December 16, 2011

Breath of life Bishop Blaire’s vision links environmental stewardship, pro-life concerns

(PHOTO BY JOSE LUIS AGUIRRE/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO)

By George Raine

Stockton Bishop Stephen Blaire is pictured in San Francisco Nov. 29.

Bishop Stephen Blaire did not seek out environmental stewardship as a theme he would champion when he was named bishop of the Diocese of Stockton, but environmental stewardship certainly found him.

It was a natural fit. Bishop Blaire can recall a burning chest after playing handball as a youngster growing up in the polluted San Fernando Valley in the 1950s. Then, upon arriving in Stockton 12 years ago, he once again settled in a region with some of the nation’s dirtiest air. He felt a responsibility to do something about it, as a resident and as a bishop.

“We have an overriding principle that we have to take care of this world that we live in,” Bishop Blaire said in a widely noted speech to the interfaith Festival of Faiths in Louisville Nov. 7.

“We serve God when we care for all living beings by protecting the air which is God’s gift to us,” he said. “As stewards of God’s creation we can live more simply, using the earth’s resources wisely, reducing our consumption, working to eliminate air pollution and reducing our carbon footprint.”

Bishop Blaire’s platform, beyond the six-county Stockton diocese, is his chairmanship of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, a role that gives him entree to Congress and standing with policy mak-

ers around the country. His message is rooted in Catholic social teaching and is as old as Genesis – that God created the heavens and the earth, “formed the man … and blew into his nostrils the breath of life.” Attention is due to issues of environmental justice and social justice across the board, he believes, particularly as they affect the poor and vulnerable.

In his Louisville speech Bishop Blaire noted that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is working to “raise awareness about the need for a national standard that would significantly reduce mercury and other toxic air pollution from power plants and would protect our young children.”

Knowing of the concern people had about air quality and water issues in the Stockton diocese, Bishop Blaire in 2004 launched the Environmental Justice Project, based at Catholic Charities in the diocese. He invited 100 local Catholics to build the project. The aim, said Betsy Reifsnider, the project director, was “to educate our fellow Catholics that care for creation is part of our faith and our responsibility.”

The group of 100 chose air pollution as its first campaign, reasoning that there are no scapegoats because everyone in the diocese is both a victim and perpetrator of bad air.

The project lobbied for the Global Warming Solutions Act, signed by Gov, Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006.

In 2010, in Proposition 23, opponents attempted to suspend the law. Bishop Blaire, although he did not want BLAIRE, page 5

Bishops’ letter to undocumented

Catholic san Francisco

In an emotional pastoral letter to immigrants, U.S. Hispanic and Latino Catholic bishops offer assurance that “you are not alone or forgotten.”

“We recognize that every human being, authorized or not, is an image of God and therefore possesses infinite value and dignity,” begins the strongly worded letter released on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12.

Read the full story on Page 3CL.

Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper

Guadalupana pilgrimage

(PHOTOS BY JOSE LUIS AGUIRRE/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO)

Thousands of people walked from All Souls Parish in South San Francisco to St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco Dec. 10, united in prayer for the sick, for immigration reform, for world peace and for personal intentions through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Left, Father Francisco Gamez, parochial vicar at the cathedral; Pedro Garcia, co-director of the Guadalupana Crusade; and Charito Martinez from La Raza radio station release doves as a symbol of peace.

Below right, Aztec dancers honor Our Lady of Guadalupe with a special ritual before entering the cathedral, where Archbishop Emeritus John R. Quinn celebrated Mass. The story of the Virgin of Guadalupe was recreated at the end of the 12-mile pilgrimage, before Mass.

INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION On the Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Irish priests struggle . . . . . . . 6 Doctrine of dignity . . . . . . . . 7 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Conscience protections . . . 12

Occupy and Catholic social teaching Page 10 December 16, 2011

Archbishop’s Journal: Christmas homily Page 11

Father Rolheiser . . . . . . . . . 14

Christmas Liturgies 1CL-8CL

ONE DOLLAR

Book reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Next issue January 13 VOLUME 13

•

No. 40

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Catholic San Francisco

December 16, 2011

On The Where You Live

By Tom Burke Dr. Giles and Judy Miller marked their 50th wedding anniversary over Thanksgiving weekend. They were married in San Francisco’s St. Brendan Church and raised their family in St. Stephen Parish for many years before moving down to the Peninsula. Giles was a cardiologist at St. Mary’s Hospital, while Judy raised their six children. Their proud family consists of children – Giles, Michelle and husband, Kent, Martina and husband, John, Norelisa and husband, Mark, Matthew and Judy and Giles Miller wife, Tanya, and Melinda.

Their grandchildren are Connor, Garrett, Kiera, Max, Jill, Allison, Nathan, Dory and Grace. Giles’s brother Mike and his wife Nancy also congratulate the couple. The family thanks all their friends for their support and asks for continued prayers for Norelisa, as she slowly recovers from a severe stroke she suffered in September.

• Led by the fifth grade, students at Notre Dame School in Belmont collected more than 2,600 pounds of food for their holiday “Trick or Treat So All Can Eat” campaign, benefiting families helped by the St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Mateo County. “The hallways of the school were filled with cans of tuna, rice Charlotte Mitchell, and peanut butter,” said the Grace Dermenjian and school’s Kristine Coon in Isabel Manley a note to this column.

• Congrats and thanks for the example to the St John the Evangelist Youth Group who prepared Christmas stockings filled with gifts for foster children in San Francisco under the care of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). Joseph Ramos, a deacon candidate for the archdiocese leads the youth group.

• Congratulations to Young Ladies Institute #1 on its 124th

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Marin Catholic High School’s annual gala recently raised more than $75,000 to benefit the school. Pictured from left at the event are MC alumnus and board of regents’ member, Jack Boland, his wife Sue, and Msgr. Robert Sheeran, Marin Catholic’s director of mission and ministry.

St. Robert School third grader Michelle Benavente had a seat right close to Gov. Jerry Brown at the recent St. Ignatius-Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep Central Coast Championship football game. The gov is a 1955 graduate of SI. Michele’s sister, Rachel, is an SI freshman and her sister Christine is a 2011 SI graduate now studying at Santa Clara University. SI won the game 21-14.

anniversary. The YLI group gathered Sept 5 to mark the occasion. YLI St. Francis of Assisi #1 was the founding chapter of the YLI in 1887. The women’s group may be best known for its Golden Jubilee Burse that donates money each year for seminarian education in dioceses where they serve. “Since 1937, the burse has given more than $3 million to help educate future priests,” past Grand President Peggy Anderson told me. YLI Grand Chaplain is Father Tom Hamilton, pastor of St. Gabriel Parish in San Francisco. “He is truly a wonderful

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spiritual leader,” Peggy, a St. Gabe parishioner herself, said.

Thanks to Peggy for her kind words about delivery of Catholic San Francisco: “I always look forward to Friday,” she said.

• The Holy Name School class of ’71 gathered for a 40th reunion over the Thanksgiving holidays at Holy Name’s Flanagan Center. More than 50 graduates attended with one traveling from Sweden to attend. The alums had a school tour, a visit to the church for a group picture, and then had a great dinner together. Organizers of the very good time included Roy Xavier, Steve McCarthy and Pat Cremin.

• Holy Angels School in Colma recently welcomed a supersized science playhouse donated by S.E.A. Construction Inc. and the Hays Design Group of Redwood City. Father Manuel Curso, pastor, Maureen Huntington, superintendent of Catholic schools, Dominican Sister Leonarda Montealto, principal, and school representatives including Sydney Mercado, Ashley Clemente, Lily Abt, Rich Alfano, Alexis Pineda, Ben Fernandez, Patrick Calma were in attendance at the Sept. 9 ceremonies.

• An exhortation I am very grateful to have heard several times from Father John Ryan, pastor, St. Catherine of Siena Parish, rings, too, in this week’s issue of CSF. While we wait for God’s hand to come down and do marvelous work in our lives, Father Ryan reminds, may we remember that God’s work is done, perhaps even most often, through us.

• Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! Next CSF is Jan. 13. Email items and electronic pictures – jpegs at no less than 300 dpi – to burket@sfarchdiocese.org or mail them to Street, One Peter Yorke Way, SF 94109. Include a follow-up phone number. Street is toll-free. My phone number is (415) 614-5634.

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Catholic San Francisco

3

Natural disasters prompt outpouring of giving amid grief, devastation

A woman walks past carcasses of cattle in the drought-stricken Eladow area in Wajir, northeastern Kenya, Aug. 4. Below left, a wooden altar, a cross, some metal beams and pieces of a few cinder block walls of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Joplin, Mo., are all that are left standing May 25. The church, rectory, school and parish hall were destroyed by a massive category EF5 tornado May 22. Below right, a woman weeps while sitting amid destruction March 13 in Natori, Japan, following a March 11 earthquake and ensuing tsunami that claimed the lives of more than 20,000 people in Japan.

raise another $40 million to provide emergency food aid, clean water, sanitation, drought-resistant seeds, and develop water conservation systems.

In the United States this spring, over the course of several weeks, tornadoes caused death and destruction in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin.

(CNS PHOTO/ASAHI SHIMBUN, REUTERS)

(CNS PHOTO/DAVE CRENSHAW, EASTERN OKLAHOMA CATHOLIC)

WASHINGTON (CNS) – Natural disasters around the world and all across the United States this year prompted prayers, charitable giving and outreach amid unthinkable destruction.

The devastation across the globe included an earthquake and tsunami in Japan, flooding in Australia and a drought in Africa.

The United States also was particularly hard hit with a string of natural disasters: unprecedented summer heat and drought in the Southwest, deadly tornadoes, a massive blizzard in the Northeast, major river floods in the Midwest, an earthquake on the East Coast followed by a hurricane that caused massive flooding.

There also were a record number of wildfires in the Southwest and strong windstorms in Southern California to end the year.

In January, a flood in Queensland, Australia, killed 13 people and devastated much of Australia’s coal, beef and agricultural industries. The Queensland chapter of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul set up a flood relief committee in response to the plight of more than 200,000 people affected in at least two dozen towns.

In early March, a tsunami and magnitude 9 earthquake struck Japan, devastating parts of its coast and leaving nearly 20,000 people dead and hundreds of thousands homeless. It also triggered a meltdown at a nuclear power plant, releasing radiation and forcing tens of thousands of Japanese to evacuate their homes.

Maryknoll Father Jim Mylet, who lives in Japan, noted that in the midst of the devastation, Catholics and others there were buoyed by the support they had received. “The prayers and support from around the world,” he said, “are a great source of strength and reinforce the image of us all sharing a common humanity under God our Father.”

Initially, church relief activities coordinated by Caritas Japan largely focused on cleanup and delivery of aid to survivors in the disaster zone. Months later, volunteers were still helping those who took temporary shelter in local schools, gymnasiums and town halls.

Meanwhile in Africa, the ongoing drought and famine afflicting Somalia and other East African nations this year was “a humanitarian crisis that cries out for help to Christians throughout the world,” said the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, New York Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, and the chairman of the board of Catholic Relief Services, Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz.

CRS, the U.S. bishops’ overseas relief and development agency, estimated in October that more than 12 million people were in urgent need of aid in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.

The drought caused failed crops, deaths of livestock and critical shortages of food and water.

CRS expanded its food distribution program in the region, working with local partners to provide livelihood support, water and sanitation.

Through its appeal campaign, Caritas Internationalis had raised about $41.7 million by early October and expected to

(CNS PHOTO/STRINGER VIA REUTERS)

By Carol Zimmerman

Tornadoes leveled parts of Joplin, Mo., and Tuscaloosa, Ala. The tornado that ripped through Joplin May 22 claimed at least 125 lives and flattened every building in its path including St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Parishioners retrieved the Blessed Sacrament from the church’s shattered tabernacle. Only the large steel cross at what had been the church’s entrance remained, towering over the wreckage.

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Catholic San Francisco

NEWS

December 16, 2011

in brief

Cardinal Foley recalled as friend to Catholic press

(CNS PHOTO)

PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Cardinal John P. Foley, longtime Catholic journalist and advocate of Catholic communication, was being fondly remembered after his Dec. 11 death as a friend to the Catholic press around the world.

The cardinal, a Philadelphia native, was residing at Villa St. Joseph in Darby, the home for retired Philadelphia archdiocesan priests, when he died of leukemia at age 76.

Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput described Cardinal Foley Cardinal John P. as “a man of great apostolic energy” Foley is pictured and said anyone who met him “was as a young priest immediately aware of his intense in this undated love for the church and his zeal for photo. communicating the Gospel.”

“By the sheer force of his personality, he drew people to the faith and to himself,” he said, adding that the cardinal’s “charisma and gentle spirit will be sorely missed throughout the universal church.”

Study: Nuns should take pill to protect against cancer MANCHESTER, England – Catholic nuns should take contraceptives to protect themselves against cancers linked to having not borne children, two Australian researchers said in a British medical journal.

Writing in The Lancet, Dr. Kara Britt and Professor Roger Short say that oral contraceptives help prevent the onset of cancer of the breast, ovaries and uterus in women who have never had children.

“Catholic nuns are committed to leading a celibate, spiritual life in a monastery or convent,” they said in the article, titled “The Plight of Nuns: Hazards of Nulliparity.”

“In 1713, Italian physician Bernardino Ramazzini noted that nuns had an extremely high incidence of that ‘accursed pest,’ breast cancer,” the researchers wrote, adding that research among more than 30,000 nuns in the U.S. found a similar problem.

They said: “Today, the world’s 94,790 nuns still pay a terrible price for their chastity because they have a greatly increased risk of breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers: the hazards of their nulliparity.”

They point out in the article that although Pope Paul VI’s 1968 encyclical “Humanae Vitae” prohibited couples from using contraception to regulate their fertility, it was silent on the use of the pill for health benefits.

Nun ‘no longer excommunicated’ PHOENIX – A Mercy sister who was automatically excommunicated because of her role on the ethics committee that allowed an abortion to be performed at a Catholic hospital in Phoenix in 2009 is back in good standing in the Catholic Church.

In May 2010, officials at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center publicly acknowledged that an abortion had occurred at the hospital in late 2009. Officials said the woman was 11 weeks pregnant and suffered from pulmonary hypertension, a condition that the hospital said carried a near-certain risk of death for the mother if the pregnancy continued.

It also was revealed at the time that Mercy Sister Margaret McBride had incurred automatic excommunication because of her role on the ethics committee that sanctioned the abortion. On Dec. 21, 2010, Phoenix Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted announced that the hospital could no longer identify itself as a Catholic hospital.

In a Dec. 8 statement, the hospital said Sister Margaret has since “met the requirements for reinstatement with the church and she is no longer excommunicated. She continues to be a member in good standing with the Sisters of Mercy and is a valued member of the St. Joseph’s executive team.”

The statement, emailed to Catholic News Service in response to a query about her status, provided no more details and the hospital had no further comment.

Sister Margaret is currently the medical center’s vice president for organizational outreach.

Last year when Bishop Olmsted issued his decree revoking the 116-year-old hospital’s affiliation with the Catholic Church, he wrote that he could not verify that the hospital provides health care consistent with “authentic Catholic moral teaching.”

After he learned about the abortion, Bishop Olmsted said at the time, he had met with hospital officials to learn more about the particular case.

“It became clear that, in their decision to abort, the equal dignity of mother and her baby were not both upheld,” he said.

The baby “was directly killed,” which is a violation of the ethical and religious directives.

Throughout the process, St. Joseph’s Hospital and its parent organization, San Francisco-based Catholic Healthcare West, maintained that the intention was to save “the only life that could be saved,” the mother’s, according to the hospital.

Philadelphia: ‘Painful’ year ahead PHILADELPHIA – Three months after his installation, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia warned Catholics that the archdiocese faces “very serious financial and organizational issues that cannot be delayed.”

In a pastoral letter dated Dec. 8, the archbishop called Advent “a season of self-examination in the light of God’s word” and said there was “no better time to speak frankly about the conditions we now face as a community of believers.”

Adult ed program on ‘Archbishop’s Hour’ San Francisco Auxiliary Bishop Robert W. McElroy visits with George Wesolek, director of communications for the Archdiocese of San Francisco, Jan. 6 on “The Archbishop’s Hour” on Immaculate Heart Radio 1260 AM. The topic is “Forward in Faith,” a new adult religious education program begun by the archdiocese.

“It is very new in that it offers religious education for adults Bishop Robert online,” Wesolek said, noting W. McElroy that classes will be downloaded at a dozen parish sites around the archdiocese and replayed. Content includes teaching on Catholic Church history, the sacraments and moral theology.

The 20-week courses are in cooperation with Boston College. Classes meet once a week Jan. 17-March 20 and Sept.-Nov. 6. For more information, visit www. sfarchdiocese.org and click No. 2 in upper left of home page window.

“The Archbishop’s Hour” is broadcast Fridays at 9 a.m. and rebroadcast Sundays at 11 a.m.

The letter hinted at coming closings or mergers of parishes and schools, and said the operating budget of each archdiocesan department will receive “careful scrutiny.”

Vocation Awareness Week: Promoting a culture of vocation WASHINGTON – The Catholic Church in the United States will celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week Jan. 9-14. The celebration heralds a week dedicated to promoting vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and consecrated life through prayer and education. The week gives Catholics an opportunity to renew prayers and support for those who are considering one of these particular vocations.

“It is our responsibility to help children and young people develop a prayerful relationship with Jesus Christ so they will know their vocation,” said Archbishop Robert Carlson of St. Louis, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. “Through a culture of vocation in families, parishes, schools and dioceses Catholics can nurture an environment of discipleship, commitment to daily prayer, spiritual conversion, growth in virtue, participation in the sacraments, and service in community. Without this environment, promoting vocations becomes simply recruitment. We believe we have much more to offer our young people.”

– Catholic News Service, USCCB

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December 16, 2011

Blaire . . .

Catholic San Francisco

5

At a glance

■ Continued from cover

‘I am not in the business as a bishop of telling people how to vote but I think I am in the business of raising moral issues.’

– Bishop Stephen Blaire stewardship of the environment,” as he put it in a letter to the Modesto Bee. He wrote that four of the six counties in the Stockton diocese received a grade of ‘F’ in the American Lung Association’s 2010 State of the Air Report. Noting that one in five children in the Central Valley suffers from asthma, he said the burden falls on the poor who cannot afford health care.

“These reflections on the common good, our children’s health and the stewardship of our land can assist us in the formation of conscience which guides our decision making,” Bishop Blaire wrote.

“I am not in the business as a bishop of telling people how to vote but I think I am in the business of raising moral issues and you can’t just leave them up in the air,” he said in an interview with Catholic San Francisco. “I was asking them to consider seriously the implications of voting for such a proposition, what the results would be.”

“He’s right about the air,” said John Holtzclaw, the lead volunteer on the Sierra Club

(CNS PHOTO/SIPHIWE SIBEKO, REUTERS)

to tell anyone how to vote, felt a moral obligation to urge voters to “engage in serious moral reflection on our common responsibility for

Local residents march in Durban, South Africa, ahead of the international climate talks Nov. 26. Pope Benedict XVI urged leaders to reach a credible agreement on climate change, keeping in mind the needs of the poor and of future generations. Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton noted in a Nov. 7 speech that just as the poorest people in his diocese – migrants, farmworkers, the elderly, the homeless – are most affected by air pollution, so too the world’s poorest suffer the most from climate change.

Green Transportation Team. “We are fouling our air, and while we have reduced ozone in many areas, in San Francisco, and Los Angeles has a start on it, we have sent a lot of the same precursors to the Central Valley,” said Holtzclaw, also a member of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Advisory Council.

Attention to air quality is a way of life in the diocese and throughout the Central Valley.

Every school day at Our Lady of Fatima School in Modesto, Juan Vargas, the sixth grade teacher, and his students raise the Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality Index flag in front of the school, and the neighbors take note, said Linda Partlow, principal.

It’s part social studies, part science, she said.

“We are glad we have added it.”

Bishop Blaire, who turns 70 on Dec. 22 and who was ordained in 1967, worked for many years in education in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, including as a high school principal,

but he gravitated toward social justice early on, learning from the first pastor with whom he worked, who told him, “We are here to serve the people.”

