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Bishop Gerard Paul Bergie was installed as the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of St. Catharines in a solemn liturgical ceremony at the Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria on Tuesday, November 9, 2010, the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome. To read Bishop Bergie's homily, go to Bishop's Message. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** STATEMENT FROM BISHOP BERGIE Tuesday, September 14, 2010 The Exaltation of the Holy Cross I am most grateful to Almighty God and extremely honoured and humbled that our Holy Father has chosen me to be Bishop of St. Catharines Diocese. Throughout my life God has always been so good to me and today's announcement is another example of this fact. How fortunate I am to be chosen to be bishop of such a wonderful diocese. I have had the good fortune of serving in the Diocese of Hamilton for the past 26 years. Twenty-one years as a priest and five years as Auxiliary Bishop. During that time Bishop Anthony Tonnos, a native son of St. Catharines diocese, has been the Bishop and a great mentor to me. He often spoke of his home diocese with great pride and affection and because of this I feel I already know just how good St. Catharines diocese is, especially its clergy and laity. Today the Church celebrates the feast in honour of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The cross is the greatest symbol of hope. In the gospel of today's Mass, taken from the gospel of St. John, we read “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” This scripture passage tells us that our hope is found in God's unconditional love which is expressed most perfectly in his Son's gift of self on the cross. As your new shepherd I must proclaim that hope which is rooted in God's great love for us. Together we share a joyful task as we embrace the cross and proclaim the Good News which brings salvation to the world. I look forward to serving with you and deepening my knowledge and love of this diocese and its people. It is my sincere wish and prayer that I will be with you for many years and that together we will grow in holiness, faith and love for our Lord Jesus Christ and his Church. May St. Catherine of Alexandria, patroness of this great Diocese, pray for us all. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * September 14, 2010 To the Priests and People of the Diocese of St. Catharines: At noon on September 14th , 2010 on the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross, it was announced in Rome that our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Most Reverend Gerard Paul Bergie, presently Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton, as the new Bishop of the Diocese of St. Catharines. Bishop Bergie becomes the fifth Bishop of our Diocese succeeding Bishop James M. Wingle who resigned as Bishop of our Diocese on April 7, 2010.
It is with great joy that we receive this news of Bishop Bergie's appointment as our new Bishop. Born in Hamilton, Ontario on January 4, 1959, Bishop Bergie was raised and educated in Hamilton. He studied at St. Jerome's College, the University of Waterloo and St. Peter's Seminary, London, Ontario. He received a Master's degree of Divinity from the University of Western Ontario in 1983 and a Licentiate in Canon Law from the University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum) in Rome in 1991. Ordained to the priesthood on May 12, 1984, he has served in parishes of Our Lady of Lourdes (Hamilton), St. Francis Xavier (Stoney Creek) and St. Margaret Mary (Hamilton) where he was pastor at the time of his nomination to the episcopacy. He has occupied various positions within the Diocese of Hamilton, including Chancellor. He was ordained to the episcopacy on August 24, 2005 at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Hamilton by Bishop Anthony Tonnos, Bishop of Hamilton. Bishop Bergie was the first Canadian Bishop appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. Some from our Diocese will recall that Bishop Bergie was the guest speaker at the Niagara Catholic District School Board's Annual Faith Formation in December 2009. It is expected that Bishop Bergie will be installed as the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of St. Catharines in a solemn liturgical ceremony within the next two months. Sincerely
yours in Christ,
Catholic Organization for Life & Family (COLF): Message to families: The document Families, where are the saints of the third millennium? is concerned with the transmission of faith. It constitutes an invitation to discover and deepen our baptismal vocation. COLF proposes themes to help families reflect on the beauty of their mission of evangelization and to take up the task. Families, schools and parishes will find the document both practical and inspiring. COLF is co-sponsored by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Knights of Columbus. It promotes respect for human life and dignity and the essential role of the family. To order contact 613-241-9461 ext. 161 or read online at www.colf.ca Deaf
Ministry: A monthly Mass is held at St. Kevin's, 303 Niagara
St. in Welland the third Sunday of each Hotel Dieu Shaver Gift Shop: The Hotel Dieu Shaver Rehab Auxiliary Gift Shop offers spiritual items and unique giftware, including items for Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation. Knitted goods and crafts are also available. Open Monday-Friday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Saturday, Sunday, Holidays 1-4 p.m. For information call Marg 905-682-5867. Legion of Mary: Come and join in the gospel message to all people. “The objective of the Legion of Mary is the glory of God through the sanctification of its members by prayer and active co-operation.” (Legionary Handbook, pg. 3). For information contact Nial Murray 905-935-7902 or email: LegionOfMary@cogeco.ca Marriage Preparation: Engaged couples planning to be married in the Catholic church are expected to take a marriage preparation course or an Engaged Encounter weekend. Parishes have the 2009 schedule with information about dates and places. Marriage Tribunal: If you are considering remarriage in the Catholic Church at some point, or hoping to enter a marriage with someone previously married, you should speak to a priest or contact the diocesan Catholic Marriage Tribunal in St. Catharines, 905-687-8817 or www.romancatholic.niagara.on.ca Natural Family Planning: For information contact Chris & Lena Turner (Serena) 905- 643-3375 or Joan Kenny (Billings) 905-680-4154. Queen of the Angels Oratory: Eucharistic adoration is held each Wednesday 8:00 a.m.-6:45 p.m. followed by devotions to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, then benediction. Give thanks, adore, and pray anytime during the day. Use entrance on Carlton Street. Sunday vespers and benediction are held each Sunday 5-6 p.m. Retrouvaille: If your marriage needs help, Retrouvaille could be a lifeline. This is a process designed to heal and renew troubled marriages. The focus is on communication and provides couples an opportunity to rediscover themselves and their marriage relationship. For information, in strictest confidence, call 905-664-5212 or email retrouvaille.hamilton@cogeco.ca. St. Vincent de Paul: Volunteers needed! St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store on Queenston Street, St. Catharines, urgently needs volunteers. Interested persons please call 905-684-2042 and leave names and phone numbers. Separated and Divorced Ministry: Meetings for this group are discontinued as of November 2010. Vocations: Anyone interested in information about the priesthood or religious life, contact Fr. Paul McDonald, Sacré-Coeur, 72 Empire St, Welland, Ont., L3B 2L4, 905-735-5823, email: pjm@vaxxine.com
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