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Living the faith in Western Canada

10/31/2022

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If we could imagine a few cowboys praising the Lord with country music and coming to Mass on horseback with their best hats, faith in Alberta could not be summed up with these clichés. (Although, they are true from time to time!). So who are the believers in Alberta? In the land of cowboys and mountains, God has also pitched his tent. Now let’s zoom in on the reality of believers in a part of Western Canada.

Alberta is a "land of immigration", says Ambroise, who has been living in Calgary for a little over a year. Naturally, the young man, originally from France, was looking for a community to join when he arrived from Montreal. His goal was to find young people and a community that would connect him to his French heritage.

"I haven't been able to find the best of both worlds - people my age with whom to practice my faith or with whom to talk to about religious topics. However, I have felt a bit at home since I think that speaking one's native language allows you to really connect with yourself and your identity."

People "at Mass!"

Ambroise attends the English-speaking young adult community of St. Francis Xavier Chaplaincy, as well as the only French-speaking parish in Calgary, Sainte-Famille. These two communities are not necessarily opposed to each other, but both offer their own richness and spiritual nourishment. However, "particularly linking oneself to a parish" remains complex. 
 
"St. Francis Xavier is quite typical of the relatively young English-speaking communities in North America - a kind of return to a certain root in the sense of a search for a connection to the “origins”, also quite intellectualized. It's a certain return to the roots where excess is removed.”

"At  Sainte-Famille, it's more family-oriented. Older. There are fewer young people. There is this balance with families and a lot of interculturality and involvement of multicultural people in the life of the parish. It facilitates the integration of newcomers! I think there's a nice welcome.” 
 
"Indeed, in the pews on Sundays, there are the Knights of Columbus, newcomers from the African community, French "expats", families from Quebec, seniors from Alberta’s French-speaking community who have been involved for 30 or 40 years and, in the midst of all these beautiful people, an Iraqi parish priest of more than ten years who belongs to the Chaldean Church.  They are really beautiful people at Mass!

What strikes Ambroise most in his experience of faith in the West? "Close-knit communities! For example, Sainte-Famille is a close-knit community mainly because it is a welcoming community for French-speaking Christians. In a desire to integrate, I think that as a newcomer, you have the desire to get involved.”

He also had this impression of a "close" and tightly woven community during his visit to Lac Sainte-Anne, a well-known pilgrimage site where Pope Francis visited last summer.
Parish atmosphere connected to local life

The pastor of Sainte-Famille Parish, Monsignor Noël Farman, recently visited several classes in some French Catholic schools in Calgary to have discussions about the sacraments and faith. Some young people asked him about how one can get baptized. It was such a great opportunity to connect. In fact, it is the children from several classes who will be making the decorations for the major liturgical feasts at Sainte- Famille Parish again this year.  This is something that does not occur in Quebec, but which seems to be lived organically in Alberta.

In 2003, the Conseil de l'Education de la Foi Catholique (Council of the Education of the Catholic Faith amongst Francophones) chez les francophones de l'Alberta (CÉFFA) was born out of a need for "faith education among francophones". CÉFFA offers materials in French, resources to accompany the four French-language school boards in Alberta, and, above all, "a network of collaboration, exchange and training for those involved in the dioceses, school boards, schools and parishes". All of this "in a dynamic that complements the family, school and parish plans", as stated on their website.

The Alberta church is also rolling up its sleeves to respond to the call of Pope Francis by going to the peripheries. For example, there are prayer vigils on Tuesday evenings at the L'Arche community in Calgary (and probably elsewhere). 
 
Elizabeth House, an initiative of the Sisters of Charity of St. Louis and the Diocese of Calgary since 1996, is a home for single mothers who are pregnant or have a baby and provides a space for living and rehabilitation.
 
Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO) has a strong presence on Alberta university campuses, and the founding couple is originally from Alberta. In short, for many, faith echoes the spiritual and social needs of Alberta's territories and offers a venue for action and prayer.
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Msgr. Noel Farman (third from left) at the Papal Mass (Edmonton), July 2022. Photo credit: Msgr. Farman.
Urban Christians, rural Christians

"I come from the area around St. Paul [two hours from Edmonton], where there is a fairly strong Francophone presence," explains Claudie-Anne, married with three children. The surrounding villages were all founded by priests who brought in French Canadians at the beginning of the last century. So the faith has shaped our countryside." 
 
