|
|
|
.
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
. . . .
.
|
|
Fr.
Charles
Puthota
|
|
|
From
the Pastor's
Desktop
|
|
|
|
|
|
A
Message from
Father Charles
Puthota
|
|
|
|
|
|
May
19,
2024
|
|
|
|
Dear
Parishioners of
St.
Elizabeth,
|
|
|
|
|
Pentecost:
It is rightly said that
the Church was born on
Pentecost day. The
disciples of Jesus had
been hiding, afraid that
they might also be
killed by the
authorities. But Jesus
had assured them that
the Advocate, the
Comforter, would come
and remind them of
everything Jesus had
said. In other words,
the Holy Spirit would
come to give life,
energy, and dynamism to
the words and memory of
Jesus. Everything
changed for those
disciples that day. The
Holy Spirit came down in
a dramatic way. The wind
swept the fears away and
the fire burned away
their timidity. Filled
with the Holy Spirit,
they spoke and bore
witness to the life of
Jesus, his death and
resurrection in ways
they themselves couldn't
have expected. Everyone
heard everyone else in
their own language and
understood them. The
good news became not
only accessible but
alive and aflame. The
disciples of Jesus
became fearless
preachers and witnesses.
A community was born
with the memory of Jesus
and the power of the
Holy Spirit. For over
two thousand years this
community has been
called the Church. We
are all members of this
body. Jesus is the head.
The Holy Spirit is the
indwelling grace and
power within us calling
God Abba Father. If we
could allow the Holy
Spirit to move and guide
us, that's when we would
be able to make the
right choices for God,
love, family, faith, and
the world. Let's just
keep two images of the
Holy Spirit in mind:
Wind & Fire. What
might this wind and fire
do for us in the present
world?
Prayer to the Holy
Spirit: Come,
Holy Spirit, fill the
hearts of your faithful.
And kindle in them the
fire of your love. Send
forth your Spirit and
they shall be created.
And you will renew the
face of the earth. Lord,
by the light of the Holy
Spirit you have taught
the hearts of your
faithful. In the same
Spirit help us to relish
what is right and always
rejoice in your
consolation. We ask this
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Quotes on the Holy
Spirit: "I
believe in the surprises
of the Holy Spirit." ---
Cardinal L. J. Suenens.
"It's not the Holy
Spirit and power; it's
the Holy Spirit as
power." "O Holy Spirit,
descend plentifully into
my heart. Enlighten the
dark corners of this
neglected dwelling and
scatter there Thy
cheerful beams." ---
Saint Augustine. "I
myself do nothing. The
Holy Spirit accomplishes
all through me." ---
William Blake. "The
fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness,
generosity,
faithfulness,
gentleness,
self-control." ---
Galatians 5:22. The
Seven Gifts of the Holy
Spirit are: wisdom,
understanding,
knowledge, counsel,
fortitude, piety, and
fear of the Lord. "The
Holy Spirit is your
spiritual GPS. He will
tell you where you are
and where you are
going." "Let us be
guided by the Holy
Spirit. Allow him to
speak in our hearts. He
will tell us this: God
is love." --- Pope
Francis.
May, Month of
Mary: Regina
Caeli: Call:
Queen of heaven,
rejoice, alleluia.
Response: The Son you
merited to bear,
alleluia, Call: Has
risen as he said,
alleluia.
Response: Pray to God
for us, alleluia. Call:
Rejoice and be glad, O
Virgin Mary, alleluia.
Response: For the Lord
has truly risen,
alleluia. Let us pray.
God of life, you have
given joy to the world
by the resurrection of
your Son, our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Through the prayers of
his mother, the Virgin
Mary, bring us to the
happiness of eternal
life. We ask this
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Last Day of Faith
Formation: Graduation
and May
Crowning: The
Faith Formation school
year at our parish comes
to a close with the Mass
at 10:30 a.m. this
Pentecost Sunday. May
Crowning will take place
with children brining
flowers and the crown to
Mary. The students will
be promoted to the next
school year.
