Church of the Transfiguration 4000 E. Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley, CA 94552-4908

(510) 538-7941 Fax (510) 538-7983 E-mail: transfig_office@sbcglobal.net Website: www.transfigchurch.com December 31, 2017

Rev. Mario L. Borges, Pastor ● Rev. Terence O’Malley, Parochial Administrator Deacon John A. Mignano ● Deacon Timothy L. Moore ● Deacon Burton J. Rigley

LITURGICAL MINISTRY: Eucharistic Ministers, Stephen and Carina Kowalewski Lectors, Barbara Mehan Altar Servers, Clarence Decano

FINANCE COUNCIL: Chairman, Mark Zaleski

PARISH ORGANIZATIONS: Catholic Youth Organization (CYO), 60 Plus or Minus Club, Cursillo Group

SAINT VINCENT de PAUL SOCIETY: (510) 274-0830 Serving our community.

SICK & HOMEBOUND MINISTRY: Claudia Paquette, (510) 537-8986

STEWARDSHIP: Chairperson, Ed Coelho, (510) 881-5705 WINGS “Women in God’s Spirit”: Trish Ferrari, (510) 329-9407 HALL MANAGER: Pat Ballinger, (510) 537-1502

HALL RENTAL MANAGER: Monica Corona, 510-239-7941

YOUTH MINISTRY: Alfonso Corona III transfig.oasis@gmail.com PARISH OFFICE: Phone: (510) 538-7941 Fax: (510) 538-7983 Hours: 8:00 a.m. — 4:30 p.m., Monday-Thursday (Closed between 12:00 & 1:00 p.m.) Friday, 9:00a.m. — 12:00 Noon - Saturday & Sunday—Closed Secretary, Gloria Meeker Secretary/Bookkeeper, Phyllis Moore

SCHEDULE OF MASSES Saturdays 4:00 p.m. Sundays 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. (Except First Fridays - 9:30 a.m.) Communion Service - Saturdays, 8:00 a.m. CONFESSIONS Saturdays 3:00-3:45 p.m. BAPTISMS: Pre-baptismal class is required. Class is held the second Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. in the Rectory. Please call the Parish Office, (510) 538-7941, to register. MATRIMONY: Six months advance notice required. Please call the parish office. WEDDING COORDINATOR: Mel Speed (510) 909-9334 or melspeed@live.com FUNERALS: Please contact the funeral home of your choice and then the parish office. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: Director, Patrice Ballinger (510) 537-1502 or TransfigCCD@aol.com RCIA: Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults Please call the parish office. MUSIC MINISTRY: Director, Alexander Katsman (510) 538-7941, Ext. 302 or Transfig_Music@sbcglobal.net

Mission Statement: “Transfiguring Our Community Through Faith”

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

December 31, 2017 My eyes have seen your salvation, which you

prepared in the sight of all the peoples. —Luke 2:30-31

Mass Intentions (Dec. 30-January 6, 2018) Sat. 4:00 p.m. Edward & Mary Joaquin and Dr. Douglas Frnaklin Sun. 7:30 a.m. For the People 9:00 a.m. Albert Paul Hulten 11:00 a.m. Diamentina Cabezas Mon. 10:00 a.m. For the People Tues. 8:00 a.m. Chris Niklewski Wed. 8:00 a.m. Bill Giammona Thurs. 8:00 a.m. Albert Paul Hulten Fri. 9:30 a.m. Madaline Menola Sat. 4:00 p.m. Christina Jankowski

Stewardship Corner The collection total for the weekend of December 23rd & 24th and Christmas will be in next week’s bulletin. Thank you for continuing in your stewardship role of providing for the upkeep of our parish community.

We extend a warm welcome to new parishioners. Please pick up a registration form in the vestibule of the church and return it to the Parish Office. This helps us to serve you better.

Special Collection Envelopes When using the “Special Collection” envelopes, please write the name of the collection on the envelope. You may also write the name of the collection in the memo line of your check. This will help the office to give you proper credit. Thank you.

Remember Transfiguration in your Will and Living Trust

Transfiguration Catholic Church

New Year’s Day January 1, 2018 (This is

not a Day of Holy Obligation). Mass at 10:00 a.m.

Adult Bible Study Please Note:

There will be no Bible Study during the holiday season.

We will resume on January 8, 2018.

Dear Parishioners, I want to recognize and express the parish’s gratitude to the Flower Committee. They are:

Adelina Ferreira Fernanda Jardim

Mary Marques Marcelina Marques Ludovina Gouveia

Zita Chaves

Since I have been pastor, they have worked behind the scenes making sure that our church was properly decorated with beautiful flowers for all the seasons of our liturgical year. They have done a fabulous job and we have been blessed with their creativity. Their Easter and Christmas environment was always outstanding and glorious. As of January 2018, they will end their ministry and hope that other parishioners will step forward to take on this ministry. I encourage all to think about this ministry as a possibility for you. If we get enough volunteers, we can break into small teams. I, along with Fr. Terry, would like to thank you for your prayers, cards, homemade goodies and gifts during the holi-day season. We appreciate your thoughtfulness. Blessings to you and your family for a Happy New Year! Yours in Christ, Fr. Mario Borges

For Your Information The Parish Office will be closed on

Monday, January 1, 2018 in observance of the New Year’s Day holiday.

Sixty Plus or Minus Club Please join us in the Hall following the 9:30 a.m. Mass on January 5, 2018. Our hosts for the month will be Marlene and Len Tallo. Remember, dues are payable in January. Please sign up today if you plan to attend. Bingo will be played after the meeting.

Coffee and Donuts There will be no coffee and donuts

after the 9:00 Mass on Sunday, December 31st.

