Diocese of London Updates

Year of Prayer Video

Bishop Fabbro has recorded a video for the Year of Prayer for Vocations to the Priesthood. It is on the diocesan homepage at www.dol.ca and our YouTube, Facebook and Twitter channels.

Come and See Weekends

From Friday, November 10, 2023 to Sunday, November 12, 2023 or Friday, March 9, 2024 to Sunday March 11, 2024, St. Peter’s Seminary invites you to a discernment retreat for men 17 years old and older who are considering a call to the priesthood. This weekend offers a firsthand experience of the life of a seminarian, provides spiritual help for discernment and offers the opportunity to meet current seminarians and faculty of St. Peter’s Seminary. A poster has been included at this link to advertise the event and please make sure you bring it to the attention of those in your community who might be interested.

• For more information about either event, please get in touch with Fr. Danny Santos at vocations@dol.ca. To register, visit our website at www.dolpriest.ca/registration.

Job Opportunity

Save A Family Plan (SAFP) is an international registered charity based at St. Peter’s Seminary in London, Ontario.  Since 1965, SAFP has partnered with families and communities in India to overcome conditions of extreme poverty.  SAFP is hiring a Program Assistant for its Family Development Program.  The temporary contract position will run from October 2, 2023 through January 31, 2024, with 21 hours per week.  The complete job posting is available at this link. The application deadline is September 21, 2023, at 4:00 pm.

REMINDERS

Truth and Reconciliation Fund Special Collection

On September 23 and 24, the Diocese of London will begin a new special collection for our Truth and Reconciliation Fund. The goal of the campaign is to help our local Indigenous communities heal from the traumas of the past, preserve and promote their culture and build for the future. More information is in a letter from Bishop Fabbro on the homepage at www.dol.ca. With your generous support we can make a difference.

Online Graduate Diploma in Catholic Studies at Assumption University 

Assumption University in Windsor’s graduate diploma allows students to study both classical and contemporary issues in Catholic studies. The diploma is considering a hiring asset by eight Catholic school boards in Ontario. In addition, the diploma has advanced standing pathways toward an M.Ed. at the University of Windsor and M.T.S. and M.Div. degrees at St. Peter’s Seminary. Students may take one course or the entire diploma. Auditing option available at discounted tuition rate. The Application Deadline is September 5, 2023, please complete the short application online at https://assumptionu.ca/diploma-in-catholic-studies/. 

Job OpportunitiesThe Diocese of London is seeking an Administrative Assistant – Clergy Personnel. The details are posted at www.dol.ca/employment.  

Faithcation Retreat 2023 “Priest, Prophet, King”This retreat is a time to rest, relax, and encounter Jesus as “Priest, Prophet and King”. When we truly experience the love, peace and joy of Christ, our lives are totally transformed. This retreat will be led by Fr. John Jasica and is open to the faithful from any parish in the diocese.  The weekend runs from 6:00 p.m. Friday, September 29 to 1:00 p.m. Sunday, October 1. Registration fee: $275 (includes two nights’ accommodation, meals, and retreat materials). Detailed info and registration available at this link.

Continuing Education in the Catholic Faith Courses at St. Peter’s Seminary are open for those interested to audit or take for credit. Unless otherwise indicated, courses are held in class. Courses offered on Tuesday evenings during the 2023 fall term include Theological Anthropology (5113A) with Dr. John Dool and Catechetics with Dr. Bernardine Ketelaars (5574A). Details related to these and other courses which may be of interest, class times, and instructors can be found at this link. For further information, please contact Dr. Bernardine Ketelaars by email at bgketela@uwo.ca or by phone at 519-646-7152.

17th Bishop’s Dinner for Windsor/EssexAfter a hiatus of three years, the Windsor/Essex Bishop’s Dinner returns to the Ciocaro Club, on October 26, 2023! You are cordially invited to gather together with Bishop Fabbro, the priests, deacons and lay ministers, and the faithful of our diocese. For individual tickets ($150) or tables of 8 ($975); or for sponsorship information, contact Frances Barnard at bishopsdinner@spseminary.ca. At this time, we are pleased to announce that, at the Dinner, we will celebrate the establishment of a new teaching chair at St. Peter’s Seminary, the Toldo Chair for the Advancement of Human Formation. In the days ahead, we will have more good news to share. Dinner proceeds will benefit St. Peter’s Seminary and Second Chance Ministry. A poster is available at this link and Windsor/Essex parishes are asked to keep this in your bulletins through August and September.

Retrouvaille has helped 175,000+ marriages worldwide improve their communication.

Only one marriage matters; Yours.

Let us help. Weekend August 11 – 13, 2023 HelpOurMarriage.org – retrouvaillelondonstthomas@gmail.com

Pilgrimage to Martyr’s Shrine

All are welcome to join the St. Josephine Bakhita African-Caribbean Catholic Community on a pilgrimage to Martyr’s Shrine in Midland on Saturday, August 19. The bus departs from Mary Immaculate Parish in London. All the details are on the flyer at this link, which can be used to promote this event in your parish.

Youth Ministry Soccer Tournament

The Youth, Young Adult & Family Ministry Office along with the Elgin Catholic Family of Parishes is coordinating a Youth Ministry Soccer Tournament this summer! We are hoping Families of Parishes can put together a team or two to gather together, play some amazing soccer, meet new friends, have some great food, and share faith. We are hoping you will consider participating in this event!

Here are the details:

Tournament Date: Saturday, August 5

Location of Tournament: Shedden Open Park (209210 Union Rd, Shedden, N0L 2E0)

Time: 9 AM until 6 PM (or earlier)

How many per team: 12 youth max

Divisions: When selecting your team, please be aware there are two divisions.

Junior Division – grades 4-6, Senior Division – grades 7- high school age

Cost: We are asking for a $100 registration fee- per team or $10 per person.

The deadline to register your team is Friday, July 21.

More information and registration is at: https://dol.ca/ym-soccer-tournament

Summer Diocesan Teen Retreat Experience- Save the Date

Help spread the word on this summer’s most amazing faith experience for teens. The Diocese’s new student hires Ebrahim Neamah and Angela Metron are working hard at creating a powerful, faith-filled, disciple-making and fun retreat weekend for all teens. The weekend retreat will be taking place Friday, August 11- Sunday, August 13 at Holy Family Retreat House in Oxley. Registration details will be posted next week. We ask you to consider approaching 2-3 teens from your Family of Parishes to attend this retreat. There will be a bus provided for those outside of the Windsor/ Essex and Chatham/ Kent Deaneries that want to attend if transportation is an issue. Please contact Christine Coyle at ccoyle@dol.ca for more information.

Catholic Faith Fest

It is time to celebrate as a big Catholic Family! This year this first Catholic Faith Fest will be in the Windsor/Essex area on Saturday, August 19 at Good Shepherd Parish. The evening will begin with Mass at 5:00 p.m. followed by a Food Truck Extravaganza, Games, Live Entertainment, a Family Dance under the stars, and a Fireworks Display. The evening is open to everyone in our huge Diocese. All ages are welcome. More details in the coming weeks. Please contact either Christine Coyle (ccoyle@dol.ca), Chris Laforet (claforet@dol.ca), or Christa Mailloux (cmailloux@dol.ca) if you have any questions.

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. 

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.