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June 11/12, 2022 - Sunday Bulletin

  • Rev. Steny Mascarenhas, OCD
  • Jun 11, 2022
  • 8 min read

Most Holy Trinity Sunday



This week in the Church


The Rosary will be prayed every day at 6pm in front of the Grotto for World Peace especially for Ukraine and Russia until the end of the summer. You are cordially invited to join in.



Important Updates





  • Between June 28th to July 14th-there will be a Pilgrimage called Beautiful East Europe including Munich, Prague, Krakow, Budapest, Zagreb, Split & Medjugorje. Information is available from Brian Andrade (778-999-4599) or Deon Almeida (778-866-8118)


  • A Pilgrimage called European Splendor will take place July 29th to August 14th which will include the Passion Play experience. Information is available from Brian Andrade (778-999-4599) or Deon Almeida (778-866-8118)


  • A Pilgrimage to the Holy Land including Cairo, Sinai, Bethlehem, Nazareth and Petra will happen between November 7th & November 20th Information is available from Brian Andrade (778-999-4599)


Helping Refugees

The Parish is in the process of welcoming a family of 5 to North Vancouver. If you would like to help, please join the Refugee Committee by contacting the Parish Office


Parking Lot Paving/Drainage Repair Update

With gratitude, we have raised $154,554 of the estimated $190,000 needed to complete these projects. Work will begin on the parking lot the first week of July.



Reflections


Unity Shared


This week we return to the liturgical season of Ordinary Time. This Sunday and next Sunday, however, are designated as solemnities, special days that call our attention to central mysteries of our faith. Today, on the first Sunday after Pentecost, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. This feast invites us to consider what we believe about God, who has revealed himself to us in the Trinity—one God in three persons.


The verses of today's Gospel come near the end of Jesus' long discourse at the Last Supper. In the early part of this discourse, as we saw last week on Pentecost, Jesus offers assurances to the disciples. Even though he must leave the disciples, he tells them that they will have a future because of the help he will send them in the Holy Spirit. In this section he focuses more on the shape of the future, which will include Jesus' victory over the world that they will share in. The disciples of Jesus cannot know the future. They can only know that, whatever shape the future takes, they will not have to face it alone. They have the Spirit of Truth, who will continue to provide the teaching of Jesus in the future.


Reading this passage on Trinity Sunday reinforces our understanding of the unity shared by the members of the Trinity. Although the idea of one God in three persons remains a mystery, we have the assurance that, as Jesus and the Father share all, Jesus and the Spirit share all.

~ Loyola Press



Mass Intentions


Sunday, June 12

  • Spec. Intention Caitlin Teng by Liz Wong

  • Repose Serafino & Maria Cusano & Enza Romano by Cusano family

  • Repose of the Souls of deceased Cusanelli family members by family


Monday, June 13

  • Spec. Intention St. Edmund Parishioners

  • Repose Soonee Goh by Liz Wong


Tuesday, June 14

  • Spec. Intention Lynn McLeod by Liz Wong

  • Repose Rev. John Barry by Lynn McLeod


Wednesday, June 15

  • Spec. Intention Pearl Peng by Liz Wong

  • Repose Holy Souls in Purgatory by Liz Wong


Thursday, June 16

  • Repose Bernard Ward by Jean Sammel

  • Spec. Intention Natalie Domitter by Bev Watson

  • Spec. Intention Natalie Domitter by Zofia Bronowska


Friday, June 17

  • Repose Victorio Molina by Acio family

  • Repose Lee Mee Leng by Elizabeth Wong


Saturday, June 18

  • Spec. Intention Harriet Davidson (belated birthday) by Charmaine Guindon

  • Repose Rev. John Barry by Imelda Weafer


If you need a Mass Intention, please contact the Parish Office

Events


Parish Groups


ST. Edmund's Christian Meditation Group


Re-starting "In Person" Meditation Sessions


Date: All Mondays at 7:00 PM


Participation in person:

please contact Luis Zunino - lzunino@gzarchitects.com or at 604-987-8304


Option to participate via ZOOM:

For an introductory conversation, please contact Luis Zunino - lzunino@gzarchitects.com or at 604-987-8304 – Afterwards, A ZOOM link will be provided


CWL


Catholic Women’s League meetings are now in person on the 2nd Thursday of each month @ 7pm – no meetings during the summer




The Knights of Columbus general meetings are in person on the 1st Tuesday each month @7pm/executive meetings are also in person on the last Tuesday of the month @7pm – no meetings during the summer


School


St. Edmund’s Elementary School



Dear Parents,


What an incredible year it has been and it is hard to believe that we are into the last month of this school year! We are so proud of amazing commitment that the children and staff have put into continuing our quality student programming with the support of our families. We can look back with appreciation for all the learning and growth that has taken place and all the friendships that have been developed and enriched within our community. The remainder of the school year will include many exciting events for our students such as the Track and Field finals, Sports Day, Talent Show, Grade 7 Farewell and a School BBQ Event! Please continue to check your emails for further upcoming information.


To our Grade Seven students and all others who are leaving St. Edmund’s School, we wish you much happiness. We trust that the Christian attitude you have developed and the skills you have learned will contribute to your success and the success of others in the future.


We extend a special welcome to our new Kindergarten class and new families who will be joining our St. Edmund’s community for the 2022/23 school year!


May God bless you,


Ms. Silva



Staffing Updates:


St. Edmund’s has been blessed with a team of great educators who have shown loving care and dedication to bring out the best in all our students. As educators we continue to challenge ourselves to grow and develop professionally. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to work with an amazing team of Learning Support Education Assistants. Miss. Szpak, Miss Wu, Miss Wong, Miss Littlejohn & Miss Miiller. We have also appreciated the additional support of Ms. Maduro and Ms. Chartrand for a couple of days in the latter half of the year. Please keep them in your prayers as we wish them the very best in their future endeavours.


Congratulations:

Sacrament of First Holy Communion & Confirmation – Please continue to pray for our school and PREP students who received the Blessed Sacrament for the first time on May 1st and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit on May 29th. We ask that you continue to pray for all our youth as they continue to grow on their journey of faith. A special thank you to our PAC, Kindergarten, Grade 3, Grade 1 and Grade 6 parents for hosting a beautiful reception for each of these special events.


Remembrance Day Poster Winners -

This month our Royal Canadian Legion Branch #118 recognized our school for the 85 entries that were submitted in their annual Poster Contest. Of these entries, 18 students were recognized for placing in the top 3 of their categories and were awarded Indigo gift cards. We are grateful to the Legion for their service and to Mr. Derek Fry who attended the assembly and awarded the following students: Lily Oman, Maria Madureira, Tamarah Villanueva, Qamara Adatia, Victor Domisiw, Isadora Ruelles de Assis Peres, Bronwyn Organ, Elizabeth Nahanee, Valentina Fernandez, Isabel Erthal, Diana Cadar, Kate Fraser, Victoria Turner, Annebelle Stuart-Roca & Erica Ferguson. Additionally Sophia Bersolona, Evangeline riddall and Sophia Vicente were recognized at the BC/Yukon Level Judging for their Junior Video entry and share the $200 prize. Congratulations!


National “AccessAbility” Week Flag Contest

We also congratulate our Grade 6 students Isabel Erthal, Jedrich Landicho, Bronwyn Organ and Elizabeth Nahanee who were selected as the North Vancouver runner ups for their poster entries which can be seen on the Easter Seals Website. The week of May 29 to June 4 celebrates the contributions of Canadians with disabilities and recognizes the efforts of thoses who are working to remove barriers to accessibility and inclusion. Thank you to our students for helping raise awareness to issues of accessibility.


“Walking with Hope” Walk-a-thon

Thank you for continuing to send in your donations for our annual Walkathon. We have currently collected $11,969 towards the resurfacing of our playground. On behalf of our community thank you for promoting this event with your family and friends!


Upcoming Events & Reminders:


Bike to School Week - We are celebrating Bike to School Week this year from May 30 - June 3! We’re encouraging students and families to use active transportation for their trips to school all week - walking, biking, scootering, skateboarding, to help reduce congestion in our school neighbourhood and help students arrive at school energized and ready to learn.


School & Class library books – Please return all library & class books by Friday June 10th so that we are able to complete our inventory. Any misplaced or lost books will need to be paid for by the students/parents. Thank you for your co-operation.


