For some people in our Conejo Valley, the meaning of Christmas is found in receiving gifts.    For some others, the meaning of Christmas is found in lights sparkling and twinkling and making everyone feel joyous.     For still others, the meaning of Christmas is found in sending and/or receiving Christmas cards and letters.     Others yet, find the meaning of Christmas in holiday parties.   

However, here at St. Jude's, for those who really understand and believe, the meaning of Christmas is found in the First Christmas.     For that simple scene yields for us the real meaning of Christmas.      It is seen and found in "the Gift", lying in the manger.    It is seen  in the "Light" shining in the darkness!      It is seen and found in the Eucharistic Celebration of all gathered in Christ, and then lived out daily.     

Because of what I experienced this Christmas, I am so thrilled to be known as your Pastor.     For you are a community full of wonderful, caring disciples of Christ who know the true and real meaning of Christmas.

For instance, our Christmas "Adopt-A-Family" Program this year, through the generosity and enthusiasm of this community, was the most successful ever!      You assisted 375 families in St. Malachy's Catholic Community in South Central Los Angeles and Catholic Charities of Ventura County.      In addition, you assisted 30 families or individuals from the "Conejo Valley Winter Shelter" Program.     In the biggest collection ever, just a few short of 1,200 boxes of non-perishable food stuffs were gathered and loaded onto five trucks.     In addition, you provided a gift for each and every family member.      It took five trucks donated or lent by parishioners to haul all your donations to the "Adopted Families/Individuals".     And, on Collection Day, Saturday, December 18^th, here on St. Jude's parking lot, the Collection of all your generosity was accomplished through the efforts of more than 50 volunteers who served as greeters, markers, loaders, callers, boxers, packers, and checkers.   John and Jackie Treuting really had to outdo themselves this year, as Chairpersons of this project, in responding to your kindness and caring.

And that is not all!     George and Charolette (the secretary in our Parish School) Anino some years became aware of some local Conejo Valley families being in need.      With a few grocery bags near their front door, they would add non-perishable food items every time they went shopping so they could help their neighbors in need.     As friends became aware of what the Aninos were doing, they joined them and thus was born "Santa Comes to Agoura".      This year "Santa Comes to Agoura" aided 97 local families in Agoura, Agoura Hills, Oak Park, Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village.    You wonderful people provided all the hygienic items (combs, brushes, soap, etc.), especially the children and families in our Parish School, and the Third Grade Religious Education students and their families provided boxes upon boxes of non-perishable food stuffs.     Boy and Girl Scouts and high school students, plus many students and parents from our Parish School came to separate and bag, and then deliver all the groceries and gifts.   

In addition, a caring group in our parish provided $100.00 Food Gift Certificates and a gift for each family member for seven families in Mother of Sorrows Catholic Community in South Central Los Angeles.    Our Parish Children's Choir and their parents provided wonderful gifts for the pregnant mothers at "Angels Way" in Canoga Park that were presented during the Children's Mass on Christmas Eve.        And, the faculty in our Parish School collected funds and clothing for Battered Women and Children.

When Arline La Porte asked for volunteers to help with the "Conejo Valley Winter Shelter Program", you overwhelmed her with volunteers.     She had more help to prepare and serve meals, and to stand watch during the night, than was needed.     But you did not let up, rather you still volunteered and have been going down to the Winter Shelter and just being with our local homeless.         

This past year you gave $93,927.00 to our Sister Parish, Holy Spirit in Los Angeles, through our commitment to the Archdiocesan Annual Appeal, "Together in Mission".    In addition, you provided One-Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) worth of toys for Holy Spirit's Christmas Party for children from poor families.      Every penny you sent in, was given to help the inner city.    We even absorbed the cost of the mailings and materials, so that we could help them as much as possible. 

Also, through your generosity, you gave St. Patrick's Catholic Community in South Central Los Angeles $25,000.00 towards helping them to build a new church to replace the one destroyed by the Northridge Earthquake.     You specified these funds in response to Bishop Stephen Blaire's request during his preaching at our parish last year for the Archdiocesan Annual Appeal, "Together in Mission".

Finally, you gave help to St. Thomas the Apostle Church Catholic Community in downtown Los Angeles whose church was deliberately destroyed by arson.     In the past, you had donated materials for a good sound system and for repairing their leaking Baptismal Pool, with Father Dan doing the labor with some men of St. Thomas.       Now you have shared toward the funds needed to rebuild the church.     The Fire Insurance will only give the amount of the value of the building, not its actual cost to rebuild.     This left this poor community $1,500,000.00 short.     You generously allowed us to give them $100,000.00.

What a wonderful, caring community you are.     May God bless and reward you all for your living-out the Gospel so magnanimously!      You are all truly disciples of Christ Jesus.   The Lord must so proud of you all, for by your love you are known!      "See how these Christians love one another!"

John and Jackie Treuting too want to express their thanks to you all!     As they wrote in their final report:   "There is no way that we can properly express our thanks to everyone who contributed their time, talents and financial resources to the annual "Adopt-A-Family" Program.     But we can let everyone know that their involvement made a tangible, positive difference in someone's Christmas this year.    We look forward to working with all St. Jude's parishioners to make the coming year's program a true community project."