Welcome to Holy Cross. Memorial Mass For the Deceased Members of Holy Cross Parish Saturday June 16, 5:00 pm. Upcoming Important Feast Days

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1 Upcoming Important Feast Days As we near the end of the Easter Season, we encounter a number of consecutive (Sunday) feast days that are highlighted below. Memorial Mass For the Deceased Members of Holy Cross Parish Saturday June 16, 5:00 pm The memorial mass is for all the deceased in our families, however we will be remembering, in a special way, those parishioners or relatives of parishioners who have died during the past year. The names of those who have died since January 2017 will be announced at the end of the mass and a flower will be presented to family members in attendance. The sign up sheet is in the narthex of the church. Thank You. The Mass will be held in the church. All will be encouraged to visit in the cemetery following the Mass. Ascension of The Lord (Sunday, 13 May) The Ascension of Our Lord, which occurred 40 days after Jesus Christ rose from the dead on Easter, is the final act of our redemption that Christ began on Good Friday. On this day, the risen Christ, in the sight of His apostles, ascended bodily into Heaven. Pentecost (Sunday, 20 May) Pentecost Sunday is one of the most ancient feasts of the Church, celebrated early enough to be mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (20:16) and Saint Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians (16:8). Pentecost is celebrated on the 50 th day after Easter (if we count both Easter Sunday and Pentecost Sunday), and it supplants the Jewish feast of Pentecost, which took place 50 days after the Passover and celebrated the sealing of the Old Covenant on Mount Sinai. 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 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 9 months in advance. Anointing of the Sick: Contact the parish office to request the sacrament. From the Pastors Desk Easter Vigil this year was a celebration of great joy as we received into the church four young men and women. Seeing these young adults coming forward freely to be fully initiated into our faith not only gives us hope but also begs us to reflect on what is it that they see and value in our faith that we so often take for granted. Special thanks to Lorne Plooard our youth minister who accompanied these young adults on their journey. Congratulations also to our First Communion class and appreciation and thanks to our parish First Communion Team: Nancy Tremblay, Beverly Illauq and Saskia Lepies. This year we introduced a new program Blessed which was well received by the children, parents & teachers. In June we will welcome Archbishop Brendan O Brien to celebrate the sacrament of confirmation for the candidates whose photos are in the narthex. Please continue to keep them in Continued on page 3 Crossroads Youth Group Dates for May & June Friday May 4 th May The Force Be With You A Star Wars Themed Night Friday May 18 th Feed My Sheep A Jello Eating Competition Friday June 1 st Cancelled due to conflicting schedule Friday June 15 th After the wind there was an earthquake - but the LORD was not in the earthquake. Dunk Tank Madness Every other Friday, the most amazing youth group - Crossroads - gets together 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 2

3 Holy Cross Newsletter First Communion Class 2018 May & June 2018 Summer Bible Camp Again this year, Holy Cross will be hosting a Kids Summer Bible Camp. Mark your calendars now for July when your kids/grandkids can enjoy a week of faith and fun! Bible camp program in the morning 9-12 and optional afternoons 1-4 with games, crafts and community outings. $60 for the week, for mornings only and $120 for full day - lunch and snacks included. Come to the coffee party following 11am mass May 6th for more information and to enjoy a video of all of the memories and fun at last year's camp. Green registration forms will be available at the entrance to the church shortly. We are also running our junior leaders (12+) leadership training program again this year. It s a great way to get experience working with children. Any adult volunteers are also more than welcome. Whether you can help out with food prep, craft prep or any of the numerous other tasks required, please send an to the address below. Even if you only have a few hours to help in the weeks leading up to camp, previous volunteers have found that participating in the Holy Cross Vacation Bible Camp is rejuvenating physically and spiritually, not to mention lots of fun. Contact HolyCrossBibleCamp@gmail.com with any questions or for more info Pastors Desk.... your prayers. A big thank you to Al MacEachern and the Alpha team for another moving Alpha course. During the summer we will be introducing some drop in sessions on various topics. More info to come. All in all much to give thanks to God for and looking forward to seeing how God is calling each of us to mission over the summer and into the fall. God Bless, Fr. Andrew Shim 3

