February 5, 2012

Announcements

HELP WANTED IN RESTORING LARGE CANDLES Might you have a little time, patience and some artistic/creative ability, to help “rejuvenate" some large candles? If so, please contact Colleen at colleenlenord@gmail.com.

16% OF AMERICANS ARE HUNGRY Please contribute some food in our food bins, which are picked up regularly by Alameda Food Bank.

ANNUAL PAULIST APPEAL FEB 4-5 Paulist Deacon Rich Andrie will speak at all the masses this weekend. He’ll be sharing his vocational vision as a Paulist. Envelopes are available for this collection on the rear table and at the front desk.

BAY AREA SOCIAL JUSTICE FORUM Saturday, February 11 from 8:30 a.m.—4:00 p.m. Holy Names University and the JustFaith ministry of the Oakland Diocese presents the forum: People of Hope, Agents of Change, A Different World is Possible. Keynote a.m. speaker Daniel Groody, CSC, PhD, University of Notre Dame, presents Dying to Live: A Theology of Migration. Keynote p.m. speaker Jack Weinstein, Regional Director, Facing History and Ourselves, presents Educating for Civic Participation. A variety of morning and afternoon workshops are available to attendees. Fliers are posted in the foyer of the church with more details. Online Registration: www.hnu.edu/SocialJustice.

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE: HEALING VICTIMS AND PERPETRATORS On Thursday, Feb 9th, a panel of experts will discuss their experiences with Restorative Justice, an approach to justice that seeks to repair the harm caused by crime. Come find out what Restorative Justice is, what effect it has on offenders, victims, and affected members of the community. Documentary film "Beyond Conviction" Thursday, Feb. 9. 6:30 p.m., Panel 7:00-9:00 p.m in the upstairs Lounge. For more information go to calnewman.org or contact Amy LaGoy aclagoy@gmail.com 510-665-5680; Pat Rougeau prougeau@mac.com 510-845- 6735; or Ellen Augustine ellenaugustine@earthlink.net 510-428-1832.

FATHER ROBERT BARRON’S CATHOLICISM SERIES continues Monday, February 6-The Fire of His Love: Prayer and the Life of the Spirit There will be a discussion of its major points following the showing. (Each DVD in the series stands alone. Viewers can appreciate any one of the series without having seen the others.)
Monday, February 13—World Without End: The Last Things.

DO YOU FEEL CALLED TO BE A LECTOR, who proclaims the scriptures at mass? The lector brings the Word of God to life for the gathered assembly—a prayerful gift of ministry to the Newman community that we share. Our next twice-annual Lector Orientation Workshop will be held on Weds Feb. 8 & 15 from 7:00 p.m.—9:15 p.m. in the chapel. Please attend both evenings to become a regular lector. If you have any questions, you can contact Jeff Dhont, who will lead the workshop, at 510-690-0533. Whether you have previous lector experience, or are just assessing your calling, you are welcome and will find the workshop useful.

LOAVES AND FISHES WOMEN'S SHELTER weekend breakfasts needs volunteers. The volunteers need to have transportation, plan a breakfast, purchase the items, prepare and serve the food. The person would need to be at the shelter at 5:50 a.m. Please contact Mary at cusoon4t2@sbcglobal.net for further information.

SCIENCE AND FAITH The Weird Duality of Quantum Mechanics and its relationship to religion. Wednesday February 8th, 7:30 p.m.. Dr. Stanley Klein is a Berkeley Professor of Vision Science, whose main area of research centers on neurotechnology, studying what it means to be human and to have a mind. As a Jewish Physicist, Dr. Klein will draw on both his academic and religious backgrounds to discuss the high-level principles of quantum mechanics and their role in faith.

GIFT PRESENTATION On Sunday, Feb. 19 we will hold a GIFT presentation. Our theme will be Journeying with Christ through Lent. We’re all on a faith journey with Christ. Sometimes our path seems clear, and we see ahead to the full and loving life God wants us to lead. Other times the path is dark, and we are less confident. In this GIFT event you will be taking another look at the roadmap, identifying the hazards and the helps on the journey as they are depicted on playing cards, and getting to know your fellow travelers in small groups. Come and help us explore how we can use this Lenten time to address what robs us of life and joy and what life-giving help God provides.

LAZARUS, COME FORTH! Jesuit Father, John Dear, author and longtime peace activist, will talk about his latest book, “LAZARUS, COME FORTH!” which offers a compelling new reading of the Lazarus story at 7 p.m. Friday, February 17 at Newman Hall/ Holy Spirit Parish 2700 Dwight Way at College Ave. in Berkeley. Admission free. For more information call 510 499 0537.

YAGGIES ICE SKATING February 10, 7:00 p.m. Before spring arrives, the Yaggies have one more winter event planned—a night of skating at the Oakland Ice Center! We will be going to the Friday evening public session, from 7:15—9:15 p.m. Admission and skate rental are $13. More details about transportation will be posted in next week's newsletter.

WEEKLY CHRISTIAN MEDITATION at NEWMAN Monday nights 7:30—8:15 p.m. in the Gallery on the first floor. Learn about and experience this ancient Christian tradition of contemplative prayer, which seeks God in silence and stillness—beyond word and thought. Questions? Call facilitator: Klara Komorous- Towey (510) 548-9808 or email klara@ktarch.com. Also: Jeannie Battagin (510) 849-2181.

HURT BY AN ABORTION? If you or someone you love is hurting from past abortion(s), a confidential 8-week postabortion healing and Scripture study group, offered in collaboration with First Resort and the Oakland Diocese, offers hope, help, and healing for the soul, in a loving, supportive environment. All inquiries are completely confidential. The group is for women and men and begins March 6th or 7th in Oakland. Sign-ups are happening now. Don't delay your healing and renewal in Christ any longer! Contact Christine at (415) 260-4406, or christinew@firstresort.net.

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February is already here and we are just about to send in our 2012 Budget to the Diocese. Our 2011 results were very good... buoyed by that spectacular one Sunday Matching Day. Monies from that day (about $70,000) were put into savings (student new programming, building repair and adult education), which over the next three years we will be drawing down upon in relation to special expenses in those areas. The cost of the refurnishing and carpeting of the lounge was $23,000, much of which was paid in 2011 from the "building fund". We have restored reduced salaries to all employees (5% cut over last two years), which does push up our expenses for this year.

We prudently try to keep our Income expectations low and our Expense expectations high in our budget. We are at this moment projecting a $35,000 deficit with a revenue expectation of $779,000. Working with our Finance Committee we will keep you posted on that gap and future need to close it.

Today, Rich Andre CSP is making our Paulist Annual Appeal. We welcome Rich and encourage all to help the Paulist Fathers in the education of their seminarians and novices. I am extremely grateful for your continuing help and especially in our Capitol Campaign of 2007, which raised about $650,000, of which $130,000 was returned here to Newman for student ministry and aid to the poor. In two weeks time the Annual Bishop's Appeal will begin. Last year for the first time in several years the Bishop's Appeal reached its goal of 2.1 million. Holy Spirit/Newman Hall increased its donation through the generous support of 65 people by 50%, though we were still a tad short of our parish's goal. Materials will be available with regard to the Bishop's Appeal on February 18-19 and the subsequent four weeks.

We had a wonderful turnout for our Busy Person's Retreat. 22 spiritual directors met with 64 members of Newman over a three-day period for personal direction. As in previous years the evaluations have been heartening. Several of the spiritual directors noted that this unique effort is a big boost for them as well.

A number of events will occur at Newman over the next few months, generated by students and parishioners. Noteworthy this week are the Restorative Justice program on Thursday evening sponsored by the Just Faith Ministry, and the Science and Faith program on Wednesday evening sponsored by students. I am delighted with such initiatives and welcome students and parishioners to participate in these and some other coming programs. A bit in the distance is a speaker coming from the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza School of Business. His name is Leo Burke and he will join us on April 16 (Monday) to speak on the theme of The Commons. "The Commons", Burke says at the end of a recent interview in the Notre Dame Alumni Magazine, "is a world that works for everyone."

-Bernard J. Campbell, CSP