St. Theresa Mission Statement
We are a welcoming, active Catholic Community
united by our faith, open to transformation, growing spiritually
and reaching out to love and to serve others as Jesus taught us.
Come and help decorate the church for Easter!
We will be decorating the church for Easter on Saturday, March 30th at 9:00 am.
Many hands are needed to transform the church. We have some heavy items that will need to be placed in the sanctuary around 10:00 am. Please consider giving one or two hours of your time to lend a hand.
Final Session April 7th. How does the Resurrection shape my heart?
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast and abstinence.
The obligation of abstinence begins at age 14.
The norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59.
The law of fasting allows one full meal and two smaller ones.
The law of abstinence prohibits the eating of meat. The Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence in the United States.
A Word From Our Pastor
Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
Happy Easter to one and all. Our Christian journey has once again traveled through Lent and Holy Week, the Lord’s washing of feet and the institution for us of the Eucharist, his suffering and brutal death on the cross to this great feast. Jesus has conquered death. We celebrate that where he has gone, we too may be with him in glory in God’s Kingdom.
I want to thank all who made our Lent a special and uniting experience. I am especially grateful to Deacon Mike Tedone who guided the parish Lenten retreat and you can still attend the last session next Sunday. A million thanks to Fr. Ngema who once again broke open the scriptures for those who zoomed in on Tuesday nights. I again thank Cathy Brady, Keri Nims and so many volunteers who have made sure we celebrated a Seder Dinner, had various Stations of the Cross available to all, decorated the church for Lent, Palm Sunday and Easter and so many other behind the scene things that helped all of us. And thanks to all of you who remembered to wear red last Sunday and who make our Easter celebrations every more joyous by your presence.
I ask all for a simple prayer this week as forty individuals once again go and build a house for a homeless family in a single day. Los Amigos de Mercy carry your support and love to a family that has waited a long time to have a roof over their heads. Pray for safe travels, work and return!
Here is a great summary of what we celebrate today and for the next fifty days!
Taken from the Vatican News site written by Fr. Anthony Kadavil:
Easter is the greatest and the most important feast in the Church. It marks the birthday of our eternal hope. "Easter" literally means "the feast of fresh flowers." We celebrate it with pride and jubilation for three reasons:
1) The Resurrection ofChrist is the basis of our Christian Faith, for it proves that Jesus is God. That is why St. Paul writes: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain; and your Faith is in vain… And if Christ has not been raised, then your Faith is a delusion and you are still lost in your sins… But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep”(I Cor 15:14, 17, 20). In the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "The Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our Faith in Christ, a Faith believed and lived as the central truth by the first Christian community; handed on as fundamental by Tradition; established by the documents of the New Testament; and preached as an essential part of the Paschal mystery along with the cross..." (CCC # 638).
2) Easter is the guarantee of our own resurrection. Jesus assured Martha at the tomb of Lazarus: “I am the Resurrection and the Life; whoever believes in Me will live even though he dies” (Jn 11:25-26). Christ will raise us up on the last day, but it is also true, in a sense, that we have already risen with Christ. By virtue of the Holy Spirit, our Christian life is already a participation in the death and Resurrection of Christ (CCC #1002, #1003).
3) Easter is a feast which gives us hope and encouragement in this world of pain, sorrows, and tears. It reminds us that life is worth living. It is our belief in the Real Presence of the Risen Jesus in our souls, in His Church, in the His Word and Sacrament and when two or three gather in His name, and in Heaven that gives meaning to our personal, as well as to our common, prayers. Our trust in the all-pervading presence of the Risen Lord gives us strength to fight against temptations and freedom from unnecessary worries and fears. The prayer of St. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland, reads: “Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ within me, never to part.”
