Christmas Blessing

This is a prayer that Joyce Rupp (a Christian author) wrote and was passed on to me by a friend:

• May there be harmony in all your relationships. May sharp words, envious thoughts, and hostile feelings be dissolved. 
• May you give and receive love generously. May this love echo in your heart like the joy of church bells on a clear December day. 
• May each person who comes into your life be greeted as another Christ. May the honor given the Babe of Bethlehem be that which you extend to every guest who enters your presence.
• May the hope of this sacred season settle in your soul. May it be a foundation of courage for you when times of distress occupy your inner land. 
• May the wonder and awe that fills the eyes of children be awakened with you. May it lead you to renewed awareness and appreciation of whatever you too easily take for granted. 
• May the bonds of love for one another be strengthened as you gather with your family and friends around the table of festivity and nourishment. 
• May you daily open the gift of your life and be grateful for the hidden treasures it contains. 
• May the coming year be one of good health for you. May you have energy and vitality. May you care well for your body, mind and spirit. 
• May you keep your eye on the Star within you and trust this Luminescent Presence to guide and direct you each day. 
• May you go often to the Bethlehem of our heart and visit the One who offers you peace, and...
•  May you bring this peace into our world!

Christmas Peace and Joy to you!

Fr. Larry

Christmas Eve

It's 2:00 pm on Christmas Eve and we are in the "calm before the storm" so to speak!  The  church is decorated, the Banners are up, the poinsettias  are all in place, the Halls are set for the overflow... and all the messages on the answering machine have been cleared.  In my own life - last night was Baking time - making 5 batches of cookies that I give as gifts, take to a friend's house for their annual party after Christmas, and even some to share with the staff these days!  After the Midnight mass tonight - Fr. Sherwin and I will be heading to the Rectory and we will have a beverage, and we will open the presents that are under our tree. 
All of my gift giving to family is wrapped, and everything is packed in boxes and bags for transport on Christmas afternoon.  I will be travelling to Toronto, and then my Brother in Law will be driving to Kingston where we will all meet up at my Dad's house.  I will be in the back seat - snoozing - for the highway trip to Kingston!
Peace. 

Advent Conspiracy

One of our Teens posted the following video about Christmas and our Consumer Culture:

Peace

I wish you Enough!

I wish you Enough!
Recently I received an email from a friend about a Father and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. The Airline  had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the Father said, 'I love you, and I wish you enough.' The daughter replied, 'Dad, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Dad.' They kissed and the daughter left. The Father walked over to the window in the terminal. Someone standing there could see he wanted and needed to cry. he asked the stranger nearby, 'Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?'
 "Yes, but why is this a forever good-bye?" asked the stranger.
 'I am old, and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral,' he said. 

'When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough.' May I ask what that means?' asked the stranger.

He began to smile. 'That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.' He paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and he smiled even more. 'When we said, 'I wish you enough,' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.' Then turning toward me, he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory.

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright 

     no matter how grey the day may appear.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I wish you enough happiness 

     to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even 

     the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

He then began to cry and walked away..
Take Time To Live...

To you and your family: I wish you enough!

Peace

"O Antiphons"

The seven "O Antiphons" (also called the "Greater Antiphons" or "Major Antiphons") are prayers that come from Vespers (Evening Prayer) in the Liturgy of the Hours (Breviary)  during the Octave before Christmas Eve, a time which is referred to as the "Golden Nights."  Each Antiphon begins with "O" and addresses Jesus with a unique title which comes from the prophecies of Isaiah and Micah and whose initials, when read backwards, form an acrostic for the Latin "Ero Cras" which means "Tomorrow (that is, Christmas Day) I come". The titles for Christ are:

• Sapientia 
• Adonai 
• Radix Jesse 
• Clavis David 
• Oriens 
• Rex Gentium 
• Emmanuel 

Today's antiphon is O Wisdom (O Sapientia):
O wisdom, coming forth from the Most High, filling all creation and reigning to the ends of the earth; come and teach us the way of truth. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
[Ecclesiasticus 24.3-9 Proverbs 1:20; 8; 9 and 1 Corinthians 1:30]

O come, thou wisdom from on high
Who madest all in earth and sky,
Creating us from dust and clay:
To us reveal salvation's way.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

A Shoe?

I get how things get left behind.  I know that I leave papers, gloves, even a hanger or 2 when I visit a parish for Confessions. I often hang up my Alb and Stole when I arrive at a rectory - before dinner, and then after confessions, I leave with the Alb and Stole in my hands - and I leave the hanger behind.
But really - a shoe!?! How does someone leave 1 shoe behind - I might comprehend how one could leave 2 shoes behind - you wore boots - and then changed into shoes at the church - that might be possible - but really, 1 shoe, I just don't get it! Maybe it was Cinderella!!!
There are many such items in our "lost and found" - waiting to return home! How is that for an Advent reflection!

