SLOVENSKA ŽUPNIJA SV. GREGORIJA VELIKEGA | ST. GREGORY THE GREAT SLOVENIAN CHURCH 27/60 Številka - Number / Leto - Year 7.7. 2024 14. NEDELJA MED LETOM 14TH 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 HALL RENTALS 289-339-6900 E-MAIL hallrental@ stgregoryhamilton.ca V Jezusovem času je bil ta stavek znan kot pregovor. Jezus ga je uporabil, da je z njim izrazil usodo, kakršno mu je dodelila njegova do­movina. Stavek namiguje na čisto določen dogodek iz Jezusovega življe­nja - na vrnitev v Nazaret kmalu po začetku javnega delovanja. V domači kraj se je vrnil ne več kot preprost tesar, ampak kot učitelj, ki govori z oblastjo in kliče ljudi k veri. Prizor se odvija v shodnici, kjer so se zbirali k branju Svetega pisma in k poslušanju rabinov, ki so ga razlagali. Jezus je šel je v shodnico, pre­ bral svetopisemski odlomek in začel učiti. Lahko si predstavljamo priča­ kovanje in radovednost Nazarečanov. Pričakovali so od Jezusa, da bo kakor so delali drugi rabini tistega časa namesto tega pa imajo vtis, da jih je zajel vihar: »Čas se je dopolnil in božje kraljestvo se je približalo. Spreobrnite se in verujte evangeliju!« Rezultat je bil popoln Jezusov po­ raz. Ni mogel napraviti nič drugega, kot da je ob odhodu polagal roke na nekatere bolnike, ki so se mudili v bližini shodnice in prosili vbogaj­ me, ter jih ozdravljal. Če beremo Lukovo poročilo, zvemo, da se je dogo­ dek končal prav dramatično: med vpitjem in grožnjami so Jezusa vrgli iz shodnice in ga izgnali iz mesta. Ta pripetljaj iz Jezusovega življenja pove več kot si mislimo. Janez je v svojem evangeliju zapisal: »V svojo lastnino je prišel, toda njegovi ga niso sprejeli«. Ob pogledu na prizor, ko Jezusa izženejo iz Nazareta in odvedejo na previs hriba, na katerem je bilo sezidano njihovo mesto, nehote takoj pomislimo na prizor, ko Jezusa peljejo na Kalvarijo. Ob tem se nam postavlja vprašanje: zakaj ga »njegovi« niso sprejeli? Janez na to takole odgovarja: zato, ker ljudje bolj ljubijo temo kakor luč; luči se bojijo; ta namreč razkriva, da so njihova dela hudobna. A skušajmo razumeti tudi Nazarečane. Niso imeli namena odkloniti luči in izbrati teme, vsaj zavestno ne; niso se bali luči. Česa so se torej VESTNIK 2024 | bali? Kaj so zavračali? Zavračali so nekaj, kar jim je bilo novo! Jezus se jim je predstavil kot prerok. Prerok pa je nelagoden človek, včasih ga doživljajo kot ne­ kakšen izziv, ki ga Bog postavlja ljudstvu. Prek prero­ ka Bog sam narekuje človeku svoj slog in svoj »ritem« in ga sili, da preusmeri svoj korak. Prerok torej pred­ stavlja božjo novost, nepredvidljivost, spremembo. Beseda, ki je gotovo najbolj zmotila Nazarečane, je bila: Spreobrnite se! Ljudje pa nimajo radi novosti; bolje rečeno, radi jo imajo »okoli« sebe, ne pa »v» sebi. Kaj torej storijo, samo da jim ne bi bilo treba postaviti pod vprašaj svojega življenja in ga spreme­ niti? Sklicujejo se na preteklost, na mir in gotovost, ki jim jo daje ustaljeno, utečeno ravnanje. Kdo je ta, ki hoče sedaj vse postaviti na glavo? Kaj nam je treba sprememb? Vedno smo ravnali tako! Nič ne de, če smo ob tem vedno enakem ravnanju bili nezadovolj­ ni, nesrečni, zasužnjeni. Človek se privadi tudi na to, da je nesrečen, in se sprijazni tudi s suženjstvom. Ob takšnem razmišljanju postanejo ljudje »trmastega obraza« in »predrznega srca« (prvo berilo). Prav to se je zgodilo judovskemu ljudstvu. V dolgih stoletjih po izgnanstvu se je odvadilo poslušanja pre­ roškega glasu, namesto tega se je vedno bolj oklepalo institucij: rabinov, duhovnikov, shodnice, sobote. S tem, kar so ponavljali rabini in kar so ljudje vedno počeli so bili Nazarečani zadovoljni. Če se v luči današnjega evangelija vprašamo po vzroku, bomo našli odgovor v evangeliju: zaradi nji­ hove nevere, ki se kaže v lenobi, v trmoglavi naveza­ nosti na navade in na povsem gmotno gotovost, ki je povezana s preteklostjo. Takšna navezanost nam pre­ prečuje, da bi se v veri resnično odprli moči Božjega Duha. Nevera je v odklanjanju misli, da tudi dobri kristjani, utegnejo potrebovati korenito in nenehno spreobrnjenje. Nazarečani so izgovor za svojo nevero poiskali v dejstvu, da je bil ta, ki jim je oznanjal spre­ obrnjenje, eden izmed njih. Pohujševali so se nad učlovečenjem! Sv. Pavel spominja na to, da se božja moč v polnosti razodeva v človekovi slabotnosti. Za Jezusa je bila »slabotnost« v tem, da je bil človek kot vsi drugi, da je on, ki je Božji Sin, nosil človeško ime, imel sorodnike, domovino. - (prim. Oznanjevalec 