Saint Stephen Catholic Parish Third Sunday of Ordinary Time January 25th, 2009 - Bulletin
		The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.
		— Mark 1:15

	Our Liturgical Week Monday, January 26 8:00 a.m. Fr. Walsh / Barney Breen Tuesday, January 27 8:00 a.m. Fr. Calegari / Rita Bash 11:00 a.m. Fr. Walsh / Grade 3 Mass Wednesday, January 28 8:00 a.m. Fr. Murray / John Bonnici Thursday, January 29 9:30 a.m. Fr. Calegari / Therese Muscat S.I. Friday, January 30 8:00a.m. Fr. Walsh /————— Saturday, January 31 8:00 a.m. Fr. Murray / Claire Raddy 3:30 p.m. Fr. Calegari / Reconciliation 4:30 p.m. Fr. Calegari / Mary E. Nesbit Sunday, February 1 - Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time 8:00 a.m. Fr. Calegari / John Minnock 9:30 a.m. Fr. Walsh / For the Parish 11:30 a.m. (Confirmation Mass), Bishop Justice/Gladwin Huber 2:30 p.m. WKICU Mass 6:45 p.m. Fr. Murray /__ __ __ __ __ Red indicates Mass intentions
	TODAY’S READINGS First Reading — The Ninevites turn from their evil way in response to Jonah's message (Jonah 3:1-5, 10). Psalm — Teach me your ways, O Lord (Psalm 25). Second Reading — The world in its present form is passing away (1 Corinthians 7:29-31). Gospel — Jesus proclaims, "Repent, and believe in the gospel." The new disciples abandon their nets and follow him (Mark 1:14-20). Special Collection Next Weekend A second collection will be taken at all masses next weekend, January 31 and February 1 for ... St. Stephen Buildings, Maintenance & Repair OUR WEEK AT A GLANCE Monday, January 26 50+ Plus Club 12:30 p.m./Temp. Bldg. Religious Education 3:45 p.m./Parish Offices Tuesday, January 27 Youth Group 6:00 p.m./Parish Office Wednesday, January 28 Hot Lunch 11:45 p.m./Temp. Bldg. Thursday, January 29 RCIA 7:00 p.m./Parish Office Friday, January 30 Gamblers Anonymous 8:00 p.m./Parish Office & EC Saturday, January 31 Bible Study 8:30 a.m./Marian Room Sunday, February 1 WKICU Fellowship 2:30 p.m./Temp. Bldg. Youth Group 4:00 p.m./Temp. Bldg. Divorce Recovery Gp. 6:30 p.m./Ext. Center SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Sunday: Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Catholic Schools Week Monday: St. Timothy and St. Titus Chinese New Year 4707 Tuesday: St. Angela Merici Wednesday: St. Thomas Aquinas Saturday: St. John Bosco Please pray for the sick and homebound of our community, for all those in the book of the sick. May they know the healing touch of Jesus. .William Applegate, Natividad Austria, Irene Buscovich, Elena Carr, Mario Cid, Kevin Cleary, James Collins, Bernard Curran, David Douglas, Msgr. Bruce Dreier, Betty Francesconi, Art Hazlett, Mary Elizabeth Henry, Nellie Jocson, Elizabeth Kauss, Tim Lew, Miguel Mendoza, Alene Meyers, Maggie McDonald, Irin Mullen, Mercy Newman, George O’Brien, Kylie O’Leary, Stephanie Patty, Joyce Peterson, Sister Pat Phelan, Marsha Potolo, James Roach, Delores Robinson, Ian Taylor, Robert Thoel, Loretta Tribulato, Maria Elena Varela, Richard Voyles, and Mary Windrow. THE BEST SPEECH? Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret. —Ambrose Bierce Dear Parishioners, January 25, 2009 "Catholic Schools Week" begins today with Open House at our school from 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM following the 9:30 AM Mass. All are warmly welcome to come and join this social occasion. Come and see for yourself all the wonderful things going on at St. Stephen School. Each year, "Catholic Schools Week" calls attention to the exemplary education that our schools provide for tens of thousands of children across the United States. Our very Catholic theme this year is "Celebrate Service." Our students do such service projects as the SVdP drive at Thanksgiving, Pennies for Patients, beach cleanup, dollar free dress (kids raising dollars for individual charities) and the Class of 2009 does various outreach projects during the year. Mrs. Allen, was privileged to represent St. Stephen and participate in the historical Presidential Inauguration in Washington DC last Tuesday. Our warmest congratulations to 5th grader Kyle Reidy who sang with the San Francisco Boys Chorus at the inauguration. The