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CHRISTMAS
2023 SCHEDULE
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Christmas
Eve
Sunday, December 24th
at 4:30pm
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Christmas
Day
Monday, December 25th
at 8:30am and
10:30am
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From
the Pastor's
Desktop
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Fr.
Charles
Puthota
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A
Message from
the
Pastor
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December
10,
2023
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Dear
Parishioners of
St.
Elizabeth,
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Advent:
The word "advent" itself
means "coming" or
"arrival." It is
obviously about the
coming of Jesus.
Remember the words of
Jesus before his
ascension into heaven:
"I'll be with you
always." Jesus is with
us always. Only we do
not see and recognize
him. We do not hear and
touch him. We can
imagine him saying: "You
have eyes, but you don't
see; have ears, but
don't hear." There are
many things in life that
prevent us from being in
touch with Jesus. Our
preoccupations and
anxieties may leave us
with no time or space
for Jesus in our lives.
That is why the concept
of "coming" is very
helpful. It has the
sense of dynamism built
into it. It has the
meaning that it is
happening in our lives
now, in our present
situations and
circumstances. It's not
about the past or the
future so much as it is
about how Jesus is
coming into our lives
now, encountering us,
calling us, sending us,
fulfilling us, and
blessing us. As we go
about our daily,
ordinary lives, how can
we prepare ourselves in
our minds and hearts for
his coming? Or as we
face difficult
situations such as
disease, death in the
family, failure,
rejection, depression,
panic, and all sorts of
sad experiences, how can
we let Jesus come into
our lives today so that
he can make a difference
and lift us up with his
grace and love?
Advent
Quotes: "Each of
us is an innkeeper who
decides if there is room
for Jesus." --- Neal A.
Maxwell. "Hope sees the
invisible, feels the
intangible, achieves the
impossible." "Advent:
Arrival, Start,
Beginning, Dawn,
Initiation,
Introduction." "Advent:
Close your eyes and open
your mind." "Advent: the
time to listen for
footsteps --- you can't
hear footsteps when
you're running
yourself." --- Bill
McKibben. "The season of
Advent means there is
something on the horizon
the likes of which we
have never seen before.
So stay. Sit. Linger.
Tarry. Ponder. Wait.
Behold. Wonder. There
will be time enough for
running."---Jan
Richardson. "Advent,
like its cousin Lent, is
a season for prayer and
reformation of our
hearts."--- Edward
Hays.
Thank-You Note
from Catholic Charities
Hawaii for our Parish
Gift: You may
recall that in October,
in the wake of the
tragic Maui wildfires,
our parish took up a
second collection at the
weekend Masses and I
forwarded $1,188.00 to
the Catholic Charities
Hawaii. They have sent
me a letter, which, in
part, reads: "Dear Fr.
Charles, Mahalo for your
gift of $1,188 received
on 10/31/2023 from St.
Elizabeth Church to
Catholic Charities
Hawai'i Maui Relief
Fund. Through your
partnership, we are able
to provide vital relief
efforts in recovery
through services such as
financial assistance,
mental health
counseling, supporting
those with the greatest
need, and more
. On
behalf of Catholic
Charities Hawai'i and
the people we serve,
thank you for the impact
your gift has allowed us
to make. With your gift,
we are able to help the
people of Maui with the
resources they need to
overcome this tragedy
and rebuild their lives.
A sincere mahalo for
your thoughts, prayers,
and kokua as we navigate
through this challenging
time together." Letter
signed by Kellie
Schmidtke, Director, and
Be-Jay Kodama,
Vice-President.
Word of God,
Second Sunday of Advent,
Year B: "Comfort
ye, comfort ye, my
people" is the cry in
Isaiah. God comforts,
heals, and forgives. A
voice cries out to
prepare the way.
Mountains will be made
low, valleys shall be
filled. Glad tidings
will be spoken. God
comes with power; like a
shepherd he feeds the
flock and gathers the
lambs, carrying them in
his bosom, leading them
with care. In the
gospel, too, there is a
voice crying out in the
wilderness, echoing the
sentiments of Isaiah.
This voice is John the
Baptist's, as he
prepares the way for
Jesus. He acknowledges
his unworthiness before
the Lord, the one
mightier than John. He
will baptize with the
Holy Spirit. We could
look into our hearts and
minds and see how we can
prepare ourselves and
others for the coming of
Jesus this season, how
we can let him
straighten the crooked
paths and receive
wholeheartedly the new
and bold things he is
willing to accomplish in
our lives and the
world.
ICF Christmas
Luncheon: On
December 1, our local
ICF chapter met at the
Basque Cultural Center
for a Christmas
luncheon. Thanks to Eva
Perata, her sister Mary,
Florence, and their team
for arranging this
gathering and the meal
as we begin to look
forward to the
heartwarming season of
Advent and Christmas.
Such events help put the
spirit of Christmas in
the air.
Simbang Gabi
Masses at 8:30a.m. from
Dec. 16 through Dec.
24: We will have
the Simbang Gabi related
ceremonies and prayers
at the daily Mass at
8:30a.m. On the two
Sundays December 17 and
24, Simbang Gabi will be
combined with the
10:30a.m. Masses. I
would like to encourage
everyone, especially the
Filipino community, to
come together for this
beautiful devotional
preparation for nine
days before Christmas.
The contact person for
Simbang Gabi this year
is Gloria Trinidad, who
will be assisted by May
Devera and Beth Pasco.
Please do let them know
how you would like to
participate, support and
sponsor Simbang
Gabi.
A Story to
Ponder: When the
young rabbi succeeded
his father everyone
began to tell him how
completely unlike his
father he was. "On the
contrary," replied the
young man. "I'm exactly
like the old man. He
imitated no one. I
imitate no one." Be
yourself! Beware of
imitating the behavior
of the great if you do
not have the inner
disposition that
inspired them to
act.
Humor: 1.
My wife says I'm getting
fatter, but in my
defense, I've had a lot
on my plate recently. 2.
I'm so good at sleeping.
I can do it with my eyes
closed. 3. Why did it
take so long for the
pirates to learn the
alphabet? They got stuck
at C. 4. Why did the
golfer bring two pairs
of pants? In case he got
a hole in one. 5. What
did one plate whisper to
the other plate? Dinner
is on me. 6. What did
one hat say to the
other? You stay here.
I'll go on ahead. 7. Why
did the scarecrow win an
award? He was
outstanding in his
field. 8. How do you
make an octopus laugh?
With ten-tickles. 9. I
know a lot of jokes
about unemployed people
but none of them work.
Christmas
Mass Schedule:
Christmas Eve December
24 at 4:30p.m. Christmas
Day December 25 at
8:30a.m. and 10:30a.m.
Wishing
you a blessed season of
Advent,
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Your
Friend and
Pastor,
Father
Charles
Puthota
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The
Synod on Synodality
October 2021 to October
2024
Theme:
Communion, Participation,
Mission: The Synod on Synodality
is a three-year process of
listening and dialogue that began
with a solemn opening in Rome on
October 9 and 10, 2021. The
synodal process will conclude in
2024. Each individual diocese in
the whole world has gone through
a process of preparation for the
Synod. The Synod is both an event
and a process in which the whole
People of God are called to walk
to gather together toward what
the Holy Spirit helps it to
discern as being the Lord's will
for his Church. Pope Francis has
invited the entire Church to
reflect on a theme that is
decisive for its life and
mission: "It is precisely this
path of synodality which God
expects of the Church of the
third millennium. This journey,
which follows in the wake of the
Church's "renewal" proposed by
the Second Vatican Council, is
both a gift and a task: by
journeying together and
reflecting together on the path
that has been made, the Church
will be able to learn through Her
experience which processes can
help Her to live communion, to
achieve participation, and to
open Herself to mission." The
16th Ordinary General Assembly of
the Synod of Bishops will be held
in two sessions. The first one
from October 4 to 29, 2023. The
second session will be in October
2024.
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What
is a synod? A synod in the
Catholic Church is both an event
and a process where clergy,
religious, and laity gather to
discern important matters of the
faith. It is a journey of search
rooted in the Holy Spirit. Synods
are transformative events that
lead to renewal in the life of
the Church. The current synod is
called Synod on
Synodality. Its a
synod that would explore the very
processes of synod and examine
how as the People of God we are
journeying together. Pope Francis
says: Synodality is the way
of being the Church today
according to the will of God, in
a dynamic of discerning and
listening together to the voice
of the Holy Spirit. You
might want to be informed more
about this Synod by going online
and doing your own research.
Do check out the Synod
website
https://www.synod.va/en.html
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MASS
SCHEDULE
as of
November 23,
2023
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Saturday:
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4:30
p.m.
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...
Sunday:
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8:30
a.m. & 10:30
a.m.
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Monday
thru Saturday:
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8:30
a.m.
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Holy
Days:
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8:30
a.m. & 6:00
p.m.
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Confessions:
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..4:00
p.m. on Saturdays before the 4:30
Vigil Mass
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10:00
a.m. on Sundays before the 10:30
a.m. Mass
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PARISH SACRAMENTAL
CELEBRATIONS
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SACRAMENT
OF
BAPTISM
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SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION
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High
School Students
should call the
Religious
Education
Office for more
information.
Adult
confirmation is
available on an
individual
basis.
-.Details
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SACRAMENT
OF THE
ANOINTING OF
THE
SICK
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Call
the Parish
Office in case
of serious
illness and
before surgery
and hospital
care. -
Details
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SACRAMENT
OF
EUCHARIST
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Our
Eucharistic
Ministers are
available to
bring the
Eucharist to
the sick or
homebound.
Contact the
Parish Office.
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Details
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SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
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Saturday
3:30pm to
4:15pm or by
appointment. -
Details
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SACRAMENT
OF
MARRIAGE
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There
is a six month
period of
preparation for
the celebration
of this
Sacrament.
Contact the
Parish Office
to make
arrangements. -
Details
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Faith
Formation
- Cantwell
Hall
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Saturday
9:00am to
11:00am. -
Details
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Parish
Office:
(415)
468-0820
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Benediction
and Our Lady of
Perpetual Help
Novena:
Wednesdays
after the 8:30am
Mass.
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Legion
of Mary
Meeting
5:00pm Monday in the
Church.
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1000
Hail Mary's
Third
Saturday after the
8:30am Mass until
3:30pm.
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Over
50
Group
Thursdays at 12:00pm in
Cantwell Hall.
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Rev.
Charles Puthota, Ph. D.,
Pastor
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Sandy
Mehrwein,
Parish
Secretary
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Patricia
Spiteri,
Pastoral
Coordinator
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Laurrie
Digneo,
Coordinator
of Faith
Formation
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