He says he feels blessed to serve the diocese although the challenges are great: Gangs are a problem. The unemployment rate in all six counties exceeds the state’s 11.2 percent, with both San Joaquin and Stanislaus at more than 15 percent and Alpine at 17.6 percent.

“His interest has been in poverty, especially in the valley,” Msgr. John Armistead, pastor of the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Stockton, said of Bishop Blaire. “That has been a passion of his, trying to figure out how you get people conscious of that and do something for them.”

He added, “He is very conscious of the practical implications of the faith that you profess, that it has to end up on the street. It has to end up in the way you live in the community. It has to end up in the decisions you make about your political

– Stockton Bishop Stephen Blaire started the diocese’s Environmental Justice Project in 2004.

– The project has campaigned to improve air quality in the Central Valley, which has some of the nation’s dirtiest air.

– In a Nov. 7 speech Bishop Blaire said that the project reminds parishes that protecting the environment “is vital as it is the envelope in which all life is contained.”

– He cited Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical “Caritas en Veritate” that “the church has a responsibility toward creation and she must assert this responsibility in the public sphere.”

– He said the Catholic Church is part of an interfaith effort to raise awareness for a national standard to reduce mercury and other toxic air pollution from power plants, to protect the unborn and young children.

life, your social life, your neighborhood. It has to be connected.”

In heading the USCCB committee, economic justice, the environment, capital punishment, workers’ rights, health care, housing and agriculture are just some of the many domestic policy issues that Bishop Blaire oversees. All of them incorporate protecting life and dignity, he noted. Indeed, as he said in the speech in Louisville, there is clear linkage between the environment and life issues with the impact of mercury and other toxic air pollution on children’s health. “Children, inside and outside the womb, are uniquely vulnerable,” he said.

He added, “The Holy Father (Pope Benedict XVI) has spoken over and over about the environment, and he basically reiterates these same principles – of the dignity of the human person, of the common good, of the importance of the voice of faith, the new evangelism, getting out there into the real world of today.”

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Catholic San Francisco

December 16, 2011

Irish priests struggle, feeling tarred by sins of the minority DUBLIN (CNS) – Father Damien McGroarty, 29, is one of the youngest diocesan priests in Ireland. Ordained just over a year ago, he should still be at the honeymoon stage of his vocation.

Instead, an independent audit of clerical sexual abuse in his Raphoe diocese left him soul-searching about the public’s perception of priesthood.

In a homily Dec. 4, he acknowledged to Massgoers at St. Eunan’s Cathedral in Letterkenny, County Donegal that the ongoing abuse crisis made him question whether people ridicule him for being a priest.

“Will I be branded a pedophile priest?” he asked.

Raphoe, in northwestern Ireland, is still gripped by revelations concerning its abusive priests, including the notorious Father Eugene Greene, who was jailed for 12 years in 2000 for his crimes against 26 victims between 1962 and 1985.

Ireland’s Catholic Church has been rocked by several judicial reports that found that bishops and religious superiors put the avoidance of scandal ahead of the welfare of children.

The Irish prime minister criticized the Vatican in a speech to Parliament, and the Vatican reassigned its Irish ambassador.

Most Irish priests feel tarred by the sins of a minority, and they realize that the Irish public’s perception of them is at an all-time low. A recent poll showed that the public vastly overestimates the numbers of priests guilty of abuse.

Inaccurate information is contributing to an anti-clerical climate, according to the Association of Catholic Priests. The group, which represents more than 600 priests, blames the pervasive negativity surrounding the priesthood for the defamation of Mill Hill Father Kevin Reynolds by RTE Television last May. In late November, as the Irish courts made a massive award to Father Reynolds over the RTE libel, the Public Prosecution Service of Northern Ireland cleared Father Oliver

Brennan of the Armagh archdiocese of a false allegation against him, and a priest from the Diocese of Cloyne was also cleared by the courts. These cases have thrown the spotlight on a plethora of issues, not least the church’s protocols on naming and removing priests from ministry when an abuse accusation is made. For priests who are falsely accused, the current procedures leave them under a cloud while an investigation is ongoing and, even after they are cleared, many feel their name always remains tarnished.

Catholic News Service approached several priests who had been falsely accused, but they were unwilling to discuss the issue.

They remain “traumatized,” said Father Tony Flannery, spokesman for the Association of Catholic Priests.

One priest from the West of Ireland, who was the subject of a false allegation and was cleared after an investigation, spoke to CNS on the condition that his real name was not used. The priest said he thought falsely accused priests are being “disenfranchised by the church authorities in the methodology used to respond to accusations.”

The priest, identified for this story as Father Aodh, said he believed this is part of a “swinging of the pendulum” and “overzealousness to make up ground” in response to past mistakes.

But it is doing great injury to priests who are unjustly accused and to the relationship of bishop and priest, he said.

“Priests generally are a very vulnerable sector of society now,” he said.

His view is confirmed by another priests association spokesman, Father Brendan Hoban, who told CNS that the association was aware through feedback from its members and nonmembers that there are Irish bishops who, “by their attitude, are compounding the demonization of their own priests.”

“We see this in the manner in which priests are sometimes asked to step aside; in the neglect of their basic rights to accommodation, an income and legal advice; in the avoidance of a responsibility of care, not least of the priest’s family – all of which leads to

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an acceptance of the societal prejudice that a priest is guilty until he can prove his innocence,” he said.

Sen. Ronan Mullen is a parishioner at Father Reynolds’ St. Cuan’s Church in Ahascragh, County Galway. He is highly critical of the church authorities’ lack of communication in the early stages of the priest’s case. No statement was forthcoming for almost 10 days, by which time the media had been saturated with coverage of the false allegation against Father Reynolds.

“The way that the stepping aside is being managed is the real problem. There isn’t even

a basic communication from the accused priest, and he is spirited away. People are left to draw the worst of conclusions,” Mullen said.

He said he feels there is a certain timidity in the church’s response. Church officials must allow “the basic standard of the presumption of innocence until proven guilty,” Mullen said.

Father Aodh said false accusations are doing “a tremendous disservice” to the real victims of abuse while also creating a “rupture” between priests and their bishops, which he describes as “tragic.”

Review board audits of six Irish dioceses show ‘marked improvement’

By Michael Kelly DUBLIN (CNS) – Audits of six Irish Catholic dioceses reveal “a marked improvement” in how the church is handling clerical abuse allegations.

However, the reviews, carried out by the independent National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church and released Nov. 30, also show An audit of six Irish dioceses praised Bishop Leo that, in the past, too much O’Reilly of Kilmore, left, as a “model of best practice” emphasis was put on the in handling clerical abuse allegations. Bishop Philip rights of accused priests and Boyce of Raphoe acknowledged “very poor protecting the reputation judgments and mistakes made” in his diocese of the church. Each review found evidence that insufand vowed “renewed contact” with survivors. ficient attention was paid to the suffering of victims and the long-term consequences of abuse. robustly challenged or adequately managed Ian Elliott, chief executive of the safe- and problems were often “handled” by movguarding children board, said the audits ing the accused to positions elsewhere. show that “reporting allegations to the statuThe Raphoe audit notes that “it is a matter tory authorities (now) occurs promptly and of great regret to Bishop (Philip) Boyce that comprehensively.” He said that “represents a his focus on victims’ needs was not greater major development, as past practice did not in the past, and he now acknowledged that always reflect this commitment.” he has a very different appreciation of his He also said that “the need to create and safeguarding responsibilities” than when he maintain a safe environment for children in first came into office in 1995, a year before the church is comprehensively accepted and the bishops’ conference implemented comimplemented.” prehensive guidelines.

The audits recommend that the practice Responding to the audit of his diocese, of a priest acting as the designated person Bishop Boyce acknowledged that “there to whom abuse allegations are made be have been very poor judgments and mistakes discontinued. made.” He said he intends to make “renewed Retired detective Martin Ridge, who contact” with survivors of child sexual abuse investigated a prominent clerical abuse case, by priests to ensure that “their needs for said, “This audit will do nothing for the vic- appropriate counseling, spiritual support or tims, as far as I can see.” words of apology are adequately met.”

Of the 85 priests accused of abuse from Kilmore diocese, where Bishop Leo 1975-2010 only eight have been convicted.

O’Reilly took over in 1998, was praised as Overall the six audits, which cover the a “model of best practice” by the review. dioceses of Ardagh, Raphoe, Derry, Dromore, The report examined allegations received Tuam and Kilmore, confirm the findings of against seven priests since 1975 and found previous judicial reports in Ireland, which that current practice in the diocese is of “a said priests accused of abuse were not consistently high standard.”

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(CNS PHOTOS/THE IRISH CATHOLIC)

By Sarah MacDonald

Catholic San Francisco

December 16, 2011

7

NOTRE DAME, Ind. (CNS) – Calling merly drug-addicted Vietnam veteran, from the dignity of the human person “a primary Voltaire to a 20-year-old ex-prostitute who doctrine” of the Catholic Church, Archbishop came to World Youth Day in Toronto on a dare Timothy M. Dolan of New York told an in 2002 and said it saved her life.

“When we mention Catholic doctrines, we audience at the University of Notre Dame Dec. 6 that it must prompt Catholics “to usually mention the Trinity, the Incarnation, the redemption, the treat ourselves and Eucharist,” the archothers only with The doctrine of human bishop said. “I wonrespect, love, honor der why we never and care.” include the doctrine That doctrine dignity ‘startled the of the dignity of the also means people human person? It’s must not be identibrutality’ of the Roman pivotal; it’s way up fied “with our urges, there; it’s normative.” our flaws, our status, world.

Despite what he our possessions, our called the “caricature utility,” but each seen – Archbishop of the church ... that as “a child of God, it had to be dragged his creation, modeled Timothy M. Dolan kicking and screamin his own image, ing into the noble destined for eternity,” enterprise of defendhe said.

The archbishop, president of the U.S. ing human rights,” Archbishop Dolan said the Conference of Catholic Bishops, was deliv- Catholic doctrine on the dignity of the human ering the inaugural lecture in the university’s person “startled the brutality of the Roman world with its emphasis on the protection new Project on Human Dignity.

“My identity, my personhood ... does of life, respect for the person, care for the not depend on whether or not I have a green vulnerable, (and) defense of women, babies, card, a stock portfolio, a job, a home or even children, families, elders and even slaves.”

“It gave rise to the greatest system of health a college diploma,” Archbishop Dolan said.

“Nor does my identity depend upon whom I care, education and charity the world has ever am sexually attracted to, or to race, religion, known,” he added.

The church that proclaims this doctrine gender, social status, bank account, passport or health insurance, but on my essence as a “is not a shrill, crabby, naysaying nag, but a warm, tender, gracious mother who invites, child of God.” The talk quoted from a wide variety of embraces and nurtures her children, callsources – from Blessed John Paul II to a for- ing forth from within the truth, beauty and

(CNS/L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO)

Human dignity church’s ‘primary doctrine,’ says Archbishop Dolan

Pope Benedict XVI meets Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York during a Nov. 26 meeting with U.S. bishops from the state of New York on their “ad limina” visits to the Vatican.

goodness she knows is within them,” the archbishop said.

In a question-and-answer period following Archbishop Dolan’s lecture, an audience member cited a letter from Holy Cross Father John Jenkins, Notre Dame president, to Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of Health and Human Services. That Sept. 28 letter urged that the definition of religious employer in the rules for the new health care law be broadened to provide conscience protection.

Father Jenkins noted that the current rules put Notre Dame in the “impossible position” of being required either to provide services and insurance coverage contrary to Catholic teaching, or to discontinue employee and student health care plans.

The questioner said non-Catholics also attend and work for Notre Dame who believe that contraception and sterilization are moral.

He asked how this “conflict between two consciences” could be resolved without offending the equal human dignity of either side.

Archbishop Dolan replied that he was “grateful” Father Jenkins had taken a “brave and courageous stand” on this issue.

“Our religion would require us to respect the rights of all and never to denigrate them,” he said. “However, it would also obviously require us to obey our own consciences and follow the allegiances of our own faith.”

Contributing to this story was Ann Carey at Notre Dame.

Belarus archbishop: End death penalty MINSK, Belarus (CNS) – Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz of Minsk urged his country to abolish capital punishment, after two 25-year-old defendants were sentenced to death for killing 15 people in a Metro bomb attack.

“No terrorist act can be justified, and the perpetrators should receive just punishment,” Archbishop Kondrusiewicz told the Belarussian church’s online news agency, Catholic.By. “But the church calls for bloodless methods for restraining and punishing offenders, best suited to the common good and human dignity.”

On Nov. 30, the Supreme Court sentenced Vladislav Kovalyov and Dmitry Konovalov for their roles in the April 11 explosion, which blasted ball bearings and nails into afternoon commuters in Minsk’s Kastrychnitskaya underground station.

Belarus, Europe’s only country still carrying out death sentences, is believed to have executed up to 300 convicts with shots to the back of the head since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, although official figures have not been released.

HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC CEMETERY 125th Anniversary Cookbook of Memories

Our Mercy Center Bookstore features crèches from all over the world.

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As food has always been a comfort to families who have experienced a loss, it seems only fitting that Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery would create a cookbook in honor of its 125th Anniversary. We would like to create a cookbook of memories – special recipes of your loved ones who are interred in Holy Cross. As the families we serve are from so many different cultures and backgrounds, our book should be a delicious mix of memories and interesting dishes to make. If your Grandmother, Mom, Dad or Great Uncle Sam made a special dish and is interred in Holy Cross, we hope that you will share that favorite recipe.

You may forward your recipe to the attention of Christine Stinson by email costinson@holycrosscemeteries.com, by mail to Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, P.O. Box 1577, Colma, CA 940l4 or drop it off at our office (or All Saints Mausoleum on the weekends). Please include your loved one’s name, date of burial and grave location with the recipe. Also, please include your name and contact information.

We hope to have the cookbooks ready at the beginning of 2012 – our Anniversary Year. Proceeds of this cookbook will go to a special cemetery restoration fund allowing us to preserve our history and the stories of all who are interred here.

Closes Dec 3 1, 2011 Thirty-seven devotional figures recreate the mourners in a royal funeral procession from the tomb of the second duke of Burgundy, John the Fearless. This small-scale exhibition features alabaster sculptures crafted with astonishing detail that exemplify the artistic innovations of the late Middle Ages.

The Mourners: Tomb Sculptures from the Court of Burgundy has been organized by the Dallas Museum of Art and the Musée des Beaux Arts de Dijon, under the auspices of FRAME (French Regional and American Museum Exchange).

The exhibition is supported by a leadership gift from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation. Major corporate sponsorship is provided by Bank of the West – Member BNP Paribas Group. Additional support is provided by the Florence Gould Foundation, the Eugene McDermott Foundation, Connie Goodyear Baron, and Boucheron. This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.

Thank you for sharing your recipes, stories and memories with us!

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Photo © FRAME (French Regional and American Museum Exchange) by Jared Bendis and François Jay

8

Catholic San Francisco

December 16, 2011

SI senior’s perfect score niques and technology already Noelle Langmack, a senior invented,” she said. Nicole has at San Francisco’s St. Ignatius had pets all her life including a College Preparatory who dog, canary and horse. hopes to be Stanford-bound Riding and dance are the next year, is one of 704 Hillsborough resident’s relaxstudents out of 1.6 million ation outlets with ballet four in the United States to get a days a week and riding just perfect of score of 36 on the as many. Her horse’s name ACT standardized test used in is Rexton. She is a champion screening college applicants. equestrian.

“Noelle’s perfect score on Noelle Langmack Nicole, playing music since the ACT is a fine testament to the course of work at SI as well as her individual age 4, is self-taught on the clarinet and flute, and aptitude,” said Carole Nickolai, SI’s assistant also dabbles on piano, violin and oboe.

Nicole’s parents are Lori and Scott principal for academics.

Animal lover Nicole attended a recent Tufts Langmack and the family belongs to St. University veterinary camp. “I think I realized Bartholomew Parish in San Mateo. Younger sisthat I love veterinary medicine, but I’d rather be ter, Christina, is a sophomore at Crystal Springs the one inventing things rather than using tech- Uplands School on the Peninsula.

Shurgot named to senior CCCYO post Margie Shurgot has been named director of development and communications for Catholic Charities CYO of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Shurgot, who with her husband, William Hynes, president of Holy Names University in Oakland, lives in Berkeley, started in the post Dec. 1.

Shurgot brings 30 years experience in

fundraising and public relations to CCCYO, having represented organizations including the San Francisco Symphony in those areas.

“Margie is deeply rooted in the faith traditions of charity, social justice and service to the poor and vulnerable – which represents the core of Catholic Charities CYO’s work,” said CCCYO Executive Director Jeff Bialik.

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obituaries

Mercy Sister Patricia Toolan, 90; honored stage director-producer Mercy Sister Patricia Toolan died in Oakland on Nov. 5, at the age of 90. Sister Patricia grew up in Lansing, Mich. graduating in 1942 from Michigan State University with a degree in speech and drama. After two years in the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve, Sister Patricia joined her family in Los Angeles and earned a degree in Library Science from University of Southern California. In 1949 she entered the Sisters of Mercy in Burlingame, professing vows in 1951. For the next four years she taught at both St. Catherine School in Burlingame and Holy Name School in San Francisco.

Sister Patricia served at Mercy High School, Burlingame, as librarian, and director of speech and drama, for 11 years.

Together with her sister, Mercy Sister Suzanne Toolan, she directed and produced plays at Mercy High School Burlingame.

“She was an exacting taskmaster, bringing out the best in her students confident that artistic perfection was possible,” the Mercy Sisters said. The “Sister Patricia Toolan Award for Inspiration and Achievement in Theater” is now presented annually at Mercy High School, San Francisco.

In addition to Sister Suzanne Toolan, Sister Patricia is survived by her sister Suzanne Stovall and sister-in-law Patricia Toolan and nieces Karen Berg, Terry Cryderman, and Suzanne Martinez. Donations in her memory may be made to the Sisters of Mercy, 2300 Adeline Drive, Burlingame 94010.

Mercy Sister Elizabeth Marie Mee; ran St. Mary’s Medical Center Mercy Sister Elizabeth Marie Mee died in Oakland on Nov. 4, at the age of 90. Born in England, she came to San Francisco as a toddler. After graduating from Noe Valley’s St. Paul High School, she worked for 14 years at St. Mary’s Medical Center.

She entered the Sisters of Mercy in Burlingame in 1954 and professed vows in 1956. In time, she would become hospital administrator following Mercy Sister Mary Philippa, for whom St. Mary’s acclaimed charity-care clinic is named today.

In 1965 Elizabeth Marie was elected to

the general administration of the Sisters of Mercy where she served until 1981.

In 1989 she retired from active administration and volunteered in many capacities on the Sisters of Mercy Burlingame campus.

“She was both thorough and compassionate in all her varied positions,” the Mercy Sisters said. “Whenever there was the slightest need, she would go to the ends of the earth to help,” said Mercy Sister Terese Marie Perry.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Sisters of Mercy, 2300 Adeline Drive, Burlingame 94010.

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Catholic San Francisco

December 16, 2011

9

CCCYO helps 73-year-old find home away from home, opens doors for Iraqi refugee family

By Gabrielle Slanina Gallagher At age 73, Bruce is the oldest of 13 siblings. He grew up in the Bay Area, worked for 30 years as a salesman and was always willing to help a friend. For over a decade, Bruce CCCYO’s Advent h a s a t t e n d ed Catholic Season of Caring C h a r i t i e s C YO ’s O M I Senior Center three days a week. There, he reads the paper, stays active through exercise, travels on day trips, enjoys a hot meal and talks with friends. For Bruce and the other seniors who attend the program each day, these small experiences mean a world of difference for their mental and physical health, especially as they grow older.

“OMI Senior Center helps keep me healthy in a lot of ways but mostly, it is through friendship,” says Bruce.

Drew Yurkov, a case manager at OMI Senior Center, helps Bruce day to day as a helping hand and a trusted friend. He says, “Everyone wants to do the best for themselves and sometimes, you need help and guidance. Bruce feels better when he is someplace that makes him better.”

Earlier this year, Catholic Charities CYO joined with other aging service providers in the area to help Bruce move into a new home. He lived in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood for 30 years and he was in need of a safer environment.

His social worker found him a place at an affordable senior housing center and his case managers from OMI Senior Center helped him move in and connected him with community services and resources to be sure he had the support to address his most pressing needs. For Bruce, this support has made him healthier and happier.

