SLOVENSKA ŽUPNIJA SV. GREGORIJA VELIKEGA | ST. GREGORY THE GREAT SLOVENIAN CHURCH 21/58 Številka - Number / Leto - Year 22.5. 2022 6. VELIKONOČNA NEDELJA 6TH SUNDAY OF EASTER 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 905-561-5971, ext. 2 E-MAIL hallrental@ stgregoryhamilton.ca OČE NAS BO LJUBIL V današnjem velikonočnem bogoslužju srečamo tri različne obraze Cerkve. Prvi je zelo človeški, zaznamovan z gubami in z bolečino, pa vendar vseeno še vedno pristen in ljubek obraz. Ta je zelo učinkovito predstavljen v znanem odlomku Apostolskih del, zgoščeno povzema razprave na prvem ekumenskem koncilu v Jeruzalemu, kjer so razrešili vprašanje ali se lahko pogani pridružijo takoj, brez prejšnje spreobrnitve v judovstvo. Glas novih spreobrnjencev iz poganstva je razbil umirjeno in vedro ravnovesje, v katerem je izoblikovala prva krščanska skupnost in je bila vse do takrat dokaj poenotena. Na koncilu so se pojavljale tri usmeritve: pavlinska, dokaj odprta in »napredna«; petrinska, bolj previdna, in Jakobova, ki je bil škof v Jeruzalemu in vešč sodelavec pri posredovanju; pomen njegovega dela je opazen pri redakciji zaključnega dokumenta. Temeljna usmeritev je bila povsem soglasna: kristjanom iz poganstva se ne sme nalagati nobenih posebnih obveznosti iz judovstva, še posebej pa se od njih ne sme zahtevati vnaprejšnja obreza. Peter je v svojem koncilskem posegu povedal: »Mi verjamemo, da smo odrešeni po milosti Gospoda Jezusa in na enak način tudi pogani«. Ker pa je Cerke vpeta v človeško zgodovino, je treba razumeti te okoliščine. Tu je razlog, zakaj se v zaključnem dokumentu svetuje spoštovanje nekaterih obrednih pravil glede prehranjevanja, ki so povzeta iz starodavne judovske prakse (vzdržnost pri mesu, darovaVESTNIK 2022 | nem malikom in potem prodanem za družinske gostije, pri krvi in zadavljenih živalih, kar je sicer prepovedovalo že starozavezno izročilo). Cerkev ohranja »zaklad« vere nedotaknjen, vendar pa mora tudi spoštovati dejanske čase zorenja in razvoja posameznih skupnosti in oseb. Drugi obraz Cerkve bi lahko izrisali v evangeljskem odlomku, kjer začutimo kako skupnost verujočih povezujeta vrednoti: ljubezen in vera. Karitativna ljubezen se rojeva in hrani v navzočnosti Očeta in Sina v srcih vernikov. Vero predvsem podpira Sveti Duh, čigar poslanstvo je predvsem »učiti se« in »spominjati se« vsega, kar je Jezus učil. Duh nam odkriva vso moč in učinkovitost evangeljskih besed. Cerkve je »vertikalno« povezana z Bogom in »horizontalno« z brati v ljubezni. Vendar je na vozlišču teh dveh nitk vedno Bog, s svojo navzočnostjo v Kristusu in v Duhu. Pred nami je še tretji obraz Cerkve, tisti v slavi, ki ga slovesno slavimo v zadnji upodobitvi nebeškega Jeruzalema, orisanega na koncu Razodetja, iz katerega danes prebiramo odlomek. Novi Jeruzalem odseva v vsakovrstni kozmični svetlobi, obdan z božjo slavo in navzočnostjo božje ljubezni. V duhovni razporeditvi nebesnih teles ima novi Jeruzalem dvanajst vrat, dvanajsteri angeli jih varujejo in branijo; dvanajst je tudi temeljev, torej »dvanajst Jagnjetovih apostolov«. Najboljši komentar tega opisa lahko povzamemo iz Pavlovega pisma Efežanom: »Niste več tujci in priseljenci, temveč sodržavljani svetih in člani Božje družine, pozidani na resničnem temelju, ki so apostoli in preroki« (2,1920). V tem Jeruzalemu upanja ni več potreben materialen tempelj, kajti sam Kristus je tempelj. Ljudstvo odrešenih je »Božji duhovni tempelj, tempelj iz živih kamnov«. Občestvo med Bogom in človekom bo torej popolno in Cerkev se bo spremenila v nebeško kraljestvo, ovita s svetlobo in popolno božjo ljubeznijo. (Prim. Oznanjevalec - leto C_2006/7, štev. 3) 162 | VESTNIK 2022 6TH SUNDAY OF EASTER Response: Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. First Reading Acts 15:1-2. 