May 6th, 2012  

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

We had beautiful celebrations both at the cathedral and here for Fr. Chris Pietraszko’s ordination – thanks to all who participated, especially those who helped with the preparations for the first Mass.  Many visitors commented on the great welcome and great liturgy. “Alleluia!  Christ is risen!  Alleluia!”

This weekend marks the beginning of Catholic Education Week. It is an opportunity to celebrate our identity as Catholics and to promote the system that allows us to continue bringing the gospel to our young people in a special and direct manner.  Let us remember to pray for all our educators and all support staff who make Catholic education possible.
  There will be an outdoor Mass on Tuesday at 1:15, on the grounds of St. David’s school, involving students and staff of all our schools, St. David, St. Robert and Holy Family.  All are invited to attend.  Bring a lawn chair.  (Rain date is Friday at 1:15 p.m.)

Please keep in the mind the importance of the annual collection for St Peter’s Seminary.  The seminary relies on our support to continue the work of formation of priests, deacons and lay ministers. I hope we will be very generous for this collection this year, particularly in light of the seminary’s anniversary and of the ordination of two deacons and a priest from our parish.  We can also see our donation as a way of honouring all the priests who have served in this parish who were trained at St. Peter’s.  Please be generous!

The month of May has been traditionally dedicated to the Blessed Mother.  Don’t forget the daytime study group which will focus on devotion to Our Lady: see elsewhere for details.

Please note that the office will be closed on Monday and Tuesday of this week, since Angie will be attending a workshop for diocesan secretaries.  You can leave a message in the office’s voice-mail box on either day.

I will be leaving for my annual retreat on Wednesday.  I look forward to this time with the Lord! Please pray for me.  The daily Mass schedule will be slightly altered as a result of my being away.  I will be returning on Tuesday of next week.

Welcome Bishop Sherlock!
Have a blessed week!

April 28th, 2012  

FROM THE PASTORS DESK

“Alleluia!  Christ is risen!  Alleluia!” We rejoice with the whole Church, the diocese of London, and the Pietraszko family as we witness the ordination and first Mass of Father Chris Pietraszko:  Congratulations and all the best wishes of the parishioners of Mary Immaculate to Father Chris!  We pray that God will grant you a long and fruitful ministry.  There is an old Latin expression of best wishes “for many years”:  Ad multos annos!

With your bulletin this weekend are two items regarding St Peter’s Seminary.  First, you will notice the latest edition of the Newsletter of the Diocese of London which focuses on the 100th anniversary of the founding of St. Peter’s Seminary, by Bishop Michael Fallon in 1912.  The vast majority of priests who have served in this parish, and throughout the diocese over the last one hundred years, have studied at St Peter’s.  As a diocese, we owe a great deal to those who had the foresight to establish and build the seminary.  It is our responsibility to carry on that work.  I ask you, therefore, to carefully read and consider the brochure, stapled to the bulletin, about the annual collection for the seminary. I hope we can really support the collection this year particularly, in light of the anniversary and of the ordination of a native son of this parish.

In this coming week we will receive a new resident in the rectory, Bishop Sherlock!  I am thrilled that he has accepted the offer to live here.  His presence will be a great blessing for the parish, since he is a successor of the apostles, and a blessing for me personally.  Welcome Bishop Sherlock!

The month of May has been traditionally dedicated to the Blessed Mother.  A number of things will be happening throughout the month to highlight that.  Look elsewhere in the bulletin for information about a daytime study group which will focus on devotion to Our Lady.  Later, we will have a Silver Rose and a copy of the portrait of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  This rose is being sent throughout North America and will eventually be placed at the shrine of Guadalupe as a reminder of all the prayers of those who, throughout this time, have sought the intercession of Our Lady.  At every Saturday morning Mass, there is also an opportunity to seek the intercession of Our Lady, including special Masses offered in Ordinary Time.  More to follow ...

Have a blessed week!  

April 20th, 2012  

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

“Alleluia!  Christ is risen!  Alleluia!” As the Church meditates on the awesome mystery of the death and resurrection of Christ throughout the Easter season, we continue to initiate young people at the eucharistic table.  As well, those received into the Church at Easter continue to meet to reflect on the meaning of being incorporated into the Body of Christ.  In reality, the readings of the Easter season are given for these reasons: as with the season of Lent, we continue to “accompany” our new initiates as they come to a deeper understanding of these mysteries.  Let us keep our hearts and minds open, as we celebrate the liturgies of this holy season, the Great Fifty Days.

Call for prayers: there are a number of special intentions I ask you to remember in your prayers in the coming days and weeks.
1. April 19, 2012 marked the seventh anniversary of the election of His Holiness, Benedict XVI, as bishop of Rome.  He is now one of the oldest living popes in history.
2. Seminarians from St. Peter’s are making their annual year-end retreat.  Please remember them, especially our own Chris Pietraszko and others preparing for ordination.
3. Vocations to the priesthood, Religious life and the diaconate, to the single life and Marriage.
4. Peace in the Middle East and Africa, especially for the people of Syria.

