Lectio Divina with
His Grace, Archbishop Thomas Collins

All are welcome to join
Archbishop Thomas Collins for Lectio Divina.

Sunday, December 9, 2007
St. Michael's Cathedral.

Vespers are at 7:00 p.m., followed by the Lectio Divina from 7:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.

This month's scripture passage: Matthew 5:27-42. Please join us for this personal encounter with God through Scripture.

This Sacred reading provides an opportunity to read aloud the Word of God taking time to pause, reflect and pray together. In the coming year, we will encounter Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, summarizing the foundation of Christian life.

mp3 audio podcasts and YouTube videos of previous Lectio Divina are available online. The Lectio Divina is also broadcast on Salt + Light Television.

St. Michael's Choir School's 68th Annual Christmas concert “A Christmas Celebration”

Friday, December 14, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 15, 2007 at 3:00 p.m.

St. Michael's Choir School has heralded the Christmas season at Massey Hall since 1939. This year's concert highlights include William Mathias' Salvator Mundi and works by Romantic masters Berlioz, Bruckner and Mendelssohn. Guest artists: The Toronto Philharmonia. Perennial favourites like White Christmas and Carol of the Bells join beloved Christmas carols arranged by popular British composer Karl Jenkins.

Tickets range from $22.50 - $36.50. To purchase tickets call the box office at 416-872-4255 or visit www.masseyhall.com.
www.smcs.on.ca.

44th Annual Police Communion Breakfast

March 2, 2008, at 9:00 a.m.
St. Michael's Cathedral.

Following the Mass, there will be a breakfast at 89 Chestnut Street. Archbishop Collins will be the guest speaker.

Tickets are $25.00 per person. For more information please contact 416-536-8195.

Large Stained Glass Windows

Available free, for Church, Chapel or School from the Sisters of the Precious Blood.

In excellent condition, these stained glass windows are being offered to Catholic churches and schools in Ontario, thanks to the generosity of the Sisters of the Precious Blood. The windows have been held in storage following the closure of their convent in Peterborough, five years ago. Each window, encased in protective glass, features one of the seven wounds of Christ. The windows are large, measuring approx. 25 -30 inches wide and 7-8 feet high.

The Sisters are anxious that these pieces of sacred art will find suitable new homes, where they will continue to inspire prayer and devotion to the sufferings of Christ for many years to come.

For more information please contact: Sr. Elizabeth Farley, R.P.B, Email: srefarley@yahoo.ca
Telephone 905-527-3745.

Landings

A program to assist Catholics who might wish to return to more active membership in the Catholic Church, meets Saturday mornings, 10:00 a.m. -
11:30 a.m. at the Paulist Ministry Centre, 830
Bathurst St., (opposite the Bathurst TTC station).

This particular group will continue until mid-December, meeting on Saturdays. All are welcome to simply come, or if you wish more information, call Landings, 416-534-4219.

St. Felix Centre
Care, Compassion, Community

St. Felix Centre is a community centre in downtown Toronto (25 Augusta Avenue, Toronto) offering compassionate support to those challenged by homelessness, mental illness, addictions, and violence.

St. Felix Centre provides daily lunches, programs for children (after-school, mentoring and summer camp) and programs for adults (counseling, referrals and advocacy) and a Speakers roster. Contact Leanne Faber or A-J. McKechnie at 416-203-1624 for more information or visit www.stfelixcentre.ca.

Help spread the word about St. Felix Centre.

Faith Connections’ Advent Retreat

Saturday, December 1, 2007.

The greatest deal you'll get this December … A CHANCE TO BE STILL! The Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto invite young adults (18-39 yrs) to an Advent Retreat - Reveling in Joyful Anticipation. Join us on Saturday, December 1st from 1:00–6:30 p.m. at St. Joseph Morrow Park (3377 Bayview Ave). Cost $10 – sit down dinner provided.

REGISTER BEFORE NOV 27th. To register contact Vanessa Nicholas – faithconnections@csj-to.ca or 416-222-1426 ext 276.