Like many places in Canada, she senses a decline in Catholic religious practice. However, Alberta does not seem to be having a "quiet revolution." "The transmission of the faith has happened without any sudden interruption." As a result, the "vast majority" of people around her believe in God, whether they are Catholics or other Christian denominations. 
 
"I would say that the community’s faith is going to Mass on Sundays. And that's it. We have very few opportunities to share or nurture our faith. We still manage, but sometimes we feel alone as young people holding the dual Francophone-Catholic identity."  In addition, she and her husband are involved in various parish services. "The rest of our faith life is spent as a family and as a couple."
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Claudie-Anne and her family. Photo credit: Claudie-Anne.
Landscapes in the heart

The territory obviously marks the faith experience. The countryside or the city. French or English. The traditions or the modernity. There are so many differences that can separate as well as unite. It's all about the art of drawing from the right places and finding a little time to offer where the heart is called. Nature cannot be absent from this growing journey of faith. In front of these grandiose landscapes of nature, where lakes and mountains touch the sky, where the heart expands in front of so much space and majesty, the soul can only grow by criss-crossing new interior landscapes that are mysteriously revealed. It is almost as if one could see the Good Lord arriving on horseback, far away, leaping over the hills (Cf. 2:8) and into the valleys of green grass where small herds of cows graze quietly here and there, living their most beautiful life.

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Written by Written by Marie-Jeanne Fontaine. Originally published in LeVerbe magazine. English translation by Anne Marie Brown, Diocese of Calgary. Marie-Jeanne is a Québécoise franco-albertan by adoption, and a parishioner of Sainte-Famille Parish in Calgary, and a writer freelancer for Le Verbe Magazine and other redactions. In her free time, she likes to write songs, sing, and have coffee under the sun! And pray to God for all the people she love, or not love enough. 
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The Feasts of All Saints & All Souls

10/29/2022

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The Solemnity of All Saints, Nov. 1

All Hallows’ Day, the Solemnity of All Saints, or All Saints’ Day is a celebration of all Catholic saints held on November 1 each year. “On this solemnity, we recall the holy men and women who, having completed their earthly journeys, now live forever with God. These saints, though not canonized, offer us models of abiding faith and love of God and neighbour” (Essential Guide to Seasons and Saints, 109).

The Church teaches that by imitating the virtues lived by the saints, the saints brings us closer to Christ. When we ask the saints to pray for us, we ask them to join their wills with the will of God and intercede for us here on earth. This is the Communion of Saints which we profess every Sunday in the Creed. (Source: USCCB)

Some resources for celebrating All Saints Day with your family:
  • Attend the Solemnity of All Saints Mass at your parish church
  • Children's & family Liturgy of the Word for All Saints 
  • All Saints Colouring Page
  • Celebrating All Saints' Day at home - Crafts & Projects (Catholic Icing)
  • Have everyone at the dinner table pray to their confirmation saint and discuss why they chose that saint. Then read the Gospel from Matthew 5:1-12a
  • Pray the Litany of Saints (CCCB, CWL Canada) 
  • More ideas for celebrating All Saint’s day with your family (Catholic Mom)
  • Download graphic​
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Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed
​(All Souls Day) - Nov2

All Souls’ Day, also known as “The Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed” is observed on Nov. 2. The faithful on earth can assist these purgatorial souls in attaining heaven through prayer, good work and the offering of Mass. At Mass on All Souls’ Day, we pray that through Christ’s loving mercy, God’s “departed servants…may be granted pardon and peace, and be brought to the joy of God’s eternal home. All Souls Day is an especially rich cultural experience for Hispanic/Latino Catholics, who call it “Día de los Muertos” or “The Day of the Dead.”

