Catholic Pastoral Centre - 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
-
Details
-
Hits: 103
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mass Readings | How Things Work in the Kingdom of Heaven. This parable about kingdom living may rile us up. God is as generous to the late-comers to kingdom work as to those who laboured longer and, perhaps, harder. Really? It is true. God is so generous, so loving, so good – with ways above our ways and thoughts above our thoughts (reread Isaiah).
- What work will I do to help bring on the Kingdom of Heaven?
- How will I pour myself into Christian living without grumbling?
How can I be generous to a fault like God this week?
Reflection: Diocese of Springfield
Reflections can be found here:
Vatican News | The Sunday Website | Sunday Connection | CCCB Reflection (UPDATED)
Daily and Sunday Mass Prayers & Readings: CCCB Daily Readings
International Day of Prayer for Peace (Sep. 21)
Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA) and the Catholic Women’s League of Canada are urging Canadians to spend time in prayer, September 21, for peace in the Holy Land and the Middle East. To help encourage the important spiritual exercise and act of solidarity and charity, CNEWA is offering Canadians a beautifully crafted ceramic Peace Lamp as well as downloadable prayer card for peace.
Faithfully - To Send or Not to Send?
September's Faithfully "To Send or Not to Send" edition is out! Don't miss our back to school articles featuring our parishioners, teachers and St. Mary's University. Bishop's message about recognizing the responsibilities we have to each other as stewards of creation. Read the beautiful story about IWIN project, a CWL initiative to help human trafficking survivors get back on their feet, one backpack at a time, and many more stories.
Alberta & NWT Bishops say Thank You!
Watch a thank you video message from AB & NWT Bishops to our parish volunteers!
2020 Collection for the Needs of the Church in Canada
The annual Collection for the Needs of the Church in Canada will be held on 26 and 27 September 2020. In his message to pastors and other collaborators in pastoral ministries, the Most Reverend Richard Gagnon, Archbishop of Winnipeg and President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), reflected on the impact of the Coronavirus on the Church in Canada and society at large. At the same time that dioceses respond to the realities and challenges of living with COVID-19 in communities of faith, donations to this collection will help continue the facilitation of common action among Bishops, the provision of pastoral encouragement and resources for local churches, and the proclamation of the Gospel message for all to hear.
Letter from the Bishop re: 40 Days for Life
This year 40 Days for Life is organizing their annual pro-life campaign which is entitled "Help Save Lives in Calgary!"
Bishop McGrattan encourages all the faithful of the Diocese of Calgary to actively support this year's planned activities that include prayer, fasting, community outreach, advocacy and peaceful vigils designed to promote awareness of the vulnerability of women, the sanctity of the child in the womb and the need to always be vigilant in bringing an end to abortion in our country.
The organizing committee asked that parishes to commit to adopting a 12 hour day to cover women and children and babies and abortion workers with prayer. We are allowed to have 4 people in front of the Kensington Clinic in Calgary on weekdays between Sep. 23 to Nov. 1, 7 am - 7 pm praying for changed hearts and minds towards abortion.
Dine & Donate for Mission Mexico
A
message from Mission Mexico Steering Committee:
September 16 is Mexico's Independence Day! To celebrate and to help support Mission Mexico, an outreach program of the Diocese of Calgary, from today through to Sep. 20, the participating Mexican Restaurants are collecting donations. We encourage everyone to support these great restaurants (even if its just through take out or delivery) and also support Mission Mexico.
Through this initiative, you are helping to support not only these local restaurants by eating their fantastic food, but you are also able to support the dignity-affirming projects that Mission Mexico carries out in one of the poorest regions of the world, helping improve the education, health care, human rights, women's rights, and the youth in building a better future in Southern Mexico.
See participating restaurants here:
https://www.catholicyyc.ca/blog/celebrate-mission-mexico
To promote Dine & Donate for Mission Mexico in social media, use this graphic
COVID & the Call to Faith - Week 1
If you haven't already, please read the Pastoral Statement from the Bishops of Alberta called: On the Impact of COVID-19 & the Call to Christian Renewal.
Over the next seven weeks, Grandin Media is hosting seven panel discussions on themes referenced in the letter – the impact on family, care of the vulnerable, the changing workplace and the inherent dignity of human life. The panelists, assembled from across the province and territory, include experts in their fields in health care, education, social services, law and ministry and business.
