“I do all that I do for the sake of the Gospel” – 1 Cor. 9, 23.

On one of the coldest days of the second week of February, exactly on the Monday, Feb. 16, the Consolata Missionaries in Toronto, Canada, celebrated the founder’s (Bl. Joseph Allamano) day on an occasion which fell on the civil family day in Toronto. Mass was celebrated at 12pm, followed by a family luncheon at 13.00pm.

All was graced by a participation of Bishop John A. Boissonneau, Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto, who presided the mass, together with the Consolata missionary priests in Toronto (Frs. Jose Martins, Zachariah King'aru, Mugo Dionysius and Michael Mutinda), other missionary priests from various congregations and the diocese, hundreds of friends, benefactors, relatives and well wishers of Consolata missions.

The event was also marked by blessing of two stained glasses in our chapel – image of our founder, blessed Joseph Allamano and of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, a native saint. During the celebration, the bishop reminded the faithful that the public veneration of the saints by us should, looking at them, who have followed Christ faithfully, be motivated to seek the city that is to come and in a particular way learn the way that will enable us most surely to attain complete union with Christ. His Lordship, citing the words of the gospel for the day “...and all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him... (Lk. 4, 16-20)”, said that, the church has this as a missionary call. The world has his eyes fixed on the church to see light; to see the way; to see the path of salvation; and that non other than us missionaries (and all are missionaries by the fact of baptism) have this calling to lead the world to Jesus...to have the world has his eyes fixed on Jesus.

The Consolata Missionaries in Toronto are extremely grateful to all who in one way or the other, made and always make the missionaries’ mission a possible sharing as a family by their donations, time, talent, work and prayer. God bless all through the intercession of Our Lady Consolata and Blessed Joseph Allamano.