Hello,

Here’s what’s coming up:

Miss Marie Boat Tour!! (A group of parishioners from Holy Trinity, SSM, are getting together for fun on the tour and you’re welcome to join us…Big Ben Bus Tour last week, the boat this week…who knows what we’ll do next! Actually, I do know what we’re doing next…we’ll be living it up at the Legion – at Bucci’s – on Sat., Sept.26, 6pm if you’d like to join in the fun then too) Anyway, back to the boat tour: Thursday, September 10, 1pm; $48 for adults, $35 for seniors. Book your tickets online: https://saultlocktours.ca/cruises/lock-tour/ or phone: 705-989-4985.

Final Campfire Communion of the season is Wednesday, September 16, 7pm at Christ Church.

Next movie night is Friday, September 18 (I originally said Sept.11 but we’re shifting it) at 6pm in the Trinity Centre. We’ll be watching “Jesus Christ Superstar”. Come sing along…Well, okay, you don’t have to sing. You can just watch the movie. 

Don’t forget St. Luke’s fundraiser on Oct.1 at Icebreakers…Call for tickets and more info: 705-254-7144.

A Liturgical Note For You:   Still More on Resisting Temptation…

We are marking the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary this week so, yet again, it’s an opportunity to keep sharp on some rules organizing how we mark these days liturgically.  So, of course you know the days on our calendar of observances are almost never moved – if they don’t fall on a Sunday, they are not moved to a Sunday. You can celebrate the Epiphany, the Day of Ascension, and All Saints Day twice – on the Sunday as well as on its fixed date but not solely on the Sunday. (This whole “twice” thing is something a lot of people don’t pick up on…you can check the rubrics near the front of the BAS for the lowdown on this.) The feast of the Dedication of a Church, and the feast of its patron or title, may be observed on, or be transferred to, a Sunday, except in the seasons of Advent, Lent, and Easter.   

For most of our observances, if they do happen to fall on a Sunday, they are actually not observed at all except, perhaps, by a mention in the intercessions. (That means Francis of Assisi…that many associate with a blessing of animals…does not get observed on Sunday, Oct.4, especially not during the main Sunday liturgy). The feasts of our Lord listed on p.16 of our BAS and other “Major Feasts” can be transferred to an open day within the week if they fall on the Sunday. There are very few days of observance that take precedence over our usual Sunday worship of the feast of our Lord Jesus Christ. One of these days that does take precedence, if it falls on a Sunday, is the Holy Day of Saint Mary the Virgin (Aug.15).  

Now, this week, we have another day of observance for Mary but, if this one happened to fall on a Sunday, then it would not be observed. Why is one calendar observance for Mary observed on a Sunday and another one not? We observe multiple days for Mary, Peter, Paul, and John but only those days considered to be significant events in Jesus’ life – our story of salvation – will be celebrated on a Sunday if it falls on a Sunday.  Mary’s day that takes precedence of a Sunday is the day we acknowledge she is carrying the Saviour of the World in her womb. 

Why resist the temptation to move our calendar observances around to suit what we want to do? It’s mostly to be sure that we don’t bump the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection that we celebrate each Sunday. Jesus is the “star of the show”, the main guest at the party on Sunday morning. We are formed and transformed by who (and how) we celebrate. Everywhere that Jesus went, a party popped up…Lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing…

For Your Devotions:   

Tuesday, September 8th is the memorial of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Although information like this is not in our Scriptures, there is a writing dating from about 150 AD which says that Mary’s mother, Anna, was barren until visited by an angel after which, Mary was conceived. You may have noticed that our calendar celebrations are marked on the day of the death of the person being acknowledged but Mary is one of just three people whose birthday is celebrated. To find out why, follow this link:  https://www.thoughtco.com/nativity-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-542466

 Thursday, September 10th is the memorial of Edmund James Peck, a priest and missionary to the Inuit who died in 1924. His life in England got off to a rough start…When he was just 10 years old, his mother died and so he left school to work in a printing plant. His father died three years later. Peck joined the navy and eventually became a missionary headed for the Canadian North. He stayed among the Inuit from 1876-1884 then again in 1885-1892. His three children were born during this second stay. Peck is remembered not only for his evangelism but also for the Gospel texts he distributed in the native language of the Inuit. He notably chose many shamans to become the first Inuit ministers. For more info:  http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/peck_edmund_james_15E.html

In the joy of Christ,

Susan