We welcome the first Rise and Shine Mass for the new school year, and I welcome all the young among us who lector, cantor, usher, take up the collection, greet, and participate in today’s Mass. You are not the future of the Church; you are the Church today! Thank you for sharing and participating today.
At the Baptism ceremony, the minister reminds the parents of their obligation to be the first teachers of their children in the ways of the faith. The blessing at the end of the ceremony again makes note of this and asks God to bless the parents and help them to be the best of teachers in sharing the faith.
Parents do not have to do this alone. Catechetical Sunday celebrates and blesses all who teach in our parochial school and our faith formation programs. These catechists help parents and guardians in the task mentioned above at the time of a child’s Baptism.
We are very fortunate to have many wonderful women and men and even some younger persons who have just celebrated the Sacrament of Baptism who give many hours in preparing and presenting lessons of our faith. May God bless each one of them abundantly. May their words touch the hearts of their students and help them and all of us along the path of discipleship that the Lord calls each of us to answer.
In celebrating Catechetical Sunday, the USCCB has labeled this year with the theme of “This is my body, given for you.” In the celebration of the Eucharist, we experience all of the central mysteries of our faith: the Incarnation, the action of the Holy Trinity, our redemption and salvation through the paschal sacrifice of Christ, our life as the mystical Body of Christ, the People of God... and so much more!
Without a doubt, we are given in this Blessed Sacrament the literal food for a lifetime of catechetical instruction, and we are invited to grow in our understanding and appreciation of this mystery throughout our lives!
The Lord lifts up the poor and needy. At first glance, today’s first reading may seem disconnected from this theme. The prophet Amos denounced those who trample on the needy and destroy the poor, while the Psalm sings praise to the Lord for lifting up the poor. Pope Benedict XVI spelled out the prophetic connection between these Scripture readings and our celebration of the Eucharist, telling us that “Precisely because of the mystery we celebrate, we must denounce situations contrary to human dignity, since Christ shed his blood for all, and at the same time [we must] affirm the inestimable value of each individual person” (SC, 89).
The Eucharist is given for the life of the world—through us, the Body of Christ on Earth! The sublime gift of the Eucharist builds on the grace of our rebirth in Baptism to strengthen and form us as the Body of Christ, given for the life of the world (Jn 6:51). In other words, it is precisely because of this gift we have received that we are called to prophetically defend the weak, the vulnerable, and those who cannot speak on their own behalf. The world around us does not always see things in this light, so we have a social and political responsibility to participate in the perfection of charity in our midst, working tirelessly for justice and the common good.
This is the goal of all catechetical formation. This is what guides us in society that doesn’t always welcome the poor, the homeless, the sick and the elderly, immigrants fleeing for their lives and those yet to be born.
My prayer for our parish is that we will preach this firm social justice in our daily lives and then also practice what we preach.
St. Theresa CYO Sports would like to invite all children of the parish to participate in our CYO athletic program. This program is open to children of the school and parish. CYO requires students who do not attend St Theresa School to register and participate in the Parish Faith Formation Ministries. We would love to have your children involved. Please contact our Athletic Director, Clarence Robinson, with any questions: sttheresaathletics@gmail.com.
CYO Sports: Fall Cross Country: Co-ed 1st-8th grade (Aug-Oct) Winter Girls Volleyball: 4th-8th grade (Oct-Jan) Winter Boys Basketball: 3rd-8th grade (Oct-Jan) Spring Girls Basketball: 3rd-8th grade (Feb-May)
Registration for our Parish Faith Formation is now open. Use the below link to register for the following:
Safe Environment Training for Parish and School Volunteers
For many parish and school volunteers it is time for you to renew your training. You will receive an email reminder with a link for you to complete the online training. Please complete the training by the renewal date in email you received. You need to be current with your training to volunteer in any program in the Parish and School.
You may donate by using the Online Giving button or the QR code.
You may also use Online Giving for Second Collections.