4 Motivated by Love - Powered by the Holy Spirit - A Report on the New Evangelization Summit By Phyllis Geleynse Evangelization is rather foreign to most of us, and a little scary. Though we are aware that the first disciples did a lot of it, as well as many missionaries over the centuries, it just isn't a comfortable part of our own everyday life. We tend to think (and hope) that smiling, good deeds, and being nice to people will be sufficient to set an example of the Christian life. But when we are faced with opening our mouth and telling someone else about the Good News of Jesus Christ, we become more concerned with whether we will hurt their feelings than with sharing the Truth. That's why I attend the New Evangelization Summit. I need the inspiration from others that it is possible to evangelize wherever I am and however much of a wimp I think I am. And this year's speakers did not disappoint! Two keys to evangelization jumped out at me in every talk. First, to be motivated by the love of God: God's passionate love for each one of us and our continually deepening relationship of love with Him. Second, to be powered by the Holy Spirit: with Him we can do all things, without Him we can do nothing. We need to spend time listening in prayer and Scriptures, both to the Father's love for us and to the Holy Spirit's guidance. We cannot evangelize without the presence of both of these keys. Motivated by Love The Summit started off with a bang with Director of the Catholic Charismatic Center in Texas, Fr. Mark Goring, telling us: "How desperate God is for us to know Him and be with Him in heaven forever." That's why He shows us such incredible miracles, like the 1917 apparitions in Fatima, the 2008 Eucharistic miracle of Sokolka, and Fr. Emiliano Tardif's gift of healing, among others. Christy Dupuis, mother and member of her parish Pastoral Team, begins evangelization from a place of personal relationship, with God and with one another. The story of our own living relationship with God is our most powerful evangelization tool. And we shouldn't be looking for grandiose schemes to reach thousands of people at once, but start sharing the Good News one person at a time, again through individual relationships. I was especially impressed with her point that "authentic love must guide our actions" - never guilt or fear or judgment, though they often seem so much more obvious and demanding than authentic love for God and our neighbour. Igniting the fire and falling in love are the two powerful analogies for the motivating factor in evangelization used by Curtis Martin, founder of FO- CUS campus ministry. To be "in Christ" is meant to be a love affair, not a burden. It is to take on Christ's properties, like a bar of iron in a fire. And then... we can set the world on fire! "Imagine if we actually lived as beloved children of God," concluded Michael Dopp, founder of the New Evangelization Summit. Powered by the Holy Spirit We were made for more, Fr. Goring urges us to remember. We were made to fly like eagles in the power of the Holy Spirit, not walk around like chickens! Author and theologian George Weigel delineated a brief history of the Church bringing us to our current times which can be called "The Church of the New Evan-

5 gelization." These can be turbulent times within the Church because so many of us still operate out of the mentality of the established Church we grew up in, yet at the same time are trying to figure out how to move into the age of missionary disciples. What an incredible privilege it is to be working with the Holy Spirit in these times! Weigel recommends we approach the sacrament of reconciliation as the place to bring all our failures as missionary disciples and be re-energized by the Holy Spirit to go out again to evangelize. Dupuis emphasized reliance on the Holy Spirit through prayer, not only individually but also as teams within the parish, waiting to be led by the Holy Spirit. And then, just doing it! "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). Sister Ann Shields, author and retreat speaker, spoke on the gift of faith and urged the memorization of the above verse. She recounted the 1984 martyrdom of Polish priest, Fr. Jerzy, and told of the necessity of forgiveness as an act of faith. In so many circumstances, forgiveness is impossible without the power of the Holy Spirit. Apologist and radio host Patrick Madrid added a very practical aspect to the conference: some suggestions on how to use modern technology and social media for evangelization, ways of "seasoning" our family communications with spiritual truth, and particular ways of praying for loved ones. He especially inspired courage and boldness through the power of the Holy Spirit in little ways of evangelizing. In this day and age, Christians must "live the truth, speak the truth, and be willing to suffer for the truth." Into the Deep Holy Cross parishioners who attended this year through Live Stream in our own parish hall have very positive comments about the event: Encouraging. Uplifting. Each speaker grabbed our attention in their own unique way. Vibrant. Joyful. Full of the Holy Spirit. Inspiring. And it wasn't just a feel-good inspiration; they plan to do something about it. Jacques & Renée Phaneuf write that the Summit "gave us a strong motivation to listen to the Holy Spirit and discern our personal charism and ask for guidance in using this charism for the benefit of our parish." They were impressed by Curtis Martin's encouragement to read the Scriptures everyday, and especially to reacquaint themselves with the letter to the Hebrews. Renée says she has changed her way of praying from always asking for something to praying for the Lord to take full possession of her heart and soul and do what He has planned for her. She was also moved by Christy Dupuis' emphasis on looking at how we have loved or failed to love authentically. "Christy Dupuis was especially uplifting to me as a Mom, Christian, and everyday Catholic, daily living out her faith at the kitchen table," says Mary Hart. "And Father Mark Goring has an infectious passion for our Lord in the Eucharist which was an inspiring reminder of the love and mercy just waiting to be received." Continued on page 6 5

