VESTNIK 2021 | 1. POSTNA NEDELJA 1ST SUNDAY OF LENT SLOVENSKA ŽUPNIJA SV. GREGORIJA VELIKEGA | ST. GREGORY THE GREAT SLOVENIAN CHURCH 8/57 Številka - Number / Leto - Year 21. 2. 2021 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 Satan skuša Jezusa v puščavi Nad namišljenim vhodom v postni čas si izpišimo Kristusov klic: »Spreobrnite se in ve- rujte evangeliju!« V današnjem premišljevanju se bomo namreč osredotočili na znameniti prizor Jezusovih skušnjav, ki jih Matej in Luka podajata v treh stopnjah (kamni, visoka gora, vrh templja), Marko pa povzame s štirimi stavki: Sveti Duh odvede Jezusa v puščavo, hudi duh ga štirideset dni preizkuša, živi z zvermi, angeli mu strežejo. Marko doda nekaj, česar v drugih evangelijih ni, namreč govori tudi o sožitju s puščavskimi zvermi. Po samotnih judejskih gorah se verjetno klatijo volkovi, odmevajo predirni kriki šakalov, se plazijo strupenjače. Te živali nam podajajo simbolični, ne pa zemljepisni okvir. Odločilno pri tem podatku pa je, da živi Jezus z njimi v popolnem skladju. Skope Markove besede nas vodijo k Izaijevemu mesijanskemu odlomku. V dneh kralja Emanuela bo »volk prebival z jagnjetom in panter bo ležal s kozličem. Teliček in levič se bosta skupaj redila, ... dojenček se bo igral nad gadjo luknjo in odstavlje- ni bo iztezal svojo roko v modrasjo odprtino« (Iz 11,6-8). Sovraštva med divjimi in domačimi živalmi, med zvermi, kačami in človekom ne bo več in svet bo zopet spominjal na raj, kakršnega opisuje drugo poglavje Prve Mojzesove knjige v edenskem vrtu. Jezus torej vzpostavlja svet, o katerem Bog sanja in ga opisuje na teh straneh Prve Mojzesove knjige, kakor smo ravnokar omenili. Adam, člo- vek božjega stvariteljskega načrta, živi z zvermi in jim daje imena, nad njimi ne gospoduje kot objesten in nadut samodržec, marveč kot vodnik, ki ga je najel Gospod: »... napolnite zemljo in si jo podvrzite; gospodujte ribam v morju in pticam na nebu ter vsem živalim, ki se gibljejo po zem- lji« (1 Mz 1,28). Jezus je novi popolni Adam; premagal je satanove skušnja- ve, ki kvarijo ustvarjeno sozvočje. On zopet vzpostavlja rajski svet, v ka- terem Bog, človek, živali in vesolje tkejo presenetljiv gobelin življenja, 66 | VESTNIK 2021 Illustration It was around a year ago, during Lent, that many of us entered a sort of wilderness as we began the experience of lockdown, as a result of the Covid- 19 pandemic. Our ways of communication changed significantly. The things we took for granted – com- municating with handshakes, hugs and kisses, gath- erings with family and friends around the dinner table, worshipping together in church buildings – were replaced for many people by virtual meetings and group discussions using social media and smartphones. As we become more reliant on such devices, we’ve probably had to become acquainted with the 1ST SUNDAY OF LENT Response: Psalm 32 Your paths, Lord, are love and faithful- ness for those who keep your cove- nant. First Reading Genesis 9:8-15 After the flood, the rainbow is described as God’s promise not to destroy the earth. Second Reading 1 Peter 3:18-22 St Peter reminds his readers that the No- ah story now takes on a new meaning. The water of baptism is not the means of washing off dirt or destroying what is unclean, but a source of new life, a life with and in God. Gospel Mark 1:12-15 After his temptations in the wilderness, Jesus begins his ministry with the call to repentance. “Repent, and believe the Good News.” miru, barve in glasbe. To je obljubljena dežela, ki jo z njim lahko dosežemo. Tedaj bo puščava izginila in zazdelo se nam bo, da živimo na sve- tu, na katerem nam strežejo angeli. Isto obzorje nam odstira prvo berilo, ki opi- suje božjo zavezo z