If you were not at St. Jude's the last few weekends, when our parish family put its faith action by making their 2000 Pledge to our Sister Parish, you are asked to please do so today. Or, if you were not able to make a Pledge Commitment at that time, please prayerfully consider doing so whenever your financial picture changes.      For, we all want to stand in- solidarity with our Archbishop, and especially with all our priests and religious and lay leaders of our Archdiocese who minister in the poorest of parishes in our Archdiocese.     We cannot ignore the needs of our poorest sisters and brothers.     Rather, we need to stand in most heartfelt, and genuine support, with them:   our poorest brothers and sisters in their needs.

"Together in Mission" truly does help our poorest parish communities, as we heard on "Announcement Sunday" when members of our Sister Parish reported to us at each Mass.     Every penny raised goes to help them meet their needs.     Not one penny goes to the Archdiocese, nor to the Cathedral project!

If you are still to make your Pledge Commitment today, prayerfully consider giving a little more this year than last.       We need to come to have a real awareness of the burdens and the genuine needs that exist within our poorest parishes today.     We need to understand that our Baptismal Calling encourages us, in fact urges us, to share generously with those who are less fortunate.      Let us dig deeply this year and try our very best to help this most worthwhile project, "Together in Mission"!

Most Reverend Thomas Curry, D.D., the Santa Barbara Regional Bishop. will administer the Sacrament of Confirmation this Easter Season to the Adults of our Region at St. Peter Claver Church in Simi Valley.

If you are an adult, over 18 years of age and out of high school, and you have not yet received the Sacrament of Confirmation, you are encouraged to sign-up and take the necessary classes to receive this Sacrament of the Holy Spirit.     The requirements are simple.   They include:   

1. signing-up by registering with our Director of Religious Education, Joan Nardone,
   

What Is An Indulgence? An Indulgence is "the remission before God of some or all the temporal punishment due to sins, already forgiven through the Sacrament of Penance".

What Is the Jubilee Holy Year Indulgence?   It is "the remission before God of all the temporal punishment due to ours we have already had forgiven in confession."

How Do We Gain the Jubilee Holy Year Indulgence?      Certain conditions need to be fulfilled by each person in order to gain this total remission of the temporal punishment due to our sins.

1. making a worthy Sacramental Confession, leading to a genuine conversion of heart.
   
2. worthily receiving Jesus in the Sacrament of Holy Communion,
   
3. praying for our Holy Father, by saying: the Creed, an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be.
   
4. either making a Pilgrimage by visiting a Church,designated by our Holy Father or our Local Bishop.
   
5. or performing charitable works,
   

To remember Monsignor Tommy O'Connell's First Anniversary, we are having a special celebration today at the 12:00 Noon Sunday Mass for our parish community.      Our combined choirs will lead us in sung praise. After that Mass, there will be a "Pot Luck" in the Parish Hall.     The parish will provide refreshments (coffee, tea, punch, etc.) and dessert.     

All those attending the "Pot Luck" are asked to bring a hot or cold main dish, or a salad, for six (6) or eight (8) people.     There will be people in the Parish Hall to receive your Pot Luck dish before the Noon Mass.    Since those helping prepare the Pot Luck would like to attend the Noon Anniversary Mass too, you are asked to please try to come early.     Your hot or cold dish, or salad, may be homemade or store-bought.     All is good!    All dishes are welcome!     What will be important that day, will be the fellowship and the sharing of each person's wonderful memories of Monsignor Tommy.

All who attended "St. Jude's Summer Spirit Day Camp" are encouraged to stop by the Parish Pastoral Office and pick-up their Summer Camp Scrap-Book.     One book was made for each family that attended the "Summer Spirit Day Camp".