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Ministry of the Sick
November 26th, 2000
Recently we had our monthly meeting for the Ministry to the Sick. We have a dedicated team of people who are very eager to minister to the ones who need them most. Usually these are the elderly or those who are suffering from some serious illness. In some instances loneliness also sets in. Doris Portelli, one of the current ministers, describes in great detail this ministry as follows: The Ministry to the Sick One of the ministries that we have in our parish of St. Paul the Apostle is the ministry to the sick. This ministry consists of dedicated men and women who choose to serve God and our community by visiting the sick and shut-ins. As ministers, they are part of the service of the church. In the mass, the priest mentions the pope, bishop and ministers. As ministers to the sick, the members go visit anyone who is sick, lonely, anyone who cannot go out, people in senior homes or in the hospital. They take the Eucharist to anyone who cannot go out to church. Sometimes the minister goes only just to listen, to see if the person has any problems, to give the person a chance to open up or just have a little social time with the sick, lonely or aged person. Usually, the same minister visits the same people. Eventually, as the family gets to know him or her, the minister is also able to support or console the family in times of crisis or death. The minister at that time is personifying Christ as if He is visiting the family. So when a minister is visiting the person, he or she is not looking at how the house is, the only interest the minister has is in the person whom he or she is visiting. Their only concern is the well-being and needs of that person. But, members of the ministry to the sick cannot come visit, if they don't know about a person being in hospital, bedridden, or just alone. So if anyone has a sick, or elderly relative who cannot go out or who is in hospital, please contact the parish. If you know of a person who is elderly, living alone, ask the person if they would wish someone to visit them or to bring the Eucharist, and then contact the priest or a member of the Ministry of the sick. The ministers are only too happy to go and visit. The Anointing of the Sick In our parish, the anointing of the sick is going to be performed on December 3, during the 12.00 pm Mass. The anointing of the sick is a sacrament. It is a prayer for healing, a healing sacrament. Through this sacrament, the Holy Spirit strengthens the sick person to deal with the difficulties of illness. The sick person is united with Christ's passion, so that the sufferings borne, take on a new meaning. Who may receive this sacrament?
So if anyone has a relative or knows someone who would like to receive this sacrament on December 3rd, please inform them about it. Thank you Doris for summarizing the nature of your ministry together with input obtained from the other ministers in your group. As you can see this is a very challenging ministry that demands both consistency and commitment. At this point we need more ministers to join this group so that we can look after more shut-ins. If you are interested please do not hesitate to give us a call. We will be more than pleased to have you work with us in this spiritually rewarding ministry. Also, keep in mind December 3rd for anyone who would like to receive this sacrament. May God bless you all as you think about the role you want to perform in our church. Have a great week!
RCIA 2000
October 20th, 2000
In essence the RCIA is a process for adults who are enquiring about the Catholic Faith, Specifically it is for:
This is the field which the catechists together with their candidates have to explore as a 'faith journey'. As this journey evolves it is hoped that the candidates will become a functional part of our Christian community within our parish. One of our goals is that as these candidates embrace this sacramental way of life they will feel welcomed by the members of our parish as a whole. This then becomes one of the responsibilities of the community as we offer our warmth, acceptance, and sacramental maturity through our prayers and liturgical life. As indicated in the Book of Genesis: "It is not good for a human being to be alone." The bonding that is developed between the candidates and the catechists is reflective of our own acceptance as a community at large. In essence, we are all involved in this process - and it is therefore everyone's responsibility to promote and embrace the programme. As members of the community, by "word of mouth" and through "good example" it is our duty to attract others who are in search of Christ. This should be done in a very positive and meaningful way. Because we are believers in God and the teachings of his Church we should also become "beacons of faith" to those who are in this quest for truth. Mostly, this is manifested in an exemplary life within our family, our place of work and the church itself. Once attracted it becomes our duty to lead and direct prospective candidates to the appropriate source - the priests in our parish. May the Lord help us and guide us as we open our "doors" to any prospective candidates to the RCIA programme. May their catechists be blessed with faith, fortitude and wisdom as they lead their candidates on the right path to Christ. Thank you all for your help. May the Good Lord bless you as you embrace this worthwhile responsibility. Have a great week!
