Dear Holy Spirit,

Last Monday, the Finance Council gathered for the year-end review for the fiscal year, 2022-23. I am very pleased to say that we ended the year on a positive note. A more detailed report will be prepared and e-mailed to you in the coming months. My thanks to Claire Martell and Gigi Gobbett for co-chairing last year’s finance council. They did a great job. In collaboration with the rest of the members, we worked together to help ensure that we remain financially stable.

Read More...

   A Note From Father John

Happy month of August to everyone! As the month of August begins, let us be reminded that the Church dedicates this month to the “Immaculate Heart of Mary.” This month is associated with Mary’s Immaculate Heart, in part, due to World War II and the devotion of Pope Pius XII to Our Lady of Fatima. The world was in turmoil in the 1940’s and in 1942, Pope Pius XII responded to the requests of Our Lady of Fatima and consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on October 31, 1942.

What a special blessing I received as I researched this connection. On the same day that I prepared this article and learned of this connection, I had just returned from visiting Pearl Harbor, where I prayed the Hail Mary for the fallen military heroes, reflecting on the tragedy and suffering in this historic and monumental site. The photos above are from the naval base of Pearl Harbor and are of the memorial sites where U.S. ships were destroyed. The left photo is the Arizona battleship which is in the ocean with a monument built on top, while the right is the Utah battleship which is still visible with its scrap parts on the sea untouched.

As we look at these photos let us be reminded of the first photo of “Mary’s Immaculate Heart,” where, we as Catholics, believe that her heart will triumph, especially in this month of August.

Shalom,

Fr. John

60th Anniversary BBQ

Join us as we kick off our 60th anniversary with a joint BBQ event for the church and school on Sunday, August 27th, from 1 pm to 4 pm. You can buy individual tickets for $5 per person by clicking here or at all Masses this weekend. Don't miss the exciting activities, delicious food, and fantastic live music. It's a great chance to socialize with your community and meet new people. Remember to extend the invitation to your friends and neighbors, as everyone is welcome! If you're interested in volunteering, please get in touch with Carin Santikul at carin.santikul@sbcglobal.net.

HUNGRY? An Evening of Prayer, Praise, Scripture, and Worship

Thursday, August 24, 7pm, Church

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will eat with them, and they with me.” -Revelation 3:20

Now that we are in Year 2 of the National Eucharistic Revival and making plans for the resumption of the Precious Blood at Holy Spirit, it is fitting that we do our part to bring us closer to the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith, the Bread of Life, closer to Christ. Please join us for an Evening of Prayer, Praise Scripture & Worship on Thursday, August 24 at 7pm in the Church. At our Thursday Lenten Speaker Series back in March, our Holy Spirit music ministry hosted a Praise & Worship event on the theme of "Thirsty?" so now we're on the flip side and present to you a Praise & Worship night called “HUNGRY?”

Our music ministry will present music and scripture centered on the many forms of hunger we experience and encounter in our lives. Our session will touch upon our hunger for the Eucharist, for the presence of Jesus Christ. We acknowledge that hunger isn't limited to our need for food. We hunger for a deeper connection of our faith, we hunger for a stronger sense of community, we hunger for the actions necessary to make this world a better place, etc. What else do we hunger for? Healing, love, acceptance, validation, comfort, peace? What do you hunger for? Will you accept the invitation to come, sit and join us at the Table?

Help us spread the word about our P&W event to your family and friends. Come and join us! We look forward to seeing you there!

Tim Mascarinas, director of music

Pack a Back Still Accepting Monetary Donations!

We are very grateful to everyone who has donated backpacks and school supplies, and volunteered to help during our Pack a Back school supplies drive. Thank you! We are no longer collecting items, but we are still accepting monetary donations, and there are a still few slots open for volunteering on Distribution Day August 3.

If you haven’t donated yet, now is the perfect time to do so! As Sacred Heart takes inventory of donated items, they will use monetary donations to makes bulk purchases of items still needed to ensure there is enough for every child. This year, Sacred Heart will be providing 4,000 local children in need with a backpack and a bag of grade-specific school supplies. Please help Holy Spirit meet our donation goal of $7,000. Click here to donate..

Thank you Holy Spirit for your generous support! Your investment in education today will have a long-term positive impact on breaking the cycle of poverty.

 Catechist Needed

Are you someone who enjoys passing on your faith to children? Have you considered doing this here at Holy Spirit?

Our Faith Formation program needs a Catechist to teach 2^nd grade on Sunday mornings, 10:30am-11:20am. Classes start in September. Contact Jane Thompson at 408-997-5121 or email jane.thompson@dsj.org

 Faith Formation Registration is Open

Don’t wait any longer- Kindergarten through 5^th grade. Click here to register.

Contact Jane Thompson at 408-997-5121 or jane.thompson@dsj.org for more information.

 Domestic Church Registration is Open

Children who have completed year- one of sacrament preparation need to be registered for Domestic Church as well as Faith Formation to complete year-two. These programs run concurrently.

Don’t wait any longer

Click here to register.

Contact Jane Thompson at 408-997-5121 or jane.thompson@dsj.org for more information.