{"id":6932,"date":"2020-04-06T16:31:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-06T20:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stclement-ottawa.org\/?p=6932"},"modified":"2026-03-14T20:19:28","modified_gmt":"2026-03-15T00:19:28","slug":"a-message-from-fr-deprey-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stclement-ottawa.org\/fr\/a-message-from-fr-deprey-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Un message de l'abb\u00e9 Deprey"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cardinal Sarah on Counting Your Blessings<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chers paroissiens,<\/p>\n

Well it would be an understatement to say that this has been a very strange week.\u00a0 But despite the strangeness, life goes on at the parish.\u00a0\u00a0 The fathers continue to pray their morning breviary together, followed by morning meditation.\u00a0 We each offer our daily masses. \u00a0 We hear the confessions of the faithful who’ve arranged a time with us.\u00a0 We pray the Rosary in common in the afternoons.\u00a0 And we continue to prepare our sermons for the Sundays and Feasts.\u00a0 As I write, Fr. Debow is busily working on his sermon for you for Passion Sunday.<\/p>\n

We are also working on filming and uploaded the masses and rosaries and are experimenting on improving the sound quality.\u00a0 The response from you has been encouraging.<\/p>\n

I know that I had initially asked that you all consider a technology fast for Lent, but given the current circumstances, let\u2019s take advantage of what it has to offer for our spiritual lives while at the same time not letting ourselves be too attached to screen time.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s important that you all get out of the house a bit, go for a walk, and attend to projects around the home.\u00a0\u00a0 We could all probably devote some time to \u201cspring cleaning\u201d.\u00a0 It will help us avoid getting “stir crazy.”<\/p>\n

We have been receiving many phone calls from people requesting Confession and have been accommodating the best we can to provide that sacrament in a safe environment.\u00a0\u00a0 We have two stations in the parish hall catechism rooms which are less confined than a regular confessional and which can be more easily cleaned and aired out while at the same time offering sufficient privacy.\u00a0 You\u2019ll be pleased to know that even though you need to make an appointment (to avoid too many people at once)<\/em> that we have kneelers with screens so you can still be anonymous.\u00a0\u00a0 Others prefer to simply confess outside at the back porch of the hall, or by going for a walk with the priest around the block.\u00a0\u00a0 Don\u2019t hesitate to contact us about an appointment.<\/p>\n

With the help of three volunteers we managed to get all the Passion Sunday veils ironed and placed on all of the statues on Saturday.\u00a0\u00a0 Even though you are not able to be with us we feel it is important that the liturgical customs continue.\u00a0 If you have not done this at home, I would encourage you to find ways to cover your main sacred images at least, in a spirit of penance.<\/p>\n

Why in the end do we cover our sacred images on Passion Sunday?<\/p>\n

There is an old adage that basically says that we don\u2019t appreciate things sometimes until they are taken away from us.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s when they are taken away that we see how important they really were and how much we depended on them.<\/p>\n

How true that is!<\/p>\n

I have been reflecting on this ever since the restrictions on gatherings began to take place with this virus scare.\u00a0 And now with the closure of the church even more so.<\/p>\n

I think God is trying to tell us something.<\/p>\n

That we have so often taken Him for granted.\u00a0\u00a0 Perhaps, like a good father who needs to teach his child a lesson on gratitude, our Father in heaven has decided to withdraw His consoling hand from us for a time, so that we better appreciate all that He provides to us ungrateful children.<\/p>\n

We so much want to attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and to receive Holy Communion.\u00a0\u00a0 To hear the choir and smell the incense.\u00a0 To see the sacred liturgy in all its splendour.\u00a0\u00a0 To see the boys serving mass with reverence.\u00a0 To meet up with our friends after mass.\u00a0 But current circumstances prevent us from making this possible.<\/p>\n

But remember that this privation of the good is an opportunity to redouble our sense of appreciation.\u00a0 Because too often we \u201creceive\u201d the sacraments but forget to thank the Lord for them.<\/p>\n

This is not a time simply to petition the Lord for a lifting of the current restrictions.\u00a0\u00a0 No.\u00a0 This is a time to thank Him for all that we have received from Him in the past.\u00a0\u00a0 To doubly thank him for the gratuitous gift of Himself in the Holy Eucharist.\u00a0 To make acts of reparation for all the times that we have received Him without even thanking Him.<\/p>\n

How many Holy Communions have you received in your life?\u00a0\u00a0 Can you count them?\u00a0 \u00a0Think over the years how many times you have received Our Lord, how many Masses you\u2019ve attended.\u00a0 With all those Holy Communions we should all be saints.\u00a0 The reality is that most of us aren\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Why is that?<\/p>\n

It has to do with our dispositions.\u00a0\u00a0 And one of them is related to gratitude.\u00a0\u00a0 Let\u2019s no longer approach confession and communion as a \u201crevolving door\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And let us especially not reduce the Holy Eucharist to a mere \u201cright\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0 It is not a \u201cright\u201d but rather a privilege<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0 A free gift of God.<\/p>\n

We don\u2019t deserve such a marvelous gift.<\/p>\n

Cardinal Robert Sarah, in his recent book written in collaboration with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI entitled \u201cFrom the Depths of Our Hearts\u201d, makes reference to this aspect.\u00a0 In that chapter he speaks of the error of ordaining married men to the priesthood in the Amazon on the argument that people have a \u201cright\u201d to the Eucharist.\u00a0 \u00a0Reflecting on the concept of reducing the Eucharist to a mere \u201cright\u201d he boldly says:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe priesthood is a gift that is received as the Incarnation of the Word is received.\u00a0 A community that was formed according to the idea of a \u201cright to the Eucharist\u201d would no longer be a disciple of Christ.\u00a0 As its name indicates, the Eucharist is thanksgiving, a gratuitous gift, a merciful present.\u00a0 The Eucharistic presence is received with wonder and joy as an unmerited gift.\u00a0 Any believer who claims it is his due shows that he is incapable of understanding it<\/span>.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

(From the Depths of Our Hearts<\/u>, ch. 2, p.75, Ignatius Press, 2020).\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

What a statement !<\/p>\n

Have we perhaps reduced the reception of the sacraments, at least in our perceptions, to a mere right, especially now?\u00a0 Have we perhaps lost our sense of wonder and appreciation for the gift of God?\u00a0\u00a0 Have we forgotten that in the end we don\u2019t deserve this gift<\/span>?<\/p>\n

This is not a time to organize protest rallies or petitions or angry letters to our Archbishop, priests or superiors.\u00a0 What will that accomplish for your own soul?<\/p>\n

This is a rather a time to count your blessings.\u00a0 Because God has been so good to us.\u00a0 And now perhaps we are being punished for our lack of gratitude.<\/p>\n

What do we give Him in return for this gift of this cross in Lent?<\/p>\n

Will you let Him form you in the virtues of patience and reparation through it, or are you going to let yourself become bitter because of it ?<\/p>\n

The choice is yours.<\/p>\n

Our Lord says:<\/p>\n

\u201cIf any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.\u201d <\/em><\/strong>(Matthew 16:24)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

And St. Paul says:<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd we know that to them that love God, all things work together unto good, to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints.\u201d <\/em><\/strong>(Rom. 8: 28).\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

In the end it\u2019s about trust.\u00a0\u00a0 And don\u2019t forget what Our Lord said:<\/p>\n

\u201cFor where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>(Matthew 18:20)<\/em><\/p>\n

Our Lord has not abandoned you.\u00a0 If you pray the Rosary as a family, He will be there in the midst of you.\u00a0 Keep praying, make a daily spiritual communion, and you will weather this storm in peace.<\/p>\n

A prayer for spiritual communion can be found below.<\/p>\n

We are praying for you!\u00a0 We\u2019ll see this through !\u00a0 And thank-you again for your prayers because we need them !<\/p>\n

In Christo,
\n<\/em>Abb\u00e9 Erik Deprey, FSSP<\/em><\/strong>
\n Cur\u00e9<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Prayer of Spiritual Communion:<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.<\/em><\/strong>
\nI love you above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul.<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,<\/em><\/strong>
\n come at least spiritually into my heart.<\/em><\/strong>
\n
\nI embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you.<\/em><\/strong>
\nNever permit me to be separated from you.<\/em><\/strong>
\n
\nAinsi soit-il.<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

 <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cardinal Sarah on Counting Your Blessings My fellow parishioners, Well it would be an understatement to say that this has been a very strange week.\u00a0 But despite the strangeness, life goes on at the parish.\u00a0\u00a0 The fathers continue to pray their morning breviary together, followed by morning meditation.\u00a0 We each offer our daily masses. \u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":6937,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stclement-ottawa.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6932","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stclement-ottawa.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stclement-ottawa.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stclement-ottawa.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stclement-ottawa.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6932"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/stclement-ottawa.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6932\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13792,"href":"https:\/\/stclement-ottawa.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6932\/revisions\/13792"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stclement-ottawa.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6937"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stclement-ottawa.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6932"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stclement-ottawa.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6932"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stclement-ottawa.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6932"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}