ST. MARY PARISH
1333 58th Street, Sacramento CA 95819
(916) 452-0296 • Fax (916) 452-3908
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:00 pm
www.stmaryparishsacramento.com
Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 6, 2015
Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to
be rich in faith and heirs to the kingdom?
— James 2:5
OUR MISSION
STATEMENT
St. Mary Parish
prepares and
sustains its members
and guests for a life
and eternity in the
presence of God.
In accomplishing
our mission,
we proclaim and
celebrate our
salvation through
Jesus Christ
enlivened by the Holy
Spirit, nourish our
sacramental life
especially in the
Sunday celebration
of the Eucharist,
and demonstrate our
faith worshiping,
educating, serving
and encouraging
vocations as
modeled by
Mother Mary.
MORE PARISH INFORMATION
MARRIAGE: Contact the Parish office at (916) 452-0296
6 months prior to the wedding date. Marriage preparation
classes are available.
INFANT BAPTISM: Contact the Parish Office. All
baptisms must be scheduled 3 months in advance. Parents
and godparents must attend class.
ANOINTING OF THE SICK: Contact the Parish Office
regarding sick, elderly who are at home, hospitals or special
care facilities.
MUSIC: For Music Ministry, call Ben (916) 383-6155
RCIA: Process for adults and children of catechetical age
who are interested in joining the Catholic Church and
baptized Catholics wanting to complete their initiation
sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. Please call
Shannon Blecha at (916) 452-0296 x20 or email at
[email protected].
CFF: Catholic youth are formed through the Parish Faith
Formation Program (CFF). Shannon Blecha (916) 4520296 X20.
PARISH HALL RENTAL: Please call 6 months prior to
make reservations, contact Sandra Sanders (916) 452-0296
x24 or email [email protected].
BULLETIN: Our church bulletin is prepared one week in
advance. All submissions are reviewed by the Pastor. Email
requests to [email protected] no later
than the Thursday two weeks before.
PARISHIONER REGISTRATION: Please contact parish
office at (916) 452-0296
MASS SCHEDULE
Sunday 8:00, 9:30, 11:00am, and 6:00pm
Daily Mass: Monday - Saturday 8:00am;
Saturday 5:00pm (Vigil Mass)
Holy Days: As announced in bulletin
CONFESSION : Satur day: 3:30pm-4:30pm or
by appointment
PASTOR: Fr . J ames Nar ithookil, CMI
[email protected]
PAROCHIAL VICAR : Fr . J ossy Vattothu, CMI
[email protected]
DEACONS Deacon Luigi Del Gaudio, MSW
Deacon George W. Kriske
Business Manager: Tr acilyn Peter s
Email: [email protected]
SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Patrick J. O’Neill M.A.
INFANT MARY CHAPEL
Open Daily 6:30 am-5:00 pm
Solemn Adoration: First Fridays 8:30 am-6:00 pm
ST. MARY’S PARISH SCHOOL
1351 58th Street, Sacramento CA 95819
(916) 452-1100 • Fax (916) 453-2750 •
www.saintmaryschool.com
FOLLOW OUR PARISH
From the Pastor
The delightful and comforting joy of evangelizing
Goodness always tends to spread. Every authentic experience of truth and goodness seeks by its very nature to grow
within us, and any person who has experienced a profound liberation becomes more sensitive to the needs of others. As
it expands, goodness takes root and develops. If we wish to lead a dignified and fulfilling life, we have to reach out to
others and seek their good. In this regard, several sayings of Saint Paul will not surprise us: “The love of Christ urges us
on” (2 Cor 5:14); “Woe to me if I do not proclaim the Gospel” (1 Cor 9:16).
