St. James Parish
612 1st West S0K 4W0 Wilkie, SK, Canada

Did you know? St. James Parish has daily mass at 9am Tuesday-Friday and no pre-registration is required? Come join us for daily mass in the church or via livestream!

Father Santhosh would like to include the birthdays of our parishioners at each mass. If you wish to have your name mentioned and to be prayed for during mass on your birthday, please contact the office to be added to the list of birthdays!

11am mass, Feast of the Epiphany

Join us for our at-home Advent wreath making! Georgine's Greenhouse and Floral Design will be hosting an online Advent Wreath making tutorial. To take part for FREE, contact the parish office and reserve a kit for your family by no later than Nov 25th. Kits will be available for curb side pickup on Nov. 27th, and the online tutorial will be on Saturday, Nov. 28th. Let prepare for Advent together!

From the CWL: 2021 MEMBERSHIPS of $30 are due. This year we’ll have an EARLY BIRD DRAW from memberships that are paid by NOV. 30. A draw will be made from memberships paid by this date and that member will receive a $30 refund. Memberships can be placed in the collection baskets at the church entrances, mailed to CWL Box 152 WILKIE, given to Pat Exley, or the quickest and safest way is by etransfer to Colette Frehlich at [email protected]. Your fee will go directly into our CWL account this way. THANK YOU.

CWL ANNOUNCEMENT: The CWL CLOTHING STORE in the church basement will not reopen at this time. Please do not leave any clothing donations at the church. Sincere thanks to Julia Lange and Joyce Sutherland for the countless hours they’ve put in at the store during the past years. If you know of anyone with clothing needs, please contact Pat Exley at 843-7119. Thank you.

Lord bless our farmers with a safe and bountiful harvest.

Until we get a secretary: Mass Intentions: Send the details (Name of the donor, mention the intention, mention the date if you prefer one)as a text message Stipend: E-transfer to [email protected]

No live-streaming of mass from 4th August to 8th AugustNo live-streaming of mass from 4th August to 8th August

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, patroness of the Carmelite Order, pray for us!

Bishop Mark Hagemoen has written a letter to the faithful announcing a change in the normative age of Confirmation to Grade 6 (age 11) in our diocese, beginning... in 2021. The present practice in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon is to celebrate confirmation immediately before First Holy Communion at a combined celebration in Grade 2 (age 7). Read the bishops letter at: https://rcdos.ca//MHagemoen-to-Sask-Diocese-re-Confirmatio (File photo by Blake Sittler) See more

Happy Birthday Saint John the Baptist Died: 30 AD Feast day: June 24 (birth) August 29 (death) Patronage: convulsions, epilepsy, hailstorms, baptism, converts, ...lambs, Jordan John the Baptist was the son of Zachary and Elizabeth and cousin of Jesus. John began his ministry around age 27, preaching a message of repentance to the people of Jerusalem. He converted many and prepared the way for the coming of Jesus. He Baptized Christ, after which he stepped away and told his disciples to follow Jesus. Imprisoned by king Herod and was beheaded. https://www.portraitsofsaints.com//all-images-st-john-the- See more

Happy Fathers Day to our fearless leader Parish Priest Wilkie (Fr. Santhosh) and to all fathers, whether biological or spiritual, wherever they may be. Blessings to all the special men God has given to us!!Happy Fathers Day to our fearless leader Parish Priest Wilkie (Fr. Santhosh) and to all fathers, whether biological or spiritual, wherever they may be. Blessings to all the special men God has given to us!!