Certificates will be
distributed. I'm
delighted about the
progress we are making
in helping our children
to a personal experience
of Jesus.
Congratulations to the
First Communion and
Confirmation children!
One of the achievements
of this year has been
that the children and
their families, at my
request, attended the
Saturday 8:30 a.m. Mass
each week and became
more acquainted with
Mass and the prayers.
Hopefully, the next
school year, the Faith
Formation families will
be able to join the
weekend Masses as well
(Saturday Vigil Mass or
the Sunday Morning
Masses). Prayer, faith,
service, the values of
Jesus, love of the
Church and its
traditions and rituals
and devotions---these
are the treasures
children will slowly
begin to acquire. I'm
deeply grateful for the
dedication of the
teachers and the
coordinators. We shall
look forward to the
starting of classes
again next school year
in September.
A Story to Ponder:
A parable of modern
life: The
animals met in assembly
and began to complain
that humans were always
taking things away from
them. "They take my
milk," said the cow.
"They take my eggs,"
said the hen. "They take
my flesh for bacon,"
said the hog. "They hunt
me for my oil," said the
whale. The snail was the
last to speak. "I have
something they would
certainly take away from
me if they could.
Something they want more
than anything else. I
have time." You have all
the time in the world if
you would give it to
yourself. What's
stopping you? (ADM)
Quotable
Quotes: 1. "To
reach a port, we must
sail---sail, not tie at
anchor--- sail, not
drift." --- Franklin D.
Roosevelt. 2. "Try not
to become a person of
success. Rather become a
person of value." ---
Albert Einstein. 3.
"It's fun to do the
impossible." --- Walt
Disney.
Religious
Puns: 1. A
puritan is a man who
"noes" what he likes. 2.
As St. Peter says to
every new arrival as
they approach the Pearly
Gates, "Well, halo
there." 3. Beware of
Satan or evil have his
way.
|
|
Your
Friend and
Pastor,
Father
Charles
Puthota.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.jpg)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Further
Listening
Sessions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Toward
the Synodal Meetings in October
2024
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In
preparation for the second
session of the Synod in October
2024, the Vatican has asked all
dioceses all over the world,
including in the United States,
to hold listening sessions on the
following two questions:
- "Where
have I seen or experienced
successes -- and distresses --
within the Church's
structure(s)/organization/leadership/life
that encourage or hinder the
mission?"
- "How
can the structures and
organization of the Church
help all the baptized to
respond to the call to
proclaim the Gospel and to
live as a community of love
and mercy in Christ?
Deadline
to submit the answers to the
U.S. Bishops' Conference is
April 8. These reports will be
synthesized regionally and
nationally--- and the final
report will be sent to the
Vatican Synodal Office by May
15, 2024.
The
Vatican's guidance that shaped
the above questions incorporates
four questions:
- "How
can we enhance the
differentiated
co-responsibility in the
mission of all the members of
the People of God?";
- "What
ways of relating, structures,
processes of discernment and
decision-making with regard to
mission make it possible to
recognize, shape, and promote
co-responsibility?";
- "What
ministries and participatory
bodies can be renewed or
introduced to better express
this co-responsibility?" and,
- "How
can these relations be
creatively articulated in
order to find 'a dynamic
balance between the dimension
of the Church as a whole and
its local roots?'
