Raphael Amato’s Reflection and a Parish Update on the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear St. Joe’s parishioners,

This weekend’s reflection is offered by parishioner Raphael Amato on a concept that is familiar to us: you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Raphael shares: “I believe that Jesus is guiding us in how to respond to a dilemma that we are confronted with in our lives; how our beliefs in God can easily become separated from how we interact with others and the world around us.  Like the understanding of the Old Testament, being righteous means we live within our understanding of the rules/commandments.  Jesus reminds us that disconnecting our beliefs in God from relationship with others is not a full understanding of our relationship with God.”

You can view Raphael’s reflection as a video below, read the full text (Reflection – October 25) or hear it in-person at Mass this weekend.

Liturgical Resources

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time – October 25 2020 – Liturgy of the Word for use at home

READINGS FOR THE 30TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

READINGS FOR CHILDREN – 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time – 2020 – Prayers of the Faithful

Mission Prayer

Parish Update:

  • Fr. Jim will celebrate Mass on All Souls Day — Monday, November 2nd, 2020 at Noon in the church. All Are welcome.
  • All Saints’ Day: St. Joe’s parishioners are invited to submit the names of deceased loved ones to the front office by email (frontdesk@st-josephs.ca) and staff will add these names to the Book of Remembrance. The Book of Remembrance will be displayed at Mass on Saturday, October 31st, Sunday, November 1st and Monday, November 2nd. The names of our parish community’s deceased loved ones will also be projected on the screen in the sanctuary during the weekend liturgies. Please submit names by October 29th. In light of the pandemic, this approach will allow us to remember loved ones while still maintaining sanitation protocols.
  • Upcoming Announced Masses
    • Wed., October 28, 2020, Noon: Marilyn D’Amour (Requested by: Helen Zettel)
    • Thurs., October 29, 2020, Noon: Francis Fedor (Requested by: Dan Riley)
    • Fri., October 30, 2020, Noon: Sarolta Nagy (Requested by: Christopher Adam)
  • From Darkness to Light: The Parish is preparing an interdisciplinary educational Zoom series for Advent, including four sessions offered via Zoom and open to the community.  The themes to be explored will include literature, music, social justice and contemplative reflection. Stay tuned for the details!
  • Quality of Life Virtual Fundraiser:  The St. Joe’s Women’s Centre is holding its Quality of Life fundraiser virtually via Zoom on November 19, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. The ticket price is $70 and includes a special delivery to your home of a package of freshly-prepared items for your personal cocktail reception. For tickets and more information, please click here
  • Donation of Securities — A New Way to Support the Parish: A gift of eligible securities to a registered charity is one of the most tax effective ways to give. Eligible securities include publicly listed stocks, bonds, mutual fund units or exchange traded funds on approved stock exchanges in Canada and internationally. If you make a gift of eligible securities, it is exempt from capital gains tax, which applies to the increase in the value of the securities over what you paid to acquire them. To find out how you can donate securities to St. Joseph’s Parish, please click here for our new guide and form.
  • Sunday Offering for October 18, 2020: $5,332. 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/.
  • An Oblate Vocations Reflection from Fr. Arokia Vijay Deivanayagam, OMI: “God, Neighbour, Self cannot be separate – we are all one in this powerful, mysterious, and creative energy called LOVE. Therefore, love of God and love of neighbour are inseparable and relational. One of them cannot be accomplished without the other, for he who loves God, loves neighbours.” Read the full reflection here.

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