What types of prayer experiences would you be interested in having at your own church? There are two main categories:

• public and
• private prayer services.

Public prayer services are official rites of the Catholic Church, thus must be followed accordingly, whereas there is much room for flexibility with the private prayer services. Public prayers are all the sacraments, liturgy of the hours, exposition with a holy hour, liturgy of the Word service etc. Private prayer services are devotions like the rosary, stations of the cross, chaplet of divine mercy, novenas, Taize prayer, praise & worship singing, prayer groups with sharing, other etc.

So which type of prayer experience would be life giving to you?

Please contact me with your input, and also consider suggesting names of those who could lead these services in your local church, so I can begin the implementation process.

100th Anniversary of Seminary

 St Peter's Seminary in London, Ontario will be celebrating their 100th anniversary of preparing priests for ordination to Holy Orders from May 21-24th.  Bishop Dunn, Fr Vincent and myself are all alumni of St Peter's so we will all be attending this milestone event.  The following weekend I will be offering a retreat for 100 young adults in Moncton, NB, so please welcome my replacement Fr Dan MacDonald of Antigonish Co. with your warm Margaree hospitality.  
 

Peace be with you, Fr. Doug

St. Michael’s CWL

St. Patrick’s CWL will be going to the Lakes Restaurant on June 6 for dinner at 6 p.m..  Members will be contacted by the call people in each area.  Everyone is welcomed!

Congratulations to members of St. Patrick’s CWL who “bowled for life” last Friday evening raising $665 for pro-life organizations in our Diocese.

will be held Sunday, June 3 at St. Michael’s Parish Hall.  The Evangelization and Vocations Ministry wishes to invite all dads with daughters between the ages of 3 and 18 to take part in our first and, hopefully, annual event where you will have the chance to spend some special time with the young lady in your life.  Fathers and their daughters are invited to enjoy a delicious dinner at 4:30 pm. Dads and daughters will be served a three course meal and be given the opportunity to spend time together in a relaxed and comfortable setting. We encourage all dads and daughters to participate and hope that daughters will attend with a father figure (grandfather, godfather or uncle) if for some reason their dads cannot be there that evening. We look forward to seeing all of you and ask that you let one of our committee members know that you will be attending by phoning Mary (248-2317), Ethna (248-2551), or Lisa (235-2525) by May 27.  We would prefer to know by May 21, with the absolute deadline of May 27, and NO reservations will be accepted after May 27 since this is a complimentary gift from the Margaree Family of Catholic Churches. If you have any questions, please call one of us to help clarify your concerns. It is important for planning purposes that you let us know if you are going to attend this event. We look forward to hosting another event for mothers and sons and also an event for the entire family later in the year.  We hope to see you there!

What types of prayer experiences would you be interested in having at your own church?  There are two main categories:

• public and
• private prayer services. 

Public prayer services are official rites of the Catholic Church, thus must be followed accordingly, whereas there is much room for flexibility with the private prayer services.  Public prayers are all the sacraments, liturgy of the hours, exposition with a holy hour, liturgy of the Word service etc.  Private prayer services are devotions like the rosary, stations of the cross, chaplet of divine mercy, novenas, Taize prayer, praise & worship singing, prayer groups with sharing, other etc. 

So which type of prayer experience would be life giving to you? 

Please contact me with your input, and also consider suggesting names of those who could lead these services in your local church, so I can begin the implementation process.     

Peace be with you, Fr. Doug

St. Michael’s CWL will be holding a pot luck on May 20 from 12 noon to 1:30. Adults: $8; Children under 12: $5.  Everyone welcomed.

Fr. Doug

If anyone is interested in forming a committee to organize this summer’s Salmon Supper, please attend a meeting on Thurs., May 10 at St. Michael’s Parish Hall at 7 p.m. or contact Audrey LeBlanc at 235-2744.

St. Michael’s CWL

St. Patrick’s CWL meeting will be held on Wed., May 9 following 6:30 Mass.  An auction will be held, so members are reminded to bring their quarters!  The executive meeting will be held on Sun., May 6 at 2 p.m.

Members of St. Patrick’s CWL will go bowling on Friday, May 11 in Cheticamp – 7 p.m.  Proceeds from pledges will go to the pro-life groups in our Diocese.

St. Patrick’s CWL celebration for seniors and couples celebrating milestone anniversaries will take place at St. Patrick’s Hall on Sunday, May 6.  Seniors are invited to come for games at 11:00.  The meal will be served at 12:30.

The Margaree Family of Catholic Churches has a Social Justice and Life Ministry, honouring the great contribution of two noble Catholic priests from the Margarees.  The social justice ministry is beginning its work with an educational endeavour – Book Club.  Beginning in Easter – the season of the resurrection, a book on the cooperative movement called Moses Coady, will be made available for purchase for only $5.00 (regularly $16.) for all those interested in learning about this great movement.  In the fall we will be gathering to discuss the book and look to hosting a conference with speakers on the cooperative movement.  Books will be made available after mass during the Sundays throughout Easter, or at the glebe house during office hours every Thursday.  We encourage you to learn more about this great cooperative movement.

St. Michael’s CWL

St. Michael’s CWL meeting will be held May 2 at 1:30 p.m. in the Seniors’ Hall.  The executive will meet at 12:45. St Michael’s CWL will be holding a pot luck on May 20 from 12 noon to 1:30. More to come later.

The Blessing of the Fleet will take place at the Belle Cote Wharf on Sun., May 6 at 3 p.m. Refreshments to follow at the Community Centre.  Everyone welcomed.

The Margaree Family of Catholic Churches will celebrate the sacrament of Confirmation in St. Joseph’s Church on Friday, May 4th at 7 p.m. when Bishop Brian Dunn will confirm the candidates from our three parishes. Come and join in the celebration.  A reception will follow in the parish hall.

Confirmation Practice

Practice for Confirmation will be held on Wednesday, May 2 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Church.  All candidates and their sponsors are expected to attend.

I wish to thank all our catechists from the three churches who taught children’s Liturgy of the Word at mass and led FFW religion sessions.  I also wish to acknowledge the leadership of Cecile Miller who volunteered to take on the enormous task of preparing each session throughout the year.  Thank you to the St. Michael’s CWL who are preparing the year end supper for our Margaree Family. 

All our catechists met for a year-end evaluation of the program, and they felt we should continue with the intergenerational approach, with some modifications which will be explained in more detail in the fall.  One of the significant recommendations that I can share now, was to change the day to Thursday because the school has a late bus on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which makes it difficult for students with after school activities to attend.  Finally, for our children who will receive Jesus in Holy Communion for the first time, the children’s Liturgy of the Word will continue throughout the month of May to help them prepare for this encounter.  They will gather together for a family breakfast on June 9^th, and then receive Holy Communion in their local church the same weekend.  After this our catechetical religious instruction will be over until the fall.  Thank you all for supporting our future generations as they grow in faith in Jesus Christ.                                        

Peace be with you, Father Doug

Thank you

St. Michael’s CWL is collecting all-occasion cards, used stamps and eye glasses (no bread tags, please).  They may be deposited on the table at the entrance of St. Michael’s.

St. Michael’s CWL meeting will be held May 2 at 1:30 p.m. in the Seniors’ Hall.  The executive will meet at 12:45. St Michael’s CWL will be holding a pot luck on May 20 from 12 noon to 1:30. More to come later.

St. Michael’s CWL is hosting the closing spaghetti supper on Wed., April 25 for the Religious Education Program, and they need to know how many people (children, youth and parents) will be attending..  Email office@mfocc.ca or call your local catechist rep: St. Joseph’s – Diane MacKinnon – 248-2594; St. Michael’s – Audrey LeBlanc – 235-2744 or Cecile 248-2305 before Sun., April 22.  Thank you.

Sunday is The Lord’s Day – A Day of Rest

Dear People of God: Sunday is a day of rest, a time for the community to gather at church and praise God.  During the Lord’s Day we are nourished by God’s Word and God’s Body in the Eucharist.  After being sanctified by the Lord, we are invited to go out into the world and bring the Good News we have experienced with others.  A healthy way to do this is to recapture a family meal after mass and then spend the afternoon visiting family and friends.  We are encouraged to use the other six days during the week to do work and chores.  To express the value of the Lord’s Day, I will be doing parish visits after Sunday mass with families and then offering a healthy form of recreation every Sunday afternoon at 3 pm.  Throughout the season of Easter, which coincides with the NHL playoffs, there will be street hockey games every Sunday afternoon in the St. Michael’s parking lot from 3 – 5 pm.  I have moved the time to 3 pm, so young people don’t have to rush and can enjoy lunch with their families.  Any families interested in a parish visit are welcome to email me at: 

pastor@mfocc.ca           

Thank you, Fr Doug

Margaree Helps Makenzie

(with lots of help from surrounding areas). A fun family event will be held on Sunday, April 22 from 12:00 – 5:00 at St. Michael's Hall. There will be games for kids and a large raffle of new items including several paintings by local artists. Canteen services and some local entertainment are also featured. Door prizes!  All proceeds are in aid of Makenzie Bryan, granddaughter of Patricia Tompkins formerly of Margaree Forks.  Makenzie, her mom Lindsay and grandma Patricia are all at the Toronto's Children's Hospital for four to six months. Come out and have some fun for this very worthwhile cause.
 

Dear Parishioners,

Makenzie Bryan has significant health issues and we seek to alleviate some of the stress of life by
helping her and her family through this community fundraiser.  I wish to thank Elaine Leblanc for her leadership in organizing this event, the Margaree Family Youth Group and confirmation class for assisting on this day next Sunday.  I wish to encourage you to attend and help one of God's little ones.      

Peace, Fr. Doug

This weekend our young people made their confirmation retreat with the assistance of the National Evangelization Team (NET).  I wish to thank Hilda Phillips of St. Patrick’s for organizing their visit and providing accommodation.  I also thank Lisa & Harold McLean and Hubert and Helena Chiasson for hosting some of the NET team members.  Thanks are also extended to the Youth Group and others who provided meals on Friday and those from St. Patrick’s for preparing the lunch and supper at the Saturday Retreat.  Over 60 young people attended from the Margarees, Port Hood and Inverness.  Thank you all for your generosity in helping to build the faith of our next generation.             

Fr. Doug

St. Joseph’s: Judy (Stewart) Watson;

St. Michael’s: Shirley Brodie, Helen (Mose) LeBlanc, Rose LeBlanc, Bob MacDonald, Leona Rempel, Carol Williams, Jeanette Arsenault LeBlanc, Lily Murray, Mary Judy LeBlanc, Maureen and Martina Delaney, Richard (Dickie) Marple, Darlene Moore, Lorette LeBlanc, Marie Louise Moncousky, Simon L. LeBlanc;

St. Patrick’s: Christine Hannigan, Mary Stepaniak, Clarence Timmons, Fr. Hughie MacNeil, Jessie Tompkins, Willena Vickers, Ricky Woodford, Susan Woodford, Annabelle Tompkins

Prayer for Healing

Almighty and merciful Father, by the power of your command, drive away from me all forms of sickness and disease.  Restore strength to my body and joy to my spirit, so that in my renewed health, I may bless and serve you, now and forevermore.

Dear Lord Jesus, it is my will to surrender to you everything that I am and everything that I’m striving to be.  I open the deepest recesses of my heart to you and invite your Holy Spirit to dwell inside of me.  I offer you my life, heart, mind, body, soul, spirit, all my hopes, plans and dreams.  I surrender to you my past, present, and future problems, habits, character defects, attitudes, livelihood, resources, finances, occupation and all my relationships.  I give you my health, disabilities, physical appearance, home, family, marriage, children, sexuality and friendships.

The good people of the Margarees continue to inspire me with their generosity.  After the pulp was cut, I came back from morning mass last Friday to find Steve & Margie MacLennan splitting my pulp.  They brought their wood splitter from North East Margaree on their truck and then away they went.  I was so surprised, and I am so grateful.The goodwill continued as Claude LeFort came with his chain saw and began splitting the logs that were in four foot lengths.  Then Leonard LeBlanc and Ken Smith showed up as well.  I want everyone to know that these three communities are very special indeed.  As I consider all the work already done, I must say from my experience I don't believe other parishes would be so giving of their time and talents.  Thank you all

I wish to thank all of the sacristans in our three parishes who have done such beautiful behind-the- scenes work to make our churches look so beautiful for Easter and for so many other celebrations throughout the year.  Quietly and with much love, they prepare for the Mass, decorate the Church, clean the sacred linens/vessels and perform various other tasks that are seen only by God. In alphabetical order: St. Joseph’s: Kay MacLeod, Cathy Miller, Laurie Veliath; St. Michael’s: Marg Burton, Anne Marie LeBlanc, Lorraine LeBlanc, Josephine LeFort, Mary Hilda MacIsaac; St. Patrick’s: Cecile Miller, Bell Murphy, Jessie Murphy, Raylene Murphy.

All Youth Welcome to NET Open House

All our parishioners are welcome to come and meet the members of the National Evangelization Team (NET) on Friday, April 13^th at St. Patrick`s Hall.  This will be an informal social from 7 – 9 p.m. All are welcome especially our youth!

Confirmation Retreat

• 10 am arrive at St Patrick's Hall
• 10:05 Retreat with NET begins
• 12 pm lunch
• 12:30 Retreat continues
• 4:40 supper
• 6 pm mass at St Patrick's Church with the NET team members.  Parents and sponsors and welcome to attend.
• 7 pm Parents pick up youth

Confirmation Service Hours

Young people looking for ways to fill service hours are reminded half must come from our parish community itself e.g. helping at mass, maintenance of church, serving at the annual meeting potluck, helping at children`s liturgy of the Word, FFW etc. The deadline for completed sheets with hours signed is April 18.

St. Michael’s CWL

St. Michael’s CWL has collected $1 105.00 for Operation Smile.  They are short $95. for the fifth child.  Deadline for donations is April 15.           

St. Patrick’s CWL meeting will take place on April 11 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Hall.

The Knights of Columbus would like to thank all those people who ventured out over the winter months to support our Card Games. We had a very successful year and have all of you to thank. We look forward to seeing you next year and would like to wish each of you an enjoyable summer!

Again the Knights of Columbus would like to thank St. Patrick’s CWL for the hearty breakfast they served early Sunday morning. We all had our fill and certainly enjoyed the service. It is so much appreciated to be able to count on each other to be there to help. Community spirit in full bloom!

Sunday is The Lord’s Day – A Day of Rest

Dear People of God,                                        

Sunday is a day of rest, a time for the community to gather at church and praise God.  During the Lord’s Day we are nourished by God’s Word and God’s Body in the Eucharist.  After being sanctified by the Lord, we are invited to go out into the world and bring the Good News we have experienced with others.  A healthy way to do this is to recapture a family meal after mass and then spend the afternoon visiting family and friends.  We are encouraged to use the other six days during the week to do work and chores.  To express the value of the Lord’s Day, I will be doing parish visits after Sunday mass with families and then offering a healthy form of recreation every Sunday afternoon at 3 pm.  Throughout the season of Easter, which coincides with the NHL playoffs, there will be street hockey games every Sunday afternoon in the St. Michael’s parking lot from 3 – 5 pm.  I have moved the time to 3 pm, so young people don’t have to rush and can enjoy lunch with their families.  Any families interested in a parish visit are welcome to email me at:  pastor@mfocc.ca  -     Thank you, Fr Doug

St. Michael’s CWL

St. Michael’s CWL meeting will take place April 4 at 1.30 p.m. at the Seniors’ Hall.  The executive meeting will be at 12.45 p.m.  New members welcomed.           

St. Patrick’s CWL meeting will take place on April 11 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Hall. The executive will meet on Tues., April 3 at 8 p.m.  If any CWL member is interested in attending the Antigonish Diocesan CWL Convention in Sydney April 27-29, please contact Sheila at 248-2516 by April 7.

The regular meeting of the Knights of Columbus will be held on Tuesday, April 3 at 8:00 pm.  The change in date is due to the fact that Holy Thursday this year falls on the same day as our fixed date. We apologize for any inconvenience!