Exodus 3: 1-8a, 13-15; 1
Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12; Luke 13: 1-9. The first
reading today tells of God’s appearance to Moses at the
burning bush. God says he is to be known as I AM. In the
second reading, Paul tells that we are to learn from our
ancestors in faith and be true to God. The Gospel uses the
parable of the barren fig tree to teach a lesson on the
depths of God’s mercy, love and forgiveness.
Domenica 3A Di
Quaresima
Dio cerca sempre l’uomo che
si allontana, l’aspetta e gli usa misericordia. Paolo
accenna alle lamentale del popolo per la fame, la
qualità del cibo, la sete, il lunghissim viaggio nel
deserto. L’uomo non sa comprendere le vie di Dio.
Gesù condanna il suo peccato. Chi pensa che ci sono
cose più gravi e più dannose dei peccati
dimostra di non conoscere la natura umana.
From the Pastor's
Computer
A recent interview in America
Magazine with the executive writer and producer of
“Law and Order,” helps us to understand how
murder mystery can become moral mystery with material
“ripped from the headlines.” The courage to
deal with controversial moral topics like abortion and
torture has greatly contributed to the series’ success
and longevity, matched only by Matt Dillon, Chester, and
Kitty in “Gunsmoke.”
Today’s gospel illustrates the
same technique of stories “ripped from the
headlines.” People approach Jesus telling of the
Galileans “whose blood Pilate had mingled with the
blood of their sacrifices.” Jesus, in a sort of
one-upmanship, shares the horror of the tragedy of the tower
collapse in Jerusalem. Death by willful slaughter or death
by horrific accident remind us that death by any means
awaits us; but we still have time to get our act together,
turn around, and repent.
The parable of the fig tree while
not “ripped from the headlines” uses images
and symbols of nature to convey the same effect. Lent
becomes a time to cultivate, water, and nurture our
spirituality with fruits of Christian virtue. As we journey
through Lent in prayer, fasting and charitable works, God
gives us a second chance to mold ourselves into followers of
Christ.
–Fr. John Itzaina,
SDB
Particular Items
Baptisms
Marriages
Rest-in-Peace
Rose Noelle
Charlotte Scofield
Mari Emmons
James Duffy & Cynthia
Punsalan
Andrew Tchabisky & Cristen Coridan
Gloria Corino - Jessie
Childress
Maria Seefeldt - Vince DePasque
Bobby Howard
Saints Peter and Paul now accepts
online donations from your credit or debit card. You can
set up a recurring donation, and also specify any particular
area or campaign where your donation is to be applied. We
are working with "Network for Good" one of the largest
non-profit networks in the country. Please follow the link
at left.
Archived Bulletins: For our
archive of past bulletins, go
here.
Lourdes Rosary: There will be a rosary
honoring Our Lady of Lourdes on Thursday, March 11 at 8:30 AM, in the
Lourdes Chapel. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!
Salesian Theater: The Salesian
Boys’ and Girls’ Club Theatre presents SOMEWHERE OVER
SALESIAN: A Musical Revue to benefit the Salesian Boys’ and
Girls’ Club Saturday March 13 (7PM) and Sunday March 14 (2 PM)
in the Salesian Auditorium.
Eucharistic Adoration/Holy Hour: Every
Wednesday, we have Holy Hour from 7:00-8:00 PM. This will be followed
by Bible Study, beginning at 8:00 PM in the rectory. All are invited
and the parking lot will be open. We will also have Eucharistic
Adoration the first Friday of each month following the 12:15 PM
Mass.
St. Joseph’s Table: La Societa
Madonna Addolorata di S’ Elia invites you to their traditional
St. Joseph’s Table on Tuesday, March 16, beginning at 6PM in the
cafeteria. Tickets are $25 for adults; $10 for children, and include
open bar, petrale sole, pasta, vegtebles salad & cookies for
dessert. Reservation forms are on the tables in front of the church.
