This Sunday is the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time in our Church calendar. It is also World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR), which is celebrated on the last Sunday of September each year. "It is always an occasion to express concern for different vulnerable people on the move, to pray for them as they face many challenges; and to increase awareness about the opportunities that migration offers," as the U.S. Confraternity of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) explains. We have to remember that America is a nation built by immigrants. Let us pray for all immigrants and refugees.

Fall is upon us! September 22, 2022, we marked the first day of Fall or Autumn. We have a lot of holidays celebrated during this season. This Sunday is Rosh Hashanah, the New Year of our Jewish brothers and sisters. We celebrate Columbus Day on Monday, October 10; Halloween on Monday, October 31; Veterans Day on Friday, November 11 and Thanksgiving Day on Thursday, November 24. The Church celebrates big feasts during the Fall Season: All Saints Day on Tuesday, November 1; All Souls Day on November 2; Christ the King on Sunday, November 27 and the Immaculate Conception on Thursday, December 8. During this Fall Season, the Church calendar starts a new year with the season of Advent on Sunday, December 4. We have a lot to celebrate and thank for this season.

We started our RCIA program last Wednesday. We welcome our candidates called as "Inquirers" at this time. Juliana Leon and Maria Santellan will both receive the three sacraments of initiation, e.g., Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist on Easter Vigil. Joe Gutierrez will receive Confirmation and Eucharist, and Joshua Warit will receive Confirmation. We thank Mary Hile-Nepfel, our RCIA director and team members, Ray Colline, Jerry Burdick, Tom Arthur, Robert Flores, Jeanie Munich, Lucy Kaloucava, Deacon John Meyer and Deacon Rusty Duffey.

Our priests in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, will be having a Priests' Convocation from Monday thru Thursday, September 26 - 29 at the Asilomar Retreat Center, in Pacific Grove, CA. During these four days, priests will have the opportunity to discuss mutual pastoral concerns, participate in special presentations on different aspects of their ministry, be given an update on the affairs of the diocese, and share in liturgies, meals and fellowship with their confreres. Since Fr. Boie and I will be away, Deacon John Meyer will do a Communion Service from Tuesday until Thursday at 8:30 a.m. Please pray for us!

Our Year 2 Confirmation students and their parents from both St. Robert School and CCD program will have their orientation meeting this Tuesday, September 27, 2022. Last Tuesday was the Year 1 Confirmation meeting. If interested or if you have any question, just contact our parish Religious Education directors Leslie Fong and Joanne Bartolotti or Edgar Ceja, our school Religious Education director.

Our monthly Grief Support Meeting will be held on Thursday, October 6, 2022, after the 8:30AM Mass, in the Convent. The meeting is open to all who are grieving the loss of a loved one. For more information, please email: Judy Kerrigan - srconsolationmin@att.net

I share with Dr. Sullivan's deepest gratitude to those who worked tirelessly for the success of our Festival. (Full Statement below) As a "first timer", I have witnessed and felt the sense of community that we have at St. Roberts. In all humility, I can confidently say I am proud to be the pastor of this wonderful community.

Additional Updates:

This Sunday, the Fil-AM group will celebrate the Feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, at the 11:30AM mass. The actual feast of San Lorenzo or Saint Lawrence Ruiz and companions, martyrs of the church, is celebrated on September 28. The statue of Saint Lawrence will be displayed in the church this weekend.

This Tuesday, September 27, is the Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul. We remember and pray for the members of our St. Robert's Saint Vincent de Paul Society as they continue to serve the poor in our community. We thank them for their tireless effort to feed the hungry and care for the needy. Also, this Thursday is the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, the archangels.

We will have our annual Blessing of Animals next Saturday, October 1, 2022 at 9:30AM at the main parking lot. It is also the first Saturday of the month when we do our Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary as we pray especially for peace in the world.

Don't forget the In-Betweeners meeting/dinner next Friday, September 30 at 6:30PM. Bring a friend. What a best way to end the month of September!

Fr. Arnold