Noetom, s človekom, ki se je rešil iz potopa, znamenja božje sodbe nad ob- jestnim in hudodelskim človeštvom. Mavrica je znamenje pomirjene božje jeze. Vode uničevanja in smrti bo poslej Bog zadrževal, nebo bo raz- svetljevala luč novega dne in po zemlji se bo gi- balo prenovljeno človeštvo. V tej luči postaja postni čas najprej prilož- nost, ko naj bi zopet povezali, kar so razparale človeške roke. Odločiti se moramo za tkanje no- vih odnosov z Bogom. Gospod, ki se razodeva v svoji nebeški skrivnosti, nam ponuja roko zaveze in sprave. S priznavanjem grehov stegujemo svojo roko k Bogu, in ga prosimo, naj nas reši iz mračnega morja greha, obupa in smrti. Drugi razkorak zelo samozavestno pooseblja človek, ki pa se v teh zadnjih časih jasneje kakor v preteklosti zaveda, da med sebičnim in objest- nim človekom ter naravo ne vlada več bratska povezanost, marveč napetost in sovraštvo. Ne živimo več v sozvočju s »sestro Zemljo«. Zato se moramo - kakor je ravnal Kristus - tudi z njo spet pogovarjati in povezovati; obudimo spet spoštovanje do stvarstva in si spet izostrimo čut za uravnotežen razvoj našega razmerja do nje- ga. Neka pripoved zelo pesniško slika človekov pustolovski odnos do vesolja. »Na začetku je bilo vse en sam cvetoč vrt. Ko je Bog ustvaril človeka, mu je rekel: vsakokrat, ko boš naredil kaj slabe- ga, bom na zemljo vrgel ščepec peska. Hudobni ljudje pa se za to niso menili. Kaj pa pomenil ščepec, sto, tisoč ščepcev peska v neskončnem cvetočem vrtu? Minevala so leta in človekovi grehi so se namnožili: peščeni hudourniki so prekrili vrt. Tako so nastale puščave, ki so se iz dneva v dan bolj širile. Tudi danes Bog opominja ljudi: 'Ne spremenite mojega cvetočega vrta v velikansko puščavo.'« (Prim. Oznanjevalec 2005-2006, št. 3) VESTNIK 2021 | 67 language that accompanies them: for example, “restore factory settings” – whereby phones and other computing devices are calibrated to their orig- inal settings – and “software updates”, when they are enhanced with the most recent settings, sup- posedly to make them more secure and effective. We could apply these two concepts to today’s read- ings, with the “factory settings” being the ancient stories which helped the Hebrew people fix their identity as God’s chosen people, and the “software upgrade” offered by Peter in his first letter, in which he updates that ancient story in the light of the min- istry of Jesus. Gospel Teaching The word “repent”, which we heard in today’s Gospel, is derived from the Greek word metanoia, which means a change of heart, seeing things differ- ently, a new direction, a fresh beginning. The Gospel writers tell us that it was after John the Baptist had been arrested that Jesus began his mission with the message, “Repent, and believe the Good News.” Jesus prepared for this by spending time in the wil- derness, where he was, in Mark’s words, “tempted by Satan”. Matthew and Luke give more details of his temptations, telling of how the devil tried to persuade Jesus to turn stones into bread, or to seek political power and influence, or to abandon his commitment to the kingdom of God. Our first two readings use images relating to water to convey the idea of a new start. The cove- nant between God and Noah, made after the great flood, is symbolised by the rainbow, which is itself caused by light refracting through water droplets. Through the water of baptism, referred to by Peter in his letter, we are saved by a pledge “made to God from a good conscience”, not from fear. This is the repentance, the change of direction, which Jesus preached – going forward with joy, knowing that the Lord is with us. Application Epic stories of a great flood are found in the mythologies of many ancient