|
Annual General Meeting
Pastoral Report – April 16, 2023 This is the first Annual General Meeting Report concerning our Parish Ministry since I have arrived in Our Lady of Peace in August of 2019. It is hard to forget March of 2020 when the pandemic changed the way we gathered as a parish, the way we ministered, the way we lived our lives and the friends and family we lost. The purpose of this report is not to give a detailed account of what has happened since March of 2020 in terms of ministry within the parish but rather it is to look at some of the areas that need attention in our faith community. It is also my intention to highlight some of the things that have been happening. Above all it is my intention to say thank you to the many people who make real in their daily lives the message of Jesus. In the Upper Room when Jesus breathed on the disciples, pouring out the Spirit upon them and giving them the gift of peace, he also placed on their hearts the work of forgiveness. I give thanks for the way in which we as people of faith, forgive one another, sharing mercy, being a people who refuse to buy into the words and actions of ‘hate’ and ‘judgment’ that are so readily visible in our culture today, words and actions that marginalize people and suggest that they are less than fully human. Pope Francis invites us to enlarge the tent of the Church so that all may find a home. Thank you for sharing in that ministry. This report will look at our life and ministry in terms of Liturgy, Prayer, Catechesis, Sacraments, Outreach and Social. Liturgy Over the last few years, I have heard people express appreciation for our Liturgies – the Mass, Funeral Celebrations, and Sacraments. There is good involvement of people, there is good music, the environment of the Church is clean and well decorated with an emphasis on simplicity. I have heard from many people that they appreciate my homilies and my style of celebration which is welcoming and reverent while also being somewhat engaging. I have a few concerns.
Overall, from what I hear our community is a community of prayer. We are good at personal private prayer at home. Our engagement in communal prayer is another story. When we have had special prayer moments – litanies, novenas, celebrations of the Word, the rosary, Taize evenings, Sung Evening Prayer, 6 Hours for the Lord, Stations of the Cross we have had some people take part. Again, I am concerned that many people choose not to take part. The same people come together in prayer and the number seems to be growing smaller. Are these celebrations held at the wrong time? Are they not well advertised? What prevents people from taking part? Our individual, personal and private prayer in our homes is a sign of a community of disciples. Our lack of engagement in communal, devotional prayer is an area of concern. Our efforts at live streaming have been well received and there is a sizeable group of people here in our parish who are unable due to health and life circumstances to take part physically in our celebrations. They have let me know of their virtual participation and they appreciate the effort to live stream our prayer. CATECHESIS Somehow, many Catholics have settled into a way of thinking that suggests once the sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) are received there is no need for further catechism and for further learning. This manner of thinking is not healthy. God continues to teach us and reveal God’s self to us; in other words, we are lifelong learners. If we no longer pay attention to growing our faith life, our relationship with God shrinks and our connection to the Church suffers. Taking part in our communal prayer life and coming to our Sunday masses is an essential way of learning about our God. Prior to the pandemic the pastor was responsible for preparing couples for marriage and for baptism. The pastor was also instrumental in preparing children for reconciliation, confirmation and first eucharist. As Catholics we need to nurture our faith our whole life long. I want to express my concern that many people who come seeking baptism for their children do not come to Church before or after the celebration of the sacrament. In addition, many people resent the little catechesis that is offered them and some walk away because I will not immediately baptize their child. The sacrament of Baptism is not a magic ritual that protects our children from going to hell. The sacrament of Baptism is our entry into the Body of Christ, the Church. It is the first step in a wonderful relationship with people of faith that reaches its culmination when we are united in the Communion of Saints. A new baptismal formation program is in place. It is not a punishment for people, rather it is an effort to give people the information and the relationships they need to realize that we are baptized into the Church. The baptismal formation program involves reading and reflecting together on the Gospel of St. Luke. It also involves a few sessions on the meaning of Baptism and the ritual. The program will be delivered communally – people will get to know other folks who are preparing for the baptism of their children. The program also involves people showing up for Sunday mass as a sign that they really want to be a part of the Body of Christ. An additional concern that I have rests around our young people taking part in catechetical programs. Young people ought to find themselves introduced to the faith in a way that they can understand. This process deepens as they get older. Studying our faith gives us the chance to deepen our relationship with God and the Church. At one time we had catechism classes. When I arrived as pastor, I was able to find a few people who were willing to accompany our young people as they prepared for the sacraments. Because of the pandemic, we stopped our in-person gatherings. Since then, families have been preparing their children on their own. I have volunteered to accompany them and answer questions. I think it is time for us to gather in person once again for catechism. What that might