Holy Family Catholic Church, Bolton
60 Allan Drive L7E 1P7 Bolton, ON, Canada

WITH GRATITUDE... Thank you for supporting our church. Your financial support will enable us to maintain the life of our parish. For those who would like to give an offering please click on the button to learn more about the options available. https://community.archtoronto.org/page.aspx?pid=403

YEAR OF ST. JOSEPH Reflection 3 Especially during these times of COVID, we can take comfort in his guidance. ... We see that Saint Joseph is an obedient father, as the Holy Father recalls Joseph’s acceptance of his divine vocation following the announcement of the angel: Joseph’s response was immediate: ‘When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him’ (Mt 1:24). Obedience made it possible for him to surmount his difficulties and spare Mary. He noted further that, In every situation, Joseph declared his own fiat, like those of Mary at the Annunciation and Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. In his role as the head of a family, Joseph taught Jesus to be obedient to his parents (cf. Lk 2:51). We find that Saint Joseph is an accepting father, as the Holy Father writes, Joseph’s attitude encourages us to accept and welcome others as they are, without exception, and to show special concern for the weak, for God chooses what is weak (cf. 1 Cor 1:27). Saint Joseph is a creatively courageous father, as the Holy Father says, noting that God always finds a way to save us, provided we show the same creative courage as the carpenter of Nazareth, who was able to turn a problem into a possibility by trusting always in divine providence. He reminds us that we must learn that same care and responsibility. We must learn to love the child and his mother, to love the sacraments and charity, to love the Church and the poor. We know Saint Joseph as a working father, who engaged in the work of forming God’s own son. Saint Joseph was a carpenter who earned an honest living to provide for his family. From him, Jesus learned the value, the dignity and the joy of what it means to eat bread that is the fruit of one’s own labour. Finally, the Holy Father writes that Saint Joseph is a father in the shadows, one who found happiness not in mere self-sacrifice but in self-gift. In him, we never see frustration but only trust. His patient silence was the prelude to concrete expressions of trust. St. Joseph: An Example for All Husbands Sr. Miriam James, Ascension Presents https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoBGOhk6iSE

Morning prayer Heaven Father, may you continue to give me comfort in my times of trial. Oh Loving Father, help me to be always grateful. Help me to cherish You, my Lord and God. Thank you for this life I have in Christ my Savior. Thank you for the hope of life everlasting. Almighty and Merciful Father, help me to be thankful and appreciative of Your glorious blessings.

26 November, 2020 Thursday Gospel: Luke 21:20-28 ...Continue reading

PRAYER TIME AT HOLY FAMILY... No public Mass is celebrated during lockdown. However, the church is open for a private visit and prayer. Monday and Wednesday: 10 am - 2.00 pm... 6.00 pm - 9.00 pm Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 10.00 am - 2.00 pm Saturday and Sunday: 10.00 am - 1.00 pm Our staff onsite welcomes anyone who drops in the church (Thank you Danielle, Diego and Aisling for taking turns and of course our beloved Lydia!) Come anytime and pray/ light a candle. Stay for few minutes of prayer. Rule of no more than 10 people is in place at all time. God bless you! Welcome home! PLEASE SHARE!

