Northern Bishops Visit Toronto Sept. 29/30

The last few years, it's been a tradition in the Archdiocese of Toronto to welcome bishop's from Canada's north to our community to help raise awareness to their important work. This year is no exception. Three bishops from the North will share stories about their missionary work on the weekend of September 29 and 30, in Toronto parishes on invitation of Cardinal Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto and Apostolic Chancellor of Catholic Missions In Canada.

The visiting bishops are: Bishop Murray Chatlain, Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith, Northwest Territories; Bishop Gary Gordon, Diocese of Whitehorse (sunset pictured above), Yukon and Northern British Columbia; and Oblate Bishop Gerald Wiesner, Diocese of Prince George, British Columbia.

Bishop Murray Chatlain of Mackenzie-Fort Smith will be the main celebrant and homilist at the Saturday and Sunday Masses at Merciful Redeemer parish on 2775 Erin Centre Blvd, Mississauga, Ontario. On September 29, the bishop will celebrate the Saturday Vigil Mass at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. (Youth Mass). He will also celebrate Mass on Sunday, September 30, at 8:30 am, 10 am, 11:30 am, and 7 pm.

On Saturday, September 29, Bishop Gary Gordon of Whitehorse will be at St. Bonaventure parish (1300 Leslie Street), Toronto. He will celebrate the 5 p.m. Vigil Mass and give the homily for parishioners as well as the Serra Foundation of Canada who will be completing their fall conferece. On Sunday, September 30, the bishop will be at St. Justin, Martyr parish in Unionville, Ontario, as main celebrant and homilist at all Masses (8:30 am, 10:30 am, and 12:30 pm).

Bishop Gerald Wiesner, O.M.I., of Prince George, will celebrate all the Masses and give the homily on Saturday (4:30 pm) and Sunday (9 am, 10:30 am, 12 pm), at St. Barnabas parish on 10 Washburn Way, Scarborough, Ontario.

Oct 1 forum: ‘A tale of two bishops’

On Monday, October 1, at 7 p.m., two of bishops from the North, Bishop Gary Gordon of Whitehorse and Bishop Murray Chatlain of Mackenzie-Fort Smith, will speak before university students and youth in the Greater Toronto Area at St. Michael’s Cathedral parish hall on 60 Bond Street, Toronto.

 

The gathering will be hosted by the Ryerson Catholic Campus Ministry in coordination with Catholic Missions In Canada.  Refreshments will be served. For more information, please email Oriana Bertucci, who heads up the chaplaincy program on campus at: rucatholics@gmail.com.              

 

It's always a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the pastoral joys and challenges that come with ministry in Canada's remote areas. Each bishop brings a wealth of experience, enthusiasm and plenty of stories to share to help paint a picture for us of what life is like when it comes to pastoral outreach in their dioceses.

 

If you'd like to get a taste of day to day living, consider stopping by Bishop Gary Gordon's blog. Bishop Gordon oversees the Diocese of Whitehorse, Yukon and recent blog entries talk about the extreme makeover of a parish rectory in four weeks, installation of a new pastor for a parish without a priest for five years. The new pastoral assignment also includes care of churches in Alaska, making for a 700 km round trip every week. These are the realities our shepherds of the north face. You can see Bishop Gordon's blog here but better yet, come here these bishops speak and experience first hand the joy and love that these shepherds have for our faith.

 

Catholic Missions in Canada continues to support ministry in Canada's most remote areas throughout the year. For more information on their important work, take a moment to visit them online.

 

We pray for our bishops both near and far, that they may continue to serve joyfully, faithfully and may they be blessed with reinforcements aplenty to assist them in their mission...