November 23, 2014

SAINT BASIL the GREAT PARISH

202 HARCOURT STREET, WINNIPEG, MB R3J 3H3

Parish Office: 204-837-4180 Parish Hall: 204-889-9057

Parish Priest: Rt. Rev Canon Walter Klimchuk

ADVENT IS A TIME OF LONGING, WATCHING,

WAITING FOR THE KINGDOM

FROM FATHER WALTER

The time before the celebration of the Nativity of

Jesus Christ was a fasting period of 40 days

beginning November 15th. It is also called the Fast

of St. Phillip because it is immediately preceded by

the feast of this apostle. The fast was introduced to

prepare the Church for a worthy celebration of the

great and holy day of the Birth of Christ. Today it

has evolved into something more than a time of

strict penance and fast. It has become a time of

joyful waiting, an opportunity to engage in Holy

Patience and prayer.

In Lamentations 3;25-26 of the Old Testament we read: ”Good is the

Lord to one who waits for Him, to the soul that seeks Him; it is good to

hope in silence for the saving help of the Lord.”

How do we wait for God? We wait with patience. But patience does not

mean passivity. Waiting patiently is not like waiting for the train or bus to

come, the fog to lift or the sun to rise. It is an active waiting in which we

live the present moment to the full in order to find there the signs of the

Lord whom we are waiting for.

The word patience comes from the Latin verb patior, which means ‘to

suffer”. Waiting patiently is suffering through the present moment, tasting

it to the full and letting the seeds that are sown in the ground on which

we stand grow into strong plants. Waiting patiently always means paying

attention to what is happening right before our eyes and seeing there the

first rays of God’s glorious coming. Waiting patiently also brings to our

attention the following questions: “Do I fail to appreciate the blessings I

have because I am anxious about the future?” What are some practical

SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY

10:00 a.m. (Rosary precedes each

Liturgy by one half hour)

WEEKDAY SERVICES

8:30 a.m. Rosary followed by Liturgy

CONFESSIONS

Before Divine Liturgies

BAPTISIMS

By appointment

FUNERALS

By arrangement

MARRIAGES

By appointment at least three months

in advance

WEBSITE: www.saintbasilwpg.ca

PARISH OFFICE EMAIL ADDRESS:

parish@saintbasilwpg.ca

BULLETIN SUBMISSIONS:

bulletin@saintbasilwpg.ca

November 23, 2014 steps I can take this Advent to help me become more patient to live more fully the grace of each moment?

To worthily meet our Lord and Savior, we

should sanctify this pre-Nativity season of

the Phillipian Fast. Sanctifying means

spending our time in faith and in the

service of God and in kindness towards

our neighbour, especially those who are in

need of our assistance. One of the most

ancient titles Christians gave themselves

was “Christ-bearers”. On arriving at

Bethlehem and the Nativity on December

25th, we begin to prepare for the

Theophany. We do not stop at the Nativity.

In our joy at God’s arrival, we press forward and see the Theophany. With Theophany we experience the

beginning of Christ’s revelation to us of the mysteries of God. Most important of all, this event points out the

Mystery of the Trinity, a mystery long hinted in the Old Testament As we prepare to greet Christ in His

Nativity and His Baptism in the Jordan, we should look to our life. Do we bear Christ in all our life, or only in

those parts of our life we consider “religious” or “spiritual”? May our life during this season bear witness to

the reality that “Christ is among us!” May our life answer that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

GOD OF THE SEASONS: ADVENT REFLECTION

Draw an autumn tree. Let the tree symbolize yourself; for each

part of the tree reflect on the following questions. Write your

responses on that part of the tree:

a) The roots: who and what has given you nourishment and

vitality in your life: who and what “roots” you in your times of

significant change?

b) The trunk: what are your strengths? What events have

channeled new life into you?

c) The leaves: what is dying in your life now? What do you

feel called to let go of?

d) The bark: who or what protects you, comforts you?

e) The terminal buds on the ends of the branches: what is your hope?

God of the seasons, there is a time for everything; there is a time for dying and a

time for rising. We need courage to enter into the transformation process.

God of autumn, the trees are saying goodbye to their green, letting go of what has

been. We too, have our moments of surrender, with all their insecurity and risk.

Help us to let go when we need to do so.

November 23, 2014

God of fallen leaves lying in coloured patterns on the ground, our lives have their

own patterns. As we see the patterns of our own growth,

may we learn from them.

God of misty days and harvest moon nights, there is

always the dimension of mystery and wonder in our lives.

We always need to recognize your power filled presence.

May we gain strength from this.

God of harvest wagons and fields of ripened grain, many gifts of

growth lie within the season of our surrender. We must wait for

harvest in faith and hope. Grant us patience when we do not see

the blessings.

God of geese going south for another season, your wisdom

enables us to know what needs to be left behind and what needs to be carried into the

future. We yearn for insight and vision.

God of flowers touched with frost and windows wearing white designs, may

your love keep our hearts from growing cold in the empty season.

God of life, you believe in us, you enrich us, you entrust us with the freedom to

choose life. For all this, we are grateful.

November 21st – The Entry of the Most

Holy Theotokos into the Temple

The Feast of the Entrance into the Temple of Our

Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

is celebrated on November 21 each year. The Feast

commemorates when as a young child, the Virgin

Mary entered the Temple in Jerusalem.

Religious parents never fail by devout prayer to consecrate their children before and after their birth. Some

amongst the Jews, not content with this general consecration of their children, offered them to God in their

infancy, by the hands of the priests in the temple, to be lodged in apartments belonging to the temple, and

brought up in attending the priests and Levites in the sacred ministry. The Blessed Virgin Mary was thus

solemnly offered to God in the temple.

The birth and early life of the Virgin Mary is not recorded in the Gospels or other books of the New

Testament, however this information can be found in a work dating from the second century known as the

Book of James or Protevangelion.

November 23, 2014 According to that text, Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anne, who had been childless, received a heavenly

message that they would have a child. In thanksgiving for the gift of their daughter, they brought her, when

still a child, to the Temple in Jerusalem to consecrate her to God.

When Mary was three years old, Joachim and Anna decided that the time had come to fulfill their promise

and to offer her to the Lord. Joachim gathered the young girls of the neighborhood to form an escort, and he

made them go in front of Mary, carrying torches. Captivated by the torches, the young child followed joyfully

to the Temple, not once looking back at her parents nor weeping as she was parted from them.

The holy Virgin ran toward the Temple, overtaking her attendant maidens and threw herself into the arms of

the High Priest Zacharias, who was waiting for her at the gate of the Temple with the elders. Zacharias

blessed her saying, "It is in you that He has glorified your name in every generation. It is in you that He will

reveal the Redemption that He has prepared for His people in the last days."

Then, Zacharias brought the child into the Holy of Holies—a place where only the High Priest was permitted

to enter once a year on the Day of Atonement. He placed her on the steps of the altar, and the grace of the

Lord descended upon her. She arose and expressed her joy in a dance as wonder seized all who saw this

happen. Even in her childhood, Mary was completely dedicated to God.

The Virgin Mary dwelt in the Temple for nine years until, reaching an age for marriage,

she was taken from the Temple by the priests and elders and entrusted to Joseph as the

guardian of her virginity.

The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple signifies her total dedication to God and

her readiness for her future vocation as the Mother of the Incarnate Lord. The feast

celebrates the recognition of Mary as a temple in whom God dwells. In a very special

way, the Blessed Virgin became a holy temple when she conceived the very Son of God

in her immaculate womb. She became a true temple of the true God when she

cherished the word of God in her heart. This is a feast of anticipation. As honor is shown

to Mary, the faithful are called to look forward to the Incarnation of Christ, celebrated in a

little more than a month by the Feast of the Nativity on December 25.

PADRE PIO

Padre Pio was born May 25, 1887 in Pietrelcina, Italy, a small country town located in southern Italy. His

parents were Grazio Mario Forgione (1860-1946) and Maria Guiseppa de Nunzio Forgione (1859-1929). He

was baptized the next day, in the nearby Castle Church, with the name of his brother, Francesco, who died

in early infancy. Other children in the family were an older brother, Michele;

three younger sisters: Felicita, Pellegrina and Grazia; and two children who

died as infants.

