Welcome to The Roman Catholic Parish of Saint John the Evangelist | Archdiocese of Saint Boniface
Announcements and Upcoming Events
Parish Update: June 6, 2021
My dear parishioners,
Happy feast day of the Corpus Christi to all of you! I remember last year’s celebration wherein we were compelled to forego the outdoor procession because of the restrictions. We instead have had a short procession through the aisle of our church and through the foyer. This year, even that is taken away from us.
All the lockdowns have been difficult for me, but this latest one has been the worst. No, it is not about the languor or the loneliness. These I can handle very well. I’m used to be away from home since I left for the seminary at the age of 12, and the seminary formation has trained me to organize my day so as to keep the demon of boredom at bay. The struggle is something else.
You see, I left home with the conviction that God has called me to do something important. And indeed, this vocation has made demands of me in small and big ways. As a priest, I was assigned to subsequent challenging tasks some of which I thought were beyond my abilities – pastor of a parish, rector of our local seminary, judicial vicar of the diocese, member of several boards and councils advising the diocesan Bishop, co-author of our local catechism. Yes, there were times I fell big time, but the demands in the ministry reinforce in me that the priesthood is worth all risks and sacrifices. Besides, I felt needed all the time, and the esteem and appreciation I get from the faithful after the performance of these services further bolstered the feeling of having done something of great import.
While looking forward to focus on parish ministry and, therefore, a less demanding ministry here in Canada, I am still in the mindset that my work – especially celebrating the sacraments, particularly leading the community in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist - is significant. Imagine, then, to my greatest disappointment that during these times of suffering and fear my work is classified as non-essential!
On one hand, this has been good in the sense that it led to a purification of my disposition. I realized my dire need for the virtue of humility; I have to let go of the feeling of self-importance. It is not about me but about God, about the people whom I serve and the work I do for them in Jesus’ Name.
Moreover, this led me to pray and reflect hard: If my work is non-essential, then what is it? Are we right in totally closing our churches during this time of pandemic? We still go for walks; we still make it to the grocery and the pharmacy; we still cool off in the pool and park. Is the need for spiritual nourishment not at par with the need for food, the need for leisure, the need for relief from the heat? Can there be something that is non-essential and yet necessary? Maybe the Eucharist can fall into that category! What does it mean to say: the Holy Eucharist is non-essential?
The revelation of Holy Scriptures enlightens us. In the phrase “daily bread” of the Our Father, the original Greek word used by the evangelists is “epiousios”. This word is a fairly unique term. When St. Jerome translated the Gospel of Luke he rendered it as “quotidianum”, meaning “quotidian” or “daily”. However, in his translation of the Gospel of St. Matthew, he used the more literal rendering of the word “epiousios” which is “supersubstantialem”, that is to say, super-substantial! The Eucharist is not essential; it is super-essential!
Both translations are, of course, valid. Thus the Catechism in paragraph 2837 informs us: “Taken in a temporal sense, [‘daily’] is a pedagogical repetition of ‘this day,’ to confirm us in trust ‘without reservation.’ Taken in the qualitative sense, it signifies what is necessary for life, and more broadly every good thing sufficient for subsistence. Taken literally (epi-ousios: ‘super-essential’), it refers directly to the Bread of Life, the Body of Christ, the “medicine of immortality,” without which we have no life within us. Finally in this connection, its heavenly meaning is evident: “this day” is the Day of the Lord, the day of the feast of the kingdom, anticipated in the Eucharist that is already the foretaste of the kingdom to come.”
So, you see, the Eucharist is not just one devotion among others. The Eucharist is the Real Presence of Jesus Christ continued throughout space and time. The Eucharist is the Way, the way our God-made-flesh keeps his promises of never leaving us orphans (Jn 14:18) and being with us until the end of the world (Mt 28:20). How sad it would be if Catholics are fast to agree that it is alright to cancel totally the public celebration of the Mass! How sad it is if you think that watching the celebration of the Eucharist on television equates with personally participating on it! How sad it is if you think that your personal prayers at home can substitute for the Holy Mass! On the other hand, I feel I owe you an apology. I should have been more creative to make the Holy Eucharist more accessible for you. I should have held Eucharistic Adoration in our parking lot. I should have added more celebrations of the Mass when attendance was limited to just 5 or 10 faithful….
