Saturday, December 31, 2011

New Year's Eve Holy Hour...

A Holy Hour of prayer with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will take place New Year's Eve beginning at 11 PM.  It will conclude with Benediction at midnight followed by a short social gathering. 

The Holy Hour will be a time of peaceful reflection on the past year, a time offer one's new resolutions for the coming year to God, a time of thanksgiving, reparation, and petition.

The recitation of the Te Deum, an ancient hymn praise and thanksgiving will be included.  It is also sometimes called the Ambrosian Hymn because of its association with St. Ambrose.  First attributed to Sts. Ambrose, Augustine, or Hilary, it is now credited to Nicetus, Bishop of Remesiana (4th Century).  A plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions when the hymn is publicly recited on the last day of the year.

Monday, December 26, 2011

Merry Christmas from St. Peter's!




"Dearly beloved, today our Saviour is born; let us rejoice.  Sadness should have no place on the birthday of life.  The fear of death has been swallowed up; life brings us joy with the promise of eternal happiness."
(St. Leo the Great, Christmas Homily)

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Christmas Mass Schedule

Our Mass schedule for the upcoming Christmas weekend is:

Christmas Eve (December 24)

5 PM (Family Mass) and Midnight

Christmas Day (December 25)

10 AM

Wishing you a Happy and Holy Christmas!

"Let us rejoice in the Lord, for our Saviour has been born in the world.  Today true peace has come down to us from heaven."
(Entrance Antiphon, Christmas Mass During the Night)

Monday, December 19, 2011

2011 Christmas Message from Bishop Colli

'Today A Light Will Shine Upon Us'

Each day when I listen to the news and read my newspaper, I am overwhelmed by the events of unrest and chaos that seem to plague our world.  Protesters, government upheavals, rebellions, and political unrest seem to dominate the airwaves.  One might ask what is happening to our world?  Is there no peace and calm anywhere?  Will this turmoil ever cease?


These questions are thought provoking and important especially today.  We seek some peace and comfort in our lives and yet we are surrounded by turmoil and noise.  This applies not just to the world around us, but also at times to our personal lives.  Where will we find this peace?

In the message of Christmas and in the weeks as we prepare to celebrate this important feast, we ask the Lord to instill within us, some sense of peace and calm, in the midst of all the turmoil and busyness that mark this time of year.  Today a light will shine upon us, says the prophet Isaiah.  A light that is unlike the light of this world.  This light comes from above and it is the light of God in Jesus Christ His Son.  This light will not only bring some peace within our hearts but it will also help us to see the way for our daily living.  Our openness to this light, is a sign of our willingness to see this season and this feast in its true light.  This is not just a holiday or a time for gift giving and fancy meals or decorations.  It is a time for us to examine our hearts and to discover if we have allowed the light of God to touch us and to guide us in our everyday living.

If our heart is open to this light and peace, then our relationships will change.  There will be a greater sense of love and respect for one another.  There will exist a greater sense of appreciation and gratitude for the abundance that we have.  There will be a true sense of compassion and concern for others manifest in our outreach to help, especially those who are less fortunate in our society.  There will exist within us a sense of reconciliation and forgiveness, to reestablish bonds and relationships, esepcially in our families, that have been severed through anger, argument or jealousy.

This light from above can change our life and give us a deeper appreciation for the gift of life itself which we enjoy.  So in the midst of the turmoil, upset and impatience, let us allow this light to shine on us.  We need not wait until Christmas for this to happen, since the light and grace of Jesus Christ is available to us now.  A simple prayer seeking this light and an openness of heart to allow God's light to enter us will be sufficient.

May these days that lead us to Christmas and may the celebration of this great feast with our families and friends be a time for us to allow the light of the Lord to shine in us and to help us bring some peace and goodness to the world around us.  A Merry and Holy Christmas to all.

Fred J. Colli
Bishop of Thunder Bay

Final Week of Advent... Holy Hours

As preparation for Christmas begins in earnest, our Holy Hours of prayer continue.

