​God knows each one of us –– our joys, strengths and weaknesses, our successes and failures, our faith, our needs, hopes and dreams.  Not only does God know us; He loves us. 
 
But how much do we know God?  How much do we love God?  We know and love God through prayer, through our ministries, and in our relationships with other people.  We know and love God through our participation in the sacraments, through Scripture and meditation, and through our gathering together as a parish family here at St. Julia.  We know God through the life, death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus.
 
But how about knowing and loving God with the help of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, whose feast we celebrate this upcoming Wednesday, September 29?  Well, they all point us to God, through Jesus Christ, who is our protector, our strength, our hero and our healer.  But we, too, have these responsibilities –– of protecting each other, of strengthening each other, of healing each other. Loving and supporting one another –– this is our vocation; this is our commitment to each other.
 
We can ask for St. Michael’s prayers for spiritual protection and to help us to protect each other.  We can ask for St. Gabriel’s prayers for strength, for courage and to help us to strengthen one other and announce one others goodness and gifts.  We can also ask for the prayers of St. Raphael to help us to heal each other and comfort each other in times of difficulty and distress.  These are some of the ways in which we can truly know and love God.  Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, please continue to pray for us.
 
May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to seeing you at Mass this weekend.
 
Fr. Greg

​A very human trait is to compare ourselves to others.  The disciples in the Gospel passage from Mark 9:30-37 did exactly this, arguing amongst themselves as they walked along.  Jesus would eventually ask them what they were discussing:  who among us is the greatest.
 
The answer is quite simple.  Jesus.  As we continue to strive to put Christ at the center of our lives, the very core of our being will, little my little, mirror that of Christ.  This imitation of Christ, to serve, will inspire others, and over time we will bring the good out of others, so that they too will imitate our saviour.  This is what the saints did, and we are all saints in the making.
 
May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to seeing you at Mass this weekend.
 
Fr. Greg

​Well, just like that, it is full steam ahead!  The summer break is behind us, and the youth from our parish and community are back in school.  Amen!  This is where they need to be for their mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.  We pray for their ongoing safety in the midst of the pandemic.  I’ve already been in Denis Morris Catholic High School and very soon will be being celebrating weekly Mass for each class at St. Peter Catholic Elementary School on a rotation.  There is no substitute for in person visits and being in the classrooms.  I pray that these be very special and memorable times for both the students, the youth of our parish, and myself.
 
In our Gospel from Mark this weekend we will hear Jesus ask the question to his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”  Jesus goes on to tell his friends that He must suffer.  Then we have this scene where Peter takes Jesus aside rebuking him for speaking like that.  His closest followers found it difficult to accept that Jesus would suffer – and die.
 
Jesus makes it clear that we must follow Him in suffering and death, and that we must deny ourselves.  Here is yet another one of those opportunities and challenges that I always speak of.  We are in when it comes to the happy stuff, praying to Jesus and gathering to worship Him.  But to suffer and die…
 
Everyday God puts remarkable people in our lives.  We all know them, and I have had the honour and privilege of visiting them and bringing the sacraments to them.  These people, these members of our parish family and friends, are suffering.  What so many times amazes me is how grounded they are in their faith, some so inspiring that I leave my visit in absolute awe.  “Who do you say that I am?”  For these women and men of faith, they would say “My Lord and My Saviour,” and that they place their complete trust in their Lord and God.
 
May we pray for all those who suffer as they unite their suffering with that of Christ, and may we as disciples, be instruments of hope and of Christ’s love.
 
May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to seeing you at Mass this weekend.
 
Fr. Greg

​This weekend we will hear proclaimed in our First Reading from the Prophet Isaiah (35:4-7a), “Thus says the Lord:  Say to those whose hearts are frightened:  Be strong, fear not!  Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you.”  Perhaps you or a child, grandchild, niece or nephew, are getting ready to return to school and are a bit scared.  Perhaps you are preparing to return to work after working from home.  Perhaps you are still uneasy leaving you home, going out, or returning to Mass.  Perhaps what you see going on around you in our world troubles you.  The list goes on.  So where do we place our trust?  That is in God, and for that reason we have nothing to fear.  That being said, we must use common sense, make use of sound information to guide us in making decisions, and remember that we are not in this alone.  We are part of a bigger community, and are called to love God and our neighbour.  And to be there for our neighbour, to be Christ for our neighbour.  So, when we are scared, worried, or frightened, we can be assured that we are united in prayer.  When we are perhaps too weak to pray, well that is when we lift up one another in prayer, our sister or brother in Christ.
 
Being part of a faith community like this of St. Julia is a beautiful thing.  Many generations gather each and every week, whether that be in person or virtually, to listen to the Word of God, to be fed by the Eucharist, and to be recharged and refueled.  And when our hearts are perhaps frightened, we are reminded to “Be strong, fear not.  Here is your God!”
 
As we begin this new month, we pray in a special way for the youth and young adults of our parish family.  We pray for those who long to be one in person with us at Mass and may still feel uncomfortable gathering together.  And we pray for an end to this pandemic, that we may all do our part, because we are in this together, united as one Body of Christ.
 
I had a very pleasant time away from the parish in Montreal and have returned refreshed and ready to serve you, my parish family.  I thank the priests who assisted in my absence, and pray that God will continue to bless them in their ministry and good works.
 
May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to seeing you at Mass this weekend.
 
Fr. Greg