St.  Thomas  Aquinas  Parish  The  Catholic  Community  of  Palo  Alto,  CA  

 Annual  Report  2011-­‐2012  

     

                                                                       

 St.  Thomas  Aquinas  Parish  Annual  Report    

2011-­‐2012    

Pastoral  Center    3290  Middlefield  Road    Palo  Alto,  CA  94306    

650-­‐494-­‐2496    www.paloaltocatholic.org  

 

 

TABLE  OF  CONTENTS  

From  the  Pastor ............................................................................................................................1  

Our  Pastoral  Ministries .................................................................................................................3  

Liturgy............................................................................................................................................................ 3  

Hispanic  Ministry………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………….5  

Catechetical  Ministry……………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………7  

STAYouth……………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………………………..8  

Adult  Spiritual  Development……………………………………………………………………………………………………..10  

Rite  of  Christian  Initiation  of  Adults  (RCIA)………………………………………………………………………………..12  

Pastoral  Home  Ministry…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….14  

Our  Parish  Site  Committees ........................................................................................................16  

Our  Lady  of  the  Rosary………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………..16  

St.  Albert  the  Great………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….18  

St.  Thomas  Aquinas………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….20  

Our  Other  Parish  Ministries.........................................................................................................23  

Maintenance/Facilities ................................................................................................................................ 23  

Communications  ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………..…………25  

Community  Life…………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………….27  

Green  Committee……………………………………………………………………………….....................................……………….29  

Human  Concerns  ………………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………..32  

Finance  Ministry……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………….35  

                 Parish  Operations:  Year-­‐End  June  2012  Report………………………………..…………………………………..………..36  

 

 

 

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FROM  THE  PASTOR  

July  1,  2012  marks   the  beginning  of  my  3rd  year  as  Pastor  of  St.  Thomas  Aquinas.  As  I  look  back,  I  must  say  it  has  been  an  interesting   24   months—   never   a   dull   moment!   In   2012,   I  celebrated  my  50th  Birthday  in  March  and  completed  my  21st  year   as   a   priest   in   May.   I   missed   the   celebration   of   Ash  Wednesday  for  this  first  time  of  my  priesthood—  a  bad  back  did  me  in!  I  had  the  great  joy  of  leading  another  pilgrimage  to  Italy  in  November.  One  of  the  highlights  was  celebrating  Mass  on  the  tomb  of  Blessed  John  Paul  II  in  St.  Peter’s  Basilica.  As  I  pause   after   each   proud   accomplishment,   whether   it’s   the  completion   of   the   Easter   Triduum,   a   weekend   Engaged  Encounter,  or  a  typical  12-­‐hour  day,  it’s  always  “what’s  next?”  Let  me   share  with   you   just   a   few  of   the   highlights   from   the  past  year.    

   

 In  November,  we  joined  the  entire  Church  in  the  United  States,  in  praying  the  Mass  from  the  Third  Edition  of  the  Roman  Missal.  It  is  been   quite   a   challenge   for   the   priests   to   learn   new   prayers;  however,  we   have  worked   hard   at   proclaiming   these   new   texts  with  prayerful  reverence.  Many  of  you  have  your  responses  down  cold,  although  the  Nicene  Creed  will   take  all  of  us  some  time  to  get  used  to.    

   

We   are   very   blessed  with   the   addition   of   Fr.   Peter   Seimas   to   our   staff.   Fr.  Peter,  with  his  degree  in  Family  Therapy,  has  been  a  valuable  resource  to  our  parishioners   seeking   counseling   and   family   unity.   We   also   enjoyed   the  presence  of  Michael  Gray  who  served  his  Pastoral  Year  assignment  with  us.  Michael   is   fondly   remembered   for   his   thoughtful   Scripture   reflections;   his  work  as  a  4th  grade  catechist;  and  his  memorable  role  as  Peter  Pan  during  our  Volunteer  Appreciation  Social.    I   am   quite   pleased   with   the   continuing   improvement   of   our   Spirituality  

Tuesday  Assemblies  with  the  addition  of  many  new  speakers  and  exciting  topics.  am  grateful  for  all  of   the   energy,   enthusiasm,   and   hard   work   that   have   been   directed   toward   the   renovation   of  Dermody  Center,  The  Thomas  House,  St.  Thomas  Aquinas  Church,  and  St.  Elizabeth  Seton  School.    

Michael  Gray  

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Through   the   tremendous  generosity  of  Mary  Barrachi,  a  gift  of   $1  million   dollars  was   placed   in   an   endowment   fund   for  the   renovation   and   preservation   of   St.   Thomas   Aquinas  church.   Fr.   John   Hester   was   instrumental   in   working   to  ensure   the   legacy   of   our   beautiful   and   historic   church  through  his  many   years  of   friendship  with  Mary.   Judy   Foley  continues   to   lead  our   renovation  team  through  the  arduous  maze  of  contracts,  blueprints,  and  permits.  We  hope  to  begin  phase  1  of  our  project  later  this  year.  

   

I   am  quite  proud  of  our  ability   to   introduce   Life  Teen  &  EDGE  into   our   Youth   Ministry   program   spearheaded   by   the  enthusiastic   leadership   of   Alley   White,   along   with   the  beginnings   of   our   new   6pm   Youth   Mass.   And   of   course   the  celebration  of   the   Sacrament  of  Confirmation   is   always  of  our  annual  highlights.  

   

Finally,  I  look  forward  to  the  challenge  of  renewing  and  re-­‐energizing   all   of   our   ministries   for   children.   Susan   Lee  Olsen   will   be   joining   us   in   August.   She   has   over   twenty  years   of   experience   working   with   children.   She   has   also  served   in   the   areas   of   liturgy,   music,   social   justice,   and  liturgical  movement.  I  look  forward  to  working  with  Susan  who   will   help   us   provide   the   very   best   faith   formation  programs  for  our  youngest  members.  

     

Of  course  none  of  this  would  be  possible  without  our  parish  leaders,  volunteers,   generous  and   supportive  parishioners,   and  our   talented  and  dedicated  staff.  Each  and  every  day,  I  thank  God  for  all  of  you.  It  is   because   of   you   that   I   wake   up   each   day,   ready   and   willing   to  provide   the   leadership   and   vision   necessary   to   help   our   parish   be  true  and  faithful  to  its  mission.    

 Through  the  intercession  of  St.  Thomas  Aquinas,  St.  Albert  the  Great,  and  Our  Lady  of  the  Rosary,  may  God  give  us  all  the  strength  each  day  to  do  our  very  best  for  all  of  the  good  people  of  our  parish.          Rev.  Matthew  D.  Stanley    Pastor  

 

Fr.  John  Hester,  Fr.  Matt  Stanley,  Judy  Foley  

Susan  Lee  Olsen  

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OUR  PASTORAL  MINISTRIES    

 

St.  Ignatius  of  Antioch  referred  to  the  Church  as  a  "Eucharistic  community"  who  realizes  her  true  nature  when  she  celebrates  the  Eucharist.  His  view  of  the  Church  was  the  local  community  gathered  around  its  Bishop,  celebrating  the  Eucharist.  It  is  important  to  note  that  St.  Ignatius  became  Bishop  of  Antioch  in  A.D.  67  —  in  the  midst  of  the  New  Testament  era  while  most  of  the  Apostles  were  still  alive  and  active.  St.  Ignatius  was  the  second  Bishop  of  Antioch  succeeding  St.  Peter.  Thus  we  can  safely  trust  that  this  understanding  of  the  nature  of  the  Church  and  the  Eucharist  was  representative  of  that  held  by  the  Apostles  and  the  Church  at  large.    By  the  end  of  the  first  century  the  basic  form  or  order  of  the  Liturgy  was  established  and  universally  celebrated  throughout  the  Christian  Church,  though  with  regional  and  cultural  differences  in  expression.                 [http://www.liturgica.com/]    And  so  we  carry  that  tradition  forward  in  Palo  Alto:    The  mission  of  the  Liturgy  Board  is  to  ensure  that  every  liturgical  celebration  within  the  parish  is  planned  well  and  presented  so  that  these  liturgies  are  a  source  of  spiritual  strength,  inspiration  and  hope  for  all  participants.    Our  work  is  guided  by  the  liturgical  guidelines  as  stated  in  the  General  Instructions  of  the  Roman  Missal  (GIRM),  diocesan  directives  and  other  liturgical  documents  of  the  Church  which  are  provided  to  parish  liturgical  teams  for  use  in  planning  parish  liturgical  celebrations.    In  addition  to  the  parishioners  who  participate  in  the  Board’s  planning  and  monthly  meetings,  there  are  many,  many  parish  volunteers  that  enable  the  work  of  the  Board:  all  our  parish  liturgical  volunteers  (sacristans,  lectors,  commentators,  music  ministers,  ushers,  ministers  of  hospitality,  altar  servers)  and  those  that  train  them,  those  who  maintain  our  church  environments  and  altar  linens.  

 Ongoing  Activities:  

• Advance  planning  for  all  liturgical  celebrations  • Working  with  site  committees  and  schedulers  of  liturgical  ministers  so  that  all  masses  have  all  the  liturgical  roles  filled  at  each  mass.  

• Training  and  catechesis  of  new  liturgical  ministers  as  they  volunteer  (altar  servers,  lectors,  Eucharistic  Ministers,  etc.).  

• Maintaining  a  calendar  of  all  liturgical  celebrations.  • Support  the  work  of  the  parish  Liturgy  Coordinator  • Support  for  church  renovation  efforts  at  St.  Thomas  Aquinas  and  St.  Albert  the  Great.  

 Major  Activities  This  Year  

• Support  for  use  of  the  new  Roman  Missal:  advance  catechesis  to  the  parish,  pew  cards,  new  

Liturgy  

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Mass  settings.  • Expansion  of  the  6:00  p.m.  Sunday  LifeTeen  Mass  at  our  Lady  of  the  Rosary  to  weekly.    This  allowed  regular  involvement  of  our  parish  high-­‐school  students  as  Lectors,  Greeters,  Eucharistic  Ministers  and  Music  Ministers.  The  Masses  ran  from  September  through  May,  are  on  hiatus  during  June,  July,  and  August,  and  will  begin  again  in  September.  

• Continued  support  for  all  the  liturgical  feasts  and  related  celebrations:  • Mass  of  Remembrance  • Thanksgiving  Day  Mass  • Advent  and  Christmas  liturgies  and  sacred  environment  • Lent  and  Holy  Triduum  liturgies  and  sacred  environment  • Special  Penance  liturgies  during  Advent  and  Lent  • Taize  Prayer  Services  (monthly,  but  weekly  during  Advent  and  Lent)  • Family  Masses  at  St.  Albert  and  OLR  each  4th  Sunday  • Children’s  Choir  at  St.  Albert  • Appropriate  seasonal  environments  at  all  churches  • Ongoing  support  of  the  RCIA  process  with  special  rites  as  directed  • Ongoing  Altar  Server  training  at  OLR  and  SAG.  • Ongoing  development  opportunities  for  lectors  and  Eucharistic  Ministers.  

 Work  of  Director  of  Liturgy  and  Music  In  addition  to  the  work  of  the  many  volunteers  on  the  Board,  and  those  who  fulfill  and  many  liturgical  roles  at  mass,  Nora  Lundin,  the  Parish  Liturgy  Coordinator,  fulfills  many  necessary  liturgical  needs.  She  schedules  the  presiders  for  daily  and  weekend  masses,  the  lectors/EMs  at  St.  Albert  the  Great,  and  is  responsible  for  all  liturgical  supplies  (bread,  wine,  candles),  orders  flowers  and  other  special  seasonal  needs,  and  works  with  the  church  sacristans  and  environment  teams  on  special  needs.      Nora  also  serves  as  the  parish  funeral  and  wedding  coordinator,  meeting  with  wedding  couples  and  grieving  family  members  to  plan  marriages  and  funerals.    The  Liturgy  Coordinator  also  participates  in  all  Site  Committee  meetings  as  well  as  the  St.  Thomas  Aquinas  Interior  Remodeling  Committee  as  they  work  through  recommendations  for  changes  to  that  church.    Members:  Fr.  Matt,  Fr.  Peter,  Fr.  Randy,  Deacon  Daniel  Hernandez,  Micky  Martin,  Paul  Prochaska,  Bill  Mahrt,  Jean  Ramacciotti,    seminarian  Michael  Gray,  Nora  Lundin  (parish  Liturgy  Coordinator),  Pat  Briggs,  Kay  Williams  (secretary),  Chris  Lundin  (chair)  and  other  occasional  participants.

