Christ the King Church
195A Brandon Road
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
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Parish Newsletter
April 6, 2022
Staying Connected
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Dear Friends,
I would like to share with you the text of Pope Francis’ explanation of each day of the Triduum, delivered on March 31, 2021. I found his reflections on Good Friday deeply moving.
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Holy Thursday: On the evening of Holy Thursday, as we enter the Easter Triduum, we will relive the Mass known as in Coena Domini, that is, the Mass in which we commemorate the Last Supper, there, in that moment. This is the evening when Christ left his disciples the testament of his love in the Eucharist, not as a remembrance, but as a memorial, as his everlasting presence.
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Good Friday is the day of penance, fasting and prayer. Through the texts of the Sacred Scripture and the liturgical prayers, we will gather as though we were on Calvary to commemorate the redemptive Passion and Death of Jesus Christ. In the intensity of the rite, through the Liturgical Action, the Crucifix will be presented to us to adore. Adoring the Cross, we will relive the journey of the innocent Lamb sacrificed for our salvation. We will carry in our minds and hearts the sufferings of the sick, the poor, the rejected of this world; we will remember the “sacrificed lambs,” the innocent victims of wars, dictatorships, everyday violence, abortions.... Before the image of the crucified God, we will bring, in prayer, the many, the too many who are crucified in our time, who only from Him can receive comfort and meaning in their suffering. And nowadays there are many: do not forget the crucified of our time, who are the image of Jesus Crucified, and Jesus is in them.
Ever since Jesus took upon himself the wounds of humanity and death itself, God’s love has irrigated these deserts of ours, he has enlightened our darkness. Because the world is in darkness. Let us make a list of all the wars that are being fought in this moment; of all the children who die of hunger; of children who have no education; of entire populations destroyed by wars, by terrorism. Of the many, many people who, just to feel a bit better, need drugs, the drug industry that kills … It is a disaster, it is a desert! There are small “islands” of the people of God, both Christian and of all other faiths, that hold in their heart the desire to be better.
But let us tell the truth: in this Calvary of death, it is Jesus who suffers in his disciples. During his ministry, the Son of God disseminated life by the handful, healing, forgiving, reviving… Now, in the hour of his supreme Sacrifice on the cross, he brings to fulfillment the task entrusted to him by the Father: he enters into the abyss of suffering, he enters into these disasters of this world, to redeem and transform. And also to free every one of us from the power of darkness, of pride, of resistance to being loved by God. And this, only God’s love can do this. By his wounds we have been healed (see 1 Pt 2: 24), the apostle Peter says, by his death we have been reborn, all of us.
And thanks to him, abandoned on the cross, no one will ever again be alone in the darkness of death. Never, he is always beside us: we need only open our heart and let ourselves be looked upon by him.
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Holy Saturday is the day of silence, lived by the first disciples in mourning and bewilderment, shocked by Jesus’ ignominious death. While the Word is silent, while Life is in the tomb, those who had hoped in him were put to a difficult test, they feel like orphans, perhaps even orphaned by God.
This Saturday is also Mary's day: she too lived it in tears, but her heart was full of faith, full of hope, full of love. The Mother of Jesus had followed her Son along the path of sorrows and remained at the foot of the cross, with her soul pierced. But when it all seemed to be over, she kept watch, she kept vigil, in expectation, maintaining her hope in the promise of God who raises the dead. Thus, in the world’s darkest hour, she became the Mother of believers, the Mother of the Church and sign of hope. Her witness and her intercession sustain us when the weight of the cross becomes too heavy for each one of us.
Thank you for reflecting on the mysteries of our faith with Pope Francis.
Fr. Paulson
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Holy Thursday - April 14
7pm Mass
No 9am Morning Mass
St. Stephen Church - 7pm Mass
Good Friday - April 15
12pm - Taize Prayer Around the Cross
1pm - Stations of the Cross
1:40pm - Preaching on the Passion
2pm & 6pm- Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion
No 9am Morning Mass
St. Stephen Church - Outdoor Stations of the Cross - 6pm
Easter Vigil - Saturday - April 16
7:30pm Mass
No 9am Morning Mass
St. Stephen Church - 7:30pm Mass
Easter Sunday Masses - April 17
7:30am, 9:00am, 10:30am, 12noon
(In the church)
10:30am - Children/Family Mass - Outdoors
(Please bring your own chairs for this outdoor Mass).
No 4pm Mass on Easter Sunday
St. Stephen Church - 9:30am Mass
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A huge thank-you to our parishioners
for donating to the
Ukraine Relief Fund.
We have collected $39,000
Because of your generosity, we will be sending this money to the Church of Ukraine which is providing assistance to the victims of war.
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CTK’s Easter Egg Hunt is back!
The Knights of Columbus are
holding their annual CTK
Easter Egg hunt on April 16th
On CTK’s Lawn
Join us for a morning of fun and excitement on the lawn. The Easter Bunny will be arriving at 10am and the Easter egg hunt will follow our usual schedule: 10am for 1-4 year olds, 10:30am for 5-7 year olds and 11am for 8-10 year olds. Bring your Easter baskets, get a picture with the Easter Bunny, participate in the Easter egg hunt and enjoy some light refreshments and games as we celebrate Easter weekend.
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Time to Return your CRS Rice Bowls |
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Please Return Your
CRS Rice Bowls!
You can drop off your CRS Rice Bowls in the baskets located in the back of the church.
Or you can bring them to the
parish office through Holy Week.
Please do not drop them off on Easter Sunday.
Thank you for your support!
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Support for Ukrainian Refugees |
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Donate Supplies for Ukraine
As we focus this year on one family, one community, let us remember our dear neighbors in Ukraine and the surrounding areas that are suffering at this time.
