A Word from the Pastor

May 10, 2024

This Sunday we rejoice to celebrate Mothers’ Day. It is a time for us to give thanks to God for the great gift that mothers are to their families. We pray that God would continue to bless our mothers and strengthen them in their faith. We also pray for any mothers who are struggling to fulfill their call and need the grace of God in a particular way. We also commend our deceased mothers to the arms of our loving and compassionate God.

Pope John Paul I (pope for 33 days in 1978 before John Paul II) remarked that God is our father; but even more he is our mother. He does not want to hurt us, He wants only to do good to us, to all of us. We can think of God as both; like a Father and as a mother.

In the Bible, Jesus introduces God to us as Father. Yet the Bible does not shy away from using female imagery—particularly related to birth and motherhood—to describe God. Isaiah 42:14 speaks of God “cry[ing] out like a woman in labor” with gasps and pants. Similarly, Isaiah 46:3–4 describes God as having carried the house of Jacob “from the womb.” In Numbers 11:12, Moses tells God that having birthed Israel, God (not Moses) should “carry [the nation] in your bosom, as a nurse carries a sucking child” to the Promised Land. In Isaiah 66:13, the Lord tells Jerusalem, “As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you.”



The Bible uses images from motherhood to describe Jesus as well. Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem evokes a mother’s comfort and concern. He says, “How often have I desired to gather your children together as a mother hen gathers her brood under her wings” (Luke 13:34 and Matt. 23:37).

Christian authors over the centuries also speak of the maternal nature of God. Julian of Norwich, a medieval English mystic, describes God as both Father and Mother: “God rejoices that he is our Father, and God rejoices that he is our Mother.” Anselm of Canterbury depicts Christ as a mother in a devotional prayer. For Anselm, Christ is “the great mother” who brought forth children through his death and who comforts the frightened with his gentleness.

Of course, we more frequently address God as father, yet we know that God is neither male nor female. Pope Francis has said: God’s love is like the love of a mother. He never forgets us. Never. He is faithful to his covenant. This gives us security.

Our mothers can be images of God to us and remind us of God’s unconditional love. Happy Mothers’ Day to all mothers, grandmothers, mothers-to-be, foster mothers, godmothers, and all who have been like a mother to us.

In one Heart,

Fr. Ron 

 rmbagley@yahoo.com

Wear Red for Pentecost

The Solemnity of Pentecost marks the end of the Easter season. We celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples gathered together in fear. They became courageous witnesses.



One of the great signs of the presence of the Spirit on that day was the tongues of fire that appeared over each person. That’s one of the reasons RED is the liturgical color for this solemnity. The vestments and liturgical décor are resplendent with red. To carry the theme through the whole congregation, we invite you to wear red to church on Pentecost Sunday, May 19. Your presence in whatever red clothes or accessories you may have will add to the festivity of our celebration.

A Course on Vatican II

Have you ever wondered exactly what the Second Vatican Council really said? It has received credit and blame for things it never said or did. So, what did those bishops really work on for over four years? What did they say about the Church, about the world, about our role as Christians in the world?

This course is part of the Diocesan Institute and will be offered here at St. Patrick Parish Center. Fr. Ron Bagley, CJM is the teacher. It runs for five Tuesdays, June 4 – July 2, 6:00-9:00 pm. Registration must be made through the Diocesan Institute online: https://sdcatholic.org/office-for/diocesan-institute/course-registration-pay-online/

You can contact Fr. Ron at the parish if you have questions.

More First Communions

This week on May 18, we celebrate the First Communions of our Spanish-speaking community. With joy and thanksgiving, we welcome them to the table of the Lord. This occasion is another opportunity to thank God for the vibrancy of “the young Church of today.”

Más Primeras Comuniones



Esta semana el 18 de mayo celebramos las Primeras Comuniones de nuestra comunidad español. Con alegría y acción de gracias les damos la bienvenida a la mesa del Señor. Esta ocasión es otra oportunidad para agradecer a Dios por la vitalidad de “la joven Iglesia de hoy”.

May is Foster Care Awareness Month

The Diocese of San Diego invites all foster families, adoptive families, kinship families and those interested in learning more about foster care to join us for the Foster Care & Adoption Picnic in the Park on Saturday, May 18 at 12:00-2:00PM at Shadowridge Park (2101 Lupine Hills Drive, Vista, CA 92081). This fun event be a great opportunity to get to know other families over pizza and a bounce house! If you want to learn more about the daily lives of foster families and the foster care system here in San Diego County, come join us. For more information, please email Janelle Peregoy: jperegoy@sdcatholic.org

click below for a flyer.

Mental Health Awareness Month



As a part of Mental Health Awareness Month, our parish Mental Health Ministry will be on the patio on this weekend May 11-12 with information on resources that are available. Stop by and learn about ways to help yourself or those you love.

Showers of Blessings

We want to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts who participated in the Jeans and Underwear Drive this past month.  Our bins are full and our guests will be sporting some nice new jeans.

We also want to thank our St Pats Youth Ministry and the 7th graders at our school for their generous donations of “Blessing Bags” (toiletry and goodie kits) to distribute to our unhoused neighbors. They are so appreciative of all the donations.

We also had a wonderful donation of underwear and socks from St. Michaels by the Sea Episcopal church. And on top of that a VERY generous donation of socks by the Bombas Sock Company. We are so blessed also to have donors beyond our own community.

We are always looking for new volunteers for the day of our Showers.  We meet at 7 am on the first 4 Tuesdays of the month until 11:30. If you would like to just see our operation or have questions please contact Chris Durnan Chrisdurnan4@gmail.com  to schedule a visit.

Soup for Shoes

Please join St. Patrick Soup for Shoes for gourmet soup, bread, dessert and camaraderie every Thursday from 4:30-6:00 PM. Last year was a grand success! The Soup Kitchen partnered with Shoes to the World and Sowing the Seeds of Mercy in Pakistan with the Eudist Fathers providing 1,327 pairs of shoes to Pakistan school children living in poverty. This year our project has expanded to 2,500 pairs of shoes along with a request from Togo (Africa) where the Eudists work. 

All proceeds in May and June will be donated!

Kindly RSVP Via email: soupsuppersstpats@gmail.com

Visit:

www.shoestotheworld.org/donate or send checks payable to Shoes To The World-Pakistan (IRS 501-c-3) to the church office or 3450 James Dr., Carlsbad, CA 92008

Million Meals Event

June 8 and 9

The deacons of the Diocese of San Diego have come together to live out their mission to serve the needy by coordinating an event to provide nutritious meals to children and families living in extreme poverty. The meals will be sent to charities serving the poor in Tijuana, Mexico, the Zambia Africa.

To do this, the deacons need to:

- raise $375,000 dollars to purchase food ingredients and for shipping.

- recruit 4,000 volunteers to pack the 1.5 million meals during an inspiring and enjoyable i weekend community experience.

St. Patrick's deacons are inviting all members of our parish community to participate the weekend of June 8 & 9 at Cathedral Catholic High School.

For more information / to donate, view shift times, and register to help pack meals:

a) Please visit: sdcatholic.org/millionmeals



b) Or scan the attached QR code:

More than 4,000 faithful of all ages packed 1.5 million meals in our 2023 event.

Catholic Night | Friday, July 12 vs. Braves

Come together with the San Diego Catholic community and the Padres for Catholic Night at Petco Park.

Your Theme Game package includes a limited-edition themed Padres hat and a ticket to the Braves vs. Padres game.

St. John Eudes in the

Easter Season

Our series of spirituality of St. Eudes continues on Thursday at 7:00pm and Fridays at 9:00am. 

These are the upcoming topics: 

May 16 & 17 - St. John Eudes and Lay People in His Ministry - Fr. Ron Bagley, CJM. 

May 23 & 24 - Living the Mysteries and States of Jesus; The Consecration of Time - Fr. Ben Drapeau CJM.

J.S. Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach's Praeludium and Fuge in A-moll, BWV 551 was composed around 1707, probably after Bach's visit to Buxtehude in Lübeck. The influence of Buxtehude and other North German baroque composers is quite present in this piece. A true stylus phantasticus piece, played on the model of the Wender organ of Arnstadt, which Bach inaugurated. Who knows, maybe Bach played this piece (or an improvisation that sounded like this piece) on this organ.

Financial Report

April 2024 -

Total Income $ 192,855.06

Total Expenses $ 225,475.12

Year-to-Date -

Income $ 752,847.40

Expenses $ 832,802.95

Online Giving Reminder

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Catholic Trivia Night

Catholic Trivia

"Catholic Trivia”... not because they are trivial but because these might be things that not everyone knows. Test your knowledge by reading the five questions, remember your answers (or jot them down), then click the link below to find the answers.

1. Which book of the Bible tells us that Jesus’ Ascension was 40 days after Easter?
2. In what century did the Church start celebrating the feast of the Ascension? 
3. Which gospel ends with the Ascension of Jesus?
4. According to the Bible, who was present at the Ascension?
5. Where in the United States is the Ascension still celebrated on a Thursday?

Feel free to email Fr. Ron with ideas for future Catholic Trivia questions rbagley@stpatrickcarlsbad.com

If you have other members of your family or your friends who would like to be on our email list, just let me know or write to Mary McLain at mmclain@stpatrickcarlsbad.com We will be pleased to add them.

Masses are available on our website www.stpatrickcarlsbad.com

We have a YouTube channel where we have daily and Sunday Masses.