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St. Leonard Catholic Church
Manotick, Ont
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Monthly E-Newsletter for Nov 2016
Thank you for subscribing to the St. Leonard's monthly E-Newsletter. This past month we finalized our Parish Plan and we look for your feedback on the Key Focus Areas and Goals for 2016-17. Check out the Pastor's Message on the plan and join in by giving us your feedback.
If you know someone who might benefit from this E-Newsletter, please forward it to them.
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Pastor's Message
St. Leonard Parish Vision: To Grow Disciples
I have been talking over the last couple of months of a new vision for the Parish based on a need to grow disciples and I have outlined 7 Steps to attaining Discipleship. Our new Parish Plan lays out a number of key focus areas and action plans that we will pursue over the coming year in support of this vision. I wanted to expand upon our key focus areas and action plans this month and seek your feedback.
Our first focus area is Worship or, more specifically, our weekend Masses. We have adopted the phrase "Make Every Sunday Matter" to highlight our direction in this regard. Recognizing that the only interaction for greater than 90% of our parishioners and visitors with us is on the weekend, we must make a conscious effort to make the Mass as meaningful and transformative as possible and the best possible experience for the maximum number of people.
The next two focus areas that we have identified are Discipleship and Evangelization. These two go hand in hand. We want to advance the faith and understanding of all parishioners and to challenge you to develop a personal relationship with Christ and to empower you to share this faith with others. Simply put we want everyone to grow their faith and to connect to others. We want to become a community of growing disciples and are hoping to achieve a doubling of the number of committed disciples within the Parish over the next 5 years.
Similarly the focus areas of Fellowship and Ministry go hand in hand. When we are part of a loving community we are far more open to serving others. So our plan calls for us to develop a more welcoming community here at St. Leonard, where every person feels affirmed, has an opportunity to be involved and cared for, and implants in all a desire to serve one another and the broader community.
Underpinning all that we do at that Parish must be a renewed focus on Stewardship. Having sufficient volunteers, resources and funding allows us to sustain and advance our Parish offerings and services. We will undertake to educate the parish on the meaning of stewardship, and encourage and inspire parishioners to give of their time, talent and treasure so that the Parish can maintain existing services and develop new programs to address emerging needs and opportunities. We are all called to be good stewards of the resources that God has given us. Let's put them to good use in supporting God's work here at St. Leonard!
Our hope is that this plan, focused on renewing our culture, will bear much fruit in the way of increased membership, greater participation in the sacraments, greater giving, expanded volunteerism and ministry, and added momentum and enthusiasm. More importantly, we want there to be much evidence of a spiritually engaged and vibrant authentically Catholic Parish.
For more details on the plan go to www.stleonardsparish.ca. I would very much appreciate your feedback on the key focus areas that we have chosen for this year. Please take a minute and complete the short survey at www.jjhpoiiop.ca
God bless! Father Titus
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Parish Prayer for Discipleship
Heavenly Father,
thank you for the many blessings You have bestowed on our parish.
We have heard Your Son's call to follow Him and become His disciple. Fill us with the desire to renew and understand more fully our Catholic faith. Help us to make the teachings in the Gospels the center of everything we do, letting our words and actions reflect Your love.
Strengthen us with confidence and courage to share the Good News to others.
Almighty Father, help us to do your will so that your Church may grow and become more fruitful and faithful in your service.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. AMEN.
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7 Steps to Discipleship
Who
is a disciple of Christ? Someone who accepts, lives and shares the message of Jesus Christ.
Why
be a disciple? To gain greater peace and joy here on earth and eternal life with God in heaven.
It's a lifelong journey and it starts with Trust.
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Amor Dei's Christmas Hamper Campaign
As we approach the Advent Season, St. Leonard's outreach ministry, "Amor Dei" is preparing to reach out once again, this Christmas Season, to the less fortunate and struggling families in our local area. Beginning November 26th and throughout Advent, Amor Dei is accepting donations in support of this initiative. Your contribution, no matter how modest, would be greatly appreciated.
