Slovenska župnija sv. Gregorija Velikega | St. Gregory the Great Slovenian Church 8/56 Številka - Number / Leto - Year 23. 2. 2020 7. Nedelja MED LETOM 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time Fr. Drago Gačnik, sdb župnik - pastor Naslov - Address 125 Centennial Pkwy N. Hamilton, ON L8E 1H8 Phone: 905-561-5971 Cell: 905-520-2014 E-mail gregory_sdb@ stgregoryhamilton.ca Web page www.carantha.com Hall rentals Cell: 905-518-6159 E-mail hallrental@ stgregoryhamilton.ca »Bodite sveti, kajti jaz, Gospod, vaš Bog, sem svet!« Božja beseda nas na današnjo nedeljo želi opozoriti na prvo zapoved v krščanstvu, na ljubezen. Res velikokrat govorimo o tej kreposti, tako da morda že ne slišimo več prav njenega močnega zvena. Še slabše je, če poslušamo besedo »ljubezen«, uporabljeno v tolikih pomenih, ki iz ljubezni delajo prav njeno nasprotje - sebičnost. Zato prisluhnimo božji besedi iz stare in nove zaveze o ljubezni, kakor si jo zamišlja Bog in kakršno nam z dejanji in besedami oznanja Kristus. Že v odlomku prvega berila slišimo nenavadno božjo zahtevo: »Bodite sveti, kajti jaz, Gospod, vaš Bog, sem svet!« Neskončno popolno ali sveto bitje Bog zahteva naj se trudimo z vsemi močmi, da bi mu postajali vedno bolj podobni, čeprav bo ta podobnost vedno neskončno daleč od samega vzora - Boga. A svetost Boga se da najbolje izreči prav z besedo »ljubezen«: Bog je ljubezen. Zato tudi od nas zahteva, da smo bitja ljubezni: »Ne sovraži brata v svojem srcu..., ne bodi maščevalen in zamerljiv..., ampak ljubi svojega bližnjega..., kakor sam sebe!« Preseneča spoznanje, da ta vzor ljubezni do bližnjega, ki naj bi bila enaka ljubezni do sebe, najdemo že v stari zavezi. Vendar ne smemo spregledati, da je bila v tem obdobju ta zapoved zožena v krog izvoljenega ljudstva, kjer je bil »brat« ali »bližnji« vedno Izraelec. Ljubezen do bližnjega, ki naj bi se merila po ljubezni do sebe, nam skuša osvetliti sv. Pavel v 2. berilu, ko nas opozarja: »Ali ne veste, da ste božji tempelj in da božji duh prebiva v vas?« Ustvarjeni smo po božji podobi, Bog v nas prebiva in smo zato nekakšen »božji tempelj«. A le-ta je, pravi apostol, »svet«, in dodaja, »taki ste vi«. To je podobna misel tisti iz stare zaveze. Človek je sveto ali posvečeno bitje, zato mora tudi njegovo ravnanje biti sveto, posvečeno. Zato naj Kristusov človek, kristjan, išče božjo ali Kristusovo modrost in se ne da zapeljati navidezni modrosti, ki je v resnici nespamet. Tako imenovana posvetna modrost, je po apostolovih besedah »nespamet«. Zato duhovito pravi: »Če misli kdo med vami, da je moder na tem svetu, naj postane nespameten, da bo moder.« Naj torej misli drugače, kot to delajo ljudje, ki jim ni mar božja modrost. Božji tempelj pa ni samo vsak posamezen kristjan, ampak tudi VESTNI K 2020 | vsa cerkvena skupnost, ki jo je treba graditi, ne pa kakorkoli rušiti. Pavlova beseda se zdi kar precej trda: »Če kdo pokončava tempelj, njega bo Bog končal.« Ko razmišljamo o ljubezni do bližnjega, moramo vključiti tudi ljubezen do občestev brez katerih ni urejenega človeka oziroma kristjana. Ob koncu odlomka sv. Pavel kaže na Kristusa, h kateremu smo vsi usmerjeni. Med seboj smo le bratje in sestre:» Vse je vaše, naj bo Pavel Pavel ali Apolo ali Kefa ali svet ali življenje ali smrt ali sedanje ali prihodnje, vi pa Kristusovi, Kristus pa božji.« Kakšna močna, a zdrava samozavest veje iz teh besed! Največji učitelj resnične ljubezni do Boga in do človeka pa je Jezus Kristus. V evangeliju ga slišimo, kako popravlja stare poglede na medčloveške odnose, ki so bili omejeni na izvoljeno ljudstvo. Do sovražnih ljudi pa so bili neusmiljeni. »Slišali ste,« pravi Jezus, »da je bilo rečeno: Oko za oko in zob za zob. Jaz pa vam pravim, da se hudobnežu ne upirajte.« S tem Jezus pravi, da ne smemo takoj osebno udarjati nazaj. Stvar je treba umiriti, premisliti, pretehtati in seveda tudi odpustiti. Sicer udarcev »oko za oko« ne bo konec. V tem pomenu moramo razumeti tudi Jezusove nenavadne besede: »Ako te kdo bije po desnem licu, mu nastavi še drugo.« Tudi sam ni nastavil drugega lica, ko ga je pred velikim duhovnikom udaril hlapec, češ ali tako odgovarjaš velikemu duhovniku. Pač pa je Jezus odgovoril: »Če sem napak govoril, spričaj, da napak, če pa prav, kaj me biješ?