Listing of the various 

PRE-MARRIAGE PROGRAMS: click here

BULLETIN ANNOUNCEMENTS:

PRE-MARRIAGE COURSE CALENDAR : (Winter/Spring 2011 - 2012): Industrial Cape Breton Area"Pre-Marriage Programs" UPCOMING PRE-MARRIAGE PROGRAMS. MARRIAGE PREPARATION FOR ENGAGED COUPLES The following courses are being offered by Family Service of Eastern NS and our local deaneries. Jan. 27, 28, 29, 2012 - Our Lady of Fatima Parish Hall (SYDNEY RIVER) March 9, 10, 11, 2012 - St. Leo's Parish Hall (GLACE BAY) April 20, 21, 22, 2012 - Our Lady of Fatima (SYDNEY RIVER) May 4, 5, 6, 2012 - Bras d'Or Hall (BRAS D'OR) June 1, 2, 3, 2012 - Our Lady of Fatima (SYDNEY RIVER) Pre-Registration is required ($60/couple). Call 849-4772. Program times : Friday - 6:30 p.m.— 9:30 p.m. Saturday - 1 - 4 PM Sunday - 1 - 4:30 PM noon $60.00 per couple. Participants must pre-register by calling 849-4772 Antigonish-Guysborough Marriage Preparation Course: Two Marriage Preparation courses are held each year. One in the spring (usually in April) and one in the fall (usually in October). The date of the next course (plus other information) is available on our website: www.mcourse.homestead.com   The courses are held at St. Ninian Place in Antigonish. The cost is $70.00 per couple. Pre-registration is required. Participants from outside the area are welcome. Call 863-5987 or visit www.mcourse.homestead.com Back to Top

MASS FOR SHUT-INS. -- Sundays at 11:30 AM on CTV.

Il y aura une messe en français au Centre Communautaire Etoile de l'Acadie, samedi le 11 février, 2012 à 17:30.  Un souper de genre " Pot Luck " suivra avec de la musique française par  Le Cercle Musicale de la région de Sydney.  Tous sont les bienvenus!

 

There will be a  Mass in French at the Centre Communautaire Etoile de L'Acadie on Saturday February 11, 2012 at 5:30PM.  Pot Luck supper to follow along with french music from Le Cercle Musicale de la région de Sydney.  Everyone welcome !

 

Charles MacDonald, Phd

“The Catholic Church: Which Way Forward?”

• Place:  St. Anne’s Church

Glace Bay, NS

• Date:   February 19, 2012  (storm date: February 26, 2012)
• Time:  2:00 – 4:00

A public lecture by Dr. Charles MacDonald entitled: “The Catholic Church: Which Way Forward?” will take place at St. Anne’s Parish, Glace Bay on Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 2:00 pm. A discussion and question time will follow the talk. (storm date will be: February 26, 2012)

Charles is a well known community leader. He taught for many years in the Religious Studies Department at CBU. He is an active member of Holy Rosary Parish and was associated for many years with the Industrial Cape Breton Council of Churches.

Reflections on the Gospel of Saint John (Part II)
During the Season of Lent, Father Ray Huntley will present four more sessions on Saint John’s Gospel, based on the writings of Jean Vanier, the founder of the Federation of L’Arche Communities. The sessions will provide an opportunity for quiet reflection on the great themes of Saint John’s Gospel, and how these themes give us courage and hope today.
The sessions will take place on the following Thursdays: March 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd, 2012, from 7:15-8:30 PM in the Parish of Saint Leonard Pastoral Centre at 5310 Union Highway, River Ryan (the former Saint Michael’s Church).
You are warmly invited to attend.

"Mark your Calendars"

Our Lady of Fatima CWL will be hosting the World Day of Prayer on Friday, March 2, 2012 at 2 p.m. at Our Lady of Fatima, Sydney River.
Everyone is welcome to attend.


