What's in this week's Flocknote?
- Catholic Women's League Poinsettia & Greenery: Pick up your Voucher this Sunday!
- SSVP Winter Wear
- Butler Park Peanut Butter & Jam
- The Mass Revealed #2
- Book of our Beloved Dead
- All Souls Day Masses (above)
- Saints in your house?
Picture below is from October, 2020.
And always,Priest's Assembly
- Gospel Reflection
- Holy Heroes Mass prep
- Respect Life reflection
- Mass times
- Office Hours & Contact Information
Priest's Assembly
There will be no morning Masses Nov. 3-5.
St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church
Sunday Mass Times
9 am 10:30 am 12:30 pm
sje@caedm.ca (780) 452-3988
Reconciliation immediately after weekday morning Masses will start Tuesday Nov. 10. This sacrament will be available Tuesday through Fridays except when there are School or Senior Lodge Masses, or other morning events. Advance notice will be given in this weekly Flocknotes whenever possible.
Lord, this is the company of those who seek your face.
Nov. 1 is a great feast in the calendar of the Church: All Saints Day!
We celebrate all the holy men and women who have gone before us, those famous and those unknown to the books of history. All were sinners, but all relied on the grace of God to be totally transformed to the will of God.
The apostle John wrote in the book of Revelation:
May we be so convicted and so blessed to be counted in that number of holy men and women who see God face to face!
The apostle John wrote in the book of Revelation:
"I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count,
from every nation, race, people, and tongue.
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,
wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands."
(Revelation 7:9)
May we be so convicted and so blessed to be counted in that number of holy men and women who see God face to face!
Hear Bishop Barron's thoughts on the humility of the saints in this shortened clip from the award-winning series Catholicism:
(The title says 'Grade 7' as this topic is part of a curriculum for that grade, but it is good for Grade 6 and higher.)
(The title says 'Grade 7' as this topic is part of a curriculum for that grade, but it is good for Grade 6 and higher.)
Questions for Additional Reflection:
- Who are some of your favorite saints? Why are you drawn to them?
- Do you believe that you could be a saint one day? Why or why not?
- What is holding you back from going "all in" with the Lord?
You cannot be half a saint; you must be a whole saint or no saint at all.
The Book of Our Beloved Dead
Each November the Church prays for the souls of our loved ones who have gone before us through death. We have a Memorial Book in the main entry for you to add names. The book is then placed in the Sanctuary for the month of November in their remembrance. Our book has the names entered over the past few years; we continue to pray for them.
What fun! And we raised enough to support our Chili-making for our Friends in need coming to the doors of Sacred Heart Church in early December for a hot meal.
Thank you to all Cooks and Tasters!
We had family favourites from around the world, whether North American classics like loaded Potato Skins, generously sized Pulled Pork sandwiches, Potato soup from home-grown potatoes, Hashbrown Casserole, Roasted Beets & Carrots, Chili, Lasagna (now a classic North American meal!), and desserts of Caramel Popcorn Twists, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Apple Cake.There were Asian plates of Korean Beef, Pork Saté skewers with rice, and Filipino food of Pancit, Palitaw, two types of Spring Rolls, and Bilo-Bilo. Eastern and Western Europe were also represented with dishes such as cabbage dishes (2 different ones!), Ham mini Quiches, and Lemon Ricotta Cookies. There were probably other Tasties we forgot to include here, certainly enjoyed too!
And watch out next year if Fr. Thomas brings his Indian Butter Chicken again, which was rated as 6 on the heat scale by Tasters but only as a 2 by Fr. Thomas!
And watch out next year if Fr. Thomas brings his Indian Butter Chicken again, which was rated as 6 on the heat scale by Tasters but only as a 2 by Fr. Thomas!
World Day of the Poor, November 15, encourages us to perform concrete acts of charity. One notable act of charity is the year round serving of hot lunch to hundreds of individuals at Butler Park, beside the Jasper Place Transit Centre.
To support the ongoing efforts of the selfless volunteers involved in preparing and serving the food, please join the Catholic Women's League in collecting large jars of jam and peanut butter. We will collect these on Nov 8 and 15. Thank you for your generosity.
To support the ongoing efforts of the selfless volunteers involved in preparing and serving the food, please join the Catholic Women's League in collecting large jars of jam and peanut butter. We will collect these on Nov 8 and 15. Thank you for your generosity.
As you are pulling out your winter clothing for the upcoming season, please keep in mind those who are less fortunate.
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul will be having a winter clothing drive on November 15. Please consider donating items that are new or gently used that are clean, in good repair and from a smoke-free environment.
In particular we are in need of winter coats, snowsuits, vests, ski/snow pants, hats, boots, mitts/gloves, winter socks, and blankets. Let's fill the truck!
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul will be having a winter clothing drive on November 15. Please consider donating items that are new or gently used that are clean, in good repair and from a smoke-free environment.
In particular we are in need of winter coats, snowsuits, vests, ski/snow pants, hats, boots, mitts/gloves, winter socks, and blankets. Let's fill the truck!
