To all our “beloved” of St. Philip Neri Parish, 

Greetings and blessings to you and all your family – “Yes Lord, we have come to believe that you have made us to ‘live as a family’. We need one another – to love one another, to forgive one another, to celebrate each other. These are our hopes and ideals; help us to attain them.  We ask this in Jesus’ name … Amen.

Jesus said: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come, not to abolish, but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17)

The story of Martha and Mary is often interpreted as the spiritual struggle between contemplation and action/service. For most of us, we too can struggle – am I a Martha (always busy and the perennial care-giver)? Or am I Mary (passive and seemingly indifferent to hospitality and kitchen preparations)? Yet, we read that “Mary has chosen the better part.” What can we make of this?

Allow me to present another “moral of the story” – because there is much more to this story and these two sisters than we may think. It is centred around the “role of women” in the life of Jesus, and a new and significant role Jesus offers to women, contrary to Jewish tradition and culture.

Martha is the one who “went to meet him, while Mary stayed at home” (John 11:20). She is presented as the type of character who can’t sit still, is “worried and distracted by many things” (Luke 10:41). Both Martha and Mary are grieving over the death of their brother Lazarus. Martha speaks her mind to Jesus, saying “Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died.” And then, once in the house, again she complains and rags on her sister, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me!”

She not only speaks “out of turn” (as a woman), but also extends her role as the one who “should be in the kitchen”.

Now listen, this is the same woman who makes a stunning profession of faith – equal to that of St. Peter who responds to Jesus’ question at Caesarea Philippi: “You are the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” Martha too acknowledges Jesus as “the Resurrection and the Life, that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the One coming into the world”. Jesus presents Martha as “a woman of faith”, equal to the men, called to discipleship and a deep relationship to the Father. Jesus presents Martha as proclaiming the same words, the same faith as Peter, thereby becoming his female counterpart and co-founder of the faith.

Mary is presented as the one who has “chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her”. (Luke 10:42) Given the customs and cultural norms at that time, there was a clear and decisive separation of the men and the women. The women were confined to the kitchen and the back rooms of the house. Men were privileged to gather in the living room – the place of honour. However, in this story, Mary is crossing boundaries. She boldly greets Jesus “in the living room”, sitting at his feet. To “sit at the feet of the Master” was the customary gesture of one wishing to be a student of the Master (a privilege available only to the boys/men).

Mary obviously ignored these cultural expectations and presented herself as a disciple, assuming equality with men. Jesus not only allowed this to happen, but he also praised and affirmed Mary’s presence – once more giving the Jewish laws and customs a new perspective. Again, it is part of Jesus’ mission to “bring the laws and the prophets to fulfillment”.

Everyone is welcome “at the feet of the Master” – to be his disciple. All are welcome, with an openness to all, mutual respect, acceptance and equality … working and living to build the Kingdom of God.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

May the Lord let his face shine upon you, and you family.

May the Lord look on you and fill you with his Peace.

May we continue to pray with and for one another:

Where you go, go with God. Whenever you go, go make a difference.

Praise be Jesus Christ … and Mary Immaculate

St. Philip Neri … pray for us

St. Eugene de Mazenod … pray for us

St. Kateri Tekakwitha … pray for us

 Fr. Mike

A Prayer for Ukraine

God of peace and justice, we pray for the people of Ukraine today. We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons. We pray for all those who fear for tomorrow, that your spirit of comfort would draw near to them. We pray for those with power over war or peace, for wisdom, discernment and compassion to guide their decisions. Above all, we pray for all your precious children at risk and in fear that you would hold and protect them. We pray in the name of Jesus the Prince of Peace. Amen.

Hi Everyone!

My goodness but this summer is flying by!  We are already saying goodbye to July and heading into the August 1 Saskatchewan Day Long Weekend!  Slow down, Summer, so that I can savour every single remaining day of my favourite season! The beautiful, sunny weather is set to continue as we flip the calendar over to August - but as you know, we always need to keep one eye on the skies, as who knows what these hot temperatures can cook up - right out of the blue!   

