St. Paul & Parish Home Visitations

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today is a special day in the Year of St. Paul. We join with the Church throughout the world in celebrating the day of his conversion. On this day the Lord Jesus appeared to Saul (his original name). Up to that moment he had been a rabid persecutor of the disciples of Jesus, but his encounter with the Lord brought him to a complete change of heart.

He changed from Saul the persecutor of Christians to Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles. Many of us undergo conversion experiences in our lives; sometimes these are very dramatic, at other times we change gradually over a period of time. Some people drift away from the faith of their childhood. Even among our family members there are some who have given up the practice of their Catholic faith. I know this is true because I talk to people who are grieving over their children, brothers or sisters who no longer go to Mass.

We may also have friends and neighbors who are Catholic but who don’t practice the faith. We cannot be indifferent to this situation. If we truly believe that the Church is necessary for salvation, we should try to draw these people back to Church.

With this reality in mind I wish to announce a new project that we are launching today, the Parish Home Visitation Project. Inspired by the example of the great Apostle Paul who journeyed far and wide to spread the Gospel, I want to ask you to join me in sharing the good news of Christ with your neighbors. During this year I will be visiting homes in different parts of our parish. The purpose of these visits is to meet with you and your friends and neighbors in the area, to pray, share Scripture, and invite those who have been inactive to become active again.

Please pray for this effort, that the Lord will bless it and make it fruitful for the good of souls. If you would like to host an evening visit, please contact the rectory. You will be told how to prepare for the evening, and you will reserve a date for the visit. Visits will take place on weekday evenings (except Wednesdays). Plan to invite other parishioners who live in your neighborhood, as well as neighbors who would like to pray and meet your pastor. You will hear more about the parish visitation in today’s homily.

Let us pray to the great missionary apostle St. Paul for the success of our Parish Home Visitation Project.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Life

Dear Friends in Christ,

In the recent election, Californians voted to protect the natural institution of marriage. God has created this institution for the purpose of continuing the human species. Unfortunately, there are people who don’t believe in this purpose of marriage and who see conjugal relations as recreational only. They separate the unitive function of the marital act from the procreative function. This is why birth rates in some countries have dropped to dangerous levels in recent years. There are other causes for this drop in the rate of births, abortion on demand is one cause, but perhaps the most common cause is contraception. By contraception is meant any act that prevents conception. Pope Paul VI describes it this way:

“The direct interruption of the generative process already begun and, above all, direct abortion, even for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as lawful means of controlling the birth of children. Equally to be condemned is the direct sterilization, whether of the man or the woman, whether permanent or temporary. Similarly excluded is any action, which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation.” (Humanae Vitae, #14)

This is the teaching of the Church; “it is a promulgation of the law of God himself”(#20). That many people disregard this teaching does not take away its binding force. The “contraceptive” mentality so prevalent today has resulted in these lower birth rates and more abortions; because when contraception doesn’t work abortion is chosen as a second option.

In view of this problem of the contraceptive mentality being so prevalent today, some within the Church have given serious thought to promoting the teaching of Pope Paul VI in Humanae Vitae so that it can be better understood. With this in mind we have invited Fr. Matthew Habiger, OSB to preach at all the Masses on Dec. 6-7 on the subject of God’s plan for life. A couple who teaches natural family planning will also be on hand to introduce modern methods of regulating and spacing births. Please pray that this presentation will benefit our parish.

A Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Fr. Hildebrand

CORRECTION

A few weeks ago I wrote about the morality of voting for pro-abortion candidates. I would like to clarify what was written at the end of that letter. When I said, “To vote for a candidate who favors abortion even though he/she may have many other good qualities is to vote in favor of abortion” I was giving what I see as the logical result of voting for a pro-abortion candidate, in my opinion. If a person suppressed his/her own conscience about the morality of abortion when voting for such a candidate, then that person would run the risk of cooperating in immoral behavior, and “that is something a Christian in good standing cannot do.

All Saint's Day

Dear Friends in Christ,

This weekend we celebrate All Saints (Nov. 1) and All Souls (Nov. 2). All Saints is preceded by All Hallows Eve (commonly called Hallowe’en). This celebration, which has degenerated into a commercialized and very secular event, has a Christian tradition.

