Mass for Victims/Survivors of Violence

Violence hits all communities, all income and age groups, and it also tests our faith. We have a responsibility to respond. Please help us reach out to those individuals and families who have experienced the pain and hurt of losing a loved one through a violent act. The Catholic community cannot ignore the moral and human costs of so much violence in our midst.

A special Mass for Victims/Survivors of Violence

will be held on Sunday, April 10, 2011 at 2:30 pm
at Queen of Apostles Church, 4911 Moorpark, San Jose, California.
Bishop Patrick J. McGrath will be the presider. This will be a way for all who
have been touched by violence to gather in prayer and remembrance.

If you would like a specific victim/survivor of violence to be remembered by name in this liturgy, please send the name to

Sister Maryann Cantlon, 1150
North 1st Street, San Jose, CA 95110.
All are invited to the reception after the Mass.

Community Center Update - November

PLEASE SIGN-UP TO HELP COMPLETE OUT COMMUNITY CENTER!

Now is the time to volunteer to help complete our SJV Community Center! This is a project that needs the
support of every member of our community. Specifically, we would like every member of our community to
consider giving 10 hours of time over 5 months, starting in January 2011.

Next weekend, November 20 & 21, there will be volunteer sign up cards distributed at mass. Volunteer sign-up
cards will also be available in the school lobby and parish office. Specifically, we need help with:

• Mailings
• Phone Calls
• Events: Greeting
• Events: Refreshments
• Prayer Committee
• Fundraising Committee
• In-Kind Building Materials

This is a well organized effort, so it will be easy to get involved. This project also counts towards volunteer
service hours for school families. Follow-up will take place in December.

Please consider how you will be involved and remember to sign up next weekend! You can also sign-up
ahead of time by emailing CommunityCenter@sjvsj.net or calling 408.258.7832, ext. 36.

Thank you for your patience, prayers and support as together, with God’s help and guidance, we continue to
build the community of Saint John Vianney.

Report on our first Kermis

Bouquet of gratitude for the hard work, time and devotion of Carmencita Quiroga, her Divino Nino JESUS prayer group, Fr  Eddie and the committee of great cooks for raising more than $2000 on Saturday, Nov. 6 to purchase liturgical vestments and accessories for celebrating Mass.  The team continues to collect monetary donations until the end of November from those who could help complete the cause.

Kudos to Dee Vance-Micallef (Pastoral Council)and her sister Charlotte for organizing the SJV Girl Scouts providing games for the children; Phyllis Silva (Community Life Commission) and her Youth group providing face painting and decal tattoos for the children; Alice and husband Stan for the music, karaoke and line dancing;  Becky and Bob Stegman's heavy arm work, Patti and Gina Sebastian (Worship Commission) for assisting Carmencita.  The scrumptious food included pozole, plato criollo, barbacoa, chicken, tamales, tostadas, salad, horchata and hot dogs for the kids.  Participants enjoyed the auction and raffle gifts.

The left over chicken and rice were offered to the attendees of the 5:15 and 7 PM Masses on Saturday.  Look forward to the next Gran Kermese tentatively planned for the weekend of March 12.

Report by Patti Ross

Open House at St. John Vianney School

Next week, St. John Vianney School will be hosting an open house on Tuesday the 16th and Thursday the 18th from 8:30am until noon.  If you are thinking about your preschooler's future or thinking about current transfer options, I encourage you to drop by and ask questions.  Tours will be provided for kindergarten through 8th grade. SJV is located in the heart of Alum Rock. All are welcome!

I invite you to learn more about St. John Vianney School

www.sjvsj.org or call the SJV Office at 258-7677.

Community Center Update - October

Saint John Vianney is blessed with an active and thriving community.  It is a place for ministry, education and service.  A place of family and friends – young and old, with a vibrant diversity.  It is a place where all can express their faith through worship, sacraments, outreach and fellowship.  As an example of our active parish, during the 2009/2010 fiscal year, our community included:

·       Over 2,250 registered parish households, representing 7,000+ adults and children

·       Over 60 different parish ministries, programs and activities

·       More than 540 elementary students and high school youth participants in basic faith formation and sacramental preparation, plus more than 9 adult participants in ongoing spirituality courses, to support our English and Spanish speaking communities

·       401 families, representing 534 students enrolled in Saint John Vianney Parish School

·       125 marriages, 46 baptisms, 80 confirmations and 56 participants in RCIA

·       Numerous parish-wide celebrations and events, including 7 weekend Masses, Parish Feast Day Celebration, Argentinean BBQ, School Holiday Faire, Parish Christmas Concert, School Crab Feed and Parish Fiesta

·       Several parish service activities, such as providing meals, clothing and donations for the needy through St. Vincent de Paul and Parish Community Ministry, the Parish Advent Giving Tree, and supporting the San Jose Family Shelter and other local food kitchens for the elderly, poor and homeless 

The Our Community, Our Center Campaign is not just about a building.  It’s about building community. It’s about uniting together to build something bigger than just one person, or one group of people, could do alone. It’s about providing a place that will breathe new life into the parish, carrying forth the message of faith and service that is the Saint John Vianney community. 

