St.MaryCatholicChurchwww.stmary-wc.org 925-891-8900

An important word about our Mass Schedule

For well over a year now we have been studying the number of people attending Masses, particularly the early Sunday Masses. Across the board we have observed a declining number of people attending Mass (even the 6 pm Sunday Mass has gone from standing-room-only to now less than full on a regular basis). This phenomenon is not particular to our parish but is hitting parishes across the diocese and the country. This fact, combined with the loss of Father Dante and no hope of another priest being assigned to the parish any time in the future (due to the over-10% loss of active priests in the diocese this past year), has caused me to re-evaluate our Mass times and the need for seven Masses each weekend. After consultation with the Parish Staff, the Liturgy Committee, our Musi-cians, and a number of parishioners, I am announcing a new Mass Schedule which will take place starting the First Sunday of Lent (March 1). The new schedule will be:

Sat. 4:30; Sun. 7:00, 9:00, 11:00 a.m., 1:00 (Spanish) and 6:00 p.m.

I realize that change is difficult, but in this case it is necessary. With only one full-time and one part-time priest assigned to the parish, we have no other choice. Pray for vocations to the priesthood! Talk to your children or grandchil-dren about a possible religious vocation. Encourage one another to be in-volved in ministry and the life of the parish and the Church. Pray for all priests in these times of decreasing numbers, that God will give us the strength we need to continue to minister to the People of God. Father Fred

Quality leadership requires solid spiritual, academic and pastoral formation of our future priests. Please give generously to a spe-cial appeal to support our semi-narians, which is being taken up this weekend. Thank you for your support!

Second collection next weekend for the upkeep of Our Lady’s Grotto.

ORGANIZATIONS CYO, Jerry Florence stmarycyo.wc@gmail.com 510-504-5954 Charismatic Prayer Group, Jim Crowley 944-0359 Eucharistic Adoration, Mary Johnstone 954-7205 Finance Council, Brian Mulligan 210-1031 Homebound Ministry, Helene Vizcarra 891-8936 Hospital Ministry, Angeles Ron 856-8780 Knights of Columbus, John Cuddihy 286-4515 Respect Life Ministry, Jim Crowley 944-0359 Rosary Makers, Ana Lau 256-4428 St. Vincent de Paul, Barb Erickson 937-2817 Walking with Purpose, Laura Lencioni 997-4379

MASS TIMES Monday through Friday 6:30 a.m. & 12:05 p.m.

Saturday 8:30 a.m.

Saturday Vigil Mass 4:30 p.m.

Sundays 6:30 a.m. * 8:00 a.m.

9:30 a.m. * 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Spanish

6:00 p.m.

Sacrament of Penance Saturdays 3:30 to 4:15 p.m.

DEVOTIONS

Eucharistic Adoration Thursdays 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Fridays 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (First Fridays all night)

Saturdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturdays 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Fatima Devotion: First Saturday Hispanic Holy Hour: Other Saturdays

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Saturdays 9:00 a.m.

(at the end of 8:30 Mass)

PARISH OFFICE

2051 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Walnut Creek, CA 94596

OFFICE HOURS

8:30 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M. Monday through Friday

THIS IS MY BELOVED SON This Sunday’s celebration of the Baptism of the Lord closes the Christmas season. In the scriptures we see one more epiphany, or manifestation, of the Spirit of God in Jesus—but this time it is as an adult, ra-ther than as a child. Jesus’ baptism also serves as the inauguration of his prophetic mission and the messianic age. Today’s reading from Isaiah describes God’s chosen Messiah, upon whom God’s spirit rests. In the Acts of the Apostles Peter says that “God anoint-ed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power” (Acts 10:38). Final-ly, in the proclamation from Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus’ baptism in water goes almost unnoticed. The crucial moment comes when the Spirit of God comes upon Jesus and a voice from heaven echoes the words of Isaiah: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

DATE TIME MASS INTENTION 01/11 4:30 pm Mark & Veena Pawloski (L) B’D’

01/12 6:30 am Thanksgiving from Caños Family

8:00 am Bob Shaw

9:30 am The People of St. Mary Parish

11:00 am Bob & Diane Hogan

1:00 pm Vocations to the Priesthood

6:00 pm Betty Baumann

01/13 6:30 am Mary Schroer

12:05 pm Mary Beth Pierce (L)

01/14 6:30 am Bob & Sally Aronno (L)

12:05 pm Carol Brown

01/15 6:30 am Jack Meinbress

12:05 pm Rose Byrne

01/16 6:30 am Amalia Cross

12:05 pm Thomas Pfeil

01/17 6:30 am Jean Luc Champagne

12:05 pm Aileen Baker & Elaine Ponce B’D’

