Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Russia - Ukraine war... how ignorant and arrogant of us "westerners" to comment, draw conclusions, or go so far as to judge, without understanding Cossack history going back a millennium. Who are we to judge?

Dans ce JOURNAL je partage de temps en temps un aperçu de ma vie de chrétien catholique et de prêtre pour rejoindre d'autres qui désirent contribuer au bien commun et pour faire avancer l'ouverture personnelle à Dieu qui fait vivre toute l'humanité et veille sur nous. G.S.

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In this JOURNAL I will share once in a while a glimpse of my life as a Catholic Christian and priest to connect with other people who desire to contribute to the common good and to enable personal openness to God who gives life to all of humanity and watches over us. G.S.

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No doubt what is happening in Ukraine with the invasion by the Russian Federation cannot be understood without reference to the enormous and constant pressure from the U.S.A. through NATO pushing right up to the borders of Russia since the dissolution of the U.S.S.R. between 1989 and 1991. I still recall in the years preceding the "end of the Soviet regime" 
the genuine good will of Mikhail Gorbachev, at the time President of the Soviet Union. He boldly and courageously led a "new revolution" by trying to coax his diverse people into openness towards the rest of the world.

In retrospect, clearly we westerners, led by the Americans - who have never suffered from any lack of conviction about what is in their own interests - took advantage of that Russian good will in order to claw their way to the very borders of the former Soviet Union; just in case they ever became aggressive again... so the thinking goes....

From a strictly impartial viewpoint, it could well be said that it was to be expected that the Russians would wake up - sooner or later - to the truth that American-led NATO was taking advantage of their openness and abusing it to expand NATO to their very borders. Russia extended an open hand in openness and friendship to offer a new period in world history of collaboration for the common good and the betterment of humanity. I'm ashamed to have to admit, that in following the leadership of the U.S.A., we have rejected that open hand of friendship, in effect also rejecting this offer of a new period in world history of working together in collaboration for the common good and the betterment of humanity. 

So, with that offer apparently gone, no longer valid, what are we left with? We can only understand that by looking back at the history of the region. Check it out on Wikipedia and you will find a history of the Cossack peoples going back a millennium. The Cossacks, from our point of view, are very difficult to clearly define, or for that matter, to even begin to understand. They have been a collection of peoples with common culture known for their skill with horses and navigation, as well as military might and boldness characterized by fearlessness of personal injury or even death. They were even better organized and better educated than many of their surrounding neighbors. They were highly prized as mercenaries and allies and, understandably, feared as foes or enemies. It is reported that their total population ran over 3 million people, with 3 to 4 hundred capable men capable and ready for military service. Even this was highly developed and organized by age.

The ravages of history - the empires originating in Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Hungary, Turkey, and others used and abused the Cossack peoples, and more dramatically, the Russian Revolution of 1917 pitted them against each other, depending on which side of the dividing lines they fell. World War II did the same thing, as did the aggressive policies of Stalin to relocate entire populations. Whenever Cossack peoples were pitted against each other, they murdered ruthlessly then just as they would previously do when pitted against foreigners or outsiders; it was all the same.

This culture of the Cossack peoples is really quite "foreign" to our western sensibilities and ways of thinking, but there's no avoiding that history if we are to have any hope to begin to understand what is going on in Ukraine and why those actions looks as horrible as they do.

This is a time for us to humbly admit our own failings, which are so many, before we even think of picking up a stone to throw at anyone. We need to trust in those diverse peoples and to let them "work it out". Would we not want others to allow us to do the same? 

Mikhail Gorbachev's open hand may no longer be there, but other Russian hands may very well be open. One thing is certain, and that is that Jesus open mind, open heart, and open hand will ever be extended towards us and all "people of good will" intent on pursuing together the common good and willing to make allowances for each other's failings and human weaknesses. Looking back is useful for understanding from where we come, but is we are to make progress, we need to look ahead, and to do it together.

"Father and Creator of us all, open our spirits once again to your Son Jesus." "Lord Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world, Son of God - and as the man from Nazareth - the One Risen from the dead, have mercy on us, and fill us anew with your Holy Spirit, that by your grace we may become better versions of ourselves and once again open our minds, hearts, souls, and hands to one another." 

"Our Lady of Fatima, Myriam, Mother of the Son of God as the Mother of Jesus, woman of peace, pray for us all your children." 


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In this JOURNAL I will share once in a while a glimpse of my life as a Catholic Christian and priest to connect with other people who desire to contribute to the common good and to enable personal openness to God who gives life to all of humanity and watches over us. G.S.

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Dans ce JOURNAL je partage de temps en temps un aperçu de ma vie de chrétien catholique et de prêtre pour rejoindre d'autres qui désirent contribuer au bien commun et pour faire avancer l'ouverture personnelle à Dieu qui fait vivre toute l'humanité et veille sur nous. G.S.

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© 2004-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2004-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC
 

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Monday, April 4, 2022

The strange case of banished Mass wines now effectively outlawed in the Province of Québec since Spring of 2021

Dans ce JOURNAL je partage de temps en temps un aperçu de ma vie de chrétien catholique et de prêtre pour rejoindre d'autres qui désirent contribuer au bien commun et pour faire avancer l'ouverture personnelle à Dieu qui fait vivre toute l'humanité et veille sur nous. G.S.

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In this JOURNAL I will share once in a while a glimpse of my life as a Catholic Christian and priest to connect with other people who desire to contribute to the common good and to enable personal openness to God who gives life to all of humanity and watches over us. G.S.

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    It is an interesting challenge to practice and live one's faith in a secular society and culture. The availability of Mass wine is a case in point. By common opinion, until World War II or, say, 1950, western societies were commonly seen and felt to be "Christian societies", the "descendants" of what was once called "Christendom", or the "merging" of the "City of God" with the "City of man", to employ St. Augustine's categories. 

        In much of the Province of Québec, until recently, and for many decades, Mass wines employed by parish churches, shrines, and other chapels were primarily obtained, sold, and distributed by "church supply" stores such as Desmarais & Robitaille or Bertrand, Foucher, Bélanger in Montreal. The former closed its doors a decade ago. In Québec City and the eastern portions of the province it has probably been La Procure Eddlésiastique, established since 1945. There were other locally grown "shops" in other large cities in the province.

        Back in the 1960's there is evidence that these stores were licensed to sell Mass wine by the then Régie des Alcools du Québec. However, mysteriously (exact information is hard to find) some time in the past half century, these stores ceased to have or maintain licenses for their distribution of Mass wines; or else the governmental agencies ceased to be interested in providing them for whatever reason. 

        Then sometime in or before the Spring of 2021 there was report of an abuse in this "commerce" of wines for "religious purposes", and there was a raid by the Sureté du Québec somewhere outside of the large city centres. Here are links to coverage in French April 4, 2021 by La Presse and April 20th, 2021 by Présence Information Religieuse

        Some 8000 bottles of Mass wine were seized, while other church good stores were not touched; these apparently returned their stocks to their suppliers either in Canada or the U.S.A. or elsewhere. This number of bottles seems huge, but considering that in Québec at present there are still some 1,782 parishes, not to mention shrines and other chapels; it's no big deal. There really is not any obvious cause of scandal here.

        So, why then, this sudden police action coming down so hard on church goods stores? Were there people purchasing "Mass wine" or "altar wine" for other uses? We know that in some religions or religious cultures, it is not the "priest" who consumes a mouthful of wine once a day at a religious service, but it may be a whole family or entire community that will consume this wine at a "family meal" or "community meal" deemed to be a religious act. It is conceivable that one or more cases of wine would be needed in such an instance, all depending on the number of participants. As a weekly occurrence, this could amount to a rather large transaction in "religious wine" annually, no doubt. I am only speculating here, but is this what actually happened to trigger the police raid on the main church shops?

