ST. JUDE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY   PAGE EIGHT    NOVEMBER 26,  2000

The Bereavement Support Group has resumed meeting every other Wednesday evening in the Parish School Library from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.      This group is open to everyone who has experienced a loss within the past two years.   

For more information, please contact Louise Engel-Ruck at 805 - 374 - 2864.

Our parish community offers a wonderful program three times a year for those Catholics who have fallen-away from the practice of their Catholic Christian Faith for one reason or another.   Whether they have been hurt in some way, or whether they just walked-away for some reason or another.      This program has as its chief goal:   1) the hopeful healing of wounds and hurts,  and 2) the welcoming of a brother or sister Back Home.

No questions are asked as to why anyone left.    However, opportunities are given for sharing your story, if you wish, during this three-month program.    In addition, opportunities are offered to help answer questions, fix-up marriages in the Church, and heal wounds.

If you yourself would like to be a part of this Welcome Back Home Process, or if you know someone, or even if your want to know more about this program, please contact one of the priests or Deacon Joe Manion at 818 - 889 -1279, ext. 219. 

We miss you!    We are all anxious to have you come Back Home.    Our Father is anxiously watching and waiting to reach out and welcome you Home, and to remind us all:   "Let the celebration begin for my son/daughter who was away has come Back Home to us!"

Calling All Moms!  Please join us Mondays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon as we share the thrill and joy of watching our children making friends and having fun within our Parish Community.

We need you to join right now so we can make our Great Circle of Caring and Sharing Friends even larger.

For more information, please contact Julie Lavacca at 818 - 889 - 8272, or Lourdes Steele 818 - 879 - 1482.

In memory of two Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus --- Father Jim McKeon and Deacon Al Caffrey --- our local Knights of Columbus Council has given our parish two "Vocation Chalices".      These are real chalices used at Mass.

Each Sunday a family takes home one of these chalices.     The family places the chalice on their dinner table as a reminder to pray for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life during that week.     The following Sunday the family brings the chalice to Mass, and bring-up the chalice during the Presentation of the Gifts with the bread and wine.   The Priest at that Mass then uses that chalice during that Mass.     At the end of Mass, the priest presents that chalice to another family to take home for the week.

If your family would like to sign-up to receive a chalice for a week, and pray for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life during your evening meal, please contact Jay DeLeondaris at 818 - 707 - 2761.

One of the most special ministries in our parish is "Embracing the Dying".    Those in this ministry embrace those who are dying and their families.     They serve as spiritual hospice persons.     Helping the dying person and the family to share last thoughts and feelings.     Helping the family to accept the impending death of a loved one.     Helping the dying person with their family to compose their funeral service:  music, Readings, etc.    So that on the day of the Christian Burial ritual, the family truly feels one with their beloved who has died and gone to the Lord, and knows that their loved one helped put this together as what they wanted all to feel, and be comforted by, during the funeral rituals.

If you would like to join this ministry of love and compassion, please contact either Debbie Meier at 818 - 597 - 1464, or Jean Marie Cull at 805 - 497 - 6473.

The next meeting will be held at the home of Jean Marie Cull on November 29th, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

For directions or information, please call Jean Marie at 805 497-6473.

If you are new to our parish community, please come by our Pastoral Parish Office to meet the staff and priests and to register.     If time is of the essence, then garb a registration form from the back of the church, fill it out and turn it in.      Soon after registering, our Newcomers Hospitality will visit your home and share with you about our many parish activities, and then you can leave your imprint on who we are.

If you are interested in welcoming newcomers to our parish family, please contact Denise Ferrone at 818 - 597 - 9177 or Monica Larson at 818 - 597 - 9177.