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Hispanic  Ministry

 August:  13,  14,  15:    The  young  adults  of  our  parish,  in  a  team  effort,  along  with  other  young  adult  leaders  from  the  Diocese  of  San  Jose  worked  very  hard  during  the  summer  in  preparing  the  annual  young  adult  retreat,  which  Our  Lady  of  the  Rosary  Church  (St.  Thomas  Aquinas  Parish)  helps  sponsor.    This  retreat  is  called  Encuentro  de  Hijos/Hijas.  It  requires  a  lot  of  work  and  preparation  on  the  part  of  the  young  adults,  a  lot  of  sacrifice  on  their  part  as  far  as  time  and  work  are  concerned.    Approximately  100  young  adults  attend  this  retreat,  and  close  to  40  others  work  in  preparing  it.        August  20th:  A  day  of  prayer,  reflection  and  training  was  given  to  all  catechists  working  in  the  Hispanic  program,  by  Maria  de  Jesus,  the  director  of  the  program.    After  this  day,  several  catechists  were  inspired  to  continue  their  training  and  signed  up  for  classes  in  the  Diocese  to  become  better  catechists  and  they  went  to  a  three-­‐day  workshop  at  the  Chancery.    August  27th:    A  retreat  was  given  by  a  Jesuit  priest  from  Los  Gatos  to  10  volunteers  and  the  director  of  the  community  to  train  them  on  how  to  pray  and  reflect  with  a  special  book  called  Desafio  (“Challenge”)  based  on  St.  Ignatius  spirituality.    This  group  meets  every  other  Sunday  at  the  Pastoral  Center  at  7:30  am  to  share  and  reflect  on  their  experiences  from  their  daily  reflections  done  at  home.    This  group  is  the  first  to  start  on  something  that  we  hope  to  do  with  other  community  members  in  the  future  in  order  to  give  others  tools  to  help  them  grow  in  their  spirituality.    September:    Our  catechetical  program  began  the  weekend  after  Labor  Day.    The  number  of  students  in  our  program  did  go  down  a  little  from  last  year,  but  on  the  average,  the  groups  are  pretty  much  the  same  size.    This  month  the  Hispanic  Community  was  able  to  join  the  rest  of  the  parish  community  with  a  higher  number  of  assistance  to  the  parish  picnic  due  to  the  fact  that  the  picnic  was  held  at  OLR.    We  know  many  members  of  our  community  generously  contributed  food  for  this  picnic  and  they  also  enjoyed  the  events,  as  well  as  being  able  to  mingle  and  getting  to  know  our  parish  priests.    October:  This  month  we  were  happy  to  see  that  the  9  am  Mass  assistance  is  pretty  much  the  same,  if  not  a  little  more  than  in  the  past  years.    We  are  seeing  more  and  more  new  parishioners  coming  to  our  community,  most  of  them  from  Palo  Alto  and  Mountain  View.      We  would  also  like  to  mention  that  the  very  day  of  Time  and  Talent,  perhaps  we  did  not  get  anyone  to  sign  up,  but  in  part  it  was  because  we  keep  inviting  people  to  serve  during  the  whole  year,  and  about  a  month  or  two  before  Time  and  Talent,  we  had  several  (5)  new  lectors  join,  mostly  young  adults,  and  3  new  catechist  signed  up  to  help.    November:    This  month  the  young  adults  had  a  tamale  breakfast  on  a  Sunday  to  raise  money  to  help  St.  Vincent  de  Paul  with  money  to  buy  Christmas  gifts  and  toys  for  the  less  fortunate.    The  young  adults  look  forward  to  helping  St.  Vincent  de  Paul  members  to  buy  and  distribute  the  gifts  to  these  families  in  need.          

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December:    On  the  9th  we  had  a  group  processing  from  Heritage  Plaza  to  Our  Lady  of  Guadalupe  Church  for  Vespers.    Sunday,  December  11th,  12:00  pm  Mass  with  free  lunch  for  everyone,  celebrating  the  Feast  of  Our  Lady  of  Guadalupe.    Monday  December  12th,  mañanitas  for  Our  Lady  at  5:30  am,  lead  by  Fr.  Randy  and  Maria  de  Jesus.  December  16,  Christmas  Posada,  prepared  by  the  young  adults.    February  11th:  Volunteer  Appreciation  Party:    Volunteers  from  the  Hispanic  Community  joined  the  volunteers  from  the  English-­‐speaking  community  in  a  very  fun  afternoon,  organized  by  the  staff  of  St.  Thomas  Aquinas  in  appreciation  for  all  that  the  volunteers  for  this  parish  do.    March  3rd:  International  Dinner:  Parishioners  from  different  regions  and  states  of  Mexico,  and  from  countries  such  as  El  Salvador,  Guatemala,  Honduras,  Peru,  and  Colombia,  shared  their  culinary  talents  by  supporting  our  fundraising  dinner  for  LA  Congress,  bringing  some  delicious  food  that  is  traditional  in  their  countries.  The  response  from  the  community  was  so  overwhelming  that  we  ran  out  of  a  lot  of  the  food,  and  there  were  still  persons  with  tickets  left.    People  found  the  food  to  be  so  delicious  that  they  kept  buying  tickets  and  going  back  for  time  after  time.  So  for  those  who  came  late,  there  were  fewer  choices  of  food.    We  are  very  grateful  for  the  wonderful  support  provided  by  the  parishioners.      March  10th:  Confirmation  Retreat:  Our  youth  and  their  parents  had  a  great  learning  experience  with  the  help  of  Fr.  Randy  and  Fr.  Engelberto  Gammad  who  helped  out  in  this  retreat.  After  the  talks  and  some  activities,  the  retreat  ended  with  Reconciliation  in  preparation  for  the  sacrament  of  Confirmation.    Our  second  year  confirmation  students  received  the  sacrament  on  May  12th  along  with  the  students  from  the  English  program.    March  23,  24,  25th  was  L.A.  Religious  Congress  weekend.  Ten  persons  from  the  community  attended  the  LA  Congress  this  year,  2012.  Among  the  group  who  went  were  liturgical  ministers  and  catechists,  and  Maria  de  Jesus  with  her  husband,  now  Deacon  Jaime.        May  5th,  First  Communion  all  day  retreat:  Children  who  were  going  to  receive  their  first  communion  later  in  May  had  a  day  of  retreat  with  their  parents.    Retreat  consists  of  learning  about  Last  Supper,  Mass  and  how  to  receive  Communion,  and  the  putting  on  of  skits.    After  lunch  we  have  Adoration  and  a  moment  of  reconciliation  between  parents  and  children.  Children  read  letters  to  parents  and  parents  to  their  children,  a  very  touching  moment  between  them.    After  this,  the  retreat  ended  with  children  receiving  the  sacrament  of  Reconciliation  for  the  first  time.    Fr.  Randy  Valenton  was  there  for  the  children’s  special  day.    May  12th,  Ordination  of  Jaime  Garcia  as  Deacon:  This  day  was  the  ordination  of  a  member  of  our  community  and  staff,  who  has  been  here  for  nearly  7  years.    Members  of  the  community  and  staff  accompanied  him,  and  his  wife,  Maria  de  Jesus,  to  the  beautiful  celebration  at  St.  Joseph’s  Cathedral  on  the  day  of  the  ordination,  and  members  of  the  Hispanic  community  organized  a  lovely  reception  at  OLR  hall  in  celebration  and  thanksgiving.          

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May  20th:  Fr.  Engelberto  Gammad,  assisted  by  Deacon  Jaime,  celebrated  the  First  Communions  for  the  Hispanic  Community  in  a  8:30  am  Sunday  Mass.  Fifteen  children  participated  in  this  liturgy  in  one  way  or  another  and  received  Communion  for  the  first  time,  making  this  day  even  more  memorable  for  them  and  their  families.    ILM  graduates:    Three  members  from  the  Hispanic  community  graduated  this  year  from  the  Institute  for  Leadership  in  Ministry:  Maricela  Gonzalez,  Eucharistic  minister  coordinator,  Eduardo  Mendoza,  confirmation  catechist  and  young  adult  group  leader;  Pilar  Rengifo,  Eucharistic  minister  and  adult  catechist.    

 

Catechetical  Ministry  

STAKids    (K  –  5th  grade)  Catechetical  Board  Report  

 Activities:  This  year  began  with  our  annual  Pancake  Breakfast  Meet  &  Greet.    Ted  Baer  and  his  usual  team,  including  the  Knights  of  Columbus,  spear-­‐headed  this  event  for  us  again  and  because  of  their  unending  dedication  and  support,  it  was  a  great  success.    The  parish  was  invited  to  meet  the  new  and  returning  STAKids  teams  for  this  coming  school  year.    Classes  began  on  Sept.  11,  2011,  with  larger  numbers  than  past  years,  approximately  250  students  for  both  sites  and  counting.    All  classes  were  manned  with  Catechists,  Co-­‐Catechists  and  class  aides  on  the  first  day  this  year.        We  were  pleased  to  have  our  own  seminarian,  Michael  Gray  teaching  4th  graders  at  SAG.        All  members  of  the  parish  Catechetical  teams  were  commissioned  during  the  Catechetical  Sunday  Commissioning  on  Sept.    19th.    The  Faith  First/Legacy  series,  the  curriculum  we  use,  has  updated  their  student  books  to  reflect  the  changes  to  the  New  Missal  references  this  year.    This  year  one  class  per  month  will  be  asked  to  collect  food  for  our  Food  Drive.    We  are  also  pleased  that  our  Parent  Catechesis  classes  continued  during  the  year  with  Hal  Fletcher  at  SAG  and  Susan  Clingingsmith,  then  Director  of  Religious  Education,  at  OLR.    Sue  Clingingsmith  left  us  in  June  to  pursue  other  interests,  and  we  have  now  welcomed  Susan  Lee  Olsen,  our  new  Coordinator  of  Children’s  Ministries.    

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Our  Children’s  Catechumenate  and  older  Sacramental  Prep  class  is  at  an  all-­‐time  high:  26  students.      Children’s  Liturgy  team  is  also  growing.    And  we  have  incorporated  our  website  into  the  new  parish  website.    We  are  encouraging  families  to  visit  the  website.      Our  STAKids  Catechetical  Board  is  growing.    Members  now  include:  Hal  Fletcher  (SAG  /  PSC  rep),  Teresa  Strathearn  (SAG  /  chair),  Anh  Kunita  (OLR),  Bella  Aguilar  (OLR),  Cleia  Muggler  (SAG)  &  Lisa  Wicki  (SAG).  

 

STAYouth  

 Middle  and  High  School  Youth  Program  

 About  STAY  –  ST.  Thomas  Aquinas  Youth St.  Thomas  Aquinas’  Youth  Ministry  program  is  committed  to  love,  nurture,  inspire  and  motivate  all  middle  and  high  school  youth  to  be  faithful  lifelong  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ  who  serve  their  community.    We  offer  weekly  youth  group  sessions  of  faith  sharing  with  peers,  monthly  youth  masses,  social  events,  social  justice  and  outreach  projects,  and  leadership  opportunities.    

 Find  us  on  facebook  at  https://www.facebook.com/pages/St-­‐Thomas-­‐Aquinas-­‐Youth-­‐STAY-­‐Palo-­‐Alto/162320081502    

   2010-­‐11  Enrollment 72  Middle  School  students.  48  High  School  students.    33  Confirmation  candidates  from  STAY.    Academic  Year  Sessions:    Middle  School  and  High  School  hold  sessions  in  the  Dermody  Center  on  the  OLR  site  Sunday  evenings    Middle  School  (grades  6-­‐8)  meets  from  4:30  to  5:50  p.m.  for  2011-­‐2012  continue  to  follow  the  EDGE  program  curriculum  http://paloaltocatholic.net/index.cfm?load=page&page=161    High  School  (grades  9-­‐12)  meets  from  7:00  to  8:30  p.m.  For  2010-­‐2011  continue  to  follow  the  Life  Teen  program  curriculum  http://paloaltocatholic.net/index.cfm?load=page&page=162      Weekly  Youth  Masses  As  the  LifeTeen  and  Edge  curricula  center  around  the  mass,  the  parish  continues  to  offer  a  youth  mass  each  Sunday  at  6:00  p.m.  at  OLR  from  September  though  May.  The  mass  is  between  the  middle  school  and  high  school  sessions.    Attendance  at  the  Sunday  evening  masses  has  been  steady.  

   

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Confirmation:  8th  -­‐12th  grade  students  are  eligible  to  receive  the  sacrament  of  Confirmation  through  the  STAY;  the  candidate’s  readiness  to  receive  this  sacrament  is  determined  through  a  discernment  process  involving  families  and  the  parish  staff.    This  year,  the  Oneight  program  curriculum  from  LifeTeen  was  used  for  sacramental  preparation.  http://www.paloaltocatholic.net/index.cfm?load=page&page=274    Confirmation  for  both  the  STAY  and  Hispanic  Ministry’s  candidates  was  held  during  the  regular  5:00  p.m.  mass  at  SAG  on  Saturday,  May  12,  2012,  with  Monsignor  Fran  Cilia  presiding.    STAY  COOL  Continued  to  Have  Positive  Community  Impact      

This  year’s  service  projects  were  fully  a  part  of  the  preparation  for  Confirmation.   Assisted  in  filling  holiday  food  boxes  for  those  in  need  at  St.  Francis  of  Assisi  Parish  in  East  

Palo  Alto  before  Thanksgiving  and  Christmas.    At  these  two  events  STAY  youth  worked  together  with  the  St.  Francis  parish  community.  

Layette  Drive  and  Layette  bundle  preparation  in  May.   Valentine’s  cards  and  food  drive  during  January  and  February.   Prepared  meals  for  Hotel  de  Zink  

 Other  Notable  Events:    EDGE  Lock-­‐In:  EDGE  hosted  a  lock-­‐in  for  the  middle  schoolers.  We  went  on  a  driving  scavenger  hunt  around  Palo  Alto,  went  to  the  indoor  trampoleen  center  (Sky  High)  in  Santa  Clara  and  played  games  at  Dermody.      Life  Teen  Retreat:    St  Thomas  Aquinas  hosted  a  retreat  for  all  Deanery  2  high  school  youth  groups  in  January  at  Dermody  Center.  The  Alpha  Omega  reteat  was  a  fun  and  faith-­‐filled  weekend.    Oneight  Retreat:  The  confirmation  program  held  its  annual  confirmation  retreat  at  Mt.  Hermon  Retreat  Center  in  Scotts  Valley.  Twenty-­‐eight  of  our  confirmation  candidates  attended  the  Dr.  Seuss-­‐themed  retreat  and  spent  the  weekend  reflecting  on  their  upcoming  sacraments  in  small  groups,  participating  in  Mass,  Adoration  and  Reconciliation.      Friday  Night  Lights:  Throughout  the  year  we  hosted  Friday  Night  Lights,  evenings  filled  with  fun  and  games  at  Dermody  Center.  On  February  3,  2012  STAY  students  took  CalTrain  down  to  SCU  to  watch  the  annual  Reverends  vs.  the  Seminarians’  basketball  game.      2012  Diocesan  Youth  Retreat  (DYR;  formally  known  as  Tahoe)  took  place  June  9-­‐13,  2012.  This  year  the  retreat  took  place  at  the  Mt.  Hermon  Conference  Center  –  a  new  larger  location  that  accommodated  more  youth  than  the  Emerald  Bay  site.    Six  of  our  STAY  teens  attended.  (http://www.dsj.org/ministries/youth-­‐ministry/diocesan-­‐youth-­‐retreat-­‐dyr)    

Urban  Immersion  –  Took  place  from  June  25  –29.    This  was  a  week  of  service  on  the  Peninsula  and  in  the  San  Jose  area.  Thirteen  of  our  STAY  teens  participated  in  this  week  of  service.  