Advent Mission

December 5 - 7, 2007 at 7:30 p.m.
St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, 640 Glenholme Ave., Tor.

Themes: Monday – Family, Tuesday - Love and Marriage, Wednesday - Gratitude.

Retreat will be given by Rev. Fred Mazzarella, O.F.M.
For more information contact Rev. Fred Mazarella, O.F.M. at 416-536-8195 or St. Thomas Aquinas Parish at 416-782-8943.

Our Lady's Gift

“Our Lady's Gift” is a program that we developed locally as an outreach to the needy in our parish. It was designed to give a Christmas to a child who is economically disadvantaged but was also crafted as a tool to identify and liaise with families in crisis who, for whatever reason, may be alienated from the Church.

It requires very little infrastructure and the supervision of only a couple of volunteers – it also involves the whole parish community and gives parishioners an opportunity to help the poor, in a respectful and discreet way, during the Christmas season.

If pastors wish to replicate this program in their own church (and tailor it to their own specific needs and community), we would be more than willing to pass on the information and tools that you require. In our inner-city parish, we helped just short of 150 families last year with Our Lady's Gift.

Please contact Fr. John S. Papagno (Pastor, Our Lady of Victory Church) or our parish coordinator, Mrs. Sina McGrath at 416-769-1171 or email us at ourladyofvictory@rogers.com.

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir's
Sacred Music for a Sacred Space

The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir remounts the wildly successful Sacred Music for a Sacred Space at St. Paul's Basilica. In this second annual performance, Noel Edison will conduct The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the all-male Victoria Scholars in the magnificent, acoustically perfect Basilica on Friday, February 22, 2008, 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, February 24, 2008, 3:00 p.m.

The concerts will feature a NEW selection of grand masterworks to be performed completely a cappella including the unparalleled Vespers (All Night Vigil) by Sergei Rachmaninoff, An Apostrophe to the Heavenly Hosts by Canadian composer Healey Willan. The sparse and angular Missa Brevis by Canadian Ruth Watson Henderson will provide a pleasing contrast to the other works.

Tickets for the Sacred Music for a Sacred Space are $45 (General Admission) and Toronto Mendelssohn Choir Subscription Packages are still available, starting at $95.

Tickets and subscriptions are available by calling 416-598-0422 ext. 24. or online the public can visit www.tmchoir.org.

Et Exultavit Christmas Concert
by Aradia Ensemble

Sunday, December 9, 2007 at 7:30 p.m.

Blessed Sacrament Church
24 Cheritan Avenue Toronto

Laura Albino, Soprano
Kevin Mallon, Conductor
Corelli Christmas Concerto, strings
Locettelli Christmas Concerto, Strings
Allesandro Scarlatti Christmas Cantata

Excerpts from Handel's Messiah and Bach Magnificat.

$25.00 pp at the door.

For info on Aradia visit www.aradia.ca.

Mass in honour of Our Lady of Guadalupe

We cordially invite you to attend a Mass honouring “The Patroness of the Americas,” Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Saturday, Dec. 8, 2007 at 5:00 p.m.
Our Lady of Victory Church, 117 Guestville Ave., Toronto
(Weston Rd. & Eglinton)

Mass will be conducted in English (but with a “latin flair”) and we will sing the traditional “Mañanitas” in honour of “La Morenita”.

Music will be provided by Mitch Chavez and the St. Anthony of Padua choir.

This is our 15th anniversary – please come and celebrate with us!

For more information, call our office at 416-769-1171 or email us at ourladyofvictory@rogers.com.

Advent Vespers

Sunday, December 2, 2007 at 7:30 p.m.

Join us on the first Sunday of Advent as the St. Basil's Choir continues its annual tradition of Solemn Vespers for Advent. With chants and readings drawn from the Liturgy of the Hours, the celebration will also feature choral music by Franz Biebl and John Rutter and organ music by Dupré and Bach.

For more information, contact us at stbasilschoir@gmail.com or contact the parish office.