In This Issue:
Last Chance To Register! Parish Shindig This Sunday! Unity Nights at Most Holy Trinity Parish Social Ministry Integrated Model St. Augustine of Hippo Christ Calls Us to Acceptance and Love Announcements Weekly Readings

I say to myself, "I will not mention him, I will speak his name no more" but then it becomes like fire burning in my heart!

Last Chance to Register!
2005-2006 Faith Formation

The last day to register for catechism, sacramental preparation and youth ministry will be this Wednesday, August 31, from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM at the Parish Office Center.

All parents or legal guardians who desire to register their children or youth for baptism, first communion or confirmation, must attend a brief (10 min.) meeting to complete registration.

All children/youth must be registered by their parent or legal guardian. Please bring baptismal certificates and 50% of the registration fee to register your children and youth.

Faith Formation welcomes you and your family (Pre-school thru Adult) to participate in the many educational and sacramental programs offered through the community of St. John Vianney Parish:

• Basic Faith Formation (Discovering God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Church)
• Sacramental Preparation (Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist, Confirmation)
• Continuing Education (Our Role in Community, Our Commission to Serve)

For more information, please call 258-7832 x18 (English) or 258-7832 x30 (español) or click here.

Parish Shindig This Sunday!

This year, we will have a Silent Auction to raise funds for our new Multipurpose Building. The way it works is: parishioners offer a service or an item for the auction. At the Parish Picnic Shindig, people will make an offer for the item or service that they wish to purchase. Another person, willing to pay more, may make a higher offer. The original person can go back and make a higher offer than that one. The auction will close at 3:45 PM and winners names will be posted. You don't have to be there to win, but you do have to make a bid. Click here to see the current list of auction items available. It's not too late to make your donation! If everyone participates we will have more fun and more funds!

Six new items offered this week include:

1. Private Tour: Lily Tenes, a trained and experienced docent, offers a personal, private tour of the Cathedral Basilica of San Jose for a group of ten, to be followed by a no-host lunch at the downtown eatery of your choice.

2. Adult sitting: Experienced nurse, Gilne Tosco, donates two 3-hour sessions of professional adult care, date and time to be arranged.

3. In the bag: Take these lovely sturdy denim bags when you go shopping and leave the "Paper or plastic?" questions behind. Protect our environment and look stylish at the same time. Four large, dark blue denim shopping bags. (Might be fun to decorate them!) Donated by Tudy Johnson.

4. Diana - The People's Princess: Thanks to Carol Rice, we have a series of commemorative plates featuring Princess Diana. These will be auctioned separately.

On July 29, 1981, 750 million people worldwide caught their first glimpse of the new Princess of Wales – Princess Diana. This shy young bride would later be known as "The People’s Princess," whose warmth and compassion had no bounds. She sought out the ill and afflicted and brought joy to their lives. She devoted her energy and engaging personality to selfless acts of charity and persuaded others to share her compassion. To commemorate the late princess, The Bradford Exchange has created a series of collector’s plates showing Diana at various times in her life. These are:

1. Plate No. 28080 "Princess to the World" showing Diana in a pale lavender gown.
2. Plate No. 4884A "A True Princess" showing Diana in a rose patterned blue and pink gown.
3. Plate No. 114034A "An Enchanting Princess" showing Diana in a dark blue satin gown.
4. Plate No. 15652A "Princess of Compassion " showing Diana in a pale pink satin gown.
5. Plate No. 11115A "Radiant Princess" showing Diana in a dark purple one-sleeved gown.
6. Plate No. 14428A "An Unforgettable Princess" showing Diana seated on a sofa in a black satin gown.
7. Plate No. 5368C "A Very Special Princess" showing Diana in an off the shoulder blue velvet gown known as "The Travolta Dress" which she wore to a White House affair and danced with John Travolta.
8. Plate No. 2285E "Our Royal Princess" showing Diana in a white beaded gown and jacket which Diana called "The Elvis Dress" because of its standing collar.

These plates were fired in 1997/1998 and are no longer being issued.

5 . Room at the Inn: Travel Promotions Network, and Bruno Martinez, proudly donate two certificates for a 3-Day/2-night hotel stay in any of the following cities.  (Air and/or land transportation NOT included.)  Each certificate has a $500 to $560 value. Minimum bid is $50.

Lake Tahoe, Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada Palm Springs, California Daytona Beach, Florida Fort Lauderdale, Florida Orlando, Florida Sedona, Arizona Washington D.C. St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Charlotte, North Carolina Nashville, Tennessee Honolulu, Hawaii Smokey Mountains, Tennessee Flag Staff, Arizona Destin, Florida Williamsburg, Virginia Glade, Tennessee Pagosa Springs, Colorado Branson, Missouri

Each certificate provides accommodations for 2 adults, 21 or older, plus up to 2 accompanied children, 18 or younger. No pets.

6. Fancy Bag: Louis Vuitton "Petite Monnaie Bill", French purse with attached brass coin section (which looks like a wallet to me). Donor wishes to remain anonymous. Store Value is $535. Minimum bid is $200.

What service can you offer?

To offer a service for our Silent Auction, email newsletter@sjvnews.net or phone Ellen Turner at 272-9234. If we all pitch in, we can make that building a reality while learning and sharing with fellow parishioners.

The Silent Auction will be held at the Parish Picnic Shindig: 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: A - G Sides and Salads H - N Desserts and Fruit O - Z Main Dishes 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.

