Parish Bulletin « St Leo's Parish Brooklin Ontario - St. Leo's Parish

Bulletins

Sunday, March 07, 2010

DINNER AND A MOVIE

Last Tuesday evening I sat amongst 1700 people who came together at a Toronto airport hotel to have dinner. The meal was the usual hotel fare with waiters bustling to get the food out and on the tables amidst the human chatter of the diners excited to be together. And the movie, well that was the main event everyone was really here for – in this hall with four large screens for viewing, the reason we were there was to listen to the stories of soon-to-be priests which played out like a movie of a most extraordinary kind – the unique call of God in their individual lives. It was the annual archdiocesean Ordinandi Dinner hosted by the Serra Club which featured 11 transitional deacons who were on their way to ordination day in just a few months. Of the 11 deacons soon to be ordained priests, six of them will be ordained for the Archdiocese of Toronto, one for Prince Edward Island, one for the dioceses of Yarmouth and Halifax, one for Peterborough diocese, and two for the diocese of Hamilton.

There is such power in the witness of others and the stories about how they got to where they are today, and these men who have discerned the call of the Lord in their lives are no exception. It was inspiring to hear of the experiences of those who dared to journey down the sometimes lonely path of discerning a vocation to the priesthood. I heard in their individual talks their sense in life of living according to their own plans and desires, often ones that were void of God and His presence. Many had made plans to acquire people and things in order to have a life with meaning and purpose only to discover that God had planted in them a perceived sense that they could only truly be happy if they were living and giving their life for God as a priest.

The humanity and struggles of these eleven ordinandi along with their sense of fun and their love for life in the Church was so evident and made one proud to be a Catholic today. So often we may think that from the stories in the media and the shortage of priests in the Church that everything in the Church is falling apart, but nothing could be further from the truth. The Church is alive and God continues to call men to serve Him in the capacity of priesthood just as He did with His first disciples. The difficulty in discerning a call from God in the modern age is centered on the reality that people seldom have time or think to take the time to “be still and know that I am God”. God’s voice can hardly be heard when we won’t allow ourselves the luxury of silence and stillness. God never shouts a vocation but whispers it over and over again.

Jesuit priest and theologian, Karl Rahner, once wrote a reflection entitled The Priest in which he describes the humanity and weakness of the priest while he is also called to a most noble of callings. The following is a well-known reflection by Fr. Rahner which contemplates the humanity and the holiness of the priest.
“The priest is not an angel sent from heaven, he is a man chosen from among men, a member of the Church, a Christian. Remaining man and Christian, he begins to speak to you the word of God. This word is not his won, no, he speaks because God has told him to proclaim His word. Perhaps he has not entirely understood it himself, perhaps he communicates it poorly, but he believes and despite his fears, he knows that he must communicate God’s word to you . For must not someone say something about God, about eternal life, about the majesty of grace in our sanctified being; must not someone speak of sin, of judgment and of the mercy of God? So my dear friends, pray for him. Carry him so that he might be able to sustain others by bringing to them the mystery of God’s love revealed in Christ Jesus.” (Fr. Karl Rahner, SJ)

In your prayers please remember the following 11 men who will be ordained to the priesthood of Jesus Christ in a few months, and pray for vocations in general; those already realized and being lived out in all those who have said yes to the Lord’s call to the particular vocation of priesthood, but also all those who feel the call and are perhaps afraid as were the prophets of old.

Rev. Mr. Luis Manuel Calleji, 31, (Toronto)

Rev. Mr. Stephen Crowley, 57, (Hamilton)

Rev. Mr. Kim D’Souza, 27, (Toronto)

Rev. Mr. Silvio Eljuga, 41, (Toronto)

Rev. Mr. Landorff Jose Garcia Mariona, 34, (Toronto)

Rev. Fr. Mounir El-Rassi, 43, (Toronto)

Rev. Mr. Jeffrey Oehring, 25, (Hamilton)

Rev. Mr. Bartlomiej Palczewski, 32, (Toronto)

Rev. Mr. Christopher Sherren, 25, (Prince Edward Is.)

Rev. Mr. Henry Smolenaars, 40, (Yarmouth/Halifax)

Rev. Mr. Jerry Tavares, 28, (Peterborough)

SERRA PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS

O God, Who wills not the death of a sinner

but rather that they be converted and live

grant, we ask You

through the intercession of the Blessed Mary,

Ever Virgin, St. Joseph her spouse,

blessed Junipero Serra, and all the saints

an increase of labourers for your Church,

fellow labourers with Christ

to spend and consume themselves for souls.

Through the same Jesus Christ Your Son,

who lives and reigns with You

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God forever and ever. Amen.

CONFIRMATION CLASSES

There are two classes remaining of the four (4) mandatory classes to prepare your child for Confirmation. You are asked to drop your child off before 2:00 p.m. Parents who wish to stay are asked to wait in the church and pray for the children. The two remaining mandatory classes are as follows:

#3 – Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

#4 – Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

PRAISE – WORSHIP – PRAYER

SPIRITUAL GROWTH & FELLOWSHIP

Every Thursday at 7:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

in the Chapel. ALL ARE WELCOME.

JOURNEY OF FAITH

Winter Session II began on Saturday, March 6^th at St. Leo the Great Parish, Brooklin.

Creating a Bible Study, Saturday – 10:40 am to 12:10 pm. A hands-on course that will actually walk you through the creation of your own bible study.

A Covenantal Morality, Saturday – 12:10 pm to 1:40 pm.

The Creed – Starting: Wednesday, March 10 – 7:30 pm to 9 pm.

The courses are 6 weeks and cost $30 each. To register online and/or to view other courses being offered visit www.catholicministry.ca

CONFERENCE TALKS

A Program of Life: Practical and Daily Ways to Grow in the Spiritual Life.

Speaker: Fr. Kenneth LeBlanc, L.C.

Place: St. Leo the Great Church

Date: Friday, March 26, 2010

Time: 8p.m. to 9p.m.

Cost: $5.00 at the door.

Drawing on his vast experience as a spiritual director, Fr. Kenneth LeBlanc shows how we can use our root sins to make great strides in holiness. In this much needed talk, any Christian will find much worth listening to and doing.

Mass Intentions – Week of March 7, 2010

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – Juana De Avilez+

-11:00 a.m. – For the intentions of our

parish community

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. – Louise Davis+

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. - For the intentions of

Luke Gardzinski

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. – Marie-Rose Legace

Friday - 7:30 p.m. – Felisa Senia+

Saturday - 5:00 p.m. - Marie-Rose Legace+

ST. LEO’S EUCHRE CARD PARTY SCHEDULE

St. Leo the Great Church Hall

(Entrance on Carson Street)

The Schedule is as follows: Fridays: March 26, April 30, May 28, June 25, July 30, August 27, September 24, October 29 and November 26, 2010. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. (parking available behind church, $10.00 per person. 15 Games start at 7:00 p.m. SHARP. Play 8 games then break for short intermission, play 7 more games. Pop, water, chips, chocolate bars available for sale all evening. Tea and coffee available all evening for a donation. 50/50 tickets available.

ST. LEO’S KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

ST. PATRICK’S DAY DANCE

Friday, March 19^th, 2010

St. Leo’s Parish Hall, Brooklin

8:00 pm. to 12:00 Midnight

$15.00 per ticket

D.J. and Live Entertainment. Lunch at 10 p.m.

Spot Dance Prizes/Door Prizes

Call Allen Frank (905) 655-4212 or

Mike Feeley (905) 655-6370 to purchase tickets or purchase your tickets in the Church vestibule after weekend masses.

HOLY LAND WOOD ART – HLWA Inc.

The main income for the Christian community of Bethlehem – the Birth Place of Jesus is selling their hand-crafted olive wood religious items to the pilgrims who visit the area. The past few years have been extremely hard for the community, as a result of declining tourism. Some Christians responded by fleeing the Holy Land, and the absence of a living Christian community is very dangerous for the Holy Sites such as the Church of the Nativity. On March 13^th and 14^th, we will be having some of their beautiful art held for sale in an effort to strengthen the Christian presence in the Holy Land.

The Cherub’s Cupboard Catholic Book & Gift Store will be here at St. Leo’s on Sunday, March 21^st with a display of First Communion and Confirmation gifts. There are catalogues provided in the Church vestibule.

_______________________________________

Sunday, February 28, 2010

CHANGE TO LENTEN SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY’S

Please note that each Friday throughout Lent we will not hold the usual Friday morning 8:30 a.m. Mass but instead will hold the Stations of the Cross at 7:00 p.m. followed by Mass at 7:30 p.m.

WHO ARE THOSE PEOPLE?

- R C I A -

In many parishes throughout the Archdiocese and all over the world there are people who have been part of an RCIA process – Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. In parishes like ours those seeking to become members of the Church undergo a process by which they learn what it means to be a Christian and a Catholic. This process deals largely with four main questions about Catholic Faith from the general to the more specific: Who is God? Who is Jesus? What is the Church? What are the Sacraments?

Within every RCIA process can be found two groups of people – Catechumens and Candidates.

A Catechumen is one who is not baptized in a
Christian Church (and is therefore not a Christian) and either belongs to another world religion (Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Hindu) or has no religious background or affiliation at all, though they may have had experiences of attending various worship and faith oriented prayer meetings or church services.

A Candidate is one who is baptized already in another Christian denomination whose belief in baptism is the same as that of the Roman Catholic Church. These persons already share with us the dignity of Christian baptism and, therefore, need not repeat this sacrament as entry into the Church.

There are some Christian denominations, however, who have some form of baptism but whose form of baptism is not consistent with the mainline Christian denominations. For example, if one is baptized in a ritual other than with water and in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, it is not valid baptism among Catholics or among other mainline Christian Churches. If a child is baptized by a parent or a doctor in a medical emergency, the use of simple water poured over the head and the accompanying words “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” constitutes valid baptism and is accepted by the Church. I have six siblings and would have grown up with seven had not one, Michael, died at birth. I remember my mother telling me that she was so used to having babies in hospitals and hearing them cry once they were born. She remembered hearing no crying from the child they would name Michael but only the voice of our family doctor, Dr. Jaciw, saying the words of baptism over Michael’s head and with water. By the words of our Catholic family doctor and his intention, Michael was baptized and became a child of God and heir to the Kingdom. In all cases of human life, God sees and knows all that is beyond us and is in no way constrained by human understanding, for God loves all that He has created.

So, Catechumens are those seeking baptism and at the Easter Vigil are baptized as entry into the Church and life with Christ and then are Confirmed and receive the Eucharist for the first time.

Candidates, those who already share faith in Christ with us as the baptized, are received into the Church at the Easter Vigil and are confirmed and receive the Eucharist.

Our parish’s RCIA process is led by Mr. Patrick Sullivan who is most qualified to teach as he possesses not one but two degrees in Theology and has a tremendous love and reverence for the Church and Jesus Christ who founder Her. Each Saturday morning for an hour and a half two people meet with Patrick and others and learn about the faith while discerning all the while if this is what they truly desire in their lives.

There are two people in our parish RCIA process:

David Jordan – who is not baptized (catechumen)

Laura Trinca – who is baptized (candidate).

Last weekend we prayed for David by name in the Sunday prayers of the faithful because David was going to be called to the Easter Sacraments officially (last Saturday evening) by the bishop through the Rite of Election. This means that David has discerned his intention to become a Catholic and through the election of the bishop and the people of God, is no longer considered a catechumen but is now one of the “elect”. David’s wife is Catholic and they both have attended Mass here each week, though David has not been able to participate in the sacramental life of the Church but will be able to do so come Easter.

Laura, having already been baptized, shares with us the dignity of being a Christian and her process, while in step with the RCIA is different than that of David though they share in the same teachings and timeline of the RCIA. Since she has already been baptized she has the Holy Spirit within her and is a Christian. At the Easter Vigil her reception into the Church and her Confirmation and reception of the Eucharist will make her truly one with us in the Catholic Church for the first time, even though she has been attending Mass here at St. Leo’s each Sunday along with her husband who is a Catholic.

Please pray for David Jordan and Laura Trinca in the weeks to come that the spiritual road they journey (which is our journey too) and their discernment will be realized in their full membership and participation in the sacramental life of the Church. With them at Easter we will celebrate with great joy the Resurrection of Christ Our Lord and our life in Him, giving us truly a Happy Easter! (Fr. Charles)

CONFIRMATION CLASSES

There are four (4) mandatory classes to prepare your child for Confirmation. You are asked to drop your child off before 2:00 p.m. Parents who wish to stay are asked to wait in the church and pray for the children. The two remaining mandatory classes are as follows:

#3 – Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

#4 – Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION CLASSES

There are two (2) mandatory classes to prepare your child for First Holy Communion. You are asked to drop your child off before noon for the classes and pick them up again at 2:00 p.m. Parents who wish to stay are asked to wait in the church and pray for the children. The remaining class will be held on:

Sunday, Mar. 7, 2010 from 12 noon to 2:00 p.m.

PRAISE – WORSHIP – PRAYER

SPIRITUAL GROWTH & FELLOWSHIP

Every Thursday at 7:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

in the Chapel. ALL ARE WELCOME.

Journey of Faith – Winter Session II begins March 6^th at St. Leo the Great Parish, Brooklin.

Creating a Bible Study, Saturday – 10:40 am to 12:10 pm. A hands-on course that will actually walk you through the creation of your own bible study. The course is 6 weeks and costs $30. To register online and/or to view other courses being offered visit www.catholicministry.ca

MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER

Good Marriages are like dependable cars – they need attention. Refresh and rekindle your love for each other by treating yourselves to a marriage enrichment weekend at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre, or give a weekend as a gift. The Centre offers comfort, excellent cuisine and an inspiring program. The next weekend is March 5^th to 7^th. For info. telephone (905) 829-0116; (416) 694-1742 or register at Queen of Apostles: (905) 278-5229.

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER

The World Day of Prayer will be held at St. Thomas Anglican Church on Friday, March 5^th at 1:30 p.m. St. Leo & Brooklin United Churches will be participating in the service. Guest speaker is Fr. Charles Forget. Refreshments will be served following the service. All are welcome.

Mass Intentions – Week of Feb. 28, 2010

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – Rodrigo Nieto+

-11:00 a.m. – For the intentions of our

parish community

Tuesday - 8:45 a.m. – ST. LEO SCHOOL MASS

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. - Special Intentions

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. – Marie-Rose Legace+

Friday - 7:30 p.m. – Tony Vonk+

Saturday - 5:00 p.m. - Franco Minaudo+

St. Leo’s Euchre Card Party Schedule for 2010

(St. Leo the Great Church Hall –

Entrance on Carson Street)

ST. LEO’S KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

ST. PATRICK’S DAY DANCE

Friday, March 19^th, 2010

St. Leo’s Parish Hall, Brooklin

8:00 pm. to 12:00 Midnight

$15.00 per ticket

D.J. and Live Entertainment. Lunch at 10 p.m.

Spot Dance Prizes/Door Prizes

Call Allen Frank (905) 655-4212 or

Mike Feeley (905) 655-6370 to purchase tickets or purchase your tickets in the Church vestibule after weekend masses.

HOLY LAND WOOD ART – HLWA Inc.

_____________________________________

Sunday, February 21, 20101

PARISH LENTEN CHALLENGE

Often we tend to think of Lent in terms of deciding to give something up, which may be a good and helpful thing to do as we strive to be more conscious of what Christ gave up for us – His life! These self-imposed denials help us to think about ‘why’ we would seek do deny ourselves daily pleasures and luxuries that we likely take for granted. The reason we would do this is that we might become more aware and change. All of us have some thing about ourselves that needs to be changed and worked on in order to become more like Christ. It may be our attitude, our anger, our impatience, a bad habit, a hot tongue, our language or perhaps one of many other things we might feel convicted of within ourselves that we know we ought to change if we had the time to get around to it. Lent is the time to make the decision and act on our desire to “turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel”.

However, this is also a good time to take something on like attending daily Mass or the Wednesday evening Mass, and perhaps come early for the Mother of Perpetual Help devotions or the Rosary after Mass.

We will have a Parish Lenten Reconciliation Service but the sacrament is also available every Saturday afternoon from 4 – 4:30 p.m. And there are the Stations of the Cross each Friday in Lent at 7:00 p.m. where we communally enter into the mystery of Christ’s Passion and Death and its meaning for our lives. Be good to yourself and enhance your spiritual life this Lent which will make your celebration of Easter all the more joyous.

Throughout Lent in our parish there is available…

WEDNESDAY EVENING MASS -

EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 7:00 P.M.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS -

EVERY FRIDAY AT 7:00 P.M.

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION -

EACH SATURDAY AFTERNOON 4:00 – 4:30 P.M.

DEVOTION TO OUR MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP - (MARY, MOTHER OF JESUS)

SPECIAL PRAYERS BEFORE WEDNESDAY MASS

THE ROSARY -Following Wednesday Mass

From this Sunday’s Deuteronomy reading:

“Moses spoke to the people….

“Then you shall declare before the Lord, your God….

I have now brought you the firstfruits of the produce of the soil which you, O Lord, have given me.”

REFLECTION:

We bring to this altar the fruits of the harvest of our lives – represented by our gifts of bread and wine. We are thankful for what God has given us. Our gifts also symbolize our efforts to do God’s will of building the kingdom. With the gifts we place on the altar we rededicate our lives once again to God and hope for renewal so we can continue to face the challenges of Christian living.

So we ask ourselves:

As we begin each day, do we offer to God all that we are about to do in our day?
At the end of each day, do we give thanks for the harvest God has given us?

________________________________

SAYING AN “ACT OF CONTRITION”

After one has confessed their sins to the priest and God in the sacrament of Reconciliation, the priest will give a penance to the penitent and then ask them to recite an Act of Contrition. There are so many different forms of this prayer where we tell God of our sorrow for sin, our need of His mercy as well as express to Him our desire to change our lives. The following is the most often used and is fairly old in its usage.

O MY GOD, I AM HEARTILY SORRY

FOR HAVING OFFENDED THEE.

AND I DETEST ALL OF MY SINS

BECAUSE I FEAR THE LOSS OF HEAVEN

AND THE PAINS OF HELL;

BUT MOST OF ALL BECAUSE THEY OFFEND THEE,

MY GOD, WHO ART WORTHY

AND DESERVING OF ALL MY LOVE.

I FIRMLY RESOLVE, WITH THE HELP OF THY GRACE,

TO CONFESS MY SINS,

TO DO PENANCE,

AND AMEND MY LIFE. AMEN.

There are of course many other forms of this prayer, some as simple as, “My Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner.”, which identifies Christ as the penitents’ Lord in the powerful and sacred name of Jesus; recognizes that we have need of his boundless mercy, and acknowledges something we would perhaps not like to think too much about ourselves – that we are sinners. Beyond the words is the meaning of our recognition that Christ has come to the world in the flesh to pay for and take our place for sin, dying that we might be forgiven and rising that we might have everlasting life. May we use this Lenten season to prepare ourselves to enter into this great Paschal Mystery of Jesus’ unfathomable love. (Fr. C.)

CONFIRMATION CLASSES

#2 – Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

#3 – Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

#4 – Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION CLASSES

Class 1 – Sunday, Feb.28, 2010 from 12 noon to 2:00 pm

Class 2 – Sunday, Mar. 7, 2010 from 12 noon to 2:00 pm

PRAISE – WORSHIP – PRAYER

SPIRITUAL GROWTH & FELLOWSHIP

Every Thursday at 7:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

in the Chapel. ALL ARE WELCOME.

Journey of Faith – Winter Session II begins March 6^th at St. Leo the Great Parish, Brooklin.

ST. LEO THE GREAT –

CATHOLIC WOMEN’S LEAGUE

First meeting of the newly-formed St. Leo the Great Catholic Women’s League will be held on Tuesday, February 23 at 7:00 p.m. in Board Room 1. Our guest speaker will be Father Charles Forget, our Spiritual Advisor. A short DVD will be shown about the League (produced by Salt and Light). Membership fee of $25 will be collected at this meeting. All women of the parish (16 years and older) are invited to attend. Call (905) 620-0724 for further info. Please see poster on the Church bulletin board about upcoming Regional C.W.L. Development Day February 20^th.

MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER

Mass Intentions – Week of Feb. 21, 2010

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – For the intentions of

Malia Hodgkinson

-11:00 a.m. – Bill Gourdier+

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. –

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. Kathleen Gittens-Philbert+

Thursday - 8:45 a.m. – St. Leo School Mass

Friday - 8:30 a.m. – For the intentions of

Owen McCanny

Saturday - 5:00 p.m. - Ron Fava+

NEXT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28^th IS COFFEE SUNDAY AFTER THE 9 & 11 A.M. MASSES. COFFEE AND REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED IN THE PARISH HALL.

St. Leo’s Euchre Card Party Schedule for 2010

(St. Leo the Great Church Hall –

Entrance on Carson Street)

The Schedule is as follows: Fridays: February 26, March 26, April 30, May 28, June 25, July 30, August 27, September 24, October 29 and November 26, 2010. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. (parking available behind church, $10.00 per person. 15 Games start at 7:00 p.m. SHARP. Play 8 games then break for short intermission, play 7 more games. Pop, water, chips, chocolate bars available for sale all evening. Tea and coffee available all evening for a donation. 50/50 tickets available.

ST. LEO’S KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

ST. PATRICK’S DAY DANCE

Friday, March 19^th, 2010

St. Leo’s Parish Hall, Brooklin

8:00 pm. to 12:00 Midnight

$15.00 per ticket

D.J. and Live Entertainment. Lunch at 10 p.m.