Just as Bruce thrives in his home away from home, a refugee family is also find-

ing their own direction of stability thanks to the support of the community.

Last year, Catholic Charities CYO saw firsthand how a community can join together to help one another. When Mohammed Abed and his family came to the United States as refugees, they had no support system, no home and no jobs.

They had just escaped troubles in Iraq and Jordan and were motivated to join a new community. The family never gave up.

They did not have much, but they had each other, they had hope and they had Catholic Charities CYO. Catholic Charities CYO – together with Catholic San Francisco, which featured the family’s plight in the paper’s Aug. 27, 2010, issue – reached out to the Catholic community to secure housing, used furniture and other basic needs. After the parish community responded with open arms, they are now on the path to success.

“We are so happy to be in the United States and we came here full of hope,” said Mohammed. “I wanted to provide for my family. I could not do it at first. But now, we have hope again. Thank you. You are our family now and always!”

Mohammed is now meaningfully employed as a limo driver. He enjoys meeting new people and hearing their stories. His wife, Arabiya, is learning English and has a dream of opening an Iraqi restaurant or selling a cookbook of her recipes. Their two daughters Mays and Aya are in school and making new friends. Because their basic needs were met, Catholic Charities CYO was able to assist the family to obtain green cards and in five years they will be eligible to apply for citizenship and become fully integrated into our community.

In addition, Catholic Charities CYO found the family financial resources to help pay their rent. Their case manager, Christopher Martinez, meets with them

CCCYO case manager Drew Yurkov is pictured with client Bruce, whose last name was withheld by request.

often, even if there is no change in their status to report, but just as a welcoming smile and a listening ear.

The community’s response to help Mohammed Abed and his family was overwhelmingly positive. In order to maintain the newfound stability of Mohammed and other families, your support is needed to extend services throughout the entire year.

Throughout this Advent Season, we have shared stories about the people we serve at Catholic Charities CYO through St. Vincent’s Foster Family Agency, St. Joseph’s Family Center, Refugee and Immigrant Services and OMI Senior Center. Because of your support, our case

managers and counselors not only help to reduce poverty and bring a new day of hope to people in need, they help to strengthen families, build community and reduce poverty.

Bruce and Mohammed’s stories are the third and fourth in a series from Catholic Charities CYO’s Advent Season of Caring campaign. This holiday giving campaign shares intimate stories of the clients the organization serves and the ways in which their lives have been changed for the better, because of the organization’s work and supporters’ generosity. For ways to help, visit www.cccyo.org/seasonofcaring or call (415) 972-1291.

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December 16, 2011

(PHOTOS BY JOSE LUIS AGUIRRE/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCSICO)

10

Occupy San Francisco protesters are pictured on Market Street Dec. 2. The marchers included clergy members and members of a national Filipino organization, below.

March participants say Occupy movement’s concerns aligned with Catholic social teaching

By Dana Perrigan Wearing the garments of their respective faiths, a rabbi, two Protestant ministers and a Franciscan friar set aside theological differences on a December afternoon to lead a march – sponsored by a broad coalition of community and labor groups – down Market Street in San Francisco to the Occupy San Francisco encampment at Justin Herman Plaza.

They were united in support of the Occupy Wall Street movement’s main rallying cry against inequality, recession, high unemployment and unaffordable health care.

These conditions and the economic system behind them, they say, are in opposition to the Gospel and Catholic social teaching.

“If you look at the life and teachings of Jesus and how the early Christian community was laid out,” said Franciscan Father Louis Vitale, “you see that they lived so that nobody was in need and nobody had an abundance. It was all done in community.”

Joined by Rabbi Jane Litman, Rev. Carol Been and Rev. Israel Alvaran, Father Vitale marched along Market Street holding a banner that read, “People of faith for a moral economy.”

They followed four marchers bearing a litter carrying the statue of a golden calf. A sign attached to the litter read, “Stop worshipping money.”

“When Moses went up to the mountain,” said Rabbi Litman, “the people were building a golden calf. God told Moses to hurry down and stop them from worshipping gold. That’s what we’re doing here.”

Father Vitale has been studying – and participating in – social movements since the ‘60s. Like the civil rights and antiwar movements of that era, he said, the Occupy movement is rooted in the principles of Catholic social teaching: the dignity of the human person, the common good, a preferential option for the poor, global solidarity, stewardship of God’s creation and economic justice.

“All those resonate clearly with the Occupy movement,” said James Salt, executive director of Washington, D.C.-based Catholics United.

Pope Leo XIII is credited with beginning the modern era of Catholic social teaching with his 1891 encyclical criticizing a “savage capitalism” that exploited workers. When the “trickle-down” economic theory was in vogue during the Reagan presidency, Pope John Paul II warned of an “idolatry of the market.” In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI, in his encyclical “Caritas in Veritate,” saw a “scandal of glaring inequalities” in the U.S. economy.

In October, the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, in the document “Toward Reforming the International Financial and Monetary Systems in the Context of Global Public Authority,” proposed the idea of independent oversight of the world banking system. Setting up such a body would be a complex and delicate process and would require realistic goals and gradual change, the council said.

Those at the rally marched to protest these inequities and praised the Occupy movement for bringing them to light.

“I think Occupy is laying bare the basic problems and injustices in our society,” said Rev. Glenda Hope. “It’s prophetic witness.”

As the founder of Safe Haven, a sanctuary in San Francisco for women seeking to leave prostitution, the 75-year-old Presbyterian minister said the signs of a disintegrating economy are everywhere.

“I see more women in the streets than I ever have before,” she said. “Our nation is losing its soul – we can’t just sit by.”

“There is a broad coalition of folks here who are concerned about the morality of our budget, and what we’re doing with our money,” said Rev. Been, an organizer with Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice. “And I don’t think people are happy with either the Democrats or the Republicans as having a handle on what needs to be done.”

Clergy at the rally said they were encouraged by all the young people across the nation who have taken part in a movement calling for social change.

“They’re leading the way,” said Rev. Hope.

For some, the message of the Occupy movement has been difficult to discern and obscured by media images of scruffy, arrogant youths thumbing their noses at authority by camping illegally in public places.

“I think for a lot of people the true message of the Occupy movement has been influenced by the camping and the behavior of some of them,” said Karl Robillard, senior manager of communications and outreach at the St. Anthony Foundation.

“Unfortunately, for Occupy, their message is being lost.”

George Wesolek, director of the Office of Public Policy and Social Concerns at the Archdiocese of San Francisco, agreed.

“I have had difficulty understanding what the focus of their agenda is,” he said. “It seems ambiguous. What I do relate to is how bad things are right now – the huge disparity between the rich and the poor.”

That disparity is growing. A recent study revealed that the 400 Americans at the top of the income scale possessed more wealth than the 150 million at the bottom.

Barry Stenger, director of development and communications the St. Anthony Foundation, said those in the Occupy movement are “asking for a realignment so that our economic and political systems are put at the service of the people.

That’s fundamental to Catholic social justice teaching.”

Unfortunately, said Stenger, many Catholics are not familiar with those teachings. “It’s always been called the best-kept secret in our church. And I think that’s true.”

The average Catholic, said Jeff Bialik, executive director of Catholic Charities CYO in the archdiocese, is generous when it comes to putting money in the collection plate.

“But I think we’re not always cognizant that we are challenged to be a moral voice in the community, that we need to advocate about injustice in society,” said Bialik. “That’s an area in which we sometimes have trouble connecting the dots.”

“We’re not saying you have to be socialist, he said, “just that you have to look out for your neighbor. We are, in fact, our brother’s keeper. I think we know that. We just need to be reminded of that.”

Lorraine Moriarty, executive director of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of San Mateo County, hopes that the Occupy movement may turn out to be “the leaven in the dough” that motivates more people to work toward the creation of a better world.

December 16, 2011

Catholic San Francisco

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C HRISTMAS L ITURGIES The origin and meaning of the Simbang Gabi novena ~ Page CL2 ~

(CNS/STEPHEN B WHATLEY)

Liturgy of the Hours: Praying with the church through time and in time ~ Page CL4 ~

Mary and the infant Jesus are depicted in the painting “The Holy Mother & Child� by Stephen B Whatley, an expressionist artist based in London. The Christmas season begins with the Dec. 24 evening vigil commemorating the birth of Christ and ends with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord Jan. 9.

Comfort and joy: Christmas around the archdiocese ~ Page CL6-CL8 ~

The Archdiocese of San Francisco invites you to join FORWARD IN FAITH, an exciting new program designed to deepen your knowledge and love of Catholic faith in order to strengthen your relationship with the Lord. Beginning with the week of January 17th, twelve parish locations in the Archdiocese will host men and women from neighboring parishes for weekly sessions that will provide online lectures from many of the leading Catholic theologians in the United States, followed by small group discussions focused on the theme of the evening. FORWARD IN FAITH will consist of ten sessions during January, February, and March and ten sessions in September, October, and November.

The course will treat four topics: the Jesus whom we encounter in the Scriptures, the identity of the Church, the sacramental life of the Church, and the Christian moral life.

For more information on this opportunity to deepen your Catholic faith, click on the FORWARD IN FAITH icon at www.sfarchdiocese.org and follow the link to a mail-in registration form or contact Cindy Gammer at (415) 614-5616 or gammerc@sfarchdiocese.org.

forward in faith

EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT FOR THE THINKING CATHOLIC

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Catholic San Francisco

December 16, 2011

The origin and meaning of the Simbang Gabi novena and sound systems in keeping with the economic means of the congregation. The custom is also kept among Filipinos living elsewhere in the world. Some adaptations are deeper. For example, many parishes now in the United States celebrate Simbang Gabi around 7 o’clock in the

By Father Marvin-Paul R. Felipe, SDB

Filipino Catholics who sincerely live their belief in the Incarnation merit the respect and admiration of the whole nation.

It is a celebration of our gifts.

(CNS PHOTO/MIKE PENNEY)

Simbang Gabi traces its roots to Mexico when, in 1587, the pope granted the petition of Fray Diego de Soria, prior of the convent of San Agustin Acolman, to hold Christmas Mass outdoors because the church could not accommodate the huge number of people attending the evening Mass.

Traditionally, Christmas Day in the Philippines is ushered in by the nine-day dawn Masses that start on Dec. 16. Originally, it popularly came to be known as Misa Aguinaldo or also known as the Misa de Gallo (Rooster’s Mass) in the traditional Spanish, and these Masses are also more popularly known in Tagalog as Simbang Gabi, or “Dawn Mass.”

Why Misa Aguinaldo? De Aguinaldo means gift, which is peculiar to Christmas. That is why the faithful wake up early for nine days before Christmas to join in the celebration of the dawn Mass. The faithful make this their “Aguinaldo” to God for the great gift of Jesus. The practice can also be understood as the preparation of the faithful to receive from God the great gift or “Aguinaldo” of Christmas, which is Jesus, the savior of the world.

Why Misa de Gallo? Usually the rooster crows at the break of dawn. During the old times, farmers as well as fishermen used the roosters as their alarm clock. So upon the first crow of the rooster they wake up early to drop by the church before going to their work and ask for the grace of good harvest. Originally the Mass was celebrated for them.

These nine dawn Masses are also considered as a novena to the Blessed Virgin Mary by the Catholic faithful. This refers to the Roman Catholic practice of performing nine days of private or public devotion to obtain special graces. In traditional Catholic belief, completing the novena is also supposed to mean that God might grant the devotee’s special wish or favor.

Simbang Gabi has become one of the most popular traditions in the country. It is a significant moment not only because it strengthens relationships among family members and parishioners but also because it is the time where our faith is intensified. This is the time where we mostly feel the presence of the Lord because it is the spiritual preparation for Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ.

It does not matter if one has the stamina to complete the

A star lantern, or “parol” in Tagalog, hangs above the altar as Archbishop J. Peter Sartain celebrates Mass at St. James Cathedral in Seattle Dec. 11, 2010.

The Mass included a special blessing of parols for the start of Simbang Gabi, a novena marked by Filipino Catholics prior to Christmas.

novena or not, what really matters is what is inside the heart. The blessing does not depend on the number of Masses attended, but what is important is the disposition of the person who receives the Lord’s blessing.

Over the generations, local Filipino faith communities have creatively adapted Simbang Gabi. While only candles and lanterns are used in rural areas, as in centuries past, most churches today have electric lights, lanterns

evening, not just in the morning, in order to accommodate the needs of people on a great variety of work schedules.

No matter how or when this celebration takes place, the annual Simbang Gabi provides a strong indication of the depth of Catholicism in the hearts of Filipinos.

Filipino Catholics who sincerely live their belief in the Incarnation merit the respect and admiration of the whole nation. It is a celebration of our gifts.

I wish to encourage all of us – not only Filipinos but also Catholics in general – to practice Simbang Gabi, because it is a great source of spiritual nourishment to all of us as we prepare for the celebration of the birth of our Jesus Christ. This is open to all. Invite your families and friends.

The writer is associate pastor of St. Anne of the Sunset Parish in San Francisco.

Novena schedule Look on the front page of catholic-sf.org for the full schedule for the Simbang Gabi novena in parishes in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Dates and times vary.

C HRISTMAS L ITURGIES STAR OF THE SEA CHURCH

4420 Geary Blvd., San Francisco, CA 94118 • (415) 751-0450

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP CHURCH 60 Wellington Avenue Daly City, CA 94014

SCHEDULE OF CHRISTMAS WEEK LITURGY NINE DAYS NOVENA AND MASSES ( “Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo”) from DECEMBER 16-24, 2011; 5:30 AM SCHEDULE OF CHRISTMAS MASSES: DECEMBER 24, 2011, Saturday -5:30 PM-Children’s Mass 11:00-11:45 PM: Christmas Carols 12:00 AM: Midnight Mass DECEMBER 25: CHRISTMAS DAY-8:30; 10:00; 11:30 AM 1:00 PM

Welcomes you to our Christmas and New Year's Liturgies Individual Confessions Saturday, December 24th 12:00–1:00 pm (No confessions from 3:15-4:15) Christmas Eve Liturgies Saturday, December 24 4:30 pm Childrens Christmas Mass 9:30 pm - Christmas Carols 10:00 pm "Midnight" Mass

Masses on Christmas Day Sunday, December 25 8 am, 9:30 am, 11 am (Chinese), & 12:15 pm.

New Year's Eve Liturgy Saturday, December 31st Confessions from 3:15 - 4:15 Mass at 4:30 pm Masses on New Year's Day Sunday, January 1st 8 am, 9:30 am, 11 am (Chinese), & 12:15 pm

The parish staff joins me in wishing all of you a very Blessed and Merry Christmas and our promise of prayers for all of you in the New Year. – Fr. Brian Costello

Saint Stephen Catholic Church

5:00 p.m. - Msgr. Michael Harriman 7:00 p.m. - Fr. Joe Landi with our Children’s Choir 11:15 p.m. - Singing of Carols Midnight Mass - Msgr. Michael Harriman and Clergy with our Adult Choir and Orchestra

7:30 a.m. - Fr. Daniel Keohane with Anna Maria Mendieta, Harpist 9:30 a.m. - Fr. Daniel Keohane with Holy Spirit Music Ministry 11:30 a.m. - Fr. Joe Landi with Adult Choir and Orchestra No Evening Mass on Christmas Day

4th Sunday of Advent Masses Saturday 3:30pm Confessions 4:30pm (Sunday Vigil) Sunday 8:00, 9:30, 11:30am, 6:45pm

Eucalyptus Drive @ 23rd Avenue (near Stonestown Mall)

Christmas Eve Masses 3:30pm Confessions 4:30pm Family Mass 10:00pm Mass (Prelude music 9:30pm)

Christmas 2011

Christmas Day Masses 8:00, 9:30, 11:30am No evening Mass on Christmas Day Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph Masses Regular Weekend Schedule Saturday 3:30pm Confessions 4:30pm (Sunday Vigil) Sunday 8:00, 9:30, 11:30am, 6:45pm

415.681.2444 www.SaintStephenSF.org

Catholic San Francisco

December 16, 2011

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‘You are not alone,’ Hispanic bishops tell undocumented immigrants “Christian solidarity is not based on political optimism, but it is based on religious WASHINGTON (CNS) – An emotional hope,” he said. The release date of the feast of pastoral letter to immigrants from the U.S. Our Lady of Guadalupe was chosen because Hispanic and Latino Catholic bishops offers she “is such a powerful symbol of solidarity love, encouragement, welcome, sympathy and and hope, particularly in difficult times.” assurance that “you are not alone or forgotten.”

The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe “We recognize comes from the that every human likeness of Mary being, authorized that appeared on a or not, is an image cloak worn by a of God and therepoor Indian to whom fore possesses she appeared on a infinite value and hillside in Mexico dignity,” begins the in 1531. Her colstrongly worded letoring and features ter released on the resemble those of an feast of Our Lady indigenous woman, of Guadalupe, Dec. which at the time and 12. “We open our since then has been arms and hearts to seen as a message of you, and we receive Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento prays hope and solidarity to you as members of with migrant workers in 2008 at Casa del the poor. our Catholic family.

Bishop Soto said Migrante shelter in Tijuana, Mexico.

As pastors, we direct the letter was the these words to you result of a collabfrom the depths of our heart.” orative writing process among the Hispanic “We urge you not to despair,” said the letter bishops. And they hope it will be used broadly signed by 33 bishops. “Keep faith in Jesus the around the country by all U.S. bishops. migrant who continues to walk beside you.

In the letter, they expressed regret that Have faith in Our Lady of Guadalupe, who some people have reacted to the economic criconstantly repeats to us the words she spoke sis by showing disdain for immigrants. Some to St. Juan Diego, ‘Am I, who am your mother, “even blame them for the crisis,” they said. not here?’”

“We will not find a solution to our problems The letter thanks immigrants for “the by sowing hatred. We will find the solution by Christian values you manifest to us with sowing a sense of solidarity among all workers your lives – your sacrifice for the well-being and co-workers – immigrants and citizens – of your families, your determination and who live together in the United States.” perseverance, your joy of life, your profound “Your suffering faces” show the “true face faith and fidelity despite your insecurity and of Jesus Christ,” the bishops said, noting they many difficulties.” are well aware of the great sacrifices they Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento told make for their families.

Catholic News Service the bishops wanted “Many of you perform the most difficult “to reach out to the immigrant community jobs and receive miserable salaries and no and express our concern for them, to speak health insurance or social security,” they to them in a spirit of solidarity.” continued. “Despite your contributions to the Though there’s been interest in such a form well-being of our country, instead of receiving of outreach for a while, Bishop Soto said there our thanks, you are often treated as criminals was a sense that it might especially be needed because you have violated current immigranow, because from a political standpoint, it tion laws.” “does not look promising” for government The bishops also acknowledged the pain action to improve the legal situation of mil- suffered by families who have had someone lions of undocumented immigrants. deported or are threatened with deportation; (CNS FILE PHOTO/DAVID MAUNG)

By Patricia Zapor

CHRISTMAS LITURGIES CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR’S DAY MASS SCHEDULE Dec. 24, 2011 Saturday Mass: 7:30 am Vigil of the Nativity of Our Lord

Dec. 31, 2011 Saturday Masses Daily Masses: 7:30 am & 5:00 pm

5:00 pm Vigil Mass

Jan. 1, 2012 New Year’s Day Masses Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God 7:00 am, 8:00 am, 9:30 am, 11:30 am

11:30 pm Christmas Carols at Church

29 Rockaway Avenue SF CA 94127 (415) 681-4225 www. stbrendanparish.org

Dec. 25, 2011 Christmas Day Masses The Nativity of Our Lord 12:00 Midnight, 7:00 am, 8:00 am, 9:30 am, 11:30 am

Note: Advent Reconciliation Service with Benediction on December 21, 2011 (Wednesday) at 7:00 pm

St. Augustine Church 3700 Callan Blvd.

S. San Francisco, CA 94080

CHRISTMAS 2011

Novena of masses (Simbang Gabi) December 15-23 – 7:30 P.M.

the anxiety of waiting for legal residency status; and the frustration of young people who have grown up in the U.S., but lack the legal immigration status that would allow them to go on to college and get good jobs.

“This situation cries out to God for a worthy and humane solution,” they said.

