Last Thursday, we celebrated the Chinese New Year, the year of the Monkey. With the recent and expected upcoming events, I should be celebrating the year of the children or the year of the family. At least that's the ministry where the Holy Spirit seems to be pushing me.

As many of you know, during Advent I was working to connect a new baby with a neighbor family who is seeking to adopt. The good news is the baby was adopted by a distant aunt and uncle, who have no children of their own. The sad news is my neighbors are still waiting anxiously to adopt. In speaking with them, I was amazed at their faith. They said, "God is waiting for just the right baby to send to us". I also became aware that there are at least two other couples in the parish that are also waiting to adopt. Please keep all of them in your prayers.

On Saturday, January 31st, Sister Patricia and I will be leading an Out of Harms' Way workshop. This is a two hour session for parents and guardians of children ages 4-14. Our hope is that the parents and guardians will learn some new skills for teaching their kids to be safe and strong. If you are unable to attend this session, there is also one scheduled on the evenings of February 5th and March 22nd.

Please also be aware of the San Mateo County's renamed Domestic Violence Protection Program called CORA-Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse agency. Their number is (800) 300-1080. Sister Patricia and I have participated in the first of several workshops they plan to offer.

If the Holy Spirit is also making you more aware of these needs in our society and our parish, please join Sister Patricia and I at our workshop. Together let's make this a year dedicated to helping our children and our families.

SAN DAMIANO
P.O. Box 767
Danville, Ca 94526
(925) 837-9141

Last Thursday, the day of Chinese New Year "rightfully should be marked as a day of lamentation. It should be a day to grieve for lost potential, lost love, lost hopes, lost life."

St. Roberts in cooperation with the Archdiocese of San Francisco will be offering a two-hour seminar to help parents and guardians of children ages 4-14 work with their children to help ensure a safer environment for them.

Parents and guardians are invited to a sexual abuse prevention and education program customized by the KidWISE Institute for Catholic Parishes. The first component of the program is Out of Harm's Way, a facilitator-led, video-based workshop for parents. Scheduled dates are this Saturday, January 31st, a week from Thursday on February 5th and March 22nd. You need only attend one session. Please mark your calendars.

What a wonderful set of readings we have today! The one from Nehemiah makes our liturgies sound brief – the assembled people listen to the book of the law for hours! Paul's first letter to the Corinthians bears hearing over and over again: we are one body, the Body of Christ, regardless of our age, our political leanings, our ethnic background, our educational level, our devotional preferences. WE ARE ONE BODY. Pope John XXIII, known as the Good Pope John to many people, emphasized during the tumultuous and exciting years of the Second Vatican Council that there be unity (not uniformity) in essentials, and pluriformity in everything else. This is a difficult concept for many in the Church to grasp and live by. We know that there are different practices in different parishes in regard to marriage and baptismal preparation programs and requirements for entering the Catholic school. The homilies given by the priests or deacon on a given Sunday may take quite different approaches to the scripture.

One reason for this variety is that different personalities see, hear and interpret the same reality differently. Another more significant reason for the diversity is the fact that the Church, whether embodied as a parish or as the Church universal, is a living organism. It is a group of believers, baptized into Jesus' death and resurrection and guided by the Holy Spirit. Our policies and procedures always need to have room enough for the Spirit to work! As you sit in church reading this before Mass (not during the homily, please!) or when you come to Mass next time, be conscious of those sitting near you. What a marvelous Body of Christ we are!

Women's Retreat
There will be 40 of us on retreat at Mt. Alverno Conference Center Feb. 21. Thank you for your prompt sign-ups.

What About Singing?
Now that I've been here five months, may I make a suggestion? St. Robert's has a reputation – well deserved – as a wonderful parish. One area which we could improve upon is our singing. When I was a child growing up in Sacred Heart Parish, Sacramento, I loved going to Mass with my family because I was prematurely tall and standing next to my 6'7" father made me feel less awkward. I also loved the fact that my folks both sang every song whether they knew the piece or not.

I can imagine all the reasons people have for not singing. Maybe some of us don't feel we have a decent voice. Maybe some of us don't like to sing. Some of us may complain that the songs are too high or too low, too old or too new, but.I'm concerned that singing has always been part of our worship. Sometimes, I'll admit, we listened to the singing of others such as, the choir for a High Mass. But how shall the younger generation ever sing if we don't? I've seen members of our children's choir belt out the Holy, holy with great gusto and then remain mute when seated next to family members who don't sing. So could we please try? Thank you. As St. Augustine says, ["Those] who sing pray twice."

St. Robert's Consolation Ministry Committee meets on the First Wednesday of every month in Mary's Chapel, immediately after the 8:30 a.m Mass (9-10 a.m.). All are welcome.

Beginning this month we will host a Grief Support Group and plan to do so on the 4th Saturday of every month at 3:00 p.m. (before the 4:30 Mass) in the Convent Chapel.

February 28th we will meet with the Parents who are trying to cope with the loss of a child.

March 27th we will meet with the Widowers and work with them in their sorrow and bereavement. We hope to make this a monthly Ministry. We ask you to pray for its success.

This is our annual dinner/auction that has been a great success throughout the years.

Tickets are $75.00 per person.
Seniors are $65.00 per person