Welcome to The Roman Catholic Parish of Saint John the Evangelist | Archdiocese of Saint Boniface
Announcements and Upcoming Events
October 24, 2021
Some people have already expressed willingness to be more involved in fostering parish life by becoming members of the Parish Pastoral Council. I am so glad by their enthusiasm; it makes being a pastor to this parish so worthwhile! At this point though I would like to ask for nominations for the Council. You may feel inadequate to become a member of the Council yourself or other pressing responsibilities prevents you from getting more involved, but you may know someone in the parish who might be able to contribute greatly to the growth of the community but is too humble to present himself or herself. You may nominate that person by contacting me or any of the members of the PPC (Ad Hoc).......... Secondly, I would like to remind you of the Good Shepherd Campaign. Let us support this archdiocesan fund drive. As I have said, this amount raised by this fund drive will be used to support the young men studying to become priests for the archdiocese; it is also used to recruit international priests to minister in the archdiocese on a temporary basis. It would be awe- some if one of our young men from the parish will enter the seminary to become a priest, but since there is none yet, the best that we can do for now is support the young men who are currently in formation.
October 14, 2021
Many thanks to Esther Thiessen for the superb sanctuary decoration last Sunday in anticipation of Thanksgiving Day! It is almost the same kind of decors, but the setup is always amazingly different every year!.......... We are half way through the Rosary Month. It does not mean, of course, that we stop praying this most powerful devotion after this month. On the contrary, the Rosary Month is celebrated so that those who haven’t will be encouraged to pray it regularly, and those who already have the devotion will strive to pray it more heartily.......... In an apparition, Our Lady revealed the following promises to Saint Dominic in relation to the Rosary: (1) Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces. (2) I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary. (3) The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies. (4) The Rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means. (5) The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish. (6) Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life. (7) Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church. (8) Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise. (9) I shall deliver from Purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary. (10) The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven. (11) You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary. (12) All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities. (13) I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death. (14) All who recite the Rosary are my sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters of my only Son Jesus Christ. (15) Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.
October 10, 2021
This expression of gratitude has to give way to my long post about the Parish Pastoral Council last week. Nonetheless, I thank Peter & Dolores Thiessen as well as Esther Thiessen and the other Winkler Belle Pinays for donating food when the Filipino priests visited me last September 27. The food made our R&R more satisfying and curative of homesickness………. It is the period for The Good Shepherd Campaign once again! It’s the annual archdiocesan fund drive to support those who are in the formation to become priests for the archdiocese; it also supports the recruitment and training of international priests (such as yours truly!) to do ministry here. Kindly refer to the brochure and campaign posters for more information. The poster introduces the 5 young men who are in formation to become priests for the archdiocese. The brochure comes with a prepaid postal envelope if you opt to send your donation by mail. You may, of course, donate online through the archdiocesan website or simply drop your donation into our parish donation box……….. October is Holy Rosary Month! The Children’s Rosary will be held on October 12 at 7 PM. I invite the parents to bring their children………. Church capacity is limited to 25 individuals or 30% of the church seating capacity whichever is GREATER. The usual attendees for the 11 AM Sunday Mass is 65 to 75 people. So, we should be good. However, if some of you who haven’t come to church since the lockdowns and are planning to return to Mass, kindly consider going to the Saturday 5 PM Mass or the Sunday 7 PM Mass where we usually only have around 30 people in the pews.
