Headed to Beijing
Sayaka Matsumoto, a 2001 graduate of St. Mary’s
High School in Berkeley, will compete at the Olympic Games in Beijing
as a member of the U.S. Olympic Wrestling and Judo team. A resident
of El Cerrito, she is a seven-time national champion and a four-time
Pan Am medalist. “It’s been a dream ever since I was little.
I wanted to make an Olympic team and I didn’t want to stop until
I’d achieved that,” she said after qualifying for the
team last month. |
An outstanding volunteer
Tom Chin, a volunteer at the English Action
Center in Richmond for 25 years, was honored last month by Catholic
Charities of the East Bay, the center’s sponsor. Chin works
with ESL students weekly and also functions as the center’s
handyman. “Tom is truly wonderful,” said Lisa Raffel,
project director. |
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Pastoral plan welcomed
In parishes throughout the Oakland Diocese, June 28-29,
Catholics prayed for the success of the new five-year pastoral plan developed
by the Diocesan Pastoral Council. Bishop Allen Vigneron said in
a letter to parishioners that the plan “sets the steps by which
all of us can know Christ better and make Him better known.”
The plan focuses on sacramental renewal, faith formation and catechesis,
pastoral leadership, youth and young adults, and stewardship. These priorities
surfaced during a series of parish listening sessions and reflect what
parishioners said should be emphasized and supported by the diocese.
Another soldier laid to rest
The family and friends of U.S. Army Sgt. John Aragon
gathered at Holy Rosary Church in Antioch June 23 for his funeral
liturgy. The 22-year-old graduate of Antioch High School died June 12
in Kadamiyah, Iraq, from wounds suffered when his Humvee struck an improvised
explosive device. He is survived by his parents, John Aragon Sr. and Denise
Aragon, and his sisters Christina and Brianna.
Around
the Parishes
Building Futures with Women and Children, which
began as a homeless shelter for women and children at St. Leander Parish
in San Leandro, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Originally run
by parishioners and pastoral staff, the outreach group incorporated as
a non-profit organization in 1988 and now provides services at four facilities,
two in San Leandro and two in Alameda. The organization also sponsors
violence prevention services throughout Alameda County.
Portuguese Catholics in west Contra Costa County celebrated their heritage
earlier this month with the traditional Holy Ghost Festival. On June 8,
there was a parade, sponsored by the San Pablo Holy Ghost Association.
It left the civic center, passed by St. Paul Church where some
participants stopped to attend Mass, then proceeded back to the civic
center. Two weeks later, the 101st Annual Holy Ghost Festa was held in
El Cerrito. Organized by the St. John’s Society brotherhood,
it included a parade to St. John the Baptist Church where Mass was celebrated.
There was also an auction, traditional foods, a dance and the coronation
of a festival Queen.
Genevia Gee Fulbright, a former member of Oakland’s St.
Louis Bertrand Parish and a graduate of the parish school, has been
awarded the 2008 Presidential Service Award by the National Association
of Black Accountants. The award was issued in recognition of Fulbright’s
“behind-the-scenes” contributions of time and talent to the
accounting profession and for the advancement of the NABA mission, “Lifting
As We Climb.”
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Around
the Schools
Concord’s Carondelet High School was recently
named national role model high school by the Jefferson Awards Youth Services
Initiative (YSI). The school was cited for its track record in volunteerism
and culture of service within the community.
Calling all St. Felicitas School alumni and their families! The
San Leandro school is organizing a 50th year anniversary celebration and
organizers are searching for all alumni. A number of special events and
activities will be held throughout the 2008-09 school year including a
golf tournament, pancake breakfast, homecoming Mass and BBQ celebration,
and a Red and White Ball. Contact the school at 1650 Manor Blvd., San
Leandro, CA94579; e-mail: st_felicitas@csdo.org; phone (after Aug. 1)
at (510) 357-2530; or visit the website: www.stfelicitas-school.org.
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Among the Religious
Three recently ordained priests have been appointed
parochial vicars: Father Rolando Bartolay, to Church of the
Good Shepherd Parish in Pittsburg; Father Juan Franco, to Our
Lady of Guadalupe in Fremont; and Father Kenneth Nobrega to
St. Joseph Parish in Pinole. All of these assignments were effective
July 1.
Also recently appointed as parochial vicars, effective July 15: Father
William Rozario to Catholic Community of Pleasanton; Father
Jim Sullivan to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Fremont; Father Mark
Amaral to Catholic Community of Pleasanton. Father Fernando
Cortez, who is completing a sabbatical, will go to St. Leander
in San Leandro as parochial vicar, effective Aug. 1.
Deacon Bill Gall, who is based at St. Bonaventure Parish in
Concord, assumed the role of president-elect of the diocesan deacon
community, beginning July 1.
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Names, News, Notes
Congratulations to three couples at St. Michael Parish
in Livermore, who are celebrating wedding anniversaries: Mr. and
Mrs. Tuan Nguyen on the 65th year of their marriage; and Maclyn
and Jack Pons and Donna and Stan Paxiao, who have been wed
for 50 years.
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