« (Jn 18,23). Staro mnenje, ki ga Jezus omenja: »Ljubi svojega bližnjega in sovraži svojega sovražnika,« ni nikjer v stari zavezi napisano. So pa tako učili in delali. Jezus tako gledanje popravi: »Jaz pa vam pravim: Ljubite svoje sovražnike in molite za tiste, ki vas preganjajo!« to je gotovo najtežja zapoved in naloga. Kot razlog za tako držo Jezus navaja držo nebeškega Očeta, ki je dober do vseh, »ki veleva svojemu soncu, da vzhaja nad hudobnimi in dobrimi«. Zato lahko zaključi: »Bodite popolni, kakor je popoln vaš nebeški Oče!« (Prim. Oznanjevalec 1987) - 7TH Sunday in Ordinary Time Response: The Lord is merciful and gracious! First Reading Leviticus 19:1-2. 17-18 The Lord commissions his people to imitate him in holiness, and shows that love is the heart of both divine and human law. Second Reading 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 The heart of St Paul's teaching is the indwelling of the Trinity within us. Here he uses the illustration of our bodies being temples of the Holy Spirit. Gospel Matthew 5:38-48 Jesus renews the call to holiness and shows some of the practical applications necessary. "Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy". c ; ; o^qj ;> Illustration In our digital, computerised age, we may be accustomed to the verb "to configure". It means we have to arrange our new computer, or laptop, or smartphone according to a certain operating system, or network or platform. When we download a new application we have to configure it to our particular device. This configuration allows all the elements involved to run smoothly, to function optimally. This configuration also works when we learn to excel at a particular sport, or craft, or any sort of work we take pride in. Carpenters, for example, have to spend many hours learning their trade, practising their techniques, so they can produce useful and beautiful work. Teachers have to study and practise in order to become good communicators and administrators. Athletes have to practise to hone their 82 I VESTNI K 2020 technique, to strengthen their mind and body, so they can win the prize. All this is a sort of configuration; they are all adapting themselves to the task in hand, realising their potential and desiring to do well. In a certain way they become the thing they are doing. They are configured to the job or task they dedicate themselves to. In the Old Testament the Law and the liturgy were the ways that God gave to God's people, so they could be configured to the divine life. The goal of their lives was to become holy, as God is holy. The Ten Commandments were the moral basis and the liturgy the means of sharing in the holiness of God. Gospel Teaching Jesus restates this goal of being holy in his teaching, "You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect." In other, words, we are called to be configured to the divine life, the eternal love that is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus also gives practical teaching about how to achieve this: love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you, break the vicious circle of violence by not striking back violently. Our goodwill and our acts of love cannot be just for those we know and love but should embrace everyone, just as God creates and sustains all that there is. This can appear to be an impossible goal. With all of the malice and violence in the world, how can we hope to achieve this perfection? Certainly, left to our own devices, it would be impossible. But God gives us the necessary help to configure us to the divine life. In his first letter to the Corinthians, St Paul explains that we are temples of the Holy Spirit. This not just a pious image; it is the basic reality of our Christian life. When we live in a state of friendship with God, the Holy Spirit dwells within us, to adapt us to the supernatural life that is the life of God. It is not forced on us from outside but is an internal configuration, to help us to become holy, to help us become perfect. Application In order to be configured more completely to