They reiterated the position they as individuals and as members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have taken in support of

comprehensive immigration reform. Such legislation should respect family unity and provide “an orderly and reasonable process for unauthorized persons to attain citizenship.” It should include a program for worker visas that protects immigrant’s rights and that provides for their basic needs, they added.

The letter also acknowledged the difficult and dangerous path people take to come to the IMMIGRANTS, page CL5

CATHEDRAL OF ST. MARY OF THE ASSUMPTION 1111 Gough St., San Francisco • Tel: (415) 567-2020 www.stmarycathedralsf.org

CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE 2011 LAS POSADAS ~ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2011 Mexican/Latin American tradition reenacting Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem and their search for lodging before Jesus’ birth 6:00PM-9:00 PM, St. Francis Hall

CHRISTMAS EVE ~ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011 Regular Daily Mass Schedule: 6:45 AM, 8:00 AM and 12:10 PM 5:00 PM Caroling - Cathedral Choirs of Boys and Girls 5:30 PM – Christmas Vigil Mass 11:30 PM – Caroling with the Cathedral Choir 12:00 AM-Midnight Mass Archbishop George Niederauer, Principal Celebrant

CHRISTMAS DAY ~ SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2011 9:00 AM — Gregorian Mass 11:00 AM – Solemn Mass with Cathedral Choir 1:00 PM – Misa en Español con el Coro Hispano

VIGIL OF THE SOLEMNITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF GOD SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2011 Regular Daily Mass Schedule: 6:45 AM, 8:00 AM and 12:10 PM 5:30 PM Vigil Mass

THE SOLEMNITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF GOD SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 2012 Regular Sunday Mass Schedule: 7:30 AM, 9 AM, 11 AM and 1PM (Español)

Christmas Vigil: Saturday, December 24 4:30 P.M. Vigil Mass 7:30 P.M. Children’s Caroling 8 P.M. Children’s Mass 11:00 P.M. Caroling 12 A.M. Midnight Mass (Church & Hall)

Christmas Day: December 25 7:45 A.M., 9:30 A.M., 11 A.M., 12:30 P.M. There is no 5:30 P.M. Mass on Christmas Day.

New Year’s Day 2012 Schedule of Masses: 7:45 A.M., 9:30 A.M., 11 A.M., 12:30 P.M., 5:30 P.M.

THE SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD SUNDAY, JANUARY 8, 2012 Saturday, January 7 – Vigil – 5:30 PM Sunday, 7:30 AM, 9 AM, 11 AM and 1 PM (Español) 3:30 PM – Epiphany Lessons and Carols with the Cathedral Choir of Boys and Girls, St. Brigid School Honor Choir, Golden Gate Boys Choir Bellringers

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Catholic San Francisco

December 16, 2011

Liturgy of the Hours

Catherine Cele prays the Liturgy of the Hours at Church of the Nativity in Menlo Park Dec. 10.

– You’ll learn Scripture better. Most of the Liturgy of the Hours is from the psalms.

– You’ll meet the church fathers and other saints.

“In the liturgical calendar, the church introduces you to great characters – the saints. Whereas most people would not engage the saints on a daily basis,” said biblical scholar Jeff Cavins.

– You’ll celebrate the seasons of the church year.

Instead of thinking only in terms of winter, spring, summer and fall, you’ll incorporate Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and Ordinary Time in your understanding of the movement of time.

– It’s ecumenical. Because it’s based on Scripture, some Protestants say the Liturgy of the Hours too.

– It’s universal. Catholics from both Roman and Eastern Catholic Churches say the Liturgy of the Hours.

–It will reduce your anxiety. “It sets our mind on things above, where Christ is,” said Deacon Joseph Michalek, director of diaconate formation of St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minn.

Reprinted with permission of The Catholic Spirit, newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

includes praying all the psalms but it is also attuned to the church seasons. Vatican II revised the practice to make it more accessible, and recommended the Liturgy of the Hours be promoted as a prayer of the laity, particularly morning and/or evening prayer, said Deacon Foley. As recently as Nov. 16, Pope Benedict XVI in a weekly talk on the psalms at St. Peter’s Square suggested again the laity pray the Liturgy of the Hours.

In the last of seven weekly addresses on the psalms at St. Peter’s Square Nov. 16, Pope Benedict XVI said: “I would then like to renew to you all the invitation to pray with the psalms, even becoming accustomed to using the Liturgy of the Hours of the church .… Our relationship with God cannot but be enriched with greater joy and trust in the daily journey towards him.”

The Liturgy of the Hours consists of morning prayer, daytime prayer, evening prayer, night prayer and the office of readings which includes longer readings, including often readings from church fathers such as St. Augustine. The office of readings can be said at any time of day. The easiest resource for the lay person to use is the Book of Christian

Prayer and priests use a four-volume version of the readings known as the breviary, said Deacon Foley.

In the archdiocese, small groups gather at the Church of the Nativity morning and evening; before morning Mass at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Belmont; at St. Veronica in South San Francisco, at St. Dominic Church in San Francisco at 5 p.m.; and at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Menlo Park at 6 a.m. – to name just a few.

Others pray at home, with a spouse or other family.

“Praying the Liturgy of the Hours every day keeps a person very connected to the feasts and seasons of the liturgical year,” said Rob Graffio, who prays morning and evening prayer with his wife. “Having a provided text to pray is a great aid in the daily struggle to pray at all.”

“One of the things about it is the whole church is praying the prayer,” said Father Charles Puthota, pastor of St. Veronica Parish, where parishioners gather 20 minutes prior to 6:30 a.m. Mass. Before Mass is an ideal time for lay Catholics, Father Puthota said: “Lay people are busy with so many things, they have to rush to work; they are taking care of children.”

(PHOTO BY JOSE LUIS AGUIRRE/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO)

Praying with the church through time and in time

By Valerie Schmalz Each morning at St. Anthony Church in San Francisco, a handful of Catholics gather to pray one of the oldest prayers of the Catholic Church – the Liturgy of the Hours, otherwise known as the Divine Office – lifting their voices in prayer and song with priests, monks, religious and lay people around the archdiocese and the world.

“St. Paul says we should pray at all times and never lose heart. And the Liturgy of the Hours became a practical form for the church to answer that apostolic mandate to pray at all times and never lose heart,” said St. Anthony pastor Father James Garcia, citing St. Paul’s Letter to the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 5:11): “Pray without ceasing.”

“It’s a foundation for the beginning of the day,” said St. Gabriel parishioner Mike O’Leary, who prays morning prayer. “And around the world, someone is always saying the Liturgy of the Hours.”

The Liturgy of the Hours is so central to the prayer of the church that church law requires ordained ministers – bishops, priests, and deacons – to pray it daily, said Deacon Rich Foley, director of diaconate formation for the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Most deacons pray morning and evening prayer while priests tend to pray five times a day under the new post-Vatican II form, with a few religious orders continuing to pray the old form of seven times a day.

Advent is a perfect time to consider trying the prayer, because “Advent is a time to examine our prayer life,” Deacon Foley said.

Based on the psalms, the Liturgy of the Hours traces its origins to Old Testament Jews who prayed seven times daily, a practice continued by the early Christians, formalized by the monastic orders, and later institutionalized at the Council of Trent in 1545, said Benedictine Brother Joseph Murphy of the archdiocesan Office of Worship.

The Liturgy of the Hours follows a four-week cycle that

St. Dunstan Church 1133 Broadway Millbrae, CA 94030 (650) 697-4730

One of the pleasures of the Christmas Season is the opportunity to send our thoughts and prayers to those whose friendship and goodwill we value so highly.

The priests and staff of St. Dunstan Parish join in wishing you a very blessed Christmas.

May the gift of faith, the blessing of hope, and the peace of God’s love be with you and yours throughout the New Year.

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS AT ST. DUNSTAN 2011 CHRISTMAS EVE MASSES 4:30 pm Children’s Mass with Pageant 11:00 pm Christmas Carols 11:30 pm Christmas Mass

CHRISTMAS 2011 May the peace of the Lord Be yours today And His love abide With you forever!

Devotedly in Christ Rev. Anthony E. McGuire Rev. William J. Ahlbach Rev. Dominic S. Lee Rev. Juan M. Lopez Deacon James Shea Deacon Rafe Brown

Saints Peter and Paul Church

St. Francis of Assisi Church 1425 Bay Road, East Palo Alto

Dec. 19 – 24 Dec. 19

5PM 7PM

Christmas Novena Advent Penance Service

Christmas Eve 4:00 to 5:00 PM 5:00 PM 11:15 PM 12:00 AM

Confessions Vigil Mass Christmas Carols Midnight Mass

Christmas Day Masses In In In In In

English English Cantonese/English Italian English

666 Filbert St. at Washington Square 421-0809

NO 5:00 pm Mass on Christmas Day

1 NOTRE DAME AVENUE SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA

CHRISTMAS LITURGIES

7:30 AM 8:45 AM 10:15 AM 11:45 AM 1:00 PM

CHRISTMAS DAY MASSES 7:00 am, 8:30 am, 10:00 am, and 11:30 am

ST. MATTHEW CATHOLIC CHURCH

Six reasons to pray

CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE CONFESSIONS Sat., Dec. 17, 11:30 a.m. – 12 Noon 4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Mon., Dec. 19 through Dec. 23: Chapel 5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 24: Main Church 11 a.m. – 12 Noon

MASSES Saturday. – Christmas Eve, Dec. 24: 5:00 p.m. Family Mass, 7 p.m. (Spanish) Sunday, Christmas Day, Dec. 25: 6:30 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 8:45 a.m.

(Spanish), 10:45 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.

3:00 p.m. (Chinese Chapel)

NEW YEARS’ DAY –SUNDAY. JAN. 1, 2012 Sunday, Jan. 1, Masses: 6:30 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 8:45 a.m.

10:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m.

3 p.m. (Chinese) and 5:30 p.m. (Spanish)

650/322-2152

Mass Schedule For Christmas and New Year Confessions Saturday, December 24, 2011 10:30 am to 12:00 pm and 3:30 pm to 6:00 pm

Christmas Masses Saturday, December 24, 2011 6:00 pm Bi-lingual Children’s Mass Followed by Pastorela Midnight Bi-lingual Mass

Sunday, December 25, 2011 7:30 am English 9:30 am Spanish 11:30 am English 1:30 pm Spanish

New Year Masses Saturday, January 1, 2012 7:30 am English 9:30 am Spanish 11:30 am English 1:30 pm Spanish

December 16, 2011

Catholic San Francisco

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Cathedral hosts winter shelter as part of interfaith outreach

By George Raine For 23 years, St. Mary’s Cathedral and three churches of other faiths have welcomed homeless men into their facilities and given them shelter on cold winter nights, while a growing list of congregations – now at 35 – buy, cook and serve them an evening dinner and morning breakfast.

The homeless shelter program is little noticed, perhaps because it is set in a city with a chronic homeless crisis, but those who host the men and the pastors who open their door from the Sunday before Thanksgiving to late February know its value: “It is an essential expression of cathedral culture and service to the community,” said Msgr. John Talesfore, the pastor of St. Mary’s Cathedral.

The San Francisco Interfaith Council, which represents members of 800 congregations of different faith traditions, coordinating services particularly in times of crisis, was created out of the interfaith response to a homeless crisis in 1988, and it coordinates the effort in tandem with Episcopal Community Services.

In December of 1988, then-San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos called together a group of faith leaders to tell them homeless city shelters could not meet the demand – it was a cold and rainy month – and he told them he needed their help, at least for that month and January.

Immigrants . . .

■ Continued from page CL3 United States. “As pastors concerned for your welfare,” they asked them to “consider seriously whether it is advisable to undertake the journey here until after just and humane changes occur in our immigration laws.”

But, they added, “we are not going to wait until the law changes to welcome you who are already here into our churches, for as St. Paul tells us, ‘You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors; you are fellow citizens with the holy people of God and part of God’s household.’”

As members of the church, part of the body of Christ, “we offer you spiritual nourishment. Feel welcome to holy Mass, the Eucharist, which nourishes us with the word and the body and blood of Jesus. We offer you catechetical programs for your children and those religious education programs that our diocesan resources allow us to put at your disposal.”

First Old St. Mary’s on California Street, and later St. Mary’s Cathedral, opened its doors for the program, as did others – Trinity Episcopal Church, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco. Trinity Episcopal was forced to discontinue the service two years ago due to seismic issues, and the fourth provider is now St. Boniface Church.

The facilities have been at capacity for the winter program since it was launched in 1988, said Kenneth Reggio, executive director of Episcopal Community Services. The churches welcome the men – 100 at St. Mary’s, 70 at the Unitarian church and 60 at both St. Boniface and St. Mark’s – for a month in the winter rotation, and everyone wins, said Reggio.

“It is a great opportunity for people from congregations to be hands-on with the work, to get to know the folks who are experiencing homelessness,” said Reggio. “It is quite mutually beneficial. You get to understand people in a way you would not if you were not there, face to face.”

That first December was essentially learning on the job, said Rita Semel, the founder of the Interfaith Council and its executive vice chair. The next year brought another challenge – the Loma Prieta earthquake – and the same faith leaders who had gathered in the mayor’s office in 1988 met again, this time at Calvary Presbyterian Church, and concluded that they needed to organize and could not simply muster ad hoc for crises as they occurred.

There was funding available from Church World Service, an international humanitarian aid organization, which wanted to assist people displaced after the earthquake but would only give money to an interfaith organization. Thus, from the 1988 and 1989 emergencies was formed the San Francisco Interfaith Council.

The homeless shelter, said council executive director Michael Pappas, flourishes in large part because of the good experiences people have serving. “It used to be like pulling teeth to make sure we had enough congregations,” he said. “But now, over the last couple of years, we have had to turn away some congregations who have wanted to prepare meals.”

Msgr. Talesfore noted that St. Mary’s ability to participate is due to the foresight of the late Archbishop Joseph McGucken who oversaw planning for a cathedral that meets the needs of the Roman Catholic community but much more, with its considerable meeting room space. Moreover, the Red Cross designates St. Mary’s as the preferred shelter site. For example, at the request of former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, it sheltered 30 people displaced by Hurricane Katrina, Msgr. Talesfore noted.

Said Semel, “The thing that is wonderful about the shelter is it brings out the best in people. Because people are doing something for somebody else, they are doing it out of whatever faith they have and it is needed, unfortunately. It is sad to say in this day and age we have people who need it, but they do.”

Citizens and permanent residents of the U.S. “cannot forget that almost all of us, we or our ancestors, have come from other lands and together with immigrants from various nations and cultures, have formed a new nation,” they said. “Now we ought to open our hearts and arms to the recently arrived, just as Jesus asks us to do when he says, ‘I was hungry and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me to drink; I was an alien and you took me into your house.’”

The presence of immigrants “challenges us to be more courageous in denouncing the injustices they suffer. In imitation of Jesus and the great prophets we ought to denounce the forces that oppress them and announce the good news of the Kingdom with our works of charity. Let us pray and struggle to make it possible for these brothers and sisters of ours to have the same opportunities from which we have benefitted.

“We see Jesus the pilgrim in you migrants,” they said.

The day the bishops issued their statement, a ceremony at St. Monica’s Catholic Church in Tucson, Ariz., was scheduled to kick off a rally in support of more than 60 undocumented

immigrants and their families who were planning to personally petition the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to close their deportation cases.

In June, the Obama administration announced that ICE would shift focus away from “low priority” deportation cases and establish a way of deferring the pending deportations of people who pose no risk to the community and who have strong ties to the United States. The Tucson event is one of several staged around the country recently to draw attention to the slow pace of this new policy and the effects of deportation on families, which often consist of U.S. citizens and legal residents.

In addition to Bishop Soto, California prelates signing the letter were Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles, Bishop Gerald R. Barnes of San Bernardino and Bishop Richard J. Garcia of Monterey. Also signing was Bishop Armando X. Ochoa of El Paso, Texas, who has been named bishop of Fresno. Other signatories included Auxiliary Bishop Rutilio del Riego of San Bernardino, Auxiliary Bishop Cirilo B. Flores of Orange and Auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala of Los Angeles.

C HRISTMAS L ITURGIES The Parish of St. Catherine of Siena 1310 Bayswater Ave. Burlingame CA 94010

Christmas Masses: Christmas Eve (Saturday, December 24) 4:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

12 Midnight

Christmas Vigil Mass Christmas Family Mass Christmas Midnight Mass 11:30 p.m. - Christmas Concert

Christmas Day (Sunday, December 25) Masses: 8 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 12 Noon

St. Anthony of Padua

St. Mary Star of the Sea

1000 Cambridge St., Novato 415.883.2177

180 Harrison Avenue, Sausalito www.starofthesea.us

Christmas 2011

Christmas Service Schedule Chirstmas Eve, Saturday December 24, 2011:

Saturday, December 24, 2011 • Christmas Eve

8:30 p.m. Carols ★ 9:00 p.m. Mass

Masses at 5:00 pm (Children's Mass), 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm

Chirstmas Day, Sunday December 25, 2011:

Sunday, December 25, 2011 • Christmas Day

9:30 a.m. Mass

Masses at 7:00 am, 9:00 am and 11:00 am

New Year’s Eve, Saturday December 31, 2011:

Saturday, December 31, 2011 • New Year's Eve

5:00 p.m. Mass Only

Vigil Mass at 5:00 pm

New Year’s Day, Sunday January 1, 2011:

Sunday, January 1, 2012 The Blessed Virgin Mary, The Mother of God

Solemnity of Mary, The Mother of God 9:30 a.m. Mass

t

Masses at 7:00 am, 9:00 am and 11:00 pm

ST. TERESA OF AVILA CATHOLIC CHURCH

CHRISTMAS AT SAINT RAPHAEL CHURCH - 2011 NAVIDAD EN LA PARROQUIA DE SAN RAFAEL – 2011

ADMINISTERED BY THE CARMELITES

1104 FIFTH AVE SAN RAFAEL, CA (415)454-8141

19th Street at Connecticut

CHRISTMAS MASSES / MISAS DE NAVIDAD Saturday, December 24, 2011 / Sábado, 24 de Diciembre, 2011 4:30 pm Special Program for Children 5:00 pm

PLEASE JOIN US FOR OUR ADVENT & CHRISTMAS MASSES

Family Mass

8:00 pm

Vietnamese Mass – Mission

8:30 pm

Villancicos Navideños

9:00 pm

Misa en Español

11:30 pm

Community Caroling

Tuesdays & Fridays Wednesdays in Advent

12 Midnight Mass in English

Christmas Masses

Sunday, December 25, 2011 / Domingo, 25 de Diciembre, 2011 7:30 am Mass in English 9:00 am

Mass in English

10:30 am

Mass in English

10:30 am

Mass - Chapel of Saint Sylvester

12:00 pm

Misa en Español

*No habrá Misa en Español a las siete el día de Navidad en Español.

Merry Christmas / Feliz Navidad / Mùng Chúa Giáng-Sinh

8:30am 6:15pm

Unto Us A Child Is Born

Vigil, December 24th

4:15* & 9:00 pm

December 25th

8:30 & 10:00 am

* Children’s & Family Mass For more information: Call: 415-285-5272 · E-mail: info@stteresasf.org · www.stteresasf.org

CL6

Catholic San Francisco

December 16, 2011

Comfort and joy

(PHOTO COURTESY OUR LADY OF MT CARMEL SCHOOL)

Thank you to the parishes and schools of the archdiocese for sending photos of Advent and Christmastime activities. Those not included here can be viewed online at catholic-sf.org. All of us at Catholic San Francisco wish all of you a peaceful and joyous Christmas and a Happy New Year. Our next issue is Jan. 13.

The Who’s of Whoville took the stage at St. Thomas the Apostle School for a Kidstock production “Whoville Christmas” as all the San Francisco parish school children sang, danced and acted their way through the Dec. 10 musical inspired by Dr. Seuss.

S T . M ONICA P ARISH Geary Boulevard at 23rd Ave, San Francisco (415) 751-5275

(PHOTOS BY HEATHER CENZER)

Santa listens intently to Our Lady of Mount Carmel kindergartener Mariana at the Dec. 4 Breakfast with Santa at the Redwood City parish. In addition to breakfast served by seventh and eighth graders, children wrote a special letter to Santa. For every letter brought to Macy’s for delivery to the North Pole, $1 was donated to Make a Wish for ill children.

This year $248 was donated.

