St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish – Hamilton

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Category: From the Pastor’s Desk

From the Pastor’s Desk : 24th Week of Ordinary Time

Published September 11, 2022 / by St. Lawrence Hamilton

I will get up and go to my father – this resolution to return to the father’s home as made by the prodigal son is presented to us by St. Luke in this well-known parable. Although we have heard that account many times, we may listen to it again and find a refreshed meaning. At the threshold of a new pastoral year, we may reflect on how we can live this year, and today’s Gospel gives us a simple but significant answer: get up and go back to the Father’s home. What might this mean? Many of us may be lost for various reasons, some of us may be facing hardship and uncertainty as to the future, some of us may be suffering from a physical and spiritual ailment, some of us may be struggling with everyday toil. Get up and go back to the Father’s – means that it’s time to rise from my spiritual slumber, struggles, from everything that bothers me and return to the One who has never stopped loving me regardless of what I have done. Only with the Father’s embrace may I find compassion, understanding, relief, mercy and forgiveness. How many times Have I tried to handle everything on my own and how many times have I failed? If I truly reflect on those questions, I will find the way to my Father’s.

Among the liturgical celebrations of this week, we observe two Marian feasts and one dedicated to the Lord:

Monday, September 12th we celebrate the memorial of The Most Holy Name of Mary. This feast is a counterpart to the Feast of The Holy Name of Jesus, which is held on January 3rd. Its meaning is to commemorate all the privileges bestowed upon Mary by God and all the graces received through Her intercession and mediation. This feast is connected with the Battle of Vienna, which took place in 1683, and the victory over the Turkish army that invaded Europe.

Wednesday, September 14th we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which commemorates the Cross used in the crucifixion of Jesus and the discovery of the Cross done in 326 by Saint Helena, the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great during her pilgrimage to the Holy Land. There is an interesting story about how St. Helena discovered the true Cross of Jesus.

Thursday, September 15th we celebrate the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, which refers to sorrows in Mary’s life and her suffering in spiritual union with Her Son. In the Catholic Church there is a popular devotion to The Seven Sorrows of Mary.
Our Lady of Sorrows – pray for us!

God bless,

Fr. Peter

Posted In Feasts and Celebrations | From the Pastor's Desk | Pastoral Notes

From the Pastor’s Desk: The 23nd Week in Ordinary Time

Published September 07, 2022 / by St. Lawrence Hamilton

Sunday’s processional hymn reminds us of our first priority; not only in the church, but also during our lifetime. We are to give glory and praise to the Lord! As St. Ignatius of Loyola stated in his Spiritual Exercises, we are created to praise, reverence, and serve God, Our Lord, and by this means save our souls. A new pastoral year, which we begin at the end of November, is a good opportunity to refresh our eagerness for serving the Lord hic et nunc (here and now). This Latin expression hic et nunc tells us about how we can really and practically serve the Lord: “here’ – wherever the Providence of God puts us; and ‘now’ – at the present time. Today not later. We should not search for either a better place or a more suitable time since the best opportunity has already been given to us. Let us pick up what the Lord has set for us: to serve Him at St. Lawrence’s! After summer holidays the time for making our parish prosper again has come. May everybody find his or her role according to their gifts. Please, mark your calendar and come for our pastoral gathering on Monday, September 19th at 6 pm.

This week the priests serving within the Diocese of Hamilton along with our bishops come together for an annual priest seminar from Tuesday to Thursday.

This Thursday, September 8th, we observe the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Church has been celebrating Mary’s birth since at least the sixth century. The Bible does not give an account about Mary’s birth and childhood. According to tradition, Joachim and Anna kept praying for a child and received the promise of a child who will advance God’s plan of salvation for the world.

Posted In From the Pastor's Desk | Pastoral Notes

From the Pastor’s Desk – Holy Trinity Sunday

Published June 16, 2022 / by St. Lawrence Hamilton

“O most Holy Trinity, undivided unity; Holy God, mighty God, God immortal be adored.”

This traditional hymn reminds us of the very mystery of our faith: the belief in the Holy Trinity. Everyday we begin our prayers with the sign of the cross saying the Holy Names of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Church keeps offering prayers to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit. St. Ignatius of Loyola in his Spiritual Exercises wrote that the principle and foundation of our faith is one fundamental truth: “Man was created to praise, do reverence and serve God”. Yet, that is impossible unless we come to know God. Religious ignorance makes many people either go astray or reject the faith. This is a serious reason why a solid catechesis is to be in the core of the teaching of the Church. Today’s Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity encourages us to come closer to the Lord in both ways: by authentic worship and solid knowledge.

This Monday, June 13th, we observe a memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church. Anthony was born in 1195 in Lisbon, Portugal. He entered the Augustinian community of Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross and was ordained priest. Having been inspirated by some Franciscan friars who had come to Portugal to preach the word of God, he obtained permission from Church authorities and joined a new Franciscan Order. As a Franciscan friar, Anthony became famous for his powerful preaching, expert knowledge of scripture, and undying love and devotion to the poor and the sick. He died in Padua, Italy in 1231 and very soon canonized. Anthony is one of the most known saints throughout the Universal Church and his statues may be found almost everywhere including our church. There are also many stories and legends about St. Anthony.

The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi contains this story about St. Anthony:
“St. Anthony tries preaching to the heretics at Rimini but they refuse to listen. So instead, he goes to the ocean and preaches to the fish. The fish all swim in and assemble with their heads out of the water, intent on learning what St. Anthony has to teach. The people of the city, including the heretics, learn of this and being astounded by the miracle, prostrate themselves at the feet of St. Anthony. He eloquently preaches to them all, strengthens them in faith, comforts them, and they all depart rejoicing.”
St. Anthony of Padua – pray for us!

God bless,
Fr. Peter

Posted In From the Pastor's Desk | Liturgical Celebrations

From the Pastor’s Desk – The third Sunday of Easter

Published May 03, 2022 / by St. Lawrence Hamilton

“When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.’ So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. (…) When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

John 21

Today’s Gospel account takes us to the plain region by the Sea of Tiberias where Jesus had begun His public ministry and appeared to His disciples after His resurrection. I always pondered how Simon Peter could count the fish and why their number was precisely 153. St. Jerome, in his commentaries on Scripture, gives us an interesting explanation of this number. He states that ancient zoologists calculated the species of fish at exactly 153. So we see that the number is symbolic of the whole of humanity for whom the disciples will cast their net. The net symbolizes the Church starting with the disciples and the fishing refers to their apostolic mission. We can agree or disagree with St. Jerome’s interpretation; however, it reminds us of the true nature of the Christ’s Church and its mission: everyone is invited to be her member and the apostolic mission embraces all people. That truth of universality of the Church brings to our minds a simple reflection: I can and I should find my own place in the Church. When doubts, problems, troubles come upon us and everything seems to be shadowed, there is one remarkable question left: Do you love me? The personal response to that question changed Simon Peter and can change us also if we take it seriously and honestly: Lord, you know that I love you!

The month of May is called a Marian month since it is dedicated in a special way to the honour of the Blessed Virgin, who perfectly fulfilled the will of the Father and became a model for us in how we should respond to God’s call. In two weeks, the members of the Catholic Women League of our parish will crown the statue of the Blessed Virgin in our church. This Friday the CWL will begin their annual convention with an opening Mass presided by Bishop Douglas Crosby in St. Mary’s Church. The CWL members of our parish will co-host that Mass. This year the St. Lawrence CWL celebrates their 70th anniversary. We offer our Congratulations to all the CWL members and express our sincere appreciation for their service to God and Canada and indeed our Parish!
The Holy Father asks the faithful throughout the world to pray during the month of May for the following intention: “We pray for all young people, called to live life to the fullest; may they see in Mary’s life the way to listen, the depth of discernment, the courage that faith generates, and the dedication to service”.

This Saturday during the 1 o’clock Mass the students of St. Lawrence School will receive Holy Communion for the very first time. Let us pray for them and their families!

This Monday, May 2nd, we hold a memorial of Saint Athanasius the Great. Athanasius was a patriarch of Alexandria in Egypt in the 4th century. He is well known as a tireless defender of the Catholic faith against Arius and his followers who denied the divinity of the Son of God. Due to his steadfastness and uncompromising attitude towards the true Catholic faith he was banished from his Episcopal See five times and spent a total of 17 years in exile.

This Friday, May 6th, we observe the memorial of Saint François de Laval, Bishop, who is a Patron of the Bishops of Canada. He was born in 1623 in France and became the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Quebec. He was beatified by Pope St. John Paul II in 1980 and made saint by Pope Francis in 2014 by equipollent canonization. The pope may permit the veneration as a saint without executing the ordinary judicial process of canonization described by ecclesiastical law the cult of one long venerated as such locally. This act of a pope is denominated either “equipollent” or “equivalent canonization” or “confirmation of cultus”. According to the rules instituted by Pope Benedict XIV, there are three conditions for an equipollent canonization: (1) existence of an ancient cultus of the person, (2) a general and constant attestation to the virtues or martyrdom of the person by credible historians, and (3) uninterrupted fame of the person as a worker of miracles. Let us keep our bishops in our prayers!We also observe this week the first Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the month with special prayers for the vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, for reparation to the Most Sacred heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.

God bless,
Fr. Peter

Posted In From the Pastor's Desk

From the Pastor’s Desk – Palm Sunday and Holy week

Published April 10, 2022 / by St. Lawrence Hamilton

Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest – Today we are reminded of the crowds gathered almost 2000 years ago in Jerusalem and, united in spirit with the faithful throughout the world, with palm branches we greet Jesus entering the City of David. Palm Sunday always recalls two important events: Jesus’ solemn entrance to Jerusalem and His Passion and Death. The same people who greeted Jesus as a King of Israel not much later cried out to Pontius Pilate: Crucify Him! Therefore, today in the liturgy we begin with the procession with palms and solemn, joyful hymns. Then we read the Passion of the Lord. With Palm Sunday we enter  Holy Week, the most important week in the entire liturgical year. This Monday Bishop Douglas Crosby, Bishop of Hamilton, along with Bishop Wayne Lobsinger, Auxiliary Bishop of Hamilton, his priests, both diocesan and religious, will consecrate Holy Oils during the Chrism Mass. The Holy Oils will be distributed to all the parishes within the diocese and are to be used to administer the Sacraments of Baptism, of Confirmation, of the Sick and of Holy Orders. We are invited to attend the Chrism Mass at 2 pm in our Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King to show our unity with the Bishop. During the Chrism Mass the priests present in the Basilica will renew the promises they made on the day of Priestly Ordination.

This Thursday we begin, with the Lord’s Supper Mass, the period of the greatest importance of the whole liturgical year; The Easter (Paschal) Triduum. Since the very beginning of the Church, it has been one feast extended from Holy Thursday evening up to the Vespers (the evening prayer) of Easter Sunday. The faithful throughout the world are greatly encouraged to attend all the days of The Triduum so that they may experience all the mysteries the Church lives and be bestowed with all the graces and indulgences prescribed to those who attend the celebrations. During the Lord’s Supper Mass we thank the Lord for the precious gift of the Eucharist. This day we also thank the Lord for our priests who celebrate daily Masses. Our attendance at the Lord’s Supper Mass is a sign of our appreciation to our pastors. We extend our thanksgiving with the Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament following the Mass. On Good Friday we are united with our suffering Lord and His Death on the cross. In the evening we pray the Stations of the Cross and we begin the Novena to Divine Mercy. Good Friday is, for the faithful throughout the entire Church, a day of fasting and abstinence from meat. On Holy Saturday we remain in silence in union with Jesus’ time in the Sepulchre. The Easter (Paschal) Vigil, which is to be celebrated at night, belongs to Easter Sunday. This Easter Vigil is the most important Mass in the whole liturgical year. By keeping vigil during this Holy Night of the Resurrection, we express our longing for the coming of the Morning Star who never sets, Jesus Christ who, coming back from death’s domain, has shed his peaceful light on humanity and lives and reigns forever and ever. 

I would like to invite and encourage everyone to participate in all the celebrations of the Holy Week. Let us come together to pray, reflect on the most significant mysteries of our faith!

God bless,

Fr. Peter

Posted In Feasts and Celebrations | From the Pastor's Desk | Liturgical Celebrations

From the Pastor’s Desk – First Sunday of Lent

Published March 08, 2022 / by St. Lawrence Hamilton

Today we observe the 1st Sunday of Lent. Each year the Liturgy of the Word at the beginning of the first week of Lent tells us about Jesus fasting in the desert. He spent 40 days there being tempted by the devil. In St. Luke’s account which we read this year, Jesus, responding to the devil’s second temptation stated: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him”. This response from Jesus reminds us of what we are to do first of all. Our priority is to serve the Lord, to give Him glory and praise. Other duties and responsibilities are secondary. If we try to change that order we always go astray. Today’s Gospel account helps us to refresh our minds and hearts in order to reset our priority.

The number of 40 is a symbolic number in Scripture and due to its biblical meaning the Church has chosen to observe the Lenten season for 40 days. In the Bible, the flood at the time of Noah lasted 40 days, Moses remained 40 days on the Mount of Sinai before he received the Ten Commandments (Decalogue), and the Prophet Elijah made a trip to the Mount of Horeb through 40 days. All of those biblical episodes were of great importance and served the people as a preparation time for the mission given them by God. The chosen people, by prayer, fasting, and sacrifice became capable of fulfilling the will of God. Yet, when we look carefully at the calendar, we may say that Lent does not last precisely 40 days because from March 2 nd (Ash Wednesday) to Easter Sunday (April 17 th ) there are 46 days. That mathematics is correct but according to the ancient Christian tradition the Church does not fast on Sundays because each Sunday is a feast of the Resurrection of the Lord. During Lent we have 6 Sundays, so deducting 6 from 46 gives us exactly 40.

God bless,
Fr. Peter

Posted In From the Pastor's Desk | Liturgical Celebrations