ST. JUDE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY    PAGE SEVEN   APRIL 16, 2000 

If you have not yet made your 2000 Pledge Commitment to our Sister Parish and helping those less fortunate, please prayerfully consider doing so now or whenever your financial picture changes.     We cannot ignore the needs of our poorest sisters and brothers.     Rather, we need to stand in most heartfelt, and genuine support, with them.

"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.

One and all are encouraged to fully participate in the current United States Census.   It is a matter of record that the 1990 Census was grossly undercounted.    As a result, California lost out on millions of tax dollars for roads and other federal projects and funding.   We also lost much needed funding to use for the underprivileged living here in our State.

Please return your questionnaire as soon as possible, even if you got a long form.

St. Jude's Girl Scouts are leading our parish community in helping the local Conejo Valley "Manna" Program, which helps the local poor.    Needed are food items, personal hygiene items, and necessary household items.     Please do NOT donate anything in a glass container, as "Manna" can be sued if it breaks. 

Food items being sought at this time are:  canned juices and soups, canned veggies and fruits, canned meals and meats, dry soup mixes and meal mixes, and dry cereals.     

Other food basic food items being sought in small non-breakable containers are:   mayonnaise, mustard, catsup, salt & pepper, sugar, flour, cooking oil, tea & coffee.

Personal hygiene items needed are:   bath soap, combs, brushes, shaving lather and shavers, toothbrushes and toothpaste, deodorant, and hair shampoo and gel.

Other hygiene items are:   washing soap and bleach, disposable baby diapers, baby bottles, and items for bathing and caring for a baby.

Please leave your donations in the back of the church in the big red buckets when you come to Mass.     The Girl Scouts will collect them and take them to "Manna".

We stand from the "Our Father" till all have received Holy Communion.     Those who cannot stand for health reasons, are allowed to sit as the rubrics in the Sacramentary direct.

The purpose behind this practice, is to remind the Gathered Assembly that many though we are, we become one body in Christ and one with each other in Christ.     As one body, all doing the same thing, we stand together while singing together the Communion Hymn of praise unto the Lord.     Only after all have received, do we then sit together to spend some time in quiet meditation and prayer with the Eucharistic Lord within us.

The Ventura District of the Los Angeles Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women is having its District Meeting on Wednesday, May 17^th, at St. Peter Claver Catholic Community, corner of Cochran and Stow in Simi Valley.    The day begins at 9:30 a.m. and includes Reverend Monsignor Padraic Loftus speaking on "The Jubilee and Ecumenism."   Mass will be at 11:00 a.m. with luncheon following, and the day concludes by 1:30 p.m.

Charge for the day is only $7.00.   Reservations must be prepaid by May 10^th.   Make checks payable to Dorothy Luther, and send them to her at 6484 Hazel Circle in Simi Valley, CA 93063.

For more information, please call Dorothy at 805 - 581 - 3851.