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We are the Catholic Christian men of Padre Serra Parish in Camarillo, California. We are witnesses to the potential of God's presence in our fellow men parishioners. We are involved in our liturgical celebrations and enriched in the life of our parish. We serve the needs of one another, our families, the community and those in need.
If you are interested in becoming involved and wish to be on our mailing list please contact us.
Find us on Facebook Also visit: Ministries by Group
Faith Sharing Group for women (evenings)
SEEDS (Sisters ~ Embracing ~ Enlightening ~ Daughters of Faith) is a monthly evening of spirituality for women to meet in fellowship to share the Word of God and grow in faith. We are currently reading and studying The Friendship Project. Contact: Gwen Ripplinger gwendolynjoy1@hotmail.com
Summer Activities
Tuesdays |
 | First & Third Thursdays |
Offers support to those who have lost a loved one.
We gather. We pray. We write. New members are welcome anytime to our friendly group. We explore and practice different types of writing and read our work to one another each week. Some days we do “free writing” for ten minutes on a chosen topic. Other weeks we read our prepared pieces (up to 500 words) on a designated subject. Our topics are not overtly “religious,” but give us an opportunity to express the concerns of our souls. Many consider the experience to be healing. We encourage humor and playfulness; we laugh a lot. We inform each other about writing resources, and we share equally the responsibility for the successful working of the group. This is as much a faith sharing group as it is a writing group. We pray together. We take care of one another. Our comments on one another’s writing are constructive and honor the deep feelings that are expressed. Contact: Linda Lowe Also visit: Adults |   |
Contact: Vivian vpatv@outlook.com A small faith community committed to living the contemplative dimension of the Gospel in everyday life through the practice of Centering Prayer meetings. Click here for more information. Also visit: Prayer |
Meets 1st and 3rd Thursday |  |
| We have a loving and welcoming process at Padre Serra through which children 6 years of age and older are prepared to be received into the Church. Infants and very young children are baptized based on the faith of their parents, godparents and the community. But school-age children, capable of having a faith of their own, are initiated through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process, adapted for children. Children new to the process meet on Monday afternoons, starting in September, to begin learning about the Bible, Jesus, the Church, prayer, and how God is acting in their lives. They participate in some of the Faith Formation activities with the baptized children in the parish and gradually learn what it means to be a Catholic Christian. Family members, especially parents, are encouraged to participate as much as possible in their child's journey to the sacraments. It is a wonderful experience for the whole family which integrates them into the life of the parish. If you have a child six years or older who is not baptized or was baptized in another Christian tradition, please contact Catherine Shadduck for any questions or to register: catherine@padreserra.org or (805) 482·6417 ext 331. |  |
Thursday, June 21 |  |
 | Every Fourth Saturday |
2018 gatherings:
- June 23
- July 28
- August 25
- September 22
- October 27
Contacts (by email):
Dave McCormick
Tony Likovich
If you are interested in becoming involved and wish to be on our mailing list please contact us.
Find us on Facebook
Also visit: Men's Ministry
Dave McCormick
Tony Likovich
If you are interested in becoming involved and wish to be on our mailing list please contact us.
Find us on Facebook
Also visit: Men's Ministry
Dear Friends,
As I look at this weekend’s readings, and think about being a dad, a grandfather and a son, a few themes emerge and I’d like to share them with you, in case they’d be useful.
Patience
In the second reading from Paul’s 2nd letter to the Corinthians, the apostle acknowledges the tension of living in the here and now, and yet living by faith: “… we would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord. Therefore we aspire to please him, whether we are at home or away. For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense, according to what s/he did in the body, whether good or evil.” Clearly patience is required to live with this tension. Patience is also required of fathers, grandfathers and sons. I don’t mean only the patience a father must have as his children grow and learn and make mistakes along the way. I mean also the patience that fathers must learn to have with themselves, grappling with the truth that they are not perfect any more than their children are, nor than their own fathers were. The stakes are unbelievably high, though, when it comes to raising our children and we so badly want to get it right from the beginning. In Hearts On Fire, Teilhard de Chardin, S.J. puts it this way:
Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages. We are impatient on the way to something unknown, something new.