Lenten Disciplines:Abstinence: Everyone 14 years and older is bound to
abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, all the Fridays of Lent, and Good
Friday. Fast: Everyone over 18, but under 60, is bound
to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On these two days, the law
of fast allows only one full meal a day, but does not prohibit taking
some food during the day, so long as this does not constitute a full
meal. Drinking liquids during the day is permitted. When health or
ability to work would be seriously affected, the law does not oblige.
If in doubt concerning Fast or Abstinence, a priest should be
consulted. In the spirit of penance, the faithful should not lightly
excuse themselves from this obligation. Mass attendance: During Lent,
the Church encourages attendance at daily Mass and reception of the
Eucharist. Almsgiving: During Lent, the Church
encourages generosity to local, national, and worldwide programs of
sharing.
Lenten
Opportunities:
Choose Life: “40
Days for Life” is a PEACEFUL prayer vigil that will
take place on Eddy Street (between Franklin and Van Ness
streets) in San Francisco, across the street from the
Planned Parenthood abortion business. The Vigil begins on
Ash Wednesday,February 17, and the hope is to have at least
one person there in prayer every day of Lent from 8AM to
8PM. To learn more, or to sign up for a time slot, go
to:
http://www.40daysforlife.com/sanfrancisco/or email
Ron Konopaski at konopaski@yahoo.com.
Friday Night Mass and Soup
Suppers. Every Friday throughout Lent, there will be
special Friday Mass in the Church at 6:30 PM, followed by a
soup supper in the rectory.
Stations of the Cross: We
will observe the Stations of the Cross every Friday in Lent
at 12:45 PM.
Lenten Food Drive: This Lent,
our Sts. Peter & Paul School, together with the Parish,
will be hosting a Food Drive from February 17, Ash Wednesday
through Easter Sunday. During this Season of Lent, we are
asking our community to help support the San Francisco Food
Bank. Help us reach our goal of collecting 8,000 pounds of
food for the hungry in our city!
Year of the Priest Film
Festival: The Holy Father has declared 2009-2010 to be
the "Year of the Priest." A clever blogger came up with the
wonderful idea of a do-it-yourself "Year of the Priest" film
festival--a movie to watch each week about or with a priest
in an important role. We will post the recommendation each
week, with a trailer, if one is available.
This week’s recommended movie
is “Beyond the Gates,” (also released as
“Shooting Dogs”). The film is a
fictionalized account of the heroic actions of the Bosnian
priest Fr. Vjeko Curic, who was in Rwanda during the
horrific genocide. The San Francisco Chronicle compared Fr.
Curic to Oskar Schindler for his attempt to protect Tutsis
from slaughter a t the hands of the majority Hutu tribe.
John Hurt plays “Fr. Christopher,” the
character based on Fr. Curic. Warning: this movie
contains some extremely violent scenes.
Easter Memorial Lilies & Hydrangeas: In keeping with a
Saints Peter and Paul Easter tradition, there will be people in front
of the Church on the weekends of March 13/14 and 20/21 offering
memorial lilies and hydrangeas for sale. You can remember a loved one
and help decorate the church for the Easter season at the same time.
The price is $20.
Legion of Mary Lenten Day of
Recollection: Our parish Legion of Mary will have a Day of
Recollection in the Parish Center on Saturday, March 20 from 8:30 AM
to 4:30 PM. For more info, call Rosalina at 415-566-3178.
Daylight Savings Time: Daylight
savings time will begin next Sunday at 2:00 AM.
Chrism Mass: This year’s annual
Chrism Mass, celebrated by His Excellency Archbishop George
Niederauer, will be on Tuesday, March 30, at 5:30 PM, at St.
Mary’s Cathedral. At the Chrism Mass, His Excellency will bless
the Holy Oils used throughout the coming year in the anointing of the
sick at the parishes throughout the Archdiocese. All parishioners are
invited.
Choose Life! The Sixth
Annual Walk for Life West Coast held on January 23 was
an unbelievable success—the largest Walk ever. Over
40,000 peaceful marchers, of all faiths, led by eight
Catholic Bishops, witnessed peacefully to the Culture of
Life. Our good Pastor Fr. John Itzaina led the SSPP
contingent. The event, the largest annual gathering of
Catholics in the city of San Francisco, and one of the
largest gatherings of any kind, received very little
coverage in our local press, but was covered nationally and
internationally as far away as Hong Kong.
The Walk was absolutely
filled with young people--Don Bosco was surely smiling in
heaven!
At left is a great hip-hop video of
the Walk made by a group of young artists called
"Shadow of the Locust." It's called
"Inheritance."
Religious Education for Adults: This year’s RCIA has
begun. If you are interested in becoming a Catholic or “catching
up” on First Communion and/or Confirmation, or you know someone
who is, the RCIA is the right place for you! Please contact Janet
Ross at janet.ross@gatx.com. For Chinese language RCIA, please
contact Fr. Andrew Ng at 415-421-0809.
Religious Education for youth (CCD):
This year’s CCD will began September 13. The CCD serves children
from kindergarten through High School. Class sessions are from
10:00-11:00 on Sundays. For those attending the 8:45 Sunday Mass,
classes begin right after Mass. Students meet downstairs in the Pre-K
classroom.. Registration forms are available in the Church office.
For more information, contact Br. Thien Nguyen, at
415-421-0809.
Men’s Winter Coats Needed: We (or
rather our homeless neighbors) are in dire need of winter coats for
men. If you have a warm coat that you can donate, please bring it by
the rectory.
The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius
Loyola have helped many to fulfill their desire to grow in
knowledge and love of Jesus and so to follow him in greater freedom.
Ignatius planned that the complete Exercises (sometimes offered as a
30-day silent retreat) also be offered as a retreat in everyday life,
extended over six months or more. In following this form, the
retreatant meets with an individual director weekly and prays an hour
and a half daily. Doing the Exercises entails a serious commitment of
both time and energy and is appropriate for those already cultivating
a generous life of prayer and in regular spiritual direction. If you
have an interest in doing the complete Spiritual Exercises in
everyday life, our staff would be happy to help you to discern the
Spirit’s call and will recommend a director when that is
timely.Please contact Fr. Tom Carroll (tcarroll@jrclosaltos.org) at
The Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos for more information.
New Prayer Group: Parishioner Nadine
Calliguri is starting a prayer group at her home. The group will meet
Thursday afternoons from 1:30 to 3:00 PM, and will pray the Rosary,
the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy and other prayers.. For more
information, call Gibbons the parish office at
415-421-0809.
Saints Peter and Paul School
Scholarship Fund: Many of you will remember the time
when there were many religious vocations and a Catholic
education was extraordinarily inexpensive. But all that has
changed. Our school charges a tuition of $6,100—less
than our neighboring Catholic Schools, and half of what a
public school spends to educate a child. With San
Francisco’s cost of living, lack of funds may prevent
children from receiving a Catholic Education. The Salesians
began by educating the children of the poor, and we are not
about to exclude those who cannot make the total fee. But,
like Don Bosco before us, we need help. Are there
parishioners and/or friends who might consider contributing
to the sponsorship of a student who might be otherwise
forced to leave? All recipient family qualifications will be
verified by Saints Peter and Paul School. For more
information,you can download a flyer here,
or feel free to call Fr. Itzaina at 421-0809.
Religious Education for
youth (CCD): This year’s CCDhas begun. The CCD serves
children from kindergarten through High School. Class sessions are
from 10:00-11:00 on Sundays. For those attending the 8:45 Sunday
Mass, classes begin right after Mass. Students meet downstairs in the
School Cafeteria or in the Pre-K classroom.. Registration forms are
available in the Church office.
Religious Education for
Adults: This year’s RCIA has begun. If you are interested in
becoming a Catholic or “catching up” on First Communion
and/or Confirmation, or you know someone who is, the RCIA is the
right place for you! Please contact Janet Ross at janet.ross@gatx.comFor Chinese
language RCIA, please contact Fr. Andrew Ng at
415-421-0809.
Drivers, Please be careful! We had an
unfortunate incident on Sunday Feb. 22. A parishioner with cerebral
palsy was startled by a car quickly exiting from our parking lot. She
was not hit, but the fright made her lose her balance and fall. She
is OK, and the driver was helpful and apologetic—still, it is a
good lesson for us. We also received another complaint about drivers
not being sufficiently careful of pedestrians. Please remember that
not all people are equally steady on their feet, and sometimes we
need to be patient.
Volunteers Needed: Ever considered
what it feels like to help fight poverty on the frontlines? The St.
Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco invites all parishioners to
fulfill Christ’s challenge to care for the least among us by
volunteering at the Society’s Vincentian Help Desk. The Help
Desk is a clothing distribution program that serves over 1000 people
each month. For more information, call Sally Rosen at 415-202-9955.
Cars Vandalized: We have had a number
of cars vandalized in the garage. Please keep your eyes open, and if
you are one of the people who parks there, make sure you close the
garage door upon leaving!
Marriage Matters to Kids!
Proposition 8 forced us to confront important questions,
that retain their importance even though the election is
over.
What is the meaning of
Marriage?
Do Children have a fundamental right to a Mother and a
Father?
Do Mothers matter? Do Fathers matter?
Does natural marriage benefit society?
If so, what are the dangers of redefining marriage?
What about equality, and the dignity of the homosexual
person?
Watch the video below, and listen to
Catholic bishops and priests, (including a charming episode
with SSPP’s own Fr. Armand Oliveri!) marriage
counselors, lawyers, and people just like you, describe what
marriage means and why we are called to protect it. Visit
www.MarriageMattersToKids.org
Click the arrow at lower left to
start.
New “Intentions” book:
Each week we will pray for those intentions that are placed in our
prayer book at the entrance to the church. As you enter the church,
please write your intention in the book and it will be placed on the
ambo and remembered during the Prayers of the Faithful. These prayers
can be for the living, dead, sick or healthy or whatever intention is
held steadfast in your heart.
Caritas in Veritate:Read or
download the Holy Father's new encyclical "Charity in Truth"
here.
Vatican YouTube Channel: Did you know
the Vatican has it's own YouTube Channel, with lots of important
video? Neither did I, but they do. Go
here. It's updated regularly.
Chinese/ English Mass: Not everybody
knows that at our 10:15 Chinese Mass on Sundays, Fr. Andrew has
introduced some English. There’s also some Latin and Greek
(sometimes) plus an excellent choir. If you’ve never been, you
owe it to yourself to check it out!
Stress in your Marriage? It’s not
unheard of. Retrovaille (pronounced “retrovi”) is a
program, Catholic in origin, designed to help married couples
rediscover one another and their life together. It has helped
thousands of married couples. For more info, call 415-893-1005 or
email Sf@retroca.com or visit www.Retrouvaille.org.
Revitalize your Marriage! The next
Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend will be November 6-8. For more
information call Paul or Yvonne at 650-366-7093 or go to
www.sf.lovemoredeeply.org.
“I place much of my hope for the future in Marriage
Encounter.” –Pope John Paul II.
Don Bosco DVD! We have copies of the
“Saint John Bosco: Mission to Love” DVD on sale in the
bookstore now. Other great new DVDs are in as well!
The Fifteenth Crimson Lily is a
new book by Tom Layton depicting the life of Saint Maria Goretti as
if she was living in San Francisco and a parishioner of Saints Peter
and Paul. The book includes scenes featuring Fr. Malloy and Fr.
Oliveri, and is for sale in the bookstore. Come in and check it
out.