October 1 & 2 - Parish Maintenance & Improvement Fund
October 8 & 9 - The Catholic Voice/Diocesan Communications
Social Justice Committee (SJC)
The next Social Justice Committee meeting is scheduled on October 19th at 7:00pm via Zoom. Robyn Thomas, Senior Legal Advisor for the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, will be speaking on gun violence prevention. For more info and to attend a meeting, please RSVP to Lydia Deck atltdeck@me.com for a Zoom link.
Next up on the SJC Speakers’ Series:
November 9th at 7pm - Social Justice at St Theresa with Father Bob McCann
December 14th at 7pm - A Pediatrician’s View on Social Justice with Dr. Javay Ross
TUTORS NEEDED!
Children Rising is an Oakland-based non-profit organization. The agency empowers children attending public schools most affected by poverty, violence, and educational inequity by raising awareness and rallying community support for their needs; and by galvanizing and guiding volunteers to teach, mentor, and nourish the children so they may develop academic and life skills.
No experience necessary!! Training provided!! Ongoing local demand for 2022-2023 academic school year. To learn more about Children Rising’s volunteer tutoring program, visit: https://www.children-rising.org/volunteer/
St. Vincent de Paul
Current Needs
Volunteers Needed for the Dining Room at the Direct Services Campus in West Oakland: 8:30am to 1pm Tuesday through Saturday. Volunteers to help prepare, and bag warm meals for our guests and serve the meals at the gated entrance to the courtyard. These excellent hot takeaway meals are being provided while the dining room is closed due to COVID. Contact Volunteer Coordinator, Kristen Bernal: Email kbernal@svdp-alameda.org510-277-6435.
Men’s Clothing (casual, work, denim, and work pants, and shoes in good condition) and women’s hygiene articles can be dropped off in the Church vestibule. These donations are distributed through SVDP Clothes Closet in our Downtown Community Center.
Nonperishable, non-expired food donations: Our on-going food collections for the needy people in the Sacred Heart Parish have been graciously acknowledged by those who have been served. This is becoming a regular opportunity for us to feed the hungry, especially during these difficult economic times. We bring the food to Sacred Heart around the third Sunday of the month to accommodate our neighbors some of whom are on various forms of public assistance that leave them short of funds when it come to purchasing food at the end of the month. Food donations may be left in the back of the vestibule in various baskets next to the “Giving Tree at any time.
Bay Area Rent Relief
Our Parish Conference of St Vincent de Paul is here to help our neighbors in need, including assisting those who qualify for California’s rent relief program to apply for and receive these State funds. If you know of anyone in need requiring assistance, please refer them to our Conference.
Our Parish SVdP Conference meets bimonthly, every third Saturday at 9:30am. The next meeting is September 17 at 9:30 am in the Hall . If interested in learning more about our Conference’s work, contact Judy Bojorquez at jtsbojorquez@yahoo.com to be added to email distribution and with any questions you might have.
You may use online giving to make a donation to the St. Theresa St. Vincent de Paul conference. https://sttheresaoakland.org/donate.
Volunteer for a Liturgical Ministry
Please consider volunteering for one of our Liturgical ministries. Liturgy is the work of the people and we need your assistance.
What is your gift, passion, what do you really like to do? Do you like to read, talk with people, serve people, work behind the scenes, electronics? Turn that passion into a ministry, there is something for everyone. Prayerfully consider one of the following ministries.
Mass reservations open each Tuesday at 9:00 am for the upcoming Sunday and close on Thursday at noon.
Celebrant The Most Reverend James Massa Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn Saturday, the Twelfth of June Two Thousand Twenty-One at 10:30 in the morning Fordham University Church Fordham University Bronx, New York
If you have any questions, please contact Nina Green at 510/541-7188, or by email to nggreen177@att.net.
Pick up a copy of the Advent & Christmas Reflection booklet in the vestibule of the church this weekend.
Come and help Decorate the church for Ordinary Time
We will be taking the Christmas decorations down and decorating for Ordinary Time following Mass on Sunday. Please come for an hour and help decorate the church for Ordinary Time.
You can now submit names for the Prayers of the Faithful (Prayers for the Sick or Recently Deceased) online. Please complete the form, and their name will be added to the weekly bulletin and our Sunday live-stream Mass.