22-29 The leaders of the early Church allow themselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit in their decisions. Second Reading Apoc. 21:10-14. 22-23 John’s revelation is of the Church as the new Jerusalem, a walled and gated city, but these are not built to exclude sinners or those we consider unworthy or outsiders. The temple is the body of Christ himself. Gospel John 14:23-29 At the Last Supper Jesus speaks words of inexpressible comfort. He promises that the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Spirit, will find a home in us as individuals and as a community when we learn to keep his word. “It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and by ourselves not to saddle you with any burden.” Illustration The European football tournament that took place in the summer of 2021, having been postponed for a year because of the pandemic, will for many years be a memory of pride and shame for the English. A talented young team and its humble, thoughtful manager led England through a summer of extraordinary hope after a winter of pandemic-driven anxiety and depression. They were joyful in victory and gracious in defeat, unlike a small minority of fans whose hate -fuelled racist abuse and xenophobic thuggery brought shame to them and tarnished the name of the country they claimed to support. Many of the England team were of migrant origin and showed gratitude for the country that welcomed their families. One of the players, Marcus Rashford, led a campaign for free school meals that illustrated a spirit of compassion and generosity rooted in gratitude and a well-deserved pride in his own achievements and those of his single mother, who brought her family up in poverty. All attempts to exclude and divide are rooted in fear and prejudice. If this is clearly illustrated in football, there is also a lesson here for the Church to reflect on. Gospel Teaching Today’s readings all contain teaching for us as individuals, but much more for us as the body of Christ in the world. The early Church struggled to discern between true and false teaching and to preserve the community from all attempts to divert attention from Jesus’ unequivocal teaching about welcoming sinners into the kingdom. While it is important that we continue to discern where we are being led in Spirit and truth, Pope Francis has been equally unequivocal in his insistence that we cannot turn the Church into a private members’ club, where those on the inside wear their virtue like a medal. In the early Church, sinners would be excluded from the community for years, their penitent status obvious for all to see. Every attempt we make to separate those we consider sinners from participation in the gathered community is similar in spirit to this excluding attitude. The first reading, from Acts, gives us an illustration of this. It tells of an argument in the early Church about whether those who were not of the Jewish faith should have strict rules about membership imposed upon them. This quarrel about admitting pagans to the early Church is the first of many attempts throughout the Church’s history to control and exclude access to grace. We see it today in arguments about admittance to the sacraments. The Church is a field hospital, not a fortress. The sacraments are medicine for those who are sick, not a reward for those who are virtuous. We are called to the freedom of the children of God, but we repeatedly prefer the security of slavery to the responsibility that comes with such freedom. Application It is part of the challenge of discernment that we have to try to balance the teaching of the Church with Christ’s call to freedom, mercy and compassion. The 2015 Synod on the Family