Diocese of London Updates

BULLETIN ANNOUNCEMENTS

Retrouvaille Weekend

Retrouvaille London will be hosting a Retrouvaille Marriage Weekend on August 11 – 13, 2023. More information about Retrouvaille is at www.dol.ca/retrouvaille. (This can run in parish bulletins up to and including the weekend of July 29, 2023).

Job Opportunity

There is a job opportunity posted at www.dol.ca/employment for an Office Receptionist at St. Peter’s Cemetery and Holy Family Mausoleum, London

A Letter to the Faithful Announcing the Year of Prayer for Vocations to the Priesthood

Bishop Fabbro is Announcing a new Year of Prayer for Vocations to the Priesthood in a letter to the faithful (in English and French). The letters are posted on the diocesan website and links to the PDFs are available at this link. If you ordered prayer cards, they are being delivered soon, and electronic versions and other resources are available at https://dol.ca/year-of-prayer-2023. 

National Indigenous Peoples Day

From the Truth and Reconciliation Committee:On June 21, Canada celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day. The Federal Government provides more backgroundon this important day at this link.  While not a liturgical commemoration, it would be helpful to offer a petition during the Universal Prayer (Prayers of the Faithful).  The Gospel of the day is taken from Matthew 6 and will be familiar to all of us, as it is proclaimed on Ash Wednesday. The narration reminds us that our service to God and our neighbour is best done in secret, so that our Father in heaven will see it and bless it.  While the work of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians is often seen in big gatherings, national commissions, and financial settlements with both the federal government and various ecclesial bodies, much of our work can be done in simple and unassuming ways.  It will often take place quietly – in secret – and we trust that God blesses it

The Outpouring: An Evening of Renewal for Young Adults

All young adults (18-35 years of age) are invited to an evening of renewal and revival of the Holy Spirit. This evening will be full of powerful music, testimonies, prayer and an amazing Keynote speaker: David Patterson. The locations and times of this powerful event are:

Friday, June 2nd in Windsor – Corpus Christi Church from 6:30 – 10 p.m.

Saturday, June 3rd in London – St. George’s Church from 6:30 – 10 p.m.

More details can be found at https://dol.ca/the-outpouring-an-evening-for-young-adults-1. If you have any questions, please contact Christine Coyle at ccoyle@dol.ca.

Holy Hours for Vocations

The Vocations Office will be hosting three separate Holy Hours for Vocations to the Priesthood on the night before the ordination of our new transitional deacons.

Wednesday, June 7 at 7:00 p.m. at St. Joseph Parish in Stratford

Sunday, June 11 at 7:00 p.m. at Our Lady Help of Christians Church in Wallaceburg

Thursday, June 15 at 7:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart Parish in LaSalle

A poster with details of the dates, times and locations is at this link. Please pass this along, especially to any men that may be considering the priesthood.

Transitional Deacon Ordinations

With praise and gratitude to Almighty God, the Diocese of London announces the ordinations of Mr. James Prins, Mr. Matthew Robert Sawyer and Mr. Tony J. (TJ) Vandermeer to the transitional diaconate. A transitional deacon is a seminarian in the last year of preparation for ordination to the priesthood.

Mr. James Prins: The Sacrament of Holy Orders will be conferred by His Excellency, Ronald P. Fabbro, Bishop of London, on Thursday, June 8 at 7:00 p.m. at St. Joseph Parish in Stratford. All are welcome to attend. We assure James of our support and prayers as he prepares for ordination.

Mr. Matthew Sawyer: The Sacrament of Holy Orders will be conferred by His Excellency, Ronald P. Fabbro, Bishop of London, on Monday, June 12 at 7:00 p.m. at Our Lady Help of Christians Church in Wallaceburg. All are welcome to attend. We assure Matthew of our support and prayers as he prepares for ordination.

Mr. TJ Vandermeer: The Sacrament of Holy Orders will be conferred by His Excellency, Ronald P. Fabbro, Bishop of London, on Friday, June 16 at 7:00 p.m. at St. Joseph Parish in River Canard. All are welcome to attend. We assure TJ of our support and prayers as he prepares for ordination.

A poster with these three ordinations for your church, parish hall, website or office is at this link.