Understand. Celebrate. Participate.
The Mass Revealed is a video series available to help students, families, and parish communities learn about the different elements that make up a Catholic Mass.
The series aims to help build deeper understanding and move people from simply attending Mass to fully, consciously, and actively participating in it.
This series was created in partnership by the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton, Edmonton Catholic Schools, and St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Schools, and features one of our former Pastors, Fr. Paul Kavanagh.
We'll share an episode every week, and encourage you to watch, share it with family members. We're sure it will answer some of your questions (why do we do that? what is that object for?) and lead you into a deeper and particular type of appreciation of Mass.
Why Do We Go to Mass?
Episode 2 (3 minutes) explains that Mass is central to the lives of Catholics because of the presence of Christ in:
the Word,
the people of God,
the priest,
and most especially
in the Eucharist.
To prepare to be in the presence of Christ in these ways, plan to arrive at least 5 minutes in advance to have time to pray, and move yourself from the busyness and activities of the outside world and into the presence of God in his Church.
the Word,
the people of God,
the priest,
and most especially
in the Eucharist.
To prepare to be in the presence of Christ in these ways, plan to arrive at least 5 minutes in advance to have time to pray, and move yourself from the busyness and activities of the outside world and into the presence of God in his Church.
Sunday Gospel
Matthew 5:1-12a
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven."
Friends, today we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. Many who have stood in the presence of the Gothic rose windows—brightly fashioned with images of the saints—have heard the windows sing. The Lord Jesus says, “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it,” and this wonderful loss of self happens when we listen to the singing of the rose window.
The rose is also an evocative symbol of what the spiritual masters refer to as the center. At the center is a depiction of Christ. Then wheeling around the Christic core is a harmoniously arranged amalgam of “medallions,” images, from the lives of the saints.
The medallions are often connected to one another and to the center by a series of spokes. This structured harmony is intended to be a picture of the well-ordered soul. When the divine power is the uncompromised center of our lives—as it is for the saints—then the myriad energies of our souls—intellectual, moral, physical, emotional, sexual—tend to fall into harmony around it.
When Christ is the “ground” of the soul, the soul finds peace, order, and beauty. Make God’s will the center of your concerns, and your proximate needs, desires, and longings will tend to find their place.
Bishop Robert Barron
The rose is also an evocative symbol of what the spiritual masters refer to as the center. At the center is a depiction of Christ. Then wheeling around the Christic core is a harmoniously arranged amalgam of “medallions,” images, from the lives of the saints.
The medallions are often connected to one another and to the center by a series of spokes. This structured harmony is intended to be a picture of the well-ordered soul. When the divine power is the uncompromised center of our lives—as it is for the saints—then the myriad energies of our souls—intellectual, moral, physical, emotional, sexual—tend to fall into harmony around it.
When Christ is the “ground” of the soul, the soul finds peace, order, and beauty. Make God’s will the center of your concerns, and your proximate needs, desires, and longings will tend to find their place.
Bishop Robert Barron
Join parish families in preparing for Sunday's Mass! Children will like this acting and presentation.
Holiness is for Everyone!
God calls each and every single one of us to be holy. Here are a few simple steps you and your family can take to grow in holiness this month.
Little Steps to Sanctity
It can seem daunting to hear words like 'holiness' and 'sanctity'. We might be tempted to think these concepts only apply to Bishops, Priests, and Nuns. But God calls each of us to a life of holiness. We are all invited to follow Him.It can still seem scary (and at times maybe even impossible) to become a saint. It's good to remember that every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future. We all have to start somewhere on our path toward holiness.
How do you become holy? One step at a time. Jesus calls us to follow Him, but it's a marathon, not a sprint. Each and every day is a new opportunity to say "Yes" to God. To choose His will instead of ours. To take another step in following Him. As a family, you have the opportunity to take these steps together.
Little steps to sanctity:
- Get up a few minutes early to invite Jesus into your day.
- Create your own prayer to say as a family each week.
- Sacrifice one small pleasure every day, and offer it up to God.
- Take a moment each day to thank God for all the gifts He has blessed you with.
- End your day by saying sorry for those times that you stumbled and struggled.
Reverence for Life Prayer
As we honour your Saints today, Lord grant that we, like them, may serve with love and compassion all those who are suffering: the poor, the sick, the handicapped, with reverence for the life you have given them.
As we honour your Saints today, Lord grant that we, like them, may serve with love and compassion all those who are suffering: the poor, the sick, the handicapped, with reverence for the life you have given them.
Sunday Mass Times
9 am 10:30 am 12:30 pm
8:30 am Tuesday - Friday
Parish Office Hours
Monday,Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
9 am - 3 pm.
Closed Thursday for behind the scenes work.
sje@caedm.ca (780) 452-3988
Reconciliation after most morning Masses, starting Nov. 10.
Priest's Assembly
There will be no morning Masses Nov. 3-5.