God's life we need to grow in friendship with God and allow the Holy Spirit to work within us. In the sacrament of confirmation we receive the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. If the virtues of faith, hope and charity are the operating system that configures us at a profound level to God, the Spirit's gifts are like applications that help us respond to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in specific areas of our lives. For example, the gift of wisdom helps our mind to be configured to the reality that is the life of the Blessed Trinity. The gift of understanding helps us see the world as God sees it. The gift of counsel helps us judge individual actions and situations in the light of the Gospel, and to help others do so too. The gift of fortitude helps us face and overcome the many difficulties that come our way. So to become perfect, to be configured more closely to God, to function in the best way in our life, we have the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We can ask for a greater awareness of the supernatural life which moves in us, and for a greater use of the Spirit's gifts. Receiving Jesus frequently in the Eucharist strengthens the divine life within us, helping us to be configured more closely to the source of all life, the eternal, personal love, which is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. VESTNIK 2020 | 83 Avoid Procrastination_ By Fr. Steve Ryan, SDB There is only one way to get hard things done and over with. There is only one way to tackle difficult relationships. There is only one way to say what has been waiting to be said for too long. There is only one way to make the changes necessary to keep moving forward. There is only one way to get out of a rut and be free from the sins that keep us enslaved. There is only one way to make each and every day a productive day and a holy day. And that is... to DO IT NOW. Do it now! Do it now! Do it now! Procrastination is a bugger. The devil uses it as one of his main tools to stall us in spiritual apathy and keep us stuck in sin. Don't make it easy for him. He can't win because there is grace. Jesus left us the Holy Spirit to give us the energy to do hard things when we'd rather procrastinate. The Holy Spirit "fires up" our willpower to say what needs to be said and to do what needs to be done. Here is a good prayer by St. Josemaria Escriva. Tape it to the top of the mirror in your bathroom and say it daily: Come, O Holy Spirit! Enlighten my mind to know your commands; strengthen my heart against the snares of the enemy; inflame my will... I have heard your voice, and I don't want to harden myself and resist, saying "Later., tomorrow." Nunc coepi (NOW I begin!) in case there is no tomorrow for me. O Spirit of truth and wisdom, Spirit of understanding and counsel, Spirit of joy and peace, I want whatever you want. I want because you want. I want however you want. I want whenever you want. ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ The following poem was found in Br. Joe Tor-torici's belongings. I used it in his funeral homily last week: Never Mind Never mind what others think, never mind what others say, do the things you know are right, keep your head and go your way. Don't concern yourself with doubt, courage is a splendid guide, and when you do the thing that's right, then all of heaven is on your side. Never mind if what you do seems an effort made in vain, all the truly worthwhile things are done without a thought of gain. Never mind that when you've tried everything, and everything seems to have gone wrong, many discords have been struck before we hear the finished song. Life is hard, experience strange, courage is begot from fear; the good achievements live on and shine, while the easy triumphs disappear. - Author Unknown 84 I VESTNI K 2020 Remembering May 1945 - Slovenian Exodus ^^^ 75th Anniversary VESTNIK 2020 | 85 SLOVENSKI PARK - FAMILY DAY Sun Feb 16,2020 It was a beautiful sunny day to celebrate Family Day at Slovenski Park. Families gathered to experience the fresh outdoors and the cozy fireplace indoors. A tasty meal was enjoyed, balinca was