Announcements

 

Intentions for the month of December

General… That in the face of a spreading of a culture of violence and death, the Church, through her apostolic and missionary activity, may promote with courage the culture of life.

Mission… That, especially in mission countries, Christians may show with acts of fraternal love that the Child born in the stable at Bethlehem is the luminous Hope of the world. 

We begin the journey to Christmas

Once again, we find ourselves heading toward Christmas.  While in familiar territory, we must seek to make of our Advent preparations an experience that is ever new. Toward this end the church will not have an Advent wreath this year. While certainly a tradition long in existence, the wreath is not a necessary action.  To aid us in having a conscious rethinking of why we do things, the marking of the weeks of Advent, while still involving candles, will be carried out in a slightly different manner. 

In and through our Advent prayer and action, it is hoped that the motivation attached to the parish synod might also come to be better understood.  The synod is intended to allow us to see our community and ourselves in a manner slightly different from that in which we are accustomed to.  As in the case of the Advent wreath, we are being offered an opportunity to explore who it is we are, what it is we are seeking to be, and how in light of our experience we can advance individually and as a community into the future.  May our Advent celebrations and our Synod preparations lead us to that which we seek, the relationship that we have with God or Father, in and through Christ His Son. 

Faith First

An adult understanding of Christmas

The second in our series of Coffee and Conversations on Saturday mornings will take place this coming Saturday at 8:30, lasting roughly an hour.  This month’s topic, as listed above, will take a look at the Christmas narratives, and unlock for us the messages and purpose regarding Christ and his earthly mission that are to be found there.  Here is an opportunity to grow in your understanding of what it is that we are celebrating when it comes to the feast of the nativity. 

Included n the discussion will be a presentation of the historical developments of the feast and its traditions, the layers of messages contained in the scriptural accounts of Saints Matthew and Luke, as well as the theological understandings associated with them. Our time together, while hopefully an informative one, is carried out in a relaxed and open manner.  So why not join us for some coffee, pastries and conversation as a start to your day.

Christmas prep day for the children

With the increased numbers involved in Faith First the Christmas prep day has had to be divided over two days.  This compulsory portion of the program will therefore be organized in the following manner…

Grades 3 and up… as previously planned will have their prep day on Saturday, December 13^th from 10:00 a.m. until noon. 

Grades 1 and 2… will have their prep day take place after Mass on Sunday, December 14^th.  Please watch for more information in the bulletin next weekend. 

Schedule of Masses for

December 24^th

4:00 Children’s Mass with the Pageant

7:00 Children’s “Pajama” Mass with a sending off to bed at the end of the Liturgy.

9:00 Formal Liturgy with the Adult Choir

December 25^th

10:00 am The family Mass

Christmas Pageant

The sign up sheet for the Christmas Pageant is at the back of the church this weekend.  The practices for the pageant (which will take place at the 4:00 Mass on Christmas Eve) are at 10:00 on Saturday December 6^th and on Saturday, December 20^th. 

Adults are also needed to aid in the execution of the pageant.  Your help in this regard would therefore be greatly appreciated.  If you are interested in working on the pageant, please approach Robin Peissel.

Christmas Concert

The Montreal West Operatic Society will be performing its 2008 Christmas Concert entitled

SEASON’S GREETINGS

Here at Corpus Christi on Sunday, December 14^th at 4p.m.  Information and tickets may be obtained by seeing Margaret in the parish choir, or by contacting MWOS at 514-697-9953.  Information can also be obtained by going to the web site www.mwos.org   

Parish Christmas Trees

While new parishioners will not be familiar with this Corpus Christi tradition, experienced parishioners know about the parish Christmas trees. These trees are decorated with ornaments containing the family names of the parish. The person who had written the names in the past is moving to England, and therefore will no longer be able to write the names.  Should there be someone who could take up the task of inscribing the ornaments, would you please make yourself known to either Father Joe or Gene Gauzer.  Your aid to the parish in this manner would be most appreciated.

As well, the list of existing ornaments can be found on the bulletin Board.  If you do not find your name on the list, and would like to have an ornament prepared, please fill in the stub below, and drop in the collection basket next weekend.

Gift Drive for Saint Gabriel’s

The young men from Corpus Christi who are students at Loyola High School are organizing a gift drive for the children whose families will be aided by Saint Gabriel’s Parish this coming Christmas.  While more information will be forthcoming, it was desired that parishioners should be informed of their project at this time. 

Baby food jars…Can you help us prepare for a project for next year?

We need a large quantity of small baby food jars. We are therefore sending out an appeal for those of you who use baby food, if you would, to bring in the empty jars, and place them in the box that will be located at the back of the church beginning next week.

Thank you.

