Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church Newsletter — January 2022

january 2022

Our Lady of the

Assumption Pa r i sh

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Start 2022 with a Clean Spiritual Slate

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Catholic Schools Week: Celebrating the Gifts and Blessings of Catholic Education

6 Stewardship: New Year’s Resolutions

7 Highlights of Our 2021 Stewardship Renewal

5057 Cottage Way Carmichael, CA 95608 (916) 481-5115 | olaparish.net

Baptism Prep Ministry:

Preparing for the Beginning of a Faith-Filled Life

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ust as the feast day of the Baptism of the Lord, Jan. 9, 2022, is a significant event in the Catholic liturgical year, so is the Baptism of children at Our Lady of the Assumption. At Jesus’ Baptism, He was called “Beloved Son” by God. Those who are baptized are also considered adopted children of God and seen as beloved in His eyes.

Baptism is not just another item to check off the list in preparations for having Team Members Pictured: Marylee and Jerry a child, say Deacon Paul Friedrich and his Johnson — other team members include Mary Jo wife, Sharon. It is one of the most import- Tateishi, Debbie Kick, Ivan Florez, and Patty and Mark Read. ant days of the child’s life.

Deacon Michael Tateishi and his wife, Mary Jo, previously coordinated this ministry — Deacon Paul and Sharon took over as coordinators in November. The couple is well-suited for this work as they coordinated all sacramental preparations at their previous parish, Our Lady of Lourdes.

“We find so much fulfillment in working with the Baptism Prep team and the parents,” Sharon says.

As Baptism is such an important sacrament, all parents wishing to have their infant or young child baptized at Our Lady of the Assumption are required to attend a Baptism Prep class, offered monthly in the evening. The godparents of the child should also plan to attend. A team of seven teachers, both English and Spanish-speaking, present more than an hour of material to teach parents and godparents about the sacrament. There is also a video that shows a continued on page 2

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Baptism Prep Ministry: continued from front cover

Baptism, which serves as another way to help prepare. The teacher also answers any questions that parents and godparents may have.

“A Baptism is a one-time-only event, whether it’s a child or an adult,” Deacon Paul says. “We certainly want it to be special and memorable. Baptism is the beginning.

We hope it leads to a faith-filled life.”

Deacon Paul and Sharon feel very blessed to have a great team handling the Baptism Prep classes. The six members are committed to this work.

As part of preparing for Baptism, Deacon Paul and Sharon want to emphasize the importance of selecting godparents. A godparent is not a “ceremonial” title, says Deacon Paul. Rather, they should be chosen based on their faith and commitment to supporting the child for the rest of their life.

“You want to make sure this is a faith-filled person who can and will make time for the child,” Deacon Paul says. “The person should be available to answer questions about the faith and be a good role model or guide.”

“The person is really making a lifetime commitment to support that child through their personal Catholic

journey,” Sharon says. “We encourage the godparents to check in with the child and take a proactive approach to guiding the child in the faith. They should also find ways to celebrate the child’s Baptism date each year.”

Baptism is the first of seven possible sacraments. We want to make sure all parents and godparents are well prepared for this important day.

“A Baptism is a one-time-only event, whether it’s a child or an adult. We certainly want it to be special and memorable. Baptism is the beginning. We hope it leads to a faith-filled life.”

— Deacon Paul Friedrich

If you would like to find out more about Baptism Prep classes, or learn the date and location, please contact the parish office at 916-481-5115. After attending the class, you will receive information on the dates when Baptisms are conducted at Our Lady of the Assumption.

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A Letter from Our Pastor

Start 2022 with a

Slate

Clean Spiritual Dear Parishioners,

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e were all taught in school that the month of January gets its name from Janus, the ancient Roman god of doors and gates. His image was always carved or painted with two faces, one looking forward and the other backward. This reflected, of course, that you can go either out a door or in through one. From this very specific function, his role was generalized to include all beginnings and new endeavors.

Because of Janus’ place in the Roman pantheon, it seemed natural to the Romans to name the first month of the civil year after him. (The Church year began back with the First Sunday of Advent, you’ll remember.) And although we no longer worship the pagan gods of the ancient Romans, the name has stuck down the centuries.