This is an exciting time at the parish.  Many parishioners and ministry groups have already pledged their early support and we hope to continue to be blessed by early funding so that we can start work on finishing the interior and repaying loans as soon as possible.  This is a project that needs the support of every member of our community.  This month, please reflect on how you can give of your time and talents to help complete the SJV Community Center.  There will be sign-ups for volunteer needs during November. 

If you have any questions about the Community Center, please don’t hesitate to ask any one of the Steering Committee members directly or email CommunityCenter@sjvsj.net or call 408.258.7832, ext. 36.  Input and questions from the parish are always welcome. 

Thank you for your patience, prayers and support as together, with God’s help and guidance, we continue to build the community of Saint John Vianney.  

SEPTEMBER UPDATE From the Desk of Fr. Francisco Rios

Dear Parishioners and Members of the Saint John Vianney Community,

I hope you each had a wonderful summer with friends and family.  As we begin the fall, I wanted to take the time to personally update you on our progress to complete our SJV Community Center.  As you may know, a group of dedicated parishioners and staff have been working hard planning ways to effectively and successfully complete our SJV Community Center and we have made exciting progress in determining our next steps. 

There will continue to be regular updates in the bulletin and we will be forming committees this fall and launching a campaign this spring.  Many parishioners and ministry groups have already pledged their early support and we hope to continue to be blessed by early funding so that we can start work on finishing the interior and repaying loans as soon as possible.  This is a project that needs the support of every member of our community and I ask that you please continue to keep this project in your prayers.  I also ask that you begin to consider how you can share your time and talents with the parish community and join me in finishing this project.   

Finishing our SJV Community Center is a priority of mine.  There’s no question that our Community Center will add tremendous value to our many parish ministries and school activities and enrich the faith experience of our current and future parishioners.  But, most importantly, completing our SJV Community Center has the ability to unite us together in a common goal – that of enriching our active and vibrant faith community. 

Thank you for your patience, prayers and support as together, with God’s help and guidance, we unite as one to continue to build the community of Saint John Vianney.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Francisco Rios

Pastor

Epiphany Celebration Meeting Results

The group planning an Epiphany celebration as a fund raiser for Rainbows (Grief Counseling for children facing the death of a parent or a divorce) met this morning, Friday, October 29, and decided to simplify the plan for this year and create a larger event in January of 2012. The reason for postponing the event is that the feast of Epiphany falls on January 2, 2011. We think that is a bad choice for an event since so many people will still be traveling and visiting family.

However, we will have a smaller scale fundraiser: a raffle for a beautiful nativity set in a handmade box with a backdrop and table covering, and individual storage bags for each piece of the set. This should be available to see after Thanksgiving, so do plan to buy some tickets for this one of a kind nativity.

St. Vincent de Paul / Community Ministry Sunday

Whenever there is a fifth Sunday in a month, St. John Vianney Parish takes up a special collection to provide funds for our parish St. Vincent de Paul and Community Ministry teams. These folks do wonderful work in our community, taking care of people in need. St. Vincent de Paul serves a large number of people with emergency needs. Community Ministry volunteers provide a number of services, including food for families dealing with the death of a loved one. They also manage the Mother's Day Layette Collection and the Giving Tree at Christmas.

Both of these groups can use more volunteers, but there are even easier ways you can help. This weekend, bring an extra $5-$20 for the second collection or bring a selection of non-perishable foods to be distributed to families in need. You can even make it a habit to bring some canned goods every week when you come to church. Just deposit them in the wooden bin in the front entry area of the church.

Fun Day! Kermis

A Kermis or Kermesse is a festival or fun day, especially one for raising money for charity. The word comes from Middle Dutch. The first part of the word indicates "church" and the second part indicates "Mass" as the custom started from a church festival. These events are quite popular in South America and Europe.

St. John Vianney will have a Kermesse on Saturday, November 6, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Tickets for food will be available after all the weekend masses this weekend. There will be games, food, and performances.

Funds raised by this event will go toward the purchase of new vestments for the parish.

Drama!

St. John Vianney School children are presenting a fun drama on Wednesday, October 20, at 6:00 PM in the church. Four separate plays will be offered including High School Musical, Rafunzel, Snow White, and Toy Story. Come enjoy the drama, support our children's efforts and raise a bit of money for our building fund!

Family Fun Day! November 6, 2010 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Join the fun at our first Family Fun Day, Saturday, November 6, in the Main Hall from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This event has been created by the Grupo de Oracion al Divino Nino JESUS led by Carmencito Quirogo with the purpose of raising funds for new vestments. In addition to vestments, the group hopes to buy new albs for the altar servers and crucifixes for the Eucharistic Ministers.