 

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Monthly  Board  Meetings

At  the  St.  Thomas  Aquinas  Pastoral  Center.    With  Gratitude

Thank  you  to  Fr.  Matt,  Fr.  Randy  and  Fr.  Peter  for  your  ongoing  support  and  encouragement.  Thank  you  to  Maria  de  Jesus  Garcia,  Hispanic  Ministry,  for  the  coordination  of  Confirmation  programs.  Thank  you  to  Chris  Lundin  and  Nora  Lundin  for  supporting  the  Youth  Masses  at  OLR.  Thank  you  to  the  parish  Liturgy,  Human  Concerns,  and  OLR  Site  committees,  we  appreciate  all  that  you  do  for  us    2011-­‐12  Youth  Ministry  Board

Mary  Clifford,  Chair;  Anna  Zara  and  Karen  Recinto,  PSC  Representatives;  Vikki  Howard,  STAY  COOL    

Alley  White,  Director  of  Youth  Ministry;  Katie  Yankoski,  Youth  Music  Minister;  Fr.  Peter  Seimas,  Pastoral  Advisor    

Adult  Spiritual  Development  

 God  is  present;  God  is  active;  God  is  persistent  

Our  Mission:  To  plan,  organize  and  implement  opportunities  for  the  St.  Thomas  Aquinas  Parish  Community  to  deepen  and  grow  their  awareness,  experience  and  gratitude  toward  God  while  complimenting  our  existing  spiritual  formation  

activities  plus  bring  us  closer  together  as  community  through  shared  experience.    We  deepen  our  faith  through  the  following  opportunities:    Taize  Prayer:  Taize  uses  music,  chants,  prayer  and  meditation  which  promote  a  sense  of  peace  and  lead  naturally  to  contemplative  prayer.  Father  Randy  is  our  guide;  Chris  Lundin  leads  the  music.    St.  Albert  the  Great  hosted  two  during  Advent  and  two  more  during  Lent;  then  four  at  Our  Lady  of  the  Rosary.      Centering  Prayer  meets  Thursday  evening  at  7  pm  at  OLR.  The  hour-­‐long  gathering  consists  of  two  sessions  of  meditation  with  a  short  walk  between  them.    Jean  Ramacciotti  and  Carrie  Skelly  teach  and  facilitate  this  course  which  prepares  one  to  receive  the  gift  of  Christian  Contemplation.  All  are  welcome  to  join  this  peaceful  evening  of  prayer.      The  Zacchaeus  Program  continues  at  SAG  Hospitality.  Thibaut  de  Bretagne  and  Anne  Grycz  lead  15  active  participants  toward  a  greater  awareness  of  God.  The  Thursday  evening  meetings  alternate  between  teaching,  personal  exercises,  prayer  and  sharing  with  each  other.  Through  the  Holy  Spirit  they  seek  to  progressively  transform  themselves.        

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Ignatian  Exercises  are  held  on  Thursdays  from  noon  until  1:30  in  the  Thomas  House  library  with  Nancy  McGaraghan  and  Anne  Grycz.  The  Spiritual  Exercises  include  prayers  and  meditations  developed  by  St.  Ignatius  Loyola  to  help  those  attending  to  deepen  their  relationship  with  God.    The  Chinese  Renew  Group  has  been  meeting  each  Wednesday  evening  for  over  15  years.  With  7-­‐8  active  members,  this  faith-­‐sharing  group  uses  At  Home  with  the  Word.  The  readings  are  in  English  and  the  discussions  are  often  bi-­‐lingual.  What  they  value  most  is  the  support  of  like-­‐minded  Chinese  Catholics  in  our  diverse  community.      The  Thursday  Morning  Scripture  and  Faith  Sharing  group  uses  the  following  Sunday’s  liturgy  readings  from  the  Breaking  Bread  Missal.  They  also  review,  very  briefly,  salient  points  from  the  previous  Sunday's  homilies.  Sondra  Dingman  is  the  moderator.  These  seekers  meet  from  10-­‐11:30  am  at  St.  Albert  Hospitality  Room.      Hal  Fletcher  leads  “The  Joy  of  Discovery”,  an  overview  of  Old  Testament  Scripture.    Through  the  great  people  and  events  encountered  there,  we  are  invited  to  come  to  a  better  understanding  of  God  in  our  lives  today  and  a  deeper  knowledge  of  ourselves.    Adapted  from  a  formal  study,  this  group  meets  in  the  6th  grade  classroom  at  SAG  on  the  1st  and  3rd  Sunday  of  the  month.    Spirituality  Tuesday  Assembly  is  our  largest  spirituality  undertaking.  This  event  is  held  in  the  SAG  Hospitality  Room  at  7  pm  from  September  through  April.  Our  objective  is  to  foster  spiritual  growth  through  a  series  of  invited  speakers  and  the  talents  of  our  Parish  priests.  Our  topics  have  been  chosen  using  a  Parish  wide  survey  and  suggestions  from  parishioners.    

• Key  Moments  in  the  History  of  the  Catholic  Church.Fr.  Matt  continues  the  journey  through  Church  History  with  an  episode  each  month.  Our  travels,  thus  far,  have  gone  from  early  persecution  of  the  Church  to  the  Crusades.      

• Become  One  Body-­‐One  Spirit  in  Christ  opened  our  series.  Fr.  Matt  explored  the  depth,  richness  and  the  layers  of  meaning  in  the  new  liturgical  text.  

• Anne  Grycz  reminded  us  of  our  baptismal  call  and  mission  when  she  presented  “People  of  God:  The  Laity  in  the  Church.  How  should  we  respond?  

• “Say  What!”  was  a  fun  evening  with  Deacon  Daniel  and  Michael  Gray.  They  tackled  confusing  and  controversial  verses  in  the  New  Testament  untangling  their  mystery.  

• My  Faith  Journey;  living  with  cancer.  We  had  an  uplifting,  spiritual  evening  as  Fr.  Thierry  shared  his  faith  journey  through  his  cancer  experience  and  his  trip  to  Lourdes    

• The  Gospel  according  to  Mark:  Monsignor  Warren  Holleran,  a  delightful  and  knowledgeable  presenter,  deepened  our  understanding  and  answered  our  questions.  

• Holy  Mary:  The  Mother  of  God:  Father  Anthony  presented  the  difference  in    focus  of  the  Byzantine  Rite  on  Mary  and  those  of  the  Roman  Rite  Churches.  

• Christmas  traditions  and  symbols.  Our  charming  December  speaker  was  Fr.  Don  Allen.  A  font  of  knowledge  on  many  topics;  there  were  many  surprises  this  evening.  

• Creating  a  Solid  Marriage  with  Fr.  Peter;  a  practical  guide  for  strengthening  marriages.  This  topic  was  so  well  received  that  Fr.  Peter  plans  to  share  more  about  this  next  year.  

• The  Exodus  Experience  was  masterfully  presented  by  guest  speaker  Rabbi  Waldenberg.  He  shared  the  Jewish  Master  Story  and  his  own  with  us;  an  outstanding  talk.  

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• Vocation  Stories  in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  with  Fr.  John  Kselman.  Well  known  for  his  knowledge  of  scripture,  Fr.  Kselman  broke  open  many  Gospel  stories  for  us.  

• The  Death  Penalty:  What  People  of  Faith  Should  Know.  An  able  presenter,  Terry  McCaffrey  explored  this  front  page  issue  in  light  of  faith  and  practicality.  

• Open  Forum  with  Fr.  Randy,  Deacon  Daniel  and  Michael  Gray.  Ask  any  question  about  faith,  or  our  Church,  and  have  it  answered  by  those  in  the  know.  

• Mormonism;  who  are  the  Latter  Day  Saints?  Fr.  Jose  Rubio  filled  the  room  with  those  eager  to  learn  about  this  topic.  A  very  informative  evening!  

• Our  Experience  of  Suffering  in  Culture  and  Faith  with  Sherry  Cassedy.  We  gained  some  insight  into  this  emotional  topic  from  Sherry’s  experience,  and  study,  which  applies  to  each  of  us.  A  special  evening  which  deeply  touched  many  of  those  who  attended.  

• The  Holy  Spirit  in  our  Hearts  and  in  our  Lives.  God  is  present  to  the  world  through  the  Holy  Spirit.  Father  Randy  and  Michael  Gray  revealed  the  Holy  Spirit.  

• The  Spirituality  of  Simplicity,  with  special  guest  speaker  Pamela  Bjorklund,  Ph.D.  What  is  simplicity  and  how  we  might  find  the  freedom  to  choose  it.  

• Mexican  Fiesta  Pot-­‐luck;  our  annual  wrap-­‐up  session.  We  celebrate  our  year  and  look  ahead  and  plan  for  next  fall.  We  supply  the  chips  and  salsa,  plus  beverages  (including  traditional  libations).  A  “not  to  be  missed”  fun  evening!  

 

Members:  Fr.  Matt;  Fr.  Randy;  Fr.  Peter;  Deacon  Daniel;  Susan  Adams;  Pat  Briggs;  Jeanne  Ramos;  Sharon  Nelson  and  Beverly  Wade.    

Rite  of  Christian  Initiation  of  Adults  (RCIA)  

 The  Rite  of  Christian  Initiation  is  designed  for  those  who,  after  hearing  the  mystery  of  Christ  proclaimed,  consciously  and  freely  seek  the  living  God  and  enter  the  way  of  faith  and  conversion  as  the  Holy  Spirit  opens  their  hearts.  Ideally,  by  God’s  help  they  are  strengthened  spiritually  during  their  preparation,  and  at  the  proper  time  receive  the  sacraments  fruitfully.    Spring,  2011:      The  period  of  Inquiry:  Informal  sessions,  called  The  Inquiry,  were    held  for  any  adult  interested  in  the  initiation  sacraments.    They  continue  to  be  offered  year  round  for  new  inquirers.    There  were  12  Inquirers  in  2011.      Four  of  them  received  Sacraments  at  the  Easter  Vigil  along  with  the  other  5  who  were  already  Catholic.    They  were  Confirmed  at  the  Vigil.      Fall,  2010:    The  period  of  the  Catechumenate:    The  weekly  catechesis  and  faith-­‐sharing  meetings  began  in  September,  meeting  on  Monday  evenings  at  the  Pastoral  Center  from  7:30-­‐9:00  pm  for  the  following  seeking  initiation  sacraments  at  the  Vigil:  Five  catechumens  were  seeking  Baptism,  one  already  baptized  Christian  was  seeking  Reception  into  the  Catholic  church,  and  four  already-­‐baptized  Catholics  were  seeking  Confirmation  only.    

A  BBQ  was  held  in  August  for  RCIA  Alumni,  Inquirers,  

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Team  and  priests.    Around  40  attended  the  event  at  the  Pastoral  Center.    Hospitality  committee  members  Donna  Pellizzari  and  April  Austin  assisted  and  contributed.    

Winter,  2011-­‐2012:    The  candidates  and  sponsors  attended  the  Communal  Penance  service  at  St.  Albert  the  Great  in  December,  and  afterwards  gathered  in  SAGH  for  a  Christmas  party  with  the  priests,  Team  and  RCIA  alumni.        The  Rite  of  Acceptance  for  the  adults  seeking  Baptism  was  celebrated  in  early  January.    Later  in  January  The  Rite  of  Welcoming  was  held  for  the  already-­‐baptized  Christians  seeking  Reception/Confirmation.    

Spring  2012:  The  period  of  Purification  and  Enlightenment  On  the  first  Sunday  of  Lent  the  three  catechumens  celebrated  The  Rite  of  Sending.  They  signed  the  Book  of  the  Elect,  and  Fr.  Stanley  blessed  them  and  sent  them  to  the  Cathedral  for  The  Rite  of  Election  with  Bishop  McGrath  and  Bishop  Daly  that  Sunday  afternoon.      The  Penitential  Rite  for  those  candidates  already  baptized  was  held  on  the  second  Sunday  of  Lent.  

 The  Rites  of  Scrutiny  were  held  on  the  third,  fourth  and  fifth  Sundays  of  Lent  at  St.  Thomas  Aquinas  church.    

A  Lenten  retreat  for  all  the  candidates  was  held  the  Saturday  before  Palm  Sunday  at  SAGH.    Fr.  Stanley,  Fr.  Seimas,    Michael  Gray  assisted  Jean  in  leading  the  retreat.    The  Rite  of  Ephephta  was  celebrated  plus  anointings  and  blessings.    

           

         Those  seeking  reception  and  a  few  of  the  other  already-­‐baptized  Catholics  made  their  First  Sacrament  of  Penance  at  the  Communal  Rite  of  Reconciliation  at  SAGC  the  week  before  Easter.      

