ASCENSION OF THE LORD – 04 MAY 2008
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…
teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded…
…remember I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
(Today’s Readings Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:17-23; Matthew 28:19, 20)
(Next weeks Readings: Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13; John 20:19-23)
Announced mass intentions…
Sat., May 03
5:00PM Mass – Estelle & Albert Laroche+
Mike Godard+
ASCENSION OF THE LORD
Sun., May 04
8:00AM Mass – Georgette Danis+
Jose Yulam+
9:30AM Mass – Genny O’Connor+
Fernande & Ernest Benoit+
Barbara Moore+
11:15AM Mass – Teresa Power+
Vera Schafer+
7:30PM Mass – Holy Cross Parishioners
Mon., May 05
12:15PM NO Mass
Tues., May 06
9:30AM Mass
Wed., May 07
12:15PM Mass – Walter Burton+
Thurs., May 08
9:00AM Communion Service held at
Billings Lodge
1 0:00AM Mass at Landmark Court
12:15PM Mass
Fri., May 09
12:15PM Mass
Sat., May 10
5:00PM Mass – Barbara Moore+
PENTECOST
Sun., May 11
MOTHER’S DAY
8:00AM Mass – Christina Haritos (lvg)
9:30AM Mass – Gerta Patry+
Rita & Richard Lemieux+
Gilles Latour (lvg)
11:15AM Mass – Holy Cross Parishioners
7:30PM Mass – Ken Fraser (lvg)
Events Calendar
Sat., May 03
Sun., May 04
Mon., May 05
Tues., May 06
Wed., May 07
Thurs., May 08
Fri., May 09
Sat., May 10
Sun., May 11
9:30AM Prayer Group – Rm. A
4:30PM Rosary
9:30AM Children’s Liturgy
12:15PM Baptism
Coffee Sunday after all morning Masses
7:00PM K of C Executive meeting
7:30PM Hospitality Committee – Rm. A
7:30PM MPD – Library
8:00PM A.A. – Hall
7:00PM Liturgy – Rm. A
7:30PM Music (7:30) Practice – Church
7:00PM Choir (11:15) Practice – Church
1:00PM African Angels – Rm. A
9:30AM Prayer Group – Rm. A
4:30PM Rosary – Church
9:30AM Children’s Liturgy
We remember in our prayers the sick…
-our parishioners– Laurette Allen, Colleen Bonnah, Vivian
Braganza, Francis & Barbara Cullinan, David Doherty, Marie
Claire Grandbois, Betty Hubbard, Betty Hurst, Patricia
Joseph, Reg MacDonald, Odette MacKinnon, Romeo
Maione, Mabel McFarlane, Deacon Bruce McLeod, Yolanda
Miron, Grace Reid, Joan St. Louis, Margaret Ross, Ray &
Betty Valin, Sherri Vallee
-relatives– Tillie Andruchow (mother of Jean Ryan), Barbara
Cooper (sister of Imelda Marrast), Monica Desjardins
(daughter of Leo), Keith Esmond (father of Liz), Cathy Jirsch
(sister of Aileen Halls), Margaret Kent (mother of Madonna
Ozorio), Theresa Lassaline (sister of Mary Simms), Ayin &
Godwin Lee (parents of Robert), Oswald Luke (father-in-law
of Robert Lee), Marie Miele (mother of Christine), Albert
Ozorio (father of Rui), Donald Pajot (brother of Marc), Fr. Dan
Sedlar (brother-in-law of Santa), Ted Vullings (father of Gerry
Vullings)
-the deceased- Melissa Reeves+ (wife of Matthew Reeves),
Gail O’Brien+ (daughter of Maurice Danis)
COLLECTION REPORT
~ A Summary of Your Generosity ~
27 April - $5,323.80 (env.) / $925.05 (loose)
Pastor’s Column…
ASCENSION SUNDAY
“When he took flesh in our world,” St. Augustine wrote, “the
Word did not leave the Father’s side. Likewise when he
returned to the Father he did not leave us.” We say he went
‘up’ to heaven, but we know that ‘up’ and ‘down’ have no
literal meaning in that context. He has entered a dimension
in which spatial adverbs mean nothing. To go up to heaven
means to go to God. We mustn’t think of Jesus entering a
pre-existing place called ‘heaven’. He ‘ascended’ in order to
create heaven. “I go to prepare a place for you,” he said (Jn.
14:2). “Heaven is formed by the resurrection and exaltation
of Christ” (W. Kasper). “Heaven’, then, is the body of the
Risen Lord: ‘body’ in the widest sense now, a sense that
includes us already as his members, and will include us fully.
He is the new Tent of Meeting with God, the mysterious
Temple that the Book of Revelation speaks of: “the Lamb
standing, although it had been slain” (Rev. 5:6); he is the
Temple destroyed but raised up again. (Jn. 2:19).
