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December12th, 2004
Sunday of the Announcement to Joseph
“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:20)
Gospel: Matthew, 1: 18– 25
Readings: Ephesians 3:1 – 13 The announcement to Joseph is a servant event, celebrated by the Liturgy as a preparation for Jesus’ birth. Joseph, who will adopt Jesus and provide for him and his mother the protection and help, has the right to be informed about the secret of His Son’s incarnation.
The Gospel of Matthew describes for us the personality of Jesus who is ready to accept the announcement and act according to it. Joseph’s personality is clarified from few words said about him.
He was righteous and he was looking for a solution to Mary’s situation without disobeying the laws which prevent him from adopting a child that is not his. He is from the family of David. He understands the prophecies about the Messiah: He is Emmanuel who is born from a Virgin. He is the man chosen to accompany Mary and care for her Son.
He is ready to obey all the angel of the Lord’s orders. He is invited to remember the promise given to his father David a thousand years ago, that the Messiah was to be born from his offspring.
Joseph, who was confused, is transformed after the angel’s words, to Mary’s partner in the secret she carries. Joseph became committed to what the Lord has ordered. When he woke up, he did what was ordered by the Lord.
Last Week's Collection $ 2,509.67
Leamington Ministerial Association invites all the Christians to pray for each other. This week we pray for North Leamington United Mennonite Church
Masses & Celebrations during the week: Week Ending Sunday December 19, 2004
Sun. December 12th , 2004
Sunday of the Announcement to Joseph
9:30AM
Hanna & Eugenie Yacoub (Larry Jacobs & Family)11:00AM
Sarkis Iskandar Boutros (Theresa Boutros & Family)
Mon. December 13th, 20045:30PM
St. Anne’s Prayers6:00PM
Fouad Azar (Mrs. Sanyoura Georges)
Tue. December 14th, 20045:30PM
St. Anthony’s Prayers6:00PM
Bassam Obeid (Family)Wed. December 15th, 2004
5:00PM
Mother Mary’s Prayers.6:00PM
Antonios Sarkis Youssef & Antonios Tannous Jabbour (Family)6:30PM
Christmas Novena
Thu. December 16th, 20045:30PM
St. Charbel’s Prayers6:00PM
Youssef Jraige (Sadie Jraige)6:30PM
Christmas Novena
Fri. December 17th, 20045:45PM
Sacred Heart Prayers6:00PM
Youssef Tannous Jabbour & Wife Latife & Sarkis Tannous Youssef & Wife Helaina (Marzouka Youssef)6:30PM
Christmas NovenaSat. December 18th, 2004
3:00PM:
Baptism: Alexis Julia Zambito
Sun. December 19th , 2004 Sunday of the Genealogy of Jesus9:30AM
Claude Obeid (8 Years Mem. Mass (Family)11:00AM
Hanna Habshe (1 Yr. Mem. Mass) (Bakhos Aziz & Family)3:00 to 5:30PM:
Children’s Christmas Party at the Leamington Lebanese Club, led by St. Anthony’s Parish Community Service.
Comunity News & Events Week Ending Sunday December 19, 2004 Church Activities:
Adult Choir:
Saturdays, 10:00AM to 12:00PM & every night after Christmas Novena, led by Joe Yammine, with an organist.
Practice:
Christmas Play Practice will take place today, Sunday at 3:30 to 4:30PM. Please be there on time.
Bingo Sessions:
December 28th, 2004 At 12:30.
Christmas Novena:
Christmas Novena will start on Wednesday, December 15th, at 6:30PM following the evening Mass. All are welcome to attend as we prepare for the birth of our Lord.
Calendars:
St. Joseph’s Calendars are available at the Church entrance. Thank you in advance for your support.
Thank you:
We would like to thank all the ladies who prepared the food for the Leamington Ministerial Association lunch held in St. Anthony’s Parish. May God bless you all with your families.
