Hurricane Katrina Save $50 a Month! Pace e Bene St. Peter Claver Human Agenda Roundtable Oktoberfest Announcements Weekly Readings

Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive?

Hurricane Katrina

Remember what He said? "Whenever two or three of you gather in my name, I am there in your midst." Tuesday night, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ met with a good-sized group of parishioners to discuss how St. John Vianney Parish would respond to the devastation in the Gulf. The room was alive with ideas and energy!

At our weekend liturgies, Fr. Tim had invited interested parishioners to volunteer for a committee to decide about how the parish would respond. Bruno Martinez is coordinating the effort. A strong group of people gathered on Tuesday night to start the process. Bruno first told us of a few things the Diocese is doing. They are mostly suggesting donations to Catholic Charities, and they are planning a blood drive. They also recommend a special collection to be taken some time this month. SJV will have a blood drive on January 14 and will probably have a series of special collections over a period of months, as it will take a very long time for full recovery.

St. John Vianney Parish's committee will work to create a plan for long term and short term assistance to those in need because of Hurricane Katrina. Although we are geographically far away, there are things we can do. Bruno led us in a bit of brainstorming, where everyone could toss out ideas without criticism. After we had a full board of ideas, and could not think of any others, we looked at them again with a little criticism, to see which would stand up in reality. We decided most of them would. Fr. Tim grouped the concepts into four main themes and we divided into groups to start to develop those ideas. The four groups were: fundraising, resettlement, sister-parish, and direct support for local people with loved ones in the devastated area.

We agreed to meet again on Tuesday, September 20, 7:00 PM, at the Parish Center. Join us to see where you might contribute.

In the mean time, please pray for all those who are displaced, have lost a loved one and who have died as a result of this heart wrenching disaster. If you have any questions, please contact Bruno Martinez in the Community Ministry – Outreach office at 258-7832 ext. 23 or bmartinez@sjvsj.net.

Save $50 a Month!
by Ray Turner

Cancel that membership to the gym and come out and help build houses with Habitat for Humanity right here in San Jose. You'll get plenty of exercise, lots of sunshine, and meet some very nice people. And you'll be helping a less fortunate family build their home -- a dream come true.

Last week, I helped out at the Habitat project on Murphy Avenue, near the main Post Office. We were working on the first of eleven homes Habitat will be building in that area. We worked on cutting, bending, placing and tying the reinforcing steel bar (rebar) that goes into the floor to make it strong and keep it from cracking. No, I have never done this kind of work before. The contractor on site shows us how to do what needs to be done, and keeps an eye on us to make sure we get it right.

As a side benefit (besides all the free exercise), I learned a new skill I might find useful if I ever lay a patio or sidewalk. Later in the project, I'll be learning how to build walls, wire electrical fixtures, connect plumbing, and who knows what. These skills will come in handy repairing my own house. Habitat generally works Wednesday through Sunday each week, and they can use as much, or as little, time as you can spare. To see if you can help, call the work coordinator, Mary Lou Ireland, at 942-6444 ext. 301. Or call and ask me about it at 272-9234.

For more information about Habitat for Humanity, visit their web site at www.habitat.org.

Pace e Bene

From Violence to Wholeness: A one-day workshop September 23 or November 12, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM at the First Congregational Church, 2501 Harrison Street, Oakland.

The From Violence to Wholeness process offers individuals and communities a vision and toolbox for making peace in their lives and in the world. The FVTW process uses a variety of learning styles, including small and large group discussions, interactive exercises, audio and visual resources, journaling, and presentations of the spirituality and practice of active nonviolence.

Goals:

St. Peter Claver: Feast September 9

Cartagena, in the area now called Columbia, was the center of slavery in the  early 1600's. Spanish Jesuit Peter Claver arrived there in 1610. Slavery had been  established for over 100 years. Ten thousand slaves poured into the port each year, stolen from West Africa, arriving after a journey so difficult that one-third died in transport. Peter studied under Jesuit Alfonso de Sandoval who had already spent forty years working for the slaves in the New World. Declaring himself a "slave of the Negroes forever" Peter agreed to take on the mission of ministering to the slaves. The Negroes, brutalized and crazed by suffering and fear came to see Claver as their champion. During his forty years of service, he trained and baptized as many as 300,000 slaves.

Peter Claver was not particularly well appreciated by the wealthy plantation owners or the fashionable people of the city. When he traveled he stayed in the slave quarters rather than accept the hospitality of the slave owners. While not popular with the Powers-That-Be, when Peter Claver died, the city leaders ordered a funeral at public expense and with great pomp.

For more information about St. Peter Claver, click here to see American Catholic's web page about St. Peter Claver.

