Something new

I received an invitation the other day.  It came in the form of an email which was inviting me to consider allowing my name to stand for the position of Honorary Director of the Human Family in Christ. 

My thoughts immediately flashed back to the years spent in Seminary formation.  The Human Family in Christ is a registered charity in Canada which was started by Father Andrew Cuschieri, a Maltese priest who at the time was teaching at the Seminary.  During his travels to Bolivia a number of years previously, he had learned of the plight of the majority of the under-privileged who could not access basic necessities such as medical care and education.

Using his own funds, he began sponsoring the building of a school for the people of Colcapirhua, located just West of the city of Cochabamba and South-East of La Paz.  Spreading the word on his own to friends here in Canada, and with the help of some of the seminarians who lived with him in Sacrborough, the work of the Human Family in Christ began.

While he continued to fulfill his duties in the Archdiocese of Toronto, Father Cuschieri managed to send enough funds to Bolivia for the building of the Hospital Andrew Cuschieri and for the school.  Subsequently, an endowment was created in Canada to provide ongoing funds for the work of and for the poor of Colcapirhua, and today there is also a Catholic Sponsorship programme which provides the opportunity for people with means to make a difference in the lives of some of the poor of Bolivia.

When I called my friend to inquire about the requirements of the position of Honorary Director, he told me that it was a position of recognition for work which has been done over the years for the Society.  As it tuns out, I acted as the treasurer for this Society for a number of years while I was resident at the seminary and therefore was able to learn of its existence and the good work that is still going on.  Father Cuschieri completed his earthly journey a number of years ago, but is surely rejoicing in heaven to know that his simple act of generosity and love for the people of Bolivia continues to bear such fruit.

Pentecost: the gift of the Spirit

Receive the gift

This weekend in our parish, nineteen children will receive the gift of the Eucharist for the very first time.  Over the past few weeks, the children (you) have learned that when we receive this gift, it is Jesus himself that is given to us.  There will be (is) great excitement on these children’s faces.  Their parents and families will all be (are all) here to witness this great day of rejoicing.  After the Mass is complete, there will be celebrations of various kinds to mark this occasion.  Yet, I can’t help thinking that each time we receive the Eucharist, even though we may understand what it is, there’s still a part of us that, like the disciples, doesn’t quite grasp the full depth of this gift.

• Listen to this homily

The gospel today tells of another such moment, when Jesus greeted his friends with the familiar words: Peace be with you.  They didn’t respond as we might respond today: And with your spirit.  In fact, perhaps they had no verbal response at all to such a greeting on that day.  Even today, if we’re really thinking about what happens at the Mass, we too have no words to respond adequately to the great gift of love that God gives in the Eucharist.

Perhaps because the disciples said nothing in response to his greeting, it was Jesus who continued the conversation that day of Pentecost in the Upper Room.  Receive the Holy Spirit he said, and those who were present and who wrote about the experience later said that they didn’t quite understand what happened next.  To their human eyes, there were strange sounds like the rush of a violent wind … Divided tongues as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.  Even though they had been told ahead of time that the Spirit would come to them, I think that they were surprised when that moment arrived.

Afterwards, they went out into the community and told others about their experience.  Perhaps they were speaking in their native tongues, but it appears that others who were there also heard their words in other languages.  The readings for Pentecost are often used for the Sacrament of Confirmation, but we’re not going to witness that sacrament here today.  Instead, we celebrate with children who receive the gift of the Eucharist, food for our journey.  This is their (your) FIRST communion, but there will be countless other opportunities to receive this gift again.  Each time, Jesus gives us special food to strengthen us in faith so that we can share the variety of gifts and talents that are ours with Him, with this community of believers, and with others who need us to be living witnesses of compassion, mercy and forgiveness today.

Congratulations to all our children.  Celebrate this day the special gift of God’s love that you receive.  Cherish it, for it Is a gift of great value.  Ponder its significance in your life, for in the Eucharist, God gives us his very self so that he can live in us, strengthen us and enliven us.  Dare to use the gift of love that is given to you today so that you too can tell others about how God is present in your life.  That’s what the disciples have done for generations: In the one Spirit we were all baptised … and we all drink of the one Spirit who was given to the disciples on that first day of Pentecost when Jesus breathed a breath of life into them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit.

