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St. Agnes Catholic Community
A Perpetual Adoration and Stewardship Parish
SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Children’s Choir
Christmas Celebration
January 18, 2015
PARISH OFFICE 3966 Chestnut Ave. Concord, CA 94519
Tel: (925) 689-0838 Fax: (925) 689-7899
Office Hours: 9:00am - Noon * 1:00PM - 4:30pm, M-F
Website: www.stagnesparish.net * E-Mail: [email protected]
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MASS SCHEDULE
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Saturday Vigil: 5PM
Sunday: 7AM, 9AM, 10:45AM & 5PM
Daily Mass in the Chapel at 8AM
Monday - Saturday
(Communion Service on Wed.)
Confessions: Saturday 3:30PM
PASTORAL STAFF
Parochial Administrator
Rev. Fr. Johnson Abraham
[email protected]
Business Manager
Marlene McCann
[email protected]
Director of Religious Education
Lila Rutkowska
[email protected]
Secretary-Religious Education
Donna Cassianos
[email protected]
Director of Music Ministry
May Hembrador
[email protected]
Liturgical Musician
Lily Melendrez
Youth Ministry Coordinator
Linda D’Souza
[email protected]
Office Secretary
Cecilia Humann
[email protected]
Pastoral Council President
David Wood
[email protected]
Dear Friends,
The main theme of today’s Scripture readings is Divine Vocation – that
everyone is called by God to be a witness for Christ by doing something for
others with his or her life; using his or her unique gifts and blessings.
Hence, today’s readings remind us of our personal and corporate call to become witnesses for Jesus by leading lives of holiness.
The first reading describes how Yahweh called Samuel to His service and
how the boy Samuel responded to Him, saying, “Speak, Lord, Your servant
is listening.” Hence, God blessed him in the mission entrusted to him, and
Samuel became an illustrious figure, ranking with Moses and David as a
man of God. St. Paul explains to the Corinthians that their Divine call is a
call to holiness. Hence, they need to keep their bodies pure and souls holy,
because by Baptism, they have become parts of Christ’s Body and the temples of the Holy Spirit.
In the Gospel, John the Baptist claims that his vocation is to introduce Jesus as the Lamb of God. The disciples followed Jesus to his residence, accepting his invitation to “come and see.” They stayed with him that
day. Then Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus, introducing Jesus
to him as the Messiah. Thus, today’s Gospel describes also the call or vocation of the first apostles and challenges us to invite others to Christ by our
Christian witnessing.
Doing this requires a personal experience of Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We get this personal experience of Jesus in our daily lives through the
meditative reading and study of the Bible, through personal and family
prayers and through our active participation in the Eucharistic celebration.
Once we have experienced the personal presence of Jesus in our daily lives,
we will start sharing with others the Good News of love, peace, justice, tolerance, mercy and forgiveness preached and lived by Jesus. So let us become
aware of our divine call to be witnesses of Jesus and a dynamic and living
experience of Jesus will enable us to invite, encourage and motivate our
community members to come and participate in the “Kingdom of God”
activities.
Fr. Johnson
SCHOOL OFFICE
3886 Chestnut Ave., Concord
Tel.: (925) 689-3990
Office Hours: 7:30 - 4:00 M-F
Principal: Jill Lucia
[email protected]
Secretary: Ana Kelley
[email protected]
Stewardship Corner
Building Improvements
Sunday Collection for January 11
Sunday Collection for January 11
$7,675.
$3,644.
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St
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Mexico Homebuilding Trip
MEXICAN DINNER
Saturday, January 24, 2015
6:00 p.m.
Ag
ne
s
If you have checked out a key to the
Church or the Church Hall, please
return to the Ministry center as soon
as possible. Thank you!
Progress Report for the
Census and Outreach Project:
A BIG THANK YOU to the 304 parishioners who
took time after Mass during November to stop by
the Welcome Table and verify their parish contact
information. 188 parishioners noted changes to
some aspect of their information, with the most
common being phone number updates. We also received 86 new or updated email addresses!
We are now looking for more volunteers to help us
reach out by phone to all the families who did not
verify their information. Can you help us with
that? We already have several volunteers, but more
are needed!
The Communications Committee will prepare a simple script for you to follow for the phone contact,
and instructions for reporting results. With step-bystep instructions provided, this volunteer activity can
be done at home and at your own pace during the
months of February and March. Each volunteer
will get a list of 30-50 parishioners to contact along
with phone numbers and instructions. Reaching out
to our brothers and sisters in our parish family is
both a generous act of charity and an opportunity for
evangelization.