Spot Dance Prizes/Door Prizes

Call Allen Frank (905) 655-4212 or

Mike Feeley (905) 655-6370 for tickets or in the Church vestibule after weekend masses.

__________________________________________

Sunday, February 14, 2010

LENT AT ST. LEO THE GREAT

Consider the journey through this Lent of forty days (not counting the Sundays) as a personal journey between Jesus and you that has the power and the potential to return you to or make more powerfully present, the Father’s love. The following devotions and sacraments will aid you on this journey here in our parish.

_____________________________________

ASH WEDNESDAY

Universal day of Fast & Abstinence

from meat

2 MASSES WILL BE CELEBRATED

12:00 NOON & 7:00 P.M. EVENING

_____________________________________

Throughout Lent there is available…

WEDNESDAY EVENING MASS -

EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 7:00 P.M.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS -

EVERY FRIDAY AT 7:00 P.M.

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION -

EACH SATURDAY AFTERNOON 4:00 – 4:30 P.M.

DEVOTION TO OUR MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP - (MARY, MOTHER OF JESUS)

SPECIAL PRAYERS BEFORE WEDNESDAY MASS

THE ROSARY -

Following every Wednesday evening Mass

_____________________________________

PARISH RECONCILIATION SERVICE

THURSDAY MARCH 25TH AT 7:00 P.M.

with assisting guest priests

_____________________________________

This coming Wednesday (Feb. 17) marks the beginning of Lent 2010, the annual opportunity to place ourselves in the right mind-set to do what the gospel imperative calls us to do: “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel”. The evidence of our Lenten renewal is found even in the symbolism of the ashes we receive on our foreheads for they are made from the palm branches of the previous year used to hail Christ as King on Palm Sunday. The words of the old song ring true in our Lenten preparation where “Everything old is new again” in that the former person in all of us that is prone to sin can be transformed by the power of Christ, by penance, self-denial, fasting and getting rid of sin in the wonderful but certainly not light sacrament of Reconciliation.

To aid parishioners in preparing to celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation there are two pamphlets being offered to assist you for the sacrament.

The first pamphlet is entitled

Making A Good Confession: Preparation

and this pamphlet offers assistance in examining ones conscience by specifically looking at the four areas of sin found in the confiteor – “in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done (actions) and in what I have failed to do (omissions)”.

The second pamphlet is entitled

Making a Good Confession: Celebration

and prepares the penitent (the one celebrating the sacrament) for the actual action of ‘going to confession’ as we commonly call it.

Lent has commonly been viewed as a season of the Church year when we consider giving up something, which can be a positive and good thing to do. To give up chocolate or coffee or a bad habit focuses the mind on why we are doing this – to more closely imitate Christ who in the desert went without food as he fasted and prayed. This kind of sacrifice prepares us for a more worthy and joyful celebration of Easter and can even change us for life just as it prepared Christ for his public life and mission as the Saviour. Turning away from things that comfort us or things we enjoy, small and personal though they may be, has the potential to sharpen our consciousness of self and others and gives perspective to our living.

The things we may give up are personal in that they might seem trivial to others but have meaning for us, perhaps representing a struggle within. As a most fortunate people generally living as we do, there is not much that we don’t have or are forced to do without. Purposefully giving up something places us in solidarity with others who do not have and can be linked to also endeavor to not only give up something but go out to others with our almsgiving, sacrifice and prayer.

In “Penitential Discipline: Law of the Gospel” it reads: “The Church wants new emphasis to be given to the evangelical law that a follower of Christ must do penance. While the heart of penance is hatred for sin as an offence against God, external forms of penance are required to deepen and encourage internal virtue.” (CCCB Ordo page 53)

Taking something on is also a powerful practice which can be a resolve to live a better moral life, be kinder, more patient, and focuses and trains the mind to avoid those things that we are mindful of which lead us to sin. Of course, all forms of penance and all sacrifices are meant to lead us to more personally follow Jesus Christ.

(Fr. Charles)

CONFIRMATION CLASSES

#2 – Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

#3 – Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

#4 – Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION CLASSES

Class 1 – Sunday, Feb.28, 2010 from 12 noon to 2:00 pm

Class 2 – Sunday, Mar. 7, 2010 from 12 noon to 2:00 pm

PRAISE – WORSHIP – PRAYER

SPIRITUAL GROWTH & FELLOWSHIP

Every Thursday at 7:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

in the Chapel. ALL ARE WELCOME.

Journey of Faith – Winter Session II begins March 6^th at St. Leo the Great Parish, Brooklin.

ST. LEO THE GREAT –

CATHOLIC WOMEN’S LEAGUE

MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER

Mass Intentions – Week of Feb.14, 2010

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – Juana De Avilez+

-11:00 a.m. – Francesco Caruso+

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. – NO MASS

Wednesday 12:00 NOON – ASH WEDNESDAY

- 7:00 p.m. – ASH WEDNESDAY

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. – Gavin Dance+

Friday - 8:30 a.m. – For the intentions of

Tobias & Benjamin Sullivan

Saturday - 5:00 p.m. - Paudraig Tierney+

St. Leo’s Euchre Card Party Schedule for 2010

(in St. Leo the Great Church Hall –

Entrance on Carson Street)

Saturday, Feb. 13 – The Phantom of the Opera Silent Movie Night featuring William O’Meara accompanying the 1925 black and white film on St. Thomas’ new pipe organ. 7:30 p.m. at St. Thomas Anglican Church $10 per person. Call the church office at (905) 655-3883 for tickets or more information.

ST. PATRICK’S DAY DANCE

Friday, March 19^th, 2010

St. Leo’s Parish Hall, Brooklin

8:00 pm. To 12:00 Midnight

$15.00 per ticket

D.J. and Live Entertainment. Lunch at 10 p.m.

Spot Dance Prizes/Door Prizes

Call Allen Frank (905) 655-4212 or

Mike Feeley (905) 655-6370

_______________________

Sunday, February 07, 2010

Farewell Pina Brannigan

In any given parish there is a constant flow of people who are new to the parish and those who leave due to job changes, a new house elsewhere or any number of reasons why people move in or out. Sometimes we might not even know that a person or family has moved away and suddenly realize, “Hey, I haven’t seen that person for a while. I wonder what happened to them.

It is for just such a reason that I write to both inform our parishioners of the departure of and say farewell to Pina Brannigan who has served our parish for many years now as a leader in music at the Sunday 11:00 a.m. Mass, also using her fine voice in the ministry of cantor. Pina has made a decision to return to her own parish of Immaculate Conception in Port Perry. For many years now Pina’s husband has been taking their two boys to church each Sunday in Port Perry while Pina was busy serving here in a ministry of music she loved so well. She is and will be missed in our parish’s music program. On behalf of the people of our parish, I say “Thank you, Pina and may God continue to bless you and your family as you have blessed us.” (Fr. Charles)

Great Generosity

A few weeks ago I published a list of items our parish needs, looking for possible donors of these items. Well, all of the things we had hoped to get are within our reach as various parishioners came forward and said they would love to donate these items. The items and the people who have donated them are:

Red Vestments - by Joe and Kathleen Mercer in memory of the Mercer/Forbes Families

Purple Vestment for Lent – by Doug Fitzsimmons in memory of his late wife Patricia

Advent Vestment (lighter purple) by Mr. & Mrs. Tirelli

1 New Ciborium – by Bill and Linda Closs in memory of their son Steven Closs.

3 New Ciboria – by the Knights of Columbus

Purple Stole – by Frank and Linda Corcoran.

There has also been an interest by some to give money towards a new large crucifix for the church. May God bless all our generous donors for their gifts to God and the parish. (Fr. Charles)

Getting Ready for Lent

Lent this year begins on Wednesday February 17th – just a week and a half from now – so in order to prepare ourselves and get into the right mindset before Lent begins now is the time to think about what you want to do; what you wish to accomplish in this spiritually rich and life-changing season. Lent is about journeying and preparation just as Advent is about active waiting. Both seasons of the Church invite us into preparation of ourselves but Lent is unique in that it is clearly a penitential season when we live out the Ash Wednesday mandate when we receive ashes and are told “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel”. The Lent we journey through will determine the kind of Easter we will celebrate. Throughout our lives as Roman Catholics we are urged to get rid of our sins through the sacrament instituted by Christ Himself – Reconciliation.

Many Catholics stay away from the Church and communion because they know they have sin they should get rid of but are afraid to go for so many reasons, most of which are probably not all that sound. They may feel the priest will yell at them because it has been so long since they last visited “the box” or wouldn’t know what to say, or just find it too difficult to go to confession and tell another human being their sins. More important that what we might feel is the fact that we need to go in order to be free and more worthily receive the sacrament of the Eucharist each Sunday.

There is no doubt that we are living in an age that has seriously lost a sense of sin. The scriptures tell us that even a good and just person who is striving to live like Jesus and for Jesus “sins seven times a day”. A good reconciliation is dependent on good preparation, where one has thoroughly searched their soul for the various kinds of sin they are guilty of. It would not occur to many people today that it is a sin to miss Mass yet I’m sure priests’ ears are not ringing the world over with the voices of those confessing that they seldom if ever attend Mass. If they went to confession in the first place it likely would not even occur to them to mention missing Mass. Children preparing for their First Reconciliation are so often guilty of a sin that they are not largely responsible for – missing Mass, yet most kids don’t go to church at anytime thanks to their parents who have not taken seriously their mandate before God and the Church to “be the best of teachers of your children in the faith…, teaching them by what you say and do”. Kids can’t drive and they can’t be expected to venture off by themselves to attend Sunday Mass, particularly when their parents are worshipping in the cathedral of commerce on Sunday – the mall.

Well, so much for that tangent, but suffice it to say that we need to return to Christ by getting rid of our sins – all of us without exception.

As Lent will move us to the moment when Christ died for our sins that first Good Friday, we too move closer to and in greater union with the Lord of Life whose love for us hung on the tree and died that we might live – forever. (Fr. C.)

CONFIRMATION CLASSES

#2 – Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

#3 – Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

#4 – Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION CLASSES

Class 1 – Sunday, Feb.28, 2010 from 12 noon to 2:00 pm

Class 2 – Sunday, Mar. 7, 2010 from 12 noon to 2:00 pm

THE KNIGHTS WANT YOU

This week, after each mass, members from St. Leo’s Knights of Columbus will be handing out pamphlets regarding the Knights, and will be available to answer any questions you might have. We encourage you to take a pamphlet and consider learning more about the Knights and how your involvement can benefit you, your family, church, and community. A contact card is attached that you can fill out and place in next week’s offertory basket. If you didn’t pick up a pamphlet, you can contact Michael Mullin directly at (905) 655-8978 or mmullin@rogers.com

HOLY FAMILY PARISH, WHITBY

Bioethics Lecture Series – “For People in the Pews”

The Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute will be hosting a Lecture Series called “For People in the Pews”. These lectures have been designed particularly for parishes to provide education on many topics related to understanding bioethics. Holy Family Parish will be co-hosting these lectures for 4 consecutive Monday evenings of Feb. 8, 15, 22 and March 1, 2010 at 7 pm.

PRAISE – WORSHIP – PRAYER

SPIRITUAL GROWTH & FELLOWSHIP

Every Thursday at 7:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

in the Chapel. ALL ARE WELCOME.

MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER

Mass Intentions - Week of February 7, 2010

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – Christine Mackey+

-11:00 a.m. – Tony Vonk+

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. – Sister Agnes Begin+

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. – Special intentions

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. – Ann-Mary Doherty+

Friday - 8:30 a.m. – For the intentions of

Bill & Peggy Frankovich

Saturday - 5:00 p.m. – For the intentions of Michele & Maria Cavallari

A WOMEN’S LENTEN RETREAT WEEKEND is being offered at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre, Mississauga, Feb. 12-14, 2010. The centre team will preach this retreat. Come join us to rest, renew, pray and grow in your personal relationship with Jesus. Please call (905) 278-5229 to make a reservation or for more information.

LEO’S VALENTINE LUNCH

Psst! Looking to impress that special someone? Whether it be your Spouse, Children, Grandchildren, Friend or just Yourself. St. Leo’s has the TICKET! Come experience excellent cuisine, lots of ambiance and decadent desserts. Join us Friday, Feb. 12^th, 12:30 p.m. in St. Leo’s church hall. Cost is $10.00/person.

P.S. Real men DO eat Quiche!!!!

_______________________________________________

Sunday, January 31, 2010

CONFIRMATION CLASSES

#2 – Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

#3 – Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

#4 – Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION CLASSES

Class 1 – Sunday, Feb.28, 2010 from 12 noon to 2:00 pm

Class 2 – Sunday, Mar. 7, 2010 from 12 noon to 2:00 pm

Catholic Women’s League (C.W.L.)

A meeting will be held in the church hall on Monday, February 1 at 7:00 p.m. for women (must be min. of 16 years old) of St. Leo the Great Parish who are interested in forming a council in the parish. Members of Regional Council will be present to answer questions. Please call Donna Shaddick at (905) 620-0724 for information or if you are interested but unable to attend the meeting.

Next week, after each mass, all male parishioners are invited to learn how they can dramatically change their lives and the lives of so many others in and around the community. We encourage you to look for this opportunity.

PARISH MISSION AT ST. THERESE, COURTICE

You are invited to attend the upcoming Parish Mission at St. Therese Parish in Courtice from Feb. 8 to February 11, 2010. It will be conducted by Redemptorist Father Eugene O’Reilly. For more info. please contact the parish office at (905) 436-2126.

HOLY FAMILY PARISH, WHITBY

Bioethics Lecture Series –

“For People in the Pews”

PRAISE – WORSHIP – PRAYER

SPIRITUAL GROWTH & FELLOWSHIP

Every Thursday at 7:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

in the Chapel. ALL ARE WELCOME.

Mass Intentions - Week of January 24, 2010

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – For the intentions of

Ethan Hodgkinson

-11:00 a.m. – Special Intentions

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. – Mary Bond+

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. – For the intentions of

Peter & Anne Rylands

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. – Sister Alix Leclerc+

Friday - 8:30 a.m. – For the intentions of

Ryan & Christine Hodgkinson

Saturday - 5:00 p.m. – Maria Bianco+

A WOMEN’S LENTEN RETREAT WEEKEND is being offered at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre, Mississauga, February 12-14, 2010. The centre team will preach this retreat. Come join us to rest, renew, pray and grow in your personal relationship with Jesus. Please call (905) 278-5229 to make a reservation or for more information.

COME & SEE WEEKEND

February 5 to 7, 2010

“The Love of Christ urges us on” to radically respond to His call to follow Him whole-heartily. Jesus is inviting you to spend time with Him so that you may discover His call to the priesthood on Feb. 5 to 7, 2010 at St. Augustine’s Seminary. There will be an opportunity for young men of 18 years or older to spend a weekend for time of prayer, reflection and information on the process of becoming a Christ’s disciple through the Catholic priesthood. During this gracious year for priests consider the call to the priesthood. If God is calling you, say yes…and Come and See.

ST. LEO’S VALENTINE LUNCH

Psst! Looking to impress that special someone in your life. Whether it be your spouse, children, grandchildren, friend or yourself. St. Leo’s has just the TICKET! Come experience excellent cuisine, lots of ambiance and decadent desserts.

Date: Wednesday, February 12^th

Place: St. Leo’s Parish Hall

Time: 12:30 p.m.

Price: $10/person

Tickets are now available after mass in the Church vestibule. P.S. Real men DO eat quiche!!

_____________________

Sunday, January 24, 2010

EXPLAINING IT ALL AWAY

Last weekend in my homily I spent the first half of my homily time addressing the horrific earthquake that has so devastated the poor people of Haiti and I looked at the mystery of why such things happen. Of course, there is no answer as to “why” things happen that can in any way satisfy our need to ask the question. If my car runs out of gas and I ask “why?”, it’s meaningless. I know why it ran out of gas because I let it happen, or I didn’t look at the gas gage, or I meant to fill it up yesterday and forgot all about it. There are answers to the “why’s” of life that pertain to the things within our control and responsibility. A parent might ask a teenager “why” they didn’t put gas in the car, but the question is really meaningless because the parent likely knows that the son or daughter has acted irresponsible or neglectful, and the “why” is really a form of reprimand and not inquiry.

To ask “why” life isn’t fair, why terrible, tragic things happen to good and innocent people is more of a form of venting our frustration in the face of things that don’t make sense. And a great deal of life events don’t make sense from the perspective of the way we would order things.

I think as children we ask the question about why someone we knew and loved and loved us died. The whole idea of death and the reality that we won’t live forever in these bodies we wear brings about a tough awareness that people die, which leads to realization that we too, will die. When a child asks why people have to die they are truly seeking an answer because they are trying to put the universe together and this is one big piece of it all. The child wants to know why things are the way they are and to answer, “Just because…” doesn’t cut it for the child and for the adult.

Sadly, in a world of so much unbelief and disbelief where God is largely ignored, the question “why” usually gets aimed at God in the face of tragedy and loss. We don’t ask why God doesn’t just crush us or make us go up in a puff of smoke when we ignore Him or neglect Him altogether. No, we tend to bring God out for special occasions like baptisms, first communions, weddings and the like and we haul Him out to account for Himself and His strange and awful ways when calamity comes and we don’t understand why.

Strangely enough, we don’t ask God why He continues to love us when we can be truly horrible people, or why He showers us with so many good things like the warmth of the sun, the simple singing of a bird or the miracle and wonder of a single flower. We can take these things for granted and only wonder at the things we don’t understand. To ask the question “why” in one sense is a good and positive thing because it means that beyond our years of infancy and childhood we are still trying to put the world together and God’s place in it, and the fact of the matter is we will leave this world still with those questions. Yet that is such a wonderful thing when one considers just how beyond and unique is our God in comparison to all we see and know and understand.

In our seeking we should consider to ask why God is so good when we are not; why God shows us the greatest scenes, the most beautiful sounds and gives us minds that are capable of dreaming the impossible and entering into the mysterious. Is it not because we deem life to be good that we so desperately cling to it and are confounded when we see its loss? While we can never take life for granted and must value human life above all things, the very faith we profess assures us of a most perfect life that is to come, and in this context of living, even tragedy, grief and senseless loss contains hope because this is not all there is. When one considers that even an atheist, should their life be one long line of bliss, would be saddened by the fact that their life will come to a sudden and abrupt end at some future moment unknown to them, and after that moment – nothingness and nothing.

As a believer in the God of Jesus Christ, even while I don’t and never will remotely understand life and God Himself, I have come to know that I can trust Jesus Christ with my very life through the living, palpable relationship I have with Him. I often consider how I would react if some terrible tragedy should happen to me or those I know and love, and how I would fare when my faith would be put to the test. I would hope that God would give me what I need at the time (and not a second sooner) just as he led Mary and Joseph one moment at a time with his protection, power, guidance and blessing.

I have an aunt, Mary, who has MS and has been confined to a wheelchair for many years now. For all that she has been through, endured and had to cope with, she is a woman of deep, lived and authentic faith – faith that believes and trusts even when and especially when she knows no answer to the question “why”. She lives, I know, with the assurance that while she won’t ever know why things have happened to her as they have, she knows the “Who” that most matters – God. And the beauty of it all is that she knows Him now…. and so do we. (Fr. Charles)

CONFIRMATION CLASSES

#1 – Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

#2 – Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

#3 – Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

#4 – Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION CLASSES

Class 1 – Sunday, February 28, 2010 from 12 noon to 2:00 p.m.

Class 2 – Sunday, March 7, 2010 from 12 noon to 2:00 p.m.

Catholic Women’s League (C.W.L.)

ARE YOU A BUSY WORKING FATHER WITH A YOUNG FAMILY? A RETIRED MALE WHO IS LOOKING TO GET INVOLVED? A SINGLE MALE WANTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? BE A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL TO YOUR CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, CHURCH AND COMMUNITY? AFTER EACH MASS ON FEBRUARY 6^TH AND 7^TH, THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN ACHIEVE THESE GOALS AND HAVE FUN IN THE PROCESS.

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR CONSECRATED LIFE

Main Celebrant: Archbishop Thomas Collins

Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010 at 3:00 p.m.

St. Paul’s Basilica, 83 Power St., Toronto

Please see the Church bulletin board

for detailed information.

PRAISE – WORSHIP – PRAYER,

SPIRITUAL GROWTH & FELLOWSHIP

Every Thursday at 7:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

in the Chapel. ALL ARE WELCOME

Mass Intentions - Week of January 24, 2010

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – For the intentions of

George & Margaret Hodgkinson

-11:00 a.m. – Mark Dorsay+

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. – Fred Brosch+

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. – Adam John Talve+

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. – Special Intentions

Friday - 8:30 a.m. – For the intentions

of Rishi & Evelyn

Saturday - 5:00 p.m. – For the intentions of

Jodie Hodgkinson

PARISH MISSION AT ST. THERESE, COURTICE

HOLY FAMILY PARISH, WHITBY,

Bioethics Lecture Series

“For People in the Pews”

Coffee Sunday is next Sunday after the 9 and 11 a.m. Masses.

There will be a Blood Donor Clinic held in St. Leo’s Parish Hall on Monday, January 25 from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please enter Parish Hall by Carson Street Entrance.

GIGANTIC WALLPAPER SALE will be held on Saturday, January 30 from 12 noon to 7 pm and Sunday, January 31 from 9 am to 2 pm at St. Mary of the People Church Hall, 532 Stevenson Road N., Oshawa. Quality wallpaper will be available at great prices.

