our Holiday Mass times

Here they are! Invite your visiting family and friends to celebrate!

All ages!

Visiting the Montreal area??  - join in the celebrations!!

Christmas Eve,

Friday Dec. 24th at 8 pm -

with live Christmas music starting @7:30pm

Christmas Day,

Saturday, Dec. 25th at 9:30 am

Sunday, Dec. 26th at 9:30 am

Please note that this week (for December 30) , there will be no Thursday meeting at 9:30am.

These will resume the following week.

New Year's Day,

Saturday, January 1st at 9:30 am
Sunday, Jan. 2nd at 9:30 am

The Gift of Music

The Gift of Music - Celebrating 40 years of Singing and Giving! 

Edith Strathdee from St. Lambert's United Church moved away from St. Lambert several years ago, but she was thrilled when she was told recently that we were celebrating the 40th anniversary of the event she founded. 

Every year several local choirs join together to perform, to encourage everyone to join in the singing AND raise funds for the Ecumenical Community Services Christmas Baskets. 

Please join us in this celebration! 
This Sunday, December 12th at 7 p.m.
Paroisse Saint-Lambert (41 Lorne Ave., St-Lambert) 

What's all this talk about an Advent retreat?

Advent is the start of a new church year... happy new year to all!

These 4 weeks are a time of expectation, waiting and preparing for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas, but there's more... it's also a time to remember that we are also waiting and preparing for Christ's return.
That's a lot to think about! 


That's why there's a retreat being planned. A retreat is time to take a break from the concerns of everyday life and think on all this.
We're very blessed to have Rev. Bill Burke (National Director of Liturgy from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops) as a retreat leader this year!


The retreat takes place at Good Shepherd Parish (7900 Naples in Brossard).
Sunday, Dec. 5th at 2:30 pm
Monday, Dec. 6th at 7:30 pm
Tuesday, Dec. 7th at 7:30 pm (with a Eucharist, and refreshments following)


Come to all 3 days, or just to one, (or maybe, 2!) and get some insight into the "meaning of the season".

Christmas Bazaar – this Saturday!

Spread the word! This Saturday is our annual Christmas Bazaar. 
It takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
As well as being an important fundraiser for the Parish, it is a great opportunity to get together. 

As always, there are fun children’s activities AND delicious apple pies - available while supplies last! 
There are also some new tables which you might find interesting. 

PLUS: in addition to our usual great raffle table, there is a SPECIAL raffle that gives you the chance to win a 46” flat screen Sony TV just in time for Christmas (drawing on Dec. 19^th) Maybe you have some friends and family interested in buying tickets for that! 
See you there! 

Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: Urgent Questions

It’s in the news... you might want to find out more what the Catholic Church’s position is.

There will be a booklet on this subject you can pick up at Mass this Sunday

plus

an evening to find out more about it, and ask questions on Friday November 5^th at 7 p.m. (Good Shepherd Parish, 7900 Naples in Brossard).

Here are links to some recent articles from the Montreal Gazette:

In Quebec, a position taken this year by the College of Physicians endorsing euthanasia under strict conditions has rekindled the debate about mercy killing. It has also prompted "dying with dignity" hearings by a special committee of the National Assembly.

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Doctor+warns+against+legalizing+euthanasia/3642395/story.html#ixzz13fEOU7Pg

When religious values were more important in Quebec, it was easier to make the case against euthanasia, McGill University ethicist Margaret Somerville said Thursday before provincial hearings in Montreal.

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/Euthanasia+killing+McGill+ethicist+tells+Quebec+hearings/3676530/story.html#ixzz13fEnO7Oi

Community Breakfast after Mass next Sunday!

This upcoming Sunday (Oct. 3rd), right after Mass - plan to stay and enjoy a delicious breakfast prepared by our dedicated Parish Wardens!

The funds raised will be used to purchase new computers for the church.

Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words. Francis of Assisi 

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/s/st_francis_of_assisi.html

One does not live by pie alone, but…

...well, the actual way it’s said in the Bible is "One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." 

