WELCOME TO ST. JOSEPH’S AND MISSIONS
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SUNDAY MORNING COFFEE AFTER 9:00 AM MASS
EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO COME AND MEET YOUR FELLOW PARISHIONERS IN THE PARISH HALL.
FEBRUARY 11THCOLLEEN HURRELL
FEBRUARY 18THJILL & JOE FEBBO
OLD PALMS
Please bring your old palms from last year in by Tuesday, February 13th and place them on one of the tables at the entrance to the church. Thank you.
Dear Friends in Christ Jesus,
As we are getting closer to the new liturgical season called ‘Lent’, we see how our Lord, Jesus Christ is doing miracles and wonders in the name of God the Father. The leper who comes to Christ says, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Christ who is so compassionate and kind; who is full of love and gentleness, says, “I do choose. Be made clean.” And then great things happen to the man with leprosy. As he received healing, he didn’t go away from the Lord, instead he began to witness and testimony of what happened to him. He goes everywhere and proclaims the love of Christ more zealously. He proclaims the compassion of Christ to all. Nothing could stop him from sharing the experience and healing. He became a disciple of Christ our Lord. Today we too like the man with leprosy, are called to go out and proclaim Christ to all. Christ’s miracles and wonders should be told and be shared from roof tops and public places. Let’s be His witnesses and be bold to proclaim to all.
God Bless, Fr. Peter
CALL FOR CONSCIENCE CAMPAIGN
The Call for Conscience 2018 Campaign is underway. Most Rev. Bishop Miehm and bishops across Ontario are asking for an email address and/or postal code from every Catholic family in their community. This information will be used to communicate periodically on issues of particular importance for the Catholic community. The first campaign of 2018 is the Call for Conscience, inviting our elected Members of Provincial Parliament(MPP’s) and those seeking office this June to increase funding/access to palliative care, to protect health car workers wishing to abstain from any involvement in euthanasia/assisted suicide and to protect faith based facilities from participation in euthanasia/assisted suicide. Please provide your contact information at the back of the church on the weekends of February 4 and 11, 2018. Thank you for living our faith!
.FEBRUARY 11, 2018
SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
(Liturgical colour GREEN, symbolizing LIFE & HOPE)
FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY
Sanctuary candle for this month is burning for the speedy recovery of those who are sick. May God continue to bless and heal them in Christ Jesus. “If one member suffers, we all suffer together; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together.” (1Cor. 12:26)
FEBRUARYDEVOTION
February is the month dedicated to the Holy Family. Though the start of the Lenten season changes within the calendar year, a fair-sized portion of February gives us a space of time between the Christmas celebrations and the increased focus on Jesus’ public life and ministry, which occurs in Lent. It is a transition from the feast of Christmas to the fasting of Lent. Therefore traditionally February has become a time to recall the Holy Family; within the Holy Family is where Jesus spent the time between His birth and embarking on His public journey.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER..
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
Where there is love there is life.
Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.
The future depends on what we do in the present.
Action expresses priorities.
The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
Hate the sin, love the sinner.
A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes.
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.
SPIRITUAL THOUGHT OF THE WEEK
The best use of life is LOVE.
The best expression of love is TIME.
The best time to love is NOW.
DICTIONARY OF THE CATHOLIC TERMS:
Ecumenism: Promotion of the restoration of unity among all Christians, the unity which is a gift of Christ & to which the Church is called by the Holy Spirit. For the Catholic Church, the Decree on Ecumenism of the Second Vatican Council provides a charter for ecumenical efforts.
SUNDAY COLLECTIONS
January 28th $1,888.10
Thank you for building up your church.
2018 OFFERTORY ENVELOPES
If you would like offertory envelopes please call Carol 705-645-2294 Monday to Thursday 9 am to 2 pm.
SIMCOE MUSKOKA CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
Please see the message on the bulletin board at the back of the church from Carol Corriveau-Truchon, Chair of the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board.
FEBRUARY 11, 2018
UPCOMING PARISH EVENTS
February 13thCWL Potluck and Meeting after 6 pm Mass
February 26th Knights of Columbus Meeting 7 pm
February 27th Parish Council Meeting 2 pm downstairs
March 3rd CWL Day of Reflection
March 24th & 25th CWL Bake Sale
(PLEASE NOTIFY THE OFFICE AS SOON AS YOU ARE AWARE OF A DATE AND TIME OF AN UPCOMING MEETING IN THE PARISH.)
THE POPE’S INTENTION FOR
THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY
Universal: Say “No” to Corruption that those who have material, political or spiritual power may resist any lure of corruption.
CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLICCHURCH
Why the Church is called apostolic?
