Soul Health V

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

Dear Companions in the Risen Christ,

Gospel Trivia: “Companions” literally means “together in bread,” and so we are. Hence “Holy Communion.”

Engage for Easter! Put your faith into action. Please read further below about:

How to participate and contribute to our Parish Food Drive this week, for Le Pont and the Manna Food Bank in Verdun. How to join Friday as an instrument of hope with the people of Nova Scotia in their grief.

Carpe Diem! Seize the Day, or the opportunity, that isolation provides to lean on and strengthen your faith. “One reaction (to isolation) is to embrace more love in our lives and to find new ways to express it” (Our Archbishop – see item 4). I would like to offer a 6-week Adult Faith Formation opportunity via Zoom. This should be of assistance to you and our parish.

Also:

4. If by Friday you haven’t received a call from the parish to check-in, please let me know by replying.

5. Thank You all parishioners who have dropped weekly offering envelopes into the parish office mail slot. If you haven’t, please remember that our financial needs continue – we can pick-up contributions next Wednesday during the food drive pick-ups. Please leave a message on the parish number with your address and phone number.

6. “Montrealers, you are not alone”, wonderful insights of our Archbishop Lépine in The Gazette:

https://tinyurl.com/ybc4fcv8

The excellent monthly devotional aid Magnificat has offered us FREE copies of the May edition. They contain the daily mass readings, reflections, and so much more. Full disclosure: I sometimes draw my weekday homily ideas from there. Please reply if we can drop a copy off at your door next Wednesday.

Pope Francis’ beautiful homily for last Sunday’s Divine Mercy Feast:

https://tinyurl.com/y84sn89d

In response to the Nova Scotia massacre, I will be offering this Friday at 1pm the Mass for the Dead, and for all the people affected. Tomorrow I will send out some specifics on how to join in spiritually, as well as a brief reflection.

It would be mutually encouraging to participate in an Adult Faith Education program, particularly during lockdown. If you are at all interested, and I encourage you to consider this, please take 3 minutes to complete the survey to give me a better idea of what best works:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/68QVRCH

It would involve six sessions on Zoom where we would watch a video clip, reflect and discuss, beginning the first week of May. If there’s enough interest (and I hope there is), I could offer two parallel programs at different times to suit different needs. We will use the excellent material of the engaging Bishop Barron, the best known priest in the English-speaking world.

PARISH FOOD DRIVE

Last week, having seen at least 100 people lined up at the local Food Bank, and having received a request from Le Pont, the new Diocesan refugee temporary home, I have discussed with a couple of you how we can respond. We are having a PARISH FOOD DRIVE, with our St. Vincent de Paul Society. This provides an opportunity for each of us to support our neediest of neighbors, to engage your friends inviting their help, and to participate as a community even under lockdown:

HOW:

Call the parish number (514) 768-4741 by this Monday (Apr. 27), leaving a message with phone number and address for Wednesday food pick-up from your doorstep (within Lasalle, Ville-Emard and Verdun). You’ll receive a callback to confirm details. Or drop food off on the Rectory steps (980 Moffat) during the day Tuesday (non-perishable only) or Wednesday (anything). Cash or cheques in envelopes marked “Food Drive”, or your parish envelope offerings can also be safely slipped through the Rectory mailbox or picked up.

Requirements:

For Le Pont

https://www.diocesemontreal.org/en/archdiocese/le-pont :

· Chicken or other meat, fresh vegetables and fresh fruit, vegetable oil, Bread, peanut butter, Eggs, Yogurt, Milk, snacks for children

· Maintenance and Disinfection products for the residence

· Disinfectant spray (Lysol), Wet disinfectant wipes, Disinfectant, antibacterial liquid or spray, Hydroalcoholic solution for hands

For the local Food Bank: everything else

Please, please put the Le Pont donations in separate bags/boxes from the Food Bank, so I don’t have to sort and separate.

P.S. No donations can be past their ‘Best Before’ or ‘Expiry’ dates. (To do otherwise is distinctly unhelpful and contradicts Catholic Social teaching).

Thanks in advance for meeting this desperate need in these difficult times.

Finally,

With my wishes for a continued joyous Easter season amidst these unsettling times.

In the Risen Christ,

Fr. Robert+
Pastor
St. Thomas More Parish, Verdun