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In this issue: Child’s letter from the Heart

Answering the Call

Refugee Committee

St. Paul’s Letters from Prison

Liturgy Reflection Day

Maintaining Faith iI University Life

Faith In Action Team

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR !!! On behalf of the entire St. George staff, I want to extend my prayers for a joyful and peaceful Christmas for the whole parish family as we gather to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour !! May The Prince of Peace bless you and your families during this most sacred season and abundantly bless you in 2016 !! As we celebrate Christmas this year, there are so many amazing things happening in the parish. We have embarked on our year of “GIFTS & CALL”, the third year of our pastoral plan. This year we are reflecting on the many gifts, talents, abilities and resources our God has given us and how he calls us to share them in the parish and beyond. We are also reflecting on our response to God’s call to be faithful disciples. The pastoral team discerned over the summer and brought forth six qualities that we as a parish will look to develop and grow in our parish over the next several years – PRAYER & SACRAMENTS, INVEST, SHARE & INVITE, SERVE, FORMATION, SMALL GROUPS. This year is also a special one as we recently entered into the Jubilee Year of Mercy declared by Pope Francis. He is asking us to be agents of mercy, love and forgiveness. We are planning many chances over the next year to experience God’s tireless mercy and then share that with others. One of the most powerful signs of the Year of Mercy is the fact that we as a parish, are preparing to welcome a refugee family from Syria. What a real act of compassion, love, mercy and joy. I know that 2016 will be a truly blessed year for St. George Parish and us all !!! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !!!

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Michelle receives writings of Catherine Doherty

Michelle & ladies

Madonna House Update on Michelle Schaeken

Since Michelle left St. George as the Coordinator of Youth

Ministry she has been discerning where God was calling her to

be a disciple. This past fall, Michelle became an applicant at

Madonna House in Combermere, Ontario. The Madonna

House Apostolate is a family of Christian lay men, women,

and priests, striving to incarnate the teachings of Jesus Christ

by forming a community of love.

In a letter to the parish staff, Michelle said that her “time

here has truly been blessed. Madonna House is a ‘School of

love’ teaching me to give and receive love on a much deeper

level.” She will spend the next two years discerning if she will

make a life time commitment to the Madonna house aposto-

late.

Our Lady of Combermere – Pray for us.

A child’s letter from the heart

Michelle & ladies

Madonna House Update on Michelle Schaeken

Since Michelle left St. George as the Coordinator of Youth

Ministry she has been discerning where God was calling her to

be a disciple. This past fall, Michelle became an applicant at

Madonna House in Combermere, Ontario. The Madonna

House Apostolate is a family of Christian lay men, women,

and priests, striving to incarnate the teachings of Jesus Christ

by forming a community of love.

In a letter to the parish staff, Michelle said that her “time

here has truly been blessed. Madonna House is a ‘School of

love’ teaching me to give and receive love on a much deeper

level.” She will spend the next two years discerning if she will

make a life time commitment to the Madonna house aposto-

late.

Our Lady of Combermere – Pray for us.

Michelle receives writings of Catherine Doherty

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Answering the Call to become a Permanent Deacon

By Deacon Dennis

The Apostles created the Order of Deacon, (Acts 6:1-6), so they might have assistants in looking after the marginalized, those neglected by society. However, as the years passed by, the Order of Deacon was restricted to those in formation for the priesthood. The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) lifted this restriction and in 2005 the Diocese of London ordained the first class of Permanent Deacons. There are two types of Deacons: those Transitioning to the ministerial priesthood and those who are Permanent. I am a Permanent Deacon, which means I will not be ordained to the priesthood, therefore, I am married and I have secular employment that allows me to support my family. I received the Sacrament of Holy Orders but, I have a distinctive role separate from the Bishop and the Priest. Additionally, although it is not my normal attire, I am permitted to wear clerical clothing. I recall the shock on peoples’ faces the first time they saw me wear a cleric collar!

