August 25, 2019
Twenty-First Sunday of Ordinary Time
What does Jesus mean? Through which door should we enter? And why does Jesus speak of a narrow door?
The image of the door recurs in the Gospel on various occasions and calls to mind the door of the house, of the home, where we find safety, love and warmth. Jesus tells us that there is a door which gives us access to God’s family, to the warmth of God’s house, of communion with Him. This door is Jesus Himself (cf. Jn 10:9). He is the door. He is the entrance to salvation. He leads us to the Father, and the door that is Jesus is never closed. It is always open and to all, without distinction, without exclusion, without privileges. Because, you know, Jesus does not exclude anyone.
Pope Francis, ANGELUS, Saint Peter’s Square,
Sunday, 25 August 2013
Copyright©2019, Anne M. Osdieck. All rights reserved.
Permission is granted to reproduce for parish use.
And Now, A Word from Our Patron Saint
A constant faithfulness in small things is a great virtue.
St. Bonaventure
And Now, A Word from Our Pastor
On August 22 in the Liturgy, we celebrated the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We honoured Mary as Queen of the Kingdom – God’s Kingdom of justice and joy; the Kingdom promised to us. Jesus is the Way to the Kingdom. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (whose memorial Day we marked on August 20) reminds us that Our Lady is Mother and Sister to us along the Way. His motto was “Following Mary, you can’t go wrong.” Honouring Mary as Queen of Heaven, we ask her to pray for us as we continue to walk the Way toward the fullness of the Kingdom. Let Her faith be our faith, Her hope our confidence, and Her love our comfort. “Following Mary, you can’t go wrong.”
Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Prayer:
O Mary Immaculate Queen look down upon this distressed and suffering world. Thou knowest our misery and our weakness. O Thou who art our Mother, saving us in the hour of peril, have compassion on us in these days of great and heavy trial.
Jesus has confided to thee the treasure of His Grace and through Thee He wills to grant us pardon and mercy. In these hours of anguish, therefore, thy children come to Thee as their hope.
We recognize thy Queenship and ardently desire thy triumph. We need a Mother and a Mother’s Heart. Thou art for us the luminous dawn which dissipates our darkness and points out the way to life. In thy clemency obtain for us the courage and confidence of which we have such need.
Most Holy and Adorable Trinity, Thou Who didst crown in Heaven the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Savior, grant that all her children on earth may acknowledge her as their Sovereign Queen, that all hearts, homes, and nations may recognize her rights as Mother and as Queen. Amen.
Imprimi potest:+ Michael Epus Galviensis, 4 June, 1966
St. Bonaventure’s Ministry with Maturing Adults
New Fall Series of Topics, 2019
Ministry with Maturing Adults invites a deepening awareness of the depths of our spiritual life as we grow into the fullness of our wisdom years. The program offers an exploration of relevant and thought-provoking topics led by a variety of presenters. We take a contemplative approach as we gather to share our stories and our deepest questions.
We meet on Tuesdays at 9:30 to 11:30 am in the Francis Room. We begin with coffee, tea and treats.
Dates: September 10 and 24
October 8 and 22
November 5 and 19
The theme for the Fall Series is: The Prophet in Each of Us, drawing upon the wisdom of Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB.
“Everywhere there are people who, despite finding themselves mired in periods of national darkness or personal marginalization, refuse to give in to the allurements of a deteriorating present. They never lose hope that the values they learned in the best of times or the courage it takes to reclaim their world from the worst of times are worth the commitment of their lives. These people, the best of ourselves, are legion and they are everywhere.” (The Time is Now, 2019).
Parishioners and friends are invited to participate when available; please invite a friend or neighbour who is seeking something more…be it meaning, community or joy!
For more information please contact Maureen McDonnell, maureen@st-bonaventure.ca
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Sacramental Preparation 2019-2020
at St. Bonaventure Parish
The following information meetings are for parishioners of St. Bonaventure’s Church.
Preparation for First Reconciliation and First Communion
Roman Catholic children may begin to be prepared to celebrate their First Reconciliation (Confession) and First Communion around the age of 7. If you are the parent of a 7-year-old child (in grade 2), or older, who is baptised Roman Catholic, then it will be important for you to attend one of the following Parent Information Meetings in the Main Hall of the Parish Centre to learn about the preparation process, registration, and celebration of these Sacraments:
- Sunday, September 22nd, 1:15 to 2:45 pm, or
- Tuesday, September 24th, 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Preparation for Confirmation
In September 2015, the age when youth may begin to prepare for and celebrate Confirmation was lowered to age 12 in the Archdiocese of Toronto. If your child is baptised Roman Catholic and 12 years old (grade 7) or older, then it will be important for you and your son or daughter to attend one of the following Parent-Youth Confirmation Information Meetings held in the Main Hall of the Parish Centre to learn about the preparation process, registration, and celebration of Confirmation:
- Sunday, October 6th, 1:15 to 2:30 pm, or
- Tuesday, October 8th, 7:00 to 8:15 pm
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Stewardship: A Way of Living
August 18th, 2019 Offertory Collections
Thank you for your generous donations.
Regular Collection ……………………… $ 7,030.15
Canadian Missions Collection ……. $ 140.00
Pre-Authorized Giving ……………….. $ 2,926.00
Donate Now ……………………………… $ 328.00
Second Collections:
1st September ~ Maintenance Fund
29 September ~ Needs of the Canadian Church
06 October ~ St. Clare Inn
20 October ~ Evangelization of nations
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The Catholic Register
If you want to receive ‘The Catholic Register’ as a free trial subscription, please call the Ministry Centre at 416-447-5571 and give us your name and complete address. (Please be assured that parishioner names and addresses will be used only to fulfill the mandate circulation program and will not be shared with any other parties.)