Some resources for commemorating All Souls Day with your family:
  • Attend the All Souls Mass at your parish church
  • ​Say a prayer for the dead in your family and community:
    • In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. R/. Amen. 
  • Pray especially for those who died of COVID-19 in this time of pandemic. Due to world wide pandemic protocols, many have died without the Sacrament of the Sick. Let us offer our prayers for them:
    • O Lord God Omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Blood Your Divine Son Jesus shed in the garden, deliver the souls in Purgatory, especially the most forsaken soul. Bring these souls into your glory where it may praise You and Bless You forever. Amen. Eternal Rest grant unto them Oh Lord …… (Source: Oremus, Let Us Pray, Come Close to God in Daily Prayer, pg. 98. Oremus prayer books are available at Holy Name Parish Office for purchase). 
  • How to gain a plenary indulgence for the souls in purgatory (Relevant Radio)
  • Visit a cemetery and pray for the dead during the Octave of All Saints Day. This gains a plenary indulgence that can be applied only to the souls in purgatory. On other days, this work gains a partial indulgence.
  • Prayers for death and dying (USCCB)
  • Praying for the dead with Kids (Catholic Icing)
  • Download graphics for All Souls: square | Wide
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Dear October

10/23/2022

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If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health, suicide or substance use crisis or emotional distress, reach out to Alberta Mental Health Helpline 24/7 to 1.877.303.2642 or Access 24/7 at 780.424.2424
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Dear October,

​For the past two years I’ve lost a loved one to suicide inside your month. There – I said it. 

It’s been a quiet grief. These have been difficult deaths to process and, not knowing what’s acceptable to say in public, I’ve kept mostly quiet out of respect for those who mourn. 

And yet, I am also mourning. My pain is real and it remains. Same too with the unanswered questions which linger, like debris that’s sunk to the bottom of the ocean – still there, but normally out of sight. 

Autumn has been unusually warm and charming this year. The golden leaves that glisten skyward in the hot sun. Jupiter hanging out at sundown next to the moon. It’s been hard to reconcile today’s beauty with yesteryear’s yearning for one more chance to show that it’s worth waiting for brighter days. This October, a new chance presented itself. 

My heart began to pound when I missed a call from my friend, a single male in his 30s. His profile resembling that of the ones I’ve lost to suicide. In haste, I dropped everything to call him back. Once the initial catch-up chit chat tapered, I expressed my concern and asked: “How are you doing?”​
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He said he feels fine for several weeks. Then for a week he can barely drag himself out of bed. The depression. The anxiety. This time of year is worse than the dead of winter, at least then he can skate and ski. The warmth and light of summer is exchanged for cooler, darker, shorter days. These destabilizing changes upset familiar routines. Autumn is the toughest time of year for him. 

​I felt sincere gratitude that he put words to his pain. I was so thankful that he reached out. Because, if he hadn’t, I wouldn’t have known how he was feeling and I wouldn’t have known he needed support. Only God saves, however, I can be a source of support pointing toward the light. 

I want him to know what I wanted my cousin and friend to know, and what I want you to know too: You are loved. You are wanted. You are an irreplaceable gift. The world needs you. Your pain is not a burden. It unlocks compassion in this oftentimes cruel world. You are responsible for your wellness, but I want to be present to you. You are not alone. This too will pass. I’ll stand alongside you until it does. I love you. And God loves you more. 

October, my eyes used to be unaware of your underbelly. Until the shock. The agony. The confusion. The guilt. The anger. The reflection. The compassion. The remembrance. The magnitude of these feelings that were once foreign but have now become familiar. Lost innocence. No turning back. This is what it means to be human in relationship with other humans. Love has shattered my heart. 

Yet, my faith grounds me, especially in times of violence, oppression, suffering, loss and grief. I remain firm in hope – a supernatural hope rooted in mercy and forgiveness.

As believers, our hope ultimately rests in the promise that Christ will come back for us one day and make all things new.” Rev 21:5.  
In the meantime, October, as I’ve tried to mend my heart, it’s now softened and sensitive to the intricacies of your rising and falling. Thank you for holding the warm glow of the daytime sun. But after suffering these losses, I’m more aware of the shadows the sun casts on the once glittering golden leaves now fallen and dead. I will never experience you the same. Now, you remind me of endings, but also a longing for new eternal beginnings. 

I walk through this autumn season praying for increased compassion and kindness toward those around me. Is it not the least I can do to honour the memory of those I’ve loved and lost? May we strive for the same peace in our hearts that we hope and pray our Merciful Father is showing our loved and lost ones. 

I miss them. Requiescat in pace.  

Sincerely, 

Sara Francis ​
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​​Resources
  • Suicide Prevention Help Lines
    • Mental Health Help Line:
      1-877-303-2642
    • Talk Suicide Canada:
      1-833-456-4566 | text 45645
    • Mental Help Support Canada
      ​1-866-585-0445 | text 686868 (youth) or 74141 (adults)
  • Suicide Prevention Resources
  • How to recognize suicide signs and what to do to help
  • Assessing if you are depressed

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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. 

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Feed the Hungry resumed sit-down dinners

10/17/2022

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The first Feed the Hungry sit-down meal in more than two years was a smashing success on Thanksgiving weekend as guests and volunteers were eager to participate again in the beloved program in the heart of Calgary.
 
The program, held at St. Mary’s Parish Hall and supported by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary, attracted 376 guests for the sit-down meal and another 120 who took the option for takeout.
Fr. Avinash Colaco, Rector of St. Mary’s Cathedral, explained that people had been asking when we would host another sit-down meal. When Bishop McGrattan suggested a Thanksgiving dinner, it seemed like the perfect opportunity. Both guests and volunteers were excited for that day.  
 
The program has made some changes. In the past, the meals were cooked right on site and served. But now they are catered. For now, a hybrid program is in place where guests have the option to sit-down and eat, or to receive a takeout package.
 
“This is a new system that we are developing” said Fr. Avi, adding that the program will run on Sundays for 48 weeks this year.
 
“I enjoyed the chance to go to each and every table and talk to the guests that came in. Building relationships with our community members is an important aspect of our program.”
 
Alejandro Henao, coordinator of the Feed the Hungry Program with the Diocese, said the Sunday Thanksgiving meal, which was sponsored by St. Mary’s Parish in Cochrane, was the first sit-down meal since March 2020 when they were put on hold due to the pandemic.
 
“Our Thanksgiving meal consisted of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, green beans and a salad. Dinner was topped off with dessert, a choice of apple crumble or pumpkin pie and whipping cream. Fresh coffee, lemonade and water were also provided.

“We are very grateful to all volunteers for their commitment and understanding through the transition,” he said. "376 guests were thrilled to be able to come in and relax and enjoy music while they ate their meal, while another 120 preferred to continue with the takeout option. Each guest left with a food package containing fresh fruit, granola bar, trail mix, juice and water.”
 
During the past two years of the pandemic, the program continued but only with the takeout option. Henao said it hasn’t been decided yet if the takeout option will continue with the program now that sit-down meals are back.
 
“It was great to be back. The volunteers were really excited and happy. They have been obviously kind of asking for this for the last six, seven months after the (health) restrictions were lifted,” he said. “For the clients it was positive too . . . We also had a pianist playing some music that weekend to provide more excitement and promote a warm environment for dinner.”
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Carla Neary, who has been a volunteer for about 15 years and has been area lead for about seven years, said she continued to come in and volunteer during COVID.
 
“My mandate was to get us back in the hall for a sit-down meal. (Thanksgiving) Sunday was an amazing day . . . Food was provided by Spolumbo’s and Sunterra which was fabulous and it was just great to have our guests back in our dining hall and all the volunteers. I haven’t seen so many of them for so long,” she said.
 
“Everybody was appreciative. Everybody was so happy to be back into the hall. We had live music. It was just a lovely afternoon and everything worked out really well.”
 
The Feed the Hungry Program continues to encourage people to volunteer for this rewarding ministry. At least 60 volunteers are needed at each dinner. They also invite organizations and corporations to sponsor dinners as a way to provide their staff and stakeholders with meaningful opportunities to do good work and build community.
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Written by Mario Toneguzzi for Faithfully. Mario is a veteran writer living in Calgary with his wife Marlene and their three children. They attend St. Peter's and St. Stephen's Ukrainian Catholic Church in Calgary. 

Photo credits: Alejandro Henao & volunteers team
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Pastoral Letter for Young People

10/11/2022

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Young people are important to the Church of today and tomorrow. Their faith, creativity, dynamism, and vitality are a surge of hope that can change the world. It is to young people that this Pastoral Letter from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) is addressed.

Issued on the anniversary of the death of Blessed Carlo Acutis, 12 October 2022, this Pastoral Letter is meant to inspire young Catholics to live their faith in an extraordinary way, encouraging them to strive toward holiness, and assuring them of the steadfast support and accompaniment of their Bishops along their individual journeys of faith.
  • Download the Pastoral Letter (PDF)
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Read now
15 Minute Video Presentation of the Pastoral Letter
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Listen, Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is One

10/11/2022

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You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem* on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." (Deuteronomy 6:5-9)
Jewish people pray this prayer daily and maybe we should too!

Throughout the week-long Priests Study Days (Oct. 3-6) in Canmore, we were reminded to listen and remember, and to let our memory inspire our service.

For some of us priests, this was our first visit to the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies in Canmore. This church has preserved beautifully memories of the past in the beautiful sculptures throughout the building, and yet it is a modern church ready to serve us in the future. A reminder that though our buildings change .. The Lord is One.
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We began our week by remembering the years of ministry nine of our priests have offered to the Diocese. Their service embraced parishes and many lay associations, including the CWL and the Knights of Columbus. They came from around the world inspired by their memories of God’s love.

We listened to the the Synod Synthesis to hear the voices of the laity who gathered throughout the Synodal process and to what the Spirit had inspired them to say about our journey together. Some of what the priests heard was probably challenging, but in the end the message was -  work with us..  help us to renew the life of the Spirit that we share - for the Lord is One.
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Our speaker Fr Michael Simone, a Jesuit from Chicago, helped us to revisit the scriptures during the Study Days. His main theme was Remember and Believe.  He helped us to see first how the Psalms came about as pilgrims visited shrines, to either ask forgiveness or to give thanks, and how at the shrine a song was sung in memory of the deeds of the Lord. These songs became our Psalms. He reminded us that Jesus would have prayed these Psalms, and that when we pray them we should ask ourselves .. what did these words inspire in Jesus' heart.. what are they saying to our hearts.

Fr. Simone took us through the Gospels, showing us how they were composed to help early Christian’s ready themselves to meet the Lord. He showed us that Jesus' mission was to help Israel see the true meaning of the the great events in their past. And how Jesus is with us every day, encouraging us to remember what God has done so we can detect the signs if his present activity.

Bishop McGrattan led us in the Eucharist each day. He spoke to us about the importance of our unity as a witness to our people that we believe in one Lord.. and in the Eucharist we heard Jesus own command, "Do this in memory of me."

Fr. Michael pointed out to us that Jesus saw himself as a Jew.. he lived  his earthly life as a Jew. Every day he would pray the Shema, "Listen Israel .. the Lord is our God. The Lord is one."

We should learn the Shema and add it to our daily prayer!


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Written by Fr. Timothy Boyle for Faithfully. Fr. Tim currently serves as the Bishop's Delegate, and Episcopal Vicar for Clergy.

Study Days photos courtesy of Fr. Fabio DeSouza, Fr. Avinash Colaco, Fr. Edmundo Vargas, Fr. Wilbert Chin Jon | Group photo after Mass: Fr. Iqbal Khursid
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The children of St. Martha School honoured with Blackfoot name

10/10/2022

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Holy Spirit students sharing their dancing talents during the Children of St. Martha Pow Wow on October 5, 2022.
On Wednesday, October 5, 2022, The Children of St. Martha School hosted a Fall Pow-Wow. True to the spirit of its patron saint of hospitality, they invited community members and students from other schools in the division to come and partake. 

As part of the day’s celebration, Elder Peter Strikes With a Gun (Piitaiipoyi) provided an exceptional gift to the school community by bestowing a traditional Blackfoot Name:  Naatoowootak’oyis - “Holy Spirit Lodge” 

In his explanation of the name, Peter spoke about the school’s patron, St. Martha, and her example of compassion, dedication and, ultimately, forgiveness. “This is what we have seen in this building that we have come to many times - the compassion of the young children, the dedication and service of all the schools we have attended. We feel at home when we walk in and we hope that we will continue in our reconciliation.” 

After imparting his wisdom, Peter purified and blessed the building while his grandsons, Donovan Strikes With a Gun and Mason Yellowfeet, shared a ceremonial grass dance that reinforced connection to the land. 
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The "Old Agency" Drumming Group
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Elder Jeannie Provost (AaKaimis Kim'aki) and Elder Peter Strikes with a Gun (Piitaiipoyi) with Principal Shannon Collier speaking in the background
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“We are truly humbled,” says Principal Shannon Collier. “This name is just another example of how blessed we are to have the guidance and wisdom of Peter, his wife Jeannie, and all of the Elders who are part of our school community. With our Elders, students and staff, we really are a family and we have so much to be grateful for.” 

“It was a remarkable day,” notes Superintendent Ken Sampson. “I can’t think of a more perfect name to describe the welcoming and loving daytime home provided for our students by The Children of St. Martha School…it’s very fitting.” 
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This new Blackfoot name will be prominently displayed, reminding all who enter that they are welcome.


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Written by Anisha Gatner. Anisha is the Communications Coordinator with Holy Spirit Catholic School Division, and a parishioner of St. Martha's Parish in Lethbridge. She and her husband, Josh, are the proud parents of four unique and beautiful children.  

​Photos courtesy of Anisha Gatner. 
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A Catholic Divorce? Certainly not.

10/10/2022

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Find out why the term “Annulment” is problematic and why it’s not the same as the Declaration of Nullity. Watch this brief video with Fr. Mark-Mary. 
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It takes three to make a marriage: man, woman, and God. It only takes one for marriages to fail.

​Consider this…

He answered, “Have you not read that the one who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female’, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate”. Matthew 19:4-6

All things beautiful last forever, and beauty involves joy, hardships, mutual self-giving, and sacrifice.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

10/6/2022

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It's fitting for God's people to offer public thanks for all the gifts we have received. The bountiful produce of the earth is a visible sign of the many blessings God wants to shower on us through Christ. Our God also wants us to share the goods of the earth with all people. (Ordo 2021). 

Note that the Catholic Pastoral Centre will be closed on Monday, Oct. 10 for Thanksgiving Day, and will reopen on Tuesday, Oct. 11.  ​​

Resources
  • ​Simple Thanksgiving prayer (Hallow)
  • How to talk about faith this Thanksgiving (Podcast - Ascension)
  • 10 ways to be a more thankful person (Podcast - Danielle Bean)
  • Download/Share Thanksgiving day greeting graphic (with scriptures)
  • Christian Thanksgiving ideas & activities (The Catholic Toolbox)
  • 12 Thanksgiving prayer ideas (OSV)
  • Thanksgiving craft for Kids (Catholic Icing)
  • How to celebrate Thanksgiving if you have to stay home alone (Aleteia)
  • Download graphic: square | wide | more graphics
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Thanksgiving Day Prayer

​Lord, we thank you

for the goodness of our people
and for the spirit of justice
that fills this nation.
We thank you for the beauty
and fullness of the land
​and the challenge of the cities.

We thank you for our work and our rest,
for one another, and for our homes.
We thank you, Lord:
accept our thanksgiving on this day.
We pray and give thanks
​through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

What's happening in the Diocese of Calgary? 
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Pastoral outreach for receiving the Sacraments

10/3/2022

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This year in the Diocese of Calgary the preparation of children who are eligible to be fully initiated into the life and practice of faith has taken on a heighten pastoral priority. This activity of pastoral outreach, catechesis and celebration of the Sacraments is essential to the evangelizing mission of our Church. For many years there has been the ongoing concern voiced by our parishes and Catholic school faith communities that the average number of children receiving the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Confirmation has remained at the same level or even decreased when the general Catholic population within the Diocese of Calgary has increased. There are many factors which have contributed to this trend and the impact of the Covid-pandemic since 2020 has further deepened this negative correlation which affected thousands of families and children in their preparation and participation in the sacramental life of the school, parish and home.  

