Sacred Heart Church Founded in 1910 1307 - 14th Street S.W., Calgary, Alberta T3C 1C6 Telephone: (403) 244-2741 Fax: (403) 244-1446 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.sacredheartcalgary.ca NATIVITY OF THE LORD Weekend Masses Saturday 5 :00 pm (Vigil Mass) Sunday 7:30, 9:00, 11:00 am, 5:00 pm Weekday Schedule Monday to Friday Rosary 11:40 am Angelus 12:00 noon Mass 12:05 pm Wednesday 10:30 am Mt. Royal Care Center Friday Exposition follows the 12:05 pm Mass Adoration for Vocations 1:30 pm Benediction 2:45 pm Morning Prayer Sunday, 8:30 am Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturday 4:00 pm. (Confessions may also be arranged by request). Office Hours: Monday to Friday: 9 am - 3 pm Closed 12 noon to 12:30 pm Stewardship Corner: A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us. The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name! (Psalm 97) How often do we give thanks to God for all the wonderful things in our lives? CHRISTMAS 2014 TODAY IS BORN OUR SAVIOUR, CHRIST THE LORD Is there anything more defenseless than a tiny newborn? Totally dependent on others for every need, a baby is the perfect image of vulnerability. How amazing it is, then, that God should choose to come to us as a helpless infant, born into the humblest of circumstances. But why? Why would God do such a thing? Because… God loves us. Beyond reason, beyond imagining, God loves us and wants to share in the smallest and most ordinary happenings of our lives. God doesn't want merely to exist alongside us but to be a part of everything that we are. And so God became one of us, to love each of us intimately, passionately and without limits. And while it is good and right to bask in that love, today’s feast also calls us to something greater. God became one of us not only to make evident God’s great love for us, but also to show us how to live out of that love. Christmas is not just for one day: it’s for the whole year. Learning to live each day with patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-giving - this is the true gift of Christmas. Teresa Whalen Lux, Regina, SK We are a welcoming and caring community dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, helping each other discover who God is calling us to be.” Pastor Rev Edmund Vargas Associate Pastor Rev Colin O’Rourke Deacon/Business Manager Deacon Paul Kennedy Parish Secretaries Teresa Gill/Agnes Apostol Pastoral Assistant Karen Howells Music Director Barbara Orlowska Pastoral Council Claire Hagel Finance Council Michael Walsh Liturgy Committee Deacon Paul Kennedy Arts & Environment Committee Carmelita Farinha Children’s Liturgy Linda Mackie Pastoral Health Care Marilyn Wallace Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Lisa Gilead/ Patricia Tsang Lectors Lisa Hanslip Weekday Liturgy Addie Dedio Altar Servers Monica Magbanua Hospitality Ministry Glen Lilly Stewardship Contact the Office Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) Karen Howells Inn from the Cold Mike Swanson/Red Armstrong Society of St. Vincent de Paul Maria Gartner Annual Bishop’s Appeal Ed Marchand CWL Anna Marinelli Reception Stephanie Hugo Knights of Columbus Lorne Gartner Fire in the Rose Jane Oxenbury Marriage Preparation Peter & Leah Lavoie Building Committee Terry Allen In-residence Rev Gilles Le Blanc. WELCOME! Registration as well as volunteer forms are available at the Hospitality Desk or online. Have them completed and placed in the collection basket. Donation envelopes are also available at the Hospitality Desk. METAPHORS from a priest [email protected] God’s Rebirth As the Word takes flesh and is born into our world, we ask that we too can be born again into Christ’s presence in the world. His rebirth happens when we find ourselves extending a generous hand to one in need. It happens when we grow in understanding of those different from us and welcoming those who are outsiders and interrupt our plan for the day. The implications of the first Christmas are profound, affecting all aspects of our Christian life. Christ’s becoming human has made us share his divinity, making us children of God and heirs of his kingdom. As a Church, we share the God’s gift of mercy and compassion. Christ’s divine action in our life and in our world is made possible through the sacraments and through other activities that we do in his name. Christ’s becoming human has made it possible for Christ to be present in so many special ways, including his presence in the Eucharist and his presence as we gather in his name. Christ’s becoming human also requires us to be part of human family, redeemed through his death and resurrection. It requires us to be part of a community where we experience his love and forgiveness. It requires us to be “incarnated” into a local community we call our own. It requires us to become involved and participative in the various activities of our community, helping us in our journey of faith. Christ’s becoming human is the reason we are saved not alone but in the context of community. Just as Christ shares our human nature, we are invited to become “incarnate” or incorporated into our community of faith, sharing the same gift of reaching out to the divine through our human experiences. As we celebrate Christmas, let us remember that our life has been transformed by the great event of God becoming human in Jesus Christ. Let us share Christ with one another, by letting Him use of