St. Bonaventure Catholic Community
June 3, 2021
"While they were eating,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, gave it to them, and said,
"Take it; this is my body."
(Mk. 14:22)
1.
Sunday Reflections
“We receive Christ so that we might become Christ to a world in need of healing and transformation."
Thoughts from Deacon Peter
In the early years of the 4th century, there was a great persecution against Christians across the Roman Empire. The Emperor ordered copies of the Bible to be seized and burned and banned the celebration of the Eucharist.
In Northern Africa, a group of people defied the ban by meeting in their homes. One Sunday, the police arrested them. Before their execution, they were hauled before a judge who asked them why they risked death by breaking the law. One of them, a man named Emeritus, answered simply “without the Lord, we cannot live.”
(continued on our website)
2.
Youth Ministry
St. Bonaventure has a summer youth group: Verso l'Alto (To the Heights). All high school aged teens are invited to join Jacob for some awesome summer hikes! Get some fresh air and hang out. To the Heights!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. Youth ministry sounds like fun, doesn't it? Hikes, laser tag, pizza... What are you waiting for? Please consider whether God is inviting you to help us rebuild our ministries after COVID. We are looking for caring adults who can mentor our teens and support them as they become young disciples. We will give you all the tools you need to succeed, so be not afraid! Follow your heart and shoot me an email!
We need help with Middle School Ministry on Thursday nights and High School Confirmation on Sundays.
Reach out to Jacob for more information: jperry@stbonaventure.net.
3.
Lumen Christi
Supporting Catholic Education for the Less Fortunate
I ask our good parishioners to join me in watching this video and making a donation to the Lumen Christi Academies of the Diocese of Oakland. The Lumen Christi Academies provide quality Catholic elementary school education to children of the diocese who otherwise would not be able to afford it. Three of the six Lumen Christi Academies are in our general area at Queen of All Saints in Concord, St. Catherine of Siena in Martinez and St. Peter Martyr in Pittsburg. Our generous support can help a child obtain the love, support and hope that come from a quality Catholic education. Check out this video and join me in supporting this important endeavor.
To donate online and for more information about Lumen Christi Academies, please visit their website.
Fr. Lawrence
4.
Knights of Columbus
Food Drive
The Knights of Columbus are restarting their Food for Families program. At the weekend Masses on June 12 & 13 we will be at a table in the plaza area by the main entrance to the Church to receive donations of canned goods, pasta and cereal. We are starting once a month for May and June so we can get back in the habit. Our motto is “A can a day is all we ask." Click HERE for a shopping list of desired items. We will take any and all donations. The donations we receive will be given to the St. Bonaventure Food Pantry and the St. Vincent de Paul Friday Foods Program.
5.
Winter Nights
Thank you to everyone who helped St. Bonaventure share meals for the Winter Nights Family Shelter, currently at the United Concord Methodist Church (UCMC). Because of our amazing volunteers and donors St. Bonaventure was able to provide meals for the families at the shelter from May 24 to May 28. Special thanks to Anne Sparks for coordinating this effort and to our long-term volunteers.
We are happy to announce that Winter Nights will be returning to the St. Bonaventure campus from January 3rd through 17th, 2022. Please mark your calendars and look for more information about how to volunteer in the coming months.
Click HERE for more information about The Winter Nights Family Shelter, which protects homeless families by providing shelter in a clean, safe, and warm environment and help families break the homelessness cycle by assisting them toward self-sufficiency and into stable housing. Each season the shelter rotates among different host churches, with other helper churches providing support such as meals, tutoring, and other activities. St. Bonaventure is proud to be a long term supporter of Winter Nights.
6.
Wild Goose
Thank you to everyone who joined us on our adventure with the Holy Spirit through The Wild Goose film series. We truly felt the presence of the Spirit in our midst as we shared, laughed, and prayed together. We’ll continue with the second half of the film series in the fall; please watch for more information.
For those who were unable to join our Zoom sessions, The Wild Goose is available on FORMED, an online platform with a large variety of Catholic content.
• Go to signup.formed.org
• Enter our parish’s zip code (94521) & click on St. Bonaventure
• Enter your name and your email address
• Once on FORMED, just search for "Wild Goose"
We watched episodes 1-7 this spring and will begin with episode 8 in the fall. This would be a wonderful series to share with family and friends.
More news and events:
● Opus Dei Men's Evening of Recollection TONIGHT: Fathers of children age 13 or younger are invited to a men’s monthly recollection in the church on the first Thursday of the month, from 7:15 to 9:00 pm. For information please click HERE or contact Gian Paolo Machado at gian.p.machado@gmail.com or (707) 548-4038.
● Project Rachel Retreat July 24: Project Rachel offers hope and healing after abortion. Click HERE for information about upcoming retreats.
● Respect Life Ministry: Join the California Bishops in speaking out against changes to California’s physician-assisted suicide law. Click HERE for more information.
● Nourish for Caregivers provides caregivers a faith perspective, as well as practical and emotional supports, useful tools, and shared experience.
Meetings every other Tuesday from 2-3pm on Zoom. For more information, email Helene Billeci at fuzyfrank@aol.com.
