St. Robert's Catholic Church

1380 Crystal Springs Road, San Bruno, CA 94066

Tel: (650) 589-2800

PARISH BULLETIN
November 20, 2005
Christ the King

“What can I return to the Lord, for all the Lord has done for me.”

Last weekend I stood up to challenge the people of our parish to make a commitment to the Lord and to each other to make our parish family a stronger presence of Christ. What happened this first weekend is far beyond my expectations. Two hundred thirty families brought forward their commitment statement and placed them before the altar. These families pledge to regularly celebrate Sunday Eucharist. They committed themselves to 449.5 hours of prayer each week. Many offered their gifts and talents to serve their brothers and sisters through parish organizations and ministries. Many people also reflected about their weekly offering to the parish. These families are endeavoring to increase their weekly offering by a combined total of $1,091.25 per week. Fourteen people expressed an interest in registering as parishioners. Nineteen people asked to receive Sunday offering envelopes. Thirty-two people requested more information on the E-Contribution Program. Twelve families have already registered on-line with E-Contribution.

The Parish Council, Finance Council and Staff will be meeting on Monday evening to review the results of the survey, which was mailed in September to all registered households. Our action plan will be published in the next edition of Across The Parish, which will be mailed in December.

If you were away last weekend or did not get the opportunity to join your fellow parishioners’ in making a commitment . . . it’s never too late. Complete the commitment statement inserted into the bulletin and place it in the basket before the altar.

Thank you for all that you do to make the Lord present. Thank you for sharing your faith, your time, your talents and resources. Most of all we must thank God for generously entrusting to us these wonderful gifts that we share.

Yes, we have so much to be thankful for. May your celebration of Thanksgiving Day be filled with joy and peace.

Father Bruce

Monday - November 21
Readings: Dn 1:1-6,8-20     Lk 21:1-4

Thursday - November 24
THANKSGIVING DAY
JOIN US FOR THANKSGIVING DAY MASS
Let us come together to the table of
the Lord on Thanksgiving Day at 8:30am
to thank God for His many blessings.
Coffee, juice and donut holes will be served following the Mass
PARISH OFFICE & SCHOOL CLOSED
Readings: Dn 6:12-28     Lk 21:20-28

Friday - November 25
Readings: Dn 7:2-14     Lk 21:29-33

Saturday - November 26
Readings: Dn 7:15-27     Lk 21:34-46

Sunday - November 27
Readings: Is 63:16b-17     1 Cor 1:3-9     Mk 13:33-37

GROWNUPS' CHRISTMAS PARTY
December 3rd

Come celebrate the holiday season at the Grownups’ Christmas Party on December 3rd, in Hennessy Hall. Enjoy a catered dinner featuring pork tenderloin, music, door prizes, and a raffle for table decorations. Proceeds of this event go to Sister Ita’s special Christmas charities. No host cocktails at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25. Deadline for reservations is November 28th. For reservations, call Dolores Johnson or Dolores Moynihan. Tickets will be available after all the Masses except 5 p.m. on November 19, 20, 26 and 27.

In Observance of Thanksgiving the Rectory and School will be closed Thursday, November 23rd, and Friday, November 24th

Thank you for your generous donation of $3,273.88 for the Pakistan Earthquake Relief.

CENTERPLATE UPDATE

CENTERPLATE NEEDS M ORE VOLUNTEERS
Sign up at www.saintroberts.org

We need a minimum of 25 volunteers for each 49er game.

As of 11-06-2005 we have raised $34,857.99 and
$1,919.52 in tips for a total of $36,777.51

E-CONTRIBUTIONS IS HERE

J.S. Paluch, our partner with our weekly bulletin, is now offering our parishioners the opportunity to contribute to our parish online. No checks to write. We introduced the idea to our parish finance council and school board during these past two weeks. Already three families have registered. For full information go to www.saintroberts.org and click on the e-contributions line. The first page explains the details. There is a button to take you to the e-paluch registration page. You can register online using either your checking account or credit card. There is no cost to you for this service.

WE WELCOME INTO OUR PARISH:

Ruben & America Artiga & Family
Jim & Larissa Villante & Family

If you're new to St. Robert's, we ask that you complete a registration form found in the vestibule of the church. Drop it either in the collection basket, the mail, or at the parish office. We will send you a New Parishioner Packet with information about the parish, its organizations and groups. If you chose, you can register online at: www.saintroberts.org.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

It’s that time of year again

Please help us continue our Thanksgiving tradition as we share our blessings with those in need.

St. Vincent de Paul is asking for Turkey Certificates. In a few weeks, our volunteers will be delivering Thanksgiving Food Bags to over 30 families in San Bruno. We need turkey dressing, cans of cranberry sauce, broth, yams, canned pumpkin, canned fruits and vegetables other non-perishable food items AND ESPECIALLY jams and jellies. Please bring food items to the baskets placed on the altar steps.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS

In a society as competitive as ours, we want to be sure our children and grandchildren learn to play for the fun of it . If you haven’t bought your Christmas gifts yet, you might want to think about getting gifts which encourage group work and creativity. As we realize, small children need only an empty box or a piece of paper to create a fantasy world. Children a bit older can discover abilities they don’t know they have if we give them presents which stretch their imaginations. Anything which actively engages them – crafts, fascinating books, puzzles, a science set, sports equipment – is an encouragement for further learning and growth.

