NEWS & EVENTS
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FORETOLD ON FORMED.ORG
Our world is full of noise. Often, that noise is loud and negative. When was the last time you heard something good on the news? Because of the constant intake of “bad news,” many people no longer believe in the Providence of God nor trust that he has a plan for us. Maybe this is you. Perhaps you think God doesn't have a plan for you and your family. But Jesus is the Lord of History, yours included. Join Dr. Sean Innerst in Foretold, a new series from the Augustine Institute that weaves together the Old and New Testament stories, highlighting their connecting threads of prophecy and fulfillment. What was promised in the biblical story came to pass through Jesus, his apostles, and the Church. Ultimately, this biblical history is your history. Just as the prophecies of the Old Testament were fulfilled, you can trust that Jesus will care for you and your story. Encounter this profound mystery and reality for yourself in Foretold. Episodes are released every Sunday during Lent. This and all of the amazing content on formed.org is available to you for FREE as a member of The Catholic Community of Pleasanton. Click below or go to https://formed.org/ today! |
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STATMENT BY THE ROMAN
CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF OAKLAND January 24, 2025 “We Catholics look to Christ Jesus as our ultimate moral authority and guide, prior to any personal preference to a political party. We welcome actions taken by the new presidential administration in support of the truth of human sexuality, religious freedom, protection of life, and support for the family. But we are concerned about the extent of threatened “mass deportations”. The Catholic Church teaches nations have a right to secure borders and may set appropriate policies for immigration. Public safety remains a pressing concern for citizens of Oakland, and Alameda and Contra Costa counties. We welcome efforts by the government to protect us. But should a mother or father be arrested and deported whose only “crime” was to seek a better life for their family in freedom and security? Who work hard? Whose children attend our schools and who are our neighbors, friends and parishioners? Neither an open border nor mass deportations will solve our immigration problem. What we need, and what the Catholic bishops have been requesting for 20 years, is “comprehensive immigration reform.” It is my hope that our elected officials, both national and local, from all political parties, will work constructively for this purpose. In the meantime, I join my voice with Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishiops, who declared, ‘Our prayer is one of hope that, as a nation blessed with many gifts, our actions demonstrate a genuine care for our most vulnerable sisters and brothers, including the unborn, the poor, the elderly and infirm, and migrants and refugees.’ We in the Diocese of Oakland are prepared to use all our resources to respond and support the most vulnerable among us. We always have and we always will.” The Most Reverend Michael C. Barber, S.J. Bishop of Oakland California Catholic Conference's section on immigration: https://cacatholic.org/immigration/ |
Questions? Please contact the organizer, Belinda, at 724-679-7450 or [email protected]
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YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN A PILGRIMAGE! WALK THE CAMINO!
May 10, 2025 - May 20, 2025 Spiritual Guide - Fr. Mark Wiesner Walk the most Sacred and Revered Pilgrimage Route in the World We will also visit Madrid, Lisbon, Fatima, Santarem and Finisterre! FULFILL THAT DREAM NOW! What's Included?
$4499 per person from San Francisco |
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A NOTE FROM FR. MARK: MEMBER ENGAGEMENT SURVEY RESULTS
Dear Brothers and Sisters, In January we invited every member of our community aged 18 and up to participate in an online survey by Gallup called the ME25, or Member Engagement 25. Based on our average weekend attendance at Mass, more than 37% of our active parishioners completed the survey, which equates to 650 individual surveys taken. It is impossible to know if those who took the survey join us exclusively online or are present in the church for Masses. Thank you to all of you who took the time to complete the ME25. If you are unfamiliar with the ME25, it consists of 25 statements to which an individual responds. Nine of those statements measure individual spiritual commitment, twelve measure parishioner engagement and four measure what are called “outcome items” of life satisfaction, inviting, serving and giving. The spiritual commitment items are individual and personal, while the engagement items indicate how strongly one feels a sense of belonging to the parish. Members who are highly engaged are more likely to invite others to come to church with them, to donate more hours per week to help and serve others, as well as financially support their parish. One of the goals of a strong parish is to produce individuals who are spiritually mature and committed. Gallup reports that those individuals who fit these categories tend to have a higher life satisfaction than those who are not spiritually committed, and spiritually mature individuals lead lives that have a positive influence on our society and the world. The ME25 gives us a tool to measure our spiritual commitment and maturity with greater care and clarity. Our ME25 results are being used by our Staff and Pastoral