Catholic Schools Week – Catholic schools are known for its quality education but they also serve as a ministry of the parish community to teach the faith to our young people as Jesus taught us. Last Sunday, at
the 9:30am mass, the 1st graders prepared for the mass by being lectors and choir members. I want to express my gratitude to the 1st grade students and teachers who prepared for this mass, as well as all those who attended in uniform to show off our school colors. We can take pride in our school, because not only do our graduates go on to the best high schools, but also because they grow up learning responsibility and service to God and His people. In particular, I want to acknowledge and thank our Principal, Mrs. Carol Grewal, and the faculty and staff at our school. For them, teaching is not just a job, but they see it as a vocation to open minds and hearts to the wonders that God has created. We are blessed by them, because they see their successes as a partnership, a team effort between them, the parents and this community of faith. It really does take a village to raise a child. May God continue to bless our students, faculty and staff, for the great work they do here at St. Brendan’s.
Lights, Camera, Action – The plans to project the Mass down into the hall have been on my mind since I first experienced a Christmas Eve family Mass here at St. Brendan. Parishioners Wil Bucoy and Bryan
Birmingham, in anticipating a large turnout for the Catholic Schools Week Mass last Sunday, set up a temporary audio-video system so it can do just that. The camera was set up near the choir loft in the rear of the church, and the camera lens captures the entire sanctuary from the Presider’s chair to the Lectern.
By all accounts, their work was a success. Next on the agenda is to set up a more permanent system so that families, who have a restless child during Mass, can take the child down to the hall and still see and hear the liturgy upstairs. A further possibility would be to project liturgies live on our website. Family members who might not be able to participate in a First Holy Communion, a wedding or a funeral because of great distances or illness, will then be able to see it live on our website. Currently, St. Cecilia’s in San Francisco is already set up to do live Church broadcast. I want to thank Wil who has not only helped us with this project, but was also the one who helped us improve our audio-visual system in our hall.
San Dimas Ministry – When Jesus was crucified on the cross, the good thief crucified next to him is known as St. Dimas. San Dimas ministry is not only to visit those in prison, but also to stay connected with them after prison, to help them stay out of trouble. I am impressed by the members of this community who come from different parishes in San Francisco and Oakland Diocese, and from Interchange, a Christian Volunteer Organization. They visit inmates in Juvenile Hall here in San Francisco, in San Mateo as well as San Leandro. They have a love for our young people who get in trouble and a desire to help them lead a better life. Former inmates, who are now free and lead a changed life, testify to the support this ministry has given them. If you are interested, there will be an upcoming training here at St. Brendan’s. The training dates are Saturday, February 25 & March 3, from 8am – 5pm. Please call Fr. Mike or me at 415-681-4225, or Julio Escobar at 415-244-5594 for more information.
Fr. Dan