Reasons why we believe in the Resurrection of Jesus: (a) Jesus himself testified to his Resurrection from the dead (Mark 8:31; Matthew 17:22; Luke 9:22). (b) The tomb was empty on Easter Sunday(Luke 24:3). Although the guards claimed (Matthew 28:13) that the disciples of Jesus had stolen the body, every sensible Jew knew that it was impossible for the terrified disciples of Jesus to steal the body of Jesus from a tomb guarded by a 16-member team of armed Roman soldiers. (c) The initial disbelief of Jesus’ own disciples in his Resurrection, in spite of his repeated apparitions. This serves as a strong proof of his Resurrection. It explains why the apostles started preaching the resurrected Christ only after receiving the anointing of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. (d) The transformation of Jesus’ disciples: The disciples of Jesus were almost immediately transformed from men who were hopeless and fearful after the crucifixion (Luke 24:21, John 20:19) into men who were confident and bold witnesses of the Resurrection (Acts 2:24, 3:15, 4:2). (e) The Jews and the Romans could not disprove Jesus’ Resurrection by presenting the dead body of Jesus. f) The apostles and early Christians would not have faced martyrdom if they were not absolutely sure of Jesus’ Resurrection. (g) The Apostle Paul’s conversion from a persecutor of Christians into a zealous apostle, preaching the Good News of Jesus throughout much of the Gentile world supports the truth of Jesus’ Resurrection (Galatians 1:11-17, Acts 9:1, Acts 9:24-25, Acts 26:15-18). (h) The sheer existence of a thriving, empire-conquering early Christian Church, bravely facing three centuries of persecution, supports the truth of the Resurrection claim. (i) The New Testament witnesses do not bear the stamp of dupes or deceivers. The apostles and the early Christians were absolutely sure about the Resurrection of Jesus.
Christ is risen! Blessings to you and yours in this Holy Season! Thank you for your continuing support. May the Easter season bring joy and hope to you and your families! May it bring peace to a war-torn world still waiting for the fullness of redemption.
St. Theresa School
This week St. Theresa School begins its annual Tuition Assistance Drive. Over the past few years, the parishioners at St. Theresa's have been extremely generous with their contributions to help our families in need and who strive to provide a Catholic education to their children. We ask that if you are able to make a donation, please send in or drop off the envelope that you should have received in the mail to the school or place in the weekly collection baskets. We are also able to accept electronic donations using the QR code below. We thank you in advance for your support.
Social Justice Corner
Join us planning on how we can respond as community to social justice issues that abound in our community and globally. Join us as we plan for Earth Day! Stay tuned. Contact Lydia Deck for more information ltdeck@me.com
Peace during Holy Week!
Join us this lent as we follow the meditations and prayers with the Ignatian Solidarity Network.
Lent 2024: it’s time to refresh.
In a world filled with personal and structural sin that allows injustice to grow, we are invited to refresh our souls and our imaginations to make space for the Spirit to work through us:
Pope Francis said, “To dialogue, it is necessary to know how to lower the defenses, open the doors of the house, and offer human warmth.”
Offering human warmth is at the heart of the beatitudes ( Matthew 5:1-11), which is the roadmap to refreshing our hearts in this time of Lent.
How will you offer human warmth to others as we enter Holy Week?
Praying for peace as we enter Holy Week, especially in the Holy Lands of Israel and Palestine.
Our theme for the 2023/2024 year is:
”Walking the Journey of Faith”
WINGS is a faith enhancement group for women that encourages spiritual growth through prayer, scripture study, life-sharing and community. Our session meetings, takes place, from 9:15-11:15am, on Wednesday’s in the Meeting Rooms. Our engaging speakers will uplift you and keep you informed. You’ll experience a welcoming community as we support each other in our spiritual growth. Feel free to invite a friend! Women from local parishes and other denominations are most certainly welcome. If you’re new to WINGS or wish to sample a meeting, feel free to attend the meeting at St. Theresa’s. If you have any questions, contact Denise at mollend@aol.com.
March 27 & April 3
Easter Breaak
Text to Donate
Text “GIVE” to the number above to receive a link to our online giving page.
During Lent we are reminded to develop a more conscious spiritual life and share what we have with those in need, One practical way to achieve this goal is to make the change to eGiving for St. Theresa parish.
