Sunday Bulletin, December 13, 2020

Our Lady of Peace Parish - Also Serving
Our Lady of the Smile parish, Waterhen Lake and St. Jude’s Parish, Green Lake

Office Hours For Parish Secretary: Monday - Friday: 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Office Hours For Fr. Doug: Tuesday - Friday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Office Phone:  306-236-5122 
Cell Phone: 306-304-7271
Parish Email: olpsecretary@sasktel.net Pastor Email: olpmlpastor@sasktel.net
Address: 504-3rd Ave. East, Meadow Lake, SK S9X 1H5
 
December 13, 2020 - 3rd Sunday of Advent
 
Our Vision:
A Community of Disciples
 
Our Mission
We commit to form disciples
who joyfully and faithfully
live out the mission of
Jesus Christ
by enriching our relationship
with God and neighbour
through the intercession of
Our Lady of Peace.
 
Pastor: 
Fr. Doug Jeffrey, OMI
 
Parish Secretary:
Lorraine Thibeault
 
Pastoral Council Chair:
Doris Beaubien
 
Finance Council Chair:

 
Mass Attendance:  If you would like to attend mass on Saturday night or Sunday morning in Meadow Lake please call the Parish Office 306-236-5122 BEFORE FRIDAY NOON and leave a message.  Reservations are necessary as we have limited capacity (30 people) and do not want to turn someone away from the door.
Living with Christ SUNDAY MISSALS for 2020-2021 may be picked up at the parish office between 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.  The cost is $5.00 per missal. You can also get them at the Church/Parish Hall before or after mass for the same price! 😊
 
CHURCH ART CALENDARS 2021 are available at the Parish Office.  The cost is $10 per calendar.
 

Mass Intentions

Mon., Dec. 14 - No Mass
 
Tues., Dec. 15, 6:30 pm (Facebook) - +Clarence Fiddler by Carmen Fiddler
Wed., Dec. 16, 6:30 pm (Parish Church & Facebook) - +All Souls by Carmelita Cameron
Thurs, Dec. 17, 6:30 pm (Facebook) - Bishop Thevenot by Leona Derocher
Fri., Dec. 18, 6:30 pm (Facebook) - Bishop Thevenot by Leona Derocher
Sat, Dec. 19, 9:00 a.m. (Facebook) - Bishop Thevenot by Lorraine Thibeault
Sat., Dec. 19, 7 p.m. (Parish Hall) - People of God
Sun., Dec. 20, 10 a.m. Parish Church & Facebook - People of God
Sun., Dec. 20, 12:30 pm St. Jude’s, Green Lake - People of God
 
THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH: 

1. The Parish Office is now open. Unpacking and cleaning are still taking place. The secretary will be in the office Monday to Friday from 2 – 4:30 p.m.  Leave phone messages at other times, and we will get back to you as we are able. Please continue to be patient.
2. Regular livestreamed 6:30 p.m. Masses (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday) have resumed.
3. Songs at Seven (Facebook - Catholic Church Meadow Lake) takes place on Thursdays at 7:00 pm. A special live session Christmas Carol singalong will take place December 23, at 7:00 pm – Stay tuned for more info.

Bishop’s Appeal - Please continue to pray for the success of the 2020 Bishop’s Annual Appeal.  As of December 7, 2020, parishioners have pledged $343,323.59 with 1127 donors, towards the goal of $450,000. If you have already sent in your pledge for the Bishop’s Annual Appeal, thank you for your generosity. If you haven’t done so yet and are planning to, the Appeal Office would like to receive all pledges on or before December 31, 2020. If you have lost or misplaced your Appeal information, additional pledge cards are available from your Parish Office. Please continue to pray for the success of the 2020 Bishop’s Annual Appeal.
Our Lady of Peace Parish – 39 pledges received for $13,810.00 with a goal of $16,904. 
 St. Jude’s Parish – 4 pledges received for $700.00 with a goal of $1,167.

Our Lady of Peace Parish REVERSE COLLECTION held in our parish each Advent is ON THIS YEAR. When we gathered physically, the basket containing slips of paper with needed items was passed around and we took out a few slips of paper depending on our ability to purchase items. There are two ways you can participate this year: you can phone the parish office and Lorraine will draw the slips with the name of the items and let you know what the needs are, OR you can purchase whatever you think is helpful. In either case, please bring your items to the Church on Sunday or to the Parish Office during Office Hours. Thanks for your generosity!
 
Thank you! The Parish Knights of Columbus have set up our nativity scene and lights in front of the Church. A special word of thanks to Wayne Bettcher, Harvey Vollman, Ray Miller and Rhys Beaulieu who set up the scene Friday morning. The nativity scene is our reminder that God is with us, that Jesus has come and will come again. Do drive by the Church and enjoy their work!
 
SaskHealth/Diocesan Covid-19 Guidelines – The number of positive cases of Covid-19 and the number of deaths from the virus continue to rise here in Saskatchewan. Most of us can now name people who have had the virus. Some have died, some have survived but continue to experience health issues and there are some who are completely fine. The latest SaskHealth Guidelines ask us to wear masks when in public, limit the size of private home gatherings and limit travel. In order to protect one another, our Church gatherings are limited to 30 people. We are asked to sanitize our hands, wear our masks, except when we receive communion, and we are to maintain appropriate social distance. We have been doing a wonderful job. Let us continue to keep one another safe by following the Provincial guidelines and by putting our sisters and brothers first.
 
UPDATE ON RENOVATIONS: This past week the Old Rectory/Parish Office was demolished and as I write this the hole is being filled and levelled. Viper Construction finished the interior work on the Parish Office, including the new wheelchair accessible washroom. Going forward, the two washrooms are available to whoever needs them. When you use the washroom, please be mindful of one another. Many thanks to the countless people who have made this project (the move of the Parish Office) possible. There is still some electrical work to be done in the Church Building – a rather significant amount – the connecting of the new audio/video equipment, the installation of exit lights and emergency lighting and some outside lighting. This work will take place in the coming days! Until this work is completed in the Church, we will retain our current schedule of masses. I want the workers to be able to work when they are available! Thanks for your patience and understanding. There is still some unpacking to do – mostly sensitive files re: financial records and files from the pastor’s office which must be managed by Pat, Lorraine and myself. Once we are unpacked, we will get some help to arrange and ‘beautify’ the Office so that it is a warm and inviting space for all. Again, a huge word of thanks to all who made this project possible.
 
Christmas and Holiday Mass Schedule – I am working on our Christmas Season Mass Schedule. Because our number of positive tests continue to rise in Saskatchewan, (we are second only to Alberta in terms of infection rates), there is talk of new Sask Health policies. I think it is prudent to wait until Sask Health says something about Christmas. For sure, whatever happens, our liturgies will be live-streamed. Our primary goal is to keep people safe so that later we can gather, pray and celebrate our faith as parish communities.
 
Sacrament of Reconciliation at Our Lady of Peace Parish – On December 16th from 5 pm until 8 pm, I will be available for individual confessions. I will stop at 6:15 for the liturgy at 6:30 and then resume hearing confessions after mass is over. I will also make myself available on Saturday, December 19th from 3 pm – 5 pm.
Sacrament of Reconciliation at Our Lady of the Smile and St. Jude’s Parishes – I will arrange times after the Sunday celebration of the mass when appropriate.
 
December 12 – National Day of Prayer in Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples:  The Canadian Catholic Indigenous Council, founded by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) in 1998, proposes that the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dec. 12) be a National Day of Prayer in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples.  All are invited to join their Indigenous sisters and brothers in a special way this day through prayer and acts of solidarity. As we celebrate this day let us pray within the Meadow Lake Cluster that we, all of us, might see ourselves as ambassadors of reconciliation, working towards healing the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people by nurturing respect, dialogue and understanding.

A Prayer as we Wait for a New Bishop
Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for sending us your Son, Jesus Christ, to be our shepherd.
We ask you to send your Holy Spirit upon us during this time of discernment.
We pray that the one you have chosen will respond to your call.
May your Spirit give him the wisdom for this calling and the love to continue to gather Your people in faith, joy, peace and hope.
We ask this prayer through your Son and Mary, mother of the Church.  Amen 

 
Year of St. Joseph – 150 years ago Pope Pius IX named St. Joseph as the patron of the Universal Church. In honor of that declaration and taking into consideration our own experience at this time, Pope Francis has declared that from December 8, 2020 to December 8, 2021 is the year for St. Joseph. You can read firsthand the release from the Vatican announcing this year. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-12/pope-francis-proclaims-year-of-st-joseph.html. I will be reflecting on the Pope’s declaration as 2021 unfolds. His letter reflects on Joseph as a model for our times in terms of dealing with life’s challenges, our children/family and our faith. Pope Francis invites us to pray the following prayer together throughout the year.

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To you God entrusted his only Son;
in you Mary placed her trust;
with you Christ became man.
Blessed Joseph, to us too,
show yourself a father
and guide us in the path of life.
Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage,
and defend us from every evil.  Amen.

DIOCESAN ANNOUNCEMENTS
Teen/Young Adult: Advent and Christmas Sunday and Holy Days Bible Study plus Advent Reflections, Traditions, Calendars, and Retreat options are available online.  Check the Diocesan website.  A video series, which hopes to support families in bringing the Advent and Christmas Seasons into the home, will be offered for the next 8 weeks. It will be on the RC Diocese of Prince Albert: Evangelization and Catechesis Facebook page and on the Family Advent and Christmas Page on the Diocesan webpage.  One video will be posted each week. Each video will be between 15-30 minutes and contain information about the activity, a craft, a challenge, and a prayer.

ADVENT SEASON VIDEO SCHEDULE
Week of Dec 14 -        Learn about and make a nativity scene.
​
CHRISTMAS SEASON VIDEO SCHEDULE
Dec 27 -                       Feast of the Holy Family         Jan 1 - Feast of the Holy Mother of God
Jan 3 -                          Feast of Epiphany                    Jan 10 - Baptism of the Lord

SOCIAL JUSTICE:  https://www.padiocese.ca/social-justice  Christmas is a time for sharing our blessings with others. There are many ways that we can share with our neighbours in our communities and in other parts of the world.  The following charities need of your financial support: 
a)      Support for the victims of the typhoons in the Philippines and Vietnam through Development and Peace, Caritas Canada.  https://www.devp.org/en
b)      Saskatchewan Food Banks  https://skfoodbanks.ca/