15 October, 2020 Thursday Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church... Gospel: Luke 11:47-54 Jesus’ enemies are like those who killed the prophets of old Jesus said, Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed. So you are witnesses and approve of the deeds of your ancestors; for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ so that this generation may be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation. Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering. When he went outside, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile toward him and to cross-examine him about many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say. ----- Reflection: "One of the key moments in Edith Stein’s conversion happened on a mid-week afternoon. She went into a Catholic Church to see what it was like, and as she sat there in silence, an older woman came in to spend a few moments with Christ in the Eucharist. She had groceries in her hand and was obviously on her way home to prepare dinner. For young Edith, still struggling with belief in God, it was an example of just how grounded in day-to-day reality the Catholic faith is. The woman’s example helped to open Edith’s heart and mind to receive the gift of faith. There is little chance that woman ever knew the importance her example played in helping form this future saint and patronness of Europe, but the woman’s authentic faith was just what Edith needed to see. Our living witness is critical for those around us, whether or not we ever see or hear of the consequence. We can serve as an occasion of grace, or we can be a stumbling block on the path that delays someone from arriving at the place God wants to lead them." ------- Conversation with Christ: Lord, I know that I am an integral part in your plan to save souls. You have the confidence to use me as a channel of your grace for those around me, particularly those closest to me. I offer you my life today. Use me as a channel of grace and a testimony to your love." (Fr. Daniel Ray) ------ Holy Family Thursday -10.00 am Mass -6.15 pm Confessions -7.00 pm - Confirmation ******** Please remember: Physical distance Wear Wash

25 November, 2020 Wednesday Gospel: Luke 21:12-19 ... Dangers to be faced by disciples, before the Lord’s return Jesus said to his disciples: Before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defence in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls. ----- Reflection: By your endurance you will gain your souls. It is one of those floating phrases that can apply to many situations. It is echoed earlier in Luke in different context, where the seed bore fruit through endurance. (Lk 8:15). The term endurance (hypomon) is today expressed by hanging in there and denotes perseverance, consistency, dependability. In hard times we must show loyalty to God by endurance. We are helped in this, for Jesus promises I will give you a wisdom which none of your opponents can contradict. During hard times his love and fidelity will sustain us, so that our efforts can bear good fruit. Those who endure will, says Revelation, join in the victorious song of the people who crossed the Red Sea. Like those who followed Moses over sea and desert, we too may find it hard going at times. The Lord inspires us to push onward and persevere. Mighty and wonderful are your works Righteous and true are your ways, O King of the nations! The quality of endurance that helps us onward towards the promised land, is finely expressed by the Latin translation of Saint Jerome: in patientia vestra possidebitis animas vestras, By your patience you will possess your souls. ----- Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are my strength! I cling to you now in prayer, sure that you never leave me during the day. I place before you my little sufferings and my greater sufferings: all things that you have permitted in my life to make me a better witness to your truth and your love. Amen (Fr. Adam Zettel, LC) ----- Holy Family Wednesday - No public Mass *Church open for private prayer: from 10.00 am until 1.00 pm AND from 6.00 pm - 9.00 pm. Please stop by to pray few moments/light a candle. Stay healthy and safe! Private Mass will be offered today for: Raffaele Cugliari Requested by his wife and family ------ We remember in our prayers today all who are ill and suffer, especially Marie Demeis, mother of Darlene Avram. Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be ....

24 November, 2020 Tuesday Gospel: Luke 21:5-11 ... Take care not to be misled about the end of the world When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down. They asked him, Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place? And he said, Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them. When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately. Then he aid to them, Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. ---- Reflection: We are left wondering, What is it that will last? and Will anything endure? To these questions the Lord answers, ‘Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.’ His words and his values will endure. When all else fails, the Lord will still be there. His love for us endures, even when our response to him may be full of fits and starts. One of St Paul’s great insights is: Even if we are faithless, he remains faithful. Our God will surely have the last word. --- Prayer: Lord Jesus, while I live in the midst of a material world with many beautiful things, help me use them to draw me closer to you. Let there be nothing that distracts me from what is truly beautifulyou alone! (Fr. Adam Zettel, LC) ------ Holy Family Tuesday - No public Mass *Church open for private prayer: from 10.00 am until 1.00 pm. Please stop by to pray few moments/light a candle. Stay healthy and safe! *Private Mass will be offered today for: Marianna Iwankewycz Requested by Molly Jakeman