The journey's over

I heard about it on Monday evening but the details were not made public until Tuesday morning.  After almost 95 years of life spent here on earth, Juliette Plouffe, the mother of Bishop Jean-Louis Plouffe has finally completed her journey Home.

I had the pleasure to meet Mme Plouffe a few times during her visits with her son, however that was many years ago now.  In her latter years she was confined by various physical limitations, all of which have lost their control over her now.

May she rejoice now with the angels, reunited with her beloved husband, and awaiting the day when we will see her once again.  May her family, left to mourn, be comforted by the love of our God, and strengthened by the presence of all those who surround them with care and concern.

For the Ascension

Proclaim the good news

The readings we have heard today place us at the end of Jesus’ time among the disciples.  Following his death on the cross, he had appeared to them on numerous occasions and reassured them that what he had said about rising from the dead had indeed come to pass.  Finally, he had to leave them and ascend to the Father.  Before doing this though, he told the disciples to go into all the world and proclaim the good news.

• Listen to this homily

Throughout the generations since that day, the disciples have continued to fulfill this command.  As a result, the Church that we know today: a people of hope, a tradition of faith, and souls committed to loving as he has loved us, continue to flourish throughout our world.  If you’re like me, you might be tempted to think that this was some kind of magical process; that the disciples left the upper room and marched into the streets and new disciples just fell in line behind them.  Not so.

The truth of the matter is that disciples don’t grow on trees.  They don’t just appear and join the band.  Human beings are naturally skeptical.  We have far too many questions about the unknown for such things to happen automatically, and Jesus knows the fickle nature of our hearts.  That’s why he told the disciples not to leave Jerusalem right away.  Even though they may have been zealous to proclaim the good news, Jesus knew that they needed to wait.  Perhaps that’s the hardest thing for someone who is chomping at the bit to get a job done: to have to wait, but Jesus knew that Pentecost had to come before the disciples would be fully prepared for their mission.  Only then would the Spirit within them give them the courage to speak their truth in its fullness.

In time, the disciples did go out to the whole world to proclaim the good news.  We see evidence of this in the second reading today.  After his encounter with the believers at Ephesus, Paul wrote of his prayer for them, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ … may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him.  The work of making disciples starts with the telling of our own story, the story of our own conversion, our own coming to believe.  This is a story of good news: the news of our own realizations that God is with us at every moment of our lives, from the moment of our birth, to the moment of our natural death, and even beyond the grave, as we are then rewarded with the gift of life in all its fullness.

As we come to believe this good news, there are a number of others who accompany us through life, who gather with us in the community of believers, who support us with their prayer and example.  There are also some milestones to mark our progress.  We call these milestones Sacraments.  The journey begins with Baptism, but is also strengthened with the grace of Reconciliation and fed with the Eucharist.  Through the grace of Matrimony, some are called to live in union with their spouses as signs of God’s commitment to us, and the Sacrament of Orders allows others of us to respond to a loving call to nourish the community as it comes to believe the good news.

Each one of us seeks to discover this good news in our lives.  Each time we celebrate the Eucharist, we gather to tell our story, to learn from the Scripture and to encounter the Risen Lord Jesus.  In the gathered assembly, and in the quiet of private prayer, Jesus imparts a spirit of wisdom and revelation to those who come to believe.  As witnesses of this truth, we then go out into the whole world to proclaim the good news.

Truths that must be spoken

There's a message that's been circulating for the past year or so.  Some purport it to be the opening address of a newly-arrived principal, but in truth it turns out to be an example of trepenwitz: perfect words for a given event which are never really delivered.  In truth, the message was penned by an American radio talk-show host by the name of Dennis Prager.  Regardless, the wisdom of this passage (altered as it is for more local audiences) is worth reading:

A speech every High School principal should give

I am your new principal, and honoured to be so. There is no greater calling than to teach young people.

I would like to apprise you of some important changes coming to our school. I am making these changes because I am convinced that most of the ideas that have dominated public education in Canada have worked against you, against your teachers, against your parents, and against our country. Therefore:

First, this school will no longer honour race or ethnicity. I could not care less if your racial makeup is black, brown, red, yellow, or white. I could not care less if your origins are African, Latin American, Asian, or European, or if your ancestors arrived here on the Mayflower, leaky SE Asian refugee ships, or on slave ships. The only identity I care about, the only one this school will recognize, is your individual identity -- your character, your scholarship, your humanity. And the only national identity this school will care about is Canadian. This is a Canadian public school, and Canadian public schools were created to make better Canadians.

