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Something to think about on Family's Day

2/17/2023

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Watch this excerpt of an interview of Dr. Jordan Peterson on parenting and the impact on children.  >>> Watch video now
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What are your thoughts as parents? How has your experience of parenting and raising children been?
Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” ~ Hebrews 12:11
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Authentic love builds and requires a lot of effort. 
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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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The Beaver Tale

2/14/2023

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This St. Valentine’s Day, Jessica and Joseph Cyr celebrate a champagne wedding anniversary of sorts, with 14 years of marriage on the 14th. In that time, just as their family has grown to include five children, so has their extended family of faith.

The ceremonial ‘passing of the beaver pelt’ from one newlywed couple to another is a seemingly silly tradition that the Cyrs started in their Calgary Catholic community shortly after they were married, and never imagined would still be going strong today.
“I thought it would be fun to start a tradition within the Catholic community,” said Joseph Cyr. “I had the beaver hanging on my wall. It was unique to me, no one else had a homemade beaver pelt. I thought, ‘hey we can use that, and it’s something very Canadian, something that represents our heritage.’” 

At the time of publication, 48 couples, with more than 100 children combined, have written their names and wedding dates on the back of this storied beaver pelt. ​
PictureJessica and Joseph Cyr
History of the Pelt

​Back when Joseph was in high school, he earned his trapping license and trapped a beaver in a creek near his hometown of Pincher Creek, Alberta. He proceeded to prepare the beaver’s pelt for mounting onto plywood. While he had hoped to continue pursuing this hobby, the beaver was the only animal he ever trapped. 

Shortly after he and Jessica married, Joseph hung the pelt in the living room of their first home, but as it happened Jessica did not exactly share Joseph’s taste in home decor. Joseph then had the idea to gift the pelt to another young couple; Jessica was very receptive to the notion and thus a tradition was born.

The Cyrs presented it to Jared and Natalie Fehr at their wedding reception with the stipulation that they must display the pelt prominently in their home until the next Catholic couple involved with their young adult community married, at which point the ceremonial bestowing of the beaver pelt would continue. 

“Every time I hear the beaver pass to another couple, I say a quick prayer: “God be with them in their first years and keep them close to you,” said Jessica, a parishioner at St. Bernard’s Parish in Calgary.  

“I feel connected to the couples in the wider Catholic community by the beaver tradition in a maternal sense, especially now that over a decade has passed and a new generation of couples - the age of kids I used to babysit - are having it passed to them.” ​
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PictureAdam Pittman presenting the Beaver pelt at the Toner's wedding.
The beaver’s lodge

Currently, the pelt is in the possession of Brian and Jennifer Toner. Per the directive, it is displayed above their living-room television in Cupertino, California – one hour South of San Francisco. 

Adam Pittman presented the pelt on behalf of the Catholic community at their wedding reception in November in Saskatoon. 

“For us, receiving the beaver pelt was a huge honour,” said Jennfier Toner.

“It felt like our marriage was being uplifted by the prayers and thoughts of the whole group, whether we knew each couple or not. We also felt excited, because it is a delightfully ridiculous ‘gift and re-gift ' process that we now get to partake in,” Toner added.  

The beaver travels abroad 

A large part of the fun of this tradition is figuring out logistics as it travels from one couple to another. Now that it was in the Toner’s possession, they needed to figure out how to bring it with them across the border.

To get home, they needed to pass U.S. Customs. They had to assure the border guards of their plan to wrap it in a white garbage bag and take it as carry-on luggage on the airplane and stow it under their two seats. The first guard they met started laughing when they told her they had a beaver pelt. Then they were brought over for a secondary inspection.

“The second guard was enthusiastic about the pelt, because he’d always wanted to see one,” said Jennifer. “He told us a lot about the history of the Canadian fur trade and asked if he could touch the fur on the sides where the beaver is the softest.”

This second guard then called a third person from Agriculture Canada.

“He referred to it on the phone as a “family heirloom” that gets passed down from person to person. Beaver isn’t an endangered species in Canada, and because it was tanned, came from Alberta, and had been across the border before, everything checked out,” said Jennifer.  

The whole process took about 20 minutes.

Years ago, one couple had taken the beaver across the U.S.A./Canada land border while on their way to present it at their friends’ wedding in Vancouver. Following a long back-and-forth involving both American and Canadian customs agents, the beaver received official "papers," and the pelt was officially stamped on the back, from both sides of the border. These papers have traveled with the beaver ever since, and proved helpful to the border guards in the Toner’s recent travels.
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Brian & Jennifer Tonner
PictureThe Beaver Pelt (2023)
A silly or serious tradition? 

In his own way, Fr. Cristino Bouvette feels very much part of the beaver pelt tradition. He has celebrated the weddings of at least half of the couples associated with the beaver pelt, and witnessed time and again the passing on of the pelt at wedding receptions.

“It is clearly a silly tradition, but not merely a silly tradition. It is also a sign of married life being one of openness to the wider community. People marry for the sake of expanding the community of believers, expanding the community of the world,” said Fr. Bouvette.

“In receiving this memento, albeit tacky, it’s a sign of belonging to a wider community outside of your married life, which is a very important testament to the mystery of marriage. You give yourself to the other for the sake of the other, and then in that one flesh union that opens up to all others,” Fr. Bouvette added.

“It’s such a great sign to me of our ever-expanding faith community.” 


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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 

​Photos submitted by Sara Francis. Used with permission. 
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Money habits that keep you poor

1/30/2023

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Some Catholics believe that we should not think of money as we focus on God not recognizing that most common symptoms of spiritual problems involve finances. Greed, the lack of self-discipline, and corruption in the heart will manifest wherever they can, often dealing with one’s money or other people’s money. Some people are drowning in debt from excessive shopping, some have gambling problems to channel their loneliness, some steal money from others or from work to manage their finances problems… 

Now on the flip side, we cannot be money-obsessed either. Our money cannot own us or control us. God should be our center. Money is a tool to serve God and others, while making sure that we have what we need for a good, balanced, and an upright life. 
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This accountant shares some basic financial approaches to overcome or prevent money issues. While not everything may apply to you, her tips should provide things to consider in the management of your personal finances. 

