United States Census 2010. You may apply now for census jobs. For information, go to www.2010censusjobs.gov or 1-866-861-2010. Also, more information may be found on the bulletin board outside church.

Youth Ministry...Souper Bowl of Caring - Teens Thank You! Eleven families are being helped by our parish generosity - $1,683.20 was collected. We have started distributing gift cards to our parish family in need!

An Important Message Regarding the Votive Candles in Church. Please do not put candles into the holders. We have a committee that is in charge of maintaining the candles. If candles are put in the glass holders improperly, the glass will crack. Thank you!

Ursuline High School. A Catholic High School for Girls in Santa Rosa. Some facts about Ursuline: They have personalized counseling; 100% of their graduates go to college; $1.2 million in college scholarships went to graduating class of 2009; Average class size is 22; The have an art program; Girls thrive in single gender math and science classes; 11 sports with 17 teams; $350,000 in tuition assistance awarded in 2009. For info and to RSVP for Admissions events: www.ursulinehs.org or call 524-1130.

Catholic Charities...is recruiting for 3 full-time positions: a data entry position, a case manager for homeless families and a life skills training program coordinator. All three positions include full agency benefits. The complete job announcements and agency application are available at www.srcharities.org or by calling 528-8712.

Memorial Hospice & Hospice of Petaluma...are now interviewing applicants for Caregiver/Grief Support Volunteer Training. Training focuses on preparing the volunteer to care for patients/families, and clients by covering the hospice philosophy, family dynamics, communication and listening, understanding loss, cycles of grief and spirituality. Volunteers have the opportunity to provide service in patient/family homes, Skilled Nursing Facilities, and the Palliative Care and hospital settings. Call 568-1094 or 778-6242 for an interview or additional information. Flyers are available in the back of the church.

37 New Wheelchairs From Penny Drive. The final tally is in. Your contributions totaled $2,775, enough to buy wheelchairs for 37 people who cannot afford them. The Columbian Squires thank you very much and are looking forward to your unstinting support this year.

The Advent Giving Tree. Thank You Thank You Thank You! The Annual Advent Giving Tree project was a huge success--and we could not have done it without your encouragement, generous spirit, and prayers. Seven local agencies were thrilled to receive many items that will sustain their organizations throughout the year. Over 800 tags were taken from the tree for families who were given Christmas gifts and food certificates; they graciously send their Thanks and Christmas wishes. This year, as in others, our Giving Tree Committee was amazed by the overwhelming amount of gifts and money donated to our families. In this time of economic uncertainty, we in the St. James community are truly blessed to be able to come together to serve our neighbors and friends in need. Together, we have served a wonderful mission. Again- Thank you, St. James!

Looking for a Way to Express Your Christian Conscience? Go to: manhattandeclaration.org. Questions, please call Janet, 763-8937

St. Eugene's Cathedral Books & Gifts...is open Wednesday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 12 Noon-4:30 p.m.; Sunday, 9:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. They stock a wide assortment of gifts, books, & sacramental items and take orders too. Contact them at www.steugenes.com; giftshop@steugenes.com; 542-0250. They are located at 2323 Montgomery Dr., Santa Rosa, between the parking lot and the Cathedral.

Warm Clothing Drive. Thank you, St. James community, for your generosity in donating warm clothing to COTS for needy singles and families in Petaluma. Your contributions will make a real difference in people's lives this winter. Five full pick-up truckloads (over 70 large bags) of excellent quality warm clothes and bedding were delivered to COTS over the last 4 weeks. Several bags were also donated to Pat Wapp to deliver to St. Boniface Catholic Church for the homeless in San Francisco. And big thanks to the group of young people in Youth Ministry and other parishioners who helped sort the clothes.
John Kennedy.

Youth Ministry News. The 2009-2010 program is off to a great start! If you know of any teens that haven't been to church in awhile, please invite them to participate. Youth Ministry has an on-going registration.

A Gracious Thanks From the Squires. The Columbian Squires would like to thank you for contributing to their Wheelchair Drive this year. The proceeds will benefit those in need of wheelchairs. They will be here again next year. Thanks again!

