ARE YOU NEW TO OUR PARISH? WELCOME!
Welcome to those who want to make our parish their faith home. You may have come from other places. You may have been “away for a while”. Be assured that we love to have you among us. We would appreciate it very much if you identified yourself at Mass. It would also help if you would take the time to fill out a registration form. The next time you are with us, you may leave it in the collection basket or give it to one of the ushers or to the priest. Thank you and welcome.

PRAYER, POSTURE, PEOPLE OF GOD (part 3 of 3)
This is the last segment on bodily prayer at Sunday Eucharist and beyond. Last week we looked at the merit of accepting God’s gifts of grace & love by offering all that we are back to Him through our bodily posture, thus helping us to be wholly present as we approach God. This week, we focus a on our upcoming season of Advent to show us the way – or show us the Word in this case.

Advent is the season when we celebrate God's entrance into history in bodily form. The word Advent comes from the Latin Adventus -- “the coming”. God came to dwell among us in a particular and profound way in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, who was and is truly God and truly man.

Pope John Paul II drew on the most basic message of the entire Christian tradition – “The Word became Flesh" – to make clear that the body is the very window of the soul, with its own language that speaks more deeply than we can with words. When God wished to speak his ultimate Word to us he sent, not a telegram, but a baby – at Bethlehem. The ultimate form of speech is the Body. And so the Body and the things we say with it matter.

“Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice” (Rom 12:1). To Paul, offering one’s body meant offering God one’s entire existence in space and time. Living between two advents, two comings of Jesus, we live in history. That is to say: we live as bodily beings in space and time.

Jesus offers us a beautiful study in body prayer through the four gospels. He moved his body into spaces of solitude and in community. He intentionally fasted while at other times enjoyed food and drink. Fasting (going without food) is one of many ways to develop our interior center. Jesus prayed in many different body positions. The gospels record little of what he said in prayer, but frequently mentions Jesus’ prayer habits, postures and practices. His body prayer can be ours with practice.

Praying Jesus will come to us in grace, to sustain and sanctify us and the entire world, we respond to his advent in our lives by offering ourselves entirely to him — our holy offering of heart, mind, body, and soul. And that body prayer at Sunday Eucharist whispers of what we do outside this space too. Our bodies move us and hold us in our commitments, our actions, our charity, along with our hearts and heads. This is our faith, the faith of our Church.

http://www.vatican.net/archive/catechism/p4s1c3a1.htm
http://www.rcan.org/archbish/jjm_letters/HumanBody.htm
http://www.soulfoodministry.org/docs/IntroToBodyPrayer.htm
http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/columns/markshea/sheavings/42.asp

The two articles inserted this week help us go a bit further than where we have ended with this 3-week reflection on body posture & prayer: From The Tablet, an article on the 5 senses that we have at our disposal as we participate at Sunday Eucharist; and from The Prairie Messenger, a reflection on where/how the head, heart and God-given imagination fit to make our faith more whole.

LIONS CLUB ANNUAL TELETHON
The Lions Club annual telethon will be held and broadcast on our local cable station on Sunday, December 2nd 2007 from noon until 9:00 pm.

The Lions Club uses the funds collected to assist residents of Buckingham, Masson-Angers and L’Ange Gardien in the following areas:

distribution of over 250 Christmas baskets to the needy distribution of gifts at Christmas time to residents of senior homes distribution of small gifts at Christmas time to patients in the Buckingham hospital distribution of food baskets for special needs during the year support to the local soup kitchen, La Table de Bethlehem support to the local school breakfast program

We are asking parishioners of OLV and St. Malachy to participate in the annual Lions Club Telethon for a fourth year. You can place your donation – cash or cheque made out to the Lions Club – in a plain envelope marked Lions Club in front, and add it to the weekend collection basket for the next two weekends (November 24-25 or December 1-2). If you wish a tax receipt from the Lions Club, please ensure that your name and address are included with your donation so that a receipt can be returned to you.

Christmas is a time of giving, of thanking God for all we have. It is also an opportune time to reach out and help those less fortunate than ourselves. Please give generously.

BAPTISM
Our Christian communities welcome the following children today. May the Lord of love bless and keep you:

Caitlyn Ella Marie	daughter of David Robert Freeman & Nathalie Lavoie, (OLV)
Jaeden Barry Douglas Patrick	son of Justin Mallette, & Jodi Backer (L’Ange Gardien)
Kathryn Margaret	daughter of Shaun James O ’ Reilly & Marie-Andrée Dubé (OLV)
Alissya Josée Christine	daughter ofEric Bernard Joseph Roy & Ashley Sellers (OLV)

A MORNING OF REFLECTION
with Fr. Bill Burke, National Director of Liturgy of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, on The Nature of the Sacred Liturgy and its Importance in the life of the Church And The Popular Devotions of the Christian People - how they are different and how they complement each other. To be held on Saturday, November 24th, at St Basil’s Parish - 940 Rex Avenue, Ottawa. See poster at entrance of church for details on how to register.

PPC MEETING
at the rectory November 20th from 7:15 pm.

WARDENS - ST. MALACHY
Two wardens will be completing their term this year and we will need replacements for the next term starting in January, 2008. Registration forms are available at the back of the Church or from the wardens. The deadline for nominations is December 1st, 2007. If there are more than two names, we will have an election on December 8, 2007.

WARDENS - OLV
Two wardens will be completing their term this year. That means that we will need two new wardens to replace them for the next term starting in January. If you would like to volunteer to help out by becoming a warden call the office to give your name. If you know of any parishioners who might want to be a warden, speak to them about it and have them call the office. The deadline for nominations is December 9. If there are more than two names we will have an election.

CHRISTMAS TEA
Our Christmas Tea will be on Saturday, December 1st. Circle this date on your calendar. This will be a great day to socialize, buy food and gifts for the upcoming Christmas season. Please join us for the fun. Any person(s) wishing to help at the food table, front door, novelty table or as servers for the Christmas tea, please contact Monique Simpson at 819-986-3166.

COOK BOOKS
There are still some books available. You may contact Monique at 986-3166 or the office at 986-3763 to obtain copies.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT
There will be a Christmas Concert performed by The Chanterelle on December 19th at 7:30 p.m, in the parish hall. Admission is $10:00. Proceeds are divided by OLV, St. Malachy and the Chanterelle. Tickets are available before Mass at OLV and St. Malachy, and at the office at 986-3763.

OFFICE HOURS

Monday and Thursday:	1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday and Wednesday:	9:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Telephone messages are picked up on a regular basis throughout the week.