Around St. Mary's This Week

Posted : May-12-2022

FAMILY PRAYER DURING EASTERTIME

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 for you are the God who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen. Alleluia!

prayer requests If you or a family member is sick please let us know and we shall add their name to our prayer list which is posted in the gathering space of the church.

We remember in prayer those who have died recently including: Margaret Treasure, William (Will) Dwyer, Charleen Tyler, Ronald Whipp, Michael O’Connor and Frank Prior

SHARELIFE GOAL UPDATE

ShareLife Charity Thus far our parish has raised $51,947 toward our goal of $110,000.00.

“Our goal can be met, but only with your help. I invite you to join today's generation of heroes by making a sacrificial gift to ShareLife. As you contemplate the blessings God has entrusted to you, please join me in giving to ShareLife to the best of your ability.” – Cardinal Thomas Collins

The final ShareLife Sunday of the year is June 5. Please give generously through the parish or at sharelife.org.

Thank you for living the Gospel!

bell ringing WHY NO BELLS?

The Roman Missal (2011) indicates that bells are rung during the Gloria during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper and again during the Gloria at the Easter Vigil.

The Roman Missal does not make provision for the ringing of bells during the Gloria at Mass during the Day on Easter Sunday. Likewise, there is no provision for bells to be rung at the Masses of Christmas (Vigil/ During the Night/Dawn/Morning).

Now that the Mass is celebrated in such a way that people can see, hear and understand what is happening at the altar, the need to attract their attention by ringing a bell no longer exists. In fact, to ring bells may give the wrong impression of the Eucharistic Prayer. The institution narrative (the story of Christ’s words and actions at the Last Supper) is one part of the whole prayer of thanksgiving and belongs with the praise of God’s wonderful saving deeds, the invocation of the Holy Spirit, the memorial of Jesus’ death and resurrection and our joining in Christ’s offering.

Theologians no longer talk about a ‘moment’ of consecration; rather the whole of this great prayer is consecratory. To highlight just one section by the ringing of bells affects the unity and continuity of the Eucharistic Prayer. Bell ringing during the Liturgy of the Eucharist could also appear to deny that the Liturgy of the Word itself is sacramental. It is not merely a warm-up or an introduction to what follows. Like all other sacramental actions, the Liturgy of the Word in all its parts, including the homily, is an encounter with God through which God enacts the work of salvation. “Christ is present in his word, since it is he himself who speaks when the holy Scriptures are read in the Church. He is present, lastly, when the Church prays and sings, for he promised: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). (SC 7). God, Word made flesh, is really and substantively present in the Word equally to the presence of Christ made present in the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and this presence is also in the ‘people gathered’ and in the ‘minister’.

MINISTRY WITH MATURING ADULTS

Are you in the Second Half of Life?

At St. Mary’s Parish we seek to support the lifelong faith development of women and men throughout all phases of the pre-retirement and retirement years. Programs or sessions are open to everyone.For more information or suggestions for programs please contact Catherine Ecker at 705 728 29185 ext. 115 or email: cecker@archtoronto.org

VON SMART (Seniors Maintaining Active Roles Together) Exercise Program is held on Tuesday mornings. For details regarding the program and registration please call: 705 737 5044 ext. 221.

Christian Meditation is an ancient form of contemplative prayer rooted in the Christian tradition. This group meets weekly. Our next session will be on Tuesday, May 17th in St. Joseph’s Room. If you are interested in learning more about this form of prayer or have questions please contact Catherine Ecker. (cecker@archtoronto.org or 705 728 2985 ext. 115) All are welcome.

coat of arms ELECTION DEBATE FROM A CATHOLIC PERSPECTIVE

On Wednesday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m., the Archdiocese of Toronto will host an election debate where representatives from the major political parties will discuss issues that matter to Catholics across Ontario. The debate will be livestreamed on the Archdiocese of Toronto’s YouTube and Facebook accounts (@archtoronto), and it will be broadcasted on Salt+Light TV.

This evening will include Cardinal Collins sharing his thoughts on the election. More than 12,000 people viewed the archdiocese’s 2019 federal election debate, so we hope you will join many other Catholics in sharing your thoughts using the hashtag #CatholicVote2022. Please remember to vote in the provincial election on June 2.

ESTATE PLANNING FROM A CATHOLIC PERSPECTIVE - Saturday, May 28 at 9:00 a.m.

Join this webinar and learn about the importance of a Will, Powers of Attorney & Estate Planning as well as Catholic teachings and traditions around cremation. You will learn; how to protect your loved ones with a proper will; how to ensure that your wishes are legally protected; powers of attorney; estate trustee selection; finding lawyers and estate planning advisors; Our Catholic traditions around wills, cremation, burial and funeral Email: development@archtoronto.org to register. Please include ‘webinar May 28’ in the subject line and provide your name in the body of a message. The link will be sent closer to the webinar date.

Cross and flame CELEBRATING CONFIRMATION

At 7:00 p.m. on May 19th, 24th, 26th and 31st will celebrate Confirmation with our young people. Candidates and sponsors are reminded to arrive for 6:40 p.m. You are asked to pray for the young people, their sponsors and families.

SHARING IN HOLY COMMUNION:

A Sign of our Communion with God and Union with Others

priest holding Communion Throughout the Easter season a number of our young people will begin to share in Holy Communion. They and their parents have been preparing for months. It is valuable for us to review the Church’s directives on sharing in Holy Communion.

Our sharing in Holy Communion is a profoundly public personal act. We process forward to share in Holy Communion. It is most definitely a holy union with Jesus and with our brothers and sisters in Christ. There is nothing private about the Communion procession.

In 2011, the Canadian Bishops instructed that our common sign of reverence before sharing in Holy Communion be a bow of the head. The ritual does not expect anyone to genuflect, kneel or make the sign of the cross before or after receiving Holy Communion.

At the time of Holy Communion when the person in front of you has received Holy Communion and you are in the front of the procession, you bow your head, the Minister of the Body of Christ will say, “The Body of Christ”, you reply, “Amen”.

It is important to note that the only appropriate response is Amen. The Church expects that Amen is said in a voice that can be heard by the Minister of Holy Communion.

After saying Amen the Minister of Communion places the host in your hand. You step to the side, put the host in your mouth and return to your place.

The Communion procession is a time of communal prayer. We sing the Communion hymn as an outward sign of our unity. We sit or kneel for silent prayer when the priest sits down after Communion.

ALTAR SERVERS

If you are interested in serving at Sunday (Saturday evening) Mass we invite you to attend on one of the following information/training meetings: Saturday, May 28th at 10:00 a.m. OR Monday, May 30th at 6:15 p.m. If you have questions, please contact David Murdoch at dmurdoch@archtoronto.org or call 705 728 2985 ext. 101 and leave a message.

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