Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord

Acts 10:34a, 37–43; Psalm 118 “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.” Colossians 3:1–4; John 20:1–9. On this holy morning we hear Saints Peter and Paul testify to Jesus’ resurrection and what it means to all of us who have been baptized in him. We also hear Saint John’s account of that first Easter morning and the reactions of three disciples whom Jesus loved. None of them fully understood what had happened, but they all realized that something unusual had taken place. The world has changed and all our lives along with it. Christ has triumphed over death; let us rejoice and be glad!

 
 
 復活主日 
主己復活，請歡欣！ 

 今天福音記載瑪利亞瑪逹肋納、聖伯多祿和聖若望三人對耶穌復活的反應各不相同。 
瑪利亞瑪逹肋納看見墓門的大石被移開，以為耶穌的屍體被搬走，覺得傷心和迷惑，不知怎辦，跑去告訴西滿伯多祿。伯多祿看見頭巾和殮布沒有放在一起，而是卷着，他也不明白是怎麼一回事。聖若望比伯多祿跑得快，他進了墓穴，也看見殮布放在那裏。 

聖若望宗徒看到墓穴的情形，由於他是耶穌的愛徒，他也特別愛耶穌，他和耶穌心靈相契，所以立刻就相信主己復活了。瑪利亞瑪逹肋納聽了耶穌喊她的名字：「瑪利亞！」這如雷貫耳的一聲 ，使她認出了主。伯多祿直到在耶穌寛恕他，三次問他：「你愛我嗎？」並且把牧民的責任交給他時，才真正認出主己復活。 

我們一生中，在不同的時段，也會經驗到像上述的情形才認出主來，但不管怎樣，能夠認出主己復活是個大恩賜。因為無論科學怎樣發達，人無法使人從死者中復活。而世上有各種痛苦、傷心失意，但我們有一個全能全善的天主，祂會帶我們走過幽谷；我們有一天也要復活，獲得永生。 

這是上主所安排的一天，我們要歡欣鼓舞。

 
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, 

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! It is with great joy that our church celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. Today’s Gospel of John describes a cornerstone of our Catholic faith, a narrative that moves us from the darkness of Good Friday to the radiant hope of the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. Reflecting on this passage, we find profound truths about God's saving action and the role of witness. John, the disciple of Jesus saw the empty tomb and believed. 

A follower of Jesus is Mary Magdalene, who runs to the tomb “while it was still dark,” showing that her profound love and devotion to Jesus. Even in the depths of grief, she seeks him. Her discovery of the empty tomb is not a moment of triumph, but one of alarm. Her immediate reaction, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him" (John 20:2), reveals a human heart grappling with loss and the apparent defeat of all hope. Yet, in her distress, she becomes the first witness, running to Peter and John, the beloved disciple. She is the apostle to the apostles who carries the initial of the perplexing news. 

The contrasting reactions of Peter and John are significant. Peter, the rock upon whom Christ would build his Church, arrives first but hesitates to enter. Perhaps he is still weighed down by his denial of Jesus. John, the beloved disciple, arrives second but enters first. His act of entering and observing with careful attention. The beloved disciple: “He saw and believed.” Perhaps he recalled that Jesus told them that he would rise on the third day. He meditated at the empty space where Jesus’ body had lain, and the carefully arranged burial cloths led him to understand the truth of the Resurrection. John’s belief was sparked by what he saw. This reminds us that while faith transcends reason, it is not contrary to it. God often provides signs and evidence that can lead us towards belief. 

Throughout this Easter season, we are called to continually study and reflect upon the Scriptures on the meaning of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The empty tomb is the foundational truth of our faith. Without the Resurrection, Christ's sacrifice would be in vain (1 Corinthians 15:14). It is the cornerstone of our hope and the guarantee of our own future resurrection. Like Mary Magdalene and Jesus’ disciples, we are called to be witnesses to the Resurrection in our own lives. We believe that in the Eucharist, we encounter the risen Christ in a real and profound way. The empty tomb paved the way for this encounter, when we receive the Body and the Blood of Jesus Christ, who conquered death. 

As we celebrate this Easter Sunday, let us embrace the joy and hope that emanates from the empty tomb, proclaiming with our lives, “Christ is risen! Alleluia! Alleluia!” Have a blessed Easter! 

Fr. Tho 
Pastor 
 
Mass Intentions for the Week 

Sunday              April 20, 2025
 7:30     Louis DeNicolai +
 8:45     GB DeMartini +
 10:15  Thanksgiving Kelly Kong & Family
 12:00  For the People of Saints Peter and Paul – Lorenzo Simi +
 
Monday             April 21, 2025
 7:00     Joseph Leo Torre & Family +
 9:00     Pietro (birthday), Adele, & Elena Domenici +

Tuesday            April 22, 2025
 7:00     Edward Sabini +
 9:00     John Bonjean + – Richard Lawrence Vannucci + 

Wednesday    April 23, 2025
 7:00     Frank Sanguinetti + – Healing John (Vedo) Azevedo
 9:00     Birthday of Sophia B. Martin + 

Thursday          April 24, 2025
 7:00     Amelia DeNicolai +
 9:00     Maria Russo & Luigi Cinelli + – Marilyn A. Parks + 

Friday                 April 25, 2025
 7:00     Birthday of Larry Martin + – Healing Roberta Livraghi
 9:00     Emilia Lucchesi + 

Saturday          April 26, 2025
 7:30     Anna Ross +
 9:00     Rose Hill + – Donald & Dolores Cooney +
 5:00     Ruth, Guido, & Gig Ghiglieri + – Dolores Brockenshire & Michael Czuprynski +
 
 
  
Second Collection: Today we will have a second collection in support of our music ministry. Please be generous! 

