Ministries: February 15 & 16 (6 th Sunday in Ordinary Time) February 22 & 23 (7 th Sunday in Ordinary Time) Communion 5:00 Erlinda Andaya, Guia Alvaran, Edna Halas, Josie Mayer 8:30 Cecile Flater, Dan & Elvie Santos, Henry Sutherland 10:00 Horst Eckes, Margret Littau 11:30 Cynthia Cariaga, Vincent Baided, Norma Dizon, Carmen Alimangohan Catholic Missions in Canada Awareness Day Catholic Missions in Canada (formerly known as the Church Extension Society) financially assists 25 dioceses in Canada helping to continue the works of missionaries, especially in remote and in-need areas of our country. Founded in 1908, Catholic Missions in Canada has come to the aid of isolated missions across the country where a lack of resources makes it impossible to maintain a Catholic presence without outside financial help. Interestingly, one of the seven founders of CMIC was the first Archbishop of Winnipeg, Most Reverend Alfred Arthur Sinnott. Since 2015 CMIC has been a very generous benefactor to the Archdiocese of Winnipeg. In fact in 2019 CMIC provided $260,000.00 in funding for the missions in our Archdiocese. Following the invitation of Pope Francis for all Catholics to become aware of home missions, CMIC is inviting dioceses to designate a “Day of Prayer for Canadian Home Missions.” The Archdioceses of St. Boniface and Winnipeg have designated February 9, 2020 as our day of prayer. You will find prayers cards inserted in this bulletin. Please prayerfully and financially support the work of CMIC. For more detailed information about this important ministry browse their website: www.cmic.info Our Lady of Lourdes February 11 In Lourdes, France, in 1844 a baby girl named Bernadette Soubirous was born. Bernadette’s family was very poor, and Bernadette was responsible for looking after and caring for her brothers and sisters. The only education Bernadette received was the Catholic teachings which she studied faithfully in the evenings. At the age of 13, Bernadette was preparing for her First Holy Communion. One of Bernadette’s chores was to collect wood for the fire. On a cold day in February 1858, Bernadette and 2 companions headed off to the Gave River to collect pieces of wood. The 2 companions ran ahead and left Bernadette struggling to keep up. As Bernadette was taking off her shoes to make her way through the river, she was startled by a peculiar wind and rustling sound. Bernadette looked up towards the grotto and the caves on the riverbank. Near the opening of the grotto, Bernadette glanced and noticed the cave was suddenly filled with golden light. Lifting up her eyes, she saw a lady of great beauty, dressed in a pure white robe with a blue sash, a veil over her head, a rosary clasped in her hands and yellow roses at her feet. The beautiful lady smiled at Bernadette and asked her to say her rosary. Bernadette said her prayers and when she was finished she looked up, the lady had vanished. Bernadette caught up to her 2 friends and told them about the vision she had just witnessed. The girls told Bernadette she was silly and probably just seeing things. Bernadette felt drawn to the grotto and returned there on the next Sunday. Again Bernadette saw the beautiful lady. The third time Bernadette went to the grotto, the lady spoke to her. The beautiful lady asked Bernadette to come here every day for fifteen days. She said that she wanted Bernadette to tell the priests to build a chapel there. She told her to drink water from the stream. The lady also told Bernadette to pray for the conversion of sinners. Bernadette followed the requests. On March 25, the Lady finally told Bernadette that she was Mary, the mother of Jesus, and that her purpose in appearing to Bernadette was to warn her to pray and make sacrifices for sinners. Bernadette’s daily visits to the grotto caused quite a stir in the countryside. Crowds of people began to gather and watch Bernadette as she examined the cave and obediently did the things the lady asked of her. They watched Bernadette scrape away soil beside the grotto until a spring of water started to trickle out. At first, the priests, the town’s folk, and the families doubted Bernadette’s visions and the purpose in her activities. But Bernadette was stubborn and determined to follow Mary’s plans for her. Eventually everyone did believe Bernadette and the grotto at Lourdes became a place of worship and the Lourdes holy water was sacred for performing miracles. At the age of 22, Bernadette became a nun and devoted her life to Mary, to praying for the conversion of sinners and to the service of God. Bernadette died on April 16, 1879, at the age of 36. Today, Lourdes remains one of the most frequented Christian shrines in the world. More than 3 million visitors, pilgrims and tourists come each year to the Grotto of Massabielle, where the Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette 18 times in 1858. A total of 67 miraculous healings have been recognized at Lourdes since 1858. However, there have only been four miracles since 1978, the most recent in 2005 year when an Italian woman was said to have been healed of acute