March 19th 2017: Third Sunday of Lent – Year A

Masses for the Week

Feast of St. Joseph Sunday March 19th

Sat. Mar. 18

  • 5:00 pm †Elena Covacich

Sun. Mar. 19

  • 9:00 am †John Lee
  • 11:00 am For the People of the Parish
  • 7:00 pm †Deceased members of Caccavelli Family

Mon. Mar 20

  • 9:00 am †Zonar Fan

Tues. Mar. 21

  • 9:00 am Ben D’Aguiar

Wed. Mar. 22

  • 9:00 am †Ching Chee Maria Lai

Thurs. Mar. 23

  • 9:00 am †Bobby Borges

Fri. Mar. 24

  • 9:00 am
    • Mathilda Gracias
    • †Edward Fernandes
    • †Eugene Noga
    • †Peter Pinto
    • †Corona Samia Dimacali
  • 7:30 pm
    • †Paul & Isodore Barbosa
    • †Joe & Betty Carvalho-Ponnan

Sat. Mar 25

  • 9:00 am Naushad Alli
  • 5:00 pm †Lorna Gomes

Reflection

We all long for the full life, for unbroken happiness. Today’s gospel tells us that Jesus is as important to our happiness as water is to life. In Jesus’ encounter with a sinner and heretic we discover the story of our own conversion from sin. The hardness of our hearts makes us as slow as the Samaritan woman to admit that material things do not satisfy, and as rebellious as the Israelites in the desert before we come to trust in the Lord. But our unhappiness allows us to experience God’s love all the more. Once we ask Jesus for life and admit our sin, we find not shame but liberation to be our best selves. Nor can we contain our joy. We become apostles, as the woman shared her knowledge of Christ. Recognizing Jesus to be saviour brings new life.

Ours is not the only thirst. It was Jesus’ thirst which brought about the encounter in Samaria, and it is his thirst for a bountiful harvest, his desire to give living water, the indwelling Spirit, which brings us the gift of unending happiness.

Sunday Mass Book For Canada

Our Parish Lenten Activities

Weekly Activities:

  1. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament every Friday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
  2. Mass followed by Stations of the Cross every Friday from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
  3. Lenten Talks every Thursday beginning with the Stations of the Cross at 7:30 p.m. This has been organized by the Prayer Group and takes place in the Hall. Everyone is welcome.
  4. Christian Life Seminar takes place every Friday beginning at 7:00 p.m. This has been organized by the Couples for Christ Foundation for Family and Life and takes place in the Church basement room. Everyone is welcome.

Other Activities:

  1. Archdiocesan Day of Confessions on Thurs. March 30; 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
  2. Parish Lenten Confessions on Monday April 10 at 7:00 p.m.

Sacramental Preparation – Key Dates

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

FIRST COMMUNION MASS DATES

Sunday April 23 @ 1:00 p.m.

  • Cardinal Leger
  • St. Dominic Savio
  • Sunday School
  • All other Candidates from associate schools

Sunday April 30 @ 1:00 p.m.

  • St. Brendan
  • St. Jean de Brebeuf

CONFIRMATION

Classes have started. The next class takes place the week of February 19th. All class lists have been posted in the Narthex

CONFIRMATION MASS DATES

Sunday May 7 @ 2:00 p.m.

  • Cardinal Leger
  • St. Dominic Savio
  • St. Jean de Brebeuf

Monday May 8 @ 7:00 p.m.

  • St. Brendan
  • Sunday School
  • All other Confirmandi from associated schools

Feast of St. Joseph

St. Joseph revealed in his humanity the unique role of fathers to proclaim God’s truth by word and deed. His paradoxical situation of “foster father to Jesus” draws attention to the truth about fatherhood, which is more than a mere fact of biological generation.

A man is a father most when he invests himself in the spiritual and moral formation of his children. He was keenly aware, as every father should be, that he served as the representative of God the Father. (Salt & Light Media)

Earth Hour

The International Earth Hour calls our attention to the beauty and fragility of our planet. Its goal is to create greater awareness regarding energy consumption and encourage communities to consider turning off non-essential lights for one hour.

We encourage you to use “Earth Hour Vigil” – an Ecumenical Prayer Service prepared by the Roman Catholic-United Church Dialogue reviewed by the Commission for Christian Unity, Religious Relations with the Jews and Interfaith Dialogue (sponsored by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the United Church of Canada), to organize a joint prayer service with your local ecumenical partners.

More information can be found at: www.earthour.org

Mass in Honour of St. Pedro Calungsod

Taking place at Christ the King Catholic Cemetery on

Saturday March 25th at 2:00 p.m.

Celebrant and Homilist will be Father Godofredo Claudio

This is located at 7770 Steeles Avenue East

Entrance is off Reesor Road. All are welcome!

Message from the C.W.L.

St. Michael’s College, U of T  Scholarship $3,000.00

The Toronto Diocesan Council of the CWL of Canada is offering a scholarship to St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto.

Eligibility:

  • Any young woman of Catholic faith applying to St. Michael’s College as their first choice for post secondary education.
  • The applicant must be entering the Faculty of Arts and Science in one of the following areas of study:
    • Commerce, Computer Science, Humanities and Social Sciences or Sciences.

All forms and information for this scholarship are available on line at www.weltoronto.ca.

First click RESOURCES then REFERENCE DOCUMENTS.

Applications are also available through your parish CWL Education and Health Chair.

Please contact Hyacinth at hyacinth.fernandes@tcdsb.org or 416-287-1231

Closing date to apply is Wednesday May 31st.

Canada 150 Spring Fling

You are invited to St. Joseph’s  CANADA 150 SPRING FLING  Saturday, April 29th In St. Joseph’s Hall

6:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

$35.00 per Person

Casual red & white or cultural dress

Dining, Dancing, Raffles and Cash Bar

“Let us celebrate the success that is CANADA”

Contact: Bryan Noble (416) 286-6631

Michael McManus (416) 438-8453

Living the Gospel…

by providing for homeless youth…

On a given night, 6,000 people across Canada between 16 and 24 have nowhere to call home. This represents 20 percent of the total homeless population. In Toronto, estimates of homeless youth range from 900 to 2,000 nightly.

The ShareLife-supported Rights of Passage program at Covenant House have been active in making a positive difference in the lives of homeless youth on the streets of Toronto. 75% of these youth have been matched with mentors and have also made progress in strengthening their life skills and family relationship, getting them ready for life on their own.

In addition, the ShareLife funded Youth in Transition programs helps youth in foster care to transition to independent living.

Sunday April 2 2017 is ShareLife Sunday.

Please give generously