Sunday, December 3, 2017 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

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Collection for November 25/26 Sun Env. $4903.47 + Loose $465.05 = 5368.52

SSVP $1049.30

Thank you for your contributions! >>>>>>>>>> ------ <<<<<<<<<

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FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT Beginning of the Liturgical Year, Cycle B/2

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St. Mary’s Bereavement Mass Tuesday, December 5th at 7:00pm If you have lost a loved one, please join us. This is an opportunity

for our Community to join together in compassion and care for one

another. Refreshments will be available after Mass. --------------------

ADVENT MASS for Children Let us make our way to Christmas through Advent even more special. We invite children to attend Sunday Mass at 11:00 am for special blessing and homily. 1) We ask you to bring a Christmas Tree ornament for the Holy Mass on December 3. 2) We ask you to bring your favorite toy for the Holy Mass on December 10. 3) We ask you to bring a baby Jesus figurine or your drawing of the manger for the Holy Mass on December 17. Your ornaments, toys and baby Jesus or mangers will be blessed, and you will take them home after Mass. Every Sunday will prepare us for welcoming Jesus at Christmas.

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Nativity Play !!Casting!! We invite children of all ages to take part in our Nativity Play. It will take place on Christmas Eve at 5pm right before the beginning of Christmas Eve Mass for Families with children. Children will speak in unison no need to worry about learning script by heart! Children meet for rehearsal on Thurs. 7pm at the church on December 7 and 14.

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RETREAT SUNDAY Deacon Randy Matters will visit us on the weekend of December 9/10. Deacon Randy will preach a homily and a reflection based on his recent experience of the Camino in Spain. It will also be our formation Sunday and opportunity to chat with Deacon Randy after Mass. (https://pilgrimdeaconrandy.com/)

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PENITENTIAL SERVICES, CONFESSIONS

St. Mary’s – Tuesday, December 12th, confessions begin at 5:00pm, Holy Mass at 7:00 pm, it will continue during and after the Holy Mass until last penitent. There will be a visiting priest. There will be no penitential service.

St. Pius X – Tuesday, December 19th, 7:00 p.m. St. Basil – Thursday, December 21st, 7:00 p.m.

Liturgies Saturday, December 2, “Be alert, that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place.” Mass 10:30 a.m. SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION Confessions 4:00 p.m. Mass 5:00 p.m. – † Aleksandra Charlam Vocation Prayer – Rev Donald Wilhelm

Sunday, December 3, 1st SUNDAY OF ADVENT “Keep alert, for you do not know when the master of the house will come.”

Mass 9:00 a.m. – † Giuseppina Imola, † Domenico Ricci, † Santino Berardi, † Tony Forgione, † Francisco & Etelvina Correia, † Angelo & Antonia DiFelice Mass 11:00 a.m. – Missa Pro Populo, (For the People) Vocation Prayer – Rev. Charlie Jordan

Tuesday, December 5, “Jesus exults in the Holy Spirit.” 6:00 – 6:45 p.m. - Confessions Devotions 6:45 p.m. Our Lady of Perpetual Help Mass 7:00 p.m. – BEREAVEMENT MASS – † Joe DaPonte, † Ann Davison, † Souls in Purgatory, † Antonia Martino & the Int. of the Martino Family, Int. of Maria DaPonte, Int. of Mary & Leonard Bruder, Int. of Agatha Yoon Vocation Prayer – Rev. Mark Sullivan Wednesday, December 6, “Jesus healed many people and multiplied the loaves of bread.”

SCHOOL MASS 9:30 a.m. – in church, open to parishioners – Int. of the staff members and students at our schools Mass SJLC Mass 1:30 p.m. – Missa Pro Populo, (For the People) Vocation Prayer – Discalced Carmelite Sisters (O.C.D.)

Thursday, December 7, ST. AMBROSE (M) “Everyone who fulfills the will of the Father will enter the kingdom of heaven.”

SCHOOL MASS 9:00 a.m. – in church, open to parishioners – † Emilio & Concetta Melfi, SCHOOL MASS 10:20 a.m. – in church, open to parishioners – † Norma Cuerdo Zamora Vocation Prayer – Rev. Bernard (Mike) Francis

Friday, December 8, IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF B. V. MARY (S) “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you.”

Mass 9:00 a.m. – † Jose & Julia Rego Eucharistic Adoration following Mass, concluding with Benediction at 10:30 a.m. - Occasion for confessions whenever time permits

6:00 p.m. - LIVING ROSARY CWL, Mass 7:00 p.m. – † Alice Elizabeth Sabga Vocation Prayer – Rev. Edward Mahony Saturday, December 9, “Jesus saw the crowd and had compassion for them.” Confessions 4:00 p.m. Mass 5:00 p.m. – † Teresa Smid Vocation Prayer – Rev Peter Ciallella

Sunday, December 10, 2nd SUNDAY OF ADVENT “Make straight the paths of the Lord.”

