Need to find a Catholic Church while on vacation or away? Look no further! www.masstimes.org can help you locate a Catholic Church anywhere around the world to get Mass times and even directions.    

-------------------------------------------------------
Necesita encontrar una iglesia católica mientras estaba de vacaciones? No busques más! www.masstimes.org puede ayudarle a localizar una iglesia católica en cualquier lugar del mundo para obtener tiempos de masa y direcciones incluso.)

  St. Paul’s offers low-gluten hosts for Communion for those parishioners who suffer from Celiac disease. These hosts have only a minute amount of gluten (0.01%) and are approved for use by the USCCB. Parishioners wishing to receive a low-gluten host MUST contact the Priest 10 minutes before Mass for instructions.

Starting Tuesday, November 15^th, you may visit the Welcome Center during regular office hours to arrange for the offering of Masses for the new year (up to 3 intentions will be accepted for each Mass, except those Sunday Masses offered for the People of the Parish). You may also make arrangements to offer weekend flowers, weekly bread and wine, and weekly altar/sanctuary candles.

So rich is the mystery of the Eucharist that we have a number of terms to illumine its saving grace: the Breaking of the Bread; the Lord's Supper; the Eucharistic Assembly; the Memorial of Christ's Passion, Death, and Resurrection; the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Holy and Divine Liturgy; the Eucharistic Liturgy; Holy Communion; and Holy Mass (cf. CCC, nos. 1328-1332).

The use of bread and wine in worship is already found in the early history of God's people. In the Old Testament, bread and wine are seen as gifts from God, to whom praise and thanks are given in return for these blessings and for other manifestations of his care and grace. The story of the priest Melchizedek's offering a sacrifice of bread and wine for Abraham's victory is an example of this (cf. Gn 14:18). The harvest of new lambs was also a time for the sacrifice of a lamb to show gratitude to God for the new flock and its contribution to the well-being of the family and tribe.

These ancient rituals were given historical meaning at the Exodus of God's people. They were united into the Passover Meal as a sign of God's delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, a pledge of his fidelity to his promises and eventually a sign of the coming of the Messiah and messianic times. Each family shared the lamb that had been sacrificed and the bread over which a blessing had been proclaimed. They also drank from a cup of wine over which a similar blessing had been proclaimed.

When Jesus instituted the Eucharist he gave a final meaning to the blessing of the bread and the wine and the sacrifice of the lamb. The Gospels narrate events that anticipated the Eucharist. The miracle of the loaves and fish, reported in all four Gospels, prefigured the unique abundance of the Eucharist. The miracle of changing water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana manifested the divine glory of Jesus and the heavenly wedding feast in which we share at every Eucharist.

In his dialogue with the people at Capernaum, Christ used his miracle of multiplying the loaves of bread as the occasion to describe himself as the Bread of Life: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. . . Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you" (Jn 6:51, 53).
For more information on the Mass click here  http://www.catholicmass.org

  Starting November 27th, the First Sunday of Advent, you will notice some minor changes at Mass: after the distribution of Communion is complete, the cups and bowls used will be returned to the Chapel sacristy by the Eucharistic Ministers and purified after Mass by the Deacon. This is one of the options offered in the General Instruction on the Roman Missal and will smooth the flow of the Mass a little bit.

   Also, at Sunday 5 PM Mass, the transfer of the Blessed Sacrament will take place from the Church Altar to the Chapel Altar at the end of Holy Communion. Thus we will show ever more clearly that the Lord we adore in Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is one and the same Lord whom we receive in Holy Communion.

   Effective 2017, all liturgical ministers will have two year terms of service. At the end of their term, each minister will take a one year respite from the ministry to reflect upon how God is calling that person to serve the parish family of St. Paul and the wider Church. If deemed best, the minister can request to resume that ministry after the one year.
 

Most Catholics are familiar with our tradition of calling the Mass a sacrifice.  It is less clear whether most of us understand how the Mass is a sacrifice and what it means for us to make that claim.  
 
We begin with Christ’s own sacrifice.  The core of his sacrifice was expressed in his prayer in the garden of Gethsemane: “Not my will but yours be done.”  His sacrifice was his surrender to the Father’s will in all things, no matter what that might cost.  This commitment led to his death and resurrection.  
 
