Thanks to Fr. Yaw Acheampong for his generous service to our community. May God bless him as he begins his work as pastor of Our Lady of Peace Parish. This weekend is his last weekend at the Parish. Thank you to all who helped with last week’s farewell coffee and all who came down to wish Fr. Yaw well.

St. Peter’s Youth Ministry had an enjoyable Sunday afternoon at our Glaze Craze event. Thank you to everyone who participated in our successful event. Stay tuned for more upcoming youth events.

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!

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.

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!

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.

Working wonders for those in our community…

“I first came to Rose of Sharon as a pregnant, young mom, thinking this would never happen to me,” explains Brittany, now with her five year old son Ethan and one year old daughter Sarah. At 17, Brittany came to the Rose of Sharon to enroll in the mother baby programs designed to assist her and her new family get on their feet. Everything from diapers, food, clothing, cooking classes, completion of high school education, Ontario Works application, resume assistance and more was available to her. Within a year, she was able to use her new-found skills to adjust to her new life. Brittany thanks ShareLife donors for their financial support to help them deal with the challenges they have faced, and learning to grow as a family and enjoy each other. Last year, over 6,300 young parents received the care, counselling and educational support they needed to care for themselves and their new families.

So far our parish has collected over $17,000. Our parish goal for this year is $20,000.

Next Sunday, May 29, 2016 is ShareLife Sunday Please give generously. You can work wonders!

Please note that the Parish Office will be closed on Monday, May 23 – Victoria Day.

Mass that day will be at 10:00 AM in the Centre Chapel.

Deacon Paul Robson, who lived here last year, will be ordained a priest on Saturday, May 21 at 9:30 AM at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish. He will celebrate his First Mass here at St. Peter’s parish on Sunday, May 22 at 11:15 AM. This will be followed by a reception in the parish hall. Please pray for Paul on this day.