Okay let's see what's new since we chatted last:  

• As Fr. Ken is due to return from his July vacation next week, it will then be Fr. Mike's turn to take HIS well-earned vacation, for the month of August.  May God bless and protect them both, so that they may travel safely and come home to us rested and rejuventated!  

• The Parish Office will be closed this Monday, August 1, for the Saskatchewan Day Holiday.  Please also note that there will be NO Morning Mass on the this Holiday Monday.  More details are below.
• Below you will find a current "Statement of Operations for St. Philip Neri Parish.  I wish it was better news.  Please see all the details below, in grey.
• No surprise - Nellie's beautiful hand-made denim beach blankets are all sold out!  Thanks for your support of Nellie and our CWL!  
• Check out the Bishop Mark and team running in the Canadian Death Race this weekend in the Rockies!  For more info, and how to donate to this fund-raising effort, see all the details just below.
• The First Nations University of Canada, in partnership with RBC, is providing all of us with the opportunity to take their online "4 Seasons of Reconciliation" course - FREE - until the end of August!  See all the details below - and if interested, enrol ASAP!  
• Our Refugee Committee, as well as the CWL Clothing Depot, continue to look for some other much-needed household items.  Please see the details below to see how you can help them out with items that you no longer need.    
• The next Bereavement Support gathering will take place on Tuesday, August 16.  Please scroll down for more details.  
• Development and Peace has launched an appeal for the hunger crisis in sub-Sahara Africa.  Please see all the details, and how you can help, below.
• St. Mary Parish is having a big Garage Sale on Friday, August. 19 and Saturday, August 20!  They are looking for donations of all sorts of items, and they are also inviting you to come and find some great bargains!  Check out all the details below.  
• Freedom Fridays will continue to run through the month of August! Come out and join us - to visit with old friends or meet new ones!  It's a great way to wind down the work week with some great food and wonderful conversation with fellow parishioners - every Friday from 4 - 6 pm. Just bring some munchies, appies, or a simple dessert and meet us in the Welcome Area (or outdoor Parish Grotto if the weather is nice)!  
• The Office of Restorative Ministry is looking for donations of children's pajamas, children's books and backpacks.  Scroll way down to see all the details.  
• A reminder to check out all the wonderful faith-building pilgrimages that folks from all across SK are invited to participate in.  Scroll down below to check out the next ones, taking place in the month of August.
• Have you ever thought about walking the Camino Trail? If you'd like to find out more about this amazing experience, scroll way down below to see how you might make this a reality!  
• Don't forget!  Coming up on August 6-7 is the Prairie Knights Music Festival, in support of the Blackstrap Youth Camp. This sounds like a great time!  Check out all the details below and start planning to attend!   

Have a wonderful LONG weekend, everyone!  Safe travels and play safe if you are hitting the road on vacation somewhere or, if you're staying put, enjoy all the wonderful things that our great city offers us during these awesome days of summer!  Oh - and of course it's GO RIDERS - we have some tough games ahead against some strong western teams, but at least we are slowly getting our starters back out on the field!  

Hot Summer Long Weekend Blessings,

Marlene

Parish Office Closed AND NO Mass

Monday, August 1 - Sask. Day

The Parish Office will be closed all day for the Saskatchewan Day holiday on Mon. Aug. 1.  There will also be NO Morning Mass, on that day, but Morning Masses will resume on Tuesday, August 2, as usual, at 8:30 am.  

Vocation Reflection

Whose will they be?

In this Sunday’s Gospel, we hear of a man who seems to be doing pretty well in life. Things are going his way. His land is producing abundantly. He’s got the means to hang on to his goods and either use them now or store them up for future use. And he’s got enough to be able to kick back a little, and “relax, eat, drink, and be merry.” But Jesus calls him a fool.

Wait, what?