The main point is: In this time of fear and disunity, of suffering and death, we need more of the Holy Eucharist rather than less. As Pope Benedict XVI said in his 2011 Corpus Christi homily: “[W]hereas food for the body is assimilated by our organism, and contributes to nourishing it, in the case of the Eucharist it is a different Bread: it is not we who assimilate it, but it assimilates us into itself, so that we become conformed to Jesus Christ, a member of his Body, one with him…. In fact, precisely because it is Christ who, in Eucharistic communion, changes us into him, our individuality, in this encounter, is opened, liberated from its egocentrism, and inserted into the Person of Jesus who, in his turn, is immersed in Trinitarian communion. The Eucharist, therefore, while it unites us to Christ, also opens us to others, makes us members of one another: we are no longer divided, but one in him. Eucharistic communion not only unites me to the person I have beside me, and with whom I may not even be on good terms, but also to our distant brethren in every part of the world.” Wow, what a beautiful description of the Eucharist! If we truly believe this, dear parishioners, we will be free of any debilitating fear. No matter what, we will strive to be able to feed on this super-essential food served to us by the Lord Himself so as to live for eternity. For He promised: “Whoever eats this bread will live forever” (Jn 6:51).
May what we are experiencing now lead us to repentance as we recall how we wasted the graces of the Eucharist when it was easily available. May it enlarge our hunger for the Eucharist. And may you be kept safe and hopeful always. Be assured that I am praying daily for all your intentions as I trust that you are also praying for me.
Blessings,
Fr. Ramon
Mass Sign-Up (Currently Unavailable)
Due to COVID protocols, you are required to sign-up for Mass on either Saturday at 5:00 pm, Sunday at 11:00 am, or Sunday at 7:00 pm by:
1. Click on the following link St. John the Evangelist Mass Booking Page
2. Click on the date for the Mass you want to attend
3. Select the Mass time on the right-hand side of the bookings page
4. Complete the required personal information
5. Click the BOOK button at the bottom of the page
6. Repeat the above process for each additional individual
Each individual/family member must sign-up. For example, if you are signing up yourself, your spouse, and two children...you will need four different sign-ups.
When signing up, please follow these protocols:
a) signing-up means that one is not aware that s/he is suffering from any covid-like symptoms.
b) signing-up means s/he has not been out of the province for the last 14 days
c) contact details will not be shared to other entities except to public health officials and only if there is suspicion of covid exposure.
My dear parishioners,
Happy feast day of the Corpus Christi to all of you! I remember last year’s celebration wherein we were compelled to forego the outdoor procession because of the restrictions. We instead have had a short procession through the aisle of our church and through the foyer. This year, even that is taken away from us.
All the lockdowns have been difficult for me, but this latest one has been the worst. No, it is not about the languor or the loneliness. These I can handle very well. I’m used to be away from home since I left for the seminary at the age of 12, and the seminary formation has trained me to organize my day so as to keep the demon of boredom at bay. The struggle is something else.
You see, I left home with the conviction that God has called me to do something important. And indeed, this vocation has made demands of me in small and big ways. As a priest, I was assigned to subsequent challenging tasks some of which I thought were beyond my abilities – pastor of a parish, rector of our local seminary, judicial vicar of the diocese, member of several boards and councils advising the diocesan Bishop, co-author of our local catechism. Yes, there were times I fell big time, but the demands in the ministry reinforce in me that the priesthood is worth all risks and sacrifices. Besides, I felt needed all the time, and the esteem and appreciation I get from the faithful after the performance of these services further bolstered the feeling of having done something of great import.
While looking forward to focus on parish ministry and, therefore, a less demanding ministry here in Canada, I am still in the mindset that my work – especially celebrating the sacraments, particularly leading the community in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist - is significant. Imagine, then, to my greatest disappointment that during these times of suffering and fear my work is classified as non-essential!
On one hand, this has been good in the sense that it led to a purification of my disposition. I realized my dire need for the virtue of humility; I have to let go of the feeling of self-importance. It is not about me but about God, about the people whom I serve and the work I do for them in Jesus’ Name.
Moreover, this led me to pray and reflect hard: If my work is non-essential, then what is it? Are we right in totally closing our churches during this time of pandemic? We still go for walks; we still make it to the grocery and the pharmacy; we still cool off in the pool and park. Is the need for spiritual nourishment not at par with the need for food, the need for leisure, the need for relief from the heat? Can there be something that is non-essential and yet necessary? Maybe the Eucharist can fall into that category! What does it mean to say: the Holy Eucharist is non-essential?
