Feast of the Nativity of the Lord

December 25, 2011

ShareLife Committee Members Needed

May our celebrations of the birth of our Saviour, lead us all to more consciously spread His message of love and peace to those around us. The ShareLife committee is looking for new members. If you would like to join, please call the office.

Donation Envelopes
Donations Deadline for 2011 Tax Receipts: All donations for 2011 must be received at the parish office by the end of the business day on Friday, December 30th. Please Fill Out your Envelopes Please write your donation amount on the front of your envelope. This small gesture is a great benefit to our volunteer counting teams, saving them a lot of time and helping with accuracy. Pre-Authorized Giving (PAG): Please contact the parish office to sign up for PAG, where YOU choose a monthly donation total to be withdrawn from your bank account on the 20th of each month. Apart from the convenience of not having to remember to bring your envelope each week to Mass, PAG works well for those who travel in the winter, ski on weekends, or go north for the summer, so you dont have to remember to make up for missed donations.

Lunch Time Organ Concert Series

Wednesdays at 12:15 pm - Free Jan. 04 Jan. 11
th

- Organist: Gordon Mansell

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- Organist: Thomas Fitches St. Mary of Egypt Refuge

Fourth Day of Christmas Dinner

Wednesday, December 28th at 2:00 pm Hospitality Days: December 27th 29th Would you like to be somewhere special for Christmas? Come for all three days or just for dinner. If there is a Christmas dish or treat that has special significance to you, feel free to bring it and a Christmas song. Please RSVP to info@stmarysrefuge.org or call 416-629-8264. For directions visit: www.stmarysrefuge.org If you would like to help us make this Christmas special, you could give us the gifts of blank Christmas cards, tree ornaments or other Christmas decorations. One other huge way to help is by offering to drive one or two people to the Refuge. Thank you.

Mass Intentions This Week

December 25th - January 1st
Please join us as we pray for the following, in our Announced Mass Intentions

Mon.:(9 am) Tues.:(9 am) Wed.:(9 am) Thurs.:(9 am) Fri.:( 9 am) Sat.:(9 am)
(5:15pm)

+Maria Estorba +Elizabeth Cascagnette Marie Clarke Int. of Desmond Preece Doris & Steven Vogtle +Donald Barrett Family +Eileen Harris Family +Ofelia de Sousa Family

Are You An Organ Donor?

Organ donation is a peculiar form of witness to charity. In a period like ours, often marked by various forms of selfishness, it is ever more urgent to understand how the logic of free giving is vital to a correct conception of life. Indeed, a responsibility of love and charity exist that commits one to make of their own life a gift to others, if one truly wishes to fulfill oneself. As the Lord Jesus has taught us, only whoever gives his own life can save it. (cf. Lk 9:24) Pope Benedict XVI One organ and tissue donor can save up to 8 lives and enhance the lives of 75 others. Register today at BeADonor.ca. For additional resources you can also visit www.archtoronto.org/organdonation.

New Years Eve

Vigil Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, The Mother Of God

New Years Day Sun.:(Jan.01)

Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, The Mother of God
(8:00, 9:30, 11:00 am & 12:30 pm)

Feast of the Nativity of the Lord

December 25, 2011

On-Line Donations Now Possible

Through: www.archtoronto.org The Archdiocese of Toronto is pleased to announce that you can now support your parish or favourite charity of the Archdiocese by making a tax deductible gift using your credit card. A DONATE NOW bulletin is accessible on the Archdiocesan website: www.archtoronto.org, that will take you to a page where you can make a gift. You can direct your gift to your Parish, ShareLife, St. Michael`s Choir School, St. Augustine`s Seminary, The Archdiocese of Toronto, Tribute Giving, and Sunday TV Mass. (Humanitarian Relief donations will also be possible as of Jan. 1, 2012). Thank you for your support of the Church.

Christians of the Holy Land

Most of us are getting accustomed to the new language in the Roman Missal. In the Nicene Creed, we use the work Incarnate. This is a very Catholic word, meaning simply but not entirely, that Jesus was born. Incarnate, by the Holy Spirit; of the Virgin Mary. But, when and where? Well, two thousand and eleven years ago in Bethlehem, at the Church of Nativity. We are a pilgrim Church, with specific events that took place at certain locations and points in time. When St. Helena came to the Holy Land to build churches where Jesus ministered, it was easy to find these locations since the local Christians kept Vigil at these spots. We are blessed to have the entire ministry of Jesus documented and commemorated by parishes. We are equally blessed that until today, there remains a Christian Palestinian community bearing witness at these Churches, against all the odds. There, Christians are waiting to greet you, just like they greeted St. Helena. Please remember in your prayers these First Christians, who remain in the Holy Land. The Middle East is in true turmoil, and the Christians are a mere 2% of the population. Please pray for Christianity to survive where it began.

Rogers Offers a Free Preview of Salt + Light

Rogers Cable has announced Salt + Light will be available on a free preview which will run until January 4th on channel 240. Go to rogers.com or call 1.888.Rogers1 for more information. Our Lady of Sorrows School

Win Great Prizes!

Students aged 14-18 are invited to write a 500 word essay on the theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, celebrated January 18-25. Theme: We Will All Be Changed (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:5158). First Prize iPad 2 (16GB); Second Prize Amazon Kindle Fire; 3rd - 6th prizes one year subscription to The Catholic Register and other prizes. Essays will be published in The Catholic Register. Deadline for entries is January 9th. Email your essay to editor@catholicregister

Kindergarten Registration
Junior and Senior Kindergarten registration will take place during the week of January 16, 2012. Appointments for registering kindergarten children can be made starting Tuesday, January 10 by calling the school at (416)393-5246. Junior Kindergarten children must be four years of age by December 31, 2012. Senior Kindergarten children must be five years of age by December 31, 2012. The following information is required at the time of registration: Roman Catholic Baptismal Certificate, Birth Certificate, Immunization Record, Health Card Number and proof of residency. There will be a Welcome to Kindergarten evening for parents and future OLS students on Thursday, April 12th, 2012 at 6:30 p.m.

Vocation Seeds
Nativity of the Lord We celebrate the birth of our Lord into our world; however, many have not received the birth of our Lord into their hearts. If Christ lives in your heart and you would like to help others discover the Lord, you may be called to be a priest, religious, or permanent deacon. If God is calling you, call Fr. Hansoo at 416-968-0997 or email the vocations office at vocation@vocations.ca.