Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia,
Pope Francis arrived in the capital city of Lisbon, Portugal on Wednesday and World Youth Day 2023 is now well underway! "Mary arose and went with haste" (Lk 1:39) is the bible quote chosen by Pope Francis as the motto for WYD 2023. In exploring the WYD website, below is the theme for this year unpacked for us: The biblical phrase (a quote from the Gospel of St. Luke) opens the account of the Visitation (Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth), a biblical episode following the Annunciation (the angel’s announcement to Mary that she would be the mother of the Son of God, and the theme of the last WYD, in Panama). During their conversation of the Annunciation, the angel also tells Mary that her older cousin, thought to be sterile, is pregnant. After affirming to the angel ” Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word ” (Lk 1:38), it is then that Mary sets out for Ain Karim, a village near Jerusalem where Elizabeth lived and was awaiting the birth of John, who would become Saint John the Baptist. Mary of Nazareth is the great figure of the Christian journey. She teaches us to say yes to God. She was the protagonist of the last edition of WYD and will be so once again in Lisbon. In the biblical episode of the Visitation, the action of standing up presents Mary as both a woman of charity and a missionary woman. Leaving in haste represents the attitude depicted in Pope Francis’ indications for WYD Lisbon 2023: "may young people’s evangelization be active and missionary, for this is how they will recognize and witness the presence of the living Christ." Addressing young people in particular, and challenging them to be courageous missionaries, the following was written by the Pope in the Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit: "Where does Jesus send us? There are no borders, no limits: he sends us everywhere. The Gospel is for everyone, not just for some" (CV 177). This message is indeed for all of us, for the young and the young at heart. Below you will find the link to the WYD 2023 website. Explore it. Prayer with it. Embrace it. Wishing you a grace-filled month of August, and may God bless you and those that you love, Fr. Greg
We welcome Fr. Sam Samuel V.C., a Vincentian Missionary Priest from India, to our parish this weekend to participate in our Annual Missionary Cooperation Plan. He will share his missionary experience at all the Masses this weekend and will make an appeal on behalf of the Vincentian Missions. The Vincentian Missionaries need our help to carry out their many missionary, educational and charitable activities in their missions. They also request our special financial support for the training of young men studying for priesthood. There will be special collection this weekend to help the Missionary work of the Vincentian Missionaries. We urge you to be very generous in your mission offering since these Missionaries need our help. If you did not have an opportunity to make an offering this weekend or would like to make an additional offering, you may make your offering through the general parish collection next weekend in a specially marked envelope. Thank you very much for your prayers and generous financial support .The Vincentian Missionaries keep you and our parish in their prayers and Masses. 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 parish family and friends of St. Julia, This Sunday we celebrate the Third World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. Pope Francis’ chosen theme for this year’s World Day is “His mercy is from age to age” (Lk 1:50). 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. To showcase this theme, the CCCB Standing Committee for Family and Life, in tandem with its Office, produced a 30 second video which captures a group of high school students visiting the elderly at a retirement home. The heartwarming interaction of old and young wonderfully represents this year’s World Day theme and inspires us to find concrete and creative ways to draw near to the elderly. 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 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 parish family and friends of St. Julia, The parable of the sower has been lived out many times over my years of involvement with the RCIA. It is a rewarding and blessed experience. We have had Mothers and Fathers wanting to journey with their children who are receiving the sacraments in the school. Couples wanting to marry in the church. Those wanting to complete the sacraments of initiation. Yet many come seeking baptism and initiation into a life with Christ, but despite our efforts, not all stay connected to their newfound faith or our community. Some become distracted once the newness wears off. Some become discouraged when tragedy overwhelms them. Yet many continue to be models of faith for the body of Christ. As a priest, that is most rewarding to witness, all with the help of the Holy Spirit. I will say, thanks be to God, the vast majority of our new Catholics here at St. Julia are rooted in this community. Amen. As a community, we are called to till the soil and to nurture the seeds of faith by our fellowship and example, and those seeking a life of faith must remain open to the light and life that Christ offers. Our RCIA journey will begin once again in October. The time is now to plant those seeds, asking the question "Have you ever considered becoming Catholic?" Read Matthew 13:1-23 before joining us for mass this weekend. Let the seed be planted in your heart, and may that seed be nurtured by the Word of God and the Eucharist at mass as we continue to cultivate those seeds as a family of believers. May God bless each of you and those that you love, Fr. Greg Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia, Are you tired, weary or perhaps carrying a burden? During times