7/30/2019 BEING REAL: THE VELVETEEN RABBIT

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Holy Family / Mary, Mother of God December 30, 2012 / Jan. 1, 2013

BEING REAL: THE VELVETEEN RABBIT

In the Christmas message this year, we reflected on the importance of making room at the inn. When we mak

room for Christ in our lives, he becomes real for us. For if the wondrous message is true that in Jesus, God h

become One with us, has embraced every aspect of what it means to be human our joys and hopes, our sorrow

and struggles then Christmas is not just one day, but every day. Jesus is no longer a porcelain figure I take out

the closet once a year, to whom I pay my respects, and then store him safely out of the way until next year. Hbecomes a part of my life, my family, my world, and my values. He occupies a permanent place in my heart.

The more real Jesus becomes for us, the more Jesus reveals to us our full humanity, our true identity. Marge

Williams childrens classic, The Velveteen Rabbit, beautifully expresses the discovery of what it means to be real:

- "What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit of the Skin Horse one day, when they were lying side by side,

before Nana came to tidy the room.

- "Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child

loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

- "Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

- "Sometimes," said the Skin Horse. "But when you are Real, you don't mind being hurt."

- "Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

- "It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it

doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully

kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop

out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once

you are Real you are always beautiful, except to people who don't understand."

Because we have been loved with an everlasting love, we too are real. Christmas reminds us that beyond the glitt

and the glitz, the ribbons and the bows, there is a deeper and truer self, loved from all eternity. Through ou

encounter with Jesus, the Word made Flesh, the Real Presence of God in our midst, we become real. As wbecome more fully human, sharers in Christs own life, we allow those around us to be real: family, friends, co

workers, neighbours. Our society becomes more real, more loving, and more open to the gift of Gods presence. L

this be our New Years Resolution: to consent to Gods presence within us, and all around us. Happy New Year!

7/30/2019 BEING REAL: THE VELVETEEN RABBIT

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Mass Intentions

December 30, 2012 to January 6, 2013

December 29, 2012 St. Thomas Becket

4:00 Amelia Brocca Her Family

Bernadette Boudreau Connie McLaughlin

December 30, 2012 The Holy Family

8:30 Nazzareno Michetti Rosa & Luigi Salvati

Mariangelo Battista His daughter Jose Battista

Libero Fontana His daughter-in-law Jose

Battista

11:00 Giuseppina Fiori Her children

Ramsay Archer His wife Dolores

December 31, 2012 Monday In the Octave OfChristmas

4:00 The Healing of CarolineDufour

Her Sister Genevive

Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God

8:30 For Peace & Justice11:00 For Peace & Justice

January 2, 2013 Wednesday, St. Basil theGreat

8:00 Giuseppina, Flora, Emidio& Domenica Matalucci

Sorella Maria

January 3, 2013 Thursday, The Holy Nameof Jesus

8:00 The Deceased Membersof the Cinelli Family

Maria & Raffaele Cinelli

January 4, 2013 First Friday, St. ElizabethAnn Seton

8:00 Leo Lehman Deacon Bernie Glover

January 5, 2013 Vigil of Epiphany

4:00 Alba Paliotti The Paliotti Family

January 6, 2013 Epiphany of Our Lord

8:30 In Loving Memory:

Gerald McManus;Mickey Laughlin; Mr. Durcharme; Leona

Clarke; Terry & Leonard Winslade; Gerry Maloney;

Dorothy Rice

11:00 Ettore Lanni Virginia Lanni & Family

The parish office is closed starting at noon on Friday,December 21st untilJanuary 3rd 2013 at 9:00 AM

In Case of Emergencies please leave a message and

someone will call you back shortly.

Every week, many people come to St. Monica

to request that a Mass be celebrated for a relativ

or friend who has died. In the Eucharist, we pra

for the repose of the soul of our loved one, as w

ask for the prayerful support of family, friends an

parish community. Often such requests are mad

weeks or even months in advance. It is alscommon that the birthday of a loved one, or th

anniversary of their death, be celebrated b

offering a Mass in their memory. This can lead

a large number of requests in any given mont

Previously, to accommodate the high volume

requests for Masses, we have allowed thbooking of two or even three intentions per Mas

This practice is not consistent with the principle

one Mass, one intention, enshrined in cano

law to prevent the abuse of multiplying Ma

intentions in order to increase the stipends pa

to the priest and/or parish.After much discussion, reflection and prayer,

was decided that we should follow our diocesa

norms more closely.Thus, beginning January 2013, we will only be accepting one officiintention for each Mass. This may be in the forof an individual name, or a family grouping (e.George, Mary & Fred Smith or Decease

members of the Smith Family). These will b

accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Thregular offering for these Masses remains $1

as per diocesan norms.We realize that many parishioners have dates

significant importance on (or close to which) the

wish to remember a loved one. If a loved one ha

died recently, it may not be appropriate to hav

to wait several months until the next availab

date. Our experience also shows that there is

high demand for Sunday Masses, for this is whe

family and friends are more likely to be able

attend. To accommodate this, our Lovin

Memory program will be expanded. Eveweekend, one of the three Masses will b

designated a Memorial Mass, rotatinbetween the Saturday 4 PM, and the Sunda8:30 AM and 11 AM Masses. No set fee amount will be requested, but a free-woffering will be gratefully accepted. For thMass, the names of the deceased will be listed

the bulletin and announced during the Prayers

the Faithful, but not those of the requestin

person or family.

For more information, please see Deacon Bern

or call him at the office.