Feast of the Presentation of the Lord February 2, 2025

 
        
       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 MON, TUES, THURS & FRI
OPEN : Wednesday 10:00 am - 4:00 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  
 
   The Lord of hosts, he is king of glory!
Psalm 24 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., Feb. 3 – No mass
 
Tues., Feb. 4– 10:00 am Liturgy with Communion at the Lodge
 
Tues., Feb. 4 – 6:30 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - +Louis & Germaine Wilfing & Raymond Wilfing by Nick & Eileen Charney

Wed., Feb. 5 – 6:30 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - +Helen Tourond by Darcy, Dustin & Jim Thomas & Kelty Esau & Karlee Martin

Thurs., Feb. 6 – 9:00 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook)*** - +Louis & Germaine Wilfing & Raymond Wilfing by Nick & Eileen Charney

Thurs., Feb. 6 – 10:00 am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
 
Fri., Feb. 7 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Sherry Durocher; +Marius Durocher; +Joseph Durocher; +Timothy Tootoosis; +Donna Moosomin by Peter Durocher

Sat., Feb. 8 – 7:00 pm (Our Lady of Peace)
 
Sun., Feb. 9 – 10:00 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - People of God

Sun., Feb. 9 – 12:30 pm (St. Jude’s Green Lake) - People of God

Sun., Feb. 9 – 3:00 pm (Our Lady of the Smile Waterhen) - People of God

THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH

1. Pastoral Council Meeting February 4 after evening mass.
2. Catechism classes every Sunday after mass.

 
Sunday Collection –  Jan. 12  Meadow Lake  $3525.00    Green Lake  $40.00      Children’s  $0
                                   Jan. 19   Meadow Lake  $838.90      Green Lake  No mass   Children’s $3.65
                                   Jan. 26   Meadow Lake  $2374.88    Green Lake  $39.30      Children’s $0
Sunday Church Attendance –  Jan. 12  Adults  89    Children  11    Total   100
                                                  Jan. 19  Adults  79    Children  10    Total    89
                                                  Jan. 26  Adults  103  Children  10    Total  113
 
Secretary’s Hours – Beginning in February the secretary will be in the office only one day per week. The secretary will be working Wednesdays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
 
Please pray for Barry Aldous who passed away Jan. 27. There will be a community lunch at the Senior’s Center on Monday, Feb. 3 at 11:30. Please keep Barry and his family in your prayers.
 
The Pope’s Prayer Intention for February – For vocations to the priesthood and religious life – Let us pray that the ecclesial community might welcome the desires and doubts of those young people who feel a call to serve Christ’s mission in the priesthood and religious life.
 
Bishop’s Annual Appeal –  Thank you to everyone who generously supported the Bishop’s Annual Appeal.
            The Annual Appeal goal for Our Lady of Peace is $16,392.00 and for St. Jude’s Parish is $1823.00.
As of Jan. 22 our parish has 50 pledges for $17370.00 and Green Lake has 1 pledge for $600.00. The diocese has received 1245 pledges for $488850.48.
 
Today’s Feast – Obedient to the Law of Moses, Mary and Joseph take Jesus to the temple forty days after his birth. While at the temple, the Holy Family meet Simeon and Anna, two faithful Jews awaiting the revelation of the Messiah. In words heard in the Gospel of the day and prayed each night as part of the Liturgy of the Hours, the prophet Simeon declares that Jesus is a “light of revelation to the nations and the glory of God’s people, Israel” (Lk 2:32). For this reason, on this day the Church traditionally blesses the candles used both in the liturgy and in Christian homes, reminding us that Christ is the light of the world.
                                               
World Day for Consecrated Life – February 2 – The purpose of the day is “to help the entire Church to esteem ever more greatly the witness of those persons who have chosen to follow Christ by means of the practice of the evangelical counsels” as well as “to be a suitable occasion for consecrated persons to renew their commitment and rekindle the fervour which should inspire their offering of themselves to the Lord” (Saint John Paul II, 1997).                Taken from Ordo page 61
 
Scripture Insights – Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
Taken from Source Book for Sundays, Seasons and Weekdays 2025: The Almanac for Pastoral Liturgy, LTP Liturgy Training Publications Copyright 2024, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago, IL 60609, pg. 78.
 
 There was very little in the prophets or in John’s preaching to prepare Israel for the tiny child who made his first public appearance when his mother took him to the temple for the purification rite prescribed by the law. Jewish custom considered a woman who bore a son to be unclean for seven days. After the boy’s circumcision, she spent an additional thirty-three days becoming purified of her blood, following which she presented an offering in the temple.
What is remarkable in this story is the reaction of two old wise people. When they look at the child, they see the salvation of Israel, the Messiah who has come to redeem the world. Simeon confidently describes the child’s destiny and the joy and sorrow that Mary will feel. Anna’s worship bursts forth into proclamation about the child to anyone who will listen. The good news seemed unbelievable, for most of the Jews believed that the Messiah would be a great warrior, bringing God’s justice and righteousness to a sinful nation. Even the preaching of John the Baptist pointed to someone greater than he. Could this infant really be the promised one?
 

• Today’s feast is a stepping stone taking us down the path from Christmas to Easter, hinting in a big way at the suffering that is to come. At Christmas we let ourselves bask in gratitude and awe that God would choose to walk with us so closely on this human journey, yet this is not a walk that comes without difficulties. We too can choose to walk closely with others, especially those who are isolated, oppressed, or marginalized. This choice comes with suffering as our hearts break for each other, but it is a path Jesus walks with us.

·         Pope Francis points to the presentation of Jesus as a story of people being drawn together in Jesus, and reminds us that Jesus calls us to an encounter that “takes place within the people of God, in its concrete history, in its living traditions: in the temple, according to the law, in the context of prophecy, in young and old together’ (Homily of Pope Francis, February 2, 2019). Do we see Jesus drawing people together to encounter him through our own church community? How can we make this encounter more alive?