​This Sunday we celebrate the First World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.  The theme of this first World Day is “I am with you always” (cf. Mt 28:20).  The theme’s purpose is to convey the closeness of God and the Church to the elderly and also to emphasize the intergenerational closeness between the young and the elderly.
 
This World Day that we are celebrating today can help us to understand that all of us, young and old, grandparents and grandchildren, whether or not we belong to the same family, are “one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call”.  This awareness comforts us and shapes us as a people as we gather around the altar on which the Lord multiplies the bread of life and the Word of our salvation.  The elderly (or the young at heart) − like the young − are important.  Without them the body of the Church lacks something.  That is why it is necessary for them to have their rightful place within each of our communities.  It is crucial that we share in the lives of older people in the same way that the Lord, in giving us his Body and Blood, has made us sharers in his own.
 
As the themes of “Love of God” and “Love of Neighbour” continue to resonate in the back of our minds, consider calling that grandparent or “young at heart” person in your life, to let them know that they are loved.  Reassure them that we are united together at the celebration of the Mass, and that in a special way they will be prayed for at our Masses this weekend at St. Julia.  And if that someone special has gone before us, remember that they continue to hear our prayers, and that they are praying for us.
 
Click here to read Pope Francis’ Message
 
YOUTUBE Pope Francis’ Message for the 1st World Day of Prayer for Grandparent and the Elderly
 
May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to you joining me for the celebration of Mass this weekend.
 
Fr. Greg

It is so very good to see more and more of our parish family returning in person to the celebration of Mass.  This is great cause to rejoice and offer prayers of thanksgiving.  Not to jump the gun on the celebration of thanksgiving as time goes by fast enough on its own, recently I have been thinking more and more about the need to offer prayers of thanksgiving.  This sounds nice, yet so many times it is over looked.  How important it is, at the end of day, along with an examination of conscience, to simply count our blessings.  To list off ten things that I am thankful for.  The simple idea of opening my heart to God in thanksgiving has the power to transform my life and remind myself, ourselves, that we are truly blessed.  If there is something weighing on our heart, the blessings outweigh that something.
 
In our Gospel from Mark 6:30-34 this Sunday, Jesus reminds us of the need to pause, to take a break from the routine, and to enter more fully in placing ourselves in the presence of the Lord.  Some spiritual authors have referred to this “pause that refreshes” or as I learned in the seminary “living in the present moment.”  By placing ourselves in the presence of our Lord and turning to our Lord in prayer, we have the opportunity to encounter our Lord, to pause, and to simply allow the love of Christ to pour over us.  Counting our blessings is just one example.
 
As more and more things begin to open up, may we always be people of thanksgiving, taking the time to pause, and allow our Lord to refresh us.
 
May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to you joining me for the celebration of Mass this weekend.
 
Fr. Greg

​Dear parishioners and friends of St. Julia Parish,
 
Yesterday I had the blessed opportunity to be able to attend a funeral, in person, at Our Lady of the Scapular Parish in Niagara Falls.  This church holds a special place in my heart for it was there where I spent my pastoral year in my formation for the priesthood.  At that time Msgr. Leo was the pastor, and he was a strong witness for me in his love for the people and his dedication to prayer.  I will never forget that.  While I was invited to concelebrate, all I wanted was to simply be in the pew, to be in that sacred place, to get on my knees in prayer, and to simply be still.  It felt good.
 
My desire is to lead each of us and those entrusted to my care to God, His son Jesus Christ, and to get us to heaven.  It is in the stillness where we come to know God, and through prayer communicate with Him.  There is no better place to do so than in church, our church of St. Julia.  Consider joining us for Mass a little earlier to offer your prayers of thanksgiving and blessings, and to offer and make known your petitions.  And to get on your knees in prayer, and to simply be still.  It will feel good.  Perhaps you have not been with us for some time, for the obvious, and perhaps not so obvious reasons.  I warmly welcome you home.  While we will continue to live stream our Masses, as we know there this no substitute for being in a sacred space, and to be fed by the Word of God and the Body of Christ, and to be together, as a community of believers.  Again, it feels good.
 
May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to you joining me for the celebration of Mass this weekend.
 
Fr. Greg

​My dear friends in Christ,
 
Yesterday, Friday July 2 marked two years for me as your Pastor here at St. Julia.  These two years have been like nothing one could ever have expected or prepared for.  On one hand, 8 months into my time here everything stopped, as the people I have been called to serve were not able to join me in person for the celebration of Mass – the Mass being the “source and summit” of our faith.  And yet, God put remarkable people into my path to be able to continue to serve each of you, only now virtually.  Without missing a beat, we were able to launch the live streaming of our Mass on a YouTube channel…who would have ever thought.  In the midst of a pandemic, we were able to upgrade our sound system, replace windows, and undertake a brick repointing project.  Paint rollers were put into action, and the parish office, lower entrance, upper and lower restrooms, the parish hall and kitchen too were all freshened.  Perhaps the greatest transformation was that of our new crucifix in the sanctuary that redefines our worship space and gives us the much-needed focus of why we are here and remind us of what Christ did for each of us – all in love.  The gardens were beautified, and so much more, all in order to welcome all, and to make all feel welcome in this church dedicated to St. Julia.  Now, with our new logo and electronic sign coming in the future, the theme of welcome continues as we look to the future and the next chapter of St. Julia.  The generosity of so many with their time, talents, and treasures has made all of this possible.  For this I am most grateful.  I pray that you too are pleased with all of the enhancements both inside and out.
 
