St. Clare Updates for
February 20 - March 5, 2021
Greetings!
The Lenten season is now underway. On Wednesday many of us received ashes on Ash Wednesday to mark our humble acknowledgment to move from a less perfect to a holier life. The traditional 3 signs of this time are: prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

What is your personal goal for the next 40 days? It doesn’t have to be big but rather something real and concrete. Follow the words of John the Baptist: “Prepare the way for the Lord”

To facilitate some good practices, here are some new initiatives:

·       We will open our church every Friday of Lent from 9:30 am until 4 pm. Come and pray! Have your personal time with God.
·       For those who plan confessions, we are back to “normal schedule”. Instead of making an email appointment we offer confessions Monday to Saturday 9:30am (until the last person).
·       We prepared the Stations of the Cross, written by own parishioner Peter Boudewyn. Combined with our church stations and his drawings, accompanied by the music and graphic design of another parishioner, Roy Evangelista, we got something that can be used for this Lenten season. It is available on our Parish YouTube channel (the same way as all our Masses) or click on this link Stations of the Cross .

On another note, I wanted to ask you for prayers for Fr. Yarek’s mother, Wieslawa (80). She is scheduled for surgery soon. Fr. Yarek will be going to Poland next week for at least a month to assist his mother. 


Fr. Maciej
Mass Times
On February 5th Bonnie Henry announced that the suspension of all church services is extended until at least the end of February with the exception of weddings, funerals and baptisms which are 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 are posted on Youtube and can be watched
throughout that day)
 
Weekend Mass at 5:00pm on Saturday
(this is posted to Youtube and can be watched Saturday evening or Sunday)

We have also taped a Stations of the Cross devotion which will be available throughout Lent.

You can participate in all of our online masses by clicking on the link on our website, www.stclare.ca or by searching for us on Youtube.
Communion
HOLY COMMUNION OUTSIDE OF MASS

We are giving Holy Communion on Sundays from 11am-12noon until the churches are reopened. To attend, you must pre-register on our web page St Clare Communion Registration.

You need to register only one person from your family (from your “bubble”). For example, if there is a family of four coming to receive Communion please register online only one person (NOT four). Registration opens 7 days before the event.

This is not a regular service so we do not need to get the names of all attending. This way more people can receive the Bread of Life.

Upon receiving Communion please leave the parking lot immediately. As per the BC ORDER, we cannot have more than 50 cars for a so called “drive through”).
Confessions
OUR CONFESSION SCHEDULE IS AS FOLLOWS:

  • After morning mass, Monday through Friday at 9:30am until the last person and on Saturday mornings from 9:30am to 10:15am. No registration or appointment is necessary.

Confessions are now heard in the Crying Room (by the washrooms on the east side of the church) NOT in the confessional.
Online Offerings
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. Click on the heading above to go to the secure page.
Happenings at St. Clare
ADVERTISERS IN OUR BULLETIN

There is a new advertiser section at the bottom of today's bulletin. Please support these businesses as they support your parish. Clicking on their ad will take you to their web page.

If you are interested in advertising your company in our bulletin, please contact the office at stclareofassisi@shaw.ca or call 604-941-4800.
2021 ENVELOPES
ARE IN THE LOBBY OF THE PARISH CENTRE
The Parish Centre is open Monday to Friday from 7:30am to 5pm except holidays

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. If you donate online or with Pre-Authorized payments, we will correct the envelope number on your donation, but we would still like you to pick up your box of envelopes.
OFFICE HOURS

Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm
Project Advance Final Numbers for 2020
We would like to thank you for your generosity last year to our Project Advance Campaign especially with the strains placed on everyone with the Covid Pandemic.

For all of 2020 there was $245,252 pledged and collected at St. Clare's with $32,500 going to the Archdiocese for the programs that they fund through Project Advance. The remainder was used to pay down our mortgage. There were 407 St. Clare donors.

