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Connecting Catholics in parishes across Vancouver Island

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  • Our Lady of Good Counsel Feast Day Celebration!

    Our Lady of Good Counsel Feast Day Celebration!

    Catholic Women’s League – Faith, Celebration & Community Service
    Please join the St. Joseph the Worker CWL Council for the Feast Day of Our Lady of Good Counsel at Mass at 10:00 am on Saturday, April 25, 2026.

    Following Mass, Pamela Giacomello will be in the parish lobby with pashminas and artwork, including “In the Arms of Our Lady” created by a CWL member from Nanaimo. These will be blessed by Fr. Alfie for Mother’s Day. Proceeds support the BC and Yukon CWL Convention in June. Info: cwl.sjtw@gmail.com

    Community Garage Sale at St. Joseph the Worker Parish – May 16
    Spring cleaning? There are a few tables left for rent at our upcoming Community Garage Sale. Tables are $30, and you keep your own profits. Donations are welcome; proceeds will support local charities. We are also looking for volunteers— everyone is welcome!

    The Knights of Columbus will provide food and parish volunteers including youth and CWL will assist with setup, sales and hospitality. Questions or to reserve a table:
    cwlgaragesalesjtw@gmail.com.

    Organizers will be available after Mass this weekend (Fri 9:00 am, Sat 5:00 pm, Sun 6:00 pm) – look for a green baseball hat!.

  • Demystifying AI

    Demystifying AI

    The Catholic Women’s League of Canada calls its members to grow in faith and witness to God’s love through ministry and service. In the spirit of this mission, Dr. Katherina Tarnai-Lokhorst, Vice President and Social Justice Chair for St. Joseph the Worker Council, invites you to a hands-on workshop focused on the pragmatic and safe use of AI technology. In this interactive 2-hour session, you will move beyond theory to practice by creating meeting notes, conducting research, and refining emails using Google AI. You will also learn the essential skill of critically assessing AI-generated content.

    May 5th, 4-6 pm in the church Meeting Room.

    Register at: https://event.fourwaves.com/cwlsjtw-demystifyingai

    Please Note: To participate in the hands-on exercises, attendees must bring their own laptop to the ParishMeeting Room

  • News from the Chancery

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

    Dear friends,

    We have four items to share with you:

    1. Registration is now open for the 12th Annual Diocese of Victoria Family Camp and Conference. Families are invited to gather for a fun, faith-filled weekend of fellowship, play, and prayer taking place August 20-23 at beautiful Nanoose Bay Camp.

      Details are at: 12thAnnualVictoriaDioceseFamilyCampandConference.eventbrite.ca
    2. St. Mark’s College at UBC is now accepting applications for bursaries and awards offered for people within the Diocese of Victoria. Applications are being accepted for the following:
    • The Blessed Marie Anne Blondin Bursary ($1,500): for a lay woman who is accepted or enrolled in a program or course for ministry in the Church, such as religious education, social justice, liturgy, social action, care of the sick, etc. Candidates must be able to demonstrate financial needs. (Deadline to apply is May 15)
    • Formation for Catholic Ministry Award ($3,330): for a schoolteacher, or parish or diocesan lay leader in the diocese of Victoria wanting to pursue theological education to deepen their understanding of the faith and better be able to teach it and/or deepen ones spiritual life. (Applications accepted on a rolling basis)

    More information and application forms are available at: https://stmarkscollege.ca/scholarships-and-financial-aid/#GraduateScholarships

    1. All are invited to participate in an online “Conversation in the Spirit” synodal session on Saturday, April 25 from 10:30 – 11:45 am. As part of the Diocese of Victoria Permanent Pastoral Synod, this safe, respectful, and non-judgmental session will be exploring questions about how to bring the Good News to our communities.

      Here is what one participant had to say about their experience in a session: “At first I did not expect to be moved, but it has been a positive experience and I have been surprised at things. I have discovered that we don’t know how we feel until we can speak about it and be heard. This is how it is (at this Conversation in the Spirit)”

      To join the session, see the following Zoom link:

      https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81881926381?pwd=K8hfpytrbBlv18YHYjbIa0Tmotzcub.1
      Meeting ID: 818 8192 6381
      Passcode: 921735
    2. Fr. Mike Favero wishes to share with the people of the Diocese that he is facing health challenges once again and, as a result, will be scaling back his activities while receiving treatment. He asks that you keep him in your prayers during this challenging time.