In the early Church all major feasts like All Saints were celebrated with a vigil the evening before. All of us are familiar with Christmas Eve which precedes Christmas. We also have the vigil of Sunday celebrated on Saturday evening with Masses and Evening Prayer I of Sunday. All Hallows Eve was not always about witches, ghosts, and wild parties. The original meaning, the true meaning of Hallowe’en lies in its connection with the feast of All Saints. Early Christians used to go in procession from one church to another dressed like the Christians who had died for their faith in Christ. These processions would conclude with a prayer vigil that often lasted well into the night. That’s why we have celebrations like Christmas midnight Mass and the Easter Vigil.

It was only later that the pagans, who had a feast at the same time of year, began to incorporate their customs with the Christian celebration. Here at St. John the Baptist School we encourage our children to dress up like their favorite saints on Oct. 31. Prizes are awarded to the best saint costumes. This is an opportunity for all who have children to restore the “holy” to Hallowe’en. Since it falls on a Sunday this year, we all have the opportunity to remember our faithful departed on All Souls Day (Nov. 2). This commemoration reminds us of our mortality and of our connection with friends and relatives who have died. While we may hope that some are in heaven already, we also believe that our prayers, works of charity, and other sacrifices can be offered for their benefit. All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification. (Catechism of the Catholic Church §1030-1031).

Let us remember all of our loved ones next Sunday at Mass so that they will soon join their brothers and sisters in the Communion of Saints in heaven.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Life Month

Dear Friends in Christ,

October is respect life month. As followers of Christ we are called to respect human life at all of its stages. Jesus showed great respect for all persons. He welcomed little children. He comforted the elderly widow and restored her son to life. He healed the blind man and the paralyzed man. He had a real sense of the value of human life. As the Creator He sought to preserve, protect and restore his creation.

The book of Genesis tells us that when God created Adam and Eve He gave them dominion over the material world. They became stewards of the gift of life. While human beings are responsible for all creation, they are especially charged with protecting human life. In the complementary relationship of marriage, man and woman become one for the sake of mutual love and so that children may be born through that love. Every human being possesses an immortal soul, destined for eternal life with God. Every human life is sacred from the moment of conception until natural death.

As we begin to finalize our decisions in the coming election, we may find ourselves faced with a dilemma. We like a certain candidate, but we are aware that he/she is in favor of abortion. Can we vote for this person in good conscience? In 2004 a group of United States Bishops, acting on behalf of the USCCB and requesting counsel about the responsibilities of Catholic politicians and voters, received a memo from the office of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope
Benedict XVI, which stated:

“A Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil, and so unworthy to present himself for Holy Communion, if he were to deliberately vote for a candidate precisely because of the candidate’s permissive stand on abortion and/or euthanasia. When a Catholic does not share a candidate’s stand in favor of abortion and/or euthanasia, but votes for that candidate for other reasons, it is considered remote material cooperation, which can be permitted in the presence of proportionate reasons.”

In other words, the reasons are more compelling in the moral sense. Could a Catholic in good conscience vote for a candidate who supports legalized abortion when there is a choice of another candidate who does not support abortion or any other intrinsically evil policy? Could a voter’s preference for the candidate’s positions on the pursuit of peace, economic policies benefiting the poor, support for universal health care, a more just immigration policy, etc. overcome a candidate’s support for legalized abortion?

In such case, the Catholic voter must ask and answer the question: What could possibly be a proportionate reason (more compelling reason) to vote for a candidate that supports abortion when we consider the more than 45 million children killed by abortion in the past 35 years? Let us pray for those seeking public office; let us ask the Holy Spirit to guide us as we make our decision this November 4.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Election 2008

Dear Friends in Christ,

In a little over three weeks we will go to the polls for one of the most crucial elections of our nation’s history. In the next three weeks I hope all of you will take time to seriously reflect on your obligations as citizens to seek the greater good for our country. Presently the media is full of bad news about our economy, but this should not prevent us from focusing on even more important issues that involve the very foundations upon which our American society is built, namely the right to life and the family. There are three propositions on the November ballot that need our attention.

First, there is Proposition Four. Here is an excerpt from the California Bishops’ statement supporting this proposition:

Proposition 4 contains public policy that is both sensible and realistic and which will benefit not only our families but our society as a whole. It is a sensible policy to encourage a minor girl faced with a serious decision like an unexpected pregnancy to go to her parents or family for their love, their wisdom, and their counsel. It is a realistic policy that her parents or family be notified of her request for an abortion whether or not she chooses to consult them. Society will benefit because similar involvement laws in other states have the effect of discouraging irresponsible sexual behavior and teenage pregnancies. In addition, individual rights and unborn babies will be protected because a minor girl will be afforded support in the unfortunate circumstance that she is being coerced to have an abortion.

