October 16, 2016 Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Prayer opens ourselves more fully to understand God’s will. Through faith in the power of prayer, we experience His love and assistance.

Readings for October 23, 2016 1st Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18 2nd 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 Gospel Luke 18:9-14

MASS INTENTIONS October 16-22, 2016

6:30 AM + Jose Elisarraraz

7:30 AM + Anton Khang Ngoc Nguyen

8:45 AM Thanksgiving birthday – Aurea Marudo

10:15 AM + Amelia Richichi & Silvio Marsiano

11:45 AM + Irene Arriesgado, Nicanor Ponla, Richard Salmon

1:15 PM + Juanita Serrano, Edgar & Andres Hernandez

5:30 PM + St. Luke Parishioners

Monday 6:45 8:30

+ Souls in Purgatory Thanksgiving – Ann Fernandez

Tuesday 6:45 8:30

+ Virginia Ruiz-Garcia + Vern Dorsch

Wednesday 6:45 8:30

+ Janette Aguilar + Jeanette Lagoria – Rose Rossi

Thursday 6:45 8:30

+ Souls in Purgatory + Mickie Aragon

Friday 6:45 8:30

+ Rodolfo T. Torres, Sr. + Ken Volpi

Saturday 8:30 + Felipe Narciso & Maria Zapatos

5:30 + Arthur Castillo

EYE ON FINANCE Plate Collections October 9, 2016 $ 7,942.00

St. Luke’s School 2,245.00

WINTER CLOTHING DRIVE The Knights of Columbus are sponsoring a clothing drive during the month of October. On Sundays, please bring your gently used articles of clothing to the parking lot between the preschool and garage. (NOT IN THE VESTIBULE OF THE CHURCH!) Thank you.

BINGO! St. Mary’s High School is holding Bingo! games on October 20 in their cafeteria. Doors open at 5:30 pm, Bingo! starts at 6:30 pm. Food will be available. Must be over 21 to play. Bingo! packet is $20 (10 game sheets with 4 cards per sheet.) Call Jennifer at 957-3340, ext. 121 for more information.

“CHANGE” BRINGS CHANGE One of our parish teens recently

shared with us these thoughts on his first youth Retreat with St. Luke’s, “Two years ago I went because my mom made me. I had no idea what to expect. It ended up being one of the greatest experiences of my life. It changed me. It changed my relationship with my family, and it changed my relationship with God. Because of that retreat I’m still very active here in my parish.”

Retreats are expensive…bus, food, lodging. If we don’t keep costs down many teens would not be able to attend. Our Fall retreat will be here in just a few weeks. Youth Group members will be outside of all masses Oct. 22 & 23 with a big plastic jug. Please consider bringing your loose change and dropping it in the jug. Your change can change a teen’s life in a most positive way!

- HALF WAY THERE TOMORROW Maybe you think an abortion facility could never close, but 74 centers have! A 40 Days campaign of prayer, fasting, and outreach works. Come to our mid-point candlelight vigil, Monday, October 17, 6 – 7 pm outside Planned Parenthood (4555 Pricissi Lane.) Come prepared for outdoor weather conditions. Join the 40 Days Vigil at www.40daysforlife.com/stockton.

OLIVE WOOD PRODUCTS A group from the Holy Land will be selling religious articles after Masses on October 22 & 23 to support the Catholic Christian minorities in Bethlehem. Sales will be used to help and support the Catholics in the Holy Land.

FOOD FOR FAMILIES This weekend, CRE and RCIA will collect non-perishable food products to help

stock the shelves of the Catholic Charities Food Pantry. CCFP is in great need of tomato sauce and canned fruit. Your generous donations help feed people, especially children, who otherwise might go hungry. Thank you.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS ANNUAL PUMPKIN PARTY When: Friday, October 28 Time: 6 pm Where: St. Luke Gym Menu: Hot dogs, chili beans, nachos, dessert, beverage RSVP: Lolly, 478-6565 Knights Hotline: 957-3158 Child friendly costumes only! Dinner will be payable by check or debit/credit card.