With each passing week I see more and more faces of those who I have missed seeing these past 16 months.  Please help me in reaching out to our parish family in letting that someone know that we are open and ready to welcome them back to the celebration of Mass.  The live stream has been wonderful, and yet in our hearts we know that there is no substitute for joining us in person for Mass and to be fed with the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
 
With many now having received their second vaccination and waiting the two weeks to be considered fully vaccinated, the time has come to welcome all back to St. Julia.
 
That being said, all of the protocols that we have had in place since day one and have enforced continue to be in place, including: mandatory masks, sanitizer at multiple points in the church, social distancing in the pews, distribution of communion at the end of Mass to assist with the flow of people to prevent congestion, and the sanitizing of pews and touchpoints at the end of our celebrations.  Thank you so very much for continuing to keep this worship space safe for the safety and benefit of all, and now, for peace of mind as we continue to do our part to bring this pandemic to an end while being able to worship as a community.
 
It is with love that I warmly welcome more and more back to Mass, and it is with that same love that I look forward to continuing to serve our community, now with a focus on mission.
 
May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to you joining me for the celebration of Mass this weekend.
 
Fr. Greg

My dear friends in Christ,
 
Some of the most comforting words found in Sacred Scripture are the words “Do not be afraid.”  We will again here Jesus speak these words this weekend as will be proclaimed in Mark 5:21-43.  These are Jesus’ words, meant to come alive for us.  Fear can keep us from living our lives as God calls us and wants us to live.  Free of fear, anxiety, and free of sin.  We are called to replace fear with hope, anxiety with peace, and sin with grace.  Quite simply, that is what I want for all of us – my family and each of you my spiritual family.
 
Yesterday I had the blessed opportunity to encounter Christ in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  This involves honesty in acknowledging my sins, and humility in confessing them.  It is the same for all of us.  After hearing the words of absolution, my sins were forgiven.  I completed my penance.  And as I write this little reflection, I simply feel a sense of peace, having encountered Christ in the sacrament, and received the graces that I need to try and do better.  I am a work in progress.  This is my new beginning as I desire to mirror and imitate Christ.

It is likely that it has been some time since you last encountered Christ’s healing and forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession).  This is your personal invitation.  Confessions are heard Saturdays from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. or by appointment.  Do not be afraid.  The temporary location is in the quiet room, a more favourable location to ensure physical distancing.  Care to go to another parish to have your confession heard?  A different priest each day hears confessions at St. Denis Parish Monday through Friday from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Our other neighbouring parishes are another option.  Do not be afraid.
 
Some still may not be comfortable coming to the church quite yet.  Very soon, I pray.  In the meantime, make a good examination of conscience followed by an act of contrition.  There are a variety of Acts of Contrition:

Act of Contrition (traditional)
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love.  I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.

Act of Contrition (alternate form)
My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things.  I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.  Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy.
 
An Act of Contrition inspired by the Gospels
Father of mercy, like the prodigal son I return to you and say: "I have sinned against you and am no longer worthy to be called your child."  Christ Jesus, Savior of the world, I pray with the repentant thief to whom you promised Paradise: "Lord, remember me in your kingdom."  Holy Spirit, fountain of love, I call on you with trust: "Purify my heart, and help me to walk as a child of light."
 
This is what I want for all of you.  Do not be afraid.   Allow Christ’s abundant mercy to shower you.
 
May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to you joining me for the celebration of Mass this weekend.
Fr. Greg

​My dear friends in Christ,
 
This Sunday in our Gospel from Mark 4:35-41, we will hear Jesus speak the words “Quiet!  Be Still!”  For these last 15 plus months we have been exactly that.  Quietly, in our homes and residences, we have done our part to “flatten the curve” in the midst of this pandemic.  We have waited patiently for things to reopen, not once, not twice, but now a third time.  Having just received my second vaccination on Friday, there is indeed the feeling that we are emerging from this time of quietness, stillness, and this time of being apart, physically, as a spiritual family.  With our ability to welcome 15% maximum capacity this past weekend and more in the near future, under the masks, I see the joy in those able to be with me in returning to Mass.  And to do what?  To be fed with the Word of God and physically with the Body of Christ.  To kneel in a sacred space.  To be with fellow disciples.  To offer prayers of thanksgiving.  And to be still. 
 
In this same Gospel, is very clear when it questions us:  Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?  If we accept the Gospel account that the wind and the sea obeyed Jesus, then we must answer this question.  If we reject that the wind and the sea obeyed Jesus, then we are left without faith and without any belief that this Jesus has any special role.
 
