St. Theresa Mission Statement
We are a welcoming, active Catholic Community
united by our faith, open to transformation, growing spiritually
and reaching out to love and to serve others as Jesus taught us.
Don't forget to move your clocks ahead this weekend
Sunday, March 9, 2025, 2:00 AM
A Word from our Pastor
Lent has begun! May it be a season of growing closer to one another and to the Lord!
I want to thank all who made the annual “Irene Crosetti Ravioli Dinner” a great sell out and success especially Keri Nims who coordinated so many things, Peter Nuti, and Peter Boero and the ‘crew who again produced a wonderful dinner. I thank members of the Men’s Club who made sure we had a good beverage with dinner. Many young people from our Confirmation program who served and helped clean and all who made this event a time to remember our parish and universal Church jubilee!
We have firmly set Saturday, March 29 as the ‘parish workday’, Please sign up for an hour, or two hours or three with the 9am start and 2pm conclusion. Bring your garden clippers, wheelbarrow, work gloves and join a great team who will replenish the school garden, make the windows clean again in the meeting rooms, and re-secure sandbags that keep the hall from flooding and other tasks. There is something for anyone who shows us, and we need a count so we can order enough water, beverages, and a great Mexican style lunch for all who work. You can sign-up on the parish website at https://sttheresaoakland.org/about-us/workday or the vestibule of the Church and through the school’s newsletter and ‘Constant Comment’ app.
We continue to pray for Holy Father, Francis as he remains in the hospital, but before he went to the hospital, he had the following wonderful words for all of us beginning our Lenten journey:
“In his message for Lent 2025, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of living one’s life as a constant journey of conversion, choosing to walk in peace and hope aside one’s fellow humans.
“May the hope that does not disappoint, the central message of the jubilee, be the focus of our Lenten journey toward the victory of Easter,” the pope said in the message, released Tuesday.
He also quoted St. Paul’s exclamation in the first letter to the Corinthians: “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
In his message, the pontiff wrote that this Lent is an opportunity to consider three areas where one may be in greater need of conversion: journeying with others, being synodal, and having hope.
“A first call to conversion,” he said, “comes from the realization that all of us are pilgrims in this life; each of us is invited to stop and ask how our lives reflect this fact. Am I really on a journey, or am I standing still, not moving, either immobilized by fear and hopelessness or reluctant to move out of my comfort zone? Am I seeking ways to leave behind the occasions of sin and situations that degrade my dignity?”
On the virtue of hope, Pope Francis quoted the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which calls hope the “sure and steadfast anchor of the soul.”
“Thanks to God’s love in Jesus Christ, we are sustained in the hope that does not disappoint,” the pope said, adding that hope “moves the Church to pray for ‘everyone to be saved’ (1 Tm 2:4) and to look forward to her being united with Christ, her bridegroom, in the glory of heaven.”
He recalled a prayer of St. Teresa of Ávila, to “hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the time. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a noticeably short time into a long one.”
Francis said a good Lenten exercise and examination of conscience would be to compare one’s life to a migrant or foreigner, “to learn how to sympathize with their experiences and in this way discover what God is asking of us so that we can better advance on our journey to the house of the Father.”
He also encouraged Catholics to be more synodal by journeying with others while avoiding self-absorption, exclusion, oppressing and excluding others, or being envious and hypocritical.
“Let us all walk in the same direction, tending toward the same goal, attentive to one another in love and patience,” he urged.
Pope Francis said the call to hope and trust in God and in eternal life is also an important aspect of Lenten conversion. Some questions to ponder include: “Am I convinced that the Lord forgives my sins? Or do I act as if I can save myself? Do I long for salvation and call upon God’s help to attain it? Do I concretely experience the hope that enables me to interpret the events of history and inspires in me a commitment to justice and fraternity, to care for our common home and in such a way that no one feels excluded?”
“This Lent, God is asking us to examine whether in our lives, in our families, in the places where we work and spend our time, we are capable of walking together with others, listening to them, resisting the temptation to become self-absorbed and to think only of our own needs,” he said.