A Gingerbread Workshop Dec. 4 at San Francisco’s Convent of the Sacred Heart and Stuart Hall schools hosted dozens of young artists and yielded 300 decorated candy abodes.

CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE 2011

Mercy High School, San Francisco seniors, Shannon Devlin, left, and Jocelyn Ibarra raised hundreds of dollars for Christmas packs for soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The National Shrine of Saint Francis of Assisi

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17

Confessions: 4:00 – 4:45 p.m. ✩ Mass: 5:00 pm

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18 Masses: 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. (Cantonese) 10:30 a.m.

CHRISTMAS EVE SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24 No Confessions 5:00 p.m. Family Christmas Eve Mass with Children’s Choir and Nativity Play 11:30 p.m. Joyful music of the season with Saint Monica’s Choir 12:00 a.m. Solemn Midnight Mass Messe de Noel by Albert Alain

The Heart of San Francisco Columbus and Vallejo

CHRISTMAS LITURGIES

Dec. 23: Live Nativity 4:30-8:30 p.m.

Christmas Eve: 9 p.m. Mass Christmas Day: 10 a.m. Mass

CHRISTMAS DAY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25

11:00 p.m. Mass of the Solemnity of Mary

Masses: 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. (Cantonese) 10:30 a.m. with Choir No evening Mass

Midnight Blessing of the City of San Francisco With the Relic of St. Francis of Assisi

NEW YEAR’S EVE SATURDAY, DECEMBER

31 Confessions: 4:00 - 4:45 p.m.

Mass: 5:00 p.m.

610 Vallejo Street, San Francisco 415.986.4557

NEW YEAR’S DAY SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 2012

info@shrinesf.org • www.shrinesf.org

Masses: 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. (Cantonese)10:30 a.m.

ST. DOMINIC’S CATHOLIC CHURCH

FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY SUNDAY, JANUARY 8, 2012

“A Baroque Christmas” Concert St. Dominic’s Solemn Mass Choir with Festival Orchestra Monday, December 19, 7:30 p.m., Church Nave Confessions Wednesday, December 21 12:00 Noon - 1:00 p.m. & 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Church Nave

Masses: 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. (Cantonese) 10:30 a.m. with Choir Evening Prayer and Benediction at 4:00 p.m.

Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church 1721 Hillside Drive, Burlingame Capuchin Franciscans 650-347-7768

2011 Christmas Schedule Confessions December 15-23, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, December 24, 10:00-12 Noon Christmas Eve 4:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m. (Children’s Mass) and 10 p.m.

(No Midnight Mass) Christmas Day 8:00, 10:00 and 12 noon New Year’s Day Masses 5:00 p.m. Vigil Mass 7:00, 8:30, 100:00, 11:30 am and 6:00 p.m.

The Capuchin Franciscans & Parish Staff wish our Parishioners and Friends Peace, Love and Hope for Christmas and the New Year

St. John of God Church

CHRISTMAS 2011

1290 5th Ave. San Francisco

Christmas Eve Saturday, December 24 Advent Masses: 6:30 a.m. & 8:00 a.m.

Christmas Schedule

Christmas Eve Vigil Masses: 4:00 p.m. (Mass especially suited for Families with Toddlers) 6:00 p.m. (Mass especially suited for Families with Children) 11:15 p.m. Carol service followed by Mass at Midnight (Solemn Mass with Choral Music), No confessions today

Vigil of Christmas Saturday, December 24 4:15PM: Christmas Eve Family Mass with pageant by the children of the parish 10:00PM: Carols followed by Christmas Eve Mass at 10:30PM The Nativity of The Lord Sunday, December 25 Masses at 9:30AM and 11:30AM Christmas Blessings!

Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25 Masses at 7:30 a.m. (Quiet Mass with Carols), 9:30 a.m. (Parish Mass with Carols), 11:30 a.m.

(No confessions today and no Masses at 5:30 p.m. or 9:00 p.m.)

(Solemn Mass with Choral Music), 1:30 p.m. (en español)

On Steiner at Bush St. parking available; (415) 567-7824; www.stdominics.org

Solemnity of Mary, Holy Mother of God, Sunday, January 1, 2012 (A Holy Day of Obligation) our normal Sunday schedule with Masses at 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

Solemnity of the Epiphany, Sunday, January 8, 2012 Our normal Sunday schedule with Masses at 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

This marks the end of the Christmas Season

December 16, 2011

Catholic San Francisco

CL7

Marin Catholic teachers and staff knit scarves for the St. Anthony Foundation this Advent. St. Anthony’s in San Francisco donates hand-knitted scarves to its clients during the Christmas season.

Students at St. Pius School collected toys for children of the St. Francis Center during Advent. Pictured, from left, are Sean Clark, Clare McCarthy, Sofia Surraco, Alison Lazaruk, Stefan Buhr.

(PHOTO COURTESY MARIN CATHOLIC)

Comfort and joy

Helping other children who are homeless. St. Anne of the Sunset School sponsored 14 children from homeless families living at St. Joseph Family Center this Christmas. The students collected more than $1,000 to buy toys and clothing for gift-wrapped presents. Pictured from left are Nicole Pon, Treavor Chee, Kelly Shen, Kiana Cisneroz.

C HRISTMAS L ITURGIES ST. BARTHOLOMEW PARISH COMMUNITY

LET GRATEFUL HEARTS NOW SING, A SONG OF JOY AND HOLY PRAISE TO CHRIST, THE NEWBORN KING.

Corner of Alameda & Crystal Springs Rd. San Mateo, CA 94402 (650) 347-0701 stbarts@barts.org

Welcome to the celebration of our faith at

St. Thomas Apostle Catholic Church 3835 Balboa Street San Francisco, CA 94121 415-387-5545

CHRISTMAS LITURGIES

Sacrament of Reconciliation, December 19th at 7 pm

Christmas Eve, December 24th Children’s Mass 4:00 & 6:00 pm Caroling at 11:15 pm followed by Midnight Mass 12:00 am

Christmas Eve, December 24 4:00 p.m. Children's Mass 8:30 p.m.

Carols 9:00 p.m. Midnight Mass

Christmas Day December 25th 8:00, 9:30 & 11:15 am no evening mass.

Christmas Day, December 25

New Year's Eve, December 31st 5:00 pm New Year's Day, January 1st 8:00, 9:30, 11:15 am & 5:30 pm

St. Thomas More Church 1300 Junipero Serra Blvd.

at Brotherhood & Thomas More Ways

San Francisco (415) 452-9634

Christmas Schedule 2011 December 21, Wednesday: Confessions at 6:30 PM (& during the Novena) December 15-24: International Christmas Novena (Simbang Gabi), 7:00 PM December 16, Friday: Third Friday: Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament after the Novena December 17, Saturday: Annual Christmas Party, Carroll Hall, $40/ticket December 18, Sunday: Annual Cable Car Caroling, 1:30 PM (Distribution of Holy Communion to the homebound and singing X’mas carols) Saturday, December 24th: Vigil Masses 8:30 AM: usual Saturday daily Mass 6:00 PM: Children’s Mass with Christmas Play 9:00 PM: Arabic-English Mass with sweets, Santa in Carroll Hall after 12:00 AM Midnight: Mass with Christmas Carols Sunday, December 25th: Christmas Day 8:00 AM: Brazilian Mass 10:00 AM: English Mass NO 11:45 ARABIC MASS 2:00 PM: Burmese Mass 8:00 PM: English Mass Friday, December 30: Holy Family of Jesus, Mass at 8:30 AM (Consecration to Jesus, Mary & Joseph of each family) Sunday, January 1: Mary Mother of God, regular Sunday schedule Sunday, January 8: Epiphany of the Lord, regular Sunday schedule Saturday, December 31: New Year’s Eve Family style dinner with Chef Juan, 8 PM to 1 AM

8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Masses

Saint Veronica Church

Mater Dolorosa

CHRISTMAS LITURGY SCHEDULE 2011

Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass & Pageant

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 14, 2011

Deanery Advent Penance Service at St. Veronicas Church Wednesday, December 14th, 7:00 p.m.

Individual Confessions at Mater Dolorosa Saturdays 4:15 • 4:45 p.m.

434 Alida Way South San Francisco, CA 94080 (650) 588-1455 Fax: 650-1481 www.stveronicassf.com

Advent Penaance Service (Deanery-level) 7:00 p.m.

St. Veronica Church

DEC.15-23, 2011 SIMBANG GABI ADVENT MASSES All Masses at 6:30 p.m. except Dec.17th at 5:00 p.m.

SATURDAY, DEC. 17, 2011 CONFESSIONS 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

SATURDAY, DEC. 24, 2011 CHRISTMAS EVE 4:00 p.m. (Children’s Mass) & 9:00 p.m.

8:15 p.m. – Christmas Cantata

SUNDAY, DEC. 25, 2011 CHRISTMAS DAY 6:45, 8:00, 9:30, 11:00 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, DEC. 31, 2011 Vigil Mass – 5:00 p.m.

SUNDAY, JAN. 1, 2012 6:45, 8:00, 9:30, 11:00 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.

307 Willow Avenue, South San Francisco, CA 94080

Tuesday, December 13th, 7:00 p.m.

Confessions

Simbang Gabi Masses Thursday, December 15th through Friday, December 23rd at 7:00 p.m.

(Except December 17th, Mass at 5:00 p.m.)

December 17th - Pictures with Santa December 23rd - Pot Luck Dinner

Christmas Masses Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24th 5:00 p.m. (Children's Mass &Pageant) 9:15 p.m. Christmas Caroling (Hallelujah Chorale) 10:00 p.m. (Midnight Mass) Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25th 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12 noon

New Year's Eve, Saturday. December 31th Vigil Mass at 5:00 p.m.

10:00 p.m. (Midnight Mass)

New Year's Day, Sunday, January 1st 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. & 12:00 p.m.

CL8

Catholic San Francisco

December 16, 2011

Comfort and joy

“O come all ye faithful’ … Caroling and Scripture were presented in a Service of Lessons and Carols at St. Stephen Church Dec. 6 and 8 by St. Ignatius College Preparatory students. The format, which dates to 19th-century England, included six Scripture readings.

A tree! Nativity School in Menlo Park sells Christmas trees to help fund the school’s programs and pay for scholarships. Nativity student Grace Bell is pictured helping at the tree sale.

Giving the gift of reading at St. Gabriel School, third graders continued a tradition begun by now retired teacher Barbara Cecchin and still teaching Diane Jones and collected books for the Children’s Book Project. The students were on pace to collect more than 3,000 books.

C HRISTMAS L ITURGIES St. Philip the Apostle Church

725 Diamond Street @ 24th Street 415-282-0141

CHRISTMAS SERVICES 2011 Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24 Vigil of Christmas Children’s / Family Mass: 5:00 p.m.

Christmas Carols: 9:30 p.m.

Evening Mass: 10:00 p.m.

Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25 Mass of the Lord’s Nativity Mass: 9:30 a.m.

January 1, 2012, Sunday Mary Mother of God Saturday Vigil 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, 9:30 a.m.

Traditional Christmas Music at all Masses Join us, for the Nativity Celebration of our Lord…

Come Home for Christmas, in the heart of Noe Valley!

St. Bruno’s Church (650) 588-2121 555 W. San Bruno Avenue, San Bruno, CA 94066

2011 CHRISTMAS WEEK SCHEDULE December 21 & 22, Wednesday & Thursday: 5 AM

Misa de Gallo

December 23, Friday: 5 AM 7 PM

Misa de Gallo “Search for and Inn”: A street drama

December 24, Saturday: 7 PM 9 PM 10 PM NB

Vigil Mass (Spanish) Christmas Carols Midnight Mass (Multi-lingual) Confessions: 5 PM–6PM

December 25, Sunday, Christmas Day: 8 10 12 6

AM AM NN PM

English Mass Spanish Mass English Mass English Mass

Our Lady of Mercy Parish

5 Elmwood Drive, Daly City Between South Mayfair and South Avenues with plenty of free parking!

✚✚✚ Wednesday, December 14: 7:30 p.m. Parish Penance Service ✰ Thursday, Dec. 15 to Friday, Dec. 23: 7:00 – 7:30 p.m. ~ Nightly Confession 7:30 p.m. Simbang Gabi Masses (except for Saturday at 5:30), followed by a Reception downstairs in our Church Hall. ✰ Saturday, December 24: 4:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass with Children’s Christmas Pageant and Choir.

5:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass 11:30 p.m. Christmas Caroling with Parish Choir 12:00 a.m. Midnight Mass with our Choir ✰ Saturday, December 25: Christmas Day Masses at 7:30 a.m.

9 a.m.

10:30 a.m. with our Children’s Choir, 12:00 p.m. with our Choir.

Saint Agnes Church Saint Agnes Church Saint Agnes Church Saint Agnes Church A Welcoming Parish Saint Agnes A Welcoming Parish Saint Agnes Church Church A Welcoming Parish A Welcoming Parish A Welcoming A Welcoming Parish Parish

Sacrament of Reconciliation Thursday, December 15 9am to 11am & 5pm to 7pm If you have been thinking about going to Confession, this may be the day for you. All are welcome.

Christmas Eve Saturday December 24 Liturgies of the Nativity of the Lord 5:00 pm Children’s Liturgy with Children’s Choir & Woodwinds 10:00 pm Christmas Vigil with Choir, Woodwinds, Brass & Timpani

Christmas Day Sunday, December 25 Liturgy of the Nativity of the Lord 8:30 am & 10:30 am with Choir, Woodwinds, Brass and Timpani There is 6:00 pm Liturgy

New Year’s Day Sunday, January 1, 2012

Midnight Mass (c/o Our Lady’s Prayer Group)

January 1, Saturday, New Year’s Day: Regular Sunday schedule MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR

39th Avenue and Lawton Street San Francisco, CA

2011 Christmas Schedule CHRISTMAS EVE MASSES Saturday, December 24 5:00 PM (Family/Children’s Mass) 7:00 PM (Vietnamese Mass) 11:30 PM Christmas Carols (Holy Name Choral Ministry) 12:00 Midnight Concelebrated Mass Most Reverend Ignatius C. Wang, Main Celebrant Rev. Arnold E. Zamora, Homilist Rev. Nicasio Paloso CHRISTMAS DAY MASSES Sunday, December 25 7:30 AM 9:30 AM 11:30 AM NEW YEAR’S MASSES Saturday, December 31, 2011 5:00 PM Sunday, January 1, 2012 7:30 AM 9:30 AM 11:30 AM 3:15 PM (Vietnamese Mass) May you have the giŌ of faith, the blessing of hope, and the peace of His love this Christmas and always.

Saint Emydius Church 286 Ashton Avenue San Francisco, CA 94112 (415) 587-7066 Fax (415) 587-6690

Advent / Christmas / Epiphany Seasons Parish Celebrations 2010 – 2011 Sunday, December 18 Fourth Sunday of Advent – 8:30 am, 10:30 am Saturday, December 24 Christmas Vigil Mass – 8:00 pm Sunday, December 25 Christmas Midnight Mass – 12:00 midnight Christmas Morning Mass – 10:00 am No 4:00 pm Vigil Mass for Sunday Friday, December 30 Feast of the Holy Family – 8:00 am

Liturgies at 8:30 am & 10:30am There is 6:00 pm Liturgy

Sunday, January 1, 2012 Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God 8:30 am, 10:30 am

1025 Masonic Avenue, San Francisco (415) 487- 8560 www.saintagnessf.com

Saturday, January 7, 2012 Anointing of the Sick Mass – 10:00 am

December 31, Saturday: 11:15 PM

HOLY NAME OF JESUS PARISH

Parking is available in our 1637 Oak Street Lots.

Inclusive + Diverse + Jesuit

Sunday, January 8, 2012 Solemnity of the Epiphany – 8:30 am, 10:30 am

Catholic San Francisco

December 16, 2011

11

Archbishop’s Journal The following is Archbishop George Niederauer’s hom- Isaiah says shines on the people in darkness is the light of ily for Midnight Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral Christmas faith. The darkness of unbelief leads us to stumble along morning 2011. blindly, wholly lost and wholly consumed with ourselves.

The birth of Jesus Christ over 2,000 years ago is still The land of gloom Isaiah speaks of is all too familiar to news. This birthday is “in the news” each December, because us: a land obsessed with grabbing and having, worshipping of the music, the decorations, the gift giving, the celebra- success and ignoring misery, bitterly divided between haves tions, the commercialism and even the church services sur- and have-nots, distrustful of strangers and betraying loved rounding Christmas day. For the Christian ones and friends and tolerating violence as believer of course, the birth of Jesus is the long as it happens across town or across Good News of salvation. a bridge.

Jesus showed For us Catholics, what news headline Into this sad spiritual country at would best capture the news of the birth of Christmas comes Jesus, the prince of his deepest Jesus Christ? “Savior born for all nations” peace, the just and eternal judge, born as certainly expresses our faith in the meanan infant, born as Paul says, to redeem us, compassion ing of Jesus. “Messiah born in Bethlehem” to be “our blessed hope.” How does Jesus connects this birth with the Old Testament give us this hope? By giving us something tradition that prepared its way. No brief to believe in? No. He does it by giving us toward a kind caption says it all, but let me suggest one someone to believe in – himself. Jesus headline that tells an important truth about Christ becomes our truth. Instead of makof homelessness the birth of Jesus Christ, a truth that easily ing up and changing our own truth from gets lost in weeks of buying and spending. time to time, instead of borrowing truth that is different The headline? “Homeless family found for a while from someone who writes a in shed.” bestseller or talks well on TV, instead of from having no I am not trying to hijack the birth denying desperately that there is any such of Christ for political or economic comthing as truth, we believers have Jesus the roof over your mentary, nor am I trying to trivialize this Lord as our Way, our truth and our life. Our mystery of divine love. However, our late minds and hearts do not have to wander Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, on one homeless – we have a home in the heart heads – the occasion prayed in these words: “That the of Christ, who calls us together as a family Spirit of Christ, who was poor and humble, of faith, in his church. homelessness may bring about in the church more effecThe Son of God emptied himself and tive solidarity with the distressed and took on human homelessness so that all of unbelief. underprivileged.” of us could come home from the exile of The fact that Jesus lived in poverty sin to the welcoming arms of the prodigal was not an accident it was a part of God’s Father. Through our Catholic faith Jesus plan. Jesus was born in a borrowed stable and buried in a Christ relieves our hunger and thirst with his body and borrowed tomb. While she was pregnant Mary visited her blood in Eucharist; he covers our spiritual nakedness with cousin Elizabeth and prayed the Magnificat, in which she the garments of faith and truth and wisdom; Jesus visits and praised God who “has lifted up the lowly” and “filled the frees and forgives us when we are imprisoned or sick in our hungry with good things.” In St. Matthew’s Gospel we are sins; he makes brothers and sisters out of strangers in the told that very quickly the homeless holy family became community of the church. We are the spiritually homeless immigrants in Egypt. Later on, much of the teaching of people and the roof Jesus puts over our heads is his Catholic Jesus sprang from his love for the poor and his own experi- Church, welcoming all. ence of poverty. He pointed out the generosity of the poor After this homily, when we stand up to profess our widow; he told parables about people headed toward debtors faith, we will not declare that our deepest faith is in the prison; he bothered with penniless beggars, when few others president, or the Congress, or the state legislature, or the did. When Jesus described the final divine judgment of all stock exchange, or the cost-of-living index, or the armed women and men, it was in terms of whether or not they had forces or Social Security. Instead, we will proclaim that our fed the hungry, given drink to the thirsty, clothed the naked, deepest faith is in the Father who created us, in the Son, sheltered the homeless, welcomed the stranger and visited born at Bethlehem and crucified and risen at Jerusalem, who prisoners and the sick. In these difficult economic times, redeemed us, and in the Holy Spirit, who fills us with the with millions of hungry, homeless and jobless people, this life of the Father and Son and unites us as a living church. teaching resonates all the more loudly.

In the Catholic Church we are called to become those But Jesus showed his deepest compassion toward a kind people Paul describes in the second reading, the people of homelessness that is different from having no roof over Jesus cleanses for his own, eager to do what is right. We are your heads. It is the homelessness of unbelief. The light that invited to become the people for whom the light shone, and

Catholic san Francisco Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper

Let Jesus into our hearts Christmas is a time for giving and taking, for promoting a better understanding and stronger ties between all members of the family. It is an occasion to spread the message of peace and happiness to all.

