October 25th, 2020
LOVE IS ALL THERE IS TO KNOW
If we can’t remember anything else about laws to live by, this much we can remember : Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and love your neighbour as yourself.
This great commandment of Jesus’ was contained in the Wisdom tradition of earlier Jewish writing. By adopting the teaching, Jesus makes the difficulties of the law simple enough for everyone to understand and follow, each one of us according to our own lights.
Saint Augustine expressed it another way, stating that love “Love is our weight”. He believed that everything was trying to find its own level – that is its weight. And for us love, like water seeking its own level, is always finding its way, never to stop flowing until it finds its level, resting finally in the source of all love, in the abundant love of God.
Diocesan Study Day – Wednesday, October 28th
All are invited to join us in our Diocesan Study Day from 1:00 pm until 4:30 pm on Wed., October 28th, which will take place via Zoom this year. We will be focusing on the theme of Virtuous Leadership with a talk by Dr. Josephine Lombardi who will discuss the importance of the cardinal virtues in leadership. Elizabeth Yorski will also help us to reflect on the importance of recognizing our strengths and weaknesses in order to build a strong leadership team. Please register by completing the online registration form by Monday, October 26th. Cost: $20 per person. Contact person: Katelyn Sutton - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 204-594-0275. Click here to view the poster and schedule on the website.
News from the CCCB (Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops) Web site: www.cccb.ca/site/eng
We Can and Must do Much Better – Religious Leaders oppose Bill C-7
More than 50 religious leaders from across Canada released an open letter on October 14, 2020 to all Canadians in opposition to Bill C-7 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying). This ecumenical and interfaith message is a response by religious leaders to the legislation introduced by the federal government on October 5th, 2020, which seeks to expand the eligibility criteria for euthanasia and assisted suicide by removing the “reasonable foreseeability of natural death” criterion currently in the Criminal Code.
The religious leaders’ message reflects a unity of thought. “We are convinced that a robust palliative care system available to all Canadians is a much more effective response to suffering and to protecting the sacred dignity of the human person. Palliative care addresses pain in a loving and caring environment, wherein people go out of their way to offer comfort and solace. It makes everyone into a better person.” To read the letter, click here.
The development of the message was initiated by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), Rabbi Dr. Reuven P. Bulka, CM, Ph.D., the Canadian Council of Imams (CCI), the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) and Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Canada.
The Good Shepherd Campaign 2020
During this second week of the Good Shepherd Campaign, you are invited to watch a video on the many different aspects of the Archdiocese’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in support of its parishes: click here.
These measures include strengthening relationships between the diocesan and parish leadership teams, providing spiritual resources for the faithful, and preparing tools to facilitate communication between the parishes and their parishioners, reducing the diocesan tax by 10% and suspending the parishes’ 4% contribution to the priests’ pension fund during the pandemic, helping parishes obtain the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, and regularly contacting government authorities to create liturgical protocols that ensure the safety of the faithful.
Please prayerfully consider supporting the 2020 Good Shepherd Campaign. We understand that some may not be able to give as much to the campaign this year; however, others may discern that they are in a position to give more this year in support of the greater good of our Church.
We invite you to pray for our diocesan and parish leadership as they continue to navigate the challenges and changes imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bishop LeGatt: Back to School in these Times of Pandemic
These times of pandemic have been filled with vulnerability, uncertainty, and for some, fear. But this moment, in which kids and teens are returning to school, may be marked by a particular sense of vulnerability by students, parents, and teachers alike.
In this message, Archbishop Albert takes a moment to speak to students and parents, encouraging them in this journey we are all in together, encouraging trust and patience, and also exhorting us to not resort to stigmatization or division in these times. He also takes a moment to address all teachers and school staff, thanking them wholeheartedly for their amazing service, which is, after all, a profound act of faith and love in these difficult times.
To view the video, click here or visit the diocesan Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/ArchSaintBoniface/ or visit the diocesan website homepage at: www.archsaintboniface.ca
Be informed on BILL C-7 - An Act to amend the Criminal Code.
If passed, Bill C-7 expands the eligibilty critera for physician-assisted dying even when natural death in not reasonably foreseeable or allowing a person to waive their final consent when death is foreseeable, putting them in a vulnerable position. As Catholics we affirm the right to life which cannot be taken away by others, the importance of compassion by relieving pain and suffering of the sick and dying and the responsibility to protect the most vulnerable among us. We need a public, transparent process taking into account inviolable moral and ethical principles where all voices are heard. Be sure your member of parliament (MP) hears your opinion! Send an e-mail, letter, or use the electronic form here:
https://www.canadiansforconscience.ca/
For more information, visit the Marriage, Family & Life “News and Activities” page on the diocesan website at https://www.archsaintboniface.ca/main.php?p=401 We have also created a one-page information sheet for you. You can download it here.