rheumatism. World Day of the Sick February 11 is World Day of the Sick, an observation introduced by Pope John Paul II as a way for believers to offer prayers for those suffering from illnesses. The day coincides with the commemoration of Our Lady of Lourdes and is an important opportunity for those who serve in Catholic health ministry to reflect on caring for those who are sick as well as those who provide care to them. St. Valentine’s Day A quick quiz: St. Valentine was: a) a priest in the Roman Empire who helped persecuted Christians during the reign of Claudius II, was thrown in jail and later beheaded on Feb. 14. b) a Catholic bishop of Terni who was beheaded during the reign of Claudius II. c) someone who secretly married couples when marriage was forbidden, or suffered in Africa, or wrote letters to his jailer's daughter, and was probably beheaded. d) all, some, or possibly none of the above. If you guessed d), give yourself a box of chocolates. The story of Valentine's Day begins in the third century. Valentinus was dedicated to the ideals of Christ, and not even the threat of death could keep him from practicing his beliefs. He was arrested and imprisoned for performing Christian marriages. During the last weeks of Valentinus' life a remarkable thing happened. Seeing that he was a man of learning, the jailer asked whether his daughter, Julia, might be brought to Valentinus for lessons. She had been blind since birth. Julia was a pretty young girl with a quick mind. Valentinus read stories of Rome's history to her. He described the world of nature to her. He taught her arithmetic, and told her about God. She saw the world through his eyes, trusted in his wisdom, and found comfort in his quiet strength. "Valentinus, does God really hear our prayers?" Julia asked one day. "Yes, my child, He hears each one," he replied. "Do you know what I pray for every morning and every night? I pray that I might see. I want so much to see everything you've told me about!" "God does what is best for us if we will only believe in Him," Valentinus said. "Oh, Valentinus, I do believe," Julia said intensely. "I do." She knelt and grasped his hand. Then they prayed together. Suddenly there was a brilliant light in the prison cell. Radiant, Julia cried, "Valentinus, I can see! I can see!" Praise be to God!" Valentinus exclaimed. On the eve of his death, Valentinus wrote a last note to Julia, urging her to stay close to God, and he signed it "From your Valentine". His sentence was carried out the next day, February 14, 270. It is said that Julia herself planted a pink- blossomed almond tree near his grave. Today, the almond tree remains a symbol of abiding love and friendship. On each February 14, St. Valentine's Day, messages of affection, love and devotion are exchanged around the world. Legend has it that Charles, duke of Orleans, sent the first real Valentine card to his wife in 1415, when he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Attention All Parishioners Income Tax Receipts for 2019 have been mailed for those who have donated over $50; please keep it in a safe place as you can use it when you file your Income Tax return. For donations of $50 or less, receipts are ready for pick up from Fr. Bo’s office. Please phone the parish office any weekday morning to make an appointment. Likewise if you have any questions or need to change your address please phone. To help you figure out if you have given adequate support to your parish please take the time to divide your yearly donation (the amount on your tax receipt) by 54 for the exact amount of your contribution per Holy Day of Obligation; i.e. Sundays, New Year’s Day and Christmas Day. A yearly donation of less than $400 means that your donation per Sunday is $7.40 or less. Sharing God’s Gifts Income Tax Receipts will be mailed directly to you from the Archdiocese of Winnipeg. If you have any questions or concerns regarding Sharing God’s Gifts Receipts please call 452-2227. Little Black Books – six-minute meditations on the Sunday Gospels of Lent (Cycle A) will be available at the church entrances on the weekend of February 15 & 16. Be sure to pick one up so you can begin the program on Sun, Feb. 23 (the Sunday before Ash Wednesday) . Prayer Ministers & Readers 5:00 Tess Tankeko, Hazel Sevilla, Kurt Anos 8:30 Rey Operana, Psalm Brigole, Tricia Alegre 10:00 Linda Donner, Margret Littau 11:30 Alma Sevilla, Marivic Ebalde, Vincent Baided Communion 5:00 Ben & Vener Pablico, Ludita Solis, Rosabella Tankeko 8:30 Efren & Narcy Ramirez, Tess Tankeko, Roger Valdez 10:00 Joanne Neustaedter, Adolf Kussmann 11:30 Nixon Cacao, Emma Velarde, Carmelita Schultz, Felipe Walawala Prayer Ministers & Readers 5:00 Joanne Neustaedter, Virgie Elago, Nikki Toledo 8:30 Alma Brigole, Vilma Pascual, Valeriano Roque 10:00 Sybil Kunce, Adolf Kussmann 11:30 Edda Pangilinan, Jorrel Camuyong, Pat Maloshicky Rest in Peace St. Joseph’s Parish extends Deepest Sympathy to the family and friends of Walter Bewsky who passed away February 4. Memorial Mass will be celebrated Saturday, Feb. 15 at 10:00 am in St. Joseph’s Church.