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Adoro te devote

2/16/2023

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>> Watch this video and take in the beautiful arrangement of Adoro Te Devote by Domenico Bartolucci during the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on June 10, 2010, on the eve of the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus at St. Peter’s Square.
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Oh what treasure we have in the Church – the Son of God truly present! Let us adore Him.
In a world where there is so much noise, so much bewilderment, there is a need for silent adoration of Jesus concealed in the Host. Be assiduous in the prayer of adoration and teach it to the faithful. It is a source of comfort and light, particularly to those who are suffering.”

“Without the Eucharist, the Church simply does not exist.”

“Friends, do not be afraid of silence or stillness. Listen to God. Adore Him in the Eucharist.”
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Pope Benedict XVI
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Turning to our Mother

12/12/2022

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The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, is Mission Mexico Day in the Diocese of Calgary. But do you know the story of our Lady and Juan Diego? Watch this 20-minute video and learn about our Mother’s love as deigned by God.

Our Lady appeared in Mexico to show her love for all peoples especially the most simple of heart. May we embrace her love and share it with others, especially those in need. 
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“Am I not here, I, who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Do you need anything more? Let nothing else worry you, disturb you.” – words of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego on Mount Tepeyac in 1531.
Can a woman forget her nursing-child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.” Isaiah 49:15
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Mary is the embodiment of perfect love. May we imitate her way of love.
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The blessed visit of Our Lady of the Cape

7/18/2022

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Revered as the Queen of Canada, Our Lady of the Cape was unheard of until the western pilgrim statue tour visited our Diocese in May 2022, and culminated at the Papal Mass in Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton. Thanks to the hard work of Christine Gamache, Our Lady of the Cape pilgrim coordinator for our Diocese and the pilgrim tour team, the faithful in the Diocese of Calgary were re-introduced to the beautiful devotion, and had the chance to venerate Canada's National Madonna and to consecrate themselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  ​

Christine and the pilgrim team has gathered amazing stories, photos, and testimonies from the Our Lady of the Cape's pilgrimage in Calgary & Canmore to share with you. Grab a cup of tea, and enjoy this beautiful collection of photos, stories, and testimonies from those who participated in this blessed visit of Our Lady of the Cape.
STORIES, PHOTOS, TESTIMONIES
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Faithful Living: The Miraculous Medal

5/29/2022

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48,000 miraculous medals will be blessed by the Bishop on Monday, May 30, 2022 during the Mass at the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies. These medals have been donated by a very generous couple for distribution to the parishes of the Diocese.

You may be curious about the meaning behind the miraculous medals and the practise of having such blessed objects of devotion.

The miraculous medal belongs to a category of religious or devotional objects blessed and dedicated for the purpose of inciting faith and devotion. A blessed medal can make a person realize the closeness of God through His Saints especially our Blessed Mother.

Our Lady appeared to St. Catherine Labouré in 1830 and showed her images with the instruction to “Have a medal struck upon this model. Those who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around the neck.” This medal was to express her closeness to her children especially those who call on her for help.
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The following explain the meaning and significance of the design of the medal:
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Front side
Mary is standing upon a globe, crushing the head of a serpent beneath her foot. She stands upon the globe, as the Queen of Heaven and Earth. Her feet crush the serpent to proclaim Satan and all his followers are helpless before her (Genesis 3:15). The year of 1830 on the Miraculous Medal is the year the Blessed Mother gave the design of the Miraculous Medal to Saint Catherine Labouré. The reference to Mary conceived without sin supports the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary—not to be confused with the virgin birth of Jesus, and referring to Mary's sinlessness, “full of grace” and “blessed among women” (Luke 1:28)—that was proclaimed 24 years later in 1854.
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Back side
The 12 stars can refer to the Apostles, who represent the entire Church as it surrounds Mary. They also recall the vision of St. John, writer of the Book of Revelation (12:1), in which “a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of 12 stars.” The cross can symbolize Christ and our redemption, with the bar under the cross a sign of the earth. The “M” stands for Mary, and the interleaving of her initial and the cross shows Mary’s close involvement with Jesus and our world. In this, we see Mary’s part in our salvation and her role as mother of the Church. The two hearts represent the love of Jesus and Mary for us. (See Lk 2:35).
The 48,000 blessed medals will be packaged and distributed to the parishes shortly after May 30, 2022. Please remember to look for these medals in your parish and take however many you would like to bring home and use. 