Unity Nights for Age 16-25

Parish Social Ministry Integrated Model:
To Understand and Act on Catholic Social Teaching
Part 3 of a series on Parish Social Ministry: adapted from
Parish Social Ministry: Strategies for Success, by Tom Ulrich

The mission of parish social ministry might be described as an onion, with various distinct layers making up the one flavorful vegetable. The core is faith formation. Around that core, much like an onion, are layers of related but distinct ministries of direct service, justice and peace, global solidarity efforts, legislative advocacy, community organizing, and community development.

While it is true that each baptized person is called to know and support this full vision of parish social ministry, it is also true that time, interest, and talent limit each person's ability to fully participate in all the ministry necessary to make a difference. How then can this apparent contradiction be reconciled? Of course, it would not be wise for anyone to even attempt to be involved in everything. It cannot be done, so don't feel guilty about it. On an individual level, pick something that you have a passion for and do it. After some time, leave that ministry and move on to something else to widen and freshen your experience. (But don't forget to get someone to replace you on the ministry team you are leaving.)

In summary, the full mission of parish social ministry is to help parishioners understand and act on Catholic social teaching. It does that by organizing teams of leaders in (at least) the four ministry areas of:

• direct service
• legislative advocacy
• global solidarity and global justice and peace
• community organizing.

Tom Ulrich has nearly twenty-five years of professional experience in working with parishes. He has a master's degree in social work (specializing in community organizing), a bachelor's degree in psychology, and has been trained as a trainer. He has worked as a caseworker for Catholic Charities, directed parish social ministry for Catholic Charities at the diocesan level, worked in the educational division of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, and is currently the Vice President for Training, Convening, and Mission at Catholic Charities USA.

St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church:
Feast August 28

St. Augustine was the son of a mixed marriage. Born in 354 in the area now known as Algeria, his mother was a Christian and his father a pagan. His early life was not very Christian at all. He lived his life at full speed, whether going away from God or toward God. He was deeply involved in a very hedonistic culture. His mother, St. Monica, devoted her life to Augustine's conversion. A very intelligent person, he left home at the age of 15 to live with a Cathaginian woman until the age of 30. He had a Son that he named Adeotadus, which is Latin for "the gift of God."

At the age of thirty-three, Augustine was baptized by St. Ambrose in Milan. Within a few years he became a priest. He returned to North Africa where he became Bishop of Hippo. He was a great philosopher and writer, known as a Doctor of the Church. His writings are still studied today.

He wrote many books, including his Confessions. He is most remembered for this line: "Our hearts were made for You, O Lord, and they are restless until they rest in you."

Christ Calls Us to Acceptance and Love
by Bruno Martinez

Christ calls us to love one another. He gave us one commandment to follow, the greatest commandment, the one commandment from which all Ten Commandments flow, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." (Luke 10:27)

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Christ shows us that the faithful and the righteous are not to be recognized by who they are, but rather by their actions. After being robbed and stripped a man was left by the side of the road for dead, where he was passed by three men; a priest, a Levite and a Samaritan. The priest and the Levite represent the religious leaders of Judaism, the Samaritan was considered by Jews of the time, at best, as an outcast. When Christ finished telling the parable, he asked his disciples, "'Which of these three, in your opinion, was the neighbor to the robbers' victim?' The answer came, 'The one who treated him (the robber’s victim) with mercy.' Jesus said, 'Go and do likewise.'" (Luke 10:36-37)

Throughout the Gospel, Christ embraces outcasts, those whom the Pharisees would shun, whether the person was Jew or Gentile, tax collector, prostitute, woman, child, sinner or leper.

We are called not to judge others, but rather to embrace all people, all our brother and sister Christians, people of all faiths, religions and ethnic origins. We should not judge others, and we will not be judged at the end of time by who we are, how we look, where we come from; but we will be judged by our actions, our discipleship, and our service to God, to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (sic) and to each other.

We are all one body, "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit." (I Corinthians 12:13)

Love and treat with respect your neighbor, your enemy, and everyone as Christ loves you.

Announcements

Monthly Parish Newsletter: Did you receive the first and second monthly newsletters from SJV parish? If not, click here to read the July issue, and click here to read the August issue. If you did not receive these two issues in your US Mail box, let us know by calling the parish office at 258-7832. If you are willing to receive future issues via email, which will save the parish money, let us know by sending an email to newsletter@sjvnews.net or phone Ellen Turner at (408) 272-9234.

Women in the Bible, a special presentation by Dr. Robert Delaney, Th.D., will be offered at St. Francis of Assisi Church on Sunday, August 28, 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. For more information, call 408-223-1562.

SJV Faith Formation - To participate in the many educational and sacramental programs offered through the community of St. John Vianney Parish, please call 258-7832 x18 (English), or 258-7832 x30 (español), or click here for 2005 Class Schedule and Registration information. Register by August 31.

Jack Jezreel, founder of the JustFaith program, is giving a workshop in our diocese on Sunday, September 11, at St. Francis High School in Mountain View, 12:30 PM to 5:00 PM. Workshop reservations can be sent to Sylvia Blanch at the Diocesan office, 900 Lafayette Street, Suite 301 Santa Clara, California 95050-4966. Full Workshop - donation of $10 - $30. For more information on JustFaith, visit the web site: www.CatholicCharitiesUSA.org/justfaith

RAINBOWS - A grief support program for children who are hurting because of a divorce or death in the family. We have helped many children to cope with their painful situation. Our 12 week sessions on Monday evenings will begin on September 19. Rainbows is held at St. John Vianney School from 7 PM to 8 PM. There are four age levels for children, kindergarten to 8th grade. For more information, or to register, call Lily Tenes at 272-1861.

Weekly Readings

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