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 27, 2015

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: Liturgy Coordinator, Sean Cooper Eucharistic Ministers, Stephen and Carina Kowalewski Lectors, Barbara Mehan Altar Servers, Alicia Antonio Youth Liturgy, Michelle Gilman

FINANCE COUNCIL: Chairman, Mark Zaleski

PARISH ORGANIZATIONS: Catholic Youth Organization (CYO), 60 Plus or Minus Club, Hospitality Committee

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”: Bobbie Blackard,510-581-4149 HALL MANAGER: Pat Ballinger, (510) 537-1502

HALL RENTAL MANAGER: Ann McAusland, 510-239-7941

YOUTH MINISTRY: Sean Cooper, (510) 581-5870 or Transfig_Youth@sbcglobal.net 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 Marian Room, Parish Hall. Please call the Parish Office, 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 Director, Martin Mijalski. 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”

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph December 27, 2015

Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed.

— 1 John 3:2a

Transfiguration Catholic Church

Mass Intentions (Dec. 26, 2015-Jan. 2, 2016) Sat. 4:00p.m. For the People Sun. 7:30a.m. Special Intention for Christopher Georges 9:00a.m. Special Intention for Oscar & Loreen D’Silva 11:00a.m. Giuseppa, Nunzio & Vincenzo Latora, Rita & Mike Basozki and Paola Vitale Mon. 8:00a.m. Lucille & Francis Devine Tues. 8:00a.m. Dr. Douglas Franklin and Edward & Mary Joaquin Wed. 8:00a.m. Maria Teresa Silva Thurs. 8:00a.m. Diane Padilla Fri. 10:00a.m. For the People 7:30p.m. For the People Sat. 4:00p.m. Bill Giammona

Stewardship Corner The collection total for the weekend of December 19th & 20th will be in next week’s bulletin. Thank you for continuing in your stewardship role of providing for the upkeep of our parish community.

Remember Transfiguration in your Will and Living Trust

For Your Information When writing your checks for regular or special collections, please make all checks payable to Transfiguration Church (a request made by our bank). The Church will then send one total check for each special collection to the designated charity. Also, please write in the memo portion of your check the name of the collection to which you are donating. This will help the office to give you proper credit. Thank you for your support!

Pancake Breakfast Team “C” will be hosting the Pancake Breakfast this Sunday after the 7:30a.m. and 9:00a.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!

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.

Transfiguration Parish Goal Update Our goal here at Transfiguration Parish for the “Reclaiming Christ’s Mission Together” campaign is $549,431.11. So far, we have raised $325,437.68 (59.23% of our goal). We still have $223,993.43 to be raised. Let’s keep going to reach our goal! If you have not yet responded, please consid-er doing so soon. Remember, our parish will receive 25% of all monies collected up to our goal and 50% of funds raised above our goal. Thank you for your support!

Many Thanks to All! Thank you to all who participated in the “Giving Tree” this year. Whether you purchased, delivered, or helped organize, know that it was greatly appreciated!

January 1, 2016, New Year’s Day Mass at 10:00a.m. & 7:30p.m.

Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God Holy Day of Obligation

For Your Information The Parish Office will be closed on January 1, 2016 in observance of the New Year’s Day holiday.

Dear Parishioners,

A New Year’s Prayer

God, thank you for a new year. May everyone in our family be willing to begin anew

with a clean slate. We know that you are always ready to forgive us. Help us to be willing to

forgive ourselves and to forgive one another.

As we begin a new year, remind us of our truest values and our deepest desires. Help us to live in the goodness that

comes from doing what you want us to do. Help us to put aside anxiety about the future and the past, so that we

might live in peace with you now, one day at a time. Amen.

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

Please Note There will be no First Friday Mass at 9:30a.m.

on January 1, 2016.

January 1, 2016

Adult Bible Study There will be no Bible Study on Monday, December 28th. We will resume in January 2016. Watch the bulletin for more information about the dates.

Upcoming Events February 20, 2016 Transfiguration Crab Feed

Baptism Class

The next Baptism class will be Tuesday, January 12, 2016. Please call the Parish Office to register.

NO Classes this week. Happy 2016!

