We ran into some technical problems and so the 10.00 am Mass was not live streamed today. Sorry for the inconvenience. We hope to fix the issue and be ready to live stream Mass next Sunday.

Please find attached my homily for the second Sunday of advent.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jinto Mathew CSC

2nd Sunday of Advent

In the first reading, the Prophet Isaiah saw the anticipated end of Israel's exile and foretold about their journey home. This is what the people of God had been waiting and longing. During their exile, the prophet was commanded to give comfort to God's people telling them that God has not abandoned them in times of suffering but remained with them like a good shepherd.

How many people do we know who need to hear words of comfort?  May be many of us need it now more than ever. The comforting words of Isaiah can hold new meaning for our time as well, a renewed hope in times of great uncertainty.

Furthermore, Isaiah shared with his people the vision of a marvelous journey that God has prepared for their return. It's a journey made easier by straightening out the road, getting rid of hills and valleys, and making a smooth, level path. Every year during the season of Advent, the Church reminds us that we, too, are on a journey. All those images of traveling that we hear or read in the Bible are metaphors for the journey of life. We are all journeying. We are a pilgrim people. Where will this journey take us? Ultimately, of course, to God.

A model for us in this journey of life is our blessed mother, Mary, who is never far from our thoughts during this Advent season. This coming Tuesday we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. In the early chapters of Luke's Gospel, we see Mary embarking on some very important journeys. Immediately after saying "Yes" to God and learning that her cousin Elizabeth is going to have a child she sets out for the hill country where Elizabeth lives.

Then there are those other journeys: the one to Bethlehem with Joseph where her child would be born and then to Egypt to escape an angry, jealous king, then back to Nazareth to raise their son, Jesus.

On the feast of the Immaculate Conception once again we will hear Mary say, I am the servant of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to your word. Her trust, her confidence was so great that she could consent to whatever God had planned for her. Mary is a marvelous example for all of us as we pray this Sunday and reflect about our own life's journey.

As we think of our life journey, we are told of another journey – the journey of God towards us and the need to prepare the way of the Lord. As God drew close to the people of Israel in their history, God draws close to us in the present bringing us comfort, hope peace, love and joy.

I read about an old Irish custom of leaving a lit candle in the front window on Christmas Eve as a sign that if the Holy Family was looking for lodging this night, they would be welcome in this home. It's a beautiful thought and custom. Last Sunday we lit the candle of hope and this Sunday we light the candle of love. The next two Sundays we will light the candles of joy and peace. These candles are symbolic of the hope peace joy and love we are to cultivate in our lives.

John the Baptist invites us to prepare the way of the lord. During these days of advent maybe we can light also a candle of patience and kindness. During these days of Advent, maybe we can light also a candle of compassion and be more sensitive to the plight of people who struggle.

As we continue our preparation, and as we continue to navigate this pandemic, may we remember that Christ is the one who draws close to us, inviting us to open our minds and hearts God who comes into the ordinary living of our ordinary lives.

God of love, we trust you are with us in this challenging time. Whisper your words of comfort, encouragement, and hope to all who need them at this time. Renew our faith in you and fulfill our hopes and intentions, as we confidently pray to you, through Christ our Lord.

Fr. Jinto

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Dear Parishioners,

First of all, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for your wishes and prayers on the anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood. It was a pleasant surprise to receive the video messages and of course the wishes through email, and phone calls. All these made my anniversary day special for me. Thank you.

Mass will be live streamed from Holy Name again this Sunday at 10.00 am. You can access the live – stream on the parish website https://holynameto.archtoronto.org. I would appreciate your comments/feedback.

Fr. Jinto

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November 22, 2020

First Holy Communion.

Children who were prepared to receive Frist Communion in May of this year received First Communion with their family on October 17^th and 24 at special Eucharistic Celebrations.  Thanks for all your prayers for them and for their family.

We are still working on a plan for preparations for First Holy Communion for the year 2020-2021. We will keep you posted.

Confirmation.

Our candidates for Confirmation had been preparing by participating virtually in preparation sessions. They were confirmed at a special Eucharistic celebration on November 21^st. Thanks for all your prayers for them and for their family.

We are still working on a plan for preparations for confirmation for the year 2020-2021. We will keep you posted.