But, at St. Francis we love our pies… 
In fact this Sunday after Mass there will be a meeting about pie-making and Bazaar planning. These are 2 cherished fun-fundraisers at St. Francis of Assisi! And, here’s a reason you could think of helping out: 

This weekend we celebrate Catechetical Sunday. This is a yearly celebration to remind us the importance of faith education. We are all called to learn and teach about the Word of God. 

So, the way your humble blog writers see it...since making and selling pies and putting together a bazaar finances the church’s activities, and since learning and teaching about the Word of God is a major activity… well, you see the connection. 

By the way, if you have any thoughts about fundraising or faith education at St. Francis, feel free to post a comment below. 
See you Sunday! 

This Sunday (Aug 29) celebrations

    All  are invited to Ecumenical Service held in St Lambert, in front of the Library, a great chance to get together with our neighbours :
when:This Sunday (August 29) at 10:30am  
where: it will be HERE! (click on me) then click BACK to continue reading here...
then ...
make your way back to St Francis Parish for more festivities as our annual BBQ and lunch 
will be served. (at Noon)
My inside scoop tells me the following will be served in whole or in part:
   80 sausages and 80 associated buns;
   corns on their cobs,
   48 chicken burgers and 48 chicken burger-style buns, 
   juice, butter, milk, cream,
   carrots, celery, watermelons, ketchup, mustard, relish, 
   and one Vanilla cake.
So hurry - numbers are limited - I think you need to purchase tickets (?)
    Mass will be held at 9:30 as usual (along with choir).

Seeds for Food

Hello everyone.

We (at St. Francis of Assisi Parish) finally launched a new social justice project (on June 13^th) to help the ‘Seeds for Food’ program started by Belgian botanist and inventor Willem van Cotthem.  

It has a simple premise – save the seeds of the fruits and vegetables that you eat every day, wash and dry them then mail them to the program office in Europe.  Upon receipt in Belgium, the seeds will be sorted and sent to the UN refugee camps in SW Algeria where they will be planted in small home gardens so that the happy recipients can have more nutritious fresh produce to supplement their meager food rations. 

It costs next to nothing to us yet enables poor people living in the harsh climate of the Sahara Desert a chance to improve their lives for the better!

It has been quite a success since we launched it two weeks ago.  If you would like to replicate this project in your parish I would be happy to provide the materials for you!

Please visit the website for more information (http://seedsforfood.wordpress.com) or contact me for other materials.

Cheers,

Dan Lafrenière

Social justice activist, Anglophone Region

Diocese of St-Jean-Longueuil

Youthfullness! - Spring is here!

There was a presentation by Sr. Francine G. last night at St. Francis and, for those who missed it, your intrepid reporter Lisa has the scoop!...


The good news is, we are a somewhat "youth-friendly" parish after all! 
Young people are involved in a lot of our parish actiivities.
Cases in point:
 The wonderful presentation this past Sunday with our D & P representative Dan and many young parishioners visually representing what he was talking about. 

Next Sunday, Palm Sunday, you'll also notice our KIDS' choir will be leading the music!
and of course all our fearless talented young lectors!

But...
We all know there is more to do, and it sometimes seems we don't know where to start. 
Well, I would say we start by first giving thanks for all the good stuff I have just talked about AND then choose to move forward from there.
Effective youth ministry requires VISION, STRUCTURE  and LEADERSHIP. That, of course, is the extremely short version : D

...Sr. Francine had lots more good advice to share including this:  when we feel overwhelmed we should remember we don't have to succeed, we just have to be faithful.

If you want to hear the presentation yourself, you have another chance this Wednesday at 7:30 PM at Good Shepherd (7900 Naples, Brossard).
Meanwhile, if you have any thoughts on reaching out to youth in our parish and beyond, feel free to share your comments here...
http://stfrancis-stlambert.blogspot.com/

Ash Wednesday

Please join us for the Ash Wednesday service.
This Wednesday(!) at 7:30pm.

Prayer Vigil for Haiti

Please join us for a Prayer Vigil for Haiti on 
Monday, January 18th 
at 7:30 p.m. 

at St. Francis of Assisi Church.

  

Help spread the word and join us in prayer and solidarity.