Edge Cancelled

Edge is Cancelled February 28 - due to the weather.

The Adoration chapel is also closed today.

Ash Wednesday

We have begun our Journey through Lent to Easter!

Marked with Ashes - a reminder of our Mortality - in the shape of the cross - a reminder of eternity!

We are challenged to Pray, Give and Fast - not for ourselves, but so that we might be more closely united to Christ - and thus be ready to renew our Baptismal Promises at Easter!

Happy Lent!

Samson Salamat to Speak at St. Mary's

New Parish - Renewed Blog

Regular readers to the Blog will know that at the end of June I moved from Holy Family Parish in Bolton to St. Mary's Parish in Barrie. This transition has occupied much of my time (as well as some other activities!) For the past 6 Months I have been meeting with the different groups in the Parish, and getting a feel for St. Mary's.

There is a wonderful team of pastoral workers and staff at St. Mary's. They have been very welcoming and have shown me the ropes so to speak. Fr. Jeremias Inoc is the Associate, and has been ordained in May of 2017. A man of great joy, and care for the people of God.  Fr. Robert Reddy is in residence - on a health leave - yet has been very much a go to guy for assistance - especially when Fr. Jeremias has been away. 
We have 2 Permanent Deacons - Deacon Ron MacLellan and Deacon Del Allan who preach regularly and serve the community at the Hospital, Nursing Homes, and Christian Initiation.
Many know Susan Scarff - our Parish secretary - and the Point Person that everyone connects with. We also have Shannon Barks - our Music Director and Youth Minister - who is the mother of 7 and yet mothers many in Youth Ministry! Catherine Ecker started on July 1st and also wears 2 hats - Catechist and Co-ordinator of Ministry with Maturing Adults. This ministry really had its birth at St. Mary's in Barrie, and seeks to place a spiritual context for those in the parish as they move through the second half of life. 
We have a full time Custodian - Dennis - who cares for the facility, and is proactive about making sure thisngs get taken care of before they break! We also have and some part time employees:
Pat - who looks after all things financial, 
Cathy - who looks after our parish records and website, 
and David who assists Shannon in Youth Ministry and Catherine in Catechesis.


This is a parish with more responsibilities than Holy Family. There is a large regional Hospital (Royal Victoria Health Centre) in the parish as well as Simcoe Hospice. We ware on call for Simcoe Hospice all the time, and 2 out of 5 weeks for the Hospital. There are 6 Elementary Schools and 1 Secondary School within the parish boundaries, as well as 12 different Seniors / retirement care centres. There is a robust ministry to the Home bound and those in the care centres. 

Lots to keep you updated in the coming Months and Years!

Good Bye Holy Family

To Holy Family Parish:
Words are inadequate to capture my emotions from last Sunday. Thank you for your kind words and generous cards and gifts. I am feeling overwhelmed by your generosity! Thank you to all who made the party possible, including Lydia, Catherine Baldassare, Sylvia Stapleton, Anna Monaco, Denyse Hinca, the Knights of Columbus, and Garden Foods for the Sausages and Hamburgers. Special shout-out to the Steko Family for the Roasted Lamb and Piglet! (mmmm)

By the grace of God, we have been able to do great things here at Holy Family. Caring for Everyone: Young and Elderly, Rich and Poor, Strong and Weak, Educated and Illiterate, Confident and Timid, has been possible because I have desired from day one to Know you, Love you and Serve you. I trust you will welcome Fr. Andrew in the way you welcomed me, and thus great things will continue to happen here at Holy Family! Until we meet again, I will see you at the (very crowded) Table of the Lord!

Peace.

Fr. Larry Leger, Former Pastor

Major Talk this Weekend!

Dr. Massimo Faggioli

The Second Vatican Council

Saturday, May 25, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish

17955 Leslie Street, Newmarket, Ont.

•    The History and Context of Vatican ll

•    The Spirituality and Theology of Vatican ll

&

Sunday, May 26, 2019

7:00 pm Vespers (Evening Prayer)

Followed by Keynote Address:

“Becoming One Body in Christ”

Dr. Massimo Faggioli, PhD is a leading authority on the history and administrative inner workings of the Catholic Church with specific expertise in the papacy, Vatican II, the Roman Curia, liturgical reform, new Catholic movements and on Catholicism and global politics. Dr. Faggioli is currently a professor at Villanova University in Philadelphia. He has worked for the John XXIII Foundation for Religious Studies in Bologna, Italy between 1996 and 2008.

Resurrection

RESURRECTION HOMILY 

by St. John Chrysostom

Come all lovers of God, rejoice in the splendor of this feast: 

enter into the joy of your Lord. 

You the first and you the last, receive alike your reward; 

you rich and you poor, dance together; 

you sober and you weaklings, celebrate the day; 

you who have kept the fast and you who have not, rejoice today. The table is richly loaded: enjoy its royal banquet… 

let no one go away hungry. 

All of you enjoy the banquet of faith; 

all of you receive the riches of his goodness.

Christ is risen and the angels rejoice. 

Christ is risen and life is freed. 

Christ is risen and the tomb is emptied of the dead: 

for Christ, being risen from the dead, 

has become the Leader and Reviver 

of those who had fallen asleep.

To Him be glory and power for ever and ever. 

Amen