Day to Honor Father Damien and the Hawaiian People

November 22, 2009, 2:00 – 4:00 pm.

Sisters of the Holy Family will have an afternoon of prayer, & “talking story” & celebration in honor of newly canonized saint, Father Damien of Molokai.
This will give us an opportunity to honor the Hawaiian people
with whom we have ministered over the last 60 years.

If you want info: please contact Sister Victor at 510-624-4500

November 6 is Foundation Day!

The Sisters of the Holy Family, founded in San Francisco, California in 1872, is an apostolic religious institute of pontifical rite.

It is an apostolic institute because Father John Prendergast (pictured below) and Miss Lizzie Armer founded it to seek out with compassion the poor and needy, especially families, for the kingdom of God.

In the spirit of the Holy Family of Nazareth the sisters strive to live and work in simplicity, hospitality of heart, faith and charity. They are witness to the good news and stand against conditions that demean or undermine the dignity of persons or the sacredness of the family.

Archbishop Alemany

By their lives of service, in which action and contemplation were integrated, the congregation’s founders have given it a model for continuing personal conversion and compassionate service of others. John Prendergast described this congregation’s members as “gleaners for the Kingdom.”

Father John Joseph Prendergast

St. Charles Borromeo (Catechist)

St. Charles Borromeo

Feastday: November 4, Patron of learning and the arts.

1584

Charles was the son of Count Gilbert Borromeo and Margaret Medici, sister of Pope Pius IV. He was born at the family castle of Arona on Lake Maggiore, Italyon October 2. He received the clerical tonsure when he was twelve and was sent to the Benedictine abbey of SS. Gratian and Felinus at Arona for his education.

All Saints Memorial Day

“The glorious company of the apostles praise Thee.
The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise Thee.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise Thee.
All Thy saints and elect with one voice do acknowledge Thee,
O Blessed Trinity, one God!”

– Feast of All Saints (November 1), Antiphon at Lauds. from the Te Deum

Sister Marie Ann Brent, SHF, our Valdez Sister honored with papal medal

Valdez sister honored with papal medal

PATRICIA COLL FREEMAN
Catholicanchor.org

Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz presented Sister Marie Ann Brent, pastoral administrator of St. Francis Xavier Church, with the highest honor awarded to the laity by the pope.

The archbishop bestowed the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal – which recognizes service “For Church and Pope” – to Sister Brent during the Sept. 27 Sunday Mass at the Valdez parish.

Teresa of Avila

St. Teresa of Avila

Feastday: October 15
Patron of Headache sufferers, Spanish Catholic Writers

b. 1515 d. 1582

Less than twenty years before Teresa was born in 1515, Columbus opened up the Western Hemisphere to European colonization. Two years after she was born, Luther started the Protestant Reformation. Out of all of this change came Teresa pointing the way from outer turmoil to inner peace.