Yesterday I had the blessed opportunity to visit a number of our parishioners in Hotel Dieu Shaver. We are blessed to have this fine rehabilitation center in our own backyard. It was a reminder to me that, even with good intentions, days, weeks, and months pass by, and I fail to reach out to members of our community who are so very grateful for a visit and for me to bring the sacraments to them, namely the Anointing of the Sick and the Eucharist. These are two powerful sacraments where those in need encounter Christ as we pray for comfort, strength, and healing.
One of the most important works of mercy we can do is to visit the sick. Whether they be family members, friends, parishioners, or even strangers, those who are sick need to know that their lives have value because they are loved by God. As Catholics, we can witness to God’s love and show people who are sick that we love them too. In his encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, St. John Paul II explains that the sick need to know people care about them: “The request which arises from the human heart in the supreme confrontation with suffering and death, especially when faced with the temptation to give up in utter desperation, is above all a request for companionship, sympathy and support in the time of trial. It is a plea for help to keep on hoping when all human hopes fail.” It is our role as Catholics to encourage people who are sick or dying and give them hope. I am most grateful when a family member or fellow parishioner alerts me of someone who is sick and in need of a visit. These are some of the most precious and memorable moments of my ministry. Perhaps there is someone who you have been meaning to call or perhaps due to the pandemic you have been putting off a visit. Please do not put it off as there are ways to visit safely. That visit, and perhaps the prayers that you offer together, could very well be the very thing that brightens that person’s day and aids in their healing. May that person look into your eyes and see the eyes of Christ. When you speak may they hear the voice of Christ. And when you hold their hand may they feel the comforting touch of Christ. Just remember to sanitize first. I look forward to us gathering for Mass this weekend, either in person or virtually. May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love. Fr. Greg Dear parishioners and friends of St. Julia Parish,
This weekend in the life of the Church we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This solemnity always falls on August 15, and because it falls on a Sunday this year of 2021, it supersedes the 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time. As with every solemnity, we proclaim the Gloria / Glory to God in the Highest, and recite the Nicene or Apostles Creed. So, what is it that we celebrate today? That the Blessed Virgin Mary was assumed both body and soul into heaven, and that she was spared the corruption of death. This was defined by Pope Pius XII in 1950 and is considered official Church teaching. It is only the second time that “Papal infallibility” (that the Pope was teaching something that was free from error and something that was official Church teaching) was ever invoked in the Church. I’ve included a number of “questions and answers” below regarding the Assumption of Mary for your information and enrichment. While the Assumption of Mary has spurred debate among Catholics and Christians alike, one thing is certain. We need Mary in our lives. In a 2002 homily, Pope John Paul II said: “If Jesus is Life, Mary is the Mother of Life. If Jesus is Hope, Mary is the Mother of Hope. If Jesus is Peace, Mary is the Mother of Peace, Mother of the Prince of Peace.” May we seek the intercession of our Blessed Mother, our Mother of life, our Mother of Hope, our Mother of Peace. Mary, Mother of God, pray for us! May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to you joining me for the celebration of Mass this weekend. Fr. Greg This weekend in our Gospel from John the discourse on the Bread of Life continues. Who is the Bread of Life? Jesus himself. As the one “who came down from heaven,” Jesus revealed to us an extraordinary truth of our faith. We are never alone, for God himself is with us, the second person of the Trinity, his Son Jesus Christ, all made possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. Enough Theology 101 for now.
