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Where is the newborn King of the Jews?
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No one really knows when Jesus was born.
The Roman Church decided on December 25th as the date we celebrate, but
before that, other dates were used. The Eastern
What is important is that Jesus was born, that His birth was told first to the least important members of the Jewish culture, the shepherds, and then, He was made known to the non-Jewish world represented by the Magi. Most important of all is the feast of Easter, the resurrection of Our Lord, wherein we are all offered salvation. The word "Epiphany" means "the showing" or "the manifestation" and refers to the fact that, in the visit of the Magi, Jesus was shown to the whole world. This indicates that God intended to save not just the Chosen People, the Jews, but also the rest of humanity. Traditionally we think of three kings, but the Bible does not indicate how many Magi came, does not call them kings, and does not name them. We have a tradition of calling them Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, and they are frequently depicted in artwork as a Caucasion, an African, and an Asian. One source indicates that the names may have come from the first letters of a traditional blessing for houses and barns. The master of the house would sprinkle the house and barn with holy water and mark the letters "CMB" above the door. While some say those letters referred to Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, others say they mean "Christus Mansionem Benedictat" (Latin for 'Christ bless this house'). For more information about the Feast of The Three Kings, click here. Be sure to join the rest of the parish this Sunday, January 8, as we celebrate Epiphany with an Open House at the Rectory. Come a bit early for Mass on Sunday, and drop off a favorite Christmas treat, cookies, cakes, or other simple food, then come back after Mass to enjoy the celebration with other parishioners. Open House is after all the Sunday liturgies: 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, Noon, and 7:00 PM.
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Images of New Multipurpose Building
Fundraising for this project is moving along, but additional funds are needed to complete the project and furnish the building.
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The largest gathering of Catholics in the United States
takes place each Spring at the Anaheim Convention Center, across the
street from Disneyland. Called the Religious
The Congress offers a wide variety of liturgies and prayer services. One might attend a Mass with a Celtic theme, one with New Orleans style jazz music, a Mass with an emphasis on Native American Culture, or other themes. They are always wonderful. The closing liturgy, held in the arena, is especially wonderful. One section is reserved for the hearing impaired, with experienced sign language translators. The music is wonderful. Sometimes there is prayerful liturgical dance. Last year, the procession into the celebration included a large number of 'deacon couples' (deacons and their wives walking in, hand-in-hand) along with a large number of priests and several bishops. Another joy of the Congress is the exhibit area where you can find thousands of interesting books, artwork, teaching aides, and gifts for your family and friends. You might actually talk to a favorite author and get your books signed. The workshops offered at the Congress are amazing. This year the dates are March 31 through April 2. A group of people from St. John Vianney Parish will be attending. Perhaps you will join them? Check it out at www.recongress.org .
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New Year's Resolution: Treat Yourself to a Retreat
When you make your New Year's resolutions
did you include anything to improve your relationship with God? How about
making a retreat? Here is a list of nearby retreat
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This Sunday, January 8, come over to the Rectory, (the house across the parking lot, facing Alum Rock, where the priests live) for an Open House after all the Sunday liturgies. Bring a treat to share and drop it off before Mass. Saturday, January 14, from 9 AM-3 PM, in the Parish Office Center, we will have a Red Cross Blood Drive. Also on Saturday, January 14, 9:30-10:30 AM, there will be a meeting of SJV Faith In Action. See the newsletter from December 16 for some of the things this group is interested in doing. Then, join the group. Next weekend, January 14 and 15, after all the weekend liturgies (Saturday as well as Sunday) come over to the Main Hall after Mass to visit with Fr. Henry McInerney, Pastor of St. Alphonsus Parish in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Ocean Springs, near Biloxi, was severly damaged by Hurricane Katrina and our parish will be working with St. Alphonsus over the next few years to help them rebuild. Our pastor, Fr. Tim Kidney, will be switching places with Fr. McInerney for the weekend. Again, please bring some cookies or finger food to share and come visit with Fr. McInerney. The next two Town Hall Meetings will be on on Thursday, February 16, 2006, from 7:00 - 8:30 PM, and Saturday, May 6, 2006, from 10:00 - 11:30 AM. Saturday, March 4, we will have a Mardi Gras celebration at the Drying Shed Restaurant. This is a fund raiser for our Katrina Relief work and features jambalaya and an auction. We think this will be a sell out event, so grab your tickets as soon as they go on sale. This is going to be one of those events we will be talking about for years to come.
