Confirmation of Adults - June 4, 2006

On Pentecost Sunday, June 4, 2006, Bishop Patrick J. McGrath will welcome adult candidates for Confirmation to the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph.

Confirmation of Adults

Sunday, June 4, 2006, 3:00p

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph

80 South Market Street, San José

Click here to register

Some things to know:

• The liturgy will begin at 3:00p and will be a Liturgy of the Word with the Rite of Confirmation.
• Candidates and their sponsors need to arrive by 2:30p to check-in and be ready for a brief rehearsal.
• Please supply each candidate with a nametag on which is written the name they want the Bishop to use when they are confirmed. It should be written or typed clearly in a large font (at least 18 point in a simple non-calligraphy font).
• Each candidate must be accompanied by at least one sponsor; they may bring two sponsors.
• Several rows of each section of the Cathedral will be reserved by parish for candidates, their sponsors, and two members of the parish Confirmation team. Families, friends, and parishioners are welcomed and can sit in the unreserved sections.
• At least one member of your confirmation team should be present to assist your candidates. Pastors and parish priests are encouraged to attend.
• Please review with your confirmandi and sponsors the responses for the Confirmation Rite (see Rite of Confirmation, #21-#30).
• Dress is Sunday best.
• The chancery does not give Confirmation certificates. If your candidates want a record of their Confirmation, you are welcomed to provide them with your own parish certificate.
• You are responsible for recording the Confirmation date along with necessary information in your parish register. The place would be the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph. Bishop Patrick J. McGrath would be the person who confirmed.
• There is free parking on the street or in the city parking lots on San Fernando Street between First and Third Streets. Click here for a downtown San José parking map (pdf).

Registrations are required for candidates and sponsors. To register your candidates and their sponsors, please do one of the following:

• fill out and submit the online form below no later than May 21, 2006;
• or, fill out and postal mail, fax, or email this PDF form or this Word doc form to the Office of Pastoral Ministry, attn. Bernard Nemis, 900 Lafayette Street, Suite 301, Santa Clara, CA 95050-4966, no later than May 21, 2006.

Questions? Contact Diana Macalintal, 408-983-0136.

Confirmation of Adults 2006
Registration Form for Candidates
Registration deadline: May 21, 2006

Parish:


Confirmation Coordinator:


Email Address of coordinator:


Phone Number of coordinator with area code:


Total number of candidates:

Total number of sponsors (2 maximum per candidate):

Please type in alphabetical order the names of your candidates, as you would like them to appear in the worship aid. Please include only the names of the Confirmation candidates. DO NOT include the names of the sponsors.

Names of Candidates (place each name on a separate line)


Bernard Nemis from the Office of Pastoral Ministry will contact you via the phone number or email address you gave above to confirm your registration. Please make sure all your information is correct before submitting this form.

FILED UNDER: WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS

Liturgical Coordinators' Gathering - April 26, 2006

As the winter rains leave and the heavy scent of lillies lingers thick in the air, liturgists and parish ministers often suffer from a debilitating disease called PTSD--Post Triduum Stress Disorder.

Symptoms include anxiety, sleeplessness, and nausea over questions like:

• How will I "keep up" Easter for 8 whole weeks?
• How do we do multilingual liturgies without confusing or boring the assembly.
• What is Mystagogy and is it contagious?
• Do I really have to do the Pentecost Sequence?

If you or someone you know suffers from PTSD, there's hope. Gather with others who have survived this disease and are living full liturgical lives after Triduum without the use of drugs.

Liturgical Coordinators' Gathering

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

10:00a - 12:00p

Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish

at Saint Albert the Great Church

1095 Channing Avenue, Palo Alto

Please RSVP with Bernard Nemis at

Nemis@dsj.org or 408-983-0126.

Other Liturgical Coordinators' Gathering dates for the year:

Tuesday, June 6, 2006, 10:00a - 12:00p, St. Elizabeth Parish

For more information, contact Diana Macalintal at Macalintal@dsj.org or 408-983-0136.


FILED UNDER: WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS

Vino & Vespers - April 28, 2006

Vino & Vespers gives busy people of faith a place to pray simply (you don’t have to plan a thing!), eat and drink well (you don’t have to bring any food), and talk candidly about faith, church, and real life (you don’t have to prepare any lesson plans or make any handouts!).

