“With this Letter, I wish to encourage the beautiful family tradition of preparing the nativity scene in the days before Christmas, but also the custom of setting it up in the workplace, in schools, hospitals, prisons and town squares.”
~ Pope Francis, @Pontifex Dec. 1, 2019

Read the letter here:  ADMIRABLE SIGNUM

Join us for a musical evening of traditional and contemporary seasonal music with John B. Miller and Friends, featuring Steve Martin, Donna McLellan, Joe Orlando and Andrea
Weber Steckly. Sunday December 8th at 7pm, cash donation is appreciated at
the door. This will be a fun and prayerful event, a great break from the bustle of
Christmas preparations.

ADVENT CONFESSIONS AT ST. FRANCIS

During this Advent period of spiritual preparation we invite you to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Our regular confession times are Saturdays from 4:00 – 4:30 pm, or if you prefer a different time please call the office to make an appointment.

There are also Penance Services at some of the other local churches
if you prefer that option:

AREA ADVENT PENANCE SERVICES 2019

 Monday, December 9^th
7:30 pm   St Louis Church, Waterloo

 Tuesday, December 10^th
7:00 pm    St. Agatha Church, St. Agatha
7:30 pm     St. Agnes Church, Waterloo

Wednesday, December 11^th
6:30 pm    St. Aloysius Church, Kitchener
7:00 pm      St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows Church, Kitchener
7:00 pm    St. Joseph Church, Kitchener

Thursday, December 12^th
7:30 pm     Our Lady of Lourdes, Waterloo

 Wednesday, December 18^th
7:00 pm     St. Teresa of Avila Church, Elmira
7:00 pm     St. Anne Church, Kitchener
7:00 pm    Blessed Sacrament Church, Kitchener

Our next North of 60 campaign for our 60^th Anniversary year is the:

Health for Fort Hope Initiative

The community of Fort Hope (also known as Eabamentoong First Nation) is a fly-in community located on the shores of Eabamet Lake in the Albany River system 360 km north of Thunder Bay. Health for Fort Hope is led by a team of medical professionals to help serve the needs of the approximately 1500 people who live on the reserve, and an additional 700+ community members living off the reserve. Like many First Nation communities, the lack of access to affordable nutritious food has led to many health problems, especially diabetes and all the associated foot care concerns. The team first visited in June 2019 and, in collaboration with nursing station and home care staff, the Health for Fort Hope project was able to fit and assess for orthotics and home care needs. With this relationship between the team and community members of Fort Hope, the team will be providing a foot care nurse and continued visits for orthotics and home care needs.

More specifically, the team has these goals for this initiative:

• Orthotics: provide screening and assessments for orthoses, to help those with skin integrity issues, mobility issues and diabetes ulcer off-loading care as well as those with drop foot because stroke, acquired brain injury, incomplete spinal injuries and more.
• Prosthetics: provide prosthetic assessments, post-amputation rehabilitation education and assess needs in communities as necessary.
• Personal Support Worker Knowledge Sharing: based on the needs of the community, the personal support worker will be sharing his knowledge and skills related to palliative care and pain management to the personal support workers in the community.
• Networking for other health needs in community: explore other opportunities to assist Fort Hope in accessing knowledge, practitioners and other needs with health director and members of Eabemetoong First Nation Health and Social Services department.
• Career Presentations: will present their careers as an orthotist and prosthetist to a class room at John C Yesno Education Centre.

How can we help?

Our Advent Charities Collection this year will go to support the Health for Fort Hope Initiative. You have envelopes for this collection in your church boxes, please put them in the collection on the 1^st Sunday of Advent, Nov. 30/Dec. 1. Extra envelopes will be available at the entrances that weekend. Thank you for helping us celebrate 60 years by giving back to our northern neighbours.