Stained Glass

2^nd Sunday of Advent - December 5-6, 2009

If our Advent season must be spent in shopping for others, why not add God’s name to the gift list? Wrap up your heart, your time, your talent, your treasure and write His name boldly in the label/tag. Make your life a gift to Him and He will use you as a gift to others.

SECOND COLLECTION TODAY FOR ST. VICTOR’S DEVELOPMENT FUND

Today’s second collection is for our Development Fund. This fund assists with the never-ending repairs and projects on the parish grounds. Thank you for your continued generosity.

CATECHUMENS – WELCOME - CANDIDATES

This Sunday, December 6^th, at the 9:15 A.M. Mass, we celebrate the Rite of Acceptance into the Catechumenate and Rite of Welcome of Candidates (already baptized) preparing for Confirmation and Eucharist. These Rites celebrate the first public assembly of those who have completed the period of inquiry. They now declare their intentions to join the Church and we the Church accept their intentions and desire. We mark them with the Sign of the Cross, asking them to walk with us in a new way of life. We ask them to reflect more deeply upon the Word of God. We pray for them: “For all of these we give thanks and praise to the God who has led them by various paths to oneness of faith. You are welcomed in the name of Christ.”

Immaculate Conception – Holy Day of Obligation

Belief in the Immaculate Conception asserts that God preserved Mary from all sin from the moment of her conception, thus preparing a pure vessel for the Incarnation of the Son. This belief is not expressly contained in the Scripture, but it enjoys a widespread following in the Church’s tradition. Although the Immaculate Conception of Mary has been affirmed since the earliest centuries of Christianity, it was not formally proclaimed a dogma of the Church until 1854.

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Tuesday, December 8^th, is a holy day of obligation. Masses at St. Victor’s will be celebrated on Monday, December 7^th, at 7:30 P.M. and Tuesday, December 8^th, at 6:30, 8:00 and 11:00 A.M. and 7:30 P.M.

Parish Adult Communal Reconciliation Service

All parishioners are invited to an Adult Parish Reconciliation Service on Wednesday, December 9^th, at 7:30 P.M. in the Church. The service will include scripture readings, time for reflection and individual confession and absolution. Come and experience the sacrament of Reconciliation in the community setting during this season of Advent. REMINDER: Please remain in the Church until the end of the service for the communal penance.

THE ANNUAL DIOCESAN APPEAL WEEKEND WILL TAKE PLACE ON JANUARY 23^RD & 24^TH, 2010.

SCRIPTURE READINGS

DECEMBER 12-13, 2009

ZEPHANIAH 3:14-18

PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7

LUKE 3:10-18

PLANNED GIVING NOTES

A Charitable Trust Can Increase Your Income!

The IRS allows you to use a charitable trust to increase your income and reduce your taxes. The trust is especially useful for highly appreciated assets (real estate or securities). The trust can also be used to help loved ones with income after you have gone, but keep the principal from being spent unwisely.

If you want to know more about this, the Diocese can provide free assistance. Call Robert Serventi @ 983-0168, or write to him at: Diocese of San Jose, The Chancery, 1150 N. First St., Suite 100, San Jose, CA 95112-4966.

CONGRATULATIONS to Bishop Patrick J. McGrath who celebrated his 10^th anniversary of becoming the second Bishop of the Diocese of San Jose. We rejoice with him and ask our parishioners to remember him in a special way in your daily prayers.

YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE

Please note that the Church will be locked for the day at 9:00 A.M. (after the 8:00 A.M. Mass) on Thursday and Friday, December 10^th and 11^th, for deep cleaning of the Church. The Church will be available in the evening for those activities that are already scheduled.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration

Please join us on Saturday, December 12^th, at the 5:00 P.M. Mass in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Dinner and entertainment will be available in the hall after Mass.

Simbang Gabi

MARK YOUR CALENDARS. St. Victor’s Parish Community will celebrate Simbang Gabi (pre-dawn worship), also called Misa de Gallo (Rooster Mass) from December 16^th-24^th. Mass time daily on those days is at 6:00 A.M., except for Sunday, December 20^th, when Mass will be celebrated at 5:30 A.M.

HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE this Sunday, December 6^th, from 9:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M. Come to the parish hall and shop the wonderful selection of handmade items made by local artisans, stop by to eat some great food, participate in the raffle for a flat screen TV and other activities. We look forward to seeing you there.

$CRIP gift certificates will be available after Masses this weekend, December 5^th-6^th (except Sunday 7:00 & 8:00 A.M.) and the next two weekends, December 12^th & 13^th, and 19^th & 20^th, for all of your holiday shopping, dining and gift-giving needs. Now available: American Express $100 and Visa $25 bank cards.

BILINGUAL ADVENT RETREAT: 2 EVENINGS OF RECOLLECTION

You are invited to this event on Thursday and Friday, December 10^th and 11^th, in the Church from 6:30-10:00 P.M. The activities include listening to talks by a priest, guest speaker, praying and sharing in small groups and attending a Eucharistic celebration. The event is Charismatic and oriented toward Vietnamese speaking parishioners, but all activities will be conducted bilingually. All are welcome.

Donations to the Church may be made monthly by credit card or checking account transfers. Parish Pay is now available at St. Victor’s. You may access the web site @ www.stvictor.org and click on DONATE or call toll-free @ 1-866-727-4741 and give them the information over the phone. If you have any questions, you may also call the Parish Office @ 251-7055.