October 3, 2021
When I assumed office as your pastor way back April of 2019 (Wow, that long ago already!), the Ad Hoc Pastoral Council was already in place. In it were: Scott Duguid, Scott Beattie, Andrew Deyto, and Jewel White. As you might have recalled, the Ad Hoc Council lost no time in fulfilling its mandate which is quite specific – i.e. to conduct a parish survey, present an overview of the results of the survey to the parish community leading thus leading to the establishment of a new Parish Pastoral Council (PPC). The Ad Hoc Council and I were on our way to establishing the new PPC when came the lockdowns. Now that the church is beginning to open and parish life is reviving, we deem it might be the good time to pursue the plan………. The Archdiocesan document titled “From the Upper Room to the Ends of the Earth” describes the PPC as a body of 12 members with the following functions: (1) INVESTIGATION & REFLECTION – It investigates the pastoral reality of the parish, reflects upon it as “signs of the time”. (2) PRAYER & DISCERNMENT - It leads the parish to discern and develop its vision and mission. (3) PASTORAL PLANNING, DEVELOPING & EVALUATING PASTORAL ACTIVITIES – It formulates pastoral programs and activities that responds to the needs of the parish in fulfilling her vision and mission. (4) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, COLLABORATION & CONSENSUS – It promotes a strong sense of community in the parish by encouraging participation in parish life with respect to each parishioner’s gifts and experience and by fostering common witnessing of the faith……….. In view of these functions and the feedback from the parish survey we have had, our PPC may work on the following areas of parish life: Worship, Education, Family & Marriage, Life Advocacies, and Youth. In WORSHIP, we aim to uphold the liturgical traditions of our parish as well as introduce new ones arising from the ethnicities comprising the community; we hope to make our liturgical celebrations more meaningful, beautiful and reverent. In EDUCATION, we give support to our children and young people as they prepare for First Communion and Confirmation. We aim to establish Adult Catechism, Bible Study, Retreats, and the like. In FAMILY & MARRIAGE, we will formulate programs to support couples preparing for marriage, programs to deepen relationships between married couples, pastoral help for those whose marriages are in trouble or have broken down. In LIFE ADVOCACIES, we will establish programs that aim to help those who are less fortunate (e.g. a parish food pantry); we will find ways to assist the sick; we will reach out to other entities helping the marginalized; we will connect with organizations that fight abortion, euthanasia and other social evils. In the YOUTH, we aim to provide opportunities for our young people to grow in the faith and have a sense of solidarity with one another………. If any of you wants to work actively in any of these areas as a member of the PPC, kindly contact me or any of the PPC (Ad Hoc). JOIN THE PPC! BE A SERVANT-LEADER!
September 19, 2021
The memorial of the Our Lady of Sorrows last Wednesday (September 15) was made special by the praying of the Chaplet of the 7 Sorrows of Mary. The Salve Regina was also sung at the end of the Mass. I thank Sheila Campbell for reminding me of the celebration. She also gave us a short explanation of the devotion at the start of the Chaplet………. It occurred to me that we should celebrate all the memorials and feasts of the Blessed Mother in a special way. I mean to say that our spirituality as a parish community should have a strong Marian flavour. It is because it was to St. John the Evangelist, the titular of our parish, that the Blessed Mother was entrusted by the Lord as he hung on the cross………. September 22 to October 31 is 40 Days for Life. This is a worldwide mobilization for the protection of mothers and children through prayer and fasting, peaceful vigils and community outreach. For more information about this, you may access 40daysforlife.com/Winnipeg. The Rosary before the Mass during the weekdays in our church will be prayed for greater respect for the lives of unborn children throughout the duration of the campaign………. Through the parish CWL, we are sponsoring for the education of a teenaged boy in Kenya. Our assistance is channelled through Chalice. The 15 year-old’s name is Stephen Kiragu Muchiri. In a note, he wishes to thank everyone in our community. He wrote, “Receive greetings from my family and I. I hope that you are [all] fine. I am writing to thank you for your kind support. I am very humbled by your assistance. I have never been sent home due to lack of school fees. May the Almighty God bless you.” Let us continue to support the CWL for all their programs. I also would like to encourage the women members of our parish community to consider joining the parish CWL ………. I would like to express a million thanks to Jason Lopez and family for donating a Lenovo ThinkPad to the parish. We recall that the same family has donated a NEC projector a few months ago. Both devices are regularly used during the Sunday Vigil Mass on Saturdays, but any group in the parish may use them. Again, thank you, Lopez family!.......... I would like to repeat the announcement that the parish is recruiting parishioners to become Lectors. If you are interested, kindly sign up on the sheet at our parish bulletin board.
Some people have already expressed willingness to be more involved in fostering parish life by becoming members of the Parish Pastoral Council. I am so glad by their enthusiasm; it makes being a pastor to this parish so worthwhile! At this point though I would like to ask for nominations for the Council. You may feel inadequate to become a member of the Council yourself or other pressing responsibilities prevents you from getting more involved, but you may know someone in the parish who might be able to contribute greatly to the growth of the community but is too humble to present himself or herself. You may nominate that person by contacting me or any of the members of the PPC (Ad Hoc).......... Secondly, I would like to remind you of the Good Shepherd Campaign. Let us support this archdiocesan fund drive. As I have said, this amount raised by this fund drive will be used to support the young men studying to become priests for the archdiocese; it is also used to recruit international priests to minister in the archdiocese on a temporary basis. It would be awe- some if one of our young men from the parish will enter the seminary to become a priest, but since there is none yet, the best that we can do for now is support the young men who are currently in formation.
