CSF Consecration 2019

Living the

CONSECRATION

A PRACTICAL AND INSPIRATIONAL GUIDE

“For this act of devotion to bear fruit we must continue to live out its meaning in our lives, and, in particular, must observe the practices that Our Lady requested at Fatima.”

A message from the Archbishop of San Francisco, Salvatore J. Cordileone

Rosary | Penance | Adoration In response to a request from some of the faithful of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, I consecrated the Archdiocese to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on October 7, 2017. The day was the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary; the year was the centennial of the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima, Portugal, where, among other things, she asked for devotion to her Immaculate Heart.

The purpose of the consecration was to rededicate ourselves to responding to God’s call to holiness in our lives by living our vocations faithfully and well, and opening our minds and hearts to God’s grace through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, Mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ “For this act of devotion to bear fruit we must continue to live out its meaning in our lives, and, in particular, must observe the practices that Our Lady requested at Fatima.

“I therefore encourage all of our people in the Archdiocese of San Francisco to regularly observe the practices of the rosary, penance, and adoration.”

At this critical time in the history of the world and our Church, we need to avail ourselves of the spiritual resources at our disposition, to plead for God’s mercy upon us, and to ask for the grace of authentic renewal in our lives as His disciples.

Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone July 18, 2019

catholic-sf.org | Catholic San Francisco | Living the Consecration

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Pray the rosary.

Every day personally; and for families, at least once a week together as a family.

The word “rosary” comes from Latin and means a garland of roses, the rose being one of the flowers used to symbolize the Virgin Mary. She has appeared in different locations throughout the world to ask for the recitation of the rosary, a meditation on the life of her Divine Son. The rosary combines vocal and mental prayer, or reflection on the important events in the life of Christ and his Blessed Mother. The purpose of praying the rosary is to help keep in memory these events in the history of our salvation.

(Excerpted from rosary-center.org)

Learn more about how to pray the rosary at rosary-center.org catholic-sf.org | Catholic San Francisco | Living the Consecration

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Rosary times and locations

The rosary is prayed at the following locations on days and times specified.

MARIN COUNTY St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1000 Cambridge St., Novato,

Mon-Sat after 9 a.m. Mass.

St. Isabella Church, One Trinity Way, San Rafael, Mon, 5 p.m. includes four mysteries, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, adoration; (415) 479-1560.

St. Patrick Church, 114 King St., Larkspur, Tues-Fri at 7:30 a.m. before 8 a.m. Mass. (415) 924 0600.

SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY Holy Name of Jesus Church, 1555 39th Ave., weekdays

and Sat, 8:35 a.m. before the 9 a.m. Mass in the chapel; (415) 664-8590.

National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi, 624 Vallejo St. at

Columbus, Porziuncola Chapel, Sat, 2:30 p.m. followed by Chaplet of Divine Mercy; www.ShrineSF.org, info@shrinesf. org, (415) 986-4557.

St. Benedict Parish for the Deaf at St. Francis Xavier Church, 1801 Octavia St., rosary in sign language, all Sundays except June/July /August, 9:45-10:15 a.m.; stbenz1801@gmail.com; www.sfdeafcatholics.org.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stbenedictparish.

St. Cecilia Church, 17th Avenue and Vicente, Mon-Sat, 8:35 a.m.

St. Elizabeth Church, 459 Somerset St., Mon-Sat after 8 a.m.

Star of the Sea Church, Eighth Avenue at Geary Boulevard: Tuesdays 7 p.m. before the Blessed Sacrament in the church; Saturdays 3:20 p.m. right after Divine Mercy Devotion in Church; 2nd Sundays 3:15 p.m. for Priest and Vocations in the Church; 3rd Sundays @ 11 a.m. Holy Rosary Sodality in our St. Joseph Perpetual Adoration Chapel; 1st Sunday before the 9:30 a.m. Mass; 2nd Sat right after the 8:30 a.m. 2000 Hail Mary Devotion in the school cafeteria (415) 751-0450; www.starparish.com.; admin@starparish.com.;Facebook: starparishsf.

SAN MATEO COUNTY Church of the Nativity, 210 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park,

Mon-Fri following 7:30 a.m. Mass, Saturday following 8 a.m.

Mass; Sunday 7 p.m.

Holy Angels Church, 107 San Pedro Road, Colma, Mon-Sat approximately 8 a.m. following 7:30 a.m. Mass, (650) 755-0478.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 300 Fulton St., Redwood City, Mon-Sat, 7:50 a.m. before 8:15 a.m. Mass; (650) 366-3802; www.mountcarmel.org.

St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1000 Cambridge St., Novato, Mon-Sat after 9 a.m. Mass. (650) 366-4692.

St. Dunstan Church, 1133 Broadway, Millbrae, Mon-Sat, 7:40 a.m. before 8 a.m. Mass. (650) 697-4730.

St. Gabriel Church, 40th Ave. at Ulloa, Mon-Fri after the 8:30

St. Francis of Assisi Church, 1425 Bay Road, East Palo Alto, rosary in Spanish Sundays before 9:30 a.m. Spanish Mass; (650) 322-2152.

St. Ignatius Church, 650 Parker Ave., Mon-Fri, following the

St. Luke Church, 1111 Beach Park Blvd., Foster City, Mon-Sat following the 8:30 a.m. Mass.

St. John the Evangelist Church, 19 St. Mary’s Ave.,

St. Mark Church, 325 Marine View Ave., Belmont, Mon/Tue/ Wed, 7:30 p.m.; (650) 591-5937; www.saintmarksparish.com.

St. Kevin Church, 704 Cortland Ave., Fridays after 9 a.m.

St. Matthias Church, 1685 Cordilleras Road, Redwood City, Rosary for Peace in the Merry Room of Father Lacey Hall, Friday mornings at 9:15 am. www.stmatthiasparish.org.

Mass; (415) 468-0820, www.stelizabethsf.org. a.m. Mass.

12:05 p.m. Mass; Sat, before the 8 a.m. Mass, (415) 422-2188.

(415) 334-4646; every day after the 9:00 a.m. Mass. www.saintjohnevangelist.org.

Mass, (415) 648-5751.

St. Monica Church, 24th Ave. at Geary Blvd., Mon-Fri,

8 a.m. before 8:30 a.m. Mass.

St. Pius Church, 1100 Woodside Road, Redwood City, Mon-Sat 7:30 a.m., Mon and Wed 4:40 p.m.; mary246barry@ sbcglobal.net.

Sts. Peter and Paul Church, 666 Filbert St. across from

St. Veronica Church, 434 Alida Way, South San Francisco.

St. Philip the Apostle Church, 725 Diamond, Holy Hour and

Is your parish praying the rosary?

Washington Square, second Sunday of the month in Cantonese, parish pastoral center, 11:30 a.m., Kelly Kong (510) 794-6117; Wednesday, 7 p.m., English, http://salesiansspp.org/.

Rosary Mon-Sat following the 8 a.m. Mass, (except Tuesdays).

Office contact (415) 282-0141.

St. Stephen Church, 451 Eucalyptus Drive at 23rd Ave., MonSat following the 8 a.m. Mass; info@SaintStephenSF.org (415) 681-2444.

Mon-Sat 7:50 a.m. (650) 588-1455.

Catholic San Francisco would like to let its readers know.

If your parish has a regular praying of the rosary to which all are invited, just send the day, time, location and contact information to Mary Podesta, podestam@sfarch.org

catholic-sf.org | Catholic San Francisco | Living the Consecration

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Receive the sacrament of Penance.

Go to confession regularly (at least once a month).

Four priests talk about the ‘life-changing’ beauty of the sacrament

CONFESSORS ON CONFESSION CHRISTINA GRAY

CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO

Every Tuesday evening since Ash Wednesday, confessional lights have been blinking in parishes all around the Archdiocese of San Francisco as part of “The Light is On for You” campaign.

The Lenten campaign, originated in the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., and the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, a decade ago and adopted by other dioceses since, is designed to encourage the faithful to go to confession. By offering the sacrament of reconciliation at a universal time frame in all parishes – mostly 6-8 p.m. – and a website with a step-by-step guide including prayers and preparatory tools for the examination of one’s conscience, the idea is to make confession more accessible and approachable for more people.

Catholic San Francisco talked to four parish priests about the fruits of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Penance. While each shared a unique perspective, all agreed that the sacrament can be spiritually transformative but infrequently taken advantage of by many Catholics.

This article first appeared in April 1, 2019, issue of CSF.

‘The more you ask for forgiveness, the more you become a forgiving person.’

FATHER MIKE QUINN, Pastor, St. Mary Star of the Sea, Sausalito

W

hat new priests fear more even more than making a mistake during Mass is not being a good confessor, Father Quinn said.

“It’s because there are no ‘do-overs,’” he said. “You will either be the mouthpiece of God or you will cause the person in the confessional to go away, perhaps forever.”

He said a good confessor “remains true to laws of the church,” but not at the expense of a “pastoral sensibility.”

He acknowledged that a “bad priest experience” with a confessor who was overly harsh and punitive, disengaged or on “auto pilot” has turned some away from the exceptional “beauty of the sacrament.”

He recalled a childhood priest who absently prescribed the same three Hail Mary’s penance for whatever sin he and his brothers confessed. “There was always a long line outside his confessional,” he laughed.

At his parish, Father Quinn normally hears confessions two days a week from 3-5 p.m. He said the clergy sex abuses crises over last 20 years have likely only added to other factors that keep Catholics away from the confessional.

Father Quinn said Catholics who don’t make confession a regular part of their faith life are “denying themselves the spiritual refreshment” of the sacrament.

“The more you ask for forgiveness, the more you become a forgiving person,” he said. God’s forgiveness is “an awesome realization to think about,” he said, a “gift” that depends upon a person’s sincere contrition, not upon their “worthiness.”

He recalled the deathbed confession of a person who had committed a “grave mortal sin” earlier in life, had already confessed it and done penance for it, but felt the need to confess it again at the end of life.

“I came to the realization that one thing we need to do a little better perhaps, is impart the knowledge that if God forgives you, let it go,” Father Quinn said. “Once you’re forgiven, you’re forgiven.”

A guilty conscience is like “carrying a big bag of rocks,” he said. “Forgiveness unbinds us from the past so that we live fully in the present and to anticipate with joy the future.”

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‘It is like God opening up the shades of my soul and letting the light in more clearly.’

FATHER CAMERON FALLER, Parochial vicar, Church of the Epiphany, San Francisco

F

ather Cameron Faller, whose first assignment as a young priest was as chaplain at Archbishop Riordan High School, credits the sacrament for a “turnaround” in how he used to see things and “how I used to live and act” as a young college student.

“I saw things slowly turn around when I started going more frequently to confession and being more honest there,” he said. “That’s why I have a desire to talk about it and pass it on to people.”

Father Faller said the “healing” aspect of confession sometimes gets lost or confused by people.

“It’s not just like I’m a wicked person and I’ve got these terrible sins that I need a dictator God to give me pardon for,” he said. “I’m a human being who struggles to do the right thing or to see things correctly or to have the right heart in certain situations. I need God’s healing mercy not just to forgive my sins but to make me a better person.”

Father Faller said going to confession, which he said is what makes for a good confessor, has been “like God opening up the shades of my soul and letting the light in more clearly.”

Sin blinds us, he said, but confession can “slowly remove the blinds so we can see ourselves and our relationships more clearly.”

Father Faller said that he didn’t have the “amazing confession moment” some people have and calls the sacrament a “slow-working process.”

“I think that’s one of the things that Catholics struggle with today is the desire for instant gratification in a spiritual experience,” he said.

God does sometimes give us a profound spiritual experience, Father Faller said, but it doesn’t mean the sacrament isn’t having an effect if you don’t have one.

“It’s not a one-shot experience,” he said. “I’ve seen the beauty of confession, but it’s been over time in my life.”

‘Being honest in naming our sins allows us to really let them go.’

FATHER FELIX LIM, Pastor, St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Novato

F

ather Felix Lim says there should be no hemming and hawing when it comes to making a good confession “Lay it all out there.”

There is nothing you can say to a priest that he probably hasn’t heard before, he said, and naming our sins allows us to really let them go.

“Leave no stone unturned,” Father Lim said. “Remember Jesus has seen this all anyway and he’s really the person that we’re telling those sins to.”

Father Lim said that a good confession is brief out of courtesy for the confessor and other penitents waiting for their confessor, but mostly because it helps us state our sins more directly.

“Sometimes we draw a really long story because we

actually don’t want to say a sin or we’re even trying to justify it,” he said. “As much as the priest loves us, cares about us and wants to forgive us, they’re probably not interested in all the ins and outs of why I lied to my mom.”

He said “getting it out there” without a back story actually feels better anyway and can reduce anxiety.

