CIRCULAR TO PARISHIONERS WEEK 33 - JAN 15, 2005
THE LIGHT RETURNS
Four weeks have now passed since the winter solstice, the darkest day of the year. Already we are
aware of the brightening sun, and although the coldest days of winter have yet to be endured, the
strengthening light infuses us with the hope of the coming warmth of July. The Light of the World,
our Hope, is presented in today’s Gospel in the declaration of the Baptist,
“Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
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DISASTER RELIEF
Today, we profile DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE.
Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (CCODP), the Canadian arm of
Caritas Internationalis, is a major relief organization that can deliver a sizable immediate “punch” to
alleviate disasters. During the past 37 years, Development and Peace has provided $441
million to finance 13,900 projects in 70 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America; $86 million of
this amount has been allocated in emergency aid. Typical projects involve issues such as peace-
building, human rights, agrarian reform, education, community development and economic justice.
As of January 6, 2005, contributions to Development and Peace tsunami relief efforts had
passed the $1-million-mark. A call from Canada’s Catholic Bishops urged every parish in the
country to hold a special collection on Sunday, 9 January 2005, to aid the people of Southeast
Asia. Some local parishes had completed their collections by January 11th, in time to meet the
deadline to qualify for the Canadian Government’s $1-for-$1 donation match. One parish, in
fact, delivered in excess of $68,000. On January 11th the Archdiocese of Toronto presented
$3.4 million to Development and Peace.
Donations to Development and Peace can still be made on line at the organization’s website
(www.devp.org), the direct link to the “donations” site is:
https://www.sos.devp.org/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/wdevpaix/donation
You can also contact them by phoning toll free at 1-888-664-3387, or by sending a cheque to:
Development and Peace, 5633 Sherbrooke St. East, Montréal, Quebec, H1N 1A3
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SHARING AND CARING
Other charities continue to require ongoing support and some are very worried that the focus on
Tsunami relief will diminish the regular donations that they rely on. Many of our parishioners
continue to share their weekly contributions among the charities named below.
1. Catholic Missions of Canada, 201-1155 Yonge St., Toronto, Ont. M4T 1W2
2. St. Vincent de Paul Society, 240 Church St., Toronto, Ont. M5B 1Z2
3. Birthright Mississauga, 307-2600 Edenhurst, Mississauga, Ont. L5A 3Z8
4. Dr.Simone’s Canadian Food for Children, 40 King George Rd. Toronto, ON M8X 1L3
5. Ian Anderson House, 430 Winston Churchill Blvd. Oakville, Ont. L6J 7X2
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Thank You, Friends and Neighbours:
Many parishioners of St. Martin of Tours, alienated from their home parish, have told us that over
the Christmas period, they were welcomed at our neighbouring parishes –
St. Joseph’s, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Mary Star of the Sea, St. Dominic’s, St. Christopher’s, St.
Ignatius Loyola, Merciful Redeemer, St. Francis Xavier, St. Catherine of Siena, Christ the King,
St. Gregory’s, St. Patrick’s, St. Matthew’s. Whereas, their preference would have been to
celebrate Christmas in their own parish, this year many chose to go to neighbouring parishes to
share the joy of the Christmas season. An opportunity was presented - and lost - for St. Martin’s
Church to embrace the entire parish in the celebration and hope of the Christmas spirit.
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ANNOUNCEMENT!!
Our Knights of Columbus and the (exiled) Choir will hold a benefit dinner dance on Saturday,
19th February, for Disaster Relief. Venue and details will be available in next week’s circular. The
evening will be both fun and informative. A notable guest speaker, with first hand experience of
relief work in Haiti, Nicaragua, Africa and elsewhere, will present an insight into the workings of
international relief operations. This is an opportunity for St. Martin of Tours parishioners to
express their unity - the unity of our Parish community, and the unity of the Body Of Christ - to
get together and fulfil the mission of the gospel message “whereas you give to one of these, the
least of my brethren, you give it to me”; “…by this they will know you are my followers, if you love
one another.”
The cost is small; the gift is priceless.
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Faith and Hope
We are aware of a renewal of Faith that is spontaneously erupting in the Church, among the
People of God in many areas of the world wherein they are returning to the basic teachings of
Jesus Christ and rejecting the man-made rules that have stifled the expression of the Spirit in
individuals.
Lord, you nourish us with bread from heaven. Fill us with your Spirit, and make us one in peace
and love.
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Email:bishop.boissonneau@rogers.com Fax: 416 207-4984.
His Eminence, Aloysius Cardinal Ambrozic Fax: 416 934-3452.
For more information, contact: Aisling Egan 416 671-4710
Pat DeAngelis 416 809-1819 Duncan Walker 905 277-9825
Lucy Pires 905 273-6093 Dunstan Bazely 905 275-3946
Judy Byrnes 905 275-1536 Patricia Russell 905 279-9205
