Welcome to Holy Cross

Transcription

1 Crossroads Milestones By Lorne Plooard "Life is not just a succession of events or experiences. It is a search for the true, the good and the beautiful.it is in truth, in goodness and beauty that we find happiness and joy. (Pope Benedict XVI). Planting the Seeds Fun-Sized Faith Formation By Angie McNamee Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:13-16 Steubenville Toronto is an experience that draws young people to truth, goodness and beauty through engaging and dynamic talks, the celebration of the sacrament of confession and beautiful Eucharistic liturgies. It is incredible to see teens from our parish marvel as they look around the auditorium and realize that they not alone in their Catholic faith. This year our parish brought Continued on page 6 Throughout the bible, the Scriptures highlight the importance of children to God. Children bring great joy into our lives through Continued on page 8 Our Purpose To raise up disciples who joyfully live out the Great Commission given to the Church by Jesus Christ. Welcome to Holy Cross We believe that all are called to be on a spiritual journey and what matters is not where a person is on that journey, but actually being on the journey itself. Our Vision Holy Cross Parish is a healthy, vibrant, enthusiastic, and growing faith community, who welcomes all and brings people to Christ, forms disciples and sends them out to transform the world. Every member is committed to worship, to grow, to engage and to give.

2 2 Holy Cross Church 503 Clothier St. W., P.O. Box 224 Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0 Tel: (613) Parish Hall: (613) Pastor Rev. Andrew B. Shim Youth Minister Lorne Plooard Alpha Coordinator Al MacEachern Parish Hall Co-ordinator Marg Arcand Holy Cross Church Caretaker Liz MacEachern Holy Cross Cemetery Al MacEachern Masses Weekend Masses Saturday: 5:00 pm Sundays: 9:00 & 11:00 am Weekday Masses (See weekly bulletin) Sacraments Baptism: Contact the parish office to register in the program. Confession: Friday 6-6:45 pm is the primary time scheduled for confessions. Matrimony: Contact the Pastor a minimum of 10 months in advance. Anointing of the Sick: Contact the parish office to request the sacrament. Cemetery Plots The Cemetery Board will be looking at increasing the prices for plots as early as the new year. Anyone interested in purchasing plots, or who would like information about plots and burials, please contact: Al MacEachern at or allen.maceachern1@gmail.com From the Pastor s Desk Last week a small group was tasked with studying the General Instruction of the Roman Missal and the Introduction of the Lectionary with the view of implementing the use of the Book of Gospels and the Book of Excerpts from the Roman Missal. Rather than simply introduce the changes surrounding the Book of Gospels, it was thought that we would examine other areas as well. This will require amending our procedures for our ministries, in particular: our lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers, sacristans, musicians, greeters and ushers. Upon completion of the ministry guidelines we will be scheduling training sessions. In 1969, when the reformed liturgy of Vatican II was implemented, there were no editions of the Book of Gospels available (in Canada). Hence, in many situations the Lectionary was carried in its place. Now only the Book of Gospels is carried in the Entrance Procession of the Mass. While this may seem to be new to many, it is one of the ancient traditions of the Church. The assembly itself is the original and main symbol of the presence of Christ. Within the assembly the Book of Gospels, solemnly carried in both the Entrance and Gospel Processions, became the first object to mirror the presence of Christ to the liturgical assembly. This predates the use of the processional cross. It also explains why the image of Christ or the Cross is often found on many of the ancient editions. This prominently carried icon of Christ helps us to know that Christ is indeed among us and speaks the words of life to us as he did to his disciples. The use of the Book of Gospels opens up the full meaning and significance of the Gospel Acclamation, which joyfully acclaims and welcomes Christ. As I mentioned in last week s homily, Jesus is the only reason to remain Catholic. And, yes, we can find Jesus outside of the church, but this is His church, the one He founded and the way He is present here is like no other place on earth. We experience His presence most profoundly in the mass where we encounter Christ in the assembly, in His Word and His real presence in the Eucharist. Let us pray that with these small changes in how we do liturgy, that it will lead us to have a more profound encounter with Christ. God Bless, Fr. Andrew Shim