If you wish to affirm an ethnic, racial, religious identity through your school, you will have to go to another one. We will end all ethnicity - race - and non-Canadian-nationality-based celebrations. They undermine the motto of Canada.Everyone is equal, coast to coast.

And this school will be guided by Canadian values. That includes all after-school clubs. I will not authorize clubs that divide students based on any identities. This includes gender, race, language, religion, sexual orientation, or whatever else may become in vogue in a society divided by political correctness. Your clubs will be based on interests and passions -- not blood, ethnic, tribal, racial or other physically defined ties. Those clubs just cultivate narcissism -- an unhealthy preoccupation with the self -- while the purpose of education is to get you to think beyond yourself. So, we will have clubs that transport you to the wonders and glories of art, music, sport, debating, astronomy, languages you do not already speak, math, carpentry, and many many more. If the only extracurricular activities you can imagine being interested in, are those based on ethnic or racial or sexual identity, that means that little outside of yourself really interests you, and that means you don't belong in this school.

Second, I am not interested in whether or not English is your native language. My only interest in terms of language is that you leave this school speaking and writing English as fluently as possible. The English language has united Canadian citizens for more than 200 years, and it will unite us at this school. It is one of the indispensable reasons this country of immigrants has always come to be one country. And if you leave this school without excellent English-language skills, your teachers and I will have been remiss in our duty to ensure that you are prepared to compete successfully in the Canadian employment market. You will learn other languages here -- it is deplorable that most Canadians only speak English. But if you want classes taught in your native language rather than in English, this is not the school for you.

Third, because I regard learning as a sacred endeavour, everything in this school will reflect learning's elevated status. This means, among other things, that you and your teachers will dress accordingly. Many people in our society dress more formally for a meal at a nice restaurant than they do for church or school. Those people have their priorities backwards. Therefore, there will be a formal dress code at this school.

Fourth, no obscene language will be tolerated anywhere on this school's property -- whether in class, in the hallways or at athletic events. If you can't speak without using the "F-word," you can't speak. By obscene language I mean the words banned by the Federal Communications Commission plus epithets such as the "N-word," even when used by one black student to address another, or "bitch," even when addressed by a girl to a girlfriend. It is my intent that by the time you leave this school, you will be among the few of your age to distinguish instinctively between the elevated and the degraded, the holy and the obscene, the educated and the non-educated.

Fifth, we will end all self-esteem programmes. In this school, self-esteem will be attained in only one way -- the way people attain it will be by earning it from their fellow students and teachers. One immediate consequence of this is that there will be only one class valedictorian, not eight.

Sixth, and last, I am reorienting the school programme toward academics, scholarship, and away from politics and propaganda. No more time will be devoted to scaring you about smoking and caffeine, or terrifying you about sexual harassment or global warming. No more semesters will be devoted to condom-wearing and teaching you to regard sexual relations as only, or primarily a health issue. There will be no more attempts to convince you that you are a victim because you are not white, or not male, or not heterosexual, or not Christian. We will have failed, if any one of you graduates from this school does not consider himself or herself inordinately lucky -- lucky to be alive, lucky to be well educated, and lucky to be a Canadian.

Now, please stand and join me in singing, O' CANADA to the only flag in Canada.

The road to London

Over the past few weeks and months, I've been hearing people make reference to what I shall call 'apparitions'.  The subject of these happenings is my cousin Priscilla who has been preparing arduously for the upcoming London Olympics.  Just recently, the Road to London series has aired a segment featuring this very talented young woman, one of the hopes Canada is (we trust) sending to the Games, and certainly the one with what must be among the largest of family fan bases.

We are so proud of you!

Freedom

This morning's edition of the National Post newspaper listed an article on the front page that caught my attention.  The subject of this article was the recently published Pastoral Letter on Freedom of Conscience and Religion, authored by the Permanent Council of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

As it turns out, I was at a meeting today where the subject of freedom of conscience was bantered about, specifically in light of the fact that the world in which we live today seems to be less and less open to such freedom, and chooses rather to effectively persecute those of us who profess such beliefs.