Please contact Mike McDermott (925-451-1072) or
Bob Rigor (925-202-6239) if you have a few hours
you can spend making phone calls starting in February
FRESHLY MADE FAJITAS WITH ALL
THE FIXINGS!
MARIACHI MUSIC
GREAT RAFFLE BASKETS
$15 /PERSON; $50/FAMILY
HELP OUR YOUTH BUILD HOMES
FOR FAMILIES IN MEXICO!
11th ANNUAL
WALK FOR LIFE - WEST COAST
JANUARY 24, 2015 SAN FRANCISCO
Please join your fellow St. Agnes Parishioners walk
on Saturday, January 24, 2015, as we continue to
peacefully proclaim our message in ever greater numbers. Walk with us to challenge the belief that abortion is a good choice for women. Walk to proclaim
that life is the best choice for women!
The day will start with a short series of speeches centering around the theme of abortion’s damage to
women, children – unborn and born – and families.
The speeches begin at 12:30 pm at Civic Center Plaza with the walk on Market Street starting at 1:30
pm ending at Justin Herman Plaza at the Embarcadero.
2015 St Agnes Annual Crab Feed
HAPPY HOUR 5:30 * DINNER 6:30
Carondelet High School – Garaventa Center
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Tickets: $55.00 each
St. Agnes parishioners are encouraged to take BART
to SF and back. Bring your families and friends to
this historic moment when we all raise our voices to
Parish Office Closed on Monday,
January 19 in Observance of
Tickets available at: St. Agnes School or Parish
Office and after all Masses at the Welcoming
Table. For more information call (925) 330-7317.
Event Sponsored by: St. Agnes School PACE and
St. Agnes Knights of Columbus
Please make checks payable to St. Agnes School
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CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK
SUN
Jan 18
8:30AM
RCIA
MASS INTENTIONS
A.R.
7:00AM
For the people of St. Agnes, living and deceased
9:00AM
Benjamen Lorenzo - Repose
Paterna Lorenzo - Repose
Flora Clavel - Repose
10:45AM Neal Coenen - Repose
MON
Jan 19
8:00AM
7:00PM
Mass
Knights of Columbus
Mtg.
Chapel
5:00PM
Carmen Santos - Repose
8:00AM
Regino Penaranda - Repose
Adela Penaranda - Repose
Emiliana Penaranda - Repose
8:00AM
Yvette Farrington - Repose
Church Hall
Parish Office Closed in
Observance of
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Holiday
TUE
Jan 20
WED
Jan 21
8:00AM Mass
10:00AM STARS Planning Mtg.
7:00PM Building & Grounds
Mtg.
Chapel
G.P.
8:00AM Mass
6:45PM St. Vincent de Paul
7:00PM Jim Gill Band Practice
Chapel
A.R.
Church
A.R.
8:00AM For the people of St. Agnes, living and deceased
THU
Jan 22
8:00AM
9:00AM
6:00PM
7:00PM
7:30PM
7:00PM
Mass
Scripture Study
Children's Choir
Life Teen Core Mtg.
Adult Choir
Stewardship Mtg.
Chapel
A.R.
Music Room
G.P.
Church
A.R.
FRI
Jan 23
8:00AM
Mass
SAT
Jan 24
8:00AM
8:30AM
9:00AM
6:00PM
Mass
Lector Practice
Work Party
Mexico Dinner
8:00AM
For the Deceased Members of the Downs Family
Chapel
8:00AM
Elsa Corrigan - Repose
Chapel
Church
All Grounds
Church Hall
8:00AM
Andy Khangsengsing - Repose
5:00PM
Louie Ferrari - Repose
Ed & Rosie Lexon - Happy Birthday - Special
Intention
7:00AM
Marlene Vasta - Repose
Marge Bruce - Repose
9:00AM
Charlotte Eisenstadt - Repose
Tomas Legaspi - Repose
Yvette Farrington - Repose
SUN
Jan 25
8:30AM
9:00AM
3:00PM
RCIA
Catholic Schools Week
Open House
Confirmation Session
A.R.
Classrms.
Classrms.
10:45AM Natividad Palicte - Repose
Renee Penaloza - Repose
Manuel Penaloza
5:00PM
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For the people of St. Agnes, living and deceased
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PLEASE PRAY FOR HEALING
Nicholas Anthony
Ron Artale
Camille Bainbrigde
John Bedecarre
Maureen Brophy
George Conlow
Lynda Conlow
Nancy Cotter
Nancy K. Cox
Henry De Graca
Christopher Doorack
Sal Escano
Junita Estrellas
Brooklyn Foley
Francisco Garcia
Theresa Gartner
Josephine Grove
Jax Grundmann
Ed Joaquin
Sheila Jordan
JoAnn Lee
FREE FEDERAL AND
STATE INCOME TAX PREPARATION
Trevor Ludlow
Joseph Mallon
Evelyn Martin
Mathew Ouimet
Andrew Palmer
Gelacio Pangilinan
Rose Potavin
Joe Riccobuono
Consie Roberts
Amador Rodriguez
Gina G. Rubin
Stella Ruybalid
Doris Rygh
Maria San Miguel
Elizabeth Santos
Louie Sison
Nick St. John
Connie Torrisi
Juner Valencia
Ronald Yancey
AARP’S TAX-AIDE program offers free Federal
and State income tax preparation to middle and low
income taxpayers, with special attention given to
seniors.
