St. Bonaventure Catholic Community
December 2, 2021
"Prepare the way of the Lord."
~Luke 3:4
~Luke 3:4
1.
Thoughts from Deacon Bill
Advent is a great time to rehearse for the final coming of Christ.
This weekend we celebrate the 2nd Sunday of Advent. The word ‘Advent’ means a “coming.” Theologically speaking, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This Sunday is what we might call “early Advent” because it has nothing to do with preparation for Christmas but everything to do with deepening our relationship with Jesus and with one another in him.
Spiritual Director and Retreat Leader, Mary van Balen, once wrote, “Advent is not primarily a time to get ready for Christmas or for celebrating Jesus’ birthday 2000 years ago. It is a time to deepen our participation in the presence of the divine being born into the world right now.”
2.
First Friday Adoration
December First Friday 24-Hour Adoration
The First Friday 24 Hours of Eucharistic Adoration in December will begin on Friday, December 3. We ask that you please sign up to spend some time with our Lord as the Blessed Sacrament cannot be left alone. Please sign up for an hour or more here: https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/817015302738012010/false#/invitation
3.
Register Now for 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. Registration accepted at the door. Due to COVID we cannot serve food, but we can still gather for the fun. Please wear masks.
4.
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
Join us on Wednesday, December 8th as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. This is a Holy Day of Obligation. We will have two Masses in the church: 9:00am and 7:00pm.
5.
Vintage Christmas Concert
Vintage invites you to their 18th annual Christmas Concert on Saturday, December 11th at 7:30pm in the church.
6.
Advent Reconciliation Service
Prepare your hearts for the birth of Christ at Christmas by taking part in our Advent Communal Reconciliation Service on Tuesday, December 14th at 7:00pm in the church.
For our Advent resource page, including daily reflections, online Advent calendar, and Examinations of Conscience, please click HERE.
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.
Healing the Heart Holiday Workshop
Any holiday is hard when you lose a loved one. This time of year is especially hard; there are so many people who are cheerful…all at the same time! The Healing the Heart Workshop is about knowing you aren’t alone, it’s OK to grieve that life has changed, OK to do things differently. This workshop includes tips about how to face the holidays and find the peace that the Holy Spirit is ready to give us.
Tuesday, December 7, 7:30 pm. Contact Helene to register: fuzyfrank@aol.com or 925-681-8105.
Mark your calendars for our next 6-week workshop: January 18-February 22, 2022. For more information on both the holiday and 6-week workshop, please click HERE.
Ministry Notes
More news and events:
● Faith in Action: Join us for our next meeting to learn about protecting tenants from illegal harassment and plan a future speaker's event on homelessness in our community. Monday, December 6 at 7pm. Contact Laura Nakamura at lmnakamura610@gmail.com for more information and the Zoom link.
● 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.
● 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.
● Rachel’s Vineyard Healing Retreat: Women's Healing retreat for those who have had an abortion. Fri-Sun, Dec. 10-12 in San Francisco. Call Maureen to register at (415) 614-5567 or click HERE for more information.
● 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.
● 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) 278-646
● 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!
Ongoing
Schedule & Activities
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.