Gather with others who love the Church and spend an evening with three of God’s best gifts: prayer, food, and conversation. We’ll begin with Evening Prayer followed by an intimate conversation with our guest speaker about faith and daily life as we savor delicious desserts and fine wine.

Our guest speakers for this evening are

Rev. Eduardo Samaniego, SJ,

and Rev. Jon Pedigo

Fr. Eduardo Samaniego, S.J., is the pastor of Most Holy Trinity Parish in San José. Fr. Jon Pedigo is the pastor of St. Julie Billiart Parish in San José. Both of them traveled to Washington, D.C., last March to join other faith leaders from the Bay Area in a national prayer vigil on the steps of the Senate in support of comprehensive immigration reform. They were also part of a 25-member group who met with Senator Dianne Feinstein over lunch to share their concerns about immigration reform.

20,000 people marched on April 10 down the streets of San José

to take a stand for justice for all people.

Immigration reform has been called

this generation's new “civil rights movement.”

Come here the experience of those

who have gone to the forefront of the debate.

Vino & Vespers are interactive evenings that feature prominent Catholics talking about how they live their faith through the real events of contemporary life in the Silicon Valley. Young adults over 21 and those very much over-21 are especially invited.

Vino & Vespers
Friday, April 28, 2006, 7:30 pm

Villa Holy Names Spirituality Center
200 Prospect Avenue, Los Gatos, 95030
$5 suggested free will donation

Please RSVP at Nemis@dsj.org or 408-983-0126

Driving Directions to Villa Holy Names from Downtown San Jose:

• 280 N toward San Francisco
• HWY 17 S toward Santa Cruz
• Exit HWY 9 (Los Gatos-Saratoga Road). Get into left lane immediately.
• LEFT at the first stoplight which is University Avenue.
• Take University to the end where it forms a T with Main Street. LEFT on Main Street.
• Go to the first stoplight which is College Avenue and turn RIGHT (there’s a sign for “Novitiate” on the corner of College and Main).
• Go one block to the top of the street and turn RIGHT at Villa Avenue (follow the signs for “Novitiate”).
• Go 0.6 miles up the hill. When you see the Jesuit Novitiate and Winery on your right, turn LEFT onto Prospect Avenue.
• Go 0.1 miles and turn LEFT at the sign for "Sisters of the Holy Names Main Entrance." Parking will be in the lot on your left. The Chapel entrance is in the building to your right.

Click here for a PDF flyer that you can print.

FILED UNDER: WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS

A Survival Guide for Thinking Catholics - April 26, 2006

Santa Clara University's Markkula Ethics Center Lecture Series 2006 presents:

A Survival Guide for Thinking Catholics:

Conscience and the Roman Catholic Life

Rev. Thomas Reese, SJ
April 26, 2006

5:00p, reception, Atrium, Arts and Sciences Building
6:00p, lecture, Mayer Theatre
Santa Clara University

This free public program is made possible in part

by a gift from New York Life Insurance Co.

in honor of William Regan III.

RSVP to the Ethics Center at 408-554-5319 or online.

Thomas Reese, S.J., a widely quoted expert on the Catholic Church, was seen on television throughout the world as an insightful commentator on the papal funeral and election last year. He is the author of three books on the church, Archbishop: Inside the Power Structure of the American Catholic Church (Harper & Row, 1989), A Flock of Shepherds: The National Conference of Catholic Bishops (Sheed & Ward, 1992), and Inside the Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church (Harvard University Press, 1997). From 1998– 2005 he was editor of the Jesuit magazine America. He is a visiting scholar at Santa Clara University.

The program is sponsored by the Ethics Center and the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education.

Online liturgy workshop - April 26, 2006

Rev. Robert Duggan will present “How Liturgy Evangelizes” in a live online broadcast on Wednesday, April 26, 2006, at 2:00 PM EDT as part of the Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association (PNCEA) Catholic Speakers Online Series.

The one-hour, interactive program is for pastoral leaders involved in all areas of parish liturgy. To participate one needs a broadband (high-speed) connection to the Internet and a separate phone line.

For more details and to register, send an email to Online@pncea.org. The fee is $60.00 per phone connection (a toll-free number is provided). A site with a speakerphone near the computer can have multiple participants at no additional cost. Links to free online guides on how to attend an online meeting are also available. Inquire at the email above.