St. Theresa Parish Lenten Opportunities
Daily Reflection Booklets
Lenten Retreat
Sunday's, April 6 & 13
10:15 am in the church
Fr. Ngema, Lenten Bible Journey
Enriching our Lenten Observance with Insights from Esther
March 11, 18, 25, April 1, 8, 15
Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89196571494?pwd=PM6lk78cGHalwKjypW6d1eaca5ai7T.1
Lenten Companion
“Walking with Mary to Jerusalem”
Weekly Flocknote Reflection
Sign-up for weekly reflection at:
https://sttheresaoakland.org/pray/lent-2025/lenten-companion-walking-mary-jerusalem
Stations of the Cross
March 21, 28, April 4, 11
Provided by the school
9:30 am & 2:30 pm
Stations of the Cross Booklets
These booklets are available at the back of the church for your use in praying the stations of the cross.
Rice Bowls
Pick up a Rice Bowl in the church vestibule
Lent in a Bag
Pick up a bag at the Lenten table in the church vestibule
Anointing of the Sick
April 6, 9:00 am Mass
Seder Dinner
April 9, 6:00 pm
Make a reservation: https://sttheresaoakland.org/pray/lent-2025/seder-dinner
Check out the Lent page on the parish website for details.https://sttheresaoakland.org/lent-2025
We have firmly set Saturday, March 29 as the ‘parish workday’, Please sign up for an hour, or two hours or three with the 9am start and 2pm conclusion. Bring your garden clippers, wheelbarrow, work gloves and join a great team who will replenish the school garden, make the windows clean again in the meeting rooms, and re-secure sandbags that keep the hall from flooding and other tasks. There is something for anyone who shows up, and we need a count so we can order enough water, beverages, and a great Mexican style lunch for all who work.
You can sign-up on the parish website at https://sttheresaoakland.org/about-us/workday or the vestibule of the Church.
"Thank you" from the 3rd grade to the parish community for donating coats to our coat drive?
One Warm Coat Partner, St. Vincent de Paul, was very appreciative of our donation. They will be distributing our coats into the community at their Easter egg hunt and brunch event for those in need. We collected 166 coats to be handed out at this event. We are so thankful to the parish for their partnership in making our drive a success.
St. Theresa 100th Jubilee Year
Upcoming events.
The parish is celebrating its 100th Jubilee. There will be monthly events celebrating our Jubilee .
If you would like to be a part of the planning process for these events, send an email to anniversary@sttheresaoakland.org.
Upcoming Events
March 9: Celebration of OCIA (formerly RCIA, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
March 29: Lenten Soup and Concert
We are making a Centennial Celebration video!
Fill in the Questionnaire, save the file and email a copy to:
Catholic Organizations Helping Migrants, Refugees, and At-Risk Populations
*Catholic Relief Services (CRS) -- Operation Rice Bowl and other funds
*Jesuit Refugee Services
*Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC)
Urge Congress to Protect the Persecuted
“It is the historic policy of the United States to respond to the urgent needs of persons subject to persecution in their homelands. . . . Congress further declares that it is the policy of the United States to encourage all nations to provide assistance and resettlement opportunities to refugees to the fullest extent possible.”
These opening lines of the Refugee Act of 1980—the law creating the statutory authority for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP)—communicates the importance of responding to the needs of those forced to flee their homes because they are persecuted on the basis of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Carrying out the Gospel’s mandate to care for the “least of these” (Mt. 25:31-46), the Catholic Church has served refugees in the United States since well before USRAP’s creation. Learn more about USRAP and the Catholic Church.
Today, no refugees are being resettled through USRAP. This ban impacts thousands of refugees who had already been fully processed, undergone extensive security checks, and approved for refugee status by the federal government while outside of the United States. This includes many persecuted Christians, as well as Afghans who had been approved for special immigrant visas because of the assistance they provided to the U.S. mission and U.S. service members in Afghanistan.
The indefinite suspension of USRAP is the result of an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on January 20. The order requires the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to submit a report by April 20, 2025, regarding whether refugee resettlement is in the national interest. However, the order leaves the decision about whether to resume refugee resettlement to the President alone, without any timeline stated for that decision.
On January 24, the State Department issued suspension notices to domestic resettlement agencies, including the USCCB, impacting their ability to carry out services under the Reception and Placement (R&P) Program. The R&P Program provides crucial assistance to refugees and Afghan special immigrant visa holders during their first three months in the United States to support their successful integration and help them to achieve self-sufficiency as quickly as possible. Services provided through the R&P Program include help finding initial housing, securing employment, enrolling children in school, scheduling medical appointments, and English language classes.
The chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, addressed the suspension of USRAP on January 22, stating: “Indefinitely halting refugee resettlement is unmerited, as it is already proven to be one of the most secure legal pathways to the United States.”
Ask your members of Congress to lift up their voice in support of upholding our nation’s bipartisan legacy of refugee resettlement.
Send this Message to Congress
Support Refugee Resettlement to Protect the Persecuted
As a Catholic and your constituent, I urge you to engage with the Administration to resume the resettlement of refugees and Afghan special immigrant visa (SIV) holders.
Being a place of refuge for those fleeing oppression, including Christians and other people persecuted for their faith, is fundamentally American. The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program has safely and effectively fostered this, with strong bipartisan support, for almost 45 years.
The President’s recent executive order providing for the indefinite suspension of refugee admissions leaves thousands of thoroughly vetted people, who in some cases have waited years to experience freedom, in a state of grave uncertainty. Stop-work orders issued to domestic resettlement agencies also threaten the support promised to recently arrived refugees and SIV holders, undermining their prospects of self-sufficiency.
Protection of people fleeing persecution and those who risked their lives to support our country is not only in the national interest but a moral responsibility. Please urge the Administration to immediately resume refugee resettlement.
Click the link below to log in and send your message:
https://www.votervoice.net/BroadcastLinks/YserWGk94GHOgzS7fAtZ2w
Social Justice Corner
Join the Social Justice committee as we pray and meditate on the Themes from Catholic Social Teaching **
Solidarity: We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. Loving our neighbor is important. We are called to be peacemakers. We must promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict.
Life and dignity of the human person: The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society.
Call to family, community and participation: We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and wellbeing of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.
An Update on the family St. Theresa sponsored and supported back in 2016
-by Carolyn Mahoney (longtime parishioner of St. Theresa and member of our Social Justice Committee)
On March 23, 2016, I went to the Oakland Airport to meet the family that St. Theresa’s community had been preparing to receive. They were Adham Kamar Ali and his wife Sawsan Kandahar and their two daughters, Hevi and Avesta.
It’s been 8 years since their arrival. Many things have changed. The whole family are now US Citizens. Sawsan is a teacher’s assistant at the Emeryville School. Hevi will be 16 this June and is an excellent student as is Avesta who is in the seventh grade.
Adham had always wanted to be a nurse. He first attended Merritt College where he received his AA. He worked full time in the pharmaceutical industry. In the last few years, he has been attending a proprietary nursing school in San Diego. He flew to San Diego every week and managed to arrange his schedule to be down there for two back-to-back school days spending the night in a hostel. This past Fall he graduated with a BSRN and passed the NCLEX to get his state nursing license. He then decided that he wanted to give something back to the US. He joined the USAF and will be commissioned as an Officer in the USAF at the end of February. He thinks that his initial assignment will be at Travis AFB.
He and the whole family are very grateful for all the assistance he received from the St. Theresa Community.
We have been invited to join Corpus Christi, in reading – All is Grace: A Biography of Dorothy Day by Jim Forest from now thru the month of March. Stay tuned for a gathering at the end of March to discuss this book; it will be sponsored by Corpus Christi’s Living Our Faith Group.
Stay tuned for more happenings. Peace from The Social Justice Committee
Heat in the church
We, were able to get the heater running at 20% capacity, so there is some heat in the church. So please bundle up when you attend Mass.
March 12th
Nancy O’Malley
Consultant and retired District Attorney of Alameda County
Sexual Assault: The Rights and California’s Response to Victim-Survivors in California
WOMEN IN GOD’S SPIRIT (WINGS)
WINGS is a group of women from many parishes who seek to deepen their faith and grow in their relationship with God and one another. Through prayer, thought-provoking presentations on a variety of subjects, and small group faith-sharing and discussion of how the Spirit is working in their lives, women journey together. The theme for this year is Living in Hope. The Fall Season, will focus on spirituality
Gatherings are held on Wednesdays in the Meeting Rooms from 9:00 to 11:15. All are welcome. For more information, contact Dee McDonough at deesigns@comcast.net .
Reception of the Precious Blood
The reception of the Precious Blood guideline from Bishop Barber, dated May 15, 2023 states; "Other than the priest, no communicant may ever dip the Sacred Host into the chalice to communicate himself."
Text to Donate
Text “GIVE” to the number above to receive a link to our online giving page.
