Visit to Stittsville's HOLY SPIRIT Parish - Passing of "Father Fitz"

Pastoral Visitation of Holy Spirit Parish, Stittsville

Welcome to St. Stephen's School

The following message from Holy Spirit's Pastor, Father C. Ross Finlan appeared in last weekend's bulletin in anticipation of an episcopal visit:

Archbishop Prendergast will be with us at all masses next weekend to preside and preach at the three masses and to meet with parishioners. He will also participate in the first communions of a number of our children and meet over dinner with our Pastoral and Finance Councils and the executives of our Knights of Columbus and Catholic Women’s League.

He has asked that we reflect upon three questions in preparation for his visit: What are the things that make you proud about your parish? What are some of the things that you perceive as challenges in the parish? Do you have questions that you would like to ask me?

On Monday, 10 May, he will visit our three elementary schools in the morning and meet with the students and teachers. They will have the opportunity to pray with him and then to ask questions they have prepared.

The St. Stephen’s Principal bids Father Ross and me farewell

The principal and a trustee give a warm welcome to Holy Spirit School (where the Parish worshipped in the initial years)

The team that prepared for the Liturgy of the Word in Guardian Angels School gymnasium

The principal and vice-principal of the very large 600+-students Guardian Angels School

He met previously with Sacred Heart High School staff and students and will not visit them this time. He will visit Granite Ridge Long-term Care in the afternoon.

Granite Ridge care-givers with resident Father Jack Davis, OMI

A visit to the home of Marian Charbonneau, proponent of adult faith development

His visit to us is part of his plan to make an extended visit to each of the more than one hundred parishes and missions in the archdiocese, a project that is expected to take about five years. Coffee will be served after the morning masses in the parish hall. Fr. Joseph Muldoon, the Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Services, will accompany the archbishop.

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Last Monday (May 10) and this past weekend, Father Muldoon and I were involved in the Pastoral Visitation of Holy Spirit Parish, Stittsville. On May 10, we visited the three Parish Schools (St. Stephen, Holy Spirit and Guardian Angels), then, after lunch, spent some time with the residents of Granite Ridge Retirement Centre.

On Saturday evening, following the anticipated Sunday Mass for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, there was a dinner and exchange with representatives of parish bodies (Pastoral and Finance Councils, CWL, Knights of Columbus, etc.)

There were numerous children making their First Holy Communion at the three concelebrated Masses at which I presided. So there are some photos of these happy children and their families, along with photos from the rest of the visit to the schools, seniors' home, etc.

Some of the many individuals, couples and families of Holy Spirit Parish whom I was privileged to meet...















R.I.P. Father Fitz

Your prayers are requested for the repose of Father J. David Fitzpatrick, retired pastor of St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish and resident at St. Veronica’s Parish, who died on Thursday, May 13, 2010 at the West Island Palliative Care Residence.

There will be visitation on Thursday, May 20 at St. Veronica’s Parish (1300 Carson Ave., Dorval, 514-631-6381) 2-4 and 7-9 PM and Friday, May 21 at St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish (4455 West Broadway, Montreal, 514-481-7768) from noon until Mass of Christian Burial at 2PM.

May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.