OUR LADY OF SORROWS PARISH

Hello! I pray that all of you are surviving this unusual period in our history.  All will be well and the Lord is with us! 

Like you, we have received no new information with respect to the re-opening of the church for public masses, whether weekday or weekend.  We have been making some preparations and would like to outline what will most likely be a part of the re-opening guidelines.  I repeat, these are only our thoughts, they are not official policy.  This is simply a way to help parishioners understand the complexity of what we will need to do in the future. Some episcopal conferences throughout the world are already releasing various guidelines. When official guidelines are made available, we will publish them.  The following seem to be pretty standard:

1) Social distancing in the church is likely an absolute certainty.  Those who live in the same household can share a pew, however everyone else will likely be no closer than 6 feet apart

2) Gloves & Masks will likely be required for all when we reconvene.  So its called BYOG and BYOM at all masses!  It is impossible for the parish to supply these.  It is best to prepare now in having these materials so you can wear them at church and then bring them home with you for disposal or sterilizing.

3) No joining of hands or physical sign of peace will take place at any mass.

4) We are removing all hymnals and missals from the pews until the pandemic subsides. If someone has a personal copy of a Sunday Missal, they are free to bring it, however it must be brought home after Mass or it will be discarded immediately.

5) Weekday Living with Christ missalettes will be distributed at the beginning of each month for those who attend weekday mass. This we will do until the present subscription runs out.  These missalettes should also be taken home by the receipient and not stored in the church.  Any books left in the church will be discarded immediately.

6) Hand Sanitizer Stations are already located in both entrances of the church and in the parish hall. This sanitizer should be used before and after mass.

7) The Offertory Gift Procession will be suspended until further notice.  We are contemplating the best method of receiving the collection.  Since our parish already utilizes long handled collection baskets, this method will likely remain in place and the collection safely secured as has been our practice for some time now.

8) Instrumental Music will likely be the norm in the church for at least a few months when we re-open.

9) Sanitizing Pews, Door Handles will also be a certainty in our re-opening plans.  Father Steve has been assembling all the necessary supplies to make this task straightforward.  We will need willing volunteers to assist with this task.  With four persons at work after mass, this should not be a big undertaking nor should it take very long. Internally, we are busy setting up the manner and method of these materials being made available and laundered. Various supplies have been acquired or are being delivered shortly.

10) Extra Weekend Masses may need to be added to the schedule to accommodate the distancing requirements.  We are reflecting upon what that schedule would look like.

11) Funeral Masses will likely be permitted, however the music will be limited to instrumental music and the immediate family will only be allowed to attend, with the funeral directors.

12) Ushers & Greeters will be an essential part of crowd control and guidance.  We will be relying upon many volunteers to assist in this regard.

13) Altar Servers will not be required for any mass for the foreseeable future.  Father Steve will attend to these matters.

14) The Sacrament of Reconciliation will not be celebrated in the Reconciliation Room nor in the church.  If an individual wishes to take a brief walk around the property, observing the distancing requirements, Father Steve would be happy to offer the sacrament for anyone who asks.

15) Communion on the Tongue will likely be permitted however those who wish to do so, should remain at the end of communion line to receive.  Why? This is done for the purposes of hygiene since occasionally a communicants tongue can inadvertently touch the fingers of the communion minister.  We do not want to be passing germs then to the next individual coming to receive.

16) Reception of Holy Communion from the Chalice is suspended permanently.

17) Holy Water tank will be filled and blessed at the first Eucharist in the parish, and holy water will be available for those who wish to bring a container from home for this purpose, however in all likelihood, the holy water dishes at the doors of the church will not be available immediately.

18) Weekday Mass Readings will be proclaimed by the priest / presider. 
 

It must be remembered that these potential guidelines are for the common good and so your cooperation is appreciated and expected.  There will be further additions to this list one suspects !

We thank our thoughtful and generous donors during this unprecedented period. We also understand that many folks would also like to donate funds to the parish, but are unable to due to financial hardship. That is totally understandable!

If things were not interesting enough, on Friday May 1, a leak was discovered in a sanitary (sewage) pipe in the basement of the rectory! The smell was like roses! Fortunately, the spill was limited to two uncarpeted areas of the basement of the rectory.

We have repair and cleanup specialists on track to attend to this problem today (Saturday May 2) and to make plans for proper cleaning and deoderizing.  Our insurance carrier and the Chancery Office have also been informed, along with the members of the Parish Finance Committee.

