Christ the King Church
195A Brandon Road
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
www.ctkph.org
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Parish Newsletter
July 22, 2020
Keeping Us Connected
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Dear Friends:
This morning our communities of St. Stephen and CTK celebrated the feast of Mary Magdalene
, an apostle to the apostle for she was chosen by God to herald the news of the resurrection to Peter and the rest of the apostles. She had no doubt He had risen. I have deeply admired the unparalleled courage and ministry of Catholic nuns with regard to justice and peace. I know our own communities would be deeply wanting without our wonderful women who are transformative. So, a shout out to our women!
In a new documentary film,
John Lewis: Good Trouble
, scheduled for broadcast this fall, Lewis explained that he’d been arrested at least 45 times—five times since he was elected to Congress in 1986. “My philosophy is very simple,”
Lewis says in the film. “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, say something. Do something. Get in trouble. Good trouble.”
In the National Catholic Reporter this week, the editorial page called out our church leaders’ inertia on responding to justice.
The editor wrote, “No wonder the bishops are flatfooted this summer. Their once strong commitment to social justice, the involvement with inter-religious groups that fight racism, their willingness to put the prestige and the power of the church's substantial institutional footprint at the service of those who have been marginalized — all in the distant past.” I don’t necessarily agree fully about the characterization. I do however bemoan the silence, the inaction and sometimes the complicity. The Church has a grave responsibility to contribute to the ongoing conversion and spiritual transformation of all of us. We need to challenge those who fail to see a problem.
Now-retired Bishop Edward Braxton of Belleville, who is African-American, wrote a 2016 pastoral letter on the Catholic Church and the Black Lives Matter movement.
“The phrase is more a call to action against racial profiling, police brutality, and racial injustice than a specific organization.”
Braxton wrote that there are “profound differences” between the teachings of the Church and the Black Lives Matter movement. He nevertheless encouraged Catholic engagement with leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement within the framework of Catholic teaching about the dignity of the human person, and the sanctity of human life, and to work, above all, for conversion.
Amid the ongoing protests, Bishop Fabre stated that the present moment presented an “extraordinary opportunity” for change. African-American Catholics have suffered from racism within the Church for “decades and centuries,” he said; sometimes it has taken the form of “parishes not welcoming the ministry of a black priest or deacon,” or “parishioners not wanting to receive the Eucharist from an African-American extraordinary minister of holy communion.” Black Catholics “long for the eradication of racism in the Church through encounter, accompaniment, repentance, justice, action, charity, and prayer,” he said.
This Thursday, we have invited Fr. Leo Edgerly, Pastor of Corpus Christi, to our speaker series at 5.00pm.
Fr. Edgerly, a West Oakland native, now on a committee tasked with building a study guide for Catholic schools and churches in the state, will address systemic racism. Join us with your questions.
Fr. Paulson
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Fr. Lee Celebrates His First
Outdoor Mass at CTK
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Fr. Lee celebrated his first outdoor mass at CTK on Sunday at 6pm.
Fr. Lee said at mass,
"It is a blessing for me to be sent to a new parish and minister to you at St. Stephen and Christ the King. And I promise to serve you, good people of God, faithfully, generously and lovingly!"
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On Saturday, through the sacrament of Baptism, we welcomed Grayson to our CTK and St. Stephen Family. Grayson is the son of Richard and Natalie. Congratulations Grayson!
May God grant your little one all the blessings of His gentle love and may Grayson enjoy a lifetime of health and happiness. May Grayson's baptism be just the start of a life filled with blessings. Best wishes.
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Celebrating the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene
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This morning we celebrated the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene at the 9am outdoor mass. We thank our wonderful speakers from St. Columba Church in Oakland, Meg Bowerman and Joyce Scotlan. It was a beautiful mass honoring St. Mary Magdalene on her feast day.
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There have been emails sent to parishioners by scammers pretending to be "Fr. Paulson;" first asking to respond to the email and then asking to purchase gift cards. Please know that Fr. Paulson will never ask you by email to purchase anything for him or send money.
Beware of these emails - they are a scam!
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Outdoor Masses Continue This Weekend Both in our
Parking Lot and Grass Area
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No Reservations or Sign Ups Required
You can get out of your car and onto the grass
(bring your own chairs/blankets)
Face Masks are required
Or continue to stay in the comfort of your car-tune into FM 106.7
All masses will be live streamed on Facebook
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Weekday Mass:
Thursdays 6pm only
(Honoring Our Mother
of Perpetual Help)
Weekend Masses:
(Saturday) 5pm
(Sunday) 7:30am, 9am,10:30am & 6pm
Please Note:
7:30am mass will take place outside, on the patio, in front of the church.
