Fortieth Anniversary of St. Michael & St. Anthony’s Parish

Fortieth Anniversary of St. Michael & St. Anthony’s Parish

June 12, 2004

Genesis 14: 18-20
Corinthians 11: C23-26
Luke 9:16
In 1964, a new chapter in the history of St. Michael’s parish began to be written. It is now 40 years later, and we have gathered to celebrate all that has gone on for these past many years.
What we are celebrating began with the inauguration of a Polish mission in this church where many English speaking people, mainly the faithful of Irish descent, gathered for Sunday mass.
After a number of years, the Polish community living in this area, became more numerous, so much so, that the Polish and Irish communities merged into one. St. Michael’s parish was then enriched with an added name, that of St. Anthony’s because of the Conventional Franciscans’ devotion to St. Anthony of Padua.
Recognized today as the focal point for the Polish Catholics of Montreal, St. Michael and St. Anthony’s continues to serve with openness both Anglophones and Francophones of our diocese. I am glad about this, because among the baptized there exists a common bond, and this unity is what the Church ardently strives to maintain. The Church must never lose sight of the gospel message which Jesus proclaimed at the Last Supper when He prayed to His Father with the words,
"Father, may they all be one, just as, You are in me and I am in You. May they also be one in us, so that the world may believe it was You who sent Me."
The unity referred to by Christ is an admirable quality with wonderful effects when it is supported by a common language, and culture. It seems to me even more admirable and significant when this unity is found among baptized men and women of diverse languages and cultures. This is what has been accomplished in this community, and I am very pleased to see it. I am also aware that unity is a somewhat fragile value, and requires much support. As a value, it must be preserved, nourished, reinforced, and one must never cease to promote it.
How are we to do this?
One of the ways by which we can do this, stands out above the others, and it is of course, the celebration of the Eucharist. This is what we are doing today to mark the 40th anniversary of this parish community.
For a long time, in fact, from its very beginning, the Church has always considered the Eucharist as the sacrament of unity.
This teaching is put very well by St. Paul when he writes: "As there is one bread, so we, who are many, are one single body, since we all share in the one bread."
In the Eucharist therefore, Christ offers us His Body, present in the form of bread and wine, in order that we might be united with Him and with each other. He gives us the Eucharist, in order that we may be joined together to form His mystical body.
This is a great mystery. It is beyond our understanding. Nevertheless, when we are dealing with the Eucharist, we are concerned not so much about understanding, but about faith.
This is pointed out by Jesus to Thomas, who had a hard time believing in the Risen Jesus. Thomas wanted to understand with visible proof, what could only be received with faith.
Now what Jesus said about His Resurrection, also applies to Eucharist. We can only receive it with faith!
Last year, His Holiness Pope John Paul II published an encyclical letter, which dealt with the sacrament of the Eucharist, entitled Ecclesia de Eucharistia, which is about the Eucharist and its relationship to the Church. In this encyclical letter the Holy Father recalls for us, what had been forcefully put forth by Vatican II, at the beginning of the early 60’s.
The Eucharist is the source of Christian life, and of the Christian community.
The Eucharist is the centre and summit of all Christian life.
For the entire Church, and for the whole community of the baptized, the Eucharist is a precious treasure, and the Holy Father emphasizes this point when he writes, “Here is the Church’s treasure, the heart of the world, the pledge of the fulfillment for which each man and woman, even unconsciously yearns.”
And he goes on to say:
“Every commitment to holiness, every activity aimed at carrying out the Church’s mission, every work of pastoral planning, must draw the strength it needs from the Eucharistic mystery and in turn be directed to that mystery as its culmination. In the Eucharist we have Jesus, we have His redemptive sacrifice, we have His Resurrection, we have the gift of the Holy Spirit, we have adoration, obedience and love of the Father. Were we to disregard the Eucharist, how could we overcome our own deficiency?”
On the occasion of the double celebrations today, of the feast of Corpus Christi, and the anniversary of your parish, I thank God for all that has happened in this community during the last 40 years. I also pray that you will make the teachings of Pope John Paul II your point of reference. May his words find a place in your hearts, so that your community of faith may to continue to be fully alive.
The unity for which we fervently search is above all a gift. If we want to experience this gift of unity, we must first of all pray for it, and then work hard to preserve it.
May the gift of unity grow stronger each day in your community.
May your love of Christ strengthen the love you must have for each other, and may your love for each other increase, and be a sign of welcome to all those around you.
When the Lord performed the miracle of the loaves, Christ asked His disciples to 'distribute to all among the crowd'5 the bread that had been blessed and broken. And so it has always been, and should always be. The bread of life, the bread of love, has been given to us to be shared.
May God bless you!
May He bless the members of your parish community!
May He bless your families and all those whom you hold dear!
And may God guide you as you continue to live and write new chapters of the wonderful story, which you began here, forty years ago.

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june 28, 2004

Fortieth Anniversary of St. Michael & St. Anthony’s Parish

June 12, 2004

Genesis 14: 18-20
Corinthians 11: C23-26
Luke 9:16

In 1964, a new chapter in the history of St. Michael’s parish began to be written. It is now 40 years later, and we have gathered to celebrate all that has gone on for these past many years.

What we are celebrating began with the inauguration of a Polish mission in this church where many English speaking people, mainly the faithful of Irish descent, gathered for Sunday mass.

After a number of years, the Polish community living in this area, became more numerous, so much so, that the Polish and Irish communities merged into one. St. Michael’s parish was then enriched with an added name, that of St. Anthony’s because of the Conventional Franciscans’ devotion to St. Anthony of Padua.

Recognized today as the focal point for the Polish Catholics of Montreal, St. Michael and St. Anthony’s continues to serve with openness both Anglophones and Francophones of our diocese. I am glad about this, because among the baptized there exists a common bond, and this unity is what the Church ardently strives to maintain. The Church must never lose sight of the gospel message which Jesus proclaimed at the Last Supper when He prayed to His Father with the words,
"Father, may they all be one, just as, You are in me and I am in You. May they also be one in us, so that the world may believe it was You who sent Me."

The unity referred to by Christ is an admirable quality with wonderful effects when it is supported by a common language, and culture. It seems to me even more admirable and significant when this unity is found among baptized men and women of diverse languages and cultures. This is what has been accomplished in this community, and I am very pleased to see it. I am also aware that unity is a somewhat fragile value, and requires much support. As a value, it must be preserved, nourished, reinforced, and one must never cease to promote it.

How are we to do this?

One of the ways by which we can do this, stands out above the others, and it is of course, the celebration of the Eucharist. This is what we are doing today to mark the 40th anniversary of this parish community.

For a long time, in fact, from its very beginning, the Church has always considered the Eucharist as the sacrament of unity.

This teaching is put very well by St. Paul when he writes: "As there is one bread, so we, who are many, are one single body, since we all share in the one bread."

In the Eucharist therefore, Christ offers us His Body, present in the form of bread and wine, in order that we might be united with Him and with each other. He gives us the Eucharist, in order that we may be joined together to form His mystical body.

This is a great mystery. It is beyond our understanding. Nevertheless, when we are dealing with the Eucharist, we are concerned not so much about understanding, but about faith.

This is pointed out by Jesus to Thomas, who had a hard time believing in the Risen Jesus. Thomas wanted to understand with visible proof, what could only be received with faith.

Now what Jesus said about His Resurrection, also applies to Eucharist. We can only receive it with faith!

Last year, His Holiness Pope John Paul II published an encyclical letter, which dealt with the sacrament of the Eucharist, entitled Ecclesia de Eucharistia, which is about the Eucharist and its relationship to the Church. In this encyclical letter the Holy Father recalls for us, what had been forcefully put forth by Vatican II, at the beginning of the early 60’s.

The Eucharist is the source of Christian life, and of the Christian community.

The Eucharist is the centre and summit of all Christian life.

For the entire Church, and for the whole community of the baptized, the Eucharist is a precious treasure, and the Holy Father emphasizes this point when he writes, “Here is the Church’s treasure, the heart of the world, the pledge of the fulfillment for which each man and woman, even unconsciously yearns.”

And he goes on to say:
“Every commitment to holiness, every activity aimed at carrying out the Church’s mission, every work of pastoral planning, must draw the strength it needs from the Eucharistic mystery and in turn be directed to that mystery as its culmination. In the Eucharist we have Jesus, we have His redemptive sacrifice, we have His Resurrection, we have the gift of the Holy Spirit, we have adoration, obedience and love of the Father. Were we to disregard the Eucharist, how could we overcome our own deficiency?”

On the occasion of the double celebrations today, of the feast of Corpus Christi, and the anniversary of your parish, I thank God for all that has happened in this community during the last 40 years. I also pray that you will make the teachings of Pope John Paul II your point of reference. May his words find a place in your hearts, so that your community of faith may to continue to be fully alive.

The unity for which we fervently search is above all a gift. If we want to experience this gift of unity, we must first of all pray for it, and then work hard to preserve it.

May the gift of unity grow stronger each day in your community.

May your love of Christ strengthen the love you must have for each other, and may your love for each other increase, and be a sign of welcome to all those around you.

When the Lord performed the miracle of the loaves, Christ asked His disciples to 'distribute to all among the crowd'5 the bread that had been blessed and broken. And so it has always been, and should always be. The bread of life, the bread of love, has been given to us to be shared.
May God bless you!

May He bless the members of your parish community!

May He bless your families and all those whom you hold dear!

And may God guide you as you continue to live and write new chapters of the wonderful story, which you began here, forty years ago.