Starting Sep. 21
Week 1 Reflection "Inherent Dignity of Every Human Life." The situation of this pandemic invites us all to re-
discover the inherent dignity of every human life and to re-awaken a sense of gratitude, affection and responsibility towards all people, particularly the most vulnerable in our society.
- Download reflection for Week 1
- Panel discussion video will be released on Monday, Sep. 21 here
- Parishioners and all viewers will be invited to respond to the prepared reflection questions or otherwise to send thoughts/comments to
Thank you for your Support for Love More 3.0 Concert
A message from Love More 3.0 Committee (Couple for Christ Calgary)
Big THANKS for all your help, support, and prayers. Praise God, the concert went well! We have raised over three thousand dollars in donation for the care of the retired priests. Thank you for your support. We are very grateful and as well we welcome your suggestions for improvements as we prepare for Love More 4.0!
Livestreamed Mass
- Full schedule of Parish Livestream Masses are available at: https://www.catholicyyc.ca
- If you are a TELUS Optik subscriber, you can watch livestream masses and prayer events in Channel 876 (choose "Diocese of Calgary" logo)
- If you are a cable TV subscriber, you can access Salt+Light TV, Canada's Catholic network, for a nominal fee each month. Or view online at saltandlighttv.org/live. Daily TV Mass, produced by the National Catholic Broadcasting Council, is broadcast four times a day at 4:30 a.m., 9 a.m, 2 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. (MT). Check the S+L Schedule for broadcasts of Sunday Mass from the Vatican. Daily masses are also available on Shalom World TV at shalomworldtv.org
- Televised Mass is also available to those who subscribe to EWTN and Vision TV. Click on the links or their schedules.
Resources Worth Sharing
- Catholic community helps map out COVID-19 present and future
The big question: How has COVID-19 changed society and can the positive changes be sustained? Andrea Harrison, a Sherwood Park mom and school bus driver, leaves messages of hope for students on her route. On chalk boards, she wrote messages for each student, such as “Choose joy”, “You’re important” and “You are loved,” and still another said “Have faith. Amid anxiety and fear, there have been acts of selflessness and greater connection that have left a big impact. Read what Archbishop Smith and Bishop McGrattan have to say about it.
- Catholic Education Webinar Series
St. Mary's University Calgary presents Catholic Education Webinar Series: offering free weekly seminars to connect pre service teachers with Catholic Education Directors and guest speakers actively working in Catholic School Districts in the Calgary + Alberta area. These webinars are open to the public and intended for all students who may be interested in learning more about teaching in Catholic Education and Catholic School Districts: including undergraduate students, new teachers, and pre-service teachers from other universities who may not have the opportunity of receiving any Catholic Education seminars. Sign up here| Poster
- September 17"Catholicity’: How does it shape the way we teach?” with John Wasch, Director of Catholicity, Calgary Catholic School District.
- September 23“What do we look for in a Catholic Teacher?” with Lindsay Fagan, Director of Catholic Education, Christ the Redeemer School
- Lethbridge podcasters want to be as welcoming as church greeters
The Coaster, a Lethbridge-based podcast, goes beyond theology. Lance and Katie Rosen, and Daniel Yaretz also talk about everyday life, dating, movies and more, through the lens of faith. The Coaster is similar to the church greeters: welcoming people to celebrate Catholicism. Read more
- Stop the Gossip
Gossip is “a plague worse than COVID,” Pope Francis said, asserting that while speaking ill of others comes almost naturally, it is a tool of the devil to divide the Church. Gossiping sows division, he told people gathered for the midday recitation of the Angelus prayer. Read more or watch video
- Dominicans seminarians teaching chant
When Dominican Brothers Stefan Ansinger and Alexandre Frezzato started their YouTube channel, OPChant, in late 2019, they wanted to share their love of Gregorian chant, one of the oldest forms of music developed in the Catholic Church.They had no idea at the time, but they had embarked upon the most widely-received public initiative of the Dominican Order in Switzerland in over 50 years. Read more.
- How to raise more virtuous kids, by the examples of two holy mom saints
How do you raise kids who love God and lead good lives? Zelie and Conchita seemed to have found some things that worked. St. Zelie Martin and Blessed Conchita Cabrera de Armida are two moms who devoted their lives to God and their families — and have been canonized or beatified by the Catholic Church. Read more.