played, crafts were created, marshmallows were toasted, family photos taken, and fun was had by all. The highlight, of course, was the Scavenger Hunt/Family Challenge. Seven teams competed beginning with the Chubby Bunny Game: filling your mouth with more and more marshmallows yet still being able to say "Chubby Bunny." The competition then moved outdoors to a Living Board Game. Teams rolled the dice to advance along the squares painted in the snow. Then the snowball challenge: biggest and heaviest and farthest thrown. And on to the Hunt: run to the ends of the park to get your list, collect pine cones, find animals, design faces on trees, locate hearts, and race back to the hall. So much fun was had by all. Congratulations to the first place winning family team, The Potsies. And in second place, team Bubas. A huge thank you to the member volunteers who tirelessly work to put on these great family events, from set-up to clean-up; from organization to execution, from labour of love to winning gratitude. And of course, thanks to all members and friends who continue to support Slovenski Park with your presence. Check the Calendar for our next event. sLOVEnski park: a tradition and a legacy! Mary Ann Demšar, Chairperson, Board of Directors, Slovenski Park 86 | VESTNIK 2020 VESTNIK 2020 j g? Pastirsko pismo slovenskih škofov za postni čas 2020 - prvi del 18. februar 2020 Kristjan je odgovoren državljan Dragi bratje in sestre! V evangeliju nam Jezus naroča, naj svojih dolžnosti ne izpolnjujemo samo na zunaj, ampak s srcem in prepričanjem. To nas bo vodilo k vedno večji zavzetosti in požrtvovalnosti. Ker letos mineva trideset let od prelomnega leta 1990, ko se je v Sloveniji zgodilo več dogodkov z zelo daljnosežnimi posledicami za naš narod in nastanek naše države, želimo spregovoriti o naših krščanskih dolžnostih do naroda in države, še posebej o naši dolžnosti domoljubja in odgovornosti za skupno dobro v naši domovini. Prve svobodne in demokratične volitve, demokratično izvoljena vlada in plebiscit so bili odločilni državotvorni dogodki, na katere ne smemo pozabiti. Že človek kot posameznik hote ali nehote živi iz tega, kar je doživljal v preteklosti. Podobno velja tudi za naše skupnosti. Družina ohranja spomine na rodove, ki so živeli poprej, enako velja za župnije, kraje in vasi. Cerkev živi iz zgodovine odrešenja, zato se vsako leto z različnimi praznovanji spominjamo enkratnih dogodkov, ki nas še danes zaznamujejo: Jezusovega rojstva ob božiču, njegove smrti in vstajenja ob veliki noči in prihoda Svetega Duha ob binkoštih. Podobno tudi narod ali država obuja spomine na svoje ustanovne dogodke. Tako krepimo svoj »zgodovinski spomin«, brez katerega ne bi mogli ostati zvesti temu, kar smo in za kar si bomo prizadevali tudi v prihodnosti. Pouk zgodovine, ki mora biti nepristranski, pošten in celovit, je pomembno sredstvo za vzgojo mladih rodov v njihovi identiteti, se pravi podobi, ki jo imajo o sebi in na katero so ponosni. Ko molimo rožni venec, prosimo, naj nam Jezus »utrdi spomin«. V Svetem pismu najdemo veliko naročil, naj ohranimo spomin na vse, kar je Bog storil za nas, in naj živimo iz hvaležnosti za to. Da pa ne bi ohranjali starih zamer ali »pogrevali« minulih napak, moramo spomin očistiti maščevalnosti ali celo sovraštva. Zato moramo v spominu ohranjati vse, kar je lepo in dobro, da nam bo tudi v prihodnosti dajalo poguma in poleta. »Spominjajte se čudovitih del, ki jih je (Gospod) storil, njegovih znamenj in sodb njegovih ust« (Ps 105,5). Vsaka sveta maša je spominsko obhajanje Jezusove življenjske daritve, s katero izpolnjujemo njegovo naročilo: »To delajte v moj spomin.« Bog nas je obdaril s spominom, da bi iz preteklosti živeli za prihodnost in ohranjali živo zavest, kdo smo, za kaj vse moramo biti hvaležni Bogu in katerim zavezam in obljubam moramo ostati zvesti. Med lepe spomine na dogodke izpred treh desetletij spada spomin na našo takratno zavzetost, družbeno odgovornost in enotnost večine prebivalcev Slovenije. Lotili smo se skoraj nemogočih in neverjetnih nalog osamosvojitve in demokratizacije. Uspešni smo bili, ker smo v to verjeli in bili enotni. Skoraj nihče ni stal ob strani, skoraj nihče ni rekel: »Kaj me briga!