Dear St. Joe’s parishioners,
This Sunday’s video reflection is offered by parishioner Joan O’Connell. In her reflection, Joan shares:
“It’s fitting that the first Sunday of Ordinary Time starts with a baptism – what we now refer to as one of the sacraments of initiation. But it’s not just any baptism; it is Jesus being immersed in the river Jordan by John the Baptist. Despite John’s protests, Jesus insisted that he be treated exactly like the others there that day…Jesus didn’t arrive to just try out being human. He didn’t just dip his toe in the human experience; he fully immersed himself, quite literally, as we see in today’s Gospel.”
You can watch the full reflection below and/or read the full text here: Text for the Reflection for the Baptism of Jesus.
Liturgical Resources
Baptism of the Lord – January 10 2021 – Liturgy of the Word for use at home
READINGS FOR THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD
READINGS FOR CHILDREN – Baptism of the Lord
Baptism of the Lord 2021 – Prayers of the Faithful
Music performed by Tom Fagan from St. Joe’s
Parish Update:
Weekday Noon Masses for January 13, 14 & 15, 2021
Fr. Jim is celebrating Noon Masses during the period of the Provincial lockdown. We can accommodate up to 9 parishioners or visitors for these Masses, for a total capacity of 10, including the celebrant. Online pre-registration is required. To register, please use the link next to the Mass that you would like to attend. Once a Mass reaches capacity, the system will not accept further registrations.
- Wednesday, January 13, 2021: Helen McAllister (Requested by John Mark Keyes) — Register here
- Thursday, January 14, 2021: Zita Evans (Requested by Joy Heft) — Register here
- Friday, January 15, 2021: Philip Murton (Requested by Nancy Strader) — Register here
Lectio Divina over Zoom each Sunday at 1:30PM
Lectio Divina is a reflective exercise centered around the reading of scripture. Starting next Sunday, January 17th at 1:30PM we will be meeting virtually over Zoom to reflect on the Sunday’s Gospel and share with each other our insights and what the scriptures are calling us to look at in our lives and where they are leading us. Please join us by registering using this link:
After you register a link will be sent to your email that you will use to join in. This link is personal to you and cannot be shared with others. If you need help registering just reach out to Andrew at apump@st-josephs.ca
Fratelli Tutti Discussion Series on Zoom
Join us at St. Joseph’s Parish for a Discussion Series on the Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti of Pope Francis. This initiative will be offered entirely through Zoom and is open to the community at large. Beginning Wednesday, January 20, 2021 at 7pm we will offer an open discussion of the encyclical, chapter-by-chapter, with the discussion occurring bi-weekly until April 28th, 2021. These sessions will be facilitated by Eleanor Rabnett and are open to all. For more information on these sessions, dates and how to register, please click here.
Parish Front Office Hours:
During the Provincial lockdown, the Parish front office has reduced hours of operation. We are open Monday to Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. We would encourage you to phone in advance if you are coming to pick up or to drop off items. Please call: 613-233-4095, ext. 251.
Church Offerings
- Christmas Eve & Day 2020: $11,690*
- Sunday, December 27, 2020: $5,350**
- New Year’s: $430**
- Sunday, January 3, 2021: $3,525**
*The Christmas offering amount reflects in-person offerings at Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses, Christmas cheques received in the mail and Canada Helps offerings marked by the donor as being for Christmas.
**These amounts reflect church offering envelopes and offering cheques received in the mail or dropped off at the Parish office by January 7th, as well as auto-debit contributions.
Thank you for your continued generosity, including during this period of lockdown. We are grateful for your support, especially as most of our expenses continue during the lockdown. If you would like to continue giving in this period, you can mail in or drop off 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.
Thank you to the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame — Visitation Province
Visitation Province donated $2,000 to support the social justice work of the St. Joe’s Supper Table. Thank you!
Excerpt on Christian unity from the book, Oblate Prayer:
From January 18 to 25 each year, many Christians join in prayer “that all may be one .”
In his Lenten Pastoral Letter of 1860, Bishop de Mazenod taught: “Jesus Christ had to associate mankind to himself mystically so as to form one whole with it while allowing the personality proper to each person united to him to subsist. And just as there is only one person in Jesus Christ, all Chris- tians should form with him but one body, whose head he is and whose members they are…”
The 1982 Constitutions reflect the more explicit ecumenical concern characteristic of the Catholic Church since the Second Vatican Council: “Our efforts will be characterized by a genuine desire for unity with all who consider themselves followers of Jesus, so that, according to his prayer, all may believe that the Father has sent him” (cf . Jn . 17:21) . (C . 6)
PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY:
Father, may they be one in us, as you are in me, and I am in you, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me . (John 17:21) Let us Pray: O God of peace, who through your Son Jesus Christ proclaimed one faith for the salvation of the world: send your grace and blessing on all Christians who are striving to draw nearer to you and to each other . Give us boldness to seek only your glory and the advancement of your Kingdom . Unite us all in you, Father, who with your Son and the Holy Spirit are one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Oblate Vocations Reflection by Fr. Arokia Vijay Deivanayagam, OMI:
“Through baptism, we are ‘handed over’ this mission of Christ. Analogously our Baptism inaugurates our mission as Christians. Our baptism empowers all of us to take part in the ministry of Christ to preach this good news of love and salvation to all. The Second Vatican Council Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, Apostolicam Actuositatem, stresses that there is really one vocation in the Christian life, and that is to share in the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ. This feast of the baptism of our Lord reminds us of this unique and personal Christian vocation and our role as members of His body, the Church.” To read the full reflection, click here.
If you have ministry news to share with the Parish, we certainly welcome it and can include such information in the online Parish Update.
Peace,
Chris
..
Christopher Adam
email: cadam@st-josephs.ca