May the medal remind us that the mother of our Saviour is always concerned for our well-being. She wants us to be close to Christ and to pattern our lives after Him. May the medal make us experience her closeness… only a prayer away.

Consider this...

​“God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that when the handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, their diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them.” 
Acts 19:11-12

The handkerchiefs or aprons held no special power! It was the Will of God and the power of God that brought about healing. He chose tangible ways to convey his closeness and to channel the gift of healing.
Source: AMM - Miraculous Medal Story
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Faithful Living: Making a Marian pilgrimage

5/22/2022

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May is a month often associated with the veneration of Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. One meaningful way to express our devotion to her is by undertaking a Marian pilgrimage. While it is common to think of organized Marian pilgrimages as the only way to embark on one, a meaningful Marian pilgrimage may be had by simply planning one that you journey alone, with another person, or with your family or a group of friends.

A key part to making a Marian pilgrimage is to embark on a physical journey to a spiritual place. This can be far which will require a considerable trek or can be short as a few blocks' walk. What is essential is the desire to offer this special homage to our Lady and to pray and reflect while going towards the destination and back. This resource provides guidance on how to make a spiritual pilgrimage (printable, one page).

Here are some suggestions of destinations for your Marian pilgrimage...
  1. The grotto at the FCJ Christian Life Centre (219 19 Ave SW, Calgary)
  2. The grotto at the back of the Lacombe Care Centre ( 270 Providence Blvd SE, Calgary)

You can always incorporate driving to your pilgrimage especially when the distance is too much to handle for walking. You may consider driving to the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies in Canmore. Drive prayerfully but attentively.
Don't miss the chance to make a pilgrimage during Our Lady of the Cape statue tour in Calgary and Canmore:
  • Full schedule here
  • St. Mary's Cathedral - on Sunday May 29, from 9 am to 2 pm. 
  • The Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies - on Sunday evening, and Monday, May 30 from 10 am to 10 pm. Mass with Bishop McGrattan at 7 pm.

Consider this...
A pilgrimage may cause some frustration or inconvenience... don't complain.
​Gracefully accept the sacrifice and make it an offering of love.


"May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light."  Colossians 1:11-12
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A shrine to Our Lady of Lavang

11/2/2021

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A shrine to Our Lady of Lavang in the parish of St. Vincent Liem, Calgary has recently been built and blessed, and is the  pride and joy of the Vietnamese community in the city. 
 
Fr. Joseph Canh Vu, pastor of St. Francis Assisi parish and former pastor of St. Vincent Liem parish (2009-2017), says the Blessed Virgin Mary is an important part of the Vietnamese Catholic culture and the shrine has become popular for those who want to pray and honour the Holy Mother of God.
 
The shrine is devoted to the story of Our Lady who is said to have appeared many times in Lavang, Vietnam in 1798.
 
“The Vietnamese people are fond of the devotion of the Virgin Mary in Vietnam. Families say the Rosary often before going to bed,” said Father Joseph. “In Vietnam, it’s a tradition to devote ourselves to the Virgin Mary.
 
“The community is very excited. When people come to Mass, or even weekday Mass, they go to say a prayer in front of the shrine.”
 
St. Vincent Liem Church, which is located in the Forest Lawn neighbourhood, was formerly in Inglewood. After years of growth in Inglewood, the Church made the bold move to build a new Church where it is located today at 2412 48th Street SE. The current pastor of the church is Fr. Nguyễn Đức Vượng. The associate pastor is Fr. Phạm Công Liêm.
 
The new church was dedicated on July 11, 2015 by Bishop Emeritus Frederick Henry of the Calgary Diocese. It is known for its grandeur and modern architecture, featuring an open concept, natural lighting, and the versatile design with a touch of the Vietnamese heritage.

​In the years 2009-2010, the St. Vincent Liem parish in Inglewood began to seriously contemplate building a new Church. The number of people attending Mass was increasing. Parking for the weekend was increasingly becoming more difficult.

 
From 2011 to 2013, the parish began planning the construction of a new Church. On June 15, 2013, the first broken stone officially opened the construction of a new Church in the Forest Lawn area. After the new Church was built, on May 16, 2015, the statue of Our Lady was moved and temporarily placed at the back area of the Church as a place for parishioners to pray.
 
On March 25, the parish held a Mass for the laying of the first stone to inaugurate the construction of the shrine. The project was completed in early October. On Oct. 10, Bishop William McGrattan officially blessed the shrine of Our Lady of Lavang.
Myloan Dang, who is a secretary and a bookkeeper for the parish, said the shrine is very important to the parishioners.
 
“From the beginning when we moved here we planned to build the shrine for Our Lady of Lavang back in 2013-2014 when the Church was completed,” said Dang.
 
“A lot of parishioners were longing to have it done. And they said they would do anything to help out whatever that is. It’s not just the people in our Church. We had lots of people outside the Church in the Vietnamese community who were very helpful to us. That’s what really motivated us - the people in the Vietnamese community came together and worked together to get this done.”
 
According to the Roman Catholic Saints website, “the fact that the Blessed Virgin visited a small group of Catholics in the little jungle village of Lavang, in Vietnam, in 1798, is not surprising to anyone who knows the ways of the Mother of God. She has always been faithful to her children by grace.” 
On one such evening, they were first frightened and then enchanted to behold a Woman and Child standing nearby in a mysterious glow of light. Simple as these people were, some among them recognized the Virgin Mother and Her Child. All listened entranced while Mary told them softly that she was fully aware of their hardships and of their chronic sickness due to contaminated water. She told them to gather certain leaves that grew near and make a strong tea of them; this would keep them healthy. Solemnly she added, 'From this day on, prayers said on this spot will be heard – and answered.'”

More information on Our Lady of Lavang can be found here.
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More photos from the blessing of The Shrine of Our Lady of Lavang with Bishop McGrattan are available here

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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. Mario was recently named one of the Top 10 Business Journalists in the world.  

Listen to "A dram with Mario Toneguzzi" with host Sean Lynn from God Squad Canada.

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Sacred Heart of Jesus

6/9/2021

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In 1673, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque received a vision of Jesus’ compassionate heart, pierced by the sins of the world, which gave impetus to the devotion of Sacred Heart of Jesus. St. Margaret Mary also received private revelations from Jesus on June 16, 1675. Read more

The Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the Friday following the second Sunday after Pentecost.  The term "Sacred Heart of Jesus" denotes the entire mystery of Christ, the totality of his being, and his person considered in its most intimate essential: Son of God, uncreated wisdom; infinite charity, principal of the salvation and sanctification of mankind. The "Sacred Heart" is Christ, the Word Incarnate, Saviour, intrinsically containing, in the Spirit, an infinite divine-human love for the Father and for his brothers. (Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy).

​
Sacred Heart of Jesus Resources 
  • Sacred Heart of Jesus Pastoral Notes and Resources (Cardinal Collins)
  • How to celebrate the feasts of Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary (OSV). 
  • Video (7 mnts): Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Fr. Mark Mary)
  • Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
    • Pray the Litany with the help of St. Pope John Paul II (Aleteia)
  • Daily prayer from St. Therese Liseux "Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine". 
    • Download & Print: Image 1 | Image 2 | Image 3 | Image 4 | Image 5
  • Sacred Heart of Jesus Morning Prayer | Evening Prayer
  • Resources for Family & children:
    • Catholic Sprouts podcast for kids on Sacred Heart of Jesus (OSV)
    • Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart craft for kids
    • Sacred Heart VBS at home
    • Video: Jesus loves us so much He cannot keep His love to Himself! Learn about the symbols we see in the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Then we will make Sacred Heart mini-pancakes together!Watch: Video for kids from Sacred Heart of Jesus Convent 
    • Video: Personal Consecration Prayer to the Sacred Heart 
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Devoted to the Precious Blood

