ST. DOMINIC'S PARISH HAS A NEW Email: StDominicsMI@archtoronto.org ( Please note the upper and lower case on the email.)/

31st SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME


All Saints Day and All Souls Day Mass at 7:30 PM each evening 


On Tuesday, November 1, we will celebrate the Feast Of All Saints because there are countless men, women and children united with God in the heavenly glory for whom we do not celebrate on any specific day throughout the Liturgical year.  Many of these would be our own parents and grand-parents who were heroic women and men of faith. Today we keep their honorable memory. We celebrate what the first reading calls "a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands" (Rev 7:9). This celebration gives us a peek into our eternal destiny. The saints we celebrate were men and women like us. Where we are now they used to be, and where they are now we hope to be someday. Today the Church invites us to walk the path of the saints, the way of the Beatitudes. 

Question: "What are the beatitudes?"
The Beatitudes are the eight declarations of blessedness spoken by Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, each beginning with "Blessed are..." It is debated as to exactly how many beatitudes there are. Some speak of seven, nine, or ten beatitudes, but the number appears to be eight (verses 10-12 of being one beatitude). The Greek word translated “blessed” means "spiritual well-being and
prosperity." This refers to the deep joy of the soul. Those who experience the first aspect of a beatitude (poor, mourn, meek, hungry for righteousness, merciful, pure, peacemakers, and persecuted) will also experience the second aspect of the beatitude (kingdom of Heaven, comfort, inherit the earth, filled, mercy, see God, called sons and daughters of God, inherit the kingdom of Heaven). The blessed have a share in salvation and have entered the kingdom of God, experiencing a foretaste of heaven.  The Beatitudes describe the ideal disciple and his or her rewards, both present and future.

On Wednesday, November 2, we are celebrating All Souls' Day, also known as the "Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed." On Tuesday, we will gather to commemorate All Saints' Day. Since both of these liturgical celebrations concern the departed, some may ask: "What is the difference between these two days?" On All Saints' day, we commemorate those who are in Heaven, those who are presently enjoying the beatified vision of God in their eternal glory. On All Souls' day, we remember those who have departed from this world and may not be perfectly cleansed or have not yet fully atoned for their past transgression. These departed souls remain in Purgatory. To assist them so that they may be freed from purgatory, we, their spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ, can help them through our prayers and most importantly, through the sacrifice of the Mass. Please remember to inscribe the names of those you wish to be remembered during November into our holy souls book.

Resettlement Bazaar - Please remember that the resettlement Christmas bazaar is on November 12th in the hall. Details of the bazaar are on the parish website.

Christmas Giving Program - The Christmas Trees will be in the vestibule shortly with the gift tags on them. Please take a gift tag and purchase the corresponding gift card. The return date for the gift cards is December 10 from 10 am – 1pm in the parish hall. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

I wish you all a good week!                                                                     Fr. Phil