On Monday, May 4, we completed arrangements for the removal of this last remaining length of cast iron pipe (50 feet approximately).  It is likely over 65 years old and may have other vulnerabilities in other places.  Repairing the pipe in only one place is only a bandaid solution and future leaks or breaks would be very likely, and perhaps sooner than later.  

Because of the age of this cast iron pipe, this repair and replacement is not covered by insurance. Your financial assistance to the parish is greatly appreciated.  Fortunately, many of the renovations that were completed in the rectory in 2012 and 2013 are distinct from this sanitary line and so the rectory can be utlized as usual. 

As of today, May 14, the installation of the new sanitary line is complete. There still remains some clean up and the requisite sanitizing and deodorizing of the affected areas. By Monday May 18, all should return to normal. Alleluia!

Since the parish may well be closed for at least 4 - 16 weeks, so too will our sources of revenue. Our revenue comes through the weekend collection. Many bills continue even when we are closed, including: Enbridge (x 3 buildings) Hydro One (x 3 buildings), staff salaries (x 3), Revenue Canada Deductions at Source, maintenance of our lift / elevator.  The parish receives no injection of revenue from any government.  We are totally dependent on the charitable giving of our donors.  If you are able to continue your support of our parish or if you are a new supporter, offerings can be mailed to:

Our Lady Of Sorrows Parish
11 Mohns Avenue,
Petawawa, Ontario
K8H 2B5
or 
through our
CanadaHelps.org account:

All donations will be credited for Income Tax as usual. We sincerely thank those who have already contributed and invite all to do the same during this unusual period.  Thank you!

_________________________________________________________________________________________

UPDATED

In accordance with the State of Emergency announced by
The Goverment of Ontario

Weekend & Weekday Masses and Funerals Masses in the Church are cancelled.

We will update this website as new information becomes available.  All Roman Catholics are dispensed from the Sunday Obligation until the virus subsides.  As Christians, we have a moral responsibility to adhere to all legitimate and moral injunctions issued to us during this pandemic.  Distancing and isolation, while not convenient, may well ensure that our fellow citizens are not exposed to the virus.

Today, his Holiness Pope Francis named Bishop Guy Desrochers, C.Ss.R. as the Ninth Bishop of Pembroke! We are overjoyed to learn of the bishop's appointment!  Bishop Desrochers, a priest of the Redemptorist Province of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, has been serving as the Auxiliary Bishop of Alexandria-Cornwall. He is well known to many pilgrims who have benefited from his ministry at the Shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.

A Message from Bishop Desrochers




Curriculum vitae of Bishop Guy Desrochers, C.Ss.R.

Bishop Guy Desrochers was born on 23 May, 1956 in Hull, Quebec, in what is now the Archdiocese of Gatineau. He completed his secondary studies at the Collège Saint-Alexandre des Pères du Saint-Esprit in Limbour and obtained his Masters in Fine Arts and Commercial Arts at the Algonquin College in Ottawa. From 1972 to 1979 he was "caricaturist" for the newspaper Le Droit in Ottawa. In August 1983 he entered the novitiate of the Redemptorist Fathers in Sainte-Anne-de Baupré. He made his temporary profession on 7 August 1984 and took his perpetual vows on 29 August 1987.

He studied Philosophy at the Saint-Augustin de Cap-Rouge Seminary in Québec in the years 1982-1983, and Theology from 1984 to 1989 at Laval University obtaining a Bachelor's degree. He then did a two-year internship in the Archdiocese of Montreal. On 7 January 1989 he was ordained a priest in Hull in the Redemptorist Province of Saint-Anne-de-Beaupré.

From 1989 to 1995 he was in charge of a missionary team composed of four Redemptorists in the Diocese of Gaspé. From 1995 to 1998 he was Superior of Aylmer in the Diocese of Gatineau-Hull. During the years 1998-2005 he carried out his ministry at the Shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, where he was also the Bursar of the house.

From 2005 until 2008 he was appointed Superior of the Saint-Redempteur Pavilion of Saint-Augustin-Des-Desmaures, a retreat house for ecclesial groups. From 2008 to 2011, he was Director of the Revue Sainte-Anne and animator of the Shrine itself. From 2011 until 2015, he was appointed Rector of the Sanctuary of Sainte-Anne and Superior of the International Community that provides spiritual service at the Sanctuary. From 2015 to 2018, he was also Preacher of Retreats in Canada and the United States.

On December 12, 2018, he was named titular Bishop of Melzi and Auxiliary of Alexandria-Cornwall, and was consecrated on March 19, 2019.

Please note the following updates to our Scheduling & Practices

First Communion: which was scheduled for May 3, 2020 has been postponed. We will reassess the timing of this special celebration once we have returned to something of a normal schedule and in consultation with the children and families concerned.

The Sacrament of Confirmation: will now be celebrated every second year at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish.  This is an approach that is widely practiced in many of the parishes in the Diocese of Pembroke. The preparation for the next celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation will begin with registration in June 2021.  The next celebration of the sacrament will take place in the Fall of 2021 or the Spring of 2022. All students, in Grade 7 or above, are most welcome to participate! Please call the Parish Office for further information.

The Annual Pilgrimage to the Shrine of St. Ann: in Cormac, Ontario is cancelled for 2020. The pilgrimage normally takes place on the final Sunday of July each year. The Chancery recently announced this decision.

Communion Under Both Kinds: (receiving the Precious Blood from the chalice at weekend masses) is suspended permanently. The graces received from the reception of Holy Communion are not dependent on receiving both the Body & Blood of Christ in Holy Communion.  The Lord nourishes our souls through the Blessed Sacrament (the Bread of Life).

Weekday Mass Missalettes: will be distributed to those who may want them (free of charge) at the beginning of each month for the rest of this year, however they are not to be left in the church, but brought home by the owner.  At the conclusion of the present subscription, parishioners will be provided with information in order to obtain a private subscription, if they so wish.

Sunday Missals: we are reviewing the feasibility and the advisability of making our Sunday Missals available in the pews as we do at present. In all likelihood, we will transition to invite parishioners to sign up for a personal copy of the Missal in advance of the new church year, which begins on the First Sunday of Advent each year.  Parishioners will be invited to bring their own missal to Mass and use it where and when they want.  The use of a missal is optional.  Ideally, listening to God's Word at Mass is more desirable than following along with a text.  It is also very expensive to stock the pews of the church each year, especially since they are not broadly utilized. We will be taking extra steps to ensure that public surfaces are routinely cleaned when public Mass resumes.  Missals and hymnals are of special concern in this regard.

Quiet Room: all the toys and books that were located in the Quiet Room have been discarded. These items are very difficult to store and keep sanitized.  Some were tattered, even though they were attended to from time to time. Parents of small children are advised to have a child bring a small book to church if needed. Better still, little ones can be taught about the special nature of our worship space and the importance of sitting in a peaceful posture. With their considerable enthusiasm, young children often use toys to create a lot of sounds - including banging their toys on the pews! While we appreciate their spirit, this can be distracting to others at Mass.

Father Steve celebrated Easter Sunday Mass privately, the first time in 30 years!  Easter hymns played outside on our Carillon Bell system, incense rose to God and most importantly, prayers were offered for all! We look forward to the moment when colourful Easter flowers will be in our church,
and the many beautiful faces of our parishioners!

Mass began with a meditative, but solemn procession of our new Easter Candle!
Happy Easter to all. Do not lose your hope! See you soon!

Father Steve 

Diocese of Pembroke - Decree on the Code of Pastoral Conduct for all Priests, Deacons, Seminarians,
Employees & Volunteers
Final Decree - February 1, 2019

Specific application of the policy at
Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Petawawa

CODE OF PASTORAL CONDUCT: this decree is applicable to priests, deacons, seminarians, employees and volunteers engaged in ministries and services in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pembroke. It’s intent is to assist all in upholding Christian values and conduct as they minister to, or work with the People of God. This final document is effective February 1, 2019 and has been distributed among our parish staff and will be disseminated among all those engaged in volunteer ministry in the parish. In order that we may be in complete compliance with the letter and spirit of the ‘Code of Pastoral Conduct’, the following is important to note:

 
Effective Immediately:

Decree on the Inscription of the celebration of Saint Faustina Kowalska, virgin, in the General Roman Calendar.

Date of celebration: October 5

The decree from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

Easter Reflection by Fr, Ron Rolheiser, O.M.I.
stpaulcenter.com
Diocese of London
dynamiccatholic.com
ewtn.com
Daily Mass
formed.org

A Letter of Reference (Character Reference): The Parish Priest can only write a Letter of Reference attesting to an individual’s character if he knows the individual concerned. Obviously, if a priest meets a person for the first time, he is not able to write anything since he does not know the person concerned.  Character reference letters are often easy to write when a parish priest has known someone for a considerable period – perhaps even years.  No priest (or any person for that matter) is obliged to ever write such a letter.  Various entities, including employers and other charities often follow-up with the priest by telephone for further information. A priest will never engage in ‘creative writing’ (lying) for someone who is not known to them.  Finally, it is also considered bad manners to use anyone’s name on an application form without asking their permission first.

