Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish and St. Patrick's Parish

Saturday Mass at St. Pat's at 5PM - Sunday Masses at OMPH at 9AM & 11AM

December 16 and 23, 2018.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Ernest Fournier, brother of John Fournier and Rita Mawhiney. May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.

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Reflection Questions:
Adults: To whom have your past acts of kindness brought joy?
What acts of kindness could you do this week?
Children: What kind thing have you done for someone lately?
Whom could you make happy by your kindness this week?
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COLLECTION DETAILS:
Monthly Budgeted Income: $10,835.00
Collection for December 2018: $ 7,044.05
Angel Tree $ 1,525.00

OMPH SANCTUARY CANDLE: Special Intentions for Shelly Herbert-Shea’s Family

SANCTUARY CANDLE: Each week we invite you to light the sanctuary lamp in memory of a loved one or for a special intention. The cost is $20.00 and you may drop the donation off at the rectory during office hours or place it in the collection with the information enclosed. Names will be published in the bulletin.

OMPH FOOD DONATIONS: All the canned goods collected from now until Christmas will be used for our Christmas Hampers for families from OMPH and ECCS.

SAINT PATRICK’S FOOD DONATIONS: From now until Christmas we will be collecting for Christmas hampers for families from St. Pat’s School and Parish.

ANGEL TREE DONATIONS: Contributions can be put in the blue envelope that can be found in your offering box or in any envelope marked Christmas Hampers. The money will help to purchase perishable food items. If you would like an income tax receipt, please indicate your envelope number or your name.

RELIGIOUS CHRISTMAS CARDS: The Knights of Columbus have religious Christmas cards available at the office. A package of 10 cards is $7.00.

2019 SUNDAY OFFERING ENVELOPES are available in the Parish hall. Anyone new to the Parish who would like Sunday offering envelopes may leave their name and other info on the sheet at the back of the Church.

2019 SUNDAY MISSALS: We have a limited number of new missals for sale for $5 at the office.

CHRISTMAS FLOWER COLLECTION: If you would like to donate to this fund, there are Flower Offering envelopes in the pews or simply use a plain envelope. If you would like to make your donation in memory of someone, please send in your donation by Thursday, December 20th and the names will be in our Christmas bulletin.

OMPH CWL MEMBERSHIPS: Please pay your memberships of $25.00 by putting them in the blue envelopes found in your box of donation envelopes with your name and address on it and put it in the collection basket. New members are welcome too!

SAINT PAT’S CWL: A reminder that memberships of $25.00 are due and can be given to Claire & Emilie. New members are always welcome to join!

Spirit of the Season
Joy and Hope
Advent is a season of joy and hope for all who follow Jesus. We must be careful not to lose sight of the true meaning of the season as the world around us hustles to buy and sell, to have parties and plan vacations. Advent is a time to renew our life in Christ and to thank God for saving us in Jesus; it is a season for asking God to save all people and for praying for peace in the world.

During Advent, we are invited to prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord – to wait in joyful hope for his return in glory at the end of time and to prepare for the annual celebration of his birth.

∙ Dying to sin; We strive to die to sin and selfishness and to obey the Father’s will.
∙ Living for God; We set out to love God each day by loving and serving others.

This is the way in which Jesus wants us to make a straight way for him in our hearts as we await his coming.
Lord Jesus, our brother and our saviour,
come into our hearts with your love,
with your joy, your hope, and your peace.

Help us to reflect your love for all
by loving and serving all we meet.
Lord Jesus,
come into our lives,
and share your gifts with all people.
Blessed are you, Lord Jesus,
forever and ever. Amen!
National Liturgy Office CCCB

ADVENT DAYS OF ADORATION: This is the final Friday during the Season of Advent that we will have Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament from 12:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.. There is a sign-up sheet at the back of the Church for Friday, December 21st.

TIME FOR YOU AND ME will meet on Wednesday, December 19th from 1:30 P.M. to 2:30 P.M.. Everyone is welcome to join them!

ARE YOU REGISTERED IN THE PARISH? If you did not receive our 2018 Advent letter in the mail, you and your family are not officially registered in the Parish. Parish registration is important as it allows us to serve you better. If you are not registered, please take a couple of minutes and call the office and do so or register online at www.ourmotherofperpetualhelp.ca.

HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS: Mark Wednesday, December 19th at 7:00 P.M. on your calendar for our Holy Hour for Vocations to the priesthood and religious life. This is simply an hour set aside in prayer and reflection before the Blessed Sacrament. This is one small way we can help encourage and foster vocations.

CHRISTMAS HOURS: The Parish Office will be OPEN for regular hours this week (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday – 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. and 1:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.). The office will be closed after Christmas until Wednesday, January 2nd.

CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE: There will be two Christmas Eve Masses at OMPH, 6:00 P.M. (Family Mass) and 10:00 P.M.. There will be one Mass at OMPH on Christmas Day at 11:00 A.M. The Christmas Eve Mass at St. Pat’s will be at 8:00 P.M. Please join us and rediscover the true meaning of Christmas.

WELCOMING CHRIST . . . WELCOMING THE GIFT OF LIFE: At Christmas we celebrate the gift of Jesus who came to us as a tiny child so long ago. We know that there are many children who are not given the chance to receive or celebrate life because their lives are taken away before they are born. It seems only fitting that at Christmas time we should help support and build a culture of life in our society today. After each of the Masses on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day a special collection will be taken to support the work of Tri-Town Pro-Life to assist them in their efforts to support and protect human life at all stages. We know how important it is to build a culture of life, so please be generous.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT: An evening of four voices blending and creating inspirational Christmas music will be presented in “Be Lifted Up” to be held on Sunday, December 16th at 7:00 P.M. at OMPH. A food donation at the door will be gratefully appreciated and will go towards our parish Christmas Hampers. There will be a reception in the hall after the concert. All are welcome to attend.

CHRISTMAS OFFERING ENVELOPES: Often people wonder where the Christmas collection goes. The total collection goes toward the needs of the Parish. If you would like to give Father Wayne a personal gift at Christmas, please mark it clearly on the envelope that the offering is for him. Otherwise, it will be directed to the Parish.

NEW YEAR’S: For Canada, New Year’s Eve / Day is a holy day of obligation as we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. There will be a Mass on New Year’s Eve at 5:00 P.M. in Cobalt and Mass on New Year’s Day at 11:00 A.M. at OMPH. As always, parishioners of either parish may attend either Mass. Sunday offering envelopes that are used will be returned to the proper parish.

DIOCESAN PRIORITY
How did God prepare the world for the mystery of Christ?
God prepared for the coming of his Son over the centuries. He awakened in the hearts of the pagans a dim expectation of this coming and he prepared for it specifically through the Old Testament, culminating with John the Baptist who was the last and greatest of the prophets. We relive this long period of expectancy in the annual liturgical celebration of the season of Advent.

What is the meaning of the name “Jesus”?
Given by the angel at the time of the Annunciation, the name “Jesus” means “God saves”. The name expresses his identity and his mission “because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Peter proclaimed that “there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved” (Acts 4:12).