Secondly, Proposition 6 involves retribution not rehabilitation for criminals. The Bishops of California oppose this proposition. Here is an excerpt from their statement:Communities do have a right to establish and enforce laws to protect people and to advance the common good. At the same time, our Church teaches us to not give up on those who violate these laws. Despite their very different claims on society, the lives and dignity of both victims and perpetrators should be protected and respected. As bishops, we oppose Proposition 6 because it advances a retributive rather than a restorative justice model for dealing with crime. Proposition 6 would create multiple new crimes and additional penalties, some with potential for new life sentences. Proposition 6 could also curtail the participation of nonprofit organizations in community councils that determine county-level policy for juvenile justice. Although Proposition 6 was introduced in good faith by those with legitimate concerns about“ safe neighborhoods,” it offers more of the same criminal justice policies which have failed in the past—and it will cost Californians billions of dollars without increasing public safety.

Finally, Proposition 8, which restores the true definition of marriage, also has our Bishops’ support. Here is what they say: We need to recall that marriage mirrors God’s relationship with us—and that marriage completes, enriches and perpetuates humanity.. We must support traditional marriage as the source of our civilization, the foundation for a society that can be home to all human beings, and the reflection of our relationship with God. We need to remember that we are all children of God possessed of human dignity and that each of us is created in God’s image. Protecting the traditional understanding of marriage should not in any way disparage our brothers and sisters—even if they disagree with us.

God bless you and have a great week.

Modesty Starts With Purification of the Heart

Modesty Starts With Purification of the Heart

Bishop John Yanta of the Catholic diocese of Amarillo, Texas, published this pastoral letter on modesty in dress, especially at Sunday Mass. The following are excerpts:

Immodesty in dress is governed by two citations from God’s Law:

1) The Ninth Commandment: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” (Exodus 20:17);
2) Jesus said: “Everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery
with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).

To live our daily Faith as children of God (baptism), disciples of Jesus, and temples of the Holy Spirit, we are faced with moral choices constantly, many times a day. Conscience can either make a right judgment in accordance with reason and the divine law, or on the contrary, an erroneous judgment that departs from them (CCC: Catechism of the Catholic Church #1799).

Dressing or putting on one’s clothes is a moral act and wearing them is a moral act. There are different appropriate modes of dress for different occasions, e.g. in the privacy of our home, with our spouse only or with our children in our home, at work or school, in mixed company, at the lake or swimming pool, grocery shopping, at church, etc.

Our condition – all of us are beset with concupiscence. Concupiscence or covetousness: “Human appetites or desires that are disordered due to the temporal consequences of original sin, which remain even after Baptism and which produce inclination to sin” (CCC, Glossary).

The road to modesty starts with the purification of the heart: “Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication…” (Matthew 15:19). Bible beginners should be encouraged to get the basic overview of Jesus’ teaching by starting with the beatitudes in Matt. 5 in Jesus’ first sermon: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). Part of the essence of that teaching is a wholesome, orthodox, first hand appreciation of God’s plan for our sexuality - its sacredness, its fulfillment in marriage, its place in family, Church, and world.

The Catechism speaks next, after the purification of the heart, about “the battle for purity”. We, the baptized and the forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation struggle against concupiscence of the flesh and disordered desires (CCC 2520).

“Purity requires modesty, an integral part of temperance. Modesty protects the intimate center of the person. It means refusing to unveil what should remain hidden (CCC 2521).

“Modesty is decency. It inspires one’s choice of clothing. It is discreet (CCC 2522).

“There is a modesty of the feelings as well as of the body. It protests, for example, against the voyeuristic explorations of the human body in certain advertisements, or against the solicitations of certain media that go too far in the exhibition of intimate things. Modesty inspires a way of life which makes it possible to resist the allurements of fashion and the pressures of prevailing ideologies (CCC 2523).

Yes, we can help the devil in many ways including the way we dress. In the Act of Contrition we promise “to avoid the near occasion of sin”. St. Paul writes about “provoking another” (Gal. 5:26).

The key to all modesty is rooted in our mother and daddy who model modesty for their children, i.e. a strong, but tender St. Joseph-like husband and father who is blessed with a wonderful wife and mother for their children. “Happy the husband of a good wife… choicest of his blessings is a modest wife, priceless her chaste person” (Sirach 26: 1, 15).

When the community of believers comes together for the Eucharist (Mass) let no one be a distraction from Jesus or provide temptation (an occasion of sin) to another because of our manner of dress.

