June 8th, 2014
Can we hear the Spirit? Do we want to?
The feast of Pentecost was a powerful transforming event in the life of our church. Frightened and uncertain disciples became bold proclaimers of the awesome truth that Jesus Christ is Lord and Redeemer.
Different men and women were blessed with different gifts which were to build up the community of believers. These gifts, however unspectacular, were not meant for the benefit of the individual but for the welfare of all. The gifts of the Spirit must not lead to individualism but to the building up of the corporate body of the community. The church is one body through a common baptism and a common “drinking of one Spirit.”
Pentecost was not a one shot deal. The Holy Spirit is still alive and active in the life of the church and in the life of each one of us. This will always be so. We see the action of the Spirit in the words, the example and the teachings of Pope Francis. We see the presence and the action of the Spirit in the lived lives of family, friends and neighbours in their ordinary acts of kindness and support they offer us each day. We see the action of the Spirit in the dedicated lives of those family members who care every day for aging mothers or fathers or who cope with a challenged son and daughter. We see the presence of the Spirit in those who work for social justice for all men and women. We see the presence of the Spirit in the work of those who show us the injustices of our times, the exploitation in the sweat shops of the world, the exploitation of migrant workers and challenge us to live simply that others may simply live. We see the love of the Spirit in the work of those who try to bring about a world of economic justice in which men, women and children will have their basic needs met and no one lives in poverty, hunger or homelessness. These are all Spirit filled men and women though they may not see themselves as such. They enable the work of the Holy Spirit in our time.
On this feast of Pentecost we sing, ’Send forth your Spirit O Lord and renew the face of the earth.’
Can we see and hear the work of the Spirit in the efforts of scholars and scientists who warn us about the consequences of our abuse and misuse of the resources of Earth? Recently someone jokingly asked me ‘how can you talk about global warming after the terrible winter we’ve just had’? It is not about global warming it is all about climate change and the ways that change will affect our lives for generations to come. There is not a day goes by when we don’t hear of droughts, hurricanes, tornadoes, heavy and constant rain falls, glacier melting, air pollution and many other indications that all it not well with Earth. It would take a miracle for business tycoons and political leaders to hear the Holy Spirit calling the human family to heal its relationship with the rest of Earth’s community. As Joni Mitchell sings – they pave paradise and put up a parking lot.’ Canada is becoming an oil barrel for the Chinese, the Japanese, Koreans and other nations who need our resources. Companies will make lots of money exploiting and exporting our unrenewable resources but at what cost to our land, our air, our water and us. Sure we’ll make a lot of money out of all this. The taxes we collect will or might provide us with social, educational and health programs but do we consider the long term cost to our children’s, children’s, children’s? You’ve heard this before, ‘Earth does not belong to us; we belong to the Earth and what we do to the Earth we do to ourselves.’ When we pollute and diminish the beauty and richness of Earth we diminish and impoverish ourselves.
I spent last weekend out in Fort McMurray, the site of the Alberta oil sands. I attended a meeting at which the Athabasca and Chippewa Nations were trying to re-evaluate the treaties they made with the British, tricky treaties that were meant to last as long as the rivers flow. Many of these good people still live off the land, trapping, fishing and growing their own food. It is a life style and a world view far removed from our own. The impact the development of the oil sands is having on the health and quality of the air they breathe, the water they drink, the food and the fish they harvest is just beginning to be seen. I had an hour’s flight over the oil sands development. It is huge, it is amazing. Young people from all over the country find work there and make big money. It is a beehive of activity. Thousands of acres of forest have been peeled away to get to the oil sands. The sands are dug out twenty four hours a day, every day. We were told the oil companies will put it all back as it was before when they finished the mining. It’s taken thousands of years for these ecosystems to develop and we think we can duplicate it just like that. My trip to the oil sands was a learning experience.
On this feast of Pentecost let our prayer be; Send forth your Spirit O Lord and renew the face of the Earth. Send forth your Spirit O Lord and bless us with the gift of wonder and awe so that we might see in a new way the beauty of your creation and its fragility. Send forth your Spirit O Lord and help us realize we are one; we are family with every living being that shares Earth with us. Help us see that what we do to Earth we do to ourselves and those generations who follow us. Help us to be true stewards of your gift of Earth’s resources, may we develop these gifts wisely and justly for the benefit of all not just the wealth of a few. Give us insight to appreciate our need for a simpler life style, help us curb our consumerism. Help us to live simply that others may simply live.
