 Welcome to Our Newest Altar ServersOn Sunday, October 27, at our 9:00 am liturgy, 17 altar servers were installed, bringing the number of our grade school and high school altar servers to 103. With over 50% high school students, it is one of the largest parish altar server ministries in the archdiocese.
We pause today to express our gratitude to our altar servers, their parents, and their families. Each week parents adjust their schedules and provide transportation to ensure that our altar servers enhance our liturgies; as a community, we express our heartfelt gratitude to them. Likewise, we express sincere gratitude to our altar server leadership team: Terri Alleruzzo, Raelynne Lorenz, Bryan Lorenz, Frank Bifulco, Michelle Hatch, Christopher Nichols, Kathy Quantock, Clare Sadnik, Terry Tong and Bob Shadduck. Congratulations, and thank you to all our altar servers, especially the 17 recently installed servers. Also visit: Altar Servers 1964 - 2019Funeral Liturgy
Friday, November 8, 2019 10:30 am Padre Serra Parish 5205 Upland Rd, Camarillo, CA 93012 Dear Friends, Reflecting on our lives as Catholic Christians, I have come to the conclusion that during our liturgies we are a people who are always moving toward someone or someplace with enthusiasm and joy. The use of parades for civic occasions and of processions for religious motives is common to all peoples. The Hebrew Testament and the Christian Testament provide biblical bases for the Judaeo-Christian practice of processions. The Christian procession is tied closely to the idea of pilgrimage. Life for us is a journey from one place to another. A journey becomes a pilgrimage when it is undertaken for God and seeks God as its ultimate goal. The great example of all this is, the pilgrimage of the People of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt through the desert to the promised land. What does this insight have to do with altar servers? Are the altar servers involved in processions? Absolutely! At each liturgy, our altar servers are involved in both functional and special processions. The functional processions include the entrance and closing processions, procession of the gifts, the Gospel Procession, minor processions to the altar to bring up the chalice, the Sacramentary, communion cups, purificators and bread plates. And of course the Communion Procession which is the ritual expression of our identity as fellow pilgrims on a journey together to the heavenly banquet, singing as we walk. Servers serve the prayer life of the assembly. They remind us of our journey toward the Lord. They know how to walk in the sacred space. They know the direction and they have a sense of purpose. They do not call attention to themselves. They facilitate worship with focus, moving from one place to another, making it happen easily with care and grace. By their actions they point to what is important and they lead the processions by example. Altar servers are the youthful members of our community, they energize us and remind us of our journeying toward the Lord. They lead us silently, providing focus as to what is important in our liturgies.
 Dear Friends,
Today’s readings are among several that deal with persistence, an aspect of character that can be seen as a defect or as praiseworthy, depending on the circumstances and who the target of the persistence may be. In the case of the first reading, Moses is persistent (with the help of Aaron and Hur when he gets tired) in holding up the staff of God. While he does so, Israel has the better of the fight against Amalek (who came and waged war). There was nothing magical about the staff itself. It was a symbol of Moses’ faith in a faithful God’s promises. It could be valuable to reflect upon who helps us with our persistence? Who is our Aaron? Our Hur? What is symbolic of our faith in God’s promises? In Luke’s gospel, we have another story of a judge who fears neither God nor respects any human still deciding to render a just decision for a widow simply because of her persistence. I remember when I first heard this passage (many years ago) I thought that the judge in the story was a metaphor for God when we pray. It was only later that I realized that the judge in the story actually functions as a contrast to how God responds to our persistence. Again, when what we ask is in accord with God’s nature (kindness, love, beauty, truth, mercy, wisdom, justice), “Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” One can almost feel Jesus’ weariness when he asks that last question. C.S. Lewis has said: “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are halfhearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”1 Perhaps if we had a better sense of what God wants to give us, it would influence what we asked for, and how persistently we did so. In our second reading, St. Paul exhorts us in proclaiming the word to “be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage [emphasis mine] through all patience and teaching.” It seems to me that persistence is also called for in our efforts to evangelize. To dispense with the million-dollar word, I could put it this way: persistence is also called for in looking constantly for the opportunity to introduce others to our faith by building relationship with them, and inviting them to come with us to Padre Serra – whether it’s to Mass, to an educational gathering, or to a purely social event. Siempre Adelante, Dominic MacAller Liturgy and Music Minister 1 The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses
 Dear parish family,
Last Sunday in our gospel we are told that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we could tell a mulberry tree to uproot itself and it would obey. Today we hear about how Jesus encounters and heals ten lepers who shouted out to him, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”. The Good News of our gospel this Sunday isn’t only that he healed them, but the fact that it was all ten. Yet, only one returns, and is described as glorifying God and returning to thank Jesus. The one who returns is a Samaritan, a foreigner. In the Jewish circles in which Jesus lived, Samaritans were looked down upon because of the differences between the two communities, the Samaritans were not part of the “chosen people.” Jesus could have chosen those who were “worthy” but he makes no distinction between them; they are all his people. The good news for us once again, is that God’s Salvation is for ALL of us. Just like this man whom the Jewish community did not consider worthy of God’s mercy or healing; when God answers his prayer he cannot stop himself from immediately praising God, thanking him. He recognizes God’s mercy and the gift of healing. Jesus then goes on to tell the man, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.” This is significant; his faith and trust in God is rewarded. Now with his new clean self, he is sent out, “ Stand up and go.” He needs to go out into the world, not stay in hiding anymore. We too may have many needs of healing, physical or spiritual; let us too cry out to our Lord, “ Jesus Master! Have pity on us,” and may our faith and trust in God, and especially our gratitude be self evident. For our Lord looks to do great things for us. Siempre Adelante, Tere Delgado Faith Formation Minister Dear Faith Family, As you may know, we have great plans for the future of our parish campus. In our vision, we have plans to build both a new youth center and choir room with offices for youth ministry and music and liturgy. It is quite a big dream, but I am confident that with your help, we can achieve it. As the person who facilitates both our high school Confirmation session and our weekly youth group, I can tell you that there is definitely a need for a dedicated space for our youth and young adults at the parish. It is not uncommon for each year of our Confirmation process to have 130-140 teens and leaders in attendance. Before each session, all people involved in the program gather for lunch in the San Juan Capistrano rooms. These rooms are unable to fit the number of people that are involved. Because of the lack of space, we potentially miss out on various evangelistic opportunities and it adds an obstacle for community building for those who need it. A dedicated youth space is also desired so we can create a more effective home-away-from-home for our teens and young adults. Many of our teens love to spend time at their parish, but they find it difficult because the only dedicated space is quite small. There are times where we have dozens of people cramming into a leisure space that can comfortably fit 46 people. To create a comfortable space for the youth and young adults of the parish would only increase the opportunities for our young people to encounter Jesus and to be disciples. Of course, none of this can happen without the help from all of you. Because of this, I want to invite you to contribute in any way that you can. Through Called to Renew we are given an opportunity to contribute to this necessary cause. Thank you so much for your willingness to contribute and I am looking forward to experiencing this great renewal with all of you! God Bless, Brett Becker Youth and Young Adult Minister  1936 - 2019Rosary
Friday, October 4, 2019 7:00 pm Padre Serra Parish 5205 Upland Rd, Camarillo, CA 93012 Funeral Liturgy Saturday, October 5, 2019 12:00 pm Padre Serra Parish 5205 Upland Rd, Camarillo, CA 93012 Funeral Saturday, October 5, 2019 Following Liturgy Santa Clara Cemetery |
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