We must act now to protect all persons, including future generations from Bill C-7
Photos and videos of Christian Mutombo’s, Jean-Baptiste Nguyen’s and Brian Trueman’s ordinations
A moving celebration of faith took place on Saturday, June 13th, when Brian Trueman was ordained to the priesthood at St. Bernadette church in Winnipeg. To view photos of this blessed event, visit the Photo Gallery on the diocesan website’s homepage, or click here. The ordination Mass can be viewed on the Diocesan Facebook page. And don’t forget to click here for Christian Mutombo’s ordination to the transitional diaconate (Friday, June 5th) and to click here for Jean-Baptiste Nguyen's ordination to the priesthood (Saturday, June 6th).
WARNING - BEWARE OF RECENT SCAM
Be advised that fraudulent emails have been going around using the name of our priests (Pastors) as bait.
Recently, some people have received emails claiming to be from their Pastor (or a priest) asking for money. In reality, criminals have collected the names of priests and are using their name/identity to deceive people.
It is up to each person to identify fraudulent emails and eliminate them.
We remind you to always use caution when dealing with email. Hackers use all sorts of tricks including identity theft and current news to try and bait people.
Below is information about identifying questionable emails:
How do you determine if you should open an email or not? Please find below tips to help identify questionable emails. If the authenticity of an email is questioned, it may be wise to simply delete it without opening it.
A few questions to help you identify bad emails:
1) How did they get my email address?
2) Do I know the sender?
3) Does the email really come from the sender and could his email address have been compromised?
4) Do I recognize the sender's email address?
5) Is there a way to verify if the information in the email is legitimate without clicking links from the email and without having to reply to the email?
6) Are they promising money or benefits?
7) Are they making it sound urgent to answer immediately?
8) Would this person/company contact me by email for such a request?
9) Is there errors in the text?
10) Are the links really going to bring me where I should go?
11) Is the attachment safe to open?
These are a few questions that can help reflect before responding to an email.
Scammers and spammers usually want:
1) Your personal information (bank account, PIN, email account and password, credit card number, confirmation of your name or email, etc.)
2) Infect your computer and gain control over it. They can then add it to their arsenal to collect names, accounts, passwords, to make SPAM attacks, to redirect you to Internet Sites, and for other possible reasons.
3) Money – they usually give a sense of urgency, appeal to your good nature to help someone in distress, or even promise a great deal of money if you respond.
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Let us “come together” in praying the Rosary
We know of the power of prayer and that in the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, we have the greatest of intercessors. Like a loving mother, Mary, who cares for us and listens to us, carries our prayers to her beloved Son, Jesus, our risen Lord and Saviour. Our Lord hears every sincere prayer! In these trying times let us place our hope and trust in Him.
I invite all parishioners (families, couples, individuals) of St. Mary and Our Lady of Hope, from your homes, to unite in praying the Rosary every day at 11:00 am. If you wish, you can have a different intention for each decade. Here are some suggestions. Let us pray : for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic; that all people in our communities be kept safe; for all who have died due to the virus and those who mourn their death; for all infected by COVID-19 and those who care for them; for the protection of all frontline health-care workers; that God’s Spirit may lead those involved in research to the discovery of a cure (vaccine); …
Our Lady of LaSalette … pray for us.
Our Lady of Hope … pray for us.
PLEASE NOTE : Till further notice, the St. Mary Church main entrance door is open on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:00 am till 6:00 pm so you can stop in and pray for a moment. Please do not come to the church if you have flu-like symptoms.
If you need assistance or spiritual help please call the office (204-268-2453). God bless you!
IMPORTANT NOTE : The Mass intention for each day will appear in the bulletin whether the Mass is celebrated privately or with a few people in attendance.
Livestreaming of the Diocesan Sunday Masses
The English Mass at 10 am from Holy Cross Parish, can be followed on the diocesan Facebook page at :
https://www.facebook.com/ArchSaintBoniface/live.
The French Mass at 10 am (Sts-Martyrs-Canadiens Parish), can be followed on the YouTube channel at : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLbnkM6HlRYpb4QjiXeBOg/live