I mean, come on… this sounds pretty good to me. (Doesn’t this kind of security appeal to all of us?) Sure, God could show up any minute and say to any one of us, “This very night your life is being demanded of you.” But in the meantime, there’s stability, self-sufficiency, and plans for the future. What’s so foolish about that?

Maybe fool isn’t quite the right word here. We often equate that word with stupid, but it’s clear that the man isn’t stupid. In fact, he’s pretty savvy, if you ask me. This is less about being foolish than it is about being self-absorbed. His land has yielded in plenty, but he hasn’t expressed any gratitude to God, or to the people who have helped him plant and harvest his bumper crop. He has enough goods and produce in storage to meet his own needs – far more than he can use, actually – but he shows no inclination to share it with others. And he doesn’t appear to have given any thought to what God might be asking him to do with it all.

It's easy to keep this at a superficial level, and take this parable as a reminder to share our material wealth with others. But Jesus is all about ‘next level’ thinking. This is about more than being rich. Jesus is telling us to look at our priorities.

How do we invest our God-given gifts and abilities? Do we keep our means to listen, to serve, to evangelize tucked away? Do we store up our treasures of time and talent for our own use? Do our stability, self-sufficiency, and plans for the future involve anybody else? “The things you have prepared, whose will they be?”

Christ reminds us that we don’t live only for ourselves. We are called to a realignment, a life oriented toward God and to others. We are here not to build bigger barns, but rather to prop the barn doors wide open and share the treasures within.

By Darcie Lich

Vocation Team – Oblate Associate

(306) 220-0527

dlich@sasktel.net

Nellie's Famous Denim Picnic Blankets - All Sold Out!

Thanks to everyone who supported Nellie and our CWL with the purchase of one of her super-cool denim picnic blankets!  I told you that they would sell out fast!  You are sure to get many years of fun use of these great blankets, in the park, backyard or beach. I know I sure love mine!  

Thanks again, Nellie, for all your dedicated work in creating these awesome blankets for us to enjoy!  

Leading Through Action!

Sat. July 30 & Sun. July 31

Leading through Action: Support Bishop Mark Hagemoen and team members and brothers Luc, Jerome and Dominic Montpetit, along with their brother-in-law Jacob Powell, as the four brothers and the bishop push themselves and raise funds for the Catholic TRC Healing Response as a relay team July 30-31 in the “Canadian Death Race.” The race website describes the challenge: “The 118-km course begins and ends on a 4200-foot plateau, passes over three mountain summits, and not only includes over 17,000 feet of elevation change but a major river crossing at the spectacular Hell's Gate canyon at the confluence of the Smoky and Sulphur Rivers. Each year, extreme athletes push themselves to the limits of their endurance against the breathtaking background of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.” 

Donate in support of the “Four Bros and a Bishop” fund-raising effort by visiting the Diocese of Saskatoon Catholic Foundation website: https://dscf.ca/annual-bishops-race/ or send a cheque to the Diocese of Saskatoon Catholic Foundation, 123 Nelson Road, Saskatoon, SK, S7S 1H1 (put “Bishop’s Run for TRC” in the memo line.

Attention all Card Players!

Beginning Wed. Sept. 7

Great news!  Just to give you an early heads-up, the Golden Age Group at St. Philip Neri is starting up their card-playing afternoons once again this fall, begining on Wed. Sept. 7!  We play on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, in the Welcome Area of the church, beginning at 1:30 pm and finishing up around 3:30 - 4:00 pm.  The cost is $2 per day, which includes lots of delicious snacks, refreshments, socializing and fun!  We welcome back all our regular players and happily welcome any new players to join us!  For more information, please call the president, Slyvia Godbout, at (306) 374-9085.  See you on Wed. Sept. 7 at 1:30 pm!  

We keep in our prayers ...

• Evan Calyniuk and Natasha Kopas who celebrated the Sacrament of Marriage here this past weekend, on July 23.  May they enjoy many blessed and fruitful years together!