Hello everyone! As we increase the number of people able to attend mass, here are the guidelines that have been put out by our parish. We ask that you respect and follow them as this is how we will be able to get together once again to worship as a community. St. James COVID-19 Precautions and Guidelines Please STAY HOME if you are experiencing any symptoms... Parishioners who are medically vulnerable are strongly encouraged to participate in the online services The total number of people participating in the service cannot exceed 30 per cent of our seating capacity or 120 people Stay 6 FEET APART from non-family members at ALL TIMES Doors will be propped open before and after mass to minimize contact with handles Hand sanitizer stations are provided and encouraged to use when entering and exiting the church Families or family units are asked to use the main entrance of the church Families or family units (Those who have combined households) of 3 or more are encouraged to share the same bench in the main wing marked FAMILY DESIGNATED SEATING. Couples or single people are asked to sit in the side wings marked designated seating and to use the side entrances if at all possible. People should remain in place once they are seated Shaking of hands is prohibited during the sharing of peace Hymn books are removed from all pews Singing in church is discouraged at this time unless a mask is worn Microphones cannot be shared between individuals Communion will be distributed at the end of mass Families receiving communion will do a zipper like single file line and must follow the visual cues to remain 6 feet apart from non-family members Couples and single people (sitting in the side wings) will remain in their pews to receive communion Passing of offering baskets will not be permitted. Alternatives are encouraged, such as online giving options, e-transfer, or the drop off night box at the Credit Union. However, your offertory envelope will still be accepted and can be placed in a glass dish provided at each entrance. After washroom use you are encouraged to use the disinfectant spray provided to sanitize the toilet, sink handles and door knob While exiting the church please stay 6 feet apart from non-family members. You are strongly encouraged to not congregate indoors after mass but to visit outside while you social distance There is increased cleaning and disinfection of commonly contacted areas, including seating areas, doorknobs, handles, ceremonial objects, elevator buttons, railings, light switches and washroom immediately following each use of the church. Paper bulletins will not be distributed during this time Please educate yourself and your family of St. James Precautions and Guidelines to keep us all safe!

A blessed Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary to you and loved ones!

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you w...ill find rest for yourselves." -- from todays Gospel on the Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. May the mercy of the Almighty Lord bless you and be with you always and in all ways. God bless. See more

A blessed Solemnity of Corpus Christi to all! God bless you!

Hello everyone, In addition to mailing your Sunday/Monthly offerings through the Post office at Box 156, or Via drop off at the Credit Union, you now have the ...option of donating via E-transfer in three easy steps.: 1. Contacts email address: [email protected] 2. Contact name: ST JAMES CATHOLIC PARISH 3. Message (memo) Church envelope Number/or your name Thanks again for your continued support of our church during this difficult time.