​>> Watch video now
As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.” 
​1 Timothy 6:17-19 

Be good stewards. Live with God by having Him at the center of your life. Keep everything in order.
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Spirituality & Mental Health

1/23/2023

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As human beings with both body and soul, we take good care of ourselves through healthy relationships, especially our relationship with God, and with the help of science.

​Watch this video and see how both science and the Faith connect.
Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul.” 3 John 1:2

We have been wonderfully made by God. We must always seek wholeness and holiness in everything so that in sickness or in health and through life’s joys and sorrows, we abide in God.
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Sunday of the Word of God

1/11/2023

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Pope Francis has declared that the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is to be devoted to the celebration, study and dissemination of the word of God “that the life of our people be constantly marked by this decisive relationship with the living word that the Lord never tires of speaking to his Bride” (Aperuit Illis, 2). In 2023 the Sunday of the Word of God falls on January 22.

​Download: 2023 Liturgical/Pastoral Resource from the Dicastery for Evangelization for Sunday of the Word of God


Here are five liturgical suggestions for making the most of this universal invitation from the Pontiff.  
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1. Homily
Focus on the centrality of the Bible for Christians. In the Gospel, Jesus quotes what we heard in the first reading from the Prophet Isaiah. The word of the prophet is the foundation for his teaching and the call of the first disciples. In the second reading Paul tells the Corinthians that Jesus did not send him to baptize but to proclaim the Gospel and that “it is the power of God”.

2. Bless Ministers of the Word
Following the Homily, invite ministers of the Word to stand (e.g. lectors, psalmists, leaders in RCIA, liturgy of the word for children, and scripture study). Bless them with hands extended:

Blessed are you, Lord God,
Source of all light and all goodness,
you sent your Son, your living Word,
to reveal to humanity the mystery of your love.
Look with mercy upon these women and men who proclaim your word
and lead your people closer to your teaching.
Bless X them in their ministry
so that they may be nourished by your Word,
be transformed by it and faithfully announce it
to their brothers and sisters in your Church.
We praise and thank you, Father,
in the name of Jesus your Son,
and in the love of your Holy Spirit,
God of glory for ever and ever.
Amen.


Adapted from the blessing of lectors in Celebrations of Installation and Recognition, copyright Concacan Inc.,2005. All rights reserved.

3. Universal Prayer

Introduction to the petitions:
Dear sisters and brothers,
nourished and formed by God’s Word
let us bring our needs and petitions before Him.


In addition to the petitions you have prepared for today, include some for the Word of God to come to life in your community, for example:
  • For bishops, priests, deacons, lectors, psalmists, and all who proclaim God’s Word in the world, we pray to the Lord.
  • For teachers and staff in Catholic schools, for catechists, parents, and all who bring the Word of God to children, we pray to the Lord.

Prayer at the end of the petitions:
Grant, O God, that our lives be marked by your living word.
Hear these, our prayers,
and help us to proclaim the good news of the kingdom.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.


4. Eucharistic Prayer

You might use Eucharistic Prayer III for Various Needs and Occasions (Jesus the Way to the Father). Its Preface focuses on Christ as the “Word” of God. Roman Missal p.764ff.

5. Enthroning the Bible (For use in homes, schools, and with RCIA or Bible Study groups)
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The faithful have shown reverence to the bible as the inspired word of God since ancient times. The enthronement of an open bible has often served as a symbolic invitation to delve into the sacred text as the source of our spiritual life. You might use this short ritual from the American Bible Society to enthrone the Bible at home, in schools, and with RCIA or Bible Study groups.  
  • How to enthrone the Bible in your home/class/school? 

6. More Resources
  • Note from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on the Word of God Sunday. The note highlights opportunities and practical suggestions for the Word of God Sunday celebration. English | French 
  • Adult Formation Activity
  • Understanding the Bible
  • The Art and Practice of Lectio Divina
  • The Word of God as a Source of Prayer

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Entering the Ordinary Time

1/11/2023

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During the Ordinary Time, the Church celebrates the fullness of the mystery of the Lord Jesus. The people of God offer praise by celebrating the Paschal Mystery of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. Sunday is the original Christian Feast Day, following the tradition handed down from Apostolic times, for this way the day of the Lord’s Resurrection.

Today’s Christian communities continue this tradition by celebrating every Sunday as the day of the risen Lord. 

​Below are some resources to help break down everything you need to know for this liturgical season, as well as practical advices to help you get the most out of the Ordinary Time.
  • Read: Ultimate Guide to Ordinary Time (Catholic Telegraph) 
  • Read: Why Ordinary Time can also be called the "season of saints" (Aleteia)
  • Read: 5 ways to make Ordinary Time less ordinary (Catholic Link)
  • Read: What about an Ordinary Time resolution this year? (Aleteia)
  • Read: How do we keep Sunday holy (Aleteia) 
  • YEAR A Monthly Liturgical Calendar (CCCB)
  • Read: 7 ways to make Sunday holy for the whole family (Aleteia)
  • Watch: Why do we need to rest from work on Sundays? (Fr. Mike Smith, Ascension Press)
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Unpacking Christmas Day

12/26/2022

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Why do we celebrate Christmas, the day of the Lord’s birth, on December 25th? 

>> Watch this video and find out that this date was not inspired by the pagan feast of the sun god as commonly held by those who are cynical of the Church’s celebration of Christmas. In fact, it’s the other way around as Christmas pre-existed the pagan feast of the sun. As well, Christmas Day was not chosen randomly by the Church as this date is connected to the birth of John the Baptist.
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So, don’t hold back, celebrate Christmas, the birthday of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. And one more thing… Christmas is not just a day-long celebration, it’s a season.




The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."  Matthew 4:16

​Live and bask in the Light of God. Overcome darkness and death with the Light of Christ. 

​A Happy Christmas to you and your family!
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Beyond a picture-perfect family Christmas dinner

12/19/2022

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Watch this video and go beyond merely having a picture-perfect family Christmas dinner. ​Let Christ be at the center of all things.
Those who say, ‘I love God’, and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.”
1 John 4:20 
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Strive to be transformed by Christ and yearn for what is real.
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Joy, hope, and love

12/5/2022

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The Advent season marks the beginning of a new liturgical year. In preparation for the coming of Christ at Christmas, it is a time of spiritual renewal which invites us as Christians to reflect more deeply on the meaning of our common human history. To rediscover our vocation and mission in Christ which calls us to reach out to all of humanity, peoples, cultures, and across the path of time.
 
In our lives we can all experience the call to begin again, to rediscover the meaning and the goal of our lives in relation to God, and to all of humanity through Christ. It is similar for the human family in rediscovering the common path and horizon that unites us. This horizon of hope for all of humanity has been revealed to us in Christ, who was the incarnate Word of God.   
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The season of Advent can restore in each of us this horizon of hope. It is a hope which does not disappoint for it is founded on God’s word. It can be a time to deepen our longing and anticipation that God will do what the prophets of the Old Testament promised. To fully reveal the promise of His love, the promise of salvation that is founded on hope and which unites us in Christ to all of humanity.
Pope Benedict in writing about this season of Advent stated: “The purpose of the Church’s year is continually to rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart’s memory so that it can discern the star of hope. It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us, memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope.” (Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) in Seek That Which Is Above, 1986)

​Advent can also teach us that there are two ways of experiencing this common history of memories: one is a human or sociological vision and the other is religious that invites people of faith who believe in God to see a much deeper horizon in our common human history. The first experience of time or history is 
chronos, which is essentially cyclical and is often without the sense of purpose or meaning. The second, karios, is the living of our history, our lives through the lens of knowing we have been redeemed by God in Christ Jesus. This is the experience which brings us the joy and hope which we rehearse each year in Church’s memory of the celebration of Christmas.  
 
In Evangelli Gaudium “Joy of the Gospel” Pope Francis reminds us that “The joy of the Gospel fills the heart and lives of all who encounter Jesus. …  With Jesus Christ joy is constantly born anew.” (EG, #1) In Scripture joy is expressed or described through a multitude of personal and collective human experiences e.g., religious ceremonies and feasts. In the Old Testament, it was the most common experience that identified the presence of God or the awareness God acting in human history. The Psalms are filled with this experience of joy which celebrated the nearness of God in the life of our human experience.   

In John’s Gospel the experience of joy is the Messiah’s gift. It is what Jesus desired for his disciples that the joy that he experienced in the presence and nearness of his Father would be with his disciples, and that their joy would be complete. In the Gospel of Luke, the experience of joy proceeds the birth of Christ, that it is expressed by the angels and the shepherds. It is the same joy that accompanies those who encounter Christ each and every day, and which becomes attractive to those who are open to receive the Good News. Joy anticipates the coming of Christ, it is a sign of the God’s Kingdom, and as St. Paul stated, it is an enduring fruit of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives.
In the past few years during this time of Advent in preparation for our celebration of Christmas, we as a Diocese have introduced the I am Blessed campaign. It is an invitation to see how our lives have been blessed by God as a way of entering more deeply into the season of Advent and in preparation for Christmas. This year the theme is “We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)"
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Written by Most Rev. William T. McGrattan, Bishop of Calgary
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​Dec. 5, 2022
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The art of accompaniment

11/13/2022

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“Help me!” Out of a dark bathroom in a long term care home, I heard a plaintive cry and froze. I was there to bring the Eucharist, nothing more. I turned to seek out an attendant and heard again, “Don’t leave me!” Heart pounding, I crept forward, identified myself loudly and turned on the lights to find an elderly woman on the toilet. With shaking hands I cleaned her and helped her to stand up. She leaned against me as we washed our hands. Secretly I thought, “I have wiped Christ’s bottom.”

Jesus said that whatever we do for the least of his brethren we do for him. This is true whether we cook for our family, give alms to the poor or serve at Mass. However, it might be particularly true when we are called to move out of our comfort zone and give more than we intended to. For example, when we offer to buy a street person a coffee and he chooses a whole meal with it. Or we call to check in on a friend and she spills out her woes for an hour. When we give of ourselves we prefer to have a measure of control over the experience but that is not how God gives of himself. God gave his only son, and Jesus gave his lifeblood for us. God continues to give constantly and completely, so we are called to do the same. This kind of self-emptying service is what Pope Francis called “the art of accompaniment”.

“The Church will have to initiate everyone – priests, religious and laity- into this “art of accompaniment” which teaches us to remove our sandals before the sacred ground of the other.” (Evangelii Gaudium 169)
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I am coming to understand The Art of Accompaniment through a series of talks given by Fr. Tim Boyle at St. Martha’s Parish in Lethbridge . So far Fr. Boyle has noted that accompaniment is not quite the same as caregiving, although it might include that. To accompany someone is to first of all recognize that God is with them. As guest speaker Reno Guimond said, “We are not bringing God to anyone. God has been there long before we show up. We go to see where God is.” Besides recognizing God in each person, we also need to understand how God works in the world.

Fr. Boyle encouraged his listeners to imagine God “delighting” in the world as he created it. “God has invested himself in creation,” Fr. Boyle said. “This is not a one-time event but an evolving artwork. If God accompanies us as an artist not as an engineer then God is vulnerable to the unfolding of Creation… God suffers in the process… God chooses to spend himself on creation.” This form of sacrificial support was expressed ultimately by God becoming human and Jesus’ death and resurrection.

For us, sacrificial giving of ourselves is often a challenge. Society dictates that one must preserve oneself, must learn to ‘Say No’, and ration one’s time and energy. Yet Creation shows otherwise. Fr. Boyle used the examples of salmon making death runs upstream to spawn, and sunflowers drying up to produce seeds for food and for procreation. “Like salmon and sunflowers, every creature, in order to reach their full potential, needs to empty themselves out”, Fr. Boyle said. So how is this achieved in practical terms? How does one accompany another person, whether continuously or when called upon? 