School Uniform: Order by June 15th – We recognize that uniforms may be furthest from mind, however, our provider, Cambridge Uniforms ask that your back-to-school order be placed by June 15th to ensure delivery during the month of August.

Please go to their website www.cambridgeuniforms.com, create an account if you don’t already have one, and use the school code TED357 to place your order or book a fitting. A reminder that all uniform pieces are to be purchased from our supplier. We may also have gently used uniform pieces available by donation. Please contact the school office.


Grade 7 Farewell Evening – We will be recognizing our grade 7s for all their many accomplishments on Tuesday June 22nd at 7 pm. Stay tuned for further details. We are so proud of our St. Edmund’s Class of 2022 and ask that you continue to keep them in your prayers as they move forward in their educational journey.


Last Day of School – The last day of school for students is Tuesday June 28th. We will have a whole school Mass at 9:00 am at which our Grade 7s will pass on the light of school leadership to our Grade 6 class. Following classroom activities, report cards will be distributed and dismissal will be at 12:00.


School Safety & Gratitude - I would like to thank all the parents who have answered our call and have continued to provide safety at our crosswalks! Your time and effort is much appreciated at morning drop-off and afterschool pick-up.


Kindergarten Enrollment


We are still accepting applications for Kindergarten. If you know of families looking for an amazing sense of community and Catholic education, please direct them to our school.


June Calendar Highlights:


May 30-June 3 Bike to School Week (or perhaps the month!)

June 9 Sports Day (am) & Early Dismissal 12:00 pm

June 10 No School – Professional Day

June 21 Grade 7 Farewell – Recognition Ceremony

Aboriginal Day

June 24 School Community Year-end BBQ

June 28 Last Day of School for Students

9:00 Whole School Mass

Reports Home 12:00 Dismissal

July 1 Canada Day Holiday


Important Dates for the 2022/23 School Year:

Please remember to check the online calendar and emails for the latest info/changes.

Sept. 6 - First Day of School Oct. 10 – Thanksgiving Oct. 21 – ProDay Nov. 11 - Remembrance Day Nov. 25 – Pro Day Dec. 16 - School closes for Christmas vacation Jan. 3 - School reopens after Christmas vacation

Feb 16&17 - Catholic Educator's Conference Feb. 20 - Family Day Stat Mar. 10 - School closes for Spring Break Mar. 27 - School reopens after Spring Break Apr. 7 - Good Friday Apr. 10 - Easter Monday May 22 - Victoria Day June 28 - Last day of school

Daily Health Screening


Please be sure to do the Daily Health Screening every day for your child before leaving for school. The BC Daily Health Check tool can be accessed at this link https://www.k12dailycheck.gov.bc.ca/healthcheck?execution=e1s1. Please follow the suggestions after completing the health check assessment or those of another health care professional.


St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School


Folks, Food and Fun Campus Ministry International Night Friday, June 3rd @ 6pm

This year's Campus Ministry International Night is 2 weeks away! Please join us for delicious food, entertainment from our STA Jazz Bands and a chance to meet other STA families all while supporting charitable initiatives.


STA Appreciation Day Saturday, June 11th - Mark your calendars! STA is holding its

annual Spring Social with the STA Appreciation Day on Saturday, June 11th, from 1:00pm - 4:00pm at STA. All Alumni, Parents (Current & Parents of Alumni) and Parishes are welcome to attend. More details to follow.


Vaping: Supporting Youth to Make informed Decisions Wednesday, June 8th

at 7:00pm School Gymnasium or STA YouTube Channel

During this STA TALK, parents and kids will learn about: reasons youth vape, vaping stats, the evolution of devices and the impact on youth uptake, signs of vaping activity, industry tactics, risks and protective factors, vaping laws, how to have a conversation with your youth about vaping, and supports for youth who vape/use tobacco.


Bishop Thomas J. Lobsinger, OMI Memorial Bursary Program

The annual British Columbia & Yukon Bursary program known as the Bishop Thomas J. Lobsinger, OMI Memorial Bursary Program is underway. The 2022 program is now receiving applications. We are privileged to offer fourteen bursaries of $1,000.00 each to Catholic students across BC. These bursaries are made available on a one-time only basis to young practicing Catholic students who are in post secondary education at a recognized institute of higher learning within the BC. Applications are accepted from Jan. 1, 2022 until June 30, 2022 with the bursaries being awarded in the fall. The Terms of Reference may be found on our web site (kofcbc.org) after Jan 1, 2022.



