The Valley Catholic
in the diocese
December 10, 2013
7
Giving thanks
for Catholic
philanthropy at
Christmas
By Mary Quilici Aumack
The root of generosity is gratitude.
Catholic philanthropy finds its roots
in the Eucharist, and manifests in
outreach.
The role of the Catholic Community
Foundation is to augment that philanthropy by matching intent with need,
letting our generous community know
of the many wonderful ways that parishes reach out to their neighbors. As
part of your year-end planning, please
consider participating in this important
cycle of gratitude:
• Give to an existing fund of the
Foundation.
• Start a fund for a Catholic institution you love.
• Become a Founder of our work.
• Start or move a Donor Advised
Fund.
Recently the Foundation commissioned Diana Macalintal, Diocesan
Director of Worship, to write a prayer
in thanks for and support of Catholic
generosity:
Foundation Prayer
God of every good gift, from the beginning of creation you have filled the world
with abundant blessings.
In lean times, you cared for your people’s
needs, and in good times, you blessed them
with more than they could imagine. For
everything you have given, may we never
cease to thank you.
Help us be a blessing for those who seek
to serve you in our community, that we may
give you right and just praise and be good
stewards of the gifts you have bestowed.
Where our treasure lies is where our
heart will be. So open our hearts to fill the
needs of our sisters and brothers, that we
may share ourselves as well as what we
have.
May your Spirit teach us to seek first
your kingdom so that all people together
may use their gifts, great and small, to
bring your peace and blessing to the world.
And when we have given all that we
have in your name, may we rejoice in the
riches stored for us in heaven, pressed
down and overflowing with the goodness
of your love.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
As we anticipate exchanging presents with friends and family, we give
thanks for the real presence of Jesus
Christ in the Eucharist, the original
gift. We are filled with gratitude. Merry
Christmas from The Catholic Community Foundation.
• Mary Aumack is Executive Director
of the Catholic Community Foundation of
Santa Clara County.
VIETNAMESE MARTYRS -- Bishop Patrick J. McGrath presided at a Mass Nov. 23 for the Feast of Vietnamese Martyrs (Nov. 24), hosted
by Our Lady of La Vang Parish, San Jose, and held at Silver Creek High School gymnasium. It was attended by hundreds of local Vietnamese parishioners and 18 Vietnamese priests concelebrated. This feast this year coincided with the conclusion of the Year of Faith.
Rest in Peace: Father Baltazar Ayala
Father Baltazar Ayala, 90, died Nov. 19
having served as a priest of the Diocese of San
Jose. The son of Elias and Ventura Ayala, he
was born in Cidra, Puerto Rico, Jan. 6, 1923.
He attended the University of Puerto Rico
and worked for the 7-Up Company for 27
years. In 1943, he married Julia Sierra Cedeno
and they had one son, Isaac. After Julia’s
death in 1971, Baltazar entered the seminary
in Guadalajara, Mexico.
In 1979 he was ordained as a Catholic priest for the Archdiocese of San Francisco. He was assigned as Parochial Vicar at St.
Joseph Parish in Mountain View and also served as a chaplain
at county jails for many years.
Retiring in 1995, Father Ayala continued his priestly ministry
at St. Joseph Retirement Center in Cupertino. He will be remembered by many for his “cowboy” hats, his smile and singing.
Father Ayala is survived by his son, Isaac, daughter-in-law
Sarah and granddaughters, Julie and Teresa. He is also survived
by his sister Leonor Rodriquez.
His Funeral Mass was celebrated Nov. 25 at St. Joseph
Church, Mountain View; burial was at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Los Altos.
St. Joseph of Cupertino students help
kick off Faith Formation Conference
Fifteen junior high students from St. Joseph of Cupertino School were invited by the diocesan Department of
Education to represent diocesan schools by acting out
the Gospel reading during the opening prayer service
of the recent Faith Formation Conference.
Seventh and eighth graders performed the parable of
the bridegroom and the maidens, as it was proclaimed
by the lector. Students dramatized Matthew, Chapter 25,
the story of the 10 maidens who were to be torchbearers
at a wedding.
According to the Gospel story, as the maidens waited
for the bridegroom to arrive, five took care with their
lamps and supplies of oil to replenish the lamp, but five
ran off to get new supplies. While they were gone, the
bridegroom arrived, and they were unable to participate
in the wedding.
SJC boys served in the wedding procession as banner
bearers, as well as serving as the bridegroom and guards.
SJC girls served as the bride and maidens. Educators from
the (arch) Dioceses of San Francisco, Monterey, San Jose,
Oakland and others attended.
www.darlingandfischer.com • www.losgatosmemorialpark.com
Garden Chapel
(408) 998-2226
San Jose
FD -557
Campbell Memorial Chapel
(408) 379-5010
Campbell
FD-898
Chapel of the Hills
(408) 354-7740
Los Gatos
FD-940
Los Gatos Memorial Park
(408) 356-4151
San Jose
In Loving Memory
Rose Aguilar
Guadalupe Ceballos
Teresina De Menezes
Martina Durham
Thin Thi Hoang
Tony Hoang
Joseph B. Hoffman
CATHOLIC
COUNSELORS
Son Le
Joseph Ngo
Inez, M. Macias
Maria Neaves
Irene Slawinski
Ethel M. Tackett
Tran Thi Tran
Gloria Cecilia Wetzel
Andrea Habing • Phil Hudelson • Jeff Fischer • Bill Smith • Frank Tong
www.dsj.org