St. Clare Updates for Nov. 28 - Dec. 11, 2020 |
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As I write to you, we all have been disappointed in the recent developments. There is a growing number of COVID cases and as a consequence our churches along with other public venues have been ordered closed.
We could talk about it and complain, all for good and valid reasons, but I would rather focus on anything that is bright and positive.
First of all we do livestreaming daily Masses Monday to Friday at 9 am and on Saturday at 5 pm for Sunday.
Please join us and pray with us! You can access it the same way as our Sunday Mass (via the link on our website www.stclare.ca).
Once again this lockdown reminds us that our homes are our churches, literally. That said, I hope to see you soon in our church!
Second, we now have access to Shalom Catholic TV. There is a link on our website to this good source of live daily prayers, Masses, programs and movies. Check it out!
On a personal note I want to introduce to you a new member of our parish family. His name is Ginger, a rescue cat I adopted from the BCSPCA shelter. I am so happy to help this little kitten that came all the way from Prince George! I think he is also helping Fr. Yarek and me as he makes our home full of surprise and joy!
Fr. Maciej
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ADVENT RETREAT
WITH FR. JUAN LUCCA AND BARB DOWDING
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For many of us, it would be easy to say that 2020 has had its unique share of challenges. It has been easy to become discouraged, disconnected, and disengaged. Advent and subsequently, Christmas, however, present for us an opportunity to share in a fresh joy, a true joy, a joy that can conquer any darkness: Rejoice, rejoice! Christ is born!
Join Father Juan Lucca and Barb Dowding at this year’s Advent Retreat: Ero Cras (Tomorrow, I Will Be), where we will explore the rich symbols in Advent and share the intricate details of Christmas liturgy to help prepare us for the coming of Christ at Christmas, where our hope and our joy will be full. This retreat will take place Friday, Dec. 4 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm on Zoom. Register online at beholdvancouver.org/events
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PROJECT ADVANCE
Our thanks to all those who have already donated to this year's Project Advance appeal. Thanks to your generosity, we have pledges totaling $178,159. Our diocesan goal is $32,500, so that means that $145,659 will be coming back to St. Clare's. Our goal this year is to raise $250,000 for our mortgage. If you wish to donate online you can do so by clicking below. This link is also on our web page (www.stclare.ca) To receive a tax receipt for 2020 your donation must be given by December 31st.
If you have any questions, please call Janet at 604-475-7195 or Lynda at 778-788-5045.
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2021 ENVELOPES
ARE NOW IN THE OFFICE
If you would like to pick them up, please call the office at 604-941-4800
to arrange a time
PLEASE ONLY USE ENVELOPES which have YOUR NAME and are for the CURRENT YEAR. EACH YEAR your envelope number changes so please use your new envelopes ONLY in 2021. Thank you.
OTHER ITEMS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
You can still get a missal at the office for $5 each
Free calendars and the devotional booklet " Our Daily Bread" for December-February are on a table in the Adoration Chapel as long as supplies last.
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Due to Covid-19 the Advent Tree Program at St. Clare's has been adapted so that we can continue to help the groups that we support and whose need is as great as ever. If you wish to participate we ask that you donate money for this special purpose and we will purchase appropriate gift cards. We would also like to give a big thanks to all of you who have already made a donation.
With the closure of the church for masses you can make your donation online at Parish Online Donations. Please make sure that you select St. Clare's Parish and then put a note in the comments section that it is for the Advent Tree.
You can also put your donation in a plain envelope clearly marked “Advent Tree”. Please include your name, address and envelope number and we will add your gift in your annual tax receipt. All cheques should be made payable to St. Clare of Assisi Parish. Envelopes can be dropped through the mail slot in the office door or mailed to St. Clare’s at 1320 Johnson Street, Coquitlam, BC V3B 4T5.
The generosity of parishioners toward the Advent Tree program has been tremendous over the years, brightening thousands of Christmas’s and while changes have to be made this year hopefully at some point in the near future we will once again able to return to our usual format.
Thank you and God Bless.
PS. The groups that we help include, Transition and Safe Houses, Teenagers (some with babies) in the alternative school in Coquitlam, local Seniors in Care facilities that do not have family support, the homeless in the Tri City areas as well as downtown Eastside, Covenant House, Aboriginal Childrens’ groups from babies to teens, also through our school district we have several families that require assistance and of course persons and families that come to our parish office for assistance.
Gift cards will be purchased at the recommendation of the people operating these programs and then distributed to needy individuals in their programs before Christmas.