__________________________________________________

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Our New Bishop – Bp. Vincent Nguyen

The ordination of Bishop Vincent Nguyen (pronounced “New Yen”) took place this past Wednesday January 13th at St. Michael’s Cathedral. Bishop Nguyen is Canada’s youngest – and first Asian – Roman Catholic bishop. His Grace, Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, presided at the ordination ceremony. Nearly 1000 invited guests, including family, friends, parishioners, 30 bishops and more than 200 priests of the archdiocese were on hand as Bishop Nguyen, 43, was ordained as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Toronto. Pope Benedict XVI had announced his appointment on November 6, 2009.

The sixth of nine children, Bishop Nguyen was born in Saigon, Viet Nam and moved to Toronto in 1984. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Toronto in 1998. Since then, he has served in a number of Toronto parishes, achieved his licentiate in Canon Law from Rome and currently serves as the chancellor of spiritual affairs and moderator of the curia in Toronto.

This ordination marked the first time Bishop Nguyen and all of his brothers and sisters have reunited in 30 years. Six siblings traveled to Toronto from Viet Nam for the celebration. This event followed the ordination Tuesday in London, Ontario of Bishop William McGrattan, also named as an auxiliary bishop of Toronto.

Auxiliary bishops assist archbishops in their pastoral work. The Archdiocese of Toronto, Canada’s largest diocese, is home to 1.9 million Catholics and 224 parishes, with Mass celebrated in more than 30 languages each week.

This is a significant event for our parish since Bishop Nguyen will replace Bishop Peter Hundt who has been serving as our auxiliary bishop for several years now, and will serve the Durham Region and Scarborough while Bishop Hundt will remain living and working more centered in the northern region of the Archdiocese, covering the Simcoe and York Regions. Bishop Nguyen will also continue to serve as Chancellor for Spiritual Affairs and Moderator of the Curia in Toronto.

Bishop Nguyen chose as his motto “Ego Vobiscum Sum”, which means, “I am with you”, the words of Our Lord to the apostles before He left the earth and ascended into heaven. As a shepherd of Christ Bishop Nguyen will also be with us as he serves our region and our parishes.

Let us pray for both our new bishops, Bishop William McGrattan, who will serve as auxiliary bishop for the central region of the Archdiocese of Toronto and Bishop Nguyen. Let us pray that they will have courage to be the voice of Christ and serve both the Archdiocese and the Universal Church as Shepherds after the heart of Jesus Christ. May they serve the People of God well and witness to all their love for the Lord and their relentless service to Him.

WE’RE IN ORDINARY TIME AGAIN

Now that the season of Advent and the Christmas season are now over, we return for a time to the largest season of the Church Year – Ordinary Time. Ordinary time spans 34 weeks of the Church year and begins following Christmas and the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord and runs until the beginning of Lent each year on Ash Wednesday. Following the season of Lent, Holy Week, Easter and the Feast of Pentecost 50 days later, then Ordinary Time resumes once again and runs throughout the summer months until the beginning of Advent.

The reason this season is called “ordinary” is due to the Sunday celebrations it contains which give us the general teachings of Jesus and the miracles and healings he performed as well as the words of wisdom he shared with his followers. We look at the regular day-to-day ministry of Jesus and the general teachings of His public three-year ministry.

Advent prepares us to celebrate Christ’s birth and to remember that He promised He will come again, while Christmas focuses on the fact that He came and what it would mean in promise to a world of sin and darkness. Lent prepares us to journey with Christ through the desert for forty days (not including the Sundays) which culminates in Holy Week with the Institution of the Eucharist and the Priesthood and the universal call from Christ for all his disciples to serve one another. Good Friday is the only time we gather and don’t celebrate a Mass because we are going through the sense of what it was like to not have Christ. We stand at the tomb and we wait. Easter Sunday and the Easter season raise our minds to truly celebrate the resurrection of Christ, His ascension into heaven and His giving of the Holy Spirit celebrated at Pentecost. (Fr. Charles)

Haiti Donations

Donations for Haiti may be left in the Church vestibule or at the Parish Office. Helpers are needed. Please call Cora Murphy (1-905-987-3116) or the Parish Office.

CONFIRMATION CLASSES

#1 – Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

#2 – Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

#3 – Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

#4 – Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.)

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION CLASSES

Class 1 – Sunday, February 28, 2010 from 12 noon to 2:00 p.m.

Class 2 – Sunday, March 7, 2010 from 12 noon to 2:00 p.m.

Catholic Women’s League (C.W.L.)

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR CONSECRATED LIFE

Main Celebrant: Archbishop Thomas Collins

Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010 at 3:00 p.m.

St. Paul’s Basilica, 83 Power St., Toronto

Please see the Church bulletin board

for detailed information.

PRAISE – WORSHIP – PRAYER,

SPIRITUAL GROWTH & FELLOWSHIP

Every Thursday at 7:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

in the Chapel. ALL ARE WELCOME

Mass Intentions - Week of January 17, 2010

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – Ellen Creron+

-11:00 a.m. – Maria Erb+

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. – NO MASS

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. – NO MASS

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. – NO MASS

Friday - 8:30 a.m. – NO MASS

Saturday - 5:00 p.m. – For the intentions of our

parish community

We are looking for additional Lectors. If you have been a Lector in another church or if you are a student or if you have considered being a Lector but have not done anything about it, please share your time and talents and call the Parish Office and leave your name and telephone no. and the Lector Coordinator will get back to you.

A WOMEN’S LENTEN RETREAT WEEKEND is being offered at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre, Mississauga, February 12-14, 2010. The centre team will preach this retreat. Come join us to rest, renew, pray and grow in your personal relationship with Jesus. Please call (905) 278-5229 to make a reservation or for more information.

There will be a Blood Donor Clinic held in St. Leo’s Parish Hall on Monday, January 25 from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please enter Parish Hall by Carson Street Entrance.

LEO LUNCH

The next Leo Lunch will be held on Wednesday, January 20 at 12:30 p.m. in the church hall. This will be a “bring your own lunch’. Coffee and dessert will be available for $2.00. Prizes will be awarded for the best decorated lunch bag. 50/50 draw. No reservations or tickets required this month. All are welcome.

ST. LEO’s KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS are hosting a Rabbie Burns Dinner and Dance on Friday, January 22, 2010 . Cocktails at 6:30 p.m. Scottish Dinner at 7:00 p.m. in St. Leo’s Parish Hall. Tickets $15/person or $120/table of 8. Please email mauriceking@rogers.com or call to order tickets (905) 655-8729.

______________________________________________

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Like the Good Samaritan, I want to live my faith

One way you can live your faith is to show others that the Catholic Church is very important to you.

A simple yet powerful way you can do this is to request that at your funeral all in lieu of flowers donations made in your memory be directed towards your parish or favorite Archdiocesan charity. To ensure that your wishes are fulfilled, let your family know of your intention. Then handwrite a letter that states your wishes that is signed and dated, and keep it with your will. Or, if you like, you can download an “In Lieu of Flowers Request Form” from our website www.archtoronto.org/development) or simply ask that one be mailed to you by contacting us at: Archdiocese of Toronto/Development Office – 1155 Yonge Street, 5^th Floor, Toronto, ON M4T 1W2

Catholic Women’s League (C.W.L.)

The Catholic Women’s League of Canada is a national organization rooted in gospel values, calling its members to holiness through service to the people of God. Spiritual development is the heart of the C.W.L., which sets this organization apart from other women’s groups. Members of the league work diligently to promote the teachings of the Catholic Church. The league is composed of councils at the parish, diocesan, provincial and national levels. Each council has a spiritual advisor who guides the council’s spiritual development by his/her special advice and assistance. Members of the C.W.L. of Canada are dedicated to the preservation of Christian family life, the rights of the unborn, as well as many other social justice issues. A membership in the league adds your voice to the support of local and national works.

If you believe in the sanctity of human life; If you want to develop a deeper spiritual life,; If you uphold the dignity of all human beings; If you believe women play an important role in church and society; If you strive to set a Christian example in your home and work place; If you believe in Catholic education and affordable health services; If you believe in the power of prayer; then please consider becoming a member of the Catholic Women’s League. A meeting will be held in January in St. Leo the Great Parish for interested women who would like to establish a council at St. Leo. Members of Regional council will be available to answer questions. For information until then please call Donna Shaddick at (905) 620-0724.

JOURNEY OF FAITH

Courses offered at St. Leo the Great Parish, Brooklin:

The Reality of Sin Saturdays 10:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.

It is true that many in our Church today have lost the sense of sin. In short, people are not even sure what it is. In this course, we will look at several historical understandings and consider the role sin has to play in the day-to-day living of Christian life.

Introduction to Theology Saturdays 12-1:30 p.m.

What is theology and why is it still the queen of the sciences? This course will give participants the tools to address such questions as well as begin to enter that great conversation that the Lord has begun with each of one of us.

The Sacraments of Service Wednesdays 7:30 to 9 pm

Marriage and the Priesthood are meant to serve the people of God: but how precisely? Join us to examine two realities of the Catholic faith that continue to cause scandal by the demands that these vocations make.

Classes are from January 9^th to February 17^th and the fee is $30/course. To register please sign up in the Church vestibule. For more information visit www.catholicministry.ca

CHOIR MEMBERS NEEDED FOR 11:00 A.M

The 11:00 a.m. Sunday Choir is looking for new Choir Members especially more men vocalists. Please consider offering your time and talent.

Mass Intentions – Week of January 10, 2010

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. –

-11:00 a.m. –

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. –

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. –

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. –

Friday - 8:30 a.m. –

Saturday - 5:00 p.m. – For the intentions of the parish community

PRAISE – WORSHIP – PRAYER,

SPIRITUAL GROWTH & FELLOWSHIP

Every Thursday at 7:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

in the Chapel. ALL ARE WELCOME

Haiti Donations

Donations for Haiti may be left in the Church vestibule or at the Parish Office. Helpers are needed. Please call Cora Murphy (1-905-987-3116) or the Parish Office.

______________________________________________

Sunday, January 03, 2010

A BIG THANK YOU

TO OUR GREAT PEOPLE

On behalf of all our parishioners a great vote of thanks goes to all those who assisted in various ways to make our Christmas Mass celebrations meaningful and beautiful this year.

Without risking forgetting to mention someone, suffice it to say that all who worked in music and with choirs, all who gave of their time and helped decorate the church for the Christmas Masses, and all those who work behind the scenes on flowers, altar linens, and so many great and little things helped to make our commemoration of Christ’s birth all that more profound. Thanks also to all who serve in the various ministries throughout the year and who served at Christmas.

THANK YOU!

Bulletin Articles & Life

One of the difficulties in writing these bulletin articles each week is avoiding writing here what I would also say in the homily on Sunday. Since I am alone here as the only priest and the deacon preaches once about every five weeks, I am most often the homilist but I also write all of the articles for the bulletin. Let’s face it, most parish bulletins are fairly boring with the usual list of Mass intentions, (as important though they may be to the families and those who requested them but not to the great majority of parishioners), the notices that usually only appeal to certain parish service group members, etc.

Since we preachers only have about 8-10 minutes in the pulpit to teach, I feel the bulletin is a great way to continue teaching and address the many situations in the world, in our living, in the Church, our parish and in the general teachings of the Church. People want to hear about the Ten Commandments, the Eucharist, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, etc., and a great tool for doing this is through the Sunday bulletin. Also, the bulletin is the place for announcements and not at the end of the Mass by the priest. While the priest can point the parishioners to the many things that are being promoted or sold, there should not be long commercials encouraging parishioners to attend events, etc. following the Eucharist.

As a community of faith we are constantly in formation towards what we could be or should be in the Lord and as pastor, so am I. I have been here half a year already and the only way for me to get a real handle on what this parish does throughout the liturgical year and what it needs is by going through the first year with you always with a sense of whether or how our needs are best being met. Stay tuned. (Fr. Charles)

EPIPHANY

This feast demonstrates that our celebration is not over on December 25th but only begins. There is much unfolding in the events of Christ that cannot be adequately celebrated or entered into without much reflection and the need for time. Following the Christmas celebration themselves on the 24th and 25th, the Church then focuses on the Holy Family of Mary, Joseph and Jesus reminding us that Jesus, like us, was born into a human family who didn’t get the whole picture of life either. They learned about God’s plan for their lives daily and were “led” by their commitment and trust in whatever God wanted. Ours is the same as we are led (if we’re willing to go) by God through prayer and the sacramental life of the Church.

Then the Church focuses on Mary where (in Canada) the Feast of Mary, the Mother of God (New Year’s) is a Holy Day of Obligation where Catholics under the pains of committing sin must attend Church, though sadly, people just don’t attend. The Church does this because she wants us to be the recipients of all that Mary has and continues to mean to the Church and the world. She is one of us in her humanity but was kept from the stain of sin which touches all our lives. This feast like all the feasts and solemnities of the Church year is meant for our benefit while we might think that we’re somehow doing God a favour by going to Church in the fist place. Mary’s “yes” to God and His will for her life forever changed her and the world. Our own “yes” or perhaps our “half-yes” sometimes to the will of God will determine our futures and our present happiness and sense of peace and meaning.

Finally, the Feast of the Epiphany, which we celebrate this weekend is more than just another theme in the calendar of the Church but serves to remind us that there must be epiphanies and manifestations of God’s life in our lives – there must be. We are meant to experience God and His awesome power for our lives. We are meant to not quite fit-in in this strange and sometimes crazy world which so often gives us a messages for living that is starkly and darkly in contrast with the message of Christ and the Gospel. The three wisemen signify the search for meaning in life and principally a search for the One who is the author and founder of that life – God in Jesus Christ. Through the Holy Spirit we are connected to the Father and the Son as we “live and move and have our being”.

Epiphany Sunday helps us to think on our lives and take stock of the moments and times when we have met Christ, be grateful for them, and to be radically open to being used by Jesus, for in serving Jesus we ourselves meet and experience Him truly.

(Happy Epiphanies!) Fr. Charles

Like the Good Samaritan,

I want to live my faith

One way you can live your faith is to show others that the Catholic Church is very important to you.

Catholic Women’s League (C.W.L.)

JOURNEY OF FAITH

Courses offered at St. Leo the Great Parish, Brooklin:

The Reality of Sin Saturdays 10:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.

Introduction to Theology Saturdays 12-1:30 p.m.

The Sacraments of Service Wednesdays 7:30 to 9 pm

Classes are from January 9^th to February 17^th and the fee is $30/course. To register please sign up in the Church vestibule. For more information visit www.catholicministry.ca

CHOIR MEMBERS NEEDED FOR 11:00 A.M

The 11:00 a.m. Sunday Choir is looking for new Choir Members especially more men vocalists. Please consider offering your time and talent.

Mass Intentions – Week of January 3, 2010

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – Special Intentions

-11:00 a.m. – Frank Utrosa+

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. – For the intentions of Arti

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. – Alberto & Antonietta Colavecchia+

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. – Tony Vonk+

Friday - 8:30 a.m. – Anthony Gordon Carlisle+

Saturday - 5:00 p.m. – For the intentions of the parish community

_______________________________________________________

Sunday, December 27, 2009

The following will be the Mass times for New Year’s Eve and Day: (Holy Day of Obligation)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

New Year’s Eve – Thursday December 31st

5:00 p.m. Mass only!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

New Year’s Day – Friday January 1st

11:00 a.m. only!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

IMPORTANT REMINDER: In Canada, the Feast of Mary, the Mother of God (New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day) is a HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION and Catholics must attend Mass on this day just as on a Sunday.

The weekend Mass times for the Sunday following New Year’s are as usual.

HOLY FAMILIES

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (whose cause for sainthood is currently underway) once said, “It used to be us Catholics were the only ones who believed in the Immaculate Conception. Now, everyone thinks they are immaculately conceived.” By this, of course, he meant that our modern world finds many if not most of its inhabitants thinking they have no sin. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was the only one in history who could make this boast along side of her Son, Jesus. St. Joseph, though he was as the scriptures said of him “a righteous man”, was still a sinner become saint, like all of us should strive to be – but not so much on the “sin” part.

This feast of the Holy Family, which always follows the Church’s celebration of Christmas, poses a question to us which, perhaps, we may have thought of already: Why was this family called holy?

The word holy means to be set apart, and implies firmness. These two attributes of holiness aid us in understanding that to be set apart means to aim towards that which is higher – the pursuit of the things of God – and to be firm in this pursuit, seeking to be unwavering in our striving to be holy. For example, a penitent who approaches the sacrament of Reconciliation, after making a good confession, promises God through their act of contrition “I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and amend my life”. These words, when sincere, demonstrate the intention of the individual to live the holy life and to strive to be more and more like Jesus for we live in the world but are not to be of the world.

Mary and Joseph were holy and are holy principally but not only because of their “yes” to God’s will but also their firm commitment to follow it. We recall Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:21, when he said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” Saying and doing are two different things.

We can see how Mary and Joseph didn’t really get to see the whole picture all at once, but rather, how God revealed to them little by little the details of what they were to do provided that they continue to trust completely in him. They were holy in that they sought to cooperate with whatever God might be asking them to do and they trusted him completely and they followed it through. Trust so often asks of us that we give our obedience without knowing fully what it all means or why. Both Mary, when the angel Gabriel appeared to her, and Joseph, when the angel appeared to him in a dream, responded with questions as to how these things could be happening to them, but they didn’t seem to ask why. Because of their utter trust in God they were able to accept whatever God would ask of them.

Holy people are not necessarily people who live their lives in church. They are holy because of what they do when they are not in church in the daily routine and pattern of their lives. Nothing would have bothered Mother Teresa of Calcutta so much as to be told that she was holy or a saint. She would consider what she was doing and how she was living as merely responding to God’s goodness in her life. Some of the people we would consider as holy might never enter the door of a church in their life, while others who might go to church all the time could just as easily be less holy or possibly even very unholy.

God chose to come into the world to save us through a family, the Holy Family, yet a family that like our own is not without its own challenges.

First of all and from the viewpoint of humans, Mary is found to be with child -pregnant – but without a husband – unmarried – although she was betrothed to Joseph, which was similar to our understanding of being engaged. In spite of the fact that God asked her to give Him a human nature and to come into the world through her, she would be seen by others as being “unfaithful” to Joseph, and Joseph initially, before God spoke to him in a dream, thought this to be the case.

Secondly, they are dirt poor. The scriptures tell us that when Mary went to the temple to make an offering (which she was obligated to do) she only had enough money to buy two doves.

So, with the shame of being with child and being poor, what should this couple do? We know what the modern world would tell them to do. Abort. The world today would tell Mary along with so-called counselors, “Mary, why put yourself through all this? It’s your body; it’s your life! Do with it what you will.” Or to Joseph they would say, “Don’t concern yourself with being married or with fidelity for that matter. You’re only human after all and ‘everybody’s doing it’.” But Mary and Joseph stood for life and for what God wanted them to do and not what their own selfish motives might dictate.

And what motivated them to do what God asked them; what moved Mary to say “yes” to the angel Gabriel and Joseph to say “yes” to God through a dream he had; was the fact that they were as individuals and as a couple faithful to God no matter what God might ask them to do. They trusted that whatever God might be asking them to do was the best thing for their lives, even when they didn’t understand it or see the complete picture. Mary, when confronted with the unbelievable news of the angel, questioned the angel – “how can this be since I am a virgin?” God doesn’t mind when we question the things that happen in our lives, particularly the things we don’t understand. All He asks us to do is trust Him, which is no small thing, and to accept that His will for us is perfect. And that’s why Jesus taught us in the Our Father to pray “Thy will be done”. God already knows what our will is, but asks us to place our will, our desires and plans in His will for our lives. The Holy Family stand as beautiful human and living examples that we should learn to trust God completely, even when and especially when we don’t understand or see the big picture. This trust will lead us to say to God and His will for us, what Mary and Joseph said to God and to each other with their lives: YES!

The family today is challenged on every side and by a culture that is bent on changing the meaning of what a family is along with its definition as it seeks to change also the definitions of marriage, truth and life. Yet God, whom the scriptures tell us will not be mocked, and life, family and marriage as He intended it, will stand firm, (challenged and threatened though it may be), forever. May God bless all our families.

(Fr. Charles)

JOURNEY OF FAITH

Courses offered at St. Leo the Great Parish, Brooklin:

The Reality of Sin, Saturdays 10:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.

Introduction to Theology, Saturdays 12-1:30 p.m.

The Sacraments of Service, Wednesdays 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Classes are from January 9^th to February 17^th and the fee is $30/course. To register please sign up in the Church vestibule. For more information visit www.catholicministry.ca

CHOIR MEMBERS NEEDED FOR 11:00 A.M.

The 11:00 a.m. Sunday Choir is looking for new Choir Members especially more men vocalists. Please consider offering your time and talent.

PRAISE – WORSHIP – PRAYER,

SPIRITUAL GROWTH & FELLOWSHIP

Every Thursday at 7:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

in the Chapel. ALL ARE WELCOME

Haiti Donations

Donations for Haiti may be left in the Church vestibule or at the Parish Office. Helpers are needed. Please call Cora Murphy (1-905-987-3116) or the Parish Office.