01/18 8:30 am Gerry Romjue

MASS SCHEDULE

Resurgence of Email Scams Please be aware of ongoing phishing scams that involve emails purportedly from clergy. These are not from Father Fred or other clergy. If you receive such an email, note the sender’s email address is a gmail.com account. Our office no longer uses a gmail.com account, nor would Fa-ther Fred or any clergy ever ask you for a favor or money via email. It appears that the sender is phishing for valid email addresses and if you respond, the sender will follow up with a request for some sort of monetary assistance or gift cards. It’s truly unfortunate that cyber criminals will attempt to exploit the generous nature of our faith community. There are common sense ways to avoid being scammed. If an email contains an unusual request, contact the company (in this case, our parish office) directly. Do not use any phone number provided in the email or click on any links in the email. In many, but not all cases, grammatical errors are present. For more infor-mation on phishing scams and email security, you can Google or search for “Recognizing Phishing Emails.” The FBI website address to le an online Internet crime complaint is: https://www.ic3.gov

PRAY FOR THE SICK

Staff and Administration

Parish Office 891-8900 Fax 934-1358 Fr. Fred Riccio, friccio@stmary-wc.org Pastor 891-8900 Fr. Dante Tamayo , frdante@stmary-wc.org Parochial Vicar 891-8900 Fr. John Blaker, 891-8900 In residence Ana Lau, alau@stmary-wc.org Office Manager 891-8908 Aileen Baker, abaker@stmary-wc.org Bookkeeper 891-8911

Faith Formation

Mary Kerfs, lifeteen@stmary-wc.org Administrative Assistant 891-8939 Tim Mannix, RCIA & tmannix@stmary-wc.org Liturgy Coordinator 891-8921 Austin Pisciotto apisciotto@stmary-wc.org Grades 4-8 891-8944 Maureen Tiffany mtiffany@stmary-wc.org Grades K-3 891-8942 Heather Abraham, habraham@stmary-wc.org Confirmation 891-8934

School

Office 935-5054 stmary@st-mary.net Website: www.st-mary.net Alumni: stmaryalumni@st-mary.net Garrett Padia, Principal 935-5054 Advisory Council Joel Williams, President 768-6711 Parents Club Shannon Crvarich, Co-President 949-973-8046 Lisa Kavanagh, Co-President 768-9890

Allison Flamez Margarita Caracas Elsa de Rossi Monica Jara Ana Alvarez Isabel Castillo Susana Jaime Maria Vargas Anthony De Cristoforo Rosalinda Reyes Annabelle Semira Joseph Suta Jeanine Gordon Christine Pollnow Jake Johnston Bill Clark Art Coombes Diane Hewson Tyler Coolie Clarissa Gutierrez Julia Rodriguez

Fred & Emilia Sohn Raul Gonzalez

Helen Budde Raquel Zittel

Dominador Hontucan Quinn Gurnett

Oralee Floria Henry Escano

Mary McLoughlin Angela Regan

Beverly Regan Josefina Zabat

Audry Robinson Loretta Holmes

Nancie Campi Bob Bussani Betty Baker

Victor Miguel Barrios Jerry Compton Carol Erikson

THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR January 13-19

FF = Faith Formation Center SA = St. Anthony Rm. (near parish hall) SE = St. Elizabeth Hall (Conf. Rm.) SJ = St. Joseph Room SM= St. Michael Room SP = St. Peter Room ST = St. Therese Room

MONDAY, JANUARY 13 7:00 AM Eucharistic Adoration/Chapel 7:00 PM Walking with Purpose/FF TUESDAY, JANUARY 14 7:00 AM Men of St. Joseph/SA 7:00 AM Eucharistic Adoration/Chapel 8:30 AM Walking with Purpose/FF 7:00 PM Hispanic Prayer Group/SA 7:00 PM Faith Form. 6th-7th-8th Gr/FF 7:30 PM Choir Practice/Church WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15 7:00 AM Eucharistic Adoration/Chapel 6:45 PM Encounter Youth Group/SE 7:00 PM Charismatic Prayer/FF-SM THURSDAY, JANUARY 16 7:00 AM Eucharistic Adoration/Chapel 4:00 PM Faith Formation 4th-5th Gr/SE 7:00 PM Hispanic Prayer Group/Church 7:00 PM Young Adults/SA FRIDAY, JANUARY 17 7:00 AM Eucharistic Adoration/Chapel 7:00 PM Hisp. Choir Practice/SA SATURDAY, JANUARY 18 8:00 AM Men’s Prayer Group/FF-SM 9:00 AM Eucharistic Adoration/Chapel 9:30 AM Rosary Makers/FF-ST SUNDAY, JANUARY 19 10:30 AM RCIA/FF-SJ 11:00 AM Hispanic Faith Form./FF 4:00 PM Band Practice/Church

FIL-AM Ministry Meeting On January 12, the Fil-Am Ministry will have their meeting after the 11:00 mass in the St. Elizabeth Room. Please bring a dish to share (finger food only). For inquiries, please contact ELENA GAOIRAN at 925-525-7089, or elena.gaoiran@gmail.com. Thank you.

Lessons from Baptizing a Frog

I used to lead an RCIA session on baptism, where I would bring in my Kermit the Frog toy from when I was a child and pretend to baptize it. It was a session I es-pecially made sure I led when we had children prepar-ing for Easter sacraments. You would think Kermit would have become super holy having been baptized so many times, year after year. But, if he had been real, he would not have been any holier due to multiple baptisms than he was after the first baptism. He couldn’t be re-baptized. (Not to mention, of course, he is a FROG.) When Jesus came to John for baptism, he transformed the baptism of repentance that John was practicing into a baptism of redemption. And although we are called to repentance over and over in our life, redemp-tion comes to us only once. We cannot get baptized again in the Jordan or Sea of Galilee because of romantic notions, or come into the Catholic Church by a second baptism so we can start all over. Our baptism, whether we can remember it or not, is a one-time deal. But it is the real deal. Whether you feel it or not, you are sealed for Christ, and the stain of original sin has been washed away. Too many of us take that moment for granted. Yes, you may have been baptized as an infant. But much time has passed since then, and you can work to understand the impact that it had on your life. We sometimes look for a good time to begin living a stewardship way of life. However, that time already passed, and God has been waiting. We are called to reflect on our baptism and respond to the call it has placed on our lives. We can respond and be disciples, or we can be like Kermit the Frog, always searching for a new start that never comes. — Tracy Earl Welliver, MTS ©LPi

PEACE We should have great peace if we did not busy ourselves with what others say and do. —Thomas à Kempis Order forms available in parish office & church vestibule

Marian Pilgrimage to Catholic France

Eleven Days

May 26 to June 5, 2020

Fr. John Boll -

Spiritual Director Contact:

Karen Chappelear 916-652-7560

www.pilgrimages.com/frboll DEADLINE March 1, 2020

Walk for Life West Coast - January 25, 2020 Join fellow Catholics and pro‐lifers from all over Cali-fornia and beyond as we stand up for the littlest among us at the 16th Annual Walk for Life West Coast in San Francisco on January 25, 2020. There will be Mass at 9:30AM at St. Mary’s Cathedral celebrated by Arch-bishop Alexander Sample from Portland, OR. The rally begins at 12:30PM in San Francisco’s Civic Center Pla-za, and the Walk, down Market Street, begins at 1:30PM. Last year’s Walk drew 50,000+ people. For complete information about the Walk, visit www.walkforlifewc.com or call 415‐658‐1793.

Communicating Truth - Evangelization by the Laity

How can Catholics evangelize in a culture that calls mor-al convictions “hate speech” and “intolerance?” Please join us for this important day of thoughtful presentations, dialogue and reflection at the Annual DSPT Convocation of the College of Fel-lows on February 1 at 9:30 am at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley. This year's topic is "Communicating Truth - Evangelization by the Lai-ty". All information and RSVP at dspt.edu/convocation2020.

2301 Vine Street, Berkeley

A big thank you from St. Mary conference of St. Vincent de Paul. The Giving-Tree toys you so generously gave filled up four pickup trucks. The toys were distributed to St. Paul parish in San Pablo and St. Peter Martyr parish in Pittsburg, where they were so happily received. Thanks also for the many donations of food and toiletries for our food pantry. Our clients are grate-

ful. Because of your contribution to the fifth Sunday collection we were able to buy over one hundred warm cozy blankets to give as a special gift in addition to keeping our shelves stocked with food throughout the year. Keep up the good work! We are open every Thursday afternoon and serve on the average sixty friends each week. They get a chance to “shop” at the pantry for things they need.

(Pictured above are members of St. Mary’s SVDP receiving a thank-you plaque from St. Peter Martyr parish)

THE VINEYARD St. Mary Church

YOUTH MINISTRY (K-12) LITTLE SAINTS Kinder - 3rd Sunday 9:30am - 11:00am

ROCK 4th - 5th Grade Thursday 4:00pm - 5:30pm

BLAST 6th Grade Tuesday 7:00pm - 8:30pm

EDGE 7th - 8th Grade Tuesday 7:00pm - 8:30pm

CONFIRMATION Call for info

YOUTH GROUP 9th - 12th Grade Wednesday 6:50pm - 8:30pm

Faith Formation & Youth Ministry Office 925-891-8939 Lifeteen@stmary-wc.org Sunday– Thursday 8:30—5:30pm

Catequesis en español Ages 6-13yrs Sunday 11:15am - 12:45pm

Disciples in Training

Faith Formation

Youth Ministry

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Young Neighbors

and Just5Days Will Be Helping Those in Need in the Oakland

Area!

