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March 29nd, 2020         Fifth Sunday of Lent

All masses are cancelled until further notice.                   This sadly applies for Holy Week and Easter celebrations, stations of the cross and all gatherings at the church.                                                                  We are blessed to have Father Dale continue to say private masses for our intentions. Please also remember to keep him in your prayers as he Shepard’s us through these uncharted waters. Pray for his spiritual strength and that he remains healthy.

Please note……there is a new button at the top of this page titled Homily….
Recommended by father Dale;    It is a homily given
by Pope Francis in 2014, for this coming Sunday.

Regarding Palm Sunday- Palms will be blessed on Palm Sunday and will be available for pick up outside the church during the week. You are welcome to come for palms for your household and extended families and parishioners in your neighbourhood who are not able to be out in the community.

Sunday Collections: As the financial uncertainties are present in many minds, please prayerfully consider keeping the church in your budget. To avoid many trips out of the house you can donate by mailing posted dated cheques or dropping them off at the office. You are the church and we rely on your support. 

 

ALL ‘CWL’ CONVENTIONS CANCELLED Official notice has been received from the National President of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada – that across Canada All CWL conventions are cancelled. This includes our Provincial convention in Vernon for June and our National convention in Montreal scheduled for August. 

Needs of our parish community

Do you know of anyone in our parish community that may be  in need of help? Maybe they need groceries or medication to be picked up? Or maybe they are lonely and would like to talk? Or are you available to help pick up groceries or medications for someone or have some time to help in another way? If you are either of the above please email the parish office or Contact Dave Ramsay 250-832-1546 davermtc@icloud.com and let us know what your needs are or what you are available to help with so we can put God’s working hands safely to work helping the needs of our parish community.  

Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick                              These Sacraments are still available by appointment. Please email stjosephsa@shaw.ca or call 250-832-3021 the church office.

You are invited to Adoration on Fridays

The value of an hour spent before the Blessed Sacrament is beyond all that we can imagine. You will experience a peace of heart that the world cannot give, a peace that only Jesus can give you.  It will give you strength to face the difficulties of life and courage to take up your cross daily. You will discover the love that Jesus has for you personally. Fridays between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm. Please practice social distancing.

St. Joseph’s Church is open during office hours for private prayer. Tuesday to Friday 8:30 am to 12:00 and 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Every effort is being made to keep the church sanctuary and vestibule clean for your safety. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 fever, cough, difficulty breathing or have travelled outside of Canada the last 14 days or have reason to believe you have been exposed to a person with COVID-19 please stay safely at home.

Please check our parish website for more information, pastoral message from Fr. Dale and other faith resources.    https://stjosephssalmonarm.com/

An Act of Spiritual Communion My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.  I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.  I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

 Fridays in Lent are days of fasting and of abstinence from meat. Fasting is a penitential discipline intended to open our hearts to God and others, a means of purification and spiritual liberation, a witness of the depth of our faith.  

   Cancelled……….Stations of the Cross       

Are you celebrating a Significant Anniversary in 2020? Couples with a significant wedding anniversary (25, 40, 50, 60 etc.) will be recognized in our parish sometime in the coming year. Please submit your names as well as the date, church and location of marriage to the parish office by May 30th. 

Don’t forget the Food Banks                                                 In these times of uncertainty and stress, please remember those who are less fortunate than us. Food Banks having been suffering from a lack of donations lately due to Coronavirus. There is a donation box at the back of our Church here. Let us get through this time with generous hearts and help those families who rely on food bank donations to get through as well, trusting that our Lord, Jesus Christ, will help us through it also.  

Remember Our Carmelite Sisters                                            Please consider sharing your donations of non–perishable food items this Lent with the Sisters. Paper products such as TP, paper towel, Kleenex are always needed. The ‘Carmelite Donation’ box is in the vestibule. Thank you and God bless.

 

 

                                                                                            Askews cards continue to be available at the parish office during regular office hours.