October 14, 2021
Many thanks to Esther Thiessen for the superb sanctuary decoration last Sunday in anticipation of Thanksgiving Day! It is almost the same kind of decors, but the setup is always amazingly different every year!.......... We are half way through the Rosary Month. It does not mean, of course, that we stop praying this most powerful devotion after this month. On the contrary, the Rosary Month is celebrated so that those who haven’t will be encouraged to pray it regularly, and those who already have the devotion will strive to pray it more heartily.......... In an apparition, Our Lady revealed the following promises to Saint Dominic in relation to the Rosary: (1) Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces. (2) I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary. (3) The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies. (4) The Rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means. (5) The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish. (6) Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life. (7) Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church. (8) Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise. (9) I shall deliver from Purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary. (10) The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven. (11) You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary. (12) All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities. (13) I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death. (14) All who recite the Rosary are my sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters of my only Son Jesus Christ. (15) Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.
October 10, 2021
This expression of gratitude has to give way to my long post about the Parish Pastoral Council last week. Nonetheless, I thank Peter & Dolores Thiessen as well as Esther Thiessen and the other Winkler Belle Pinays for donating food when the Filipino priests visited me last September 27. The food made our R&R more satisfying and curative of homesickness………. It is the period for The Good Shepherd Campaign once again! It’s the annual archdiocesan fund drive to support those who are in the formation to become priests for the archdiocese; it also supports the recruitment and training of international priests (such as yours truly!) to do ministry here. Kindly refer to the brochure and campaign posters for more information. The poster introduces the 5 young men who are in formation to become priests for the archdiocese. The brochure comes with a prepaid postal envelope if you opt to send your donation by mail. You may, of course, donate online through the archdiocesan website or simply drop your donation into our parish donation box……….. October is Holy Rosary Month! The Children’s Rosary will be held on October 12 at 7 PM. I invite the parents to bring their children………. Church capacity is limited to 25 individuals or 30% of the church seating capacity whichever is GREATER. The usual attendees for the 11 AM Sunday Mass is 65 to 75 people. So, we should be good. However, if some of you who haven’t come to church since the lockdowns and are planning to return to Mass, kindly consider going to the Saturday 5 PM Mass or the Sunday 7 PM Mass where we usually only have around 30 people in the pews.
October 3, 2021
When I assumed office as your pastor way back April of 2019 (Wow, that long ago already!), the Ad Hoc Pastoral Council was already in place. In it were: Scott Duguid, Scott Beattie, Andrew Deyto, and Jewel White. As you might have recalled, the Ad Hoc Council lost no time in fulfilling its mandate which is quite specific – i.e. to conduct a parish survey, present an overview of the results of the survey to the parish community leading thus leading to the establishment of a new Parish Pastoral Council (PPC). The Ad Hoc Council and I were on our way to establishing the new PPC when came the lockdowns. Now that the church is beginning to open and parish life is reviving, we deem it might be the good time to pursue the plan………. The Archdiocesan document titled “From the Upper Room to the Ends of the Earth” describes the PPC as a body of 12 members with the following functions: (1) INVESTIGATION & REFLECTION – It investigates the pastoral reality of the parish, reflects upon it as “signs of the time”. (2) PRAYER & DISCERNMENT - It leads the parish to discern and develop its vision and mission. (3) PASTORAL PLANNING, DEVELOPING & EVALUATING PASTORAL ACTIVITIES – It formulates pastoral programs and activities that responds to the needs of the parish in fulfilling her vision and mission. (4) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, COLLABORATION & CONSENSUS – It promotes a strong sense of community in the parish by encouraging participation in parish life with respect to each parishioner’s gifts and experience and by fostering common witnessing of the faith……….. In view of these functions and the feedback from the parish survey we have had, our PPC may work on the following areas of parish life: Worship, Education, Family & Marriage, Life Advocacies, and Youth. In WORSHIP, we aim to uphold the liturgical traditions of our parish as well as introduce new ones arising from the ethnicities comprising the community; we hope to make our liturgical celebrations more meaningful, beautiful and reverent. In EDUCATION, we give support to our children and young people as they prepare for First Communion and Confirmation. We aim to establish Adult Catechism, Bible Study, Retreats, and the like. In FAMILY & MARRIAGE, we will formulate programs to support couples preparing for marriage, programs to deepen relationships between married couples, pastoral help for those whose marriages are in trouble or have broken down. In LIFE ADVOCACIES, we will establish programs that aim to help those who are less fortunate (e.g. a parish food pantry); we will find ways to assist the sick; we will reach out to other entities helping the marginalized; we will connect with organizations that fight abortion, euthanasia and other social evils. In the YOUTH, we aim to provide opportunities for our young people to grow in the faith and have a sense of solidarity with one another………. If any of you wants to work actively in any of these areas as a member of the PPC, kindly contact me or any of the PPC (Ad Hoc). JOIN THE PPC! BE A SERVANT-LEADER!
