John Vianney To know and love Jesus and follow Christ in compassionate service.

July 22nd, 2018 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Pastor’s Corner

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

It is with great sadness that I inform you of Tree Gorman’s decision to resign from her post of Director of Liturgy and Sacred Music with effect from July 31st. I accepted her resignation and thanked her for her services to our Community and wished her the best.

Tree blessed our Parish Community for the past three years with her countless gifts. She will be remembered for her creative and lively liturgy. Working in close collaboration with the various choirs and Liturgy Committee, she breathed new life into the Spiritual Life of our Parish Community. The love and care with which she was present to the many bereaved families that mourned the loss of their loved ones is yet another WELCOME trait of her ministry. Her melodious voice that helped us to pray will surely be missed many of us. Saint John Vianney Parish is a community of faith,

It is often said: While all gave some, some gave their all. Tree hope and love. We strive to foster our spiritual growth and share the gifts God has given to us all. did just that. She was a huge help to me as she led the Core Group Meetings each Monday. This group evaluates the You are invited to join Saint John Vianney Parish, weekend experience of the bygone week, and prepares for the registration forms are in the back of the church, on our upcoming Sunday Liturgies. She had a lead role in the website www.sjvianney.org or stop by the Parish functioning of the Senior Leadership Team. This team of staff Office. You can drop off a form in the collection keeps their eyes on the Vision and Mission of our Parish. To baskets in church. say that Tree will be missed is an understatement. Though it You are invited to share your gifts with our St. John hurts to see her go, I realize that we need to respect her Vianney community. Is God calling you to become a decision. part of this important work of the people of God? On behalf of our Parish Community and on my own, I’d like to thank Tree for her ministerial presence in our midst. I urge one and all, to hold her and her family in your prayers. It was always a joy to the Gorman family minister together. Mass Schedule

On a personal note, I’ll miss bouncing off my ideas on and Mon.–Saturday: 8:30am ministering with my friend. Sat. Evening: 5:00pm May the good Lord who’s never outdone in generosity bless Sun: 7:30, 9:00, 11:00, 5:00pm Tree with good health, happiness and peace of mind. Holy days 8:30 am, Noon, 7:00pm Reconciliation : Saturdays 4– 4:30 pm Yours in Christ Jesus,

Fr. William Rosario 1650 Ygnacio Valley Road Walnut Creek, CA 94598 (925) 939-7911 www.sjvianney.org July 22, 2018 Page 2

Alpha Returns in September

WHAT IS ALPHA & WHY SHOULD I CARE?

Alpha is an opportunity to explore life and the Christian faith in a friendly, open and informal environment. No pressure. No follow up. No charge. Alpha runs in churches, coffee bars, shops and homes all over the world. Typically, Alpha has about eleven sessions and includes food, a short video presentation and time at the end where you can share your thoughts. There is also the opportunity to participate in a half-day retreat on the Saturday following the seventh session. The Alpha Course is open to anyone – those who currently have a faith connection or those who are curious about exploring Christianity but are not yet ready to commit to church.

St. John Vianney will be running two Alpha courses. You can Parish Office & Staff Contact Information choose either Wednesday evenings or Thursday mornings. Wednesday evening sessions run from September 5 through Parish & Faith Formation Office: Monday– Friday. 8:30am - 4:30pm November 28 from 7-9 pm. Thursday sessions will run Closed 12:00pm -1:00pm September 6 through November 29 from 9:15 – 11:15 am. All Phone: (925) 939-7911 Fax: (925) 939-0450 Alpha sessions will be held in Mullen Commons (behind the church) and will begin with a free meal. The sessions should Pastor: last roughly two hours. Please feel free to join us for any or all Rev. William Rosario (Ext. 105) [email protected] of the sessions. Sign-ups will be taken at the back of the church : beginning Sunday August 5th. Herb Casey (Ext. 0) [email protected]