2003, št. 3) 290 | VESTNIK 2024 14TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Response: Our eyes look to the Lord, until he has mercy upon us. First Reading Ezekiel 2:2-5 Ezekiel is commissioned by God to speak to the disobedient Israelites. God tells him to deliver the message as commanded, even if they do not want to listen. Second Reading 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Paul says that when he is weak, he is strong in Christ. Gospel Mark 6:1-6 Jesus teaches in the synagogue at Nazareth but the people reject him. He is amazed by their lack of faith, and he is only able to heal a few sick people because of their unbelief. “There is a prophet among them.” Illustration Around this time last year, a group of schoolchildren in Birmingham sent drawings to children at an asylum centre in Dover after children’s murals at the centre were removed. Immigration officials had them painted over, as it was felt they were too welcoming! Pupils from St Gerard's Catholic Primary School in Birmingham said this action made them feel sad. They sent their drawings to help make the refugee children feel "more welcome". Around 100 pictures and stories were sent by 8- and 9year-olds before the school broke up for the summer. At the same time, discussions were going on in Parliament, in parishes and on the streets about a new Illegal Immigration Bill, which many felt fuelled hostility towards refugees. The Churches spoke out on behalf of refugees, particularly children, even though this meant going against government plans and even some significant popular opinion. Despite protests, the Illegal Migration Act became law on 20 July 2023, although Churches and human rights groups remained concerned about the impact it would have on refugee children in particular. The Jesuit Refugee Service, CAFOD, the Catholic Social Action Network, Columban missionaries and Pax Christi Scotland were among those asking supporters to oppose “this cruel and unworkable” legislation. Plans for detaining child refugees were heavily criticised. The Jesuit Refugee Service UK said, “it is vital that all children are protected from the lifelong trauma that detention inflicts.” Campaigners urged the government to focus on creating “a compassionate, fair, and effective system”, including being less hostile to people fleeing to the UK to seek sanctuary. Some refugees were so desperate they travelled in small boats across the English Channel. Gospel Teaching Our readings today suggest that we – as individuals and as members of Christian communities – should become prophets who speak up against anything we see going on that goes against Christian values. In the example given it is ‘welcoming the stranger’, which is Church policy. It is not easy. Biblical prophets were often afraid to accept the call from God, not wanting to have their lives interrupted, and so made a list of all the reasons why they could not accept the call, including their personal limitations. God called on them to be courageous and committed, trusting they had something valuable to offer. In the Gospel we hear that Jesus was dismayed when he experienced a lack of faith in his own town of Nazareth. Indeed, it even undermined his ability to perform miracles. He lamented individuals and communities taking on the values of society rather than of faith. We are encouraged to speak out as people of faith and to be prophets of our time. We are challenged by the example of Jesus to speak out against injustice and violence. Vulnerable groups tend to come second to personal profit and advancement and the vulnerable environment is carelessly used and not well protected. We cannot be indifferent to these realities of our time. Application The reluctance to be a prophet in the world has not changed in our age. Do we feel reluctant to engage in issues for the common good for all the same reasons – too busy, not skilled enough, or afraid? Perhaps we ignore the news, both local and international. Perhaps we are indifferent to the suffering of communities we don’t know. However, just like the prophets of old, God needs us now, and we are invited to respond. Learn more about the issues that threaten the quality of life of people and the environment so that we will no longer be passive observers but Christians who contribute to discussions with a clear set of values. Do we have a parish justice and peace group or projects which reach out to vulnerable people in the