Saint Dunstan Catholic Church The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph December 30, 2007
		Over all [other virtues] put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.
		— Colossians 3:14

	A mother of four small children was trying to get everything ready for a major family gathering during the Christmas season. As the hour drew near, she was barking out orders like a drill sergeant: “Pick up your things! Don’t get your clothes dirty! Put your toys away! No, you can’t have any more!” And so on. The four-year-old was underfoot, so she was sent to the living room to play with the Nativity set. Before long, she was having a make-belief conversation with the three kings, and this is what her mother overheard, “I don’t care who you are; get those camels out of my living room!” When we look at the holy family we may be tempted to see them as the perfect family, that all was sweetness and light in their home. That would do them an injustice. Like all families they had to work to make it work. Their family began with a pregnancy of suspicious origins. Mary was in danger of losing her life because of this. Joseph seriously considered divorcing her. After some soul searching Joseph accepted Mary into his home. Mary’s child was born in a hovel far from the comfort of having her family nearby. Soon after the child was born they had to flee the own country for fear of the authorities. They became an immigrant family, foreigners in a foreign land. Like all children Jesus had to learn to do what his parents told him. Disappearing in a large city only gave them heartache and grief. Things did not get any better when Joseph died, leaving Mary as a single parent with a gifted teenager. When at last Jesus began his public ministry, his extended family thought him crazy and tried to force him to come home. This family was unique, but its uniqueness did not exempt them from human trials and tribulations. May all our families remain under the protection of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Friday, January 4 is the First Friday of the month. There will be a Holy Hour in the church from 4-5 PM followed by Mass at 5:10 PM. Saturday, January 5 is the First Saturday of the month. There will be a Holy Hour of Reparation from 7 to 8 AM in the church followed by Mass at 8 AM. The rectory will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, December 31 and January 1. The priests and staff of St. Dunstan Parish wish you all a happy New Year filled with God’s blessings. Angels Explained by Children “What I don’t get about angels is why, when someone is in love, they shoot arrows at them”. -Sarah, 7 WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK AT ST. DUNSTAN PARISH Monday, December 31 Rectory closed Tuesday, January 1 Novena in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament after the 8am Mass No CCD Classes this week Rectory closed Thursday, January 3 Prayer Group meets at Green Hills at 7:30pm Saturday, January 5 Baptism Preparation Class in the convent at 10:30am Monday thru Saturday Morning Prayer in the church at 7:15 am Monday thru Friday Rosary recited in the church at 7:40 am VOLUNTEERS NEEDED After Masses during two weekends in January to help gather signatures on two petitions: (1) Sarah’s Law & (2) Protect Marriage. These are critical pro-life and pro-family initiatives to place on the November ballot. Please help if you can. Call Jessica Munn, San Mateo Pro-Life at 650-572-1468. St. Dunstan Parish Community ~ A Huge from the T.E.R.E.S.A. Committee Your generosity was overwhelming! Because of your generous support, the T.E.R.E.S.A. Committee was able to distribute carloads of household essentials and gift certificates to children and adults who desperately needed them this Christmas. Your contributions were delivered to both St. Joseph’s Village in San Francisco and St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Mateo the week before Christmas and were greatly appreciated. In addition, we were able to contribute much needed Safeway gifts cards to SVdP’s Catherine Center. We can not thank you enough for your incredible spiritual and financial support. May God bless you abundantly this New Year. Did You Attend St. Dunstan Parish School ? Or Know Someone Who Did? Then We’re Looking For You! The St. Dunstan Alumni Association is Now Forming. Please Help Us Learn from The Past While We Encourage the Future! Please Attend the Initial Formation Meeting on Thursday, January 24, at 7:00 P.M. in the Parish Center. To RSVP or For More Information Contact Michelle Jackson at 650-303-4874 or alumni@st-dunstan.org This weekend, the members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society will be stationed at the doors of the church for their 5th Sunday collection. Your donations will help those in need in our parish area. Please give generously. PRO LIFE ROSARY Next Saturday, January 5, is the first Saturday of the month. On every first Saturday there is s rosary prayed to end abortion. We meet at 9 am in front of Planned Parenthood, 2211 Palm Avenue, San