look like is up to us – those with children and those who are willing to minister as catechists, sharing faith. Considering that, we need to have some conversations about catechists. We can begin small and then build our plan. Sacraments and Outreach One of the ways for us to experience God is through the celebration of the sacraments. Sacraments are not an end in themselves. They offer us an experience of God and of community. If it is our intention to have our children experience a sacrament without regular participation in the life of the parish, we need to think again about what it means to be a Catholic. As Catholics we need to welcome people into the Church, and we need to be generous in welcoming them. Sacraments are not a reward for coming to the Church. They are celebrations of faith. They mark our journey. They are not prizes to be received, they are gifts to be opened and to be celebrated repeatedly. As Catholics we need to make visible our faith. We lament the fact that our numbers are decreasing. The Eucharist – Our attendance at the Eucharist is often sporadic. Sometimes we are 150 and sometimes we are 80 people in attendance. There are many more Catholics in our community. I have been praying for the moment when we will have so many people at our Sunday liturgy that we will have to add a second Sunday mass. As of today, our highest attended Sunday mass counted approximately 150 people. We have room for more than 200 people. How do we encourage their involvement and participation? Reconciliation – The sacrament of reconciliation is our way of growing in our faith, nurturing the attitude of forgiveness. Jesus himself has encouraged us to forgive. Our engagement in this sacrament has diminished significantly. What is the reason for this? Sacrament of Anointing the Sick – There are several people in our community who are home bound and suffering in some way. I would like us to talk about us setting up a Pastoral Care Committee. The purpose of the Committee members would be three-fold – take communion to the sick following our Sunday celebration and notify the pastor when someone needs to be anointed. Outreach – Our parish has proven to be generous in our Advent and Lenten Programs for the Door of Hope. In addition, people were generous in supporting the initiative of furnishing a room in The Northwest Community Lodge. We need to continue to look at how we might reach out and support members in our community who are in need. Social – Over the last few years various attempts have been made to gather for social gatherings, including coffee and snacks after weekday masses, pancake breakfasts, potluck suppers, winter fun days, hotdogs - hot chocolate - ice cream after mass, bingos, teas, and an evening of wine cheese. It is important that we continue to gather as a community of believers. More efforts are being planned which will hopefully help us to reach out to our brothers and sisters to let them know that they are welcome and that they are valued. Pastoral Council – We have not chosen people to serve on our pastoral council since the pandemic. We must reactivate our Pastoral Council. Please think about volunteering for this important ministry. A huge word of thanks to those who have helped animate (ministers and leaders) the parish since my arrival. Please know that I greatly appreciate your generosity.
0 Comments
Act of Consecration
to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Basilica of Saint Peter 25 March 2022 O Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, in this time of trial we turn to you. As our Mother, you love us and know us: no concern of our hearts is hidden from you. Mother of mercy, how often we have experienced your watchful care and your peaceful presence! You never cease to guide us to Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Yet we have strayed from that path of peace. We have forgotten the lesson learned from the tragedies of the last century, the sacrifice of the millions who fell in two world wars. We have disregarded the commitments we made as a community of nations. We have betrayed peoples’ dreams of peace and the hopes of the young. We grew sick with greed, we thought only of our own nations and their interests, we grew indifferent and caught up in our selfish needs and concerns. We chose to ignore God, to be satisfied with our illusions, to grow arrogant and aggressive, to suppress innocent lives and to stockpile weapons. We stopped being our neighbour’s keepers and stewards of our common home. We have ravaged the garden of the earth with war and by our sins we have broken the heart of our heavenly Father, who desires us to be brothers and sisters. We grew indifferent to everyone and everything except ourselves. Now with shame we cry out: Forgive us, Lord! Holy Mother, amid the misery of our sinfulness, amid our struggles and weaknesses, amid the mystery of iniquity that is evil and war, you remind us that God never abandons us, but continues to look upon us with love, ever ready to forgive us and raise us up to new life. He has given you to us and made your Immaculate Heart a refuge for the Church and for all humanity. By God’s gracious will, you are ever with us; even in the most troubled moments of our history, you are there to guide us with tender love. We now turn to you and knock at the door of your heart. We are your beloved children. In every age you make yourself known to us, calling us to conversion. At this dark hour, help us and grant us your comfort. Say to us once more: “Am I not here, I who am your Mother?” You are able to untie the knots of our hearts and of our times. In you we place our trust. We are confident that, especially in moments of trial, you will not be deaf to our supplication and will come to our aid. That is what you did at Cana in Galilee, when you interceded with Jesus and he worked the first of his signs. To preserve the joy of the wedding feast, you said to him: “They have no wine” (Jn 2:3). Now, O Mother, repeat those words and that prayer, for in our own day we have run out of the wine of hope, joy has