I WAS ONCE A CATHOLIC... "I was a Catholic once, said the lady a few yards from me in the parking lot. Now Im a Christian and you can be one as well. She pr...eceded to hand a tract to a gentleman standing next to the opened trunk of his car. I couldnt help it. Excuse me, I said to the lady but could I too have a tract? The ladys face beamed. Are you saved?, she asked. Of course I am; Im a believing Catholic, I retorted. She looked at me as if I had bad breath or something. She continued, I was just telling this gentleman that I too was a Catholic - a Catholic for thirty-some years in fact. Now Ive found Christ and Im trying to tell everyone I know about salvation through Christ. Wow, thats really something! May I ask why you left the Church? I could tell that, by asking this question, my new acquaintance was getting excited. After all, she had probably been snubbed by dozens of people and now she has someone that she can witness to Christ. I didnt mind much either, but I tried not to show it. "You see, she said, I was born Catholic. I attended Mass every week, received the Sacraments and graduated from a Catholic school. Not once did I ever hear the gospel proclaimed. Not once! It was after the birth of my first child that a good friend of mine shared the gospel with me and I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior and became a Christian. Now I belong to a Bible-believing church and Im sharing the gospel with whomever will listen. This shocked me. You mean you belonged to the Catholic Church for over forty years and you never heard the gospel?, I said. She was getting more excited. Yes, I never once heard the gospel of salvation preached or taught or even mentioned in the Church. If you dont preach the gospel, excuse my bluntness, but youre simply not Christian. I scratched my head and said, thats strange. Ive been a Catholic all my life and I bet I hear the gospel ever week at Church. Her smile quickly faded into a look of curiosity. Maybe, Im missing something, I continued. Tell me what you mean by the gospel? The lady reached back into her purse to pull out a little tract and said, This tracts explains the simple gospel of salvation. It can be broken down into four easy steps. First, we acknowledge that we are all sinners in need of Gods forgiveness. Secondly, we recognize that only God can save us. The third step is that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for our sins and to bring us to God. And the fourth and final step is that each individual accepts Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior to be saved. I thought for a couple of seconds and said, If I could demonstrate to you that Catholics hear the gospel every Sunday, would you agree to take a closer look at the Catholic Church? Now, she knew she had me over a barrel. Prove it, she said. I excused myself for a second and ran to my car to grab a Missal. Since you have attended Mass nearly all your life, you probably remember these prayers. I flipped open to the beginning prayers of the Mass and proceeded to show her how Catholics hear, pray and live the gospel message every Sunday. The first step in my new found friends tract stated that we are all sinners in need of Gods forgiveness. After the Greeting, the Mass continues to what is known as the Penitential Rite. I read loud the text to her while she followed reading silently. I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault. In my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do. I mentioned that it is here in this section that each Catholic states publicly that he or she is individually a sinner - not merely in a general sense - but specifically in thoughts, words and deeds. You cant get much more complete than that. I continued reading, and I ask Blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and to you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. The priest reaffirms this confession of sin by praying, May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. And the whole congregation says Amen, that is, I believe. The priest continues. Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy, and finishes by saying; "Lord show us your mercy and love. And grant us your salvation. I looked at her and said, You see, we Catholics start every Mass with a public declaration of our own personal sinfulness and look to God for forgiveness. She responded, But Catholics dont believe that God alone can save them. They believe Mary and the saints will save them. I shook my head in disagreement. No, we dont. Remember what we had just read in the Mass. Catholic ask Mary, the angels, the saints and the whole congregation to pray to God for mercy on their behalf - just like I would ask you to pray for me to God. Does that mean that I look to you to save me? No, of course I dont believe that. Im just asking for your help. Besides the Gloria of the Mass proves that Catholics look to God alone to save us. I began reading the Missal emphasizing certain words to prove my point: Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us, you are seated at the right hand of the Father, receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father." Likewise, the doxology spoken just prior to communion reads, Through him, with him, in him; in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is your, almighty Father, for ever and ever. As I looked up, I could see the lady intently reading the page. She couldnt believe that she had prayed these prayers for years and never noticed what it was saying. Yet, there it was in black and white. I continued with the third step - the acknowledgment that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins and to bring us to God. The Profession of Faith reads, For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. In the Eucharistic Prayer 1, the priest prays: Remember [Lord] all of us gather here before you. You know how firmly we believe in you and dedicate ourselves to you. . . We pray to you, our living and true God, for our well-being and redemption . . . Grant us your peace in this life, save us from final damnation, and count us among those you have chosen. The prayer ends with an appeal to God for salvation through Jesus Christ: May, these and all who sleep in Christ, find in your presence light, happiness and peace. For ourselves, too, we ask some share in the fellowship of your apostles and martyrs . . . Though we are sinners, we trust in your mercy and love. Do not consider what we truly deserve, but grant us your forgiveness. Through Christ our Lord you give us all these gifts. You fill them with life and goodness, you bless them and make them holy. Similarly the second Eucharistic Prayer proclaims, Dying you [Jesus] destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory. . . Have mercy on us all; make us worthy to share eternal life with Mary, the virgin Mother of God, with the apostles and with all the saints who have done your will throughout the ages. Likewise, Eucharistic Prayer 3 reads, All life, all holiness comes from you through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, by the working of the Holy Spirit . . . Father, calling to mind the death your Son endured for our salvation, his glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven, and ready to greet him when he comes again, we offer you in thanksgiving this holy and living sacrifice. Look with favour on our your Churchs offering, and see the Victim [Christ] whose death has reconciled us to yourself . . . May he make us an everlasting gift for you and enable us to share in the inheritance of your saints . . . Lastly, the fourth Eucharistic Prayer reads, Father, you so loved the world that in the fullness of time you sent your only Son to be our Savior . . . In fulfillment of your will he gave himself up to death; but by rising from the dead, he destroyed death and restored life. In this prayer, the congregation proclaims the mystery of faith: Lord, by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free. You are the Savior of the world. You see, every week Catholics proclaim that Jesus died for them, I said to the lady who was now searching for something to say. After a brief moment of silence, she shot a response back at me. What about accepting Jesus Christ and their personal Lord and Savior? She retorted. They may be saying all this stuff, but they dont make a personal act of acceptance. What she didnt know was that I deliberately didnt mention the last step of her gospel. I explained that if Catholics dont believe what they are praying, they ought not to be publicly proclaiming it. Since we cant read the dispositions of other peoples hearts, we ought not to judge whether they truly believe what they are saying. Next, I pointed out the last step - where Catholics are accepting Jesus into their hearts. Right before communion the priest holds up the host (which is now the body, blood, soul and divinity of Our Lord under the appearances of bread and wine) and prays. This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper. And the congregation responds, Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed. I looked straight into the ladys eyes and said, It is here that all those who are prepared to receive Jesus Christ walk up to the front of the church but they dont just believing in Christ or merely asking Jesus into their hearts. They dont? She asked. No, I answered, they receive that same Christ who died on the cross on Calvary into their mouth and into their stomachs - body, blood, soul and divinity - and become one with him in an unspeakable way. Now thats accepting Christ! She didnt have a response. Im not sure that she had ever really thought about the Mass and Christs real presence in the Eucharist because she appeared to be both surprised and intrigued. I gave her my phone number and invited her to a study group I was heading in the neighborhood which examined the Biblical foundation for Catholic doctrine. As we departed, I couldnt help but wonder how many other people, like my new friend, left the Church thinking that it had nothing to say about salvation. Yet the richness of the liturgy of the Mass and even more so Christs real substantial presence in the Eucharist so outshines our separated brethrens low church prayer services that there is no comparison! Credit to: Father Emmanuel Anyan

