Pastor's News & Notes
Directory (scroll)
Blessed Sacrament Parish
Amherstview, Ontario
Mission of Saint Bartholomew
Amherst Island, Ontario
Amherstview, Ontario
Mission of Saint Bartholomew
Amherst Island, Ontario
_________________________________________________________
3 Briscoe Street, Amherstview, Ontario K7N 1X2
(613) 389-2009 ~ bls@thehavens.ca
3 Briscoe Street, Amherstview, Ontario K7N 1X2
(613) 389-2009 ~ bls@thehavens.ca
Besides the local 'News & Notes' from our Parish, you can see what is happening
in the Church in Canada by going to The Catholic Register online.
in the Church in Canada by going to The Catholic Register online.
Our Liturgical Roadmap for 2012...
After completing the Christmas Season in early January with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we have several weeks of Ordinary Time. Then, we come to Ash Wednesday and the Season of Lent, a period of 40 days, that leads to Holy Week and Easter. After another period of Ordinary Time, we conclude the Liturgical Year with the Feast of Christ the King at the end of November. Because of these changing liturgical seasons, it makes sense to offer some explanation of the process we undergo each year in our life of faith.
What is the Liturgical Year? What are these seasons?
Before Christmas, there was Advent. After Christmas, along with the several feasts associated with it, is Ordinary Time. Then comes Lent, Easter and Pentecost. Finally, there's more Ordinary Time which runs all the way from just before Summer begins, through Summer and Autumn and concludes in late November with the Feast of Christ the King.
Why is this cycle part of our yearly Christian observance?
This cycle of remembering, reliving and celebrating keeps us focused on Jesus. If we didn't remind ourselves on a regular basis that his life is the story of our own life in God, we might distance ourselves from the person of Christ and the personal relationship we are invited to share with him. Faith might become rules. Behaviour might become self-will. Celebration might become mere human festival. Community might become a club. Christian service might become only well-meaning humanistic social service.
How does keeping the Liturgical Year keep us united to Jesus?
Jesus said, "Take my yoke and learn from me..." He said, 'Pick up your cross and follow me..." He also said, "Apart from me you can do nothing..." and, "Whatsoever you do to the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do to me..." These words of the Lord remind us that our lives are intertwined with his and with one another. In order to enter into a true communion with the Lord, and with others as well, we need to follow in his footsteps, understand his life among us, drink deeply of the mystery of his coming among us in his birth and ministry, his teaching and healing, and his dying and rising. We need to perceive how all of this opened the way for us to return to the Father and to receive the Holy Spirit. By encountering the life of Christ in all its stages, we are immersed, we are Baptized, into the mysteries and the life of Jesus becomes the very pattern of our own lives. As Scripture says, "In him we live and move and have our being..." The Liturgical Year not only brings us face to face with the historical Jesus, it brings us into communion with the living Lord and teaches us about the mystery of our own birth and life in the world, our own coming to faith and healing, and our own dying and rising in Christ. The Liturgical Year is the story of our past, the story of our life now, and the story of our hopes for the future. Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. The Liturgical Year brings that truth to us at each step of the journey.
What are the Liturgical Seasons for 2011-2012?
Here is an outline of the Liturgical Seasons for this year. Feasts of the Church are also included, along with special days of prayer and some secular celebrations. Throughout the entire year, in addition to these Sundays and Feasts, there are many, many Memorials of the Saints (too numerous to list here). Usually, the various special days are listed in the Parish Sunday Bulletin.
Season of Advent - November 27 to December 24
Four Sundays of Advent - November 27; December 4, 11, 18
Feast of Saint Andrew, Wednesday, November 30
Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Thursday, December 8
Feast (Canada) of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Monday, December 12
Christmas Season - December 24 to January 9
Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24
Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25
Feast of the Holy Family, Friday, December 30
Feast of Saint Stephen, the First Martyr, Monday, December 26
Feast of Saint John the Evangelist, Tuesday, December 27
Feast of the Holy Innocents, Wednesday, December 28
Mary, the Mother of God, New Years Day, Sunday, January 1
World Day of Peace, Sunday, January 1
Memorial (Canada) of Saint Brother Andre, Saturday, January 7
Epiphany of the Lord, Sunday, January 8
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Monday, January 9
Ordinary Time I - January 10 to February 21
Six Sundays of Ordinary Time - January 15, 22, 29; February 5, 12, 19
Memorial (Canada) of Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys, Thursday, January 12
World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Sunday, January 15
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, January 18-25
Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Wednesday, January 25
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Thursday, February 2
World Day for Consecrated Life, Thursday, February 2
World Day of the Sick, Saturday, February 11
Season of Lent - February 22 to April 7
Six Sundays of Lent - February 26; March 4, 11, 18, 25, April 1
Ash Wednesday, February 22
Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, February 22 (not held in 2012 because of Ash Wednesday)
World Day of Prayer, Friday, March 2
Solemnity (Canada) of Saint Joseph, Principal Patron of Canada, Monday, March 19
Annunciation of the Lord, Monday, March 26
Holy Week - April 1 to April 7
Palm Sunday, April 1
Chrism Mass, Tuesday, April 3
Holy Thursday, Thursday, April 5 (First Celebration of the Easter Triduum)
Good Friday, Friday, April 6 (Second Celebration of the Easter Triduum)
Easter Season - April 8 to May 27
Eight Sundays of Easter - April 8, 15, 22, 29; May 6, 13, 20, 27
Easter Vigil, Saturday, April 7 (Third Celebration of the Easter Triduum)
Easter Sunday, Sunday, April 8
Octave of Easter, Mercy Sunday, Sunday, April 15
World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Sunday, April 29
International Workers Day, Tuesday, May 1
Feast of Saints Philip and James, Thursday, May 3
Canada Health Day, Saturday, May 12
Feast of the Visitation, Thursday, May 31
Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, Sunday, May 20
World Communications Day, Sunday, May 20
World Day of Prayer for the Church in China, Thursday, May 24
Pentecost Sunday, Sunday, May 27
Ordinary Time II - May 28 to December 1
Twenty-Six Sundays - June 3 through to November 25
Trinity Sunday, Sunday, June 3
Corpus Christi, Sunday, June 10
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Friday, June 15
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Saturday, June 16
Birth of John the Baptist, Sunday, June 24
Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Friday, June 29
Canada Day, Sunday, July 1
Feast of Saint James, Wednesday, July 25
Feast (Canada) of Saints Anne and Joachim, Thurday, July 26
Transfiguration of the Lord, Monday, August 6
Feast of Saint Lawrence, Friday, August 10
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Wednesday, August 15
Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Friday, August 24
Feast of the Birth of Mary, Saturday, September 8
Feast of the Triumph of the Cross, Friday, September 14
Feast of Saint Matthew the Evangelist, Friday, September 21
Feast (Canada) of the Canadian Martyrs, Secondary Patrons of Canada, Wednesday, September 26
World Tourism Day, Thursday, September 27
Feast of of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels, Saturday, September 29
Thanksgiving Day in Canada, Monday, October 8
Memorial (Canada) of Saint Marguerite D'Youville, Tuesday, October 16
World Food Day, Tuesday, October 16
Feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist, Thursday, October 18
World Mission Sunday, Sunday, October 21
Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, October 28 (not celebrated in 2012 because it is Sunday)
All Saints Day, Thursday, November 1
All Souls Day, Friday, November 2
Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, Friday, November 9
Remembrance Day, Sunday, November 11
Feast of Christ the King, Sunday, November 25
Beginning Again...
The entire Liturgical Year for 2012-2013 begins again on Sunday, December 2, 2012 with the First Sunday of Advent.
After completing the Christmas Season in early January with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we have several weeks of Ordinary Time. Then, we come to Ash Wednesday and the Season of Lent, a period of 40 days, that leads to Holy Week and Easter. After another period of Ordinary Time, we conclude the Liturgical Year with the Feast of Christ the King at the end of November. Because of these changing liturgical seasons, it makes sense to offer some explanation of the process we undergo each year in our life of faith.
What is the Liturgical Year? What are these seasons?
Before Christmas, there was Advent. After Christmas, along with the several feasts associated with it, is Ordinary Time. Then comes Lent, Easter and Pentecost. Finally, there's more Ordinary Time which runs all the way from just before Summer begins, through Summer and Autumn and concludes in late November with the Feast of Christ the King.
Why is this cycle part of our yearly Christian observance?
This cycle of remembering, reliving and celebrating keeps us focused on Jesus. If we didn't remind ourselves on a regular basis that his life is the story of our own life in God, we might distance ourselves from the person of Christ and the personal relationship we are invited to share with him. Faith might become rules. Behaviour might become self-will. Celebration might become mere human festival. Community might become a club. Christian service might become only well-meaning humanistic social service.
How does keeping the Liturgical Year keep us united to Jesus?
Jesus said, "Take my yoke and learn from me..." He said, 'Pick up your cross and follow me..." He also said, "Apart from me you can do nothing..." and, "Whatsoever you do to the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do to me..." These words of the Lord remind us that our lives are intertwined with his and with one another. In order to enter into a true communion with the Lord, and with others as well, we need to follow in his footsteps, understand his life among us, drink deeply of the mystery of his coming among us in his birth and ministry, his teaching and healing, and his dying and rising. We need to perceive how all of this opened the way for us to return to the Father and to receive the Holy Spirit. By encountering the life of Christ in all its stages, we are immersed, we are Baptized, into the mysteries and the life of Jesus becomes the very pattern of our own lives. As Scripture says, "In him we live and move and have our being..." The Liturgical Year not only brings us face to face with the historical Jesus, it brings us into communion with the living Lord and teaches us about the mystery of our own birth and life in the world, our own coming to faith and healing, and our own dying and rising in Christ. The Liturgical Year is the story of our past, the story of our life now, and the story of our hopes for the future. Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. The Liturgical Year brings that truth to us at each step of the journey.