May we cherish and bear witness to the virtues of prudence, temperance, chastity, and modesty for the sake of our own salvation and of others. St. Mary and St. Joseph, St. Ann and St. Joachim, parents and grandparents of their son and grandson, Jesus, intercede for us!

Bible Study at SJB

SJB Presents:

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE 2008-2009

A YEAR OF CATHOLIC TRUTHS AND THEOLOGY EACH NIGHT FROM 7-9 P.M.
with Alan John Meister
U.S. Scripture Scholar and Theologian

Truths of the Priesthood & Eucharist From Sacred Scripture

• The Celibacy and the Priesthood

Wednesday September 10, 2008

• The Eucharist: Body, Blood, Soul, & Divinity

Wednesday September 17, 2008

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Christ as Messiah in the Gospels Series

• The Messianic Gospels of Matthew and Mark

Wednesday October 8, 2008

• The Messianic Gospel of Luke and John

Wednesday October 22, 2008

• The Messianic Gospels: Thematic Approaches

Wednesday October 29, 2008

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Pauline Theology Series

• Life and Journeys of St. Paul Slide Show

Wednesday November 5, 2008

• St. Paul’s Approach to Theology & Salvation

Wednesday November 12, 2008

• St. Paul’s Salvation Concepts: Firstborn to Sin/Death

Wednesday November 19, 2008

• St. Paul’s Salvation Concepts: Resurrection & Redemptive

Wednesday November 26, 2008

• St. Paul’s Salvation Concepts: Mystery & Summary

Wednesday December 3, 2008

"World Youth Day: An interview with Pope Benedict XVI"

(Journalist’s Question): Australia is a very secular land, with low religious practice and much religious indifference. I'd like to ask whether you are optimistic about the future of the Church in Australia, or are worried and alarmed that the Australian Church may follow the European path to decline? What message would you offer Australia to overcome its religious indifference?

Benedict XVI: I will do my best in English, but I beg your pardon for
my insufficiencies in English.

I think Australia in its present historical configuration is a part of the "Western world," economically and politically, and so it is clear that Australia shares also the successes and the problems of the Western world.

The Western world has had in the last 50 years great successes -- economic successes, technical successes; yet religion -- Christian faith -- is in a certain sense in crisis. This is clear because there is the impression that we do not need God, we can do all on our own, that we do not need God to be happy, we do not need God to create a better world, that God is not necessary, we can do all by ourselves.

On the other hand we see that religion is always present in the world and will always be present because God is present in the heart of the human being and can never disappear. We see how religion is really a force in this world and in countries. I would not simply speak about a decline of religion in Europe: Certainly there is a crisis in Europe, not so much in America but nevertheless there too, and in Australia.

But on the other hand, there's always a presence of the faith in new forms, and in new ways; in the minority, perhaps, but always present for all the society to see. And now in this historical moment, we begin to see that we do need God. We can do so many things, but we cannot
create our climate.

We thought we could do it, but we cannot do it. We need the gift of the Earth, the gift of water, we need the Creator; the Creator re-appears in his creation. And so we also come to understand that we cannot be really happy, cannot be really promoting justice for all the world, without a criterion at work in our own ideas, without a God who is just, and gives us the light, and gives us life. So, I think there will be in a certain sense in this "Western world" a crisis of our faith, but we will always also have a revival of the faith, because Christian faith is simply true, and the truth will always be present in the human world, and God will always be truth. In this sense, I am in the end optimistic.

Ecumenical Event

Dear Friends in Christ,

The year of St. Paul has begun and I wanted to share with you my experience at St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church on June 29. Event was a service of Evening Prayer and Bishop Brown and Metropolitan Jerasimos from San Francisco presided. This was an important ecumenical event because it brought together clergy and people from both Catholic and Orthodox churches for prayer and mutual understanding.

During the service we prayed using the Psalms and Biblical readings. Some parts were chanted in the Orthodox style; other parts in a more Catholic style. Bishop Brown spoke about his own experience of ecumenical outreach, and Metropolitan Jerasimos spoke about the life of St. Paul as something for us to study and imitate.

At the end of the service the two bishops exchanged gifts. Bishop Brown presented the Metropolitan with an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Metropolitan Jerasimos gave Bishop Brown an icon of Our Lady. It was clear that both were moved by a real spirit of friendship and dialogue.

We must admit that there has been significant progress in relations between the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, and we can hope for more during this year dedicated to the Apostle Paul. Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has already met with leaders of the Orthodox Church. He met with the Patriarch of Constantinople on June 29. Here is part of his talk on that occasion:

May the Pauline Year, which will begin solemnly this evening, help Christian people renew the ecumenical commitment, and may there be an intensification of joint efforts on the journey to the full communion of all Christ's disciples. And as part of that journey, your presence here today is certainly an encouraging sign. For this I express again to all of you my joy, while together we raise our grateful prayer to the Lord.

Let us all pray for Church unity.

God bless you all.

Fr. Hildebrand

Prayers

Dear Friends in Christ,

Here are two prayers to St. Paul that you may wish to say during this Year of St. Paul.

Prayer to Saint Paul the Apostle

O Glorious Saint Paul, after persecuting the Church you became by God's grace its most zealous Apostle. To carry the knowledge of Jesus, our divine Savior, to the uttermost parts of the earth
you joyfully endured prison, scourgings, stonings, and shipwreck, as well as all manner of persecutions culminating in the shedding of the last drop of your blood for our Lord Jesus Christ.

Obtain for us the grace to labor strenuously to bring the faith to others and to accept any trials and tribulations that may come our way.

Help us to be inspired by your Epistles and to partake of your indomitable love for Jesus, so that after we have finished our course we may join you in praising him in heaven for all eternity. Amen.

Prayer to Saint Paul the Apostle

Great convert and Apostle of the Gentiles, you became Christlike and knew only Christ Crucified. Though extremely learned, you relied completely on the Wisdom received from the Spirit and taught from the abundance of your heart. Instruct modern evangelists, those who preach Christ to others. Let them realize that their actions speak louder than any words they may use.

Teach them to use their talents in conveying their God-given message but to rely above all on the promptings of the Spirit. Amen.

God bless you all,

Fr. Hildebrand

St. Paul and the Pauline Year

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today begins the Year of St. Paul, which Pope Benedict XVI announced a year ago. Tradition has it that St. Paul was born about the year 8 A.D. and so 2008 marks the bimillenium of his birth. What does this mean, dedicating a year to St. Paul? According to the Holy Father, this year will offer us an opportunity to study the life and letters of St. Paul, which are found in the Bible. In addition, the Holy Father is encouraging ecumenical meetings for prayer and dialogue with other Christians. We know that St. Paul’s letters are widely read by Christians of all denominations, and so this year gives us the opportunity to read and share the richness of St. Paul’s writings with the hope that increased understanding of the great Apostle will help all Christians grow toward unity.

In Rome one of the four major basilicas is named St. Paul outside-the-walls, where St. Paul is buried. Pope Benedict said, "In the papal basilica and Benedictine abbey attached to it, there can take place a series of liturgical, cultural and ecumenical events, as well as various pastoral and social initiatives, all of them inspired by Pauline spirituality.

"Special attention can also be given to pilgrims who from various places will want to go to the tomb of the Apostle in a penitential way in order to find spiritual benefits.” (Homily of Pope Benedict XVI, announcing the year of St. Paul).

However, if you can’t travel to Rome there is a way to make a local pilgrimage here in Orange County. Bishop Brown has designated three churches as pilgrimage destinations for the Pauline Year. They are:

• St. Cecilia, 1301 SE Sycamore St. Tustin (for Mid Orange County), Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano (for South County), and S
• St. Angela Merici, 585 South Walnut Ave., Brea (for North Orange County).
  

In making a pilgrimage you are embarking on a spiritual journey. In order to reap the fruits of this journey there is a “plenary indulgence” offered for those who fulfill the following requirements when visiting these churches:

N20. § 1. To gain a plenary indulgence, in addition to excluding all attachment to sin, even venial, it is necessary to perform the indulgenced work and fulfill the following three conditions: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff.

§ 2. A single sacramental confession suffices for gaining several plenary indulgences; but Holy Communion must be received and prayer for the intention of the Holy Father must be recited for the gaining of each plenary indulgence.

§ 5. The condition of praying for the intention of the Holy Father is fully satisfied by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary; nevertheless, one has the option of reciting any other prayer according to individual piety and devotion, if recited for this intention.

The Holy Father concluded his homily on St. Paul with these words:

"May he (St. Paul) guide us and protect us in this bimillenary celebration, helping us to advance in the humble and sincere search for the full unity of all the members of the mystical body of Christ."

Guard your people, who rely on the patronage of your apostles Peter and Paul, O Lord, and keep them under your continual protection. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Note from the Pastor

This Sunday we will celebrate the feast of St. John the Baptist at all Masses. Readings and other liturgical texts will all be taken from the Mass of June 24.

