CIRCULAR TO PARISHIONERS WEEK 59 - JULY 16, 2005
DEBT-FREE OR DEBT-RIDDEN?
Newcomers to our parish, i.e. those who have joined our parish in the last 18 months, may not be aware of
the changes that have occurred in St. Martin of Tours:
• Our Parish has been debt-free for over 20 years. However, since 2000, the Parish has been running at a
deficit, and draws heavily on invested funds. Our parish will very soon be in debt with nothing tangible to
show for it. New parishioners, who came here in the expectation of joining a debt-free parish, can soon look
forward to the burden of debt liability. Mismanagement and neglect can ruin a parish. The Parish will
continue to spiral downwards if not corrected. Sacrificial Giving, or any other program, is futile until the
bleeding is stopped.
• Once, the pastor said daily Mass. The current pastor, however, seldom says week-day morning Masses.
We have seen a series of temporarily assigned priests move through our parish every two months since June
2004. What is the cost to our parish for this extra clergy expense? And, why does the pastor say so few
parish Masses?
• We have always had active, vibrant organizations at St. Martin of Tours. These groups raised funds and
contributed to the parish financially, spiritually and socially, but many are now exiled. They remain active
and successful notwithstanding their forced exile from the parish, and the funds that they still raise are a
loss to the parish.
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PILGRIMAGE TO MARTYRS' SHRINE
There is an invitation (in the Parish bulletin) from Bishop Boissonneau to join the pilgrimage to Martyrs’
Shrine on Saturday, September 10. This pilgrimage is to celebrate the Year of the Eucharist
Martyrs’ Shrine is supported in part by the work and repairs performed by volunteer groups, e.g. The
Knights of Columbus. Our own Council of Knight of Columbus recently raised funds through our Parish
Picnic to restore structures in the grounds of this shrine. When you visit the shrine, please say a prayer of
thanks for our Knights. They labour to maintain the shrine
- in spite of being evicted from our own parish property by the pastor of St. Martin of Tours,
- in spite of the pastor prohibiting them (unsuccessfully) from fund-raising,
- in spite of the pastor twice summoning the police to have them moved (again unsuccessfully) from public
property,
- in spite of the pastor intimidating and humiliating their members during worship,
- in spite of the pastor removing many of their members from active volunteer ministries in the parish.
So, while you are at Martyrs’ Shrine, consider the valuable work of restoration that our Knights engage in,
work that our pastor attempted to frustrate. Let us hope that the bishop is also thankful.
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STOP PAYING FOR THE OLD CHURCH:(From an article by Fr.Gil Padilla, Tucson, Ariz.)
The purpose of Vatican II was to make the church, once again, a people’s church. However, it
(Vatican II) atrophied and died a death by stagnation. We now have a splintered church, the danger of
rising militant clericalism, parishes closing, and people going without Mass. We who accepted and
promoted Vatican II are now old and vastly outnumbered. But the Holy Spirit is in charge, and
Vatican II will have its day. But don’t look to the hierarchy to bring it about.
Vatican II proclaimed that the people are the church, and it is the people who will hasten the day. If
they want to be heard, let them hold back the dollars. The people will usher in the new church
when they quit paying for the old church. (The full text is available from The Arizona Daily Star
link: http://www.dailystar.com/dailystar/opinion/78078.php )
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BISHOP'S CORNER
The group which met with the bishop in May is still waiting for a reply from the bishop. We previously
reported on their proposal for a peaceful reconciliation. To date they have not received any response
or acknowledgement. They are still hopeful.
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GIVING IS RECEIVING
We care about our Parish. We encourage parishioners to visit our church to spend time in private prayer, to
pray that God will return us to a loving unified community. Stay focused on God’s will; and live the Gospel.
We care about, and care for, those in need. Here are some charitable organizations worthy of our support:
1. Catholic Missions in 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
6. Solidarite-Sud (Haiti), c/o Maison Alonzo Wright, 2425A St-Louis St., Gatineau QC J8V 1E7
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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
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Email: bishop.boissonneau@rogers.com Fax: 416 207-4984.
ambrozic@archtoronto.org Fax: 416 934-3452 (away until July 25).
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