fled, fraternity has faded. We have forgotten our humanity and squandered the gift of peace. We opened our hearts to violence and destructiveness. How greatly we need your maternal help! Therefore, O Mother, hear our prayer. Star of the Sea, do not let us be shipwrecked in the tempest of war. Ark of the New Covenant, inspire projects and paths of reconciliation. Queen of Heaven, restore God’s peace to the world. Eliminate hatred and the thirst for revenge, and teach us forgiveness. Free us from war, protect our world from the menace of nuclear weapons. Queen of the Rosary, make us realize our need to pray and to love. Queen of the Human Family, show people the path of fraternity. Queen of Peace, obtain peace for our world. O Mother, may your sorrowful plea stir our hardened hearts. May the tears you shed for us make this valley parched by our hatred blossom anew. Amid the thunder of weapons, may your prayer turn our thoughts to peace. May your maternal touch soothe those who suffer and flee from the rain of bombs. May your motherly embrace comfort those forced to leave their homes and their native land. May your Sorrowful Heart move us to compassion and inspire us to open our doors and to care for our brothers and sisters who are injured and cast aside. Holy Mother of God, as you stood beneath the cross, Jesus, seeing the disciple at your side, said: “Behold your son” (Jn 19:26). In this way he entrusted each of us to you. To the disciple, and to each of us, he said: “Behold, your Mother” (v. 27). Mother Mary, we now desire to welcome you into our lives and our history. At this hour, a weary and distraught humanity stands with you beneath the cross, needing to entrust itself to you and, through you, to consecrate itself to Christ. The people of Ukraine and Russia, who venerate you with great love, now turn to you, even as your heart beats with compassion for them and for all those peoples decimated by war, hunger, injustice and poverty. Therefore, Mother of God and our Mother, to your Immaculate Heart we solemnly entrust and consecrate ourselves, the Church and all humanity, especially Russia and Ukraine. Accept this act that we carry out with confidence and love. Grant that war may end and peace spread throughout the world. The “Fiat” that arose from your heart opened the doors of history to the Prince of Peace. We trust that, through your heart, peace will dawn once more. To you we consecrate the future of the whole human family, the needs and expectations of every people, the anxieties and hopes of the world. Through your intercession, may God’s mercy be poured out on the earth and the gentle rhythm of peace return to mark our days. Our Lady of the “Fiat”, on whom the Holy Spirit descended, restore among us the harmony that comes from God. May you, our “living fountain of hope”, water the dryness of our hearts. In your womb Jesus took flesh; help us to foster the growth of communion. You once trod the streets of our world; lead us now on the paths of peace. Amen. 3/12/2022 0 Comments Fasting For Lent - Pope FrancisPope Francis is offering us a suggestion for our Lenten Fasting:
1/14/2022 0 Comments Synod Talk, January 9thSynod Talk - January 2022
Our readings today remind us that we belong to God and when God looks at us, God looks at us with love and with concern. Pope Francis is calling the whole Church to engage in a Synod Process. You have heard about it, we are praying for the Synod and now we are going to learn more about it and we are going to do something about it. The purpose of this Synod process is to help us deepen our sense of Communion, encourage our Participation in the life of the Church, and awaken our sense of Mission in our local parish. These are the goals of the Synod. What do they mean? Communion – What happens to you has an impact on me. We are connected to each other and each of us is important. We all have a role to play in living out the gospel. We are to care for each other. God, the Church needs us to connect with each other. Participation – We are all qualified to listen and to serve one another in love. We are all called to engage in the act of deep and respectful listening even when it is hard. We are being asked to serve one another by listening closely to the stories that we tell and supporting one another in our daily lives. Mission – My parish needs me to be involved in the work of sharing the Gospel. The little things I do make a difference. We are witnesses of God’s love. Where is God leading us? What can I do to help God ‘love’ the world? The word Synod means to walk together. Too often we, as members of the Church, do our own thing – we all do it: from the Pope on down to you and me! We do what suits us – what we want. Our first question is often, “How does that impact me?” We seldom think about how this impacts the Earth, my neighbour, my parish, or people in other countries. Pope Francis is inviting us to lift up our eyes to see what is happening around us, to open our ears and to listen to others and to share my story – how I see myself within the Church and the world. This Synod is an opportunity for us to come together and to connect with one another in a deeper way. There are a few Gospel values being highlighted in the Synod process. The Synod is a time for speaking – for making my voice heard. The Synod is a time for listening – for paying attention to what others are saying about their life and their experience of God and the Church. The Synod is a time for change – for making new choices that fit this time in our history. The Synod is a time for including people we have given up on and people who have given up on us. So, what is the Synod asking of us concretely? Each parish is to gather people in small groups of 6-8 people. The groups are to be composed of a cross section of people from the Parish – People who go to Church, people who don’t, people who are young/old, people who are new to the parish and people who are not, people who are immigrants and people who grew up in the area. The groups are invited to follow a process. When everyone is present, we introduce ourselves and begin our work with a simple prayer. Following the prayer there are 3 moments which are guided by a leader: Moment One: We invite, but do not force people to share their thoughts and feelings around the following themes:
