Heart to Heart: Issue #535
THE MAJOR RELIQUARY OF ST. ANDRE BESSETTE (Brother Andre of Montreal Oratory) will visit the Diocese of Hamilton May 17-24, 2024. Beginning at the Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King, the relics of Brother Andre will then visit St. Thomas Parish, Waterdown, St. Raphael Parish, Burlington, St. Basil Parish, Brantford, the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate, Guelph, St. Anthony Daniel Parish, Kitchener, and Holy Family Parish, Hanover. See the Diocesan Website for dates and times. This is a blessed opportunity to invoke the intercession of one of our Canadian-born Saints! We are grateful to the Holy Cross Community at St. Joseph’s Oratory for this opportunity!
PERMANENT DEACON FORMATION continues at Mount Mary Immaculate Retreat Centre this weekend. Tonight, the Fourth Year candidates will study the Triduum with Monsignor Murray Kroetsch. Tomorrow, Monsignor will instruct both Second Year and Fourth Year candidates on the Eucharist. Teresa Harnett will teach the Propedeutic aspirants about the Sacrament of Matrimony. A warm welcome to Bishop Gerard Bergie, Bishop of St. Catharine’s, who will celebrate the Eucharist with the candidates.
SINCE ITS ORIGINS, the Church has continuously and passionately cultivated solidarity with the Church of Jerusalem. In the late medieval and modern era, the Supreme Pontiffs intervened several times to promote and regulate the Collection for the Holy Land. The Collection was last reformed by Pope Saint Paul VI in 1974 with his Apostolic Exhortation ‘Nobis in Animo’. Pope Francis has often emphasized the importance of this ecclesial gesture. … I address you so that their cry does not go unheard and that the Holy Father can support the local Churches in finding new ways, opportunities for housing, work, and education and professional training, so that they may remain and not get lost in the West, a world they don’t know, which is so different from their feelings and their way of witnessing their faith. … Make them feel the solidarity of the the Church! From Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect for the Dicastery for Eastern Churches. Please be generous to the annual Good Friday Collection for the Holy Land!
AN ECUMENICAL SOCIAL JUSTICE STATIONS OF THE CROSS will take place in Hamilton Good Friday, March 29th, from 12 pm to 2 pm. Throughout the walk, reflections will be shared about social issues faced by our communities in relation to Jesus’ final walk through Jerusalem. Interested, click here to RSVP. Gather at New Vision Church, McNab Street, Hamilton. The walk will end at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, James Street, with a bowl of hot “solidarity” soup!
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL THRIFT STORES are a vital part of their service to the community. Blessed with a steady volume of gently used furniture, clothing and household items, the agency continues to struggle with sufficient space for these items and with volunteers to help prepare and move the items for sale. You do not need to be a Vincentian to volunteer, and even a little time shared is a huge help. Check here for information.
REEL JUSTICE FILM FESTIVAL, a shared project of the Bishop Farrell Library and Archives and Development and Peace was featured in last week’s in-print issue of The Catholic Register. It was also available on-line and can be seen here! Congratulations to Archivist Dominy Williams for this creative initiative.
TODAY MARKS THIRTY-FOUR YEARS since the death of Bishop Joseph Ryan, Sixth Bishop of Hamilton. He served as Bishop of the Diocese for a remarkable thirty-seven years! His faithful service still bears much fruit. May he rest in peace knowing he is remembered with much gratitude!
BISHOP MATTHEW USTRZYCKI, celebrates his 92nd birthday on Monday, March 25. He will join us for the Chrism Mass and dinner – an opportunity for us to celebrate the occasion. Happy Birthday to you!!!
OUR LADY OF THE ANNUNCIATION, pray for us!
Ex corde, +Douglas, OMI