Requests for application should be addressed to:

Knights of Columbus BC & Yukon

809 Mara Drive, Coquitlam, BC V3C 5T9

Attn: Herb Yang, Bursaries Chairman

Or email: herbykofc@gmail.com


We would like to congratulate the many recipients once again over the past years and look forward to the opportunity to assist many more young people in the advancement of their education.



Religious Education

PREP

Every Thursday at 6 PM - In Person

Children's Choir Training

Every Saturday at 10 AM

Altar Servers’ Training

Every Saturday 11 - 11:30am

Archdiocese Events

Synod

Pope Francis has decided the next world Synod of Bishops at the Vatican, which will take place in October 2022, will have the theme: "For a synodal church: Communion, participation and mission." With that in mind, there will be information cards available at the Church entrance with Topics of Conversation suggested on the reverse side and encouraging us to check for updates on the Archdiocese site www.rcav.org/synod

Project Advance 2022

The Project Advance Webpage is live, please visit projectadvance.ca



A Letter from the Archbishop



Apology for the Church's Role in Coerced Adoption

Introduction

Canadian societal customs from the 1940s through the 1970s did not consider, or recognize, an unwed mother as a responsible parent. To our regret we acted on that conviction. Our participation in a system that separated a young unmarried mother from her newly born child was, we now acknowledge, a practice that caused great harm and hurt. We are truly sorry for participating in that practice. 


History

In 1933, the Catholic Children’s Society in the Archdiocese of Vancouver founded the Our Lady of Mercy Home for unmarried mothers under the direction of the Superintendent of Child Welfare of the Province of British Columbia. 


The home was located at the corner of 54th Avenue and Oak Street in Vancouver, British Columbia. Unwed pregnant mothers were offered a place to stay, arrangements for medical care, counselling, financial planning, and temporary foster care for those who needed time to plan their future and make decisions about the care of their child, including adoption. We now know that many of these mothers faced pressures that adoption was the only choice. 


Our Apology 

The Archdiocese of Vancouver apologizes for our participation in the separation of mothers and fathers from their children. Our role in any pressured and coerced adoptions created a legacy of pain and suffering. We contributed to a culture of shame, guilt and secrecy, which often led to pain and isolation.   


Today, we express our regret for our part in denying mothers the support they deserved and their right to love and care for their children. We apologize to the mothers who were not informed of their rights, and consequently could not provide fully informed consent. We feel great sorrow knowing that women in these types of homes were often denied true friendships with other young women experiencing pregnancy. Sometimes they even suffered mistreatment at the hands of staff and, in many cases, their own families. 

We recognize that many of these mothers have suffered long-term harm from their experiences. We have heard your stories of grief and deep loss. We have heard how you lived with the shame and stigma placed on you by society and the Church. We are truly sorry. 


Some children who were adopted were not given the opportunity to know their family and community of origin. Some were misled or lied to about the circumstances of their birth. We apologize to those of you who struggle to find a sense of identity and belonging, who are torn between two families and communities, and who live with a sense of uncertainty within yourselves. 


We recognize that these practices also affected fathers, excluded from their own children’s lives. We acknowledge the hurt caused to brothers and sisters, grandparents, partners, and members of extended families who have shared in the pain of their loved ones. 


Moving Forward

Regretting our history, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver has, over the past three years, listened to mothers pressured into relinquishing their babies for adoption.  In the hope for true healing, we have taken the following steps:

  1. Initiated training for Catholic counselors, social workers and psychologists to increase their awareness of the complex issues related to adoption, reunion and healing.

  2. Raised awareness about the suffering of mothers and adoptees through a series of articles and publications in The BC Catholic newspaper in 2020 and on our RCAV website.

  3. Collaborated with mothers and adoptees to create a link on our RCAV website specifically for those impacted by adoptions: see ADOPTION: Loss and Healing.

  4. Included, for the first time, mothers who lost their children to forced adoption in Archbishop Miller’s Mother’s Day Blessing message and video, May 2021.