Seminar on the History of the Mass

From the Liturgy Office: Our Diocese is a member of the American body called the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions and our membership provides us an opportunity to participate in a seminar on the History of the Mass. For those able to come, our presenter will be Fr. Gil Ostdiek, OFM founding faculty member and Professor Emeritus of Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.  He holds an STL and an STD from the Pontifical Athenaeum Antonianum in Rome.  He worked extensively with ICEL for many years, is the Past President of the North American Academy of Liturgy (NAAL) and is a prolific author, including Mystagogy on the Eucharist: A Resource for Faith Formation (Liturgical Press, 2015).  He has received multiple awards included the 1998 Michael Mathis Award (Notre Dame); the 2007 award from the Georgetown Center for Liturgy; and the 2014 Berakah Award from NAAL. The series will be offered across one week (Monday -Wednesday-Friday) – June 19, 21, and 23, at 1:00 p.m. ET.  The 75-minute webinars will be offered live, but all registered persons may view them at a more convenient time.  Registration is now live at: www.fdlc.org/Mass2023.

St. Peter’s Seminary Open House and Reception

St. Peter’s Seminary will be open to the faithful of the Diocese of London for an Open House and Reception on Wednesday June 21, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. It is the Seminary’s way of saying “Thank you!” for the exceptional support of the Seminary by the people of the Diocese. For many, it will be the first opportunity to tour the newly renovated Seminary building with seminarians, and once again to see the magnificent St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will served in the A.P Mahoney Library and Toldo Dining Hall. Bishop Fabbro and Seminary Rector Fr. Denis Grecco will speak at 6:00 pm in the Bishop John Michael Sherlock Auditorium. Reservations are required by emailing bishopsdinner@spseminary.ca  no later than Wednesday June 14th 2023. There is no charge for the event.  Free-will offerings will be gratefully received. Please note that attendance will be limited to the first 250. Please join celebration of the future of St. Peter’s Seminary

A Celebration Tour to Charlottetown for Bishop Dabrowski’s Installation – June 27-30

A four-day tour is being organized to attend the installation Mass of Bishop Joseph in Charlottetown. The package will include a bus to Toronto, roundtrip flights to Charlottetown, accommodation, breakfast, a sightseeing tour, attendance at the installation Mass followed by a lobster dinner, and free time to explore Charlottetown. As it is just over a month away, the organizers need to see if there is enough interest before confirming flights and hotels. Please email Mary Catherine Bishop mcbishop@dol.ca or call 519-619-1279 for more information. The hope is to keep the price under $1800.00 (plus tax) based on double accommodation.

On Pentecost Sunday (May 28, 2023) our Diocese will begin a new prayer campaign: the Year of Prayer for Priestly Vocations. The theme for the year is “The Priesthood: Not an Ordinary Life.” To prepare our hearts for this campaign, we have included the prayer below that we will pray throughout the year. More details will be announced soon.

Heavenly Father,

We come before you with hearts full of gratitude for the gift of the priesthood and the priests who serve us tirelessly. We ask you to bless our Church and Diocese with more vocations to the priesthood, men who are willing to dedicate their lives to your service.

We pray for all those who are discerning their vocation to the priesthood, that they may hear your voice calling them, and have the courage to respond with generosity and enthusiasm. Give them the wisdom to discern your will and the strength to follow it.

We ask you to bless our seminarians, that they may grow in holiness and knowledge of your truth, and be formed into holy priests who will lead your people to you. Grant them the grace to persevere in their studies and their discernment to become shepherds according to your own heart, and to remain faithful to your call throughout their lives.

We pray for our priests, that they may be strengthened in their ministry and continue to serve your people with love and devotion. Grant them the grace to be faithful to their vocation, to be holy examples for all to follow, and to be humble ministers of your mercy.

May your Holy Spirit guide and inspire us all to work together for the building up of your Kingdom, and may our prayers and sacrifices help to bring forth many more vocations to the priesthood.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen

Children’s Version of Prayer
Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the gift of our priests. We pray for more priests for our Diocese.

We pray for those thinking about being priests. We pray for our seminarians.

We pray for our priests, that they may continue to love Jesus and serve us.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Updates on Bishop Joseph Dabrowski, C.S.M.A.

Bishop Joseph will be installed as Bishop of Charlottetown on Thursday, 29 June 2023, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, at St. Dunstan’s Cathedral in Charlottetown. Please keep him in your prayers as he prepares for his installation. Here in the Diocese of London, Bishop Fabbro will celebrate a farewell Mass for Bishop Joseph on Friday, 12 May 2023, at St. Michael’s parish in London at 7:00 p.m. A light reception will follow. All are welcom

National Association of Catholic Nurses-Canada (NACN-Canada)

NACN’s goal is to align professional practice with faith through prayer, fellowship, mentoring, access to resources regarding ethical issues and participation in public discourse.  On First Fridays at 3:00 p.m., pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy with them using the link on their website, where you will also find information on events and how to join their association (https://catholicnurses.ca or nacncanada.boardcontact@gmail.com).

Contact: Sharon Walsh at 519-393-6750 e-mail: kinkorite@hotmail.com.