adapting to parish ministry. Fr. Mike, Sr. Catherine, our
Principal Carol and a couple of other parishioners and I make up a committee to support him, guide him and evaluate him. But you also can be of help to him by giving him feedback, whether it is constructive comments or a pat on the back. Even simply sharing stories about your children’s latest escapade, or your faith journey, your struggles, your joys and hopes will also help him contextualize the theology and spirituality he has learned. Franciscan Fr. Keenan Osborne led a retreat for my class before ordination and he used an interesting term, “depot theology.” What he meant was, after all the study we did in our classes, we should go to a bus depot, observe and reflect how all the academics we had learned would apply in the little cross section of the world called a bus depot. Bro. Dat’s presence has been an instrument of growth for me too, as I figure out how to be the best mentor I can be for him. And I pray he has been a source of inspiration and growth for you as well.
Building Committee Members – Last week I thanked those who’ve helped us in the second phase of the hall renovation. I worried that as soon as I started naming names in my column, I would accidentally leave someone out. And I sure did. As soon as my article was sent to press, I remembered I had left out Pete Murphy & Paul Eggert. At the risk of leaving someone out again, I’d like to include now the members of the Building Committee. Chair, Jim Ferry, Bryan Birmingham, Bryn Brugioni, Tom Christian, Paul Eggert, Sean Ferry, Stephen Flannery, Maureen Hurley, Pete Murphy, Lisa Ikeda, Bill Kelly, Peter Zepponi & Fr. Mike. For their time, their talents as well as their treasure, thanks again for making our hall look so beautiful.
News Around the Parish
Parade of Saints – On Sunday October 30, 2011 at the 11:30am Mass, about 20 saints will join us for Mass. These saints are 3rd graders dressed in costume in anticipation of Halloween. They will briefly introduce themselves to us and will march on, leading us to a reception down in our newly renovated hall. I want to thank Marie Detweiler, Mrs. Armanino, the Women at the Well and the 3rd grade students and parents for planning and making this event possible. As most of you know, the feast of All Saints will be on November 1st. The Mass times are: Vigil Mass 5pm, 6:30am, 7:30am, 8:30am (with the School), and 6pm. In addition, we will remember All Souls by celebrating a novena, at the regular weekday and Sunday Masses. On the 2nd Saturday of November, we will have a special Mass of Remembrance for all those in our parish who have died in the past year. Members of the Consolation Ministry have been in touch with families of the deceased to let them know that they and their beloved have not been forgotten. A special liturgy for their beloved departed will be celebrated on Saturday, November 12 at 10am. All are invited to attend any of these services.
State of the Parish and School Report – The Annual Finance Report has been published and is available at the entrances of the Church. This year, besides reporting on the financial status of the parish, we have
included a state of the parish and school as well. Although our financial health is always of concern to me, as we’ve experienced a decrease in collection from 14% during my first year here, to a decrease of 7% last year, however, I am grateful for those of you who have responded to an appeal for an increase in the collection. During the 1st quarter of last year, we noticed a drop of about $10,000 in our collection from the year before. As we had run a $40K deficit the year before, I had asked if you would consider adding 10% to your collection. Many of you did and helped us stabilize our financial picture. So thank you again for your generosity that helped us end the year with a $1,280 gain.
Remodeled Hall Grand Opening – The grand opening of the Hall happened last Sunday, just in time for the Mother’s Club Bake Sale. Completion of the kitchen and the annex will soon follow. A great big thanks goes to Bryan Birmingham for overseeing the project and putting in many many hours of loving labor into it. Architect, Peter Zepponi, and Interior Design Consultant, Bryn Brugioni, came up with the design after
getting input from members of the Building Committee chaired by Jim Ferry. Other parishioners who worked on the hall (by alphabetical order) were:
Will Bucoy, who worked on the Audio/Visual System
Adrian Duggan of Duggan’s Plumbing
Sean Ferry and Bill Kelly of SL Construction, who worked on the drywall and framing.
