Catholic Women’s League of Canada | BC and Yukon Council

Submitted by: Carol Penno

All the blessings of the advent season as we prepare for the coming of the Lord in our midst.

A quote from Pope Benedict XV! Advent address:  “Advent is the spiritual season of hope par excellence and in this season the whole church is called to be hope for itself and for the world.”  He adds,” The whole spiritual organism of the mystical body assumes as it were the ‘color’ of hope.”

A website I enjoy using is www.CatholicGreetings.org; there you will find Catholic greetings for Advent and the feast days that fall within the season.

The Catholic Missions is Canada would be grateful for donations to help the Missionaries in their work  in the mission churches across Canada.  In a letter I received October 29^th, 2008 the work of Sister Shelley Grant, C.N.D. is mentioned.  Sister Shelley ministers to 155 parishioners at St. Jude’s Catholic Mission in Carmacks, Yukon.  Sister Shelley received a grant of $10,000 which kept this mission open.  It covered heating, electricity, phone, wood, church supplies, gas, fuel for the stove, food, etc.  Let us be mindful of the Missionaries in our own BC & Yukon area.

All Parish Presidents recently received the mailing from National Office.  Terri Scott, National Chairperson  of Spiritual Development had a MEMO included.  If perchance you didn’t receive the report you can find it on the national website  www.cwl.ca, click on  “Recent Updates”, October 28,2008,  item No 6 is the memo from Terri.

Resolution 2005.01 Christmas Postage Stamps is being supported well I am sure.  Please remember to thank Canada Post for this year’s religious stamp. 

In a few weeks time the Diocesan Chairperson should be receiving the Spiritual Development reports from the parishes as I note they have December 15 as their due date.   I look forward to your report to Provincial in a timely manner. 

Deceased Members:  Please note that I must receive notification of all your deceased members for 2008  early in the New Year.  Only the names I have received by January 15, 2009 will be included in the National Book of Life.  Be diligent in keeping up to date with these important reports. 

And still speaking of deceased members take care  to use the 2008 Deceased Members form and to include the council code found on your Canadian League Magazine address label. National needs this important bit of information to ensure the removal of the right name from the magazine mailing list. 

And if you would like to add your voice to many other voices you could write to:

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation,  P.O. Box 500, Station “A”. Toronto, ON M5W  1E6 and ask them to  air Pope Benedict XVI  Christmas 2008  message as well as the Easter Message for 2009. 

During this blessed season of Advent may you find many meditations and readings that will help you prepare your hearts for Christmas

In our parish I brought an “Advent Bowl” for  each family.  It’s a rose bowl and in it are slips of paper with different suggestions. Children will draw a slip out each day of advent and do the suggested activity.   For example, sing your Mothers favourite Christmas Carol,  or do a good deed for a neighbour,  phone your grandparents and tell them you love them,  read the Christmas story.  It is patterned after the advent calendars where a child opens a  door  each day and gets a chocolate except this is more in line with getting ready for Christmas by helping others.

To close I would share this

CHRISTMAS NOVENA

V:  Let everything within us watch and wait,: 

R:  For the Lord our God is near.

LET US PRAY:

Father, all-powerful God, your eternal Word took flesh on earth when the Virgin Mary placed her life at the service of your plan.  Lift our minds in watchful hope to hear the voice which announces His Glory, and open our hearts to receive the Spirit who prepares us for his coming

 We ask this through Christ our Lord.  AMEN     (taken from Sisters of the Precious Blood)

May our Lady of Good Counsel inspire us as we strive to serve our God and Canada  and please accept my best wishes to you and yours  for a very Merry and Blessed Christmas and a New Year filled with Peace, Joy and Happiness.  God Bless you all.