On World Refugee Day,  the reflection at our weekend liturgies is offered by members of the St. Joe’s Refugee Outreach Committee. The Committee shares:

“Perhaps we do have power to calm the seas and winds that drive people from their homes, as well as to provide a more welcoming place to those who make it here safely. Whether as a country, as a community, or one to one, we need to stay awake, to care for and support one another…”

Watch ROC member Deborah Dorner share the video version of the reflection below.

Organ Music Performed by Tom Fagan

Liturgical Resources

• Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time – June 20 2021 – Liturgy of the Word for use at home
• READINGS FOR THE TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – 2021
• READINGS FOR CHILDREN – 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2021
• Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2021 – Prayers of the Faithful
• Mission Prayer

Parish Update

Collection for the Refugee Outreach Committee

The Parish Pastoral Council has designated a Special Collection at St Joe’s this weekend on World Refugee 2021. This initiative is to support the work of the Refugee Outreach Committee. Donations can be made online or placed in a collection dish at the entry to the church. If you donate in person, please ensure you put your name and address on the blank envelope you use for your cash or cheque or use one of the envelopes that will be available as you enter.  Cheque donations can be made to St Joseph’s Parish Refugee Outreach Committe Your generosity at this time and at all times sustains this volunteer ministry.

Financial support is gratefully accepted through the following link:
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/131771990RR0006-saint-joseph-parish/. Monthly or one-time donations can be made by credit card by choosing Refugee Outreach Committee from the drop-down menu under APPLY YOUR DONATION TO A SPECIFIC FUND SET UP BY THIS CHARITY. Complete the Donor, Tax Receipt and Payment information and receive your receipt immediately.

Contact John Weir by email at jhnwr99@yahoo.ca for more information.

Register to attend in-person Masses

During Step 1 of Ontario’s reopening, capacity in our church is set at 50 people for each Mass. Please register to attend our weekend liturgies here.

Sunday Liturgy of the Word on Zoom

Andrew Pump will host a Zoom Liturgy of the Word for those who have not yet returned to in-person Mass, but would like to gather virtually. Join on Sunday, June 20, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. using this link.

A Matthew 25 Moment

Written by: Sister Susan Smolinsky who serves as a county jail chaplain in New York. (Sr. Susan’s art was printed on the 2020 St. Joseph’s Parish Christmas card mailed to parishioners.)

When I arrived back in new admits (72 hours quarantine pre pandemic) to begin my usual rounds, the women had been locked in all day due to an earlier disturbance. The officer indicated it was now safe for me to proceed and I walked toward a single hand and forearm reaching out to me through the waist high drawer (4”x 12” opening) in her gate (cell door). Immediately her hand grasped mine as she talked, sobbed and I listened. She was eager for comfort, company and understanding. After a while she asked me to help her pray and, as we ended our prayer, I offered a blessing that I shared slowly and carefully. As she bowed her head, I traced the sign of the cross on her palm – and then she knelt so I could reach in and do the same on her forehead. When she responded ‘amen’ I suddenly heard a chorus of ‘amens’ travel around the cellblock! I looked up to the top tier and around the lower tier – at every gate a woman was standing and smiling at me. I was surrounded by two dozen hands stretching out to me, accompanied by voices longing for hope and thanking me for being with them. I then proceeded to listen to, visit with and pray with each one of them. All those hungry, thirsty, wounded, bare, lonely, imprisoned hands….the hands of God that reached out, touched and held my hands on one simple summer afternoon.

Sunday Offerings for June 13, 2021: $6,460.

Thank you for your generosity. We are grateful for your support during the pandemic, especially as our expenses continue. If you would like to continue giving in this period, you can mail in your offering envelopes/cheques to the parish front office, donate through Canada Helps or call us at 613-233-4095, ext. 251 to donate through credit card.

Vocation Reflection: “Faith in a Time of Crisis”
By Susai Jesu OMI – Vocation Team
“The call of Jesus today is, “Let us cross over to the other side.”

Human life is filled with lots of necessary crossing from one shore to the other. For example, crossing from a lack of faith to a fullness of trust in the Lord, crossing from a selfish life to lead a selfless life with others, crossing from hatred to forgiveness, crossing from scorn to respect etc. So let us awaken the Christ of our Spirituality, let us awaken ourselves to Divine Love, let us awaken ourselves that God is greater than our mistakes, sins, and crises and do the next right thing for the kingdom.”

Read the reflection here (published on Friday June 18): https://omilacombe.ca/become-an-oblate/