Dear Parishioners:

LISTENING CAMPAIGN

         Each Ecclesial Community (Worship Community) is a “Sacrament of Jesus Christ”.  Not only do we witness as individual followers of Christ but also communities we are there to support one another. Nov

        We want to make you aware that someone from your worship community will be reaching out to you either before or after Mass to ask a few questions about what has kept you committed to your worship community. Your responses can help to create programs helping you further grow spiritually. Through this exercise, we are also encouraging all parishioners to meet 10 new families by March ’08.  

        It is through meeting new people, making new connections, and working together we grow, and in doing so, leads to generating new ideas, and ways to help improve life in our community, City of San Jose, and in the world.

Yours In Christ,

Dear Parishioners:

A river cannot be measured, every moment it is changing but there is still a sense of its purpose, energy, direction, and power. From it, we draw water to wash, to grow crops, to cool and to quench our thirst, our dry land, and to water our trees. We play on it, swim on it, and draw from it—life.

A community as St. Francis is similar. It is many things for each of us, for the Evergreen area, for our workplace and our world.

As we celebrate our 15 years, my hope is that we have grown in an awareness of God and God’s Spirit. That we know that God delights us and delights when we use our gifts for the service of others. I hope that each of us has been able to draw consolation, hope, support, strength, wisdom, compassion from individuals of this community.

I ask that you with me, dedicate the next – maybe 15 years—to continue to plant the seeds, Proclaiming the Good News sometimes using words. We are for one another, and for God by our unity in God. May God’s presence be extended into our world, and the light will shatter the darkness.

Yours In Christ,

Dear Parishioners,

Transition for Growth

As summer approaches, we get ready for change. This means the end of the school year, welcoming back those away at college, planning vacations and summer camps, and exploring new opportunities.

In various areas – business, education, and the Church, this is also the time for personnel changes. Professionals take on new positions and families relocate. Teachers move to new opportunities. People retire and pursue new horizons. This movement also happens within the Church. The Bishop has just announced the changes of priests within the Diocese. Fr. Ritche Bueza who spent his deaconate year here with us has been named the Pastor of St. Justin’s. We are very proud of Fr. Ritche and pleased for him. Fr. Richard Hilliard will now be the Parochial Vicar for St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Los Gatos.

Two weeks ago, we announced that Ginny Hinkle who for eight years, has been such a blessing for us at St. Francis was moving to a new opportunity at St. Simon’s parish in Los Altos as the Director of Religious Education.

Today, we are announcing that Will Sousae has been named as the Diocesan Director of Cemeteries. Will has been with us since the earliest days of St. Francis and has been an integral part of the parish’s development as the pastoral administrator. He was instrumental in establishing and managing our parish ministries and organizations, and most recently, coordinated the Capital Campaign. We’ll certainly miss Will but we recognize that this is a wonderful opportunity for him.

Indeed, St. Francis has been blessed by the gifts of Will, Ginny, and Fr. Richard. We are grateful to each of them. We are also pleased that their gifts will continue to be shared with others. We wish them well as they continue on their journeys.

Yours In Christ,

Christmas Message from Fr. John

John's Gospel is proclaimed at midnight Mass. On a cold Christmas evening with clear skies, the stars are just out of arms' reach, and the glow of street lights and homes lit for the feast in the neighborhood merge into a rich tapestry. For me, it is as it must have been on the night of Christ's birth. All is well. God is among us. He is here with us. The innocence of my youth is restored  in Christ's presence; peace and harmony fill my heart. The lamb and the lion can lay down in peace. The Viper which strikes with fear, anxiety, and jealousy, is calmed. The deserts, the emptiness bloom with hope, and the mountains, barriers, problems, and hurts are leveled. The child in me is safe and I am still.

God is here and God's kingdom--God's reign has begun. His light shatters the darkness - the loneliness, coldness, blindness, the lack of direction, meaning and purpose. The light overcomes the darkness of cynicism, perfectionism, self- righteousness, and my judgmental nature. Now the Light offers guidance, direction, meaning, and purpose. God shepherds us through the dark valleys enveloped in His light and lifts the burdens that weigh us down.

Christmas night is a night of hope and joy. Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say—Rejoice! He is with us as light.