• Katherine and Margaret Enzlin, children of Hillary and Brendon, celebrated the Sacrament of Baptism and we look forward to walking with them as they journey to grow closer to Christ!

Online "Reconciliation" Course

Everyone is invited to take an online "Reconciliation Education" Course entitled "4 Seasons of Reconciliation" to help us to improve our knowledge and understanding of Canadian history and do our part in the process of reconciliation with our Indigenous brothers and sisters.

The course is offered by the First Nations University of Canada (FNU) and because of the partnership with the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), it is FREE until the end of August, 2022 - so don't delay!  Beginning in September, there will be a fee to take this very valuable course.  

The course is approximately three hours long and can be done at one’s own pace. It is divided into short modules with information, video clips, and short quizzes. At the end, there is a short final quiz, and a lovely ‘Certificate of Completion’ is awarded to the participants.

Information and registration can be accessed by clicking on the button below:  

St. Philip Neri Refugee Committee's Ongoing Needs

The Refugee Committee is looking for two more bikes - one ladies bike and one men's bike - and they continue to need of a wide variety of furniture and household items to replenish their stock for incoming refugee families. They are running low of almost everything!  If you have some items that you are ready to pass on to help others in need, please call Denise DeBrau, at (306) 291-1675, as soon as possible, and she will happily arrange for pick-up!  Thank you to those who have continually been dropping off smaller household items here in the Parish Office - your kindness and generosity will be so appreciated by our new familiies!

St. Philip Neri Parish Bereavement Support

Tuesday August 16, 1-3 pm

Please know that there is support offered here at the Parish. If you would like a place to gather and talk with others who have lost a spouse, please come out to our next gathering on Tuesday, August 16, from 1 to 3 pm, here in the church's Sunroom. We look forward to walking with you in faith! No registration fee or sign up are required. Please just feel comfortable in coming to join us. If you wish to contact us, please call Deb or Shirley at the Parish.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

Every Monday evening (except for long weekends), from 6 pm to 10 pm, and also every second Thursday of the month, from 9 am to 6 pm, people are invited to pray with the Blessed Sacrament in the main area of the church. 

The upcoming Adoration schedule: 

• Monday evenings, Aug. 8, 15, 22, and 29, from 6 pm-10 pm 
• The next full day Adoration will be on Thursday, Aug. 11, from 9 am - 6 pm.

Sub-Saharan Africa Hunger Crisis

Development and Peace/Caritas Canada has launched an appeal for the hunger crisis in sub-Saharan Africa. The combined effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, droughts, floods, civil conflicts, political instabilities and the food shortages now caused by the war in Ukraine have left 50 million people “teetering on the edge of famine. As members of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Development and Peace has joined the Humanitarian Coalition’s Hunger Crisis appeal. 

To donate online go to: https://www.devp.org/en/ or mail a cheque to Development and Peace/Caritas Canada, 1425 René-Lévesque Blvd West, 3rd Floor Montréal, Québec Canada, H3G 1T7; or call toll free: 1-888-234-8533.

For more information, please click on the button below:

St. Mary Parish Garage Sale!

August 19 & 20

The St. Mary Parish Community Garage Sale will be held on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 19 & 20 at St. Mary Parish Hall, located on the corner of 20th Street West and Avenue O South. The Parish is seeking donations of clean saleable household items, such as clothing, books, toys, collectibles, kitchen wares, small electrical appliances, camping gear, garden tools, etc. Donated items may be dropped off at the Parish Hall beginning in August – please call the Parish Office for more information or to inquire about pick-up, at: (306) 244-2983. 

All are invited to attend the sale at the Parish Hall on Aug. 19 & 20, from 8 am to 4 pm, to find all sorts of bargains!  There will also be a lunchtime barbecue!  We hope to see you there!