We are excited to announce that Young Neighbors in Action and Just5Days are coming to the Bay Area for Summer 2020! We will be staying at St. Mary Church of the Immaculate Conception in Walnut Creek and doing service in and around Oakland.

Young Neighbors in Action, provided for high school age youth, will be July 5-10.

If you have middle schoolers ready to serve, Just5Days will be at St. Mary’s from July 13-17. YNIA and J5D have been in the Bay area for many years, serving the homeless, the hungry, im-migrants, and others in need of our help. Give your teens the opportunity to be disciples in the world by signing up for a week of service, prayer, community, and so much more.

To register, please call Nancy at 253-853-5422!

LECTURAS DE LA SEMANA Lunes: 1 Sm 1:1-8; Sal 116 (115):12-19; Mc 1:14-20 Martes: 1 Sm 1:9-20; 1 Sm 2:1, 4-8abcd; Mc 1:21-28 Miércoles: 1 Sm 3:1-10, 19-20; Sal 40 (39):2, 5, 7-10; Mc 1:29-39 Jueves: 1 Sm 4:1-11; Sal 44 (43):10-11, 14-15, 24-25; Mc 1:40-45 Viernes: 1 Sm 8:4-7, 10-22a; Sal 89 (88):16-19; Mc 2:1-12 Sábado: 1 Sm 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1a; Sal 21 (20):2-7; Mc 2:13-17 Domingo: Is 49:3, 5-6; Sal 40 (39):2, 4, 7-10; 1 Cor 1:1-3; Jn 1:29-34

¿Y TÚ VIENES A QUE YO TE BAUTICE? Casi podemos escuchar el asombro de la voz de Juan el Bautista mientras le dice a Jesús: “Yo soy quien de-be ser bautizado por ti, ¿y tú vienes a que yo te bautice?” Durante todo el tiempo que Juan predicó y bautizó a las personas, las había estado preparando para la venida del Mesías. Ahora, ¡Jesús se acerca a Juan para que lo bautice! La respuesta de Jesús a Juan nos ayuda a entender. Jesús ha venido a cumplir todo aquello esperado del Mesías y más. Al entrar a las aguas del bautismo, Jesús entra completamente en nuestra humanidad, llevándonos hacia Dios. Jesús san-tificó las aguas del bautismo, haciéndolas sagradas, abriendo los cielos mediante su humilde obediencia al plan de amor de Dios.

LA MISIÓN DE CRISTO ES NUESTRA MISIÓN Al salir Jesús de las aguas del bautismo, el Espíritu Santo descendió sobre él y una voz de los cielos se escuchó diciendo: “Este es mi Hijo muy amado, en quien tengo mis complacencias”. Al unirse él mismo a la humanidad, Jesús abrió los cielos para nosotros, y al hacerlo, fue confirmado en su misión de misericor-dia y amor. En el bautismo, nos unimos con Cristo. In-mersos en su vida y amor, su misión es nuestra misión. Todavía estamos al principio de este año nuevo. Hoy, reflexiona en nuestra llamada bautismal para vivir como miembros del cuerpo de Cristo. ¿De qué manera amas a Dios en los demás? ¿De qué manera podrías crecer como discípulo de nuestro Señor Jesucristo? ¿Cómo estás viviendo la misión de Cristo, para dar a conocer el amor y la misericordia de Dios en el mun-do? ¿Es la misión de Cristo tu misión? Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co., Inc.

¡Aparta la Fecha! Retiro

Febrero 20-23, 2020 Formación de Discípulo

Padre Rafael Chávez

Para más información 925-856-8780 Ángeles

Caminata por la Vida 2020: 25 de enero Únase a otros compañeros Católicos y Pro‐Vida de toda California mientras luchamos en nombre de los más peque-ños entre nosotros en la 16ava Caminata por la Vida de la Costa Oeste en San Francisco, el 25 de enero del 2020. Ha-brá Misa a las 9:30 am celebrada por el Arzobispo Alexander Sample de Portland, OR en la Catedral de Saint Mary. La manifestación comienza a las 12:30 PM en la Plaza del Centro Civico , y la Cami-nata, por la Calle Market, da inicio a la 1:30 PM. La Caminata del año pasado atrajo a más de 50,000 personas. Para obtener información completa sobre la Caminata, visite www.walkforlifewc.com o llame al 415‐658‐ 1793.

FECHAS IMPORTANTES Enero 12, Clase 11:15am REUNION DE PADRES Enero 19, Clase 11:15am Enero 26, Clase 11:15am

925)357-3048 jcain@stmary-wc.org