St. Bonaventure Catholic Community
November 11, 2021
1.
Sunday Reflections
Thoughts from Deacon Bill
“And then they will see the ‘Son of Man coming in the clouds’ with great power and glory”…(Mark 13:26)
There was an informal poll taken wherein people were asked, if you had one question that you could have answered, about anything, what would it be? The majority of people responding said it was the future.
(continue in our website)
2.
Your Voice Matters
Fill out your Disciple Maker Index Survey now! All responses will be confidential, and the parish will only receive information about the community as a whole. For more information about the survey, please visit our website by clicking here.
Please help us participate by completing the 10-15 minute survey as soon as possible. Go to https://portal.catholicleaders.org/d/kg1kdk to complete the survey.
You can help us receive the highest response rate possible. This information will be invaluable to Fr. Lawrence, the staff, and ministry leadership as we plan for the future and strive to be the best disciples we can be. We will receive the results this spring and share what we learn with the entire parish.
NOTE: If you're stuck on the question where you have to rank items 1-9, remember that you can only use each number once in order to proceed.
3.
DONOR MATCH: CAN YOU HELP?
Our online giving provider Faith Direct is providing a donor match program. Online gifts help reduce costs. For every first offertory gift from a new recurring donor that is added between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, 2021, Faith Direct will match that first gift, up to $50, with a maximum match of $1,000 for our church.
To be eligible, more than one installment must be set-up and the first recurring gift must be by December 31, 2021. We appreciate your generosity and your support of our parish. We prayerfully ask that you consider helping us meet this goal. Please follow this link to sign-up.
4.
Gifts Shared with a New Home for Mary
If you don’t walk through our parish garden, we encourage you to take in the beauty. Every season provides a new reflection of God’s presence and love.
In the far back area of the garden, we have a special shrine for Mary. Over the years, the wood of the structure eroded and needed serious repair. We are so grateful for the work of our long time parishioner Pedro Rojas. Pedro used the same design, honoring the original construction and rebuilt the shrine.
Gifts of time and talent are so valuable to the parish. Thank you, Pedro.
If you have time and a skill you’d like to share, please reach out to Christa Fairfield. We always need help. The garden is fully cared for by volunteers. There are always repair needs around the campus, as well as administrative support, help at Mass and many other places.
5.
Celebrate Black Catholic History
Each November, we celebrate the long history and proud heritage of Black Catholics — in our community, our diocese, our country, and beyond — and recall the saints and souls of Africa and the African Diaspora. We hope you will enjoy this opportunity to explore this history and rich heritage. Click HERE for more information from the Oakland Diocese.
6.
Join Us in Prayer!
Are you seeing people living unsheltered in our community? Do you ask yourself, “what can I do?” Would you like to pray with others who are ask the same questions? Would you like to pray for all of us, both those with homes and without homes?
Join us in the chapel next Tuesday, November 16 at 7pm for a time of prayer and reflection. The prayer service will be recorded and posted for those who can not attend in person. Please contact Laura Nakamura at lmnakamura610@gmail.com for more information.
7.
Giving Tree Needs Your Kindness
We continue toward our new normal and coming back together, giving and caring for each other. We want to remember our parish’s charisms of charity and generosity. With our concern for safety and well-being, our Giving Tree program will follow last year’s format. This year, our Giving Tree will be a gathering and sharing of Gift Cards. We would love your donations of gift cards: $25 grocery store (Lucky, Safeway, Food Maxx and Grocery Outlet) AND for local gift shopping (Target, TJ Maxx & Walmart). You can place your gift cards in the marked box in the Church foyer OR you can drop it at the parish office in the mail slot to the right of the main office door beginning November 13/14 through December 5th.
8.
Kringle Mingle Christmas
Join us for this year’s Kringle Mingle Christmas Activity on December 4, 9:00-11:00am in the Large Hall. Visit with Santa and stay to make some ornaments and other crafts. $5/child. Please sign-up in the office by December 1. Due to COVID we cannot serve food, but we can still gather for the fun. Please wear masks.
More news and events:
● Respect Life Ministry: Please join us for the monthly Respect Life Rosary on Sunday, November 14. We meet after 9am Mass on the second Sunday of the month at the Grotto to the Unborn in the church garden behind the church. For more information please contact Jane Walker at (925) 934-2129. We encourage all to join us in prayer and fasting for an end to abortion, and that our government leaders and judges will act to respect life in the decisions now confronting them.
● The Brotherhood of St. Martin de Porres invites the community to the Solemn Mass in honor of our Saint, San Martin de Porres, Sunday, November 14, at 12:45 pm in the church.
● WCF Morning of Reflection: Join the Women's Christian Fellowship for a morning Mass followed by a message of healing and hope with guest speaker Dr. Margaret Turek. Please click HERE for more details and to register by Nov. 18th.
● Winter Nights: Volunteer now for the Winter Nights Family Shelter, hosted here at St. Bonaventure from Jan. 3-17. Click HERE for information about volunteer opportunities, ranging from providing meals and childcare to overnight volunteers. Contact Anne Sparks with questions or to volunteer at sbwinternights@gmail.com.
● The Knights of Columbus of St Bonaventure announces the 2021-22 Youth programs for Essay(s) and Poster(s). Information is now available for the Youth of the parish attending parochial, public schools, Youth Formation and homeschoolers. Go to KofC6038.org for all entry forms or contact Claire Tryon, KofC C Youth Director for more information at greyeototo@gmail.com.
● Calling all Crafters! Classy Crafters meets every Wednesday from 10:00am to noon in Classroom A-1. Everyone is welcome, no special skills are needed! If you have any questions, please call Donna Trana at (734) 474-7618.
● FORMED: Enjoy St. Bonaventure's subscription to FORMED, a premier online platform filled with over 4,000 Catholic studies, movies, audio dramas, talks, e-books, and even cartoons for our children. Click HERE for more information.
● Clean Start: Offers our homeless brothers and sisters the opportunity to wash their clothes at a local laundromat. We need volunteers to help on Saturday once a month. For more information or to volunteer, email Judi Herman at drjudi@att.net.
● Nourish for Caregivers: Provides caregivers a faith perspective, as well as practical and emotional supports, useful tools, and shared experience. 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.
● Healing the Heart: The Grief Support Program at St Bonaventure’s will have a one-evening program on Tuesday, December 7 and more six-week programs next year. If you would like more information or be notified as soon as we have definite dates, send an email to: fuzyfrank@aol.com. Dates will also be on the parish website.
● Marriage Encounter: Learn to love your spouse more fully on the next Worldwide Marriage Encounter Experience. Both virtual and in-person Experiences are available. Go to www.wwme.org to find the Experience that is just right for you!
Liturgy & Prayer
We continue to livestream the Sunday 9am (English) Mass. For our full Mass schedule and additional information, please click HERE
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.
Adoration & Friday Holy Hour
We offer Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament after 9:00am Mass in the Chapel. Monday through Thursday, Adoration continues for one hour after Mass. Friday Adoration continues until 3:00pm. The Friday Holy Hour beginning at 2:00pm includes the Rosary, the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy and concludes with Benediction at 3:00pm.
Online Spiritual Communion Service Details here
Christian Centering Prayer Group 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 are available to help. 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 3:30pm.
The office is open for walk-up visits, Monday-Thursday 8:30am-4:30pm (closed for lunch 1-1:30pm), and Friday 8:30am-12:30pm. Staff are also available by appointment. Please call the main office number or call or email the staff person directly.
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Food Pantry
The St. Bonaventure Food Pantry is open Tuesdays from 8:30-10:00am 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 online or through the mail, as well as those who continue to give at the weekend Masses.
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.