To see details on how the Archdiocese uses the Project Advance funds that they receive please scroll to the bottom of this bulletin to see their flyer.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

The Knights of Columbus Council 14225 would like to congratulate our own Dan Arseneault on his win of this year's grand prize in the BC and Yukon Charity Appeal. Dan and his wife Diana won the top prize of $100,000. 

The Knights will hold their General Meeting on Feb 23 at 7pm. Zoom meeting details will be emailed. Please attend if you can. 

Join our monthly Zoom Rosary prayers, everyone is welcome. Email gk@stclare.ca to get on the invitation list.
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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
Milo at gk@stclare.ca or call him at 604-341-0062.
Dan and Diana Arseneault receiving cheque for $100,000 as the Grand Prize winners in the Knights of Columbus BC and Yukon Charity Appeal.
Don't you wish you had bought a ticket?

"WAY OF THE CROSS - in the Pandemic Era"

Peter Boudewyn of our parish has created a beautiful booklet to aid you in your personal Way of the Cross devotion and/or watching our online version on Youtube. This work of poetry, scripture, prayer and art will be made available to those coming to communion services at the Church on Sundays and may also be obtained by those attending confessions, or participating in individual devotions at the Church on Friday. The Knights of Columbus have funded the printing of the booklet and are asking for a "good will" donation ($5.00 suggested) which will be put toward special projects in the Parish. We are certain Peter's generous work will enrich and inspire you during this Lenten season! 
Get your questions answered and listen to others share their experiences.

Memberships are $35.00
e-transfer to cwl-stclare@shaw.ca
Cheque payable to CWL St. Clare of Assisi
Or Cash
(Please use an envelope clearly marked CWL Membership and drop it in the Collection Box at Church or the Rectory Mailbox.
Non-Member contact maria.magnusson-cwl@shaw.ca
LENTEN CAMPAIGN 
February 17 to March 28, 2021
 
40 Days for Life is an international focused pro-life campaign with a vision to access God’s power through prayer, fasting, & peaceful vigil* to end abortion.
 
 NO on-site prayer vigil this year

Ways to Participate

- Personal prayer at home
- Adoration in parish church or chapel
- Evening ZOOM Rosary - 8:00 pm. NEW!
(Various parish priests will join us throughout the 40 Days!) 
Evening ZOOM Rosary Registration (also on Behold Events Page)
 -Register once for access to all evening ZOOM Rosary sessions
-RCAV is promoting 40 DFL for the nightly Zoom Rosary portion of this campaign!

- Mike Blackstock has created a 40 Days for Life Google Form for all St. Clare of Assisi parishioners to log their prayer efforts throughout this campaign.


- Purpose: to track St. Clare of Assisi's number of participants and hours throughout Campaign. The link will be deleted at campaign close.

- Parishioners do not have to register their name or email address to submit their prayer/fasting efforts at this link

-Contact Heather Thompson for any questions, concerns, or assistance with logging prayer hthompsonofs@gmail.com or 778-837-0272
 
 “During 40 Days for Life, from February 17th through March 28th, I pledge to pray for an end to abortion, and I call upon local, state and national leaders to protect all human life." 

COME AND SEE...

FRANCISCAN JOURNEY
 
 
 “The deepest identity of a Secular Franciscan is based on their relationship with Jesus Christ, God’s gift to the people of God.

We believe that the Church has the mission to bring the spirit of generosity, forgiveness, reconciliation, and celebration to all people. Franciscans are dedicated to do whatever is needed not only to proclaim the gospel message by words, but also to make it evident in their lives.

Whether they speak the word or live the word, they bring the message to the Church and the world. They go from Gospel to life and life to the Gospel.” “It becomes a life of love as Jesus’ life was one of love, even to death on the cross.

Secular Franciscans, through life itself, share love with all people in all of creation. They gently call people to love through the example of their personal lives as well as their community life in fraternity.” (Franciscan Journey, p.7). 

