Sunday Liturgy
Saturday: 5:00 pm
Sunday: 11:00 am
Mission Statement
We are a welcoming Christian community called to embrace and respect the uniqueness of each individual as we join together in our faith and worship. Our ongoing mission is to engage our youth, promote renewal, out reach, evangelization and ecumenical cooperation.
MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK
Monday, November 17th – 9:00 am Darren Whitebone
Tuesday, November 18th – 9:00 am Arthur/Tommy LeBlanc
Wednesday, November 19th – 9:00 am Mary Noel
Thursday, November 20th – 9:00 am Connie/Don/Terry Murphy & DMF
Thursday, November 20th – 10:30 am Florence Maillet - Carleton Kirk
Friday, November 21st – 9:00 am No Mass
Saturday, November 22nd – 5:00 pm Alma Hazel (Anniv)
Sunday, November 23rd – 11:00 am Joseph & Madeleine Richard & DMF
Weekly Reflections (Homily) from Msgr. Sheehan (November 14, 2025)
THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Dear friends:
When I was a little boy in the Gaspe… we had a neighbor… a little girl… Ruth… Ruth was a nice girl… but shy, timid… afraid of a lot of things… The thing she was most afraid of was thunder… thunder and lightening…
And because we lived on the bay of Chaleur near water – we had major thunder and lightning storms – and when that happened little Ruthie – did something which all the other children laughed at her for – a very mean thing to do – because little children can be mean to each other – she hid under her parent’s bed – and covered her head – until the storm passed.
That was Ruthie’s way of coping with what gave her the most fright in her little life… she felt security there like nowhere else… and it’s a terrible thing for a child to experience fear – and insecurity.
The people of Jesus’ time lived with a lot of security… they didn’t have any fears of families being torn apart by drugs, or the terrible speed of planes or cars, or the violence wrought by bombs or powerful guns… or of economics tinkering on the brink of collapse… they had none of those insecurities.
Those were not their fears… anymore than they were the fears of little Ruthie…
But they lived in a world of unknown scientific discoveries… what bothered them were the earthly upheavals… which were vividly portrayed by storytellers and were often portrayed in some biblical authors… in certain prophets… Daniel, Exechiel… etc.
These authors described these upheavals, in what is known as apocalyptic fashion… great turmoil, upheaval, destruction… famines, earthquakes, plagues, wars… a form of literature very popular in the time of Jesus.
People were afraid of these unknowns… as we all are of unknowns… so they held on to things that gave them security from them… closeness of family… friends, relatives… strength and power of their faith… and the structures of their faith… their worship… their temple and its solidity.
These things were in their minds… they were always there… ever present… Now Jesus… tells them borrowing from all that apocalyptic literature, with that colorful imagery – that those securities which they held on might well be jeopardized… that the temple could well disappear – as indeed it did… that family and friends could well turn against them… that persecution and hatred could come from the most unexpected quarters…
That they may suffer such a sense of loss… rejection… abandonment… betrayal… that they will want to give up… that they cannot endure it anymore…
In those moments… when those things are brought on by living out what one considers their following him – no matter where it leads them.
They will not be abandoned… in fact… he will be with them in a way like never before… he will give strength of words on their lips to defend themselves… wisdom beyond anything that is known by those who would persecute them… and an endurance to put up and hang on to the point of survival…
All of which can be translated in this way: -- “trust me… trust in me… in my abiding presence in you… in my protection of you… in my providing for you.”
“Trust in me… and in the message I give you… and in its lived out expression… in word and action… to cope and survive and carry you through the worst possible scenario or situation…”
“Nothing can harm you… no external forces… will destroy you… in fact… in those worst moments… those moments of a sense of abandonment, rejection, hurt, betrayal… will be the greatest occasions for you to witness, to give evidence of who you are… what you believe in, what you hope for, long for… what is truly in your heart… what is in your mind… who and what is the center of your life… and what you are made of… and what you can endure because of it.”
The literal translation of the last verse, dear friends, of our Gospel… is not – “By your endurance you will gain your souls…” – but rather… “By your endurance you will make your lives secure.” Or you will procure “life” through endurance… real life… true living comes from persistent endurance in the midst of adversity of whatever kind…
Most of us… like little Ruthie, I’m afraid, forget to face it… and run to hide under beds… or others things, not witnessing enough, not seizing the opportunities, not having in our minds and hearts – and on our lips the “words” that are our security and our strength… words and attitudes that dispel fear… and bring us life and peace.
Amen.