December 10, 2015

marin:

Priest discusses hazards of religious individualism PAGE 3

BIBLE:

St. Joseph:

PAGE 11

PAGE 16

Pope tells youth his Bible has been his life companion

advent: Makes Christmas special, says St. Cecilia pastor PAGE 6

‘Earthly father of Jesus’ man for all seasons

CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO Newspaper of the Archdiocese of San Francisco

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Serving San Francisco, Marin & San Mateo Counties

December 10, 2015

$1.00 | VOL. 17 NO. 32

Pope wants Year of Mercy to transform world ‘Revolution of tenderness’ Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

(Photo by Lorena Rojas/San Francisco Catolico)

Pilgrims honor Our Lady of Guadalupe

Pilgrims venerating Our Lady of Guadalupe march toward St. Mary’s Cathedral Dec. 5 at the close of the 22nd annual Cruzada Guadalupana honoring the Patroness of the Americas, whose feast is Dec. 12 The 12-mile journey began at All Souls Church in South San Francisco. See story on Page 5.

VATICAN CITY – When Pope Francis planned the Year of Mercy and the opening of the Holy Door, he did not mean to give the starting signal for a frenzied wave of pilgrims to Rome.

More than call to sign up for an Eternal City package tour, the pope is inviting people to strike out on a yearlong spiritual journey to recognize a loving God who’s already knocking on their door.

He says he wants the Year of Mercy to usher in a “revolution of tenderness.”

Once people realize “I’m wretched, but God loves me the way I am,” then “I, too, have to love others the same way,” the pope said in an interview published just a few days before the Dec. 8 start of the jubilee year.

Discovering God’s generous love kick-starts a virtuous circle, which “leads us to acting in a way that’s more tolerant, patient, tender” and just, he said.

Speaking with “Credere,” an Italian weekly magazine run by the Pauline Fathers, the pope gave an see year of mercy, page 13

Bay Area Catholic’s startup aims to put Pope Francis’ ideals into practice Valerie Schmalz Catholic San Francisco

A former Silicon Valley venture capitalist has cofounded a company, Shared-X, which is designed to make money for investors while at the same time lifting subsistence farmers out of poverty.

This concept, sometimes called “impact capitalism,” has gained traction recently. It was the subject of a Jan. 17, 2013, Harvard Business Review essay “Social Impact Investing John Denniston Will Be the New Venture Capital” and was endorsed by Pope Francis at a pontifical conference dedicated to the concept.

The idea of impact capitalism is that for-profit companies look to generate attractive investor returns

while also doing good – not as an after-thought, but as a central part of their business plans. It combines the efficiencies and profits of the private sector with philanthropic objectives.

American John Denniston and Peruvian Tony Salas formed Shared-X to implement this approach, by tackling the “yield gap” in farm production – beginning with the production of high-value agricultural products, including organic bananas, specialty coffee and aromatic cocoa. Shared-X has purchased six midsized farms in Peru, the start of an agricultural endeavor that will sell crops directly to retailers at specialty food premium prices. Shared-X is already selling its organic bananas and specialty coffee.

“Subsistence farmers eat what they make,” Denniston said. “That’s a formula for poverty. The Shared-X model is intended to increase food production and farmer profits. In many emerging countries, there’s

not a food shortage, only a shortage of prosperity.”

Crops in the developed world achieve approximately 80 percent of their theoretical yield potential; in the developing world, that figure is only 20 percent on average, Denniston said. “In the agricultural business, this production differential is known as the ‘yield gap.’ The Shared-X business plan is to collapse the yield gap – beginning in Peru – by deploying proven, advanced and sustainable farming techniques,” said Denniston, who is also president of the board of directors of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Mateo County.

Farms on or near the equator have an inherent yield advantage over farms distant from the equator because they receive more solar radiation, a key determinant of crop productivity, Denniston said. see shared x, page 13

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Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

Number of NFP teachers to more than double in Bay Area

need to know Our Lady of Guadalupe events: Dec. 12, 8:30 a.m., Star of the Sea Church, 4420 Geary Blvd. at Eighth Avenue, San Francisco: Bilingual Mass, procession with mariachi music, free Mexican, Filipino and American brunch. Phone (415) 751-0450; facebook.com/starparishsf. Dec. 12, 4 p.m., St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 38th Avenue and Balboa, San Francisco: Mass, mariachi music honoring the feast and free reception featuring chicken entree with beverages for purchase.

Those being trained are mostly in 20s, 30s Valerie Schmalz Catholic San Francisco

The number of natural family planning teachers in the San Francisco Bay Area is about to more than double, after a weekend training session at St. Dominic Church drew more than a dozen couples.

“Once you understand it, it is so beautiful – awesome,” said Christina Sullivan, 31, who attended the weekend of instruction with her husband Sean, 30.

Four of the couples attending the training by the Couple to Couple League were from the Archdiocese of San Francisco, two from the Diocese of Oakland, two from the Diocese of Santa Rosa, four from the Diocese of Sacramento, and one from the Archdiocese of the Military, said Mike Manhart, executive director of the Cincinnati, Ohio-headquartered Couple to Couple League. Most were in their 20s and 30s, said Ed Hopfner, director of marriage and family life for the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

“This more than doubles our Bay Area teaching capacity once these people are certified,” Manhart said.

He and his wife have been part of the Couple to Couple League since early in their marriage, shortly after the birth of their first child, 30 years ago, Manhart said. The couples that came to the training at St. Dominic Parish inspired them, he said.

“Karen and I walked away thinking the church is going to survive and thrive with couples like these,” said Manhart, who took over as executive director in 2009. “Nothing is going to keep them from being successful. It was very exciting for us as teachers to see the enthusiasm and energy and the commitment. They were a special group.”

Natural family planning is an organic, natural form of fertility regulation that is in sync with Catholic Church teaching. It relies on easily observed symptoms of fertility and daily monitoring of the wife’s temperature (using the Couple-to-Couple

Walk for Life West Coast: The walk takes place Jan. 23, 2016, beginning with 9:30 a.m. Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Gough Street at Geary Boulevard, San Francisco.

Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone is principal celebrant and homilist. The event continues with a rally at Civic Center Plaza at 12:30 p.m. and the walk to Justin Herman Plaza: www.

WalkForLifeWC.com. Youth ages sixth through 12th grades are invited to a Youth Rally Jan. 22 at the cathedral with Mass, talks and lunch. Those planning to attend are asked to register by Dec. 18; Vicki Evans, evansv@ sfarch.org, (415) 614-5533. EWTN broadcasts the event beginning 11:30 a.m. on AT&T Channel 562, Astound Channel 80, Comcast Digital Channel 229, Direct TV Channel 370, Dish Satellite Channel 261, as well as via Roku or Apple TV; www.walkforlifewc. com/event-info/event-schedule/.

Daughters health system: California Attorney General Kamala Harris granted conditional approval of a transaction that will allow a change of control and governance of the Daughters of Charity Health System. The approval announced Dec. 3 includes strong conditions to ensure the continuity of essential health care services for vulnerable communities at the six health facilities and requires many essential health care services to remain in place for at least 10 years. The transaction includes Seton Medical Center in Daly City and Seton Coastside in Moss Beach. For 10 years, Seton and other hospitals involved in the agreement must operate as acute care hospitals and offer emergency services. For 10 years, Seton Coastside must operate as a skilled nursing facility with 24-hour emergency services and a minimum of 116 licensed skilled nursing beds.

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League method) as well as daily communication between the husband and wife. All modern methods boast reliability rates of 97 to 99 percent effectiveness in postponing pregnancy, when used as directed, Hopfner said.

The Couple to Couple League was formed shortly after Blessed Pope Paul IV published the encyclical “Humanae Vitae” in 1968 that affirmed Catholic Church teaching prohibiting artificial birth control.

“Initially it is an upfront investment in your time just to kind of learn the process. Once you get the hang of it, it’s not that complicated a process,” said Bill Hull, 27, who attended the two-and-a-half days of training at St. Dominic with his wife Nicole, 28, and their 11-week-old baby girl. The couples will complete the second half of the training online

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before certification. “Once you start practicing, you’re like, ‘wow, this actually works!’” Bill Hull said.

The Couple to Couple League now has a mobile app that helps the couples share information daily with each other as well as sending it to a mentor at the league if they can’t figure out something, Hull said.

Amelia was a planned pregnancy, the Hulls said, pointing out another aspect of NFP: “It also helps people conceive.”

“A lot of people say you got pregnant six months after your wedding – and we were like, yes, God blessed us,” Nicole Hull said, adding the natural aspect of NFP was “kind of a no-brainer for me.”

“I still don’t understand why people see nfp, page 5

CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone Publisher Mike Brown Associate Publisher Rick DelVecchio Editor/General Manager Editorial Valerie Schmalz, assistant editor Tom Burke, senior writer Christina Gray, reporter

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Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

Marin priest discusses hazards of religious individualism Christina Gray Catholic San Francisco

In Marin County, considered by some, he said, to be the most “unchurched” county in the country, a local priest told a capacity crowd in the St. Sebastian parish hall in Greenbrae on Dec. 4 that the familiar local refrain: “I’m spiritual, but not religious,” is the result of not just a cultural growth in anti-institutionalism, but also a misunderstanding of the nature of the church itself.

“The most common form of distorted thinking that leads people away from organized religion, in my opinion, is a failure to understand the theological beauty of the church,” said Father Roger Gustafson, parochial vicar of St. Hilary Parish in Tiburon.

Father Gustafson, a Lutheran convert and former practicing attorney ordained in 2014, was the guest speaker at the December meeting of the Marin Breakfast Club, a lay Catholic fraternal organization that meets at St. Sebastian.

Most critics of the church think of it merely as a human institution, he said. “In short, those who drift away from the church merely see her human blemishes, but fail to see her beauty as the mystical body of Christ and a communion of men and women known as the people of God.” In his talk entitled, “Spiritual but not Religious: A Deadly Oxymoron,”

(Photo by Christina Gray/Catholic San Francisco)

Denis Regan, left, president of the Marin Breakfast Club, a Catholic lay organization, thanks Father Roger Gustafson, right, parochial vicar of St. Hilary Church in Tiburon, following his presentation on the history, causes and hazards of religious individualism on Dec. 4 at the St. Sebastian parish hall.

Father Gustafson said religious individualism and the “sacralization of the individual” has led to belief systems that are “self-constructed, self-affirming and comfortable.”

“Church” can be described as a regular yoga class or a hike in the woods, he said.

Some people with these custommade belief systems view religious institutions as “cold, impersonal, and empty structures.”

Participation in a faith community

is no longer a social prerequisite for a rich spiritual life and church attendance has become noncompulsory in the minds of most Americans, he said.

For much of American history, he said, churches were primary social institutions. But that changed during the 1960s and 1970s. The Watergate scandal was the last straw, launching a tidal wave of anti-institutional sentiment across the American landscape.

“The institutional church has suffered ever since,” he said Religious individualism and a consumer mindset has turned church into “just one more product among many,” said Father Gustafson. If it doesn’t fulfill a “need” it is just not considered a priority.

But the church is a necessary element in any personal religious experience, said Father Gustafson.

“In an increasingly technocratic and rationalistic world, the church is called to be the leaven and soul of society, he said. “The church therefore is indispensable for any individual’s genuine journey of faith.”

Father Gustafson recalled a recent conversation with the mother of two small children at St. Hilary School who said friends continually questioned her about why she went to church.

“In the years I have been in the Bay Area I have found a profound lack of interest in church attendance and committing oneself to a church community,” he said.

He doesn’t know exactly why this seems to be the case in the Bay Area, but offered a few guesses.

“It could be the effect of libertine moral values that seem to conflict with church teachings. It could be the beauty of nature, which has become for many their ‘god,’ instead of the revelation of the one true God. It could be the great affluence. Whatever the reason, we have a lot of work to do here,” he said.

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Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

‘No more important or gratifying work for any of us,’ says SVdP Marin about helping homeless at Christmas Tom Burke catholic San Francisco

“During the Christmas season, our first priority is to ensure that no children in Marin County become homeless during the holidays,” were the first words of the email reply to this column from the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin County.

SVdP works year round in preventing homelessness last year visiting more than 1,300 homes with residents very near eviction Rich Gallagher and saving more than 2,500 people from becoming homeless.