our hands, our feet and our whole being in the ministry of love and forgiveness. May the Christmas spirit of love and forgiveness be in our hearts today and every day of our lives. Fr Edmund, Fr Colin, Deacon Paul and all the staff at Sacred Heart Church wish you a Merry & Blessed Christmas and a Joyous New Year! BAPTISMS are celebrated outside of Mass every fourth Sunday at 12:15 pm and during Mass on other weekends, that, first Sunday at 9:00 am, second Sunday at 11:00 am and third weekend on Saturday at 5:00 pm, Baptisms are discouraged during the Lenten season. Please call the office to set up an appointment to register . WEDDING ARRANGEMENTS are arranged only after an initial interview with a Priest or Deacon. THE PASTORAL HEALTH CARE TEAM welcomes the opportunity to visit and bring the Eucharist to our housebound parishioners. Please call the Parish office to schedule visits. SACRAMENTAL PREP DATES: Confirmation: February 22 to April 11, 2015 and First Eucharist: May 10 to June 7, 2015. Brochures and registration forms will be available two weeks before each course is offered. OUR WEBSITE. www.sacredheartcalgary.ca is our domain name. Check it out and forward your comments. For more information, please call the Parish during office hours (9:00 am - 3:00 pm). CHILDREN’S LITURGY. Program runs from September through May at the 9:00 am Mass. Please call the office for details. NEW LIFE CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC COMMUNITY holds Worship & Praise Service every Sunday, 2-4 pm, in the church. For details, call Joseph Gingco at (403) 390-0724. CWL (Catholic Women’s League) invites all ladies of the parish over 16 years of age to join them. For details, contact Anna Marinelli at 403-245-1654. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) is offered year-round for those thinking about becoming a Catholic or completing sacraments of initiation. Please call Karen at 244-2741 ex.234. Holy Days of Obligation: In addition to Sundays, January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God is to be observed as a holy day of obligation in the Canadian dioceses. Receptionist Positions Required. Must be 18 years of age, excellent communicator and organizer, 25 WPM keyboarding skills. Tasked with receiving parishioners & visitors as well as monitoring the premises… Please submit resume through the office. Work starts in the new year. Receptionist 1 works 2:30-6:30 pm on weekdays. Receptionist 2 works 10:30 am-6:30pm on weekends. Christmas Office Hours: The Office will be closed December 26th. We will be open December 29th and 30th from 9 am to 3 pm and closed from Noon December 31st through January 1st. We will be open once again on Friday, January 2nd. Fire in the Rose. Survivors of abuse have found the world to be an unsafe place. Part of the process of healing involves finding safe spaces where they can share their story and find a community that can foster their healing. Abused people are often traumatized. Many survivors struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder. For children being abused, and for most women who are abused by their partners, life goes on even as the abuse is happening. This period of disjuncture – when people at work, at school and at church are treating you normally and yet you are in crisis inside – is very damaging. There can be a profound disconnection between the community and the survivor; a lack of trust, a feeling that they are not safe. Many survivors feel profoundly alienated from God. Many survivors leave the church because they feel God abandoned them. They feel anger that God did not prevent the abuse and/or they feel despair, that God does not care. Survivors in the church are often encouraged to draw on their Christian faith to restore their sense of safety. However basic theological tenets can be problematic for survivors. Yet some survivors are persistent, and keep coming to church. They are hopeful that the church will be a home for them, where they can discover new relationships that are trustworthy. As we begin a new year, let’s remember those around us who may be suffering from abuse and feeling isolated at Church. 2008, Adapted by Jane Oxenbury, M.Ed., R.Psych. from Healing Waters: Churches Working to End Violence Against Women by Carol Penner (Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada, 2004). For more information about Fire in the Rose or for resources to help you, contact Jane Oxenbury at 403-255 -7004/ [email protected]. PLEASE PRAY FOR HEALING Johanne (Names will appear for three weeks. You may request an Baptisms celebrated in December Andreas George Salieb, Gaveriel-Xyrus Manapat, Andrew Michael Venini, Elliott John Venini, Gabriel Angelo Buenavista, Alexandre Guillaume Speidel, Luciano Petrillo, David Olivares Stoll, Gabriel Jombart Lemay, Sebastien Jombart Lemay, Felix Sebastian Butler, Savannah Marie Huda Congratulations & Welcome! You have been blessed with a wonderful new life! New Year’s Schedule Dec 31, Wednesday New Year’s Eve Mass 5:00 pm Jan 1, Thursday New Year’s Day Mass Mary Mother of God 7:30, 9 & 11 am Serving the Homeless – Rising to the Challenge. “Among our tasks as witnesses to the love of Christ is that of giving a voice to the cry of the poor.” (Pope Francis) Sacred Heart’s Parish Pastoral Council is looking at what we can do as a Parish faith community to respond to our Holy Father’s and Bishop Henry’s call to do more