Merry Christmas!

Dear Friends in Christ,

Merry Christmas! Our Christmas celebrations at St. John’s have been attended by large numbers of people, for that we are grateful. We want to share the joy of our Savior’s birth so that many more will come to know and love Him. May His Name be praised. Sincere thanks to all of you who gave us cards and gifts. Your kindness will have its reward. I would also like to thank all those who made our church’s celebration so festive, especially our environment committee and parish musicians.

A happy and healthy New Year 2010 to you and your families.

Fr. Hildebrand

Advent Penance Services

Dear Friends in Christ,

During the past two weeks I have assisted at a number of Advent Penance Services both here and in other parishes. In addition there have been extra confessions for the students both here and in other schools. The Sacrament of Penance is truly one of the greatest gifts the Lord has given to His Church. Many people have received the gift of grace and spiritual healing through this Sacrament, which is a real encounter with Christ, King of Mercy and Spiritual Healer.

When a person has finished his/her confession the priest sends him/her forth in peace. This peace is often reflected in the penitent’s voice which expresses genuine thanks for the gift of God’s forgiveness. Having celebrated the Sacrament of Penance myself many times, I still feel that sense of a burden lifted, a joy of spirit, knowing that the Lord has forgiven me.

Hearing confessions is essential to our priestly ministry; at times it can be tiring. However, I find that this ministry is also very rewarding. When a priest absolves a person from their sins, he is really acting in the Person of Christ. The priest is God’s agent of mercy, extending mercy to all those who come with a contrite heart.

What a great way to prepare to receive the Christ Child! He was born in the cold and poverty of a stable long ago in Bethlehem. Today He wants to dwell in our hearts. May these hearts be made ready to receive Him with love.

If you have not made your Christmas confession yet, I would encourage you to take the opportunity tomorrow, Monday at 7:30 PM in the church. This time period will replace our regularly scheduled Thursday confessions since this Thursday is Christmas Eve.

Let us pray for one another at this joyous season of God’s love.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Advent Season

Dear Friends in Christ,

We are now more than half way through our Advent season. As we continue preparing gifts, parties, and cards let us not forget two classes of people who are in danger of death during this holy season, our unborn children and our military on active duty.

The Christmas season includes the feast of the Holy Innocents on Dec. 28. For more than twenty years St. John’s has hosted the pro-life march and Mass of reparation for abortion. This public witness for life has drawn large crowds every year, and it is my wish that our parish’s 50th anniversary should be marked by an even larger attendance. Christmas is about a Child who was born to save us from our sins. Christmas is for children. Let’s pray that America will embrace its children, especially those not yet born. Let us also pray for our government leaders that they will exclude abortion coverage from the national health care program. This needs our very fervent prayers and sacrifices since the stakes are high. Our unborn children have no voice unless we speak for them and in their defense.

At Christmas time we must also remember our military brothers and sisters on active duty away from their families in foreign lands and often in danger of life and limb. If you know a soldier, why not include him/her on your Christmas card list? More important, remember our service personnel in your prayers. Pray that the Lord protect them and bring them home safely. Offer your Christmas Mass and Communion for them. There is no better gift.

Meanwhile let us accompany Mary, the Mother of Jesus during the remainder of this Advent season. She brought forth the Author of life and wants us to recognize Him in the poor and the forgotten. May Mary help us to understand the true meaning of Christmas so that we may come to know and love her Son Jesus more perfectly.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Second Sunday of Advent

Dear Friends in Christ,

On this Second Sunday of Advent we begin to hear about our patron St. John the Baptist. Today’s Gospel is from St. Luke. Here is a commentary on this passage by Fr. Tony Kadavil: John called people to repent as a way of preparing their hearts and lives for the Lord's visit. He is calling us, too, to get ready for something so great that it fills our emptiness with expectation. A smooth road means nothing to God, but a repentant heart means a great deal. Hence, the truly important goal for us is to prepare our hearts to receive the Lord. By emphasizing the last line of the quotation, "All flesh will see the salvation of God," Luke stresses the universal aspect of God's salvation. Having begun the section with a list of rulers who did not bring wholeness or salvation, Luke ends with the expectation of a true Lord Who can bring these about. We don't live in a perfect world and we don't look to this world to see God's salvation. For salvation, we have to look to Jesus -- Jesus present in Scripture, Jesus present in the sacraments, Jesus present in our coming together in his name, Jesus present in the lives of his followers. Perhaps if we began to see Jesus in each other and in ourselves, and started to treat one another (and ourselves) as we would treat Jesus, more of the world might come to see God's salvation.

