As we prepare to welcome Pope Francis to Canada, we invite Catholics from across the country to participate in this historic journey in a number of different ways. In addition to television coverage of papal events, visit www.papalvisit.ca or www.visitepapale.ca to access more than 10 livestream links of coverage featuring interpretation in many languages (including Indigenous languages), as well as livestream links from Vatican TV including commentary.
 
Salt & Light Catholic Media Foundation has a dedicated site for information and broadcast details for the papal visit -  https://slmedia.org/popeincanada (English) or https://slmedia.org/fr/papeaucanada (French).
 
Novalis has also produced a digital resource that includes texts for all the liturgies presided by Pope Francis, prayers as well as reflections on the significance of the Papal Visit. To download the resource, visit: livingwithchrist.ca (English) or prionseneglise.ca (French).
 
We invite you to pray for the Holy Father and all those involved in this historic journey of healing, reconciliation and hope.
 
Thank you for your continued co-operation and support.

​Congratulations to the Reverend Mr. David Scott who was ordained to the diaconate Saturday, June 18 by the Most Reverend Gerard Bergie, D.D., bishop of the diocese of Saint Catharines. May God bless David in his new ministry here in our diocese and particularly at St. Patrick's, and may God bless his wife Maggie, and all of the O’Brien and Scott families.

Attached below are a series of leaflets from the Curia and the Steering Committee for the Canonization of Blessed Titus Brandsma about the life, spirituality, and thought of Titus.

Blessed Titus Brandsma, of the Order of Carmelites, who died in the concentration campo at Dachau 26 July 1942, beatified in 1985, is to be canonized May 15, 2020.

More about this man to be added to the canon of saints can be found at the website of the Order of Carmelites:
ocarm.org/en/canonization-of-blessed-titus-brandsma

The Vineyard Memorial Edition 2022 as well as The Vineyard Lenten Edition are posted on the Diocesan website.

Memorial Edition: http://saintcd.com/vineyard

Lenten Edition: http://saintcd.com/diocesan-directory/archived-vineyard/5

During the first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Bishop Bergie dispensed the faithful of the diocese from the obligation to attend Mass Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. This dispensation is ending; the following is from the diocesan chancery:

Announcement regarding Dispensation from Obligation to participate in Sunday Mass:
Passion/Palm Sunday marks the end of the general dispensation from the obligation to participate in the Sunday Mass granted by Bishop Bergie. Catholics are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason. Those excused for serious reason would include those who are homebound; those who are ill or have compromised health; caregivers of infants, or sick, elderly or homebound persons. Please speak with your pastor if you have questions about your personal circumstances.

A powerful prayer that we offer each year as a diocesan family is the Respect for Life Mass, which will be held at the Cathedral of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, 3 Lyman St, St. Catharines, on the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord, Friday, March 25, 2022 at 7:00 p.m., Bishop Gerard Bergie presiding.

All are welcome to attend as we pray for a greater respect for life from conception to natural death.

The 40 Days for Life prayer vigil runs from Ash Wednesday, March 2 – April 10, 2022 on the sidewalk outside Greater Niagara General Hospital on Portage Road. For further information, please contact Annette at loeffenlife@gmail.com or 905-325-1251 or see the Welland Port Colbourne Pro Life website wpcprolife.com.