SO HAPPY TO BE WELCOMED BACK

I now celebrate Sunday Masses again regularly at the Cathedral of the Assumption. 

See my schedule over on the links on the right hand side of this page.

All this happened during my tenure between 1983 and 1997. 

So many wonderful community leaders and parishioners played major parts.

It feels like "home" to be back in that chair. 

New pastor, Father Michael Wimsatt, and old pastor, myself. There were two more between us.

A reception in the Undercroft. 

One of the many "new families" since I was the Cathedral pastor.

A reception in the "prayer garden" behind the Cathedral. 

The old high altar angels retrieved for the new Blessed Sacrament Chapel. 

These angels were restored (one outside in the garden and one in the basement) by my brothers and sisters and I in honor of our parents. I call one of them "Ethel" and the other one "Jim."

 

What the Cathedral looked like around the time of my ordination (1970) - two renovations ago!
Notice how dark it was with the old dark (almost black) stained-glass windows that were installed around the turn of the 19th century. The present clear windows (see top photo) are replicas of the original windows from the time it was built.  

I wonder how many times I have walked down that isle?

DIOCESE OF LONDON (ONTARIO) CANADA Part Three

BITS AND PIECES FROM THE WEEK



Doing my thing! 
I presented nine conferences and preached at a Penance Service. 

Father Paul Baillargeon 
was my contact person and organizer of the retreat.

"Two Wild and Crazy Polish Priests"

Father Piotr Wojakiaoicz (on the left) and

Father Mateusz  Sobierajski (on the right)


THE FOOD WAS WONDERFUL





SO WAS THE COMPANY






MASS TIME










Father Michael Ryan, 91 years old, is till writing, teaching and promoting Catholic Social Teaching. One of the priests said of him, "He is still very much alert and current!"



Father Vincent  Nguyen CSJB
is originally from Vietnam. He has served in the dioceses of New York, Brooklyn, Vancouver (British Columbia), Portland (Oregon), Fort Worth (Texas) and now London (Ontario). 
His religious community is Congregation of Saint John the Baptist. 
His father left Vietnam in a boat at the end of the war. His
family was able to join him in 1991. 



Wednesday Evening Rosary




EVENING PRAYER





THURSDAY NIGHT WE HELD A PENANCE SERVICE
and made the Sacrament of Reconciliation available to all the priests in attendance. Bishop Fabbro led the service and I preached, 

Presbyteral Examination of Conscience Designed by Father Andrew L’Heureux at the conclusion of my 2015 Diocese of Kamloops, BC, Priest Retreat  

Do I have a specific intention to grow in holiness?  Do I seek to love Jesus more each day and be transformed by the grace offered to me? Do I allow Christ to heal my wounds? Do I put my trust in God? Do I go to confession regularly? Am I being faithful to the Liturgy of the Hours?  Am I better this year than I was last year in the ways of holiness and effectiveness in ministry? Do I look after my physical and mental well-being?  Do I use my money responsibly, give in a planned way and live within my means? Do I complain about my salary?  Do I approach extra income with the right attitude? Do I spend extraordinary amounts of parish money on my personal comfort?  Am I continuing my formation? Am I living up to my God-given potential? Am I a grateful person? Do I have a rule of life that includes physical, emotional and spiritual well-being that I stick to
 faithfully? Do I blame others for my lack of success or happiness?  Am I addicted to anything?  Drugs, alcohol, gambling, comfort, money, possessions, my own opinion, etc.   Do I pray for my presbyterate? Do I think that my way is the only correct way of doing ministry? Do I seek advice from other members of my presbyterate? Do I label my brother priests or bishop as “liberal” or “conservative?”  Do I belong to a faction in my presbyterate? Do I speak about the bishop in a negative ways or undermine his authority, either publicly or in secret?   Do I expect others to supply things like alcohol, snacks or cigars at presbyteral gatherings without ever bringing any myself? Am I greedy in taking the assignments that pay more money and leaving less lucrative ones to my assistant? Am I charging money for the sacraments or performing them in hopes of remuneration? When living in community am I considerate of those around me, e.g. clean up after myself? Am I fostering and praying for vocations? Is there anything in my lifestyle, past or present, that is putting (or could put)  the well-being of the diocese in jeopardy? Have I committed any crimes that the bishop should be aware of? Do I lead others to gossip, sin or scandal by my comments about other clergy? 

Do I ignore members of my presbyterate because of ideologies or other differences? Do I share positive stories or victories of other members of my presbyterate? Do I charitably correct members of my presbyterate? Do I reach out to a struggling member of my presbyterate? Do I believe that I have to save the diocese? Do I love the members of my presbyterate, and when struggling to do so, pray for the grace to do so? Am I attempting to seize power in my diocese or gain influence for my own ends? Do I lie constantly? Do the members of my presbyterate consider me honest and trustworthy? Do I attempt at least once a month (besides the required gatherings) to participate in or arrange a time of fraternity with members of my presbyterate? Do I show up and participate at regular presbyteral gatherings: the Chrism mass, ordinations, study days, priest retreats, etc.? Do I make an effort to support a member of my presbyterate when they are having a parish event, mission or pilgrimage? Do I try to get to know members of my presbyterate’s family background, vocation story, and the various pivotal moments in their lives? Do I share my struggles and successes with my presbyterate? Do I pray for those who have left active ministry and look for ways to include them? Do I see myself as working with the different members of my presbyterate to achieve our common goals? Am I refusing forgiveness to any members of my presbyterate? Am I passive aggressive in my dealings with others in my presbyterate? Am I jealous of another priest's work or feel that we are in a competition? Have I avoided dealing with a problem I have with another member of my presbyterate? Am I failing in my promise of obedience? Do I celebrate the sacraments with fidelity to the Church’s teaching, mindful that I am a custodian of the Liturgy and not its owner by being faithful to the rubrics? Have I neglected to keep confidential matters confident? Have I neglected to expose what needs to be exposed?  Do I see myself as a servant working in close collaboration with the bishop in carrying out his ministry? Am I failing in my promise of chastity?  Am I looking at inappropriate programs or watching pornography  Have I established and maintained good boundaries with others, particularly wounded souls, so as to foster healthy and appropriate relationships?  Do I flirt with people or tell sexual jokes? Do I willfully enter into occasions of sin? 

