The First Sunday of Lent

Deuteronomy 26:4–10;. Psalm 91: Romans 10:8–13; Luke 4:1–13. Moses speaks to an assembly of the people in today’s first reading, reminding them that God heard their pleas in Egypt and saved them from captivity, bringing them through the desert to a land of plenty. Paul teaches the Romans that anyone can be saved by their faith that God has raised Jesus from the dead. In the Gospel, Jesus is tempted by the devil in the desert, resisting every temptation he faces by relying on the word.

 

 
封齋期第一主日 

從聖灰禮儀開始一連四十天，除了主日以外，直至復活節前夕，都是封齋期。是一段祈禱、守齋、做補贖的時候。舊約中有許多章節記述古聖在重要任務之前守四十日齋以作準備，像梅瑟在山上四十天四十夜不斷祈禱；尼尼微人聽了約納先知的警告，四十天祈禱悔罪，得蒙天主寬恕；在新約聖經中我們讀到耶穌在曠野中守四十日嚴齋之後，受魔鬼試探。 

教會規定在這段時間禸，教友從十四歲開始，每星期五守小齋，那就是不吃肉類和肉類湯、汁煮成的食物，祇吃魚類、及貝類。在聖灰禮儀及受難日凡滿十八歲至滿了五十九歲的人都該守大齋，所謂大齋就是每天祇吃一頓飽餐，和吃兩頓加起來不及一頓飽餐的份量。這種口福之欲的守齋是外表的，比如在這段時間不看電影，不作娛樂等等。一種較高層次的齋戒是精神上、行為上的，即思想、言語方面的齋戒 。 

為什麼要守齋？有兩個最大的原因：一、為和耶穌一起，為效法祂，祂為我們做補贖，我們為自己做補贖；二、為學習管制自己的意志，比如管制言語，不說傷人的話、不說人是非，自然地管制了思想。管制自己的欲望和身體，能克制就能不以自己為中心，因而能顧及他人，遇到誘惑時也懂得控制。 

今天的福音中魔鬼以人類的弱點：驕傲、自我中心、控制、支配、權力、自足慾去引誘耶穌，但祂一 一引述聖經的教訓去擊退魔鬼，目的在提醒我們魔鬼敵不過意志堅強依賴天主的人 

 



“In the cycle of weekday readings (and in the Divine Office), Lent falls into two parts. The first part, including the ‘pre-Lent’ of Ash Wednesday and the rest of that week, runs through to Saturday of Week 3. In these three and a half weeks, the Gospel texts are taken from the Synoptics and the Old Testament readings are chosen accordingly. The message running through is a call to a life of Gospel conversion. The pericopes (groups of readings) speak of beginning anew, of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving; of conversion; of mutual forgiveness; of hardness of heart; of love of enemies; of absolute claims of justice and love over ritual and cult; of the call to holiness, and so forth. (Occasionally, what appears to be salvation history narrative is interspersed among these moral texts—a story like the call of Naaman or the workers in the vineyard, for example—but, in this context they are meant to be read as a call to conversion rather than as referring to Christ or to the Easter mysteries.) 

The readings for the second half of Lent are taken from the Gospel of John, beginning on the Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent at 4:43 and going through (omitting passages read on Sundays and during Easter) to chapter 13. It is clear that these readings from John do not constitute a kind of ‘crash course’ in the life of Jesus, so much as a presentation of the mystery of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, of whom John says that all who believe in him will have eternal life. Christ is presented as the healer and life-giver, as the one who gives life through his confrontation with death an gathers into one the scattered children of God. 
How do these two sections of the lectionary fit together and what can they tell us about the spirit of Lent? The shift from the ‘ethical’ to the ‘Christological’ is no accident.  The purpose of the first part of Lent is to bring us to compunction. ‘Compunction’ is etymologically related to the verb ‘to puncture’ and suggests the deflation of our inflated egos, a challenge to any self-deceit about the quality of our lives as disciples of Jesus. By hitting us again and again with demands that we not only fail to obey, but which we come to recognize as being quite beyond us, the Gospel passages are meant to trouble us, to confront our illusions about ourselves. ‘Remember, you are dust…’ From this perspective, Lenten penance may be more effective if we fail in our resolutions than if we succeed, for its purpose is not to confirm us in our sense of virtue but to bring home to us our radical need for salvation. 

It is in answer to this profound awareness of need that the lectionary shifts from the Synoptics to John, from the demands of discipleship to the person of Jesus. John presents Jesus as the Savior, but Jesus can only save those who know their need for salvation. Confronted with our sickness and powerlessness, we pray for our salvation.” 
 
