From the Vineyard

From the Vineyard

Newsletter No. 98 - April 3, 2020

HOPE, GRATITUDE AND SOLIDARITYis the title of A Message to Canadians from Religious Leaders in Canada in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.  This message was published earlier this week and signed by 82 Religious Leaders from a variety of faiths, including Archbishop Richard Gagnon, President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. The letter calls the reader to “witness hope to each other and so become beacons of light during these uncertain times.” It is an uplifting message and worth a read.

EARLIER TODAY, WE HELD DEANERY MEETINGS BY VIDEOCONFERENCE with the priests of the Northern and City Deaneries.  On Monday we will link up with the priests of our Southern and Central Deaneries.   These meetings with parish priests, myself and Diocesan Pastoral Centre staff are a valuable forum to discuss pastoral concerns, communication issues and financial matters – all of which are crucial during this time of the pandemic crisis which is afflicting our world, nation and province. 

APOLOGIES TO OUR DONORS WHO SUPPORT PARISHES THROUGH P.A.P. (Pre-Authorized Payments.)  Because of an administrative error on our part, the P.A.P. withdrawal from donor accounts that was to have taken place on April 15, happened on April 2 instead.  This would be bad at any time but comes at an especially unsettling time for many, given the financial impacts of the recent pandemic.  We regret this unfortunate error and hope that it won’t cause undue inconvenience to the donors who are so generous to our parishes. 

HOLY WEEK BEGINS WITH THE CELEBRATION OF PALM SUNDAY and it will be a Holy Week unlike any of us have experienced.   I am grateful that Your TV (Cogeco) will broadcast our Palm Sunday Mass at 11:30 a.m. and at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, and that they have provided a You Tube link so that others outside their viewing area may watch the Mass via the Internet.  Of course, we also have our own taped broadcast appearing on our Diocese’s YouTube page.  On Easter Sunday, the Mass from our Cathedral will be livestreamed both on Your TV and our Facebook page for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Peterborough.

IT WAS A VERY UNUSUAL CHRISM MASS that I celebrated on Monday, in the company of Monsignor Heffernan, and Fathers Lynch, Tavares and Devereaux.  I was grateful for their presence and mindful of all the priests of our Diocese who could not be there as we made the annual renewal of our priestly promises.  The holy oils were also blessed for use in the sacraments throughout the year across our Diocese.  The oils will be distributed to priests at a later date.

THE LATEST EDITION OF THE CATHOLIC HERALD will be published, but only online.  Many thanks to Father Ray Rick for working to get this edition out in time for Holy Week.

                                                                                                                                            Fraternally,   † Daniel

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