« Nihče tudi ni izključeval dru- 88 I VESTNI K 2020 gega. Celo Cerkvi ni takrat nihče očital, da se »vtika v politiko«. To je dragocena izkušnja, na katero ne bi smeli pozabiti. Če bi bili danes tako enotni in ne bi nikogar izključevali, bi po poti sodobnega in demokratičnega razvoja šli veliko hitreje naprej. Kakor smo se množično udeležili glasovanja na plebiscitu za samostojno Slovenijo, bi se morali enako množično udeleževati vseh poznejših volitev in referendumov ter odločneje izraziti voljo bolj prepričljive večine državljanov. Škofje želimo ob tem poudariti, da smo vsi skupaj in vsak posamezni državljan odgovorni za to, kar se dogaja v naši samostojni domovini. Kljub vsem pomanjkljivostim imamo demokratično državo, kjer se o prihodnosti odloča na volitvah. Le udeležba je pogosto nizka, kar pomeni, da je med nami preveč ljudi, ki rečejo: »Kaj me briga!« V Svetem pismu beremo o Kajnu, da je na Božje vprašanje, kje je njegov brat Abel, odgovoril: »Sem mar jaz varuh svojega brata?« (1 Mz 4,9). To je, kakor bi rekel: »Kaj me briga moj brat!« Takšna drža pa ni združljiva s krščansko zavestjo odgovornosti zase in za druge. Ljudje smo odgovorni na treh ravneh. Najprej smo odgovorni sami zase: za svoje življenje, zdravje in vsestransko izpopolnjevanje. Odgovorni smo za delo, ki ga opravljamo, in za osebno rast v krepostih, vrlinah in ne nazadnje tudi v veri. Zatem smo odgovorni za svoje bližnje: starši za otroke in otroci za ostarele in onemogle starše, za sorodnike, sosede in prijatelje, za to, da imamo z drugimi poštene in lepe odnose. Odgovorni smo za svojo župnijo in za njeno prihodnost, za krajevno skupnost in ne nazadnje za podjetje ali ustanovo, v kateri delamo. Toda to še ni vse. Premalo se zavedamo še tretje ravni odgovornosti, odgovornosti za celotno družbo in za razmere v državi, katere državljani smo. Predvsem smo odgovorni za to, kdo nam vlada, saj sta od oblasti v največji meri odvisni sreča in blaginja nas vseh. Sem sodi tudi odgovornost za naravno okolje, sredi katerega živimo. Tu se še posebej pokaže, koliko je kdo odgovoren za prihodnost nas vseh. Brezbrižno odmetavanje odpadkov, potratna poraba energije in razmetavanje hrane so skrb vzbujajoči pojavi naše neodgovornosti za skupno dobro. Kot kristjani sicer ne pristajamo na ideologije, ki pravijo, da med človekom in drugimi živimi bitji ni bistvene razlike. Ta razlika je, saj smo samo ljudje svobodna in odgovorna bitja s pravicami in dolžnostmi. A ravno to naše dostojanstvo nam narekuje odgovoren odnos do drugih živih bitij in do prihodnjih rodov, ki imajo pravico, da pridejo živet na Zemljo, kjer bo lepo živeti. Nemalokrat se upravičeno pritožujemo nad slabimi razmerami. Ni pa prav, če rečemo, da se ne da ničesar narediti, in ostanemo doma, ko pride trenutek volitev ali drugega glasovanja. Če bi pred tridesetimi leti tako ravnali, ne bi izpeljali vsega tistega, na kar smo danes ponosni. Zato so takratna zavzetost, pripravljenost na sodelovanje, zaupanje, optimizem in enotnost za nas dragocen opomin, ki nam pravi, da bi danes lahko bilo marsikaj bolje, kakor je, če bi z večjim žarom, dejavnostjo, odgovornostjo in enotnostjo nadaljevali našo skupno pot v demokratično Slovenijo. Tedaj bi tudi krščanska vera in Cerkev ne bili več izključevani. Tudi letošnje obletnice potrjujejo pravilnost besed, ki nam jih je na srce položil sv. Janez Pavel II., ko je mladim v Postojni zaklical: »Korajža velja!« Vaši škofje VESTNIK 2020 | 89 postna postava penitential discipline Cerkev za postni čas določa tudi posebne oblike spokornosti: Strogi post je na pepelnično sredo in na veliki petek. Ta dva dneva se le enkrat na dan do sitega najemo in se zdržimo mesnih jedi. Strogi post veže od izpolnjenega 18. leta do začetka 60. leta. Samo zdržek od mesnih jedi je na vse petke v letu. Zunaj postnega časa smemo zdržek od mesnih jedi zamenjati s kakim drugim dobrim delom pokore ali ljubezni do bližnjega. Zdržek od mesnih jedi veže vernike od izpolnjenega 14. leta. Kadar je praznik (cerkveni ali državni) na petek ali je kakšna slovesnost v družini (poroka, pogreb ...), post in zdržek odpadeta! Post in praznik Post je