It begins when we accept God’s accompaniment of us. This happens through grace which Fr. Boyle suggests is “like manna – something given by God every day which cannot be stored up but only taken advantage of that day.” Grace is not a weapon or superpower, it doesn’t enhance our abilities. Indeed it requires us to first accept that we have no ability without God. We are flawed and vulnerable beings made precious by God’s acceptance. It is God’s grace that sustains us, sanctifies us. When we understand this dynamic we are better prepared to handle the vulnerability of others, to accept it, and handle it gently.

Since my first incident of extreme vulnerability in long-term care, my ministry partner and I have been called upon to assist a few others at their times of greatest need, in life and even approaching death. While I still feel my heart pounding each time, the experiences have been deeply humbling. I know God is helping me learn how to cherish the sacred ground of others.

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Written by Alice Matisz for Faithfully. ​Alice lives in Lethbridge with her husband Don. She is a member of All Saints Parish where she volunteers to bring the Eucharist to a long term care home (pre-Covid). She enjoys reading, writing, baking and painting. 
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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.

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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.
​
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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The transfigured heart

8/7/2022

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Five o’clock. First light was beginning to peek through the blinds of our fifth wheel camper. I pushed past the temptation to remain snuggled under the blanket and forced myself out of bed. I was going to do it - I was going to climb a mountain (okay, a hill) to watch a sunrise and sit in the presence of my Heavenly Father. 

My family was spending the first week of August at Dinosaur Provincial Park, joining my in-laws for a four-day adventure in the hoodoos. Our first evening at Dinosaur Park, we’d trekked to the highest point to get a full 360 of the oddly picturesque World Heritage Site. It’s an incredible anomaly among the flattest of prairie, and it’s one of the most breathtaking landscapes I’ve ever experienced. Anybody who’s been to Dinosaur Provincial Park, 43 kilometers northeast of Brooks, knows exactly what I’m talking about: after driving through miles of prairie, the world suddenly opens up. Sandstone-striped hills, hiding who knows how many millions of fossils, seem to go on forever. Standing at the top of the mountain (okay, again, hill) and breathing in the majesty of God’s creation, I had the bright idea to climb again one morning during our trip to take in a prairie sunrise over the hoodoos and hills. 

Our first night camping was fraught with high winds, deafening thunder, and sheet lightning, which encouraged me to sleep in snugly that first morning (cozied up to my nine-year-old daughter, who tucked in with us at the first roll of thunder.) The following day, however, my internal alarm went off three times before I finally arose to first light at 5 am, pulled on a hoodie, and quietly slipped out of our camper while the rest of my family snoozed away.

It was quiet and dark enough that I felt a little bit disconcerted (I’ve seen a rattlesnake or two at the park), but as I began my ascent, my desire to be with God on a mountaintop (hoo-doo top?) outweighed my fear. The climb was steep and slippery in running shoes, and I laughed at myself as I huffed and puffed towards the top, bolstered by Al McGuire’s quote: “There’s no one who’s dropped on top of the mountain. You’ve got to work your way to the top.” After slips and slides and gratitude that I had no witnesses, I arrived at the apex, took a deep breath, looked around, and prayed:
Lord Jesus Christ,
Take all my freedom,
My memory,
My understanding,
And my will.
All that I have and cherish
You have given me.
I surrender it all to be guided by Your will.
Your grace and love and wealth enough for me.
Give me these, Lord Jesus,
And I ask for nothing more. Amen
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I’d never heard Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s prayer until Father Raul Hernandez, former pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Brooks, introduced me to it. It’s a prayer that I hold dear to my heart; it’s the prayer that I turn to most often, especially when I’m experiencing something uncomfortable or discouraging. 

I’m writing about a mountaintop experience, which juxtaposes quite jarringly with the valleys my soul had been experiencing as of late. I’d been suffering from bouts of crippling anxiety since school let out. When I’m not teaching, my mental health tends to take a dip - I slug through the valleys of dark days, sustained prayer and platitudes (as well as adherence to exercise and diet.) God has given me many tools to help me keep my head above water when anxiety sets in. 

When I’d finally made it to the top of the hill, I realized that I wasn’t alone: having neglected a good dose of Deet, I was joined by mosquitos, happy to keep me company as I attempted to pray and settle quietly into God’s presence. It was almost laughable - I’d stolen a moment to myself to be still, and I was busily swatting away the most loathesome of insects. It was tempting to sink into defeat, something that anxiety preys on greedily, but my repeated dedication to Jesus kept me mountaintop for over an hour. Praying… and swatting. 

I watched the sandstone ground warm from grey to brown as the slow light began spreading its way westward over the hills, painting everything the colour of morning. I listened to coyotes howl from the south, answered by packs from the north. I watched a flock of Canada geese in their V formation, and listened to birds honk along the shores of the Red Deer River. I sank into the majesty of God’s kingdom here on Earth. Mosquitoes and all, it was a literal mountaintop (okay, hilltop) experience. 

On August 6, we celebrated the Feast of the Transfiguration. After I shared that I was writing about my mountaintop morning, a dear friend of mine noted how, when prompted by Peter to set up camp at the top of the mountain, Jesus and His disciples came back down shortly after. They didn’t even stick around much longer after God acknowledged His Son. “We can’t stay in the mountaintop experiences. Even the disciples didn’t,” she noted sagely. She then asked, “what kind of transfiguration did you experience that morning?”

My mountain morning allowed for a transfiguration of my hurting heart. Anxiety doesn’t just slip away at will, but God always brings me back to His love, despite the temptation to despair. Climbing the mountain may not have entirely quelled my anxiety, but I was reminded of God’s great love for me as He painted the skies, and I returned to my family with an assuaged soul (and a million mosquito bites.) His grace and his love were in abundance that morning. Give me these, Lord Jesus, and I ask for nothing more. Amen.