It is this Jesus, I pray, who has a very special role in your life.  This Jesus who you hunger to welcome into the very depths of your soul.  To open your heart to, and to simply be with, in our home of St. Julia.
 
To those joining us this weekend after some time, I look forward to welcoming you home.  To those in the coming weeks, we are ready for your return. 
 
It is our faith and belief in Jesus that has carried us through these times together.  And when we are faced with the next winds in life, it will be Jesus who carries us once again, and to bring the calm we so desire.  That is faith in action.  That is who we are.
 
May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to you joining me for the celebration of Mass this weekend.
 
Fr. Greg

My dear friends in Christ,
 
In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI remarked at Mass for the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ that “the Eucharist has the power to unite people, strengthen them and remind them that only God is worthy of worship.”  He would go on to say "to adore the body of Christ means to believe that there, in that piece of bread, there really is Christ who gives meaning to our lives, to the immense universe as well as to the smallest creature and to all of human history as well as to the briefest existence."
 
It was on this feast last year, June 14, that the doors of our church reopened after the first twelve-week lockdown.  Here we are, one year later, and still we have not been able to gather together, all of us, as one parish family to worship, and to physically partake in the bread of life, the body and blood, soul and divinity of our saviour Jesus Christ. 
 
What is it that brings us together?  That is what this Sunday is all about.  The Eucharist.  It is what unites us, and with the Word of God, is the spiritual food that we need.  We are all hungry, overdue to be fed by the real presence.  Once again, we are reminded that we are an Easter people, not just for the fifty days of Easter, but always.  We are people of hope.  We seek out that which unites us, brings us together.  With all that is going on around us, and what appears to be pulling us apart, what we need is that which unites and strengthens us all the more.  And that is the Eucharist.  To be present and still in a sacred place.  To sit and adore our saviour on our beautiful crucifix.  To come together, and know from the very depths of our soul that we are all loved.
 
We see glimmers of hope, and please know that I am ready to welcome everyone home, very soon, to your spiritual home of St. Julia. 
 
Until that time, whether in person or virtually, I look forward to you joining me for Mass this Corpus Christi Sunday.
 
May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love.
Fr. Greg

Our Trinity 
 
How have you defined God as Trinity? 
God for us, we call You Father, 
God alongside us, we call You Jesus, 
God within us, we call You Holy Spirit. 
 
You are the Eternal Mystery that enables, enfolds, and enlivens all things, even us and even me. 
 
Every name falls short of your goodness and greatness. 
We can only see who You are in what is. 
We ask for such perfect seeing. 
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. 
Amen. 
 
The above prayer comes from author Richard Rohr, Simplicity.
 
Glory be to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. 
 
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.   (2 Corinthians 13:14)
 
Sometimes less is more.  That is my prayer for each of you as we continue to navigate through these times together.  Now, we begin to see light at the end.  Amen.
 
Whether in person or virtually, I look forward to you joining me for Mass this Trinity Sunday.
 
May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love.
Fr. Greg

This Sunday we celebrate the great Solemnity of Pentecost and our Easter season of 50 days will draw to a close.  “Come Holy Spirit” is the theme of our celebrations and a reminder to each of us that we need to call upon the Holy Spirit every day.  How very true this is.  These gifts that we received at our confirmation are precious.  The question is, do I call upon these gifts?  Really and truly?  Do I call upon the gift of wisdom, and value spiritual things over worldly ones?  Do I contemplate the things of God?  Do I call upon the gift of courage, and stand up for God and His truths?  There is no doubt that this is what the world needs, and it starts in my own home.  Do I pray for the gift of knowledge?  This is the awareness of God’s plan.  This can be a challenge at this time and living through a pandemic.  Yet this is what we must pray for.  Do I pray for the gift of wonder and awe that increases my desire to draw closer to God and depart from sin?  The list goes on.  Here we have yet another challenge, but opportunity too.  When we call upon these gifts it has the power to change – wait – transform our lives, and live a rich and full life in communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
 
Here is a reflection from a lady by the name of Marion who I met on a summer assignment in reflecting on the Holy Spirit…
 
If I look upwards, I will find the Spirit of God waiting to be invited into my heart, soul, spirit, life, to raise me to a new level of love, consciousness and intensity.  To love as Jesus loves makes me realize that I do not have His patience, tolerance, or depth of forgiveness.  This is where His Spirit comes in, and that is why the Spirit is given to us.  If I have the Spirit of Jesus living in my heart, then, surely, I can be a channel of His love, patience, and forgiveness in the lives of others.  Open your heart, invite the Spirit in. 'Come Spirit, breath, and power of God.  Enter my heart, and generate within me the heart of Jesus.  Let His love, forgiveness, and service flow through me to others.’  
 
May we call upon the Holy Spirit, the advocate, to make a home in our hearts, and to be an instrument of peace, love, and hope.
 
Whether in person or virtually, I look forward to you joining me for Mass this Pentecost Sunday.
 
May God continue to bless and keep safe each of you and those that you love.
Fr. Greg