Unbeknownst to most, human trafficking is a prevalent crime that takes place in plain sight. In 2010, January was declared National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month to help combat the perception that human trafficking is a thing of the past. According to the White House, "Human trafficking is a crime that knows no boundaries. By some estimates, as many as 24.9 million people - adults and children - are trapped in a form of modern slavery around the world, including in the United States."

As good stewards of the treasure you entrust to us, we are taking steps to “clean-up” our envelope mailing and distribution list. For all those who currently are receiving envelopes and did not use them in 2019, we will be removing you from our mailing list. This will reduce our expenses significantly.

Our Pastor, Fr. Matt, is leading a parish pilgrimage from May 25 - 30, 2020. We have only a few spaces left. We begin in Mexico City, journey to the Shire of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and an excursion to Puebla. Cost is $1,998 which includes round trip airfare; 5 nights of hotel accommodations; most meals and transportation by motor coach. For more information or to reserve you seat, contact Jacqueline Nguyen at Classique Travel (408) 859-4411 or email classiquetravel@gmail.com

After Pentecost the Church resumes what is now called the season of “Ordinary Time.” But what does that really mean? Is it some sort of generic season in the Church that has no focus? On the contrary, Ordinary Time has a specific focus even though the English name for it can be confusing. In Latin this period of time is called “Tempus Per Annum,” more literally translated as “time during the year.”

We are so grateful for the sacrifices you make so that the work of St. Francis of Assisi Parish may continue to impact the lives of so many. Parish Goal: $185,000; Pledges: $275,494 – Paid: $267,697  Refund: $83,690. . Our rebate to reduce parish debt and fund continuing improvements to our parish facilities. Thank you for your support of Bishop Cantú and our local Church.

“As Catholics, we view parents as the first and foremost educators of their children, and schools – Catholic and non-Catholic – as partners in the educational process. Thus, the Church counsels us to work with public authorities to ensure and protect parental rights,” said Rivas.

A simple habit of the daily practice of MEDS can help balance the stressors of your life.  MEDS stands for Meditation-Exercise-Diet-Sleep.  Some fear meditation, disliking silence, solitude, and being still.  Others resist because of anxieties about adequate  time or  expert technique. Trappist monk Fr Thomas Keating offered a refreshingly simple process for Meditation through Centering Prayer

It’s a part of Catholic teaching that may be easy to forget, but our faith teaches that we have a moral responsibility to take care of the Earth. From the beginning of time, Scripture tells us, God gave human beings the task “to cultivate and care for” our world (Gen 2:15). We are called to be “stewards of creation”—gratefully making use of the abundant natural resources God has created, but treating God’s creation with respectful care.

You will have the chance to explore the priesthood and learn about the steps for discernment, values of priestly life, and the structure of seminary formation. It will be a weekend of prayer, discussions, fraternity, recreation, and fellowship. Our prayer for you is that by fully engaging in the opportunities provided on this retreat, you will find more clarity on where God is leading you and that you will better understand God’s movement in your heart.

Do you long to have joy with your kids? Reduce stress of working & parenting? Sleep soundly at night without anxious dreams about your family? Savor the gift of your children and the treasure of yourself as a person and a parent? If so, you may be interested in completing Parent Effectiveness Training (PET), an eight-week course ; two hours per week, that we are considering offering at St. Francis of Assisi.

Did you know that in the Catholic Church, each month of the year has a devotional theme? January is the month of the Holy Name of Jesus, and it’s an ideal time to strengthen our connection to the beautiful name of our Lord. In fact, all names are to be treated with respect. Do you know the meaning of your own name? It’s interesting to discover. A name is an emblem of one’s dignity but the name of Jesus in particular should be held in the highest regard; spoken and heard only in a sacred way.

On this Feast of Mary, the Mother of God, we are given a model and example of unshakable faith. She who faced every “river of difficulty,” by placing her life in the hands of God’s promise, is with us always as our mother, blessed of all women, blessed of God, blessed of the whole Church. Let our confidence not be shaken; let our resolve never waiver, and let our hopes not be dashed by the “rivers of difficulties” we may need to cross in this year ahead.   Let us continue to remain close to Mary, as our inspiration and our hope— she who is the humble servant of the Lord, elevated by the grace of God, who brought into the world the one who is Jesus, our Savior and our Lord.

This Sunday, there will be a second collection to reduce our $2.3 million-dollar parish debt. At the conclusion of the prior fiscal year, due to the generous donors to the Shine the Light campaign, we made a $200,000 principal payment. he sooner we pay off this debt, the more funds we will have available to support other vital services in our growing parish. Thank you for your generosity.

St. Francis reminds us that we should always “start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” Over the last three months, your generosity provided $3,429 to feed the hungry; $900 in rental assistance; $1,184 for utility and DMV help; $500 to Our Lady of Refuge Religious Education program.

The stigma associated with mental illness is now called “sanism.” Just like racism or sexism, it is a form of oppression and discrimination. And there is a lot of sanism and misinformation surrounding mental illness still present within our society. It’s up to us, the mental health community, to educate others and set the record straight.

We are looking for volunteer greeters and coordinators for the English, Vietnamese and Spanish baptisms.  Baptisms are on Saturday mornings. If you are interested or would like more information please contact Gillian in the parish office or email ggriffis@dsj.org.

The County Public Health Officer has requested that we make some temporary adaptions to our celebrations of the Eucharist, to foster the health of our worshiping communities. For the duration of the Flu and Cold season, Bishop Cantú has asked all parishes to adapt the following temporary liturgical adaptations: 1. The Blood of Christ will not be offered during Holy Communion; 2. Holy Communion will be distributed only into the hands of communicants: 3. We will not hold hands during the Lord’s Prayer; 4. The Sign of Peace should be adapted so as to allow for a greeting that does not involve shaking hands or touching.

Thank you to everyone who supported the mission and ministries of our parish during the month of October. Our average weekly collection was $20,310. You also generously donated to various important causes in our October (2nd Collections) in the amount of $13,748 ($3,437 a week.) This brings our October total to $23,747 a week

Today’s Gospel brings to mind a Letter of His Holiness, Pope Francis to Priests, delivered this past August on the 160th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney. He focused on three main points: gratitude for their service to Christ and to the People of God; encouragement to continue to work toward the mission of the Church; and a reminder to praise God even through the most difficult times. It is this third emphasis that reminds me of the profound words exchanged by St. Dismas and Jesus.

We want to thank all of you for your generous giving this past year. With your support we were able to share our faith and continue to share the Gospel message. We are pleased to provide a stewardship report which reflects just a few of the countless activities of our community of faith, including our financial operations for the fiscal year 2018-2019.