One of the beautiful hymns in our Catholic library of music is “I am the Bread of Life.” Did you know that this hymn was written by Sister Suzanne Toolan of the Sisters of Mercy? As Sister Suzanne reflected… I wrote “I Am the Bread of Life” for a San Francisco archdiocesan event in 1964. I was teaching high school at the time and wrote the song during my free period. When the bell rang for the next class, I decided I didn’t like the music, so I tore it up and threw it in the wastepaper basket. My classroom was next to the infirmary, where the girls who didn’t want to take tests or were otherwise unprepared for class went for a period or two until they were tracked down by an exasperated teacher. As I left my classroom, a freshman girl came out of the infirmary and said, “What was that? It was beautiful!” I went back into my classroom, took the manuscript out of the basket and taped it together. It has had a life of its own ever since. “I Am the Bread of Life” began to appear in archdiocesan liturgies. There were many purple ditto copies going around. Not everyone liked the hymn. One liturgist gave talks on why it shouldn’t work, saying: “It is not metric; its tessitura [vocal range] is too high. Its tessitura is too low.” Others objected to it because they felt by placing the words of Jesus into the mouths of the assembly, those words were being attributed to the assembly. Travelers to Europe and Asia in the 70s and 80s would tell me about hearing “I Am the Bread of Life” in different countries. I have a copy of it in a Slavic language, in Korean and Spanish, but it has been sung in so many other languages. It is included in hymnals of other Christian faith traditions. I remember being introduced to a woman who was Episcopalian. When she heard my name she said, “Oh, number 335!”—the number of the hymn in the Episcopal Hymnal. I could never figure out how the hymn became popular. I know in our Roman Catholic tradition it came at the beginning of our use of the vernacular, and we simply didn’t have much to sing in our own language. But I also think its popularity stems from its message of resurrection, which is so strong in these words of Jesus. We so need that message of hope. I am always touched when people tell me that at the funeral of a mother, father or friend, these sung words of Jesus gave them consolation. Then I know the hymn has done its work. Indeed, my most vivid memory of this hymn is from my mother’s funeral in 1994, when it was sung by a young soprano as a solo during communion at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Rockville, Maryland. That rising chorus moved me then. It moves me now. (From SistersofMercy.org) I have known this hymn all of my life, and it just may be one of the most well known and enduring hymns of our time. It took a bit of searching, but I came across this rendition from the Notre Dame Folk Choir on YouTube. It is sung with great joy…click below and enjoy! I Am the Bread of Life - Notre Dame Folk Choir Thank you being a part of our community here at St. Julia. May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to you joining me for the celebration of Mass this weekend. Fr. Greg What is it that you hunger for? This is a simple question and yet one that is so profound. What is the first thing that comes to your mind? Was it something of this world? This is the question and essence of this Sunday’s Gospel from John. We may answer this question with a different answer at different points in our life on this our earthly journey. The challenge is, there are so many things here on earth that we are told will satisfy our hunger – the things of this world. That is what the marketers will say. Yet the divine marketer, our Lord, will tell us something different.
“I am the bread of life” says our Lord. There is only one thing that can satisfy the deepest hungers and longings in our hearts. That is God. It is God alone who can satisfy us, with the true bread from heaven, His son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the bread of life. The sooner we come to that realization and truly commit our lives to God, the sooner we will experience the fullness of life that God wants for each of us, and experience true joy. That is what I want for each of us here at St. Julia as well (and friends of St. Julia too!). May we all hunger for this same thing. That is my prayer. May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to you joining me for the celebration of Mass this weekend. Fr. Greg This Sunday we celebrate the First World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. The theme of this first World Day is “I am with you always” (cf. Mt 28:20). The theme’s purpose is to convey the closeness of God and the Church to the elderly and also to emphasize the intergenerational closeness between the young and the elderly.
This World Day that we are celebrating today can help us to understand that all of us, young and old, grandparents and grandchildren, whether or not we belong to the same family, are “one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call”. This awareness comforts us and shapes us as a people as we gather around the altar on which the Lord multiplies the bread of life and the Word of our salvation. The elderly (or the young at heart) − like the young − are important. Without them the body of the Church lacks something. That is why it is necessary for them to have their rightful place within each of our communities. It is crucial that we share in the lives of older people in the same way that the Lord, in giving us his Body and Blood, has made us sharers in his own. As the themes of “Love of God” and “Love of Neighbour” continue to resonate in the back of our minds, consider calling that grandparent or “young at heart” person in your life, to let them know that they are loved. Reassure them that we are united together at the celebration of the Mass, and that in a special way they will be prayed for at our Masses this weekend at St. Julia. And if that someone special has gone before us, remember that they continue to hear our prayers, and that they are praying for us. Click here to read Pope Francis’ Message YOUTUBE Pope Francis’ Message for the 1st World Day of Prayer for Grandparent and the Elderly May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to you joining me for the celebration of Mass this weekend. Fr. Greg It is so very good to see more and more of our parish family returning in person to the celebration of Mass. This is great cause to rejoice and offer prayers of thanksgiving. Not to jump the gun on the celebration of thanksgiving as time goes by fast enough on its own, recently I have been thinking more and more about the need to offer prayers of thanksgiving. This sounds nice, yet so many times it is over looked. How important it is, at the end of day, along with an examination of conscience, to simply count our blessings. To list off ten things that I am thankful for. The simple idea of opening my heart to God in thanksgiving has the power to transform my life and remind myself, ourselves, that we are truly blessed. If there is something weighing on our heart, the blessings outweigh that something.