peoples, and the writ- ers of the book of Genesis took these narratives into their own context in order to make sense of the world in which they lived. In his first letter, Peter sees the Noah story through a new lens, the lens of Jesus as the beloved Son of God, the central figure of the new covenant. When Peter, on Pentecost day, addressed the crowd in the Acts of the Apostles, he spoke of the promise made “for you and your chil- dren, and for all those who are far away”. We may be far away in both distance and time from that crowd gathered two thousand years ago in the dusty streets of Jerusalem, but the message is the same. The Good News came for our time too. So, as we carry the Gospel story with us today, how will we spend our Lenten time in the wilder- ness, a place where we can really get down to ba- sics? The Palestinian wilderness was a dangerous place and Jesus had to confront the risks. Mark’s account mentions wild beasts, but also that there were angels to look after Jesus. We are never going to be able to escape all danger in this world. We have to face it and find solutions. Like Jesus, we can be assured that we are being looked after and guid- ed to a place of safety. In our prayers, especially in situations that we find difficult and challenging, we can ask for his help and inspiration. We can discuss our problems with each other, and try to find solu- tions that are helpful and achievable. And we can remember above all that, as was promised through the sign of the rainbow, God is present with us al- ways. As Jesus assures us in the Gospel, “the king- dom of God is close at hand”. If we open our minds and hearts, we will find it. 68 | VESTNIK 2021 Cilj naše kampanje je v treh letih zbrati vsoto $200,000.00 za našo župnijo. Nekateri še vedno ne razumejo, da vse, kar boste darovali preko te kampanje, bo prejela naša župnija in še 10% iz skupnega sklada. Škofijski uradi pa bodo vodili vse računovodske zadeve, tako, da nam ne bo potrebno tega dela urejati. V Vestniku vsak teden objavimo koliko ste »obljubili« da boste darovali za kampa- njo za našo župnijo preko škofijskega računa in koliko je že dejansko »vplačanega«. Iz škofije nam tedensko poš- ljejo tekoče stanje na našem računu. Na računu »Eno Srce, Ena Duša« za na- šo slovensko župnijo sv. Gregorija Velike- ga sta številki: $95,609 - Pledged - obljubili $51,299 - Paid - ste že vplačali Od prejšnjega tedna ni bilo novih pri- spevkov za sklad Eno Srce, Ena Duša. Hvala vsem, ki ste že prispevali. Smo že skoraj na polovici zastavljenega cilja. THE REEL JUSTICE FILM FESTIVAL is back for another year! A partnership between the Bishop Farrell Library & Archives and the Ca- nadian Catholic Organization for Develop- ment and Peace (CCODP) shines a spotlight on issues of social, political, and economic injustice. Films are screened once a month and provide an opportunity for community discussion about ways we can all support ac- tions for change. For more information check here. All films will be available online. The first screening, February 25th, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., features THE TRUE COST, a documentary about the human and environmental costs of the clothing industry. ONE HEART ONE SOUL CAMPAIGN is launching its third wave in the largest group of Parishes yet during the coming weeks. The successful campaign has not only raised mil- lions of dollars for long-awaited parish pro- jects, but it has also stimulated parish life throughout the Diocese – even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Parish teams have been prepared and will soon be making their important calls to parishioners. The gen- erosity of parishioners to their Parishes has lifted our hearts! Blessings upon those who are building their Parish – one heart, one soul, at a time! Heart to Heart Naš škof vsak teden napiše eno stran kratkih novic iz naše škofije. Tisti, ki imate dostop do internetne strani hamiltonske škofije, si lahko te novice vsak teden preberete pod naslovom: »Heart to Heart.« Včasih objavim, če je kaj pomembnejšega, tudi v našim Vestniku. VESTNIK 2021 | 69 PRAYER DURING PANDEMIC They cried to the Lord in their trouble, And he saved them from their distress; He sent out his word and healed them, And delivered them from destruction. Let them thank the Lord for his stead- fast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. Psalm 107:19-21 Lord God, I pray for all who have become sick or died by the coronavirus that has been spreading throughout the world. In your mercy and compassion, deliver us from this disease, In your holy wisdom, guide all who are working to contain the outbreak, In your steadfast love, bring healing to all your children who have fallen sick, Welcome into your arms the ones that died, Comfort the ones they left behind. In faith, I place my trust in you. In hope, I turn to you in my time of need. In love, I give glory to your name. In gratitude, I will praise you with my life. In your Son’s name I pray. Amen. THE CATHEDRAL BASILICA is undergoing an up- grade of its “sound and lighting” capacity. The current lights are being refitted with LED lights, significantly reducing the watts required for each fixture. The tele- vision screens are being replaced with higher defini- tion screens and new cameras, and the sound system is being overhauled. It should all be done before Palm Sunday and the Holy Week and Easter services. In the meantime, Masses are being celebrated in McNally Hall at 30% capacity. THE FEAST OF THE CHAIR OF PETER is celebrated on Monday, February 22nd. “The cathedra is literally the seat of the bishop,” said Pope Benedict XVI in 2006. “It is the symbol of his authority and, particular- ly, of his ‘Magisterium,’ in other words of the evangeli- cal teaching that he, as successor the Apostles, is called to protect and transmit to the Christian com- munity. To celebrate the ‘Chair’ of Peter means, then, giving it a strong spiritual significance, and recogniz- ing therein a privileged sign of the love of God.” (From Living With Christ, February 2021, pg.168) Every year since 1967, Catholics have generously donated to Share Lent to support the work of the Canadian Catholic Organi- zation for Development and Peace. Share Lent is our main source of funding for our sisters and brothers in the Global South. In Hamilton diocese in 2020 Development and Peace received approximately 60% of our average Share Lent collection. As a result we cut in- Canada programming, laid off some staff and those remain- ing had their hours reduced to part-time. I know that many people are suffering economic loss due to this pandemic. But when we compare our lives in Canada to those of peo- ple living in many other countries, we realize that we are indeed blessed. This year the Share Lent collection is on weekend March 20-21. 70 | VESTNIK 2021 O BVESTI LA - A NNOUN CEMENTS https://www.facebook.com/stgregorythegreathamilton/ CWL - KŽZ - MEMBERSHIP 2021 UPDATE The CWL executive would like to thank all members who have been able to deliver their 2021 membership fees in these difficult times. We understand that it is very challenging. Fees are due in to the CWL Winnipeg office by the end of February. If you plan to drop off your payment at the rectory, please make sure that the envelope has your name and CWL Membership written on it. We want to make sure that everyone has a chance to continue their membership and enjoy the benefits it brings. If you have any questions you can call Pamela at 905-304-8719. Izvršilni odbor KŽZ se zahvaljuje članicam, ki so že plačale članarino za leto 2021, kljub težkim časom; za mnoge je to poseben izziv. Članarino moramo poslati v glavni urad v Winnipegu do konca meseca februarja. Če bo- ste oddali plačilo članarine v župnišču naj bo na kuverti vase ime in napis, da je to za članari- no KŽZ. Rade bi poskrbele, da ima vsaka člani- ca možnost, da nadaljuje svoje članstvu in uži- va ugodnosti, ki jih članstvo prinaša. Če imate kakršnokoli vprašanje ali neja- snost, prosim pokličite Pamelo na telefonsko številko 905-304-8719. DAROVI - DONATIONS Odbor društva sv. Jožefa je zopet daroval $1000 za potrebe naše cerkve. Iskrena hvala odboru za ta dar. POSTNI ČAS Na pepelnično sredo smo zopet lahko odprli cerkve za mašo z ljudstvom s 30% zasedenostjo cerkve. Za nas je trenutno to dovolj. Ohranjamo enaka pravila kot so bila že lansko leto: držimo raz- daljo 2 metrov, imamo maske, si razkužimo roke ob vhodu v cerkev. V cerkvi ste mnogi že lani našli svoj »novi prostor - klop«. Obhajilo je tudi tako kot lani, samo na roko. Du- hovnik, ko pred obhajilom pokaže hostijo, takrat izreče besede: »Kristusovo telo!« in vsi odgovorite »AMEN«. Potem pa duhovnik molče položi hostijo na roko. Od pepelnične srede so zopet svete maše vsak dan ob 7h zvečer v cerkvi. V postnem času imamo ob petkih, pol ure pred mašo, t.j ob 6:30 p.m. - kot je bila navada prejšnja leta - pobožnost križevega po- ta. Za zdaj bomo za nekaj časa še ohranili prenos nedeljske svete maše ob 10:00 a.ma po Facebooku. Zaenkrat pri mašah ne bomo peli (Tudi v Slove- niji je strogo prepovedano vsako petje pri maši). Bomo pa, včasih naše orgle uporabili, da nam bodo »zaigrale kakšno slovensko postno pesem«, mi pa si jo bomo »potiho zapeli« v naših srcih. Tudi sam postni čas je liturgično naravnan tako, da naj bi bilo pri maši več premišljevanja in tihote. Morda nam bo tudi ta epidemija pomagala, da zna- mo ceniti tudi dragoceni čas »v tihoti« z Bogom, čas za osebno premišljevanje in poglobitev naše vere. V cerkveni veži si lahko vzamete še letne kuver- te, tisti, ki jih niste imeli priliko vzeti. Na razpolago so še tudi koledarji za leto 2021 - tako slovenski Marijanski, kot tudi angleški misijon- ski. V nedeljo, 28. februarja, si boste lahko vzeli v veži tudi Income Tax potrdila. Po nedelji bomo stale poslali po pošti. VESTNIK 2021 | 71 SVETE MAŠE - MASS TIMES: Monday to Friday: 7:00 P.M., Saturday: 5:30 P.M. (Slovenian-Sunday Mass); Sunday: 10:00 A.M. (Slovenian-English - For the time of Covid-19 it is only one Mass on Sundays) - KRSTI / BAPTISMS: For an appointment, call one month before. POROKE / MARRIAGE: For an appointment, call one year before the wedding date. SPOVED / CONFES- SIONS: 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 for a personal conversation with your priest – please call for an appointment. Tel: 905- 561-5971. DON BOSCO V tem tednu so naslednje obletnice smrti faranov, ki so zapisani v naših knjigah: ANNOUNCEMENT Church services resumed in person last Wednesday, right on time for Ash Wednes- day. Although we will still be at 30% capacity, it is good news that we can come together to share our faith. Although last Sunday was our final live- streaming of our service on Facebook, we have decided to continue the live streaming of Mass for those who may still not be able to make their way to church in person. Also, please continue to send in your "Sveti Angel" prayers to sgtgparish@gmail.com so that we can work to incorporate them into our regular Masses. We would also like to remind everyone that we are trying to put together a network- ing system for businesses, talents and skills to connect them with our community members. Your business cards, contact information and brief description of what you have to offer should be emailed to sgtgparish@gmail.com On behalf of the Parish Council, we wish you all a wonderful Sunday. POKOJNI V Sloveniji je umrla Tina Andrejčič, sestra naših faranov: Martina Gazvoda, Lojzke Saje in Anice Klobučar. Za pokoj njene duše smo v sredo, 17. februarja, v naši cerkvi darovali sve- to mašo. Iskreno sožalje domačim, pokojni Tini pa večni mir in pokoj. Zabukovec Izidor February 22, 2003 Nemec Yolanda February 22, 2020 Prs a Veronika February 23, 1987 Bembenek Marta February 24, 1997 Ritlop Martha February 24, 2009 Stegne Nez a February 24, 2018 Zelko Martin February 26, 1999 Mozetic Ljudmila February 27, 2003 Kovic Vinko February 28, 2013 Pavlic Maks February 28, 2020 Biti v spotiko »Ne bodite v spotiko ne Judom ne Grkom ne Božji Cerkvi.« (1 Kor 10,32) V grščini je za besedo spotika uporabljen pridevnik apróskopos, ki izhaja iz glagola proskópto (»udariti nazaj, postaviti spotiko, užaliti se«) in predpone »a – alfa«, ki pomeni »ne, brez«. Apostol torej spodbuja, naj Cerkvi in sploh nikomur ne postavljamo ovir, naj ne bomo v spotiko, naj bomo svobodni pred tem, da bi ranili, poškodovali, prizadeli ali se užalili, marveč naj bomo raje brezgrajni in nedol- žni. Še več, glagol proskópto izhaja iz predloga prós (proti nekemu cilju) in glagola kópto, ki dobesedno pomeni odrezati, udariti, pritoževati se ali ne jemati resno drugega. Pavel nas torej spodbuja k močnemu spreobrnje- nju naših občestev, ki naj ne bodo v spotiko, ampak v odrešenje mnogih (1 Kor 10,33). To pa je mogoče sa- mo, ko tudi mi postanemo posnemovalci Kristusa sa- mega (1 Kor 11,1), si tako prizadevamo, da bi imeli vedno čisto vest (gr. apróskopos) pred Bogom in pred ljudmi (Apd 24,16) ter da bi znali razlikovati, kaj je bolj- še, in bomo tako čisti in neomadeževani (gr. aprósko- pos) za Kristusov dan (Flp 1,10). - Družina, 14. 2. 2021 | Anja Kastelic 72 | VESTNIK 2021 SVETE MAŠE - MASSES od 21. 2. 2021 do 28. 2. 2021 1. POSTNA NEDELJA 1ST SUNDAY OF LENT 21. FEBRUAR Peter Damiani, Škof in cerkveni učitelj †† † † † Za žive in rajne župljane Olga in Slavko Godina Viktor Glavač Fr. Stane Okorn Frances Pust 10:00 A.M. IN CHURCH AND ON FACEBOOK - - - - - - - - - Milka Pavlič Alois in Agata Sarjaš Družina Groznik Družina Pust PONEDELJEK - MONDAY 22. FEBRUAR Sedež apostola Petra † Juraj Fabina, 30. dan 7:00 P.M. Sestra Danica Maradin TOREK - TUESDAY 23. FEBRUAR Polikarp, škof-mučenec † Verona in Štefan Prša 7:00 P.M. Kathy Prša z družino SREDA - WEDNESDAY 24. FEBRUAR Matija, apostol † Matija Vlašič Za versko rast mladih 7:00 P.M. Žena in otroci Slomškovo oltarno društvo ČETRTEK - THURSDAY 25. FEBRUAR Alojzij in Kalist, mučenca † † Gizella Ray Eileen MacKenzie 7:00 P.M. Ivan in Rozina Doma N.N. PETEK - FRIDAY 26. FEBRUAR Aleksander (Branko), škof †† † Križev pot Vid, Milka in Tom Kastelic Marija Zver 6:30 P.M. 7:00 P.M. - - - - - Magda Udovč Sestra Cecilija Sobočan SOBOTA - SATURDAY 27. FEBRUAR Gabrijel Žalostne Matere Božje, redovnik †† † † † † †† Marija in Alojz Mes Vladimir Dim Karel Volf Anton Vengar Tilka Vengar Pok. sorodniki in prijatelji 5:30 P.M. Družina Mes Družina Mes Žena Marija Rose Marie in Tony Vengar z druž. Rose Marie in Tony Vengar z druž. Rose Marie in Tony Vengar z druž. 2. POSTNA NEDELJA 2ND SUNDAY OF LENT 28. FEBRUAR Ožbolt, škof † † † † †† Za žive in rajne župljane Joe Lackovič Maks Pavlič, obl. Vinko Kovič, obl. Cveto Kovič Ludvik in Milka Kastelic 10:00 A.M. IN CHURCH AND ON FACEBOOK - - - - - - - - - Žena Vera z družino Žena Milka Stojanka Kovič Stojanka Kovič Magda Udovč z družino