2nd Sunday of Easter, April 16, 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 1-3:00 pm
Office Phone:  306-236-5122 
Cell Phone: 306-304-7271

Parish Email: [email protected] Pastor Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Catholic Church Meadow Lake
Website: https://www.meadowlakecatholicchurch.com/
Address: 504-3rd Ave. East, Meadow Lake, SK S9X 1H5  
 
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 118 Refrain
  
April 16, 2023 - 2nd Sunday of Easter
 
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:
Pat Bencharski
Pastoral Council Chair:

Mass 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., Apr. 17 – No mass
 
Tues., Apr.18 – 10:00 am Liturgy with Communion at the Lodge
 
Tues., Apr. 18 – 6:30 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Anonymous

Wed., Apr. 19 – 6:30 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Anonymous

Thurs., Apr. 20– 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Anonymous

Fri., Apr. 21 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Anonymous

Sat., Apr. 22 – 5:00 pm (St Jude Parish, Green Lake) - People of God

Sun., Apr. 23 – 10:00 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - People of God

THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH

1. Parish secretary’s hours are from 1:00 to 3:00 Tuesday to Friday.
2. Parish Annual General Meeting immediately after mass Sunday, April 16
3. Liturgy of the Word with Communion at the Lodge on Tuesday, April 18.
4. Wednesday, April 19 – 1:00pm – 4:00pm – Cleaning Day in the Church 
5. Baptismal Formation meeting on Thursday, April 20th at Our Lady of Peace Parish – 6:30 pm

 
Sunday Collection – April 9:  Meadow Lake $1949.10         Green Lake – $365.60
                                                           
The Pope’s Prayer Intention for April – For a culture of peace and non-violence – We pray for the spread of peace and non-violence, by decreasing the use of weapons by States and citizens.
 
Easter Season – The seven weeks from Easter to Pentecost are celebrated as one great Feast Day. St. Athanasius called them “the great Sunday.” Christians sing the “Alleluia” during these days in their rejoicing. Taken from Ordo: the Liturgical Calendar page 211

Easter Liturgies in the Meadow Lake Cluster – Many thanks to all who helped prepare and celebrate our Easter Liturgies. Many visitors (physical and virtual) commented positively on the quality of our celebrations. Good celebrations are possible when we work together. Thank you!
 
Meadow Lake Parish Annual General Meeting – This year we will have a Parish AGM for the first time since 2019. To avoid a long meeting and to enable us to have a clear focus, we will have two meetings, one will focus on our Parish Ministry, April 16 after mass and one will focus on our Finances and Facilities, April 30 after mass. Please mark these dates on your calendars and plan to attend. Depending on the questions and ideas that surface, the meetings should not take more than 45 minutes.
 
Baptismal Formation – Beginning on Thursday, April 20th at 6:30 pm those who would like to celebrate the sacrament of Baptism with their children are invited to come and begin our Baptismal Formation Program. We will be gathering as a group to deepen our sense of community and learn together. These formation sessions are required prior to the celebration of the sacrament. Please bring your Bible and please come having read Chapters 1-4 of Luke’s Gospel. In addition, please make attending Sunday mass a priority for you and your family.
 
Thank You from the Door of Hope Board of Directors - A special thank you to all who donated food items and cash to our 40 Cans for Lent Food Project. 1,068 food items or 917 pounds of food were donated to the Door of Hope. This is a great example of exemplifying the Corporal Work of Mercy of feeding the hungry. Donations of food or Cash are welcome at any time. Thank you! On Behalf of the Board of Directors, Chris Bencharski - Board Member
 
Seating and Reception of Communion - Effective this Sunday, a few pews will be reserved on the west side of the Church for those who are concerned about their health and need to take precautions when in large groups of people. These pews will have a RESERVED sign on them. The remaining pews on the west side are open for general use. Fr. Doug will distribute communion to the people in the Reserved section and then go to the front where he will distribute communion to the general members of the congregation. Fr. Doug will continue to sanitize his hands and wear a mask when distributing communion. The extraordinary ministers of communion will be asked to sanitize their hands prior to distributing communion but will no longer be required to wear a mask unless they distribute communion on the west side of the Church. Extraordinary Ministers of Communion, other Ministers and parishioners may choose to wear masks as they take part in our Liturgies and parish gatherings. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
 
Doctrine of Discovery – Recently you may have heard various news outlets saying that the Vatican, in response to requests from Indigenous Peoples in Canada and around the world, has rescinded the Doctrine of Discovery. They have also published various reactions to the information. You can read the Vatican statement for yourself by following this link: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2023/03/30/0238/00515.html
And you can read the statements made by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops by following this link here:  https://www.cccb.ca/letter/statement-by-the-permanent-council-of-the-canadian-conference-of-catholic-bishops-on-the-joint-statement-of-the-dicastery-for-culture-and-education-and-the-dicastery-for-promoting-integral-human-deve/
 