If you know of someone or a family in our local community needing a helping hand this year, please contact Deltra VanDongen @ 613-489-0124. If you would like to assist the committee in the planning, pick-up, preparation or distribution of this year's hampers on December 15th and 16th, please contact the church office@ 613-692-4254 or Norm Chapman @ 613-821-5155 or (
[email protected]). Thank you once again to all who have helped in the past support our less fortunate brothers and sisters in Christ.
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Alpha: Team Training Nov 15th
The dates for our next Alpha program at St. Leonard's are Wednesday evenings from Feb 8th through April 12th, 2017. This Fall we are focusing on gathering a dedicated team who will train together to form a community for this and, potentially, other Alpha programs. Those who have completed Alpha before and are willing to commit to a continued involvement to bring their talents/gifts to strengthen the Alpha outreach are vital to our community. We are inviting those wishing to join the Alpha Community team to join us for an introductory meeting on Nov 15th at 7:00 pm in the Parish Hall. Please contact Judy Wood ([email protected]) if you need further information.
Please consider pitching in to help out. It is a great way to be a disciple!
Adult Faith Formation at St. Leonard
The tradition of the Advent Wreath is meant to prepare our hearts for Christmas. It represents the long time when people lived in spiritual darkness, waiting for the coming of the Messiah, the Light of the world. As a new candle is lit each week, the light grows, overcoming the darkness. Of course, the symbolism doesn't end there as Jesus calls us to be the "light of the world" [Matthew 5:14]. FORMED offers many resources this month, including a 4-week study on Advent, for parishioners to prepare their hearts for Christmas and be the light of the world.
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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Diocesan Youth Ministry: On the first Sunday afternoon of every month, a youth event is hosted at the Diocesan Centre, 1247 Kilborn Place open to teens from every parish. It runs from 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. and all ages are welcome. The Diocese has just launched a new Family & Youth Ministry Website. Check it out at
http://www.fymottawa.com
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News from the Vatican
CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH: New Instruction Ad resurgendum cum Christo regarding the burial of the deceased and the conservation of the ashes in the case of cremation. Text of the instruction:
http://www.vatican.va.
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Service Helps Disciples Grow!
Sacristans and Eucharistic Ministers for the Sunday @ 11:00 Mass- training is available, contact Scott Wilson
Altar Servers for the Sunday @11:00 Mass
- training is available, contact Daniel Giguere
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What's on in November
Haitian Cultural Evening
In response to the major catastrophe in Haiti following Hurricane Matthew, St. Leonard's and Development and Peace are hosting a supper to raise funds for the people of Haiti. The supper will be on Saturday, November 19th in the church hall. Tickets will be sold in the coming weeks after all Masses and will be $25 each. We are limited to 100 tickets - usually our suppers are sold out so get your tickets early!
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Nov. 1 7:00 pm Sacristan Training
Nov. 2 7:00 pm All Souls Day Mass followed by reception
Nov. 5/6 CWL Bake Sale after all Masses and Remembrance Day Service at all Masses
Nov. 8 6:30 pm Confirmation Session 2
Nov. 9 7:00 pm Knights of Columbus Meeting
Nov. 10 7:00 pm Baptismal Preparation Meeting
Nov. 12 10:00 am Confirmation Session 2
Nov. 15 7:00 pm Alpha Team Meeting
Nov. 16 7:00 pm Pastoral Council Meeting
Nov. 19 5:30 pm Haitian Cultural Evening
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After the 9 am and 11 am Sunday masses in November 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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Update on St. Leonard Communications
Stay Connected!
Stay up to date on what is going on at St. Leonard through the St. Leonard Facebook page or through the St. Leonard Parish app.
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Facebook
Don't have a smart phone or tablet? Like us on Facebook. Special events and reminders are posted continually on the
St.Leonard Facebook
page
BUT you have to LIKE the page. Do it now - go to
the St.Leonard Facebook page
and LIKE the page. SHARE with your friends!
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