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 January 1, 2017

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

LITURGICAL MINISTRY: Eucharistic Ministers, Stephen and Carina Kowalewski Lectors, Barbara Mehan Altar Servers, Clarence Decano Youth Liturgy, Michelle Gilman

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”: Trish Ferrari, (510) 581-7263 HALL MANAGER: Pat Ballinger, (510) 537-1502

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”

Mary, the Holy Mother of God January 1, 2017

Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.

— Luke 2:19

Mass Intentions (Dec. 31-January 7, 2017) Sat. 4:00 p.m. For the People Sun. 7:30 a.m. For the People 9:00 a.m. For the People 11:00 a.m. For the People Mon. 8:00 a.m. Bill Giammona Tues. 8:00 a.m. Charles Sohner and Patricia Wagner Wed. 8:00 a.m. May Feeney Thurs. 8:00 a.m. Al and Hester Powers Fri. 9:30a.m. Jean & Elmer Pearson Sat. 4:00 p.m. Special Intention for Joseph Georges

Stewardship Corner The collection total for the weekend of December 24th & 25th and Christmas will be in next week’s bulletin. Thank you for continuing in your stewardship role of providing for the upkeep of our parish community.

We extend a warm welcome to new parishioners. Please pick up a registration form in the vestibule of the church and return it to the Parish Office. This helps us to serve you better.

January Birthdays Happy Birthday to you, May God Bless you.

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, May God Bless you!

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

Adult Bible Study There will be no Bible Study on

Monday, January 2nd. We will resume on January 9, 2017.

Pancake Breakfast Team “C” will be hosting the Pancake Breakfast next Sunday after the 7:30 a.m. & 9:00 a.m. Masses in the Parish Hall. All-you-can-eat pancakes, ham, sausage, scrambled eggs, orange juice, coffee/tea/hot chocolate. Adult: $4, Senior: $3, Child: $3, Family: $8. Be sure to come and enjoy a great meal and the fellowship. See you there!

Transfiguration Catholic Church

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

Dear Parishioners, I, along with Fr. Terry, would like to thank all of you for your prayers, cards, homemade goodies and gifts during the Christmas season. We appreciate your thoughtfulness. Blessings to you and your family for a Happy New Year! Yours in Christ, Fr. Mario Borges

For Your Information The Parish Office will be closed on

Monday, January 2nd in observance of New Year’s Day.

Note: Mass on Friday, January 6th will be at 9:30a.m.

There will be no coffee and donuts this Sunday after the 9:00 Mass.

THE BLESSING WE RECEIVE The blessing we experience in Christ Jesus is proclaimed in Numbers as the special blessing for the people of Israel. They and we are to be blessed by the invocation of God’s loving kindness, the shining glory of God’s face turned to-ward us in love, not away from us in anger. We are blessed by God’s own peace! Our wish and our hope are fulfilled in this blessing, which is made visible in the coming of Jesus. In Jesus, the image of the invisible God, God’s face is shown to us and God’s pres-ence is made known to us in faithful and loving kindness. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

Happy New Year!

The Epiphany of the Lord Sunday, January 8, 2017 We will be celebrating the

Feast of the Epiphany with the arrival of three wise persons (dressed in costume)

at the 9:00 and 11:00 Masses.

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 5, 2017, 9:15-11:15 a.m. Speaker: Aggie Burke

Topic: “Not Your Mother’s Mary; The True Biblical Accounts of the Blessed Mother”

Baptism Class The next Baptism class will be

Tuesday, January 10, 2017. Please call the Parish Office to register.

Deadline for Bulletin The deadline for items in the bulletin is

Monday, 4:30 p.m. Thank you for your support!

Upcoming Events February 18, 2017 Transfiguration Crab Feed

NO Classes this Week. Happy 2017!

Confirmation Class NEXT SUNDAY 9-1.

TODAY’S READINGS First Reading: Numbers 6:22-27 Second Reading: Galatians 4:4-7 Psalm 67 —Gospel: Luke 2:16-21

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: 1 Jn 2:22-28; Ps 98:1-4; Jn 1:19-28 Tuesday: 1 Jn 2:29 — 3:6; Ps 98:1, 3cd-6; Jn 1:29-34 Wednesday: 1 Jn 3:7-10; Ps 98:1, 7-9; Jn 1:35-42 Thursday: 1 Jn 3:11-21; Ps 100:1b-5; Lk 4:14-22a Friday: 1 Jn 5:5-13; Ps 147:12-15, 19-20; Mk 1:7-11 or Lk 3:23-28 [23, 31-34, 36, 38] Saturday: 1 Jn 5:14-21; Sal 149:1-6a, 9b; Jn 2:1-11 Sunday: Is 60:1-6; Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13; Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6; Mt 2:1-12 SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Sunday: Mary, the Holy Mother of God; The Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord; World Day of Prayer for Peace; New Year’s Day Monday: Ss. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen Tuesday: The Most Holy Name of Jesus Wednesday: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Thursday: St. John Neumann Friday: St. André Bessette; First Friday Saturday: St. Raymond of Penyafort; First Saturday; Julian Calendar Christmas