Office of Restorative Ministry

Children's Items Needed

Donations of new children’s pajamas, children’s story books and back packs - As part of a project to help fathers in prison improve parenting skills and stay connected to their families, the Office of Restorative Ministry in the diocese of Saskatoon is participating in a project to record men reading bedtime stories to send to their children. The diocesan office is seeking donations of short children’s story books and new pajamas sizes 4 to 12, to accompany the recorded bedtime stories, as well as small child backpacks to carry everything for delivery to the children. (*Please note larger sizes of pyjamas – 10-12 are especially needed.) Monetary donations to purchase the supplies for the project are also welcome. Please drop off any donations at the Catholic Pastoral Centre, 2nd floor of the Cathedral of the Holy Family 123 Nelson Road, Saskatoon, during regular hours of 9 am to noon  and 1 pm to 4:30 pm weekdays (closed over noon hour), or contact Dianne Anderson (306) 659-5845 for more information.

Summer Pilgrimages - for AUGUST

August 14-15 and August 11-15

There are always a number of wonderful pilgrimages held around Saskatchewan during the summer months.  Here are two more that you are invited to take part in, during the month of August.   

* Rama Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes at St. Anthony Church, Rama, SK, will be held Aug. 14-15 to mark the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Find information at www.Ramashrine.ca

Wednesday, August 14 - Vigil of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

• 3:00 pm - Chaplet of Divine Mercy
• 3:15 pm - Stations of the Cross
• 4:30 pm - Supper (book by Aug. 2 at 306-593-6120)
• 6:00 pm – Marian hymns
• 6:00 pm- 7:45 pm – Individual confessions
• 8:00 pm - Mass with Archbishop Don Bolen

Thursday, August 15 - Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

• 8:30 am - Morning devotional prayers to Mary in Polish
• 9:00 am - Mass in Polish
• 10:00 am - Divine Liturgy in the Byzantine Rite
• 11:30 a.m. - Mass with anointing of the sick, Blessing for plenary indulgence

* St. Philomena Walking Pilgrimage 2022 - The 4th Annual St. Philomena Walking Pilgrimage is scheduled for Aug. 11 - 14. This is a supported walk; rest stops and meals are provided and a trailer carries camping supplies between nightly stops. Pilgrims are invited to join in all of the walk, a few steps, anything in between. Registration deadline is Aug 4. The pilgrimage starts at St. Mary Parish in Yorkton on Aug. 11, and it ends at Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine at Rama on Aug. 14. For more information and to see about changes for this year, visit the website at www.stphilomena.ca/, which includes a link to a video about the event (also on YouTube at https://youtu.be/gnzGV2zcN0A ) or telephone Dave or Bev at (306) 728-5525.

Catholic Saskatoon NEWS

Our Diocese has an online news portal featuring local, national and international Catholic news. Go to “Catholic Saskatoon News” at https://news.rcdos.ca to check out the latest coverage, or to sign up to receive headline updates via e-mail. The Diocese also has a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/saskatoonrcdiocese and can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SaskatoonCath.

CWL Clothing Depot - Ongoing Needs

CWL Clothing Depot continues to depend on donations, including: cutlery, towels, blankets, pots and pans and small appliances in good working condition. Donations may be dropped off Monday to Friday from 10 AM to 2 PM at the alley entrance of the Clothing Depot, which is located at 619 20th Street W.  Thank you for your continued support!

Filipino Catholic Community of Saskatoon

Next Monthly Mass - Sun. August 21

The Filipino Catholic Community of Saskatoon gathers on the third Sunday of every month to celebrate Mass at St. Paul Co-Cathedral, 720 Spadina Cr. E., with the next celebration to be held on Sunday, August 21, at 5:00 pm. The Filipino Catholic community also holds a weekly Novena in English every Friday at 5:30 pm at. St. Paul Co-Cathedral. Everyone is welcome. 

Future dates for Sunday 5:00 pm Masses at the Co-Cathedral are:  Sept. 18, Oct. 16, Nov.20, and Dec. 18.   

Grow Hope Saskatchewan

Bruno Cherry Festival!