Greg Kelly of Beautiful Homes, who painted it
Matt McGuiness of Interior Design Services, Inc., who helped with the carpets and wood floors
Beth O’Leary of Jones-Campbell Co., who supplied us with the chairs and tables
Elliot Tamony of Premier Locksmith, who helped with the locks
To them, to the other members of the Building Committee, Tom Christian, Stephen Flannery, Maureen Hurley, Lisa Ikeda and Fr. Mike, we owe them a great big thanks for all the planning and work they put into it. And thank you for your ongoing support of the Capital Campaign. If you haven’t had a chance to contribute and would like to do so now, know that your gift will be greatly appreciated especially since we’ve had a loss of pledges from deaths, people moving away or financial hardships. Thank You!
Fr. Dan
State of the Parish and School Report – The Annual Finance Report has been published and is available at the entrances of the Church. This year, besides reporting on the financial status of the parish, we have
included a state of the parish and school as well. Although our financial health is always of concern to me, as we’ve experienced a decrease in collection from 14% during my first year here, to a decrease of 7% last year, however, I am grateful for those of you who have responded to an appeal for an increase in the collection. During the 1st quarter of last year, we noticed a drop of about $10,000 in our collection from the year before. As we had run a $40K deficit the year before, I had asked if you would consider adding 10% to your collection. Many of you did and helped us stabilize our financial picture. So thank you again for your generosity that helped us end the year with a $1,280 gain.
Remodeled Hall Grand Opening – The grand opening of the Hall happened last Sunday, just in time for the Mother’s Club Bake Sale. Completion of the kitchen and the annex will soon follow. A great big thanks goes to Bryan Birmingham for overseeing the project and putting in many many hours of loving labor into it. Architect, Peter Zepponi, and Interior Design Consultant, Bryn Brugioni, came up with the design after
getting input from members of the Building Committee chaired by Jim Ferry. Other parishioners who worked on the hall (by alphabetical order) were:
Will Bucoy, who worked on the Audio/Visual System
Adrian Duggan of Duggan’s Plumbing
Sean Ferry and Bill Kelly of SL Construction, who worked on the drywall and framing.
Greg Kelly of Beautiful Homes, who painted it
Matt McGuiness of Interior Design Services, Inc., who helped with the carpets and wood floors
Beth O’Leary of Jones-Campbell Co., who supplied us with the chairs and tables
Elliot Tamony of Premier Locksmith, who helped with the locks
To them, to the other members of the Building Committee, Tom Christian, Stephen Flannery, Maureen Hurley, Lisa Ikeda and Fr. Mike, we owe them a great big thanks for all the planning and work they put into it. And thank you for your ongoing support of the Capital Campaign. If you haven’t had a chance to contribute and would like to do so now, know that your gift will be greatly appreciated especially since we’ve had a loss of pledges from deaths, people moving away or financial hardships. Thank You!
Fr. Dan
Reflections of Our Parochial Vicar
Reminisces and Reflections:
I recall attending the Fr. Peyton Rally of over 550,000 Catholics in Golden Gate Park’s Speedway Meadows in 1961 when I was attending Most Holy Redeemer parish in San Francisco. The anniversary of this event was recently celebrated again in San Francisco. I remember the event in 1961 as the most people I ever thought I could see in one place. Fr. Peyton’s voice blared that “The family that prays together stays together!” on the echoing sound system. The crowd cheered and was delighted. It was truly a spiritual moment, that lifted the spirit of all in attendance as we reflected that we were loved by God and called to do the same with our brothers and sisters on earth. I had quite the imagination as I witnessed history before me. In little more than one year, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated and the nation came together in prayer as it tried to deal with its grief in 1962. I recall the same reaction when the World Trade Center was attacked on 9/11/2011. Out of our shared grief and a realized helplessness, we turned to ask God for help and guidance. Why do we only turn to God in need?
The only times I have heard of crowds bigger than the group who assembled in San Francisco in 1961, were all of the World Youth Days , started under Pope John Paul II, Pope John Paul II’s funeral and Princess Diana’s funeral. All of these large gatherings have a common theme – prayer. Unfortunately these days we sometimes do not feel the need for relationship with God until something happens in our lives that makes us feel truly helpless. Then and regrettably for some, only then do some of us turn to God. We live in an age where the advances of our science allows great feats - in medicine, telecommunications, information systems, food agri-businesses, and even military capabilities, etc. that were not even dreamed of 52 years ago. Unfortunately we have sometimes forgotten that our relationship with God is the one life line that only we can sever by inattention to our relationship. As we go forward, let us all redouble our efforts to keep our relationship with God more prominent in our lives.