For further details, contact:
Sr. Susan Wolf, SND
Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association
3031 Fourth Street, NE
Washington, DC 20017
202-832-5022 x28
Fax: 202-269-0209
www.pncea.org

Interview with Cardinal Mahony on Immigration

The National Catholic Reporter has begun to do podcasts, and their debut podcast is an interview with Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles with John Allen, Jr., reporter for NCR.

You can dowload the podcast here. But if you don't have an MP3 player--c'mon, even the Pope has an iPod!--you can read the text here.

Bishop McGrath's Rite of Election Homily - 2006

Diocese of San Jose

Rite of Election
March 5, 6, & 7, 2006
Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph
Bishop Patrick J. McGrath

Today, dear catechumens, you begin your final test. It is not a test of knowledge of Scripture, or the catechism, or even the disciplines of the Catholic faith. You have already shown that the seeds of God’s word, the teaching of the Church, and the practices of prayer, study, community, and service are deeply planted within you; otherwise, you would not have been sent by your parishes to the Cathedral today.

No, today, your test goes deeper than knowledge or discipline. It will be a test of surrender and mission, a test of faith in the face of death, a test of hope when all seems lost, a test of love when all you receive is rejection.

Today, your godparents will attest to the power of God already working within you. They will testify that you have listened to God’s word. That word has already fed you on your journey and will continue to be a source of nourishment when your hunger is greatest. But it will also be a word that will pierce your heart; it will be a word to divide and cut through words of falsehood, hatred, and bigotry. This word will feed you, and it will also challenge you.

Your godparents will testify that you have responded to God’s word by walking the path of Christ. That path has been filled with joy, and I believe that you have already experienced the peace of walking with God. But that path has also been filled with times of doubt and uncertainty, perhaps within yourself, or from family or friends who don’t understand why you have chosen this path. If you continue this path, you will also find yourself in different places where you will have to choose between power and vulnerability, between apathy and mission, between a faith that gives easy, black and white answers and a faith that remains even when the answers are not so clear or easy.

Your godparents will testify that you have shared the company of the Church, joining in its prayer and communal life. That community has already shown you great love and has given you a place where you are accepted. But that community has already and will continue to mark you as different from what the world requires and expects. The world will tell you to hate your enemies; this community will tell you to love them. The world will tell you to store up your riches, live the “good life,” grab more power, vote for the one who will make your life easier, be an individual; but this community will tell you to give not only your cloak but your shirt as well, take care of the orphan, the widow, and the outcast, put on Christ, lose yourself, take up the cross, give away all you have, give away even your life.

This is what baptism is about. This is what the season of lent is about. This is what being Catholic is about. This is what you must be about if you will give your name to God today.

• If you give your name to God today, you will be signed up by God to do the work of Christ on the earth.
• If you give your name to God today, you will be given a new name at your baptism—you will be given the name of Christ so that you can do the work of Christ in this world.
• If you give your name to God today, you will be enlisted to make the kingdom more visible, not in the future, not once you get to heaven, but now, today, here.
• If you give your name to God today, you must proclaim as Christ did that now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation, today the poor are blessed, today heaven is theirs.

If you give your name to God, you will find yourself standing in a pool of water—water that will purify, heal, and refresh, yet also water that will bring death. Once you give your name, profess this faith, and enter into those waters, your old self will die and you will rise as Christ was raised from the dead. Then, death, fear, hunger, greed, doubt, despair, will no longer have power over you. Having been raised from the death of your old self, you will be able to face the devil and any test that the devil presents. You will be able to feed on God’s word when the false gods of life starve you. You will be able to turn the other cheek when others curse you. You will be able to confess the kingdom of God, not for your own sake but for the sake of those for whom the kingdom is given—the poor of this world.

The word that you have known, your godparents, and this community who have walked with you, and the strength of the Eucharist that you will soon share at this table: all these will accompany you from the day of your baptism as you do the work of Christ with us. All you have to do is surrender yourself, surrender your name, surrender your life to the life-giving cross of Christ.

This test of surrender and mission will be difficult. But you will not be alone. When you put your name on the line, when you put your life on the line, you will not be alone. You are already members of this community, and you will soon be members of the Body of Christ, never to face trial and temptation alone again.

Give all you have to God—your name, your life, your love—and receive in return the love that has no end, receive the eternal life of God, receive the name that is above every other name. Receive Christ and be known by his name so that today and everyday may be a day of salvation.

