EASTER SUNDAY 2018

Happy Easter! 

A special welcome to the new members of our St. Dominic Community received into the Church at the Easter Vigil last evening.

Ø  Shenese Gibson                                      

Ø  Gary Grant                                       

Ø  Stevan Kraguljac

Many thanks to Barbara-Anne Krampart, and Silvio Fernandes for their dedication and spiritual guidance in leading these new parishioners into the Faith in the RCIA program. Welcome to you all!

The Resurrection of Christ is the cornerstone of our Christian faith. St Paul tells us in his letter to the Corinthians, (15:14), that  if Christ has not been raised from the dead, our faith will be empty and useless. But the Resurrection of Christ is not merely something "out there," not merely an historical fact at which we gaze admiringly. It is a present reality in which, through Baptism, we are intimately involved. "If we have been united with him through likeness to his death, so shall we be through a like resurrection" (Romans 6:5). 

Our sharing in the crucifixion-Resurrection of Jesus brings about a mysterious change in our very being. Paul expresses it in a startling way: "I have been crucified with Christ, and the life I live now is not my own; Christ is living in me" (Galatians 2:20). The English poet Andrew Young, in his poem "Nicodemus," arrives at the same conclusion:  Why do I kneel before your empty tomb? You are not here, for you are everywhere; the grass, the trees, the air, the wind, the sky, Nothing can now refuse to be your home; nor I Lord. Live in me and I shall live. 

This intimate union between Christ and ourselves calls for a new way of life. We must change our behavior. Saint Paul writes that we should put to death whatever in our nature is rooted in earth, (see Colossians 3:5), precisely BECAUSE we share the new life of Christ. Corruption and wickedness must yield to sincerity and truth.  He invites us to put teeth into today's annual renewal of baptismal promises. Recalling our baptismal promises seriously, will challenge each of us in different ways. The goal is "Easter Living" all year long.  

I sincerely hope that our Holy Week celebrations were meaningful for you. There are so many people to thank and I will do that in the bulletin next week. 

Easter Is THE GIFT...

Easter is the gift of HOPE …

Easter is the gift of PEACE…

Easter is the gift of LOVE.

Let us rejoice in Him, who gives all these gifts to us. May God bless you at Easter, and keep you all year through. May God give you all the faith it takes to make your way. 

May His light shine down upon you now to bless your Easter Day. 

I wish each one of you, your families and friends all the joys of the Risen Christ.    Happy Easter!

Fr. Phil

PALM SUNDAY

Lenten journey approaches its closure as we enter Jerusalem. Today Jerusalem finds herself confronted with a very controversial man. There is something about Jesus that creates this confusion in the city. He makes people take sides, and even change sides; from praise to insults, from "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord," to "Crucify him!" There is something about Jesus that makes people confront their own deepest selves.

This week we could ask ourselves some penetrating questions for meditation: How does it feel to be a disciple of Jesus in Jerusalem; to walk side by side with Jesus as he is proclaimed liberator? How does it feel as they are laying palms on the ground in front of you because you are with him? How do we feel being a confidant of Jesus at the Last Supper? And here's the big one: To identify with and profess as master, a man arrested, mocked, beaten, and put to death?

There is no right or wrong answer. A feeling of confidence does not mean one is spiritually healthy. Remember Peter's confidence, only to deny Jesus that same night. Sometimes confidence means we haven't taken the issue seriously. Being ambivalent doesn't necessarily mean being in a bad spiritual space. It could signify the grace of confronting the cost of discipleship. We may find that our responses to these questions change daily. But we should stay with it.

Meditation: Stay with Jesus now. Keep this provocative man near to your heart, and give him the space to speak to you about the cost of discipleship.

Additional Mass and Stations of the Cross every Friday evening during Lent beginning at 7 pm. 

                                 EASTER SCHEDULE 2018

Palm Sunday – March 24th/25th       

Blessing and distribution of Palms at all Masses

Masses - Sat. 5pm, Sun. 9:30 and 11:30

Holy Thursday – March 29th

Commemoration of the Lord’s Supper and Washing of the Feet.