You can use our online giving platform to deepen your commitment to the church and the ministries you care about most. Your recurring gifts will sustain our mission month after month. You will also help our parish by cutting costs for envelopes and paper, and allowing our staff to spend less time processing cash and checks and more time on ministries.
Thank you for your continued support of St. Theresa.
You may also use Online Giving for Second Collections.
March 22 & 23 Catholic Relief Services
March 29 & 30 St. Vincent de Paul
April 4 & 5 Parish Maintenance & Improvement Fund
Sunday Collection (February 24—March 2):
Online: 50 Donors, $ 2,465.20
Mass Donations: 45 Donors, $ 2,168.00
Parish Maintenance & Improvement Fund:
Online: (Feb. 3—Mar 2) 38 Donors, $ 1,917.20
Mass/Drop-Off/Mailed: 26 Donors, $ 1,136.00
Assisted Listening available at Weekend Masses
There are two ways to enjoy crisp, clear audio in the church for our weekend Masses.
Option 1:
Download the app, connect to the church wireless network, put in your earbuds, open the app and you are set.
The WiFi password you will need to connect to our wireless network will be available at the sound system desk before and after Mass.
Option 2:
Assisted Listening Devices are available at our weekend Masses. You can check out a device at the sound system desk prior to Mass.
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If you have any questions contact Cathy Brady at cathy_b@sttheresaoakland.org
St. Vincent de Paul
For St. Vincent de Paul Society, preventing homelessness begins with home visits.
https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/for-st-vincent-de-paul-society-preventing
Our Parish SVdP Conference meets bimonthly, every third Saturday at 9:30am. If interested in learning more about our Conference’s work, contact Judy Bojorquez at jtsbojorquez@yahoo.com with any general questions. Call Greg Govan at 510-547-0911 if you have a specific question.
You may use online giving to make a donation to the St. Theresa St. Vincent de Paul conference. https://sttheresaoakland.org/donate.
Volunteer for a Liturgical Ministry
Please consider volunteering for one of our Liturgical ministries. Liturgy is the work of the people and we need your assistance.
What is your gift, passion, what do you really like to do? Do you like to read, talk with people, serve people, work behind the scenes, electronics? Turn that passion into a ministry, there is something for everyone. Prayerfully consider one of the following ministries.
Contact Cathy Brady at cathy_b@sttheresaoakland.org to volunteer or for more information.
https://sttheresaoakland.org/ministries/liturgical-ministries
Thank you for your faithful support.
Lector
Eucharistic Minister
Sacristan
Altar Server
Greeter
Usher
Projectionist
Video Ministry (9:00 am Mass)
Altar Linens
Weekend Mass Schedule
5:00 pm Saturday
9:00 am Sunday
The 9:00 am Sunday Mass is live-streamed on our YouTube channel for the ill and Homebound.
The link for the live-stream will be on our Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/sttheresaoak
YouTube channel link
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn5JX1e3QrqXTsa_7qmNCIw
Low Gluten hosts are available at all weekend Masses.
The hosts are less than 20 parts per million gluten, under .002%
For additional information go to https://www.parishcrossroads.com/low-gluten.htm
Please use the presider's communion station to receive a low gluten host.
Weekday Mass Schedule
Monday - Friday
8:30 am
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Saturday ~ 4:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Please remember in your prayers all those who are ill especially:
Matt Mercier, Heidi Parmelee, Dolores Gomez, Alegria Hipolito, Betty Wharton, Juanita Estrella, Olga Lamberti, Wendy Parmelee, Roger Baylocq, Susan Springer, Wendy Jones, Orlanda Gonzalez, Kevin Chapman, Diane Cerille, Tom Wilberding, Shirley Roberts, Danny Ramos, Mark Leonard, Christopher Rodriguez, Maryanne Walsh, Rhonda Santeen, John Whatley, Nancy Coyne, Kevin Stallone, Della Spinelli, Jeanne Cuttitta, Susan Buller, Ann Springer, Guy Wallace, Ray Bertolotti, William McCarthy, Cindy Crimmins, Fred & Lidia Loupy, Rebecca Rogers, Kathleen Guevara, Clarence Robinson, Armando Diaz de Leon, Fr. Ron Schmidt, Laura Jones, Bonnie & John Bouey, Susan Rubio, Fr. Paul Schmidt, Marley Malone, Isabella Guillot Williams, Ann Kirkman, Hal Lauth, Phil Stover, Joey Smith, Raymond Buckley, Jr., Norma Ninalga, Betty Jo Olson, Jennifer Walwark, Greg Govan, Anita Lim, Marilyn McCabe, Helen Lightner-Smith, Steve Lauth, Mary Malloy, Peter Cuttitta, James Lang, John Donovan, Mary & Leo Martinez, Sr., James Spalding, Tiffany Converse, Adrian McEvilly, Joan Marchi, Diana Nelson Curtis, Charlie Schnellbacher, Theresa Joyce, Maureen Carver, Ernestine Pernecco, Vince Nims, Barrett Baker, Rick Fama, Eleanor Ceccarelli, Maureen Querio, Karin Milliman, Lois Johnson, Antoinette Tamburrino, Anne Marie Roseme.
Mass Intentions
March 8 - 16
To request a Mass Intention you can use the online form at
https://sttheresaoakland.org/pray/mass-confession-times/mass-intention
or by email or phone at: admin@sttheresaoakland.org
510.547.2777, ext. 120
Please remember in your prayers, those who have died especially
Ernestine Pernecco and Genevieve ‘Beth’ McElroy, wife of Covert Murphy.
Schedule a Mass Intention Online
Parish Office Hours
Tuesday - Thursday, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Safe Environment Training for Parish & School Volunteers
It is that time of year when notices of expiring Virtus training will be arriving in your email. Please uuse the link in the email to lob into Virtus and take the training that have been assigned. Training must be renewed every three years.
To renew or register for the first time, click on the link in your email or go to https://www.virtusonline.org or click on the link in the upper right corner of the parish website sttheresaoakland.org.
Please remember that in order to volunteer at the parish or school in any capacity (Lector, Eucharistic Minister, Catechist, Choir Member, St. Vincent de Paul, Legion of Mary, CYO etc.), you must complete the training.
If you have any problems or questions contact Cathy Brady at cathy_b@sttheresaoakland.org.
Parish Office, ext. 120
Rev. Robert J. McCann, ext. 121
Pastor
rjmccann@sttheresaoakland.org
Rev. Ngema W. Enow, ext. 128
In Residence
ngemawil.enow@gmail.com
Cathy Brady, ext. 126
Liturgy Director
cathy_b@sttheresaoakland.org
Rob Cakebread, ext. 127
Music Ministry Director
rob@sttheresaoakland.org
Joey Gutierrez, ext. 123
Youth Ministry Coordinator,
Middle School & High School
joey@sttheresaoakland.org
Keri Nims, ext. 124
Coordinator for Early Childhood Catechesis & RCIC
keri@sttheresaoakland.org
St. Theresa School
Alicia Ortegon, 510.547.3146
St. Theresa School Principal
a_ortegon@sttheresaschool.org
website: www.sttheresaschool.org
Parish Organization Contacts
Pastoral Council:
Chris Colby
ccolby@well.com
Finance Council:
.
.
St. Vincent de Paul Society
Greg Govan
glgovan@comcast.net
CYO (Catholic Youth Organization):
Carlos Palacios
sttheresaathletics@gmail.com
St. Theresa Men’s Club
mensclubsttheresa@gmail.com
Legion of Mary
Tom Wallace
tomw1313@sbcglobal.net
WINGS
Cindy Crimmins
cyncrim@gmail.com
Social Justice Committee (SJC)
Lydia Deck
ltdeck@me.com
Consolation Ministry
Cecile Cuttitta
cecile.cuttitta@att.net
Men’s Faith Sharing
Jim Frei
jim@ottofrei.com
Cursillo
Geri Tong
gt4palancaoakland@gmail.com
Kinderchurch
Shanon Ciston
s.ciston@gmail.com
Baptisms and Marriages: by appointment admin@sttheresaoakland.org
To arrange a Funeral call parish office 510.547.2777, ext. 120 or email admin@sttheresaoakland.org
Family Faith Formation (Grades TK-5) & R.C.I.C: Keri Nims ~ keri@sttheresaoakland.org
Middle School Youth Ministry (Grades 6-8): Joey Gutierrez ~ joey@sttheresaoakland.org
High School Youth Ministry/Confirmation: Joey Gutierrez ~ joey@sttheresaoakland.org
R.C.I.A. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults: Cathy Brady ~ cathy_b@sttheresaoakland.org