Mateo. Come join us. Call 572-1468 or 345-9076 for more information. ENVELOPE USERS: Please pick up your box of Sunday envelopes for the new year, 2008. Boxes will be available in the rear of the church in numerical order starting on December 29 & 30. If you do not know your envelope number, a list will be posted by last name. QUIZ DATES! CATHOLIC SINGLES PARTY Tuesday, January 15, 2008 6:30 pm Elephant & Castle Bar & Restaurant 424 Clay Street, San Francisco Enjoy appetizers and drink specials. Teams of 3 men and 3 women. After each round of questions, men move to a new table to meet more women. Cost is $20 before 1/8/2008 and $25 thereafter. Walk-ins $35 (space permitting). Open to Catholic singles. To register, www.quizdates.com. Please pick up a calendar for the year 2008 in the vestibule of the church. These beautiful calendars were donated to the parish by Mr. Paul Larson, Director of Chapel of the Highlands Mortuary. You are invited to a delightful musical celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Fri., January 11, 7:30 pm at St. Mary’s Cathedral featuring the incredibly talented “Touch of Class Youth Choir and Dance Ensemble”, the young gifted “E.R. Taylor Elementary School Choir”, and the “Combined Adult Gospel Choir of the Bay Area”. For more information call 415-567-2020 xt 220. Last weekend’s Regular Collection: $6,813.00 Christmas Collection: $30,524.00 Thank you for all your support! SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Sunday: The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph Monday: Tuesday: The Octave Day of Christmas The Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God World Day of Prayer for Peace New Year’s Day Wednesday: Ss. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen Thursday: The Most Holy Name of Jesus Friday: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton First Friday Saturday: St. John Neumann First Saturday Many thanks to those who served as Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers and Altar Servers this weekend: Saturday, December 29 5 PM Lector: A. Colarusso Eucharistic Ministers: J Ward, J&L Clothakis, J Ryan, E Danli, F Axiaq Altar Servers: Colarusso, Demartini, Hidalgo, Jones Sunday, December 30 7 AM Lector: R. Flahavan Eucharistic Ministers: B Rogers, M Wyman, S Nussbaum Altar Servers: Celio, Eckmann, Ghanaim, Koehler 8:30 AM Lector: D. Capodanno Eucharistic Ministers: S Capodanno, M Leland, S Jajeh, J lilles, R Pezo, D Lawson Altar Servers: Chavez, Fahri, Jajeh, Lim 10 AM Lector: P. Maloney Eucharistic Ministers: A&D Vogl, L Raquel, R Garrison, K Whitfield, K Burns, T Herbeck Altar Servers: Salameh, Burns, Garrison, Whitfield 11:30 AM Lector: Y. Kaialoa Eucharistic Ministers: M Rogers, T Dizon, C Caimotto, J Roensch, J Costa, C Cannizzaro Altar Servers: Casella, Fernando, Hain, McLaughlin 5 PM Lector: P. McLaughlin Eucharistic Ministers: M McLaughlin, S Pallari, H Santana, J Franco, D Sammut, K Phelps Altar Servers: DeGuzman, Fusaro, Janiczek, Mendoza Special thanks to all of our ushers for their dedicated service at our weekend Masses. Mass Intentions for the Week December 30, 2007 thru January 5, 2008 Sunday 7:00 am For Parish 8:30 am Tito Caputo 10:00 am Tim Herbeck & Louis Marini 11:30 am SVDP Benefactors 5:00 pm Paul Tsih Monday 6:30 am Lillian Sandoval 8:00 am Gulli Family (living & deceased) 4:30 pm Monica Agius & John M Agius Tuesday 6:30 am John Pavloff (living) 8:00 am Sr. Nuala McDonald (living) 5:10 pm Aladino Nicolai Wednesday 6:30 am Dave Clements 8:00 am Donald Sagrafena 5:10 pm Clifford M. Inopea, Sr. Thursday 6:30 am Irma Pacheco 8:00 am Cesare Bernardo 5:10 pm Denise Costello Friday 6:30 am Rosellini-Opalenik Family 8:00 am Vicente Salgado 5:10 pm Dorothy S. Moulton Saturday 8:00 am Eleanor O’Reilly 5:00 pm Mary Caulkin  We pray for the sick members of our parish family and for those who care for them: Madison Kitz, William Dill, Ted & Eileen Damian, Pat Saracini, Bill Barca, Ann Del Carlo, Helen & Vicky Noceti, Irene Thommen, Kyong Cruz, Ciera Whipple, Dorothy Rives, Elsie Noceti, Steve Bacho, Mario & Eva Caprini, Mary Farr, Barbara Modica, Karen Shirley, Jose Conrado Vasquez, Henry & Lucy Garcia, Frances Snyder, Jack & Rene Sagrafena, Michael Cozzolino, Bob Treseler, Mrs. Larry Duggins, Antoinette Ramos, Joe Hamilton, Pauline & Joseph Burgio, Judy Mark, Noralee Gelhaar, Geraldine Feehan, Martin Hidalgo, Norman Roos, Lyle Dibbs, Gloria Giannini, Maxine Coutts, Anna Mae Stewart, Jonathan Cerezo, Nick Cannuli, Kathy Montiel, Gloria Pasco, The Yakaitis Family, Carol Starrh Kroecker, William Kinnealy, Frank Agius, Susan Silvera-Dunn, George Rodriguez, Jr , Nafal Jweinat, James Boccaleoni, Melba Sweeney, Marge Todd, Michael Coffaro, Diedra Bradshaw, Irma Sweeny Lori Mazzoni, Charlene Spediacci, Paul Swanson Sr, Esther Lilton, David Newsom, Jan Diamond, Viola Burdick, Ronald Reyes, Josephine Muscat, William, Patricia O’Neill, Virginia Ryan Rogers, Martha Costa, Michael Wisherop, Helen Maternia & Lou Grech We pray for the deceased members of our parish family: Anthony Betti, Sr.