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In This Issue:
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Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the Lord.
So,
what is a Blog?
The term is short for "web log". A blog is a place on the web
where a person can post thoughts on an on-going basis. It is easier to
manage than a full web site since a blog is usually written by only one
person. That person doesn't have to be a web page designer or a computer
expert since the format and construction of the blog is constrained by the
blog program. Blogging is more like writing a journal or a diary, by filling
out a form. The Diocese of San Jose has a number of blogs that can be read
by anyone interested in what is going on locally. Do you want to find out
what is going on in our Diocese? Check out the various blogs run by Diocesan
staff:
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Faith Doing Justice:
http://dsjjustice.blogspot.com
The mission of the Office of Evangelization, Justice, and Peace of the Diocese of San Jose is to educate on the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and its application to contemporary local, national, and international issues, to advocate for public policy. which affirms a consistent life ethic and to develop a constituency on social concerns.
Catequesis y Liturgia:
http://catequesisyliturgia.blogspot.com
The Young Church in the Diocese of San Jose:
http://dsjoyyam.blogspot.com
To Echo Christ:
http://echochrist.blogspot.com
Work of the People: Liturgy Notes of the DSJ:
http://dsjliturgy.blogspot.com
DSJ Immersion Program for Young Adults:
http://web.mac.com/immersiondsj
For Today And For Tomorrow:
http://dsjparishandplanning.blogspot.com
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Vision of Justice - Deanery 6
By Brendan Cunning
"Vision of Justice," the Deanery Six workshop in February, produced a group dedicated to prayerful and reflective action for justice and peace. On February 25, about 100 participants from ten parishes of Deanery Six, on the east side of San Jose, attended a full day workshop at St. Francis of Assisi parish center on the theology and practice of working for Justice and Peace.
Following a day of reflection, discussion and prayer, the workshop participants voted on which issues of Justice and Peace were calling for immediate action. Their choice was in complete accord with the message of Vatican ll, which called on Christians to read and respond to the the signs of the times.
The Holy Spirit led them to recognize the phenomenon of immigration as the burning issue of justice which demands the immediate attention of the Church, and of all Christians and people of goodwill. The participants realized that the principles of Catholic social teaching were leading us to solidarity with the immigrant, to recognize the absolute dignity of every immigrant, the rights of immigrant workers and the need to take action to protect the integrity of immigrant family life, and to enable their full participation in our society. And so, every two weeks since February, the Deanery Six "Vision of Justice" workshop participants have been meeting in prayerful reflection to organize legitimate and peaceful action for a just and comprehensive reform of immigration law.
We have participated
in marches, vigils, lobbying representatives and senators through mail,
e-mail and telephone, conducting teach-ins in schools, and addressing groups
to raise the awareness of our neighbors to this issue of our time. We
continue this work in cooperation with the Diocese of San Jose, the Council
of Churches, and with SIREN
(Services, Immigration Rights and Education Network, under the extraordinary
leadership of Martha Campos, who has already helped organize and lead one of
the largest peaceful demonstrations in the history of San Jose !)
On Monday, July 24, at 7:00 PM, in the rectory of Most Holy Trinity Church, Rev. Carol Bean, Chair of the Council of Churches of Santa Clara County, will address our group on the latest developments in the immigration issue. At 8:15 PM, Edward Murillo will speak to us about how we might go about registering legal immigrants for the vote in all 52 parishes of the Diocese of San Jose, and about how to get out the vote of all justice-minded people in our parishes in the November elections.
We invite all participants of the Vision of Justice workshop, and all men and women of goodwill to come attend and take a practical part in the building of the Kingdom of God on earth. "Thy Kingdom Come". No one is excluded from this work. Join us. Be there.
Peace through
Justice. Christ be with you.
Brendan Cunning
(St. John
Vianney Social Justice Liaison)
A Dozen People Change the World
By Ellen Turner
As Christians, we all know that a dozen people can change the world.
Twelve uneducated, simple men following Jesus laid the foundation for the
most important
movement in the history of the world.
