Jesus wants to establish God’s Kingdom, reconcile man with God.  God wants our happiness, our salvation.  He liberates us from sin and death.  He alone gives life, life in fullness.

Sin is a rejection of God.  All the sins we commit somehow harm people.  If we sin against God, only He can forgive.  If God were not forgiving we would have got lost.  In today’s Gospel Jesus forgives the sins before the physical healing in the case of the paralyzed man.  Though with malicious intention, the people said rightly: “Who can forgive sins except God alone?” And the Gospel says, people praised God because God gave such authority to man.  They spoke truly but they failed to recognize in Christ the power of God.  Instead of rejoicing in the forgiveness and in the restored health they were unhappy – a typical sign of a sinful attitude.

Yes, by our forgiveness we can also transform the world and give meaning to life.

Forgiveness Today

Jesus gave authority to the Church to forgive sins: “Those whose sins you forgive they are forgiven”/ (John 20:22) The sacrament of confession is the most visible sign of God’s loving forgiveness for us.  God’s forgiving has practical consequences for us: we have to forgive as we expect others to forgive us.  To be healed psychologically, mentally, emotionally and even physically we have to forgive.  We suffer so much unnecessarily because we do not forgive.  On the other hand we cannot expect God to forgive us if we ourselves do not forgive others.  Forgiveness is light, it enlightens; forgiveness is life, it enlivens.  Let us shed light and life by forgiving one another.

MASSES FOR THE WEEK 

Mon Feb 20
9:00 a.m. - For the good of the parish.

Tue Feb 21 St. Peter Damian
9:00 a.m. - For the good of the parish.

Wed Feb 22  Chair of St. Peter
9:00 a.m. - For the good of the parish.     

Thu Feb 23 St. Polycarp, bishop, martyr
9:00 a.m.  +Maria Donato & +Gio Zita

Fri   Feb 24
9:00 a.m. - For the good of the parish.

Sat  Feb 25
9:00 a.m. - Souls in Purgatory by Frances Korowski
4:30 p.m. - In honour of St. Ann by Lilly Carlos   

Sun Feb 26  8^th Sunday of Ordinary Time
  8:30 a.m. - For the good of the parish.

10:00 a.m. - +Cesar Villanueva by Victoria DiGiulo

11:30 a.m.  +Denis Fernandes by Helen Fernando
+Lawrence D’Sa
+Xavier D’Sa

Pray for the sick of the parish:

Deacon Bob Geisel,  Patricia Kennedy, Levi Romero, David Re, Maria Dimatteo, Joe O’Hearn, Rita Zarb, Tasha Bishop, John Mifsud, Joe Muscat, Nada Dancy, Michael Manzo, Catherina Donato, Bill Tuplin,  Mary Jane Lafleur, Rose & Henry Castelino, Karl Zakss, Tina Fiore, Toni & Violete Matar,   Pat Goulding, Lucy Vairo, Bosco Chan, Barney Gallant,  Helen Briers, Alfred Vella, Bill Kinch, Edward Glanc, Wanda Glanc.

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Confirmation Preparation:

Girls – Mar 12^th after 11:30 a.m. Mass

Girls – Apr 23^rd after 11:30 a.m. Mass

 Boys – Apr 9^th   after 11:30 a.m. Mass

Boys - Apr 29^th Sat. at 10:00 a.m.

Marriage Preparation Course:

Sts. Martha and Mary Parish offers this course on seven Wednesdays beginning on April 19 and ending May 31^st,  2006.  Please call the office.

 

Sacramental Preparation

First Communion

Our next Sunday Celebration will be on Feb 26^th, at 12:30 p.m. Please prepare your child by completing Lessons One to Five in the Red Book, “We Share in the Eucharist”, by doing one lesson a week.

Youth Group: We thank all those who donated baking goods to the bake sale.  We appreciated very much all you help.  It was a great success.  Thank you again.

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  Wedding Banns

Antonio Reali & Tracy Di Fonzo

 

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Crusillo

Do you want to deepen your spiritual life? To know more about your faith?  To find support through likeminded friends? Try Cursillo

Weekend for men: June 8^th

Weekend for women: June 15^th

For more information please call Jennie McRae  at 905-206-1321 or Fr. Edwin at the parish office.

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Opus Dei –  recollection

Recollections aim to assist the individual to relate their  family life, professional work and social commitments more fully to their relationship with God.

The meditations are preached by a priest of Opus Dei, a personal prelature of the Roman Catholic Church. Retreats are being held at Sts. Martha & Mary Church.

Ladies Retreat: Tuesday,  Feb  21–   7:00 p.m.

Men’s   Retreat: Tuesday, Mar 14 –  7:00 p.m.

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Marriage Encounter:

Married   couples, you deserve a weekend to celebrate being together, to rediscover each other and focus on ways to make your relationship even better.

A Worldwide Marriage Encounter offers this opportunity  from the April 28-30 2006

For further information   please   contact : David  and  Lucy  Adams  @ 905 470 9590

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March 1^st is Ash Wednesday 

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Website: Our website has been running since Feb 1^st.  Have you had a change to look at it?. Give us some feedback via E-Mail to Webmaster.  Thank you.