Apostolate

What's happening to our world?

What's happening to us?

We still haven't taken it in! Earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, war in the Middle East! So many deaths, so much destruction so much suffering. And all so quickly. We have reached a point in human history that demands more from each of us. It's not just leaders who make history. It's all of us.

Choose Hope

As thinking, praying Christians we have to ask ourselves: what's going on in our world? As servant-minded, "hands-and-feet-of-Jesus-Christians", we are responsible to care for the hurting and the needy. Our task is not to fix the entire world all at once, but to mend that part of the world that is within our reach. To change the world, we must bring forth butterflies of hope from the cocoons of ignorance and apathy that surround us. The best place to begin is with ourselves. We must emerge from our own cocoons as positive agents of change. We have a choice. We can submit to apathy and indifference or we can choose hope.

Any small act that you can do to assist another person, will help immensely. "You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world" (Matt 5:14 The Message). One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do in a stormy world is to stand up and show your light. Struggling souls catch light from other souls who are fully lit. We are needed, that is all we know. All people are God's children and it is only by seeking to work together that we have any hope of creating God's Kingdom of peace and justice and love. Where there is life, there is hope, because there is life, Jesus is available to meet us at the point of our need and to offer hope, not only in the present, but for our eternal future.

There is a story of a wise old Rabbi who instructed his students by asking questions. He asked, "How can a person tell when the darkness ends and the day begins?" After thinking for a moment, one student replied, "It is when there is enough light to see an animal in the distance and be able to tell if it is a sheep or a goat". Another student replied, "It is when there is enough light to see a tree, and tell if it is a fig or an oak tree".

The old Rabbi gently said, "No. It is when you can look into a person's face and recognize him/her as your brother/sister. For if you cannot recognize in another's face the face of your brother/sister, the darkness has not yet begun to lift, and the light has not yet come".

At St. John's

we respond in this manner …

Pennies for Life: since we believe that life is sacred from the moment of conception till the time of natural death (and every moment in between) we donate our pennies to Campaign Life Coalition of Sudbury. The money helps single mothers choose to give birth instead of having an abortion.

Old eyeglasses: we collect used eyeglasses which the Lion Club sends to third-world countries to be given to the needy who cannot afford to buy glasses for themselves.

Used Stamps: saved for Redemptorist Used Stamp Burse. Used stamps are sold and money given to Food for Children.

Food for Garson Community FoodBank: as a sign of our thanksgiving we bring a weekly offering of non-perishable food item every time we come to celebrate the Eucharist. The parish donates $100 monthly for milk for the children and $500 for Christmas food baskets. C. W. L. donated $650, proceeds of gourmet baskets raffled at their Tea and of goodwill offering collected at their Annual Christmas Potluck Supper.

Rosary at Finlandia: the Parish Care Team travels to Finlandia Nursing home twice a month to pray the Rosary with the residents.

Bingo at Goodfellow: once a month the Parish Care Team goes to Goodfellow Residential Home to play Bingo with mentally challenged ladies. Prizes are donated by our parishioners.

Eucharist to Shut-Ins: Holy Communion is brought to the sick and shut-ins by Ministers of Eucharist.

Visit the Sick: if called upon, the Parish Care Team visits the sick in the hospital or at home.

Prayerline: two ladies man the phones and 20 persons are called to pray for whatever requests are received. See bulletin cover for Parish Care Team phone numbers.

National Evangelization Team: a group of youth dedicated to leading youth to Christ. We provide the opportunity of a retreat for our grade 8 students at a cost of $500.

Diocesan Catholic Youth Conference: we send youth of our parish to this annual gathering for high school students sponsored by our Diocese for the youth of our Diocese.

St. John's School Grade 8 Grads: C. W. L. presents a gift to the boy and girl who most exemplifies Christian values at their graduation ceremony.

World Youth Days: C. W. L. donated $500.00 to the World Youth Days when held in Toronto.

Canadians Addressing Sexual Exploitation: in October our parishioners sign White Ribbons to send a message to Parliament that Canadian laws should protect our children from sexual exploitation. These ribbons are presented to our MP who brings them to the Minister of Justice in Ottawa. C. W. L. donates $50. to offset campaign costs.

Matercare: works to stop injustice and inhuman acts against women. C. W. L. donates $100.

Birthright: helps young mothers with basic needs for newborns. C. W. L. Birthright shower in May - gifts and money donated to Sudbury Right to Life.

L'Arche: provides homes for developmentally challenged adults. The Parish and C. W. L. pay $200. each to send 20 parishioners to a fundraising supper every year.

Development & Peace: we participate in the Fall Education Campaign, donate $10,000. for Share Lent, on Solidarity Sunday we present the Solidarity Symbols before both weekend Masses and hold a Stone Soup event. Guest Speaker - Fleur Hackett.

Caritas Internationalis: special collections to help victims of natural disasters such as the Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina are sent to this Catholic organization responsible to disperse donations to countries throughout the world.

Knights of Columbus: some of our parishioners belong to Centennial Council #6074 who meet at St. Andrew's the first Wednesday of the month. We thank these Knights who gift us with donations of $500.00 during the year.

Guest Speakers: John Rimore from John Howard Society and Jan Carrie Steven from Amnesty International (Evening of Information sponsored by Social Justice Committee of Parish Pastoral Council). Josee Miljours from Ontario Network for Prevention of Elder Abuse (sponsored by C. W. L. for the parish).

To console those in mourning we offer …

1. Funeral Luncheon: ladies of the parish gather to make sandwiches and to prepare and serve platters of cheese and pickles and donated home-made desserts. The hall is set up the night before and tastefully decorated.

2. Funeral Choir: the Funeral Choir organist provides the music assisted by guitar and choir members. The Hymn requests of the family are always taken into consideration.

3. Funeral Altar Servers: a group of Senior Men Altar Servers assist at Mass, lending an air of community to the celebration.

If a deceased C. W. L. member ...

1. Prayer Service: C. W. L. members gather at the Funeral Home in the afternoon to do a Prayer Service and offer condolences to the family & friends of the deceased sister in the League on behalf of St. John's Council.

2. Honour Guard: C. W. L. members form an Honour Guard to welcome the casket in Church, sit together to celbrate the Eucharist and process to the back to form a Guard as the casket leaves the Church.

World Day of Prayer: lay people participate in an Ecumenical Service with other churches of the area on the first Friday of March every year. We are informed of different cultures and become aware of the conditions our brothers and sisters live under in other countries. A goodwill offering is gathered to be sent to the designated country.

Worship Service for Christian Unity: the last Sunday of January we gather with the churches of the area at which time our Pastors lead us in prayer for Christian Unity and to celebrate that which unites us - Jesus Christ. Approximately 300 non-perishable food items and offering of $300. are donated to the Garson Community Food Bank.

Answering the call to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and speak out against injustice!

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