Beloved Disciple Catholic Church, Toronto

"A progressive, inclusive, affirming Catholicism rooted in Tradition"

CALENDAR 21 February – 17 March 2010

Archbishop LaRade, OFA is away until March 17 and so daily Mass will not be offered at the Chapel during that period.

21 Su 10:00a Mass+ FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT O sd V

4:30p Mass* FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT O V

28 Su 4:30p Mass* SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT O V

07 Su 4:30p Mass* THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT O V

14 Su 4:30p Mass* FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT O V

17 We 5:30p Mass^ St. Patrick, BpC F d W

18 Th 8:00a Mass St. Cyril of Jerusalem, BpCD F d W

19 F 8:00a Mass ST. JOSEPH, SPOUSE OF THE BVM, C F/A d1cl W

20 S 9:30a Mass Ferial Day F s V

21 Su 10:00a Mass+ PASSION SUNDAY O sd1cl V

St. Benedict, Ab

4:30p Mass* FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT O V

^Daily weekday Mass is according to the Usus Antiquior (Latin).

Morning Prayer (Matins-Lauds) starts 40 minutes before morning Masses

+Usus Antiquior (Latin) *Novus Ordo (English)

F Fast A Abstinence PA Partial Abstinence O Day of Obligation

Holy Mass

Holy Mass is celebrated in the Chapel of Our Lady of the Annunciation and of the Beloved Disciple, the domestic chapel of the Convent of Our Lady of the Annunciation. The Chapel is easily accessible by the TTC. There is on-street parking. Please call 416-937-9459 for location details. All are welcome.

We use both the Traditional Rite in Latin (Usus Antiquior) and the New Rite in English (Novus Ordo) for Holy Mass, according to the liturgical calendar appropriate to each. In the Usus Antiquior, the homilies are always in English; the priest, along with the whole assembly, always faces the Altar for the Eucharistic Canon (a sign of our common prayer to God); and the antiphons (Entrance, Gradual/Tract, Gospel Acclamation, Offertory, Communion) are sung Gregorian chant in Latin. Hymns in English are also sung. Translations of all Latin texts are always provided.

About us

Beloved Disciple Catholic Church is a progressive and affirming worship community within the Église Catholique Eucharistique - Eucharistic Catholic Church (ECE-ECC). Located in Toronto, Ontario, we are an inclusive, LGBTQ-affirming community welcoming of all Christians.

The ECE-ECC and Beloved Disciple provide a Catholic witness to the inclusive love of Christ.  As such, we affirm that there are no throw-away people in God's creation.  We affirm that gender, marital status and sexual orientation are not to be used as exclusionary factors.  We welcome the inclusion of women in the priesthood, the marriage of priests and the wedding of gay and lesbian couples as gifts of God.  We strive to be a place of healing for those who have been hurt by their church of origin, but still yearn for Catholic spirituality and liturgy. We value His Holiness the Pope as our patriarch, spiritual father and symbol of unity; yet, we are Catholics-in-exile and are not under the authority of the Vatican. In our relationship to other churches and ecclesial communities, we ascribe to the oft-quoted saying attributed to St. Augustine of Hippo: In necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas (In essentials unity; in doubtful matters liberty; and in all love).

See our monthly newsletters for topical information on social, spiritual and liturgical issues. Each newsletter includes a monthly liturgical calendar.

Beloved Disciple Catholic Church is listed at www.gaychurch.org, a web site dedicated to ministering to the gay and lesbian Christian community (GLBT) and to the friends of our community. The site features one of the largest gay Christian bulletin boards and gay "welcoming" Christian church directories in the world. A large section of the site is dedicated to articles pertinent to reconciling one's faith with one's sexual orientation ("Gay and Christian?").

Weddings

For weddings, Archbishop Roger and Monsignor Stuart help couples ritualize their commitment; in most cases their participation includes helping the couple create a ceremony that is meaningful for them, as well as officiating at the ceremony if requested.  They are pleased to blend the different religious traditions of couples in their wedding ceremonies.  Divorce is not an automatic impediment to re-marriage in the Church.

We solemnize both opposite- and same-sex marriages.  Ceremonies for same-sex couples - like those for heterosexual couples - affirm that God’s love is witnessed and embodied in these relationships.  Therefore, these are sacramental events. In Ontario same-sex marriages are legally registered with the province.

One of the weddings Abp. Roger officiated was the subject of an episode of the popular TV program Rich Bride/Poor Bride.

If you want to talk about planning a wedding, are interested in the celebration of any sacrament, or want to explore your own spirituality through individual sessions, please contact Abp. Roger.