My call is to one of service to the Church and to the people of God through a sacramental sign of Christ, the Servant. Permanent Deacons have three specific ministries, the ministry of the Word, the ministry of Liturgy and the ministry of Charity. In the ministry of the Word, I proclaim the Word of God, as herald of the Gospels. I was granted the faculty to preach by Bishop Fabbro. In the Ministry of the Liturgy, I assist Fr John at mass; as well, I can baptize, witness marriages and preside at funeral services, all outside of mass, in addition to other liturgical functions. The ministry of Charity is the major role of the Permanent Deacon, in which he fulfills his call of service to the community and to the parish. Currently, my ministry of Charity involves collaborating with the Permanent Diaconate Formation and Study Program, participating in the Permanent Diaconate Admissions Committee and assisting our Coordinator of Youth Ministry, Caitlyn, with the high school ministry program, ‘The WELL.’ I have been ordained for two years and it is truly a blessing and a grace! As I continue to mature in my ministries of Word, Liturgy and Charity, so too is the blending of my roles as husband, father, police officer and deacon. If you are considering a call to the Permanent Diaconate, as an ordained minister of the Church, as an Icon of Christ the Servant, I encourage you to connect with me. The Admissions Committee will be hosting information sessions in the spring of 2016, with a new PD class scheduled to begin their year of Prayer and Discernment in September of 2016, with potential ordination in 2021. I pray that God blesses and guides you as you discern your own ‘Gifts and Calls,’ to become the faithful disciple you are called to be. May Jesus, Emmanuel, fill your hearts with Love, encourage you with the gift of Hope, and bless you with the promise of Peace! Merry Christmas! Deacon Dennis, Cathy, Christina & Danielle

Kids Summer Camp

2016

Save the date for St. George’s

Kids Summer Camp 2016

August 8th to the 12th

Registration will go live the Monday after

March break. Last year Camp sold out in one

week. Camp is for children currently in

Kindergarten through Grade 4.

Theology on Tap

The call of the baptized

Calling all young

adults around the

city! Join us at the

Fox & Fiddle

W e d n e s d a y ,

January 13th at

7:30 downtown to

figure out why

your baptism changed you forever. Good food, good beer, good

conversation. Dr. Chris McConnell, Director of the Institute for

Ongoing Formation, will join us to speak about one of his

favourite topics. Facebook.com/ToT.SGHF

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The Refugee Committee

By: Patricia Silver

The Refugee Committee at St George is the ‘Rainbow

Connection’ between the parish and a family desperately in

need of safety, a home, and a new life. It’s a multi-colored

rainbow consisting of various gifted members and

supporters, brought together to make a bridge of hope for

our new Canadian family from Syria. St. George’s Parish will

receive from our new family a touch of a rich

and ancient culture.

We met, talked, planned, phoned, cajoled,

pulled strings, and co-operated with Mary

Immaculate Parish; all under the amazingly

enthusiastic leadership of Mary Catherine

Bishop. Many talents and years of experience

were required to make the various connections.

Mary Catherine contacted previous associates

for information, donations, and support. Paul

Mansfield contributed financial and campaign

skills and great handy-man skills! Veronica Callaghan covered

the legal and government requirements. Louise Trapp from

Mary Immaculate Parish, brought health services knowledge,

Teresa Curtis, covered Social Services with SSVP and Joan

Duckitt a background in education.. Me? I just take the notes

and hold down Mary Catherine when she threatens to float

off in a fit of exuberance and enthusiasm!

All these talents would be useless without the help and

generosity of parishioners in both churches – the donations of

money and material, furniture movers and drivers, sorters of

household items, and importantly the people praying for this

project. The list goes on. Through the leadership of Father

John and Father Bombardier we were empowered to create

the “Rainbow Connection”.

Why do we do it? As Christians, I feel we do not have a

choice. We are here to be the face of love in the world. As

Jesus is a bridge of

hope and mercy

between us and

God the Father, so

we must to do

likewise.

We See What HE Was Doing There

By: Stephanie & Dan Ritchie

We definitely did not start our story on the same page, the same foot, or the same anything for that matter. One of us Catholic, the other not; one of us timid, the other very outspoken. Who would have thought we would end up married. But as it turned out, God had a plan for us. During our years of dating, there were a lot of questions, heated debates, and a whole lot of prayers. Like many

couples, we didn’t quite see eye-to-eye, but in time, we grew to understand one another through r e s p e c t , e n c o u r a g e m e n t , communication and of course, attending mass. Before we knew it, we were best friends and yet something was missing. God wasn’t quite done with us yet. “If we look at Discernment in the Christian context it means, the process of discovering ones vocation through prayer, reflection

and discussion as to how God calls each person to love him.” For our story, the years of dating, the questions, heated debates, and prayers were the prayer, reflection and discussion referred to in the definition of discernment. While at times these things were not at all easy, we persevered using all the tools provided to us. Theology studies, RCIA, family, and prayer were some of the avenues we found to help bring us into a closer understanding of one another and God. These tools have brought us to realize one of the best things a Catholic couple must be armed with in this modern world is knowledge. People will always bring up the negative aspects of the faith and can misquote words they do not fully comprehend, but it is equally important for us to be armed with the positive aspects of our faith and the true meaning of the words God has trusted us with. For that reason, we encourage all couples to maintain and continuously grow in their knowledge and faith of God. - “The Little Way Of St. Therese Of Lisieux”; by John Nelson.

