The icon that has been created for the Year of Mercy contains a beautiful image of the Risen Christ, as the Good Shepherd, carrying on His shoulders a young man who represents the lost soul. Beneath Christ is seen an image of Mary, the Mother of Mercy, who embraces the whole world with her love. Beneath Mary, to her left, are to be seen figures from the Bible who themselves encountered God’s mercy— the Samaritan women, Zaccheaus, Matthew, the Woman who anointed Jesus’ feet, the Prodigal Son, the Repentant Thief, St. Peter, and the Parable of the Lost Coin. Beneath the Blessed Mother, to the right, are the saints who have been witnesses to Christ’s continuing mercy through the life of His Church, like Mother Theresa of Calcutta, St. Maximillian Kolbe and St. Theresa of Lisieux. I have put a copy of this beautiful image in this week’s bulletin for those who wish to use it to pray with. It is hard to think of a better image for the Year of Mercy than the Good Shepherd. This beautiful image speaks to us of God’s compassion and presence with all people in their time of difficulty and need. It proclaims the desire on God’s part to support us and carry us at those times in our life when we are tired and find things difficult. The fact that in our own Church there is an image of the Good Shepherd over the tabernacle, points to the strength and comfort that we are to find in Christ’s presence in our lives through the Sacraments of the Church. Continue reading
Author Archives: stpeters
Tenth Sunday of Ordinary Time – June 5, 2016
Working wonders with families in our neighbourhoods…
A few years ago, Lauren was hospitalized at 16 years of age after receiving a severe beating from her mother. The violence had been going on for several months, and Lauren was afraid to talk about it. Eventually, her mother faced charges of abuse and Lauren was removed from her family’s home. She came to Sancta Maria House looking for a more permanent, safe place to live. Lauren spent that last 2 years here and has made many positive gains. Through the counseling of supportive staff, she was able to let go of the anger from her past and focus on making a bright future for herself. Lauren is grateful for all of the devoted staff at ShareLife-supported Sancta Maria House for making such a wonderful difference in her life. Last year, ShareLife-supported Family Service agencies provided family counselling to over 5,100 people in the Greater Toronto Area.
Thank You for Your Generosity
Together we can work wonders!
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Bulletin for week of June 5, 2016
Family of Faith Update:
Thank you for your commitment to the Family of Faith campaign. The efforts that we make together will further the Pastoral Plan and mission of our Church. Please remember to honour the pledge that you made. As payments are made, funds will be deposited in our account to address a number of local priorities. These include:
- With the funds that we receive from our Family of Faith campaign, we will invest in the revitalization of our parish hall. Our goal is to make it a gathering space for social outreach, where we can connect and re-connect with our faith through various programs, and build community.
- Funds donated to the Family of Faith campaign have also allowed the parish to hire a youth minister. Please continue to give generously.
Corpus Christi (Third ShareLife Sunday) May 29, 2016
Working wonders for people in our homes and parishes…
In 2012, Nadia was brought to Street Haven’s emergency shelter by the police. She was an immigrant from India and had been locked in a garage by her husband and mother-in-law for two years, rarely able to visit the two children. Upon her arrival at Street Haven, Nadia thrived. She slowly built trust with the counselors, participated in household responsibilities, and loved looking after the gardens. Her counselor set Nadia up with a lawyer and after a year of legal consultations, she received custody of her two children. Street Haven helped them find housing and Nadia and her children now live in a beautiful, safe home where they have started a new chapter in their lives.
Today is ShareLife Sunday – May 29, 2016
Thank you for your generosity. You can work wonders!
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Bulletin for week of May 29, 2016
Congratulations to Fr. Yaw
Our Community has known since he arrived that Fr. Yaw Acheampong was only going to be with us for a year to help with the transition. On June 30, 2016, Fr. Yaw will become the pastor of Our Lady of Peace Parish in Etobicoke. There will be a Coffee Sunday after the 9:00 and 11:15 AM Masses on Sunday, June 5, in the Church auditorium to thank Fr. Yaw for his time here at St. Peter’s. His last Sunday here will be June 12, 2016. Congratulations to Fr. Yaw. Let us pray that the Lord will bless him in his new assignment.
Photo’s from our May 22nd Young Adult Pub Night
St. Peter’s Young Adults Pub Night
Happy Victoria Day!
“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
As 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 person 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 passage from the end of the Gospel of Matthew (chapter 28), as 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