        However, in my 40 years of experience as a Roman Catholic priest, even in a busy parish where there are two celebrations of the Holy Mass during the week and up to four on Sunday, it is highly unlikely that a whole bottle of Mass wine would be used up each week. So, we're not talking about a huge wine bill here, and not much room for abuse either. 

        There were a few years some 20 years or more ago when in one parish we did offer the assembly Holy Communion under "both kinds", that is, to receive the wafer of bread - the Body of Christ - and a sip of the wine - the Blood of Christ. Very few parishes have ever done this, in the R. C. Church, and none that I know of still do it. However, even under these conditions, not more than a bottle and a half of wine, or at the very most two bottles, was used per week with an attendance of 100 people on weekdays and 1,500 on weekends. Most people passed by the chalice or would hold out their host for the Eucharisti Minister to dip it in the Blood of Christ and then deposit it on their tongue. People are content to receive Jesus in the Host alone. Jesus comes to them "whole and undivided" in his Risen Body and Blood. He is sufficient. 

        Eastern Rite and Orthodox Churches do give Holy Communion under both kinds, but the priests usually dip the consecrated bread in the consecrated wine before depositing it in the open mouth of the communicant. So, yes, they probably use a little more wine, but still, we're not talking about industrial quantities here. Nothing to cause scandal of any kind. 

        What about employing those wines for private use? One priest as spokesman for the Québec bishops was quoted in one of the above articles as saying that at his ordination some relatives teased him, saying that now he was going to paid to drink wine. So, one day, he brought home a bottle of Mass wine for them to taste. They never bothered him that way ever again. The point is that Mass wine does not draw attention to itself. A true Mass wine is quite forgettable as a table wine, but it eminently serves its purpose to refer one to Christ. 

        The question remains unanswered, then, why the Québec government unleashed the police services to seize the stocks of Mass wine in a number of church goods stores without publishing then or later any proof that these good will suppliers sold wine intended solely for religious purposes to individuals or groups who were not authorized to purchase them. In other words, where is the proof that huge quantities of Mass wine were sold to people who only intended to purchase them for "secular" or "private" consumption?

        If there was and is proof of such abuse or abuses, then why have the culprits not been published or brought to court or fined? All that seems to hang in the air is that on the basis apparently of some unknown complaint, the authorities have seized Mass wine stocks from honest (until proven otherwise) church supply shop keepers, who for the most part are probably just managing to survive. One such shop which enjoyed an excellent reputation for decades, Desmarais & Robitaille, closed up shop a decade or so ago. These shops aren't able to make anyone wealthy; especially not now with most churches being poorly attended.

        I've been shown a document that indicates these shops used to have licenses from the Régie des Alcools du Québec half a century or more ago. What happened since then to cause them to no longer have such a licence? 

        Local Church authorities have done their best to cooperate with the government to find a workable solution. What has that solution been? They have published a list of 7 organic wines recommended to pass the canonical requirements of the Church for Mass wine. All of the Mass wines previously distributed from Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, or California or anywhere else have all been banned. The SAQ apparently has no intention or interest to import, warehouse, or distribute those wines specifically grown, bottled, and distributed for the celebration of Holy Mass. Nor does the government seem inclined to renew licences for the sale of Mass wines to the church goods shops. 

        What a strange situation. Who can understand it? You can find both wines and beers in the grungiest "dépanneur" store, no problem; even wines that are barely palatable. Even gas stations with convenience stores attached can sell both wines and beers, not to mention those toxic "caffein" drinks that have reportedly caused accidents and deaths. But can we have access once again to our familiar and well appreciated Mass wines? No way!

