Do you like to get gifts? Most people do. It is so exciting to tear off the wrapping and see what is inside. When you want to give a gift how do you choose it? Do you give it a lot of thought to make it special for the person who will receive it?

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany - the coming of the Wise Men/Kings/astrologers to visit Jesus, the Newborn King. They brought gifts that were chosen with great care - GOLD to show that He was a King; FRANKINCENSE to show that He was God: MYRRH to show that HE was Man - our Savior. The Wise Men were guided by a star. Sometimes the star was hidden from them but they persevered on their journey.

What STAR guides each one of us in our search for Jesus? Is it that inner wisdom that the Wise Men had that kept them going in spite of disappointments? EPIPHANY means MANIFESTATION. Jesus will truly manifest himself to us if we seek him with all our hearts. No Herod has the power to keep Him from doing so.

Dear Parishioners,

Thank you for your generosity to the Parish this Christmas. This collection is essential to the financial well being of the Parish. We reached the $38,000 called for in the budget. May God bless you and your family in this new year.

During the past six months, our Sunday collections have been below expectations. Also, we were $4,000 short of our assessment for the Annual Appeal and had to pay this amount out of our operating budget. Like you, I am not looking forward to the next utility bill! Anyway, we will go one step at a time. The generosity of so many of you is outstanding. I am not disheartened. However, we will need to look at possible cuts in our expenses.

I want to also thank all those who shared their cookies, candy and all sorts of goodies with the priests of the Parish. You will see us walking around the Parish far more in the coming weeks to overcome your kindness.

READINGS FOR NEXT SUNDAY
Isaiah 62:1-5 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 John 2:1-11

We Pray for the Ill: Marlyn Arancibia, Bastiaan Blumenthal, Marcia Bourne, Ann Burns, Sister Cabrini, Arthur Candia, Ana Cosgaya, Imelda Daly, William & Sandra Dill, Adela Florez, Elsie Grech, Randall Guerro, Denise Hawald, Koret Koelman, Muriel Krause, Josephine Lavoie, Marky, Rosemary McHale, Jeanne McHugh, Terry McLeod, Richard Quintana, Mary Shick, Cyndy Smerdel, Kari Stellino, Don Vickery, Sharon Aiello, Ruth Sleeper, Catherine Okulove, Nan Connolly, Joanne Johnson, Josie Clarke, Rich Crispi, & Bernie Voight.

As a Parish Community, We Pray...
That peace will come to the Holy Land. May leaders on both sides be filled with wisdom, justice and respect for the rights of all people.

AIDS LUNCH January 10th.... We are scheduled for the 2nd Wednesday of each month. If you can prepare a favorite cookie, snack or lunch item for 10 to 12 people, please drop it off at the Children’s Chapel, in the back of Church, by 9:15 AM on Jan. 10th. Please pack the items in a non-returnable container. Frozen items can be donated. We appreciate all your help.

CONFIRMATION........This Sunday, January 7th the Confirmation Candidates and their sponsors will meet for class in Hennessy Hall followed by attendance at 5:30 p.m. Liturgy. Please continue to pray for the Candidates as they prepare to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation on Friday, April 27th at 7:00 p.m. In Church, where pictures of the candidates are displayed, you will find a basket containing individual candidate’s names - please take a name and pray for that candidate.

A special "Thank you" to all of our liturgical ministers — our priests, altar servers, sacristans, ushers, greeters, eucharistic ministers, lectors, cantors, organist, and choir members — far too many to name, who gave so much extra time and energy to prepare our Advent and Christmas liturgies. Special thanks to Gene and Anna May May, Virginia Yanke, Mike Salvato, and Bill Michelini who made extra phone calls to schedule our ministers. Several people in different ministries pulled double, triple, or quadruple duty to make our Sunday and Christmas liturgies true celebrations of these great feasts. Thank you so much!!

The following loved ones were remembered at Christmas with a donation to purchase poinsettias to beautify the Church:

Kindergarten Application:
Applications for St. Robert School Kindergarten for the 2001/2002 school year will be accepted in the School Office Monday Friday, January 8th through the 12th, between 9 AM - 3 PM. The screening fee for each applicant is $25.00. Please bring copies of your child’s birth and baptismal records, a recent family photograph and your child’s social security number. Screening dates will be assigned on completion of the application.

Requirements for School Registration:
Family must be registered and participating members of St. Robert’s Parish. This means that the family is involved in Parish life and the financial support of the Parish. Applications will be accepted for children who are 5 years of age by September 1, 2001. All acceptances will be based on student screenings and parent interviews.

Non-Discrimination Policy:
St. Robert School, mindful of its mission to be witness to the love of Christ for all, admits students of any race, color, and national and/or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at this school. St. Robert School does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color and national and/or ethnic origin in adminstration of educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

   
MONDAY, January 8th
7:30 - 8:30 p.m. St. Vincent de Paul....Library
6 - 10 p.m. Men & Women’s Guild joint meeting.....Hall

TUESDAY, January 9th
6:30 - 8 p.m. Legion of Mary.....Library
3:30 - 8:00 p.m. Religious Ed......Hall
8 - 9 p.m. Teen Club.....Hall/Kitchen

WEDNESDAY, January 10th
9 - 10 a.m. Grief Group.....Mary’s Chapel
9:15 a.m. Aids Lunch.....Children’s Chapel
7:30 - 9 p.m. Bible Study....Convent
7:30 - 9 p.m. Teen Club.....Hall/Kitchen

THURSDAY, January 11th
3:30 - 8:00 p.m. Religious Ed......Hall
7 - 9 p.m. RCIA.....Chapel
7 - 9 p.m. Fil/Am ....Library

Saturday, January 13th
12 - 5 p.m. InBetweeners....Hall