6 Holy Cross Newsletter Motivated by Love.... Joe and Tracey Bennett's favourite quote was from George Weigel: This is the chosen time; it is a privilege to be here now, at this time, in Christianity, in a time of evangelization. Tracey Bennett shares that "The Summit has diminished my reluctance to evangelize. It has challenged me to get out of my comfort zone. I especially liked Curtis Martin's comments about starting with a small group and getting to know each one personally." Joe echoes her enthusiasm: "Though I have hesitated to commit to attending the NES both years, I came away inspired due to the speakers' message, their energy, and the conviction in which they live it. I have come away with new perspectives, new in- 6 May & June 2018 sights, and a positive energy to improve my faith and try to spread the message." "Christy Dupuis' emphasis on 'one person at a time' stayed with me," says Liz Innes, "as well as the question 'Who are you called to accompany?' followed by the answer 'Whoever God sends me.' I found this observation very relevant for those of use who participated in the Alpha course." Fred MacDonald shares, "I was totally captivated by George Weigel's talk and will take some time to learn more of the historical aspects of evangelism within the modern Church. He also inspired me to kick start daily prayerful reading of Scripture. I started with John that night. It is quite refreshing to slowly approach the Gospel. Every chapter has something, and most even more, that really ignites the intellect. It has brought my spiritual journey to a new level." The Summit at Holy Cross Live Streaming the New Evangelization Summit to our own parish helped to strengthen bonds between parishioners as we shared together in this spiritual event. We praised God together with our own excellent worship leaders, listened to one another during the brief small group discussions, spoke about God's working in our lives, and shared lunch together. May we continue to encourage and pray for one another as we each go out into the mission field that the Lord has chosen for us.

7 Holy Cross Cemetery Update By Al MacEachern Spring is here and new growth is rapidly being revealed in the plants, trees and the green grass that is growing fast and will soon be needing our attention. During the next few weeks maintenance will be ongoing in the cemetery with the dressing of graves, trimming of trees and overall cleanup of the grounds being undertaken. Just a reminder for everyone that artificial flower arrangements at grave sites are to be placed securely on the monuments and not on the ground around the headstones. Fresh cut flowers may be placed on the grave and these will be removed by the grounds keepers once they have deteriorated. Planting of any kind is not permitted on the areas around the headstones, nor are potted plants allowed on the ground. Please help us keep our cemetery clean and tidy. A Memorial Mass for our deceased family members is planned for Saturday, 16 June 2018, at 5:00 PM. This will be held in conjunction with our annual Parish BBQ. During the weeks leading up to this event we will be taking up the Annual Cemetery Collection that helps us maintain and enhance our cemetery. We thank you for your generous support these past years. We are hoping to find a way to strategically plant a few trees in the cemetery that will not interfere with the opening and closing of graves, and will enhance our beautiful grounds. We also plan to install a new cross to replace the one removed a few years ago. Parish Library By Louise Heil & Phyllis Geleynse We would like to invite everyone to explore the library located in the parish hall. There are a lot of wonderful Catholic books of various genres, such as Biographies & True Life stories, books on Family & Parenting, books for young adults, Bible study materials, all sorts of Theology & books on the Church, as well as Christian novels and DVDs. Many new books have been added over the past few months. Please follow posted instructions for signing books out and returning them. Someone once suggested reading one spiritual book a year, as part of a "balanced diet". One parishioner decided to simply pick another one up every time she finished one, and is quickly making her way through many of the great books in the parish library! Currently being enjoyed by parishioners: A Biblical Walk Through the Mass by Edward Sri The 7 Secrets of Confession by Vinny Flynn The Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World by Pope John Paul II Prayer: The Great Conversation by Peter Kreeft 7

8 Important Feast Days.... Trinity Sunday (Sunday, 27 May) Trinity Sunday is a moveable feast celebrated a week after Pentecost Sunday. Also known as Holy Trinity Sunday, Trinity Sunday honours the most fundamental of Christian beliefs belief in the Holy Trinity. The human mind can never fully understand the mystery of the Trinity, but we can sum it up in the following formula: God is three Persons in one Nature. There is only one God, and the three Persons of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all equally God, and They cannot be divided. Body and Blood Of Christ (Sunday, 3 June) The Feast of Corpus Christi, or the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (as it is often called today), goes back to the 13 th century, but it celebrates something far older: the institution of the Sacrament of Holy Communion at the Last Supper. BBQ Beef Dinner with Potato Salad and Coleslaw Saturday 16 June 2018 Tickets - $10.00 Children under 6 years Free Live Musical Entertainment Join us in an evening of community friendship Tickets On Sale in June Last date for tickets will be Sunday 10 June 2018 Volunteers are needed to help out with this event. Sign-up sheets in the narthex Bring a potluck vegetable salad or desert Pastoral Care of the Sick March 2nd The Magic Show March 16th Board Game Night April 6th How Many Fish Can You Catch? April 20th Religious Vocations 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: May 18, 2018 ** June 15, 2018 (cancelled) In the event of an emergency, please call: (613)