Congratulations...to Susie Kelly of St. James Women's Group and Mary Acton of St. Vincent's Young Ladies Institute #108 in St. James Parish chosen as Catholic Women of the Year 2009 at the luncheon celebration for them on Saturday, October 10th at Cathedral of St. Eugene in Santa Rosa. Mass was concelebrated by Rev. Bishop Daniel F. Walsh and Msgr. Thomas J. Keys, Moderator for the Santa Rosa Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.

Knights of Columbus...would like to thank you for your support for their annual Tootsie Roll Fundraiser, raising money for Old Adobe Development Services (O.A.D.S.) and Special Olympics. With your support, they were able to raise over $2,000 this year. Thank You!

Catholic Adult Singles Assoc. of Marin County. Informational flyers may be found in the back of the church.

St. James Prayers and Squares Ministry. St. James has joined Prayers and Squares, which is an interfaith outreach ministry that combines the gift of prayer with the gift of a hand-tied quilt. The pupose of this ministry is not to make and distribute quilts, but to promote prayer through the use of quilts. Our motto is "It's not about the quilts it's all about the Prayers." We are Chapter 868. If you wish any information or would like to join please call Marilyn 763-7904 or Sr. Mary Ann 763-7411.

Loyola Counseling Institute. Do you or a family member need to talk with someone about personal or family problems? Loyola Counseling Institute offers professional counseling in English and Spanish. They are practicing Catholics and licensed psychotherapists with offices in Petaluma, Sonoma and Santa Rosa. Pick up a brochure in the back of the church; call 526- 1167 for more information or to make an appointment. They accept most health insurances and offer a sliding fee scale.

Y.L.I. Congratulations to Alba Silva! A 50 year Jubilee Presentation was made to Past Grand President, Alba Silva, who presided from 1959-1960, at this year's Y.L.I. convention held in Fresno.

Congratulations! The Petaluma Colombian Squires...would like to announce that at the annual California Squires convention, our Circle received awards for overall best set of activities of any Columbian circle in the state as well as the prestigious Columbian Squires Circle of the Year award. Along with these two honors, we also received a special award from the wheelchair Foundation whom we contributed several thousand dollars to this past year. We owe thanks for the last award to the faithful members of St. James Parish. God Bless.

A Heartfelt Thank You! The Knights of Columbus Council 1586 would like to thank each and everyone in the parish for their donations, contributions, and support for this year's rummage sale. Your donations and participation enabled us to have our best year ever, earning over $6,200. As always the monies raised during the rummage sale will be donated throughout the year to various groups and organizations within our community. We hope that those of you who were able to stop by the rummage sale enjoyed the atmosphere and found items you couldn't live without. We look forward, with your help, to next year's rummage sale. Once again 'thank you all' so very much. Without you, this event could never happen.

City of Petaluma Summer Programs - Camp Sunshine and Tiny Tots Preschool. Information sheets may be found in the back of the church regarding both of these programs.

Would You Like To Know More About The Catholic Church? Do you know someone who is interest in becoming Catholic? Are you a Catholic who has not been confirmed? RCIA may be the answer. For information, call the rectory (762-4256) or JoAnn Norris (769-9251).

Loving Hearts and Hands. After funerals at St. lames, Loving Hearts and Hands has resumed assisting with receptions in the Parish Hall.

Are You Interested in Learning About the Secular Franciscan Order? The Secular Franciscan Order (SFO), formerly known as the Third Order of St. Francis, is an official Order within the Catholic Church, and was established by St. Francis of Assisi early in the 13th century. Men and women live their everyday lives in the world and gather together in communities on a regular basis for prayer, fellowship and good works, following the example of St. Francis of Assisi who made Jesus the inspiration and center of his life. Our local fraternity is called II Poverello and meets monthly in SebastopoL If you are interested in learning more about the SFO, there are pamphlets in the back of the Church, or please contact John Kennedy, 778-8816. For additional info, the national SFO web address is: http://www.nafra-sfo.orz/index.html

Medjugorje Series on TV. Tune in to Petaluma Channel 26 on Mondays at 8 p.m. to watch a series of 56 half hour videos filmed in Medjugorje, a tiny village in the former Yugoslavia, where the Virgin Mary has been visiting 6 Croatians for the past 28 years! Check out the poster on the bulletin board for details.