23 November, 2020 Monday Gospel: Luke 21:1-4 ... The widow’s mite is worth a fortune Jesus looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on. --- Reflection: The widow who gives her all to support the temple reminds us of how Jesus who went on to give all he had, his very life, for others. Although what she gave had little monetary value, her gift meant more than the larger gifts of others, because she gave all she had. Generosity of spirit is not easy to measure. People who seem to be doing little may actually be making more effort than others who seem to be doing a lot. At the end of the day, only the Lord can measure generosity, because he alone knows what each is capable of giving. Whereas we can measure only what is tangible and visible, God looks deeper, into the heart. The widow’s coins would make little impression on those who saw them, but her gift so impressed Jesus that he singled her out as an example. Even when we feel we have little to offer, actually giving that little is what the Lord wants of us. ---- Prayer: Lord Jesus, awaken me to all you are for me, and let me realize all that you have given me. May I never cease to thank you through my self-giving. You are my living and constant invitation to be more generous, to give more often, and with more love. Open my heart, Lord, to your work! Amen ----- Holy Family Monday - No public Mass *Church open for private prayer, with 10 person rule on, from 10.00 am until 2.00 pm and from 6.00 pm to 9.00 pm. Today, Father Andrew will offer private Mass for special intention for Gaby Orbe (requested by her Elizabeth & Diego Orbe). Have a nice day!

14 October, 2020 Wednesday Gospel: Luke 11:42-46... Jesus said to the Pharisees, Woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herb of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love to have the seat of honour in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces. Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realising it. One of the lawyers answered him, Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us too. And he said, Woe also to you lawyers! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not lift a finger to ease them. ---- Reflection: "Sometimes life’s burden seems to weigh heavily on us; at other times it feels lighter. The Lord wants us to carry each other’s burdens, but the opposite can easily happen, so that we burden them instead. He accuses the lawyers of burdening people instead of trying to help them. Their version of the Jewish Law had was distorted. Rather than a pathway to life, the Law was a heavy weight on an overburdened people. Jesus did not come to make people feel more guilty. Instead he invited them, ‘Come to me, and I will give you rest.’ If the gospel sometimes feels demanding, it is in order to be more loving in our relationships. We are not meant to feel burdened by this duty. The loving Lord who wants us to have life to the full gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit to know that his way leads to eternal life." ----- Prayer: "Dear Lord, You have brought me to the beginning of a new day. As the world is renewed fresh and clean, so I ask You to renew my heart with Your strength and purpose. Forgive me the errors of yesterday and bless me to walk closer in Your way today. This is the day I begin my life anew; shine through me so that every person I meet may feel Your presence in me. Take my hand, precious Lord for I cannot make it by myself. Amen." ------- Holy Family Wednesday -10.00 am - 4.00 pm - *Church open for private prayer/light a candle *Parish office open -7.00 pm - Mass ----- Physical distance Wear Wash -----

13 October, 2020 Tuesday Gospel: Luke 11:37-41... While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine with him; so he went in and took his place at the table. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not first wash before dinner. Then the Lord said to him, Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? So give for alms those things that are within; and see, everything will be clean for you. ---- Reflection: "We know from experience how people have differing priorities. What motivates me may seem trivial to someone else. We can get upset when something we regard as important is not taken seriously by someone near to us. The ritual of washing in a certain way before meals was clearly of more importance to his host than it was to Jesus. They had differing priorities. Rituals like washings mattered less to him than the values and attitudes in our hearts. He turns to conversation to another Jewish practice, almsgiving, the willingness to give to those in need. Rather than some version of Cleanliness is next to godliness, he is implying that what matters most is love. Perhaps what we think vital is not necessarily so. What we seek is not always what Christ values. We must let him mould us more than we do, if we are to put on the mind of Christ. We pray that our priorities may reflect the Lord’s own priorities." ----- Prayer: "Dear God, I pray that I will stay focused on You today. I pray that You will constantly remind me to be content in all of my circumstances. I pray that You will fill me up that I may be joyful all day, even if stress creeps in. I know that through my contentment, You will be glorified. I want to honor You, Father, in all that I do. Amen." ------ Holy Family Tuesday -10.00 am - Mass