The Jordan River was the place that represented the border between the desert — where the Jews had wandered aimlessly for 38 years after centuries of slavery in Egypt — and the Promised Land. By preaching his message there, John was inviting the Jews of his day, to come out of the bondage of slavery, to leave their faults, their wandering, and their sinful lives behind, and to enter into the Promised Land full of God’s blessings. The Fathers of the Church have called the Sacrament of Reconciliation our “second baptism,” in which we’re brought back to the Jordan and cleansed internally as we were on the day of our Christening. Advent, like Lent, is a season given to us so that we may repent of our sins and be reconciled with God and His Church by receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Please take advantage of confessions during this holy season, following the wise counsel of our patron saint: “Prepare ye the way of the Lord!”

Advent blessings to all.

Fr. Hildebrand

Advent

Dear Friends in Christ,

The season of Advent inaugurates a new liturgical year. With the First Sunday of Advent we begin a new cycle of readings which will continue until Advent of next year. The texts for the readings are spread over a three year period (Years A, B, and C). Having just completed Year B last Sunday, we are now beginning Year C.

The Gospel and the other Scripture readings at Mass are “proclaimed” from the Ambo. I use the word “proclaim” because we are hearing God’s Word, a message that is very important. Such a message should be heard loud and clear. Those who proclaim the readings at Mass are trained for their ministry. They read the texts before Mass and reflect on the meaning so that when they read them aloud the message comes through.

During the Advent season we have some very important messages in the readings, and I hope all of you will take the time to read them in advance so that you can prepare yourselves for Sunday Mass. Why not make this Advent a time of renewing your acquaintance with the Bible. Every Sunday our bulletin includes the Biblical references for the Sun-day readings and the readings for the coming week on page 3. You could cut out that part of the page and use it as a book mark in your Bible. Then every day reserve a time, maybe 20 minutes, to read the day’s Mass readings. You’ll find that you will learn more about how your Bible works and you will also find spiritual nourishment for your day. An easier way to find the readings is to subscribe to a monthly missal like Magnificat which also has prayers, articles and meditations. If you’re in front of the computer a lot, you can find the daily and Sunday readings on the web, www.ewtn.com, and many others. Too busy to sit with the Bible? Get an audio Bible! There are several out there on CD’s and MP3 versions. The Word of Promise audio Bible includes readings by famous actors such as Max von Sydow and Jim Caviesel.

Whatever version you get you can listen while driving, exercising, or walking the dog. We spend a lot of time using different media from iPods to email and from TV to twitter. Why not use our media for something that will benefit our soul? The Word of God is made to be heard, and there’s nothing like a good live rendering of a Biblical text. Let this Liturgical New Year be a time to prepare the way for the Lord through His Word. By the way, we’re looking for lectors to read at Mass. Have you thought about serving in this ministry?

A blessed Advent to all.

Fr. Hildebrand

Thanksgiving

Dear Friends in Christ,

As Thanksgiving approaches I want to thank the LORD for many things. So I thought I would make a “Thanksgiving List” for all we have received.