of stress and conflict, God beckons us to take a time-out. To stop. To breathe. To pray. During trying times and seasons, draw close to God and bask in His faithfulness and affection. Whether the stress of a situation remains or is removed, our souls can rest in Him. As we gather for mass this weekend, listen closely and reflect upon our Gospel from Matthew 11:25-30. May God bless each of you and those that you love, Fr. Greg Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia, This weekend we will hear Psalm 89 sung as part of our responsorial psalm: "For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord." The Psalms, found in the Old Testament are a collection of prayers assembled over several centuries, composed of sacred songs, or sacred poems, meant to be sung. The psalms have been used since Jesus' time as the public prayer of the Church. , With the end of school year masses now complete, diplomas handed out at graduations, and teachers turning off the lights in their classrooms for another school year, we give thanks for the goodness that the Lord has showered upon our children and their families, administrators, teachers, and support staff too. As we begin this new month and enter into the summer months together as a parish family, my prayers of thanksgiving continue as I sing and give thanks for the goodness that the Lord has poured out upon our community. I also pray that the goodness of the Lord will shower upon each of you and those that you love, not only this day, but always. While many from our parish will travel over the summer months, please know of my prayers and be assured that we will be united in prayer at the celebration of the mass here at our spiritual home of St. Julia. Enjoy the long weekend and see you at mass, Fr. Greg Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia, Count our Blessings. Our community of St. Julia has been blessed in endless ways. The gift of our children first comes to mind. The children, and in a special way the Kindergarten children of St. Peter Catholic Elementary School first come to mind. Last Sunday, they so beautifully led us in our ministries at our 9:00 a.m. mass, and again at our end of school year mass this past Wednesday. These children are a gift to our community. Graduations take place next week, with St. Peter on Monday and Denis Morris Catholic High School on Tuesday. For the blessings of these young people, our graduates, we count our blessings. For the gift of our families, and the love we share, we count our blessings. For the opportunity to gather as a parish family for our BBQ this Sunday, we count our blessings. For the gift of this community that we call home, we count our blessings. For the freedom we enjoy to practice and live out our faith, we count our blessings. For the wonderful things taking place in our parish, as we continue to care for this church dedicated to St. Julia, we count our blessings, and for your continued generosity to our parish. The endless list of things to count our blessings for, we give thanks. And for the most precious gift of all, the gift of our faith, we count our blessings. All of these blessings we count come from God. And for each of you, my parish family, a blessing in my life, I count my blessings. May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I wish you a safe and blessed summer season. I look forward to us gathering for mass this weekend. Fr. Greg Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia,
This Wednesday, June 21, marks the first day of summer, and next Saturday, June 24, we celebrate the feast of John the Baptist, one of the greatest saints. John understood that his role was to prepare the way for Christ, and then to step aside: “He must increase, I must decrease” (John 3:30). The birth of Jesus is celebrated at Christmas in December—at the Winter Solstice, as the sun begins to “increase” in day light and the day light grows longer each day. The Bible indicates that John was born six months before Jesus (Luke 1:26), so his birth is celebrated during the Summer Solstice, as the sun begins to “decrease” in day light and day light becomes shorter. Summer Solstice has the longest day light and Winter Solstice has the shortest day light. Thus, what St. John the Baptist says of his mission – is even reflected in nature – days become shorter after the feast of John the Baptist and days become longer after Christ’s birth – He must increase, I must decrease. There is a great deal of activity taking place in our parish community this past week and in the upcoming weeks as we progress through the month of June. End of school year masses and graduations. Our family mass this Sunday morning, with the ministries provided by our kindergarden children of St. Peter Catholic Elementary School. Our Parish Family BBQ next Sunday, June 25. Our regrading and landscaping project at the lower entrance. Our hydragenes are getting ready to bloom with literally hundreds of blooms. All wonderful things as we celebrate the gift of this community of St. Julia. All gifts from God. May God bless each of you and those that you love. Fr. Greg Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia,
The Mass is the “source and summit” of our faith. It is what makes us who we are as Catholics and to receive the Eucharist. The Eucharist – the Body and Blood of Christ. No where else can we find this. We gather as a parish family, a community of believers, not to be seen, but to be fed by the Word of God and the Body and Blood of Christ. This is what our sisters and brothers, children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, students and teachers, neighbours, colleagues, friends – everyone needs to hear. In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI remarked at Mass for the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ that “the Eucharist has the power to unite people, strengthen them and remind them that only God is worthy of worship.” He would go on to say "to adore the body of Christ means to believe that there, in that piece of bread, there really is Christ who gives meaning to our lives, to the immense universe as well as to the smallest creature and to all of human history as well as to the briefest existence." The power to unite and strengthen. What is it that brings us together? That is what this Sunday is all about. The Eucharist. It is what unites us. It is the spiritual food that we need. With all that is going on around us, and what appears to be pulling us apart, what we need is that which unites and strengthens us all the more. And that is the Eucharist. To be present and still in a sacred place. To come together, and know from the very depths of our soul that we are all loved by our creator and God. I encourage you to invite someone to join us for mass this weekend at St. Julia. That personal invitation or welcome back just might be what they need to hear and what they have been waiting for. May God bless each of you and those that you love. Fr. Greg Dear parishioners and friends of St. Julia Parish,
What does it mean to love, to share love, and to be loved? In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul told the early church and each of us today that: “The love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” Love. The gift of love that Paul described was “poured” into our hearts. It is like an endless stream. It is plentiful and life enhancing. From eternity, God must be self-communicating love. This in turn means that God possesses his identity only in a distinction within himself between lover and beloved, who are both one in love. It is here that we have a starting point for the understanding of the Trinity, and one that proceeds not from knowledge in the word but from self-communicating love. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us: “The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in Himself. It is, therefore, the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the ‘hierarchy of the truths of faith.”’ (CCC No. 234) This means that the love that exists among the Three Persons in One God should also be present in us. So, what is this love that is shared among the Three Persons of the Trinity? This love is a movement of giving and receiving, and in this movement there are three distinct relations. The Father is purely a giver and sender of love; the Son receives life, glory, and power from the Father, which he receives to pass on; in the Spirit the faithful receive the gift of the Father through the Son, so that we may share in this gift. Thus, in the Father, loves exists as pure source, that pours itself out. Though the three Persons of the Trinity have different roles in the salvation history of humankind, they are equally one and are bound by love. We may not be able to understand the mystery of the Blessed Trinity, but we can feel the love that is a fruit of their oneness. The Trinity is the best example of a perfect and loving community. So how do we bring the love of the trinity into our world? The love of the Trinity must be felt in our families, in our communities, in our country, and in fact the whole world. The Trinity reveals to us that love is at the essence of each person’s calling and our vocations, whether that is to marriage, the single life or to the priesthood and religious life. These are the deepest ways of living out that love. Therefore, we must ask if we are imaging the Trinity in our loves: in our marriages and families; in our places of work; in our schools, in our communities. Are we becoming persons of communion? This notion of communion is integral to the Trinity. If this happens, then the world that the Father has created, and the Son has redeemed, and the Spirit has guided, will be very similar to the Trinity who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Where there is love there is community; there is connectedness. That’s what Trinity Sunday is all about. And once again, that is where we fit in. We can recognize that we are designed for those things, because we are made in the image and likeness of God. Trinity Sunday reminds us that image, that likeness, finds it’s oneness, it’s wholeness, it’s completeness in the revelation that our God is one God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All too often we come to Trinity Sunday looking for an answer to a mystery, as if we are looking for the answer to a riddle. We come looking for an explanation on how this one God in three persons is possible. As finite, human beings, we will never arrive at that answer. We can turn to analogies, such as St. Patrick and the clover, and yet every analogy falls short. Trinity Sunday calls us not to focus on the “how” but rather on the “who” that is revealed today. Our God, this one God in three persons, tells us their existence is based on being in relationship to one another. The depth of love uniting Father, Son and Spirit makes it impossible to consider each person independently. We find then that every striving of our souls for union, every reaching for companionship, every urge for a hug and embrace, every act of love gives testimony to the Trinity. In our world of smart phones, emails, tweeting, and texting, we are still looking for connection and companionship. We who are made in the image and likeness of God find a need within ourselves to mirror our origins. On this Trinity Sunday, the Church calls us to meditate on the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. At the same time, it presents us with an opportunity to gain insight into ourselves, to see what motivates us, and how we were created to live and love. May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love. Fr. Greg |
AuthorFrom Our Pastor Archives
July 2024
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