PARISH STAFF & MINISTRY CONTACTS

Transcription

1 TWENTY-EIGTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME October 9, 2016 PARISH STAFF & MINISTRY CONTACTS Parish Priest: Father Toochukwu Okafor Deacon: Danny MacDonald Deacon: James McLevey Catechist, Primary-6: Shereen Daniels Catechist, Jr. High: Diane Gibbons Office Administrator: Catherine Gonsalves Music Director: Kim Sampson, Pastoral Council Chair Cyril Muise Responsible Ministry & CWL -RoseAnn Hetherington Finance Chair: Ralph Beal Knights of Columbus Gary Moore St. Vincent de Paul Martin Delaney sympatico.ca EVENTS AND MEETING Tuesday, Oct 11 POMBA Meet 9:30 am 11:30 am Hall Tuesday, Oct 11 CWL Fall Fair Planning Committee Meeting 10 am Majella Tuesday, Oct 11 Refugee Committee Meeting 7pm Hall Tuesday, Oct 11 Our Lady of Grace Prayer Group 7 pm Church Wednesday, Oct 12 KOC Executive Meeting 7 pm SHR Thursday, Oct 13 Adoration after Mass until 7.00 pm- Church Friday, Oct 14 KOC Cribbage 7:30pm Hall Friday, Oct 14 Youth Group 7pm Majella Saturday, Oct 15 Soup Supper after 4pm Mass Hall Sunday, Oct 16 Soup Supper after 11am Mass Hall MASS INTENTION SCHEDULE FINANCIAL NEWS: Oct 1-2 Saturday, October 8 Sunday, Oct am 11:15 am Monday, October 10 Tuesday, October 11 Wednesday, October 12 Thursday, October 13 Friday, October 14 Baby Siena Laura Fanning Theresa Gillis & Florence Hartigan For Parishioners NO MASS Anne Fitzsimmons Myrtle Oldford Selma Mitchell Cathy Clancey Sunday Offering Collection $ St. Vincent de Paul collection: $ If you wish to offer your Sunday Offering using Direct Deposit, please contact the parish Office for information. Thank you. SCRIPTURE READINGS For Next Week: 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time 1st Reading: Exodus Rs Psalm: Ps , 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 2nd Reading: 2 Timothy Gospel: Luke

2 -STM NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS- Masses at STM: Fr. Toochukwu is away until October 19. In his absence, Fr. Livio, Fr. Rob Arsenault and Fr. Francesco will be celebrating the weekend Masses. Fr. Henry Ebo will be celebrating the weekday Masses starting Tuesday, October 11. while Fr. Toochukwu is away. Thanksgiving Mass As Fr. Toochukwu is away, there will be no Mass here on Monday, October 10. However, neighbouring parishes will be celebrating Masses per the following schedule. We wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! St. Clement 10 am St John Twenty-Third 9 am St. Peter -10 am The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul thanks parishioners for their generous donation towards the annual appeal. If you have not had a chance to drop off your green envelope last Sunday, you may still do so. For those who do not have donation envelopes, some are available at the back of the Church. Your financial and food contributions are used to provide food and other support for needy families in our community. Since there will be no Thanksgiving Mass at STM on Monday, October 10, we would appreciate your donation of non-perishable food items on the weekend of October 8-9. Your kindness and generosity towards the marginalized is much appreci- Mass in Spanish will be celebrated at St Thomas More Parish in Dartmouth on Sunday, October 30 at 4 pm. It will be concelebrated by Fr. Jim Richards and Fr. Toochukwu Okafor. Reception to follow in the hall. Music Ministry: We would like to enhance the music ministry by inviting other musicians to come and join the choirs - not only singers, but instrumentalists as well. This would include drummers, bass guitarist and rhythm guitarists. If you are interested, and have at least 3 years playing experience, please contact me. You must be available for rehearsals. In order to give everyone ample time to learn the new Mass Setting, " Mass for Renewal ", composed by Curtis Stephan. we will postpone incorporating it until January. Please take some time to listen to this music on You Tube. It is very important to the liturgy that you praise God by singing as much as you are able. Please don't be a spectator! Thanks!! Kim Sampson 33 Days of Merciful Love: Based on Fr. Michael Gaitley s bestselling book 33 Days to Merciful Love, this small group retreat offers workbooks, talks on DVD, and more. The perfect way to end the Year of Mercy! Beginning on October 11, we will meet for 6 weeks on Tuesday evenings at 7pm to watch Fr. Michael Gaitley and to discuss the readings for the week. (This will take the place of the prayer group meeting for the six weeks). Looking for Counters to count the Collection on Sunday Parishioners who are interested in sharing their time and talents with the parish, please call the office or Susan Beal ( ) for more information. We welcome Blair Cormier and Kathyrn Hill to the Counting Team. We still need more Counters.. Requirement some accounting background. Ralph Beal has stepped down from being Coordinator for the Counters and Susan Beal has taken the challenge. Thanks Ralph for your years of dedication to this Ministry. Welcome Susan and thank you! October Devotion The month of October is traditionally devoted to honouring our Blessed Mother - The Virgin Mary. There are two special feasts that are celebrated in her honour this month, namely: 1) The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary - Oct. 7th 2) The feast of Our Lady of Fatima - Oct. 13th As part of our October devotion, we encourage individuals and families to pray the Holy Rosary at their homes. We will also be praying the Rosary in the church every day, 30 minutes before the weekend Masses. Please come on time to join us in honouring our Blessed Mother. In one of her apparitions in Fatima, she encouraged all Christians to pray Rosary daily for the conversion of sinners and for peace in the world. She said, "Dear Children, I call you to open yourselves to prayer. May prayer become joy for you. Renew prayer in your families and form prayer groups. In this way, you will experience joy in prayer and togetherness... I am with you, I carry all of you in my heart and I bless you with my motherly blessing. Sick Family Members: If you have any sick members and would like us to pray for them or have Fr. Toochukwu visit them at home or in hospital, please call the parish office. Further, the Knitting Group in the parish are making Prayer Shawls. If you know of any one who is sick and would welcome a Prayer Shawl, please call Anne McLevey