NEXT DOOR TO THE HOTEL






A SHRINE IN HONOR OF THE HUMBOLT BRONCOS
who died in a plane crash in central Canada.






NEXT DOOR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HOTEL
THE OTHER CANADIAN SPORT






I WILL BE BACK ON MAY 28th  FOR ROUND TWO
THE OTHER HALF OF THE PRIESTS OF THE DIOCESE OF LONDON, ONTARIO

DIOCESE OF LONDON (ONTARIO) CANADA Part Two

Got to Charlotte on time. 
Waiting to board the plane to Toronto
yesterday morning. 


FINALLY ARRIVED IN CANADA




Landing in the great city of Toronto yesterday morning. 



Miles away from downtown Toronto, the suburbs look like several small cities themselves.




Our Hotel Chapel




Bishop Fabbro leading us in Mass Monday evening.




A table of friendly priests. 




Father Nichola is from the South Sudan. He escaped the civil war and came to Canada in 2004. He is a Franciscan priest of the OFM Egypt Province. His people were evangelized by the Italians and so he and many of his family have Italian first names. Canada is very internationalized. They have priests from all over the world. 



They are beginning to gather for the first conference, 




Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Dabrowski, originally from Poland. 



Father Sebastian, a Rosarian priest, is from Sri Lanka. 




Morning Prayer




Father Jason Tellis (from India) and Father Phillip Joseph (from Pakistan). 






SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK

2018 COMMON RETREAT FOR PRIESTS OF THE DIOCESE OF LONDON

 INTENTIONAL PRESBYTERATES II

Made Holy By Our Shared Ministry

Rev. Ronald Knott

May 7 – May 11, 2018

May 28 - June 1, 2018

Monday

12:00 p.m. *                            Lunch 

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.            Free time / rest

1:45 p.m.                                 Midday Prayer in common

2:00 p.m.                                 Conference I

                                                PRESBYTERAL THEOLOGY: A QUICK REVIEW

                                                “Claiming Our Common Sense of Purpose as a Team”

5:00 p.m.                                 Mass

6:00 p.m.                                 Dinner

7:00 p.m.                                 Conference II 

                                                QUIT WHINING AND PUT ON YOUR BIG BOYS PANTS

                                                Personal Commitment to Serious Priesting Without Excuses

 8:30 p.m.                                Night Prayer and Rosary (optional)

Tuesday

 8:00 a.m.                                Breakfast

 9:00 a.m.                                Morning Prayer in common

 9:30 a.m.                                Conference III

                                                PUTTING THE OXYGEN MASK ON YOURSEF FIRST BEFORE                                                 ASSISTING OTHERS

                                               Tackling Your Own Apathy, Cynicism, Narcissism, Neglect

11:00 a.m.                               Mass

12:00 p.m.                               Lunch

12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.            Free time / rest

2:00 p.m.                                 Conference IV

                                                LESSONS FROM THE PARABLE OF “THE RABBI’S GIFT”

                                                “There is No Rescue Party Out Looking for You”

5:00 p.m.                                 Evening Prayer in common

6:00 p.m.                                 Dinner

7:30 p.m.                                 Exposition / Holy Hour             

Wednesday

8:00 a.m.                                Breakfast

9:00 a.m.                                Morning Prayer in common

9:30 a.m.                                Conference V

                                               GIVE ME A BREAK

                                               Saying “No” to Gossip, Jealousy and Suspicion

11:00 a.m.                              Mass

12:00 p.m.                              Lunch

12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.           Free time / rest

2:00 p.m.                                Conference VI

                                               THROWING OFF THE CRUSH OF GARBAGE

                                                “The Power of Forgiveness”

5:00 p.m.                                 Evening Prayer in common

6:00 p.m.                                 Dinner

7:30 p.m.                                 Scriptural Rosary

Thursday

8:00 a.m.                                Breakfast

9:00 a.m.                                Morning Prayer in common

9:30 a.m.                                Conference VII

                                               THE JONAH COMPLEX

                                               The Convenience and Selfishness of Playing Small

11:00 a.m.                              Mass

12:00 p.m.                              Lunch

12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.           Free time / rest

 2:00 p.m.                               Conference VIII

                                               PROTECTING THE FIRE, NOT PRESERVING THE ASHES

                                               Lessons From Pope Francis

 5:00 p.m.                               Evening Prayer in common

 6:00 p.m.                               Dinner

 7:30 p.m.                               Communal Celebration of the Sacrament of Penance

                                               FOR WHAT WE HAVE FAILED TO DO

                                               A Priest’s Examination of Conscience

 Friday

 8:00 a.m.                               Breakfast

 9:00 a.m.                               Morning Prayer

 9:30                                       Conference IX

                                               THE SHOW MUST GO ON

                                               We Don’t Have the Luxury of Coming Unglued

 11:00 a.m.                              Mass

 12:00 p.m.                              Lunch / Departure