Mass Intentions for the Week

Monday December 07 8:00 A.M. Emin & Adelina Capullari

7:30 P.M. Benigno Sescon

Tuesday December 08 6:30 A.M. Vivian Macadangdang

8:00 A.M. Carrie Ferreira

11:00 A.M. For the Parishioners of St. Victor Parish

7:30 P.M. Angelo Dela Cruz

Wednesday December 09 8:00 A.M. Defina Lepe Jones

Thursday December 10 8:00 A.M. Elena T. Cababaro

Friday December 11 8:00 A.M. Eleanor Surace, Lillian Rose Messina & Josephine Ruscigno

Saturday December 12 8:00 A.M. Josephine Barreras

5:00 P.M. John & Joao Rosa (Father Lim)

Sunday December 13 7:00 A.M. For the Parishioners of St. Victor Parish (Father Phan)

8:00 A.M. Sonya Magat Tangla (Father Lim)

9:15 A.M. Deceased Members of the J.V. Ignacio Family

(Father Perata)

10:45 A.M. Dr. Philip Neri & Pat, Amelia & Connie Rapa

(Father Dwyer)

12:15 P.M. Carmen Rosal & Conrado Rosal, Sr. and Jr. (Carmelites)

5:00 P.M. Cesar Sousa (Father Chi)

Our Love and Prayers Go Out To...

St. Victor’s Parish Community would like to extend their sympathy and prayers to the families and friends of Yolanda Chellino, Luzviminda Dela Cruz, Alvin Haole, Eugene Lopez and Jospeh Tan Vo, who recently passed away.

PLEASE PRAY FOR the sick, seriously ill and hospitalized members of our parish family, including those preparing for surgical procedures and tests, especially Delphine Burket.

Christmas Altar Flower Donations Needed

Donations for the Altar Society Flowers may be made in our CHRISTMAS FLOWERS envelopes located on the cabinet in the vestibule of the Church. Your contribution will help defray some of the expenses used for beautifying the Church at this special time of the year. Please make checks payable to St. Victor’s Altar Society and place these envelopes in the collection basket or take them to the Rectory Office. Thank you.

MEETINGS – USHERS AND KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

The next meeting of the KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS will be held on Thursday, December 10^th,

at 7:30 P.M. in Room 8 of the School.

There will be an important USHERS meeting on Tuesday, December 15^th, in Room 8 of the School.

All ushers are asked to attend this meeting in preparation for Christmas.

The next Friday Night BINGO will be held in the parish hall on January 8, 2010. More details to follow.

U.n.I. TEENS WINTER SERVICE PROJECT

THANKS to all who continue to bring in hygiene supplies and new socks. They are still needed. We will be collecting clean used coats and jackets ONLY in November and December. Please check your closets. Again, we will be collecting coats and jackets only – no other clothing will be accepted. Please give those other items to another charity. [The jackets, hygiene supplies and new socks may be dropped off at the Catechetical Ministry Office.]

SOCIAL JUSTICE NOTES...

EASTSIDE F.I.S.H. HOLIDAY NEEDS. With the holiday season approaching, EASTSIDE F.I.S.H. could use donations of turkeys, chickens, or hams. Please keep us in mind when the grocery stores are having their promotions. If you can help, please call the Rectory Office @ 251-7055 ASAP. To those who have supported us during the year - MANY THANKS AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU!

NEEDY FAMILY. There is a family in need of a refrigerator. If you are able to help, please call the Rectory Office @ 251-7055. THANK YOU to the parishioners who donated the living room furniture to a needy family and to those who have brought in towels, blankets and comforters.

Parishioners are invited to take a tag from the GIVING TREE in the vestibule representing a needy child in our parish community. Please purchase a gift and return the gift unwrapped with the tag attached, to the designated box in the vestibule. [The tag is the only way that our volunteers have of identifying the family/individual. The tags also indicate sizes for clothing; however, if you wish to purchase another type of item, please feel free to do so.] Please return the gift by the designated date of December 18^th, so that our St. Vincent de Paul Society volunteers have time to sort, box and distribute them to all of the families before Christmas. (Please return the gifts during the weekend Masses only!) Also this year, because we are assisting so many families (70), our St. Vincent de Paul Society could use a few “extra hands” to deliver the gifts. If you are able to help, please call the Rectory Office @ 251-7055 ASAP. THANK YOU to our parishioners for your generous support during the Thanksgiving holiday food drive as well as your monetary donations. You did much more than provide food for those in need. You shared the love of Christ in a very practical way through the donations of your time, talent and treasure. A SPECIAL THANK YOU to our St. Vincent de Paul Society volunteers for the care of our needy not only during the holiday season, but also throughout the entire year.

THERE WILL BE A SECOND COLLECTION NEXT WEEKEND FOR THE POOR.

Congratulations to our Eagle Scout Court of Honor recipients – Alexander Archer, Jonathon Archer, Stephen Archer, Jeremy Jimenez, Vincent Leung and Suren Saragarvani.

A Special Thank You to all those who brought in toys, candies and monetary donations in response to Father Michael’s request for the children at the Afghanistan medical clinic.

The Carmelite Christmas Boutique and Choral Concert will be held this Sunday, December 6^th, in the seminary library at Mt. St. Joseph Monastery ( 12455 Clayton Rd. ) from 10:30 A.M.-5:30 P.M. Special entertainment at the boutique, The Sounds of Christmas, by “Singers Around the Bay,” will be held in the seminary chapel at 2:30 P.M. with a reception to follow. Please support the Carmelites who assist us with our weekend services.

The next meeting of the Catholic Professionals will be held on Thursday, December 10^th, at the Holiday Inn (1740 N. First St. , Mediterranean Center ). Mass will be celebrated at 6:45 A.M. followed by the Breakfast Program at 7:15 A.M. Cost is $20 for members and $25 for non-members. The speaker will be Douglas M. Stone, Major General , US Marines Forces Reserve. For more info, please call 491-9229.