St. Robert's Catholic Church Bulletin, May 9, 2004

St. Robert's Catholic Church

1380 Crystal Springs Road, San Bruno, CA 94066

Tel: (650) 589-2800

PARISH BULLETIN
May 9, 2004
Fifth Sunday of Easter

Dear Parishioners,

After hearing fine homilies from the priests this weekend, I want to put my "two cents" in about vocations. I entered in 1965 when Vatican II was just beginning to trickle down into the parishes. The 19 of us who entered with me were (unknown to us) to be the last large group to enter. We were the last to wear wedding dresses at reception; the sense then was that we were becoming Brides of Christ. We were the last to receive the long habit; our clothing was to set us apart because of our commitment. We were the last to keep silence except at recreation: "Be still and know that I am God." We were the last to change our names; symbolic of the new life we were beginning. The emphasis was on our difference from the rest of you.

In calling the Second Vatican Council, good Pope John XXIII wanted to open the windows. He called the whole Church to return to its roots, to go back to the time of Jesus and review practices that came from the Council of Trent. He called for religious congregations to go back to our roots, too, and, being obedient, we did. The result of that return was the renewal of religious life and the many changes that renewal brought. Suddenly allowed to have human relationships outside the community or fraternity, some religious and priests experienced falling in love for the first time and left. Others experienced falling in love, worked it through with a trusted advisor, and re-committed themselves.

I hope that you value the change in our relationships with you which Vatican II has brought. I hope that you experience us as your sisters and the priests as your brothers. Our celibacy doesn't make us better than you. Hopefully, it frees us from family obligations so that we can focus on God, listen more deeply to you, and share with you the fruits of the spirituality and theological education that we have more time for.

I would not trade my 39 years as a Franciscan Sister for anything. (I'll include some of those experiences in subsequent articles.) If you're a single young adult reading this or if you know of a 20 something or 30 something woman or man who has the qualities you'd like to see in a sister or priest, why not suggest that she or he talk with one of the priests, one of the Presentation Sisters or myself? If the person is in high school or college, invite him or her to do the same. Someone has said "We will get the leadership we pray for." I'd like to add "And the leadership we encourage."

Peace,
Sister Sheral

PARISH COUNCIL AND SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS
May 15th and 16th

Three new members are needed for the Parish Council and two members for the School Board. Applications for the Council and for the School Board are available at the Parish office: 589-2800. This is a great time to make an important contribution to our Parish life.

Monday - May 10 Readings: Acts 14:5-18 Jn 14:21-26
Mass Intention	6:30 8:30	All Mothers Don Andrew Alchera †
Women's Guild St. Vincent de Paul	6:00p 7:00p	Hall Mahoney Room
Tuesday - May 11 Readings: Acts 14:19-28 Jn 14:27-31a
Mass Intention	6:30 8:30	Mary Keenan † All Mothers
Religious Education Legion of Mary Athletic Board Meeting Choir Rehearsal Directory Meeting Liturgy Committee Mtg.	3:30p 6:30p 7:00p 7:00p 7:30p 7:30p	Hall/Church Library Mahoney Room Church 6th Grade Classroom Convent Chapel
Wednesday - May 12 Readings: Acts 15:1-6 Jn 15:1-6
Mass Intention	6:30 8:30	All Mothers Charles Agius †
Choir Practice 8th Grade Party Meeting	7:00p 7:00p	Church Hall
Thursday - May 13 Readings: Acts 15:7-21 Jn 15:9-11
Mass Intention	6:30 8:30	Mary Eileen Gradishar † All Mothers
Scripture Sharing Religious Education RCIA Fil/Am	9:15a 3:30p 7:00p 7:00p	Mary's Chapel Hall/Church Church Hall
Friday - May 14 Readings: Acts 1:15-17,20-26 Jn 15:9-17
Mass Intention	6:30 8:30	All Mothers Adalin Lagomarsino †
8th Grade Grad. Mtg.	6:00p	Hall
Saturday - May 15 Readings: Acts 16:1-10 Jn 15:18-21
Mass Intention	8:30 4:30	All Mothers Ernest Rozani †
First Eucharist	10:00a 12:00p	Church
Sunday - May 16 Readings: Acts 15:1-2,22-29 Rv 21:10-14 Jn 14:23-29
Mass Intention	7:30 9:30 11:30 5:00	Irene Mocelin † All Mothers People of St. Robert's Ana Kovacevic †
Fil/Am	All Day	Hall

The Church Is Open

St. Robert's is open from before the 6:30 am Mass until 5pm. As you're going from work or school or are on your way to the park, why not come in and thank the Lord for the gift of life and the beauty of these days?