The statistics are in fact alarming. Based on the pre-Covid average number of sacramental receptions, since 2020, an estimated 2800 children missed the immediate preparation for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist, and another 1900 for the Sacrament of Confirmation. In the years 2019-2021 the parishes offered the Diocesan sacramental preparation programs in a modified form, either on-line for children and their parents or in person if possible. Despite these heroic efforts in the past few years to adapt and prepare children who belong to the parish and those attending the Catholic schools for the Sacraments, we must double our efforts of pastoral outreach to those children and their parents who were not able to receive the Sacraments.   

In response to these unprecedented factors, the following opportunities will be provided for children and their parents for sacramental preparation in 2022-2023:

  1. Parishes will continue to offer the parish-based sacramental preparation program for those children who would normally be celebrating First Reconciliation, First Eucharist and Confirmation.

  2. Families and children who were prepared at the parish in 2019-2020 but did not receive the Sacraments will not need to undergo the immediate preparation again, but should be invited to celebrate the Sacraments upon determination by the pastor of their readiness.   

  3. A special outreach is provided to offer the Extraordinary Sacramental Preparation Program (ESPP) 2022-2023 to support families with children enrolled in Calgary Catholic School District who missed the regular parish-based program in previous years and who fall under the following criteria:
    - All students starting grades 3, 4, and 5 Fall 2022 for First Reconciliation and Eucharist
    - All students starting grades 7, 8 and 9 in Fall 2022 for Confirmation.
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  4. Families and children listed above in grades 3, 4, 5, 7,8 and 9 can always choose to participate in the parish-based sacramental preparation program being offered and enroll through the parish.

In collaboration with the Diocese we are grateful that the Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) has designated a full-time Sacramental Preparation Coordinating Teacher to oversee the planning, teacher training, coordination with parishes, and implementation of the ESPP in 2022-2023. Each K-9 CCSD school will have a dedicated teacher/faith leader who is responsible for providing the sacramental instruction of students enrolled in the ESPP, and to liaise with the respective pastor and parish sacramental coordinator for support and coordination of the ESPP. This includes registration, scheduling of catechetical preparation sessions, parish visit, retreat, rehearsal, and celebration. Parents in the ESPP will participate in online parents coaching sessions facilitated by CCSD staff and the Diocese. Registration and orientation for the ESPP will begin in October 2022.

The Catechism states that “Sacraments are “powers that come forth” from the Body of Christ, which is ever-living. They are actions of the Holy Spirit at work in his Body, the Church. They are “the masterworks of God” in the new and everlasting covenant”. [CCC 1116]. The Sacraments are always celebrated at the parish in the midst of the faith community where the parish priest is entrusted with the care of souls. Yet, as true and proper shepherd, he does not live out this responsibility and mission alone. The ESPP is not intended as a permanent structure of ministry separated or parallel to that of the parish community, but a witness of co-responsibility with our Catholic schools in the evangelizing mission of the Church. In fact, it is my desire and hope that through the participation of teachers, parents, pastors and the parish community needed for the implementation of this pastoral initiative, we will give greater witness to the importance of the Sacraments through the bond of communion where schools and parishes truly exist as the one Body of Christ.    
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Photo credit: Annie Chirka, St. Peter's Catholic Church, Calgary
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Written by Most Rev. William T. McGrattan, Bishop of Calgary
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​Oct. 3, 2022
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Knowing the right things to say

10/3/2022

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Perhaps you have gone through difficult times and received unhelpful but well-meaning comments. Maybe you just heard yourself say something that didn’t come across as well as you thought it would as you tried to console someone.
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Watch this video and learn some tips on knowing the right things to say as a personal mini sensitivity training.
Consider this…
Then Job answered: 
“I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all…” Job 16:2
Job’s comforters were not very present to him in his misery, instead they were trying to find a way to provide a rationale for what he was going through. When we are suffering, we do not need commentators around us. We just want someone to accompany us with what we’re going through. Be a friend who focuses on the feelings and needs of the other.
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Calgary Catholic Medical Association

10/2/2022

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The Calgary Catholic Medical Association (CCMA)  would love to invite and meet with you at our upcoming event. Please join us for the White Mass (Feast day of St. Luke) Tuesday, October. 18, 2022 at 7 pm, at St. Mary's Cathedral (Calgary) with Bishop McGrattan. This mass is open to the public and is not limited to only health care professionals. 