Peace

Changes at Holy Family

When Fr. Sherwin was not made a Pastor last July - I have to admit I was surprised.  He has been ordained 6 years - and I fully expected he would be made a Pastor... well I was only a few month "early" in my expectations!  Last week Fr. Sherwin received official news that Archbishop Collins is appointing him as Pastor of Immaculate Conception parish in Sutton, and its mission - Our Lady of the Lake in Keswick.  Like many older parish/mission combinations - the Mission is now bigger than the "parish".  (Like Schomberg and Nobleton)


Fr. Sherwin has of course been involved in all aspects of parish life - yet he has had specific responsibility for the Sacrament of Confirmation, and St. Nicholas and Pope John Paul II schools as well as being involved with the Edge and Life Teen youth ministries.


We will be able to have a celebration of thanks for Fr. Sherwin on Sunday afternoon, January 8th - between 2 and 4 pm.


We will welcome Fr. Damian Young-Sam-You as our new Associate Pastor effective January 11, 2012. Fr. Damian was an associate at Our Lady of Grace in Aurora for 2 years, and has been the Assistant Vocations Director at Serra House in downtown Toronto for the last year and a half.  Here is an introductory Video about Fr. Damian:

Peace

Target Canada - Comes to Bolton!

Until today I had no idea that the corporate mission statement of Target included a commitment to give 5% back to each local community that there is a store or office! Today I had the opportunity to witness Target Canada's first ever (history making) philanthropic event in Canada - and it was here in Caledon - at the Albion Bolton Community Centre - the site of the annual Santa Fund warehouse.

Target Canada - which bought up a number of old Zellers sites across Canada - has its Corporate Headquarters in Peel Region (in Mississauga) and so they had contacted Volunteer Canada - and its local organization - Volunteer MBC (Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon).  Carine Strong is the Executive Director of Volunteer MBC and she is also a Board Member (like myself) for Caledon Community Services. There were no Organizations in Brampton or Mississauga that were willing to host the 50+ workers from Target for their 1 day Volunteering Experience.

Stockings stuffed !

They did some terrific work, sorting food, packing hamper boxes, stuffing stockings, sorting toys, and decorating the warehouse.  Not only did Target supply the labour, they also supplied thousands of dollars of toys, toiletries, decore, and trees as well as $5,000 worth of materials that CCS will be able to keep - Bins, carts, ladders, and trolleys.  Thank you Target Canada for your time and commitment to local communities.

The most humorous find in sorting the food (the volunteers check expiry dates to make sure that people are not provided "expired food") was a package of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese - that had an expiry date of 95 JN 21!  June 21, 1995!!!
Can you believe it - this item was in the back of someone's kitchen, or basement for over 16 years! Yikes! Good eyes on the part of SARA from Target! Great job by the Target volunteers, the CCS Staff, and Volunteer Canada/ Volunteer MBC!
Peace

Target Canada - Comes to Bolton!

Until today I had no idea that the corporate mission statement of Target included a commitment to give 5% back to each local community that there is a store or office! Today I had the opportunity to witness Target Canada's first ever (history making) philanthropic event in Canada - and it was here in Caledon - at the Albion Bolton Community Centre - the site of the annual Santa Fund warehouse.

Target Canada - which bought up a number of old Zellers sites across Canada - has its Corporate Headquarters in Peel Region (in Mississauga) and so they had contacted Volunteer Canada - and its local organization - Volunteer MBC (Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon).  Carine Strong is the Executive Director of Volunteer MBC and she is also a Board Member (like myself) for Caledon Community Services. There were no Organizations in Brampton or Mississauga that were willing to host the 50+ workers from Target for their 1 day Volunteering Experience.

Stockings stuffed !

They did some terrific work, sorting food, packing hamper boxes, stuffing stockings, sorting toys, and decorating the warehouse.  Not only did Target supply the labour, they also supplied thousands of dollars of toys, toiletries, decore, and trees as well as $5,000 worth of materials that CCS will be able to keep - Bins, carts, ladders, and trolleys.  Thank you Target Canada for your time and commitment to local communities.

The most humorous find in sorting the food (the volunteers check expiry dates to make sure that people are not provided "expired food") was a package of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese - that had an expiry date of 95 June 21!!!  1995!!!
Can you believe it - this item was in the back of someone's kitchen, or basement for over 16 years! Yikes! Good eyes on the part of SARA from Target! Great job by the Target volunteers, the CCS Staff, and Volunteer Canada/ Volunteer MBC!
Peace

Reconciliation & The Kingdom

The Season of Advent bids us prepare the way of the Lord. The Scriptures this past Sunday speak of leveling mountains and filling valleys, so that the path is straight. Maybe not so much for God to be able to come to us, after all God is God – and can come – powerfully.