God's peace will refresh you.

Come and participate in Saint Robert's
Celebrating Mary
Sunday, May 16, 2004

May is a time for community devotion to Mary.
A wonderful occasion for the parish to come together as
one family - celebrate Mary as our Mother!

Rosary 11:00 A.M.
Celebration Mass 11:30 A.M.
Luncheon after the Mass in Hennessy Hall

Children needed for Procession of Flowers
Please contact Esperanza Halili

The Teen Club is going to Great America on Tuesday, June 8th. The cost is $20 per person and that includes admission to the park and transportation. Call Juan, 225-0791, to sign up.

During Teen Room Office Hours, feel free to come to do homework, hang out, socialize, play a game or talk. I hope to see you at as many events as possible. Teen Room Office Hours are as follows:

Tuesday: 2:30 - 9:30 pm
Wednesday: 2:30 - 4:30 pm
Thursday: 2:30 - 4:30 pm

You can reach Juan, Teen Club director, at 255-0791, or email him JuanSantos@saintroberts.org or SRYouthminister@aol.com.

AIDS LUNCH
May 12th

We are scheduled for the 2nd Wednesday of each month. If you can prepare a favorite cookie, snack or lunch item for 10 to 12 people, please drop it off at the Children's Chapel, in the back of Church, by 9 a.m. on May 12th. Please pack the items in a non-returnable container. Frozen items can be donated.

We appreicate your help!

ST. ROBERT'S ST. VINCENT DE PAUL CHAPTER

Listed are a few of the food stuffs that we are running low on: canned vegetables, cereal and oatmeal, peanut butter, juices, packaged cookies, condiments, canned meats and tuna.

St. Robert's School has openings for students entering the 5th grade for the 2004-2005 school year. If you are interested in a quality Catholic education for your child, please contact the principal, Mrs. Bordin, at (650) 583-5065.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

HELP WANTED
WITH OUR UPCOMING NEW PARISH DIRECTORY

Do you or someone you know within the parish have knowledge of digital photography, computer skills, graphics and advertising? If so, contact Annetta Giambruno and plan on attending our next meeting May 11th at 7:30p.m. in the 6th grade classroom.

We NEED and WELCOME your help

ST. ROBERT'S VOCATIONS COMMITTEE

Would you like to help raise the awareness of vocations in our parish? A new group is forming which will spearhead efforts to increase our prayer for vocations and to embark on some activities to help identify and encourage young adults in our midst who might be experiencing God's call. If active, prayerful parishes and strong families are a foundation for growing in the faith, surely some of our young people must be attracted to lay ministry, religious life, priesthood, and diaconate. If you'd like to be part of this committee, please call the rectory. Thank you.

CONSOLATION MINISTRY
(Grief Support Group)

This month's Grief Support Group will meet on Saturday, May 22nd at 3p.m. (Before the 4:30 p.m. Mass) in the Convent Chapel. Anyone who is suffering from the loss of a loved one: spouse, sibling, child, friend or relative is invited to come and pray, share, comfort or be comforted. All who are grieving are invited come and pray with us. If you wish bring a companion. God bless you in your sorrow. Sister Patricia 589-0104.

ST. ROBERT'S READERS

At our May 25th meeting we will be discussing the "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd. Sue Monk Kidd has been described as "an extraordinary storyteller." One book reviewer said "Sue Monk Kidd has written a wonderful novel about mothers and daughters and the transcendent power of love, all the while masterfully illuminating the feminine face of God."

The San Mateo library system has 48 copies, so the book is easily obtainable. We hope everyone can join us on May 25th, 7p.m. in the Convent Chapel. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the next book, please call Colleen Soracco, book club moderator at 794-0870.

LEGION OF MARY

On April 27, 2004, the Legion of Mary, Praesidium Mater Ecclesiae, of St. Robert's met for the 1000th time. A milestone for our Praesidium. It was celebrated with a lunch on May 1st with both Sisters Ita Cleary, former Spiritual Director and Patricia O'Sullivan current Spiritual Director. Over the past 19 years, Mater Ecclesiae has been blessed by many devoted leaders and members who have contributed to ensure our success. We have thrived under the guidance of our Spiritual Directors. Our gratitude to them knows no bounds.

SAINT ROBERT'S CHURCH LIBRARY

Spiritual Reading is available at Saint Robert's every other Sunday morning after the Masses in the vestibule of the church. Please, take a few minutes and check out an interesting book to read. Thanks to some generous donors we now have 625 books in our collection.