But we’re not immune to the human instinct that moved the Romans to name the first month after Janus.

His double countenance, facing forward and backward, reflects how we approach the coming of each new year.

The last week of the old year finds the newspapers and TV programs giving a glance back at the past year (“the 10 best, or worst, movies of…” and such) along with predictions of what

the new year will bring. My personal favorite is always “the 10 worst predictions” for the year just ending.

Just like the secular world does — Janus-like — we both look back at our own successes and failures, happy events, and sad ones, during the year just ending, and forward to the new year as we prepare our resolutions.

When we reflect back on the blessings we’ve received, our hearts should be filled with gratitude — and blessings there have been, no matter how difficult the year has been. But for most of us, there have been failures and failings, too. That calls for repentance, and perhaps a trip to the confessional — but God, who makes “all things new” (Rv 21:5), will then give us a clean spiritual slate with which we may begin the new year.

I’d also like to challenge you to include your grateful response to God as you make your resolutions for the new year. You don’t have to wait until you fill out a commitment card to

decide this is the year when you’re actually going to attend Mass once a week in addition to Sunday (or begin worshiping every Sunday if you haven’t been doing so) or to pray the Rosary every week or to begin regular prayers with your family. Include in your resolutions how you are going to get involved in some ministry in the parish or some service to the community, and then do so. Decide to become more faithful in your financial stewardship if your treasure commitment is less than it should be. Look forward to the new year and bring Christ and His Church to the center of your resolutions. Then see what a good year it will be, with God at the center!

Have a happy, and holy, New Year.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Eduino Silveira Pastor

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Catholic Sch

Celebrating the Gifts and Ble Robert Love, Principal. “We are able to acknowledge past and present students and their achievements.”

At Our Lady of the Assumption School, Catholic Schools Week starts with what Mr. Love calls an Open House Mass.

“All Catholic school students, past and present, are invited to light a candle and bring it up at a certain point during Mass,” he says. “The light of the candles is a great image, showing the influence of Catholic education.”

After Mass, present and prospective families mingle in the halls of the school, walking in and out of classrooms that have been decked out with the hard work of the students.

Families have an opportunity to see the variety of student achievements and celebrate the community of the parish and school.

But the Open House Mass is only hile other schools are the beginning. During the school winding down their week, students and staff celebrate celebrations after Christmas, the collective school community, Catholic schools are just getting with different days that focus on started! During the last week of service, the students, vocations, and January, Catholic schools around the staff. Students get the chance the country will celebrate Catholic to write “thank you” notes to parish Schools Week, and Our Lady of the ministry leaders and public service Assumption School is no different. members in the community. Staff, “Catholic Schools Week is a parents, and students work together chance for our students to continue to create a full week of celebration the attitude of celebration,” says through other fun activities

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continued on page 5

hools Week:

essings of Catholic Education including school-wide field trips, luncheons, and dressout days.

“It is phenomenal how tight the community is, and the responsibility we feel for one another,” Mr. Love says. “The spirit of celebration is strong. We work hard so we can also play hard. Catholic Schools Week is really an opportunity to live out the school motto, ‘Hands to Serve, Hearts to Love.’”

There is a year-round connection between the ministries of the parish and school. Mr. Love works closely with Joan Cotton in supporting the Faith continued on back cover

“Catholic education is so important. A Catholic school graduate is six times more likely to attend weekly Mass as an adult compared to a nonCatholic school graduate. Families are picking a school for their babies. Catholic Schools Week is an opportunity for prospective families to see the positive interactions between school families and to showcase student successes.”

— Robert Love, Principal

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he New Year has arrived, and we have all been busy making — and trying to keep — our list of New Year’s resolutions. Many of us choose resolutions geared toward health and fitness. After all, possessing good overall health is critical to our well-being. Others may try to avoid a particularly bad habit. Maybe you need to quit smoking or stop swearing. Still, many of us plan things we have always wanted to do, but never get around to doing.

