February 26, 2006 BulletinEIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY
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February 26, 2006 Week of Feb. 26, 2005 - Mar. 5, 2006 Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. --Psalm 103:8 Today's Readings Readings for the Week Priest Intentions for the Week Ash Wednesday & Lent Announcements --Parish ----School of Faith and Formation ----Youth Ministry and Confirmation ----Other Parish Announcements --Diocese --Community Finances Today's Readings First Reading -- I will espouse you to me forever in right and in justice, in love and in mercy (Hosea 2:16b, 17b, 21-22). Psalm -- The Lord is kind and merciful (Psalm 103). Second Reading -- Such confidence we have through Christ toward God (2 Corinthians 3:1b-6). Gospel -- New wine is poured into fresh wineskins (Mark 2:18-22). TIME OF PREPARATION On this last Sunday before Lent the scriptures seem to point in the direction of the desert fasting that will begin this week on Ash Wednesday. Hosea speaks of the Lord leading Israel "into the desert" where she will respond to God's love with fidelity. In the Gospel Jesus answers questions about why his disciples do not fast, saying, "The days will come when they will fast." Today's scriptures also look forward to the purpose of our Lenten fasting--to prepare us to drink more deeply of the life-giving Spirit at Easter. Paul's letter to the Corinthians invites us to allow "the Spirit of the living God" to give us new life. Similarly, Jesus suggests that we become like "fresh wineskins" in order to bear, without breaking, the "new wine" of life in the Spirit. (c) Copyright, J. S. Paluch Co. TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION Lent, the Church's annual pre-baptismal retreat, prepares us to gather around the Easter font, renew our baptismal vows, and receive new life from the water as the elect are plunged into Christ's death and resurrection. This core meaning is more or less available, depending on whether we journey with catechumens in the parish and on the vigor of our liturgical celebration of the Triduum. Some persist in seeing Lent as a lonely journey in the wilderness; yet this week we enter the Lenten fast in solidarity with one another. The smudged foreheads you will spy throughout Ash Wednesday on buses, street corners, and supermarket aisles remind you that you are hardly alone in your desire to enact a spring cleaning regime for your spiritual life. Long ago, this kind of repentance was available to Christians only once. Ashes and sackcloth were not raiment for a day, but permanent habits for public sinners. Fasting became a way of life, and if they sinned severely again, there was no hope of restored communion. Happily, this system did not endure. It produced reluctant Christians who even held back from baptism, like St. Augustine did, out of fear. Today we have recovered an ancient tradition that conversion and repentance are constant themes on life's journey, and that Lent is an annual opportunity to revive our baptismal identity, both as individuals and communities. --James Field, (c) Copyright, J. S. Paluch Co. EUCHARISTIC THOUGHTS From The Eucharistic Resources Commission "I want to stress the centrality of the Eucharist for the life of the world... If the Church returns to her Eucharistic source, she will recover her authentic nature and strength...it will highlight consecration to God and fraternal sharing that will enable her to overcome fragmentation and division. Moreover, the powerful presence of the sacrifice of Christ in the Eucharist keeps the Mass from being reduced to a gathering for a convivial meal. The Sacrifice stands for ever as a sign of contradiction, and is the place where we can verify the degree of our conformity to the radical message of Christ, in our relationship to God and with our brothers and sisters." --Pope John Paul II, January 2002 Readings for the Week
Priest Intentions
Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday Masses with Distribution of Ashes Ash Wednesday Masses will take place on March 1, 2006 at 8:00 AM , 12 noon, 5:00 & 7:30 PM. Prayer on Fridays of Lent You are invited to gather at the church every Friday of Lent at 7:30 pm to pray the Stations of the Cross with Taize Prayer & Song. Lenten Observance: Fasting & Abstinence All Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence from meat and meat products. This law obliges everyone who is fourteen years (14) of age and older. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast and abstinence (one full meal, two lesser meals, no meat, no eating between meals). The law on fasting obliges all persons who are between the ages of eighteen (18) and fifty-nine (59). Announcements School of Faith & Formation First Communion We Belong - This week the young people of our parish preparing for Eucharist are reflecting on their Baptism. Through Baptism we are initiated into the life of Christ and his Body, the Church. Our membership in the Christian community is both a privilege and a responsibility. How are we as a parish witnessing the Holy Spirit's presence to others? First Communion Candidates - Mandatory Parent Meeting Students & at least one parent are required to attend one meeting for the Sacrament of First Communion (Eucharist): Tuesday, February 28, 7:30 pm, Church or Saturday, March 4, 10:30 am, Church Youth Ministry and Confirmation Youth Ministry For Guys Only!! We're trying something new. . . only the guys of St. Anne Youth Ministry will meet on Monday, February 27 at 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall. The group will watch Pam Stenzel's DVD: "Sex-Ed. . . No Screwin Around" a faith-based presentation about experiences, character, STD's, pregnancy, boundaries, abstinence, friends, respect, body parts, good relationships and bad ones, boys and girls. The girls of St. Anne Youth Ministry met on February 13 and had a GREAT meeting. Confirmation St. Anne Confirmation candidates meet again on Sunday, February 26 at 3:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Save the Environment & Raise Funds For Charity: Collecting Used Cellphones and Empty Inkjet Cartridges Do you have a used cellphone taking space in a drawer or cabinet? Do you have empty inkjet cartridges lying around? Did you know that these items contain metals that harm our environment if thrown in the trash or improperly disposed of? Bring your used cellphones and empty inkjet cartridges and place in the specially marked bins at the church entrances this weekend (Feb 26). The phones and cartridges will be reconditioned or reused or disposed in an environmentally-friendly manner. Proceeds from this fundraiser will go towards the St. Anne's Confirmation Class Service Project. Click here for more details . THE LOAN - We didn't inherit the earth from our parents. We're borrowing it from our children. --Chief Seattle Other Parish Announcements Newly Baptized We welcome the new members of our Catholic Christian community and we congratulate the parents and families of these children: Artemio Nicandro - Brandon Reyes - Charlotte Love - Jose Silvestre - Juliana Calvillo - Kaitlyn Vilayphanh - Noah Lacson - Sebastian Dumapias - Urielle Von Genoves Eucharistic Ministers Spiritual Growth Seminar The Spiritual Growth Seminar for all Eucharistic Ministers will be held on Wednesday, March 22 at 7:30 pm or Saturday, May 13 at 9:30 am. Both seminars will be in the parish Social Hall. You need to attend one of seminars. 2005 Sunday Contributions Please contact the parish office at 471-7766 if you would like a statement of your 2005 Sunday contributions to the Church for your income tax reports. Leave your name, address, and phone number with the office staff and the statement will be mailed to you. Thank you for your continued support of St. Anne Parish. Safely Home - Bereavement Grief Support Ministry JESUS SAID; "Blessed are the sorrowing, they shall be consoled. Come to me all who labor and are burdened. I will give you rest" Come join our grief support group. A safe haven for grievers to walk through their grief process. Give yourself permission to grieve. Grieving is the way towards healing. Our group offers compassion, companionship and personal understanding for we have also lost loved ones and know the pain and the healings! The following are the dates and times for the Wednesday night meetings: March 8, 2006, March 22, 2006 All meetings 6:30-8:30 pm at the St. Anne Group Meeting Room 101. No reservations are needed. For more information call, Roseann Langley 510-471-6545 or email VIINBUR@AOL.COM St. Anne Spring Dance Tickets are now on sale for the Saturday, April 29th Spring Dance to be held in our Social Hall, 6:30 – 11:30 pm. Tickets are $25.00 for adults and $10.00 For children 13 and under. Diocese Announcements Bishop's Appeal During the month of February our parish (along with all the parishes of the Diocese of Oakland) is participating in the 2005 Bishop's Appeal. Your pledge/donation to the Bishop's Appeal provides the "financial life-blood" for many essential needs of our wider Church: Clergy support and Lay Leadership Training, Education Ministries, Spiritual Ministries, Family & Youth Ministries, Diocesan Services. Last year you raised $29,774.50. This year the diocese has placed our goal at $30,825.00. Thank you for your continuing support. Lenten Twilight Retreat On Friday, March 10, there will be a Lenten Twilight Retreat for young adults (18-30) at Maryknoll Center, 16300 Foothill Blvd., San Leandro (at the former St. Alphonsus Convent in San Leandro). The time is 6:00 pm to Midnight (Dinner Included, donation only). For more information contact Sister Kathy Littrell, SHF, 510-267-8374 or klittrell@oakdiocese.org . Worldwide Marriage Encounter - Diocese of Oakland "Our love was made fresh." Put a breath of fresh air into your marriage. Register for the next Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. For more information contact Terry/Angela at 510-581-9071 or visit our web site www.oakland.lovemoredeeply.org . The next local Marriage Encounter weekend is June 23-25 in Pleasanton. Community Announcements Reflection Day for Young Adult Women Young adult women are invited to Turning Your Heart to God, a time for reflection and sharing, on Saturday, March 11, 10:00 am to 3:30 pm, at Presentation Retreat Center in Los Gatos, This Lenten retreat is for young women who want to deepen their relationship with God and will help them explore their personal call from God. For more information or to reserve a space for this reflection day, please contact Sister Gloria Loya, PBVM at 415-422-5009 or gloya@pbvmsf.org . Tax Assistance For Senior Citizens Volunteers from the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) will offer free tax help for seniors with middle and low incomes. Assistance will be available on Mondays from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm starting February 6 - April 17. Appointments must be made in advance at the Union City Library's reference desk or by calling 510-745-1464, ext. 7. The Union City Library, a branch of the Alameda County Library is located at 34007 Alvarado-Niles Road and is wheelchair accessible. An ASL interpreter is available with at least seven days notice. Finances Weekly Collections
SCRIP Program If you shop at Albertson's and do not have a Community Card, pick one up in the SCRIP room after one of the Masses. All proceeds from this fund-raiser go toward the "Building Our Future" project. Home: |