Fr. Bob's Corner

A fourth century painting of the Apostle John was revealed this week on the walls of the Santa Tecla Catacombs. The catacomb is located beneath an office building in the city of Rome. Using laser burning techniques the restorers burnt inches of calcium carbonate which accumulated on the very humid walls of the catacomb chambers over the last 16 centuries. They also uncovered other 4^th century pictures of Jesus, St. Paul, and the apostles. These paintings are believed to be the earliest artist renditions of these New Testament figures discovered to date.

For more pictures and information: National Geographic

See previous posts for initial information. Update- 3:08pm, Saturday, June 12, 2010: I just had a call from a gentlemen in my parish who was speaking to two of his sisters who were on the bus crash in Switzerland. Both his sisters, Connie and Leona, are at a hotel and are OK. Fr. Tom Villeneuve and his sister are in the hospital, but are reported to be be doing well, and not too seriously injured. As I get further information, I will update to this post. 4:00 pm – Just received world that Carl R. (St. Raphael’s Parish)  and Gail W. (St. Andrew’s Parish) are OK. 6:00pm – Update on two more that are OK: Yvonne. B. (St. Anthony’s) and Claire M. (St. Andrew’s). Let us continue to pray for all survivors and victims of this terrible tragedy.

7:00pm Fr. Tom’s sister (Adele Major) speaks to Globe and Mail:

“But it appears the passengers were travelling with the Jolly Tours and Travel company from Cornwall, Ont.

Adele Major’s sister and brother — retired Rev. Thomas Villeneuve — were both in the crash.

She said they’d taken the company’s Grand Alpine Tour, which featured a performance of ‘The Passion Play’ in Upper Bavaria and took the tourists through Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Liechtenstein.

“They’re both in hospital, they’re in for a few days with minor injuries,” Major said from her home in Cornwall.

“They were shaken. My brother didn’t seem to remember too much, maybe he was knocked out — I’m not sure. He seems to be OK.”

Major said she spent most of the day scrambling to gather details on the state of her siblings.

“It’s hard when you don’t know and you can’t reach anybody,” she said, her voice breaking.” Full Globe Article

BuzzNet Tags: bus,crash,Switzerland,Survivors,victims

Update- 3:08pm, Saturday, June 12, 2010: I just had a call from a gentlemen in my parish who was speaking to two of his sisters who were on the bus crash in Switzerland. Both his sisters, Connie and Leona, are at a hotel and are OK. Fr. Tom Villeneuve and his sister are in the hospital, but are reported to be be doing well, and not too seriously injured. As I get further information, I will update to this post. 4:00 pm – Just received world that Carl R. (St. Raphael’s Parish)  and Gail W. (St. Andrew’s Parish) are OK. 6:00pm – Update on two more that are OK: Yvonne. B. (St. Anthony’s) and Claire M. (St. Andrew’s).

7:00pm Fr. Tom’s sister (Adele Major) speaks to Globe and Mail:

“But it appears the passengers were travelling with the Jolly Tours and Travel company from Cornwall, Ont.

Adele Major’s sister and brother — retired Rev. Thomas Villeneuve — were both in the crash.

She said they’d taken the company’s Grand Alpine Tour, which featured a performance of ‘The Passion Play’ in Upper Bavaria and took the tourists through Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Liechtenstein.

“They’re both in hospital, they’re in for a few days with minor injuries,” Major said from her home in Cornwall.

“They were shaken. My brother didn’t seem to remember too much, maybe he was knocked out — I’m not sure. He seems to be OK.”

Major said she spent most of the day scrambling to gather details on the state of her siblings.

“It’s hard when you don’t know and you can’t reach anybody,” she said, her voice breaking.” Full Globe Article

Our Local paper says it has confirmed that Fr. Tom Villeneuve was on the tour bus. He is the former pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in Williamstown, and St. William’s Parish in Martintown.

Two dead after bus with local tour group flips in Switzerland – The Cornwall Standard Freeholder – Ontario, CA

Let us pray for all on a tour bus, especially, the dead and injured. It appears that some of the people might have been from our area.

Canadians killed in Swiss bus crash: report – The Globe and Mail

Fr. Alex and some of his parishioners from Ichinomiya, Japan at Scarboro in 2006

Fr. Alexander Duncan McDonald SFM

– A native of Alexandria, Ontario in Glengarry County, passed away June 4, 2010 one day after his 83rd birthday. Fr. Alex was ordained at St. Finnan’s Cathedral  in Alexandria, Ont. on December 22, 1951 and gave 52 years of generous missionary service to the Church in Japan with over 40 years as pastor of Ichinomiya. Since his return to Canada he has been in an active retirement offering pastoral assistance in parishes in Scarborough, Lancaster and Williamstown (St. Mary’s Parish), and as chaplain to the Japanese Catholic community in Toronto.

30th Anniversary of Japanese Community

Toronto, Ontario

His priesthood and missionary commitment are greatly appreciated by his fellow missioners at Scarboro.

Fr. Alex is survived by his brother Wilfred McDonald (Donna) of Espanola, ON and his sister Mary Beth Thompson (Joseph) of Spokane, Washington and several nephews and nieces: Amy (Dan), Fraser (Jana), Michael (Kerrie), Anne, John (Anne), Paul (Amber), Jennifer(Vin). Visitation will be at Scarboro Missions, 2685 Kingston Rd., Scarborough (corner of Brimley and Kingston Rd.) on Monday, June 7th from 7-9 p.m. and June 8th from 9:15-10:15 a.m. followed by the Mass of the Resurrection at 10:30 a.m. Interment will be in Our Lady of the Clergy Cemetery immediately after Mass. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the work of Scarboro Missions would be appreciated.