Today’s readings speak of an essential quality for the Christian steward — hope. This is especially fitting this year, as Pope Francis has designated 2025 as a Jubilee Year with the theme, "Pilgrims of Hope."
 
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit (CCC 1817).”
 
In many ways, this is the very definition of a stewardship way of life — focusing on eternity as we live our daily lives and relying on God to provide for our needs and satisfy our deepest longings for meaning and happiness right now.
 
In today’s Gospel from Luke, Jesus describes the true richness of life that is possible for those of us who are willing to live as his hope-filled disciples. We are all familiar with this passage in which Jesus reveals the Beatitudes: blessed are the poor; they have the kingdom of God. Blessed are those now hungry because they will be satisfied. Blessed are those who weep because they will laugh. Blessed are those who are hated, excluded, and insulted because they are disciples of Jesus; they will be greatly rewarded in heaven. Jesus is describing here the character of one who is living a life of hope – the life of a Christian steward whose trust is firmly rooted in God and who is focused on others and eternity. It is not always an easy life, but it is a deeply meaningful life and one that leads to eternal reward.
 
 ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants| www.CatholicSteward.com

Pope Francis shares: “When I was 17 years old, I was a student and was working. I had my own plans. I wasn’t thinking at all of being a priest. But one day, I went into the church… and God was there, waiting for me!” Accompanied by photos from his youth and scenes of young people today, the Pope's video emphasizes that “God still calls young people even today, sometimes in ways we can’t imagine.” The Pope urges us to foster a welcoming space where they feel “loved as they are, and for who they are” and can freely respond to His call.

Dear Jesus,
Divine Physician and Healer of the Sick,
we turn to You in this time of illness.
O dearest Comforter of the Troubled,
alleviate our worry and sorrow with Your gentle love,
and grant us the grace and strength to accept this burden.
Dear God,
we place our worries in Your hands.
We ask that You restore Your servants to health again.
Above all,
grant us the grace to acknowledge Your holy will
and know that whatsoever You do,
You do for the love of us.

Amen.

To request a Mass intention please visit the parish office downstairs during office hours, call  403-257-6054 or email  secretary@stalbertthegreat.ca  

Our parish serves over 9000 families, intentions are limited to two per family within the three-month period.  Thank you for honoring this system. Contact the office with questions.

If you have made your donations by EFT, we do not receive your email information, we only get a notice from the bank with your name on it and the amount. If you just started using EFT donations this year, please provide your email address to the office, so that we can send you your tax receipt for 2024. Going Forward, when you send an EFT, please include your Full Name, what the EFT is for (donation, baptism, wedding, mass intention, sacrament fees) email address, mailing address. Thank you for your support of St. Albert the Great Parish, through your generous donations.

Did you know?
Monthly contributions can be made online anytime, and it's easy to set up. Please visit our website: Donations - St Albert The Great to get started. 

If you are unable to make your regular contributions online, we can provide envelopes. For 2025 and onward will we no longer be providing numbered envelopes, we will provide a box of envelopes and pre-made address labels with your information for you to attach. To order these please contact the office.

"I have called you my friends, says the Lord." Come and spend time with the most faithful, good, beautiful and truest friend you'll ever have - Jesus! COME AS YOU ARE is back Friday, February 21 @ 7pm. We will have Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with praise & worship music, an opportunity for Confession as well as Prayer Ministry. Food and social to follow! Come and encounter God in a personal and meaningful way.

This week's greatest needs are for:

We sincerely appreciate all the assistance our SVP conference receives from you. We stood with our baskets last weekend after masses and you were able to continue that support. Thank you to everyone; every single dollar counts! 

We strongly encourage all our donors to consider switching the delivery of your tax receipt from Canada Post to email.  Any changes to your contact information can be sent to us via email svdp.satg.donations@gmail.com  You will receive an email confirming it was received.  

Of course, eTransfers can be sent to that email address as well. Please add your name in the message box so we know who to thank. 

Have you ever wondered what the St Vincent de Paul Society logo means? 

The fish is the symbol of Christianity and, in this case, represents the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. The eye of the fish is the vigilant eye of God seeking to help the poor in our midst. 

The crossing at the tail or the tie-knot represents unity and oneness among members and also the union with the poor. 

St. Paul Street Evangelization (SPSE) is a Catholic grassroots, non-profit organization, dedicated to responding to the mandate of Jesus to preach the Gospel to all nations by taking the Catholic Faith to the streets. Christ’s call to evangelize was made to every Catholic Christian. As an on-the-street Catholic evangelization organization, St. Paul Street Evangelization provides an avenue for people to share the Person of Jesus Christ and the truth and beauty of the Catholic Faith with a hungry culture.

Founded in May 2012, St. Paul Street Evangelization provides the tools and resources for Catholics to engage the culture in a simple, non-confrontational method of evangelization which involves making themselves available to the public to answer questions about the faith and to pray with those who request it. SPSE has had tremendous growth and now has teams throughout the United States, Canada and the world.

To train, equip, and mobilize Catholics for the urgent work of evangelization. Especially for the proclamation of the gospel in the public square.

We offer a number of resources for Catholic individuals, parishes, schools, dioceses, and organizations. All training and resources are provided. Our St. Paul School of Evangelization is an aid to help all Catholics learn the language of the Church and what she expects of her evangelists. SPSE certifies its evangelists who have completed the training and have experience out on the street. Each local Team Leader is required to take these a number of these courses. SPSE also offers live workshops and events. SPSE provides signs, rosaries, sacramentals, holy cards, business card templates, pamphlets, apologetic cheat sheets, online support forums, and hundreds of other materials to each local team. 

Here in Calgary, we are forming a Street Evangelization Team(s). This is currently in its infancy, and we are looking for interested people to learn more about this amazing opportunity and to join our team.  Because this is a street ministry you MUST be at least 18 years of age or older, youth can participate with an adult present. 

To learn more about this program you can visit: About | St. Paul Street Evangelization 

Notices in this section have been approved by the parish office, if you would like to have something added to the e-bulletin please email  bulletin@stalbertthegreat.ca

Holy Spirit Devotion and Adoration hours begin:

Saturday, March 1st starting at 7:00 am through to Sunday, March 2nd until 11:00 pm finishing the 40 Hours with Benediction at 10:40 pm Sunday evening.

In the Chapel of Annunciation will be an exposition of a First Class Relic from the wood of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.  

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy spoken:

Saturday, March 1st 3:00 pm

Sunday, March 2nd 3:00 am

Sunday, March 2nd 3:00 pm

Spanish spoken rosary:

Saturday , March 1st at 5:00 pm

Sunday, March 2nd at 5:00 pm

English spoken rosary:

Saturday, March 1st at 6:00 pm

Sunday , March 2nd at 6:00 pm.

Please note the regular 12 Hour Adoration on March 1st and 2nd is included in the 40 Hour Devotion.

Father David Meadows

Pastor,  Holy Spirit Parish