The pilgrims arrived back this week tired but on fire with their faith a little more. We truly had an amazing trip, and we visited many incredible sites. In Istanbul, we continued to pilgrim in St. Paul’s footsteps. Istanbul, once known as Constantinople, was built by the emperor Constantine to give a notably city for…
As I am writing this eBulletin I am in Istanbul, Turkey with a group of 48 pilgrims from St. Simon and Holy Spirit Parishes and we are halfway through our pilgrimage of Walking in the Footsteps of St. Paul. It has been a lot of traveling each day and the pace has been a little…
In today’s Gospel, Jesus challenges the disciples’ assumptions about greatness, turning their ideas upside down by teaching that the first must be the last and the servant of all (Mark 9:30-37). At first glance, the disciples’ reaction seems almost automatic, driven by their desire for prestige and status. This instinctual response—seeking power and recognition—is part…
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus! India is celebrated for its diversity and richness of various cultures and traditions, number of languages and dialects, vast variety of food customs and climatic conditions, inestimable art forms and architectures and India has been a cradle of regions and schools of philosophy. India is one of…
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus engages in a powerful and personal dialogue with His disciples, asking them, “Who do people say that I am?” The responses vary—John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the prophets—but it is Peter’s response, when Jesus asks, “But who do you say that I am?” that shifts the conversation. Peter,…
The beginning of the school year and the arrival of September hit me hard this week. Life just sped up radically. How are you feeling? Are you feeling the same? I found myself with very full days and I felt like I had more going on than ever and not enough time to fit it…
It was so exciting to see all the kids come back to school on Wednesday! We welcomed over 540 children back to school and that is a huge increase over previous years. Wow! We missed seeing them and their families over the summer as they traveled on vacation to see family and friends. While it…
Dear St. Simon Parishioners, The Parish Life Group (PLG) presents “A Moonlit Garden Gala”, the 15th biennial parish auction, to be held on Saturday, February 8th at the beautiful Villa Ragusa in Campbell. 5:30pm Cocktail Reception and Silent Auction 7:00pm Dinner and Live Auction 8:30pm Dancing FAQsDONATION FORM – SEE INSTRUCTIONS BELOWDONATE HEREBUY TICKETS HERE!FUND A…
Last year I attended a week at a health spa where I learnt a lot about body nutrition, medical advances and how best to apply those to our modern way of life. It is a complex challenge given our processed food world! I learnt about the varied ways to lose weight and the importance of…
Over the last few weeks, I have immensely enjoyed the Olympics. While I was away on vacation, I got to watch many sports that I never watch and I have enjoyed the skills of the competitors in unpredictable ways, particularly as I knew little about the sports. Since I returned home from vacation, I have…