Pastoral Letters

Lent is upon us – a time to strengthen our relationship with Jesus Christ and seek inner transformation through fasting, prayer, and acts of generosity. The Church assists us by providing many supports. Throughout Lent we are invited to participate in community celebration of the Holy Eucharist – on Sundays and at daily Mass during the week. Reading and reflecting on the Scripture passages of the day is an excellent practice, as is any reading that guides you closer to the Lord.
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For the past three years, the world has been shaken by the Covid-19 virus, and our lives have been changed as we sought to observe the many protocols which were established for our health and safety. These included frequent periods when we were unable to come together to celebrate our faith and be nourished by the Sacraments. On several occasions our churches were closed, and we were unable to celebrate the Sunday Eucharist, which is so fundamental to our Catholic way of life.
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As we gather to celebrate the Easter feasts this year, I offer my greetings and good wishes. It has been encouraging to see such large numbers of faithful gather once again for the Holy Week celebrations! The gathering of so many at the Cathedral for the celebration of this year's Chrism Mass is a sure sign that the COVID restrictions are behind us and that fear no longer inhibits us from coming together as a community of faith to give thanks to God for blessings showered upon us.
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Christmas is a time of familiarity. We sing familiar songs, share familiar greetings, we pray and gather and celebrate in all those ways to which we are accustomed. Yet does this familiarity numb us to the awe-inspiring reality of the Lord's Nativity? Look into the Christmas creche: what do we see here? The King of the Universe - lying helpless in a manger. The Lord God Almighty - wrapped in swaddling clothes. The Eternal Word - an infant, unable even to speak!
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Dear Brothers and Sisters, After significant work at both the national and local levels, I am pleased to provide an update on the participation of the Diocese of Hamilton in the national Indigenous Reconciliation Fund.
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The sad legacy of Residential Schools and the reality that Catholic entities participated in the Government policy which removed Indigenous children from their families and from their culture has once again been brought to the attention of Canadians. The discovery of 215 bodies of children in graves beside a former Residential School in Kamloops has brought us face-to-face with the stark and tragic history that many Indigenous children in Residential Schools died. When they died, often their bodies were not returned to their families and communities for burial.
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The Sacred Liturgy is above all the Worship of God. It is the action of Christ and his Body, the Church, gathered into one by the Holy Spirit. Here and now we participate in the heavenly liturgy of the New Jerusalem which is our goal as pilgrims (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 8). It is the summit towards which the activity of the Church is directed and the source from which her power flows (SC, 10).
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