Parish Picnic

Last August we had a parish picnic on the grass by the Rectory. It was a great success and we would like to do it again. The picnic is potluck, that is, everyone brings some food to share, but we need a few volunteers to make it happen. The last Sunday in August, August 28, is the date. Can you help set up tables, provide music or entertainment, face painting, keep the ice coming, help get the word out?

Parish Picnic Shindig ! Sunday, August 28 St. John Vianney Rectory Gardens Potluck 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Please bring your favorite dish or food item that corresponds with the first letter of your last name:

Note: Beverages, plates, utensils & napkins will be provided.

If you would like to help out, please contact Pat Garcia at 926-3826, Ann McEntee at 923-5788 or Ray & Ellen Turner at 272-9234.

Parish Town Hall Meeting

For the last couple of weeks, we have reported on the Town Hall Meeting held on Sunday, June 12. Today we are continuing that report. The members of the Parish Pastoral Council reviewed the priorities the parish had chosen a year ago and the accomplishments on those priorities.

This week, we are reporting on this year's objectives of the Parish Pastoral Council for Lay Leadership and Stewardship.

Joe Ponte and Steve Do reported on Lay Leadership

John Leyba reported on our new Stewardship plan:

SJV Parish has contracted with Catholic Stewardship Consultants of Augusta, Georgia, to perform customized stewardship services for the parish. This is a plan, not a program. It will take advantage of programs already in place and use the strengths of our community to move us forward.

The process has already started. Other parishes in our deanery are doing the same process, so we are sharing the cost and supporting each other with shared experiences. The other parishes involved are:

Most Holy Trinity
St. Francis of Assisi
Our Lady of Guadalupe
St. Patrick
Holy Cross
St. Maria Goretti

Since the consultants are interested in expanding to California, and we have a group of seven parishes willing to commit to them, they have given us a discount. The Diocese of San Jose is also chipping in some funds in the hopes that our experience will help other parishes in the future, so we are getting these consultants at a very reasonable cost to SJV.

There was a deanery meeting on April 27th with representatives from each parish involved. SJV Parish Pastoral Council reps were Lela Chavez, Gina Sebastian, and John Leyba. At the meeting, we learned that the goals are:

• To increase involvement and ownership by parishioners
• To build and grow St. John Vianney Parish
• To provide opportunities for the spiritual growth of parishioners

Candace Is Moving On... or Is She?
By Rosana Madrigal

Long time, regular evening visitors to Saint John Vianney Parish offices are no longer greeted by the smiling face of Candace Solla.

Candace says she is leaving because she started working at the parish office in her senior year of High School in September in 2001. She wants to grow in her career field.

As I ask her about her experience here, she often laughs or giggles. As if to express, I can’t believe I did that. Candace says she and her friend Christina thought they were just volunteering at the office during a funeral. But it turned out to be a night receptionist job, so they seized it.

Candace says she has enjoyed getting to know the different types of people who come to the parish office center for evening meetings from the Spanish-speaking parish members to the restless teens coming in for the youth group. She says they make her laugh. I think, she is just reflecting their joy. Candace says she will miss their smiling faces. But, she hopes she won’t miss them too much. Candace says she will come to Mass since she lives in the area, while not in the parish boundaries.

Several of us, David Cortese and I, see her leaving as an opportunity to recruit her to help in Teen Ministry or to join JustFaith. She just laughs and says I could try.

Candace is majoring in Human Resources at San Jose State University. She says she is finishing her third year, but she is on the five-year plan. But, she laughs and she says of course, she is on the five-year plan because she is working.

If you see Candace in church, make sure you make her laugh or at least smile. It won't be hard and you will have to join in. You can’t help it.

Bonnie Ehle Farewell

From the desk of Bonnie Ehle, Coordinator of Community Ministry - Outreach,  2001 - 2005

I was asked to write an article for the Newsletter this morning. I was busy with transition meetings and calls coming from donors, clients and resources. This afternoon and I am reflecting on an excerpt from a prayer taken from Jackie Kennedy’s collection. The name of the prayer is "Slow Me Down, Oh Lord !"

"…teach me the art of taking minute vacations, of slowing down to look at a flower, to chat with a friend, to pet a dog, to read a few lines from a good book, to take care of myself so I can minister to others…"

In so few words, Jackie captured what Community Ministry is all about - making people feel a " part of ". In the past four years, I have had the opportunity to build a large network throughout San Jose with the concentration on the Alum Rock area, enabling me to better meet the needs of those needing help and guidance. My network consists of many resources; The Lord’s Pantry, Blossoms Perinatal, Juan Diego Society, Sacred Heart, San Jose Family Shelter, Emergency Housing Consortium, Second Harvest Food Bank, American Red Cross, Centre for Living with Dying, St. Vincent de Paul, SJV’s Senior Club, WIC, and City Team Ministries. Along with the resources, I was genuinely supported by merchants; Target, Longs, Traditions, The Drying Shed, SaveMart, Safeway, and YSI. SJV School donated school supplies for the less fortunate children and so many gifts for the Advent Program. I am sure I have not mentioned some resources or merchants and I do thank them, too (possibly a senior moment!). The resources and merchants were excellent partners helping me be of assistance to those less fortunate families. The volunteers literally ran Community Ministry programs such as Advent Day of Giving, Mother’s Day, Handicapables luncheon, Appreciation events, monthly food delivered to Inn Vision, field trips to St. Francis Retreat House and the Centre for Living with Dying, and so much more. My part was making sure they had what they needed to make their program of Community Ministry a success so we were quite a team ­ members of Community Ministry, our partners and myself !

Thank you for your support and smiles. I don’t say "Good Bye" but "So Long." May God be with each of you always, and remember to SLOW DOWN once in a while.

Yummy Breakfast: Raise Funds for SJV

The SJV Hispanic community invites you to breakfast (Desayuno) next week, after all the morning Masses on Sunday, July 17.

Breakfast offerings include traditional Menudo with all the fixings, or Eggs, Pancakes and Bacon, or Tostada with Rice and Beans, or Huevos Rancheros (my favorite) served with juice or coffee. The cost is only $5 for adults and $3 for children. All food and time is donated by the group. All proceeds from the Desayuno go to the Multipurpose Building Fund. Breakfast will be served in the Main Hall behind the church. Just think: Someday breakfast will be served at our new Multipurpose Building across the street thanks to the faithful work of our Hispanic community breakfasts. You can help raise funds for the building while enjoying the whole parish community.

Please, do not miss this opportunity to meet and mingle with the Spanish speaking community, have a great home cooked breakfast, and donate to the Building Fund. Donations of food are accepted. Please contact Fernando Pena for more information at (408) 258-3470.

Announcements

Serve breakfast at the San Jose Family Shelter on Sunday, July 17, starting at 7:00 AM. San Jose Family Shelter is located at 1590 Las Plumas, San Jose 95133. Contact Pat Garcia for more information at 926-3826.

Reminder: Grand Opening of the new Dr. Roberto Cruz Alum Rock Branch Library is Saturday, July 9, 2005, 11:00 AM, 3090 Alum Rock Ave. For more information, call (408) 794-1400.

Tikkun's Spiritual Activism Conference, will be held July 20-23 in Berkeley, and should be a powerful experience for all who can attend. For additional information, visit their website: www.tikkun.org/community/spiritual_activism_conference

Family Faith Formation is offered by St. John Vianney Parish. Registration priority is given to our own parishioners. Click here to see the latest revision of "Class Schedule & Registration Information" for the upcoming catechetical year.

* HELP NEEDED! * Family Faith Formation is seeking individuals who are interested in becoming a Catechist or Catechist aide for grades 1-6. Classes are held on Tuesday evenings, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM (grades 3, 4 & 5) or Sunday mornings, 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM (grades 1-6). TRAINING WILL BE PROVIDED. Please contact 258-7832 x18 for more information. We look forward to hearing from you!

St. John Vianney School is still accepting applications for the 2005-06 school year for Kindergarten and First Grade. Applications can be picked up in the school office Monday-Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM or on-line at our school website www.sjvsj.org.  For more information you can email mwood@sjvsj.org or contact Co-Principal, Martha Wood at (408) 258-7677.

Weekly Readings

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