In our Gospel from Mark 6:30-34 this Sunday, Jesus reminds us of the need to pause, to take a break from the routine, and to enter more fully in placing ourselves in the presence of the Lord. Some spiritual authors have referred to this “pause that refreshes” or as I learned in the seminary “living in the present moment.” By placing ourselves in the presence of our Lord and turning to our Lord in prayer, we have the opportunity to encounter our Lord, to pause, and to simply allow the love of Christ to pour over us. Counting our blessings is just one example. As more and more things begin to open up, may we always be people of thanksgiving, taking the time to pause, and allow our Lord to refresh us. May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to you joining me for the celebration of Mass this weekend. Fr. Greg Dear parishioners and friends of St. Julia Parish,
Yesterday I had the blessed opportunity to be able to attend a funeral, in person, at Our Lady of the Scapular Parish in Niagara Falls. This church holds a special place in my heart for it was there where I spent my pastoral year in my formation for the priesthood. At that time Msgr. Leo was the pastor, and he was a strong witness for me in his love for the people and his dedication to prayer. I will never forget that. While I was invited to concelebrate, all I wanted was to simply be in the pew, to be in that sacred place, to get on my knees in prayer, and to simply be still. It felt good. My desire is to lead each of us and those entrusted to my care to God, His son Jesus Christ, and to get us to heaven. It is in the stillness where we come to know God, and through prayer communicate with Him. There is no better place to do so than in church, our church of St. Julia. Consider joining us for Mass a little earlier to offer your prayers of thanksgiving and blessings, and to offer and make known your petitions. And to get on your knees in prayer, and to simply be still. It will feel good. Perhaps you have not been with us for some time, for the obvious, and perhaps not so obvious reasons. I warmly welcome you home. While we will continue to live stream our Masses, as we know there this no substitute for being in a sacred space, and to be fed by the Word of God and the Body of Christ, and to be together, as a community of believers. Again, it feels good. May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to you joining me for the celebration of Mass this weekend. Fr. Greg My dear friends in Christ,
Yesterday, Friday July 2 marked two years for me as your Pastor here at St. Julia. These two years have been like nothing one could ever have expected or prepared for. On one hand, 8 months into my time here everything stopped, as the people I have been called to serve were not able to join me in person for the celebration of Mass – the Mass being the “source and summit” of our faith. And yet, God put remarkable people into my path to be able to continue to serve each of you, only now virtually. Without missing a beat, we were able to launch the live streaming of our Mass on a YouTube channel…who would have ever thought. In the midst of a pandemic, we were able to upgrade our sound system, replace windows, and undertake a brick repointing project. Paint rollers were put into action, and the parish office, lower entrance, upper and lower restrooms, the parish hall and kitchen too were all freshened. Perhaps the greatest transformation was that of our new crucifix in the sanctuary that redefines our worship space and gives us the much-needed focus of why we are here and remind us of what Christ did for each of us – all in love. The gardens were beautified, and so much more, all in order to welcome all, and to make all feel welcome in this church dedicated to St. Julia. Now, with our new logo and electronic sign coming in the future, the theme of welcome continues as we look to the future and the next chapter of St. Julia. The generosity of so many with their time, talents, and treasures has made all of this possible. For this I am most grateful. I pray that you too are pleased with all of the enhancements both inside and out. With each passing week I see more and more faces of those who I have missed seeing these past 16 months. Please help me in reaching out to our parish family in letting that someone know that we are open and ready to welcome them back to the celebration of Mass. The live stream has been wonderful, and yet in our hearts we know that there is no substitute for joining us in person for Mass and to be fed with the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. With many now having received their second vaccination and waiting the two weeks to be considered fully vaccinated, the time has come to welcome all back to St. Julia. That being said, all of the protocols that we have had in place since day one and have enforced continue to be in place, including: mandatory masks, sanitizer at multiple points in the church, social distancing in the pews, distribution of communion at the end of Mass to assist with the flow of people to prevent congestion, and the sanitizing of pews and touchpoints at the end of our celebrations. Thank you so very much for continuing to keep this worship space safe for the safety and benefit of all, and now, for peace of mind as we continue to do our part to bring this pandemic to an end while being able to worship as a community. It is with love that I warmly welcome more and more back to Mass, and it is with that same love that I look forward to continuing to serve our community, now with a focus on mission. May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to you joining me for the celebration of Mass this weekend. Fr. Greg My dear friends in Christ,
Some of the most comforting words found in Sacred Scripture are the words “Do not be afraid.” We will again here Jesus speak these words this weekend as will be proclaimed in Mark 5:21-43. These are Jesus’ words, meant to come alive for us. Fear can keep us from living our lives as God calls us and wants us to live. Free of fear, anxiety, and free of sin. We are called to replace fear with hope, anxiety with peace, and sin with grace. Quite simply, that is what I want for all of us – my family and each of you my spiritual family. Yesterday I had the blessed opportunity to encounter Christ in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This involves honesty in acknowledging my sins, and humility in confessing them. It is the same for all of us. After hearing the words of absolution, my sins were forgiven. I completed my penance. And as I write this little reflection, I simply feel a sense of peace, having encountered Christ in the sacrament, and received the graces that I need to try and do better. I am a work in progress. This is my new beginning as I desire to mirror and imitate Christ. It is likely that it has been some time since you last encountered Christ’s healing and forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). This is your personal invitation. Confessions are heard Saturdays from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. or by appointment. Do not be afraid. The temporary location is in the quiet room, a more favourable location to ensure physical distancing. Care to go to another parish to have your confession heard? A different priest each day hears confessions at St. Denis Parish Monday through Friday from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Our other neighbouring parishes are another option. Do not be afraid. Some still may not be comfortable coming to the church quite yet. Very soon, I pray. In the meantime, make a good examination of conscience followed by an act of contrition. There are a variety of Acts of Contrition: Act of Contrition (traditional) O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen. Act of Contrition (alternate form) My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy. An Act of Contrition inspired by the Gospels Father of mercy, like the prodigal son I return to you and say: "I have sinned against you and am no longer worthy to be called your child." Christ Jesus, Savior of the world, I pray with the repentant thief to whom you promised Paradise: "Lord, remember me in your kingdom." Holy Spirit, fountain of love, I call on you with trust: "Purify my heart, and help me to walk as a child of light." This is what I want for all of you. Do not be afraid. Allow Christ’s abundant mercy to shower you. May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to you joining me for the celebration of Mass this weekend. Fr. Greg My dear friends in Christ,
This Sunday in our Gospel from Mark 4:35-41, we will hear Jesus speak the words “Quiet! Be Still!” For these last 15 plus months we have been exactly that. Quietly, in our homes and residences, we have done our part to “flatten the curve” in the midst of this pandemic. We have waited patiently for things to reopen, not once, not twice, but now a third time. Having just received my second vaccination on Friday, there is indeed the feeling that we are emerging from this time of quietness, stillness, and this time of being apart, physically, as a spiritual family. With our ability to welcome 15% maximum capacity this past weekend and more in the near future, under the masks, I see the joy in those able to be with me in returning to Mass. And to do what? To be fed with the Word of God and physically with the Body of Christ. To kneel in a sacred space. To be with fellow disciples. To offer prayers of thanksgiving. And to be still. In this same Gospel, is very clear when it questions us: Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey? If we accept the Gospel account that the wind and the sea obeyed Jesus, then we must answer this question. If we reject that the wind and the sea obeyed Jesus, then we are left without faith and without any belief that this Jesus has any special role. It is this Jesus, I pray, who has a very special role in your life. This Jesus who you hunger to welcome into the very depths of your soul. To open your heart to, and to simply be with, in our home of St. Julia. To those joining us this weekend after some time, I look forward to welcoming you home. To those in the coming weeks, we are ready for your return. It is our faith and belief in Jesus that has carried us through these times together. And when we are faced with the next winds in life, it will be Jesus who carries us once again, and to bring the calm we so desire. That is faith in action. That is who we are. May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to you joining me for the celebration of Mass this weekend. Fr. Greg |
AuthorFrom Our Pastor Archives
July 2024
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