Heart to Heart: Issue #560
THE SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING occurs this Sunday, the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year. It is the titular Feast of our Cathedral Basilica. It is also the celebration of World Youth Day, marked in 2024 in the dioceses worldwide. “Young people must say to the world: It is good to follow Jesus! You bring us the joy of faith and tell us that we must live the faith always with a young heart!” Pope Francis. The Season of Advent begins next weekend.
COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL is the annual OPEN HOUSE at Mount Mary Retreat Centre, Ancaster. All are welcome on Sunday, December 1st, beginning at 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. There are activities for children including face painting, cookie decorating, and ornament making. Local vendors will be selling Christmas items. Refreshments will be available. No entry fee! Donations of unused socks, gloves, hats, scarves and soap for De Mazenod Door Outreach. Check here for more information. See you there!
THE HAMILTON DIOCESAN VOCATION OFFICE has published the 2024-2025 prayer cards featuring our 16 Seminarians, our 10 Permanent Deacon Candidates, candidates in Formation for the Sisters of Our Lady Immaculate, and the Sisters of the Poor of Jesus Christ, and the five candidates for Consecrated Women in the World. These are available in the parishes throughout the Diocese. It is an excellent way to conclude the Vocation Promotion Month in the Diocese. Please pray for those who are in Formation and discerning a call!
BRIDGET KER, Diocesan Coordinator for the St. John’s Bible, was featured on the Saint John’s Bible Heritage Program Blog, including her as one of the “women” in a recent article “The Women of The St. John’s Bible”! In her role, Bridget helps share the beauty of the Bible with hundreds of people throughout the Diocese of Hamilton and beyond. Programming such as Visio Divina, the Meaning and Making of The Saint John’s Bible, and Bugs in the Bible, engage both adults and young people, inspiring creativity and building spiritual connections. We are grateful to Bridget and her team for the impact of the St. John’s Bible in the Diocese.
LIZ BULLER, President and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health System shared the news last week that Ontario Minister of Health, the Honorable Sylvia Jones, visited St. Joseph’s Hospital in Hamilton to announce a grant of $578,000 to establish a pediatric ambulatory clinic at the Special Care Nursery at the hospital! Good news for the System and for St. Joseph’s Hospital in Hamilton!
THE HWCDSB DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD is the highest honour granted by the Hamilton Wentworth Catholic District School Board to recipients nominated from within the Board. This year’s recipients are Dave Hansen, current Director of Education of the Board, Wayne Brown, retired Principal, Phillip Jeffrey, retired Manager of Library Services, and (posthumously) former Principal and Superintendent Wilma Scherloski. All have made life-time contributions to Catholic education in Hamilton. The awards will be presented following a 7:00 p.m. Mass of Thanksgiving at the Cathedral Basilica, next Tuesday evening. All awards are well merited indeed!
THE ADVENT PRAYER DAY FOR PRIESTS is scheduled for 10 a.m., December 3rd, at the Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King, and 10 a.m., December 4th, at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Waterloo. Father Bill Foote will be the preacher for both days. Priests are reminded to contact Monica Verin at the Chancery of your intention to attend one of the sessions. This assists with luncheon preparation.
CHRIST THE KING, have mercy on us!
Ex corde, +Douglas, OMI