Saint Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church on Santa Catalina Island, California, USA PO Box 735 (800 Beacon St.) Avalon, CA 90704 Phone: 310-510-0192 Fax: 310-510-8360 Email: stcatherineofavalon@gmail.com Website:http://StCatherineOnCatalinaIsland.org Pastor: Reverend John Nghi Tran Hispanic Ministries: Deacon Alfonso Castillo Secretaries: Lynda Poindexter, Pat Vlcan and Martha Flores Parish Council: Michael Ponce Financial Committee: Charles Wagner Hispanic Choir: Veronica Bueno Youth Coordinator: Steve Hall Religious Education: Lynda Poindexter Hermida Hernandez (Spanish) Weddings: Lisa Gelker – stcatherineweddings@gmail.com MASS SCHEDULE: Saturday 5:15 PM (English) Sunday 9:00 & 11:00 AM (English) and 6:30 PM (Spanish) Monday through Friday 8:00 AM (English) CONFESSIONS: Saturday 4:30-5:00 PM BAPTISM: Contact Parish Office at least ONE month before the desired baptism date. MARRIAGES: Contact Parish Office at least SIX months before the desired wedding date. COMMUNION AND ANOINTING OF THE SICK: Contact the Parish Office ______________________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Prayers Requested for the Dead: Jerry Cicconi, Msgr. Vincent McCabe Happy Birthday: Marina Gemilere Lenten Retreat: Bishop Ryan returns to Avalon on Saturday, February 28th to present a retreat, of reflections for the Lenten season. Bishop Ryan will celebrate Mass at 8 a.m., followed by a potluck breakfast in the Parish Hall. There is a sign-up sheet at the entrance of the church for those who would like to contribute to the breakfast. Bishop Ryan’s presentation will begin after breakfast. All parishioners are invited to attend. Marty Ashleigh has offered to provide music and has assembled a choir for this special event. The next choir practice will be Thursday, February 26th at 6:30 p.m. in the church. Please join us! Lenten Prayer Tree: We invite you to add your prayers and intentions to the tree on the left side of the altar. There is a basket in front of the tree with prayer leaves, hearts and pens. By Easter Sunday our Prayer Tree will be full of beautiful colors that represent our Lenten prayers and intentions. Together in Mission - This year, all parishes throughout the Archdiocese are asked upon to help 81 parishes and 63 schools. Donations to Together in Mission provide essential resources and ministries that enrich parish life, strengthen families, advance Church leadership and inspire and educate future generations of children. During all Masses this weekend, we will follow-up with the collection of gifts and pledges to this year’s appeal. God bless you for your generous response and support to those in need. On behalf of our Local Church, thank you for your support of Together in Mission! Unidos en Misión - Este año, todas las parroquias de la Arquidiócesis se les pide a ayudar a 81 parroquias y 63 escuelas. Las donaciones a Together in Mission proporcionan recursos esenciales y ministerios que. enriquecen la vida parroquial, fortalecen a las familias, promueven liderazgo de la Iglesia y inspira y educa a las futuras generaciones de niños. Durante esta Misa vamos a realizar el proceso de colección de regalos y promesas a la apelación de este año. Dios los bendiga por su generosidad y apoyo. Our former pastor Monsignor Vincent McCabe returned home to our Heavenly Father on Sunday, February 15, 2015 at the age of 93. He leaves behind many nieces and nephews both in California and Ireland. The Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Carrigallen, Leitrim, Ireland. Monsignor McCabe was ordained in 1946 and was Incardinated on April 11, 1957. He retired in March of 2011 and had since been living privately. In your charity and kindness, please remember him in your Masses and prayers. We are planning to hold a Memorial Mass at St. Catherine’s in his honor. Contact the Parish Office if you would like to help plan or participate in the Memorial Mass. CHOICES Community Event: The Avalon CHOICES group is hosting a special presentation on the prevention of substance abuse. The film, “Overtaken” will be shown and a panel of guest speakers, including the film’s producer, will be there to share their personal experiences. The presentation will be at the City Hall Chambers on Wednesday, February 25th from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. All are invited to attend. Pope Francis on Lenten Season - Pope Francis delivered the homily at Mass in the Basilica of St. Sabina on the Aventine Hill in Rome on Ash Wednesday – the beginning of the great penitential season of Lent. As God's people today we begin the journey of Lent, a time in which we try to unite ourselves more closely to the Lord Jesus Christ, to share the mystery of His passion and resurrection. He said: ‘The Ash Wednesday liturgy offers us, first of all, the passage from the prophet Joel, sent by God to call the people to repentance and conversion, due to a calamity (an invasion of locusts) that devastates Judea. Only the Lord can save from the scourge, and so there is need of supplication, with prayer and fasting, each confessing his sin. The prophet insists on inner conversion: “Return to me with all your heart” (2:12). To return to the Lord “with all *one’s+ heart,” means taking the path of a conversion that is neither superficial nor transient, but is a spiritual journey that reaches the deepest place of our self. The heart, in fact, is the seat of our sentiments, the center in which our decisions and our attitudes mature. That, “Return to me with all your heart,” does not involve only individuals, but extends to the community, is a summons addressed to all: “Gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber. (2:16)” With this awareness, trusting and joyful, let us begin our Lenten journey. DID YOU KNOW? Child abduction: taking action - A recent study of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® revealed that 83% of children who escaped their would-be abductors kicked, yelled, and pulled away to escape. Teach your child these and other abduction prevention skills, such as: Asking for permission before changing plans; asking for permission before approaching or getting into vehicles with anyone; recognizing the tricks would-be abductors use, such as offering rides or asking for help; telling a trusted adult whenever anything or anyone makes them uncomfortable. When it comes to keeping your child safe, YOU are your child’s best resource. The more you know about abduction prevention, the better protected your child will be. Use your knowledge to make conversations about personal safety a regular part of your family’s routine. For more information, visit: http://www.kidsmartz.org/ChildAbduction. ¿SABÍA USTED? Secuestro de menores: tomando acción - Un reciente estudio del Centro Nacional de Niños Perdidos y Explotados reveló que 83% de niños que escapan de sus secuestradores patearon, gritaron y se alejaron para escapar. Enseñe a su hijo estas y otras habilidades para prevenir el secuestro, como: Pedir permiso antes de cambiar planes; pedir permiso antes de aproximarse o meterse en vehículos con alguien; reconocer los trucos que posibles abductores usan, como ofrecer llevarlos o pedir ayuda; decirle a un adulto de confianza cuando algo o alguien los hace sentir incómodos. Cuando se trata de mantener seguro a su hijo(a), USTED es el mejor recurso para él o ella. Mientras más usted sabe cómo prevenir la abducción, mejor protegido estará su niño(a). Use su conocimiento para que las conversaciones sobre seguridad personal sean parte de la rutina familiar. Para más información, visitehttp://www.kidsmartz.org/ChildAbduction.