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ShareLife is a sign of our stewardship, and an opportunity
to share the gifts of time, talent and treasure that have been
entrusted to us by God.
"As generous distributors of God's manifold grace, put your
gifts at the service of one another each in the measure he
has received." (1 Peter 4:10)
Parish Week 12 July 2020
Saturday, 11 July / St. Benedict, abbot
8.00 am Mass: † Souls in Purgatory (Audrey Caza)
5.00 pm Mass: † Swarna Ameresekere (family)
SUNDAY, 12 JULY – 15 A
■ Homilist: Fr.Elias Chachati
■ 2nd Collection: ShareLife Free Will
9.00 am Mass: † Billy & Ludy Ombac (family)
10.30 am Mass: † Ernesto & Lydia Rodas (family)
12.00 pm Mass: † Rodrigo DeLeon (Carol Banez)
1.30 pm Infant Baptism
7.00 pm Mass: Pro Populo
Monday, 13 July
8.00 am Mass: † Cristeta Costales Garcia (Criselda)
7.00 pm Mass: Int. Alwina Fernando (friends)
Tuesday, 14 July
8.00 am Mass: Int. Thanksgiving on her 66th Birthday
(Helen Serneo)
Wednesday, 15 July / St. Bonaventure, bishop & doctor
8.00 am Mass: Int. Corazon, Divina Mar & Dino Aseo (family)
Thursday, 16 July / Our Lady of Mount Carmel
8.00 am Mass: † Charles D’Silva (Lydia & family)
Friday, 17 July
8.00 am Mass: † Orlando, Virginia & Arnel Tolentino (family)
11.00 am ►Ina Grafton Nursing Home Mass
Saturday, 18 July / St. Benedict, abbot
8.00 am Mass: † Hans & Rose Kwa (Angela Tam)
3:00 pm Wedding: Christopher & Jamie Katrina Ramos
5.00 pm Mass: Int. Marjorie Joseph (Mom, Agnes)
SUNDAY, 19 JULY – 16 A
■ Homilist: Deacon Ramon Villardo
9.00 am Mass: † Crescenzo Tisi (Grande family)
10.30 am Mass: † Celine Donald (Valentino Rego & family)
12.00 pm Mass: Int. Thanksgiving Birthday Mely
(Deacon Ramon & family)
7.00 pm Mass: Pro Populo
Focus on the Word
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 55.10-11; Romans 8.18-23; Matthew 13.1-13
O God, who show the light of your truth to those who go astray, so
that they may return to the right path, give all who are accounted
Christians the grace to reject whatever is contrary to the name of
Christ and to strive after all that does it honour. Amen.
Pray for the Deceased
Melanie Opinion Mabiog Mervyn Nicholas
The 98 victims of the Pakistan Airlines Airbus crash
in Karachi
RCIA, RCIC Rites of Christian Initiation of Adults & Children
Pray for all in our parish R.C.I.A. process, who preparing for
the Sacraments of Initiation; as well as the youth in our
parish R.C.I.C. process. Due to ongoing precautions to deal
with the Covid 19 pandemic, groups meetings cannot be
held at the Church. However, instruction is being provided
on line, and information is being disseminated through email
messages. Spiritual support is also provided through the
resources printed in this bulletin, and through the various
links provided by the Archdiocese on the parish website.
1st Communion and Confirmation
The celebrations of 1st HOLY COMMUNION and CONFIRMATION,
which were to take place after Holy Week, will be rescheduled
later in the Fall. Updates will be provided regularly, and dates
publicized as soon as possible, to give families a chance to prepare
properly to celebrate these vital, affirming and life-giving events
2nd Collection
12 July: ShareLife Appeal, Freewill Offering
On 12 July, the 2nd collection will be the Freewill Offering for our
annual ShareLife Appeal, supporting 33 Catholic agencies and 10
grant recipients that respect the sanctity of all human life.
If you use one of the recycled envelopes marked “ShareLife,”
remember to write your own Sunday envelope number on top.