Recent California Supreme Court decision

Dear Friends in Christ,

The recent California Supreme Court decision which attempts to change the definition of marriage shows how far people are willing to go to legitimize a way of living that directly contradicts the law of nature. That men and women are physically different is undeniable. That marriage is a natural institution, created by the God of nature, for the procreation of children is a fact that is written in the very fabric of our being. Since God is the Lord of nature, the Church will not permit same-sex couples to be married in a Catholic ceremony. Nor will the Church validate these unions once they are performed by court justices or other ministers. Marriage involves the lifelong commitment of one man to one woman for their mutual love and support, and for the procreation and education of children. Domestic partners in California and most other states already have benefits equivalent to a husband and his wife. This issue is not really about rights and benefits; it is about making a lifestyle acceptable and equivalent to the established institution of marriage between a man and a woman. This is what many reflecting persons and the Church are opposed to.

In a few weeks we will mark the 40th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s Encyclical Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life). In that prophetic document the Holy Father spoke of marriage in this way:

Married love particularly reveals its true nature and nobility when we realize that it takes its origin from God, who "is love," (6) the Father "from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named." (7) Marriage, then, is far from being the effect of chance or the result of the blind evolution of natural forces. It is in reality the wise and provident institution of God the Creator, whose purpose was to effect in man His loving design. As a consequence, husband and wife, through that mutual gift of themselves, which is specific and exclusive to them alone, develop that union of two persons in which they perfect one another, cooperating with God in the generation and rearing of new lives. (no. 8).

Later in the same document he addresses rulers of nations: “Do not tolerate any legislation which would introduce into the family those practices which are opposed to the natural law of God. (no. 23, emphasis added).

As responsible citizens the people of California have already spoken regarding the nature of marriage, that it is the union of a man and a woman. We must not tolerate this contradiction of our voice by a few judges. The happiness we seek to preserve as members of this free country is at stake in this crisis. Moreover, our happiness as human beings in society is also threatened by this decision. Here is the Holy Father’s concluding statement in the Encyclical:

For man cannot attain that true happiness for which he yearns with all the strength of his spirit, unless he keeps the laws which the Most High God has engraved in his very nature. These laws must be wisely and lovingly observed. (no.31).

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildedbrand

Novena at SJB

Dear Friends in Christ,

With our parish festival coming next Saturday and Sunday, I wanted to write you about our Novena which has already begun. The Church has made novenas (nine days) prior to major feasts as a means of preparing the faithful spiritually for the celebration of the feast. The original novena was made by Our Lady and the Apostles during the nine days between the Ascension of the Lord and the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. In some cultures, the nine days preceding Christmas are celebrated with prayers and Masses.

Since St. John the Baptist is our patron we are honoring him with a novena of Masses that began Friday evening at our 5:30PM Mass. Here is the schedule of the remaining novena Masses with the names of the homilists:

• Saturday, June 14 at 5:00PM - Rev. Hildebrand Garceau, O. Praem.
• Sunday, June 15 at 5:00PM - Rev. Leo Celano, O. Praem.
• Monday, June 16 at 5:30PM - Rev. Gregory Dick, O. Praem.
• Tuesday, June 17 at 5:30PM - Rev. Vincent Gilmore, O. Praem.
• Wednesday, June 18 at 5:30PM - Monsignor Joseph Herres
• Thursday, June 19 at 5:30PM - Rev. Pascal Nguyen, O. Praem.
• Friday, June 20 at 5:30PM - Rev. Luke Laslavich, O. Praem.
• Saturday, June 21 at 5:00PM - Rev. Robert Hodges, O. Praem.
  

On Sunday, June 22 we will celebrate our patron’s feast at all the Masses. Let us ask him to protect and bless us so that we may prepare the way for Christ in the hearts of our brothers and sisters as he did.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Our commitment to Christ

Dear Friends in Christ,

Now that June is here many of us are probably thinking of summer and vacations. With the price of gas and airline tickets going up however, you may be like me thinking of a shorter trip this year. I was talking to our first year Confirmation students and parents the other night and reminding them that wherever we go and whatever we do this summer, we always carry with us our commitment to Christ.

By our Baptism we are marked people, marked as Christians, followers of Jesus Christ. As a consequence we must remember to “pack” our faith along when going on our summer vacation. What does this mean in the concrete?

For example, save gas by going on a “journey of the mind”. We can do that by reading that great spiritual book we promised ourselves. Do you remember the reading list we published here several weeks ago?