You can use our online giving platform to deepen your commitment to the church and the ministries you care about most. Your recurring gifts will sustain our mission month after month. You will also help our parish by cutting costs for envelopes and paper, and allowing our staff to spend less time processing cash and checks and more time on ministries.
Thank you for your continued support of St. Theresa.
You may also use Online Giving for Second Collections.
March 29 - Holy Land (Good Friday)
March 30 & 31 - St. Vincent de Paul
April 6 & 7 - Parish Maintenance & Improvement Fund
April 20 & 21 Annual Bishop's Ministry Appeal
Sunday Offering: March 18 - 24
Online: 55 Donors, $2,199.50
Mass/Drop-Off/Mailed: 61 Donors $5,064.00
Assisted Listening available at Weekend Masses
There are two ways to enjoy crisp, clear audio in the church for our weekend Masses.
Option 1:
Download the app, connect to the church wireless network, put in your earbuds, open the app and you are set.
The WiFi password you will need to connect to our wireless network will be available at the sound system desk before and after Mass.
Option 2:
Assisted Listening Devices are available at our weekend Masses. You can check out a device at the sound system desk prior to Mass.
~~~~~~~~
If you have any questions contact Cathy Brady at cathy_b@sttheresaoakland.org
St. Vincent de Paul
Our Parish SVdP Conference meets bimonthly, every third Saturday at 9:30am. If interested in learning more about our Conference’s work, contact Judy Bojorquez at jtsbojorquez@yahoo.com with any general questions. Call 510-547-0911 if you have a specific question.
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.
Contact Cathy Brady at cathy_b@sttheresaoakland.org to volunteer or for more information.
https://sttheresaoakland.org/ministries/liturgical-ministries
Thank you for your faithful support.
Lector
Eucharistic Minister
Sacristan
Altar Server
Greeter
Usher
Projectionist
Video Ministry (9:00 am Mass)
Altar Linens
Weekend Mass Schedule
5:00 pm Saturday
9:00 am Sunday
The 9:00 am Sunday Mass is live-streamed on our YouTube channel for the ill and Homebound.
The link for the live-stream will be on our Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/sttheresaoak
YouTube channel link
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn5JX1e3QrqXTsa_7qmNCIw
Low Gluten hosts are available at all weekend Masses.
The hosts are less than 20 parts per million gluten, under .002%
For additional information go to https://www.parishcrossroads.com/low-gluten.htm
Please use the presider's communion station to receive a low gluten host.
Weekday Mass Schedule
Monday - Friday
8:30 am
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Saturday ~ 4:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Please remember in your prayers all those who are ill especially:
Matt Mercier, Heidi Parmelee, Dolores Gomez, Alegria Hipolito, Betty Wharton, Juanita Estrella, Olga Lamberti, Wendy Parmelee, Roger Baylocq, Alicia Gonzalez, Susan Springer, Wendy Jones, Orlanda Gonzalez, Kevin Chapman, Diane Cerille, Tom Wilberding, Shirley Roberts, Danny Ramos, Mark Leonard, Christopher Rodriguez, Maryanne Walsh, Rhonda Santeen, John Whatley, Bishop John Cummins, Nancy Coyne, Kevin Stallone, Della Spinelli, Jeanne Cuttitta, Susan Buller, Ann Springer, Guy Wallace, Ray Bertolotti, William McCarthy, Cindy Crimmins, Fred & Lidia Loupy, Rebecca Rogers, Kathleen Guevara, Clarence Robinson, Armando Diaz de Leon, Fr. Ron Schmidt, Laura Jones, Jeff Mills, Bonnie & John Bouey, Susan Rubio, Fr. Paul Schmidt, Marley Malone, Isabella Guillot Williams, Ann Kirkman, Hal Lauth, Phil Stover, Joey Smith, Raymond Buckley, Jr., Norma Ninalga, Betty Jo Olson, Jennifer Walwark, Greg Govan, Anita Lim, Marilyn McCabe, Helen Lightner-Smith, Steve Lauth, Mary Malloy, Peter Cuttitta, James Lang, John Donovan, Mary & Leo Martinez, Sr., James Spalding, Bill Rielly., Tiffany Converse.
