Exactly 22 years ago, on May 31st, 1998, Pope St. John Paul II, spoke the following words to 500k members of various lay movements in the Catholic Church: “Today, I would like to cry out to all of you gathered here in St. Peter’s Square and to all Christians: Open yourselves to the gifts of the Spirit! Accept gratefully and obediently the charisms which the Spirit never ceases to bestow on us.”

Why Everyone Needs to Be Baptized in the Spirit – A powerful talk by Dr. Ralph Martin from Renewal Ministries, given at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio in 2007.

After an introduction given by Peter Herbeck and Ralph Martin during their program “The Choices We Face”, you can watch the powerful talk Dr. Ralph Martin gave at a conference at Franciscan University, Steubenville, Ohio, about the importance of openness to the Holy Spirit.
Click on the link to watch to this compelling and evocative talk (26 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AbtxmEssLg

Here is a message from Fr. Nathan Siray, Pastor of Our Lady of the Rockies Parish:

“It is with great joy I can now share that the Dedication of the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies will occur on Saturday May 30th at 11:00 am. Due to ongoing restrictions on public religious celebrations, attendance at the Dedication Mass is closed to the general public. However, a live stream will be provided to everyone to view on May 30th.The live stream can be viewed at www.catholicyyc.ca and facebook.com/calgarydiocese/live  

The Shrine Church remains closed to the general public until the first week of June. Please check out our website in the coming days for when public Masses and visitations will take place.” 

To read full letter of Fr Nathan Siray click Here

Diocese of Calgary will be reposting Livestream Sunday Masses from the parishes through our social media. 

• Check out the list of Livestream Masses in the Diocese of Calgary

Parish Mass Times Update

Listing of all the Daily Masses, Sunday Masses and Confession Times in the Diocese of Calgary

• Mass times and Confession times here 

Please read the Bishop’s Pastoral Letter to the Faithful, Guidelines for the Reintroduction of Public Celebration of Holy Mass, and the Bishop’s video message at Video message from Bishop William T. McGrattan

New Guidelines
Guidelines on Stage 2 of the relaunch strategy
Guidelines_on_stage_1_of_the_reintroduction_of_Holy_Mass_in_public.pdf

Pastoral Letter – May 26, 2020
Bishops_Pastoral_Letter_to_the_Faithful_26_may_2020.pdf

#CatholicYYC

https://www.cccrs.com/public-celebration-of-holy-mass/

 by Diana Macalintal |  posted in: Easter, GIA Quarterly, reflections |  0
The Ascension of the Lord

The solemnity of the Ascension draws our focus back to seeing Christ with the eyes of our hearts. With Thomas on the Second Sunday of Easter, we trained our eyes to see Christ’s presence in the wounds that his risen body still bore and in the mercy and care that the members of his body give to those in need.

On the road to Emmaus, we fixed our gaze upon the stranger walking beside us and in them recognized Christ ever before us, even in his absence. And today, with the disciples who followed him throughout Galilee to the cross in Jerusalem, we direct our attention not to the heavens but to the ends of the earth, where we have been sent to go and make disciples.

From the beginning of his mission, Jesus was always on the move, found in the streets, the neighborhood homes, the marketplaces, and the temple. To be Christian is to follow his footsteps, to find him never in one place but to be on the go, taking his message of hope to where it needs to be heard.

For Christ is not absent from the world. Through the sacraments we celebrate, joined to Christ by the Spirit, we are now his presence. When others see us and encounter our joy and care, there they should also see Christ.

Reflection taken from: http://Liturgy.Life/ (D. Macalintal)

From time to time, it is tempting to think faith should offer us special protection from suffering. Today’s readings remind us that while healing and freedom from suffering are sometimes a gift we receive (like those healed in Samaria), God has promised we will never be alone in the world. The Gospel assures us the Spirit is with us, that we will not be left as orphans, that God will reveal Himself to us when we seek Him. When life is hard, it can be difficult to feel this promised presence, especially when we desire for the suffering to be taken away.

The second reading reminds us that we get a choice in how we suffer, whether we choose the good even when it is hard, or suffer the damaging effects of choosing sin, alongside circumstances that bring suffering. When we embrace the abundant life God offers, we choose to trust in the promise we are not alone in pain – even when it is difficult to feel that. We surrender ourselves in trusting God will use our pain, as He used Jesus’ suffering, to bring new life through death.

Prayer: For the strength to embrace God’s presence and life in the midst of suffering, we pray to the Lord.

Spirit of Truth, draw close to us in seasons of suffering and help us to know your presence. Protect us from believing lies, giving into temptations, and despairing. Give us the strength to trust that the Father who loves us will bring Resurrection and new life from the hardest of circumstances. Amen. Alleluia!

Reflection: CCCB
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Taken from the Facebook page of Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary.