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COMMUNITY
May 7, 2019 | The Valley Catholic
Catholic Cemeteries…Basking in the Resurrection
By Candee Lucas
As we enter the Eastertide, I am
moved to remember the words of the
Persian poet Rumi (a desert father in
the best sense) who in the 13h Century
wrote:
“Goodbyes are only for those who love
with their eyes. Because for those who love
with heart and soul there is no such thing
as separation.”
For are we not called to bask in the
love of Jesus reflected by his resurrec-
tion? Asked to love with our hearts
and our souls, clearly not just with our
eyes? Each day during the season, we
can remember in mass or in private
or common prayer what this gift of
uncompromising, radical love means
to each of us in our daily lives. Remem-
ber Romans 8:35: “Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ?” A very rhetorical
question.
We can start each day with a re-
newed and grateful heart. We can
start each day with an affirmative ‘yes’
to God.
Shortly after I was moved to my
own conversion moment and became
Catholic, I was immediately drawn
to the Lenten Season. I viewed Ash
Wednesday as a communal call to
pause and note in the middle of our
daily lives, His call and His response
and His sacrifice. I proudly wore that
first ashen cross on my forehead and
spent the next forty days ‘steeling’
myself for what was to come. Each year
I now give up my hair so that when I
touch my head every day I can remind
myself: after all He is in the desert suf-
fering for YOU.
Because we all know the story and
how it ends, I think many may not
take the time to savor the journey and
the burnishing that comes with being
in the desert with Christ those forty
days. It is all preparing us for a new
moment with Him after His resurrec-
tion. It is in those days of Easter, after
the Resurrection, that His love shines
so brightly and new to us. Imagine a
new day with Him, new hope and new
love; and new grace. That is the gift
that Easter brings to each of us. The
possibility of a renewed life, and love
and hope in Him and with Him,
This is not to say that our worldly
duties are forgotten or even lessened.
But, somehow we can move through
our days easier and lighter with the
reminder of the taste of His new love
still on our tongues. We remember
what it is to be held in the arms of
one who only knows boundless love
for us. We are comforted in our silent
moments and rejoice in His love in our
public selves. For our “secret” is that
Eastertide has reminded us how truly
loved we are. How we are never sepa-
rated from Him and that Love; not even
for an instant. Not in our wearying or
worrying. Not in our coming and our
going. Not. At. All.
As we are loved by God, we are
asked to love others. Consider this
Easter Season following through on the
idea to complete your end-of-life plans.
If you do not have an Advance Direc-
tive in place, come to our workshop
and do it. If you need burial property,
make an appointment with one of our
counselors for a free tour. Catholic
Cemeteries is here to walk with you on
this journey. Give your family peace of
mind and ease their financial burden
by putting your plans in place today at
www.ccdsj.org or (650) 549-6056.
Upcoming Workshops
ADVANCE DIRECTIVE
May 18 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Saint Joseph of Cupertino Parish
10110 N. De Anza Blvd. Cupertino
Presenter: Cindy Safe
An Advance Directive (Power of At-
torney for Heath Care) is a document is
a critical legal document that every per-
son 18 years and older should complete.
It clearly states your requests regarding
health care if you are unable to speak
for yourself. It names the person(s)
who will carry out your wishes. This
workshop discussions important issues
that arise from these decisions. Your
family and health care providers will
appreciate this legal statement. RSVPs
appreciated but not necessary.
ESTATE PLANNING WORKSHOP
June 29 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
10110 N. De Anza Blvd. Cupertino
Estate Planning is a comprehensive
process involving many components.
The workshop will cover Living Trust;
charitable and legacy planning; life-
time gifting program; medical care
planning(Advance Health Care Direc-
tive); planning for incapacity(durable
financial power of attorney); burial
and funeral planning. Come with your
questions.
Death Café
May 15 from 7 – 9 p.m. (3rd Wed. each
month) at 890 Benton Street, Santa Clara
Facilitator: Candee Lucas, M.A. Pastoral
Ministries.
Want a safe place to talk about death
and dying and what it means? How do
we participate or incorporate dying
into our lives as we come upon that
experience? Space provided by Santa
Clara University Graduate Program in
Pastoral Ministries. For more informa-
tion: www.deathcafe.com/deathcafe .
Endorsed by Catholic Cemeteries.
SOLACE – Soul + Grief
Monthly Drop-In Grief Support Group
Grounded in spirituality and faith
May 22 from 7– 9 p.m. at O’Connor
Hospital Chapel, Main Entrance
2105 Forest Ave., San Jose - parking in
the back lot, right of main entrance.
Facilitator: Candee Lucas, M.A. Pastoral
Ministries.
Facilitator: Candee Lucas, M.A. Pastoral
Ministries.
We hope to create a sacred space for
you to share your grieving. No RSVP
necessary. Free. Sponsored by Catholic
Cemeteries and O’Connor Hospital.
For more information or to schedule
a free workshop in your parish, contact
(650) 428-3730 or [email protected].
The Coat of Arms of Most Reverend Oscar Cantú
In accordance with the Church’s
heraldic tradition as instructed by the
Holy See on March 31, 1969, the Coat
of Arms of a Bishop is composed of
the following:
• A shield with its symbols, re-
ferring to family, geographic,
religious and historical mean-
ings and/or to the name of the
Bishop
• A golden processional cross,
representing the rank of Bishop,
behind the shield
• A green hat, called a galero, with
twelve (six on each side) tassels
attached, in rows of one, two
and three, from the top
• A scroll with the motto, writ-
ten in black, located beneath
the shield
Bishop Cantú’s Motto
“Z elus D omus T uae C omedit M e ”
Bishop Cantú chose as his episcopal
motto the Latin words, Zelus domus tuae
comedit me. This phrase, from Psalm 69,
expresses the Bishop’s firm belief that
all he does is for God: “Zeal for Your
house consumes me.”
Blazonry (heraldic description)
of the Coat of Arms of Bishop Oscar
Cantú.
It is customary for a Bishop’s coat
of arms to be described in 12 th century,
archaic terms. The heraldic shield is the
central and most important feature of
the coat of arms.
For his personal arms, Bishop Cantú
has adopted a design that reflects
aspects of his life and his ministry as
a priest. On a white field across the
center of the design is a black table on
which is displayed a gold chalice and
silver or white host, for the Eucharist,
the central feature of priestly ministry.
The Lord’s table and the family table
are where we gather – in the Church
and the domestic Church. They are
central in the life of the family of the
Church, as well as in the life of the
Cantú family.
The design is placed on a split field
that is blue on top and green on the
bottom. On this split field are two
crosiers: a gold bishop’s staff and a
simple abbot’s veiled staff. These are
to honor Saint Ansgar (also known as
Saint Oscar), who was a Benedictine
abbot before he was appointed Bishop
of Hamburg, Germany. Abbots used a
veiled crosier because, in ancient days,
when bishops wore gloves during the
liturgy, abbots did not; and the veil was
used to keep the abbot’s hands clean
for worship.
The coat of arms is completed with
external ornaments consisting of a gold
episcopal processional cross that is
placed in back of – and which extends
above and below – the shield; and the
green pontifical hat (galero) with six
tassels, in three rows on either side of
the shield.
Designed by Deacon Paul J. Sullivan,
Diocese of Providence.