Mass Intentions – Week of Dec. 27, 2009

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – Special Intentions

-11:00 a.m. – Ina Robertson+

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. – NO MASS

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. – NO MASS

Thursday - 5:00 p.m. – NEW YEAR’S EVE

Friday -11:00 a.m. – NEW YEAR’S DAY

Saturday - 5:00 p.m. – For the intentions of the De Las Alas Family

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sunday, December 20, 2009

CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES

Over the past few years the Christmas schedule of Masses has varied. For this year I would like to offer five (5) Masses covering Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I am grateful to our three parish music ministries who will be stretching themselves to cover all of these liturgies and to all who serve in the various ministries at Christmas and throughout the year. The schedule will be as follows:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Christmas Eve – Thursday December 24th

5:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. Midnight

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Christmas Day – Friday December 25th

9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The weekend Masses following Christmas will be as usual.

The following will be the Mass times for New Year’s Eve and Day: (Holy Day of Obligation)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

New Year’s Eve – Thursday December 31st

5:00 p.m. Mass only!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

New Year’s Day – Friday January 1st

11:00 a.m. only!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The weekend Mass times for the Sunday following New Year’s are as usual.

THANK YOU TO OUR PARISHIONERS

I was raised hearing the oft used phrase “give credit where credit is due”, and want to do just that with all our parishioners. Back in September I daringly (even though we hardly knew one another) asked our parishioners to do what they could to double the amount we were getting in the weekly collection. In early November, Lisa Langley, our parish Finance Council Chairperson gave the parish its “state of the union” address, bringing everyone up to speed on our parish’s financial situation with full disclosure of the facts about our interest payments and our total mortgage debt load. I am sure that for many of our parishioners it was a bit of a revelation to get the bottom line on our financials, however, over the past month it seems apparent that our parishioners have almost doubled their offertory contributions which will, in the end, help us to take care of our monthly bill commitments and assist us in turning our energies toward long-term ways of reducing and eventually eliminating our parish mortgage. Thank you to all who contribute to the financial support of your parish and to those who increased their giving efforts.

ALL SAINTS ANGLICAN CHURCH FIRE

Fire is such a powerful element. It can both serve as a source for heat and warmth and it can destroy and kill. The fire that burns through a family home is all the more devastating when one considers all that the home has meant and the memories that were contained therein. While it is a terrible thing to lose a house to fire it is certainly a blessing when no injury and no life is lost.

And there is something indescribable with the loss of a church building through fire because it is so much more than just a building – it is God’s house and the home of faith and is filled with images and items that point to the God of Jesus Christ.

This past Monday December 14th, at 4:55 a.m. a fire broke out at All Saints Anglican Church in Whitby, and even more sadly, at the time of my writing, it seems it was deliberately set.

It must surely come as a shock to the parish, its pastor and to all in Whitby and beyond whose lives have touched and been touched by that 143 year old building and house of worship and all that it has stood to represent.

As a Catholic parish faith community our hearts go out to the members of All Saints Anglican Church who have lost so much and who, without any present talk of rebuilding, must grieve for their loss and the horrible devastation that fire can bring.

A church represents commitment, prayer, faith and much stewardship and one thinks of the sacrifices made over the almost century and a half life of their parish and its people, many whose eyes saw a different world, town and experience of life than we do now.

I remember All Saints Church as I was growing up. It was a graceful building with the spire in the bell tower that was visible from all the surrounding area. Driving East on Hwy. 2 (Dundas Street) from Ajax you could see the steeple rise in the Eastern sky long before you arrived at and passed the downtown church. It was humbly majestic, a landmark, a community center, but most of all – it was and is God’s house and a place for people to gather and worship the Lord. While worship does not cease in the members who have lost a church to fire, a shadow is cast over a people and a parish who remember.

Let us pray for the pastor and church members of our sister Christian church who have experienced this tragedy, asking God to continue to bless them that their mourning may be turned, as with all things Christian, into resurrection and new life. (Fr. Charles)

CHRISTMAS MASSES – BE PREPARED!

To be fair to all of our parishioners, I would like to remind you of the crowds we and most Catholic parishes receive at Christmas time, particularly at the first one or two Masses on Christmas Eve. Let us remember that one of the greatest gifts we can give to one another is love extended through hospitality for one another and visiting guests who have come to worship the Lord on His birth anniversary and prepare for His coming now and at the end of time.

In consideration for the good of the whole community I would ask our parish ushers to make sure that seats are not saved for people who aren’t at church but are at home waiting until the last minute to attend. This will allow fairness to those who have come early to get a seat.

Also, be reminded that arriving at Mass (especially the first or second one – 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.) on Christmas Eve fifteen or twenty minutes before Mass will likely find you standing in the vestibule or the parking lot for the duration of the Mass. Be prepared to come early and in the stillness of the church awaiting the celebration of the birth of Christ, pray for the world, our country, our town your family and our parish.

Our Advent season this year had God speaking to us about serious preparation not only for the celebration of His birth but for a greater realization of the fact that He is truly with us now in the most magnificent ways, particularly through the Eucharist, and that He will come again. While the world treats “the end of the world” as the earth’s darkest day, the true Christian perspective is that the Day of the Lord is to be expected and longed for with great anticipation and gladness as it is the fulfillment of all we have never known, never experienced and only dreamed-of – life with Christ forever! Our well-lived Advent will lead us to a well-celebrated Christmas and leave us forever changed in small and bigger ways as we live and wait “in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ”. Until then, happy Advent! (Fr. C)

MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER

A Special Gift for married family, friends or yourself this Christmas might be an inspiring, peaceful weekend at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre. The Centre offers privacy, comfort, excellent cuisine and a program that will enrich a marriage relationship. The next marriage enrichment program will be Jan. 15-17, 2010. For information telephone (905) 278-8879; 416-694-1742, or register at Queen of Apostles: 905-278-5229.

To all our PARISH BAKERS whose loving hands baked all the Christmas cookies.

To all the PIXIES AND ELVES, who tenderly packaged the delectable delights and

To all our PARISHIONERS who purchased these delicious creations – A HEARTFELT THANK YOU. Because of all of you our Christmas Cookie Sale was an astounding success. May the peace and joy of the Christ child be with you this Christmas tide.

Sincerely

The Fund-Raising Committee

CHOIR MEMBERS NEEDED FOR 11:00 A.M.

The 11:00 a.m. Sunday Choir is looking for new Choir Members especially more men vocalists. Please consider offering your time and talent.

PRAISE – WORSHIP – PRAYER,

SPIRITUAL GROWTH & FELLOWSHIP

Every Thursday at 7:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

in the Chapel. ALL ARE WELCOME

Haiti Donations

Donations for Haiti may be left in the Church vestibule or at the Parish Office. Helpers are needed. Please call Cora Murphy (1-905-987-3116) or the Parish Office.

Mass Intentions – Week of Dec. 20, 2009

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – For the intentions of

Bill & Peggy Frankovich

– 11:00 a.m. - John & Marianna Corvinelli+

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. – Special Intentions

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. – Josephina Minicucci+

Thursday - 5:00 p.m. – Christmass Eve

- 9:00 p.m. – Christmas Eve

- 12:00 p.m. – Midnight Mass

Friday - 9:00 a.m. - Christmas Day Mass

- 11:00 a.m. - Christmas Day Mass

Saturday - 5:00 p.m. – For the intentions of

Dave Ruxton

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sunday, December 13, 2009

CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Christmas Eve – Thursday December 24th

5:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. Midnight

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Christmas Day – Friday December 25th

9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The weekend Masses following Christmas will be as usual.

The following will be the Mass times for New Year’s Eve and Day: (Holy Day of Obligation)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

New Year’s Eve – Thursday December 31st

5:00 p.m. Mass only!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

New Year’s Day – Friday January 1st

11:00 a.m. only!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The weekend Mass times for the Sunday following New Year’s are as usual.

ARE YOU READY? WHAT TO DO?

The message of Advent is “be prepared, be ready”. But, be ready for what? The end of the world? The end of my life? The Second Coming of Christ? In a word, Yes.

My sense is that we are daily being lulled to sleep by and in a world that is living far from Christ. In the “information age” people seem to lack any information about that which is most important and that which is most pressing – the coming of the Lord!

No, it’s not that I’ve lost my mind (altogether) or that I’ve turned into a modern-day Henny Penny. One has only to look around to see what is happening in our culture and to listen to the voice of the popes of the last century. The late Pope John Paul II, two years before he was elected pope, addressing the American Bishops in 1976 said,

“We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has gone through. I do not think that wide circles of the American society or wide circles of the Christian community realize this fully. We are now facing the final confrontation, between the Church and the anti-Church, of the Gospel and the anti-Gospel. This confrontation lies within the plans of divine providence. It is a trial which the whole Church… must take up”.

(Cardinal Wojtyla, Nov. 9, 1976)

The confrontation Pope John Paul II spoke of in 1976 he would later cite as a battle between a culture of life versus a culture of death.

Often, when anyone speaks of the present time as being one that is different from all others, opponents will state that every age has believed their times to be the worst.

Venerable John Henry Cardinal Newman gave a sermon at the opening of St. Bernard’s Seminary on October 2, 1873, where he said the following;

“I know that all times are perilous, and that in every time serious anxious minds, alive to the honor of God and the needs of man, are apt to consider no times so perilous as their own. At all times the enemy of souls assaults with fury the Church which is their true Mother, and at least threatens and frightens when he fails in doing mischief. And all times have their special trials which others have not. And so far I will admit that there were certain specific dangers to Christians at certain other times, which do not exist in this time. Doubtless, but still admitting this, still I think… ours has a darkness different in kind from any that has been before it. The special peril of the time before us is the spread of that plague of infidelity, that the Apostles and our Lord Himself have predicted as the worst calamity of the last times of the Church. And at least a shadow, a typical image of the last times is coming over the world.”

The late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen said that a distinguishing feature of our present age was not merely sin but rebellion, which stands in opposition to authority, particularly the highest authority of all – God.

Three times in this Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 3:10-18) John the Baptist is asked the question, first by crowds, then by tax collectors, and finally by soldiers, “What must we do?” It’s a question that everyone asks or should ask of God in the face of uncertainty and in perilous times.

The answer is to be faithful to God in all things and to be doing what God’s will is for your life. That is why Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer to pray “Thy will be done.”

God’s presence and power for our lives, our families and our world is so beautifully real and present to us in our faithfulness when we take heart in his promise to care for us and protect us in difficult and challenging times. Psalm 91 is one that you could read, learn and remember as a family in Advent and always. In this psalm God promises that he will be faithful to us in all things and at all times, no matter what the circumstances may be. He promises that we will be protected and safe even as dark and difficult times surround us. And remember, as you read this psalm that God means what he says.

Psalm 91

“You who live in the shelter of the Most High,

who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,

will say to the LORD,

‘My refuge and my fortress;

my God, in whom I trust.’

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler

and from the deadly pestilence;

he will cover you with his pinions,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness is shield and buckler.

You will not fear the terror of the night,

or the arrow that flies by day,

or the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

or the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

You will only look with your eyes

and see the punishment of the wicked.

Because you have made the LORD your refuge,

The Most High your dwelling-place,

no evil shall befall you,

no scourge come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways.

On their hands they will bear you up,

so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.

You will tread on the lion and adder,

the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.

Those who love me, I will deliver;

I will protect those who know my name.

When they call to me, I will answer them;

I will be with them in trouble,

I will rescue them and honour them.

With long life I will satisfy them,

and show them my salvation.”

(Fr. Charles)

FUNDRAISING NEWS

Attention All Parish Bakers

The Fundraising Committee are selling the Annual Christmas Cookie Baskets this weekend and the next two weekends. We ask all the Parish Bakers to assist with their Christmas specialties. Please drop off your baked goods in the Parish Hall on Saturday mornings: Dec. 12 or Dec. 19. Thank you so much for sharing your gifts and talents.

CHOIR MEMBERS NEEDED FOR 11:00 A.M.

The 11:00 a.m. Sunday Choir is looking for new Choir Members especially more men vocalists. Please consider offering your time and talent.

St. Leo’s Luncheon is preparing for a Christmas Dinner on Wednesday, December 16^th at 12:30 p.m. in the church hall. The cost is $10 per person. Please join us. All are welcome. Tickets on sale in the church vestibule after every mass this weekend or call Barbara (905) 404-2694 to make a reservation.

PRAISE – WORSHIP – PRAYER,

SPIRITUAL GROWTH & FELLOWSHIP

Every Thursday at 7:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

in the Chapel. ALL ARE WELCOME

Good Shepherd Ministries would like to thank the parishioners of St. Leo the Great for their generosity for their 2009 Thanksgiving Food Drive. With our parish and 50 other parishes, they are able to prepare 1200 hot meals every day for Toronto’s hungry.

Haiti Donations

Donations for Haiti may be left in the Church vestibule or at the Parish Office. Helpers are needed. Please call Cora Murphy (1-905-987-3116) or the Parish Office.

Mass Intentions – Week of Dec. 13, 2009

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – For the intentions of

Mary Hughes

– 11:00 a.m. - Carmela & Filomeno

Colavecchia+

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. – In Thanksgiving

Wednesday – 7:00 p.m. - Maire McLoughlan+

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. – Juanita & Julie Gourdier+

Friday – 8:30 a.m. – Julian Zubrisky+

Saturday - 5:00 p.m. – Jack Ansell+

_______________________________________________________

Sunday, December 06, 2009

PARISH ADVENT RECONCILIATION

THURSDAY DECEMBER 10, 7:00 P.M.

P.A.P. will commence in January, 2010.

Offertory Envelopes for 2010 are available at the Welcome Table.

COURAGE: Go to Confession

Our modern times finds us with a loss of a sense of sin. Creeping relativism has led us to somehow think that what is a sin for one person is not a sin for the next. Yet if we trust God, we can see that God has made us in such a way that if we are in sin we cannot be truly happy. Happiness is achieved when we come to know and experience the love and forgiveness of God and the ways in which we come to discover God’s power in our lives through His forgiveness.

This Thursday December 10th at 7:00 p.m. our parish will hold its annual Advent Reconciliation Service. We will have a few visiting parish priests from our area who will assist us in celebrating God’s forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

It is never easy for any of us to go to the sacrament of Reconciliation. It is painful to hear ourselves utter aloud to another listening ear the things we have done or neglected to do, yet this is so essential for it means that we are being honest with ourselves. The stuff of confession is the stuff we carry around ourselves all the time and we need a place to leave our “stuff”. When we bring it before a priest in the privacy of Reconciliation we are really bringing it before Jesus Himself.

And we also need to hear, not only our own words say the sins we have committed, but also to hear the words that the priest will say when he absolves us from our sins, “I absolve you from all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The best gift you can give yourself this Christmas is God’s love and forgiveness. (Fr. C)

HEARING THE CRY OF THE POOR

& OUR PARISH

In Haiti a bar of soap is like a bar of gold. Though soap is still the cheapest and best defense against sickness and infection, few people in Haiti ever see one. Haiti is among the poorest of nations in the world.

For the past year, St. Leo’s has been reaching out to our brothers and sisters in Haiti by collecting and donating ordinary goods from our own homes which are so needed in that impoverished nation. Some ladies of the parish have been crocheting sleeping mats out of strips cut from ordinary plastic bags. Others are knitting or crocheting hats for newborn infants. some have made diapers and assembled layettes to be given to women who have nothing to put on their newborns. This is what could be called being Prolife Proactive.

All the goods collected or made are then trucked to a warehouse near Niagara where they are packed into containers and shipped to Haiti by an organization called Northwest Haiti Christian Mission Canada www.nwhcm.ca Each container costs about $7,000.00 to ship. We are not asking for your money however, but your donation of goods and your help.

During the Advent season we will be accepting your donations in the lobby of the church. Fr. Charles has given permission to use a small area of the hall for sorting and packing donated goods into boxes which will then be taken to a storage area awaiting shipment to Haiti. We have several needs apart from the goods themselves:

(1) First, we need willing hands to sort through donated goods, organize, pack and inventory them.

(2) We need loving, willing hands to crochet, sew or knit mats, hats or other infant wear. Instructions will be given in mat-making.

(3) We need willing hands and a truck to transport goods to a holding place until they can be shipped.

(4) In order to continue with this worthy project after Christmas, we will eventually need to move our operation out of the parish hall so as not to compromise it indefinitely. If anyone has a spare room in their basement and would permit helpers to meet there, to work there and to store donations until they can be sorted, boxed and transported, it would be very much appreciated.

Some Items That You Can Donate…

Clean, used summer clothing for women, men and children, including sweaters, shoes and light jackets.

Baby Clothing, blankets, hats, layettes, plastic pants (large is best to grow into), used flannel sheets to make diapers, cloth diapers, tote bags or cloth shopping bags to be used for purses or diaper bags.

Toiletry items, even those given in hotels, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, combs, brushes, facecloths, towels, bed linens, safety pins.

Medical Supplies and equipment for hospitals, eg. canes, crutches, splints, boots, dressing material, light medical supplies such as wheelchairs, walkers, eyeglasses (prescription or reading). If you are a physician you may have medication samples you wish to donate.

Tools for rebuilding and farming.

Plastic bags, (shopping bags, outer milk container bags) which can be cut up for mats.

Your gifts of goods, time and effort are gifts to God, for Jesus said, “What you have done for the least of these, you have done to Me.” (Matt.25:40)

Your donations may be left on the north side of the church lobby. For any larger items, please call the parish first. (Please do not drop off any items and leave them outside.)

If you can donate your help in any of the areas mentioned above, please call

Cora Murphy at 1-905-987-3116

We can only continue this work if there are loving volunteers.

FUNDRAISING NEWS

Attention All Parish Bakers

The Fundraising Committee will be selling the Annual Christmas Cookie Baskets starting a few weeks before Christmas. We ask all the Parish Bakers to assist with their Christmas specialties. Please drop off your baked goods in the Parish Hall on Saturday mornings: Dec. 12 or Dec. 19. Thank you so much for sharing your gifts and talents.

CHOIR MEMBERS NEEDED FOR 11:00 A.M.

The 11:00 a.m. Sunday Choir is looking for new Choir Members especially more men vocalists. Please consider offering your time and talent.

SPANISH LANGUAGE MASS IN WHITBY

At 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009 there will be a Spanish Language Mass at St. John the Evangelist Church, 903 Giffard St., Whitby. (Confessions in Spanish from 3 pm to 3:45 pm). This is the first of six monthly Masses to be celebrated in Spanish at St. John the Evangelist Church as a pilot project evaluating the need/desire for Hispanic Ministry in the Durham Region. All are welcome to attend.

PRAISE – WORSHIP – PRAYER,

SPIRITUAL GROWTH & FELLOWSHIP

Every Thursday at 7:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

in the Chapel. ALL ARE WELCOME

ST . MICHAEL’S CHOIR SCHOOL

SING WE NOEL, NOEL WE SING

70^TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT

AT MASSEY HALL ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11^th AT 8 PM AND SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12^th AT 3 PM

Please see the Church Bulletin Board for detailed information.

Intentions for the Week of Dec. 6, 2009

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. - Juanita & Julie Gourdier+

- 11:00 a.m. - Sam Ruscica+

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. - Karolina Gutherc+

Wednesday – 7:00 p.m. - Jennifer Samways+

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. - For the intentions of

Sheila Thomson

Friday – 8:30 a.m. - For the intentions of

Margaret Charbonneau

Saturday - 5:00 p.m. - Maria Lomagno+

Catholic Family Services of Durham

Heart to Heart Ball

Our Fifth Annual Heart to Heart Ball will take place on Feb . 20, 2010 at the Oshawa Golf Club

Please see the Church Bulletin Board for detailed information.

CALLING ALL CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS!

FABULOUS STERLING SILVER

Silpada Jewellery Sale in the Parish Hall this Sunday, December 6^th – 12 noon to 1:30 p.m.
Jewellery catalogues available (to make your Christmas wish list) in the Church vestibule. 40 percent of the proceeds going to St. Leo Church Fundraising.

__________________________________________________

Sunday, November 29, 2009

PARISH ADVENT RECONCILIATION

THURSDAY DECEMBER 10, 7:00 P.M.

On Thursday December 10th, 7:00 p.m., our parish will hold its Advent Reconciliation Service with several visiting priests to assist us in making our Advent preparation for the coming of the Lord. Being truly ready for Christmas is not about buying the turkey, shopping for the presents and having everything ready for the 25th, it’s about being ready on the inside and preparing to greet the Lord on Christmas with our sins forgiven and our souls ready for His coming. Mark your calendars and get ready spiritually for the true meaning of Christmas – Jesus!

Also, please pick up one of each of the two pamphlets I have prepared to assist parishioners in both preparing for and celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation. They’re in the vestibule (amidst all of the other stuff). (Fr. C.)

HURRY UP…. and wait!

The header to this bulletin article could, in some ways, sum up the difficulty for us modern day disciples in following the Lord and adhering to the message of Advent. I don’t know about you or others, but I am not all that good at waiting sometimes, especially if I am in a hurry. There just never seems to be enough time, enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done. I walk around with a cloud of things that remain to be done, some things that need to be accomplished in the next day or so – like the people that I need to call back, book an appointment with, or the bulletin article that needs to be submitted before the weekly Wednesday noon deadline. And there are those other things that we intend to look into doing – like getting back into shape (that is if I was ever in shape), but are easily put off until another day because there are so many other present demands. Someone once coined the phrase about the insistence of pressing present needs as the “tyranny of the urgent”, and boy does that phrase ever say it for me. The needs of the moment can serve as task masters to our days and even over the things we would rather be doing, no matter how important and essential those things may be.

And then Advent comes along and tells us, urges us, demands of us, that we stop what we are doing, whatever we are doing, and wait. Well, wait for what? Wait for Jesus. But Jesus already came over 2,000 years ago and we mark that coming as His birth, the Incarnation, with the celebration and feast we call Christmas. And we do, but in the wisdom of the Church and in the wisdom of the ages we are told to wait. In fact, most of our childhood remembrances of Christmas will remind us that this has always been a difficult time of the year to wait particularly when we just couldn’t wait to see what Santa was going to bring us or what would be waiting for us under the tree on Christmas morning. Just saying this reminds me of my youth and the Christmas morning anticipation.

As one of seven children I remember sitting on my brother or sisters bed late at night talking about Christmas and sharing with one another what excited us most about it. We would talk about what we had hoped to receive as a present on Christmas morn and would describe to one another what we most admired about that requested gift. Even just talking about it made us all the more anxious about getting it.

There is an anxiety that comes with getting older, I think. When you are young the whole world and the future it holds for you seems just beyond your grasp – and the horizon of its unfolding in reality always still so very far away. We can become anxious at times in starting to live out the dreams that come with growing up. Yet once the years start to tick by then there is a creeping desire to apply the brakes a bit and slow things down, especially as we discover that the older we get and busier we get, the time seems to accelerate and we start to wonder where the time has gone as we leave our youth in the distance of the past that, like a farm we just passed on a country road seems to get smaller and smaller the more distance we travel from it.

A worthy entering into the “waiting” of this Advent will find us not passively anticipating Christmas but waiting for the present-tense searching for the Lord’s return with joy. Jesus came in history (the past reality); Jesus comes to us now in the today moment (the present) and His future coming should be awaited with preparation and joyful hope. Advent will train us to be active disciples who await the coming of the Lord always. Happy Advent! (Fr. Charles)

S inging “Kyrie” in Advent

As we enter each different season of the Church year it is important that our liturgy resembles the “mood”, so-to-speak, of what that particular season is all about. In many parishes they have traditionally introduced the Greek form of the “Lord, have mercy”, which follows the Penitential Rite in singing the three-fold Kyrie both in Advent and during Lent, although these two preparatory seasons have very different focuses and intents. In Advent, for example, we omit the singing of the Gloria at the beginning of Mass, not in a penitential way but in saving our energy to truly sing Glory to God, as the angels did at the birth of the Messiah. Part of the introductory rites of the Roman Catholic Mass, the Kyrie eleison (Greek for “Lord, have mercy”) is a song by which the faithful praise the Lord and implore his mercy.

The beginnings of the Kyrie eleison can be found in Holy Scripture, mostly in the book that served as the Church’s first prayer book, the Book of Psalms (”Have pity on me, O Lord …” Psalm 6:3).

Written origins of the Kyrie can be traced to the fourth century. In 390 A.D. the Gallic pilgrim lady Aetheria tells how in Jerusalem at the end of Vespers one of the deacons read a list of petitions and “as he spoke each of the names, a crowd of boys stood there and answered him each time, ‘Kyrie eleison’ … their cry is without end.”

The Kyrie was finally incorporated into the Latin sacramentary in the sixth century for Matins, Mass and Vespers, according to Canon 3 of the Synod of Vaison (529). I remember it like it was yesterday.

Since Vatican II, the Kyrie has been translated into English and is ordinarily prayed/sung by the assembly (which means everyone, ministers included) after the Penitential Rite, in keeping with the rubrics (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 30-31). As a rule, each of the acclamations is said twice (e.g. Presider: “Lord, have mercy.” Assembly: “Lord, have mercy.” P: “Christ, have mercy.” A: “Christ, have mercy.” P: “Lord, have mercy.” A: “Lord have mercy.”)

Why is the Kyrie in Greek? It harkens back to the earliest years of the Church, when the members of the Church in Rome themselves used Greek, and Greek was the language of worship until about the middle of the third century. During the days of the Latin Mass, it was the only remaining Greek prayer.

THE NEW SUNDAY MISSALS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE IN THE CHURCH VESTIBULE. THE COST IS $4.00 EACH.

FUNDRAISING NEWS

Attention All Parish Bakers

The Fundraising Committee will be selling the Annual Christmas Cookie Baskets starting a few weeks before Christmas. We ask all the Parish Bakers to assist with their Christmas specialties. Please drop off your baked goods in the Parish Hall on Saturday mornings: Dec. 12 or Dec. 19 or Friday afternoon December 4. Thank you so much for sharing your gifts and talents.

CHOIR MEMBERS NEEDED FOR 11:00 A.M.

The 11:00 a.m. Sunday Choir is looking for new Choir Members especially more men vocalists. Please consider offering your time and talent.

SPANISH LANGUAGE MASS IN WHITBY

DONATIONS FOR HAITI

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL DONATIONS. THEY WERE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. WE ARE STILL COLLECTING. PLEASE SEE THE LISTING ON THE CHURCH BULLETIN BOARD FOR ITEMS THAT ARE NEEDED. DONATIONS CAN BE DROPPED OFF AT THE PARISH OFFICE.

ST. MICHAEL’S CHOIR SCHOOL

SING WE NOEL, NOEL WE SING

70^TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT

AT MASSEY HALL ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11^th AT 8 PM AND SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12^th AT 3 PM

Please see the Church Bulletin Board for detailed information.

The Barnes Family

Invite you to share an

Evening Candlelight Memorial

Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009

6 – 7 pm “Musical Prelude”

7 pm “Memorial Celebration”

At Memorial Chapel

Please see the Church Bulletin Board for detailed information.

Intentions for the Week of Nov. 29, 2009

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – Agapito & Teresa Navares+

- 11:00 a.m. – For the intentions of Fr. Phil

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. – NO MASS TODAY

Wednesday – 7:00 p.m. – Special Intentions for the Sick

Thursday - 9:40 a.m. – St Bridget School Mass

– 12:30 p.m. – St. Leo School Mass

Friday – 8:30 a.m. – Sandy Van Boxtel+

Saturday – 5:00 p.m. – Anthony Burns+

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA!

THIS YEAR’S “BREAKFAST WITH SANTA” WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009. TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AFTER ALL MASSES THIS WEEKEND.

CALLING ALL CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS!

FABULOUS STERLING SILVER

Silpada Jewellery Sale in the Parish Hall on Sunday, December 6^th – 12 noon to 1:30 p.m.
Jewellery catalogues will be available (to make your Christmas wish list) in the Church vestibule after masses for the next 2 weeks. 40 percent of the proceeds going to St. Leo Church Fundraising.

______________________________________________________

Sunday, November 21, 2009

THE PRAYER

This weekend we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. While this feast of Our Lord reminds us that Christ is King, it also comes with a call for each of us to make Him King of our lives and that we would serve no other person or thing in our living above Him. Jesus is the King whom we can ask for our daily needs; a King who desires that we tell Him and share with Him the everyday things that trouble us and have a deep and intimate relationship with this King who has saved us. He knows us like no one else and also knows what we need and what we don’t. We owe Him everything.

A few years ago I was invited to give a day of retreat for women of my former parish as a preparation for the season of Advent. Among the many stories I shared with them that day, I read a verse that is called ‘The Prayer’ and thought it might be good to share again here in the bulletin as well. (As the author is unknown I can’t give credit where credit is due.) The truth that this verse conveys is that there is a big difference for what we ask for and what God desires to give us. While prayer should never be viewed as our shopping list to God, God, who is always aware of our needs knows what is best for us. Following the path of wisdom, God will show us through consistent prayer in our daily lives what we should ask for. One of the aspects of prayer is that whether we seek it or not, whether we desire it or not, whether we know it or not – prayer and praying changes us!

As we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King this weekend – the end of the Church year – and prepare to begin once again on our Advent journey, awaiting the coming of the Messiah as did the people two millennia ago, a good habit would be to renew our sense and form the new habit of ‘talking to God’ and allowing God to talk to us. It demands time, silence and waiting – and that’s what our Advent will be all about anyway. (Fr. Charles)

THE PRAYER

I asked God to take away my pride. And God said no.

He said it was not for him to take away

But for me to give up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole

And God said no.

He said her spirit is whole. Her body is only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience. And God said no.

He said that patience is a by-product of tribulation.

It isn’t granted. It’s earned.

I asked God to give me happiness. And God said no.

He said he gives blessings. Happiness is up to me.

I asked God to spare me pain. And God said no.

He said suffering draws you apart from worldly care

And brings you closer to him.

I asked God to make my spirit grow.

And he said no. He said I must grow on my own.

But I will be in heaven someday because I believe.

I asked God to help me love others as much as he loves me. God said, “Ah, at last. You finally have the idea.”

“HOLIDAY TREE?”

I heard a story on the news a few years ago that kind of peaked my interest because it was over a name change – the changing of a ‘Christmas tree’ to a ‘holiday tree’.

You see, on December 6, 1917 there was the famous tragedy known as the “Halifax Harbour Explosion” when a Belgian relief vessel and a French munitions carrier collided in Halifax Harbour during World War I. Halifax Harbour was the main base for the new Canadian Navy and was the location of the most important army garrison in Canada at the time. As the port was the hub of wartime activity the harbour was crowded with warships, troops and troop ships as well as many supply ships.

The Halifax harbour explosion was the largest man-made explosion the world had ever known before Hiroshima. The explosion was said to have been heard as far away as Prince Edward Island. Following the explosion and the cost to human life and the devastation to the port as well as Dartmouth, it was tallied that more than 1900 people were killed, 9,000 injured, 1600 buildings were destroyed, 12,000 houses damaged and 6,000 people were left homeless.

Every year since that horrific day in 1917 the province of Nova Scotia has sent a Christmas Tree to Boston in thanks to the New England city for the help they gave in the aftermath of the explosion and the terrible loss of human life.

Apparently, officials with Boston’s Parks Department decided it would be “less offensive to some people and generally more inclusive if the word ‘Christmas’ was dropped when they referred to the tree” and they decided that calling it a “holiday tree” instead was the answer.

The man who sent his 16-metre Christmas Tree to Massachusetts that year, a Mr. Donnie Hatt of Beech Hill, said that “Ever since I was born, a tree was put up for Christmas, not for holidays, because if you’re gonna do that you might as well put up a tree for Easter.”

I hear you Donnie, loud and clear, and couldn’t agree with you more. In our contemporary attempts to be “politically correct” and “inclusive”, we don’t realize that we are at the very same time being “exclusive”, excluding all those who know why it is called a Christmas Tree, a tree put up by Christians to mark the birth of the Messiah. The tree at Christmas, while it stands as an ever-present reminder of our Christmas’ past, our childhood, with wrapped presents ‘neath its’ boughs, it also stands as the symbol and reminder of the Cross of Christ. While its’ history has been one that is sketchy at best having all sorts of meanings and derivations, the fact that more recent centuries have found us erecting the trees in our homes and churches at Christmas time – the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ our Messiah, – and until recently, erected them at civic centers, places of commerce and practically everywhere you could imagine, is proof that our Christian influence on our culture is waning. Neglecting to serve or even recognize the interest and beliefs of some by changing one of their symbols to a generic meaning, (the Christmas tree to the holiday tree), waters down any meaning the tree might have for those who have held it as one of their symbols.

A man in Nova Scotia sends a gift of a Christmas Tree to another country of the world as a continuance of a long-held tradition only to find that the recipients of the gift no longer want to call the gift what it is but want to give it a new name. He sent a Christmas Tree and a Holiday Tree arrived. Could this be the miracle of Christmas? Not likely.

If I sent someone a bottle of fine red wine for Christmas and they were offended by alcohol, would it suffice for them to call it a bottle of pop? Didn’t think so.

I write this at this time of year when people are thinking about putting up their “Christmas Tree” or whatever they want to call it. The season of Advent will tell us to slow down and wait for the coming of the Lord so that Christmas will find us truly in a spirit of celebration. Unfortunately, just when the Church is about to celebrate real Christmas on December 24th and will do so for eight days – the octave of Christmas – the world will be done with it and people will be sick and tired of “Christmas”. But that’s because what the world celebrates is season of memory that is secular and not the memory of Jesus coming into our darkness and our world as the “Light of the World”. (Fr. Charles)

First Reconciliation Preparation

Classes (Held in Parish Hall) This Weekend

Meeting 2 - Sunday, November 22, 2009

12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. (This Weekend)

IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE

The Book of Remembrance, in which parishioners can record the names of their deceased family members, is on the lectern (on the right-side of the altar) in front of the statue of Mary. You may enter the names of those you wish remembered. During the month of November all the Holy Souls will be remembered at all the Masses.

THE NEW SUNDAY MISSALS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE IN THE CHURCH VESTIBULE. THE COST IS $4.00 EACH.

FUNDRAISING NEWS

Attention All Parish Bakers

The Fundraising Committee will be selling the Annual Christmas Cookie Baskets starting a few weeks before Christmas. We ask all the Parish Bakers to assist with their Christmas specialties. Please drop off your baked goods in the Parish Hall on Saturday mornings: Nov. 28, Dec. 12 or Dec. 19 or Friday afternoon December 4. Thank you so much for sharing your gifts and talents.

The Fundraising Committee is holding their first Euchre Card Party on Saturday, Nov. 28. Tickets are on sale this weekend in the Church Vestibule.

Tickets are on sale this weekend for the Fundraising Committee – Waffle Fest on Sunday, Nov. 29^th after the 9 and 11 Masses.

CHOIR MEMBERS NEEDED FOR 11:00 A.M.

The 11:00 a.m. Sunday Choir is looking for new Choir Members especially more men vocalists. Please consider offering your time and talent.

Intentions for the Week of Nov. 22, 2009

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – For the intentions of our

Parish Community

– 11:00 a.m. – Rodrigo Nieto+

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. – Special Intentions

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. – Elisabeth Schimke+

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. – Fred Badoul+

Friday - 8:30 a.m. – Elizabeth Ansell+

Saturday – 5:00 p.m. – For the intentions of our

Parish Community

County Town Singers presents Sing We Joyously

Please see the poster on the Parish Bulletin Board for detailed information.

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA!

THIS YEAR’S “BREAKFAST WITH SANTA” WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009. TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AFTER ALL WEEKEND MASSES OF NOV. 21^ST AND NOV. 28^TH.

DONATIONS FOR HAITI

CAMPAIGN LIFE CHRISTMAS CAKES AND RIGHT-TO-LIFE CHRISTMAS CARDS ARE ON SALE AFTER ALL THE MASSES THIS WEEKEND IN THE CHURCH VESTIBULE.

There will be a Blood Donor Clinic held in St. Leo’s Parish Hall this Monday, November 23 from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please enter Parish Hall by Carson Street Entrance.

CALLING ALL CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS!

FABULOUS STERLING SILVER

Silpada Jewellery Sale in the Parish Hall on Sunday, December 6^th – 12 noon to 1:30 p.m.
Jewellery catalogues will be available (to make your Christmas wish list) in the Church vestibule after masses for the next 2 weeks. Proceeds going to St. Leo Church Fundraising.

_________________________________________________________

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

A Tribute With A Double Standard

This past week, the day before Veterans’ Day in America, our American neighbours mourned the loss of twelve members of the military and one civilian who were killed at Fort Hood, Texas, at the hands of a gunmen who went on a shooting rampage. The alleged gunmen was Major Nidal Malik Hasan who served as a psychiatrist on the base.

President Barack Obama, the 44th U.S. president, spoke at a service at Fort Hood last Tuesday to commemorate the fallen and speak to a country in shock and mourning.

The U.S. President is undoubtedly a truly gifted speaker and his words carry a great weight when they address the nation and the world, particularly in the aftermath of such a horrific incident. As I listened to excerpts on the radio of the President’s address I could not help thinking about the unborn in the face of the President’s anti-life stance, particularly when in his speech he used words reminiscent of a preacher and man of God. It will always remain difficult for me to understand how such knowledgeable people can speak about justice before God on the one hand and not do justice before God on the other. Alas, President Obama’s own words will judge him. What the U.S. President and so many others the world over do not seem to get is that the justice he speaks of is only for some, not for all. The justice of an individuals right to choose to take the life of their own child, their own flesh and blood, is upheld while words about a “just and loving God” who will bring that justice in the world that is to come, are cited.

In his speech the President said,

“It may be hard to comprehend the twisted logic that led to this tragedy, but this much we do know;

no faith justifies these murderous and craven acts;

no just and loving God looks upon them with favour.

For what he has done we know that the killer will be met with justice – in this world and the next…”.

We are a nation of laws whose commitment to justice is so enduring that we would treat a gunmen and give him due process just as surely as we will see that he pays for his crimes.

We are a nation that guarantees the freedom to worship as one chooses, instead of claiming God for our side, we remember Lincoln’s words and “always pray to be on the side of God.

We are a nation that is dedicated to the proposition that all men and women are created equal. We live that truth within our military….

Americans will always be found on the side of liberty and equality, that’s who we are as a people.”

These eloquent, powerful and touching words ring hollow as they are applied to one situation where at the hands of one person the lives of thirteen were taken and all the while at the hands of a few men and women the lives of more than 49 million innocent unborn children have been and continue to be taken in the United States alone since Roe vs Wade in 1973.

Don’t get me wrong. The taking of any human life whether it be one, one-thousand or one-million is wrong and the senseless killing of the thirteen whose lives were taken on American soil by another American is horrific and sad. And in this same context of senseless taking of human life one cannot help but stand in awe and shock as so many value the life of some but not the lives of others.

The Presidents words were tough as he spoke of the perpetrator and the justice that he will meet in this life and the next, but what of the justice that he and his country denies those who are the most innocent and the most vulnerable? While the President cannot understand the “twisted logic that led to this tragedy” he does not and cannot see his own twisted logic which denies the right to life of every human being created by God. Justice for some and not for others is not justice at all and certainly is not God’s justice.

Those who speak of God as just but do not uphold human life and the dignity of every human life are not referring to the God of Life who is Jesus Christ. It would have to be a generic god they speak of; a god made by us who is in our image and likeness and not the other way around.

Of course there will be those who say that anyone who speaks for the unborn and for the right to life of every human person are just narrow-minded, one-issue people. But you have to ask the question, is there anything on the face of the earth more central and important than human life regardless of whether a person believes in God or not?

President Obama’s words were spoken with pride as he recalled his nations dedication to the proposition that “all men and women are created equal”, but, sadly, not the unborn child.

Years ago I was teaching in a Catholic High School for a short time covering grade 10 and 12 Religion. I remember writing on the board one day the words: “All life is sacred.” I then asked the class if they could think of any exceptions to this phrase and one by one they came up with some. I then crossed out the word “all” and replaced it with the word “some” – some life is sacred. I then asked the class if they could see a problem with the line “some life is sacred”, and it wasn’t long until they were able to see the problem. Who decides whether all life or some life is sacred? Apparently some people do as does the President of the United States of America and many Canadian leaders as well.

Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and have it in abundance.” Who are “they” Jesus was speaking about? Americans? Canadians? Adults? Just some people but not all people? Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Leo the Great and all the popes back to Peter would stand in stark opposition to the U.S. Presidents’ selective sense of what is moral and right before God in all human matters without exception. May the blessing of God on America invoked on Tuesday by its President bring about a renewed awareness of what justice for all really means. (Fr. Charles)

First Reconciliation Preparation

Classes (Held in Parish Hall) This Weekend

Meeting 1 – Sunday, November 15, 2009

12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. (This weekend)

Meeting 2 - Sunday, November 22, 2009

12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. (Next Weekend)

IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE

THE NEW SUNDAY MISSALS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE IN THE CHURCH VESTIBULE. THE COST IS $4.00 EACH.

FUNDRAISING NEWS

Attention All Parish Bakers

The Fundraising Committee will be selling the Annual Christmas Cookie Baskets starting a few weeks before Christmas. We ask all the Parish Bakers to assist with their Christmas specialties. Please drop off your baked goods in the Parish Hall on Saturday mornings: Nov. 28, Dec. 12 or Dec. 19 or Friday afternoon December 4. Thank you so much for sharing your gifts and talents.

The Fundraising Committee are holding their first Euchre Card Party on Saturday, Nov. 28. Tickets are on sale this weekend in the Church Vestibule.

Tickets are on sale this weekend for the Fundraising Committee – Waffle Fest on Sunday, Nov. 29^th after the 9 and 11 Masses.

PRAISE – WORSHIP – PRAYER, SPIRITUAL GROWTH and FELLOWSHIP

Every Thursday at 7:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

In Chapel ALL ARE WELCOME

CHOIR MEMBERS NEEDED FOR 11:00 A.M.

The 11:00 a.m. Sunday Choir is looking for new Choir Members especially more men vocalists. Please consider offering your time and talent.

Intentions for the Week of Nov. 15, 2009

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – For the intentions of our

Parish Community

– 11:00 a.m. – Special Intentions

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. – Mr. & Mrs. Bilyk+

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. – For the intentions of

David Bowyer

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. – Andy Devost+

Friday - 8:30 a.m. – Tony Vonk+

Saturday – 5:00 p.m. – For the intentions of

Mary Remedios

County Town Singers presents Sing We Joyously

Please see the poster on the Parish Bulletin Board for detailed information.

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA!

THIS YEAR’S “BREAKFAST WITH SANTA” WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009. TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AFTER ALL WEEKEND MASSES OF NOV. 21^ST AND NOV. 28^TH. DETAILS TO FOLLOW.

DONATIONS FOR HAITI

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL DONATIONS. THEY WERE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. WE ARE STILL COLLECTING SUMMER CLOTHING & SHOES. PLEASE DROP-OFF DONATIONS IN THE PARISH OFFICE.

CAMPAIGN LIFE CHRISTMAS CAKES AND RIGHT-TO-LIFE CHRISTMAS CARDS ARE ON SALE AFTER ALL THE MASSES THIS WEEKEND IN THE CHURCH VESTIBULE.

