The Annual “Aid to the Missionary Church in the World” collection is taken up throughout the Eparchy of Edmonton on Pentecost Sunday.
Christ died for our sins on the life-giving wood of the Cross. His message of love, mercy and forgiveness is needed ever more in our broken world. As Christians, we are called to continue Jesus’ mission of spreading the Good News, each according to our ability and means.
Concretely, the Church invites us to collaborate in the mission of the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, by giving generously to the following international collections:
- Peter’s Pence (Pope’s Pastoral Works or Papal Charities),
- World Mission Fund,
- Collection for the Holy Land,
- Catholic Near East Welfare Association, and
- Aid to the Church in Ukraine.
UPCOMING EVENT
- Due to the coronavirus pandemic, annual graveside blessings are postponed to a later date.
- On Friday, May 1, the Catholic Bishops of Canada will consecrate their individual dioceses and eparchies to Mary, Mother of the Church, seeking her protection during the Coronavirus pandemic, similar to what other Episcopal Conferences throughout the world have already done.
Along with the Bishops, pastors, families, groups, individuals and other faith communities may likewise choose to join the consecration as part of the global effort to unite in faith and prayer in this most difficult time.
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), in fraternal communion with the leadership of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has agreed that this Marian consecration be held on the same day in both countries, making this a most meaningful and powerful intercession throughout North America to the Blessed Mother.
The Bishops of Mexico, as well as the other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, consecrated their dioceses and eparchies to Mother Mary this past Easter Sunday.
Pope Francis has already offered up a moving Prayer to the Virgin Mary for protection in light of COVID-19 last 11 March 2020.
The first day of May holds particular significance as it marks the beginning an entire month to honour the Blessed Virgin Mary. “May is the month dedicated in a special way to the Mother of Christ. We believe that she is, in a spiritual but real sense, our mother too,” said the Most Reverend Richard Gagnon, Archbishop of Winnipeg and President, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. “We turn to her and ask for the help of her powerful and maternal prayers to God for us. To consecrate ourselves to Mary means to be united with her in entrusting our lives entirely to God.”
To assist dioceses and eparchies with the consecration, the CCCB prepared a specific prayer for use during the solemn act of entrustment. It can likewise be incorporated into family or individual prayer at home and used by other groups and faith communities.
PRAYER OF CONSECRATION
Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, in this time of pandemic, we turn our gaze to you, and in Christ consecrate to you the faithful of our Eparchy (or parish, or members of our family, or myself), together with all the people of Canada.
At the Annunciation, fear gave way to trust as you embraced the mysterious and loving plan of God, who through his providence, care and concern brought about newness of life in you and through you.
Intercede, we pray, on our behalf as your children, Virgin most faithful.
Grant us faith, hope and perseverance, as we strive to serve and bear witness to all persons, responding to the needs of those affected by this virus.
Standing at the foot of the Cross at Calvary, you united yourself with the sufferings of Christ and so uniquely contributed to the mystery of our redemption.
We beseech you as Health of the sick, draw to yourself in maternal compassion the brothers and sisters of your Son Jesus and all those who are grieved by this pandemic.
Strengthen the dying and comfort those who weep so that all may experience the healing grace of Christ our Divine Physician.
At the Cenacle, after the Resurrection, you accompanied the Apostles with prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
In your maternal care as Consoler of the afflicted, accompany healthcare professionals, all who minister to the sick and those who seek a cure to end this pandemic, that the Holy Spirit may renew the face of the earth.
To all of us, dearest Mary, Mother of all the living, be present and show forth your tenderness, as we raise our eyes to you who shines forth before the entire community as a merciful and compassionate companion on our journey. Time and time again, with burdens weighing heavily on their hearts and in their many necessities, the Christian faithful have sought refuge under your mantle of protection.
Come quickly to our aid at this time, Mother of Mercy, and deliver us from the dangers that surround us in our hour of need; watch over especially the elderly, the weak and the infirm, our children and the unity of our families, and all those who give of themselves selflessly in pastoral care to those in need until in your arms and in your gentle embrace we all find safety and solace.
Amen.
- Pope Francis issued a Message for the 57th World Day of Prayer for Vocations to be celebrated on May 3. The theme of the Holy Father’s Message is: “Words of Vocation.”
- The National Week for Life and the Family will be celebrated May 10-17, with the theme, “Children: The Crowning Glory of Marriage.” Material to help celebrate the Life and Family has been prepared by the Catholic Organization for Life and Family (COLF). The material, which can be freely downloaded and reproduced, includes: a proposed plan for pastors and lay pastoral workers on how they might organize the Week; a message from the CCCB President, the Most Reverend Richard Gagnon; proposals for homily notes and Prayers of the Faithful; and suggestions for related events and activities.
The material is available on COLF: https://www.colf.ca/en/events/item/301-national-week-for-life-and-the-family-2020
- A “Moleben for Life” will be celebrated at 7:00 pm, Monday, May 11, at Saint Josaphat Cathedral, to coincide with the annual National Week of Life and Family.
A Pro-Life Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at 10:00 am, Thursday, May 14, also at Saint Josaphat Cathedral.
Both services will be livestreamed at www.stjosaphat.ab.ca.
Please note that this year’s Alberta March for Life is cancelled, owing to COVID-19.