HELP LINE. "Help Line" is now recruiting volunteers for a Training Workshop. If you are compassionate, reliable, can react calmly and rationally in a crisis and are interested in volunteering, please call 562-4357 Monday to Friday between 9 AM and 5 PM.



New Beginnings Weekend at Villa Madonna April 27, 28, 29 for seperated, divorced and bereaved persons.
For more information, please call Ron Curry at 902 564 0788
Get the flu shot – not the flu!
Influenza season runs until April so it’s not too late to get immunized against the flu. Talk to your local public health office or your health care provider about getting this year’s flu shot.

Important Adult Immunizations
Adults in Canada are under-immunized, leaving them at risk of contracting vaccine preventable diseases such as Tetanus which can be found in soil and dirt. Under-immunized adults can pass on communicable disease such as Pertussis (whooping cough) to children. One vaccine, Tdap can protect you from three diseases and is free of charge. For more information, contact your family doctor or your local Public Health office.


AL-ANON. If your life is or has been affected by someone else's drinking, AL-ANON may be able to help. Contact phone number is 564-5188 or contact freewebs.com/alanonmaritimes.


SUPPORT & SHARE GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP — for those who have experienced the loss of a loved one.
Everyone is welcome and no registration is required. When school is canceled because of storms Grief & Support will be canceled also.

UNICEF Message As you know 2 million children are threatened by a major famine. UNICEF warns that all these children will require humanitarian help during the coming year. The toll free number for UNICEF is 1-800-567-4483. Please be generous and please specify with your donation that it is to be exclusively used for Africa’s Horn . Please keep this toll free number. For each donation, you will receive a receipt. The children thank you.

Weekend of Grace for Women – The Weekend of Grace for Women is pleased to announce Dr. Mary Healy as keynote speaker April 20, 21 and 22, 2012 at the Lord Nelson Hotel, Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Weekend of Grace is an annual, regional conference for Catholic women. Call 902 435-1568 or visit www.weekendofgrace.com for more information. Attendance through pre-registration only, and registration is now open. Early Bird deadline Dec 31, 2011($155.00); $175.00 after Dec. 31, 2011. Please register today to avoid disappointment!

The ministry of laity and the related support for lay education and formation are major signs of change in our Church. In response, a small group of Catholics came together to form the St. Thomas More Society to assist in funding lay Catholics in the diocese with formation and education programs, events and projects. We now welcome applications from lay Catholics of the diocese who wish to pursue pastoral, theological and ministerial formation and education programs or events. Application forms or any further information can be obtained by emailing Sheila McInnis at esmcinnis@ns.sympatico.ca
We also appeal to interested Catholics for donations to help us achieve our goal. We are an independent and free standing Society incorporated by the Province of Nova Scotia and approved with charitable status by Revenue Canada. We issue tax receipts for donations which can be sent to Leonarda MacNeil, 36 MacIsaac Road, Antigonish, NS B2G 2J9

50th Eucharistic Congress and Ireland Tour
50th Eucharistic Congress and Ireland Tour, 7-18 June, 2012 in Dublin. Join this tour to attend the Eucharistic Congress as well as a visit to Knock, the Shrine of Mary, Glendalough in County Wicklow, Galway Bay and Connemara, Cork, Killkenny Castle, Cashel and more. A programme linking the faith and culture for people from all over the World.
One all inclusive price of $ 3789.00 , including return Air, Congress registration, guided throughout, coach and drivers, transportation in Ireland, accommodation, most meals, local touring. Call Ron Beed at [ 902] 435-5409 for a brochure.