Moment Two: We invite, but do not force people to share what struck them as they listened to people in the group. We can ask questions of clarification. This is not a time for us to argue or persuade others to see things our way. This moment is about understanding the experience and the stories of the other people. After each person has had the opportunity to share their response to these questions we sit in silence. Moment Three: We invite, but do not force people to share with the group members what touched them deeply and what might the Holy Spirit be asking of us at this particular time in our history as a people. As this process unfolds, one person records the insights and reflections offered by group members and then hands the paper into the Parish Office so that we can on the one hand, understand ‘the feeling’ of the parish members and at the same time share this information with the larger Church. The hope is that at each level of Church, (parish, diocese, Universal Church) we grow in our understanding of one another and grow in our ability to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus! Today, I am inviting you to think about this process. If the Synod is to work, we need you, your prayer, your involvement, and your participation. If you remain silent, we will not grow as a community, we will not be walking together. As you think about the process, ask yourself, “Can I lead a group?”. If so, contact the parish office and leave your name, phone number and email address. We will gather those who are willing to be leaders and give you a brief training session with a few dos and don’ts to help you lead the groups. Our groups can meet in the Church, in the Parish Hall or if you and the members of your group are comfortable with doing so, you can meet in a home. For those who are technically minded we can also have groups meet by Zoom. Those groups who choose to meet in person, please remember the SaskHealth Guidelines to mask up, to sanitize and to social distance. As you think about the process, please consider being a group member. Not everyone wants to be a group leader. We do need to hear from you – all of you. Please let us know if you would like to be in a group and if you want to meet physically or if you prefer to use the Zoom platform. Does anyone have a question? Closing Comments: Personally, I am excited that our Holy Father and our Bishop are giving us the opportunity to speak to one another and to listen to one another. I look forward to listening to you and hearing from you. It is my hope that this process will lead to healing and new life within us and our faith community. This process can help us understand each other – the things we hold in common, our differences, our hopes and dreams, our concerns and fears, our faith questions, and our faith commitments. This is not about making everyone think or do the same things. This process is about seeing and understanding one another. This process can help us be a better parish. This process can help us live the Gospel in our daily lives. May we walk together in hope, with the Holy Spirit as our guide! To the faith-filled people of the Meadow Lake Cluster:
It is Christmas and we have become accustomed to wearing masks, social distancing, sanitizing, and limiting our group interactions. We are also getting more accustomed to using technology to stay in touch. Our actual physical encounters are shaped by our desire to care for each other. The virus has, unexpectedly, taken from us family members and friends. We must remember that we are more than this virus – our love of Jesus shapes our response to it and our mission to love one another. I write this on the Feast of St. John of the Cross. In today’s gospel, St. Matthew tells the story of two sons, one who says, ‘yes’ and does not do what he said he would do and the other who says ‘no’ and then reconsiders, doing what is asked of him. Jesus reminds us that what we end up doing matters. In the ideal scenario our words and actions match each other. In reality, we often say one thing and do another. St. Matthew reminds us that Jesus lived the message he shared. When I review the year, I am delighted to say that I have seen you reaching out to care for one another in your daily life. When there has been a need, when people have felt isolated, experienced disappointments, when death has visited families, people have responded with generosity and care. While there have been some struggles, we have worked together for the common good. When I look at the people of Waterhen Lake, Green Lake and Meadow Lake, I am touched by the way you care for the buildings and properties of the Church that help us to learn, gather, celebrate, and serve as a people of faith. It is my hope that our financial needs will be met as we grow in our commitment to care for one another and for the God who has gifted us with life. I am also moved by the things you do outside the Church in your local communities. Two events stand out for me this year. One is the outpouring of grief that flows from the experience of so many of our brothers and sisters because of the Residential School System. The consequences of this System, the breakdown of culture and family life and the role of the Government and the Church continues to be felt today. As non-indigenous people, it may be hard to understand and appreciate the social and cultural wounds caused by this System. Today the Holy Spirit calls us to listen to others and to reflect on the wounds they bear. The healing of these wounds requires that we walk together. Let us take every opportunity to listen to each other. As Catholics, Pope Francis calls us to dialogue – to speak and to listen. Perhaps this tool can help us as we walk the way of reconciliation. The second significant event this year has been the announcement of the worldwide Synod called