Church of the Transfiguration 4000 E. Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley, CA 94552-4908

(510) 538-7941 Fax (510) 538-7983 E-mail: transfig_office@sbcglobal.net Website: www.transfigchurch.com December 16, 2018

Rev. Mario L. Borges, Pastor ● Rev. Terence O’Malley, Parochial Administrator Deacon John A. Mignano ● Deacon Timothy L. Moore ● Deacon Burton J. Rigley

LITURGICAL MINISTRY: Eucharistic Ministers, Elmer & Puri Serrano Lectors, Barbara Mehan Altar Servers, Clarence Decano

FINANCE COUNCIL: Chairman, Mark Zaleski

PARISH ORGANIZATIONS: Catholic Youth Organization (CYO), 60 Plus or Minus Club, Cursillo Group

SAINT VINCENT de PAUL SOCIETY: (510) 274-0830 Serving our community.

SICK & HOMEBOUND MINISTRY: Claudia Paquette, (510) 537-8986

STEWARDSHIP: Chairperson, Ed Coelho, (510) 881-5705 WINGS “Women in God’s Spirit”: Peggy Maurer, (510) 538-5671

HALL RENTAL MANAGER: Monica Corona, 510-239-7941

YOUTH MINISTRY: Alfonso Corona III transfig.oasis@gmail.com PARISH OFFICE: Phone: (510) 538-7941 Fax: (510) 538-7983 Hours: 8:00 a.m. — 4:30 p.m., Monday-Thursday (Closed between 12:00 & 1:00 p.m.) Friday, 9:00a.m. — 12:00 Noon - Saturday & Sunday—Closed Secretary, Gloria Meeker Secretary/Bookkeeper, Phyllis Moore

SCHEDULE OF MASSES Saturdays 4:00 p.m. Sundays 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. (Except First Fridays - 9:30 a.m.) Communion Service - Saturdays, 8:00 a.m. CONFESSIONS Saturdays 3:00-3:45 p.m. BAPTISMS: Pre-baptismal class is required. Class is held the second Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. in the Rectory. Please call the Parish Office, (510) 538-7941, to register. MATRIMONY: Six months advance notice required. Please call the parish office. WEDDING COORDINATOR: Mel Speed (510) 909-9334 or melspeed@live.com FUNERALS: Please contact the funeral home of your choice and then the parish office. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: Director, Patrice Ballinger (510) 537-1502 or TransfigCCD@aol.com RCIA: Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults Please call the parish office. MUSIC MINISTRY: Director, Alexander Katsman (510) 538-7941, Ext. 302 or Transfig_Music@sbcglobal.net

Mission Statement: “Transfiguring Our Community Through Faith”

Third Sunday of Advent December 16, 2018

The King of Israel, the L , is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear.

— Zephaniah 3:15b

Mass Intentions (December 15-22, 2018) Sat. 4:00 p.m. Special Intention for Manuel Silva & Family Sun. 7:30 a.m. John Leli 9:00 a.m. For the People 11:00 a.m. John & Mary Silva Mon. 8:00 a.m. Luiz Capela Tues. 8:00 a.m. Larry Palaci Wed. 8:00 a.m. Special Intention for Manuel & Maria Costa and Family Thurs. 8:00 a.m. Lucille Johnson Fri. 8:00 a.m. Henry Maher Sat. 4:00 p.m. Alice & Jerry Sullivan

Stewardship Corner The collection total for the weekend of: December 1st & 2nd—$11,543.00 December 8th & 9th—$8,667.00 (compared to $12,000 average weekly stewardship goal) Retirement Fund for Religious—$1,947.00 Thank you for continuing in your stewardship role of providing for the upkeep of our parish community.

Special Collection Envelopes When using the “Special Collection” envelopes, please write the name of the collection on the envelope. You may also write the name of the collection in the memo line of your check. This will help the office to give you proper credit. Thank you.

