Around St. Mary's This Week (April 25, 2021)....

CATHOLIC WOMEN’S LEAGUE

CWL is asking fellow parishioners to contribute to our drive for the Women's and Children's Shelter of Barrie on Mothers' Day weekend, May 8 and 9. Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, the shelter had to build two additional washrooms to accommodate all of their clientele.  As can be expected with the stress people are undergoing due to the pandemic, the shelter is full at this time and would be most grateful for your donations of cash or cheques. (Please make cheques payable to: The Women and Children’s Shelter of Barrie).

Please enclose your donation in an envelope clearly marked CWL WOMEN AND CHILDREN’S SHELTER DRIVE.   You may leave cash or a cheque at the parish office drop box or mail your donation to St. Mary's Church, ATTENTION CWL, 65 Amelia Street, Barrie, ON L4M 1M7. Please add your name and address so that the shelter can issue you a tax receipt.  Thank you for any support you can give to this most important drive.

Christ is Risen!  Alleluia!

As we continue to celebrate the season of Easter you are asked to pray in an intentional way for families preparing for Baptism, for our young people waiting to be confirmed and for all families preparing their children to begin to share in Holy Communion.

Gracious God,

I pray for the families preparing to celebrate

a sacrament during the Easter Season.

I ask for your blessing upon them.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph

pray for our families.

You are Invited to Join Us for Faith Nourishment

Tuesday, May 4^th at 7:30 p.m.

Topic: The Holy Spirit

The Church calls all people to continue to grow in understanding and knowledge of our faith.  To assist all members of the parish we are offering a monthly session of prayer, catechesis (teaching) and discussion. During the time of lock down we shall meet on line.  Our next session will be held on Tuesday, May 4^th and the topic is the Holy Spirit. Please email Catherine (cecker@archtoronto.org) to get the link.  All are welcome to join Father Larry and Catherine for a time of faith nourishment! 

Wedding Anniversaries: Living and Celebrating the Sacrament of Marriage

The expression a wedding lasts a day a marriage lasts a lifetime highlights the importance of celebrating and living marriage vows day after day. The married couples in our parish are a sign to us of God’s faithfulness and through their witness we are strengthened. If you celebrated a wedding anniversary in April we shall pray with you and share in your joy during our livestream Mass TODAY, Sunday, April 25^th at 10:00 a.m. Please join us in thanking God for the gift of the married couples in our midst.

Preparing for Confirmation or first sharing in Holy Communion

All preparation meetings and celebrations have been suspended.  Please check your emails regularly for updates and consult the parish website and bulletin.  All questions about preparation and celebration of the sacraments may be directed to Catherine Ecker at cecker@archtoronto.org.

MINISTRY WITH MATURING ADULTS

Christian Meditation meets weekly, online. The next session is on Tuesday, April 27^th at 11:00 a.m. Christian Meditation is one form of prayer and is a discipline that requires practice, concentration and commitment. This ancient form of Christian contemplative prayer invites us into a time of sacred silence. All are welcome. No prior experience is needed. If you have any questions or to receive the link to the meeting please email Catherine Ecker at cecker@archtoronto.org

The Next Chapter Network is a faith-based support network for women who are widowed.  The network encourages and empowers widows to move forward into a positive future. This group is not a bereavement support group and is not intended to replace the Bereavement Support Group at St. Mary’s Church. The next meeting will be online on Monday, May 3^rd from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. To get the link or more information please contact Catherine Ecker at cecker@archtoronto.org.

Free Webinar! - The Office of Formation for Discipleship is offering a webinar on Saturday, June 5 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. with Sr. Janet Schaeffler, OP, on, “Prescription for COVID: A Daily Dose of Faith, Hope and Love.”

These unprecedented times have been upsetting, unfair and challenging for maturing adults. We need our daily dose of faith, hope and love to fight off the fear, gloom and dread. As we reflect on what helped us through this past year, we discover that it was – and continues to be – the strength of the Gospel, which provides us with answers to the trauma and fears of the pandemic.

All men and women in the second half of life (50+), including volunteers, parish leaders, parish staff and priests are welcome to join this webinar.

To register, please visit: http://bit.ly/MAW-RegisterJune2021.  If you have any questions, please contact Ella Okonkwo at: 416-934-3400 ext. 523 or formation@archtoronto.org

YOUTH MINISTRY

YOUTH RETREAT – Save the REVISED Date!  We are excited to announce that prolific Catholic speaker, Paul J. Kim who currently resides in Texas, is joining virtually on Saturday, May 15^th for a retreat for our young people.  It will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  For further details or to register for the retreat, please email stmarysyouthministrybarrie@gmail.com or call (705) 229-7426.