www.theemmausseries.com
Living the Gospel by supporting vocations “Living and studying at St. Augustine Seminary has brought untold blessings to my life,” shares Matthew Gunnarson, one of 80 seminarians undergoing formation at the joint campus of St. Augustine’s Seminary and Redemptoris Mater Seminary. He adds, “The seminary could not run without the generous support of ShareLife donors.” By supporting ShareLife, you are helping our future priests follow God’s call. March 18 is ShareLife Sunday. Live the Gospel. Please give generously. If you need examples of persons responding to God’s call, look at Abraham and Sarah - called in old age to leave their country and have a child. Then Abraham was asked to sacrifice that child. What faith! Answering God’s call to be a priest, brother, sister or deacon is also taking a great risk. If you are willing & think God is calling you to a Church vocation, call Fr. Chris Lemieux 416-968-0997
[email protected] www.vocationstoronto.ca
Reminders for Sacramental Preparation FIRST COMMUNION SESSION 1 (Children Only) - Choose ONE of the following sessions to attend: Sunday, Feb. 25 (2:30pm-3:15pm) OR Monday, Feb. 26 (6:30pm-7:15pm), Parish Hall CONFIRMATION SESSION 3 FOR GROUP A (Last name A-M)–Choose ONEof thefollowing sessions to attend: Sunday, Feb. 25 (3:45pm-5pm) OR Wednesday, Feb. 28 (6:45pm-8pm), Parish Hall. Note: Parents are requested to participate in the first 10 minutes of the meeting. Liturgy of the Word with Children – All children (4-10 yrs) are welcome to participate in this program during the 9:30am Sunday Mass. Children go as a group to the parish hall after opening prayers to hear the Liturgy of the Word from the Children’s Lectionary & discuss the Gospel message at their level of understanding. Please note that access to the hall is through the west glassed-in-stairwell. STATIONS OF THE CROSS Celebrated each Friday of Lent at 7:30pm in the church. Parishioners are encouraged to make a spiritual pilgrimage of prayer, through meditating on Christ’s suffering and death. OLS PARISH SUMMER CAMP – July 15-20, 2018 OLS Parish is offering a new program called Totus Tuus. Children & youth are invited to a fun-filled, faith nurturing summer camp. Time away from the regular routine of life, in a loving community, with opportunities to grow emotionally,spirituallyandsociallyisawonderfulgiftforanychild.Theprogramoffersaone-weeksummer camp broken down into two sessions: Day Program (8:45am-2:30pm) for students in Grades 1-6 and Evening Program (6:45pm-9:00pm) for students in Grades 7-12. Interested? Email
[email protected]. Subscription forms are available at the back of the church for anyone interested in having a personal copy of the monthly Living with Christ Missalette, Fill out the form and return with your payment to the parish office on or before March 15, 2018. For each new subscription, Novalis will donate $10 to our parish (or $2 for subscription renewals). Funds raised will benefit OLS 2018 ShareLife Campaign. Rosary – prayed daily prior to the 9am Mass. You are also welcome to join the Rosary Group at 2pm on Fridays in the Parish Hall for fifteen decades and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which our Holy Father, Pope Francis describes as: “a spiritual medicine... good for your heart, for your soul, for your whole life.”
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Please join us as we pray for the following announced intentions… Intention(s): Offered by: Monday, 9am o Mary Bardwell Kelly Bardwell & Thompson family Tuesday, 9am ... of Pamela Ruebusch Supriya, James & family Wednesday o Christine Calderone Emily & Joe Cusimano Thursday, 9am o Joan Brady John & Ursula Matthews members of Goseco, Valencia Friday, 9am o & Feliciano families Linda Feliciano Saturday, 9am o Christine Calderone Maria & Sam Cusimano 5:15pm o Mary & Frank Ferkul Anne Pohole Sunday, 8am = Celebrated for the needs of all members of our parish family % 9:30am o Louis Bardwell Amanda Fitzsimmons & Lori Ciafaloni 11am ... Intentions of Daniella Servedio 12:30pm o Stan & Ewa Pizon Bogumila Pizon
Spirit of the Renaissance Concert – Sunday, Feb. 25, 7:30pm, Our Lady of Sorrows Church Come & join the Victoria Scholars as they present “Spirit of the Renaissance”. Experience the emotionally colourful music of their namesake Tomas Luis de Victoria, as well as the sublime music of Allegri, Byrd, Josquin, Palestrina, Tallis & other Renaissance masters. Tickets (Adult $30, Seniors/Students $25) available at the door from 7:00pm. For more information visit www.victoriascholars.ca Call for Conscience Sign-Up Sunday. We Need Your Help! – February 24/25 & March 3/4 The Call for Conscience 2018 Campaign is underway. Cardinal Collins and bishops across Ontario are asking for an email address from every Catholic family in their community, with a goal of 100,000 email addresses collected by the end of February 2018. This information will be used locally by Cardinal Collins and trusted faith partners to communicate periodically (approximately 6-8 times each year) on issues of particular importance for the Catholic community. The first campaign of 2018 is the Call for Conscience, inviting our elected MPPs and those seeking office this June to increase funding/access to palliative care, to protect health care workers wishing to abstain from any involvement in euthanasia/assisted suicide and to protect faith based facilities from participation in euthanasia/assisted suicide. Please take a moment to provide your contact information at the back of the church on the weekends of February 24/25 and March 3/4. Thank you for living a faith that acts!