September 19, 2021
The memorial of the Our Lady of Sorrows last Wednesday (September 15) was made special by the praying of the Chaplet of the 7 Sorrows of Mary. The Salve Regina was also sung at the end of the Mass. I thank Sheila Campbell for reminding me of the celebration. She also gave us a short explanation of the devotion at the start of the Chaplet………. It occurred to me that we should celebrate all the memorials and feasts of the Blessed Mother in a special way. I mean to say that our spirituality as a parish community should have a strong Marian flavour. It is because it was to St. John the Evangelist, the titular of our parish, that the Blessed Mother was entrusted by the Lord as he hung on the cross………. September 22 to October 31 is 40 Days for Life. This is a worldwide mobilization for the protection of mothers and children through prayer and fasting, peaceful vigils and community outreach. For more information about this, you may access 40daysforlife.com/Winnipeg. The Rosary before the Mass during the weekdays in our church will be prayed for greater respect for the lives of unborn children throughout the duration of the campaign………. Through the parish CWL, we are sponsoring for the education of a teenaged boy in Kenya. Our assistance is channelled through Chalice. The 15 year-old’s name is Stephen Kiragu Muchiri. In a note, he wishes to thank everyone in our community. He wrote, “Receive greetings from my family and I. I hope that you are [all] fine. I am writing to thank you for your kind support. I am very humbled by your assistance. I have never been sent home due to lack of school fees. May the Almighty God bless you.” Let us continue to support the CWL for all their programs. I also would like to encourage the women members of our parish community to consider joining the parish CWL ………. I would like to express a million thanks to Jason Lopez and family for donating a Lenovo ThinkPad to the parish. We recall that the same family has donated a NEC projector a few months ago. Both devices are regularly used during the Sunday Vigil Mass on Saturdays, but any group in the parish may use them. Again, thank you, Lopez family!.......... I would like to repeat the announcement that the parish is recruiting parishioners to become Lectors. If you are interested, kindly sign up on the sheet at our parish bulletin board.
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September 12, 2021
There were just a couple of new faces among the kids who attended the Children’s Rosary to celebrate the birthday of Mama Mary last Wednesday. But, the good turnout among the grown-ups was something I did not expect. I am convinced Mama Mary was happy when we offered flowers and prayers, sang Happy Birthday and cut a cake for her. She will mightily intercede for us and protect us in these uncertain times. Our thanks to Barry & Fabiola Titchosky for facilitating the activity and to Jewel White for leading us in the singing………. I’ve known of families who were not able to come to church last Wednesday and celebrated Mama Mary’s birthday in their own way at home. I highly encourage this kind of practices. Families should have their own traditions. This will immerse the children in a religious atmosphere in the home which is severely lacking outside of it. You see, good Catholic children do not come automatically. They are raised, and raising them involves effort, great effort even. This reminds us of God’s command to the Israelites when they were about to enter the Promised Land that was occupied by pagan cultures. God commanded his people through Moses, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today. Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest” (Deut 6:4-7). God commanded his chosen people to pass on the faith to children consciously and vigorously otherwise the pagan culture overwhelms them. Needless to say, obedience to this divine instruction is more urgent than ever………. Somebody might think that being a good parent means not passing on the faith to children and letting them have an open mind. But, I tell you, there is no such thing as an open mind. A so-called “open mind” will be a helpless victim to every kind of ideology in this crazy world. So, drill the faith into your children as effectively as you can, and let them test this faith against other doctrines when they grow up. It’s then that they can decide to continue in the faith or not. In this way, you will not be held accountable before God in your mission as parents……… This Tuesday, September 14, is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. The cross that was a symbol of suffering and death has become a sign of victory over sin because of the One who died on it. What is our cross today? The pandemic? Are we allowing Christ to transform it for a victory for us? Have you become close as a family because of the lockdown? Have you become more prayerful and more trusting in God? Have you become more conscious of the suffering of other people and help them? Did you grow in admiration for the sacrifices of people who responded to the needs of their brothers and sisters? Have you grown more patient and understanding of other people’s opinions? If you have, then the power of the cross is at work in you. Salut, la Croix!
