1- Today is a Solemnity, one of the high Feast days of the Church – The Assumption of our Lady into heaven. For simple ways to mark this truly marvelous Feast, see below.
2- Our Archbishop has requested prayers for Lebanon and that parishes take up a second collection for relief for the horrible Beirut disaster. We will do so this weekend with envelopes in the pews. For a tax receipt, mark your regular envelope number on them, or your name, or “Lebanon” on your own spare envelope. I have worked together with my fellow Lebanese-Canadian Christian and Muslim leaders to obtain 1:1 matching donations to yours, passed through a Catholic agency. You may also drop an envelope in the office mail slot so marked.
3- Our mass attendance since re-opening last month has climbed, close to pre-pandemic levels at 5pm Saturday, but still just under half those levels at 9am Sunday. I take this opportunity to thank the over two dozen volunteers who have contributed to keep us safely receiving the Sacrament of the Eucharist. It seems to have been done very smoothly thus far.
4- In two or three weeks, with the congregation during the announcements we will revisit the question of the most suitable time for Sunday morning mass.
5- Next weekend I will be renewing my prayer list. If there is anyone on the current list who need continuing prayer, or others you would like prayed for, please email me or leave a message on the parish voicemail. Separately, weekday mass intentions are arranged with Trish at the parish phone number.
6- A reminder to parents of children in catechesis: we will meet by zoom Monday, 7pm. Email for the link if you don’t have it.
7- Keeping the Feast of the Assumption:
Pope Francis today, on the Feast (1 minute read)
Consider it Thoughtfully (5 minutes)
Say the Angelus (1 minute). Daily take 3 minutes, or even 1, for the Angelus: Although the Angelus has been traditionally said three times daily, at 6 am, noon and 6 pm, you can pray it at anytime. (In my home parish growing up and even today, 10:30 Sunday mass is 90 minutes, concluding with the noon Angelus).
Pray the Rosary, particularly the glorious mysteries (note the 4th) today with these mediations. Consider joining the Tuesday evening online Rosary group for whom I am chaplain.
Join priests around the globe every evening as we all pray the Magnificat (1 minute), while contemplating Our Lady’s humility, joy and grace, and/or other Marion Antiphons as our last prayer before bed (another minute), before “the great silence begins.
Grapes, proposals and other Traditions on this Feast.
Our Lady of Lebanon, as we celebrate your glorious Assumption, pray for the people of that devastated country, and for us.
Father Robert+
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