Celebrating our Parish Ministries – This weekend, to celebrate the richness of our parish ministries and to make better known the diversity of our parish activities, we invite you come and see what your fellow
parishioners are doing. If you have the time or interest, feel free to attend one of their meetings or activities. Otherwise, give them a pat on the back for their efforts and dedication. A member of our Advisory Board,
Dr. Molly Magnano shared that she had attended a Ministry Fair at another parish and it was delightful because it had a festive atmosphere, so we will try to do the same here. Another member of the Board, Mrs. Beth Powers suggested we do a raffle with prizes to be drawn after each mass, and for the grand prizes to be drawn after the last mass. To get a raffle ticket, one only has to stop by to visit any of the ministry tables. Besides gift cards, one of the grand prizes includes a lunch or dinner with the priests and sisters of our parish. We’re looking forward to dining with you. But all that aside, I want to acknowledge all the volunteers who make this parish strong and vibrant. As I had shared with our volunteers in the New Year’s Eve Volunteer appreciation dinner, there is not one day out of the year that one volunteer or another is not helping us in parish ministry. So I want to thank them again for their love for the Lord and His Church that they give of their time, talents and treasure in His Service.
Collapsed Parishioner Resurrects – Well, the title sounds more dramatic than what actually happened. Last Sunday at the 7 a.m. mass, someone coming up for communion experienced dizziness and began to collapse. Fortunately, someone near him helped him into the pew and laid him down. A couple of nurses and doctors that were attending that mass came to his aid, while someone else called 911. The paramedics came in no time and he regained consciousness. I checked on him after the last mass and he said they ran a battery of tests on him at Kaiser and they determined that he was okay. The treating physician suspected that he had simply been dehydrated because he came down with the flu the day before and he had not eaten or drank anything before mass. They released him that morning and he is safe back home. He wishes to thank all you kind people for your help and prayers. He said he is a parishioner at St. Phillips but that morning, he came here for mass. That was indeed a wonderful Christian spirit that was present that morning as we reached out in our own way to help and pray for him. Remember that the 1 hour fast before receiving communion does not apply if we are sick. And if you are sick and miss mass, it is not a sin. You can still keep the Sabbath holy by remembering the Lord in prayer at home.
Brother Dat Nguyen to attend a 30 day Retreat – As part of his formation, Bro. Dat will be attending a 30 day retreat at El Retiro beginning January 19 and he should be back with us next month. Please hold him
in your prayers as he continues to discern and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit in his life. Your support to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal provides him with this generous opportunity and please continue to support him with your love and prayers.
Fr. Dan