A BIG THANK YOU TO:

• Our priests for their generous pastoral service to our diverse community,
• Our parish staff for all the things they do for me and all of our parishioners in service, maintenance, religious education, Those who made Fr. Philip’s and my 25th Anniversary a memorable occasion,
• Our St. Vincent de Paul Society for its dedication to serving Jesus in the poor,
• Our Pastoral and Finance Councils for their collective wisdom and advice,
• Our Offertory Program Committee for hard work and timely achievements,
• Our parish choirs for their dedication to the service of the liturgy,
• Our parish ministers, servers, lectors, and ushers for their gifts of time and talent,
• Our School staff for their love and dedication to forming our children's hearts, minds, bodies, and spirits,
• Our Knights of Columbus for the projects that have enhanced our parish,
• Our Youth Group for restoring Coffee & Donuts on Sunday to enhance parish community,
• Our 50th Anniversary Committee for their time and energy in preparing beautiful and interesting events,
• Our Eucharistic Adorers for your prayers that strengthen us daily and nightly,
• Our Festival Committee for their committed efforts that bore great fruit this year,
  

And THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU for your patience, love, support, and all the little things you do to make our parish a place where Christ is welcomed and worshiped.

Fr. Hildebrand

What does it mean to be a Catholic?

Dear Friends in Christ,

The recent congressional debate over health care reform surfaced a serious conflict between a Catholic Congressman and his bishop. Rep. Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island stated publicly: “The fact that I disagree with the hierarchy on some issues does not make me any less of a Catholic.” Kennedy was referring to his public stance favoring abortion coverage by the new health care plan. Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence wrote an open letter to Kennedy in which he corrected the congressman’s understanding of what it means to be a Catholic.

The bishop’s letter is very clear, and I consider it important for all of us. The bishop points out that the Church’s Code of Canon Law states that lay persons are bound to acquire a knowledge of Christian doctrine adapted to their capacity and condition so that they can live in accord with that doctrine (cf. Canon 229, #1). He also reminds the Congressman that Catholics in political life cannot claim autonomy from the moral and social teachings of the Church. To claim such autonomy as the Congressman does when he says he disagrees with the hierarchy on the immorality of abortion is to hold a position at odds with the Church’s teaching.

What does it mean to be a Catholic? That is the question. Bishop Tobin answers simply: “Being a Catholic means that you’re part of a faith community that possesses a clearly defined authority and doctrine, obligations and expectations. It means that you believe and accept the teachings of the Church, especially on essential matters of faith and morals; that you belong to a local Catholic community, a parish; that you attend Mass on Sundays and receive the sacraments regularly; that you support the Church, personally, publicly, spiritually, and financially.”

Here we have a statement that all of us can understand. While we may find that we are confused about some teachings of the Church, we can rely on the Church to help us to know the truth. We have our Holy Father, our bishops, the Catechism, and many other resources that can help us to understand the Catholic teaching on modern questions. Let us make good use of these resources so that we are well-informed about our faith and can call ourselves Catholic in deed and in truth.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

SJB Updates

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today I would like to share with you some news from around the parish. First, after our recent celebration of unveiling the six new stained glass windows we are now proceeding to prepare for the next phase of the project, the large window in the choir loft, the windows alongside the bronze doors, and the eight small windows in the sanctuary. We have already received some preliminary sketches and they really look wonderful. The scheduled date for installation is May 2010 in time for our 50th anniversary celebration.

Speaking of our 50th anniversary, our special Memorial Mass for deceased parishioners over the past 50 years will take place this Saturday, Nov. 14 at 12noon. The Mass will include a special
remembrance ceremony for those who passed away during the 1960’s, 1970’s, 1980’s, 1990’s, and 2000’s. Each decade will be marked by a parishioner who will light a candle in remembrance
of the deceased. Please invite your friends and relatives to this special Memorial Mass.

As you may have noticed our youth group now provides coffee and donuts on Sunday mornings (except the 4th Sunday when the Knights have their pancake breakfast). This is an opportunity
to visit with fellow parishioners and build community. Thank you to the youth group.

On Friday, Oct. 30 our school children celebrated the saints by coming to school dressed as their favorite saint. What imagination and creativity! I visited the classrooms during the morning and saw a little St. Francis of Assisi, St. Elizabeth Seton, St. Herman Joseph, St. Patrick and many others. This project is helping us teach the children the true meaning of Halloween, which is the vigil of All Saints. It’s not about witches and goblins.

