Fifteenth Sunday

          In Ordinary Time

July 12, 2009

First Reading:  Amos 7:12-15

Amaziah (priest of Bethel) ordered Amos to leave Bethel and never prophesy again. Amos replied that he had not been a prophet, but was a shepherd until he was called by God.

Second Reading:  Ephesians 1:3-14

Paul exults God’s immeasurable generosity as he recounts all the blessings that have been bestowed upon all God’s people. We all became adopted children of God when we heard the message of truth Christ brought to us, and because of it, believed in him.

Gospel:  Mark 6:7-13

Jesus gave the twelve disciples authority over unclean spirits and sent them out to preach and heal the sick. He advised them to bring nothing with them and to shake the dust from their feet of any town where they had not been welcomed. Jesus wanted them to understand what they would need to do in his place after his death.

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Prayer for Generosity

Dear Lord, teach me to be generous;

Teach me to serve you as you deserve;

To give and not to count the cost;

To fight and not to heed the wounds;

To toil and not to seek for rest;

To labor, and not to ask for any reward –

except that of knowing that I am doing your holy will.

                                                  AMEN.

MASS INTENTIONS

    July 11 - 18, 2009

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS

5:00  P.M.        Nancy Fahey, Sr. Catherine Ginther,

Sr. Jane Heckathorn,

Eileen Hermann, Kathryn Letkey

9:00 A.M          Mary Liu, Teresa Picchi,

Michael Porcher, Lucy Ragnelli, Marites Sanders, Sonya Simril,

Almaz Yihdego, Bill Branca

11:00 A.M.        Joe Graham, Sr. Barbara Hazzard, Allie Holley, Jeanette Louden-Corbett,

Karen Patterson, Katherine Freeman,

Linda Suciu, Nikiya Arcia

LECTORS     

5:00 P.M.         Bernie Mullins, Nancy Rieser

9:00 A.M.         Tom Doctor, Lois Doctor

11:00 A.M.        Gerry Beaulieu, Denise Perry

PLEASE HELP TO DEFRAY THE COST OF OUR NEW SOUND SYSTEM. You may have noticed that we installed a new Sound System. We would like to thank all parishioners who already made a donation to defray the cost. Total cost: $62,000. - We need your help! If you would like to contribute to the cost, please make your check payable to Our Lady of Lourdes Church. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

BIBLE STUDY GROUP AT OUR LADY OF LOURDES CHURCH Come and join us for fellowship, enlightenment and mutual encouragement! The Bible Study Group meets every Wednesday from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall. For more information please call Marilene Magtibay at 510-388-4746.

We Welcome Our Visitors

HOLY NAMES UNIVERSITY, OAKLAND Pastoral Ministries Program Fall/Winter 2009 Joining in partnership with the Dioceses of Oakland, Fresno, and Stockton, Holy Names University provides our Pastoral Ministries Program for growth in discipleship and service through preparation and formation to educate and form lay ecclesial ministers. This arrangement takes place through the use of live video conferencing equipment which connects all of the students and provides an interactive forum for discussions, sharing, and teaching. Join us to promote the U.S. Bishops' request for educated and informed lay ministers. We invite you to apply now to participate in this educational opportunity. The next cohort is now in the formation process for a Fall/Winter start date. The Pastoral Ministries Program offers eligible students the option to enroll for the Certificate in Pastoral Ministries and to take those courses for undergraduate credit or to obtain an MA degree. For further information or to request an application, please contact Mary Turowski at 510-436-1139 or turowski@hnu.edu .

Worldwide Marriage Encounter

Married Couples: What makes us both truly human and truly like God? It is Love, the love of a married couple, which is unselfish, undying, and wholly directed to the good of others. It is love that unites us in an unbreakable bond of fidelity and fellowship with others. Jesus loved his own until the very end of his passion and death on the cross (John 13:1) Experience a WWMW weekend being held in Pleasanton the weekend of September 11 - 13 and discover God's meaning more fully. For more information, call Ray & Roberta Montes at 916-806-4601 or Joe & Sue Talario at 925-680-7767 or go to http://www.rekindleyourmarriage.org Please register on-line by August 14, 2009.

RCIA Are you interested in becoming a Catholic? Do you know someone who is? Are you a baptized Catholic who has not received the Sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and/or Confirmation? Then you may be interested in the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) that will begin in September at Our Lady of Lourdes. If you are interested, please contact the parish office.

ONE CHURCH ONE AMERICA Collection for the Church in Latin America A Special Collection for the Church in Latin America will be taken up next weekend July 18/19, 2009. The collection for the Church in Latin America is an important way for the faithful in this country to express solidarity with their brothers and sisters to the south, because their pastoral and material needs are great. Donations to the Collection fund projects throughout Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean that bring people more fully into the life of the Catholic Church. PLEASE CONTRIBUTE GENEROUSLY

Complementary Counseling Session offered to Our Lady of Lourdes Parishioners by FaBu Omari, MSW, MBA, JD Counseling appointments will be available every first Friday of the month from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Counseling Sessions will focus on lifestyle changes, community resource identification, financial and tax planning and habit reduction. Please call (510) 315-1500 between noon and 4:00 p.m. to schedule your appointment.