RCIA

One of the programs we offer in the Parish community is the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). This year we have 5 candidates who are preparing for the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation at Easter next year. We also have one candidate who is preparing to be received into the full communion of the Catholic Church. Next Sunday, they will participate virtually in the Rites Acceptance and Welcome and begin the second stage of the program, the Period of Catechumenate.  Please pray for all our R.C.I.A. participants that they may patiently persevere in their spiritual journey.

Kitchen Renovation

The work of renovating the kitchen is moving well. We hope to have it completed in early December. Thanks for your support.

 

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Thirty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time

The Church places before us today the last ordinary Sunday of the Church year and coming Sunday we celebrate the feast of Christ the King.  In reflecting on this Parable Cardinal Thomas Collins says "we see that the master hands out various gifts, talents, to his servants. Some use them fruitfully, with generosity and creativity. Another one just goes and buries it in the ground. He does not catch the spirit of the master, the creative spirit. How can we make fruitful use of the time which we have in our life, of the particular talents we have received? In that way, we can be faithful and fruitful stewards of the mysteries of God. And we will, in our own life as God calls us to, reflect the glorious, generous magnificence of the love of God in this world." 

 

Fr. Jinto

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Pope Francis's Latest Encyclical, Fratelli Tutti

On the Feast of St. Francis Assisi, Pope Francis signed his latest encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, in the tomb of his papal namesake. Fratelli Tutti tells us that the COVID-19 pandemic has both exposed the many of failings of our world and has shown us that "no one can face life in isolation." You   can   read   the   full   text   of Fratelli   Tutti    here:  http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclica ls/documents/papa-francesco_20201003_enciclica-fratelli-tutti.html

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Series: Pope Francis' coronavirus catechesis

The pope's series, which began in Aug. 5, focuses on healing the world from the physical and social ills related to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Catechesis 5- September 2

"The current pandemic has highlighted our interdependence: we are all connected to each other, for better or for worse. Therefore, to emerge from this crisis better than before, we have to do so together; together, not alone. Together. Not alone, because it cannot be done. Either it is done together, or it is not done. We must do it together, all of us, in solidarity."

Notable quotes:

"As a human family we have our common origin in God; we live in a common home, the garden-planet, the earth where God placed us; and we have a common destination in Christ. But when we forget all this, our interdependence becomes dependence of some on others — we lose this harmony of interdependence and solidarity — increasing inequality and marginalization; the social fabric is weakened and the environment deteriorates."

"In the midst of crises, a solidarity guided by faith enables us to translate the love of God in our globalized culture, not by building towers or walls that divide, but by interweaving communities and sustaining processes of growth that are truly human and solid."

Source: https://www.americamagazine.org

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Scam Alert: Priest request for gift card

 

Please be advised that an email scam has been targeting parishioners of the Archdiocese of Toronto. The fraudster emails parishioners claiming to be their pastor and requests gift cards for a person who has fallen on hard times. I was notified that such an email was sent to some parishioners of Holy Name. Sorry for the inconvenience caused. If you receive email requests for money or gift cards from someone claiming to be Fr. Jinto, please notify the parish office and I will forward the message to the Archdiocese of Toronto's Help Desk.

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HOLY NAME KITCHEN RENOVATION

After a few years of planning and fundraising, we have finally got the approval from the Archdiocese to renovate the kitchen in the parish hall. The work has begun already and it is expected to take 3 to 4 months to complete. Thanks for your generosity and support of this project. 

Fr. Jinto

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Series: Pope Francis' coronavirus catechesis

The pope's series, which began in Aug. 5, focuses on healing the world from the physical and social ills related to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Catechesis 3- Aug. 19

Social inequality and environmental degradation go together and have the same root (see Encyclical, Laudato Si', 101): the sin of wanting to possess and wanting to dominate one's brothers and sisters, of wanting to possess and dominate nature and God Himself. But this is not the design for creation."

Notable quotes:

"In the face of the pandemic and its social consequences, many risk losing hope. In this time of uncertainty and anguish, I invite everyone to welcome the gift of hope that comes from Christ. It is He who helps us navigate the tumultuous waters of sickness, death and injustice, which do not have the last word over our final destination."

"Property and money are instruments that can serve mission. However, we easily transform them into ends, whether individual or collective. And when this happens, essential human values are affected. The homo sapiens is deformed and becomes a species of homo œconomicus—in a detrimental sense—a species of man that is individualistic, calculating and domineering."

Source: https://www.americamagazine.org

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Series: Pope Francis' catechesis

 

The pope's catechesis focuses on healing the world from the physical and social ills related to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Catechesis 4 - Aug. 26

"Social inequality and environmental degradation go together and have the same root (see Encyclical, Laudato Si', 101): the sin of wanting to possess and wanting to dominate one's brothers and sisters, of wanting to possess and dominate nature and God Himself. But this is not the design for creation."

Pope Francis leans on the idea of the universal destination of goods to call out injustices in the care for the economy and the environment. He denounces intense economic stratification and a throwaway culture that is devastating to the planet. He warns listeners not to transform property and money into ends but to instead take inspiration from the early Christian communities who weathered challenges by putting goods in common. To Be Continued.

Source: https://www.americamagazine.org

 

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Series: Pope Francis' coronavirus catechesis

The pope's series, which began on Aug. 5, focuses on healing the world from the physical and social ills related to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Catechesis 3- Aug. 19 

"The virus, while it does not distinguish between people, has found, in its devastating path, great inequalities and discrimination. And it has exacerbated them!"

Pope Francis urges a dual response to the virus, calling not only for the eradication of the illness but also the social injustices it reveals and exacerbates. He stresses the importance of the preferential option for the poor to this response. He suggests that the virus will not end with a return to "normality" but with a world either better or worse off than before. He takes particular care to say that any normality of routine that we return to should not include social injustices and the degradation of the environment. He strongly and notably calls for the vaccine for Covid-19 to be available to all those in need, not simply to the richest or to those in a particular nation or region, when it becomes available. To Be Continued.

Source: https://www.americamagazine.org

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Dear Parishioners,

I am very happy to connect with you again and I trust you are all keeping well. I hope you had the opportunity to rest and relax during summer. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to you for your ongoing support of the parish. I also thank the parish reopening team and the volunteers for all their help with the liturgical celebrations at Holy Name. 

As you may be aware, Pope Francis has established 1st September as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, encouraging us to pray for "our common home."  This World Day of Prayer begins the Season of Creation, which runs until 4 October, the feast of St Francis of Assisi. The Holy Name Climate Action Group will be providing more resources in the coming weeks to help us celebrate the Season of Creation. Let us pray for the Holy Spirit to come afresh and Renew the Face of the Earth.

https://youtu.be/qDqGkSb-4Rc

I am also attaching the following along with this email.

1.   Season of Creation

2.   Letter from the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

3.    Catechesis Series - Pope Francis

 

I pray and look forward to the day when we all can gather as a community. If I can be of assistance, feel free to call the parish office or you can email us at: holyname@rogers.com.  Be assured that you remain in my prayers each day.

  

Fr. Jinto Mathew CSC

Season of Creation - 2020.docx

Mgr Duffé Letter Season of Creation 2020 -.pdf

Catechesis series - Pope Francis (1).docx

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Dear Parishioners of Holy Name,

 We want to provide you with an update as we prepare to welcome you back to church! We do know that not everyone feels safe to return to church just yet, and we understand.  However, you are still very much part of our community and we will keep you in our prayers.   We will continue to post updates and homilies on the parish website. Due to capacity restrictions for gatherings in Ontario, and in order to observe safe social distancing, there will be approximately 60 places for parishioners to sit. The seats will be numbered allowing for the proper social distancing. In my email last week, I had mentioned that you may be asked to preregister or notify the parish office if you plan on attending the weekend mass. There is no need to pre- register or notify the parish.  The seats are available on a first come, first served basis. You will enter the church through the main door of the church. The elevator door will be open for those who need to use the elevator. There will be Ministers of Hospitality/Ushers at the doors to direct you to the designated seats and answer any question you may have.

Every reasonable precaution has been and will continue to be enforced for the health and safety of everyone. We are aware that this virus is still active and it is imperative that we respect the rules and guidelines set out by the government, the Health Department and the Archdiocese.

 

Here is a link to a YouTube video that explains the temporary changes to the Mass that are being implemented in response to COVID-19. 

 How to Return to Mass

How to Return to Mass

 

 

Additional information:

·         Masks or face coverings are strongly recommended.