The revelation of Holy Scriptures enlightens us. In the phrase “daily bread” of the Our Father, the original Greek word used by the evangelists is “epiousios”. This word is a fairly unique term. When St. Jerome translated the Gospel of Luke he rendered it as “quotidianum”, meaning “quotidian” or “daily”. However, in his translation of the Gospel of St. Matthew, he used the more literal rendering of the word “epiousios” which is “supersubstantialem”, that is to say, super-substantial! The Eucharist is not essential; it is super-essential!
Both translations are, of course, valid. Thus the Catechism in paragraph 2837 informs us: “Taken in a temporal sense, [‘daily’] is a pedagogical repetition of ‘this day,’ to confirm us in trust ‘without reservation.’ Taken in the qualitative sense, it signifies what is necessary for life, and more broadly every good thing sufficient for subsistence. Taken literally (epi-ousios: ‘super-essential’), it refers directly to the Bread of Life, the Body of Christ, the “medicine of immortality,” without which we have no life within us. Finally in this connection, its heavenly meaning is evident: “this day” is the Day of the Lord, the day of the feast of the kingdom, anticipated in the Eucharist that is already the foretaste of the kingdom to come.”
So, you see, the Eucharist is not just one devotion among others. The Eucharist is the Real Presence of Jesus Christ continued throughout space and time. The Eucharist is the Way, the way our God-made-flesh keeps his promises of never leaving us orphans (Jn 14:18) and being with us until the end of the world (Mt 28:20). How sad it would be if Catholics are fast to agree that it is alright to cancel totally the public celebration of the Mass! How sad it is if you think that watching the celebration of the Eucharist on television equates with personally participating on it! How sad it is if you think that your personal prayers at home can substitute for the Holy Mass! On the other hand, I feel I owe you an apology. I should have been more creative to make the Holy Eucharist more accessible for you. I should have held Eucharistic Adoration in our parking lot. I should have added more celebrations of the Mass when attendance was limited to just 5 or 10 faithful….
The main point is: In this time of fear and disunity, of suffering and death, we need more of the Holy Eucharist rather than less. As Pope Benedict XVI said in his 2011 Corpus Christi homily: “[W]hereas food for the body is assimilated by our organism, and contributes to nourishing it, in the case of the Eucharist it is a different Bread: it is not we who assimilate it, but it assimilates us into itself, so that we become conformed to Jesus Christ, a member of his Body, one with him…. In fact, precisely because it is Christ who, in Eucharistic communion, changes us into him, our individuality, in this encounter, is opened, liberated from its egocentrism, and inserted into the Person of Jesus who, in his turn, is immersed in Trinitarian communion. The Eucharist, therefore, while it unites us to Christ, also opens us to others, makes us members of one another: we are no longer divided, but one in him. Eucharistic communion not only unites me to the person I have beside me, and with whom I may not even be on good terms, but also to our distant brethren in every part of the world.” Wow, what a beautiful description of the Eucharist! If we truly believe this, dear parishioners, we will be free of any debilitating fear. No matter what, we will strive to be able to feed on this super-essential food served to us by the Lord Himself so as to live for eternity. For He promised: “Whoever eats this bread will live forever” (Jn 6:51).
May what we are experiencing now lead us to repentance as we recall how we wasted the graces of the Eucharist when it was easily available. May it enlarge our hunger for the Eucharist. And may you be kept safe and hopeful always. Be assured that I am praying daily for all your intentions as I trust that you are also praying for me.
Blessings,
Fr. Ramon
Mass Sign-Up (Currently Unavailable)
Due to COVID protocols, you are required to sign-up for Mass on either Saturday at 5:00 pm, Sunday at 11:00 am, or Sunday at 7:00 pm by:
1. Click on the following link St. John the Evangelist Mass Booking Page
2. Click on the date for the Mass you want to attend
3. Select the Mass time on the right-hand side of the bookings page
4. Complete the required personal information
5. Click the BOOK button at the bottom of the page
6. Repeat the above process for each additional individual
Each individual/family member must sign-up. For example, if you are signing up yourself, your spouse, and two children...you will need four different sign-ups.
When signing up, please follow these protocols:
a) signing-up means that one is not aware that s/he is suffering from any covid-like symptoms.
b) signing-up means s/he has not been out of the province for the last 14 days
c) contact details will not be shared to other entities except to public health officials and only if there is suspicion of covid exposure.
