What a day for these two! John Paul received his First Holy Communion and baby Ben was baptized on Saturday. 

These two share a special connection. They are named for St Jean de Brebeuf and St Gabriel Lalemant (middle names), Jesuit missionaries to Canada who were martyred together. And now they share special sacrament anniversaries too.

It was a beautiful, beautiful day with the Mass for the (transferred feast) of St Jean Baptiste, the baptism immediately afterwards, and hanging out with family who came to be with us. 

Welcome to the Church, Benedict Jean! Congratulations, John Paul Gabriel!

Joseph's Confirmation & First Holy Communion

  

We were really thrilled for Joseph to be able to receive his Confirmation and First Holy Communion last week, June 12th. Originally, we had planned to have him receive his sacraments at the Latin Mass in Saskatoon. But when covid shut down everything, it was indefinitely postponed. Then, the bishop of Saskatoon gave all his priests faculties to administer Confirmation and Dan's priest brother, Fr Darryl, graciously offered to have a small family Mass and give Joseph and his cousin, Catherine (our god-daughter) their sacraments. Deo Gratias!

It was a longed-for and beautiful day. We had not been to Mass since the Feast of St Joseph on March 19th. Thus, it was extra special to attend Mass for the first time and receive Jesus for the first (and first in months) time. Joseph had been preparing for and looking forward to this day for several years. Emilie asked him afterwards: "Are you holy now, Joseph?" And his smile said it all. What a wonderful day!