MISSION STATEMENT
The Queen of Peace Centre is a non-profit charitable organization, prayer and spiritual resource centre, organized and run by Catholic lay people, mainly for the lay people.

The Pascal mystery is the means of our salvation.  This is the reason we chose the cross to explain our mission.

Just like the cross which has two bars, vertical and horizontal, our mission has two goals.

FIRST GOAL

The vertical bar of the cross represents all the activities that have as a goal the spiritual growth of the members and the conversion that leads to holiness.

How?

  • by following the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church through the Eucharist, the Sacraments, prayer, and devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, by learning, growing in and living the truth of the Gospel
  • based on faithfulness and obedience through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to God, to the Catholic Church, to the Holy Father, our appointed pastors and bishop in the Archdiocese of Regina where we live and serve.

    The Queen of Peace Centre is organized by, and mainly for the lay people.  We are lay members of the Church. What it means to be laity is that we have a place in the world and duties in our individual lives common to the world we live in.  Also, as people of God, called by our baptism, we share in the mission of the Church.

    "The laity share in the priestly, prophetic, and royal office of Christ and therefore have their own share in the mission of the whole people of God in the Church and in the world."
    "...Since the laity, in accordance with their state of life, live in the midst of the world and its concerns, they are called by God to exercise their apostolate in the world like leaven, with the ardor of the spirit of Christ."
    "The laity derive the right and duty to the apostolate from their union with Christ the head, incorporated into Christ's Mystical Body through Baptism, and strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit through Confirmation, they are assigned to the apostolate by the Lord Himself."
    "...One engages in the apostolate through the faith, hope, and charity, which the Holy Spirit diffuses in the hearts of all members of the Church."

    Decree on the apostolate of the laity
    Apostolicam Actuositatem
    His Holiness, Pope Paul VI, AD 1965
  • wherever we may find ourselves in life at the present moment, our priority is to examine our lives according to the Gospel and faithfully with the grace of God, to first of all fulfill the obligations and duties of our state of life.  This does not mean that we have to be perfect.  Jesus, after all came to save sinners, to save you and me.   However, we need to be willing to amend our lives and to convert, eventhough it will likely take a lifetime.  We must be willing to learn to love God and one another, and, by the grace and will of God, to grow in holiness.
    "...God does not make us saints by superimposing an extraordinary existence upon our ordinary lives.  He takes our whole life and our whole being and elevates it to a supernatural level, transforms it completely from within and leaves it exteriorly what it is:  ordinary."
    " ...It is useless and illusory to look for some spectacular and extraordinary way of serving Him, when all ordinary service immediately becomes sublime and extraordinary as soon as it is transfigured by love of Him."

    Thomas Merton
    The Sign of Jonas, pg. 182

    Our gratitude and God's mercy and love meet perfectly in the Eucharist.  We will be able to surrender more and more to God because of the Blood of Christ and our Baptism, supported by the Sacraments, prayers and active participation in the Liturgy, primarily in our parishes.

SECOND GOAL
The horizontal arms of the cross represent all activities that have as a goal evangelization of the world in which we live.

How?

  • The examples of our lives will touch those we come to contact with, in our families, work places, neighborhoods, and society in general.  Now, we can not claim that we are living perfectly this proposed ideal, only that, we are willing to cooperate with God's grace and will.  Our spirit must be one of inclusion, following Jesus' example, embracing everyone through mercy and forgiveness, but with a clear goal to proclaim the Gospel as is, in truth and love.
  • The second part of the evangelization of the world has to do with the nature of the Centre itself as a prayer and spiritual resource centre.  It includes all activities which through, in and with Mary point the world to Jesus, Her Son, and tells the suffering humankind that God exists, that He loves us, that He is Love itself.  He is the answer to all our longings, needs and hopes.

    The specific activities may vary according to our needs and may further develop in time.  Here are some activities that are going on at this time:

    1. First Friday and First Saturday Vigils of Reparation and Eucharistic adoration
    2. Communal prayer - 3 pm daily, Tuesday to Saturday, children's rosary group every second Tuesday, 7 pm - every Tuesday evening.
    3. Rosary making
    4. Newsletter
    5. Resources - written material, video and audio tapes, pamphlets, library and some religious articles.
    6. Spreading the messages - Lourdes, Fatima, Medjugorje
    7. Special events - pilgrimages, conferences, special feast days celebrations etc.
The Queen of Peace Centre was inspired by events in Medjugorje, a small Croatian village in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where it is believed by many people that Mary, the Mother of God, is appearing to six visionaries. Her call to conversion and return to God was heard particularly by the founders of the Centre.  After they returned from pilgrimages to Medjugorje, they wanted to continue to pray together and spread this call further. 

We realize that these events are not yet recognized by the Church.   They belong to the area of private revelation and are not necessary for salvation.   The Church will decide if and when it is appropriate to declare whether these events are authentic or not, and we will be obedient to that decision.  Also, we will be sensitive and respectful of  those who choose not to believe in apparitions.

In the meantime, members of the Centre wish to respond to the call of  Mary, our Mother, to prayerfully listen to Her and with God's grace respond more deeply to His love for us.  We also dedicate this Centre to Mary, Queen of Peace.  We thanks her and place ourselves into her  hands as she leads us to her Son.

The Cross (Paschal Mystery) is chosen by God as the means of our salvation.  As we look at the Cross, let us be reminded that our lives and work in general and here at the Centre will at times include trials and difficulties.  However, we  believe in dialogue as we search for the truth in the spirit of Christian charity.  Most of all, we hope in Christ our Lord who overcame the world.

"Since Christ, sent by the Father, is the source and origin of the whole apostolate of the Church, the success of the lay apostolate depends upon the laity's living union with Christ, in keeping with the Lord's words:  'He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing.' "

Decree on the apostolate of the laity by
His Holiness, Pope Paul VI
We also see that the vertical arm of the cross is larger and stronger and carries the most load.  So it is with our mission.   The focus must be on our response and cooperation with the love, grace and will of God so that we can learn to love God and one another as our Savior loved us.  We need to prayerfully listen to Mary our Mother as she continues to teach us.  We hope that, as we grow we may be able to help others.  If the vertical arm of the cross becomes stronger and bigger, the horizontal arm will follow.

In conclusion, whether we are lay or religious members of the Church, there is only one vocation:  holiness.  May God help us place ourselves and the Queen of Peace Centre in His hands, through, in, and with Mary and Her Immaculate Heart.