MAKE LENT COUNT | PRAY • FAST • GIVE
John Thornhill sm
Mass Intentions This Week: February 26 – March 4
Readings • Genesis 22.1–2, 9–13, 15–18 • Romans 8.31b–35, 37 • Mark 9.2–10
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he destination of our Lenten journey is clearly to be seen in today’s readings: the mystery of the Cross, in which the father ‘did not spare his own Son’, and the glory which was to be the Risen Christ’s in his final triumph, glimpsed on the mountain. The testing of Abraham is one of the masterpieces of the Old Testament. The story echoes a brutal age in which the sacrifice of children was not uncommon – in fact, the people of the old Israel were taught to sacrifice an animal in place of their offspring, to turn them away from this horrendous temptation. But the real point of the story, made so wonderfully, is the absolute trust that is asked of Abraham, making him the model of all true believers. To the people of Abraham’s world there was nothing more important in life than descendants who would remember and honour them. Long after the age when he could expect a child, God gave Abraham a son. If he gives up Isaac, he has nothing left but his trust in God. That trust is rewarded – those who will call him their father will be countless; all the peoples of the earth will be blessed in his name – through the salvation brought by the Cross of Christ. This heart-rending story of the testing of a father’s love is linked in today’s liturgy with the basic truth of our Christian faith, proclaimed by St Paul, in the second reading. The eternal Father, who for our sake ‘did not spare his own Son’, will not refuse anything to his people in their need. God did not spare his own Son The promise made to Abraham was to be fulfilled in the victory of the Saviour’s resurrection. As he undertakes the journey towards the Cross and its glorious aftermath, he gives the chosen three among his followers a glimpse of the triumph in which he would fulfil the promise of the Law (Moses) and realise all the hopes of the prophets (Elijah). Again the Father’s love shines through: ‘This is my beloved Son – listen to him!’ It was a long journey from Abraham’s testing to the final fulfilment of God’s promises. We are privileged that the route our journey must take is so clearly marked out for us.
Lenten Retreat: Journey with the Canadian Martyrs Join us for a Lenten retreat facilitated by a Jesuit priest from Martyr’s Shrine. Monday – Wednesday, Feb. 26 – 28, 7pm, Our Lady of Peace Parish. Visit www.martyrs-shrine.com for more information. Senior Men’s High School Retreat - “Find your Strength in Christ” Saturday, March 17, 9am-5pm, St. Augustine’s Seminary The Office of Vocations is hosting a high school retreat for young men (Grades 11 & 12) to help them cultivate a deeper prayer life and relationship with the Lord. Seminarians offer reflections on practical aspects of faith. Retreat offers opportunities for Mass, Adoration, Confession and socializing. Visit www.vocationstoronto.ca to register or call 416 968 0997. Lectio Divina : Loose Talk & True Wisdom (Sirach 19.4-30) March 4 at St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica Vespers (evening prayer) at 7pm followed by Lectio Divina from 7:30pm-8:15pm. All are welcome! Visit www.archtoronto.org/lectio Lenten Retreat: Vice & Virtue - Saturday, Mar. 10, 9:30am-3pm, St. Augustine’s Seminary Speaker: Dr. Josephine Lombardi. Cost: $50 (lunch included). Register at www.staugustines.on.ca Annual Mass of St. Patrick – Saturday, March 17, 10:30am, St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica Join Bishop John A. Boissonneau, Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto, as he celebrates Mass in honour of St. Patrick. Come and See Weekend – Mar. 23 (6:30pm) to Mar. 25 (1:30 pm) , St. Augustine’s Seminary We invite single Catholic men 17 years and older, to cultivate a deeper prayer life and relationship with Jesus Christ; leading to a better discernment of God’s call for their lives. Time for prayer, reflection and information on the process of becoming one of Christ’s disciples as a Catholic priest. Register online at www.vocationstoronto.ca or call 416 968 0997. Registrants 17 years old require parental consent. LiftJesusHigherRally-Saturday,March3,9am-5:30pm,MetroTorontoConventionCentre Be inspired, encouraged and healed at the largest single day Catholic event in Canada! The theme of this year’s rally is “Fire on the Earth” (Luke 12.49). Inspired talks by Ralph Martin, Sr. Ann Shields & keynote guest speaker Patti Mansfield. The adult high mass (with Sunday readings) will be celebrated by Cardinal Thomas Collins. Bishop Scott McCaig will celebrate with the youth. There will be a separate youth event (13-18 years) with great music, dynamic talks & inspirational skits. Tickets: $25 for adults and $15 youths. For more, visit www.lift-jesus-higher-rally.ca