Catholic Adult Singles Association of Marin County invites you to attend their meetings. Please check the bulletin board outside church for more details.

If You Have A Special Item(s)...brochures, booklets, magazines, etc. you would like to place on the credenzas in church for parishioners, please bring them to the rectory (items put out directly in church will be removed).

Ladies - Join the DCCW! All women are invited to join the Santa Rosa Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (DCCW), the local affiliate of the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW). Individual membership is $25 per year and includes a subscription to the Catholic Woman magazine. Parish women's groups are also invited to join as DCCW affiliates. For more information, contact DCCW President Margaret Enea-Patrizi, 781-9867, or visit the NCCW website, www.nccw.org

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Again. We want to express our heartfelt thanks on your repeated generosity to the Saint Vincent DePaul Society's four collections this year. It has been our privilege to serve those in need in our community on your behalf. We bring to them our caring spirit, by listening to them: the love of Christ. by praying with them; and a voucher redeemable for food and house hold items to feed them. In addition, we hand out printed information on other resources for help available to them in our community. We have also assisted with motel stays, furniture, household goods, and clothing. This year we assisted 895 people on 255 visits. Our dedicated group of 13 are all volunteers in this ministry of Saint James parish, and serve those on the east side of town who call the parish in need. Our Society was started in Paris, France in 1833, by a Catholic student named Frederic Ozanam and some other like-minded students who saw unmet needs for the poor, and formed the Conference of Charity. It was based on Christian principles of mercy, love, Christian faith, and works of true charity. Within a few years its membership soared, so it was decided to divide the original conference into more units in order to better serve the needy. By 1835, the society had its own official rule and a new official name: The Society of Saint Vincent DePaul. Saint Vincent DePaul in the early 1600's had started an organization with similar principles to help the poor. Today the Society is found throughout the world.

"Extend your mercy towards others, so that there can be no one in need whom you meet without helping. For what hope is there for us if God should withdraw his mercy from us?" Saint Vincent DePaul

Please keep us, and those we serve, in your prayers. Pat Louks, President

Another Thank You. The St. Vincent de Paul Society...would like to thank the Catholic Ladies Aid Society for thinking of them upon the dissolution of their group. Their generous donation is most appreciated, especially when the need for their help has increased in these difficult economic times.

Affordable Senior Housing is Available in Petaluma! If you know of a senior who is struggling to pay high rent, please encourage them to give PEP Housing a call. They have space available in their beautiful new "green" apartment complex on Casa Grande Road. They also have eleven other properties in Petaluma just for seniors. PEP Housing was established 30 years ago to help our community's seniors with housing that they can afford on a fixed income. For more information and an application, please call 762-2336 or visit www.pephousing.org.

Just A Little Reminder Appropriate clothing for Church is highly recommended. Remember this is a Church and that you are coming to a place of worship and should dress appropriately.

Santa Rosa Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (SRDCCW) encourages you to keep informed:

Monthly Pray for Priests Calendars are in the church.
California Catholic - www.cacatholic.org
Catholic Charities - srcharities.org
Catholic Relief Services - www.crs.org

Contemplation. In this busy world we seem to have no time for prayer. Yet the need for inner peace and closeness to Jesus increases the more we engage with others. Come to be guided through the steps to forming a contemplative spirit for our lives at the Spiritual Enrichment Center (360 Farmer's Lane, Santa Rosa), every Monday, 7-8:30 p.m. Presenters, Blaise Cirelli and Sr. Antonia Killian, S.M. For further details, please call Sr. Antonia, 546-1781.

Praying for Vocations to the Priesthood is Very Important in our Diocese. This year we could have seven priests retire if they want to. In giving of our time to pray and talk about vocations, we also have the need to give of our treasures for vocations. At this time we have six men applying to our diocese to be priests. Prayers do work! If we accept them, the tuition, room and board, for their seminary formation could reach costs of over $300,000 for the coming school year and we do not have the money at this time. As the government is planning to give us rebates this spring please consider making a donation to the diocese for seminary tuition. Donations could be made through the annual Ministry appeal or have checks made out to the Diocese of Santa Rosa with a memo on the bottom, seminary tuition. Checks can be sent through the appeal at P.O. Box 4077, Santa Rosa, CA 95402 or to The Office of Vocations, P.O. Box 1297, Santa Rosa, CA 95402. Your donations will be credited to you for IRS purposes. It would be sad not to accept men because we cannot pay for their seminary formation. We need priests! God Bless You!

The Petaluma Kitchen still needs some volunteers. The Petaluma Kitchen is a locally supported Non-profit and is part of COTS.  The Kitchen feeds the homeless and those in need and in addition provides supplement food boxes weekly. The Kitchen is staffed by a small. dedicated paid core and a large number of volunteers. There is a need for additional drivers to deliver the food boxes on Saturday mornings. The boxes are ready for pick up between 9:00 and 10.00 am for delivery. The commitment takes around one and one/half hours. A medium to large car, van or truck is required. In addition, drivers are needed to drive the Kitchen Van on weekday mornings to pick up donations from local stores. If you have any questions, you can call the Kitchen manager, Elizabeth Hale, at 778-6380. This is a real opportunity to be part of the Christian Community in Action.

Parish Lending Library. The Parish Library is currently open to all parishioners, offering a selection of over 800 Christian and Catholic books. It is opened before and after all Masses, and there is no charge to check out a book. The library features many famous authors, such as Pope John Paul II and C.S. Lewis as well as books of beautiful pictures of the Vatican and holy sites around the world. Stop by to browse the collection and find a topic of interest to you. The library is located behind the church in room 9 - the door on the end of the building with a sign in the window. Check out period is two weeks and late fees are one dollar per week. The Parish Library is a service of the Columbian Squires.

Cursillo 4th Day Meetings. Our weekly meetings are held at 1320A Commerce St., Petaluma. Meeting times are 7-8:30 p.m. every Tuesday. Come and join us. We look forward to meeting you and praying with you. Questions, please contact Barbara, 762-1458.

Colombian Squires Need A Few Good Young Catholic Men. The Squires would like to invite 10-17 year-olds to join us. If you want to make a difference by serving our church and community, this is the place for you. You will learn the fundamentals of leadership, planning, organizing and implementing activities as a team and having fun in the process. For the next two weekends the Squires and counselors will be on hand after all masses to distribute flyers and answer your questions.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Rohnert Park desperately needs your donations, especially of saleable used furniture arnd large appliances. These items are sold to provide funds to continue to feed 200-300 poor every day at the Santa Rosa Kitchen. Please call 584-1579 soon for a truck pick-up. Thank you!

Knights of Columbus Membership Drive. Fellow Catholics, Brothers of the Knights of Columbus are inviting Catholic Men and their families to learn more about the Knights. The St. James Petaluma Council is growing and is opening its doors to new members. This is an opportunity to give back to your faith through the Knights. Our order is 124 years old and was started by a priest. Since then, it has grown more than 1.7 million men and their families. For more information, ask any Brother Knight or you may call Pat Barnes at 773-0713. Thank you and God Bless.

WOW! - Widows or Widowers of Petaluma...a social group established 17 years ago for all widows and widowers of Petaluma. Dinner meetings held twice a month at area restaurants and various other social activities held throughout the year. To make new friends and have an enjoyable evening out, call Joanne Leonard, 763-3285, or Shirley Isabel, 763-6238.

Department of Cemeteries. Over 100 years ago, our forefathers developed parish cemeteries for the service of our faithful in their time of loss. In 1962, the Diocese established the Department of Cemeteries to better manage these sacred burial grounds. Waiting until a death occurs to make cemetery arrangements will force those left behind to make important emotional and financial decisions on one of the most difficult days of their lives. Moreover, many families faced with an emergency will make these decisions without considering the Catholic burial options that were so wisely and generously handed down to us. Bishop Walsh recently implemented a program to create a greater awareness of our Catholic cemeteries, explain the many options that are available to us, and discuss the benefits of making these important decisions before the time of need. Representatives will be available after all masses this weekend to answer your questions and provide additional information on our Catholic cemeteries. Please feel free to call Tami Lamporte, director of Family Service, directly at 888-359-6534 for more information.

Have We Got a Ministry for You? We all have different gifts from God. Some are linguists, some - teachers, some - singers, etc. Have you considered how your talents can contribute to your church? We have a list of the parish ministries. Come and talk to the folks who are in the various ministries and see which ones fit you best. Our parish is great because of the vitality of our ministries, but think how much greater it will be when all parishiones share their talents with one another! For some pictures of the first ministry fair, click here.

St. James Memorial Garden. The installation of bricks is an on-going project. If you want to honor a family member or friend, living or deceased, please stop by the parish office for a form or call, and we will mail one to you. The cost of each brick is $50.00. We will take orders anytime.

Prayer Chain. Do you have special intentions or prayers you would like offered, etc.? For requests call Peggy, 763-3332, Yolanda, 762-9155, or Kris, 778-8614, or e-mail kmanz@joimail.com.

Monthly Rosary for Priests...last Saturday of each month. Meet at 1:45 p.m. The Rosary starts at 2:00 p.m. sharp at the St. Vincent Ministry Center, 252 Howard St., Petaluma. Everyone is invited. You may pray the Rosary in any language you wish.

Human Services Department County of Sonoma. Foster parents are needed for children and youth of all ages and ethnic backgrounds. Both short and long-term homes are being recruited. Couples and single people may become foster parents. Renters are also welcome. There is a monthly stipend for each child, and medical and dental coverage is provided. Training and support are also provided. For more info, please call 565-4274.

St. Vincent Elementary School...is hosting monthly tours of the school for prospective families. Tours will be held the first Wednesday of each month, 9:00-10:00 a.m. Please call the school office, 762-6426, to make a tour reservation or for more information.

You can make a difference. All you do is register your Safeway Club Card with the eScrip program. Then shop at Safeway or other participating stores and they will donate up to 4% of your purchases to St. Vincent High School (SVHS) and SV grade school. More info available in the back of the church, at SVHS, or call 763-8402.

Catholic Online Courses. The Knights of Columbus have a home study program on the web, www.kofc.org. - a useful resource for new Catholics or for anyone looking for Catholic information.

For Those of You Who Physically Cannot Make it to Mass on Sunday, there is a Mass at 11 a.m. on the Hallmark Channel (locally Channel 66) from the University of Notre Dame.

EWTN Global Catholic Network. You may find Catholic programming on Comcast Digital Channel 229 or Dish Network Channel 261.

Young Adult Catholics (YACS). St. Eugene's 20's-30's Club. Come and join us for an opportunity to make friends, socialize, pray, and do service with peers of similar values. YACS invites all Catholic young adults from all over the area to participate. Info: Sienna 665-0572 or Mike 579-8999.

Choir.

Youth Choir Seeks Members. The St. James Youth Choir seeks volunteers. If you enjoy singing, why not share your God-given talents with your parish community? You can have fun, improve your singing ability and become an active participant in your parish community - all at the same time. For information, call Roberta, 763-4773.

The 9:00 a.m. Choir is always Looking for More Members. They practice from 7:30-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday evenings and from 8:35 to 8:50 a.m. on Sunday mornings. In addition, they would welcome occasional help from accompanists or other musicians (including apprentice conductors who read music well). Singers age 10 and up are invited to join the 9:00 a.m. Choir. (If you are too young to drive, ask one of your favorite grownups to sign up with you.) This is also a good time for more men to join - our one male singer reads music and sings in tune, so he will give you confidence. Come see us after Mass or call Mary Jo at 778-0724.

Sunday 11:00 a.m. Choir. Looking for a fun way to serve your St. James community? Join the choir? Stop by after Mass and talk to anyone in the group, or come to the Rectory on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and sing with us.

Sunday Evening Mass Choir Would Like to Welcome New Members. Do you like to sing or do you play an instrument? Then how about joining the 5:00 Sunday night contemporary choir. We arrive at 4:15 p.m. to warm up the vocals. No other practice time required. Share your gift of music. Let's talk. Call Nancy at 763-8122.

The Stephen P. Collins Scholarship Fund was established in December 2000 in order to support Casa Grande and Petaluma High School graduates who at some time had been enrolled in the English Language Learner program and who are going on to higher education. Please click here for more information.

St. James Aids Ministry Outreach. Do you know someone affected and/or infected by Aids? Are you? "A.M.O." volunteers can help, listen and pray. Please call Hal, 585-3331, Kathy, 763-0455, or Pat, 763-9359. All calls and inquiries are confidential.

Employment and Volunteer Opportunities:

Altar Society. We are in need of ladies to help clean the sanctuary once a week on Friday or Saturday. At present, we have about 10 ladies who rotate throughout the year. If you can spare some time and would like to help, please call Amparo at 763-3832.

Petaluma Valley Hospital, 400 N. McDowell Blvd., an acute care hospital, needs volunteers for Gift Shop, patient escort, information desk, and day surgery service. If interested, call Virginia Merwin at 778-2659.

People-Link. Want a chance to minister right in your own home? Open your heart and home to a high school student from Germany, Japan, China or Korea, attending local high schools. Contact Leann Clark at PeopleLink at 769-5152 for details.

Catholic Detention Ministries. Parish Volunteer Needed: Catholic Detention Ministries needs one or more volunteers to form a parish link with CDM office. CDM is a lay-led ministry to families and to those in juvenile hall, jail, prison, and to others on probation or parole. CDM covers a large mission territory, with volunteers responding to the spiritual needs of more than 2000 individuals in juvenile facilities and jails in all six counties of the Diocese. The needs are great. The resources are small. If you are interested in this unique ministry, please contact B. Sullivan at Catholic Detention Ministries, 544-9080.

Forget-Me-Not...is a day program for people with Alzheimer's disease, located across from St. Vincent's. Volunteers are needed for the Tuesday and Thursday programs. Training is provided. The program is a low-cost program, a collaboration between Catholic Charities and Petaluma People Services. Call Michelle, 528-8712 ext. 20.

Volunteers Needed For St. Vincent's Dining Room...610 Wilson St., Santa Rosa (Saturday and Sunday, 6 a.m.-1 p.m. - Cooks (min. exp.) (All week days noon- 1 p.m. - Clean-up.) (Tue-Wed-Thur, 9 a.m.-11 a.m. - Food pick-up drivers & helpers, our truck.) Volunteer positions are for one day a week. Please contact Ben or Gobi at St. Vincent's, 528-7580.

Santa Rosa-Catholic Charities Vehicle Donations. You can donate a vehicle, boat, motor home or plane to Catholic Charities and claim a tax deduction in the amount of your gift's fair market value. Vehicles need to be registered and running. Unless cars are considered vintage, they are unable to accept models manufactured prior to 1985. For more info, call the Development Office, 528-8712 and ask for Elisa at ext. 28.

Volunteers Needed For Catholic Charities' Programs Family Support Center. The Santa Rosa shelter for families, needs volunteers at the front desk every evening, 5-8 p.m. Help answer phones and greet donors with household items, etc. Call Carol at 542-5426.

Catholic Charities Housing Services needs volunteers to help assemble housing packets (bilingual helpful) and for outside work on the transitional housing units, such as painting, gardening, and small repairs. Call 575-0215.

Santa Rosa-Catholic Charities - Do You Love Kids? Santa Rosa-Catholic Charities is looking for volunteers who would enjoy working with children who have dealt with disappointments and hard times at an early age. There are several openings for people to help at the family shelter in downtown Santa Rosa. Currently volunteers are needed for the new preschool program, open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and for an additional hour in the evening while parents attend support groups, workshops, and complete assignments. If you are interested, please contact Jane, 542-5426.

I'm Home Alone program is looking for more friendly voices to call homebound people to be sure they are O.K. Rewarding job! Call Michele, 528-8712

Sister Teresita Children's Center in the Family Support Center needs volunteers Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 5:45 p.m. until about 8:15 p.m. work with younger children on a variety of projects including reading and entertainment, etc Call 528-8712 ext. 20.

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