The Church is called apostolic because she was founded upon the apostles, holds fast to their Tradition, and is governed by their successors.
Please call us at 705-645-2294
If you would like to have a visit or anyone whom you know are sick, please kindly give us a call. Father Peter would like to take Communion and pray with them. Let us continue to pray for those who are sick and their speedy recovery. God bless.
LENT AND PENANCE
Following the teaching of Sacred Scripture, the Church calls all her members to acts of penance in various seasons and days of the year. Every Friday of the year (except those on which a major Feast Day falls) and the season of Lent are times for the Christian faithful devote themselves in a special way to prayer, works of piety, charity and to deny themselves by fulfilling their own obligations more faithfully and especially by observing fast and abstinence.
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, in particular, are days of fasting and abstinence from eating meat. Abstinence from eating meat is self-explanatory. Fasting means to reduce one’s food to the equivalent of two meals per day or less. The rule of abstinence binds those who have reached their 14th birthday. The rule of fasting binds those who have reached their 18th birthday until they begin their 60th year (i.e. have turned 59). It is praiseworthy to train children before they reach these important birthdays and for all to continue the discipline if possible into their senior years. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops allows Canadians to replace abstinence with “special acts of charity or piety” on Fridays, but not on Ash Wednesday or Good Friday. (See canons 1249-1253 in the Code of Canon Law – easy to find on the Net)
SUNDAY SCHOOL
We are happy to announce that our children’s Sunday school has already begun. If you have children or grandchildren under 8 and would like to help them to know Christ, please kindly bring them to 9:00 am Mass on Sundays. We have amazing Sunday school teachers who will definitely lead them to Christ the way, truth and the life.
HOSPICE MUSKOKA GRIEF SUPPORT SESSIONS
2018 FREE SPRING GRIEF GROUP SESSIONS
Bracebridge United Church, Dominion Street, Bracebridge
Wed., Apr. 3, 2018 – Wed., May 23, 2018 from 5 pm – 6:30 pm
Granite Ridge Retirement Residence
Wellness Centre, Bethune Drive, Gravenhurst
Thurs., Mar.8, 2018 – Thurs., Apr. 26, 2018 from 6:30pm – 8:30 pm
SAINT’S CORNER
OUR LADY OF LOURDES
The veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Lourdes arose first in popular devotion and later in the Church’s liturgy. In 1858 Blessed Mary, the Mother of Jesus, appeared to Bernadette Soubirous in a cave at Massabielle, near Lourdes in France. Just four years earlier, in 1854, the Church had declared the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, so when the “Beautiful woman” of Bernadette’s visions identified herself as the Immaculate Conception, there was initial skepticism. Although others accompanied Bernadette to the grotto, no one else could see or hear the visions. It did not take very long for an Episcopal Commission, an official inquiry, to state: “We judge that the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Immaculate Mother of God, did really appear to Bernadette Soubirous on February 11, 1858, and on certain subsequent days, 18 times in all, in the Grotto of Massabielle, near the town of Lourdes; that this appearance bears every mark of truth and that the belief of the faithful is well-grounded.” A few years late, this date was added to the list of Marian feasts to honour the mysterious beauty of the Immaculate Conception.
NO SIN IS TOO BIG FOR HIM
Christ knows our shortcomings and failures. There is no sin that can not be forgiven by our Lord Jesus Christ. In the ocean of His unlimited forgiveness, our sins are just a speck of dust. Let us return to the Lord and celebrate our origin, meaning and purpose of life. Christ has answer for everything. He is the only way, truth and life and let us go to Him and receive His countless blessings. Please consider returning to the Lord.
ARE YOU AWAY FROM THE CHURCH?
Though we are away from the Lord, He will not abandon us. His love surpasses everything else. Nothing can stop Christ from loving us. His love is unconditional and unlimited. As we come to Him with all our pain, sufferings and difficulties, He will accept us with open arms. Please consider coming back to the Lord and experience His unconditional love and kindness?
2017 INCOME TAX RECEIPTS
PLEASE PICK UP YOUR CHARITABLE DONATION RECEIPT ON THE TABLE AT THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE CHURCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS.
Saint Vincent de Paul 2017 tax receipts are available at the back of the church. Thank you for your generous contributions.
DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE
Lent begins on Wednesday with the marking of ashes. Lent is a special time when we stop and think about how we can play our part in God’s hope for a world that is fair, just and peaceful. We think about our relationship with God and how serving others draws us closer to God. We also think about the changes we can make in our lives, to be God’s love and mercy in our world, ensuring all people have a just future. Thanks to money donated annually by Catholics during Share Lent, Development and Peace can support 170 partners and 202 projects in 36 countries around the world!