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Written by Olivia Liboiron for Faithfully. Olivia is a committed Catholic educator, wife and mother of two precious children.  She has been in the community of Brooks since 2007.  She currently teaches at Christ the King Academy, Brooks’ Catholic middle school. Olivia’s passion for Catholic education makes her an ideal advocate; her strong and obvious faith allows her to witness to each student, colleague and parent she encounters.
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We are the Church #walkingtogether

7/31/2022

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The Francis Family of Calgary upon arrival at Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton
I remember the day a girl about my height with jet black hair bounded up my driveway asking to play. I was about five years old and shy. Lori was a high energy, outgoing six-year-old and we quickly became friends. For the next three years we had adventures, playing hide and seek and other childhood pastimes, sometimes getting into mischief together.

In upper elementary, I remember finding out that the reason Lori acted differently is because she had fetal alcohol syndrome. But as young children that difference never factored in, in fact, in my eyes she was exciting and fun to be around. 

Knowing Lori was a gift I received early in my life. I’ve carried the memories we made together with me ever since. And I carried her in my heart as I made the pilgrimage from my home in Calgary to Edmonton for the Papal Mass on July 26, 2022. 

I prayed for Lori, one of my first best friends, an Indigenous girl who was innocently sentenced to a life clouded by the effects of a preventable syndrome. Lori was adopted and while she never attended residential school, it’s likely someone from her family tree had spent time at one of these schools. To me, her situation is an example from my own lived experience of the repercussions of residential schools felt through the generations. 

When we arrived at Commonwealth Stadium, the first thing we did was take a family photo to remember our family pilgrimage as we will continue to unpack its significance in the years to come. 

Next we found our seats, and while waiting for the Papal Mass to begin I noticed four middle-aged women sitting behind me wearing Every Child Matters orange and black t-shirts. Among them was Kelly Spooner who was not herself Indigenous, but came to honour the memory of her uncle (through marriage) who died in 2019 and attended residential school for six years. 
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“I came for strength and to renew my spirit. It’s a part of history today,” said Kelly Spooner. 

Not long after, the Pope rode around the stadium greeting the crowd. Kelly ran down to the front gate to get a closer look. After he passed by she came back in tears, saying “I’m so happy he’s here.” ​
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Juan and Lupita Artega and their children holding signs to welcome Pope Francis along his route
PictureAmber Franco of Calgary with her family
​As the pre-Mass program was wrapping up, emcee Janelle Reinhardt asked the crowd to keep a prayerful silence. 

“The stadium truly became silent, it was powerful and profound, you could only hear the humming of the buildings. It was impressive in a crowd so large,” said Amber Franco, reflecting on this poignant moment. She drove from Calgary to Edmonton with her husband Mike and seven children.   

Calgary Bishop William McGrattan also took note of the prayerful atmosphere as he looked up into the crowd from ground level.  

“When we entered in the procession for Mass and I saw the number of people on the field and in the stands you had this sense of the presence of Christ in those who had gathered to be with the Holy Father,” said Bishop McGrattan. 

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Bishop McGrattan during the processional rite at Papal Mass
The Papal Mass was celebrated on the feast of St. Joachim and St. Anne – the grandparents of Jesus.  Pope Francis used this opportunity to speak about the importance of grandparents and family cohesion during his homily. 

“This message was simple, but one that everyone could receive and appreciate,” said Bishop McGrattan. “The message of a pastor who himself was advanced in age and not afraid to show the signs of declining mobility, and the need for assistance, which is experienced in every family.”  

Like any good pilgrimage, there are challenging moments and as we sat in the bleachers listening to Pope Francis our children began to get a bit restless in the blistering heat. I turned my own discomfort into a small offering toward reconciliation, all the while my heart growing in gratitude for the heroic effort of our 85-year-old pontiff. 

I thought this was a generous gesture toward reconciliation simply by showing up and “taking the heat” with us in every sense of the phrase. But I was also humbled by the elders some 80 years and up who had made the pilgrimage from various parts of the country also suffering their own discomforts in an attempt to heal and move forward.  

My own father Deacon Richard Loftson accompanied a group of Indigenous pilgrims from Manitoba on behalf of the Archdiocese of St. Boniface. He ministers to the St. Kateri Tekakwitha Indigenous Parish in Winnipeg. 

“They were thankful for the apology. They were emotional, in tears many of them. They had been waiting for so long,” said Deacon Loftson.

Bishop McGrattan also sought feedback as he encountered people affected by residential schools. 

“In talking to some survivors at the various events, it was difficult for some to hear and relive these memories. For others, there was a sense of recognition that they were listened to by Pope Francis and that his words and actions were genuine in their eyes,” said Bishop McGrattan. 

Like many things, the future lies with the children in hopes they will learn from history and build a more just and merciful society where no child will ever again suffer the consequences of being forced to leave their family and lose their culture and heritage. 
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Calgarians Jason & Michelle Widmeyer and their family
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John Macdonald of Sundre, AB with his sons Joseph and Fulton wearing a Métis sash to honour their heritage.
PictureKonrad & Alissa Paley with their daughters
This is why our friends Alissa and Konrad Paley of Calgary also made the pilgrimage with their three young daughters (six years and under) to the Papal Mass with the same intention as our family: to build a culture of goodwill and reconciliation in their home. 

“Participating in this particular Papal Mass was really important as a Catholic and a Canadian,” said Alissa Paley. “The Church is made up of the people, we are the people of the Church. In order for the Church to work towards reconciliation we must show up.” 

“I was honoured to bring my daughters with me. I know that they currently don’t understand the gravity of this event, but I hope as they grow up they may continue to pray for the journey toward reconciliation in this country.”    

My thoughts have turned toward the child during this pilgrimage. Just like my friend Lori who did nothing to deserve the circumstances she inherited as a child, neither did I deserve the family and opportunities I have been afforded. Everything is a gift. In gratitude, I left Edmonton pondering how I can use the time I have left to seek holiness by laying down my life for my friends. 

