Recent News

Archdiocese of Winnipeg - "This coming Spring the Diaconal Formation Committee is inviting men to prayerfully consider becoming part of a one-year Aspirancy program in the Fall of 2021. This inquiry period is drawn to show formal interest in the permanent diaconate, to be immersed in the questions of Holy Orders, discernment, and suitability to be admitted to the four-year period of formation." Read more of the letter from Deacon Doug Cross, Director of the Interdiocesan Diaconate Formation program.

Archdiocese of Winnipeg - During this challenging time of the pandemic, the Archdiocese of Winnipeg's Office of Catechetics & Faith Development needs your assistance to learn more about the resources and approaches used to facilitate the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) in the parish. With your feedback, we can propose an RCIA calendar for celebrating the initiation rites outside the usual times. With your response, we will be able to compile an online resource list that will be shared with the parishes.

Please click here to complete the survey https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfhxF18zbr4fNwPA6tzia39bSPBsaHUnXvoUHzRSr9aZmC1dg/viewform

Kindly submit your response on or before February 27, 2021

Thank you for your time and God bless.

Archdiocese of Winnipeg - The live-stream of the Ash Wednesday liturgy from St. Mary's Cathedral will begin at 5:00 pm on February 17, 2021. Join us through our YouTube channel. Also, The Holy See issued a note on January 12, 2021, outlining the procedures for the distribution of ashes. It is as follows:

“After blessing the ashes and sprinkling them with holy water in silence, the priest addresses those present, reciting once the formula found in the Roman Missal: ‘Repent and believe in the Gospel’ or ‘Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.’ Then the priest cleanses his hands, puts on a face mask and distributes ashes to those who come to him or, if appropriate, he goes to those who are standing in their places. He then sprinkles the ashes on each person’s head without saying anything.”

Archdiocese of Winnipeg - It has been almost one year since COVID-19 affected our local community, and there is no doubt that each of us has experienced many challenges, in one way or another, due to this global pandemic. But the Lord is with us and He always provides! This past Saturday, seven of our parishes in the Archdiocese of Winnipeg "pilot launched" a new tool that will help address our current needs as a community, keep our parishioners engaged, build our community, and strengthen our faith in Jesus.

• Video messages and announcements
• Schedules and seat reservations for liturgies
• Easy and secure way of making donations to specific parishes, as well as to Sharing God's Gifts
• An interactive map of churches in the Archdiocese
• Parish information/contact page

Archdiocese of Winnipeg - The Archdiocese of Winnipeg's three seminarians have put together a newsletter for our entire community. Oliver Omega (Theology 2), Christopher Pugh (Theology 2), and Vince Diestro (Propaedeutic Year), give us a glimpse of their life in the seminary amid the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. They also offer us words of reflection about our faith, based on their personal histories as well as lessons learned from their formation experiences.

Click here to view the Seminarians' Newsletter - Volume 1, Issue 1.

Archdiocese of Winnipeg - Through this week's edition of the Friday Report, Archbishop Gagnon delivers news on the progress of the new Archdiocesan mobile app, continued hope for the future with the re-opening of our churches, and touches on his visits to parishes within our Archdiocese for the live-streamed celebrations of Sunday Mass in the coming months. His Grace also inspires us with a story from a member of our community and how she and her children are getting creative to pray for those in need during this season of Lent. He then answers questions regarding singing during Mass (8:02), indulgences during the Year of St. Joseph (9:34) and special celebrations during Holy Week (10:55).

Resources: 

• Find information about the new Archdiocesan App here.
• Read an article from NCR on Indulgences during the Year of St. Joseph, here.
• Read the latest Archdiocesan COVID-19 Updates, here.

Challenge for Our Young People: This is the year of Mark, perhaps read the Gospel of Mark from beginning to end. Alternatively, read the Bible cover-to-cover! For parents, consider reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church. If you do, write His Grace a letter or email to tell him about your experience! 

