Parish Newsletter

August 24, 2022

Staying Connected

Dear Friends,

Recently I read an article written by Brian Roewe in the National Catholic Reporter, titled “Synod Report Details US Bishops’ Avoidance of Church Teaching on Creation Care.” The article starts with a true story:

A woman starts a social justice group at her Catholic parish. During one particular meeting, she begins to talk about "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home," Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical on ecology. But she was quickly cut off. "We shouldn't rock the boat," she said her pastor told her, as he felt the papal teaching document, the first ever devoted entirely to issues of the environment and humanity's relationship with the rest of the created world, was too controversial.

The anecdote, which did not name the parish or priest, was collected as part of the global church listening process that Francis has invoked through the synod on synodality. It was included in a report compiled by the Catholic Climate Covenant at the invitation of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops as part of the synodal process.

From January to June, Catholic Climate Covenant conducted a series of virtual listening sessions, online surveys, reflections with college students and more to give voice to the joys, hopes and, more often, expressions of sorrow and disappointment of U.S. Catholics with their church's response to Laudato Si' and climate change. Approximately 300 people, the majority women, participated, and the report was made public in late July.

Throughout the sessions, a near-unified message emerged: lay Catholics who have heard, embraced and worked to live out church teachings on the Christian responsibility to safeguard God's creation feel little to no support from clergy, bishops and dioceses, and in some cases direct opposition "The overarching takeaway was the need for unified support from U.S. dioceses and archdioceses to make Laudato Si' and climate change a priority," the report said.

The Covenant synod listening sessions included responses from a small group of students at Creighton University. It also drew on feedback that young adults across North America delivered directly to the pope in February as part of a virtual synod listening session organized by the Vatican and Loyola University Chicago. During that session, one student bluntly told the pope that "U.S. Catholic leaders' failure to share and enact the church's own climate teachings is disillusioning young people."

In their feedback to the Covenant, Creighton students said they rarely hear climate change discussed in their home dioceses or connected to church teaching in homilies. One student described a sense of "idleness and ignorance" among priests. Another considered neglect of climate change as irresponsible. And a third expressed confusion when fellow Catholics describe themselves as "pro-life" but deny the environmental threats facing people and the planet. I have to confess that I have not done enough at CTK and St. Stephen communities to keep promoting Laudato Si, in tune with the church’s teaching.

As the world marked World Humanitarian Day on August 19, Caritas International drew attention to the tragic worsening of the humanitarian situation globally resulting in part from the impact of climate change, in addition to COVID 19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. In 2022, 274 million people will require humanitarian assistance and protection, according to estimates anticipated by the United Nations. Notably, the number has significantly increased since 2021, when it was 235 million.

Caritas Internationalis too is witnessing a global and unprecedented food crisis, which is particularly severe in the Horn of Africa and Sahel regions, where millions of people are affected by acute food insecurity and malnutrition. The Catholic network alerts to the fact that, if necessary, measures are not taken immediately, the global humanitarian situation is likely to continue to worsen.

“Today, our world is facing a human tragedy wherein people are losing their right to live as dignified human beings. We echo and support Pope Francis’ incessant cry to support integral ecology as a solution to the humanitarian crisis our world is facing. This is the only way out of this crisis.”

Fr. Paulson

The publication of this apostolic letter has once more lit the embers of the ecclesiological

and liturgical debates currently prevalent

among various factions.

Among the various reactions to this document are disbelief, shock, and hurt by those who love the traditional Latin Mass; while those favorable to the spirit of the Second Vatican Council express vindication, triumph, and glee. I think we should rise above these controversies and rediscover the beauty and sacredness of the celebration.

Join Fr. Paulson either in person or via Zoom in discussing this topic:

Thursday, August 25 - 10:30am St. Stephen Church - In Person

or Thursday, August 25 - 7pm Via Zoom

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89966592856  

Join us for a Farewell Reception for our Music Minister/Director, Maria Banson at St. Stephen Parish Hall after the 9:30am Mass this Sunday, August 28.

The parishioners of St. Stephen and Christ the King are deeply grateful for your ministry at both parishes. Thank you for your gift of music and service. Your dedication to the Hispanic community and weekly masses in Spanish during the pandemic was truly a blessing. You will be missed!

New Musical Opportunity

Do you enjoy singing? Would you love to share the joy of singing with your children, grandchildren, or other kids in your extended family? We are looking to launch a Family Choir at CTK later this fall, to sing at our 9:00 mass on selected weekends. The Family Choir is open to all children and their families (children must come with an adult), and will feature fun and learnable music that the whole family can enjoy. No formal musical training necessary - just a love of music and the ability to attend rehearsal one evening per week.

If you'd like to learn more, please e-mail Jennifer Bennett at:  jenniferbennett1011@gmail.com. She will send you a quick Google form to complete to get a sense of who the singers are in your family, and what experience you all have. Thanks and hope to see you in the choir loft this fall!

Annual Italian Dinner

September 17/CTK's Gym

All are invited to the Christ the King Parish Italian Catholic Federation dinner on Saturday evening, September 17 in the gym. Cost is $35 for adults and $15 for children under 10. There will be Italian music and fun for the whole family. Please plan to join us.

Tickets are being sold by ICF members after all masses at CTK for the next 3 weekends (check or cash), or by contacting Diana at 925-519-4711 or dijoed@comcast.net. We hope you plan to join us for this very enjoyable evening! See Flyer Here

Have you considered being a Lector to share God's word with the congregation?

A training will be held this Saturday, August 27 from 10:30-11:30 in the church. Please contact Mark Gotvald, mgotvald59@gmail.com, or 925-451-9341, to let him know you will attend. New Lectors will start in the quarterly schedule for October-December.

Registration is open for

Faith Formation Students for the

School Year 2022-2023

Registration deadline is September 8th!

Classes begin the week of September 18th.

Registration is open for:

 Grades 1-6

Jr. High Grades 7-8

High School/Confirmation Program

Please visit our website at ctkph.org and click the

 ‘Register Now’ button to register on-line.

If interested in helping as a teacher/catechists at any grade level.

Please contact Deacon John Ashmore at faithformation@ctkph.org 

Queen of Heaven Cemetery will be holding a special mass dedicated to the loss of a child on:

Saturday, September 3rd at 11am.

After mass there will be a gathering just for parents.

1965 Reliez Valley Rd, Lafayette 94549 

Please see flyer here

The very first communion class at CTK was in June 1951,

and was made up of 47 boys and girls.

Luke Hanley from Troop 221 is working on his Eagle Scout Project with Monument Crisis Center and is holding a Hygiene Kit Drive.

Please see the flyer for more details here

CTK CYO Cross Country Team/Grades 2-8

The 2022 CTK CYO Cross Country season is here. Returning runners from last season as well as all those interested in trying the sport for the first time are encouraged to come out and join us. No experience necessary.  Unlike track and field, in cross country we run longer distances and on dirt trails in parks rather than on a track. If you think your child might like this sport please join us and have them try it out.  If they do not like it after the first week or two you can drop out and we will refund the $60/runner participation fee.

Practice Schedule: Monday - Wednesday – Friday, 5:30-7:00pm 

Practice location: Hidden Lakes Park, Morello and Chilpancingo (we meet at the picnic tables between the soccer field and the baseball fields)

Welcome to our weekly reflections on

the Sunday Scriptures.

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time



Nearly everyone seeks to be near those whom they consider “above them.” We think we benefit more from being connected with those who are superior compared with those we deem inferior.   Read More

To donate a one-time/on-line donation.

Or regular and/or second collections.

All Masses are Inside the Church. - Face Masks are encouraged.

Worship Aide for Mass - August 27/28 Here

Readings for Sunday Mass Here

Links to our services (live or archived) can be found at ctkph.org

or by clicking the Facebook or YouTube images below.

Ongoing Services:

Sacrament of Reconciliation - Private Confessions every Saturday from 3pm to 3:30pm, in the church.

Drive-Thru Holy Communion - Every Sunday 11:30am to 12 noon, in front of the church.

Thursday Mass - 6pm - Honoring our Mother of Perpetual Help, Rosary begins at 5:40pm, in the church. Worship Aide Here  (Also livestreamed).