Mass Intentions For The Week 

Sunday              March 9, 2025
8:45     Luigi Marciano & Giuliano Marciano + – Michael Czuprynski +
 10:15  For the People of Saints Peter and Paul
 12:00  GB De Martini + – Giambattista DeMartini +
 5:00     Pietro, Adele, & Elena Domenici + 
Monday             March 10, 2025

 7:00     Birthdays of Victoria Bugayong & Jennifer Bugayong
 9:00     Anniversary of the Death of Fr. Jerry Bonjean, SDB + 
Tuesday            March 11, 2025

 7:00     Joseph Leo Torre & Family +
 9:00     Lorraine DeNicolai + 
Wednesday      March 12, 2025
 7:00     Frank Sanguinetti +
9:00     Vincenzo & Mariannina Torrano V – Healing Deacon Edward Te 

Thursday         March 13, 2025
 7:00     Ettorina Cardella & Family +
 9:00     Louis, Eugenia, & Raymond Raggio + – Healing Sr. Guadalupe Zozaya, SSND 

Friday               March 14, 2025
 7:00     Anniversary of the Death of Lucy Pang Chan +
 9:00     Birthday of Giuseppe D’Ascoli + – Special Intention for Healing

Saturday          March 15, 2025
 7:30     Ettorina Cardella & Family +
 9:00     Francesco Passanisi & Albert Joseph Romeo +
 5:00     The Edward & Eileen Ziomek & Myrtle Lane Families +

 
Particular Items
 
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!
 
Confession During Lent: We will not have a Lenten Penance Service this year. Instead, we encourage parishioners to seek the sacrament of Penance on Saturdays between 4-5PM, on Friday’s between 7:30 & 8:30AM, or by visiting the rectory during business hours.
 
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.
 
Stations of the Cross: We will have Stations of the Cross each Friday during Lent at 6:30pm followed by a soup supper. The Walk for Life Committee will be hosting this Friday, March 14, at 6pm. All are welcome!
 
40 Days for Life Lenten Campaign! Join in peacefully praying for the end to abortion in San Francisco! The 40 Days for Life campaign runs from March 5 to April 13 at the Planned Parenthood business at 1522 Bush Street. You may sign up for vigil hours here www.40daysforlife.com/sanfrancisco.

Nice News Story about Ash Wednesday at Saints Peter and Paul: On Ash Wednesday, KPIX News was here and did a story about Ash Wednesday. If you have not seen it, check it out here.

Come Honor our Salesians! On March 13 there will be a dedication of a plaque honoring the Salesians (& especially Father Al) at the Fisherman's Chapel on the Wharf, followed by a dinner at Capurro’s .For more info go to Eventbrite.com and search for “plaque dedication” or contact Frank Lavin at [email protected], 415.310.8551.

Requiem Mass for Cardinal Ignatius Kung Pin-Mei 龚品梅: On the 25th Anniversary of his death, Archbishop Cordileone, joined by Cardinal Raymond Burke, will celebrate a Pontifical High Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of Ignatius Cardinal Kung Pin-Mei. The Mass will be at 10:30 AM on March 15 at Star of the Sea Church, 8th Avenue & Geary, in San Francisco.  The heroic Cardinal Kung was the first Chinese Bishop of Shanghai, and he was imprisoned by the Communists for 30 years for resisting their attempts to control the Catholic Church in China, finally being released in 1986, although remaining under house arrest until 1988, the same year he settled in the U.S. Above is the Cardinal in a picture sometime in the 1990’s with our own heroic Fr. Mario Rosso, SDB.
 
Mark your Calendars! & SAVE THE DATE! This year’s school Spring Fundraiser “The Greatest Show” will be on March 29 from  6:00-10:00 PM at  the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club. Live auction, DJ, Dancing, Live Auction and more! Details and tickets may be found by visiting ssppevents.org/spring-gala

Support Bella!Support the ONLY Catholic Healthcare in San Francisco at the Bella Primary Care Founders Gala: Celebrate Bella’s third year of Life-Affirming Catholic Healthcare on Saturday, April 5, 2025 at St. Mary's Cathedral Event Center. 6:00 pm Cocktails | 7:00 PM Dinner. Proceeds from our gala will provide funding for our underinsured patients. For more info: bellafoundersgala.com


 
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. A type of “third order,” the Cooperators also work on keeping the church beautiful, visits to the sick & elderly, and helping with any and all sorts of parish functions. The Cooperators always help when needed. Contact Frank Lavin at 415.310.8551 or [email protected].

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!

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!

PLANNED GIVING One Charitable Gift, A Legacy of Faith: Consider listing Saints Peter and Paul as beneficiary in your Will (it’s advisable to have one). It preserves the mission and values of the church in its ministry. Call for information: Fr. Tho Bui 415-421-0809.

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. Let’s make it this year. So far, 15 people/families have given or pledged $12,903, leaving us a balance of $52,697. Join the 1% club! But all amounts greatly appreciated.  
 
  
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. 
           
WHAT IS A PLENARY INDULGENCE?   
An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment for sin the guilt of which is already forgiven, which a properly disposed member of the Christian faithful obtains under certain conditions with the help of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies authoritatively the treasure of the satisfaction of Christ and the saints. Code of canon Law (can. 992). A plenary indulgence can be gained only once a day. In order to obtain it, the faithful must, in addition to being in a state of grace, have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin.  You can download a flyer here on how to obtain this wonderful spiritual gift!  
 
Liturgical Calendar
Sunday               09          The First Sunday of Lent
Monday              10          Lenten Weekday
Tuesday             11          Lenten Weekday
Wednesday        12          Lenten Weekday
Thursday           13          Lenten Weekday
Friday                 14          Lenten Weekday
Saturday            15          Lenten Weekday
Sunday               16          The Second Sunday of Lent 

Your gifts of March 1 & 2:               $2,776.
Goal:                                                   $8,670.
Shortfall:                                            $5,094.
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!