The Parish Community of St. Kevin

Served by the Holy Cross Fathers

303 Niagara Street
Welland, Ontario  L3C 1K5

Email
905-735-5885

April 27, 2025

 

The Second Sunday of Easter

This Sunday’s Gospel recounts two powerful appearances of the Risen Christ to His disciples. The first occurs on Easter evening, when Jesus enters the locked room and says, “Peace be with you.” He breathes the Holy Spirit upon them and gives them the authority to forgive sins—marking the foundation of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. A week later, He returns, this time with Thomas present. Doubting Thomas demands to see and touch Jesus’ wounds before he can believe. Jesus invites him to do just that, leading to Thomas’s profound profession of faith: “My Lord and my God!”

This Gospel speaks to all of us who wrestle with doubt and long for peace. Christ’s message is one of mercy and patience. He does not rebuke Thomas harshly but meets him in his doubt and transforms it into faith. Jesus’ blessing to those who believe without seeing extends across the generations to us today.

As we continue in this Easter season, let us allow the mercy of the Risen Lord to touch our hearts. Whether we identify with the fearful disciples, the doubting Thomas, or the broken sinner in need of forgiveness, the message is the same: Christ comes with peace, mercy, and the invitation to believe.
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Let us turn to Him with trust and share that mercy with others.

 

Divine Mercy Sunday

Divine Mercy Sunday, established by Saint John Paul II, is rooted in the visions of St. Faustina Kowalska, who recorded Jesus’ desire that His mercy be celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. On this day, the Church emphasizes God’s unfathomable mercy poured out for all sinners.
Jesus told St. Faustina: “On that day, the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy.” This Sunday, we are reminded that no sin is too great for God’s mercy, and we are invited to trust in His love.

The image of Divine Mercy - with the rays of red and white flowing from Christ’s heart - reminds us that mercy flows from the pierced heart of the Risen Savior. The red symbolizes His blood, and the pale ray, the water of baptism. The words “Jesus, I trust in You” are our response.

 

Our Sincerest Gratitude!

We wish to thank Jane Lipinski and Suzanne Matte for animating our Grade 2 First Communion retreats a few weeks back. The children had a wonderful time, and the retreats were so well organized. In addition, Jane led our Rite of Christian Initiation of Children program for those Grade 2s preparing for Baptism. The classes were so full of spirit and such an incredible milestone in the faith formation of our young parishioners. Thank you!

 

St Andre Bessette

We are blessed to welcome the Pilgrim Relic of St. André Bessette to our Church on Tuesday, April 29th, 2025 which begins at 6:30pm. This evening will be led by Fr. Jomon Kalladanthiyil, CSC. There will be the Exposition of the Relic followed by a talk on Brother André. We will also have the Eucharistic Adoration at 7:00pm along with Healing mass and will end the evening with the Veneration of the Relic by blessing everyone with the Oil of St. Joseph.

We encourage all parishioners to attend and to invite your family and friends to participate in this unique and grace-filled event to seek St. André’s intercession for our needs and those of our loved ones.

 

In Loving Memory of Pope Francis

With deep sorrow, we mourn the loss of our beloved Pope Francis on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he became the first Latin American and Jesuit pope, leading the Catholic Church from 2013 until his death.

Pope Francis was a beacon of humility, compassion, and inclusivity. He often reminded us that “hope and kindness make the world more beautiful,” and he lived this truth daily. His commitment to the marginalized, his efforts to bridge divides, and his emphasis on mercy over judgment touched hearts worldwide.

Even in his final days, despite health challenges, he continued to serve with unwavering dedication, embodying the very essence of servant leadership.

Let us come together in prayer for the repose of his soul:
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.

May we carry forward his legacy by embracing humility, extending compassion, and fostering unity in our communities

 

Catholic Education Week

Catholic Education Week 2025 will soon be upon us, beginning on Sunday, May 4th. This is a week which celebrates our Catholic schools and why the triple connection of home, school, and parish is an important and integral part of Catholic education. During this week, the Catholic community is invited to give thanks for the precious gift of publicly funded Catholic education in Ontario. It is the ‘event’ that celebrates and promotes the ministry of our Catholic schools, which foster Christ-centered learning communities.
This year’s Catholic Education Week theme is, “Pilgrims of Hope.” We look forward to celebrating with our parish schools.