Christmas is the time to think of the poor, sick and old. It is the feast of the family: Jesus of Nazareth was born in a family. It is a feast for all, rich and poor.

Let us celebrate the birth of Jesus by giving Jesus a place in our hearts – by forgiving our enemies, breaking the walls of division, enmity, hatred, jealousy and

Letters welcome Catholic San Francisco One Peter Yorke Way San Francisco, CA 94109 Fax: (415) 614-5641 delvecchior@sfarchdiocese.org, include “Letters” in the subject line.

building bridges of love and friendship to all.

Lenny Barretto Daly City

Show animals kindness How heartwarming to note the many churches including ours, Star of the Sea, holding “Blessing of the Animals” ceremonies on the feast of St. Francisco of Assisi (Oct. 4). Since God created the magnificent animal kingdom and gave all within it a pure and beautiful innocence, he expects us to be their perfect guardians, to treat them with compassion as each and every one wants to live and be happy as much as any human. Since religion is all about morals and morals involve doing what’s right, we have a special responsibility to treat those so at our mercy with kindness and never harm them. The great Gandhi said it best in that a nation and its moral progress can be judged by how it treats its animals. The human record,

(CNS PHOTO/NANCY PHELAN WIECHEC)

‘Homeless family found in shed’

The adoration of the Magi is depicted in a painting in the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.

The Christmas season begins with the Dec. 24 evening vigil commemorating the birth of Christ and ends with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord Jan. 9.

the angels sang on that blessed night, “Glory to God in high heaven, peace on earth to those on whom his favor rests.”

What does that mean in practice for our daily lives?

Remember, Jesus who was born in a stable is concerned with all human suffering, physical as well as spiritual. Jesus was not a social activist but a savior from sin, a giver of grace and eternal life, as well as the supreme expression of God’s love for us. However, as Lord he did teach that we cannot receive or return God’s love, unless we share it daily and concretely with one another, especially with those most in need of our loving. We cannot honor his birth if we cosmeticize the stable and observe his birthday with just a spending spree. The carols, the lights and the beautifully carved figures in the creche honor Christ only if they lead us to imitate his generous love for the most needy among us. Jesus became poor to make us rich in God’s life, now and forever. We complete the circle of that love when we share what we have with our neighbors in need.

May God bless all of you and your families in this Christmas season, and give you joy and closeness to him in the New Year. May your celebrations and your quiet times be filled with a sense of the presence of the Infant of Bethlehem. Because of our gratitude and our generosity, may the Good News among us continue to be “Homeless family found in shed.”

however, including hunting, fishing, trapping, rodeos and circuses, consumption of animals, and using animals in scientific research is reprehensible. The future will be filled with peace and love when we start doing simple acts of kindness to the humble creatures as well as to ourselves.

Patricia and Sharon Briggs San Francisco

Tax claim without merit

St. Brigid recollection

L E T T E R S

Congratulations to the archdiocese on being victorious in the legal battle of the transfer tax with the city of San Francisco (“Archdiocese wins transfer tax case after 3-year fight,” Dec. 2).

The whole concept of the assessor’s case seems to have been without merit.

This case does beg the question as to why the archdiocese went about this reorganization in the first place. How are we as stewards of our church being better served by this change in status of the various legal entities that constitute our archdiocese?

It might even be useful for us to know what these entities are and what purpose they serve.

Brian A. Kelly Pacifica

I was indeed saddened by Father John K. Ring’s letter (Oct. 7, “St. Brigid book is questionable history”). I understand why he found much to dislike in the book “Grace of Everyday Saints” and well he should, since it lays bare the diocese’s shabby treatment of St. Brigid Parish. His pieties about the need for “a vibrant church” and the “loving church of Jesus” are an insult to our intelligence.

After closing all those churches and causing so much pain to thousands of parishioners, can we truly say that the San Francisco church is more vibrant? Catholic schools continue to close and other parishes might soon be closed. Talk to the parishioners of the closed churches and see if they think the church was “loving “ in its actions.

Bruno Morelli San Francisco

Light in the darkness First and foremost as an inmate at San Quentin State Prison, I would like to show my gratitude to the Catholic Church and Jesuit Father George Williams for being there when we need it most. Feelings of depression and despair are quite common in LETTERS, page 12

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Catholic San Francisco

December 16, 2011

Making a Difference

Healing a sick economy Twenty-five years ago, 33 million Americans – including one out of every four children – were poor. About 7 percent of workers were unemployed. And approximately 28 percent of the nation’s wealth was held by the richest 2 percent of the population.

In response to those economic ills, the U.S. bishops unveiled one of the most insightful, challenging and controversial documents ever written by the leaders of the Catholic Church in the United States.

Their pastoral letter, “Economic Justice for All: Catholic Social Teaching and the U.S. Economy,” prescribed justice for a sick economy.

Unfortunately, the federal government and the corporate world largely refused to take its medicine. And consequently, the patient – the economy – is now in serious condition.

With more than 46 million Americans (including 16 million children) poor, 9 percent of workers unemployed, 50 million citizens and residents medically uninsured, and 40 percent of the nation’s wealth controlled by the richest 1 percent of the population, the medicine of the bishops’ exhortation is needed more now than ever.

Its very first paragraph sets the challenging tone for the whole document. The bishops proclaim that “every perspective on economic life that is human, moral and Christian must be shaped by three questions: What does the economy do for people? What does it do to people? And how do people participate in it?”

For the rich – especially the top 1 percent – the economy is working better than ever. But for those who own only 2 percent of the country’s wealth – the bottom 50 percent – the economy is doing precious little for them.

The bottom half of the U.S. population is struggling to put food on the table, to hold onto their jobs, save their houses, acquire health care and remain one step ahead of poverty. But, sadly, millions have already lost the struggle.

And yet, Congress is in the process of cutting huge holes in the nation’s safety net. Everything from the supplemental food program for Women, Infants and Children to Medicare to poverty-focused international assistance is on the chopping block.

And adding insult to injury, huge tax cuts for the rich continue to remain in place. And many of the richest corporations, such as General Electric and Wells Fargo, reportedly continue to pay no taxes – three years running.

And it gets worse.

According to the Institute for Global Labor and Human Rights, corporations are in a race to the bottom. Many wealthy U.S. companies such as Wal-Mart, Target and Macy’s outsource their work to sweatshops in poor countries such as Bangladesh and El Salvador, where oppressed workers labor very long hours in harsh conditions for pennies an hour.

There is something very morally wrong with this economic picture. And the bishops’ pastoral letter has a lot to say about it.

The bishops insist that “the common good Tony Magliano demands justice for all, the protection of the human rights of all.”

The bishops quote Blessed John Paul II, who proclaimed: “The needs of the poor take priority over the desires of the rich; the rights of workers over the maximization of profits; the preservation of the environment over uncontrolled industrial expansion; production to meet social needs over production for military purposes.”

“The time has come,” write the bishops, “for a new American experiment – to implement economic rights, to broaden the sharing of economic power and to make economic decisions more accountable to the common good.”

Although it’s 25 years late, a new morally based economic American experiment is needed more than ever.

Tony Magliano writes a column on social justice for Catholic News Service.

Guest Commentary

Conscience protections in jeopardy In May 2009, President Obama gave the commencement address at Notre Dame University and received an honorary degree. That Notre Dame would confer an honorary degree on an elected official who advances abortion rights in contradiction to Catholic teaching caused no small controversy among many Catholics throughout the United States.

Those who supported Notre Dame felt vindicated, however, when in his speech the president promised to “honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion,” stating that his administration would provide “sensible” protections for those who wanted no involvement in the procedure. This would presumably include health care providers, social service providers, and consumers who might otherwise have to pay through their health care plans for other people’s abortions. President Obama later reiterated this position to Catholic newspaper editors, stating that he would make such protections “robust.”

Fast forward to late 2011, and the record shows that the president’s promises are not being kept. In fact, it seems that pro-life Catholics such as Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak and Catholic Health Association’s Sister Carol Keenan – who trusted the administration’s position that abortion was not part of the health care bill – along with Notre Dame’s leadership have been played by the president.

In truth, his administration is running roughshod over conscience protection provisions long part of the law of our land that find their justification in the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of religion, a foundational human right. It is one thing for an administration to support and promote an agenda; it is quite another to force those who disagree with it to violate their moral and religious principles.

Letters . . .

■ Continued from page 11 this place. Months of lockdown followed by loneliness. But even in this dark setting there is always one place we can find a smiling face and words of encouragement, a place that shows light at the end of the tunnel. That place is Catholic services every Sunday at the Catholic chapel with live music from inmate musicians. No matter what race we are, for that short period of time we are able to look to the word for guidance, a place of peace in a sometimes chaotic environment. This is a valuable tool to find for ourselves. I personally don’t know what I’d do without Sunday services here in San Quentin. Thank you so much to everybody who makes that happen.

The long line of evidence is disturbing. As a first step, the administration reversed earlier regulations enforcing federal conscience laws, stating instead that it would pursue the same goals by educational outreach on rights of conscience. In the final health care bill passed in March 2010, traditional protections for conscience rights were omitted; instead a provision was included that would subjugate conscience rights to federal and state “emergency” service laws.

In other words, any abortion declared an “emergency” (broadly defined) by a government requires a health care provider’s full cooperation, regardless of his or her views on the matter.

Moreover, the Department of Health and Human Services has issued a rule which will require almost all health plans to include coverage for sterilization and contraception – including abortifacient drugs. This will force almost all employers – including Catholic organizations – to pay for such procedures, regardless of any moral objections. HHS seemingly wants to regard fertility as a disease – and elective abortion subsidized by the taxpayer as health care.

The most recent frontal assault on conscience rights has come in the form of federal contracts and grant announcements, which have begun to require grantees to help provide all legally permissible family planning and obstetric/gynecological services, regardless of the provider. A large number of grants under the State Department’s AIDS program, for example, now require “integration” with family planning and “reproductive health” services, ignoring the conscience clause of the program’s authorizing statute passed by Congress.

When the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops recently said it could not meet a similar requirement inserted into an HHS grant announcement for services

I give permission to reprint this letter in the paper.

Kelly Keating San Quentin State Prison

Story united generations I thank Catholic San Francisco for the wonderful account of St. Monica’s centenary in the Oct. 14 issue. Thanks to George Raine, who wrote the story. Many friends read it and it reunites three generations.

I want everyone to pray “urgently” – as St. Monica pastor, Father John Greene, says – that Americans will treasure and use their right to pray publicly. Protect this right now.

Olivia Fisher San Francisco

to human trafficking victims, and pointed out that the requirement violates existing federal conscience laws, its funding was discontinued – hurting victims of human trafficking Archbishop since few if any other entities have the track Thomas Wenski record and nationwide capacity to serve them.

Catholic social and health care providers – the largest private network in the nation – are at risk of being left out of all federal programs, despite their well earned reputation for providing superlative service to the American public. In effect, the Obama administration is telling these Catholic providers to surrender their conscience rights and their Catholic ethos or shut their doors.

Regardless of one’s position on the morality of abortion, we – and elected officials on both sides of the aisle – should be concerned with these developments.

If religious and conscience rights of some Americans can be violated by the state, everyone else’s rights are also in jeopardy.

This is unacceptable – for it undermines our nation’s promise of “freedom and justice for all.” The president should honor his pledges to U.S. Catholics – and other Americans – and instruct his agencies to reverse course and protect conscience rights.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski is archbishop of Miami. This commentary was published on the archdiocese’s website Nov. 29.

Changes deepen Mass Father John Catoir in his “Coping with liturgical change” (Dec. 2) told those who had complaints on recent changes in Mass texts to try to calm down. He suggested a few things to keep in mind: The church is not a democracy and if a person wants that they might just have to start a church of their own. People annoyed by the changes should blame Pope Benedict XVI. Father Catoir’s intentions were no doubt good but I believe they are overreactions to the issues.

“Start your own religion” is a “take it or leave it” proposition. To invite people to blame the pope implies a wrong has been committed and someone must answer for it. This kind of impatience can only impede

the good expected from the changes to be attained.

The changes in the texts are efforts to bring the Mass to its deepest, most profound form. Take the word consubstantial, now part of the Creed. It is the word chosen by the Council of Nicaea to express the nature of Jesus in relation to God the Father.

This and other updates or closer translations help the faithful in gaining a deeper feeling as they join in the celebration of Mass.

If there is an ongoing need to explain the reason for the changes it should be a patient process. The changes in the liturgy are efforts to bring us closer to the mystery of the Mass. As Paul said, “Bear with one another.”

Luis P. Magarro San Francisco

December 16, 2011 A READING FROM THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL 2 SM 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14A, 16 When King David was settled in his palace, and the Lord had given him rest from his enemies on every side, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God dwells in a tent!” Nathan answered the king, “Go, do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.”But that night the Lord spoke to Nathan and said: “Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Should you build me a house to dwell in?’ “’It was I who took you from the pasture and from the care of the flock to be commander of my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you went, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth. I will fix a place for my people Israel; I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place without further disturbance. Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old, since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. The Lord also reveals to you that he will establish a house for you. And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.”

When we hear the story of the Annunciation, how many of us think of the end times?

This “end,” however, is not to be understood simply as the “end of the world” and the consummation of history, although some Christians might interpret it that way.

Catholics, while still awaiting Christ’s return in glory, also understand the “end time” in two ways. First, it is a transition; the end of one thing and the beginning of another. Second, “end” is understood as purpose; a reason for something – “education is an end unto itself.”

Regarding the Annunciation, we must remember that Mary’s is not the only one found in the Gospel. Matthew tells of an angelic annunciation to Joseph, received in a dream. Luke tells of an annunciation to shepherds, given by an angel the night of Jesus’ birth. The women receive an annunciation of Christ’s resurrection that first Easter morning when they find the empty tomb. In all three of these examples, however, the angel is not identified.

The annunciations to Zechariah and Mary (told in that order) contain one important detail that carries with it important end time expectations – the angel is named. To Zechariah, the angel begins unidentified, but when Zechariah expresses his doubt, the angel dramatically declares – “I am Gabriel!” (Luke 1:19). That same Gabriel then proceeds to

Fourth Sunday of Advent 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38 RESPONSORIAL PSALM PS 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29 Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

The promises of the Lord I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness. For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”; in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations.”

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father, my God, the Rock, my savior.’

Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him, and my covenant with him stands firm.”

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

A READING FROM THE LETTER OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS ROM 16:25-27 Brothers and sisters: To him who can strengthen you, according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages but now manifested through the prophetic writings and, according to the command of the eternal God, made known to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith, to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ be glory forever and ever. Amen

Scripture reflection FATHER WILLIAM NICHOLAS

The angel of the end times Nazareth, six months later, to announce the impending birth of Jesus to Mary.

This dramatic identification would have had strong historical and end time implications to any Jewish Christians who first heard this story as Luke told it.

The archangel Gabriel is found in only one other book of the Bible, the Book of Daniel (8:16-17; 9:21-27), written during the middle of the second century B.C. By that time, the Jewish people had endured 70 years of exile in Babylon (587 B.C.), from which they returned under Persian rule (539 B.C.). For the next 200 years the Jews lived

under Persian domination until the conquest of Alexander the Great. After Alexander’s death, when his empire was divided between his generals, the Jews lived under Egyptian rule, and later the Syrian rule of the Seleucid Empire. By mid-second century, the Jews were enduring a brutal persecution at the hands of their Syrian overlords until the Maccabean revolt around 165 B.C..

Daniel, while set in the Babylonian exile, was written during this period to address the issues that sprang from the Syrian-Seleucid persecution. In Chapter 9, Daniel prays to God, asking why his people continue to suf-

Catholic San Francisco

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A READING FROM THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE LK 1:26-38 The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”

And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. fer so terribly under foreign domination. In two of the apocalyptic visions, in answer to Daniel’s prayer, Gabriel appears to announce “the end time” (Daniel 8:17) – the end of persecutions and the beginning of restored Israel.

In the Gospel of Luke, Gabriel reappears to again announce the “end time”; the end of the reign of sin and death, and the beginning of an era of salvation and redemption. The purpose for which God created the world is about to be fulfilled, and Gabriel, as in Daniel, announced to Zechariah and Mary this great transition, this great fulfillment. Therefore, as Christians, we can say that the “end” or purpose of creation is salvation and redemption; announced by Gabriel and fulfilled in Jesus. In short, we have been living in the end times for the last 2,000 years.

We still await Christ’s return in glory.

However, when Jesus returns, when that “end” is fulfilled, I will not look for Michael to come riding in on the clouds, or the earth to open up below, or the stars to fall from the sky. I will be looking for Gabriel, to announce this great transition from this world to the kingdom, this last great fulfillment, just as he did to Daniel, to Zechariah and to our holy Blessed Mother.

Father William Nicholas is parochial vicar at Mission Dolores Parish in San Francisco.

Guest Commentary

God’s greatest gift The present economic crisis can provide us with an opportuWhether we recognize it or not, God’s love touches nity to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, rather than on every human being and the world. Without this divine love the materialistic spirit that often permeates our Western culture. nothing would exist. God’s love is the glue that keeps the Since so many people are unemployed or under employed and world together and gives us hope. many family incomes are shrinking, a lot of Material gifts don’t last forever. Many people will have to limit the type and number things get lost, broken, lose their usefulThis Christmas, ness or we get bored with them. On the of gifts they give. This might be a blessing in disguise. It can provide us a chance to reflect contrary, God’s love for us never fades. It on the true meaning of Christmas. is everlasting. God is always faithful, even let us live our Gift giving is a wonderful tradition but when we are not. God loves us so much that too many of us tend to go overboard and he desires to be with us, morning, noon and intentions. often measure another’s love and care by the night. His care for us is so great that God gifts they give and receive. And some people even became a human being for us. This give gifts out of a feeling of obligation or just because someone is what we celebrate at Christmas. Sure, it is always nice gives them one. Many feel embarrassed if a person gives them to give and receive gifts, but our greatest gift is salvation a gift and they have nothing to give in return. given by Jesus.

Gift giving is meant to be a sign of one’s love, not an God’s gift is love and the way God loves is through us. We obligation. God showed his love by giving us the greatest are his instruments of love. God can’t give a hug, but we can. gift of all – his son, Jesus Christ. I heard it put simply in a During this Christmas season we can give the kinds of gifts Christmas homily: The priest said that Christmas is God’s that don’t require a lot of money and won’t overtax our credit way of showing us how much he loves us. That sums up cards. Let us give of ourselves rather than material things we the message of Christianity. may not be able to afford. We can work on mending or renew-

ing old relationships. Or we can do that charitable act that we often think about but never seem to get around to carrying out. Let us live out our good intentions. Other things we might do are visit or call people we Sister know who are lonely Margie Lavonis and need some comfort.

We might offer to babysit for a young couple who rarely get time alone. These little kindnesses are often appreciated more than another bottle of perfume or shaving lotion.

Gift giving is OK as long as it doesn’t get in the way of the reason for this season. Parents, teach your children the true meaning of Christmas. Let them know that your love for them is not measured by what is under the tree.

Holy Cross Sister Margie Lavonis is a freelance writer from Notre Dame. Ind.

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Catholic San Francisco

December 16, 2011

Spirituality for Life

Praying so as not to lose heart One of the reasons we need to pray is so that we don’t lose heart. We all do sometimes. We lose heart whenever frustration, tiredness, fear, and helplessness in the face of life’s humiliations conspire together to paralyze our energies, deaden our resiliency, drain our courage, and leave us feeling weak in depression.

Poet Jill Alexander Essbaum, gives us a poignant example of this in her poem, Easter. Reflecting on the joy that Easter should bring into our lives, she shares that Easter can instead be a season of defeat for us because its celebration of joy can highlight the shortcomings of our own lives and leave us with the feeling that: Everyone I’ve ever loved lives happily just past my able reach.

And this feeling can drive us to our knees, in bitterness or prayer; hopefully prayer.

There are many examples in Scripture of men and women being driven to mountaintops or to their knees in prayer because they are paralyzed by fear, discouragement, or loneliness. For our purposes, I will highlight two, highly illustrative, examples of this.