It’s about the Saints, persons to inspire our young people. During this month of November let us not forget to pray for our brothers and sisters who have passed from this life. They may be in Purgatory, waiting for our prayers and Masses to set them free. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Medjugorje

Dear Friends in Christ,

The recent “Medjugorje Peace Conference” held at UC Irvine motivates me caution those who promote this so-called apparition that the Church has not approved it and it is unlikely that she will ever approve it. One of the criteria for authenticity of any apparition is obedience to Church authority. A very powerful example of this is the apparition of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in the 17th century. At one point during the apparitions Our Lord said to her:

“I desire that you should do what your Superiors command, but also that you should do nothing of all that I order you without their consent. I love obedience, and without it no one can please Me.” (Diary of St. Margaret Mary). Now this is the Son of God Himself telling Margaret Mary to obey her superior above all, even when it comes to His requests. It seems clear that the Lord holds obedience in very high esteem.

Obedience is an acid test for the authenticity of any purported apparition. The apparition of our Lady of Guadalupe shows St. Juan Diego obedient to the local bishop. St. Bernadette willingly submitted to lengthy interrogation related to the apparitions at Lourdes.

However, when we examine the situation of Medjugorje we find a serious lack of obedience on the part of the local parish priest, who consistently ignored the local bishop and finally had to be removed from ministry as the following quotes from Catholic News Service show:

Pope Benedict XVI has laicized a Franciscan priest who served as the
spiritual adviser to the Marian visionaries in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina…

The pontiff, in a document issued "motu proprio" (on his own initiative), returned Father Tomislav Vlasic to the lay state and dispensed him from his religious vows as a member of the Order of Friars Minor…

Vlasic was confined to a Franciscan monastery in L'Aquila, Italy, in February 2008 after he refused to cooperate in a Vatican investigation of his activities for suspected heresy and schism.”(From CNS website for July 28, 2009).

With regard to the supernatural nature of the visions of our Lady there remain serious doubts. Three church commissions failed to find evidence to support the visionaries' claims and the bishops of the former Yugoslavia declared in 1991 that "it cannot be affirmed that these matters concern supernatural apparitions or revelations."(CNS) When we have such powerful messages of hope, conversion, and prayer from Fatima, Lourdes, Paray le Monial, and other approved private revelations, it would seem unnecessary to seek spiritual guidance from a source that has prompted such reactions from the Magisterium of the Church.

God bless you and your families.

Fr. Hildebrand

Family Vocation Day at SJB

Dear Friends in Christ,

Please note that we are holding a special event this week. On Saturday, Oct. 24 we are holding our first ever Family Vocation Day. This free all day event is for everyone. We extend the invitation to all families, big and small, from seniors to second graders, and from teens to young adults. The reason this event is for all ages is very simple: We all have a vocation! Yes, each and every one of us received a vocation at Baptism. That vocation is a call to holiness in Christ’s Church. However, it is not just for us personally; our vocation impels us to share Christ’s good news with others. How do we accomplish our special mission? This Saturday you will find out.

The accomplishment of our mission is related to our gifts. This Saturday several religious communities will be represented. These sisters and priests will share how the charism of their orders helps them to fulfill God’s plan in their lives. They will have materials available to show how their communities spread the Gospel message and help many people come closer to Christ. They will pray together with us at Mass and Benediction. They will speak to us about their own vocation and how to discern a religious vocation. There will be activities for the younger children and group meetings for young people and adults. And if that were not enough, we are pro-
viding a free lunch!

I strongly encourage you to sign up for this unique and exciting event. You can register online or by calling our office. You can also register after Mass at the tables outside.

During this Year for Priests we are especially encouraged to promote vocations to the priesthood. Let us pray for more priestly vocations from our parish. May the seed sown by the Good Shepherd bear fruit for his harvest of eternal life.

God bless you and your families.

Fr. Hildebrand

Preventive Measures at SJB

Dear Friends in Christ,

The onset of the flu season this year brings the added threat of swine flu. While we must avoid exaggeration, we must also exercise caution because this strain of virus has proven very strong and has caused serious illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 27 states including California report widespread incidence of flu cases. This prompts us to take measures to prevent infection, which can occur especially when large numbers of people are gathered together in church.

