Dear Parishioners,

This weekend the topic is about the reward for generosity. In the FIRST READING, we have the generosity of the Shunammite woman. She recognizing Elisha as a holy man of God, and she welcomes him into her home and provides him with a place to stay. She seeks no reward for herself, but the prophet promises her what she had long desired: a son. Her generosity becomes the occasion of God’s blessing. In the Gospel, Our Lord first talks about the exigencies of following Him: “whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” But then – as St. Jerome says – He softens the exigencies of His commands with promises. “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward” It is very important to notice that He says: “Whoever receives a prophet BECAUSE he is a prophet… and whoever receives a righteous man BECAUSE he is a righteous man…”

      St. John Chrysostom observes that Christ does not say merely, ‘Whoever receives a prophet or a righteous man,’ the reward comes not from any worldly consideration, but because the Apostle is recognized as belonging to God. As St. Jerome adds, it is not so much the person as the office that is regarded. Even if the minister himself should prove unworthy, the charity of the giver does not lose its reward. St. Gregory teaches that one who supports a righteous man becomes, in a certain way, a participant in his righteousness and shall share in the reward of righteousness with him.

     Why does God reward such generosity? St. Thomas Aquinas explains that every good work performed under the motion of the Holy Spirit possesses a supernatural value. There is congruity to the reward, on account of an equality of proportion: if a man does what he can with a free will, God should reward him according to the excellence of his human power. But if a man does inasmuch as it proceeds from the grace of the Holy Spirit moving him, God should reward him according to the excellence of the Holy Spirit moving him. For thus the value of its merit depends upon the power of the Holy Spirit moving us to life everlasting according to Jn. 4:14: “Shall become in him a fount of water springing up into life everlasting” And the worth of the work depends on the dignity of grace, whereby a man, being made a partaker of the Divine Nature, is adopted as a son of God, to whom the inheritance is due by right of adoption, as St. Paul says: “If sons, heirs also” Rm. 8:17

    Let us ask our Blessed Mother to be docile to the Holy Spirit for the acts of generosity.

Fr. Gaston Giacinti, IVE.

WEEKLY NEWS

Altar Boys Group at Sacred Heart

1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.

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 1:00 to 6:00PM and confessions from 4:30 to 6:00PM.

Fr. Gaston will be out of town on the following dates

1) From Sunday July 5th to Friday July 17th for an IVE Encounter in Dallas TX.

2) From Sunday July 26th (after 9am Mass) to Friday July 31st for a trip to NY City with the Youth Group.

In his absence, Fr. Jose Sylvester, IVE will be replacing him.

French Boys Choir to sing at Sacred Heart in July – looking for host families.

29 boys and 6 chaperones will visit us this July, and we’re looking for host families for two nights (and meals) on July 14 & 15. For each host household, every adult in the home will require a Vulnerable Sector Check, as mandated by the Diocese. The VSC will cost $20 per adult and will take about two months to complete. The choir, Maîtrise des Hauts de France, https://www.mhdf.fr will perform a free concert (a collection will be taken) at Sacred Heart Church on the evening of Wed. July 15.If you can help host the boys and their chaperones, please contact Randy Mills at rmills44@uwo.ca.The choir performed in Peterborough in 2016 and 2019, and it is great that they have included us on this year’s Canadian tour!

Catholic Christian Outreach

 Next weekend of July 4th/5th, Maria-Emilia Romero, full-time lay missionary with Catholic Christian Outreach Canada, will be at all masses in regard to finding financial partnership towards their ministry which seeks to bring university students back to the Catholic Church. Thank you for your help.

Volunteer Screening

The Diocese of Peterborough has required, that all volunteers in any capacity must be screened through the Diocese Volunteer screening Program, so if you are a volunteer at either Sacred Heart or St Johns and have not been contacted yet for the screening, please reach out to Nithya Rozario @ 416-558-2562/ nithyavathi@gmail.com at the earliest or Ann Kennedy 705-742-8534.

D IOCESAN &O THER NEWS

Girls Summer Camp Chilawee Trails

Catholic Summer Girl’s Camp (ages 9+) led by members of the Opus Dei Community.  August 12-20, 2026, in Barry’s Bay. See bulletin board for more details.

85th Annual Pilgrimage to the Shrine of St. Ann in Cormac 

 Sunday, July 27th.  The Triduum of preparation will be led by Bishop Michael Brehl, Bishop of the Diocese of Pembroke.  The principal Pilgrimage Mass will be at 11:00 a.m. at the Shrine. The Sacrament of Confession is available throughout the day. A Mass of healing with the Anointing of St. Ann’s oil will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m. (Please bring your own seating.) On site : St. Ann’s religious articles and other religious articles, St. Ann’s Mass League memberships, food and refreshments vendors. For more information http://www.cormacpilgrimage.com  or 

http://www.facebook.com/CormacStAnn