Then, this evening, I discovered the following video clip, put together some years ago.



It is, I believe, by no mere coincidence that all these events, discussions and pieces of wisdom have crossed my path, all in the same 24-hour period.

Sixth for Easter

Love one another

We celebrated the first wedding of the season this afternoon.  The bride and groom were there, as were other members of their bridal party, their families, their friends, and some people from the parish community too.  As I prepared my reflection for the wedding, it seemed as though I needed to find some profound truth which should be spoken.  After all, isn’t that what the priest is supposed to do: to interpret the scriptures?

• Listen to this homily

As it turns out, not only the readings chosen for the wedding this afternoon spoke of the gift of love; the scripture passages for this Sunday’s liturgy also speak of love, so either God is trying to tell me to share some of the homily from this afternoon with you, or he’s trying to tell me that I need to work harder at understanding what love is all about.  Speaking to the disciples, Jesus issues a command: As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love … and … love one another.  This seems simple enough, perhaps even too simple.  For the wedding couple sitting before the altar, these words represent an ideal which they hope and dream will come true, but if truth be known, loving another is much easier said than done.

If we try to learn love from modern society (watching television and movies), love seems to be easy.  The world encourages us to believe that love can somehow be translated as ‘take pleasure in someone’ at times as though that someone were a something.  According to this way of thinking, when the warm feelings fade, it’s ok to walk away.  By contrast, if we try to learn love from watching Jesus at work in the gospels, the task is considerably more difficult, but much more worth the effort.  In fact, Peter himself tells us that God shows no partiality … but anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.  The love that Jesus wants to teach is like the words of wisdom that parents often will share with their children on the day of a wedding: words about building a life together, words about loving one another, words about caring for each other, words about practicing forgiveness. 

Sometimes (even today) these words are spoken publicly and at other times, they are exchanged in a setting away from the limelight, a place where the hearer is able to absorb them, and to begin to plumb the depth of meaning that such words contain.  Perhaps this is the reason why Jesus so often spoke of love in great crowds, but afterward called his disciples aside to explain his words in more depth.  He still does the same for us today, when we take the time to listen in the hidden places where we come to him in prayer.

Jesus’ love calls us to total giving. In and of itself, love is life-giving, a gift offered to the one who is loved.  Jesus’ love gives joy to others without any regard for the feelings of the giver.  Even more profoundly, giving out of love is a giving of our very self.  This is the beginning of laying down one’s life for another.  If we are to be able to give such love, we must first know it in our own lives.  Only once we have begun to understand and appreciate (with our minds and our hearts) the depth of God’s love for us, can we begin to share it with others.  Our presence at the Sunday liturgy allows us to learn, remember and celebrate this love, and in celebrating it, we are better able to know it in the depth of our being.

This weekend, society around us is observing Mothers’ Day.  What better way to celebrate our mothers than by remembering them at the table of the Saviour, by praying for them, and by asking Mary, the Mother of God to watch over them.  Like the couple who begin their married life today, let us be aware of the gift of love God offers to us.  Let us give thanks for yet another opportunity to experience its gentle reassuring presence, here in this place of prayer, and in so many facets of our lives. Let us pray also today for all those who help us to recognize the love that is from and of God, and come to appreciate it all the more every day.

Reaching out

For the past three weeks or so, children from the parish where I am currently assigned have been preparing for the Sacrament of First Eucharist (also known as First Communion).  As in former years, and in other places where I have formerly been privileged to work with wonderful catechists and children alike, these children and their families were provided with a book which is meant to guide the work of preparation, which we trust is being completed at home by the children in question, with the assistance of their parents.

In addition to this at-home activity, the weekly meetings provide an opportunity for us to deepen the children's understanding of the Eucharist.  Since we are face to face for these encounters, we are given a rare opportunity to do some interactive teaching, so two weeks ago, we spent the better part of 90 minutes guiding the children and their parents through a teaching Mass.  We weren't really celebrating Eucharist, but we were going through the actions, involving the children in as many aspects as we could, and taking time to explain and teach about the various actions and responses, so that all those present would have an opportunity to understand at a level perhaps that they have never been able to before.