Here are some basic guidelines and some practical measures we are offering here at St. John’s:

• If you develop flu symptoms (upset stomach, chills, fever, cough, etc.) please stay home and take care of yourself. Sick persons are excused from Mass on Sunday.
• Please cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. This is an act of courtesy and charity to those around you. Doctors have told us that hand contact is a primary way that germs are spread. Therefore, we are asking that everyone cooperate with two changes that we have initiated during the Mass:
  

During the Our Father we will not hold hands with our neighbor. This practice has no precedent in our Catholic tradition. It has developed among some Protestant and charismatic groups over the past few decades. The priest will remind us not to hold hands before the Our Father begins for hygienic purposes in order to prevent possible spread of disease.

At the greeting of peace, the priest will say “The peace of the Lord be with you always” and we will respond as usual “And also with you.” Then the choir/cantor will immediately continue with the Lamb of God (Agnus Dei) and the sign of peace will be omitted. This gesture of peace, which is entirely optional, has habitually been expressed by shaking hands. Since we have pointed out that infection is spread by hand contact, it seems important to initiate this change during the flu season. The words of the greeting of peace already contain a wish for peace directed toward everyone.

Let us pray that this flu season is a mild one and let’s do our part to stay healthy and show courtesy to others.

God bless you all.

Fr. Hildebrand

40 Days for Life: Pray and fast for an end to abortion during the period

Dear Friends in Christ,

October is Respect Life Month. As human persons blessed with the gift of life ourselves we also maintain that every conceived human being has a right to life, and that life must be respected from the first moment of conception until natural death.

As Christians we value human life because every human being is created in God’s image and is redeemed by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we oppose all efforts to promote abortion, euthanasia, and other threats to human life, including the death penalty and human trafficking. These threats to human life and dignity are directly opposed to our Christian and Catholic faith.

We begin our observance of Respect Life Month this weekend with our “Pennies from Heaven” campaign. Our extra change adds up to benefits for pro-life centers throughout Orange County. Thank you for your generosity.

Here are some examples of pro-life activities you could participate in:

Conference: Dialogue about the miracles God is working today in the pro life movement with Kathleen Eaton, founder and CEO of Birth Choice, and Dr. Paul Selecky of Hoag Hospital

Where: St. Bonaventure Parish Center

16400 Springdale St.
Huntington Beach, CA

When: Oct. 13, 7 PM

40 Days for Life: Pray and fast for an end to abortion during the period Sept. 23-Nov. 7

Fr. Hildebrand

50 YEARS OF MERCY

Dear Friends in Christ,

This past week has been a golden week for our parish school as we celebrate 50 years of Catholic education at St. John’s. The celebrations began earlier in the week when we received three Irish Sisters of Mercy who traveled here from the Emerald Isle to join us for this anniversary. They are Sr. Mary, Sr. Annunciata, and Sr. Nora, all of whom taught our children over the past five decades. Sr. Annunciata was the principal just before Sr. Vianney took over. We are blessed to have had such dedicated religious who have shared their faith and formed our children in the likeness of Christ.

On Thursday, we celebrated a Mass with all the school children present and our three guest Sisters were joined by Sr. Vianney and Sr. Rosaline (the provincial superior). During the Mass we unveiled the new stained glass window depicting Mother Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy.

On Friday evening we began with the unveiling of all the stained glass windows. Present were more than 20 Sisters of Mercy from southern California and several priests from St. Michael’s Abbey and other special guests. At the Mass we prayed through the intercession of Our Lady, Mother of Mercy, who is patroness of the Sisters of Mercy. How appropriate that we should celebrate God’s mercy during this year for priests. Priests are dispensers of God’s mercy especially in the confessional where they offer God’s mercy to all who come with a contrite heart.