Mass Intentions
March 30 - April 7
To request a Mass Intention contact Melody Marr
at
510.547.2777, ext. 120
or
melody@sttheresaoakland.org
Please remember in your prayers, those who have died, especially
Jim Diamantine, husband of Darcy and father of Katherine;
James Emmanuel Allen, father of Margo Malone.
The Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology is seeking and Office Manager for the college. Details about the position and needed qualifications can be found at
Parish Office Hours
Tuesday - Thursday, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Safe Environment Training for Parish & School Volunteers
For many parish and school volunteers it is time for you to renew your training. You will or have received an email reminder with a link for you to complete the online training. Please complete the training by the renewal date in the email.
If you have any problems or questions contact Cathy Brady at cathy_b@sttheresaoakland.org.
To renew or register for the first time, click on the link in your email or go to https://www.virtusonline.org or click on the link in the upper right corner of the parish website sttheresaoakland.org.
Please remember that in order to volunteer at the parish in any capacity (Lector, Eucharistic Minister, Catechist, Choir Member, St. Vincent de Paul, Legion of Mary, CYO etc.), or school, you must complete the training.
Rev. Robert J. McCann, ext. 121
Pastor
rjmccann@sttheresaoakland.org
Rev. Abraham Addam, ext. 122
In Residence
Rev. Ngema W. Enow, ext. 128
In Residence
ngemawil.enow@gmail.com
Cathy Brady, ext. 126
Liturgy Director
cathy_b@sttheresaoakland.org
Rob Cakebread, ext. 127
Music Ministry Director
rob@sttheresaoakland.org
Melody Marr, ext. 120
Parish Administrator
melody@sttheresaoakland.org
Keri Nims, ext. 124
Coordinator for Early Childhood Catechesis & RCIC
keri@sttheresaoakland.org
St. Theresa School
Alicia Ortegon, 510.547.3146
St. Theresa School Principal
a_ortegon@sttheresaschool.org
website: www.sttheresaschool.org
Parish Organization Contacts
Pastoral Council:
Chris Colby
ccolby@well.com
Finance Council:
Carolyn Mahoney
carolyn.mahoney675@gmail.com
St. Vincent de Paul Society
Greg Govan
glgovan@comcast.net
CYO (Catholic Youth Organization):
Clarence Robinson
sttheresaathletics@gmail.com
St. Theresa Men’s Club
mensclubsttheresa@gmail.com
Legion of Mary
Tom Wallace
tomw1313@sbcglobal.net
WINGS
Anne Dolan
anniemariedolan@gmail.com
Social Justice Committee (SJC)
Lydia Deck
ltdeck@me.com
Consolation Ministry
Cecile Cuttitta
cecile.cuttitta@att.net
Men’s Faith Sharing
Jim Frei
jim@ottofrei.com
Cursillo
Geri Tong
gt4palancaoakland@gmail.com
Kinderchurch
Shanon Ciston
s.ciston@gmail.com
Baptisms and Marriages: by appointment admin@sttheresaoakland.org
To arrange a Funeral call parish office 510.547.2777, ext. 120
Family Faith Formation (Grades TK-5) & R.C.I.C: Keri Nims ~ keri@sttheresaoakland.org
Middle School Youth Ministry (Grades 6-8):
High School Youth Ministry/Confirmation:
R.C.I.A. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults: Cathy Brady ~ cathy_b@sttheresaoakland.org
The latest email scam attempt:
This was sent to a parishioner using another parishioners name as the sender in an attempt to obtain the parishes account information.
What's the current available balance in the account? And do we have Zelle or Venmo Linked with our bank account? Also, You need to process the payment immediately to the vendor for our Website Upgrade . Kindly get back to me Asap.
A number of people have once again received phony emails and texts from Fr. Bob and/or our principal Alicia Ortegon asking for gifts cards. If you receive an email from either of them requesting help with gifts, gift cards, money ..... PLEASE IGNORE and DELETE. It's a scam! They will never request help from you in this manner.
