February 18th 2018: First Sunday of Lent in Ordinary Time Year B

ST JOSEPHS CHURCH HIGHLAND CREEK SUNDAY BULLETIN

New to the Parish? Welcome!

You can register only by filling in this online Registration Form.

If you would prefer to fill in a paper Registration Form, these can be found at the Church’s entrances. You can drop off your completed form in an offertory basket.

Don’t forget we have a website that provides information about our parish.

Masses for the Week

Sat. February 17

  • 9:00 am † Nicodemus Fernandes
  • 5:00 pm Intention of Jude Anandaraj

Sun. February 18

  • 9:00 am † Sever Zagrai
  • 11:00 am For the People of our Parish
  • 7:00 pm † Deceased members of Francis Riggi Family

Mon. Feb. 19

  • 9:00 am † Consuelo Calayag

Tues. Feb. 20

  • 9:00 am † Mariano Calayag

Wed. Feb. 21

  • 9:00 am † James Fitzgerald

Thurs. Feb. 22

  • 9:00 am Chair of St. Peter
    • Intention of Mario & Maria Simao

Fri. February 23

  • 9:00 am
    • Intention of David Campbell
    • † Kamala Bai
    • † Ranjani Anthony
    • † Paul Hoa Tran & Hao Phuong Phu
  • 7:30 pm
    • Intention of Leanne Bondoc
    • † Myrtle D’Souza
    • † Lillian Matthews

Sat. February 24

  • 9:00 am † Bryan D’Sousa
  • 5:00 pm † Vincent Malandrino

Reflection

We have made a covenant of love and loyalty with God. Have we kept it? Lent’s forty days are given us time to recall our relationship with the one who made us and loves us beyond all telling. The first reading tells how after the flood, God established the rainbow as sign of his overarching love. But a covenant is made between two parties; in the psalm we pray to be true to our pledge even as God is true to us. Peter’s letter, part of a baptismal homily, links Jesus’ death and resurrection with Noah’s faith and our baptismal washing, when we pledged faith to God. Baptism does not work automatically; we must keep our promises with God’s help. Jesus himself serves as our pattern. After his baptism by John, Jesus spent forty days in the desert under the strong impulse of the Spirit. There he was tempted; there he confronted evil and conquered it, as we must. Baptism does not remove us from struggle and temptation; the Holy Spirit, who inspires the baptized, draws us to sorrow for sin and to a deepened faith in the Good News of God’s rule.

(Sunday Mass Book)

OUR PARISH LENTEN ACTIVITIES

PARISH LENTEN RETREAT

Our Parish Lenten Retreat is scheduled for Saturday, February 24, from 9:30 to 2:00 p.m. This day of prayerful reflection on who we are as Christians is designed to help us journey successfully through this grace-filled season of Lent. Please endeavour to avail of this opportunity to renew and deepen your relationship with God.

PRAYER GROUP

In preparation for the Easter celebration, the Prayer Group is or-ganizing Lenten Mission talks by Pastoral Associates.

The schedule is as follows:

  • Thursday, February 22 Father Oliver – Testing the Spirit
  • Thursday, March 1 Father Paul – Holy Whispers, God is speaking. Are we listening?
  • Thursday, March 8 Deacon Vinh – Teaching us how to pray

Our service will begin at 7:30 p.m. with the Stations of the Cross followed by Praise & Worship. After this our guest speakers will commence their talk. All are welcome.

Sacramental Ministry – Welcome to our 2017-18 season!

See the Reconciliation & First Holy Communion sacrament page for more details

See the Confirmation sacrament page for more details

LEGION OF MARY

The Legion of Mary is looking to recruit new junior members between the ages of 7-18. It’s not to early for young parishioners to learn and grow in the knowledge of their Catholic faith. Parents, come and see what the Junior Legion of Mary is all about. Meetings take place every Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. in the Hall’s basement.

FORMED

FORMED is a subscription-based website that can be compared to Netflix for Catholics and even better!

Now the best Catholic study programs, movies, audio presentations and eBooks are available from the most trusted apostolates and are just a click away. St. Josephs subscribes and this resource is available to parishioners free of charge.

Here’s how easy it is to register and gain access:

(OR)

  • Call the Parish Office (416) 282-0370 for the Parish Access Code
  • Go to www.FORMED.org
  • Click on the Get Started – Enter Code box
  • You should see the registration box for parishioners
  • Type in the Parish Access Code
  • Set up a username and password
  • Login, consume and enjoy the content!

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER

Taking place on Friday March 2, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Dunstan of Canterbury (56 Lawson Road)

SUNDAY 9:00 A.M. CHOIR

God doesn’t call people who are qualified. He calls people who are willing, and then he qualifies them.

If you hear the call and would like to join the choir, we are currently seeking new members for the Sunday 9:00 a.m. mass. All parishioners, high school age and up, whose talent is singing are welcome. There is no need to be able to read music. (Students in high school will earn volunteer hours).

If you are interested in joining our choir please contact the church office or Isis Rebello @ 416-286-0707.

A DAY OF RECOLLECTION FOR EXTRAORDINARY EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS

All Parish Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers are invited to a time of recollection on this very important ministry. This will take place on Saturday, March 10 from 10:00 to 1:00 p.m.

Following this exercise, they will be re-commissioned or commissioned on Sunday, March 18th

LEGION OF MARY-LENTEN SEASON

To schedule a home visit of the Pilgrim Statue of the Virgin Mary contact Dawne at 416-284-8699

SIGN UP SUNDAYS! FEB. 24/25 WE NEED YOUR HELP!

The Call for Conscience 2018 Campaign is underway.

Cardinal Collins and Bishops across Ontario are asking for an email address from every Catholic family in their community, with a goal of 100,000 addresses collected by the end of Feb. 2018. This information will be used locally by Cardinal Collins and trusted faith partners to communicate periodically on issues of particular importance for the Catholic community.

This campaign, Call for Conscience, invites our elected Members of Provincial Parliament and those seeking office this June to increase funding/access to palliative care, to protect health care workers wishing to abstain from any involvement in euthanasia/assisted suicide and to protect faith based facilities from participation in euthanasia/assisted suicide. The work builds on a similar campaign that took place in 2017.

Please take a moment to provide your contact your contact information at the back of the church on the weekend of February 24/25.

Thank you for living a faith that acts!

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

St. Joseph’s Knights of Columbus are holding a membership drive on March 3rd and 4th. If you’re interested in joining a group of Catholic men who serve their parish & community, who live their faith through service & charity, and come together as friends & brothers, meet the Knights in the Church Hall after mass.