6th

Sund

ay i

n O

rdin

ary

Tim

e F

ebru

ary

14,

2021

AlepercametoJesusandbeggedhim:“Ifyouwish,youcanmakemeclean.”

Jesusstretchedouthishand,touchedhim,andsaid,“Idowillit.Bemadeclean.”Theleprosylefthimimmediately.M 1:10-12

St. Mary Catholic Church www.stmary-wc.org 925-891-8900

ASH WEDNESDAY AND BEYOND

Now that restrictions have been eased, we are able to resume public Masses. Our procedures will be as follows:

Ash Wednesday

Drive-In Masses at 9:00, 12:00 and 4:30 in the School Yard. Enter from Bont Lane and follow instructions from Ushers. Remain in your cars!

Tune your FM radio to 97.1 to hear the broadcast of the Mass. Communion will be as you exit at the end of Mass. Again, wait for instructions.

Lenten Mass Schedule

Monday – Friday at 12:05 pm in the Church. Seating is first-come-first-served to approximately 30 people. Others can listen on 97.1

and Communion will be distributed outside for those in their cars.

Weekend Schedule Saturday Confessions from 3:00-4:00 in the Faith Formation Building

Drive-In Masses: Saturday at 4:30; Sunday at 9:00, 11:00 and 1:00

Thank you for your patience, and your cooperation. We learn as we go!

ASH WEDNESDAY MASS

SCHEDULE (Drive-in)

9:00 a.m.

12:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

JESUS’ WAY Today’s readings present a contrast between “Jesus’ way” and the “old way.” An example of the old way is the law given to Moses and Aaron about leprosy: the leper was unclean and cast out of the community. Jesus’ way is the opposite: the leper is reached out to, touched, and finally cured. Nor ought we think of the “old way” as restricted to the days of Moses and Aaron, or even to the “old” testament. The difference between the old way and Jesus’ way arises in own lives. We still choose, every day, to live in our old way or in Jesus’ way. Jesus dared to touch a leper, disregarding the old way. The leper then was changed for-ever. He felt a calling. He couldn’t keep himself from proclaiming that he had been touched by Jesus (even though Jesus told him not to!). Once Jesus touches us, we are called to proclaim his way. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

DATE TIME INTENTION

02/14 Online Elizabeth Gravino

Online Peggy Jannisse

Online The People of St. Mary

02/15 Online Ramon Javellana

02/16 Online Isabel & Darrold Hawkins

02/17 9:00 am The People of St. Mary

12:00 pm The People of St. Mary

4:30 pm The People of St. Mary

02/18 8:30 am Briccio Dava, Jr. & Jose Amoncio

02/19 8:30 am Milagros Campos

02/20 8:30 am Darío Isea

4:30 pm Mary Pendergraft

MASS INTENTIONS

PRAY FOR THE SICK

Staff and Administration Website: www.stmary-wc.org

Parish Office 891-8900 Fax 934-1358 Fr. Fred Riccio, friccio@stmary-wc.org Pastor 891-8900 Fr. John Blaker, 891-8900 In residence Deacon Paul Turek pturek@stmary-wc.org Ana Lau, alau@stmary-wc.org Office Manager 891-8908 Aileen Baker, abaker@stmary-wc.org Bookkeeper 891-8911

Faith Formation

Maureen Tiffany mtiffany@stmary-wc.org Director of Faith Formation 962-5808 Mary Kerfs, lifeteen@stmary-wc.org Administrative Assistant 891-8939 Austin Pisciotto apisciotto@stmary-wc.org Coordinator K-Grade 6 891-8944 Jethro Castillo jcastillo@stmary-wc.org Youth Minister Grades 7-12 891-8920 Heather Abraham, habraham@stmary-wc.org Coordinator Confirmation 891-8934 & Community Service Tim Mannix tmannix@stmary-wc.org RCIA & Liturgy Coordinator 891-8921

School

Office 935-5054 stmary@st-mary.net Website: www.st-mary.net Alumni: stmaryalumni@st-mary.net Garrett Padia, Principal 935-5054

Thank you to all who helped us with our Blessing Bag Service Project. We were able to provide Bless-ing Bags for 215 people. We know they will appreciate all the effort and care that went into putting them together. Soon to come more information on Vacation Bible School 2021. Right now we are hoping to have our session the last week of July in conjunction with St. Joan of Arc in San Ramon. Don’t forget Lent begins this Wednesday.

