Breaking News

A Message From Fr. Bob Poole Concerning the Fire at St. Philip Parish – February 15, 2024

Please see below a message from Fr. Bob Poole concerning yesterday’s fire at St. Philip Parish:

“By now, I am sure that you have heard the distressing news about the fire that broke out last night at St Philip’s church. Ironically, yesterday was Ash Wednesday, and an hour earlier we had just been receiving ashes on our foreheads during Mass at the church!

The good news is that no-one was injured, the church was empty and locked up after the 7pm Mass had ended. Also, the early raising of the alarm by someone passing by the church who noticed the fire breaking out, and the prompt action on the part of the fire crews, meant that the fire damage was contained to the bell tower. Unfortunately, the neon cross on the top of the tower fell down, and other debris had to be cleared from the tower as a result of the fire, but the main body of the church was undamaged apart from some water falling down onto the balcony and into the lobby from the tower.

We are still awaiting official notice as to the cause of the fire, but it looks for now as if some electrical fault in the wire leading up to the cross is responsible. At the moment, we are concentrating on cleaning up the debris from the blaze. My thanks to the Knights for volunteering their service to help with the clean-up, and to all those who reached out to express their loving concern and promise of prayers and offers of help. Thanks also to St Philip School for the offer of the use of their premises for our liturgies. Also, to the ministers of the Richmond ministerial group for reaching out to us.

We are intending to resume full services in the church very soon, once we are able.Read more...

Registering Children for the Sacraments of First Communion, First Reconciliation and Confirmation

Please save Wednesday September 27th!  – Registration Night for First Communion, First Reconciliation and Confirmation in the 2023-2024 School Year:

Grade 2 students – Registration for the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Communion

We invite you to attend our registration meeting (this will be the only registration night offered) on Wednesday, September 27th from 6:30-7:30pm in the St. Philip Parish Hall at 127 Burke Street. Parents wishing for their child(ren) to participate in these sacraments are asked to attend this session to find out more about the program and obtain information about how to register. The children are also welcome to attend the session. Please pre-register to attend this event by completing this Google form

If your child is in a higher grade and missed the sacrament over the past few years, they are still invited to participate. For more information, please attend the meeting on September 27th.

For more information, please contact the St. Philip Church office at [email protected]

Grade 6 students – Registration for the Sacrament of Confirmation – We invite you to attend our registration meeting (this will be the only registration night offered) on Wednesday, September 27th from 7:30-8:30pm in the St. Philip Parish Hall at 127 Burke Street. Parents wishing for their child(ren) to participate in this sacrament are asked to attend this session to find out more about the program and obtain information about how to register. The children are also welcome to attend the session. Please pre-register to attend this event by completing this Google form

If your child is in a higher grade and missed the sacrament over the past few years, they are still invited to participate. For more information, please attend the meeting on September 27th.

For more information, contact the St. Philip Church office at [email protected]Read more...

2022 Tax Receipts Now Available

Tax Receipts (which have been available for pickup at the back of St Philips and St Clares since February 18th) have now been mailed out through the post office. Should you wish to have your tax receipt emailed to you, email the office and we will do our best to turn these around within 3 business days (office is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9am to 1:30pm). Please give us as much notice as possible.

If you have not already done so, kindly pick up your box of 2023 donation envelopes – many remain at the back of the church. Use of your assigned box helps us greatly to ensure your tax receipt is correct. Thank you.

Parish to Live-stream Only Sunday Masses during Summer Months

As stated in this weekend’s bulletin (June 25-26, 2022), due to a shortage of live-stream ministry volunteers and to allow our remaining volunteers some time off during the summer, St. Philip Parish will not be live-streaming Saturday evening Masses, effective immediately and through to Labour Day weekend. We plan to return to live-streaming Saturday evening Masses beginning on Saturday, September 10, 2022. Additionally, we will not be live-streaming the Sunday Mass on Sunday, July 31, 2022.

Anybody interested in joining the livestream ministry is encouraged to contact the Parish Office.

We thank all of the live-stream ministry volunteers, both past and currently, for their dedication to this ministry, and for their service to the parish community. We wish them all a relaxing and healthy summer season.

2021 Tax Receipts Available

2021 Tax Receipts will be available for pickup at the back of each of the churches. Please note that due to COVID circumstances beyond our control, any donations hand delivered to the parish from December 13 to December 31, 2021 (inclusive) will be included on your 2022 tax receipt (this does not affect donations sent electronically [by e-transfer or Pre-Authorized Payments]). We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Holy Week and Easter Schedule

Here is the Holy Week and Easter Schedule. All services will also be live-streamed on our YouTube channel (click the ‘Watch Mass’ button above). We are following the province’s ‘grey zone’ regulations (which say that 15% of our church capacity may attend in person). To attend in person, all people must register (using the ‘Attend Mass’ button above). We wish you a holy and blessed holy week and Easter!