Perth Huron Crossroads Catholic Youth Ministry

This really spoke to my heart today. Some days are pretty hard for us all :

This letter, for First Communion children from last year , went home from the schools today. Looking forward to seeing all of you. I wish to thank you for your patience :

Check out our new website : phccatholic.com Please note it’s still under construction.

Today’s Reflection : Many are invited, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:14) Does this sentence give you a chill? Maybe it makes you wonder, I hope I get chosen for heaven. Or maybe you question the justice in it. If God has already invited people, why would he not choose them? Today’s parable offers some answers.... First, we hear about a king who decided to look elsewhere when the first set of invitees refused to come to his son’s wedding and abused his messengers. Those who were invited were not worthy to come, he said (Matthew 22:8). Then, we see him telling his servants to go invite everyone they could find. Look at the worthiness of the king’s initial invitees. They turned out to be murderers, so the king probably knew they weren’t worthy to begin with. But that didn’t matter. Even if they had a sinful past, that did not have to disqualify them. By accepting the invitation and making their way toward the banquet hall, they would have placed themselves on the path of repentance and new life. The same is true of the second group, which was made up of the bad and good alike (Matthew 22:10). They were not bound by whatever they had done or failed to do earlier. The same is true for you. Your worthiness is not based on whether you have done everything right. You become worthy as you accept his invitation. Every step you take that brings you closer to the heavenly banquet hall makes you more worthy. It weaves another thread of the garment of holiness that all the saints in heaven wear. God invites everyone to his banquet. His light shines on the bad and the good and on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45). Ever and always, he is calling out, urging, even begging us to come to him. Everyone is called; may we all accept the invitation so that we can be counted among the chosen (Matthew 22:14). Thank you, Jesus, for inviting me to your banquet! Help me to choose to live for you this day.

First Communion tonight !! Thanks to Amy Cronin our trustee for being our lector , Grade three teacher Erin Kelly for commentating ,Cheryl Anne St Onges for the beautiful music , Laurie Ash for helping with intake , Gaby Costello for intake. Thank you to everyone for your support and patience. It was such a beautiful celebration :

Friends, I invite you to carefully read Pope Francis's newest encyclical, Fratelli tutti. The Holy Father encourages us all towards a greater love for the oth...er, especially those who are oppressed or mistreated. Read the full document here: http://www.vatican.va//papa-francesco_20201003_enciclica-f See more

Todays Reflection : But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little. (Luke 7:47) The Pharisee in todays Gospel is a curious seeker after truth. So he invites Jesus to his home to investigate who he really is. As he watches Jesus with this woman, he decides that Jesus must be a fraud. If this man were a prophet, he concludes, he would know . . . that she is a sinner (Luke 7:39). But no, Jesus must be blind.... But in fact, this Pharisee is the one who cannot see. He is blind, both to the holiness of his guest and to his own sinand therefore he loves little (Luke 7:47). We never hear what became of this Pharisee. Did his heart melt when Jesus rebuked him? Were his eyes opened? Did he turn to God in humble repentance? We just dont know. What we do know is that every day God offers us a moment of grace similar to what he offered to this man. So how will we respond to the holy presence of Jesus today? Its easy to experience the same blindness as this teacher of Israel, a blindness to the holiness of God and to the way our sins offend his holiness. We can think, Jesus understands. It doesnt matter that Im only going through the motions of praying. We might turn a blind eye to our sin and conclude, Im a pretty good person. Jesus accepts me just the way I am. Hes not judging me for yelling at my spouse. But when we think this way, we become even more blind. Worse, we miss the grace that Jesus offers usthe gift of loving and being loved by the all-holy God. As a result, our love for God can grow cold. But the converse is also true: the more we see the holiness of Jesus and the sin that lives in us, the more we will love Jesus. This woman saw what nobody else saw: the holiness and worthiness of Jesus. Even more, she allowed his brightness to blaze into the shadows of her heart. Her tears of repentance were her gift of love back to her Lord. And she walked away from dinner made new. What do you see when you look at Jesus? Open your eyes today. Jesus, help me to see how holy you are. Despite my sins, I love you, Lord.

Blessed Carlo Acutis, pray for us!

LIVE from Assisi, Italy Saturday, October 10th Watch the Beatification Mass of Venerable Carlo Acutis.

CONFIRMATION Another great video : https://youtu.be/t6MrV967_kw

CONFIRMATION : We will have name tags for each candidate before entering the church for Confirmation. We ask that they write the name of the saint they have researched on their name tag. Look forward to seeing everyone !!

CONFIRMATION: Please review the Fruits of the Holy Spirit with your child https://youtu.be/cE8896rsLJU

Sept 11 .. I remember like so many where I was this day 19 years ago . This horrible tragedy shook us all to the core. I recall hearing from some friends in the US how they kept looking into the sky expecting a mushroom cloud at any moment... and days later churches filled to the brim at every Mass and service. Priests exhausted from the long confession lines... but so grateful for the souls coming back to Jesus. I have been praying so very much through this pandemic .. fo...Continue reading

This song pulling us through the past few months!!! It's been a struggle not being able to worship together for what seems like forever...this will have to do for now!! Song: There Is A King - Chris Brown/Elevation

CONFIRMATION UPDATE # 2 Please note that candidates being Confirmed Oct 21 , 22 and 29 registered last Oct 2 2019. These candidates went through our Alpha / Confirmation program . Some had private instruction. These candidates were supposed to be Confirmed May 30, 2020 but because of Covid shut down Confirmation was delayed.