There are some books that would make great summer reading, for example The Story of a Soul, the autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux. Pope Pius XI called her the greatest saint of modern times, and Pope John Paul II named her a doctor of the Church. St. Augustine’s Confessions gives us the spiritual journey of one of the greatest minds the Church has produced. Another modern saint, Faustina Kowalska, reveals her struggles and joys as “the Secretary of Divine Mercy” in her Diary: Divine Mercy in my Soul. If you’re still looking for a great book that’s not on the list you could go online and check out Ignatius Press or Roman Catholic Books. Both of these publishers have lives of the saints, histories of the Church, children’s books, and books on prayer. Or if you’re more of a visual person, they have DVD’s with great stories and films both fictional and historical.

If you do take a trip this summer, check out this website: masstimes.org to find a Catholic Church and the time for Sunday Mass anywhere in the country or throughout the world. You can even find Masses in different languages and churches that are wheelchair accessible. Our Church is called Catholic because we’re universal; we’re found all over the planet. So don’t leave your religion at home this summer, get connected with your Church wherever you go. You may be surprised and make new friends at the same time.

Have a great week and see you in church.

Fr. Hildebrand

A Special Message From Our Bishops

“The California Catholic Conference of Bishops must express its disappointment in the California Supreme Court decision to declare Proposition 22 unconstitutional. “Proposition 22, which states, ‘Only marriage between one man and one woman is valid and recognized in California,’ passed eight years ago by a vote of 61.2 to 38.8 percent. That statute reflected the wisdom of the voters of California in retaining the traditional definition of marriage as a biological reality and a societal good. Unfortunately, today (May 15), the Court saw fit to disregard the will of the majority of people of California.

“Catholic teaching maintains that marriage is a faithful, exclusive and lifelong union between one man and one woman joined in an intimate partnership of life and love—a union instituted by God for the mutual fulfillment of the husband and wife as well as for the procreation and education of children.

“Partnerships of committed same-sex individuals are already legal in California. Our state has also granted domestic partners spousal-type rights and responsibilities which facilitate their relationships with each other and any children they bring to the partnership. Every person involved in the family of domestic partners is a child of God and deserves respect in the eyes of the law and their community. However, those partnerships are not marriage—and can never be marriage—as it has been understood since the founding of the United States. Today’s decision of California’s high court opens the door for policymakers to deconstruct traditional marriage and create another institution under the guise of equal protection.

“Although we strongly disagree with the ruling, we ask our Catholic people, as well as all the people of California, to continue to uphold the dignity of every person, to acknowledge individual rights and responsibilities, and to maintain support for the unique and irreplaceable role of traditional marriage as an institution which is fundamental to society.”

The Real Presence of Christ

Dear Friends in Christ,

May is a very busy month at our parish. Here are some of the events that have already taken place. On May 3-4 we celebrated the First Communion of our 2nd Grade students. People at all of our Masses saw the little children receive Jesus for the first time. On the afternoon of May 4 we honored Our Lady in her month of May with our annual procession and crowning. We offered prayers and songs in four languages, showing the cultural diversity of our parish. On May 8 we had the joy of seeing our young people sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation and on May 10-11 twenty-two adults were also confirmed.

Next weekend there are two important events that are closely related. On Saturday May 24 a large group of Spanish speaking children will receive their First Communion. Then on Sunday May 25 we will hold our annual Corpus Christi Mass and Procession. This celebration is close to the hearts of our Norbertine community because St. Norbert was known as the Apostle of the Eucharist. In his time he vigorously defended the Real Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament against heretics. He also traveled with a Mass kit so that he could say Mass at the different towns where he preached his missions.

I hope as many of you as possible will join us for our 2PM multi-lingual Mass and procession next Sunday. As Catholics we believe Jesus Christ is truly present in the Holy Eucharist, and on this feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ our participation in the Mass and procession is a profession of faith in this great truth.

Next Sunday we will also honor those who have committed to spend an hour before the Blessed Sacrament in our chapel. We will pray especially for them at our Masses next weekend. I want to personally invite you to join this army of prayer warriors who faithfully come to answer the call of Jesus to “watch one hour with Me”. Perpetual Eucharistic adoration was recently promoted by the Vatican as a fruitful way to increase vocations to the priesthood and religious life. The blessings received by our adorers are too many to describe.

Are you looking for a job? Are you feeling alone? Is there something you need? Come to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament; He will hear your prayers. To sign up for an hour, just take a form from the purple box at the rear of the church, fill it out and leave it at the rectory office. If you sign up for a late night hour you will receive an entry code to unlock the chapel door, which is locked after 9PM.

O Sacrament most holy, O Sacrament divine, All praise and all thanksgiving Be every moment Thine.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Pentecost 2008

Dear Friends in Christ,

Our parish family has rejoiced recently with the celebration of First Communion and Confirmation of our young people. Today, on the feast of Pentecost, we continue to rejoice as over twenty adults receive their Confirmation. Surely this is a sign of the Holy Spirit working in the Church.

We are most grateful to God for these manifestations of His grace among us.Many of you and your families and friends have attended these sacramental celebrations during this Easter Season, and I’m sure you are happy too about the gifts of grace bestowed on our people. However, I wonder how many of you are aware of the fact that in spite of the numbers of new Catholics and Catholics that receive the Sacraments, there are many Catholics who fall away from the faith of their childhood.

I was recently reading an article on the web called “Catholics Come Home”. In the article Deal Hudson (editor of Crisis Magazine and inside-catholic.org) says:

One out of every ten Americans is a lapsed Catholic, according to the Pew Forum's recently released "U.S. Religious Landscape Survey." Though the Pew statistics could be disputed, the survey confirmed what any observer of the Church knows: Many cradle Catholics leave the Church never to return.

In response to the Pew survey, Inside Catholic sponsored a symposium with over 30 Catholic leaders discussing the question, "Why Are They Leaving?" One reason is obvious -- a lack of concern for evangelism, reaching out to those who have either stopped attending church or never did in the first place.

In today’s first reading we here about the Apostles preaching and converting thousands to our faith. Why can we not do the same? Are we afraid to share the beautiful gift of our faith with others? Maybe we have family members who have stopped attending Mass or have given up their faith entirely. Here are some things we could do to bring them back. We could offer a holy hour weekly in the chapel for their “reversion” (second conversion). We could invite them to Mass on Sunday and then invite them to breakfast afterwards. We could refer them to this website, catholicscomehome.org, which has a short video about the Church.

Remember what the Letter of James says about conversion: “If anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20).

God bless you and your families.

Fr. Hildebrand

Ministries

Dear Friends in Christ,

My apologies go out to all of you who have renewed your financial commitment to our parish. This week most of you received a letter from us regarding your commitment of treasure. A few of you have contacted us regarding the accuracy of the figures recorded in these letters, and with good reason. It was discovered too late (after the letters had already gone out) that a clerical error caused us to miscalculate the donations from one month of this quarter. Please excuse us for this error.

I am encouraged by the generosity all of you have shown over the past months. We are sincerely trying to be responsible with your gifts, especially during these tough economic times. As a community of priests, we have decided to be more frugal in what we spend on food, especially extras like wine and desserts. We are also trying to keep our parish budget within reasonable limits without sacrificing important ministries.

Our festival is getting closer. We have some very creative people working on the festival this year. Have you signed up to help out? Do you have a special talent you would like to share? Please contact Annette Kelly. Let us give thanks to God for the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to our country. May the Lord grant him health to continue witnessing to the truth of Christ in our world.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Easter and Life

Dear Friends in Christ,

A glorious and blessed Easter to all! May the grace of the risen Christ fill your hearts with hope and joy.

Easter is the season of new life, the life promised us by our Lord when He said, “I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly” (Jn. 10: 10). Jesus, the Son of God, is the Author of life, the Creator. All life comes from Him and returns to him.

When God created Adam and Eve He made them stewards of life. As members of the human family we share in the work of building the earth and caring for life.

The political process whereby we enact laws to order our society is ordered to the common good of the members of the state and nation. Since we have a government of the people and by the people, we all have the responsibility to participate in the governing process. The current presidential campaign is a very clear example.

In addition to our elected officials, we also have a say in the development of laws for our government, including those of our own state. In past weeks we have provided information about an important law, Sarah’s Law, which seeks to protect the rights of parents and the health of our youth. Many of you have already signed the petition to put Sarah’s Law on the November 8 ballot.

The California Bishops are strongly supporting this initiative because it protects minor girls. The “Sarah” for whom the law is named was a 15 year old girl who died from the complications of an abortion without her parents’ knowledge. Sarah’s Law would protect girls under 18 from abortion and abuse. Please take a blue envelope from the rear of the church and send in your signed petition. You will have made an important contribution to saving innocent lives, the lives of the unborn children and the lives of our youth.

Let us share the joy of Easter by our union with the Lord of life.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand