ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF CALGARY
  • Blog
  • About
  • Give
  • News & Events
  • Ministries
  • Contact Us
  • Parish Finder
Picture

Faith-filled young people

5/15/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Photo: Confirmation Mass - at St. Peter's, Calgary.
This Easter Season I will once again have the opportunity to visit parishes, meet young people and their families, and confer the Sacrament of Confirmation.  In the months preceding the celebration of Confirmation at the parish, young people have completed a period of catechesis through a parish-based sacramental program which was offered in person or on-line due to the pandemic. The reception of this sacrament completes their initiation into the life of Christ and the Catholic Church. They are prepared by the priests and lay catechists in learning about the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit which they receive in the Sacrament. They deepen their understanding of the Faith through study, by engaging in apostolic service activities, and exploring the lives of the Saints who witnessed to Christ in ways that they can relate to in their lives.

The candidates also write a letter to the Bishop and express in their own words why they are choosing to be confirmed.  In many instances they describe the example of sacrifice that they recognize in their mother or father a concrete sign of love that supports the family. In their own words they also sense that they are called to deepen their relationship with God through prayer, and to be more faithful in living their faith by becoming a better person in drawing closer to Christ. These are the seeds of hope that I read and which are inspiring young people in the Church now.
​
During this Marian month of May, Pope Francis offers this prayer for young people, “We pray for all young people, called to live life to the fullest; may they see in Mary’s life the way to listen, the depth of discernment, the courage that faith generates, and the dedication to service.”

Young people are naturally inclined to identify with our Mother Mary. Our Blessed Mother faced a challenging moment of discernment in her youth, a moment that tested the strength of her faith and trust in God, the Father.  Yet courageously, with her ear inclined to listen to the Lord, and her heart open to serving the purpose He set before her, she answered, “yes.”  Young people can reflect this courage and determination. In their zeal for social justice initiatives, their care of creation, and their commitment to building a more just and peaceful world, young people give witness to their Faith. And to pursue and accomplish these good works, young people need to engage in prayerful discernment supported by their families and the faith community of our Catholic schools and parishes.
 
It is this invitation that Pope Francis extended to young Catholics in his prayer intention for the Marian month of May which has been captured on video.
The video begins with six empty chairs which quickly become filled by three generations of a family: grandparents, parents and children – all of whom share a role in the discernment process. As Pope Francis speaks about the importance of family, a girl draws an image which gradually is revealed to be the Blessed Virgin Mary. Addressing the youth, Pope Francis points to Mary as a role model for young people.  The Holy Father highlights the attributes and gifts of Mary’s faith that continue to inspire young people today.
 
Pope Francis issued a pastoral document entitled, Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment in 2018.  The three sections of the document provide a much deeper reflection upon the themes presented in the video.
  • The first section presents the importance of schools and parishes in the lives and spiritual development of young people while stressing the need for authentic witnesses to the faith especially the laity who are formed pastorally to accompany young people alongside the clergy.
  • The second section examines the development of the mission and vocation of young people and the essential elements of accompaniment and discernment which can support them at critical times in their personal and faith development.
  • The third section outlines the synodal dynamic of “listening” for the Church and the need to move from "I" to "we", from “me” to “us”. The Holy Father recognizes that this is important to help young people understand the varied perspectives and cultures which they will experience in society today and in which they will be required to engage in dialogue and collaborative service throughout their lives.
 
In Christus Vivit, Pope Francis states, “If we journey together, young and old, we can be firmly rooted in the present, and from here, revisit the past and look to the future. To revisit the past in order to learn from history and heal old wounds that at times still trouble us. To look to the future in order to nourish our enthusiasm, cause dreams to emerge, awaken prophecies and enable hope to blossom. Together, we can learn from one another, warm hearts, inspire minds with the light of the Gospel, and lend new strength to our hands.”  (Christus Vivit #199)
 
Young people are the future of the Church at a time yet to be and they are the now in the present moment. Through receiving Confirmation and being sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit we cannot underestimate young people in their contribution to the ongoing synodal process of the Church. I encourage every youth ministry group, school, classroom, campus ministry group and others to see the synodal process as one that invites a dialogue with the voice of our youth and their experience of living the faith. The Church, especially the Bishop, needs to hear the voices of our faith-filled young people!
Picture
Written by Most Rev. William T. McGrattan, Bishop of Calgary
​
​May 15, 2022
0 Comments

Summer camps

5/14/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
With summer just around the corner, check out the list of Summer camps below that will leave your children with lasting memories of fun and faith: 
​
  • Coming Alive Camp: Cool Kingdom Party for Gr. 1-6 (July 18-22) at St. Albert the Great, Calgary
  • Ignite Alberta for Gr. 9-12 (July 12-15), organized by FacetoFace Ministries at St. Luke's, Calgary 
  • Captivenia (July 20-30), an exciting Catholic medieval adventure camp for girls ages 9-17, at the Britton Ranch near Turner Valley, AB. 
  • Arcātheos (Aug. 1-13), an exciting Catholic adventure camp for boys ages 9-17, at the Britton Ranch near Turner Valley, AB. 
  • Our Lady of Victory Camp at Camp Oselia on Wabamun Lake, AB, organized by Archdiocese of Edmonton, AB.
    • Savio week for Gr. 10-12 (July 25-29)
    • Encounter week for Gr. 4-6 (Aug 1-5)
    • Our Lady of Victory week for Gr. 7-9 (Aug. 22-26)
    • Gr. 10-12 can volunteer as junior counselors for any of the camp weeks.
  • Camp St. Louis (July & August 2022) for kids all ages near Moose Lake Provincial Park, AB, organized by Diocese of St. Paul, AB. 
  • Blackstrap Youth Camp for ages 8-14 (weeks of July 2022), organized by the Knights of Columbus and Diocese of Saskatoon. 
  • Camp Cadicasu  for all ages (weeks of July and August 2022) in Kananaskis, AB
  • Camp Columbus for all ages (weeks of July and August 2022) in Waterton Lakes National Park, AB

Did we miss any? If your parish or lay association is organizing a Summer Camp, or Vacation Bible School, please contact communications@calgarydiocese.ca
0 Comments

Papal Visit to Canada

5/13/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Pope Francis will make a pastoral visit to Canada from July 24 to 29, 2022. The Pope’s visit will provide an opportunity for him to listen and dialogue with Indigenous Peoples, to express his heartfelt closeness and to address the impact of residential schools in Canada. The papal visit will also provide an opportunity for the shepherd of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics to connect with the Catholic community in Canada.

Given the vast landscape of our country, the limited time period for the visit and considering the health of the 85 year-old Pontiff, the Vatican has announced that Pope Francis will adopt three communities as a base for his Canadian visit: Edmonton, Quebec City, and Iqaluit. The locations will limit travel for the Holy Father while still allowing an opportunity for both intimate and public encounters, drawing on participation from all regions of the country.
​
Specific programming and events will be confirmed approximately six weeks prior to the Holy Father’s arrival. Visit www.papalvisit.ca or www.visitepapale.ca for more information and to stay updated on the latest developments. Please continue to pray for the health of Pope Francis and for all those engaged in the ongoing healing and reconciliation journey.

Please include these intentions in your prayers:
  • We pray for the health of Pope Francis as he prepares to visit Canada in July. May God bless the Holy Father with the strength and stamina to travel to our country for a visit of healing, hope and reconciliation. We pray to the Lord...
  • We pray for the Papal Visit to Canada this July. May the journey serve as a moment of healing and reconciliation for Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers, residential school survivors and all those working on the path to truth and understanding. We pray to the Lord. We pray to the Lord...
​
Read: 
  • Pope Francis to Visit Canada (Vatican News)
  • Catholic Bishops Welcome Announcement of Dates and Hub Cities for Papal Visit to Canada (CCCB)
  • News Conference re: Papal Visit by Archbishop Richard Smith, National Coordinator for the Papal Visit, May 13 at 8 am (Archdiocese of Edmonton) Facebook Live on Youtube  
  • FAQ on Papal Visit to Canada

Download banners / promo graphics
0 Comments

Faithful Living: Reducing Food Waste

5/12/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
"Consumerism has led us to become used to an excess and daily waste of food, to which, at times we are no longer able to give a just value. Throwing away food is like stealing from the table of the poor and the hungry." Pope Francis, 2013. 

About 17 percent of global food production may go wasted, according to the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Food Waste Index Report 2021, with 61% of this waste coming from households, 26% from food service and 13% from retail. 

As a good steward of our resources, we are called to do our part to reduce food waste by being more conscious of our choices and actions. 