 

Catholic Women’s League News

Crowning of Mary – Please join us for mass on Thursday May 1 at 6:00pm for the crowning of Mary, our Lady of Good Counsel. Following mass will be the return of our end of the year Pot Luck Dinner in the Hospitality room. Bring your favourite dish to share and your own eating utensils. Coffee will be provided. We will have a very short information sharing meeting and fellowship. Hope to see you there.

 

RCIC Baptisms and First Communion Celebrations

This Sunday, April 27th at 1:00pm, 14 of our Grade 2 students (and 7 of their siblings) who are preparing for their First Communion will be welcomed into our church through the Sacrament of Baptism. Please keep them in your prayers.

    • A reminder of the class celebrations for First Holy Communion:

      Alexander Kuska School - Saturday, May 3rd at 2:00pm

      Holy Name School - Sunday, May 4th at 2:00pm

      St. Kevin School - Saturday, May 10th at 2:00pm

    We ask you to keep our young parishioners in your prayers as they approach these Sacraments

     

 

Please remember the Poor Box as you leave the Church.
 

Worth Repeating

The items below you may have seen before but remain here if seasonally important information

or

General information that people need to review from time to time.

 

Housekeeping Reminders

  • Please place hymn books neatly back in their spots. Please be sure to dispose of tissues, wrappers, or other debris when leaving. And don’t forget your bulletin. Please do not leave behind daily Missalettes at the end of the month – simply recycle them.

  • When entering the parking lot please do so from Niagara Street and exit via Northcote. Please drive slowly in our parking lot as well. If you are parking on the side streets for Mass, please be respectful of road signs and driveways. Please be sure to lock your car doors when you come for Mass or any other function.

  • Please also be very careful with perfumes and colognes. Some parishioners tend to go very heavy with these and it can be difficult for fellow parishioners with allergies or breathing troubles. We have had many parishioners come to us about this requesting that we ask people to not wear scents. Please refrain or use the tiniest amount possible.

  • For those who place loose bills or coins in the collection – we would like to give you proper credit for income tax purposes. Please consider using our Visitor envelopes or asking Father/our Staff for a box of envelopes.

The Vineyard, the Diocese of St. Catharines journal has gone digital.

It can be viewed at http://saintcd.com/diocesan-directory/the-vineyard

 

Safety Reminder

We wish to remind Parishioners to please lock car doors when attending Mass and please do not leave valuables in vehicles, in the parking lot or on the street. Thank you.

Catholic Marriage Tribunal

If you are considering remarriage in the Catholic Church at some point, or hoping to enter a marriage with someone previously married, please speak to a priest, or contact the Diocesan Catholic Marriage Tribunal in St. Catharines at 905-687-8817. Information Pamphlets are available through the parish.

PLEASE READ THIS IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Due to the privacy laws, the hospital does not list our parishioners by address or parish unless you state your religion as ST. KEVIN PARISH when you are admitted. It would help the parish visiting team if when the hospital asks religion – you respond ST. KEVIN'S PARISH. If you or a family member enter a hospital for several days please be sure to call the parish office to let us know if you wish a visit. If you wish the Anointing of the Sick before an operation, either at home or while in the hospital, be sure to inform the parish office. A priest will come as soon as possible to administer the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. We also have a group of lay people from our parish who each week visit or bring communion to Catholic parishioners in the hospital. Please, we need to know that you are there!

A Review of Some Parish Policies

  1. Requests: We often receive requests for baptism or marriage, or Pastoral References for teachers, who are not members of St. Kevin's Parish. Examples would be: They might like our church and so want to get married here although they live elsewhere. Or: they were baptized here and so they would like their child to be baptized here although they live elsewhere. Or: I went to Notre Dame College School. The main point here is "they live elsewhere". Now – wherever elsewhere might be, there is a Catholic parish there. Our policy is to minister to the parishioners of St. Kevin's. We have more than 3400 families; there is a lot of ministry work for us to do here. Our focus and attention is first and foremost on our own parishioners.

