Bishop of the Diocese Most Reverend Gerard P Bergie, D.D.

Pastor Father

Sunday Masses Saturday 5:00 pm

Sunday 9:00 and 11:00 am Children’s Liturgy: September - June

Weekday Masses Tuesday 6:00 pm

Wednesday through Friday 8:30 am Rosary/Adoration before Weekday Masses

Confessions Sat 4 - 4:45 pm or before weekday Masses

Baptism Sunday 12:30 pm by appointment

Marriage Arrangements should be made at least 6

months in advance. Marriage preparation course required

Sacrament of the Sick Communion for the Sick and Shut-ins

Please call the office.

Secretary Sandy Johnson

Office hours: Wednesday and Friday 8:00 am to 3:00 pm Enter on Victoria St.

Schools St. Patrick Elementary School

905-835-1091 Lakeshore Catholic High School

905-835-2451

Cemetery Mount St. Joseph’s, 712 Lakeshore Rd E

905-834-3460

Diocesan Website: www.saintcd.com

Diocese of St. Catharines

St. Patrick

Catholic Church

Parish Established Church Dedicated

1859 1880

123 King Street

Port Colborne, Ontario L3K 4G3

Telephone: 905-834-6426

Fax: 905-834-1215

Email: stpatrick@cogeco.ca

Ministry Schedule - October 9/10

Hospitality:

5:00pm - Victor Gatt & Joe Attard

9:00am - Claire & Roland Belanger

11:00am - Sue Brown & Sime Zuvic

Minister of Communion:

5:00pm - Dino Sicoli

9:00am - Tony D’Uva & Cathy Stoop

11:00am - Maxine Cloutier & Jessica S

Children’s Liturgy:

Amanda Brown

27th Sunday of Ordinary

Time - Year C

“Increase

Your

Faith!”

Commentators/Lectors:

5:00pm - C - Dino Sicoli. & L - Bettina D.

9:00am - C - Terry G. & L - Susan F.

11:00am - C - Jackie G. & L - Theresa A.

Altar Servers:

5:00pm - Needed

9:00am - Derek

11:00am - Morgan & Dante

Counters: 11:00am - Brenda Lannan & Karen S.

Website: stpatrickcatholic.ca

INCREASE OUR FAITH

Luke 17:1-4, Jesus explains to the disciples, “Take

heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, re-

buke him, and if he repents, forgive him;

and if he sins against you seven times in the

day, and turns to you seven times, and says,

‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” These

are very strong words that advise the disci-

ples to be gracious and unrelenting in their

forgiveness of another’s sin.

Most of us, will tend to be skeptical of a person’s re-

pentance if after the 4th or 5th time the same day they

have committed the same sin and have repeatedly re-

pented and asked for forgiveness, they then commit it

again. Our tendency will be to be rather unconvinced,

and probably unforgiving. However, Jesus’ warning and

admonition, “you must forgive,” is very compelling.

It is out of this dilemma that the disciples asked Jesus

to, “increase our faith.” We can hear the disciples think-

ing, “How can we believe in this person’s repentance

again when they have already violated our trust 4 or 5

times today? I don’t have that much faith in this person’s

repentance, in my ability to forgive again, or in the power

of forgiveness to bring about conversion in this person.

If you want me to forgive this way, then you must in-

crease my faith.”

In response, Jesus points out to them that the power of

faith is not based on the quantity of our faith but the qual-

ity. Whether it is accepting the reality of our own repen-

tance and forgiveness after multiple failures, or accepting

the repentance of another and granting

them forgiveness after their multiple

failures, it requires quality faith to be-

lieve that Jesus died for all sin, and that

his forgiveness is without limit. When

we refuse to forgive, either our own sin-

fulness or another’s, we deny the reality

of forgiveness. We basically confirm that repentance will

go unrewarded, due to our lack of faith to fully forgive

and trust in the power of redemption.

This kind of sacrificial forgiving of numerous and oft

repeated sins may occasion within us feelings of martyr-

dom and self-righteousness. After all, look how many

times we have had to be merciful. Jesus, anticipating this

natural human response, explains that a servant, when he

has done his job, should not incur a sore arm by patting

himself on the back. He has, after all, only done what

was expected of him. The point for his disciples, and for

us, is that we are servants of Christ. As his servants, the

responsibility to carry the message of forgiveness and

mercy to others is what he expects from us. After all, that

is the essence of the Good News and of our Savior’s pur-

pose; forgiveness and redemption. So when we find an

occasion to respond to someone’s profession of repen-

tance, it isn’t our job to examine and analyze the sincerity

of the repentance, but to find it in our heart to forgive

once again. Offering that forgiveness freely to those we

encounter is our job, our role, and our responsibility. It

is what being a Christian servant of Christ is all about.