·         Sanitize your hands upon entry.

·         Please maintain physical distancing at all times. Stay 2 metres (or 6 feet) away from others.

·         Please follow the direction provided by ushers/volunteers for seating.

·          Arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of Mass.

·         Please stay home if: you are not feeling well; you have been in contact with a COVID-19 positive individual over the past two weeks, you have a compromised immune system.

  

Thank you for your cooperation, understanding and patience as we implement these changes to ensure the safety of all those who come to worship at Holy Name.

 

Holy Name Reopening Team

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Dear Parishioners of Holy Name,

I pray that you and your loved ones are safe and healthy during this most challenging time. You may have heard that soon we will be able to re-open our churches once again. We look forward to welcoming you back to church!  As we implement our re-opening plans, we must do so with prudence and caution, ensuring that we do everything possible to reduce the potential transmission of the virus. One of the biggest challenges is that, to re-open, we must do so in phases where our capacity (# of people who can attend church) will be limited due to directives from the Province of Ontario’s medical experts. Accordingly, we will be able to admit only about 75 people in the church at a time. You will be asked to notify the parish office in advance if you plan on attending the weekend Masses. More information about how to notify the parish office will be sent out and posted on our website next week.

I look forward to welcoming you back soon – be assured that you remain in my prayers each day.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Jinto Mathew CSC

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Dear Sisters and Brothers,

 

During the Easter season, several readings highlighted the role of the Holy Spirit in sustaining the Christian community after Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension. Over the past weeks, we have been reflecting on biblical passages that articulate the relationship among the persons of the Trinity. As we return to Ordinary Time, today we celebrate the Holy Trinity, a mystery of faith that demonstrates the love within God and its manifestations on earth. These days people across the world are shocked by the brutal killing of George Floyd by police members in the United States. The murder has sparked protests not only in the USA but across the world. In this time of pandemic and the on-going racial discrimination, reflecting on and understanding the nature of God is timely and important.

Let us pray for healing and justice for all those who have experienced violence and racism and for the grace to see every human being as a child of God, regardless of race, language or culture. Let us also continue to pray the sick and for all those who are working hard to keep us safe and healthy. Be assured of my prayers and support.

 

Have a Blessed Week

Fr. Jinto Mathew CSC

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Dear Parishioners,

Today is the SOLEMNITY OF PENTECOST! It is the celebration of the gift of the Holy Spirit to the apostles and all of us. Pentecost, seen as the birthday of the Church, is the beginning of its missionary activity. The Spirit animated the apostles into a convinced group of followers of Jesus, as they accepted the responsibility to bring the Good News to all the people of the world. As we celebrate Pentecost, we might like to reflect on the particular role that God has for each one of us. This week, we might ponder the contribution that we can make to the mission of the Church, and to all those around us.

Bethlehem was God with us, Calvary was God for us, and Pentecost is God in us. (Robert Baer)

HAPPY PENTECOST!!! 

Fr. Jinto Mathew CSC

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My dear friends,

The Gospel passage for today’s feast of the Ascension of the Lord is the final scene from of Matthew’s Gospel, in which the risen Christ appears on a mountaintop in Galilee, majestically commissioning his disciples to bring the good news of Christ to all nations. The Gospel ends with Christ’s promise: “I am with you always, until the end of the age.” By the power of the Holy Spirit, God is present and available to all of us who wish to be in relationship with him, partake in his mission and share his glory. This is the great calling and destiny we all share in as followers of the Lord Jesus.

 As the Easter Season draws to a close, we might pray together:

‘Lord, we believe you are indeed our light, help and stronghold in these dark times. May your Holy Spirit comfort us all; and may our relationship of loving trust with you deepen.’ Amen.

 

Today is the feast of ascension. To those who wonder what it’s about: It’s the day when Jesus started to work from home.):

 

Be assured of my prayers and support

 

Have a lovely week

Fr. Jinto Mathew CSC

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The Church places before us today the last ordinary Sunday of the Church year and coming Sunday we celebrate the feast of Christ the King.  In reflecting on this Parable Cardinal Thomas Collins says "we see that the master hands out various gifts, talents, to his servants. Some use them fruitfully, with generosity and creativity. Another one just goes and buries it in the ground. He does not catch the spirit of the master, the creative spirit. How can we make fruitful use of the time which we have in our life, of the particular talents we have received? In that way, we can be faithful and fruitful stewards of the mysteries of God. And we will, in our own life as God calls us to, reflect the glorious, generous magnificence of the love of God in this world." 