Remember Transfiguration in your Will and Living Trust

Transfiguration Catholic Church

Sunita D’Costa will be hosting coffee and donuts this Sunday after the 9:00 a.m. Mass. Stop by and enjoy the fellowship.

REJOICE! Today has traditionally been called “Gaudete Sunday.” The Latin tag is derived from Paul’s appeal in the second reading to “rejoice always in the Lord,” and the Latin Mass text based on that reading. The irony and paradox of this Chris-tian joy is underlined by the fact that Paul wrote those words in prison. But from there he could see the progress of God’s work. Is it obvious to us? We feel that this is not the time for joy when there is so much suffering and moral evil. It is interest-ing, then, that the first reading is from the prophet Zephani-ah, who is almost exclusively concerned with gloomy visions of Judgment Day. Today the Church selects the only optimis-tic text in Zephaniah, in which the prophet has been touched by the spirit of joy. This, we are assured on all sides, is “the season of joy.” Let us recapture that feeling of joy in our lives and reflect it to those who are joyless. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

Crab Feed Pre-Dinner Ticket Raffle 2 chances to win 2 pairs of dinner tickets! Winning tickets to be drawn after the

11 a.m. mass on December 23, 2018. We will be selling the raffle tickets thru December 23 at all masses.

Christmas Flower Collection This weekend we will have a collection for flowers to decorate our church for Christmas. Envelopes are available in the pews.

Deadline Today! Did you forget your “Giving Tree” gift? The gift is due today, December 16th. We really need those gifts so we can deliver them to our families. Questions: please call (510) 393-4448.

Thank you!

Church Decorating Party for Christmas Help us get ready to celebrate our Savior’s birth! You are invited to join us to help decorate the church

on Sunday, December 23rd at 12:00 Noon. If you are able to join us, can you bring a ladder?

Thank you for your support!

Christmas Schedule No 8:00 a.m. Mass on Monday, December 24th

Dec. 24th—4:00 p.m.—Children’s Mass 12 Midnight Mass (Christmas Carols, 11:30 p.m.) Dec. 25th—7:30, 9:00, 11:00 a.m. January 1, 2019, New Year’s Day, Mass at 10:00 a.m.

Adult Bible Study Please Note:

There will be no Bible Study on Monday, December 17th and during the holiday season.

We will resume on January 7, 2019.

Please Note: The Parish Office will be closed on December 25th & 26th and January 1st in observance of the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays.

We invite all women to join us for: WINGS (“Women in God’s Spirit”)

Wings is a faith enhancement group that encourages Spiritual growth through prayer, scripture study,

Catechesis, life sharing and community. Transfiguration Church, Marian Rm. Parish Hall

Thursday, January 3, 2019, 9:00-11:15 a.m. Speaker: Carolyn Trumble

The next Baptism Class will be Tuesday, January 8, 2019.

Please call the Parish Office to register.

TODAY’S READINGS First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-18a Second Reading: Philippians 4:4-7

Psalm: Isaiah 12:6—Gospel: Luke 3:10-18 The English translation of the Psalm Responses from the Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, Interna-tional Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Gn 49:2, 8-10; Ps 72:1-4ab, 7-8, 17; Mt 1:1-17 Tuesday: Jer 23:5-8; Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19; Mt 1:18-25 Wednesday: Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a; Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17; Lk 1:5-25 Thursday: Is 7:10-14; Ps 24:1-6; Lk 1:26-38 Friday: Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a; Ps 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21; Lk 1:39-45 Saturday: 1 Sm 1:24-28; 1 Sm 2:1, 4-8abcd; Lk 1:46-56 Sunday: Mi 5:1-4a; Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19; Heb 10:5-10; Lk 1:39-45 SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Sunday: Third Sunday of Advent; Las Posadas begins Tuesday: International Migrants Day Friday: St. Peter Canisius; Winter begins

C.C.D. C . C . D .

All CCD Classes, as usual this week.