lahko čas, ki je več kot odpoved; lahko je čas praznovanja. Nekaterim stvarem se lahko odpo-vemo in praznujemo zaradi drugih. Posti se sojenja drugih; praznuj zaradi Kristusa, ki biva v njih. Posti se temnih misli; praznuj zaradi božje ozdravlja-joče moči. Posti se besed, ki onesna-žu-jejo; praznuj z besedami, ki dvigajo. Posti se nezadovoljstva; praznuj s hvaležnostjo. Posti se jeze; praznuj s po-trpežljivostjo. Posti se skrbi; praznuj zaradi božje previdnosti in skrbi zate. Posti se pritoževanja; praznuj s čudenjem. Posti se naglice in raztresenosti; praznuj z nepretrgano molitvijo. Posti se praznega govorjenja; praznuj s tišino. Posti se grenkobe; praznuj z odpuščanjem. Posti se obupa; praznuj z upanjem. Posti se skrbi zase, praznuj s sočutjem do drugih. Posti se naveličanosti; praznuj z navdušenjem Law of the Gospel: The Church wants emphasis to be given to the evangelical law that a follower of Christ must do penance. While the heart of penance is hatred for sin as an offence against God, external forms of penance are required to deepen and encourage the internal virtue. Fridays are days of abstinence from meat*, but Catholics may sub-stitute special acts of charity or piety on this day. * Christian fasting obtains its full meaning when we deprive ourselves of food in order to be more open to prayer, to share more in the suffering of those who are starving and to save money to give to the poor. Fasting is a penitential discipline intended to open our hearts to God and others, a means of purification and spiritual liberation, a witness of the depth of our faith. Lent has a penitential character. During Lent, penance is an important requirement of Christian life. Fulfillment of this duty involves prayer, works of piety and charity, and self-denial by fulfilling one's obligations more faithfully and especially by observing the pre-scribed fast and abstinence. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday in the Roman Rite, including Canada, are days of fasting* and of abstinence from meat**. ** The law of "abstinence from meat" binds those who are 14 and older; the law of "fasting" binds those from 18 to 59 years of age. Parents and educators are reminded of their duty to introduce children gradually to the understanding and practice of penance. The actions modeled by adults will be the greatest influence in this matter. Privileged forms of Penance are recommended, especially during Lent. These forms are privileged because they are based on the teaching of the Gospels (fasting, almsgiving, prayer, works of mercy) or because of their traditional value among the people of God (abstinence from meat). 90 I VESTNI K 2020 What is Ash Wednesday? Ash Wednesday is the day that Lent begins. The name comes from the fact that a particular rite is always celebrated on this Wednesday in which the faithful have ashes put on their foreheads. According to the Roman Missal: In the course of today's Mass, ashes are blessed and distributed. These are made from the olive branches or branches of other trees that were blessed the previous year [on Palm/Passion Sunday]. What does the putting on of ashes symbolize? The beginning of the forty days of penance is marked with the austere symbol of ashes which are used in the Liturgy of Ash Wednesday. The use of ashes is a survival from an ancient rite according to which converted sinners submitted themselves to canonical penance. The act of putting on ashes symbolizes fragility and mortality, and the need to be redeemed by the mercy of God. Far from being a merely external act, the Church has retained the use of ashes to symbolize that attitude of internal penance to which all the baptized are called during Lent. The faithful who come to receive ashes should be assisted in perceiving the implicit internal significance of this act, which disposes them towards conversion and renewed Easter commitment. The Roman Missal states that after the homily, the priest or deacon, blesses the ashes and sprinkles them with holy water. Then the priest places ashes on the head of all those present who come to him, - in the form of a cross on the forehead -and says to each one: Repent, and believe the Gospel. Or: Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Ash Wednesday is not a Holyday of Obligation, however, Ash Wednesday is a penitential day and it (together with Good Friday) is one of two days of the year on which fasting and abstinence are required. VESTNIK 2020 | 91 Da je pust »around the corner«, smo lahko opazili v soboto zjutraj v naši dvorani, saj so se na veliko cvrli krofi. Ekipa je zagrabila za delo in zlatorumeni krofi so prihajali kot po tekočem traku, poleg pa nasmejani obrazi, ki povedo vse. Hvala vam za požrtvovalnost. CWL - KZZ: BAZAAR 2020 CWL Bazaar - Save the date: Sunday, March 1st, 2020. Preparations for our BAZAAR are well underway. Blue lottery tickets continue to be sold. A book of 10 tickets for $5. Please return monies as soon as possible. We also ask for your support with the following: Lunch tickets: Prepayment of lunch tickets is required to reserve a seat. This will assist with planning in the kitchen and optimize delivery of service. Prepaid adult tickets (11 years and up) are $20. On the day of the bazaar these tickets will be $25. Please reserve a seat by Sun. Feb. 23rd. Tickets will be sold in the church foyer as of Sun. Feb. 9th. Contact person is Terezija Sarjas, 905560-1218. Penny Sale and Children's Centre: Donations are welcome. Please bring them to the upper church hall on Sat. Feb. 29th, in the morning. The Children's Centre is in need of new toys, games and stuffed animals. Baked Goods: We invite you to contribute your tasty baked goods to our pecivo tables. Please bring them in early the morning of our BAZAAR. A number of volunteers have been working diligently to prepare for our annual BAZAAR and we look forward to sharing an enjoyable time at this annual event with you, our parishioners and your families. Proceeds of our bazaar directly support our church and community. With heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for all of your contributions and support! Hvala za razumevanje in podporo! 92 I VESTNI K 2020 .st. č^regorij the č\rtat CWL Afu^ucal parish "B-azaar DONATIONS: to the pemA-y .sale rabie ofi^ew or crafted í-ten^s dr. -for the chi-tcti-eia-'s centre will loe graciously received Saturday w-erw-iw-g Feb 29 MK5t> ¿¡OOÏS.S: will be accepted early suw-elay moirw-íivg Muri PIEASE JOIN US FOR AN AFTERNOON OF FUN WITH FAMILY AN? FRIENPS! Sum Mar 1,2020 WE 100K FORWARD T0Y0URSUF IswiA- Mar i E>oor£ opeiA-5lt íi:00 aw,i vXArtv .Acri.vi.ty "ei^tre ■peci-vo .stmdel Wrofe J Noodles _tKTiMrD wim Teafflé Lottery pei^iA-y saU At the Door Adult $25 A imtv^CTT ' Child 5.10, M arch VESTNIK 2020 | 73 Obvestila - Announcements dogodki v bližnji prihodnosti_ ♦ 1. marec: CWL-KŽZ - Bazaar, Mass at 10:00 a.m. ♦ 1. marec: St. Joseph's Society - AGM at 11:00 a.m. ♦ 3. marec: Lipa park - Spring General Meeting -Election of New Executive ♦ 8. marec: Sava - Mass 12:00 noon ♦ 8. marec: London - Mass 4:00 p.m. ♦ 15. marec: Društvo sv. Jožefa, Mass 10:00 a.m., Banquet 12:00 noon. ♦ 22. marec: St. Gregory - AGM, Mass 10:00 a.m. ♦ 29. marec: St. Gregory - Confirmation, Mass 11:00 a.m. (only) ♦ 30. marec: SCCN Meeting - 7:00 p.m. at St. Gregory the Great gift bearers - DAROVE PRINAŠAJO_ ♦ 23. feb. 9:30 a.m.: Sue in Zdravko Augustin ♦ 1. mar. 10:00 a.m.: Confirmation candidates ♦ 8. mar. 9:30 a.m.: Ignac in Terezija Kolenko ♦ 15. mar.: 10:00 a.m.: Danny Demšar & Peter Novak ♦ 22. mar.: 10:00 a.m.: Parish Council ♦ 29. mar.: 11:00 a.m.: Confirmation candidates pevske vaje_ Pevske vaje za mešani pevski zbor so ob četrtkih po večerni maši, za angleški zbor pa v sredo po večerni maši. Slovenski zbor poje naslednjič v nedeljo 1. marca (CWL Bazaar Sunday), skupaj z angleškim zborom, ker je maša ob 10:00h. društvo sv. jožefa_ * St. Joseph's Society - 2020 membership - $15.