St. Julie Billiart Church

Father Paul Shares HisTime With Mother TeresaIn the latter part of 1985, I received a phone call that took meby complete surprise. I was told that Father Herbert De Souza,an Indian born Jesuit priest who was teaching at LMU, was toaccompany a lay mission group to India and at the last minutewas unable to go. “Would you be able to join us”, said the voiceon the other end of the line. This group had traveled there onprevious occasions taking financial donations, medicines andclothes that were distributed to charitable agencies that workeddirectly with the poor. I jumped at the chance and my pastorgenerously consented to let me take this unplanned “time off”.A few weeks later, I boarded a Singapore Airlines 747 headedto India.Thirty-six hours later, we arrived in Bombay (now known asMumbai) where our Indian sojourn began! Landing there wasnot like arriving on a different part of the planet. Landing therewas like arriving on a different planet. Everything was strangeand unfamiliar—the sights, the sounds, the smells, but most ofall, the incredible number of people I saw in every direction Ilooked! There were huge steaming trash heaps and open sewerswherever we walked. We lodged on the edge of the largest slumin Asia where I celebrated Mass for the tiny but vibrant Catholic community! We were met with incredible hospitality, andthe deepest faith I had witnessed anywhere in my life up to thatpoint. People spoke lovingly of Jesus as if he lived in the fleshwith them in their simple surroundings. I felt humbled by thechildlike joy that pervaded the lives of adults and children alike!The next several days were spent in both Bombay and thenAhmedabad, where the local bishop took us to visit villagespreviously unseen by Westerners. We were instant celebritieswith children touching us and villagers coming out to observe,our countenance so different than theirs! Children looked on inawe as a polaroid photo of them materialized as they watched.Again, we encountered the local Catholic population and celebrated Mass with them!Our final leg ended in Calcutta (now known as Kolkata). Therewe stayed at no cost in the Astoria hotel, compliments of aChristian woman who was the owner.We never saw the sun clearly as the pollution laden sky madeit virtually impossible for the sun to find the earth. More sothan Bombay, we encountered excruciating poverty and countless numbers of people. Each street we walked seem to have itsown story! We had the privilege of spending time with Cardinal Lawrence Picachy, who invited us to meet with the Catholic community of Calcutta, as well as Jean Vanier, founder ofL’Arche.A profound facet of our days in Calcutta were the days we spentwith Mother Teresa and her Sisters. Upon arriving at the Motherhouse, we were ushered into a room where Mother came andvisited with us. She spoke to us about the ministry of her Religious Brothers and Sisters there in Calcutta, and their manymissions throughout the world—including her communityin Los Angeles. She also spoke of the Missionaries of CharityPriests that had been founded just the year before. Though notexplicitly stated, I felt she was inviting me to consider joining!Mother, who was 75 at the time, was filled with boundless energy. It was amazing to witness that someone so small in staturecould accomplish so much and in so little time. She struck meas someone who could be deeply spiritual, very compassionatebut no nonsense at the same time. It was clear that her workwas God’s work and nothing could impede that progress. It wasobvious that her Sisters held her in highest regard and sought toimitate her who imitated the Master so well!She made time for everyone! If the door of the Motherhousesaid, “MOTHER IN” as it did when she was in town, any personfrom any place could come (as we did) and ask for a few minutesof her time. She was not only generous in making time for you,she made you feel as if you were the only person that existedduring those precious moments!Mother invited us to visit the sick and dying in Nirmal Hriday,the Home for the Destitute and Dying during our days there.Not speaking the local language, she encouraged us to let God’slove shine through our faces as we comforted and fed the afflicted. I also had the privilege of celebrating Mass for Motherand her Sisters at the Motherhouse on Lower Circular Road, amemory indelibly etched in my core! Before we left Calcutta,Mother gave each us a Miraculous Medal as well as a handsigned prayer she had composed.I have always considered my visit to India to be one of the mostprofound experiences of grace in my life. It is difficult for meto say that the moments with Mother were the highlight of thejourney because each day was filled with unexpected surprisesof God making his presence known.