Religion was the center of life for both Pietrelcina and the Forgione family.

The town had many celebrations throughout the year in honor of different

saints and the bell in the Castle Church was used not for ringing the hour,

but for daily devotional time. Friends have described the Forgione family as

"the God-is-everything-people" because they attended Daily Mass, prayed

the Rosary nightly and fasted three days a week from meat in honor of Our

November 23, 2014 Lady of Mt. Carmel. Although Padre Pio’s grandparents and parents could not read and write, they

memorized Sacred Scripture and told the children Bible stories. It was in this lovely family setting that the

seeds of Faith were nurtured within Padre Pio.

From his early childhood, it was evident that Padre Pio had a deep piety. From his earliest years Francesco

Forgione was a man of prayer. Considered a quiet boy by the other youngsters he would seldom play with

them "because they blaspheme." This aversion to sin would cause him to run away to pray in the church of

St. Pius V. At other times he would sit under a tree on his father's property and "think about God." By age

five Francesco had already determined to become a Franciscan Capuchin, in part because of the habit and

the beard, which he liked greatly, but also moved by the grace of God to seek perfection.When he was five

years old, he solemnly consecrated himself to Jesus. He liked to sing hymns, play church and preferred to

be by himself where he could read and pray. The progress of growth in holiness and union with God in

prayer rises together. Beginning with the most simple and human practices the person is transformed,

supernaturalized, in their exterior life with man and in their interior life with God. This progress can be

summarized as being emptied of self and being filled with God, or putting off the old man (Adam) and

putting on the new man (Christ), or simply, conformity to Christ. It involves acts on the part of the Christian,

but even more so the initiative and grace of God to raise the person to the heights of holiness, to which all

are called but which few seem to achieve. Padre Pio is one who answered that call. His climb of the ladder

of holiness, however, involved more than pious aspirations and flight from the bad example of the world.

Even very young it encompassed to a remarkable degree the battle against the flesh and against the devil.

For example, the child Francis was no stranger to mortification. Although the family had meager rations as it

was, Francesco nonetheless occasionally deprived himself of food. At age nine his mother discovered him

sleeping on the floor with a rock for his pillow, a practice which apparently had been going on for some time.

Such austerity would become a hallmark of his entire life. He also experienced the assaults of the devil, who

appeared in horrible forms in his dreams. Later in life these attacks would take a more direct form, even

physical assaults.

Yet, God did not leave him abandoned, providing him with consoling visions of

the Blessed Mother and his Guardian angel. It is the conviction of the Church

that every human being is assigned an angel of God to be his guardian, an

angel who has as his task to "lead (us) to the place that (God) has prepared,"

heaven. Not everyone listens attentively to their guardian angel, however, as he

seeks to enlighten them through the voice of conscience to avoid sin, or gives

them good inspirations to the love and service of God and neighbor. Certainly

Padre Pio was one who did, from the earliest years of life, so that God granted

him the vision not only of his own guardian angel but those of others. Many

times it was through the guardian angel of a person that their need was brought

to Padre Pio's attention, who then prayed for that person.

One might ask, why would the angel bring the need to Padre Pio, rather than directly to God? First, people

often sent their angel to Padre Pio to ask for prayer. The angels, for their part, like true friends were happy

to perform this little service for their proteges, especially the ones who habitually listened to their guidance.

Since the angel can do nothing contrary to the will of God, God Himself must have desired it, as well. As

with the other forms of intercession and mediation acknowledged by the Church, God has ordained that the

true magnificence of His own glory be shown through His working through creatures (angelic and human).

As St. Paul noted, God chooses the weak to show up the strong (1 Cor. 1:27).

November 23, 2014 Padre Pio was especially careful for the well-being, spiritual and material, of those whom he had accepted

as his spiritual son or daughter. He would look after them from a distance, with the help of their guardian

angel. The following story is related in Send Me Your Guardian Angel, a book on Padre Pio's relations with

the angels by Fr. Alessio Parente, OFM Cap. Fr, Alessio had the privilege of taking care of Padre Pio in the

later years of his life.

“Once a person was accepted as Padre Pio's spiritual child, he would never

abandon them, no matter what danger they were in. Even if he did not visit

them personally, they would receive his help through his Guardian Angel.

Cecil Humphrey-Smith, a well known gentleman from England, is Padre

Pio's spiritual child. Whilst in Italy, during the time Padre Pio was alive,

Cecil had a car crash and was very seriously injured. A friend of his, seeing

him in such a bad condition afterwards, went to the Post Office and sent a

telegram to Padre Pio requesting his prayers for the injured Cecil. When he

presented the telegram at the desk, the man gave him back a telegram

from Padre Pio assuring his prayers for Cecil Humphrey-Smith's recovery.

It was some months before Cecil was in good enough shape to travel again,

but immediately he had recovered he made tracks for San Giovanni

Rotondo. On this occasion, both Cecil and his friend met Padre Pio and they thanked him for his prayers. At

the same time, they were curious to know how he came to know about the accident and how a telegram

had arrived in such a short space of time. In response to their demand, Padre Pio, in his humoristic way

said: "Do you think the Angels go as slowly as the planes?" “

God had given him the light to see his spiritual child in danger of death and, as usual, he sent his Guardian

Angel to assure his prayers and protection.

On one occasion the scope of his future warfare with evil was

made known to him. In a vision that was granted him after

receiving Communion one day, he saw himself in the middle of

a large hall between two groups of people, one group had

beautiful faces, the other hideous ones. Just then a huge

monster came from the end of the hall toward him, but Jesus

appeared, in order to give Francesco strength. Before the

monster could reach Francesco it was struck by lightening and

disappeared. The Lord said to him, "That is the fiend against

whom you will have to fight."

As an adult, Padre Pio commented that in his younger years he had conversed with Jesus, the Madonna,

his guardian angel, and had suffered attacks by the devil. In his simplicity, he assumed everyone had the

same experiences.

Padre Pio’s parents first learned of his desire to become a priest in 1897. A young Capuchin friar was

canvassing the countryside seeking donations. Padre Pio was drawn to this spiritual man and told his

parents, "I want to be a friar… with a beard." His parents traveled to Morcone, a community thirteen miles

November 23, 2014 north of Pietrelcina, to investigate if the friars would be interested in having their son. The Capuchins were

interested, but Padre Pio would need more education than his three years of public schooling.

In order to finance the private tutor

needed to educate Padre Pio, his father

went to America to find work. During this

time, he was confirmed (September 27,

1899), studied with tutors and completed

the requirements for entrance into the

Capuchin order. At age 15, he took the

Habit of the Order of Friars Minor

Capuchin on January 22, 1903. On the

day of his investiture, he took the name of

Pio in honor of Saint Pius V, the patron

saint of Pietrelcina, and was called Fra,

for brother, until his priestly ordination.

A year later, on January 22, 1904, Fra Pio knelt before the altar and made his First Profession of the

Evangelical Counsels of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience. Then, he traveled by oxcart to the seventeenth-

century friary of St. Francis of Assisi and began six years of study for the priesthood and continued his

development in community life toward the profession of his solemn vows. After three years of temporary

profession, Padre Pio took his final vows in 1907.

Then on August 10, 1910, the much-anticipated day finally arrived. The twenty-three year old Fra Pio was

ordained a priest by Archbishop Paolo Schinosi at the Cathedral of Benevento. Four days later, he

celebrated his first Mass at the parish church of Our Lady of the Angels. The celebration of the Holy Mass

was the centre of his spirituality. Due to the long pauses of contemplative silence into which he entered at

various parts of the Holy Sacrifice, his Mass could sometimes last several hours.

His parishioners were deeply impressed by his piety and one by one they began to come to him seeking his

counsel. For many, even a few moments in his presence proved to be a life changing experience.As the

years passed, pilgrims began to come to him by the thousands from every corner of the world, drawn by the

spiritual riches which flowed so freely from his extraordinary ministry. To his spiritual children he would say:

“ It seems to me as if Jesus has no other concern but the sanctification of your soul.”

