It has been an exceptionally windy Summer here in San Bruno. Gene commented upon this after having battened down our 4 toppled tomato pots for the fifth time today. He mused that our Parish community has been experiencing "the winds of change".

The breath of the Holy Spirit has quickly wisked away Father Morris and Father Mark and planted them in new fields. Our prayers and our love go with them.

In their place, the same Spirit has brought Father Tom Hamilton to us. He, too, will help us grow into the image of our God. He is now one of us, whom we will nurture and love.

Good-byes are always painful. Change is often painful too; but it is unavoidable and necessary on our spiritual journey. Hellos are joyful; so we say: "Hello, Father Tom. Welcome to St. Robert’s".

Two simple elements, bread and wine, are changed on the altar of our God into the Body and Blood of Christ. We who receive Him in the Eucharist are also changed - transformed - individually and as community - into the Body of Christ.

Our Church is now in the painful process of change, as is our Nation and our world. No matter how blustery "the winds of change" may blow, one thing will never change: Our God is always with us. Our God loves us. We are one in Him for all eternity.

4 Wednesday evenings this Summer:
July 31, August 7, 14, & 21 7-9pm

Free. Open to all ages and skill levels.

Shaping Family

A few years ago I was invited by a friend to play for her wedding on a ranch in southern Oregon. It was an unusual wedding! Most of the guests camped out at the ranch. I still remember the howling of the coyotes, wolves, or whatever large-toothed animals were out there!

For the wedding, I played a duet with a violinist. We got to know each other a bit over the weekend. He was a young Jewish man. Like many young adults, he had stopped exercising his faith for some time, but was then experiencing a renewal of interest in it. Around a campfire on the night of the wedding, he was telling me about his new excitement about Judaism. At one point he said, "What I really like about it is that it is family-focused. We spend a lot of time praying together as a family. I never saw that much in the Christian churches I spent time in." I didn’t have much of a response to what he said. Aside from the fact that many Christian families do pray together, I realized also that many times we worship with a lot of people who are practically strangers to us.

We pray for the ill: Sharon Aiello, Marilyn Arancibia, Robert Bacci, Ilaria Belluomini, Bastiaan Blumenthal, Marcia Bourne, Ann Burns, Joseph Calleja, Arthur Candia, Josie Clarke, Nan Connolly, Ana Cosgaya, Imelda Daly, Walton & June Dickhoff, Sandra & William Dill, Carl Edwards, Adela Florez, Henry Fosson, Fred Gaedeke, Jim Halpin, Denise Hawald, Joanne Johnson, Koret Koelman, Muriel Krause, Abelardo Landin, Josephine Lavoie, Marky, Daniel McHale, Rosemary McHale, Jeanne McHugh, Terry McLeod, Josefina Mercado, Sal Milizio, George Mitchell, Catherine Murtagh, Louis Ricardo, Pauline Speranza, Kari Stellino, Bernadine Trenchard, and Don Vickery.

Our St. Vincent de Paul Society is in need of peanut butter & jelly, canned stew, "cereal", canned ham, tuna fish, canned pasta, coffee and hot chocolate. Please bring items to the rectory.

Volunteers needed for Mission Hospice, Inc., of San Mateo County. They are looking for a diverse group of caring and compassionate individuals to volunteer. To learn more, you are asked to attend an informational meeting:

When: Wednesday, July 17th, Noon meeting: 12:00 p.m to 1:00 p.m. or After work meeting: 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Where: Mission Hospice, 151 W. 20th Ave., San Mateo.

Please RSVP to Patricia Castagnola if you are interested in attending (650) 554-1000.

Tuesday, July 16th
6:30 - 8:30 pm, Legion of Mary......Library

Thursday, July 18th
7:30 - 9:30 pm, Festival Meeting.......Library