| In This Issue: |
|
Rise, pick up your mat, and go home.
What is This Social Justice Stuff?
by Ellen Turner
When I was growing up, the good nuns never told me anything about Social Justice. Sure, we collected money to rescue Pagan Babies, and they taught me to knit long ribbons of cotton bandages to send to Africa. We had food drives and clothing drives for the missions, but I never heard anything about Social Justice. They talked about the Works of Mercy - you know, feed the hungry, comfort the afflicted, visit the sick. They taught us the following.
|
The Corporal Works of Mercy: | |
|
To feed the
hungry
To give drink to the thirsty To clothe the naked To give shelter to the homeless To visit the sick To ransom the captive To bury the dead |
||
| The Spiritual Works of Mercy: | ||
|
To instruct the ignorant
To counsel the doubtful To admonish sinners To bear wrongs patiently To forgive offences willingly To comfort the afflicted To pray for the living and the dead |
||
So where does this term "Social Justice" come from? Well, every generation of Christians looks to the Gospel and sees the needs described in Matthew 25: 31-46 and redefines the works of mercy. Our current understanding is based on that Gospel passage, as well as others, and on the way the Popes have expanded on that message in a variety of encyclicals, calling on us to not only feed the hungry, but try to put an end to hunger; Not only cloth the naked, but create ways for all people to provide for themselves. That is Social Justice. Justice starts in charity then moves to make charity unnecessary. It is a never-ending job, but we are all called to justice.
If you would like to learn more about the Catholic call to justice, please plan to attend the "Vision of Justice" workshop, presented by our Deanery on Saturday, February 25, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 5111 San Felipe Road, San Jose. The Keynote Speaker will be the Reverend Paul Fitzgerald, SJ, from Santa Clara University. Fr. Paul will take us quickly through the many encyclicals that have expanded our understanding of social justice, then we as a Deanery will set an agenda for actions we want to undertake here in our part of Silicon Valley.
Click here to read the registration flyer. Also, click here to check out the story about this workshop on page 5 of the January 17, 2006, issue of the Valley Catholic.
Bishop McGrath Visits St. John Vianney Parish
Bishop Patrick J. McGrath visited our parish
at the 9:00 AM Sunday Mass on February 5. This was a part of the 25th
anniversary celebration for the Diocese of San Jose. The bishop will visit
each parish over the year-plus celebration period.
At each parish, Bishop McGrath is leaving a new processional cross. Each parish has already received a small glass tessare or tile representing that parish. During the visit, the tessare is removed from the parish cross and inserted into the Bishop's new processional cross, so that at the end of the celebration the Bishop's cross will have each parish's symbol incorporated into the larger cross. Click here to see photos. The Bishop greeted parishioners before and after the liturgy and even joined in our Fair Trade Sunday coffee and chocolate tasting.
Healing Mass and Anointing of the Sick
was celebrated at St. John Vianney Parish Church on Saturday,
February 11,
at 11:00 AM. A reception followed in the Parish Hall. There
were several hundred people in attendance. Our own Fr. Andres was the chief
celebrant and he was joined by Pastor Tim Kidney, Fr. Paul Mensa, and
several other priests from the Diocese of San Jose.
When it was time for the Anointing of the Sick, those who could easily walk lined up in the central aisle. For those who could not walk so easily, a couple of the priests went back to them. It was very beautifully done and people seemed to appreciate the opportunity. Click here to see photos.
Our Healing Mass and Anointing of the Sick was organized by the Eucharistic Ministers to the Sick, led by Gina Sebastian. This is the third year this wonderful group of lay volunteers have provided this service to our community. One of the best things about this event is the reception. For many people, who are usually confined to their homes, this opportunity to socialize is as healing as the liturgy itself.
Masks and costumes are a traditional part of Mardi Gras celebrations.
There is something about dressing up or hiding one's identity that allows
people to step out of
their usual life into something different. Putting on a costume takes you
from someone who watches the fun, to someone who actually participates in
the fun.
Mardi Gras literally means Fat Tuesday. Traditionally, it is the day before Lent starts, so people would use up all the eggs and fat and other rich foods on hand prior to Ash Wednesday when the Christian world begins to focus on penance in preparation for Holy Week. As you can imagine, this day was seen as a last chance for a long time to party and have fun. One way to have fun is to dress up and hide behind a mask.
Our parish is planning to have a great time on March 4 at our "Taste of Mardi Gras" fund raiser for our Katrina sister-parish. The event should be really fun and you should certainly plan to attend, perhaps in costume or masked?
"Taste of Mardi Gras" will be held at the Drying Shed on Saturday, March 4, 7:00 PM. The proceeds of the event will go to St. Alphonsus Parish in Ocean Springs, Mississippi to help pay for their new roof. Please join us, as it will be fun for all and all for a good cause. Tickets can be purchased from Jerry and Jackie Walker at (408) 251-1466.