MARGUERITE BOURGEOYS FAMILY CENTRE

25^TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER/DANCE &

SILENT AUCTION – NOVEMBER 28, 2009

CELEBRATE AND HELP US CONTINUE TO EDUCATE ALL IN THE TRUTH ABOUT LOVE AND HUMAN SEXUALITY THROUGH FERTILITY APPRECIATION FOR ANOTHER 25 YEARS. Please see poster on bulletin board in vestibule for info.

There will be a Blood Donor Clinic held in St. Leo’s Parish Hall on Monday, November 23 from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please enter Parish Hall by Carson Street Entrance.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK:

Eleanor Howe

PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO DIED RECENTLY:

Juanita Gourdier & Julie Gourdier, mother and sister of parishioner Teresa Playford, who died in Kingston as a result of an accident last weekend.

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32^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time- Nov.8th

REMINDER ABOUT PARISH REGISTRATION

As announced last weekend with the Financial Statement being delivered to our parishioners both verbally and in-hand, we ask all our parishioners to register with the parish, even if you were formerly registered. We need to eliminate outdated registrations and get a handle on the true names and numbers of parishioners we have here at St. Leo’s. Yellow Registration Forms are available in the vestibule. We ask all parishioners to have their completed forms returned by Sunday November 15th.

Registration is reserved for those who are active members of a parish through regular Sunday Mass attendance. While any Catholic can attend Mass in any Catholic church around the world on any given Sunday, registering in a particular parish, either because you live within its boundaries or because you have chosen to attend a particular parish outside of your boundaries, means that you are choosing to belong to that parish and desire to be counted among its members.

Sometimes people register in a parish simply because they want to have their child baptized or sometimes because they require a pastoral letter for some reason. However, we do not want names in our parish office computer of people who don’t come to Mass on a regular basis. These would be classified as visitors and not parish members. Again, registration is for those who choose to belong.

SUNDAY OFFERTORY ENVELOPES

Also, (and this is a big issue), we desperately need our registered parishioners to take and use Sunday Offertory Envelopes. Those who use Offertory envelopes are supporting their parish and allowing themselves to be counted as such. While giving loose money in the collection is supporting the parish, it is anonymous giving. No one would judge those who are poor and can only give a little, but statistically Catholics may have a lot more to give but just don’t see their contribution as all that important to the well being and life of a parish – but it is – it’s crucial!

I once read a sign that said, “Give God what is right, not what is left.” Catholic parish collections are often weighed down with spare change when many of the givers perhaps have not considered where their money goes, what the needs of the parish really are, and what the debt is on the parish. We also tend not to make a priority of the Church when it comes to giving. Often people don’t give to the Church what they would give in a single tip to a waiter in a restaurant or what they would spend on themselves for coffee in a few days or in a week. It really comes down to priorities. In the renewal of our faith we can begin again and return to God some portion of all that God has given to us. Sunday giving is not charity shown to the local parish to help out a bit. It is doing what is right before God.

Some Catholics tithe, which means that they give ten percent (10%) of their weekly earnings back to God each week as a return to God of their first-fruits from all that God has given to them. And all of these who tithe will tell you that they have never been wanting for anything and that God has blessed their giving by blessing their lives in ways they couldn’t have imagined. It makes sense.

PAP

Last weekend we also introduced our PAP (Pre-Authorized Payment) plan to the parish in the hopes that many will have their weekly Parish donation automatically debited from their bank account on a monthly basis. This form of giving is not only easy for the parishioner but also helps to insure a healthy and steady income for the parish in order to pay its bills and meet its financial commitments.

+ REMEMBERING OUR WAR DEAD +

Each year, as we commemorate the lives lived and given for love of our country and the precious freedom we have as a nation, our parish will mark the end of each Sunday liturgy on or near Remembrance Day with a time of remembrance and hope.

Annually our nation recalls the memory of all those men and women who fought in wars past and gave their lives for love of our country, yet we also at present, aware of a war that goes on where our troops are being killed still, we acknowledge with profound respect the 133 soldiers who have died since April 18, 2002, when Private Nathan Smith became the first Canadian casualty of that war.

World War I:

1. 628,736 Canadians served.
2. 66,573 died and 138,166 were wounded.
3. 2,818 were taken prisoner of war.
4. 175 merchant seamen died by enemy action.

World War II:

1. 1,031,902 Canadian men and 49,963 Canadian women served.
2. 44,927 died and 43,145 were wounded.
3. 8,271 were taken prisoner of war.
4. 1,146 merchant seamen died by enemy action.

Korea:

1. 26,791 Canadians served.
2. 516 died and 1,558 were wounded.
3. 33 were taken prisoner of war.

The Gulf War:

1. 3,837 Canadian men and 237 Canadian women served.
2. There were no Canadian casualties or prisoners of war during the Gulf War

The Afghanistan War: (that still goes on)

Many Canadian soldiers have served and continue to serve.

Many have been injured and 133 have died.

FEAST OF ST. LEO THE GREAT

THIS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2009

Come to celebrate our parish patron’s feast day with a special Mass at 7:00 p.m. We ask all parishioners attending to meet in the parish hall before the Mass and then we will process to the church at 7 p.m. for Mass.

First Reconciliation Preparation

Classes (Held in Parish Hall)

Meeting 1 – Sunday, November 15, 2009

12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m.

Meeting 2 - Sunday, November 22, 2009

12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m.

JOURNEY OF FAITH: OFFERING CLASSES IN SCRIPTURE, DOGMA, ETHICS & MORE

Eucharist (Wednesdays 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.) started Nov. 4 to December 12.

Course will run 6 weeks and costs $30. Please pay at the first class. To register please call the parish office at (905) 655-3286.

IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE

THE NEW SUNDAY MISSALS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE IN THE CHURCH VESTIBULE. THE COST IS $4.00 EACH.

FUNDRAISING NEWS

Attention All Parish Bakers

The Fundraising Committee will be selling the Annual Christmas Cookie Baskets starting a few weeks before Christmas. We ask all the Parish Bakers to assist with their Christmas specialties. Please drop off your baked goods in the Parish Hall on Saturday mornings: Nov. 28, Dec. 5, Dec. 12 or Dec. 19. Thank you so much for sharing your gifts and talents.

PRAISE – WORSHIP – PRAYER

SPIRITUAL GROWTH

FELLOWSHIP

Every Thursday at 7:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

In Chapel

ALL ARE WELCOME

Intentions for the Week of Nov. 8, 2009

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – For the intentions of our

Parish community

– 11:00 a.m. – Nino Renzetti+

Tuesday - 8:45 a.m. – St. Leo School Mass

1:00 p.m. - St. Bridget School Mass

7:00 p.m. – Feast of St. Leo The Great

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. – For the intentions of

Dorothea & Horst

Schaedlich

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. – For the intentions of

Fr. Phil

Friday - 8:30 a.m. – For the intentions of

Fr. Fernan

Saturday – 8:30 a.m. – For the intentions of

our Parish community

- 5:00 p.m. – For the intentions of

Frank Martin

County Town Singers presents Sing We Joyously.

Please see the poster on the Parish Bulletin Board for detailed information.

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA!

HO, HO, HO – SANTA IS COMING TO ST. LEO’S PARISH TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF JESUS! THIS YEAR’S “BREAKFAST WITH SANTA” WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009. TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AFTER ALL WEEKEND MASSES OF NOV. 21^ST AND NOV. 28^TH. DETAILS TO FOLLOW.

CAMPAIGN LIFE CHRISTMAS CAKES AND RIGHT-TO-LIFE CHRISTMAS CARDS ARE ON SALE AFTER ALL THE MASSES THIS WEEKEND IN THE CHURCH VESTIBULE.

CHURCH BULLETIN ADVERTISING

Liturgical Publications are setting up the advertisements for our new church bulletin. The advertisements will make our bulletin possible. Please support the bulletin and advertise your product or service. Please call Liturgical Publications at 1-800-268-2637.

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Sunday, November 01, 2009

THE H1N1 VIRUS & OUR PARISH

- SOME IMMEDIATE CHANGES -

Effective immediately our parish, along with many other parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Toronto, will implement some precautionary steps to ensure that when people are assembled each Sunday during the H1N1 virus pandemic, the following will be observed:

the Holy Water at the entrance of the church will be removed
we will simply omit the sign of peace to one another, which most often includes the shaking of hands
Communion from the cup will temporarily not be offered to Eucharistic Ministers and altar servers
Communion on the tongue will be suspended for the time being and only communion in the hand will be permitted
the priest (me) will refrain from shaking hands with parishioners either before or after Masses in order not to spread germs from one person to the next
We will endevour to make available hand sanitizer in the vestibule for those who wish to use it, (mindful that right now it is somewhat difficult to purchase due to the increased demand

These are just precautionary measures to be taken for the present time until the H1N1 passes and we can then resume our former ways of parish life. Your understanding, particularly in our need to ensure the health and safety of all, is asked for and appreciated.

ALSO, if you are sick with a cold or flu symptoms PLEASE STAY HOME and lessen the chances of spreading sickness among others. It is NOT a sin to miss Mass due to illness. (Fr. Charles)

A WORLD UPSIDE DOWN

Supposing the world to exist in a way that is “right-side up” would have to be considered in the way that God has intended things to be, that is, according to His loving plan with all things ordered in such a way that God is first and foremost in all things and that everything else follows a hierarchical succession of order. God has given us humans a dignity as human persons that is second only to the angels and has put us in charge of all creation.

Much of the world as we know it is upside down in that what God intended and our response to that divine intention can and often does differ greatly.

For example, who would have imagined just 20 or 30 years ago that one day we would have big box stores that catered exclusively to pets, principally dogs and cats? These stores would not only carry dog and cat food but would delve into the truly strange with sales of ‘pet costumes’ for all of the major human holidays from Christmas to Easter, to Halloween and Valentine’s Day and everything in between. It’s upside down. Dogs by nature will drink water out of mud puddles but the stores venture to sell pet owners water purification systems which cools and purifies the water before it reaches the tongues of the animals.

Don’t get me wrong, I have two dogs, Bear and Jigs and I know that I overdue it a bit sometimes in spoiling them, but alas, they’re dogs. Bear is a 4-year-old, 140 pound Irish Wolfhound/Shepherd mix and Jigs, a 2-year-old Shepherd/Hound mix was adopted from an animal rescue. Both of my dogs eat dry dog food, usually sleep on the floor but would sleep in my bed and put me out of it if given the chance, and demand very little from me except some attention and affection. I feel my dogs give far more to me than I give to them. I take care of their maintenance and take them to the vet when there is a problem, but that’s about the extent of it.

Visiting a modern pet store is truly astounding when one sees all of the toys, luxuries, paraphernalia, soaps, shampoos, outfits, and loads more for dogs and cats and birds. Pets can now freely fly with their masters to far off vacation spots as a result of the fact that airlines clearly understand that some people will pay anything to have their pets with them wherever they go. There are pet cemeteries that would put many cemeteries to the faithful departed to shame.

What truly makes one aware of how this meets with the upside down of this world is when one is given to think about human life and how cheap it has become. Some people would have far more concern and regard for animal rights than for human ones. Years ago someone gave me a coffee cup which had on the side of it a picture of a baby in a whale costume. The caption under the picture simply said “Save The Whales”. It’s point of course was suggesting that the world has become insensitive enough that the only way you can save a human life, a human baby, is to place it inside of a whale for saving the whales is a cause many would consider before the human right to life. That’s profoundly sad.

The world is upside down when if a mother expecting a baby actually wants a child, she says she is “having a baby”, but if she doesn’t want it simply calls it an ‘unwanted pregnancy’ or a piece of tissue which, according to her own choice, she can dispense and dispose from her life at will.

The world is upside down when in a culture that was predominantly Christian, Sunday has steadily become just another day of the week to do all of the things you didn’t get a chance to do during the week but that going to Sunday Mass is either optional or deemed altogether unnecessary for their lives.

The world is upside down when parents want one-day sacraments for their children with no intention of raising them in the practice of the faith, which means bringing them to church each and every Sunday. I have likened doing this to how nonsensical it would be for a parent to sign their child up for soccer, pay the registration fee, buy them the necessary equipment and uniform but only intend for their child to go to play one game. Anyone would say that this scenario would be unfair to the child not to mention the whole team, but so is bringing them to a one-day sacrament with full intention of not bringing them back again the following week or the week after that to infinity. Mother Teresa would say that living like this was indicative of a real poverty in those who could not see what they were really doing before God.

The world is upside down when all of the good reputations of priests and Sisters and all the good work and tireless effort of their dedicated service the world over are smeared by one member of the clergy or a few here and there who bring disgrace to their life and to the Church through pedophilia or child pornography. Some are quick to paint all who work in the service of God and their fellow man with the same brush. Undoubtedly the disgrace of one hurts the Church especially when the whole Church with all her people is subjected to radical criticism that points its accusing finger at everyone instead of individuals. Indeed, as St. Paul says, when one member sins the whole body is affected.

You and I have a direct role of responsibility to play as each Sunday we are recommissioned at the end of the Mass to “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord”. What we come to know with our heads much touch our hearts and lead us to serve with our hands in helping to turn the tilt of the world back to its rightful axis before God. (Fr. Charles)

First Reconciliation Preparation Classes Dates

Meeting 1 – Sunday, November 15, 2009 - from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m.

Meeting 2 - Sunday, November 22, 2009 - from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m.

JOURNEY OF FAITH: OFFERING CLASSES IN SCRIPTURE, DOGMA, ETHICS & MORE

St. Leo the Great Parish, Brooklin begin a new session of its theology program this Saturday, Oct. 31 to Dec. 5, 2009. Courses being offered include:

Peter in the Bible (Sat. 10:30 am to 12 noon)

Joyful Mysteries in Scripture (Sat. 12 to 1:30 p.m.)

Eucharist (Wednesdays 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.) starting Nov. 4 to December 12)

Each course will run 6 weeks and costs $30. Please pay at the first class. To register please call the parish office at (905) 655-3286.

THE NEW SUNDAY MISSALS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE IN THE CHURCH VESTIBULE. THE COST IS $4.00 EACH.

Fundraising News

The Fundraising Meeting will be this Thursday, November 5, at 7:30 p.m. in Board Room 1. All are welcome.

HOLY FAMILY BAZAAR

Holy Family Parish - 91 Ribblesdale Drive, Whitby will be holding their Annual Bazaar this Saturday, November 7 from 10 am to 5 pm.

ST. PHILIPS CRAFT SHOW & SALE

St. Philip’s Parish – 1314 Oxford Street, Oshawa will be holding their Craft Show & Sale on Saturday, November 7 & Sunday, November 8 from 10 am to 4 pm.

ST. THERESE PARISH ANNUAL BAZAAR

St. Therese Parish – Courtice will be holding their Annual Bazaar on Saturday, November 7 from 10 am to 2 pm.

CONFERENCE TALKS

“BUILDING VIRTUOUS FAMILIES”:

THE TASK OF EVERY MEMBER

SPEAKER: PATRICK SULLIVAN, M. DIV.

ST. LEO THE GREAT

PARISH HALL, BROOKLIN

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2009

7 – 8 PM

COST: GOOD WILL OFFERING

Patrick is a graduate of St. Augustine’s Seminary who has dedicated much time and effort to the instruction and evangelization of the lay faithful. He has been on Salt and Light Television to discuss the unique vocation of fatherhood, continues to give public lectures on the faith and is an instructor with the Journey of Faith Program in Brooklin, ON. Patrick and his wife Kyla are the proud parents of four children.

To get more information call (905) 655-3286 or visit

www.catholicministry.ca

Mass Intentions for the Week of Nov. 1, 2009

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – Mary Anne Campbell+

11:00 a.m. – Mary Lewis+

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. – NO MASS

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. – James MacDonald+

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. – Mr. & Mrs. Lucek+

Friday - 8:30 a.m. – For the intentions of

Fr. Charles

Saturday - 8:30 a.m. – For the intentions of

our Parish community

- 5:00 p.m. – Robert St. Denis+

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA!

CHURCH BULLETIN ADVERTISING

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30^th Sunday in Ordinary Time – October 25, 2009

CHRIST CRUCIFIED

Art is one of those things that is so personal and dependent on ones personal choice and taste. What some people would consider good art, others might find repulsive, unappealing or distasteful. Church art is the same and throughout the centuries there have been paintings, sculptures and various art forms that have become famous either for their quality and beauty or for their bad reputation as ugly or unimpressive. What speaks to one person may not utter a word to another and, of course, that’s what makes the world go around – our sense of difference which makes life interesting.

Our parish church of St. Leo the Great is truly a beautiful building with its high ceiling, its great expanse of space overall and in between the pews. While it is not overly cluttered with decoration (which is definitely a good thing) it has lots of potential for further enhancement, warmer colours on the walls, perhaps carpeting one day to help dull the exaggerated echo that lingers with the spoken word. Personally, blue is my least favourite colour in the spectrum as I find it rather cold and void and rather stark, and there’s certainly plenty of blue on floor, walls and windows, to be sure. But that’s my taste and my preference and other people would love the colour blue for the very reasons I would frown on it.

I must be honest when I say that while I am not personally taken with the statue of Christ being resurrected which stands over the presider’s chair, I do so miss having a crucifix in the church.

Some might say that we don’t need a crucifix in the church and that as Catholic Christians we’re beyond the death of Christ where we now live in the hope of his resurrection. Yet to me and a few others, like St. Paul, it’s all about the cross with Christ on it and what he did in dying on that wood for us.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul wrote: “As for me brothers, when I came to you, I declared the attested truth of God without display of fine words or wisdom. I resolved that while I was with you I would think of nothing but Jesus Christ – Christ nailed to the cross.” In his letter to the Galatians, Paul wrote, “But God forbid that I should boast of anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world is crucified to me and I to the world!” After the death and resurrection of Jesus, Paul went to Athens to win over the people. He spoke of the resurrection and its power for their lives and afterwards the Athenians merely said that they “would hear him again”. On the long walk back to Corinth St. Paul had lots of time to think about what he had said to them. After this journey, Paul wrote, “I am resolved from now on to preach Christ and him crucified.”

All Christians know that Jesus died and rose from death to life. He is not dead but is alive and more than that, He is with us; Emmanuel means ‘God is with us’. And while we pray to the living Christ and we live for the living Christ and we hope to live forever in the presence and love of the living Christ, the remembering part of our salvation is to never forget what Christ has done for us on the cross. It was from the cross that he spoke his final words. Often the words of dying men being put to death are full of curses, blasphemy or hate and anger. Sometimes they are last words to promote in their last breath their cause. Jesus’ last words are words of comfort and hope. He gave his Mother to John and John to his mother. He forgave the thief who asked to be take up; He forgave his executioners; He prayed and cried out in his hour of agony; He asked his Father not to look on the sins of the people of the world who do what we do because of ignorance; and He gave up his spirit and died not before exclaiming that His work on behalf of all humankind was complete, finished.

I could sit for an hour or longer in front of a crucifix for in gazing upon that symbol of torture, suffering and death, I see the greatest of all love. When you know the true story of that love the cross is transformed from a symbol of defeat to a sign of salvation and the most tremendous love on earth and in heaven – love that suffers, takes the place of another, and goes to death. And of course His death led to life. There can be no resurrection without the death of Christ and there can be no Easter Sunday without first a Good Friday. Christ crucified tells all the earth of the greatest love of all - Jesus Christ! (Fr. Charles)

First Reconciliation & First Communion at St. Leo’s Parish

All parents who have children ages 7 or older, whose children are already baptized in the Catholic Church, and who desire their child to prepare for and celebrate their First Reconciliation and their First Communion at Easter in 2010, must attend the last of the mandatory Parent Information Meetings being offered this Sunday October 25th at 2:00 p.m. in the church. Registration for the sacraments will take place in the parish hall following the meeting in the church. Please be sure to bring with you a copy of your child’s Baptismal Certificate, even if your child was baptized at St. Leo’s. Also, please bring with you $50.00 which serves as your registration fee and will cover all expenses to the parish for administration costs for both sacraments. Please note that if parents do not attend one of the two available Parent Information Meetings, their child will have to wait until the following year to celebrate these sacraments. Also, Registration ends immediately following the last Information meeting on Sunday October 25th. Sorry, no exceptions as the parish must move on with the sacramental process as we are working with large numbers of candidates. Any and all questions parents might have about the sacraments at St. Leo the Great Parish should be directed to the parish and not through the schools. The Sacramental Norms of the Archdiocese of Toronto state that “the immediate preparation for the sacraments is between the parents and the parish”. We look forward to working with parents and their children as they prepare to experience Christ in the sacraments for life. (Fr. Charles)

BAPTISMAL NOTES

With great joy, we welcomed into St. Leo’s Parish the following children who were baptized in St. Leo’s in June, July, August, September & October, 2009:

Emma Aucoin, Naiya Belen, Talon Lafond, Brady Langill, Julia MacFarlane, Charlotte Smith, Leigha Thomas, Luke Watkins, Chloe Cameron, Reese Cameron, Bryce Emery, Liam Heaney, Matthew Luteganya, Olivia McPherson, Jack Moore, Benjamin Santerrre, Corinne Shearing, Elliot Thompson, Julia Van Haecke, Julia Blakely, Matthew Cribby, Jack De Souza, Sarah Donegan, Travis McPherson, Connor Rogers, Landon Rosa, Valentina Sciascia, Victoria Sciascia, Shyla Shea, Ryan O’Brien Slaney, Xavier Mouttet, Hannah Sullivan, Brody Battah, Prudence Chilcott, Adam Clemente, Rene Desaulniers, Emily Harman, Evan Havery, James Raney and Kayla Shapardanis.