The Grapevine

See the latest copy of The Grapevine on the bulletin board at the back of the church.

The Parish Auxiliary

The annual membership drive for the Parish Auxiliary is currently underway.  If you would like to join the Auxiliary, or wish to learn more about it, please approach the representative at the back of the church after Mass.

 Mass Intentions

Mass intentions for weekend Liturgies are presently booked through to the middle of November.  While there is still some availability for weekdays during October, those wishing to assure that they have their desired intentions reserved over the next two months are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. 

CORPUS CHRISTI PARISH

An appreciation of the past…

An examination of the present…

A plan for the future…

The parish is now embarking upon the second half, both of its jubilee year, as well as of its first hundred years of existence. We will therefore take a critical look at our parish life, and see where we are in need of change; so as to better lead our community into the future. 

The ongoing vibrancy of our parish demands that all aspects of our community be open to renewal.  The natural fear of change should never be seen as justification for leaving things as they are. True growth and maturity requires that the road ahead not be avoided.  While the experience and wisdom of the past 50 years is to be valued, history must not be used to prevent the calling forth of our community into the future.  The creative drive that led to endeavors of the past must now place itself at the disposal of inspiring the future. The challenge of this forward action should be undertaken without fearing the effect on that which has been built up and cherished. The strengths of the past can only be enhanced by the tempering action of examination.  Each organ of parish life must be actively involved in the betterment of the whole.  In doing so, every person and group within the parish can then be both better prepared, and more effective, in the carrying out the parish’s mission.

There are therefore some basic questions that should be faced by the various dimensions of parish life. Along with those questions, the process of developing an awareness of the aspects of parish life and their interrelationship must be undergone.  By better understanding the role and action of each other, we will be better prepared to support and nurture of one another in Christ’s name.

As we therefore embark upon this second half of our jubilee year, may we do so with the excitement and dream of the future that inspired the first members of our parish to begin building a new faith community 50 years ago.

The liturgical ministries

Would you be interested in reading at Mass, or perhaps you would be willing to help with the distribution of the Eucharist.  Maybe you could help with the greeting at the door of the church and the taking up of the collection.  These and other vehicles of service to the parish are consistently in need of greater numbers.  If you wish to have more information on some aspect of service, either in the Sanctuary or behind the scenes, please speak with Father Joe, Gene Gauzer, or Pierre Joncas.

And so, into the  future.

Our focus now shifts to the process that we will undertake in the fall; seeking to map out the future of our parish community.  In this regard, Father Joe and the parish council will take the lead in developing a program through which the parish as a whole can play a role.  There will be more information on this part of our year in September. 

We continue to improve

Over the last three years, a number of projects have been undertaken, contributing to the better maintenance and condition of our parish facilities.   Most notable of these projects have been the repair of the furnace and heating system, the new roof, and the refurbishing of a number of liturgical materials.  The success of the fundraising campaign held last year has permitted the wardens to look ahead at repairs that were thought to still be a few years off, so as not to put too great a strain on the budget.

The next project of some note will be to replace the 45-year-old windows of the hall, the sacristy, and the rectory.  An evaluation undertaken in 2006 determined that the condition of the windows was such that remedial action would only delay replacement by no more than 3 to 5 years.  Further, the cost of such action would only add to the overall expense that would need to be undertaken a short time later

This is due to the general decay of the wood in the frames of the windows, as well as the effect of time causing the many of the windows to longer provide a barrier to air and heat transfer between the interior and exterior of the building.  This leads to increased costs for heating oil and takes away from some of the benefit attained from the repair of the heating system. While the furnace is heating the building and we are far more comfortable, the system is called upon to work harder than would otherwise be necessary.  The funds saved though less oil consumption therefore add to the wisdom in repairing the windows.  A further problem with the windows is the inability to open or close them properly.  Many have seized in place and must either be sealed with foam or left as is.

In light of these circumstances, the wardens have decided to undertake a project to replace the widows of the building (with the exception of the church itself) over the next two years.  While a major campaign to cover the cost is not planned, there may be some need to find ways by which the expense can be dealt with, so as not to unduly deplete the resources of the parish.  The wardens will seek to keep the community advised as to the progress of this latest project, and its contribution to the overall integrity of the physical plant.

Bulletin Board Announcements

See the Bulletin Board for copies of “The Grapevine”.

Electronic Bulletin

Would you like to receive the Bulletin by e-mail?  We would be happy to accommodate you in this way. As well, you can sign up to be on the mailing list for the “Grapevine,” the weekly bulletin from the department of English Pastoral Services, and for the “Weekly Message” and information sheet from the office of Cardinal Turcotte.  All three of these documents can be sent to your computer as an easy way of being informed as to events on the parish, English and diocesan levels of the church of Montreal.