On behalf of Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, we want to thank your parishioners for their incredible support. Our final accounting for donations during 2020 by the members of St. Francis of Assisi Parish was $95,782. We are truly grateful to have this faithful level of support.

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.” Last fiscal year, our parishioners donated $50,000 to our St. Francis Fund Collection. In response to the needs of the many less fortunate in our neighborhood— turning to us, when there is nowhere else to turn.

Bishop Patrick J. McGrath, who retired in May 2019, celebrates his 50th Anniversary of Ordination as a Priest on Sunday, June 7. During the week leading up to his Jubilee, the bishop responded to some questions put to him by The Valley Catholic.

​​​​​​​ The current times are challenging for all of us, including our own parish. We rely on your generous stewardship, in good times and in bad, to meet all of our financial responsibilities. The Sunday collection March 15 ($3,340); March 22 ($4,582) is the principal source of our income that pays for maintaining our facilities, staff salaries, insurance, leases, and loan payments. I assure you that we have already implemented and are prudently planning to drastically reduce our expenses until life gets back to normal.

As you know, the current times are challenging for all us, including our own parish. We rely on your generous stewardship, in good times and in bad, to meet all of our financial responsibilities. The Sunday collection is the principal source of our income that pays for maintenance, salaries, utilities, insurance and the salaries and benefits for our parish staff. I assure you that we are prudently planning to reduce expenses until life gets back to normal. Please consider using our electronic giving program linked on the left side of our parish home page. We also encourage you to mail your Sunday offertory envelopes to the parish office. Thank you for support of the mission and ministry of St. Francis of Assisi Parish.

Having been a Pastor for 22 years, the experience we are currently undergoing is indeed uncharted waters. In one sense, for the time being, St. Francis of Assisi Parish will be very different. It will not be business as usual. The celebration of the Eucharist is the heart of our Catholic life. Be assured that the clergy and staff will not abandon you. We will be present to continue our essential mission, although in new and challenging circumstances. Bishop Cantu exercised wisdom and prudence in suspending Sunday Mass for the safety and health of our Catholic Community. We will come out from this with a stronger and more vibrant faith in God's loving concern for all his children. Please visit our webpage often. It is our best way to communicate with you. We are just one click away.

A Cursillo (pronounced KER SEE O) is a three-day learning, sharing, experience of living in a Christian Community. The word “Cursillo” is Spanish, meaning “a short course.” Cursillo is an abbreviation of the full title: CURSILLO DE CHRISTIANDAD, which means “A Short Course in Christian Community Living.” During the three-days of a Cursillo Weekend, a person not only hears what it really means to be a Christian but actually gets to experience the joy of building and being a part of a genuine Christian Community.

It is a legacy society comprised of Catholic women and men who understand the call to proclaim the Gospel, to build up the Church and to serve our sisters and brothers with the love of Christ. In doing so, they have made a commitment to name their local parish (St. Francis of Assisi), as beneficiaries of a gift in their will or trust, retirement account or life insurance policy

Working as a census worker can be a great way to make extra money while helping your community. The Census Bureau is recruiting thousands of people across the country to assist with the 2020 Census Count. In Santa Clara County, the Bureau is looking to hire over 2000 census workers for a variety of temporary jobs, including census takers (also referred to as enumerators), recruiting assistants, office staff, and supervisors. Positions offer excellent pay ($24-$33 hourly rate), flexible hours, and paid training.

The Diocese of San José is not participating in the California Independent Victim/Survivor Compensation and Reconciliation Program. Victims/survivors will continue to receive assistance from the Diocese directly. The Diocese strictly adheres to a zero-tolerance policy and promptly notifies law enforcement and child protective services when abuse is reported, in accordance with mandated reporter laws. The Diocese cooperates with law enforcement during any necessary investigation.

The big deal about the coin was not that it was lost, but how it was lost. In those days, when a husband took a bride, he gave her a headband with ten silver coins evenly spaced. She wore this headband in public to show that she was married. If she was unfaithful, one of the coins was removed, and the gap showed that she had disgraced her marriage vows.

There are four little words that no one ever wants to hear—not when you’re dating or married [or employed]. In fact, I’d bet that most people dread them. And the reason is very simple— they usually signal that something very bad is going to happen. And when we hear them, shots of adrenaline begin coursing through our veins. You know what those four words are: We need to talk.

...authentic judgment is a good thing—it is essential to the health & well-being of an individual and to the well-being of society.  In other words: a “truth telling that is honest, clear and direct shines light on things as good and evil, so they appear as what they really are.” 

Why is prayer so difficult? A nice night on the town costs money. Vacations cost money. Even watching TV costs money. Prayer is free. Why don’t we indulge? Oh, yeah, I forget, it’s not free; it doesn’t cost money, but it takes time, and in our culture, “time is money.”

Thank you to everyone who supported the mission and ministries of our parish during the month of June. Our average weekly collection was $19,216 (lowest of the year). You also generously donated to various important causes in our June Second Collections in the amount of $19,285. Our parish needs $20,000 a week for us to meet many of our financial responsibilities. We budgeted our Sunday Offertory income for the last 12 months (51 weeks) at $1,020,000 and received $1,076,000. This additional income helps us to pay-down our $2.3 million debt.  As you know, we are totally dependent upon you all our parishioners for our livelihood. 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.

50 years ago, today, July 20, 1969, man landed on the moon. Three astronauts were sent there in the Apollo 11 rocket.  Two of them, Neal Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, are names both familiar and famous; however, very few can recall the name of the third: he didn’t walk on the lunar surface; no photographs were taken of him; no words of his were recorded for posterity.  No. This third astronaut had to take care of all the mundane work of making sure they were able to return safely to the earth. He was a “Martha”—burdened with much serving. 

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.” Last fiscal year, our parishioners donated $26,804 to our St. Francis Fund Collection. In response to the needs of the many less fortunate in our neighborhood— turning to us, when there is nowhere else to turn, we distributed the funds from this collection as follows: $4,900 in food vouchers; $4,075 to various charities; $2,750 in utility bill assistance; $906 in rental assistance; and $1,963 in feeding the hungry. Thank you for your generosity!

Now having completed my first year as pastor, I have a much better understanding of the strengths, potential for growth, and new opportunities for our parish. Let me share some of the unfolding changes regarding the parish staff.

Ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of San Francisco on June 15, 1957, Father DuMaine served as assistant pastor at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Belmont before he was assigned to graduate studies at the Catholic University of America, from 1958-1961. After receiving a doctoral degree in Education, he served on the faculty of Catholic University and Serra High School in San Mateo, was Archdiocesan Assistant Superintendent of Schools and Superintendent from 1965 until 1978, having been named a Prelate of Honor of his Holiness (Monsignor) in 1972.

As part of remembering and celebrating Bishop McGrath's twenty years of service the Catholic Community Foundation of SCC has introduced this new endowment in three areas: Lay Leadership; Family LIfe & Clergy Leadership. We invite you to consider supporting this endowment. For more information, visit: cfoscc.org/bishop-mcgrath-endowment