Parish Contacts Feb 21, 2021 1st Sunday In Lent St. Michael’s-Burstall 1st reading: Genesis 9.8-15 Pslam : Psalm 25 Chairperson: Rita Thorburn 2nd reading; 1 Peter 3.18-22 306 679 2343 Gospel: Mark 1.12-15

St. Mary’s Richmound Weekday Mass at a Glance Chairperson: Bill Gergely 306 669 4735 Feb 22-28 INTENTION BY

Monday St. Mary’s Fox Valley No Mass Feb 22 Pastor: Fr. Francis Appiah-Kubi 306 753 4025 Tuesday Pastoral Admin. Associate: Feb 23 Marilyn Dirk K & B Bakanec Candice Koch 7:00 PM (FV) Chairperson: Mark Hudec Wednesday 306 666 4422 Feb 24 Grandchildren S Greenwald 9:00 AM(FV) Contact Info: Thursday Ashley Office: 306 666 2043 Feb 25 Henderson B Hudec Fax: 306 666 2154 7:00 PM (FV) Family Friday Email: [email protected] Francis Feb 26 L & G Schneider Schneider Fr. Francis email 9:00 AM (FV) [email protected] Stations of 7:00 PM (FV) the Cross Website of south cluster Saturday www.togetherinone.wordpress.com Feb 27 Tim Hudec D & G Buye 6:00 PM(BR) Sunday Diocese Website: Special Feb 28 E & J Bosch Intention www.saskatoonrcdiocese.com 9:00 AM(RI)

All 11:00 AM(FV) Office Hours: Parishioners Tues.& Thurs 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Diocesan Prayer Intention – We pray as a diocesan family for all who are preparing to receive the sacraments of initiation — Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. We pray especially for all those in parishes across our diocese participating in the Rite of Election this weekend. For Feb 27/28 FOX VALLEY RICHMOUND BURSTALL 7:30 Pm 11:00 AM 9:00 AM Mass Servers Readers Candice Mary Russell Greeters Gifts Overhead Olivia Debbie G Ushers Mass Cooridin. Rosary Mark Extraordinary Charlene Minister Communion T Fauth Teg & Colleen B & D Gergley Bodnarchuk Cleaning Feb 28- March 27

Four weeks at a Glance Date Burstall Fox Valley Richmound March 6/7 11:00 AM 9:00 AM 6:00 PM March 13/14 6:00 PM 11:00 AM 9:00 AM March 20/21 9:00 AM 7:30 PM 11:00 AM March 27/28 11:00 AM 9:00 AM 6:00 PM

As of Nov 27, 2020 we are limiting our worship to 30 people for FV please go to https://signup.com/go/VPEzEwP Masks are Mandatory in all indoor public spaces including places of worship. Effective Nov 19, 2020 St. Mary’s FV has masks for you to use if you forget your mask, but please try to bring your own as this will help to keep our costs down. Thank you very much in advance

Keep these people in your prayers: To have a person listed or removed please contact Father or Candice Karley Wirth, Frances Stock, Anthony Hoffart, Alfred Wagner, Alex Buye, Jase Lister, Audrey Koch, Christina Resch, Elena Hudec, Kay Bachmier, Valentine Eresman, Maggie Wilk

Communion @ Home Communion will be brought monthly to the sick and the elderly who wish to have it at home For the month of Covid contact the office at 306 666 2043 We would love to see you.

St. Mary’s Fox Valley AGM will be on Tuesday Feb 23rd after the 7:00 pm in the church hall. There is space for 20 people as the council is 10 people. We will be socially distancing and be wearing masks as per health guidelines. After the meeting I will be sending out the minutes and reports to all our St. Mary’s FV Parishioners email list. If you have any concerns or comments and can’t attend please address all concerns or comments to either Father Francis or Chairmen Mark Hudec

The Rite of Election – which is normally a diocesan celebration on the First Sunday of Lent for catechumens preparing to be baptized, confirmed and welcomed to the Eucharistic table at Easter – will this year be celebrated in individual parishes rather than altogether as a diocese at the Cathedral of the Holy Family, because of the restriction on the size of gatherings for worship. Please join in praying for all those journeying through the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults), preparing for Baptism, Confirmation and First Eucharist.

Stations of the Cross for Lent for St. Mary’s Fox Valley

Please Note: The people or positions in brackets are not the people leading they are the people organizing the stations.