And if you’re not sure about signing up, but find your curiosity is Pastoral Associate for Administration: piqued, please drop in to any Alpha session. Debbie Mellin (Ext. 103) [email protected]

Questions, contact Liz Rogers, [email protected] or call Secretary: (925) 939-7911 ext. 125 (Ext. 100/101) [email protected] Maryanne Richards [email protected] Indira Pethebridge [email protected]

Director of Communications and Community Relations: Charlene Abellana (Ext. 107) [email protected]

Pastoral Associate for Parish Faith Formation: Liz Rogers (Ext. 125) [email protected]

Pastoral Associate for Young Family Faith Formation: Marie Walton (Ext. 106) [email protected]

Director of Youth Ministry: Christian Vargas (Ext. 108) [email protected]

Director of Music and Liturgy: Therese Gorman (Ext. 110) [email protected] July 22, 2018 Page 3

W EEKLY MEETING SCHEDULE W EEKLY MASS INTENTIONS

Monday, July 23, 2018 Monday, July 23, 2018 8:30 am + Margaret Campos 8:00- 8:25 am Group Church Tuesday, July 24, 2018 8:30 am + Mario Pola 1:00-2:00 pm Contra Costa Interfaith Coalition Cmns Library Wednesday, July 25, 2018 8:30 am + Ken Miller 7:00-9:00 pm Finance Committee Office Cnf Rm Thursday, July 26, 2018 8:30 am + Margaret B. Campos Tuesday, July 24, 2018 Friday, July 27, 2018 8:30 am + Lucille Whalen 8:00-8:25 am Rosary Group Church Saturday, July 28, 2018 8:30 am Sandra Sung 9:30-10:30 am Contemplative Prayer Rectory Parlor 5:00 pm + William A Hoem 7:00-9:00 pm Leadership Council Cmns Cnf 3 Sunday, July 29, 2018 7:30 am + Margie Wedin 7:30-9:00 pm Grief Ministry Cmns Vista 9:00 am + Christina Diaz Wednesday, July 25, 2018 + denotes deceased 11:00 am + Angelo Dimech 8:00-8:25 am Rosary Group Church 7:00-9:00 pm Lectors of the week Office Conf. Thursday, July 26, 2018 Pray for the Sick 8:00-8:25 am Rosary Group Church 7:00-9:00 pm St. Vincent dePaul Cmns Cnf 3 May those who are in need of our prayers, place their trust and Friday, July 27, 2018 faith in the comforting presence of the Lord. SJV SUMMER CAMPOUT Jim Altomare Joyce Fellows Carolyn Mayer 8:00-8:25 am Rosary Group Church Valerie Barbitta Pamela Ferrill Joanne Miller 11:30-2:30 pm Senior Social Cmns Vista Larry Balbierz Levi Gharagozian Jack Morgan 11:30-1:00 pm AA FF Rms ABC Stan Barnickle Tree Gorman Ann Narloch Saturday, July 28, 2018 Marianna Bechold Marie Hill Mike Pollard SJV SUMMER CAMPOUT Rowan Burton John Howard Barbara Quevedo 8:00-8:25 am Rosary Group Church Burt Beverly Jacobs Randy Rudd 4:00-4:30 pm Parish Reconciliation Church Jack Calloway Norm & Mark Joanne Rupert 4:30-5:00 pm Music Ministry Church Doris Cherian Jokerst James Michael Sunday, July 29, 2018 Doug Cook Fr. Brian Joyce Tobin SJV SUMMER CAMPOUT Daniel Cruz David Kinyon Jack & Sharla Vohs 9:00 & 11:00 am Children's Lit. of the Word Cmns Vista Bill & Anita Dennis Austin Lemak Josie Wright 4:30-5:00 pm Choir practice - Youth Church Tim Dorr Richard Maihofer Nadine Edelo Bob Mason