Allison Flamez Susana Jaime Rosalinda Reyes Jeanine Gordon Jake Johnstone Diane Hewson Clarissa Gutierrez Fred & Emilia Sohn Raul Gonzalez Raquel Zittel David Toy Ana Lopez Dominador Hontucan Oralee Floria Mary McLoughlin Angela Crane Beverly Regan Josefina Zabat Audry Robinson

Loretta Holmes Nancie Campi

Betty Baker Carol Erikson

Danyel Sheets Beth Wainwright

Robin Wood Billy Silva

Mary Kennedy Cheryl LaMarre Marissa Magno

Jim Crowley Ed Regan

Annabelle Semira Mary Ann McGill Maryann Moran Bob Bussani, Jr.

St. Mary’s Fil-Am Ministry – Pizza Fundraiser Tuesday, February16

Support your local business-es and our parish ministries by ordering from Rocco’s Pizzeria, located at 2909 Ygnacio Valley Road, in Walnut Creek (by Oak Grove Rd). They are gen-erously donating 25% of your bill to St. Mary’s Fil-Am Ministry. Simply mention “St. Mary Church Fundraiser” at the time of ordering or pick-up. This will support St. Mary’s Fil-Am Ministry’s activities and charitable projects. To order for pick up, call 925-947-6105 or order at: www.roccospizzeria.com on Tuesday, Feb. 16, all day, 11am-7:30pm. Thank you for your support!

FAITH FORMATION

Go on a spiritual pilgrimage by walking, hiking or biking with suggested routes of approximately 5K or 3.1 miles, or one of your choosing, to be completed

during Lent. The time to complete your journey begins on Ash Wed., Feb. 17, and ends on Holy Saturday,

April 3. You can walk, hike or bike on one day during Lent or every day. This is virtual, so there will not be

organized groups or specific times or locations. Participants who register for the Camino at

sandamiano.org will receive daily Lenten inspirations via email, the Little Black Book of Lent 2021, and ac-

cess to San Damiano’s Stations of the Cross and Taize via Zoom.

Question: Why do we place ashes on our forehead each Ash Wednesday?

Answer: Ashes are rich in spiritual symbolism. We recall in the second chapter of Genesis, when the human person is fashioned “out of the dust of the ground” and receives the breath of life (Genesis 2:7). In death, a person returns to the ground from which we came. The ancient Hebrews used ashes as a sign of repentance, reminding themselves that God is God and we are not. As the minister places ashes on our forehead, we hear either “remember that you are dust and unto dust you shall return” or “turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.” When we receive ashes, we remember our own mortality. We’re reminded that we have lim-ited time on this earth and we ought to make the best use of it that we can! People are in need of love, care, and compassion. We all need to continually re-discover the love of God. The Gospel invites every person in every stage of life to encounter and imitate Jesus here and now. The forty days of Lent are the perfect time to assess our own awareness of these realities. ©LPi

PARISH OFFICES CLOSED - MON., FEB. 15

Don’t let Covid keep you from tak-ing time for your relationship. Join us for a virtual WWME experience from the comfort of your home. Want to put the romance back into your relationship? ♦ The Worldwide Marriage En-counter Weekend offers married couples an opportunity to get off the treadmill of life and focus on each other. ♦ It is a chance to look deeply into your relationship with each other and with God. ♦ Sign up today to attend one of the upcoming vir-tual Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekends. ♦ Early registration is highly recommended. For more information visit our website at: https://wwme.org/ to see when the next virtual Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekends from the safety of your home are happening or call Ray & Roberta Montes at 916-806-4601.

FEBRUARY 17 - MARCH 28

“Worthy are you, Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things;

because of your will they came to be and were created.” Revelation 4:11 Our Lord gives life; therefore, we give all glory to Our Lord! Let us stand together to protect His crea-tion! We are gearing up for our spring vigil which begins on Ash Wednesday, February 17. We invite you to join us in prayer and fasting, so that hearts can change and babies’ lives can be saved. Please sign up at: 40daysforlife.com/walnutcreek or email us at friendsforlifetrivalley@gmail.com Join us prayerfully and peacefully on the sidewalk at 1357 Oakland Blvd, Walnut Creek. We are holding vigil from 7AM till 12PM daily, except Sundays.

