Monthly Archive for December, 2009

The Twelve Days of Christmas

When the secular world starts putting its ‘holiday’ things away, and as shopping malls stop blaring ‘Here Comes Santa Claus’, Catholics should just be getting started their celebration of Christ’s birth! The cleaning and baking during penitential Advent pays off now, and the feasting and carolling begin. The days from the Feast of the Nativity [...]

Epiphany house blessings

Homes are traditionally blessed during the Octave of Epiphany (6–13 January). The blessing  is done with exorcised Epiphany Holy Water, blessed chalk, and exorcised incense (frankincense with myrrh).
Since for the most part we all live quite a distance from one another, priority will be given to homes that haven’t yet been blessed, then to those [...]

Masses. 20–25 December 2009

Sunday 20 December
4th Sunday of Advent
8:00: RIP Members of G. Austin Family
10:30: Pro Populo
4:30: RIP Martha Wolf
Monday 21 December
Saint Thomas, Apostle & Martyr
7:30 am: RIP Francis MacKenzie
7:30 pm: RIP Father Alphonse Montag
Tuesday 22 December
Greater Feria of Advent
7:30 am: RIP Kara Turton
9:00 am: RIP Henrique & Marie de Sa
Wednesday 23 December
Greater Feria of Advent
7:30 am: Brother [...]

Christmastide Schedule

This is the schedule of Christmastide services at Holy Family Church in Vancouver. Sunday services will be at the usual times.
Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December
7:30 am & 9:00 am
Christmas Day, Friday 25 December
Midnight Mass
8:00 am Low Mass
10:30 am High Mass
Feast of Saint Stephen, Saturday 26 December
7:30 am & 9:00 am
New Year’s Day,  Friday 1 January
(Holy [...]

Advent Embertide

Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after Gaudete Sunday are known as ‘Advent Embertide’, special penitential days which come near the beginning of the season of Winter. The Ember Day fast, although no longer strictly obligatory, is presumed in the prayers of our liturgy, and so we would encourage you to observe this laudable tradition in a [...]

Masses, 13–19 December 2009

Sunday 13 December
3rd Sunday of Advent
8:00: RIP Joseph Byrne
10:30: Pro populo
4:30: Mackey Children
Monday 14 December
Feria of Advent
7:30 am: RIP Legionary Members
7:30 pm: RIP Felix Bongiorno
Tuesday 15 December
Feria of Advent
7:30 am: RIP Helen Bongiorno
9:00 am: RIP Bernice Scherdt
Wednesday 16 December
Ember Wednesday
(Commemoration of Saint Eusebius, Pope & Martyr)
7:30 am: Jerry Mackey
7:30 pm: Michael & Emmilie
Thursday 17 December
Feria [...]

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Tuesday, 8 December
7:30 am Low Mass
7:30 pm High Mass
This feast is often misunderstood even by practising Catholics. It does not refer to Our Lady’s conceiving of Jesus by the Holy Ghost (the Annunciation) but, rather, to the sinless conception of Our Lady in the womb of her mother, Saint Anne, by Our Lady’s father, Saint [...]

Masses, 6–12 December 2009

Sunday 6 December
2nd Sunday of Advent
8:00: RIP Ambrose Heidrich
10:30: Pro populo
4:30: Father John Coghlan
Monday 7  December
Saint Ambrose, Bishop, Confessor & Doctor of the Church
7:30 am: Kelly Charleton
7:30 pm: RIP Margaret Carter Kussey
Tuesday 8 December
Immaculate Conception of Our Lady
7:30 am: RIP Anne O’Brien
7:30 pm High Mass: RIP Father John Montag
Wednesday 9 December
Feria
7:30 am: Bruno Santucci
7:30 pm: [...]