Pray for the Deceased St. John Vianney Intentional Giving

In today’s Gospel, Jesus had planned to slip away from the Let us remember those from our parish family who have died crowds for a few moments of peace and a little rest. When He recently and returned to the Lord. We give thanks for theirs lives and offer comfort to their families. saw the people gathered, however, He put His needs aside to meet the needs of others. Sometimes, as good stewards, we Christopher Cheung Fr. Jim McGee Beverly Murray Jim Dempsey Mary Jo Malley Ann Pedersen are called to do the same. Teri Lorenzana Jude Manning Eleanor Skabowski

Collection on July 14 & 15, 2018 Plate Collections including mailed checks: $ 10,406.00 Pray, Always pray. Your prayers are needed. Online Donations: $ 1,345.00 The Rosary is recited daily, Mon-Sat 8am Total Collection: $ 11,751.00 in the Church before Mass. Weekly Goal: $ 18,750.00 This week, lets pray for St. Vincent dePaul Excess: $ (6,999.00) YTD Excess: $ 1,115.50 July 22, 2018 Page 4

sh Life anney Pari St. John Vi MOMS MINISTRY:

SENIOR SOCIAL:

Moms Ministry will meet through the summer on the The July Senior Social is scheduled for July 27th, 11:30 – second Wednesday of each month with the next meeting on 2:30 pm in Mullen Commons. Come hang out, socialize, and August 8, 9:30-11am, in Lower Mullen Commons, Conference meet new people. This is also a great opportunity to renew and Room 3.

invigorate old friendships. Singles, widows, widowers, SJV Moms Ministry’s aim is to bring together moms divorced, separated, and couples are all welcome. The cost is of ALL ages and stages for faith formation, fellowship, support, $5 and includes lunch. You can sign up at www.SJVianney.org friendship and spiritual growth as we journey through the or by calling the office at 925-939-7911. biggest Ministry entrusted to us. For more information, email Senior Book Club: The Senior us: [email protected]. Social sponsors a Senior Book Club that meets for an hour after If you have little ones, feel free to bring them along! Walk-ins lunch at each social. To join, you are welcome! just read the book of the month and show up. July - The Shack VOLUNTEERS FOR CHILDERN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD (CLW)

by William P. Young; August - Game Without Rules: The often As a CLW catechist you will share the Good News with our interrupted history of Afghanistan youngest parishioners. During either the 9 or 11 am Masses, you by Tamin Ansary. will be part of a team that takes the children over to Mullen Commons to read and unpack the Sunday Scriptures at a child’s level. All resources are provided, and you will be trained by a EVERYTHING YOU NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT STUDENT FAITH team of experts. It’s a great way to learn more about the Sunday gospel message and to share it with children. You may even FORMATION REGISTRATION FOR THE discover that your own experience of Mass will be richer because 2018-2019 ACADEMIC YEAR: of it. If interested, please contact Liz Rogers or Marie Walton in

the Faith formation Office, (925) 939-7911. Registration for all 2018 -2019 faith formation student programs No CLW on Sunday, July 29th due to the SJV Family Camping begins soon. To register, you may trip. CLW will resume on Sunday, August 5th. bring completed forms to the parish office, or come to walk-in registration at the Faith Formation ADULT CONFIRMATION PROGRAM BEGINNING OCTOBER Office. (See dates below.) Are you an adult who is an active participant in the church but Registration forms may be has never received the Sacrament of downloaded from the parish Confirmation? Confirmation, together with Baptism and First website , is one of the Sacraments of Initiation. Its reception at: www.sjvianney.org. Please be completes the grace of Baptism and binds one more perfectly to sure to download both the registration form and the Diocese of the Church. Confirmation celebrates the gifts of the Holy Spirit Oakland Child’s Medical and Media Permission form. You will (wisdom, understanding, right judgment, courage, knowledge, also need to bring a copy of your child’s baptismal certificate at reverence and awe in God’s presence) and enriches one with a the time of registration. You can bring a check for the fees or special strength to spread and defend the faith by word and you can pay through our website: sjvianney.org, use the E- deed. Like Baptism it is given only once. Giving button, and scroll to Faith Formation fees. We are beginning classes in early October for adults who wish Walk-in registration will take place in the Faith Formation Hall. to be confirmed by the Bishop at a ceremony in January or The dates are as follows: February. We will meet Wednesday nights from October 10, Tuesday, August 28 from 3 pm to 7 pm 2018 through January 23, 2019 from 7 - 9 pm. To register, or for Wednesday, August 29 from 11 am to 2 pm more information, contact Liz Rogers, (925) 939-7911, x125, or Questions, contact [email protected] email her at [email protected]. or call (925) 939-7911 ext. 124. July 22, 2018 Page 5

