Thank
you to all our confirmation students who have completed their letter of
intention to be confirmed. We will continue to keep you in our prayers. The
celebration of Confirmation is on the weekend of May 14-15.
First
Holy Communion celebrations will happen next weekend on Saturday at 5pm, Sunday
at 9:30 am, 11:30 am and 2 pm. An extra
Mass has been added to alleviate over-crowding at these Masses. Please note
that there will be a specific seating plan for our First Communicants and their
immediate families at all Masses. Your cooperation is appreciated.
The
Good Shepherd
God
used the image of a shepherd to describe his covenant relationship and care for
his chosen people who were called by his name. God called David, who shepherded
his father's flock in his youth, to be the anointed king and shepherd for his
people Israel. Jesus, God's anointed Messiah and King, born from the tribe of
David, called himself the Good Shepherd of the people whom his Father had entrusted
to his care (John 10:29).
Peter
the Apostle tells us that the Lord Jesus is the Good Shepherd and Guardian of
our souls in 1 Peter 2:25. He keeps a close and personal watch over every one
of his sheep - his disciples who belong to him. He calls each of us personally
by name to follow him. And he promises to be our guardian and protector from
the snares of all our enemies. The Lord
leads us each day to good pastures - places where we can feed on his word and drink
from the well-springs of living water which is his Holy Spirit. If we feed on
his word and drink from the living water of the Holy Spirit, we will find the
nourishment and strength we need to live each day for his glory and honor. The
question that we all need to ask ourselves is, do we recognize the voice of our
Shepherd and Guardian who calls to us each day?
If we hunger for his word, he will give us understanding, wisdom, and
guidance for our lives.
SOCIAL
DATES TO REMEMBER
Fr.
Phil’s roast beef dinner/dance fund-raiser with a live band (LAST WEEKEND TO BUY TICKETS)
Saturday
April 23. Cocktails at 6:30 and dinner at 7:30
Tickets
on sale after every weekend Mass and at the office during the week
Adults
- $30, ($25 for the meal and $5 for raffles) Children 5 – 12 -$12.00 and under
5, free
Come
out and mingle with your fellow parishioners and support our parish
Mother’s
Day Brunch – May 7/8 weekend after every Mass. Tickets will be on sale soon.
A
full breakfast with coffee, tea and juice will be served
Tickets
are $12.00 adults, Children 5 – 12, $12.00 and under 5 free
Totus
Tuus (Totally Yours) Faith based Summer Camp Program July 24 – 29, 2016
Totus
Tuus is a multi-tiered program for Catholic youth in the Archdiocese of
Toronto. The program offers a one-week summer camp to parishes looking for
youth programming during the summer. It also offers a three-month missionary
program for post-secondary students who act as facilitators for the summer
camp. There are 2 groups: a day program for people in Grades 1 – 6 and an
evening program for youth in grades 7 – 12. I will have Totus Tuus Missionaries
– the young people who run the program - come to the parish to speak to us very
soon.
Fr. Phil
