The live Christmas trees are now on sale until December 24, the same company as in years past will be selling Christmas trees on the Markham Street lot of our church. Please consider getting your tree (or trees) from them. You would be helping St. Peter’s operating budget by purchasing your live trees from our Markham Street lot. There are many beautiful trees available and your purchase of a Christmas tree helps to financially support the Winter Welcome table’s outreach efforts. The lot will be open every day from 10 AM to 8 PM.
O that you would tear open the heavens and come down
It is not too difficult to believe that the words that we hear in this Sunday’s first reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, “O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,” are words that have been spoken by women and men of many generations in the face of tragedy and difficulty. These words are certainly not very different from those that I found myself praying at the time of the first lockdown here in Toronto due to the COVID 19 pandemic. As the first shutdown got underway, I, like many, was frightened about the future and about what might be coming. I feared for the parish and how I would be able to serve the needs of the parishioners; I was frightened that we might have to lay off our parish staff; I wondered how I would visit the many seniors isolated in senior’s homes; and I feared that many might get sick and die as a result of the pandemic. The tone of many of my prayers was “Lord, O that you would tear open the heavens and come down and help us in these difficult times.” Continue reading
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A Message from Fr. Michael – Response to Covid-19 Second Wave
COVID 19 Update – All Public Celebrations of Masses Cancelled in Toronto due to COVID 19 Lockdown
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
I hope and pray that you are all well and safe!
As a result of the COVID 19 Lockdown that has been ordered for the City of Toronto, beginning on Monday, November 23, 2020, and lasting for at least 28 days, there will be no public Masses celebrated in Toronto. Under this lockdown order, churches may only admit 10 persons, including clergy, at a time. All publicly celebrated Masses during this time have been cancelled. Continue reading
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe: King of All Brothers and Sisters
On the last Sunday of every liturgical year, which this Sunday is, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Christ the King—King of the Universe. Next Sunday, we will begin a new liturgical year as we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent.
The Solemnity of Christ the King takes place on the last Sunday of the liturgical year to remind us that at the end of time, Christ will come to judge the living and the dead. The solemnity is intended to remind us that we are to be ready to meet Christ when He comes by being ready to meet Him today and always. While Christians have always believed that Jesus was their king, this liturgical feast was established in 1925 by Pope Pius XI. He instituted it in troubled times to remind Catholics that the worldly powers that were causing such political turmoil at the time were only temporary and passing. The true Kingship over humanity belonged to Christ and Christians ought to be more concerned with following Christ than those passing worldly powers. At the same time that Pius XI instituted the feast, he suggested that as it was celebrated all Catholics ought to renew their consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Pius XI’s motto as Pope was: “Christ’s Peace through Christ’s reign.” Continue reading
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Bulletin for week of November 22, 2020
Nurturing the Treasure Within
I am not a person who usually watches a lot of television. However, when our parishes were closed down between March and June, that all changed a bit. Once I had completed all of my parish calls and duties, I tried to read as much as I could. Once I had done as much as that as I could, I found myself turning to the television around 8:00 in the evening. One of the things that surprised me is the number of television shows that are related to developing and celebrating the talents that some people possess. Some of the shows that can be found on the television include titles like “The Voice,” “America’s God Talent,” “Britain’s Got Talent,” “So You think you can Dance,” and “Dancing with the Stars.” All of these shows have in common the desire of those who appear on the show to have their unique talents and qualities recognized in the hopes of becoming famous. Continue reading