18th Sunday - Ordinary Time - August 1, 2021

Our Lady of Peace Parish
Also Serving Our Lady of the Smile parish, Waterhen Lake and St. Jude’s Parish, Green Lake

Office Hours For Parish Secretary: Monday - Friday: 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Office Hours For Fr. Doug: Tuesday - Friday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Office Phone:  306-236-5122 
Cell Phone: 306-304-7271
Parish Email: olpsecretary@sasktel.net Pastor Email: olpmlpastor@sasktel.net
Facebook: Catholic Church Meadow Lake
Website: https://www.meadowlakecatholicchurch.com/
Address: 504-3rd Ave. East, Meadow Lake, SK S9X 1H5
 
We do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Matthew 4.4
 
 
August 1, 2021
 
18h Sunday in Ordinary Time
 
Our Vision:
A Community of Disciples
 
Our Mission
We commit to form disciples who joyfully and faithfully
live out the mission of Jesus Christ
by enriching our relationship with God and neighbour
through the intercession of Our Lady of Peace.

Pastor: 
Fr. Doug Jeffrey, OMI
Parish Secretary:
Lorraine Thibeault
Pastoral Council Chair:
Doris Beaubien
 
SaskHealth/Diocese of Prince Albert Regulations:  Thank you for all you have done and are doing to keep your brothers and sisters safe during the pandemic. If you can be vaccinated, please get vaccinated to avoid illness and the unnecessary loss of life. Please be aware that if you HAVE NOT been vaccinated and you choose to join us for liturgy, you are EXPOSING YOURSELF TO SERIOUS RISK because of the COVID-19 virus. Vaccinated people may still carry and transmit the virus even though they are not aware of any symptoms. Let us continue to be respectful of people who are cautious and concerned about their health and the health of their loved ones. Please see below how we are managing re-opening in the Meadow Lake Cluster. 
 
Daily mass schedule: 

• Tuesday and Wednesday mass will be celebrated at 6:30 pm.
• Thursday, Friday and Saturday mass will be celebrated at 9:30 am.
• Normally if there is a funeral the daily mass will be cancelled for that day.
• Tuesday to Friday the masses will be livestreamed on Facebook.

 
THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH

1. The office is closed Monday, August 2 for the Civic holiday.
2. Songs at Seven has returned to Thursdays at 7:00 pm.
3. A reminder to all!  Please get vaccinated if your health allows you to do so!  Don’t forget to register for your second vaccine when you are eligible!
4. Statement from the Permanent Council of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops regarding the Saskatchewan "Catholic TRC Healing Response Appeal"
   https://www.padiocese.ca/news-articles 
5. Catholic TRC Healing Response Appeal in English and French
   https://www.padiocese.ca/news-articles

Mass Intentions

Mon., Aug. 2 - Personal Intention

Tues., Aug. 3 – 6:30 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Carrie by Adeline Scammell

Wed., Aug. 4 – 6:30 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - +Violet Ollenberger by Theresa Tourand

Thurs., Aug. 5 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - +Souls in purgatory by Vi Dancy

Fri., Aug. 6 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Abraham Family & Friends by Alice Abraham

Sat., Aug. 7 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church) - Anonymous

Sat., Aug. 7 - 7:00 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church, Meadow Lake) - People of God

Sun., Aug. 8 – 10 am (Our Lady of Peace Church, Meadow Lake & Facebook) - People of God

Sun., Aug. 8 - 12:30 pm (St Jude’s, Green Lake) - People of God

 
Thank You: We give thanks for all those who brought down the hymn books from the Balcony and placed them in the pew pockets. Thanks also to those who helped clean and organize the Church so that we could welcome more people to the Sunday Liturgy.
A special word of thanks to Peggy, Jane, Pat, Barbara, Theresa and Rhys for their work in preparing the Hall for the funeral lunches for Anita Lalonde and Don Morin.
Thanks to those who continue to tend our flowers. We appreciate the color and beauty surrounding our Church Building.
 
Mark your calendar - In an effort to remember and celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, after mass on Saturday, August 14 and Sunday August 15, we will offer hotdogs and a pop (diet and regular). This is an opportunity to mix and mingle with other parishioners and to share one of summer’s delights!
On Sunday evening, August 15th at 6:00 pm we will gather at the Grotto and pray the Litany to our Blessed Mother and the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary. If you are able, please join us as we remember the Feast of the Assumption.
 
St. Jude’s Parish News – On Sunday, August 15th (weather permitting), we will celebrate our Sunday mass at the Cemetery in Green Lake at 12:30pm. Our gathering and our prayer will be in remembrance of the children who died directly and indirectly as a result of the Indian Residential School System. We will have mass at the cemetery followed by a lunch. There will be an opportunity for us to visit and bless the graves of our family and friends. If the weather does not allow us to do this on August 15, we will gather on August 22nd. Please keep these dates in mind as you plan the remaining days of summer.
 
Forming our children as Intentional Disciples of Jesus – We invite you to start thinking about deepening your child’s love for God and the Church by preparing them for the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If you think your child is ready to celebrate this important sacrament, please contact the Parish Office as we will be preparing for their catechesis this year.
 
Scripture Insights – 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Source Book for Sundays, Seasons and Weekdays 2021:  The Almanac for Pastoral Liturgy, LTP Liturgy Training Publications Copyright 2020, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago, IL 60609, pg. 288.
Alongside John 6 and the discourse on the bread of life, the Church hears most of the fourth and fifth chapters of Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians.  Known as one of the captivity letters (Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon are the others) because it is apparently written from prison (Ephesians 4:1), the Letter to the Ephesians discusses the mystery of life in Christ.  Paul’s exhortation to “live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,” which we heard last week, strikes at the heart of Christian discipleship.  This week, Paul continues to call the Ephesians to a renewal in Christ—to “put away the old self of your former way of life… and be renewed in the spirit of your minds” (4:22-23).  It was expected that Baptism into the death and Resurrection of Christ would bring radical life changes for early Christians.  For some, this meant giving up jobs and wealth; for others, it meant hospitality or service.  For everyone, life in Christ was life lived according to God and not according to the world.  Christians were encouraged to embrace love rather than ambition, greed, or power and to focus on the treasure of heaven rather than on earthly wealth.
Consequently, this small section of the Letter to the Ephesians provides the perfect prelude to the discourse on the bread of life in John’s account of the Gospel.  Jesus warns the crowd that they are thinking wrongly—running to see him for perishable bread (6:26).  In Paul’s vocabulary, the crowd sees Jesus with old eyes, with their old selves.  If they saw Jesus with spiritual eyes, they would know him as the Bread of Life.  They would seek only the bread of life.  They would hear Jesus’ gentle correction to their assertion that Moses gave them manna from heaven.  “My Father gives you the true bread from heaven” (6:32).  Physical hunger and thirst made the Jews rely on God in the desert.  Jesus shows the crowd that hunger has much deeper implications for the soul.  If they believe Christ is food and drink, they will never be hungry or thirsty.

• Through Christ, we are able to put away that which is not of Christ.  In him, we choose holy lives that are earmarked by kindness, love, and charity.  In this life, we are fed and nourished by Christ himself, present in the Eucharist.
• In the desert, God provided the Israelites with manna that sustained their lives throughout their years in the desert following the exodus from Egypt.
• In the Gospel reading, Jesus references the manna and begins explaining the bread of life that has come from heaven.
• When we receive the Eucharist, we are consuming the bread that is Christ, and our spiritual hunger is filled.

Re-opening Practices for the Meadow Lake Cluster - Effective July 17/18

Introduction:  A warm welcome to those who are joining us after a time away from public gatherings. Thanks to everyone who has made sacrifices to reduce the spread of Covid-19 and keep our neighbours safe. Since it is our best protection against Covid-19, let us continue to encourage one another to get fully vaccinated. While we return to some normal practices, the virus has not gone away. There is risk in engaging in public activities. Please make choices to protect yourself and your loved ones. We will continue to monitor infection rates and case numbers and we will adjust accordingly.

Effective July 17/18
We continue to encourage people who are sick with cold or flu-like symptoms to remain at home.
We will no longer require registration for liturgical celebrations – mass, funerals, baptisms etc.
We will continue to ask people to sanitize their hands, and we will continue to sanitize our spaces after each liturgy.
The use of a mask in the Church is left to individual choice. Fr. Doug and Extraordinary Ministers of Communion will use a mask during the distribution of communion.
 
Obligation to attend Sunday mass:  The general dispensation from the obligation to attend mass is still in place and it will be reviewed by our Bishop on August 31, 2021. Live streaming will continue. People who can are encouraged to come to mass.
There is no obligation to social distance. For those who are concerned and would like to maintain social distance – the small pews on the right-hand side of the Church will continue to provide that option.
Regarding the celebration of Mass:

• Greeters will welcome parishioners – gently respecting those who are concerned about personal contact.
• People are invited to leave their donation in a basket as they enter the Church Building.
• We will return to having a Commentator and two Lectors at our liturgies.
• We will have a simple entrance procession – Cross, candles and Presider
• Ushers will not take up a collection, and we will not have an offertory procession at this time.
• We will resume kneeling after the Holy, Holy until the Proclamation of Faith.
• For the Sign of Peace, we will continue to bow or wave as a way of greeting each other.
• Distributing Communion – Those receiving Communion will process to the front as in pre-pandemic times. At this time, we will only receive the Body of Christ. If necessary, an Extraordinary Minister of Communion will assist Father. The Minister will sanitize his/her hands and wear a mask during the distribution of Communion. Communion will be given in the hand only. Fr. will take communion to people in the pews on the right-hand side of the Church.
• Music – The music ministers will gather in early August to discuss how we will proceed with music for Sunday liturgies. Weekday liturgies will make use of music as in pre-pandemic times.

Other
Parish Meetings – parish meetings will take place in the Parish Hall with appropriate precautions – people who are sick or have flu-like symptoms should remain at home.
Visiting the Sick – Visits to those in Hospitals or Care Homes will be guided by the guidelines in place. Home visits will take place with precautions and respect for the individuals being visited.
Sacrament of Reconciliation – By appointment
Funerals – Will take place as in pre-pandemic times. Funeral lunches are allowed with precautions.
Baptisms – We will continue to have baptisms privately until further notice.
House Blessings – Fr. Doug will bless houses as in pre-pandemic times.
Social Gatherings – After appropriate consultation, we will once again have parish gatherings, Pancake Breakfasts, Coffee, Picnics, and our Fall Supper. We will work to make sure we have appropriate food preparation protocols in place.
 
PILGRIMAGES AT OUR LADY OF LOURDES SHRINE: 
   1.  August 15 - 7:30 pm Eucharistic Celebration and Candlelight Procession
   2.  September 8 - 7:30 pm Eucharistic Celebration and Candlelight Procession

What’s your Catholic IQ?   Last bulletin’s question and answer: It is against the eighth commandment (d) all of these - to lie, to destroy the reputation of another person, to be sarcastic at the expense of another.  The eighth commandment is concerned with truth, the basic building block of society.  Lying hurts the liar and the person lied about.  The lie has effects on others as well.  Gossiping and spreading rumors are related to lying.
This week’s question:  Jesus told his disciples that the greatest commandment is (a) do not steal (b) do not be greedy (c) do not lie (d) none of these.

DIOCESAN NEWS & BEYOND
3RD ANNUAL ST. PHILOMENA WALKING PILGRIMAGE:  The 3rd annual St Philomena Walking Pilgrimage takes place in August leaving Yorkton on Aug 11th and arriving at Rama on Aug 14th. If you have any questions please email Dave Hudy at dave@stphilomena.ca.

Donna Aldous is signing up for the following program (Growing in Wisdom: Seeking Deeper Generativity). You have to register before September 1st. If you have questions about the program or would like to take the program, talk to Donna. Perhaps if several people sign up, we can form a group and assist one another in learning more about ourselves and our faith journey. Donna can be reached at 306 236-2179
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GROWING IN WISDOM: SEEKING DEEPER GENERATIVITY - This two-year program beginning in September 2021 is an ecumenical program designed for those seeking to engage in their maturing years with wisdom and grace. This is a time in which we can begin as elders to look back on the life we have lived and find openness to new or previously undeveloped inner vistas. It is a time to begin to come to terms with our own mortality and the grace we find in facing this time in our lives with wisdom and satisfaction.  This program is a dynamic interplay between and among each participant, the Growing in Wisdom Community, and Divine Mystery, assisting in the inner transformation of participants as the journey unfolds.  Growing in Wisdom: Seeking Deeper Generativity invites you to explore how you might commit yourself to give both your life and your death to the world, in a way that both are the ultimate gift and blessing that you give to others.  Featuring Fr. Ron Rolheiser, the faculty of the Oblate School of Theology, and Canadian presenters, this program will be offered on zoom with possible in-person gatherings beginning in 2022. For more information contact Nancy Phillips, program coordinator:  dnphil@mymts.net  - 204-470-9437.