Dear members of our faith community; March 7, 2021 This weekend we have in the Book of Exodus 20:1-17 the enumeration of the ten commandments the knowledge and practicing of which people have often equated as necessary for being a “religious” person. What we need to remember though is that before there are “commandments” there is a God who out of love creates and out of love seeks to establish a relationship. The Hebrew Scriptures show us a God of the covenant who takes the initiative to love, to guide, to accompany, to journey with and to forgive and be merciful. The commands are given as a gift to people who freely choose to respond to such a caring and gracious God, to such a wonderful relationship, and who want to know the guidelines which will help them to maintain a loving relationship. In this reading we have a God described as “I the Lord your God am a jealous God …showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me (Ex. 20: 5-6)”: a passionate God whose love and mercy is inclusive (the “alien resident” among you). Do I, do we see our God as my, our God but also as the God of the other, not just people from other lands but also people who are different, living and doing things “alien” to my, our ways? The Gospel of John 2: 13-25 show Jesus cleansing the Temple. The other Gospels place this at the end of the ministry of Jesus; the scandal that will cause the arrest of Jesus. John places it at the beginning in order to put emphasis on who Jesus is and how God works through him: Jesus is the place on earth where God dwells. God is not found in the rituals and practices in the Temple but in the person and life and death and resurrection of Jesus, and in the persons who are filled with his Spirit. Our Lenten journey reminds and challenges us to see ourselves and the other, all others as the dwelling place of God. What kind of Temple do others see when they view our parish, our communities, our families and schools? What changes do I need to live to be the dwelling place of God? What changes need to come about in our communities, in our world so that peace, justice and right relationships between peoples will exist? As we seek our own conversion I invite you to read the story of the conversion of , which was sent in a communique which came from our Bishop Gary re. “Evangelization.” And then at the end view the inspiring, and yes, also sad, video which I found on the BBC about Ahmed, a nine-year old blind boy who sees beyond the horizon and other children in Taiz, Yemen, who are passionate about learning and the hope it brings, in a country torn apart by external forces driven by power and greed. Get your children, grand and great grandchildren to watch it; let us be thankful for we are so blessed!

Conversion of Joe Eszterhas “May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:14).” In April 2001 Joe Eszterhas was diagnosed with throat cancer. With this, the world collapsed on the famous Hollywood screenwriter, the author of the script of the very popular (and very scandalous) film “”, starring Sharon Stone. The diagnosis was followed by radical surgery: 80% of his larynx was removed and a tube was inserted to allow him to breathe. During the postoperative visit the doctors told Joe: “You must immediately stop drinking and smoking, otherwise you will die”. “I was twelve years old when I started smoking” – Joe wrote in his autobiography – “and fourteen when I started drinking. Now at fifty-six, not a single day has passed in the last forty-four years that I haven't smoked or drunk something alcoholic”. Joe was born into a Catholic family in Hungary in 1944 at the end of World War II. The family fled from the horrors of war in an Allied refugee camp, from where he later emigrated to the United States. The whole family is marked by the suffering of the mother, who was mentally ill and died of cancer. These events turned young Joe off to the experience of faith. As an adult Joe Eszterhas began working for a newspaper as a crime reporter. So every day, he experienced the dark, brutal and indecent part of his city. In the meantime he discovered that during World War II his father had supported the Nazis and actively organized anti-Semitic propaganda. In the 1970s the name of Eszterhas appeared in the famous music magazine “”. In 1978 he wrote the first screenplay for the film “F.I.S.T” with , and then another for “” in 1983. In the 1990s, thanks to the aforementioned “Basic instinct”, Time 6 magazine featured Joe Eszterhas as the “king of sex and violence in America”. At the end of the twentieth century, Joe was at the height of his Hollywood career; with the writing of sixteen films, he had earned about a billion dollars. The surgery turns everything upside down. A month after the operation, sitting on a bench amidst a sudden blistering heat, Eszterhas raved: “I was going crazy. I was shaking. I was staggering. I was delirious. I had no patience at all. I was yelling at my wife Naomi and the boys. My heart skipped beats. I had no appetite. I couldn't swallow anything”. The reason for this state of mind was obvious: “Every single end of my nervous system was craving for a drink and a cigarette”. So Joe decided to run away. “I left home and started walking. I was walking as fast as I could. I was too old to run. I tried to overcome my cravings and my addictions with this march. I was trying to get over the panic. I was trying to overcome self-destruction. I was trying to overcome death”. Minutes pass and Joe, wandering around the neighbourhood, feels himself falling. “I started to cry. I knew I was hyperventilating. I sat on a curb. Tears streamed down my face. I watched as they splashed on the ground. My heart was beating so hard it blocked out everything around me except my sobs. It seemed that I was no longer human. I listened to my moans. I looked like a wounded animal”. And it was exactly at that moment when the unexpected happened. “I could hear myself muttering something. I felt I was saying it. I couldn't believe I said it. I didn't know why I said it. I've never said that before. I heard myself repeat it. And then again and again: “Please, God, help me!” I actually knew, according to reality, that I could not have said it, as indeed I could not say anything. My larynx was almost completely gone. This devilish tube was there. I couldn't even whisper, let alone say something. But I distinctly heard myself say it and then repeat it again and again”. «Please, God, help me!» I prayed, I asked, I begged for help. I begged God to help me. And I thought to myself: «Me? Asking God? Pleading to God? Praying?» I hadn't thought of God since I was a little boy, but I felt myself begging him for help in continuation, as I groaned in pain. And suddenly my heart calmed down. My nerve endings stopped tormenting me. I stopped shaking and having spasms. My hands stopped jittering. … I got up from the curb. I opened my eyes. God's grace works in the human heart in different ways. Joe's conversion reminds us of the biblical scene of the woman who wanted to touch Jesus' cloak to be healed. Saint Ambrose described it as follows: “She touched the hem of his garment, she approached him in a spirit of faith, she believed, and she realized that she was cured. . . . So we too, if we wish to be saved, should reach out in faith to touch the garment of Christ” (Ambrose, Exposition Evangelii sec. Lucam, VI, 56, 58). After this experience of prayer and newfound faith, Joe writes: “I walked home. I thought I could do it. It would be the biggest fight of my life. It would be terribly difficult, but with God's help I thought I could do it. I could conquer myself and win. If I fought hard and if I prayed”. “Something happened to me on that hellish and sultry day. For a long time I didn't know how to describe it, but now I know. I was saved”. One of the fruits of the salvation Joe received is his approach to parish life and, especially, to liturgical service. Joe Eszterhas found a very simple but significant role: the crucifer (cross-bearer). “No one forced me to carry the cross in the parish of the Holy Angels. I did it as a way to thank Jesus for helping me. I felt honoured to do so; it was my pleasure”. In Taiz, Yemen, hundreds of children walk each day to the bombed ruins of a school. Unpaid teachers and a young blind boy continue to help and teach hundreds of children. Click Here for the video story. Let us also follow in prayer Pope Francis as he visits Iraq from March 5-8 to show support for the suffering and persecuted and religious minorities including Christians who wish to continue to live in their homeland.

