The Battle
On this first Sunday of Lent, we hear about Jesus taking up the battle as He faced the three temptations of the devil in the wilderness. Jesus overcame each temptation and exhausted the devil, but that was not the end of the war. The battle would continue all the way to the Cross.
As for us, the battle will take place in the fields, nooks, and corners of our lives. Yet, God will give us strength, and He will train us to prepare our arms for battle and our hearts for war. We draw strength from God through the three spiritual exercises of Lent: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
The devil tempted Jesus with basic human needs—food, the desire for glory and power, and the urge to put God to the test. The three spiritual exercises are weapons of self-restraint and self-control. With them, we let God be our shield and armor against the devil. But the devil knows our weaknesses, and he will do everything he can to break through our defenses and destroy us. As much as the devil is our greatest enemy, there is also another enemy we need to be aware of, ourselves. We are, in fact, our greatest enemy, because it is up to us to decide whether to say “Yes” to God or “Yes” to the devil. The devil became who he is because he said “No” to God, and it is an eternal and irreversible “No.” The devil will always tempt us to say “No” to God and to drop the weapons of self-restraint and self-control.
We say “No” to God when we hunger for attention and glory for ourselves. We say “No” to God when we are prideful and want to win every discussion and argument, putting others down in order to be admired. We say “No” to God when we are selfish and self-centered, harboring anger and resentment against others. Jesus, in this Gospel, teaches us to say “Yes” to God. It is with obedience and humility that we say “Yes” to God and overcome the devil’s temptations.
Therefore, let us take up the weapons of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, so that we can have self-restraint and self-control. Let us say “Yes” to God and follow Jesus as He leads us into the battle—a battle that will end in victory at the cross.
Fr. Aegidius Warsito, SCJ
Prayer for Pope Francis
O merciful and loving God, fountain of all grace and source of eternal healing, be with our Holy Father as he faces this battle with illness.
Surround him, O Lord, with boundless compassion and strengthen his spirit so that he may regain the health needed to continue to lead your flock with a father’s heart.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lenten Retreat – March 22nd
Living the Beatitudes: A Lenten Call to Holiness
Our Parish Lenten Retreat will be held on Saturday, March 22nd, from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon.
Father Sojan Augustine Athickal, will lead our 2025 Parish Retreat.
The theme for the retreat is: “Living the Beatitudes: A Lenten Call to Holiness.”
Let us come together to reflect, pray, and grow in our Lenten journey. We look forward to seeing you!
Lenten Message- Pilgrims of Hope
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
As we prepare for the Holy Season of Lent, we are invited to reflect on God’s love and discern how to cooperate with His grace. This year’s Lenten observance takes on a special significance, being the Jubilee Year focused on Hope—hope born from God and nurtured in our hearts.
During Lent, we practice prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, which orient us toward God’s Kingdom and strengthen our hope. Prayer nurtures hope, fasting purifies our desires, and almsgiving expresses hope through compassion for those in need. Let us consider how we will live these practices this year.
At the heart of Lent is the Paschal Mystery—Christ’s death and resurrection, which brings new life. Pope Francis reminds us that Lent is a time to grow in the realization that in Jesus Christ, God is making all things new (Rev 21:1-6). As Pilgrims of Hope, we walk with Christ through His suffering, death, and resurrection, witnessing the triumph of life over death.
In these challenging times, let us heed the voice of Christ, who assures us that “hope does not disappoint” (Rom. 5:5). Let us live differently, with renewed hope, and engage in continuous interior purification and repentance, trusting in God’s mercy.
Lent is a time of penitence, renewal, and reconciliation—an opportunity to rediscover the hope we were born into. I encourage you to make use of the Lenten resources on the Archdiocese of Toronto website to enrich your spiritual journey.
Wishing you all a blessed and sacred Lent.
His Eminence Frank Cardinal Leo
Prayers Needed for the Sick
We are praying for the sick of our parish: Victoria Munson, Doug Smith, Rob Dunklin, Arianna Lindsay, Tina Lopes, Bill and John Bailey, Winda Viterbo, Christopher Morrison, Joseph Michael Alves, Triva Steenberg, Nida Morales, Jeffrey Mo and Lito Gana.
May they be supported by our prayers and pastoral ministry and by the grace of God
Feast of St. Joseph : Join Us for the Annual Rosary in Honor of St. Joseph, Patron Saint of Canada
On Wednesday, March 19th, we invite you to join us for our annual Rosary in honor of St. Joseph, the Patron Saint of Canada. This special event will take place at 6:00 PM, just before the evening Mass, at St. Thomas More Church.
A Time for Prayer and Reflection
As we gather to pray the Rosary, we seek the intercession of St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus, asking for his guidance and protection for our country and for our personal needs. St. Joseph’s steadfast faith and humility make him the perfect patron to intercede for us, especially as we pray for strength and unity in these challenging times.
An Invitation to Men of the Parish
We especially encourage the men of the parish to join us for this special time of prayer. St. Joseph is a model of fatherhood and strength, and his example is one that we can all look to for inspiration.
A Full Evening of Prayer and Fellowship
The evening will include:
The Rosary
Praise and Worship
The Solemnity Mass
Fellowship with fellow parishioners
To conclude the evening, we will enjoy coffee, tea, and light refreshments, generously provided by Young Adults for Christ.
We look forward to praying with you and celebrating the feast of St. Joseph together. Your presence will make this occasion even more special!
Mass Intentions for March 8 – March 15, 2025
Saturday 5:00 p.m.
+Jakina Sampayo, requested by M. Fernando & family
Sunday 8:00 a.m.
Intentions of Clare and Jason Rogers
Sunday 10:00 a.m.
+Marie-Josée Roussety, requested by the D’Souza family
Sunday 12:00 noon
Intentions of the Parish Community
Sunday 8:00 p.m.
In thanksgiving, Janet Francisco
Monday 7:15 a.m.
+Alex Ramiriz, requested by Amparo
Tuesday 7:15 a.m.
+Cajetan Rosario Alvares, Josephine Alvares, & Suren Matkar, requested by J. Matkar
Tuesday 7:00 p.m.
+Truong and Dung Nguyen, requested by the Teixeira family
Intentions of Hy & Vinette Francis
+Emerita Liceralde, requested by Nida Obtinario
Thanksgiving, Bastianpillai Family
+Holy Souls in Purgatory requested by the Bastianpillai Family
+ Tintu Jacob, requested by family
Wednesday 7:15 a.m.
Intentions of Roshani & Selvin, requested by M. Fernando
Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
+Ilda Caires, requested by the family
Thursday 7:15 a.m.
Intentions of Vicky Munson
Thursday 7:00 p.m.
+Tirso and Elizabeth Manadero, Rochelle Gonzales and Ceasar Guerrero
+Ingrid Beuhler, requested by L. Nelson
+Ophelia Alialy, requested by the family
Friday 7:15 a.m.
+Emilio and Hernani Yambot, requested by the family
Friday 7:00 p.m.
+Ofelia Lim, requested by the family
Saturday 9:00 a.m.
+ Marie-Josée Roussety, requested by the Dessailly family
SACRAMENTAL PREP NEWS
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
• March 29th – Class #3 (12:30 – 2:00 pm)
CONFIRMATION
• March 29th – Class #9 (10:00 – 11:30 am)
R.C.I.A. (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults)
• Registration is now closed.