Yet maybe all this leveling of roads - for that is what is involved in making the path straight - all this leveling of roads is for us to be able to access GOD.  The timing of Isaiah’s prophecy is during the exile in Babylon: so the highway he’s talking about was to lead the chosen people - the people of Israel - back to promised land - back to their inheritance.  John the Baptist invites us to repentance, since it is sin that can block our access to God.  Reconciliation – Like that offered a week next Tuesday (December 13 at 7 pm) allows God to make straight the path in us once again, and hastens the coming of the kingdom.  

When we forgive and when we are forgiven - when that is a genuine experience of Reconciliation, it is as if there is a "spark" of the Kingdom.  A little "in-breaking" of the reign of God. And we can bask in the glow of that spark, the glow of God’s grace.

God comes to us so that we might approach God - not in fear and trembling – but in wonder and Awe.

Peace

Changes are difficult all the way around

I have to confess that I have a new-found respect for all of the priests who are 41+ years ordained.  As I have celebrated Mass this week in different situations (St. John the Baptist School, the parish, with seniors, and a marriage this morning) i have found myself so self conscious of all the little changes in the prayers that I pray - as well as the responses of the people.
And this is really without any change to the structure of Mass.  Those priests who worked through the changes in the late 60's and early 70's had structural and linguistic change to tackle.  God Bless them!!!


I think that slowing down, and being deliberate in the prayers is what will help me as a presider, and I hope will help those who listen to the prayers as they are prayed...
I know that these prayer changes are not easy - yet I also know that we can stick with it!  


Peace

New Dufferin Peel - Grade 7 Initiative

Today our parish team - well really Stephanie and Fr. Sherwin ... with some assistance from Denyse Hinca, Nicholas our organist, and myself - are running a field trip day for the grade 7's from St. Nicholas School.  This is part of Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board's efforts to increase the Catholicity of our schools.  The Board is encouraging School - Parish links in grade 7 (and I think grade 11) so that students will know the history of the Archdiocese of Toronto as well as their local parish history.
Not only will the day offer a time of learning of the history of our parish, its formation, its building, etc., we are also taking some time to practice the new parts of the mass with these students, so that they will be leaders in the school...
A neat day - with a great group of energetic students!


Peace

1st Sunday with the New Roman Missal

Well I think that went well!  Fr. Sherwin and I are mighty relieved.  We both felt that our own reading of the Mass parts beforehand (I had even taken a misselette sized resource with me on holidays!) had been helpful, and I think our parish was as prepared as any!  Good job on you all! Be generous with each other.  There will be a learning curve!
We will need to support each other and encourage each other to use the cards, especially at those 5 places where the changes are significant:

1. "And with your spirit." - This happens 5 times in the mass - including: Opening Greeting, before the Gospel, at the Preface, before the sign of peace, before the final blessing.
2. The entire Nicene Creed! We will pray this creed until the beginning of Lent in February 2012.
3. At the Preparation of the gifts: "May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy church."
4. Preface Dialogue: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God - then "It is right and just."
5. Before Communion: "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed."

We also need to remember to Bow after the person in front of us in the communion procession moves to the side.


Even though the words are new - the important thing to remember is that the Mass is unchanged!  Christ is truely present among us when we gather, in the priest that Presides, in the Word proclaimed, and in the Bread and wine - the Body and Blood of Christ broken and poured out for our salvation.
It will be interesting to watch the evening news - and to see how different newscasts try to report this change in the church's language of prayer in English!


Peace
Fr. Larry

Waiting Wisely for the Bridegroom

The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids 

Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept.But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise replied, “No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

I always think of the church of St. Maria in Trestevere, in Rome, when I hear this Gospel:


The Church

The Facade

Detail of the Facade

You can see that the lamps of the Bridesmaids on the left (on the right of St. Mary) have their lamps lit, and the Bridesmaids on the right do not - YET interestingly - ALL 10 have have a halo!!!
We need to be ready - but in the end Salvation is God's doing!
I am on Holidays for 2+ weeks - and may or may not post!


Peace

Time Change

So What would you do with an extra hour?
Every year, Canadians receive the coveted gift of 60 more minutes when clocks are rolled back for Daylight Savings Time.
But what if that annual ritual happened once a week?