Seven quick reminders:
  1. Plan meals and stick with your grocery list. Avoid getting carried away at Costco or big box stores.
  2. Buy foods that are in season because they taste better, so you're more likely to finish them. 
  3. Leaf to root eating. Try to consume all edible parts of a plant (cauliflower leaves, carrot greens, potato skins). Get ideas and recipes.
  4. Bring older foods to the front of your fridge, and make leftovers visible. Or store food in the "Eat this first" storage area in your fridge, or label it so. Consider using online help like SuperCook to find recipes using items you already have in stock. 
  5. Rescue foods that are about to go bad. Roast it, stew it, pickle it, mix it in fried rice or soup, bake it into bread, make it into a smoothie or the base for soup.... there are many creative ways out there to give your leftovers a new life.  Think of leftovers as culinary adventure. Watch: 4 meals we make with leftovers
  6. Use the freezer to store leftovers, and remember to consume it. You can also start a "Catch-all bowl" in the freezer to store clean fruit and vegetable scraps, ready to use for a future soup base.
  7. Feed others. Share with your friends and family!  

Consider this...
Even the smallest actions: reflecting on food waste, avoiding overbuying, mindful of leftovers - are movements in the right direction, sowing the seeds of change.  

“It is a return to that simplicity which allows us to stop and appreciate the small things, to be grateful for the opportunities which life affords us, to be spiritually detached from what we possess, and not to succumb to sadness for what we lack.” Laudato Si' #222
0 Comments

Santiago Torres

5/11/2022

4 Comments

 
Mr. Santiago Torres will be ordained to the Transitional Diaconate by Bishop McGrattan on Saturday, May 21 at 11 am at All Saints Parish in Lethbridge. Earlier this month, Chris Moraes, the President of the Serra Club of Calgary sat down with Santiago at his home parish of St. Bonaventure to ask him about his vocations journey and his upcoming ordination.

Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
“I am currently 33 years old. I was born in Colombia and moved to Canada when I was 16 years old with my mother, step-father and my younger twin sisters. My parents separated in my youth and moving to Canada was a challenge. At that time I was not practising my faith. I enjoy making visits to my native Colombia and visiting my father when I am there.”

Who is your favourite Saint? 
My grandparents have always been very influential on me and my faith. When I was young they gave me a book about St. Dominic Savio. At his first holy communion St. Dominic said to God that he never wanted to sin again which was a very inspiring message for me. I took him as my confirmation saint and his story has inspired me to always trust in the Lord and has given me strength many times throughout my life.

When did you first become aware of your call? Who was instrumental in encouraging you to explore it?
At the age of 16 I met a girl at my school who was also from Colombia. We grew close and eventually began dating. She was very strong in her faith and brought me to Mass and encouraged my prayer life. Eventually we ended our relationship but my faith remained because of her. On one occasion I heard about a CCO Mission at my parish. My first deep conversion took place when I attended an evening of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. I was invited to take part in a Faith Study and that was when I really started to connect all of the aspects of my faith and especially came to discover a real relationship with our Lord Jesus. After that I started to get involved with CCO and I joined the executive of the campus ministry group at the UofC. This allowed me to share with others the encounter that I had personally experienced with Christ.

How has the Diocese of Calgary been instrumental in the discernment of your own vocation? 
The Blessed Sacrament chapel at St. Bonaventure is where I really began to hear the Lord calling me to his service. It was also the witness of several priests that allowed me to be open to this call. Around the time of my conversion, Father Cristino was on his pastoral internship at St. Bonaventure and he likes to recall the story that he began praying for my vocation way back then. The spiritual direction from Fr. Wilbert Chin Jon was instrumental in navigating fears, doubts and feelings of unworthiness for such an important calling. The friendship of Fr. Troy Nguyen in the early days of discernment also helped to ease some anxieties about going to spend the first few years at Mount Angel Abbey in Oregon to begin my priestly studies. \

What has been the greatest challenge that you have gone through as in your Seminary formation?
The seminary is a place that really helps you to get to know yourself. It is an interesting balance of guidance, formation, and evaluation. At times it can magnify your shortcomings, and there are times when you find yourself comparing yourself to the other gifted and faith filled young men. It does, however, also help to discover the great gift of the priesthood and to accept that despite feelings of unworthiness, that God can indeed call you to serve him in this vocation.
Picture
What has been your greatest joy or consolation in this journey?
The abiding understanding that God always responds to openness with faithfulness and that he wants to fulfil you with happiness. The relationships that are forged with your brother seminarians allow you to wrestle with the doubts. It is a true brotherhood and gives you strength for the journey of discernment.

In the few months that it has been established in our Diocese, have you been aware of the Serra Club and its activities?
Yes, absolutely. Sometimes the seminary can become a bit of a bubble and you just keep your head down and keep working towards the goal. It is a wonderful realisation that you are not alone on your journey and that there are many dedicated people out there praying with and for you. The letters of encouragement from students and lay people have been a great blessing to me and I am grateful for the presence of the Serra Club and the work that its growing membership is doing to promote and support vocations in our Diocese.

What is the thing you are most anticipating as your ordination to the transitional diaconate it approaches?
The thing I am most excited for is simply just “Living it” and being entirely dedicated to the ministry of the deacon. I am sure it will bring new questions, new challenges, and new learning. The ordination brings both a sense of finality of one process but also a new beginning of a new one in the ordained ministry.

What piece of advice would you give to a young person who feels like they might have a call to a religious vocation?
First of all, talk to someone about it. A spiritual director, vocations director or your parish priest will help encourage, guide, and help you to know that you are not crazy for thinking you might be called to the priesthood. Fr. Wilbert was able to reassure me that despite my insecurities, that God would sustain and inspire me to keep saying “Yes.” Secondly, Give the Lord the chance to show you that He is God and that he  knows and loves you and that wants what is absolutely best for you.


Photo credit: Chris Moraes.

Picture
Santiago Torres, currently in seminary formation and studies at St. Joseph Seminary, Edmonton, has been called to Ordination to the Transitional Diaconate.

​He will be ordained  a transitional deacon by Most Rev. William T. McGrattan, at the parish where he completed his pastoral year, All Saints’ Parish, Lethbridge, on 
Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 11 am. 
​
  • To attend the Ordination, please register online here
4 Comments

Supporting Ukrainians in our Diocese

5/9/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
How do we help our Ukrainian ​brothers and sisters beyond prayers?
Picture
Donate online to help with these emergency funds:
  • Development & Peace - Caritas Canada (for Caritas Ukraine)
  • Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA Canada)
Picture
​Calgary Catholic Immigration Service (CCIS) is working to provide temporary housing and financial support. They welcome your help with donation. 
  • Donate to CCIS to help with resettlement
Picture
Similar to the Syrian refugee program in 2015, parishes are now able to support a Ukrainian family. The screening will be done directly through CCIS, with sponsorship ranging from 3 months to 1 year. The Diocese of Calgary will subsidize participating parishes up to $5,000 from the Pastoral Fund. Sponsorship Initial Form available here.  To apply for the subsidy, please contact Alejandro at finance@calgarydiocese.ca
Picture
Individuals interested to host a family can contact CCIS directly for details. 
  • The initial form is available here.
  • Or contact CCIS representative Jouhayna El Chamy at 403-290-5750 or jelchamy@ccisab.ca
The tragic consequences of this war have created grave needs for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine. Now more than ever we are called to recognize the responsibilities we have for each other as St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians reminds us, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God.” (Ephesians 2:19).
  • ​Read a message from Bishop McGrattan
  • Download poster

If you have any questions concerning any of these options please contact CCIS representative Jouhayna El Chamy at 403-290-5750 or jelchamy@ccisab.ca 
0 Comments

5 little things to start in spring

5/8/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
"The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it." Genesis 2:1-14. 

We are called to take meaningful actions to care for God's creation. If you are unsure of where to start, here are 5 ideas to consider this spring:
​​
  1. Set aside a garden space for prayer and contemplation. Starting a Mary's garden is delightful way to honour our Blessed Mother this month. A prayer garden doesn't have to be elaborate, or even outside. Surround yourself with plants or flowers you enjoy, and pray. 
  2. Make 'seed bombs' - Sowing wildflowers in your garden provides vital resources to support or increase biodiversity. Throwing, breaking up or digging ‘seed bombs’ (or balls) into areas in your garden is a perfect way of spending an afternoon with your family, or friends! Learn how to make seed bombs here or here 
  3. Get involved with a clean-up in your area. Plan your own, or find/register one at The Great Global Cleanup or local one like these ones, and help clean trash from our neighbourhoods, rivers, lakes, trails, and parks. 
  4. Start composting to use the leftovers you can’t consume. While diverting food from landfills, composting helps enrich soil, promotes plant growth, filters and uses rainwater, and decreases greenhouse gasses. You can compost anywhere! How to make easy compost at home 
  5. Supporting a local farmers market is a delicious way to support and preserve God’s creation, especially farmers and artisans in your community. It also reduces transportation pollution and cuts back on trash and plastic bag usage, since produce is minimally packaged.

There are many simple and creative ways “to protect the earth and to ensure its fruitfulness for coming generations” (Laudato Si’ 67). Find more action items in Laudato Si' Week 2022 Celebration Guide (May 22-29, 2022).

0 Comments

They’re powerful – they just don’t know it yet

5/8/2022

3 Comments

 
It is a beautiful thing to birth a baby and nurture a child through life. Motherhood, which is arguably the pinnacle of the experience of being a woman – whether through birth, adoption or spiritual motherhood – is highly underrated in the mainstream. We know that women are essential to life giving love, and with the example of Our Lady, women walk this journey in dignity and strength.

But women who come through adverse circumstances are almost a truer testimony to the strength of character and the resolve that it takes to be a mother. Add a global pandemic, and you’ve got a myriad more problems to work through.

Michelle Haywood is the program manager at Elizabeth House. Listening to her speak of what she has witnessed at one of Calgary’s a homes for pregnant women at risk, was balm for the soul as she told success stories of the women who resided there in the past 2 years.

“They are coming to us in crisis, and they’re leaving with sometimes a whole lot more confidence and resourcing than they came in with. They have to decide – its that choice that they made to do it and they’ve got to work hard to make this happen. I’m seeing dogged ethic and determination in every woman in her own way.”
PictureNewly built grotto at the Elizabeth House
I often imagine Our Lady in her own adverse circumstances, and am thankful for the relative ease with which I’ve raised my children by comparison. But Our Lady has special meaning for Michelle and Elizabeth House:

In its original location in an historic building in the heart of the city, Elizabeth House, founded by the Sisters of Charity of St. Louis, had a grotto with a statue of Our Lady. Unfortunately, the grotto did not make the move when Elizabeth House moved to a more suitable location. The statue, as Michelle put it, “followed us without a dedicated home.” 

The Knights of Columbus at St. Peter’s parish who have been instrumental in creating a homey atmosphere in the front and backyards at the house with landscaping and upkeep, arranged to have a new grotto built for the original statue, which has also been repainted. 
​

"We asked the St Peter's Knights of Columbus to rebuild the grotto and they came through as always. They even found the gentleman who was the original brick layer to build the new one!" Michelle said.

A dedication ceremony will take place with Bishop McGrattan at the beginning of June.
​

“I believe that all the women that come through are under her mantle and enfolded in Mary’s robes. I constantly think of that as being part of the leadership that we are all in her presence always, and it helps us get through some really difficult moments.”

Difficulty doesn’t even begin to describe what it must be like to be newly pregnant and unsupported by family, friends or community and without a place to go;

“Some of the research has shown that one of the most substantial reasons that women choose abortion is that they believe that they can not provide the optimal conditions for motherhood,” Michelle said, adding that housing is also a major contributor,

“If you have no idea where you’re going to sleep or you can’t guarantee in your mind that you can keep this baby safe from harm, that’s what might lead a woman to that decision. They want to feel like they can be the best mother possible.”

The proof that Elizabeth House moms can and do achieve the best motherhood possible is in their stories. Michelle emphasised the determination and hard work that many women have shown her over her 15 years there, especially the last two years in the midst of global pandemic,

The public health restrictions had a myriad of consequences for Elizabeth House. Some of the regularly accessed programming was closed, outside visitors were not allowed at times, and isolation for symptoms had to happen in the four walls of a small bedroom.

“We saw more acute mental health needs and crises,” Michelle said, adding that being in a staff position was very difficult, because inevitably acting on the public health measures made them feel they may be doing harm.

Despite the hardships faced, there were also silver linings.
​

“We had only one isolated case of COVID-19 in a place where people are coming and going, and that speaks to how well we cared for one another,” Michelle said.

Strength and resilience of the community showed through as well when amidst the fear and the struggle, victories were won.

“We were seeing women just circling the house – nowhere to go. Schools were closed. We have from time to time women who are in post-secondary education. Now they were online with a baby, and guess what? They did it. They absolutely did it.
​

“We had one woman finish her post-secondary degree at home with a brand new baby during COVID. This is what can happen. This is what I’m speaking to, just the resilience, the strength, the courage, the sheer determination of the women here. This isn’t about the program; this is about them. We are simply giving them the space to shine.”

Another woman was able to purchase her first home during the pandemic, which is a first for the program.

“We’ve never had a woman move into that situation before, but she worked so hard to get everything in place for her next steps.”

Michelle and the staff at Elizabeth House have been grateful for the financial and physical support that continued despite the pandemic.

“It slowed down understandably but it never ended. We were overwhelmed both Christmases with donations and still getting people who want to volunteer as soon as restrictions are lifted. In those incredibly dark moments, the support and care never ended and that really mattered.”

After only a few minutes of talking to Michelle, I noticed and admired how she spoke about the women Elizabeth House serves. She spoke with admiration and respect, and emphasised the dignity of each woman, saying that it is their hard work that makes the difference for them, and that Elizabeth House, just like a midwife to a birthing mother, holds up a mirror to them saying “You’re doing it. You’ve got this.”

“They’re powerful – they just don’t know it yet – and we are helping them to see that and to practice it so that they can move forward.”

Picture
Jessica Cyr is a freelance writer living in Calgary, Alberta. Her primary focus is raising five children, ages 4 - 12. When she is not homeschooling and enjoying time with her kids, she can be found reading, gardening, volunteering in her community or writing for small publications. She is interested in current events, social justice and history.
3 Comments

Pilgrimage to the North

5/1/2022

8 Comments

 
Written by Fr. Tim Boyle.

For Fr. Wilbert Chin Jon and myself, Holy Week of 2022 will be remembered as the year of our pilgrimage to the North.

​As a child growing up in Canada, our North has always held a fascination for me. I read Jack London as a kid and since winter occupies half of our year, the North with images of the cold and darkness and the First Nation people who love being there, have always been part of my imagination.

When Bishop Jon Hansen, C.Ss.R. from McKenzie-Fort Smith Diocese asked our Bishop if any priests would be interested in helping out at Easter, I jumped at the opportunity. 
Picture
Bishop Jon Hansen, Fr. Tim Boyle, and Fr. Wilbert Chin Jon.
Picture

​Bishop Jon is a pretty laid back Redemptorist who drives a Ford Bronco and prefers to spend Holy Week in one of his mission communities. ​He asked Fr. Wilbert to go to a mission community on Great Bear Lake, and sent me to Fort Simpson - a mission that was visited by Saint Pope Jon Paul II in 1986. The trip there was noisy and to me it served as a reminder that this world is crowded and practical.  Father Macleen Anywanu, a missionary priest from Nigeria, welcomed me to Sacred Heart Church which to my surprise was modern and efficient.
Picture
After a tour of the town, Fr Macleen left for Liard where he would celebrate Holy Week.  ​Our Good Friday service was simple. I put out some charcoal in a bowl and the folks added some spruce gum as we venerated the cross. 
Picture
Several of the Dene people smudged using the incense as they prayed before the cross. After the service one of the elders asked if I wanted to join them for the Feeding the Fire. They hold this service several times a year. Here a special fire is planned.
Picture
Set in a circle of rocks surrounded by spruce brought a symbol of all the life that flows from the fire. After blessing the ground with tobacco they begin with a log saved from their last event. Then with drumming they offer food to the four winds. We were invited to add tobacco to the fire. 

The fire connects us to our ancestors and by feeding the fire we strengthen them so they can assist us. As we prayed this Litany of the Saints the drumming rolled across the site that Saint Pope John Paul 11 visited. 
Picture
Picture
The next day we prepared for the Vigil. A space was readied for the Easter Fire. The snow had melted and frozen. Andy and I dug out an area outside the doors of the church for the fire. ​
Picture
At 9 pm we gathered around the fire. It was still pretty light outside, but if we waited for darkness it might have been only me! Our little community welcomed the Light of Christ into the church. One of the elders translated the Gospel into their language.  
Picture
On Easter morning, I went for a walk along the banks of the frozen McKenzie River, and paused at their local monument to remember the children who died in the Residential Schools.
Picture
Later a slightly larger group gathered to celebrate Easter morning. We also shared a potluck dinner in their wonderful church.
Picture
On our last night at Trappers Lake the northern lights offered a final blessing on our pilgrimage. Truly this Holy Week has been a blessing for both Fr. Wilbert and myself! 
Additional photos from Fr. Wilbert Chin Jon
First night. Thank you for showing up early Aurora!
Amazing supper at Jim and Julia Lynn’s.
They don’t hold the drum dance often but the Elders thought that today being Easter Sunday would be most appropriate. Honoured to have been asked to offer a prayer and a blessing before we started dancing. I have been blessed by the community. A beautiful way to finish my time in this special place called Deline.
The Parish - St. Therese of Child Jesus.
Long weekend = camping. Joined a group of families for a cookout.
Long weekend = camping. Joined a group of families for a cookout.
Amazon reaches Deline. Taking off soon. God bless Deline and the community.
Amazon reaches Deline. Taking off soon. God bless Deline and the community.

Picture
Written by Fr. Tim Boyle | Email
Fr. Tim currently serves as the Bishop's Delegate, and Episcopal Vicar for Clergy. 
8 Comments

Faithful Living: Saving gas and the earth

4/30/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Here are 5 small individual actions that help save you gas, build community, and can have a huge impact for our earth:
  1. Arrange ride sharing to Mass and other parish events. Perhaps you can take this a step further by organizing  occasional walk-to-church weekends?
  2. Increase your use of public transportation. It's not too cold outside. With buses and trains operating all seasons, making use of them instead of your car — even just 2 or 3 times a month — is a step in reducing emissions and traffic congestion. Gain the rare opportunities of saying hello to a stranger, listening to forgotten podcasts, reading a book, or praying your examen or rosary in between stations. 
  3. Take more time for a leisurely walk in a park or along the river, whether alone or with family or friends. Appreciate the great beauty God has given us in all aspects of creation. 
  4. Set aside one day a month or a week to leave the car parked and instead walk, ride a bike or use transit to get where you are going. It's a small step that can benefit the health of God's creation, and yours as well.
  5. Good driving habits lessen fuel consumption. Some examples: proper usage of vehicle’s cruise control; avoid aggressive practices such as speeding, heavy braking, heavy accelerating; avoid extended idling; use the right gears; replace air filters regularly; have tires properly inflated, and so much more. Find 'green' driving tips here

Pope Benedict XVI reminded us that our environment is God's gift to all people, and the use we make of it entail a shared responsibility for all humanity, especially the poor and future generations. 

​"We are all responsible for the protection and care of the environment. This responsibility knows no boundaries. In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity it is important for everyone to be committed at his or her proper level, working to overcome the prevalence of particular interests." (2010)

Consider this...
Everything starts with a small step.  

"A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”
Galatians 5:9

0 Comments

Faithfully fumbling forward

4/24/2022

4 Comments

 
Picture
PictureMariah Grace Mimoni
In God’s kindness, the hope, joy and love of Easter arrived early to our family this year. We welcomed a little morning star – Mariah Grace Mimoni – into our arms on March 25, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of Our Lord. Mariah was born in the wee hours of the morning, safely in the quiet intimacy of our home. 

For me, Mariah’s soft, chubby cheeks and teeny tiny hands are an incarnational reminder of what trusting God with every fear looks like. To me she is an enfleshment of the Angel Gabriel’s exhortation to Mary, “Do not be afraid” (Luke 1:30). I cannot stop staring into her bright face with a heart full of warmth, gratitude and heightened trust. 

The reasons are manifold and involve many miraculous details related to her gestation and birth. These nine months were dominated by the principle concern to protect her which, many times, seemed to be against all odds. This was especially the case with the backdrop of a pandemic. 

News headlines read that pregnant women who contracted Covid in pregnancy were more likely to give birth prematurely to low-birth-weight babies, along with other potential complications. That’s if the mother herself could survive the illness. Add to these unusually daunting concerns that our last pre-pandemic baby was low-birth-weight.

I contracted Covid in September, at the height of Covid fears about the Delta variant – when Mariah was only 13 weeks gestation. In all honesty, this was a very uncertain and difficult time. I was afraid. 

In difficult times, when I feel weak and helpless I cling to this Scripture passage:  

“‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 9-10).     

My faith gave me the strength to carry on, while still experiencing a yo-yo-like daily existence. In Alberta, one week we were “open for summer” with the promise of no more mandates, and the next we were faced with our harshest mandates, including the restriction exemption program, QR Code and national and international travel restrictions to name a few. These outward signs pointed to an inward reality within the hearts of many Canadians: fear. This fear has had very real-world consequences including loss of hope and trust in the future. According to Statistics Canada there has been a decline in Canada’s birth rate during the pandemic. ​

PictureTwo year old Maggie becomes a big sister
All glory and praise be to our God, I am happy to share a different story – one of faith and trust, even if it’s imperfect with shaky knees. Mariah was not born preterm, as the headlines warned. She was actually five days overdue. Neither was she underweight. In fact, she recorded the biggest birth weight of her five older siblings – 8lbs 11oz.

​
Call me and my husband fools for Christ, daring to bring another baby into this broken world. But, with the Holy Spirit as our guide, we’ve faced our fears head-on, trusting that God has a good plan for our lives (Jer 29:11). We believe, if we give God our childlike “yes”, He will work out the details. Mariah’s life testifies to these fine-tuned details. And her life emboldens us concerning the certainty that He will continue to do so, no matter what those trembling knees caution sometimes.

We had the “perfect nuclear family – a boy and a girl” and then we kept being open to new life to the surprise of family and friends. God has gifted us with a son, three daughters, a miscarried baby and then two more daughters. 

I was an only child for seven years before my brother, and then sister, came along. My husband is the middle child of three. Raising a bigger-than-average family is new territory for us, and we certainly don’t have all the answers. 

​A question we get asked is: How do you do it? I can tell you, whatever we have managed to accomplish, it’s by the grace of God. By grace, we have been able to hold fast to the belief that we are not called to be successful in the eyes of the world, but rather faithful to God’s call to grow in love. And family life is rich in opportunities to sacrifice and put others before oneself. It has been so beautiful to watch Mariah’s siblings jockey for a chance to change her diaper, burp her, hold her, talk to her, rock her to sleep. The school of family life is not something you can pay someone to take lessons to learn. It is a gift freely given. It’s where The Potter moulds our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh (Ezek 36:26). 

Being open to life is a spiritual discipline. I’ve thrown out the saying, “God doesn’t give you more than you can handle” and replaced it with “Indeed, God has given me more than I can handle, so that I can more easily place my trust in Him, instead of myself, my plans, my wants, my needs.” 

Picture
Big brother Joseph falling asleep with his new sister.
PictureFive year old Anne with Mariah
When we’ve been worried about how we are going to pay our next bill, we cut back our expenses, or someone will drop by with a bag of clothes, or ask if I’d consider providing before and after school care. When I’ve been ill with morning sickness, I’ve scaled back my expectations and aimed to just cover the basics. Would I like to be sipping a pina colada on a tropical island, of course, but these childbearing years are ones I won’t be able to get back. The island vacation can wait. 

My prayer was that Mariah’s arrival would bring hope and healing, and that intention is being answered each day. New life has the potential to bring out the best in humanity. 

​​The isolation and distancing of relationships in the Covid-restricted fall and winter has been replaced with community, connection and support in the spring. Leading up to Mariah’s birth, friends gathered in person and over the phone to pray with me. Every day for three weeks family and friends dropped off a meal at our house to help with the transition of becoming a family of eight. Our parents braved the airports to come visit and meet their new granddaughter. We celebrated the Easter Triduum in person this year with a three-week-old Mariah in tow, because we simply could not take our freedom to worship and freely assemble for granted.

If there is one thing Covid has taught me, it’s to have gratitude for the present moment. We can’t change the past nor control the future; all we have is now. And children – babies in particular – help tremendously to focus our attention on the here and now. 

This Easter season I’m excited to build into our family anew. I’m excited to live in the moment as we faithfully fumble forward finding our footing, forming new routines, forging new relationships and experiences. 

In these days of celebration we look to our Annunciation baby to inspire Marian devotion and faith. “Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word’” (Luke 1:38). 

The question I kept pondering during my pregnancy was: what would happen if I placed my trust in God? In His kindness the answer was the gift of Mariah. This Easter season I invite you to join me in continuing to ponder this question, especially when new fears and doubts arise. 

Jesus, I trust in You.


Picture
​Written by Sara Francis for Faithfully. Sara is a writer living in Calgary with her husband Ben and their six children. They attend St. Bernard's / Our Lady of the Assumption Parish. ​Photos courtesy of Ben & Sara Francis
Picture

Subscribe now

Faithfully keeps you updated with what's happening in our Diocese; it also gives a snapshot of faith at work in the lives of everyday people in our Diocese; and provides us with opportunities to spread the Good News of Christ beyond the walls of our churches.


Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

.
4 Comments

An Easter Message from Bishop McGrattan

4/18/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Each year the celebration of Easter takes us beyond the Cross of Good Friday to the joy and hope that comes from knowing that the Risen Lord is truly present in the world and in the lives of believers. For Mary Magdalene and the other women, Peter and the beloved disciple, the experience of the empty tomb would soon be transformed into that of encountering the risen Christ.

The gospels each follow a similar pattern for those who would come to believe. Initially scripture tells us that they did not recognize him. This was to signify for each of them the need to let go of their knowing him in the flesh, of not finding the body in the tomb. A necessary step of becoming detached from recognizing him in his earthly body, in order that they would become attached to him in new ways and know him in his resurrected and glorified body which was no longer bound by time or space. This believing community of disciples became the first witnesses to know that God’s love and presence in and through Christ has the power to transform our lives, to move us beyond the experiences of the empty tomb to the hope of our Easter belief!

The stark images of those caught up in the current tragedy of war throughout the world were reminders to us this Good Friday of Jesus' passion, the carrying of the cross, the suffering and death he endured. His acceptance of the Father’s will would ultimately be the source of new life, a hope that is found in the resurrection. God moves us in faith to act with the same love that our Lord offers for the entire world. It is a love that restores dignity for those who have been exiled from their homes, transforming strangers into neighbours, and calling us to respond with compassion and care to those who are suffering and vulnerable.

Jesus revealed himself to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus in the midst of their doubt and despair. At first the disciples were prevented from recognizing him until he began to share with them his presence in the living Word of scripture and then in the sacramental sign of his presence “in the breaking of the bread” – the Eucharist. He also commissioned Mary as the “apostle (the one sent) to the apostles”, to bring this good news of the resurrection to the world. In a similar way each Easter celebration invites us to come and see, to encounter like the two disciples the presence of the resurrected Lord in Word and Sacrament and then like Mary to go and proclaim this mystery which God has accomplished through Christ. 

To enter into mystery means the ability to wonder, to contemplate; the ability to listen to the silence and to hear the tiny whisper amid great silence by which God speaks to us (cf. 1 Kings 19:12).  Like Mary we need humility to enter into this mystery and to receive through the Holy Spirit the whispering of the revealed truth that our search for life, goodness, beauty and love is fully revealed in the risen Christ. May our commitment to this sacred mystery be revealed in the witness which we give in the promoting of the dignity of each human person in our country of Canada. 

A blessed Easter Season to you and your family.

​Sincerely yours in Christ,

+ William T. McGrattan
Bishop of Calgary

April 17, 2022
0 Comments

Faithful Living: The joy of Easter

4/14/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
In preparing for this great feasting season of Easter, we abstained, prayed and gave alms. What would happen if we lived the Easter season with as much fervour as we live Lent?

What can we do to colour our spiritual lives with Easter joy during this liturgical season? 
  1. Stay connected to the liturgy. The readings for daily Mass during Easter take us on an exciting journey through the Last Supper discourse and through the amazing and frightening experience of the early Church. Spend time reading the commentaries on these passages, meditating on them, and allowing God to speak to our hearts through them.

  2. Find ways to rejoice! Enjoy God’s goodness such that joy overflows from our spirits, into our emotions, and even into our bodies. Some inspiration: make Sunday lunch or dinner a truly festive occasion for your family and friends every Sunday of Easter; carve out some extra time during Easter for your whole family; reflect Easter joy in your wardrobe, baking, outings, movie selections etc.

  3. Reach out. Jesus taught us that “there is more joy in giving than receiving.” Renewing our efforts to bring others closer to Christ, to help others who are in need – those close to us, or those far away – can colour our lives with Easter joy, if we season those efforts with prayer and faith.

Why should Lent be the only time we make resolutions? God has graces in store for us this season, just as he did during Lent. We only need to keep our eyes peeled so that we don’t miss them.

"fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."
~ Hebrews 12:2

Excerpts taken from Fr. John Bartunek's article in SpiritualDirection.com:
"How can we celebrate the Easter Season more fully?" ​
0 Comments

Holy Week, Triduum & Easter Resources

4/11/2022

1 Comment

 
Picture
Parish Schedule for Triduum & Easter
TRIDUUM LIVESTREAM - YOUTUBE
TRIDUUM LIVESTREAM - FACEBOOK
The Diocese of Calgary offers the following resources to encourage and guide our active participation in the Holy Week, Triduum & Easter sacred liturgies. 

​
PALM SUNDAY
  • ​Palm Sunday Domestic Prayer (PDF)
  • Holy Week @Home Experience on Palm Sunday
HOLY WEEK ​
  • Holy Week Resources for Ministry Leaders - Liturgical Catechists
  • How to keep Holy in Holy Week - National Catholic Register

HOLY THURSDAY
  • Holy Thursday Rituals at Home (PDF) - Liturgical Press
  • Holy Thursday Sacred Music Playlist - Diocese of Calgary (playlist, video & music sheet) 
  • ​Pray the Liturgy of the Hours - Divine Office
  • Holy Week @Home Experience on Holy Thursday​
  • Create Family Paschal Candle

GOOD FRIDAY
  • ​​Good Friday Rituals at Home (PDF) - Liturgical Press
  • Good Friday Sacred Music Playlist - Diocese of Calgary (playlist, video & music sheet) 
  • Stations of the Cross - with your children 
  • Stations of the Cross Colouring Book - from the Via Crucis at the Church of the Mother of God in Mengore, Slovenia.
  • The Way of the Cross with Pope Francis - Reflection & Prayer
  • Holy Week @Home Experience on Good Friday
  • Begin of the Divine Mercy Novena 

HOLY SATURDAY & EASTER
  • Holy Saturday Rituals at Home (PDF) - Liturgical Press
  • Holy Saturday Sacred Music Playlist - Diocese of Calgary (playlist, video & music sheet) ​
  • ​Blessing of the Easter Food
  • Reflection - Preparing for the Easter Vigil ​
  • Easter activities for Children - Catholic Icing
  • 50 ways to celebrate 50 days of the Easter Season - Catholic Icing

1 Comment

Pope Francis' apology to the Indigenous People

4/1/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
April 1 was the final day of the delegation of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada to the Holy See, where all of the delegates and those who have accompanied them participated in a final audience with Pope Francis in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. 
​
During this final Audience, the Holy Father expressed “sorrow and shame” for the abuse and lack of respect for Indigenous identities, culture and spiritual values in the residential school system. He said, “I ask for God’s forgiveness and I want to say to you with all my heart: I am very sorry. And I join my brothers, the Canadian bishops, in asking your pardon.”  Read the Holy Father's full message
  • Pope Francis' full address to the Indigenous Delegates
  • Canada's Catholic Bishops welcome Pope Francis' apology to Indigenous Peoples
  • ​Final Audience between Pope Francis and all the Indigenous delegates. 
  • Final briefing with all Indigenous partners and the CCCB following the final audience with Pope Francis. 
  • To watch all the briefings, click here.
  • Métis delegate Angie Crerar touched by meeting with Pope Francis (Archdiocese of Edmonton) 
  • Indigenous leaders reflect on talks with Pope (CBC)
  • A journey toward healing and reconciliation (Salt + Light TV)
    • March 28 | March 29 | March 31
  • Chief Wilton Littlechild responds to Pope Francis' apology (Archdiocese of Edmonton)
  • Elder Angie Crerar's final briefing message and prayer on the final day in Rome with the Indigenous delegation (Archdiocese of Edmonton)
  • Raymond J. de Souza: The meaning of Pope Francis' apology to Indigenous people (National Post)
  • "Now we're brothers, sisters." Archbishop Smith recaps Indigenous visit to Rome (Archdiocese of Edmonton)
  • Father Cristino Bouvette, an Indigenous Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Calgary, speaks about the historic apology given by Pope Francis.
 
Picture
Indigenous delegates from Canada and their families, friends, and supporters meet with Pope Francis in a final audience on April 1, 2022. Photo: ©Vatican Media

MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN CANADA
ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
Clementine Hall, Friday, 1st April 2022 | [Multimedia]

​Dear brothers and sisters,
Good morning and welcome!

I thank Bishop Poisson for his kind words and each of you for your presence here and for the prayers that you have offered. I am grateful that you have come to Rome despite the difficulties caused by the pandemic. Over the past few days, I have listened attentively to your testimonies. I have brought them to my thoughts and prayers, and reflected on the stories you told and the situations you described. I thank you for having opened your hearts to me, and for expressing, by means of this visit, your desire for us to journey together.

I would like to take up a few of the many things that have struck me. Let me start from a saying that is part of your traditional wisdom. It is not only a turn of phrase but also a way of viewing life: “In every deliberation, we must consider the impact on the seventh generation”. These are wise words, farsighted and the exact opposite of what often happens in our own day, when we run after practical and immediate goals without thinking of the future and generations yet to come. For the ties that connect the elderly and the young are essential. They must be cherished and protected, lest we lose our historical memory and our very identity. Whenever memory and identity are cherished and protected, we become more human.

In these days, a beautiful image kept coming up. You compared yourselves to the branches of a tree. Like those branches, you have spread in different directions, you have experienced various times and seasons, and you have been buffeted by powerful winds. Yet you have remained solidly anchored to your roots, which you kept strong. In this way, you have continued to bear fruit, for the branches of a tree grow high only if its roots are deep. I would like to speak of some of those fruits, which deserve to be better known and appreciated.

First, your care for the land, which you see not as a resource to be exploited, but as a gift of heaven. For you, the land preserves the memory of your ancestors who rest there; it is a vital setting making it possible to see each individual’s life as part of a greater web of relationships, with the Creator, with the human community, with all living species and with the earth, our common home. All this leads you to seek interior and exterior harmony, to show great love for the family and to possess a lively sense of community. Then too, there are the particular riches of your languages, your cultures, your traditions and your forms of art. These represent a patrimony that belongs not only to you, but to all humanity, for they are expressions of our common humanity.

Yet that tree, rich in fruit, has experienced a tragedy that you described to me in these past days: the tragedy of being uprooted. The chain that passed on knowledge and ways of life in union with the land was broken by a colonization that lacked respect for you, tore many of you from your vital milieu and tried to conform you to another mentality. In this way, great harm was done to your identity and your culture, many families were separated, and great numbers of children fell victim to these attempts to impose a uniformity based on the notion that progress occurs through ideological colonization, following programmes devised in offices rather than the desire to respect the life of peoples. This is something that, unfortunately, and at various levels, still happens today: ideological colonization. How many forms of political, ideological and economic colonization still exist in the world, driven by greed and thirst for profit, with little concern for peoples, their histories and traditions, and the common home of creation! Sadly, this colonial mentality remains widespread. Let us help each other, together, to overcome it.

Listening to your voices, I was able to enter into and be deeply grieved by the stories of the suffering, hardship, discrimination and various forms of abuse that some of you experienced, particularly in the residential schools. It is chilling to think of determined efforts to instil a sense of inferiority, to rob people of their cultural identity, to sever their roots, and to consider all the personal and social effects that this continues to entail: unresolved traumas that have become intergenerational traumas.

All this has made me feel two things very strongly: indignation and shame. Indignation, because it is not right to accept evil and, even worse, to grow accustomed to evil, as if it were an inevitable part of the historical process. No! Without real indignation, without historical memory and without a commitment to learning from past mistakes, problems remain unresolved and keep coming back. We can see this these days in the case of war. The memory of the past must never be sacrificed at the altar of alleged progress.

I also feel shame. I have said this to you and now I say it again. I feel shame – sorrow and shame – for the role that a number of Catholics, particularly those with educational responsibilities, have had in all these things that wounded you, in the abuses you suffered and in the lack of respect shown for your identity, your culture and even your spiritual values. All these things are contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For the deplorable conduct of those members of the Catholic Church, I ask for God's forgiveness and I want to say to you with all my heart: I am very sorry. And I join my brothers, the Canadian bishops, in asking your pardon. Clearly, the content of the faith cannot be transmitted in a way contrary to the faith itself: Jesus taught us to welcome, love, serve and not judge; it is a frightening thing when, precisely in the name of the faith, counter-witness is rendered to the Gospel.

Your experiences have made me ponder anew those ever timely questions that the Creator addresses to mankind in the first pages of the Bible. After the first sin, he asks: “Where are you?” (Gen 3:9). Then, a few pages later, he asks another question, inseparable from the first: “Where is your brother?” (Gen 4:9). Where are you? Where is your brother? These are questions we should never stop asking. They are the essential questions raised by our conscience, lest we ever forget that we are here on this earth as guardians of the sacredness of life, and thus guardians of our brothers and sisters, and of all brother peoples.

At the same time, I think with gratitude of all those good and decent believers who, in the name of the faith, and with respect, love and kindness, have enriched your history with the Gospel. I think with joy, for example, of the great veneration that many of you have for Saint Anne, the grandmother of Jesus. This year I would like to be with you on those days. Today we need to reestablish the covenant between grandparents and grandchildren, between the elderly and the young, for this is a fundamental prerequisite for the growth of unity in our human family.

Dear brothers and sisters, it is my hope that our meetings in these days will point out new paths to be pursued together, instil courage and strength, and lead to greater commitment on the local level. Any truly effective process of healing requires concrete actions. In a fraternal spirit, I encourage the Bishops and the Catholic community to continue taking steps towards the transparent search for truth and to foster healing and reconciliation. These steps are part of a journey that can favour the rediscovery and revitalization of your culture, while helping the Church to grow in love, respect and specific attention to your authentic traditions. I wish to tell you that the Church stands beside you and wants to continue journeying with you. Dialogue is the key to knowledge and sharing, and the Bishops of Canada have clearly stated their commitment to continue advancing together with you on a renewed, constructive, fruitful path, where encounters and shared projects will be of great help.

Dear friends, I have been enriched by your words and even more by your testimonies. You have brought here, to Rome, a living sense of your communities. I will be happy to benefit again from meeting you when I visit your native lands, where your families live. I won’t come in the winter! So I will close by saying “Until we meet again” in Canada, where I will be able better to express to you my closeness. In the meantime, I assure you of my prayers, and upon you, your families and your communities I invoke the blessing of the Creator.

I don’t want to end without saying a word to you, my brother Bishops: Thank you! Thank you for your courage. The Spirit of the Lord is revealed in humility. Before stories like the one we heard, the humiliation of the Church is fruitfulness.

Thank you for your courage.
I thank all of you!
______________________

Text courtesy of Libreria Editrice Vaticana
0 Comments

Indigenous delegations in Rome (Mar 28 - Apr 1)

3/30/2022

1 Comment

 
A delegation of 32 Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers, residential school survivors, and youth are meeting with Pope Francis this week (March 28 to April 1). Watch the media briefing and videos below. We will share more on social media as they unfold.
  • Media briefing | Meeting between Pope Francis & delegates from the Métis National Council. 
  • Media briefing | Meeting between Pope Francis and delegates from the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. 
  • Media briefing | Meeting between the Pope and delegates from the Assembly of First Nations. 
  • Final Audience between Pope Francis and all the Indigenous delegates. 
  • Media briefing with all Indigenous partners and the CCCB following the final audience with Pope Francis will be held on April 1, 7:30 am MT. 
​
Read / Watch
  • Canada’s Catholic Bishops Welcome Pope Francis’ Apology to Indigenous Peoples (CCCB)
  • Pope Francis' address to the Indigenous Delegates (April 1)
  • Canada's Catholic Bishops welcome Pope Francis' apology to Indigenous Peoples (April 1)
  • Updates from CCCB
  • Photos of important moments captured during the delegation to Rome (CCCB)
  • A historic week of meetings with Canada's Indigenous (Vatican News)
  • What brought the Canadian Indigenous to the Vatican (Aleteia) 
  • Indigenous leaders reflect on talks with Pope (CBC)
  • Métis delegate Angie Crerar touched by meeting with Pope Francis (Archdiocese of Edmonton) 
  • Fr. Cristino Bouvette talk about the meetings between Pope Francis and Canada’s Indigenous delegation (Global News).
  • Bishop William McGrattan shares how the meetings between the Holy Father and the indigenous groups (EWTN News)
  • A journey toward healing and reconciliation (Salt + Light TV)
    • March 28 | March 29 | March 31
  • Chief Wilton Littlechild responds to Pope Francis' apology (Archdiocese of Edmonton)
  • Elder Angie Crerar's final briefing message and prayer on the final day in Rome with the Indigenous delegation (Archdiocese of Edmonton)
  • Raymond J. de Souza: The meaning of Pope Francis' apology to Indigenous people (National Post)
  • "Now we're brothers, sisters." Archbishop Smith recaps Indigenous visit to Rome (Archdiocese of Edmonton)
  • Father Cristino Bouvette, an Indigenous Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Calgary, speaks about the historic apology given by Pope Francis. 
Photos:  ©Vatican Media
1 Comment

Praying away anxiety?

3/28/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Any of our daily concerns can become a source of great anxiety if we do not manage them. In general, the antidote to anxiety is trust in the Lord. Sometimes, however, it feels like we can't just pray away our anxiety, which makes us feel that we must not have enough faith and trust in God for not being able to shake it off.

This short video explains how anxiety feels and provides simple tools which can be used in daily our conversation with God. The anxiety journal, for example, can unpack and slowly dispel a looming concern as we write down what we are anxious about, what their root causes are, and how are we going to confront or tackle the real issues. All done prayerfully before God.

Consider this... Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see the causes of your worries or anxieties and work out a plan to resolve the root causes "for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7

​Remember that we have been created for freedom in Christ. Take responsibility and take care of the gift of freedom which we have received in Christ.
0 Comments

Re-introducing Solidarity Sunday in 2022

3/26/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
This Lent Bishop McGrattan has re-introduced Solidarity Sunday in our Diocese.

So what is it? It has been an integral part of Development and Peace-Caritas Canada since 1968. Parishes throughout Canada hold a special Mass and a collection that gives us the opportunity to stand together in solidarity with the poorest of the poor in the Global South – in prayer and almsgiving.
 
This Lent we are invited to pray for all those who are the poorest and most forgotten and to give generously at our Solidarity Sunday Second Collection at your parish, which will be taken up on the Fifth Sunday(April 3) of Lent. Throughout our country our bishops are asking us to support Development and Peace-Caritas Canada in the life-giving work in places such as Honduras, Cambodia, Madagascar – and Ukraine.
  • Learn more about Development and Peace - Caritas Canada's Share Lent campaign.
  • Read  Pastoral Letter from Bishop McGrattan re: Solidarity Sunday 
  • How do I give? Give through the second collection on the 5th Sunday of Lent (April 3) in your parish, or drop off your donation envelope there. Alternatively, you can also give directly online.

0 Comments

Undertaking our Lenten journey

3/26/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
​During Ash Wednesday Mass at St. Mary’s University several years ago, professor of psychology, Fr. Peter Doherty, offered an inspiring homily. He spoke of the importance of the Lenten journey and the need for us to reach out and to support others, as well as the need to reflect on the importance of the ‘journey’ of Lent — emphasizing that Lent isn’t a time period, but a process leading to discovery. He reminded us that Lent offers us an opportunity to replenish our spirit, especially when the weight of the world has descended on us. The sacrifice that is made during Lent of giving up coffee, wine, television or whatever else is valued, should be genuinely challenging, but also an opportunity to reflect — perhaps to find relief from ‘things.’
 
Most important, he suggested, was the need to restart our life’s journey and to change our point of view. He then asked us what event in the Stations of the Cross was repeated three times. ‘Jesus falling,’ someone called out. You could tell that this was exactly what he wanted to hear. In a playful voice he responded: ‘Far be it from me to question the authority of the Church, but I have always thought we needed to re-label those stations. It shouldn’t be Jesus fell. It should be, Jesus got back up.’ Because the triumph of the story is not Christ’s downfall, but rather that He spent His last day on Earth rising, just as later He would rise again from the dead.
 
To me it’s a powerful, clear message of the importance of point of view, and one that has resonance in our time. Too often we perceive and walk in darkness, even when the light is ahead of us. It is the difficult lesson parents often try to teach their children, to take comfort from adversity and to find the positive; a lesson that we sometimes forget as we ourselves get older and the pressures of our time get heavier. But they are never heavier than the Cross.
 
This for me is what the Lenten journey has always reaffirmed. Ours is a faith that asks not for vengeance but forgiveness, not rules but understanding, not despair but hope. And the narrative of the Stations of the Cross and the paschal journey provides one of the most remarkable reversals imaginable. Here is a story that demonstrates the utter darkness of human violence, of intolerance, or rejection and betrayal. And yet it provides the most glorious truth we could ever hope to receive. Here is a moment of death that proves the possibility of eternal life — of grace from the utter wasteland of despair. It is truly, to paraphrase Hollywood, the great story ever told.
 
What I appreciated from the homily was how it found a way to connect us to that transcendent moment through the ordinariness of our every day. And by this I don’t mean that our lives are not sincerely challenged, some, of course, more than others. And here I think especially of our beleaguered brothers and sisters in Ukraine at this tragic time. But rather that even from the depths of the darkest despair, the Lenten journey leads us towards hope — renewal — rescue. Certainly, it is a reminder to take the time to rethink and reassess, to change our point of view.
 
Pope Benedict XVI, during an Angelus address in 2013, spoke of Lent as a time that ‘always involves a battle, a spiritual battle,’ and as an invitation for us to reject false temptations that ‘undermine the conscience, disguised and proposed as affordable, effective and even good.’ The Church, Pope Benedict explained, uses Lent to call all of us ‘to be renewed in the spirit, to reorient closely to God.’
 
Pope Francis, for his part, in one of his Ash Wednesday homilies, invites us to slow down. ‘Lent is the time to rediscover the direction of life. Because in life’s journey, as in every journey, what really matters is not to lose sight of the goal.’ It is a cliché widely shared that we should focus on the journey, not the destination — and surely here we are invited to rethink that adage. The destination is pivotal. But there is no way to achieve it without falling … and more importantly, getting back up.
 
It may be true to say that part of the Lenten process is a metaphor. To surrender our consumption of coffee or wine is really not a hardship, and certainly not of the magnitude that this abstinence is meant to celebrate. Rather, we understand that it is a symbolic deprivation, one that is challenging perhaps but hardly fatal. Yet it reminds us, in the doing, of what is at stake and of how we got here. It reminds us of the very real and deep suffering our brothers and sisters around the globe encounter daily, including in our beleaguered Ukraine today. And it reminds us never to take the gifts — the freedoms — we have for granted.


Picture
Written by Dr. Gerry Turcotte for Faithfully. Dr. Gerry Turcotte has been President and Vice-Chancellor of St. Mary’s University, Calgary, for eight years. He is the author and editor of 15 books including, most recently, Big Things: Ordinary Thoughts in Extraordinary Times, and The History of the Novel in English since 1950. He was awarded the Governor General’s Award for Canadian Studies in 2011 and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013. He is a regular columnist for The Catholic Register.
0 Comments

The Consecration of Russia & Ukraine

3/24/2022

2 Comments

 
DOWNLOAD BOOKLET
The Consecration will be livestreamed on Friday, March 25 at 9:45 am. ​Watch live on Youtube | Facebook

If you plan to come in person, please arrive by 9:45 am. 
Bishop McGrattan joins the Holy Father in the Act of Consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at St. Mary's Cathedral on Friday, March 25. 
  • Prayer starts at 9:50 am. Act of Consecration at 10 am (5 pm Rome time). 
  • Mass in the Cathedral: 7:30 am & 5:00 pm
  • Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Picture
2 Comments

A penitential season of transformation

3/21/2022

2 Comments

 
The Season of Lent began three weeks ago at Ash Wednesday when we received the ashes visibly marking us with the sign of repentance and of eternal life.

Lent is a season that invites us to reflect on the transformational change needed in our lives in anticipation of celebrating the new life in Christ at Easter. This Season often coincides with Spring – a season filled with the natural signs of rebirth, new beginnings, and new growth.  And in the Third week of Lent this year, we do in fact mark the first day of Spring. 

Lent provides the opportunity to grow deeper spiritually by engaging in the practices of fasting, almsgiving, and more frequent prayer from Ash Wednesday through Easter Sunday. These penitential days of Lent can truly help us to experience a spiritual transformation and thus to celebrate more fully the Easter Season.

This year the season of Lent is also offering us many moments and world events that invite a pause in the usual routines of living. The pandemic has taken a toll on people. Some have lost family members and friends during the pandemic and often those deaths were compounded painfully by isolation from one another. Some have lost employment or experienced a reduction in work hours. Others have suffered mental health issues as the health precautions imposed an isolation that impacted the provision of supportive mental health care services. Children were unable to attend school at times or they studied at home away from their friends. The list of impacts goes on. 

And then, as things slowly began to return to normal pre-pandemic practices, Russia attacked Ukraine and the world watched in horror the images of innocent people caught in the middle of this violent conflict. It has been shocking and tragic to see the suffering of the people in Ukraine as their homes are bombed and more recently the hospitals and shelters that are being targeted and destroyed.

The world is seeing a tragic injustice unfold that is causing deep suffering, a suffering that we can carry in our prayers asking for God’s strength and comfort.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)) denounces the destruction which is inflicted by war:
Every act of war directed to the indiscriminate destruction of whole cities or vast areas with their inhabitants is a crime against God and man, which merits firm and unequivocal condemnation. A danger of modern warfare is that it provides the opportunity to those who possess modern scientific weapons especially atomic, biological, or chemical weapons - to commit such crimes.” CCC 2314
The condemnation of Russia’s aggressive indiscriminate choice of warfare has been resolutely opposed by the countries of the world and is only matched by the bravery of the Ukrainian men and women fighting to defend their freedom and homeland. What outstanding examples of personal fortitude and perseverance!  

In the midst of this destruction and human suffering, there are witnesses to the faith who are reaching out to alleviate one another’s anguish. Mothers in Poland left strollers at a train station for those mothers arriving with children from Ukraine, a volunteer at the Polish border gave children candy and toys, Romanian volunteers gave flowers to women arriving from Ukraine on International Women’s Day, a person played the piano at the border crossing, people in Berlin greeted a train arriving from Ukraine with signs indicating how many people they could welcome with accommodation, etc.  A father and eldest son saying farewell to the mother and three other children in the family were asked by a reporter if they thought that the family would be reunited soon.  The eldest son replied quickly and without hesitation, “Everything will be alright.”