What are the Liturgical Seasons for 2011-2012?
Here is an outline of the Liturgical Seasons for this year. Feasts of the Church are also included, along with special days of prayer and some secular celebrations. Throughout the entire year, in addition to these Sundays and Feasts, there are many, many Memorials of the Saints (too numerous to list here). Usually, the various special days are listed in the Parish Sunday Bulletin.
Season of Advent - November 27 to December 24
Four Sundays of Advent - November 27; December 4, 11, 18
Feast of Saint Andrew, Wednesday, November 30
Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Thursday, December 8
Feast (Canada) of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Monday, December 12
Christmas Season - December 24 to January 9
Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24
Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25
Feast of the Holy Family, Friday, December 30
Feast of Saint Stephen, the First Martyr, Monday, December 26
Feast of Saint John the Evangelist, Tuesday, December 27
Feast of the Holy Innocents, Wednesday, December 28
Mary, the Mother of God, New Years Day, Sunday, January 1
World Day of Peace, Sunday, January 1
Memorial (Canada) of Saint Brother Andre, Saturday, January 7
Epiphany of the Lord, Sunday, January 8
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Monday, January 9
Ordinary Time I - January 10 to February 21
Six Sundays of Ordinary Time - January 15, 22, 29; February 5, 12, 19
Memorial (Canada) of Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys, Thursday, January 12
World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Sunday, January 15
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, January 18-25
Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Wednesday, January 25
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Thursday, February 2
World Day for Consecrated Life, Thursday, February 2
World Day of the Sick, Saturday, February 11
Season of Lent - February 22 to April 7
Six Sundays of Lent - February 26; March 4, 11, 18, 25, April 1
Ash Wednesday, February 22
Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, February 22 (not held in 2012 because of Ash Wednesday)
World Day of Prayer, Friday, March 2
Solemnity (Canada) of Saint Joseph, Principal Patron of Canada, Monday, March 19
Annunciation of the Lord, Monday, March 26
Holy Week - April 1 to April 7
Palm Sunday, April 1
Chrism Mass, Tuesday, April 3
Holy Thursday, Thursday, April 5 (First Celebration of the Easter Triduum)
Good Friday, Friday, April 6 (Second Celebration of the Easter Triduum)
Easter Season - April 8 to May 27
Eight Sundays of Easter - April 8, 15, 22, 29; May 6, 13, 20, 27
Easter Vigil, Saturday, April 7 (Third Celebration of the Easter Triduum)
Easter Sunday, Sunday, April 8
Octave of Easter, Mercy Sunday, Sunday, April 15
World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Sunday, April 29
International Workers Day, Tuesday, May 1
Feast of Saints Philip and James, Thursday, May 3
Canada Health Day, Saturday, May 12
Feast of the Visitation, Thursday, May 31
Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, Sunday, May 20
World Communications Day, Sunday, May 20
World Day of Prayer for the Church in China, Thursday, May 24
Pentecost Sunday, Sunday, May 27
Ordinary Time II - May 28 to December 1
Twenty-Six Sundays - June 3 through to November 25
Trinity Sunday, Sunday, June 3
Corpus Christi, Sunday, June 10
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Friday, June 15
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Saturday, June 16
Birth of John the Baptist, Sunday, June 24
Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Friday, June 29
Canada Day, Sunday, July 1
Feast of Saint James, Wednesday, July 25
Feast (Canada) of Saints Anne and Joachim, Thurday, July 26
Transfiguration of the Lord, Monday, August 6
Feast of Saint Lawrence, Friday, August 10
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Wednesday, August 15
Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Friday, August 24
Feast of the Birth of Mary, Saturday, September 8
Feast of the Triumph of the Cross, Friday, September 14
Feast of Saint Matthew the Evangelist, Friday, September 21
Feast (Canada) of the Canadian Martyrs, Secondary Patrons of Canada, Wednesday, September 26
World Tourism Day, Thursday, September 27
Feast of of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels, Saturday, September 29
Thanksgiving Day in Canada, Monday, October 8
Memorial (Canada) of Saint Marguerite D'Youville, Tuesday, October 16
World Food Day, Tuesday, October 16
Feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist, Thursday, October 18
World Mission Sunday, Sunday, October 21
Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, October 28 (not celebrated in 2012 because it is Sunday)
All Saints Day, Thursday, November 1
All Souls Day, Friday, November 2
Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, Friday, November 9
Remembrance Day, Sunday, November 11
Feast of Christ the King, Sunday, November 25
Beginning Again...
The entire Liturgical Year for 2012-2013 begins again on Sunday, December 2, 2012 with the First Sunday of Advent.