SAINT AMBROSE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Seventeenth Sunday In Ordinary Time

SAINT AMBROSE CATHOLIC CHURCH BERKELEY

KEEP PRAYING St. Monica, whose feast we celebrate in Au-gust, is often known as “the persistent mother.” For years she gave up talking directly to her son on the advice of a local bishop, who told her that it was better to talk to God about Augustine then to Augustine about God. The mother never gave up praying for her son. Eventually Augustine gave up his wild ways, was baptized, and later ordained and named bishop of Hippo. St. Augustine went on to be-come one of the Church’s greatest scholars. Today’s readings address the importance of persistent prayer. Abraham, in spite of trepidation that he is bothering the Lord, continues to ask about the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. Jesus, in Luke’s Gospel, tells his disciples to “ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9). This is our charge: keep praying. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION Sometimes when bishops are consecrated, they are not given the care of a diocese as an “ordinary.” A very old tradition, however, assures that they are invested with a “see,” a link with a local church. Many hundreds of places around the world were dioceses at one time, but are no longer. In England, for example, some of the his-toric dioceses such as London, Salisbury, and Manchester ceased to be Catholic at the Reforma-tion and their cathedrals passed to the Church of England. The reestablishment of the Catholic Church in the nineteenth century meant that new dioceses had to be created, such as at Liverpool and Westminster. Similarly, in Scandinavia the ancient Catholic dioceses vanished under Luther-anism. In North Africa, tiny dioceses disappeared under the sands or were swept away by Islam. In the United States, some original dioceses never really developed as population centers, such as the old dioceses of Bardstown, Vin-cennes, Sault Ste. Marie, or Walla Walla. The tradition of “titular sees” assures that the ancient churches are always held in prayer, as the bishop celebrates Mass in its memory a few times a year. —Rev. James Field, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

TRADICIONES DE NUESTRA FE Por siglos, Latinoamérica ha desarrollado una larga tradición religiosa con mitología espléndida. La palabra “religión” del verbo latín religere signi-fica “atar” o “enlazar”. Su función es unir seres humanos, los unos con los otros, con lazos de cari-dad y justicia. Una vez enlazados en comunidad, la religión los une al poder divino que rige el univer-so. Entre las culturas andinas se encuentran mitos religiosos que muestran la importancia de este en-lazamiento. Según la mitología Inca el universo esta compuesto por tres mundos: el cielo (Janan pacha), la tierra (Cay pacha) y el bajo tierra (Ucu pacha). Estos tres mundos están unidos por dos grandes serpientes, Yacú-mama (ríos) y Sacha-mama (árboles), símbolos de la fecundidad. Muchos piensan que los mitos son leyendas cuya función es el entretenimiento. En realidad los mitos no son fábulas, son historias que explican la verdad profunda del universo. Nos muestran como unirnos y enlazarnos para vivir una vida fecunda. En esta época de secularización, los cristianos no podemos olvidar ni la religión ni la mitología si queremos dar fruto como Jesús nos lo pide. —Fray Gilberto Cavazos-Glz, OFM, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

SIGUE REZANDO Santa Mónica, cuya fiesta celebramos en agosto, se conoce generalmente como “la madre persisten-te”. Durante años se dio por vencida de hablar di-rectamente a su hijo siguiendo el consejo de un obispo de la región que le dijo que era mejor hablar con Dios sobre Agustín que con Agustín sobre Dios. La madre nunca dejó de rezar por su hijo. Final-mente, Agustín abandonó su rebeldía, fue bautizado y luego ordenado y nombrado obispo de Hipona. San Agustín se convirtió en uno de los eruditos más importantes de la Iglesia. Las lecturas de hoy destacan la importancia de la oración persistente. Abraham, a pesar de temer molestar al Señor, continúa preguntándole sobre el destino de Sodoma y Gomorra. Jesús, en el Evange-lio según san Lucas, le dice a sus discípulos “pidan y se les dará, busquen y encontrarán, toquen y se les abrirá” (Lucas 11:9). Esta es nuestra tarea: seguir rezando. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time July 23 & 24, 2016

July 23 - July 30, 2016 Intention Requested By Sat 4:30 Victims of War and Terrorism † Sun 8:30 Victims of War and Terrorism † 10:30 Victims of War and Terrorism † 12:15 Celinda Edith † Edgar Cabillas

Mon 8:30 John Mullarkey † Tue 8:30 Bishop Michael Barber Wed 8:30 Seminarians Thu 8:30 Poor Souls† Fri 8:30 Victims of War & Terrorism † Sat 8:30 People of St. Ambrose

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK AND HOMEBOUND AND THOSE IN CONVALESCENT HOMES

(and their caregivers)

Connie Casiano, Arline Thompson, Patricia Coffman, Bee Sena, Rose Arcol, Nancy Corso, Virginia Foo, Rita Franco, Theresa Ellerbush,

Romanda Scott, Fr. Ricardo Chavez, Rosa Maria Sanchez

Plate Collection July 16 & 17: $2,335.76

Next 2nd Collection: SVdP July 30 & 31

St. Ambrose Catholic Church • 1145 Gilman Street • Berkeley, California 94706 E-Mail: stambrosechurch@comcast.net • Web: saintambroseberkeley.org • (510) 525-2620 Office • (510) 525-5399 FAX

Pastor: Fr. Jack Gibson, SDB 510 525-2620 Ext 203 Permanent Deacon: Ralph Nagel 510 525-2620 Ext 201 Music Director: Rob Grant 415 819-9749 robgrant001@gmail.com Religious Education: Sean Roche, RCIA: Alan Westcott

Pastoral Council Debra Montgomery Finance Council Franz Lozano Bookkeeper: Judy Nagel

Sunday Masses: 8:30am (English) • 10:30am (English) • 12:15pm (Spanish) Saturday Vigil: 4:30pm (English) Monday-Saturday Mass: 8:30am (English, in Chapel) Holy Day Masses: 8:30am, 7:00pm (English) Eucharistic Adoration: Friday 9:00am - 9:30am (in Chapel) Rosary Mon - Sat: 8am (in Chapel)

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: All classes on Sundays (In Church Hall) First Communion Grades 2-8 (English) 9:20am - 10:20am (Spanish) 11:00am - 12:15pm

Confirmation 9:45am - 10:45am RCIA 9:30am - 10:30am Baptism Class (English & Spanish) To be determined Office Manager: Aimee Gonzalez 510 525-2620 Volunteer Assistant to Office Manager: Ana Gonzalez 510 525-2620

OFFICE HOURS-RECTORY Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, 9:30am - 11:30am (Closed Wednesdays)

BAPTISM: Arrangements to be made at least one month in advance. ANOINTING OF THE SICK Please call for home or hospital visit. RECONCILIATION (ENGLISH): Saturday, 9:00 am-10:00 am or by appointment

WEDDING: Appointments should be made at least six months in advance. Church dates should be confirmed before making other arrangements

FUNERAL Should be arranged by family with the Parish office & mortuary Catholic Funeral and Cemetery Services: Holy Angels / St. Joseph Cemetery, San Pablo — 510 223-1265 • St. Mary’s Cemetery, Oakland — 510 654-0936

The Saturday Vigil Choir is looking for one or two singers (m/f)

to join our group.

We practice one hour before the mass (at 3:30) then sing at 4:30 each Sat.

Prior singing experience a plus.

Please email Dave Peck: dapeck60@yahoo.com.

LECTURAS DE HOY Primera lectura — Por el bien de los diez no destruiré la ciudad (Génesis 18:20-32). Salmo — Te damos gracias de todo corazón (Salmo 138 [137]). Segunda lectura — Enterrados con Cristo en el bautis-mo, también fuimos resucitados con él, todas nuestras transgresiones son perdonadas (Colosenses 2:12-14). Evangelio — Pidan y recibirán, el Padre da el Espíritu Santo a los que se lo piden (Lucas 11:1-13). Salmo responsorial: Leccionario II © 1976, Comisión Episcopal de Pastoral Litúrgica de la Conferencia del Episcopado Mexicano. Usado con permiso. Todos los derechos reservados.

TODAY’S READINGS First Reading — Abraham bargains with God to spare the city (Genesis 18:20-32). Psalm — Lord, on the day I called for help, you an-swered me (Psalm 138). Second Reading — Buried with Christ in baptism, we were also raised with him; all our transgressions are for-given (Colossians 2:12-14). Gospel — Jesus speaks of God’s sure response to those who pray (Luke 11:1-13). The English translation of the Psalm Responses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, Interna-tional Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

St. Vincent de Paul Bundle Sunday July 30th & July 31st

Parking Lot, St. Mary Magdalen 2005 Berryman Lightly used clothing, especially work-casual clothes for those reentering the workforce; small appliances and household items, etc.,

appreciated. No E-Waste.

THE MARK OF THE MAKER If things created are so full of loveliness, how resplendent must be the One who made them! The wisdom of the Worker is apparent in such handiwork.

—St. Anthony of Padua