A Message from Fr. John:

A time for celebration and thanksgiving. In July, the parish reports to the Diocese the numbers—financial and sacramental, also the new program launched and the numbers who ministered and those served. It takes time to gather the statistics and the report is not finished. The Parish Leadership Council will mail a full report to you. Today, the report for social ministry (Justice and Charity) was completed by Bill Callahan and the Social Justice Committee. As a parish, many do so much to preach the Gospel, in action, such as the gifts of bread, sandwiches, food and financial assistance, toiletries, clothes, furniture and support for building renovations, and disaster relief plus the national collections for C.R.S., CCHD (Catholic Campaign for Human Development, Catholic Charities, Rice Bowl, Retirement Fund for the Religious, and Missions. The gift you have been given, you have given as a gift. Why? To do as Christ would do. It’s great to see on CNN during the relief of Lebanon that C.R.S. was the leader in the effort. We were there to help.

Msgr. John Sandersfeld
Pastor

A note from Father John:

I appreciate your prayers and notes. They have been very supportive to me. Recovery is not just the physical healing but also the ability to walk pain free. Recovery is also a spiritual process. Your compassion and care and God’s spirit has been a transforming gift. 

February 3, 2006

Dear Parishioners,

Our parish is growing and changing in important ways, and as a steward of this parish community I want to share these new directions with you—as we are all stewards.

First, as many of you know, Joe and Elaine Swyt who have been serving the parish for many years will be leaving soon for Oregon. Joe with his broad experience in business and finance has been a great gift to our parish and our Deanery. He has established sound practices that will serve the parish well into its future. Elaine has developed and maintained our website, helped our Diocese, and recently taken a leadership role in establishing our Stephen Ministry Program. They both have given their gifts generously and abundantly.

Second, Joe's departure coupled to longer term staff planning, presented an opportunity to restructure current roles to ensure continuity and stability. To assist in this effort, last November, I asked the Pastoral Council to help develop a strategy. Together we explored ideas and models from the Church and business, and we focused on the specific needs of St. Francis. The staff and the committee have completed the plan, and we have begun implementing its recommendations. The key elements include:

• I will serve as pastor of the parish until I retire in 3-4 years. In the next few months, I will take a leave to have knee replacements. When I return I will focus my energies on the pastoral needs of the parish and fulfill my role as pastor in a different way—I will be less involved in the day to day management and administration of the parish but still ensuring that the overall vision and mission of the parish are accomplished.
• We have established a new staff position of Parish Administrator who will have responsibility for directing the staff, managing the temporal affairs of the parish and ensuring efficient and effective collaboration among staff, parish leadership and parish programs/ ministries. Will Sousae will serve in this new position, and is accountable to me and the Pastoral Council for overall administration of the parish.
• Fr. Loi will continue as our full time Parochial Vicar. We are also fortunate to have Fr. Joseph Benedict rejoin the parish as a part time Parochial Vicar until June 30th to provide assistance while I am on medical leave.

• Ginny Hinkle will continue as the Director of Ecclesial Communities and assumes the new responsibility of managing the parish office and administrative support services.
• We are planning and consolidating staff positions and responsibilities so that our staffing costs will decrease in FY07 without imposing staff cuts.
• We will continue to build and develop a parish community of clergy, staff, and parishioners; one that is collaborative and diverse, utilizes the unique gifts and talents of each, and involves as many of you as possible.

I encourage you to discuss these issues with other parishioners, lay leaders, staff, and myself. These changes support the work of the entire parish, and I welcome your help in moving forward. For those interested in more data, the committee report and the new organizational chart are posted on the parish website at www.stfrancisofassisi.com. I am very grateful to the Pastoral Council, staff, and parishioners who have worked with me over the past months to develop this new plan. I ask you to continue to keep all of us in your prayers.

Sincerely,

The core unit of St. Francis is the ecclesial community, specifically the 5:00 PM, 8:15 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 10:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:30 PM, and 6:00 PM ecclesial communities. The word ecclesia means assembly, God’s people at worship and in action.

As a member of the assembly, our first ministry is to give thanks. We are all ministers. Each of us has a role, no one role is more important than the other. As ministers, some of us are singers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, priests, cantors, ushers, and some are participants of the worshiping community.

At worship, no one can do it for you so you just watch and listen. Worship is an activity for all. We offer ourselves together with Christ’s gift of Himself to the Father, and then at Eucharist, we receive communion with God and each other. Each community at worship stands with the community of the Saints of God.

