This weekend, we celebrate Solidarity Sunday and our reflection is offered by Joan O’Connell. We are also taking up a special collection to support the poverty relief work of Development and Peace. In her reflection, Joan shares how during the pandemic, we have been learning through experience what the term ‘solidarity’ really means.

St. Joseph’s Parish History with Terry Byrne, Ryan Mitchell and Larry Martin (Part 10)

In this episode of our Parish history series, we explore the past and present of the St. Joe’s Supper Table.

Organ Music Performed by Tom Fagan

Liturgical Resources

Fifth Sunday of Lent – March 21 2021 – Liturgy of the Word for use at home

READINGS FOR THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT

READINGS FOR CHILDREN – Fifth Sunday of Lent

Fifth Sunday of Lent – 2021 – Prayers of the Faithful

Message from Pope Francis for Lent 2021

A Prayer to the Creator – Pope Francis – Share Lent 2021 – Development and Peace

Parish Update

Public Masses Continue at St. Joseph’s

Red Zone pandemic restrictions allow for religious services to continue, including Mass, with a capacity limit of 30% (which is 90 people in the main body of our church). As such, our Mass schedule remains unchanged. All our welcome.

Mass Intentions

• March  24, 2021 Noon: Cy Winter
• March 25, 2021 Noon: Patricia O’Brien

Feast of St. Joseph

Parishioners and visitors joined us at Noon Mass on Friday, March 19th, which was also the Feast of St. Joseph’s. We remembered the founders of our Parish and reflected on the parishioners of the future who will worship and offer their service here as we strive to live our Mission and the Oblate Charism. We offered prayers for past generations of parishioners, those of us who call St. Joe’s our spiritual home today and for the generations of parishioners to come.

Stations of the Cross With St. Eugene

The Oblates are sharing with our Parish a resource to promote Vocation Culture in the spirit of the Oblate Charism. Please see here: Stations-of-the-cross-with-St.-Eugene

Development & Peace — Share Lent/Solidarity Sunday

• Annual Collection for Development and Peace: This Sunday is Solidarity Sunday when the annual collection to support the work of Development and Peace-Caritas Canada is held. Donations can be made through Canada  Helps, by selecting the “Development and Peace Fund or by using the Share Lent envelope included with your parish envelopes.
• Solidarity Sunday Mass ONLINE – Salt & Light: Development and Peace is collaborating with Salt & Light Media to broadcast a bilingual Solidarity Sunday Mass from the Pembroke cathedral. Presider will be Bishop Guy Desrochers and there will be a pre-show starting at 1:00 pm, Mass at 1:30 pm, Sunday, March 21^st. Tune in on Salt & Light or on our website at www.devp.org.
• For the Love of Creation: Advocacy Webinar: Date: Saturday, 27 March, 2021; Time: 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. ET   Register Here! Advocacy for global justice is something that the members of Development and Peace see as integral to their faith commitment. As humanity faces an unprecedented ecological crisis in the decade ahead, advocacy that cares for our common home is vital. Join staff from Development and Peace and Citizens for Public Justice for a conversation about our movement and the 4 policy pillars of For the Love of Creation. You will leave ready to put your faith into action by urging the federal government to place these 4 pillars at the heart of their own policy decisions in the years ahead.
• Online Way of the Cross: Date: Friday, 2 April, 2021; Time: 1 – 2:30 p.m. ET Register Here! This year the Development and Peace Way of the Cross invites us to reflect on the need to share love and to develop greater social fraternity in light of Jesus’s passion, death and resurrection. Please join us for this online event to pray the stations together with staff, members and friends of Development and Peace.

Church Offering for March 7, 2021: $5,360. 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. If you are attending Mass in person, you can find the offering basket at the main entrance.

Virtual Children’s Liturgy of the Word over Zoom:

Each Sunday at 9:30AM we are hosting a Liturgy of the Word for families and children virtually over Zoom. If you would like to join us be sure to send an email to Andrew (apump@st-josephs.ca) and he will send you the Zoom information. Although a Children’s Liturgy with accompanying children’s readings, it is also a great chance to connect for everyone in our community that hasn’t been able to come back to Church yet. So don’t be shy: All Are Welcome.  

Lectio Divina over Zoom each Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

Lectio Divina is a reflective exercise centered around the reading of scripture. 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 using the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2906781332?pwd=VWUvMUtXVlFzUjlSME9velZHRWcrZz09

World Water Day – , Monday, March 22

When we turn on our taps on Monday, or walk along one of Ottawa’s rivers, let’s say a prayer of gratitude that we are fortunate to have access to safe, plentiful drinking water. But let’s not forget those around the world and here in Canada, especially indigenous communities, who do not share this privilege. Let’s pray that this will change soon and do our part to make it happen. Happy World Water Day!

Vocation Reflection: “Sir, We Wish to See Jesus”
By Vijay Deivanayagam, OMI – Vocation Team

“As followers of Christ, if we want to see Jesus, we must learn to die like the grain which dies and bear fruits. Seeing Jesus means dying to all parts of our life that blinds or hiders us to see a new life. Seeing Jesus means learning to die to resentment, hatred, self-centeredness, obsessions and compulsions, discrimination, and indifference to bear the fruits of love, peace, justice, forgiveness, unity, and solidarity.”  Read the reflection here (published on Friday March 19): https://omilacombe.ca/become-an-oblate/

Pastoral Visiting Ministry

Although we cannot visit with you in person, our pastoral care volunteers are wondering if they could call you to see how you are doing. If you or a loved one would like a phone call – to check-in, chat and see how you are doing – please reach out. You can contact Andrew at ext. 235 or apump@st-josephs.ca, who will then forward your information to our ministry. Our prayers are with you all at this time.