Opening Day
“Long have I waited for your coming home to me and living deeply our new life.”
(Gregory Norbert, Weston Priory)
St. Mary in Los Gatos is a jewel in the crown of one of the most serene and naturally beautiful environments in Santa Clara County. We are grateful to God and the many parishioners that comprise the membership of this Parish Community. We take pride in the dedication of so many who love and serve God in their ministry of teaching and preaching, who function as leaders in liturgy and parish administration, but most of all those that seek to live and share the Good News of Jesus Christ among a community of believers.
As we move to our return to communal prayer in the Church building on November 3 at 9:30am, we ask you to be courteous, patient, and kind. Let’s be welcoming and mindful of each other and as we move into this next phase of reopening during the pandemic.
In order to stem the tide of Covid19, all of us do well to follow the directives the county requires. First and foremost is the health and safety of our citizenry. No one of us wants to become sick nor would any of us want to infect others with the virus. Accordingly, Bishop Cantú has suspended the obligation for Sunday Mass attendance in the Diocese of San Jose. If you are not feeling well or have been in contact with someone infected by the virus, please stay home.
Anyone deciding to attend weekday or Sunday Masses must first reserve suitable seating for yourself and those attending with you. Please do not arrive at the Church door without a reservation expecting to attend. Ushers will observe this directive carefully. To reserve seating at the weekday masses at 9:30am, Saturday Vigil at 5pm, or Sunday 9am and 5pm, please find the reservation display on our website and click to reserve seating. Please note: there is no longer 9:30 am mass on Sunday. While we prefer you sign-up online, you may call into the office and leave a voicemail message stating the date, time, phone number, name(s) to attend, and request the number of seats. Voicemails are checked on a regular basis and anyone calling in a reservation does well to call early and often.
Arriving at St. Mary, we ask that you enter at the Bean Ave. entrance, the main vestibule of the Church. Those needing assistance with walkers or wheelchairs may enter through the Tait Ave. entrance, the west side of the Church building. Caregivers can check in at the main vestibule entrance with ushers after entering and securing a space in the handicap pew. At the conclusion of mass, we ask that members of the assembly begin by exiting from the first row of pews to the last. When leaving the Church, you may genuflect to the Blessed Sacrament in the aisle closest to where you are seated, then walk toward the altar and use the courtyard or Tait Ave. exit. Do not exit through the doors in the main vestibule of the Church on Bean Ave. The Church restrooms will not be available. Also, please do not remain in the Church after the dismissal to allow time for the ushers to disinfect the pews.
You must be wearing a face mask to enter the church. The usher will check your reservation and offer you hand sanitizer. Please rub your hands together until the sanitizer dries. Next you will be directed to a seat among the pews. Remember to reverence the Blessed Sacrament by genuflection before you enter the pew. Please do not sit in the pews marked with “no seating” signs and be sure to observe six feet between you and others outside of your household in attendance.
Keep your mask on at all times. During the liturgy of the Word, please respond as you would at any mass. The assembly may not sing, but there can be a musician and cantor to lead music. Before communion, ushers will bring hand sanitizers to the members of the assembly. Again, sanitize your hands as you did when you entered. The presider or an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist will come to you for the distribution of Communion. Please receive the consecrated host in your hand, lower your mask, consume the host, and replace your mask over your nose and mouth. Once the distribution concludes, everyone may be seated.
In conclusion, I’d like to thank the many capable volunteers that assist us with the liturgy particularly the ushers. Their role is essential to our work. I ask you to cooperate with them and assist them when necessary. Our work has just begun, and we will have successes but will likely have to make adjustments to improve our process. I look forward to seeing you on November 3rd and the masses thereafter. Until then, may God grant you grace and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Fr. Rick
The Financial Report for fiscal year 2019-2020 is now available on our website or your can download it here: 2019-2020 St. Mary Financial Report
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church - Outdoor Mass sign-ups are available online stmaryslg.org/sign-up-for-mass. We continue to offer Live Stream Mass as well.
