The second collection this weekend will be for Catholic Relief Services.  This is a social arm of our church that helps with international disasters.  At this time they are probably working hard to help with displaced people in the Ukraine.  In our name they do great work.  Please be as generous as you can.

On Sunday, May 1st. the Knights of Columbus will sponsor a pancake breakfast honoring all the mothers of our parish.  It is put on this date because to have it on Mother’s Day itself would interfere with many plans that families have for their mothers.  For this breakfast, the mothers will eat for free.  There will be a raffle with some Mother’s Day gifts.  As things get decided there will be more info to follow but please mark your calendars for this pre-Mother’s Day celebration.

If you have changed your telephone number, mailing address, or email address and haven’t had a chance to notify the parish office to update your records, please take a moment and call the office (510-655-9209) to make the necessary changes. You may also complete a form on our website which in turn will be received by the parish office.

St. Patrick Church will be hosting their annual fish fry on Friday, March 18 in the Father Howard Community Center at 1640 10th St. in Oakland. Dinner includes catfish or tilapia fish, potato salad, green beans, bread and dessert. Music and dancing will take place for those dining in. Pre-orders for pick-up are encouraged and will be available between 11:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. To pre-order call Mary Loggins at 510-532-5003 or Mary Washington at 510-332-9914.

We have started in the season of Lent, a time when the Lord calls us to repentance.  In the Bible the word "repentance" means to change one's mind.  The Lord wants us to change so we become better persons.  During this season of Lent each of us has to asked ourselves “How is my God asking me to change the way I do things and the way I think?”  These types of changes are the hardest to implement but if we do change we will experience the new life of Easter.

This past summer, one of the Oblate seminarians, Bro. Solomon Gaja, OMI, was with us for summer ministry.  He also came back to us to preach at the celebration of Nigerian culture in October.  Bro. Solomon will be ordained a deacon on Saturday, March 19, 2022.  Please remember him in prayer.  If you would like to send him a congratulatory card his address is: 222 Oblate Dr., San Antonio, TX 78216.  To be ordained deacon is the last step before one is ordained a priest.  As a parish we wish Bro. Solomon a rich diaconate ministry and we thank him for the service he has already given and for the service he will give in the future.

This weekend, March 5-6, we are hosting our gatherings for the Pope's Synodal process of listening.  Notes will be taken of the answers shared by our members and a report submitted to the diocese by mid March.  We will make this report available to our members.  For those who participated and shared, many, many thanks.

At the initiative of Fr. Scott Hill OMI, we have been helping out along with other churches to supply bag lunches for the homeless in the mission district of San Francisco.  We will be doing this again this month.  If you would like to help us bag the lunches, please come to the cafeteria on Saturday, March 19th at 9 AM.  It will take about an hour.  Then we make the sandwiches on Sunday March 20 at 9 AM in the cafeteria.  That is another time to help.  Thanks in advance of your generosity.

Each year our Finance Council gives a report of our parish finances.  This year they will give the report on the weekend of March 19-20.  The report is a way that everyone is kept informed about how much money is taken in and how the money is spent.  Money is a great blessing from God and from the members.  It is important that everyone knows how we used these blessings.

The weekend Masses of Dec. 25-26 will be the feast of the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  Our thinking must not limit the Holy Family to only three people.  Mary and Joseph had parents who are the grandparents of Jesus.  In the genealogy of Jesus in the gospels of Matthew and Luke we learn the name of Joseph's father, Jesus' grandfather.  In an extra biblical book called the Protoevangelium we learn the names of Mary's parents, Anne and Joachim.  In this same book we learn that Joseph was married before and his wife died.  They had children which could account for the Bible speaking of the brothers and sisters of the Lord.  So like most of us, we do have extended families and that is more evident during Christmas time.  Whatever was the Jewish cultural way of family celebrations, I am sure that Jesus participated in all of them.  The Holy Family is much bigger than we thought.

Another word of thanks goes out to all those who brought in socks and many other needed items for the homeless in our area.  We will probably not see the immediate results of our generosity but with the confidence in and trust of St. Mary's Center on San Pablo Ave. we can be assured that all our donations will be put to good use.  Don't forget that with the donation of socks we save "soles."   

Last Sunday we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the ordination to the priesthood of Fr. Bill.  Besides the wonderful celebration of the Eucharist there was a great luncheon in the cafeteria during which many words of appreciation were expressed to Fr. Bill.  Also many members gave cards and gifts to Fr. Bill.  Fr. Bill was overwhelmed.  He would like to express his deepest gratitude and appreciation for all the work that was done to pull off this luncheon and all the generosity of the people of Sacred Heart.  Even though Fr. Bill knew about the "surprise" celebration, it was a great surprise at the Mass and at the luncheon.  Words can not express the depth of gratitude that he feels.  MANY, MANY THANKS.  He hopes to express to as many members as possible a personal thanks to each of you.  

Recruitment Family Coordinator for the Lumen Christi Academies Schools (Diocese of Oakland). For more information, visit the diocesan website at www.oakdiocese.org/employment-opportunities or contact Gloria Espinosa at the diocesan Department of Human Resources at 510-267-8359.

Ceasefire Walks are actively preventing homicides and gun violence through Ceasefire, a partnership with other faith communities and the City of Oakland. They begin with prayer and followed by a walk and reflection.  The next walk is Friday, December 17: St. Benedict Catholic Church - 2245 82nd Ave., Oakland. For more information, visit: https://diocese.org/ceasefire-walks-for-peace

The Philippine community of our diocese is sponsoring a special celebration of Simbang Gabi on Tuesday, Dec. 14th with a special Mass with the Bishop at our cathedral. All are invited to join our Philippine sisters and brothers for this celebration of their national religious heritage.

Each year in December our country takes a collection for the religious of our church. The lives of many, many Catholics have been influenced by the nuns, brothers and religious priests. Since many of the religious orders are older now, they need our help more than ever. Collection envelopes are in the back of church for the collection next weekend, Dec. 11-12. Please be as generous as you can.

On Wednesday, Dec. 8th, we will celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day in our tradition. Masses will be at 8 AM and 7 PM. Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception is the patroness of the United States. Come and celebrate this important day with us.

As many of you know we will be having the main celebration of Fr. Bill’s 50th Anniversary on Sunday, December 19th, after the 10am Mass. As a parish, we are planning to give Fr. Bill a monetary gift for his 50 years of service as a priest, and his seven years as pastor here at Sacred Heart. Donations are being collected after each mass. To give a donation please see any of the committee members: Fr. Jack Lau, Cynthia Christian, MaryAnn Francis, Carrie McClish, Peggy Presley, Tom Ventresco, to see how you can help.

On the weekend of Dec. 11-12 we will have our annual Christmas bake sale sponsored by the Rogers family. The deadline for preorders has passed. However there will be many goodies to be had on this date.

The parish office will be closed on Thanksgiving day and Friday, Nov. 26.