Drive Through Holy Communion - Sundays
11:30am to 12 noon
(In front of the church)
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If you are attending the outdoor mass on the lawn, we ask that you
park in our large parking lot and walk over. This will leave much needed spaces open for those who attend mass and stay in their cars so they can be closer and can see the altar better.
Thanks for your help!
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St. Stephen Church
Walnut Creek
Sunday - Mass at 9:30am - Outdoors
St. Stephen - Readings for Mass
Here
Drive Through Communion
-
10:15am
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Join us every day
on Facebook!
Weekdays:
9:00 am -
Mass in Chapel
5:40 pm
- Holy Rosary
6:00 pm
- Outdoor Mass Thursdays Only
Program Notes:
Thursday
- 5:00pm - Speaker Series
Every Thursday Evening:
6:00 pm
Outdoor Mass honoring Our Mother of Perpetual Help
Weekends:
Saturday
9
:00 am
-
Mass in Chapel
5:00 pm
- Outdoor Mass
Sunday
7:30 am
- Outdoor Mass
9:00 am
- Outdoor Mass
10:30 am
-Outdoor Mass
6:00 pm
- Outdoor Mass
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Join us Every Thursday
For our Speaker Series followed by our
Weekly Mass
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Join us every Thursday at 5:00pm on Facebook Live
This Thursday, July 23 at 5:00pm, our speaker will be
Fr. Leo Edgerly, Pastor of Corpus Christi in
Piedmont.
A West Oakland native, now on a committee tasked with building a study guide for Catholic schools and churches in the state, will address systemic racism. Join us tomorrow!
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Thursday, 6pm Mass/Honoring Our Mother of Perpetual Help
After our speaker, stay on for our 6pm weekly mass where we honor Our Mother of Perpetual Help.
Either in your car, on the lawn, or in your home on Facebook Live!
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Faith & Racial Equity
Just Faith Series via Zoom
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Do you want to address racism in your community, but you don’t know where to begin
?
Presented through the lens of the Christian faith, JustFaith Ministries’
Faith & Racial Equity: Exploring Power & Privilege
is an eight-session program
that awakens individuals and groups to racial injustices within our political and economic systems that empower some and oppress others.
We plan to start the weekend of July 25-26 and continue weekly on Thursdays from 1-3 pm. For more information contact Mary Anne La Pointe at 925-787-1422 or Maggie Chaffee at 925-872-9915.
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Join our Faith Sharing Group
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You are invited to join a "virtual" Faith sharing group on Zoom. We meet every Friday morning at 9:30 am
to share our faith through reading and praying with the readings for the following Sunday
. Everyone in the parish is welcome to participate in this opportunity to deepen your faith and increase your understanding of scripture. To try it out, email Diana Mackinson at
dijoed@comcast.net
and she will send you the Zoom invitation to enable you to join us on Friday morning.
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Weekly Reflection on Sunday's Readings
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17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Welcome to our weekly reflections on
the Weekend Scriptures.
What if 2020 isn’t cancelled? What if 2020 is the year we’ve been waiting for? A year so uncomfortable, so painful, so scary, so raw — that it finally forces us to grow.
(see more)
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Thank you for your Continued Financial Support to CTK and St. Stephen Church
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Keeping Connected
Sunday Offering
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On-Line Giving: (click button below)
Online giving now includes St. Stephen Parish.
We depend upon your contributions!
Your generosity and prayers help ensure that CTK and St. Stephen can continue running its essential ministries and pay their staff.
Thank you again for all you do!
Offertory Envelopes/Paper Checks:
Can be sent direc
tly to CTK:
195A Brandon Rd.
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
Can be sent directly to St. Stephen
1101 Keaveny Ct.
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
Thank you for your support!
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Closing Prayer
Feast of St. Mary Magdalene
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O God, whose Only
Begotten Son entrusted
Mary Magdalene
before all others
with announcing the great joy
of the Resurrection,
grant, we pray,
that through her intercession
and example we may proclaim
the living Christ
and come to see him reigning
in your glory.
Amen
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"To Hear the Gospel and Make a Difference"
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