From the Pastor's Desk

Ah, September!  With the calendar turning to September this coming week, a new pastoral year will begin!  It’s hard to believe how quickly the summer months have passed, and now, we settle back into our regular routines.   

  Commercials on TV and radio have bombarded parents with preparing for the return of their child/children to school.  The central message is, essentially, preparing for the big “back to school”.  It is a time to recommit to a routine that brings growth and enrichment, new understanding and surprising lessons – some of which are learned the hard way.

  For the past several weeks, the scriptures being read at Mass are doing a similar thing:  preparing us for the eternal kingdom.  The preparations are revealed through the Parables, their mission, to have everyone experience the kingdom of God – the greatest treasure we can acquire.       

  As we get back to our busy lives, we should take time to reflect on who God is calling us to be and what God wants us to do.  How wonderful it will be to share our sense of God’s presence and direction as we gather as a Parish community at our Fall Picnic on September 21^st , and then as we stand up for Life during the upcoming 40 Days for Life (Sept 24 – Nov 2) and at the Life Chain on October 5^th.   Fellowship opportunities are back on the agenda.  When we know one another and know the joys and concerns we are each experiencing, we can pray for, support and minister to one another. 

  It is my prayer that you share this excitement about what God’s been doing in our lives and what God is leading us to do in the months that lie ahead.  It is also my prayer that you’ll join with me in joyful commitment to worship and serve God, who has brought us to this amazing place in the Life of this, His church.     May we open our minds and hearts as we continue to prepare ourselves for the kingdom of God.                            ePeace,   Fr. Marc-André Campbell

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PARISH MINISTRIES STARTUP CALENDAR …

Ministry	Date	Room
Legion of Mary	Sept 2	Upstairs 7pm
Divine Mercy Prayer Group	Sept 3	Hall 7pm
Bible Study – Gospel of Matthew	Sept 8	Hall 7pm
Coffee Hour	Sept 9	Hall 9am
St Joseph’s Protectors	Sept 9	Basement 7pm
Rosary Apostalate	Sept 11	Basement 7pm
C.W.L General Meeting	Sept 20	Hall 9:30am
Knights of Columbus General Mtg	Sept 23	Hall 7pm

Canadian Knights stand out at international convention - Courtesy Archdiocese of Toronto Blog

Did you know there are 56,000 members of the Knights of Columbus in Ontario alone? The fraternal order is prominent in parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Toronto, serving the needs of our communities through the principles of “Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism”. Their contributions were celebrated August 5-7 at a global gathering in Orlando, Florida. The Knights of Columbus provide the following report.

Cardinal Gérald Lacroix - Courtesy Archdiocese of Toronto Blog

The Knights of Columbus’ 132nd annual international convention honoured a number of Canadian Knights and councils and featured a keynote address by Canada’s Cardinal Gérald Lacroix, ISPX, archbishop of Québec and primate of Canada.

Nearly 90 archbishops and bishops — including 11 cardinals — along with scores of clergy joined approximately 2,000 Knights and family members. They came from North and Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and Europe for the three-day international convention in Orlando, Florida, guided by the theme of “You Will All Be Brothers: Our Vocation to Fraternity.”

Cardinal Lacroix gave the keynote address at the event’s opening dinner. He was joined at the convention by nine other Canadian archbishops and bishops, including Archbishop Paul-André Durocher of Gatineau, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. 

Globally, Knights donated more than $184 million and 70.5 million hours of service to charitable causes in 2013. The Canadian contribution was an all-time high of more than $30 million and 9,323,063 hours of service.

Of the Knights’ 70-plus regions, known as states, Québec placed first in the world in charitable donations for the fifth consecutive year, giving $11.4 million and nearly 1.7 million hours of service to charitable causes in 2013. Ontario came in second with $7.9 million.

When it comes to the amount of time volunteered per member last year, four Canadian jurisdictions were in the top 10. Prince Edward Island took first place with more than 135 hours per member. British Columbia was second with nearly 114 hours, while Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia rounded out the Canadian presence in the top 10.

“The generosity of our members in Canada is an inspiring example to every member of our organization,” said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. “Their contributions help to improve the quality of life of those most in need. On behalf of our more than 1.8 million members, I congratulate them for their inspiring work.”

Founded in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney, who completed some of his priestly studies in Montreal, the Knights of Columbus has grown to more than 1.8 million members. The first Canadian council was established in Montreal in 1897 – just 15 years after the founding.

“This has been a special year for Canada,” said Anderson. He reported to the convention that the Knights’ Supreme Council, the Knights’ Québec State Council and the Canadian Association joined together to fund a new holy door – used only when the Church proclaims a holy year -- at the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec. The first Vatican-sanctioned holy door in North America, the massive bronze door bears the emblem of the Knights of Columbus.

The Knights also joined with the Church in Québec in celebrating the 350th anniversary of the Church in Québec, the canonizations of St. François de Laval and St. Marie of the Incarnation, and the Knights’ supreme directors made a special pilgrimage to pray at the tomb of St. Brother André in Montreal.

Many of the proceedings were broadcast on Salt + Light Television and can be found on social media with hashtag #KofCFL14 on Twitter, Facebook and Google+. More information is also available at www.kofc.org.

Pope Francis’ August 7 statement on Iraqi Christians

The Holy Father is following with deep concern the dramatic news reports coming from northern Iraq, which involve defenceless populations. Christian communities are particularly affected: a people fleeing from their villages because of the violence that rages in these days, wreaking havoc on the entire region.

At the Angelus prayer on July 20th, Pope Francis cried with pain: “[O]ur brothers and sisters are persecuted, they are pushed out, forced to leave their homes without the opportunity to take anything with them. To these families and to these people I would like to express my closeness and my steadfast prayer. Dearest brothers and sisters so persecuted, I know how much you suffer, I know that you are deprived of everything. I am with you in your faith in Him who conquered evil!”

In light of these terrible developments, the Holy Father renews his spiritual closeness to all those who are suffering through this painful trial, and makes the impassioned appeals of the local bishops his own, asking together with them in behalf of their sorely tried communities, that the whole Church and all the faithful raise up with one voice a ceaseless prayer, imploring the Holy Spirit to send the gift of peace.

His Holiness urgently calls on the international community to protect all those affected or threatened by the violence, and to guarantee all necessary assistance – especially the most urgently needed aid – to the great multitude of people who have been driven from their homes, whose fate depends entirely on the solidarity of others.

The Pope also appeals to the conscience of all people, and to each and every believer he repeats: “May the God of peace create in all an authentic desire for dialogue and reconciliation. Violence is not conquered with violence. Violence is conquered with peace! Let us pray in silence, asking for peace; everyone, in silence.... Mary Queen of peace, pray for us! (Angelus, July 20, 2014)”.

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Statement from Cardinal Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto re: Iraqi Christians

Background re: Christians in the Middle East