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Letters from Prison

What I learned from Word Alive Scripture Study

By: Trish Parnham

I thoroughly enjoyed studying letters of St. Paul while in prison. Many new insights, which I found most intriguing, were unveiled during the ten weeks. The discussions and the wrap-up videos were superb. There were messages in each of the letters that were quite meaningful to me.

Phillipians- 4:13: What impressed me in this letter was the hope and joy that Paul possessed despite his circumstances. As well, the overwhelming gratitude that he had for this community; their care and support for him and his ministry. I found Paul’s joy which permeated this letter to be quite inspiring.

Colossians-1:15-20 – I loved the ancient hymn in this letter –“everything is in Christ, created for and through Him, everything is subject to Him and that Christ is present in each of us”. Still very relevant today are the warnings concerning false teachings

and teachers.

Ephesians –6:11-15 - I loved the writings on the unique gifts that God has bestowed on us – we are indeed His handiwork. In our own unique

way we are called to build up The Kingdom. I particularly enjoyed the spiritual attire description – the armour. It showed me how well-equipped we are to be able to move forward in the Body of Christ – all we have to do is be aware of the components of this attire and use it.

Thank you for choosing this wonderful study for us. I have indeed been enlightened by it. Thank you for your insightful comments during our discussion time. It truly enhanced what we were studying over the 10 weeks. What a great group we had!

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO BECOME INVOLVED By Larry & Cheryl Hamilton

My name is Larry Hamilton and my wife Cheryl and I moved into St. George Parish just over three years ago. I am active in a number of ministries in the parish for a number of reasons - I simply just like to be involved in things, I like to help out when help is required and I feel it is important to be involved in your parish. The parish is a community of people not unlike your family, your friends and your work colleagues, and I

believe that being an active participant in any community is what makes that community vibrant. Reflecting on being "involved in things" I remember that it was always about being active. I always thought that it was just my personality to stick my nose in things, however a deeper reflection revealed to me that it is a 'talent' given to me by God. God has gifted me with the ability to speak to crowds, the patience to assist those need and the willingness to share my time where it is requested. Everyone has talents from God - coaching your children in sports, assisting family members, volunteering your time in a number of charities.

As St. Paul says "Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; or service, let us give ourselves to service; or he who teaches, to his teaching; or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with liberality; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness." Romans 12:6-8 So depending on your God-given gifts there are a multitude of ministries to be involved in. Starting with the basis that God gave us our gifts for sharing with others, all it takes is a little reflection on what your gifts are and then a call to the Parish Team to see how they can best be shared. Having been a member of more than ten different parishes over the past 40 years, I can say that we definitely have very many vibrant ministries at St. George's! Cheryl Hamilton My name is Cheryl Hamilton and as my husband Larry mentioned we have been blessed to be a part of many different parish communities. When our children were young we wanted to share with them the gifts the church offers, which began our journey into becoming involved in different ministries. One of the first ministries that I am still involved in, is as a Eucharistic Minister. This has been a wonderful way for me to connect with people in the parish because my own family was so far away. This has also been a way of giving back to the parish for the support they have given us. It has led to the opening of my eyes to other gifts I have that I share daily. God doesn't care how many gifts you have, only that you use them to the greatest of your ability and with love. He is not looking for perfection!

Steubenville 2016

The weekend conference in Toronto is a life-changing

experience you don’t want to miss. It is for all students

currently in Grade 8 through 12.

Mark your calendars for July 22– 24.

If you didn’t come last year and

would like more information talk to

Caitlyn early in the year to ensure

you have a spot.

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Liturgy Reflection Day By: Barb Diaz On Sat. Oct. 3,2015, a workshop was held for all volunteers involved in the Liturgical Ministries of our Parish. Catherine Ecker facilitated this workshop entitled “Sunday Eucharist: the Heart and Centre of Our Lives”. Catherine is a very skilled counsellor and teacher in Adult Faith Formation. The workshop was extremely interactive and encouraged us to freely share our thoughts and understanding of the celebration of the Paschal Mystery on the Lord's Day (the most important day of the week), as well as to learn from each other's personal experiences. God is constantly guiding us in our relationship with Him and drawing us deeper into this shared life with Him. Catherine shared many of her personal life experiences and difficulties. She reaffirmed that the presence of God in her life, and the practice of her faith, constantly gave her hope and strength to carry on. I again realized it is truly a gift to gather as family and encounter the Lord through each other. The fact that there is nothing private about the Eucharistic Rite was thoroughly communicated. We are to come to the table with God and with one another, and receive the Eucharist together. Therefore we need to be one during the Eucharistic celebration, standing united side-by-side with the body of Christ. At the end of Mass, we are sent out together, to live differently because of what and how we celebrated. We are called to be the light of Christ in the world, and to evangelize and bear witness in our daily life. How we live and celebrate is an example to others and helps form us as disciples. Truly our participation in the Sunday Eucharist gives shape to all our lives. It was an affirmation that our role is to reach out to

others, to live a life of self-emptying love and to constantly

bear witness to the Good News. I found this workshop

exciting, reflective, supportive, and very challenging. It gave

me a deeper understanding of the total meaning and

importance of “Sunday”, and renewed my belief that “this IS

the day the Lord has made!”

MEGA-FEST 2015

Divine Desserts Works

of Mercy

Join our parish family on Thursday, January

28th to hear how God is at work in our

community. We will be joined by a panel of

leaders in our community who live the works of

mercy on a regular basis. Homemade desserts will

be served. The evening begins at 7:15 in the

parish hall. Please call the office a week in

Update on Marcela Correa

Marcela is currently in San-

tander, North of Spain.

January 2013, she entered

as a Candidate or postulant

in the Mother House of the

community, This commu-

nity is a missionary one

with Carmelite spirituality.

In the past two years,

Marcela also began her

studies in teachers’ college. July 16, 2015 on the feast of

our Lady of Mount Carmel she continued her steps into

this life as a sister and was welcomed into the noviciate.

At this ceremony, Marcela received a white habit and be-

gins living the life of the sisters, which is a life of poverty,

chastity and obedience. The noviciate process lasts two

years, and following these two years she will take her first

vows. Marcela is very happy in the life she has chosen and

feels joy that she is doing God’s will.

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Attention Families

Did you know we have programs for your children at both our 9:00 and

11:00 am masses? Kids Zone is for any children 3 and under. We have

trained babysitters who will watch your child for the duration of the mass

with lots of fun toys and movies. No need to pre-register. Just bring your

child(ren) to Meeting Room 2 before mass and sign in your child((ren).

Sunday Friends

For children 4 years to Grade 2. Register your child each Sunday morning on

a green sheet found near the office. Your child(ren) will receive a name tag. If

they are not registered, they are free to join children when Fr. John calls

them up at the beginning of mass. Children rejoin their family half-way

through mass. Our great volunteers will share the gospel in words the

children can understand and its meaning in their life.

Maintaining Faith In University Life

By: Julia McKone 1 Timothy 4:12 For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Julia McKone and I currently attend King’s Catholic University College in the Catholic Studies for Teachers (CST) program. In the 8 years as a parishioner of St. George, I have fallen in love with the vibrant parish community and all it has to offer. I have worked as a babysitter for the toddlers on Sunday mornings, a leader during Day Camp, and since starting university, I’ve become a leader for high school aged teens in our group “The Well” which takes place on Wednesday evenings. For the past two years, thanks to generous donors in the parish, I have been blessed with the opportunity to attend Steubenville Catholic Youths Conference in Toronto with over 2,000 other teens who share in the glory of Christ. In 2014, my first experience, I went with not really having a close relationship with God, however upon leaving, I felt renewed. I had grown as a person and I left with many new friends and an experience I will never forget. This past summer, I went again, this time with open eyes and an open heart ready to put aside my anxieties and experience the deep love Christ has for me all over again. Ultimately, the opportunity to attend Steubenville and share in God’s love was what led me to further immerse myself into the church community and the rea-son I choose King’s as my university. Transitioning to university was something that I really worried about; I didn’t really know any-one going and I was afraid of stepping out of my shell and being the real me. Once O-Week started, I met so many people who were in the CST program with me. We attended mass together at the end of the week and ultimately, became close because of our faith in God. King’s Campus Ministry is made up of an incredible group of people who can help you grow in your faith throughout your university experience. Being involved with campus ministry has strengthened my faith and given me more chances to live out my faith every day. The way I see it, university is a time when being who I am no longer makes me afraid. It is a time where I can step up and share my love of God with others. By sharing my love, and God’s love through being a volunteer at St. George and in the community, I am able to live in a way that brings me overwhelming joy. I thank God for surrounding me with so many incredible people who strengthen me and my faith every day. If it weren’t for this parish, Caitlyn, and the Youth Ministry Program, I don’t believe that I would be the person I am today.

Hearts on Fire

Volunteer Appreciation

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

We invite all our parish volunteers, from all

ministries, (CWL, Knights, SVDP members) for

a Special Events evening: Saturday, February 15,

2016, at St. Andre Bessett Catholic Secondary

School, 7:00—9:00 pm. The evening will

include a wonderful catered meal, and amazing

entertainment to thank every volunteer for your

ministry and loving service to the parish and the

Church.

Attention Families

Did you know we have programs for your children at both our 9:00 and

11:00 am masses? Kids Zone is for any children 3 and under. We have

trained babysitters who will watch your child for the duration of the mass

with lots of fun toys and movies. No need to pre-register. Just bring your

child(ren) to Meeting Room 2 before mass and sign in your child((ren).

Sunday Friends

For children 4 years to Grade 2. Register

your child each Sunday morning on a green

sheet found near the office. Your child(ren)

will receive a name tag. If they are not

registered, they are free to join children

when Fr. John calls them up at the beginning

of mass. Children rejoin their family half-way

through mass. Our great volunteers will

share the gospel in words the children can

understand and its meaning in their life.

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THE FAITH IN ACTION TEAM (F.I.A.T.)

By: Roberta Gibson

St. George’s Elementary School has been very active over the past

year; in the school, the parish and the community. The team is a group

of students grades 3-8, who volunteer to lead, coordinate and develop

opportunities for students, families and community members to grow in

their faith. The F.I.A.T. meets regularly at the school to pray and plan

outreach activities for faith formation. We lead prayer reflections on an-

nouncements, perform the Way of the Cross, hold class retreats and cre-

ate a prayer booklet for each class. At the parish, we continue to fulfill

liturgical roles at Sunday mass once a month. We have hosted prayer

opportunities, created and distributed a prayer booklet. Copies are still

available at the info centre at St. George Parish. The team’s most re-

warding activity is the various community outreach projects. We visited

residents at Westmount Garden’s nursing home, decorating a ceramic

coaster. We coordinated the Thanksgiving Food Drive to support The

Daily Bread Food Bank and the Christmas Toy and Food Drive to support

the parish Christmas hamper project. The Lenten Project supports

Uganda’s St. Kizito’s clean water project which raised $1768.64.

When we began this amazing ministry that brings together the parish,

school and home dynamic I was hoping to slowly develop young Catholic

leaders. The result of this past year’s activities has far exceeded my ex-

pectations. The group has rapidly grown at St. George from 14 members

to over 30 members with many more waiting to advance to grade three

so they can join. I am excited that Faith in Action Teams will be ex-

panding to St. Theresa and St. Nicholas schools beginning in January.

Many parents have expressed that their own faith has grown as a result

of seeing the faith of their child grow. Having the opportunity to be a

witness to the faith development of the students at St. George

School, I am able to renew my own faith daily and to truly appreci-

ate the gifts that I have been given. When I forget to do this, the

innocence, enthusiasm, and honesty of the students remind me to

appreciate all that I have been given.

Feast of the Holy Family, Sunday, December 27th

Octave of Christmas

Tues., Dec. 29th & Wed., Dec. 30th

NO Mass

Solemnity - Mary, Mother of God

* A Holy Day of Obligation *

5:00 pm, Thursday, December 31st, 2015

10:00, Friday, January 1, 2016

NO Confessions, Saturday Jan. 2, 2016

St. George Church and Parish Office will re-open at 8:30 am on January 4th, 2016.

Please have a safe and blessed Christmas with your family and loved ones.

December 27th - January 3rd, 2016

T o all parishioners who will be making

offertory donations and would like them to

be included in the 2015 tax receipt. Please

have them into the collection or the office by

December 31st.

Many thanks for your continued generosity.

Emmaus Road (RCIA) Catechumens &

Candidates

Please keep in your prayers the men and women of our

parish who have been on the spiritual journey of answering

God’s call to join the Catholic Church. They have been

meeting weekly since September and look forward to joining

our faith community through the Sacraments of Initiation at

the Easter Vigil on March 26, 2016. They are Shareen

Jaffri; Rebecca Richichi; Tracy DeLellis; Shannon

Moffat and Mark Moffat. May God continue to send his

Spirit to guide.