Last week, children and their parents were able to experience a Seder meal, the ritual meal which is observed in Jewish households even today on the first two days of Passover.  As with the teaching Mass, this was meant as an experiential opportunity for our children to learn about the roots of the Eucharistic meal that we share at the Lord's table every week.

This week's encounter, which took place last night, was yet another opportunity for active learning.  This time, our lesson focused on reaching out.  At the end of each Eucharistic celebration, the community is sent into the world with the exhortation: Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord.  We love and serve the Lord by being attentive to his pepole, and recognizing that in his people, Christ is present to all of us.

Children were asked to prepare tags which were used to identify pacakages which were prepared for some of the street people in our city.  This provided an opportunity for the youngsters to work with their parents to prepare some artistic works and to write notes which would tell the recipients that the contents of these packages had been assembled as an act of love for them (even if the children who packed them will probably never know the recipients of their acts).

There are people in every city who live on the streets, rarely by choice.  These unseen citizens often have to battle many demons and seldom have access to even the smallest luxuries.  Children who were gathered with us last night packed ziplock bags with various items all of which will be helpful to their recipients, and all of which are often taken for granted by those of us who are among the privileged.

Once they were packed, these little gifts were prepared for delivery.  In the coming days, they will make their way to their intended recipients courtesy of other helping hands who will make sure that these little signs of love are received by those who need them most.

Artwork and creativity are simple gifts.  It's amazing to see how children can pick up crayons and markers; given a free hand and licence to write or design the cards as they wish, some wonderful messages of love come to be.

Would that children of all ages might have an opportunity such as this, to learn about the many faces who seek, and the many opportunities that are found right in front of our faces, opportunities to go in the peace of Christ into a world that so needs to know that He is alive, watching over us all and caring for us through the hands, eyes and ears of his servants .... that's us.

On the rise

In case you missed it, here is the video coverage from last Saturday's Jamaica Invitational Track and Field meet, specifically the 100-metre Women's Hurdles final.  Brigit Foster-Hylton won the race in a dramatic fashion, much to the delight of her fellow countrymen (and women), but Priscilla Lopes-Shleep wasn't far behind.



Following the completion of the race, the first- and second-placed runners also had a chance for a photo op with Usain Bolt, who also happens to be a Jamaican, and who was present for the Invitational.

The Canadian Track and Field Championships are scheduled to take place in Calgary, AB on the weekend of June 27-30, 2012

An unexpected message

I don't usually believe in co-incidence but then again every now and then things happen that make me wonder whether there is indeed a larger plan afoot than I would be willing to admit.  Evidence a message I received today.  It ran something like this:

I sent an angel to watch over you last night, but it came back.  I asked, 'Why?'  The angel said, 'Angels don't watch over angels'.  God has seen you struggling with something, and wants you to know that it's over.  A blessing is on its way.

Angels are indeed at work; sometimes we just need to believe.

A busy day, already

I always know that I'm in for lots of fun when I walk through the doors of the school and find the staff running in all directions ... especially when it's only 8:30am.  Today is just one of those days.

I visited with the Grade 8 students this morning, during their 'breakfast' time.  The conversation revolved around last night's hockey game, and of course the question came up: Who are you rooting for? There are now only three more teams in the running and of course the students are excited about whether their favorite teams will be victorious.

My visit this morning was with the Grade 8s, and as it turns out, they have a supply teacher for the day.  The reason for the supply is that this is the day when all the teachers in the school are involved (in two separate sessions) in Collaborative Inquiry Networking Sessions.  This means that teachers are meeting with the school principal to discuss (in groups) various teaching methods, and to review the successes and challenges that are part of their students' lives.  This is a very good opportunity for some to learn from others, and for teaching techniques to be shared, while at the same time allowing the staff in general to be aware of the challenges and successes facing the students themselves.

At the same time, the fact that all the teachers are involved in these Sessions means that today, there are more supply teachers on hand than there would be normally, which brings its own challenges for students as well as those who are fulfilling supervisory roles today.

Other activities in the school today include a session on Cooking for Teens which will involve students in Grades 6-8, a Read-a-loud session with Grade 1s and a Book Fair for all students.  Who ever said that life was boring?

Even at this early hour of the day, the lessons learned today must include a reminder that we must all be open and flexible when dealing with life, because the best laid plans can always be uprooted, and the best way to be present to people is just to go with the flow.  Those who are able to master this art run far less chances of getting hurt, and far better chances of being moulded by the experiences we live.

When one is Prime Minister

Father Sam Ukeje

Earlier this morninig, children from the elementary school gathered in the nearby church for their regular monthly Mass.  As it happens, this was also the final obligation for the priest who had been serving at that location for the past number of years.

The children have come to know and love him while he visited with them.  During their regular visits to the church, located just blocks away from the school, he was always there to welcome them, to pray with them and to explain the faith to them.

When the liturgical celebration was complete, and before each soul filed out of the prayer space, he took a minute to thank them all for sharing God's love with him during his stay among them.  He also encouraged them all by expressing his wish:  Perhaps someday I will return to this land and discover that one of you has become the Prime Minister.  No doubt there was a shared meaning to these words, but I couldn't help thinking that within these few words lay a hope and dream, some encouragement and a reminder that he would always believe in them.

The students who were there this morning have their own fair share of challenges: who doesn't, but they are just as capable of hope, and in a land as fortunate as ours, all people can dare to dream of a better tomorrow.  If we have encountered a mentor or two who has believed in us, we are truly among the most blessed.

Go with God, Father Sam, and know that we continue to pray for you and with you, that your work for Him will indeed bear much fruit, and bring you abundant blessings of joy and peace.

Centred on Faith and Justice

Last weekend, I was able to attend most of the annual Diocesan Convention of the Catholic Women's League, held here in this city.  Some who were there were surprised to hear that although I've been ordained for a number of years, this was the very first time that I was able to attend so much of the Convention, including most of the Business Sessions.

As it turns out, this was a very good learning opportunity for me.  Not only did I meet many people who are committed to working within the church and the world to be people of faith, but I also learned about how each of the different facets of this organization fit together.

The theme chosen for the work of the League during this year is Centred on Faith and Justice.  In addition to the business reports, there were also two very interesting presentations made to the gathered assembly:

• Father Remi Hebert, C.Ss.R., currently serving as pastor of Holy Redeemer parish in Sudbury spoke of the long tradition of the Church and it's commitment to Social Justice, including the teachings of the Holy Father which have been focused on faith and justice espcially since the end of the 18th century.
• Mary Ali, Director of the Inner City Home of Sudbury, spoke of the work of this unique organization which is committed to serving the under-privileged of our city.  For many of us who were present, even those who have known of the existence of the Home for many years, this was a unique opportunity to understand and appreciate the many ways in which the staff and volunteers are present to the needy in our community.  Founded as a joint effort between one of the priests of our diocese and his parishioners at the time, this establishment continues the tradtion of the Church's presence in the heart of the city, responding to the needs of the lost and forgotten of society.

This weekend, I had yet another opportunity to meet with some of the CWL membership, specifically those who are engaged in various parishes throughout the local area.  This meeting took place in the context of a luncheon and information meeting held with representatives from all the parishes of the surrounding area.  Once again, this was a valuable opportunity to kindle relationships with some of the women who work so tirelessly to promote the good work of the Church, and also to learn about the many ways in which the League is present not only at local levels but also at Provincial and National levels.

I look forward to learning more, to getting to know some of these wonderful souls even more, and to helping in any way possible to proclaim the gospel in the world today.

Fifth for Easter

You are the vine

Beginning on January 1, 2011 there were a few changes implemented to the structure of this parish.  From an onlooker’s point of view, not much appeared to change, except a slight modification to the times of weekend Masses.  Some might still be wondering what changed.  The easiest way to explain it is that four parishes in this city became two parishes with four places of worship.  Practically, this means that while the onlooker still sees four buildings and four places of prayer and worship located on Mary Street, Brennan Street, Burton Avenue and Beech Street, the administration of these four buildings is now combined to function as if there were only two.

• Listen to this homily

For the past year and a half, there have been three priests present in these four places of prayer to tend to the pastoral needs of the people who enter these doors, but as of Tuesday, this is about to change.  Father Sam Ukeje, who has been on loan to our diocese is returning to his home, so now Father Larry Rymes and I will have to continue the task of responding to the needs of these communities.  As pastors we have the responsibility to exercise the pastoral care of our respective communities under the authority of the Diocesan Bishop, whose ministry of Christ we are called to share.  On behalf of the Bishop, pastors carry out the offices of teaching, sanctifying and ruling, with the cooperation of other priests and deacons (wherever possible) and with the assistance of Christ’s faithful.

