“Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them…” (Mark 9:2-10). Christ gives this glimpse of glory to his disciples to give them hope through the sacrifices to come, the sacrifice of the only son, as in the account of Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22). Through these accounts, we have a sign of hope of reaching the goal of our Lenten journey, to return to God and realize ‘it is good for us to be here.’

Our Lady Of Good Counsel CWL is offering a $300 Bursary to a first year student from the Parish entering a post-secondary institution in the fall.
Applications are available at each church office, at Saint Joseph's, Stella Maris, and Saint William's.
Completed applications are due by March 19th 2021.

In Eucharistic Adoration, we are invited to spend time in prayer before the real presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.
In looking upon Christ in adoration, “we say, ‘yes, Love exists and because it exists things can change for the better and we can hope’” (Benedict XVI).
Let's make occasions for prayer, for ourselves or with our family, for some moments or for a full Holy Hour.

Lent is a season of prayer, almsgiving, and fasting (Matthew 6:1-18).
Religious practices such as daily Mass, works of charity and justice, and acts of self-denial are highly encouraged insofar as they can be observed during the current restrictions.
The Stations of the Cross will be observed Wednesdays and Fridays before Mass, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation is available before Masses and during Saturday Holy Hours.

The Stations of the Cross will be observed during Lent: Wednesdays at 11:30AM at Stella Maris Church Fridays at 11:30AM at Saint Joseph’s Church With the Stations of the Cross, we retrace the final journey of Jesus Christ to Calvary. As current restrictions limit our ability to attend our churches let alone a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, we may also pray over the stations at home or online.

The ​Season of Lent​ begins with ​Ash Wednesday​ on February 17, 2021. As with many things in these times, Ash Wednesday will appear differently this year. ​The Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments details how to distribute ashes.​ After reciting the Roman Missal formula: “​Repent, and believe in the Gospel​” or “​Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return​,” the priest “cleanses his hands, puts on a face mask, and sprinkles the ashes on each person’s head “without saying anything.”

Lent is a season of hope – it means new springtime, renewal. We need hope now more than ever to help us face the challenges of these days. During Lent we may be tempted to focus on the negative – on all we have had to give up – but that is not the aim. We do penance to bring about our conversion. In recognizing our sinfulness, we are reminded that Jesus died for us while we were still sinners to give us the promise of everlasting life! (see Romans 5:8) Lent is therefore a time to give God permission to help us turn away from the things that prevent us from living a truly fulfilled life and embrace the victory Jesus has won for us. It is his promise of new life to us.

“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem” (Mt 20:18) Lent: a Time for Renewing Faith, Hope and Charity.

Our parish subscription to Formed offers our parishioners free access to daily Lenten reflections and Scripture study. Register today for daily guides through the Lenten Season.

Completed Alpha? Would you like to do something more with your small group? Would you like to continue your faith journey with people you have met?
We invite you to an online (zoom) Information session about the start of faith groups in the Diocese of Saint John known as Life Groups.

The 29th World Day of the Sick will be celebrated, as it is every year, on 11 February, the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes.
The Holy Father’s Message this year is: “You have but one teacher and you are all brothers” (Mt 23:8), which encourages a trust-based relationship with the sick and the nurturing of integral human healing. Pope Francis writes: “…the commandment of love that Jesus left to his disciples is also kept in our relationship with the sick. A society is all the more human to the degree that it cares effectively for its most frail and suffering members, in a spirit of fraternal love. Let us strive to achieve this goal, so that no one will feel alone, excluded or abandoned.”