A sincere welcome to those who are new among us. We hope you find a warm and welcoming faith-home with us. Please introduce yourself after Mass and call the Rectory to register.

LAST SUNDAY - JOINT MASS:
It was a first for our four parishes. Those who participated in it were generally quite pleased with it, even if there were a few miscues, but that is to be expected in such a “novel adventure.“ That we could not have the Mass outside because of the weather worked in some way in our favour, and the large room accommodated us very well. Lots of good food after the Mass and a pleasant atmosphere.

Our thanks to the organizers who put a lot of effort into making it run smoothly. And our thanks to those who in different ways contributed to it and participated in it.

EASING INTO ORDINARY TIME - FOCUS ON THE JESUS OF MARK:
The 40-3-50 Lent-Easter season we concluded on Pentecost Sunday gives way to what in Church language is called Ordinary Time. It will be a long stretch until we get to the Advent Season by the end of November.

We first deal with the two transition feasts: the Blessed Trinity of last Sunday and this Sunday’s Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ. After that green will be the dominant liturgical colour.

You will notice that for the most of the rest of the year the Gospel reading will be taken from Mark’s Gospel. That is to say we will get a “different take” on Jesus. You may wonder what is the point. Each Gospel has its own portrait of Jesus; and the different portraits are presented by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are quite different. We may be inclined to skip over those differences, but that is unfortunate, Here is the way Normand Bonneau sumarises the basic thrust of Mark’s portrait of Jesus:

“Although usually “off-stage”, God is a main actor in Mark’s Gospel – it is his battle against sin and death which he wages by inspiring his agent, Jesus. As God’s special agent, Jesus sows conflict wherever he goes. Instead of the serene teaching Jesus of Matthew or the supremely confident Jesus of John, Mark’s Jesus remains at times disconcertingly human. “After initial successes during the opening episodes of his ministry in Galilee (filled with violet shouting matches against unclean spirits and acrimonious debates with the Pharisees), Jesus begins to distinguish between two groups: an inside group of disciples who receive special instruction and the outsiders who are destined not to understand. Furthermore, as the feeding of the multitudes story illustrates so well, conflict arises between Jesus and his disciples. The rift of misunderstanding is never fully healed. It widens finally to the point where the disciples abandon Jesus during his arrest.

“The climatic conflict takes place in Jerusalem, particularly in the arrest, trial and crucifixion. Moreover, Jesus’ personal struggle to face his divine destiny (Gethsemane and the Cross) is uncompromisingly stark in Mark. The author of the second Gospel seems to insist that his readers never lose sight of the high stakes in God’s plan of salvation.”

WHAT IS THE USE OF INTERCESSORY PRAYER? IS THERE A WAY OF DEALING WITH HURT AND DISAPPOINTMENT?
For Christians to believe that Jesus is raised from the dead, that God is a loving communion of Father, son and Spirit, that the Church’s sacraments give us a home in the central mystery of our faith, namely the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is important. But there are other aspects to the Christian faith that may hit a bit closer to home. They are the sort of real life questions that we will continue to wrestle with. Perhaps the issues mentioned in the heading may at times be real questions for us.

The insert in this Sunday’s bulletin may provide some fresh perspectives on that sort of questions. One is taken from May 2, 2006 issue of the Christian Century. The other appeared in the May 24, 2006 issue of Prairie Messenger and is from a spiritual master of our time, Ron Rolheiser. Both give us good food for reflection.

OUR PRAYERS AND SYMPATHY TO:
- the Limmer family on the death of their husband and father Gerald. May he rest in peace.

OLV WARDENS MEETING:
- June 22nd, 7:30 p.m.

SPECIAL EVENTS:
- Father Bill, Congratulations and our prayers are with you as you celebrated your 43rd Anniversary of your Ordination, on June 15th.
- Mary Stanyar celebrated her 86th birthday on June 15. Belated birthday wishes.
- Jean Paul and Evelyn Robitaille will celebrate their 58th wedding anniversary on June 19th. Congratulations and Best Wishes.