Envelopes:
Please pick up your 2005 Envelopes from the Church Lobby. Thank you for your support.
Christmas Party Sponsorship:
We would like to thank all the sponsors for their generous support:
- R & A Produce Ltd.,
- Leamington Collision
- Uniquely Yours
- Leamington Lebanese Club
- Ladies Auxiliary of Our Lady of Lebanon
- Parishioners Donation
- St. Anthony’s Youth Group.
Christmas Party:St. Anthony’s Parish is having a Christmas Party for all the children on Sunday December 19, 2004 at 3:00PM at Leamington Lebanese Club.
Please register your names on the sheet provided at the Church entrance.
Knights of Columbus:
All Catholic Men 18 years of age and up who are interested in joining St. Anthony’s Knights of Columbus, please contact Mr. Redge Campbell at 326-0915.
Thank you.
Christmas Banquet:
St. Charbel’s Parish Annual Christmas Banquet will take place, Saturday, December 18, 2004 at Cardinal Sfeir Hall in St. Charbel’s Parish, 1010 Hwy. # 3, Oldcastle, ON.
Entertainment by: Soumaya Aziz & Band. Lebanese Menu. Cash Bar. Tickets $ 45.00/Person. Doors open at 6:00PM. Dinner at 7:30PM. All are welcome.
Christmas Invitation:
To those who will be alone on Christmas Day to join us for our annual Traditional Christmas Dinner on December 25th, at the Church of St. John the Evangelist, 60 Erie St. North, Leamington.
Please call the Church at 326-3111 by December 20th to register.
There is no cost but you must let us know you are attending so we can prepare enough meals for everyone.
For shut-ins, we will be pleased to deliver a meal for you. Merry Christmas.
St. Nehmetallah Hardini, December 14th Youssef Kassab was born in the year 1808. His father was George Kassab and his mother Mariam Raad. He entered the school of the monks of St. Anthony at Hboub from 1816 to 1822.
He adopted the name Fr. Nehmetallah Kassab Hardini. He professed his first vows on November 14, 1830. After he finished his theological studies, he was ordained a priest in the monastery of Kfifan on December 25th, 1833.
He lived a very holy life. He was a man of prayer, “totally enraptured by God”. He spent days and nights in meditation, prayer and adoration of the Eucharist.
The Virgin Mary was his patron and he prayed her Rosary. He took his monastic vows of “obedience, chastity and poverty” to perfection. One of his students was St. Charbel, 1853 to 1858. St. Hardini died in the monastery of Kfifan on December 14, 1858.
He was fifty years of age. His last words were: “O Virgin Mary, between your hands, I submit my soul.” People who were nearby at the moment of his death witnessed a heavenly light illuminating his room and an aromatic smell which remained in his room for a number of days afterwards.
Some time later, the Monks opened his tomb and to their surprise they found his body incorrupt. He was then removed and placed in a coffin near the Church where his body stayed intact until 1927.
Saint Hardini was transferred to a little Chapel where masses are celebrated for visitors. Through his intercession many cures occurred: blind, paralyzed in a chair, child raised from the dead, cure of another child, cure of nervous system, cure of cancer. Fr. Nehmetallah was canonized Saint to the whole Catholic Church in Rome in May 16, 2004.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12On December 9, 1531, ten years after the Spanish conquest of Mexico, the Blessed Virgin appeared on the Tepeyac hill, three miles from Mexico City, to Juan Diego, an Indian convert who was on his way to catechetical instructions.
She told him she wished a shrine to be built there. When Juan told Bishop Zumarraga what had happened, he refused to believe him and asked for a sign.
Three days later, on December 12, the Blessed Mother appeared again to Juan and told him to gather in his coarsely woven cloak, roses which she arranged.
When they were presented to the Bishop he saw a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe impressed on the cloak. The Shrine at Guadalupe, where the picture is kept was built in 1709 and is one of the great Marian shrines in the world.
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