Since each of our new stained glass windows contains a symbol of one of the sacraments, we thought it proper that Mother Catherine’s window should have the keys, symbol of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which unlocks the font of God’s mercy for us. I hope all of you have the opportunity to spend some time viewing our six new stained glass windows. They are a sign of the communion of saints who surround us as we gather together for divine worship. May they all pray for us and help us to persevere in faith and love until we join them in the kingdom of heaven.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

EXCERPTS FROM A LETTER OF BISHOP AQUILA ON HEALTH CARE

The Dignity of Human Life

Made in the image and likeness of God, each and every human person bears the mark of the Trinity’s own character and life. Because of this inherent dignity, each man and woman is to be reverenced with great care from the moment of conception through every stage of their life. From the right to life flow all other human duties and rights, including the duty to preserve and protect one’s own life and health with the right to the means of achieving this goal.

Any attempt to provide greater access to health care without safeguarding human life from the moment of conception is inherently inconsistent. Pope Benedict XVI shares this great wisdom of the Church in his latest encyclical letter, Caritas in Veritate, when he recalls the words of John Paul II, “A society lacks solid foundations when, on the one hand, it asserts values such as the dignity of the person, justice and peace, but then, on the other hand, radically acts to the contrary by allowing or tolerating a variety of ways in which human life is devalued and violated, especially where it is weak or marginalized”(Caritas in Veritate, 15; Evangelium Vitae, 101).

True health care begins with the unborn child in the womb. Wen a given plan to provide care fails to protect that life, it is no longer animated by a source of truth and justice, this it will not, and cannot, flourish. The killing of unborn children through abortion or as a means to do research has nothing to do with promoting health. Both encyclicals make clear the teaching of the Church that the destruction of human life by abortion and other evils can never be a neutral question or one that is promoted by any faithful Catholic.

Conscience Rights

One of the important developments that resulted from the Second Vatican Council is found in the document on religious freedom, Dignitatis Humanae. “Nobody may be forced to act against his convictions, nor is anyone to be restrained from acting in accordance with his conscience in religious matters in private or in public” (DH 2). In the arena of health care, this statement applies both to those who work directly in health care, as well as to the general public who participate in health care plans through insurance premiums and taxes.

The practice of medicine is a tremendous gift whereby the seemingly endless illnesses and maladies that afflict the human body can be studied, known and healed. This in-depth knowledge which serves the progress of human health can also be used to promote death and destruction. The doctors, nurses and health care professionals who possess such medical expertise are prime candidates for coercion from those who would destroy the most vulnerable human lives. The right to follow one’s conscience, as informed by God, must be guaranteed. It is imperative that health professionals and institutions have the freedom to refuse to perform unethical procedures and even to refuse to refer a patient to another professional or institution for treatments they believe, according to the natural law, are immoral.

The consciences of participants in health care plans must also be respected. In no way should taxpayers or policy holders be forced to participate in plans, whether private or public, which fund procedures that violate the moral precepts of the faith. In his August 11, 2009 letter to the House of Representatives, Cardinal Justin Rigali addresses this very issue as he writes, “By what right, then, and by what precedent, would Congress make abortion coverage into a nationwide norm, or force Americans to subsidize it as a condition for participating in a public health program?” The protection of the freedom of conscience is a concern not only for those directly involved in medicine, but for all members of society.

Health Care Reform

Dear Friends in Christ,

The following is an excerpt of a letter from Bishop Samuel J. Aquila of Fargo, North Dakota. In it the Bishop points out some basic principles about the current Health Care Reform legislation.

At this time in our nation’s history, we continually face new challenges as we witness to the Gospel in an ever increasing secularized society. Currently our civil leaders are discussing different proposals to provide greater access to health care in our country. Indeed, the Church has officially manifested her teaching, since Pius XI to Benedict XVI, in the recognition of the great importance of ensuring that all peoples have access to health care.

In principle, the Church ought to always promote wider and more complete access to health care; however, that does not mean that in practice the Church ought to support each and every plan which is proposed by civil leaders. At this time, I want to offer you some key principles that should always be used when evaluating the moral value and justice of a given plan to provide health care. The following is a brief summary of these principles, after which I will offer further explanation and application:

1. Any provisions for actions which deny the dignity of human life, especially abortion, euthanasia, whether passive or active, and embryonic stem-cell research must be excluded from all health care plans.
2. The freedom of consciences must be safeguarded. The moral voice of individual doctors, nurses, health professionals, as well as the general public, deserve reverence and respect.
3. Access to health care ought to be available to all people, including the poor, legal immigrants, the handicapped, and especially the elderly and unborn members of society.
4. The means of providing access to health care should be governed by the principle of subsidiarity, being reasonably and equitably distributed among members of society.