Remember to reserve Saturday, April 28 at 11:00 a.m. for the ordination of Chris Pietraszko to the priesthood.  There will be lots of room in the cathedral for everyone in the parish to attend.  It will be a wonderful opportunity to be part of an ordination and to support Chris and his family.

Please see a notice elsewhere in the bulletin regarding the annual collection for St. Peter’s Seminary.  I hope we can really support this collection this year.

Have a blessed week!

January 15th, 2012  

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

This week, I would like to address some questions on the topic of Mass stipends.  This is a long-standing tradition in the Church whereby people make a request of a priest to remember specific intentions during the celebration of a Mass.  Often, this is a way to remember a loved one who has died, or to pray in a special way for someone who is ill. Sometimes too, a Mass is offered for the intentions of people celebrating a birthday or a wedding anniversary or otherwise happy occasion.  Any request for a Mass intention is a way by which we are also asking others to join us in praying for specific needs. According to the bishop’s policy, no requests for intentions are taken for Sundays in the diocese of London, as all Sunday Masses (Saturday evening included, of course) are offered for the intentions of the people of the parish.
  To distinguish the two kinds of intentions as they are listed in the weekly bulletin, a request for prayers for someone who is living is preceded by “Ints of”, meaning “for the intentions of”; a name by itself indicates the person is deceased.  We do not have Masses for secret or private intentions, so you will not see something like “For a special intention”.  When asking others to join in praying for special needs, they need to know what they are praying for.  If someone wishes a secret or private intention, then they simply let God and the saints know.  Besides, I’d hate to offer a Mass when someone’s “special intention” is the demise of the pastor!
  In days past, we referred to “high” and “low” Masses.  The stipend for these Masses differed as did the music, and even the number of candles lighted on the altar.  A bigger offering was expected for “high” Masses.  These distinctions are gone, and Masses no longer differ according to the offering but, rather, according to the feast or solemnity as dictated by the liturgical law of the Church.
  I’ll write more on this next week ... stay tuned!

January 24th, 2012  

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

I continue this week with further comments on the question of Mass stipends:   When we speak of “offering a Mass”, it is not something we buy.  That would be tantamount to trying to buy God’s grace!  “Offering a Mass” means we are asking for special prayers and that we make an offering to the priest for his service in saying the prayers.  As such, we make a donation to the priest who offers the Mass, and this donation is called a “stipend”.  The usual stipend offered for a Mass intention in the diocese of London is $10, as determined by the bishop.  This money is normally given at the time that the request is made, and then given to the priest after the Mass is celebrated.  (I receive my stipends at the end of each month.)  The entire stipend goes to the priest, but a priest may receive only one stipend for each day.  If, as is the case on most weekdays here, there is more than one intention requested, the second and third stipends are sent to the chancery (the bishop’s office), and the money is used to support infirm and retired priests. It is important to realize, too, that someone who is unable to make the usual donation can request a Mass intention with any donation or none at all.  The bishop’s policy also indicates that intentions for Masses are normally fulfilled within one year of the request being made.  For this reason, when there is a backlog of requests, we may send the requests and stipends to the chancery, and these are forwarded to a priest not working in a parish.  This might be a retired priest, or someone like Fr. Vince Gulikers in specialized ministry.  (I received such requests and stipends from the diocese while I was a full-time member of the seminary faculty.)  Sometimes, we may send them directly to a priest.  The backlog of requests was the catalyst for Bishop Sherlock granting the option many years ago to have more than one (but never more than three) intentions at any weekday Mass.  
  We received a bequest from an estate this week, from a former parishioner, Mrs. Loretta Campbell, who passed away last year.  Loretta left a gift to the parish when she prepared her will, and this gift was deposited in our building fund to be applied to debt.
  Perhaps, it is something to consider when preparing your will.  Such donations should indicate clearly that it is for “Mary Immaculate Parish, London, Ontario”.  One may indicate a particular use for the money, such as the “building fund” or “liturgical uses” or “to be used at the discretion of the pastor” (my personal favourite!).  Such gifts can be a lasting legacy to the parish and, obviously, a great help.
  Another way to help is to name the parish as a possible recipient of donations in a death notice.  People often indicate “In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to ...” a particular charity or cause such as the Heart & Stroke Foundation or the Canadian Cancer Society.  By including the Building Fund of Mary Immaculate Parish we may receive gifts, and we can issue a receipt for income tax purposes.  Every little bit helps.  We are still receiving new pledges for our “Faithful and Free at Fifty” campaign.  Have you made yours?  (A report on the campaign will be given in next week’s bulletin.)      
Have a blessed week!