Let us continue to pray to the Lord our God for the gift and sanctifty of life.
- Due to Pope Francis invites the Church to celebrate Laudato si’ Week from May 16-24.
In a recorded video message, Pope Francis marks the 5th Anniversary of the publication of his Encyclical Laudato si’, On the Care of Our Common Home. In the video, he addresses Catholic communities around the world, asking us, “What kind of world do we want to leave to those who will come after us, to children who are growing up?” “Motivated by this question,” he says, “I would like to invite you to participate in Laudato si’ Week from May16-24. It is a global campaign on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the encyclical letter Laudato si’: On the care of our common home.”
The Pope also renews his urgent call to respond to the ecological crisis: “The cry of the earth and the cry of the poor cannot continue,” he says. “Let’s take care of creation, a gift of our good Creator God. Let’s celebrate Laudato si’ Week together.”
Laudato Si’ Week is sponsored by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and is meant to encourage Catholic communities to take bolder actions for creation during the week-long initiative.
For ways to celebrate Laudato si’ Week, visit www.laudatosiweek.org.
Pope Francis invites us to bring solidarity to our world in a shared moment of prayer on Sunday, May 24, at 12:00 pm noon local time, to pray this Common Prayer for the 5th Anniversary of Laudato si’:
- Loving God, Creator of heaven and earth and all that is in them,
You created us in your image and made us stewards of all your creation, of our common home.
You blessed us with the sun, water and bountiful lands so that all might be nourished.
Open our minds and touch our hearts, so that we may attend to your gift of creation.
Help us to be conscious that our common home belongs not only to us, but to all future generations, and that it is our responsibility to preserve it.
May we help each person secure the food and resources that they need.
Be present to those in need in these trying times, especially the poorest and those most at risk of being left behind.
Transform our fear, anxiety and feelings of isolation into hope so that we may experience a true conversion of the heart.
Help us to show creative solidarity in addressing the consecquences of this global pandemic.
Make us courageous to embrace the changes that are needed in search of the common good.
Now more than ever may we feel that we are all interconnected, in our efforts to lift up the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.
We make our prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
- Loving God, Creator of heaven and earth and all that is in them,
- The World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests will be celebrated on June 19. This celebration allows for moments of reflection and meditation on the priestly life and on the pastoral ministry. The attached reflection/meditation, entitled “Priests with the Heart of Christ,” contains five short points for reflection taken from the Magisterium of Pope Francis.
- Presbyteral Council Meetings: (2:00 – 5:00 pm, Pastoral Centre): October 5, and November 16.
- Annual Clergy Study Days: October 5-8 (Providence Renewal Centre, Edmonton).
- Clergy Conferences: (10:00 am – 4:00 pm): October 9, and November 17.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- The inaugural meeting of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (CCCB) Standing Committee for Responsible Ministry and the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons was recently held in Ottawa. The first permanent structure of its kind within the CCCB, the membership of the Standing Committee involves a total of 16 people, including four Bishops, victims-survivors, and experts from the fields of safeguarding, psychology, and law (canon and civil).
The meeting of the Standing Committee members represents an important step for the Church in Canada in its commitment to address the grave harm sexual abuse caused to victims and their families, and to ensure all pastoral environments are safe.
For more on the meeting, visit: Standing Committee for Responsible Ministry Holds Inaugural Meeting
- Bishop David, having consulted with the Sacred Orders and Ministries Commission, has blessed the petition of Deacon Roman Kobyletskyy for priestly orders. Deacon Roman will received the Rite of Priestly Ordination on Saturday, May 23, at 10:00 am, at Saint Josaphat Cathedral. Axios!
Owing to the coronavirus pandemic, the ordination will be closed to the public; however, it will be livestreamed at stjosaphat.ab.ca.
Upon ordination, Deacon Roman will be assigned as Assistant Pastor, Saint Josaphat Cathedral.
Bishop David, upon the recommendation of Very Rev. Gabriel Haber, osbm, Provincial Superior, appointed Rev. Thomas Kobak as Acting Pastor of Saint Basil the Great Parish, Edmonton.
NECROLOGY
- Archbishop Stefan Sulyk, Metropolitan Emeritus, Archeparchy of Philadelphia, reposed in the Lord on April 6, at the age of 95. Archbishop Stefan was born in Balnica (Lesko), Ukraine. He was appointed as Metropolitan of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia on December 29, 1980, serving faithfully for twenty years, until his retirement in 2000. May God grant him eternal memory – vichnaja pam’jat.
Prayer of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offenses, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Молитва духовного Причастя
Мій Ісусе! Я вірю, що Ти присутній у цих Святих Дарів!
Люблю Тебе над усе і моя душа тужить за Тобою.
Не можу зараз Тебе прийняти в Євхаристії,
тому хоча б духовно прийди до мого серця!
Запрошую Тебе, відчиняю навстіж двері мого серця,
згадаючи Твої слова: «Ось стою під дверима і стукаю.
Якщо хто почує Мій голос і відчинить двері,
Я ввійду до нього, і буду вечеряти з ним, а він зі Мною».
Я ввесь єднаюся з Тобою. Ісусе, моє найвище Добро
й моя солодка Любове!
Торкнись мого серця і запали його,
щоб воно завжди палало любов’ю до Тебе! Амінь.
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