Miércoles de Ceniza El tiempo de carnaval en el calen-dario cristiano termina con el mar-tes gordo (mardi gras en francés) un día antes del Miércoles de Ceniza. El Miércoles de Ceniza es la fiesta cristiana que, por lo menos durante doce siglos, ha se-ñalado el comienzo de la Cuaresma. No cabe duda de que para los latinos este día es de particular atracción. Es uno de los pocos días del año litúrgico en el cual llegamos al templo en masa con tal de reci-bir las cenizas en la frente. En mi parroquia llegaban hasta cristianos protestantes latinos buscando ser tiznados con las cenizas benditas. ¿De dónde viene este afán por las cenizas? Cuando yo era niño, mi padre me llevaba al rancho de mi abuelito en el estado de Nuevo León, México. En una de esas visitas, mi abuelo y mis tíos estaban quemando varios campos en su rancho. Mientras el fuego ardía sobre la tierra, mi abuelo, papá Manuel, nos explicaba que era necesario reducir todo a ceni-zas para que la tierra recobrara sus fuerzas y quedara todavía más fértil. Sin saberlo, mi abuelo me dio la imagen que hasta hoy sostiene mi concepto del Miércoles de Ceniza y de la Cuaresma. Los latinos venimos de pueblos enraízados en la tierra y sabemos que los campos necesitan quemarse de vez en cuando para seguir produciendo cosas buenas. Reflexionando sobre nuestra vida, nos damos cuenta que somos como la tierra. Necesitamos domi-narnos y cultivarnos para producir frutos y flores pa-ra el Señor y los demás. Las cenizas que se nos ponen en la frente nos recuerdan esta verdad cristiana. Nos llaman no sólo al arrepentimiento de nuestros peca-dos sino también a dar frutos con obras buenas. Fray Gilberto Cavazos-González, OFM, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

Lunes: Gn 4:1-15, 25; Sal 50 (49):1, 8, 16bc-17, 20-21; Mc 8:11-13 Martes: Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10; Sal 29 (28):1a, 2, 3ac-4, 3b, 9c-10; Mc 8:14-21 Miércoles: Jl 2:12-18; Sal 51 (50):3-6ab, 12-14, 17; 2 Cor 5:20 — 6:2; Mt 6:1-6, 16-18 Jueves: Dt 30:15-20; Sal 1:1-4, 6; Lc 9:22-25 Viernes: Is 58:1-9a; Sal 51 (50):3-6ab, 18-19; Mt 9:14-15 Sábado: Is 58:9b-14; Sal 86 (85):1-6; Lc 5:27-32 Domingo: Gn 9:8-15; Sal 25 (24):4-9; 1 Pe 3:18- 22; Mc 1:12-15

“Pero la gente venía a él de todas partes” (Marcos 1:45). Tengo presente en mi mente los inicios de la pandemia que azo-ta al mundo desde el 2019.

Conforme llegó el 2020, los casos se multiplicaron en todo el mundo. La angustia se apoderó de muchos de nosotros por la enfermedad, la falta de trabajo, la pérdida de viviendas, y más. También, fluye el recuerdo del Papa Francisco haciendo oración por el fin de la pandemia. Acudimos a orar gente de todos los lugares de la tierra. Cada país, cada gobierno encontró la forma de orar juntos: Misa, Hora Santa, y el Rosario. ¿Lo recuerdas? Nuestra oración continúa sin cesar. ¡Sánanos, Señor, como aquel leproso del Evan-gelio! Límpianos, necesitamos tu compasión. La Iglesia tiene grandes santos y santas que se han dedicado al cuidado de los enfermos. Uno de ellos es San Camilo de Lelis. Nació el 25 de mayo de 1550 en Abruzzo, Italia. Fue sacerdote. Murió el 4 de julio de 1614. Es el Santo protector de los enfermos, a quienes cuidaba y atendía con amor. Parte de su oración dice así: “Haznos, como San Camilo, conscien-tes de que, en el rostro del enfermo, del que sufre y está agobiado o del que padece grandes nece-sidades, está tu mano acariciando a nuestro corazón”. Ojalá que el ejemplo de este santo católico nos ayude ahora a nosotros a volver nuestro corazón y la mente hacia Dios para lograr así, ser personas de compasión y servicio. Dejarse tocar por Jesús tiene su compromiso. Arrodillarse, pedir, y lo más importante: querer. ¡Quiero Señor, no me dejes! ©LPi