In the next few weeks we will be highlighting several ministries here at St. Julie’s.Don’t forget to mark your calendar for Stewardship, Sunday Septmber 25, 2016.Society of St. Vincent De Paul - St. Julie’s Conference“Inspired by Gospel values the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic lay organization, leads women and men tojoin together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to the needy and suffering in the tradition of itsfounder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, and its patron, St. Vincent de Paul.”*The Vincentians of St. Julie’s reach out to local families and individuals through one on one visits to develop a trust andunderstanding. During visits we join with individuals of the community to determine how the Society may be most effective in providing help. The Conference provides assistance with food, clothing, rent, utilities and other basic needs.* US ManualSociety of St. Vincent de Paul 1999Contact : Ben Rael - 805.270.9597 - svdpstjulieschurch.orgAltar SocietyIf you have a little over an hour to spare every 5th week, we can use your help. Our ministry is composed of five teamsof women (including some husbands) working alternately, preparing our church for Mass. The more teams, the lessoften we will be needed to participate.Serve your parish and meet others in the process. Bring a friend or family member to help keep God’s house in order.Schedules are prepared for the entire year, so you will know exactly the days your team will serve.Our Tasks Care of the altar and sacristy Washing the sacred vessels used at Mass Replacing the votive candles Laundering the altar linens Refilling the holy water fontsContact: Marie Jendian 805.498.5249Altar ServersAltar serving invites the very young of our parish to become involved in parish life. They are taught valuable lessonssuch as volunteering time, responsibility and what it means to be a part of a parish community. Altar servers receivea better understanding of the Mass and begin to develop an attitude that will help them be the future leaders of ourparish.DutiesIt is the duty of the Altar Server to be a part of the Mass by assisting the priest on the altar.Contact: Maureen Kubica- eroes7307aol.com

Helping Hands Craft Boutique WorkshopsCalling all crafters to come to join us at the Helping HandsBoutique craft workshops at 3367 Henry Drive in Newbury Park. Come and share your ideas and crafting skillsor just join us for socializing. St. Julie’s Helping HandsHoliday Boutique is on November 11, 12 and 13. For moreinformation call Anna Gaz 805-498-3393 or ragaz4433@gmail.com.Scheduled workshops are on: September 21, Wednesday 10 am - 1 pm October 5, Wednesday 10 am - 1 pm October 13, Thursday 2 pm - 4 pm October 26, Wednesday 10 am - 1 pmThank YouThe Knights of Columbus would like to thank all thosewho generously donated blood on July 24. 38 pints ofblood were donated. Many thanks to those Knights thatgave of their time to make this so successful!Bob Hicks, Blood Drive coordinator.9/11 REMEMBEREDKnights of ColumbusThe Knights of Columbus will be serving breakfast sandwiches on September 11th after morning masses and tritip sandwiches after the 11:00 am mass. Please join us forthis wonderful opportunity of fellowship.Chaminade Family Spirit NightChaminade Family Spirit Night is being held on Friday,October 7th, for middle school students and their families. This is a special evening of fun, food, fellowship, andfootball beginning at 5:15pm with pre-game performancesof our Eagle Regiment Band and cheerleaders and a lightsupper. Families will be treated to a preview of the football game and a presentation on our Athletic programs.Our Ambassadors will give families a tour of the campus,and will escort them to reserved seats in our stadium tobe our guests for the football game against Loyola. PleaseRSVP to the Admissions Office at (818) 347-8300 ext. 355or via email to yuramoto@chaminade.org.Fifteen years ago, the continuing TV coverage of the imploding twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York wasunbearable for me, as were accounts of the crashes and destruction in Washington and the hills of Pennsylvania. Theimmense devastation of human life was incomprehensible. Visiting the site in New York some five years later reopenedsearing wounds, and overwhelmed me with immense sadness. An incursion on our soil, carefully planned and executedby foreign elements, had shattered my cherished sense of security, and provoked a frightening sense of God’s absence.How could my Catholic faith tradition enable me to endure this tragedy? I knew that neither vengeance nor sweepinganimosity was an option for me.You have left us crushed . . . covered us with darkness. We are bowed down to the ground (Psalm 44:20, 26).O LORD of hosts, restore us; Let your face shine upon us (Psalm 80:4).The Psalmist cries a lament, expressing the mourning of the Israelite people, the chosen of God, who had regardedthemselves as untouchable and above reproach, now hurled into misery. The lament expresses a nation’s agony, daresto complain against their divine protector, may even own some complicity in the misery, and finally pleads with Godfor deliverance.In the midst of lamenting, the faith of Israel endured, as must ours. We are as vulnerable as they were to the violenceand hatred that seem to encircle us. Our demand for a divine explanation goes unheeded. Yet we have learned of theself-sacrificing heroism of many, witnessing to the finest character of our nation and of our Christian heritage. Dyingfor one’s friends is a sacred theme in our story, epitomized in Jesus, our Savior, and extended through centuries in thegrandest and noblest acts of men and women in all circumstances.In 2001 we came together as one nation under God, sharing the grief, the disillusionment, and the promise to rebuild.As today we lament our honored dead and wounded, shall we translate such agonizing emotion into a persistent pursuit of worldwide reconciliation and peace?--Rev. Andrew Nelson, Copyright (c) J. S. Paluch Co.

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2475 Borchard Road, Newbury Park, CA 91320 Parish Office (805) 498-3602 Fax: (805) 376-2332 Religious Education Office (805) 499-0979 E-Mail: parish@stjulieschurch.org Website: www.stjulieschurch.org September 11, 2016 To All Who Worship With Us Today! The St. Julie Billiart Catholic Community warmly welcomes you. If you are new to our parish