The Gospel offers us the chance to live life on a higher plane, but with no less intensity: “Life grows by being given
away, and it weakens in isolation and comfort. Indeed, those who enjoy life most are those who leave security on the
shore and become excited by the mission of communicating life to others”. When the Church summons Christians to
take up the task of evangelization, she is simply pointing to the source of authentic personal fulfilment. For “here we
discover a profound law of reality: that life is attained and matures in the measure that it is offered up in order to give
life to others. This is certainly what mission means”. Consequently, an evangelizer must never look like someone who
has just come back from a funeral! Let us recover and deepen our enthusiasm, that “delightful and comforting joy of
evangelizing, even when it is in tears that we must sow… And may the world of our time, which is searching, sometimes
with anguish, sometimes with hope, be enabled to receive the good news not from evangelizers who are dejected, discouraged, impatient or anxious, but from ministers of the Gospel whose lives glow with fervor, who have first received
the joy of Christ”.
Eternal newness
Saint John of the Cross says that “the thicket of God’s wisdom and knowledge is so deep and so broad that the soul,
however much it has come to know of it, can always penetrate deeper within it”. Or as Saint Irenaeus writes: “By his
coming, Christ brought with him all newness”. With this newness he is always able to renew our lives and our communities, and even if the Christian message has known periods of darkness and ecclesial weakness, it will never grow old.
Whenever we make the effort to return to the source and to recover the original freshness of the Gospel, new avenues
arise, new paths of creativity open up, with different forms of expression, more eloquent signs and words with new
meaning for today’s world. Every form of authentic evangelization is always “new”.
Jesus is “the first and greatest evangelizer”. In every activity of evangelization, the primacy always belongs to God, who
has called us to cooperate with him and who leads us on by the power of his Spirit. The real newness is the newness
which God himself mysteriously brings about and inspires, provokes, guides and accompanies in a thousand ways. The
life of the Church should always reveal clearly that God takes the initiative, that “he has loved us first” (1 Jn 4:19) and
that he alone “gives the growth” (1 Cor 3:7).
Fr. James Narithookil CMI
Pastor
Reflecting on God’s Word
Perhaps you saw the movie The King’s Speech about the future king of England, George VI, whose speech impediment
was so severe that it reduced him to tears of anger and humiliation. His wife, Elizabeth, found a speech therapist who
was able to help him by using some unorthodox methods, such as rolling around on the floor, cursing, and singing. It is a
profoundly moving experience when King George finally addresses his people over the radio and delivers a speech flawlessly, giving courage to his people on the eve of World War II.
The story in this Gospel tells us how Jesus helped a man to find his voice. The man whose tongue Jesus touched with his
spittle (an element believed to ward off demons) came to speak “plainly.” Another word for “plainly” would be
“rightly,” in the sense of correctly or truly. “Be opened!” Jesus says, and it happens (Mark 7:34). The man then spoke
the truth of what Jesus did for him, and honored him.
As we hold firm to our faith in the Lord, Jesus calls us to both speak and act “rightly” in the eyes of the world, caring for
those who have little and treating them with the same dignity as those who have much. We are called to imitate Jesus by
reaching out tenderly to touch those who have been wounded by life and burdened by the rejection of others. Helping
others to hear the sound of love can be done in many quiet ways and with little fanfare.
—James A. Wallace, C.Ss.R., Copyright © 2014, World Library Publications. All rights reserved.
St. Peter Claver
Ivan Dunzweiler
Elizabeth, Charlotte & Olivia Schon Logan
Isaac Santino Solis
Alina Mai Anh Etchepare
Henry William Bateman
Grace Boyd
New Usher Chairperson
Our long serving Usher Chair—John Velo has decided
to take a well earned and well deserved break. We
would like to thank John for serving our parish as the
Usher Chair for many years. Your service is greatly appreciated. Fr. James has appointed Kathy Traversi as the
new Usher Chair. We thank Kathy very much for agreeing to serve our parish as our new Usher Chairperson
and welcome her into her new role.
Henry Ortiz
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Col 1:24 — 2:3; Ps 62:6-7, 9; Lk 6:6-11, or,
for Labor Day, any readings from the Mass
“For the Blessing of Human Labor,” nos.