We offer condolences to the family and pray for the repose of the souls of:  Ed Timmermann who died on Feb 27  Frank Grealy who died on Jan 28  Sr. Margaret Baumann of the IHM Sisters in Tofino who died on March 3 at 101  Ian Ronald Anderson, (son of John and Anne Anderson) who died on Feb. 14  Rita Fox who died on Feb 17  James Busse who died on Dec. 9, 2020

All are welcome to come inside St. Elizabeth's when the doors are unlocked for quiet reflection and prayer. Please maintain protocols. Please, continue to reach out to others by phone, in prayer. Thank you; shalom, fr Rolf, op

Join Bishop Gary Gordon for mass, Monday to Friday at 7 PM as well as on Sundays at 10 AM through live stream from the Cathedral. Simply click on: www.rcdvictoria.org/diocese-of-victoria-live-stream. To keep connected to the various communities in our Diocese, check out the weekly blog’s at: https://www.rcdvictoria.org/diocesanblog

UPDATED BC PUBLIC HEALTH RESTRICTIONS - Click Here  Masses in all BC churches will continue to be suspended until further notice. This is true for religious services of all faith groups.  You are required to wear a mask when entering the St. Elizabeth Church in Sidney which is open for individual prayer visits during office hours provided you observe protocols.  The celebration of baptisms, weddings and funerals continue to be possible but with limitations (10 persons only) and observance of strict protocols. If you wish to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession), please, contact Fr. Rolf at 250-656-7433 to arrange for a day and time.  The hospital and home Visiting Ministries will continue to be by phone or electronically.

“LIVING WITH CHRIST” MONTHLY BOOKLETS Our 1 year group subscription renewal is coming up in April. We are able to garner a better rate when more than 10 people subscribe together. If you would like to be on our group subscription list for the upcoming year – May 2021 to April 2022, please let the office (656-7433) know by March 26. The cost for the 1 year group rate subscription is $33.25/per person (incl. tax)-regular price is $40.43/year (incl. tax).

2020 TAX RECEIPTS - PLEASE PICK UP! Tax receipts are in the foyer of St. Elizabeth’s during office hours: Tues. to Fri. 9:00 am – noon or whenever the church doors are unlocked.

DONATIONS If you plan on dropping off or sending your regular weekly offertory envelopes, please try and consolidate your white envelope givings into one cheque and into one envelope, rather than putting your contributions into 3 or 4 separate white envelopes. Our counters appreciate your help!