“Almost half of the people we helped were children under the age of 18 who lived in these homes and had nowhere else to turn for help,” SVdP said.

Conditions leading to the brink are relatable to all and include a breadwinner becoming ill, a job lost, an emergency car repair cutting into the family income.

“We go into these homes and quickly and compassionately give the one-time crisis aid they need to keep their housing and get back on track, without government red tape or delays,” SVdP told me. “Our donors offer this life-saving support, and when they prevent children from becoming homeless during the Christmas season, there is no more important or gratifying work for any of us.”

Rich Gallagher of St. Isabella Parish, San Rafael, heads the board of directors for St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin County. “I join all of our board members and supporters in believing that preventing homelessness and hunger in Marin and serving the poor with dignity are all necessary components of living in a humane community,” Rich told Catholic San Francisco.

This year SVdP celebrates the 34th year of its free dining room in San Rafael providing hot meals every day of the year. “Each day, we serve approximately 500 meals, thanks to the support of our private donors,” SVdP said. “We also run a housing help desk, where more than 170 homeless people found housing last year. All told, we help more than 10,000 Marin County residents each year.”

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FLYING HIGH: On Veterans Day military personnel from Travis Air Force Base visited St. Gregory School in San Mateo. “We had new flags that were blessed by our pastor, Father Paul Arnoult and then properly presented to us by the military,” Laura Miller, principal, said in a note to this column. “It was a great way to start off our Veteran’s Day and such a nice reminder for our students and families.” Pictured are Air Force Lt. Col. Cheryl Spray, Father Paul and Laura. “generously and lovingly prepared this Italian feast for more than 400 attendees,” hung up their chefs’ hats, Tanya Miller said in a note to this column. “The two received a heartfelt ‘Grazie’ for their dedication to the event and St Stephen School during a special presentation,” Tanya said.

SOMETIMES: Just a thought about bumper stickers where we brag about our kids’ accomplishments: With the ups and downs of kids’ performance in school and such, wouldn’t magnetic bumper boasts we could rotate through their various eras be a good idea?

BE WELL: Notre Dame High School’s Healthy Living Club aims to help the school’s pulse stay in time. Juniors Mila Yoch and Sasha Arrendondo-DeLipski recently picked up a $1000 grant to help fund said task. Mila and Sasha plan on using the money to make wellness bags filled with items to help their classmates stay healthy during flu season. Healthy Living Club’s co-presidents are Alexandra Dennis and Saundra Sanguinetti. swalker@vinnies.org, www.vinnies.org; St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin County, P.O. Box 150527, San Rafael 94915.

MORE PLEASE: The family bingo and spaghetti dinner at San Francisco’s St. Stephen School included fond farewells in September. Teresa Anastasio and Tony Maffei, who for 12 years have

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THANK YOU, FATHER: Had the chance to pull some take home tips from three recent homilies: Capuchin Father Michael Mahoney, pastor, Our Lady of Angels, Burlingame: “Nothing is a failure but everything is an opportunity to meet God.” Father Patrick Summerhays, parochial vicar, St. Cecilia Parish, San Francisco: “We don’t belong to the world, we belong to Christ.” Msgr. Harry Schlitt, retired vicar of administration for the archdiocese: “Everybody dies but not everybody lives. Let’s do best we can for God and for ourselves.”

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Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

thousands march for Our Lady of Guadalupe

Thousands gathered in the predawn chill Dec. 5 to take part in an annual 12– mile pilgrimage honoring the Patroness of the Americas, Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose feast is Dec. 12.

The 22nd annual Cruzada Guadalupana began at All Souls Church in South San Francisco at 5:30 a.m., with many pilgrims dressed in Native American and traditional Mexican peasant costumes. The march ended at 2 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral with Mass celebrated

by Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone.

The pilgrims’ first stop was a still– dark Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, where the hooves of decorated horses that greeted pilgrims at the gate made the only sound, cemeteries director Monica Williams said.

“As dawn breaks and the sky lightens, you begin to hear the singing and then the incredible sight of 2,000 people streaming through the cemetery gates calling, ‘Viva la Virgen!’

Williams said. “It is quite a display of faith.”

At the cathedral, the pilgrims re– enacted Our Lady’s appearance to Juan Diego outside Mexico City in 1531 and shared stories of faith and miraculous healings.

“United in one faith on this Year of Mercy, let us walk and pray for fair and just immigration reform, for world peace, for all the sick and our personal intentions” through the intercession of Our Lady, said pilgrimage organizer Pedro Garcia.

Catholic San Francisco

obituaries Sister Charlotte Ann Esch, BVM

Sister Charlotte Ann Esch, a Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, died Nov. 30 at Marian Hall in Dubuque, Iowa with burial in the Mount Carmel cemetery there. Sister Charlotte was 98 years old and a BVM sister Sister Charlotte for 80 years.

Ann Esch, BVM Sister Charlotte taught at schools including San Francisco’s Most Holy Redeemer, where she also served in parish ministry, St. Paul and St. Philip.

She entered the BVM congregation Sept. 8, 1935, professed first vows March 19, 1938, and final vows Aug. 15, 1943.

Address remembrances to the Sisters of Charity, BVM Support Fund, 1100 Carmel Drive, Dubuque, Iowa 52003.

Sister Claire Spellman, SND

Sister Claire Spellman, 87 years

old and a Sister of Notre Dame for 69 years, died peacefully Nov. 25 at Mercy Retirement and Care Center in Oakland.

She earned an undergraduate degree and secondary credential from the now Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont and a Sister Claire graduate degree in Spellman, SND English from The Catholic University of America.

Sister Claire taught in Notre Dame elementary and secondary schools in Belmont, San Jose and San Francisco.

A funeral Mass was celebrated Dec. 9 at Notre Dame Province Center in Belmont with interment at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma.

Remembrances may be made to Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, 1520 Ralston Ave., Belmont 94002.

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Will be blessed by the visit of

NFP: Number of teachers expected to more than double in Bay Area FROM PAGE 2

put hormonal contraceptives into their bodies,” Nicole Hull said.

Christina and Sean Sullivan, parishioners of St. Dominic’s who live in the Richmond district with their 3-year-old and 1-month old daughters, also attended the training offered by the Couple to Couple League in mid-November. They hosted two other attending couples, one from the Sacramento area and another from Eureka.

Sean Sullivan just returned from a military tour of duty Jan. 22.

“It was fantastic as far as quality of instruction,” Sean Sullivan said of the intensive weekend of instruction.

“The teaching couple had been doing it for so long. They made very good points – they didn’t just teach it, but how to teach it.”

The biggest obstacle in telling the story of NFP will be the default use of the birth control pill by many couples, Sean Sullivan said, noting that the World Health Organization labels the pill a Class 1 carcinogen.

Artificial birth control is “such a disservice to the female body,” Christina Sullivan said, saying the pill assumes “my body is broken and it needs medicine to fix it. Wait a minute. Let’s take a step back. There’s a reason that women are fertile for a week out of the month. God did not design us to be constantly pregnant.

(Photo courtesy the Sullivans)

Sean and Christina Sullivan with their infant at her baptism.

The book is there; we just have to read it. God has laid the groundwork for this beautiful system.”

The Couple to Couple League offers NFP instruction in a traditional classroom setting; live online, learning from a teaching couple via webcam; and self-paced online, videos, quizzes and games on the couple’s schedule.

In addition to the natural family planning teachers being trained by the Couple to Couple League, there are two others in the archdiocese who are learning the Creighton method, which also relies on natural signs of fertility, and is well-studied and highly reliable, Hopfner said.

For more information on the Couple to Couple League, visit https://ccli.org/.

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Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

Comfort and relief for a senior and his fiancée This is the second of three Advent stories focusing on clients served by Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. The theme of this series is “A Season of Mercy,” following in the footsteps of Pope Francis’ declaration of a Year of Mercy.

Catholic Charities

My name is Hong Ik. I am a 63-yearold male who suffered a brain aneurism and developed short-term memory loss. Because of my declining health, my fiancée, Karen, had to quit her job and care for me full time, but this was not sustainable. One day, in desperation, she contacted Catholic Charities Adult Day Services San Mateo to see if they could help.

When I initially enrolled in the pro-

(Courtesy photo)

Hong Ik is a client at Catholic Charities Adult Day Services San Mateo County.

gram I attended two days a week. I am typically a quiet and reserved person, so I was unsure about this new environment. Plus, I needed assistance because I am unsteady on my feet which made me feel uncomfortable.

Oftentimes I searched for an exit so I could go to a store to buy cigarettes.

After a few weeks I added a third day at the program. Through the care and attention of the staff at Catholic Charities Adult Day Services San Mateo, I became acclimated to the daily activities, made a few new friends, and opened up to staff. Now, I attend the program five days a week and sometimes I even stay for extended day care. My transition to Catholic Charities gave my fiancée a break, allowed her to find part-time work, and even helped me to quit smoking.

Catholic Charities also assisted me and Karen with our large debt.

Because our income was low, we could not afford to pay rent and other living expenses, including the cost of day services at Catholic Charities, even at the lowest rate. But, with the help of Catholic Charities staff, Karen was able to access resources that provided her with much needed respite and allowed me to continue attending the program. Karen now enjoys a good night’s sleep, attends the monthly caregiver support group and classes, and is extremely grateful for the positive impact Catholic Charities Adult Day Services San Mateo has had on our relationship. We are so grateful for the relief Catholic Charities has given us.

Celebrating Advent makes Christmas special, says St. Cecilia pastor Valerie Schmalz Catholic San Francisco

Every Advent and Christmas season the stained-glass windows and golden carved wood of St. Cecilia Church in San Francisco bring the seasons to life – a purple and mauve banner hangs from high above the pews, and wreaths are

set on the walls, while a Jesse Tree near the St. Joseph altar in the front gives parishioners the opportunity to pray and buy gifts for the recipients.

“The most important thing is we really celebrate Advent, which makes Christmas therefore a joyful season,” said St. Cecilia pastor Msgr. Michael D. Harriman. “We have wreaths with

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A time of preparation

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A Jesse Tree near the St. Joseph altar at St. Cecilia Church gives parishioners the opportunity to pray and buy gifts for the recipients. violet ribbons, the Jesse Tree also is in violet. The color dominates – for the three reasons of Advent: the original coming, the second coming and for his coming into our hearts every Advent.”

“When the church suddenly switches from all that purple to all the gold and red and the white of Christmas, it is such a striking contrast that it really moves people,” Msgr. Harriman said.

Beginning the church’s liturgical year, Advent (from, “ad-venire” in Latin or “to come to”) is the season encompassing the four Sundays (and weekdays) leading up to the celebration of Christmas.

The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and also to the anniversary of the Lord’s birth on Christmas.

The final days of Advent, from Dec. 17 to Dec. 24, focus particularly on our preparation for the celebrations of the Nativity of our Lord (Christmas).

Advent devotions including the Advent wreath, remind us of the meaning of the season.

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ARCHDiocesE 7

Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

Irish newspaper reports Dignity Health may expand to Ireland Valerie Schmalz Catholic San Francisco

The Irish Examiner is reporting that San Francisco-based Dignity Health is exploring expansion of its operations to Ireland. If the expansion took place, the hospital system founded by the Irish Sisters of Mercy would be returning to its roots.

Dignity executives visited Ireland in mid-November, the newspaper reported Nov. 30, and reportedly spoke with up to six Irish hospitals about forming partnerships or acquiring them.

Dignity Health representatives also met with Bon Secours in Cork, one of the largest independent hospitals in Europe, the Irish Examiner reported.

In a statement to Catholic San Francisco, Dignity Health said: “Like many in the health care industry, Dignity Health is in discussions with a number of organizations to learn from them and to explore opportunities to strengthen our ministry. During a recent visit to Ireland, Dignity Health representatives sought to learn more about the Irish health care system and to explore the possibility of sharing expertise. We did both and look forward to a future visit.”

Dignity is the fifth largest health system in the United States, with 39 hospitals in Arizona, Nevada and

California. Twenty two are Catholic institutions after a reorganization in 2012 intended to segregate the Catholic institutions from the others. The change was given a “nihil obstat” by then Archbishop George Niederauer, saying nothing in the change conflicted with church teaching.

Dignity Health began with St. Mary’s Hospital, founded by the Irish Sisters of Mercy shortly after eight sisters arrived in San Francisco in 1854. The hospital is the oldest continuously operating hospital in the city.

The Sisters of Mercy were founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland in 1831, to serve people who suffer from poverty, sickness and lack of education.

In 1986, two congregations of the Sisters of Mercy joined their 10 hospitals together, forming Catholic Healthcare West. In 2012, the health system reorganized again becoming Dignity Health which is no longer Catholic but contains 22 Catholic hospitals which comply with the Catholic bishops’ ethical and religious directives for Catholic hospitals, according to Dignity.

The Examiner reported that Irish Health Minister Leo Varadkar told television station RTÉ he was not aware whether Dignity Health was considering health care ventures in Ireland.

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Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

Year of Mercy seen as ‘hands-on’ experience Brian T. Olszewski Catholic News Service

MILWAUKEE – During the past 11 years, the Vatican has declared years devoted to the Eucharist, St. Paul, priests, faith and consecrated life.

While it is difficult to quantify the impact those designated years have had on the faithful, Rich Harter, director of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s John Paul II Center for the New Evangelization and coordinator for the Year of Mercy opening Dec. 8, believes the Year of Mercy will be different from previous “year of” observances and will have an impact in the archdiocese.

“Why this speaks to people’s hearts in a deep way is because it’s not about a theme; it’s about a relationship. When you talk about mercy, you’re talking about God’s relationship with us, in particular the saving mercy through Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection,” he told the Catholic Herald, a publication serving the Catholic community in southeastern Wisconsin. “So people relate to a relationship very differently than they do a theme.”

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– The spiritual works of mercy: Counsel the doubtful; instruct the ignorant; convert the sinner; comfort the sorrowful; forgive offenses willingly; bear wrongs patiently; and pray for the living and the dead.

– The corporal works of mercy: Feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; clothe the naked; visit the imprisoned; shelter the homeless; visit the sick; and bury the dead.

Catholic News Service

Another reason why this year “just grabs people,” according to Harter, is that mercy is personal for people – they need it and they are called to give it away.

He termed Pope Francis “a sort of incarnation of mercy.”

“As he walks around, as the leader of our church, his gestures, his actions, his intentionality around people is always speaking – proclaiming – mercy. His words and actions are very intentional,” Harter said.

“What makes this Year of Mercy powerful is that people associate it with him as well as with God. Also, it’s very personal because he makes the mercy of God personal.”

To help Catholics be givers of and recipients of mercy, the archdiocese is linking the spiritual and corporal works of mercy with pilgrimage.

“Pilgrimage is mercy in action, as well as it is us going away from our comfortable place to go some-

where new. That’s the whole Catholic idea of pilgrimage,” Harter explained. “It’s not only going physically somewhere new, but we go somewhere physically new out on mission to go somewhere spiritually new, to be renewed, to be changed.”

During 2016, Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki will make pilgrimages to seven sites, each representing one of the corporal works of mercy. At each site, he will lead a prayer service, deliver a catechesis on the work of mercy represented by the site, highlight the agency’s work, and invite those who journey with him to practice the suggested “mercy actions” that have been designated for that month.

While the “mercy actions” might appear simple to fulfill, Harter noted it’s not necessarily easy.

“It’s very challenging,” he said, adding the Year of Mercy is “meant to be a call to sacrifice, to put our lives on the line.”

Harter said the spotlight on the spiritual and corporal works of mercy should remove any concerns people have about the Year of Mercy being too vague, and replacing them with a specific focus and action.

“My dream is that in marshaling the entire weight and power and compassion of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee around one particular movement toward mercy each month we could literally change the world,” he said.

“Imagine what would happen if Catholics throughout the archdiocese really focused on feeding the hungry for that month. If we got families involved, individuals, leaders – all of sudden we’re donating food, giving money to pantries and meal programs,” Harter said. “We’re making a difference. Sacrifice for change.

That’s what the cross is about, that’s what the Year of Mercy is about.”

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Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

Murdered churchwomen remembered with their own words at vespers and people with a strong committed faith.”

Sister Peg Donovan, director of the Maryknoll Mission Institute, said the women lived the call to be in solidarity with the poor and were killed for their Gospel stance. She quoted Blessed Oscar Romero, the Salvadoran archbishop who was shot dead while celebrating Mass: “The one who is committed to the poor must run the same fate as the poor.

We know what that ‘fate of the poor’ signifies: to disappear, to be tortured, to be held captive, to be found dead.”

The vespers service at the Maryknoll NSisters C TCenter I VwasEpartL ofYan internaU N I tional five-week celebration of the lives of the four churchwomen.

In her reflection at a Nov. 29 Mass, Sister Gutzler said the martyred churchwomen were icons of the love and courage central to the Christian story and witnesses to the challenge and consequences of the Gospel call to risk one’s life as Jesus did for the poor.

“This yearly remembrance of our four holy women and the love and courage that marked their lives emboldens us to continue to ask: why the poor, why oppression, why violence, why the deaths of so many innocents?” Sister Gutzler said.

Beth Griffin Catholic News Service

MARYKNOLL, New York – Thirtyfive years after they were murdered in El Salvador, four American churchwomen were remembered in their own eerily prescient and profoundly moving words.

Colleagues and successors of the women gathered Dec. 2 for a vespers service at the headquarters of the Maryknoll Sisters.

On Dec. 2, 1980, Salvadoran National Guardsman abducted, raped and murD I S T I dered Maryknoll Sisters Ita Ford and Maura Clarke, Ursuline Sister Dorothy Kazel and Cleveland lay missionary Jean Donovan. They were among 75,000 people who died in El Salvador during a (CNS photo/Edgardo Ayala) decade of violent conflict.

Jean Stokan, director of the Justice Team for the Sisters of Mercy, and retired Auxiliary Bishop Dservice, I S Sister T I N Thomas C TJ. Gumbleton I V Eof Detroit L Ypose forUa photo N during I Qa Dec. U 2E In a letter read at the memorial service to comMaura Clarke wrote, “The way innomemorate the 35th anniversary of the murder of four U.S. churchwomen in Santiago Nonualco, cent people, families, children are cut El Salvador. up with machetes and blessed temples know if it is in spite of, or because of the faith was a gift that permeated their of the Lord thrown and left for the horror, terror, evil, confusion, lawlesspersonalities, their relationships and buzzards to feed on them seems unbeness, but I do know that it is right to be their missions. lievable, but it happens every day. ... here. To activate our gifts, to use them She used the words of her predecesBeing here with Ita and working for the in this situation, to believe that we are sor, Sister Melinda Roper, who led the refugees has its sweetness, consolation, gifted in and for Salvador now. ... It’s a congregation at the time of the murspecial grace and is certainly a gift. The privilege to come to a church of martyrs ders: “The inescapable challenge of courage and suffering of these people their lives and deaths is their compasnever ceases to amaze me.”

Sister Kazel was remembered for writ- sion for and solidarity with the poor.

D I S T I N C T I V E L Y They were not blind to the evil and sin ing, “This little country of El Salvador in our world, nor were they naive about is writhing in pain, but we continue to its causes. The wisdom of their faith preach the word of God, even though it was that their lives were not focused may mean ‘laying down your life’ in the against the evil and sin but upon the real sense and it is my most vivid realholiness of human life.” ization that Jesus is here with me.”

Participants at the service reflected on Sister Antoinette Gutzler, president of words written by Sister Ita Ford, “I don’t the Maryknoll Sisters, said the women’s D I S T I N C T I V E L Y D I S T I N C T I V E L Y

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Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

Judge’s ruling frozen embryos must be destroyed called ‘tragic case’ Liz O’Connor Catholic News Service

LEVITTOWN, Pennsylvania – A California state judge’s ruling that a now-divorced couple’s five frozen embryos must be destroyed is an example of doing something that technology allows without considering all its aspects, according to medical ethicists.

Christopher White, director of research and education for the California-based Center for Bioethics and Culture, called the dispute a “tragic case” illustrating “the plight of these frozen embryos.”

Estimates of the number of embryos in frozen storage range from “hundreds of thousands” to several million worldwide.

White told Catholic News Service he would be comfortable putting the number at 1 million.

The center is opposed to the destruction of the embryos created by in vitro fertilization for anesthesiologist Mimi Lee and Stephen Findley, when Father Tad Pacholczyk they married. They National Catholic Bioethics Center are now divorced.

The couple had signed a release at the time directing that the embryos should be destroyed if they were to divorce. But Lee said she did not understand the agreement to be binding and thought she could change her mind.

California Superior Court Judge Anne-Christine Massullo in San Francisco ruled Nov. 18 the embryos must be thawed and discarded.

According to articles in the Los Angeles Times, Lee was diagnosed with breast cancer days before the couple’s 2010 wedding, and they decided to create embryos through IVF before she underwent treatment that might impair her fertility. She and Findley separated in 2013 and divorced earlier this year.

‘It is objectively contrary to human dignity to bring our children into the world in laboratory glassware; they have the right to be conceived exclusively within the marital embrace.’

SCRIPTURE SEARCH Gospel for December 13, 2015 Luke 3:10-18 Following is a word search based on the Gospel reading for the Third Sunday of Advent, Cycle C: the messages of John the Baptist. The words can be found in all directions in the puzzle.

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A laboratory director inspects the microinjection of sperm into an egg cell using a microscope in 2011 at a vitro fertilization clinic in Leipzig, Germany. A California state judge’s ruling that a now-divorced couple’s five frozen embryos must be destroyed is an example of doing something that technology allows without considering all aspects, say medical ethicists.

Lee, 46, asserts that the embryos represent her last chance to have a biological child; Findley does not want to have children with her. Lee’s lawyer did not return a CNS request for comment, but Lee is reported to have said she would appeal a ruling against her.

Massullo’s ruling is in line with most other rulings on the subject across the country, according to a Nov. 19 article in The New York Times. Judges in at least 11 states have ruled in estranged couples’ embryo-custody cases, and in at least eight of those states the ruling has been in favor of the party who did not want the unborn babies brought to term.

In Pennsylvania, Illinois and Maryland, however, courts have awarded the embryos to women who argued, as Lee does, that the embryos created with ex-husbands or ex-boyfriends represent their only chance to have biological children. There is no federal law regulating these issues.

Father Tad Pacholczyk, director of education at the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia, said that “it is objectively contrary to human

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dignity to bring our children into the world in laboratory glassware; they have the right to be conceived exclusively within the marital embrace. Those who are involved in pursuing or promoting IVF invariably act in a disordered and morally unacceptable manner, despite the loftiest of intentions.”

Fertility specialists in the U.S. regularly create numerous embryos using IVF and insert several at a time into the mother’s body, in the hope that one or two will successfully implant in the womb and come to term. Remaining embryos are stored in case the attempt is a failure or more children are desired in the future.

White, of the Center for Bioethics and Culture, said that IVF has an 80 percent failure rate for each attempt worldwide and that the failure rate is 70 percent in the U.S. He noted that Germany has a law that only three eggs at a time may be inseminated and all must be inserted – Father Pacholczyk wrote in his syndicated bioethics column that Italy has a similar law – and these countries therefore do not have the problem of what to do with stored frozen embryos.

Father Pacholczyk said that several alternatives to the destruction of unwanted frozen embryos have been suggested, including donation for scientific research, donation of the frozen embryo for adoption by a woman who wishes to have a child, or indefinite preservation of the embryo in the frozen state.

The church, Father Pacholczyk said, has no position on frozen embryos, although a 2008 statement by the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, “Dignitas Personae” (“The Dignity of a Person”) comes down firmly on the side of the dignity and worth of the human embryo.

“It needs to be recognized that the thousands of abandoned embryos represent a situation of injustice which in fact cannot be resolved,” it says.

Among the document’s conclusions are that the embryos may not be used for research and may not be used as “a treatment for infertility” which later the bioethicist said could seem to rule out the adoption alternative.

Father Pacholczyk told CNS that his own opinion is that only continued preservation of the embryo would be allowable.

In his syndicated column, he has written that frozen-storage facilities are analogous to orphanages, and the fee that parents pay to continue to keep the embryos there is not unlike the money parents spend to care for children who have been born. The embryos could be kept until they die and then be buried, rather than being disposed of as medical waste.

world 11

Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

Through thick and thin: Pope urges youths to read the Bible Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis said his Bible is old, beat up and worth more to him than anything money can buy.

“If you saw my Bible, you would not be impressed,” he wrote to young people. “You’d say, ‘What? This is the pope’s Bible? A book so old, so beat up?’ You might even want to give me a gift of a new one, something that costs 1,000 euro. But I don’t want it.”

Pope Francis wrote about his Bible and his Bible-reading habits in the preface to the Germanlanguage study guide, “Youth Bible for the Catholic Church.” It was released in late October by the Germany-based Katholisches Bibelwerk and the YouCat Foundation. Other language versions are expected in 2016.

The Jesuit journal, La Civilta Cattolica, published an Italian translation of the preface in early December.

The well-worn Bible has been with Pope Francis for half his life, wrote the pope, who will turn 79 Dec. 17.

“It has seen my joy and has been bathed by my tears: it is my priceless treasure,” the pope wrote, and “nothing in the world would make me give it up.”

Youths and young adults in Germany and Austria worked with three Catholic biblical scholars to compile the new introduction to reading and under-

(CNS)

The cover of the German-language “Youth Bible for the Catholic Church.”

The Bible study guide includes a preface

by Pope Francis, who wrote about his treasured old, “beat up” Bible and explains to young people how he prays with it. The guide was released by the Germany-based Katholisches Bibelwerk and the YouCat Foundation. Other language versions are expected in 2016.

standing the Bible. The illustrated guide, designed for teens and young adults, contains selections from every book of the Bible with an introductory note, as well as commentary on the chosen passages, reflections by the young people and related citations from saints and popes.

In the preface, Pope Francis urges young people to use the study guide and to read their Bibles daily.

He asks them not to hide it on a bookshelf where it will gather dust “until one day your own children sell it at a used book stall. No! Don’t let that happen.”

The Bible is not just a piece of literature, he said.

There are Christians in the world today being persecuted just for having a Bible; “evidently, the Bible is an extremely dangerous book.”

The pope quoted Mahatma Gandhi, a Hindu, who said, “You Christians look after a document containing enough dynamite to blow all civilization to pieces, turn the world upside down and bring peace to a battle-torn planet. But you treat it as though it is nothing more than a piece of literature.”

God speaks through the Bible, the pope wrote. It is not a book designed for the shelves, but for the hands.

Pope Francis asked young people to read from the Bible each day and with attention.

“Ask ‘What does this say to my heart? What is God saying to me through these words?’” the pope counseled.

“I want to tell you how I read my old Bible. Often I pick it up, read a bit, then set it down and let myself be seen by the Lord. I am not the one looking at him, but he looks at me. God is truly there, present.”

Pope Francis reassured the young people that it is not uncommon at all to feel like God is not saying anything. “But, patiently, I stay there and I wait, reading and praying.”

“I pray seated,” he said, “because it hurts when I kneel. Sometimes when I’m praying I even fall asleep, but that’s OK because I’m like a son near his father and that’s what counts.”

“Do you want to make me happy?” the pope asked the youths. “Then read the Bible.”

Simbang Gabi

8th Annual Commissioning Mass & Parol-Lighting Ceremony

‘The church, Mother of Vocations’

VATICAN CITY – “The Church, Mother of Vocations” is the theme of the 53rd World Day of Prayer for Vocations, to be held on April 17, 2016, the fourth Sunday of Easter. In the text, signed Nov. 29, the pope said that every vocation in the church originates with Jesus’ compassionate gaze, and he emphasized that the call of God is heard through community mediation.

“It is my great hope that, during the course of this Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, all the baptized may experience the joy of belonging to the church and rediscover that the Christian vocation, just like every particular vocation, is born from within the People of God, and is a gift of divine mercy,” the pope said.

The pope added, “The call of God comes to us by means of a mediation which is communal. God calls us to become a part of the church and, after we have reached a certain maturity within it, He bestows on us a specific vocation.

“The ecclesial dynamism of the call is an antidote to indifference and to individualism,” he said.

8th

Simbang Gabi Wednesday, December 9, 2015, 7:30 p.m.

Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption 1111 Gough Street, San Francisco, CA 94109

Principal Celebrant: Most Rev. Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone

Annual Commissioning Mass & Parol-Lighting Ceremony Wednesday, December 9, 2015, 7:30 p.m.

Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption 1111 Gough Street, San Francisco, CA 94109

Principal Celebrant: Most Rev. Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone

Pope: Break down barriers to conversion

The Filipino Ministry Consultative Board (FMCB) invites everyone to the 8th Annual Simbang Gabi Commissioning Mass & Parol-Lighting Ceremony. Reception & Fellowship immediately follow after Mass. This event heralds the beginning of Simbang Gabi Masses in various parishes in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Below is the 2015 schedule.

This schedule was based on the information submitted to FMCB as of this publication.

2016 Schedule

San Mateo County: San Francisco County: VATICAN CITY – “‘Why do we need to convert?

Conversion is for an atheist who becomes a believer, Holy Name of Jesus December 16-24 5:30 a.m.

St. Bruno December 22-24 5:00 a.m. or a sinner who becomes righteous. We do not need St. Stephen December 16-24 6:00 a.m.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help December 16-24 5:30 a.m. it, we are already Christian’ we think,” said Pope St. Boniface December 15-23 5:30 p.m.

St. Timothy December 16-19; 21-24 6:00 a.m.

Francis to the faithful and pilgrims gathered in St. Church of Epiphany December 15-23 7:00 p.m.

December 20 6:30 a.m.

Peter’s Square Dec. 7 before the Sunday Angelus Church of Visitacion December 15-23 7:00 p.m.

All Souls December 15-18; 21-23 6:00 p.m. prayer.

“If we think in this way, we do not realize that it is Corpus Christi December 15-18; 21-23 7:00 p.m.

December 19-20 5:15 p.m. precisely because of this presumption – that we are th December 19-20 5:00 p.m.

Mater Dolorosa December 15-23 7:00 p.m.

The Filipino Ministry Consultative Board (FMCB) invites everyone to the 8 Annual Christians, good and doing the right thing – that we St. Anne of the Sunset December 15-23 7:00 p.m.

St. Andrew December 15-19; 21-23 7:00 p.m.

Simbang Gabi Commissioning Mass & Parol-Lighting Ceremony. Reception & Fellowship must convert from the supposition that all things St. Elizabeth December 15-23 7:00 p.m.

December 20 4:45 p.m. considered, it is fine this way and we are not in need immediately follow after Mass. This event heralds the beginning of Simbang Gabi Masses St. Paul of the Shipwreck December 21-23 7:00 p.m.

St. Robert December 15-23 7:00 p.m. of any form of conversion,” he said. in various parishes in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Below is the 2015 schedule.

The pope said “each one of us is called to make St. Monica December 21-23 7:00 p.m.

Holy Angels 15-23 7:00 p.m.

This schedule was based on the information submitted to FMCBDecember as of this publication.

Jesus known to those who still do not know Him. But St. Thomas More December 15-18 7:00 p.m.

Our Lady of Mercy December 15-18; 20-23 7:30 p.m. this does not mean proselytizing: No. It means openSan Mateo County: December 19 San Francisco County: December 19 5:0o p.m.

5:30 p.m. ing a door. “ December 20 8:00 p.m.

St. Augustine December 15-23 7:30 p.m.

St. Bruno December 22-24 Holy Name of Jesus December 16-24 5:30 a.m.

No unity without forgiveness

December 21-23

St. Stephen December 16-24 VATICAN CITY – Following the Dec. 7 Angelus, St. Patrick December 16-24 Pope Francis greeted the pilgrims in St. Peter’s St. Boniface DecemberDecember 15-23 16-18 St. John the Evangelist Square and affirmed that he is following closely the DecemberDecember 15-23 19 work of the climate conference in Paris. Church of Epiphany December 20 “What kind of world do we want to leaveChurch to those of Visitacion December 15-23 December 21-24 who come after us, to children who are now growing Corpus Christi December 15-18; 21-23 up?” he asked. “For the good of our common home, for all of us and for the future generations, every efMarin County:December 19-20 fort should be directed toward mitigating the impact St. Isabella December 17-21 St. Anne of the Sunset December 15-23 of climate change and, at the same time, curbing poverty and enabling human dignity to flourish.”

St. Elizabeth December 15-23

7:00 p.m.

Our Lady of Angels*

7:00 p.m.

December 20

7:30 p.m.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

5:306:00 p.m. a.m.

St. Timothy St. Mark Church*

a.m.

7:009:00 p.m.

6:00 a.m.

7:30 a.m.

5:00 a.m

December 16-24

5:30 a.m

16-19; 21-24 DecemberDecember 17 7:00 p.m.

6:00 a.m

St. Pius**

DecemberDecember 15 & 23 20 7 00 p.m.

6:30 a.m

Church of the Nativity**

December 17 & 22

7:00 p.m.

St. Matthias**

December 21

7:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

All Souls

7:00 p.m.

St. Charles**

19-20 DecemberDecember 16 7:00 p.m.

5:15 p.m.

Mater Dolorosa

DecemberDecember 20 5:00 p.m.

15-23

7:00 p.m

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel**

December 19

5:00 p.m.

St. Raymond**

December 18

December 15-19; 21-23

7:00 p.m

December 20

7:00 p.m.

4:45 p.m

6:00 a.m.

5:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

St. Andrew

*Deanery 10 ▪

December 21-23

7:00 p.m.

St. Robert

St. Monica

December 21-23

7:00 p.m.

St. Thomas More

December 15-18

7:00 p.m.

Vatican Information St. PaulService of the Shipwreck

Dec. 15-16; 18-19; 21-23

6:00 a.m.

December 15-18; 21-23

** Deanery 11

6:00 p.m

December 15-23

7:00 p.m

Holy Angels

December 15-23

7:00 p.m

Our Lady of Mercy

December 15-18; 20-23

7:30 p.m

12 world

Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

Activists: Human rights, costs threaten climate accord James Martone Catholic News Service

PARIS – Major hurdles stand in the way of a global accord on climate change, including over the questions of human rights and who pays the costs for poor countries to transition into using greener energy, said Catholic and other church activists on the sidelines of the U.N. climate conference.

“We want human rights, indigenous rights, food security and gender equality in Article 2” of the accord’s text, said Bernd Nilles, head of CIDSE, an alliance of Catholic development agencies present at the conference site in Le Bourget on the outskirts of Paris.

The U.N. conference – aimed at curbing global warming by limiting the use of fossil fuels that cause it – ends Dec. 11. Negotiators from 195 countries have come up with a draft accord, which their senior ministers were set to discuss Dec. 7, the activists reported. Some countries wanted the issue of human rights regulated to the preamble of the text, or not mentioned in the text at all, Nilles told Catholic News Service Dec. 6.

Nilles, one of thousands of activists who are at the talks in Paris in hopes of influencing negotiators to safeguard the poor while combating global warming, told CNS it was “crucial” that human rights be part of the final text, to protect people from projects that could be considered clean energy, such as dams to produce hydroelectric power, but would encroach on their lands and homes.

The issue of human rights “is now (only) in the preamble,” of the text, he said.

(CNS photo/Charles Platiau, Reuters)

Steam rises from the cooling towers of a nuclear power station at sunset Nov. 25 in NogentSur-Seine, France.

The question of financing was also a major obstacle, Nilles and other activists noted.

They said EU countries were trying to get commitments from “big players,” such as China, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia to help cover the billions of dollars it will cost poorer countries to transition into using cleaner sources of energy instead of those emitting dangerous carbon gases. They also want larger, more developed countries to cover costs for the damage that global warming has already inflicted on some of the world’s poorer countries, especially on small island nations now in danger of being washed away completely due to rising sea levels induced by the changing climate.

“We are collaborating with both our faith partners and with civil society partners globally to get loss and damage included in the agreement,” said Chloe Schwabe, who attended the Paris talks in her capacity as director of the faith-economy-ecology project at the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns.

“Loss and damage is critical, because it is what happens when mitigation and adaptation is not enough and island nations are underwater and farmers are no longer able to grow food,” she told CNS. Any Paris agreement “should not leave anyone behind. It must acknowledge the situations where adaptation is no longer possible, and loss

and damage must thus be a central element of the text,” added Mattias Soderberg, who is also at the Paris conference as delegation head for ACT Alliance, a coalition of 137 churches and faith-based organizations working together in more than 100 countries.

