The Parish Community of St. Kevin

Served by the Holy Cross Fathers

303 Niagara Street
Welland, Ontario  L3C 1K5

Email
905-735-5885

May 4, 2025

 

The Third Sunday of Easter

The Gospel today shows Jesus as both provider and shepherd. After a long, unproductive night for the disciples, Jesus fills the nets - and their hearts - with His presence. But the most powerful moment is the conversation with Peter. Jesus doesn’t shame him for the denial. Instead, He invites him into deeper love and responsibility.

Peter’s threefold profession of love mirrors his threefold denial. It’s Jesus’ way of healing, restoring, and commissioning. Love for Christ must always overflow into care for others.

We are reminded that failure is not the end. Christ seeks us out, feeds us, forgives us, and calls us again - especially when we feel unworthy.

The risen Jesus meets us in the everyday - on the shorelines of our struggles and disappointments. He calls us to recognize Him, trust in His guidance, and respond with love. Like Peter, we are invited to move from guilt to grace, from failure to mission. Let us renew our love for Christ by caring for His flock - our families, neighbors, and communities.

 

Catholic Education Week

Catholic Education Week 2025 begins today - Sunday, May 4. This is a week where we especially celebrate our Catholic schools. The Catholic schools in our parish will engage in a series of events to celebrate the ongoing gift of publicly funded Catholic education. You are invited to learn about the various celebrations that are happening in your children’s school, and are welcome to attend. Publicly funded Catholic education has existed in Ontario since 1841 and its graduates have served Ontario and Canada very well. Our schools instill the Catholic imagination in the hearts of its students and the current generation in our publicly funded Catholic schools will serve with the same spirit and generosity as their previous generations. This year’s Catholic Education Week theme is, “Pilgrims of Hope” and was inspired by the following considerations:

  • “We must fan the flame of hope that has been given to us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision.

  • ”We are asked to focus prayerfully on the bonds that unite our whole human family, to reflect on the rampant poverty in our world, and to think about the plight of the many refugees forced to leave their homes. We are also called to be stewards of Creation, “to contemplate the beauty of creation and care for our common home.”

  • A pilgrimage is a spiritual journey of movement toward a goal, often lived together with others – and that certainly describes Catholic education. Hope – one of the three theological virtues – is grounded in our Easter faith in Jesus’ resurrection and renewal; this is what enables us to be builders, dreamers and leaders in Jesus’ name. We are invited to keep moving ahead in faith, in joy, and in hope, as part of a pilgrim people. Even in challenging times, our eyes are focused on the future.

 

Congratulations!

We extend congratulations to our grade 2s and their siblings who were baptized last Sunday as part of our Rite of Christian Initiation of Children: Harper, Clarke, Greyson, Jeremy, Nathan, Isabella, Olivia, Henry, Iremide, Iyanu, Sloane, Samantha, Ridge, Penelope, Jackson, Aviania, Anaclaire, Brooklynn, David, Light and Mackinney. It was a beautiful ceremony and we are grateful to have welcomed them all into our parish community.

 

First Holy Communion

A reminder of the class celebrations for First Holy Communion:

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

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

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

We ask members of the Parish to please pray for these children and their families.

 

 

Rite of Commitment for the Sacrament of Confirmation

This weekend we welcome the candidates of our Parish who are preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Rite of Commitment is a ceremony in which they profess their commitment to receiving the Sacrament, and our parish community and their families commit to supporting them in their journey. The candidates will also be presented with a cross that they can wear and keep. Saturday at our 5:00pm Mass those from Holy Name School will attend; Sunday at 10:00am we welcome those from Alexander Kuska School; and Sunday at 11:30am Mass we will receive those from St. Kevin School.

It was lovely having the candidates here at the church this past week for their Confirmation Retreat & Rehearsal. We especially thank Jane Lipinski, Suzanne Matte & Sharon Seniuk.

The candidates will receive the Sacrament with their class on the following dates:

  • Alexander Kuska School – Tuesday, May 13 at 7:00pm

  • Holy Name School – Wednesday, May 14 at 7:00pm

  • St. Kevin School – Thursday, May 15 at 7:00pm

We ask members of the parish to please pray for these children and their families as they draw closer to receiving the Holy Spirit.  

 

Youth Conference

Steubenville Conferences 2025 “Catholic Conferences to transform your relationship with God”
Most people would say that their relationship with God is not where they would like it to be, but many also feel unsure of how to change it. The Steubenville Conferences offer both adult and youth conference experiences to help you escape the spiritual desert and empower you to live every day as joyful disciples of Jesus Christ. For over 40 years, the Steubenville Conferences, an outreach of Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, USA, have been helping people develop the relationship with God that they desire. Consider attending or encouraging or supporting a youth to attend, and get ready to be transformed!

CONSUMED- Steubenville Youth Conference
Dates: July 11th-13th
Cost $475.00 CAD (covers conference, stay on campus, food and coach bus)
Deposit due $80.00 CAD
Full payment due in May
Coach Bus transportation (Donation & Fundraising opportunities to help cover cost)
https://steubenvilleconferences.com/events/main-campus-2/
If you are interested, please contact Olivia Mete: oliviamete5@gmail.com

 
 

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