This Friday, May 5^th, will be the First Friday of May.    Confessions will be heard Thursday afternoon only, because of the Ecumenical Service Thursday Evening at 7:30 p.m. in the Church.     There will be no evening confessions.

First Holy Communions begin this weekend.    Our parish children will be receiving Jesus in His Eucharistic Presence for the first time at the 9:00 a.m., 12:00 noon and 5:00 p.m. Masses this weekend and next.     Pray for these parish children and their families that they may always be close to Our Lord. 

Because parents are the first teachers of their children, they have the chief responsibility to share the Faith by their example, by their words, and by bringing their children to catechetical classes.     Parents show their primacy as educators by bringing their children to the Community of Faith for Baptism.    Parents bring their children to the confessional for God's healing mercy and forgiveness.    Parents also bring their children to the Lord to receive Him for the first time.   May God truly bless and reward these loving parents, who not only share earthly blessings with their children, but who care enough to share heavenly values and graces with their children!     May God daily help these parents be  real examples of living faith!

His Eminence, Roger Cardinal Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, will administer the Sacrament of Confirmation at the 5:00 p.m. Vigil Mass on Saturday, May 13^th.    One and all are invited to come and celebrate with our parish teenagers who will be confirmed that evening.   

In preparation for completing their Sacraments of Initiation, these high school students have completed the two year required parish-based catechetical classes.    They have also completed the required hours of Christian Service;  many have done much more than the required hours of Christian Service.    And they have made the two required weekend retreats.       
As our parish teens prepare for the coming of the Holy Spirit upon them in the completion of the Sacraments of Initiation, let us keep them in our daily prayers.

The Cardinal McIntyre Fund for Charity Collection will be taken-up next weekend.    In 1951 shortly after he arrived in Los Angeles from New York as Archbishop of Los Angeles, James Francis Cardinal McIntyre recognized that the public agencies were not meeting the needs of those facing hardships.    Thus, Cardinal McIntyre established this fund to be used in support of otherwise unprovided-for charitable works.

Your contributions next weekend help provide such assistance as food and milk for three days.    Lodging for one night.    Emergency medical care.     Once in a lifetime emergency financial help either for rent in a severe crisis situation, or funeral assistance, or emergency medical care to persons who have nowhere else to go.   Funding for prenatal care for a mom who would not otherwise choose to abort a child.

By contributing to this fund, we help feed the hungry!     We give drink to those who are thirsty!    We welcome the stranger!    We clothe the naked!    We comfort the ill!    We give support to sustaining human life!    And so we fulfill the words of Jesus about serving Him in others whose lives we touch:    "For when you did this to one of these my least ones, you did it to Me!" (Matthew 25:40).

The Usher/Greeters will be passing out special envelopes this weekend.    Please be generous next weekend.

For those who are tithing, this is another very worthwhile charity with which to share your additional 5% of Tithe unto the Lord. 

Sandwiches for Las Familias del Pueblo will be made on Monday, May 8^th, at 10:00 a.m. in our parish hall.    Many hands make light work.

The gift for the month of May is underwear sizes 4 to 12.