Since our confirmation candidates were confirmed on April 28th, I felt a great comfort as the presence of the Holy Spirit shone down upon them. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate each and every one of them. I loved every moment that we spent together in the Confirmation program. I have great faith they will continue being good Catholic young adults in our community. I would like to ask St. Robert’s parishioners to continue to pray for the young people as they journey on to deepen their faith and come to understand the meaning of vocation.

Most of us have spoken words we wish we hadn’t. The experience can teach us a costly lesson:

Words have power. They do not just contain meaning.

They create meaning.

The Word continues among us in Jesus’ words spoken in his name and words ready to awaken and sustain faith.

During their high school years, young people are hungry for new experiences, and eager to understand how the world “works.” They get rightly upset when they see others hurting, and are strong and idealistic enough to think that their own reactions can make a difference in the lives of people in need. When their willingness to serve is coupled with opportunities to learn why the problems exist and to reflect together on scripture and the Church teachings on justice, everyone benefits!

I look forward to the meeting and teaching of the new candidates next year, as every new group brings great joy and each individual brings their own talent and personality along to the class.

Monday-May 15th
Readings: Acts 14:5-18 - Jn 14:21-26

Tuesday-May 16th
Readings: Acts 14:19-28 - Jn 14:27-31a

Wednesday-May 17th
Readings: Acts 15:1-6 - Jn 15:1-8

Thursday-May 18th
Readings: Acts 15:7-21 - Jn 15:9-11

Friday-May 19th
Readings: Acts 15:22-31 - Jn 15:12-17

Saturday-May 20th
Readings: Acts 16:1-10 - Jn 15:18-21

We continue to ask each week that parishioners pray for the chronically ill of our parish. If you have a friend or loved one in need of our parish prayers please call the Rectory at 589-2800.

Can you spare some time?

We have been back in touch with our adopted parishes in Long Beach, Mississippi, and they still have a lot of work to do. They are in need of general laborers, as well as people with skills in the trades (electricians, plumbers, sheet rock hangers, etc.) We will set up a coordinated effort for anyone who can spare some time (maybe a week?) to go down and help out. I’ll be going down on Saturday, June 3rd thru Friday, June 9th, but they can use help through out the summer. If you think you can help, give me a call and we can put something together.

Separately, if you can’t give time, but can spare a donation we’ll put envelopes in the pews the next 2 Sundays (weekend of the 20/21 and 27/28) to take down to St. Thomas the Apostle and St. John’s to help families that are still getting by with friends or in trailers. Anything we can do for them is greatly appreciated.

Call Rob Aveson if you have any questions or can help.

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.

   
Thank you for your generous donation of $2640.30
to our School, CCD and Confirmation programs.

2ND COLLECTION-NEXT WEEK-May 21st Is for Catholic Charities Appeal

The floral offerings and coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be held on Sunday, May 21st at 11:30 a.m. Mass.

Hosted cocktails at 6:30pm, dinner at 7:30pm, dancing till 11:30pm

$25 per person for InBetweeners members
$30 per person for non-members

Come Stag or Drag
(that means with or without a date)

Branches on the Vine
The gospel we hear today is beautiful: “I am the true vine and my father is the vine grower.” “Remain in me as I remain in you.” Jesus really wants to be part of our everyday lives and is through the presence of his Spirit he promised to send. In this in-between time: in-between Easter and Pentecost and in-between his first coming and his second coming, we are invited to pay attention to the Spirit and to ask the Spirit’s guidance “in everything we say and do” as Fr. Marini often reminds us after daily Mass. Wouldn’t our lives be different if we did that? This gospel of Jesus is pretty direct: if we’re cut off from the vine, we can’t receive the nutrients we need to keep growing. And the “growing” isn’t for self-aggrandizement; no, it is so that we can “bear much fruit.” Our world surely needs the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, long-suffering, modesty, goodness, and self-control. What one daily practice might you do to remember that you’re part of this fruitful Vine, Jesus?

Peace, Sister Sheral

On Mother’s Day, we remember those women (with our Dads) from whose “vine” we grew. Motherhood has surely taken on a different value than it had when most of us were growing up. With women now choosing if and when to have a child, people can look askance at those who have children it seems they cannot afford. What kinds of supports are there for the young, pregnant woman whose boyfriend or husband has abandoned her? There are fliers in the rack at the entrance to the church giving many resources; please be sure to take one if you know someone who needs this life-saving information. Seton Medical Center at 650-391-8874 through their Mother and Infant Wellness Program offers comprehensive help. Birthright at 415-664-9910 can offer medical care, financial assistance, legal advice and general information. Obviously, parents have a major role to play in helping their daughters and sons to understand the responsibilities which come with sexual activity, but the rest of us need to ensure that the psychological and spiritual support is there when an unplanned pregnancy does take place. The California Catholic Conference, the political arm of our bishops have endorsed the proposed Parental Notification Bill as well as bill for the Death Penalty Moratorium, Minimum Wage, Naturalization Funding. They have strongly opposed the Assisted Suicide bill. You can find information about all of these concerns at www.sflifeand justice.org.

MERCY CENTER
2300 Adeline Drive, Burlingame, CA 94010
Tel: 650.340.7474, Fax: 650.340.1299
mc@mercyburl.org

May
28 Ruben Habito: Walking the Zen Christian Path

June
1-4-David Keller: Men’s Spirituality
12-18 Jesus: The Compassionate Face of God
16-18 Sr. Ishpriya: Finding a Spirituality in Chaotic Times
18-Sr. Ishpriya: Spirituality for a Borderless Planet
16-23 Weeklong Mediation Intensive

July
17-21 Summer Home Retrat

August
18-25 Weeklong Meditation Intensive

SAN DAMIANO RETREAT
P.O. Box 767, Danville, CA 94526
Tel: (925) 837-9141
www.sandamiano.org

Dress Code: Full length black slacks, (jeans or spandex are not permitted), white shirt with collar, closed toe comfortable shoes (preferably black or white).

We will car pool from the rectory. For those working in San Francisco, you can meet the group at the gate.