Friday Feb 19 7:00 PM Father Francis & Mark Friday Feb 26 7:00 PM PCC (Chairman) Friday March 5 7:00 PM CWL (President) Friday March 12 7:00 PM K of C (Grand Knight) Friday March 19 7:00 PM Youth (Faith Formation -Robyn) Friday March 26 7:00 PM Lectors (Liturgy)

The CWL would like to thank everyone for their support of the 50/50 raffle as well as the blanket auction. It was greatly appreciated. Your support will allow us to continue making baby blankets and afghans. We are unsure of how we are going to do the Lenten project this year because of COVID.

Message from St. Mary’s CWL As the marches for Prolife begin this year we are encouraging all members & Non Members to join in Prayer, promoting respect for the lives of all the unborn children. Through our prayers and with God’s Help we can change the hearts and minds of all those involved in abortions and help save countless lives. Medical professional perform over 2000 abortions in a year. In almost 100,000 babies are aborted each year. The United States performs over 600,000 and over 56 million abortions are performed world wide annually. The numbers are astonishing! Attached is a prayer to start you on this prayer journey. - With God’s Help all things are possible

A Prayer for the end to Abortion

Heavenly Father, Spare our nation from the scourge of abortion. Protect the lives of children in the womb. Give hope and strength to their mothers. Stir love in the hearts of fathers to support and cherish mother and child. Cause our elected leader and the courts to recognize and protect the personhood of unborn children. Lift up church leaders to proclaim a Culture of Life. Lead parents who had abortions to repentance and healing. Bring about the conversion of the abortionist, of those who deny the birthright of children and of those who are indifferent. Grant me the courage and energy to be a Defender of Life. I ask this through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

Expanding euthanasia in Canada - Please contact your political representatives to oppose Bill C-7: The federal government recently introduced Bill C-7, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying), designed to loosen rules and expand eligibility for medically-provided euthanasia / assisted suicide. On Oct. 20, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops released a statement affirming: “all Canadian legislators should recall that no law that permits the taking of innocent human life can ever be morally justified.” The CCCB raises the question: “How can the federal government in good conscience expand the eligibility to euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada when our country and its citizens are still unable to offer basic human care to the elderly and dying?” You can find links to the statement from the CCCB and to a number of statements from other groups opposing Bill C-7 on the diocesan website at: https://rcdos.ca/euthanasia Please take time to contact your elected representatives to express your opposition to expanding eligibility for medically-provided euthanasia/ assisted suicide. You can find information for contacting MPs at: https://www.ourcommons.ca/en/contact-us or search for Members of Parliament at: https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en/search Contact information for members of the Canadian Senate representing Saskatchewan: • Senator – [email protected] • Senator – [email protected] • Senator – [email protected] • Senator - [email protected] Mail may also be sent postage-free to any senator at the following address: Name of senator, The , Ottawa, ON K1A 0A4

Threat to Individual Conscience and Moral Dissent by Bill C-6 –

Please contact your political representatives to oppose Bill C-6, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code, which would ban conversion therapy for minors in Canada.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has issued a statement saying that if passed, this legislation could have serious repercussions for religious freedom and parental rights in Canada. Conversion therapy is defined in Bill C-6 as “a practice, treatment or service designed to change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexual or gender identity to cisgender, or to repress or reduce non- heterosexual attraction or sexual behaviour.”

In a statement about Bill C-6 on Oct. 7, 2020, the CCCB states: “The Bill makes no provision for legitimate diversity concerning viewpoints on human sexuality arising from religious beliefs, from philosophical debate, or from scientific and medical study; nor does it make any provision for conscientious dissent related to such matters in forums of teaching or public presentations.”

Contact your elected representatives to express your concerns about Bill C-6. Find more information on the diocesan website at: https://rcdos.ca/bill-c-6-conversion-therapy-ban/

You can find information for contacting MPs at: https://www.ourcommons.ca/en/contact-us or search for Members of Parliament at: https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en/search

