The Resurrection of the Lord
What is the resurrection? It does not form part of our experience, and so the message often remains to some degree beyond our understanding… The Church tries to help us understand it by expressing this mysterious event in the language of symbols in which we can somehow contemplate this astonishing event.

First of all, there is light…. Where there is light, life is born; chaos can be transformed into cosmos… The resurrection of Jesus is an eruption of light… With history… This Light alone – Jesus Christ – is the true light, something more than the physical phenomenon of light. He is pure Light: God himself, who causes a new creation to be born in the midst of the old, transforming chaos into cosmos… Let us pray to the Lord that the fragile flame of the candle he has lit in us, the delicate light of his word and his love amid the confusions of this age, will not be extinguished in us , but will become ever stronger an d brighter, so that we , with him, can be people of the day, bright stars lighting up our time.

The second symbol of the Easter Vigil –the night of baptism – is water… Christ descended into the sea, into the waters of death, as Israel did into the Red Sea. Having risen from death, he gives us life. This means that baptism is not only a cleansing, but a new birth: with Christ we, as it were, descend into the sea of death, so as to rise up again as new creatures. The other way in which we encounter water is in the form of the fresh spring that gives life, or the great river from which life comes forth … In baptism, the Lord makes us not only person of light, but also sources from which living water burst forth. We all know people like that, who leave us somehow refreshed and renewed; people who are like a fountain of fresh spring water. Thanks be to God, we find them constantly even in our daily lives: people who are like a spring… Let us ask the Lord, who has given us the grace of baptism, for the gift always to be sources of pure, fresh water, bubbling up from the fountain of his truth and his love.

The third great symbol of the Easter Vigil is … the singing of the new song – the alleluia. What happens when a person is touched by the light of the resurrection, and thus comes into contact with Life itself, with Truth and Love? He cannot merely speak about it. Speech is no longer adequate. He has to sing… Year after year, we…sing it as our song, because we too, through God’s power, have been drawn forth from the water and liberated for true life. While, strictly speaking, she ought to be singing, the Church sings the song of thanksgiving of the saved…Once Christ is risen, the gravitational pull of love is stronger than that of hatred; the force of gravity of life is stronger than that of death… The Lord’s saving hand holds us up, and thus we can already sing the song of the saved, the new song of the risen ones: Alleluia!
Pope Benedict XVI

The first Mass celebrated in the church was actually on Christmas Eve 1859.

To recognize this our Midnight Mass was also at midnight on Christmas Eve! Invitations to local dignitaries and churches were sent out so that we all could celebrate in a fitting way the 150 Years of Faith here at St. Mary’s!

Here are a few pictures from the celebration.

Hi Everyone!

Just a reminder that the Youth Christmas Eve Midnight Mass at St. Mary’s Church is two days away!

The mass starts at 12 midnight on Dec. 24th. 

Here is a list of those volunteering at the mass, but even if you’re not volunteering it would be great if you came just for the mass!  All parishioners are welcome, not just youth.

Fiona McHarg – reader – 2nd reading
Lawrence Yi  – reader prayer of the faithful
Jordan O’Neill – reader 1st reading
Conner McCarthy – Eucharistic Minister
Brady Jones – Alter Server
Sarah O’Brian – Choir
Theresa Chomko – Choir

St. Mary’s is also celebrating its 150th anniversary at this mass as well!  Also, the choir will be preforming your favourite Christmas music as well as a few pieces you may have not heard before.  Fr. Tom will be giving a youth focused homily. 

God bless everyone and Merry Christmas!

Brad (St. Mary’s Church Youth Coordinator)

Family Photo – By submitting $13.13 and your family individual photo (preferably digital) you can still included and receive your complimentary copy. The payment (labeled with your name and people in picture) may be dropped in the collection basket or taken to the parish office.

2009 Church Activity – Digital photos may be submitted as below at no additional charge. Please identify the event and the people.

A price list is available for the following by emailing lindsayalbum@yahoo.com or calling Glenda or Wayne at 340-5357. Choose from credit card size to full page, black and white or colour and all for reasonable rates.

Congratulations – If you or your group wish to include a message of congratulations.

Memorials – If you wish to place a memorial in honour of a loved one or family.

Advertisements – If you wish to have your business highlighted.

Together we will make this book a reality.

As we all know this is our 150th anniversary year and the actual first Mass was celebrated in the church on Christmas Eve 1859. To recognize this our Midnight Mass will actually be at midnight on Christmas Eve! Please do all you can to attend this Mass as we have sent out invitations to local dignitaries and churches so that we can celebrate in a fitting way the 150 Years of Faith here at St. Mary’s!

To continue the festive season the parish will be hosting a Pastor’s Levee on January 1st at the rectory in the afternoon. Effectively, this is an Open House and is a chance to see one of the great homes of Lindsay.More details will follow but mark it on your calendars.

As we all know this is our 150th anniversary year and the actual first Mass was celebrated in the church on Christmas Eve 1859. To recognize this our Midnight Mass will actually be at midnight on Christmas Eve! Please do all you can to attend this Mass as we have sent out invitations to local dignitaries and churches so that we can celebrate in a fitting way the 150 Years of Faith here at St. Mary’s!

To continue the festive season the parish will be hosting a Pastor’s Levee on January 1st at the rectory in the afternoon. Effectively, this is an Open House and is a chance to see one of the great homes of Lindsay. More details will follow but mark it on your calendars.