3 Harvest Dance The KOC is having a Harvest dance on October 21st. the Music is by Lukey's Boat. Time is 8 pm. until midnight. Tickets will be on sale after the weekend Masses at the back of the Church. Limited tickets sold. Tickets are going fast. Call for your ticket soon, at MORE STM NEWS 2017 Sunday Missals will be on sale starting this weekend. They will be available in the Religious Article Shop in the hall. Cost is $5.00. Magnificat Women s Prayer Breakfast 9:00 am to 12 Noon, Saturday, October 29, 2016, Msgr. Leo Day auditorium at Saint Agnes Church, Mumford Road, Halifax. Magnificat is a ministry to Catholic women. Guest speaker is Kerry Daley. Information is available in the brochure on the bulletin board. For tickets please contact: Krista Garnier (902) ; krista.garnier@gmail.com, or your Parish Representative: Nora Muise, (902) ; The CWL Fall Fair is on Saturday November 5th from 11am to 2 pm in the parish hall. Items may be dropped off on November 3rd and 4th from 6 pm to 9 pm and November 5th at 9 am. If you wish to help with the FallFair and have not been contacted, please contact Marguerite Fougere at Donations may include baked goods, gently used women clothing, country store items such as homemade pickles, jams etc, books for the book nook, cakes for the cake walk, new to you items, jewelry, crafts etc. We will be having bingo and lunch. We will not be able to accept large electronic items, computers or TVs. Interested in a St Thomas More weight loss support group? Great News! There will be a TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) information meeting/ presentation by the Regional Director for Atlantic Canada for all parishioners interested on Wed. October 19th following the 9 am Mass. Want to know more? Visit TOPS' website at RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM NEWS Children s Corner: Primary Grade 6 Thanks: To all the parents and their children who so generously brought in food donations for Saint de Paul Society. To the First Reconciliation parents who brought their child to the 8:30 Mass on October 2 for the Rite of Presentation as they begin the 2 year preparation for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. To all the parents who attended our First Faith Formation session ("Why Catholic"). Our next session will take place on October 16 (The Holy Mass) October 9: No catechism classes today as we celebrate Thanksgiving. October 16: Religious education resumes at 9:50 am October 30: Our students will participate in our Parade of Saints in celebration of All Saints Day on November 1 Chalice Can thanks to the children and parishioners for your continued support of our sponsored children, Cristobal, Maksym, Sofia & Priscilla. Last week's total: $46.15 Junior High News Our Youth will partner with two young ladies attending PA for a service project. Hailey Brien, confirmed here a few years ago and Maggie Easton are working with the Halifax Shoe Box Project which serves Bryony House, Phoenix House and Dartmouth Family Center among other shelters for women, to provide a box full of lovely personal items festively wrapped. This Christmas gift is meant to convey that they are special and have not been forgotten. The youth will host a Soup Supper on Saturday Oct 15 after the 4:00 pm Mass and on Sunday Oct 16 after the 11:15 Mass. All proceeds from a Free Will Offering will go toward the purchase of the items. Gift cards such as Tim's, Shoppers Drug Mart, Sobeys etc. are also welcome as donations. Please support what we believe is a very worthy cause. Matthew quotes Jesus as saying "Whatever you do for the least of my people, you do for me." There is no Sunday School class on Oct 9 due to Thanksgiving. classes resume Oct 16 Youth group will meet on Friday evening, Oct 7 in the hall from 7-9 pm. All are welcome.