Join us, as a CTK community, to mobilize in this critical hour of need, in providing humanitarian aid to the war victims and refugees. To do our part, we have partnered up with the non-profit organization White Pony Express in Pleasant Hill, and are now collecting items for the most requested supplies and goods. WPE will ship these items to trusted organizations serving the millions of refugees that have fled Ukraine.
For a comprehensive list, visit: here
Donated supplies must be new and may be dropped off in the designated bin, located in front of the school by noon on Thursday, April 14.
On Holy Thursday, April 14, at 12:30pm, we will be hosting a community building family event, for those interested in getting involved even more! We will be categorizing and boxing the items to be picked up by WPE. Let’s take this opportunity to serve and give to our global community.
For more information, please contact Sofia Gonzalez 415-930-3562 and/or Eileen Brinker 415-994-2060.
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We are thrilled to announce the return of the
Christ the King Parish Festival
Friday June 3 and Saturday June 4
There are still plenty of different and fun ways to get involved:
- If you are interested in being part of the planning and execution of this beloved parish event, please email christthekingfestival@gmail.com. We are still looking for volunteers for several roles.
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If you or some one you know is interested in sponsorship opportunities, please contact Stacy York at stacyleeyork@gmail.com.
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And for all you bakers out there, we are excited to announce the return of Cake Walk! We would love to accept your delicious cookies, cakes, cupcakes, bars, banana bread, cake pops etc. as prizes for this family favorite. Please contact Nancy Molina at mrsmk@icloud.com for further details if you are able to help.
Thank you for your support and we look forward
to seeing you at this year's festival!
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Join us for the new Scholastic
Book Fair – April 8-14th
Parish families – here’s a great way to
get new and interesting books for your kids.
See hot new books and classics kids love –
online and live in-person
Visit the Parish Hall
April 11th – 14th before & after school
7-8 am & 3-4:30 pm
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Italian Catholic Federation |
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CTK's Italian Catholic Federation
Annual Ladies' Tea
Saturday, April 30
St. Andrew’s Church/Pleasant Hill
Noon to 3pm
Members of the parish and their friends are invited to join us for a delicious tea luncheon lovingly prepared by our fabulous tea chef, Carole Padlo. Reservations are limited so send them in now to reserve your spot! Price for this fundraiser which supports our ICF charities is $40 for adults and $20 for children under 12. Contact Diana Mackinson for tickets and further information: 925-335-9712 or dijoed@comcast.net.
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The Annual FACE Gala is back live and in person this year!
Support FACE on April 23, 2022 at the Blackhawk Museum.
FACE provides need-based tuition grants to students who attend Catholic schools in the Diocese of Oakland. Tickets and information HERE.
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Weekly Reflections On Sunday Readings |
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Welcome to our weekly reflections on
the Sunday Scriptures.
Palm Sunday
“The sense of crisis and danger that Luke injects into the passion story is apparent here in the haunting scenes of Jesus’ anguished prayer, his nighttime arrest and interrogation…. . Read More
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Paving Project for Parking Lots |
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Fellow Parishioners,
As you may know, the pavement at both Christ the King Church and St. Stephen is reaching its end of life. We need to replace this pavement for both safety and long-term useability of our facilities. Because the amount of pavement is around 190,000 square feet this replacement will be a major project. The preliminary cost estimate for this work is $1.5 million. Read More
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Make the switch to REALM Giving
To get started follow these steps:
1) Create your REALM account and set up online giving here
2) Delete your old online giving account by clicking here
3) If you need help contact the parish office, we are here for you!
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To donate a one-time/on-line donation. |
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If you do not wish to give on-line,
you can continue to contribute using your offertory envelopes.
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Offertory Envelopes and
Paper Checks
Can be sent directly to:
Christ the King Church
195A Brandon Rd.
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
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Offertory Envelopes and
Paper Checks
Can be sent directly to:
St. Stephen Church
1101 Keaveny Ct.
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
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All Masses are Inside the Church.
Face Masks are encouraged.
Weekday Masses
9am Mass - Monday - Friday
(9am Masses will be livestreamed)
6pm - Thursdays (Rosary begins at 5:40pm)
(Rosary and Mass will be livestreamed)
Weekend Masses
Saturday
9am and 4pm Vigil
(Saturday 4pm Mass will be livestreamed)
Sunday
7:30am, 9am, 10:30am and 4pm
(10:30am Mass will be livestreamed).
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Worship Aide for Mass - April 9/10 Here
Readings for Sunday Mass Here
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Links to our services (live or archived) can be found at ctkph.org
or clicking the Facebook or YouTube images below.
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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
Holy Rosary - Livestreamed on Facebook at 5:40pm, Monday - Friday
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St. Stephen Church - Masses |
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St. Stephen Church
1101 Keaveny Ct.
Walnut Creek 94597
Saturday - Mass 5pm
Sunday - Mass at 9:30am
Worship Aide for Mass April 9/10 Here
St. Stephen Daily Mass: Monday - Friday at 8am
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Palm Sunday Prayer
Lord Jesus, during these weeks of Lent I have walked with you as you made your way from Galilee to Jerusalem. In a few days, I will wave my palm branch and shout my “Hosannas” to you as my king. But what will I do when your fate becomes clear? Will I run at the first sign of trouble in the Garden? Or will I stand with you, as John did at the foot of your cross? Lord, you know my weakness, the fickleness of my faith under pressure. I take heart in your forgiveness of those timid apostles… and trust that you will forgive my fickleness. For this I praise you…. my only hope of salvation
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"To Hear the Gospel and Make a Difference" |
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