wrestled with these thorny issues as it looked at the exclusion from the sacraments of people who are divorced and remarried or those in same-sex relationships. There is no easy answer to these questions, but the teaching of the Gospels is quite clear, as is Pope Francis’ stated preference for a “bruised, hurting and dirty” Church. The story from Acts, like the vision of John in the Apocalypse, from which we heard an extract in our second reading, serves to remind us that we are guests at Christ’s table at the Eucharistic feast, not hosts or bouncers, controlling who is welcome. Christ himself is the feast and the one who issues the invitations. Every member of the Church is a sinner, welcomed by his compassion and mercy. The Spirit, whose coming Christ promises in the Gospel, brings peace and drives out fear. But it is fear that drives human attempts to exclude and control, whether in society’s many prejudices like racism, sexism and homophobia, or within the Church when we judge others to be “outsiders”. The challenge to us is to look at the root of our judgements and to overcome prejudice with courage and fear with freedom. In God’s house all are welcome. VESTNIK 2022 | 163 164 | VESTNIK 2022 VESTNIK 2022 | 165 O BVESTILA - A NNOUNCEMENTS KOLEDAR DOGODKOV PO DRUŠTVIH: SPRING BANQUET - May 20-23, 2022 - Slovenski park - Victoria Day long Weekend: Mass & Procession, Sunday May 22nd at 1:00 p.m. The last two years have been filled with uncertainty, challenges and limited opportunities to socialize with family and friends. With mandates now lifted, and life starting to get back to normal, your parish council felt that our Spring Banquet would be a good way to get back into the swing of things here in our parish community. Our SPRING BANQUET will be held on SUNDAY, JUNE 5TH with one Mass at 10:00am and lunch which will be served at 12:00 pm (noon). Reservations can be made by calling Theresa Sarjaš at: 905-930-7990. Individual reservations will be accepted, however to ensure you are comfortable with whom you will be seated, we suggest that full table reservations are made so that you are sitting with those in your circle. This Banquet luncheon will be a donation based event. Although the minimum suggested amount for the Banquet lunch is $35/plate, (however), any donation you can make will not only help but, will be very much appreciated. We are happy to announce that our ladies have not lost their flair for making our amazing soup noodles. Our traditional noodles are ready to go and will first be made available to those attending the banquet. If we have any left, we will open up sales to those not in attendance . The noodles will cost $20 per bag. As an update, over the past little while, a number of volunteers have worked hard to clean up the hall and kitchens. We reorganized and redefined our hall rental process and are looking forward to what the future holds for our Slovenian community. We look forward to seeing everyone and spending time together with family and friends on Sunday June 5th! - Heidy Novak - May 28, 2022 - Bled - Spring Pig Roast - May 29, 2022 - St. Gregory the Great - First Communion and Confirmation - Mass with bishop Douglas Crosby at 10:00 a.m. - June 4, 2022 - Slovenski park - Golf tournament - Cambridge Golf Club - June 5, 2022 - St. Gregory the Great - Late spring Banquet - Mass 10:00 a.m. - Dinner in upper hall at noon. For reservations call: Theresa Sarjaš: 905-930-7990 - June 12, 2022 - Lipa Park - Open HouseFolk arts Picnic - June 12, 2022 - London - Mass & procession - 3:00 p.m. - St. John the Divine Church - June 18, 2022 - Bled - Fathers Day Picnic - June 25, 2022 - Slovenski park - Slovenski Dan ČIŠČENJE CERKVE - CLEANING OF THE CHURCH May 28th June11th June 25th - Lojzka Novak team - Lukežič, Volčanšek - Jožica Vegelj and team GIFT BEARERS Now that we are able to worship together in person, without restrictions, we will restart the Gift Bearer tradition at St. Gregory’s on Palm Sunday at the 9:30am Slovenian Mass. If you would like to volunteer, please sign up on the chart in the foyer, or give your name to Pamela. 