CHRISTMAS PAGEANT AND

OPEN HOUSE —— T !! Pageant at 7:30 —Classroom visits … meet the catechists — cookies, coffee, punch — Don’t’ Miss it!!!

C I : Next class session, January13. P.G.O. U : “One Warm Coat” Barrels for coats, warm sweat-ers and jackets are in the vestibule for 1 week only ….. We deliver them on December 23. No one should go cold this winter.

In January we will collecting blankets for the animal shelters and used crayons …. Just a heads up before you decide to clean those closets after Christmas.

Thank you for advertising in our bulletin. We appreciate your support!

~~Religious Education~~

Confirmation

CHRISTMAS PAGEANT

AND C.C.D. OPEN HOUSE!!

In the Church TOMORROW NIGHT

MONDAY, December 17th at 7:30 p.m.

We invite the ENTIRE PARISH to gather with us to see and hear our children present the story of the very first Christmas!

We hope you can join us...We have cookies!

Congratulations to the parents of: Lucas Blaise Vison Florence Rafael Tantingco Custodio

who were baptized here last weekend.

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION Years ago, the trick question on religion quizzes would be to name all the liturgical colors, or the colors of the vest-ments worn at Mass. Rose is a color seldom seen, used at most two days a year. Today, “Gaudete Sunday,” is one of those days. The name of the day is drawn from an opening verse in the old Latin Mass texts: Gaudete is Latin for “Rejoice!” This year’s Gospel certainly reflects that mood as Elizabeth feels her infant within her leaping for joy at the presence of Mary. Mary’s visit to her aged cousin is an act of compassion between women, as two kinswomen who are bearing children into the world share their joy. Some churches retain the custom of having the priest wear rose vestments today, and many will use a rose candle in the Advent wreath. Violet is the official color for Advent and Lent, but many parishes employ different hues for each season, trying to keep them distinct. In medieval times, dye was costly, and poor parishes used unornament-ed plain cloth for vestments. Dyes were expensive and some colors, particularly purple, difficult to achieve. In England, purple dye was made from mollusks, yielding at best a deep indigo or blue and not the desired violet. Thus, the color of Advent in the British Isles has long been a deep blue, reminding many people of Mary’s presence at the heart of the Advent mystery. That theology is largely unplanned: it’s all because of the clams! —James Field, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

Your Prayers Are Requested for the Repose of the Soul of: Vivian Rego

LETTER FROM POPE FRANCIS THE “JOY OF THE GOSPEL”

The Proclamation of the Gospel—#267

Personal Encounter With the Saving Love of Jesus In union with Jesus, we seek what he seeks and we love what he loves. In the end, what we are seeking is the glory of the Father; we live and act “for the praise of his glorious grace” (Eph 1:6). If we wish to commit ourselves fully and perseveringly, we need to leave behind every other motivation. This is our definitive, deepest and greatest motivation, the ulti-mate reason and meaning behind all we do: the glory of the Father which Jesus sought at every moment of his life. As the Son, he rejoices eternally to be “close to the Father’s heart” (Jn 1:18). If we are missionar-ies, it is primarily because Jesus told us that “by this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit” (Jn 15:8). Beyond all our own preferences and interests, our knowledge and motivations, we evangelize for the greater glory of the Father who loves us.

Fr. Terry’s Remarks— Normally when someone falls 'in love' their whole life revolves around that person. After all; my joy, my well-being, my happi-ness is caught up in the object of my love. How much more is this true when I am the one that is loved by Jesus. How much more when the Christ is the One on which my whole eternity depends in the most loving and generous way imaginable. It is this Love between us and Jesus Christ that fuels our mis-sionary drives, our actions and that keeps us going. Jesus rejoiced because He was always close to His Father's Heart, we too draw our energy and motiva-tion from the same Divine Source. And so we evan-gelize always to the greater glory of God and Our Lord Jesus Christ.