Our Patron

Saint John, the youngest of the Twelve Apostles, describes himself as the "disciple whom Jesus loved" (Jn.: 13:23). He is known as the Beloved Disciple because the Scriptures reveal that Jesus loved him with a special love which was shown in many ways. It is Saint John who rests his head on Jesus’ breast at the Last Supper. Being the only Apostle who didn't forsake Jesus during His Passion, he stood at the foot of the Cross as Jesus died. It is to his care that Jesus entrusted Mary, his mother. Saint John, with Saint Peter and Saint James, were the only ones Jesus admitted to the room where he raised from death the daughter of Jairus; and they alone were present at the Transfiguration and at the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

The Early Church believed that after the crucifixion, Saint John took the Mother of God to Ephesus and was present at her death. Around the year 90 he was taken to Rome to be martyred but miraculously escaped death and was exiled by the emperor Domitian to the solitary isle of Patmos. There he received and dictated to his young scribe Prochorus, the final book of Scripture, the Revelation. St. Augustine and some in the Eastern church believe John died in Ephesus c. 101, a radiantly holy elder bishop, his last words having been "Little children, love one another."

Saint John is the author of a Gospel, three Epistles and the apocalyptic Book of Revelation. It is from him that we receive the message that the light of God's love is the only force able to counter the darkness of hate. Saint John's stated purpose in writing his Gospel is "...so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name" (Jn. 20:31). It is this message of God's love offered through Jesus the Christ to all people that we hope to proclaim as we build an inclusive Catholicism.

Biographical Profiles

Most Reverend Roger LaRade, O.F.A. is archbishop of the ECE-ECC and founding pastor of Beloved Disciple Catholic Church.

He entered the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1977 and was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1986.  He left the Jesuits in 1990.  His decision to leave was based on two factors: taking a public position against the Church’s teaching on gay and lesbian lives and a desire to be in a committed relationship.  He and his husband Mark met in 1991 and live in Toronto.  After 12 years together, they were married in the summer of 2003 following Ontario’s recognition in law of same-sex marriages.

Abp. Roger was called back to ministry by the gay and lesbian couples who asked him to officiate at their commitment ceremonies and Holy Unions.  He returned to active ministry as a priest in 2003. In 2006 he founded a religious community in the Franciscan spirit: the Order of Franciscans of the Annunciation of the Infinite Love of God, also known as the Franciscans of the Annunciation.

On June 11, 2005, then-Father Roger was called to the Episcopate to be chief shepherd of L'Église Catholique Eucharistique - The Eucharistic Catholic Church (ECE-ECC); he was ordained and consecrated a bishop in Apostolic Succession on December 10, 2005 in Washington, D.C.

Reflecting on his ministry, Abp. Roger says, “My life as a Jesuit for thirteen years, and my priestly ministry since then, has given me experience and training which is helpful to others as they search to make sense of faith and spirituality.  This search can be difficult because it is often based in the context of a negative experience within the church of their youth.  My ministry is open to all. As an openly gay man prohibited as such from ministry within the Roman Catholic Church, I feel a special calling to assist others excluded by their church of origin who are searching for spiritual meaning.  We desire to claim our rightful place in Christian life.  The Eucharistic Catholic Church, given its origins in seeking justice and inclusive Catholic practice for lesbians and gays, and its affirming and respectful inclusion of all believers, provides a Catholic community which can nurture our spiritual yearning.”

Abp. Roger has been featured on CITY-TV and VISION TV. His views on gays and the priesthood have been carried in the Toronto Star, and the Globe and Mail – Canada’s national newspaper – has published his comments on Catholicism and LGBTQ issues.

Clergy of the ECE-ECC are not employed by the ECE-ECC and do not receive renumeration from the ECE-ECC.  Abp. Roger is in private practice as a Jungian Analyst and a Spiritual Director. He is a member of the International Association of Analytical Psychology (Jungian Analysis) and of Spiritual Directors International. Prior to this, he was Director of Support Services at the AIDS Committee of Toronto.

Photographs of the Ordination of Abp. Roger LaRade

Right Reverend Stuart Watson, P.D., V.G., Domestic Prelate, is vicar-general of the ECE-ECC and associate pastor of Beloved Disciple Catholic Church.

Monsignor Watson was born in south-western Ontario, the fourth son of the family and the second to enter Orders.  After completing a Bachelor's degree in Science he moved to Toronto to study theology, obtaining his Masters in Divinity in 1977 and his Masters in Theology in 1986. He obtained the Doctor of Ministry degree in 1990.

After several years of ministry with the Anglican Church of Canada and the Ontario Old Roman Catholic Church, he was incardinated with the ECE-ECC in 2007. He is the principal celebrant at the 4:30 Mass each Sunday at Beloved Disciple in Toronto. In addition to Sunday duties and Sacramental celebrations, he is involved in family counselling and ministry to street workers and new immigrants.

Following the 2009 ECE-ECC Synod and Annual General Meeting, he was appointed Vicar-general and was made a Domestic Prelate of the ECE-ECC. As Vicar-general, he assists the Archbishop in the administration of the Church.

He has been involved in secular employment as a recruiter in healthcare and academics for the past 5 years.  He is a member of Forte, the Men's Chorus of Toronto. He is a proud Gay father and grandfather.

L'Église Catholique Eucharistique - The Eucharistic Catholic Church (ECE-ECC)

+ A progressive, inclusive and affirming Catholic Church
+ Welcoming the inclusion of women in the priesthood, the marriage of priests and the wedding of gay and lesbian couples as gifts of God
+ A place of healing for those who have been hurt by their church of origin, but still yearn for Catholic spirituality and liturgy
+ A Church in the Apostolic Succession
+ Valuing the primacy of honour of His Holiness the Pope as Successor of St. Peter and Patriarch of the West; we pray for the Holy Father at every Mass we celebrate
+ Catholics-in-exile, not under the authority and jurisdiction of the Vatican

The ECE-ECC encompasses the following ministries:

Beloved Disciple Catholic Church, Toronto, ON, Canada

Hermitage of Our Lady of Walsingham & St. George, Cleveland, GA, USA (O.F.A.)

Mission of St. Anthony of Padua, Kennesaw, GA, USA (O.F.A.)

Order of Franciscans of the Annunciation of the Infinite Love of God [Franciscans of the Annunciation] (O.F.A.); Convent of Our Lady of the Annunciation, Toronto, ON, Canada

St. Clare Convent, Moorhead, MN, USA (O.F.A.)

Recovery Centre Mass, Moorhead, MN, USA

St. John Fisher Mission, Renfrew, ON, Canada

The ECE-ECC is an independent, self-governing jurisdiction with its own hierarchy. The ECE-ECC holds a federal charter in Canada since 1977. Our beginnings go back to the Eucharistic Catholic Church founded in the 1940s in the United States of America.

In 1977 Archbishop Robert Clement, Primate of the Eucharistic Catholic Church, received Fr. Hervé Lionel Quessy of Montreal and several other clerics, all ordained in Old Catholic orders, into the Eucharistic Catholic Church. Two mission parishes were established - one in Montréal and one in Québec City. Fr. Quessy was appointed Vicar General for the Canadian Church. On 2 November 1977 L'Église Catholique Eucharistique - The Eucharistic Catholic Church (ECE-ECC) was incorporated by Canadian Royal Letters Patent. However, by April of 1981 the activity of the church had lapsed.

On 28 March 2004 Primate Clement gave permission to Bishop Darrel D. Hockley of Regina to restart the work of the ECE-ECC in Canada.  In 2005, Bp. Hockley called on Fr. Roger LaRade to accept the leadership of the ECE-ECC. Committed to witnessing the inclusive love of God and having an active gay-friendly ministry in Toronto, Fr. LaRade accepted to assume the leadership of the Church. After consulting Primate Clement, Bp. Hockley resigned his office effective 1 June 2005 and passed on the legal charter of the ECE-ECC to Fr. LaRade as Bishop-elect. Fr. LaRade was consecrated Bishop in Apostolic Succession on December 10, 2005. The ECE-ECC is fully autonomous and independent of the Eucharistic Catholic Church.

Franciscans of the Annunciation

On the Feast of the Annunciation 2006, Archbishop Roger founded a religious community within the ECE-ECC. He named this new community the Order of Franciscans of the Annunciation of the Infinite Love of God, also known as the Franciscans of the Annunciation. The initials which members of the Order place after their names are O.F.A. Members who live their vocation as hermits add the abbreviation ‘eremi.’ (from the Latin eremita, hermit) after O.F.A. (O.F.A.eremi.) to designate this status.

Following the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience we experience and live our vows as partnered/married or single persons, male and female, all under the same rule of life. We desire to have Saint Francis as a guide to our following of Jesus. We identify strongly with Jesus’ call to Saint Francis to “go, rebuild my Church”. We understand this in the contemporary world as a call to proclaim (announce – Annunciation) the Infinite Love of God for all people. God’s Infinite Love is shown us in the person of Jesus. As Mary, at the Annunciation, said “Yes” to God’s call to her to incarnate Jesus, so Franciscans of the Annunciation dedicate ourselves to live out our “Yes” to God’s call to each one of us to continue to incarnate Jesus through action and word.

In living this call, we have looked for a Franciscan community rooted in Tradition in its response to the modern world. We see this community as necessary in encouraging our ministry while shaping our mission. Membership in the Franciscans of the Annunciation provides this through the making of a commitment to live one’s vocation according to the rule of life of the Order under the guidance of the Guardian-General, and includes regular contact among members, ongoing study and discussion of Franciscan spirituality, and daily prayer and Mass, and ministry. We are currently one sister, one deacon, one hermit-priest and two priests.

Want to know more?

Contact Abp. Roger at 416-937-9459.