Church today celebrates the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. Historians reckon that Paul was born 2000 years ago this year in what is presentday Turkey. Paul was probably the most hated Christian of his time. Jews looked upon him as a traitor to Judaism after his dramatic conversion to Christ. Flogged, stoned, robbed and sabotaged, Paul was hounded, persecuted and eventually executed in Rome for disturbing the status quo by pushing Christianity. Paul wasn't much to look at. "Bald-headed, bowlegged, strongly built, a man small in size, with meeting eyebrows and a rather large nose." Years after his death that's the way the apocryphal "Acts of Paul and Thecla" describes him. And Paul himself quotes somebody who knew him: "His letters are strong, but his presence is weak" (2 Corinthians 10:10). He traveled all over the Middle East: Corinth, Ephesus, Thessalonica, Galatia, Collossae, not to mention side trips to Jerusalem, Cyprus, Crete, Malta, Athens, Rome.... He didn't go as a tourist for sightseeing. He was driven by ambition to transform people - in outlook, standards, values, morals and understanding. He wanted his communities at Rome, Corinth and elsewhere to be transformed in relationships of affection, respect, tolerance and forgiveness. He wanted his communities to treat nonbelievers with respect, help and care. In a word, he wanted people everywhere to "put on Christ." Transformation into Christ was his answer to the world's problems. How long would it take to transform the whole world? Until we all become fully human, until we all "attain to mature manhood," as he put it - cf. Ephesians 4:11-13. Your Pastor, Fr. Joe Wise Words from St. Paul Let your love be sincere. Hate what is evil, hold on to what is good. Anticipate one another in showing honor. Rejoice in hope. Persevere in prayer. Practice hospitality. Endure in affliction. Contribute to the needs of all. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Treat each other in the same way; do not be haughty; associate with the lowly; do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. If possible, live in peace with all. Do not be defeated by evil, but overcome evil with good. Do not look for revenge. Remember, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," says the Lord. If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. - (cf. Romans 12: 9-21). St. Stephen Bible Study Bible study continues every Saturday morning in the Marian Room after the 8:00 a.m. mass. See you there. Mark Your Calendar Today! Sunday, January 25, 2009 – Catholic Schools Week! You are cordially invited to visit our St. Stephen School Open House. January 27, 2009 – 50+ Club trip to the River Rock Casino. Bus will leave at 1:00 p.m.; cost $25.00. (Betty Ganduglia at 650 589-0726) January 28, 2009 – Meeting with Parkmerced will be held in our temporary building at 7p.m. Subject; Their 15-20 year development plan. February 1, 2009 - Confirmation will take place during our 11:30 a.m. mass with Bishop Justice as our celebrant. February 21, 2009 - The St. Stephen Women's Guild Live and Silent Auction, "A Night to Bond", will be held at the Olympic Club, Lakeside Anchor Parishioners Please join us for a special Mass, Sunday, February 8, 2009, at 9:30 a.m. in honor of our 2009 St. Stephen Anchor Parishioners, Matthew Quane and Helen & Tom Perlite. Congratulations to Matthew Quane and Helen & Tom Perlite! St. Stephen 50+ Club Our next meeting is tomorrow, Monday, January 26 at 12:30 p.m. We will meet in our Temporary Building. (Contact: Helga D’Arcy at 731-8211). OFFERTORY COLLECTIONS Weekly collection goal $ 8,000 Past weekend collection (8/10) $ 6,280 Year to Date Goal $265,000 Year to Date $217,824 Thank you! Your continued generosity to our Parish is critical and never goes unnoticed. HOSPITALITY MINISTERS for the 9:30 a.m. mass. Today, Sunday, Jan. 25 - Religious Ed. Sunday, Feb. 1 - Jenn Coen Sunday, Feb. 8- Louise Fambrini Confirmation Students from our 8th Grade and our Religious Education Program will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation on Sunday, February 1st, at the 11:30 Mass. Bishop William