PARISHIONER NEEDS A RIDE

If you live near Piedmont Way (off of Crestmoor Drive), and would like to help drive a parishioner to mass, please contact Deacon Rusty Duffey at 589-2800.

ATTENTION LECTORS
Your new workbooks are in the Sacristy

MERCY CENTER
2300 Adeline Drive, Burlingame, CA 94010
(650) 340-7474

Don Bisson Workshops in January
One of Mercy Center’s perennial favorites,
Don Bisson, will be presenting
three workshops in January:

• Compassion, the Heart of Ministry,
  Sunday, January 8th
  10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Nouwen and Jung:
  Search for the True Self
  Saturday, January 14th
  10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Nouwen and Jung:
  Archetype of the Wounded Healer Sunday
  January 15th
  10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

SAN DAMIANO RETREAT
P.O. Box 767, Danville, CA 94526
(925) 837-9141

Silent Advent Retreat
Contemplation
Dec. 9-11
Rena Grant, MFT and Rusty Shaughnessy, OFM

Christian Meditation
Come and See
Dec. 10th 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Barbara Hazzard, OSB

While out of town during the holidays
remember
Mass times for all churches are
at www.masstimes.org.

We pray.....for our Sisters of the Presentation...Whom we thank for sharing with us their wisdom, their faith and their love...May God continue to bless them. May vocations to their order increase.

WE CONGRATULATE THE NEWLY BAPTIZED

Jasmine Ann Huerta
Kayla Malea Corpus Ocampo
Joseph Marciano Almaraz

Feast of the Presentation of Mary

On Monday we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of Mary. This is also the feast day for our Presentation Sisters. During the 4:30 Mass on Saturday this weekend, the sisters will renew their vows. We celebrate and thank them for their many years of service to our parish. May they be blessed with a lifetime of peace, joy and love. We also pray with them for new vocations to religious life.

Thank you Sisters

Also, please remember our Emergency prayer network that prays for specific intentions that require a concerted effort due to their critical nature. To facilitate the network, please call Michele Pipinich. The network people then pray frequently for the next 72 hours. We would appreciate a return call with the outcome so we can praise God for His faithfulness.

Thanksgiving Mass

Our parish celebration of Mass on
Thanksgiving Day will be at 8:30 am only.

Please come join us in Thanking God

Christ the King
Today is the feast of Christ the King and the end of the Church’s liturgical year. As is always the case with the readings on this feast, we don’t see Christ as a domineering ruler exercising power over his subjects. The Sunday readings rotate in a three-year cycle; in cycle B, the gospel is Jesus testifying before Pilate, and in cycle C, Jesus forgiving the good thief from the cross. This is a most unusual king and his kingdom is not what we might expect, either. He takes on the guise of the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the prisoner. How are we supposed to recognize him in these people whose paths don’t usually cross ours? Maybe they’re not Christians; maybe they don’t speak our language; maybe their situation of need is at least partially from poor decisions they’ve made along the way. How do we know that they’re not lazy and aren’t really deserving of our help?

The members of Matthew’s community who wrote this gospel didn’t have any of these concerns. They knew Jesus, they watched how he related with people, they saw how he bent over backwards to see the goodness in each one, to see the spark of divine life and love which his Father had implanted in this unique human being at creation. This is the kingdom which will include Zacchaeus, the tax-collector turned host; the Samaritan woman believing the outsider who knows her heart; the Roman centurion of the hated occupying army whose daughter is cured; the Canaanite woman broadening Jesus’ mission to include those not Jewish. Are we ready to taste the reign of God here and now? We have an opportunity each time we pray at home, each weekend at liturgy, each time we smile at someone speaking a language we don’t understand in the grocery store. May our welcome be as inclusive as Jesus’ was.
Peace, S. Sheral

Advent Begins
If you have an Advent wreath at home, gather your household next Saturday night or Sunday and bless your wreath with the following prayer: Faithful God, we praise you for this wreath. Its circle reminds us that your love is unending. By the light of this wreath, we shall wait in patience for your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, who comforts our fears and brings hope to our confused world. All glory be yours now and forever. Amen.

You can light the first purple candle as you pray: Dear Father, as we begin this Advent, quiet our hearts and teach us to make time for you so that we may hear your voice. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Mark and Barbara Corzonkoff
on their 25th wedding anniversary
November 22nd

Saint Roberts Church Library

Spiritual Reading will be available at St. Robert’s after the Masses on Sundays. Please, take a few minutes either before or after Mass and check out a book or two that interest you. You may keep the books until you have them read. We have some books on the Library cart but we have many more in the Library/Reconciliation room.

Enjoy Reading

November 26th and 27th

4:30 p.m. Mass

7:30 a.m. Mass

5:00 p.m. Mass