Friends, today we celebrate the wondrous feast of the Ascension of the Lord. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the beginning of this great revolution b...y which God binds together earth and heaven. And the Ascension carries that revolution to a new pitch. (While many churches celebrated the Ascension on Thursday, those in some countries, such as the United States, have shifted the celebration to today.)

Live mass on right now!

Today starts the novena to the Holy Spirit leading up to Pentecost!

Part 3 of the St. Josephs colony history!

Love mass on Parish Priest Wilkie page tomorrow morning!

St. Isidore, patron saint of farmers, pray for us!

Bishop Mark Hagemoen today issued an update about what to expect when public celebrations of Mass resume -- including a gradual process in line with public heal...th directives about gathering size, while also depending on circumstances in each parish. Read Bishop Marks letter to the faithful here: https://rcdos.ca//MHagemoen-to-Sk-Diocese-COVID-19-Phased- We know the desire to return to your parishes, participate in the liturgy, and receive the Eucharist is incredibly strong, but we ask that everyone approach this reopening with a patient, loving and charitable mindset."- Bishop Mark Hagemoen. See more

Today is a great day of celebration in the church as we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Fatima! Watch this short video for a little background and the message from Our Lady herself:

Join the diocese in celebrating Bishop Marks 30th anniversary of ordination into the priesthood tomorrow, May 12th!

On the Parish Priest Wilkie page

Stories from St. Josephs Colony - Part 2...Early figures and vision of the colony.

Updates coming on phasing-in plan for parishes.

Here is Bishop Mark Hagemoens homily at the Mass Friday, May 1 on the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, when our diocese was re-consecrated to the Blessed Virgin... Mary, asking for prayers and protection during the COVID-19 pandemic -- or you can watch and pray the whole Mass at saskatoonmass.com See more

A Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is part of Friday campaign of prayer and fasting in our diocese for an end to COVID-19. These Heart of Jesus materials w...ere first developed and then shared by the diocese of Calgary... and have been adapted slightly for our diocese. Thank You to our sister diocese for sharing this initiative of prayer and thanksgiving to all who are providing health care, services and sacrifices during the pandemic! Let us pray! See more