J. Justice will be the main celebrant in this Confirmation Mass. St. Stephen Women’s Guild “A Night To Bond"... is the theme for the 2009 St. Stephen Women's Guild Dinner Dance and Auction benefiting St. Stephen School. This year's event will take place Saturday, February 21, 2009 at the Olympic Club Lakeside and will honor our 2009 Anchor Parishioners, Matthew Quane and Helen & Tom Perlite. Enjoy great auction prizes and dancing to the sounds of Bob Sarlatte and his Secret Agent Band! For ticket information, please contact Molly Krauss at 650-992-4945 or e-mail at molly_krauss@chroniclebooks.com or Susan O'Driscoll at 415-334-0674 or e-mail at sodriscoll@comcast.net. Catholic Schools Week January 25th to 31st, 2009 “Catholic Schools - Celebrate Service” St. Stephen’s will be holding a Blankets and Pots/Pans Drive For the ST. Vincent De Paul Vincentian Help Desk. The Drive will be held on two weekends: January 31st and February 1st and then again on February 7th and 8th The SVDP Vincentian Help Desk needs the following items clean and in good condition: Blankets, Spreads, Pots and Pans, Electric Fry Pans, and Crock Pots. The desk is especially in need of Queen Size Blankets and Spreads. Please place all donations in barrels marked SVDP located in the vestibule of the church. Thank you for your help in helping us to help others! St. Stephen Men’s Club RESERVE YOUR LUCKY SQUARE St. Stephen’s 26th Annual SUPER BOWL POOL! Lucky squares are still available! If you have questions, contact Marco Cerri at 650 303-2133. Proceeds from this fund raiser support all our CYO Athletics.
	St. Stephen Altar Servers Our special “thanks” to our student Altar Servers who faithfully continue to volunteer their time and talent to our parish. Our Altar Servers for January 12 thru 18 were: Danielle Tioyao, Carter Evans, Sean Kim, Logan White, Georgia Davey, Emilia Holl, Chiara Olmes, Kira McPolin, Adriana Suarez, Jake Cleary, Adrienne Tiña, Thomas Egan, Brian Cleary, Peter Goudy, Michaela Serafica, Jason Serafica, Gino Gandolfo, Kevin Cassidy, Zachary Yiu, Sergio Mungcal, Graham Gilleran and Erin Lithgow.
	e-Contributions makes giving easy! e-Contributions allows St. Stephen to accept regular and special contributions via the Internet. Log onto www.e-paluch.com for details.
	ST STEPHEN PARISH 2008-2009 ORGANIZATION/MINISTRY CONTACT PERSON Altar Servers Mrs. Katya Minnick Altar Society Helen Perlite Bridge Group Helen Perlite Choir Director Angela Zullinger Church Hospitality Veronica Wong Fifty Plus Club Helga D'Arcy Finance Council Dan Linehan Grief Support Ruby Buffin Lectors T.J. Perlite Liturgy Committee Ruby Buffin Marriage Preparation Clergy Men's Club Tony Maffei Music Director Griselda MacDonald Parish Council Patrick Smith Religious Education Veronica Wong RCIA Ruby Buffin Stewardship Kathleen Bruno St Vincent de Paul Julie O'Callaghan Ushers Bob Anthony Women's Guild Fionnuala McElligott Youth Group Christian Fernandez
	Parish Council Information If you would like to contact the Parish Council regarding our upcoming meetings please deliver your message to the Parish Center, or you may telephone or send an email to the following Parish Council members: Patty Murphy at (415) 681-3543 or mac4murph@gmail.com Patrick Smith at (415) 759-6731 or wearepatkat@sbcglobal.net
	Eucharistic Ministers/Lectors Check our web site to review your assignments. www.saintstephenSF.org.
	Bulletin Announcements Send your bulletin announcements via e-mail to: Bulletin@SaintStephenSF.org
	Our warmest welcome to all who celebrate with us. Our warmest welcome to all who celebrate with us. If you are new to our parish, we invite you to register and learn more about our many parish ministries and organizations. You may phone the Parish Center at 681-2444, complete this form and return it to the Parish Center; drop it in the collection basket during mass or register online at: www.ststephenSF.org! Our parishioners receive the weekly newspaper “Catholic San Francisco.”   Name: ___________________________________ Address: _________________________________ Telephone: ______________________________ E-mail address: ___________________________