november 2021
Our Lady of the
Assumption Pa r i sh
T H E G IVI NG T REE:
Helping Families in Our Community C elebrate Christmas
Inside 2 The Eucharist and
Stewardship as a Way of Life
3 Giving Thanks to God for the Gift of Time
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Choir in the Pews: Embracing the Joy of Song and Supporting Active Participation in the Mass
6 Understanding the Role of Sacramentals in Our Faith
7 O ur New Vocations
Committee: Working to Foster Discernment of God’s Call
5057 Cottage Way Carmichael, CA 95608 (916) 481-5115 | olaparish.net
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hristmas is right around the corner, and we are preparing our hearts and our homes for the birth of Christ. We must also look to our neighbors in need, and this year, our parish is continuing our longstanding tradition of the Giving Tree. “We are so blessed in our lives and giving back is part of our DNA,” says Carmy Baca, chair of the Pastoral Council. While this ministry has been at the heart of our Christmas celebration for a long time, it will look a little different from previous years. We’ve all been surprised when we’ve found Christmas is right around the corner, and we are preparing our hearts and our homes for the birth of Christ. We must a new and better way of doing also look to our neighbors in need, and this year, our parish is something, especially in the face of continuing our longstanding tradition of the Giving Tree. the challenges we’ve encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic — the Giving Tree Ministry is one strong example of that. Instead of having a tree with tags on it set up at the church, the Giving Tree has moved online. This will make it easier for you and your family to sign up and keep track of the gifts that you will purchase. Last year, many families took this opportunity to safely get together, buy gifts for an entire family and wrap them, while enjoying fellowship together in a time when opportunities for fellowship were fewer. “Families were able to get together, be safe, and give back,” Carmy says. Instead of taking a tag for one member of a family, you will be able to sign up to take charge of one entire family and coordinate with as many other people as you need to in order to purchase their gifts. The online system helps continued on back cover
The
Eucharist and Stewardship I
A S A WAY O F L I F E
n 1992, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approved a pastoral letter titled Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response. This document was an invitation to follow Christ Who gave of Himself for us. Each of us is called to serve our neighbors and to be stewards of God’s creation and of all that has been entrusted to us. However, to truly understand stewardship, we must look to the Holy Eucharist. The Holy Eucharist is the total gift of our loving Savior to us. Stewardship is our response to that gift. Even the word “Eucharist” implies stewardship. The word “Eucharist” finds its roots in the Latin word eucharistia, which in turn came from the Greek word eukaristos, which meant, quite simply, “gratitude” or “thanksgiving.” How fitting that we, who are called to be a stewardship people, celebrate at the focal point of every Mass an act of thanksgiving and gratitude — namely, the reception of Jesus’ gift to us — the Eucharist. In their pastoral letter on stewardship, the bishops speak of the Eucharist in this way: “The Eucharist is the great sign and agent of this expansive communion of charity… we enjoy a unique union with Christ and, in Him, with one another. Here His love — indeed, His very Self — flows into us as disciples and, through us and our practice of stewardship to the entire human race.” When we receive Christ’s Body in the Holy Eucharist, we hear the minister say, “The Body of Christ.” To this, we respond, “Amen” – which means in Hebrew, “Yes; it is so.”This is the essence of stewardship. We should enter the Church for Mass out of “gratitude.” We recognize the presence of the Lord in Holy Communion, and then we truly receive the Lord. What is left for us to do is the fulfillment of stewardship — that is, sharing what we have received in love of God and neighbor. Our entire experience speaks to stewardship — we are grateful; we recognize the real presence of the Lord; we receive the Lord, and then we share what we have received.
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Christ’s gift to us through the Eucharist is an invitation to us. We are called to give beyond what is convenient or what may be comfortable. We are called to forgive even when forgiveness may not be deserved; we are called to love even when that love is not returned. We are called to love as God loves us. The Eucharist is stewardship celebrated. The Mass is more than a ritual. It is an actual encounter with God, with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We need to respond to the Eucharist with our complete selves. What we experience in the Eucharist should, in turn, translate into our daily lives. We are committed to the Church, which is Christ’s body. We show our love for His body through acts of charity and generosity. We spend time in prayer, expressing our gratitude and our love. God’s greatest gift to us is Christ’s great love for us — this was shown when He was crucified on the Cross to pay the penalty for our sins and to give us eternal life. God’s love for us is without limit, and He offers Himself to us in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. Stewardship is how we respond to that gift.
“The Eucharist is ‘the source and summit of the Christian life.’ ‘The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and the works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church.’” – Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1324
A Letter from Our Pastor
GIVING THANKS TO GOD FOR THE Dear Parishioners,
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Gift of Time
he next several weeks are certainly a busy time for us as Catholics, good stewards, good citizens, and faithful members of the Church and our parish. There are celebrations and commemorations both inside and outside the Church that are momentous in terms of faith, citizenship, and living as people of thanksgiving and gratitude. We celebrate Veterans Day to honor and thank all those men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces in one capacity or another. Indicative of the importance of this day, every year at 11 a.m. Eastern, the President of the United States lays a wreath at the Tomb of No sooner are Thanksgiving Day celthe Unknown Soldier at Arlington ebrations concluded, than we begin that National Cemetery. We all understand that Americans glorious season called Advent on Sunday, celebrate a day of Thanksgiving on Nov. Nov. 28. This prepares us for and leads 25. What more can we say about this? It to Christmas. Indeed, this is both a busy is a day that was based in faith from its and extraordinary time of year! There is, very beginnings, and it is an indication of course, much more on which we could of how much we have to thank God for focus and about which we could think, in terms of the gifts we have received — meditate and pray, but that is more than our lives, our families, our Church, our enough for us to consider and absorb. From a stewardship perspective, I Lord and Savior — everything we are would like you to not only participate and everything we have.
and focus on all the particular things that are about to happen but also on one of our special gifts — the gift of time. The gift of time, which we all receive from God in equal amount, is precious because it is a nonrenewable resource. Although some of our time is committed because of family responsibilities, work responsibilities, or simply personal needs, we have an element of freewill with how we spend a certain amount of it. We need to spend some of that time in prayer, in thanksgiving, in worship, and in works of mercy and ministry. Our time is perhaps more precious than any material gifts we receive from the Lord. How are we doing with that gift? Sincerely yours in Christ,
Father Eduino Silveira Pastor
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C HOIR IN THE P EW
Song and Supporting Active
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hroughout our collective history as a Church, music has always been an important part of our worship. As Bishop Robert Barron says, “The Mass is not a lecture or performance that we witness from a distance. That is why we are called to full, active, conscious participation in the Mass.” Participating in the Mass through music brings us together in harmony both with one another and with the triune God. Here at Our Lady of the Assumption, a new ministry called Choir in the Pews works to encourage and support active participation in the Mass through song. “From King David singing psalms to Christ singing hymns with His disciples to the beauty of Gregorian chant, to the resounding fourpart harmonies of traditional hymns, to the contemporary songs we commonly hear today, the Church has a robust musical history and tradition,” says Music Director Casey Oliver. “Although I have been wanting to begin a ministry like this for years, it was the pandemic that made it clear
Music Ministry members David Cuny, Tracy Fernandez, Patti Phillips, and Casey Oliver lead the music at the Sunday 11:00 am Mass.
to me that this had to be my top priority moving forward.” As Casey notes, singing alone at Mass at the beginning of the pandemic was difficult. “When the assembly was finally allowed to sing at Mass again, and when we all sang the ‘Alleluia’ together again for the first time, it was such a profound experience for me,” she says. “The pandemic shed a bright light on something I have observed for years, which is a gap of sorts that can exist between the Music Ministry and the assembly.” One of the ways the Music Ministry tries to combat this “gap” is by including a variety of styles of liturgical
music during the Mass to appeal to as many as possible in our diverse parish community. Beautiful music creates an experience that can bring people together from all walks of life, and when music brings people together in worship, it is a transcendent experience. “My most memorable and profound prayer experience while singing during Mass took place while singing the ‘Holy’ during the Eucharistic Prayer,” Casey says. “I was the music director at a new parish in Henderson, Nev., and we initially met for Mass in a simple school gym. The last note of the ‘Holy’ resonated in a sacred way, even though we were in a gymnasium, because it was me, along with the choir, along with the assembly — it was all of us together filling that space with the voices God gave us. “Light was shining brightly through the window on all of us, and the physical vibration of everyone singing in that room together made me truly feel like we were part of the ‘choir of angels,’” she adds. “When you fill a worship space with the sound of all the continued on page 5
“We don’t measure the assembly’s participation by decibel level. We want to facilitate the participation of the assembly by providing as much practical support as we can, and then by allowing the liturgy and the Holy Spirit to work in people’s hearts.”
— Casey Oliver, Music Director 4
WS: Embracing the Joy of e Participation in the Mass voices there singing as one, and the space resonates, it is like an experience of heaven on earth. You hear it and feel it. I will never forget it. I aim to always strive for that, even now.” Singing at Mass also is a wonderful way to evangelize our fellow parishioners in the congregation. “The focus during the liturgy is the Lord, and if during our praise and worship, we are surrounded by voices singing His praises, it is easier to freely participate without worrying about standing out or singing a wrong note,” Casey says. “Singing becomes an automatic and outward expression of worship when you don’t have to overthink it or worry about being the only one around you singing.” This is the goal of the Choir in the Pews ministry — to have prepared singers in the pews who are willing to sing out during Mass and other prayer services to support and encourage the singing of others. “The ministry is open to all ability levels and includes a 20-minute weekly online musician prayer service and support materials for all who participate,” Casey says. “Members of Choir in the Pews are especially encouraged to give input regarding song selection for Masses and to discuss other issues that may be impacting musical participation.” Ultimately, we are all called to participate in the Mass to the best of our ability, and Choir in the Pews hopes to help guide and support people wherever their comfort level may be. “I understand very well that there are a variety of things that can impact a person’s physical ability to sing, including voice disorders, chronic respiratory conditions, allergies, reflux, fatigue, or even just emotional and physical well-being — singing while wearing a face mask can also be especially challenging,” Casey says. “We want to provide the maximum amount of support to help each individual participate in singing to the best of his or her ability and desire.” Casey also points out that each person’s individual approach to singing and experiencing the music at Mass is unique, as well.
“Some people participate by listening and contemplating the lyrics of a song,” she says. “Some people may only sing the ‘Alleluia,’ or nothing at all. This is all okay, too. Our desire and ability to sing at Mass can fluctuate. We don’t measure the assembly’s participation by decibel level. We want to facilitate the participation of the assembly by providing as much practical support as we can, and then by allowing the liturgy and the Holy Spirit to work in people’s hearts.” “Being generous with your musical gifts, wherever you are in the church, is a very meaningful and powerful way to share musical talent and to support others who may be less confident,” Casey adds. “Of course, we want talented musicians helping lead the music from the music area to provide a foundation for everyone’s participation, but there is almost a greater need for that leadership in the assembly. For musicians who have been interested in participating in music ministry, but haven’t been able to do so in a formal way, the Choir in the Pews Ministry is the perfect opportunity!”
Parishioner Raul Baeza sings all of the songs in the pews every weekend at the 11:00 am Sunday Mass.
If you would like more information about Choir in the Pews, please contact Casey Oliver at 916-481-5115 or worship@olaparish.net. 5
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Understanding the Role of in Our Faith
Sacramentals
ost Catholics are familiar with the idea of sacraments in the Church, of which there are seven. Sacraments are the foundation of the spiritual life for an individual and the Church. Sacraments are sources of grace — God’s very presence in our lives and unmerited favor from God. They are signs of God’s love, and these signs make present what they signify. Although a person benefits — receives the gift of grace — from the sacraments regardless of whether he or she is well disposed to them, one must cooperate with what the Spirit is doing in the sacrament to receive its full benefit. Sacramentals are different. These are also sacred signs that can build holiness, but they do not work on their own. One must be aware and fully conscious of the sacred action. Sacramentals sanctify us to get the most benefit from the Sacraments (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1667). Sacramentals are given to us to make holy certain actions in life and life’s circumstances. There are many such sacred signs that are reminders to us of God. The sign of the cross is perhaps one of the most fundamental of these signs, and for Catholics, this invocation is done at the start of every sacred action and prayer. Holy water is a sacramental, as it reminds us of our Baptism. By dipping our fingers into holy water and making the sign of the cross, we are combining two foundational symbols of the Christian life and the Paschal Mystery — the passion, death, and rising of Christ — and bringing them to life in us. The exchange of peace in the Mass — and at other Catholic rites — is another example of a sacramental. By making some kind of meaningful sign of peace, we are giving the peace of Christ to another person. The chalice and other sacred vessels at Mass also are sacramentals, as they remind us of what they are to contain — the very Body and Blood of Christ. It might be helpful to organize the types of sacramentals into categories, as author Michael Pennock lists in This Is Our Faith: A Catholic Catechism for Adults: “Actions (blessings; genuflections; the sign of the cross; bowing one’s head at the name of Jesus; church
processions); Objects (candles; holy water; statues and icons; holy pictures; blessed ashes; palms; rosaries; relics; incense; vestments; scapulars; church buildings; crosses; religious medals); Places (the Holy Land; Rome; Fatima; Lourdes; the National Shrine in Washington, D.C.; and other places of pilgrimage; chapels, retreat centers, and even Catholic cemeteries); Prayers (short prayers we say throughout the day; grace before and after meals; prayers at rising and going to bed; praying the rosary, praying a host of other traditional Catholic prayers and devotions); Sacred Time (liturgy; holy days; feasts of saints; your saint’s name day; special days of prayer; fasting and abstinence; retreats, etc.)” (This Is Our Faith: A Catholic Catechism for Adults, 176-177). “Sacramentals… prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it” (CCC 1670). In a word, sacramentals, through the prayer of the Church, bring us to holiness in Christ. All devotions of piety, including sacramentals, should point us toward the liturgy of the Church, a connection to a local parish community, and to the Eucharist (CCC 1675). The Church, through Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection, has given us these sacred signs to lead us in holiness and to better recognize an authentic Christian life. How many sacramentals can you recognize in your life? Probably more than you think.
O U R N E W V O C AT I O N S C O M M I T T E E :
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Working to Foster Discernment of God’s Call
he famous Christian “We hear in the Gospel song, “The Servant of Matthew that we are to Song,” begins with the lyr‘go out and evangelize the ics, “What do you want of me, world,’” Deacon Paul adds. Lord? Where do you want “We need the ordained and me to serve you?” consecrated to spearhead Following our vocation evangelizing the world.” truly means asking the Lord As Sharon notes, she and that very question and followDeacon Paul believe his call to ing what we hear. The newly the diaconate started when he formed Vocations Committee was a child. at Our Lady of the Assump“When he was 6, he was tion will help parishioners ask trailing the priest at mornthat question and also pray ing Mass and Stations of for those who have followed the Cross,” Sharon says. the call to the ordained, con“That was when his call may Deacon Paul and Sharon Friedrich secrated, married, or single life. have started.” The committee has three main Thus, Deacon Paul and objectives — to organize a campaign of prayer for vocations; to Sharon also want to use this committee to help families talk create parish awareness of all vocations; and to invite individuals about vocations at home. Parents should help their children to consider the call to be a priest, deacon, brother, or sister. listen to the ways God is calling them, whether it be to the or From Nov. 7 to 13, we are observing National Vocation dained, consecrated, married, or single life. Awareness, which is why we have chosen that time to begin praying our new vocations prayer. Beginning the weekend of VO CAT I O N S P R AY ER Nov. 6-7, we will be praying the vocations prayer during the prayers of the faithful at each Mass. Our hope and prayer is Loving God, You speak to us and nourish us that vocations will increase and be fruitful for our beloved through the life of this church community. Catholic community. In the name of Jesus, we ask you to send your Spirit to us Deacon Paul Friedrich and his wife, Sharon, were asked to so that men and women among us, young and old, will start this committee at Our Lady of the Assumption. Of course, respond to your call to service and leadership in the church. the couple most certainly understands vocations! Sharon also serves on the Deacon Formation Policy Board through the DiWe pray, especially, in our day, for those who hear your ocese of Sacramento. In addition, the couple would like to colinvitation to be a priest, sister, brother, or deacon; and also laborate more with our parish school to introduce vocations. for those called to be a spouse or single person. “There’s such a need for more priests, deacons, sisters, and brothers,” Sharon says. “There’s a shortage of all of them. We May those who are opening their hearts and minds to really need priests to shepherd the flock, and deacons to work your call be encouraged and strengthened through our with the bishop and alongside the priests. We need more sisters enthusiasm in your service. Amen. and brothers to be witnesses of God’s love and model the way.”
If you would like to get involved in the OLA Vocations Committee, please contact Sharon Friedrich at deaconpaul@olaparish.net or 916-481-5115. Please pray for vocations! 7
5057 Cottage Way Carmichael, CA 95608 (916) 481-5115 | olaparish.net MASS TIMES: 8:00 a.m. Daily Mass Monday-Friday and first Saturday Saturday 5:00 p.m. Vigil Mass Sunday Mass 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. *See website for diocesan and county guidelines.
The Giving Tree
continued from front cover
ensure that no one is missed, tags won’t be lost, and that children within a family get the same number of presents. In the past, it would take a whole team of volunteers an entire day to organize and label all of the gifts. Now, parishioners will bring their gifts back bagged, labeled, and ready for distribution to the families. This ensures the safety of everyone involved. Last year, Carmy was taken aback by how quickly the parish rose to the challenge. “As soon as it hit the site, all of our families were chosen within three days,” Carmy says. “They asked if there were more or if there was something they could do. I saw people hungry to help.” This year, longtime parishioners Peggy and Dale Stradford have volunteered to take charge of the program, ensuring that it goes even more smoothly than before.
“For all the gifts that we have in our lives, it’s important for all of us to be a part of a ministry that helps people,” Carmy says. “That’s what we’re here for. That’s what Jesus did.” Last year, the parish helped 50 families celebrate Christmas. Thanks to the generosity of our parish, 117 adults and 158 children were able to open presents on Christmas morning. Let’s rise to the occasion this year and bring joy to our neighbors on Christmas Day. “No one should ever be without on Christmas,” Carmy says.
Please prayerfully consider helping a Giving Tree family. Sign-ups for the Giving Tree will be available on the parish website at www.olaparish.net.