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Fr.
Charles
Puthota
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From
the Pastor's
Desktop
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A
Message from
Father Charles
Puthota
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April
21,
2024
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Dear
Parishioners of
St.
Elizabeth,
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Easter
Seasonal
Musings: We are
in the fourth week of
Easter. By allowing the
mystery of Easter to
become part of our
lives, we could begin to
enjoy its power and
beauty. The Risen Christ
has shown us the way
that, despite all sorts
of odds in our life,
hope springs eternal for
new life. We are to come
away from the tombs to
places where life with
Christ abounds. We can
leave our tombs of sin
and guilt, selfishness
and self-centeredness,
greed and
self-gratification, bias
and prejudice, grudges
and resentment, hatred
and bitterness, anger
and indifference,
anguish and anxiety,
complacency and
hopelessness. We can
walk triumphant with the
Risen Lord into the
light of life. We are an
Easter people! We are a
Resurrection people! We
are a people of hope and
peace and joy! Let's
come away from the mood
of Lent and the sadness
of Good Friday and
rejoice with the Lord.
He's risen from the
dead, alleluia! Because
of Jesus' resurrection,
we can experience
transcendence in our
daily lives---and help
heal, comfort, console,
and transform the world,
one person at a time,
one day at a time, one
situation at a time, one
relationship at a time,
one issue at a time. May
the Risen Christ
energize us as he did
2000 years ago --- for
love and service.
Easter
Quotes: Gordon
B. Hinckley: "There
would be no Christmas if
there was no Easter."
Charles M. Crowe:
"Easter tells us that
life is to be
interpreted not simply
in terms of things but
in terms of ideals."
Kate McGahan: "The very
first Easter taught us
this: that life never
ends and love never
dies." Pope Francis: "We
proclaim the
resurrection of Christ
when his light
illuminates the dark
moments of our
existence." S.D. Gordon:
"Easter spells out
beauty, the rare beauty
of new life."." Basil
Hume: "The great gift of
Easter is hope."
Archdiocesan
Annual Appeal (AAA)
2024:
Archdiocesan Annual
Appeal (AAA)---We've
Reached the Goal of
$32,089. Congratulations
and Thanks! Please see
the names of donors on
the last page of the
bulletin. Those who are
still considering,
please give; the surplus
gets returned to our
parish for our own
parish ministries and
services. In the time
span of six weeks, we
reached the goal. We
started the 2024 AAA
campaign on February 4
and arrived at our goal
by March 17. Again, my
deep gratitude to
everyone who
participated in AAA. I
would like to thank
specially all those who
donated generously 1.5%
($500 and more) so
thoughtfully and kindly,
which made it easier for
us to reach our goal
swiftly.
Good Shepherd
Sunday: The
Fourth Sunday of Easter
is traditionally known
as the Good Shepherd
Sunday. In the gospel
from John 10 Jesus says:
"I'm the good shepherd.
A good shepherd lays
down his life for the
sheep." Having laid down
his life for us, this
good shepherd shepherds
us through all sorts of
situations and
circumstances to green
pastures. He protects us
from danger. He feeds
us. He guides us. He
carries us in his arms.
He knows us and wants us
to know him. In our love
for this good shepherd,
we are called to help
shepherd one another
toward Christ.
World Day of
Prayer for
Vocations: This
Sunday April 21, 2024
marks the 61st
anniversary of the World
Day of Prayer for
vocations. It's a day to
pray publicly for and
promote vocations to the
priesthood, religious
life, and diaconate.
It's an invitation and
challenge to those who
might consider saying
yes to the call of the
Good Shepherd to
collaborate with him in
tending and feeding the
"sheep," the people of
God. As Jesus said: "The
harvest is abundant but
the laborers are
few
"
A Prayer for
Vocations:
God, our Father, in
your love and
providence, you call
each of us to a holy
life. We pray for young
people in the
Archdiocese of San
Francisco. Open their
hearts and minds to know
the vocation You have
planned for them for all
eternity. If they are
being invited to follow
You as a priest, brother
or sister, give them a
generous heart to
respond to your
challenging call and the
strength to follow
wherever You lead them.
May families desire to
please You by
encouraging and
supporting vocations
within their homes. We
ask this through Jesus
Christ, Our Good
Shepherd. Amen.
News from the
Vatican: Pope Francis'
Apostolic Visit:
The Holy Father will be
visiting four
countries---Indonesia,
Papua New Guinea,
Timor-Leste, and
Singapore---from
September 2 through 13,
2024. This will be his
43rd Apostolic Journey
abroad. Indonesia is
world's largest
Muslim-majority country
with 8 million Catholics
(3.1% of the
population). Papua New
Guinea has 2 million
Catholics (32%).
Timor-Leste is 96%
Catholic, numbering over
1 million people. In
Singapore, 395,000
Catholics live,
representing 3% of the
population.
A Story to Ponder:
Give Your Best to
Others: A
farmer, whose corn
always took the first
prize at the State Fair,
had the habit of sharing
his best corn seed with
all the farmers in the
neighborhood. When asked
why, he said, "It is
really a matter of
self-interest. The wind
picks up the pollen and
carries it from field to
field. So, if my
neighbors grow inferior
corn the
cross-pollination brings
down the quality of my
own corn. That is why I
am concerned that they
plant only the very
best." All that you
give to others you are
giving to
yourself.
Catholic Joke ---
The Lord is My
Shepherd: A
Faith Formation teacher
decided to have her 2nd
grade class memorize
Psalm 23, one of the
most quoted passages in
the Bible. She gave the
children a month to
learn the chapter. One
little boy was excited
about the task, but he
just couldn't memorize
the Psalm. Although he
practiced and practiced,
he could hardly get past
the first line. The day
came for the children to
recite Psalm 23 before
the congregation. The
little boy was nervous.
When his turn came, he
stepped up to the
microphone and proudly
said, "The Lord is my
Shepherd, and that's all
I need to know!"
May the Risen Christ
this Easter Season fill
you with his deep,
abiding gift of peace
which no one can take
away from you,
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Your
Friend and
Pastor,
Father
Charles
Puthota.
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Further
Listening
Sessions
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Toward
the Synodal Meetings in October
2024
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In
preparation for the second
session of the Synod in October
2024, the Vatican has asked all
dioceses all over the world,
including in the United States,
to hold listening sessions on the
following two questions:
- "Where
have I seen or experienced
successes -- and distresses --
within the Church's
structure(s)/organization/leadership/life
that encourage or hinder the
mission?"
- "How
can the structures and
organization of the Church
help all the baptized to
respond to the call to
proclaim the Gospel and to
live as a community of love
and mercy in Christ?
Deadline
to submit the answers to the
U.S. Bishops' Conference is
April 8. These reports will be
synthesized regionally and
nationally--- and the final
report will be sent to the
Vatican Synodal Office by May
15, 2024.
The
Vatican's guidance that shaped
the above questions incorporates
four questions:
- "How
can we enhance the
differentiated
co-responsibility in the
mission of all the members of
the People of God?";
- "What
ways of relating, structures,
processes of discernment and
decision-making with regard to
mission make it possible to
recognize, shape, and promote
co-responsibility?";
- "What
ministries and participatory
bodies can be renewed or
introduced to better express
this co-responsibility?" and,
- "How
can these relations be
creatively articulated in
order to find 'a dynamic
balance between the dimension
of the Church as a whole and
its local roots?'
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.............................................(Source:
America Magazine and
NCR)
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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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