- is now due. Please see Frank Novak -membership convener, for payment and new card. New members are welcome to join! * St. Joseph's Society Meeting - Annual meeting will be held on Sunday, March 1st after the 10:00 AM Mass at the Villa. Coffee & krofi will be served. We are looking for new Board members to put their names forward and join the Board. * Villa Slovenia Bingo is every Monday at 1:00 PM - Break up your dreary winter and join us! Also join your friends for our Tuesday social nights. * Annual St. Joseph's Banquet will be held on Sunday, March 15 th. More details to follow! Canadian Slovenian Historical Society On Sunday, April 19, 2020, the Canadian Slovenian Historical Society will be hosting a Luncheon and Short Program "Remembering the Slovenian Exodus 1945 - 75th Anniversary". Tickets are on sale $40 adults and $25 under 18 years and can be purchased at Moya Financial during regular business hours or following both Masses on Sunday February 23, March 1, 8, 29 and April 5. darovi - donations_ Za gradbeni sklad so v spomin na Joe Lac-kovič darovali $50: Lisa and Wade McCoy, Tom McCoy, Ryan and Sarah Becker, Billy and Kathy Mullane. Namesto rož za pokojnega Jerryja Ponik-varja je za gradbeni sklad darovala $50 Manja Erzetič. Hvala vsem za vaše darove. Diocesan Newsletter For information about Activities and Events of interest in the Diocese of Hamilton, subscribe to the online Diocesan Newsletter at www.hamiltondiocese.com. 94 I VESTNI K 2020 pepelnica_ S pepelnično sredo, letos je 26. februarja, začenjamo 40 dnevni postni čas. Pri večerni maši ob 7:00 p.m. bo priložnost, da udeležite obreda pepeljenja in tako tudi na zunaj poka-žete, da smo stopili v ta posebni čase leta, na pot spreobrnjenja in prenove. Vsak si bo izbral nekaj, v čemer si bo prizadeval. Ob petkih zvečer, ob 6:30 p.m. - pol ure pred mašo, bomo molili križev pot in se tako ob postajah navdihovali tudi za osebno prenovo in hojo za Kristusom, križanim. večna luč_ V mesecu marcu bo večna luč gorela po namenu Rose Marie Gage z družino, v spomin na pokojne starše Antona in Tilko Vengar. birma - confirmation_ Kot že veste bomo imeli sveto birmo v nedeljo, 29. marca ob enajstih dopoldne. Ta dan bo to edina maša. Birmovalec bo naš hamiltonski škof, Douglas Crosby. Prihodnjo nedeljo se bodo med mašo ob 10h predstavili letošnji birmanci. Prejšnjo nedeljo smo začeli z neposredno pripravo na prejem tega zakramenta. Letos je 17 birmancev, eno od večjih števil v zadnjem času. Priporočimo naše bir-mance in molimo zanje, za botre, ki so si jih izbrali in starše. Naj bo za vso župnijo to priložnost, da tudi sami v srcu obnovimo pomen tega zakramenta za naše osebno in skupno življenje. Ko mladi pristopajo k temu zakramentu se zavedajo, da počasi prevzemajo »vajeti« v svoje roke. Pri krstu so starši in botri obljubili, da jim bodo stali ob strani. Sedaj pa sami prevzemajo to nalogo, ko se bolj zavedajo, da postati dober kristjan in državljan, pomeni osebno se prizadevati za rast tudi na duhovnem področju. Kdor še ni vzel koledarja niagarske koordinacije, ga lahko dobi v veži na mizi. V njem imate označene vse prireditve po posameznih klubih, obenem pa je še dovolj prostora, da si zapišete tudi svoje obveznosti in družinska praznovanja. # i # svete maše - mass times: Monday: 8:00 a.m., Tuesday to Friday: 7:00 p.m., Saturday: 5:30 p.m. (Slovenian); Sunday: 9:30 a.m. (Slovenian), 11:00 a.m. (English); From Long weekend in July to the Long weekend of the September Sunday Mass is 111 only at 10:00 a.m. (Slovenian-English) - krsti / baptisms: For an appointment, call one month before. poroke / marriage: For an appointment, call one year before the wedding date. spoved / confessions: First Friday of the month 6 -7:00 p.m. (or by appointment) bolniki - Sporočite, če je kdo bolan ali v bolnišnici, da ga obiščemo. You are welcome to call don bosco for a personal conversation with your priest - please call for an appointment. Tel: 905-561-5971, VESTNIK 2020 | 95 od 23. 02. 2020 do 01. 03. 2020 svete mase - masses 7. Nedelja med letom 23. Februar Polikarp, škof-muč. Za žive in rajne župljane ff Marija in Alojz Mes ff Verona in Stefan Prša, obl. 9:30 a.m.----- Družina Mes 11:00 a.m. Joe in Kathy Prša Ponedeljek - Monday 24. Februar Matija, apostol f Za duhovne poklice 8:00 a.m. Slomškovo oltarno društvo Torek - Tuesday 25. Februar Alojzij in Kalist, muč. ff Jožefa in Martin Kobe 7:00 p.m. Hči Marija Bajuk Sreda - Wednesday 26. Februar ++ PEPELNICA ff Pokojni iz družine Vehovec 7:00 p.m. Slava Gomboša 4?