Sunday Liturgy
Saturday: 5:00 pm
Sunday: 11:00 am
Mission Statement
We are a welcoming Christian community called to embrace and respect the uniqueness of each individual as we join together in our faith and worship. Our ongoing mission is to engage our youth, promote renewal, out reach, evangelization and ecumenical cooperation.
MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK
Monday, December 22nd – 9:00 am Gemma Haggarty (Anniv)
Tuesday, December 23rd – 9:00 am Marion/James Oram
Wednesday, December 24th – 9:00 am No Mass
Wednesday, December 24th – 4:00 pm Deceased Members of Doherty
& Loughery Familes
Wednesday, December 24th – 7:00 pm Winston Guthrie (Anniv)
Thursday, December 25th – 11:00 am Dorothy & John Sheehan
Friday, December 26th – 9:00 am No Mass
Saturday, December 27th – 5:00 pm Marion Oram (Anniv)
Sunday, December 28th – 11:00 am Jacques Bellefleur
CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR MASS SCHEDULE
Christmas
Wednesday, December 24th
4 pm – Mass
7 pm – Mass
Thursday, December 25th
11 am – Mass
New Year’s
Wednesday, December 31st
5 pm – Mass
Thursday, January 1st
11 am – Mass
Weekly Reflections (Homily) from Msgr. Sheehan (December 19, 2025)
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT
THE EMMANUEL
Dear friends;
I hope that in all the rush that goes with Christmas that you are finding time to be quiet and reflective. Quiet so that we can let God speak to us as to the meaning of what we celebrate.
And what we must do is to find that time – and quiet – and make room for it… how sad it is that so many of us have taken so little time to be quiet these last few days to savor the season…
What is this message, what is it that we celebrate at Christmas…? This Sunday’s readings capture the message my dear people. It is found in Isaiah 7, 14 in the text we have just heard:
“The Lord himself, therefore will give you a sign. It is this –
the maiden is with child – and will soon give birth to a son
whom she will call Immanuel”
(Is. 7, 14)
You will notice that Matthew uses this text in his announcement of the birth of the Lord – “Now all this took place to fulfill the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:”
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son
And they will call him Emmanuel”
A name which means “God-is-with-us.”
(Mat. 1, 23)
It is on this facet of the celebration which I wish to dwell for a few moments today: --
We have been singing all through Advent – “O Come, O Come Emmanuel…” -- we are asking the Lord to come to us – and to be with us…
Our song, our prayer has become more earnest… we want him to come to us – but how does he come to us? – by being our Emmanuel – by being the God who is with us.
There are many meanings of those word “with us”. –
One of the first is a physical presence. We say, “I am going home for Christmas to “be with” my parents for the Holidays.”
That is a physical presence… I go to a movie with my brother… we go together. There is a presence… people can see us together… And that has all the happiness and consolation that that kind of togetherness can bring…
When we love someone… we want to be together with them… we want them around… we like to know that they will sometimes be with us… and when they are not, we long for them, we miss them… and that is why for so many Christmas can be painful – because so many who we want to be with us – can no longer be with us – at least not in that way – in which we can see them, or hold them, or hug them…
But there is another way of being with someone – far more important… far more expressive than physical presence… because they don’t always perdure – as we know too well… and that is in a common spirit, a common goal or cause, a common venture together…
And that comes about when two people or a group of persons – agree on something… espouse a cause to achieve… and work on it together… they use the expression… “we’re with you on this”… or “are you with me in this” –
Now this is very different from physical presence… for often physical presence is not involved at all…
And the more difficult the achievement is – that we aim for… the more we want that expression of support, of unity, or solidarity… of just knowing that we won’t be going it alone… and we say – “Are you with me in this?...” In other words… we are saying – “Are you going to be there for me in this??” “Can I count on you… can I talk to you about this… I may fail… I may succeed… but whatever… will you stick with me…”
And often that involves sharing in some responsibility with what is attempted – and not letting the other person be abandoned.
Now, that is what… this beautiful word Emmanuel implies… it is only used a few times in the whole Bible – but it is expressed by the Angels, the prophets, Jesus – constantly.
“Moses said to God… “Who am I to go to Pharaoh… and bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt…? – I shall be with you – was the answer”… (send Aaron) “Now go, I shall help you to speak, and tell you what to say…” (Exodus)
Mary – How will this be…
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you…” (Luke 1, 35)
Apostles – “Behold I am with you all days till the end of the world…”
God is the God who is for us… in solidarity with us… because He is always the God who is “with us” --… and nothing tells us that more than his becoming one of us through his Son.
Amen.