== More photos from our Diocesan families during the Papal Mass (click "all comments")



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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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All photos are used with permission. 
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How do we take part in the World Day for Grandparents & the Elderly 2022?

7/24/2022

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SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO HERE
Let us minister together to ensure no one lives in isolation and loneliness. This Sunday, July 24, we invite you to take a step forward in co-creating compassionate communities that see relationship and accompaniment with the elderly and grandparents as a normal part of family, neighbourhood, parish, and communal life.
Share your visit with us and get a gift!
This World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly 2022, we invite parishioners and families to participate in the following activity: Make plans to visit grandparents and/or elderly individuals in your family, neighbourhood, or parish community on Sunday, July 24, the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly. Consider taking with you some pastry, coffee, and/or flowers, and/or a handmade card with your child(ren). Ultimately, it’s about the gift of time and presence.
  • Share a picture from your visit and receive a gift that you can give back! Submit your photo (with caption) by emailing it to communications@calgarydiocese.ca or use this Diocesan form, and receive a beautiful gift for your grandparent(s) or the elderly you visit! 
  • Curious about the gift? Sacred Artist Debbie Thompson Wilson (Sacred Arts Guild of Alberta member, and professional Illuminator) will be creating a beautiful illuminated print of Sts. Anne & St. Joachim  for this special occasion. Limited number of prints will be given to those sharing photos from their visit on the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly. 
SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO HERE
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4 practical things parishes can do
  1. Promote the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly in the parish bulletin and/or parish announcements, and encourage parishioners to join any special activity in the parish (if available), or to visit their grandparents or the elderly on that day.
    • Download and display the Diocesan poster about World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly with your parishioners 
    • Let parishioners know about the opportunity to get a beautiful gift of printed icon of Sts. Anna & Joachim, by sharing photos from their visit with the Diocese. See poster for more information on how to submit photo. 
  2. Promote the Plenary Indulgence promulgated by the Apostolic Penitentiary
    • ​Encourage individuals and families to invite and assist an elderly person to come to Sunday mass celebrated on the occasion of the Day. 
      • Consider hosting a special chat & coffee/cake, barbecue or pancake after the Mass. We have a poster template to help you advertise the event - contact us at communications@calgarydiocese.ca
    • Encourage individuals and families to participate with a homebound elderly individual in mass through television, radio, or online.
  3. Incorporate the suggested Prayer of the Faithful (see pg. 7) into the Sunday Mass and use the final blessing at the end of mass.
  4. With the support of Lay Associations in the Parish, organize a fund-raiser selling flowers that would then be presented to Grandparents and/or elderly in families, parish community, and/or neighbourhood.
SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO HERE
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3 Practical things families and individuals can do
  1. Visit your grandparents or elderly in your community on or around July 24
  2. Pray a rosary for the Pope's intention in July 2022 (for the elderly); intentions of grandparents, elderly in the family, neighbourhood, parish on or around July 24
  3. Do a trip down memory lane with your child(ren), looking at pictures of grandparents, great grandparents, and/or elderly individuals who had a significant impact in your life and family of upbringing, like teachers, aunts and/or uncles, mentors.   
SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO HERE
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Can I get a Yahoo?

7/15/2022

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Sean Lynn at Stampede 2022
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I just finished working the first three days of The Calgary Stampede as a police officer and it was packed! It amazed me to see the number of serving members who take annual leave to volunteer to help out at the stampede. This event attracts 2500 volunteers to work long days to pull off the World’s Greatest Outdoor Show!

We need that volunteer spirit to bring our diocese and parishes into the vibrant church community that God wants us to have. God Squad has chosen the mission of inviting men into God’s work in Canada. To make it clear, we are not asking you to join under the God Squad banner but rather to work collaboratively with us to encourage men to be part of the fabric of the Church’s mission. We would love to hear what is happening in your parish regarding ministry to men and how we can help. Please contact admin@godsquad.ca

To this end I would like to invite the men of the Diocese of Calgary to join us in painting St Paul’s Church in Brocket on Saturday August 27, 2022, weather permitting. Note that family and friends are welcome to volunteer as well. ​This is an excellent opportunity for us to strengthen our relationship with our First Nations brothers and sisters and to beautify the Lord's dwelling place.

​Please consider joining us and partake of our Barbecue Outreach for some great food, fellowship and community service. 


Submitted by Sean Lynn, God Squad Canada
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Lessons from my Gong Gong

7/13/2022

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CJ and his Gong Gong
One of the most interesting things I learned from my Gong Gong, which is Chinese for “grandpa”, was that he grew up as the tenth child in his family. That came as a profound struggle for him since his family wasn’t well-off, and as the tenth child he usually perceived or felt the lack of parental comfort that his older siblings would get more regularly. He told me this story because I, on the other hand, have grown up as an only child. This difference in growing up is how a lot of my conversations with him have centered around life advice founded in the principles of gratitude, perseverance, and honesty. I am only able to see him in person every summer for about a week or so, and I take his lessons to heart, especially now that I have been unable to go visit him in precaution of his health.

Gratitude was the first and often returned to principle that my conversations with my grandpa would go. Primarily since I was an only child, I had no siblings to worry or quarrel with regarding attention or care from my parents, which is why my grandpa instilled into me how wholly grateful I should be when I’m looked after regarding all matters of my life: food and water, shelter, education, and most importantly, a parental devotion to forming my initial relationship with God. Since my grandpa told me tales of feeling neglect, I understand that he instilled this value into me because he wanted to emphasize how extremely blessed I am and should never take it for granted.

There still are, unfortunately, times when I do take blessings for granted. However, this is where the principle of perseverance becomes critically important. I have to admit and take responsibility for arguments and mistakes I make, which is embodied by the occasions where I would argue with my grandpa since I couldn’t quite understand what he was talking about. The key takeaway from these admittedly unpleasant interactions is that after I apologize and more closely listen to him, I do not beat myself up over the argument or misunderstanding. This also goes for when I am trying to convey something to him; something that I perhaps have great difficulty explaining to him in a way he can understand, and the perseverance he helped instill in me allows me to find that way. I still cannot imagine how much he had to persevere as the tenth child in order to make his views or opinion known to his parents. This perseverance can then be carried over to many other pursuits in my life such as education and career.
           
As I’ve discussed with my grandpa, these two principles of gratitude and perseverance become tightly interwoven with the principle of honesty. Gratitude for blessings must be genuine, it cannot be flippant or sarcastic as that is not only disingenuous, but also a new source for arguments or making ungratefulness even more apparent. When it comes to perseverance, my grandpa helped me to draw a line between the two unhelpful extremes: giving up or setting boundaries too early, or not setting proper boundaries for myself. Honesty is required to temper both extremes and find a proper balance. For example, a particular lesson my grandpa gave me over one summer vacation was regarding the emotional drama that I found myself wrapped up in during my high school years. He told me that it was good that I wanted to do my best to help my friends through the drama, but that it should not come at a cost to my own emotional well-being. I realized after that particular conversation that I had to give up and properly step away from the emotional turmoil I had gotten entangled in during high school; and that ended up preserving my emotional health so that I could graduate from high school.

I haven’t been able to visit my grandpa in a long time, and even though we do video calls and occasionally send emails, nothing is comparable to being able to physically talk with him face to face. In honour of 2022’s World Day for Grandparents & the Elderly, I wish to convey my heartfelt gratitude to my grandpa for all the lessons and advice he has given me so far in life. I pray to be able to visit him again soon and catch up on all the time we’ve missed.

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​Written by Christopher James (CJ) Panlilio for Faithfully. He is a full time student at St. Mary’s University in Calgary, who recently graduated from the Bachelor of Arts program of Social Justice and Catholic Studies. He has further plans to take the after-degree Bachelor of Education (Elementary) program at St. Mary’s. Apart from writing fiction, he enjoys good food and drink, spending time with both children and elderly, and making puns.
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Growing in holiness as a family

6/13/2022

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"Celebrate the Holy Spirit" Synod group discussion. Photo credit: Wade Anderson.
The synodal journey in the Diocese of Calgary was a process of encounter, listening and discernment. There were many who questioned if undertaking such a journey would bear any fruits personally and communally. Like on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit breathed new life and hope into the weariness that we had been experiencing in these past few years. One parish synod leader described the experience in these words: “The synod allowed our parishioners to move from a period of isolation to gathering once more and in doing so discovering each other’s stories of faith. This was just the beginning of a renewal for our parish and Church in listening to the hurts of the past and to forge forward with hope to grow stronger together.”
 
There were many challenges that surfaced during these listening sessions but there was one overwhelming concern which was voiced and that was for families, youth and children in the life of the faith community. The responses on a family's experience of the Church reflected both ups and downs, and at times, quite serious challenges. Not all families felt welcomed, acknowledged, or appreciated in their communities. Many shared their personal accounts of frustration, hurt, and pain experienced when they had approached the Church. There is a general lack of understanding and acceptance of the uniqueness and conditions specific to families and the stages of life they are in. Often this results in the parishes’ inability to make connections with families in a truly effective way.  
Outreach, inviting, and being welcoming were emphasized over and over again. Families need parishes to make intentional efforts to foster relationships with them, help them to connect with other families in the community, and to work to strengthen these bonds. Special consideration also needs to be given in all our outreach activities to gauge how effective they are in addressing the broad spectrum of families and their living situations. These differences can include: ethnicity, culture, language, age, marital status, single parents, families with young children, and those without access to or familiarity with the latest technology. In addition, people and family circumstances change over time as we age, and communication modes and styles need to be adapted appropriately to the targeted age group.

One person stated “our children deserve a place where they can learn to know, love, and serve God.” This passionate appeal is echoed time and again by many in the community. Do we make consistent and intentional efforts to make sure youth get involved, feel welcome, be encouraged to participate, and have opportunities to be formed in the faith? Have we made space for our youth? Are we fostering an environment where experience and learning are encouraged without feeling scolded or frowned upon? A common concern repeated many times was a lack of organized events specifically to provide opportunities to engage youth, with a focus on ensuring they feel welcome, connected, needed, and loved. Many asked if we are proactively and properly funding youth programs to keep them engaged. The idea of sharing ministry with youth between smaller communities was raised as a possible way to share resources and maximize effectiveness. There is a need for perseverance, creativity, occasional re-evaluation, and a never-ending need for continuous innovation in our communication, outreach, and welcoming efforts as we journey with our youth and their families.

Ultimately, our youth want to journey with us. Thanks to the dedication of our teachers and parish catechists, over 500 youth participated informally in the synodal journey as they shared their experience of Church. As can be expected, the various responses provided a wide-range of answers, reactions, and perspectives; ranging from experiencing the Church as a community that welcomes, supports, inspires, and teaches, to feeling unwelcome, uninspired, and/or judged by the Church.

When asked how we could grow together as a community of faith, responses from our youth included a wide spectrum of ideas for activities to make faith and Church life more appealing. There was an expressed desire for the life of faith to be more inviting, inspiring, and to know God (Holy Spirit) personally. They felt that the Church needs to find new ways to pass on the message of faith in ways that consider individual interest, intellectual level, and age so as to lead young people to make personal decisions about their faith and their relationship with God and the Church. There must be a greater degree of collaboration and openness in accompanying them in relation to addressing modern-day issues and challenges pertaining to faith and morals. They want a better understanding of the sacraments, including the Mass so that the celebrations can be more personal and understandable.

Finally, an important and recurring theme found in our youth responses is the desire to see personal witness among those professing to be people of faith. Noteworthy of mention is their feedback relating to the impact schools, teachers, parents, and the Church have had in providing opportunities for growing in the knowledge and experience of faith.
These themes and others are found in the Diocesan Synod Synthesis Report.