So along with praying for God to increase our faith,

we should also pray that God will enable us to do our

duty and exercise our faith by being forgiving - always.

Emmaus Journey Reflections

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SUNDAY OFFERINGS

Last Sunday’s Offering: $1815.00

Bishop’s Collection: $425.00

Thank you for your generosity to the House of God.

Please remember St. Patrick’s in your wills

and may God Bless you as you do so.

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REMEMBERANCE OF OUR LOVED ONES

November is a privileged month that the church all

over the world unites in “Peaceful Rest

Prayers” for our loved ones who have

passed on. If you wish to have your

loved one’s name written in the book of

Remembrance, which will be kept on a

special altar for daily prayers and

Masses throughout November, please fill out the attached

All Souls Offertory envelope and drop it in the collection

basket next week or bring it to the parish office.

May the souls of the dead rest in peace.

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REFUGEE COMMITTEE UPDATE

It is with great excitement that the Port Colborne

Catholic Parishes Refugee Committee announces that a

Syrian refugee family has been found for us. They are a

young couple with a toddler, a boy, and mom is pregnant.

The family is presently living in a refugee camp in Leba-

non waiting to come to Port Colborne. At the moment we

know very little else about them except that they need to

get out of the situation they are in. We have a lot of ques-

tions that we hope to get the answers to over the next few

weeks. The diocese has all of our paperwork at the mo-

ment so we are not sure exactly when the family will ar-

rive. We believe it won't be until the new year sometime.

As you can appreciate, the situation with getting refu-

gees into Canada is complicated. We will try to keep you

updated as we get more information.

And we know that many people have offered to help

with furniture, etc. At the moment we are beginning to

look around for a place for them to live. If know of any-

one who has a 2 bedroom apartment or house that may be

available in the new year, please contact one of the com-

mittee members listed below. So far together we have

raised about $20,000 to date to cover the family's ex-

penses for 1 year. We are hoping to get some more

money from the diocese and may be holding additional

fundraisers if necessary.

Again, thank you for your patience and generosity.

We will keep you posted of the arrival of the new Cana-

dians.

Sincerely, Heather McArdle hmcardle1@gmail.com

Tracey Ottaviano bto_ottav@cogeco.ca

Tim Grawey tgrawey@hotmail.com

Dino Sicoli dpsicoli@bell.net

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DIOCESAN ANNIVERSARY AND DINNER

Married couples celebrating a 25th, 40th, 50th or 60th

anniversary in the year 2016 are invited to the diocesan

anniversary Mass, Friday November 25, 2016, 5:30pm at

the Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. Cathari-

nes. To register and receive a formal invitation from

Bishop Gerard Bergie, contact the parish office to fill out

a registration form by October 14. A dinner will be held

at Club Roma, St. Catharines, 7:00pm. Details of dinner

cost will be included in the formal invitation.

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CWL CORNER

Soup’s on, come and get it on Sunday October 23,

2016. There will be multiple

choice of soups, 2 chillies, fresh

bread and crackers, cookies,

Jello, coffee, tea or juice. All of

this is available for only $8.00

for adults and $5.00 for children

under 12 years of age. There will also a delicious bake

table and a 50/50 draw. Tickets may be purchased in ad-

vance by calling 905-835-5580 or at the door.

The next CWL Meeting will be on October 18th at

10:30am in the pastoral room.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER AT A GLANCE

~Property Maintenance Collection: October 8/9

~Property Maintenance Meeting: October 11 at 6:30pm

~World Mission Collection: October 15/16

~KOC 4th Degree Supper: Oct 26 at 5:30 in the hall

Lord may the request of our

people rise before you like a fragrant offering

Tues Oct 4 St. Francis of Assisi

6:00 pm ****COMMUNION SERVICE****

Wed Oct 5 8:30am ****COMMUNION SERVICE****

Thurs Oct 6 8:30am +For the repose of the soul of Brenda Seca by family

Fri Oct 7 Our Lady of the Rosary

8:30am For the special intentions of Ida D’Uva by Tony and Jane D’Uva

28th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Sat Oct 8 5:00pm +For the repose of the souls of Antonio and Annina D’Uva by the Hendriks family

+For the repose of the soul of Walt and Elma Law by the Law family

Sun Oct 9 9:00am +For the repose of the soul of Judy Compton by Jeff and Kathy Reid

11:00am For the special intentions of our Parishioners

October 2, 2016 A.D.

The 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C