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Easter Lily Sale

The Knights of Columbus are selling Easter Lilies after all the Masses this weekend. The plants can be taken home or donated to the Church to decorate the Altar and dedicated “in loving memory of” or “in honor of” if you so desire.

         Easter Flowers

We like our church to be particularly beautiful at this special time of the year. If you would like to help with the decorations, please plan to bring lilies and tulips to the rectory by  April 12th.

Annual Chrism Mass

The Annual Chrism Mass for the Blessing of the Holy Oils and Renewal of Priestly Commitment will be celebrated at Christ Cathedral Arboretum on Monday of Holy Week, April 10, 2017 from             5:30-6:30pm. Bishop Kevin Vann will be presiding. The Oil of the Sick and the Oil of the Catechumen will be blessed and the Oil of Sacred Chrism will be consecrated for use in each of the parishes at this diocesan celebration. Bishop Kevin encourages the elect to attend. The Church is located at 13280 Chapman Avenue in Garden Grove.

Pontifical Good Friday Collection

Pope Francis has asked our parish to support the Pontifical Good Friday Collection, which helps Christians in the Holy Land. Your support helps the church minister in parishes, provide Catholic schools and offer religious education. The Pontifical Good Friday Collection also helps to preserve the sacred shrines. The wars, unrest and instability have been especially hard on Christians. In these times of crisis, the Pontifical Good Friday Collection provides humanitarian aid to refugees. When you contribute to the Pontifical Good Friday Collection, you become an instrument of peace and join with Catholics around the world in solidarity with the Church in the Holy Land. PLEASE BE GENEROUS

For more information about Christians in the Holy Land, visit www.myfranciscan.org/good-Friday.

April Showers Baby Bottle Campaign

Last weekend was the start of our April Showers Baby Bottle Campaign for Pro-Life. Parishioners can take home a baby bottle provided by us, fill it with all of their spare change and return the bottle by Apr. 30th. All your donations will go towards helping women who have chosen life for their babies.

 

 

 

March News and Events

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Saint Patrick’s Dinner

Saturday, March 18th 6:00 to 7:30 pm

Join the celebration of one of our greatest saints, with:

Authentic Irish Food

Drink, Breads, Desserts, Music

& lots of wonderful raffle prizes

$10.00 per person

Wear your green or you’ll be pinched!

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Lenten Meal/Fish Fry

Mark your calendars for our next  St. Mary’s by the Sea Lenten Meal/Fish Fry on March 31st from 5:00-7:00 pm.
Don’t miss out on this fun and delicious event. Come share with fellow parishioners in our Lenten journey.

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LENTEN SCHEDULE

Stations of the Cross:

       Every Friday – 8:30 am & 6:00 pm 

Lenten Meal (Fish Fry):

       Friday, March 10 & March 31  – 5:00 – 7:00 pm     

 REMINDER:

Friday Abstinence:

       Everyone 14 years or older is seriously bound to abstain from meat on all Fridays of Lent.

 

 

February News

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Ministry Fair  Sunday, February 26th

After all the morning Masses

Light breakfast including traditional King Cake will be served

Save the date for our “Ministry Fair” at St. Mary’s by the Sea. The purpose of this Fair is to provide the opportunity for more participation from parishioners in serving the Lord by serving His people. In other words – Stewardship. Stewardship is our response to God’s generosity. A steward is someone who takes care of what belongs to someone else, like an administrator or trustee – not an owner. Christian stewards recognize that everything really belongs to God and that God will hold us accountable for how we use the many gifts He has entrusted to our care. If we truly believe this, we can’t help but respond with profound gratitude. There are many things a person can become involved with in the parish, and many of them don’t require a lot of time. Please consider the gift.

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2017 Pastoral Services Appeal (PSA)

“Proud To Be Catholic – Know, Love, Serve”

One of the most exceptional parts of belonging to            St. Mary’s by the Sea is knowing that we are part of something much greater than any one person. Our Church connects us all – as neighbors, as a community, as children of God and followers of Christ. From faith formation to outreach in the community, to social and community activities, our parish is alive in the spirit.

This week, all registered parishioners will be receiving information by mail on the 2017 Pastoral Services Appeal (PSA). The PSA helps to support the ministries of our Diocesan Church in all of our parishes and centers, and helps to strengthen the bonds of communion and family in our local parish, as well. It also gives each parish the opportunity to raise significant capital funds by earning rebates over our own individual diocesan goal. We are only asked once a year to make this special pledge. The Parish Finance Council has recommended, and our Pastor has approved, a 2017 parish goal of $95,000 with pledges from 645 of our families. Once our diocesan goal of $35,000 is paid, all additional gifts will be returned to the parish in the form of a rebate to complete our parish projects. These include a fire sprinkler system for the church, insulation, and a new wood ceiling. Think of how much an impact these funds can make.