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Requests for Baptism Records
To request a copy of your child’s baptism record, contact the Ministry Centre by phone or email nimfa@st-bonaventure.ca. Provide your child’s full name, date of birth and approximate date of Baptism. You will also need to provide photo identification such as a copy of your driver’s license or passport.
Requests need to be made 5 days in advance of the time that the record is needed. In keeping with the policies of the Archdiocese of Toronto, we follow civil legislation pertaining to privacy and access to information.
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Prayer for Vocations
Embracing Love
A Vocation Prayer
Loving and Generous God, it is You who call us by name and ask us to follow You.
Help us to grow in the Love and Service of our Church as we experience it today.
Give us the energy and courage of Your Spirit as we make all things new.
Grant us faith-filled ministers who will embrace Christ’s Mission of love and justice.
Bless our faith community by raising up dedicated, generous disciples who will serve
Your people as Sisters, Friars, Priests, Deacons and Lay Ministers.
Open our hearts to hear Your call and inspire us to know You better.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen
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Please join the Friars in prayer as they mourn the passing of their brother, Fr. Firmin Finn, OFM Conv., who entered eternity on May 4, 2019.
Please join the friars in prayer as we mourn the death of † Friar Joseph Madden, OFM Conv., who entered eternal life on April 22, 2019. A native of Massachusetts, Fr. Joe made his Franciscan vows in 1957; he was ordained a friar-priest in 1962. Fr. Joe lived a rich life of Franciscan fraternity and ministry as a parish priest, mentor for friars in training, teacher and hospital chaplain in the United States, in Costa Rica, and 12 years in Canada, during which time he was our pastor here at St. Bonaventure. We will miss his bright smile, gentle ways, and generous spirit. Eternal rest grant to Fr. Joseph, O Lord. Let perpetual light shine upon him.
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† Friar David G. Suckling, OFM Conv.
Friar David G. Suckling, OFM Conv., was born in Toronto on May 3, 1932 and away on March 31, 2019. He was the son of the late Geoffrey and Margaret (nee Kirk) Suckling. Friar David was a beloved brother his Franciscan Family and father to his children: Chris (Hermie), Sara Cornfield (Alan), Donald MacDonald (Zoe), Molly Srebot (Mike), Michelle Newman (Bruce) and †Vivienne Brown. He is remembered by his grandchildren Stephanie (David), Nadia (Sam), Danielle (Adam), David, Kyle (Steph), Miles, Piers, Rowan, Berit, Connor, Tamsin, Tallis, Jason (Sharon), Tammy, Jamie, Katie, Emily, Rebecca, Tiffany (George) and Miranda (Jeff). Fr. David will be greatly missed by his grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
Friar David served in the Army Reserved from 1960-61. He and his wife †Margaret Mary Suckling, who died in 1990, raised their family on their farm. Having lived as a Secular Franciscan, the notion of a further call into the Franciscan way of life filled his heart. On August 13, 1995, Friar David made his Profession of Temporary Vows. And on September 20, 1998 he made his Profession of Solemn Vows as a Franciscan Friar. Friar David lived in the Friaries of St. Anthony and St. Bonaventure in Toronto. We remember him as a gentle minister in our parish of St. Bonaventure and beloved fatherly presence in the Catholic School of St. Bonaventure. He served as a Member of the Boards of the Messenger of St. Anthony, the Tobias House: Caring in the Spirit of St. Francis, Retired Religious of the Archdiocese of Toronto at the Houses of providence and The Friends of St. Francis: St. Clare Inn. We thank God for the gift of knowing Friar David. We will miss his warm smile and Franciscan spirit. May the Angels lead him into Paradise.
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†Friar Canice Connors, OFM Conv.
Born on December 3, 1934 in Hazelton, PA, Fr. Canice entered the Franciscan Friars Conventual in 1954 and made his vows as a friar on August 15, 1955. Fr. Canice was ordained to the priesthood on May 27, 1961. After receiving an MA in philosophy from The Catholic University of America, he pursued an MA in psychology from the University of Ottawa. Fr. Canice dedicated many years to the education and formation of young people as headmaster of Canevin High School in Pittsburgh, PA. In 1971 he was awarded a PhD in psychology.
Fr. Canice continued to serve God’s People as a member of the Archdiocesan Chancery of Baltimore, MD. Blending remarkable expertise with deep compassion, he served as Director of Southdown Institute in Holland Landing, Ontario and St. Luke’s Institute in Silver Spring, MD. Fr. Canice shared his years of experience as a friar-priest with seminarians when he was Rector of St. Anthony-on-Hudson Seminary in Rensselaer, NY.
In 1997 Fr. Canice received the President’s Award of the National Federation of Priests Councils in acknowledgement of his service to the Gospel of Jesus. He served his brothers in the Franciscan order as Minister Provincial of The Immaculate Conception Province, leading the friars in lives of community and ministry. He served other fellow religious as a member of the Board of Directors, Vice-President and President of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men.
As pastor, Fr. Canice led the Parish of Our Lady of Mercy in Winston-Salem, NC. He also was the Rector and Pastor of the Franciscan Church of the Assumption in Syracuse, NY.
In 2008, our friend, Fr. Canice, came to us as a member of St. Bonaventure Friary, Toronto. We remember him as a man of great spiritual stature, preaching the Word of God with depth and wisdom. His “Theology and Tea” sessions sparked wonderful discussions as he led us in exploring our call to practical holiness and generous service. Fr. Canice was father, brother and friend to us.
When his health declined, Fr. Canice moved to Mercy Nursing Facility, Lackawanna, NY, where he continued to minister the Sacraments to his fellow residents until Sister Death called him home on March 17, 2019. He was laid to rest in St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Buffalo, NY.
MAY HEAVEN BE HIS AND MAY PEACE BE OURS.