COMING UP 7015o20
6 Aug. Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
15 Aug. Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
20 Sept. Stewardship Sunday
Website stmariagoretti.archtoronto.org For the Prayer to St. Michael, and details of other events in our
Parish, see pages 3 and following in the website bulletin.
Resuming Masses
at our Church on Wednesday, 17 June 2020
This is a synopsis of the Letter first published on 15 June 2020.
For the full text, see the bulletin for 21 June 2020.
Dear members of St. Maria Goretti Parish,
Things look a little different as we return to Church. As we
re-open, we must do so in phases. Our capacity is limited
due to directives from the Province of Ontario.
One key point we need to highlight is that the Archdiocese
recommends that all (over the age of 3) who come to Church
wear a face mask to mitigate the spread of the virus.
We warmly invite you to consider how you might share your
time and talents as a Volunteer. The many tasks required for
re-opening are significant and we need more Volunteers than
ever to help. If you’d like to volunteer, please contact Gavin
Moniz at: [email protected].
Our joy of re-opening our Church is balanced with these
required restrictions. However, returning to Sacramental life
and gathering as a community is sustenance essential for our
faith community. We look forward to welcoming you back.
Be assured that you remain in our prayers each day.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Edwin Galea, Fr. Elias Chachati, Deacon Ramon Villardo
Face Masks Mandatory
New Law: 7 July 2020
I want to thank all of you for your co-operation and kindness
as we have returned to Church over these past weeks. It has
been so great to see parishioners once again and I thank
everyone who has been so helpful in this re-opening stage,
especially our wonderful volunteers. Thank you!
As you may have heard in recent days, a new by-law has
been passed that makes the use of masks or face coverings
inside all public places mandatory. This includes Churches
and our own parish. I would ask that all those coming to
Church bring a mask or face covering and wear it upon
entering. I recognize that this may be an inconvenience yet I
know that we are all committed to caring for our neighbor.
While a number of restrictions have been lifted in recent
days, we are still in the middle of a pandemic and need to
take the appropriate steps to minimize any potential spread
of Covid-19. So while the Archdiocese of Toronto had
highly recommended wearing a mask while in Church and I
know that most of you have been doing so, it is now a by-
law that we must follow.
Thank you in advance for your co-operation as we do all that
we can to take care of one another and keep our community
safe and healthy.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Edwin
Capacity for Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals
Ontario Eases Restrictions, 12 June 2020
Ceremonies Attendees Will Still be Required to Practice
Physical Distancing
The Ontario government is providing more flexibility on the
number of attendees permitted at indoor and outdoor
wedding and funeral ceremonies, in recognition of the
importance of being with loved ones during the moments
that matter most. Based on positive public health trends the
government is extending the number of people allowed to
attend an indoor wedding or funeral ceremony to a
maximum of 30 per cent capacity of the ceremony venue.
Wedding and funeral ceremonies taking place outdoors will
be limited to 50 attendees.
For all ceremonies, those attending must follow proper
health and safety advice, including practising physical
distancing from people who are not from the same
household or their established 10-person social circle.
“With recent progress to reduce the spread of Covid -19, we
are able to ease restrictions on these special ceremonies,”
said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of
Health. “We have taken deliberate steps to increase testing
and increase our ability to track and contain this virus. As
we loosen these measures, I strongly urge everyone to
remain careful and cautious as we are all still at risk.”
The changes came into effect on Friday, 12 June 12 at 12:01
am. The maximum number of people allowed at indoor or
outdoor wedding and funeral receptions stays at 10 people.
As the Covid -19 outbreak evolves in Ontario, further
direction will be provided on capacity restrictions for
Weddings and Funerals going forward.
Visit Ontario’s Covid-19 website to learn more about how
the province protects Ontarians from the virus.
David Jensen, Communications Branch
[email protected] 416-314-6197
Re-opening Committee
Many thanks to Gavin Moniz, and the members of the
Parish Re-opening Committee, for their dedication to
our faith community, and for their help in making sure
that everything is in order to allow us to reassemble, in
accordance with the guidelines issued by the Provincial
government and the Archdiocese of Toronto.
As it becomes available, pertinent information will be
posted directly on our website home page.
