E-NEWSLETTER MARCH 23, 2022

From the Desk of Fr. Tim…

Consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary/Ukraine Relief

The Holy Father is encouraging dioceses around the world to join him in prayer for peace and for the entrustment and the consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord: Friday, March 25, 2022.   We will celebrate two masses on Friday March 25 at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. and will participate in this consecration by praying together the Consecration Prayer during each mass.

Please consider assisting the people of Ukraine not only with your prayers, but also  financially by making a monetary donation as follows:

• Use the yellow Humanitarian Relief envelopes found at each door of the church and mark them “Ukrainian Relief” (or drop off or mail any envelope marked “Ukrainian Relief” OR
• Online through the Archdiocese of Toronto website: archtoronto.org OR
  
• By phone through the Development Office at 416-934-3411

ShareLife 2022

We thank you for your extraordinary support of ShareLife in 2021 and would like each family to consider a Lenten donation to ShareLife 2022.  Our parish’s ShareLife campaign goal this year is $255,000. As we approach our first collection this weekend of March 27^th, please reflect upon your ability to contribute to our parish campaign this year.

Cardinal Collins says of the campaign: “Our goal can be met, but only with your help. I invite you to join today's generation of heroes by making a sacrificial gift to ShareLife. As you contemplate the blessings God has entrusted to you, please join me in giving to ShareLife to the best of your ability.”

Your donation can be made via the offertory or at the parish office. We also encourage you to make your donation online via the parish website or at https://sharelife.org/ . Monthly Pre-Authorized Giving (PAG) is a convenient way to spread your ShareLife contribution throughout the year. Simply submit a void cheque with the completed form on a ShareLife pew envelope to the parish office or drop it in the offertory basket at any time. Contact ShareLife at slife@archtoronto.org or 416-934-3411 if you have any questions.

This is ShareLife Sunday! Please give generously.

Updates on COVID-19 Restrictions – Full Capacity/Mask Mandate

The Archdiocese of Toronto has followed the Government of Ontario’s Covid-19 guidance throughout the pandemic.  Recently we re-opened to full capacity and last week the provincial government announced the end of public masking requirements in most non-medical settings effective Monday, March 21, 2022. As such, our church, hall, and parish office will also no longer require masking starting on Monday, March 21, 2022.

These changes to public health directives have been long awaited.  If you have not been to Mass during the pandemic, I encourage you to return to church when you feel comfortable.  Please know that while we are doing our best to make sure that you feel safe and welcomed, we realize that these changes are stressful for some members of our community.

As a result, we are asking our office staff, priests, deacon, and those involved in ministry to continue to wear masks for a further two-week period until Monday April 4, 2022.  We encourage people who wish to do so to continue to wear masks at church and in visiting the parish office.  We also recognize that those who are vulnerable may prefer to watch our Sunday 9:00 a.m. livestream mass each week rather than attend Sunday mass in person.  

Special thanks to our Ministers of Hospitality for their assistance in seating parishioners during these many months of pandemic…they will continue to be on hand to assist you when needed and will also assist with the collection baskets which has resumed at the offertory time.

Cardinal Collins reminds us that the Eucharist remains the source and summit of our life in Christ.  Participation in the Sunday Eucharist is the central experience of the week.  It is also the obligation of Catholics, if they are able, to be personally present at the mass.

Lent and Holy Week 2022 at St. Ignatius Loyola Parish

• 9:00 a.m. Mass Monday to Saturday, Regular Sunday Mass Schedule (No Reservation Needed)
• 7:00 p.m. Friday Evening Mass followed by Stations of the Cross – led on March 25 by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and April 1 by the Lector Ministry
• Sacrament of Reconciliation/Confession on Saturdays 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. (in addition to Saturdays from 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
• Lenten Day of Confessions - Thursday April 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday on the weekend of April 9/10 and concludes on Easter Sunday April 17…. Please see attached Holy Week 2022 schedule.

Update on Gill Refugee Family

On behalf of the Refugee Committee, I wish to thank each of you for your generosity in supporting this family: both in the donated items you supplied to equip their home, and in your financial donations of $9,191 plus gift cards.

Daughter Sunena and husband Aurangzeb arrived on January 26, brother Shan arrived on February 24, and parents Younas Gill and Saleema Bibi and younger son Adeeb arrived safely on March 17.

They will be our honoured guests at the 5:00 p.m. mass this Saturday March 26 and we will offer them a blessing as they begin their new lives in Canada! Please keep them in your prayers during this time of transition!

2021 Parish Financial Report

Last weekend at each mass members of the Property and Finance Committee presented the financial update for the 2021 fiscal year, along with copies of the financial statement.  Copies of the financial statement (on blue paper) can be found at each door of the church and on the parish website. These documents were also sent to all parishioners on our e-mail list on Wednesday March 16.

I would like to thank the members of our Property and Finance Committee for their continued advice and counsel:  Christine Burton, Michael Furlong, Peter Kastelic, Maureen Kelly, Michael Niejadlik, Tom Pippy and Fred Taggart.

Once again, on behalf of Fr. John, Deacon John, and the parish staff, I would like to thank each of you for your extraordinary support during these challenging times. We truly appreciate your loyalty, ongoing support, and generosity, and we hope that 2022 will allow us to welcome you back to our parish church in greater numbers.

Request for Publication of Banns – Rob Sansone

Roberto Sansone is to be ordained to the Diaconate for the Archdiocese of Toronto on June 18, 2022, at St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica.  Please remember him in your prayers. 

Canon Law obliges Catholics to reveal any impediment to sacred orders to the bishop or pastor.

Parish Office/Church Open with Expanded Hours

We are happy to announce that the parish office, while remaining closed on Mondays, has returned to regular office hours from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on all other weekdays (Tuesday to Friday).  The parish office will also open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.  For now, the office will remain closed on Sunday.

The church is open weekdays throughout the day from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and on Saturdays from 9:30 to 1:30 p.m.  

As always, our parish staff are available at other times via telephone or e-mail to answer any of your inquiries.

I am happy to announce that Millie Ozaeta has joined our parish staff as our weekend secretary/receptionist.  She regularly attends the 7:45 a.m. Sunday mass where she is also a Minister of the Eucharist and Minister of Hospitality.  Millie works on Saturdays and will also assist Olga during the week in the parish office when she is away or on vacation.  Welcome Millie!

Men’s Lenten Retreat

Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre, 1617 Blythe Road is hosting a Men’s Lenten Retreat by on Saturday April 9 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The presenter is Monsignor Joseph Shiels. The cost is $45.00 and includes lunch. To register, please call 905-278-5229 or office@qoa.ca .

Livestream of Sunday 9:00 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 9:00 a.m. Mass via our parish website: https://stignatiusloyolami.archtoronto.org .