ARCHBISHOP'S ANNUAL APPEAL

A NOTE FROM FATHER RING

Dear Parishioners,

Thank you to the 377 families who have contributed to the Annual Appeal of the Archdiocese. We have reached our goal of $79,000! As you know, the money that goes to the Archdiocese provides for many programs and Offices that not only help us but also help parishes that are in need. Please accept my thanks for your generosity. All money donated above our goal returns to us and helps to provide for our own needs here at St. Robert's. My dream is that 500 families will contribute so that the new Pastor will have the ability to begin new programs and be able to maintain the Parish buildings in top condition.

At this time, I also want to thank the men of the Parish who worked so hard to make the Annual Golf tournament such a great success. Special thanks to Vico Piccinini, Barry Malestata and Dennis Dorn.

Sincerely,
Father Ring

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As a Parish Community, We Pray...for our mothers and for the mothers who have sons and daughters serving in our armed forces...may the Holy Spirit fill them with hope and bring peace to our world.

WE CONGRATULATE THE NEWLY BAPTIZED

Nicolas Anthony Caruso &
Marcus Anthony White

SICK RELATIVES AND FRIENDS

We would like to update the following list. Please review and call the rectory at 589-2800 if someone you know can be taken off the following list:

We pray for the ill: Sharon Aiello, Marilyn Arancibia, Gabrielle Ausiello, Robert Bacci, Genaro Badiable, Lito Badiable, Marcia Bourne, Maricris Candelaria, Arthur Candia, Carmen Capella, Josie Clarke, Nan Connolly, Cindy Corona, Ana Cosgaya, Walton & June Dickhoff, William & Sandra Dill, Carl Edwards, Joyce Flax, Adela Florez, Jesse Grube, Denise Hawald, Dominique Hauscarriague,Jr, Viko Ivancich, Joanne Johnson, Koret Koelman, Muriel Krause, Sisilia Langi, Shirley Latham, Josephine Lavoie, Austin Lehman, Marky, Michael Martinez, Kathryn McCann, Daniel McHale, Rosemary McHale, Terry McLeod, Josie Mercado, Mary Novickas, Thomas O'Brien, David Papageorgiou, Geanne Peterson, Lara Pinten, Jason Pimentel, James Piazza, Bill Reilly, Mary Shick, Pauline Speranza, Justo Tan, Mafi Tukumoatu, Gene VanSlett, Kristi Varni, Don Vickery, Diana Walter, Jennifer Westbrook & Frank Wright.

Dear Parishioners,

Please notify the priesthouse (589-2800) if a loved one is either sick or in the hospital and would like to be visited.

The Parish Priests and Staff

Our sincere sympathy to the family of
Frank Zmak
who died recently.

YOUR EMERGENCY PRAYER NETWORK IS HERE

The "Emergency Prayer Network" will pray for your specific intentions whenever some crisis arises in your life. If you call, our group will pray fervently for three days for you and your special intention. Call Michele Pipinich. Let us know how things turn out so that we can praise God for His faithfulness.

by Sister Sheral

First Communions
With First Communions happening this weekend and next, it might be good to reflect a moment on our own experience of our First Communion. Do you remember the excitement? For those of us my age and older, remember that we couldn't have even a drop of water before Mass? White dresses and veils for the girls and white shirts and black pants for the boys were the attire of the day. We knew that now we were more a part of the family, since we could receive the host (not the consecrated wine in my day) just like the adults did.

Jesus coming to us as bread and wine, such ordinary basic things, is something to ponder. St. Augustine described the Eucharist as "mysterium tremendum et fascinans,"

a great mystery which both fills us with awe and attracts us. Imagine the Prince of Peace whose coming we celebrated at Christmas and the Redeemer of the World whose sufferings, death and rising we entered into during the Triduum comes to us in bread and wine! Rich or poor, young or old, Filipino, Italian, Tongan, Irish, of mixed heritage, firm believer or one struggling with doubt, the Bread of Life comes to us. And, amazingly, this gentle Savior gathers us together into one Body in His Body and Blood.

Many people find it helpful to come to Mass early, so they can prepare their hearts to listen attentively to the Word of God and pray wholeheartedly through the Eucharistic prayer. Those of you with little ones have a challenge when you come to Mass. Perhaps, if you have a minute during naptime or before you fall into bed, you might read the passages for the coming Sunday. And maybe it will help to remember during those restless times what he said: "Let the little children come to me for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs." (Matt. 19.14-15)

SAINT ROBERT'S CHURCH LIBRARY