Parish Celebration of St. John Bosco
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Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-16, 23-24, 30-31-31; Psalm 33; Philippians 4:4-9; Matthew 18:1-6, 10. God will look after his sheep, since bad rulers have led the sheep astray. God will send a new David to lead them who is none other than the Good Shepherd, Jesus. The psalmist tells us: “Blessed are they who put their trust in the Lord.” Paul exhorts all those baptized in Christ to unity, joy, and peace. God’s peace surpasses all understanding and is beyond the power of the human mind. The Gospel tells us that to be a true disciple of Jesus one must be humble and not fear dependence on God the Father.
Festa di San Giovanni Bosco
O padre e maestro della gioventù, San Giovanni Bosco, che tanto lavorasti per la salvezza delle anime, sii nostra guida nel cercare il bene delle anime nostre e la salvezza del prossimo; aiutaci a vincere le passioni e il rispetto umano; insegnaci ad amare Gesù Sacramentato, Maria Ausiliatrice e il Papa; e implora da Dio per noi una buona morte, affinchè possiamo reggiumgerti in Paradiso. Così sia.
今天是聖鮑斯高瞻禮。聖鮑斯高是十九世紀的偉人，他生於1815年8月16日意大利一個小小的鄉村，兩歲時父親逝世由母親撫養長大。母親教他愛天主，愛聖母，愛世人。當時歐洲正逢工業革命，很多家庭受到失業的影響，無數孩子流浪街頭，無依無靠，年少的鮑斯高身受貧窮的苦楚，很同性他們，立志長大後要幫助貧苦的兒童。二十六歲時升了神父，從此把全部精神放在教育青少年之上。他創辦青年會，收容無依無靠，無家可歸的孩子，給他們棲身之所並教育他們。他的母親一直在身邊幫忙。他的教育方法是以愛和鼓勵而不是責罰，又以各種有益身心的活動幫助他們，使他們有正當的誤樂，不致做壞事，這就是有名的「防範教育」。
他創立了慈幼會，又和瑪沙利羅一起創立了母佑會女修會。許多和他志同道合的青年男女紛紛加入，今日世界各地都有慈幼會和母佑會的學校，尤其是工業學校，使青年們有一技之長，能自力謀生。他又開辦出版社，出版優良讀物。
聖鮑斯高神父一生熱愛青年，獻身為他們服務，他主張教育不單是教授學識，更重要的是教人靈魂得救，他的工作受到很多打擊，但藉着天主的幫助，總能化險為夷。他在一八八八年一月三十一日逝世，他的靈魂回到他深愛的天主和聖母身邊。他死後不久，教會便祝聖他為聖人。今年全世界各地都大事慶祝。我們應祈求聖鮑斯高為我們轉禱，使我們效法他的美德，愛主、愛聖母，愛世人。
From the Pastor’s Desk
Don Bosco's Mysterious Dog
There are so many stories about Don Bosco that could be recounted on his feastday. But one of the most amazing and charming, even to this day, is the story of Grigio. The following is adapted from Owlcation.com:
“If you offered your dog some tasty food and he refused, you may well believe that he’s ill. If this dog lived for over thirty years and never ate, you may think he’s a ghost. On the other hand, if this dog mysteriously came to your side at every moment of danger, you may consider him an angel in a furry disguise. If such an animal sounds implausible, consider the case of Grigio, Don Bosco’s mysterious dog….
If Grigio was indeed an angel, he disguised himself very well. One of the students at the Oratory, Carlo Tomatis, described him in this way: “It had a truly frightening appearance. Every time she saw it, Mama Margarita would unfailingly say, ‘Oh, what an ugly beast!’ It looked like a wolf, with a long snout, erect pointed ears, and gray fur. It was over three feet tall.”
Don Bosco had many enemies on both the left and right, who objected to his work. More than once they tried to kill him, and more than once Grigio saved him. Don Bosco first encountered him in 1852, walking home late at night in a rough section of Turin. The dog, though scary-looking, was friendly to the holy saint. He named him Grigio, “the Gray One.” There are too many instances of Grigio appearing out of nowhere to save Don Bosco from serious danger to fit in this column, but if you google “Don Bosco” + Grigio you can read them all. Was he an angel? Don Bosco never said so, but he did say “Grigio is no ordinary dog.” The Owlcation writer concludes:
“Angels are pure spirits and so have no bodily form, despite Fra Angelico’s masterful depictions. Nonetheless, angels often appear in the Bible in the guise of a human body, such as when the Archangel Raphael assisted Tobias. (Tob 3:17) Sometimes, God assigns animals to help his servants, as when the ravens fed Elijah in the wilderness. (1 Kings 17:3-6) Likewise, Balaam’s donkey not only saw an angel but also spoke like a human. (Num 22:28)
St. John Bosco received a very special mission from God to help the youth. ...This good priest’s life was spared innumerable times by an intelligent dog who apparently never ate, drank, or aged. Grigio would appear mysteriously at the very moment of danger and disappear just as quickly. May he have been Don Bosco’s guardian angel in a furry disguise?”