Help the Elderly! Some of our
wonderful older parishioners are now in convalescent hospitals. They
would love to have visitors! If you would like to be a part of this
important and rewarding ministry, or if you know of a person who
might like a visit, please call Gibbons at 421-0809, or email to
gibbons@stspeterpaul.san-francisco.ca.us
Holy Name Society: The Holy Name
Society is a worldwide organization of Catholic men that was founded
more than 700 years ago. Devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus, a
monthly Society Mass and various good works are the HNS mission. For
more information about the HNS, please email to stppholyname@sbcglobal.net
Contemporary Choir: The Sunday 5:00 PM
mass will feature contemporary music led by our Contemporary Choir
and instrumentalists. We need more voices! If you enjoy singing
contemporary music come join us. Call Charles at 415-421-0809. We
rehearse before the 5:00 PM mass.
Holy Land Pilgrimages: Please visit
this
link to find out about
Pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Our friends over at St. Thomas More
Church are affiliated with these pilgrimages.
Latin Mass: On every first Sunday of
the month at 11:45 the Mass will be celebrated in Latin, with
Gregorian Chant. For an English/Latin Mass guide, click
here.Tell your
friends!
Neat Links:
The Holy Father (and his staff) have been
busy lately:
For the Letter: "Responses To Some Questions
Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctine on the Church" click
here.
For the:"Letter of
His Holiness Benedict XVI To The Bishops On The Occasion Of The
Publication Of The Apostolic Letter MOTU PROPRIO DATA Summum
Pontificum On The Use of The Roman Liturgy Prior To The Reform Of
1970" click here.
For an unofficial translation
of the MOTU PROPIO, from the USCCB, click
here.
Very cool Vatican
resource: Clerus.org, the Congregation for the Clergy at the Holy
See has a great new website called "Bibliaclerus."
From the homepage: "This program offers Sacred Scripture, its
interpretation in light of Sacred Tradition and the teachings of the
Magisterium, with appropriate theological commentary and
exegesis."Travelling? Find a Mass anywhere in the world.
Visit Masstimes.
Saint of the Day:
Whose Feastday is it today? To find out, click
here.
Compendium of the
Catchism: The Vatican has a great new online resource. It is the
"Compendium of the Catchism of the Catholic Church." You can check it
out here.
Catholic Search Engine: There is a
nice new Catholic search engine out there in cyberspace. It is
www.mycatholic.com.
It has a built in Google search engine, links to top news stories,
links to Catholic news agencies, plus lots of liturgical info updated
daily. Check it out!
Catholic Radio: Immaculate
Heart Radio’s newest station is in the Bay Area!
It’s 1260 on your AM dial. Tune in to hear the best of
Catholic Radio, or you can listen online by going
here.
And Catholic TV! Visit EWTN
for just about everything Catholic. Click on the logo at
right.
Struggling with Same-Sex
Attraction? You are NOT alone and the Church has not
abandoned you! Visit the COURAGE
website. "COURAGE" is an apostolate of the Church that
ministers to those struggling against this particular
temptation. They have been endorsed by the Pontifical
Council for the Family and our beloved John Paul II said of
this ministry, "COURAGE is doing the work of God!"
In the Bay Area, call:
Fr. Emmerich Vogt (510)
596-1800,
Fr. Angel Jose de Heredia (650) 871-8944,
Fr. Mark Taheny (415)-461-0704
Struggling with Pornography
Addiction? You also are not alone! Pornographic websites
are by far the largest segment of the web.
A new Catholic apostolate, the
Serenellians (www.pornnomore.com), is trying to help those
caught in the grips of pornography addiction. The
Serenellians get their name from Alessandro Serenelli, who
killed St. Maria Goretti in a fit of lust and later
repented.
“If a man so seemingly
wicked, decadent and corrupt as Alessandro Serenelli can
receive the fullness of conversion and salvation from
Almighty God, then so can each and every like soul caught up
in the snares of this insidious
evil.”
You can visit their website by
clicking on the logo to the left, and there is a good story
about them on California
Catholic Daily.
Catholics for the Common
Good:
One of our most effective pro-life
& social justice groups is Catholics for the Common
Good.
To learn more,
click on the logo at right.
