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St. Leonard Catholic Parish
Manotick, Ont
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Monthly E-Newsletter for January 2018
Thank you for subscribing to the St. Leonard's monthly E-Newsletter. May 2018 be a year of great spiritual growth for our Community and may our love for others attract them to Jesus!
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Pastor's Message January 1st
New Year's Resolution: To Love
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I am heading to the airport today to start my journey home to visit with my family and I am joyfully anticipating my reunion with them. Thank you for all your love this last month. You have been kind, warm and generous to me over this busy Christmas season. More importantly, through your financial generosity, you have extended your love to our beautiful children in the orphanage in Nigeria. In the process you have become real disciples by teaching your children to think of someone other than themselves. As I said earlier, I was covered in goose bumps when I first saw the cheque that was presented for the children in the orphanage. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! On my long trip home I will carry the warmth of your love with me.
I will start the New Year off with a brief reflection on the meaning of this word "love" that I have used so often over the last few months.
Did you know that "What is love?" was the most searched phrase in 2012 according to Google. I have heard love described as an emotion, a commitment, a choice and an action. The ancient Greeks even came up with 7 different words to define the different states of love. Most often the word is used according to the first definition given in the dictionary: "an intense feeling of deep affection". But what does love really mean in a practical sense? Recently when posed with this question, a young man I know replied "For me love is a great emotional feeling." His mother's care and affection, her love, makes him feel great. In turn his gratitude and affection, his love, makes her feel great.
I like his simple definition best. "Love is a great feeling." It makes it very easy for me to understand and put into practice God's greatest commandment; To love God and to love your neighbour. What can I do to fulfill this commandment? I must work to know Him, to worship Him, to obey Him, and to spread His good news. What can I do to make others feel great? How about we start with Matthew 25, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took me in, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you visited me." We can then build on that by following the example of Jesus and humbling ourselves to "wash the feet" of all those that we encounter. As Father Eugene said on our recent Parish retreat, when we take the time to reach out to someone in need, listen to a friend or just smile at someone we are really fulfilling Jesus's request that is heard every week at Mass to "do this in memory of me". To make others feel great, we must simply follow the example of Jesus.
Getting back home, in the presence of my beloved Mom, always renews my awareness and commitment to the great feeling of love. The moments of affection we share fill my heart with joy.
My best wishes to you and your family in 2018. May it be a year filled with the love that Jesus has for you, the love that you have for God and the love you have for your neighbour.
God bless! Father Titus
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FORMED Resources for January
"I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents" (Luke 15:10). Conversion is not only a singular decision to follow God, but also a continual return to his mercy when we have sinned. This month, as many are making resolutions for the new year, may we resolve to bring about the conversion of others in the midst of our own, daily conversions.
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If you are new to FORMED, to get ongoing FREE ACCESS to all programs and downloadable PDF guides, movies and e-books please
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Archbishop's Pastoral Visit Dec 9, 2017
On the weekend of Dec 9th and 10th Archbishop Terrance Prendergast visited our Parish as part of his regular Pastoral Visit Schedule. He presided at the weekend Masses and on Saturday evening met with representatives of the Parish for dinner and an update on the Parish. He indicated that the renewed vision of the Diocese is to create missionary disciples and he complimented the Parish on our plan "to grow disciples" and the many programs and activities that are underway to support this goal. Michel Doucet,Treasurer of the Knights of Columbus presented, Archbishop Terry with a cheque for $500 for the ongoing support of a seminarian.
Many thanks to Charles Slade, Chair of the Pastoral Council, for organizing such a wonderful evening.
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Coffee House: St. Leonard's Musicians Perform For the Nigerian Orphanage
On November 17th we had a very successful coffee house in the parish hall. Each of the music ministry groups from the parish put on a show featuring some of the music they listen to from Monday to Saturday. There were songs from Elton John, Jason Mraz, The Beatles, Van Morrison, Josh Groban, more from The Beatles, Astrid S and more. The CWL and some other generous volunteers provided snacks and drinks. Overall, we raised $1,002 for the orphanage in Nigeria that Fr. Titus will visit this month. Thanks to everyone who participated, volunteered, attended and donated and to Paul Grant for taking the lead.
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The Spirit of Christmas!
Lots of joyful activities occurred around the parish in December as St. Leonard's parishioners showed their Christmas spirit and engaged in community building activities. The Amor Dei team under the leadership of Deltra Van Dongen and Norm Chapman organized Christmas hampers for 16 families this year. St. Leonard's joined in the Manotick Olde Fashioned Christmas weekend celebrations by hosting the Victorian Tea and Penny Sale and joining in the parade with 27 of our children riding the St. Leonard's float. Thanks to Arlene Bretzlaff and Stephane McNicholl for organizing our participation in these two events. Trevor Ibach and a team from the Knights of Columbus set up the Nativity scene and "lit up" the Church for Christmas. And of course, the joy of Christmas would not be complete without the Children's Pageant. It gets better every year! Congrats to all the children and a special thanks to Liz Murphy and her many parent helpers for bringing it all together.
Amor Dei Christmas Hampers
Victorian Tea and Penny Sale
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St. Leonard Float at the Manotick Santa Claus Parade
Knights of Columbus "Lighting Up" for Christmas!
Children's Christmas Pageant
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The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2018 Jan 18th at 7:00 pm
Every year between January 18-25, Christians around the world are invited
to:
- celebrate a Week of Prayer for the unity of all Christians
- reflect on scripture together
- participate in jointly-organized ecumenical services
- share fellowship
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was first proposed in 1908 as an observance within the Roman Catholic Church. Since the founding of the World Council of Churches in 1948, many other Christian denominations around the world have come to celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. For over 40 years, the Canadian Council of Churches and its partners, the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism and the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism, have supported this ecumenical event in Canada.
The resources for the 2018 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity have been prepared by an ecumenical team from the Caribbean, whose members represent various churches and religious organizations.
Today, Caribbean Christians of many different traditions see the hand of God
active in the ending of enslavement. It is a uniting experience of God's saving action which brings freedom.The Caribbean ecumenical team chose the song of Moses and Miriam (Ex 15:1-21), a song of triumph over oppression, as the motif of this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity ecumenical service this year will be celebrated at the Manotick United Church, 5567 Manotick Main Street, on Thursday, January 18th at 7:00 p.m. Come and let us pray together with our brother and sister Christians from the Anglican and United Church traditions.
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Jan. 1 Mass at 10 a.m.
Jan. 3 Pastoral Council Meeting at 7 p.m.
Jan. 10 Knights of Columbus Meeting at 7 p.m.
Jan. 11 Baptismal Preparation Meeting at 7 p.m.
Jan. 16 Confirmation Session 3 at 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 18 The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity ecumenical service to be held at Manotick United Church at 7 p.m.
Jan. 24 CWL Meeting at 7 p.m.
Jan. 23 First Reconciliation for children at St. Jerome School at 7 p.m.
Jan. 30 First Reconciliation for children at St. Leonard School at 7 p.m.
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After the 9 am and 11 am Sunday masses in January coffee will be served in the Parish Hall. Click on the Parish Calendar for a full listing of upcoming meetings and events.
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Parishioner Feedback: We Love Your Input!
Dear Parishioners we are very interested in your feedback. If have any comments and/or suggestions as it relates to any of our Parish activities, including the E-Newsletter, please click here.
If you would like a direct response to your suggestion, please include your email address.
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