Author Archives: stpeters

Prayers and Sadness at Discovery of 215 Children Buried at Residential School in Kamloops

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Decorative ImageWith many people across Canada, the parishioners of St. Peter’s Parish were deeply saddened and sickened by the news of the discovery of the bodies  of 215 innocent young children buried at the Kamloops Residential School.

As the City of Toronto has had its flags flying at half mast in remembrance of these innocent young children for nine days, during these nine days the parish has been praying at all of our Masses for these young children and their families.

We are very sorry for any and all pain caused to our indigenous brothers and sisters by the crimes committed in these schools.

Linked are two statements on this matter: 1) From the Canadian Bishops; and 2) A Statement from the Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of Toronto.

Our entire community prays for healing and reconciliation.

The Parishioners of St. Peter’s Parish, Toronto

Thank you Emanuel Kirabo

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For the past few years, Emanuel Kirabo has been the guard at the parish. He has been a faithful and friendly presence in our community and a loved member of our parish family.

Emanuel has been here as the guard working for the Archdiocese of Toronto. The diocese has housed archives and a computer lab in our basement. These will be moving and the parish will no longer have a guard.

Emanuel’s last day working on our site will be Friday, June 4, 2021. On behalf of our entire parish community, I would like to thank him for his service and wish him and his family our best wishes and prayers.

Thank you Emmanuel.

“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Holy Trinity Sunday

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Decorative ImageAs Catholics, every time that we pray, we begin by invoking the names of the three persons of the Holy Trinity, whose feast we celebrate this Sunday. This custom can be so habitual that at times we may do it without realizing how profound the words are that we are saying. Each time we name the three persons of the Holy Trinity, we are articulating a great mystery about God and his proximity to us that has been revealed to us by God Himself. The only way that we know about the Trinity and the names of the persons contained within God is because Jesus Himself has told us about Them. As the Son of God sent from the Father, Jesus has told us to call God “Our Father” and has repeatedly spoken to us about the Father. During His life Jesus promised His disciples that He would send them the Holy Spirit after He had returned to the Father. At Pentecost the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the Church by Jesus and His Father in Heaven. That the three cannot be separated is witnessed to in the Gospel passage from Matthew where Jesus commissions His disciples to baptize all people “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”  Everything that we know about God as the Trinity has been revealed to us by the Trinity Himself. We can learn so much about God’s love for us in reflecting upon this great mystery of our faith. Continue reading →

Reduction in the Hours that the Church is Open

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Decorative ImageOver the past few years, St. Peter’s Church has been blessed to have a guard to watch the church and allow it to be left open in the day time. This guard was paid for by the Archdiocese of Toronto and his main job was to watch over the access to the archives and computer lab  that were in the basement of the church. As these now move to the Centre next door, the parish will no longer have a guard and it will not be possible to leave the church open all day.

The church will now be open only in the morning for Mass or the daily communion services Monday to Friday from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m., Saturday from 4:00 to 6:00 pm and Sunday from 8:30 till 11:30 a.m. Please adjust your visits to the church accordingly.

Pentecost 2021

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Decorative ImageMy Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, the Parishioners of St. Peter’s Parish:

I hope and pray that this letter finds you and your family well and safe.

At the Pastoral Council meeting at the beginning of May, it was suggested by the members of the Council that I should reach out to you again with another update. I thought that I would wait until the Solemnity of Pentecost, which is celebrated this year on Sunday, May 23rd.

The reason that I wanted to write to you on Pentecost is because this is the day that the Church was founded. On that day, the Holy Spirit came down on the believers and they were changed. Although they had hidden away in fear after Jesus was arrested and died, His many appearances to them throughout the forty days after His resurrection had convinced them that He was alive. When the Holy Spirit was poured out on them at Pentecost, they were transformed into the living Church, the Body of Christ, and they left their homes to continue His mission. Pentecost marks the day that the Church was founded and began its mission. Continue reading →