Thank you for all your support for our  41st Annual Thanksgiving Dinner!! We had a wonderful week of sharing the holiday with those in our community—we safely welcomed hundreds of guests to our campus on Wednesday. Thank you also to Meals on Wheels West, who helped us deliver dinners to over 75 households on Thanksgiving, plus we shared Vons Thanksgiving boxes with many in need of some holiday joy.

Now that Advent is upon, it's Share the Season: 2020 Edition with the St. Joseph Center . . . yes, it's time for Adopt a Family and Stockings for Singles!  In 2020, we are continuing both of these beloved traditions, and hope you'll share in the fun!

Do you have a compassionate heart and listen well to others?  Then think about becoming a Stephen Minister and apply now! The due date for applications is Tuesday, Dec. 1.  We're starting a new Stephen Ministry Training session in January 2021. Stephen Ministers are trained extensively to provide confidential, one-to-one, Christian care to people who are experiencing a difficult time.  Stephen Ministers are ready to care for you—appointments now available.

Our Pastoral Care Ministers are ready to serve you during challenging times.  Are you or someone you know experiencing pandemic fatigue? Consider Stephen Ministry. For those who are experiencing grief of any kind this year, we hope you'll join us for our Living with Grief at the Holidays workshop on Thursday, Dec. 3.

And there's a lot of Christmas fun & creativity bursting forth in our ministries!  On Nov. 30, our Thirty-Five through Forties Ministry is taking it easy with Game Night. YMA Vespers is back this week with Dominik Gnirs: Reflections of Catholic Mystics on Christmas. All young adults (20s and 30s), mark your calenders for The Ugly Sweater Christmas Social! 

GLO/LGBTQ+ is gearing up for the holidays with a wonderful Christmas Party on the Dec. 6. Film Club will be discussing O. Henry's Full House on the Dec. 10 and the Green Team is showing us how to have a "green" Christmas!

Thinking of you always and sending our love & good wishes,
 

St. Monica Outreach & Pastoral Care Team:

Delis Alejandro, Director       Christine Gerety, Assoc. Director          Marcus Johnson, Ministry Asst.

Highlights

• Share the Season: 2020 Edition - It's time for Adopt a Family & Stockings for Singles! Stop by our Virtual Open house or visit our webpage for more information!
• Are you a great listener with a big heart? We are looking for people just like you to become Stephen Ministers! Click Here to Apply - Applications Due Dec. 1!
• Our Bereavement Ministry invites all to sign up for our next Living with Grief at the Holidays Workshop on the Thursday, Dec. 3.
• Young Ministering Adults Vespers will be back Dec. 1 & commit to our Ugly Sweater Christmas Social on Dec. 3!
• GLO/LGBTQ+ is celebrating the holidays with their Christmas Party on Dec. 6!  There'll be gingerbread house contests, holiday games & more!
• Stop by Virtual Holy Grounds to say hello! We're online every weekday after the 12:10 Mass! Click Here to Register Once and Join Anytime!
• If you feel that you need some support, make sure to check out the links below for help!
  Stephen Ministry
  Hope at the Door
  COVID-19 Response Ministry

Calendar 

Thank you for all your support for our  41st Annual Thanksgiving Dinner!! We had a wonderful week of sharing the holiday with those in our community—we safely welcomed hundreds of guests to our campus on Wednesday. Thank you also to Meals on Wheels West, who helped us deliver dinners to over 75 households on Thanksgiving, plus we shared Vons Thanksgiving boxes with many in need of some holiday joy.

 

Now that Advent is upon, it's Share the Season: 2020 Edition with the St. Joseph Center . . . yes, it's time for Adopt a Family and Stockings for Singles!  In 2020, we are continuing both of these beloved traditions, and hope you'll share in the fun!

 

Do you have a compassionate heart and listen well to others?  Then think about becoming a Stephen Minister and apply now! The due date for applications is Tuesday, Dec. 1.  We're starting a new Stephen Ministry Training session in January 2021. Stephen Ministers are trained extensively to provide confidential, one-to-one, Christian care to people who are experiencing a difficult time.  Stephen Ministers are ready to care for you—appointments now available.

 

Our Pastoral Care Ministers are ready to serve you during challenging times.  Are you or someone you know experiencing pandemic fatigue? Consider Stephen Ministry. For those who are experiencing grief of any kind this year, we hope you'll join us for our Living with Grief at the Holidays workshop on Thursday, Dec. 3.

 

And there's a lot of Christmas fun & creativity bursting forth in our ministries!  On Nov. 30, our Thirty-Five through Forties Ministry is taking it easy with Game Night. YMA Vespers is back this week with Dominik Gnirs: Reflections of Catholic Mystics on Christmas. All young adults (20s and 30s), mark your calenders for The Ugly Sweater Christmas Social! 

 

GLO/LGBTQ+ is gearing up for the holidays with a wonderful Christmas Party on the Dec. 6. Film Club will be discussing O. Henry's Full House on the Dec. 10 and the Green Team is showing us how to have a "green" Christmas!

 

Thinking of you always and sending our love & good wishes,
 

St. Monica Outreach & Pastoral Care Team:

 

Delis Alejandro, Director       Christine Gerety, Assoc. Director          Marcus Johnson, Ministry Asst.

                                               

 

Highlights

• Share the Season: 2020 Edition - It's time for Adopt a Family & Stockings for Singles! Stop by our Virtual Open house or visit our webpage for more information!
• Are you a great listener with a big heart? We are looking for people just like you to become Stephen Ministers! Click Here to Apply - Applications Due Dec. 1!
• Our Bereavement Ministry invites all to sign up for our next Living with Grief at the Holidays Workshop on the Thursday, Dec. 3.
• Young Ministering Adults Vespers will be back Dec. 1 & commit to our Ugly Sweater Christmas Social on Dec. 3!
• GLO/LGBTQ+ is celebrating the holidays with their Christmas Party on Dec. 6!  There'll be gingerbread house contests, holiday games & more!
• Stop by Virtual Holy Grounds to say hello! We're online every weekday after the 12:10 Mass! Click Here to Register Once and Join Anytime!
• If you feel that you need some support, make sure to check out the links below for help!
  Stephen Ministry
  Hope at the Door
  COVID-19 Response Ministry

Calendar 

29Nov

Share the Season Virtual Open House Sunday, Nov 29 @ 1:00 PM

30Nov

TTF Drop-In Lounge Monday, Nov 30 @ 7:30 PM

01Dec

Share the Season Virtual Open House Tuesday, Dec 1 @ 6:00 PM

01Dec

YMA Vespers Tuesday, Dec 1 @ 7:30 PM

02Dec

Women of St. Monica Wednesday, Dec 2 @ 7:00 PM

03Dec

Living with Grief at the Holidays Thursday, Dec 3 @ 1:00 PM

03Dec

YMA Christmas Social Thursday, Dec 3 @ 7:00 PM

03Dec

Living with Grief at the Holidays Thursday, Dec 3 @ 7:00 PM

06Dec

GLO Christmas Celebration Sunday, Dec 6 @ 7:00 PM

10Dec

Film Club Discussion: Full House Thursday, Dec 10 @ 7:00 PM

 

 

Fellowship

Young Ministering Adults

Vespers: Reflections of Catholic Mystics on Christmas with Dominik Gnirs

Tuesday, Dec. 1 | 7:30 p.m. | Zoom

It has been a long year and we are longing for a beautiful Christmas and the coming of Christ, but "what good would it be if God was born 2000 years ago and he is not born in my person and my culture and my times?" The Catholic mystic Meister Eckhart points us here towards a deeper reality: That Christ does not just come to this world but to your heart and into your life.  What does this mean and how do we let Christ in? Listen to an Advent story of a different kind in the contemplative way of mystics, leading us ever closer to God.

 

The Ugly Christmas Sweater Social

Thursday, Dec. 3 | 7:00 p.m. | Zoom

Rock your best sweater and come for fellowship! While we can't gather in person, wear your favorite Christmas sweater and bring your holiday drink of choice to connect with YMA, and "Cheers" to Christmas. 

There will be a prize for the best Ugly Sweater, so dress to impress!

 

 

Check out the YMA page for more information on how to participate in YMA Events!

  

Thirty-five Through Forties (TTF) Ministry

Game Night!

Monday, Nov. 30 | 7:30 p.m.| Zoom

The TTF Drop-In Lounge is open for fun & fellowship—it's time for another edition of TTF Game Night!  Say "hi" to old friends, meet new ones, and match wits, all in the name of good fun.  Possible games include Scattergories, Codenames, Trivia, and maybe even some good old-fashioned Bingo!

Click Here for the TTF Ministry page!

  

GLO

GLO Christmas Celebration!

Sunday, Dec. 6 | 7:00 p.m.

Even though we can't gather around the fireplace in the Auditorium, it doesn't mean we can't gather around our computer screens and share some Christmas joy.
 

Click Here for the GLO page for more Information and Events!

 

Film Club

December Discussion: O'Henry's Full House

Thursday, Dec. 10 | 7:00 p.m. | Zoom

This holiday season may not be full of the usual gatherings. Not to worry! The Film Club is coming to the rescue! Join us for a night full of surprises, wonderful characters and a simpler time (the early 1900s) when we discuss the 1953 classic film, O. Henry’s Full House. This star-studded anthology features five of O. Henry’s most classic short stories, including the Christmas classic, The Gift of the Magi. The Film Club team and our host, Father David Guffey, look forward to seeing you!

Click Here for more information and how to register!

 

Peace & Justice

Share the Season: 2020 Edition

Adopt-a-Family & Stockings for Singles!

 

For more than twenty-five years, St. Monica Catholic Community and the St. Joseph Center in Venice have collaborated on Adopt-a-Family. St. Monica parishioners provide food and gifts to hundreds families and individuals in need during the holidays.  In 2019, we introduced Stockings for Singles, to make sure that single individuals and couples enjoy the holidays too!

 

In 2020, we are continuing both of these traditions, and hope you'll join in the fun.  To learn more about how you can Adopt a Family or sponsor a Stocking for a Single, click the link below.

 

 

Click Here for the Share the Season: 2020 Edition Webpage!

 

Green Team

Rethinking the Season of Giving

Click Here for more information on how to have a "green" Christmas!

  

Pastoral Care

Stephen Ministry

Ever Thought about Becoming a Stephen Minister? Are you compassionate?  Do you see yourself as a care giver?  Do you wonder how God is asking you to serve him?  Consider Stephen Ministry.

Our Ministry will begin training another class of Stephen Ministers in January of 2021. If you have gifts for caring, encouragement, and listening, consider serving as a Stephen Minister. Deadline for application is Dec. 1, 2020. Register at the link below.

 

Are You Experiencing Pandemic Fatigue? Are You in Need of Support?

Are you feeling exhausted from all the disruptions to life brought on by the pandemic?

 

If you wish to speak with someone please call and leave a message for one of our Stephen Ministry leaders at (310) 566-1575. They will get back to you.

 

Check out the Stephen Ministry page for more information on how to get help

Bereavement Ministry

Living With Grief at the Holidays Workshop

Thursday, Dec. 3 | 1:00 & 7:00 p.m. - identical sessions

Although the holiday season can be a time of joy for many, for those of us who have lost a loved one, this time of year may make us feel our loss even more deeply.  To respond to this need, our St. Monica Bereavement Ministry is hosting a workshop to provide guidance, support, and practical ideas for navigating through the holidays (and birthdays and anniversaries) while we are living with grief.  All are welcome.

 

Click Here for more information on Bereavement Ministry Offerings!