3 Why ALPHA? By Al MacEachern Alpha is a series of sessions exploring the Christian faith, typically run over eleven weeks. Each talk looks at a different question around faith and is designed to create conversation. Alpha is run all around the globe, and everyone's welcome. It runs in cafés, churches, universities, homes you name it. No two Alphas look the same, but generally they have three key things in common: food, a talk and good conversation. First up there's: Food Whether it's a group of friends gathered around a kitchen table, or a quick catch up over coffee and cake, food has a way of bringing people together. It's no different at Alpha. Most sessions start with food, because it's a great way to build community and get to know each other. Then a: Talk The talks are designed to engage and inspire conversation. Usually around thirty minutes long, they can be given as a live talk or played as a video. They explore the big issues around faith and unpack the basics of Christianity, addressing questions from Who is Jesus? and How can we have faith? to Why and how do I pray? and How does God guide us? Followed by: Discussion Probably the most important part of any Alpha: the chance to share thoughts and ideas on the topic, and simply discuss it in a small group. There's no obligation to say anything and there's nothing you can't say (seriously). It's an opportunity to hear from others and contribute your own perspective in an honest, friendly and open environment. Explore More We all explore, every day. For all our searching it s rare to find time to think, and talk, about the big questions of life; about faith and reason and God and meaning. Come and See Please join us at one of our upcoming Come and See events being held in our Parish Hall: Lunch (Daytime Alpha): Wednesday, 19 September :30 AM to 1:30 PM Dinner (Evening Alpha): Thursday, 20 September :30 PM to 8:30 PM Please sign-up at the ALPHA table in the Narthex Alpha@holycrossng.com, contact: Al MacEachern Tel: Invite a friend to come with you! 3

4 Would You Give Me A Hand? By Al MacEachern Going to high school in the mid 60 s during a period when the Vietnam War was raging, as well as the beginning of a global cultural war where Freedom rang out, there was a very popular folk song Where Have All The Flowers Gone? highlighting the senseless loss of life from a very unpopular war. Fast forward to today, with the ongoing cultural revolution, where God is all but totally excluded from the public forum, one could sing where have all the Christians gone?, or more specifically in our case, where have all the Catholics gone? ; thus highlighting the senseless loss of the Christian faith from a very popular war. Today, we find many appear to be quite happy in this secular society that has evolved. However, we don t have to go far to know there are many unhappy, lonely, hurting, suffering, lost, anxious, depressed, and searching souls among us who may have lost their way. Many baptized Christians today have little to no relationship with their Church. Many Catholics come to the Church seeking sacraments for themselves or their children, but absolutely refrain from joining the community. They regard themselves as Catholics, but do not practice the faith, nor belong to any faith community. Many sincerely believe that we are all going to heaven; and hopefully that is so at some point, BUT..! I recently heard in a homily, that many desire the kingdom, without the King. How did we ever get to this point in our society? At the time of the cultural war and the subsequent ongoing cultural revolution, the Church, going back over 40 years ago to at least Pope Paul VI, in his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Nuntiandi (Evangelization in the Modern World) was calling the Church to an evangelizing mission to counter what was being witnessed in the culture of the time. The Church traditionally does not quickly bring about change. It is only of late that the Church has taken seriously its mission to evangelize, and re-evangelize the baptized. Secularism, relativism, religious indifferentism the belief that all religions are equally efficacious short-circuits evangelization. If all religions are essentially the same, why bother sharing the gospel? If all roads lead to heaven (which happens to be the heresy of Universalism), what s the point of sharing and spreading the Catholic Faith? Jesus nowhere in the Gospels asserts that he is merely one of many ways to the Father or that his truth is merely one truth among many. I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by me, he declares in John 14:6. In Acts 4:12, St. Peter says, And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus puts to rest the lie that all roads lead to heaven : Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few (Matt. 7:13-14). As Catholics, our duty is to charitably share, explain, and defend these inconvenient yet necessary truths of our Faith against the widespread religious and moral relativism that continues to sow confusion and endanger untold numbers of souls. The Church is catholic: she proclaims the fullness of the faith. She bears in herself and administers the totality of the means of salvation. She is sent out to all peoples. She speaks to all men. She encompasses all times. She is missionary of her very nature (CCC 868). At some point we have to acknowledge that we are the Church. You and me, our priests, religious, bishops and the Pope. Each of us is responsible and will be accountable for this mission. Continued on page 7 4

5 Pastoral Care of the Sick Is one of your loved ones struggling with illness or homebound? Is your loved one in hospital and would like to have a visit by a pastoral care minister? Does your homebound or hospitalized loved one wish to receive Holy Communion? Would you like prayers for your loved one? Would you like to add their name to the prayer list in the bulletin? We have pastoral care ministers who take the Eucharist to the sick in their home or hospital. The patient or his or her family needs to call to arrange this. Do you wish to have the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick? The Sacrament of Anointing is for the sick, not just a sacrament for those who are actively dying. On the third Friday of the month, at the evening Mass, there will be opportunity for the anointing of the sick. The next ones will be on: September 21 st, 2018 In the event of an emergency, please call: (613) Crossroads Youth Group Crossroads gathers every second Friday for super-fun games, food, and faith talks. Especially geared for teens in grades 6-8. Call Lorne, our youth pastor, for more info: or lplooard@gmail.com Coffee Party Starts up again on September 9 th Little Ones Word Starts up again in late September Rosary Mondays at 7:00 pm Eucharistic Adoration Fridays at 6:00 pm ACCEPTING PATIENTS DR. J. GILL MD CCFP KEMPTVILLE MEDICAL CENTRE 2670 Highway 43 Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0 (613)