EL CAMINO DE JESÚS Las lecturas de hoy presentan un contraste entre el “camino de Jesús” y el “camino viejo”. Un ejemplo del camino viejo es la ley que recibieron Moisés y Aarón sobre la lepra: el leproso era impuro y se echaba fuera de la comunidad. El camino de Jesús es lo con-trario: el leproso se acerca, es tocado y finalmente curado. Tampoco debemos pensar en el “camino viejo” como algo restringido a los días de Moisés y Aarón o in-cluso al “antiguo” testamento. La diferencia entre el camino antiguo y el camino de Jesús surge en nuestra propia vida. Todavía elegimos, todos los días, o vivir siguiendo el camino viejo o el camino de Jesús. Jesús se atrevió a tocar a un leproso, sin tener en cuenta el camino viejo. Así el leproso fue cambiado para siempre. Se sintió llamado. No podía dejar de proclamar que había sido tocado por Jesús (¡a pesar de que Jesús le dijo que no lo hiciera!). Una vez que Jesús nos toca, estamos llamados a proclamar su “camino”. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

Locally owned & operatedLic #1056357

Kitchen CabinetUpgrade in 1-5 Days

1-Day Wood Restoration

• Refacing • Roll-Outs •Custom Cabinet • More

925.979.8194www.kitchentuneup.com

$29.95/Mo. billed quarterly• One Free Month• No Long-Term Contract• Price Guarantee• Easy Self Installation

Call Today! Toll Free 1.877.801.8608

Medical Alert System

Get this weekly bulletin delivered by email - for FREE!Sign up here:

www.jspaluch.com/subscribe

Courtesy of J.S. Paluch Company, Inc.

Serving Concord and the surrounding area since 1958

Cremation and Burial Services

4125 Clayton Road, Concord, CA 94521

925-682-4242 • www.ouimetbrothers.com

FD1006

Grow Your Business, Advertise Here.Support Your Church & Bulletin.

Free professional ad design & my help!email: kwiatkowskim@jspaluch.com

Call Marcy Kwiatkowski925.239.1401

www.jspaluch.com

913092 St Mary Church

SeeYour Ad

in CCOOLLOORRCall J.S. Paluch Today!1.800.231.0805

www.jspaluch.com For Ads: J.S. Paluch Co., Inc. 1-800-675-5051

Call us for your transportation needs!

Wheelchair • Gurney Medical Appointments

Dialysis • Hospital DischargesLong Distance Transports

Dispatch: (925) 428-2790Hours: Mon-Sat

4:00AM-10:00PM

Mention this ad/parish for a 15% Discount.

WILLS &LIVING TRUSTS

DAVID T. HORNSBYAttorney at Law

(925) 938-0883

800 S. BROADWAY

SUITE 301WALNUT CREEK, CA

94596

www.davidthornsby.com

David@DavidTHornsby.com

Catholic Cruises and Toursand The Apostleship of the Seaof the United States of AmericaCatholic Cruises/Tours to Worldwide Destinations

Call us today at 860-399-1785 or email

eileen@CatholicCruisesandTours.com

www.CatholicCruisesandTours.com

Take yourFAITHON A

JOURNEY.

(CST 2117990-70)

H U L L’ SWalnut Creek ChapelFD250 • COA538 • CR196

FUNERAL DIRECTORSCrematory On Site

Family Owned &Operated Since 1892

All Facilities are onsite

925-934-54001139 Saranap Ave.

Walnut Creek, CA

“Serving the Catholic

Faith Since 1892”

Grow in your faith,find a Mass, and

connect with yourCatholic Community

with OneParish!

Download Our Free App or Visit

www.MY.ONEPARISH.com