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8th Annual Fundraiser for
The Children of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary Orphanage
in El Salvador.
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Click on this Link
to watch the Message from Anna Magnusson
and find out how, as a community, we can help
improve the life of these children.
These are the ways you can send your donation:
or Drop your donation in the collection box or at the office:
In an envelope addressed “ORPHANAGE DONATION”
Please make cheques payable to CWL St Clare of Assisi
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
If you have any questions please call Maria at 604-671-6213
(Please note- as this money is given to a charily outside of Canada, no tax receipt will be issued)
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Everyone is invited to join us daily
7:30 pm, Online
Contact
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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
Join the Knights of Columbus for Free
Have you been wondering about the Knights of Columbus? Put your faith into action by joining the Knights. Go to kofc.org/join and fill out the online application, enter MCGIVNEY2020 in the Promo Code to receive free membership for the first year.
Knights General Meetings are online. Join our Zoom meetings to catch up on all our activities.
Join our monthly Zoom Rosary prayers, everyone is welcome. Email gk@stclare.ca to get on the invitation list.
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The BC Knights of Columbus are holding their 59th Annual Charity Appeal with the top prize being $100,000. Tickets are only $3 each and are available at www.KofCdraw.net/C14225
For more information on the Knights of Columbus please visit our websites at kofc.org and kofcbc.org. If you are interested in becoming a Knight please email
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MOTHER'S PRAYER GROUP
We are having virtual meetings every week. If you are interested in joining us or would like to know more about Mothers Prayers, please contact Thelma Rose at (604) 464-3383 or email Thelma at glenthel@shaw.ca
Mothers Prayers which was started by two grandmothers in England is celebrating it’s 25th anniversary this month. For more information, please visit:
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Food for Thought . . . and for the Soul
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As my novice master put it in a good 1961 fashion, “Try to make it as easy as possible for all others to love you.” Perhaps I, myself, was good and could go to heaven. But such personal salvation does not come close to the mystery of the Body of Christ, which turns focus outward, to ask: how can I be good for the sake of my neighborhood, my city, my church, my community, and the world? It really is a different starting place. It’s not seeking my own ego enhancement, but the spiritual and physical well-being of others, as Jesus did.
Fr Richard Rohr OFM
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"The malls (and the airwaves) are alive with the sound of . . . Christmas", yet we are only just entering the season of Advent. To remind us of the proper liturgical themes of anticipation and preparation, click on these links for music of the season, both ancient and modern.
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Sacraments at St. Clare's
November 1-27
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Conor McDonnell and Tiana Tomassetti |
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Gavin Levy-Booth, son of Richard and Shiloh
Terence Estoque, son of Jo-Mari and Tricia
Makai Casuga, son of Mark and Kassantina
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Mass Times and Registration |
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On November 19th Bonnie Henry announced that all church services are suspended until at least December 7th with the exception of weddings, funerals and baptisms which are now limited to 10 persons in attendance.
That means that for now all of our masses are closed to the public. However, we have made arrangements to live stream our masses as follows:
Daily Masses Monday through Friday at 9:00am
(these will be posted on Youtube and can be watched
throughout that day)
Weekend Mass at 5:00pm on Saturday
(this will be posted to Youtube and can be watched Saturday evening or Sunday)
You can participate in our online masses by clicking on the link on our website, www.stclare.ca (the same link you have used to watch our Sunday masses)
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Watch St Clare parish weekly Sunday Mass on our YouTube Channel. Updated every week. Live Streaming on Saturday at 5:00pm with a Higher Definition version available at 7:30pm (Saturday)
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In order to help you facilitate the offertory for St Clare parish, The Archdiocese has created an Online Offertory page to facilitate one time or pre-authorized monthly or weekly giving through direct debit or credit card donations.
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Our Confession Schedule is as follows:
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Saturday, December 12th 9:30 am – 10:30 am OR....
Confessions are now heard in the Crying Room (by the washrooms on the east side of the church) NOT in the confessional.
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Please pray for the sick of our Parish
Noah Zanatta, Bob Roy, Loni Cain, Brendan Pace, Gracienda Ramos, Brian Stewart, Catherine Dunne, Lucy Chase, Doreen Allyen, Tyson Ward, Nora Arroyal, Christopher Brown, Joan McDonald, Annabella Cirko, Frank Matchett, Kelly Durkin, Jason Kendall, Bill Clendinning, Chris Mah, Lydia Guzman, Angelo Visentin, June Cross, Katelyn Boudewyn, Karen Morris, Ramon Montecillo, Janice Caine, Nadine Classen, Leanne Theiss, Sierra Osborne, Sebastien Robillard, Carol Clifford, Sandra Diersch, Lori Dennis, Marcel Quaghebeur, Mazoe Kaufman, Cindy Mazerolle-Kass, Anna Figura, Ed Garcia, Viray Family, Walter Banke, Nettie Helgason, Etheen Lowry, Elizabeth Teixeira, Reema Ferreira, Terry McDonald, Andrew De Boda, Maurice Quaghebeur, Henry Sicking, Hari Vijay, Peggy Maas, Chad Galitzky, Al Trotter, Pat Dizy and all recipients of St. Clare’s Prayer Shawls.
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The Poor Clare Sisters are praying for our parish and would be happy to take your personal prayer requests by mail or telephone 1-604-826-2818. St. Clare's Monastery, Box 3370, Mission, B.C. V2V 4J5 |
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Of Interest from the Diocese |
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Archdiocesan Day of Mercy
Archbishop Miller has set aside December 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, as a dedicated Day of Mercy. The particular day itself will see vast opportunities throughout the archdiocese for people to prepare their hearts to receive Jesus at Christmas by receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Visit rcav.org/christmas to learn more about the numerous opportunities for Reconciliation on the Day of Mercy and throughout Advent.
The True Meaning of Christmas
While it may be cliché to say, the truth is that we can often lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas in the midst of all the planning and dealing with dysfunctional family dynamics. This talk is geared towards re-orienting our hearts to have the sentiments of the divine heart this Christmas towards ourselves, our family, and any suffering we may experience during this holy time. As we will see, the Incarnation of Christ was filled with suffering for the holy family, but also more deeply joy. This talk will reflect upon that paradoxical reality as well as what the birth of Christ says to who we are as persons, a truth worth rediscovering and accepting, again and again, especially those of us who have been rejected or forgotten at times in our families. Join us for this talk on Thursday, Dec. 17 from 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm on Zoom Webinar, followed by a small-group breakout session. Register online at beholdvancouver.org/events
Daughters of St. Paul Christmas Concert
COVID-19 can’t stop Christmas. And this year, the Daughters of St Paul choir’s Christmas Concert is finally making it to Canada… virtually!
The Daughters of St Paul are an international congregation of religious sisters who evangelize through the media. The sisters of the USA & Canada province have long wished to bring their Christmas Concert tour north, but international rights and customs made it impossible. But this year has offered the sisters the unique opportunity to launch their first-ever virtual concert, “Home for Christmas,” with choir members joining in from their homes to sing to you in yours!
So join us, the Daughters of St Paul Choir, for our first concert for Canada! “Home for Christmas” is a free YouTube live-streamed event where you can expect to meet our choir members, listen to some concert favourites, learn some dance moves, hear some inspirational stories, and have the opportunity to support our mission of evangelization. We hope to see you there on Thursday, Dec. 3 at 5:00 pm. Register online at beholdvancouver.org/events
The Search: Why are we here? What's life all about?
The Search is an innovative video series that tackles the key questions of every human heart. In seven beautifully filmed episodes, Chris Stefanick and experts from multiple fields of science, medicine, psychology, art, and religion examine our place in the larger story of existence.
Each session will begin with a 30-minute cinematic video presentation produced by Augustine Institute, followed by an engaging small group panel of local pastors, ministry leaders, religious, and podcasters.
Everyone who registers will receive a FREE one-year subscription to FORMED.org with access to thousands of Catholic movies, programs, books, audio, and more.
Are you ready for The Search? Join us for weekly sessions on Thursdays until Dec. 17 from 7:00 - 8:30 pm. Register for FREE at thesearch.rcav.org
The Catholic Faith in Plain English Free Course
Learn about the rich teachings and practices of our Catholic Faith from Father Vincent Hawkswell and Maureen Creelman in their course “The Catholic Faith in Plain English”. This free, 36 week-long course will be offered online this year and is suitable for all adult learners including Catholics and non-Catholics. Register for free at beholdvancouver.org/catholic-faith-course
Email Fraud Warning
The Archdiocese has received multiple reports from parishioners and priests who have fallen victim to a recent Internet email phishing scam. Imposters, posing as priests and using email addresses that are similar to those of our priests, have been emailing people asking for personal donations, gift cards, and other forms of financial assistance.
Never respond to emails requesting Google Play cards, iTunes cards, or any other form of personal financial assistance, even if it appears to be from a priest, deacon, religious, parish staff or bishop. If you have any doubt, please contact the sender by other means to verify any requests.
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