First 5 – February 15, 2023

First 5 – February 15, 2023

Staffing Update

Colleen Owen, in her generosity, has agreed to an UNPAID part time position at Holy Trinity as Leadership Development Coordinator.  At Holy Trinity we want to be intentional about developing leaders in all aspects of parish life especially as we structure around the Discipleship Pathway and look forward to growing as a parish. This is something Colleen is very passionate about. Colleen is looking forward to working alongside staff and other parish leaders to help them develop the structures and strategies to support a culture of sustainable, high level leadership. Colleen brings with her many years of experience as an educator, staff coach, department head, and collegial team member. She also brings her parish experience where she has taken a variety of leadership roles throughout the years. Colleen loves working on and with teams and will bring great joy and energy to this new position. This position starts March 14th. Welcome Colleen!

Parish Finances Update and Finance Council Presentation

The Holy Trinity Parish Finance Council is committed to keeping parishioners informed of our financial position at regular intervals, which we provide on our website on a quarterly basis. We are also required to provide a yearly statement of finances to the parish, which is available now on our website by clicking here. There will also be paper copies available after all Masses this weekend (Feb 18 & 19).

For comparative purposes, the report details our 2021 actual revenue and expenditures, our 2022 budget, our 2022 actuals, and our 2023 budget for the current year. Please check the bottom of the report for notes to the financial statements.

Additionally, the Finance Council will do an in-person presentation of our finances to the parish, with an opportunity to ask questions regarding the presented information. We invite you to join us in the church on Sunday, March 19, at 3pm for this review.

Turkey and Syria Earthquake Relief

Archbishop Dunn invites the faithful to donate to the relief efforts being made in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria.  The best way to give is through organizations that have partners in the affected areas.  The following Catholic organizations have begun to collect donations online and we encourage you to give as you are able.

Lent – Come Pray With Us:

  • What is Lent? Lent is a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We invite you to examine your life and invite Christ into it in a new way this Lenten season. There are some great Lenten resources on FORMED including Lent with Brother Francis for the children in your life! You can also check out The Bible App or Hallow and sign up for one of the many Lenten Catholic bible studies.
  • Ash Wednesday Schedule: Lent starts on Ash Wednesday February 22 and we will have three Masses at 9am, 4:30pm and 7pm with distribution of ashes. For more information about Lent visit on our website!
  • Stations of the Cross: Every Friday during Lent we will be praying the stations of the cross at 7pm in-person!
  • Lenten Retreat: Join the Archdiocesan Service Team of Halifax-Yarmouth from February 24-26 for an inspirational weekend at the Between The Hearts Renewal Centre in Amherst. Friday February 24th at 7pm to Sunday February 26th at 11:30am. Registration is $50 including meals and snacks. Accommodation is an additional $60 (Limited space available). To register call Ethel 902-449-5048 or send her an email emcunningham@eastlink.ca. Visit betweenthehearts.ca for more information.  
  • Reconciliation: We encourage you to come to the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Lent- here is an examination of conscience. The sacrament of reconciliation is offered before Mass on Friday mornings (8:30-8:50am) and Saturday afternoons (3:30-4:15pm). Our special Lenten Reconciliation time will be March 18 (10:30am-12pm). We will also have a time for Reconciliation during our Parish Mission- more details to follow in the coming weeks!
  • Special Announcement! 2023 Lenten Parish Mission: We are teaming up with St Ignatius Parish in Bedford to co-host a Lenten Parish Mission from March 27 – 29!
    •  March 27,
      6:30 – 8:00 pm
      Holy Trinity Parish  
    • March 28,
      6:30 – 8:00 pm
      St Ignatius Parish  
    • March 29,
      6:30 – 8:00 pm
      Holy Trinity Parish

Jesus tells us “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). But can this really be more than a nice idea? In this world we have so many cares and worries; how can we experience this rest?
Our guest speaker Talitha Lemoine will be unpacking what it means to come to the Lord with anything weighing us down, to find the rest we deeply desire. Talitha is a full time lay missionary with Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO). Originally from Manitoba, she became a missionary with CCO in 2006 to respond to a call to evangelize and form leaders for the renewal of the world. Over the years she’s had the privilege of seeing many lives transformed by the love of Jesus. Currently she serves as Atlantic Manager in Halifax, overseeing CCO’s work in Quebec and Atlantic Canada.
For more details visit our website!

Canada Celebrates Kindness Week

Throughout Canada, the third week of February is known as “Kindness Week”. You can read more about the Kindness Act here. Let us now pray for the Lord’s kindness to spill into all areas of our own lives and the lives of people we encounter:

Lord, even when the world around us is swirling and broken, thank you for being true, kind, and a foundation to lean on. Life challenges can be overwhelming, and the difficult days are hard to handle. At the same time we know that your love is unlike any other. So today, we boldly and humbly approach you asking for your kindness to meet us. Help me to receive your kindness and extend it to others. Help me to open my arms to those less fortunate and extend my hand to those who may need it, so that they may see You in my kind words and actions. Amen.