Allowing
In our first reading from Ezekiel, we are reminded that the LORD operates in ways beyond our understanding: “I, the LORD, bring low the high tree, lift high the lowly tree, wither up the green tree, and make the withered tree bloom.” Dads know what it is to see our children turn out differently than we had planned, or to arrive at a good place but by a route we had not foreseen, nor endorsed! If our children, who are really only on loan to us, don’t succeed in some way to teach us to allow God to operate in his sometimes strange ways, then I don’t know who or what will. Chardin continues:
And yet it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability – and that it may take a very long time. And so I think it is with you; your ideas mature gradually – let them grow, let them shape themselves, without undue haste. Don’t try to force them on, as though you could be today what time (that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will) will make of you tomorrow.
Trust
In today’s passage from Mark’s gospel, Jesus tells the parable of a man who scatters seed on the land and goes about his business, rising and sleeping, night and day, trusting that through it all the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.
Since the man’s livelihood, indeed his life are dependent on what happens “of its own accord,” that is, the land yielding fruit for the harvest, it’s clear that trust is in play here. And so it is with fathers, and grandfathers and sons. It may be that we come to trust in God only with great struggle. It may be that we have to renew that struggle daily, or maybe in different seasons of our lives. But trust we must. Chardin concludes:
Only God could say what this new spirit gradually forming within you will be. Give Our Lord the benefit of believing that his
hand is leading you, and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete.
And why are we counseled to accept this anxiety and to trust? Because “of its own accord, the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.”
So, our children, our dads, ourselves … one way or another we all become ripe for the harvest, in God’s mysterious way, in God’s time.
Siempre Adelante,
Dominic MacAller
Director of Music and Liturgy
As I look at this weekend’s readings, and think about being a dad, a grandfather and a son, a few themes emerge and I’d like to share them with you, in case they’d be useful.
Patience
In the second reading from Paul’s 2nd letter to the Corinthians, the apostle acknowledges the tension of living in the here and now, and yet living by faith: “… we would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord. Therefore we aspire to please him, whether we are at home or away. For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense, according to what s/he did in the body, whether good or evil.” Clearly patience is required to live with this tension. Patience is also required of fathers, grandfathers and sons. I don’t mean only the patience a father must have as his children grow and learn and make mistakes along the way. I mean also the patience that fathers must learn to have with themselves, grappling with the truth that they are not perfect any more than their children are, nor than their own fathers were. The stakes are unbelievably high, though, when it comes to raising our children and we so badly want to get it right from the beginning. In Hearts On Fire, Teilhard de Chardin, S.J. puts it this way:
Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages. We are impatient on the way to something unknown, something new.
Allowing
In our first reading from Ezekiel, we are reminded that the LORD operates in ways beyond our understanding: “I, the LORD, bring low the high tree, lift high the lowly tree, wither up the green tree, and make the withered tree bloom.” Dads know what it is to see our children turn out differently than we had planned, or to arrive at a good place but by a route we had not foreseen, nor endorsed! If our children, who are really only on loan to us, don’t succeed in some way to teach us to allow God to operate in his sometimes strange ways, then I don’t know who or what will. Chardin continues:
And yet it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability – and that it may take a very long time. And so I think it is with you; your ideas mature gradually – let them grow, let them shape themselves, without undue haste. Don’t try to force them on, as though you could be today what time (that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will) will make of you tomorrow.
Trust
In today’s passage from Mark’s gospel, Jesus tells the parable of a man who scatters seed on the land and goes about his business, rising and sleeping, night and day, trusting that through it all the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.