In comments released by ACT Alliance Dec 7, Soderberg called on negotiators in Paris “to agree on climate finance, to ensure that there are adequate means of implementation to support developing countries in their efforts to engage in both mitigation and resilience.”

Both he and Schwabe emphasized the need for countries negotiating in Paris to overcome their differences and come up with a global climate accord by Dec. 11.

“We are literally talking about life and death here,” Schwabe told CNS. “Global leaders, especially in developed countries, can – and must – do more. As Pope Francis said, ‘Every effort to protect and improve our world entails profound changes in lifestyles, models of production and consumption, and the established structures of power which today govern societies,’” she said, quoting the pope’s June encyclical, “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home,” which champions how a change of heart is necessary to protect the earth and all its inhabitants.

“Ensuring enough ambition is a challenge, but societies have come so far by taking the leap of faith,” she said.

Soderberg called the negotiations in Paris “the time for bold leadership and increased ambition by the ministers and all countries, and not a time to be timid and hide behind differentiation.

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from the front 13

Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

Year of Mercy: Pope wants ‘revolution of tenderness’ FROM PAGE 1

in-depth look at why he sees such an urgent need to highlight God’s mercy.

“The world needs to discover that God is father, that there is mercy, that cruelty is not the path, that condemnation is not the path,” he said. “Because the church herself sometimes follows a hard line, she falls into the temptation of following a hard line, into the temptation of underlining only moral norms, but so many people remain on the outside,” he said.

The pope said the thought of all those people – sinners, the doubtful, the wounded and disenfranchised – conjured up that iconic image of seeing the church “as a field hospital after the battle.”

“The wounded are to be treated, helped to heal, not subjected to cholesterol tests,” he said, meaning a too narrow scrutiny of minutiae delays staving off the broader disease of conflict and indifference. He once illustrated the same concept by painting a visual image of pastors who prefer to coif and comb the wool of the tiny flock in the pews rather than seek the sheep that are outside in danger or lost.

“I believe this is the time for mercy.

We are all sinners, we all carry burdens within us. I felt Jesus wants to open the door of his heart,” he said in the magazine interview.

The opening of the holy doors in Rome and around the world will be a symbol of how Jesus is opening the door of his heart.

In fact, dioceses have been asked to designate and open their own “Door of Mercy” in a cathedral, an important church or sanctuary. The pope also will send out from Rome “missionaries of mercy” – priests mandated to the world’s peripheries to show patience and compassion in their ministry.

Such gestures suggest the pope still wants people to avoid the expense of

Taking part in the Year of Mercy

The Pontifical Council for the Promotion of New Evangelization, the office organizing events for the Holy Year, presented details about some of the events planned at the Vatican and the services available for pilgrims.

– The pope will carry out a “symbolic gesture” related to one of the works of mercy on one Friday of every month during the Holy Year.

He will begin with a “strictly private” visit Dec. 18 to a shelter run by the Rome diocesan Caritas.

order to receive the free tickets. It can be done online at www.im.va or in person at the official pilgrim information center at Via della Conciliazione 7, which is along the wide boulevard leading to St. Peter’s.

– Until the year ends Nov. 20, 2016, every evening in front of the statue of St. Peter in St. Peter’s Square, groups will take turns leading the recitation of the rosary.

– Tourists wanting only to visit St. Peter’s Basilica will be in a separate line from pilgrims who are registered to go through the Holy Door. Everyone entering the basilica will have to pass through a metal detector.

– In addition to the pope’s Wednesday general audience, he will hold a special general audience one Saturday a month.

– Special confessionals with wheelchair access will be available in St. Peter’s Basilica and other Rome churches. Audio, video and “tactile-book” resources will be available for people with a visual or hearing impairment.

– Pilgrims who wish to walk through the Holy Door at St. Peter’s or take part in other major jubilee events in Rome will have to preregister in travel – like his post-election suggestion to fans back home in Argentina to give to the poor the money they would have spent for a trip.

To help people at home feel “just like being there” in Rome, the Vatican television center will start broadcasting major papal events during the Holy Year in latest generation “Ultra HD 4K” resolution as well as HD, 3D and standard definition.

With the appropriate displays or TVs, people will be able to watch events with increased depth and de-

– Pilgrims who come to Rome, especially those traveling on foot, will receive an official “testimonium” from the pilgrim information center. Organizers warned against “inauthentic” certificates that may be in circulation.

– Pilgrims should look for the Year of Mercy trademarked logo as a kind of “seal of approval” that also will guarantee fair prices for food and lodging at participating businesses.

Catholic News Service

tail, and, for the opening of the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica Dec. 8, 19 cameras were to be deployed to capture every angle, including a unique papal point of view.

The Vatican also planned to set up 4K screens in a prison in Milan, a hospital in Rome and possibly in the Holy Land so people who are physically confined could feel part of the opening ceremony.

From the very start of his pontificate, Pope Francis has been showing what the way of mercy means.

Realizing God knows he’s a sinner, but embraces him anyway lies at the heart of Pope Francis’ ministry and his motto: ‘By showing mercy, by choosing,’ based on ‘The Call of St. Matthew.’

The pope’s very first Angelus address and homily in 2013 centered on mercy, as he explained God always waits for that day of awakening and conversion, then forgives everything. The real problem is people – not God – who give up on forgiveness, he said.

But mercy changes everything, he said; it “makes the world a little less cold and more just.”

The pope’s own religious vocation is rooted in that concrete experience of mercy, when he – as a 17-year-old student – walked out of a confessional “different, changed.” It was the feast of St. Matthew, and like St. Matthew, he was overcome, feeling “God looked at me with mercy” and said, “Follow me.”

Realizing God knows he’s a sinner, but embraces him anyway lies at the heart of Pope Francis’ ministry and his motto: “By showing mercy, by choosing,” based on “The Call of St. Matthew.”

He said in the magazine interview that one Friday of every month during the Year of Mercy “I will make a different gesture” that shows God’s mercy. He had asked the world’s young people to rediscover the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, like feeding the hungry and counsel the doubtful, and choose one to practice each month as they prepare for World Youth Day in July.

Shared X: Bay Area Catholic’s startup aims to put pope’s ideals into practice FROM PAGE 1

Shared-X lifts subsistence farmers out of poverty by providing them three items: the seeds of highperforming crop varieties; a suite of advanced, sustainable farming techniques specifically applicable to the crop; and marketing assistance by selling “their harvest side-by-side with ours for a premium price” to a retailer or others up the distribution chain, Denniston said.

Shared-X purchases midsized farms from midtier farmers or wealthy landowners, never from smallholder farmers, Denniston said. The Shared-X business model resembles a wagon wheel of sorts, with the farm owned by Shared-X forming the hub, and the series of 1 or 2 hectare farms owned by subsistence farmers representing the spokes, Denniston said.

“The yield gap is a vitally important statistic relative to the alleviation of poverty worldwide because 70 percent of the world’s poor live in rural areas where farming is the main job opportunity,” Denniston said. “Closing the yield gap injects prosperity into these communities.”

Today, two of the Shared X farms in operation – an organic banana farm and a specialty coffee farm – are producing dramatically higher yields than their smallholder farmer neighbors, Denniston said.

Denniston, chairman of Shared X, and Salas, chief executive officer, bring broad experience to their company. Denniston is a former partner in the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins.

For the past 18 years, Salas has been CEO of a Latin American agricultural consulting/manage-

(Courtesy photo)

John Denniston, right, and Tony Salas formed Shared-X to aid subsistence farmers by tackling the “yield gap” in farm production.

ment firm, with a client list that includes Dole, USAID, the World Bank, the country of Germany, and Chiquita. Before that, Salas served as the equivalent of the Peru undersecretary of agriculture. He earned his master’s and doctorate in agricultural sciences from North Carolina State University, and his MBA with a specialization in agriculture and food business from Purdue University.

Forbes Magazine writer Giovanni Rodriguez specifically praised Denniston and Salas’ firm in a July article “Can Silicon Valley Leaders Help Solve The Global Food Challenge?”

Noting the yield gap, and that some studies project a looming food scarcity for the 9 to 10 billon people expected to populate the world in 2050 that will not be solved solely by improving distribution, Rodriquez writes: “to meet the growing global demand for food this century, we will all need to get smarter about how we produce and distribute food.

But where others see shared problems, people like Denniston see shared opportunity. “ Pope Francis praised the concept of impact investing in a June 14, 2014, address to participants in a conference promoted by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace on “Impact Investing for the Poor.”

“Christians are called to rediscover, experience and proclaim to all this precious and primordial unity between profit and solidarity. How much the contemporary world needs to rediscover this beautiful truth!” Pope Francis said.

Denniston called Shared X “an example of the type of business innovation Pope Francis is urging us to implement.”

14 opinion

A

Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

Hospice care a need in the Latino community

s a hospice social worker I have had the privilege of being with patients during their final stages of their illness as part of an interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, home-health aides and chaplaincy support. Hospice is a Medicare benefit that pays for end-oflife care. Hospice support allows a patient to remain in their home or residential care facility with the support of the clinical team including 24/7 nursing support by consultation and home visits.

It provides the patient with medical equipment; such as gloria electric bed with air mattress gutierrez to prevent bed sores, and oxygen to keep their loved one comfortable. Palliative care is offered through symptom management of pain, nausea, anxiety and physical comfort.

I have provided outreach to the Latino community about hospice services and was supported by the faith-based committee that focused on outreaching to the Latino and African-American communities. My outreach began at St. Anthony de Padua Parish in Menlo Park. Father Fabio Medina supported presentations on hospice services to extraordinary ministers holy Communion and visitors of the sick. Four of the ministers became volunteers to be present with our patients, taking them shopping when they were able to walk and share life reviews of memorable moments in their lives. Our chaplain or I collaborated with the ministers to arrange sacraments for our patients.

Father Fabio also supported on March 6, 2013, the formation of a Bereavement Support Group. We met in the sacristy with parishioners some of whom were spouses of the deceased hospice patients’ family.

Another participant’s spouse died at a young age of a sudden illness and did not have time to say goodbye to his family. Grief becomes more conflicted. The sup-

I

port of group members and their sharing of personal stories helps other participants normalize their own grief by listening to another’s similar experiences.

Some of the participants are able to say that their anxiety has lessened by talking about their own experiences. Participants also experience spiritual pain. In 2014 the group relocated to the Fair Oaks Community Center near the church. It is hoped that there will be continued collaboration between the parishes.

Father Lawrence Goode and Sister Cecilia Lozano, MMD, of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in East Palo Alto also welcomed hospice presentations and two of their ministers of the sick became hospice volunteers. A similar presentation was made to the Spanish-speaking ministries at St. Matthew Parish.

I had the privilege of working with our former RN, Sister Jane Tobin, OSF, her dedication and compassionate care of her patients was an inspiration with the exemplary care she provided to her patients. Jane said that “Hope is what patients and families hold on to until the last minute but at the same time families need to be prepared for the finality of life.” Many times families were waiting for a miracle and she said, “Many times the miracle can be that the patient has no pain.” Jane passed on Aug. 18, 2014.

At our agency the faith-based committee has been dismantled but my collaboration with these parishes continues. There still is a need to provide information about hospice to the Latino community. The California HealthCare Foundation, in its 2012 report “Death in Hospice Care,” reported that only 4 percent of the Medicare beneficiaries who died on hospice were Latino. According the 2010 U.S. Census, 25 percent of the population in San Mateo County is made up of Latinos and in California, Latinos comprise 38.6 percent of the population. Hospice provides dignity and quality of life during the final moments of life and this service needs to be made available to all populations.

M

is its leading practitioner in the Anglosphere. Give it to a bishop, priest, and/or deacon on your list, gently reminding him or them that expository preaching is essential, and that Wright is a master-guide to breaking open the Gospel text so that we see the world more clearly through it. “How God Became King” also makes wonderful spiritual reading for Advent or Lent.

“Truth Overruled: The Future of Marriage and Religious Freedom,” by Ryan T. Anderson (Regnery): Your best guide to the debate that the Supreme Court has tried to end, but hasn’t.

“Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush,” by Jon Meacham (Random House): A splendidly crafted, richly detailed reminder that decency and chivalry were no obstacles to American high office in our lifetime.

“Imperium and Conspirata,” by Robert Harris (Gallery Books): Harris’ trilogy of novels about Cicero will be completed in January with a third volume, “Dictator”; there, our hero runs afoul of the nasty Caesars, Julius and Octavian, but that’s to get ahead of the story.

The first two volumes will whet the appetites of those who relish first-rate historical fiction, in preparation for the denouement.

“Devotion,” by Adam Makos (Ballantine): The story of the U.S. Navy’s first African-American carrier pilot, Jesse Brown, and his white squadron-mate and friend, Tom Hudner, is touching in its own right and a timely antidote to the politically-correct madness of recent months on campuses and elsewhere. If you can avoid choking-up while reading what President Harry Truman said to Hudner when presenting him the Congressional Medal of Honor in the presence of Jesse Brown’s widow, Daisy, you have more emotional iron in you than I do.

“The Inimitable Jeeves”; “Very Good, Jeeves”; “Right Ho, Jeeves”; “Thank You, Jeeves”; “The Code of the Woosters”; and “Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves,” by P.G. Wodehouse (Norton or Touchstone): It’s impossible to stay grumpy reading Wodehouse.

uch has happened on the assistedsuicide front. The California legislature went into an extraordinary session on health care and emerged with a bill legalizing physician assisted suicide. Gov. Jerry Brown signed the bill and a referendum campaign, supported by the bishops of California, is now in full swing to overturn the law. If the required number of signatures is collected, the law will remain on hold pending the outcome vicki evans of next November’s election.

Whatever the outcome, it’s not too early to start the process of protecting yourself by preparing documents that indicate your endof-life wishes.

Which documents are appropriate?

An Advance Health Care Directive appoints a surrogate decision maker or agent empowered to make medical decisions when you no longer can. It is essential to appoint a family member, friend or caregiver who understands your values and wishes, since one day your life may literally be in their hands. The directive might also express your general desires concerning treatment, although being too specific is discouraged given that no one can predict the future or provide for every contingency.

The Los Angeles archdiocese developed an Advance Health Care Directive based on Catholic principles, which is endorsed by the California Catholic Conference and available at http://sfarchdiocese.org/home/ministries/ social-justice-life/respect-life/end-of-life-issues.

This directive summarizes Catholic teachings based on the Vatican’s “Declaration on Euthanasia.” Euthanasia, defined as the intentional ending of life by action or omission to relieve suffering, is not permitted. That includes physician assisted suicide. Medicating to control pain is not euthanasia because the intent is alleviation of severe pain, not the death of the patient. There is no obligation to pursue or continue life-sustaining treatments if risks or burdens to the patient are disproportionate to expected benefits. Failure to provide nutrition and hydration, for the purpose of ending life or accelerating death, constitutes euthanasia.

A newer document introduced in California in 2008 is Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment. POLST is a legal document that becomes binding immediately upon completion, when signed by physician and patient (or patient’s surrogate). It remains in the patient’s medical records until revoked and should be used only for individuals with an advanced or critical illness. POLST does not replace an advance directive. If there is a conflict between the two documents, the most recently signed controls – or the patient’s verbal expression of his wishes.

POLST is completed by checking off three boxes on a bright pink form:(1) attempt CPR or do not attempt; (2) as to medical interventions, provide full, selective, or only comfort-focused treatment; and (3) provide artificial nutrition on a long-term basis, trial basis, or not at all.

These are morally grave choices that cannot be divorced from actual circumstances. A particular medical intervention could be obligatory or optional depending on the context. Therefore, POLST should only be completed with reference to actual medical conditions as they develop.

As a general rule, it is prudent to have an Advance Health Care Directive on file and, as particular circumstances arise, to complete POLST with respect to those circumstances.

Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, Washington, D.C.

Evans is Respect Life Coordinator for the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

Gutierrez, MSW/ASW, is a social worker at Mission Hospice & Home Care in San Mateo. She can be reached at (650) 554-1000. ggutierrez@missionhospice.org.

Books for Christmas

t’s been a good reading year and I highly recommend the following to the readers on your Christmas (not “holiday”) shopping list: “God or Nothing,” by Cardinal Robert Sarah (Ignatius Press): It was the book being discussed at synod 2015 and with good reason, for this interviewstyle autobiography of a life of faith is moving, insightful, and a wonderful testament to the fruits of the European mission to Africa in the early 20th century. As African Catholicism now challenges its Euro-parent to rediscover the gift of faith that Europe once gave others, “God george weigel or Nothing” is also an invitation to meet a man whose service to the universal church may not end with his current post in the Roman Curia.

“Church of Spies: The Pope’s Secret War Against Hitler,” by Mark Riebling (Basic Books): It’s scandalous that this deeply researched study of Pius XII’s involvement in plots to depose Adolf Hitler has been largely ignored by the mainstream press, but the reason why isn’t hard to guess – “Church of Spies” confounds the “Hitler’s pope” rubbish that Catholic-bashers find useful. It’s a great read, so give it on those grounds; but it’s morally permissible if you give it to annoy The New York Times.

“Vatican Council Notebooks,” by Henri de Lubac (Ignatius Press): There are many Vatican II memoirs available, but Father de Lubac’s is more even-tempered than Yves Congar’s “My Journal of the Council” (Liturgical Press); the de Lubac volume is also a model of editing and annotation. “Louis Bouyer’s Memoirs” (Ignatius Press), recently published, include some interesting nuggets about Vatican II and its liturgical aftermath.

“How God Became King: The Forgotten Story of the Gospels,” by N.T. Wright (HarperOne): Sound, accessible biblical commentary that’s informed, but not distorted, by historical–critical scholarship is always welcome, and the former Anglican bishop of Durham

Physicianassisted suicide prevention

opinion 15

Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

Give yourself the gift of time

Letters Pope Francis a quisling?

In his Dec. 3 letter Mr. Ed Binetti declares that the Holy Father is “not a scientist” but rather a “gullible quisling” – all because of Pope Francis’ efforts to deal with global warming and other environmental problems.

First, it seems highly inappropriate for Mr. Binetti to call the Vicar of Christ a “quisling” (synonyms: apostate, backstabber, betrayer, double-crosser, double-dealer, Judas, traitor, recreant, serpent, snake, turncoat).

Second, it puzzles me that Mr. Binetti goes on to say: “The contradiction that a pope believes man can affect what God has created might result in a profound decrease in the collection basket.” Of course man has an impact on what God has created: We call this sin when the impact is negative. We disobey the commandments, we take life, we pollute drinking water, we damage the fabric of society by not supporting healthy family life. All of these things do indeed come from God, but we are made stewards of them by God, for better or worse.

Father William Brown, Pastor, St. Hilary Parish, Tiburon

Misleading portrait

Ed Binetti spreads the misleading portrait of Pope Francis by climate change deniers who do not want to listen to the Pope’s authoritative moral voice in the encyclical “Laudato Si” by giving misinformation about Pope Francis by saying “Francis is not a scientist.”The fact is that Pope Francis was educated as a scientist before he entered seminary, and so his scientific background gives weight to his moral teaching on the environment.Check the facts before making a statement about Pope Francis.

Father Thomas J. Whelan, OSA San Francisco

Marriage is a divine gift

Marriage is in decline and fewer couples are marching to the altar while unmarried cohabitation is on the rise.

In my opinion sacramental marriage is blessed by the church and by God. Marriage is the best arrangement for raising children. Children strengthen our marriage and bring us closer to God, and it gives us happiness and joy to have them in our lives.

I believe that marriage was and still is sacramental in that we confer the sacramental benefits on each other in the presence of the priest.

It is Christ’s mystical presence that makes the occasion sacramental. The vows taken “till death do us part” emphasize only the temporal nature of life on this Earth, but marriage has an external element that I believe is far more important.

The sacramental nature of a Catholic marriage confers an assurance that one’s spouse is not a result of random choice, but a gift, divinely chosen, and like divine gifts has in its nature the ability to draw one closer to its source in divine love – a love that is self-sacrificing. It is this self-sacrifice that differentiates a Catholic sacramental marriage.

Lenny Barretto Daly City

Lisa M. Petsche

P

eople who care for loved ones with frail health typically have a multitude of responsibilities: Shopping, running errands, paying bills among them. There don’t seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything done, let alone spend time with other important people in their life and tend to their own needs.

If you are a caregiver, the best gift you can receive this Christmas season is the gift of time: time to attend to your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs in order to keep the inherent stress of caregiving manageable.

Consider personal time a need rather than a luxury and resolve to make it an ongoing gift to yourself. Don’t wait for New Year’s Day to get started: Right now is a good time, as Christmas festivities ramp up.

During the holidays set realistic expectations and be prepared to alter traditions. Keep it simple and let relatives and friends know your needs and limitations. Decide what is really important to you, focus on that and forget the rest.

Whatever tasks you decide to take on, ask for help and delegate responsibilities. Make plans and start necessary preparations well in advance.

Make lists to stay organized, and keep them handy.

If you plan to have guests and your finances allow, arrange a housecleaning or a catered meal.

You may also make it a potluck event or ask someone else to host the big family feast. Invite friends over for dessert instead of a meal, and don’t hesitate to buy from a bakery.

For gift giving, purchase gift cards. If you buy gifts at the mall, take advantage of the gift wrapping service.

Think along these lines as the year continues: Curb perfectionism. Not everything needs to be done to a high standard like housework and yard maintenance. Set a time limit for chores if necessary.

Establish and stick to priorities, so you don’t waste time or energy on unimportant things. Accept offers of help and ask other family members to share the load. Be specific about what you need.

Pay for help if you can afford it such as a dog walker or housecleaning service.

Get a portable phone so you can multitask while conversing, and an answering machine to screen calls. Hire a professional organizer if you are overwhelmed by paper or clutter.

Get a computer if you don’t have one. Internet access can help you stay connected to loved ones. You can also connect with other caregivers through Internet message boards and chat rooms.

Concentrate cleaning and tidying efforts on the rooms that are used the most. Collect recipes for one-dish meals, such as casseroles, stews, stir fries and main course salads. Cook double batches of recipes and freeze half for later use.

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May 28 - June 8 | September 3 - 14

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Fr. Mario, a Franciscan who holds a PhD in New Testament, has lived in the Holy Land and has been leading pilgrims to the Holy Places continuously for the past 39 years. The Franciscans have been official custodians of the Holy Places for over 700 years.

Write, call or email for free brochure: Fr. Mario DiCicco, O.F.M. St. Peter’s Church, 110 West Madison St., Chicago, IL 60602 (312) 853-2411, cell: (312) 888-1331 mmdicicco@gmail.com | FrMarioTours.weebly.com

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Keep a supply of heat-and-serve entrees in the freezer. Buy convenience foods that reduce preparation time: packaged salads, shredded cheese, frozen mixed vegetables and boneless chicken breasts.

Arrange with the bank for direct deposit of pension and other checks and automatic withdrawal of regular bills. If you have a computer, sign up for online banking so you can pay bills, transfer money and check balances from home.

Shop by mail order whenever possible. Take advantage of stores and other services that offer home delivery. Research mobile services in your area, such as hairdressing, dog grooming, car washing.

Consolidate errands and avoid peak use times when visiting stores, banks, government offices and other establishments.

Investigate available community respite services, such as friendly visiting, adult day care programs. Look into volunteer driver programs and accessible transportation services that can free you up from chauffeuring duties. Information can often be obtained from the local office on aging.

If finances permit, hire a companion or personal support worker for your relative so you can regularly get out to a club, class or some other leisure activity. Let loved ones know that a gift certificate to a home care agency or an IOU for respite care would be welcomed for Christmas or other special occasions.

Petsche is a social worker with personal and professional experience in elder care.

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16 opinion

Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

St. Joseph in perspective

D

uring the Advent and Christmas seasons, St. Joseph holds a prominent place in the liturgical and historical celebrations.

To appreciate St. Joseph properly we need a clear perspective more than historical facts from Scripture and tradition. In fact we know very little historically about the man who raised Jesus.

The three critical instances recorded about Joseph’s life are his betrothal to Mary, learning that Mary is with child, and the revelation in a dream about Mary’s condition. This ordinary worker brother john and righteous Jew was a carpenter building useful things m. samaha, sm for others and to honor God. These special moments teach us about the transition from the Old Law to the New Law and the hope it brings. They indicate the shift that must take place in our own lives when God

(CNS/Crosiers)

A detail of a stained-glass window from St. Edward Church in Seattle shows Jesus, Mary and Joseph on their flight into Egypt. asks us to do the extraordinary and unimaginable.

Fascinating insights into the character of Joseph come to us when we observe him through various lenses as spouse of Mary, father of Jesus, man of obedience, man of faith, man of hope, man of charity, man of courage, man of poverty, man of purity, man of prayer, man of patience, man of labor, man

of virtue, man of the church; shepherd, protector, and guardian. Then we understand better why God chose Joseph to help raise Jesus with Mary. Jesus needed an earthly father who was mature in age and wisdom, and would have the attributes needed to cope with the challenges of parenting the son of God. Joseph was head of a household that sheltered the most extraordinary persons. His overarching intention was to care for Jesus and Mary because in doing so he was serving God. Every service for them was an expression of love and thanksgiving. God entrusted Joseph with the greatest and most unimaginable gift. And Joseph through his dedicated care returned the gift perfectly. He was the man closest to Christ.

For us to observe Joseph as he raised Jesus is a lesson about the basic elements of our Catholic faith and presents a model of Christ-like living. This is Joseph in proper perspective.

The church honors St. Joseph twice in its liturgical calendar: the Solemnity of St. Joseph on March 19, and the feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1.

Marianist Brother Samaha lives in Cupertino.

The best Christmas gift you’ll ever receive Tony Rossi The Christophers

“If I knew things would no longer be, I would have tried to remember better.” That’s a line from the 1990 movie “Avalon,” which comes to mind every Christmas season because it’s a time of year that prompts me to reflect on the past and the best gift I ever received.

It was Dec. 24, 1980, and the wait was grueling. My 11-year-old self had asked for the popular “large size Star Wars action figures” for Christmas, and I couldn’t wait to find out whether they would be under the tree.

There were already a couple of gifts there so, being a little sneaky, I put saliva on my finger and rubbed it on the wrapping paper thinking it would become more transparent. No luck. My mother is a gift-wrapping ninja who encased my presents in so much paper, not even Superman’s X-ray vision could see through it. The only solution was to wait it out.

A nap would be a good idea, I thought, so I lay in bed telling myself to fall asleep. That worked as well as it does today when I’m suffering from occasional insomnia. I wound up staring at the clock and thinking, “Time sure does pass slowly.”

Finally, it was time to go to the Christmas Eve vigil Mass with my mother, father, and maternal grandparents, who lived a few doors down from us. Despite

S

difficult challenges, like my grandfather’s advancing Parkinson’s disease, we always went to church as a family. It was never seen as a burden, but as something special and necessary to live a good life. Also, my family had survived some harrowing experiences in Yugoslavia after World War II before they immigrated to the United States, and they attributed that to God. Mass was so festive that it distracted me from my preoccupation with presents. We got to sing carols instead of Advent songs – and a feeling of palpable joy emanated from everyone wearing their finest garb in an overflowing church.

After Mass, we made the traditional rounds: first to my paternal grandparents, then to my maternal grandparents, and finally back home. Sure enough, I hit the action figure motherlode. There were Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca and more. At the time, I thought those were the greatest presents I ever received.

Adulthood brings a different perspective, though.

While the toys provided me with hours of fun, it’s the memories that I truly treasure because they were grounded in love. God blessed me with two grandmothers who loved to bake, so their affection was displayed through crescent cookies, made out of ground almonds and dusted with sugar – and

through apricot cakes and linzer cookies that made the house smell divine.

I’m also overwhelmed by everything my mother and father did for me that Christmas and throughout my childhood. They worked hard to support our family: my father as a customs broker at Kennedy Airport, and my mother as a coat-check attendant at the Waldorf Astoria. I never lacked love growing up and I know now that gave me a great advantage in life. I’m grateful to still have my parents with me.

Middle age has also taught me that time actually passes very quickly, not slowly, like my 11-year-old self believed. So when you gather with your family and friends to celebrate Christmas this year, take it all in, even the smallest details. In other words, “remember better.” Those moments will be the best Christmas gifts you’ll ever receive.

The Christophers, founded in 1945 by Maryknoll Father James Keller, encourage people of all ages, and from all walks of life, to use their God-given talents to make a positive difference in the world. The mission is best expressed in The Christophers’ motto: “It’s better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.” For a free copy of the Christopher News Note “Opening Yourself to God’s Grace,” write: The Christophers, 5 Hanover Square, New York, New York 10004; or email: mail@christophers.org.

Sensitive to community, beyond ourselves

ome years ago I was challenged by a bishop regarding an article I’d written. We were talking in his office and the tone eventually got a little testy: “How can you write something like that?” he asked.

“Because it’s true,” was my blunt reply. He already knew it was true, but now, realizing that, he became more aware of his real agenda: “Yes, I know it’s true, but that doesn’t mean it should be said in that way in a Catholic newspaper like ours. This isn’t a university classroom or The New York Times. It’s a diocesan newspaper and that’s not the best FATHER ron context within which to say rolheiser something like that. It will confuse a lot of readers.”

I’m not immune to pride and arrogance and so my spontaneous reaction was defensive. Immediately there were certain voices in me saying: “I am only saying what’s true. The truth needs to be spoken.”

But I’m glad I swallowed my pride, bit my tongue, muttered a half-sincere apology, and walked out of his office without saying any of those things out loud. Having the truth is one thing, speaking it in a place and a manner that’s helpful is quite another.

It’s not for nothing that Jesus challenged us to speak our truth in parables because truth, as T.S. Eliot once quipped, cannot always be swallowed whole and the context and tone within which it is spoken generally

dictate whether it’s helpful or not to speak it at a given time or to a given person. Simply put, it isn’t always helpful, or charitable, or mature, to throw a truth into someone’s face.

St. Paul says as much in his epistle to the Romans in words to this effect: “We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves” (Romans 15, 1). That can come across as patronizing. Undergirding this kind of admonition is a fundamental distinction that’s critically important in our teaching, preaching, and pastoral practice, namely, the distinction between catechesis and theology, the distinction between nurturing and shoring up someone’s faith as opposed to stretching someone’s faith so as to make it more universally compassionate.

Catechesis is meant to teach doctrine, teach prayers, teach creeds, clarify biblical and church teachings, and give people a solid, orthodox framework within which to understand their Christian faith. Theology, on the other hand, presupposes that those studying it are already catechized, that they already know their creeds and prayers and have a solid, orthodox foundation. Theology’s function, among other things, is then to stretch its students in function of giving them the symbolic tools with which to understand their faith in a way that leaves no dark, hidden corners into which they are afraid to venture for fear of shaking their faith. Catechesis and theology have different functions and must respect each other since both are needed: Young seedling plants need to be protected and gently nurtured; just as older, mature plants have to be given the wherewithal to live and thrive inside all the envi-

ronmental challenges in which they find themselves.

Thus the challenge coming to me from the bishop was, in effect, to be more careful with my audience so as to distinguish theology classrooms and academic periodicals from catechetical situations and church newspapers.

It carried too a special challenge to humility and charity, such as was, for example, shown by the scientist-philosopher, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: Elderly, retired and in declining health, he still found himself “silenced” by the Vatican in that we has forbidden to publish his theological thoughts. But, rather than reacting with anger and arrogance, he reacted with charity and humility. Writing to his Jesuit provincial, acknowledges needs beyond his own: “I fully recognize that Rome may have its own reasons for judging that, in its present form, my concept of Christianity may be premature or incomplete and that at the present moment its wider diffusion may therefore be inopportune. … (This letter) is to assure you that, in spite of any apparent evidence to the contrary, I am resolved to remain a child of obedience. Obviously, I cannot abandon my own personal search – that would involve me in an interior catastrophe and in disloyalty to my most cherished vocation; but I have ceased to propagate my ideas and am confining myself to achieving a deeper personal insight into them.”

Recognizing the importance of sensitivity as to where and how we speak the truth, Jesus advises: “Speak your truth in parables.”

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

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Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

Sunday readings

Third Sunday of Advent The crowds asked John the Baptist, ‘What should we do?’ He said to them in reply, ‘Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.’

LUKE 3:10-18 ZEPHANIAH 3:14-18A Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!

Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has removed the judgment against you he has turned away your enemies; the King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear. On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged! The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior; he will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, he will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals.

PSALM IS 12:2-3, 4, 5-6 Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

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God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior. With joy you will draw water at the fountain of salvation.

Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Give thanks to the Lord, acclaim his name; among the nations make known his deeds, proclaim how exalted is his name.

Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Sing praise to the Lord for his glorious achievement; let this be known throughout all the earth. Shout with exultation, O city of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel!

Cry out with joy and gladness:

for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7 Brothers and sisters: Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

LUKE 3:10-18 The crowds asked John the Baptist, “What should we do?” He said to them in reply, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” Even tax collectors came

Rejoice: He is near

his Sunday is “Gaudete Sunday” (“Rejoice”), so named from the first word of the Introit (Entrance Chant) for the Mass for the Third Sunday of Advent, which is taken from St. Paul’s command proclaimed in our Second Reading to the Philippians and to us: “Rejoice in the Lord always!

I say it again: Rejoice! ... The Lord is near!”

This is the most honored Sunday of Advent, as its ancient “station” Mass Father Joseph in Rome is Previtali assigned to St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

It is remarkable that St. Paul can command us to rejoice. Usually we think of joy as only an emotion and we know from experience that emotions come and go and can’t be commanded.

We learn from this command of St. Paul that Christian joy is more profound than mere emotional satisfaction, that it is a quality of the soul, a spiritual reality. St. Thomas Aquinas identifies joy with the delight we experience when we are united with our beloved. The Lord’s nearness then, Thomas explains, brings

scripture reflection

us great joy: “Then when [Paul] says, the Lord is at hand, he touches on the cause of joy. For a man rejoices when his friend is near.”

Indeed, we rejoice greatly this Sunday, as our pace quickens as we run toward the Lord, Who is running even faster to us. We sense that He is near, that soon He will be born for us in His First Coming in the stable of Bethlehem and that soon He will come to judge the living and the dead at His Final Coming in glory at the end of the world. We rejoice at this sense of His nearness and beg Him to enter our hearts by His Middle Coming into our hearts by grace. This Middle Coming applies to us the salvation won by His First Coming and prepares us to lift up our heads and rejoice at His Final Coming as Judge.

Starting on December 17, this joyful pace of Advent is made even more present in the liturgical life of the Church with the celebration of the “Greater Feriae” of Advent. These Greater Days – from December 17 to December 23 – are marked especially by the use at vespers (and in the Alleluia verses at Holy Mass in the Ordinary Form) of the “O Antiphons.” The “O Antiphons” begin with invocations of Jesus Christ under His various prophetic names from the Old Testament: Emmanuel (God-with us, December 23), Rex (King of the Nations, 22), Oriens (Rising Sun in the East, 21), Clavis (Davidic Key, 20), Radix (Root of Jesse, 19), Adonai (Lord God, 18), Sapientia (Wisdom, 17). Having

invoked her Lord under each of these titles, the Church, filled with expectant joy as Bride, makes a specific petition to her Divine Spouse, asking for the graces connected with each of His glorious titles.

These beautiful antiphons and the profound chanted melodies which accompany them (easily accessible on YouTube!) are deeply evocative of the whole richness of Israel’s expectation of her Messiah. They carry forward in the Sacred Liturgy of Advent St. Paul’s command to us to rejoice in the Lord always because He is near. Read as an acrostic from the last to the first, their first letters spell “ERO CRAS,” Latin for “Tomorrow, I will be (here).” In this last part of Advent, we enter into the joy of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Cause of Our Joy, who stands in the person of all Israel. Our Lady is the true Daughter Zion, rejoicing in the King Who is to Come.

The experience of “Gaudete Sunday” teaches us about the joy in which we can live always. If we reject sin and live the theological virtue of charity, we have in our souls already the beginning of eternal life. Thus we receive the heavenly joy that comes from the theological virtue of hope. By theological hope, the Lord’s joy enters our hearts; by theological charity, we enter into the joy of the Lord.

Father Previtali is parochial vicar at Our Lady of the Pillar Parish, Half Moon Bay.

Liturgical calendar, daily Mass readings Monday, December 14: Memorial of St. John of the Cross, priest and doctor of the church. Nm 24:2-7, 15-17a. PS 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9. Ps 85:8.

Mt 21:23-27.

St. John of the Cross

Tuesday, December 15: Tuesday of the Third Week of Ad-

vent. Zep 3:1-2, 9-13. PS 34:2-3, 6-7, 17-18, 19 and 23. Mt 21:28-32.

Wednesday, December 16: Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent. Is 45:6c-8, 18, 21c-25. PS 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14. See Is 40:9-10. Lk 7:18b-23.

Thursday, December 17: Thursday of the Third Week of Advent. Gn

49:2, 8-10. PS 72:1-2, 3-4ab, 7-8, 17.

Mt 1:1-17.

Friday, December 18: Friday of the Third Week of Advent. Jer 23:5-8.

PS 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19. Mt 1:18-25.

Saturday, December 19: Saturday of the Third Week of Advent. Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a. PS 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17. Lk 1:5-25.

to be baptized and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He answered them, “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.” Soldiers also asked him, “And what is it that we should do?” He told them, “Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.”

Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ. John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Exhorting them in many other ways, he preached good news to the people.

Pope Francis ‘Permanent state of mission’

Neither Paul nor Barnabas had a missionary dicastery to support them, yet they announced the Word, bringing to life various communities and shedding their blood for the Gospel, the pope said Dec. 3 at a Vatican audience with the participants in the plenary assembly of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

The congregation considered the “missio ad gentes” in light of the conciliar decree “Ad Gentes” and St. John Paul II’s encyclical “Redemptoris Missio.”

“Over time complexities grew and the need arose for a special relationship between the more recently founded churches and the universal church,” the pope said. “For this reason, four centuries ago, Pope Gregory XV instituted the Congregation ‘De Propaganda Fide,’ which in 1967 changed its name to the ‘Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples’. It is clear that in this phase of history, ‘mere administration can no longer be enough. Throughout the world, let us be permanently in a state of mission’. … Going forth is innate in our baptism, and its boundaries are those of the world.

Therefore, continue to work so that the spirit of the ‘missio ad gentes’ may inspire the journey of the church, so that she may always know how to listen to the cry of the poor and the distant, to meet all and to announce the joy of the Gospel.”

Vatican Information Service

18 community

Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

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(Photo courtesy Dan Ring, St. Patrick School)

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St. Patrick Parish and school, Larkspur: The community welcomed Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone Dec. 4, a day that started with an all-school Mass, continued with classroom visits and concluded with meetings with administrators and teachers. From left: Christine Carew, first grade teacher; Archbishop Cordileone; St. Patrick pastor Father Lawrence Vadakkan; principal Linda Kinkade.

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STAR OF THE SEA PARISH, SAN FRANCISCO: Star of the Sea School principal Terry Hanley, left, congratulates Estrelle Chan, Leslee Coady and Peter Chan who were honored with the parish Stella Maris Awards Nov. 21. Leslee taught at Star of the Sea School for 29 years. Peter and Estrelle have been very active in the parish community.

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MERCY HIGH SCHOOL, SAN FRANCISCO: Alumnae from the school’s class of 1990 celebrated their 25th reunion Nov. 14. The women “enjoyed catching up with drinks and hors d’oeuvres taking home delightful Skipper cookies and memories,” the school said. Classmates Francesca Felizzatto Moore and Amy Courtney Feasey were major coordinators of the event.

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ST. ISABELLA SCHOOL, SAN RAFAEL: Students and graduates decorated bags for residents of Mill Street Shelter in San Rafael. They filled the festive bags with toiletries, snacks and candy canes and will deliver them to the Mill Street guests before Christmas.

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calendar 19

Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

SATURDAY, DEC. 12 OPEN DOORS ON YEAR OF MERCY: To begin the Year of Mercy as designated by Pope Francis, the Sisters of Mercy will initiate “Opening Doors of Mercy” at 7 p.m. The ritual will celebrate the Year of Mercy, Mercy Foundation Day and Our Lady of Guadalupe. Refreshments will follow. All are welcome. Please RSVP for this free event, www.eventbrite.com/e/openingdoors-of-mercy-tickets-19304053945.

CHRISTMAS REMEMBRANCE: Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, All Saints Mausoleum Chapel, 11 a.m., Msgr.

John Talesfore, pastor, St. Matthew parish, San Mateo, presides, (650) 7562060, www.holycrosscemeteries.com.

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE: Mass, mariachi music and free reception featuring chicken entrée with beverages for purchase honoring the feast, 4 p.m., St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 38th Avenue and Balboa, San Francisco.

OUR LADY GUADALUPE: Star of the Sea Church, 4420 Geary Blvd. at Eighth Avenue, San Francisco, 8:30 a.m., English/Spanish bilingual Mass and procession with mariachi music then free Mexican, Filipino and American brunch cuisine, (415) 751-0450; facebook.com/starparishsf.

SUNDAY, DEC. 13 YEAR OF MERCY: Opening of the Holy Doors, 3 p.m., St. Mary’s Cathedral, Gough Street at Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, with vespers, Archbishop Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone Cordileone, presides, St. Patrick’s Seminary choir will lead song.

sio Town Square Christmas Concert at the church, 2 p.m., followed by wine and food reception at Druid’s Hall, $50/ adult $10/ children 12 years and under, (415) 491-4420.

TUESDAY, DEC. 15 ADVENT TALK: Divine Word Father Stephen Bevans on “The Thirsts of the Human Spirit,” 7 p.m., Dominican Sisters Center, 1520 Grand Ave., San Rafael, RSVP CommunityRelations@ sanrafaelop.org; (415) 453-8303.

SUNDAY, DEC. 13

TURKEY DRIVE: St. Emydius Church, DeMontfort and Jules avenues, San Francisco, 9 a.m.-noon, bring a turkey to benefit the St. Anthony Dining Room; SFPierre@aol.com.

CHURCH TOUR: Free tour of St. Dominic Church, 2390 Bush St. at Steiner, San Francisco, 10 a.m., with senior docent Joseph DiNallo, docents@ stdominics.org.

ADVENT: St. Patrick Parish, King and Magnolia streets, Larkspur, 4 p.m., with scripture, choir songs and congregational singalong, freewill donations accepted, reception follows, (415) 924-0600.

CONCERT: St. Mary’s Church on Nica-

TAIZE: St. Gregory Parish, 2715 Hacienda St. at 28th Avenue, San Mateo, 7 p.m., (650) 345-8506.

SATURDAY, DEC. 19

SUNDAY, DEC. 20 CONCERT: Our Lady of Loretto Church, 1806 Novato Blvd., Novato, Christmas concerts at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., featuring the parish adult and children’s choirs, followed by reception, free admission.

CONCERT: Choral Singers of Marin, Veterans Memorial Auditorium,10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael, 4 p.m., tickets begin at $20, (415) 473-6800; www.marincounty.org; www.singersmarin.org.

CONCERT: Mission Dolores Basilica Choir Candlelight Christmas Concert, Mission Dolores, 16th and Dolores, San Francisco, 5 p.m., free parking, $25 reserved, $18 general admission, (415) 621-8203; www.missiondolores.org.

PEACE MASS: Immaculate Conception Chapel, 3255 Folsom at Cesar Chavez, San Francisco, 9 a.m., Franciscan Father Guglielmo Lauriola, retired pastor, principal celebrant and homilist; (650) 580-7123; zoniafasquelle@gmail.com.

HANDICAPABLES MASS: Mass SATURDAY, JAN. 9 at noon then lunch in lower halls of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Gough Street at Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, P SPIRITUAL U B GROWTH: L I Human C and A T Gough Street entrance, all disabled spiritual growth with Marist Brother Sean people and their caregivers are invited, Sammon, clinical psychologist, 9-noon, volunteers are always welcome, Notre Dame des Victoires Church hall, Joanne Borodin, (415) 239-4865; www.

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‘WALK FOR LIFE’: Walk for Life West Coast, 9:30 a.m. Mass, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Gough Street at Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone is principal celebrant and homilist. The event continues at Civic Center Plaza, 12:30 p.m. and walk to Justin Herman Plaza; www.WalkForLifeWC.com. EWTN broadcasts event 11:30 a.m., AT&T Channel Astound I O562, N S Channel 80, Comcast Digital Channel 229, Direct TV Channel 370, Dish Satellite Channel 261, as well as via Roku or Apple TV; www.walkforlifewc.com/event-info/ event-schedule/.

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YOUTH RALLY: Youth sixth through 12th grades, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Gough Street at Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, Mass, talks and lunch. Register by Dec. 18; Vicki Evans, evansv@ sfarch.org, (415) 614-5533.

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Do you want to be more fulfilled in love and work – but find things keep getting in the way?

DISCERNMENT DAY: Are you drawn to a life of prayer? The Dominican Nuns of Corpus Christi Monastery, 215 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park host a Discernment Day for single Catholic women ages 18-40; RSVP by January 11, for more information Dominican Sister Joseph Marie, vocations@nunsmenlo.org, visit http://nunsmenlo.org/discernmentdays/; day begins with Mass at 8 a.m. followed by Divine Office, adoration, rosary, conferences, vocation stories by Dominican nuns and friars.

SATURDAY, JAN. 2

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PRO-LIFE: San Mateo Pro Life meets second Thursday of the month except in December; 7:30 p.m.; St. Gregory’s Worner Center, 28th Ave. at Hacienda, San Mateo, new members welcome; Jessica, (650) 572-1468; themunns@ yahoo.com.

SATURDAY, JAN. 16

FRIDAY, DEC. 18

PRO-LIFE WALK: San Mateo pro-life rosary procession beneath Our Lady’s banner 2 p.m. from St. Matthew Parish, El Camino Real and Ninth Avenue, to Planned Parenthood. 35 Baywood Ave. and back, about 1.5 miles, rain or shine, (650) 572-1468; themunns@ yahoo.com.

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CSF content in your inbox: Visit catholic-sf.org to sign up for our e-newsletter.

20

Catholic san francisco | December 10, 2015

CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO

classifieds to Advertise in catholic San FrancIsco call (415) 614-5642 | Visit www.catholic-sf.org

help wanted FULL-TIME MUSIC DIRECTOR WANTED Saint Raphael Catholic Church in San Rafael, California is seeking a full-time Music Director. The Music Director engages the assembly and enhances church services with a great music program. The position requires a talented and creative person, proficient in organ, piano, voice, and voice directing and has a broad knowledge of Catholic liturgy and music.

Salary is commensurate with experience and education and is in accordance with Archdiocesan guidelines. English/Spanish bilingual preferred; will work with English-speaking and Hispanic choirs.

caregivers available Caregivers in San Francisco Licensed CNAs Available 10+ Years Experience Caring & Reliable Flexible Scheduling

Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to Music Director Search, 1104 Fifth Avenue, San Rafael, CA 94901 or email frloi@saintraphael.com.

(415) 654-9269

Employment Opportunity

Spread the good news through a Catholic San Francisco gift subscription – perfect for students and retirees and others who have moved outside the archdiocese. $24 a year within California, $36 out of state. Catholics in the archdiocese must register with their parish to receive a regular, free subscription.

Email circulation.csf@ sfarchdiocese.org or call (415) 614-5639.

Parish Secretary/Receptionist Part-time position (minimum of 3 days per week)

Strong computer and interpersonal skills required.

Resume should be sent to the attention of Matthew Shea (Pastoral Associate) at the address below or via email to mattshea@sgparish.org.

Resumes should be received

by December 15th.

St. Gabriel Parish

2559 40th Ave., San Francisco, CA 94116 (415) 731-6161

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

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MERCY HIGH SCHOOL SAN FRANCISCO presents

Allegro WINTER DANCE CONCERT

JANUARY 22, 23, 29 AND 30, 2016 7:00 PM MERCY THEATRE 3250 19TH AVENUE, SAN FRANCISCO 415.334.7941 | Tickets: $10 http://winterdanceconcertalegra.eventbrite.com