From the Pastor's Desk

     Come to me all who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest…... (Mk 11:28)
     In an ever-changing world, with all the conflicts and a society marked increasingly by a culture of death, what we really need is a place that provides an emotional anchoring for the young, for adults, for families – essentially for all of us. Our Catholic Church is that place -- a centre of spirituality and community.
     We are like the lost sheep; we have a need for meaning, for purpose, for forgiveness, for love. With the looming October federal election, we need to know how to make the right decisions; how to protect our family, our disabled or aging population, the unborn children, the marginalized, the poor; we need to know how to handle suffering, and how to have hope in our world. The Church is where our needs will be met, where we will find a sense of family, of belonging. 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.  As St. Augustine said, “One loving heart sets another on fire.”    Now you and I may know that the Church is a community, but emerging generations have never seen it that way. They’ve seen it as a list of rules, of old-fashioned traditions, but not as a loving community. Jesus drew enormous crowds without ever compromising His message. He was clear, practical and loving in presenting His Divine Law.  The Ten Commandments, for example, constitute a ‘moral code’ for building an honest, ethical society.  The lessons and values central to the Commandments are as relevant today as they were in the time of Moses and the Israelites.  The values are found at the heart of who we are as children of God, in our quest for human rights, the right to life and the sustainability of the planet.
     As servants rooted in the Word of God, we have an opportunity this Fall to stand up for our values and beliefs, as God says, “Be doers of the Word, not hearers only.”  We are called to become true witnesses of the Gospel. Together, we can courageously defend a culture that values life from its beginning until its natural end.  Here in God’s House, we are always welcomed, here our souls will be refreshed and our minds will find peace.    Let God’s Word fill your hearts and make of you a light in the darkness.      
              ePeace,    Fr. Marc-André Campbell

The Faith Explained Conference: Unlocking the Book of Revelation


September 12 – 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
St. Joseph’s Parish,5440 Durie Rd., Mississauga changed to St. Joseph Secondary School at 5555 Creditview Road.

The Book of Revelation is the Bible’s most mysterious book. How can we make sense of dragons, beasts, a killer lamb and the end of the world? What’s the connection between the Apocalypse and the Mass? What message about Jesus Christ did this book hold for its original readers, and what does it mean for us today? For answers, join us at The Faith Explained Conference.
Speakers include Cardinal Thomas Collins, noted Revelation scholar Msgr. Robert Nusca, Dr. Craig Evans (called “the best Bible scholar in the English-speaking world” by Scott Hahn) and Cale Clarke, Director of The Faith Explained Seminars. Priests, seminarians and religious may attend free of charge.
TICKETS/INFO: http://www.TheFaithExplained.com/Conference