"
.............................................(Source:
America Magazine and
NCR)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
Synod on Synodality
October 2021 to October
2024
Theme:
Communion, Participation,
Mission: The Synod on Synodality
is a three-year process of
listening and dialogue that began
with a solemn opening in Rome on
October 9 and 10, 2021. The
synodal process will conclude in
2024. Each individual diocese in
the whole world has gone through
a process of preparation for the
Synod. The Synod is both an event
and a process in which the whole
People of God are called to walk
to gather together toward what
the Holy Spirit helps it to
discern as being the Lord's will
for his Church. Pope Francis has
invited the entire Church to
reflect on a theme that is
decisive for its life and
mission: "It is precisely this
path of synodality which God
expects of the Church of the
third millennium. This journey,
which follows in the wake of the
Church's "renewal" proposed by
the Second Vatican Council, is
both a gift and a task: by
journeying together and
reflecting together on the path
that has been made, the Church
will be able to learn through Her
experience which processes can
help Her to live communion, to
achieve participation, and to
open Herself to mission." The
16th Ordinary General Assembly of
the Synod of Bishops will be held
in two sessions. The first one
from October 4 to 29, 2023. The
second session will be in October
2024.
|
|
|
|
What
is a synod? A synod in the
Catholic Church is both an event
and a process where clergy,
religious, and laity gather to
discern important matters of the
faith. It is a journey of search
rooted in the Holy Spirit. Synods
are transformative events that
lead to renewal in the life of
the Church. The current synod is
called “Synod on
Synodality.” It’s a
synod that would explore the very
processes of synod and examine
how as the People of God we are
journeying together. Pope Francis
says: “Synodality is the way
of being the Church today
according to the will of God, in
a dynamic of discerning and
listening together to the voice
of the Holy Spirit.” You
might want to be informed more
about this Synod by going online
and doing your own research.
Do check out the Synod
website
https://www.synod.va/en.html
|
|
MASS
SCHEDULE
as of
November 23,
2023
|
|
|
|
|
|
Saturday:
|
|
..
4:30
p.m.
|
|
...
Sunday:
|
|
..
8:30
a.m. & 10:30
a.m.
|
|
Monday
thru Saturday:
|
|
..
8:30
a.m.
|
|
Holy
Days:
|
|
..
8:30
a.m. & 6:00
p.m.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Confessions:
|
|
..4:00
p.m. on Saturdays before the 4:30
Vigil Mass
|
|
|
|
10:00
a.m. on Sundays before the 10:30
a.m. Mass
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PARISH SACRAMENTAL
CELEBRATIONS
|
|
SACRAMENT
OF
BAPTISM
|
|
|
|
SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION
|
|
High
School Students
should call the
Religious
Education
Office for more
information.
Adult
confirmation is
available on an
individual
basis.
-.Details
|
|
SACRAMENT
OF THE
ANOINTING OF
THE
SICK
|
|
Call
the Parish
Office in case
of serious
illness and
before surgery
and hospital
care. -
Details
|
|
|
|
SACRAMENT
OF
EUCHARIST
|
|
Our
Eucharistic
Ministers are
available to
bring the
Eucharist to
the sick or
homebound.
Contact the
Parish Office.
-
Details
|
|
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
|
|
Saturday
3:30pm to
4:15pm or by
appointment. -
Details
|
|
SACRAMENT
OF
MARRIAGE
|
|
There
is a six month
period of
preparation for
the celebration
of this
Sacrament.
Contact the
Parish Office
to make
arrangements. -
Details
|
|
Faith
Formation
- Cantwell
Hall
|
|
Saturday
9:00am to
11:00am. -
Details
|
|
|
|
|
|
Parish
Office:
(415)
468-0820
|
|
Benediction
and Our Lady of
Perpetual Help
Novena:
Wednesdays
after the 8:30am
Mass.
|
|
|
|
Legion
of Mary
Meeting
5:00pm Monday in the
Church.
|
|
|
|
1000
Hail Mary's
Third
Saturday after the
8:30am Mass until
3:30pm.
|
|
|
|
Over
50
Group
Thursdays at 12:00pm in
Cantwell Hall.
|
|
|
|
Rev.
Charles Puthota, Ph. D.,
Pastor
|
|
|
Sandy
Mehrwein,
Parish
Secretary
|
|
|
Patricia
Spiteri,
Pastoral
Coordinator
|
|
|
Laurrie
Digneo,
Coordinator
of Faith
Formation
|
|
|
