Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I hope that this letter finds you safe and well, and hopefully warm as winter seems to be finally setting in. It is hard to believe that we’ve been in this lockdown for a month now. I find that some days it seems like we’ve been in lockdown forever, and other days it seems as if Christmas was just the other day.
Here in the Rectory Bishop Ustrzycki and I are offering Mass for all of your intentions each day, as well as fulfilling the Mass intentions that have been requested. On Sundays you are all prayed for in a “Missa Pro Populo”, literally “Mass for the People”, which we con-celebrate at the Perpetual Help Altar in the Basilica. You are also remembered in my Rosary each day.
I have yet to hear any news about when we may open for public worship again, but like you, I am praying that it will be soon. I am sure that there are many of you who are missing the sacraments, the comforting presence of the Blessed Sacrament, and the company of fellow parishioners. As soon as I hear anything from the Chancery I will let you know. I hope that we will be back together in time for Lent, or at the latest in time for Easter.
Yes, Lent is soon upon us, and this year will be a special Lent as it falls during the year which Pope Francis dedicated to St. Joseph. I hope that we will be back to public worship in order to celebrate a special “Forty Hours Devotion” in honour of St. Joseph, the Patron of the Universal Church and the Patron of Canada. Forty Hours' Devotion, is a very beautiful exercise of devotion in which semi-continuous prayer is made for forty hours before the Blessed Sacrament in solemn exposition. We will begin our devotion, which will be preached by His Excellency the Most Rev’d Wayne Lobsinger, Auxiliary Bishop-elect of Hamilton, with a "Mass of Exposition", on the evening of March 16. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed throughout the days leading up to the Solemnity of St. Joseph on March 19. During this time we will pray earnestly for our country and for and end to the coronavirus. Please watch the online bulletin for more information. I also encourage each of you to pray the Litany of St. Joseph daily for our country, and for an end to this virus. When I pray it I always add the title “Patron of Our Country” to the list of titles for St. Joseph. You can find the Litany of St. Joseph at www.ewtn.com or www.ourcatholicprayers.com
A great big Thank You to the many of you who dropped off Christmas gifts and cards at the Rectory. I’m happy to say that we have now finished the cakes, cookies and chocolates, and aren’t too much the worse for wear.
Also thank you to those of you who have been regularly dropping off your offerings. If any of you are able to do so please mail in or drop off your envelopes at the Parish Office. As you can well imagine most of our costs do not cease during a pandemic. Your generosity is truly appreciated. Also over the next few weeks you will be hearing quite a bit about the Diocesan “One Heart, One Soul” campaign which will be kicking off at the Basilica on the weekend of February 20/21. Please watch our website and the online bulletin for more information.
The priests at St. Joseph’s, Guelph, have prepared a wonderful list of Catholic resources for anyone who would like to use this time of pandemic to deepen their faith. I am very grateful that they have chosen to allow me to re-produce this list of resources for you. While not an exhaustive list I think you will find these to be good resources for prayer and study while we’re locked down – and for afterwards as well.
Online Catholic Resources For those with questions or wondering about Catholicism
ttp://www.catholic.com http://www.ignatiuspress.com
Great place to look up your questions about the faith
http://www.strangenotions.com http://www.catholicscomehome.org
http://mattfradd.com http://www.chnetwork.org
http://www.patrickmadrid.com http://www.trenthorn.com
http://www.catholic-convert.com http://www.conversiondiary.com
For Catholics who want to grow in their faith
https://instituteofcatholicculture.org http://dynamiccatholic.com
http://catholic-link.org http://ascensionpresents.com
http://www.wordonfire.org http://www.formed.org
https://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org
http://reallifecatholic.com http://www.ewtn.com
https://evango.net http://brandonvogt.com
http://www.jimmyakin.com http://www.peterkreeft.com
https://churchpop.com http://www.salvationhistory.com
http://www.faithandreason.com http://chastityproject.com
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen http://www.therealpresence.org
Good Catholic News Sites
http://aleteia.org http://www.catholicnewsagency.com
https://cruxnow.com http://www.ncregister.com
https://www.catholicculture.org http://epicpew.com
YouTube Channels
Ascension Presents Ascension Press Spirit Juice Studios Catholic Answers
Word On Fire EWTN Life Teen Busted Halo
Dear parishioners please keep me in your prayers, as I assure you that you are in mine. I definitely hope that we can all be together again soon.
I remain faithfully yours in Christ,
Fr. Ian Duffy, Rector