October 22, 2007   •   VOL. 45, NO. 18   •   Oakland, CA

World champions
St. Elizabeth High School students Julian and Ashton Purvis wear the gold medals they won at the IAAF World Championships this summer in the Czech Republic. Julian, a senior, won in the hurdles event and Ashton, a sophomore, in the spring medley. Both also set state championship records at the CIF state championships in Sacramento. Standing with them are Dominican Sister Lilly Fitzpatrick, secretary at the Oakland school, (left) and Dominican Sister Liam Brock, principal.

Honored for stewardship Michael Murphy, executive director of the International Catholic Stewardship Council, presents the Bishop William Connare Award for Distinguished Service to Katherine King at the ICSC annual conference in Miami last month. She was honored for fostering stewardship and development programs in diocesan and parish communities. King served as development director for the Oakland Diocese for 12 years and for Catholic Charities of the East Bay for 3 years. She is now executive director of Seton Health Services Foundation in Daly City.

Students think pink

The all-female student body at Oakland’s Holy Names High School is observing Breast Cancer Awareness Month by turning the campus pink on Oct. 26 with everyone wearing pink during a special free-dress day and buying pink lemonade and cupcakes to raise funds for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. There were school-wide presentations on breast cancer, Oct. 18.

Around the Parishes

St. Joan of Arc Parish in San Ramon will be hosting homeless families and seniors during the week of Nov. 19-26 as part of the Interfaith Council’s Winter Nights Program.

The Filipino Block Rosary Group at St. Michael Parish in Livermore celebrated the 30th anniversary of their Rosary Crusade with a recitation of the Rosary in five languages on Oct. 6.

The Catholic Community of Pleasanton will host a Mass of Remembrance on Nov. 5 at St. Elizabeth Seton Church, 4001 Stoneridge Dr. in Pleasanton at 7:30 p.m. to honor and give thanks for loved ones who have died. The Mass, organized by the parish Grief Ministry, is open to all. Attendees are invited to bring a small photo or memento of their loved one to the liturgy.

Throughout the month of November Santa Maria Parish in Orinda will honor and remember those who have died by displaying photos and mementos of deceased family members and friends on an “altarcito” in the side niche in the church.

Immigration attorneys talked about the rights of immigrants during a workshop held Oct. 17 at St. Paul Church in San Pablo. The San Pablo parish sponsored the workshop along with St. Mark Parish in Richmond, the Contra Costa Interfaith Supporting Community Organization (CCISCO), Produccion Latino and several Latino immigrant rights groups.

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Around the Schools

St. Catherine of Siena School in Martinez has been selected as a “model school” by the Contra Costa Community Awareness Emergency Response Agency for its participation in the 6th Annual “Shelter in Place” Education Day, Oct. 3. The school practiced the “shelter in place” drill and was observed by Contra Costa County officials. After the drill, Wally Wise (the CAER mascot) visited the school’s kindergarten and first grade classes.

Congratulations to Tim Tribble, a senior at Berkeley’s St. Mary’s High School, who has been named a semifinalist in the National Achievement Scholarship Program. Tribble is one of only 1600 African American high school seniors across the country who have received this honor.

Nearly 50 Bishop O’Dowd students have earned the distinction of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Program (AP) Exams. The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program offers students the opportunity to take challenging college-level courses while still in high school, and to receive college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams.

Speaking of O’Dowd… two thumbs way up for The Crozier, the student newspaper, which won a gold medalist award from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association for issues published in 2006-2007. The publication, judged in writing and editing, graphic presentation, business operations and coverage, earned 942 out of a possible score of 1,000 in CSPA’s annual critique.

The annual Saint La Salle Society donor appreciation dinner at Berkeley’s St. Mary’s High School, marked its 25th anniversary on Sept. 29. The Society, created in 1982 with about 20 donors, has grown to well over 200 annual donors and more than 100 lifetime members, who support the school’s programs, facilities needs, and provide tuition assistance.

A Memorial Mass celebrating the life of Mary T. McGing, a former principal at Concord’s Queen of All Saints School and Oakland’s St. Bernard School, will be held at 2 p.m. on Oct. 27 at St. Paschal Baylon Church, 3700 Dorisa Ave. in Oakland. McGing died earlier this month after a 13-month struggle with a malignant brain tumor. She previously taught at St. Elizabeth High School and at Bishop O’Dowd High School, both in Oakland. Donations in McGing’s memory may be made to: FACE (Family Aid to Catholic Education), Diocese of Oakland, 3014 Lakeshore Ave., Oakland, CA 94610, or Project Open Hand, 730 Polk St., San Francisco, CA 94109.

The Oakland Museum of California is hosting its 14th annual Days of the Dead festivities with ofrendas (altars) created by local artists, including a recreation of the spontaneous street altars for slain journalist Chauncey Bailey, a member of St. Benedict Parish in Oakland. The exhibits are on display through Dec. 2. For details visit www.museumca.org

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Among the Religious

Bishop Allen Vigneron has appointed Father Ray Sacca, pastor at St. Michael Parish in Livermore, as the new diocesan vicar for priests, effective Jan. 1, 2008. He will succeed Father Ray Zielezienski, who is stepping down after a three-year term.

Deacon Dick Folger, a member at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Union City who has written a collection of “Gospel Stories of Jesus,” shared stories from his books at the Union City Library last month. The multi-media presentation focused on writing and using the imagination and detail to bring stories to life.

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Names, News, Notes

Rawn Harbor, pastoral associate at Oakland’s St. Columba Parish and a nationally-recognized liturgist, composer and musician, will lead the Fourth Annual Catholic Liturgy Music Workshop at Christ the King Church in San Diego from Nov. 15 – 18. The workshop will focus on the African American Catholic worship experience and will culminate in a special Gospel Mass.

A group of kindergarteners at St. Vincent’s Day Home in Oakland have been practicing their writing skills and pride in their country by adopting a group of Marines in Iraq. Second Lieutenant Matt Manoukian, whose parents, Judges Socrates “Pete” Manoukian and Patricia Manoukian, are Day Home supporters, is the Marines’ main contact with the Day Home.

The youngsters talk about themselves, ask questions of the Marines, and express their gratitude to the service personnel for the sacrifices they are making.

VOLUNTEER ALERT! Mary’s House, a home for pregnant and homeless women in San Pablo, needs a volunteer who can commit to at least two to three hours a week. For more information, call (510) 236-0383 or send an e-mail to maryshouse@sbcglobal.net.

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