This week, we pray especially for the needs and intentions of parishioners whose last name begins with the letters U-Z.

Monday: U
Tuesday: V
Wednesday: W
Thursday: Y
Friday: Z

An insight from Mother Teresa of Calcutta:

We must not separate our lives from the Eucharist. 
The moment we do so, something shatters. 
People ask us, "Where do the Sisters get the joy and strength to do what they do?" 
The Eucharist contains more than just receiving; it also contains the satisfaction of Christ's hunger.  He says, "Come to me." He hungers for souls.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine

In light of the recent celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, here are a few words on a place of 'local' interest:   About 10 hours down the road from Thunder Bay, near the picturesque suburbs of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, sits the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. 

Dedicated in 2008 by the founder, Archbishop (now Cardinal) Raymond Burke, the shrine was built to draw people closer to the mystery of God's love and mercy, to promote Marian devotion and to inspire prayer for the upbuilding of the culture of life.  Click  here to visit the shrine's website and to find out more...



Monday, December 12, 2011

Prepare the Way of the Lord...

Advent is a time of preparation and reflection, hope and anticipation.  We prepare for the great celebration of Christmas most fittingly by being renewed in spirit through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Following the 7 PM Mass on Tuesday, December 13, a number of priests will be on hand to hear individual confessions for as long as necessary.  Fr. Jim Grant will con-celebrate the Mass and will offer an inspirational message on healing.

Our evening of prayer and reconciliation will be made extra-special as our parish welcomes for the first time the relics of St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun whose life and ministry helped spread the inspiring message of God's great mercy.

The evening of prayer and reconciliation will be structured as follows:
  • Mass at 7 PM (Fr. Jim Grant will preach)
  • Veneration of the Relic of St. Faustina
  • Chaplet of Divine Mercy
  • During and following the Chaplet, the priests will remain for those who wish to make their confession.
Mass will be preceded by the Holy Hour (beginning at 6 PM) and Rosary (6:30 PM)  as per usual.

“I have opened my Heart as a living fountain of mercy.
Let all souls draw life from it.
 Let them approach this sea of mercy with great trust.
Sinners will attain justification, and the just will be confirmed in good.
Whoever places his trust in My mercy will be filled with My divine peace at the hour of death.”
(Message from the Lord as recorded in the Diary of St. Faustina, par. 1520)

Getting into the Christmas Spirit...

The anticipation for Christmas got a real boost last week as members of the St. Peter's Catholic Women's League gathered for the annual pre-Christmas social. 
Here are a couple photos from the gathering:


Sisters in the League look on
as one of their members  belts out an enrapturing, solo rendition of "Do You Hear What I Hear?"


Much to the amazement of the crowd,
Fr. Terry proves that he is a card-carrying member of the International Contortionists Society.


Holy Hours for the Third Week of Advent...

Our Advent Holy Hours continue...

This week, the intentions and needs of all parishioners whose last names begin with the letters N to T will be remembered in prayer.

Monday: N
Tuesday: O
Wednesday: P
Thursday: R
Friday: S
Saturday (in the morning): T

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

And the winning numbers are...

Thanks to all who made this past Sunday's Evergreen Tea a great success!

The following are the winning numbers for prizes yet to be claimed:

0841660
0594037
0484324
0820055
0819865
0430028
0504212
0002383
0842334
0594389
0484970

Individuals who have these winning numbers are asked to please call the parish office (623-8106) to make arrangements to claim your prize.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

This week's Holy Hours...

Our Advent Holy Hours continue...
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament begins one hour prior to weekday Mass. 
This week all parishioners whose last name begins with the letters "G" to "M" will be remembered in a special way.

Monday:  G
Tuesday:  H
Wednesday:  J
Thursday:  K
Friday:  L
Saturday(in the morning):  M


"Never make a decision without stopping to consider the matter in the presence of God."
(St. Josemaria Escriva)