http://www.sfarchdiocese.org/about-us/articles-resources/ Articles and Resourcesen-us Mon, 01 Jan 1900 08:00:00 GMTMon, 08 Mar 2010 21:22:35 GMT http://www.sfarchdiocese.org/about-us/articles-resources/2010-articles/Archbishops-Radio-Hour-2008/Immaculate Heart Radio and the Archdiocese of San Francisco have unveiled a new Immaculate Heart Radio program called the "Archbishop's Hour"  on KSFB -1260 AM radio.The program features Archbishop Niederauer, interviews with members of the local Church, prominent speakers, teachers of the faith, and other guests. Since October 30, 2009 the Archbishop's Hour airs every Friday at 9 a.m. on KSFB- 1260 AM radio, with an encore broadcast on Fridays at 9 pm, Sundays 11 am and Mondays at 9 pm. Please click Archbishop's Radio Hour to listen to the latest program. Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:15:50 GMT2010 articles http://www.sfarchdiocese.org/about-us/articles-resources/2010-articles/Construction-begins-for-school-and-center-2070/Construction of the new St. Mary Chinese School in San Francisco began to take solid form in February with the arrival of a large steel shipment and the raising of columns and beams. St. Mary’s Chinese School and Center has started the final phase of building its new schools and Center at the corner of Jackson and Kearny Street (site of the old International Hotel) in the heart of Chinatown. Paulist Father Daniel McCotter of St. Mary’s Chinese Mission said, “The community, alumni, business, foundations and the Archdiocese of San Francisco have been heavily involved in raising over 17 million dollars for this complex of classrooms (K-8), science lab, gymnasium, library, courtyard garden, play yard and ample space for language school and a center for low to moderate immigrants in need of social and spiritual guidance.” He added, “With 10 million dollars needed to complete the final phase, we are working tirelessly with our new Development Office and Committee, under the leadership of Katherine King, Development Director. The completion of construction is scheduled for January 2011. Ongoing construction can be seen via webcam at www.stmaryschinese.org. With the new school structure at 836 Kearney St. scheduled to open in 2011, St. Mary’s will continue a nearly century-long tradition of Catholic school teaching in the Chinese community, and renew the Church’s presence among children, parents and seniors in the nearby senior housing complex. The new building will house the Chinese language school and the Chinese Catholic grammar school. When completed, the new St. Mary’s Chinese School and Center will have nearly 50,000 square feet of space. The project has been one requiring patience and dedication on the part of backers. In Phase I of the long-term project, the archdiocese financed a 150-space underground parking garage, while the St. Mary’s capital fund paid for the foundation and first floor of the school and center. Phase II is the completed 105-unit senior housing complex built with federal and local housing funds. Phase III, now underway, completes the project with the remaining four floors of the school and center. For more information, visit www.stmaryschinese.org and click on Capital Campaign.   From March 5, 2010 issue of Catholic San Francisco.  Sat, 06 Mar 2010 02:46:11 GMT2010 articles http://www.sfarchdiocese.org/about-us/articles-resources/2010-articles/Parishes-adopt-Operation-Rice-Bowl-2068/Spurred by Lent and daily cries of hunger from the poor in countries around the world, more than two dozen parishes, schools and religious education programs in the Archdiocese of San Francisco have signed on to participate in Operation Rice Bow this Lenten Season. “Operation Rice Bowl is an opportunity to stand in solidarity with those in hunger,” said Patricia Ribeiro of the Office of Public Policy and Social Concerns of the archdiocese, which is coordinating the fundraising campaign here. “During the season of Lent we pray with our families and communities while learning more about our global community and the challenges of poverty overseas.” Operation Rice Bowl had its beginnings in 1975 as a response to a drought in Africa. Overseen nationally by Catholic Relief Services, ORB has since then collected $191 million – $8 million in 2009 – to support CRS development projects to improve people’s ability to access food in communities around the world and in the United States. The participating groups in the archdiocese are part of more than 14,000 faith communities across the country supporting Operation Rice Bowl this year. Recent ORB collections in the Archdiocese of San Francisco have raised $18,000 in 2007; $31,000 in 2008, and $13,000 in 2009. Vice-Principal Sharon Hupf is coordinating Operation Rice Bowl at Ecole Notre Dames des Victoires in San Francisco. Tyson Scofield is in charge of ORB activities at Notre Dames des Victoires Parish. The student body and staff at NDV School, a parish catechism class, and parishioners are taking part, Hupf told Catholic San Francisco. “The Rice Bowl program, through its educational piece, helps our students understand more about those in need and their responsibility to help them,” she said. A prayer service on the second Wednesday of Lent begins ORB at Ecole Notre Dames des Victoires and materials including ORB collection boxes are sent home with students. Materials are also distributed at Masses the following weekend at the parish church. Boxes are collected the week before Easter, funds from the school and parish combined, and sent to CRS this year earmarked for Haiti relief. Hupf, who has helped with ORB at Notre Dame school for the last three years, said, “The students become more aware of others and their needs and are enthusiastic about helping those in need. They develop understanding and compassion.” In addition to the collection boxes, Operation Rice Bowl materials include a Lenten Calendar that includes daily reflections for the season, introductions to individuals benefiting from the work of CRS and ORB, as well as home recipes from countries including Bolivia, Afghanistan, Nicaragua, and Ethiopia, that locations are encouraged to use for soup suppers and other Lenten events. The packet also includes a Parish Community Guide with relevant bulletin announcements, prayers of the faithful, and homily notes. Resources are also available online and include Stations of the Cross. An Educators Guide has lesson plans for grades 1-12 related to Catholic Social Teaching. Operation Rice Bowl is implemented at Church of the Assumption in Tomales through the parish Religious Education Program. Patti Parks, parish secretary and Religious Education Coordinator, spreads the word about Operation Rice Bowl through the program’s 200 students. “We open the campaign the week before Lent as the students understand about repenting so they do not mind giving up a candy bar or soda or something else they enjoy for the Rice Bowl,” Parks told Catholic San Francisco. “I think the most important thing about Operation Rice Bowl is that students understand that for a little effort and sacrifice they can feed families and that is a good feeling.” Assumption Religious Education teacher, Gloria Mercado, is in her second year of helping coordinate the ORB effort. Mercado explained her role in Religious education as “teaching children to follow Jesus’ rules” adding “Operation Rice Bowl helps the children know more about hunger around the world.” Joe Hastings of Catholic Relief Services, Seattle helps oversee the national ORB project. “Promoting ORB keeps me fairly busy from November to February, helping dioceses get the orders, materials, and information they need to then engage parishes and schools,” Hastings said. Hastings also coordinates speaking engagements that take the front-line story of hunger to ORB’s participating locations. Thomas Awiapo, a one-time beneficiary and now employee of CRS, is scheduled to speak March 5, at St. Ignatius College Preparatory and Junipero Serra High School, and on March 6 at a Food Fast at St. Peter Parish Pacifica sponsored by the Office of Religious Education and Youth Ministry of the Archdiocese. Hastings explained that ORB is not so much a fundraising program or a `collection’ but an education program, the reason so many educational materials are published for it. “Personally, participating in ORB has given fasting a stronger, contemporary meaning, as something I do for God who is present in the poor of the world,” Hastings said. “I see and taste the ORB recipes as the meals of the future, the kind of meals we are all called to be eating by the realities of both world hunger and our environment.” The CRS Operation Rice Bowl site offers many resources and suggestions. Visit http://orb.crs.org. By Tom Burke From March 5, 2010 issue of Catholic San Francisco.Sat, 06 Mar 2010 02:05:49 GMT2010 articles