After four years of prayer and discernment, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Hamilton, London, Pembroke and Peterborough are exploring a closer union with each other. The new name would be “the Congregation of St. Joseph.” We have petitioned Rome for permission to do this and are awaiting a reply. In the meantime, we are working on many details involved in such a union and ask for your prayers and support as we continue to discern how the Sisters of St. Joseph can best serve God, God’s people and the Church.

Fathers. Bill Fellion, Craig Cruikshank, Tom, Theo and Charlie will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation at the Church.

Instead of a parish reconciliation service in the afternoon or evening it has been decided that we will have this approach in Lent so as to be more available to all of you to receive the Sacrament.

I invite you to take advantage of this time to know God’s grace, healing and forgiveness.

Drop in to reconnect with God as we will have Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament all day long to promote an atmosphere of prayer and presence.

“So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” 2 Cor.5: 20

They will be in St. Thomas Aquinas High School on Monday January 9th to give retreats for the grade 11 and 12′s and they will be giving a retreat for grade 7 students at St. Mary’s Catholic Elementary School on Tuesday January 10th.

We are excited to have this dynamic and engaging group of young people in our Parish for these two days as they enrich the spiritual lives of our young people using music, games, skits, prayer and personal testimonies.

God is the centre of the our whole life and at the core of that mystery is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. How do we have one God and three persons and not three Gods? What is the relationship of the Father with the Son and the Father and the Son with the Holy Spirit? For centuries the great minds of the Church have wrestled with this mystery and gradually formed this prayer to explain.

The Apostle’s Creed is the simplified form. In the New Translation, the only significant difference is that we see reinstituted  is the idea that Jesus descended even into Hell to liberate the souls there by the power of his sacrifice.

The Nicene Creed was established in Nicea in 325 AD (in modern Turkey). Even in this Creed when I stand I make a personal professtion that I believe in this. You will notice more poetic language  ‘”things visible and invisible, before all ages”.

The word “consubstantial” is used which has a richer significance in talking about ow the fullness of God subsists in both the Fathe and the Son.

General Instruction of the Roman Missal (The Church’s Textbook)

43. In the profession of faith or creed the people have the opportunity to respond and give assent to the word of God which they have heard in the readings and the homily. It is also a time for the people to recall the teachings of the faith before they begin the Eucharist.

98. At the words: by the power of the Holy Spirit, etc. all bow in honour of Jesus becoming incarnate. On the feasts of the Annunciation and Christmas all genuflect.

Reflection:

The Profession of Faith links the liturgies of the Word and Eucharist as the congregation recalls the mysteries of faith which will again be proclaimed in the Eucharistic Prayer.

Questions for Reflection:

1. How do I reflect on God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

2. What does the Profession of Faith contribute to the special solemnity of Sundays and certain feasts?

Scripture: Luke 3: 21-22

In mid-second century Rome, a saint describes the celebration of Baptism and then adds that all “offer prayers in common for ourselves, for him who had just been enlightened and for people everywhere” (Justin, Martyr). Justin goes on to describe the Eucharist which followed. A remnant of the ancient form of this prayer at Rome is found in the Solemn Prayers of Good Friday. Though this was dropped for centuries it was restored at the Second Vatican Council.

Since the Church is both local and universal at least one intention is usually taken from each of the following categories:

1. the needs of the Church

2. public authorities and the salvation of the world

3. those oppressed by any need

4. the local community

General Instruction of the Roman Missal (The Church’s Textbook)

47. The priest directs the prayer: with a brief introduction he invites the people to pray: after the intentions he says the concluding prayer. It is desirable that the intentions be announced by the deacon, cantor, or other persons. The Congregation makes its petition either by a common response after each intention or by silent prayer. Then the priest summarizes the petitions with a prayer to God the Father.

Reflection:

The general intercessions are an integral part of the liturgy. Having heard the word, the assembled people respond to it and “exercise their priestly function by interceding for all humankind” (GI no. 45). The entire people of God form “a royal priesthood”(1 Peter 2:9) who, in union with Christ and under the presidency of the priest, make “petitions, prayers, intercessions … for all (1 Timothy 2:1)

Questions for Reflection:

1. How do I join my own prayers/petitions to those of the Church?

2. Do I carry these prayer intentions with me during the week especially those mentioned by name?

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1

The General Intecessions of the Roman Missal ( The Church’s Textbook)

Each morning this week, if even for that brief moment at the side of our beds, we want to light a second inner candle. We want to let it represent “a bit more hope”.  Perhaps we can pause, breathe  deeply and say:

“Lord, I place my trust in you.”

Each day this week, as we encounter times that are rushed, even crazy, we can take that deep breath and make that profound prayer. Each time we face some darkness, some experience if “parched land” or “desert,” some places where we feel “defeated” or “trapped” we hear the words, “and God came to save us.”

The grace we desire this week is to be able to hear the promise and to invite our God to come into those real places of our lives that dearly need God’s coming. We want to be able to say:

“Lord, I place my trust in your promise.  Please, Lord, rouse your power and come into this place in my life, this relationship, into this deep, self-defeating pattern.  Please come and save me.”

Each night this week we can look back over the day and give thanks for the moment of deep breath, that opened a space for more trust and confidence in God’s fidelity to us. No matter how difficult the challenges we are facing – from the growing realization of our personal sinfulness, to any experience of emptiness or powerlessness, even in the face of death – we can give thanks with the two candles that faithfully push back the darkness. We can give thanks for the graces given us to believe that our God will indeed come to save us.

With courageous faith we ask:

Come, Lord Jesus. Come and visit your people.

We await your coming. Come, Lord Jesus.

This is a day to pray for peace, to consider what we are doing as individuals, as a community and as a nation to bring God’s peace into the world.

This is a day when a believing community should rededicate itself by prayer and action to the ideals Jesus gives us in the beatitudes.

Sr. Kathleen Harrigan will be celebrating her 70th anniversary to Religious Life.

We will be having a reception for her after the 11:00 a.m. Mass on Sept. 19 at St. Mary’s School.

Come and share good food, friendship and prayer with her as she continues to serve the Lord.

Canadians should seek to be witnesses to Christ in Canada and the world, and to continue working to influence those in government to act from Christian principles and attitudes.

Christians, realizing they do not have a lasting home here, should pray and work for justice and peace in Canada and throughout the world, so that all God’s people may share in the goods of this earth. God’s kingdom will come only when all people are ready to let Christ’s teaching guide and rule their lives and actions.

Families should be encouraged to mark this day by prayer for our country and its leaders, and by taking a few moments to give serious consideration to their responsibilities as citizens; they should consider what they are doing for peace in Canada and in the world.

With the many problems that are facing our country please remember to pray for our leaders that they may be guided true Christian values and principals. And give thanks for the gifts that come for living in such a blessed nation.