 

Fr. Jinto

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My dear friends :)

Even though we remain conscious of the real challenges that we continue to struggle with today, there is a sense of joy in this week’s readings. We hear of it arising from the marvelous acts of the apostles (today’s First Reading), and also in the Psalm, a hymn rejoicing in the great things the Lord has done for his people. In the same way, we have a taste of this joy in the Gospel promise: The Spirit will be given to us, and the Lord will be in us and we in the Lord.

This week, let’s pray that the struggles we have faced over the past months, and the struggles we continue to endure will not hold back the life of the Spirit in us. Let us continually ask the Holy Spirit to carry us forward.  In all things, may we speak with joy of the good things the Lord has done and continues to work in our lives.

Let us pray for the children whose First Communion and Confirmation has been postponed that their desire for Jesus and the Holy Spirit may grow during this time of waiting. 

 Let us continue to pray for the sick and for all those who are working hard to keep us safe and healthy.

 

Be assured of my prayers and support.

 

 Many of God's Blessings upon you.

Fr. Jinto Mathew CSC

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The Church places before us today the last ordinary Sunday of the Church year and coming Sunday we celebrate the feast of Christ the King.  In reflecting on this Parable Cardinal Thomas Collins says "we see that the master hands out various gifts, talents, to his servants. Some use them fruitfully, with generosity and creativity. Another one just goes and buries it in the ground. He does not catch the spirit of the master, the creative spirit. How can we make fruitful use of the time which we have in our life, of the particular talents we have received? In that way, we can be faithful and fruitful stewards of the mysteries of God. And we will, in our own life as God calls us to, reflect the glorious, generous magnificence of the love of God in this world." 

 

Fr. Jinto

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Dear Parishioners,

I trust you, and your families are well and safe. I am keeping well and I wish to express my gratitude to you for the many ways you support the parish and the community. On Friday 1 May 2020, the Catholic Bishops of Canada consecrated their individual dioceses to Mary, Mother of the Church, seeking her protection during the Corona virus pandemic.  As you know, May is the month dedicated in a special way to the Mother of Christ. During this month let us turn to her and ask for the help of herpowerful prayers to God for us.

Reflection

In the reading for this Sunday Jesus uses the image of both a shepherd and sheep to express the relationship between God and humanity, a relationship that grows with our faith in God. But this faith sometimes is strong, and sometimes it seems weak. So how do we deal with those moments when faith is weak? There is a story of a boy by name Bill who grew up on a farm. He had one task that terrified him. During the fall when his father had to mind the furnace in the barn late every evening, Bill had to bring his father's dinner to him. Invariably, it was dark when he had to make his trip. Bill was frightened by all the sounds and shadows. By the time he reached the barn he was literally trembling with fear.

He was too proud to tell his dad how frightened he was, but somehow his dad became aware of it. So, one night, after he finished his dinner, his dad said, "Maybe I'll walk back home with you this evening." With that, the father extended his hand and Bill reached up to take it. On the trip home, Bill realized that “Every frightening thing stayed in its place!" When our spirits alternate between strong faith and dark fear, we must take the hand of the good shepherd and let him guide us in love. And let us also extend our hands to reach out especially to those who need a supporting hand.

I assure you of my prayers and support.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Jinto Mathew CSC

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WEEKLY COLLECTION 

Due to all Masses being cancelled, there is no weekend collection. Thank you to all those that have dropped off their donation envelopes at the Parish office and to those who have signed up for Pre-Authorized Giving (PAG).  

There are several ways that you can continue to support Holy Name Parish at this time: 

 

• Drop off in our office mailbox or mail in your regular weekly offertory contribution to the Parish office. 

 

• Contribute to the Parish offertory through Pre-Authorized Giving through withdrawls from your bank account. You can make a onetime donation or a recurring contribution to Holy Name offertory or other special funds. You can request a form from our Parish office through email. Contributions are withdrawn on the 20th of each month. Please contact us at: (416) 466-8281 or by email at:holyname@rogers.com.

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