Sunday, May 2, 2021
Yesterday, May 1, marks the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. It is also the beginning of the month dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Pope Francis through the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization is calling for a global prayer marathon for the entire month praying for the end of the pandemic. The daily Holy Rosary is the main prayer for the marathon. It will be streamed live each day from a different shrine from a different place in the world at 6:00 PM (Rome time). The pope is inviting as many shrines, parishes, and individuals to be involved. Therefore, for the entire month of May, the Rosary before the Mass here in our parish will be offered for the end of the pandemic ………. Beginning last Wednesday, civil authorities had mandated that at least until May 26 only 10 people are allowed during religious gatherings (no matter the size of the church building!!!) Not included in the head count, however, are: the priest, the cantor, the musician, the lector/reader, the server, and the tech person who will operate any electronic device to be used during the liturgy. Kindly sign up in our parish website prior to coming to Holy Mass………. Those who are able to sign up for Mass this weekend are encouraged to give chance to the others to sign up for next weekend’s Mass………. Furthermore, I am adding a 5:30 PM Mass on Sundays. This is just until the current restriction is lifted. Thus, Mass schedule during the weekend will be: Saturday @ 5:00 PM, Sunday @ 11:00 AM, 5:30 PM and 7:00 PM. I have also added another Mass at St. Patrick in Manitou. For those who cannot be accommodated to the weekend Mass, I would like to invite you to come to any of the weekday Mass instead – Tuesday to Thursday @ 7:00 PM, Friday @ 10:00 AM (with Chaplet and Adoration) ………. The parish has acquired a NP410W NEC projector through the generosity of Jason Lopez and Family! May the Lord who cannot be outdone in generosity bless their family always. Every parish group/organization is welcome to use the said projector........... From May 3-7, the priests of the Archdiocese on St. Boniface will go on spiritual retreat. Due to the pandemic and the current restrictions, it will be done via Zoom. This year’s retreat conferences will be presented by Bishop Thomas Dowd. He is the current bishop of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie in Ontario. I ask for your support during these days of retreat. Do offer prayers for me. Short but intense prayers are best. Weekdays Mass will still be celebrated throughout the week. I will try my best to dispose myself for the retreat, but do not hesitate to call me if the matter is urgent. God bless us all.
Yesterday, May 1, marks the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. It is also the beginning of the month dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Pope Francis through the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization is calling for a global prayer marathon for the entire month praying for the end of the pandemic. The daily Holy Rosary is the main prayer for the marathon. It will be streamed live each day from a different shrine from a different place in the world at 6:00 PM (Rome time). The pope is inviting as many shrines, parishes, and individuals to be involved. Therefore, for the entire month of May, the Rosary before the Mass here in our parish will be offered for the end of the pandemic ………. Beginning last Wednesday, civil authorities had mandated that at least until May 26 only 10 people are allowed during religious gatherings (no matter the size of the church building!!!) Not included in the head count, however, are: the priest, the cantor, the musician, the lector/reader, the server, and the tech person who will operate any electronic device to be used during the liturgy. Kindly sign up in our parish website prior to coming to Holy Mass………. Those who are able to sign up for Mass this weekend are encouraged to give chance to the others to sign up for next weekend’s Mass………. Furthermore, I am adding a 5:30 PM Mass on Sundays. This is just until the current restriction is lifted. Thus, Mass schedule during the weekend will be: Saturday @ 5:00 PM, Sunday @ 11:00 AM, 5:30 PM and 7:00 PM. I have also added another Mass at St. Patrick in Manitou. For those who cannot be accommodated to the weekend Mass, I would like to invite you to come to any of the weekday Mass instead – Tuesday to Thursday @ 7:00 PM, Friday @ 10:00 AM (with Chaplet and Adoration) ………. The parish has acquired a NP410W NEC projector through the generosity of Jason Lopez and Family! May the Lord who cannot be outdone in generosity bless their family always. Every parish group/organization is welcome to use the said projector........... From May 3-7, the priests of the Archdiocese on St. Boniface will go on spiritual retreat. Due to the pandemic and the current restrictions, it will be done via Zoom. This year’s retreat conferences will be presented by Bishop Thomas Dowd. He is the current bishop of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie in Ontario. I ask for your support during these days of retreat. Do offer prayers for me. Short but intense prayers are best. Weekdays Mass will still be celebrated throughout the week. I will try my best to dispose myself for the retreat, but do not hesitate to call me if the matter is urgent. God bless us all.
|
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Every Friday at 9:00 am Chaplet of the Divine Mercy
|
|
Children's Rosary Prayer Group: Tuesday, April 13, 2021
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 6:30 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. |
|
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.