It is important you listen to your heart and prayerfully discern how God wants you to use the gifts He has entrusted to your care. You may make your pledge by using the special envelope you receive, or you may go online at www.oc-foundation.org. There are also extra pledge envelopes in the pew racks. Your pledge may be paid all at one time, quarterly or spread out over a ten month period. See the Giving Guide we have shown below. However, any gift you can give will be appreciated. Every pledge is important and no monthly pledge is too small.

Together, we can reach this extraordinary goal!

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St. Patrick Day Dinner

SAVE THE DATE:  Sat. March 18th                 5:00-7:30pm

Come dine with us and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day (since St. Patrick’s Day is on Friday during Lent, we’ll do it on Saturday so we can have the corned beef, with an Authentic Irish Meal!) So, bring the family for raffle prizes, Irish music, food and desserts, too.

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Lectionary Scripture Study Group

Wednesdays, 6:30-7:45 pm in Fr. Johnson Hall 

Just a reminder that St. Mary’s by the  Sea has a Scriptural Reflection Study Group that meets every Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm. Deacon Thomas Concitis facilitates the class on the upcoming Sunday Lectionary readings. There is no cost to attend, and everyone is welcome. Bring your bible, preferably the New American translation as it is used for the readings at Mass and/or get on the email list for weekly distribution of the basic materials.

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Adult Learning

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Adult Learning Sunday Lectionary Scripture Study (facilitated by Deacon Tom) Biblical Study related to the Scripture passages of the Sunday Lectionary Readings: Focusing on the Liturgy of the Word for the following Sunday, we explore the inspired Word of God to see how … Continue reading →

December News

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Advent Penance Service Schedule

Monday, Dec. 12 at 7pm:  St. Mary’s by the Sea

Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 7pm:  St. Bonaventure

Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 7pm:  Holy Spirit

Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 7pm:  Holy Spirit

Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 7pm:  St. Joachim

Friday, Dec. 16 at 7pm:  Sts. Simon and Jude

Thursday, Dec. 22 at 7pm:  St. John the Baptist

 
 
 

Penance Service & *Confessions & Mass Times

Monday, Dec. 12th – Penance Service:  7:00 pm

Saturday, Dec. 17th – Confessions:  3:00-4:30 pm

Christmas Vigil  December 24th

Family Vigil Mass: 5:00 pm

 Christmas  December 25th

Midnight Mass: 12:00 am

7:30, 9:00 & 10:30 am – English

12:00 noon – Latin Tridentine Mass

The Solemnity of Mary, The Mother of God

December 31st:  5:00 pm Vigil Mass

Jan. 1, 2017:  7:30, 9:00 & 10:30 am – English

12:00 noon – Latin Tridentine Mass

*(There will be NO Confessions on Saturday                      

The St. Vincent de Paul Society Annual Fundraiser – Next Weekend

The St. Vincent de Paul Society will have their annual fundraiser next weekend, Dec. 17-18 at all the Masses. People will be asked to come up and put their donations in a basket during Mass. Your continued generosity is appreciated. A $25 donation will provide one Christmas basket for a needy family. Thank you and may God bless your kindness!

Poinsettias for Sale

The Knights of Columbus will be selling Poinsettias again this year after all the Masses this weekend and Dec. 17th & 18th. Each Poinsettia is beautifully wrapped in foil and is only $10. Plants can be taken home or donated to the Church to decorate the Altar and dedicated “in loving memory of” or “in honor of” if you so desire.

If you would like to donate Poinsettias for the Church, please bring them to the office by  Dec. 22nd.

Christmas Crib

Through the month of December, we will be accepting baby gifts for our local crisis pregnancy center. Please consider a Christmas gift for these precious babies. Items will be used in various programs to help young mothers who have chosen life for their babies. A crib will be in Fr. Johnson Hall during the month of December for this collection. If you prefer, a monetary donation in an envelope marked “Christmas Crib” would also be helpful

 

 

Advent News

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Advent

A period of preparation for Christ’s birth, Advent, as a time of extra prayer, can be a source of great grace; oftentimes, however, many do not take advantage of these benefits. To aid yourself in making the most of this liturgical season, commit to attending an hour of Eucharistic Adoration. St. Mary’s by the Sea begins it’s monthly 24-hour Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament this First Friday, December 2, after the 8am Mass, continuing through the night and ending before the 8am Mass on Saturday, December 3.

Thank you to all who have committed themselves to First Friday Adoration. Without you, our 24-hour First Friday Adoration program would not be possible.

Advent Preparation

Beginning the Church’s liturgical year, Advent (from, “ad-venire” in Latin or “to come to”) is the season encompassing the four Sundays (and weekdays) leading up to the celebration of Christmas.

The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and also to the anniversary of the Lord’s birth on Christmas. The final days of Advent, from December 17 to December 24, focus particularly on our preparation for the celebrations of the Nativity of our Lord (Christmas).

Advent devotions including the Advent wreath, remind us of the meaning of the season. Traditionally, Advent wreaths are constructed of a circle of evergreen branches into which four candles are inserted, representing the four weeks of Advent.  Ideally, three candles are purple and one is rose, but white candles can also be used.

