WEEKLY BULLETIN
BULLETIN HEBDOMADAIRE
DIOCESE OF PEMBROKE/DIOCÈSE DE PEMBROKE
284, ch. Trafalgar Rd., Pembroke, ON K8A 5A8 613 732-7933
October 6, 2026
Ferial – Férie
FROM THE DIOCESE
Thanksgiving Weekend: The Diocesan Offices will be closed on Monday, October 12th, and
will reopen on Tuesday, October 13th at 8:30am.
Action de grâce : Les bureaux du diocèse seront fermés le lundi 12 octobre et rouvriront le
mardi 13 octobre à 8h30.
Ecclesia Fall 2026 Edition: The Ecclesia Fall Edition is now available on the
website: https://pembrokediocese.com/wp-content/uploads/Ecclesia-Fall-2026-final.pdf.
Ecclesia – Édition d'automne 2026 : L'édition d'automne d'Ecclesia est maintenant disponible sur le site web : https://pembrokediocese.com/wp-content/uploads/Ecclesia-Fall-2026-final.pdf.
FROM THE CCCB / DE LA CECC
Joint Statement of the Canadian Catholic Indigenous Council and Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – Tuesday, September 29 2026: Download the PDF.
On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the Canadian Catholic Indigenous Council and Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle honour the Survivors of the Indian Residential School System, the children who never returned home, their families, and the generations who continue to live with its legacy. We remember also the courage of those who have shared their stories and encourage those who continue to listen, so that the truth of our histories remains the foundation upon which we build our collective futures. We cannot turn away from these truths when they are painful or uncomfortable. Our faith calls us instead to encounter them with humility, honesty, and charity as we walk together and learn to live rightly with one another. (Read more…)
Déclaration conjointe de Conseil catholique autochtone du Canada et du Cercle de Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe à l’occasion de la Journée nationale de la vérité et de la réconciliation – mardi le 29 septembre 2026 : Téléchargez le PDF.
En cette Journée nationale de la vérité et de la réconciliation, le Conseil catholique autochtone du Canada et le Cercle de Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe rendent hommage aux survivants du système des pensionnats indiens, aux enfants qui ne sont jamais rentrés chez eux, à leurs familles et aux générations qui continuent de vivre avec cet héritage. Nous nous souvenons également du courage des personnes qui ont partagé leurs récits et nous encourageons ceux et celles qui continuent d’écouter, afin que la vérité de nos histoires demeure le fondement sur lequel nous bâtissons notre avenir collectif. Nous ne pouvons pas détourner le regard de ces vérités lorsqu’elles sont douloureuses ou dérangeantes. Notre foi nous invite plutôt à les affronter avec humilité, honnêteté et charité, alors que nous cheminons ensemble et apprenons à vivre en harmonie les uns avec les autres. (Lire la suite…)
THE HOLY SEE / LE SAINT-SIÈGE
Pope’s Prayer Intention for October 2026: For mental health ministry – Let us pray for that the mental health ministry be established throughout the Church, helping to overcome the stigma and discrimination of persons with mental illnesses.
Intention de prière du Saint-Père pour le mois d’octobre 2026 : Pour la pastorale de la santé mentale – Prions pour que la santé mentale se développe dans toute l’Église et aide à surmonter la stigmatisation et la discrimination à l’égard des personnes atteintes de maladies mentales
VOCATIONS
FAITH FORMATION / L’ÉDUCATION DE LA FOI
MARRIAGE, FAMILY, YOUTH & YOUNG ADULTS / MARIAGE, FAMILLE, JEUNESSE ET JEUNES ADULTES
Marriage Preparation Program: The Fall Diocesan Marriage Preparation Program is coming up on Saturday, October 17th and Saturday, October 31st, 2026 (Location to be determined). Register online at https://www.jotform.com/yvettebourque/marriageprep. E-transfers of $150/couple can be made to donnabiggs@pembrokediocese.com, or mail cheques to Diocese of Pembroke, 284 Trafalgar Road, Pembroke, ON K8A 5A8. Deadline to register is October 15th. For inquiries, please contact Patrick Sullivan at family@pembrokediocese.com or call 613 732-7933 ext. 208. Space is limited. Don't delay!
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) – Registration is open for Pembroke Level 1 and Level 2 CGS at Our Lady of Lourdes Church: This Montessori-based (experiential learning) and child-centered catechetical program offers children a deep engagement with Scripture and the Liturgy, to facilitate the child’s encounter with God, especially Our Lord, the Good Shepherd. The program runs from mid-October to the end of May. Level 1 (ages 3-5) runs Saturday from 10:15am-12:00pm. Level 2 (ages 6-8) on Friday from 4:15-5:45pm. Children new to CGS are welcome into Level 2. Please register at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish office. The cost is $175, plus $150 for each additional child. To learn more about this beautiful program for our young children, visit cgsac.ca (The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Association of Canada), or contact Maria Reilander st.hedwigs.cgs@gmail.com.