    Many thanks,

    Communications Office
    Diocese of Victoria

  • Burning Desire

    Burning Desire

    by Jean Allen

    The one thing that stands out clearly in all the stories after Jesus’s resurrection is his compassion toward and love for his followers. The Road to Emmaus is another shining example. Cleopas and his companion were expressing intense disappointment because they had thought the crucified Jesus was the one who would politically redeem Israel, an idea that before his crucifixion, Jesus had tried to make clear was not an option.

    One might feel that because Jesus said to them, “Oh how foolish you are…” that his patience was being sorely tested, but in those days, calling someone foolish did not mean they were stupid or an idiot. It simply meant that the person had not taken all the facts into consideration. So, Jesus, like the master teacher he was, explained the facts in detail from the beginning to end. He didn’t call them out for having the wrong idea; he simply took the time to bring them into an in-depth clarity about what really had just happened. These followers were not even two of the twelve disciples, they were simply two of a number of committed followers. However, Jesus didn’t, and doesn’t, play favorites or deem anyone more worthy of his time and teaching because of their status or perceived importance. Cleopas and his companion may have later become spiritual teachers, instructing other confused followers as to what had just occurred. Through them, Jesus actually may have reached out to a great many and taught them. Nothing is wasted in the Kingdom.

    We need to allow this incident on the Road to Emmaus to lodge itself firmly in our overall perceptions of Jesus and who he wants to be for each one of us. This incident should open our hearts to the understanding that it doesn’t matter who you are, Jesus has a plan and a desire to use you. Even if you have a wrong understanding of something, he will clarify and, through you, touch many people. You just have to be willing to walk and listen.

    Let your hearts burn with his desire.

  • Today’s special!

    Tomorrow is the last day for St. Pat’s Spring Sale — if you are looking for something to do, think of them! I meant for this to go out in the morning. Alas. 🙂

    St. Patrick’s Church – Spring Clothing, Jewellery and Book sale

  • Fundraising Appeal – pews & kneelers for OLOR

    [We received permission to repost this letter from Our Lady of the Rosary Parish. Please help, if you can]

    Dear Parishioners,

    On behalf of Father William, I share with you the attached letter regarding our fundraising appeal for the pews and kneelers in our new church.

    OLOR – Fundraising Appeal (Pews and Kneelers)Download

    We kindly invite you to take a moment to read this message and to prayerfully consider supporting this important initiative for our parish community.

    Thank you for your continued generosity and support.

    In Christ and Mary,

    Claudio Avalos
    Administrative Assistant
    Our Lady of the Rosary Parish
    Langford, BC

  • CWL DOV AMM 2026

    Hahahaha….ah, sigh, just wanted to make a title that was all acronyms.

    The acronyms stand for the Catholic Women’s League Diocese of Victoria Annual Meeting of Members — that includes all CWL members on Vancouver, Saltspring, Gabriola, Hornby and the rest of the Gulf Islands — which takes place on May 2, 2026, in beautiful Parksville. And, actually, that’s wrong, because the group is called the “Catholic Women’s League Victoria Diocesan Council.”

    ANYWAY…registration has now opened for the annual meeting of members. For planning reasons, the organizing committee requests that those who wish to attend send back their registration forms by tomorrow, Wednesday, April 15, 2026.

    We received the agenda, which includes a talk by Bishop Gary — if you haven’t heard him in person, yet, try to attend this session. Bishop Gary speaks very well: clear, relatable and inspirational every time I’ve heard him.

    I’ve linked to both documents in the text above; for clarity, I’ll link to them here, too:

    1. Registration Form
    2. AMM Agenda 2026

    Hope to see you there!
    Katherina

  • CWL garage sale

    CWL garage sale

    Greetings,

    Are you interested in having a table(s) this year at the CWL Community Garage Sale at St. Joe’s?

    This year’s “Community Garage Sale” Working Group is grateful to be able to officially partner with the Parish affiliated ministry group: Knights of Columbus – for yummy hot breakfast buns/hamburgers/hotdogs.

    WHERE IS THE SALE? St Joseph the Worker Community Hall, McKenzie/Burnside Road, Victoria

    DATE: Saturday, May 16, 2026

    TIME:

    Saturday Vender Set up: 8 – 10am

    Public Sales: 10am – 2pm

    (Coffee and Egg McNights will be on sale for those who line up at 9:30am.)

    TO RENT A TABLE:

    How many tables for Vendors are available?  18

    Vender Table Rent: $30 each (includes 1 table and 2 chairs)

    NEW Format! – 8 TABLES FOR CWL “DONATIONS” RECEIVED FROM OUR PARISH

    Eight tables placed sideways in a U (facing the entrance) will greet shoppers down the center of the room. Each table will have its own subject.

    MARKETING:

    NEW! Thanks to a great idea shared by two 2025 vendors, with each Vendor’s permission, our Marketing team would like to personally advertise what you are selling by your Vendor Table #.

    On the Contract, please choose if:

    – you want to be a surprise? or,

    – provide us with a picture(s) (once your payment is confirmed), with text or types/groups of things you are bringing.

    We plan to maximize our social media (e.g. FB/Instagram) by adding local options like Times Colonist classifieds online, a Black Press (e.g. Saanich News), coffee shop bulletin boards, and the CHEK Community Page.

    What To Expect:

    Contracts will be sent to you asking your preference for table location; the Floor Plan will be included with the contract.

    Once we have your payment, I will send a confirmation email to secure your Table #(s).

    *As soon as you are confirmed, send us the pictures to start the new marketing idea rolling. We want to get people excited about the things you will bring!

    Please email me with your interest.

    Happy Easter!

    Blessings,

    Pamela Giacomello, Service Chair for Community Garage Sale, CWL, St Joseph the Worker Council

    EM: cwlgaragesalesjtw@gmail.com

  • Belief

    Belief

    by Jean Allen

    I may have been the only person at the Good Friday Liturgy thinking about this week’s gospel about Doubting Thomas. But in my defense, the reason I was thinking about that text was because of the Good Friday Gospel reading where Jesus was given sour wine and after he received the wine, he said, “’It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” Whenever that is read on Good Friday, my heart feels the wrenching grief and shock of all of his followers who witnessed that. Dead. Gone. Done. The end. All over. Sobs of anguish won’t bring him back.

    It was probably a need for comfort that made my mind skip ahead to this week’s Gospel where the disciples were locked, not only in a room but also in the fresh wounds of their shredded hearts. The light bursts in upon them. Jesus is there! Alive and full of joy, forgiveness, healing and consolation.

    We’re supposed to be reflecting on the doubt in Thomas but did Thomas doubt in the way we normally think of doubt: disbelief born out of cynicism, lack of faith and hardness of heart? Or were his statements of doubt just self-preservation because his grief could not take any more disappointments or any more betrayal of hope? When Jesus said, “Do not doubt but believe,” was he not saying, “Believe you are loved; you are not excluded,”? When he said, purportedly just to Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me?” I think he was talking to all the disciples. None of them had believed before they saw Jesus – and none of them immediately proclaimed Jesus as Lord and God, like Thomas did.

    One lesson of this Gospel is that Jesus not only wants us to believe in his resurrected life but he also wants our belief to be bound up by an inner experience of his love, love that comes to us even when we struggle with belief. No, we have not seen him, but we believe we can have relationship.

    And we are so blessed.   

  • News from the Chancery

    […in case you still don’t receive these directly to your inbox from RCDVictoria…]

    Dear friends,

    We have four items to share with you today:

    1) The Laudato Si’ Animators Program is a free, online formation offered by the Laudato Si’ Movement that invites parishioners to deepen their faith and respond to Pope Francis’ call to care for our common home. Through spiritual reflection and practical learning, this free online training offers a rich experience that will empower participants to bring his Laudato Si’ encyclical to life in their communities through faith-based action, ecological education, and community engagement. A new course is starting April 15, 2026. For more information go to: https://laudatosianimators.org/

    2) Catholic Women’s Leadership Foundation is hosting a leadership program in partnership with Saint Paul University starting May 1. In this eight-week online program Catholic women are invited to grow as confident, faith‑centered leaders in a synodal Church. Through prayerful reflection, dialogue, and skill‑building, participants are provided with a transformative learning opportunity to acquire deeper self-awareness, knowledge and skills that will foster agency as mature Christian disciples in and for the world. For more info visit: https://www.cwlfcanada.ca/st-paul-university

    3) Bishop Gary Gordon will celebrate a special Mass at 11:00 am on Sunday, April 19 in honour of the dedication of those who work or volunteer in health care. Everyone is invited to participate, either in person at St. Patrick’s Parish in Victoria (2060 Haultain St, Victoria BC), or via livestream at https://www.youtube.com/live/BcHDjhHItMc.  A Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast will take place before and after Mass in the Lourdes Hall

    4) St. Andrew’s Regional High School invites the community to their theater presentation of Annie Jr! Tickets are $20 at the Spectrum Theatre. Come out and support our students and staff. For show times and instructions to purchase tickets go to: https://www.rcdvictoria.org/anniejr

    Many thanks,

    Communications Office
    Diocese of Victoria