INTERNATIONAL PILGRIMAGES

• Apr 8-20: Pilgrimage to MEDJUGORJE & Shrines of ITALY, featuring: Rome, Vatican City with Papal blessing ceremony, San Giovanni Rotondo, Monte Sant'Angelo, Lanciano, Manoppello, Cascia, Assisi, Padua, Montichiari, Milan & Venice. Includes airfare from Halifax/Moncton/Fredericton, superior accommodations, 2 meals/day, land tour by deluxe motor coach, entrance fees & professional guides. Departures from other provinces easily arranged. INFO: Linda at (902) 648-0050, (902) 769-8399 or tojesusthroughmary@gmail.com
  
• April 11-21: A spiritual & cultural journey to Medjugorje & Vienna. Cost of $2795 includes return airfare from Moncton or Halifax, accommodations, two meals/day, professional guides, visits per itinerary & cruise on the river Danube. Info: Marie Desjardins at (207) 868-5027 or bubblepink49@hotmail.com
  
• Oct 11-20 ($2795): Pilgrimage to HOLY LAND, includes airfare from Moncton, Halifax or Fredericton, accommodations in superior tourist hotels, daily buffet breakfast & dinner, tours by deluxe motor coach, professional guides and all entrance fees. (Departures from other provinces easily arranged.) INFO: Marie Desjardins at (207) 868-5027 or bubblepink49@hotmail.com
  

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PÈLERINAGES INTERNATIONAUX

• 8-20 avr: Pèlerinage à MEDJUGORJE et ITALIE avec visites à Rome, le Vatican, San Giovanni Rotondo, Monte Sant'Angelo, Lanciano, Manoppello, Cascia, Assise, Padoue, Montichiari, Milan et Venice. Comprend les vols de Halifax, Moncton ou Frédericton, hôtels de catégorie supérieure, deux repas/jour, les visites et guides professionnels. (Départ possible des autres provinces.) INFO: Linda au (902) 648-0050, (902) 769-8399 ou tojesusthroughmary@gmail.com
  
• 11-21 avril 2012 (2795$): Voyage spirituel et culturel à Medjugorje et Vienne. Comprend le billet aller-retour à partir de Moncton ou Halifax, hébergement, deux repas/jour, guides professionnels, visites selon l'itinéraire et croisière sur le Danube. Info: Marie Desjardins au 207-868-5027 ou bubblepink49@hotmail.com
  
• 11-20 oct (2795$): Pèlerinage en Terre Sainte, inclut les vols de Moncton, Halifax ou Fredericton, hôtels de catégorie supérieure, guides professionnels et les visites. (Départ possible des autres provinces.) Info: Marie Desjardins au (207) 868-5027 ou bubblepink49@hotmail.com
  

Silent Meditation----What is it?
After the conversion of the Emperor Constantine and the proclamation of the Edict of Milan in 313AD (which made Christianity legal), the church and the temporal order were reconciled. When this happened, the faith, rather than continuing to challenge the order of things, became domesticated. Moreover, its members no longer feared persecution and became more and more comfortable with the status quo.
As the church started to lose its prophetic character some people recognized that they too were in danger of becoming secularized (wrapped up in concern for material things of the world) and compromised in the process. These men and women took a very dramatic step: they went to the edge of civilization (to deserts or mountain tops) to sit with God in silence and solitude. This set an example for others and later Christians who followed them into the “wilderness”, either in fact (hermits) or in spirit (silent meditation). What they all shared was a desire to find God by finding themselves. To do this, they asked for the grace to let go of the illusions and delusions of everyday life upon which their identity had previously been based. They wished only to be themselves---to be ordinary. From “Touching the Holy”
Silent Meditation can be done at home each morning and evening for 10-20 minutes. We meet for group meditation once a week in the basement of the Fatima Glebe House on Tuesdays at 7pm until 7:45pm. Anyone is welcome from any parish or denomination.

Bereaved Families of Cape Breton
Support and Share Grief Support Group Schedule — 2012
Monthly Support & Share groups are offered each month
- Sydney: at 188 George Street, on the second Tuesday of each month, All sessions are held from 7:00-9:00 p.m.
- New Waterford at St. Leonard's Pastoral Centre in River Ryan on the third Wednesday of each month. All sessions are held from 7:00-9:00 p.m.
- Glace Bay at Town House on the fourth Wednesday of each month. All sessions are held from 7:00-9:00 p.m.
- Sydney Mines on the first Thursday of every month from 7:00- - 9:00 p.m. at Miners Memorial Manor, 16 Lorne Street, Sydney Mines
In addition to the Grief Support & Share sessions, Bereaved Families of Cape Breton also offers 6-8 week programs, which require registration, for people who have lost:
• a spouse or partner
• a child
• a parent as an adult
• a loved one to suicide
• a brother, sister or friend
• a pet or companion animal
For more information or to register, contact: 564-6795, infobfseaside.ns.ca or www.cbhelp.ca
Bereaved Families of Cape Breton

RESURRECTION CEMETERY , in Sydney Forks, recently installed a new landscaped pond and a second COLUMBARIUM in the center of the cemetery. A columbarium is an above ground storage area for cremated remains. It contains private niches for an individual or for a couple such as a husband and wife. Many people like the idea of being buried above ground and the columbarium fills this need. Also, if someone moves to a new region and wishes to take the urn of a departed love one with them, the columbarium niches are easily accessible. See more at Resurrect.ca

Our Lady of Fatima Parish has an ongoing project in Tegucigalpa, Honduras to provide an education for girls who are at a disadvantage . The school welcomes young girls and provides for them a safe environment and an ongoing education to provide an opportunity for employment and protect them from exploitation. The project has now entered a new phase building houses for homeless families in Tegucigalpa allowing them to raise their children in a home and making it possible for them to find employment and educate the children. Anyone wishing to contribute to this project can contact the committee through the Office at Our Lady of Fatima Parish.

The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem – the EOHSJ is a relatively small group in the area, belonging to an international group committed to assisting Christians to remain in the Holy Land. Day after day, we hear of the ongoing hostilities between the Israli and Arab peoples. This ongoing war has resulted in Christians sometimes being caught in the middle, being cut off from family, school, church, and so on.
Many Christians have decided to leave in order to provide peace and security for their families and the result is that Christians now make up only about 2% of the population. The danger currently being faced is that the birth and burial place of Jesus will no longer have a Christian presence. As members of the Order, we are committed to providing funds to maintain schools and provide assistance as required to those brave Christians who remain in the Holy Land. We are also committed to pray for peace and an end to the conflict, and as individuals to do whatever we can to urge our political leaders to work toward a just and fair settlement. In doing this we attempt to keep our members as informed as possible of the situation in the Middle East.
If you would like further information about the Order, please contact Secretary/President Tom Gaskell at 736-1267. We are open to Catholics who are in union with the Holy See and who agree with the primary purpose of the order. The Order of Chivalry has a website on-line: Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem

Some simple ways to enrich your marriage:

1. Hug your spouse every day. It also helps to relieve stress.

2. Call your spouse right now and say "I Love You".

3. Take out your wedding pictures and share a memory with family and friends.

4. Show family movies and celebrate a marriage well done.

5. Bring a gift to your spouse (maybe something home made).

6. Fix his or her favorite meal. Light candles. Use the good dishes.

7. Share your love story with your children. Tell them how you met; share a favourite memory from your wedding day

8. Arrange a date night for just the two of you.

9. Take time every day to tell your spouse how much your marriage means to you. 10. Find out more about enrichment weekends for husbands and wives.

Web Site For The Sale of Diocesan Properties

Web Site For The Sale of Diocesan Properties :

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Silent Adoration : All are welcome to the silent adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on all Fridays from 6:00 to 7:00 PM at Immaculate Conception Parish Church, Sydney Mines.

