FEAST OF ST. MICHAEL: SEPTEMBER 29

The Catholic Church in Toronto has been under the patronage of St. Michael the Archangel from the very beginning of the Archdiocese.  For over 150 years, St. Michael has protected the faithful who have come here from many different lands and cultures.  Cardinal Collins has declared that today Sunday, September 29^th, the Feast of St. Michael is to be celebrated with special solemnity throughout the Archdiocese, as a way of recognizing our great patron and to strengthen the unity among all the faithful.  As part of this, we will be celebrating this Feast day with our Fall Parish Picnic at Streetsville Memorial Park.

Cardinal Collins has issued a Decree granting certain Plenary Indulgences for those who participate in Holy Mass or in the Liturgy of the Hours as well as the usual conditions needed for obtaining a Plenary Indulgence (Reconciliation, receive Holy Eucharist and pray for Pope’s Intentions within 20 days).

CHURCH ZONES OF SILENCE

“The search for intimacy with God involves the truly vital need of silence embracing the whole being, both for those who must find God in the midst of noise and confusion and for those who are dedicated to the contemplative life.  To achieve this, their entire being has need of silence, and this requires zones of effective silence and a personal discipline to favor contact with God.” eBl. Pope John Paul II (message to the Plenaria, n.2)

Please help to make our church a zone of silence for those who come to pray.  Protracted talking within the Church, even in whispers, can be a real distraction to those who are trying to focus on God.  When socializing after Mass, be mindful of closing the inner doors and keeping the noise level down for those praying in Church.

From the Pastor's Desk

Once again, September has arrived.  Everyone has returned from summer vacation, and the many different summer activities that keep people crazy busy.  We move from the hectic activities of summer into the hectic activities of September:  the start of the school year, the beginning of the kids’ sports or other weekly activities.  At our Parish it means the startup of our Catechesis programs, the choirs, and of all of the Ministries that have taken a few months off for the summer.  Sometimes it can seem like a case of “same old same old.”  Even if we really do appreciate this time of year, it may feel as though we’ve seen it all before.  For children, September really does bring a fresh start to a new year in their lives.  It can be that way for us adults too.  September can be a new beginning for all of us.  It is a great time to give our spiritual journey some ‘face time’. Becoming involved in your Parish can start by becoming a member of one of our Ministries, choirs or volunteering at Parish events. There’s always room and a need for more involvement in the Youth Ministries of our Parish.  For our church to really increase how vibrant and relevant we are in our world today, we need people to take part in roles both large and small. Whether this kind of involvement is new for you, or if you’ve been filling some role for years on end, there are always new opportunities waiting for you.  May each one of us, be open to Jesus making all things new in us.  May this September be a new beginning for all of our Parish family.

ePeace,    Fr. Marc-André Campbell