Welcoming Father Marvin-Paul Felipe in July

Welcoming Father Marvin-Paul Felipe in July

His Excellency, Archbishop Cordilione has appointed pointed a new pastor to St. Thomas More. His name is Fr. Marvin Felipe, and he is currently the Parochial Vicar at St. Mary’s Cathedral in
San Francisco. Fr. Felipe has also been named Chaplain to San Francisco State University and will assume his new role on July 1st, succeeding our beloved pastor Msgr. Labib Kobti who has
served this parish for the past 12 years.

We welcome Fr. Marvin and we look forward to working with him at the service of God’s people at St. Thomas More.

Pope Francis Announces Jubilee Year of Mercy

Pope Francis Announces Jubilee Year of Mercy

Rome, (Zenit.org) Junno Arocho Esteves – During a Penitential Celebration today in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis announced the celebration of an extraordinary Holy Year dedicated to Mercy. The Jubilee of Mercy will begin on December 8th, 2015, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and will conclude on November 20th, 2016, Solemnity of Christ the King.

The Holy Father’s announcement was greeted with an applause by those present in the Basilica.

“I entrust the organization of this Jubilee to the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, so that they can animate as a new step in the path of the Church in its mission of bringing the Gospel of mercy to each person,” he said.

“I am convinced that the whole Church can find in this Jubilee the joy to rediscover and make fruitful the mercy of God, with which we are all called to give consolation to each man and each woman of our time. We entrust it to the Mother of Mercy, so that She may turn towards us Her gaze and watch over our path.”

According to the Holy See Press Office, the Jubilee Year of Mercy takes place on the 50th anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council in 1965. “This is of great significance, for it impels the Church to continue the work begun at Vatican II,” a communique from the Holy See stated.

The official and solemn announcement of the Holy Year will take place on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 12th.

While an ordinary Jubilee year is celebrated every 25 years, an extraordinary Jubilee may be announced on the occasion of an event of significant importance. The last ordinary Jubilee took place in the year 2000 while the last extraordinary year was proclaimed in 1983 by John Paul II.

Throughout his pontificate, mercy has been a major theme close to the Pope’s heart; his episcopal motto – Miserando atque eligendo – refers to the merciful gaze of Christ towards St. Matthew upon choosing him.

March 21: St. Patrick Corned Beef & Cabbage Feast

March 21: St. Patrick Corned Beef & Cabbage Feast

In honor of both Saint Patrick (Feast Day March 17) and Saint Joseph (Feast Day March 19), we will serving a corned beef and cabbage dinner, prepared by our dear Chef Juan, in Carroll Hall at 7 PM. Get on your green and join us for fun raising and fundraising.

Tickets may be purchased in the parish office. $30 for adults, $20 for seniors, and $10 for children 12 and under.

Thank you for supporting our parish.

Volunteering at the Food Bank

Volunteering at the Food Bank

Members of St. Benedict’s Young Adult Group at the San Francisco and Marin Food Bank. Thank you to everyone who came and helped prepare mixed food boxes for the seniors of SF. A total of 950 boxes were made equaling a total of 20,000 lbs of food that will be shipped to the elderly in need. Also a big thank you to our special guest Abouna (Father) Bernard.

Abouna Labib Kobti: “It is time to say good-bye”

Abouna Labib Kobti: “It is time to say good-bye”

This past July 15th, Fr. Youssef Keikati left for Lebanon. He was assigned as a pastor of a church and principal of a school of one thousand students. It is time for me to be reassigned by my superior the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. The six-plus-six years of service at St. Thomas More Church as your pastor has been a time of grace for me. I loved you all and will love you always and will keep you in my heart and in my prayers. Please pray for me.

Obedience calls me, and I want to obey as a soldier called to service, leaving, with love and respect, everything behind. I have been on sick leave. Dear Fr. Bernard Poggi has done a great job during my illness. With dear Canon Andrew Johnson, he served you with great devotion. When I was allowed to return to the rectory following hospitalizations during my sick leave, I was honored to continue to serve you at the confessional, helping the different ethnic groups in their respective languages. I said Masses and did some ministries.

A new pastor will be assigned soon by our beloved Archbishop Salvator Cordoleone. Please receive the new pastor with love and respect. He is coming to serve you in the name of Jesus and perform miracles for you in the Holy Eucharist when he will be giving you the Real Presence of our Lord. Please love him, support him, serve him, and continue to build this church that we refer to as “One Church, One Family,” adding with Fr. Bernard, “One Bread.”

Please support our candidate for the priesthood, Ben Rosato, who is presently at St. Patrick’s Seminary. Please support the many candidates from St. Thomas More Church to the diaconate. With our new deacons, new pastor, and priests, you will be in very good hands. With love to each one of you, I would like to say good-bye with great love and respect.

Let us keep each other in prayer.

Abouna Labib Kobti