>>click here to view Bulletin April 15, 2012
I hope you enjoyed the Liturgies of Holy Week
and that they were spiritually meaningful for you. I certainly know that the
children enjoyed the animated Easter Story on film on Good Friday. They were so
attentive that one could hear a pin drop during the half hour presentation. I
also know that they enjoyed their chocolate treats on Easter Sunday too! I even
heard the story of one child saying to her mother, “I told you Fr. Phil would
have chocolate for us today”. These special liturgies don’t just happen. They
take many hours of preparation beforehand and a lot of last minute additions or
changes on the day of. Many people are involved both before the ceremony,
during it and afterwards and I would like to thank them for all their hard
work. The students in the office over the weekend were truly amazing in helping
me set up, take down, change this or that, re-sizing and re-copying portions of
my new scripts and music from the New Roman Missal, running here and there,
removing the old and refilling the new votive candles, emptying the holy water
fonts on Thursday evening and re-filling them for Easter Sunday and list goes
on and on. Thanks to you all!
All of our ministers including Ministers of
Welcome, (Gary McDonald), Eucharistic Ministers, (John Crump), Ministers of the
Word, (Christine Kot), and Altar Servers, (Jennifer Barber), are always very
much appreciated but, especially at this time, your dedication to your ministry
goes above and beyond. Thank-you too, to those who assisted in the foot washing
on Holy Thursday Evening and with the set up for Adoration of the Blessed
Sacrament. I must mention that I was encouraged and gratified by the number of
people who came back on Holy Thursday at 11:45 P.M. for Night Prayer at the end
of the Adoration. That was a truly spiritual time! Special thanks to the people, whose names are
in brackets, who put together the schedules, weeks prior, to ensure that we
have the necessary number of ministers required for any given liturgy.
I would like to mention the members of our
collection counting ministry, (Michelle Gall), who comes and goes so quietly
and works behind the scenes to ensure that your donations are counted properly
and banked immediately each and every Sunday. At this time of year when collections
are greater than normal, I appreciate the extra time and effort it takes to
count and document these larger collections – Thank-you!
As I have said many times, we are so blessed
here at St. Dominic with our music ministry. Being a music director/organist
for over 28 years, I know that you all begin rehearsing for these special
celebrations many months in advance and it shows well each and every time. As
you know already, music contributes so much to the spirituality and mood of the
wonderful celebrations. I would like to
thank Anthony Bastianon and the 10 AM Choir and Mark Linsao and the Folk Choir
for the wonderful music we experience every week but, in particular, during
these special liturgies in Holy Week.
Your dedication to St. Dominic Parish never goes unnoticed.
The Easter Vigil was a very moving experience
for me again this year. It is the highlight celebration of the year but it is
so much more meaningful to everyone when we welcome new members into the Church
and into our own parish community. On that note I would like to thank
Barbara-Ann Krampert,(RCIA), for her dedication, since last September, to Glen
Harper, Tracy McGaughan and baby Rachel Harper for walking with them as they
came to see, explored their own personal faith and stepped forward to join us
through reception and the Sacraments at the Easter Vigil. Welcome Glen, Tracy
and Rachel!! We enjoyed a wonderful reception in their honour after the Vigil
and I would like to thank the St. Dominic Social Committee for their dedication
in putting this together for us all. It would be remiss if I did not mention
the generosity of the owners of the Busy Bee Mart on Alexander Avenue for their
generosity in greatly discounting all of our flower arrangements last Christmas
and this Easter. Thanks to Brigid Daniels, our new Parish ‘Flower Lady’, for
her help in arranging the flowers around the sanctuary. They truly enhanced our celebrations.
Finally, I would like to thank
you, the parishioners, for your attendance and involvement at these sacred
liturgies. It is obvious to me that you too, are so dedicated to your Faith and
to this community. Your presence and voice are crucial at every liturgy as we
build up our own Faith Community here in the parish. Let me also thank you for
your financial generosity each week, but in particular, in these times of high
celebration. I am well aware of the many responsibilities, necessities and
commitments that you have in your families and personal lives. I also know that, economically, we have seen
better days. Having said that, your generosity and commitment to St. Dominic is
truly a blessing to us all. Let us continue building up our community of faith,
worshipping and celebrating together for the greater Glory of God.
On behalf of Fr. Noel and Fr.
Rudy, who joined us for Holy Week celebrations, I wish you continued blessings
and peace!
Blessings,
Fr. Phil