All AARP’s Tax-Aide counselors are IRS and State
trained, tested, and certified.
For appointments at the Concord United Methodist
Church, 1645 West Street, Concord, (925) 4055234. Leave your name and phone number and an
appointment scheduler will return your call. Appointments are available on Wednesdays and Thursdays starting on February 4, 2015.
Bring all your 2014 Tax Information, Photo I.D.,
Social Security cards & Health Care Information for
everyone on your tax return and a copy of your 2013
Federal and State returns.
For other Tax-Aide locations call (925) 726-3199
CHILDREN’S FAITH FORMATION (CFF)
On behalf of the entire Children’s Faith Formation
family, we wish to express our thanks and appreciation to Ashley and Ron Latteri for sponsoring the
gift program for our children again this year.
STARS Catered Luncheon - Tuesday, Feb. 3
Come to a great catered luncheon by Parma Delicatessen for the next St. Agnes Retired Seniors
(STARS) meeting on Tuesday, February 3. Because
this is a catered event, you must make reservations
by January 26, and send in your payment of $12 per
person. Make checks payable to Robert Rugani,
1701 Pepperwood Court, Concord, CA 94521.
There are no CFF sessions for the next two Mondays
(Jan 19th & Jan 26th). Sessions will resume February
2nd.
EDGE
There will be no EDGE session on Monday, January
19th in honor of Martin Luther King. EDGE session will resume on Monday, January 26th at
7:00pm in Cauchi Hall.
Friday, April 17 Casino Bus Trip
The next STARS casino bus trip will be on Friday,
April 17, to the Colusa Casino. Departing at 8:30
AM from St. Agnes, the bus will return at 5:30 PM.
The cost is $29.00 per person and includes a $10
free slot credit. For a flyer, stop by the Welcome
Table after weekend Masses, or contact the Parish
Office during the week.
“If you are called, reply, Speak, LORD,
for your servant is listening.”
What is God calling you to in your Sacrament of
Marriage? The next Worldwide Marriage Encounter
Weekends are February 20-22 or August 7-9. Early
registration, 4 to 6 weeks out is highly recommended. For more information contact Mike & Jeanne @
925.672.2016 or Joe & Sue @ 925.680.7767 now or
go to oaklandwwme.org
All Seniors and guests are invited to the luncheon
meetings and other group activities. For more information about STARS, stop by the Welcome Table after weekend Masses, or inquire at the Parish
Office.
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523253
St. Agnes
Concord
(925) 689-0838
Marlene McCann or Cecilia
Special Instructions:
Gentle reminder.
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Ads are on Page 7;
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Page 8 is color.
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Pope Francis’ Suggested New Year’s Resolutions
When Pope Francis met before Christmas with Vatican
employees, mostly lay people with families, he asked them
to do 10 things. The list sounded remarkably like suggestions for New Year’s resolutions:
– “Take care of your spiritual life, your relationship with God, because this is the backbone
of everything we do and everything we are.”
– “Take care of your family life, giving your children and loved ones not just money, but
most of all your time, attention and love.”
– “Take care of your relationships with others, transforming your faith into life and your
words into good works, especially on behalf of the needy.”
– “Be careful how you speak, purify your tongue of offensive words, vulgarity and worldly
decadence.”
– “Heal wounds of the heart with the oil of forgiveness, forgiving those who have hurt us
and medicating the wounds we have caused others.”
– “Look after your work, doing it with enthusiasm, humility, competence, passion and with
a spirit that knows how to thank the Lord.”
– “Be careful of envy, lust, hatred and negative feelings that devour our interior peace and
transform us into destroyed and destructive people.”
– “Watch out for anger that can lead to vengeance; for laziness that leads to existential euthanasia; for pointing the finger at others, which leads to pride; and for complaining continually, which leads to desperation.”
– “Take care of brothers and sisters who are weaker … the elderly, the sick, the hungry, the
homeless and strangers, because we will be judged on this.”
– Making sure your Christmas is about Jesus and not about shopping.
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