907-911
Tuesday: Mi 5:1-4a or Rom 8:28-30; Ps 13:6
Mt 1:1-16, 18-23 [18-23]
Wednesday:Col 3:1-11; Ps 145:2-3, 10-13ab;
Lk 6:20-26
Thursday: Col 3:12-17; Ps 150:1b-6; Lk 6:27-38
Friday:
1 Tm 1:1-2, 12-14; Ps 16:1b-2a, 5, 7-8, 11;
Lk 6:39-42
Saturday: 1 Tm 1:15-17; Ps 113:1b-7; Lk 6:43-49
Sunday:
Is 50:5-9a; Ps 116:1-6, 8-9; Jas 2:14-18;
Mk 8:27-35
Monday:
Wednesday, September 9th, is the feast day
of the St. Peter Claver.
St. Peter Claver was born at Verdu,
Catalonia, Spain, in 1580, of
impoverished parents descended from ancient and
distinguished families. He studied at the
Jesuit college of Barcelona, entered the Jesuit
novitiate at Tarragona in 1602 and took his
final vows on August 8th, 1604. While
studying philosophy at Majorca, the young religious
was influenced by St. Alphonsus Rodriguez to go to
the Indies and save "millions of perishing souls."
In 1610, he landed at Cartagena (modern
Colombia), the principle slave market of the New
World, where a thousand slaves were landed every
month. After his ordination in 1616, he dedicated
himself by special vow to the service of the Negro
slaves-a work that was to last for thirty-three years.
He labored unceasingly for the salvation of the
African slaves and the abolition of the Negro slave
trade, and the love he lavished on them was
something that transcended the natural order.
Boarding the slave ships as they entered the
harbor, he would hurry to the revolting inferno of
the hold, and offer whatever poor refreshments he
could afford; he would care for the sick and dying,
and instruct the slaves through Negro catechists
before administering the Sacraments. Through his
efforts three hundred thousand souls entered the
Church. Furthermore, he did not lose sight of his
converts when they left the ships, but followed them
to the plantations to which they were sent,
encouraged them to live as Christians, and prevailed
on their masters to treat them humanely. He died in
1654.
If you are interested in knowing more about the Catholic
faith or want to finish your initiation sacraments (first
eucharist & confirmation), contact me at (916) 452-0296,
ext. 20 or at [email protected] for
more information.
-Shannon Blecha
RCIA Adult and Teens Sessions
Catechumenate: Sundays 10:30 am, Marian
Sept. 6: DISMISSAL ONLY
Sept. 13: Anointing of Sick—Sept. 20: Laity
Inquiry: Mondays, 7:00 pm, Holy Spouses Rm.
Kid’s Inquiry:Mondays, 5:30pm, Holy Spouses
New Inquiry Groups forming now!!!!
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults team invites you
to continue your journey of faith, beginning with an
exchange of information meeting with Shannon.
Call 452-0296, ext. 20 or e-mail to
[email protected].
Mass Intentions
Requested By
Saturday, Seotember 5
8:00am Ronnie Carollo +
Lino Carolo
John Velo
5:00pm Maddy & Eleanor Lotto +
Karen & Bob Ferrarotti
Darlene Claflin +
Rich & Carol Chelini
Sunday, September 6
8:00am Pete Rossi +
Bruce & Elvira O’Day
Luigi Velo +
Bruce & Elvira O’Day
9:30am Jerry Sarmento +
Harriet Coster
Mario Affinito +
Nancy Affinito
11:00am Paula Wolfl +
Cathy Bertolani
Tevita Vikoka Niumataiwalu
Rachel Naqarase
6:00pm Lucille Donahue +
Nina Ciani
Andrea Crettol
Father
Monday, September 7
8:00am Mary Kassis
Tracilyn Peters
George Alexeeff +
Denton Family
Tuesday, September 8
8:00am John Vironi +
Manuel & Family
Jo Fiellen
Tracilyn Peters
Wednesday, September 9
8:00am Phil Bacchi +
Wife, Daughter & Grandchildren
Emily Rossi
Tracilyn Peters
Thursday, September 10
8:00am Mario Affinito +
Nancy Affinito
Kim Fiellen
Jo Fiellen
Friday, September 11
8:00am Colombina Quontamatteo +
Husband
Bill Gabrielli +
Gloria & Family
Saturday, September 12
8:00am Ronnie Carollo +
Gloria Gabrielli & Family
Agnes Martin +
Anna Krizl & Family
5:00pm Joan Hanrahan +
Rich & Carol Chelini
Jerry Sarmento +
Rich & Carol Chelini
Sunday, September 13
8:00am Al Franzoia +
Wife & Family
Tina Viani +
Gerrie Fenton
9:30am Mario Affinito +
Nancy Affinito
Rose Vironi-Cazares +
Manuel & Family
11:00am Judy Clemons
Jean Connors
Tony Mattos +
Alice Mattos & Family
6:00pm Michael Contreras +
Debbie Rojas
Ellie Ramaccietti
Debbie Rojas
Second Sunday Social
Please join us Sunday, September 13, in Giovanni
Hall after all morning masses for our next Second
Sunday Social hosted by St. Mary's Music Ministry
and St. Mary's Altar Servers. Come and spend
some time getting to know other members of your
parish family. If your ministry or group would like
to host a Second Sunday Social in 2016, please
contact the rectory at 452-0296.
Last Chance for
Parish Directory Portrait Sessions
The last chance to have your portrait taken to be included
in our new parish directory will be in the month of September. Fr. James is asking for everyone to participate as
the directory is a valuable resource for our clergy as well
as our parishioners. Everyone who has their portrait taken will receive a free 8x10 photo and a free directory. If
you want to purchase additional prints or greeting cards
you will have an opportunity to do so. Please call the rectory to schedule your portrait session.
SAINT MARY PARISH MINISTRY FAIR
September 13, 2015
The theme for this year’s Ministry Fair is “Seek to know your
Parish”. All ministry, education, social service and community
life groups will be gathering at assigned spaces after all a.m.
Masses in Giovanni Hall. Each group will have representatives and informational flyers and sign up sheets for interested
parishioners. All ministries are looking forward to sharing stories of how meaningful ministry participation has been for
them. Refreshments will be provided.
Stewardship Committee
Lilian Clifford, Gene Harding, Mary Katherine Long, Tracy
Fisher, Carmen Quintana, Anne Horton, Rose Mary Clemons,
Anna Krizl, Patricia Schiele, Jim & Amelia Vic, Melinda Riley,
Donna Kelley, Edward Kelley, Mary Halverson, Stefanie Jumper, Brent Luna, Madison Smith, Robert Rizzo, Trisha BrightBernard, Joe Rohrer, Wendy Fisher, Richard Padden, Herb Louie, Esther Latino, Candi Peters, Gary Sypnicki, France Driscoll,
Richard Kelley, Clarence Jefferson, Bernadine Vessels, Joetta
Conners, Elvira Falzon, Cassandra and Gigi Noble, Andrea Kolstrup, Tony Costa, Matthew Herbert , Niloofar Layeghi, Harriet
Coster, Abbas Layeghi, Gary Clifford, Thomas Colby, Cecil
Bennett, Linda Kaeser, Charles Nulk, Robin Dunton, Loren Chelini, Rebecca Jayne, John Cappello, Nancy Dramis, Robbie and
Andy King, Sue DeCoite, Emma Mackenzie Reagan, Mary Jean
Fees, Janice Papotto, Margie Miller, Aleysse Cruickshank, Helen
Willett, Phillip Worth, Mary Devereux, Ted Porter, Sarah De La
Rosa, Stephen Chelini, Angelo J. De Stefano, Vanessa Papotto,
Lino Carolo, Enes Manfredini, Pam Butts, Robert Owen, Richard Jauquez, Damian Torres, May Perri, Mary Cignarella, Eugene Gisla , Sandra Mahood and Josephine Gomez.
Stewardship—a way of living. Stewardship encourages
everyone to participate in the task of building the Kingdom of God. God has gifted each of us with everything—
our very lives. We are responsible for caring for these
gifts and accountable for what we do with these gifts.
Stewardship rejects the notion that we must “have it all”
and, instead, demonstrates the value of giving in love, in
service and in justice. For more information on Stewardship please contact our Stewardship Committee chairperson Margaret Walton at 916-924-9800
Calling All Widows!
