22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time September 3, 2023

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

Office Hours: Closed Monday
Tuesday - Friday 1-4:00 pm
Office Phone:  306-236-5122 
Cell Phone: 306-304-7271

Parish Email: olpsecretary2023@gmail.com Pastor Email: olpmlpastor@gmail.com
Facebook: Catholic Church Meadow Lake
Website: https://www.meadowlakecatholicchurch.com/
Address: 504-3rd Ave. East, Meadow Lake, SK S9X 1H5  
 
  My soul thirsts for you, O Lord my God.
Psalm 63 Refrain
 
 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. Uche Umechikelu, MSP
Parish Secretary:
Pat Bencharski
 
Masses
Intentions

When there is a funeral, the daily mass will normally be cancelled.  Check Facebook for the most up-to-date information.  On Tuesday to Friday and on Sunday, Our Lady of Peace masses will be livestreamed on Facebook.

Mon., Sept. 4 – No mass
 
Tues., Sept. 5 – 10:00 am Liturgy with Communion at the Lodge
 
Tues., Sept. 5 – 6:30 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook)  - Fr. Doug Jeffrey by Martin Bishop

Wed., Sept. 6 – 6:30 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Anonymous

Thurs., Sept. 7 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Anonymous

Fri., Sept. 8 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Fr. Doug Jeffrey by Melba Cariou

Sat., Sept. 9 – 5:00 pm - (St. Jude’s, Green Lake) - People of God

Sun., Sept. 10 – 10:00 am – (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - People of God

Sun., Sept. 10 – 3:00 pm (Our Lady of the Smile, Waterhen) - People of God

THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH

1. We are accepting catechism registrations at the office during office hours. Catechism classes will begin on September 17 at 11:15 immediately following the 10:00 am mass.
2. Baptismal preparation session Thursday evening at 6:30 pm.

Sunday Collection – August 27:  Meadow Lake $934.25  Green Lake – $200.00  Children’s Collection $5.65
                                               
The Pope’s Prayer Intention for September – For People Living on the Margins – We pray for those persons living on the margins of society, in inhumane life conditions; may they not be overlooked by institutions and never considered of lesser importance.
 
Parish Garage Sale – We are planning to hold a parish garage sale on September 16. Donations will be accepted on September 13 & 14 from 6:00 – 7:30 pm. If anyone needs something picked up please contact Mauri Young at 306-236-8999.
Welcome for Fr. Uche – An ethnic potluck brunch will be held after mass on September 10 as a special welcome for Father Uche. Please bring a recipe along with your dish and the recipes will be presented to Father Uche. Parishioners from Green Lake and Waterhen will be invited.
 
Scripture Insights – Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Taken from Source Book for Sundays, Seasons and Weekdays 2023:  The Almanac for Pastoral Liturgy, LTP Liturgy Training Publications Copyright 2022, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago, IL 60609, pg. 320.
 
            Beginning with Romans 12, Paul outlines the implications of God’s faithfulness and generosity, particularly God’s commitment to save all. Speaking of both a bodily sacrifice and an intellectual transformation, Paul effectively suggests that grace and gift should impact the entire person. Our response to God must be embodied; it has to do with how we live, move, and interact with others and with the material world. John’s Gospel also emphasizes Jesus’ incarnation, or the Word became flesh in the world to live among others (Jn 1:14). Since Christ’s death for us while we were still sinners (Rom 5:8) has made evident God’s groundless, unreasonable, and extravagant gift, the living sacrifice of one’s body through solidarity with the vulnerable and needy, including especially the undeserving, becomes our “spiritual worship” or response (Rom 12:1).
            Paul is clear that we must not conform to “this age” (Rom 12:2). We must put aside the old ways of competitive calculation that belong to Adamic humanity. Just as God is always improvising and doing something new and surprising to save all, we must also renew our minds to discern and follow God’s creative, novel acts. Not conforming to the world but renewing the mind enables the psalmist and compels Jeremiah to follow God’s will and share God’s words despite opposition and ridicule.
            This is precisely what Peter is unable to do in Matthew 16. Having just confessed Jesus as the Messiah, Peter fails to change his thinking further when Jesus talks about his suffering and sacrifice at the hands of the powerful. Unable to discern and follow God’s will in ways that will please God, Peter risks becoming a stumbling block rather than a rock on which the Church is built.
                         
●       The step after identifying Jesus as the Son of God is acting on our confession of faith. His cross becomes our cross as we journey through the ups and downs of living as disciples.
●       While the cross we bear as disciples is unique to each of us, the cross of Jesus unites us together. Jesus neither promised his disciples nor promises us today that the road to Jerusalem would be easy. Yet we know the end. Life triumphs over death. With confidence in this, we move forward to find our life.
●       The prophet Jeremiah tried to silence the Word of the Lord within him, but to no avail. We might attempt to do the same at various times. Yet we too will find that we can never squelch the Lord’s Word – the Word of Life. Life will always triumph over injustice, suffering, and death. God’s love will prevail.
 
DIOCESAN NEWS & BEYOND
2025 Jubilee:  Holy Year Pilgrimage
Join Bishop Stephen Hero and Father Maurice Fiolleau of Prince Albert on a Pilgrimage to Rome, Vatican City and Assisi from December 10 – 18, 2025 during the 2025 Jubilee Holy Year. Come and experience some of the most fascinating religious sites and relics in the world. Mass will be celebrated daily. As “Pilgrims of Hope,” visit the Seven Jubilee Churches, the Catacombs and much more including the Pope’s Sunday Angelus and blessing and also attending the weekly Wednesday Papal Audience. Travel to Assisi, the home of St. Francis where Mass will be celebrated in the Basilica. Free time to see the sights of Rome during the Advent season is also worked into the Schedule. Come and learn more about this exciting Pilgrimage. Join us for a detailed Presentation at: St. Michael parish in Prince Albert 1505 – 13th Street West, Prince Albert, SK. Wednesday September 20th, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. Please RSVP to Tom Brothwell at 1-306-953-0740 or by email at tom.brothwell@caask.ca by Friday September 15, 2023 if you are interested in attending the Presentation.