in love and service of the poor. We are exploring the feasibility of hosting a second monthly Inn From the Cold. To ensure we do not ‘burn out’ our existing Inn team, we are looking at setting up “Sacred Heart Inn Team 2” of volunteers and sponsors. Our goal is to build Sacred Heart Inn Team 2 from within our Parish volunteer and financial resources – to further build on our Welcoming and Caring faith community. How can you help? Volunteers needed (*screening/ police check required): Coordinators*, Overnight Supervisors*, Setup (cots, bedding, etc.), Kitchen (food prep., dishes, etc.), Servers*, Takedown, Laundry. Donor sponsors needed: to cover direct costs such as catering a simple wholesome dinner and for food supplies for continental breakfast and bag lunches for approximately 20 guests per monthly Inn, and added janitorial service expenses. Our goal is to have a pledged sponsor per month (could be an individual, family, or group within the Parish). It’s up to you - For the next few weeks we will be taking names of potential volunteers and donors, and based the Parish’s response will determine if Sacred Heart Inn Team 2 is a go. If you can help or have questions please contact Karen Howells at the office or email [email protected] . “We do much, but we are perhaps called to do more, welcoming and sharing decisively that which Providence has given us to serve" (Pope Francis) 2015 CONTRIBUTION ENVELOPES are available in the narthex area. They are placed alphabetically by SURNAME. Envelope numbers over 1000 have been mailed out. Any questions please call Deacon Paul extension 231 or email to [email protected]. Mass Intentions can be set up at the Hospitality Desk or at the parish office. We need to assign intentions to our scheduled Masses. In and around the Parish 2014 Dec. 28 NCCC 4:00 & 6:00 pm Jan. 5 Inn From the Cold 4:00 pm Jan. 6 K of C Meeting 7:00 pm Jan. 7 Diocesan Transition Program 6 pm Jan. 10 Columbarium Mass 9:00 am Sacred Heart Columbarium The year 2014 was very important for the Sacred Heart Columbaria. We have interred the remains of 129 loved ones in our facility in three years. The value of sales to date are in excess of $1,270,000 and virtually all double space niches are sold in the central area of the Holy Land Columbarium. We thank you for your support and remind you that a special memorial Mass is held monthly on the second Saturday at 9 AM in the Church. Celebrations & Intentions Thur, Dec. 25 7:30 am Betty Duff 9:00 am Aneta Switzer 11:00 am Parishioners RIP RIP SI Fri, Dec. 26 12:05 pm Larry Rider RIP Sat, Dec. 27 5:00 pm Daryl Desa RIP Sun, Dec. 28 7:30 am 9:00 am 11:00 am 5:00 pm Cecilia, Ralph & Raymond Joyce & James McCone Parishioners Special Intention RIP RIP SI SI Mon. Dec. 29 12:05 pm Special Intention SI Sacred Heart Columbarium: Tue, Dec. 30 12:05 pm Daniel Lopez RIP Holy See and Holy Land Columbaria. Wed, Dec. 31 10:30 am Christopher Akinnuoye 12:05 pm Special Intention 5:00 pm Special Intention RIP SI SI Open daily: 11 am to 6 pm - Holidays 11 am to 1 pm. A reminder the next Columbarium Memorial Mass will be on Saturday, January 10, at 9:00 a.m. For more information about Sacred Heart Columbarium, or you would like to book a tour of our beautiful and peaceful facility, please call the office: (403) 244 – 2741 extension 232. email: [email protected] or website: www.sacredheartcalgary.ca – then click on the Columbarium heading. Thur, Jan. 1 Fri. Jan. 2 Sat. Jan. 3 7:30 am Deceased Members of the Adams & Tucking family 9:00 am Deceased Members of the Desa Family 11:00 am Parishioners 12:05 pm Special Intention 5:00 pm Rumzia Arraf Sun. Jan. 4 7:30 am 9:00 am 11:00 am 5:00 pm Joseph Akinnuoye Laszlo Funtek Parishioners Lourdes & Anastacio Derama Mon. Jan. 5 12:05 pm Ben Luttikhuis RIP RIP SI SI RIP RIP RIP SI RIP RIP Together In Action - Thank you for your generous contributions to the Together in Action Campaign on behalf of the Diocese. We have surpassed our goal with particular thanks to the Knights of Columbus and a few very generous parishioners (You know who you are!). This is a new milestone for Sacred Heart Parish. Women's Weekend Silent Retreat: Jan. 30 - Feb1 at Mount St. Francis, Cochrane. A weekend to foster prayerful listening & responding to our God. Silent Retreat theme: The Beatitudes in Luke's Gospel. Please call Simone 403-284-1702; Margaret 403-6890358; Dayna 403-460-7381 or Dianna 403-680-0358 A SPECIAL THANKYOU TO ALL VOLUNTEERS! At this busy time of year we are especially mindful and grateful for all the work our amazing volunteers carry out with love, skill and dedication. In addition to regular outreach, liturgy, and education commitments, our volunteers have been generously stepping forward to help with the extra Advent and Christmas activities such as Parish and Children’s Christmas parties, Simbang Gabi, Christmas Hampers, decorations and Christmas Eve masses music and other liturgical ministries. We also wanted to highlight our dedicated weekday volunteers, who day in and day out, are busy behind the scenes with many tasks such as looking after the sacristy supplies, keeping holy water fonts clean and filled and replacing all the hymnals. Our volunteers are truly at the “heart” of our “welcoming and caring” parish community – and we thank God for all our volunteers. Merry Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year to you all!
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