We are pleased to welcome to our Diocese Reverend “Joe” Pichai Pillai Vellankanni, C.M., a member of the Southern Indian Province of the Congregation for the Mission, who arrived in the Diocese on August 14. Please join in welcoming Father Joe to the diocese and praying for God’s blessing upon his ministry.

We celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary each year on August 15. This Feast commemorates the death of Mary and her bodily assumption into heaven.

It is with great sadness that the Diocese announces the sudden death of Father Johnbosco Vellaphadass, HGN.  Father Johnbosco died Wednesday, July 26, 2017, at the age of 39.  At the time of his tragic death, Father Vellaphadass was serving as Administrator of Our Lady of Grace Parish, Bird Cove.  Father arrived in our diocese in December 2014 and began his ministry to the people of the Northern Peninsula on March 8, 2015.

The Compassionate Community Care (CCC) helpline, 1-855-675-8749 is a national service for people who are seeking advice, help & support regarding euthanasia & assisted suicide prevention, &/or end-of-life treatment issues or concerns.

Bill C-16, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code, was recently passed by the Parliament of Canada and received royal assent on 19 June 2017. This Act adds gender identity and gender expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act, and also modifies the Criminal Code to extend the protection against hate crimes to members of groups distinguished by gender identity or expression.

While the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops supports Bill C-16's intention to protect Canadians from harm, some of the principles behind the legislation – even if widely accepted in our society – cannot be endorsed by Catholics.

The read CCCB President, Bishop Douglas Crosby’s letter in its entirety and to find further sources of information please visit cccb.ca

On Wednesday, June 7^th, the Most Reverend Douglas Crosby, O.M.I., Bishop of Hamilton and President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), joined other Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, and Bahá'í faith leaders in Canada in launching a national appeal to help address the famines in South Sudan and the extreme food shortages in Yemen, northeast Nigeria and Somalia.

In February 2017, the United Nations declared that 20 million people, including 1.4 million vulnerable children, are at risk of death over the coming months in these four countries. This crisis results from severe droughts brought about by climate change and ongoing armed conflicts, which have caused thousands of people to flee their homes and land; these issues make transportation and access to food extremely difficult.  According to the UN, the crisis far exceeds the current availability of resources and the amount of funding committed so far by the international community.

The national appeal calls for a threefold response from the faithful: Pray-Give-Speak Out.

Canadians of all faiths are asked to pray for both the people of these countries and the humanitarian workers who seek to bring them aid as well as to pray for peace in the region.

Canadians are also asked to make a financial contribution to one or more of the various reputable Canadian aid agencies working to alleviate this crisis. Contributions made to a recognized Canadian charity by 30 June 2017 will be matched by the Government of Canada.  The CCCB has identified three Catholic agencies to raise awareness and funds for this catastrophic food crisis.

Finally, Canadians are asked to take the time to become better informed about the crisis in the four countries; to speak about it with family, friends and neighbours; to discuss it with local community agencies; and to contact Members of Parliament.

Trinity Sunday, which is celebrated a week after Pentecost Sunday, honours what is referred to in Paragraph 234 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church as “the central mystery of Christian faith and life” - the Most Holy Trinity. This year we celebrate Trinity Sunday on June 11.

On Sunday, June 4th, the Church celebrates Pentecost. This Solemnity  comes fifty days after Easter and ten days after the Ascension of Jesus. Pentecost, which marks the end of the Easter Season, celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles.

Following Mass on Pentecost Sunday, the Easter cross is removed from the sanctuary, signifying that the Easter Season has come to an end. The Paschal candle will be moved to stand next to the Baptismal font. It will be used during the celebration of Baptism, when the candles of the newly baptized are lit from it. It may also be placed near the body of the deceased at a funeral Mass, as a reminder that we entered into the death of Christ through our Baptism and we will rise again with Him in glory.

Each year, on the Sunday before Pentecost, the Church celebrates World Communications Day. This year’s theme is “Fear not, for I am with you” (Is 43:5): Communicating Hope and Trust in Our Time. The Holy Father’s message for World Communications Day is traditionally published in conjunction with the Feast of St. Francis de Sales, the patron saint of writers and journalists, observed annually on January 24^th.

World Communications Day was established by Pope Paul VI after the Second Vatican Council in order to draw attention to “the vast and complex phenomenon of the modern means of social communication.” One of the documents produced by the Second Vatican Council, Inter Mirifica (Decree on the Media of Social Communication), was devoted entirely to communications media and it initiated the only worldwide annual celebration commissioned by the Council – World Communications Day – which was first celebrated in 1967 and continues to be observed annually.

On Sunday, May 28th, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Ascension. The Bible tells us that Jesus ascended into heaven on the 40^th day after the Resurrection, so the Ascension falls on the Thursday of the sixth week of Easter.  However, in Canada, as in a number of other countries, the observance of this feast day has been transferred to the following Sunday, the seventh Sunday of Easter.