We see an example of praying so as not to lose heart in the prophet, Elijah, when he is being threatened because of his prophetic message. Elijah had been a true and a courageous prophet, but at one point in his ministry he became dangerously disconsolate. His own people had ceased listening to his message, he had witnessed some of his fellow prophets being martyred, and his message had deeply upset Jezebel, the most powerful woman in the kingdom, who had now sent out men to kill him. To flee Jezebel, Elijah climbed up Mount Horeb.

However as he retreated into a cave, he was confronted by God’s voice, asking him what he was doing there. Elijah confessed his discouragement, his fear of losing his life, and his loss of heart.

Having confessed his fears, Elijah retreated into the darkness of the cave, to sit paralyzed in his own fear and depression. But God, through the sound of a gentle breeze, lured him out to the mouth of the cave where Elijah again confessed his depression and fear; but this time in the form of a prayer. And, through that prayer, he regained his strength and came down the mountain ready to face his ministry and all its dangers.

We see the same thing in Jesus when, facing his passion and death, he prays in the Garden of Gethsemane. It’s the low point of Jesus’ life and ministry: The people have stopped listening to him, the religious authorities are conspiring with the civil authorities to have him killed, those few, his inner circle of disciples, who are still listening to his message, are not understanding it, and he feels utterly alone, “a stone’s throw away from everyone.” So as not to lose heart, he drops to his knees in prayer, a prayer so intense that he “sweats blood,” but that prayer eventually ends in consolation, with “an angel from heaven coming down to strengthen him.” He brings his beaten-down, misunderstood, fearful, and painfully isolated heart to prayer, and he is strengthened, given all the sustenance he needs to regain his courage.

And, in that, Jesus is contrasted with his apostles. At that very moment, they too are discouraged, lonely, and fearful. But they are asleep while he prays, and their sleep, as the Gospels hint, is something more than physical. They are,

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we are told, “asleep out of sheer sorrow.” In essence, they are too depressed to be awake to the full strength of their own lives.

This loss of heart has them paralyzed in fear and when they finally do act they act in ways contrary to what Father Ron Jesus had taught them.

Rolheiser They attempt violence and then flee. They couldn’t face impending suffering as Jesus did because they didn’t pray as he did. They lost heart.

No matter who we are or how rich and blessed our lives may be, it is impossible to go through life without, at times, feeling bitterly misunderstood, becoming deeply disconsolate, succumbing to a paralyzing tiredness, and simply losing heart.

We are human and, like Jesus, we will have days when we feel “a stone’s throw away from everyone.”

But in moments like this, we might understand ourselves this way: Like Elijah, we are in the darkness of a cave, paralyzed by loss of heart; but God is at the mouth of the cave, a gentle breeze, luring us back out where everyone we love will be back within our reach.

Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser is president of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas.

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December 16, 2011

Catholic San Francisco

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PITTSBURGH (CNS) – She was the youngest of eight children growing up in McKeesport.

Her brother Bill, closest to her in age, invited her to play baseball with the neighborhood kids in a nearby field – and she was hooked.

Ironic how her last name – Diamond – would be associated with the baseball “diamond” for most of her formative years.

Now 80, Mercy Sister Mary Bride Diamond recounted her years as a ballplayer – one good enough to go professional.

During an interview in the convent parlor, she explained that her ball-playing skills developed on sandlot fields. When an eightteam girls’ fast pitch softball league started in McKeesport, she was natural at catcher. A coach selected young Mary Bride and other star players from those teams to form one to play girls’ softball squads in the Pittsburgh area. In high school, she was chosen for a traveling team to play across Pennsylvania.

“I could play outfield, infield – everything but pitch,” she said proudly. She recalled a game in which a “big-game” batter from an opposing team hit a potentially game-winning line drive to her when she played shortstop. She made a diving catch.

Her career batting average was around .290, she said, but sometimes her average was over .300. And she hit a “lot of” home runs, one of which won a game.

“I had a lot of key hits,” she recalled. As a catcher, she stood her ground when runners tried to cross the plate as fielders threw her the ball.

“They never got past me. I blocked the plate well,” she said.

She played through injuries – being occasionally spiked in the legs, hit with a ball in the facemask several times as she squatted behind the plate, and once hit by a bat.

During World War II, Philip Wrigley, owner of Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs, formed the All-American Girls Professional

Spectacular Spectacular

Baseball League. With many men fighting overseas, Wrigley thought an all girls’ baseball league would be an attraction. In the late 1940s, league teams, the Chicago Colleens and Springfield Sallies, visited New Castle, Pa., for area tryouts.

One of Mary Bride’s coaches suggested she should demonstrate her skills. Out of 125 girls who showed their skills on the field that day, only three were chosen to go professional. Mary Bride was one.

“I was excited to say the least,” she said. She explained that the teams would travel to major U.S. cities, stay in the best hotels, be chaperoned and, of course, play ball. Still a senior in high school, she had to ask her oldest brother, Jack, for permission to play professional baseball as her parents were deceased.

Jack’s answer: No. She had to graduate.

“Of course, I was disappointed,” Sister Mary Bride recalled. After graduation, she worked at G.C. Murphy’s home office in the silk-screening department. But Mercy Sister Kathleen Heavill, who taught her at St. Peter High School, would help change her life.

“She thought I had good character, could stand on my own two feet and make good decisions,” said Sister Mary Bride. Sister Kathleen told her that she likely had a religious vocation.

“I didn’t think so,” Sister Mary Bride said, but Sister Kathleen kept in touch and one day called to say she had made an appointment for her to see the Sisters of Mercy superior in Pittsburgh.

That meeting led Mary Bride to enter the community – on Feb. 22, 1953.

“It was the best thing I ever did in my life.

I am as happy as I can be,” she said.

As much as she loved to play ball, she never regretted becoming a sister.

“When God calls you, he calls you no matter what; that’s it,” she said. “I have had an interesting life, thanks be to God.”

(CNS PHOTO/SISTERS OF MERCY OF THE AMERICAS)

Mercy sister could have played pro softball but ‘caught’ higher calling

Sister Mary Bride Diamond is pictured in this combination photo as a young woman striking a bunting pose and as an 80-year-old Mercy sister. Sister Mary Bride was part of an eight-team girls’ fast pitch softball league in McKeesport, Pa., and was good enough to have gone pro in the late 1940s with the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

She chose, however, to enter religious life in 1953.

Benedictine Heritage Journey to Italy Led by Fr. Geoffrey Fecht and Fr. Eric Hollas

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December 16, 2011

Book recalls crucial role of intellectuals in Catholic life “A CATHOLIC BRAIN TRUST: THE HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC COMMISSION ON INTELLECTUAL AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS, 1945-1965” by Patrick J. Hayes. University of Notre Dame Press (Notre Dame, Ind., 2011). 440 pp., $75.

Reviewed by Mitch Finley (CNS) Catholicism, as a tradition and as an institution, has a history of intellectualism that goes back to its very beginnings. St. Paul was an intellectual of the first order. A thousand years before St. Anselm, Paul acted on Anselm’s motto, “faith seeking understanding.” Names such as Ignatius of Antioch, Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas lead directly to Catholic intellectuals in our own era.

But respect for the role of the intellect in the life of faith has gotten precious little respect in the history of American Catholicism specifically, at least not outside the realm of academia – and sometimes not even there. At the same time, whatever its weaknesses from a post-Vatican II catechetical point of view, one not insignificant virtue of the Baltimore Catechism was that it addressed faith on the level of cognition, thus teaching ordinary Catholics that, at the very least, faith is reasonable and intellectually defensible.

One bright exception to the general American Catholic disinterest in the intellectual life is the subject of “A Catholic Brain Trust,” a book which, unfortunately, will appeal almost exclusively to academics. Still, the intellectually hardy soul among the educated nonprofessorial also will find in this volume considerable inspiration for the

ongoing cultivation of the intellect in the life of faith.

For, as author Patrick J. Hayes – assistant archivist for the Baltimore province of the Redemptorists, in Brooklyn, N.Y. – illustrates admirably and in well-documented detail, there was, until 2007 when it was disbanded, a group of American Catholic intellectuals from various disciplines who got some respect.

As Hayes writes: “(T) he Catholic Commission on Intellectual and Cultural Affairs (CCICA) [was] founded in 1946 at The Catholic University of America.

Specifically, the CCICA sought to draw in the best and brightest Catholics in the country, in and out of academia, to aid in rebuilding the church and the world after the catastrophic losses of the world war. The CCICA grew to become much more.”

Hayes recounts the history of the commission during the first two decades of its existence, highlighting the fact that just as its members were drawn from various disciplines so they addressed a variety of concerns, from war relief to U.N. policies, from theology to American Catholic higher education. Of particular interest is the book’s discussion of a famous lecture on American Catholic intellectual life

given in 1955 before the membership of the commission by historian Msgr. John Tracy Ellis.

“More than any other single moment in the organization’s history,” Hayes declares, “the Ellis speech served to rally CCICA members, the larger academic community, and the church as a whole to the question of Catholic intellectual identity. ... As later commentators often suggested, it was Ellis’ address that changed the tone and substance of the whole educational enterprise – a decisive move out of the confines of a Catholic ghetto to a more open and courageous quest for scholarly ideals.”

One of the primary underlying convictions that motivated the CCICA was that Catholic intellectuals should bring their insights and scholarship to bear on topics related to religious faith and the church, yes, but to virtually all aspects of human interest and endeavor. Still, Hayes concludes, the Catholic intellectual’s most basic inspiration for the work he or she does is rooted in faith. “Thus, for the Catholic intellectual, toiling for the public good is a measure of one’s love for God.” “A Catholic Brain Trust” is a first-rate, informative account of adventures in 20th-century American Catholic intellectual life of which too few are aware. We live in an era when many Catholics tend to be satisfied with merely this or that ideology. Thus, to read this book, and become better informed about Catholics who believed in the pursuit of truth for its own sake, can only have positive consequences.

Finley is the author of more than 30 books on Catholic topics, including “Key Moments in Church History” (Sheed & Ward).

Debut novel explores important questions of life, death and faith “PROOF OF HEAVEN” by Mary Curran Hackett. William Morrow (New York, 2011). 291 pp., $14.99.

Reviewed by Nancy L. Roberts (CNS) Colm may be only 7, but he knows a lot: He’s very sick, he may not recover and his mother, Cathleen, loves him fiercely. In just a few pages of “Proof of Heaven,” author Mary Curran Hackett creates an absorbing world that challenges us to think about love’s possibilities and limits, the concept of an afterlife, and where God is in all of our earthly suffering.

Colm is a frail boy whose heart suddenly stops beating without warning, requiring EMTs to revive him time and time again with defibrillation paddles. Yet no clear-cut diagnosis immediately emerges. Nothing can be more heartbreaking than a child’s life-threatening illness, and Colm’s plight evokes many intense feelings among the characters.

Cathleen, a single mother, has always found comfort in her rock-ribbed Catholic faith. Now she wonders if eventual heaven can ever “surely make sense” of this spectacle of life’s chaotic randomness to which she is a reluctant witness. Her brother Sean, a firefighter used to emergency calls,

SCRIPTURE SEARCH Gospel for December 18, 2011 Luke 1:26-38

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believed his mother and uncle chose to take him to the world’s longest Mass – with a choir that sang every response, with a priest who seemed to go on and on during the homily and who talked with his mother after every Mass. Colm didn’t get it. Why did people come to church? What was the point?”

“Proof of Heaven” is a solid debut novel that will engage readers as it inspires them to weigh the basic questions of why we are here, what it means and what hope may be found in the tale of a child’s suffering.

Roberts directs the journalism program at the University at Albany, SUNY. Her books include “Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker.”

US first: Number of households with TV sets drops

By Mark Pattison

Following is a word search based on the Gospel reading for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Cycle B: how the birth of Jesus came to be. The words can be found in all directions in the puzzle.

GABRIEL JOSEPH MARY JESUS KINGDOM BORN NOTHING

is stunned by his inability to save the life of someone he dearly loves. One time when Colm’s heart suddenly stops beating, Sean begins to pray for the first time in years as he gives the boy CPR. And Dr. Basu, Colm’s kind physician, has lost a son of his own and readily understands Cathleen’s grief: “He wanted to reach out, to envelop (Cathleen and Colm) both and promise him that he could make it all better, but he could not.” His benevolent skepticism about heaven connects him to Colm.

For his part, Colm worries about how to tell his devout mother of his spiritual doubts – and that before he dies he wants the chance to meet his father, who abandoned Cathleen years before.

Hackett deftly limns these characters with a few wellchosen strokes, and the narrative carries us along. An adjunct English professor at the University of Cincinnati, she explains in an engaging afterword how she developed the idea for her book. Like her character, as a child and young woman she experienced fainting spells so serious that they eventually led her to get a pacemaker. And like Colm, as a child she was pious but not at all sure that she believed in God. No wonder her novel’s description of Colm’s thoughts about going to church rings true: “Church was such a letdown for Colm, and the worst part of it was sitting still. Colm

WASHINGTON (CNS) – The number of homes with TV sets in the United States is declining, even as the number of U.S. households keeps growing.

This is a first, according to the Nielsen ratings service, which issued the 2012 edition of its “Television Audience Report” earlier this year.

The number of households with a TV this year was estimated at 115.9 million. Nielsen projects the 2012 number to be 114.7 million, a drop of 1 percent. That figure is 200,000 households below 2010’s estimate of 114.9 million.

That would increase the percentage of households without any TV to 3 percent, the highest percentage in more than a generation – since 1975 to be exact, according to Nielsen.

One reason for the decline could be poverty, with some households unable to afford digital technology. Some people may be choosing not to watch TV at all, while others are using their computers to watch programming available on the Internet.

But don’t expect there to be a trend toward family game nights or knitting circles. For the 97 percent of us who still have TVs in our homes, we’re using them more.

Weekly TV usage has jumped by one hour to 59 hours, 28 minutes. That averages out to close to eight-and-a-half hours each day. The numbers went down by seven minutes between 2006 and 2007, but over the past 40 years there’s been a steady climb.

The percentage of one-TV households also is on the wane.

By Nielsen’s calculations, one-TV homes were a majority in 1975, but by 1980 were relegated to plurality status, meaning less than a majority, but still a greater percentage than homes with two TVs, or three or more.

The two-TV household took the lead in 1990 with 41 percent compared to 35 percent one-TV homes, and 24 percent three-or-more-TV homes, but by 2000 those numbers flipped: 41 percent of homes had three or more TVs, 35 percent had two TVs, and 24 percent had but one.

The 2012 numbers? Three-TV households now register 56 percent of all U.S. homes, solidifying the majority status it’s enjoyed since 2007. Two-TV homes total 29 percent, while one-TV households account for just 14 percent.

If Nielsen’s numbers are accurate – and networks pay big bucks to slice and dice Nielsen’s ratings data to make their airtime pitches to advertisers – then Americans are making the transition to digital delivery of their TV in more ways than one.

Use of digital video recorders has climbed to 41 percent of all households with TV, Nielsen said. The use of digital cable, which offers more channels than the packages offered during cable’s early years, has climbed to 51 percent. And two-thirds of all TV households – 67 percent, to be precise – employ high-definition TV. Despite calls in some quarters for a la carte buying of cable channels, Americans seem to want ever-more choice in their viewing. Fifty-one percent of households have digital cable. Ninety percent of TV households use a cable or satellite service, leaving just 10 percent to muddle through solely with over-the-air channels – even though the digital-TV revolution has multiplied the number of channels available in most areas of the country with just the use of a simple antenna.

Ever since TV users could start time-shifting what they watched by recording programs for later viewing, or by buying or renting prerecorded tapes or discs to watch on their TV, the use of playback devices has been a mainstay.

Pattison is media editor for Catholic News Service.

December 16, 2011

Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption Gough Street at Geary Boulevard, San Francisco (415) 567-2020 www.stmarycathedralsf.org Dec. 18, 4 p.m.: Tota Pulchra: Internationally renowned classical musicians celebrate the life of Mary in music. Admission free but freewill donations welcome. Free parking. Concert is 90 minutes long with an interlude at which time Christine Watkins will recite her meditation, “Meeting Mary.”

Jan. 8, 3:30 p.m.: “Epiphany Lessons and Carols” with Golden Gate Boys Choir and Bellringers and St. Mary’s Cathedral Choir of Boys and Girls, St. Brigid School Honor Choir.

Jan. 15, 3:30 p.m.: Gail Archer (New York), organist.

Jan. 22, 3:30 p.m.: David Troiano, tenor.

Pro-life Jan. 21: “Walk for Life West Coast” at a different time this year and takes a different route. Opening Mass Jan. 21 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Gough Street at Geary Boulevard, is at 9:30 a.m. The rally preceding the walk begins at 12:30 p.m. at San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza across from City Hall. Guest speakers include former abortionist Dr. Vansen Wong and “Silent No More” representative, Jacquie Stainaker.

An “Info Faire” at Civic Center Plaza begins at 11 a.m.

“The Interfaith Committee for Life Prayer Service” is Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral. All the event activities are available at www.walkforlifewc. com. You may also email info@walkforlifewc.com.

Young Adults The Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose have announced retreats for young adult women and men as well as several retreats for young adult women interested in exploring religious life. Visit www.msjdominicans.org or call (510) 933-6335 or (510) 657-2468. You may also email blessings@msjdominicans.org or vocations@msjdominicans.org.

Volunteer Catholic Charities CYO: Contact Liz Rodriguez at erodriguez@cccyo.org or (415) 972-1297 to fill

ectory

of

e s e c o i d h c r A o c s i c n a r F San

ir 2011 official d

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Datebook

Holy Cross Cemetery 1500 Old Mission Road, Colma, (650) 756-2060 Jan. 7, 11 a.m.: First Saturday Mass in All Souls Mausoleum

Single, Divorced, Separated

The Nativity scene at St. Mary’s Cathedral will be available for viewing from Christmas Eve through the feast of the Epiphany, Jan. 8. “The creche that adorns our cathedral is on loan to us through the generosity of the O’Hara family of McAvoy and O’Hara Evergreen Mortuary,” said Doug Benbow, cathedral liturgy director. “It has graced our worship space for several years now and we continue to be inspired by its beauty and fine artistry.” When available, docents are on duty in the cathedral Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and Sunday after Masses.

The Docent program also offers special tours and a school program. Schedule a tour by calling (415) 567-2020 ext. 207. Visit www.stmarycathedralsf.org. out a volunteer application. A list of current open volunteer positions is available online at www.cccyo. org/volunteer.

St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco: Contact Tim Szarnicki at tszarnicki@svdp-sf.org or (415) 977-1270 ext. 3010.

St. Anthony Foundation: Visit www.stanthonysf. org and fill out a volunteer opportunity request form or contact Marie O’Connor at (415) 592-2726.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of San Mateo County: Call Atrecia at (650) 373-0623 or email svdpinfo@yahoo.com.

Handicapables: Call Jane at (415) 585-9085.

La Porziuncola Nuova at National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi: Contact Jim Brunsmann at jimbrunsmann@comcast.net or go to www.knightsofsaintfrancis.com and follow the Volunteer Application link at the bottom of the home page.

Young Adults The Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose have announced retreats for young adult women and men. Visit www.msjdominicans.org or call (510) 933-6335 or (510) 657-2468. You may also email blessings@msjdominicans.org or vocations@ msjdominicans.org.

Vocations A monthly discernment group for single, Catholic women ages 18-40 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. with the Mission San Jose Dominican Sisters. Day includes group discussion and reflection on your vocation, and Eucharist and lunch with the sisters at their Motherhouse, 43326 Mission Blvd. entrance on

The National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi LA NUOVA PORZIUNCOLA Vallejo and Columbus in North Beach Visit www.shrinesf.org and www.knightsofstfrancis.com.

The shrine church is open every day 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Porziuncola and “Francesco Rocks” Gift Shop are open every day but Monday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mass is celebrated in the shrine church Monday through Saturday at 12:15 p.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m.

Rosary is prayed daily in Porziuncola at 4:30 p.m.

Dec. 18: Advent and Christmas Carol Concert by the Golden Gate Boys Choir and Bell Ringers under the direction of Steven Meyer at 3 p.m.

Food and Fun Jan. 21, 6-11 p.m.: Archbishop Riordan High School hosts its annual “Crab Feed Dinner” benefitting Crusader athletics. Enjoy delicious fresh crab, good fun, and good company. For more information visit www.riordanhs.org or call Sharon Udovich at (415) 586-8200 ext. 217. Tickets are $50 per person.