THE 50TH INTERNATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS THE 50TH INTERNATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS will take place in Dublin, Ireland, from June 10 to June 17, 2012. For information, go to http://www.iec2012.ie/

 

Third Revision of the Roman Missal The Diocesan Office of Worship has prepared a number of resources for the implementation of the 3rd Revision to the Roman Missal! A series of workshops and other resources are available in preparation for this important event. Roman Missal Resource Page

Catholic Organization for Life and Family (COLF) invites families to discover the invisible value of work As the world progressively overcomes a serious economic crisis, the Catholic Organization for Life and Family (COLF) has just launched its 2010 Message to Families, a reflection on the grandeur and dignity of work titled “ Work + love = holiness! ”
Christians know that the main ingredient that gives any labour its value - whether it is performed outside the home or within the family - whether it is volunteer or paid work, physical or intellectual - is the love with which it is performed. This is an astonishing discovery, which allows us to perceive another facet of work; one that is unexpected and invisible but very real.
Since the beginning of the world, human work has been part of God’s plan. It is an occasion for us to become co-creators and co-redeemers. Jesus calls us in our daily work to ask us to become his partners, to work for Him and with Him. He wants to bring divine meaning to all the hours that we devote every day to work and to our families, in joy as well as in tears. He is counting on us!

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ZENIT. For Catholic News from Rome, go to www.zenit.org. It has lots of information on our faith, our theology, spirituality, liturgy and the like!

St. Francis Xavier University offers programs and courses by distance education for adults seeking faith formation for personal and professional development. 

Diploma in Ministry Certificate in Lay Ministry
Come Let Us Worship: A course in liturgical foundations
Certificate in Spirituality
Diploma in Assisted Living: Human Care & Community

For an information package please contact MINISTRY PROGRAMS OFFICE, Continuing & Distance Education, St. Francis Xavier University, toll free 1-877-867-5562, diplomainministry@stfx.ca. Or check the website:   www.mystfx.ca/academic/continuinged/Ministry.html   Back to Top

Community Notices
BEREAVED FAMILIES OF CAPE BRETON SUPPORT GROUP OF CAPE BRETON SUPPORT GROUP : Provide an open support group for individuals who have suffered the loss of a loved one. For more information contact see: BEREAVED FAMILIES OF CAPE BRETON SUPPORT GROUP. Back to Top

LIVING WITH CANCER SUPPORT GROUP : for those who have had a diagnosis of cancer, their families and caregivers meets at the Canadian Cancer society Office at 329 George St. For more information call the office at 562-8463.
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PALLIATIVE CARE VOLUNTEERS : are needed in the Sydney, Glace Bay, North Sydney and New Waterford areas. If you are kind, compassionate, empathetic and have some extra time on your hands please phone Lisa Hynes, Palliative Care Volunteer Coordinator for the Cape Breton Healthcare Complex at 567-8160 for more information. Back to Top

HAVE A FEW HOURS TO SPARE? Volunteers are needed for the Meal Assistance/Feeder Programs at the CB Regional Hospital & Northside General Hospital. Volunteers will assist with or feed meals to patients daily. For more info on this program, contact Volunteer Services at the hospital. Back to Top

ARE YOU A SENIOR LIVING ALONE ? Would you enjoy a regular telephone chat from a friendly, safe VON Volunteer? Do you know a senior who lives alone and would benefit from a regular call? If you said yes to either of these questions, VON Cape Breton has the answer, our new telephone-visiting program. Our volunteers are compassionate, well trained and police record screened. Signing up is easy, just phone Cheryl MacQuarrie at 564-0736. Back to Top

CAPE BRETON FARMERS' MARKET Saturdays Year Round. 340 Keltic Drive (diagonally opposite Coxheath Arena). 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM. Locally Grown Springtime Plants & Flowers, Greens, Assorted Vegetables. Government inspected CB Meats, Chicken, Homebaking, Condiments, etc. Breakfast/Brunch: Delicious Ethnic Choices & Fair Trade Beverages. Enjoy on-site or take-home. Quality Handcrafts. Socialize with Friends & Family Members. Support Local Sustainability. Childrens' Playroom. Buskers Welcome. Check us weekly on Facebook. Back to Top

• Information for those concerned about sexual abuse by clergy or employees of the Diocese
  
• GUIDELINES FOR RESPONDING TO COMPLAINTS OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT