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Saint Francis of Assisi
Parish |
BulletinsMay 29, 2005 - Corpus Christi
Have you ever had the experience of recalling a past event, or a person whom you once knew, and having that memory be so vivid that it's as if you were reliving the event or encountering that person all over again? This is how powerful our capacity for memory can be, and it gives us a glimpse into what can happen whenever we celebrate the Eucharist. Jesus promised that anyone who eats His flesh and drinks His blood abides in him, just as He abides in them. But this "abiding" isn't automatic. It comes as we remember at Mass, bringing to the forefront of our minds who Jesus is and all He did for us on the cross. St. Augustine once wrote, "From when I first learned of you, you abide in my memory and there I find you. Whenever I recall you, I take delight in you." To remember in this way is not just an activity of the mind, it is an act of the will and of the heart. According to author and theologian Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, to remember - especially at Mass - is to "think of, with love." What are we to remember? First and foremost, we are to recall the great love Jesus has for us. it's a personal love, a love in which He sees all our strengths and weaknesses, all our successes and failures, and treasures us as His very own. We remember that this is the same Jesus who was with the Father from the beginning, the exact representation of the Father's being who sustains all things by His word. We remember that He was sent to us by the Father to rescue us and to pay the price for our salvation. We remember that in His death he destroyed the power of sin forever. We remember too that in Christ, there is no condemnation, because through Him we have been set free from the law of sin and death. And finally, we remember that as we eat of His body and drink of His blood, we are healed, transformed, strengthened, comforted, and united with the entire body of Christ, both throughout the world and in Heaven itself. "Lord Jesus, may we never forget you! May our celebration of your death and resurrection bring your power into our lives in a new way this day."
Every year, the whole month of May is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Since the 1st day of this month, praying the Holy Rosary has been taking place at SFA Church after the 8:00 am Mass and at 7:00 pm. It has been noted that a good number of people have been very faithful in coming every day. Now that May is coming to a close, everyone is invited to come together to conclude the Month of the Holy Rosary on Tuesday, May 31, 2005 at 7:00 pm in Honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mark your calendars. Tuesday, May 31, Rosary at 7:00 pm followed by Procession to the garden Grotto and will culminate with a little Reception in the Hall. Everyone welcome!
Last Tuesday, 24th of May, St. Francis of Assisi was watching over his church as more than sixty (60) parishioners filled our school bus and four (4) large vans to join many of our neighbours appearing before City council and defeat the Neighbourhood Traffic Group's attempt to ignore our vote and impose street diverters that we have already rejected twice before. City Council, instead, has given our neighbourhood six (6) months to heal our wounds and come up with a plan that would satisfy the majority of our neighbourhood rather than the plan proposed by this one special interest group. Thank you to all who sacrificed their time to sit through hours of debate in City Hall Council Chambers. You did make the difference! But remember, this battle is not over and we will continue needing your help to make Democracy work. Thank you again on behalf of St. Francis of Assisi Parish Pastoral Council.
Project ADVANCE is advancing. up until last Sunday, 137 donors have contributed bringing the total donation to $21,200.00. If you have contributed already, A Big Thank-you! If you have not please take a moment after Mass today to make a significant and sacrificial pledge or donation. Everyone doing his or her part towards Project ADVANCE will put us "over the top."
Dear Defenders of Marriage, Just this week, we witnessed a non-confidence vote in Parliament that would have defeated both the government and the anti-marriage Bill C-38. The marriage Bill is not the only harm done to families lately. The government has also spent 25 billion tax dollars above the budget passed recently. That debt will drain the budget of families for generations. As Senator Anne Cools said, "We are up against a Prime Minister who will use the public treasury against the very people to whom it belongs." But consider this: Had it not been for the efforts of the Defend Marriage Coalition and people like you, Bill C-38 would have already become law. We can be confident that ultimately we will win this fight to defend our faith, families, culture and country. CFAC and Defend Marriage Coalition will continue to stay in the battle. We will continue to talk to MPs who may see the truth regarding marriage, honesty and integrity. For those of you who have anti-marriage MPs, another call is worth the time. You can dial 1-866-599-4999 and ask for the MP by name.
At this time of year we proudly see our St. Francis of Assisi students graduating from Notre Dame. May God bless you all and may you continue to live the Notre Dame motto, Know, Love, & Serve. As our Grade 7 students from St. Francis and other schools move onward to High School we ask God to bless and protect you. To you all & your families, Congratulations!
Peaceful, prayerful vigil for the unborn children and their parents. Saturday, June 4, 2005 at Holy Guardian Angels Parish, 1161 Broughton Street, Vancouver. Mass at 9:00 am with Archbishop Raymond Roussin as the Celebrant. Mass will be followed by a vigil at Women's Hospital.
The buildings that housed the Sisters of St. Anne and the beginnings of Little Flower Academy are scheduled to be demolished soon. If you want to join many others who had historical connections with the Academy to say Farewell, a tour of these buildings is scheduled on Saturday, June 4, 2005 from noon to 4:00 pm. Everyone is welcome. Fro more information, phone 604-738-9016.
With praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God, the Archdiocese of Vancouver is happy to announce the ordination of: Rev. Mr. Federico Buttner to the Order of Priesthood on Friday, June 24, 2005 at Holy Name Parish, Vancouver at 7:00 pm and Mr. Anthony Ho, Mr. Justin Huang, Mr. Alessandro Lovato, Mr. Nicolas Tumbelaka, and Mr. Henry Yeung, to the Order of Diaconate on Saturday, June 11, 005 at Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver at 10:00 am.
Reverend Bruce McAllister, J.C.L. of the Marriage Tribunal will speak on "Separation, Divorce and Annulment in the Catholic Church," Saturday, June 18, 2005 from 10:00 am to Noon, at St. Patrick's Parish, 2881 Main Street, Vancouver. Fee: $10. Contact Catholic Family Services 604-443-3220 for information or to register.
We are pleased to announce elected by acclamation to fill the three positions on the SFA Parish Education Committee: Lana Topolowski, Alex Garcia & Angelo Faganello. We thank them for the generous gift
If you have a 3 bedroom home or a townhouse for rent, or know of someone who has one, please give the Parish Office a call. The family wishes to find one around the area so they are close to the Church and the school.
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