E-NEWSLETTER AUGUST 23, 2021

FROM THE DESK OF FR. TIM…

HAITI DISASTER RELIEF

The Archdiocese of Toronto has opened a humanitarian relief fund to assist Haiti, which in recent days has been stricken by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake and a tropical storm. At least 1,900 people are dead, 9,000 are injured and 30,000 are homeless after a strong earthquake devastated the country on Saturday, August 14, 2021. The country was already responding to the COVID19 pandemic, worsening gang violence and a presidential assassination on July 7, 2021.

The Archdiocese of Toronto will send donations through Caritas Internationalis, an international confederation of Catholic humanitarian organizations with a long history of disaster relief. Caritas is already on the ground assisting Haitians, as it has been when other disasters have struck that country. Donations to Caritas will be used for food, water, shelter, clothing and medical supplies.

 Those wishing to help may do so in the following ways:

• Online through the Archdiocese of Toronto website: www.archtoronto.org
• By phone through the Development Office – 416-934-3411
• Through the parish, making cheques payable to: St. Ignatius Loyola Parish – Haiti Disaster Relief

STEP 3 “ROADMAP TO REOPENING”

The Province of Ontario is remaining in Step 3 of the “Roadmap to Reopening” due to the challenges posed by the Delta variant of COVID-19.

As a result, we will continue with current distancing and masking protocols for both parish hall and church.  

Our church remains open for private prayer Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. (after the morning mass) until Noon

Our parish office is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9:30 am. to Noon. 

Confessions are heard in the parish sacristy on Saturday from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. or by appointment.

SEPTEMBER LAUNCH OF NEW PARISH WEBSITE/ UPDATED STAFF E-MAIL

We are pleased to announce that we will be officially launching our new parish website stignatiusloyolami.archtoronto.org on Friday September 10! While we have some material yet to upload to the site, we hope you will visit even now to begin to familiarize yourself with the wider variety of information that it offers not only about our parish community but also information and events in the Archdiocese of Toronto.   It is also compliant with the new government regulations for websites according to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. While we will run both websites for a short period, the livestream of the Sunday 9 a.m. mass is even now streamed to our new parish website…so please now update your computer and devices for our new website.

Please note that we have also updated our staff email addresses (and will be phasing our @st-ignatius-loyola.com addresses).  Please update your contact information for us as follows:

Parish office:   StIgnatiusLoyolaMI@archtoronto.org

Fr. Timothy K. Hanley, Pastor:  thanley@archtoronto.org

Fr. John Sutka Associate Pastor:  jsutka@archtoronto.org

Rev. Mr. John Brown, Permanent Deacon:  stignatiusloyolami@archtoronto.org

Caroline Borcsok, Pastoral Associate:  cborcsok@archtoronto.org

Carol Dewar, Parish Secretary:  StIgnatiusLoyolaMI@archtoronto.org

Joan Cabri, Accountant:  loyolabookkeeper@archtoronto.org

LIVESTREAM OF SUNDAY 9 A.M. MASS

For those not comfortable or able to return to mass quite yet we continue to encourage you to view the livestream of our Sunday 9 a.m. Mass via OUR NEW PARISH WEBSITE  stignatiusloyolami.archtoronto.org  OR OUR EXISTING WEBSITE (SOON TO BE PHASED OUT) www.st-ignatius-loyola.com

At communion time we invite you to join in the following prayer:

An Act of Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, 
I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. 
I love You above all things, 
and I desire to receive You into my soul. 
Since I cannot at this moment

receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.

I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You.

Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen.

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS BEGINS in SEPTEMBER!

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for adults who would like to become Roman Catholic will begin again in September.  If you or a loved one would like to consider becoming a Roman Catholic please have them speak to Fr. Tim or Fr. John after mass or contact us by e-mail or telephone to arrange for an interview.

CONFIRMATION 2021 MASSES TO BE HELD IN LATE SEPTEMBER

We were unable to celebrate Confirmation in June 2021 (for those who had registered in February 2021) and will be celebrating Confirmation 2021 Masses on four dates in late September 2021 as follows:

Monday September 27, Tuesday September 28, Wednesday September 29, Thursday September 30

Information about these celebrations and how to reserve a space for each candidate and their families will be e-mailed to each registered family in early September 2021.

UTM CATHOLIC CHAPLAINCY UPDATE

If you, or someone you know is a university student then this announcement is for you! The UTM (University of Toronto Mississauga) Catholic Chaplaincy exists to provide a supportive community for students to learn, grow, and celebrate their Catholic faith. While many schools continue to offer online learning for this Fall Term, the increased isolation creates a deep need for authentic community. Whether you are at UTM student or a student studying remotely at another university or college, we invite you join our community. Our chaplaincy is working hard to plan safe in-person gatherings as well as virtual gatherings for those wishing to connect remotely. For more information visit our website www.utmcatholics.com …and feel free to share our website with any university-age students that may be interested in joining or learning more about our chaplaincy.

CWL SCHOLARSHIP: ST MICHAEL’S COLLEGE AT UofT

The Toronto Diocesan Council of the Catholic Women’s League is offering a scholarship to St. Michael’s College for any young woman who is of Catholic faith, has completed high school and will be enrolled at St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto.  Application deadline is August 31, 2021.  For more information, please contact CWL President Anne-Marie Dayal at annemariedayal@gmail.com.

SHARELIFE 2021: Living the Gospel by putting faith into action

“ShareLife is the way the rubber hits the road. This is how we validate the legitimacy and integrity of our Christian life: not by the words we speak, but by the love we share, in practical ways. That’s what we do with ShareLife.”

– Cardinal Thomas Collins

We are fortunate in the Catholic community to have ShareLife-funded agencies that reach out to the marginalized in our communities, especially during the pandemic. These agencies respect the values we hold dear as a Catholic community.  As a pastor, it is reassuring to know I can refer those who come to me for guidance with difficult family issues to a Catholic Family Service agency that will be attentive to our beliefs and values as they help them.

These services are made possible through our generosity toward ShareLife. When you support these agencies, you are helping them to grow in response to the increased demand for service they face. This results in a positive impact on the lives of those who turn to them for help.

As Catholics, we are called to care for one another. One of the ways we do this is through our support of ShareLife. We express this love and care by supporting the work of ShareLife-funded agencies. Through their programs and services, we are able to fulfill this commandment.

Thank you for “living the Gospel” through our parish ShareLife campaign. Thus far we have raised just over $185,000 toward our goal of $234,600.  Thank you to those who have contributed to our annual appeal. If you have not yet done so, you are invited to reflect on your ability to help those in need and make a sacrificial gift to help those who turn to our agencies for help.

Monthly Pre-Authorized Giving is a convenient way to spread your ShareLife contribution throughout the year. You can learn more about PAG at www.sharelife.org  However you give, whatever you give, thank you for supporting ShareLife!

YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED

Thank you once again for your generosity and support of our parish community and ShareLife as we return to church, especially by placing your envelope in the offertory basket before mass or mailing in your donations, or donating via Pre-Authorized Giving (PAG forms available through parish website) or by credit card, or single or monthly donations through the “Donate now” button (at www.archtoronto.org  or through our new website www.stignatiusloyolami.archtoronto.org.

Please join us at the end of each mass in praying the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel:

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.

 Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

 May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;

 And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God,

 thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world

seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.