h ney in Fait od to Jour Called by G For adults who are not baptized, a process called the Rites God is as close as the door of your heart. of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), following ancient church God is waiting there eager for you to open it. practice, exists in every parish. This begins with an Inquiry God wants this more than you do. phase and culminates at the Easter Vigil (Saturday Easter Eve) with Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation. When an inquirer’s - Meister Eckhart, 14th Century readiness to continue is discerned, you enter Catechumenate, Mystic and Theologian which is a year of hearing the gospel (the good news of Jesus), the good news of Jesus, studying church practices and Perhaps you feel a tug and a desire to explore the Catholic apprenticing as Catholics as you proceed to the Easter Church, whether you are of a different faith tradition, or not a Sacraments. regular active Catholic, or belong to no formal faith tradition. Your For adults who are baptized, either as Catholics or in another response to that urge can be the vehicle for your continued Christian tradition, but have not had the opportunity to be spiritual growth and commitment. How wonderful that you are catechized, (formed as believers and followers), more taking this call seriously and looking at doing your part to respond! formation helps to prepare you to make a statement of faith, When you are open to these stirrings and you recognize them as receive communion or confirmation. You join the unbaptized in important, it is the right time for a step in your journey. You want Inquiry for as long as you need and later, as Candidates for to reflect on your own life and the call you experience while at the Reception into Full Communion with the Catholic Church, you same time you need to hear about Jesus, the living Lord whose participate in their weekly Catechumenate sessions. You life as Catholics we seek to imitate. Meeting with members of our move forward to initiation and profession of faith at a pace that community to do that kind of reflection is a first step. fits your religious background. We celebrate these rites with Are you ready to look more deeply at where you have come from, you at any Sunday Mass at any time of the year; we are not where you are and where you are called to go next? Do you want bound by Easter tradition as we are with the unbaptized. to know how Jesus’ life speaks to the situations in your own life? Inquiry (or Pre-Catechumenate) the initial stage occurs all year That would be the beginning and we are happy to accompany around at St. John Vianney, so you can enter the process you. whenever you want. Every Tuesday evening our inquiry team meets with interested seekers in Room 1, downstairs at the Whether you continue in our parish or another, there will be Commons. people ready to walk with you and guide you as you traverse the If you regularly attend Mass at St. John Vianney, you have milestones along the way. If you continue the quest there will be seen Catechumens dismissed, you probably have blessed further steps that include ritual and always prayer and them and sent them as they go out to dig deeply into the discernment (decision making that recognizes and responds to week’s gospel. You will also see various Rites of Christian God’s invitation to you). Most important, this journey is yours, Initiation performed at different times of the year. In the fall we with God and the community, and is not hampered by any time usually celebrate: A Rite of Acceptance and Welcome, the first frame. It is uniquely your own and we respect the particular call ritual on the journey for an unbaptized adult and an adult and responses that are right for you. baptized as a child, seeking full membership; and in the spring, What do I need to do? we celebrate a Rite of Sending to Election at the Cathedral for To be fully initiated as a Catholic a person must be baptized, those nearing the completion of their journey to Baptism at the receive and be confirmed. These three (Baptism, Easter Vigil. Eucharist and Confirmation) are called “Sacraments of Initiation”. For