Padre Pio is understood above all else as a man of prayer. Before he

was thirty years old he had already reached the summit of the

spiritual life known as the ‘unitive way’ of transforming union with

God. He prayed almost continuously. His prayers were usually very

simple. He loved to pray the Rosary and recommended it to others. The maternal anxiety of the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the souls

going to hell had profoundly and completely invaded the heart of

Padre Pio, who made of his whole life a great sacrifice to our Lord to

snatch souls away from eternal damnation.

Our Lady of Fatima asked especially for the prayer of the Rosary.

November 23, 2014 And who could count the hours Padre Pio spent in prayer for the conversion and salvation of sinners? And

who more than he held the Rosary in his hand, night and day, filling all the free moments of the day with the

most devout recital of the Rosary? And with how much loving insistence did he not recommend the Rosary

to everyone as a means of salvation!

One day one of his penitents said to him: "Padre, today they say the Rosary is out of date, that it is no

longer in fashion. It is no longer said in many churches." He replied: "Let us do what our fathers did and all

will be well with us."

"But Satan rules the world." Padre Pio replied: "Because they make him rule; can a spirit rule by itself if it is

not united to the human will? We could not have been born in a more depraved world. The one who prays a

lot saves himself. The one who prays little is in danger. The one who does not pray loses his soul."

"Padre, say something to us."

"Love our Lady, make others love her. Always say your Rosary and say it well. Satan always tries to destroy

this prayer, but he will never succeed. It is the prayer of her who triumphs over everything and everyone."

And two days before he died, he repeated: "Love our Lady and make her loved. Recite the Rosary and

recite it always. And recite it as much as you can."

To someone who asked him what legacy he would like to leave

to his spiritual children, his brief reply was: “ My child, the

Rosary”. He has a special mission to the souls in Purgatory and

encouraged everyone to pray for them. He used to say: ”We must

empty Purgatory with our prayers”. A friend said of him, “One

admires in Padre Pio his habitual union with God. When he

speaks or is spoken to, we are aware that his heart and mind are

not distracted from the thought and sentiment of God.”

Padre Pio suffered from poor health his entire life, once saying

that his health had been declining from the time he was nine

years old. Although the cause of his prolonged and debilitating illnesses remained a mystery to his doctors,

Padre Pio did not become discouraged. He offered all of his bodily sufferings to God as a sacrifice for the

conversion of souls. He experienced many spiritual sufferings as well. “I am fully convinced that my illness

is due to a special permission of God” he said.

Shortly after his ordination, he wrote a letter to his spiritual director in which he

asked permission to offer his life as a victim for sinners and for the souls in

Purgatory. Within a month of his ordination, (September 7, 1910), as Padre Pio

was praying in the Piana Romana, Jesus and Mary appeared to him and gave

him the wounds of Christ, the Stigmata. He was thirty one years old and

became the first stigmatized priest in the history of the church. Padre Pio

described it in his writings: “The last night something happened which I can

neither explain nor understand. In the middle of the palms of my hands a red

mark appeared, about the size of a penny, accompanied by acute pain in the middle of the red marks. The

pain was more pronounced in the middle of the left hand, so much so that I can still feel it. Also, under my

feet I can feel some pain.” He wrote the above in 1911.This was his first mention of the phenomenon to his

November 23, 2014 spiritual father because, as he said, he was overwhelmed with shame. He simply did not want to talk about

it, hoping no doubt that it was a passing thing which would soon clear up and then be forgotten. He

experienced the pain of the crown of thorns and the scourging. How often he cannot say except that at the

time of writing he had been suffering from them almost once a week for some years. For Padre Pio’s

doctors, the wounds created much confusion. He asked Jesus to take away "the annoyance," adding, " I do

want to suffer, even to die of suffering, but all in secret." The wounds went away and the supernatural life of

Padre Pio remained a secret...for a while.

Due to Padre Pio’s on-going ill health, he was sent home to recuperate and was separated from his

religious community from the end of 1911 – 1916. During this time, the Capuchin Constitution required that

a friar who was sent home because of illness had to maintain his friar life as much as possible. Padre Pio

did this. He said Mass and taught school.

On November 28, 1911, Padre Agostino, who was a contemporary, friend, and confidant, was advised that

Padre Pio was ill. He rushed into Padre Pio’s room to care for him. Padre Agostino observed what he

thought was a dying man and rushed to the chapel to pray. When he finished praying, he returned to Padre

Pio’s room and found his friend alert and full of joy. This was the beginning of Padre Pio’s documented

ecstasies – all of which were "edifying, theologically correct and expressed a deep love for God. "

In an apparition on March 12 1913, Jesus spoke of the ingratitude of

men and added: “My son, I need victims to calm my Father's just divine

anger; renew the sacrifice of your whole self and do so without any

reserve." And Padre Pio wrote: "I have renewed the sacrifice of my life".

God endowed Padre Pio with many extraordinary spiritual gifts and

charisms including the gift of healing, bilocation, prophecy, miracles,

discernment of spirits, the ability to abstain beyond man’s natural powers from both sleep and nourishment,

the ability to read hearts, the gift of tongues (the ability to speak and understand languages that he had

never studied), the gift of conversions, the grace to see angelic beings in form and the fragrance which

emanated from his wounds and which frequently announced his invisible presence. He never sought these

gifts or felt worthy of them. He never put the gifts before the Giver. He always remained humble, constantly

at the disposal of Almighty God.

On September 4, 1916, Padre Pio was ordered to return to his community life and was assigned to San

Giovanni Rotondo, an agricultural community, located in the Gargano Mountains. Our Lady Of Grace

Capuchin Friary was approximately a mile from town and was not easy to reach. The Capuchins had a

reputation for their holiness and simple life. When Padre Pio became a part of the community at Our Lady of

Grace, there were seven friars.

With the outbreak of the war, only three friars stayed at Our Lady of Grace; the others were selected for

military service. At the beginning, his responsibilities included teaching at the seminary and being the

spiritual director of the students. He spent his free time reading the Bible and handling correspondence.

When another friar was called into service, Padre Pio became in charge of the college.

In August 1917 Padre Pio was inducted into the service and assigned to the 4th Platoon of the

100th Company of the Italian Medical Corps. During this time he was very unhappy. By mid-October he was

November 23, 2014 in the hospital, but was not discharged. Finally, in March 1918, he was dismissed and returned to San

Giovanni Rotondo.

Upon his return, Padre Pio became a spiritual director and had many spiritual daughters and sons. He had

five rules for spiritual growth: weekly confession, daily Communion, spiritual reading, meditation and

examination of conscience. In explaining his spiritual growth rules, Padre Pio compared dusting a room,

used or unused on a weekly basis, to weekly confession. He suggested two times of daily meditation and

self-examination: in the morning to "prepare for battle" and in the evening to "purify your soul." Padre Pio’s

motto, "Pray, Hope and Don’t Worry" is the synopsis of his application of theology into daily life. A Christian

should recognize God in everything, offering everything to Him saying, "Thy will be done". In addition, all

should aspire to heaven and put their trust in Him and not worry about what he is doing, as long as it is

done with a desire to please God.

In July 1918, Pope Benedict XV urged all Christians to pray for an end to the World War. On July 27, Padre

Pio offered himself as a victim for the end of the war. Days later between August 5 -7, Padre Pio had a

vision in which Christ appeared and pierced his side. As a result of this experience, Padre Pio had a

physical wound in his side. The experience has been identified as a "transverberation" or piercing of the

heart indicating the union of love with God.

A few weeks later, on September 20, 1918, Padre Pio was praying in the choir loft in

the Church of Our Lady of Grace, when the same Being who appeared to him on

August 5, appeared again. It was the wounded Christ. When the ecstasy ended,

Padre Pio had received the Visible Stigmata, the five wounds of Christ. What

happened next can best be told in the simple, unadorned words of P. Pio writing to

P. Benedetto little more than a month afterwards: "It all happened in a flash. While all

this was taking place, I saw before me a mysterious Person, similar to the one I had

seen on August 5th, differing only because His hands, feet and side were dripping

blood. The sight of Him frightened me: what I felt at that moment is indescribable. 'I

thought I would die, and would have died if the Lord hadn't intervened and

strengthened my heart which was about to burst out of my chest. The Person

disappeared and I became aware that my hands, feet and side were pierced and

were dripping with blood". P. Pio had just received the visible stigmata. There was nobody about. Silence

settled once more round the brown robed figure now lying huddled on the floor.

