“Brothers and sisters: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way, you have been strengthened by him.” 1 Co 1,3

Dear parishioners, as you can see, these words are not mine. They are from St. Paul. But they could just as well be mine, because they reflect my own experience of the grace of God strengthening the faithful in this time of pandemic. 

Let me begin by what I see all around me in the parish. Life is basically just going on – online! The Knights of Columbus are more active than they have ever been. Our CWL council is currently running a virtual walkathon to raise funds for Development and Peace, our Migrant Ministry team is running online workshops for migrant workers. Street ministry hasn’t skipped a beat. Our Christian meditation group are meeting online to meditate! Our Padre Pio Prayer group is holding its gatherings online. Edwin, with the help of CFC and MFC, has resumed Saturday afternoons of preparation for baptism. Bible study has resumed. Our liturgy team has gathered twice to prepare, as best we can, the celebration of Advent and Christmas. Mission Ablaze is gathering every Tuesday evening online in record numbers! PREP and RCIA are full speed ahead, online. Vanspec has resumed, both in-person and online. And we have started something new: ACT, inspired by the archdiocesan PROCLAIM movement. These people gather online to motivate and empower one another to become more missionary disciples. All Were Filled has taken off. Thanks to the hard work of Lorna here in the office, and Sr. Maria Serra at the Archdiocese, four parishes have joined us in this beautiful ministry. This Friday, November 27, we will be receiving and distributing 79 boxes of frozen food! In so many ways, we have been “enriched in Christ Jesus”. I am sure there are other things going on that I’m overlooking at the present moment. But I think I’ve made my point: in this pandemic, St. Mary’s is alive and well and living… online.

Neither is the Archdiocese idle during these difficult times. They are coming up with all kinds of events and activities to inject as much hope as possible into our hearts and minds during this pandemic Advent and Christmas season. They are preparing an online retreat scheduled for December 4. They are preparing a Christmas video which will be posted on December 6. All Were Filled will be a part of this video! They are preparing an Advent calendar and contest for kids. They are organizing a “Blue Lights Campaign”, to get Catholics and other Christians to put up blue lights in their windows as a symbol of our hope in Jesus. The Cathedral and Holy Name Church will be specially decked in these blue lights. They are organizing online “watch parties” to watch “The Chosen” a video series on the life of Jesus, that will be aired December 26-28. Finally, they are planning for December 12, feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, to be a Day of Mercy. The idea is to multiply opportunities to receive the sacrament of reconciliation in a multitude of churches on that day, throughout the archdiocese. You can find information on all of these initiatives as they are posted, at rcav.org/Christmas. Pretty incredible, isn’t it?

Now for a few reminders of our adjustments to the current reality of shut-down. The church is open Saturdays, 1:00-2:00 pm and Mondays, 5:00-6:00 pm, to pick up your envelope boxes for 2021, and/or to spend a moment in personal prayer in the church. No need to pre-register, as we anticipate demand to be low. If we are mistaken, we will require pre-registration in the future. The church is open for confessions Sundays from 1:00-2:00 pm and Tuesday evenings from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Please note that I mistakenly wrote in last Sunday’s social media version of the pastor’s corner that it was 5:00-6:00 on Tuesdays. It is 7:00-8:00. I apologize. Pre-registration is required for confessions. Please note also that there will be no confessions, exceptionally, on Tuesday evening, December 8th since at 7:00 p.m. on that day we are celebrating the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (online only, no in-person attendance), followed by the Living Rosary. The mass schedule, till further notice, is as follows: Sunday, 11:15 and 3:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 9:00 a.m. No in-person attendance. No evening masses. All masses are live streamed. 

A last reminder: we are making available to you copies of the Christmas edition, and the Sunday edition of Living With Christ for the year 2020-2021, as well as two Advent resources, the “Magnificat Advent Companion” and the “Little Blue Book”, both containing biblical texts and commentaries for each day of the season of Advent. All of these can be found on a table just outside the entrance to the church. Come any time to pick up a copy for yourself, and one or more for people you know who are prevented by old age or vulnerability from coming to church. Other Advent resources are also available at rcav.org/Christmas. Allow me also to point out that you can subscribe to the monthly edition of Living With Christ for just $39.00/year, plus tax. Just google “Living with Christ”, and then click on “subscriptions”. 

There will be no blessing of the Christmas lights this year, since our lights are in a state of serious disrepair, and the weather isn’t cooperating with our intention to replace them. The large tree in front of the church however, is still well-lit, and our cross on the church roof is giving off its splendid light in these dark times.

Finally, a plea. We are closed once again, and we don’t know for how long. You can appreciate the financial consequences for the parish. So I appeal to all those who are so blessed as to be able to, to remember the parish in our time of need. You can make just a single donation to Project Advance. There is a link to our Project Advance website on the parish website, but you can also go directly to our Project Advance website at support.rcav.org/stmarysvan. The links to both of our online donation sites, Canadahelps.org and Sunday Offering (rcav) are available on the parish website. You can send us a cheque through the mail or, as always, drop an envelope off through the slot in the front door of the parish office. I also know that Iven will place a link to all of the above at the end of this email, as he always does. Thanks Iven! Even as I make this plea, I trust that God’s providence will provide whatever it is God knows we need. God always does.

A blessed and happy Advent season to everyone. 

Fr. Guy