St. Robert's Catholic Church

1380 Crystal Springs Road, San Bruno, CA 94066

Tel: (650) 589-2800

PARISH BULLETIN
July 8, 2007
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

I was fortunate to participate in a wonderful weekend June 7 to 10 entitled, “Daring to Embrace the Other: Franciscans and Muslims in Dialogue.” It focused on the meeting of Francis and Sultan Malek al-Kamel in Damietta, Egypt during the Fifth Crusade in 1220. The presenters included Franciscans with expertise in history, in Arabic, and Christian/Muslim dialogue; and an Islamic scholar from Marquette University. Our group included sisters, friars, lay Third Order members, our Franciscan representative at the United Nations and two Muslim students. We sang in English, Arabic, Spanish, Latin, Greek, Nigerian, and South African and listened to Quranic, Hebrew and Christian scriptures.

We learned how much we don’t know about Islam and how many falsehoods are promulgated by the media and those who wish to foster fear. The extremists in Iraq are not acting in accord with their holy book, the Qur’an. The Qur’an states very clearly that “Whosoever kills a person…it is as though he killed entire humanity, and whosoever saves a life, as though he saved entire humanity.” (5.32) Their rules for fighting are even stricter than the Catholic just war tradition stipulates. The word jihad, which we hear so frequently, actually means striving, the struggle within oneself to surrender to God or Allah as the Muslims say. There is no promise of endless virgins in heaven for those who die as martyrs. There is nothing advocating the killing of Christians or Jews. “Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews and the Christians, and the Sabians [a religious sect around Mohammed’s time], whoever believes in God and the Last Day, and who does good, they shall have their reward with their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.” (2.62) Muslims honor all the Hebrew prophets and Jesus as a great prophet and his mother Mary. They believe that Mohammed is the last prophet and that God’s revelation to him builds on and includes many aspects of Jewish and Christian teaching.

We have seen the violence which terrorists have perpetrated in the name of Islam, but those groups are to the faithful followers of Islam as the Ku Klux Klan or Jim Jones’ followers are to the faithful followers of Christianity. They are an aberration. They can no more be reined in by other Muslims than the KKK could be controlled by other Christians. I have wondered why other Muslims haven’t spoken out against these radicals. The truth is that they have tried, but at least in this country, they get no press time, no television coverage, because the peaceful message of Islam isn’t as dramatic as suicide bombings or beheadings.

I hope I have whetted your appetite to learn more! Once school starts, the Tuesday morning group will begin to study Islam with the occasional help of a young Turkish Muslim as guest speaker. If there is interest in an evening group, we’ll be happy to offer that as well.

Let us pray for deeper understanding among religious groups and question the political factions which can exploit their differences. Let us pray especially for the people of the West Bank, Gaza, Israel and those causing the conflict. May the Spirit of God change the hearts of everyone involved that they may open themselves to the possibility of a just peace.

Sister Sheral

As a Parish Community we pray …for those we love who carry the cross of cancer, aids, chemical addiction, pain and all other illnesses and for those who take care of them.

WE CONGRATULATE THE NEWLY BAPTIZED

Dominic Dwayne Smith
Aleixo Brasil Silva
Tyler Matthew Mann
Alyssa Veronica Cortez
Andre Miguel Ocampo

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.

Our sincere sympathy to the family of
Marie Bova
who died recently

Check www.masstimes.org for Mass schedules in other cities.

AIDS LUNCH
July 11th

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 July 11th. Please pack the items in a non-returnable container. Frozen items are ok!

Thanks to all who contributed their time and energy.

Nourishment for Your Mind
The readings for today are familiar to us, especially the gospel: “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few, so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way.” This quote has been used in vocation talks for years, but Jesus is addressing this to the 72 ordinary people who followed him. So if this passage applies to us, what are we to do? To whom are we to go? Sometimes, we are hesitant because we feel that we don’t know much about our faith or how to share it. Perhaps, someone’s critical comment has dissuaded us from even raising the question.

The former editor of America magazine, Thomas Reese, SJ is at USF this summer and is giving several public lectures. His work is highly praised for its objectivity, nuance and clarity. How to Survive as a Thinking Catholic will be offered Sunday, July 8 from 10:45 -11:30 am at St. Ignatius Church and Sunday, July 22 from 12:30 - 1:30 pm at Most Holy Redeemer Church. Three lectures will take place on Tuesdays at the Handlery Dining Room, Lone Mountain Campus from 5 – 6:30 pm. On July 10, the topic is Catholic Challenges in the 21^st Century; on July 17, Reforming the Vatican Curia; and on July 24, Faith and Politics in 2008. Refreshments will be served. There is free parking at Lone Mountain and USF. I will be attending the July 10 offering and will gladly give a ride to anyone who’d like to come. Please call me at the rectory.

Peace, S. Sheral

St. Robert's Church
1380 Crystal Springs Road
San Bruno, CA 94066-4794
Phone: 650.589-2800 Fax: 650.589.9628

Become a Festival Sponsor at this year's "Journey Through the Years" Festival on September 21-23, 2007. Promote your business and any new product or service by becoming a Game Booth and Lounge Sponsor. Here are your options:

1) Game Booth or Lounge Sponsorship:

a) Platinum $325 - Tax deductible gift, your business name displayed within our Lounge and Game Booths on a 2 x 6 sign provided by St. Robert's Church

b) Gold $200 - Tax deductible gift, your business name will be displayed in our Lounge and Game Booths

c) Silver $100 - Tax deductible gift, your business name will be displayed in our game booths

2) Donate Merchandise or Service

a) Item will be used as a raffle or door prize throughout our Festival Weekend. Your business name will be displayed at our Fri. Night Ice Cream Social, Sat. Night Dinner and at the Raffle Sale Ticket Booth

3) Make a Monetary Donation - All donations are tax deductible

Complete the bottom portion and return to the Rectory A.S.A.P.

Yes, I/we want to help!!!! Here is my/our donation of:

___$100      ___$200     __$325        _____Other $___      ___Product/Service
       Silver            Gold          Platinum

Name:_________________________

Address:_____________________________________________________

___My check is enclosed (please make checks payable to St. Robert's Church)

___My employer will match my gift (please enclose your employers matching gift form)

Employer:____________________________________________________

Address:_____________________________________________________

Your business name and key contact information will be displayed and announced throughout the festival weekend.

Gifts are tax deductible!!
Your donation is greatly appreciated - Tax ID# 94-1437729

SUNDAY COLLECTION

The figures for July 1st and July 8th
will appear in the bulletin of July 15th

    
SIGN UP FOR E-CONTRIBUTIONS

Go to www.saintroberts.org and click on the e-contributions button. 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.

2007 CENTERPLATE SIGN UP

Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Mass

Sunday, 7:30 a.m. Mass

Sunday, 5:00 p.m. Mass