Saint John Fisher Parish

It is with great joy that we announce the diaconal ordination of the following candidates, listed below with their wives (and pictured, left to right): Quoc Chay (Beatrice), Nicola Giampaolo (Caterina), Dawood Masih (Sabita), Marcos Garcia (Roxana), Jeff Allan Gagné (Bella Mary) and Robert Gosselin (Hélène). Archbishop Christian Lépine will preside at the ordinations on Friday, May 24, 7:30 p.m., at Mary Queen of the World Cathedral. All are welcome!

At international headquarters in Connecticut, the Knights of Columbus last summer unveiled a new pilgrim icon, “Our Lady, Help of Persecuted Christians,” by Italian artist Fabrizio Diomedi. The icon is travelling from parish to parish across North America to raise awareness, show solidarity, and inspire support for persecuted Christians. It comes as a surprise to many, but the recent bombing of churches in Sri Lanka only underlines the fact is that Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world and it's accelerating. The icon, will be on display in our sanctuary until May 26. All are welcome to join in praying for our suffering brothers and sisters in so many parts of the world. We will pray the Rosary in the church from Tuesday to Friday this week following weekday Masses.

Our Lord who gives Himself to us in the Eucharist, is exposed in the Blessed Sacrament for adoration daily for 18 hours in our Chapel. What an incredible gift and privilege. This year we are celebrating 18 years of the Lord’s presence amongst us in this special way. Please join us on Saturday, June 1, for the 5:00 p.m. Mass to glorify Him and thank Him for this incredible gift to our Parish. The Mass will be followed by a potluck reception in the Parish Hall. All are welcome.

Every day, refugee claimants from around the world leave shelters in downtown Montreal and move into empty apartments in every corner of the island. With no furniture, no contacts, and few resources, these most vulnerable families, often with newborns and young children, struggle to find bedding, kitchen equipment or winter clothing. Welcome groups are the cornerstone of Welcome Collective, and Montreal residents are locally matched with a newcomer family to help gather essential items, to spend time with the family and help them learn about life here in Montreal. If you wish to help make a huge impact on the lives of newcomers by ensuring that they have the support they need during their first weeks in Canada, more information is available on the Welcome Collective website at: https://www.welcomecollective.org/ or connect with Judy Wong at jwong@catholicaction.ca

Keenly aware of the frenetic pace of life confronting families, young people and vulnerable individuals today and wanting to extend a helping hand, the Catholic Church of Montreal invites you to consider this year’s theme: Finding your way. Do we allow ourselves time to pause despite our hectic lifestyle? Do we set aside a couple of quiet moments to reflect on our lives, our joys and sorrows? Do we spend quality time with family members and loved ones? Do we take the time to pray and to encounter God just as we are, bringing to Him our frailties, aspirations, sufferings and triumphs? These are the many questions the Catholic Church of Montreal invites people to consider in this year's campaign video, offering viewers a moment to reflect. It is an invitation. Finding our way - be it on one’s own, with family or in a parish - gives meaning to life.