We would like to invite parishioners to discover the Franciscan charisms by going through our formation program called Franciscan Journey. The journey will begin on Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 10 am and we will meet once a month on 2nd Sunday.

Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84264936664?pwd=VStaRG9vR3hqbzdkZC9rK3hOWGdXQT09
Meeting ID: 842 6493 6664        Passcode: 775909

If there is enough interest, another time can be arranged.
Contact: lanny.hui@gmail.com 
MOTHERS' 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 celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2020. For more information, please visit: 
Food for Thought . . . and for the Soul
Year of St Joseph announced
With the Apostolic Letter “Patris corde” (“With a Father’s Heart”), Pope Francis recalls the 150th anniversary of the declaration of Saint Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. To mark the occasion, the Holy Father has proclaimed a “Year of Saint Joseph” from 8 December 2020, to 8 December 2021.

"St Joseph worshipped Jesus as no saint before had done. From his deep, calm soul he poured out a very ocean of love - tenderest love, humblest love, love shrinking from being like the Father's love, yet also daring to be like it as Mary's had been like the conjoined loves of Father and of Spirit, as she was Mother and Spouse conjoined. No angel might love Jesus as Joseph loved Him, as Joseph was bound to love Him. No temporal love but Mary's could be more like an eternal love than the love of Joseph for the Child, because of its likeness to the love of the everlasting Father. Aside from the Blessed Virgin, Saint Joseph was the first and most perfect adorer of Our Lord.
St Peter Julian Eymard OMI
French priest (1811-1868)
Eucharistic Lenten Challenge
Now is a good time to make concrete resolutions towards a meritorious Lent.  

Despite the fact that age, health, virus variants and the current pandemic are factors that may affect some of our 2021 Lenten practises, during Lent, we can still commit to prayer, acts of adoration and reparation, fasting, abstinence, penance and developing the virtues

First, ponder the ways you want to grow in your spiritual life this Lent. Take this to prayer. What can you do this Lent to foster and deepen your desire and efforts for the salvation of souls and for the triumph of Our Eucharistic Lamb over the forces of the devil and evil?
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An addition for lovers of contemporary sacred art

Stepping Stones to Prayer
It can be hard to know how to start with prayer or how to structure your prayer. Here are some tips from "Jesuits in Britain". (Printable file available)

"Prayer is an aspiration of the heart, it is a simple glance directed to heaven, it is a cry of gratitude and love in the midst of trial as well as joy; finally, it is something great, supernatural, which expands my soul and unites me to Jesus."
St Therese of Lisieux

Mass Intentions
Our Prayer Corner
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, 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, Margaret Smith and all recipients of St. Clare’s Prayer Shawls.
Poor Clares in Mission
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
Shalom World TV Network is a 24/7, family-friendly Catholic TV channel and is the recipient of the Gabriel Award for "Best TV Station of the Year 2020", instituted by the Catholic Press Association of North America. It is a commercial-free, high-definition network appealing to young, as well as young-at-heart viewers. Shalom World is an official partner with the Vatican and is authorized to telecast papal liturgies live.

The newly launched channel, ‘SW Prayer,’ is also available 24/7 as a separate stream. This channel is designed exclusively for live Holy Mass, prayer, devotions, and Catholic teachings. Viewers become spiritually enriched and engaged, as they unite their prayers with others joining from across the globe. This prayerful momentum invites God's blessings into our world in these times.

We are pleased to let you know that you can watch Shalom Word TV and SW Prayer from within our parish website absolutely for free. Please go to our parish website https://stclare.ca and click on the image under Shalom World TV on the bottom right of our home page and you can watch the programs live as well as on demand.


