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St.
Leonard Catholic Parish
"Lent: A time to renew faith,
hope and love."
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This
weekend we celebrate the First Sunday of Lent. Once again, we are
open for socially distanced public Masses at our regular times. Just
like before the most recent lockdown, we are limited to 30% of our
maximum seating capacity and we would ask that you register at stleonardsparish.ca/ma... to reserve
your seat(s).
All
Weekend and Weekday Masses from St. Leonard's will be Livestreamed to
our YouTube Channel. To visit this site click here.
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1st Reading
Genesis 9:8-15
Responsorial
Psalm Psalms 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
2nd
Reading 1 Peter 3:18-22
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Pastor's
Message: Renewing Our Covenant
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On
Ash Wednesday we reopened the Church and began the season of Lent. It
was so wonderful to gather as members of the “Body of Christ” and
celebrate the Holy Eucharist! Ash Wednesday was, once again, a solemn
reminder of our human mortality and our need for reconciliation with
God.
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The
focus of our readings not only for today, but for all the Sundays of
Lent this year, is the relationship that GOD establishes with us
through covenants. The word Lent comes from the Old English lencten and
refers to the lengthening of days as springtime approaches. We begin
Lent in the cold depths of winter and celebrate Easter, hopefully, in
the warm spring sunshine. In the same way the season of Lent links
the renewal of the earth and Christian life with New Covenant found
in Jesus Christ. It is also the time set aside for us to renew our
relationship with God.
Covenants
are the binding agreements between GOD and those whom GOD has chosen.
The covenant in our first reading is the one between GOD and Noah
after the Flood. God promises that, “the waters shall never again
become a flood to destroy all flesh” (Gen 9:11) and that he will
leave the rainbow as a sign of his commitment to that covenant. In
the second reading, Peter speaks of the covenant with Noah as a type
of foreshadowing of the relationship which comes about through the
waters of Baptism. In the Gospel today, Jesus is tempted by
Satan. That is followed by Jesus beginning His public ministry
by proclaiming that the kingdom of God has arrived.
How
can Jesus be tempted you might ask? We need to remember that Jesus is
fully human in all things except sin. He was tempted just like the
rest of us. He is both fully human and fully divine, both animal and
angelic. Holding off the temptations of Satan, Jesus finds the right
balance. He disciplines the body and grounds the spirit. It is this
reconciliation that is summed up by Jesus being among “the wild
beasts; and the angels waited on him.” (Mark 1:13) Jesus himself is
the knitting together of creation, both the physical and the
spiritual.
Jesus
emerges from the desert experience with feelings of being renewed,
committed, and ready to obey God’s plan of announcing the good news
of the Kingdom of God by His very life, words, and actions, and ultimately
death on the cross and resurrection. Jesus proclaims that “The time
is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and
believe in the good news.” (Mark 1:15) A New Covenant is being
established. God binds divinity again to humanity in and through the
person of Jesus, true God, and true human.
Today’s
Gospel also reminds us that, as Christ was tested, so shall we all be
tested. Every day of our lives, the devil tempts us, and he will
continue doing so. However, this should not frighten us, because the
Holy Spirit that helped Christ is always available to help us. It is
also a reminder, that temptation is inevitable in our Christian
journey.
Last
summer, the City of Ottawa painted signs on the pavement of several
streets in Manotick reminding people to slow down. The signs said
SLOW and then 10 ft later the French translation, LENT. This
Lent as we prepare to renew our covenant with God let’s all slow down
for 40 days. Let us persist in prayer, fasting and abstinence
and ask God to grant us the strength to endure till the end of our
own test as Christ did.
Finally, let us sincerely make use of this period of Lent to ask God
for forgiveness for all the moments we have not been faithful to our
covenant with him. So, with the psalmist, let us praise him for his
faithfulness: “Your ways, Lord, are faithfulness and love for those
who keep your covenant.” (Psalm 25:10)
God bless you folks, Father Gerard

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Registration
is required for all Weekend Masses. Please note that no reservations
are required for Weekday Masses. You can make reservations by
visiting stleonardsparish.ca/ma... or by
calling the parish office at (613) 692-4254 .
- Wednesday-Friday: 9 a.m.
- Saturday: 4:30 p.m.
- Sunday: 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
- Saturday 3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
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All
Weekend and Weekday Masses from St. Leonard's will be Livestreamed at
the time that they are scheduled to our YouTube Channel. To visit
this site click here. The 4:30 pm Saturday Mass will be recorded and made
available on Saturday evening here.
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Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon
Bishop
Barron’s Sunday Sermons will air every Sunday morning at 8:15 AM
Eastern Time. Click on Bishop Barron’s YouTube channel and then chose the Sunday you wish to view.
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Virtual Children's Liturgy
The
St. Leonard Children’s Liturgy Team offers virtual Children’s Liturgy
of the Word videos to keep our children connected to their faith! The
videos include prayers, the week’s Gospel reading, lessons, all
geared for our younger parishioners. Click here to view.
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Message from Pope Francis for Lent
2021
In our Lenten journey towards Easter, let us remember
the One who “humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even
death on a cross” (Phil 2:8). During this season of conversion, let
us renew our faith, draw from the “living water” of hope, and receive
with open hearts the love of God, who makes us brothers and sisters
in Christ. At the Easter vigil, we will renew our baptismal promises
and experience rebirth as new men and women by the working of the
Holy Spirit. This Lenten journey, like the entire pilgrimage of the
Christian life, is even now illumined by the light of the
resurrection, which inspires the thoughts, attitudes and decisions of
the followers of Christ. Read More...
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From
now until Easter Sunday, all members of the Parish have access to
Bishop Barron's programs through Word on Fire Digital. Check out
below the first episode of Bishop Barron's award winning series Catholicism.
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Please
remember your local parish during these extraordinary circumstances.
If you are able to provide financial support to St. Leonard's, please
consider making a donation online or by Interac e-transfer. You can also
mail your envelope to the Church at the following address: St.
Leonard Parish, 5332 Long Island Road, Manotick, ON, K4M 1E8
Thank You
for your Financial Support!
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Next Virtual Youth Alpha Night
is
Saturday, February 20th 7-8:30 pm!
Come
hang out virtually with your peers and also take in Youth Alpha.
“Church: What about the church?”
To join, email Colleen O’Mahony-Menton before 6:45 pm, Feb 20th (colleen.menton@rogers....).
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Let's Learn About Lent: For Kids
Join
Brother Francis in this compact presentation of what Lent is all
about and how we observe it as Catholics. Great for the whole family!
Click Here to Watch.
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If
you are receiving Flocknote messages from the
Archdiocese, you may be wondering how they obtained your email
address. The Archdiocese has access to the parish contact lists of
all its parishes in Ottawa-Cornwall. When Archbishop Marcel feels he
has something important to share, one way he will do this is through
Flocknote. The Archdiocese may also use these lists for such things
as letting people know about current restrictions on our churches.
Please note: Parishioners can opt out of receiving these messages at
any time by clicking on 'Unsubscribe'.
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