A Heartfelt Thanks to all of you who cooperated to make the
visit of Archbishop Terrence Prendergast to our parish, a
successful one. It was a nice opportunity for all of us to get to
know our Archbishop more closely and as many of you told
me, as the shepherd he made a very good impression among
us. Thanks a lot for your participation at the Eucharist and to
all the Parish Committees who immensely contributed to
make this event a colourful and joyful one.
God bless,
Fr. James Raphel CMF
Pastor
Parish News and Community
Community Life…
PARISH CLEAN-UP DAY – Our Parish needs to breathe the
fragrance of the season. So let us come together to beautify
OUR PARISH and its surroundings. We invite you to join us
for a clean-up day on Saturday, May 17 from 9 a.m. to 12
p.m. in helping make our Parish beautiful! Pizza/drinks will
be served and volunteer hours will be given to high school
students for their contribution. Bring your pails and rubber
gloves etc as we join together as one family in making Holy
Cross beautiful.
Foundation for the grandmother’s in Africa who are raising
their orphaned grandchildren, whose parents have died of
HIV/AIDS. In your generosity please consider to donate
loonies or toonies for this cause.
Our MPD committee will meet on Tuesday, May 06 at 7:30
p.m. in the library with guest speakers Barb and Mike Lowe.
The Lowes volunteered in Malawi for the month of March and
will give a presentation on that life-changing experience.
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP – Energy Action
Planner:
This weekend parishioners are placing their
completed Energy Action Planners in the specially marked
box on the MPD Table at the back of the Church. The box
will also be available next weekend in case you require
additional time to complete the Planner. In the near future we
will share the amount of energy savings achieved by
everyone acting together. Preliminary feedback has been
very supportive, including one detailed report showing
dedication to using electricity at non-peak hours. St. Francis
of Assisi gave us good advice: “Start by doing what's
necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are
doing the impossible.” Thank you to everyone participating
in this project showing care for God’s Creation.
MAY: MONTH OF MARY
The month of May is dedicated to the devotion of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, our Heavenly Mother and Patroness. The
second Vatican Council says of her: “In an utterly singular
way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, and hope and
burning charity in the Saviour’s work of restoring supernatural
life to souls. For this reason she is a Mother to us in the
order of grace…”
Let us not forget the role that Mary played in the history of
salvation. As we celebrate the month of May as the Marian
Month, we will have special prayers said at all the Sunday
Masses throughout the month of May. You are also most
welcome to join the recitation of the Rosary before all the
weekday Masses in May. The Rosary will begin at 11:50
a.m. before the 12:15 noon Mass.
SAINT OF THE WEEK
ST. PHILIP
Feast Day – May 03
Ever tried really hard to make a good impression and say just
the right thing, only to make a fool of yourself? If you have,
St. Philip understands.
One of the twelve apostles, Philip was present at the Last
Supper. Jesus had just said that he was going to prepare a
place for his followers. Thomas interrupted, asking, “Lord, we
do not know where you are going. How can we know the
way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way…If you knew me, you
would know my Father also.”
One can almost see what’s coming next.
Thomas is
chagrined,
so
Philip
tries
to
make
things
better
by asking,
Holy Mother of God: pray for us.
“Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
The frustration Jesus must have felt spilled out in his answer.
HOLY CROSS’ CHARITY FUNDRAISER – PLANT SALE: “Philip, after I have been with you all this time, you still do not
Perennials will be sold on Saturday, May 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 know me?” Philip must have wanted to join Thomas under
p.m. for Holy Cross Church Charity fundraiser. Bargain the cushions at the table.
prices with a wide variety. Come early.
Foot-in-mouth disease isn’t just a veterinary complaint.
We’ve all suffered from it at some time or another. When
we’ve embarrassed ourselves beyond belief, the only thing
we can do is take a deep breath and remind ourselves that to
err is human and to forgive is divine. We can also take
comfort from the example of St. Philip. Although he publicly
embarrassed himself in front of Jesus, he was also publicly
PASTORAL CARE
honoured when the Holy Spirit descended on him at
OUR PASTORAL CARE VOLUNTEERS are available to visit Pentecost and gave him the courage to spread the teachings
and/or administer the Eucharist to our housebound and of Jesus throughout the world.
hospitalized parishioners. Call Betty Dillon at 613-521-2887.
When I find my foot in my mouth, I take it out carefully so as
not to choke on my words.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
All Mothers will be offered a carnation next weekend to
honour them on their special day, compliments of the Knights
of Columbus.
Social Action...
(Taken from 365 Saints by Woodeene Koenig-Bricker)
MISSION, PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT
The Riverside Grannies comprising members from Holy
Cross, Riverside United and Resurrection Anglican are
holding their annual Mother’s Day loonie collection at all
Masses on May 10/11. Grandparents are urged to contribute
IN YOUR GENEROSITY, please consider a
one loonie for each grandchild or a toonie for each great
donation or bequest to Holy Cross Parish.
grandchild. Proceeds will be forwarded to the Stephen Lewis