Thanks to everyone for your patience, collaboration
and prayer. – Fr. Edwin Galea
In 1976, Archbishop Philip Pocock (photo above) founded the SHARELIFE campaign in the Toronto Archdiocese to support the work of Catholic agencies that serve the greater community.
Remember our SHARELIFE Agencies at this critical time
Community / Family Services Catholic Community Services of York Region,
Catholic Cross-cultural Services, Catholic Family
Services of Durham, Catholic Family Services Peel-
Dufferin, Catholic Family Services of Simcoe Country,
Catholic Family Services of Toronto, FertilityCare
Toronto, Natural Family Planning Association
People with Special Needs Mary Centre, Our Place Community of Hope,
Saint Elizabeth Health Care, St. Bernadette’s Family
Resources Centre, St. Michael`s Homes / Matt Talbot
Houses, Silent Voice Canada (ministry to the deaf)
Children and Youth Catholic Children`s Aid Society of Toronto, Catholic
Settlement House Day Nursery, Covenant House,
Sancta Maria House / Young Parents: Rosalie Hall, Rose of Durham, Rose of Sharon,
Vita Centre / Seniors: Les Centres d’Accueil Heritage, Loyola Arrupe Centre,
Providence Healthcare, Society of Sharing
Affiliated Organizations Camp Ozanam (Society of St. Vincent de Paul),
Good Shepherd Ministries, Birthright International
ShareLife 2020 Living the Gospel !
Our ShareLife Freewill Appeal is on 12 July
Today, we reflect on Living the Gospel by Revering Life at All Stages: From Conception to Natural Death.
REVERENCE FOR LIFE has been a core principle of
ShareLife since our founding in 1976. We recognize the
sacredness of life from conception to natural death. We
are also committed to Catholic Social Teaching that
upholds the dignity of poor and marginalized people,
affirming that everyone is created in the image of God.
Our agencies apply these values in everything they do.
Thanks to all for your support of our parish 2020
ShareLife. This is a real blessing, a tribute to the
generosity of every donor, at a time of great need.
Please make a sacrificial gift to ShareLife through our
parish campaign.
The Share Life Freewill Appeal is this Sunday, 12 July.
Please donate, and help us reach our goal!
Your generosity will help bring compassion and hope
to others.
If you have not yet had a chance to participate in our
parish Appeal, there is still time to help us reach our
goal!
There are still late donations coming in; this year’s
Campaign officially closes at the end of July.
Three New Titles of Mary
Pope Francis has approved the inclusion of three
additional invocations in the Litany of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, also called the Litany of Loreto.
In a 20 June letter to all the Presidents of Bishops’
Conferences, Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the
Congregation for the Divine Liturgy and the Discipline
of the Sacraments, said that these invocations should be
inserted in the Marian litany:
Mater misericordiae
Mater spei
Solacium migrantium
Cardinal Sarah wrote, “The
titles and invocations which
Christian piety has reserved for
the Virgin Mary over the
course of the centuries, as the
privileged and sure way to an
encounter with Christ, are innumerable.”
The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also known as
the Litany of Loreto, has been an approved prayer for
the intercession of Mary by the Church since the late
16th century, with its usage recorded even prior.
It consists of the recitation of formal and informal titles
of Mary, followed by the request to Mary to “pray for
us.” The litany can be prayed in Latin or the vernacular.
Cardinal Sarah noted where each invocation should be
added, using the Latin formulations.
“Mater misericordiae,” which means, “Mother of
mercy,” should be placed after “Mater Ecclesiae.”
“Mater spei,” which means “Mother of hope,” should
follow “Mater divinae gratiae.”
“Solacium migrantium,” which means “Comfort of
migrants,” should follow “Refugium peccatorum.”
The letter of Cardinal Sarah was issued on the
Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He wrote:
“With every good wish and kind regard, we wish to
entrust this notification to you for your information and
application. The Church which walks along the
pathways of history as a pilgrim towards the heavenly
Jerusalem and enjoys inseparable communion with
Christ her Spouse and Saviour, entrusts herself to her
who believed in the word of the Lord. We know from
the Gospel that the disciples of Jesus had in fact learned
from the beginning to praise her as ‘Blessed among
women’ and to count on her maternal intercession.”
Prayer to St. Michael
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God
rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
St. Maria Goretti
Feast Day celebrations
Many thanks to all who
assisted at the special
devotions to our dear
Patroness at the First Friday
Holy Hour and Mass on 3
July, at all Sunday Masses last
week, 4 & 5 July, and at the
Holy Hour and Mass on the
actual Feast Day: Monday, 6 July. Our gratitude is extended
to the representatives of the Children’s Choir, for their
Liturgical Act at the 10.30 am Mass on Sunday, and to Sir
Grand Knight Melvin Zamora, for offering the Prayer to St.
Maria Goretti at the 12.00 noon Mass.
The framed collage of photos from the Visit of the Body of
St. Maria Goretti to our Church, from 31 May to 2 June
2012, will remain in front of the Altar for all our Sunday
Masses on 11 & 12 July.
Parishioners are encouraged to use this prayer frequently, to
solicit the intercession of our Patroness in our need.
Prayer to St. Maria Goretti
O Saint Maria Goretti, who, strengthened by God’s Grace, did not hesitate, even at the age of twelve, to shed your blood and sacrifice life to defend your virginal purity, deign to look graciously on the unhappy human race, which has strayed far from the path of eternal salvation.
Teach us all, and especially modern youth, with what courage and haste we should flee anything that could offend Jesus and defile our souls with sin. Obtain for us from God great horror of sin so that, keeping our souls undefiled, we may live holy lives on earth and win eternal glory in heaven. Amen.
The Story of Alessandro Serenelli
“Maria’s forgiveness saved me.” – A. Serenelli
Alessandro Serenelli was born into a family well acquainted
with poverty and hardship. Shortly after he was born, his
own mother attempted to drown him. She died several
months later, while in a mental asylum. His brother was also
interned in an asylum, where he also died.
Alessandro’s father, Giovanni, was an alcoholic who
struggled to provide for his children. He moved the family
multiple times trying to earn a living as a manual laborer.
Unfortunately, his alcoholism prevented his holding down a
job for very long. It was while working as a sharecropper
that he met Luigi Goretti, father of Maria Goretti. Since both
families lived in poverty, they decided to partner together
and attempt to work as a team for those hiring sharecroppers.
Both men eventually decided to move their families to a
small town called Le Ferriere di Conca, near Nettuno, about
40 miles south of Rome. By this time, Giovanni Serenelli
had only his son Alessandro living with him. They found
work, and lived in a house with the Gorettis on one side and
the Serenellis on the other, and a kitchen in the middle.
Within two years, when Alessandro was 18 years old,
Maria’s father died of malaria. His own father was
increasingly gripped by alcohol, and Alessandro became
more and more reclusive and withdrawn.
Alessandro began to make lewd jokes and gestures towards
Maria. These were followed by repeated attempts to seduce
her. Maria wanted nothing to do with Alessandro and
rejected one of his propositions. Knowing he was capable of
violence, she was careful never to be alone with him. But
Alessandro devised a plan to approach the house in the
middle of the day, when Maria would be alone and everyone
else would be at work.
When Maria found herself trapped in the house alone with
Alessandro, she resisted him with all her strength. In fact,
her resistance was so great that he was unable to rape her. In
a fit of rage, Alessandro stabbed Maria 14 times with a file.
Maria died 24 hours later.
Alessandro was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was kept
in isolation as he tended to be violent against other inmates.
One night, six years into his prison sentence, Maria appeared
to him. She appeared in a garden picking 14 white lilies, and
handed them to him one by one. This gesture of forgiveness,
this act of love, filled him with light and the Holy Spirit. He
was immediately contrite for what he had done. He finished
the rest of his sentence in tranquility. In fact, his behavior
became so docile, and the transformation of his person was
so dramatic, that he was released three years early. After his
release he sought the forgiveness of Maria’s mother. He
joined the Capuchin Franciscans and, as a lay brother,
worked as a gardener, porter, and general laborer. He died in
the peace of Christ, with the love and admiration of those
that knew him, at the Capuchin convent at Macerata, Italy,
on 6 May 1970.
Following his death, the Capuchin friars with whom he lived
found a sealed envelope among his personal effects. It was
his spiritual testament, written in the form of an open letter
to the world. It contains an appeal that all follow the way of
Christ. It also paints a dramatic and touching picture of a
man who was able to regain his dignity through the generous
mercy that those he wounded extended to him:
I am now almost 80 years old. I am close to the end of my
days. Looking back at my past, I recognize that in my early
youth I followed a false road—an evil path that led to my
ruin. Through the content of printed magazines, immoral
shows, and bad examples in the media, I saw the majority
of the young people of my day following evil without even
thinking twice. Unworried, I did the same thing.
There were faithful and practicing Christian believers
around me, but I ignored them. I was blinded by a brute
impulse that pushed me down the wrong way of living.
At the age of 20, I committed a crime of passion, the memory
of which still horrifies me today. Maria Goretti, now a saint,
was my good angel whom God placed in my path to save me.
Her words both of rebuke and forgiveness are still imprinted
in my heart. She prayed for me, interceding for her killer.
Thirty years in prison followed.
Resigned, I atoned for my sin. Little Maria was truly my
light, my protector. With her help, I served those 27 years
in prison well. When society accepted me back as a member,
I tried to live honestly. With angelic charity, the sons of St.
Francis, the minor Capuchins of the Marches, welcomed me
among them not as a servant, but as a brother. I have lived
with them for 24 years. Now I look serenely to the time in
which I will be admitted to the vision of God, to embrace my
dear ones once again, and to be close to my guardian angel,
Maria Goretti, and her dear mother, Assunta.
May all who read this letter of mine desire to avoid evil and
follow the good. May all believe with the faith of little
children that religion with its precepts
is necessary for life.
It is true comfort, and the only sure way
in all of life’s circumstances, even in the
most painful.
Peace and all good.
Alessandro Serenelli Macerata, Italy, 5 May 1961
Pope’s General Audience, 24 June
On the Prayer of David
‘Favoured by God even from his youth, he is chosen for a unique mission that would play a central role in the history of the people of God and in our own faith.’
In the Pope’s general audience of 24 June, he continued his
catechesis series on Prayer, focusing on the theme: “The
prayer of David” (Psalm 18: 2-3, 29, 33).
Catechesis of the Holy Father
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
On the itinerary for the catechesis on prayer, today we meet
King David. Favoured by God even from his youth, he is
chosen for a unique mission that would play a central role in
the history of the people of God and in our own faith. In the
Gospels, Jesus is called “son of David” a number of times;
like him, in fact, He is born in Bethlehem.
According to the promises, the Messiah would come from
the descendants of David: a King completely after God’s
heart, in perfect obedience to the Father, whose action
faithfully realises His plan of salvation (see Catechism of the
Catholic Church, 2579).
David’s story begins on the hills around Bethlehem, where
he grazes the flock of his father, Jesse. David is, therefore,
first of all a shepherd: a man who takes care of animals, who
defends them from oncoming danger, who provides for their
sustenance. When by God’s will David will have to care for
his people, the things he will do, will not be very different.
This is why the image of the shepherd frequently occurs in
the Bible. Even Jesus defined Himself as “the good
shepherd”, whose behaviour is different than that of the
mercenary; He offers His life on behalf of the sheep, He
guides them, He knows each one by name (see Jn 10:11-18).
David had learned a lot from his previous job. So, when the
prophet Nathan reproves him for his very serious sin (see 2
Samuel 12:1-15), David understands that he had been a bad
shepherd, that he was no longer a humble servant, but a man
who was crazy for power, and preyed on others.
A second characteristic trait present in David’s vocation is
his poet’s soul. From this small observation, we can deduce
that David was not a vulgar man, as is often the case with
individuals who are forced to live for long periods in
isolation from society. He is, instead, a sensitive person who
loves music and singing.
The world that presented itself before his eyes was not a
silent scene: as things unraveled before his gaze he observed
a greater mystery. That is exactly where prayer arises: from
the conviction that life is not something that takes us by
surprise, but a stupefying mystery that inspires poetry,
music, gratitude, praise, even lament and supplication in us.
When a person lacks that poetic dimension, let’s say, when
poetry is missing, his or her soul limps. Thus, tradition has it
that David is the great artist behind the composition of the
Psalms. Many of them at the beginning bear an explicit
reference to the king of Israel, and to some of the more or
less noble events of his life.
David, therefore, has a dream: being a good shepherd.
Sometimes he will live up that that task, other times not;
what is important, however, in the context of the history of
salvation, is that he is a prophecy of another King, whom he
merely announces and prefigures.
Look at David, think about David. Holy and sinful,
persecuted and persecutor, victim and murderer, which is a
contradiction. David was all of this, together.
We too have recorded events in our lives that are often
opposed to each other; in the drama of life, all people often
sin because of inconsistency. There is one single golden
thread running through David’s life, that gave unity to
everything that happened: his prayer. That is the voice that
was never extinguished. David the saint prays: David the
sinner prays; David, persecuted, prays; David the persecutor
prays. Even David the murderer prays. This is the golden
thread running through his life. A man of prayer. That is the
voice that is never silenced. Whether it assumed tones of
jubilation or lament, it is always the same prayer, it is only
the melody that changes. In so doing, David teaches us to let
everything enter into dialogue with God: joy as well as guilt,
love as well as suffering, friendship as much as sickness.
David, who knew solitude, was in reality never alone! In the
end, this is the power of prayer in all those who make space
for it in their lives. Prayer gives you nobility, and David is
noble because he prays. But he is a murderer who prays; he
repents and his nobility returns thanks to prayer. Prayer
gives us nobility. it is capable of securing their relationship
with God who is the true Companion on the journey of every
man and woman, in the midst of life’s thousand adversities,
good or bad: but always prayer. Thank you, Lord. I am
afraid, Lord. Help me, Lord. Forgive me, Lord. David’s trust
is so great that, when he was persecuted and had to flee, he
did not let anyone defend him: “If my God humiliates me
thus, He knows what He is doing,” because prayer leaves us
in God’s hands. Those hands wounded by love: the only sure
hands we have.
Georg Ratzinger dies, 1 July 2020
The Rev. Georg Ratzinger, the older brother of Pope
Benedict XVI, who earned renown in his own right as a
director of an acclaimed German boys’ choir, has died at 96.
The Regensburg diocese in Bavaria, where Ratzinger lived,
said that he died on 1 July. His death came a week after
Benedict made a 5-day visit to Regensburg to be with him.
Ordained on the same day as his brother, Georg proved to be
a talented musician and went on oversee the recording of
numerous masterpieces and concert tours around the world
by the Regensburger Domspatzen, a storied choir that traces
its history back to the 10th century.
He remained extremely close to his brother throughout his
career, expressing dismay when Joseph Ratzinger was
elected Pope that the stress would affect his health and that
they would no longer spend so much time together.
The Pope had his quarters in the Apostolic Palace modified
with a special apartment for his brother, who travelled
frequently from his home in the Bavarian city of Regensburg
to Rome. Elected to the papacy in 2005, Benedict stepped
down in 2013 and was succeeded by current Pope Francis.
Georg and Joseph came from a religious Catholic family, the
sons of police officer Josef and Maria Ratzinger, and great
nephews of the German politician Georg Ratzinger, a priest
and social reformer who was a member of the Bavarian and
Federal parliament.
Above, left: The Ratzinger siblings: Maria, Georg, Joseph.
Above, right: Georg’s book on his brother, Pope Benedict.
Born Jan. 15, 1924 in the Bavarian town of Altoetting,
Georg Ratzinger showed an early talent for music, playing
the church organ at age 11. The family eventually settled
outside nearby Traunstein in 1937, where he and his brother
joined the seminary. During World War II, Ratzinger told
The Associated Press in an interview that he remembered
huddling with the blinds drawn with his younger brother and
father listening to Allied radio broadcasts, because their
father wanted them to know the truth about the Nazi regime.
Though the Ratzinger family was firmly anti-Nazi, Georg
Ratzinger was forcibly enrolled into the Hitler Youth in
1941. In his book, “Salt of the Earth,” Benedict remarked on
the time and his own subsequent enrolment at age 14.
In 1942, Georg was drafted into a federal labour force, and
the same fall entered the regular German armed forces as a
radio operator in a signals unit. After serving in France, the
Netherlands and Czechoslovakia, Ratzinger was sent in 1944
to Italy where he was wounded in fighting.
He was captured by U.S. forces and was a POW the rest of
the war, returning to Traunstein one day in July 1945.
Joseph recalled it in his memoir “Milestones,” remembering
that the family had no idea if Georg were alive or dead.
“A quiet worry hung over our house...” he wrote. “Suddenly,
on a hot July day, steps were audible, and he whom we had
missed for so long was again standing in our midst, tanned
from the Italian sun. He sat down at the piano, thankful and
relieved, and intoned ‘Holy God We Praise Thy Name.’ ”
Following the war, the brothers entered the seminary of the
archdiocese of Munich and Freising. They were ordained
Priests together on 29 June 1951, the Feast of Saints Peter
and Paul, in the Cathedral at Freising.
After working his way up as priest in the region, Georg was
appointed musical director of St. Peter Cathedral in
Regensburg in 1964, becoming the conductor of the famed
cathedral choir, the Regensburger Domspatzen.
As head of this world-renowned choir, whose name means
“Cathedral Sparrows,” Georg helped build its reputation
around the world, running tours that included trips to the
Vatican, the United States, Canada, Poland and Japan and
performances for Queen Elizabeth II and Pope John Paul II.
Georg travelled to the Vatican for his brother’s installation
as Pope on 24 April 2005. In October of that year, the
brothers got together again. “Sanctus,” a piece Georg
composed, was played at a Vatican concert for the Pope and
sung by the Domspatzen, while both brothers watched on.
As Georg’s health failed, his brother came to Regensburg to
visit him. Benedict greeted old neighbours and prayed at his
parents’ grave. He stayed at a seminary during his trip,
visiting his brother twice a day.
Eternal rest grant to him, O Lord, And let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.
Remembering the Faithful Departed
During the pandemic shutdown in Ontario from mid-March
to June, many families were deprived of the opportunity to
pay a proper farewell to loved ones who died. The Church
remembers the faithful departed in its prayers, and will
provide appropriate memorial rites for families who wish to
gather to honour their departed members. In funeral Masses,
Memorial Masses, graveside prayers of remembrance, and in
the many ways in which we publicly remember our faithful
departed, we cherish their memory and pray for their swift
reunion with all the Saints in the heavenly Kingdom.
Above: Funeral Mass for Fr. Georg Ratzinger at St. Peter
Cathedral, Regensburg, Germany.
Above: Grave plaque for Mary and Paul Galea at Holy Cross
Cemetery, Thornhill. (Flower arrangement by Kathleen Galea.)
Above: Mrs. Maria Canete holds a picture of her dear
husband Fidel after his funeral on 27 June 2020.
Below: The collage of photos from the visit of the Body of
St. Maria Goretti (2012) in front of our Altar, 6 July 2020.
Between Masses, the Church is a peaceful place to pray.
Below: The Andrada family spends time in personal prayer.
In order to avoid compromising the mandatory disinfection
process, since the pews must be cleaned after each Mass,
Parishioners who visit and wish to pray personally are asked
not to sit in the pews.
Above: V. Pethuru family visits the Church for personal
prayer, 30 June 2020.
Below: The Children’s Choir provides a Liturgical Act
at the 10.30 am Mass on 5 July 2020.
Above: Yvonne Suico, Gavin Moniz and Lillian D’Souza
meet to review Re-opening procedures at the Parish.
Below: Joshua Rebello, Claudine Tadeo and Bryan
Harack assist at the 12 noon Mass on 5 July 2020.