        Perhaps priests with a "more refined palate" than I have may actually prefer one or more of those 7 wines on the new "Mass wine list" distributed on behalf of the SAQ. I have tried 4 of the 7 and I am very disappointed. They are no doubt fine wines for the table, to accompany foods of various kinds for various occasions, but they have far "too much character" to be appropriate for the altar in my view. When I celebrate Holy Mass, the proper Mass wine does not attract attention to itself, but is rather subtle and refers itself rather to the One who makes use of it to convey Himself to us, namely, Jesus Christ.

        The wines we now have no choice but to use draw far too much attention to themselves, causing thoughts to arise such as "Where is the cheese to go with this?" or "Where is the main course called for by this wine?" Perhaps the priests who will only know these wines won't mind, because they won't know that they are missing. Those of us who were befriended by the "Mont des Oliviers" from Portugal or the various Cribari offerings from California, or the La Salle Vineyards know what we had, what we lost, and what we regret to think we will never be able to use again. 

        I understand full well that today, when the world and we in it continue to suffer in solidarity with the devastated people of Ukraine and the people of Russia who may be as troubled as we are; that in this world, the question I raise here about Mass wines is such a small and apparently insignificant matter, perhaps some might even think it scandalous to raise it. However, when the dust of war settles, life must go on. Is it not one of our rights in societies where the citizens enjoy fundamental human rights, that we can express our thoughts and feelings about not only the great but also the little concerns of life? 

        Since the SAQ prides itself on importing good wines from all over the world, what then could this sudden police action be really about? Could it be the latest nail in the coffin being designed by a secular state for any remaining vestiges of faith in the society and culture it so obsessively wants to be entirely and only secular? First, religious school commissions had to be dismantled - requiring nothing less than an amendment to the BNA (British North America) Act of the British Parliament, which founded Canada March 29, 1867. Then, crucifixes had to be removed from institutions under the responsibility of the government. A year ago, the elimination of all "Mass / altar / sacramental wines" from the province, treating the shop keepers as borderline criminals by seizing their stocks instead of requiring them to return them and get reimbursed. 

        What will be next, I wonder? If our civil state goes so far as to imitate the way of the U.S.A., we may not learn from their mistakes. Once they eliminated God and the Bible from the public school system, the vacuum they created was filled by guns, knives, drugs, and mass shootings. They still haven't learned their lesson from this. Is it likely that we will? 

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In this JOURNAL I will share once in a while a glimpse of my life as a Catholic Christian and priest to connect with other people who desire to contribute to the common good and to enable personal openness to God who gives life to all of humanity and watches over us. G.S.

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Dans ce JOURNAL je partage de temps en temps un aperçu de ma vie de chrétien catholique et de prêtre pour rejoindre d'autres qui désirent contribuer au bien commun et pour faire avancer l'ouverture personnelle à Dieu qui fait vivre toute l'humanité et veille sur nous. G.S.

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© 2004-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2004-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC
 

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Tuesday, March 22, 2022

REFLECTION - Making the End Glorious

Dans ce JOURNAL je partage de temps en temps un aperçu de ma vie de chrétien catholique et de prêtre pour rejoindre d'autres qui désirent contribuer au bien commun et pour faire avancer l'ouverture personnelle à Dieu qui fait vivre toute l'humanité et veille sur nous. G.S.

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In this JOURNAL I will share once in a while a glimpse of my life as a Catholic Christian and priest to connect with other people who desire to contribute to the common good and to enable personal openness to God who gives life to all of humanity and watches over us. G.S.

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A Reflection by a priest addressed to his brother priests

Monday, October - Monday, 29th Week in Ordinary Time - even years
Submitted by an as yet unidentified priest of Montreal in October 2014

Ephesians 2:1-10    

You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3 All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Psalm 100

1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. 
2     Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come into his presence with singing.

3 Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he that made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise.
    Give thanks to him, bless his name.

5 For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.

Luke 12:13-21

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” 16 Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. 17 And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”

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First, a little contemporary parable taken from "Stories and Parables for Preachers and Teachers" by Paul Wharton. Paulist Press, 1986, pages 70-71.