TODAY’S READINGS First Reading: 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28

Second Reading: 1 Jn 3:1-2, 21-24 Psalm 84 —Gospel: Luke 2:41-52

READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: 1 Jn 1:5 — 2:2; Ps 124:2-5, 7b-8; Mt 2:13-18 Tuesday: 1 Jn 2:3-11; Ps 96:1-3, 5b-6; Lk 2:22-35 Wednesday: 1 Jn 2:12-17; Ps 96:7-10; Lk 2:36-40 Thursday: 1 Jn 2:18-21; Ps 96:1-2, 11-13; Jn 1:1-18 Friday: Nm 6:22-27; Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8; Gal 4:4-7; Lk 2:16-21 Saturday: 1 Jn 2:22-28; Ps 98:1-4; Jn 1:19-28 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: The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph Monday: The Holy Innocents Tuesday: Fifth Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord; St. Thomas Becket Wednesday: Sixth Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord Thursday: Seventh Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord; St. Sylvester I; New Year’s Eve Friday: The Octave of the Nativity of the Lord; Mary, the Holy Mother of God; World Day of Prayer for Peace; First Friday; New Year’s Day Saturday: Ss. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen; First Saturday

Sixty Plus and Minus Club There will we no meeting in January.

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

Our Confirmation Candidates are at it again…. This time they want Your Blood! Give the Gift of LIFE!

Transfiguration Church Blood Drive

In our own Mt. Tabor Church Hall

Saturday, January 9, 2016 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

To schedule your appointment

Sign-up at the Red Cross table at church ...select Sundays

Or Go online: please log on to

redcrossblood.org, enter the Sponsor Code: transfig Or

Phone 1-800 RED CROSS (800-733-2767)

If you have questions regarding your eligibility to donate blood, please call

1-866-236-3276.

Identification is required. The need is constant, the gratification is instant!

FAMILY LIFE Family life is sacred, but it is not without trial. Perhaps this is the most important message we can glean from today’s readings. If Jesus, Mary, and Joseph can trip up sometimes—can disconnect—then we shouldn’t find it surprising when such things happen to us as well. And parents everywhere (children, too) can probably relate to—and take some solace in—the Gospel’s account of Mary and Joseph after Jesus explained why he stayed behind in the temple. They heard his words, Luke tells us, “But they did not understand what he said to them” (Luke 2:50). Amen! Nevertheless, Jesus does go back home with them, and continues to thrive under their care. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

Men’s Clothing Drive

When our Confirmation students last visited the St. Vincent de Paul Center in Oak-

land a group of us were assigned to work in the “Clothes Closet”. This is the place where the clients can come and receive free clothing. There were racks and racks of women’s clothing. Sadly, there was only one small round rack with Men’s clothing. A mere two pair of pants were available. Our candidates were asked if they could assist the Society with this obvious need. As usual, the kids have jumped right in! GENTLEMEN — Would you be so kind as to clean out your closet and make room for those new Christmas Gifts you just received? We are looking for “every day” clothes ... pants and shirts and T-shirts and socks and SHOES (only NEW, bagged underwear please). There will be a bin in the vestibule of the church from today through January 10. The candidates will be meeting to sort your donations and then they will be taking the clothing with them when they return to serve in the dining room on Saturday, Jan. 16. Thank you, in advance, for your kind generosity.

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

The Church’s Missionary Transformation—#113 The salvation which God has wrought, and the Church joyfully proclaims, is for everyone. God has found a way to unite himself to every human being in every age. He has chosen to call them together as a people and not as isolated individuals. No one is saved by himself or her-self, individually, or by his or her own efforts. God at-tracts us by taking into account the complex interweaving of personal relationships entailed in the life of a human community. This people which God has chosen and called is the Church. Jesus did not tell the apostles to form an exclusive and elite group. He said: “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19). Saint Paul tells us in the people of God, in the Church, “there is neither Jew or Greek... for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28). To those who feel far from God and the Church, to all those who are fearful or indifferent, I would like to say this: the Lord, with great respect and love, is also calling you to be a part of his people!

Fr. Terry’s Remarks— It's providential that we come on these Sundays of Advent and Christmas time to these chapters on mercy and grace, and as we enter our Jubilee year of Mercy. Being born a human being in Jesus, God has found a way to unite himself more intimately to every person. It’s impossible for us that are so blessed to get our heads around what God has and is doing for us, in us and with us. By calling us as a people, individuals have a better chance of coming to see and accept more clearly. We can imagine God doing all this for someone we love or admire greatly but surely not for myself!! Although again there are some of us who may feel; ''I can imagine God doing it for me but not for so-and-so!'' Thank God, He does not leave that decision to us. Jesus tells us, ''Go and make disciples of all nations.'' Mt 28: 19. and Paul tells: ''for you are all one in Christ Jesus.'' Gal 3:28. No one, absolutely no one is left out by God.