Rosary
What about present times? Do we still pray the Rosary? Or is it perhaps a prayer of the past? Does our way of life allow us time to pray at all? Some of us believe that between juggling work, family life and a demanding way of life there is little time for prayer. Some might even say that prayer is only on Sundays in church or before we go to bed at night. It appears that we have lost that which is sacred in life. We blame "society" and the materialistic values that are imposed on us. Achievement is measured in terms of material and consumer achievement. Our term of reference is not necessarily "Whom am I?" but more "What have I achieved?" This attitude raises serious concerns as we assess our spiritual growth and maturity in terms of our closeness to God. We should not lose track of our spirituality as we journey towards God. As we reflect on our priorities and realise that what is physical and material is important for us - such as food, home, clothes and transportation - our spiritual journey should permeate all of our actions in life. For this we need to realise the importance of prayer as a way of communicating with God! The rosary is a simple and effective prayer. Ideally you should say it as a family, or in a group setting. If this is not possible you should spend a few minutes every day and recite it individually. We can become as creative as we want in reciting this prayer. We can use scripture readings to motivate us or even pictorial images. If time is a problem you might wish to divide the decades between morning and afternoon. Hymns in between decades tend to be very spiritually uplifting. Sometimes a decade could even be replaced by a scripture reading relevant to the mystery being contemplated. Then finish the decade with a Hail Mary and a Glory Be! It doesn't matter were you are, whether in church or on the subway or maybe for a walk in the park, you can still recite this beautiful prayer. As long as you know what you are doing and doing it from your heart, it will help you to rest calm and have a prayerful attitude. Be creative and try to feel relaxed and happy. The important thing is that you are communicating with God through Mary in a meaningful way. Let us try to be prayerful and realise that our journey leads us to God. All the work in this world would be meaningless if we do not understand our real purpose in life. Have a great week. May God bless you all!
Malta Day 2000
Obviously, the measure of achievement will be an individual assessment by each one of us. The range will vary from one end of the spectrum to the other according to individual opinion. However, from my perspective I feel that my dream came to fruition, if not completely at least partially. Both Fr Dominic and I are working very hard to continue the work initiated by the Franciscans seventy years ago The fact that we were able to celebrate these event suggests that the spirit of community worked for by those before us is still there. In effect, what is even more important than the actual celebration is the cohesive spirit that we manifested as a people of God! The support, the friendship and the ability to plan and execute duties together reflect our growing spirituality as God's family. Of course, there is room for improvement! No community is perfect. But the fact that we able to do it as a 'team' indicates the level we are at. Well done! Prosit to all of you! What we have to recognise at this juncture is that there are more individuals who strayed from the community and possibly feel isolated at this moment. It is our duty to build and add more to the community so these wonderful moments of spirit sharing may be experienced by everyone. So spread the word everyone and get more people interested. Even among our distinguished guests, the Prime Minister of Malta, Dr. Eddie Fenech Adami, and Bishop Nicola De Angelis were both impressed by the level of participation. Consequently, they have encouraged us to continue in this direction of continuous community building. Let's do it! You are all invited. Start 'spreading the news!' Again, to undergo such a big venture both Fr. Dominic and I needed a lot of support and this we had. We should recognise who these sources of support without going into any individual names for fear for leaving someone out. First of all I would like to start with the Malta Week Committee. They were behind us right from the beginning and worked it out to its finest detail up to delivery time. We should then recognise the Liturgical and Music ministries. These again worked out finer details, rehearsed and put in an excellent performance. Along came the Social Committee and Maintenance and Cleaning Teams who worked very hard right through all of the events. This involved hosting our guests, preparing the church, and the organising of the physical set up including flower arrangements. Some people were consistently working behind the scenes these too should be acknowledged. Their work and labour is greatly appreciated by all of us. Thank you all for making it happen. It was just great - and it turned out to be excellent! Another group of people who was instrumental in both community building, participation, input and production should be acknowledged. These include the Maltese Federation together with the various Clubs and Associations. They participated meaningfully and effectively throughout the whole event. Our Consul General, Mr. Milo Vassallo, has been most supportive and helpful throughout this whole venture. Our acknowledgements are also extended to all of our sponsors who supported us either financially or in any material way. Thank you all! Without you this could not have happened! Little things make big things happen! We had a group of helpers who were constantly answering phones, running errands, setting up posters, helping with delivery or organising bus transportation. Sometimes we needed an extra hand in terms of setting up things. These items could pass by unnoticed, sometimes unrecognised. However, there is always some hardworking methodical and persistent individual making these things happen. Thank you all for you team spirit and for your genuine interest in community building. I am most grateful to God who is the source of our growth path! Where two or three are praying in my name, I am in there midst! God remains our source of motivation, goal and focus for all these activities, which methodically build relationships and community. Lord, together as a Maltese-Canadian community we pray to you that you keep us together united as we journey towards your heavenly kingdom! Thank you, Lord, for all that you have done for us THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATING WHOLEHEARTEDLY THROUGHOUT THESE EVENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT. MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL!