Credit:https://www.facebook.com/chuck.degroat

Camp Councillors were thought to have been gone this summer. We proved otherwise Thank you for an amazing summer CampFIRE

As of Sept 1 our Facebook page will be : PERTH HURON CROSSROADS CATHOLIC FAMILY OF PARISHES We have the weekday Masses as of Sept 1st ... Please check our on line bulletin for more details. See more

Really excited about this! Jeff Cavins is doing his Bible Study LIVE! Im hoping to sign up --- thought there might be some other interest out there.... (T...he link below has a spot for you to register.... if you want the book you need to go to the next link) To Register: https://ascensionpress.com//unlocking-the-mystery-of-the-b To buy the student book: https://www.josephsinspirational.ca//unlocking-the-mystery

Really excited about this! Jeff Cavins is doing his Bible Study LIVE! I'm hoping to sign up --- thought there might be some other interest out there.... (T...he link below has a spot for you to register.... if you want the book you need to go to the next link) To Register: https://ascensionpress.com//unlocking-the-mystery-of-the-b To buy the student book: https://www.josephsinspirational.ca//unlocking-the-mystery

Celebrating Fr Steven Eckert first Mass

Thanks be to God, please welcome Rev. Robert Renaud, Rev. Steven Eckert and Rev. Phil Guimaraes to the priesthood.

This really spoke to my heart this morning .

Feast of the Transfiguration We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven. (2 Peter 1:18) Think of the number of times a court case has been won because of compelling eyewitness testimony. Or think about how someones personal story about their faith has stirred your own faith. Clearly, eyewitnesses carry a lot of weight!... In todays second reading, Peter offers his eyewitness testimony about the Transfiguration so that his readers could deepen their belief that Jesus Christ is Lord. It wasnt a cleverly devised myth, he assures them. No, Peter was there in person and saw Jesus, a flesh-and-blood person himself, appear in majestic glory on Mount Tabor (2 Peter 1:16, 17). Though Jesus isnt with us in the same way he was with Peter, he is still revealing his glory to his people todayand you have experienced this reality. Every time you see the priest lifting up the Host at Mass, you are witnessing Jesus glory. Every time you hear the priest in Confession say, I absolve you of your sins, you are experiencing it. Every time you witness a child, or an adult for that matter, being baptized, Jesus glory shines through. It doesnt usually involve flashing lights or a full-out vision of Elijah and Moses. Its a veiled glory, but its just as real nonetheless. And that means that like Peter, you have a story to tell, a story of faith and a story of encounter with the Lord during Mass or Confession. That story could stir someone else to seek the Lord more deeply. So maybe you could observe this feast of the Transfiguration by recalling a situation in which you felt moved by Gods presence or his glory. Revisit that situation in your memory and ask if theres anyone you could share it with. Maybe a friend or family member who has fallen away from the faith could be uplifted. We wont see the transfigured Christ until the day when we meet him face-to-face. But isnt it amazing that day after day, Jesus continues to reveal his glory through the sacraments? Jesus, open my eyes and help me to see your glory today!

Dear Parishioners, During this trying time we have done our best to communicate with you . We posted Mass times on cable TV as well as announcing at Mass all upcoming changes ect. We announced that until we have someone capable of creating a bulletin online bulletins are on hold. As you all know we posted our secretary's maternity leave position for three months and as of yet the position has not been filled. We are hoping to fill this position soon.Our staff is working hard... to fill in as best they can. Also with few volunteers we were able to prepare and organize our churches to create the safest space for you at Mass. These are unprecedented times and we ask for your patience as we try to manoeuvre through this pandemic and short staff. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. Please note until further notice Sunday Masses are as follows : St James 9:00 AM and St Patrick's 11:00 AM Weekday Masses are : St James Wednesday evening 7:00 PM St Patrick's Thursday 9:15 AM See more

Introducing Deacon Steve Eckert. Deacon Steve will be ordained for the diocese of London with two other transitional deacons on Saturday, August 15th at St. Pet...er's Cathedral. To find out more about Deacon Steve check out his short bio on dolpriest.ca/people/steve-eckert And watch again his episode of Discover The Vocation on vimeo.com/429118699 Please pray for our transitional deacons as they prepare for Holy Orders to the priesthood.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CC__cpznatL/

Masks are now required to attend church in London & Middlesex. The amendment we requested ensures that temporary removal for prayers, readings, homilies and Com...munion, etc. is allowed and clarifies that these important parts of Mass would not put our ministers and the faithful in violation of the by-law. We are happy that it was written broadly and applies to all religious ceremonies, meaning synagogues, mosques, temples and others are covered as well. Windsor-Essex exempted places of worship from their order, Huron-Perth allows temporary removal with this clause "unless it is reasonably required to temporarily remove the face covering for services provided by the establishment." There are no orders or by-laws at this time in Chatham-Kent, Elgin, Haldimand, Lambton (Sarnia), Norfolk, Oxford. In these areas, masks continue to be strongly recommended by the Diocese. See more

Priestly Ordinations In a spirit of joy-filled thanksgiving, the Diocese of London and St. Peter's Seminary announce the presbyteral ordination of Rev. Mr. Steven Eckert, Rev. Mr. Phil Guimaraes and Rev. Mr. Robert Renaud. The Sacrament of Order will be celebrated by Bishop Ronald P. Fabbro, C.S.B. at St. Peters Cathedral Basilica on Saturday, August 15, 2020, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at 11:00 am. Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, attendance at the ordination, for both clergy and laity, will be invitation only. Please remember those to be ordained in your prayers.

JOB OPPORTUNITY : The clustered parishes of St. Patrick, Dublin, St. James, Seaforth, St. Patrick Kinkora and St. Vincent de Paul, Mitchell are seeking a full-time (contract) Parish Secretary to cover a maternity leave at the Dublin office. Contact Fr. Philip at [email protected] for details.

Priestly Ordinations In a spirit of joy-filled thanksgiving, the Diocese of London and St. Peters Seminary announce the presbyteral ordination of Rev. Mr. Steven Eckert, Rev. Mr. Phil Guimaraes and Rev. Mr. Robert Renaud. The Sacrament of Order will be celebrated by Bishop Ronald P. Fabbro, C.S.B. at St. Peters Cathedral Basilica on Saturday, August 15, 2020, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at 11:00 am. Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, attendance at the ordination, for both clergy and laity, will be invitation only. Please remember those to be ordained in your prayers.

Wednesday July 1st is Canada Day. Therefore weekday Mass at St James has been changed from Wednesday evening to Friday July 3 , 9:15 AM.

Great Reflection Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. (Matthew 8:8) These words are familiar to us, not just because they are in todays Gospel, but because we say a version of this Scripture each week during the Communion Rite. They invite us to recall the faith of the centurion and to receive Jesus with the kind of expectant faith he had, the faith that left Jesus amazed (Matthew 8:10). This manwho wasnt... even a Jewbelieved that Jesus had the power to heal and bring life by just one word. So lets look at his words to Jesus and see how we can make them into our own prayer. Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. I know that I dont always have the perfect home for you in my heart. It can be a struggle at times to be patient and kind, whether with kids or coworkers. I can get so caught up in the stresses and tasks required of me each day that I lose track of you. But I am so grateful that my sins and failings dont keep you away. Although Im imperfect, you still want to come into my life, into my heart, and into my soul. What a relief it is to know that you are pleased to dwell in this messy home of mine! But only say the word . . . Like the centurion, I believe that your word brings life. You are the Word made flesh, and I believe that whenever I receive you in the Eucharist, especially with expectant faith, you shower me with grace. I experience it when I have the strength to let go of a resentment or when I choose to spend a few extra minutes with you in prayer. Thank you for all the ways you are already setting things right in my life, Lord! . . . and my soul shall be healed. Lord, I believe in your healing touch. I believe in your mercy and forgiveness. What a gift it is to know that you not only desire to come to me but that you come with your merciful, healing grace! Come to me today, Lord, and heal me of anything that prevents me from welcoming you. Jesus, I am so very grateful that you are always willing to come into my heart. Thank you!

Hey Families Check This Out !!! http://www.dolcampfire.com/

Good Reflection : Why do you notice the splinter in your brothers eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? (Matthew 7:3) This image seems rather exaggerated. Obviously, we couldnt imagine walking around for even one second with a wooden beam in our eye, let alone a splinter! But Jesus often used such dramatic images to get the attention of his listeners. So why does he make such a glaring contrast between the small and the large here?... Because Jesus cares deeply about the way we perceive one another. When we focus our attention on criticizing the people around us, it can make us blind to our own faults. And its clear that Jesus considers this kind of spiritual blindness to be a very serious problem. In fact, he says that the very reason he came to earth was so that those who do not see might see (John 9:39). Think about the Pharisees Jesus rebukes later in Matthews Gospel. He calls them blind guides because they try to guide their followers behavior but dont seem to be guiding them closer to the call to love God and neighbor (23:24). What Jesus really wants us to focus on is the heart of the law; he wants us to see his heart for our neighbors. And if the wooden beam of sin is getting in the way of that, we need to see that tooand get rid of it. Jesus isnt interested in condemning us for our sin or burdening us with shame about it. He just wants us to be free of it so that we can love him more fully and see our neighbors the way he sees them. Lets face itsin obscures our vision, especially the way we look at other people. It can make us suspicious of their motives, and it can lead us to put people in negative categories. So take some time today and ask the Holy Spirit to help you to see the plank in your own eye, the sin that clouds your perception of other people. Ask the Lord to forgive you. Then let Jesus help you to see as he sees. Lord, help me to see myself and each person I will meet today in the light of your truthand the fullness of your mercy!