  2. Parishioners should be registered: And here it is important to remember – that all of our parishioners should be registered in the parish, that is, on our books with names and phone numbers and addresses.

  3. Young Adults: There is a point when the young person must register in our Parish. It does not suffice to say my parents are members of St. Kevin's and I was confirmed at St. Kevin's when that person has been living on his or her own. The young adult should not depend on the faith and loyalty of parents or grandparents but must take ownership of his or her own faith. That means, as well, the young person should be engaged in the financial support of the Parish.

  4. Support of the Church: One of the precepts of the church – parishioners should be generous in supporting the material needs of the church. Today, we do this best by regularly using envelopes to help with the expenses of administering a very large parish such as St. Kevin's.

  5. Needing a Letter of Permission: Hospitality is a wonderful characteristic of St. Kevin's Parish. And we do want to be open and hospitable to folks who are not registered members in the parish. Yet – we must be careful to observe church laws and regulations. We will consider doing a marriage or a baptism of those folks from elsewhere. But – we must ask that the person or persons making this request of us have a "letter of permission" from elsewhere, that is, from the parish in which they are actually living - a letter from the Pastor of that parish giving us permission to do the baptism or marriage. Without such a letter of permission our policy must be to refuse to do such baptisms or marriages.

  6. Weddings: To be married in St. Kevin's, one should be registered in the parish. Please call at least six months in advance to make arrangements. If not a registered member of our parish, we must have a Letter of Permission from the Pastor in which the person(s) is registered. (See above.)

  7. Baptisms: To be baptized in St. Kevin's, one should be registered in the Parish. Please call as early as possible to arrange a baptism. If one is not registered, we must have a Letter of Permission from the Pastor in which the family is registered. (See above.)

  8. Pastoral References for Teachers: Pastoral references for teachers are given for those persons who are registered in St. Kevin's Parish. The Pastoral Reference for teachers testifies that the person practices his or her faith regularly. Sunday Eucharist is the great Christian norm for the practice of the faith. The Pastoral Reference for teachers inquires as to how active the person is in participating in different dimensions of parish or civic life.

  9. Godparents / Christian Witness for Baptism: At baptism, a Roman Catholic sponsor is called a Godparent. All Godparents for Baptism should be practicing Catholics. One of the sponsors at baptism must be a Roman Catholic, 16 years of age and already confirmed. A non-Catholic sponsor is called a "Christian Witness". (This presumes that the non- Catholic is indeed a practicing Christian and baptized in a Christian church). In choosing a Godparent for baptism, parents should keep in mind that a Godparent at baptism should also be the person's sponsor at Confirmation.

  10. Confirmation Sponsors: A Confirmation sponsor must be a practicing Roman Catholic, already confirmed and 16 years of age. We ask the sponsor at Confirmation to have a brief meeting with the Pastor of his/her Parish. Simply inform the Pastor of your desire to act as a Confirmation sponsor at St. Kevin's and kindly ask the Pastor to sign the Sponsor Form. The Sponsor Form itself presents in a clear way the expectations for a Confirmation Sponsor.

  11. Parish Pastoral Practice.
    •   If someone is seriously sick at home or in the hospital, please call the office. One of the priests will be happy to visit.
    •   If one is unable to come to Sunday Eucharist over a long period of time, please call the office and arrange for a communion visit on the part of our Eucharist Ministers.
    •   When spending time in the hospital, please indicate that you are Roman Catholic and a member of St. Kevin's.

     

REMINDER:

Are You Registered in Our Parish?

Please do not take for granted that you are registered in the parish just because you attend Mass here. If we have no record of your parish membership, it could be quite embarrassing to us, or to you or your family, when someone wishes to make wedding plans, have a baby baptized, or if you have been asked to act as a sponsor for baptism or confirmation. Please fill out a registration form. This form is on the shelf in the book stand in the foyer of the church. When you have completed the form, place in the collection basket or return it to the Parish Office