We are working on something a little smaller, but the results will be the same: People will grow in their understanding of God and relationships with God and neighbors.
About a dozen people answered the call to meet on Monday, July 17, to plan for Adult Spiritual Enrichment at St. John Vianney Parish. It was a very hopeful meeting! If you missed it, please plan to attend the next meeting on Monday, August 21, 7:00 PM, at the Parish Office Center, or contact newsletter@sjvnews.net to see if you can join one of the subcommittees that are starting to work on a plan.
What was decided at the meeting on July 17? A variety of materials and ideas was presented. In addition to those mentioned in the story last week, we heard about some materials based on the teachings of Pope John Paul II, some ideas for retreats, materials that could easily be used by every group that meets in the parish, and some handouts that could be included in our Sunday bulletins. We decided to break into three subcommittees:
- The Alpha Program
- Bible Study
- Full parish intergenerational programs (including parish retreats)
We hope to put together a full smorgasbord of opportunities for the parish, including retreat experiences, small faith groups, and ongoing family/home-based materials.
The Alpha program is much like the Renew program we have enjoyed in the past, but it includes pot luck dinners and videos. Small groups would meet in homes, share a meal, watch a video, and then pray and discuss the experience. It is suitable for a wide range of ages, so entire families can learn together. The materials are provided for English and Spanish groups, so most families in our parish would be able to participate. The program materials are very easy to use.
One immediate need is for a couple of people to volunteer to organize the Alpha program. If we can get two people to co-chair this group, we should be able to start the program this Fall. The co-chairs would be responsible for:
- Advertising the program
- Organizing the groups
- Ordering and distributing the materials
- Providing on-going support for small group leaders
Since the Hispanic Community will likely also want to do the Alpha program, it would be wonderful to have a co-chair who is bilingual Spanish/English.
The Alpha program is much like the Renew program we have enjoyed in the past, but it includes pot luck dinners and videos. Small groups would meet in homes, share a meal, watch a video, and then pray and discuss the experience. It is suitable for a wide range of ages, so entire families can learn together. The materials are provided for English and Spanish groups, so most families in our parish would be able to participate. Please take a few minutes to pray over this need that we have identified in our parish and see if God is calling you to share your time and talent in this way.
The next meeting to discuss these plans is set for Monday, August 21, 7:00 PM, in the Parish Office Center. At that meeting we hope to put together a solid plan of action which we will then present to the Parish Pastoral Council at their September 20 meeting. The subcommittees will be meeting prior to the August 21 meeting, so if you want to help out, (and we really need your help) contact Ellen Turner at newsletter@sjvnews.net or (408) 272-9234.
St. Ann and St. Joachim - Feast July 26
Grandparents to Jesus,
we don't actually have any specific information about these two. We are not
even sure of their names, which we get from stories written generations
after the death of Jesus. The name Joachim means Yahweh prepares. But
we
can make some guesses about these people from the behavior of their
daughter, Mary.
Mary herself was the epitome of a Jewish woman. She was faithful to her religion, and open to the call of God in her life. She demonstrated a strong character in quickly responding to the need of her cousin Elizabeth. She was brave enough to travel some distance to care for Elizabeth in her unexpected pregnancy even as she dealt with the surprise of her own unique experience. She steadfastly stood by her beloved son as he died on the cross, and remained with his followers through the difficult days after his resurrection. Mary was no shrinking violet, but rather a strong, determined, God-centered woman.
To become such a woman, Mary must have had terrific parents, so we honor these two on July 26, and in so doing, we honor all grandparents. The feast reminds us of the gift of grandparents in passing on the values of the family, and suggests that we all seek and cherish the wisdom that comes from our grandparents. That wisdom can be a real grace in our lives. For more information on St. Joachim and St. Ann, click here.
With schools closed for the summer, there are no free or reduced price breakfasts readily available for some families. Others just experience on-going financial problems that make it hard to provide for their families.
On the fifth Sunday
of the month,
July 30,
(which turns out to average four times per year) St. John Vianney Parish
traditionally takes up a second collection for our local St.
