Heart to Heart - November 2013

Congratulations to Victoria Docouto and Matthew Odem who will marry tomorrow at a ceremony at St. Margaret Mary Parish in Hamilton. Vicky prepares Heart to Heart for distribution every Friday morning. The Office of Family Ministry has published the Questionnaire in preparation for the Extraordinary Synod on the Family. Priests are reminded of the Advent Prayer Days scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.

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The Closing Masses for the Year of Faith will be celebrated Sunday afternoon, November 24th. Your prayers are requested for Father Robert Walz who continues his battle with cancer. Congratulations to Sister Eileen of Our Lady, OCD who marks her 50th Anniversary of profession as a Carmelite this month. Thanks to Bishop Miehm and Mr. John O’Brien for organizing and speaking at the Convocation which took place on Wednesday. The Executive Committee and Permanent Council of the CCCB meet next week in Ottawa. I leave on Monday afternoon…

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Please note: The national collection for the Philippines, which was initiated by Archbishop Paul Andre Durocher, President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, and is being sponsored through the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (D&P) is authorized to take place in the Parishes and missions of the Diocese of Hamilton. The evening of song with The Priests from Northern Ireland at Hamilton Place on Wednesday evening had a personal touch. We are thankful to John O'Brien and Dwayne Cahill of the Catholic Cemeteries for organizing a relaxing and enjoyable evening of music and song!

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Today is already the third anniversary of my installation as Bishop of Hamilton! Thank you for your many kindnesses over those years. I feel truly blessed! Just last week, readers of the Hamilton Spectator named Holy Sepulchre Cemetery as the Platinum Award Winner in the annual “Reader’s Choice Awards 2013”. Tickets are still available for the Priests’ Concert which takes place next Wednesday! Women at St. Benedict’s Parish in Milton signed the charter to become a Catholic Women’s League Council. The document has now been sent to the CWL National Office for approbation.

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Thank you to Father Frank Freitas and Pam Aleman who have produced the annual Diocesan Directory. Father Tim Hingston is appointed the Ecumenical/Interfaith Officer for the Diocese. I send my congratulations to Bishop Richard Gagnon (Victoria) who was appointed Archbishop of Winnipeg earlier this week. Development and Peace sent us an update on the collection for Syria which took place during the summer months, and I request your prayers for several people whose names are mentioned in my letter.

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