Unless Congress acts soon, the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will expire on March 5, 2018. According to a new Quinnipiac University poll, roughly 84 percent of U.S. voters said DREAMers brought to the U.S. as children should be allowed to remain in the country. Almost 77 percent said they should be allowed to apply for citizenship. Among Republican voters, 70 percent said DREAMers should be allowed to remain in the U.S. and fifty-seven percent said they should have a chance at citizenship. Let us therefore entrust all families to Our Lady and to St Joseph, so that they do not lose heart in the face of trials and difficulties.” Pope Benedict XVI
Mothers in our community are invited to join others in a time of prayer for our children on Tuesdays in Kerry's Korner off the vestibule following the 8:30 a.m. Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary Church. Please contact Isabelle Peltier at isa.usa1980@gmail.com for more information.
May we celebrate the Savior’s glorious birth, and the Father who sent him to redeem us, and the Holy Spirit, giver of life, now and forever, age after age. Amen. The clergy and members of our parish staff invite you and your family to celebrate with us the Holy Liturgies of the Christmas Season at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish—the Catholic Community of Palo Alto
Current Pledges: $176,031 – 320 Pledges – 281 Pledges Paid in Full Please keep making your regular payments. When all our pledges have been paid, St. Thomas Aquinas can receive a $42,141 rebate to help us pay for improvements to our parish facilities. Thank you for your support of Bishop McGrath and our local Church
The great effusion of the Holy Spirit also happened on Sunday, the fiftieth day after Jesus’ Resurrection. For these reasons, Sunday is a holy day for us, sanctified by the Eucharistic celebration, the Lord’s living presence among us and for us. Hence, it is the Mass that makes Sunday Christian! The Christian Sunday revolves around the Mass. For a Christian, what sort of Sunday is it that lacks the encounter with the Lord?
Our Open House and Science Fair will take place on Wednesday, January 31st from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Interested applicants are welcome to join us at this annual Open House for our school families. If you have friends or family members who are interested in sending their children to Seton, please have them call the school, pick up an application in the school office, or on our website at setonpaloalto.org.
Applications for new students for 2018-2019 are now available in the school office and on our website: setonpaloalto.org for all grades including our Little Saints Preschool. Preschool applicants must be 4 years old by September 1, 2018. Kindergarten applicants must be 5 years old by September 1, 2018. There will be an Informational Meeting/Open House for parents of Pre-K and Kindergarten applicants on Wednesday, January 24th at 7:00p.m. in the school gym. Readiness testing for our Full-Day Kindergarten will begin in February.
St. Elizabeth Seton School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, and does not discriminate on the basis of race color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic programs and other school-administered programs
The major upgrade in this period was the installation of a new video system at the OLR hall at a cost of $2500. This system replaces two 20+ year old TVs and VCRs used by the children’s liturgy and youth groups. Other significant expenses were for repairing & sealing the baptismal fount at St. Albert’s church, cleaning carpets at OLR, the Rectory and the Pastoral Center; annual fire inspections and fire extinguisher maintenance, and city-required inspection, test and certification of the backflow prevention valves on the water mains at all three sites.
A large new sign has been installed next to the sidewalk in front of the Pastoral Center at 3290 Middlefield Road. Andrew Cote of Boy Scout Troop 57 proposed, constructed and installed the sign for his Eagle Scout project. The effort included multiple presentations to the parish facilities committee and obtaining a city permit -- a job well done.
It costs you nothing, and Seton School Receives A Small % for Every Dollar That You Spend Step 1. Go to Smile.Amazon.com Step 2. Select " St. Elizabeth Seton School, Palo Alto, CA " Step 3. Shop Amazon As Usual THANK YOU For Supporting Our Students! SHOP Smile.Amazon.com all year round!
Now is the time to contact your members of Congress and advocate for the protection of life and freedom of conscience. The Conscience Protection Act of 2017 (H.R. 644) has been included in appropriations legislation that must pass this year to keep the government operating. The Conscience Protection Act is common-sense legislation that will clarify federal law and ensure that those who provide health care and health coverage can do so without being forced by government to help destroy innocent unborn children.
At a United Nations gathering in New York City, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See's Secretary for Relations with States, stressed the need for a multi-pronged approach in the fight against human trafficking. "The issue of trafficking in persons can only be fully addressed by promoting effective juridical instruments and concrete collaboration at multiple levels by all stakeholders."
The County Public Health Officer has requested that we make some temporary adaption to our celebrations of the Eucharist, so as to foster the health of our worshipping communities. For the duration of the Flu and Cold season, Bishop McGrath has asked all parishes to adapt the following temporary liturgical adaptations.
This Sunday, December 3, the Church enters into a new season. Advent is a winter feast celebrated for the four darkest weeks of the year. The sun rises later and later and sets long before the day is complete. Christmas comes during the darkest of this dark time. It is the Feast of Light, the celebration of Him who is the Light of the World.
The current rules on fasting before holy Communion are simple and clearly expressed in the Code of Canon Law. They provide that one must abstain for one hour from all food and drink, with the exception of water or medicine, prior to receiving the Eucharist (Canon 919).