Significant events this coming week!

There are a couple of events taking place this coming week in Bolton:  

• An All-Candidates forum,      and
• A visit from Fr. Christopher Hartley

On Tuesday afternoon 3:00 -5:00 pm at the Exchange (which is at 55 Healey Rd. in Bolton) there will be a focused round table / forum on "Health and Social Services"  with the candidates who are running in the upcoming Provincial Election. Members of the public are welcome to attend this event.

The second event is also quite unique - a Visit from Fr. Christopher Hartley.  He is a priest who is visiting Canada - and doing some talks about the exploitation of Haitians in the Dominican Republic by the Sugar Cane Industry.  Fr. Chris whill be at St. Michael's Secondary School giving a talk to students on Thursday Morning - June 5th . Holy Family parishioners are welcome to attend either of these talks: 8:30-9:30 am or 9:45-10:45 am).

There is a powerful film on Youtube - the price of Sugar:

More info here on Fr. Christopher Hartley

Peace

Zone Meeting - Confirmation - Anniversaries

Earlier this week I was part of a meeting where we were asked to introduce ourselves - and also share one great / joyful thing that happened to us in the past week.  I shared how celebrating the sacrament of Confirmation with almost 265 young people over these 8 days was a joyful experience!

Within the Archdiocese of Toronto there are 14 different "Zones."  We belong to Zone 9 - which includes Brampton, Caledon, and Orangeville. about 7-8 times per year we gather as a zone to discuss common Pastoral objectives, stategies and to support each other in Ministry. At this week's zone meeting I took a "selfie" with Fr. Jan Kolodynski who celebrated the Anniversary of his Ordination on Wednesday, May 28th! Fr. Jan is Pastor of St. Jerome's Parish - where I was assigned for my first 5 years of priesthood!  Congrats Fr. Jan!

As we come to the 4th celebration of Confirmation this evening, we will also be celebrating Bishop John Boissonneau's Anniversary of Ordination as a Bishop! 

Congrats Bishop Boissonneau!

Mayor Prayer Breakfast

This morning started early for me - 6:30 am - especially given that it is a Monday - and usually my day off... Why was I up that early? - The Mayors Prayer Breakfast.  
Each year the Christian Churches in Caledon host a breakfast with Mayor Morrison and the council to pray for our government leaders as the first letter from Timothy instructs us. (1 Tim 2:1-2)

It was a wonderful meal, Catered by Gourmandissimo Catering and Fine Food Shop. The speakers this year were 2 women involved in their community advocating for children whose families are in the justice system, and as a volunteer in a correcional program in Ohio that helps transition people out of incarceration.  Both had emotional - personal stories.

Many do not know that our national anthem was originally a Hymn (in french) so we sang 2 stanza's of O Canada - here was the second:

O Canada, our nation strong and free,How long will we let sin abound in thee,Will we not come with humble heartsAnd bow on bended kneeAnd seek the Lord for righteousness To once more reign in theeGod turn our heartsFrom wickedness, we prayForgive our sins and hear us on this dayGod heal our Land so You may ever reign.

All in all it was a great morning - but made for a long day with our first confirmation this evening.  More on that later in the week. 

Peace

A History of Holy Family Parish

A History of Holy Family Parish

(Special Thanks to Denyse Hinca, a member of the building committee in 1981)

(Background: These days many of the grade 7 classes in our Parish have assignments to research the history of their local Parish. To include a School / Parish project in grade 7 is a particular effort of Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board.)

Holy Family Parish was officially established in August of 1978. Before then it was a Mission Church of St. Patrick's Wildfield. In the early 1960's Rev. J.E. Lawlor came from Wildfield to celebrate the Sunday Eucharist in the Bolton Town Hall. In the summer a priest from Toronto would come to celebrate Mass at the "Fresh Air" camp - later known as the Bolton Camp. There were only 20 Catholic Families at that time in the area.  Fr. Lawlor said "Before you can have a church building - you need a Catholic School."

