I am pleased to be here at St. Robert’s. Let me start off by introducing myself, I am Deacon John Meyer. I was born in Cape Town, South Africa and am the 4th child of 14.

I met my wife Bernadette at a very young age. We grew up in the same town and belonged to the same Parish Church. Bernadette and I have been married for 30 years. Together we have three children, one daughter and two sons; and also six beautiful grandchildren—our very own pride and joy.

I have been a member of Epiphany Parish since my arrival here in the United States. My children attended the Parish School and I have been involved with the Confirmation Program for 20 years.

I love sports: swimming, baseball, football and tennis.

I am honored to be able to serve you all here at St. Robert’s Parish and I am eternally grateful to Msgr. Bruce for his wonderful support and inspiration and look forward to being a part of this great community.

Calling all St. Roberts Parishioners 17 years and older. Do you know that by donating a pint of blood you can help save 3 lives? 500 pints of blood are needed daily to serve patient needs in 40 Bay Area hospitals. St. Roberts Parish is hosting a blood drive on Sunday, July 24th from 8:30 am to 1:30 p.m. Our goal for the drive is 30 pints of blood.

Please sign up in the vestibule of the church.

As a Parish Community

Volunteers are needed for all the above events except Sunday, August 28th. Call or email Father Bruce if you can help on any of these days.

I’d like to invite us to think about something very precious: the way we receive Holy Communion. For so many years, we were not allowed to touch even the vessels which contained the Body and Blood of the Lord and now we are invited to receive the Bread of Life in our hands and to drink of the Cup of Salvation. It is a huge shift we have been asked to make. I think of the Last Supper and Jesus blessing the bread and giving it to those present to break off a piece. The Eucharistic minister or priest says, “The Body of Christ” and we answer, “Amen.” We are asked as adults to be more active in taking and eating, taking and drinking. In saying yes to Jesus, we are affirming our faith in his presence there, but we also saying yes to his whole Body, those close at hand and those far away, those we love and those we don’t love as we ought. In accepting the cup, we take into ourselves the blood he poured out for us and again, accept a commitment to share in the suffering of our brothers and sisters.

I recently experienced giving someone Communion on the tongue, then having her lipstick and saliva on my fingers as I continued to distribute Holy Communion. Though she surely has the option to receive in whichever manner she prefers, it struck me that it is more courteous to fellow communicants to receive in the hand. I also have had the experience of someone taking the host in his first finger and thumb and accidentally dropping the host on the floor. This is why we were asked to use the manner of receiving as follows: place your left palm on top of the palm of your right hand. Once the Eucharistic minister or priest places the host in your hand, step aside and use your right hand to put the host, the Body of Christ, in your mouth. Children who haven’t received their First Communion, adults in the RCIA process, and non-Catholics praying with us should continue to come up with their arms crossed over their chest and the Eucharistic minister or priest will bless them.