Montreal/Ottawa - The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) and the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace – Caritas Canada (CCODP) have concluded a review of the latter’s international partner organizations that receive project funding from CCODP. From a total of 205 partners, the review initially identified 52 organizations for closer study and later added 11 more, for a total of 63 that were examined. The review did not examine partner organizations affiliated with Caritas Internationalis or part of a Catholic diocesan structure and ministry. Following a number of interim reports, a final concluding report was submitted to the Plenary Assembly of the CCCB and the National Council of the CCODP and approved by both organizations in September and November 2020 respectively.

Read the joint statement on the CCCB website by clicking here.

The Church in Canada - "'Given the centrality of life and family issues with respect to the ministry of Bishops, the alignment of the work to be accomplished by the new national Office, with an emphasis on strengthening and supporting the role of families in our local communities, will allow us to fully realize this pastoral priority,' said the Most Reverend Richard Gagnon, Archbishop of Winnipeg and CCCB President.

"Beginning 15 February 2021, the new Office will undertake its mandate to grow the Conference’s engagement with diocesan personnel for family and life issues, as well as to cultivate relationships with external organizations and individuals to promote formation, the exchange of ideas, network-building and advocacy focused on the pastoral care of families and the dignity of human life from conception until natural death."

Read more from the CCCB website.

In the Community - Winnipeg Life's Vision would like to offer to all parishes around the province an opportunity to learn more about abortion in Canada through CCBR's, "A Christian Guide to Defending Life in the Womb: A Pro-Life Study Series." Through the series, you will learn up-to-date pro-life apologetics. This series will consist of five two-hour sessions and will meet virtually once a week. To schedule this virtual series for your parish or community, contact us at winnipeg@lifesvision.ca or call 204-326-LIFE (204-326-5433). 

In the Community - October 20, 2020, marked the 35^th anniversary of Jocelyn House Hospice.  For over three decades terminally-ill men and women have been welcomed into the warmth and comfort of this respected place of peace and tranquility during their final chapter of life.  

In 1985, Bill and Miriam Hutton donated their family home to the community and founded Jocelyn House Hospice in memory of their daughter Jocelyn, who died of cancer at the young age of 17.  A remarkable teenager, Jocelyn lived the last months of her life sharing her message of acceptance, purpose and faith. It is our mission at Jocelyn House Hospice, to carry on the dream of Jocelyn Hutton: adding life to final days for the terminally ill, and their loved ones, by providing care and comfort in a home-like setting.

Jocelyn House Hospice is a comfortable, inviting home set on a beautiful naturally-wooded riverside property in Winnipeg's Old St. Vital neighbourhood. People come to Jocelyn House Hospice to die, but there is also a great deal of living going on.  The sounds of conversation and laughter as well as the aroma of fresh baking and home cooked meals, fill the house daily.

Hospice is defined as a setting of care, outside of the acute care environment, where quality palliative care services are provided for a specific group of residents who do not require hospitalization in an acute care setting, but also cannot be managed safely or comfortably at home or, do not wish to die at home. Hospice is a concept of care with the focus on caring, not curing; and on life, not death. Hospice care also extends to friends and family, by providing information, counselling and support.  Jocelyn House Hospice is full of life; it is much more than a healthcare facility, it is a home.  Jocelyn House is not about dying, it is about LIVING at end of life – with dignity, comfort, understanding and peace. 

Many of us are struggling to find the answers to the same questions during this pandemic, “How long will this last?”, “Why is this happening?”, “How can I make this time meaningful and memorable?” and “What comes next?”  These questions mirror the most common questions asked by people living with a terminal diagnosis.

As citizens, during the Covid-19 crisis, we are maintaining a physical distance from one another to ensure the health and safety of our community. The difficulties that we are currently facing as a society echo the challenges that one encounters as they navigate end of life.

Feelings of fear, lack of control and isolation that are common at this time, are a daily reality for terminally ill individuals. For 35 years the staff and volunteers at Jocelyn House Hospice have assisted our residents, and their families, to work through those feelings to find meaning and live with joy and peace until their last breath.

At Jocelyn House Hospice we care for our residents by meeting their physical, emotional and spiritual needs, as a team. Historically that team has included staff, family, friends and volunteers. Due to precautions in response to Covid-19, we are currently unable to welcome any visitors or volunteers into the hospice.  We continue to provide exceptional quality end-of-life care and find ways to embrace technology and creativity to comfort and support our residents and their families. Our staff encourages and facilitates visits on the phone, Facetime and Skype and immediate family members come by to wave through the window and put up signs in the yard to maintain their connection with their loved one.

Many are surprised to learn that there are only 16 hospice beds in Manitoba, 4 of them at Jocelyn House. Of the roughly 300,000 Canadians who die every year, 75% could benefit from some form of Hospice Palliative Care but only 1/3 of those are given the option. The need for this type of care and ability to live final days fully and among family and friends is significant, and it is critical to ensure Jocelyn House Hospice can remain viable and able to operate into the future.

 What can you do to make a difference? We desperately need your financial support today. Although we receive funding from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, more than 43% of our annual operating costs must be covered by fundraising efforts including grants from foundations and donations from corporations, individuals, clubs, groups, and events.  The social distancing measures necessary to ensure our safety caused the cancellation of all of our 2020 fundraisers and that means a loss of much needed funds, necessary to cover our operating costs. We are sensitive to the fact that this crisis has created financial and other challenges for many in our society and understand that our current needs are similar to many other individuals and organizations.  If you can, we need your help now, so we can be there for others in need.

Thank you very much for taking the time to review this information and our request for support.  For more information on Jocelyn House Hospice, including some videos, please visit our website at www.JocelynHouse.ca. Please feel free to contact me if you have questions about the important work we do or how you can contribute to the quality end-of-life care at Jocelyn House Hospice.

 Inevitably daily life will go back to “normal” for the rest of the world. The certainty for our current and future residents is that their lives will never return to normal. Together, with our compassionate care and your financial support, we can truly add life to final days!

Learn more about Jocelyn House here.

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This article was submitted through Jacqueline Bouvier of Jocelyn House. You may contact Jacqueline at jbouvier@jocelynhouse.ca. 

In the Community - "Calling the faith leaders 'influencers,' Tam praised their ability to reach out directly to their congregations and the high level of trust people place in them.

'You know what is in the hearts and in the minds of your members,' she said.  

There’s no question that Canada’s Catholic bishops want to contribute to a smooth rollout of the vaccines, including the effort to ensure accurate information, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops president Archbishop Richard Gagnon told The Catholic Register after the Zoom call."

Read more of the Catholic Register article.

In the Community - We invite you to read the most recent edition of the Newsletter for the community of permanent deacons in Manitoba. For more information, please contact Deacon Jim Frater (jrfrater@mymts.net) or Deacon Michael Cordova (michaelmartincordova@yahoo.com). Read Volume 1, Issue 7, here. 

The Universal Church - The 2021 Message of Pope Francis for Lent is titled “‘Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem’ (Mt 20:18), Lent: a Time for Renewing Faith, Hope and Love”. In his message, the Holy Father writes: "In our Lenten journey towards Easter, let us remember the One who ‘humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross’ (Phil 2:8). During this season of conversion, let us renew our faith, draw from the ‘living water’ of hope, and receive with open hearts the love of God, who makes us brothers and sisters in Christ.” Read more.

Vatican City - "'It is important for grandparents to meet their grandchildren and for grandchildren to meet their grandparents because – as the prophet Joel says — grandparents, before their grandchildren, will dream and have great desires, and young people — taking strength from their grandparents – will go forward and prophesy,' Pope Francis said."

Please click here for the full Grandin Media article.