Around St. Mary's This Week (April 4, 2021)

Posted : Mar-30-2021

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

For fifty days our Church celebrates the great feast of Easter. The Church tells us that the fifty days from Easter to Pentecost are one great feast! In our parish and homes, we continue to praise our God and celebrate Jesus’ victory over death. The fifty days above all others are the days we sing with fervent joy, Alleluia!

Family Prayer during Easter

As your family gathers for meals throughout the season of Easter you are invited to begin by lighting a candle and then praying together.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! Alleluia!

God of all joy, We are at this table of plenty celebrating Easter joy.

We thank you for the food we have before us and for those who prepared it.

We remember those who do not have enough to eat.

Bless this food and our time together.

Amen. Alleluia!

Celebrating Initiation During Easter

In the Church the Easter season is the normative time for celebrating the Sacraments of Initiation, Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.

At the Easter Vigil we celebrated full initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, first sharing in Holy Communion) with Oliver, Jack, Jackson, David and Hailey. We also celebrated confirmation with Tyler and Michael. We thank God for calling these people to new life and for the prayers and support of the parish. We pray for the newly initiated and their families.

During the Easter season we will celebrate the sacrament of Confirmation with our young people and children will join us at the table of the Lord as they begin to share in Holy Communion. You are asked to pray for all families who are preparing to celebrate a sacrament and we thank God for their witness of faith.

SAVE THE DATE!

We are excited to announce that prolific Catholic speaker, Paul J. Kim who currently resides in Texas, is joining virtually on Saturday, April 24th 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.

Tree representing Ministry with Maturing Adults The Ministry with Maturing Adults seeks to support the lifelong faith development of women and men throughout all phases of the pre-retirement and retirement years. Programs are open to parishioners in the second half of life.

VON SMART (Seniors Maintaining Active Roles Together) Exercise Program is held on Tuesday mornings.

For details regarding registration etc. please call: 705 737 5044 ext. 221.

Christian Meditation meets weekly, online. The next session is on Tuesday, April 6^th at 10:30 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.

Writing Circle Alumni Group: this gathering is for those who have already completed the Life Story Writing program. The monthly meeting will be held Thursday, April 8^th online at 2:00 p.m.

Preparation for first sharing in Holy Communion

Parent (only) Catechetical Meeting

All parents who have registered their children in the preparation process are to attend a meeting on either Tuesday, April 6^th from 7:30 p.m.– 9:00 p.m. or Thursday, April 8^th from 7:30 p.m.– 9:00 p.m. Important information is shared at this meeting and you shall receive a second book which is to be completed at home. If you have any questions please email Catherine Ecker at cecker@archtoronto.org.

Living the Gospel by sharing our blessings

ShareLife Sunday is April 18th. Our parish goal for this year’s campaign is $115,000.00.

Thanks to generous donors like you, ShareLife agencies helped 150,000 people locally last year. Your gift:

enabled 21,000 people to receive affordable mental health care through family service agencies
ensured nearly 7,000 seniors received dignified care
facilitated the arrival of 528 refugees through the Office of Refugees of the Archdiocese of Toronto
helped nearly 1,900 young pregnant/parenting women and their babies receive loving support
invested in our Church’s future by supporting 54 seminarians at St. Augustine’s Seminary and Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary in the current academic year.

This year we are encouraging you to give at sharelife.org, where you can make a one-time or monthly gift by credit card and designate it to our parish’s campaign. Monthly giving is a convenient way to spread your ShareLife contribution over the course of a year.

Using a green ShareLife envelope, simply fill out the form on the envelope and include a void cheque. Submit it to the parish office or drop it in the offertory basket at any time. Contact ShareLife at slife@archtoronto.org or 416-934-3411 if you have any questions about pre-authorized giving.

Thank you for supporting ShareLife!

You CAN work Wonders!

YOUTH MINISTRY

EDGE – if you are in grades 5 – 8, enjoy games and love to laugh, come out to our EDGERS ONLY virtual games night on Friday, April 9^th @ 6:00 p.m. Join us on www.zoom.us and enter Meeting ID: 810 2303 3855, and Passcode: 512683.

One of your hosts will let you in!

We are looking forward to seeing everybody!

Blog Parish Children News Prayer