Since the man’s livelihood, indeed his life are dependent on what happens “of its own accord,” that is, the land yielding fruit for the harvest, it’s clear that trust is in play here. And so it is with fathers, and grandfathers and sons. It may be that we come to trust in God only with great struggle. It may be that we have to renew that struggle daily, or maybe in different seasons of our lives. But trust we must. Chardin concludes:
Only God could say what this new spirit gradually forming within you will be. Give Our Lord the benefit of believing that his
hand is leading you, and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete.
And why are we counseled to accept this anxiety and to trust? Because “of its own accord, the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.”
So, our children, our dads, ourselves … one way or another we all become ripe for the harvest, in God’s mysterious way, in God’s time.
Siempre Adelante,
Dominic MacAller
Director of Music and Liturgy
Summer Camp |  Also visit: Children |
Youth Lounge
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Last Thursday summer months |  |
July 6 - Pot Luck | |
Starts Tuesday July 10 |  |
A fellowship and service ministry where all skill levels welcome. No experience? That’s alright; we’ll show you. Come and learn or inspire others! The group's projects are donated to several groups and individuals throughout the year. Also visit: Group Ministries |  |
Sunday, July 15
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Dear friends on the journey,
Today’s readings are challenging and present us some serious issues to consider. The first reading shows us that, upon creation, God gave us free will and what happens when we choose our will over God’s. In the gospel, Jesus said that a kingdom which is divided cannot stand. He was also rocking the boat, challenging the societal norms, the status quo and creating uneasiness.
Division seems to be a word used a lot lately about the world, politics, economics, society, religion, communities, families and in our own selves. Divisions among and in these arenas are causing some shaky ground these days. The news is filled with stories of conflict. Perhaps they don’t directly affect our daily living, but they certainly impact our internal balance and how we view our sisters and brothers in God’s family. It’s a challenge to view the world, not just through our fuzzy lens, but as God views his beloved creation.
We may have inherited this division, but God has never left us alone with it. Throughout salvation history, God has given us ample opportunities and solutions to combat and heal the divisions in and around us, the best and most complete of all being Jesus, our redeemer, brother, healer, teacher, friend, and guide. In recent weeks, we’ve celebrated Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, but he did not leave us alone there. He gave us the Holy Spirit, the powerful working of the Trinity and Jesus’ ongoing presence in the Eucharist. Other God-given “resources” to help us to discern God’s will in our own personal lives and how we view the world around us include prayer, scripture, tradition, church teaching, and the saints.
I know it’s super cliche but I honestly believe in the help of one simple question: What would Jesus do? Honestly though, this question has assisted me many times, especially when I couldn’t seem to make sense of a situation. What does God want me to do? What would Jesus do?
What would Jesus do if people from other lands came to his neighborhood? What would Jesus do if he was a baker asked to make a cake? What would Jesus do about a billion hungry people? What would Jesus do for the homeless person? What would Jesus do for the newly released prisoner? What would Jesus do for abused children, women and elderly? What would Jesus do about the bully in the classroom? What would Jesus do for the lonely, isolated teen? What would Jesus do about the annoying neighbor? What would Jesus do for a loved one who doesn’t believe or go to church? What would Jesus do with a disagreeable family member? What would Jesus do for you? What would Jesus do for me?
Jesus would love. That’s it.
Maybe the unsteady ground is good for it causes us to think and question the status quo and external influences. Only when we follow God’s will and stand on gospel values will we experience stability.
Siempre adelante,
Teresa Runyon
Faith Life Minister
Today’s readings are challenging and present us some serious issues to consider. The first reading shows us that, upon creation, God gave us free will and what happens when we choose our will over God’s. In the gospel, Jesus said that a kingdom which is divided cannot stand. He was also rocking the boat, challenging the societal norms, the status quo and creating uneasiness.