Special Feast Day to Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Rapheal
September 29th, 2000
St. Bridget of Sweden once said: 'If we saw an angel clearly, we would die of pleasure.' We may think that it's all right for a saint to say that, but if we saw an angel we would probably die of fright!!! However, in our modern world, science and our rational mind would not sit too comfortably with the notion of angelic beings. For some of us it is too hard to believe in angels. However, in recent times, there has been an emphasis, by New Age sects who claim communication with 'Angels!' Our belief in the existence of angels is firmly rooted in scripture and tradition. The existence of angles is a truth of our faith! The centre of the angelic world is Christ. Like us, they were created by Him and for Him. From our cradle to our grave they guide our lives. The word 'angel' which is Greek in origin translates as 'messengers'. Old Testament writers gave us the impression that in fact angels are 'messengers of God!' In the book of Exodus they are portrayed as 'guardians of people.' Jesus expresses the same view when he speaks about children: "I say to you that their angels in heaven, always, look upon the face of my heavenly Father" (Mat 18:10) Some might be surprised to learn that the Church has never promoted as a matter of strict faith that every person has a personal guardian angel. However, this notion enjoys a very long tradition within the church. Besides, many Christians have testified that they have experienced this special protection. Again, this concept of a personal guardian angel underscores one of the most important truths of our faith; that God exercises a special love and concern over each one of us. In speaking to his disciples Jesus states: "Not a sparrow is forgotten by God.... so do not be afraid; you are worth much more than any sparrows. (Luke 12:6-7). We rejoice in the role that angels play in proclaiming God's love. Many times angelic qualities are projected in those around us. In fact, these angels are often personified in each one of us. We are each other's 'guardian angel!' In every good deed we perform we manifest God's love and concern for his children. In essence, we are responsible for each other! Through becoming active Christians, we are reflecting these 'angelic spirits' who use our good qualities to pass their message of love. Hence, the cliched term "You're an angel! Lately, I have received an interesting e-mail, which I will share with you:
Would you like to be someone's angel, today? Do not resist your, good qualities, but let them pour, out on those around you. Have a great week everyone. By the way don't forget that you're an angel!
Jubilee - Our Inception as a Church
September 17th, 2000
Now we come to the peak of our celebrations. We started with a lot of enthusiasm, let us finish with a focused spiritual mind. On Sunday, September 17th we will be meeting at St. Paul's Basilica in Downtown Toronto. Together as a Maltese-Canadian Community we will be celebrating the Jubilee - our inception as a Church. It all began 2000 years ago and therefore we need to celebrate this important event - the Church's birthday! Right away this reminds us of our early beginnings - our 'roots'. Through the love of Jesus we were given a new life through his redemption. This new beginning is an act of love from God towards his people "who were walking in the dark." The light of Christ illuminated us and we were given new paths to God's kingdom. In essence we can say that God is our 'roots', as well as, our ultimate goal. In this pilgrimage we therefore journey to a Life of abundance! Our walk will take us from Christ who gave us life, to God our Father who awaits for us in eternity. This pilgrimage symbolizes the exodus (escape) of the Jews from the land of Egypt the land of bondage to the Promised Land. The reality of their difficulties and hardships symbolizes our own spiritual journey. As we experience our moments of desperation, we realize that we cannot give up! In the Old Testament for forty years God leads his people to freedom from slavery! Today in our own pilgrimage God will help us experience spiritual freedom as we recognize his goodness through conversion (freedom from Sin). This is why the Church urges all the faithful to join in this pilgrimage of faith as we enter a new phase of life. Symbolic of the Old Testament the 'walk' expresses 'togetherness' (community). We are not alone! Even as the Jews in the desert helped each other to 'move on' and reach their goal - probably during their journey in the desert there were moments when their carts got stuck in the sand, or a wheel broke. We too need to support, comfort and encourage each other to experience the living Presence of God in our lives. This is the real spirit of community as it should be! The whole point of the pilgrimage is conversion - spiritual change, a new outlook on life! Like the Jews we might in moments of desperation rebel against the will of God. In these moments God did not condemn the Jews but redirected them. This redirection in our life's path is in fact our own 'conversion' -getting back on track! Again through our pilgrimage we are going to refocus on God the Father. In our liturgies this will be done through the sacraments and prayers. So participation is essential for all of us. As we come from different parts of this province and meet together as a Maltese-Canadian community we hope to experience a spiritual communion with God. The purpose of the pilgrimage is not the end of our walk but the beginning of a meaningful journey. So let us take this opportunity to reaffirm our confidence in God as our Guide. Let us also pray that our community will experience a spiritual bonding as we proceed to the Promised Land of God. I hope to see you all at St. Paul's Basilica. Happy pilgrimage to all!
The Blind Man
Through the miracle of the Blind Man, Jesus takes the disciples on a journey in faith. This is also an appropriate way to view our spiritual life. Like the blind man, the disciples stand in the presence of the Light of the world, but are unable to see. As Jesus touches the eyes of the blind man, and gradually heals him, so will the faith of the disciples grow until they too can see clearly. Interesting enough, the blind man's healing was a gradual process. Initially, he said that he was seeing dimly and perceived the people as trees. Then Jesus reached out again and the man was given full vision. This is not u8nlike our pattern of growth in our faith journey. In essence it requires a longer period of time if not a lifetime. This same pattern of growth is even evident in the Gospel. As the disciples developed a meaningful relationship with Jesus their faith grew stronger. We are like the disciples. We are born into this world, immersed in the creation of God, sometimes unaware of his glory and blind to his loving presence. We are in darkness -- many times we stumble and fall. Although God is there we cannot see Him. He speaks to us but we do not understand. He acts but we do not acknowledge or respond. This process repeats itself time and time again throughout our lives. Until one day we begin to experience his infinite love and then we begin to see. This is a glorious experience for each one if us! We die and rise with Christ in baptism and receive his gift of faith. We see the light. How beautiful is this experience for each one of us as we search for God. It is possible that sometimes we might lose sight of Jesus and his glorious new creation. It may be that we are unable to recognize Him - in ourselves and those around us. It could be that we find it hard to distinguish between right and wrong. Then we ask: "where is God in all of this?" Our spiritual vision becomes blurry and God is not discernible any more. It is at this very crucial moment that we may feel His touch and loving presence. It can be through a friend, an unusual situation, a prayer or even a personal crisis. He will say to us: "I am here!" And then with the blind man we can express our joy and feeling of gratitude. Like Peter we can say: "You are the Christ!" Jesus wants to restore our sight so that we can abide in him and he in us. He wants us to see more clearly our weaknesses, which often hinder our vision of Him. It is at this point that we humbly acknowledge our sinfulness and allow ourselves to be lead to Him. This healing is done through a sacramental way of life. The power of the sacraments is His 'healing touch" - better known as grace. As we repent, we feel the scales being removed from our eyes. Our hearts are then set free to journey to the House of the Lord with a full glorious vision. May the Lord bless you all and have a great week everyone!
Voice Mail!
September 17th, 2000
In our parish we have the internet too. Thanks to this modern technology we can e-mail our confreres in Pakistan, Malta or Australia. The downside is that we have to keep an eye on all the messages we receive. Sometimes this promotes 'technology overlaod' which affects many of us at the emotional level! However, the. positive side is that we at the parish are able to communicate efficiently with a number of people, including parishioners.With both children and adults we have to control for 'undesirable information'! In essence, one of our modern blessings has its headaches too! Sometimes that is compounded with computer 'viral infections' or 'electrical failure.' In spite of everything it is good to have "given"our pace of life. Today, I would, like to share with you a good joke regarding modern technology that is the Voice Mail. This came by through one of the e-mails I recieved: God's Voice Mail We hare all learned to live with "voice mail" as a necessary part of modern lift. But have you wondered what if God decided to install voice mail?? Imagine praying, and hearing this: "Thank you for calling My Father's House. Please select one of the following options:
Press 1 for Requests I'm sorry. All of our Angels are busy helping other sinners right now. Your prayer is important to us, and will be answered in the order it was received, so please stay on the line. If you would like to speak to:
GOD, Press 1 For answers to nagging questions about dinosaurs, the age of the earth or where Noah's Ark is, please wait until you arrive here. Our computers show that you have already prayed once today. Please hang up and try again tomorrow. This office is closed for the weekend to observe a religious holiday. Please pray again Monday after 9:30 AM. If you need emergency assistance when this office is closed contact your local pastor." Needless to say this is not meant in a disrepectful way. It should be considered for its humour. One thing we know for sure is that God will never install a voice mail in heaven. He himself told us "ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you For anyone who asks, receives; and anyone who seeks, finds and to anyone who knocks, the door will be opened" (Luke 11: 1-13). The moral of the story is to please be patient when we do not answer you right away at the office -- even though we try our best to answer all your calls. However, I want to assure that God will answer all our cal1s effieciently. and. methodically, even when it appears there is no response! So keep trying! "Knock and it shall be opened!" Have a great week everyone. Do.not be afraid to call God. May God bless you all!
Last updated: Friday, October 20, 2000 |
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