Bulletin: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
What you need to know from this weekend’s bulletin:
Marriage: Unity Beyond Ourselves
October 3, 2021
The gospel today shows Jesus standing for unity and permanence in marriage, not divorce. “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
He has transformed marriage from a mere human contract into a sacrament, a covenant, reflecting His own love for us. Companionship in marriage has been given a divine dimension by the Word becoming flesh. Mutual acceptance in marriage has to be inspired by His own image and likeness, present in every partner in a marital relationship. Every effort to relate with one another in marriage has become an experience of the divine.
Unity, based on mere human efforts, is an illusion. It is something which this world cannot give. Unity as to be referred to Someone beyond ourselves. Any marriage or human companionship which relies solely on the strength of the partners is bound to be weak an unreliable.
It has to be strengthened by a Love that makes the unlovable lovable. It is a Power that transforms powerlessness as a source of strength. It is a Religion that has used the cross as a symbol of victory. It is a Life that has taken woundedness as a source of healing. It is a Spirit that has conquered death and made it a way to life.
The transforming power of Christian love is what can make our life in companionship and community bearable and even beautiful. Our acceptance of Christ on the personal level has to be the common denominator of our connectedness to one another, especially in marriage.
We cannot actually escape from communion with our marital partner or with others without breaking our faith in Jesus who has sacrificed His life for the unity of God’s children.
In Christ,
Fr. Edmund Vargas
Mass Intentions
We are no longer accepting any Mass bookings until December 15th as we are fully booked until December 31st.
Mass Schedule for this Weekend
Saturday, October 2, 5:00 PM – Fr. Raul Hernandez
Sunday, October 3, 9:00 AM – Fr. Raul Hernandez
Sunday, October 3, 11: 00 AM & 5:00 PM – Fr. Edmund Vargas
Changes to Daily Mass and Office Hours
Effective October 4th there will be no Mass celebrated on Mondays and the parish office will be closed.
COVID Restrictions Update – September 16
The following changes have been made:
• Capacity limited to 1/3 fire code occupancy (400 people per Mass)
• Masks are mandatory
• 2 meters physical distancing between households, or 2 close contacts for those living alone
• For this weekends Masses, first-served approach and locking doors when the capacity limit is reached
• Registration not required
St. Michael’s Bible Study
Please join us for St. Michael’s Bible Study, starting on Monday, October 18th at 7:00 pm via zoon, and will run until December 13th. Please register online at saintmichael.ca/events. If you have any questions please contact Augusto Bitter by email at: abitter@telus.net
40 Days for Life Prayer Campaign
St. Michael is once again part of this prayer campaign. Over 5000 babies are killed at the Kensington abortion facility every year. 40 Days for Life is a prayerful, respectful campaign that seeks to bring awareness to the inconvenient truth that abortion kills human beings. Our culture tells us to ignore this truth, but we refuse to be silenced. Our prayerful presence during 40 Days at abortion centres around the world draws attention to the plight of preborn children and seeks God’s help through intercessory prayer. Will you join us? Will you stand up for Truth? We need you! St. Michael’s day to pray is Friday, Oct.1. Sign up and be a loving, prayerful voice for the preborn babies who have no voice but ours. We know from the testimonies of many that these campaigns save lives. St. Michael’s day to pray this campaign is Friday, October 1. Please join us and signup online at 40 Days for Life. Click on the “SIGN UP FOR VIGIL HOURS” box and choose an hour or more on Friday, October 1. Up to four persons can sign up for each one hour time slot. We ensure that no one stands alone, so if you are the only signed up, don’t worry , someone will be there with you. Signs are provided. Questions? Call Karen at 403-870-7080
Alpha
Alpha is an opportunity to explore life and the Christian faith in a friendly, open and informal environment. It will run Wednesdays at 7 p.m. beginning October 6, via Zoom, gathering once a week over an eleven-week period. Alpha welcomes people from every walk of life, wherever they are on their faith journey. We will have time for connection, dialogue, and small group discussion. Many are looking for meaning in their lives during this time and Alpha is a great place to start! Come and bring a friend! Call Mark at 403-836-0545 with any questions. For more details or to register, go to saintmichael.ca/faithformation.
Alpha Volunteer Opportunity
Would you like to assist as a small group host, helper, or prayer team member for our fall Alpha program? Training is provided. Alpha starts on October 6 and will run online using Zoom. Please contact Mark Richards at 403-836-0545 or via email: alpha@saintmichael.ca.