 

 

 

Bishop  Thomas  Daly  and  James  Harris  

Bishop  Thomas  Daly  and  James  Harris  

Retreat  for  Candidates  

Anointing  and  blessings  at  retreat  

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Pastoral  Home  Ministry  

 Mission:    St.  Thomas  Aquinas  Pastoral  Home  Ministry  offers  spiritual  and  social  support  for  the  sick  and  the  homebound  parishioners  of  all  ages.    Members:    Anne  Ackerman,  Chezire  Aclimandos,  Fran  Adams,  Nickie  Andrews,  France  Bark,  Lenora  Carlson,  Ruth  Chippendale,  Prue  Delamater,  Fred  Dietrich,  Pat  Dietrich,  Mary  Fong,  Pearl  Glaves,  Pat  Keicher,  Mark  Kreutzer,  Micky  Martin,  Anne  Morrison,  Bill  Morrison,  Carol  Pulliam,  Jean  Ramacciotti,  Bonnie  Shirley,  Judi  Swope,  Joe  Teresi,  Onna  Vancheri,  Dick  Freeman,  Mary  Stratton  and  Cheryl  Tibshirani.    Pat  Dietrich  and  Mary  Fong  are  the  coordinators  of  this  ministry.  We  visit  clients  in  their  homes  and  also  serve  several  nursing  and  retirement  homes:    Lytton  Gardens,  Palo  Alto  Nursing  Center,  Channing  House,  Hyatt  Classic  Residence  (Vi),  Sunrise  and  Palo  Alto  Commons.    During  individual  home  visits  we  bring  the  Eucharist,  pray  and  give  spiritual  support.    Many  clients  like  to  visit  and  talk.    We  sometimes  run  small  errands,  read  and  write  letters  for  them.    We  can  also  give  short  respite  to  their  caregivers.        In  nursing  and  retirement  homes  we  make  individual  visits  and  lead  communion  services.    In  communion  services  all  the  clients  get  together  in  one  meeting  place.    This  is  a  good  time  for  them  to  meet  other  Catholics  in  their  community  and  share  with  each  other.  There  is  a  weekly  communion  service  at  Lytton  Gardens  following  the  rosary.    There  are  also  weekly  communion  services  at  Sunrise  and  PA  Commons.    Fr.  Randy  visits  the  group  at  PA  Commons  about  every  two  months  and  at  Sunrise  occasionally.    We  can  help  arrange  priest  visits  and  arrange  transportation  to  mass  if  possible.    We  also  have  information  on  meals,  transportation  and  home  care.    Our  ministry  also  provides  information  package  to  family  of  recently  deceased  parishioners  to  help  them  with  their  grieving  process.    Our  Home  ministers  help  coordinate  and  set  up  the  monthly  masses  at  Lytton  Gardens  and  Palo  Alto  Nursing  Center.  The  masses  are  presided  by  our  parish  priests.    Roberta  Uebbing  played  the  piano  at  Lytton  Gardens  for  many  years  and  recently  Larry  Schemel  has  agreed  to  play  the  guitar  

for  us  there.    We  thank  the  many  volunteers  who  help  with  the  singing  at  the  masses.    We  also  thank  the  members  of  the  Legion  of  Mary  of  Our  Lady  of  Immaculate  Conception  who  help  at  these  two  masses.    In  the  past  few  years  we  have  special  Ash  Wednesday  services  at  Lytton  Gardens,  Palo  Alto  Commons  and  Palo  Alto  Nursing  Care.    Our  clients  have  a  fondness  for  this  special  feast  day.    

Fr.  Randy  Valenton  and  Judi  Swope  at  Palo  Alto  Nursing  Ctr.  

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We  are  also  responsible  for  the  maintenance  of  the  ‘pray  for’  lists  in  the  Sunday  bulletin  and  updating  a  confidential  ‘pray  for  list’  for  members  of  the  Prayer  Circle  by  weekly  e-­‐mail  and  bi-­‐weekly  regular  mail.    We  provide  our  clients  with  the  book,  At  Home  With  the  Word  so  that  they  can  follow  the  Sunday  readings.    We  bring  them  the  church  bulletin  so  that  they  can  keep  up  with  our  parish  news  and  events.    We  also  provide  them  with  the  little  books  for  the  different  liturgical  seasons.  Our  home  bound  parishioners  were  very  happy  to  be  included  in  our  parish  directory  and  to  see  their  pictures  there.    

 During  Christmas  season  we  bring  good  cheers  to  our  clients  by  presenting  them  with  candies  and  gifts  that  our  Religious  Education  students  make.    We  advertise  our  services  several  times  a  year  through  the  e-­‐bulletin  and  Sunday  bulletin.    We  like  our  parishioners  to  know  more  about  us  and  make  good  use  of  our  services.    We  can  be  contacted  by  phone  at  (650)  494-­‐2496  X22  or  by  e-­‐mail  to  Mary  at  fongmt@hotmail.com.  

Christmas  Gifts  for  our  Clients  

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OUR  PARISH  SITE  COMMITTEES  

Our  Lady  of  the  Rosary  Site  Committee  

Mission:    Assure  that  the  OLR  Liturgies  are  reverent  and  inspiring,  that  the  church,  hall  and  grounds  are  attractive  and  that  parish  events  celebrated  here  at  OLR  help  share  the  Gospel  through  worship,  education  and  service  with  our  whole  community.      

 General  Information:    We  meet  4  -­‐5  times  a  year,  to  plan  for  the  change  of  liturgical  seasons,  to  evaluate  the  liturgical  and  environment  needs  of  completed  church  seasons  during  the  current  year,  and  to  discuss  and  update  any  physical  needs  of  the  OLR  site.      [This  meeting  schedule  for  full  site  committee  meetings  is  result  of  site  members  decision.  Each  

Ministry  chair  at  this  site  -­‐-­‐Hospitality,  Environment,  Liturgy,  Music—is  responsible  for  the  ministry’s    ongoing  service  for  that  season]    Scheduling  Liturgical  Ministers:    The  parish  Director  of  Hispanic  Ministry  takes  care  of  scheduling  the  Hispanic    lay  ministers  for  their  9:00  am  Sunday  Mass.  The  10:30  Mass  schedule,  which  includes  the  Greeters,  Lectors,  Commentator,  Eucharistic  ministers,  Hospitality,  and  Environment  teams,  is  prepared  by  Carole  Brown,  and  Katia  Reeves.      Micky  Martin  schedules  the  youth  for  Family  Mass  Sunday.  Each    schedule  covers  3  months.  The  4th  Sunday  of  each  month  is  Family  Mass  Sunday  most  of  the  ministers  being  regularly  scheduled  youth.  Requests  to  serve  as  minister  for  10:30  Mass  are  also  accepted  year  round,  with  special  emphasis  during  Volunteer  Sunday  in  October.      OLR  Environment:  :  We  have  four  teams  who  serve  once  every  four  weeks  to  prepare  the  OLR  church  environment.  

Hospitality  -­‐  Laura  Chiu,  Chair  Shared  among    5  families  for  10:30  after-­‐Mass  coffee  and  refreshments  each  month.    Two  new  families  have  volunteered  in  the  last  three  months  to  replace  two  families  who  have  been  faithfully  serving  our  Mass  community  for  some  time.    But  new  volunteers  are  always  sought.  

Music  -­‐Chris  Lundin,  Director  The  group  of  about  15  musicians  provide  inspirational  music  that  makes  the  10:30  OLR  Mass  come  alive.    Every  4th  Sunday  is  “Family  Mass”  Sunday  with  the  youth  especially  invited  to  participate  under  Chris’s  leadership.        The  9  am  Hispanic  Mass  community  has  their  own  excellent  group  of  musicians,  as  does  the  6:00  p.m.  LifeTeen  Mass.    Eucharistic  Ministers  &  Lectors  –  Currently  we  have  good  numbers  of  volunteers  for  each  of  these  liturgy  related  ministries,  and  always  try  to  include  any  new  volunteers  who  may  wish  to  serve’.        

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The  8:30  a.m.  daily  Mass  has  daily  Lectors  regularly  scheduled,  as  are  the  five  sacristans.    High  school  youth  trained,  and  scheduled  regularly,  usually  serve  on  Family  Mass  Sundays.    As  seniors  graduate,  and  more  youths  are  confirmed,  new  youth  are  recruited,  trained  and  scheduled  by  Micky  Martin  as  active  10:30  AM  Sunday  Ministers.  Sunday  10:30  AM  sacristan,  Michael  Veuve,  also  recruits  and  trains  Altar  Servers  for  that  Mass.    The  6:00  pm  Sunday  Life  Teen  Mass  at  OLR  (Fall,  Winter  &  Spring)  also  provides  weekly  opportunities  for  more  youth  minister  participants,  including  altar  servers.      

Ushers  -­‐  Jim  McLaughlin  –  Head  Usher-­‐-­‐Jim  is  also  the  parish  Safety  Chair.    Jim  has  made  the  OLR  ushers  manual  available  to  other  sites  for  adaptation  to  their  local  situation.    Jim  is  currently  working  on  Safety  pew  instructions  in  case  of  earthquake  or  other  emergencies  and  preparing  emergency  pew  cards,  modeled  after  those  in  use  at  the  Stanford  Memorial  Church.  

Newcomers:  Our  WELCOME  TABLE  is  set  up  twice  a  month  in  the  hall  to  register  newcomers,  answer  questions  and  distribute  information  about  parish  activities.  For  several  years  now,  able  and  loyal  volunteers  Ron  &  Elaine  Andrews  and  Roberta  Uebbing  continue  to  provide  this  service,    Pancake  Breakfast:    This  kickoff  to  the  Faith  Formation  (Religious  Education  K-­‐5)  season  is  normally  held  on  the  last  Sunday  in  August  with  food  provided  by  the  R.E.  Program  and  cooking  by  the  Knights  of  Columbus.  

OLR  hosts  S.O.U.P.  every  Wed  @  6PM  during  Lent  except  during  Holy  Week  and  every  other  Wednesday  except  during  Lent.      Bring  your  bowls  (and  perhaps  some  cheese  and  crackers  to  share)  and  donate  what  you  would  have  spent  on  the  meal.      Proceeds  are  divided  among  several  worthy  projects,  including  our  Fr.  Jack  Donald  former  parishioner  who  has  been  working  in  Honduras  for  many  years.    

Ongoing  Work:    With  Bill  Morrison,  chair,  we  continued  working  on  the  Dermody  Center  Project.      Mold  abatement  done,  forced  air  heat/air  scrubber  installed  for  3  large  rooms,  main  rooms  repainted,  termite/carpenter  bee  treatment.    Utilization  of  the  building  is  increasing,  including    good  use  by  Youth,  Hispanic,  K  of  C  and  others.    See  Bill,  Jerry,  MIcky  or  John  Uebbing  for  a  look  at  the  facility  if  considering  it  for  one  of  your  meetings  or  activities.  

 All  Parish  Picnic  2011:  The  All-­‐Parish  Picnic  was  at  the  OLR  site  (Sept.  18)  from  11  a.m.  to  3  p.m.    

OLR  Site  Committee  

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St.  Albert  the  Great  Site  Committee  

 MISSION  STATEMENT:    To  create  an  effective  and  loving  spiritual  community  through  masses,  religious  education,  spiritual  groups,  and  social  activities.    This  community  will  function  within  the  larger  community  of  St.  Thomas  Aquinas  parish  under  the  guidance  of  the  parish  clergy  and  staff.    SITE  COMMITTEE:  Patricia  Briggs,  Chair,  Kathleen  Hart,  Secretary.  Pat  Keicher,  Representative  to  PSC,  Susan  Adams,  Ted  Baer,  Neil  Barrett,  Harry  Brown,  Jackie  Diouf,  Rosemary  Finnerty,  Nora  Lundin,  Donna  Pellizzari,  Marguerite  Purcell,  Roland  Quintero.    

   St.  Albert  the  Great  Church  Golden  Jubilee:  The  SAG  community  continued  its  celebration  of  its  golden  jubilee  year  during  the  weekend  commemorating  The  Precious  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ.    On  Saturday,  June  11,  the  Blessed  Sacrament  was  carried  in  procession  from  the  Mother  Church,  St.  Thomas  Aquinas,  to  St.  Albert  the  Great  Church,  where  it  was  placed  for  veneration  and  night-­‐long  adoration.    The  celebration  culminated  on  Sunday,  June  12,  with  the  Mass  of  Corpus  Christi.      On  August  13,  a  Parish  Tea  was  held  at  the  SAG  Hospitality  Center  to  celebrate  and  honor  women’s  service  to  the  greater  parish  community  throughout  the  years  and  the  women  who  gave  of  their  time  and  talents.    The  St.  Albert  the  Great  Arts  and  Crafts  Show  took  place  at  the  St.  Elizabeth  Seton  School  Gymnasium.    The  art  work  and  crafts  of  25  parishioners  was  displayed  and  viewed  by  over  300  visitors.    The  Jubilee  Celebration  culminated  on  November  12  with  an  Anniversary  Mass  celebrated  by  Bishop    Patrick  J.  McGrath.    This  was  followed  by  a  parish-­‐wide  reception  hosted  by  the  Community  Life  Committee.  