In the Eucharistic Prayer, we recall what Jesus did for us – his sacrifice on the cross.  We recall what Jesus did so that we might unite ourselves with his sacrifice. In one of our Eucharistic Prayers, we pray: “Father, look with love on those you have called to share in the one sacrifice of Christ.”   To do that means to surrender our wills to the Father’s will just as he did.  It means being willing to give ourselves for others as he did.  It means being willing to accept whatever comes as a result of our faithfulness to the Father’s will.  For Jesus, that meant death on the cross and resurrection to new life.  Most of us will not hang from a wooden cross, but all of us have to embrace the crosses that life brings us.  
 
We share in Christ’s sacrifice to the extent that we embrace his attitude, his act of will, his relationship with the Father.
 
 
WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO STAY… 
Christ is the head of a family who graciously invites us, his followers today, to share a pleasant meal with him.
 
We request that all our Faithful return to their seats after receiving the Holy Eucharist for silent reflection and thanksgiving. The celebration of Mass is not complete until the Celebrant has left the worship area. Thank you for joining us as we respectfully conclude the Mass together.
 
Q & AWhat does it mean when we say we are reading Cycle “A” this year? 
Since Vatican II, the Church is on a three year reading cycle for the Sunday readings. Year or Cycle “A”, “B”, or “C”.  
 
In year “A” we focus mainly on the gospel of Matthew.   
In year “B” we focus mainly on the gospel of Mark.
In year “C” we focus mainly on the gospel of Luke.

Don’t chew gum in church. (No mastique chicle in la iglesia.)

Fast before Mass. It is Church law that one fasts for at least one (1) hour before receiving Holy Communion. The only exceptions are medicine, water or unless someone is ill and needs to eat sooner. (Ayuno antes de Misa. Es una ley de la iglesia que se ayune al menos una hora antes de recibir la Sagrada Comunión. Las únicas excepciones son medicina, agua o si alguien está enfermo y necesita comer antes.)

No Food and Drink in Church. The only exceptions would be milk for infants, water for the priest or choir (if discreet) and water for those who are ill. (No se come ni se toma nada en la Iglesia. La única excepción sería leche para los bebés, agua para el sacerdote o coro (discretamente) y agua para los que están enfermos.)

IF I AM BUSY? 
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) says, “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass” (CCC 2180).
 
“Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin” (CCC 2181).
 
This excludes those who cannot attend for unavoidable reasons such as illness or infirmity, for example. Life can get so busy that when Sunday comes around each week, it becomes just another day to run errands or catch up on sleep or chores. Yet, God intended the Sabbath (Sunday for Catholics) to be a holy day for us, when we reconnect with Him. That’s one of the reasons He gave us the Third Commandment. Attending Mass each week is not just something we have to do; it is something we get to do.
 
At Mass, each faithful Catholic is fed with abundant graces. We know that our Lord is truly present in the Eucharist, and we receive His body and blood in this Sacrament. The Mass is a precious gift to us. Try not to miss even one.

Como actuamos en la Iglesia

La Iglesia es un lugar sagrado, reservado para el culto a Dios. El Santísimo Sacramento está en el tabernáculo y Su Presencia Real requiere de nosotros la mayor reverencia. Es por eso que, aunque no se esté celebrando la Santa Misa, el ambiente en la iglesia debe conducir a la oración y el respeto a Dios. Es más bien un lugar sagrado, diferente a todos los demás. ¡Es casa de oración! Toda nuestra actitud debe reflejar nuestra fe en la Presencia de Cristo. Tenemos la obligación moral de reflexionar sobre nuestro propio comportamiento y enseñar a nuestros hijos.

Algunas reglas en la Iglesia:
Prohibidos chicles, comidas y bebidas.
Vestir decorosamente. Evitar escotes y vestidos provocativos; evitar jeans, pantalones apretados, shorts, camisetas.
Mantener el teléfono apagado. Nunca utilizarlo en la iglesia.
Persignarse con agua bendita al entrar. Nos recuerda nuestro bautismo.
Hacer genuflexión ante el sagrario (tocar el suelo con la rodilla derecha)
Guardar silencio por respeto, para facilitar el recogimiento y la oración.

En la misa:
Saber cuándo sentarse, arrodillarse y pararse.
Participar en las oraciones y los cantos.
Cuidar de no hacer ruido con los reclinatorios al levantarlos y bajarlos.
Sentarse con postura decorosa. No acostarse en los bancos.
Enseñar a los niños a comportarse, si lloran, sacarlos tantito. No correr por la Iglesia.

Para comulgar:
Es necesario practicar la fe católica y estar en gracia de Dios para ir a comulgar.
Respetar la hora del ayuno.
- Padre Jordi Rivero www.catolico.org