Division seems to be a word used a lot lately about the world, politics, economics, society, religion, communities, families and in our own selves. Divisions among and in these arenas are causing some shaky ground these days. The news is filled with stories of conflict. Perhaps they don’t directly affect our daily living, but they certainly impact our internal balance and how we view our sisters and brothers in God’s family. It’s a challenge to view the world, not just through our fuzzy lens, but as God views his beloved creation.
We may have inherited this division, but God has never left us alone with it. Throughout salvation history, God has given us ample opportunities and solutions to combat and heal the divisions in and around us, the best and most complete of all being Jesus, our redeemer, brother, healer, teacher, friend, and guide. In recent weeks, we’ve celebrated Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, but he did not leave us alone there. He gave us the Holy Spirit, the powerful working of the Trinity and Jesus’ ongoing presence in the Eucharist. Other God-given “resources” to help us to discern God’s will in our own personal lives and how we view the world around us include prayer, scripture, tradition, church teaching, and the saints.
I know it’s super cliche but I honestly believe in the help of one simple question: What would Jesus do? Honestly though, this question has assisted me many times, especially when I couldn’t seem to make sense of a situation. What does God want me to do? What would Jesus do?
What would Jesus do if people from other lands came to his neighborhood? What would Jesus do if he was a baker asked to make a cake? What would Jesus do about a billion hungry people? What would Jesus do for the homeless person? What would Jesus do for the newly released prisoner? What would Jesus do for abused children, women and elderly? What would Jesus do about the bully in the classroom? What would Jesus do for the lonely, isolated teen? What would Jesus do about the annoying neighbor? What would Jesus do for a loved one who doesn’t believe or go to church? What would Jesus do with a disagreeable family member? What would Jesus do for you? What would Jesus do for me?
Jesus would love. That’s it.
Maybe the unsteady ground is good for it causes us to think and question the status quo and external influences. Only when we follow God’s will and stand on gospel values will we experience stability.
Siempre adelante,
Teresa Runyon
Faith Life Minister
 | Offers assistance with meals to those who are recovering from illness, accidents, injuries, and surgerie. Gwen Ripplinger (805) 797·6864 or Denise Ginty (805) 388·3897 |
Also visit: Care
St. Vincent De Paul (SVDP) offers confidential tangible assistance to those in need on a person to person basis. Aid may take the form of intervention, consultation, or through direct dollar or in-kind service. Those in need should call 805-504-4753. A member is on call Monday to Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm.
SVDP is a Catholic organization open to both men and women who wish to grow in their faith by serving God and their neighbor. Members are united in their efforts to conduct their ministry with compassion and confidentiality, while promoting human dignity and respect. To learn more about volunteering, contact Terri Korrell.
SVDP relies on donations to support their efforts. Ongoing simple fundraising opportunities include:
Bundle Sunday
Once or twice a year the donation truck comes onsite Sunday morning to accept your donations of gently used clothing, books, games, DVD/CDs, sports gear, toyas, and small household items such as lamps, small appliances, frames, etc. Our most recent collection was Sunday, April 15, 2018. Check back often for future dates.
SVDP is a Catholic organization open to both men and women who wish to grow in their faith by serving God and their neighbor. Members are united in their efforts to conduct their ministry with compassion and confidentiality, while promoting human dignity and respect. To learn more about volunteering, contact Terri Korrell.
SVDP relies on donations to support their efforts. Ongoing simple fundraising opportunities include:
- eScrip
Simply follow this link to www.escrip.com and use Group Code 136559191 - Amazon Smile
Shop Amazon like normal and Amazon will donate 0.5% to our St. Vincent De Paul. Simply follow this link to smile.amazon.com/ch/27-1002110 - iGive
Follow this link and shop your favorite stores! - Ralphs Community
Follow this link to register your Ralphs card
Bundle Sunday
Once or twice a year the donation truck comes onsite Sunday morning to accept your donations of gently used clothing, books, games, DVD/CDs, sports gear, toyas, and small household items such as lamps, small appliances, frames, etc. Our most recent collection was Sunday, April 15, 2018. Check back often for future dates.
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