Extended Deanery Pastoral Council Meeting – Saturday, April 29th in Edam. We will be reviewing our Synod statements and priorities. The meeting starts at 9:00am Registration and Opening ritual 9:30am and ends at 3:15pm. Our parish chose points 1 and 4 as priorities:
1. Ongoing opportunities for listening to each other to continue healing and reconciliation in our parishes as we become more a Church that journeys together, particularly, with our Indigenous brothers and sisters.
4. Greater emphasis on outreach to those in our parishes who need support and those in need in our communities, both local and global.
I would encourage as many people as possible to take part in this meeting, especially those in leadership positions and the members of the Catholic Women’s League and the Knights of Columbus. Please reserve the date. We will be invited to share how we are doing with our priorities.

Highlights from the Finance Council Meeting – April 13, 2023 - Our Finance Council met on Thursday afternoon to continue our work. We reviewed the renewed contract for the use of the Parish Hall. We are now looking for a janitor to clean the Parish Hall when needed. When a janitorial team is in place, we will then look at organizing volunteers to oversee the use of the Parish Hall when it is rented. We have increased the fee for the use of the Parish Hall to $500.00 per day. The last increase was in 2016. This will help us to cover our increased energy, power, and maintenance costs. The new Parish Hall Rental contract will be presented at the AGM – Finances and Facilities, scheduled for April 30th after mass.

We continue to examine the insurance coverage that we have for our facilities, and we hope to make some decisions in the near future.

We reviewed our Financial Reports for 2023 and we are pleased to note that our income has increased. After paying our expanses our net income is about $7,000.00 for the First Quarter. A huge word of thanks to those who are so generous in supporting our parish community.

As a parish we are responsible for 3 cemeteries, and so we will be establishing a Cemetery Committee to make sure that the cemeteries are properly cared for. This work is just beginning. We will be looking for people who are interested in helping us care for these cemeteries. If you are interested in helping us, please contact the Parish Office. The Diocese has recommended that we attend to this important work.

We reviewed the information we received from the Diocesan Finance Webinar and noted where it pertains to us. Of special interest to us was the information around an updated inventory.

As a Finance Council we are looking at some Fundraisers for our Parish. We are looking at a Bingo with some larger prizes, a 50/50 draw and a Fishing Derby. If you have thoughts or are interested in volunteering, we would like to hear from you.

We also prepared the agenda for our AGM – Finances and Facilities. Some of the items include a Financial Report, our 2023 Budget, the renewed Parish Hall Rental Contract, and an invitation for additional members to assist us in our work.

Diocesan Finance Council – On Wednesday, April 12th our Finance Council took part in a webinar around the Finances of the Diocese. A few take aways for us include:

The income the Diocese has comes from three main sources – Cathedraticum, Bishop’s Annual Appeal and from the Diocesan Investments. Due to increased expenses and decreased income from investments the Diocese has been using investment monies to continue with ordinary operations.

Cathedraticum - The tax (12.5%) that each parish pays to the Diocese on their income.

Bishop’s Annual Appeal – Each parish is given a target amount based on a formula of number of people, Sunday Collections, Financial trends. The parishes hopefully meet their target, and the money is used to finance programs in the Diocese. This year a much smaller number of parishes reached their target, but the Diocese reached their goal thanks to a very generous donor.

Investments – Money from the Diocese that has been placed in a conservative investment plan. Generally, the diocese uses 5% of their interest to help cover operational costs.

According to Rules for Charitable organizations we are not allowed to offer receipts for In-Kind contributions without establishing a clear paper trail. If anyone has questions, please contact the Parish Office.

It is important for us to have an updated inventory of our Assets. This is something we as the Finance Council need to work on.

If we rent our facilities and alcohol is served the renter must obtain liability insurance. The Finance Council will review our Parish Hall policy re: serving alcohol.

Insurance costs have increased over the last number of years due to spiraling construction costs and risk assessment. Several Church properties have been vandalized or destroyed in recent years and a lot of money has been paid out by our insurance company. Commercial properties are high risk because they are large and expensive to replace, and no one lives in the building.

When considering the viability of a parish and how much insurance is required re: replacing an existing Church, Rectory or Hall we should consider – How many people contribute to the Parish? What does our volunteer base look like? What is our financial situation re: income, expenses, and savings? What is the age of our facility?

Cleaning Day in the Church at Our Lady of Peace – The cleaning folks are inviting parishioners to come on Wednesday, April 19 to help do a deep clean in the Church. They will be working from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm … any hands are welcome, and your generosity is appreciated.
 
Green Lake News

• Thank you to Darlene Hill – We were running low on our printed hymnals in Green Lake. Doreen took it upon herself to have the hymnal reprinted through Multiworks. Thank you, Doreen, for your generosity. If you pray with us in Green Lake, we will be using these newly printed hymnals.
• Thank you – A special word of thanks to those who constantly work at keeping our Church building clean and decorated for the various seasons. Your work is much appreciated.

 
Scripture Insights – Second Sunday of Easter/Sunday of Divine Mercy
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. 178.
 
            The resurrection’s transforming power is apparent in today’s readings. In the Gospel, the frightened disciples are changed as Jesus enters the room in which they are hiding. With the greeting Shalom, Jesus offers them blessings on every dimension of their being. This blessing, translated as “Peace be with you” (Jn 20:21), communicates God’s mercy. Jesus goes further by extending the gift of the Holy Spirit to his disciples, saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them” (19: 22-23). The Spirit’s power transforms their lives, enabling them to extend God’s mercy and forgiveness to those who seek it.

             The risen Lord still bears the marks of his crucifixion. He is always the wounded Christ, as the Book of Revelation relates (5:6). The apostle Thomas is not present on this occasion and refuses to believe the witness of the other disciples. A week later Thomas is present when the risen Lord appears again. There, Thomas makes a confession of faith as he says, “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:28). Jesus responds by blessing those who have not seen and yet believed.

              The reading from the Acts of the Apostles offers an insight into the life of that first Christian community transformed by the risen Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. United in Spirit, they shared their possessions, and no one was in need. They present the ideal Christian community open to God’s grace.

              Peter, in the second reading, uses the form of a Jewish blessing to praise God. These words remind people today of the risen Christ’s new life received in baptism. “Although you have not seen him you love him” (Pt 1:8) are the most reassuring words addressed to us today.
             

• We are encouraged to live and grow in faith, even in the moments when it seems that God is absent. This is not blind faith, however. Our faith is rooted in the encounters we have with the Lord Jesus and the witness of generations of faithful people throughout the ages.
• We are encouraged to find strength and courage in this recognition of God’s great love for us in Christ. While we may experience trials from time to time, we may take heart in the promise of eternal life in and through Jesus Christ.
• We may think of all the things that cause us fear or uncertainty and take heart in knowing that Jesus readily offers us mercy and peace as well. It is from this account that Thomas is often referred to as “doubting” – even though he powerfully declares his faith in his encounter with Christ.

 
DIOCESAN NEWS & BEYOND
 
Message from Fr. Ken Forester OMI, from the Oblate Missionary Association – Fr. Ken Forester, OMI, one of the Directors of our Missionary Association has taped a message for all who have helped or are interested in helping the Oblates share the Gospel around the world. The message is entitled: You are Simon of Cyrene Carrying the Cross of Christ!
It can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxlcFzsoL_8&feature=youtu.be

Fr. Zdzislaw Karcz, MSF a missionary of the Holy Family died in the monastery in Poland on Good Friday, April 7. Fr. Zidi served in the parishes of Shellbrook, Krydor, Hafford, Mayfair, Blaine Lake, Tisdale, Bjorkdale, Sturgeon Lake, Marcellin and in Prince Albert at the Victoria Hospital, Mont St. Joseph, Pineview Terrance, Columbian Centre and the Herb Bassett Centre. Fr. Zidi returned to Poland in 2014.

​From Catholic Missions in Canada – The Tastes of Heaven Gala will be livestreamed on Thursday, April 27, 2023, beginning at 5:00 pm Eastern Time (3:00 pm here in Saskatchewan). This event is a fundraiser for Catholic Missions in Canada. Faith communities here in our Diocese receive some funding from Catholic Missions in Canada. Both Waterhen Lake and Green Lake receive funding from Catholic Missions. The goals of the Fundraiser include raising $250,000.00 and making known the work of Catholic Missions in Canada. Please mark your calendars and inform yourselves of the work of the Church in Canada. This year (2023) Catholic Missions in Canada will disburse $4,834,441.00 to parishes across our Great Country. The funds are used to pay salaries, pay for travel, train lay people, provide funds for seminarians, help with Church repairs, provide utilities in remote areas to name just a few. If you would like to make a donation please contact Pat or Fr. Doug.
 
Rosary and Reflection – Once a month, from 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm, with Bishop Stephen. The next reflections will be offered April 15th, and May 27th! Livestreamed from Prince Albert!