Meetings every other Tuesday from 2-3pm on Zoom. For more information, email Helene Billeci at fuzyfrank@aol.com.
Nourish offers meetings in Spanish too! For more information, please contact Biviane Ochoa at itsbiviane@gmail.com or (650) 278-6462.
● Marriage Encounter: Bring your marriage to its fullest by participating in a virtual Worldwide Marriage Encounter. Go to wwme.org to find the next virtual Worldwide Marriage Encounter Experience that works for your schedule from the comfort of your own home!
● Retrouvaille is a marriage program that helps couples in struggling marriages restore and rebuild a healthy and loving marriage. The Oakland Retrouvaille Program will be hosting a VIRTUAL Weekend Program Thursday, June 24 - Sunday, June 27, 2021. For more information or to register, visit www.HelpOurMarriage.org or leave a message at (510) 709-6063.
Resources for Coping During the Pandemic
As many aspects of our community are re-opening, the effects of the pandemic continue. Feeling overwhelmed? You're not alone. Click HERE for spiritual, parenting, emotional, and mental health resources for coping during the pandemic.
As many aspects of our community are re-opening, the effects of the pandemic continue. Feeling overwhelmed? You're not alone. Click HERE for spiritual, parenting, emotional, and mental health resources for coping during the pandemic.
ALL ABOARD!!
Bible Camp is Coming
Liturgy & Prayer
Please visit our website at www.stbonaventure.net for the most up-to-date liturgy information.
All of our liturgies have returned inside unless otherwise indicated. Saturday Vigil (5:00 pm) and Sunday indoor Masses require advance registration on our website or by calling the parish office at (925) 672-5800 weekdays between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm (Fridays before 12:30 pm). There is no registration required for daily Masses or the 11am Sunday outdoor Mass. (Registration will open Mondays at 10:00 am, Tuesdays if Monday is a holiday.)
We continue to livestream the Sunday 9 am (English) Mass and offer walk-up Holy Communion from 10:15-10:45 am. For our full Mass schedule, please click HERE
Download Worship Aids for Sunday:
If you need help with watching a liturgy or other event live-streamed on Facebook, please click here.
Health Reminders
Please join us for our liturgies through Facebook if you have tested positive for COVID in the past 14 days, if you have a fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, if you were exposed to COVID in the past 14 days, or if you feel actively sick. We encourage all parishioners to receive the COVID vaccine as soon as they are eligible. Thank you for helping us keep St. Bonaventure a safe, welcoming place for all.
Prayer, Spirituality and Formation:
Prayers for Those Who Have Died: Please join us in praying for members of our community who have died. You may find their names on our website. May they rest in peace.
Daily Mass Readings: Click here
St. Bonaventure Domestic Church tips and links: Click here
Friday Adoration & Holy Hour:
We offer Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament after 9:00 am Mass. Monday through Thursday, Adoration is in the Chapel for one hour after Mass. Friday Adoration is in the Church until 3:00 pm. The Friday Holy Hour beginning at 2:00 pm includes the Rosary, the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy and concludes with Benediction at 3:00 pm.
Online Spiritual Communion Service: Details here
Christian Centering Prayer Group: Details here
Word on Fire Videos on Flocknote: Details here
(Take advantage of Bishop Barron's great videos! Remember, you must have a Flocknote account with a password to access these videos.)
STAYING CONNECTED
Sacraments, Pastoral Counseling, and Staff Support
We're here for you! Our clergy and pastoral staff continue to be available to you during this pandemic. We can offer pastoral counseling by appointment, over the phone or by videocall, and the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is available in person when needed. Please call the parish office at (925) 672-5800 to make an appointment. We offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the church on Saturdays at 3:30 pm.
The office has reopened for walk-up visits, Monday-Thursday 8:30 am-1:00 pm, and Friday 8:30 am-12:30 pm. Staff are also available by appointment. Please call the main office number or call or email the staff person directly. As our staff are working from both the office and home, it is often easier to reach people by email. However, we are monitoring phones and voice mail, and will return messages as soon as possible.
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Parish Connections Thank you to everyone in our parish community who is working to reach out and keep in touch. If you need assistance, or would like to volunteer to help others by running errands, picking up groceries, etc., please email info@stbonaventure.net. The St. Bonaventure Food Pantry is open Tuesdays from 8:30-10:00 am in the parish parking lot. See our website for more information. (Note: The Food Pantry thanks you for your continuing donations of food and other items, but is no longer requesting bags -- they have a sufficient supply.)
Thank you for the many ways you continue to support our community!
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Your Gifts Are Keeping Us Open
We want to say THANK YOU to our parishioners and those who are not members yet but have sent us their donations to help in this unprecedented time.
We are so grateful to many who are now sending their donations through mail, online and collection box methods. Your efforts and generosity are greatly appreciated and are helping us continue to live our mission as a community of faith.
To learn more about online giving or other options, please click here. If you attend weekend Mass or walk-up Holy Communion, you may drop off your gift personally.
May God bless all of you and reward you abundantly for your support of your parish.
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May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.