From the desk of Fr. Mike ...

 

A correction from last week's bulletin regarding the donations going from our parish to the Haiti relief:   It is now well over $9000 since we started the weekend of January 16/17.  All donations are being made directly to Catholic Relief Services, the international relief organization of the United States Catholic Conference.  The Holy See (Vatican) has determined that this organization will be the official organ of the Roman Catholic Church in helping our brothers and sisters in Haiti.  Later on we will be asked to help with the local Catholic Church in rebuilding the Catholic infrastructure, with the naming of the new Archbishop to rebuild churches and other Catholic buildings, including the seminary that was completely destroyed and with losing many seminarians in the earthquake.

 

We thank you for keeping the Clergy of the Fresno Diocese in prayer in our annual convocation this past week.  The topic, "The Powerful Spiritual Leadership of an Intentional Presbyterate" was well presented by Father Ron Knott of the Archdiocese of Louisville, KY.  It helped us all in fine tuning our leadership styles and the continual assistance of the Holy Spirit that is important to the ordained.

 

A reminder that we will have our monthly Spanish Mass next weekend at 12:30pm., please pass this information along to your Spanish speaking friends.  Since next Sunday, February 7^th is Super Bowl Sunday, we will NOT have Mass at Bass Lake, since last year on Super Bowl I said Mass with only ten people at St. Dominic's, as others were enjoying the game.  Game begins at 3:30, Miami time, 12:30 Pacific Time.........So, let's all enjoy the game...!

 

From the desk of Fr. Mike ...

 

Here are some good thoughts to start the New Year!!!  And may it be a good year for you...

 

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

 

Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17.   Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mis takes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are sim ply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to Disagree

 

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything..
28.. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change...
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

 

From the desk of Fr. Mike ...

 

This weekend our nation celebrates the gift of freedom and equal rights under the law in commemorating the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  As a nation of laws and protected by the Constitution, we realize that often it takes years, sometimes a lifetime to see inequality come to an end.  We have a shameful past with slavery in our nation, followed by discrimination until it was ended by the Supreme Court and legislation signed by President Lyndon Johnson.  That doesn't mean that discrimination is over, just that our laws cannot justify such discrimination.  We know people from Mexico, Asia, and the Middle East still face discrimination, though their lot in life is improving.  Even in the Church, we know that our history is not always bright from the actions of the hierarchy and religious, especially as we are painfully aware that Religious Orders owned slaves in those early years in our nations including the Jesuits and the Ursuline Sisters.  Every new immigrant group had to fight to be accepted such as the Irish and Germans in the 1800's.  Discrimination also touched the Church, as anti-Catholic parties and the political party, the Know Nothings, attacked Catholic Churches and burned convents.  Even today, there is a very strong undercurrent of discrimination against the Catholic Church.  Just watch movies and television to see how the Church does not always fare well and how clergy and nuns are portrayed.  In the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr., we continue to fight discrimination in every facet of life in our country and in our world.  Unless you have been a victim of discrimination, you cannot fully understand the implication of being 'different' and 'not wanted'.  

 

You will notice the green vesture and the simple look of our churches as we return to Ordinary Time this weekend.  While the Church may call this Ordinary Time, there is nothing ordinary in God's presence.  God's grace is powerful and sustaining.  This coming Friday, January 22nd, the Church here in the United States as well as other people of faith will remember that fateful day when the Supreme Court upheld that abortion is legal.  The Bishops of the United States have asked us to remember this day, to pray for the safety of unborn children, and to bring a change of heart to our people in their attitude towards this heinous act of the taking of innocent life.  Life is the purest gift from God. The Church, through the Bishops of Rome, and the collective voices of all bishops, have reminded us that life is to be protected from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death.  Nothing less can be accepted.  We raise our voices in prayer and supplication asking God for forgiveness whenever innocent or guilty lives have been taken against their will.  

 

From Kevin Jonas

Welcome to the Parish Blog!

From the desk of Fr. Mike ...

 

THANK YOU ——THANK YOU —— THANK YOU

I want to express my sincerest appreciation to SO many of you who sent expressions of love and support this Christmas!  I was overwhelmed by the cards, monetary gifts, gift certificates, and other tokens shared at this special time of the year.  It was certainly one of the best Christmas I have had in my 25 years as a priest.   I am especially grateful to the Knights of Columbus for their generous gift and to the Women's Guild who commissioned a special stole for me of Our Lady of Guadalupe that I can wear at Spanish speaking liturgies and sacramental events.  It is simply a beautiful work of art!  You have made me feel so much a member of the parish family.  I will not forget all the kindness I experienced.

Today is the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the final day of the Christmas Season.  I want to continue with thanking all the liturgical ministers who functioned in many ways this Christmas that made our Masses so special.  To all the ushers, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Music Ministers, Sacristans, Altar Servers, members of the Art and Environment Commission and all others who worked so hard to bring the joyous message of the Incarnation of Christ to our parish in 2009.  To my parish staff, who worked hard behind the scenes in making sure all was ready.  To Kevin who planned the Christmas Children's Mass, making it one of most beautiful
liturgies I have ever experienced.  To the Knights of Columbus who were the Honor Guard at the Midnight Mass, to the choirs at Our Lady of the Sierra and St. Joseph's in North Fork for the extra effort.  To the new emerging Spanish speaking ministers now assisting us with the Spanish Mass offered on the first Sunday of the month at OLS at 12:30pm.  I have received so many positive comments from parishioners and visitors about the worship experience here in the mountains.   Thank you to one and all.

We will soon be publishing the final count on the Christmas collection.