2> Unfortunately there will be no Mission on March 19-21 as was stated in previous bulletins. Our preacher, Bishop Peter Hundt, was appointed just this week to Corner Brook and Labrador and it was too late fo find a replacement. In place of the Mission, we will have a Eucharistic Weekend and Reconciliation. There will be Eurcharistic Adoration for the 5 p.m. Mass (March 19) to 7 p.m. Benediction and Reconciliation Service on Sunday (March 20).

3> March 9 is Ash Wednesday. The distribution of ashes will take place at both the 7:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. and all school masses.

4> Friday Masses will be at 7:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. The Stations of the Cross will follow the evening Mass. I strongly encourage you to attend them.

5> We have had and will have three transitional deacons preaching: Ante Market, Hezuk Shiroff, and Brad Markus.

6> At the auspices of the CWL, a study of Pope Benedict’s XVI’s encyclical, Caritas In Veritate, facilitated by Sister Loretta, is being held twice weekly for 7 weeks ending on March 30. In this study, the participants are looking at economic, ecological, inter-cultural, pro-life and social justice issues and are challenged to revision them in the light of the creative and redeeming love of God seen in the person of Jesus Christ.

7> Father Charlie is giving a series of spiritual talks following the Saturday 9 a.m. Mass during Lent. They will be held at St. Mary’s Chapel for 9:45 to 10:30 a.m. The talks will have a Lenten theme focus.

March 5          1st talk – Integration

March 12        2nd talk – Orientation

March 19        3rd talk – Wisdom

March 26       4th talk – Reflection and Penance

April 2            5th talk – To Serve Others

April 9            6th talk – Incarnation

April 16         7th talk – Mercy of God

8> In the bulletin you will find a Lenten meditation each week.

9> The Novena to St. Joseph begins on March 10-18.

10> First Communion for the children attending the 3 Catholic schools and the public school children (who are being prepared by Frances Lynch) will take place on April 9-10.

11> First Reconciliation for the public school children will take place on Monday, March 28, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. in St. Mary’s Church.

Pastoral Activities

12> The st. Vincent de Paul Society pulled off a superb Christmas Hamper program with a great deal of help and as a result of you generosity. Thanks to you and them for their unstinting work. We are a vital part of the Central Food Cupboard (our local food bank). It is housed in the Queen Street United Chruch Annex. Insurance costs were mounting extremely rapidly and so it has been decided that it will be legally run by the Queen Street United Street but its board will be composed of a clergyman and layperson from the five supporting churches of St. Mary’s, St. Paul’s Anglican, Bethel Missionary, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian and Queen Street United. We are just about the biggest supporters of that worthy cause in terms of both money and manpower. St. Thomas Aquinas High School, under Gina Pasquarelli of our parish, regularly has high school students helping to unload and package food donations. Please help us to keep it running.

13> The Knights of Columbus are relocating their Assembly Rooms to the rooms under the rectory library having sold their hall on William Street last fall. These rooms have an outside access and in the spring will have a walkway from the street. It is a great use of large space that was previously unused. Already, we have had study group meetings there, hosted a day get-together of the Redemptorist Mater seminarians from Toronto on Thursday, February 24. The Central Deanery meeting of the Bishop and Priests was held there on Wednesday, March 2. When the rooms get redone, the trailer in the north parking lot, which is holding the hall furniture will be removed.

14> On December 12, 2010, the CWL Christmas Party was held in the rectory. Santa Claus (Fr. Charlie) visited the celebration and there was delicious food and drinks and Christmas Carols. A great time was had by all!

15> There was a pulpit exchange  with Queen Street United Church on January 26 and Fr. Theo read a lesson in the anniversary celebration for St. Paul’s Anglican on that same evening.

16> Sr. Loretta has hit the ground running as our Education and Outreach Coordinator. Her office is set up in the Parish Library. Among her projects is the on-going multi-part series on the New Translation of the Mass as you are seeing in the bulletin. As well, she is working on small group instructions.

17> Fr. Tom and Fr. Theo took Visitor’s Training at the Correctional Centre in early February to facilitate ministry there.

18> Thank you for the feedback on our questionnaire and we will  get responses to you shortly. For volunteers we realized that the new pastoral visitors will need training and are working on that and hope to see the ministries of Readers and Gift Bearers resuscitated. The screening for all our volunteers dealing with vulnerable people is still ongoing.

Youth Activities

19>We welcomed back the Sir Sanford Fleming students as they begin their final term this year. With these students there have been monthly Masses, Theology on Tap, Scripture Study and lunches.

