Dear St. Joe’s parishioners,

On this 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Jim explores the biblical understanding of the term compassion. Compassion, as presented in Scripture, is more than an expression of empathy. It involves us sharing in the suffering of each other in a real way. In his reflection, available as a video below and in person at Masses this weekend, Fr. Jim tells us the story of an Indigenous woman he met while in pastoral ministry in the north, and what he learned from her act of self-sacrificing compassion.

Liturgical Resources:

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time – August 2 2020 – Liturgy of the Word for use at home

READINGS FOR THE 18TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

READINGS FOR CHILDREN – 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time – 2020 – Prayers of the Faithful

Mission Prayer

Parish Update:

• Registration for Masses at St. Joe’s is not required for the remainder of the summer. There is space at all Masses, even with capacity reduced to 90. All are welcome.
• Parish AGM scheduled for October 4th, 2020: At a Zoom meeting of Parish Pastoral Council earlier this month, it was decided to have our Annual General Meeting on Sunday, October 4th, 2020 at 1:00 p.m., in the church. Normally, we would have held our AGM in early June, but due to the pandemic, we have delayed this until the fall.  Capacity limits applicable at Mass will also apply for the AGM, as will physical distancing practices. As we approach this date, more information on the AGM will be shared with our community.
• Our Parish Meditation Groups meet in the church every Monday at 9:30 a.m. and Friday at 7:00 p.m. Please enter through the 151 Laurier Avenue entrance. For Friday evening meditation, please arrive by 6:45 p.m.
• Sunday Offering for July 26, 2020: $4,276. Thank you for your continued generosity! If you are attending Mass this weekend and would like to make a donation, you will find a Sunday offering basket near the main entrance of the church. You can leave your donation here at either the beginning or the end of Mass. If you are not yet returning to St. Joe’s for Mass this weekend or will be away, please consider using Canada Helps. You may choose the Parish fund of your choice through this form: http://www.st-josephs.ca/about/donations/.
• A reflection from Fr. Vijay Deivanayagam OMI: Fr. Vijay of the Oblate Vocations Team offers us this reflection as a pdf document: compassion – omi vocations reflection
• Refugee Outreach Committee: The 17 members of the Refugee Outreach Committee and its Settlement Support Group continue to share the parish’s “time, talent and treasure” with our new neighbours – 9 adults and 10 children. During this Covid-19 time some of us have gained expertise in using virtual tutoring with children and their parents over Zoom. We have acquired bicycles for all the children and some adults and have engaged them in CanBike safety workshops. Some children have also been enrolled in summer camps at their community centres. We are striving to assist a family of a special needs child with the registration fees for a 5 week specialized summer camp. With their limited and changeable income, the family can afford only 1 week. The fees are unusually high this year due to the high level of supervision and experienced staff and covid-19 safety requirements. Fortunately 80% of the funds have been raised. We welcome tax receiptable donations from parishioners to ensure the child is able to attend the full program offered. Please contact Dona Bowers at dona-bob@rogers.com or 613 299 9789 for more information.

If you have news to share with the parish community, please do contact me and it can be included in our weekly parish update.

Have a good and safe long weekend!

Chris

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Christopher Adam

email: cadam@st-josephs.ca