A long Calvary had just begun and with it the answer to a prayer: the prayer of his profound desire to

identify with Christ crucified not only by participation in the priestly apostolate but in some mysterious way in

that supreme immolation of Our Lord on Calvary.

He had not desired this physical conformity and when he had recovered somewhat from the immediate

experience his embarrassment was extreme: "I am dying of pain because of the wound and because of the

resulting embarrassment which I feel deep within my soul. . . Will Jesus who is so good grant me this

grace? Will he at least relieve me of the embarrassment which these outward signs cause me" Not the

wound, not the pain did he wish removed but only the visible signs which at the time he considered to be an

indescribable and almost unbearable humiliation.

Later, much later, however, he would come to love and cherish these divine marks of predilection, drawing

from them that rich source of superhuman energy which from then on marked his apostolate of love and

November 23, 2014 suffering. With Catherine of Siena he could truly say: "My wounds not only do not afflict my body, but they

sustain and fortify it. I feel that what formerly depressed me, now invigorates me." His wounds, hitherto

invisible but now manifested exteriorly, mark a definitive stage of his soul's transformation into the object

loved, namely, the Lord who suffered and was crucified.

For the next fifty years they would confound impartial science; their continuous and profuse effusion of

blood, accompanied often by the sweetest fragrance, came to be regarded as a prolonged miracle,

because, as the experts correctly state, blood for its production requires nourishment while this friar's

extraordinary frugality was such as hardly to maintain the life of a small child.

The remarkable nature of this miraculous gift becomes more apparent when it is considered how such loss

of blood was simply inconsonant with and disproportionate to the stamina and energy with which P. Pio with

ever greater activity and zeal conducted his life in all matters relating to the service of God.

With resignation and serenity he bore the painful wounds in his hands, feet and side for fifty years.

After he had received the stigmata he always appeared as someone bent under a heavy weight. There was

someone who pointed it out to him saying: "Padre, you suffer so much, why did you have the imprudence to

offer yourself as a victim for all humanity. You, Padre, carry the Church on one shoulder and on the other

the corrupt world convulsed by evil." He replied: "Pray that I will not be squashed."

And on another day to someone who asked him how much he suffered, he

replied: "As much as one can suffer who has taken the burden of all

humanity. Pray for the one who carries the weight of everyone! Everyone's

cross!"

Padre Mondrone of La Civiltà Cattolica commented: "Like Jesus he went

about stooped and with great difficulty, from one fall to another, under the

weight of the cross, of course, also because of his physical condition horribly

tortured and bleeding. But tired above all because 'supra dorsum meum

fabricaverunt peccatores' (the sinners ploughed my back)".

That back was loaded with the sins of the whole world from the first to the

last, because they all had to be atoned for as everyone had offended God's

Majesty. This was the real and most unbearable weight carried by Jesus'

victim. In this way he lived his mission of Cyrenean for everyone, crushed by the sins of the world, in the

confessional, crushed by the sins of the world at the altar. An abundance of grace flowed from Padre Pio's

bleeding hands: from the hand that absolved in the confessional from the hand that offered bread and wine

at the altar.

Our Lady of Fatima also asked for sacrifices, acts of mortification, penances and sufferings accepted or

spontaneously embraced to save souls from hell. How well did our dear Padre Pio understand this need! In

fact he said: "Souls are not given as gifts; they are bought. You do not know what they cost Jesus. Now

they still have to be bought always with the same coin."

And Padre Pio paid and bought souls at a most high price: with heroic penance, with food, with sleep, with

rest, with the martyrdom of fifty-eight years in the ministry of confession; with sufferings derived from

misunderstandings and prohibitions and serious disciplinary measures taken against him at various times of

November 23, 2014 his life, through no fault of his; with enormous difficulties to overcome to build the Home for the Relief of

Suffering; and above all with the crucifixion which lasted exactly half a century with open wounds. A victim

completely sacrificed for sinners. And that was Padre Pio's reply to the message of Fatima.

By early 1919, word about the stigmata began to spread to the outside world. Over the years countless

people, including physicians, examined Padre Pio’s wounds. Padre Pio was not interested in the physicians’

attempts to explain his stigmata. He accepted it as a gift from God, though he would have preferred to suffer

the pains of Christ’s Passion without the world knowing.

God used Padre Pio – especially the news of his stigmata – to give people hope as they began to rebuild

their life after the war. Padre Pio and his spiritual gifts of the stigmata, perfume, prophecy and bilocation

was a sign of God in their midst and led people back to their Faith. So life at the friary and the Church of

Our Lady of Grace began to revolve around Padre Pio’s ministry. A room and priests were designated to

handle the correspondence and the remaining friars heard confessions. San Giovanni Rotondo began to be

filled with pilgrims. Since there were no hotels, people slept outdoors.

He would often awaken by 12:20 or 1 am, asking whoever was

caring for him if it was time for mass yet. His day began at 2:30

am when he would rise to begin his prayers and to make his

preparation for Mass. He would sit in his chair for several hours

saying the Rosary and preparing for Mass, finally going down to

the sacristy around 4 am for his immediate preparations. These

would last until 5 am. During the course of the Mass Padre Pio

would cry almost continuously. A biographer described his Mass:

“The Capuchin’s face which a few moments before had seemed to

me jovial and affable was literally transfigured…Fear, joy, sorrow,

agony or grief…I could follow the mysterious dialogue on (his) features. Now he protests, shakes his head

in denial and waits for the reply. His ill, tired body was frozen in mute supplication…Suddenly great tears

welled from his eyes, and his shoulders shaken with sobs, seemed bowed beneath a crushing

weight… Between himself and Christ there was no distance....I defy those who have been at San Giovanni

Rotondo to attend Mass as mere spectators....One Friday I saw him panting, oppressed as a wrestler at bay

trying in vain with swift tosses of the head to shake off some obstacle which prevented him from uttering the

words of Consecration. It eventually resembled single combat from which he emerged victorious but broken.

On other occasions after the Sanctus great drops of sweat poured from his forehead, bathing his face which

was distorted with sobs. Here was truly the man of sorrow at grips with the agony.”

This mystical Mass of Padre Pio could last for three hours, during which time Padre Pio not only

experienced the Passion but also prayed for and saw in God all those who had recommended themselves

to him. In time this length declined, until the years before his death it lasted about an hour.

This length of Padre Pio's Mass was not always appreciated, however. During his early priesthood, when for

convalescence he was sent home to Pietrelcina, the length of the Mass represented a real burden to the

farmers and shop-keepers who attended the parish church of St. Pius V. They loved Padre Pio, but their

livelihood was being endangered. When this was mentioned to the pastor, Fr. Pannuello, he took care of the

problem in a most unusual way. Standing at the back of the Church one day he made a mental command to

November 23, 2014 Padre Pio to limit his Mass to 30 minutes. After that the Mass no longer was a burden for the parishioners.

Such was Padre Pio's obedience and God's indulgence of the human authority He left His Church.

He was able to carry on a busy apostolate usually with less than

two hours of sleep each night and an amount of food that was so

small (300-400 calories a day) that his fellow priests stated that it

was not enough food even to keep a small child alive. Between

Mass, hearing confessions and handling correspondence, his

workday lasted nineteen hours. To the task of hearing

confessions,he brought an advantage that few confessors have,

the ability to read hearts. Padre Pio's charism enabled him to

know when someone was being deceitful in confession or simply

had forgotten a serious sin, perhaps through lack of an adequate

examination of conscience. In such cases he was able to tell the

penitent exactly what they did and when, as well as any relevant circumstances. This drew many hundreds

a day to him, moved by the grace of sincere repentance and the knowledge that Padre Pio could guide

them with the wisdom of God in the spiritual life.

He also drew those who did not believe in his gifts or who intended to test the Padre. These were invariably

unmasked, often in harsh ways. In the end they often repented, made a sincere confession and renewed

their lives, despite their initial intentions.

