Updated Protocols from Archdiocese

The Archdiocese of Winnipeg issued yesterday evening new protocols for the celebration of public Masses. They are effective “immediately”, though also only once each parish is able to comply. I aim therefore to resume public Masses in Ste Rose Tuesday June 2nd.

The protocols around social-distancing and sanitization are fairly strict, and numbers are limited at present to 25. It will take some time to come up with an implementation strategy. So, more details next week.

If you wish to read the new protocols, they are available here.

Patrick Neufeld
Free online conference on Life and Love

John Acosta at the Archdiocese asks us to promote a free online conference by the Chastity Project, Friday May 22 through May 24th. You can register here.

Register for FREE here: https://www.virtualcatholicconference.com/chastity
Patrick Neufeld
Tales from the COVID spring

Christian Martinez, who edits the On the Way magazine for the Archdiocese, has sent out a general request for stories and anecdotes from Catholics in the Winnipeg Archdiocese about their experiences this covid-struck spring. He plans to publish some number of them in the summer issue of On the Way (which will come as a digital magazine this time around).

If you have a story or anecdote to share, please sent it to sterosedelima@outlook.com. No guarantee that it will make it into the magazine, but I’ll send it along.

Patrick Neufeld
Archbishop's Friday Report
Through the Friday Report, Archbishop Richard Gagnon gives us an update about our Archdiocesan community and our life in faith amidst these unprecedented tim...
Patrick Neufeld
Suspension of Public Masses has been extended to June 1st.

Following the directives of the Manitoba government, the bishops of Manitoba have now extended the suspension of public Masses until June 1st. The celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, which had been set in the Archdiocese of Winnipeg for Pentecost Sunday, May 31st, will be pushed back to a later date.

Patrick Neufeld
Archbishop's Friday Report
For the sixth issue of Archbishop Richard Gagnon's Friday Report, we thought to do something special! This is a Youth Edition of the Friday Report, and our y...
Patrick Neufeld
May, month of Mary

From the Archbishop:

The month of May has, by long tradition, been dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and, in a special way, to the praying of the Rosary. Earlier this week Pope Francis addressed the attached letter to all the faithful encouraging us to pray the Rosary. In the letter Pope Francis underlines that the current restrictions of social distancing could help us appreciate the spiritual importance of praying the Rosary together within the family. The Holy Father encourages "everyone to rediscover the beauty of praying the Rosary at home in the month of May. This can be done either as a group or individually: you can decide according to your own situations, making the most of both opportunities.”

In addition to encouraging all of us to pray the Rosary the Holy Father included two prayers to Our Lady that we can recite at the end of the Rosary. The first prayer is to the Protectress of the Roman People and the second prayer is especially appropriate during this time of COViD19.

I would ask all Pastors and Administrators to make this letter of Pope Francis known to your parishioners, encouraging them to pray the Rosary during the month of May.

The letter from Pope Francis with the 2 Rosary prayers is attached here. If you wish to print it, print it as a “booklet” flipped “short-side”.

Patrick Neufeld
Consecration to the Virgin Mary

From the Archdiocese:

On May 1, 2020, Most Reverend Richard Gagnon will Consecrate the Archdiocese of Winnipeg, and indeed all of Canada, to our Blessed Mother Mary. The Consecration will be live-streamed from St. Mary's Cathedral at 2:00 pm Winnipeg time, with the feed available on the Archdiocesan Facebook page and YouTube channel. To assist dioceses and eparchies with preparations for the upcoming Consecration to Mary, Mother of the Church, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) prepared a ritual and a specific prayer to recite during the act of Consecration.

Along with Bishops across the country, pastors, families, groups, individuals and other faith communities may likewise choose to join the consecration as part of the global effort to unite in faith and prayer in this most difficult time.

You can watch the consecration Friday at 2pm on the Archdiocese’s Youtube channel or Facebook page.

Patrick Neufeld
The Archbishop's Friday Report

I was wondering whether this week the Archbishop would tell us whether we should expect to resume public Masses the first Sunday in May—we are still presuming that public Masses are suspended up to and including Sunday April 26th—but I have the impression he doesn’t know the answer to that question yet himself. Like the rest of us, he is waiting to see how things develop and when the government eases restrictions.

A blessed Easter Friday to you all.

Through the Friday Report, Archbishop Richard Gagnon gives us an update about our Archdiocesan community and our life in faith amidst these unprecedented tim...
Patrick Neufeld