P ♰ C

Connecting Catholics in parishes across Vancouver Island

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  • Jarred Out Of Complacency

    Jarred Out Of Complacency

    by Jean Allen

    Something stood out to me in re-reading the very familiar story of the Samaritan woman at well. “Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city.” It’s a sentence that has never stood out to me before but I think it may be an essential crux point. 

    In their conversation, the Samaritan woman was taking Jesus literally. She thought he was talking about ordinary well water that could magically be replenished, making it unnecessary to visit the well ever again. That was especially intriguing for her because, as a woman of loose morals, she had to visit the well at noon, the hottest part of the day, instead of drawing water in the early morning with the rest of the women, when she would have been shunned and castigated for her lifestyle. 

    And then, besides the intriguing claims Jesus was making about his living water, he was also drawing her into considering a spirituality that seemed wonderful but confusing. No definitive place where God could be found? Worshipping in spirit and in truth? What could that mean when they had been taught that truth was only situated in where God resided – either in a mountain or in Jerusalem? The clincher for her was that Jesus knew she had had five husbands and that she was living with a man who was not her husband. If nothing else made sense, that was real. 

    “She left her water jar…” In a life where her essential water had to be laboriously drawn up from a well by her in the heat of the day, she made a decision to take a leap of faith and left that symbol of her old life at the well. She had found something, someone, who promised a new and fulfilling life. “She left her water jar…” 

    What, in your life, could be the equivalent of the woman’s water jar? 

  • Our Lady of the Rosary needs you!

    Amplifying this request from the OLOR email bulletin:

    Early Learning Operator Opportunity – Our Lady of the Rosary Parish

    Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Langford, BC is seeking expressions of interest from qualified Early Learning / Child Care operators for a long‑term lease of newly built space within our parish facilities. The successful proponent will operate a high‑quality, licensed early learning program that is consistent with Catholic values and supports families in need in our community. The leased area will include dedicated indoor classrooms, support spaces, and an outdoor play yard, designed to meet current licensing and accessibility standards. Operators must demonstrate experience in early childhood education, a strong record of regulatory compliance, sound financial management, and a commitment to welcoming and inclusive services rooted in Christian compassion and respect for the dignity of every child and family.

    Interested organizations are invited to request the full Request for Proposals (RFP), which outlines space details, lease expectations, and submission requirements. Please contact the pastor, Fr. William Hann (whann@rcdvictoria.org), and include “Early Learning Operator RFP – Request” in the subject line.

  • Where Validity Comes From

    Where Validity Comes From

    by Jean Allen

    How would you feel if you had been present at the transfiguration and then, on the way down the mountain, Jesus ordered you to tell no one about the vision until he had been raised from the dead? Besides wondering what the heck he meant by ‘raised from the dead’, would you have felt disappointed and crestfallen? Up until he said that, were the disciples envisioning themselves telling the others of this amazing experience, thinking about how astounded and envious the others would be? Were they just a little excited thinking about how the others would be impressed that Jesus had chosen them in particular to witness it, perhaps seeing them as more elevated and more important?

    Very natural thoughts like these take us back to Christ’s temptations in desert. There was that one temptation to equate the spectacular with God’s approbation and Jesus knew that equation could lead him and others down the false road of self-glory. Jesus’s life was filled with the spectacular but Jesus did not need the miracles he performed to assure himself that God loved and approved of him. At his baptism he received all he needed to know who he was. “This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” He didn’t need the spectacular to prove his value and worth.

    On the Mount of Transfiguration, God spoke his approval again. “This is my son, the beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” Jesus listened to his Father and now the Father was telling the disciples that the key to knowing their own worth and value was listening to Jesus. That’s where they would realize their utter validity; not through spectacle but through knowing they were loved no matter what. But they had to learn to really listen to Jesus, not just hear his words (which were often confusing to them), but to really listen to the love Jesus had for them.

    It took Jesus rising from the dead and for the Spirit to anoint them before they really heard the love Jesus had for them.

    A wee bit slow on the uptake but they finally got it.

  • News from the Chancery

    …in case you don’t already receive these to your inbox…

    Dear friends,

    We have five items to share with you today:

    1) Amanda Achtman will be visiting the Diocese from February 26 – March 8 to present Dying to Meet You: A Tour of Hope. Find the full schedule of events here: https://www.rcdvictoria.org/events/dying-to-meet-you

    Ahead of the tour, the Diocese is seeking input from parishioners. All are encouraged to participate in this short survey: https://forms.gle/8QRGCnUcGMQcyvKo9

    2) St. Francis Xavier Parish in Mill Bay will be presenting the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Horizons of Hope: A Toolkit for Catholic Parishes on Palliative Care on Thursdays in March, starting March 5 at 2:00 pm. For more information and to register, please email sfx@rcdvictoria.org or call 250-743-1688.

    3) In the spirit of Lent and Truth and Reconciliation, the CWL of Sacred Heart Parish invites parishioners to participate in a KAIROS Blanket Exercise on Saturday, March 7, from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm in the parish hall. This powerful, interactive experience explores 500 years of historic and present-day relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada, guided by trained facilitators. A coffee break and a reflective debrief in a talking circle will follow. For more information, please contact Margie Noonan at margielnoonan@gmail.com or 250-589-6313.

    4) Join the 40 Days for Life campaign to support mothers and children by praying and fasting for an end to abortion. All are welcome to participate in the local vigil at the Helmcken Road Overpass from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm daily, February 18 – March 29. To learn more or sign up for prayer times, please visit: https://www.40daysforlife.com/en/victoriabc

    5) The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops continues to offer their Journey through Lent video series. It is hoped that this video series will provide the faithful with additional opportunity to prepare for the Church’s celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday. To view the videos, please visit: https://www.cccb.ca/evangelization-catechesis-catholic-education/video-resources/journey-through-lent/

    Many thanks,

    Communications Office
    Diocese of Victoria

  • Kingdom Priorities

    Kingdom Priorities

    by Jean Allen

    Lent is traditionally a time to deny ourselves and curb our desires by giving up something pleasurable. However, Jesus’s temptations in the desert direct us to problem areas that are far more subtle than chocolate or coffee or dessert. 

    Jesus refuses the temptation to turn stones into bread but he does not refuse in order to simply deny himself the pleasure of eating. What he is denying is the temptation to manipulate outcomes. He states that he will trust God for provision. How often do we try to manipulate and control outcomes according to what we think we need or a situation needs? Do we get bossy and directive? Do we pray with a definite outcome in mind and become discouraged if our perceived outcome is not met and then blame others? Perhaps we’re praying over stones rather than simply trusting.

    Jesus refuses to throw himself off the temple so that angels will rescue him. Do we equate spectacle with validity? Do we look for amazing results that will show how vibrant our faith is? Do we equate success metrics, like numbers in attendance or money in the pot, with God’s approval? If so, we need to climb down off the temple.

    Jesus refuses the temptation to rule and dominate. “But think of all the good I could do in that position!” Again, do we equate power and authority with God’s ultimate approval and support? Do we feel satisfied and important if we are put in a position of leadership and not so happy or worthwhile if we are asked to clean the toilets? If so, we need to remember that Jesus walked with the marginalized and excluded. If you were looking for him, that was where he could be found. Sometimes the powerful authorities would seek him out but he didn’t seek them out. 

    Lent is a good time to look at rearranging our priorities and aligning them with Christ’s. Satan tried to tempt Jesus with worldly temptations but the priorities of the Kingdom are far removed from the priorities of the secular world. 

    But so easy to slip into. 

  • OLOR church updates

    OLOR church updates

    We’ve received news that the new church building for Our Lady of the Rosary Parish is coming along! Their website (https://olorchurch.ca/#newchurch) has a gallery of photographs that are worth viewing; we encourage you to check them out.

    Very exciting to see that progress. Congratulations to all!

    – Katherina

  • Journey through Lent

    I am happy to amplify this Lenten video series from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB). According to their website, CCCB is “the national assembly of the Bishops of Canada. It was founded in 1943 and officially recognized by the Holy See in 1948.”