No-host cocktails at 6 p.m. with dinner at 7 p.m.

Event will sell out – book early!

Social Justice/Lectures/Prayer Sundays, 1:30-2:30 p.m.: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament with Benediction at Notre

Consolation ministry Grief support groups meet at the following parishes: San Mateo County: Good Shepherd, Pacifica, Sister Carol Fleitz (650) 355-2593. Our Lady of Mercy, Daly City, (650) 755-2727; Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Redwood City, (650) 366-3802; St. Bartholomew, San Mateo, Barbara Syme (650) 343-6156; St. Peter, Pacifica, (650) 359-6313; St. Pius, Redwood City, (650) 361-0655; St. Robert, San Bruno, Sister Patricia O’Sullivan (650) 589-0104.

Marin County: St. Anselm, Ross, Brenda MacLean (415) 454-7650; St. Anthony, Novato, (415) 883-2177; St. Hilary, Tiburon, Helen Kelly (415) 388-9651; Our Lady of Loretto, Novato, Sister Jeanette (415) 897-2171.

San Francisco: St. Gabriel, Monica Williams (650) 756-2060; St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sister Esther McEgan (415) 567-2020 ext. 218; Alma Via, Mercy Feeney (650) 756-4500; St. Dominic, Deacon Chuck McNeil (415) 567-7824 or cbmcneil@aol.com.

Datebook is a free listing for parishes, schools and nonprofits groups. Please include event name, time, date, place, address and an information phone number.

Listing must reach Catholic San Francisco at least two weeks before the Friday publication date desired. Mail to: Datebook, Catholic San Francisco, One Peter Yorke Way, San Francisco 94109, or fax it to (415) 614-5633, email burket@sfarchdiocese.org.

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Archdiocesan Officials and Departments, Catholic Charities, Parishes & Missions, Parish Staff Listings. Latest E-mail Addresses, Phone Directory Yellow Pages, Mass Schedules. Schools: Elementary, High Schools, Universities & Colleges. Religious Orders, Religious Organizations, etc. . . .

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Mission Tierra Place in Fremont. Email vocations@msjdominicans.org with questions or for more information.

Information about Bay Area single, divorced and separated programs is available from Jesuit Father Al Grosskopf at grosskopf@usfca.edu or (415) 422-6698.

Marriage Help – Retrouvaille (pronounced retro-vi) a Catholic program has helped thousands of couples at all stages of disillusionment or misery in their marriage. For confidential information about the next Bay Area weekends or to register for the program call (415) 893-1005 or email SF@Retrouvaille.org or visit www.

Retrouvaille.org or www.retroCA.com.

Would you like support while you travel the road through separation and divorce? The Archdiocese of San Francisco offers support for the journey, every week. The Separated and Divorced Catholics of the Archdiocese of San Francisco now have two ongoing support groups. There is one on at St. Bartholomew Parish, 600 Columbia Drive, San Mateo, on the second and fourth Tuesdays, at 7 p.m., in the spirituality center; and in O’Reilly hall of St. Stephen Parish near Stonestown, San Francisco, on the first and third Wednesdays, at 7:30 p.m. Call Father Al at (415) 4226698, or Joanne at (650) 347-0701 for more information.

Catholic Adult Singles Association of Marin County: We are Catholics, single or single again, who are interested in making new friends, taking part in social activities, sharing opportunities for spiritual growth, and becoming involved in volunteer activities that will benefit parishes, community, and one another. We welcome those who would share in this with us. For information, call Bob at (415) 897-0639.

Archdiocese of San Francisco 2011 Deluxe Directory

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17

Dame des Victoires Church, 566 Bush St. between Stockton and Grant, San Francisco. Convenient parking is available across Bush Street in StocktonSutter garage. Call (415) 397-0113.

Advent Opportunities People wanting to learn about St. John (Don) Bosco are invited to a study group on the man whose 100th birthday is in 2015. The group will meet three to four times a year. Salesian Father Arthur Lenti’s “Don Bosco: History and Spirit” will be the primary source for study and discussion. Contact Frank Lavin at (415) 310-8551 or franklavin@comcast.net with questions or to sign up.

Dec. 17-24: St. Anthony Foundation’s 24th year of accepting curbside donations. In addition to turkeys, needed items include clean, gently used clothing especially men’s clothing; new packages of socks and underwear; jars of peanut butter, cans of tuna fish, large bags of rice and beans and travel sized toiletries.

Curbside times Dec. 17-24 are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.3 p.m. Drive up to 105 Golden Gate Ave. at Jones Street in San Francisco. Volunteers are onsite. For more information call (415) 592-2700.

Dec. 18, 5 p.m.: Mission Dolores Basilica Choir Candlelight Christmas Concert, “Behold The Star!” at Mission Dolores in San Francisco. Tickets are $25 reserved, $18 premium general and $15 general admission. Call (415) 621-8203 or visit www.missiondolores.org. Free parking is available.

Feb. 4, 9 a.m.-noon: “St. Paul the Apostle” with Paulist Father Terry Ryan at Old St. Mary’s Paulist Center, 614 Grant Ave. at California Street, San Francisco. Hear how the saint “prone to violence toward Christians” had a “direct encounter with truth” and “fell in love with Christ.” Admission is free but freewill donations are welcome. Call (415) 288-3844.

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December 16, 2011

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Most compassionate and loving care.

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Over 30 years experience • Reasonable Fees

Confidential • Compassionate • Practical (415) 921-1619 • Insurance Accepted

www.irishhelpathome.com

ACACIA HOME CARE

• Family • Work • Relationships • Depression • Anxiety • Addictions

Service Changes Solar Installation Lighting/Power Fire Alarm/Data Green Energy Fully Licensed • State Certified • Locally Trained • Experienced • On Call 24/7

Senior Home Care

When Life Hurts It Helps To Talk

Electrical

* Attendants * Companions • Insured • Bonded

San Francisco 415 759 0520

John Holtz Ca. Lic 391053 General Contractor Since 1980

(650) 355-4926

Painting & Remodeling

20 years experience – LVN

•Interiors •Exteriors •Kitchens •Baths

Nancy A. Concon,

Contractor inspection reports and pre-purchase consulting

Licensed

(415) 505-7830

Painting

Garage Door

Irish Painting

CALL FOR FREE CLIENT ASSESMENT

Retaining Walls Stairs • Gates Dry Rot Senior & Parishioner Discounts

DEWITT ELECTRIC YOUR # 1 CHOICE FOR Recessed Lights – Outdoor Lighting Outlets – Dimmers – Service Upgrades • Trouble Shooting!

Ph. 415.515.2043 Ph. 650.508.1348

Family Systems Therapy A child may be suffering from: The bully at school, adolescent adjustment, A separation /divorce or a new“blended family” They are withdrawn, angry, acting out, Failing in school or just sad or too quiet.

G ARAGE D OOR R EPAIR Same price 7 days Lic. # 376353

(415) 931-1540 24 hrs.

Lifetime Warranty on All Doors + Motors

Lila Caffery, MA, CCHT Graduate, Georgetown Family Center 415-337-9474 InnerChildHealing.com

Senior Care

Eoin Lehane

415.368.8589 Lic.#942181

www.Irishpainting-sf.com

The family gathers together to understand, support and heal.

Single parents and couples have their issues. Depression, infidelity, gambling, substance abuse , often unspoken in the family, take their toll.

Family Systems Therapy has guided families for nearly 50 years.

If you would like to talk over your family issues call for a free phone consultation.

Discount to CSF Readers

Contractor McGUIRE & SONS GENERAL BUILDING CONTRACTOR State License #346397

FINE WOOD WORKING SINCE 1978

415.454.2719

BETTER HEALTH CARE FOR SENIORS WITH SPECIAL NEED OF CARE

Roofing

S.O.S. PAINTING CO. Interior-Exterior wallpaper hanging & removal Lic # 526818 Senior Discount

415-269-0446 650-738-9295

www.sospainting.net FREE ESTIMATES

Construction Cahalan Const.

Remodels, Additions, Paint,Windows, Dryrot, Stucco

415.279.1266 Lic. #582766 415.566.8646 mikecahalan@gmail.com

Remodeling

We Provide reliable & experienced caregivers to help seniors in their own home. *Companionship, Bathing, Alzheimer, Dementia & more.

Long hrs. - $10, Short hrs. - $18, Live-in - $170

(650) 580-6334 / (925) 330-4760

(415) 786-0121 • (650) 871-9227

SUPPLE SENIOR CARE

*Irish owned & operated *Serving from San Francisco to North San Mateo

Residential Commercial

650.892.3550 Argosconstruction1.com

“The most compassionate care in town”

1655 Old Mission Road #3 Colma, SSF, CA 94080 415-573-5141 or 650-993-8036

Argos Construction

Lic. # 907564

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Lic. 631209) 9)

Painting

BILL HEFFERON

PAINTING INTERIOR, EXTERIOR All Jobs Large and Small

10% Discount: Seniors, Parishioners

Call BILL 415.731.8065 • Cell: 415.710.0584 bheffpainting@sbcglobal.net Member of Better Business Bureau Bonded, Insured – LIC. #819191

Visit us at catholic-sf.org

Construction ➤ Hauling ➤ Job Site Clean-Up ➤ Demolition ➤ Yard Service ➤ Garbage Runs ➤ Saturday & Sunday

Children reflect the strains of childhood within and outside of the family

Murray Bowen, M.D. Founder, Georgetown Family Center

Lic. #742961

Healthcare Agency

FREE ESTIMATES! • Fast & Affordable

PAUL (415) 282-2023 YOELSHAULING@YAHOO.COM

LAST-MINUTE SERVICE AVAILABLE

KEANE CONSTRUCTION ➮ ➮ ➮ ➮

Exterior / Interior Additions ➮ Baths Foundations, Stairs, Dry Rot Replacement Windows ➮ Kitchen Remodeling Architect Available ➮ Senior Discount

Call: 415.533.2265 Lic. 407271

Handy Man Expert interior and exterior painting, carpentry, demolition, fence (repair, build), decks, remodeling, roof repair, gutter (clean/repair), landscaping, gardening, hauling, moving, welding.

All Purpose Cell (415) 517-5977 (650) 757-1946 NOT A LICENSED CONTRACTOR

Plumbing

S anti

Plumbing and Heating 415-661-3707 Michael T. Santi

Since 1972 Ca License # 663641 24 Hour Emergency Service

Lic. #918864

NOTICE TO READERS

–

Licensed contractors are required by law to list their license numbers in advertisments. The law also state that contractors performing work totaling $500 or more must be state-licensed. Advertisments appearing in this newspaper without a license number indicate that the contractor is not licensed.

For more information, contact: Contractors State License Board 800-321-2752

HOLLAND Plumbing Works San Francisco ALL PLUMBING WORK PAT HOLLAND CA LIC #817607

BONDED & INSURED

415-205-1235

December 16, 2011

real estate

Catholic San Francisco

19

automotive

Sue Schultes, Realtor

Hilltop Buick Pontiac GMC Truck

Director of Luxury Homes Division Seniors Real Estate Specialist

I P L B A ! • Extensive inventory means selection • Competitive pricing • Give us your bid • We can offer YOU SAVINGS!

Whether you’re buying a new home or selling your current one, you have to trust your agent. Sue is committed to culSue Schultes, tivating that trust by serving all of her clients’ real estate needs: personal, professional, and financial. Sue loves what Realtor she does, and part of her passion comes from the belief in working for the greater good. Active in her parish at St. Agnes, on the Board of Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly she creates the possibility of a positive future for all of us. Contact her today.

415.307.0153 PUBLISH A NOVENA Pre-payment required Mastercard or Visa accepted

Cost $26

If you wish to publish a Novena in the Catholic San Francisco You may use the form below or call 415-614-5640 Your prayer will be published in our newspaper

Name Adress Phone MC/VISA # Exp. Select One Prayer: â?‘ St. Jude Novena to SH â?‘ Prayer to St. Jude

SSchultes@Paragon-re.com www.doorsofyourlife.com

Catholic San Francisco

classifieds

Prayer to St. Jude

â?‘ Prayer to the Blessed Virgin â?‘ Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin never known to fail.

Most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel Blessed Mother of the Son of God, assist me in my need. Help me and show me you are my mother.

Oh Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth. I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to help me in this need.

Oh Mary, conceived without sin. Pray for us (3X).

Holy Mary, I place this cause in your hands (3X).

Say prayers 3 days. L.M.R.

St. Jude Novena May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved & preserved throughout the world now & forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus pray for us.

St. Jude helper of the hopeless pray for us.

Say prayer 9 times a day for 9 days.

Thank You St. Jude.

Never known to fail.

You may publish.

L.M.R.

Most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel Blessed Mother of the Son of God, assistme in my need. Help me and show me you are my mother.

Oh Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth. I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to help me in this need.

Oh Mary, conceived without sin. Pray for us (3X).

Holy Mary, I place this cause in your hands (3X).

Say prayers 3 days.

C.O.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit Holy Spirit, you who make me see everything and who shows me the way to reach my ideal.

You who give me the divine gift of forgive and forget the wrong that is done to me. I, in this short dialogue, want to thank you for everything and confirm once more that I never want to be separated from you no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with you and my loved ones in your perpetual glory. Amen. You may publish this as soon as your favor is granted. L.M.R.

Tahoe Rental

.

.

heaven can’t wait

LAKE TAHOE RENTAL Vacation Rental Condo in South Lake Tahoe.

Sleeps 8, near Heavenly Valley and Casinos.

Call 925-933-1095 See it at RentMyCondo.com#657

Insurance

Serra for Priestly Vocations Please call Archdiocese of San Francisco Fr. Tom Daly (415) 614-5683

Catholic San Francisco is on

For Sale San Juan Islands Home A master suite with a jetted tub, its own deck, a sitting room and 210-degree view of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Cattle Pass are features of this 3-bedroom, 2 bath unique home on 2.1 acres on Lopez Island. Very private, yet close to island airport and golf course.

Two-car garage. Stone fireplace.

Walk to beach. $449,000 – $65,000 under county assessed value.

E-mail Dan at cnsuncle01@yahoo.com for more info and/or photos.

(360) 299-0506

Chimney Cleaning

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin never known to fail.

Most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel Blessed Mother of the Son of God, assistme in my need. Help me and show me you are my mother.

Oh Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth. I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to help me in this need.

Oh Mary, conceived without sin. Pray for us (3X).

Holy Mary, I place this cause in your hands (3X).

Say prayers 3 days.

C.O.

3230 Auto Plaza, Richmond 94806

CALL 415-614-5642

EMAIL penaj@sfarchdiocese.org

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin never known to fail.

J

N • 510.222.4141

VISIT www.catholic-sf.org

Novenas Oh, Holy St. Jude, Apostle and Martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near Kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke your special patronage in time of need, to you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg to whom God has given such great power to come to my assistance.

Help me in my present and urgent petition. In return I promise to make you be invoked. Say three our Fathers, three Hail Marys and Glorias. St. Jude pray for us all who invoke your aid. Amen.

This Novena has never been known to fail. This Novena must be said 9 consecutive days. Thanks.

S.C.

• Easy access off I-80 at Hilltop Richmond

For Advertising Information

FAX 415-614-5641

Please return form with check or money order for $26 Payable to: Catholic San Francisco Advertising Dept., Catholic San Francisco 1 Peter Yorke Way, San Francisco, CA 94109

• Exceptional customer service

Summ e Speciar/Fall ls

cookbooks Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery 125th Anniversary Cookbook of Memories As food has always been a comfort to families who have experienced a loss, it seems only fitting that Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery would create a cookbook in honor of its 125th Anniversary. We would like to create a cookbook of memories – special recipes of your loved ones who are interred in Holy Cross. If your Grandmother, Mom, Dad or Great Uncle Sam made a special dish and is interred in Holy Cross, we hope that you will share that favorite recipe.

You may forward your recipe to the attention of Christine Stinson by email costinson@holycrosscemeteries.com, by mail to Holy Cross Cemetery, P.O. Box 1577, Colma, CA 94014 or drop it off at our office or All Saints Mausoleum on weekends. Please include your loved one’s name, date of burial and grave location with the recipe. Also, please include your name and contact information.

Visit us at www.catholic-sf.org $89

$119

$139

For your local & international Catholic news, Datebook, On the Street, website listings, advertising information, & more!

20

Catholic San Francisco

December 16, 2011

In Remembrance of the Faithful Departed Interred In Our Catholic Cemeteries During the Month of November HOLY CROSS COLMA Anthony F. Abela Aurora Alvarez Acerbis Mary Foy Alford Elsie Alire Josefa G. Alonso Linda L. Alva Marisel Amaya Johnny Juarez Anguiano Betty J. Applebaum Maria Julia Araujo Joseph M. Arnerich Lydia S. Arrieta Verna L. Ashcraft Eve Aylward Gonzalo Francisco Badiola, IV Pauly A. Balanga Sergio Baldocchi Ann Marie Barbero Catherine R. Bedecarré Matthew J. Bosa James P. Brisbois Mary Brocato Dina J. Brosio Grace E. Brown Diane Buangan-Ancheta Aura Maria Buitrago-Flores Antonio C. Bustamante Ana Lilia Camacho Joaquin “Bob” M. Canales Norine Canata Evelyn Cerutti Sandra M. Cisneros John Louis Conway GioBatta (GB) De Martini Benjamin V. Del Mar Rose DeLucchi Estela Domingo Rev. James E. Driscoll Veronica B. (Guiney) Duffy Mary Edith Dupuy Pearl F. Farrell Grace J. Ferraris Amby Galli, Jr. Josephine M. Gaspar Robert William Gaul Eleanor L. Geno Laurette J. Ghiselli Flora Gucinski Joseph M. Gughemetti Emil Hernandez Mary Hishmeh

Betty C. Ho Dolores Vivian Houston James J. Jermyn Michael Robert Kilkenny Karen M. Knutsen-Saeger Hannelore Kutz Cecile A. Landry Jane Lang Teresito M. Laygo Juanita M. Lerable Concepcion D. Llaguno Mary Lopez Augusto T. Malinis Levia M. Mangini Dorothy J. Mangini Nazarino Marcelli Rose Martinez Rachel M. Martini Raynal J. Mayman Timothy McCann Michael John McCarthy Agnes McKevitt Sr. Elizabeth Marie Mee, RSM Angelica Melendez Rosalie M. Mendolari Louis E. Merver Marian L. Merver Alfredo Valdez Mica Barbara Moran Jayden Munoz Mildred C. Murphy Terence J. Murphy Castor C. Nacario, Jr. Raymond A. Nelson Clifford Daniel Nilan Mary Lenore Nouaux Jacques Emile Nouaux Nora Thorsen O’Connor Denis F. O’Connor Maria “Baby” Ordona Rosemarie Pagani Antoninette Mary Parmley Abraham Paulose Richard F. Paulsen Anna Marie Peralta Marie T. Pereira Socorro Pinell David A. Preisig Marguerite Proll Evelyn C. Rausch John Raymond Rayo John Reilly Angelina J. Rey Claire Dorothy Rogers

Maddalena J. Rossi Violeta Saca Teresa Villar Salazar Margaret Sammut Augustina Santiago Jose Cabrera Santos Nicolas L. Saucedo John James Scotto Roberto G. Sespene Lorraine Logan Shubunka Virginia Margaret Skidmore Virginia Plummer-Sells Smith Sam Girard Spiteri Linda Srnka James Strickland Victoriana Echave Susbilla Sr. Patricia Jane Toolan, RSM Louis Urrea Julia D. Vasquez Rodney Vescovi Eva M. Vicino Norma P. Vigo Angelica Socorro Whitford Linda Zirelli

HOLY CROSS MENLO PARK Dorris Mae Kitchen Connie Palomares Mele Latu Tu’iono

MT. OLIVET SAN RAFAEL Bob Aregger Michael Duffy Barbara Anne Lenzi Andrew L. Pansini Charles J. Zaro

OUR LADY OF THE PILLAR, HMB Jose M. Silveira

HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC CEMETERY, COLMA First Saturday Mass – Saturday, January 7, 2012 All Saints Mausoleum Chapel – 11:00 am Rev. Tony LaTorre, Pastor St. Philip the Apostle Parish

A Tradition of Faith Throughout Our Lives.