Of Interest from the Diocese
 Save $1,100 - Open House at Gardens of Gethsemani
It's a great time to make pre-need arrangements with our Catholic Cemetery. Pre-register for our Open House and receive up to $1,100 off at Holy Angels Mausolea and Columbaria*. Visit us on Friday, Feb. 19 or Saturday, Feb. 20 from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. Pre-registration required at rccav.org. You can schedule a time to come in-person or through a video call. *Applicable to full body crypts or niches at Holy Angels Mausolea and Columbaria only. Not applicable to in-ground burial, services, or memorialization. Cannot be combined with other offers.
 
Into the Deep: The Laity and the Call to Conversion
We are all called to conversion and Lent provides us with a special moment to reflect on its true and continuing significance. We sometimes think that the act of conversion is singular, uniquely personal, my own. But, in fact, we are all agents of conversion as well. Conversion is not merely individualistic. It is communal. It has a social dimension. It calls us to a deeper fidelity to Jesus. Join Dr. Michael Higgins, author, scholar, and educator, as we journey through this Lenten season and open ourselves to the call of continued conversion. This event will take place Friday, Feb. 26 at 7:00 pm on Zoom. Register online for free at beholdvancouver.org/events
 
Ministry to Divorced and Separated
Join us for an online series hosted by the RCAV's Ministry to Divorced and Separated including small-group discussion, online rosary, and presentations. Learn more at beholdvancouver.org/events
 
(Seminary of Christ the) King's Gambit - Online Vocation Live-In
We invite you to (Seminary of Christ the) King's Gambit, our first-ever online Vocation Live-In on Saturday, March 6 on Zoom. This event is an opportunity for young men to meet other guys (age 17-35) searching for God’s will. There will be an ice-breaker, a talk on vocation discernment, seminarian's vocation story, a tour of the seminary and campus, Q&A with seminarians, and a community Evening Prayer. Register online at rebrand.ly/kingsgambit

CHABC's $500 Bursary for Graduating Students
This year, the Catholic Health Association of BC (CHABC) will award a bursary valued at $500 to a graduating student who is enrolled in a Catholic secondary school, or who is a member of a BC or Yukon parish and enrolled in a public secondary school, or who is home-schooled. To apply for this bursary, students are asked to submit a 500-word essay that demonstrates an awareness and understanding of the significance of Spirituality in Health Care. Applicants are reminded that spiritual health is a much broader concept than religious beliefs which may very well form a large part of an individual's spirituality. Before submitting your essay, please ensure that you read the essay guidelines as many past applicants have missed this nuance and failed to capture the true meaning of spiritual care. Submissions must be received on or before April 2, 2021. For essay and submission guidelines, please visit www.chabc.bc.ca/bursary

Drug or Alcohol Addiction Recovery
If you, a loved one, or someone you know, wants to be free from an addiction to drugs or alcohol, consider Sancta Maria House. Located in a beautiful part of Vancouver, we offer a structured and supportive Catholic
Christian 12-Step recovery program, in a pleasant, loving, family-like setting. We accept women of all faith backgrounds. For more information, visit: agapestreetministry.org/healing-homes/sancta-maria-house-1st-stage-recovery-house/ or call 604-731-5550.

Check out other events and retreats at beholdvancouver.org/events


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.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Receptionist, Gardens of Gethsemani
The Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Vancouver is seeking a full-time Receptionist, one-year contract, to provide reception and general administrative support by performing a variety of office functions ensuring that families are assisted professionally in an understanding and compassionate manner. Learn more and apply at rcav.org/jobs
 
Client Services and Team Support Lead, Communications Office
The Communications Office is looking for a Client Services and Team Support Lead (Lead) to prepare and manage team project timelines. The Lead coordinates the team’s workload while ensuring that digital projects are delivered to clients in a timely manner. As the day-to-day relationship manager, the Lead has the opportunity to have a strategic voice in client campaigns and activities and needs to have a passion for the latest digital media trends, technologies and methodologies as a means of evangelization. The incumbent must also possess strong organizational and analytical skills, be proactive and able to adapt to changing projects and rapid deadlines. Learn more and apply at rcav.org/jobs
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