Finally, said Father Lim, “Be forgiven.” When the priest says those words, “I absolve you of all your sins,” Jesus has forgiven us.

“We are washed and made new, provided we have not withheld any sins,” he said. “We are now a new creation, we are washed clean and so we’ve got to move on.”

If you find yourself tripping into some of those same sins, he said, go back to the sacrament. “Make it a habit.”

‘Confessing run-of-the-mill sins is like preventative medicine.’

FATHER LARRY GOODE, Pastor,

St. Francis of Assisi Parish, East Palo Alto

I

n a letter to Catholic San Francisco, Father Goode wrote that “for many Catholics, there are only six sacraments.”

“They receive Communion every week without even thinking about confession – not even Easter Duty once a year or even for many years,” he said.

“I encourage people to confess frequently, at least once a month, because after a month you begin to forget, to get used to, and to do the same thing over and over.”

Father Goode said we tend to offend most with our sins the people that we love most, “which doesn’t make any sense.”

Father Goode relies on his own weekly confession to be a good confessor himself.

“Confession helps me to get along with the people in my life. It challenges me to love more, to be more thoughtful of others and less concerned with my own needs,” he said.

Like anyone, he prepares for a good confession by examine his conscience each night. “That way I get to know my dominant faults, things that keep coming up because it’s who I am,” he said. In the morning he resolves not to repeat the failures of the day before, admitting he makes his “practical and maybe even clever.”

“I may have to outsmart myself in order to get the best of my dominant faults,” he said. “They don’t just go away.”

He also relies on what he calls the “Joe Morgan Method,” a method the San Francisco Giants player used to become the most valuable player two years in a row. After each game, Morgan found a quiet place in the clubhouse where he evaluated the game in his mind. He looked at the good things so he could keep doing them and the bad things so he could avoid them.

“This method helps me overcome anything or to accomplish anything with the grace of God,” Father Goode said. “I know clearly what my greatest weakness is.”

With men young and old, porn, drugs and alcohol abuse are big problem areas, he said. With married men and women, infidelity and birth control can be. All should confess failing to attend Mass.

“If the children don’t have a ride to Mass I encourage them to ‘bug’ their parents as they would if they wanted to go to a party or a movie or a sports event,” he said. For those who don’t feel they have “big” sins to confess, Father Goode said confessing “run-of-the-mill” sins can be like “preventative medicine.”

“This can help us to grow in union with Christ,” he said. ■

catholic-sf.org | Catholic San Francisco | Living the Consecration

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EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

Before going to confession, one should prepare oneself with an examination of conscience, which involves reflecting prayerfully on one’s thoughts, words, and deeds in order to identify any sins.

I am the Lord your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me.

Have I treated people, events, or things as more important than God?

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

Have my words, actively or passively, put down God, the Church, or people?

Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day. Do I go to Mass every Sunday (or Saturday Vigil) and on Holy Days of Obligation (Jan. 1; the Ascension; Aug. 15; Nov. 1; Dec. 8; Dec. 25)? Do I avoid, when possible, work that impedes worship to God, joy for the Lord’s Day, and proper relaxation of mind and body? Do I look for ways to spend time with family or in service on Sunday?

Honor your father and your mother.

Do I show my parents due respect? Do I seek to maintain good communication with my parents where possible? Do I criticize them for lacking skills I think they should have?

You shall not kill.

Have I harmed another through physical, verbal, or emotional means, including gossip or manipulation of any kind?

You shall not commit adultery.

Have I respected the physical and sexual dignity of others and of myself?

You shall not steal.

Have I taken or wasted time or resources that belonged to another?

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Have I gossiped, told lies, or embellished stories at the expense of another?

You shall not covet your neighbor’s spouse.

Have I honored my spouse with my full affection and exclusive love?

You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

Am I content with my own means and needs, or do I compare myself to others unnecessarily?

This examination of conscience based on the Ten Commandments. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops offers this and others based on Catholic Social Teaching or directed toward children, young adults and both single and married people at usccb.org.

ACT OF CONTRITION My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.

Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy.

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Penance: Confession times and locations

MARIN COUNTY

SAN MATEO COUNTY

St. Mary Magdalene, Bolinas. Reconciliation at Sacred Heart, Olema.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, Church of the, Belmont.

Saturday: 4:15-4:45 p.m. By appointment: (650) 593-6157. Communal Reconciliation during Advent and Lent.

St. Rita, Fairfax. By appointment: (415) 4564815.

St. Sebastian, Greenbrae. Saturday: 3:304:30 p.m. By appointment: (415) 461-0704.

St. Cecilia / St. Mary, Nicasio, Lagunitas.

Sunday: 9-9:25 a.m.

St. Patrick, Larkspur. Saturday: 4-4:45 p.m.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Mill Valley.

Saturday: 4-5 p.m. By appointment: (415) 388-4190.

Sacred Heart / St. Mary Magdalene Mission, Olema. By appointment: (415) 663-1139.

St. Raphael Church, San Rafael. Saturday: 3:304:30 p.m. By appointment: (415) 454-8141.

Assumption of Mary, Church of, Tomales. Daily before all Masses. By appointment: (707) 878-2208.

Our Lady of the Wayside, Portola Valley. Saturday: 4 p.m. By appointment: (650) 854-5976.

St. Catherine of Siena, Burlingame. Saturday: 4-4:45 p.m.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Redwood City.

Saturday: 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Holy Angels, Colma. Saturday: 3:30-4:15 p.m.

San Jose Obero, Redwood City. Saturday: 3:454:15 p.m. Reconciliation at St. Anthony, Menlo Park.

St. Francis of Assisi, East Palo Alto. Friday: 5-7 p.m. Saturday: 4:30-6 p.m.

St. Luke, Foster City. Saturday: 4-4:30 p.m. By appointment: (650) 345-6660.

Our Lady of Refuge Mission, LaHonda.

Reconciliation at Our Lady of the Pillar, Half Moon Bay.

St. Isabella , San Rafael. Tuesday: 5-7 p.m.

Friday: 3:30-4:30 p.m.

St. Hilary, Tiburon. Thursday: 4-4:30 p.m.

Friday: 9-9:30 a.m. Saturday: 4-4:30 p.m.

By appointment: (415) 435-1122.

Our Lady of Angels, Burlingame. Saturday: 3:304:45 p.m.

Our Lady of the Pillar, Half Moon Bay. Saturday: 4-4:45 p.m.

St. Anselm Church, Ross. Saturday: 4-4:45 p.m.