Human Agenda Roundtable

Vision in Practice:

1. The California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE)
Hear the pros and cons of the CAHSEE and its effect on immigrant, disabled, low income, and minority students. Entering seniors for the first time this year need to pass the exam to graduate. Should we support (a bill in the Assembly) AB 1531? is discussed by a representative from Californians for Justice)

2. Dilemmas for Farmworker Education
The Human Agenda farmworker trip to migrant labor camps in July revealed that parents cannot expect their K-12 children to enjoy a consistent education at a single school due to federal migrant housing laws. Come discuss what we can do to address farmworker education. (testimony from a farmworker parent from Buena Vista Migrant Camp)

3. Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts (presented by Franci Collins, Red Cross veteran & volunteer)

Sane & Humane:

4. Take Back Your Time
Hear a brief report from the National Take Back Your Time (TBYT) conference in Seattle, Washington on how to create activist, conscious work-life balance  (presented by TBYT National Board Member, Richard Hobbs)

5. Four Windows of Time
Human Agenda joins organizations in dozens of cities across the U.S. in identifying four windows of time between Labor Day and TBYT Day (October 24). Participants commit to four actions during that time period to create work-life balance in personally and socially meaningful ways. 

Human Agenda is a vision and practice 501c3 (a non-profit organization) committed to love and loving relationships using knowledge and social justice to meet our human needs within balanced lives. With Vision in Practice, Human Agenda focuses in 2005 on seven areas within a human needs vision: sustainable wages, housing, globalization, campaign reform, universal health care, education reform, and food security. With Sane & Humane, Human Agenda works to sustain our humanity and our activism through an ethic of love, balanced lives, conscious consumption and living, and new indicators of individual and social success.

For more information, call Richard Hobbs at (408) 460-2999.

Octoberfest

Loosen your Lederhosen and jump into your Dirndl. Join us for:

St. John Vianney School's "Oktoberfest" When: September 30, 6:30–11:30 PM Where: St. John Vianney School Courtyard Benefit: St. John Vianney School Cost: $50.00 per person. Authentic German Cuisine German Beer on tap Oom-pah Band DJ, and more.

No one under 21 admitted. Invitations are located in the school lobby, or contact Sue Quinn at 258-3305.

Announcements

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, 12:30-5:00 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

Jim McEntee InterFaith memorial service on September 13, is on the first anniversary of his death at St. John Vianney Church at 7:00 PM. This memorial will feature religious leaders from various faith traditions because Jim worked with all of them. Revelation Choir, from our Sunday 7:00 PM congregation, will provide the music.

Holy Family 26th Annual Festival: September 16, 17 & 18. Holy Family Parish invites you to come and celebrate its 100th Jubilee with three days of festival fun for the whole family. Enjoy Carnival Rides, Continuous Entertainment, Games, International Food, Beer, Wine, Silent Auction, Bingo, Cherry Bells, Raffles, and KidFest (for kids 7 and under) on Saturday 10:00-3:30 PM. The JOE SHARINO BAND 7-10 PM on Friday. The SAGE BAND 7-10 PM on Saturday. The MUSICIAN’S WAREHOUSE BAND 12:30 to 2:00 PM on Sunday. Admission is FREE. Festival hours are Friday 6-11 PM, Saturday 10 AM-11 PM, and Sunday 12-6 PM. 4848 Pearl Avenue (behind Westfield Oakridge)

Unity Nights at Most Holy Trinity on September 23 is from 6-10 PM. This event, hosted by Most Holy Trinity Parish Youth Group, will feature a FREE live concert with positive music geared towards 16-25 year olds. For more information go to www.UnityNights.com.

Silicon Valley Young Adults: Have you been desiring a deeper and more personal relationship with Jesus? Do you know someone who does? Silicon Valley Young Adults invite you to join us for the Life in the Spirit Encounter on Tuesday, September 27, through Friday, September 31, 7:00-8:30 PM, Saturday, October 1, 10:00 AM-5:00 PM. Childcare will be provided. This event is FREE to all. Click here to see a copy of the flyer.
              St. Cyprian Conference Center
              1133 W. Washington Avenue
              Sunnyvale, CA 94086-7019
For more information email us at svya@saintcyprian.org or check out our website at www.saintcyprian.org/youngadults.htm.

5th Annual SJV Golf Tournament: Hosted by the SJV Alumni Association on Sunday, October 9, at 8:00 AM. Modified Shotgun Start. Los Lagos Golf  Course, 2995 Tuers Road, San Jose, CA 95121. Please join us for a Sunday morning round of golf & BBQ luncheon. Registration: $100 per golfer. Registration Fee includes: green fees, cart, range balls and lunch. Luncheon guests: $30 per person. Proceeds to benefit: SJV School - Sister Joan Marie Scholarship Fund. For more information contact the SJV School Development Office at (408) 258-7677 or khienemann@sjvsj.org. To see the sponsorship form click here.

Coming Events:
   o Holiday Faire, December 2-4, 2005 at SJV School
   o Crab Feed, January 28, 2006 at Irmandade do Espirito Santo (IES) Hall
   o Spring Fling, April 28, 2006 at Drying Shed
   o SJV Fiesta, May 19-21, 2006 at SJV Courtyard
For more information, contact the SJV School Development Office at (408) 258-7677 or lelston@sjvsj.org

Weekly Readings

This Week: 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sep 11   Sirach 27:30-28:7   Romans 14:7-9   Matthew 18:21-35 Next Week: 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sep 18   Isaiah 55:6-9   Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a   Matthew 20:1-16a
Praying the Scriptures:   Visit this web site for ideas   on praying the Scriptures:   www.liturgy.slu.edu	Take a Moment to Pray:   Visit this web site for ideas   on the Ignatius way to pray:   www.sacredspace.ie

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