    Check out their Lenten videos here: https://www.cccb.ca/evangelization-catechesis-catholic-education/video-resources/journey-through-lent/

    Katherina

  • News from the Chancery

    …in case you still don’t receive these directly to your inbox…

    Dear friends,

    We have two items to share with you today:

    1) The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops is hosting a series of videos for Lent titled Journey Through Lent. This series is meant to offer spiritual inspiration and guidance on how to prepare well for the Easter season. New videos will be released each week; you can watch the series here: https://www.cccb.ca/evangelization-catechesis-catholic-education/video-resources/journey-through-lent/

    2) A reminder that the schedule for Dying to Meet You: A Tour of Hope with Amanda Achtman is now available on the Diocesan website. Find the full schedule of events taking place from February 26 to March 8, 2026, here: https://www.rcdvictoria.org/events/dying-to-meet-you

    Ahead of the tour, the Diocese is also seeking input from parishioners. All are encouraged to participate in this short survey: https://forms.gle/8QRGCnUcGMQcyvKo9

    Many thanks,

    Marie D’Souza
    Communications Coordinator
    Diocese of Victoria

  • Mature Law

    Mature Law

    by Jean Allen

    Hillel the Elder, a contemporary of Jesus, was once asked by a pagan to teach him the Torah while standing on one foot. Hillel said, “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour. The rest is just commentary.”

    When Jesus stated that he did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it, this was the law he was talking about. In fact, Jesus himself said that the two greatest commandments were to love God and love your neighbour as you love yourself. He said that on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. So, in this Gospel where he said that not one stroke will pass from the law until all is accomplished, he was not speaking of all the man-made laws that had accumulated over the centuries that were the Jewish purity code; he was talking about the essence, the heart of the law: love God and love your neighbour. This is the law Jesus lived. It is the law he fulfilled. 

    This Gospel directly follows the beatitudes and the salt and light teachings and Jesus was still teaching what the essence of the law really meant. It is not outward observance – it is inner transformation. One scripture scholar said that by fulfilling the law, Jesus brings it (present tense!) to maturity by revealing its deepest purpose, which is a right relationship with God, with one another and with all creation. For this scholar, fulfillment does not mean tighter rules but expanded awareness of the heart of God. (Michael Morwood)

    To Jesus, this law extends to the minutiae of life. It’s not enough to refrain from killing somebody; we are called, through inner transformation, to refrain from even resenting anyone and to be conscious of the need for forgiveness of and reconciliation with those who offend us. It’s not what everybody else can see you doing, like attending Mass or saying your prayers regularly, that creates inner freedom; it’s paying attention to the health of your inner person while doing those things.

    If you ask, Jesus will bring your inner being to maturity. It’s what he does.  

  • News from the chancery

    …in case you don’t get these directly…

    Dear friends,

    We have four items to share with you today:

    1) The schedule for Amanda Achtman’s Dying to Meet You: A Tour of Hope in the Diocese of Victoria is now available on the Diocesan website. Amanda is the Director of Ethics for Physicians for Life and the founder of Dying to Meet You, where she explores questions of death and dying through storytelling, beauty, and a deeply hopeful vision rooted in the dignity of the human person. Find the full schedule of events taking place from February 26 to March 8, 2026, here: https://www.rcdvictoria.org/events/dying-to-meet-you-a-tour-of-hope

    The Diocese of Victoria is seeking input in advance of the Dying to Meet You tour. All are welcome to participate: https://forms.gle/8QRGCnUcGMQcyvKo9

    2) The Correctional Service Canada (CSC) Bridges of Canada Inc. is hiring a full-time Correctional Chaplain in the Pacific Region for 125-165 hours per month (subject to change based on monthly requirements). The Correctional Chaplain will be responsible for providing religious and spiritual services to federal offenders of all faiths residing in William Head Institution. Find the full job description here: https://www.rcdvictoria.org/employment

    3) The Diocese of Victoria is offering a two-day marriage preparation course over Zoom on April 17 from 7 pm–10 pm and April 18 from 9 am–4 pm. Open to all, this course provides essential guidance for couples preparing for marriage. A joint Certificate of Completion will be issued upon completion of both sessions. Please register by April 2 here: https://zoom-spring-2026-marriage-prep.eventbrite.ca

    4) The Permanent Council of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has issued a statement strongly supporting Private Member’s Bill C-218, which seeks to prevent persons whose sole medical condition is mental illness from accessing euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (“MAiD”). Please find the full statement here: https://www.cccb.ca/media-release/cccb-statement-on-bill-c-218-no-maid-for-mental-illness/

    Many thanks,

    Marie D’Souza

    Communications Coordinator

    Diocese of Victoria