Date posted on July 3, 2020
The pandemic hasn’t halted the good work of the Church. The Stewardship and Development Office asked for examples, and parishes provided a wealth of them. A few are here, and more are to come!
Continue readingTHE CHANCERY OFFICE IS RE-OPENING next Thursday, July 2, following a three-and-a-half month shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The re-opening will take place under careful constraints mandated by the Government of Ontario, including the use of hand sanitizers, face coverings, physical distancing guidelines and certain office protocols to protect office personnel and visitors. Plexiglas shields have been placed at desks situated in public areas. Visitors to the Chancery will be welcomed by appointment only. The Chancery will be operating at summer hours until Labour Day in September!
Continue reading
Date posted on June 24, 2020
The COVID-19 Pandemic kept our parishes closed for three months, but it hasn’t kept the good work of the Church from taking place.
Continue readingWE ARE READY TO WELCOME YOU! Most Parishes in the Diocese are prepared to celebrate Masses with some parishioners this weekend with certain restrictions. We are permitted to welcome up to 30% of the capacity of the Church at each Mass. We must also practice social distancing. Hand sanitizer will be used on entry into the Church. Please bring a protective cloth mask which is strongly recommended in the enclosed environment. You will remove your mask just before you receive Holy Communion. Pews and floors have been marked to assist with appropriate physical distancing. This first gathering for us might seem a bit daunting, but we will soon be used to the restrictions which are meant to keep us safe! Remember that CHARITY is the primary law of the Gospel. We count on everybody to do their part so that we can worship together safely and joyfully!
Continue readingTHE REOPENING OF PLACES OF WORSHIP “ACROSS THE PROVINCE” was announced by Premier Doug Ford on Monday afternoon, June 8th. While surprised that it happened so soon, we are relieved and happy to begin the process. Strict guidelines accompanied the announcement in order to promote as safe an environment as possible to welcome returning parishioners. These guidelines include a limit of 30% of building capacity, recommended use of face masks and hand sanitizers, and social distancing. The Parish Priests in the Diocese participated in a teleconference on Wednesday to review the liturgical norms and to begin the necessary preparation to clean the churches and place helpful signage. Protective equipment, sanitizer and cleaning solution were delivered to locations in each Deanery for pickup if needed, and are available at the Chancery. Churches in the Diocese can open on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 for daily Mass and prayer, and for Sunday Masses on Saturday, June 20th, and Sunday, June 21st. Please follow instructions carefully to promote safe and prayerful gatherings!
Continue reading
Continue reading
Continue reading
GOOD NEWS! The venerable Father Michael J. McGivney will be beatified! The good news was decreed this week by Pope Francis following recognition of a miracle attributed to the intercession of Father McGivney. The Beatification Mass will take place in Father McGivney’s home state of Connecticut. He died of pneumonia at the age of 38 on August 14, 1890, in the midst of a global pandemic that claimed over 1 million lives worldwide. Father McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in St. Mary’s Church basement, New Haven, Connecticut, as a way to support families who had lost husbands and fathers and faced destitution. The fledgling membership grew to a remarkable 2 million members internationally. The Knights are a major force in the areas of evangelization, charitable works, racial integration, pro-life initiatives and the defense of religious freedom.
Continue readingTHE 2020 PENTECOST MESSAGE FROM THE CCCB – Standing Committee for Relations with Movements and Associations was released this week by the Conference. The message of encouragement and hope is addressed to Catholics who are “alive in the Spirit” and engaged in the world! “As was the case for the two disciples (on the road to Emmaus), the compass of a heart that is burning for God guides our hopeful gaze. Many initiatives and examples of willingness to help have revealed the greatness of caregivers and health-care workers”! The letter is available here.
Continue readingGOOD NEWS FROM FATHER JIM PETRIE THIS WEEK! The construction of St. Benedict Church is underway once again. The work had been stopped as part of the COVID-19 government shutdown, and was one of the projects that got the green light on Monday-past. The completion of the building is now foreseen to be late Autumn. Good news indeed!
Continue readingOUR SINCEREST SYMPATHY to the Jesuit Community in Pickering and to the Jesuits who serve among us here in the Diocese of Hamilton! The COVID-19 virus has taken a huge toll in Rene Goupil House, the community’s infirmary community. Sixteen residents and some staff have tested positive. Five Jesuits have died, others are in critical condition. The remaining residents are being monitored. Father Erik Oland, S.J., Provincial Superior of the Jesuits of Canada, has said, “Now, the most important support you can give is by way of prayer; prayer for these men, prayer for those who care for them and prayer that these next weeks and months will see fewer and fewer illness and loss of life due to the virus.” And so we pray – for the Jesuits and for all who have been touched by this virus!
Continue reading“IGNITING HOPE” is the theme for Catholic Education Week in Ontario, May 4 – May 8, 2020. This year’s video message for Catholic Education week is available online. Thanks to Anne Jamieson and Larica Perera for its preparation. This year, I am told that School Boards are preparing to send the message to every home in their system – a first! A Mass will be celebrated at St. Patrick Church in Hamilton at 11 a.m. next Friday morning. It will be live-streamed and accessible for all. We pray for all our teachers and students, trustees and administrators, during these challenging days, that the values imbued in our Catholic schools provide the insights necessary to weather the strain of the shutdown with creativity, gratitude and generosity!
Continue reading