Share Lent 2021 - Share Lent has been a tradition in Canadian parishes since 1968. It was established to embody the two pillars of social action—charity and justice— which Pope Benedict XVI described as “not only social, but also spiritual actions, accomplished in the light of the Holy Spirit”. Each year across Canada, the campaign reaches schools, parishes, and the members of our communities. It tells the stories of our brothers and sisters in the Global South. These are not stories of poverty and misery, but of incredible strength, resourcefulness and courage; stories of people working together to change the unjust social, economic and political situations that hinder their integral human development. Development and Peace and its partners can accompany and support them in their quest for justice because of your support for the Share Lent campaign. This year, the campaign theme is Share Love, Share Lent. It is inspired by the message of social fraternity conveyed by our Pope in his latest encyclical, Fratelli Tutti. The Share Lent collection is an opportunity to honour the Holy Father’s message as a global community, and to find inspiration from the parable of the Good Samaritan which is at the centre of his encyclical. Participating in Share Lent is a way of doing our part so that, as the Pope hopes, “every person lives with dignity and has sufficient opportunities for his or her integral development.” Please give generously: drop your donation in to your parish collection, or give online on Development and Peace’s website at devp.org or call 1-888-234-8533 to donate. Thank you very much for your donations. They make a big difference in the world. Thank you for sharing love today.

Note: Solidarity Sunday / Share Lent collection is celebrated / held on the Fifth Sunday of Lent (March 21, 2021)

* Share Lent - Development and Peace online events during Lent 2021: This year, the theme of the Share Lent program is Share Love, Share Lent. Around the world, D & P has four different areas of action: 1. Democracy and citizen participation; 2. Justice for women; 3. Peace and reconciliation; and 4. Ecological justice. As part of this year’s Share Lent campaign, webinars will be presented each week: Second week of Lent: “Humanitarian intervention - realities on the ground” at 10 a.m. CST, Saturday, Feb. 27. Join Rebecca Rathbone, animator for South-West Ontario, Dominique Godbout, international programs officer and Abdullah Fuad, representative of Development and Peace's partner Caritas Bangladesh as they discuss the Rohingya refugee crisis and the way Caritas has been working to alleviate consequences on affected communities, as well as Development and Peace's unique philosophy when it comes to humanitarian responses. Abdullah Fuad is the head of a program for the emergency response for the Rohingya refugees based in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The one-hour webinar will be recorded. Sign up here http://bit.ly/3aIsokJ Third week of Lent: “Change structures and promote community development through partnership” at 6:00 p.m. CST Tuesday, March 2- Join Emily Lukasik, animator for Central Ontario; Mary Durran, international programs officer; and Jose Mario Lopez, member of the territorial defense team of Development and Peace's partner, Fundación Eric - Radio Progreso. Find out how this people-led partnership in Honduras is having a positive long-term impact on community development and advocacy in the country, which is one of the poorest and most dangerous for human rights defenders in Latin America. The one-hour webinar will be recorded. Sign up here http://bit.ly/3tDWSgl Fourth week of Lent: National ThinkFast (English and French) starting at 2:00 p.m. CST Thursday, March 11 - Each year, Catholic schools across the country participate in ThinkFAST a 25-hour fast that allows students to learn more about the Social Teaching of the Church and to raise funds for Development and Peace. This year, Development and Peace will be organizing a national virtual fundraising fast so that everyone of any age can participate. Development and Peace will be offering online activities during the 25-hour fast. Watch for more information.

COVID On-line Vigil: You are invited to join in lighting a candle in the darkness through prayer at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 11, 2021 (the one-year mark of the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 a pandemic): Together in Remembrance, Together in Hope: A Virtual Vigil Marking One Year of COVID in Saskatchewan. Join the vigil by Zoom or livestreamed on YouTube: www.covidvigil.ca. You are not alone in your loss. You are not alone in your hope! This event is being organized by a community of people of diverse cultures, worldviews, spiritualities, beliefs and faiths in Saskatchewan. For more information, please e- mail Blake Sittler, Executive Director of the Catholic Health Association of Saskatchewan: [email protected]

Consecration of our diocese to St. Joseph - During this Year of St. Joseph – announced by Pope Francis to mark the 150th Anniversary of the declaration of St. Joseph as the Patron of the Universal Church – Bishop Mark Hagemoen has re-consecrated the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon to St. Joseph. The video of this special celebration can be found on the diocesan YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/saskatoondiocese (Find info, prayer resources and a letter from Bishop Mark: https://rcdos.ca/2021/01/07/consecration-to-st-joseph/ )

Pope Francis proclaims “Year of St Joseph”

With the Apostolic Letter “Patris corde” (“With a Father’s Heart”), Pope Francis recalls the 150th anniversary of the declaration of Saint Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. To mark the occasion, the Holy Father has proclaimed a “Year of Saint Joseph” from today, 8 December 2020, to 8 December 2021. We will be saying this prayer after Mass it will replace the Prayer to St Michael

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man.

Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen.