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December 9th, 2007

Sunday of The Birth of John the Baptist

Gospel: Luke 1:57 – 66

Readings: Galatians 4:2, 5:1

With the birth of John the Baptist, the first of the announcements was completed. The announcement to Zechariah arranged for the announcement to Mary, the birth of John is one the occurrences of the birth of Jesus. The joy that is spread today on the hill of Judea will soon broaden to all humanity the day of the birth of Jesus. The Gospel focuses on the triumph of the matter of God over family traditions. The faithful are invited to live the freedom given to them through the birth of Isaac from Sarah the free. They are born from the promise given by Jesus Christ. For that reason, we need to strengthen and make victorious God’s will over all traditions that face us. On the eighth day, the boy enters the circle of the Covenant and is given the name appropriate to the family tradition. With John, the customs came to a halt. He will be named according to what was said to Zechariah by the angel. As soon as Zechariah wrote down the name “John”, he spoke immediately. By calling his son John, Zechariah declared God’s right in him. He, as a father, gave up that right to God. He learned how to obey God during those nine months of silent meditation.

Collection Last week’s Collection: $ 1,292.67 Fund Raising Goal: $ 250.000.00 $ 1,425.41 Total Received For the next phase of our plan. Please Remember St. Anthony's Church In Your Will.

Leamington Ministerial Association invites all the Christians to pray for each other. This week we pray for Leamington Christian Centre

Masses & Celebrations during the week:

Sun. December 9th, 2007 Sunday of the Birth of John the Baptist.    9:30AM: Mikhail Keirouz (Family) 11:00AM: Antonios & Frangie Jraige (Family)   Mon. December 10th, 2007   9:00AM: Rosary Prayers (4 Mysteries) 5:30PM: Devotion Prayers to St. Anne. 6:00PM: Liturgy of the Word.   Tue. December 11th , 2007   5:30PM: Devotion Prayers to St. Anthony. 6:00PM: Liturgy of the Word.                 Wed. December 12th, 2007 Our Lady of Guadalupe 5:00PM: Devotion Prayers to Mother Mary. 6:00PM: Liturgy of the Word.   Thu. December 13th, 2007   5:30PM: Devotion Prayers to St. Charbel. 6:00PM: Liturgy of the Word.   Fri. December 14th , 2007 Immaculate Conception Feast   3:00PM: Divine Mercy Chaplet. 5:30PM: Devotion Prayers to the Sacred Heart. 6:00PM: Liturgy of the Word.   Sun. December 16th, 2007 Sunday of the Announcement to Joseph.   9:30AM:  Mikhail & Shamma Jraiche (Jawad Jraiche & Family) 11:00AM: Bakhos Jacobs (3 Years Mem. Mass) (Family)   2 – 5PM: Christmas Party @ St. Anthony’s Parish.

Community News & Events During This Week

Christmas Play Practice: Today, Sunday, from 5:00 to 6:00PM. Please be there on time. Thank you.   Please pick up your 2008 Envelopes at the Church Entrance.   Christmas Party: St. Anthony’s Parish Christmas Party will take place on Sunday December 16th, 2007, from 2 to 5PM. Please sign your names on the sheet provided at the Church entrance. All children are welcome to come and see Santa!!   Bingo:  Wednesday, December 19th, 2007 @ 7:00PM.   Knights of Columbus News; -          Dec. 13th, 2007: Thursday Bingo Session at 7PM. Contact Bechara Daher if you can assist in future Bingo Dates. -          Dec. 18th, 2007: General Meeting at Church Hall at 7PM. -          Jan. 16th, 2007: Euchre Harrow Council (1st Council Competition. Others to follow) -          Jan. 19th, 2007: Basketball Free Throw (Chair John Semaan) at St. Louis School. Completion begins at 9AM. -          Jan. 26th, 2008: St. Anthony’s KC 13797 3rd Annual Banquet at Lebanese Club. Cocktails at 6PM, Dinner at 7PM. Tickets are $28/person ($ 15 kids under 12). There will be DJ entertainment, raffles and door prizes. Further details to follow. Keep this date open on your calendar. Everyone is welcome. Our Lady of Guadalupe 15th Annual Celebration at Assumption Church, Windsor on Wednesday, December 12th, 2007. 6:00PM to 7:00PM: Confessions at Rosary Chapel. 6:0015PM: Holy Rosary and Procession of Nations. 7:15PM: Holy Mass. Celebrant: Fr. Paul Walsh, C.S.B. Special Participation of these Communities: Hispanic, Lebanese, Italian, African & Filipino. Reception to follow at Freed-Ormon Centre. Come join in the festivities in honour of Our Lady of Guadalupe. St. Charbel’s Annual Christmas Party will be held at St. Charbel’s Parish, 1010 Hwy. 3, Old Castle, on Saturday, December 15th, 2007. Live entertainment by Soumaya Aziz & Band. Doors open at 6:00PM. Dinner at 7:00PM. Cash Bar. Tickets $ 50/person. For reservations or info, please call: (519) 972 - 0761. All are welcome. 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 monks of St. Anthony at Hboub from 1816 to 1822. He adopted the name Fr. Nehmetallah Kassab Hardini. He professed 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 in your hands I submit my soul.” People who were nearby at the moment of his death witnessed a heavenly light illuminated his room for a number of days afterwards. Some time later, the Monks opened his tomb and to their surprise they found his body intact. 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 on May 16, 2004. Saint Nehmetallah, Pray and intercede for us before the Lord, our Father. May he protect us from every evil that we face on daily basis. May he entrust our souls to the care of his saints and guardian angels. Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12 On December 9th, 1531 ten years after the Spanish Conquest of Mexico, the Blessed Virgin appeared on the Tepeyac hill, then 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 Diego 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 Bishop Zumarraga he saw a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe impressed on the cloak. The shrine of Guadalupe, where the picture is kept, was built in 1709 and is one of the great Marian shrines in the world and a national treasure for the Mexican people. Pope Pius XII declared Our Lady of Guadalupe the patroness of the Americas.   Christmas Tree Blessing Holy Creator of Trees, Bless with your abundant Grace this our Christmas tree as A symbol of joy. May its evergreen branch Be a sign of your never fading promises. May its Colourful lights and ornaments call us to decorate With love our home and our world. May the gifts that Surround this tree be symbols of the gifts we have received From the Tree of Christ’s Cross. Holy Christmas tree within Our home, may joy and peace, come and nest in your Branches and in our hearts. Amen.

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