Mass Intention Requests - Now Available Online
We have created a form so you may request Mass Intentions while our office is closed. Dates for intentions are to be made at least 3 - 4 weeks in advance as most recent dates are usually filled. Requests will be completed in the order in which we receive them (date/time) on Mondays (except holidays) and Thursdays - stmaryslg.org/mass-intention-request.
Sacrament of Reconciliation
We are resuming our weekly schedule for the Sacrament of Confession for all faithful with no prior appointments on Saturdays from 3.30 to 4.30 pm. More information is available on our website
Weddings or Funerals
For information about weddings or funerals please contact Jane Najour
or call (408) 354-3726 x121
Faith Formation
We are looking for catechists to help guide our children and families on their continued faith journey. It is hard to stay connected during these times of social distancing and we are looking at new ways to share our faith as a community. If you are interested in working with elementary children or with our children who will be receiving First Reconciliation and First Communion, please contact Terri at ttrotter@stmaryslg.org
Faith Formation - Fall 2020
Registration and information Playways, Elementary, EDGE (Junior High) & Element 4:12 (High School) is now available on our website stmaryslg.org/faith-formation-registration-form. Please email Terri Trotter if you have any questions about our programs (Playways through Elementary) & Katie Sullivan for EDGE (Jr. High) and
Element 4:12 (High School).
Faith In Action
St. Mary 13th Annual Ecuadorian Soup Supper
There won’t be a St. Mary 13th Annual Ecuadorian Soup Supper, BUT YOU CAN still support St. Mary Partners in Mission in Ecuador! St. Mary Partners in Mission in Ecuador invite you to join us in solidarity to support The Working Boys Center, Damien House and The Foundation for Working Families.
SOUPS ON! Sunday, November 8th! Use the recipe below to enjoy your own home cooked Ecuadorian soup! Let us come together in our own homes to celebrate the life changing work being done in Ecuador by these three foundations.
For every $25 you donate, your name will be entered into a drawing for a gift basket full of Ecuadorian crafts valued at more than $250. The more you donate, the more chances you have to win! Please consider making a donation to our parish Ecuadorian Soup Supper. Your donation goes directly to the foundations. Donations can be made by online or by check made payable to St. Mary Church. Donations will be accepted throughout the month of November. Gift basket winners will be contacted December 1st for pick up in the church office.
For more information on how our Partners in Mission in Ecuador group supports these foundations please visit https://stmaryslg.org/ecuador-partners-in-mission
Prayer Requests
How Can We Pray For You? We are committed to being a community that prays for one another. Whatever your circumstance or situation is, prayer can effect and transform it. Feel free to leave an intention below and know that you are being prayed for. Prayer Requests can be made online
Marriage Prep and NFP: For a list of Marriage Prep Retreat being held at the Diocese of San Jose please click here.
Music Ministry
Do you like to sing? Play an instrument? We invite you to consider joining the music ministry! Choir rehearsals (virtually have started). We are also putting together a children's choir (virtually) For more infomation or questions, please contact Percival at pperlas@stmaryslg.org or 408.354.3726 x122
St. Mary School
408.354.3944
On October 29, we can officially announce we have all grades on campus! We're thrilled to have everyone back, even though our days' format is a bit different. Half of each class attends in the morning and the other half attend in the afternoon. We've had to adjust some of our annual activiites: Our Hicklebees Book Fair was virtual this year, as we encouraged families to purchase their books online with a percentage of sales coming to St. Mary School. Our Halloween Parade will have a different look as well. Instead of gathering as a complete student body and "parading" around the block and downtown, the classes will take turns parading through our blacktop and parents will watch via live-stream. We took school photos this year with families signing up for a specific time, and driving through the blacktop, making a stop at our makeshift "photo studio", set up by our school photographers.
