SAINT ANTHONY

PARISH

Dear Parishioners,

In today’s readings, Isaiah and Simon Peter encounter God, and their immediate response is to acknowledge their own sinfulness. Isaiah declares his lips unclean, and Peter calls himself a sinful man. When we confess our sinfulness, we also acknowledge God’s power to forgive us.

To recognize that God is God, and we are not, is an act of praise. And it is this attitude of humility that puts us in a position to be forgiven and healed.

In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah sees God seated on a throne. The seraphim above him cry out, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts!

During Mass, we join the angels in this refrain just before the Eucharistic Prayer. Isaiah says he is doomed because it was believed that no one could see God and live. Upon seeing God, Isaiah acknowledges his unworthiness, declaring he is a man of unclean lips. After he makes this confession, one of the seraphim touches his mouth with an ember from the altar to remove his wickedness and purge his sin. Through this action, Isaiah is made worthy of his call to be God’s prophet. At Mass, the celebrant references this event before proclaiming the Gospel. He prays quietly, “Cleanse my heart and my lips, almighty God, that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel.”

In today’s Gospel reading, Simon Peter also witnesses God’s mysterious power. Simon has been fishing all night without catching anything. He has cleaned his nets. His work is finished. But when he follows Jesus’ instructions to cast his nets one more time, he catches an astounding number of fish. In response to the miraculous sight, Peter falls to his knees and says: Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man. Peter simultaneously acknowledges Jesus’ identity as Lord and his own sinfulness. In response, he will leave everything behind and follow Christ.

Referencing both of these passages, the Catechism says: “Because God is holy, he can forgive the man who realizes that he is a sinner before him” (CCC 208). When we confess our sinfulness in God’s presence, we put ourselves in a position to be forgiven. It is this attitude that we take when we pray the Confiteor at Mass. We dare not approach the altar, where the Lamb of God is seated on his throne, without first confessing our own sinfulness. We leave everything behind to follow the one with the power to make us worthy to receive him. I invite you to think about that next time before the Mass in your silent prayerful reflection.

Blessings,

Fr. Tad

MASS ETIQUETTE

Remember to silence, turn off, and put away your cell phones, tablets, and gaming devices prior the start of Mass.

Remember not to chew a gum in the church, especially during Mass.

Keep in mind the Communion fast – we are to fast from food and drink (water and medicine excluded) one hour before receiving Holy Communion. Let us prepare our body and soul to worthily receive our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.

When we are in the church (specifically in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament), we should keep our volume to a reverential whisper, if conversation is necessary. This is to promote prayer to prepare our hearts and minds for Mass. Thank you for your mindfulness.

FIRST FRIDAY EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

FEBRUARY 7, 2025

“For Jesus to ‘work miracles’ is available in our day on one condition. That we come to him in Adoration and confidently beg him to give us the graces that we so desperately need.” - Servant of God Fr. John A. Hardon S.J.

Come adore the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament for an hour or as long as you want on February 7 after 6:30 PM Mass. This is your opportunity to spend some time with Him. You can pray, read the Bible or simply sit in silence, keeping Him company like you would do with a dear friend. Adoration will go throughout the night and it will end at 7 AM the following morning with Benediction. All are invited to the delicious breakfast that will be offered afterwards.

Fr. Tad will be available for Confession from 7 to 8 PM on Friday.

Bella Notte

St. Anthony Pasta Night

It’s a beautiful night for pasta with friends and loved ones.

Pasta night is Friday, February 14^th from 6:00-9:00 P.M. Tickets go on sale for this event after all masses starting January 18^h and go through February 9^th. Tickets may also be purchased through the office. Make sure you get your tickets early. Tickets will not be available at the door!

Ages 13 and older: $25.00

Children 6 - 12 years old: $10.00

Children under 6: Free

For those purchasing a minimum of ten adult tickets, you may reserve your own table that seats ten guests for an additional $50.

Meal includes penne pasta with sauce, sausages, meatballs, salad, bread, nonalcoholic drinks and dessert.

Bar drinks are available for purchase.

There will be a raffle of several gift baskets and a 50/50 raffle. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase the night of the event. The cost is $10.00 for 6 tickets.

A life without Pasta Night seems im-Pasta-ble ! Hope to see you there!

2025 Annual Diocesan Appeal Supporting

Our Mission Together

Our Parish Goal: $ 93,279

The 2025 Annual Diocesan Appeal invites all Catholics to “support our mission together” to support the ministries, services, and programs offered by the Diocese of San José that in support of all parishes. Watch your mailboxes for more information regarding this once-a-year appeal! Please prayerfully consider your gift to support these important ministries. For information on the work of the Diocese, visit www.dsj.org/ADA.

“All tithes of the land, whether in grain from the field or in the fruit from the trees, belong to the Lord, as sacred to Him.” Lev. 27:30

Renovation Project of our Cottage

Renovation cost : around $20,000

Money raised: $ 18,800

Thank you to 23 generous families for their donation. And thank you to Laurie & Ramiro Bejinez for the generous donation of AC/ Heating Unit for the cottage!

Jubilee Year 2025

As we begin the new year, the Universal Church embarks the beginning of the Jubilee Year 2025, marking the 2,025th anniversary of the Incarnation of our Lord.

The theme is “Pilgrims of Hope,” and it will be a year of hope for a world suffering the impacts of war, the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a climate crisis. Click here for the Jubilee Year 2025 website.

JUBILEE PRAYER: PILGRIMS OF HOPE

In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII called the first Jubilee, also known as a “Holy Year,” a time in which God’s holiness transforms us. The frequency of Holy Years has changed over time: initially celebrated every 100 years, Pope Clement VI reduced the interval to every 50 years in 1343, and Pope Paul II further shortened it to every 25 years in 1470. By participating in the Holy Year, the faithful are granted a plenary indulgence. Below is the Jubilee prayer composed by Pope Francis.

Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,

and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,

reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity

and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven.

May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth.

To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever. Amen.

JUBILEE PLENARY INDULGENCE

The plenary indulgence has been a key feature of Holy Years for centuries within the Church. It is a remission of the temporal punishment due to sin, obtained by adhering to the norms established for a given Jubilee Year. In the Decree on the Granting of the Indulgence During the Ordinary Jubilee Year 2025 issued by His Holiness Pope Francis, the Holy Father invites “everyone to an intense experience of the love of God.” He emphasizes that the gift of the indulgence is “a way of discovering the unlimited nature of God’s mercy. Not by chance, for the ancients, the terms ‘mercy’ and ‘indulgence’ were interchangeable, as expressions of the fullness of God’s forgiveness, which knows no bounds” (Spes non Confundit, 23).

During the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025, all previously granted indulgences will remain in effect. Additionally, all faithful who are truly repentant, free from attachment to sin, and moved by a spirit of charity can obtain a plenary indulgence under the following conditions:

Purification through the Sacrament of Penance
Reception of Holy Communion
Prayers offered for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff

This plenary indulgence, accompanied by the remission and forgiveness of all sins, can also be applied in suffrage for the souls in Purgatory. The faithful may obtain it in the following ways:

1. Pilgrimages

Visits to the four major Basilicas in Rome, the three major Basilicas in the Holy Land, or local diocesan Cathedrals (e.g., the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph in the Diocese of San Jose).

2. Pious Visits to Sacred Places

Engaging in Eucharistic adoration and meditation. Concluding prayers with the Our Father, a Profession of Faith (in any legitimate form), and invocations to Mary, the Mother of God. Pope Francis highlights that during this Holy Year, all the faithful “will come to know the closeness of Mary, the most affectionate of mothers, who never abandons her children” (Spes non Confundit, 24).

3. Works of Mercy and Penance

Participation in popular missions, spiritual exercises, or formation activities focused on the documents of the Second Vatican Council and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. These activities should be held in a church or other suitable place and follow the intentions of the Holy Father. Through these practices, the Jubilee Year 2025 becomes a profound opportunity for renewal and an invitation to immerse oneself in the fullness of God’s mercy.

DIOCESE OF SAN JOSE: PASTORAL PLAN

The Diocese of San Jose has been working on a spiritual renewal (like the Eucharistic Revival among others) of our parish communities and encouraged the parishes to undertake evangelization efforts among the people. In case you have not yet seen the Diocese of San Jose plan (released late last year), you can view/download a copy here. The St. Anthony Pastoral Council and Finance Committee are working to incorporate applicable elements of the Diocese plan into our own St. Anthony Parish Plan, and will share highlights of the integrated plan with the community in Q1 2025.

Feb 15 Wedding Anniversary Mass

Couples are invited to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph, Sat. Feb. 15, 10am to celebrate their wedding anniversary with Bishop Oscar Cantú, renew their vows and receive a special blessing and certificate. The day celebrates the beauty of marriage by honoring couples celebrating milestone anniversaries; their first year of marriage to couples celebrating their sixtieth anniversary, all are welcome! For more information and to register for Mass visit www.dsj.org/wedding-anniversary.

Women’s & Men’s Upcoming Cursillo weekend:

The Diocese of San Jose has two upcoming Cursillo retreats that will be held at St. Clare’s Retreat Center in Soquel, CA. Cursillo is a Catholic based short course in Christianity. The Women’s weekend is March 20-23 and the Men’s weekend is April 3-6, 2025. Enjoy beautiful scenery, music, daily Mass, reflections, prayers, and speakers discussing how Christianity reflects in your everyday life. For more information and online application, please visit sanjosecursillo.org/cursillo-weekend/make-my-weekend for more information.

Living Our Faith in Love by The Marriage Group is the world’s most popular online, on-demand Catholic marriage prep course and can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere. The Marriage Group’s courses are promoted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Features of the Pre-Cana:

Downloadable His and Hers Discussion Guides that will spark meaningful and deep conversation.
Presented by couples with a variety of perspectives on the vocation of marriage
Interactive Reflection Exercises to help understand the topic and its main takeaways.
Includes a Certificate of Completion.

CALLING ALL MUSICIANS AND SINGERS

The 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM choirs are looking to recruit more singers and musicians. Please consider sharing your talent and joining us in praising God through music.

Rehearsals for the 8:30 AM Mass are on Tuesdays at 7:00 PM and rehearsals for the 10:30 AM Mass are on Thursdays at 7:00 PM.

For more information, contact Denise Delong at: denise_delong@yahoo.com or speak to a choir member after Mass.

Have you ever tried to “Sing the Hours”?

The Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office or Breviary, is the daily prayer of the universal church, with prayers dispersed at intervals throughout the day to sanctify time and work. The Office is organized around the Psalms, which train our voices speak and sing along with the voice of Christ.

Now, there is a new and easy way to learn the Liturgy of the Hours, by listening to the twice-daily podcast “Sing the Hours” with Paul Rose. Visit SingTheHours.org to get started! After a few weeks of listening and praying and singing along, you will find the timeless prayers of Jesus and His Church becoming your own prayers as well!

DONATIONS INFO

It is easier now more than ever to make your stewardship and second collection contributions online. A "Donate" button has been added to the upper right corner of the parish website home page and an "Online Giving" button to the end of each week's parish email. Clicking these buttons will take you directly to our online giving app.