Bulletin: 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
What you need to know from this weekend’s bulletin:
What’s with name changes?
June 29, 2025
In Scriptures, names are more than superficial titles given without any particular purpose. They are carefully and deliberately chosen to denote something, a quality or a mission, on the part of the person who would bear the name. Hence, it is not unusual for God Himself to impose names on important personages or to change their names. So, when Jesus changed the name of Simon to “Peter”, we are almost sure that the change was not in name only but in the person itself of Simon. The same is true with Saul who was designated Paul after his conversion. The change in the persons of Simon or Saul may be gleaned from comparing the kind of men they were before they became disciples of Jesus and the kind of persons they later became.
As we celebrate the Solemnity of Peter and Paul, it would be a good thing to reflect on the transformation of a cowardly Simon into a committed Peter, and of a cruel Saul to a dedicated Paul. It is said that saints, like Peter, Paul and others, have their past and that sinners, like ourselves, have our future. In a way, we can also look at how we, as sinners, can become saints by following their own respective journeys of faith.
What Jesus did to Simon thus transforming him to Peter is known today as affirmation or stroking. The transformation of Saul into Paul was brought about by the affirmation that Christ gave him through the Christian community.
In our life’s journey, we need the affirming values of Christ to recognize Christ in all those we encounter in this pilgrimage of faith. To be an authentic sign of God’s tenderness and love in our lives, we have to be open to the needs of others, to offer acts of kindness to others, to listen to the pain of others, to acknowledge the giftedness of others, to affirm the efforts of others, to wish others a good day or to give peace to one another.
Our sense of God’s love and tenderness can build and strengthen our rather fragile personal relationships in the almost impersonal context of our liturgical gatherings. May the Eucharist, in which Christ affirms us through His self-sacrificing love, inspire us to affirm one another through our loving and caring relationships.
Fr. Edmund,
Healing Lines
“Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Feed my lambs…Tend my sheep…Feed my sheep…Follow me.” (John 21:15-21) In our love for Jesus let us look after those who need us most; the hungry, the abused, and the homeless. Seek out opportunities to make your faith active.
Announcements:
Please see this weekend’s bulletins for all announcements:
Now available…
At the right side of the Sanctuary Entrance, you can now simply tap your bank card or device to give your desired contribution for the Church’s maintenance and programs. The Tap and give device prompts you to provide a mobile number for a text receipt and/or a QR code. If you require a tax receipt at year’s end, we need copies of your receipts and the last four (4) digits of the card(s) used. As a standard practice, tap machines do not access any personal information, except the last four (4) digits of the bank card.
Fundraising, repairs, maintenance and upgrades.
As a Jubilee initiative, the diocese, with help of Calgary-based ViTreo Group, offers a fundraising scheme to help with our loan repayment by matching the funds we raise (up to $500,0000 with an outstanding loan of a little more than 3M) in the next three years. This program doubles the impact of our fundraising efforts. We expect to launch this program in the Fall, together with other fundraising initiatives. After consultation with the Properties Manager of the diocese, a new OTIS GLIDE door operator will upgrade our aging elevator. The cost is $43,458.69 +tax and a 50% deposit upon agreement. We have also introduced remote access of our HVAC system, costing up to $25,000. We also have ongoing repairs with our roofing, more work in our parking and landscaping. As we go through these physical plant issues, we continue to rely on your ongoing support. We are also exploring with Telus fibre-optic Internet connection for our complex. We depend heavily on Internet connectivity for our communications, including our Internet-based Microsoft Systems for our phone lines.
SMCC Vacation Bible Camp 2025
Vacation Bible Camp 2025: “True North”
ONLINE REGISTRATION is now closed for Pre-Kindergarten (3 & 4 yrs) and Kindergarten (5 & 6 yrs) campers. We are completely full with zero spots available. Sorry for the inconvenience. The camp is run by parent-volunteers. Thank you for your understanding. See you next time! GENERAL ONLINE REGISTRATION is currently open for Grade 1–6, Grade 7–9, and Grade 10–12. This registration closes at 12:00pm noon on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. Please register online ASAP to avoid disappointment: https://forms.gle/2DCjiZcKPQDs68Vu7 . Thanks everyone!
Stampede Breakfast
The Knights of Columbus will be serving a Pancake Breakfast on Sunday, July 13 after the 9:00am and 11:00am Masses. Everyone is welcome!
Vandalism Alert!
Disabled and other signs have been vandalized over the years. The growing disruptions in our church complex is a concern. Please report all suspicious activities or persons to the office or directly to the police authorities.
Pastoral Council
Pastoral Council met for a final business meeting on Tuesday, May 20 before summer break. * Thank you to the dedicated men and women who have sat on council for the prescribed three-year term and who will be stepping down in June. If you or someone you know is interested in sitting on Pastoral Council, please send an email to fredmund@saintmichael.ca. * The first draft of the Parish Renewal Plan is underway. Watch the bulletin and Flocknote for more details. * Check out Fr. Edmund’s and staff interviews with Mario Toneguzzi, which cover a variety of topics including being a Catholic and the importance of confession. Interviews are available on the website by clicking “Video Interviews”. If you would like to attend one of our meetings as an observer, or if you have any questions or concerns, please reach us at 403-249-0423. To read the minutes from our meeting in March, or any past meeting, please click here.
Together in Action (TIA)
This year’s goal is $121,243 which is the same as the previous few years. Thanks to your generosity, we reached the target amount last year. All surplus funds this year will go to our Building Fund to help pay our loan.
Week-at-a-Glance: (Sat. June 28– Sun. July 13, 2025):
Saturday, June 28:
No Events
Sunday, June 29:
Coffee Connection: After 9:00am and 11:00am Mass (last)
Monday, June 30:
No Events
Monday, July 1:
Canada Day: Office Closed
Mass: Day Chapel, 6:00pm
Sunday, July 13:
Stampede Breakfast-K of C: Narthex– After 9:00 and 11:00am Mass
Tuesday, July 15-Thursday, July 17:
Vacation Bible Camp: St. Nicholas Room-8:00am-12:00pm
Friday, July 18:
Altar Server Summer BBQ Party: Narthex– 5:00pm
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13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 29/06/2025, 659.53 KB