Our ecclesial communities have leaders. The ecclesial coordinator functions within the community to “pastor” the community. The pastoral coordinator functions in the diaconal role to serve the community’s physical needs as well as to help the community serve the needs of the larger community in Evergreen. The worship coordinator assists the priest who leads our liturgy.

Dear Parishioner,

This morning’s Mercury News, November 25th, reported the scope of the Vatican document regarding who is qualified to be a priest in the Catholic Church.

It concerns me how the document was leaked out and commented on by bishops, priests, lay readers and reporters and given a “spin” to justify their bias. It is being used as a weapon to either discount the great work of priests who have remained chaste and celibate or target a segment of the priest community to divide and scapegoat. It is being used as a “banner” to oppose the church, or to forward a cause that similarly divides and discounts the witness of many great priests.

With of greatest concern is the message that it seems to proclaim. The message that some priests, because of their sexual orientation, are unable to make responsible decisions that are loving and life giving and unable to have mature relationships with others that are chaste, celibate, loving and life giving in their service of the Gospel.

All of us have the responsibility and call (vocation) as disciples to be loving and life giving. This involves the acceptance of the gifts which God has given ha given each of us including our sexuality. All Christians are called by God to be a gift to others in love. All are capable of a response to this invitation through our relationship to God.

To scapegoat a group of priests, because of their sexual orientation, discounts the great gifts many homosexual oriented priests have given as witnesses of Christ’s love in service to the Church and the people of God.

The few priests who are not chaste and celibate need our prayers. Any priests, bishops, church officials or lay people who violate the rights of any men, women, or child must be removed, disciplined, and appropriately dealt with by the authorities in the civil government and/or the church. The violation of another by anyone must always be taken seriously.

What is required is action which celebrates the gifts of all men and women in our church regardless of their orientation. We need to honor those who have given so much in joy with great generosity.

Yours in Christ,

August 14, 2005

The life of a community is described in its stories of friendship and relationship.  It is in the support, caring, and compassion that we give to one another, the gifts that we receive from God and from others, and the gifts that we give in gratitude.  

Members can tell part of the story:

188   children and adults were initiated into the community (baptism)
112      parents participated in the baptismal preparation
  71   adults and teens were confirmed
  92   children and adults received the First Eucharist
  52   couples were married
  40   people had funeral services

Numerous members of the parish who were sick received God’s healing through the Sacrament of the Sick in a one-to-one and at one of our four Healing Masses.  Many teens received the Sacrament of Reconciliation at Camp Assisi  and others at the reconciliation service held here in the parish every Saturday at 4:15 pm.

Our  efforts flourished this year.  Two hundred seventy five (275) youths participated in Junior High, High School, and Young Adults programs.  Three hundred fifty eight (358) youths are students in Catholic schools in the Diocese.

Eight hundred thirty six (836) adults and children participated in Generations of Faith.  We have had to add another evening session this coming year to accommodate everyone. 

This all represents the gifts of time and talents of many, busy people who give of their time – find the time to lead or participate in one of the parish efforts.  The community can not grow and mature in its faith without the sacrifice (gift) from many - those who lead and those who participate.  

God has multiplied our gifts and we are richer for it.  If you haven’t participated, please join the other families.  I have been so blessed with gifts beyond measure.  How about you? 

bbbbbbbbbbbbb 

This has been a year during which we have reorganized how we support our many ministries through our Parish Leadership Council which is comprised of the Council, four Commissions and numerous Boards and Teams. 

We have also reviewed our Baptismal Preparation, Marriage Preparation programs and Pastoral Care, including the new Stephen Ministry. 

The presiders at Liturgy will be Fr. Peter Loi, Fr. Joseph Benedict, Fr. Ives Aniban, and Fr. John Sanderfeld. Fr. Sonny Manuel, and Fr. Paul Fitzgerald from Santa Clara University, and Fr. Willie Manrique from the Diocese will continue to help us.  This will allow the presider to remain with the Ecclesial Community after Mass and not have to rush to celebrate another Mass.

Fr. Loi will also take in some of the pastoral work that Fr. John has been doing. He will also help in renewing some ministries which need the presence of a priest.  The parish is dedicated to a partnership of priest, staff, and lay leaders and committed to be a lay driven parish.