Bible Study with Fr. Vien! Every Thursday Fr. Vien will host weekly Bible Study at 7:00 PM. Come join with others and  deepen your understanding of the Word of God! 

Eucharistic Adoration & Confession/ Anointing of the Sick: We have Adoration & Confession every Friday, following the 7:00 AM Mass. And on the first Friday of the month we have the Anointing following the 7:00 AM Mass.

玫瑰經 Chinese Apostolate First Sunday Rosary: The Apostolate meets every first Sunday of the month, following the 10:15 AM Mass, to pray the Rosary in the Don Bosco Room. 

Santa Gemma: On May 4 we will honor our beloved Santa Gemma, dear to the hearts of the people of Lucca and all Italians, at the 12:00 PM Italian Mass. A luncheon will follow at the Italian Athletic Club. Reservations forms are on the tables. Santa Gemma, pray for us.

Salesian Old Timers Mass & Dinners: Join us on May 5 for the Old Timers Mass and dinners. Mass begins at 5:30 PM and the dinners (men in the auditorium; women at the Italian Athletic Club) follow. This year’s recipients of the Fr. Oreste Trinchieri Award is Frank Lavin, and the winner of the Bertha Bedoni Award is Lisa Gumina Rivera. For tickets, visit salesianclub.org/events or call 415-397-3068.

Young Adult Beloved Dinner: Young Adults are invited to join the Archdiocese of San Francisco for The Beloved Dinner on Saturday, May 10, at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption. The evening begins with Mass with Archbishop Cordileone and is followed by dinner and dancing in the Cathedral's Events Center. Deadline to sign up is May 3. Go to here to learn more and RSVP, or call Paul Campa at 415-614-5537 or [email protected] 


CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION! Join us on June 22 as we process with Jesus through the streets of North Beach at our annual Corpus Christi procession! We will process from Saints Peter and Paul to the Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi, The procession begins following the 1:00 PM Mass.

Want to go deeper in Salesian Spirituality? Founded by Don Bosco himself, the Salesian Cooperators are an association of Christians living in the world according to the Chrism of Don Bosco. There are monthly formation meeting for those interested. For the Zoom link, contact Frank Lavin at (415.310.8551, or email [email protected]).
 
OUR JUBILEE YEAR! 

Our Centennial Celebration and Jubilee Year continues! On November 9-10, 2024 we began the 100 Year Anniversary of Saints Peter and Paul Church.  

Remember, though, the Jubilee Celebration is for the whole year— including the indulgence granted to us by the Vatican! Let us take this year to gratefully reflect on the gifts given to us by God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; to honor those who have come before us, and to preserve our faith and our Church for our posterity!

The Apostolic Penitentiary in Rome, charged with the granting of indulgences, has designated Saints Peter and Paul Church in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, California as a Vatican recognized site for Plenary Indulgence and has granted a Plenary Indulgence to the faithful who truly repent and are driven by charity under these certain conditions from November 1, 2024 until November 1, 2025. A Plenary Indulgence may also apply, through the faithful’s own sufferings, to the Souls in Purgatory. Please pick up a flyer from the tables for all information on how to obtain this wonderful spiritual gift!

Archbishops Annual Appeal 2025! Our AAA for 2025 has begun. This year’s assessment is $65,600, a little lower than last year’s, which we did not quite make. So far, 35 parishioners/families have given $22,733, leaving us with a balance of $42,867. Join the 1% club! But all amounts greatly appreciated.  

Saints Peter and Paul Salesian School & Pre-K Accepting Applications: Our K-8 Salesian school is accepting applications for this year and next. Please email Dr. Lisa Harris at the school at [email protected], or Barbara Simons at the Pre-K at [email protected] to learn more! 

Sponsor a Student! We are receiving more request for financial aid than ever before. The Salesians started by educating the children of the poor and we are not about to stop now—but like Don Bosco before us we need your help! We invite financially able parishioners to help with this ministry. Please call Fr. Tho at 415-421-0809 or Dr. Lisa Harris at 415-421-5219. 

Mille Grazie, Liz Diaz! Thanks to Elizabeth Diaz, of North Beach Marine Canvas, for re-upholstering the sanctuary chairs just in time for Easter!

Catholic Medical Care right in our Parish! Bella Primary Care offers primary & pediatric healthcare in accordance with Catholic principles. They are located at 2000 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 304, in San Francisco. Now scheduling appointments for: 
PEDIATRICS: Wellness visits for ages 6 months to 18 years with our pro-life pediatrician Dr. Virginia Schneider.
WOMEN and MEN: Comprehensive annual exam.
EXPECTANT MOMS: Pregnancy verification, initial ultrasound and blood work.
FERTILITY: Initial and follow-up appointments using natural fertility assessment methods. 

For appointments, call 415-775-1500 or email our office at [email protected]  We look forward to caring for your families in a Christ-centered way!

Liturgical Calendar
Sunday               20          Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
Monday              21          Monday within the Octave of Easter
Tuesday             22          Tuesday within the Octave of Easter
Wednesday        23          Wednesday within the Octave of Easter
Thursday           24          Thursday within the Octave of Easter
Friday                25           Friday within the Octave of Easter
Saturday            26          Saturday within the Octave of Easter
Sunday               27          Second Sunday of Easter, Sunday of the Divine Mercy

Your gifts of   April 12 & 13 :    $4,204.
Goal:                                        $8,670.
Shortfall:                                   $4,466.
Second Collection (for the Poor):     $1,863.

We are always in shortfall. Fr. Tho asks for your help Please consider donating an amount equal to a breakfast or lunch or movie ticket. Your parish needs & appreciates your support!