As the days of January continue onward, however, many of us find the inspiration of keeping our good-intentioned resolutions to be fading fast. By the end of the month, most of us have given in to our temptations and returned to our old ways. We are only human, right? Discouraged by this yearly failure, many of us don’t even bother making New Year’s resolutions anymore, especially if we feel like we won’t succeed.

Maybe our failures lie in both how we make our resolutions and what resolutions we actually choose. What we need to understand is the “root” of our resolution. For example, if you resolve to eat less candy to drop those recently added holiday pounds, is the “root” of your resolution a selfish one — wanting to look better since you overindulged? Or, are you genuinely seeking to stop giving in to each “sweet tooth” craving by practicing mortification — giving up of a personal pleasure to glorify God? If the “root” is a selfish one, only to benefit yourself, then it is often difficult to keep in the

long run. However, if we are trying to glorify God, our mission is much more important and worth keeping.

Tying your New Year’s resolutions into the principles of stewardship — giving of your time, talent and treasure back to God — is a great way to ensure that the “root” of your resolution is right on track!

For instance, resolving to pray each evening before going to bed glorifies God, brings you peace before slumber, and allows you to grow in your relationship with Christ. The “root” is pure. Your desire to keep it will be stronger and make it easier for you to keep.

In the same way, resolving to return your talents to God by helping others in need is an excellent choice in creating a selfless resolution with the right “root.” Furthermore, resolving to re-evaluate your finances is also extremely important, and the beginning of a new year is a great time to do it. Are you giving back to God out of gratitude for all He has given you? Or are you merely dropping a dollar or two in the collection basket just to feel good about yourself ?

If you are not where you would like to be as a good steward — either with sharing your time, talent or treasure — you can resolve to do better. The New Year is a perfect opportunity to start anew and become the good steward that God desires each of us to become.

And when we choose selfless things that build His kingdom instead of ours, we are sure to not only stay on track, but to succeed!

Tying your New Year’s resolutions into the principles of stewardship — giving of your time, talent and treasure back to God — is a great way to ensure that the “root” of your resolution is right on track!

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highlights of our

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2021 Stewardship Renewal

his past fall Our Lady of the Assumption parish conducted a Stewardship Renewal. The Stewardship Renewal gave the Our Lady of the Assumption community the opportunity to discern how we are using our gifts of time, talent and treasure in service to the parish and in return to God. This month, we are happy to share with you some of the highlights of the Stewardship Renewal.  There were 121 commitment cards received from sixteen percent of active households.

 There were 902 prayer commitments — the stewardship of time — from 107 participating households.

 There were 424 ministry commitments — the stewardship of talent. Of these, 115 were new ministry commitments, while 309 were re-commitments to parish ministries.  There were 83 offertory commitments — the stewardship of treasure. The average annual pledge was $1,744.

We thank all those who participated in our 2021 Stewardship Renewal. If you did not have the opportunity to fill out and return a commitment card, we invite you to consider the ways you may share your gifts of time, talent and treasure with God and the parish community!

This past fall Our Lady of the Assumption’s parish leadership conducted our Stewardship Renewal. The Stewardship Renewal gave the Our Lady of the Assumption community the opportunity to discern how we are using our gifts of time, talent and treasure in service to the parish and in return to God.

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5057 Cottage Way Carmichael, CA 95608 (916) 481-5115 | olaparish.net MASS TIMES: 8:00 a.m. Daily Mass Monday-Friday and first Saturday Saturday 5:00 p.m. Vigil Mass Sunday Mass 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. *See website for diocesan and county guidelines.

Catholic Schools Week

continued from page 5

Formation Ministry of the parish, and the school would not be where it is without parents and parishioners who volunteer their time and talent.

“Catholic education is so important,” Mr. Love says. “A Catholic school graduate is six times more likely to attend weekly Mass as an adult compared to a non-Catholic school graduate.

Families are picking a school for their babies. Catholic Schools Week is an opportunity for prospective families to see the positive interactions between school families and to showcase student successes.”

Are you interested in learning more about OLA School? If so, please visit the school website and fill out the form on the page — http://school.olaparish.net/about-us/contact-us.