St. Leo the Great Parish, Brooklin
130 Watford St L1M 1H2

Our fellow parishioners, as you know our NET team are living at a cottage at Manresa in Pickering this year. The air in this older cottage is very dry as the furnace is on for longer periods of time throughout the day and the team is in need of a humidifier to help with the air quality. If you have one that you can donate to the parish for the team to use, please contact the office. Thank You.

There is something compelling to me about the idea of surviving seemingly impossible situations, to emerge victorious in unlikely places. It was this desire for... adventure that drove much of my pursuits as a young adult: wild outdoor adventures, triathlons, travel, and furthering my education and career. But that feeling I got when I finished a race or reached a summit always left me wanting. Could I have done it faster? Now that I had conquered this trail or traveled to that place, what would be the next challenge? What could I do next to advance my career? The world’s pursuits are simply not enough to satisfy the human heart, which is made for Eternity. At the root of my desire for adventure was a deep longing to participate in the victory that comes from the Paschal mystery Jesus’ promise that even in the face of death, the ultimate situation of impossibility, comes Life Eternal. The journey toward Heaven is life’s greatest adventure. Living as a faithful Catholic, pursuing all the things I enjoyed, I often remarked on how much I loved my life. And I trusted God had a plan for my vocation as well, but wasn’t asking him about it very intentionally. All I knew was that I longed to give my love to another and to continue experiencing adventure in that gift. In my late 20s, I encountered young, vibrant religious women. I hadn’t considered religious life as an option for my life. As I saw the way they loved, I felt like that part of my heart that desired wild adventure was prodded. What they lived seemed impossible, yet I could see their peace and their joy. Even though I was scared of what the answer might be, I finally had the courage to ask: Jesus, how are you calling me to spend my life and my love? Slowly my heart opened to the possibility of consecration. As I began to more intentionally discern religious life, I went on retreat with the Sisters of Life. Their charism, which proclaims the goodness of every human life, resonated deeply with my heart, filled with the desire to live fully alive and draw others into the joy of knowing life’s goodness. Jesus always speaks in a language we can understand and pursues our hearts in a way that is extremely personal. During a game of ultimate frisbee with the sisters, I received a significant grace. I watched a sister look for a place to pass the frisbee. Finding none, she launched it with abandonment into the endzone, trusting someone would break away and catch it. And that’s exactly what happened! I saw clearly what I had been living: it was as if I was standing with my heart in my hands, looking around for where I was supposed to throw it next, but couldn’t see a clear opening, so I was just holding on to it. That’s where I knew the Lord was inviting me to just toss Him my heart with abandonment. He loves us too much to fumble our hearts. No matter how wild the pass, He will always make that catch and we will always win. As I knew so well, victory is even sweeter when it comes in an impossible place. And so, with confidence in His desire to lead me to victory, I focused on simply launching Him my heart every day as I continued to ask Him about my vocation. His pursuit of my heart was gentle and always revenced my freedom. It came at a time and in a way that I could receive and respond. First and foremost, it was an invitation of love: to be loved by Jesus and set apart to love Him with a totally undivided heart. Religious are called to be a visible sign to the world that each human person is made for Eternity. We are that sign because we have the gift of living Heaven now, through the gift of our consecration. As I pondered this beautiful mystery, I realized it was exactly what I longed for. I don’t just love life; I am in love with Life. The only appropriate response was to give my whole self to that Love, who was inviting me to be totally his. I entered the Sisters of Life in 2017 and on August 4, 2020, I professed the vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and to protect and enhance the sacredness of every human life. As a spouse of Jesus Christ and as a Sister of Life, my heart has found the freedom and adventure it always longed for an adventure that leads to Heaven and brings Christ to life in the world each day. In living this identity as a religious, the Lord gave me a new name: Sr. Beata Victoria, Latin for Blessed Victory. It is a great gift to receive anew each day that Christ has already won and we were made to share in His eternal victory a victory the world cannot give. We will be going live on Saturday December 12th at 9 pm EST on Instagram to hear Sr. Beata Victoria share her story and answer your questions! Feel welcome to submit a question on our stories! Follow @yes.catholic on Instagram to join the live on Saturday and hear more inspiring stories!

EDGE NIGHT TOMORROW!! Fun night VIA ZOOM, 6:30-8:30PM! Bring your ugly Christmas sweaters!! BEST sweater gets a price!!

We thank all parish volunteers for continuing to make essential contributions to parish life during the pandemic! On Wednesday, November 4 (memorial of St. Char...les Borromeo), please join Cardinal Thomas Collins at St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica for a special Mass to celebrate our volunteers. The Mass begins at 7:30 a.m. and will be livestreamed on www.stmichaelscathedral.com/live #catholicTO

Hey everyone!! We will be doing IMPACT TODAY via ZOOM! Grades 9-12 This is the Zoom link! just press on the link and it should send you straight to the meeting! ZOOM LINK- https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82635072256... We hope you guys can join us, God bless!!

Please read this important message regarding our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day MASS schedule. Everyone who plans to attend will be required to register online in advance given the strict capacity limits still in place and there cannot be any exceptions to this policy. Details on how to register will be posted on our Facebook page Thursday December 17. ... Christmas Eve 3PM, 5PM & 7PM Christmas Day 9AM & 11AM

Hey guys!! Maria will be giving her testimony this weekend!! SATURDAY after 4:30PM mass SUNDAY after 9AM mass

Please refer to these important messages from St. Leo's St. Vincent De Paul (SSVP)

Letter from the Cardinal https://www.archtoronto.org//letter-from-cardinal-collins-

Hey everyone!!! For Impact this week, we will be having an ugly Christmas sweater day via ZOOM! BEST SWEATER GETS A PRICE!!!!! Join Zoom Meeting... https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89629368714 Meeting ID: 896 2936 8714 Passcode: 402257

IMPORTANT NOTICE: As you may have read or heard in the press on Friday, there are additional restrictions being placed on places of worship in the Toronto area. All masses in Toronto and Peel will be cancelled for 28 days starting Monday. However York Region and Durham will remain at 30% capacity which means no additional restrictions for our parish at this time.... If there are additional requests from the York or Durham medical officers of health, the direction will be reviewed. ----------------------- Short Litany to Our Blessed Mother Our Lady, Queen of Peace, pray for us. Our Lady, Comforter of the Afflicted, pray for us. Our Lady, Help of Christians, pray for us. Our Lady, Health of the Sick, pray for us. Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, pray for us. Our Lady, Queen of Heaven and Earth, pray for us. Amen.

The St. Leo's Catholic Women's League & the Knights of Columbus would like to extend a big THANK YOU to our generous parishioners for their non perishable food donations for St. Vincent Palotti Kitchen in Oshawa. St. Vincent's was so very appreciative to receive the large donation. Although the Kitchen is closed during Covid, they continue to distribute groceries to those in need and our donations will definitely help them out.

Someone needs your prayers! All Souls Day is 9 days away (November 2nd), and we invite you to pray this novena for our dearly departed and all holy souls in purgatory Folded hands.