About CCMA
The Calgary Catholic Medical Association (CCMA) has been a running lay Association for 20 years. It is the only multidisciplinary Catholic Association of health care providers in Canada. Our mission is to foster the personal and professional formation of healthcare professionals, in accord with the magisterium of the Catholic Church.

Membership includes voting and nomination privileges at the AGM, early notification of upcoming events, early bird discount pricing for social events, but most importantly, a community that holds common ground in faith and interest in health care.

To share some personal experiences of the CCMA, we have testimonies from a few members of the Executive Council.
The CCMA has been for me a place of friendship and spiritual support. My membership dates back to CCMA’s first days (20+ years ago). I have been a Family Physician for almost 40 years.

​I have enjoyed meeting health care providers from different walks of life. Their shared experiences have enriched me personally. It was very helpful to be supported by a group of people that see their vocations as a service to the patient in the Name of Jesus. The sharing of the Art and Science of Healthcare has been beneficial for me as a Family Physician in the city of Calgary. The Diocesan spiritual support through the CCMA has been very important for me as well.

We have had fun times. Recently I really enjoyed the easy camaraderie between the CCMA Physicians and our Indigenous colleagues when volunteering as a Physician at the Papal visit in Edmonton. It was a very good and privileged 'Walking Together ' experience." 
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Dr. Monique Withers (Treasurer)
I recall being invited to join the CCMA in 2015, by one of the Physicians and I was excited to be a part of an association that combined the Catholic faith and my vocation as a nurse. In the past 7 years, CCMA has really evolved and I can attest, has been a great place of spiritual nourishment and support. Knowing that I am a part of an association of varying disciplines who share the same faith, I am confident and comfortable that I can always find someone to talk to or talk through certain ethics and morale lived out in the workplace.

In the past the CCMA has held conferences that could help strengthen one’s faith in their profession, in order to do the work we are called to do. My family has joined in Pilgrimages hosted by this association and the White Mass particularly is strengthening to see the health professions coming together in our faith’s highest form of worship. ​We have been well supported by the Bishop and the Diocese for our events and witnessing the growth in membership with the CCMA has been encouraging, to see others interested in practicing their faith, but also living it out even in their field of expertise."
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  • Rikka Borras, RN (Vice President)
I have been part of the CCMA since 2016, first as a spouse of a member, an allied health member, and then as a member of the Board. For me, this association is a place of community and connection with others of the same faith and values. Sometimes religion and spirituality can be very personal and hard to talk about, however, I have realized that spirituality is what gives us meaning in life, whether for ourselves or for the people we care for. This has been the place to share in how we can live out our faith while exhibiting the love and care like Jesus did within both our personal and professional roles.

The events and get-togethers hosted are an opportunity to reflect and find support in the challenges we have as healthcare professionals. I was particularly moved at the Breakfast with the Bishop, back in March 2020, right before the world shut down due to the pandemic. Bishop McGrattan spoke about palliative care which can provide opportunity for a spiritual experience at the end of life for the person(s) involved, as well as those around them. This brought to the forefront, the grief I was trying to make sense of from my dad's passing nine months prior as well as humanity's shared mortality, healthcare professionals and patients alike. The "end" is something we often avoid thinking about but truly, it is inevitable. How can we make sense of it, especially now knowing what was to come after that? I remember the message, that death (and suffering) is part of the bigger picture, God's plan, as I sit with patience and acceptance with myself and with my clients. As a therapist, the chance to bear witness to and to support another person's suffering is really an honour and a privilege. 


The CCMA is welcoming not only to physicians, but also healthcare professionals of various disciplines. It is one of, if not only, associations in Canada that is multi-disciplinary - we have nurses, psychologists, and counsellors to name a few. This community really values the different health professionals in a person's care journey and in that, we find ways to learn from each other to better serve our clients and patients
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"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort." 2 Corinthians 1:3-7. 
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  • Elaine Cheung, MTA (Secretary)
To contact CCMA, visit their website at https://catholicmedyyc.wordpress.com 
​or email catholicmedyyc@gmail.com
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