We have ended the first half of the fiscal year (July 25-June 26). Thank you for your support of our parish's mission and ministries. In December, our average weekly collection was $34,510. You also generously donated to various important causes through our December special collections, totaling $11,844 ($2,961 per week). This brings our weekly December total to $37,471. We budgeted our Sunday Offertory income (less special collections) for JUL-DEC (25 weeks x $25,000) at $650,000, and we received $647,600 (-$2,400). Our 2025 Christmas collection stands at $120,000.

From the very beginning of my ministry here at St. Nicholas and St. William Parish, I have purposely placed the liturgical life of our parish at the very top of my agenda. Not in any way to diminish or devalue the other ministries, but because of my firm belief in these words: “… the liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed [and] the font from which all her power flows.” SC n. 10

We have begun the second quarter of the fiscal year (July 25-June 26). Thank you for your support of our parish's mission and ministries. In November, our average weekly collection was $26,206. You also generously donated to various important causes through our November special collections, totaling $14,613 ($3,653 per week). This brings our weekly November total $29,859.

We welcome Fr. Randy Valenton to our parish. He will be taking up residence at St. William Rectory as he begins his new assignment as chaplain at Children’s Hospital at Stanford. Fr. Randy is a priest of the Diocese of San Jose, and Fr. Matt’s former Parochial Vicar when he served as Pastor at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Palo Alto. Fr. Randy will be available to celebrate Sunday Mass with us.

It was a great pleasure to welcome you all on Friday evening for our shared gathering. While it was cold outside, the atmosphere inside was warm and joyful as our parish communities came together to share fellowship over wine, bread, and cheese.

Thank you for the abundance of Christmas blessings, prayers, good wishes, cards, gifts, and words of affirmation. This was the first Christmas Mass I missed with my parishioners in 35 years as a priest. However, by the grace of God, I have fully recovered through the compassionate, healing work of many nurses and doctors. I will return to public ministry on January 1, 2026, by praying the Holy Rosary on the World Day of Peace at 7:30 am, followed by the Holy Mass for Mary, Mother of God, at St. Nicholas Church. I offer to God an abundance of thanksgiving for all of you as we begin this New Year.

You are invited to the 5th season of Spiritual Companions. Please join us on Saturdays from 9:30-10:30 a.m. in St Nicholas Hall, from January 10th through April 4th, 2026. We will be reading and reflecting on The Confessions of Saint Augustine, the spiritual autobiography of Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D.), who is widely considered the greatest Christian philosopher of Antiquity.

The Garden Ministry keeps the St. Nicholas grounds beautiful and welcoming. Their work includes mowing, blowing, raking, and sweeping in addition to fine gardening work. We are grateful to the many hours the volunteers have dedicated to making the grounds at St Nicholas so beautiful. They meet weekly on a Friday morning. Do you have a couple of hours to join them? If so, contact Lidia at lidia.fiandeiro@dsj.org to connect you with the team.

Thank you for your overwhelming support of Bishop Cantu’s ministry to the people of our Diocese. Thus far, 377 families have paid $629,051 toward our parish goal of $440,000. We are projecting a $189,000 rebate. Please continue to make your monthly payments ($5,759 outstanding). Our refund will help fund our restroom and Reconciliation chapel project at St. William Church. Any gift or pledge, regardless of size, helps our Diocese and our Parish reveal Christ's presence in our community. Thank you for making a difference.

Friendly Voices will connect you 1:1 with your own personal compassionate volunteer who will CALL YOU EVERY WEEK for meaningful conversations, emotional support, and friendship. Friendly Voices is completely FREE, safe, and confidential. Our volunteers are background checked, trained, and supervised. Call (650) 395-8017

Over the last fiscal year, the St. Vincent de Paul Society – St. Athanasius Conference distributed your financial gifts ($24,037) as follows: Housing Assistance ($18,466); Utilities ($8,736); Transportation ($5,813); Other ($6,425).

Five teenagers asked the Pope questions regarding using technology, recovering from mistakes, giving worries to Jesus, avoiding distractions, and preparing for the future of the Church. The Pope gave guidance to the young crowd with words applicable to both teenagers and the universal Church.

On Monday, I was informed that Bishop Cantú decided to transfer Fr. Johannes to St. Lucy Parish in Campbell, effective Monday, December 1, 2025.

So, if you’re discouraged, keep going. Be consistent about Mass — for them and for yourself. Beyond that, I’d recommend sitting close to the front so kids can see what’s going on, instead of just staring at the back of someone’s head for an hour. Let them ask questions, help them learn the prayers, tour the church and greet your priest (my kids never leave Mass without saying hello to every celebrant, no matter how many).

We have begun the second quarter of the fiscal year (July 25-June 26). Thank you for your support of the mission and ministries of our parish. During the month of October, our average weekly collection was $24,127. You also generously donated to various important causes through our October special collections, totaling $6,728 ($1,570 per week). This brings our weekly October total $25,697.

This month, the Pope’s prayer intention is for prayer with the Word of God. For those of us who live with a mental health challenges, the Word of God assures us that God understands our struggles and always wants to offer us spiritual support.

Thank you for your overwhelming support of Bishop Cantu's ministry to the people of our Diocese. Thus far, 375 families have paid $614,488 toward our parish goal of $440,000. We are projecting a rebate of $128,000. Please continue to make your monthly payments ($14,113 outstanding). Our refund will help fund our restroom and Reconciliation chapel project at St. William Church. Any gift or pledge, regardless of size, helps our Diocese and our Parish reveal Christ's presence in our community. Thank you for making a difference.

We have completed the first quarter of the fiscal year (July 25-June 26). Thank you for your support of our parish's mission and ministries. During September, our average weekly collection was $24,514. You also generously donated to various important causes through our September special collections, totaling $6,586 ($1,647 per week). This brings our weekly September total $26,161.