Note: Mass on Friday, January 5th will be at 9:30 a.m.

Your Prayers Are Requested for the Repose of the Soul of: Michael Langella

We invite all women to join us for: WINGS (“Women in God’s Spirit”)

Wings is a faith enhancement group that encourages Spiritual growth through prayer, scripture study,

Catechesis, life sharing and community. Transfiguration Church, Marian Rm. Parish Hall

Thursday, January 4, 2018, 9:15-11:15 a.m. Speaker: Deacon Marty Leach

Topic: Spirituality Through Bible Stories

Baptism Class The next Baptism class will be

Tuesday, January 9, 2018. Please call the Parish Office to register.

Credit, Debit, and Electronic Check Offerings If you would like to make your Sunday offering by credit or debit card, or electronic check, please go to our website: transfigchurch.com, and click on the “Donate” tab. From there, click on the “Donate Now” button to be taken to a secure website to complete the setup of your offering.

Thank you for advertising in our bulletin. We appreciate your support!

TODAY’S READINGS First Reading: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14

Second Reading: Colossians 3:12-21 Psalm: 128—Gospel: Luke 2:22-40

The English translation of the Psalm Responses from the Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, Inter-national Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Nm 6:22-27; Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8; Gal 4:4-7; Lk 2:16-21 Tuesday: 1 Jn 2:22-28; Ps 98:1-4; Jn 1:19-28 Wednesday: 1 Jn 2:29 — 3:6; Ps 98:1, 3cd-6; Jn 1:29-34 Thursday: 1 Jn 3:7-10; Ps 98:1, 7-9; Jn 1:35-42 Friday: 1 Jn 3:11-21; Ps 100:1b-5; Jn 1:43-51 Saturday: 1 Jn 5:5-13; Ps 147:12-15, 19-20; Mk 1:7-11 or Lk 3:23-28 [23, 31-34, 36, 38] Sunday: Is 60:1-6; Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13; Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6; Mt 2:1-12 SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Sunday: The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph Monday: Mary, the Holy Mother of God; The Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord; World Day of Prayer for Peace; New Year’s Day Tuesday: Ss. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen Wednesday: The Most Holy Name of Jesus Thursday: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Friday: St. John Neumann; First Friday Saturday: St. André Bessette; First Saturday

Buon Tempo Upcoming Dinner Transfiguration Parish Hall

All parishioners are invited to the following dinner: January 16, 2018—Polenta/Chicken February 6, 2018—Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes If you are interested in attending, please call the Dinner Line, 510-483-6929. Information: Call Len Tallo, President at 510-912-5730.

NO Classes this Week. Happy New Year!!

~~Religious Education~~ C.C.D.

C . C . D .

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION There’s no more unusual setting to celebrate today’s Feast of the Holy Family than Barcelona, Spain and the tower-ing unfinished sandcastle known officially as the Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia. In 1882, the plan was hatched to build a vast place of worship in reparation for the revolutionary and liberal leanings of the city. The modern artist Antoni Gaudi dedicated his life to the pro-ject, living in the building, attending Mass daily, and giv-ing up his personal wealth. When people pressed him to pick up the pace, he responded, “My client is not in a hur-ry.” (Gaudi’s cause for beatification is moving along, and he could be the first professional artist and architect to be beatified.) The Spanish Civil War, a disaster for the Cath-olic Church in which thousands of priests, brothers, and nuns were murdered, halted work in 1935. In the 1950s work began anew, speeded up by computers in the 1980s. Still, the final stage of construction is not due to end until 2026. If the original methods had stayed in place, it would take several hundred more years to complete the plan. So far there are eight towers, with four to go. The highest steeple is three feet shorter than the nearest hill, since the architect didn’t want his work to surpass God’s artistry. The three faces of the basilica each have three doors, with the faces named Passion, Nativity, and Grace. The interior is crammed with geometric figures that almost seem to spin, crazy-quilt windows, spiral staircases, and jumbles of statues and figures. Although inspired by ancient Goth-ic cathedrals, the style is called Expressionist, and very little is left unexpressed by the masonry. If you can’t af-ford a visit, Sagrada Familia maintains a web site, and virtual visits are free. —Rev. James Field, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

St. Vincent de Paul Collection for the Poor

There will be a second collection for our Society of St. Vincent de Paul on the weekend of December 30 and 31. St. Vincent de Paul is our outreach to the poor in our parish. We help our needy neighbors by providing assistance for food, transporta-tion, and other household assistance. One of the individuals we helped was a young homeless woman with an addiction prob-lem. Through our assistance, and that of SVdP in Oakland, she recovered from her addiction, went through a job training pro-gram and as a result now has a job with the county and her own apartment. She is very grateful for the help of SVdP and is now helping others. Without your donations to SVdP she would still be on the streets. We hope you will be generous once again so we can continue to help people like her and many others includ-ing children in our community. If you are interested in finding out more about SVdP and possibly becoming a member, con-tact Carl Bellone at: carl.bellone@gmail.com or call the parish office, (510) 538-7941.

LETTER FROM POPE FRANCIS THE “JOY OF THE GOSPEL” CONTINUED...

The Proclamation of the Gospel—#217

The Common Good and Peace in Society

We have spoken at length about joy and love, but the word of God also speaks about the fruit of peace (cf. Gal 5:22).

Fr. Terry’s Remarks— All through the year Pope Francis has been bringing joy and love into our lives. When we have joy and love in our hearts, we become bearers of peace. Let us all resolve to be above all peacemakers during this New Year. Division with ugly words and gestures not only damage our own selves and make us lesser persons; they also hurt and damage others especially those we love the most. Let us open our hearts to the wisdom of Francis and resolve to make 2018 mine and your year of Peace.