While the troubles of the world are many and they are very serious, these examples of human kindness and strength give inspiring witness to the faith and goodness of people. We join in this witness through donations to Ukraine, in supporting relief efforts, welcoming those displaced by the war to resettle in Canada and with our prayers.
​
On the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord (Friday, March 25), Pope Francis will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  His Holiness has invited Bishops around the world to join in this Act of Consecration. In solidarity with our Holy Father and in union with my brother bishops I will offer this Act of Consecration on behalf of the Diocese at St. Mary's Cathedral. A Novena Prayer is also being prayed in the nine days preceding the Solemnity and I invite you to join in the Novena Prayer and the Act of Consecration. This spiritual engagement is as important and needed as the relief efforts. The act of humbly seeking God’s mercy and grace in prayer this Lent can further the dialogue of peace. Such acts of penance can be transformational for us and the world.   
Because of the evils and injustices that all war brings with it, we must do everything reasonably possible to avoid it. The Church prays: "From famine, pestilence, and war, O Lord, deliver us." CCC 2327
​Let us continue to pray for peace. From famine, pestilence, and war, O Lord, deliver us.

Picture
The Ukrainian Catholic leaders have prepared a Novena and invited all Catholic faithful from around the world to join them in prayer. We invite the faithful of the Diocese and all people of goodwill to participate in the Novena prayer above.
Picture
Written by Most Rev. William T. McGrattan, Bishop of Calgary
​
​March 21, 2022
2 Comments

Bishop Henry's Synodal Retreat Sessions

3/20/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Bishop Emeritus Henry examined how the identity and mission of the Church as Communion, Participation and Mission is grounded in the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation and reaches its actualization in our fruitful and conscious participation in the Eucharist. His sessions were wonderful, witty, and inspiring. You certainly don't want to miss his stories!  
Session 1: Beginning the Journey
Session 2: My Name. Sent in His Name.
Session 3: Food for the Journey
0 Comments

Faithful Living: Peace in the world

3/15/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Little things we can offer for peace in the world...

1. Pray
  • Offer constant prayers throughout the day for peace not only in the world but also for our own surroundings. Take a moment and pray for peace using this video.
  • Go to Mass daily.
  • Offer the Holy Rosary daily for peace and conversion.

2. Offer penances
  • Love is expressed by gestures and not just words. Offering penance for others is offering concrete prayers to God for others. It begins with our conscious acceptance of ordinary incoveniences and discomforts,,, accepting the daily crosses. When we are aware of these daily challenges, pause, recognize the sacrifice, and offer them to God for peace in our world. Instead of kicking and screaming and perhaps whining and complaining, endure the incoveniences and turn these moments of sacrifice into prayer.
  • Another way of offering penance is by actively doing something good for others that we do not normally do for them and secretly offer this loving gesture as a sacrifice to God for peace in our world.

3. Watch or read the news and pray for the people you see & hear about
  • Doing this reminds us that they are all human beings like you and me, and in need of prayer. 
  • While it may be tempting to not pray for those who do evil and only pray for the victims, they need our prayers too. We must pray for the grace of conversion that their hearts may be softened. After all, we are all human beings in need of God's grace.

Consider this... 
St. Paul says, "I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church." ~ Colossians 1:24

We all share in the sufferings of Christ and have a part in His crucifixion. As we consciously unite ourselves to His suffering and the suffering of others, we also unite ourselves to the gift of the resurrection and new life.

0 Comments

Day of Prayer for Ukraine - March 18

3/15/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
A Day of Prayer for Peace in Ukraine will be observed on Friday, March 18, 2022 in all parishes in the Diocese of Calgary.
  • Parishes will be offering opportunities for the faithful to pray for peace through Eucharistic liturgies, prayer services, and devotional prayers.
  • The ringing of the noon bells on this day will be prolonged or extended as our call for peace in Ukraine. 

​This is in coordination with all the parishes/churches of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton, the Anglican Diocese of Calgary, the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton, the Anglican Diocese of Edmonton, Anglican Diocese of Athabasca, the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Paul, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada.

Resources
  • Download Liturgy of the Word (Prayer Service) for Day of Prayer. PDF | MS Word
  • Download graphic/poster for Day of Prayer
0 Comments

Pray for Ukraine

3/14/2022

4 Comments

 
#PrayforUkraine
​
​We encourage you and all people of good will to pray for the imminent restoration of peace, dialogue, and human fraternity in Ukraine, in solidarity with the Head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, in unison with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, with the people of Ukraine as well as with Canadians of Ukrainian origin and descent. 

  • CCCB Statement on the Russian Invasion of Ukraine (Feb 24) EN | FR
  • Major Archbishop Shevchuk (Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church) is calling for international solidarity with Ukraine  (Feb 22)
 
Prayer for Ukraine

​God of реасе and justice,
we pray for the реорІе of Ukraine today.
We pray for реасе and the laying down of weapons.
We pray for аІІ those who fear for tomorrow,
that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them.
We pray for those with power over war or реасе,
for wisdom, discernment and compassion to guide their decisions.
Above аІІ, we pray for аІІ your precious children, at-risk and in fear,
that you would hold and protect them.
We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Реасе.
Amen.

  • A Litany for Ukraine
Picture
Mikhail Vrubel. The Virgin and Child. 1884-85. Zinc panel. Church of St. Cyril, Kiev, Ukraine.

To support Ukraine beyond prayers 

Picture
  • Donate through CNEWA
  • Donate through Development and Peace, Caritas Ukraine

Day of Prayer and Fasting for Ukraine

Picture
Pope Francis announced that Ash Wednesday (March 2) will be a Day of Prayer and Fasting for Ukraine. "I encourage believers in a special way to dedicate themselves intensely to prayer and fasting on that day. May the Queen of Peace preserve the world from the madness of war,” he said. Read more 
  • Prayer is the real revolution that changes the world because it changes hearts. We have few resources against war, without bearing direct responsibility for them, the devil foments them with hatred, cunning, wickedness. This kind of demon, Jesus says, “never comes out except by prayer and fasting.” (S. Centofanti, Vatican News). 
  • “As believers, we do not lose hope for a glimmer of conscience on the part of those who hold in their hands the fortunes of the world. And we continue to pray and fast — as we shall do this coming Ash Wednesday (March 2) — for peace in Ukraine and in the entire world. (Cardinal Pietro Parolin for Vatican News)” – Full message here
4 Comments
<<Previous

    Author

    Catholic Pastoral Centre Staff and Guest Writers

    Archives

    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018

    Categories

    All
    Advent & Christmas
    Art
    Bereavement
    Bishop Emeritus Henry
    Bishop McGrattan
    Book Review
    Care For Creation
    Catechetics
    Catholic Charities & Development
    Catholic Education
    Catholic Schools
    CCCB
    Christian Unity
    Climate Change
    Conversion
    Covid 19
    Culture
    Development & Peace
    Devotions
    Diocesan Event
    Discipleship
    Ecumenical
    Elizabeth House
    Environment
    Euthanasia
    Evangelization
    Faithful Living
    Faithfully
    Family
    Feed The Hungry
    From The Bishop's Office
    Fundraising
    Funeral
    Grieving
    Health Care
    Homelessness
    Indigenous
    In Memoriam
    Interfaith
    Jubilarians
    Lay Associations
    Lent
    Lent & Easter
    Liturgy
    Marriage
    Mary
    Mental Health
    Migrants
    Miscarriage
    Mission Mexico
    Movie Review
    Music
    One Rock
    Online Formation
    Ordination
    Parenting
    Parish Life
    Pastoral Care
    Permanent Diaconate
    Pope
    Pope Francis
    Prayer
    Pray For Peace
    Priesthood
    Prolife
    RCIA
    Reconciliation
    Refugee
    Religious Education
    Religious Freedom
    Religious Life
    Resources And Guidelines
    Safe Environment
    Saints
    Scripture & Reflection
    Seniors
    Social Justice
    Stewardship
    St. Joseph
    Synod
    Vocation
    Youth And Young Adults
    Youth Ministry

    RSS Feed

GET TO KNOW US
Our Bishop
Offices & Ministries
​Our Staff
Read our Blog
Catholic Community
​Lay Associations
CONNECT WITH US
Contact us
​Careers
​Parish Boundaries

News & Events
Faithfully

​Reporting Abuse
NEED INFO ON
Becoming Catholic
Marriage Preparation
​Vocations
Annulment 
Sacraments Prep
Catholic Funeral
GIVE TO
Diocesan Ministries
Together in Action
Feed the Hungry
Elizabeth House
Your Parish Church​ 
​Other Ministry

Catholic Pastoral Centre  | 120 - 17th Ave SW, Calgary, AB  T2S 2T2 | ​Phone: 403-218-5500 | communications@calgarydiocese.ca
Charitable Number: 
10790-9939-RR0076​. Donate Now.
  • Blog
  • About
  • Give
  • News & Events
  • Ministries
  • Contact Us
  • Parish Finder