While Father Larry and I have roles of leadership to play, each person who is part of these parishes has a part to play.  Whether we enter the doors here at the Beech Street location or at any of the other places of worship, each one of us is part of the vine spoken of in the gospel today.  Grape vines are plentiful throughout the Holy Land.  Even here, many people have them growing in our yards, so the image conjured by Jesus is not lost on us.  We abide in Jesus who is the vine as long as we are willing to live our lives as people of faith.  Just as leaves and grapes themselves draw life from the nutrients provided by the vine, we too draw sustenance for our life in faith from our connection to Christ and to our Church, and the life of the Church also draws its strength from the willingness to each one of us to do our part.

As I said a moment ago, Father Sam is leaving us this week.  This means that there will be a slight change implemented beginning next week so that I will be able to celebrate Mass in both our Beech Street and our Burton Street locations.  It’s important that each person who enters our doors has an opportunity to draw life from this vine, so in addition to the three weekend Masses celebrated in this location, beginning next weekend, I will also celebrate a Mass at our Burton Street location on Saturday evenings at 7:00pm.

I find it intriguing to think that in the first centuries after Christ, the believers had difficulty accepting the fact that even Saul could have become one of them.  Saul was the one who had been persecuting them, so how could it be that he now wanted to join them.  Of course they were all afraid of him, and had difficulty believing that he could be a disciple.  In the end though, thanks to the reassurance they received from Barnabas, they came to believe that he had indeed experienced a conversion.

With this most recent change, I suppose I have to become like Barnabas.  Mine is the task of explaining the scriptures, so that we can all draw nourishment from them.  Mine is the task of leading this community so that we can be ever-more aware of our own calling to be people of faith, responding to the needs of our brothers and sisters both in the downtown core and in the Donovan.  The words spoken in the letter of John challenge each one of us to love, not in word or speech, although these too are important, but more so in truth and action.  Dear friends, if the faith we profess is real, if it draws life from the vine that is Christ, we must all be willing to live it by being people of conviction and action for the sake of all those who live in this part of the city.  I for one am glad that I don’t have to do it on my own.  In fact, Jesus is the one who accomplishes this good work, but he needs our eyes to look compassionately on the world, our feet to walk the road, and our hands to respond in faith.

A little bit of history

What's happening?  This was the question on all their minds as the children and their parents arrived Thursday night for the First Communion preparation session.

Until now, they had been used to arriving and seeing a set of chairs set in a circle or even in rows (it all depends on what kind of activity is planned).  In preparation for their arrival this week, some wonderful helpers had been hard at work so when children and their parents entered the room, they found tables arranged in a horseshoe, with chairs arranged around the tables.  There was also another smaller table in the midst of the horseshoe.

White paper table coverings had been spread over the tables, and at each of the chairs there was a small glass of grape juice.  Upon the smaller table in the middle there were two candles standing in holders, and each participant was greeted at the door and handed a sheet of paper, which we asked them to read together with their parent-guardian or child.  The compostion recounted the story of the Israelites' escape from Egypt as it's told in the book of Exodus.

While they read, other things appeared on the tables: paper plates, napkins, cups of water, platters of vegetables and a very strange bread that resembled a very big square cracker.  Only when all the pieces were in place did I explain that on this night we were going to live an adapted version of a Seder meal.  Before we began, each participant received a copy of the Haggadah, an explanatory pamphlet which they were encouraged to read along with me.

Step by step, we read through the text.  We lit the Festival candles which had been placed on the special table reserved for Elijah's cup and portion of the meal.  We drank three times from the cups of juice, remembering the need to proclaim the Day of Deliverance and the promise made by the Lord to redeem his chosen people.

The Seder meal is a unique opportunity for children of all ages to learn about the roots of the meal which we celebrate whenever we gather around the Lord's table for the Eucharist.  There are lots of green leafy vegetables to remind us of the springtime.

Each of the platters prepared for this meal also held pieces of parsley and radish to remind us of the bitterness of slavery, a container of haroset (a mixture of apples, raisins, honey and juice) meant to remind us of the mortar used by the Israelite slaves to hold bricks together in Pharaoh's Egypt.  Slices of egg: reminders of the new life of freedom for which we long, and pieces of matzoh, the unleavened bread which was used for the hasty meal prior to the flight out of captivity.

At one point in the meal, children were asked to combine the mazoh (which had been broken into pieces) a slice of radish, some of the parsley and some of the haroset and to make a sandwich which they would then be asked to eat.

The Seder meal also includes some time for fun and games, including hiding some of the matzoh and then allowing the children to search for it.  The lucky one who found it was rewarded with gum (and as it turned out, there were enough pieces of gum that each child received a token of thanks for having participated in the search.

The final part of the Seder meal involves the Cup of Elijah.  One of the children was chosen and asked to open the door so that Elijah could enter the feast.  Jewish history tells of this beloved prophet who appears in times of trouble to bring a promise of relief, to lift downcast spirits and to plant hope in the hearts of the downtrodden.

Once the door had been opened, we were reminded of the importance of remaining open to the hope of a better world and the dream to live in a world without hunger, slavery and injustice of any kind.

The experience of this special meal gave our children and their parents a special opportunity to understand and appreciate the rich history behind the Eucharist.  It was also a lot of fun and a source of much conversation between children, parents and catechists alike.  I'll bet they can't wait to see what's in store for this coming Thursday's preparation session.

Puzzles

How to keep the interest of a group of 11- and 12-year-olds.  Answer, introduce them to the world of riddles.

This morning, I met with a class of children who were barely awake, but it didn't take long for them to open their eyes when I began to scribble on the blackboard:

My partner and I can make beautiful music
Together we can be the life of the party
Laughter and tears can both result
Entertainment composed of notes and phrases are our art
Together there are infinite possibilities
But without my partner, I stand silently alone.
What am I?

It took a bit of figuring for my new friends to find a suitable response, but finally they uncovered the object of my quest.  In this case, 'I' am a piano.

Interest peaked, we next turned our attention to composing a riddle of our very own.  I proposed another object for our attention, and then together, the students suggested lines for our riddle.  When we were satisfied, we tested the riddle by inviting two or three of the students from a neighbouring class to read through the riddle and to offer their suggestions for the answer.

The trick with these works of art is that they appear at first to be simple, but each one of the lines forming part of the clue must be understood in relation to all the others in order to solve the puzzle.  It's the source of great fun for all.  I can only imagine what fun the students will have as they continue to dream of the possibilities that lie ahead.  Perhaps on my next visit I'll discover new and even more tempting offerings.

Students saying goodbye

Early this morning, I arrived at St. Benedict's Secondary School.  This was not my first visit to that school.  Readers of these lines will know that I was there last October for a special Mass that was being celebrated, and a day of fundraising to help one of their students and his family.

A number of months after that day, I met this wonderful young man and over the past number of weeks, have come to know some of his family.  When his earthly journey was complete, I had the immense privilege to walk with his family and friends through the initial days of living without his physical presence among us.  On the day of his funeral, I tried to bring some comfort to those who were gathered to pay him tribute.

Today's gathering at the school where he dared to dream, where he showed such love for life, was another moment of grace for all those who were there.  It's important that the students who have walked the journey with him over the past two years and some months had a chance to pay him tribute as well, and it was also important that his family members be present for this phase of the journey.

Songs were sung and poetry was read today, but beyond the spoken words, the students demonstrated their compassion as they told Liam's family about the blood donor clinic that was held on site at the school just days after he had returned Home: a fitting gesture of their solidarity and understanding of the battle he had waged for more than two years.

During the days immediately following the announcement of his Homecoming, a book of condolences was made available for students to express their sympathy to his family.  This book, together with the crucifix that was displayed beside it in the chapel and his student card were all presented to his family today: simple gifts with profound meaning.

As this community of faith gathered to pray, and especially during a powerpoint presentation, including pictures of this wonderful young man and his family, this writer couldn't help thinking that he is now rejoicing in the Kingdom for which we all are waiting.  In the final months of his earthly journey, disease had robbed him of many abilities, but now that that battle is over, he is no doubt skating freely on a different rink and bounding with youthful energy through a new-found Home, all the while waiting to welcome us all when our day arrives.