St. Mary Star of the Sea, Sausalito. Saturday: 4-4:45 p.m. By appointment: (415) 3321765.

St. Anthony Mission, Pescadero. Reconciliation at Our Lady of the Pillar, Half Moon Bay.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Daly City.

Wednesday: 5:30-6:30 p.m. Saturday: 3-3:45 p.m. By appointment: (650) 755-9786.

St. Anthony of Padua, Novato. Daily after Mass.

Saturday: After Mass 3:30-4:30 p.m.

St. Peter, Pacifica. Saturday: 3:30-4 p.m. By appointment: (650) 359-6313.

St. Mark, Belmont. Saturday: 3:45-4:15 p.m.

Our Lady of Mercy, Daly City. Saturday: 2:30-3 p.m.

Our Lady of Loretto, Novato. Saturday: 3-4 p.m. Reconciliation at St. Cecilia, Lagunitas

Good Shepherd, Church of the, Pacifica. Saturday: 3:45-4:45 p.m. By appointment: (650) 355-2593.

Nativity, Church of the , Menlo Park. Saturday: 3:30-4:30 p.m. By appointment: (650) 3237914.

St. Anthony, Menlo Park. Saturday: 4:30-6 p.m.

St. Denis, Menlo Park. Saturday: 5 p.m. By appointment: (650) 854-5976.

St. Raymond, Menlo Park. Thursday: 7-8 p.m.

Saturday: 3:45-4:45 p.m. By appointment: (650) 323-1755.

St. Dunstan, Millbrae. Saturday: 8:30 a.m.; 3:30-4:30 p.m.

St. Matthias, Redwood City. Saturday: 3:45 p.m.

By appointment: (650) 366-9544.

St. Pius, Redwood City. Saturday: 3:30-4:30 p.m.

St. Bruno, San Bruno. Wednesday: 6-9 p.m. depending on priest availability. Saturday: 3:30-4:30 p.m.

St. Robert, San Bruno. Saturday: 3:30-4:15 p.m.

St. Charles, San Carlos. Saturday: 3:30-4:30 p.m.

St. Bartholomew, San Mateo. Saturday: 4:154:45 p.m. By appointment: (650) 347-0701.

St. Gregory, San Mateo. Saturday: 3:45-4:45 p.m.

St. Matthew, San Mateo. Monday-Friday: 5-5:30 p.m. (Chapel). Saturday: 11:30 a.m.Noon; 4:30-5 p.m.

St. Timothy, San Mateo. Saturday: 3:30 p.m.

All Souls, South San Francisco. Saturday: 4-5 p.m.

Mater Dolorosa, South San Francisco. Saturday: 4:15-4:45 p.m.

St. Augustine, South San Francisco. Saturday: 3:15-4:15 p.m.

St. Veronica, South San Francisco. Saturday: 4-5 p.m.

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SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY

St. Emydius. Saturday: 3:30-4 p.m. By appointment: (415) 587-7066.

St. Anne of the Sunset. Saturday: 4-4:55 p.m.

St. Finn Barr. Saturday: 3:30 p.m.

St. John of God. By appointment: (415) 5665610.

Church of the Nativity. Daily: Before all Masses.

St. John the Evangelist. Saturday: 3:304:15 p.m. By appointment: (415) 334-4646.

St. Vincent de Paul. Saturday: 4:30 p.m. By appointment: (415) 922-1010.

St. Boniface. Saturday: 8:30-9 a.m. By appointment: (415) 863-7515.

Mission Dolores Basilica. Saturday: 4-5 p.m.

All Hallows Chapel. By appointment: (415) 285-3377. Contact Our Lady of Lourdes, SF

Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission, Brisbane.

Reconciliation at Church of the Visitacion, SF

St. Patrick. Tuesday: 11:30a.m.-noon

Most Holy Redeemer. Saturday: 3:45-4:30 p.m.

By appointment: (415) 863-6259.

St. Teresa. By appointment: (415) 285-5272.

St. Philip the Apostle. Saturday: 4:15 p.m.

Notre Dame des Victoires. Saturday: 4:30-5 p.m.

St. Dominic. Sunday: 7-7:25 a.m.; 9-9:25 a.m.; 11-11:25 a.m.; 5-5:25 p.m. Mon.-Fri.: By appointment. Saturday: 5-5:25 p.m. By appointment: (415) 556-7824.

Old St. Mary’s Cathedral. Monday-Friday: After 12:05 p.m. Mass until 1 p.m. Saturday: 4 p.m. By appointment: (415) 288-3817.

Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption.

Monday-Friday: 11:30 a.m.-noon. Saturday: 4-4:30 p.m.

St. Cecilia. Saturday: 4-5:30 p.m.

St. Gabriel. By appointment: (415) 731-6161.

Communal 1st Sat. - 3:30 p.m.

Our Lady of Lourdes / All Hallows Chapel. By appointment: (415) 285-3377. Call office.

St. Paul of the Shipwreck. Sunday: After Mass.

Saturday: 4:15-4:45 p.m. By appointment: 415-468-3434.

St. Brendan. Sunday: 7-7:30 a.m., 8:309:30 a.m., 10:30-11:30 a.m. Wednesday: 7:15-7:45 p.m., 6-8 p.m. during Lent.

Saturday: 4:15-4:45 p.m.

Immaculate Conception Chapel. Reconciliation at St. Anthony of Padua, SF

St. Agnes. Saturday: 3-3:45 p.m. By appointment: (415) 487-8560.

St. Anthony of Padua. Monday-Friday: 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m.

St. Ignatius. Monday: 11:30 a.m.-Noon.

Saturday: 3:45-4:45 p.m.

St. Charles Borromeo. By appointment.

Star of the Sea. Sun.-Fri.: 15 minute before all Masses. Saturday: 3:15-4:15 p.m. By appointment: (415) 751-0450.

National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi. Mon.Fri.: 11 a.m.-Noon. Saturday: 11 a.m.-Noon, 1st Saturday: 10:15 a.m. By appointment: (415) 986-4557. Upon request.

Our Lady of Fatima Russian Byzantine Catholic.

Saturday: Before Liturgy. By appointment: (415) 752-2052.

St. Thomas More. Sunday: 9:15-9:45 a.m. By appointment: (415) 452-9634.

St. James. Saturday: 3:15 p.m. By appointment: (415) 824-4232.

St. Kevin. Daily after Mass. By appointment: (415) 618-5751.

St. Peter. Saturday: 4-4:45 p.m.