Bishop Trautman on Language and Liturgy

In the Roman Catholic Church today, there is a passionate debate over the appropriate translation of liturgical texts, such as the readings from Scripture (Lectionary) and the prayers used at Mass (Sacramentary). Over the last several years, the Church has been retranslating the liturgical English texts that have been in use since the end of Vatican II. We now have a new English translation of the Lectionary implemented in 1998 (not without controversy), and a new translation of the Sacramentary is in the works.

This latter project, along with the instruction, Liturgicam authenticam, has prompted much discussion among the American bishops and liturgical scholars throughout the English-speaking world. And justifiably so. The fact is that whatever the result of this debate may be, a new translation of the Sacramentary will change the way we pray. The change could be as subtle as minor modifications to the priest's words, or it could be as major as changing the texts of the Gloria, the Creed, and other prayers we have learned, sung, and known by heart over the last 35 years.

For Bishop Donald Trautman, bishop of the Diocese of Erie, new translations do not simply change words; they change the way we participate in the liturgy. On March 27, 2006, he gave a lecture at Saint John's University, School of Theology-Seminary, in Collegeville, Minn., on the relationship between liturgical translations and the active participation of the assembly in the liturgy. In his lecture, he stated:

A translated text is intended for prayer, worship, lifting up the heart and mind to God. If a translation--no matter how exact--does not communicate in the living language of the worshipping assembly, it fails as a translation; it fails to lead to full, conscious, and active participation. This is the essential criterion and ultimate goal for all translations of the Sacramentary and Lectionary.

Read more about the debate and Bishop Trautman's entire lecture here.

Help Build a House in Mexico

A good friend of mine sent this to me, and I post it here in case you can help her students do some good work this summer. Even if you can't donate money, please send them your prayers. Thanks!

Hi Everyone,

The reason I am writing is because I am gearing up to take some students down to Mexico again this year. For those of you who didn't hear about the trip last year - let me explain.

At the end of June, a team of my students and some additional faculty will be heading down to Mexico to build a house for one of the million families that are less fortunate than any of us. Last year's family consisted of a single mother and two daughters who shared one bed together and lived in a room with a dirt floor, walls made of old garage doors, and a tarp for a roof.

Our team builds a house for the family in four days. We build using only our hands (no power tools) and we create a basic two room house with a real floor, a real roof, two windows and a door.

This is a tough job and we know we can do it, but we still need some help. First off, we are looking for prayers not only for the group but also for the family we are helping. Secondly, I am looking for donations to help sponsor myself as well as the other dedicated teens and leaders going down there. Total, it costs each participant about $500. This goes towards transportation, food, supplies, and insurance. Every little bit helps and if you are interested in helping this way then please send a check to me payable to LJC Ministry. My work address will be at the bottom of this email.

This trip is one of the things that I have spent a lot of time with in this Campus Ministry position. It means a lot to me and it also is such an amazing experience for all the teens. Seeing them grow so much in that one week is a great reminder of why I took this job.

If you have any questions or want more information about what we are doing then please contact me!!

Amanda Goei
Director of Campus Ministry
Saint Lawrence Academy
2000 Lawrence Court
Santa Clara, CA 95051

Good Friday 2006 Intercession

To: All Priests and Parish Liturgists

Bishop Patrick J. McGrath asks that the following petition be included in the General Intercessions at Good Friday’s Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion. Its format should easily accommodate its addition to the prayers already found in the Roman Missal/Sacramentary.

For those communities celebrating this liturgy in languages other than English, please feel free to translate this intercession for inclusion in those liturgies. (Spanish translation is provided below.)

XI. For Special Needs

Let us pray, dear friends, for the special needs of our day,
that God who created us in love
will watch over and protect all people of good will.

Almighty and eternal God,
you watch over us all the days of our lives.
Bless our diocese in this year of Jubilee.
In your love bring peace to our world.
safe return home of all in the military,
consolation to victims of disasters,
and respect and dignity to immigrants.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.


XI. Por Las Necesidades Especiales

Queridos hermanos y hermanas,
oremos por las necesidades especiales en este día.
Que Dios que nos ha creado con amor,
proteja y guíe a todas las personas de buena voluntad.

