The Valley Catholic January 22, 2019 | Page 3

IN THE DIOCESE tvc.dsj.org | January 22, 2019 3 Celebration of Consecrated Life On Saturday, February 16 at 3:30 p.m., the Diocese of San Jose will observe its annual celebration of Consecrated Life in the Leontyne Chapel, Bellarmine College Preparatory. Special recognition will be given to the jubilarians. Al- though many celebrate this occasion within their own religious communities, they appreciate the opportunity to celebrate in a public forum where family and friends can join with them. Many of these Religious are retired from full time ministry, but are very actively engaged in the Ministry of Prayer. Some continue to write to their congress ersons regarding ustice issues that affect our poor and marginalized brothers and sisters. Listed below are the names of jubilarians who have or are presently living/ serving in the Diocese in a variety of ministries. Family, friends, co-workers, clergy, pupils, past and present, are invited to attend this special Mass of Thanksgiving and to the reception that follows. WOMEN RELIGIOUS Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul Sister Paula La, DC 50 Years Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary Sister Therese Ottman, SNJM 75 Years Sister Mary Grace Dykzeul, SNJM 75 Years Sister Joan Frances Ortega, SNJM 70 Years Sister Sharon Francis, SNJM 60 Years Sister Peggy Kinzie, SNJM 60 Years Sister Margaret Lynch SNJM 60 Years Sister Dolores Barling, SNJM 60 Years Sister Nickie Thomas, SNJM 50 Years Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Sister Celeste Pagliarula, SNDdeN Sister Georgianna Coonis, SNDdeN Sister Elizabeth Plesche, SNDdeN 70 Years 60 Years 60 Years MEN RELIGIOUS Discalced Carmelite Friars Father Gerald Werner, OCD 50 Years Society of Christ Father Jan Fiedurek, SChr 30 Years Society of Jesus (Jesuits) Father John Kindall, SJ Father Armand Nigro, SJ Father Michael Buckley, SJ Father Richard Cobb, SJ Father Thomas Connolly, SJ Father James Conyard, SJ Father Thomas Gallagher, SJ Father James Laudwein, SJ Father Ernest Martinez, SJ Father Robert Matthewson, SJ Father Thomas Piquado, SJ Father Gerald Cobb, SJ Father L. Michael Pope, SJ Father Dennis Smolarski, SJ Father Gary Uhlenkott, SJ 75 Years 75 Years 70 Years 70 Years 70 Years 70 Years 70 Years 70 Years 70 Years 70 Years 60 Years 50 Years 50 Years 50 Years 50 Years Society of Mary (Marianists) Father Stephen Tutas, SM Brother James Leahy, SM Father Robert Hughes, SM Brother John Samaha, SM Brother Frank Spaeth, SM Father Raymond Malley, SM Brother James Vorndron, SM Father John Putka, SM Brother Jack Somerville, SM 75 Years 75 Years 70 Years 70 Years 70 Years 60 Years 60 Years 50 Years 50 Years Birth & Beyond families at the Nutcracker Ballet. Juan Diego Women’s Center Director Dances in Nutcracker; Center Group Attends as Her Guests ifteen adults and children affiliated with the Birth & Beyond playgroup, anxiously moved to their seats at the Santa Clara Convention Center for the matinee performance of the Nutcracker on December 9. Uncertain of what to expect, they made themselves comfort- able and settled in for what was the first live allet most had ever attended. nitially, when offered the chance to attend the ballet free of charge, only one mom seized upon the opportunity. However, her peers soon followed with excitement in anticipation of attending the Nutcracker Ballet with their children. Christine Ibanez has been the Birth & Beyond pregnancy resource center’s director for the last one and a half years. She is a ballerina who formerly danced with the Salt Lake City, Utah Ballet. Christine came out of “ballet retire- ment” to dance in the Nutcracker earlier this month. Wanting to combine her love for ballet with her love for the families who utilize the Birth & Beyond center, she invited them to attend the Nutcracker Ballet as her guests. Jaqeline Buendia and her three-year old daughter are members of the Birth and Beyond playgroup. She attended the ballet with her husband and three Sponsored by: children and had this to say about their experience: “My family and I had a wonderful time. My daughters enjoyed the ballet so much; they were so excited! What an opportunity it was to attend this per- formance and see how ballet can com- municate so many beautiful emotions.” Birth & Beyond, is a pregnancy re- source center, and additionally sponsors a weekly playgroup where moms and their children (0-3) meet Wednesdays at 1 p.m. at 12 N. White Rd., Suite 5 in San Jose. Playgroups include discussion of a parenting or pregnancy topic and an interactive craft or activity related to parenting or child development. One recent activity promoted parent/child bonding where mothers wrote letters to their children communicating their hopes and dreams for their futures. Few activities inspire more dreams than dance and music; coincidentally, the Nutcracker storyline is all about one child’s dream. Perhaps one visit to the Nutcracker Ballet is all it will take to generate a new dream for one of these young children. For more information, please visit: www.jdwcenter.org.