E-TRANSFER DONATIONS CAN BE SENT DIRECTLY TO OUR PARISH Effective immediately, E-Transfer donations can come directly to [email protected] . Our bank account is set-up with “Auto-Deposit” feature and therefore we do not require a security question to complete the transfer. Thank you for all your weekly donations, including Pre-Authorized Debit’s (PAD’s). Your generosity is helping the Parish to stay afloat.

CALLING ON ALL YOUNG ARTISTS AGES 5 TO 16 YRS! Carla Fretwell is encouraging all youth artists to participate in the 5th Annual Fine Arts & Poster Contest with the theme “Fratelli Tutti” or “Brothers & Sisters All”. Please click on the link below to see all the contest details including the poster categories by age group, along with prizes and entry form. Entries must be submitted by no later than March 26! https://www.olota.org/moodle/pluginfile.php/2/course/section/23/5th%20Annual%20Fine%20Arts%20%20 Poster%20Contest%20Info2021.pdf

“VIRTUAL CONCERT” FOR THE PEOPLE IN ALEPPO, SYRIA People who have viewed this concert shared very positive comments about the talent of these young musicians. The concert can still be viewed by clicking here: https://youtu.be/nO9j7NmhRYc This “Virtual” Benefit for the Blue Marists of Aleppo, features our very own Joseph Shudian along with other accomplished musicians. You may remember that our parish decided that instead of sponsoring a refugee family from Syria that we would help the displaced people of Aleppo, Syria. Here's a short description provided by Joseph Shudian of what the Blue Marists in Aleppo do: “They work on improving the situation for Syrians through many different activities, which are divided into three types of programs: 1.) Aid & Relief, such as providing a hot meal with bread and fruit for 150 elderly people living alone, with no family left in Syria and no one to help them. 2.) Educational, such as teaching the skills of sewing to young women, mothers and spouses of the displaced families, to help them find a job or for personal reasons. 3.) Human Development, such as recycling old clothing and remains of fabrics to fashionable pieces that can be sold, providing a job opportunity for the persons in this project while respecting the environment and reducing waste.” DONATIONS can be made by dropping off cash or cheque (made out to Saanich Peninsula Parish with a memo stating “Aleppo Project” or by E-Transfer to [email protected] ***Please make sure to mention in the message that it's for the Aleppo Project!*** Thank you to all those who have already donated!

A collage of photos showing some of the activities and classes of the Blue Marists of Aleppo!

LENTEN BOOKLETS The St. Vincent De Paul Society has provided Lenten Booklets by Joan Chittister. They are located in the lobby of St. Elizabeth’s for a suggested donation of $5 with the proceeds going to SSVD.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS ZOOM INVITE Stations of the Cross via Zoom are every Friday at 9 am until Good Friday April 2, 2021. Please click on the Zoom Meeting link below: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85982329559?pwd=YVNvbkFQUDVHLzZwT1B2V1dTQ1I1UT09 Meeting ID: 859 8232 9559 Passcode: cwl One tap mobile +14388097799,,85982329559#,,,,*478321# Canada

PRAYING THE ROSARY VIA ZOOM The Rosary will be continuing on Wednesdays through Lent. CWL invites you to join their weekly Rosary on Wednesdays at 9:30am; hosted via Zoom. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84574603894?pwd=SXFlWUtScm82Vm93L09FaTdTZFQ3dz09 Meeting ID: 845 7460 3894 Passcode: CWL; One tap mobile: +15873281099,,84574603894#,,,,*816531# Canada

Pope’s Prayer Intention for the month of March: “THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION When I go to confession, it is in order to be healed, to heal my soul. To leave with greater spiritual health. To pass from misery to mercy. The center of confession is not the sins we declare, but the divine love we receive, of which we are always in need. The center of confession is Jesus who waits for us, who listens to us and forgives us. Remember this: In the heart of God, we come before our mistakes. And let us pray that we may experience the sacrament of reconciliation with renewed depth, to taste the forgiveness and infinite mercy of God. And let us pray that God may give his Church merciful priests and not torturers.”

SHARE LOVE, SHARE LENT The Share Love, Share Lent campaign is inspired by Pope Francis’s encyclical, Fratelli Tutti and its call “for a love that transcends… geography and distance” and “allows us to acknowledge, appreciate and love each person.” Each week, the campaign explores a different aspect of Development and Peace’s work and offers you ways to become involved. Discover activities and join Catholics across Canada on a journey of love and solidarity throughout the Lenten period. March 8 is International Women's Day. Around the globe, women play an integral and essential part in improving the living conditions of their families and communities. Yet, women remain marginalized and disproportionately affected by environmental degradation, conflict and poverty and their vulnerability has been increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, you are invited to think about an inspiring woman leader and to pray that we “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls,” the fifth of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals elaborated by the United Nations in 2015.