12 October, 2020 Monday Gospel: Luke 11:29-32... The Ninevites and the queen of Sheba will blame Jesus’ generation When the crowds were increasing, Jesus began to say, This generation is an evil generation; it asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here! The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here! ----- Reflection: When people came to Jesus looking for a sign he said the signs were in plain view if only they could see them. His own message and lifestyle was all the sign they needed, to open their hearts to God. The people of Nineveh took Jonah more seriously than Jesus’ hearers were taking him, yet he was a more powerful sign of God’s presence than Jonah. Something greater than Jonah is here. The queen of Sheba listened to Solomon more attentively than Jesus’ hearers did to him, but Jesus could teach them more than Solomon could. In looking for the extraordinary, we can miss the divine presence in ordinary things. Jesus seemed ordinary to his neighbours. ‘Is not this the son of the carpenter? When he spoke about God’s kingdom, he did so in simple terms, like the sower going out to sow or the man who was robbed on the road Jericho, or the weeds that grow among the field of wheat. He said that signs of God’s presence are in the ordinary stuff of life, for those who have eyes to see. Right now we pray for eyes to see the mystery. ----- Prayer: "Lord, you know how easily I get swept up in the pace of life, how I seek clarity, affirmation, consolations, and assurances through the seductions of worldly comforts, wealth, and popularity. I have so many concerns in temporal realities that I forget to open my eyes to the marvels of your grace that actively shape my life. Open the eyes of my heart to recognize that following only you and your will gives lasting fruitfulness. Help me desire to treasure every word you have revealed to me of yourself in Scripture to discern and follow your will. " (Lucy Honner) --------- Holy Family Thanksgiving Monday -10.00 am Mass

Happy and healthy Thanksgiving! This weekend we welcomed 507 people at all Masses. 19 children received their 1st Holy Communion and 4 infants were baptized. Welcome families! God bless you!! We strictly follow all health, safety and sanitization regulations. Thank you for your cooperation!

11 October, 2020 Sunday Gospel: Matthew 22:1-14...Continue reading

Blessed Carlo Pray for us! Every Eucharist gives us a foretaste of the heavenly feast. It is a moment of thanksgiving even in difficult times - in worrying times. Yes- perhaps even more now than ever. ... A young Italian teenager - blessed Carlo Acutis who was oficvialyvdeclsred by the Church ss blessed today in Assissi - the city he loved and has been burtued on, stands up as a reminder of God's loving presence in our daily lives. He is known to have called the Eucharist his highway to heaven. A priest leading his beatification cause wrote: We know about Carlo that one of his great pillars was the Eucharist and the other was the Madonna, the Virgin, From his adolescence, Carlo prayed the rosary daily and in addition to other devotions, frequently spent time in Eucharistic adoration. He said when we face the sun we become tan... but when we place ourselves in front of the Eucharistic Jesus we become saints. Blessed Carlo was concerned by people growing distant to the Church and the sacraments and he wanted to bring them back. This witness says: Carlo managed to drag his relatives, his parents to Mass every day. It was not the other way around; it was not his parents bringing the little boy to Mass, but it was he who managed to get himself to Mass and to convince others to receive Communion daily, This new blessed of our Church is given to us in this time of Thanksgiving. Every time we celebrate Mass we give thanks and entrust our days to God. Let us be inspired to give thanks for God aboundand love and for each other - as we journey in faith.

Welcome to Francesco!

Through the Sacrament of Baptism we welcome a beautiful girl, Irena!. God bless the family!

Congratulations! God bless our 1st Holy Communion children!

Congratulations to our children receiving their 1st Holy Communion: - Saturday morning (8 children) -Sunday at noon (9 children) Welcome families!

