Liturgical Celebrations
Butterflies on Ascension Sunday! (June 5, 2011)
As we celebrate Christ’s resurrection on Ascension Sunday June 5th, we will remember our beloved deceased who have also ascended into Heaven!
The butterfly has long been a Christian symbol of resurrection, for it disappears into a cocoon and appears dead, but emerges later, far more beautiful and capable than before. The change from caterpillar to the chrysalis and emergence as a butterfly is the greatest change in the animal world. It symbolizes significant change in the course of one’s life, personality or way of thinking. The butterfly is a symbol of every Christian’s hope of resurrection from the dead.
Where and when?
The butterflies will be bred in Ontario and sent to us in time for Ascension Sunday. The live butterflies will be individually boxed and accompanied by a special scroll and a memory card bearing the name of the deceased. There will be a gathering on the property behind the parish centre on June 5th at 2:30 p.m. (1353 Kenaston Blvd) A liturgical celebration will take place, during which individuals and families will release their butterflies.
There will be several opportunities to order the butterflies:
The butterflies will be sold for $15.00 each.
-order in person after mass on Easter Sunday (April 24th) at St. Gianna’s Church-order in person after each liturgy on April 30/May 1 at St. Gianna’s Church -order by telephone from Living Waters Columbarium office 204-475-7577.
-order via Pay Pal through the Living Waters Columbarium website
Please consider inviting family members and friends to share in the joy of this event.
Pet owners know first-hand that our animals are friends, and they are family. The grief we feel when they die is real and intense. Even when the death is the natural end to old age or disease, there is still something deep within the human psyche that needs to mark life’s passages with ritual to sum up the life and begin integrating it into our total life’s experiences. Each October, on the Feast of St. Francis, we remember and express our gratitude for the gifts of our deceased pets. Please check our calendar of events for details.
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Prayer Service
Burning Brightly in the Presence of God...
Families mourning the loss of a baby gathered in prayer at St. Gianna's Parish Centre on October 14th. Together we gave thanks for the gift of these precious infants and celebrated their eternal life in God's loving embrace. The life of each child continues to burn brightly in the presence of God.
Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.
Mark 10: 13-16
All Souls' Liturgy
Our Christian Catholic Tradition dedicates the month of November to the memory of all the saints and all the souls that have ever lived in the course of human history. It is during this month that we remember in a very special way our beloved dead through prayer and ritual. We can do this in a variety of ways: offering a mass for the repose of the soul of our loved one, visiting the graves of the deceased and regularly setting time aside for prayer and reflection.
During the Eucharistic celebration of All Souls on November 2, we entered into communion with our beloved dead. A vital flow of life continues to exist between ourselves and our loved ones even beyond death, as love, presence and communication all transcend death.
We continue to nurture our relationships with the deceased, confident that they, now fully redeemed, enter into that relationship changed and transformed. What a wonderful time to address any ‘unfinished business’ we may have had with them and rejoice in a new level of loving interaction through which the perspective is wider and the distance between us is less!
Survivors of Suicide 
Those who have lost a loved one to suicide gathered at St. Gianna's Parish Centre on November 25th for a bereavement session and prayer service. Together we explored and shared the unique challenges, concerns and inevitable questions associated to loss through suicide. The evening ended with a prayer service during which we celebrated and gave thanks for the gift of God's goodness, mercy and love as He welcomes our loved ones into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blue Christmas 
Those preparing for Christmas after the loss of a loved one participated in a eucharistic celebration of Blue Christmas at St. Gianna's Parish Centre on December 14th. All were invited to reflect on the great gift of Jesus Christ during their time of grief. Christmas is not to be avoided during one's grieving, but rather truly celebrated in gratitude for the gift of resurrection and the celebration of the great banquet in which our beloved deceased now partake.
Participants received a bough of evergreen adorned with a blue ribbon as a reminder that the promise of eternal life pushes through the feelings of sadness as we keep our beloved deceased within the circle of the living.