BAZAAR NEWS

Thank you to all our parishioners and friends for your wonderful support of our Annual Bazaar. Our event was well attended and everyone enjoyed the day. Thank you to all the Bazaar volunteers for your generous gift of time and talents. Without you the Bazaar would not have been the success it was. A special thank you as well to all those who donated money and raffle prizes for the event. Your generous donations were greatly appreciated. Next week’s bulletin will have the Bazaar Reconciliation.

THE BAZAAR MAIN RAFFLE TICKET WINNERS:

First Prize – Andrew Sunn

Second Prize – Paula Podesta

Third Prize – Patrick Hareguy

THE NEW SUNDAY MISSALS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE IN THE CHURCH VESTIBULE. THE COST IS $4.00 EACH.

Mass Intentions for the Week of Oct. 25, 2009

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – Steven Closs+

– 11:00 a.m. – Jennifer Evanshen+

NO DAILY MASSES THIS WEEK FROM TUESDAY TO THURSDAY. FR. CHARLES IS ATTENDING THE PRIESTS’ SEMINAR.

Friday - 8:30 a.m. – Alex Dulemba+

Saturday - 8:30 a.m. – For the intentions of our

Parish Community

5:00 p.m. – Maria Lomagno+

The Daughters of Isabella are having a Day of Reflection on October 31^st 9 am to 3:30 pm at St. Bernadette’s Church Hall – $15.00 per person, includes lunch. Guest Speaker is Rev. Terry Gallagher. For tickets call Barb (905) 404-2694. Please see poster on Church bulletin board.

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA!

HO, HO, HO – SANTA IS COMING TO ST. LEO’S PARISH TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF JESUS! THIS YEAR’S “BREAKFAST WITH SANTA” WILL BE HELD ON DECEMBER 5, 2009. TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AFTER ALL WEEKEND MASSES ON NOV. 21^ST AND NOV. 28^TH. DETAILS TO FOLLOW.

ST. MICHAEL’S COLLEGE SCHOOL

The Office of Admissions of St. Michael’s College School is now considering applications for September, 2010. Open House for interested parents and their sons will be held on Tue., Oct. 27 commencing at 7:30 p.m. and concluding at approximately 9:00 pm. Location: St. Michael’s College School, 1515 Bathurst St. While St. Michael’s is a private school, we offer academic scholarships and financial aid to qualified students.

CHURCH BULLETIN ADVERTISING

Liturgical Publications will be setting up the advertisements for our new church bulletin. The advertisements will make our bulletin possible. Please support the bulletin and advertise your product or service. Please call Liturgical Publications at 1-800-268-2637.

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29^th Sunday in Ordinary Time - October 18, 2009

October: Month of the Rosary

The rosary as a tool for prayer is perhaps one of the most misunderstood and often misused sacramentals of our faith. Rosaries are used as good luck charms left to dangle from the rearview mirror of the car or hung about the necks of rock stars and fashion models as jewellery. Yet the rosary itself stands for powerful prayer to God, meditation on the life of Jesus in His passion, death and resurrection, and it requests the intercession of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Some prefer to pray the rosary in a group which can have a beautiful rhythm of prayer all its own. Others like to pray the rosary by themselves so that adequate time may be spent reflecting on each mystery. Either way, it is a form of prayer that when properly understood deepens our love for Mary and her wonderful role in the salvation of humanity, but most especially and importantly builds our personal and communal relationship with Jesus, Our Saviour.

With the new set of mysteries (The Luminous Mysteries) given by the late Pope John Paul II, there are a total of four sets of mysteries of the rosary which includes the Sorrowful, the Joyful and the Glorious Mysteries. Contained in each recitation of the rosary are the Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary and various prayers particular to the rosary itself. The Creed begins the rosary with an affirmation of faith which states that we believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ whom He sent as our Saviour, the Holy Spirit and our belief that Christ founded the Church on the apostles. We affirm our belief in the saints who intercede for us in heaven, that sins are forgiven through Christ, and that through Him we have the hope of resurrection and life forever. It is fitting that this profession of faith would begin our rosary meditation for it says simply and yet profoundly that we approach prayer first and foremost with faith that seeks understanding.

The Our Father is a model of prayer given to us by Jesus, though it is not the only prayer we are to pray. When Jesus gave it to His disciples, he did so telling them that it showed a pattern of prayer; “When you pray, pray like this.” This prayer recognizes God as the Heavenly Father, who through Jesus, brings us into personal relationship with Him, for we call Him, “Our Father”. In that prayer that is prayed by all Christians is found the common Christian truths that God is the Father of us all, that He is holy and His name is to be honoured and revered. It’s interesting to note that while Jesus taught us to pray for God’s Kingdom to come and for God’s will to be done, whether we pray for it or not, is not God’s Kingdom and will going to come anyway? Yes, it will, but Jesus wanted us to pray for it to come and the Father’s will to be done because in praying for it we are changed as we submit our lives and our will over to the care and love of God. It is a prayer of trust. When we pray for “our daily bread” it is beyond just asking for bread. We are really asking God to give us the things we need today in order to live. The next line speaks of asking God to forgive our sins and brings God’s forgiveness into the realm of the way God asks us to forgive one another. Yet it would be quite wrong to say that God only forgives us in as much as we are willing to and do forgive others. God still loves us no matter what and this love is so beautifully shown in the line from Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. Yet Christ does not want us to merely presume His love and yet neglect to forgive others as we have been forgiven. Gratitude towards God’s forgiving us is shown in the way we love and forgive others. We ask God to lead us into all that is good and to keep us safe in our avoidance of evil. All of our personal prayers should be based on this model of prayer given us by Jesus, lest our prayer be reduced to calling on God’s name only when we need something or are in trouble.

The Hail Mary, which is recited repeatedly fifty three times in the recitation of the five decades of the rosary (and three times at the beginning of the rosary) may sound like a monotonous chant of the same prayer over and over again, but it is like saying “I love you” over and over again, which we all do one way or another throughout our lives. The first half of the Hail Mary comes from St. Luke’s Gospel, when the angel Gabriel (Messenger of God) appeared to Mary and basically asked her to give God through her consent and her yes, a human nature, and of course, we know that Mary did, but not before her questioning of what all that the angel said would mean for her life. As a woman of faith, Mary was able to say yes to God and will motherhood principally because she believed in the promises of God and trusted God with her very life, as should all of us. The second half of the prayer is a petition by the Church, asking Mary, the Mother of Christ, to pray for us, to intercede for us throughout our lives and particularly at a moment we are not to be in control of and a time we do not know – at the hour of our death. What a privilege to know that if we have prayed that prayer with serious intent even just once in our life, that the Mother of Jesus would be praying for us at the hour of our death, no matter what that hour might be like or whatever the circumstances.

The individual mysteries that once announced before each decade of Hail Mary’s, is meant to be reflected on, are just that – mysteries. For example, the fist Sorrowful Mystery is Jesus’ Agony in the Garden, which tells us more than just the fact that Jesus agonized in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Beyond these words it reveals to us the great mystery of God choosing for His Son to die in order for us to be saved and our sins forgiven. God, who is all-knowing and all-powerful, could have redeemed us in a thousand different ways, yet he chose for us to be forgiven through His Son Jesus who took our place and the punishment that we deserved. God’s boundless love and mercy is mysterious and we cannot and should not try to explain it away. The only thing one can do when confronted with the mysteries of God is walk into those mysteries with God. And this we do when we meditate and pray the mysteries of the rosary.

There is a prayer that follows each decade of the rosary, and it is a prayer where I have always personally changed the words from “save us from the fires of hell” to “save us from ever leaving your love”. To know and experience God’s love and to reject it, is hell, the absence of God from our lives by our own choice. Let us take up the rosary once again, pulling it from our drawers and off of our mirrors and pray with Mary, the Mother of God, who said, “Do whatever He tells you.” If we pray and trust as she did, we will. (Fr. Charles)

First Reconciliation & First Communion at St. Leo’s Parish

All parents who have children ages 7 or older, whose children are already baptized in the Catholic Church, and who desire their child to prepare for and celebrate their First Reconciliation and their First Communion at Easter in 2010, must attend one of the two mandatory Parent Information Meetings being offered. Please choose to attend either Thursday October 22nd at 7:00 p.m. in the church OR Sunday October 25th at 2:00 p.m. in the church. Registration for the sacraments will take place in the parish hall following the meeting in the church. Please be sure to bring with you a copy of your child’s Baptismal Certificate, even if your child was baptized at St. Leo’s. Also, please bring with you $50.00 which serves as your registration fee and will cover all expenses to the parish for administration costs for both sacraments. Please note that if parents do not attend one of the two available Parent Information Meetings, their child will have to wait until the following year to celebrate these sacraments. Also, Registration ends immediately following the last Information meeting on Sunday October 25th. Sorry, no exceptions as the parish must move on with the sacramental process as we are working with large numbers of candidates. Any and all questions parents might have about the sacraments at St. Leo the Great Parish should be directed to the parish and not through the schools. The Sacramental Norms of the Archdiocese of Toronto state that “the immediate preparation for the sacraments is between the parents and the parish”. We look forward to working with parents and their children as they prepare to experience Christ in the sacraments for life. (Fr. Charles)

Coffee Sunday Volunteers – Please pick up your schedule this weekend in the Narthex.

THE NEW SUNDAY MISSALS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE IN THE CHURCH VESTIBULE STARTING THIS WEEKEND. THE COST IS $4.00 EACH.

Mass Intentions for the Week of Oct.18, 2009

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – Jack Ansell+

11:00 a.m. – Tony Vonk+

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. – Mary Lewis+

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. – Mr. & Mrs. Staleny+

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. – Michael Davis+

Friday - 8:30 a.m. – Mary Anne Campbell+

Saturday - 8:30 a.m. – For the intentions of our

Parish Community

- 5:00 p.m. – Richard Hashimoto+

FUNDRAISING NEWS

LEO’S LUNCHEON

Our First Leo’s Luncheon will be this Wednesday, October 21^st at 12:30 p.m. in the parish hall. Please pick up your tickets in the parish hall today or at the door on Wednesday. Price is $10.00 per person. All are welcome.

HALLOWEEN DANCE

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS HALLOWEEN DANCE HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

Thank you to John & Valerie Hotner for the wonderful display at the altar for Thanksgiving!

COFFEE SUNDAY IS NEXT SUNDAY AFTER THE 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM MASSES.

CHURCH BULLETIN ADVERTISING

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28^th Sunday in Ordinary Time – October 11, 2009

M O R E ?

In an episode of The Simpsons, Homer, the father, asks his son Bart to say grace before the family has their dinner. Bart, who is always wise cracking, says in mock prayer, “Dear Lord, we paid for the food ourselves so thanks for nothing.” That line says more about a common attitude for what we have and a lack of dependence on God. In the contemporary quest for “more” there is a tendency towards self dependence and less recognition of or reliance on God.

At a time when we pause to give thanks we do so as Christians out of a deep sense that everything we have comes from God. Everything!

I don’t buy coffee in the drive-thru at Tim Horton’s anymore, in fact, I stopped going there about a year and a half ago altogether. In the days when I was silly enough to wait in long line-ups to get a single coffee, I remember one particular day in the line of cars. As I was waiting in the drive-thru line at one of the many Tim Horton’s in Barrie, I got to thinking about the fact that our desire for “more” is also the cause for much more stress in our lives sometimes. I’m usually just a coffee drinker, (triple milk, no sugar), and that’s what brings me to the drive-thru line or to the local Starbuck’s for my coffee fix. Originally, the idea of a drive-thru was to assist motorists in picking up a coffee or two without having to get out of the car. You got your coffee and you were on your way. That was the way it was but it isn’t any longer. Stores like Tim Horton’s end up selling everything from soup to nuts so there’s a good chance that the guy ahead of you is ordering a couple of special sandwiches, a coffee, a cappuccino, a soft drink, and a dozen donuts. The convenience has been replaced by great inconvenience, so much so that sometimes it is far faster to park your car and go into the store to get your coffee.

My point is that more is not more. Getting more ends up costing us something and often it’s in our loss of a sense of peace. All of the conveniences of the past couple of decades with newer and newer technologies, advancements and gadgets haven’t actually made our lives all that much easier. Most people I talk to relate stories as mothers and fathers about how little time they have in their lives to just be. The modern parent is a chauffeur, referee, provider and a thousand other roles they are supposed to play.

There’s an old joke about a guy who says to his brother in law who’s out of work, “You know, you should go out and find a job.” His brother in law asks, “Why?” “Well, because then you can make money.” Again, his brother in law asks, “What for?” “So you can buy nice things and eventually get yourself a big house.” Once again, the brother in law asks, “What for?” “So you can drive a nice car and have a nice life.” Again, “What for?” asks the brother in law. “So you can eventually retire and never have to work again.” The brother in law replies, “I’m not working now.”

Sometimes we can become so busy that we lose sight of what life is really all about. The moment is lost so often by the ‘tyranny of the urgent’ and the many things that crowd out of our lives that which is most important for our sense of well being – family, friends, silence, time, sitting still, God! “Be still and know that I am God.”, says the Lord. We’re are so thirsty for a sense of peace but are so often afraid to do the things, the simple things, we must do to get it.

As a priest, it could be assumed, (wrongly), that Father always has a great prayer life and a vibrant relationship with Jesus because he is a priest, a man of God. Yet daily tasks, the little stuff, the wasted time, the demand of the moment, emergencies, and “just one more thing to do” can so easily crowd out what I need the most as a Christian, a Catholic and a priest – time with God. Getting more of the world impedes the ‘more’ that God has to offer me. And one can find oneself crawling into bed at the end of a busy day so tired of the world, the job, the tasks, monotony, realizing that there has not been one word said to the One who is the Word itself.

The old saying is true, “If you don’t feel very close to God, who do you think it was who moved?” Of course, it’s us. We can have everything and nothing at the same time. We can be full of self and busy with the task of trying to make ourselves happy and all the while feel empty, drained and most unhappy.

The majority of Catholics who seldom if ever attend Sunday Mass are living examples of people who have crowded God out, as if everything else were more important. Sunday just becomes another day to go to Costco, do the shopping, build the deck, mow the lawn – a day of rest filled with anything but rest. Being ‘raised’ a Catholic this way means that you go to church principally three times in your life and possibly four if you even bother to get married in the Church – Day 1, baptism, Day 2, First Communion (and possibly First Reconciliation) and Day 3, Confirmation.

The remedy? Well, actually it’s too simple. That which we must do to find happiness is so darned simple that we’ll just want to dismiss it – it’s too easy! We need to make time. Yep, that’s it. To stop, sit, silence our minds and thoughts and all of the cares and commitments we have to keep, and just be. Don’t say that you don’t have time, because you do – we all do – we just don’t take it. Leaving this to the end of the day when we are bone weary and just want to nod off is not the time for most of us. That usually just ends up as appeasing God like, “Hi there Lord. How was your day? That’s nice. Well, nice talking to you. Our Father, Hail Mary, blah, blah, blah, zzzzzzzzzzzz!

The “more” that God has to offer is endless and the only thing that can truly cheer our hearts and renew our minds is closer union with him. The “more” is time spent with him, wasting time for eternity, so to speak. The more that the world offers always costs us more personally – our health, our spirituality, our sense of peace, our sense of direction and meaning. The ‘more’ which Christ offers us is everything… Himself, the Eucharist. What ‘more’ could you want? (Fr. Charles)

First Reconciliation & First Communion at St. Leo’s Parish

All parents who have children ages 7 or older, whose children are already baptized in the Catholic Church, and who desire their child to prepare for and celebrate their First Reconciliation and their First Communion at Easter in 2010, must attend one of the two mandatory Parent Information Meetings being offered. Please choose to attend either Thursday October 22nd at 7:00 p.m. in the church OR Sunday October 25th at 2:00 p.m. in the church. Registration for the sacraments will take place in the parish hall following the meeting in the church. Please be sure to bring with you a copy of your child’s Baptismal Certificate, even if your child was baptized at St. Leo’s. Also, please bring with you $50.00 which serves as your registration fee and will cover all expenses to the parish for administration costs for both sacraments. Please note that if parents do not attend one of the two available Parent Information Meetings, their child will have to wait until the following year to celebrate these sacraments. Also, Registration ends immediately following the last Information meeting on Sunday October 25th. Sorry, no exceptions as the parish must move on with the sacramental process as we are working with large numbers of candidates. Any and all questions parents might have about the sacraments at St. Leo the Great Parish should be directed to the parish and not through the schools. The Sacramental Norms of the Archdiocese of Toronto state that “the immediate preparation for the sacraments is between the parents and the parish”. We look forward to working with parents and their children as they prepare to experience Christ in the sacraments for life. (Fr. Charles)

All Saints Party – October 31, 2009

Due to lack of time to plan for this event, the All Saints Party will be cancelled. We will plan for it next year.

Coffee Sunday Volunteers – Please pick up your schedule this weekend in the Narthex.

JOURNEY OF FAITH: OFFERING CLASSES IN SCRIPTURE, DOGMA, ETHICS & MORE

St. Leo the Great Parish, Brooklin will begin a new session of its theology program on Saturday, Oct. 31 to Dec. 5, 2009. Courses being offered include:

Peter in the Bible (Sat. 10:30 am to 12 noon)

Joyful Mysteries in Scripture (Sat. 12 to 1:30 p.m.)

Each course will run 6 weeks and costs $30. Please pay at the first class. To register please call the parish office at (905) 655-3286.

Mass Intentions for the Week of Oct.11, 2009

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – Molly Ryan+

11:00 a.m. – Mario Volpe+

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. – Special Intentions

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. – Liam Hough+

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. – For the intentions of Emily Mullin

Friday - 8:30 a.m. – In Thanksgiving

Saturday - 8:30 a.m. – For the intentions of our Parish Community

5:00 p.m. – For the intentions of our Parish Community

FUNDRAISING NEWS

ANNUAL BAZAAR – SAT. OCT. 17, 2009

9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Please try to return your Raffle ticket books and money by Friday, Oct. 16^th.. There are still more books available. The Bazaar is next Saturday. Please remember the following tables need your generous donations: Country Store, The Toys, The Baked Goods and The Gourmet Basket. There is a box in the vestibule for any Gourmet Basket donations.

Please no more donations after October 15^th.

The Daughters of Isabella are having a Day of Reflection on October 31^st 9 am to 3:30 pm at St. Bernadette’s Church Hall – $15.00 per person, includes lunch. Guest Speaker is Rev. Terry Gallagher. For tickets call Barb (905) 404-2694. Please see poster on Church bulletin board.

LEO’S LUNCHEON

We are anticipating having a luncheon, once a month, in the Parish hall on Wednesdays. Price is estimated at $10.00 per person and menu will vary. All are welcome. Tickets will be available in the Narthex the Sunday prior to the Wednesday luncheon. More news to come.

HALLOWEEN DANCE

St. Leo’s Knights of Columbus Holloween Dance will be on Saturday, October 24^th at 8 pm in the Parish Hall. All are welcome and will be treated to a night of music, dancing and costumes. Raffle, door and costume prizes. Tickets are $10 at the door or you can call John Gallop at (905) 620-0532 to order tickets in advance. Don’t forget to invite your neighbours and family.

CHURCH BULLETIN ADVERTISING

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27^th Sunday in Ordinary Time – October 4, 2009

THIS WEEKEND ON

SUNDAY FROM 2-3 P.M.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE,

COME OUT AND PARTICIPATE IN LIFECHAIN 2009.

WHAT? LIFE CHAIN.

WHEN? THIS SUNDAY OCTOBER 4th FROM 2:00 P.M. TO 3:00 P.M.

WHERE? Hwy. 2 (Dundas St.) at Thickson Road.

HOW? STANDING WITH OTHER PARISHIONERS AND ANY AND ALL WHO BELIEVE IN LIFE AS CREATED BY GOD, IN SILENCE AND PRAYER.

WHY? BECAUSE SOMEONE HAS TO TAKE A STAND.

Think about this: We are a people who follow Jesus Christ, who is definitely, unequivocally prolife and is the founder and author of life itself! The Church he founded has always stood for life as witnessed by the saints and martyrs throughout the ages. In our time we have experienced the powerful witness of Pope John Paul II, our present pope, Benedict XVI, the late Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Fr. John Powell, S.J., Fr. Ted Culleton and so many countless others who have stood for and spoken constantly about the sanctity of human life and the protection of the unborn. We are part of the Church which clearly stands for life and has been one of the few champions on life issues, working on behalf of those who have no voice – the unborn children. No amount of quotes from sacred scripture or documents and statements put forth by the Church will make some people listen, but are we as Church listening?

If we say that we are “against abortion”, or, are “prolife”, what have we actually done in the cause of the defenseless? What will our defense be when we meet the Lord? Talk doesn’t cost us much. Prayer is essential but can be a cop out for those who are mediocre when it comes to the issue of life itself. What are you willing to do to show that you stand for life?

Personally, I am not a demonstrator and I have a natural aversion to even the idea of showy protests, however, to stand in silence with many others while praying and simply holding a prolife sign is doing something, perhaps the only thing that most of us can do, and it is a solidarity with not only Christ himself, but also with all those innocent souls deprived of life through human ignorance, selfishness, and so-called “choice”, depriving those children of God from any choice at all. If we are Catholics, members of the Knights of Columbus, school teachers, principals, students, or belong to any ministry in the parish, or if we are parishioners who are young, elderly or somewhere in between; to say that we are prolife is not enough. Please join me, Father Charles, in standing together for one hour in prayer, in unity, in silence and in solidarity with Jesus Christ and the Church he founded, and make a powerful, non-threatening statement for human life.

To one and all, help me and all those who will gather on Sunday to stand with the Father and Author of Life and show Brooklin, Whitby, Canada and the entire world that we believe in the sanctity of life as a creation and gift from God and that abortion is the taking of that innocent, God-given life.

If you still don’t feel you want to take part in this available opportunity to do something for life, (which means far more than just buying and wearing a little rose on your lapel). Please make sure that in good conscience and before God you will do something else to show your support of human life from the womb to the tomb. (Fr. Charles)

Sometimes the most important lessons take the longest to learn.

“In the eyes of the law… The slave is not a person.”

Virginia Supreme Court decision, 1858

“An Indian is not a person within the meaning of the Constitution.”

George Canfield – American Law Review, 1881

“The statutory word ‘person’ did not in these circumstances include women.”

British Voting Rights case, 1909

“Reichsgericht itself refused to recognize Jews… as ‘persons’ in the legal sense.”

German Supreme Court decision, 1936

“ The law of Canada does not recognize the unborn child as a legal person possessing rights.”

Canadian Supreme Court – Winnipeg Child and Family Services Case, 1997

In the absence of a law, abortion is permitted through all nine months of pregnancy.

Every day 300 unborn babies die by abortion in Canada.

Everyday 300 women subject themselves to a procedure that increases their risk of hospitalization for infections by more than four times. These women have a five times higher rate of “surgical events” and a nearly five times higher rate of hospitalization for psychiatric problems than the matching group of women who have not had abortions. (2001 study by the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons of 41,039 women during the three month period after their abortions.)

“Hard times pass, Abortion lasts forever!”

For more information contact The Right to Life Association of Toronto - www.rtl-toronto.org

First Reconciliation & First Communion at St. Leo’s Parish

All parents who have children ages 7 or older, whose children are already baptized in the Catholic Church, and who desire their child to prepare for and celebrate their First Reconciliation and their First Communion at Easter in 2010, must attend one of the two mandatory Parent Information Meetings being offered. Please choose to attend either Thursday October 22nd at 7:00 p.m. in the church OR Sunday October 25th at 2:00 p.m. in the church. Registration for the sacraments will take place in the parish hall following the meeting in the church. Please be sure to bring with you a copy of your child’s Baptismal Certificate, even if your child was baptized at St. Leo’s. Also, please bring with you $50.00 which serves as your registration fee and will cover all expenses to the parish for administration costs for both sacraments. Please note that if parents do not attend one of the two available Parent Information Meetings, their child will have to wait until the following year to celebrate these sacraments. Also, Registration ends immediately following the last Information meeting on Sunday October 25th. Sorry, no exceptions as the parish must move on with the sacramental process as we are working with large numbers of candidates. Any and all questions parents might have about the sacraments at St. Leo the Great Parish should be directed to the parish and not through the schools. The Sacramental Norms of the Archdiocese of Toronto state that “the immediate preparation for the sacraments is between the parents and the parish”. We look forward to working with parents and their children as they prepare to experience Christ in the sacraments for life. (Fr. Charles)

All Saints Party – October 31, 2009

St. Leo the Great Parish will be holding an All Saints Party in the parish hall. The idea behind this party is to offer an alternative to families with children who would prefer to do something else on Halloween that has a Christian, Catholic focus, hence the celebrations of the saints instead of themes of death, horror and evil. The parish is looking for volunteers to help organize and run various events at this year’s All Saints Party on October 31^st 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Please call the parish office if you are interested in helping out. Further information will follow soon.

We need more volunteers for our Monthly Coffee Sundays after the 9 & 11 masses. Please call the Barb (905) 404-2694 if you can help out.

JOURNEY OF FAITH: OFFERING CLASSES IN SCRIPTURE, DOGMA, ETHICS & MORE

St. Leo the Great Parish, Brooklin will begin a new session of its theology program on Saturday, Oct. 31 to Dec. 5, 2009. Courses being offered include:

Peter in the Bible (Sat. 10:30 am to 12 noon)

Joyful Mysteries in Scripture (Sat. 12 to 1:30 p.m.)

Each course will run 6 weeks and costs $30. Please pay at the first class. To register please call the parish office at (905) 655-3286.

Mass Intentions for the Week of October 4, 2009

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – Lambert Kroes+

- 11:00 a.m. – Josef Gutherc+

THERE ARE NO DAILY MASSES THIS WEEK.

FR. CHARLES IS ON VACATION.

Saturday - 5:00 p.m. – Mary Anne Campbell+

FUNDRAISING NEWS

ANNUAL BAZAAR – SAT. OCT. 17, 2009

9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Raffle ticket books are being distributed after Mass in the Narthex. Please take the time to register and take your books. We are asking every family to please take 2 or 3 books. Please do your share and support our Annual Bazaar. Please remember the following tables need your generous donations: The Penny Social, Granny’s Attic, Country Store, The Toys, The Books, The Baked Goods and The Gourmet Basket. There is a box in the vestibule for any Gourmet Basket donations.

LEO’S LUNCHEON

CHURCH BULLETIN ADVERTISING

On Sept. 26 Tropical Storm Ketsana struck the Philippines, causing the most severe flooding the country has experienced in more than 40 years. The ShareLife Office is accepting monetary donations to support disaster relief efforts in the Philippines, assisting in the provision of food, shelter, clean water and medical and cooking supplies for those affected. Those wishing to help through a financial contribution may do so in the following ways:

Online through ShareLife’s website www.sharelife.org or by phone through the ShareLife office 1-800-263-2595 or 416-934-3411 or through the parish making cheques payable to: ShareLife – St. Leo the Great – Tropical Storm Ketsana Relief – Philippines. We offer our prayers for the thousands of families affected by the storm. Thank you for your ongoing efforts to serve those in need, both here at home and around the world. Be assured that ShareLife does not apply any administrative fees to humanitarian relief contributions, ensuring as much money as possible is directed toward assistance of those in crisis.

Archbishop Collins, Auxiliary Bishop

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Twenty Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - September 27, 2009

Proud to be a Catholic

Each of us, I am convinced, lives in a different dimension of existence within the Church, in that we each have our own perspective on what it means to be a Catholic today. For some, the Catholic faith is the only approach to faith that they could ever consider, particularly those who have come to the acceptance of the faith in the Catholic Church as converts. For others, particularly ‘cradle Catholics’, the lived experience of growing up in the Church may present itself with a few challenges, especially when it is felt the Church may not speak to their lives in the way it once did, or, perhaps in an area of disagreement with certain articles of faith. No doubt, our personal experience of faith realized as Catholics differs from one person to another. Let’s face it, in numbers compared to about forty years ago, many consider themselves to be Catholics, (having received sacraments in the Church), but may have actually little or no involvement in parish life at all. My guess is that this is not the result of a formal protest against the Church or a refusal to be an active participant in it, rather it is a more passive indifference to what the Church is really saying, teaching and living.

I am proud to be a Roman Catholic. I say this not because I am a priest and it’s my job to do so, nor would I say I am proud of belonging to the Church due to the fact that I was just born into it. Somewhere along the way in growing up as a Catholic child, adolescent and as an adult, I have accepted for myself and within myself that the Church is real and necessary for my life and its 2000 year presence in the world is a visible sign of what Christ has called her to be. I have become convinced in the Church itself as something far bigger than myself, yet enfolding me as a member. It begins, I think, with the fact that all of us, in one way or another, are trying to put the world together – to figure things out. The first time we realize as children that people die and are buried in the ground is usually a time of great inner struggle as we may feel that all nature itself, along with our parents, has betrayed us in the sense of the life and reality we are living. Death is a new and stark reality in a world where all seems to be life and light, goodness and play. Life forces us, whether we want to accept it or not, to either see the world merely as it appears to be, which can often be a cold and senseless place with no meaning or purpose or order, or we can see the world in a totally ‘other worldly’ dimension, through the lens of faith in God.

As I grew up in a rather large family I put the universe together with the teaching and lived faith of my parents and brothers and sisters. While we rarely said grace before meals or prayed the rosary together, (though we certainly did when we visited my grandparents), Sunday Mass was not an option in our house. In my younger days I privately was thrilled at the Mass each Sunday, moving initially from sitting in the ‘cry room’ each week to sitting in the pews with everyone else, looking at bible picture books depicting such colourful scenes as the devil in green standing behind Jesus enticing him to worship him so that he could give him all the kingdoms of the world. Yet, strangely I seemed to know at a very young age that the world and its kingdoms were not the property of the devils’ to give away. In my mind and understanding everything belonged to God. I sensed this, I knew this somehow. I also had a profound and deep sense that I was God’s little boy. I felt I knew God and God knew me and that was our little secret. Call it grace, call it faith, but I simply knew God to be true and felt his constant presence and care as I still do to this day.

There are many reasons why one could be proud to be a Catholic, but among my many joyous reasons for loving the Church, one of the most important for me is the way the Catholic Faith engages all of the senses. Touch, taste, smell, sight and sound are all integral parts of the Church’s liturgy and are beautiful ways of engaging even, and perhaps especially, small children. Upon arriving for Mass at church, one first dips their hand in holy water (touch), making the sign of the cross in recalling our baptism. We genuflect before we enter the pew acknowledging that the Real Presence of Christ is here in this place called God’s house. We hear the sounds of people arriving, greeting one another, (sometimes a little too loudly), the harmonious notes of the organ or piano as people arrive and take their seats, (sound). There is a smell that is unique to churches of wood, burning candles, sometimes a faint hint of incense from another day and liturgy. Receiving from the cup (when communion under both species is offered) engages also our senses of smell and taste as we partake of the body and blood of Christ. Everywhere our sight is filled with flowers, people, the altar, the colours of the seasons, decorations, and the furniture we are accustomed to seeing each week. Even the various seasons of the Church’s year lend themselves greatly to our experience of Church as the movement, readings and ‘feel’ of the liturgies differs from one season to the next. Hearing the word of God through the voices of women and men, the proclamation of the gospel, the homily and prayers of intercession are all parts of the liturgy of the word that speaks to us and our lives in this present time, offering comfort, conviction, power and purpose for our lived experience, most often revealing a quite different message from the one we hear in the world. All of the sacraments in fact appeal to our senses calling us to look beyond and to go deeper. Yet instrumental to our experience of God in the Church is a sense of relationship. A faith professed but not visibly lived is really not faith at all. Every gesture, every word, every engagement of our senses at Mass is a vivid and clear reminder of God’s desire to be with us and for us to live our lives in him. “Going to church” is the lived and really only response to the invitation of Christ. We can’t and were never meant to do it on our own. Thus, church is far beyond and far more than the weekly gathering of guilt-ridden Christian ‘do-gooders’, but is the lived actualization of God’s desire that we gather, pray, sing and truly celebrate our faith in him. It’s easy to say that God is always with us, for that is true. Yet crucial to our spiritual development, formation and growth is the act of being together, being Church, with our foibles, our differences and our shortcomings.

God is outside of time and space and we are not. It is in the time we spend in worshipping God together in this space we call our Church, that I am most proud to be a member of the Church; the Church I need, the Church I love, the Church that sustains me and the place and gathering where I meet Christ and Christ meets me in the midst of other believers. (Fr. Charles)

ALTAR SERVERS NEEDED

We’re still in need of altar servers for all parish Sunday Masses. While we have had some response from some new servers we would like all of our former altar servers to re-sign up so that we will have full contact and Mass information for each server and will be able to have a meeting as soon as possible to get the ball rolling, get our new and former altar servers trained, and have regular altar servers at every Mass.

Also, regular and active servers receive a stipend for weddings and funerals that take place on weekends and during the summer months. If you are interested, please ask Fr. Charles for a registration form.

First Reconciliation & First Communion at St. Leo’s Parish

All parents who have children ages 7 or older, whose children are already baptized in the Catholic Church, and who desire their child to prepare for and celebrate their First Reconciliation and their First Communion at Easter in 2010, must attend one of the two mandatory Parent Information Meetings being offered. Please choose to attend either Thursday October 22nd at 7:00 p.m. in the church OR Sunday October 25th at 2:00 p.m. in the church. Registration for the sacraments will take place in the parish hall following the meeting in the church. Please be sure to bring with you a copy of your child’s Baptismal Certificate, even if your child was baptized at St. Leo’s. Also, please bring with you $50.00 which serves as your registration fee and will cover all expenses to the parish for administration costs for both sacraments. Please note that if parents do not attend one of the two available Parent Information Meetings, their child will have to wait until the following year to celebrate these sacraments. Also, Registration ends immediately following the last Information meeting on Sunday October 25th. Sorry, no exceptions as the parish must move on with the sacramental process as we are working with large numbers of candidates. Any and all questions parents might have about the sacraments at St. Leo the Great Parish should be directed to the parish and not through the schools. The Sacramental Norms of the Archdiocese of Toronto state that “the immediate preparation for the sacraments is between the parents and the parish”. We look forward to working with parents and their children as they prepare to experience Christ in the sacraments for life. (Fr. Charles)

All Saints Party – October 31, 2009

Ladies of the Parish – The Wednesday evening mat hooking for Haiti Group commenced last Wednesday in Board Room 2. All are welcome.

We need donations of some items for Haiti. Please see the Parish Bulletin Board for an itemized list.

Mass Intentions for the Week of Sept. 27, 2009

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – Carmelita De Souza+

- 11:00 a.m. – Mary Lewis+

Tuesday – 8:30 a.m. – Desmond O’Dwyer+

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. – Keven Schaedllich+

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. – Marie & Mike Sikorski+

Friday - 8:30 am. – Hugh Campbell+

Saturday - 8:30 a.m. – For the intentions of

our parish community

- 5:00 p.m. – For the intentions of our parish community

FUNDRAISING NEWS

ANNUAL BAZAAR – SAT. OCT. 17, 2009

Please remember the following tables need your generous donations: The Penny Social, Granny’s Attic, Country Store, The Toys, The Books, The Baked Goods and The Gourmet Basket. Also, we are looking for donations of small mason jars. They can be dropped off at the back of the Church or at the parish office.

LEO’S LUNCHEON

The St. Vincent de Paul Society is looking for new members. Please call the Parish Office for more information or to apply.

We need more volunteers for our Monthly Coffee Sundays after the 9 & 11 masses. Please call the Barb (905) 404-2694 if you can help out.

Men’s Competitive Volleyball (Overhead Serving & Spiking) We are looking for a few new members to join the. St. Leo’s Competitive Volleyball Team Please call Dr. Saldanha at (905) 655-3385.

CHURCH BULLETIN ADVERTISING

___________________________________________________________________

Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – September 20, 2009

Striving and Languishing

John Lennon once wrote a song, Beautiful Boy which contained the line, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” At first glance this might be interpreted as our realization of just how quickly life passes by, particularly if one is busy. But I would pose another view that considers life, at least in the secular sense of living, as the mere existence of a living being until their culmination in death. To the Christian soul, the “other plans” is found in our Christ-centered desire to be with God in the present and forever in the future. It seems so many live this way in the sense that they have no real purpose in living outside of trying to get ahead, being successful or to at least pass over the road of life without having to suffer too much. That form of living is mere existence when compared to one who has faith in God and lives with a real sense that the life we are now living is but a rehearsal for the life that is to come.

The scriptures constantly speak to us about the purpose of our life while the New Testament with the gospels addresses more directly God’s will and purpose for our living.

The world has just experienced and is still living in two successive generations that have been raised largely without religion at all – and it shows. A creeping secularism is consistently and often imperceptibly moving in on the life we have been granted by God so that its victims no longer walk and live in the light of faith but live rather with a sort of immortality that is ironically limited and confined to this world. Yet to live like this is not to be alive but to be dead and still walking around.

Just as work brings order to our lives, so faith brings meaning and purpose to our existence. As the Catechism always taught, “God made me to know Him, to love Him, to serve Him in this life and to be with Him in the life that is to come.”

If we have done any soul-searching in light of trying to make sense of our place in this world, we will inevitably come to the realization that we are not alone, and that within us has been placed and fashioned a hunger, a thirst, a longing, a yearning that hopes to be fed, quenched and fulfilled in none other than the One who made us, God. We can search it out in a million different places, or as is often the case in our Western culture where we seek its fulfillment in malls and stores where we think we can somehow “buy” ourselves happy. No “thing” can make us happy, though for a time they can pacify our longing, for it’s always still there, beneath the surface, making us hungry for more. The “more” that we seek after is eternal, other-worldly, infinite and personal for it is none other than the Living God who made us and made us for himself.

St. Augustine felt the pangs of longing in his life but for many years he sought it out only in creature comforts and creature friends. It wasn’t until his conversion to Christ that his longing for things that could not satisfy was replaced by a longing for the infinite and the fullness of what God promises. This searching in his new life with Christ led him to write those famous words: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee, O Lord.”

St. Paul had his own battles within but discovered that the secret to true inner happiness comes not from the outside but from within. He knew well what it was to do battle with the flesh but also came to know that victory in this battle was found in Christ when he learned to trust and confide and surrender everything to Him. In his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote, “Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your minds. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2) When someone dies we often say of them that “they left everything behind”, when more often than not the reality bears the truth that they were taken from it. Life is good, as God intended it but the evolution of our own bodies proves that we weren’t meant, built or intended to live in these bodies on earth forever, but we were meant to live forever. And live we will; now, in seeking the will and presence of God at each waking moment, and forever, in the fullness of all we have ever hoped, dreamed and longed for in seeking the Jesus and being with Jesus forever. Our hunger and thirst is a God-given striving after the “more” that God promises and will ultimately fulfill, and we are meant to know that and experience that reality in our lives now. it’s the difference between striving for the Kingdom Jesus spoke of and languishing in a world which consists of nothing more than the here and now until death.

Restless, we were meant to be, because we are a pilgrim people; a people on the way and, therefore, our searching throughout our journey will never know, nor were we meant to know, an end until we meet, face to face, the One who is the beginning and the end of all things, Christ Jesus the Lord!

(Fr. Charles)

ALTAR SERVERS NEEDED

We’re still in need of altar servers for all of the parish Sunday Masses. While we have had some response from some new servers we would like all of our former altar servers to re-sign up so that we will have full contact and Mass information for each server and will be able to have a meeting as soon as possible to get the ball rolling, get our new and former altar servers trained, and have regular altar servers at every Mass.

Also, regular and active servers receive a stipend for weddings and funerals that take place on weekends and during the summer months.

If you are interested, please ask Fr. Charles for a registration form.

First Reconciliation & First Communion at St. Leo’s Parish

All parents who have children ages 7 or older, whose children are already baptized in the Catholic Church, and who desire their child to prepare for and celebrate their First Reconciliation and their First Communion at Easter in 2010, must attend one of the two mandatory Parent Information Meetings being offered. Please choose to attend either Thursday October 22nd at 7:00 p.m. in the church OR Sunday October 25th at 2:00 p.m. in the church. Registration for the sacraments will take place in the parish hall following the meeting in the church. Please be sure to bring with you a copy of your child’s Baptismal Certificate, even if your child was baptized at St. Leo’s. Also, please bring with you $50.00 which serves as your registration fee and will cover all expenses to the parish for administration costs for both sacraments. Please note that if parents do not attend one of the two available Parent Information Meetings, their child will have to wait until the following year to celebrate these sacraments. Also, Registration ends immediately following the last Information meeting on Sunday October 25th. Sorry, no exceptions as the parish must move on with the sacramental process as we are working with large numbers of candidates. Any and all questions parents might have about the sacraments at St. Leo the Great Parish should be directed to the parish and not through the schools. The Sacramental Norms of the Archdiocese of Toronto state that “the immediate preparation for the sacraments is between the parents and the parish”. We look forward to working with parents and their children as they prepare to experience Christ in the sacraments for life. (Fr. Charles)

All Saints Party – October 31, 2009

Ladies of the Parish – The Wednesday evening mat hooking for Haiti Group will commence this Wednesday, September 23^rd in Board Room 2. All are welcome. We need donations of some items for Haiti. Please see the Parish Bulletin Board for an itemized list.

Mass Intentions for the Week of Sept. 20, 2009

Sunday - 9:00 a.m. – Lambert Kroes+

- 11:00 a.m. – For the intentions of

Karen Vanderzalm

Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. – In Thanksgiving

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m. – Mary & John Pardell+

Thursday - 8:30 a.m. – Keven Schaedlich+

Friday - 8:30 am. – Mary Lewis+

Saturday - 8:30 a.m. – For the intentions of the

our parish community

- 5:00 p.m. – Lambert Kroes+

FUNDRAISING NEWS

ANNUAL BAZAAR – SAT. OCT. 17, 2009

LEO’S LUNCHEON

The St. Vincent de Paul Society is looking for new members. Please call the Parish Office for more information or to apply.

There will be a Blood Donor Clinic held in St. Leo’s Parish Hall on Monday, September 28 from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please enter Parish Hall on the Carson Street Entrance.

We need more volunteers for our Monthly Coffee Sundays after the 9 & 11 masses. Please call the Barb (905) 404-2694 if you can help out.

Men’s Competitive Volleyball

(Overhead Serving & Spiking)

We are looking for a few new members to join the. St. Leo’s Competitive Volleyball Team Please call Dr. Saldanha at (905) 655-3385.