Hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. Romans 5:5
Sunday March 08 , 2026
Message From Our Pastor & News
Dear parishioners,
The Gospel readings for this weekend and next are wisely given to us by the Church, as they beautifully portray the process of conversion experienced by the catechumens. During these days, through the Scrutinies, they are getting ready for the sacraments at the Easter Vigil. This weekend we have the Gospel of the Samaritan Woman at the well. In this Gospel, Jesus asks the woman for a drink and at the same time He promises a drink “If you knew the gift of God (the Holy Spirit), and Who is saying to you ‘Give me a drink’ (the Messiah who sent the Holy Spirit), you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water” In the Scriptures, water symbolizes the Holy Spirit especially for two reasons: 1) because of its power to cleanse (as when you wash dishes, mop the floor, or take a shower), and 2) because of its power to give life (as when it rains, plants grow, animals quench their thirst). When Jesus says to the woman: “Give me a drink” Jesus is telling her that He (Jesus) wants to satisfy His thirst by requesting her faith (of the woman). If she believe in Him as Messiah, He would give her the Holy Spirit, that is the Living Water. The conversation develops as Jesus guides the woman little by little to open her eyes to see who He was. The woman was amazed by His teaching saying “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ; when He comes, He will tell us everything” Now that everything is in place Jesus reveals Himself: “Jesus said to her: ‘I am He, the one Who is speaking with you’” She believed in Jesus! Like the Apostles when they left their nets, now this woman left her water jar and went to announce to the town the Messiah. Let us ask this to the Blessed Virgin Mary that in this Lent season, we may leave our nets and jar of water (our jobs for a moment) and open our door to Jesus Who is coming to our souls, so that we may worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.
Fr. Gaston Giacinti, IVE
WEEKLY NEWS
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.
Mass of St. Joseph, Thursday March 19 – On Thursday March 19 there will be no 8AM Mass but everyone is invited to the 11AM Mass at Sacred Heart with potluck after Mass to celebrate the feast day of St. Joseph.
Novena to St. Joseph Sunday March 10 to March 18 Prayer of the Holy Cloak
O Glorious Patriarch St. Joseph, you who were chosen by God above all men to be the earthly head of the most holy of families, we beseech you to accept us within the folds of your holy cloak, that you may become the guardian and custodian of our souls.
From this moment on, we choose you as our father, our protector, our counselor, our patron; and we beseech you to place in your custody our bodies, our Souls, all that we are, all that we possess, our lives and our deaths. Look upon us as your children; defend us from the treachery of our enemies, invisible or otherwise; assist us at all times in all our necessities; console us in the bitterness of our lives, and especially at the hour of our deaths. Say but one word for us to the Divine Redeemer whom you were deemed worthy to hold in your arms, and to the Blessed Virgin Mary, your most chaste spouse. Request for us those blessings that will lead us to salvation. Include us among those who are most dear to you, and we shall set forth to prove ourselves worthy of your special patronage. Amen.
Lenten Activities
The Way of the Cross – The way of the Cross will be guided every Friday during Lent, at Saint John the Baptist at 12:00 AM & at Sacred Heart at 6:30 PM, or if First Friday after the 6:30PM Mass.
Presentation for Lent March 21st and March 22nd
Fr. Gaston will present a PowerPoint on the chronology of the Gospel events, focusing on the week before the Passion, Passion Week, and the timeline of Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection. The presentation will include maps, times, and locations. All are welcome!
Saturday, March 21st – Sacred Heart Church, after the 5:30 PM Mass (in the basement)
Sunday, March 22nd – Saint John’s, after the 10:30 AM Mass (in the basement).
Chrism Mass – Monday, March 25, 2024
2:00 PM Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of St. Peter-in-Chains
Holy Thursday April 2nd
6:00pm at Sacred Heart
8:00pm at Sacred Heart TLM
8:00pm at St. John
Good Friday April 3rd
12:00pm at Sacred Heart TLM
3:00pm at Sacred Heart
4:30pm at St. John
Easter Vigil April 4th
8:00pm St. John
8:00pm at Sacred Heart TLM
DIOCESAN &O THER NEWS
35th Lift Jesus Higher Rally
March 14th 9:00am-5:30pm @Metro Toronto Convention Center for details, visit https://ljhr.ca/
Relic Saint Faustina At Our Lady of Mercy Bancroft
Sunday March 22, Mass 10:00 am Our Lady of Mercy, Bancroft will be welcoming a 1st class relic of St. Faustina. His Excellency Michael Brehl, C.Ss.R. , Bishop of the Diocese of Pembroke will be the main celebrant.
Journey Through Lent With Bishop Miehm
As we journey through Lent 2026, we are pleased to inform you that the Third Sunday of Lent video of the series titled “Journey through Lent” is now available on the CCCB website: https://www.cccb.ca/lent/