Let us pray for our legislators as they work for health care reform.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

SJB's 50th Anniversary

Dear Friends in Christ,

During the past several months our 50th Anniversary Committee has been meeting to plan and execute the events of our parish’s 50th Anniversary. We are a community of faith and so these events are divided into two categories, community-building and spiritual. Of the community building events, we have already had some movie nights and other events are planned for the next several months.

This weekend we are holding one of our spiritual events, the consecration of our parish family to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Let me explain briefly what this means. Mary is the mother of Jesus who is God, the only-begotten Son of the Father. Therefore the One who is son of Mary is also the Son of God because He is one Person. Therefore the Council of Ephesus in 431AD declared Mary to be the Mother of God. With such an exalted position Mary is greatly favored by God. We recall that the angel called her “full of grace”. The intimate relationship Mary has with God makes her especially capable of helping us. Even though she is now in heaven body and soul, she continues to be watchful over the children Jesus entrusted to her as He died on the cross. We can think of the great Marian apparitions over the past centuries, Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fatima. Mary’s message in these different places is one of maternal care and a call to prayer and penance. She has shown herself a true Mother who looks after her children and leads them directly to her Son.

St. Maximilian Kolbe was a Franciscan priest from Poland who died a martyr of charity in the concentration camp of Auschwitz in 1941. St. Maximilian was a true spiritual son of Mary Immaculate and promoted devotion to her through the “Militia Immaculatae” which he founded
in 1917. Through communities called “cities or villages of the Immaculate” he consecrated entire groups of people to Mary as her disciples. The mission of these groups, which exist in all parts of the world, is to assist Mary in spreading the Gospel for the salvation of souls. One of the ways to achieve this is through consecration to Mary. Consecration makes us dedicated disciples of Mary who leads us to Jesus and forms Jesus in us through her powerful intercession. In this way we become apostles sent out to lead more people to Christ and advance the triumph of the Sacred Heart on earth.

May our parish consecration to Mary bear much fruit for the greater glory of God and for our salvation.

Sincerely yours in Christ and His Mother,

Fr. Hildebrand

Pastoral Services Appeal for 2009

Dear Friends in Christ,

Our Pastoral Services Appeal for 2009 continues to be very successful. We have surpassed our $80,000 goal and have been receiving rebates for a few weeks. I have sent thank you cards to all the addresses we have. However, since we may miss someone, please accept our sincere thanks for your gifts and know that the rebates are being put to good use (See bullet points below).

More good news on the parish finances: Our Parish Festival 2009 is the best in recorded history! This year’s festival netted over $75,000! Congratulations to all who worked hard to make this event so successful. Many people from our parish gave of their time and talents over the three day period. People enjoyed the great food, rides, and entertainment. It was a family event which built community among our parishioners.

Thanks to your support of the festival our parish debt will be greatly reduced. Once the debt is paid, we will be able to move forward with projects to improve and expand our overtaxed facilities.

Meanwhile, during the summer some improvements have been made. Here is a list of them:

• New wood fencing along rectory wall to provide outdoor lunch and gathering area for staff and guests,
• Remodel of rectory front office to accommodate third office station,
• Remodel of former youth ministry office to make a new hall meeting room for different groups (including youth),
• Remodel of some rooms in the convent (this was long overdue) including the convent chapel and dining room, Installation of new cabinets in school classrooms.
  

May the Lord reward you for your continued support of our parish.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

SJB Project's Progress

Dear Friends in Christ,

This week I am happy to report more progress on our stained glass windows. Conrad Schmitt Studios has begun cutting the colored glass that will go in to making these magnificent “sermons in stone”. Today I would like to share with you more about the themes in two other windows.

St. Patrick Window

St. Patrick, patron of the Irish, represents the first major ethnic group in the history of the parish, and indirectly, all those of white European ancestry. This window is the primary “dedication” window of the stained glass donor – dedicated to the memory of Msgr. Daniel Brennan who brought him into the Church. He is donating all the windows in the Church in gratitude for what this Irish priest of our parish did for him.

St. Patrick will be wearing the vesture of a bishop – mitre, crosier, ring (with a green chasuble and the white pallium covered with crosses hanging over the chasuble. He will also be shown administering the Sacrament of Confirmation to the donor, who is kneeling at his feet.
St. Juan Diego Window

St. Juan Diego represents another large cultural group in the history of the parish, the Mexican and/or Latin American community. He is known as the one to whom Our Lady appeared in 1531 and who received the miraculous image on his cloak or tilma. In the window he will be holding the tilma in front of him with roses spilling out and showing the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. St. Juan Diego was on his way to seek the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick for his uncle who was seriously ill when Our Lady appeared to him.

Therefore, included in this window is a flask of the oil of the sick to remind us of the importance of this Sacrament in the Church.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

SJB Stained Glass Window Project

Dear Friends in Christ,

Now that the poster explaining our stained glass window project is up, some of you have come to me very excited about this new addition to our church. Several have expressed that they look forward to the enhancement of our church with this beautiful stained glass. However, I have also heard some objections to the project. This week I would like to address these questions, which I will number below:

1. Why are we buying windows when we need to reduce our debt?

First of all, the donor has a right to restrict his donation to a specific project. In this case the donor wants to donate stained glass windows. We often receive smaller donations that are also restricted. For example, some donations are given for flowers or for the school. We want to respect the wishes of every donor. Now, reducing the debt is also necessary and when we receive unrestricted donations I will usually apply them to reduction of our debt. This year our debt has shrunk from about $230,000 to about $175,000 due to some generous donations. To those who think the donor should donate to the debt I would challenge to match his donation with a donation to reduce the debt or fund another project. Generosity is a virtue and deserves to be imitated.

2. Is the donor just trying to make a name for himself?

As I said in an earlier letter, the donor wishes to remain anonymous. I don’t see how he can make a name for himself if he doesn’t want his name to appear in any acknowledgement. This is what Jesus asked us to do when He said, “Don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” We’re in a recession. Isn’t this bad timing to make such a large gift? Ironically enough fund-raising specialists tell us that hard economic times are often better for non-profit organizations than prosperous times. People begin to think more seriously about how they use their money and want to use it for good causes.

In general, generosity breeds more generosity. If you are unable to match the donor’s dollar amount, what about volunteering to offer your time and talent? Here’s a practical suggestion: I’m looking for a couple of new members for our pastoral council. Are any of you interested in joining us, or do you know of a good candidate?

Blessings on your summer vacations.

Fr. Hildebrand

Mother Catherine McAuley and the Sisters of Mercy

Dear Friends in Christ,

Last week I introduced the general program for the stained glass window project. This week I would like to begin a series on the saints depicted in the windows and why we chose them.

Mother Catherine McAuley and the Sisters of Mercy

On the school side of the church one window will show Mother Catherine, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, who have been teaching in our school from the beginning. Mother Catherine began her work in Dublin in 1827 by opening a home for poor and underprivileged girls and women. The Archbishop saw the great value of her work and asked her to start a congregation of sisters. Catherine and two companions formed the first community in 1831. By the time of her death in 1841 there were 10 houses in England and Ireland with 150 sisters. In 1843 the sisters were invited to Pittsburgh and in 1854 they had houses in New York and San Francisco. From there they spread to other parts of the country, including southern California. Today more than 4100 Sisters of Mercy serve in the British Isles, the Americas, the Caribbean, and Pacific rim countries.

Mother Catherine recognized the Sacrifice of the Mass as the heart of the Catholic Christian life. That is why she is shown looking toward the altar. She had compassion on the poor, oppressed and uneducated and so lived the works of mercy. For this reason she is shown with the crossed keys, symbol of the Sacrament of God’s Mercy (Confession).

Next week we shall look at another saint depicted in the windows.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand