St. Dunstan's Basilica Parish

THE SOCIETY OF SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL has been approached by an individual in need of a bed and dresser. If you have a spare bed and/or dresser that you would be prepared to donate please call 902-393-0018. Thank you for your support.

The Charlottetown Legion Choir will be performing a concert Sunday, May 26 at St. Joachim’s Church, Vernon River at 3 pm, doors opening at 2:30. Director Travis Boudreau will be accompanied on keyboard by St. Dunstan's music director Leo Marchildon. Tickets are $10 cash in advance from choir members or $12 at the door ($8 for veterans and spouses). Advance tickets will be sold at Our Lady of Assumption Church, Stratford after the 4 pm Mass Saturday, May 18 and after the 10:45 am Mass at St Joachim’s Sunday May 19. The concert will be repeated at St. Paul's Church, Charlottetown Tuesday, May 28 at 7:30 pm. Advance tickets may be used at either location.

Congratulations to the Newly Baptized. During the month of May the following children were received into our Parish family through the Sacrament of Baptism: Carmella M. & Julianne B.

St. Vincent de Paul Monthly Meeting: Thursday, May 23 at 7:30 pm in the K of C Room. Please use Dorchester side entrance.

A suggestion has been made that children at Mass should be accompanied to the washroom downstairs by a parent rather than going on their own. In the interest of safety, this is a prudent practice to follow. If your child has such a need, please go with them.

1ST SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH: Parishioners who are able to donate non perishable food items, please bring them to the weekend masses for the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry. Donations may be left near the angel holy water fonts at the entrance to the church. We hope that you can continue to give generously to support the needy in our parish community.

The refurbished front doors have been installed at the church. We acknowledge with gratitude the commitment and skill of the staff and students of the Holland College Heritage Retrofit Carpentry Program. The remaining two doors are scheduled for the same treatment as space becomes available in the upcoming Holland College school year.

As we well know, the front steps to the church are in dire need of repair. Arrangements have been made to begin work once the weather is suitable. In the meantime, please exercise caution when using the steps.

Saturday, May 25 at 7 pm in the church. This special concert will include an overview of St. Dunstan's life, as well as a sketch of the Basilica's hundred-year history. Throughout, led by the Basilica Choir and director, Leo Marchildon, will be heard a sampling of liturgical music and hymnody from 1919 to the present. Featured will be the premiere of Leo's setting of “Ave Dunstane,” a hymn honouring St. Dunstan, whose Latin text dates back to the 10th century. Also performed will be his “St. Dunstan’s Dream," composed in 2013. All welcome to help celebrate the Basilica's 100 years. Free will offering to be shared among Refugee Committee, St. Vincent de Paul and Parish needs.

As a way of marking the centennial of our present Basilica, we will be providing some historical sketches over the course of this year. Our thanks to Fr. Art O'Shea for these. Today, we'll start way back…
Two hundred years ago the Diocese of Quebec was the only Roman Catholic Diocese in what is present-day Canada. In the summer of 1812, Bishop Plessis of Quebec made an extended tour of our Maritime region, remaining two weeks on Prince Edward Island, where Father Angus MacEachern was at that time the only priest serving the scattered Catholic population here. The Bishop spent two days in Charlottetown where there was yet no church. As he was leaving here, he directed Father MacEachern to arrange the building of a suit- able church and he designated its proper location: a high point in the town overlooking the harbour – the site of the present St. Dunstan's.

Automatic debit is an option for those who would like to contribute using that means. Please contact the Parish Office for information.

The church building, which was to become the first cathedral of the newly-formed Diocese of Charlottetown in 1829, was erected on the site of the present church in 1816. It was replaced by a larger wooden building in 1843, which itself gave way to a magnificent stone structure, destroyed by fire in 1913. This year marks the 100th Anniversary of the dedication of our present St. Dunstan's Basilica, the fourth cathedral of the Diocese of Charlottetown. As a way of marking the 100th Anniversary of our Basilica, Confirmation and other catechetics classes from across the Diocese will be invited for tours of our Diocesan Cathedral. Our thanks to the organizers, Charlene Peters and Fr. Art O'Shea.

A new book entitled “Understanding The Impact of the Addicted Person: A layperson's guide to recovery" has recently been published by Jim Good, retired family addictions counsellor. Available for purchase at the St. Dunstan’s parish office for $20. For more info call Jim at 902 963-2794.

The 12:05 weekday Mass will be held in the church basement until spring