From Fr. Bill's Desk

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Dear fellow parishioners, 

on next Tuesday, Oct. 22nd, the priests of the diocese will gather with Bishop Crosby at the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate in Guelph for a convocation. 

During the afternoon, there will be a special mass of Thanksgiving for our Priesthood, followed by a formal supper at 6pm.

For this reason, there will be no scheduled 7pm mass at our parish on the evening of Tuesday the 22nd. Instead, we will have our daily mass at 9am on that day.

Thank you for your kind attention; please pray for your priests on the 22nd --- as you do every day! In Christ’s love, Father Bill

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 I wish to extend my gratitude to all the volunteers and parishioners for your faithful and generous service to Our good Lord and to the Immaculate Heart of His Mother. God’s Blessing to you and your family this Thanksgiving weekend and beyond. In Christ’s love, Fr. Bill 

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A Message from Joe Gigliotti, in Diaconate Formation, I would like to share my journey of faith with you. As some of you might know, I am in my final year to become a Deacon, of the Diaconate formation program for the Diocese of Hamilton. This past year of study, (Year 3), brought me many challenges. We studied the Trinity, Patristics, Sacramentality, Principles of homiletics, Canon Law and Pastoral theology for marriage, the sick and the dying. Myself and the other two deacon candidates during this formation year, were assigned Practicum ministry placement for six months. I was assigned to St. Joseph’s Hospital to visit with the sick. In January, I was installed by Bishop Bergie as an acolyte, which now permits me to assist Fr. Bill during Mass. I have now entered my final year of study and will be learning about moral theology, social teaching of liturgy and the sacraments. Also I will be studying the role of a Deacon during mass, including the rites of baptism, marriage, funeral rites, preaching and much more. Please continue to pray for me and my wife, Nadia. 

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 I want to share this story, given from an old friend of mine in our phone conversation on Friday past. She had been diagnosed with liver cancer and the time leading up to the operation she was battling with heavy anxiety. On the night before the operation she went to the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel at St. Raphael’s church in Burlington. She was alone before the Blessed Sacrament. Looking at Jesus in the monstrance she said out loud “Look! This is a big deal! You’d better be there tomorrow at the operation, like you promised!” At that moment she was filled with a deep peace. That peace has stayed with her through the operation and all the days since. As she begins her chemo, she has that peace! Eucharistic Adoration Anyone? 

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 The Canadian bishops have published a teaching with a view to help guide our voting choice in the upcoming election “Voting as Catholics: 2019 Federal Election Guide”. 

Below is the link: 

 http://www.cccb.ca/site/images/stories/pdf/2019_Federal_Election_Guide.pdf 

And, most important of all, get out and vote! 

In Christ’s love, 

Father Bill 

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This beautiful prayer may be prayed at any time; however, it is particularly efficacious when prayed just after receiving Holy Communion:

 Soul of Christ, sanctify me

Body of Christ, save me 

Blood of Christ, inebriate me  

Water from Christ’s side, wash me

Passion of Christ, strengthen me 

O good Jesus, hear me 

Within Thy wounds hide me 

Suffer me not to be separated from Thee 

From the malicious enemy defend me 

In the hour of  my death call me  And bid me come unto Thee 

That I may praise Thee with Thy saints and with Thy angels  

Forever and ever,  Amen.