20> Several activities to raise funds were held by the Pilgrims to World Youth Day in Spain such as pancake breakfasts and a  concert by Madison Kozak.

21> The Morning Watch Eucharistic Adoration will be held from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. on March 19-20 in the Church.

22> Ice fishing at Wigglesworth’s was a cold blast. Potluck lunches and sports nights have been some of the ongoing youth activities.

23> Our pilgrimage to honour the day of martyrdom of St. Jean de Brebeuf and Gabriel Lalemant is off and running for March 16 to Midland.

24> The National Evangelization Teams once again came to the Parish and had an all day retreat for the 5 local Separate Schools Grade Sevens as a follow-up to Confirmation. It was a loud and resounding success. They also had a morning with all of St. Thomas Aquinas students. Fr. Tom had a teaching Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas for all the Grade 9s and 10s. We would like to congratulate our new trustee Michelle Griepsma on her election.

Administrative Activities

25> Sometimes the most obvious activity is that right below your feet. All of us have been part of the rather disruptive work on the floor here at the church. Who would have thought that we would find 150-year-old Southern Pine under all those layers of varnish and paint? The result of weeks of work is a magnificent floor. Thunder Beach Works headed up these repairs fixing kneelers and pews as well. Many volunteers also helped in moving pews (repeatedly), scraping and painting the radiators while the pews were out and dusting the pews each week to get ready for Sunday Mass, funerals and even a wedding! Thanks to the St. Joseph volunteers and especially Catherine McGrory, Madaleen Lynch, Sue Miller, Shirley King, Catherine DeBosky, Bonnie Collins, Josette Chase, Gail Vugts, Wylie Suggit, Lawrence Allen, Len Albrecht, Charlie Grech, Joe McColl and Simon Snellen. It’s a big job. The last two pews have been removed to give us more and better space at the church doors for both our liturgy preparation and general movement and carpet put in thanks to the Knights. This was all possible due to your generosity as the repairs got bigger as the job progressed. Over 150 people and families sponsored kneelers and we collected approximately $21,000 out of a total cost of approximately $27,000. Thank you.

26> As I am sure you noticed, the three front altars have had their central portions and statues lit up to highlight their significance. Thanks to Rick Ward and John Ritchie for installing them. The choir loft stairs are actually safe now and more work is being done on the loft floor. The large and unused hanging speaker will be taken down shortly and we are investigating a better sound system. The South Tower repairs, netting to keep out bats and birds, cleaning and floor insulation is paying off in a warmer vestry and upstairs tower workroom. This was done by volunteers and with donated materials. We do need  to look at getting all of our bells working again. Work is beginning on the back bathroom in vestry.

27> The consultation work on the bricks and outside of the church is proceeding in the Property and Maintenance Committee. There will be three stages:

A> Deciding on how to clean or peel off existing paint and doing so. The church has three layers of paint, some of which is lead-based with all the attendant environmental problems in its disposal.

B> Repair and replace deteriorated brick and masonry with age-appropriated bricks. We commissioned a study last year, which identified all the areas to be repaired.

C> Decide as to appropriate paint and then repaint. Testing as to various methods will be done as soon as the weather permits and then according to our decisions, available funds, and diocesan permission, we will proceed. We have approximately $350,000 in the Restoration Fund and this work will take all of that if not more, but the outside of the church has to proceed before the inside can be restored. We will be giving more information as to the stages as it becomes available.

28> The original part of the rectory has had its windows replaced for the first time. There is an immediate and welcome improvement in heat retention and the original frames have been kept and will be part of our fundraising effort. This was paid for by a bequest. Soffit and eaves troughs will have to be repaired this summer and the veranda painted. The third floor bathroom still needs to be finished.  A shower for physically challenged persons was installed courtesy of the Knights of Columbus with professional volunteer labour thanks to Jay Jackson.

29> The photocopier is dying fast (It is at least 10 years old and was bought used!) and we are looking at a (probably used) replacement. We have budgeted for this and hope to see some economies with a newer machine.

30> Next week I will present the parish financial statement and 2011 budget.

We have a number of activities here. Ash Wednesday we will have 6 Masses so as to make the reception of the ashes and the beginning of Lent accessible to as many parishioners as possible. As you know we will have our Parish Renewal Mission preached by Fr. Dominic Borg, a Carmelite preacher from London, Ont., who will help us “On the Road to Easter”. He will preach on Feb. 20-21at the weekend Masses and on Feb 21, Sunday, Feb. 22, Monday and Feb. 23 Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.. Please make a real effort to attend all the sessions or as many as possible. It may take re-arranging of you schedules as this is for your children and young people as well. Rides can be arranged. Have you invited a friend or family member yet? Please re-double your prayers for a might outpouring of God’s grace!