We must know that the Spirit’s work of renewing the face of the earth must truly be our own. May the Holy Spirit gift us with the ability to be conscious of the environmental and ecological issues we live with and affect our wellbeing. Even in the smallest ways we can try to make a difference in the healing and enrichment of Earth. If not us, who? If not now, when?
| Posted in Homily |
Sunday, June 22nd after the 12:30 Mass
The Parish BBQ Picnic will be held on Sunday, June 22nd after the 12:30 Mass in the parking lot. There will be hot dogs, games, face painting, lucky draws, music and more…..
Tickets are $2 each.
Please bring your families, friends and neighbours to enjoy a summer afternoon with your parishioners. We need volunteers to help and make this event happen. Please sign up by putting your name and phone number on the sheets at the back of church. For more information, you may call Linda Law at 416-918-8029.
June 9th to June 14th 2014
MONDAY – THERESA CHANG – Requested by Elizabeth Chang TUESDAY – PAULINE HAYES – Requested by William Hayes & Family WEDNESDAY – PAULINE HAYES – Requested by Kathi Leah THURSDAY – EMILIO MORRONE – Requested by the Pathways Team, T.C.D.S.B. FRIDAY – MARTIN SMEE – Requested by the Family SATURDAY – SEBASTIAN BADAME – Requested by the Family
Pentecost is the perfect time to introduce our new Gather Hymnals. We will now have both books to enrich our sung prayer. We are excited to have a blend of traditional, classic liturgical music along with fresh settings. Our goal is always to have everyone participate, so pick up and crack open those new books and sing to the glory of God! Any contributions towards these books would be greatly appreciated.
Registration forms for the Children’s Faith Program for next year are now available in the Parish Office. This program is for those children attending private or public schools. Please note that all registrations must be returned by June 30th, 2014.
The Church has had many great thinkers over the years, including St. Augustine in the 5th century and St. Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century. In our time, we have great thinkers too, one of whom is the Passionist priest Fr. Thomas Berry, 1914 – 2009. He introduced us to seeing God’s creation in a new way and our role as humans within it. He called it “The New Story”. Next fall on every other Tuesday evening and repeated every other Thursday morning, we will discuss his “New Story”, the wisdom that ensues and the challenge it evokes. We guarantee an interesting discussion! Watch for beginning dates in September.
It is important for you to know that to be hired to teach in any Catholic School Board in Ontario, as part of your application for employment, there must be a letter of reference from your pastor. If you are planning to apply to teach in a Catholic School, a contact with the pastor is highly recommended. Please plan to have a conversation with your Pastor early in the process, well before applications are to be submitted.
There will be a second collection for Marygrove Camp for Girls next weekend at all the Masses Marygrove Camp is a residential camp situated on 39 acres of beautifully treed grounds and a quarter mile of Georgian Bay waterfront, near Penetang, Ontario. This summer, 1,100 girls from less fortunate families will be attending camp. Please support this important work of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Each and every child’s camping experience is fully subsidized through this collection. Thank you for your support! Envelopes are in the pews.
Working wonders for people locally and around the world…
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the 2014 ShareLife Parish Campaign. You have made the path to new opportunities much easier for thousands of the most vulnerable in our communities by giving generously. For those who wish to make a contribution, you are still welcome to do so. You can drop your ShareLife envelopes in the offertory basket until July 31, 2014 or donate online at www.sharelife.org. Thank you!
ShareLife For 2013: $193,410 ShareLife to Date: $147,145.90
Thank You for Your Generosity Together we can work wonders!
Each month the food we collect is sent to Rosalie Hall. With everyone struggling at this time, these donations are more important than ever. Please check the expiry dates before donating since we cannot pass on food that has expired. Thank you for your generous support.
Fair trade organic coffees will be on sale after all the Masses next weekend.
Regular ground coffee: $5.50 Decaffeinated: $6 Whole Beans: $5.50 Chocolate Bars: $4 incl. Taxes Hot Chocolate and Cocoa: $4.75 Teas: $4.25
Liturgical Publications will be setting up the advertisements for our church bulletin. The advertising will begin in September 2014 and supports the bulletin service. Please support the bulletin and advertise your product or service. Call Liturgical Publications at 905-624-4422.
Monday June 9th Markland Wood Golf Club
Join us on Monday June 9th at Markland Wood Golf Club for the 19th annual Golf Tournament in support of social service agencies funded by ShareLife. For further information, contact the ShareLife Office at 416-934-3411 or visit www.sharlife.org.
Toronto Catholic District School Board Staff Arts is pleased to present My Fair Lady at the Theatre at Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts, 36 Greenfield Avenue, North York.
June 8th at 2:00 P.M., June 12th, 13th, 14th at 7:30 P.M.
All tickets are $22. For more information please call 416-222-8282 ext. 2787 or visit the website: www.tcdsb.org/staffarts.
Saturday, June 21st to Tuesday, June 24th
The 29th annual pilgrimage to the Canadian Shrines from Blessed Trinity Parish will take place Saturday, June 21st to Tuesday, June 24th. For more information, please contact Mary at 416-497-7059 or go to www.blessedtrinity.ca.
“From Abraham Three Faiths”
Wednesday June 18th at 7.30 P.M. Temple Har Zion, 7360 Bayview Avenue
Mosaic Interfaith invites you to attend the fourth presentation in their series “From Abraham Three Faiths” to take place at Temple Har Zion, 7360 Bayview Avenue on Wednesday June 18th at 7.30 P.M. The subject is “Will our children live in a polarized world of religious and secular extremists or know peace in their time.” Panellists as before are Rev. Canon John Hill, Rabbi Michael Stroh and Dr. Liyakat Takim from Christianity, Judaism and Islam respectively. See the flyer on the bulletin boards. For more information or to RSVP call Nora at 416-218 0680.
Spring Men’s ACTS Retreat
June 26th to June 29th 2014
Come Deepen Your Faith Private Rooms with 2 piece ensuite Excellent Food for the Soul and Body Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre 905-278-5229
Seraphim Men’s Chorus St. Bonaventure Church
June 14th at 7:30 P.M.
With winter in the past and summer approaching, there is no better way to celebrate than by joining the Seraphim Men’s Chorus this June for their Hello Summer Concert Series! A concert fit for all ages, with a great mix of Broadway, classical gems, pop songs both old and new, and Disney favourites! As a surprise that they know their audience will love, The Seraphim have the honour of introducing their new sister choir: The Cherubim Women’s Chorus. The men could not be happier to have the women with them!
Please join them at St. Bonaventure on June 14th at 7:30 P.M. Suggested donation is $10 per person, or $30 per family.
See you soon!
The ladies of Blessed Trinity Parish are thinking of organizing an afternoon bridge group. If you would like to join, please call Maureen Cullen at 416-222-8755.
Our operating expenses average $14,550 per week.
Collection for last weekend: Envelopes 424 $9,871 Loose Change $999 Weekly Portion of PAG 177 $3193 (Pre-Authorized Giving) Total $14,063
| Posted in Bulletin |
June 1st, 2014
I’m sure you’ve all heard the saying, ‘coming full circle’. One example of coming full circle would be the example of a family selling a home generations ago but just recently things have come full circle and one of their descendants lives there now.
On this feast of the Ascension of Jesus we celebrate that fact that Jesus has come full circle. In the beautiful beginning of St. John’s gospel we read,’ In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God….…and the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only son….he came unto his own and his own received him not.’
In his letter to Philippians put this coming full circle of Christ in these words, ’Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus who, though his nature was divine, did not consider equality with God as something to be clung to, but emptied himself taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human likeness he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross – therefore God has highly exalted him and gave him a name above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend and every tongue confess Jesus Christ is lord to the glory of God the Father.’
The resurrection of Jesus and his ascension into heaven are all one great event. The church separated them in order that it might contemplate more deeply the meaning of these two aspects of this single, invisible event.
In his ascension Jesus returns to the Father and the Holy Spirit, he has come full circle. You and I are at the centre of that circle. In the creed at this Mass we say the words, ‘for us and for our salvation he came down from heaven.’ For us Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, for us Jesus became one like us in all things though he did not sin. For us Jesus came to his own people with the message of God’s love for them. For us Jesus brought God’s love for all of us as he gave sight to the blind, called cripples to walk, stretched out his hand to lepers, touch them and make them clean, for us Jesus raised the dead, for us Jesus became the Good Shepherd who would lay down his life for his sheep, for us Jesus gave us his body and blood as the nourishment of our souls. Jesus showed us that no one can have greater love than this, to lay down his friends.
Each one of us will come full circle when accept and fully live the life that is ours through the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. We come full circle when we see in every person we meet, regardless of faith, nationality or life style, a brother or sister redeemed and love by Christ, just as we are, We come full circle when we come to live our lives not longer for ourselves but for Jesus as we meet him and reach out to him in the hungry and homeless, in the sick and the stranger, in the victims of the senseless violence we see every day. We come full circle when we try to make our own the words of St. Paul, ‘I live, no longer I but Christ lives in me and the life I live I live it trusting in the son of God who loved me and gave his life for me. We will all come full circle when we hear the welcoming words of the Risen Lord, ‘come blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was hungry and you gave me food, thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you made me welcome, naked and you clothed me, sick and in prison and you came to me’. We will come full circle when Christ says to each of us, ’you were always there for me, now I am here for you.’
May 29th, 2014
There is no Eco-Sabbath meeting this Sunday, June 1st.
The meetings will resume in September.
| Posted in Notice |
May 25th, 2014
I remember my first summer vacation after my first year at Holy Cross seminary in Dunkirk, New York. I couldn’t wait to see a friend of mine, Holly Knight. We didn’t go to the same school but we spent a lot of time arguing religion. Holly was Anglican and eventually was ordained in the Anglican Church.
I couldn’t wait to see him because I’d taken a course in Apologetics – a course explaining the truth of the teaching of the Catholic Church and showing up the weaknesses of the teachings of other Christian churches and I was convinced that I could convince Holly that he must become a Roman Catholic. Needless to say my enthusiastic efforts were a flop.
For most people it really isn’t well thought out reasons that attract people to the Church. More often than not is it the lived example of ordinary people trying to be faithful to the teachings and example of Jesus that is the magnet.
In the second reading St. Peter tells the people; “in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an accounting of the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence.
How often did the people to whom Peter was writing were questioned by family and friends, “ how could you do such a things, how could you turn your back of the traditions of your family and join up with this motley crew of Jews?
Most of the early converts to the Christian faith were attracted to the Christian community by the lived lives of the ordinary men and women who belonged to that community. In the Acts of the Apostles we are told that the men and women who were not Christians marveled at how these Christians loved one another. They became aware of the love and kindness, support and reverence that vitalized the life of the community and they wanted to be part of that community too. Theological or philosophical arguments had nothing to do with it, they were attracted to the community be seeing how members of the community inter-acted among themselves.
These early Christians, because they were so different were often maligned because of their good conduct in Christ. Neighbours couldn`t understand why they shared food and clothing with one another. They couldn`t understand their hospitality and care of the poor.
It is the same today. Men and women are drawn to the church by living examples of those who put flesh and blood to the teachings of Jesus, teaching that tells us share with those who have less, forgive those who have harmed us, be peace makers, work for social justice, welcome the stranger.
St. Paul described the early church as being made of men and women who had no power, no influence, no money but men and women who believed in the love of the crucified Christ for every one of them. Men and women who were filled with gratitude for such love, men and women so filled with gratitude that they wanted to follow Jesus and his way of doing things. Such a way of life was counter-cultural then as it is now and not always understood by those around us, but Jesus asks us to follow him and by living and loving as he did and so make a difference in the world.
That dying to ourselves, which sounds so dramatic, can be carried out quietly every day in our lives: when we put the needs of another ahead of our own; when we refrain from an angry outburst; when we reach out to those in need or become more merciful to those around us and those in our world whose desperate lives so urgently need our awareness and mercy.
There is a saying, ‘you may be the only bible people will ever read’. How we live our lives, how we treat other people, how we care for those who have less than we do, how we welcome the stranger, how we care for the homeless, how we relate to people of different faiths, cultures or lifestyles will let us know whether or not our good conduct gives witness to the Christ in whom we believe.
When we see the optics of Pope Francis, the way he relates to people, the way he wants to be with them as they are, his openness to others no matter what their life circumstances, his humility of lifestyle, surely people`s attitudes toward the church have changed. His good conduct in Christ has made a difference in the lives of many people both within the Church and outside it.
In this Eucharist we celebrate Christ’s great and unconditional love for each one of us. We pray that his love inspire us to live lives worthy of our calling and that we be examples of faith and love to inspire others to follow Christ.
Founded by St. Paul of the Cross, every Passionist takes a special vow to spend his or her energies in promoting remembrance of the sufferings of Jesus, the memory of the Cross, and reflection of the meaning of the Cross for the world.
Learn about Passionists and our insignia »
Companion for the Walk of the Stations of the Cosmic Earth
St. Gabriel’s Garden – Guided Sensory Reflective Walk