There were just a couple of new faces among the kids who attended the Children’s Rosary to celebrate the birthday of Mama Mary last Wednesday. But, the good turnout among the grown-ups was something I did not expect. I am convinced Mama Mary was happy when we offered flowers and prayers, sang Happy Birthday and cut a cake for her. She will mightily intercede for us and protect us in these uncertain times. Our thanks to Barry & Fabiola Titchosky for facilitating the activity and to Jewel White for leading us in the singing………. I’ve known of families who were not able to come to church last Wednesday and celebrated Mama Mary’s birthday in their own way at home. I highly encourage this kind of practices. Families should have their own traditions. This will immerse the children in a religious atmosphere in the home which is severely lacking outside of it. You see, good Catholic children do not come automatically. They are raised, and raising them involves effort, great effort even. This reminds us of God’s command to the Israelites when they were about to enter the Promised Land that was occupied by pagan cultures. God commanded his people through Moses, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today. Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest” (Deut 6:4-7). God commanded his chosen people to pass on the faith to children consciously and vigorously otherwise the pagan culture overwhelms them. Needless to say, obedience to this divine instruction is more urgent than ever………. Somebody might think that being a good parent means not passing on the faith to children and letting them have an open mind. But, I tell you, there is no such thing as an open mind. A so-called “open mind” will be a helpless victim to every kind of ideology in this crazy world. So, drill the faith into your children as effectively as you can, and let them test this faith against other doctrines when they grow up. It’s then that they can decide to continue in the faith or not. In this way, you will not be held accountable before God in your mission as parents……… This Tuesday, September 14, is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. The cross that was a symbol of suffering and death has become a sign of victory over sin because of the One who died on it. What is our cross today? The pandemic? Are we allowing Christ to transform it for a victory for us? Have you become close as a family because of the lockdown? Have you become more prayerful and more trusting in God? Have you become more conscious of the suffering of other people and help them? Did you grow in admiration for the sacrifices of people who responded to the needs of their brothers and sisters? Have you grown more patient and understanding of other people’s opinions? If you have, then the power of the cross is at work in you. Salut, la Croix!
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Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Every Friday at 10:00 am Chaplet of the Divine Mercy
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Children's Rosary Prayer Group: Wednesday, September 8 at 7:00 pm
Note: The September date has been changed to coincide with the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We are excited to share that a Children’s rosary prayer group has formed at our Parish. Although the target ages are from 4-14 this prayer group allows participation of children of all ages. Younger children and siblings are encouraged to participate as well. This is a unique opportunity for the children of our parish to come together to pray and to lead us all into prayer. Adults are welcome and encouraged to come to the Children’s Rosary as the “guardian angels” of this movement. The rosary will be held monthly on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. No prior knowledge of the Rosary is needed. Rosaries and prayer books will be provided. All are welcome! For more information about the details of the origin of the Children’s rosary visit this website: www.childrensrosary.org. If you have any questions please contact: Fabiola Titchkosky at (204) 822-1271 Parish Rosary Night Please consider this an invitation to all parishioners of St. John’s to join us in saying the Rosary, Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. |
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Regular Mass Times:
Saturday: 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 pm
For daily mass times, please refer to the weekly bulletin under the "Bulletin" tab.
Sunday: 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 pm
For daily mass times, please refer to the weekly bulletin under the "Bulletin" tab.