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   Church  upgrade:  Thanks  to  an  anonymous  pledge  of  $2,500  and  collection  of  matching  funds,  some  of  the  gilding  in  the  sanctuary  was  repaired  and  repainted  and  the  crucifix  was  cleaned.    The  work,  which  began  on  November  2  and  was  finished  in  time  for  the  November  12  Jubilee  Mass,  was  done  by  Fiarde  Architectural  Design  under  the  supervision  of  Tobias  Freccia.    An  ongoing  investigation  is  being  made  by  a  five-­‐member  site  subcommittee  to  address  the  need  for  new  flooring  and  carpeting  in  St.  Albert  the  Great  Church.  Samples  have  been  reviewed  and  one  company  has  expressed  an  interest  in  making  an  estimate.    Additional  estimates  will  be  sought.  In  order  to  complete  the  estimating  phase  of  the  project,  the  committee  will  work  with  the  Building  and  Maintenance  Committee  to  arrive  at  an  acceptable  process.    Hospitality  Center:  Because  of  the  increased  usage  of  the  Hospitality  Center,  the  Site  Committee  has  been  attempting  to  develop  a  more  effective  oversight  process  in  order  to  better  maintain  the  facility’s  order,  cleanliness  and  readiness  for  use.    Neil  Barrett  is  heading  oversight.    Christmas  Pageant  This  year’s  Christmas  pageant  was  directed  by  Patricia  Briggs  with  the  help  of  Juanita  Loftus  and  seminarian,  Michael  Gray.    Stewardship  Award:  The  SAG  Site  Committee  bestowed  this  year’s  Stewardship  Award  to  Mary  Louise  Hanley  and  Mabel  Teresi  with  much  gratitude  for  their  commitment  to  laundering  and  ironing  altar  linens.    Linda  Ballard  also  received  an  award  for  her  commitment  and  excellence  in  Altar  Server  Training.    Guidelines:  Ted  Baer  has  drawn  up  guidelines  for  the  safety  of  women  working  alone  at  any  of  the  facilities  on  the  three  sites.  Guidelines  for  procedures  in  the  event  of  on-­‐site  accidents  and  injuries  need  to  be  drafted  for  the  SAG  site.  ::  Newcomer  Sunday:  Neil  Barrett  is  replacing  Marguerite  Purcell  as  coordinator  at  SAG  for  the  Sunday  newcomer  sign-­‐up  table.  Teddy  Guenzer  is  responsible  for  sign-­‐ups  on  Saturday  evenings.  At  a  Sunday  Mass,  Jerry  Lucha,  PSC  Secretary,  presented  Marguerite  with  a  letter  of  commendation  and  gratitude  from  the  Parish  Stewardship  Council  for  her  many  years  of  generous  and  able  leadership  and  involvement  in  parish  life.                

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St.  Thomas  Aquinas  Church  Site  Committee  

 Meetings:  The  STA  Site  Committee  changed  its  meeting  date  to  the  2nd  Thursday  of  each  month  at  7:30  p.m.    Since  the  completion  of  the  Thomas  House  renovation  in  August,  2011,  the  meetings  have  been  held  in  the  Thomas  House.    Kay  Williams  continues  as  chairperson;  Lorraine  Dabney  represented  the  Site  Committee  to  the  PSC  until  the  rotation  of  representatives  occurred  in  May,  at  which  time  Bob  Barron  stepped  into  that  position.    Other  regular  members  are  Helen  Baumann,  Ted  Baer,  Anna  Jaklitsch,  Mario  Veloro,  Judy  Foley,  and  others  from  time  to  time.    The  Site  Committee  publishes  a  monthly  newsletter,  Steeple  Talk,  on  the  Sunday  before  the  2nd  Thursday,  which  is  inserted  into  the  parish  bulletins  and  also  posted  on  the  parish  website.    Volume  6  of  this  publication  began  in  March,  2012.   Church  interior:  The  Church  Interior  Task  Force  meets  every  third  Wednesday  at  7:30  p.m.  under  the  leadership  of  chair  Judy  Foley  and  this  year  refined  suggestions  for  the  church  interior  remodel.  The  parish  Building  and  Maintenance  Committee  and  the  Finance  Committee  approved  a  proposal  from  architect  D.  Michael  Kastrop  and  he  secured  the  necessary  verifications  from  the  City  of  Palo  Alto  with  as-­‐built  designs  for  the  altar.    Ian  Abell  of  the  Diocese  of  San  Jose  recommended  several  construction  companies,  and  Ranger  Construction  was  selected  to  do  the  altar.  Judy  has  engaged  a  liturgical  designer  and  a  lighting  designer  to  consult  on  various  aspects  of  the  project.  The  construction  work  is  planned  for  November-­‐December  2012.  Thanks  to  a  bequest  in  the  fall  of  2011,  given  specifically  for  maintenance  of  St.  Thomas  Aquinas  Church  by  long-­‐time  parishioner  Mary  Barrachi,  who  was  a  good  friend  of  Fr.  John  Hester,  there  are  sufficient  funds  now  available  to  accomplish  the  church  renovation.      

In  the  meantime,  Jan  Dedek  built  a  gate  for  the  stairs  leading  to  the  choir  loft  and  a  closet  in  the  space  next  to  the  restroom,  as  well  as  adding  hand-­‐tooled  molding  to  the  bathroom  door.  Other  committee  members,  including  Katie  Cho,  John  Arnold,  and  Bill  Voorhees,  have  contributed  to  the  research  that  has  been  necessary  to  identify  areas  of  concern  to  be  addressed  in  the  renovations.    Contact  Judy  Foley  for  more  information:    (650)  322-­‐8650,  or    

                                                                         judybertchfoley@yahoo.com.    Garden  Committee:  Helen  Baumann  continued  to  develop  a  group  of  volunteers  who  would  help  in  the  gardens  around  the  church  and  Thomas  House.    An  initial  meeting  of  interested  gardeners  was  held  on  June  16.    Helen  hopes  to  muster  this  group  into  a  once-­‐a-­‐month  effort.    Please  contact  Helen  if  you  would  like  to  participate  in  the  garden  work:    (650)  327-­‐9236,  or  hbbaumann@aol.com.        

Gate  to  choir  loft  

Thomas  House  &  STA  Church  

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Mary  Carlstead  tests  safety  gate.  

Thomas  House  renovation  project:  Construction  completed;  kitchen  improvements:  The  Thomas  House  was  formally  occupied  in  August,  2011.    Since  then,  the  two  public  floors  of  the  house—the  basement  hall  and  the  main  floor—are  seeing  many  group  meetings,  prayer  sessions,  speaking  events,  and  hospitality  gatherings.  Regular  hospitality  after  the  8:45  and  12:00  noon  Sunday  Masses,  and  occasionally  after  the  10:30  Sunday  Mass,  fills  up  the  main  floor  with  coffee-­‐drinkers  intent  on  physical  and  spiritual  nourishment.  A  complement  of  95  comfortable,  lightweight  black  mesh  folding  chairs  were  ordered  for  general  seating  in  the  Thomas  House  for  groups  and  for  occasional  use  in  the  church.  The  need  for  more  kitchen  cabinets  became  obvious  once  three  tenants  in  the  upstairs  apartments  were  struggling  to  find  space  for  their  personal  kitchen  stuff,  in  addition  to  the  supplies  and  beverages  used  by  the  Sunday  Mass  hospitality  groups.    The  Site  Committee,  under  Helen  Baumann’s  leadership,  prevailed  upon  Site  Committee  member/architect  Mario  Veloro  to  draw  up  a  plan  for  more  cabinets;  the  Finance  and  Facilities  Committees  reviewed  it;  and  a  budget  of  $12,000  was  allocated  to  the  effort.      

 Handicapped  access:      The  handicapped  access  ramp  at  the  rear  of  the  House  was  completed  in  April  2012  with  the  installation  of  safety  gates  at  the  top  of  both  sets  of  stairs.  The  completed  ramp  and  landing  lead  into  the  Bride's  Room  and  beyond  to  the  central  rooms  of  the  main  floor.    Library  development:  Thanks  to  the  leadership  and  enthusiasm  of  Ted  Baer,  the  Thomas  House  library  collection  is  being  organized  as  it  grows.    Donations  of  books  on  Christianity,  

spirituality  and  religions  of  all  kinds,  Church  history,  saints,  encyclopedias,  Bibles,  etc.  have  poured  in.    Jan  Dedek  built  sturdy  and  attractive  shelving  for  the  library.  Ted’s  committee  of  Judi  Swope,  Roberta  Kehret,  Jean  Doten,  and  Phillip  Warman  have  been  meeting  weekly  since  May  to  sort  and  catalog  the  books.    Opening  of  the  library  to  the  public  is  expected  on  August  27.    Hospitality  after  7:30  and  10:30  Sunday  Masses:  The  Site  Committee  hosted  hospitality  with  coffee,  fruit  and  pastries  during  the  month  of  May  at  the  7:30  and  10:30  Sunday  Masses  in  an  effort  to  encourage  attendees  at  those  Masses  to  take  up  the  baton  and  continue  offering  hospitality.    The  10:30  Mass  group  plans  to  continue  at  least  once  a  month.    2011  STA  Site  Stewardship  Awards:  Sacristans,  ushers  and  hospitality  ministers  were  the  featured  recipients  of  the  2011  Volunteer  Awards  at  STA.    The  volunteers  who  were  publicly  recognized  on  October  14,  2011,  with  a  certificate  for  “outstanding  service”  are  largely  unsung,  behind-­‐the-­‐scenes  heroes  and  heroines,  making  their  contributions  day  in  and  day  out  with  little  fanfare.    They  are:    7:30  Mass:    Bill  and  Bea  Peterson,  sacristans  (35  years  of  service);  8:45  Mass:  Jim  Davis,  hospitality  minister;  10:30  Mass:    Joe  Kinsella,  usher;  and  12:00  Mass:  Martha  Girard  and  Lalu  Kiesling,  hospitality.          

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Events:  Concert  for  Philippine  Relief:    Sunday,  February  12,  2012,  held  in  the  church.    Arranged  and  promoted  by  Mari  Olsen,  a  member  of  the  10:30  Sunday  Mass  choir,  as  a  benefit  for  the  town  in  the  Philippines  from  which  Mari’s  family  comes  that  was  devastated  by  hurricanes  in  December,  2011.        Lenten  retreat  with  Clare  Ronzani:    Saturday,  March  24,  2012,  in  the  Thomas  House  basement  hall,  “Meditations  with  Thomas  Merton:  A  Time  of  Lenten  Renewal.”    Sponsored  by  the  Thomas  Merton  Center,  with  Barbara  Kent  as  the  organizer,  Clare  Ronzani,  theology  teacher  and  spiritual  director,  drew  from  Merton’s  wisdom  to  deepen  the  experience  of  Lent  for  the  40  persons  who  attended.      “Then  Sings  My  Soul”,  Gospel  concert  by  Joyce  Randolph:    Sunday,  April  29,  2012,  held  in  the  church.    Sponsored  by  the  Thomas  Merton  Center  as  a  benefit  for  Seton  School,  under  the  able  and  inspiring  leadership  of  Jim  Davis,  jazz  vocalist  Joyce  Randolph,  accompanied  by  pianist  “Professor”  Bill  Bell,  performed  gospel,  sacred,  spiritual,  and  traditional  hymns  for  an  audience  of  150  lucky  persons.    A  CD  of  the  concert  is  available;  contact  Jim  Davis  at  (650)  328-­‐2584,  or  jim_davis@pacbell.net.      Second  Annual  Italian  Dinner:    Saturday,  August  4,  in  the  Thomas  House  Basement  Hall  and  main  floor.    Sponsored  by  the  STA  Site  Committee,  with  Ted  Baer  in  charge  of  a  small  but  dedicated  committee,  a  truly  gourmet  menu,  thanks  to  Ted’s  amazing  Bolognese  and  marinara  sauces  (vegetarian),  was  enjoyed  by  75  people.            

Combined  choir  Feb.  12  2012  

Basement  Hall  decked  out  for  Italian  dinner.  

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OUR  OTHER  PARISH  MINISTRIES  

Maintenance/Facilities  Ministry  

 

 

MISSION  STATEMENT:  To  coordinate  &  cooperate  with  three  existing  ministries,  (Building  and  Equipment  Maintenance,  Facility  Use,  and  Safety),  and  to  provide  a  communication  link  to  the  Pastor,  the  Parish  Stewardship  Council,  and  other  parish  planning  ministries.  

 Responsibilities:  

The  parish  has  a  total  of  11  buildings,  for  which  this  Ministry  is  responsible  to  provide  upkeep  and  maintenance.    These  are  listed  here  for  your  information.  

 

Our  Lady  of  the  Rosary  Site     St.  Thomas  Aquinas  Site     St.  Albert  the  Great  Site    Our  Lady  of  the  Rosary  Church  

St.  Thomas  Aquinas  Church  

St.  Albert  the  Great  Church  

Our  Lady  of  the  Rosary  School  (rented  by  ISP)  

Thomas  House  (old  rectory  at  745  Waverley  Street)  

St.  Albert  the  Great  Rectory  

Dermody  Center  (Youth  Center  Building)  

Homer  House  Duplex  (rental  property)  

St.  Albert  the  Great  old  Convent  (Seton  School  Offices  and  SAG  Hospitality  Center)  

Pastoral  Center  (Administration  Building)  

  St.  Elizabeth  Seton  School  

 

Members  of  this  Ministry:  

In  accordance  with  the  Pastoral  Stewardship  Council  By-­‐Laws,  Procedures  and  Customs,  this  ministry  has  recently  elected  the  following  to  leadership  positions  in  this  Ministry.    They  are:  

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Chair:    Mr.  Bill  Morrison;  Vice  Chair:    Mrs.  Helen  Baumann;  -­‐Secretary:    Mr.  Charles  Guenzer.      Active  Members  are:    Jim  McLaughlin  (PSC  Rep),  Paul  Titterton,  Chuck  Tully,  Mario  Veloro,  Ted  Baer,  John  Eubbing,  Mrs.  Katia  Reeves  and  our  Pastor  Father  Matt.  

The  changing  of  the  leadership  and  the  increased  number  of  active  members  has  already  stimulated  the  actions  of  this  ministry.    New  people  with  fresh  ideas  have  created  an  attitude  of  "We  Can  Do  This".    

Projects  completed  or  in  progress  at  this  point  are:  

OLR:  

• New  Kitchen  Stove  installed  in  the  well  used  Kitchen  • Ventilation  Fans  are  being  evaluated  for  better  air  circulation  in  the  Sanctuary  • Music  wall  displays  adjusted  so  that  they  are  visible  throughout  the  Sanctuary  • Appointed  a  new  Site  Representative,  Gerald  Lucha,  to  the  PSC.  • Site  study  of  the  ISP  proposal,  with  report  to  Pastoral  Council  • Repair  of  the  moving  wall  supports  in  the  Hall  • Revamping  the  Dermody  Center  for  joint  of  ministries  and  resident  priest.  

 

SAG  &  SESS:      

• Pending  replacement  of  the  School  Kitchen  Stove  • Repairs  to  the  School  Gym  Floor  • Cooperating  with  the  Church  Interior  modification  studies.  • Re-­‐connecting  the  Fire  Protection  Standpipe  System  for  the  school,  to  a  permanent  water  supply.  

• Participated  in  the  ATT  Proposal  for  a  Cell  Tower  at  the  Rectory  • Participated  with  the  school  Principal  and  Development  Board  in  the  design  and    • Planning  for  the  new  Pre-­‐Kay  addition  to  the  school.  

STA  &  THOMAS  HOUSE:  

• Reviewed  and  participated  with  the  Church  Interior  modification  studies  • Coordinated  with  the  STA  Site  Ministry  in  installing  new  safety  gates  on  the  rear  ramp.  • Cooperating  with  the  STA  Site  Ministry  in  providing  additional  kitchen  counters  and  cabinets  for  both  tenants  and  parish  use.  

 SAFETY  MINISTRY:  

• Maintained  a  membership  in  the  CADRE  program  for  Santa  Clara  County.  

• Participated  in  the  “California  Shake  Out”  Earthquake  Drill  for  the  county.  

• Met  with  other  PA  area  church  administrations,  regarding  overall  safety  plans  for  their  parishes,  obtaining  written  plans  from  them  and  our  Diocese  in  preparation  for  preparing  the  STA  Parish  Plan.  

• Inventoried  and  replenished  all  First  Aid  Kits  installed  in  parish  buildings.  

• Cooperated  with  the  City  of  Palo  Alto  Office  of  Emergency  Services  in  announcing  a  training  course  in  Disaster  First  Aid,  for  parishioners  to  attend.  

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FACILITY  USE:  

• Completed  the  Parish  Web  Site  Mission  Statement  and  goal  statements.  • Continuing  to  implement  action  plans  from  the  Parish  Green  Ministry  and  in  particular  the  Carbon  Footprint  Ministry,  thus  already  saving  the  parish  in  unnecessary  utility  costs  over  the  past  year.  

 Conclusion:  

The  recent  influx  of  new  members  to  this  ministry,  and  those  noted  sub-­‐group  ministries,  has  increased  the  vitality  and  vibrant  discussions  of  parish  projects,  resulting  in  a  clearing  of  several  older  projects  as  well  as  taking  on  new  and  important  ones.    We  meet  once  a  month  and  we  welcome  Parishioners  who  may  wish  to  present  a  request  for  additional  service  or  consideration.    We  work  closely  with  the  Parish  Finance  Ministry  &  Pastor  in  planning  upkeep  and  maintenance  of  our  Parish  buildings.  

 

Communications    

 The  mission  of  the  Communications  Board  is  to  build  an  information-­‐rich  environment  to  connect  and  inform  all  members  of  the  parish,  and  sometimes  members  of  the  surrounding  community.    The  bulk  of  the  Board’s  efforts  surround  a  few  key  communications  activities  which  are  produced  and  delivered  on  a  recurring  basis.      

The  four  main  communications  vehicles  our  parish  employs  are:  • the  weekly  paper  bulletin    • the  weekly  eBulletin  • imaging  literature  (posters,  flyers)  • the  parish  website  (http://www.paloaltocatholic.org)      

Primary  focus:  “Keep  It  Running”    

Parish  Directories:  We  completed  the  distribution  of  parish  directories  in  October.  This  was  a  major,  time-­‐consuming  12-­‐month  effort  to  solicit  photo  appointments  and  then  to  design  and  compile  the  booklet.  Also  included  in  the  Directory  was  an  up-­‐to-­‐date  parish  roster,  carefully  “scrubbed”  for  those  parishioners  who  did  not  want  their  contact  information  shared.  We  still  have  a  good  supply  and  the  committee  and  several  volunteers  are  working  on  a  plan  for  delivering  the  remaining  Directories  personally  to  parishioners  who  are  eligible  for  them.    Parish  Web  Site:  Maintaining  excellence!  The  new  site  went  live  July  2011.    Nora  Lundin,  Liturgy  Coordinator,  is  responsible  for  the  maintenance  of  the  parish  Website.  Most  content  is  provided  to  her  for  posting.  Assistant  Webmaster  Fr.  Matthew  Stanley  provides  a  significant  portion  of  the  content  himself,  and  the  site  is  kept  very  current.  Nora  is  willing  to  train  any  ministry  board  members  on  how  to  post  their  own  content,  but  is  also  happy  to  do  that  for  them.  Nichole  and  Nora  are  working  together  with  each  ministry  to  help  encourage  creative  and  comprehensive  website  contributions.    

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eBulletin:  Happy  Birthday!    The  parish  eBulletin  celebrated  its  5th  birthday  on  May  25,  2012.  The  first  issue  was  May  25,  2007.  It  remains  a  useful  parish  tool  for  timely  dissemination  of  information.  The  recent  subscription  drive  added  45  addresses  to  the  mailing  list,  which  is  now  at  359  subscribers.  An  archive  of  the  eBulletins  is  available  at:  http://groups.google.com/group/paloaltocatholic-­‐ebulletin/about?hl=en    Steeple  Talk:  While  the  work  of  the  STA  Site  Committee  (read  Kay  Williams)  this  monthly  publication  is  in  its  sixth  year  along  with  the  eBulletin  and  a  very  useful  tool  for  that  site.  

Vestibule  Posters:    Our  parish  photographer  Roland  Quintero  maintains  our  vestibule  posters  of  the  PSC  members  and  the  parish  staff  and  both  were  updated  throughout  the  year  as  necessary.    Roland  also  photographed  and  chronicled  major  parish  events  and  liturgies  and  made  composite  posters  available  in  our  vestibules.    Hotel  Mass-­‐Time  Cards:  Nichole  will  lead  an  effort  to  produce  “postable”  Mass  time  cards  for  local  area  hotels/motels,  although  the  team  feels  many  travelers  simply  “Google”  us.  Because  they  often  end  up  at  3290  Middlefield  Road,  we’re  exploring  possibility  of  posting  maps  to  our  three  church  sites  there.    Annual  Report:    Planning  is  underway  for  this  major  effort  which  takes  place  over  the  summer  months.  Roland  Quintero  handles  the  photographic  input.    The  next  Annual  Report  will  be  a  complete  recap  of  the  parish’s  activities  for  the  year  ending  June  2012,  with  reports  from  all  parish  ministries,  including  pictures  of  important  parish  events  and  key  groups.    It  will  be  distributed  to  all  parishioners  (via  email)  as  part  of  our  Time  and  Talent  initiative,  and  is  also  given  to  new  parishioners  as  they  register.    Looking  Forward:  Possible  areas  of  exploration  this  year:  

• Locked  display  cases  at  each  of  our  churches  • More  original  writing  in  Bulletin/eBulletin  if  we  had  more  volunteers.  • Update  of  our  hotel  Mass-­‐time  cards  • Signage  at  the  Pastoral  Center  to  our  three  churches.  

 

Masthead  of  www.paloaltocatholic.org  

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The  members  of  our  Communications  Board  are  Nichole  Khan  (chair),  Chris  Lundin  (who  is  our  PSC  rep),  Pat  Briggs,  Kay  Williams,  Roland  Quintero  (parish  photographer).    Nora  Lundin  is  our  parish  staff  liaison  and  works  closely  with  the  small,  but  highly-­‐leveraged  team.      

Community  Life  

 Mission  statement:  Community  Life  works  to  build  community  within  the  Saint  Thomas  Aquinas  parish  through  activities  that  will  appeal  to  a  variety  of  age  groups.  With  parish  participation,  we  strive  to  make  the  parish  at  large  a    welcoming  community.  Meetings  of  this  Committee  are  held  the  1st  Wednesday  of  each  month.    This  continues  to  be  an  exceptionally  active  committee  for  our  Parish,  and  includes  some  very  special  events  ending  the  Golden  Jubilee  year  for  St.  Albert  the  Great  church  as  well  as  one-­‐time  occasions  open  to  all  the  Parishioners.        August  13th,    2  pm  to  4:30  pm  –  A  Jubilee  Year  Parish  Tea  celebrating  the  Women  of  St.  Albert  the  Great  Church  to  which  several  beloved  nuns  from  the  SAG  school  days  were  able  to  come  back  and  enjoy  reconnecting  with  some  former  students  and  parents;      September  18th,  Annual  Parish  Picnic,  at  OLR  this  year  was  a  great  picnic  which  included  the  introduction  of  our  new  Parochial  Vicar,  Fr.  Seimas,  and  our  Seminarian,  Michael  Gray  (assigned  here  for  a  year)  Bingo,  Balloon  Toss,  Pinata,  face-­‐painting,  craft  tables,  dancers,  and  the  Balloon  Lady  who  was  especially  popular,  and    the  Fire  Engine  which  is  always  fascinating  for  the  children.    The  Knights  of  Columbus  cooks  were  in  super  form,  their  hamburgers  and  hot  dogs  were  excellent,  as  was  the  marinated  BBQ’d  veggies  for  the  gourmet  group  lucky  enough  to  be  in  line  at  the  right  time!    Valuable  suggestions  were  noted  to  make  next  year  even  better!  -­‐  the  comments  and  attendance  indicate  it  was  one  of  the  best  and  largest  we  have  had  in  several  years.    September,  24th,  The  Annual  Deanery  Dinner  held  at  OLR  hall-­‐Fr.  Matt  was  host  to  the  clergy  and  invited  parish  office  staffs  for  northern  deanery  parishes.  A  truly  delicious  French  menu  dinner  was  cooked  and  served,  with  lovely  linen  tablecloths  and  napkins  and  attractive  centerpieces  -­‐  “A  wonderful  evening”  characterized  the  very,  very  appreciative  comments  from  those  who  attended.    The  committee  received  a  standing  ovation.      October  1  and  2,    SAG  Art  Show.    Saturday  4-­‐7pm,  Sunday  10am-­‐3pm.  Nice  variety  of  Art  shown,  displayed  professionally;  Community  life  provided  wonderful  cheese,  crackers,  grapes  and  beverages  for  the  many  who  came  to  enjoy  the  talent  of  our  very  own  parishioners.  All  agree,  One  of  the  BEST  events  of  the  Jubilee  year.    November  12th,    St.  Albert  the  Great  Jubilee  Reception,  was  held  in  Seton  Auditor  after  the  5  pm  Mass  celebration  at  which  the  Bishop  will  Preside.    the  auditorium  was  transformed  with  cream  and  Gold  color  scheme  reflected  in  Banners,  tablecloths,  center  pieces,  and  napkins.    Food  

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consisted  of  Antipasto  platters,  Salmon  trays,  meatballs,  crackers  and  special  cheese  spreads,  fruit  trays  and  desserts,    plus  drinks.    Parishioners  from  all  the  sites  attended.    November  18th,  Special  Mass  of  Rememberance  for  Deceased  Parishioners:  Reception  held  in  the  Newly  remodeled  Thomas  House,  after  the  7:00  pm  Mass  at  St.  Thomas  Aquinas  church.    Dec.  2011  Community  Life  Committee  Christmas  Party  hosted  by  Jeanne  Ramos  at  her  home.  A  delightful  social  evening  for  this  hard  working  committee  in  celebration  of  this  Holy  Season.    March  11,  Fr.  Matt’s  50th  Birthday  celebration:  Held  on  Sunday  after  10:30  Mass  at  OLR  hall.    Large  number  of  parishioners  stayed  after  Mass  and  many  from  the  other  sites  came  by  to  join  in  celebrating  the  Big  “50”  and  personally  delivering  their  Best  Wishes.  Very  festive  Hall  decorations,  tasty  refreshments,  finger  sandwiches,  veggie  and  fruit  plates,  with  a  variety  of  decorated  Birthday  Cakes  were  enjoyed  by  all  the  guests.    Father  Matt  was  presented  with  his  favorite  Cheese  Cake!    March  17th,    St.  Patrick’s  Day  Dinner:        A  sold-­‐out  event.    Recently  painted  walls  helped  the    Seton  auditorium  look  especially  festive  and  sparkling,  featuring  Green  decor  for  St.  Pat,  many  of  the  guests  decked  out  in  green;  lively  musicians  and  dancers-­‐more  adult  dancers  this  year-­‐  were  delighted  to  see  some  of  our  own  young  parishioners  perform  with  the  younger  dancers.  Seminarian,  Michael  Gray,  danced  an  Irish  dance  as  well.  Again  this  year,  Chef  Baer’s  kitchen  expertise,  tasty  food;  Carol  Pullium’s  home-­‐made  soda  bread,  Joe  Kinsell’s  enthusiastic  sing-­‐along,  jolly  mingling  of  all,  made  for  another  great  St.  Pat’s    Fun  evening!!!    Seder  dinner,  April  3rd,  Tuesday  in  Holy  Week:    Sponsored  and  planned  by  Community  Life  again  this  year:  donation  of  $10  per  adult  and  $5  for  children  under  12,  and  any  additional  donations  to  be  sent  to  Fr.  Jack  Donald  for  his  missionary  work  in  Honduras.    Ted  Baer  in  charge  of  OLR  cooking  food  and  serving  –Laurie  Vavuris  advised  and  helped  with  purchase  of  lamb,  potatoes,  beans,  etc.  Jeanne  Ramos  organized  kitchen  and  her  super  helpers  who  prepared  the  symbol  plates,  fruit  platters  and  cookies.    Micky  Martin  led  the  set-­‐up  crew  of  several  wonderful  helpers.    Bev  Wade  prepared  the  flowers.    Room  looked  great!!    Fr.  Matt  lead  the  “Passover  history”  part  of  meal,  with  Fr.  Randy,  Fr.  Peter,  Deacon  Daniel,  seminarian  Michael,  and  youth  leader,  Alley  all  participating  with  other  lay  ministers,  in  the  readings.  Much  thanks  to  Jerry  Lucha  and  all  the  kitchen  helpers  and  the  clean  up  crew.    $640  sent  to  Fr.  Donald  from  the  donations.  This  well  organized  event  involved  and  included  generous  parishioners  from  all  sites,  Thanks  to  all  who  made  this  event  go  so  well!    April  7th  R.C.I.A.  Reception  after  the  Easter  Vigil  Mass:    Community  Life  Committee  sponsored  this  reception  honoring  the  new  members  to  our  Church  and  their  families.    Very  well  attended  as  people  were  excited,  hungry  and  thirsty  after  the  Vigil  Mass.    The  Committee  deserved  all  the  enthusiastic  appreciation  re  the  food  and  the  attractive  décor.  Much  hanks  to  Susan  and  Mario  Veloro,  Rita  Palomo  and  Roland  Quintero  who  organized  set  up  and  clean  up,  with  Special  thanks  to  the  clean-­‐up  crew  who  finished  at  l:30  AM.    May  27th:    Going  Away  party  for  Michael  Gray  after  10:30  Mass  at  OLR  Hall.    Seminarian  Michael  completed  his  year  internship  in  our  parish.  Many  parishioners  came  to  send  Michael  off  with  Blessings  and  Best  wishes  for  his  future.    It’s  been  great  having  him  with  us.  

