DEVELOPMENT & PEACE

On Solidarity Sunday last March, the Share Lent Collection for Development and Peace was as follows:
- $858.26 for OLV
- $345.00 for St. Malachy
Total = $1,303.26
Thank you for your generous contributions.

Donations made by churches across Canada on this one day allow Development and Peace to support more than 200 partners in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. Your gifts to Development and Peace will grow wisely in the hands of our partners. In solidarity, we can help peace and justice grow, and ease hunger in the world.

The Bowl-a-thon which took place on Saturday, March 27th was a big success. Over 100 people from the surrounding areas participated by bowling and learning a bit more about Development and Peace. All the proceeds collected throughout the day have been forwarded to Development and Peace to be added to the Share Lent Collection. The organizers of the Bowl-a-thon look forward to another such event again next year.

ST.GREGOIRE CEMETERY PLOTS

The wardens at St-Grégoire are in the process of developing a policy on the maintenance of grave sites. Apparently, there are numerous families that have discontinued the payment of the maintenance fees for family sites. Grave site maintenance is not often something we think about, but it is important to remember that many families in this Parish have a long history in the Buckingham area and many of our descendants are buried in the local graveyard. We have been advised that a large number of gravesites, where maintenance fees have not been paid, have been identified as belonging to English-speaking families and thus associated with our Parish.

Once the new policy is developed and approved, it will be translated and published in our bulletin. The two Parishes have agreed to work together to ensure that all English-speaking families, who for whatever reason have not paid maintenance fees, are contacted and updated on the new policy and the status of their site(s). Any correspondence will be in English to better explain the situation.

Finally, a point of clarification: there has been some concern expressed that perhaps part of this new policy would result in St. Grégoire Wardens reclaiming plots for resale, plots where maintenance fees have not been paid, or where family members cannot be located. We have been assured that this is not part of the new strategy.

The policy will be transmitted to us in April for follow up action.

ST MALACHY’S CEMETERY

The St. Malachy's Cemetery Committee is inviting interested parties to tender contract offers to maintain the parish cemetery situated at Mayo, QC for a three year period beginning in the spring of 2010. Any contract offer should specify a fixed price, on a seasonal basis.

Maintenance of the cemetery comprises regular grass cutting as well as trimming around grave markers and fence lines.

Bids for this contract must be delivered to Dan Somers at 45 Somers Road, Mayo, QC, J8L 4L9 and postmarked no later than midnight, Friday, May 7th. 2010. For additional information, please contact 613-295-5498.