Mass 9:00 a.m. – † Nikola Rukavina, Anka Rukavina & Ivan Rukavina, † Mario Petrella, † Margherita Petrella, † Francisco Vieira, † Joao & Maria Pimentel, † Ludovico & Antonietta Girardi Mass 11:00 a.m. – Missa Pro Populo, (For the People) Vocation Prayer – Rev. Malcolm Katzenberger

Sunday, December 3, 2017 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

ADVENT

WREATH HOME

CELEBRATION

Place the Advent wreath on a table

and have your family gather around

it. Lower the light level in the room

to create an appropriate atmosphere for the blessing. Place the four

candles (symbolizing the four weeks of Advent) on the table and

light a single candle for the first week of Advent. Have someone

lead your family in the following prayer.

Leader:

This week we begin the season of Advent, when the days grow short

and darkness closes in. We are preparing to celebrate at Christmas

the birth of Jesus, who is the light of the world. Let's spend some

quiet time being aware of the darkness and longing for the light.

(Pause a few moments and then make the Sign of the Cross.)

Leader:

Lord God, bless this wreath and bless us as well. May this wreath

remind us of the hope and joy that Jesus brings into the world. We

ask this through Christ our Lord. All: Amen.

Leader:

Advent means “arrival.” In the season of Advent, the church

prepares to celebrate the coming of Jesus. We recall the past,

celebrate the present, and look to the future with hope. We prepare

to celebrate not only the birth of Jesus but also his presence in our

family. We wait for the return of the Lord at the end of time when

all hopes will be fulfilled. We await the coming of the light that will

shine in the darkness, shining light on our path to peace.

Reader:

(Choose one of the readings: Isaiah 11:1-4, 61:1-2; Mark 1:1-8;

James 5:7-10; or Philippians 4:4-7.)

A reading from [name of book in Bible].

Leader after finishing the readings says:

The Word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God.

(Pray the Lord's Prayer together.) --------------------

Meeting with the St. John’s Bible - Thursday, December 7, 2017 - Messianic Predictions Location: All sessions will be hosted at the Chancery Office, 700 King Street West, Hamilton ON, Time: All sessions will take place from 1:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. Register Online or email: adefeo@hamiltondiocese.com. Space is limited.

-------------------- ST. JOHN’S BIBLE! The beautiful Book of the Gospels will be at St. Basil Church Rectory

on Wednesday, December 6th for our Adult Education series! We will

focus on the “Birth Narrative” of Jesus. Christina Ronzio from the

Diocesan Liturgy office will lead us in a “Visio Divina” (i.e.) Join us

at 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm in the meeting room of the Rectory. --------------------

Advent Hymn Festival The annual Advent Hymn Festival with the Diocesan Choir will

take place on Sunday, December 10th at the Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King at 7 p.m. Special guest choir: St. Michael

Spanish Choir (Oakville). All are welcome.

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Congratulations to

THE STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

May the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit enrich you,

your sponsors and families. We welcome Bishop Anthony Tonnos to St. Mary’s

and we thank him for administering the Sacrament of

Confirmation to our students. --------------------

SPANISH MASS IN HONOUR OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE, December 10, 2017 at 6:30 PM We will have a potluck/social in the hall following the Mass. Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Church 181 King Street, Burford, 519-449- 5143

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LIVING ROSARY This time of the year, leading up to Advent and Christmas is a very busy season for everyone including Vincentians and CWL members. All of us need to take some time in that busy schedule to be still, to focus, to prepare ourselves. This year that opportunity is on Friday December 8, 2017 at Our Lady of the Assumption Church (St. Mary's Parish), 133 Murray St. at 6 p.m. Please see posters for details. Refreshments will be served.

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“Campaign Life” Christmas Fruitcake Sale The fruitcakes come from the monks of Val Notre-Dame Abbey in Québec. They make wonderful gifts for family and friends. The traditional bar cakes weigh 600 gm and cost $15.00 while the larger deluxe cakes weigh 1 kg and cost $25.00. These cakes will be available for sale at St. Mary’s on the weekend of December 16th and 17th after every Mass.

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New Church Heating – Final Update We have successfully completed another major upgrade to our church building. The new heating system is installed and functioning. The first impression is very good. It was a matter of safety to replace the old steam boiler that generated incredible costs and was inefficient, the church was permanently cold. There were safety issues and we could not pass the next TSSA checkup. From the few offers, we chose the most affordable from United Appliance for the forced air system. The project was approved by the diocesan experts and officials. It was the most convenient choice since our church is equipped with the tunnels that could contain the air ducts. The system can easily be expanded for air conditioning units if needed. We eliminated all water supplies that generated leaks and costs in recent months. The most challenging was the cleaning of the tunnels and dismantling the old boiler and pipes. There was lot of garbage accumulated under the church from the time of construction. It has been cleaned thoroughly. We have washed all carpets and our volunteer cleaners have been diligently dusting and polishing every detail. Praise to them! The span of the work exceeded the estimated time and cost. We had $70,000 allocated for this project. We expect that the final invoice (coming soon) will exceed this sum. We are grateful for all donations from parishioners and we welcome every contribution. Thank you for supporting our care for the good and secure future of our church. Let us be positive about the changes that must happen.