In the days following the attack on Pearl Harbor,
the FBI rounded up thousands of Japanese immigrants who were detained
without charges. Then, on February 19th, 1942, President Franklin D.
Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, forcing 120,000 Japanese Americans
into concentration camps. The Commission on the Wartime Relocation and 
Incarceration of Civilians concluded that this action was a result of
"race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.
The 2006 Day of Remembrance will be the 26th annual program to commemorate E. O. 9066 in San Jose. This year's program will feature a screening of the film "Stand Up for Justice: The Ralph Lazo Story," co-produced by Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress and Visual Communications. Ralph Lazo was a young Mexican American who joined his Japanese American friends at the Manzanar internment camp during World War II.
Join others as we honor the memory of the internees and renew our commitment to equality and justice for all people. The 26th Day of Remembrance 2006, February 19, Sunday 5:30 PM at San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin, 640 North 5th Street, San Jose. Doors open at 5:00 PM and the event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be available for purchase. In addition to the film, the program includes Hon. Mike Honda, the San Jose Taiko, a candlelight procession and reception. For more information, call Masao at (408) 243-3436, or email info@sjnoc.org, or visit the web site www.sjnoc.org.
Changing the World, One Cup at a Time
The Hunger Action Advocacy Program of the Presbytery of San Jose presents an ecumenical, educational, and inspirational program for people of faith: "Changing the World, One Cup at a Time," on Saturday, March 4, 2006 from 9:00 AM to noon at Santa Teresa Hills Presbyterian Church, 5370 Snell Ave, San Jose.
Explore God's call to love one another and our call to justice for all
people. The event is free and will offer Fair Trade coffee and tea, sweet
rolls, fruit and fair trade products.
Jesus' call to Love One Another, and the Issue of Justice for all People, Particularly the People who Grow and Process Coffee, Tea, and Sugar for us to use at Church.
5,500 Styrofoam Cups and How They Got To the Landfill on Monday Morning: What Happens Next! (Gloom, Doom AND some Hope!)
How Does Our Church Turn Green?
Who should attend? Anyone helping in church kitchens, with Sunday Fellowship hour, or other church events that feature coffee, tea, and food service. People interested in the environmental issues regarding care of the planet as it relates to your church.
For more information, visit the Presbytery of San Jose's web page, www.sanjosepby.org, or call Pat Plant, Hunger Action Advocate, (408) 279-0220, or email pat@sanjosepby.org.
Marriage Sunday was celebrated at our weekend liturgies with a special recognition for married couples in our parish. At each liturgy, a married couple introduced the concept and then the presider asked all married couples to stand. First they asked those who had been married five years or less to sit down. Then those married ten years or less sat down, followed by those married fifteen, then twenty, twenty-five, then thirty. It went on until only one couple was left standing.
At the 9:00 AM Mass, the couple left standing were John and Kay Pulskamp,
parents of Ellen Turner. Then a young couple presented the long-married
couple with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. At the 9:00 AM Mass, that young
couple was Jorge Alvarado and Marcela Alvarez who are engaged to be married
in August. John and Kay Pulskamp told them that the secret to a long
marriage is forgiveness. John said Kay had lots of practice at forgiveness.
Kay added that attitude, something you can choose for yourself, is also very
important.
This event was planned and put together by a team including Richard and Veronica Wildanger, Gustavo and Gracie Gonzales, George and Lisa Black, and Richard and Irma Haro. The engaged/newlywed couples included Jorge and Desiree Escobar, Marcus and Danielle Landaverde, Jorge Alvarado and Marcela Alvarez, and Chuck and Maricris Swanepoel.
|
Saturday
Sunday Sunday Sunday Sunday |
5:15 PM Mass:
7:30 AM Mass: 9:00 AM Mass: 10:30 AM Mass: 7:00 PM Mass: |
Joe and Irene Rose, married 65 years
Joseph and Catherine SanFelippo, married 65 years John and Kay Pulskamp, married 64 years Florentino and Victoria Carreno, married 57 years Manuel and Rosa Rosa, married 55 years |
Marriage Sunday gave our community a chance to support and recognize married couples in our parish. Everyone seemed to appreciate it. Stop in the vestibule on your way out of church this Sunday and take a look at the Hall of Marriage photos.
PARISH AND DEANERY:
The Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA) Campaign, "Proclaim God's Message," is the 2006 major fund raising drive for the Diocese of San Jose. Each parish is assigned a specific goal to meet. We have met our goal and all additional funds received will go toward the new projector system for St. John Vianney Church. Please be generous, as this will make our liturgies much nicer. For more information about the ADA, click here.
Deanery 6 Invites All interested persons to attend a day of Catholic Social Justice education at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 5111 San Felipe Road, San Jose, on Saturday, February 25, 2006, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The Keynote Speaker will be the Reverend Paul Fitzgerald, SJ, from Santa Clara University. Click here to read the registration flyer. Also, click here to check out the story about this workshop on page 5 of the January 17, 2006, issue of the Valley Catholic.