10 October, 2020 Saturday Gospel: Luke 11:27-28... While Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!; But he said, Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it! ----- Reflection: "Today we have the shortest gospel in the Lectionary, just two verses long. The brief exchange between Jesus and a woman is intriguing. A woman in the audience was so taken by his teaching that she spontaneously shouted out a blessing on Jesus’ mother. She declared Mary blessed because for being the mother of this prophet and healer, Jesus. While our Lord held his mother the highest regard, he expands the blessing to a much wider group. Even more blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it, he says. In that wider group, Jesus’ mother played a prominent part. More than anyone, Mary heard the word of God and kept it. Her mindset was always, Let it be to me according to your word. If the mother of Jesus is blessed, it is not merely in her physical motherhood but because she devoted herself to hearing and doing God’s word. If we can do likewise, we will share in that lovely blessing." ------- Prayer: "We come with confidence to You, O Throne of Grace and Mother of Fair Love. Inflame us with the same Divine Fire which has inflamed Your own Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. Make our hearts and homes Your shrine, and through us, make the Heart of Jesus, together with your rule, triumph in every heart and home. Amen." ------- Holy Family Saturday -10.00 am - Mass (1st Holy Communion) -12.00 noon - Baptism -2.00 pm - Baptism -4.15 pm - Confessions 5.00 pm - Mass Sunday -8.30 am - Mass -10.00 am - Mass -12.00 noon - Mass (1st Communion)*** (Please consider coming to Mass other than 12.00 noon so we can accomodate our 1st Communion families.) -1.30 pm - Baptism -2.00 pm - Baptism Thanksgiving Monday -10.00 am Mass ************************** While coming to church this weekend please know that we continue to keep our sacred place healthy and sanitized for all. We are a conrtolled space and strictly observe at all time: *Physical distance *Wearing *Washing and sanitizing Thank you and let us keep healthy and safe! See you soon! ****************

From the Archdiocese: "This afternoon, the Province of Ontario announced new restrictions in Toronto, Ottawa and Peel Region relating to Covid-19 for the next 28 days to minimize the potential spread of the virus. This includes the closure of indoor dining at restaurants, bars, fitness centres and a number of other businesses. At this time, the announcement does not impact places of worship and we can continue to offer spiritual services and programming with the current measu...res in place. To be clear, while the announcement does not affect churches at present, we have seen a recent increase in cases across the province and must continue to be extremely vigilant with our health and safety measures that have served us well since our re-opening in June. It is in the best interest of our province and parishioners that we make every effort to collectively flatten the curve to ensure that we can remain open in the days ahead." (....) While coming to church this weekend we continue to keep our sacred place healthy for all parishioners. We strictly observe: *Physical distance *Wear *Wash Thank you and let us keep healthy and safe!

October 9, 2020 FRIDAY Gospel: Luke 11:15-26... Some of the people said about Jesus, He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons. Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven. But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert, and house falls on house. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?, for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armour in which he trusted and divides his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ When it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first. ------ Reflection: In ordinary ways Some people put Jesus to the test by asking for a sign from heaven. They want him to perform some spectacular miracle, to prove his credentials, but are completely blind to the presence of God in the ministry of Jesus itself. Jesus declares that it is by the finger of God that he drives demons out of people. God is powerfully at work in his ministry if only people had eyes to see it. There is no need for Jesus to do a spectacular sign. Some seem to be obsessed with the unusual and the miraculous. It would be a great pity if we fail to see how the Lord is present among us in and through the goodness of others, in and through people’s quiet prayerfulness. We can miss the deeper dimension of the everyday and the familiar. I think of the poet Joseph Mary Plunkett who wrote, I see his blood upon the rose and in the stars the glory of his eyes. Nature spoke to him of Christ. The best of human nature and human relationships can speak to us even more powerfully of the Lord. ---- Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, I know that you are knocking at the door of my heart. I ask you to come in and make my soul your dwelling place. I have been made to be a dwelling place of the Blessed Trinity, and I desire that fullness of life. Amen ----- Holy Family Friday -10.00 am - Mass