The Parish Assembly (assembly of leaders) on May 12th will discern the new initiatives and priorities for ministry  The staff and Council will discern those initiatives throughout the summer and, will call and invite leaders to come and work in the Lord’s vineyards remembering He is the Savior, the Shepherd, and we are His disciples.

Christians throughout the world set aside January 18th-25th as prayer for Church Unity week.  Through prayer and fasting, we ask God to help us to break down the walls of division and separation.  Since II Vatican Council, in numerous dialogues between churches, Christians have reached common understandings regarding issues of Theology.  More steps need to be taken.

St. Francis of Assisi works as part of People Acting in Community Together (P.A.C.T.) with other faith based churches and communities for a more just and peaceful community.  More will be done, I hope. 

John's Gospel is proclaimed at midnight Mass. It is a cold Christmas evening with clear skies. The stars are just out of arms' length, and the glow of lights decorates homes in the neighborhood. For me, it is as it must have been on the night of Christ's birth. All is well. God is here among us. The innocence of my youth is captured in Christ's presence; peace and harmony are in all creation. The lamb and lion are also at peace; the viper which strikes out of fear, anxiety, and jealousy, is calmed; the child in me is once again allowed to play. The deserts of my life are a straight path, lit by the stars. The moon is leveled, so I can walk with God. My life blooms as flowers in the desert.

God is here and God's kingdom - God's reign has begun. His light shatters the darkness - the loneliness, coldness, blindness, the lack of direction, meaning and purpose. The light overcomes the darkness of cynicism, perfectionism, self righteousness, and my judgmental nature. Now the Light warms my heart. No longer is it stone cold; God has made it compassionate and caring. The Light offers guidance, direction, meaning and purpose. God shepherds me in the dark valley. He envelopes me in light, and lifts the burdens that weigh me down.

Christmas night is a night of hope and joy. Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, rejoice.

He is with us as light. 

The hills of the valley were alive with song, food, bocce, music, animals of all sizes, all in praise of life, harvest, a new school year, fall, new friends and new beginnings.  The grapes are in (2.1 tons harvested), kids have started school, Generations of Faith, Confirmation, and Lytehouse – all filled with new energy – so many made this possible.

Thanks!!!  Our hearts are so grateful for your gifts of time and talent -both precious.  I feel as you – privileged and so gifted for being in this community.  May your gifts move others to offer their gifts with the same generous hearts as you.  At work, school, on the road, at home – let’s keep it going – multiplying as seeds of new life, transforming us and others whom we touch.  In this way, we become and enter the realm of God’s kingdom.

Thanks especially to the Feast Day Team.

A Message from Father Art
St. Francis of Assisi Parish has truly been home for me for the past 14 months. It’s been a home for all of us, welcoming people who come to worship with us. Last year, when I came to this parish, I felt right away the warm reception that you gave me and soon after I became part of this great neighborhood; I had a home here.

One time, a priest-friend of mine who was a missionary in Zimbabwe, Africa, wrote me that he had made a comfortable home for himself in his rectory but found it somehow incomplete. So he made a corner with an icon, a candle, bible and a vase of flowers, where he could be still. He wrote: “It sounds a funny thing to say but I feel that I can invite the Lord to come in and be at home with me.” Very inspiring!

We have homes here in the Evergreen area; however, God also makes a home for us in the Eucharist: in the Mass. In the Mass, we say: “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you (that you come under my roof) but only say the word and I shall be healed.”

As you already know, effective July 1st, St. Cyprian Parish in Sunnyvale will be my new home. I’m excited about this new appointment but I’m equally sad at leaving. Soon I will be attending different meetings in my new parish to get a sense of my new home and I hope that it’ll be an easy transition for me.

I’m very grateful for the wonderful support that I have received here. I haven’t accomplished much in a very short time but I have created great friendships with you. Father John has been very good to me too. All of you have been great! And, yes, you remain in my prayers and hopefully, I remain in yours too

Life together around the Lord’s altar gives us a taste of our final home, when we shall all be parishioners of a community lit by the glory of God.

Thank you so much.

Easter Letter, March 25, 2004

Dear Parishioner,

Christ was obedient unto death even to the death of the cross and His Father raised Him up and with Him all of humanity. Christ’s passion; His surrender to God’s will, is a gift of immense love for each of us. Christ emptied Himself to share in our humanity and laid down His life in service and love that God’s Kingdom – the reign of God might be established and all might be one.

God’s Spirit dwells in us, connects us to God, to one another in the community of disciples and to our best selves. The Spirit is at work to unite all in God, re-establish the wholeness of all that God created. The Spirit is alive in us, in this community of St. Francis and Clare, the “Saints” remembered in the Memorial Garden and the “Saints” of our families and our brothers and sisters in our world.

We have such a great power for Good – not of our own making, but God’s Spirit in us. The Spirit will transform us and allow us to live more fully using the gift of ourselves for others.
The Gift you have been given as gift – There is such a great need for your gift of yourself in service to others.

Be present with members of the St. Francis Community in the Liturgies of Christ’s Passion and Resurrection. Be present before God in our communal worship to show your gratitude for all Christ has done. Open your hearts to His Great Gift – Christ. And sing your praise and thanksgiving among the saints of god, His disciples.

We will miss your voice – the gift of your presence and you will miss a great opportunity to stand with God’s people as the say Amen – thanks be to God. The enclosed flyer will provide
You with all the opportunities for you and your family to take advantage of during this Easter
Season.

Also consider taking a white book and pray with the community throughout the Easter Season.
Pray for those baptized at Easter Vigil and those preparing for Confirmation
Offer a special Easter gift (money – time – talent) in thanksgiving
For the poor (Rice Bowl)
For the building of God’s Kingdom – the work of the parish

God Bless,

I need your help. Thank you.

Congratulations Patricia Cuadros!—

To stand and stretch, to observe the trees, buds and blossoms send out new shoots, to watch the daffodils burst from the ground and flower, to see the patches of yellow daffodils on Highway 280 in Palo Alto—these put me in touch with life, the energy and life force of all of creation. The Spirit is alive in us this Lent, individually and as a community. Be open to God as God’s spirit renews and refashions us to be more like Christ. Pray for this.

Sign the banner as a pledge of your commitment to be a disciple—a member of this community of St. Francis. Share four hours a month in prayer, fasting, alms, time and talent with and for others in the community.

Dec 21, 2003
St. Francis of Assisi and the five other parishes of the Deanery offer a monthly gift for the Mission in Santee Area. Also, some parishioners who have heard the story of these retired sisters, being among the poor, have given gifts to be passed on the sisters.

  Out of their two apartments, they have begun an after school library, a Montessori-inspired program for preschool children and their mothers, sacrament classes for ninety young children, a youth group, and, on Sundays, they support a worship community of 450 people. Their joy and generosity are outstanding. We thank them.

Please pray for these young men and women serving their country and for their parents and families. Please pray, also, for the end of all violence—among individuals, as well as among nations.

Sincerely,
---

I received today the thank you letter of Catholic Charities for the annual gifts from parishioners and 12% of the contributions were from here. But more than that, Helena Fox, the Director of Day Break, thanked us for the hours of volunteer time and the gifts/talents of parishioners and staff which have so gifted the seniors.

A great sign of this community’s compassion is its care for the least among us, for the seniors and their caregivers, for the children of stay-at-home or part-time moms, for those who each day come to the pantries of Most Holy Trinity, Christ the King, and the Cathedral, and for those of you who attended the meeting regarding the state budget crisis in May (which if the legislators had listened we might not have had a recall).

To see your generosity inspires me and compels me to a generous spirit—to extend myself to identify and be part of this community of St. Francis.

It is a blessing to know that so many share in the gifts of this community. It pleases me to know that caregivers can shop, go to lunch as friends, or go to the hairdresser as a respite from a 24-hour care. It pleases me that parents can provide better meals for children and that they can sit down and enjoy dinner as I do. And it further pleases me that throughout the County of Santa Clara, the Handicapables, immigrants, refugees, seniors and youth (Y.E.S.) programs have an advocate and help through Catholic Charities or your social action projects.

Personally, I can walk in and preside at Eucharist, and four hours a month is what it takes. Greeters, ushers, lectors, and Eucharistic ministers, and musicians are ready to go and do such a great job.

Remember the Missions—especially this year, the Seminary in the Philippines—canned goods, and back-to-school events.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor

Mar 2, 2003
After Mass today (March 2 & 3), each family is asked to pick up a Black Book for use during Lent. The Rice Bowl is for alms to the poorest in our world. I ask that you fast these 40 days of Lent asking for God’s transforming love. To me, fasting is just keeping life simple—to put aside one half hour of TV, computer time, shopping, or phone calls. Turn off the distractions and endless activity and declare one half hour of quiet time just for you, just for family, and just for God. Waste the half hour and spend it on you. So pray using the book; fast and put aside alms for the poor. We’ll do it together. We will be transformed, made new. Our families and our world will be changed by our God.

Fr. Francisco and Fr. Walter Sanchez are becoming Diocesan priests for the Diocese of San Jose. They came to the Diocese as missionaries from Argentina. This has allowed the Diocese to assign two Spanish-speaking priests to our deanery at St. John Vianney and St. Maria Goretti.

Fr. Art Yabes, now at St. John Vianney, will be assigned to St. Francis of Assisi. I am very excited about his coming to St. Francis. Since Ritche Bueza returned to his studies, we have not had a full-time Filipino pastoral minister. Li Rojas has done a great deal of pastoral work/contact as secretary. Fr. Art will continue the work that Ritche started. This move also guarantees coverage of the liturgical responsibilities for the next 18 months. Fr. Art’s coming will allow us to complete the transition plan of 12 months ago. We have no plans (i.e., no money) to replace Kate McNally and Nancy Farrant. I’ve finished my sabbatical and have returned. Part of Fr. Joseph’s assignment at St. Francis will include part-time study.

The Eastside Deanery has been understaffed. Fr. Francisco and Fr. Walter add a cultural sensitivity and ability to the mission of the church. Fr. Art will allow us to better meet the constantly growing needs here and will offer us the sensitivity and presence necessary for the majority of our parishioners. The work of Fr. Ives Aniban has made the community of St. Francis attractive to large numbers of Filipinos. He has enhanced the religious sensitivity of the whole parish with Santo Niño, Salubong, Flores de Mayo, and Simbang Gabi celebrations. He has brought these beautiful traditions to the community. Fr. Art will now be able to augment this.

Fr. Art’s presence will allow me to concentrate on the spiritual growth of the communities.

Fr. Joseph and I thank the Bishop and Personnel Board, especially Fr. Fran Cilia, for this assignment of Fr. Art and also thank Fr. Art for his excitement at this new assignment. It is not easy to leave St. John Vianney community in midyear to move to a new parish with new faces, etc. Please welcome Fr. Art Yabes and embrace him and his ministry.

Jan, 2003

Dear Parishioners,

  I am excited about returning after my sabbatical.   I rested which means that I was able to strive for better balance in my life. I read and sat by the beach or on the coast of Maine, and visited with family and friends. I did not have to race to some meeting or postpone being at family gatherings.

  I also spent 40 days on a 30-day retreat which included 5 days beforehand in preparation and 5 days afterwards incorporating my experience. Yes, I was silent for 30 days at el Retiro in Los Gatos. I read only from the Bible (the only book) and I spent five hours in prayer each day. It was a very special experience. Fr. Walter Farrell, S.J. was my Spiritual Director. He was kind and very helpful.

  I am trying to ease back into work. Fr. Joseph and the staff have done a great job meeting the challenges in a growing and dynamic parish at a time of a declining economy and personnel changes. The parish has not only maintained its work, but is flourishing. Many parishioners have taken a larger role in the ministry of the parish. You have exceeded all my hopes.

  I appreciate your effort—it is impressive. I especially appreciate the work of Fr. Joseph and the staff. It wasn’t easy and Fr. Joseph and the staff have done a wonderful job.

  I have asked Fr. Joseph to continue the effort. He will continue to lead the staff’s ministry effort—leading staff meetings and supervising the staff and overseeing parish ministry. 

  I will work with the parish leaders, with the 8:30 and Dove Hill Communities as staff to their leadership teams, with the Welcome Team, and with a planning committee of leaders to develop plans for the next five years.

  A major concern for me is how to keep the Community of St. Francis of Assisi flourishing and expanding its influence and members to meet the needs of a community of people wanting to live in the Kingdom of God. This community has made a difference in the lives of families and in the Evergreen Valley. There is so much more that can be done here and in San Jose and in our world to bring about the Kingdom.

  I am grateful to the staff and those of you who took the burden from staff. This great gift enabled me to have a period of rest and growth. It has made a great difference in my life.

  Thanks,