Also, groups to run games for the day are needed. Can you spend some time helping out?  If so, please contact Carmencito at 272-2494 or email her at carmencitaq@aol.com

How to Share Information

If you have information that you think should be included on this email newsletter, please send your story to newsletter@sjvnews.net

We are interested in publishing stories that will be of interest to St. John Vianney parishioners.

Discipleship By Ray Turner

(This was written for the SJV Discipleship Magazine that should have been published in January 2007 but was never printed. Some of the information is outdated but the main story is still useful.)

For me the word discipleship means to follow Jesus – to do what he asked us to do, to live as he told us to live. I believe the scripture passages where Jesus was most specific about this are:

• The parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Lk 16:19 - Take care of your neighbor)
• The parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:29 - Everyone is my neighbor)
• Matthew 25:31 (Feed the hungry, visit the sick, welcome the stranger, etc.)

While these teachings of Jesus set the bar very high, in the parable of the talents (Mt 25:14), Jesus tells us that we each must do what we can with the gifts God has given us. We listen to the spirit speaking to us in the quiet of our heart and we consider our talents and discern how we can best help others. For example, I’m handy with a hammer, so I volunteer and build houses with Habitat for Humanity. I get a chance to give back what God has given me, get some “free” exercise, meet new people, learn useful skills, and help a family to have their own home. Where else can you get a deal like that!

Jesus really understood the importance of food. He was always feeding and eating with people -- like the 5,000 on the mountain (Mt 14:1, 15:32), and the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Lk 24:13). To Matthew and Zachaeus Jesus said “I want to eat at your house tonight (Mt 9:9, Lk 19:1).” All the other Jews hated these tax collectors, but Jesus’ care and concern for them won them over and they became His disciples.

At the Last Supper Jesus gave us the ultimate meal, the Eucharist. As disciples we need to nourish ourselves spiritually for the work we have to do. I’m very glad St. John Vianney Parish will be offering parishioners more opportunities for spiritual enrichment in the coming months. There are many, many wonderful books and tapes available to nourish our spiritual life. I hope that St. John Vianney Parish will set up a library in the future so we can share these books and tapes among ourselves.

Discipleship can be many things here at St. John Vianney. There are endless opportunities to serve the parish. Think and pray about the talents God has given you. St. Paul says these have been given for the good of all (1 Cor 12). There are a variety of liturgical ministries at Mass. Community Ministry and St. Vincent de Paul directly help others in need. Or perhaps you could help in the school. Or in hospitality welcoming new people into the parish. And, just like in the story of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, you’ll get back more than you give. That’s just God’s way.

Our new multi-purpose building will offer much needed meeting space, a place for parish dinners, and a gym for our school children. But it has strained St. John Vianney Parish financial situation. This is also discipleship – giving back what God has given us for the good of all. When you see the walls start to go up, think and pray about helping a little more. Construction costs always seem to end up more than planned in the beginning and we need to push our building through to a successful completion.

The thing Jesus said most often to his disciples after the resurrection was “Don’t be afraid.” He says that to all of us too. Don’t be afraid to be a better disciple of Jesus. Risk following Jesus. Follow Him all the way into eternal life.

Something is happening at SJV!

Something new is happening at St. John Vianney Parish. We call it Parish Ministry Together (PMT) and it is a way to improve communication within the parish while assisting the pastor in decision making. It should help us better respond to the needs and concerns of our community and encourage us all as we live out our faith. If you are really curious about the process, find a copy of the book Keeping the Covenant by Thomas Sweetser, SJ. or talk to some friends at St. Maria Goretti Parish where they have been using this process for a number of years.

Basically, a small group of parish leaders (45 parishioners and 6 staff members) meet once a month to share what is happening in various ministries and sub-communities within the parish. All the ministries and groups in the parish are connected to one of the five Commissions:

1. Administration
2. Community Life
3. Faith Formation
4. Outreach
5. Worship

Sometimes a group, ministry, or event belongs to two or more Commissions. Each Commission is expected to touch base with the ministries and groups on their list. The idea is to bring concerns and possibilities to the larger group at the monthly meeting so everyone knows what is going on. That way we can support and encourage each other, as well as share ideas for the best way to make things happen.

For more information about Parish Ministry Together meeting times, click on the Parish Ministry Together tab at the top of this screen.

Five Commissions

Parish Ministry Together has five Commissions:

1. Administration
2. Community Life
3. Faith Formation
4. Outreach
5. Worship

Each Commission consists of nine parishioners and one staff person and is responsible for communication with specific groups in the parish.

• Administration deals with finance, building, and communication
• Community Life deals with social activities in the parish including Youth, Seniors, Fiesta, and parish picnics and dinners
• Faith Formation deals with all aspects of faith formation from infancy to adult, including bible study, RCIA, and parish activities such as Renew 
• Outreach deals with peace and justice, and evangelization
• Worship deals with all aspects of liturgical celebrations as well as prayer groups

More information on each Commission, click on the Commission name on the tab at the top of this page.