He very rarely left the monastery and never took a day’s vacation from his grueling schedule in 51 years. He

never read a newspaper or listened to the radio. He cautioned his spiritual children against watching

television.

In his monastery he lived the Franciscan spirit of poverty, with detachment from self, from possessions and

from comforts. He always had a great love for the virtue of chastity and his behavior was modest in all

situations and with all people. In his lifetime, Padre Pio reconciled thousands of people back to their faith.

As his spiritual influence increased, so did the voices of his detractors. Accusations against Padre Pio

poured in to the Holy Office (today the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith). By June 1922, restrictions

were placed on the public’s access to Padre Pio. His daily Mass time varied each day, without

announcement to diminish the crowds, and he was ordered not to answer correspondence from people

seeking spiritual direction. It was also rumored that plans were being developed to transfer Padre Pio.

However, both local and Church authorities were afraid of public riots and decided that a more remote and

isolated place than San Giovanni Rotondo could not be found.

Despite the restrictions and controversies, Padre Pio’s ministry continued. From 1924 – 1931 various

statements were made by the Holy See that denied the supernaturality of Padre Pio’s phenomena. On June

9, 1931, the Feast of Corpus Christi, Padre Pio was ordered by the Holy See to desist from all activities

except the celebration of the Mass, which was to be in private. By early 1933, Pope Pius XI ordered the

Holy See to reverse its ban on Padre Pio’s public celebration of Mass, saying, "I have not been badly

disposed toward Padre Pio, but I have been badly informed."

Padre Pio’s faculties were progressively restored. First, the confessions of men were allowed (March 25,

1934) and then women (May 12, 1934). Although he had never been examined for a preaching license, the

November 23, 2014 Capuchin Minister General granted him permission to preach, honoris cuasa, and he preached several

times a year. In 1939 when Pope Pius XII was elected pope, he began to encourage people to visit Padre

Pio. More and more people began to make pilgrimages.

In 1940, Padre Pio convinced three doctors to move to San Giovanni Rotondo and he announced plans to

build a Home to Relieve Suffering. As Padre Pio expressed to Pope Pius, " …a place that the patient might

be led to recognize those working for his cure as God's helpers, engaged in preparing the way for the

intervention of grace." He had the noble and delicate thought of not wanting to call it a hospital or a clinic.

He wanted to call it "home," because the home gives a sense of family, the home is the centre where hearts

are united in love where there is concern for everyone, but with preference for the suffering members. And

he wanted to call it Home for the Relief to indicate the aim and the trust that the sick person would find

comfort, relief, and a serene recuperation of physical and moral energy.

And he wanted to call it Home for the Relief of Suffering because the word suffering has a Christian sense

and brings to mind the suffering of Christ in his Passion, in which the sick person participates intimately,

giving to his sufferings a high spiritual and supernatural value.

The doctors were excited about the building, but were fearful that this was not the time to begin such a

project with Europe being on the brink of another world war.

These fears did not stop Padre Pio and the project began. After the war, Barbara Ward, a British

humanitarian, came to Italy to write an article on postwar

reconstruction. She attended Padre Pio’s Mass and met

one of the physicians who came to San Giovanni Rotondo

to work with the Home to Relieve Suffering. Upon learning

of the project, she asked that the Home to Relieve

Suffering receive a part of the funds designated for

reconstruction. Consequently, the United Nations Relief

and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) gave a grant

of $325,000 for the project. The building opened its doors

on May 5,1956. A year later, Padre Pio announced plans for a medical and religious center where doctors

and interns could further their medical studies and Christian formation He saw the image of Christ in the

poor, the suffering and the sick and gave himself particularly to them. This ideal of love led the Home to

request that the doctors bear in mind this exhortation of Padre Pio's of May 6,1956: "You have the mission

of curing the sick; but if you don't bring love to the sickbed, I don't think the medicines will be of much use. I

have experienced this: my doctor - when I was ill in 1916-17 - my doctor, when curing me, first of all gave

me a word of comfort. Love cannot manage without words. How can you express it if not with words that

relieve the sick person spiritually? Bring God to the patients, it will be of more worth than any other cure. He

once said:”Bring God to all those who are sick. This will help them more than any other remedy”.

With the opening of the hospital, Padre Pio was truly now an international figure and his followers greatly

increased. To accommodate all the pilgrims, a new, large church was constructed.

November 23, 2014

In the mid-1960s, Padre Pio’s health began to deteriorate, but

he continued to say Daily Mass and hear fifty confessions a

day. By July of 1968, he was almost bedridden. On the fiftieth

anniversary of the stigmata (September 20,1968), Padre Pio

celebrated Mass, attended the public recitation of the Rosary

and Benediction. On the next day, he was too tired to say

Mass or hear confessions. On September 22, he managed to

say Mass and the attendees had to struggle to hear him. Just

after midnight, in the early morning hours of September 23,

Padre Pio called his superior and asked to make his

confession. He then renewed his vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. At 2:30am at the age of eighty-

one, Padre Pio died in his cell serene and well prepared. He died as he had lived – with his Rosary in his

hands His last words were -Jesus, Mary- which he repeated over

and over until he breated his last. As he foretold, Padre Pio lived

sick but died healthy, with the stigmata healed. He had often

declared:”After my death I will do more. My real mission will begin

after my death.”

On September 26, 1968, over a hundred thousand people

gathered at San Giovanni Rotondo to pay their respects to this

holy man. He was buried in the crypt prepared for him in the

Church of Our Lady of Grace.

In one of the largest liturgies in the Vatican’s history, Pope John Paul II canonized Padre Pio on June 16,

2002. The Pope said, “Prayer and charity – this is the most concrete synthesis of Pader Pio’s teaching.

Drawing approximately eight million pilgrims each year, the place where Padre Pio lived and is now buried,

is second only to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico in its number of annual visitors.

BILOCATION

The phenomenon of bilocation is one of the most remarkable gifts attributed to

Padre Pio. His appearances on various continents are attested by numerous

eye witnesses, who either saw him or smelled the odors characteristically

associated with his presence, described by some as roses and by others as

tobacco. The phenomenon of odor (sometimes called the odor of sanctity) is

itself well established in Padre Pio's case. The odor was especially strong

from the blood coming from his wounds. Investigation showed that he used

absolutely no fragrances or anything that could produce these odors. The

odors often occurred when people called upon his intercession in prayer and

continue to this day.

Among the most remarkable of the documented cases of bilocation was the Padre's appearance in the air

over San Giovanni Rotondo during World War II. While southern Italy remained in Nazi hands American

bombers were given the job of attacking the city of San Giovanni Rotondo. However, when they appeared

over the city and prepared to unload their munitions a brown-robed friar appeared before their aircraft. All

attempts to release the bombs failed. In this way Padre Pio kept his promise to the citizens that their town

November 23, 2014 would be spared. Later on, when an American airbase was established at Foggia a few miles away, one of

the pilots of this incident visited the friary and found to his surprise the little friar he had seen in the air that

day over San Giovanni.

As to how Padre Pio with God's help accomplished such feats, the closest he ever came to an explanation

of bilocation was to say that it occurred "by an extension of his personality."

The Testimony of Padre Carmelo Durante

For the good of' souls, Our Lord gave the

Venerable Padre Pio of' Pietrelcina many gifts,

amongst these the gift of bilocation, which

enables a person to be present in two places at

the same time.

Bilocation, however, must not be confused as

some do with ubiquity, which means

omnipresence, namely being present

everywhere at the same time, which belongs

only to God.

With this said, I will relate a few cases of bilocation concerning the Padre.

At the end of 1954 I was the Superior of the religious community that included Padre Pio. With the aim of'

gathering information on the Padre's first years in San Giovanni Rotondo, from 28 July 1916 on, I decided to

question the Padre's first spiritual children and organised some meetings

First meeting in town: 14 December 1954

At the first meeting we were ten in all. The Ventrella sisters, the Pompilio sisters, Filomena Fini, Rosinella

Gisolfi in Placentino, Rachele Russo, Rachelina Gisolfi and Nina Campanile were present

I knew from Mrs. Gisolfi's friends that she had had the privilege - a well documented fact - of seeing Padre

Pio in bilocation from the first years of spiritual direction.