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In our name, the State of California will execute Clarence Ray Allen, a feeble old man, on Tuesday, January 17, minutes after midnight.
Reviewing Allen's
case, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2005 found that
Pope John Paul II and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops have taught that the Death Penalty is immoral. Answering criminal violence with state violence does not solve anything. What can we do to put a stop to this violence? Consider writing to the Governor, himself a Catholic, asking him to declare a moratorium on the Death Penalty in California:
Join other Catholics from our diocese at St. Joseph's Church, 582 Hope Street, Mountain View on Saturday, January 14, 2006. The event will take place in the church hall. The program is as follows:
Join other people of faith on Monday, January 16, at 4:15 PM, for a procession and prayer service. Gather at Mission Santa Clara on the campus of Santa Clara University, and join with others, such as Fr. Mike Carson, in walking to St. Joseph Basilica Cathedral in San Jose. Talk to other people and help them to see that we can protect ourselves from dangerous offenders with sentences of life in prison without possibility of parole, and thus stop participating in the violence. Join other parishioners in standing vigil at San Quentin, watching and praying as we, the people of California, once again do violence to another human being. If you are willing to go and stand watch, contact Ellen Turner at 272-9234 so we can arrange transportation. Pray for peace and justice, for the victims of violence, and for the redemption of offenders and governors who participate in the continuance of violence.
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Youth Ministry Goes Ice Skating: All parish youth and their friends (grades 6-12) are invited to join Youth Ministry Ice Skating at Logitech Ice. Need permission slip and $10, and RSVP. We will meet at SJV, in the converted garage, Friday, January 6, at around 9 to 11 PM (TBD), and will be back to SJV by 1:30 AM. Flyers are on the Youth Ministry bulletin board in the church. For latest information contact David Cortese at 258-7832 x34 or dcortese@sjvsj.net. SJV parish's Epiphany Celebration: Sunday, January 8, after all the Sunday liturgies. Please join us for a celebration and Open House in the Rectory. Stop by the rectory before Mass to drop off your favorite finger food or holiday treat, then come by after Mass to celebrate with the rest of the parish. Rainbows will begin on Monday, January 9. Time is from 7 to 8 PM. and the sessions are held in the school. Registration forms are available at the entrance of the church and at the Parish Office Center. For more information, call Lily at 272-1861 or email lilytenes@comcast.net. Please mark your calendar now and plan to join Faith In Action for our next meeting on Saturday, January 14, 9:00 AM, at the Parish Office Center. Many hands make light work. San Jose District 4 Conference: Over the last five years, the District 4 Conferences on Priorities have been a great way for Councilman Chuck Reed to gather feedback from the community to determine what is important to the community. This year's conferences will be held on Saturday, January 21, 2006, from 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM at the Berryessa Community Center, 3050 Berryessa Road, and Saturday, January 28, 2006, from 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM, at the Alviso Youth Center, 5040 N. First St. in Alviso. You may attend either one. Come and add your input. If you would like periodic updates on what is happening in the District and notices of community meetings, please send an email message to District4@SanJoseCa.gov. To visit the District 4 web site, click here.
SJV Crab Feed '06:
Fabulous Food - Live Auction - Dancing.
January 28,
2006. I.E.S Hall, 1401 Santa Clara Street, San Jose. Event Times:
Coming Events:
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To add your email
address to (or remove from) other SJV Parish email lists, click
here, or send an email request to newsletter@sjvnews.net,
or phone Ellen Turner at (408) 272-9234. We will use your email address
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Visit our parish web site at: www.sjvnews.net. |
Churches still use the previous preferred date of January 6th, the date
we used to celebrate as Epiphany. We moved Epiphany to the second Sunday
after Christmas. Most likely, none of these dates are even close to the
actual date of the birth of Jesus, but that is not really important.
centers. Check them out and give your spiritual life a makeover.
Allen's trial counsel had been inadequate. Allen's sentence was not
reversed and no retrial was called for because the court also believed
that the evidence in the case was overwhelming. Unfortunately, the
supposedly overwhelming evidence mostly consisted of the testimony of
Allen's several accomplices.
American Red Cross Blood Drive,
hosted by SJV parish, will be Saturday,
January 14,
from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM, in the Parish Office Center. Especially at this
time of year, the need for blood donors is great. Please help us reach
our goal of 80 donors. To
schedule an appointment please log onto 