Next Steps in Our Continued Commitment


We will:

  1. Post our apology in The BC Catholic newspaper and on our website.

  2. Through a trauma informed group of counsellors, we will offer therapy for mothers who stayed at the Our Lady of Mercy Home in Vancouver and for their children, for any related trauma.

  3. Continue training for counsellors, social workers, priests, Church staff and other support positions to increase their awareness of the complex issues related to adoption, reunion and healing.

  4. Working with our counsellors and the Adoption Loss and Healing Advisory Group, Archdiocesan staff will collaborate to identify and support people willing to increase their knowledge and abilities to support mothers, fathers, and adoptees.

  5. Recommend that all parishes in the Archdiocese acknowledge this issue by sharing the Apology and finding ways to inform parishioners regarding its impact. These could include Mother’s Day acknowledgements of women who have lost children to coerced adoption and other ways to allow impacted women to share their stories.

  6. Share this Apology with other dioceses throughout Canada and work with the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops to further engage mothers who have been impacted by this tragedy.


We want to thank the mothers who have allowed us to journey with them and learn more about their lived experiences. We hope that this apology and the other listed steps will contribute to their healing and allow them to share these resources with women and men involved in adoption during that era.

Joy of the Family: A RCAV Family Gathering

All families in the Archdiocese of Vancouver are invited to join us in celebrating the World Meeting of Families and the closing of the Year of the Family.


Gather together with other families and meet seminarians, religious sisters, and priests in this fun-filled event hosted by the RCAV Marriage and Family Team.


Come join us for:

  • Lunch (hot dogs and hamburgers) prepared by the Knights of Columbus

  • Soccer against the "Men in Black"

  • Basketball, Capture the Flag, and other sports events

  • 3-hole Mini Golf

  • Rock Climbing Wall

  • Bouncy Castles

  • Balloon Twister

  • Scavenger Photo Hunt with prizes


Registration is required.




Joy of the Family

Sunday, June 26th

12:00pm to 4:00pm

Pacific Academy, Surrey


More Information

Special Gifts

Remember a loved one with a special gift

The remembrance can be for an anniversary, a birthday, in thanksgiving or to remember our deceased loved ones. Stop by the Parish Office to arrange to have the Bread and Wine, Flowers, Altar Candles and/or Sanctuary Lamp donated for someone you love. All donations are for one week.

Altar Flowers - $30

Bread & Wine - $25

Altar Candles - $20

Sanctuary Lamp - $20

Masses - $10 (per Mass)


Please contact the Parish Office

Financial Updates

Parking Lot Paving/Drainage Repair Update

With gratitude, we have raised $154,554 of the estimated $190,000 needed to complete these projects. Work begins the 1stweek of July.

Remember St Edmund's in your Will

A planned gift to be realized in the future, such as the options below, may be the best approach for you and may allow you to make a larger gift than you might have thought possible.


A Gift in Your Will - This is the most common type of planned gift - a gift in your will. Arranged today, a bequest is paid to St. Edmund’s Parish through your estate, after your death. You can give a specific sum, property, or a percentage of your estate. It is important that the full name of the parish and charitable number be included in your will so that there is no confusion about your intentions. (St. Edmund’s Parish, North Vancouver # 11884 9470 RR0064)


Life Insurance - A gift of life insurance is a simple and thoughtful way to make a gift to St. Edmund’s Parish. Insurance allows you to make a modest gift now for a significant gift in the future.


RRSP and RRIF Funds - Naming St. Edmund’s Parish a beneficiary of your RRSPs and RRIFs means all or a portion of these assets can now be left directly to St. Edmund’s Parish upon your death without having to pass through your estate. This arrangement means that no probate fees are payable on these assets. In most cases, the taxes owing on your donated RRSPs or RRIFs at death are offset by the charitable tax credits generated by your donation. Donations of this type are a great way to reduce the substantial deferred tax burden that many RRSP and RRIF plans carry.

Prayer Requests and Advertisements

























Our Parish Community is asked to pray for the Special Intention of


St. Edmund Parishioners

Our Parish Community is asked to pray for the Repose of the Soul of

Rev. John Barry






Our Parish Community is asked to pray for the Special Intention of


Father Steny &

Father Cannio









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