PRO-LIFE / PRO-VIE
Celebrate Life Gala Banquet – Hosted by the Renfrew County Right to Life (RCRTL): On Thursday, November 5th at Our Lady of Lourdes Church Hall, Pembroke. Meet & Greet at 5pm – Dinner at 6pm. Guest speakers will be from SILENT NO MORE, an international initiative where people share their personal testimonies regarding the negative emotional and physical impacts of abortion and the hope of post abortion recovery. Please bring your new baby items to donate to First Step Options! Tickets: $40 / $30 students. Reserve your tickets by mailing your cheque to RCRTL ℅ 284 Trafalgar Rd, Pembroke, ON K8A 5A8 or contacting Barb Austen at 613 735-6265.
PARISH EVENTS / ÉVÉNEMENTS PAROISSIAUX
DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE / DÉVELOPPEMENT ET PAIX
OTHER CATHOLIC EVENTS / AUTRES ÉVÉNEMENTS CATHOLIQUES
Public Rosary to Pray for Canada: A public rosary to pray for Canada through the intercession of Mary is scheduled to take place at the Pembroke Riverwalk Amphitheatre on Saturday, October 10th at 12 noon. This event is done in partnership with Canada Needs Our Lady. Please bring your rosary, family members, and friends. Any questions, contact Sean at: avemaria2638@gmail.com.
16th Annual Autumn Pilgrimage to St-Joseph’s Oratory: This year’s pilgrimage will include a special visit after leaving the Oratory to the Shrine of St-Kateri Tekakwitha in Kahnawake, where pilgrims will have the blessed opportunity to pray at the site of her tomb on Sunday, October 18, 2026. Departures available from various locations throughout the Dioceses of Ottawa-Cornwall, Gatineau, Pembroke, and Kingston.
For information or reservations, please email Mike Budge at mikebudge2021@gmail.com or call 613 224-8110. Space is limited. Please reserve as soon as possible!
16e pèlerinage d'automne annuel à l'Oratoire Saint-Joseph : Le pèlerinage comprendra, après le départ de l'Oratoire, une visite spéciale au sanctuaire de sainte Kateri Tekakwitha à Kahnawake, où les pèlerins auront la chance de prier sur le lieu de sa sépulture le dimanche 18 octobre 2026. Des départs sont prévus depuis différents lieux dans les diocèses d’Ottawa-Cornwall, de Gatineau, de Pembroke et de Kingston.
Pour plus d’informations ou pour réserver, veuillez envoyer un courriel à Mike Budge : mikebudge2021@gmail.com ou appeler le 613 224-8110. Les places sont limitées. Veuillez réserver dès que possible !
VOLUNTEER & EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES / OPPORTUNITÉS DE BÉNÉVOLA ET D’EMPLOI
OTHER / AUTRES
Ecumenical Unity Prayer: The Pembroke and Area Clergy Association invites you to its monthly gathering to pray for unity among Christians in the Upper Ottawa Valley and beyond. The next gathering is scheduled for Tuesday, October 6th at 7pm at New Life Community Church, 2777 Petawawa Blvd, Petawawa. All are welcome!
Celtic Concert: Celebrate a century with the Grey Sisters and Deirdre Ni Chinnéide, renowned composer, vocalist, and facilitator from the Aran Islands, with guest performances by The Pembroke Community Choir, conducted by Gerald LaRonde, at the Carefor Mackay Centre, Carrera Hall on Thursday, October 15th at 7pm. Cost: $20 per person. Proceeds to support Carefor Renfrew County. To purchase tickets or for more information visit the website at https://carefor.ca/event/celtic-concert-feturing-deirdre-ni-chinneide/.
Bereavement Support: Widowed? You Don’t Have to Grieve Alone. Madawaska Valley Hospice Palliative Care is offering two supportive retreats at Stevenson’s Lodge in Combermere for people whose spouse or partner has died. Men’s Day Retreat: October 15 | $75, Women’s Weekend Retreat: October 16–18 | $195. Open to widowed adults across Ontario. Spaces are limited. 613 756 3045 ext. 350. Visit the website at: https://www.mvhospice.ca/grief-and-bereavement-services.
Pilgrimage to Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg with Fr. Francis Ching, CC. April 22 – May 4, 2027. 13 days/11 nights. 3 Marian apparition sites, 1 Eucharistic Miracle site, St. Damien of Molokai, famous relics, Flanders Fields. Price includes all fares, fees, tips, stipends, taxes, & meals except 10 lunches. $7335 per person (double occ) Toronto Departure. Information Meeting Sunday, November 15th 2:00pm at St. Mary’s Parish, Ottawa. For information contact Tour Coordinator Laurie Courchesne-Dooley at 613 732-5739, mobile 613 602-3535 or e-mail lafrcodo@outlook.com.
Pilgrimage with Monsignor Joseph Muldoon: You are invited to join Msgr. Joseph Muldoon on a pilgrimage to Marian Shrines, the Camino and the Pyrenees, from March 31 - April 14, 2027. Msgr. Muldoon will serve as the Spiritual Director. Stops will include Lisbon, Fatima, Porto, Santiago de Compostela, León, Lourdes, Andorra, Barcelona and Montserrat. A meeting is scheduled for Sunday, October 25 at 2pm at Holy Cross Parish, 685 Walkley Rd., in the parish hall. For reservations or more information, please contact Dennis Kam, JBC Travel at 613 569-3888 ext. 3 or dennis@jbctravel.ca.
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A woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Mary chose the better part.