6 Crossroads Milestones.... fourteen teenagers to this event in July Steubenville employs a talented array of speakers and musicians to lead teens deeper in their Christian walk and one standout this year was Michael Gormley (AKA Gomer) who had an open mic forum on the subject of dating and chastity in high school. Gomer s blend of comedy and personal stories was a hallmark for our group. On September 21, 2018, Cross takes place every first and third Friday of each month at Holy Cross Elementary School from 7-9pm. From life-sized mazes to whipped cream pie throwing contests, the evenings utilize fun events Crossroads Dates - Theme - Game Roads begins its third year of youth nights to help teens to grow in their love and worship of God. Cross Roads September 21 st, 2018 "Who is the Greatest?" How the virtue of humility can be life saving Three-Way Capture-the-flag October 5 th, 2018 "The Friendship Test" How friendship is basis for love Friendship Test Game 6

7 to encourage and evangelize youth to explore the richness and vitality of our Catholic faith. To date we have had 114 participants over the last two years, four of whom were received fully into the Catholic Church at Easter Would You Give Me A Hand?.... We can all come up with a number of excuses why we cannot participate in this mission. This is not my gift; I m not that knowledgeable in the faith; evangelization is a protestant ministry; I don t want to force my religion on anyone; that is Father s job; and/or any number of things we can conjure up. However, we can squawk all we want, but this mission was given to us at our baptism. You and me, we own it! Pope Francis early on in his pontificate said as a Christian, our job is to introduce Jesus, and let Jesus do the rest. So, how does that work? One of the easiest ways to evangelize someone today is our Parish is to invite them to ALPHA. If you don t know what ALPHA is, first come to ALPHA yourself. If you think someone would benefit from ALPHA, accompany them, even if you been to ALPHA ten times before. Can we allow ourselves to reach out to someone who is possibly in need? Could we give them a hand to find their way? We cannot judge their response. One thing is for certain, we will never know if we don t ask. Just remember, someone just like you may at some point ask someone close to you to a Come and See dinner, and start that person on a journey to encounter Jesus. Alpha is not the only resource available to assist us to evangelize. However, it is one of the best resources that have proven to bear fruit. Let us pray: Lord Jesus, I ask for a heart open and willing to respond to the essential mission of the Church to evangelize others. Jesus, give me a heart like yours that longs for all God s children to return to your Father. Holy Spirit, I am nothing without you. Fill me with your power and give me the Father s heart for those who need to know Jesus, and the courage to reach out to them with his love. Amen 7

8 Planting the Seeds... their innocence, curiosity and hopefulness. We are reminded of our duty to unconditionally love all children and teach them about the goodness of God through our daily actions and words. Little One s Word Between September and June at the 9:00am mass, children have the opportunity to hear the Word of God in language they can understand and to reflect on the readings using their own words. The children are called forth after the Opening Prayer and the leader escorts them into the hall for an informal, experiential learning session based on the weekly Scripture. Leaders proclaim the readings using a Children s Lectionary and discuss their meaning as they apply to their lives. The children then return to the church at the time of the Offertory to continue to celebrate the Eucharist with the entire assembly. Making Connections During Little One s Word, the children s liturgical celebration follows a similar structure as the general assembly. The children learn the different responses to the readings, recite prayers as a wholegroup and discuss the Gospel message. The leaders encourage understanding through song, role play activities and independent reflection. Using symbols, gestures and movement heightens the experience as well as the children s ability to transform the Gospel message into their everyday actions. While it is not Sunday school or child-minding, it is a place where questions are welcomed and children have the opportunity to grow their faith in a safe, risk-free environment. Children often bring home an artifact of their liturgical experience. Parents and grandparents are encouraged to ask their children about the children s liturgy session in order to help them extend their understanding of the Gospel message. Importance of Little One s Word In providing the children with the opportunity to attend a children s liturgy, we are helping children find the Good News of God through scripture and prayer. It allows children to receive and respond to the Sunday readings in a positive and enjoyable manner and experience the Church as a community. It also allows the community to embrace the children as valuable members of the Church. Having volunteered as a leader of Little One s Word for more than two years at Holy Cross parish, I feel truly blessed to have supported the children in their exploration of God s word. The children s smiles, questions and willingness to learn more about our faith instills great joy in me. Being able to bring children closer to God by helping them in their spiritual growth is very satisfying, knowing that we are making them a priority in our parish. The Children s Ministry is looking for leaders to assist with Little One s Word. Having a love for children and a desire to share our faith with younger members of the community is all that is required. New leaders will receive training, access to materials and mentoring by others with experience. If interested contact Phyllis: Phone: phyllis@holycrossng.com 8