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION “Octave” comes from the Latin word for “eight,” and since eight is one step beyond seven, the number of days in a week, it has long been seen as a symbol of perfection, completion, and new beginnings. Early Christians called Sunday the “eighth day,” since it was the day after the Sabbath and a day of resurrected life, the Lord’s Day. By the seventh century, people regarded the eight days after Easter Sunday as one great day, an octave, one glorious feast when people were forbidden to fast or kneel. In the seventh century, Pentecost acquired an Octave, too. Christmas didn’t claim the honor of a continuous feast, but it did get an Octave Day. January 1 is the oldest Marian feast, the Octave of Christmas. It was originally a feast of the motherhood of Mary, although for centuries until 1969 it was called the Feast of the Circumcision. Our reformed calendar follows the earlier tradition of celebrating Mary as Mother of God. —James Field, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

Sixty Plus or Minus Club Please join us in the Hall following the 9:30a.m. Mass on Friday, January 6th for our first meeting of the New Year. Our hosts will be Marlene and Len Tallo. Sign up today if you plan to attend. Dues are payable this month.

Transfiguration Church Blood Drive 4000 East Castro Valley Blvd.—Parish Hall

Saturday, January 21, 2017 9:00a.m.—3:00p.m.

To schedule your appointment, please log on to: redcrossblood.org, enter the Sponsor Code: transfig

or sign up at the Red Cross table outside during Mass. If you have questions regarding your eligibility to donate

blood, please call 1-866-236-3276 Identification is required.

Calling All Transfiguration Parish Cursillistas!!!

Please join our monthly group reunion

every 1st Friday of the month St. Peter’s room in the

pARISH HaLl, 6:00-8:30pm….

Spiritual Director Deacon Tim Moore

Thanks from St. Vincent de Paul

Thanks to your generous donations during the year, our St. Vincent de Paul was able to provide turkeys and other gro-cery items to nearly 50 needy families in our parish on Saturday, December 17th. Thanks also to the California Highway Patrol who shared with us some of the toys they collected from the public which we distributed to the chil-dren of the families we serve. The food and toys helped to make a brighter Christmas for these families who struggle economically especially during the holidays.

LETTER FROM POPE FRANCIS THE “JOY OF THE GOSPEL” CONTINUED...

The Proclamation of the Gospel—#165

Kerygmatic and mystagogical catechesis

We must not think that in catechesis the kerygma gives way to a supposedly more “solid” formation. Nothing is more solid, profound, secure, meaningful and wisdom-filled than that initial proclamation. All Christian for-mation consists of entering more deeply into the kerygma, which is reflected in and constantly illumines, the work of catechesis, thereby enabling us to understand more fully the significance of every subject which the latter treats. It is the message capable of responding to the desire for the infinite which abides in every human heart. The centrality of the kerygma calls for stressing those elements which are most needed today: it has to express God’s saving love which precedes any moral and religious obligation on our part; it should not impose the truth but appeal to freedom; it should be marked by joy, encouragement, liveliness and a harmonious balance which will not re-duce preaching to a few doctrines which are at times more philosophical than evangelical. All this demands on the part of the evangelizer certain attitudes which foster open-ness to the message: approachability, readiness for dia-logue, patience, a warmth and welcome which is non-judgmental.

Fr. Terry’s Remarks—We are all supposed to have the American dream, a lovely house, a few dollars put away safely. But what good is all that if there is no love, no joy in your life? Wandering around your big empty house mentally counting your many dollars, driving around in your flashy Porsche, people envying you, “lucky chap” and you yourself feeling so alone. This is what happens when we replace a lively belief in God's saving love for us and our salvation with: expert knowledge, many prayers and indulgences, strict disci-pline in our lives, fanatical attachment to liturgical prac-tice and a rigid certainty in our views of our faith. We build for ourselves fine facades that people admire but we are missing the messiness of real faith, of a faith that is in the flesh, of a love that is infinite and a relationship that is constant and always responsive. This week we have been carrying around the baby Jesus in our arms, close to our hearts, and he has been doing all the things that babies do, but you love him all the more and He beams at you and gives you His love. No one is saying you should not have a decent house or a good credit card; all we're saying is that they are much more enjoyable, much more enriching much more rewarding when your house is a loving home. So, also our faith is so much more life giving, much rich-er and holier, even enjoyable when you never lose sight of the love, mercy and forgiveness of our God.