The teachers and students at St. Mary School may have been in Distance Learning, but they were connected as ever with families sharing 1st Day of School photos, tuning in for the Back to School Mass, and keeping all the victims of the fires in their prayers. The St. Mary PTG is putting together care packages for school or parish families that have been displaced by the fires. Please call the school office so we can make sure a care packages reaches you if your family has been impacted!
Our school Christmas Card art contest winner was announced, and we love that the winning entry encompassed our school theme "We Walk Together". We are so grateful for dedicated faculty and staff who are so instrumental in going the extra mile to bring our students back on campus safely. We've recently had some new additions to some classes, and have openings in select grades. Call the school office for more information, 408-354-3944.
Diocese of San Jose
Bishop Cantú has released this video in support of National Vocations Awareness Week (November 1 – 7, 2020) and encourages parishes and schools to share this video with their communities to promote a Culture of Vocation. Please see the Vocation section below for more National Vocations Awareness Week Resources.
Statement of Bishop Oscar Cantú regarding Pope Francis’ remarks on Same-sex Civil Unions:
All Parish faith formation and Catholic Schools students (kindergarten to 5th gr) are invited to participate in the Bishop’s 19th Annual Christmas Card Competition. All entries must have a religious theme and be received by the Office of the Bishop no later than November 11, 2020. Please see this PDF for more contest rules.
Hope, Heal, Renew Virtual Conference: You are invited to attend on November 12 – 14, 2020 a Virtual Conference.Consider attending this wonderful enrichment opportunity available to all parishioners and ministers looking for spiritual growth in our Catholic faith. Join a dynamic group of speakers and other attendees to deepen your knowledge and share the diverse gifts of our faith. Registration is $25. Register and learn more at conference website.
ÁNDALE! Workshops Presenting the New Directory of Catechesis: The USCCB, Sadlier, and NCADDHM are partnering to present a series of nine workshops to introduce/explain the new Directory for Catechesis in Spanish and at no cost. Presenters include Bishop Cantu and Bishop Flores, as well as Sr. Rosalia Meza from the Archdiocese of LA (RE Congress).
Dates: Nov. 24 and end on Jan. 19
Time: 5pm (PT), 90 mins. each
Please view and share video: Bishop Cantú: Invitation to Ándale Workshops
Flyer for details: Ándale Workshops
Dates: Nov. 24 and end on Jan. 19
Time: 5pm (PT), 90 mins. each
Please view and share video: Bishop Cantú: Invitation to Ándale Workshops
Flyer for details: Ándale Workshops
Registration: Register here.
Saints in the City Mass: Join us for the annual Saints in the City Mass, Sunday, November 1st | 4:30 pm at St. Maria Goretti Parish, presided by Bishop Oscar Cantú, to honor the youth of the Diocese of San Jose who have carried the torch of discipleship with fearless faith, enduring hope, and bountiful charity. Due to COVID restrictions, there is limited in-person seating, reserve your seat online. Mass will be also be livestreamed on the Diocese of San Jose Facebook Page.
Respect Life Series: Fridays in October 6:30pm - 7:30pm
October 30 (English) - Rosary: Sponsoring Parish St. Nicholas & St. Williams, Death Penalty with Fr. Michael Carson, Assistant Director of Native American Affairs, USCCB
Click here to view Series Recordings. For information and Zoom link click here!
Victim's Mass | Restorative Justice: This Mass is dedicated to the murder victims and their families and friends in the Diocese of San Jose. The Victim’s Mass will be held on November 7 at 2pm at Our Lady of Peace in Santa Clara.The Mass will be presided by Bishop Oscar Cantú.There is capacity for 92 people in attendance. Registration Coming soon
Please continue to check our website for updates - stmaryslg.org
Previous eNewsletters can be found at stmaryslg.org/enewsletter
We are still available by email. If you call and leave a voicemail it will reach us to. Just go to our Contact Us page or our website.