With the nation poised to gain some time this Sunday, November 6, research group Angus Reid asked Canadians how they would use an extra hour every week — if, by some scientific marvel, they received one. The poll revealed Canadians are divided on how they'd spend a spare hour but most agree the last task they'd use it on is work.  Only three per cent of respondents said they'd channel those 60 extra minutes a week into their day jobs.
Instead, most Canadians wish they could spend more time sleeping and catching up on basic household errands. Twenty-four per cent of survey respondents said they'd use an extra hour to catch up on a mounting list of chores and household errands. But almost as many Canadians would gladly trade their brooms for a bed, with 22 per cent of respondents opting to sleep through an extra hour every week. Relationships emerged as a clear priority in the poll with results suggesting that Canadians would prefer to spend an extra hour socializing rather than exercising.
Only five per cent of survey respondents indicating that they'd spend an hour on community service, maybe we should be urging people to get involved.

Full results of the "Value of an Hour" poll:

• Family and friends – 25 per cent
• Chores and Errands – 24 per cent
• Sleep – 22 per cent
• Exercise – 14 per cent
• Interests and hobbies – 6 per cent
• Community service – 5 per cent
• Work – 3 per cent

Whatever you will do with this 60 minutes - remember to turn your clocks back an hour this Saturday Night before going to bed!

See you at Church!

Peace

Days of the Living and the Dead - Halloween - All Souls

Each Sunday, Week after week, having listened to God’s Word, we profess our beliefs ... In the words of the Apostles creed, tucked into the middle of the last sentence … 

"I believe in the holy spirit, the Holy catholic Church the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the Body, and life everlasting.

If what we Pray is what we believe - We believe in the Communion of Saints - how does it affects our lives ?

These 3 Days are connected & All Saints Day is at the HEART
the day before is Halloween … & the day after … All Souls day

Some of our Current stuff of Halloween is connected to All Saints … and some stuff is not… Like the Name – That is connected.
October 31st is the eve of All the Saints.

Saints – are the holy ones: Holy = Hallowed
(Our Father… HALLOWED be your name)
So it’s the Evening before the day of all the saints
All Hallows day Eve… All Hallows eve… Halloween
This time of year is very much a time of Harvest for us in our northern Hemisphere and there is a connection of the harvest of all the faithful… at the end of time.The earth is going dormant… Like when a person dies…  Our Current Practice of Trick or Treat (Dressing up to appear as one of the spirits) and Giving sweet treats as bribes comes from the Celtic / Druid customs which were part of Ireland / England. These customs spread throughout the world as Irish left Ireland in the mid 1800's during the potato famine. Jack-O-Lanterns are connected to the Druid Fires – Lamps that were used to guide the way. 

                                   [Reflection on Pumpkins: 

Being a good person is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all of the yucky stuff – including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a bright new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.]

All Saints Day on November 1 is set aside to remember not only the vast array of uncanonized saints—those individuals whose holiness was known only by a few - but also to Remember that we are part of the Communion of Saints.  Canonized saints are only a small minority of those celebrating the direct vision of God. There are many unknown or unnamed Saints - so this is their Day - this is Our Day!!!  In a sense we - the living - are small "s" saints - while those who are with God now in heaven are capital "S" Saints!

November 2, is the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed
To Commemorate means to Remember - Remember before God
We pray for them. I remember my Mother and Grandparents, my aunts and uncles and family friends. This day marks the time to pray for them… particularly a chance to pray during the whole month of November…

Living as if we believe in the communion of saints means that we are among those singing at Funeral, that we are regularly praying for the dead,  and that we are invoking and praying with the Saints, asking their intercession.

Have a blessed - Memorable - November!

Peace

Busy Weekend

The Past few days have been busy for me - both at Holy Family and away from the Parish.  On Friday I traveled up to Martyrs Shrine in Midland to offer a retreat for the Board of Trustees.  This was a short 4 hour retreat - where we reflected upon the image of Sunday as the Day of the Lord, and that our gathering for Eucharist on Sunday is not for ourselves - but we are nourished and sent forth from the Table for the life of the world.
Then I came back to Bolton in time to help lead the Edge Night - on the Changes to the Roman Missal... 
Saturday started off with Breakfast with 200 women at the semi-annual "Magnificat" gathering in North York.  With a couple of Tables from Bolton / Caledon, it was impressive to see that many women celebrating their commitment to the faith.  The guest speaker was Sr. Mary Elizabeth Doolittle - who is a "Sister of Life" - a relatively new congregation formed by Cardinal O'Connor in the early 1990's in New York, and now present in a number of cities - including Toronto.  Sr. Mary Elizabeth spoke of her discernment story and how the Holy Spirit had been active in her life... She was a terrific, energy filled speaker.  I would love to have some of the Sisters of Life come to the parish and be a witness for our young people - especially our young women.