​In this month of June there is also the World Meeting of Families (WMF) in Rome, June 22-26, 2022 which coincides with the closing of the “Amoris Laetitia Family Year”. This gathering, which is part of the current synodal journey of the Church, will place the priority of families at the center of the Church’s discernment of its pastoral accompaniment and outreach. Pope Francis is inviting every Catholic family to join virtually via live streaming. It could potentially be a valuable experience of walking together in the “participation, communion and mission” for families in the life of the Church. I encourage those in our parishes and lay associations to learn about initiatives at the national level by going to the Family and Life webpage at cccb.ca. 
​Pope’s Prayer Intention for June 2022:
For Families – We pray for Christian families around the world; may they embody and experience unconditional love and advance in holiness in their daily lives.
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Written by Most Rev. William T. McGrattan, Bishop of Calgary
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​June 13, 2022
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Dad talk

6/12/2022

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Dads, as we gear up for Father’s Day, let’s take a moment to watch this video and see if we can find a fresh perspective on fatherhood or a new inspiration to step up our game! 
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Thank you for always trying to be the best dad that you can be! Have a wonderful time with your family on Father’s Day.

Consider this...
“And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”  Ephesians 6:4
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Teaching the ways of God and of love can never be through the path of anger! Lead by example. We must be the first to admit our need to grow, and in the process, show others the way through our small and sincere efforts in becoming a better version of ourselves through Christ.

Here’s a support resource for men: https://godsquad.ca/
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2022 World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly

6/9/2022

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The second World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly will be celebrated on Sunday, July 24, 2022. As described in his official message, Pope Francis invites everyone to celebrate this day so that we ensure “no one lives this day in loneliness.” The theme chosen by the Holy Father for the occasion is "In old age they will still bear fruit" (Ps 92:15).

It was announced that the Apostolic Penitentiary has granted the Plenary Indulgence to all the elderly who participate in the World Day liturgies, and to all those who in the days immediately preceding or following the World Day visit an elderly person who is alone. The visit, in fact, writes Pope Francis in his message for World Day, "is a work of mercy in our time!" In response to this invitation, extensive pastoral toolkit has been developed to help those preparing to organize celebration initiatives. 

​The pastoral kit aims to help putting into practice the Holy Father's invitation to celebrate the World Day, but also to offer pastoral instruments to lay the foundations for a care for the elderly that looks into the future. 
  • Message from Pope Francis for second World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly
  • Catechesis on Old Age
  • Prayer for the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly
  • Pastoral Guidelines (includes directions on visiting the lonely elderly, preparation of the day with the elderly, preparing for the day with young people, prayers of the faithful, liturgical notes, and plenary indulgence for the occasion) 

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All things are possible with God

6/1/2022

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I was born and raised in a Catholic home. I remember attending church with my parents but I sensed early on as a young child that my father was not living out his vocation and role as a husband and father. My father was an alcoholic, and because of his addiction, he was unable to be fully present to his family, or to teach me and prepare me for life the way a young boy needed.

I missed out on having a personal relationship with my father, on experiencing his love and acceptance. I was not given a proper example of how I should conduct myself as a mature person. Having personally experienced what life was like with an alcoholic father, I told myself many times that I would be different towards my own family, that there would be joy and love, mutual understanding and peace in the home; the very things that were missing in my own home and upbringing.
 
After I got married and started my own family, I came to realize that things were not so easy as I had imagined them to be. I struggled with dealing with my obligations as a husband, father, and provider. Often times alcohol served as a comfort and means to deal with daily challenges, but then it was followed by feelings of guilt, remorse, bitterness, and regret. Even hatred towards my father would surface for not having prepared me for life’s circumstances. I grieved over my father’s inability to model for me how to be a good husband, father, and man. I was terrified and panicked by the fact that I was becoming just like my father. I sought solace through alcohol, and of course, that made things worse.

While moving through life in this way, I longed for something more. I sensed that there was more. 

​I owe so much to my wife, who kept our family together, and never stopped believing that things could be different, better… that I could become the man she knew I could be.  I knew that I needed help. I knew that the future wellbeing of my family, marriage, and the good of my 3 children depended on me becoming the man God called me to be. but at the same time feeling I couldn’t do it by myself.  I needed help and direction.  I needed God, and a renewed sense of faith and prayer to rise above the pain, hurts, resentment, and challenges.

Having exhausted various avenues, I cried out to God for help. It was then in the experience of powerlessness and sincere sorrow that God answered the call of my heart. He sent a friend my way who then reintroduced me to God and His mercy, to the loving protection of our Mother Mary, and who invited me to model my life after the example of St. Joseph in my call to be father, and to model our family after the example of the Holy Family.
 
It has been a long journey, but ever-grateful to the Lord, I am happy to share that I am alcohol-free for the last seven years. There have been many good days, tougher days, but I am better equipped to deal with them than ever before. My wife and I have been engaged in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, and the experience of the Spirit’s current of grace has been life-transforming.

Not only have I come to know Jesus in a personal and intimate way, received a new and ongoing outpouring of the Spirit, discovered that I am loved by my Heavenly Father, but through this new life in the Spirit, I have come to terms with my past, and have been given the grace to forgive and pray for the eternal repose of my earthly father. I have come to know God and that He is with me always, and that with Him all things are possible.

Thanks to God, my relationships with my wife and children have improved and I have become a better husband and father, and that my family can count and rely on me. Recently my wife shared with me that I remind her of St. Joseph!

​Yes, with God, all things are possible, all things are made new.


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Written by Slawomir Wisniewski for Faithfully. Slawomir lives in Calgary with his wife Ania and three children. He and his family are active members of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish. 

Photos courtesy of Slawomir Wisniewski.
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Summer camps

5/14/2022

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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: 
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  • 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. 
  • Catholic Youth Camps 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
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They’re powerful – they just don’t know it yet

5/8/2022

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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.
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“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.
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“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.
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“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.
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