Peace & Development – Ukrainian Relief Fundraiser

I would like to thank the parish for letting me do the cookie sale and especially thank all the parishioners who generously donated. We raised $421.30, which is absolutely fantastic. I was truly astonished at how generous this community is and I hope everyone enjoyed the cookies.

Thanks again!

Gavin, Shirley and Jim Palahicky

What is Baptism?

Jesus became man to bring us to reconciliation with his Father. In John 3:5 Jesus said, “No one can enter the kingdom of God, unless he is first-born of water and Spirit.” After His Resurrection, Jesus met with the eleven Apostles and gave them the commission to preach the Gospel and baptize, telling them, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved (Mk 16:16).” "Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons and daughters of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission..." Baptism we promise to reject sin, and the glamour of evil, and Satan, the father of sin and prince of darkness; and, we profess our faith in one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We commit ourselves to membership in Christ's church and to strive for life everlasting in a life of service to God.

Required:

• The parents consent, or at least one of them, or someone legally standing in their place,
• and that there be reasonable hope that the child will be brought up in the Catholic faith.
• A person may have one or two godparents (also called sponsors);

Godparents:

• A person may have one or two godparents (also called sponsors);
• if two are chosen, they must be male and female.
• be chosen by the parents,
• have the ability and the intention to fulfil the role,
• be at least 16 years of age, and...
• be a confirmed Roman Catholic, who has already received the Most Holy Eucharist,
• leading a life in harmony with the Catholic Faith (including Marriage) and will be a good role model for the one being Baptized,
• and be neither the father nor the mother of the child;
  A baptized person who belongs to another Christian community may be admitted only as a Christian witness (not a godparent) provided that there is at least one Roman Catholic godparent who fulfills the above criteria.
• A non-baptized person cannot be a witness.

The Rorate Masses celebrated during Advent take their name from the words "Rorate caeli desuper" (Rain down the dew of heaven) spoken by the prophet Isaiah. It is worth reflecting on the significance of this special form of Mass at this time and how we can fully benefit from this gift of ecclesiastical tradition.

Rorate is a Mass celebrated in honour of Mary. During Advent weekdays, a white candle with a blue ribbon is placed near the altar to symbolize Mary. Why is the Mass celebrated at dawn? This early hour is a reminder for us to remain vigilant at all times so that we don't miss the moment of the birth of the Divine Child. Of course, pastoral considerations allow these Masses to be celebrated in the evening so that more people can participate, but it's still important to remember the aspect of vigilance and readiness for the coming of Christ. Waking up early in the morning requires sacrifice and overcoming the difficulties of getting to church at such an early hour. It's a significant part of the Advent preparation for encountering Jesus. By making small sacrifices ourselves, we can continue to show our readiness to encounter God. At the same time, it is a symbolic surrender of one's time, and thus one's life, to the One who is the Lord of all.

At the beginning of every Mass, the darkness symbolizes the world waiting for Jesus, who is represented by the light. The first light that dispels this darkness is the “rorate”, a candle symbolizing the Immaculate Conception. This candle bears a flame, just as Mary carried Jesus in her womb. During the Rorate, participants bring lanterns, each one bearing light to express their desire to participate in Mary's expectation of the birth of Jesus. They want Jesus to be present in their lives, to illuminate their paths, and to guide them through daily life with its joys and concerns. This simple gesture contains a profound message about how we should arrange our relationship with God during Advent.

In our parish, there are Rorate Masses every Saturday morning during Advent at 7:00 am.

• December 9, 2023, at 7:00 am
• December 16, 2023, at 7:00 am
• December 23, 2023, at 7:00 am.

We cordially invite you to join us in prayer.

Please note that there will be no mass at 9:00 am on Saturday mornings during Advent.

Canadians pause in silence on November 11 to remember those who died from war, and to pray for the victims of aggression and inhumanity throughout the world. This is a day to pray for peace, to consider what we are doing as individuals, as a community, and as a nation to bring God's peace into the world. (Source: ORDO)