Dear Parishioners,

In this Sunday’s Gospel, “Someone asked Jesus, ‘Lord, will only a few people be saved?’ He answered them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow gate’” Jesus did not answer his question by saying yes or no. What advantage would it do for him? But He immediately focuses on what is important: “Strive, strive to enter through the narrow gate”. This is the message for this weekend: to strive.

“After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door” this is when we died. Then Jesus adds “then you will stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us. We ate and drank in your company’. Then He will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth” Here we are able to see the existence and qualities of Hell.

      “Depart from me” makes reference to the “pain of loss” which is the eternal separation from God. “evildoers” are the condemned. “wailing and grinding of teeth” makes reference to the “pain of sense” which is the bodily sufferings (‘wailing’ referring to extreme heat and ‘grinding of teeth’ to extreme cold).

But for all of us, who still live in this world, the message is “to STRIVE”. The word strive ἀγωνίζομαι [ἀγών] means ‘to be engaged in a struggle’, specifically of an athletic event, be a contestant. It is not a passive activity, but a positive and deliberate, daily effort. “narrow gate”          THE GATE represents the Cross. It is NARROW because of the afflictions and sacrifices it brings. Just as an athlete must train, discipline the body, and sacrifice comfort to win the prize, so too we must train the soul through prayer, frequent sacrament of Confession, Holy Communion… Saint Paul says, “Run so as to win” (1 Cor 9:24)    strive, strive and strive.

           OUR CONSCIENCE is the battlefield, the arena   where the fight takes place. We have TO STRIVE to keep it clean, free from sin and endure the tribulations. It is in this context that we read THE SECOND READING to Hebrews 12 “My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by Him; for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges” Endure your trials as ‘discipline’; God treats you as sons. At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it. So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees” This is the heart of the Christian race: to accept the discipline of the Lord not as a punishment, but as the training of a loving Father who prepares His children for eternal life. Let us ask Our Blessed Mother to help us enter through the narrow gate.

Fr. Gaston Giacinti, IVE

WEEKLY NEWS

Thank You Christine Helferty!

We would like to thank Christine Helferty for her contribution as an organist and choir director at the 9:00am Mass. We wish her many blessings as she embarks on the next chapter in her life.

Musical Play Christine Helferty, the organist at the 9am Mass at Sacred Heart, is presenting an original one-act, two-person musical called “Past the Limit” on August 22, 23, and 24 at the Peterborough Theatre Guild. Tickets can be purchased at christinehelferty.com. The story is about love, loss, and the sacred place where shared suffering transforms hearts.”

Friday Adoration at Sacred Heart

Every Friday there is adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at Sacred Heart in reparation for the offences made to the Sacred Heart of Jesus from 1:30 to 6:30PM and confessions from 5:00 to 6:30PM.

Sacramental Preparation Program 2025-2026

First Reconciliation grades 2-12 (October-January)

First Holy Communion grades 2 -12 (February- May)

Confirmation grades 7-12 (October – May)

Pre-registration form below

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/12tAa6ZDHl2VOXhB_OW-jivE30Xq9ZL3pZYyrkaVMM6c/edit?usp=drivesdk

Sacred Heart rectory Boiler update- We have raised $9145 out of the total $12000 spent on the new boiler, please consider helping raise the remainder of the funds. Thank you for your contribution.

Bible Study on the Gospel of Matthew – August 28^th   at St. John’s   Join the DRIVEN TO PRAISE prayer Group as we journey now through the Gospel of St. Matthew 7pm – 8 pm at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. For more info contact Daniel 647 -928-6414. 

DIOCESAN &O THER NEWS

St. Mary’s Lindsay—Bi-Centennial Celebration

Sunday August 31st at 11am at St. Mary’s in Lindsay, Bishop Miehm and Father Tom will be offering mass in celebration of the 200-year anniversary of the Peter Robinson Settlers. Everyone is invited.

Douro Doings 2025

September 1 at Douro Park. 10 Km run, children’s games, entertainment, classic car show, slow pitch. Roast beef dinner and famous quilt raffle held at St. Joseph’s parish hall. All are invited!

Celebrating the Canonization of Carlo Acutis & Peir Giorgio Frassati

Saturday September 6 at the Cathedral of St. Peter-In-Chains, 5 pm Mass with blessings of relics of Carlo Acutis. 6:30 pm reception at the Knights of Columbus Hall.  Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm in honour of our 2 new saints!

Pilgrimage to the Martyr’s Shrine- Saturday September 20 is the Pilgrimage to the Martyr’s Shrine. Our parishes will go along with the Cathedral bus. For more information, please call the Cathedral Office 705 745 4681.

The MISFITS Concert in aid of church for stolen Electronic equipments

Fund-raising appeal through free will offering. KofC and Parishioners at St. Anne Church launch a fundraising drive to replace stolen items. The Misfits will be performing music in the church at 859 Barnardo Ave, Peterborough, on Saturday September 13th at 7pm– 9pm.Admission is free. There will be an intermission, and BAR will be open in the Hall.