Mass at 7:30 pm and church open for adoration at midnight.

Good Friday – March 30th – Please Note – NO 8 am Mass on this day

Celebration of the Lord’s Passion

Service at 1pm - geared to children – Easter Story film, Adoration of the Cross, Holy Communion

Service at 3pm – Liturgy of the Word, Adoration of the Cross, Holy Communion

Stations of the Cross at 7:30 pm – with our Folk choir - music by Taizé

Holy Saturday – March 31st  - Please Note – NO 9:15 am or 5:00 pm Mass on this day

Blessing of the Easter foods - 10:30 am

Easter Vigil altar server rehearsal - 11:00 am 

RCIA Easter Vigil rehearsal- 12 noon

Easter Vigil Mass – 8 pm

Easter Sunday – April 1st

Mass 9:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm

Easter Monday – April 2nd

Mass at 8 am.         Office Closed

Confirmation Registration:

March 26th:  7:30 in the hall. Please bring a baptismal certificate copy with you.

April 9th:   7 PM Confirmation Students downstairs for classes.  Parents upstairs in the church for a speaker. Regular parishioners are invited to this talk also.

Fr. Phil

FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT

Jesus What is the significance of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead?  It is more than a miraculous event.  It is a "sign" of God's promise to raise up all who have died in Christ to everlasting life.  That is why Jesus asked Martha if she believed in the resurrection from the dead. The Christian creed, which is the profession of our faith in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and in the saving power of God, culminates in the proclamation of the resurrection of the dead on the last day and in life everlasting.  This is our faith and our hope. "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal  bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you" (Romans 8:11). God gives us the power of his Holy Spirit that we may be made alive in Christ.  Even now we can experience the power of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus in our personal lives.  The Holy Spirit is ever ready to change and transform us into men and women of faith, hope, and love. Do you believe that the power of Jesus' resurrection is at work in your life today?  Let the Holy Spirit strengthen within you the life and joy of God and the hope of heaven.

Additional Mass and Stations of the Cross every Friday evening during Lent beginning at 7 pm. 

EASTER SCHEDULE- 2018

Palm Sunday:  Saturday Evening Mass – 5 pm  - Sunday Morning 9:30 and 11:30

Holy Thursday:  Mass – 7:30 with washing of the feet and adoration until mid-night

Good Friday:  Liturgy at 1pm modified for children with Holy Communion and 3 pm regular liturgy with the reading of the passion and Holy Communion.

Good Friday:  Stations of the Cross 7:30 – youth group with Taize music.

Holy Saturday - Blessing of the Easter Foods – 10:30 am

Holy Saturday - Altar Server rehearsal for the Easter Vigil at 11:15 am

Holy Saturday - Easter Vigil – 8 pm followed by a reception for the RCIA in the hall

Easter Sunday: Mass at 9:30 am, 11:30 am and 1:30 pm.  Please note the additional Mass on Easter Sunday.

Easter Monday:  Mass at 8 am

Confirmation Registration:

7:30 pm in parish hall on March 26th

Please remember your child’s Baptismal certificate and the program fee of $50.00. Thank-you.

Knights of Columbus Fish Fry March 24th after 5 PM Mass

I hope you all have a good week!

 Fr. Phil

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Jesus said that he came 'to open the eyes of the blind'. He wasn't talking about the physically blind only, but all those who had lost their way in life and who could no longer find their way to the Father's house. Thus he opened the eyes of Zacchaeus to the danger of riches. He opened the eyes of Mary Magdalene to the wretchedness of her life. He opened the eyes of the dying thief to the light of God's mercy. All of these found their way into the Kingdom of God, while the Pharisees stumbled along in the dark.

Without faith we are in deep night and do not know where we are going. Faith helps us to see in the dark. The one who guides us unerringly along the dark paths of life is Christ. We put our total trust in him who said: 'Those who follow me will never walk in darkness but will always have the light of life'. Those who have been enlightened by Christ can never again see themselves and their lives in the same light as before. Everything is lit up with an inner radiance.

In a sense we are all born blind. As we go through life our eyes are gradually opened to the vision of truth. We need not be afraid to own our many forms of blindness. Christ will touch our eyes with his gentle hands and gradually open them until we are able to see as he sees. We are not alone. We are members of a community on which Christ has shed his light. We must support one another. We are also called to act as guides to others who have not yet seen the light of Christ.

Friday during Lent – Additional Mass at 7 pm followed by Stations of the Cross

Lenten Day of Confessions – Tuesday March 13th. 

•        10:30 am–12 noon,

•        2 pm – 4 pm &

•        After the 7 pm Mass until 9 pm. 

CONFIRMATION REGISTRATION 2018

Monday March 26 – 7:30 pm in the parish hall. Please remember your child’s Baptismal certificate and the program fee of $50.00. Thank-you.

EASTER PROGRAMME 2018

Palm Sunday – March 25th 2018

Blessing and distribution of Palms at all Masses

Masses - Sat. 5pm, Sun. 9:30 and 11:30

Holy Thursday – March 29th

Commemoration of the Lord’s Supper and Washing of the Feet

Mass at 7:30 pm

Good Friday – March 30th – Please Note – No 8 am Mass on this day

Celebration of the Lord’s Passion

Service at 1pm - geared to children – Easter Story film, Adoration of the Cross, Holy Communion

Service at 3pm – Liturgy of the Word, Adoration of the Cross, Holy Communion

Stations of the Cross at 7 pm

Holy Saturday – March 31 – Please Note – No 9:15 am or 5:00 pm Mass on this day

Blessing of the Easter foods - 10:30 am

Easter Vigil altar server rehearsal - 11:00 am 

RCIA Easter Vigil rehearsal- 12 noon

Easter Vigil Mass – 8 pm

Easter Sunday – April 1st

Mass 9:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm

Easter Monday – April 2nd

Mass at 8 am.                           Church Office Closed.

I hope you are continuing to experience a prayerful Lenten Season

Fr. Phil

Third Sunday of Lent

Lenten Meditation  -  The Woman at the Well

In the story of the woman at the well, Jesus broke through the barriers of prejudice, hostility, and tradition to bring the good news of peace and reconciliation to Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles alike. He demonstrated the universality of the gospel both in word and deed. No one is barred from the love of God and the good news of salvation. There is only one thing that can keep us from God and his redeeming love – our stubborn pride and willful rebellion.

What is the point of Jesus’ exchange with the Samaritan woman about water?  The kind of water which Jesus spoke about was living, running, fresh, pure water. Fresh water from a cool running stream was always preferred to the still water one might find in a pool or reservoir. When the Israelites complained about lack of water in the wilderness, God instructed Moses to strike the rock and a stream of fresh living water gushed out (Exodus 17:6 ). Even though the Israelites did not trust God to care for them in the wilderness, God, nonetheless gave them abundant water and provision through the intercession of his servant Moses.

The image of "living water" is used throughout the scriptures as a symbol of God’s wisdom, a wisdom that imparts life and blessing to all who receive it. “The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life” (Proverbs 13:14).  "Living water" was also a symbol for the Jews in their thirst of the soul for God. The water which Jesus spoke of symbolized the Holy Spirit and his work of recreating us in God’s image and sustaining in us the new life which comes from God. The life which the Holy Spirit produces in us makes us a "new creation" in Jesus Christ.

CONFIRMATION MEETING AND REGISTRATION

The Confirmation meeting and registration will take place on Monday March 26 at 7:30 pm. Our gathering will focus on an overview of the Sacrament of Confirmation. We would like parents/guardians and students to attend. The donation we are asking for this year is $50.00 to cover the cost of the student resources, the retreat and the gown rental.

**Please note that we require a copy of your child’s baptismal certificate at registration**

Mass and Stations of the Cross during Lent

Every Friday evening at 7 pm

I wish you all continued blessings in Lent!

Fr. Phil