August found our Widows Group still on vacation. We
will be having our first meeting of the new year on September 11th, the second Friday in September. Father Jossy, our
Chaplain, will welcome us back for Mass at 10:00 am, including new members who are always welcome. One exciting event did take place in August: Enes Manfredini, our
oldest member, turned 100 on the 17th. Happy belated
birthday, Enes. If you are a widow and wish to join us, or
have any questions, please call Gloria Gabrielli at 916-4559946, or Celeste Gisla at 916-363-8358.
Thank You Susana Jackson
As you all know, Susana and her husband Jason have
served our parish for the past four, yes—count them—
FOUR years as the chairpersons of our annual parish festival. As if that wasn’t enough, Susana has also served as
the chairperson of our Parish Finance Council for the past
few of years as well. Susana has decided to resign from
the finance council and as our festival chair and enjoy a
well earned and deserved break. We would like to thank
Susana and her husband Jason for all their hard work and
dedication to our parish. Thank you so much for all your
time and efforts. They have been greatly appreciated.
Another year . . . . another festival . . . .
what next? . . . . Leatherby’s Ice Cream
Ever wonder who works the “pull tabs” booth every year
at our parish festival? It’s your parish music ministry led
by Maria Keller. Every year Maria and Bill would prep
and run the booth. When Bill passed away a few years
ago, Maria and family kept it going. We appreciate choir
members like Maria who are dedicated in their service to
the church.
In September our music ministers will join with the parish
altar servers and serve donuts & Leatherby’s ice cream
after the morning masses. Please come to this 2nd Sunday
Social, visit the various ministry booths, and find out more
about our parish ministries . . maybe even join one. If
you’re interested in music ministry just call Ben Billeci at
383-6155.
THE GIFT OF TREASURE
With gratitude for the gifts they have received,
Parishioners and visitors made a joyful return to the
Lord of the following:
August 30, 2015
Weekly Collection (including EOP) :$9,020.00
Weekly Goal (to cover expenses): $13,000.00
9/6/15 Parish Photo Sessions
Adult/Teens Catechumenate
Kids Catechumenate
Children’s Liturgy
9/7/15 Parish Photo Sessions
Children’s Inquiry
Adult Inquiry
9/8/15 Parish Photo Sessions
Boy Scouts
Neo Catechumenal Way
Baptism Class 2
9/9/15 School Pictures
Centering Prayer Group
Girl Scouts
Cub Scouts
Choir Practice
SVDP Meeting
CFF Classes Begin
Parent’s Club Meeting
9/10/15 Parish Photo Sessions
Neo Catechumenal Way
Choir Practice
Lector Meeting
9/11/15 Parish Photo Sessions
Anna’s Ministry
9/12/15 Parish Photo Sessions
Confessions
Neo Catechumenal Way
9/13/15 Parish Ministry Fair
Parish Photo Sessions
Second Sunday Social
Adult/Teens Catechumenate
Kids Catechumenate
Children’s Liturgy
Catholic School Majorettes
St. Mary’s Branch 45 of the ICF
Chicken and Polenta is on the menu Sunday, September
20; St. Mary’s Branch 45 of the ICF invites you to join
them in Giovanni Hall for this delicious dinner. Cost is
$14.00 for members and $17.00 for non-members and
guests. If you are not a fan of polenta, pasta will be
available; let us know when you make your reservation.
As an added attraction, we’ll be playing BINGO before
dinner. One free bingo card for those attending; additional cards may be purchased at $2.00 each or 3 for
$5.00. Times for the event are branch meeting at
4:00pm, BINGO at 4:30pm and dinner at 6pm. Make
your reservation by September 15 by calling Janine at
508-1199.
ALTAR SOCIETY NEWS
Our booth at the Festival was very successful thanks
to the help of all of you. Maria Burke was a wonderful
chairman who with the help of Susan Del Gaudio made
the job seem almost effortless. We want to thank those of
you who donated books and then bought books and our
needlework. We especially want to thank Joan Martfelt
for donating the lovely booties and Harriet Coster for
crocheting the baby blanket that was won by Bob McFarland. Once again we want to thank Mary Whitehead who
created the most beautiful aprons and Nina Ciani who
chaired the needlework group. Thanks goes to all our
members who worked on set-up, sorting and selling at
the Festival. We were especially pleased that Colleen
Nicholas joined us again for the sorting.
The next meeting of the Altar Society will be held on the
second Tuesday in September on 9/15 following the special Mass offered in memory of Darleen Clafflin in the
Holy Spouses Room. We welcome our newest member
Martha White. We want to thank Grace Williams for caring for the linens in August and Dona who will be caring
for them in September. Grace and Marilyn will be the
Hostesses for our next meeting. Remember new members are always welcome.
Bible Study
Starting September 16th! A 12 week long DVD journey
into Catholicism. Contact Gwen Devereux
[email protected], 916-717-8525 or go to the
St. Mary Parish website or Facebook page for more information and to register online.
PriestsRetirementCollectionNextWeekend
Nextweekend,therewillbeasecondcollection–
theDiocesanCollectionforPriestsRetirement.This
isanopportunityforparishionerstothankour
priestsfortheirlongandlovingservicetothediocese.Pleaseconsidermakingadonation.Special
envelopesareavailableinthechurchvestibule.
Safeguarding the Dignity
of Every Human Person
To learn more about how you
as catechists and teachers,
as well as all the baptized can grow in
knowledge and faith, go to the USCCB website
www.usccb.org/catecheticalsunday/
What Is the Role of Our Parish
In The Gabriel Project
The role of our parish in The Gabriel Project is to meet
with any woman referred to us for help, to pray with her
and to assure her that Christ and our congregation love
her. Our community simply responds in love by providing
emotional, spiritual and material support to help her meet
her needs. For the many women who are abandoned at the
time of a crisis pregnancy, the parish community lovingly
fills the void left by a missing family. Parishes in The Gabriel Project stand ready to provide a mother with the
kinds of assistance that she needs in caring for her unborn
baby. This help may include:
Friendship and emotional support
Baby sitting or providing transportation
Medical and prenatal care
Material or financial assistance
Housing, educational and/or employment opportunities
Maternity and Baby Items
More than anything else, Gabriel Project Parishes embrace each pregnant woman who comes to them, as their
daughter, their sister, their friend
If you are interested volunteering for the Gabriel Project or
the Respect Life Committee please contact Jennifer Reilly
at 916-798-3987 or via email [email protected].
The start of the school year began on Monday, August
24th. It was warm, but children were happy to return to
their familiar campus in their new roles. New teachers
were introduced! Thomas Aquinas Roybal III is our instructor for P.E. and computers, Kevin Riley returns as
Athletic Director, Eric Reyer comes to us from St. James
in Davis to bring us Science, Amy Suggs takes on 6th
grade along with Ian Gonzalez. This is a large double
class so the teachers will be very busy! And finally we
welcome Kerry Xavier to 5th grade. These teachers add a
lot of experience and excitement to the education of our
students. Welcome back to all of our remarkable teachers
and staff. As we begin the school year, we adopted a
theme from Pope Francis, “Love is our Mission”. Together with our families we will build on the energy of
this community and continue to grow in faith and love
together.
Welcome Back! St. Mary School is back in session. Our
first All School Mass of the academic year was Friday,
September 4th, at 9:00 AM, featuring Mrs. Suggs' sixth
grade class singing and ministering to the assembly.
The school choir will sing its first Family Mass of the
year on Sunday, September 13th at 9:30, where our parish
catechists will be commissioned for the upcoming year.
Students interested in participating in the school choir or
instrumental music classes should contact Mrs. Davis
immediately for information.
We're looking forward to a great school year as we lift
our voices in praise! Welcome back!
Classes begin on Wednesday, September 9th at
6p.m. in the school building! September 6th is our
next registration day. I will
be present after Mass for
your convenience. Cost is
$50 for the 1st child and
$45 for the 2nd child. If
you have a child entering
1st grade or 7th grade, they
need to enroll now for the
two-year preparation for their sacraments in 2nd grade
and 8th grade. Applications for next year are available
now and can be picked up or mailed to you. Please call
Shannon Blecha for more info at 916-452-0296 ext. 20 or
through email at [email protected].