St. Robert's Catholic Church Bulletin, August 24, 2003

St. Robert's Catholic Church

1380 Crystal Springs Road, San Bruno, CA 94066

Tel: (650) 589-2800

PARISH BULLETIN
August 24, 2003
Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Parishioners:

ENCYCLICAL LETTER OF POPE JOHN PAUL II
CHURCH OF THE EUCHARIST
(continued from previous week)

The sacramental representation of Christ's sacrifice, crowned by the resurrection, in the Mass involves a most special presence which, in the words of Paul VI, "is called real not as a way of excluding all other types of presences as if they were not real, but because it is a presence in the fullest sense: a substantial presence whereby Christ, the God-Man, is wholly and entirely present." This sets forth once more the perennially valid teaching of the Council of Trent: "The consecration of the bread and wine effects the change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord, and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. And the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called this change transubstantiation." Truly the eucharist is a mysterium fidei, a mystery which surpasses our understanding and can only be received in faith, as is often brought out in the catechesis of the church fathers regarding this divine sacrament: "Do not see," St. Cyril of Jerusalem exhorts, "in the bread and wine merely natural elements, because the Lord has expressly said that they are his body and his blood: Faith assures you of this, though your senses suggest otherwise."

Adoro te devote, latens deitas, we shall continue to sing with the Angelic Doctor. Before this mystery of love, human reason fully experiences its limitations. One understands how down the centuries this truth has stimulated theology to strive to understand it ever more deeply.

These are praiseworthy efforts, which are all the more helpful and insightful to the extent that they are able to join critical thinking to the "living faith" of the church as grasped especially by the magisterium's "sure charism of truth" and the "intimate sense of spiritual realities" which is attained above all by the saints. There remains the boundary indicated by Paul VI: "Every theological explanation which seeks some understanding of this mystery, in order to be in accord with Catholic faith, must firmly maintain that in objective reality, independently of our mind, the bread and wine have ceased to exist after the consecration, so that the adorable body and blood of the Lord Jesus from that moment on are really before us under the sacramental species of bread and wine."

HOUSTON, WE HAVE LIFT-OFF...!

We welcome a new member of our parish staff, Juan Santos - who has accepted a part-time position as Director of Youth Ministry beginning September 1st.

Juan is a native San Franciscan, a graduate of Archbishop Riordan High School, and Chaminade University (Honolulu, HI) with a degree in Religious Education.

Please welcome Juan to our parish community, and support his ministry among us with your prayer and the gift of your support.

Monday - Aug 25 Readings: 1 Thes 1:2-5,8-10 Mt 23:13-22
Mass Intention	6:30 8:30	John James Byrne † Kathleen Corby †
Grownups	7:30p	Library
Tuesday - Aug 26 Readings: 1 Thes 2:1-8 Mt 23:23-26
Mass Intention	6:30 8:30	Maria Luisa Kahn † Martin Moynihan †
Legion of Mary Religious Ed. Mtg.	6:30p 7:00p	Library Mahoney Room
Wednesday - Aug 27 Readings: 1 Thes 2:9-13 Mt 23:27-32
Mass Intention	6:30 8:30	Mary Ann Schultheis † Noelle Lille †
Faculty In-Service	All Day	Hall/Mahoney Room
Thursday - Aug 28 Readings: 1 Thes 3:7-13 Mt 23:42-51
Mass Intention	6:30 8:30	Jack Harte † Fran Presta †
Faculty In-Service	All Day	Hall/Mahoney Room
Friday - Aug 29 Readings: 1 Thes 4:1-8 Mk 6:17-29
Mass Intention	6:30 8:30	Vika Monika Langi Domenica Busceti †
Saturday - Aug 30 Readings: 1 Thes 4:9-12 Mk 25:14-30
Mass Intention	8:30 4:30	Mary Kuczka † People of St. Robert's
Sunday - Aug 31 Readings: Dt 4:1-2,6-8 Jas 1:17-18 Mk 7:1-8
Mass Intention	7:30 9:30 11:30 5:00	Ronnie Fontana † Eileen Gordon † Patricia Rael † John Collins †
Fil/Am Choir Practice	10:00a	Hall

LIKE TO SING? THEN WE NEED YOU!

The Adult Choir singing at the 9:30 a.m. Mass is ready to begin a new year raising their voices in praise. We are seeking new members to come join us. You don't need to be a "professional" singer, but simply someone who enjoys singing and has a willingness to praise God in song.

Rehearsals are every Wed. from 7-9 p.m., and our first rehearsal will be on on Wed. Sept. 3rd. We are going to be rehearsing music for Advent and Christmas soon, and would love to invite new members to help us make these seasons truly joyous! On Sunday, we gather at 9:00 a.m to warm-up prior to the 9:30 a.m. Mass.

There will also be other opportunities to sing, including the Church Festival and the Christmas Eve liturgies. Although we would welcome you to join us throughout the year, if you can not make that commitment, we would be happy for you to sing for Nov. and Dec. in preparation for Christmas. We are going to be planning a midnight mass with much beautiful and festive music.

The choir is also planning a beginning of the year party to be held sometime in late Sept. This will be a chance to welcome new members and rehearse music for the Festival. More details about this event, as well as a date and time will be forthcoming.

I would also like to invite any of or congregation who play instruments to come join us. We are always looking for instrumentalists to help accompanying the choir. There would be opportunities for the Christmas liturgies as well as Masses throughout the year.

For more information or to join us contact Kevin Imbimbo at 873-4480, or just come by the organ see me after Mass.

SINGERS!!! INSTRUMENTALISTS!!!

We are preparing to being a new era of yourth ministry here at St. Robert's—beginning with the 5 p.m. liturgy on Sunday, Oct. 19th, we will celebrate an evening liturgy on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month. This Mass will be `geared' in a special way to the culture and needs of our high school aged teens.

If you are interested in singing or playing at these special youth liturgies, the rehearsals are on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. in the church. Please contact Griselda MacDonald at (415) 564-8508. It promises to be a lot of fun!

ANNUAL PUBLIC POLICY BREAKFAST

You are cordially invited to the Annual Public Policy Breakfast hosted by the Office of Public Policy and Social Concerns of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

The distinguised Cathleen A. Cleaver, Esq. the Director of Planning and Information Secretariat for Pro-Life Activites for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, will be speaking on the political pulse in Washington on such issues as embryonic stem cell research, cloning, abortion and euthanasia.

The Breakfast and dialogue which takes place on Thursday, Sept. 4th, at St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. The cost is $20, please R.S.V.P. by August 25th at (415) 614-5572 or desmondr@sfarchdiocese.org.

SCHOOL OF PASTORAL LEADERSHIP

Classes will be held at Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 pm starting September 16th:

Introduction to Lay Ministry - 12 weeks
Old Testament Survey - 24 weeks
New Testament Survey - 24 weeks
Catholic Evangelization - begins
October 28th for 12 weeks

Other classes are offered in San Francisco and Marin Counties. To register or for additional information, please call (415) 614-5564 or www.splsf.org.

4th Grade Openings-St. Robert School has openings for students entering 4th grade. If you are registered and participating in St. Robert's Parish or St. Bruno's Parish and are interested in a quality Catholic education for your child, please contact Mrs. Bordin at (650) 583-5065

Back to School-St. Robert School will open for the 2003-2004 school year on Tuesday, Sept. 2nd at 8:00 a.m. All parents are invited to attend the Opening Day Breakfast in Hennessy Hall following the 8:30 a.m. Mass. Our first school Mass of the year will be on Friday, Sept. 5th at 8:30 a.m. All parents are welcome to attend.

Mark your calendars...Back to School Night for parents of students in grades K-5 will be on Thursday evening, Sept. 11th. Back to School Night for parents of students in grades 6-8 will be held on Thursday evening, Sept. 18th. More details will follow in the School Newsletter.

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 to 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/ethic origin, age, sex or disability in administration of educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.

As a Parish Community, We Pray...for the Justices of our Supreme Court and the Legislators of our Congress... may the silent voice of the unborn child move their hearts and minds.

WE CONGRATULATE THE NEWLY BAPTIZED

Bailey Marie O'Mahony,
Jacob Richard Cilia, &
Dante Paul Stazzullo

SICK RELATIVES AND FRIENDS

Dear Parishioners, Please notify the priesthouse (589-2800) if a loved one is in the hospital.

We pray for the ill: Sharon Aiello, Gabrielle Ausiello, Marilyn Arancibia, Robert Bacci, Genaro Badiable, Lito Badiable, Bastiaan Blumenthal, Marcia Bourne, Ann Burns, Maricris Candelaria, Arthur Candia, Josie Clarke, Nan Connolly, Zenaida Cortez, Ana Cosgaya, Walton & June Dickhoff, Sandra & William Dill, Carl Edwards, Joey Ferguson, Joyce Flax, Adela Florez, Denise Ferrari-Fontana, Henry Fosson, Jesse Grube, Denise Hawald, Dominique Hauscarriague,Jr, Viko Ivancich, Joanne Johnson, Koret Koelman, Muriel Krause, Sisilia Langi, Shirley Latham, Josephine Lavoie, Greg Lille, Marky, Michael Martinez, Daniel McHale, Rosemary McHale, Terry McLeod, James Morrisey, Thomas O'Brien, Lara Pinten, Jason Pimentel, Louis Ricardo, Bill Reilly, Doris Ross, Mary Shick, Pauline Speranza, Joan Thomsen, Mafi Tukumoatu, Gene VanSlett, Don Vickery, Jennifer Westbrook & Frank Wright.