- Forgiving from the heart
Do you ever struggle to forgive the people in your life when they hurt you? When people hurt us, it’s easy to get frustrated and defensive but Jesus invites us to be compassionate and forgiving. In this podcast, Dr. Sri teaches us three ways to cultivate a heart of forgiveness in our daily lives. Listen to podcast or read more.
- Giving up our "Isaac" and Embracing New Plans
God calls us to trust Him in the face of anxieties but it is so much easier said than done. How do we trust God when things are changing quickly, and unexpectedly? How can we trust God, even in the unknown? Instead of providing a clear cut solution to her unknowns, God placed the story of a man named Abraham on Rachel Wong's heart. Read her story.
- How to get real friends
Many people we call friends would probably better qualify as pals or buddies. The first step to getting real friends is to recognize how we are all made to be gifts of love. How can we all learn to grow in love, community, availability, and vulnerability so we can become real friends to others and live as the image of God in the world? Read more or listen to Podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz
Call to Action on Critical Health Issues
-
Details
-
Hits: 433
During the past months we have been given the blessing of time to contemplate what is important in our lives and in our society. Many of us are prioritizing the importance of a health care system that cultivates a culture of care and love for people at all life stages..
This is an opportune time to use our letter-writing energy to urge our government to seriously hear our concerns about two issues: (1) the providing of palliative care for all Canadians who choose this option near the end of their lives; and (2) the suggested removal of safeguards to Bill C-7.
National President Anne Marie Gorman's letter to the Prime Minister is posted on the National website "Letters" page. Access it at: https://cwl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/20200304-Gorman-to-Trudeau-re.-Bill-C7.pdf
We encourage everyone to contact government leaders on the following two concerns.
- Palliative Care: In 2017 the Federal Government put forward the Framework on Palliative Care in Canada. The government promised to invest $3 billion into national home care services including palliative care. Has funding been made? How can Canadians make informed decisions about their end of life treatment when quality palliative care is readily available to only 15% of Canadians (2018 Health Canada Report)? On May 17, 2020 Zi-Ann Lum published “Will the Pandemic Finally Make Us Talk About Palliative Care?” in the Huffington Post, Canadian Edition. I encourage you to read it if you want more information.
- Bill C-7, Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD): There are concerns about removing some of the safeguards placed in the existing legislation. First, the government is proposing to remove the mandatory 10 day waiting period before a patient can receive medically assisted death stating that the waiting period may unnecessarily prolong suffering. Second, the government is proposing to remove the need for two witnesses. Both safeguards exist so that patients can make an informed decision about their end of life care without pressure and with appropriate verification. Presently the Bill has undergone two readings. There is still time to write letters and email the government to express our concerns about the removal of these safeguards.
Sample letters to the Prime Minister, Justice Minister, Health Minister and Member of Parliament are posted under Legislation Tips and Tools. Adjust them as you wish. See the Forms and Resources page for our letter writing guide and contact information for MPs and MLAs.
Through faith, we have a moral compass that guides our actions daily to help and protect the vulnerable in our society. May our Lady of Good Counsel guide you as you work for God and Canada.
Scams Alert
-
Details
-
Hits: 1450
There are many scams going around masquerading as your clergy (priests, deacons or lately, the bishop).
Please exercise caution when responding to email messages. If you receive unusual emails, check the sender's email address to see whether it is the person’s genuine address. Even if the sender's address looks correct, always verify suspicious emails by phoning the sender. There have been many similar scams reported by several parishes in our diocese and across Canada.
Note that these scams do not stop at emails. Those in social media should stay vigilant when responding to friend requests or to other compelling posts requiring a response. There are many fake Twitter, Facebook and other social media accounts trying to impersonate people you know and our church leaders. Some scammers may take the time to build a relationship with you to gain your trust, before trying to extort money or other things like gift cards.
Please exercise vigilance when you are being charitable. Use the channels you are most familiar with and avoid becoming victims of a scam.
For samples of scam emails see Diocese of Calgary
During this pandemic, our faith community needs us even more. Please remember to keep supporting your parish with weekly or recurring donations. As offering envelopes are not feasible at this time, you can support the parish through online giving, either on your parish's website or on the Diocese of Calgary website.