A Pastoral Letter of Reference: on a scale of letters that may be requested, this is perhaps the most serious and one that is never to be taken lightly.  A Correctional Institution (Prison), High School, Trauma Centre, Hospice, Hospital searching for a Catholic Chaplain all seek Pastoral Letters of Reference for Roman Catholic candidates so that the individual hired is the best choice in serving the Catholic population (people) entrusted to their care.  Why is the letter important? It is important because the parish priest is being asked to attest to the fact that the candidate is: a practicing Roman Catholic, who takes seriously the obligation / invitation to worship with our Eucharistic Community and who has demonstrated their seriousness and maturity by growing in their faith, becoming a more prayerful and holy person, and by becoming involved in the life of the parish.  The priority is not in securing a lucrative paycheck.  The priority is in serving the Roman Catholic people entrusted to their care. They are entitled to that. What does this mean? A person must be registered in a parish, attending Sunday Mass regularly with the community, supporting the parish and sharing one’s gifts.  How can one share their gifts? By volunteering for ministry as a Reader, Greeter, Collector, Assistant in the Sacramental Preparation Programs, Vacation Bible School, C.W.L., Knights of Columbus etc.

With respect to a candidate for a teaching position in the Catholic School Board or one seeking potential promotion within the board, the expectation is no different and is as serious.  As the Ottawa Catholic School Board mentions in their writing: “The Catholic School Boards (and with them, Catholic parents and Catholics in general) expect from its teachers that they be Catholic Christians in more than a formal sense”. Visible expressions of faith within the parish community are never underestimated or discounted as mere formalities.  Instead they reflect an inner spiritual commitment, maturity and choice.  It should be obvious that any individual contemplating a career choice or vocation explore all the elements of the Academic Program before them, but also carefully review the Application Process in the field that they are contemplating.  If a student is away from home where they are studying, they would be well advised to become rooted in a local parish community, become involved, meet with this priest over the course of the years so that he can at some point write a Pastoral Letter of Reference if one is needed and if he is able to do so.  Obviously, a student that is hardly home at all cannot expect a local parish priest to know anything about them, let alone attest to their commitment to Christ and the Church. As the Halton Catholic District School Board material indicates to the priest: “Do you believe this applicant would influence and strengthen the spiritual growth of children within the Catholic Community”. The Wellington Catholic District School Board, Muskoka Catholic District School Board, the Diocese of Hamilton, Archdiocese of Toronto among many others all have similar questions in their resource materials for Pastoral Letters of Reference.  The decision to live a life of faith is a very personal one that is always respected.  However, employment that involves the Catholic community is no longer just a personal matter, but one that  involves the community where one hopes to serve. If a teacher places no value on a life of faith in our Parish Community, how likely are they to pass on its importance to the children in their classroom? 

All individuals concerned should ask questions first and review the above carefully.  The time to consider these matters is not on the day that you need a letter – but many months if not years before! Once again, no priest is obligated to write any letter, especially if the candidate has not demonstrated a strong commitment to the faith and to the life of the parish.  Did you know that in the past there were a few members of the clergy who would write a letter for anyone, regardless of whether they were qualified or not? Fortunately, this practice has mostly stopped.  Did you know that among many teachers, information was routinely shared as to what priest to seek out, in any location from here to the Far North(!) in order to get the letter that they needed for their application? This is very sad, dishonest, unethical and disappointing.  It is also very sad when an individual seems to ‘play the game’ and then abandons their parish once they have secured the employment that they wanted! It is they who will stand before God to give an account. In a perfect world any and all newly hired Catholic teachers would have a probationary period of hiring of no less than 1-5 years.  This would allow the entire Catholic Community the opportunity to assess the commitment of faith of the person hired.  Once again, no person is compelled to live a life of faith in any church.  If the expectations of the Catholic Church & School Community are seen to be too stringent, perhaps an individual should apply to the Public Board. Clearly, this is one of the top issues that the clergy will be speaking about with our new bishop when he is appointed. The way Pastoral Letters are both requested and given needs to be addressed and firmed up considerably. 

If you wish to register your name as a potential candidate for a Pastoral Letter of Reference from Father Steve in the years to come (note the word years, not days!), please speak to Father Steve.  Your candidacy for such a letter will be reviewed annually. No Pastoral Letter of Reference will be written for one who is not registered for one through this process and for one who has not had a proven record of worshipping, attending and supporting our parish over a minimum of one to two years.