St. Leonard Catholic Parish
M
anotick, Ont
"Celebrating 50 Years as a Catholic Community
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Monthly E-Newsletter for Mar 1st
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T
hank you for subscribing to the St. Leonard's monthly E-Newsletter. Lent 2020 is underway and will culminate with Holy Week and Easter Sunday on April 12th . Lots of Parish activities this Lent. Check out the Schedule for details. Lord, roll back the stone from my soul this Lent so that it might see your son!
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Pastor's Message for Mar 1st
This Lent Get Engaged!
Discipleship is all about simple steps. As I have been discussing over the last few months, scripture and tradition outline five major steps to take that clearly and consistently challenge us on the discipleship path. If we are to move from being mere religious
consumers to ever more fully devoted followers who are
contributors, this Lent let us fully commit to the following S.T.E.P.S.:
S: Serve in a Ministry or Mission
T: Tithe or Give
E: Engage in Small Groups, Faith Formation and Acts of Love
P: Practice Prayer; Celebrate the Sacraments
S: Share Your Faith through Evangelization
This month I would like to discuss the importance of
engaging in Small Groups, Faith Formation and Acts of Love. Removing a burning log from a blazing fire will cause it to go out much quicker than it would have if it had remained in the fire. So too with our faith. Left alone, to our own spiritual practices and routines, our faith can cool. Saint Paul wrote, “you and I may be mutually encouraged by one another’s faith, yours and mine” (Rom 1:12). We need friends in faith to grow closer to Jesus Christ and we need to continue to learn about Jesus and seek the fellowship of other Catholics to keep our faith burning brightly.
I challenge you this Lent to actively
engage with other Catholics. Get up out of the pews, where you sit in rows, and get into a small group where you sit in a circle. There, you can share your faith, learn from others’ life experiences, receive support from other members, and help carry other people’s burdens.
And take your
engagement one step further by going out into the world to do ministries of mercy and justice with those who are in need.
Engaging in acts of love and mercy beyond the walls of the church is a mutually transformative experience for the disciple and the neighbor. This may include ministry with the poor, ministry with the marginalized and ministry with those who need the love of Christ. Remember in our journey on the path of discipleship the goal is not to know, but to do something with what you know. As Saint Paul says, knowledge puffs up. Love, by contrast, builds up. The primary motivation for discipleship is love. This Lent get
engaged in acts of love!
God bless you folks, Father Gerard.
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LENTEN
HAPPENINGS
at St. Leonard
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Most of the weekday Masses during Lent will be followed by another opportunity to grow closer to God and to grow in our faith.
Wednesday 9:00 am followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Thursday 9:00 am followed by Best Lent Ever reflection
Friday 6:30 am followed by the Holy Rosary
Friday 9:30 am Children's Mass
Stations of the Cross every
Friday at 7 pm
(Feb 28- Apr 3) with opportunity for Confession before the Stations (6:15 pm to 7:00 pm).
Parish Reconciliation Service:
Wed. March 25 at 7 p.m.
The Greatest Story Ever Told, Faith Formation Series:
Tuesdays during Lent 7:00 pm
The Easter Triduum begins on Thursday April 9 with our
Holy Thursday Mass at 7:00 pm
Father Gerard encourages all to sign up for the Best Lent Ever program (see next article) as he will be discussing it throughout Lent and reflecting on it after the Thursday weekday Masses.
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Possibilities are everywhere! Big possibilities. Small possibilities. Amazing possibilities. God sees them all. And the saints are ready to help you see them, too.
Join Matthew Kelly and the Dynamic Catholic Team for another incredible journey through our BEST LENT EVER daily video reflections.
And
Join us every Thursday morning throughout the Lenten season beginning Feb. 27th at 9:30 am in the Parish Hall as we reflect on the message offered in the daily video.
Because Lent isn’t about what you give up. It’s about who you become.
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Join us for a captivating Bible study on Salvation
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At every Sunday Mass, Catholics confess that Jesus came down from heaven “for us men and for our salvation.” But what does “salvation” mean? In this remarkable 10-part video series, Scripture scholar and theologian Michael Patrick Barber provides a thorough, deeply Catholic, and deeply biblical, answer. Based on the best-selling book "Salvation: What Every Catholic Should Know", this video series is inspiring, engaging, and accessible to anyone.
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If you are not already a FORMED user, the Parish has a paid subscription to FORMED. To sign-up:
1. Go to http://formed.org/signup
2. Select St. Leonard Parish
3. Register with your name and email address
4. Check that email account for a link to begin using FORMED
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How to Live This Lent for Others: Engage
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Lent is about transformation, but that transformation will be incomplete if we make it about ourselves. Instead of aiming for self-mastery alone this Lent, what is the key to living this Lent for others?
In 2 Samuel 7, when King David says he will build a house for the Lord, the Lord says to David through Nathan that he will not be the one to build the temple—but his son will.
Learning from this story, we see that we may want to do a good and noble thing for Lent, but that doesn’t mean it’s what God wants us to do. Ask God what he wants from you this Lent.
Discipline is great, but there’s a step after that: being generous. Asking God what he is asking of you, instead of deciding on your own, is a step from discipline to generosity, from self-mastery to deeper relationship. Aim to do your prayer, fasting, and alms giving out of generosity.
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Youth NET Rally Coming to St. Leonard Parish in March
A team of professional youth coordinators from NET Canada will be facilitating a youth rally at St. Leonard's Parish on:
Sunday March 29th from 4-8 pm. Dinner is provided and Mass will be included.
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On behalf of the Finance Council and Father Gerard, we are pleased to provide the Parish Financial report for the year ended Dec 31, 2019. The role of Finance Council is to assist and advise the Pastor in the administration of the temporal affairs of the Parish. Temporal affairs include all aspects of the revenue and expenses including building maintenance and capital projects.
For 2019 we reported an operating surplus for the year of $34,770
.
(
see 2019 financial statements
)
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Total revenue including Collections and Other Revenue increased by $23,015 over 2018 actuals. Total expenses decreased by $38,602 as a result of reduced capital expenditures versus 2018. Most of the surplus ($30,000) will be added to our capital reserve fund bringing the balance to $155,000.
Whether you are a pre-authorized debit giver, a regular envelope user or an occasional cash giver, all your offerings are greatly appreciated. It is your financial support that has made new programs and capital improvements in the Church possible and we are extremely grateful for your ongoing generosity.
Capital projects planned for 2020 include upgrades to our music equipment and HVAC system.
Our 2020 plan calls for a 2% increase in Collections. This will also allow us to keep pace with increased expenses brought about by cost of living increases. Starting this month, we are introducing an Online Giving service (Tithe.ly) for those of you who would like to make your one-time or recurring Offerings to the Parish from your smart phone or your computer. If you would like an easy, safe and secure way of giving, check out the information that follows on our new Tithe.ly service.
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Two New Ways to Give: Giving made Easy!
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We’re pleased to announce that St. Leonard now provides Online Giving and Mobile App Giving through software called Tithe.ly. These are two new convenient and safe ways to make a one-time or recurring donation. Getting started is easy. For Online Giving just visit our website and click on
"Give Now"
. For Mobile App Giving download the Tithe.ly app from your smartphone’s app store (Android or iOS) and give through your phone utilizing your credit card. For more information
"Click Here".
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March 1 Father Pierre Champoux speaks on vocation at all weekend Masses
March 3 Faith Formation – Divine Mercy 7 p.m.
March 4 Milk Bag Mat Weaving – 1 p.m.
Pastoral Council Meeting – 7 p.m.
March 5 Lenten Reflection – 9:30 a.m.
March 6 Stations of the Cross – led by CWL 7 p.m.
March 10 Faith Formation – Divine Mercy 7 p.m.
March 11 Knights of Columbus Meeting – 7 p.m.
March 12 Lenten Reflection 9:30 a.m.
March 13 Stations of the Cross – led by Pastoral Care Ministry 7 p.m.
March 17 Faith Formation – Divine Mercy 7 p.m.
March 19 Lenten Reflection – 9:30 a.m.
March 20 Stations of the Cross – led by Pastoral Council 7 p.m.
March 24 Milk Bag Mat Weaving – 1:00 p.m.
Faith Formation – Divine Mercy 7 p.m.
March 25 Lenten Reconciliation Service – 7 p.m.
March 26 Lenten Reflection – 9:30 a.m.
March 27 Stations of the Cross – led by Pro-Life Ministry
March 28 CWL Meeting - 2:30 p.m.
March 31 Reconciliation Service for Confirmation Candidates 7 p.m.
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After the 9 am and 11 am Sunday masses coffee will be served in the Parish Hall.
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Parishioner Feedback: We Love Your Input!
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Dear Parishioners we are very interested in your feedback. If have any comments and/or suggestions as it relates to any of our Parish activities, including the E-Newsletter, please
click here.
If you would like a direct response to your suggestion, please include your email address.
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"
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St. Leonard Parish
office@stleonardsparish.ca
www.stleonardsparish.ca
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