Grow Hope Saskatchewan invites you to come out for their 2022 Field Day at the Bruno Cherry Festival on Aug. 7! Starting at 9:00 am and continuing throughout the day, there will be a booth set up to celebrate our growing season and provide opportunities to learn more about the work being done by our collective agencies abroad. In addition, there will be an opportunity to meet one of our farming families in the Bruno area and tour acres of land donated to help feed those in need around the world. Come out for all the fun of the Bruno Cherry festival and witness the solidarity of farmers, staff, volunteers, and donors teaming up to help raise money for hungry people in the Global South!

Grow Hope Saskatchewan is again bringing together donors and farmers to feed the hungry! Saskatchewan urban and rural residents will again come together to support Canadian Foodgrains Bank in supporting people around the world who need emergency food assistance, as well as improving long-term food security. How it works: Generous farmers in Saskatchewan have donated land and agreed to grow a crop for Grow Hope Saskatchewan. It costs about $350 per acre to provide seed, fertilizer, fuel and other inputs. Donors from all walks of life are invited to sponsor a partial acre, full acre or multiple acres to help cover these input costs. After harvest, the farmers sell that crop and donate the proceeds to Canadian Foodgrains Bank. The federal government matches these donations at four-to-one. Find more information and/or sponsor this year’s growing effort at the Grow Hope Saskatchewan website: www.growhopesk.ca

NOTE: Development and Peace/Caritas Canada is one of the partner agencies in this project. Catholics can write a cheque to “Development and Peace” ear-marked for “Grow Hope Saskatchewan” in the memo line and mail it to: Development & Peace/Caritas Canada, 1425 René-Lévesque Blvd West, 3rd Floor, Montreal QC. H3G 1T7 or call (416)922-1592 (Ext. 225), to donate by phone.

Prairie Knights Music Festival

August 6-7

Prairie Knights Music Festival in support of Blackstrap Youth Camp August 6-7 -- is two days of amazing Canadian bluegrass, country, rock, surf and gospel musicians -- at the Knights of Columbus Youth Camp at Blackstrap Lake, 42 km south of Saskatoon, adjacent to Blackstrap Provincial Park. Free on-site camping for RVs and tents. Event includes beer gardens, food venues, kids’ activities, car show, Sunday Mass and much more. Bring your lawn chairs. Daily passes: $55, weekend passes $99; kids, 12 and under are free. To get your tickets visit: https://prairieknightsfestival.ca/

Catholic TRC Healing Response

Bishop Mark Hagemoen announced earlier this year a Diocesan five-year goal of $1.25 million to support healing and reconciliation initiatives for residential school survivors and their communities. The Diocesan commitment will be part of a national $30-million pledge announced by the Catholic Bishops of Canada, following their apology to the Indigenous Peoples of this land. To see Bishop Hagemoen’s message, learn more, and/or to make a gift, please click on the button below:

St. Philip Neri Masses are live-streamed, every Saturday at 5 pm and every Sunday at 9:30 am

 If you aren’t able to attend Mass in person, you may watch it LIVE on YouTube.

To find us on YouTube, click on St Philip Neri YouTube Channel or go to our website, stphilipneriparish.ca and get to our channel from there.

NOTE:  If you are hard of hearing or would like to have the Live-Streamed Services "with text", please click the “cc”/ “Closed Caption” icon/button at the bottom right on your computer screen, below the live-streamed service.  You will be able to see the words of the speaker!

We have left past Masses up on our channel for you to watch, or you can tune in to our next upcoming LIVE Masses on the dates and times below:

Upcoming Live-Streams: 

Saturday, July 30 - 5:00 pm (Fr. MIke)

Saturday, August 6 - 5:00 pm (Fr. Ken)

Weekly Diocesan Bulletin

Get the latest fall news from around the Saskatoon Diocese!

Find out what's going on around the Diocese, including upcoming events, new learning opportunities to help you grow in your faith,  and other interesting information and announcements.

Note:  There will be one Diocesan Bulletin for the month of July, and a new one for the month of August.  Check out the new August edition below!