Our sincere sympathy to the family of
Nierold Licudine
who died recently.

YOUR EMERGENCY PRAYER NETWORK IS HERE

The "Emergency Prayer Network" will pray for your specific intentions whenever some crisis arises in your life. If you call, our group will pray fervently for three days for you and your special intention. Call Michele Pipinich. Let us know how things turn out so that we can praise God for His faithfulness.

A Prayer For Life

Father and Maker of all, you adorn all creation with splendor and beauty, and fashion human lives in your image and likeness. Awaken in every heart reverence for the work of your hands, and renew among your people a readiness to nurture and sustain your precious gift of life. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.

(Composed by Rev. James P. Moroney, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops)

COMING IN SEPTEMBER!!!!

Tuesday, September 2nd: Back to School Breakfast: First Day of School after the 8:30 a.m. Mass in the Hall.

Wednesday, September 10th: Bible Study resumes. Meets every Wednesday - 7:30 pm - Convent Chapel.

Thursday, September 11th: RCIA Open House for adults needing Baptism, First Communion, or Confirmation. Classes meet every Thursday - 7 pm - Mahoney Room.

Saturday, September 20th: First Adult Computer Class. Classes meet each Saturday until the end of October (9:15 - 10:30 am) - Computer Room. Please call the Rectory to register - 589-2800.

Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, September 26 - 28: Parish Festival.

COMING IN OCTOBER!!!!

2003 Parish Picnic-Friends, fun...and food!!! All parishioners are invited to the annual Parish Picnic on Saturday, October 11th from 12 Noon to 4:00 p.m at the Beckner Shelter in San Bruno Park. Picnic lunch is free for parishioners—just sign yourselves and your families up after any of the Sunday Masses on September 20-21, September 27-28 and October 4-5. Last year over 325 parishioners came and enjoyed the day!! To volunteer to help in the picnic (we certainly could use some), please call Manny Ortiz.

THANK YOU

Thank you for your donation of $3,697.99 to the Missionary Cooperation Plan Appeal 2003 for Vincentian Congregation Mary Matha. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.


CONGRATULATIONS! To All St. Robert's School Graduates and School of Religion Class of 1999 We are proud of the members of our Parish who have graduated from High School in June and are now taking the next steps in their journey.
COMMUNITY COLLEGES Canada Kelleen Gromm College of San Mateo Lauren Allen Richard Bologna Mark Ciraulo Alyssa Fonseca Nicholas Galletta Ryan Gomes Steven Growney Joshua Peters Sebastian Proano Nicholas Tuite San Francisco Garrett Lemos Angela Wirch Skyline Fabian Abellana Marissa Angeles Brooke Binkley Daniel Callaghan Cristina Elliott Steven Orloff Guilnard Panganiban Guilson Panganiban Stephanie Wettstein CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITIES Chico Andrew Miller Fresno Kelly Shea Rebecca Tovar Humboldt Marcus Chun Sacramento Stephanie Wright San Francisco Paul Barradas Kathryn deLaRosa Michelle Franco Conor Keane Luisa Olmos San Jose Christopher Foti Talia Grammatico Carlo Morales	Sonoma Jessica Neri-Calabrese Jeanette Timko UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA *Los Angeles* Rene Emond Santa Barbara Nicholas Travins Santa Cruz James Heckenberg OTHER COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES/PROFESSIONS *Air Force* Michael Zavala Boston University Lora Krsulich Dominican University Nicholas Lemos Jessica Schaukowitch Florida Institute of Technology Gina Wilson Loyola Marymount Colleen LeCompte Menlo College Matthew McGrew Santa Clara Christina Lynch Sierra Nevada Kevin Cordes St. Mary's Amanda Gamble University of San Francisco Colleen Monaghan U.S. Marines Pierre Idiart Work Michael Kearney Frank Seydel Nicole Spina
Congratulations to Kacie LeCompte, a St. Mary's college graduate, who will be a Jesuit Volunteer in Georgia for the underpriviledged. We welcome back Melissa Hansell, who served as a Jesuit Volunteer for one year in Texas.