These beautiful harvest days are reflected in the Divine Liturgy of our Holy Mother, the Church.  As children of God, we feast with heaven in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  The readings instruct us "always to be thankful".  There are many things to be thankful for.  I am very thankful for our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI declaring this the "Year of the Priest".   I have spoken to many priests who say they can almost "feel" the power of prayer and intercession being lifted up throughout the world on their behalf.  Many people of our parishes attend the weekly Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament.  I am so grateful for their presence.  I hope that as the days of harvest are finished, many more will avail themselves of this.

In the Church calendar prior to the reforms of 1965, the Church set aside four times a year to pray for priests.  These days were called Ember Days.  These days involved abstaining from meat, and fasting.  Catholics all over the world did penance for their priests, realizing that a holy priest was worth everything.  Although the Second Vatican Council did not call for their suppression or removal, something strange happened in the years after the Council.  Some people thought that praying for the priests gave undue attention and prominence to the clerical state.  Some others simply didn't like the complications that fasting and abstaining from meat involved.  Whatever happened, it was a strange thing.  Stranger still is that it had nothing to do with the Second Vatican Council. How the enemy of souls sowed confusion!  I do not want to attribute all our problems to this, but is it not strange that ever since those Ember days disappeared there has been the scourge of clerical sexual abuse, thousands of defections from the clergy and a veritable famine of vocations?   Actually, I think I am safe in saying, that is probably one of the main reasons, the loss of the intercessory prayer of the faithful on behalf of the clergy.  The devil, always eager to destroy the Church, knows that wherever a priest goes in eternity, he takes a busload with him, will try everything in his fiendish excitement to destroy the priesthood. 

The pro-life cause, which is dear to every believer's heart also needs intercession and penance to build a culture of life.  Ever since the days when I traveled with the venerable Fr. A. Loebach to picket Henry Morgentaler's clinic in Toronto, I realized that the victory we so desired could not be won in the court of public opinion.  Too many people have compromised with the culture of death to be able to reverse the scourge of abortion through political means alone.  Indeed, the words of Jesus Christ resonate in our darkened world: "this kind of demon can only be driven out by prayer and fasting".  Over 50 million children since 1973 have been destroyed by legalized abortion.  A terrible evil possess us. 

Christ our Lord encourages us in the lives of the saints.  Their times were no different then our own.  St. Jean Marie Vianney, the holy Cure of Ars undertook revitalizing his parish not through programs or committees.  He moved the gentle Heart of Jesus to pour out His grace on his parish by his fervent prayers and constant penance.  This program of prayer and penance proved to be unmistakably powerful.  Ars became a place of pilgrimage, the parish priest a hostage of his confessional, all because grace is purchased by prayer and sacrifice. 

Campaign Life Coalition is encouraging everyone to participate in the 40 days for life (40daysforlife.com), to pray and fast for the end of legal abortion.  The designated days are from September 23 - November 1st.  Many people exclude themselves from direct involvement in the pro-life cause because they feel they cannot do everything or anything.  Here, my gentle reader, we can all do something.  Let no one scorn the power of prayer and fasting.  Let no one belittle the graces won by the sacrifice of the few. 

September 23, 25, and 26 are the old Ember days.  What a wonderful convergence!  This coinciding of dates and intentions, remind us that the priesthood is about Supernatural Life.  God gives life, human and divine to the world.  By our prayers and sacrifices, we can make room for this gift!

September 23 is also the feast of St. Padre Pio, the great Francisican mystic and stigmatist.  As a priest, he models for all priests the identification of the priest with Jesus; as a mystic, he shows that the battle that rages around us, is with unseen powers and principalities.                      Fr. Paul Nicholson

Finance Meeting for Kinkora & Mitchell Parishes is on October 15th in St. Patrick’s Church sacristy.

~ NO LATIN MASS ON OCTOBER 4 ~

to Peter & Emily de Groot (nee: Adams) who were married at St. Patrick’s Church, Kinkora on Saturday, September 12th. We offer them our best wishes and ask God to bless and grant them happiness, peace & joy all the days of their life together.

St. Patrick’s CWL is collecting for the local food bank over the next couple of weeks at the back of the church. The food banks have a low supply right now because of the increased number of families needing food. Please be as generous as you can and we thank you for your support.

Installation of officers will be held Thursday, September 24th at the 7:30 p.m. Mass at St. Vincent de Paul Church, Mitchell. All officers are asked to attend. All regular members and parishioners are invited to attend and support our council and the Knights of Columbus in their important work.

COR 18 will be on Sept 25, 26, 27 in Dublin. Applications are at the church entrance.

Weekday Masses

St. Patrick’s, Kinkora (K) and St. Vincent de Paul, Mitchell (M)

 May we remember in prayer, the priests, deacons, women and men religious and seminarians of the Diocese of London.
May they be faithful to the charge given them by the Lord, especially remembering:
Fr. Zbigniew Sawicki, Fr. Mark Barron, Fr. Daniel Morand, Fr. Pio D’Oria, Pray for Priests celebrating Jubilees,
Fr. David Boutette and Fr. Kenneth McKernan, C.S.B.

Bulletins