Heart to Heart: Issue #551
THE JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE will be celebrated in the Church throughout 2025. The theme of the year, established by Pope Francis, is Pilgrims of Hope! To prepare, Pope Francis has invited Catholics to pray and to revisit the four Apostolic Constitutions from the Vatican II Council. To assist in this study, our Diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis has developed a five part video series and a study guide to explore the history and content of the four documents. It is available free digitally on our Diocesan website. Hard copies are available through the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis. Thanks to the guest presenters who have shared their expertise in creating this important resource for adult faith formation in the Diocese and beyond!
ST. JEROME’S UNIVERSITY in partnership with the University of Waterloo will launch the Institute for Religious Culture and Societal Futures (IRCSF) at 3 p.m. on October 2, 2024. Panelists Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme and Galen Watts from the University of Waterloo and Carol Ann MacGregor from St. Jerome’s University will discuss the current and future states of social scientific study of religion, spirituality and security in Canada. In person attendance will be at St. Jerome’s University in Waterloo, Ontario. Virtual attendance will be on Zoom. Further details will be emailed to registered attendees before the event. Registration is free and open to all. Please register to attend here.
DEACON TOM VERT, Diocesan and Parish overseer of the recent build of St. Catherine of Siena Church in Hamilton, wrote a paper about it titled Unless a Grain of Wheat Fall: A Parish Resurrection Story, as part of his study at Notre Dame University this summer. It was published in the University’s Church Life Journal! Subsequently, The Catholic Register printed the article in a recent issue. It is a very interesting read and an excellent historical document! Well done, Deacon Tom!
I CAN DO FOR YOU is the title of a musical play being presented by Classical Theatre Company at St. Catherine of Siena Church, Hamilton on September 27 beginning at 7:30 p.m., September 29, at 2 p.m., October 3, 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m., and October 6 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20, $15 for Seniors and Students. The parish will benefit from ticket sales. Check here.
DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE, Caritas Canada announced this week that Executive Director Carl Hetu is taking a temporary break to deal with health concerns. Luke Stocking, well known in Hamilton Diocese, will act as Interim Executive Director. He has extensive experience and knowledge of the organization. We wish both Carl Hetu and Luke Stocking well as CCODP navigates this particular challenge.
POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II visited Canada 40 years ago. A Mass will be celebrated at Martyrs’ Shrine, Midland, Ontario by current Director, Jesuit Father John O’Brien, at noon, this Sunday morning. Monsignor Murray Kroetsch and I will be present for the memorial celebration. We pray in thanksgiving for the saintly Pope and for his remarkable visit, the first Papal visit to our country!
THE ANNUAL DIOCESAN MASS FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION will be celebrated at St. Pius X Church in Brantford next Thursday, September 19th. The gathering, sponsored this year by the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board, is an opportunity to pray in thanksgiving for the blessing of fully-funded Catholic education in Ontario, and for the high quality of Catholic education offered throughout the Diocese. Events begin at 4 p.m. with a presentation by Dr. Josephine Lombardi. See you there!
Our Lady of the Annunciation, pray for us!
Ex corde, +Douglas, OMI