for by Pope Francis. He is inviting us to listen; to listen personally, locally, nationally, and globally to the voices of one another and to the voices of the earth. I will say more about this as the New Year unfolds. This call, prompted by the Holy Spirit, is for us to move beyond our own interests and pay attention to what is happening around us. As we look ahead, these two events will help shape our year as a people of faith. While they offer us significant challenges, they are also opportunities for us to walk together and work together. As a Church, we must attend to our relationships with Inuit, Indigenous and Metis peoples. Locally we can make a difference. Together we can pray, listen, work, and invest in personal relationships. Creating a reconciled community is not about a sound bite, a newspaper headline, or a photo opportunity; it is about concrete actions carried out by ordinary people living ordinary lives. As a Church, Pope Francis, in calling for the Synod, is giving us the opportunity to deepen our relationships within our parish and beyond. He is inviting us to walk together, to listen to one another and to make sure we have safe places to gather. Made in the image and likeness of God, saved by the death and resurrection of Jesus, sent by the Holy Spirit we are encouraged to invest ourselves in the mission of the Church, the wellbeing of the world and of our earth. This year we give thanks for the work, prayer, and friendship of Bishop Albert Thevenot. With his retirement we experience a loss, and we also experience a gift, a new leader, Bishop Stephen Hero. We look forward to welcoming him to our communities. As 2022 unfolds I am completing three years as pastor of the Meadow Lake Cluster. Our new Bishop will look at the needs of our diocese and the best way to use the resources he has at his disposal. As a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate my community is likewise looking at the needs of our community and our mission within the Church. My vow of obedience reminds me that while I have a voice in where I minister, it is the Bishop and the Oblate community that sends me to serve in response to the most urgent needs. As we come to the end of 2021 and prepare for 2022 and the challenges and blessings life will offer us, I am looking forward with hope to the work of the Synod, to exploring our role in the process of Reconciliation and I am looking to enjoy my garden, play a little more golf and to visiting you in your homes. As we gather for Christmas this year I hope and pray the invitation of Jesus to have our words and actions match finds a home in us. As we struggle to do this, let us remember that we are loved. Let us also remember to share that love gently as we welcome and care for one another. May our words and actions be a blessing for all who find their way to our table. Merry Christmas to you and to all those whom you love! Peace to you in 2022! Doug Jeffrey, OMI (Pastor, December 2021) On Sunday, August 15 at our regular 12:30 pm mass (St Jude's) we gathered at the cemetery in Green Lake. The parish had decided that in response to the unmarked graves at the various IRS locations in Canada, we would have a mass at the cemetery. So we gathered and we prayed for the children who died while in the Schools. We prayed for their families. We prayed for the children who came home and died too soon. We prayed for those who survived but are living with an inability to access their culture and language and community bonds. We prayed for all those who had died and are buried in the Cemetery. The day was hot but there was a slight breeze. Following the mass we blessed the water and people were able to bless their graves with holy water. Following that ritual people were invited to come and eat and visit with each other. Many thanks to the people who brought food, who set up, who read the scriptures and those who showed up to remember and to pray for those who were disconnected from their community. Tyrone Laliberte took most of the following pictures and I took a few! Enjoy the sights of August 15 at the Cemetery in Green Lake! 4/22/2021 0 Comments Earth Day - April 22, 2021Earth Day Prayer
April 22, 2021 Welcome to Earth Day Greeting And so today we gather, and we pray in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. The Lord be with you! And with your Spirit. Amen As I begin this prayer I want to acknowledge that I have gathered insights and ideas for this prayer service from www.earthday.org and from the www.kairoscanada.org and from the work of Pope Francis, Laudato Si: Care of Our Common Home http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html and from my own reflection on the Earth and my place within it. The following information is taken from the www.earthday.org website: Mission “EARTHDAY.ORG’s mission is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Growing out of the first Earth Day in 1970, EARTHDAY.ORG is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 75,000 partners in over 192 countries to drive positive action for our planet. Origins Senator Gaylord Nelson, a junior senator from Wisconsin, had long been concerned about the deteriorating environment in the United States. Then in January 1969, he and many others witnessed the ravages of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Inspired by the student anti-war movement, Senator Nelson wanted to infuse the energy of student anti-war protests with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution. Senator Nelson announced the idea for a teach-in on college campuses to the national media, and persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican Congressman, to serve as his co-chair. They recruited Denis Hayes, a young activist, to organize the campus teach-ins and they choose April 22, a weekday falling between Spring Break and Final Exams, to maximize the greatest student participation. Recognizing its potential to inspire all Americans, Hayes built a national staff of 85 to promote events across the land and the effort soon broadened to include a wide range of organizations, faith groups, and others. They changed the name to Earth Day, which immediately sparked national media attention, and caught on across the country. Earth Day inspired 20 million Americans — at the time, 10% of the total population of the United States — to take to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate against the impacts of 150 years of industrial development which had left a growing legacy of serious human health impacts. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment and there were massive coast-to-coast rallies in cities, towns, and communities. Groups that had been fighting individually against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness and the extinction of wildlife united on Earth Day around these shared common values. Earth Day 1970 achieved a rare political alignment, enlisting support from Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, urban dwellers and farmers, business and labor leaders. By the end of 1970, the first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of other first of their kind environmental laws, including the National Environmental Education Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Clean Air Act. Two years later Congress passed the Clean Water Act. A year after that, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act and soon after the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. These laws have protected millions of men, women and children from disease and death and have protected hundreds of species from extinction. Today Today, Earth Day is widely recognized as the largest secular observance in the world, marked by more than a billion people every year as a day of action to change human behavior and create global, national and local policy changes. Now, the fight for a clean environment continues with increasing urgency, as the ravages of climate change become more and more apparent every day. As the awareness of our climate crisis grows, so does civil society mobilization, which is reaching a fever pitch across the globe today. Disillusioned by the low level of ambition following the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015 and frustrated with international environmental lethargy, citizens of the world are rising up to demand far greater action for our planet and its people. The social and cultural environments we saw in 1970 are rising up again today — a fresh and frustrated generation of young people are refusing to settle for platitudes, instead taking to the streets by the millions to demand a new way forward. Digital and social media are bringing these conversations, protests, strikes and mobilizations to a global audience, uniting a concerned citizenry as never before and catalyzing generations to join together to take on the greatest challenge that humankind has faced. By tapping into some of the learnings, outcomes, and legacy of the first Earth Day, EARTHDAY.ORG is building a cohesive, coordinated, diverse movement, one that goes to the very heart of what EARTHDAY.ORG and Earth Day are all about — empowering individuals with the information, the tools, the messaging and the communities needed to make an impact and drive change.” Opening Prayer God of the Universe, we gather on this day dedicated to thoughts and actions on behalf of our Earth. We seek to honor and respect that the whole of creation flows from your hand and that we who dwell upon the earth now have been given the responsibility to care for each other and for the earth. During this time of reflection bless us with your Spirit that we might behold the beauty of all that you have created and come to live in harmony with all that is around us. We ask this in the name of Jesus who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen. First Reading - Genesis 2:20-31 20 And God said, ‘Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.’ 21So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 22God blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.’ 23And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. 24 And God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.’ And it was so. 25God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 26 Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind* in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth,* and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’ 27 So God created humankind* in his image, in the image of God he created them;* male and female he created them. 28God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ 29God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. 31God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Response - Canticle of Daniel from Daniel 3:57-88, 56 (Taken from the Liturgy of the Hours – Sunday Morning Week One) Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever. Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord. You heavens, bless the Lord. All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord. All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord. Sun and moon, bless the Lord. Stars of heaven, bless the Lord. Every shower and dew, bless the Lord. All you winds, bless the Lord. Fire and heat, bless the Lord. Cold and chill, bless the Lord. Dew and rain, bless the Lord. Frost and chill, bless the Lord. Ice and snow, bless the Lord. Nights and days, bless the Lord. Light and darkness, bless the Lord. Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord. Let the earth bless the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever. Mountains and hills, bless the Lord. Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord. You springs, bless the Lord. Seas and rivers, bless the Lord. You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord. All you birds of the air, bless the Lord. All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord. You sons of men, bless the Lord. O Israel, bless the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever. Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord. Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord. Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord. Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord. Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever. Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Let us praise and exalt him above all forever. Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven. Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all forever. Gospel Reading – John 3:16-22 16 ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17 ‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.’* 22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time there with them and baptized. Reflection Reading from Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home – Pope Francis May 24, 2015 "8. Patriarch Bartholomew has spoken in particular of the need for each of us to repent of the ways we have harmed the planet, for “inasmuch as we all generate small ecological damage”, we are called to acknowledge “our contribution, smaller or greater, to the disfigurement and destruction of creation”. [14] He has repeatedly stated this firmly and persuasively, challenging us to acknowledge our sins against creation: “For human beings… to destroy the biological diversity of God’s creation; for human beings to degrade the integrity of the earth by causing changes in its climate, by stripping the earth of its natural forests or destroying its wetlands; for human beings to contaminate the earth’s waters, its land, its air, and its life – these are sins”.[15]For “to commit a crime against the natural world is a sin against ourselves and a sin against God”.[16] 9. At the same time, Bartholomew has drawn attention to the ethical and spiritual roots of environmental problems, which require that we look for solutions not only in technology but in a change of humanity; otherwise, we would be dealing merely with symptoms. He asks us to replace consumption with sacrifice, greed with generosity, wastefulness with a spirit of sharing, an asceticism which “entails learning to give, and not simply to give up. It is a way of loving, of moving gradually away from what I want to what God’s world needs. It is liberation from fear, greed and compulsion”. [17] As Christians, we are also called “to accept the world as a sacrament of communion, as a way of sharing with God and our neighbours on a global scale. It is our humble conviction that the divine and the human meet in the slightest detail in the seamless garment of God’s creation, in the last speck of dust of our planet”.[18]” Litany of Gratitude In gratitude for the wonders of creation – the universe, the waters, oceans, lakes and rivers, the land, the forests, plains, mountains and hills, the air we breathe. R. We praise you and we bless you Lord. In gratitude for the creatures that inhabit the water, the air and the land. For the many and varied ways that they please us and sustain us. R. We praise you and we bless you Lord. In gratitude for the wonder of the human person and our ability to create, manage and care for our planet and for one another R. We praise you and we bless you Lord. In gratitude for what we have learned and continue to learn about the earth and for our ability to live gently with all of creation. R. We praise you and we bless you Lord. In gratitude for our choices to live simply and within our means – to reduce, reuse and recycle. R. We praise you and we bless you Lord. In gratitude for our commitment to heal and restore the air, the land and the water that we have abused by our lack of respect. R. We praise you and we bless you Lord. In gratitude for our willingness to reach out to our brothers and sisters who have been impacted by our greed and our carelessness. R. We praise you and we bless you Lord. In gratitude for the mercy of God, which teaches us to act with mercy and compassion when we ourselves are wounded. R. We praise you and we bless you Lord. In gratitude for our willingness to suffer now so as to offer our future generations the resources we have had the privilege to enjoy in our lifetime. R. We praise you and we bless you Lord. Our Father Closing Prayer A Christian prayer in union with creation – Taken from Laudato Si – Pope Francis Father, we praise you with all your creatures. They came forth from your all-powerful hand; they are yours, filled with your presence and your tender love. Praise be to you! Son of God, Jesus, through you all things were made. You were formed in the womb of Mary our Mother, you became part of this earth, and you gazed upon this world with human eyes. Today you are alive in every creature in your risen glory. Praise be to you! Holy Spirit, by your light you guide this world towards the Father’s love and accompany creation as it groans in travail. You also dwell in our hearts and you inspire us to do what is good. Praise be to you! Triune Lord, wondrous community of infinite love, teach us to contemplate you in the beauty of the universe, for all things speak of you. Awaken our praise and thankfulness for every being that you have made. Give us the grace to feel profoundly joined to everything that is. God of love, show us our place in this world as channels of your love for all the creatures of this earth, for not one of them is forgotten in your sight. Enlighten those who possess power and money that they may avoid the sin of indifference, that they may love the common good, advance the weak, and care for this world in which we live. The poor and the earth are crying out. O Lord, seize us with your power and light, help us to protect all life, to prepare for a better future, for the coming of your Kingdom of justice, peace, love and beauty. Praise be to you! Amen. May our God who is Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer + bless us and protect us all the days of our life. Amen
3/26/2021 0 Comments Holy Week LiturgiesAt this time, it looks like we will be able to celebrate Holy Week and Easter Liturgies with some restrictions. The following is a list of liturgies that we will celebrate if there are no new Sask Health or Diocesan guideline changes.
Confessions: Our Lady of Peace Parish – Fr. Doug will be available on Tuesday, March 30 – 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm and on Wednesday, March 31 – 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm (mass will be celebrated (virtually only) at 11:30 am on Tuesday and Wednesday) Palm Sunday Liturgy Saturday, March 27 – 7:00 pm – Our Lady of Peace - Parish Hall Sunday, March 28 – 10:00 am – Our Lady of Peace – Church Building and Facebook Sunday, March 28 – 12:30 pm – St Jude’s, Green Lake Sunday, March 28 – 3:00 pm – Our Lady of the Smile, Waterhen Lake Notes from the Diocese – Palms to be handed out in a safe manner - No processions – the parishioners may be invited to remain seated during the proclamation of the Passion. For those unable to attend the Liturgies, palms will be available at the Parish Office door (west side of church building) on Sunday from 11:00 am – 12:00 noon or during Lorraine’s Office hours as supplies last. Holy Thursday Thursday, April 1 - 5:00 pm – St Jude’s, Green Lake Thursday, April 1 – 7:30 pm – Our Lady of Peace – Church Building and Facebook Notes from the Diocese – The washing of the feet ritual is to be omitted – adoration must end by Midnight. Good Friday Liturgy Friday, April 2 - 12:30 pm – St. Jude’s, Green Lake Friday, April 2 - 3:00 pm – Our Lady of the Smile, Waterhen Lake Friday, April 2 - 3:00 pm – Our Lady of Peace – Church Building and Facebook (Led by Lay Ministers) Friday, April 2 – 7:00 pm – Prayer at the Cross - Facebook Notes from the Diocese – There are to be no processions – The parishioners may be invited to remain seated during the proclamation of the Passion – the Veneration of the Cross will be celebrated by 2:00 minutes of silence – Communion will be brought to parishioners in their places – at the end of the liturgy people depart in silence. Easter Vigil Liturgy Saturday, April 3 - 8:00 pm - Our Lady of Peace – Church Building and Facebook Notes from the Diocese – One vigil per parish – there is to be no fire – the Paschal Candle is to be lit at the front of the Church – no sprinkling rite – Easter baskets remain in the pew and are lifted up at the time of blessing. Easter Sunday Liturgy Sunday, April 4 - 10: 00 am – Our Lady of Peace – Church Building and Facebook Sunday, April 4 – 12:30 pm – St. Jude’s, Green Lake Sunday, April 4 – 3:00 pm – Our Lady of the Smile, Waterhen Lake Notes from the Diocese – Easter baskets remain in the pew and are lifted up at the time of blessing – no processions – no sprinkling rite. Please note that if you would like holy water please bring your own containers and ask Father to fill your container. |
Hi! My name is Fr. Doug Jeffrey, OMI and I am the pastor of the Meadow Lake Cluster. I serve the faith communities of Our Lady of the Smile, Waterhen, St. Jude's, Green Lake and Our Lady of Peace, Meadow Lake. I arrived in the cluster on August 15th, 2019. You can see more information about me on the home page!Archives
April 2023
Categories |
RSS Feed