Meanwhile back in Bolton there was a full house in the Parish:  Edge had Teen Training for over 90 people from 6 parishes, and we had our final Lector Proclamation workshop.

The usual Saturday Night Lifenight was busy - with some visitors from Bradford and Orangeville...
Then Sunday afternoon - after the Masses - we had a Staff meeting for almost 3 hours with our entire - including the Student Part time Staff.  We have one of these meetings each year - and this year we are endeavoring to step things up - going from being a "good staff" to beeing a "great staff" in service of our parishioners...
I then high-tailed it to North York to have dinner with my Sister Julie and her family - Julie turned 40 this week (oops was I supposed to say that?)  It was a surprise to have Dad and I there for dinner - she had no Idea - since I had given her a card when they came to Mass Sunday Morning!
Its a busy week ahead with All Saints, All Souls, St. Michael's School Awards night, A Joint Meeting with Priests and Secondary School Principals in Dufferin Peel, and other preparations before I go on holidays next Monday, Nov. 7, for over 2 weeks.


Peace

A Year of...

Over the years the Church has had a number of different "Holy Year" times to focus non an aspect of our Salvation, of God, or a person of importance:

• 1975 - Holy Year (Typically held every 25 years)
• 1984 - Holy Year of Redemption (World Youth Day Cross)
• 1997 - Holy Spirit              Part of the
• 1998 - Jesus Christ            lead up to the
• 1999 - God the Father       Jubilee Year
• 2000 - Jubilee Year
• 2002 - The Rosary (We celebrated in 2003 in Toronto)
• 2004 - 2005 - The Eucharist
• 2008 - 2009 - St. Paul
• 2009 - 2010 - Year for Priests

Now this past Sunday Pope Benedict has announced another "Year of..."  that will begin next October on the 50th anniversary of the start of the Second Vatican Council - a Year of Faith.
Here is the text of the Holy Father's Announcement:

VATICAN CITY, 16 OCT 2011 (VIS) - During Mass this morning in the Vatican Basilica, celebrated to mark the end of an international meeting on new evangelisation organised by the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation, Benedict XVI announced that he was calling a forthcoming "Year of Faith".
     The Year will begin on 11 October 2012, fiftieth anniversary of the opening of Vatican Council II, and will come to an end on 24 November 2013, Feast of Christ the King. Its aim "is to give renewed energy to the Church's mission to lead men and women out of the desert in which they so often find themselves, and towards the place of life, towards friendship with Christ who gives us life in all its fullness". The Year will likewise be an opportunity "to strengthen our faith in Christ and joyfully to announce Him to the men and women of our time", the Pope said.
     Commenting on this Sunday's readings, the Holy Father explained that the mission of the Church must be considered in the light of "the theological meaning of history. Epoch-making events, the rise and fall of great powers, all lie under the supreme dominion of God. No earthly power can take His place. The theology of history is an essential aspect of the new evangelisation, because the men and women of our time, following the tragic period of the totalitarian empires of the twentieth century, need to rediscover a global vision of the world and history. They need a truly free and peaceful vision, the vision which Vatican Council II transmitted in its documents and which my predecessors, Servant of God Paul VI and Blessed John Paul II, illustrated with their Magisterium".
     "In order to be effective evangelisation needs the strength of the Spirit, which enlivens the message and infuses the person who bears it with the 'full conviction' of which St. Paul speaks. ... New evangelisers are called to be the first to walk along the Path which is Christ, in order to lead others to the beauty of the life-giving Gospel. On this Path we are never alone, but always in company; it is an experience of communion and fraternity which is offered to everyone we meet, bringing them to share in our experience of Christ and His Church. Thus, witness associated with announcement can open the hearts of those who seek the truth, helping them discover the meaning of their own lives".
     Finally the Holy Father turned his attention to the Gospel episode of the tribute to be paid to the emperor. Jesus command to "give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's", he said, "is rich in anthropological significance and cannot be reduced only to the political sphere. The Church, then, does not limit herself to reminding men and women of the just distinction between the authority of Caesar and that of God, between the political and religious spheres. The mission of the Church, like that of Christ, is essentially that of speaking about God, evoking His sovereignty, calling everyone - and especially Christians who have lost their identity - of God's rights over that which belongs to Him:our lives".

As we continue through the first 8 months of 2012 we will learn more and more  what this Year of Faith will look like.  There will be a general Synod of Bishops on the topic of Evangelization, and we will have been praying with the new Translation of the Roman Missal for some time, and will be comfortable with the new phrases and responses.
Peace.

Instant Messaging

Really – Love your Neighbour      How can I do that?

     I don’t even like my neighbour        

Maybe loving my neighbour is better than having to love 

my: brother – sister - Father – Mother – son – daughter – cousin – whoever

Love the Lord your God with all your heart

And all your soul      And all your mind.

What does that even mean?                              

I don’t even know if I can do that!        And He’s GOD!

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind"

Jesus is Quoting the old testament phrase which was part of Daily prayer

For the Men of Israel - whould wear Phylacteries - little box -

near their heart (on their left bicept)  & on their Mind (On the forehead)

Doing as they have done – for nearly 3000 years

This Phrase – Love God with all your heart/soul/mind

   is on a scroll in that little box

     Jesus was quoting his daily prayer - 3 times a day as the answer to the test.

Friend from High School is married, 4 children - Her sons – are my Godsons

           she has been flying a lot lately – with her husband - a Doctor

This week I helped with her AirCanada Elite choices // Upgrade Credits

     I knew – when she’d get the email, the Pkg, and the [best]Options for her

Would that I would know Sacred Scriptures like I know Airplanes…

How can I make one step closer? 

     To lovng God  with all of my heart /soul /mind

By Being a person of prayer – like Jesus

When some person wants to trick / push / provoke me

          Being a person of prayer can allow me

Not guarantee us / allow us to love –

even if that person doesn’t love us back

Hinges bear the weight - mighty doors Strong Hinges

 Love of God  //  Love of Neighbour – 2 great hinges

How do I know I can love - because I have been loved

    even when I did not deserve it - here at this Altar table,

        & over the years around dinner table at my home...

Then having been loved - even when I did not deserve it -

we can go forth and love - even if we don't like...

Peace

Lifeteen Retreat

This morning our Teens and the CORE Team of young adults gathered at Cedar Glen (YMCA Camp on the 11th Line in King) for a day long Retreat.  This is our first off site retreat for LifeTeen, and we began with Mass this morning.  (No sleeping in for this priest!)
It was a terrifically prayerful time with the 25 or so who are there.
The theme is Rooted and built up in him - Grounded in the faith.
The Teens began by imagining where they will be in 10 - 15 years - when they are 27 years old.  Who will they be - Whose will they be?

They can lead a full and abundant life - as witnesses of God's action in their lives - if they are firmly rooted in Christ - and established in the faith.
Each TEEN and CORE member gets a T-Shirt when they attend the retreat - and so now you can spot them when they come to Mass with these T-Shirts!  With that group on retreat till 9:00 tonight it means there will be a smaller crowd at 5:00 Mass tonight - But Jolene and JP are still here for Music! Alleluia!
Peace

Seminar: Good and ...

The past week started with 2 Masses at St. John the Baptist School on Monday morning.  Each of our Schools celebrates a mass around Thanksgiving and we celebrate the beginning of another School Year. I then went up to the Priests' Seminar - held each autumn, and which allows us to explore different Pastoral issues. Half of the priests go each week - about 160 at a time! (Fr. Sherwin will go in 2 weeks time)

This year's topic was Preaching, and the presenter was Fr. Peter John Cameron, O.P. The Dominicans are known as the Order of Preachers, and Fr. Cameron had a wonderful method he shared with us - exploring texts, and asking questions.  We went beyond the "standard fare" of many Gospel parables and the homilies they typically elicit by spending time going into the text, over and over, and asking ourselves - what questions does the text propose, and what questions are the people in our pews facing.
It was a great week, well... as far as those presentations went.  The downside of the week was our collective prayer. All of the singing during the liturgies was Gregorian Chant.  While this certainly slowed down - and made our praying of the office more solemn and prayerful - it meant our Eucharistic liturgies were flat, and without life.  The Introit Chant (read "Gathering Song") did not gather us and did not help us to become one body in prayer. That is what the Gathering song is supposed to do... So some Good and some Bad...


This Saturday our LifeTeen youth are on retreat - please pray for them. Their theme is "Rooted in Christ" from the World Youth Day theme this past Summer...


Peace

Cancer and Friends

Yesterday I got back from a quick 2 day visit to Virginia Beach to visit a dear friend and distant cousin, who has been battling Pancreatic Cancer.  Actually today marks 5 years from her first diagnosis! (It was 5 years ago in the beginning of October that Margie described feeling "mothy" just not quite right.)