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And  Kudos  to  the  amazing  Cookie  Crew!!    This  group  has  provided  delicious  home  baked  cookies  to  so  many  of  the  Parish  events,  including  the  Tuesday  Night  series,  Fr.  Don  Allen’s  morning  Catholic  History  Series,  and  many  other  special  meetings.    Thanks,  you  are  great!!        Coming  up  -­‐  ALL  PARISH  PICNIC,        Sunday,  Sept.  16th,  at  OLR                                                      Ongoing  activities  under  the  Community  Life  umbrella    Widows  and  Widowers  group  This  very  active  group    meets  on  the  1st  Thursday  of  each  month.  Their  ongoing  social  activities  include  dinners,  theater  events  and  luncheons.    The  Funeral  Reception  Committee  Co-­‐chairs,  Helen  Short  and  Winnie  McGannon,  lead  this  dedicated  band  of  ladies.  Often  on  short  notice,  they  prepare  the  Halls  and  the  food  for  after  “Celebration  of  Life”  Masses.  Their  compassionate  family  assistance  is  always  very  much  appreciated  by  the  families  at  this  most  sad  and  stressful  t  time  in  their  lives.    Community  Life  Committee  Members-­‐  July  1,  2012  Pat  Briggs,  Lorraine  Dabney,  Teddie  Guenzer,  Barbara  Kent,  Laisz  Lam,  Valerie  Lo,  Micky  Martin,(PSC  rep)    Joan  Meyn,  Sharon  Nelson,  Rita  Palomo,  Marguerite  Purcell,  Jeanne  Ramos,  Helen  Short,  Susan  and  Mario  Veloro,  Beverly  Wade,  (Chair  

Green  Committee    

 Mission  Statement:  The  Green  Committee  of  St.  Thomas  Aquinas  Parish,  on  behalf  of  the  parish  community,  works  to  advocate  for  Catholic  principles  and  priorities  in  environmental  issues  and  decisions,  especially  as  they  impact  those  who  are  poor  and  vulnerable.  The  committee  works  to  inspire  the  parish  community  to  discern  and  act  in  ways  that  reflect  our  duty  to  care  for  God's  creation.    Members:  Ann  Akey,  John  Cabrera,  Paul  Chestnut,  Laura  Chiu,  Eleanor  Hansen,  Laisz  Lam,  Gerard  McGuire,  Katia  Reeves,  and  Suzanne  Ribbe.    Email  distribution  members:  Rosemary  Gill,  Walt  Lundin,  and  Juanita  Marquez.      Meetings:  Fourth  (4th)  Monday  of  the  month,  7:30  pm,  at  the  Pastoral  Center.    Membership:    We  welcome  new  members  to  join  us  in  this  effort  for  the  common  good.  Please  contact  Laura  Chiu  at  lauraleechiu@gmail.com  or  Katia  Reeves  at  katia.reeves@sbcglobal.net    Accomplishments  (listed  in  the  St.  Francis  Pledge  action  format):    Pray:  1.  Printed  300  beautiful  St.  Francis  Pledge  cards  that  we  handed  out  at  the  parish  picnic  and  later  made  available  at  the  three  churches  for  the  feast  of  St.  Francis,  Oct  4.  

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 2.  Requested  the  pulpit  reading  of  the  St.  Francis  Pledge  on  Oct  2  at  all  the  Masses  which  the  Liturgical  Committee  fitted  in  the  Masses  that  weekend.    3.  Through  the  year,  requested  inclusion  in  the  Prayers  of  the  Faithful  prayers  for  the  protection  of  the  environment  and  those  impacted  by  climate  change.    Learn:  4.  Have  liaison  to  Diocese  Catholic  Green  Initiative  of  Santa  Clara  County.    5.  Attended  "Adapting  to  Climate  Change  and  Sea  Level  Rise"  presentation  at  City  Council  Chambers  which  showed  areas  of  Palo  Alto  that  will  be  flooded  due  to  creeks  overflow  and  sea  level  rise  unless  extensive  levies  are  built  around  the  Bay.    6.  Attended  "A  Religious  Response  to  Climate  Change:  The  Moral  Imperative  of  Responding  to  Global  Warming"  presentation  sponsored  by  CA  Interfaith  Power  &  Light  (CIPL)  and  Acterra.  Environmental  message  from  Pope  Paul  in  1967  was  cited  as  key  driver  of  the  Moral  Imperative  to  act.    7.  Conducted  a  walk-­‐through  the  Pastoral  Center  and  OLR  site  with  an  arborist  from  Canopy  to  determine  locations  to  plant  more  trees  and  suggestions  of  appropriate  varieties.  Identified  one  spot  in  front  of  the  Pastoral  Center  that  is  available  for  a  City  tree  planting  and  have  made  the  request  to  the  city.    8.  Attended  the  Cool  Congregations  Workshop  at  University  Lutheran  Church  for  training  and  tools  to  bring  back  to  our  parish  to  measure  and  reduce  carbon  footprint.  The  Diocese  also  sent  representatives.    9.  Publicized  in  parish  and  attended  the  CIPL  pre-­‐release  screening  of  "Last  Call  to  the  Oasis"  documentary  on  water  issues  at  Trinity  Church  in  Menlo  Park.    10.  Publicized  in  parish  and  attended  "Cooler  Smarter:  Practical  Steps  for  Low-­‐Carbon  Living"  at  World  Centric  presented  by  Union  of  Concerned  Scientists.  Useful  web  site  www.ucsusa.org    Assess:  11.  In  collaboration  with  Chuck  Tully  who  provided  the  parish  utilities  meter  readings  for  2009,  2010,  and  2011,  have  determined  our  yearly  energy  usage.  This  provided  insight  for  opportunities  to  conserve  energy  and  reduce  our  CO2  emissions.  Reduced  the  parish  buildings’  emissions  by  12.5%  in  2010  and  3.5%  in  2011  thanks  to  the  efforts  at  all  three  sites.    12.  Working  with  the  Diocese  to  evaluate  potential  use  of  solar  panels  for  parish  buildings.    Act:  13.  Held  a  successful  Bike  /  Walk  to  Mass  campaign  with  parish-­‐wide  participation  and  awarded  prizes  at  the  2011  parish  picnic.    14.  Held  a  water  taste  test  at  the  picnic  comparing  tap  water  vs  various  brands  of  bottled  water.  This  was  enlightening  to  the  many  participants.  

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 15.  Invited  Acterra  representatives  to  the  picnic  who  brought  energy  efficiency  information  and  signed  up  those  interested  in  having  home  energy  audits.    16.  Had  a  very  popular  waste  and  recycling  activity  for  children  at  the  picnic  with  prizes  for  all  participants  donated  by  PA  Zero  Waste.    17.  Worked  with  Building  and  Maintenance  Committee  to  continue  identifying  energy  use  reductions.  Example:  more  energy  efficient  appliances  installed  at  Dermody  and  OLR  kitchen.    18.  Continued  monitoring  thermostats  and  requesting  parishioners  to  keep  sanctuary  doors  closed  when  the  heaters  are  ON.    19.  Supported  the  Bishop's  drive  to  reaffirm  the  St.  Francis  Pledge  by  gathering  signatures  after  all  Masses  on  Earth  Day.  The  signatures  were  included  with  the  others  in  the  Diocese  by  the  Diocese  Catholic  Green  Initiative  and  sent  to  Washington  DC.    20.  Online  support  of  bills  or  proposals  for  legislature  green  initiatives.    Advocate:  21.  Had  a  Green  table  at  the  picnic  with  environmental  handouts  such  as  the  Monterrey  Aquarium  Seafood  Choices  cards,  membership  recruitment  poster,  and  St.  Francis  Pledge  cards.    22.  Continue  updating  the  Green  Committee  webpage  with  our  latest  activities  information.    23.  Hosted  Dr.  Pamela  Bjorklund  who  spoke  about  the  Spirituality  of  Simple  Living  at  the  Spirituality  Tuesday  on  April  24.      24.  Continue  periodic  postings  of  relevant  information  on  the  bulletins'  Green  Corner.    25.  Wrote  the  Green  Committee  editorial  article  for  the  bulletins.        

 

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Human  Concerns  

Mission  Statement  On  behalf  of  the  parish  community,  we  respond  to  Jesus'  command  to  love  neighbor  and  self  by  working  for  the  common  good  of  all.  The  committee  works  to  inspire  the  parish  community  to  discern  and  act  in  ways  that  make  the  works  of  peace,  justice,  and  mercy  integral  to  their  daily  lives.    To  become  salt  of  the  earth  and  light  of  the  world,  we  work  to  alleviate  the  distresses  of  hunger,  homelessness,  disease,  lack  of  housing  and  health  care,  and  other  human  needs.  We  are  sustained  in  this  mission  by  seeing  the  face  of  God  in  others  and  pray  for  God's  oversight  and  guidance  as  we  proceed.    

Members  Chair  -­‐  (vacant),  Secretary  -­‐  Paul  Chestnut,  PSC  Rep  –  Laura  Chiu,  Treasurer  -­‐  Terry  McCaffrey,    Volunteer  Co-­‐ordinator  -­‐  Laura  Chiu.  Others  -­‐  Terry  Atkinson,  Prudence  Delamater,  Susan  Adams,  Sasha  Madison,  Nancy  Ng,  Ruth  &  George  Chippendale,  Patricia  Markee,  Alma  Lalonde,  Mary  Fong,  Kamal  Mansour,  Laurie  Vavuris,  Roberta  Uebbing.      

Meeting  time  We  have  been  gathering  on  the  third  Tues  of  each  month  at  7:30pm  at  the  OLR  Hall.  However,  in  order  to  make  it  more  convenient  to  potential  committee  members,  we  are  considering  changing  our  meeting  night  to  the  third  Wednesday,  so  that  parishioners  going  to  S.O.U.P.  may  consider  staying  to  join  our  meeting.    

The  HCC  continued  its  work  of  parish  education  and  participation  in  a  variety  of  social  justice  activities.        

St.  Vincent  de  Paul  Society    The  two  chapters  of  the  St.  Vincent  de  Paul  Society;  one  at  St.  Thomas  Aquinas,  and  one  at  St.  Francis  Church  in  East  Palo  Alto,  continue  to  provide  emergency  help  to  those  in  need.  A  volunteer  is  on  duty  at  the  Pastoral  Center  4  days  a  week  giving  out  food  bags  to  residents  of  Palo  Alto.  As  more  people  are  becoming  homeless,  we  need  "portable  food."    That  means  flip-­‐top  containers  of  ready-­‐to-­‐eat  soups,  chili,  ravioli,  canned  fruits,  tuna,  sausages,  granola  bars  etc.  Other  forms  of  help  include  rent  and  utilities  subsidies,  food  vouchers,  clothing  and  furniture  vouchers,  motel  vouchers,  purchase  of  medical  prescriptions,  bus  tokens  etc.    The  annual  food  drive  took  place  in  November.    

The  East  Palo  Alto  chapter,  with  very  strong  financial  and  manpower  support  from  the  St.  Thomas  community,  is  very  active  shoring  up  the  safety  net  in  East  Palo  Alto  and  East  Menlo  Park.    Teams  of  volunteers  respond  to  approximately  15  emergency  calls  per  day  from  families  requesting  assistance.  They  secured  scholarships  for  many  children  from  East  Palo  Alto  and  East  Menlo  Park  to  attend  summer  camps  at  the  Hidden  Villa  Ranch.    The  Parish  Youth  Group,  STAY  COOL,  played  a  major  role  in  the  packing  of  food  boxes  for  225  families  at  Thanksgiving  and  for  325  families  at  Christmas.  The  Giving  Trees  at  the  three  worship  sites  were  a  big  part  of  providing  Christmas  toys  to  the  children  of  325  families.  Several  parishioners  participated  in  packing  and  delivering  the  bags  of  toys.    