During the meeting, she suddenly announced in a whisper that the Padre was present. "Everyone was

happy," I noted. Like all those present, I believed the announcement, but forgive me if I say so – women are

known for their daydreaming. So I wanted to get to the bottom of this. This was my first case of bilocation

and I wanted to know how it worked.

The same evening, when I returned to the friary, I asked one or two confrères (naturally without revealing

the true motive, which I do today), what the Padre had done in the late evening.

They answered: "The usual: he conducted the evening Benediction, then he received his friends and we

chatted together.'' I was afraid to ask the Padre himself about the bilocation, being such a delicate matter.

November 23, 2014 The second meeting: 10 January 1955

The Padre made another appearance. This time when I returned to the friary, after I had questioned my

confrères on the Padre's activities that evening and received the usual answer, I plucked up my courage

and decided to question the Padre himself'.

Perhaps some of' you might wonder why I said "plucked up my courage," as if I was afraid. If so you

certainly have not had the grace or the difficulty of living with an authentic saint!

Because saints (and I have reflected on this so often) are like the sensitive mimosa flower which as soon as

it is touched, closes in on itself. More than once in fact, I noticed when I questioned the dear Padre on

personal matters that it was a great effort for him to answer! In fact, once when we were alone in his cell I

asked him outright: "Padre Pio I would like to see the wounds on your feet and side!" And completely taken

aback and mortified, he looked at me with two imploring tearful eyes, like those of a child and said: "But! But

you don't really mean that?" I immediately felt sorry and said: "No! no! Padre don't worry: I didn't mean it!"

And everything ended there. But how often after that did I regret what I had done.

I had learnt my lesson, and that evening I was afraid. So, I repeat, I plucked up my courage and when I

returned I went up to him quietly at the entrance of his cell.

"Ah! You're back!", he said as soon as he saw me, as if he knew nothing. I wish to note that Rosinella had

told me that Padre Pio often accompanied me on my journeys in the car etc., without my knowing. So who

knows how often he must have pulled my leg in asking me things which he already knew.

That evening I replied at once, also so as to get the conversation going: "Yes Father, I have returned;

everything went well. Your spiritual children are very happy. But I would like to ask you one thing!" And he:

"Yes, what is it?" I began: "Padre, Rosinella..." and then I lost courage.

And he, with a strategy all his own (who could ever understand the Padre!): "Rosinella? Is she not well?" If

anyone I was the one who felt not well now! "No, Padre, she is well." "And So?" he went on. I took the

plunge: "Padre, Rosinella said that you are always present at our meetings!" And quite untroubled he

answered: "Well? Don't you want me? Don't you want me to come to these meetings?"

Those were his exact words. I leave you to make up your minds.

The same happened at our third meeting on 26 January. This time when I questioned him he answered:

"Yes, of course I was there!" as if to say: "Why, you don't believe me?"

On another occasion it was he himself who asked me: "Aren't you going to ask me this time if I came?"

Such subtlety! And I answered: "But Padre by now I am certain that you always come, so I don't ask you

anymore!" And with the kindness of a father he said: "Yes, I accompany you always and everywhere!"

In one meeting an unusual thing happened. At a certain point a few members of the group began to speak

badly about some people. It got a little out of hand when suddenly Rosinella frightened exclaimed: "Father

Guardian, Padre Pio has an angry face!" We were all scared and quickly stopped and not without some

embarrassment and self accusation began to speak well of these people. A few minutes later I asked

Rosinella: "Now how does Padre Pio look?" And she: "He looks calm!" We were happy again, and had

learnt our lesson to not speak badly of people.

November 23, 2014 "I don't need the permission of the Superior"

It was my habit, in the evening before coming down for the evening meal, to dally around the cell door of the

Padre to wish him good night.

On this particular evening the Padre Pio seemed in a hurry, but I did not pay much attention to the fact.

Then at a certain point in the conversation he said to me sweetly: "This evening I am in a hurry because I

must make a long journey.

"Where must you go?" I asked.

And he repeated: "I must make a long journey," then after a little he added with a smile: "And to make this

journey I don't need the permission of the Superior."

It is necessary to make clear that every friar according to the Franciscan rule cannot undertake a journey

without the Superior's permission.

But naturally on his journey in bilocation the Padre had no need to follow the common rule because he had

the extraordinary permission from the Superior of all superiors, Christ our Lord.

Hence that evening, after he had spoken to me, all I could do was kiss his hand and bid him a good

journey!

"When I go..."

One day in the refectory we were talking of this and that.

I remember that in the conversation I was holding forth about a fact then unheard of: an aeroplane - I don't

remember of which airline - had made the journey non-stop between Rome and New York in only six hours.

To me and the others it seemed something incredible!

The Padre who until then had kept silent, interrupted in the middle and asked: "How long? How many hours,

did you say?"

I answered, with increasing marvel: "Padre, six hours and what is more non-stop!"

The Padre also marveled over the fact but to the side exclaimed: "Six hours! Good heavens, but that is a

long time! When I go it takes me only a second."

We asked him to explain himself, but he would say no more and only repeated: "I told you! I told you!"

"Six hours" in contrast to "a second" is indeed a long time.

But his mysterious "second" was that of a man in bilocation!

"I was in America"

From a note from my meetings with the first spiritual children of the

Servant of God, I relate the following, mentioning also in passing

that they were Padre Pio's first Prayer Group.

November 23, 2014 In those first years, before Christmas his spiritual children would meet in the parlour of the friary with the

Padre to prepare themselves worthily for the celebration of the feast.

Now, one year - 1918? - while we were there, at a certain point the Padre seemed to go into a sleep.

A little afraid, his spiritual children tried to wake him up, calling him by name and even shaking him, but it

was of no use.

After about an hour, he finally came to but a little mortified.

The next day, to a spiritual daughter who asked him: "Where were you?" he simply answered: "I was in

America." And everything ended there without further ado.

Visit to the Holy Land

One evening, while we were both outside the door of his

cell as usual, talking about one thing and another, suddenly

the Padre confided to me: "I have to make a visit in the

Holy Land." And I quickly responded: "Why don't you bring

me with you, Padre?" to which he replied: "No because you

would be poorly impressed!"

At the time I did not understand what the Padre meant

wondering what reason there could be for me to be poorly impressed by the homeland of Jesus.

But many years later, I went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land and I understood the words of the dear Padre,

seeing the medley of religions in those holy places.

For example: to think that the room of the Last Supper is looked after by Moslems! The Last Supper room -

the heart of the Catholic Church where the Eucharist and Priesthood were instituted - abandoned in the

hands of the followers of Mahomet!

Then on Calvary - the site of our Redemption - an orthodox priest was selling candles close to the site of the

Cross!

The Padre, as always, was right: I really was poorly impressed!"

"What about the third at the end?"

As I said elsewhere, during the Second World War I would usually spend the summer holidays from the

Gregorian University of Rome in the friary of

San Giovanni Rotondo, close to the beloved Padre. They were especially happy days.

One year on 25 July he asked me if I could go the following day to celebrate Mass in a little Church in the

country dedicated to Saint Anne near the Amendola airport.

Naturally I willingly accepted.

November 23, 2014 The next day I arrived early by bus and began to hear the confessions of the farmers of the area and

afterwards celebrated Mass in the little church to everyone's satisfaction.

When I returned, the beloved Padre asked me what the church was like. I described it to him: small,

rectangular with two windows one on each side.

At this point, he interrupted: "Two windows! "What about the third at the end, didn't you see it."

I remembered at once and embarrassed said: "But Padre, you who haven't been there know more than I

who have! You are making fun of me asking me what you already know!"

Without fuss, ignoring the insinuation of his bilocation, he said his intention was not to make fun of me, but

only to complete the description of the church.

What humility and simplicity in those words aimed at hiding the gift from God of bilocation.

But that "third window" gave him away.

Later in the friary I learnt in fact that that morning of 26 July the Padre had carried out his apostolate as

usual.

So here was further evidence of that privilege enjoyed by the Padre of being present in two places at the

same time.

