Valentine’s Dinner – Decorating Help Needed
The Decorating Committee is on the lookout for some tall plants and room dividers to help set the mood for our Valentine’s Dinner. If you have any that wouldn’t mind a short “date night” at the parish, please call Nancy in the church office at 403-652-2203. They promise to come home safely 😊
The Third Sunday in Ordinary Time of the Catholic Church is known as “Sunday of the Word of God”, established by a papal decree, it is be observed a as a special day devoted to the celebration, study and dissemination of the Word of God.
On September 30th, 1990, the Feast of St Jerome, Pope Francis established “The Word of God Sunday” to be celebrated on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, beginning 26th of January 2020. St Jerome is credited with the translating of the Old Testament scriptures directly from Hebrew into Latin, becoming what we now know as the Vulgate the basis of our current Bible. A Quote from St. Jerome “ Ignorance of Scripture is Ignorance of God."
Pope Francis in his Apostolic Letter, “Aperuit illis” which translates “He open their minds”, wrote; “Devoting a specific Sunday of the liturgical year to the Word of God can enable the Church experience a new how the risen Lord opens for us a treasury of his word and enables us to proclaim its unfathomable riches before the world.” In St Luke’s gospel “the Road to Emmaus” Jesus opened the minds of the disciples to understand the scriptures; in their joy they could not wait to spread the Good News, Jesus still wants to speak to us.
This Sunday the Church wants to stimulate all Christians not to just place the Bible on the shelf as one of many books, perhaps filled with dust, but as an instrument that awakens our faith.
As Ordained Clergy and faithful alike, today renews the importance and value of Sacred Scripture for the Christian life, as well as the relationship between the word of God and the liturgy.
A day devoted to the Bible should not be seen as a yearly event, rather a year-long event, for we urgently need to grow in our knowledge and love of scriptures and of the Risen Lord, who continues to speak his word and to break bread in the community of believers. For this reason, we need to develop a closer relationship with Sacred Scripture ; otherwise, our hearts will remain cold and our eyes shut, inflicted as we are with so many other forms of blindness. I ask you to find your Bible and read it draw closer to God
Blessings
Deacon Larry
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Valentine’s Day for Married Couples – Dinner for Two
Dear Married Couples,
Marriage is one of the most beautiful gifts God has entrusted to humanity. It is not just living together, but a journey where we learn love, faithfulness, forgiveness, and mutual devotion. In the sacrament of marriage, God is present every day — in joys and successes, but also in challenges and moments of trial. It is in everyday life that true love grows, matures over time, and is strengthened by trust and God’s grace.
Yet today, marriage is not always easy. Many couples face difficulties. Divorce is too often an easy option. As a result, society looks at the institution of marriage with skepticism. More and more, people are choosing to live without a sacramental bond. That is why we need care, support, and encouragement for married couples, now, more than ever.
As a Church, we wholeheartedly support the sacrament of marriage. We want to accompany, help, and strengthen couples at every stage of their journey — in times of joy, as well as in times of trial. We hope that married couples never feel alone, and that their relationship is treated with respect and love.
Valentine’s Day is a beautiful opportunity to reflect on sacramental love lived according to God’s plan. It is also a perfect moment to pause, appreciate your marriage, and renew what is most important.
That is why we warmly invite all married couples from our parish to join us for a Valentine’s Dinner for Two.
Evening Program:
We want this evening to be a time of closeness, conversation, inspiration, and joy in being together.
Cost: $60 per couple (limited number of reservations available)
We invite you with all our hearts
May this evening be an opportunity to renew love and strengthen what God has joined together.
9:00 – 10:00 AM – Mass (Vulcan)
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Mass (High River - Potluck))
4:00 – 5:00 PM – Confessions
5:00 – 6:00 PM – Mass
8:00 – 9:00 AM – Confession
9:00 – 9:45 AM – Mass
7:00 - 9:00 PM - Pro Life Event
6:00 – 7:00 PM – Confessions
7:00 – 7:45 PM – Mass
3:15 – 4:15 PM – Liturgy at Seasons
4:00 – 4:30 PM –Mass at the Manor
5:00 – 6:00 PM – Confessions
6:00 – 6:30 PM – Mass
8:00 – 9:15 AM – Confessions
9:15 – 10:00 AM – Mass
10:00 AM – 9:00 PM – Adoration & Benediction
7:00 – 8:30 PM – RCIA
8:00 – 9:15 AM – Confession
8:45 – 9:15 AM – Rosary
9:15 – 10:00 AM – Mass
9:00 – 11:30 AM – TOPS Group (East Hall)
8:00 – 9:00 AM – Confessions
9:00 – 9:30 AM – Daily Mass
9:00 - 4:00 PM - Pastoral Care Training
4:00 – 5:00 PM – Confessions
5:00 - 6:00 PM - Vigil Mass
6:00 - 7:00 PM - Holy Communion Meeting #1
On January 26, 2026, our parish family at St. Andrew Parish in Vulcan has the great joy of celebrating a truly extraordinary milestone: the 104th birthday of Margaret Shaw. This is not simply a birthday—it is a celebration of a life deeply rooted in faith, prayer, family, and community.
Margaret Shaw was born on January 26, 1922, west of Champion, to Julia and Louis Fath. She completed all of her schooling in Champion before moving to Calgary to train as a teacher. Speaking about that time, Margaret once shared, “I liked being with children. It’s something I thought I’d end up doing.” And indeed, for nearly ten years, she devoted herself to teaching, shaping young minds with care and patience.
In 1950, Margaret married Leslie Shaw. Together they built a life first on a farm in the Brant area, and later, in 1958, on the Shaw homestead west of Vulcan. They were blessed with four sons: Paul (Lac La Biche), Gordon (Saskatchewan), Ray (on the family farm west of Vulcan), and Kevin (Calgary). Margaret and Leslie shared 56 years of marriage, a beautiful witness to love, fidelity, and perseverance. Leslie passed away in 2006, and Margaret continues to carry his memory with grace and strength.
Margaret is a deeply faithful and prayerful member of St. Andrew Parish. She is respected and admired by all who know her—not only because of her age, but because of the way she lives her faith every day. She is community-oriented, attentive to others, and even now continues to support and encourage those around her, always with that beautiful, gentle smile that warms hearts.
I remember telling Margaret that she is my hero. In the heart of winter, when temperatures reach –20°C, Margaret still makes the effort to come to Mass. She could easily say, “I will stay home,” or “I am in a wheelchair,” but that is not who Margaret is. Her son opens the church door, and there she is—over a century of life behind her—present, praying, and fully part of her parish family.
As a parish priest, I feel truly blessed to have parishioners like Margaret. People like her give us good energy, a good spirit, and most importantly, they teach us what faith is really all about—not through words, but through faithful presence, prayer, perseverance, and love for the community.
On this special occasion, we give thanks to God for Margaret’s long and meaningful life. We thank Him for her example, her prayers, and her quiet but powerful witness.
Happy 104th Birthday, Margaret! You are a blessing to our parish, an inspiration to all generations, and a living testimony to a life lived with faith and love.
Please keep Margaret and her family in your prayers as we celebrate this beautiful milestone together.
From Bishop's Lenten visits to leadership gatherings, the Mission phase of Renewal invites Parish Renewal Teams and all the faithful to pause, reflect, and take the next steps together. Save the dates - more details coming soon.