adults who have received both Baptism and Eucharist The church has many ways for adults to complete initiation, but were never confirmed, St. John Vianney offers three depending on circumstances of your own faith journey. Most months of classes beginning in October each year and important, as our parish Mission Statement says, is for each one finishing with confirmation by the Bishop at the Cathedral. In of us to grow “to know and love Jesus and to follow him in January this year eight of our parishioners were confirmed in compassionate service”. That is what all preparation of adults for this way. initiation strives to instill. To explore your options or to talk about your own personal spiritual journey please contact me, Liz Rogers, at the parish office: (925) 939-7911, [email protected] Our next Inquiry session will begin Tuesday evening, July 10 and will continue into the fall. God wants this more than you do. Gospel Reflections Today’s Readings For several weeks we have listened to readings that have First Reading — I shall gather the remnant of my flock recounted just how arduous the work of prophets and disciples and bring them back to their meadow (Jeremiah 23:1-6). can be. In today’s Gospel, the Lord Jesus listens to the reports Psalm — The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I of those he had sent out “two by two” to minister to the people. shall want (Psalm 23). After the apostles reported what they had done, Jesus, Second Reading — In Christ Jesus you who were once recognizing their fatigue, says, “Come away by yourselves to a far off have become near by the blood of Christ deserted place and rest awhile” (Mark 6:31). Perhaps this is (Ephesians 2:13-18). what the Lord is telling his disciples in the year 2018 as well. Gospel — When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was We need to pause on our journey of discipleship and simply moved with pity for them, and he began to teach them rest in the Lord. Sunday Mass provides many opportunities for many things (Mark 6:30-34). quiet times, particularly during the periods of silence following the readings. Why not take the time today to allow the saving Readings for the Week word of the Lord to penetrate your heart during those silent Monday: Mi 6:1-4, 6-8; Ps 50:5-6, 8-9, 16bc-17, times? Ask the Lord to renew you in body, mind, and spirit for 21, 23; Mt 12:38-42 the arduous work of discipleship. Tuesday: Mi 7:14-15, 18-20; Ps 85:2-8; Mt 12:46-50 Treasures from our Tradition Wednesday: 2 Cor 4:7-15; Ps 126:1bc-6; Mt 20:20-28 Thursday: Jer 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13; Ps 26:6-7ab, 8-11; The American Revolution cleared the way for freedom of religion Mt 13:10-17 in the former colonies, since the colonies had always been a Friday: Jer 3:14-17; Jer 31:10-13; Mt 13:18-23 more religiously tolerant place than the old country. Even so, Saturday: Jer 7:1-11; Ps 84:3-6a, 8a, 11; Mt 13:24-30 colonial laws restricted the practice of the Catholic faith, and just Sunday: 2 Kgs 4:42-44; Ps 145:10-11, 15-18; as in , Americans who desired to be priests or nuns had Eph 4:1-6; Jn 6:1-15 to go to the Netherlands or . As political storm clouds gathered in France, an American woman, Mother Bernardina and Special Observances Matthews, the prioress of the Hoogstraeten Carmel in Holland, made a brave move. With two other American nuns, her nieces, Sunday: Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time and a Dutch sister, she came to Port Tobacco, Maryland, in Monday: St. Bridget 1790. Within twenty years the community had grown to twenty, Tuesday: St. Sharbel Makhlūf although by 1823 their farm failed and they had to move to Wednesday: St. James Baltimore and open a school. The Carmelite order requires Thursday: Ss. Joachim and Anne contemplation and cloister, so in time the school was closed. Saturday: Blessed Virgin Mary The Port Tobacco land had long since been sold, but in 1976 a community of nuns was able to return thanks to loyal neighbors who had worked for forty years for their restoration. Today, our original American convent is fully alive in prayer, hard work, and strong community.