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    DAILY MASS ON YOUTUBE…….  https://www.youtube.com/dailytvmass?sub_confirmation=1

1.                                                                                                                                                      

Father said in his recent letter to us that he will be sending out online tools to help us out spiritually.  Perhaps you might be interested in this – many parishioners already subscribe to “Pray More Novenas” which sends daily emails with whatever novena is being prayed as a group, (or one can select personal novenas as well).  Tomorrow, they are starting a novena re: the Coronavirus.

https://www.praymorenovenas.com/pandemic-novena

People can click on above link and sign up if they wish to get daily reminders (complete with the prayers) for this novena.                                                       

                                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                

                                                    

       

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DEVELOPMENT & PEACE... 

The seringueiros: protectors in peril On reserves created by the Brazilian state, the seringueiros tap rubber trees and gather nuts and fruits for subsistence. But their lands are now coveted by powerful loggers, hunters, ranchers, soybean farmers, etc. They are facing increasing threats, intimidation and persecution. Despite these hardships, the seringueiros prefer remaining in place to tend their beloved forest.

Development and Peace’s partner, the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT), supports the seringueiros by documenting violations of their rights and by helping them legally contest the seizure of their lands.

“Those who want to help us should immediately come to see what is happening here so that we may keep the forest standing.” – Ederson Chaves Dias, seringueiro, Angelim Reserve, Machadinho d’Oeste

Watch the seringueiros’ testimony at devp.org/campaign/seringueiros.

 

                                             

                                                                                                                  

                                  

                                               OBITUARY

Gerarda (Gerda) Van Der Zweep
April 8, 1937 – March 14, 2020

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

Hebrews 13:16

Gerarda (Gerda) Van Der Zweep (previously der Kinderen), born Gerarda Janssen in Venray, Netherlands
on April 8, 1937, passed away on Saturday, March 14, 2020 in Salmon Arm, BC, at the age of 82. She is
survived by her two daughters, Astrid (Carlo) Eberle and Monique (Texas) Peck, six grandchildren and six
great-grandchildren, as well as her husband Eling (Ed) Van Der Zweep and his children and grandchildren.
She is also survived by one brother and two sisters and many nieces and nephews, as well as several close
friends, residing in Holland.
Gerda was born the second twin after her brother, Antoon. Their unique bond and rascally adventures as
children remained a defining characteristic and the description “rascal” suited her throughout her life.
She was always up for anything.
She was an athletic woman in her youth, playing European handball in Holland where she met her first
husband, Dili. At the age of 39, she embarked on the greatest adventure of her life, moving from Holland
to Prince George, BC, Canada with her husband and two daughters, then aged 14 and 9. Remarkably, they
found other Europeans interested in putting together a European handball league and she continued her
legacy in the sport, taking the Prince George team to bronze and silver medal victories at the Canadian
National Handball Championships in consecutive years.
A year after Dili passed away following a battle with lung cancer in 1996, Gerda moved to Salmon Arm,
BC. She instantly fell in love with the community and immersed herself in volunteer activities. Gerda was
a “doer”. Whether cooking for the soup kitchen, visiting and volunteering at care homes, working at
Church’s Thrift Store, collecting clothing, or knitting and quilting for donation to various organizations, she
always had several causes on the go. She prided herself in giving and always led by example.
Gerda was blessed with a second chance at love and at the age of 69, married Ed Van Der Zweep and they
shared more than 13 special years together.
She built meaningful friendships throughout her life and after marrying Ed, fostered special bonds with
each of his children and grandchildren. To many of his grandchildren, she was simply “Oma” and she filled
that role with dedication and intention.
Gerda will be missed by many, in her home community and beyond, by family by birth and family by
extension, by organizations she can no longer be a part of and a church family where her absence creates
a notable void.
Due to the current situation, a service will not be held at this time. As soon as it is safe to do so, a church
service will be arranged and a gathering to share our special memories of Gerda will be held.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      DID YOU KNOW?                                                                      Chase……Catholic Church of the Blessed Sacrament  St Josephs Armstrong                       St Anns ..Enderby                                                         Our Lady of Fatima….Sicamous

 

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  Our Lady of the Lake …Blind Bay                                               Also St Theresa (seen below)….a small church on the head of the lake road ,near Spalumcheen golf course,used along with St Benedicts

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(click to get directions)