166 | VESTNIK 2022 SLOVENSKI PARK - MAY - LONG WEEKEND Danes popoldne ob 1:00 p.m. je maša - s procesijo sv Rešnjega Telesa po maši - v Slovenskem Parku. Sveta maša je v Slovenskem parku vse “Long weekende” od maja do septembra ob 1:00h popoldne; če je vreme lepo je pri kapelici, sicer pa v dvorani. Danes se bo sveta maša darovala za vse pokojne člane društva in še po naslednjih namenih: † John Zakrajšek - Branko Gašpar z družino † Janko in Veronika Broz - Družina Kuzma † Frank Zabukovec - Kristijan Razpotnik † Martin Činžar - Družina Mirt † Frank Cagran - Družina Mirt † Frank Cagran - Žena Majda Bloom where you are planted" St. Francis de Sales Na račun »Eno Srce, Ena Duša« - »One Heart, One Soul« ste za našo slovensko župnijo sv. Gregorija Velikega do 22. maja 2022: $134,040. - Obljubili/Pledged $111,875. - Vplačali/Paid Hvala vsem, ki ste že prispevali. DON BOSCO V tem tednu so naslednje obletnice smrti faranov, ki so zapisani v naših knjigah: Knaus Karel May 24, 1991 Dolmovič Frank May 24, 2009 Gomboc Ivanka May 27, 2010 Kolar Martina Kristina May 28, 2013 Kastelic Milka May 28, 2019 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 / 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 for a personal conversation with your priest – please call for an appointment. Tel: 905561-5971. VESTNIK 2022 | 167 SVETE MAŠE - MASSES 22. 5. 2022 - 29. 5. 2022 6. VELIKONOČNA NEDELJA 6TH SUNDAY OF EASTER 22. MAJ MARJETA, REDOVNICA NEDELJA TURIZMA PONEDELJEK - MONDAY 23. MAJ †† † † † † † † †† Za žive in rajne župljane Ivan in Veronika Obal Hilda Žigon Milka Ferko Stanko Bratuž Jože Raduha Josie Gimpelj Alojz Lesica Pokojni člani društva 9:30 A.M. SLOVENIAN MASS & 11:00 A.M. ENGLISH MASS -------Toni in Marija Franc Toni in Marija Franc Manja Erzetič Žena Matilda Jože in Albina Antolin Family Lesica Žena z družino 1:00 P.M. Slovenski Park † Zoltan Gergyek † Eileen MacKenzie 7:00 P.M. Božo in Magda Rimas N.N. † Ivanka Ferenčak V čast Mariji Pomočnici V čast Mariji Pomočnici 7:00 P.M. Jožica Vegelj z družino Jožica Vegelj z družino Slomškovo oltarno društvo SREDA - WEDNESDAY 25. MAJ †† Pokojni iz družine Zver †† Pok. iz druž. Sagadin in Kisner 7:00 P.M. Marija Korošec z družino Julija Sagadin z družino ČETRTEK - THURSDAY 26. MAJ †† Ignac in Marija Horvat 7:00 P.M. Rozika in Slavi (Montreal) † Štefan Hozjan † Milka Ferko 7:00 P.M. Žena Marija z družino Ana Gergyek † † † †† † † †† †† Joe Lackovič Leopold Gimpelj Frank Pinter Ivan Tompa (obl.) in pokojni Ivan Žižek Martina Kolar, obl. Pok. iz družine Slobodnik Pok. iz družine Pozderec in Pivar 5:30 P.M. Žena Vera z družino Sin Jože Gimpelj Manja Erzetič Rozina Petek Vera Lackovič z družino Mož Štefan z družino Olga Slobodnik z družino Julija Sagadin z družino †† † † † † † † Za žive in rajne župljane Marija in Franc Klemenčič Ann Božnar Frank Gimpelj Milka Ferko Magda Udovč Frank Mramor Irma Dorenčec Socerb, muč. TOREK - TUESDAY 24. MAJ Maria Pomočnica Gregor VII. papež Filip Neri, duhovnik PETEK - FRIDAY 27. MAJ Alojzij Grozde, mučenec SOBOTA - SATURDAY 28. MAJ Anton Julijan, mučenec Ignacij, škof VNEBOHOD THE ASCENTION OF THE LORD 29. MAJ MAKSIM EMONSKI, ŠKOF World Communications Day 168 | VESTNIK 2022 MASS ONLY AT 10:00 A.M. FIRST COMMUNION & CONFIRMATION -------Hči Zorka Rev John Božnar in družina Družina Lesica Olga Hanc z družino Udovč-Levstek Families Olga Čulig Mož Ignac z družino