The Pilgrim Icon of the Mother of God of Pochaiv

The Icon will be in the homes of the following parishioners:

November 23-29

November 30-December 6

December 7-13

December 14-20 Noelle Richardson

December 21-27 Doreen Musick

December 28-January 3 Cathy Stoyansky

If anyone wishes to receive the Sacrament of Confession or Holy Communion at home or in the hospital or nursing home please contact the parish office at 204-837-4180.

November 23, 2014

SANCTUARY LIGHT

WEEK OF INTENTION OFFERED BY

NOVEMBER 23RD

+SOULS OF ISIDORE & ANNE DEPTUCK JOHN & EDNA BAZARKEWICH

NOVEMBER 30TH

+SOUL OF JOHN LABAY ANDY & LINDA LABAY

DECEMBER 7TH

HEALTH OF FATHER ISIDORE DZIADYK TONY & VICKY STASTOOK

DECEMBER 14TH

+SOUL OF AGNES BILOWUS TONY & VICKY STASTOOK

DECEMBER 21ST

+SOUL OF STANLEY STOYANSKY ANGELA & CATHY STOYANSKY

DECEMBER 28TH

+SOUL OF JOE SWEREDA TONY & VICKY STASTOOK

JANUARY 4TH

+SOULS OF MIKE & NICKOLAS REBENCHUK ANNE REBENCHUK

JANUARY 11TH

+SOULS OF MIKE & ANNIE SKLAR SKLAR FAMILY

JANUARY 18TH

+SOULS OF WIELGOZ & LITWIN FAMILIES CASPER & VIOLET STOSKI

JANUARY 25TH

+SOULS OF STOSKI & POTURNAK FAMILIES CASPER & VIOLET STOSKI

FEBRUARY 1ST

+SOULS OF PARENTS ANNIE & HARRY HUMINICKI DOREEN MUSICK

FEBRUARY 8TH

+SOULS OF SISTERS CHRISTINE MARY & PEARL DOREEN MUSICK

FEBRUARY 15TH

+SOULS OF BROTHERS PAUL WALTER & NICHOLAS DOREEN MUSICK

FEBRUARY 22ND

+SOUL OF J.R. ALLARD THERESA ALLARD

MARCH 1ST

+SOUL OF LARRY FEDORCHUK PHYLLIS FEDORCHUK & FAMILY

MARCH 8TH

+SOULS OF THEODORE & MARIE LUTZ ROSE SWIDINSKY

MARCH 15TH

+SOULS OF CATHERINE & DMYTRO MANDZIE FAMILY

MARCH 22ND

+SOUL OF EUGENE KOLOCHUK (20 YEARS) BETTY KOLOCHUK & FAMILY

MARCH 29TH

+SOUL OF ALEX BUGERA VICKI BUGERA & FAMILY

APRIL 5TH

+SOUL OF DARLENE BUGERA VICKI BUGERA AND FAMILY

APRIL 12TH

+SOUL OF NICK KURYK ANNE LAMOTHE

APRIL 19TH

AVAILABLE

APRIL 26TH

AVAILABLE

MAY 3RD

+SOUL OF JOHN SWIDINSKY ROSE SWIDINSKY

A Sanctuary Light burns eternally to indicate the presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist in the

Tabernacle. It is a marvelous thing that we can actually be in His presence!

***Please note that the sanctuary light is completely booked for 2014. We are taking requests for 2015***

November 23, 2014

LITURGIES & INTENTIONS

INTENTION OFFERED BY

November 23rd

10:00 am Health of Father Walter Anne Lamothe

Health of Adeline Shymanski Janet & Wayne

Health of Bev Beck Marianne Staub

+Soul of Keven Woroschuk Eugene & Sylvia Tokaryk

+Soul of Darlene Bugera Betty Kolochuk

November 24th NO MASS

November 25th NO MASS

November 26th 8:30 am +Soul of Helen Piskor Lloyd Sylvoto

+Soul of Josephine Hafichuk Rose & John Wasyliw

November 27th 8:30 am +Soul of Paul Kowal Adeline Shymanski

+Soul of Michael Paly Oksana Paly & family

+Soul of Ralph Olsen Dorothy Labay & family

November 28th 8:30 am +Souls of Olga & Alyna Mushaluk Anne Tanchak & family

+Soul of Peter Yaskiw Father Walter

***PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING: IN ORDER TO ALLOW FATHER WALTER TO HAVE SOME REST TIME PRIOR TO HIS

SURGERY (THE DATE OF WHICH HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED) WE SHALL NOT BE HAVING WEEKDAY LITURGY ON MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

PLEASE REMEMBER THOSE WHO NEED OUR PRAYERS

Oh God our Father we pray You restore to physical health, those who are weakened with

illness. Give peace of mind to those troubled with worry and comfort those discouraged with

problems. Help them find their inner strength, a faith and trust in you and a love for one

another to guide them through any health challenges or troubles they may face. Amen.

Please pray for the health of Jack Lysak. Please pray for the health of Harvey Lysack. Please pray

for the health of Stan Shymanski. Please pray for the health of David Sutherland & for God’s

blessings upon Shantaya, Siona & Cynthia for faith & wisdom. Please pray for the health of Fran

Chobotar. Please pray for the health of Deacon Nicholas Kohuch.

November 23, 2014

Mary’s Memorial Angels will be available again this year beginning November 2nd.

Remember your loved ones at Christmas with the purchase of an angel. The names of those being remembered will be read at a Divine Liturgy in the Christmas season. They may also be purchased as gifts. The proceeds from the sale of the angels are divided between the Children of Mary and

The Marian Hour on CKJS. We thank you for your support. Gwen Dankewich

UCWLC Christmas Bake Sale

We will be assembling several baskets for a Silent Auction at our Christmas Bake Sale, and would appreciate any donations our parishioners are able to make, so the baskets will be filled and look beautiful. Suggestions for donations could include homemade jams or jellies, new kitchen and household items, or anything you may wish to donate. We thank our first donor for the beautiful hand knitted hat and mitts. For donations, you may contact me, Gwen Dankewich at 204-889-3104.

UCWLC

UCWLC Archeparchy of Winnipeg Morning Reflection. Everyone welcome. Saturday November 29, 2014. Holy Eucharist Church. Liturgy 9am followed by coffee and muffins. Morning reflection 10am. Sister Janice Soluk SSMI UCWLC Archeparchial Spiritual Advisor, Doreen Procopchuk UCWLC Archeparchial Spiritual Chair. Free will offering. In memory of the Holodomor please bring a non perishable donation for Winnipeg Harvest to feed those in need.

Submitted by Sonia Wawryk

THE HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS TO:

MATTHEW BAYDOCK who will celebrate on November 29th

HARRY WILLIAM FEDIUK who will celebrate on November 30th

MNOHAYA-MNOHAYA LITA! GOD GRANT BOTH OF YOU MANY HAPPY YEARS!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO

ROBERT & NATALIA HOTEL November 29th (2003)

May your marriage be blessed with love, joy and companionship for all the

years of your lives.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not

proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no

record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always

trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (Corinthians 13:4-8)

November 23, 2014

CHRISTMAS BAKE SALE

Christmas is fast approaching and with it our annual bake sale. Just a

reminder that everyone in the parish is invited to volunteer in all

preparations for the sale – in making perogies and borscht.

We would be very grateful for 2 or 3 bakings for the bake table.

If you prefer, monetary donations will be greatly appreciated.

On Friday, December 5, please bring your baking to the hall between

10:00 and 3:00 as early as possible for packaging.

If you need advertising posters for your apartment buildings or know of places where you could have them

displayed, please help yourselves to as many as you need. Posters will be on the shelf in the vestibule.

Please help make this event a success. Yours in Christ Veronica Darichuk – convenor

From The Parish Council:

A great big thank you to all of the wonderful parishioners, who volunteered during the past

five weeks, It all started with the fall supper, which was followed by the October perogy

making, perogy supper, project night, getting ready for the Christmas bake sale, which

involves many hours of volunteering making the various products for sale.

We now appeal to the rest of our parishioners we need your help, our regular volunteers are

getting tired, we desperately need extra volunteers with the next perogy making which will

,start Sunday November 23rd at 1:00 pm with the peeling of 700lbs of potatoes, perogy making

Tuesday November 25th, and Wednesday the 26th, both days starting at 9;00am.