I have enjoyed every minute at St. Brendan’s, and I’ve been truly impressed by the faith community here. But, if I had to confess a perceived failing, it would be that despite our best efforts, I believe some individuals do not value this precious relationship with God as
they should. I do not believe they see themselves as part of the larger human family, as part of the same group of committed Catholics who once so impressed a 9 year old boy, named Mike Quinn, in 1961. I urge all of us to take an assessment of our relationship with God.
If there is room for improvement, there is still time! It is my greatest wish for all of the fine people of this parish.
Fr. Mike
I recall attending the Fr. Peyton Rally of over 550,000 Catholics in Golden Gate Park’s Speedway Meadows in 1961 when I was attending Most Holy Redeemer parish in San Francisco. The anniversary of this event was recently celebrated again in San Francisco. I remember the event in 1961 as the most people I ever thought I could see in one place. Fr. Peyton’s voice blared that “The family that prays together stays together!” on the echoing sound system. The crowd cheered and was delighted. It was truly a spiritual moment, that lifted the spirit of all in attendance as we reflected that we were loved by God and called to do the same with our brothers and sisters on earth. I had quite the imagination as I witnessed history before me. In little more than one year, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated and the nation came together in prayer as it tried to deal with its grief in 1962. I recall the same reaction when the World Trade Center was attacked on 9/11/2011. Out of our shared grief and a realized helplessness, we turned to ask God for help and guidance. Why do we only turn to God in need?
The only times I have heard of crowds bigger than the group who assembled in San Francisco in 1961, were all of the World Youth Days , started under Pope John Paul II, Pope John Paul II’s funeral and Princess Diana’s funeral. All of these large gatherings have a common theme – prayer. Unfortunately these days we sometimes do not feel the need for relationship with God until something happens in our lives that makes us feel truly helpless. Then and regrettably for some, only then do some of us turn to God. We live in an age where the advances of our science allows great feats - in medicine, telecommunications, information systems, food agri-businesses, and even military capabilities, etc. that were not even dreamed of 52 years ago. Unfortunately we have sometimes forgotten that our relationship with God is the one life line that only we can sever by inattention to our relationship. As we go forward, let us all redouble our efforts to keep our relationship with God more prominent in our lives.
I have enjoyed every minute at St. Brendan’s, and I’ve been truly impressed by the faith community here. But, if I had to confess a perceived failing, it would be that despite our best efforts, I believe some individuals do not value this precious relationship with God as
they should. I do not believe they see themselves as part of the larger human family, as part of the same group of committed Catholics who once so impressed a 9 year old boy, named Mike Quinn, in 1961. I urge all of us to take an assessment of our relationship with God.
If there is room for improvement, there is still time! It is my greatest wish for all of the fine people of this parish.
Fr. Mike
News Arounf the Parish
Confirmation Candidates – At this Sunday’s 9:30 AM Mass, our 8th graders are formally stating their intention before this community of faith to be Candidates for Confirmation. As such, they ask for your prayers to assist them in their journey of faith. As I get older, this Sacrament means more to me than ever. Yes, Baptism, Holy Communion, and Reconciliation are important sacraments. But Confirmation has taken a greater significance as I seek more and more the guidance and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit in my life.
I have realized that by myself, I cannot do all that God has called me to do. But relying on God’s grace and Spirit, He enables me to do more than I can ever imagine. So as our young men and women come prepared to receive this Sacrament, I pray earnestly that they will be open to God’s movement and Spirit in their lives, that they will be attentive and obedient to God’s promptings. In so doing, not only will they be partners with God to build a better world, but they will also experience the wonders that God has laid out for their lives. Yes, having the Holy Spirit in my life is a valuable gift I treasure nowadays. Join me in praying for them, that they may experience and value this beautiful gift of God’s self to them. Bishop Tom Daly, Auxiliary Bishop of San Jose, will be the Celebrant at their Confirmation Mass. Bishop Daly’s mother and family still attend Mass here and his niece will be among those being Confirmed this year. Confirmation will be celebrated here on Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 10: 00 AM. You are all welcome.
High School Youth Ministry - Our High School Youth ministry kickoff was last Sunday. About a dozen teens gathered at the 11:30 AM Mass and afterwards came over to the rectory for pizza and drinks. As the weather cooperated, they gathered in the rectory patio and shared their highs and lows of high school life. They were very happy to see each other again as they are all in different high schools now. They resolved to meet monthly on the 3rd Sunday of each month, starting with the late Mass (11:30 AM) and coming together afterwards in the rectory for discussions about teen life, service projects or other social activities. I want to thank George Gamarra for coordinating this get-together and ministry to our teens, and for his wife Elizabeth for coordinating the food. If you know any teen interested in high school youth ministry please share this news with them. We’re also looking for someone to partner with George to help facilitate youth ministry. Or if you’re interested to help with food or with rides, please contact me at 415-681-4225 x 220 or at frdan@stbrendanparish.org.
Archbishop’s Annual Appeal (AAA) – We’re trying to wrap up our AAA drive. We have less than 20% to go, which is less than $ 17,000. As you may recall, this money pays for chaplains in hospitals like Fr. Te Van Nguyen and Sr. Elizabeth Johnson, (both in residence here) continuing education for our teachers, marriage preparation for engaged couples, financial support for inner city schools and parishes, as well as prison
ministry. I want to thank you for your past support that has paid for my education and formation as a priest and if your finances allow you to support this collection again, know that I am most grateful. But if your finances are tight and you cannot support it this year, know that I understand. May I ask, in that case, for your prayers that the ministry of the Church in our Archdiocese fulfill all that God asks us to do.
Gratefully,
Fr. Dan
I have realized that by myself, I cannot do all that God has called me to do. But relying on God’s grace and Spirit, He enables me to do more than I can ever imagine. So as our young men and women come prepared to receive this Sacrament, I pray earnestly that they will be open to God’s movement and Spirit in their lives, that they will be attentive and obedient to God’s promptings. In so doing, not only will they be partners with God to build a better world, but they will also experience the wonders that God has laid out for their lives. Yes, having the Holy Spirit in my life is a valuable gift I treasure nowadays. Join me in praying for them, that they may experience and value this beautiful gift of God’s self to them. Bishop Tom Daly, Auxiliary Bishop of San Jose, will be the Celebrant at their Confirmation Mass. Bishop Daly’s mother and family still attend Mass here and his niece will be among those being Confirmed this year. Confirmation will be celebrated here on Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 10: 00 AM. You are all welcome.
High School Youth Ministry - Our High School Youth ministry kickoff was last Sunday. About a dozen teens gathered at the 11:30 AM Mass and afterwards came over to the rectory for pizza and drinks. As the weather cooperated, they gathered in the rectory patio and shared their highs and lows of high school life. They were very happy to see each other again as they are all in different high schools now. They resolved to meet monthly on the 3rd Sunday of each month, starting with the late Mass (11:30 AM) and coming together afterwards in the rectory for discussions about teen life, service projects or other social activities. I want to thank George Gamarra for coordinating this get-together and ministry to our teens, and for his wife Elizabeth for coordinating the food. If you know any teen interested in high school youth ministry please share this news with them. We’re also looking for someone to partner with George to help facilitate youth ministry. Or if you’re interested to help with food or with rides, please contact me at 415-681-4225 x 220 or at frdan@stbrendanparish.org.
Archbishop’s Annual Appeal (AAA) – We’re trying to wrap up our AAA drive. We have less than 20% to go, which is less than $ 17,000. As you may recall, this money pays for chaplains in hospitals like Fr. Te Van Nguyen and Sr. Elizabeth Johnson, (both in residence here) continuing education for our teachers, marriage preparation for engaged couples, financial support for inner city schools and parishes, as well as prison
ministry. I want to thank you for your past support that has paid for my education and formation as a priest and if your finances allow you to support this collection again, know that I am most grateful. But if your finances are tight and you cannot support it this year, know that I understand. May I ask, in that case, for your prayers that the ministry of the Church in our Archdiocese fulfill all that God asks us to do.
Gratefully,
Fr. Dan
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