 I met Margie with 4 other North American Forum team members when I was an Intern (learning about how to present on the Forum Beginnings and Beyond Institute) in Chicago in the summer of 2002 - just before World Youth Day in Toronto!
It was after some conversation that Margie and I discovered a common ancestry in her grandmother's Canadian roots.  Ever since that Institute the 6 of us have been terrific friends - partly because the local co-ordinator was so poor - and the facility was less than ideal (poor physical set up, poor lunch time service in the cafeteria, and really poor quality of food). It meant we bonded together in a way that a team never has before or since in over 100 of these institutes across North America!  We call ourselves the Chicago 6!
Since the fall of 2003 we have been gathering at each other's homes in an annual rotation - starting at Fr. Rick Conway's place in Andover, Massachusetts.  This year was my year to host, but due to Margie's condition, we decided to go to Virginia Beach this year.
We traveled, cooked, dined, prayed, anointed, and shared stories together.  It was a very grace-filled time, even as we realized that Margie is already in the 1% of people who celebrate 5 years of survival with this diagnosis.  Because Margie's Husband - Jim - is a retired Military (Navy) man, Margie has had access to top notch treatment options.  She has also been supported by, and herself has been a support to, many people in her faith and social networks...
I will continue to pray for Margie, my friend and my cousin, and ask you to keep her in your prayers also.
Peace.

Thanksgiving Monday

This Morning - after a Thanksgiving Day Mass - the Knights of Columbus boxed all of the donations from our Thanksgiving Day food drive.  Over 35 boxes were filled and will provide nourishment for those who are experiencing poverty these days.

This was a wonderful outpouring of care and concern.  Where we are able to connect our faith to our lives and share our resources and thus provide for someone else. 

It was a great reminder of the early Christian community in Acts 2:42-47 - where each received according to their need, and provided according to their ability.

Thank you to everyone who made donations.

After the boxing of the food, my Dad and I travelled up to Owen Sound to watch the Attack play a Monday afternoon game.  My Godson has been out of the line up for a few days - feeling sick and less than 100% so that he did not go on the road trip to Erie, Pennsylvania on Friday and Saturday.  I got a text message from Geoffrey on Saturday saying he was feeling better, and that he figured he would play Monday, but he did not.  He was in the building, and had skated on the ice earlier in the day, but was "riding the bike" in the dressing room during the game.  The Attack played 2 good periods, and won the game 6-3.  Their new Import draft pick from Minsk, Belarus had a hat trick, and the young guys are contributing - playing good positional hockey. (That last sentence was from Dad!)

Dad and I treated Geoffrey to dinner, and then we headed home.  One of the unique things about the way that the business community in Owen Sound supports the team is that whenever there is a Home Game for the Attack - the local Tim Hortons Stores have an "Attack Doughnut" and I finally purchased one! Well actually three - but one was for Dad tonight and one for the road tomorrow!
Peace

Dignum et iustum est! It is Right and Just

When we Gather for Eucharist – it is our opportunity to give Praise and Thanks to God.  The word Eucharist comes from the Greek and means to Give Thanks.  The Eucharistic Prayer is our perfect prayer of Thanks – Offered by all of us and spoken by the priest

In the last line of the Preface Dialogue: The LATIN Has not changed from 1971 to 2011: Dignum et iustum est
Was translated in 1970 to english as:

“It is right to give Him thanks and praise” 

But you can clearly see:      Right    and    Just    it is

Right & Just – When we remember that Biblical Justice – Is about Right Relationship.  This is our relationship – that we, the creation, the created order, gives praise and thanks to God the Creator the Author of all that exists.  This is the right Relationship.

This Sunday/this weekend – Our Society – invites us to be thankful. Often times that social idea of thanks – for all the stuff - all the harvest stops where our social idea of justice stops – before getting to God – And our Right Relationship with God.  God created us in relationship - for relationship.  God did not just make Adam, he created Adam and Eve.  We are built for relationship - and our Celebration of the Eucharist "rights" our relationship with God.

Dignum et iustum est     -    It is Right and Just.

Even though it is shorter than the phrase we use now, I think that this text, when we ponder it, presents a rich biblical image for us to imagine.

Dignum et iustum est     -    It is Right and Just that we give thanks for the relationships - the right relationships - we have this day. We do this at the wedding feast of the Lamb - where heaven and earth are wed. 