ITALIAN CATHOLIC FEDERATION #138

RELEASE YOUR INNER ARTIST The ICF #138 will host a Paint the Night evening, where a professional artist will guide all budding artists in the creation of your own masterpiece! The subject will be a Tuscan door frame with grapevines surrounding it. It sounds beautiful and is EASY TO DO! As always, children are welcome to participate: When: Friday, November 4, 2016 Time: Check-in at 6:15 pm Location: St. Luke’s Social Hall Tickets: Adults (16 +) $40 Children (7 – 15 years) $20 Your fee includes dessert and beverages, 8 X 10 canvas keepsake, and all art supplies. For tickets call:

Andrea Bear at 209-609-6973.

HELP ENVISION STOCKTON’S FUTURE The City of Stockton is hosting a double-decker bus tour to view places where positive future change could occur and to discuss options for future land use in Stockton.

Time: 9:00 am (SHARP) – 11:30 am Where: Civic Auditorium (north side) Date: Wednesday, October 19 More Info: Contact David at 937-8598

SIMPLIFY WITH Looking for ways to simplify your busy back-to-school schedule? Try Online Giving. It’s a secure and easy way to tithe and make other contributions. You can even set up automatic payments that will occur periodically so you don’t have to worry about remembering when to give. Look for the link on www.stlukestockton.us.

CYO SCOREBOARD Girls Basketball 4th Grade St. Luke 11 vs. Annunciation 0

6th Grade St. Luke 18 vs. St. George 13 St. Luke 19 vs. St. George 18

8th Grade St. George 46 vs. St. Luke 41 St. Luke 29 vs. Sacred Heart (T) 16 Cross Country (XC) Team Scores Jr. Girls: 5th Place Sr. Girls 2nd Place Sr. Boys 5th Place

Reflecting on God’s Word My house shares a back yard with four college students. Ryan is one of them. Every morning the first thing Ryan does is go out the back door with a bagful of nuts and feed the squirrels. They hang out in our apple tree the way teenagers hang out around malls. One of the squirrels has become particularly bold and now waits expectantly for Ryan right at the back door. Lately the squirrel won’t go away, no matter the time of day, no matter who’s in the back yard. The squirrel just won’t leave, nuts or no nuts, people or no people. Because it’s become pesky, I now ignore the squirrel most of the time. Though Ryan doesn’t, I do. Nevertheless, the squirrel is slowly getting my attention. Over the course of my lifetime, God is getting my attention, too. People tend to hear this week’s Gospel parable about the widow who keeps knocking on the judge’s door as a story about God who eventually gives in to the widow. I think it’s more a story about me eventually giving in to God. I hope God’s not offended by being compared to a squirrel, but God is much more like the squirrel (or the widow) than like the judge. God’s the one who does the pleading, it seems to me. While the parable seems to say, “Don’t lose heart; God will eventually hear and answer,” perhaps it’s really saying, “Don’t lose heart; God will not give up knocking on your door.”

Reflexionemos sobre la Palabra de Dios Yo comparto el traspatio de mi casa con cuatro estudiantes universitarios. Rafael es uno de ellos. Lo primero que hace Rafael en la mañana es salir por la puerta trasera con una bolsa llena de nueces para las ardillas. Ellas pasan el tiempo en nuestro manzano igual que los adolescentes lo pasan en los centros comerciales. Una de las ardillas se ha vuelto particularmente atrevida y ahora espera a Rafael justo en la puerta trasera. Últimamente la ardilla no se va, no importa el momento del día ni quién esté en el traspatio. Hayan nueces o no, personas o no, la ardilla no se va. Como se ha puesto latosa yo la ignoro la mayoría de las veces. Rafael no, pero yo sí. No obstante, la ardilla poco a poco va llamando mi atención. En el transcurso de mi vida Dios también me está llamando la atención. Al escuchar la parábola del Evangelio de esta semana acerca de la viuda que no se cansaba de suplicarle al juez la gente tiende a pensar que la historia se refiere a Dios, que con el tiempo se rinde ante la viuda. Yo creo que es más bien una historia acerca de mí, rindiéndome ante Dios. Espero que Dios no se ofenda por compararlo con una ardilla, pero Dios se parece mucho más a la ardilla (o a la viuda) que al juez. A mi parecer, Dios es quien suplica. Aunque la parábola parece decir: “No te descorazones, con el tiempo Dios escucha y responde”, tal vez lo que diga es: “No te descorazones, Dios no se cansará de suplicarte”.

—Rev. Joseph J. Juknialis

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BIBLE STUDY Father Ric’s Bible Study meets on Mondays from 6:30 – 8 pm in the Meeting Room. Love to see everyone!