Council to help us determine how best to help you in your spiritual journey. As a quick summary, our results were on par with all other Catholic churches in our country who have taken the ME25. At a high level, ME25 indicates for us how Engaged, Not Engaged or Actively Disengaged our parishioners are. ENGAGED Engaged parishioners are described by Gallup as those members who are loyal and have a strong psychological connection to their parish. They are more spiritually committed, more likely to invite friends, family members and coworkers to parish events, and give more both financial and in commitment of time. At the Catholic Community of Pleasanton, 32% of those who completed the survey fit the Engaged category. The overall percentage for all Catholic churches in the country who have taken the ME25 is 30%. NOT ENGAGED Not Engaged members are described by Gallup as those who may attend regularly but are not psychologically connected to their parish. Their connection to the parish is more social than spiritual. They give moderately, but not sacrificially, and they do a minimal amount of volunteering in the community. They are less likely to invite others and more likely to leave. At the Catholic Community of Pleasanton, 41% of those who completed the survey fit the Not Engaged category. The overall percentage for all Catholic churches in the country who have taken the ME25 is 48%. ACTIVELY DISENGAGED Actively Disengaged members are described by Gallup as those members who usually show up only once or twice and year, if at all. They are on the membership rolls and can tell you what parish they belong to – but many may not be able to name the priest. However, they may also be regular in attendance. If that’s the case, they are physically present but psychologically absent. They are unhappy with their parish and insist on sharing that unhappiness with just about everyone. At the Catholic Community of Pleasanton, 27% of those who completed the survey fit the Actively Disengaged category. The overall percentage for all Catholic churches in the country who have taken the ME25 is 22%. Thank you again to all who took the time to complete the ME25 survey. As I mentioned above, the Staff and Pastoral Council are looking at the results in greater depth so that we can better help you on your spiritual journey. As we move into this beautiful season of lent toward the celebration of Easter, let us keep each other in prayer. Peacefully, Fr. Mark |
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A FAITH RESPONSE TO IMMIGRATION
Sister Anne Carrabino will speak on “A Faith Response to Immigration” Sunday, March 30 at 1 pm at St. Charles Borromeo church, Livermore. This event is sponsored by the St. Charles Social Concerns Committee. Sister Anne is the Director of the Oakland Catholic Worker (OCW), which provides transitional housing for immigrant families and life-building resources so they can become self-sufficient and thrive. The parish has previously hosted speakers from OCW who have been very engaging and well-received by parishioners, and we hope you will join us for this special event. Sister Anne is a member of the Sisters of Social Service. She has 40 years experience working with youth and families as a social worker, community developer and organizer, legislative advocate, administrator and urban youth development agency founder both in US urban communities and internationally in El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala and the Philippines. Sr. Anne received her BA in Social Work/Psychology from UC Berkeley and a Masters in Urban Community and International Development from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. |
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WINGS 2025 FAITH LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP
In honor of their 20th Anniversary, WINGS is giving a $2000 scholarship to graduating seniors moving on to higher learning including four year colleges, junior colleges, vocational schools and trade schools. Interested? Please click on the application button to download the submission form. All submissions should be sent to Janet Schott at [email protected]. |
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JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE PILGRIMAGE LOCATIONS
Every 25 years the Catholic Church declares a "Holy Year of Jubilee". The Pope opens special "Holy Doors" in the four major basilicas in Rome: St. Peter's, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul's. Thousands of pilgrims come to Rome to process through one or more of these Holy Doors, confess their sins, receive the Eucharist, and pray for the intentions of the Holy Father. By making this spiritual pilgrimage, the faithful may gain a Plenary Indulgence: remission of the temporal punishment due to their sins. In the Diocese of Oakland, the Cathedral of Christ the Light, Oakland and Mission San Jose in Fremont are permanently designated sites for each and every day of the 2025 Holy Year. Pilgrims may come as individuals, or arrange group pilgrimages with their parish, school, or clubs: Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Knights of Columbus, Confirmation Classes, Divine Mercy, Youth Groups, Legion of Mary, Cursillo & Charismatic Prayer groups, etc. If you are making a pilgrimage as a group, please contact the Cathedral or Mission San Jose parish offices to make prior arrangements. Please visit https://www.oakdiocese.org/jubilee-2025 for more information and locations! |
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DONATE YOUR OLD GLASSES!