There was a certain amount of controversy in in getting a Catholic School. The long time residents in Bolton did not want Catholics in town. The town was opposed to a Catholic School. A small group of Catholics had to go to the Supreme Court to get permission to build a School.  At that time - you needed 50 students to be able to open a Catholic School.They did not have enough - only 49, so they opened up registration to the community.  One could imagine how the community responded: first of all they did not want a Catholic School, let alone sending their children to that school!  A neighbour of a Catholic teacher was of age for Kindergarden - and this non-Catholic became the 50th person.  Holy Family Catholic School was opened in 1966.

The parishioners could now attend Mass in the School. It was held in the Kindergarden Room - probably twice the size of a regular classroom these days. A Portable Church was eventually built on the property behind the current Petro - Canada gas station at Queensgate & Hwy 50.  It was larger than a school portable - but did not have running water - and no washrooms. By 1970 Fr. Joe O'Neill was the priest that came from St. Patrick's Wildfield to celebrate Mass (Holy Family was still a mission of St. Patrick's. Fr. Joe would come with his dog Bruno - who stayed in the car while Fr. Joe celebrated Mass. There was only 1 Mass on Sunday Morning - at 9:30 am.  Weddings, Baptisms and Funerals all took place at St. Patrick's.

Fr. Leslie Tamas was appointed Pastor in 1978 when the Parish was officially established. From 1978 to 1982 Funds were collected from parishioners to have enough money to start the building in 1982. The sacrifices that many families made at that time enabled the present Church to be built, and it was blessed in September 1982 by Gerald Emmett  Cardinal Carter. 

Holy Family Parish Feast Day is the Sunday between Christmas Day and New Years Day. Each year on that day we have parish activities that encourage and support families, like Skating and hospitality after all masses!

Many things have changed since the 1960's. We have 4 Catholic Elementary Schools in Bolton: Holy Family (which was rebuilt and expanded in 2005, St. John Paul II, St. John the Baptist, and St. Nicholas. After sending students to Notre Dame Secondary School in Brampton, and Robert F. Hall Secondary School in Caledon East, we have had St. Michael's Secondary School in Bolton since 2010. We are very appreciative and thankful for the many people who have gone before us and fought to have Catholic Schools and a Church here in Bolton.

Priest's Retreat Weeks

These 2 weeks in the Archdiocese of Toronto the priests have the opportunity for an annual retreat. Both the location  - Nottawasaga Inn -  and the pace of the retreat are quite good.  The grounds of the hotel in Alliston are beautiful and have a wonderful nature trail. And the schedule allows for pondering and reflection.  

The Retreat Leader for my week was Fr. Raymond Gawronski, S.J. who is a professor at Menlo Park in California. He was a last minute replacement for Bishop Michael Barber of Oakland California. (Bishop Barber was in England at the Ordination of a friend as a Bishop there.)
Fr. Ray had an engaging wit and shared personal stories during the 4 days he spent with us. Being a Jesuit, he modelled the retreat loosely on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. 
Next week Fr. David will be on retreat - and the leader for that week is Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York! (Cardinal Dolan and Cardinal Collins were both named cardinals in the same ceremony in February 2012.) 

Peace

Celebrating Communion

Last Saturday you may have missed me! After the rooted session in the morning - I went to Precious Blood Parish - to join my Sister, her husband, and their Son - Gabriel - my Godson - for his First Communion!  There were many family members present - and we had a very enjoyable afternoon.  here are some photos from that celebration.

And Now Gabriel with His Godparents - Aunt Marie & Me

Marie is also Ian's (Gabriel's Father) Godmother!
It was neat that afternoon to see a picture from 7+ years ago of the the 3 of us from Gabriel's Baptism! It reminded me that the goal of Baptism is not the water - it is the Eucharistic Table.

St. John Paul II

Here are some more photos of the festivities at for the Canonization of St. John Paul II from one of the parents in attendance.