Vincent de Paul Society. These wonderful folks then use our donations to
assist the most needy in our community.
This year, our parish Social Justice Team decided to add a special food collection on the fifth Sunday also. At the moment, our food pantry is very low on canned goods, rice and beans. So we ask you to make a special purchase next week when you buy groceries for your family. Buy some for our other families too. Bring your donations of rice, dried beans, spaghetti, canned tomatoes, spaghetti sauces, tomato sauce, dry cereal, oatmeal, and canned vegetables to the church when you come for Mass. There is a wooden box in the vestibule that is always available to accept your donations of food for the poor.
And don't forget to be generous with the second collection also. That way, St. Vincent de Paul Society can purchase the other supplies they need or provide emergency funds for utilities or rent. Remember what Jesus told us in Matthew 25: "Whatsoever you do to the least among you, that is what you do to me."
PARISH AND DEANERY:
Marriage Community Get-Together Married Couples: Join us for an hour of wine, hors d'oeuvres and good laughs Wednesday, July 26, from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM, in the SJV Parish Office Center. Don't miss our discussion on Laughter in Marriage. On-site childcare is available. For more information, contact Richard and Veronica Wildanger (408) 937-1483 rpwildanger@earthlink.net.
Family Faith welcomes you and your family (pre-school through adult) to participate in the many educational and sacramental programs offered through this community:
- Basic Faith Formation (Discovering God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Church)
- Sacramental Preparation (Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist, Confirmation)
- Ongoing Participation (Our Role in Community, Our Commission to Serve)
This Fall, we are excited to offer a weekly fellowship, Faith Alive, for any adult who wishes to explore their personal faith. This fellowship will provide a time for prayer, personal reflection, candid discussion, and the opportunity to ask your own questions about God, Catholic traditions and everyday faith. We hope that you will set aside one day a week to enrich the spiritual journey of you and your family members! Please call the Catechetical Ministry office at 258-7832 x18 English, or 258-7832 x30 español. For more information, click here.
Help Needed! Family Faith is seeking individuals (minimum age 16 yrs) who are interested in becoming a Catechist or Catechist aide for grades 1-6. TRAINING WILL BE PROVIDED. Please contact 258-7832 x24 for more information. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
COMMUNITY AT LARGE:
Worldwide Marriage Encounter Convention, "In God We Trust", is coming July 28-30, Friday at 8 PM through Sunday at 12 noon, at Santa Clara University. For more information contact Dennis and Carrie Crawford at dennis.crawford@wizwire.com. To register, go to www.LoveMoreDeeply.org. Couples, priests and religious from all over the northwestern United States will gather at Santa Clara University for the Section 12 and 13 Marriage Encounter Convention. If you've been on a Marriage Encounter Weekend, you don't want to miss this chance to get together with other couples, religious and priests who have shared that experience!
"Rooted in Faith, Embracing our Future" ("Arraigados en la Fe, Abrazando Nuestro Futuro") will be held at the Santa Clara Convention Center on November 10-11. This conference is sponsored by the Dioceses of San Jose, Monterey, Oakland and Stockton and the Archdiocese of San Francisco. For more information call (408) 983-0127, or click here to see the Faith Formation Conference web page.
Recycle Your Electronics: HOPE Services will take your old monitors and televisions at no charge. HOPE has been approved by the State of California to become a 'collector' of electronic waste. The items that they will be collecting include computer monitors, televisions, and laptops. If you have these items and would like to get rid of them, please call HOPE at (408) 748-2861, or drop them off Monday-Thursday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, or Friday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, at 3100 Alfred St. (near Scott and Central), Santa Clara. Please use the Salvage door in the front of the building.
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This Week:
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time:
Next Week:
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time:
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Praying the Scriptures:
Visit this web site for ideas on praying the Scriptures: www.liturgy.slu.edu
Take a Moment to Pray:
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Join Our eMail List!
Find out what's happening at St. John Vianney Parish by joining our SJV Parish Newsletter subscriber list:
Visit our parish web site at: www.sjvnews.net.