Dios eterno,
Tú que nos proteges, todos los días de nuestra vida.
Bendice a nuestra Diócesis en este año Jubilar.
Que el amor que Tú, nos das traiga paz a nuestro mundo.
Un seguro y feliz retorno, de las personas en las fuerzas armadas,
consuela a las víctimas de los desastres.
Y respeto y dignidad por los inmigrantes.
Todo esto te lo pedimos, por Cristo Nuestro Señor,
que vive y reina contigo eternamente.

Parish Communications Workshop Series - May 2 & 9, 2006

Diocese of San José
Parish Communications Workshop Series
May 2 and 9, 2006
6:30-9:30pm at St. Joseph Cupertino

What is it?
It will be two, three-hour workshop sessions to be attended by those in parishes who are responsible for communicating with parishioners. Parish staff and lay people responsible for planning or maintaining parish and school websites, parish bulletins, newsletters, kiosks, and stewardship communications will benefit from attending these hands-on workshops.

Conducted by professional communicators, we will learn practical tips and techniques for executing a basic set of parish communications vehicles as well as review best practice examples from around the country. Additionally, parish communicators will have a chance to see samples from around the Diocese and get tips for their own materials should they so desire. Please note that our focus will be on communications with parishioners rather than communications between parish or school staffs or ministry groups.

Who should attend?
Parish and school staff and laypeople responsible for planning or executing any of the communications vehicles we will discuss are welcome to attend, as are those responsible for the entire communications function. Pastors and pastoral council members are welcome as well.

What will be covered?

Session I

• Level-setting: Why invest in communications? How can you reduce the cost of your communications and still be more effective? How can you better integrate and share content between vehicles? Tips for project management and consensus-building; how to measure your progress. See the opportunity in all the major “moments of truth” and “touchpoints” in parishioner communications.
• Review of best practice examples from around the country.
• Execution tips and techniques and best practice examples from around the country for:
• parish and school kiosks and reception areas
• weekly bulletins
• New (and existing) parishioner packets.
• Review of same materials from around the Diocese; individual critiques as requested and time allows.

Session II

• Execution tips and techniques and best practice examples from around the country for:
• parish websites
• print and email communications
• seasonal communications
• stewardship communications
• Review of same materials from around the Diocese; individual critiques as requested and time allows.

Please register with Terrie Iacino at 408-983-0122 to save your spot. Let her know know who you are, which parish you are representing, and why you want to take this workshop series.

Music and Liturgy Grants from OCP

Did you know that Oregon Catholic Press (OCP), the publisher of the Breaking Bread, JourneySongs, Flor Y Canto, Glory and Praise, and Spirit & Song hymnals, has given away $500,000 in the last five years to 230 parishes across the United States to help them develop their parish music and liturgy?

Find out if your parish is eligible, and apply online. Applications for the 2007 awards will be accepted between April 30, 2006 and June 30, 2006.

Immigration March - April 10, 2006

San José's religious, civic, and labor communities invite you to join with other faith and immigrant rights groups in a peaceful march in support of comprehensive immigration reform at 4:00p on Monday, April 10, 2006. We will begin to gather at 3:00 pm. This is the first day of Holy Week and we will have living stations where immigrants from diverse cultures and faiths will tell their stories of suffering and hope. We will encourage people to bring American flags to highlight the fact that we are all the face of America and to wear white shirts as a sign of peace. This peaceful march will begin after school gets out on the corner of Story and King and will continue to City Hall (about 3 miles away). For more information: 408-280-7770.

Catechumenate Support Group - April 6, 2006

Just how exactly do you do mystagogy?

What do you do with the Elect on Holy Saturday morning?

How do you make a baptismal garment?

Were we supposed to scrutinize and exorcize the children?

How can I make sure they keep coming back to church after they're baptized?

These are just some of the questions we'll tackle at our next Catechumenate Support Group meeting.

Catechumenate Support Group

Thursday, April 6, 2006

12:30p - 2:30p

Holy Family Parish

4848 Pearl Avenue, San José

Bring your lunch and your own questions to ask!

Come learn:

• 5 steps for effective mystatogy.
• 3 essential rituals for Holy Saturday morning.
• 1 simple pattern for making your own baptismal garment.
• 4 critical points about children and exorcisms.
• 2 key practices for nurturing your neophytes.

Other Catechumenate Support Group dates for the year:

Thursday, June 15, 2006, 12:30p - 2:30p, St. Joseph of Cupertino Parish

For more information, contact Diana Macalintal at 408-983-0136.


FILED UNDER: WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS