FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST
Our Lady of Victory		St. Malachy
Sunday - 9:00 A.M.		Saturday - 7:00 P.M.

F O O D   F O R   T H O U G H T

Reading I Jeremiah 33-14-16 Responsorial Psalm To you O Lord, I lift my soul. Reading II 1 Thessalonians 3.12 – 4.2 Gospel Luke 21.25 – 28, 34 -36 Food for Thought Advent tells us that we have a marvelous future awaiting us. What are my reactions to God’s promise of great things? Do I flow easily with it? Is it drowned out by other feelings, other voices? Do my current circumstances make it hard for me to trust the promise? Can I listen keenly to the promise, “the days are surely coming,” and step out with confidence?

December 3rd, 2006

Pastor	William Marrevee s.c.j.
Email	w.marrevee@sympatico.ca
Rectory	490 Charles Street Gatineau, Québec J8L 2K5
Secretary	Monday and Thursday 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Telephone	(819) 986-3763
Fax	(819) 986-9889

A sincere welcome to those who are new among us. We hope you find a warm and welcoming faith-home with us. Please introduce yourself after Mass and call the Rectory to register.

M A S S       S C H E D U L E WED. Dec. 06th - 9:00 a.m. OLV Richard Butler by Iris Butler SAT. Dec. 09th - 7:00 p.m. St. Malachy Mary Elizabeth Byrne by her Estate SUN. Dec. 10th - 9:00 a.m. OLV Charles, Hannah & ZeZibel Morin by Andree Roussin & Kathaleen O’Hara

SANCTUARY LAMP - December 3rd – 16th:
- for the intentions of Veronica Smith

WE BEGIN THE ADVENT SEASON - A CHALLENGE!
Yes, Christmas is coming. However, the Church goes about it in a different way compared to the commercial and entertainment world all around us. Here follows a reflection that deals with the relationship between Advent and Christmas. We have shared that reflection also with the parents of our confirmation and first communion candidates when we met with them last week:

We Christians hold a great festival during the winter solstice, the shortest days of the year. We call this festival “Christmas,” meaning the “feast of Christ.” It takes several weeks to prepareand several weeks to celebrate. How to use them? That is the question which Bishop Raymond Lahey addresses in the missal on pages 552-554. The weeks of preparation are called Advent - the season of growing darkness before the solstice. The weeks of celebration are called Christmastime - the season of growing light after the solstice. Perhaps it comes down to something basic: We are children of light. Of course, there’s a great contrast between these two seasons of our faith and the commercial “holiday season.” The “holiday season” begins in November and then comes to a crashing halt on December 25. But we Christians own Advent and Christmastime. The symbols of these seasons are our property, not advertisers’ gimmicks. So it’s important that we keep Advent and Christmas in church and at home according to our tradition. And they’re worth keeping. We need Advent. Without it we stop being what we are: a people who are waiting. We need the gospel’s terrifying announcement of the end of time. We need the prophet’s consolations and threats. We learn who we are in the uneasy raving of John the Baptist and in the gentle strength of Holy Mary. And we need Christmastime. We need a festival that runs beyond a single day, beyond a single week. We need time to tell about the journey of the Magi, about the embrace of old Simeon and Anna, about the babbling of water made wine and the leaping Jordan and that glorious voice thundering what we yearn to hear: You are my beloved child! In the days of Christmastime we shout loud and clear that Jesus Christ is born. The reign of God is here among us, in our own flesh and blood. That’s why we gather around the star-topped tree of life and tinsel our homes in silver and gold, and spread our tables with the bounty of the harvest. The marvels of Christmas are signs of God’s reign, sings of life that conquers death, of “the light shining on in darkness, a darkness that did not overcome it” (John 1:5) Of course, Advent cannot exist if we jump the gun on Christmas. And Christmastime cannot exist if we are already tired of it by December 25. These two seasons require each other. Only after the silence of Advent can the carols of Christmastime spring. Only after Advent’s darkness can a single star give so much cheer. Only after Advent’s terror can an angel be heard, once again, telling us to “fear not.” Year after year, we so genuinely need these seasons as rehearsal for heaven. This festival of the winter solstice - this “feast of Christ” - does more than lead us from one year to another. In the power of Christ, Advent and Christmastime lead us from time into eternity.

IT MATERS WHAT WE SING - THE THREE COMINGS OF CHRIST:
“What is he talking about now, three comings of Christ?” That could easily be the reaction when you see this heading. As we have lit the Advent candle at the beginning of Mass we sing: Kyrie eleison....

The verses that go with that are very important. They help us focus on the three-fold coming of Christ, a basic tenet of the Christian faith. There is the first coming of Christ which took place some 2000 years ago and which we celebrate at Christmas; there is the present coming of Christ which in faith we are privileged to experience every time the Word is proclaimed and a sacrament is celebrated; and there is Christ’s coming in glory which in joy-filled hope we look forward to.

Lord Jesus, you came to gather the nations into the peace of God’s Kingdom.
You came in word and sacrament to strengthen us in holiness.
You will come in glory with salvation for your people.

You might even want to use this around your Advent wreath at home.

A REFLECTION ON MARY AS A PROMINENT ADVENT FIGURE - FRIDAY, DEC. 8th, 7:30 P.M. AT OLV:
This is not meant as a discussion about Mary. Rather we want to meditate on who she is as the most prominent disciple of Jesus. We’ll use some reflections and Marian hymns, because it is difficult to think of a better person than Mary to show us what it is to be an Advent person.

ADVENT FAITH FORMATION - Sunday December 10, 7:30 at St. Aloysius Church in Gatineau.
How much do we know about the Birth of Jesus story? Have we ever looked at the way the Gospel writers Matthew and Luke (the Gospels according to Mark and John are silent about it!) deal with them? That is what we plan to look at next Sunday evening (December 10) at St. Aloysius with the help of two little books that the devout and renowned Bible scholar Raymond Brown has written about it. Quite interesting!

THE NEW LIVING WITH CHRIST SUNDAY MISSALS - BETTER AT HOME THAN AT CHURCH:
The better and more useful place for the Living With Christ Sunday Missals is the home. If we keep them in the church, then most of us will only see them for that one hour on Sunday. At home we can take a look at next Sunday’s Scripture readings or we can take a second look at last Sunday’s Scripture readings. Moreover, the Sunday Missals contain a good selection of prayers that may come in handy at various times. So we encourage that you buy one ($5.00) and use it at home.

TIMES FOR MASSES AT CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S:
With Christmas and New Year’s falling on a Monday this year we have to make some adjustments:

Date Time Place Celebration Dec. 23rd, Saturday 7:00 PM St. Malachy 4th Sunday of Advent Dec. 24th, Sunday** 6:30 PM OLV Christmas Dec. 24th, Sunday 9:00 PM St. Malachy Christmas Dec. 25th, Monday 9:00 AM OLV Christmas Dec. 30th, Saturday 7:00 PM St. Malachy   Dec. 31st, Sunday 9:00 AM OLV   Jan. 01st, Monday 9:00 AM OLV   **The 6:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass at OLV is made necessary because we share the organist with St. Gregoire.

WE ARE RUNNING LOW ON SERVERS OR ASSISTANTS TO THE PRESIDER:
Servers are still needed. See last week’s bulletin for more details. Could you help, please?

COOKBOOK FUND RAISER - DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 31st TO SUBMIT YOUR RECIPES

BIRTHDAY WISHES TO:
- Margaret Farnand who celebrated her birthday on December 2nd.
- Margaret Dorion who will celebrate her birthday on December 5th.

CONGRATULATIONS TO:
- Eugene and Jean Lavell who will celebrate their 46th Wedding anniversary on December 9th.
- Ron & Nancy Lanthier who will celebrate their 41st Wedding Anniversary on December 10th.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT: - THE CHANTERELLE CHOIR - December 20th, 7:30 p.m. at OLV:
Cost: $10.00. Fundraiser; Chanterelle, St. Malachy and OLV. Tickets available from the wardens, or the Office, at 986-3763 on Mondays or Thursdays from 1:00 to 4; 00 pm.

W E E K L Y     R E C E I P T S   Date Collection OLV St. Malachy Nov. 19th Regular $ 534.00    $ 177.00    Nov. 26th Regular 581.00    218.00    Nov. 26th Fuel 345.00    135.00