Please donate your used eyeglasses by placing them in the Medical Missions Outreach box located in the church vestibule. This agency collects and refurbishes used eyeglasses and distributes them to people in developing countries at no charge. Please help correct the eyesight of someone in need. Medical Missions accepts all types of glasses: single vision, bifocals, trifocals, readers, plain sunglasses and prescription sunglasses. Children's glasses are especially appreciated! The collection box will be in the vestibule at St. Augustine Church until Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Thank you for participating in this worthy project. |
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UPDATE ON DIOCESAN BANKRUPTCY
Bishop Barber Provides An Update On The Bankruptcy Case For Our Diocese Dear faithful Catholics and friends of the Diocese of Oakland, May the peace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ continue to be with each one of you! Today, I want to update you on the progress we have made since May 8, 2023, when the Roman Catholic Bishop of Oakland (the Diocese) made the difficult but necessary decision to seek bankruptcy protection. The effect of California state law AB 218, which temporarily revived the statute of limitations for sexual abuse claims, meant we did not have the resources to simultaneously defend the claims made against the Diocese for abuse which happened decades ago, and to provide adequate compensation to abuse survivors, as well as to continue to fulfill our mission to serve God and His people. Thus, the Diocese filed bankruptcy because we believe this process is the best way to support a compassionate and equitable outcome for abuse survivors, while we continue to spread the Gospel and provide essential services and support so crucial to our parishioners and communities. We believe we have made significant progress toward that goal. Regrettably, it has been necessary for the Diocese to sue our insurers, so they will satisfy their moral and contractual responsibility to pay covered claims and assist contributing to a settlement. This pursuit now involves more than a dozen different insurers and a court-ordered mediation process and is a key component of a potential settlement in bankruptcy. Second, over the last seven months, we have been engaged in mediation with the group of survivors appointed by the bankruptcy court, through mediation with their counsel and representatives. We are also separately mediating with representatives of our insurers. Each mediation is overseen by court-appointed mediators, with the goal of reaching a settlement which may then be approved by the bankruptcy court. We are working toward a bankruptcy court deadline of Nov. 8, 2024, through which the Diocese has the exclusive right to file a plan of reorganization with the bankruptcy court, pursuant to which the Diocese would seek to compensate the survivors. The details of these negotiations are confidential pursuant to an order of the bankruptcy court, and the process remains extremely difficult. The bankruptcy case has required a tremendous amount of effort including making necessary court filings and production of reams of documents and information about the Diocese. The financial burden of being a debtor in bankruptcy is also tremendous. We believe progress is being made. Still, I must stress to you that a settlement in the bankruptcy case, if we are able to achieve it, will necessarily involve shared sacrifice – there is no way around this. Nothing can undo or excuse the terrible suffering the survivors have endured following the deplorable conduct of their abusers. We are hopeful the survivors nonetheless recognize the Diocese is working in good faith to try to compensate them fairly and equitably. I believe this kind of settlement is the right thing to do. A settlement in the bankruptcy case is not guaranteed, and much work remains. Therefore, I ask you, my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, to join me in praying for a successful conclusion to this process. Please pray for the survivors; for those in our Diocese working so hard now to keep children safe; for our team working to resolve the bankruptcy case fairly and justly; and for me. This is a time of purification for our Church and Diocese. We are committed to the mission Christ has entrusted to us: to bring His message of love, mercy, and salvation to the people of the East Bay. We trust in the promise Christ made to us at His Ascension: "I will be with you all days, until the end of the world." It is His Church; and the power of His love will prevail. I thank you, the priests, religious, and laypeople of our Diocese for your generosity, fidelity, and good will. On this feast day of the Holy Rosary, we ask Mary, Queen of Heaven, to intercede for us with her Divine Son. Yours sincerely in Christ, The Most Reverend Michael C. Barber, S.J. Bishop of Oakland For more information, please visit: https://oakdiocese.org/chapter-11 |
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NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL
Our world is hurting. We all need healing, yet many of us are separated from the very source of our strength. Jesus Christ invites us to return to the source and summit of our faith—his Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist. Watch the video to learn more about the exciting journey ahead and how you can be a part of it! To learn more, please visit: https://www.eucharisticrevival.org/ |
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PHISHING SCAM
Once again, along with many other parishes in the Oakland diocese and beyond, CCOP continues to be targeted by scammers impersonating Fr. Mark via BOTH email and text messages, asking for money, gift cards or simply a response. There were a number of reports today in particular. THESE EMAILS OR TEXTS ARE NOT FROM FR. MARK. PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND. If you receive one of these emails, please mark it as spam or simply delete it. If you receive one of these texts, simply delete it. Response only encourages more attacks. You will only receive email from Fr. Mark from his catholicsofpleasanton.org email address. He will not text you directly. Please contact Michael Harmon, [email protected] if you have any questions. |
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A QUIET PLACE TO PRAY
ST. AUGUSTINE CHURCH DAILY: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM St. Augustine Church is open daily from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. to give you a quiet place for prayer. |
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RCIA: COME & SEE
Are you feeling like you might want to experience full initiation into the Catholic Faith? The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the process that adults complete to receive the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Now is the time. Please contact Matt Gray at (925) 202-5425 or [email protected]. |
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