St. Patrick Lifetime Donors As a Lifetime Donor of St
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St. Patrick Catholic Church San Francisco’s Historic Landmark #4 Founded in 1851 756 Mission St. (between 3rd and 4th Streets) San Francisco, CA 94103 Tel (415) 421-3730 ~ Fax (415) 512-9730 www.stpatricksf.org Pastoral Staff Fr. Roberto “Fr. Obet” A. Andrey - Pastor Fr. Linh Nguyen - Parochial Vicar Deacon Ferdinand Mariano - RCIA Coordinator Fr. Raphael Laizer - In Residence Nenette Murata - Religious Education Coordinator Charles Corpus - Music Coordinator Virginia Dilim - Wedding Coordinator Nora Regaspi - Office Manager Camille Sudario - Parish Receptionist Linda Benson - Bookkeeper December 27, 2020 ~ The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all the peoples. ~ Luke 2:30-31 St. Patrick Church neither sells this bulletin nor asks for donations on the street. December 27, 2020 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph ~ Year B-1 Gn 15:1-6;21:1-3; Ps 105:1-6,8-9; Heb 11:8,11-12,17-19; Lk 2:22-40 or 2:22,39-40 Mindful of his covenant (Ps), God blesses the faith of Abraham and Sarah (2) in their son, Isaac (1). The child Jesus and his par- ents are blessed by Simeon (3). We Are God’s Holy Family The scriptures of Israel are filled with many stories of barren couples who were miraculously granted the gift of children by God. Surely the best known among these is the first reading from today, from which Luke took inspiration when he recounted the miraculous birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah and Elizabeth, and the more miraculous birth of Jesus to Mary and Joseph. In each instance, we are given examples or role models of those who trusted in God. More than examples of those who trust, they are models of self-surrender. They abandoned their own presup- positions and prejudices about the workings of the world and turned their lives over to belief in a God who can make life grow where none ought to; a God who can turn death around into a new and unimagined life; a God who can, today, take a tiny child of humble parents in an insignificant town and make him into a light for all the world. This is what we, as God’s holy family, are called to do each day: to trust not in ourselves and the way we think things should be, but to open ourselves and surrender our- selves in faith to a God of endless promise. © Copyright, J. S. Paluch Co. Treasures From Our Tradition In the last century, a few new feasts were blended into the Church year, including today’s. After World War I, the chaos of daily life in Europe made its impact felt on the family structure. Partly to offer Christians an image of hope and holiness in mar- ried family life, and also to promote the welfare of children, today’s feast was “invented” in 1921. In 1969, it became a feast of Christmas. Prayer in a Time of Pandemic The prayers today remind us not only of family life, but of O God of compassion, life in the community of faith. We ponder the mystery of a God your people are anxious who loves us dearly enough to embrace the struggles, joys, and in this time of pandemic. daily sorrows of family life. The message of Christmas shines Send your Holy Spirit among us through: God-with-us is available to us in the ordinary patterns to dispel our fears. of our lives and commitments. The lives of people who raise We cry out to you in our confusion; their children in difficult circumstances, and of people who re- comfort us in our affliction. main faithful to life in the Church in spite of some of their own Grant our leaders wisdom to guide us. family struggles, occupy a special place in our hearts today in Strengthen and sustain those who are ill, prayer. and be with those who care for them. ~ Rev. James Field, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co. Help us to travel this road in solidarity with our neighbors, with our eyes fixed on the salvation Children of Eternity promised us through the death and resurrection You are children of eternity. Your immortal crown awaits of your Son, you, to reward your duty and love. You may indeed sow here in who is Lord forever and ever. tears, but you may be sure there to reap in joy. Amen. ~ St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co., Inc. No Surprises We are told by all spiritual writers that one important point to bear in mind, as we seek to attain humility, is not to be sur- prised by our own faults and failures. ~ François Fénelon, archbishop of Cambrai Please Pray for our Holy Father’s Intention for December Pope’s Intention: For a life of prayer. That our personal relationship with Jesus Christ be nourished by the Word of God and a life of prayer. St. Patrick Lifetime Donors As a Lifetime Donor of St. Patrick Church, your name will be posted on the “Wall of Saint Patrick Strong: Lifetime Do- nors.” Once a month a mass will be offered for your intention. Your generous donation is tax-deductible. At the end of the year you will receive a financial statement from the parish for tax purposes. Saint Patrick Church is a City Landmark #4 in San Francis- co. Please help us maintain and preserve this beautiful church and continue its legacy as a parish serving not only its parish- ioners but also the many visitors from all over the world that come to worship in this historic church. To make a donation please go to our parish web- site:www.stpatricksf.org. On our homepage scroll down and click Online Giving. Create an account if you don’t have one yet. Once you have created an account you will be given op- tions. Please choose the Lifetime Donor option. We are asking a Lifetime Donor to donate a minimum of $20 a week or $80 a month. Your privacy and financial information are safe with us. FAQ About Lifetime Donors And we recommend that you use your credit card for an easier Q. How do I become a Lifetime Donor of St. Patrick Church? and faster transaction. A. You become a Lifetime Donor if you commit to making a Thank you for your generosity and support. For more infor- recurring weekly donation of at least $20 or a recurring month- mation, ly gift of at least $80. email us at [email protected] Q. How do I make a recurring weekly or monthly gift/ or call us at 415-421-3730 donation? A. You can do it by creating an online account on our parish website: www.stpatricksf.org. On the homepage scroll down and click Online Giving and then Create New Account. After creating your account please choose the option Lifetime Do- nors and proceed from there. Q. What if I already have an online giving account? A. You can log on to your account and change your previous option to Lifetime Donors. Q. What happens after I become a Lifetime Donor? A. Your name or family name will be displayed on the “Wall of Saint Patrick Strong: Lifetime Donors”. Once a month a mass will be offered for your intention. Q. Is there a timeline for this? A. This will be an ongoing solicitation of donors until the goal of 500 donors is reached. Q. What happens when the donor dies or stops making a recur- ring gift? A. The donor’s name will be removed from the wall. However, if a family member or relative of the deceased donor decides to continue making the recurring weekly or monthly gift on the deceased donor’s behalf, the donor’s name will remain posted on the wall. Q. Should the donors be registered parishioners? A. Anyone, parishioners or non-parishioners, may be asked to become Lifetime Donors. Q. Is the donation unrestricted and tax deductible? A. Yes. At the end of the year the donors will receive a finan- cial statement from the parish for tax purposes. N.B. I am very well aware of those who have been financially impacted by the pandemic. I understand if they are not able to help financially. However, they can still support the parish with their prayers. Prayers are essential especially during this time of pandemic. Feast of Faith Processions Why does the liturgy begin with a procession? It is not just a practical matter of getting the ministers of the liturgy from the sacristy to the sanctuary. The procession is a powerful sign of who we are as Christian people. We are not static, staying in one place. We are going somewhere. Our procession leads us to the altar, sign of Christ’s presence in our midst. We move, we process, because we recognize our need for what Christ is pre- paring for us at that table. We go forward eagerly, because we are hungry for that heavenly food. This procession is an orderly one: servers, deacon, priest presider. Each is set apart by distinctive vesture: albs for the altar servers, dalmatic for the deacon, chasuble for the priest. The procession is an image of the hierarchical structure of the Church. On a deeper level it is an image of unity in diversity. We are all on a journey to the heavenly city, but each of us is clothed with different gifts. We all receive the call to service, but not in the same way.