Making the End Glorious

        A wise old woman happened to be a pianist who had taught many students over the years. Invariably, when she prepared her pupils for recitals, she would have them practice the conclusions over and over again. Invariably the students would begin to grumble because of the constant repetition of the last few measures of music. When one would voice their complaints, the wise teacher would always answer, "You can make a mistake in the beginning or you can make a mistake in the middle. The people will forget it if you make the ending glorious."


REFLECTION


  1. Dear Bishop Tom, Dear Brother Priests, Each year we come to this retreat 1 year older, and hopefully somewhat wiser as well, recognizing, realizing that truly it is by grace that we have been saved.
  2. Many of us are now in the last 1/3 of our human lives.
  3. And one thing that I'm more aware of that I'm giving a lot more thought to is the question of LEGACY.
  4. Just last week, the headline in the sports section of the Gazette was this: "Grey Cups capped Cavillo's LEGACY."
  5. In the news, the legacy issue also surfaces regularly. In the political arena, commentators on CNN often speculate about the nature of Obama's LEGACY after 2 terms in office as U.S. Pesident; what will he be remembered for? Will it be a positive or negative legacy?
  6. What will I be remembered for after almost 25 years as a priest? What will we priests be remembered for?
  7. What will be our LEGACY to the Church, to the People of God?
  8. This short story (above) is a kind of parable that contains a message, it's possibly even a principle that can apply to all of us.
  9. The story title is: Making the End Glorious.
  10. Read the story (again) - "Making the End Glorious" - (as applicable) for a piano recital, for a football player, a politician, for the last 1/3 of our lives as priests.
  11. Making our last years of preaching glorious, with renewed insights, ardor, energy, purpose; because the Holy Spirit follows our Preaching, entering the hearts of those who hear us after we've preached.
  12. Making our last years of teaching glorious, with insights into life and living that give meaning and direction to those around us who have none.
  13. Making our last years of dedicating ourselves glorious by loving and serving the People of God around us, especially those who are troublesome, who suffer, and those in need.
  14. Making our last years of praying glorious by striving to become more open to the surprising ways the Holy Spirit may want to speak to us - through Sacred Scripture, through the creation around us, through the actions and words of God's People around us, through our public and private prayer.
  15. Making our last years of holiness glorious by recongnizing that everything we do, and say, all actions, words, even our everyday demeanor, are influencing, shaping, the People of God, and their perception of Him.

Making the end glorious will, as the Gospel suggests, make us "rich toward God". Amen.

PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

  1. For the Church, the People of God, and it's leaders, that all of us may proclaim Jesus as Lord by all we say and do.
  2. For those who lead us at the level of government, that they might build up the common good, and provide help and the basics of life to the poor and those most in need.
  3. For those now suffering from ebola and all who died from it, for those working in West Africa to arrest this epidemic.
  4. For those now suffering from Covid-19 and all who died from it, for those working all over the world - especially in those still mostly deprived of vaccines - to arrest this epidemic and to treat those affected by it: that they may accept the help given them by God the Creator of us all.
  5. For our families and friends, our parish communities, we pray....
  6. For our own personal needs and prayers....
Submitted in October, 2014 by an as yet unidentified priest of Montreal. 

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In this JOURNAL I will share once in a while a glimpse of my life as a Catholic Christian and priest to connect with other people who desire to contribute to the common good and to enable personal openness to God who gives life to all of humanity and watches over us. G.S.

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Dans ce JOURNAL je partage de temps en temps un aperçu de ma vie de chrétien catholique et de prêtre pour rejoindre d'autres qui désirent contribuer au bien commun et pour faire avancer l'ouverture personnelle à Dieu qui fait vivre toute l'humanité et veille sur nous. G.S.

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© 2004-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2004-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC
 

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Saturday, September 18, 2021

The Kingdom of God is here, now, and the Holy Spirit infuses the divine life into us, enabling us to live as children of God among other flawed human beings... loving them, not waiting for others to love us....

Dans ce JOURNAL je partage de temps en temps un aperçu de ma vie de chrétien catholique et de prêtre pour rejoindre d'autres qui désirent contribuer au bien commun et pour faire avancer l'ouverture personnelle à Dieu qui fait vivre toute l'humanité et veille sur nous. G.S.

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In this JOURNAL I will share once in a while a glimpse of my life as a Catholic Christian and priest to connect with other people who desire to contribute to the common good and to enable personal openness to God who gives life to all of humanity and watches over us. G.S.

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"Peace and union are the most necessary of all things for people who live in common, and nothing serves so well to establish and maintain these as the forbearing charity whereby we put up with one another's defects." - St. Robert Bellarmine 


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In this JOURNAL I will share once in a while a glimpse of my life as a Catholic Christian and priest to connect with other people who desire to contribute to the common good and to enable personal openness to God who gives life to all of humanity and watches over us. G.S.

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Dans ce JOURNAL je partage de temps en temps un aperçu de ma vie de chrétien catholique et de prêtre pour rejoindre d'autres qui désirent contribuer au bien commun et pour faire avancer l'ouverture personnelle à Dieu qui fait vivre toute l'humanité et veille sur nous. G.S.

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© 2004-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2004-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC
 

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Friday, July 16, 2021

Our Lady of Mount Carmel - July 16th, 2021 - A sweet and encouraging "face" of Mary, Mother of Jesus Son of God, Mother of the Church and Help of Christians / Notre-Dame du Mont Carmel - une ancienne tradition et dévotion

Dans ce JOURNAL je partage de temps en temps un aperçu de ma vie de chrétien catholique et de prêtre pour rejoindre d'autres qui désirent contribuer au bien commun et pour faire avancer l'ouverture personnelle à Dieu qui fait vivre toute l'humanité et veille sur nous. G.S.

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In this JOURNAL I will share once in a while a glimpse of my life as a Catholic Christian and priest to connect with other people who desire to contribute to the common good and to enable personal openness to God who gives life to all of humanity and watches over us. G.S.

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The Story of Our Lady of Mount Carmel 

 5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL
AND THE BROWN SCAPULAR
 

Notre Dame du Mont Carmel, une ancienne dévotion 


10 Ways to bring Carmelite spirituality into your daily life 
Theresa Civantos Barber - published on 07/16/21 
Honor Our Lady of Mount Carmel with these meaningful ways
to bring Carmelite spirituality into your day. SLIDE SHOW 

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In this JOURNAL I will share once in a while a glimpse of my life as a Catholic Christian and priest to connect with other people who desire to contribute to the common good and to enable personal openness to God who gives life to all of humanity and watches over us. G.S.

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Dans ce JOURNAL je partage de temps en temps un aperçu de ma vie de chrétien catholique et de prêtre pour rejoindre d'autres qui désirent contribuer au bien commun et pour faire avancer l'ouverture personnelle à Dieu qui fait vivre toute l'humanité et veille sur nous. G.S.

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© 2004-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2004-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC
 

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Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Technology confusion... we're experiencing a new TOWER OF BABEL....

Dans ce JOURNAL je partage de temps en temps un aperçu de ma vie de chrétien catholique et de prêtre pour rejoindre d'autres qui désirent contribuer au bien commun et pour faire avancer l'ouverture personnelle à Dieu qui fait vivre toute l'humanité et veille sur nous. G.S.

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In this JOURNAL I will share once in a while a glimpse of my life as a Catholic Christian and priest to connect with other people who desire to contribute to the common good and to enable personal openness to God who gives life to all of humanity and watches over us. G.S.

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Trying to keep in touch with family and friends is becoming an increasingly unnerving task these days with the plethora of modes of communication preferred by this one or that one. 

Let me see now, shall I reach him or her by email or skype or Facebook or Twitter or Messenger or mobile or text or land line or..... Not to mention the address books generated by an ever growing number of tools of communication.... 

It's also disconcerting to receive communication from this plethora of means and tools.... It's enough to want to leave all technology behind and retire to the woods or a farm somewhere far away where the only communication would be face to face; as in the encounter Jesus had with the two disciples walking dejectedly away from Jerusalem towards Emmaus.... 


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In this JOURNAL I will share once in a while a glimpse of my life as a Catholic Christian and priest to connect with other people who desire to contribute to the common good and to enable personal openness to God who gives life to all of humanity and watches over us. G.S.

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Dans ce JOURNAL je partage de temps en temps un aperçu de ma vie de chrétien catholique et de prêtre pour rejoindre d'autres qui désirent contribuer au bien commun et pour faire avancer l'ouverture personnelle à Dieu qui fait vivre toute l'humanité et veille sur nous. G.S.

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© 2004-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2004-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC
 

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Thursday, March 25, 2021

We are all eager to say "Yes!" to life, but to say "Yes!" to God? That is quite another matter, isn't it? Or is it?

Dans ce JOURNAL je partage de temps en temps un aperçu de ma vie de chrétien catholique et de prêtre pour rejoindre d'autres qui désirent contribuer au bien commun et pour faire avancer l'ouverture personnelle à Dieu qui fait vivre toute l'humanité et veille sur nous. G.S.

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In this JOURNAL I will share once in a while a glimpse of my life as a Catholic Christian and priest to connect with other people who desire to contribute to the common good and to enable personal openness to God who gives life to all of humanity and watches over us. G.S.

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Here we are, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord.... Today some 2,023 years ago the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Myriam of Nazareth to announce to her God's proposal that she be the mother of his Divine Son and name Him Jesus. She was only 14, maybe 15 years old! What a receptive soul this young woman had to be able to endure such a visitation and so quickly to be able to say a whole hearted "Yes!" to the Creator of the Universe....

I've been glad to celebrate this feast in honor of Mary and the Lord Jesus.... It is always a privilege to offer Holy Mass, the Memorial of Jesus' offering of Himself to his Father on our behalf, by which He opened up the possibility for every human being to not only live life fully, but ever more wonderfully, to participate in the divine life of God the Holy Three in One! It is truly awesome that our Creator God, a single Divine Being, is so full of life as to actually be Three Divine Persons in an Eternal Communion of Love, the Divine Family, which is the divine paradigm which served as the pattern for our creation, we human beings, created in God's image and likeness.... See Genesis chapters 1 to 3.... 

We can't really understand all this about God's nature... we'd have to BE GOD to really understand... but Jesus did reveal enough about his Father and Himself and the Holy Spirit for us to at least know about the Most Holy Trinity and, more importantly, that They very much want us to enter into a life-giving personal relationship with Them! 

Please feel free to check out the various Blogger pages connected to this site and you may find any number of treasures to stimulate your imagination, feed your mind, nourish your soul, and shed some light on the path which leads to our Source and our Destiny.... 

Peace to you and your family despite these trying Covid-19 Pandemic days and nights....

P.S.: You may want to check out - "Visualized: the World’s Deadliest Pandemics by Population Impact" 

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In this JOURNAL I will share once in a while a glimpse of my life as a Catholic Christian and priest to connect with other people who desire to contribute to the common good and to enable personal openness to God who gives life to all of humanity and watches over us. G.S.

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Dans ce JOURNAL je partage de temps en temps un aperçu de ma vie de chrétien catholique et de prêtre pour rejoindre d'autres qui désirent contribuer au bien commun et pour faire avancer l'ouverture personnelle à Dieu qui fait vivre toute l'humanité et veille sur nous. G.S.

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© 2004-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2004-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC
 

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What is the current state of English Catholic parishes in Montreal? Where have we come from? Where are we going? Where are we now?

Dans ce JOURNAL je  partage   de temps en temps un aperçu de ma vie de chrétien catholique et de prêtre pour rejoindre d'autres qui dési...