Corpus Christi. Saturday: 3:30-4:30 p.m. By appointment: (415) 585-2991.

Church of the Epiphany. Monday: 5:306:30 p.m. Saturday: 4-5 p.m. By appointment: (415) 333-7630.

St. Paul. Saturday: 3:30-4:15 p.m.

St. Stephen. Saturday: 3:30 p.m. By appointment: (415) 681-2444.

St. Monica. Saturday: 4-4:45 p.m.

Sts. Peter and Paul. Sunday: Any time at rectory. By appointment: (415) 421-0809.

St. Thomas the Apostle. Saturday: 3-3:30 p.m.

St. Elizabeth. Saturday: 3:30-4:15 p.m.

Holy Name of Jesus. Sunday: 20 minutes before all Masses. Saturday: 4:20-4:50 p.m.

By appointment: (415) 664-8590.

Visitacion, Church of the / Our Lady of Guadalupe. Saturday: 3-3:45 p.m. By appointment: (415) 494-5517.

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9

Pray before the Blessed Sacrament.

Spend at least one hour a week in prayer before the Eucharist in the tabernacle or exposed in the monstrance.

POPE FRANCIS: ‘Discover the beauty of prayer in adoration’ COURTNEY GROGAN CATHOLIC NEWS AGENCY

VATICAN CITY, Aug 18, 2019 – Pope Francis said Sunday that prayer in adoration of God and service to others spreads the fire of God’s love, changing the world one heart at a time.

“I invite everyone to discover the beauty of the prayer of adoration and to exercise it often,” Pope Francis said Aug. 18.

Adoration of God in prayer is necessary to allow the fire of love that Jesus brought to the earth to envelop our entire existence, the pope explained.

In his Angelus address, the pope reflected upon this Sunday’s Gospel from Luke in which Jesus says to his disciples, “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!”

Adoration of God in prayer is necessary to allow the fire of love that Jesus brought to the earth to envelop our entire existence, the pope explained.

In his Angelus address, the pope reflected upon this Sunday’s Gospel from Luke in which Jesus says to his disciples, “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!”

“These words are intended to help the disciples to abandon any attitude of laziness, apathy, indifference and closure to welcome the fire of God’s love; that love which, as Saint Paul reminds us, ‘has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,’” Pope Francis said.

“Jesus reveals to his friends, and also to us, his most ardent desire: to bring to earth the fire of the Father’s love,

which kindles life and through which man is saved,” he said.

The Gospel is a limitless fire that saves and changes the world beginning with a change inside the heart of each person, Francis said. For this, he explained, it is necessary to adore God and serve others.

“It is a question of not living in a hypocritical way, but of being willing to pay the price for coherent choices this is the attitude that each of us should look for in life: consistency - paying the price to be consistent with the Gospel,” Pope Francis said.

“It is good to say that we are Christians, but above all we must be Christians in concrete situations, bearing witness to the Gospel which is essentially love for God and for our brothers,” he said.

Pope Francis pointed to the example of communities and groups of young people who dedicate their summers to service to others. The pope said that he admires those who devote themselves to the service of the sick, the poor, and people with disabilities.

“To live according to the spirit of the Gospel it is necessary that, in the face of ever new needs that are looming in the world, there are disciples of Christ who know how to respond with new initiatives of charity,” he said.

“May Mary Most Holy help us to let our hearts be purified by the fire brought by Jesus and to spread it with our lives through decisive and courageous choices,” Pope Francis said.

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(CNS PHOTO/COURTESTY J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM)

WHAT DO YOU DO AT ADORATION? ELIZABETH SCALIA WORD ON FIRE

sown, strength rises up” (1 Corinthians 15:42b-43). This is When I dragged a friend to adoration recently, she part-and-parcel of St. Paul’s paradox: “When I am weak, pumped me with panicky questions while on the way. then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

“Sitting for an hour in silence? But what do you do?”

I am weak, often at my weakest, when I go to adoration.

Her question was not unexpected. We live in a utilitarian But I know that my prayer there – even though I have society where everything in our lives, and indeed our own nothing of myself, am nothing – is made strong, because self-worth, is terribly bound up in what we do. It’s one of it is made before the physical Presence of the Christ, and the first things we ask each other as new acquaintances because he sees my willingness.

– not “How do you be” but “What do you Often, by the time I have reached the do?” – which is the question by which pew for my weekly hour, I am like a desert we measure another’s value and worth, maniac who has crossed the burning not just materially but within the scope sands and finally found a clear stream of humanity. The question reveals the at which to collapse and drink, and my entrenched mindset that permits society first prayers are like groanings without to consider the “benefits” of euthanasia, thought as I try to gulp down the light or the in utero genocide perpetrated and peace radiating before me. I have no against babies whose quality of life might words. be deemed not good enough – not useful After a time, I am able to collect myself, enough – to permit their birth. and then my prayer takes the form of Sitting before Christ at Adoration is less thanksgiving, for I am always grateful to about doing than about being. “I look at have an hour in his Majesty’s Presence. the Master and the Master looks at me,” I ponder all I am grateful for: husband, and nothing much more than that needs sons, in-laws, friends, employment, health, to occur at Adoration, because in that the good news my friends have shared, the silent interlude something supernatural ability to raise a cup of water to my lips is at work, “doing” more than we can even on my own steam. These lead to prayers of imagine. praise, because gratitude enables praise, Nevertheless, our need to attach some and our praise joins the prayers of the value to adoration drove my friend’s (PHOTO BY DENNIS CALLAHAN/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO) angels. Prayers of praise are a reprieve question, and I answered it simply. “I from earth. They are a simple, direct, pray. Sometimes I read. Sometimes I doze. heavenward thrust of love.

Sometimes I do nothing at all. It’s all good.”

Then, I begin to intercede for others. Call me Adoration seems to me a great privilege coupled with presumptuous but in renewed calm I bring the whole an experience of real humility. I go there in poverty – world into prayer: the people on my lists; the Holy Father; unworthy of anything, but willing to be open, because I priests and religious, naming them when I can; firefighters trust that all God wants of us is our willingness. Always I and emergency responders; newsmakers; cities; states; go with the reminder jangling in my brain: “Weakness is

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continents. I bring it all forward, feeling ragged and unworthy – like a slave or the lowliest servant – escorting one person after another, one group after another, into the presence of the King, as I have been taught through the example of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity: Lord, the one you love is sick . . .

Lord, the one you love is weeping . . .

Lord, the ones you love are overworked and fretful . . .