Peace

Thanksgiving Sunday

The word Eucharist is actually rooted in the Greek word for "Thanksgiving".  When we gather for Eucharist - we are giving our Praise and Thanks to God.  The Eucharistic Prayer is the best prayer we have to give praise and thanks to God Liturgically. Yet this ritual prayer of ours as a community will always be lacking if we are not able to offer our own personal prayers of thanksgiving. Maybe the liturgy can form us in how to do this in a personal way: listening to God, realizing what we have, thanking God, looking forward to service.
In the Liturgy, having gathered together, we listen to God's Word.  This word speaks to us in every time and place and is not simply stories about people with hard to pronounce names from places far far away.  God's word is living and true - and speaks to us today - here and now.  Maybe in our personal prayer we could start by taking time to listen to God.  Listen in silence for God to speak.
Having listened to God's word, we place our gifts on the Altar.  We place our very selves in that bread and wine. We offer ourselves, and that offering - joined to Christ's timeless offering on the Cross - transforms what we have offered.  Transforms us. We recognize what we have and the One who has provided it.
In recognizing the giver of all gifts, we praise and thank God.  This gratitude can permeate our whole being, transforming entitlement (what do I get / deserve) to appreciation.
Having given our thanks to God, we leave our prayer recommitted to live our lives in service of Christ, in service of the Gospel. Our time of personal prayer and expression of Gratitude is not simply for our selves, but rather joins us more and more to Christ - who lived his life for the life of the world.


Fr. Thomas Rosica, the Director of Salt and Light Media, offered a meditation on Thanksgiving that I wanted to share with you.  As you gather at the table of the Lord, and as you gather at your dining table as a family and with those you love, my prayer is that you will see the connection between these 2 tables!

Peace

Delegation to Town Council

Yesterday morning Dr. Cheryl van Daalen-Smith, Carmel Hili and myself "Delegated Town Council" - That really means we presented a report to Council - including Mayor Morrison. The Report we presented is: "A Home in the Hills" which presents findings about Homelessness in Caledon (which is available here)

The three of us were there because
- we know of teens in our community who are couch surfing because of Family Conflict;
- there are children whose parents are facing eviction after long term unemployment who are being fed and clothed by a neighbor;
- there are children whose parents who have died and they are too old for CAS – and too young to work;
- there are senior heating their house with an oven set to 400ºF ; 
- Retired seniors who have been farmers have people who live in their barns alone;
- because homelessness can be hidden - with the people in the big house at end of the cul-de-sac choosing between food and hydro;
- because people in our midst suffer severe deprivations of the basic elements of life;
- we see people who are clearly homeless, carrying backpacks, walking into town and spending time in cafes or library, sometime thumbing a ride, a woman, with a bundle-buggy holding all her earthly belongings, sitting dazed on a bench in the Goodfellow building, a gentleman eating his breakfast apple at CCS in the morning, folks who are denied housing because they have a pet.

We were 3 members of the Caledon Homelessness Partnership Strategy Committee that met for over a year - looking at an issue that is a Provincial and Regional responsibility.
We have committed our time to this because our conscience bothers us as citizens at the thought that people are spending cold nights sleeping in the outdoors exposed to the elements, while others live on the edge and struggle not to become homeless. 

“Homelessness is the real or imminent absence of a home over which individuals or families have personal control”

The Committee found that in many ways one can be homeless
before one is without a house, and that there are many factors causing this:
• Decreased access to affordable housing
• Family crisis and conflict – Disintegration / and re-constitution
• Abuse    • Addictions   • Physical and/or mental health challenges
• Limitations of living on a fixed income (OW, ODSP)
• Loss of many kinds (job, spouse, child)
• Shame and isolation regarding one’s situation 


The Committee had an 8 month community consultation including
three Community Forums, and approached many different community demographics including: 

OPP; Youth; High School Chaplain; Guidance Counselors; Optimist Club; Crisis Case Workers; Homeless Youth; Public Works Employees; Library Staff; Motel Managers; Faith Leaders; Kinsmen Club; Salvation Army; Street Outreach Workers; Town Outdoor Staff; LCBO Employees; Tim Horton Employees; Residents; Family Transition Place; Meals On Wheels Staff; and Street Nurses.

The themes that emerged during this study were:
• Hamlets matter - Caledon is full of smaller communities
• Animals matter               • Seniors/Farmers matter
• People are employed but precariously housed
• Youth need places to be, become and matter
• Some people are passing through, but others have no option except to leave because there is no support system here.
• People want to help. People asked again and again: what to do?

In the end we reminded council that the people in Caledon have been known as people who care for their neighbours. This is traditionally so in the hamlets and small communities of Caledon: if a farmer's barn is on fire, the whole village rallies to put the fire down and to give shelter, if need be, to the family affected by the disaster. This sentiment was expressed repeatedly by people in the course of this study and also at the forums held in Claude, Bolton and with the faith community: we care for our own and Caledon should and would support and look after needy members within its communities. 
All we ask, today, is that you take time to read our report and to offer support to the strategic homelessness effort initiated at the Caledon Community Services and overwhelmingly backed by Caledon residents.


It was something different to be nervous presenting and speaking in public! Yet this is something we can address - before the problem of homelessness becomes like other bigger cities in our region.


Peace