The purple candles in particular symbolize the prayer, penance, and preparatory sacrifices and goods works undertaken at this time. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, when the priest also wears rose vestments at Mass; Gaudete Sunday is the Sunday of rejoicing, because the faithful have arrived at the midpoint of Advent, when their preparation is now half over and they are close to Christmas.

The progressive lighting of the candles symbolizes the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world and the anticipation of his second coming to judge the living and the dead.

The use of the Advent Wreath is a traditional practice which has found its place in the Church as well as in the home. The blessing of an Advent Wreath takes place on the First Sunday of Advent or on the evening before the First Sunday of Advent. When the blessing of the Advent Wreath is celebrated in the home, it is appropriate that it be blessed by a parent or another member of the family.

Advent Penance Service Schedule

Monday, Nov. 28 at 7pm:  St. Vincent de Paul

Monday, Dec. 12 at 7pm:  St. Mary’s by the Sea

Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 7pm:  St. Bonaventure

Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 7pm:  Holy Spirit

Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 7pm:  Holy Spirit

Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 7pm:  St. Joachim

Friday, Dec. 16 at 7pm:  Sts. Simon and Jude

Thursday, Dec. 22 at 7pm:  St. John the Baptist

 

 

 

 

November 2016 News

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Christmas Program in the Church  & Parish Party

         December 4th at 5:00 pm

Join us for our Annual Christmas Program in the Church as we celebrate that God is with us.

Afterwards, everyone is invited to the Parish Christmas Party in Fr. Johnson Hall, sponsored by St. Mary’s by the Sea ministries.

Christmas Crib

Beginning next weekend and continuing through the month of December, we will be accepting baby gifts for our local crisis pregnancy center. Please consider a Christmas gift for these precious babies. Items will be used in various programs to help young mothers who have chosen life for their babies. A crib will be in Fr. Johnson Hall during the month of December for this collection. If you prefer, a monetary donation in an envelope marked “Christmas Crib” would also be helpful.

Blessing of Foods for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is not only a day for turkey and cranberry sauce, parades and bowl games, but also a day to reflect on God’s Blessings. On Thursday, Nov. 24th, you may bring any food item(s) that will be served at your family dinner to be blessed at the 9:00 am Mass. What a beautiful way to celebrate this holiday. Feel free to bring any or all of your meal to be blessed. For example: A basket filled with items you will serve at dinner, a bottle of wine, a pie, or any item(s) you wish to bring. Children can bring chocolate turkeys, or candy they may receive for this holiday. In addition, all parishioners who attend this Mass will receive a blessed loaf of bread. Please join us for this celebration and give thanks for all of God’s blessings.

Special Thanksgiving Offering

All donations given at Mass this Thanksgiving (Thursday, 11/24) will go to our St. Vincent de Paul Society for the purchase of food that they give out to the needy, including Thanksgiving baskets. If you would like to bring canned food, you may do so as well and place it in the containers located in the vestibule.

Mass of Remembrance On Saturday, November 12th at the 8:00 am Mass, we will honor our dearly departed brothers and sisters who passed away from Nov. 2015 to Nov. 2016. If you have a loved one who’s funeral was held here during that time, please plan to attend the Mass. Their names will be displayed on the Altar, and you will be given a special keepsake with their name on it. Afterwards, there will be a reception held in the Family Room with light refreshments. Remember to invite all your family and friends.

(10) Masses Offered in Nov. for All Souls All Souls envelopes are available in the pew racks. Write the names of your deceased loved ones for whom you would like prayers said for, along with a donation, and put it in the collection basket. Throughout the month of November, (10) Masses will be celebrated for all of those designated souls.

Wheelchairs for Veterans Next Saturday and Sunday
The Knights of Columbus will be outside after each Mass accepting donations for their “Wheelchairs for Veterans” campaign. For only $150, they can provide one wheelchair for a veteran. Last year, your donations provided 36 wheelchairs to deserving Veterans at the local VA Hospital. So please stop by their table and give your donation to this worthwhile cause.

2017 Traditional Latin Mass Calendars
 If you would like to purchase a Traditional Latin Mass Calendar for 2017, please contact Judith Clark at (714) 963-5757. She will be placing an order Nov. 14th, with delivery in early-December. These Traditional Catholic Calendars are in full color with a Special Guide, Summary of Truths of the Catholic Faith, Prayers and Psalms Section and Patron Saints – useful to all Catholics.

Save the Date! Men’s Silent Retreat
There will be a Men’s Silent Retreat Jan. 20-22, 2017 at El Carmelo Retreat House in Redlands, CA. This is a great reprieve from the hoopla of the Christmas holidays and year’s end; some good one-on one quiet time to spend with the Lord. The retreat is all inclusive pricing. Six meals, two night stay is $198 for a private room and $170 for a two person room. A $50 deposit is required. There are full information flyers in the vestibule of the Church. Contact Dale Schiering, parishioner, for additional information at (909) 256-9003.