Mass Intentions For The Week
Sunday January 28, 2023
8:45 Loriano & Anita Belluomini +
10:15 Cindy Ford & Ellen Stahl +
12:00 The Pierini & Spes Families +
5:00 For the People of Saints Peter and Paul
Monday January 29, 2024
7:00 Domenico, Francesca, Tom, Giuseppe, & Frances Cresci +
9:00 In Honor of Madonna della Guardia
11:30 Intentions of the Knights of Malta
Tuesday January 30, 2024
7:00 The DeNicolai Family +
9:00 Edward Sabini + – Ann Greco +
Wednesday January 31, 2024
7:00 Joseph Leo Torre & Family + – Anniversary of the Death of Charles CorumV+
9:00 The Sanguinetti Family + – Tom & Peggy Poindexter +
Thursday February 1, 2024
7:00 In Memory of Deceased Salesians +
9:00 In Memory of Deceased Salesians +
Friday February 2, 2024
7:00 Anniversary of the Death of Americo Sbragia + –
Intention of Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone
9:00 For the Soul of Alicia Jimenez Yao + – Vincent Troiano +
Saturday February 3, 2024
7:30 Frank Curreri +
9:00 Joseph & Vincent Passanisi + – Caterina Aiello +
5:00 For the People of Saints Peter and Paul – Peggy Arata +
Rest in Peace
Angela Kramer-Devitt – Jason Thomas Ribeiro
Particular Items
"Be brave and try to detach your heart from worldly things. Do your utmost to banish darkness from your mind and come to understand what true, selfless piety is. Through confession, endeavor to purify your heart of anything which may still taint it. Enliven your faith, which is essential to understand and achieve piety." – St. John Bosco.
Pre-K Open House: Come learn about our Laura Vicuña Pre-Kindergarten, the oldest Catholic Pre– K in the city of San Francisco! The Pre-K will be delighted to answer all your questions at their annual open house TODAY Sunday, January 28, 2024 from 10:00 AM to noon. Please share this information with your friends!
Walk for Life West Coast: Above are some of the tens of thousands who marched prayerfully and peacefully through the streets of San Francisco for the littlest among us last Saturday at the 20th Annual Walk for Life West Coast. This group is from St. Thomas Aquinas College, 170 of whom stayed in our gym both Friday and Saturday nights. The students also had Eucharistic Adoration in the Church from 12:00AM to 7:00AM before the Walk. You know Don Bosco was happy to see many prayerful young people committed to LIFE!
“I want no long-faced saints…let us serve the Lord with holy cheerfulness!” –Don Bosco.
Pew Kneeler Project: We hope, as you read this, that the new pew kneelers have been installed! If not, they will be within a day or two. We thank all those who contributed and volunteered to help with the job.
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 (this Friday!) 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.
Archdiocesan Mother-Daughter Program: The Annual Mother-Daughter Programs are designed to help you and your daughter explore God’s special gift of human fertility together. Help her see the beauty and wonder of God’s plan for growing up as a young girl or teenager and becoming a woman.
There are 2 separate programs: for ‘tweens’ in the morning, and ‘teens’ in the afternoon. The Tween and Teen Programs cover similar subject matter while differing in depth and scope. All presentations are pure, light-hearted and affirming! The programs are on February 3, 2024, from 9:00am - 5:00pm, at St Bartholomew parish, 600 Columbia Dr, San Mateo, CA 94402. Visit sfarch.org/event/the-mother-daughter-programs/ to register and for more info.
Salesian Community Bingo is Back! Bingo resumes on Thursday, February 15. Doors open at 6:00PM and Bingo starts at 6:30. Tickets are $25, and all proceeds benefit the Church, school, & club! Visit salesianclub.org/events/ or call 415-397-3069.
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], sspeterpaulsf.org/ or Barbara Simons at the Pre-K at [email protected] to learn more!
Sponsor a Student! Are you able to help a student receive a Catholic education? 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 Dr. Lisa Harris at 421-5219 or Fr. Tho Bui at 421-0809.
Liturgical Calendar
Sunday 28 External Feast of St. John Bosco
Monday 29 Weekday in Ordinary Time
Tuesday 30 Weekday in Ordinary Time
Wednesday 31 John Bosco; Priest, Founder of the Salesians
Thursday 01 Weekday in Ordinary Time
Friday 02 The Presentation of the Lord
Saturday 03 Blaise; Bishop, Martyr. Ansgar; Bishop
Sunday 04 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Your gifts of January 20/ 21: $2,865.
Weekly goal: $8,670.
Shortfall: $5,805.
Second Collection (For the Poor): $1,421.
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. Thank you! Your parish appreciates your continued support!
