Busy Weekend

Saturday, we helped out in the hospitality team's task during the French polling at Notre Dame where water and cookies were served to the French expat community in SFO and Bay Area. They came to vote for their own presidential candidate. Husband and I served refreshments at Notre Dame de Victoires along Bush Street. It was tiring, a hot day- almost like summer time~ but it was worth it. While posted along Bush Street, we noticed on how the French folks are indeed an interesting mass~ very elegant, dressy and classy. We offered water and cookies as they cruised along the handicapped entrance of our parish. There, the consular folks were heading the poll. The French Consular Office by the way is right next to the church.

Husband and I helped Alona and John with the task. We had fun saying "bonjour and merci."

We were there from 10 AM to 12 Noontime. From Bush, we walked down Market then to Metreon and finally we headed to our destination: the Yerba Buena Park where we watched a jazz concert from 1 PM till about half past three. We had to leave earlier when it was still in progression since my pollen allergies were triggered. We were in the open air- concert at the park, so the pollen was really bad for me. There were lots of people who came by and brought food; had picnic with their friends and loved ones as the concert was going on- just like us. We packed some brie cheese, cracked beans,
biscotti and oranges. Later, husband bought chocolates and white wine that was three blocks from the park. It was great, lying on the grass with our blanket, reading Time magazine as the jazz music filled the air. It was breezy but sunny. Birds were occasionally flying at low range and at one point when I was standing and fixing my jeans, I had to stoop down so I won't be hit. Yikes!

After couple of hours at the park, my eyes were puffy and my face was so itchy, then my sinusitis was hitting me off really bad. Then, my headache felt like it was pumping my skull hardcore with a jack hammer sort of thing. So we went home. We hailed the bus that dropped us off at the bus stop along Washington Square. It was a full day- Saturday (*sigh*).

Sunday morning, we left North Beach at eight quarter and walked along Grant (Chinatown) and headed once more to Notre Dame (our new parish for Sunday mass). We brought Almond Biscotti (5 recipes) that I baked from 10 AM to 6 PM- golly, imagine how much they were! I was tired from baking the whole day, the day before!

At church, we were delighted to see that the San Francisco Worldwide Marriage Encounter (SF WWME) inserts and announcement were in the church bulletin and that was awesome! With us being with the board of SF WWME, we have been campaigning for the parishes within our radius (they are 4) to allow us to place brochures, announcements and inserts in their bulletin and church entrance- to inform couples of the existence of Worldwide Marriage Encounter in our community. Its magic works for married couples with good marriages to enliven their relationship in a deeper level with a better grasp and use of communication skills we never learned in school or earlier on in our marriages. You should attend one in your area! Google it and you'd find one! Anyhow, we hope couples from our parish in Notre Dame would sign up for the weekend encounter in June. It will be in Burlingame.

At church, Fr. Rene was there as we walked in at around quarter to nine. There, we greeted him and vice versa then he asked, "Did you two have a good tan after having been in the sun for hours serving refreshments?" We all had a good laugh! Oh, he is so sweet and we love this priest who is well-loved in his faith community. He is very communicative and interactive with people and he is truly a great pastor of Notre Dame. He is very involved and makes sure he knows what's up and about around him, knows his parishioners and can say their names. Comparatively speaking, in Saints Peter and Paul, the priests there don't even know us from Adam! And we hear mass there 6X a week! Anyway, in Notre Dame- it was just our 3rd Sunday there yet we feel so at home and accepted. We met heaves of people who are warm and quite welcoming to us as new couple in the parish.

Before the 9 AM Mass, Fr. Rene escorted us to the church hall at the basement so we would know where to go for our "Hospitality Team" task. We were hosting the coffee morning for the first time after the 9 AM mass. We were kind of excited and was looking forward to knowing how it works and what's there to do. At the hall, we met Mary and Jane who hosted the hospitality after the 7:30 AM Mass. They were fine middle-aged women who are quite polite and well-bread. We have communicated by phone and email and they are awesome! They are older than us, obviously more experienced in this volunteering work but they just connected us well with them which was great!

NOTE:

Hospitality is like "coffee morning time with parishioners" where hot coffee, tea, juice, cookies, fruits and cheese are served to acquaint parishioners with each other. It's a way of making the social atmosphere in church more relaxed and inviting.

At the church hall, we met several folks and visitors from Indiana who were exploring San Francisco for the first time. They were delighted to have coffee with the locals- us-the San Franciscans and felt very much welcome! This is the very essence of this hospitality. In relevance to this- I remember feeling the same way when husband and I flew in to Portland, Oregon last year in May when we visited my brother-in-law for health reasons.

We went to their Magadelene Parish and after mass, we were invited for coffee and we had fun, met people and told them we were visiting and were just passing by at church but wanted to hear mass with then, being a Sunday. I remember it was a chilly, rainy spring morning! There, we just felt in-sync with the Catholic community despite the fact that we were just visiting at that time. So this works, coffee mornings- hospitality (whatever you call it). Indeed- it connects people, especially to those living alone in the city, this is a great way to be a part of a community where you don't feel segregated by color, race or age.

Sadly, our nearby parish in North Beach (Saints Peter and Paul) does not have this hospitality for its parishioners. Well, different folks- different strokes, right? We respect that.

As for our maiden voyage as hosts for the hospitality, so far-we did our task well. As advised by our mentors, we headed straight to the hall right after communion and prepped the milieu. Actually, Jane and Mary had already set the table and placed all the biscottis I baked (volunteers like us donate food). The table setting was lovely. After a while, at a little past 9 AM, people came and started their coffee. Kids ran to the table of chocolates. Wow! What an energy they bring- wonderful! While sipping coffee and munching cookies, we met several French folks who are also volunteers for the Hospitality Team. In retrospect, it was a wholesome experience for husband and I. After we were done, we headed out and went home.
By early afternoon another thing was scheduled (mamamia) and so we prepped our flat since the Love Circle of SF WWME was coming to our place for the meeting. It was our first time to host it (two hosting in a day, whatta life!) and it turned out well! Our new friends and acquaintances emailed to say they felt "quite at home." Well, that was superb! Meeting adjourned at half past six in the evening. There-story of my life! Cheers!