Saint Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church on Santa Catalina Island, California, USA PO Box 735 (800 Beacon St.) Avalon, CA 90704 Phone: 310-510-0192 Fax: 310-510-8360 Email: [email protected] Website:http://StCatherineOnCatalinaIsland.org Pastor: Reverend John Nghi Tran Hispanic Ministries: Deacon Alfonso Castillo Secretaries: Lynda Poindexter, Pat Vlcan and Martha Flores Parish Council: Michael Ponce Financial Committee: Charles Wagner Hispanic Choir: Veronica Bueno Youth Coordinator: Steve Hall Religious Education: Lynda Poindexter Hermida Hernandez (Spanish) Weddings: Lisa Gelker – [email protected] MASS SCHEDULE: Saturday 5:15 PM (English) Sunday 9:00 & 11:00 AM (English) and 6:30 PM (Spanish) Monday through Friday 8:00 AM (English) CONFESSIONS: Saturday 4:30-5:00 PM BAPTISM: Contact Parish Office at least ONE month before the desired baptism date. MARRIAGES: Contact Parish Office at least SIX months before the desired wedding date. COMMUNION AND ANOINTING OF THE SICK: Contact the Parish Office ______________________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Prayers Requested for the Dead: Ruben Chavoya, Margarito Mulgado, José Carmen Bravo, Maria Elena Soto. Congratuations: David Castro –Jimenez & Hannah Kern on the baptism of their son Troy Julius Jimenez-Kern. Memorial Mass: A memorial mass will be held at St. Catherine’s for islander, Bob Johnson on Saturday, March 14th, at 11:30 a.m. Lenten Retreat: Bishop Sylvester Ryan returns to Avalon on Saturday, February 28th to present a Lenten Retreat, focused on reconciliation. The morning retreat will begin with Mass at 8 a.m., followed by a potluck breakfast in the Parish Hall. Bishop Ryan’s presentation will begin after breakfast. All parishioners are invited to attend. Marty Ashleigh has offered to provide music and is assembling a choir for this special event. The first choir practice will be Wednesday, February 11th at 11 a.m., in the church. If you would like more information about the choir, call Marty at (310) 510-1809. St. Catherine’s College Scholarship: Applications are available in the Parish Office for students interested in applying for the 2014-2015 scholarship awards. To be eligible for the scholarship, students must have attended Confirmation Classes or participated in parish ministries as an altar server or lector; provide proof of full-time college attendance in 2014 and provide proof or registration for full-time college enrollment for spring 2015. Completed applications must be received by April 13, 2015. Together in Mission: For 23 years, millions of people throughout Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties have benefited from Together in Mission’s unique and impactful program. In 2014, Together in Mission supported 80 parishes and 63 schools from every region of the Archdiocese – and we remain the only Annual Appeal in the country that dedicates all proceeds to directly assisting parishes and schools. Your gift provides parishes and schools with the resources needed for ministry of the sacraments, a quality education, hope, stronger families & communities. In today’s readings, we are told “He tells the number of the stars; he calls each by name”. Though we are many, we are one Church. God calls each of us by name to offer our time, talents, and treasure to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Everything we have is a gift from God, which we are called upon to share. When we give generously, our life is most like His. You are the one who can provide parishes and schools with the resources they need. Your gift can be the one that allows a priest to serve communities in need. It can help a school make essential repairs for the safety of their students. It can enable parishioners to have a place to celebrate Mass. Your contribution, large or small, is the one that matters. Called to Help God calls each of us by name to support and care for one another. Answer the call and give generously to Together in Mission Appeal next weekend. Please take home an envelope in the pews and bring it back next sunday. Unidos en Misión: A lo largo de 23 años de existencia el programa ha beneficiado a millones de personas a lo largo de los condados de Los Ángeles, Ventura y Santa Bárbara, gracias a su alto impacto y su carácter único. Este año Together in Mission ha apoyado a 80 parroquias y 63 escuelas de todas las regiones de la Arquidiócesis. Además seguimos siendo la única colecta anual en el país totalmente dedicada a la asistencia directa de parroquias y escuelas. Su donación provee a parroquias y escuelas con todos los recursos necesarios para el ministerio de los sacramentos, una educación de calidad, esperanza e inspiración, además de familias y comunidades más fuertes y consolidadas. Se nos dice en las lecturas de hoy que “Él sabe el número de las estrellas; llama a cada una por su nombre.” A pesar de que somos muchos, somos una sola Iglesia. Y Dios nos llama a cada uno por nuestro nombre para ofrecer nuestro tiempo, talentos y otros tesoros a nuestros hermanos y hermanas en Cristo. Todo lo que tenemos es un regalo de Dios, que estamos llamados a compartir. Cuando damos generosamente, nuestra vida se parecerá a la suya. Tú puedes ayudar a las parroquias y escuelas con los recursos que necesitan. Tu regalo puede ser lo que permita a un sacerdote servir a las comunidades en necesidad. Puede ayudar a una escuela a hacer las reparaciones necesarias para la seguridad de sus alumnos. Puede permitir a los parroquianos tener un lugar donde celebrar la misa. La fuerza de la Iglesia no está en los números, sino en el amor. Tu contribución — ya sea grande o pequeña — es lo que importa. Llamados a ayudar Dios nos llama a cada uno por nuestro nombre para ayudarnos y preocuparnos los unos por los otros. Si hoy escuchas su voz, por favor, responde. Dona generosamente a la Misión. Have you ever thought about becoming a Sister? Single Catholic women ages 18 - 40 are invited to a Religious Vocation Discernment Retreat with the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul April 10-12, 2015 in Los Altos Hills, California (Bay Area). If you would like to know more about attending this prayerful and reflective discernment retreat, contact Sister Lisa Laguna, D.C. at (650) 949-8890, (213) 210-9903, or email us at [email protected]. Find us on Facebook at: Daughters of Charity Vocations U.S., follow us at Twitter.com/ DofCharity or at www.DaughtersOfCharity.com Pope: Church must rid itself of the scourge of child sexual abuse - Pope Francis has sent a letter to the Presidents of Episcopal Conferences and Superiors of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life to ask for their complete co-operation with the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, in order to insure that everything possible is done to rid the Church of "the scourge" of the sexual abuse of children. Pope Francis said: “At my meeting in July with persons who had suffered sexual abuse by priests, I was deeply moved by their witness to the depth of their sufferings and the strength of their faith. This experience reaffirmed my conviction that everything possible must be done to rid the Church of the scourge of the sexual abuse of minors and to open pathways of reconciliation and healing for the abused. Pope Francis to Address a Joint Session of the U.S. Congress - The Holy See Press Office has confirmed that Pope Francis will address a Joint Session of the United States Congress on 24 September 2015 during his pastoral visit to the U.S.A. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Boehner, made the announcement earlier on Thursday. In his statement, Mr. Boehner said the Holy Father’s “historic visit” would make him the “first leader of the Holy See to address a joint meeting of Congress,” adding that he was “truly grateful that Pope Francis has accepted our invitation.” Mr. Boehner noted that “in a time of global upheaval, the Holy Father’s message of compassion and human dignity has moved people of all faiths and backgrounds. His teachings, prayers, and very example bring us back to the blessings of simple things and our obligations to one another.” A statement from the Archdiocese of Washington described the announcement as “a great honor and tremendous joy to welcome our Holy Father, Pope Francis, to the Archdiocese of Washington during his proposed pastoral visit to the United States in September 2015.”