parish? Even the smallest of acts has the potential to seed change and make life better for everyone. On a personal level, perhaps we will be challenged this week to welcome a stranger. Are you aware of someone who is not included in mainstream society? Are they unable to access things you take for granted? It may be someone you passed on the street or saw on the news. Perhaps it is a refugee child who feels alone in the world. As that person comes to mind, spend time asking God how you can respond. What needs to be done to enable this person to be a part of our community? What structural and political changes are required? Do we need to be critical of our assumptions and prejudices? Do we need to ask more questions and take less for granted? Do we need to speak out for social justice? Let us be more prophetic. VESTNIK 2024 | 291 2024 SLOVENIAN CANADIAN SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION 2024 Slovenian Canadian Scholarship Foundation Awards Application Now Available. The Slovenian Canadian Scholarship Foundation was created to provide students of Slovenian-Canadian descent, residing within the Halton, HamiltonWentworth, and Niagara regions, the opportunity to be recognized for their academic achievements, community involvement, and appreciation of their Slovenian heritage. Select applicants will be granted a monetary award in the form of a scholarship or bursary from the foundation. The presentation of awards will be held on September 22, 2024 at St. Gregory’s Fall Banquet. Application forms are available via email request to Teresa Zupančič at teresa.zupancic@gmail.com. Completed application packages must be submitted via email to teresa.zupancic@gmail.com by 9:00 p.m. on Friday August 23, 2024 for award consideration. Please forward any questions to Teresa at 905-930-7545 or Irene Glavač Petrič at glavacpetric@gmail.com. SUMMER DAY CAMP 2024 Reminder that this year’s SUMMER DAY CAMP is being held AUGUST 13-16. Registration forms will be available Sunday. If you have children who want to come, play, sing, do crafts and make new friends call and register. Little ones are welcome with the supervision of a parent or grandparent! It well be a week filled with fun and an end of week BBQ and our annual Campers vs. family Soccer game! Also looking for Highschool students and older to help out! If you need volunteer hours or if you’re just happy to help out, call and get ready for a fun filled week. Looking forward to a week of fun and laughter - August 13-16 - Heidy Novak 905317-6002 Day Camp 2023 Day Camp 2023 292 | VESTNIK 2024 A THIRD BUS HAS BEEN ADDED! You still have time to join Mladi glas Planika Slovenian Dance Group on our trip to 41st Annual Slovenefest at SNPJ Recreation Center in Enon Valley, Pennsylvania (just outside of Pittsburgh) July 12-14, 2025 Buses depart Brown’s Line at 6:45 am July 12th with a pickup stop in Beamesville at 7:45 am and will return Sunday night. For more information and to reserve your spaces please contact NANCY KAJIN @ 647-287-8840 today! VESTNIK 2024 | 293 As you all know we are celebrating our 60th Anniversary all year long. We were honoured to nave His Grace Ivan Jurkovič, Apostolic Nuncio to Canada with us on Thursday, June 27, to celebrate Mass as a sort of start to the blessing of our milestone celebration. As you all know, we are selling raffle tickets in honour of our anniversary. The tickets are $60 each and the grand prize is a $6000 travel voucher. We are also organizing our Fall banquet on September 22nd to include a short walk down memory lane. We hope that all members of our parish, past and present will participate in our celebration events as we embark on the next years of our journey as a proud Slovenian community. 294 | VESTNIK 2024 VESTNIK 2024 | 295 296 | VESTNIK 2024 Last Canada Day weekend, Slovenski Park hosted the first soccer tournament they`ve put on in a long time. The weather was wet and humid on Saturday, but the soccer teams all stuck it out and had a great time! The winning team was Team Hode, consisting of Kristina and Carmen Hode, and friends. Saturday evening, the weather cleared up just in time for everyone to enjoy a funfilled night of karaoke on the patio! Sunday turned out to be very cool and breezy, but we still had a great turnout! Father Drago held mass in the hall at 1pm, which was followed by a lunch of pečenka, spit-roasted chicken, hamburgers and čevape. In the evening we were serenaded by the lively and