4th Sunday of Easter - April 30th, 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: 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  
 
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23 Refrain
 
April 30, 2023 - 4th 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., May 1 – No mass
 
Tues., May 2 – 10:00 am Liturgy with Communion at the Lodge
 
Tues., May 2 – 6:30 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Special Intention by Louis & Yolande Gratton

Wed., May 3 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Special Intention by Louis & Yolande Gratton

Thurs., May 4– Fr. Doug will say mass on retreat - People of God

Fri., May 5 – Fr. Doug will say mass on retreat - People of God

Sat., May 6 – 5:00 pm – Liturgy of the Word with Communion at St Jude Parish, Green Lake (Fr. Doug will say mass on retreat for people of the parish)

Sun., May 7 – 10:00 am – Liturgy of the Word with Communion at Our Lady of Peace Church. Live streamed on Facebook - (Fr. Doug will say mass on retreat for people of the parish)

THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH

1. Parish secretary’s hours are once again from 1:00 to 4:00 Tuesday to Friday.
2. Extended Deanery Meeting on Saturday, April 29th in Edam!
3. Parish Financial Annual General Meeting immediately after mass Sunday, April 30.
4. Liturgy of the Word with Communion at the Lodge on Tuesday, May 2.
5. Fr. Doug is away on retreat from May 3 until May 10

 
Sunday Collection – April 23:  Meadow Lake $1650.70        Green Lake – $99.25
                                                           
The Pope’s Prayer Intention for May – For church movements and groups – We pray that Church movements and groups may rediscover their mission of evangelization each day, placing their own charisms at their service of needs in the world.
 
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.

World Day of Prayer for Vocations – On April 30, the fourth Sunday of Easter, Christians are invited to reflect on the meaning of God’s call and to pray for vocations. Christ, the Good Shepherd, continues to lead his people through His Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, and calls many to follow Him in this way. Priestly, diaconal, and religious vocations should be a constant concern in the hearts of God’s people.
Taken from Ordo: The Liturgical Calendar page 228
 
Meadow Lake Parish Annual General Meeting – Finances and Facilities – On Sunday, April 30th we will have our AGM – Finances and Facilities, after 10:00 am mass. Please mark April 30 on your calendars and plan to attend. Depending on the questions and ideas that surface, the meeting should take about 45 minutes. The report for the meeting is at the end of the bulletin. Our Financial Statements will be handed out at the meeting.
 
NEWS FROM OUR LADY OF THE SMILE PARISH, WATERHEN – On Tuesday, April 25th there was a meeting involving the Chief and a representative of the Waterhen First Nation Council, and some members of the Catholic Community at Waterhen and Fr. Doug. We talked about how we might proceed with the establishment of a building for our Faith Community. We discussed what we would like to see in the building, as well as costs and funding. We are in the process of preparing a sketch for a building that we might build, and we will also be looking at the costs of purchasing a modular unit. Once we know what we would like we will have a meeting with Bishop Stephen. Once we can figure out the costs that are before us and following appropriate permissions from the Band and from the Diocese, we will look at fundraising. Please, continue to pray for us as we discern the best path for our faith community and for the people of the wider community at Waterhen!
 
Seating and Reception of Communion - Effective Sunday, April 16 a few pews are 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.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls – On May 4th and 5th Flying Dust, the Meadow Lake Tribal Council and the Metis Nation of Saskatchewan are organizing a Conference to raise awareness, share experiences and honor the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls+. On the 4th at 9:00 am there will be a walk that will start out at Our Lady of Peace Parish and conclude at the Gymnasium at Flying Dust. This will be followed by prayer and a Feast to remember and to honor and support the missing people and their families. On May 5th from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm there will be a program including information around a safety plan, shared experiences, a panel, and educational speakers. Door prizes and lunch are all a part of this information day. I encourage all who can to take part in this Walk and this conference to support those who are missing and those who are grieving. This is a wonderful expression of reconciliation and of our communion with one another.
 
Annual Retreat – Each year, we as priests are encouraged to make an extended retreat. I have been doing an 8-day retreat since my ordination and I plan to do this again this year. I will be away from the Parish Office from noon on Wednesday, May 3rd until Wednesday, May 10th. I will celebrate mass on the morning of Thursday, May 11. If you need a priest during this time, please contact the Parish Office and Pat will help you. I look forward to this time of prayer and silence and spiritual renewal. I assure you that my daily prayer will be for you and for your needs!

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 the Ordo: Liturgical Calendar, page 211
 
Scripture Insights – Fourth Sunday of Easter
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. 190.
 
            In the first reading, Peter addresses the crowd by professing, “God has made him both Lord and Christ this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36). His hearers respond to Peter’s challenge to acknowledge the risen Lord by accepting his message and being baptized.
             Our second reading from the First Letter of Peter is a true gem. By encountering the risen Christ, we experience the true meaning of the mystery of suffering. Though innocent, Jesus suffered willingly for us. In like manner, we should embrace suffering: “If you are patient, when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. For to this you have been called” (1 Pt 2:20-21).
            We are most familiar with images referring to Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life or the Good Shepherd, but in today’s Gospel, Jesus uses the image of “gatekeeping”. Jesus begins with a parable about a gatekeeper who knows Jesus and opens the gate for the sheep to enter the sheepfold. Since the sheep are familiar with Jesus’ voice, they trust him and follow wherever he leads.
            Jesus tells this parable explicitly for the Pharisees to identify his role as leader of God’s people. When the Pharisees fail to understand Jesus’ message, he becomes more direct: “I am the gate for the sheep” (Jn 10:7). As the gate, Jesus offers safety as well as freedom on the path to salvation. This image opens a richness for reflection. As the gate, Jesus offers access to what nourishes and protects from harm. The risen Lord sustains us in our journey, accompanying us as we move toward the Father.
             

• During Easter Time, the Church focuses on the sacrament of baptism, the foundation of faith, for the benefit of both the newly baptized and the already baptized. We hear of thousands coming forward to be baptized in the first reading. And we rejoice! Not at their quantity, but because, like those who are baptized in our own parishes, they are witnesses of the action of the Holy Spirit in the Church.
• Jesus presents himself both as the shepherd and the gate to the sheepfold. Both images express the commitment of the shepherd to lay down his life for the sheep. He guards the sheep by day, and at night he lays across the gate to the sheepfold to guard against intruders. The mission of the shepherd and of Jesus are of the same: that we might have abundant life.
• While false leaders are only out for their own interests, Jesus looks out for the interests of those who believe in him. Like a good shepherd, he knows each of his flock by name. And like the door of the sheepfold (where sheep were kept safe overnight), Jesus guards his flock and protects them from predators. This reading reminds us that Jesus is not some distant ruler but a nearby shepherd who cares for us deeply enough to give his life for us.

 
DIOCESAN NEWS & BEYOND
 
Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine welcomes Pilgrims to our Annual General Meeting

When:  Saturday May 6, 2023, from 1:00 - 2:00pm
Where:  Museum in Duck Lake which is right off the highway
We welcome Pilgrims:

• To hear our Annual Report,
• To consider volunteering for the Board of Directors,
• To become more closely involved, or
• To volunteer for the many things that need doing at the Shrine

Please visit our website (https://www.saintlaurentshrine.com/) or access it through the Diocesan Site (https://www.padiocese.ca/st-laurent-shrine) for more information. 
 
Rosary and Reflection   The next reflection from Bishop Stephen will be offered May 27th from 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm! It will be livestreamed on Facebook from the Diocese of Prince Albert!
 
AGM – Finances and Facilities - April 30, 2023

As indicated earlier I have decided to split up the Pastoral Ministry and the Finances and Facilities AGM so that the meetings are not so long. The Finance and Facilities AGM will take place on April 30th after 10:00 am mass.
This report will encourage us to think about and reflect on our Financial Resources and the use of our Grounds and Facilities – Parish Hall, Parish Garage, Parish Rectory, and our Parish Church building. This reflection will include our Financial Report for 2022, our Budget for 2023, the new Contract for the Parish Hall, the Cemetery Committee and the possibility of adding a few members to our Finance Council. At the present time our Finance Council is composed of Margaret Alger, Judy Barker, Sandra Senga, Pat Bencharski, (Bookkeeper/Accountant) and Fr. Doug.

Financial Report for 2022 - Things to take note of in our Financial Report.
In the past year we purchased two new furnaces for the Parish Hall as the previous furnaces had reached the end of their life. We also purchased a furnace for the Church. We completed the fencing of the yard for the Pastor. We resolved the sump pump issues in the basement of the Church and as a result no longer must deal with the sewer gas smell that was often present in the Parish Office. A new lawn tractor was purchased. We paid out our commitment to furnishing the new room at the Lodge. Last year we also experienced a significant increase in our insurance rates, and our Utilities expenses.
During the pandemic our Sunday income dropped significantly and in the latter part of 2022 we saw a gradual increase in our Sunday income. Having achieved all those things and the payment of our ordinary expenses we were left with a deficit of $3,636.55.
It is important to note that in the past year we set aside $190,000.00 for two long-term GICs. We received good interest rates on both investments in the Royal Bank and in the Credit Union.

Budget for 2023
For the coming year there are no significant expenses in our ordinary budget. It is our intention to pinpoint and resolve the sewer smell at the Parish Rectory and to purchase a new computer to broadcast song lyrics at our Sunday masses. It is also our intention to repaint the statue at the Grotto. We incurred an extraordinary expense when we received the bill from the RM ($6000.00) for fighting the fire at Cabana.
You will notice that we are anticipating an increase in our Sunday collections. We also anticipate increases in our Power and Heating bills. As a result, we are projecting a deficit of $11,890.00.
We are looking at some additional Fundraising activities in the parish that will serve to deepen our appreciation of our community members and at the same time bring in a few dollars for our parish.

Parish Hall Contract – copies of the Parish Hall Contract will be made available at the meeting for our consideration and feedback. The rental of our Parish Hall will be dependent upon finding and recruiting an on-call janitor service and parish volunteers to oversee each function.

Cemetery Committee – the Diocese has asked us to ensure that our 3 cemeteries are properly cared for – for now and on into the future. To that end we are establishing a Cemetery Committee that will review the status and the state of the three cemeteries and help us make decisions for their ongoing care.

Additional Members – while it is our opinion that our Finance Council is working well, we would like to add a few members who would be able to take the place of those who left the Council after the beginning of the pandemic.
​
Things to Note: We exceeded our Bishop’s Annual Appeal Goal for the third year in a row. Thanks to the generosity of our people.
We would like to replace the wooden tables in the Parish Hall with plastic tables. Next year’s budget?
We anticipate that we will need to arrange for an engineering assessment of our Church building in 2024 as our previous assessment reaches its best before date!