Thursday, September 26, 2002
Dear Parishioners,

Peace and all Good! A big Parish “thank you” to all who made our parish picnic such a fun-filled event! My heartfelt thanks to Rika Rudd for her usual, top-notch organization of the day, to David and Kitty Peri and their wonderful crew for weathering the heat of the day in order to give us such a fine meal. Many thanks also to Andrew Gavfert, Michael Daoud, Danniela Da Silva, and the many other young adults who helped in so many ways, including the set-up and take-down. And finally, thanks to all of you who came and enjoyed the great company of one another! Also, congratulations to our parishioner, Katie Torres, who won the trip to Maui!

I invite all of you to take part in our annual St. Francis Days celebration! We begin on October 3rd at 7:00 PM with the moving and inspirational Transitus liturgy in which we recall the passing of our beloved Holy Father Francis from this life into eternal life. Then, we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis on October 4th with two glorious liturgies: Solemn Mass and blessing of olive branches at 12:00 Noon, and a candlelit procession and Solemn Vespers with Bishop Curry at 7:00 PM, followed by a scrumptious reception. The AIDS Walk takes place on October 5th, and the Blessing of Animals will take place on October 6th at 2:30 PM. Join us!
Love, Father Vince
Monday, September 23, 2002
TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Once again this week, Jesus is teaching in parables and inviting deeper understanding of, and participation in the reign of God. Like every good parable, this one has a surprising twist at the end that is intended to shock the listener into a new awareness. It is precisely the unimaginable abundance of generosity represented by the equal payment to the latecomers in this story that contains the “punch” of this parable. One suddenly remembers that this is a story about the reign of God (not about first century agribusiness), and the insight into God’s unfathomable generosity explodes in consciousness like fireworks. Much of the material in Matthew’s gospel has eschatological overtones, and one might suspect that his placement of this parable is meant to invite thought about the Final Judgment as well. On that level of interpretation, God’s ultimate mercy (see today’s first reading from Isaiah) is as unpredictably lavish as God’s generosity. What might that mean for you?

Dear Parishioners,
Peace and all Good! Today’s the day for our parish family photo in front of the Mission. Please gather as quickly as possible right after the 9:00 AM Mass. We want everyone’s shining face to grace the cover of our new pictorial directory. Remember, WE are the Church!
Also, later today, I hope to see you at the parish picnic. Over 200 parishioners will share a great bar-b-que at Tucker’s Grove, Area 1.
I invite you to mark your calendars for our grand celebration of St. Francis Days, October 3-6. The highlight will be a beautiful Solemn Vespers of the Feast of St. Francis on October 4th, at 7:00 PM. Bishop Curry will preside and our liturgy will be glorious. Following Vespers, our celebration will continue with an elegant reception in front of the Mission. Plan to join the community in honoring the saint for our times, St. Francis of Assisi.

We are gearing up for a new year of religious education for our children and young people. Registration for all grades, including Confirmation and Youth Ministry, will follow the 9:00 and 10:30 Masses on September 29 and October 6. While parents have the primary role of educating and forming their children in the faith, our parish also provides a Spirit-filled religious education program. Please come and see!
Love, Father Vince