harmonious Golden Keys band. The night ended with an amazing fireworks display over the swimming pond, which was enjoyed by children and adults alike. It was so nice to see so many small toddlers and children enjoying the show that evening! Many thanks to everyone, from the event coordinators, volunteers, players, members and visitors for making this such a great weekend! We look forward to seeing everyone at Slovenski Park`s annual PECENKAFEST on Saturday, July 20th! ~ Slovenski Park Executive Committee VESTNIK 2024 | 297 O BVESTILA - A NNOUNCEMENTS KOLEDAR DOGODKOV - July 7th - Lipa Park - Summerfest Picnic - July 20th - Slovenski Park - Pečenkafest - July 21st - Bled - Proščenje; Mass: 1:00 p.m. Ansambel Šibaj - Aug. 4th - Slovenski Park - 60th Anniversary of Park & 50th Anniversary o the Chapel - Avg. 11th - Sava-Breslau - Picnic, Mass 1p.m. - Avg. 13-16th - St. Gregory the Great - Day Camp - Avg. 24th - Lipa Park - Music in the Park Picnic - Slovenian Band: Raubarji & Peški Oktet - Avg 25th - Bled - End of Summer Picnic - Sept 1st - Slovenski Pak - Labour Day Weekend - Baseball Tour. - Mass at 1:00 p.m. - Sept 14th - Bled - Golf Tournament - Sept 15st - London - Mass at 3:00 p.m. - at St. John the Divine Church - Sept 22nd - St. Gregory the Great - Fall Banquet - 60 years of the Parish - Mass: 10 a.m. BRALCI - READERS: July 7 - Rosemary Šušteršič July 14 - Rita Bartula July 21 - Slovenian July 28 - Sidonia Poppa August 4 - Slovenian August 11 - Rita Bartula CLEANING OF THE CHURCH - July 20th - Štefka Eržen team - Aug. 3rd - Lojzka Novak team POLETJE - POČITNICE V petek, 12. julija bo prišel med nas za tri tedne g. Miran Sajovic, salezijanec, ki me bo zamenjeval v času moje odsotnosti, t.j. od 15. julija do 2. avgusta. Dobrodošel med nas. 298 | VESTNIK 2024 V tem tednu so naslednje obletnice smrti faranov, ki so zapisani v naših knji- Svete maše - Masses 14. NEDELJA MED LETOM 7. JULIJ 14TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME DON BOSCO Za žive in rajne župljane † Maks Pavlič † Martin Tompa †† Pok. iz družine Štefanec Po namenu - za zdravje Žekš Zrim Berkopec Uduč Žvan Rajner Knaus William Marija Joseph Joseph John Janez Jožef Angela July 8, 1985 July 8, 2009 July 11, 1980 July 12, 1981 July 12, 2006 July 12, 2023 July 14, 1994 10:00 A.M. - - - - - - Žena z družino Žena z družino Marina Štefanec z družino H. K. SV. MAŠE - MASSES: Mon. to Fri.: 7:00 P.M.; Saturday: 5:30 P.M. (Slo); Sunday: 9:30 A.M. (Slo); 11:00 A.M (Eng) - From July to Fall Banquet only 10:00 A.M. - KRSTI / BAPTISMS: For an appointment, call one month before. POROKE / MARRIAGE: By appointment, call one year before the wedding date. SPOVED / CONFESSIONS: First Friday of the month 6 to 7:00 P.M. (or by appointment) BOLNIKI - Sporočite, če je kdo bolan ali v bolnišnici, da ga obiščemo. You are welcome to call for a personal conversation with your priest – please call for an appointment. Tel: 905-561-5971 or Cell: 905-520-2014 VESTNIK 2024 | 299 SVETE MAŠE - MASSES PONEDELJEK - MONDAY 8. JULIJ Bogu in M. Božji v zahvalo † Eileen Ann MacKenzie 7:00 P.M. Ivka Pašalić N. N. † Mara Ostojić † Maks Slanič 7:00 P.M. Ana Plosinjak SREDA - WEDNESDAY 10. JULIJ †† Tony in Elizabeth Ferko † Stanko Vegelj 7:00 P.M. Hči Tanja Brat Ivan z družino ČETRTEK - THURSDAY 11. JULIJ † Janez Grebenc †† Pavel in Paul Richard Novak 7:00 P.M. Hči Mary Grebenc Helen Špiler † † † †† 7:00 P.M. Terezija Donko z družino Žena z družino Žena Vera z družino Družina Kelenc Gregor Grassi, škof TOREK - TUESDAY 9. JULIJ Hadrijan III., papež Amalija, redovnica Benedikt, opat PETEK - FRIDAY 12. JULIJ Mohor in Fortunat, muč. SOBOTA - SATURDAY 13. JULIJ Henrik (Hinko), kralj Joel, prerok †† Pokojni farani † Martin Tompa Za duše v vicah †† Angela in Jožef Mlakar †† Katarina in Vinko Antolin, obl. †† Marija Gabor, obl. 15. NEDELJA MED LETOM 14. JULIJ 15TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Kamil, duhovnik Kristina Vogrinec Jože Uduč, obl. Jožef Rajner, obl. Starši Kelenc †† † † † † Za žive in rajne župljane Paula in Franc Pelcar Vinko Skale Maks Pavlič Polde Babič Štefan Horvat 5:30 P.M. Družina Malevič Jože in Marija Magdič z družino Marija Košir Hči Mary Hanc Ivan in Angela Antolin z družino Angela in Ivan Antolin z družino 10:00 A.M. - - - - - - Stan Pelcar & Josie Dubé z družino Hči Elizabeth z družino Marina Štefanec z družino Jože Gimpelj Žena Marija z družino Until September 22 nd Sunday Masses are only at 10:00 a.m. 300 | VESTNIK 2024