You say you can’t make perogies, no problem we need volunteers to: make potato balls,

runners, perogy boilers, dough sheeters, circle cutters, coolers, packers, cleaners. The list is

endless. If we all work as a family in Christ were many hands will make it so much easier on

our regular volunteers.

PLEASE WE NEED YOUR HELP, just think how

good you will feel this Christmas season, knowing that

you had a hand in helping your parish, May “God’s

Blessings” be your reward for your anticipated

volunteerism

November 23, 2014

PLEASE NOTE: CHRISTMAS EVE LITURGY THIS YEAR WILL BE AT: 4:45 pm God is with us Complines, Followed by Children’s Divine Liturgy and Myrovania Submitted by John Bazarkewich, parish vice-president

Operation Christmas Child

For most of us, it’s impossible to imagine what it would be like to have our families caught in a war, but for tens of thousands of eastern Ukrainians, war has become a reality. As the violence has spread, thousands of individuals, families, and those disconnected from family (usually children) have fled to western Ukraine, arriving without the basic needs to survive. Operation Christmas Child will be distributing 20,000 shoeboxes to Ukraine, bringing hope, comfort, and the Good News of Jesus to the many children hurt by the terrible consequences of war.

Once again, the students and teachers of the St. Basil's catechism program are collecting items for Operation Christmas Child. Donations must be small enough to fit into a regular-sized shoebox. In addition to school supplies, hygiene items and small toys, we also require items such as gloves, toques, slippers, and socks. The students will be in charge of packing and delivering the boxes on November 22nd and 23rd. We thank our UCWLC, who generously continue to pay the $7 fee per box, which goes towards shipping as well as religious programs for the children in Ukraine. A specially-marked collection box will be placed at the back of the church for your shoebox donations this week. This is our opportunity to spread God's love across the miles and to offer prayers of peace to those affected by violence. Thank you and bless you for giving.

Winter Clothing Drive

As the weather chills, the need for warm outdoor clothing increases. There are many in our city without proper winter wear. At the back of the church is a box labelled "Winter Clothing Collection". Please bring whatever winter items you can spare - boots, mitts, gloves, hats, snow pants, jackets/coats and scarves. Clothing donations (for children and adults) will be collected from now until February, and will be divided between the Main Street Project and Siloam Mission. Please let your children be involved in the collecting of donated items from home, as this is an important

lesson in giving to those less fortunate. Bless you.

POTATO

PEELING

SUNDAY 1:00

pm

PEROGY MAKING

TUESDAY & WED.

9:00 am

November 23, 2014

Christmas Poster Contest

Check the bulletin board for details of the Knights of Columbus "Keep Christ in Christmas" poster contest. Briefly, parish youth of any age can draw or make a collage no larger than 8 1/2 x 14, using a variety of materials. Please remember to write the artist's

name, age, school and grade on the back, in order to qualify for prizes. The deadline for poster submissions is January 10, 2015. The contest is open to all children in our parish (not just for catechism students), and artwork may be handed in to the parish office or given to Wanda Prychitko at catechism class on Saturdays at 10 a.m. Please encourage your child(ren), and keep your assistance to a minimum. This should be a fun, yet thoughtful, project; and remember the theme, "Keep Christ in Christmas".

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Knights of Columbus

Father Filipow Council $8944

Christmas CharityMeat Bingo

“Hams Turkeys Hams Turkeys Hams Turkeys”

Sunday December 14, 2014

St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church

737 Bannerman Avenue

2:00 pm. to 5:00 pm.

50/50 Draw Hot Canteen Grocery Hamper Draws

Tradition Chip Bingo’s 20 Games Event Sponsors “Neumann’s Market” Tenderloin Meat & Sausage North Winnipeg Credit Union

Tickets $7 each Doors Open 1:30 pm.

Everyone Welcome

November 23, 2014

The St. James Knights of Columbus invites you to our Keep Christ in Christmas Concert to be held at St. John

XXIII Church at 3390 Portage Ave., on December 15th from 7-9pm

We have an all new program this year featuring the:

Violin Ambassadors composed of students from St. Charles Catholic School

St. John XXIII Choir under the direction of Danielle Defries

Wrapping up the evening will be the popular Murray Riddle Big Band with a wide range of classic swing tunes

which never grow old

There will be coffee and light snack available & ADMISSION IS BY DONATION

Everyone is welcome for this wonderful evening of music and song

This Holy Season you can help provide comfort and joy by making a gift to

the Holy Family Home – Festival of Lights Campaign

Being a faith-filled place is an essential feature of why many choose to come live at Holy Family Home. In addition to

caring for the physical and emotional needs of residents, Holy Family Home emphasizes the importance of nurturing

these spiritual needs. With the support of Spiritual Care, residents and their families participate in regular chapel

services. Many find comfort, peace and tranquility in the Chapel.

Over the years, Holy Family Home has been able to maintain the Chapel, largely because of the support of generous

donors. The Chapel is beginning to show signs of its age, and now requires significant upgrading. It is for this reason

that the Festival of Lights Campaign has been designated to the Chapel Project – a multi-year plan to renovate and

expand the Chapel.

For more information about the importance and impact your gift can make especially for the residents, pick up a Festival

of Lights envelope at the back of the church or visit www.holyfamilyhome.mb.ca.

On behalf of the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate, Holy Family Home and the Lubov SSMI Foundation, thank you for

considering our invitation. May you be blessed with the spirit of Christmas which is peace, the joy of Christmas which is

hope, and the heart of Christmas which is love.

St. Andrew’s College Faculty of Theology Evening Course. Old Testament 211 The Face of Christ in the Old Testament. Taught by

V. Rev. Fr. Roman Bozyk. Classes held Mondays 7:00-9:45pm. First class, Monday, January 12, 2015. All those interested are

welcome to audit this course. Tuition $400.00 Auditor $200.00. For further information please contact 204-474-8895, fax 204-474-

7624, e-mail st_andrews@umanitoba.ca. All are welcome. St. Andrew’s College in Winnipeg, 29 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba,

R3T 2M7

On our bulletin board, you will find information on the following courses to be held at the University of Manitoba:

Making of Modern Ukraine; Politics, Government and Society in Ukraine; Ukrainians in Canada; Later Byzantine Art &

Architecture

An event for the whole family, you’ll be able to sing your heart out along with others who have a similar love of classical

music. The audience is arranged by voices: soprano, alto, tenor and bass. If you’d rather sit with friends or family, there’s

also a section for mixed voices. Come and share your beautiful voice! Friday, December 12th, 2014. 7:30pm

Please share this email with your choir members. We want to fill the beautiful hall with your gifted voices. Call our Box

Office at 204-949-3999 to reserve your seat! Quote the code 2CANSING to get this special offer.

November 23, 2014

◄ Oct 2014 ~ November 2014 ~ Dec 2014 ►

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 PROJECT 2014

2 Knights of Columbus Coffee House

3

4

5

6 Knights of Columbus Meeting 6:45 p.m.

7

8

9 Knights of Columbus Coffee House

10

11

REMEMBRANCE DAY

12 UCWLC MEETING 7:00 p.m.

13

14

15 HARVEST DANCE

16 Knights of Columbus Coffee House

17 PARISH COUNCIL MEETING 7:00 p.m.

18

19

20

21 Pizza 6:00 pm Movie 7:00 pm

22

23 Knights of Columbus Coffee House; POTATO PEELING 1 PM

24

25 PEROGY MAKING 9 AM

26 PEROGY MAKING 9 AM

27

28 PEROGY SUPPER 4-7pm

29

30 Knights of Columbus Coffee House

Notes:

***PLEASE NOTE THAT THE DATE OF THE BAKE SALE ON THE CALENDAR ON THE NEXT PAGE IS INCORRECT. THE CORRECT DATE IS DECEMBER 6TH.

DATES OF POTATO PEELING AND PEROGY BEE ARE NOW ALSO INCORRECT. PLEASE SEE ABOVE

CALENDAR***

November 23, 2014

November 23, 2014