Merry Christmas! (25 December 2022)

Mass Schedule

Praying for the Sick and Faithful Departed

If you or a family member is sick please let us know and we shall add their name to our prayer list which is posted in the gathering space of the church.

We remember in prayer those who have died recently. We pray for all deceased members of our parish.

January 1 – Feast of Mary the Mother of God and Word Day of Prayer for Peace

This feast celebrates Mary as the Mother of God. Every year on January 1^st the Pope marks the World Day of Peace with a special message inviting all people to reflect on the important work of building peace. 

In 1967 Pope Paul VI, now St. Paul VI began this tradition.

Wedding Anniversaries: Celebrating the Sacrament of Marriage

The married couples in our parish are a sign to us of God’s faithfulness and through their witness we are strengthened. If you celebrated a wedding anniversary in December we shall pray with you and share in your joy at all Sunday (Saturday evening) Masses on December 31^st and January 1^st.  Please join us in thanking God for the gift of the married couples in our midst.

Feast of the Holy Family: Friday, December 30

Please join us for Mass at 7:00 p.m. as we celebrate the gift of family and thank God for the many ways we are able to reflect God’s love to the world.

Prayer for Families

O God, whose desire is that all the peoples of the world

should be one human family,

living together in harmony,

grant that our home,

by its worship and its witness,

may help to hasten the day

when your will is done on earth

as it is in heaven. Amen.

 My Fellow Parishioners,

As we continue to work our way through the pandemic we look forward to a return to Christmas as we have known. With Christmas we celebrate Emmanuel - the reality that God comes to us! God has come to us in History – over 2022 years ago in Bethlehem, God will come to us again – in Majesty and Glory, and God Does Choose to come to us here and now – in Mystery! In the midst of all that has and is happening in our world, in the midst of economic uncertainty and rising interest rates, God is very close to us. This is the good news that we can share with everyone in our lives. May the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, and may the Glory of God shine around you, and the hope of the Spirit encourage you in these times. You are in our pastoral team’s prayers these days.

Celebrating Christmas until January 8, 2023

The Christmas season continues until the feast of the Baptism of the Lord celebrated this year on Monday January 9, 2023. Throughout the liturgical season of Christmas our Church celebrates the many ways that God is made present in our midst and world.  We are invited to celebrate the full season of Christmas. 

From Christmas Day until the Baptism of the Lord, the following prayer can be prayed when your family gathers for a meal.

Father in heaven, you so loved us that You sent Your Son, among us as Savior and Lord.

Fill us with Your blessing, that we may grow in love and continue to live our Christian faith. We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Some suggestions for celebrating Christmas beyond December 25 are:  sing a verse or refrain of a favourite Christmas carol before the evening meal; call or schedule a virtual visit with a family member who lives a distance from your home; pray for peace in our homes, community and world; at meal time talk about the many ways you see God each day; walk through your neighbourhood and enjoy the lights and decorations.

Ministry with Maturing Adults

VON SMART (Seniors Maintaining Active Roles Together) Exercise Program is held on Tuesday mornings. There will be no class on Tuesday, December 27, 2022. Class will resume on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.  For details please call: VON at 705 737 5044 ext. 221.

Christian Meditation is an ancient form of contemplative prayer rooted in the Christian tradition. This group meets on Tuesday mornings at 10:30 a.m. The next session will be on Tuesday, January 3 on Zoom.  If you are interested in learning more about this form of prayer please contact Catherine Ecker. (cecker@archtoronto.org or 705 728 2985 ext. 115).

Catholic Women’s League

Membership Weekend – January 7/8, 2023

We will be accepting membership renewals, signing up new Members and hosting Hospitality Sunday. If you can support our League this weekend in any capacity please contact Lesley Recker (705) 728-6351 or email: cwlbarrieT082@gmail.com. I am asking for members to take memberships and to assist with hospitality tables. Membership dues of $37.00 may be left at the parish office in an envelope with name, phone number and email address for member history updates. The regular "blue envelope" may also be used. These envelopes are in the 2023 Offertory envelopes.

You are needed, this weekend to SHINE Faith: Service:  Social Justice.

Youth Ministry

On behalf of the youth ministry, we would like to thank everyone who supports our young people in prayer, through financial support and with their time.  May each of you have a blessed and holy Christmas!

M.E.R.C.Y. (Ministry to Educate Roman Catholic Youth) for youth grads J.K.-4. We explore our faith in a dynamic way through activities, games, crafts and music. 

Our next gathering is Fri., Jan. 13, 2023, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

EDGE -for grades 5-8 to get answers about their faith and to experience Jesus in a profound and personal way.  Our next gathering is Fri., Jan. 20, 6:00 -7:30 p.m.

LIFE TEEN – for high school teens to explore their faith through talks, prayer and friendship. Our next gathering is Sunday, January 8 after the 4:00 p.m. Mass.

For more information please email stmarysyouthministrybarrie@gmail.com or call Shannon Barks at 705-229-7426.