As part of the Renewal Mission our Youth Ministry is having a Morning Watch which is an all night Eucharistic Adoration. It will begin after 6 pm. after the 5 pm Mass and finish at 8:30 am on Sunday. This is a great chance for young people who are invited to stay all night (Supervision is provided) and not-so-young people to spend time before the Blessed Sacrament and be the Prayer Warriors for the success of our Mission and the conversion of hearts. Please sign up to spend some time with our Eucharistic Lord. Please contact Brad – our youth coordinator.

Fr. Fitzpatrick will be giving a Lenten Series on Prayer staring February 27 each Saturday morning from 9:30 – 10:30 in the Chapel, ending on Saturday March 27. If you are interested in the many families of spiritualities within the Catholic Church, please feel welcome to attend.

At Fleming College the Fleming College Catholics group will be hosting Soul Food – Lenten Lunches at the College. With free soup and fresh bread followed Breaking Open the Word in Bible study, you are invited to make a journey through the examination of the Passion in Lent. Thursday Feb 18,25, March 11, 18, 25 from 12-1 pm in room 222.

Each Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m. after the evening Mass various groups in the parish will lead the Stations of the Cross. This ancient and well known prayer is a chance to re-orient ourselves as to the way that we can walk with Christ in our daily lives. Accompany us in person or, if you cannot, please accompany us in your prayers.

You’ll see at the doors of the church handouts for Daily Meditations to consider throughout Lent. If we run out we’ll photocopy more. Other Lenten meditations can be accessed on websites like http://www.ewtn.com/faith/lent/ash_F17.htm

Please pray as well for a number of people who have been involved in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults who are looking to be received in to the church at Easter.

Canadian Food for Children will be collecting food at the doors of the church throughout Lent and this will be collected and sent to Dr. Andrew Simone’s warehouse in Toronto to be distributed.

Lastly, we have a number of Lenten activities being promoted by our Development and Peace. Dessert and movie St. Mary’s School Gym, February 28 at 2:00 p.m.. Bring your favourite dessert and watch an eye-opening expose of our modern food industry. It’s a must to see. Hosted by Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace. Free will offering.On the Fifth Sunday of Lent there will be the collection for Development and Peace or other charities as you may wish.

In all that we do let us keep in mind the ultimate goal of preparing for the Great Feast of Easter with the Risen Lord!

As always, In Christ,
Fr. Tom Lynch

Lenten food commences Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday. Please donate only listed items. Dried, beans, peas, lentils, barley, soup basics, pasta, rice, sugar, salt, cooking oil, etc. Full list at the main entrance of the church.

For information call Kay at 324-3596 or the rectory 324-4828.

Of course Food for Children can be used all the year round and any and every donation is gratefully appreciated.

On Saturday, April 2nd 2005, Pope John Paul II died. The world lost an inspiring leader, the Church a shepherd. In time of loss, it is important for us as Christians to remember and to celebrate the life of the one we miss. Pope John Paul was our Pope – a pope who seemed to live with us and touch us with his vibrant personality and engaging words. His death is the loss of a treasured friend. In saying goodbye to the shepherd of our Church, we celebrate his profound commitment to social justice, the needs of the poor, the dignity of each person and his unwavering opposition to violence and war – truly a man of peace. It is hard to forget his stance on that Ash Wednesday of 2000 as he apologized for God’s people’s sins against women, the Jews, Muslims and many others, reminding us all of our call to be men and women faithful to the Gospel. Who can forget this man, who though old in years, had a heart full of hope for youth – extending them an invitation to the life of the Gospel in the church? Without judgment and with a youthful glint in his eye, he accepted youth where they were at and challenged them to become God’s work of art. Who can forget his youthful and dynamic sprint descending down from the plane in 1984 on his first visit to Canada? Who can forget his faltering steps descending from a plane on his arrival to Canada only a few years ago in 2002?

We first met Pope John Paul II on our TV screen as a dynamic, lively and active man in 1978, and we journeyed with him as he gradually embraced the fragility of old age and sickness – he inspired us to see the beauty of God in all the moments of our life. “Do not be afraid” is his legacy to us, because the God of Jesus Christ will never leave us. God is with us in the vibrancy and in the fragility of our living … in life and in death. Without doubt, his broken body is transfigured and at rest in the loving embrace of God. At this significant moment in the life of God’s People, let us join our prayer to that of Pope John Paul II: May God give us a new Pope in the 21st century who will lead the Church in fidelity to the Gospel of peace and justice.
Until we meet again, Papa!