Prayer for our
Men and Women In Military Service
O Prince of Peace, we humbly ask Your
protection for all our men and women in military service. Give them
unflinching courage to defend with honor, dignity and devotion the
rights of all who are imperiled by injustice and evil. Guard our
churches, our homes, our schools, our hospitals, our factories, our
buildings and all those within from harm and peril. Protect our land
and its peoples from enemies within and without. Grant an early peace
with victory founded upon justice. Instill in the hearts and minds of
men and women everywhere a firm purpose to live forever in peace and
good will toward all. Amen.
Please pray for:
Jean Berres, Sr. Paula Wong, Suzanne, Aibee
Mae Cua, Lawrence Render, Elicia Alla Scully, Domenico Federico,
Agnes, W. Woo, Don Baylor, Henrietta Heir, Linda Dow, Kathy, Ron
Tamm, Cindy Ford, Rodney Corsiglia, Phyllis Libatique, Dan, Diana
Pacini, Yvonne, Jason Pimental, Eva Pepin, Annette Ward, Catherine De
Luca, Gene, Pina, Ali Mae, Bill Henderson, Brigid Reginato, Mark
Carico, Tina, Diane, Jean A. Massey, Peter P. English, Robert Elliot,
George Wassmer, Totoy Aquino, Emily Lee, Carlos Galarrita, Jo Fernan,
Al Moresi, Eleanor Dito, Lacey Sikora, Enrico, Betsy Goodwill, Kay
Gibleski, Archie Lotto & Mina Elie, Rena Carniglia, Frances Marie
Padilla, Kay, Alice Devine, Ray & Tina Bianchini, Victor Lampe,
Pat Luddington, Virginia Dunwell, Jean Patanè, Maria Groppi,
Dee Massa, Chris Denny, Jerry Bini, Jr., Francis Mahoney, Esther
Castagnola, Valeria Brown, Beverly Kies, Robert & Judy Seefeldt,
Martin Lamkin, Aloma Dawson, Richard Jew, Special Intention, For our
people in the Armed Forces, Irene Enriquez, Teresita Uy, Marilyn
Marano, Frances Peters, Nancy Baccei, Anne & Walter, Ron &
Jeanie, Michael Lydon, Necy Ago, Dr. Lorraine Sibley, Scott Bartlett,
Gerrie Davis, Janet Johnston, Jason Holmes, Bill Sckzraybalo, Fred
Hankinson, Jim Hutelmyer, Peter, Connie Heinze, Christopher Snook,
Mike Sosa, Pam Benitez, Loretta Tribulato, Rolando Rodriguez,
Jiovanni, Edna Tavares, Pat May, Jesse Martinez, Susanna, Rachel,
Bob, Monchie Mariano, Nick Nessix, Gilberto Potoy, Mrs. Blanco,
Rachel Pozivenec, Andrew Schott, Cheryl Thomas, David St. John, Le
Anna Mossi, Walter Anthony Merlino, Mary Ann Hulett, The Olsen
Family, Bob McPhail, Charles Gibbs, Jane Tift, Sr. Gil Lewis, Ken
Beckingham, Alexis Ordona, Mary Drayton, Jody Hamilton, An ill
parishioner, Ellen Stahl, Tarooj Maaref, Peter Rayfield, All the
homeless & mentally ill of the neighborhood,
& all parishioners in hospitals & nursing homes.
To have an intention included, please
call 421-0809.
Liturgical
Calendar
Sunday
07
Second Sunday in Lent
Monday
08
Lenten Weekday, John of God;
Religious
Tuesday
09
Lenten Weekday,Francis of Rome;
Religious
Wednesday
10
Lenten Weekday
Thursday
11
Lenten Weekday
Friday
12
Lenten Weekday (abstain from
meat)
Saturday
13
Lenten Weekday
Sunday
14
Third Sunday of Lent (Laetare
Sunday)
Your sacrificial offerings of last
week:
$2,690.
Second Collection (SS. Peter and
Paul School):
$326.
Thank You! Your parish needs and
appreciates your continued support!