4/14/2021

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The early-spring sun is barely risen when the six Sisters of the Precious Blood monastery in Calgary make their way to their chapel for morning mass. As the day progresses, the sisters will gather in the chapel four more times to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, an official Prayer of the Church, which sanctifies the day with prayer. Each woman will also spend 30 minutes in private prayer and adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. They use those precious minutes to pray for the needs of the Church, especially the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary, and to ask God’s blessing on the world. They also devote that time alone to pray “for the people for whom we’ve promised to pray,” explains Sr. Margaret Nadeau. Many of those prayer requests are posted on the chapel door, a physical reminder that those who live in this cloistered religious community are purposefully devoted to the world from which they’ve chosen to live apart.
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Altar breads
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Founded in Quebec in 1861, the Sisters of the Precious Blood was the first contemplative community established in Canada. In addition to the founding monastery in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, the order has houses in Calgary, Regina, London and Hamilton, plus two monasteries in the United States and two in Japan.

As well as praying for the people in the communities where they live, the Sisters of the Precious Blood monastery in Calgary plays a tangible role in supporting parishes across the diocese. While the Calgary convent stopped baking altar breads several decades ago, the sisters still receive regular truckloads of hosts baked in the order’s Hamilton house. 
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Once in Calgary, the large cartons are unpacked into smaller boxes of hosts according to the needs of the parishes. Parishes typically pick up these smaller boxes from the monastery, which is located in Erlton, just south of downtown Calgary. Some boxes are also shipped to parishes in other dioceses. 

The pandemic disrupted this aspect of life in the monastery. While orders for hosts fell in the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, a few parishes in Calgary also were over-supplied. With Calgary’s diocese supporting public health protocols, that extra supply more than sustained the parishes when offering regular masses with fewer parishioners became the norm. 
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“One of the main sources of our income has been the sale and supply of hosts, but demand changed when the pandemic started. Orders are starting to pick up a little now and that’s good as our Hamilton house has hired lay staff and we want to keep them working,” says Sr. Nadeau. A native of Medicine Hat, she joined the Sisters of the Precious Blood 63 years ago this month. “For me, it was a way to embrace the total church in a life of prayer.”

Month of the Holy Eucharist

All Catholics are called to join that embrace in a special way during the month of April, which is dedicated to the Holy Eucharist. April was chosen because it typically includes Easter Sunday. (Even when Easter falls in March, the entire month of April is part of the Easter season.) 

The dedication to the Holy Eucharist is a daily commitment for the Sisters of the Precious Blood, whose charism focuses on adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. While some of the order’s houses across Canada could not have daily mass during the pandemic, that wasn’t the case in Calgary. In the early days, Bishop William McGrattan did restrict the list of visiting priests to two individuals. Over time, those restrictions were changed to allow more priests to say mass at the monastery. 
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For now, visitors cannot participate in the holy hour celebration the monastery hosts every Thursday evening. The sisters understand, but miss sharing this special hour of prayers and singing with others in the faith community.
“In some ways we’re probably one of the groups of people that has been least affected by the pandemic and for that, we’re grateful,” says Sr. Nadeau. “We live a cloistered life with or without the pandemic and life here goes on every day, with our life of prayer still the biggest thing for us. We just keep on every day, just like we did before.”

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Written by Joy Gregory for Faithfully.

Individuals who would like the Sisters of the Precious Blood to include their petitions in the sisters’ private prayers, can contact the monastery at 403-265-1691. ​
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Sacred Heart of Jesus

6/14/2020

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Photo: Fr. Lawrence Lew, OP. Mosaic in the chapel of the Mercy Convent in Albany, NY.
Through the visions St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, devotion to the Sacred Heart became formalized and the feast day extended to the whole Church by Pope Pius IX in 1856. This Friday, celebrate this beautiful feast at home, and receive the blessings and mercy Jesus promised St. Margaret Mary to souls who honour the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

Devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus are numerous and here are some ways we may be able to observe it this year:
  • Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
  • Enthrone your home to the Heart of Jesus (read "Easy Steps")
  • Pray the Pope's Intention for June
  • Pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
  • 8 ways to honour the Sacred Heart of Jesus in June at home (Aleteia Article)
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