4 Reflection Corner Our Gospel Reading from St. Luke relates to how Jesus healed 10 lepers. However, only one realized the full sense of his healing and he returned to say Thank you. To that gesture Jesus responds to him, Stand up and go; your faith has saved you. This is another case where something may have been lost in our translation. The last line in its original Greek might also be translated Your faith has made you whole, or Your faith has made you well. In any case, the point is the importance of gratitude to God. How often have we pointed out that stewardship is a response in gratitude to God s blessings? That ongoing and consistent feeling of thanks is so important. Jesus healed 10, but only one was really completely healed. The other nine were healed physically, but only the one who felt the gratitude was healed both physically and spiritually. In that sense he was truly made whole and saved. That is the same salvation that we seek, and the key to it would seem to be that deep sense of thanksgiving as part of our lives and how we live them. Bishop John C. Wester of the Diocese of Salt Lake City opened a recent stewardship conference in his diocese by saying, Stewardship is about gratitude recognizing what there is to be thankful for. Gratitude is at the heart of our faith in the Eucharist. PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING O God, when I have food, help me to remember the hungry; When I have work, help me to remember the jobless; When I have a home, help me to remember those who have no home at all; When I am without pain, help me to remember those who suffer, And remembering, help me to destroy my complacency; bestir my compassion, and be concerned enough to help; By word and deed, those who cry out for what we take for granted. Amen. Office will be closed on Monday, October, 10, 2016

5 ARCHDIOCESE OF HALIFAX-YARMOUTH Ministry of Care and Companionship: Parish Hospice Palliative Care Volunteer Training Do you feel called to visit the sick, terminally ill, dying and bereaved in your parish community? As a member of a Parish, you would represent your parish community by journeying with a person and being a loving support by listening, with some understanding of the challenges with which they may be coping, to ease the suffering and improve quality of life. Would your parish like to enhance the outreach ministry to include palliative care volunteer visits? A Parish Hospice Palliative Care Volunteer Training Two days: October 29 and November 5, 8:00am-3:30pm Location: Chalice, 26 Union Street, Bedford NS Presenters: Mary Wylde RN, Sister (Doctor) Nuala Kenny and Susan Duggan Cost: $25.for materials and lunch Please register by October 18.Contact: Dianne Bulger diannebulger@ns.sympatico.ca or (902) Save the date for the Steubenville Atlantic Launch Party November 5! Come get a sneak peak of Steubenville Atlantic! Steubenville Atlantic is our annual high school youth conference, happening this summer on July 7-9. Curious what it s all about? Join us on November 5 as we officially launch this year s conference season! The launch party is just a taste of what s to come this summer this FREE event features amazing praise and worship music, witnesses from other teens, and our special guest speaker, Bob Rice. Whether you ve been to a conference before or not, you won t want to miss this! When: Saturday, November 5 at 7:00 pm Where: Bella Rose Arts Centre, Halifax West High School (283 Thomas Raddall Dr, Halifax) Questions? us at steubenville@halifaxyarmouth.org or call (902) ext 311. COMMUNITY NEWS Founders' Dinner - CCO's Annual Fundraiser McInnes Room, Dalhousie Student Union 6136 University Ave, Halifax Tuesday, November 1, 2016 at 6 pm Guest Speaker: Angèle Regnier, Foundress of CCO Note: this event is free to attend, but there will be an invitation to financially support our work at the dinner Send to eric.myatt@cco.ca to register Benefit Concert at Saint Peter Parish This is a fundraiser in support of Saint Peter Parish Building Repair Fund. This concert will take place in the church on Friday, October 14 th at 7:30pm. Featuring two international superstars Georges Hébert, who erformed in our previous concert, and Irene Gregory Wilkinson acclaimed vocalist throughout England and Europe. This concert is not to be missed. Ticket cost - $ In addition a book launch will take place on behalf of the Canadian Breast Cancer Society. Tickets are available for sale now at Saint Peter parish office (10 Maple Street) during regular office hours (Mon-Thurs 9am-4pm and Fri 9am-1pm) and at Janet s Flowers (69 Portland Street). Tickets will also be available at the door the night of the concert. Veritas Enfield Grand Re-opening Saturday October 15 th Come and experience our new beautiful Enfield location in the Parker Place Mall. Will be opening on Saturday Oct. 15 th from 10 am until 6 pm. The Knights of Columbus will be serving tea, coffee and treats, and customers can save 20% off all books and gifts. There is plenty of free parking and fill out a ballot to win a gift basket worth $ and we will also draw for a St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta Relic. All children can come and choose their name card at no charge. Veritas Enfield is located across from St. Bernard s Church and beside Payzant s Home Hardware on the Old Enfield Rd. Exit 7 off Highway102. For more info call and visit Jewellery & Autumn Bake Sale - (also purses, scarves and personal items) - St. Paul's Church, 197 Windmill Road, Dartmouth. Saturday, October, 15-9 am - 11 am Sacred Heart School of Halifax Junior Primary and Primary Information Day on Wed. Nov. 2nd. Sessions are at 12:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Whether this is your first step in the admissions process for next year or to make a change this year, this is a wonderful opportunity to meet teachers and tour campus. For more information or to RSVP contact us at admissions@shsh.ca or