2023 Annual / Advent Retreat

Lay Carmelite - Annual /Advent Retreat

Friday, 8th December 2023

Led by: Deacon Gerard Almeida

Deacon Gerry Almeida’s journey to the Diaconate began on August 15, 1993, when he heard the Archdiocese program “CALLED BY NAME” promoted on the pulpit at the Nativity of Our Lord Parish in Etobicoke. At that very moment, he felt the call to the Diaconate.

His journey to the Diaconate, to follow in the very words of Jesus, “To serve and not be served” could not have been possible without the support and love of his family; his children were just 10 and 7 when his wife Stella and he joined the program. Wives of candidates participated in all courses and additionally in an ongoing women’s program, specific to each year of formation.

While maintaining full-time employment, attending to family and studies proved challenging, but with God’s Grace encouraging them to persist, they were able to meet all the challenges they faced and saw His call to completion.

He successfully completed the 4-year Formation Program and was ordained to the Sacred Order of a Permanent Deacon on June 20, 1998, at St. Michael’s Cathedral, with his wife Stella, his children Shelley and Wesley and other family members present. On June 20, 2023, he celebrated the 25th anniversary of his Ordination.

During the 25 years as a Deacon, apart from the usual ministries as being the Deacon at the Eucharist, delivering the homily, Baptisms, Funerals and Marriage interviews, he saw other needs in the parish and embarked to meet some of them.

Formation programs were undertaken for R.C.I.A., Alpha, Altar Servers, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion workshops. Novenas to the Holy Spirit and Advent Retreats were held at the parish. He is also the Faith Director of the Knights of Columbus.

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The Presentation of Mary in the Temple

The Immaculate Conception

Journey to the Inn

Lay Carmelite - Annual /Advent Retreat

Saturday, 9th December 2023

Led by: Fr. Dominic Borg, O.C.D.

Fr. Dominic Borg is the provincial delegate of discalced Carmelite Friars in Canada. Specialized in Biblical languages of Hebrew and Greek. Past member of the Malta Bible Society, British and Foreign Bible Society and United Bible Societies.

Fr. Dominic Borg was born in Malta in 1947.He was introduced to the classical languages of Greek and Latin while studying at the Border School of the Discalced Carmelites, at the age of 10. At the age of 14 years, 6 months he joined the Discalced Carmelite Order as a Postulant and started the Novitiate at the age of 15.

After the Novitiate, he was sent to Oxford, England to study philosophy. After finishing philosophy, he studied theology at the National Institute of Ecclesiastical Studies for Religious in Malta ("INSERM").

While still a student of theology, he was asked by his biblical professors to join the Maltese Bible Society in their translation of the Bible from the original languages to Maltese. Having been granted permission by his Superiors, he was assigned the Book of Psalms. Apart from lecturing on Biblical topics, both to Religious and to Lay people, he held offices as Superior of Religious Communities and Master of Formation for Students and Provincial Councillor.

After his ordination in 1972, he continued to study Greek and Hebrew with Oxford University for 10 years. He has worked with national and international biblical Translators, and, at present, he is an active member of the British and Foreign Bible Society. He is also a member of the United Bible Societies. His specialty is the Gospel of St. John.

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