Parish Ministry Formation: See our prior newsletter issue for full story. Friday, February 17, 7:15-9:30 PM, and Saturday, February 18, 8:45 AM to 3:00 PM at the Vietnamese Catholic Center, 2849 South White Road. Friday, March 17, 7:15-9:30 PM, and Saturday, March 18, 8:45 AM to 3:00 PM at the Most Holy Trinity Church, 2040 Nassau Drive. For more information, pick up a green flyer in the vestibule, or contact Maureen Ickes at (408) 363-2300 ext. 23.
Special Prayer and Reflection During Lent,
on Thursday nights. The Very Reverend David Bird, the Dean and Rector of
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, will be leading us on a spiritual journey
through the writings of St. Paul. This series will be held in Saint John
Vianney church from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM on Thursdays,
March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30,
and finishing with our parish reconciliation service with confessions on
Thursday,
April 6,
at 7 PM. Father Tim asks parish groups either, to cancel, or to limit to a
minimum, all parish meetings so that all can be free to attend this Lenten
series.
Mardi Gras (Katrina) Dinner & Auction: The Hurricane Katrina Committee of St. John Vianney Parish is looking for DONATIONS and we need your help. We are in need of items to be used as auction and raffle prizes in conjunction with our up-coming Mardi Gras Dinner and Auction, March 4. If you'd like to make a donation of an auction or raffle item, please contact Jerry Walker at (408) 251-1466 or email JayDub@ix.netcom.com for more information.
SJV Parishioner Pamela Bjorklund, Ph.D., presents a Holy Week Retreat Weekend: "Meeting Violence with Love, Jesus' Response to the Passion," April 7-9, 2006, Friday at 4:00 PM to Sunday at 1:00 PM, at Presentation Center. For more information, visit the web site: www.presentationcenter.org.
SJV Spring Fling 2006, "Springtime in Paris," Friday, April 28. The Drying Shed Restaurant, San Jose. Tickets: $40 each Contact: Kristin Heinemann at (408) 258-7677 or kheinemann@sjvsj.org. All proceeds to benefit the SJV-Sister Joan Marie Scholarship Fund.
Coming Events:
o SJV Fiesta,
May 19-21,
at the SJV Courtyard
For more information, contact the SJV School Development Office at (408)
258-7677 or lelston@sjvsj.org.
COMMUNITY AT LARGE:
TABS Parenting Workshop
on Thursday,
February 23,
6:00-7:30 PM, by East Side TABS (Truancy Abatement and Burglery
Suppression), at PAL (Police Activities League) Stadium 680 S. 34th St, San
Jose, will cover Truancy Laws, Improving School Attendance, Inspirational
Guest Speakers, College Resources/Grants, Community Resources: Alum Rock
Counseling Center (ARCC), Catholic Charities-YES, Cross-Cultural Community
Services Center (CCSC) and Social Advocates for Youth (SAY). Dinner and
child care provided. RSVP to Nadine Castelan at (408) 539-2145.
A Series of Six Evenings of Discussions Based on the Justice Writings of Pope John Paul II: Ascension Parish, Saratoga, 7:30 to 9:00 PM. Registration begins at 7:15 PM.
| Monday, Feb. 27: | Rev. Paul Fitzgerald, SJ. "In The Words of John Paul II: Our Ecological Vocation: A Catholic Response to the Environmental Crisis." | ||
| Monday, Mar. 20: | Mr. Joseph Hastings, West Coast Director, Catholic Relief Services. "In The Words of John Paul II: Creating Networks of Peace." | ||
| Monday, Apr. 24: | Rev. Joseph Sands, SJ. "In The Words of John Paul II: Justice in the Americas: The Continuing Disparity of Wealth." | ||
| Monday, May 22: | Diane Clyne: Justice Coordinator for the Mercy Sisters, Burlingame California: "In The Words of John Paul II: Free Trade Agreements and the loss of lands and livelihood of Indigenous Peoples." | ||
| Monday, Jun. 12: | Sister Jean Schafer, Co-Director, Anti-Human Trafficking Project. "The Tragedy of Human Trafficking." |
You are invited to the Santa Clara Lecture Series
presentation on the topic "Church Leadership, Ethics, and the
Future," by James Keenan, S.J. Tuesday,
March 7,
2006, 7:30-8:30 PM, Benson Memorial Center, Williman Room, Santa Clara
University. Free and open to the public. For more information, call the
Ignatian Center at 511-1951, or click
here.
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 Education Congress The workshops offered at the Congress are amazing. This year the dates are March 31 through April 2. Check it out at www.recongress.org.
|
This Week:
7th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Feb. 19
Next Week:
8th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Feb. 26
|
|
Praying the Scriptures:
Visit this web site for ideas on praying the Scriptures: www.liturgy.slu.edu
Take a Moment to Pray:
|
Join Our eMail List!
Find out what's happening at St. John Vianney Parish by joining our SJV Parish Weekly Newsletter subscriber list:
Visit our parish web site at: www.sjvnews.net.