Carpet - Day 2

Here is an update on the carpet replacement:
The installers do have to do some grinding of the floor to remove the original glue that was placed to hold the first carpet some 31 years ago - but not as extensive as originally thought. So this is both bad and good news!  We are writing people's names on the back of tiles - and these are being installed - even as I write this note!
Here is the picture from around 10:00 am today - the large dark area - that is the glue / bond already spread on the floor and you can see the first pallet of Carpet tiles has already been laid.

Pray for Steve, Adam & Rob - they are on their knees in the church all this week!
Peace

Carpet Day 1

It has been a hectic few days at the parish. We had all three of our Youth Ministry programs active this weekend - so that meant that we had over 200 young people engaged through these Ministries in the space of 28 Hours!  Wow!
Edge on Friday Night - Rooted on Saturday Morning - and Lifeteen on Saturday Night!
In addition - we had a Wedding Saturday and funerals Friday and Saturday Morning, and a lunch meeting Friday with Urszula - the chaplain of St. Michael's Secondary School!  Then on Sunday afternoon we had Baptisms in the Church and Parent / Candidate meeteings for Sacraments in the Parish Hall.  After those meetings we had to "Un-Assemble the Church" to get ready for the Carpet Installation this week.  With the help of our Property Committee, our Sunday Staff and some Knights of Columbus - we were able to have everything finished by 5:15 pm Sunday. For the coming week will be celebrating all of our Daily Masses in the Parish Hall.

Here is a picture from Monday Morning - the pews were out quickly for 1/2 of the right hand side of the church!  They will have to grind the floor to get the glue from the first carpet off of the cement pad that is our church floor.

Peace

Saint Johns Bible 2013

Wednesday evening I went to Regis College at the Toronto School of Theology - at U of T for an event celebrating the reception of the 7th and Final Volume of the St. John’s Bible. I went with our youth who were trained to be page turners.

It was a Catholic Who’s Who - with Most Rev. Terrance Prendergast, the Archbishop of Ottawa, and Phil Horrigan, the president of the Catholic Lawyers Guild, and George & Gloria Allen - the donor's of the Heritage Edition of the Bible to Regis College.

There were 3 priests who talked about the Illuminations in both the Old Testament and New Testament. One said: 

There is no place where God’s Word is not present.

Even in darkest panels – there is a line of Gold or Platinum.
Here is an Example - from the Suffering Servant portion of Isaiah:

God is present in surprising ways in the Scripures today: the foreigner Naamann and the Samaritan who returns to thank the Lord.  God can also be present in surprising ways in our lives – in the darkest panels – God is alive:

• Even when our Spouse is unfaithful;
• Even when we have to Bury a child;
• Even when a friend suffers depression;
• or when a Child is addicted to drugs.

Having an Attitude of Gratitude – allows us to see that Gold or Platinum thread in the panels of our lives - the presence of God!

Each Sunday we come to encounter the Lord
The same God who healed Naamann – foreigner
Same Lord who healed the Samaritans
Here we are nourished – in Word and Sacrament
We receive communion – and are strengthened and sent forth
More important than what we get – is what we give
Not just little white envelope – though its important
What we give – is our praise and thanks.
Always & everywhere - during ups and downs
mourning and rejoicing Wedding & Funeral

This is our best way of giving Thanks the Eucharist – where we are joined to Christ & sent out to announce the hope of the Resurrection.  Thanks be to God!

Thanksgiving 2013

Now my brother in law (Ian) has started to get on my case about the lack of a Blog entry for almost a month!  Usually it is Stephanie who is all over me about that!

I had 2 weeks of holidays where I visited Barcelona, Avignon, Nimes, Reims and ended in Paris.  Barcelona is home to a magnificent church that has been under construction since the early 1900's and is still not expected to be complete until 2026!  Sagrada Familia (Holy Family!) was designed by the famous architect Gaudi, and the roof was closed in only 3 years ago - when Pope Benedict consecrated it as a Basilica.  

It was a great visit.  Maybe I'll get back there for the completion - planned in 2026! 

My Dad, Fr. Scott, and a few friends then travelled to Southern France - Avignon and Nimes.  In the 1300's there were 7 Popes who lived in Avignon (The time period called the Avignon Papacy in History classes).  We visited the "Palace" and the "Pont-d'Avignon" made famous in song.

We stayed in Nimes - which has one of the best preserved Arena's from Roman Times (Smaller - but better preserved than the Coliseum in Rome.)  Nimes was actually an important Roman city in the time of Jesus - and was a "Northern Frontier" city.

Then we travelled North to Reims the centre of the Champagne District - and the place where Clovis - the King of the Francs was Baptized on Christmas Day 498.  (So much for RCIA and Easter Sacraments!)  The trip ended in Paris - and people came home over the last few days in dribs and drabs! 
A great time was had by all - especially me - since often people were picking up the tab for my meals - as a Birthday Present!

The ability to travel, to see the world, and to enjoy family and friends - a few of the many things I am grateful for this Thanksgiving!
Peace

Sunday Reflection

This portion of Luke’s Gospel gives us Images of God - as shepherd and woman - and of God’s ridiculous pursuit! Ridiculous – because it makes no sense ... For the Shepherd – it would have been foolish to leave the 99 and search after the 1 missing... And the image of God as a Woman – sweeping for the coin and then throw a party – it make no sense! until we learn that perhaps it was a coin from her betrothal hedress.

Yet the God Jesus comes to reveal, is not an efficient – corporate – SWOT Analysis God (Strengths / Weaknesses - Opportunities / Threats).  Jesus reveals a God who pursues us, has pursued each of us - for we are each and together precious in the sight of God. Each of us is worthy of nonsensical pursuit!

EVERY CHILD 

HAS KNOWN GOD
NOT THE GOD OF NAMES
NOT THE GOD OF DON'TS
NOT THE GOD WHO
EVER DOES ANYTHING WEIRD

BUT THE GOD WHO KNOWS
ONLY FOUR WORDS,
AND KEEPS REPEATING THEM, SAYING:
"COME, DANCE WITH ME"
In Baptism - in This Eucharist God, 

who delights to be in our presence, is saying:
COME      DANCE       WITH       ME!

St. Mary's Nobleton

St. Mary's Parish in Nobleton is hosting the Bratislava Boys Choir this coming Saturday evening.  Although I cannot go - I encourage people to consider this event as a fine evening of music and song!

Peace

Praying for Peace

This past Sunday - in the Angelus Pope Francis spoke about the developing situation in Syria:

Dear brothers and sisters, I wish to add my voice to the cry which rises up with increasing anguish from every part of the world,... it is the cry for peace! War never again! Never again war! Peace is a precious gift, which must be promoted and protected.
There are so many conflicts in this world which cause me great suffering and worry, but in these days my heart is deeply wounded in particular by what is happening in Syria and anguished by the dramatic developments which are looming. I appeal strongly for peace, an appeal which arises from the deep within me. How much suffering, how much devastation, how much pain has the use of arms carried in its wake in that martyred country, especially among civilians and the unarmed! I think of many children will not see the light of the future! With utmost firmness I condemn the use of chemical weapons: I tell you that those terrible images from recent days are burned into my mind and heart. There is a judgement of God and of history upon our actions which are inescapable! Never has the use of violence brought peace in its wake. War begets war, violence begets violence.
With all my strength, I ask each party in this conflict to listen to the voice of their own conscience, not to close themselves in solely on their own interests, but rather to look at each other as brothers and decisively and courageously to follow the path of encounter and negotiation, and so overcome blind conflict. With similar vigour I exhort the international community to make every effort to promote clear proposals for peace in that country without further delay, a peace based on dialogue and negotiation, for the good of the entire Syrian people.
May the plea for peace rise up and touch the heart of everyone so that they may lay down their weapons and be let themselves be led by the desire for peace. To this end, brothers and sisters, I have decided to proclaim for the whole Church on 7 September next, the vigil of the birth of Mary, Queen of Peace, a day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, the Middle East, and throughout the world, and I also invite each person, including our fellow Christians, followers of other religions and all men and women of good will, to participate, in whatever way they can, in this initiative.
Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us!

At Holy Family we will have Adoration on Friday Evening - and we encourage people to Fast and Pray for peace until the parish mass at 5:00 pm on Saturday.

After that Mass we will have a reception to wish our Refugee family well before they move to the Hamilton area at the end of September.
Peace