Saint Bartholomew's February 2020 Newsletter
Saint Bartholomew Parish is a welcoming and inclusive Catholic Community of Faith. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to sharing our Christian Faith as well as our time, talents, and resources for the welfare of all God’s people. Keep up with what is going on in our Parish by subscribing to our Monthly Newsletters, where we provide upcoming events to look forward to and highlight ministries within our parish! For more information, visit our website using the link below!
Recap and What's Coming
We are one month into 2020, and have already had so many exciting events. In January, our Youth Group continued to build their community by having their monthly Game Nights and Youth Masses. They will continue to do these events along with other activities and events for our Youth to attend. Our Youth Group also had their first Pancake Breakfast. The breakfast funds went towards the Anaheim Youth Congress Trip that will happen in February. Between all masses, we raised just about $600! Thank you to everyone who came to support!
This past month we also held our selection of pastor meeting. All parishioners were invited to a meeting on January 20th at at the Parish Center Auditorium to express their opinion regarding the selection of a new Pastor to serve at St. Bart’s. Parishioners who attended met representatives from the San Francisco Archdiocese to discuss the selection of our new pastor. We had a great turn out and hope to find our next wonderful pastor as we show appreciation to Fr. Mike for all he has done for our Parish.
Mark Your Calendars for our Upcoming Events!
Annual Chinese New Year Dinner, Friday, February 7th

The St. Bart’s Friendship Club would like parishioners to save the date Friday, February 7th, 2020, for St. Bart’s Annual Chinese New Year Dinner. Details to follow. 
Confirmation 1 Retreat, Saturday, February 8th, 8:00am - 6:00pm

Saint Bart's Youth Ministry will be leading the Confirmation 1 Retreat. Youth Leaders have helped organize this retreat by preparing testimonies, activities, and prayer services. For more info please contact jacob@barts.org.
Youth Group Meeting, Sunday, February 9th, 2:00 pm

Saint Bart's Youth Ministry will have a youth group meeting led by our Youth Leaders. If you are interested in joining our Youth Group, please contact the Youth Minister Jacob Tolentino at jacob@barts.org.
Youth Mass, Sunday, February 9th, 5:30 pm

Saint Bart's celebrates a Youth Mass every second Sunday of the month at the 5:30 pm Mass. All are welcome! We are looking for youth participants to lead the mass including, singers, instrumentalists, lectors, collectors, altar servers and trained Eucharistic Ministers. If you are interested, please contact the Youth Minister Jacob Tolentino at jacob@barts.org.
Youth Group Offsite Event, Thursday - Friday February 20-21st

The St. Bart’s Youth Group will be attending the Anaheim Youth Day. This will be an off site event of a day just for youth from many different backgrounds from throughout the Archdiocese – and beyond – to participate in a Rally, It is a day planned by young people, for young people. Young people will have the opportunity to experience speakers, exhibits, music, liturgy, and prayer that invite them deeper into their relationship with Christ. For more information, please contact our Youth Minister at jacob@barts.org.
Youth Group Bowling Night, Saturday, February 22nd

Save the Date! The St. Bart’s Youth Group will be having a bowling night! All Youth are invited to join in for a fun night. More details to come, please keep a look on the bulletin for more details! For more information, please contact our Youth Minister at jacob@barts.org.
Women's Guild Mardi Gras Lunch and Movie, Tuesday, February 25th

The St. Bartholomew Women’s Guild invites you to join us for our Annual Mardi Gras Lunch & Movie on Tuesday, February 25th, at 11:30am in the Parish Auditorium. Bring a friend and enjoy a lovely buffet lunch followed by the movie “The Two Popes,” starring Anthony Hopkins & Jonathan Pryce, $25 per person. Please RSVP by February 19th, checks payable to “St. Bartholomew Women’s Guild” mail to Kathy Messinger at 101 Barroilhet Ave., SM 94401. Any questions contact Marie Divanian at 650-579-7615.
Want to know about more events?
Save the Date - Upcoming Lent Events
We will be hosting a four- part lecture series during this upcoming season of Lent. For this brief four-part lecture series we will dive down into the study of conversion, penance, and the Parable of the Prodigal Son, perhaps better understood as Two Lost Sons and the Compassionate Father. What we offer purposes to encourage deeper intimacy with God by appreciating how far we may truly be apart and how much joy we may be missing. We may be moved to discover that, while side by side with our confessor, we are heart to heart with our Lord. The four scheduled talks will survey as well the lives and challenges of three Doctors or Saints of the Church whose ministries and writings on the topic of conversion/ penance and whose expositions of the parable promise to enrich and deepen our appreciation of the hidden joy of Lent—coming to ourselves and coming home to God.

The series will be held at the Parish Center Auditorium from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on:
March 11th—Conversion, Penance, current reading of Luke 15:11-32
March 18th—Life and Ministry of St. Ambrose (4th. c) ; St. Ambrose on the parable
March 25th—Life and Ministry of St. Bonaventure (13th. c.); St. Bonaventure on the parable
April 1st—Life and Ministry of St. John Henry Newman (19th. c.); St. John Henry on the parable 
Reminders
Mass for Anointing of the Sick
On February 9th at the 11:15 a.m. Mass, come to receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. For anyone advanced in age, suffering from physical or mental illness, preparing for surgery, or anyone suffering illness. Please call the Parish Office at (650) 347-0701 if you are homebound and need a ride to the Church to attend this Mass. Volunteers are needed to drive those who are homebound. Please call the office if you are able to help. 

Online Donations
Saint Bart's uses We Share for Online Donations. We Share is simple, easy, and paperless! Sign up by visiting www.barts.org and click on the "We Share" logo to set up your weekly Sunday Collection Donations. Let's continue to support Saint Bat's and its ongoing mission.

Eucharistic Adoration
All are invited to contemplate, to adore, and to pray to Jesus Christ before the Blessed Sacrament every first Friday of the month. Hours of exposition are from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please sign-up on-line here.

“So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? (Matthew 26:40)”
Ministry Spotlight
This month's Ministry Spotlight is our Social Justice Ministry! This month, the Social Justice Ministry presents Candidate's Forum featuring a discussion of critical issues in our community for candidates (or representatives) for the CA State Senate District 13. Join them on Monday, February 10th from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm. For more information, please reach out to Ross Weir at rossweir51@gmail.com or at (650) 678-0480
"Joy is a net of love by which we can catch souls."
-Saint Teresa of Calcutta
A Prayer to Saint Valentine
Dear Lord, who art high in the Heavens,
Giver of Love and Passion,
And He who strings the heart's cords,
Lead the Lovers this day, February ten plus four.
The day during the month of two,
When the date is the perfect number of God
Greater two souls and two hearts.
Some Loves are fleeting ,
But that which is built on you will never fail.
So guide the Lovers to know what is to be.
Your truths the Lovers' mouths should speak,
For Your truth is that which is honest to the heart.
Only this, then, should pass over the red lips of the Lovers.
Your art, the Lovers simply a medium.
It is only with True Hearts that You can create a Masterpiece,
So let the Lovers remember that their Soul's Desire
Is the one for which You light their Fire.
And let it be You who creates the Art of the Lovers;
The art of two into one.
AMEN
Saint Bartholomew Catholic Church | 650-347-0701 | 600 Columbia Drive
 San Mateo, CA 94402 |  https://barts.org  ‌