Lord, the one you love is lonely . . .

Lord, the one you love is under siege . . .

Lord, the ones you love are oppressed . . .

Lord, the ones you love are over-burdened . . .

Lord, the ones you love are slaves to hate . . .

Like an emcee, I bring everyone in and then mentally, spiritually recede into the background, imagining my own self nose-tothe-ground, almost prostrate, and daring not to look up, as I pray: Help them to comprehend the truth and strength and inviolability of your love, the generosity of your mercy; show them the outpouring of your grace; gift them with your healing and let them recognize it and trust that your gifts once bestowed are never rescinded.

You, Alpha and Omega, in whom we live and move and have our being, spread forth your peace like sweetest honey to refresh starving hearts and weary spirits. Let your Light touch us, like consoling balm, to soothe and warm our chilled humanity, that we might be opened to your justice and willing to be made whole.

But I am no worthy intercessor, only a faulty and broken vessel trusting in your mercy.

Consider not what I deserve in your sight, but only the needs of these whom you love, these I bring before you and for whom I, the least, plead. Let my prayer rise before you like incense to carry these forward. Forgive my sins, especially my failures in love, my sins of omission, and cast them behind your back as your prophet Isaiah has promised, and with your grace may I do better. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, the sinner, in your name I pray . . .

The word “epiclesis” means “calling down upon.” As a Benedictine Oblate, I know that an oblation is a selfoffering, and we all know that intercessions are pleas on behalf of others. Combined with other important essentials – the greatest being silence – these three words form the foundation for my prayers at eucharistic adoration.

Prayer is a force, and it is real. It takes a priest to pray the eucharistic prayer at holy Mass, but we members of the laity have access to epiclesis, oblation and intercession: we can implore and call down; we can offer our puny selves as conduits through which unimaginable graces may flow, through no doing of our own; we can intercede through the priesthood acquired at baptism.

Prayer is a force, and it is real.

ELIZABETH SCALIA is a Benedictine Oblate and author of several books including the award-winning “Strange Gods: Unmasking the Idols in Everyday Life” (Ave Maria Press) and “Little Sins Mean a Lot” (OSV). She is editor at large of the global media apostolate Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, where this article first appeared. It is reprinted with permission.

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(PHOTO BY DENNIS CALLAHAN/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO)

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Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament All Souls Parish: 315 Walnut Ave., South San Francisco; 1-650-871-8944. 1st Friday: Immediately after the 5:15 p.m. (English) Mass or 6:30 p.m. (Spanish) Mass.

Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption: 1111 Gough St., San Francisco; 1-415-567-2020.

1st Friday (24 hours): 8:30 a.m. Friday-8 a.m.

Saturday.

Church of the Assumption of Mary Parish: 26825 Shoreline Hwy., Tomales; 1-707-878-2208.

Sunday: 6 p.m.; Monday, Tuesday; noon (bilingual).

Church of the Epiphany Parish: 827 Vienna St., San Francisco; 1-415-333-7630. 1st Friday: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Church of the Good Shepherd Parish: 901 Oceana Blvd., Pacifica; 1-650-355-2593.

Friday: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish: 1040 Alameda de las Pulgas, Belmont; 1-650-593-6157. 1st Friday: 7-8 p.m. Holy Hour.

Church of the Nativity Parish: 210 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park; 1-650-323-7914.

24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Church of the Visitacion Parish: 655 Sunnydale Ave., San Francisco; 1-415-494-5517.

1st Friday: 7:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (7 p.m. Mass).

Holy Angels Parish: 107 San Pedro Road, Colma 94014. 1-650-755-0478. Monday: after 5:45 p.m. Mass; 1st Friday: 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m..

Holy Name of Jesus Parish: 1555 39th Ave., San Francisco; 1-415-664-8590.

Every Wednesday: after 9 a.m. Mass-noon (Benediction).

Mater Dolorosa Parish: 307 Willow Ave., South San Francisco; 1-650-583-4131. 1st Friday: 8:30-10 a.m.

Mission Dolores Basilica: 3321 16th St. (at Dolores St.), San Francisco; 1-415-621-8203.

1st Friday: 6 p.m. (Adoration) (Old Mission, bilingual English/Spanish).

Our Lady of Mercy Church: 1 Elmwood Drive, Daly City; 650-755-2727. Fridays: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., concluding with Evening Prayer and Benediction at 6 p.m. First Fridays: Eucharistic Adoration from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Benediction and Mass at 6 p.m.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish: 3 Oakdale Ave., Mill Valley; 1-415-388-4190.

Tuesday: 8:30 a.m.; Wednesday: 7:30 a.m.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish: 60 Wellington Ave., Daly City; 1-650-756-9786.

1st Friday: 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Wednesday: 8:30 a.m.-6:15 p.m.

St. Andrew Parish: 1571 Southgate Ave., Daly City; 1-650-756-3223. 1st Friday: after the 7 p.m.

Mass.

St. Anne of the Sunset Parish: 850 Judah St., San Francisco; 1-415-665-1600. 1st Friday: after 8:45 a.m. Mass until 10 a.m. (Benediction).

St. Anthony of Padua Parish: 1000 Cambridge St., Novato; 1-415-883-2177. 1st Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday: 8:30 to 9 a.m.

St. Bartholomew Parish: 300 Alameda de las Pulgas (at Crystal Springs), San Mateo; 1-650347-0701. 1st Fridays following 8 a.m. Mass concludes 8 p.m.

St. Brendan Parish: 29 Rockaway Ave., San Francisco; 1-415-681-4225. Wednesday: 7-8 p.m.; Saturday: 4-4:45 p.m.

St. Bruno Parish: 555 San Bruno Ave. West, San Bruno; 1-650-588-2121. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

St. Cecilia Parish: 2555 17th Ave., San Francisco; 1-415-664-8481. 1st Friday (24 hours): 7 a.m. Friday-7 a.m. Saturday.

St. Cecilia Parish, Lagunitas: 450 W. Cintura Ave., Lagunitas; 1-415-488-9799. Monday: After 8 a.m. Mass.

St. Charles Parish: 880 Tamarack Ave., San Carlos; 1-650-591-7349. 1st Friday: 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

St. Dominic Parish: 2390 Bush St., San Francisco; 1-415-567-7824. 1st Friday: 2-4:30 p.m.; 9 p.m.-7:30 a.m. (Saturday).

St. Elizabeth Parish: 459 Somerset St., San Francisco; 1-415-468-0820. 1st Friday: after 8 a.m. Mass (Holy Hour in the church). 3rd Saturday 8:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Rectory Chapel, 449 Holyoke St. St. Finn Barr Parish: 415 Edna St., San Francisco; 1-415-333-3627. Monday-Thursday: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Friday: 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. (Closed on holidays).

St. Francis of Assisi Parish: 1425 Bay Road, East Palo Alto; 1-650-322-2152. 1st Friday: 7:30 p.m.-8 a.m. (Saturday); 1st Saturday: 7:30 p.m.-7 a.m. (Sunday).

St. Gregory Parish: 2715 Hacienda St., San Mateo; 1-650-345-8506. 1st Friday: after 8:30 a.m. Mass.

St. Hilary Parish: 761 Hilary Dr., Tiburon; 1-415-435-1122. Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. (in the side chapel).

St. Isabella Parish: 1 Trinity Way, San Rafael; 1-415-479-1560. 1st Friday: 9:30 a.m.-noon.

St. John the Evangelist: 19 St. Mary’s Ave., San Francisco; 1st Friday of the month: begins after the morning 9a.m. a.m. Mass, at 9:30 a.m. and ends at 10:30 a.m.

St. Luke Parish: 1111 Beach Park Blvd., Foster City; 1-650-345-6660. Thursday and 1st Friday: after 8:30 a.m. Mass-7:30 p.m..

St. Matthew Parish: One Notre Dame Ave., San Mateo; 1-650-344-7622. Monday-Friday: 7 a.m.-9 p.m. (in the chapel).

St. Patrick Parish: 114 King St., Larkspur; 1-415-924-0600. 1st Friday: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

St. Paul of the Shipwreck Parish: 1122 Jamestown Ave., San Francisco; 1-415-468-3434.

1st Friday: after 7 p.m. Communion Service.

St. Peter Parish: 1200 Florida St., San Francisco 94110; 1-415-282-1652. 1st Friday: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

St. Peter Parish: 700 Oddstad Blvd. (at Linda Mar), Pacifica; 1-650-361-1411. 1st Friday: 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

St. Pius Parish: 1100 Woodside Road, Redwood City; 1-650-361-1411. 1st Friday: Friday 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

St. Raymond Parish: 1100 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park; 1-650-323-1755. Saturday: Following 8:15 a.m. Mass.

St. Thomas More Parish: 1300 Junipero Serra Blvd., San Francisco, (Thomas More Way off Brotherhood Way) ; 1-415-452-9634. 1st and 3rd Friday: 7-8 p.m.

St. Veronica Parish: 434 Alida Way, South San Francisco; 1-650-588-1455. Monday-Friday: 9a.m.-4 p.m. (except holidays and special events in the church).

Star of the Sea Parish: 4420 Geary Blvd. (bet.

8th and 9th Aves.), San Francisco; 1-415-751-0450.

Tuesday: 7-8 p.m., in Church: Parish Holy Hour, concluding with Benediction; Tuesday: 8 a.m.Saturday 4 p.m., in Chapel, Adoration concluding with Benediction 2nd Sunday: 3:15-4:15 p.m.

Does your parish have regular Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament?

If your parish has regular Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament to which all are invited, please send the day, time, location and contact information to Mary Podesta, podestam@sfarch.org.

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One pastor’s three-part action plan

A

s we continue this life of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I would like to humbly propose 10 scriptural-spiritual perspectives from the life of the Virgin Mother, 10 liturgical-devotional practices, and 50 service possibilities. It is not that everything I suggest here might be appealing to everyone immediately, but we could experiment and try some or many of these proposals because these are rooted in the convictions and practices of the universal Church. For centuries the Catholic family all over the world has been responding deeply to many of these invitations and traditions.

10 SCRIPTURAL-SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVES FATHER CHARLES PUTHOTA

1. YES TO GOD: It is to fall in line with what God wants us to be and do. Mary said yes. It changed the course of history. It will not be easy for us to do God’s will, but it is when we begin to do it that we will truly be on the path to peace and fulfillment.

It’s what Jesus himself did: “Not my will but yours be done.”

2. AMBIGUITIES: Mary did not have a black-and-white life.

She had to navigate ambiguities when she was saying yes to God, be it in being accepted by Joseph or fleeing to Egypt or living through the darkness of her son being rejected and killed. She learned to trust and proceed. That could be our way as well: to trust in God through the ambiguities of life.

3. OVERSHADOWED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT: Mary is the new tent and her womb is the ark. Filled with the Holy Spirit, she gives birth to the savior of the world. Spirit-filled, we could bring forth Jesus into our neighborhoods and the world at large.

4. SUFFERING: Mary suffered. The Pieta is a powerful image.

The devotion to the seven sorrows of Mary dwells on her sufferings. Her only son was opposed and killed. She suffered redemptively by uniting her sufferings with those of her Son through love and faith. Let’s embrace our sufferings, especially those over which we have no control or power, and unite them with those of Christ. Why did Jesus have to suffer and die?

The mystery of suffering is a constant in life. Isn’t it true that there is more suffering in the world than joy?

5. SERVICE: Visitation to Elizabeth helps us understand Mary as a woman of service. Faith and love have to become fruitful in service. Unless we are ready to serve self-sacrificially our faith and love may be limited to words. Jesus washing the feet is the image always before us.

6. LIFE MATTERS: Mary and Elizabeth, two pregnant women,

brought about life that saved the world and prepared for the Savior respectively. Protecting, preserving, and promoting life from the womb to the tomb, in all stages of human life, is a Christian imperative for the simple reason that God is the author of all life and life is sacred.

7. SOCIAL JUSTICE: In her Magnificat, Mary sings of moral, social. and economic revolution. The poor, lowly, and the hungry will be filled, but the mighty and the rich will go empty.

Mary calls us to lift up the lowly and work for the dignity and justice for all.

8. COMMUNITY: Mary with the apostles in the upper room at Pentecost speaks eloquently of her being with others through anxieties and fears while waiting to be empowered to become free and fearless. Mary is with the disciples, leading them to Jesus and urging us to form families and communities of love and service.

9. MARY, AN ALIEN: Along with Jesus and Joseph, Mary became an alien in Egypt, a migrant, a stranger fleeing from danger and death and taking shelter in a foreign land. “I was a stranger and you welcomed me,” says Jesus. God in the Old Testament repeatedly required people to be kind to “the orphan, widow, and stranger.” Mary urges us to welcome the strangers, vulnerable, and the powerless as our sisters and brothers.

10. DAILY LIFE OF GRACE: Mary is full of grace. Grace means the presence of God. Touched by God’s presence, she was filled with unique blessings from Conception to Assumption. A sense of God’s presence daily will keep us rooted and grounded, joyful and grateful, despite the setbacks, sorrows, and struggles.

Father Charles Puthota, Ph.D., is pastor of St. Veronica Parish, South San Francisco, and director of pastoral ministries in the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

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(PHOTO BY ZAC WITTMER/SAN FRANCISCO CATÓLICO

Church of the Assumption of Mary in Tomales celebrated the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Aug. 18, 2019.

10 LITURGICAL-DEVOTIONAL PRACTICES

As a way of living our consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we could consider practicing some or most of the following spiritual practices from this incomplete list.

1. MASS: It is at the heart of Catholic-Christian identity and faith as we place our life as individuals and community within the mystery of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

2. WORD OF GOD (LECTIO DIVINA): Let’s start with the four gospels; read them prayerfully and reflectively to hear God addressing our situations now with light and peace.

3. ROSARY: Repetitive prayer, common to most religions, can deepen the silence and prayerfulness in our hearts. Centered on Mary as we meditate on the divine mysteries, it can grow to be our act of fond affection and honor for her.

4. CONTEMPLATION: Praying with our minds, hearts, imagination – and even the senses, all for the purpose of an intentional relationship with a loving, merciful God in Christ.

5. FIRST FRIDAYS AND FIRST SATURDAYS: Traditionally with an eye on reparation, attending nine consecutive First Friday Masses and five consecutive First Saturday Masses and receiving Communion; an opportunity to focus on the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, symbols of the love of Jesus and his mother.

6. PENANCE AND FASTING: Traditionally for mourning, turning away from sin, and for accompanying intense prayer for favors from God. Recall penance (often prayers) in the context of sacrament of reconciliation. Penance can be practiced to counter tendencies to stray from God’s grace and fasting as a way of self-control and empathy for the poor and hungry.

7. ADORATION: Traditionally a visit to the Blessed Sacrament in a church is now more popularly practiced in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed in monstrance; we could in adoration include these features: gratitude for specific events in our personal salvation history, petitionary prayer for others, Lectio Divina, rosary, examination of conscience, contemplation of life of Christ, wordless/thoughtless union (mystical?) silence.

8. THE WAY OF THE CROSS: Though practiced in the season of Lent, the Way of the Cross, scripturally based, could be efficacious any season of the year, to enter deeply the mystery of the love of Christ expressed in his suffering and death.

9. EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE: An act of looking into our lives prayerfully for the moments/events of loving relationships with God and others and also for those occasions when we may have hurt those relationships.

10. JESUS PRAYER: Popularized by “The Way of a Pilgrim,” a poor Russian pilgrim’s story, it’s based solidly in the gospels. It’s to repeat the name of Jesus, shortened from “Lord Jesus, have mercy on me a sinner.” It’s a simple repetitive prayer easy to pray at any moment of the day or night, with a loving focus on Jesus, with the result of a consciousness of God’s presence in our lives. One’s own personal “mantra” can be found, such as my own “Jesus, I love you.”

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50 SERVICE POSSIBILITIES

Love shows itself in deeds, not words. Faith impels us to justice, and love leads us to service. “It’s in giving that we truly receive,” said St. Francis. Going out of themselves and serving others humbly is what disciples of Jesus do. As a demonstration of our love and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and as a way of deepening our commitment to the life of consecration, we might like to volunteer for service opportunities in our parishes, the archdiocese, and even outside the Catholic circles.

We can pick and choose these opportunities as is available to and applicable to us. Here is an incomplete list: 1. Lector

18. Hospital ministry

34. Parish social events

2. Eucharistic minister

19. Ladies’ Guild

35. School volunteers

3. Parish hospitality

20. Bible study

36. Remedial tutoring

4. Ushers

21. Social justice committee

37. Special needs

5. Youth ministry

22. Mental health ministry

38. Prayer/faith-sharing groups

6. Young adult ministry

23. Men’s Club

39. Catholic Relief Services

7. St. Vincent de Paul

24. Altar society

40. Adult literacy

8. St. Anthony’s Dining Room

25. Life committee

41. Red Cross

9. Second Harvest

26. Catholic Charities

42. Retirement homes

10. Prison ministry

27. Knights of Columbus

43. YMCA/YWCA

11. Grief ministry

28. Young Men’s Institute

44. Local libraries

12. Homebound ministry

29. Catholic Worker

45. Art museums

13. Legion of Mary

30. Church environment

46. Habitat for Humanity

14. Faith formation catechist

31. Liturgy committee

47. Girl/Boy Scouts

15. Choir

32. IT and communications service

48. Food pantries/Soup kitchens

16. Sacristan 17. Stewardship committee

33. Summer Bible School

49. Salvation Army 50. Athletic coaching

May our tender affection for and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary bind us all together in love and lead us to Jesus Christ who calls us irresistibly to be his disciples and apostles for the present world.

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About this guide Supporting the faithful in their individual devotions, the parishes in their communal and sacramental life and Archbishop Cordileone in his work of shepherding his flock are among our most important responsibilities at Catholic San Francisco, the official news organization of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

The editorial staff had all three responsibilities in mind in creating this practical and inspirational guide to living the archdiocese’s consecration to the Immaculate of Heart of Mary.

We hope this publication’s how-to and where-to information on praying the rosary, preparing for confession and being present before the Blessed Sacrament will help you make these spiritual practices a regular part of your life.

Rick DelVecchio, Editor/General Manager

About Catholic San Francisco Founded in 1999, Catholic San Francisco is a nationally respected, twice-monthly newspaper delivered free to registered parishioners and available to others through paid annual subscription.

The paper serves as a witness to the signs of the times through timely, credible news reporting and presentation; a source of inspiration, information and fellowship to help nourish Catholics in their faith; a space of faithful encounter in a living church made up of all the baptized; an indirect pastoral ministry serving colleagues in direct ministry by helping them communicate their work; a vehicle for the archbishop to address the people of the archdiocese.

As we enter our third decade, we’re inspired by Catholic journalists’ patron St. Francis de Sales to “be all you are and be that well” and hold true to St. Paul’s vision of the church as a communion of diverse faces and voices, all turned toward the risen Christ.

WEBSITE: Find the latest local, regional, national and world news, sign up for our weekly newsletter highlighting the top news items of the week, and join our large Facebook community at catholic-sf.org.

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