Monday Evening - June 8th, 2020:
Dear St. Charles Family,
I invite all of you to join me online at 9:00 am tomorrow, Tuesday, June 9th, to celebrate Mass in solidarity with George Floyd's family as they hold his public funeral service.
I invite all of you to join me online at 9:00 am tomorrow, Tuesday, June 9th, to celebrate Mass in solidarity with George Floyd's family as they hold his public funeral service.
After Mass, if you are so inspired, you may arrive at the church by 9:45 am, where, outdoors, for Eight Minutes and 46 Seconds, we will honor George Floyd by Taking a Knee in Silence.
For those who participate tomorrow, we will offer Communion afterward in the church, using the same protocol as the previous two Sundays.
Meanwhile, when it comes to the question of racism, it is important that you know the Catholic Christian faith cannot be silent or silenced. I want to share with you the position and teaching of the Catholic Church issued by our US Catholic Bishops in this document. Additionally, the Bishops have provided a Prayer to Overcome Racism, which is included below.
Meanwhile, when it comes to the question of racism, it is important that you know the Catholic Christian faith cannot be silent or silenced. I want to share with you the position and teaching of the Catholic Church issued by our US Catholic Bishops in this document. Additionally, the Bishops have provided a Prayer to Overcome Racism, which is included below.
Again, congratulations to our High School and College graduates - you were the most important aspect of my homily yesterday, as I know that you "Get it" as you are called upon to move our world forward and use everything you've been learning to help heal our social community. God bless every one of you!
Below, you will find links for this week's Zoom meetings and links to videos from our previous meetings. My bulletin message for you, regarding the Most Holy Trinity, is also included. My hope is that you find it to be inspiring.
Finally, I'd like to announce that the Sunday Communion process has gone smoothly, and, going forward, we will begin at an earlier time. Starting this Sunday, you may arrive any time between 11:00 am and 12:00 noon.
Blessings to each one of you!
Blessings to each one of you!
-- Fr. Kwame
Prayer to Overcome Racism
MARY, FRIEND AND MOTHER TO ALL,
through your Son, God has found a way
to unite himself to every human being,
called to be one people,
sisters and brothers to each other.
sisters and brothers to each other.
We ask for your help in calling on
your Son,
seeking forgiveness for the times when
seeking forgiveness for the times when
we have failed to love and respect
one another.
one another.
We ask for your help in obtaining from
your Son
the grace we need to overcome the evil
the grace we need to overcome the evil
of racism
and to build a just society.
and to build a just society.
We ask for your help in following your Son,
so that prejudice and animosity
will no longer infect our minds or hearts
will no longer infect our minds or hearts
but will be replaced with a love
that respects
the dignity of each person.
that respects
the dignity of each person.
Mother of the Church,
the Spirit of your Son Jesus
warms our hearts:
pray for us.
Amen.
pray for us.
Amen.
Prayer to Overcome Racism
MARY, FRIEND AND MOTHER TO ALL,
through your Son, God has found a way
to unite himself to every human being,
called to be one people,
sisters and brothers to each other.
sisters and brothers to each other.
We ask for your help in calling on
your Son,
seeking forgiveness for the times when
seeking forgiveness for the times when
we have failed to love and respect
one another.
one another.
We ask for your help in obtaining from
your Son
the grace we need to overcome the evil
the grace we need to overcome the evil
of racism
and to build a just society.
and to build a just society.
We ask for your help in following your Son,
so that prejudice and animosity
will no longer infect our minds or hearts
will no longer infect our minds or hearts
but will be replaced with a love
that respects
the dignity of each person.
that respects
the dignity of each person.
Mother of the Church,
the Spirit of your Son Jesus
warms our hearts:
pray for us.
Amen.
pray for us.
Amen.
Celebrating Our High School and College Graduates:
Click Here for Sunday's Slideshow!
Jun
9
Fr. Kwame's Tuesday Q&A on Zoom
Race/Racism in the Catholic Church
Are you going?
Yes
No
Maybe
going.
not going.
might be going.
New Wednesday Evening Zoom Sessions
From Adult Faith Formation:
"Come and See"
This series consists of ZOOM meetings so you can participate from home. Each meeting will last about 40 minutes and includes a talk on a topic basic to the Catholic faith. This introductory course is intended for four groups of people: 1.) Catholics whose spiritual formation stopped in the third grade or thereabouts and want to know more, 2.) Non-Catholics who are curious about our faith, 3.) As the first step for those who wish to explore membership in the Catholic Church, and 4.) for those Catholics who wish to complete sacraments of Eucharist and/or Confirmation.
If you have a friend or family member who fits in one of these groups, or who is just curious about how Catholics walk with Jesus, encourage them to join you in participating in one of our Wednesday evenings at 7 PM.
The topics we are planning are:
• June 10th– What is the Church?
• June 17th– What are the roles of the laity and the hierarchy in the Church?
To receive your ZOOM meeting invitation...
(or if you have questions)
Contact:
Daniel Goodman at danielgca@comcast.net
We look forward to seeing you there!
Jun
11
Thursday Evening Adult Bible Study Session
Part II of the Bible and Racism
Are you going?
Yes
No
Maybe
going.
not going.
might be going.
Jun
11
Thursday WINGS on ZOOM ft. Margaret Riley
"Exploring Ways to be Hope-Filled in the Middle of a Challenging Time"
Are you going?
Yes
No
Maybe
going.
not going.
might be going.
WINGS Zoom Meeting Featuring Margaret Riley
Exploring Ways to be Hope-Filled in the Middle of a Challenging Time
Thursday, June 11, 2020, at 10:30 AM
To Join Zoom Meeting, Click HERE
Meeting ID: 893 5095 9504
Password: 2sMBgd
Angela Layton's Zoom Invitation:
Walking with Purpose
Monday Mornings at 10:00 am.
Meeting ID: 782 7094 3952
Password: jesuslives
Landline telephones can call this number:
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
The Most Holy Trinity, June 7, 2020
Bulletin Message from Fr. Kwame
The Most Holy Trinity Means Living as Missionary Disciples
Does the Trinity still confuse you? Do you still struggle to understand how three persons are One God, and not three Gods? And, do you sometimes feel that the concept of the Trinity has no concrete relation to your practical daily life?
If your answer to any of these questions is yes, then, you are not alone. We get stuck because we often engage in the hair-splitting theories about the Trinity. However, the Most Holy Trinity is not, first, an idea or a concept to be known and explained intellectually. The Most Holy Trinity is, first and foremost, a love that must be lived: Our God – the Trinity – is LOVE THAT REACHES OUT ON A MISSION.
Therefore, we come to understand the Trinity after we have lived and practiced love – we practice before theory; experience before explanation, and hold beliefs before theology! We say God is Father (and Mother), Son (or redeemer), and Spirit (advocate or lawyer), because we first experience God in these three different ways, all of which are loving ways.
So, the whole experience of the Trinity is a missionary practice. The meaning of God is a love that is shared in Christ with us; and our reception of this love involves our sharing it with one another. God is a mission of love in which we are called to participate. Saint Thomas Aquinas would say “Love (God) is to love and be loved.”
The Gospel for today explains explicitly: “God so loved the world that [God] gave the only Son, so that everyone who believes… might have eternal life” (John 3:16). Although God has loved us, we can only feel that love only when we are loving ourselves. LOVE IS FELT BY LOVING OTHERS.
In Ordinary Time we reflect on the daily life of the early Christians, so that we also may be faithful and effective witnesses of Christ in our own times. In our current world, the reason we aren’t feeling God’s love is not because of COVID-19. Instead, it is because we aren’t loving.
Racism is one of the many antitheses of God, and of Love; for God loves the world in all its differences, and shared the ultimate divine gift with the world – Jesus Christ. Contrary to this love, racism is a hatred for humanity in its diversity and difference.
Racism is one of the world's (and our country's) original sins against God the Trinity. There are many other sins, such as homophobia, sexism, the mean treatment of immigrants and persons with disabilities, patriarchy, nationalism, politics that are partisan, "dirty" and “cult-of-personality", and many more. These practices prevent us from loving and to be loved by God who has already showered us with love – as Jesus Christ suffered, died, and rose from death, and only for us.
This celebration of the Trinity is another opportunity, just in time, for us to deal with our moment of chaos. We, believers of the Triune God of love, need to be bold disciples on mission. This is the mission love that comes to us from the Trinity. We are, first and foremost, part of God’s mission to promote God’s love for the world as the Gospel tells us today. As missionary disciples of this love, we cannot sit idly and be quiet. We must practice the love of humanity in all its difference and diversity in order to understand the God of the Trinity.
Christians, now it is our turn! Let our voices be heard not only in our teachings, books, and Church buildings. Let us help our nation with the greatest tool we have: LOVE! May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us in all our ministries to the world.
Amen!
Fr. Kwame
In Case You Missed Sunday's Mass...
How Are You Remaining Physically Fit These Days?
St. Charles parishioner Wendy McGee has just released "Fitfannie", her new fitness app for iPhone, and she is currently offering it at no charge for our parishioners. For more information, click here.
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Community
1315 Lomitas Ave.
Livermore, CA 94550