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Windows  and  Mirrors  Exhibit  In  commemoration  of  the  10th  anniversary  of  the  War  in  Afghanistan,  our  parish  took  part  in  hosting  this  collection  of  6-­‐foot  panels  created  by  international  artists  and  students  to  help  us  reflect  on  the  impact  of  this  war  on  Afghan  civilians.  About  a  dozen  panels  were  displayed  in  the  OLR  Hall  for  one  week  during  October  and  we  also  took  part  in  organizing  the  full  exhibition  at  King  Plaza  in  front  of  Palo  Alto  City  Hall.    Low  Income  Tax  Assistance  We  publicized  the  need  for  volunteers  to  prepare  income  taxes  for  low  income  people.    VITA  (Volunteer  Income  Tax  Assistance)  is  an  IRS-­‐sponsored  program  to  provide  free  tax  preparation  to  low  income  people.    St.  Athanasius  Catholic  Church  and    San  Antonio  Place  in  Mountain  View  are  the  2  sites  of  the  nearest  VITA;  and  we  had  several  volunteers  from  our  parish.    Tax  return  filers  get  the  most  benefits  out  of  two  government  credits:  the  Earned  Income  Credit,  which  can  be  worth  thousands;  and  the  Child  Tax  Credit,  which  is  worth  $1000  per  child.      Death  penalty  abolition  Terry  McCaffrey,  President  of  California  People  of  Faith  Working  Against  the  Death  Penalty,  is  spearheading  the  SAFE  (Savings,  Accountability,  Full  Enforcement)  California  Campaign  as  it  worked  to  replace  the  death  penalty.    In  January  we  received  a  message  From  Fr.  Matt  about  a  letter  from  Bishop  McGrath  concerning  the  gathering  of  signatures  for  two  pending  ballot  measures:  SAFE  and  PNI  (Parental  Notification  Initiative).  Our  parish  conducted  a  drive  to  get  signatures  on  February  18/19  and  February  25/26.    The  parish  collected  240  signatures  for  SAFE  and  160  signatures  for  PNI.    Over  800,000  signatures  were  collected  for  SAFE  throughout  the  state.  The  film  "Empty  Chair"  was  shown  on  Spirituality  Tuesday,  February  21.    This  is  a  film  about  four  people  who  lost  loved  ones  through  violent  crimes.    Three  are  against  the  death  penalty  and  one  is  for  it.    Possible  New  Ministry  Judy  Decker  is  a  new  member  who  expressed  an  opinion  about  a  "hole  in  the  parish."    There  are  people  in  our  midst  who  need  help  but  are  too  proud  to  ask  for  it.    For  example,  they  may  need  help  in  going  to  the  doctor,  changing  a  light  bulb,  cleaning  up  around  the  house,  preparing  warm  meals  etc.    We  already  have  a  pastoral  ministry  for  spiritual  needs  but  we  also  need  a  ministry  to  meet  their  “corporal”  needs.    The  Mormon  Church  provides  a  good  example  of  what  is  needed.    Peninsula  Interfaith  Action  AB  1081,  introduced  earlier  this  year  by  Assembly  member  Tom  Ammiano,  challenges  the  embattled  federal  immigration  enforcement  program  known  as  Secure  Communities.  If  it  eventually  becomes  law,  the  bill  would  make  the  participation  of  local  law  enforcement  in  the  fingerprint-­‐sharing  program  optional,  removing  California  counties  from  the  mandatory  program  temporarily,  then  allowing  them  to  rejoin  voluntarily.  The  bill  has  been  dubbed  the  Transparency  and  Responsibility  Using  State  Tools  Act,  or  “TRUST  Act.”  George  and  Ruth  Chippendale,  working  with  PIA,  are  supporting  the  Trust  Act  in  an  attempt  to  end  the  separation  of  families  that  occurs  because  of  deportation.  San  Francisco  Archbishop  Niederauer  is  calling  on  Governor  Brown  and  Attorney  General  Harris  to  support  this  bill.  On  Jan  28,  a  rally  was  organized  by  PIA  at  St.  Mary’s  Cathedral  in  San  Francisco  and  a  bus  load  of  our  parishioners  attended.      

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Anti-­‐Torture:  June  is  Torture  Awareness  Month.    This  year,  in  addition  to  putting  up  the  anti-­‐torture  banners,  we  plan  to  follow  the  lead  of  the  National  Religious  Campaign  Against  Torture  (NRCAT)  in  gathering  endorsements  of  a  statement  opposing  the  use  of  prolonged  solitary  confinement,  which  is  recognized  as  a  form  of  torture,  and  which  is  common  policy  in  U.S.  prisons.    Refugee  Resettlement  We  have  been  helping  a  large  family  of  refugees  from  the  Congo  since  last  June.  A  suitable  4-­‐bedroom  house  was  found  for  the  family  of  16  and  we  raised  enough  money  to  help  them  with  the  deposit  and  several  months’  of  utilities  bills  plus  other  expenses.  One  volunteer  drove  them  to  appointments  with  doctors,  nurses,  and  dentists.  Another  worked  with  their  school  district  to  place  the  3  school  aged  children  into  special  programs.  Several  others  made  regular  visits  to  read  and  play  with  the  children  or  help  the  teenager  with  her  homework.  We  have  also  brought  them  books,  clothes,  bicycles,  strollers,  and  other  miscellaneous  items.  When  we  brought  them  to  the  parish  picnic,  they  performed  a  song  for  us  and  one  of  the  children  won  a  bingo  prize.  For  Christmas,  one  family  donated  money  while  another  donated  time  to  purchase  various  gifts  for  each  and  every  family  member.  Through  the  VITA  program,  we  helped  them  recoup  thousands  of  dollars.  We  also  facilitated  the  extension  of  their  current  lease  on  the  house  for  an  additional  6  months.  To  mark  the  milestone  of  having  been  with  them  for  a  whole  year,  we  had  a  very  nice  picnic  in  May  at  a  city  park.    Warm  Clothes  Collection:  On  Sunday,  November  20,  we  collected  coats  and  blankets  for  the  folks  at  Opportunity  House.    The  collection  netted  80  coats  and  20  blankets,  plus  miscellaneous  clothes  items.        Hotel  De  Zink:  As  in  past  years,  Ruth  Chippendale  organized  our  parishioners  in  providing  food  for  the  homeless  for  2  weeks  each  in  August  and  April.  All  the  people  were  very  thankful  for  the  food.        Bread  for  the  World  Offering  of  Letters:  The  2012  Offering  of  Letters  is  called  "Expanding  the  Circle  of  Protection":    There  is  an  over-­‐all  campaign  and  four  mini-­‐campaigns  –  on  domestic  nutrition,  poverty-­‐focused  foreign  assistance,  tax  credits  for  low-­‐income  families,  and  international  food  aid  programs.    We  are  planning  to  partake  in  this  effort  in  September  or  October.    Soles4Souls:    Terry  Atkinson  is  working  with  this  non-­‐profit  organization  that  collects  new  shoes  to  give  relief  to  the  victims  of  abject  suffering  and  also  used  shoes  to  support  micro-­‐business  efforts  to  eradicate  poverty.    The  group  receives  large  donations  from  footwear  companies,  retailers,  churches,  nonprofit  ministries,  civic  groups,  schools,  and  individuals.  The  schedulde  weekend  for  our  parish’s  collection  is  Sept  22-­‐23.    For  more  information  regarding  our  activities,  please  visit  our  parish’s  website:  PaloAltoCatholic.org  >  Ministries  &  Organizations  >  Human  Concerns  Committee  You  can  find  our  monthly  meeting  minutes  as  well  as  a  JustFaith  Calendar  listing  events  in  our  locality  that  promote  peace  and  justice.  

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Finance  Ministry  

 

 St.  Thomas  Aquinas  Parish  

Financial  Report  for  the  Fiscal  Year  Ending  June  30,  2012    The  Mission  of  the  Finance  Committee,  which  is  mandated  by  Canon  Law,  is  to  oversee  the  parish  finances  in  a  responsible  manner  and  advise  the  pastor  in  all  temporal  matters.        The  financial  information  contained  in  this  report  has  been  prepared  in  accordance  with  both  accrual  accounting  procedures  and  guidelines  provided  by  the  Diocese  of  San  Jose.    Use  of  these  procedures  presents  the  most  accurate  picture  of  our  parish  resources.    In  the  information  provided  you  can  see  the  major  sources  of  income  and  expenses  for  fiscal  year  2011-­‐2012  (July  1st  to  June  30th)  and  the  budget  for  fiscal  year  2012-­‐2013  with  respect  to  revenue  and  expenses.    Descriptions  of  each  of  the  major  income  and  expense  accounts  are  highlighted  at  the  bottom  of  the  report.    The  parish  account  is  in  an  interest  bearing  Deposit  and  Loan  Fund  at  the  Diocese  of  San  Jose.  The  funds  are  available  for  repairs  and  emergency  maintenance  of  the  many  facilities  of  the  parish:  three  worship  sites,  two  schools,  two  rental  properties,  the  pastoral  center,  rectory  and  the  Dermody  Center.  On  June  30,  2012,  the  balance  was  $616,439.    The  amount  of  the  fund  allocated  to  reserves  is  $600,000  leaving  $16,439  for  capital  building  and  repair  projects.    Future  maintenance  projects  are  scheduled  as  a  part  of  the  parish’s  5  year  plan.      Additional  building  repair  and  maintenance  projects  are  also  under  review  by  the  Facilities  Committee.    The  fiscal  year  ended  on  June  30,  2012,  with  $1,442,982  in  income  (excluding  a  $1,000,000  restricted  bequest  for  a  new  St.  Thomas  Aquinas  Church  Building  Renovation  and  Maintenance  Fund)  and  $1,415,151  in  expenses,  with  a  net  of  +$27,831  (excluding  depreciation).      Earnings  category  (primarily  rental  income)  was  at  35%  of  the  total  budget.    Income  from  collections  was  46%  of  the  total.    Stipends,  gifts,  and  income  from  parish  programs  made  up  the  balance  of  income.    The  parish  is  still  very  dependent  on  earnings  from  rental  income  to  fund  parish  operations  but,  as  is  evident,  a  major  portion  of  our  total  income  to  support  the  parish  is  still  derived  from  collections.      The  budget  for  2012-­‐2013  projects  a  zero  net  or  break  even  budget  excluding  the  impact  of  non-­‐cash  depreciation  expense  of  $158,938.    Total  income  for  the  2012-­‐2013  year  is  projected  to  be  $1,402,732  and  is  offset  by  the  same  amount  of  expected  expenditures.      Finally  and  most  importantly,  the  finance  committee  would  like  to  sincerely  thank  all  the  parishioners  for  their  donations  of  time,  talent,  and  treasure  during  the  past  fiscal  year  and  earnestly  seek  your  continued  active  support  as  we  journey  through  our  new  fiscal  year.    Members  this  past  year:  Fr.  Matt  Stanley,  Norman  Swope  (Chair),  Mary  Martinson,  Ted  Baer,  Bill  Morrison,  Carol  Brown,  Veronica  Duluk,  and  Chuck  Tully  (Bus.  Mgr.)    

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 Parish  Operations:  Year-­‐End  June  2012  Report  

Income 2010-2011 2011-2012 2011-2012 2012-2013 Actual Actual Budget Budget Collections $607,846 $667,980 $667,700 $679,500 Stipends $44,241 $39,148 $37,500 $34,000 Earnings $428,229 $508,578 $491,942 $537,292 Gifts/Donations $53,140 $47,588 $11,200 $15,190 Programs $33,585 $39,634 $57,800 $52,250 Other/Festivals $4,212 $5,907 $19,500 $14,500 Subtotal $1,171,254 $1,308,835 $1,285,642 $1,332,732 Bequests $370,495 $90,173 $60,000 $30,000 Diocesan Appeal Rebates $12,568 $11,052 $16,780 $20,000 Capital Campaign Rebates $66,059 $32,922 $30,000 $20,000 Total Income $1,620,375 $1,442,982 $1,392,422 $1,402,732 Expenses Pastoral $125,007 $183,776 $185,091 $191,807 Administration $256,306 $275,133 $265,080 $254,635 Cathedraticum $62,484 $63,408 $63,095 $60,785 Catechetical $116,598 $116,787 $121,475 $114,173 Hispanic Ministry $75,112 $76,258 $82,013 $83,271 Liturgy $131,484 $118,267 $111,344 $124,637 Youth/Young Adult $79,347 $92,837 $93,233 $106,886 Parish Programs $34,920 $31,104 $29,957 $25,700 Rectory $56,572 $42,651 $41,636 $26,340 Plant $384,436 $414,930 $399,498 $414,498 Total $1,322,266 $1,415,151 $1,392,422 $1,402,732 Net before depreciation $298,109 $27,831 $0 $0 Restricted Bequest STA Church $1,000,000 Depreciation Expense $131,760 $148,896 $133,509 $158,938 Net $166,349 $878,935 -$133,509 -$158,938 Income & Expense Budget Definitions: Collections include Sunday and Holy Days;Stipends are from sacramental gifts(ie. Weddings, Baptisms, and Funerals); Earnings are primarily from rental properties but also include interest on deposits; Gifts and Donations include donations that are (specified) directed toward a special purpose or parish related activity or non-specific donation; Bequests are donations left in a will or legacy. This year included a $1,000,000 bequest for St. Thomas Aquinas Church Building Renovation and Maintenance Fund; Pastoral includes all salary and benefits for the parish priests and other clergy related expenses; Administration is made up of the office staff, office supplies, postage, printing, bank fees, telephone/ fax/internet services; Cathedraticum is support to the Diocese and the Bishop; Catechetical Ministry incl. staff salary and benefits and all program expenses; Catechetical Hispanic Ministry includes all staff salary and benefits and all program expenses; Liturgy includes salary and benefits as well as liturgy office supplies, music, sacramental celebrations, and weekly environmental expenses; Youth/Young Adult includes salary and benefits, youth supplies, printing, and postage, and all youth activity expenses including confirmation retreats; Parish Programs include Annual Diocesan Appeal expenses, Valley Catholic, Community Life, Social Justice, Parish Stewardship; Rectory includes housekeeping, cleaning supplies, groceries; Plant includes salaries and benefits for the maintenance personnel, building and grounds supplies,utilities, repair of buildings, insurance, and property taxes; Depreciation is an accounting book entry reflecting building additions (capital improvements), and the writing off of these costs as a yearly expense.

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